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LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES 
 
 OF 
 
 WINFIELD SCOTT 
 
 General-in-Chief of tlie Army of the United States. 
 
 ^^O^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 COMPRISINR HIS EARLY LIFE, HIS SERVICES IN THE WAR OF 1812, AT QUEENSTOWN 
 
 HEIGHTS, FORT GREY, CHIPPEWA, LUNDY's LANE, AND NIAGARA; IN THE 
 
 MEXICAN WAR, AT VERA CRUZ. CERRO GORDO, CHURUBTJSCO, CHAPITL- 
 
 TEPEC, THE TAKING OF THE CAPITAL, THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO, 
 
 AND NOMINATION AS CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY. 
 
 WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. • 
 
 FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC- DOCUMENTS. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO AND CO. 
 
 1852. C^ 
 
 For Sale by Booksellers and Periodical Agents generally. Vl 
 
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 One volume, royal oclavo. 
 
 31 
 
LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES 
 
 ov 
 
 WINFIELD SCOTT, 
 
 GENERAl-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARIY OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 COMPRISING HIS EARLY LIFE, 
 
 HIS SERVICES IN THE WAR OF 1812, 
 
 AT 
 
 QUEENSTOWN HEIGHTS, FORT GREY, CHIPPEWA, LDNDY's LANE, 
 AND NIAGARA. 
 
 IN THE MEXICAN WAR, 
 
 AT 
 
 VERA CRUZ, CERRO GORDO, CHURUBUSCO, CHAPULTEPEC, THE 
 TAKING OE THE CAPITAL, AND THE 
 
 CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 
 
 WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 /mm tjiB mnst ^lutjiBiitir Dnritmnts. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO. 
 
 1852. 
 

 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by 
 
 LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO. 
 
 in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the 
 Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 PRINTED BY T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The late war with Mexico developed, in a 
 very extraordinary manner, the military resources 
 of this country. It made the world acquainted 
 with many facts and principles which are worthy of 
 especial attention to every one who feels an interest 
 in our national history, and a desire that the na- 
 tional honour shall always be maintained. It demon- 
 strated that a people devoted to the arts of peace, 
 and possessing free political institutions, can easily 
 vanquish a military people, governed by military 
 despots. It has shown that fresh volunteers, under 
 the command of intelligent and able officers, can 
 take fortified cities and castles, garrisoned by double 
 the number of the assailants; and gain victories, in 
 pitched battles, over disciplined armies five times as 
 numerous as themselves. These are interesting facts; 
 and particularly interesting to Americans, as they 
 evidently involve the principle, that political freedom 
 is the chief element of military success. 
 
10 PREFACE. 
 
 All this has been accomplished by a small army, 
 with a staff of officers never surpassed in valom* 
 and abihty. To afford the public sketches of the 
 personal history of these officers, and to give details 
 of their service in this war, is the purpose of the 
 present work. It is compiled from authentic ma- 
 terials, consisting of public documents and -private 
 correspondence and memoirs, derived in many in- 
 stances from family connections of the officers. 
 The author has endeavoured to give in every in- 
 stance the truth without respect to persons, and he 
 hopes that in this he has been as successful as the 
 nature of the undertaking would permit. 
 
 Philadelphia, June, 1852. 
 
MAJOR-GENERAL SCOTT, 
 
 COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE AMERICAN ARMY. 
 
 Major-General Witwield Scott is a native of Virginia, born 
 near Petersburg, June 13th, 1786. The accounts of his early life 
 are few and meagre. He passed through the Richmond High- 
 School, and afterwards studied law at William and Mary College. 
 His military career began in 1807, on the reception of news con- 
 cerning the Chesapeake, when he became a volunteer member of 
 the Petersburg treop of horse. On the 3d of May, 1808, he was 
 commissioned as captain of hght artillery, and has remained in the 
 army ever since. When the war of 1812 commenced, he had al- 
 ready advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. 
 
 At the battle of Glueenstown Heights, Scott gave assurance of his 
 future military usefulness. After behaving in the most gallant 
 manner, his command of three hundred men became separated from 
 the main body, and were attacked by thirteen hundred British and 
 Indians. He defended himself for a long while, but was at length 
 taken prisoner, and carried with his troops to Gluebec. While 
 here, he challenged the respect of the British officers, by his inde 
 pendent and soldier-like bearing. His rescue of the Irish prisoners 
 is well known ; and many other anecdotes are related of him during 
 this confinement. In a httle while he was exchanged and sent to 
 Boston. 
 
 In the following year, Scott was engaged in a still more glorious 
 affair at Fort Grey. In the passage of the river, before taking this 
 place, he led the van and rushed up the steep Canadian bank amid 
 a shower of balls, and drove the British into the woods. At the 
 fort, he tore down the flag with his own hands, and afterward pur- 
 sued the enemy until evening. 
 
 (11) 
 
12 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 The summer passed without any attack from the British, and, 
 burning for active operations, Scott was permitted by General Wilk- 
 inson to resign the command of Fort George, which he then held, 
 to General McClure, and join the main army at Sackett's Harbour ; 
 marching to the mouth of the Genesee river, where the commander- 
 in-chief promised that transports should meet him. In this, how- 
 ever, Scott was disappointed, and he was compelled to advance over 
 roads almost impassable along the whole distance from Niagara to 
 the St. Lawrence. Leaving his column near Utica, under the com- 
 mand of Major Hindman, Scott hastened forward himself, reached 
 the St. Lavirrence at Ogdensburg on the 6th November, in time to 
 take part in the descent, and was appointed to command the ad- 
 vance guard ; and owing to his being in advance, had no part in the 
 indecisive battle of Chrystler's Field, or the events which took 
 place in the rear. He did, however, encounter and overcome se- 
 vere resistance at the Hoophole creek, near Cornwall, where he 
 routed a nearly equal British force under Colonel Dennis — making 
 many prisoners, and pursuing the fugitives till night ; and also at 
 Fort Matilda, erected to guard the narrowest part of the river. He 
 took the fort, its commander, and many of his men. But with vic- 
 tory within his grasp — for there was no force between Scott and 
 Montreal which could have arrested his march six hours, and no 
 garrison in Montreal that could have obstructed his entry — he, as 
 well as the nation, was doomed to disappointment, by the incom 
 petency and the quarrels of two of its generals — Wilkinson and 
 Wade Hampton : Wilkinson ordering a retreat because Hampton 
 would not join him with his detachment, and Hampton refusing to 
 join, because, as he alleged, provisions were insufficient ; the cam- 
 paign closed in disaster. But it was brilliantly redeemed by that 
 of the following year. 
 
 On the 9th of March, 1814, Colonel Scott was promoted to the 
 rank of brigadier, and immediately joined General Brown, then in 
 full march from French Mills to the Niagara frontier. Brown, who 
 was an able but self-taught commander, perceiving the need of in- 
 struction and discipline, left the camp expressly for the purpose of 
 giving the command to General Scott, and enabling him to carry 
 out a system of instruction and discipline with the troops as they 
 assembled at Buffalo. For more than three months this duty was 
 assiduously and most successfully discharged by General Scott. 
 
BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA. 13 
 
 Now it was that the knowledge of the art of war, wnich he had 
 so sedulously acquired during his year of suspension, came into 
 play. He personally drilled and instructed all the officers, and then 
 in turn superintended them as they instructed the soldiers. By as- 
 siduous labour, he succeeded, at the end of three months, in pre- 
 senting in the field an army skilful in manoeuvres, and confident alike 
 in their officers and in themselves. When all was ready for action, 
 General Brown resumed the command. The army was crossed 
 over to Canada in two brigades, Scott's and Ripley's, the former 
 below, the latter above Fort Erie, which almost immediately sur- 
 rendered, and then marched to attack the main British army, lying 
 behind the Chippewa river, under the command of General Riall. 
 On the morning of the 4th of July — auspicious day ! — Scott's bri- 
 gade, several hours in advance, fell in with the 100th regiment, 
 British, commanded by the Marquis of Tweedale, and kept up a 
 running fight with it till it was driven across the Chippewa. Scott 
 encamped for the night behind Street's creek, about two miles from 
 the British camp, behind the Chippewa, with a level plain extend- 
 ing between, skirted on the east by the Niagara river, on the west 
 by woods. 
 
 On the 5th — a bright, hot day — the morning began with skir- 
 mishing in the woods, between the New York volunteers, under 
 General Porter, and the British irregulars ; and it was not till four 
 o'clock in the afternoon, and just as Scott, despairing of bringing 
 on an action that day, was drawing out his brigade on the plain for 
 drill, that General Brown, who had been reconnoitring on the left 
 flank, and perceived that the main body of the British army was 
 moving forward, rode up to General Scott, and said, " The enemy is 
 advancing ; you will have a fight :" and without giving any order, 
 such was his reliance upon Scott, proceeded to the rear to bring up 
 Ripley's brigade. Scott immediately prepared for action ; and there, 
 on the plain of Chippewa, with his own brigade only, consisting of 
 the 9th, 11th, and 25th regiments of infantry, with a detachment ot 
 the 22d, Towson's company of artillery, and Porter's volunteers— 
 in all, nineteen hundred men — encountered, routed, and pursued a 
 superior force of some of the best regiments of the British service 
 — the Royal Scots, the 8th and 100th regiments, a detachment of 
 the 19ih dragoons, another of the Royal Artillery, and some Cana- 
 dian militia — in all, twenty-one hundred men. Here it was that the 
 
 O 
 
14 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 discipline so laboriously taught by Scott, in the camp of instruction, 
 told ; and this it was that enabled him, as at a turning point of the 
 battle he did, in a voice rising above the roar of artillery, to say to 
 McNeil's battalion of the 11th infantry : — " The enemy say that we 
 are good at long shot, but cannot stand the cold iron. I call upon 
 the Eleventh instantly to give the lie to the slander. Charge !" 
 And they did charge ; and, aided by Leavenworth's battalion, they 
 quickly put the enemy to rout, before the 21st, of Ripley's brigade, 
 which was hastening to take part in the battle, or any portion of that 
 brigade, could get up. 
 
 Justly, indeed, did General Brown, in his official report of the 
 battle, say : " Brigadier-General Scott is entitled to the highest 
 praise our country can bestow : to him, more than to any other man, 
 am I indebted for the victory of the 5th of July." The fight was 
 fierce and bloody in an unwonted degree, the killed on both sides 
 amounting to eight hundred and thirty, out of about four thousand 
 engaged — more than one in five. This action — which was chiefly 
 valuable for the good effect it produced upon the feehngs of the na- 
 tion, by proving that in the open field, and hand to hand, our troops 
 were equal at least, and in this instance had proved themselves su- 
 perior to the best troops of England — was followed in just three 
 weeks by another, yet more decisive of the courage and discipline 
 of the American army — that at Lundy's Lane. General Riall, un- 
 known to General Brown, had been largely reinforced by General 
 Drummond from below ; and when, on the morning of the 26th of 
 July, General Scott in advance, as usual, was on a march to attack 
 General Riall's forces, he suddenly came upon the British troops, 
 which, reinforced that very day by Drummond, were themselves 
 bent on attack. Scott had with him but four small battalions, com- 
 manded, respectively, by Brady, Jessup, Leavenworth, and McNeil ; 
 and Towson's artillery, with Captain Harris's detachment of regular 
 and irregular cavalry — the whole column not exceeding thirteen 
 hundred men. With this small force, Scott found himself in pre- 
 sence of a superior body. His position was critical, but it was pre- 
 cisely one of those where pr'^mptness and decision of action must 
 supply the want of battalions. Despatching officers to the rear to 
 apprise General Brown that the whule British army were before 
 him, General Scott at once engaged the enemy, who all the while 
 believed they had to do with the whole of General Brown's army, 
 
BATTLE OF LUNDY'S LANE. 15 
 
 not at all expecting that a mere detachment of it would venture upon 
 the apparently desperate course of encountering such greatly su- 
 perior numbers as the British knew they had in the field. 
 
 The battle began about half an hour before sunset, within the 
 spray, almost, of the everlasting Falls of Niagara, and beneath the 
 halo of its irradiated bow of promise and of hope. It is recorded 
 as a fact, that the head of our advancing column was actually en- 
 circled by this beautiful bow, and all took courage from the omen. 
 The battle raged with unequal fortune and desperate valour, till far 
 into the night. When Miller made his famous and decisive charge 
 upon the battery of the British, which was the key of their position, 
 darkness covered the earth ; and Scott, who knew the localities, 
 piloted Miller on his way, till the fire from the battery revealed its 
 position completely. Scott then resumed the attack in front, while 
 Miller gallantly stormed and carried the battery, and held it against 
 repeated charges from the oft-rallied, but as oft-dispersed, British 
 troops. Twice, mean time, had Scott charged through the British 
 lines — two horses had been killed under him — he was wounded in 
 the side — and about eleven o'clock at night, on foot and yet fighting, 
 he was finally disabled by a shot, which shattered the left shoulder, 
 and he was borne away about midnight from the battle ; his com- 
 mander, General Brown, having been previously, in like manner, 
 carried away wounded from the field. 
 
 The honours of the battle belonged to the American arms, although, 
 from the want of horses, they could not carry off the British cannon, 
 captured with so much gallantry by Miller. But the American 
 troops retired to Chippewa, and thence to Fort Erie, where they 
 were soon besieged by General Drummond. Scott was absent, suf- 
 fering under his wounds ; but the spirit and the discipline with 
 which his efforts and his example had inspired the army, failed not, 
 though he was no longer with them ; and after being beleaguered 
 near fifty days, General Brown, who had sufficiently recovered to 
 resume the command, made a sortie, on the 17th of September, in 
 which he defeated the troops in the trenches, captured and destroyed 
 their works, and so effectually overthrew all that it had cost long 
 weeks to accomplish, that the British commander, General Drum- 
 mond, withdrew his troops, and soon after the American army wenr 
 into winter quarters at Buffalo. 
 2 
 
 1 
 
J 6 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 This was virtually, in this region, the end of the war ; for peace 
 was negotiated at Ghent at the close of 1814, and was ratified early 
 the ensuing spring. 
 
 Scott, who had been carried to Buffalo, where he was most kindly 
 and cordially received and watched over, as soon as he could bear 
 the motion, was borne in a litter from place to place by the citizens 
 themselves, who would not commit to mercenary hands the care and 
 comfort of a gallant soldier, still disabled by his wounds, until he 
 reached the house of his old friend Nicholas, at Geneva. But his 
 great desire was to reach Philadelphia, in order to avail himself of 
 the eminent skill of Doctors Physick and Chapman ; for the possi- 
 bility of being so crippled, for life, as to be incapable of further ser- 
 vice to his country, was to Scott an intolerable thought, and hence 
 he sought the best surgical aid. He, therefore, by slow progress, 
 reached Philadelphia — everywhere welcomed and honoured on his 
 route as the suffering representative of the army on the Niagara, 
 which had won imperishable laurels for the country and itself. 
 
 At Princeton, where he happened to arrive on the day of the an- 
 nual commencement, the faculty, students, and citizens all insisted 
 on his taking part in the ceremonial ; and pale, emaciated, and weak 
 as he was, that he should be present during a part, at least, of the 
 public performances. He was fain to comply ; and when, at the 
 close of an oration " on the public duties of a good citizen, in peace 
 and in war," the youthful and graceful orator turned to Scott, and 
 made him the personification of the civic and heroic virtues which 
 had just been inculcated, the edifice rang with applause, woman's 
 gentle voice mingling in with the harsher tones of the other sex. 
 The faculty conferred on him the degree of A. M., which his early 
 training and literary pursuits, not less than his public services, ren- 
 dered wholly appropriate. On approaching Philadelphia, he found 
 the governor of the state, Snyder, at the head of a division of miUtia, 
 with which he had marched out to receive him. 
 
 Baltimore being still menaced by the British, General Scott, at 
 the earnest request of the citizens, consented, wounded as he was, 
 and incapable of exertion, to assume the command of the district ; 
 and in such command the tidings of peace found him. After de- 
 clining the post of Secretary at War, proffered to him by President 
 Madison, and aiding in the painful and delicate task of reducing the 
 nrmy to a peace establishment, he was sent by the government to 
 
THANKS OF CONGRESS, ETC. 17 
 
 Europe, both for the restoration of his health and professional im- 
 provement. He was, moreover, commissioned to ascertain the views 
 and designs of different courts and prominent public men respecting 
 the revolutionary struggle then commenced in the Spanish American 
 colonies, and especially those of England, respecting the island of 
 Cuba — all at that time subjects of solicitude at Washington. How 
 he acquitted himself of these commissions may be inferred from the 
 fact that, by order of President Madison, a special letter of thanks 
 was written to him by the Secretary of State. After two years spent 
 in Europe, where he associated with the most distinguished men in 
 all the walks of life, attended courses of public lectures, and visited 
 and inspected the great fortresses and naval establishments, Scott 
 returned to the United States, and was assigned to the command of 
 the seaboard, making New York his head-quarters ; and there, for 
 twenty years, except with occasional absences on duty in the west, 
 he remained. The gratitude of the country for his war services was 
 testified in various shapes. Congress voted him a gold medal, and 
 passed resolutions of thanks, in which he was not only compliment- 
 ed for his skill and gallantry at Chijipewa and Niagara, but for his 
 uniform good conduct throughout the war — a compliment paid by 
 Congress to no other officer. The gold medal was presented by 
 President Monroe. Virginia and New York each voted a sword to 
 him ; which, for Virginia, was presented by Governor Pleasants ; 
 for New York, by Governor Tompkins. He was also elected an 
 honorary member of the Cincinnati, and numerous states named 
 new counties after him. 
 
 In the long interval of comparative inaction which followed the 
 close of the war, Scott's services were availed of by the general go- 
 vernment — first, in that most painful task of reducing the army to a 
 peace establishment, which necessarily imposed upon the general 
 the responsibility of deciding between the merits and fitness of 
 many gallant men, who had stood with him unflinching on the red 
 fields of battle. But in the discharge of this, as of every other duty 
 to his country, Scott acted with a single eye to its honour and wel- 
 fare. Neither the relations of general friendship, nor the influences 
 of various sorts, brought to bear from without, were suffered to warp 
 his firm mind. He was there for his country, and m consonance 
 with what he thought its clear interests, was his course throughout. 
 The next important benefit rendered, and which, perhaps, was not 
 
18 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD S«OTT 
 
 the least of all the many he was capable of rendering, was to trans- 
 late from the French, prepare, digest, and adapt to our service, a 
 complete system of military tactics. In the execution of this trust, 
 his previous military studies gave him great facilities and advan- 
 tages ; and the system thus introduced, carried into effect by those 
 jewels of the nation, the West Point cadets, has recently proved 
 itself at Palo Alto and Fort Brown, Resaca de la Palma, and Mon- 
 terey. 
 
 The frankness of his nature, and his high sense of subordination, 
 and ever-present and active respect for the spirit as well as letter of 
 the Constitution of his country, involved him, about the year 1817, 
 in an unpleasant controversy, first with General Jackson, and second, 
 as a consequence of the first, with De Witt Clinton. The particulars 
 of the controversy have passed from memory, and it is not our pur» 
 pose to revive them. In the lifetime, before the Presidency of 
 General Jackson, a very complete and soldierly reconciliation took 
 place between General Scott and himself. But, we may add, in 
 the way of caution and reprobation, that the whole difficulty arose 
 from the unjustifiable and ungentlemanly repetition of some obser- 
 vations made at a private dinner-table by General Scott. 
 
 Another controversy arose between General Scott and General 
 Gaines, on the subject of brevet rank, on occasion of the appoint- 
 ment of General Macomb to the command of the army, after the 
 death of General Brown. The government did not sustain the views 
 taken by General Scott of the rights of brevet rank, and this officer, 
 in consequence, tendered the resignation of his commission, not from 
 any mere personal feelings, but because he thought that in his per- 
 son a great military principle was violated. Happily, General 
 Jackson (then become president) would not act upon the proflJered 
 resignation ; and in order to allow time for reflection, and at the 
 same time to prevent any damage to the service from an open colli- 
 sion on points of duty between General Scott and his official supe- 
 rior, a furlough of one year was sent to him. Scott took advantage 
 of the furlough to revisit Europe ; and on his return, under the 
 earnest advice of his friends, and, as is believed, with the unanimous 
 approval of his brother ofiicers, Scott withdrew his resignation, and 
 reported himself for duty. 
 
 The Secretary of War, Major Eaton, in acknowledging General 
 Scott's letter, frankly and honourably says : 
 
THE BLACK HAWK WAR. 19 
 
 " It affords the department much satisfaction to perceive the con- 
 clusion at which you have arrived as to your brevet rights. None 
 will do you the injustice to suppose that the opinions declared by 
 you on the subject are not the result of reflection and conviction ; 
 but since the constituted authorities of the government have, with 
 the best feelings entertained, come to conclusions adverse to your 
 own, no other opinions were cherished, or were hoped for, but that 
 on your return to the United States you would adopt the course 
 your letter indicates, and with good feehngs resume those duties of 
 which your country has so long had the benefit." 
 
 The general was ordered in conclusion to report himself at once 
 for duty to General Macomb. He was assigned anew to the eastern 
 department, and there remained till called by the Black Hawk war 
 in 1832, to assume command. 
 
 It was in this capacity that Scott had the opportunity of showing 
 himself a " hero of humanity," as he had before shown himself a 
 " hero in the battle-field." The Asiatic cholera in this year first 
 reached this continent, and, sweeping with rapid but irregular strides 
 from point to point, it manifested itself most fatally on board the fleet 
 of steamboats on Lake Erie, in which General Scott, with a corps 
 of about one thousand regulars, embarked for Chicago. They left 
 Buffalo in the beginning of July. On the 8th, the cholera declared 
 itself on board the steamboat in which General Scott and staff, and 
 two hundred and twenty men were embarked, and in less than six 
 days one officer and fifty-one men died, and eighty were put on 
 shore sick at Chicago. It was amid the gloom and the terror 
 of this attack from a disease, known only by its fatal ap- 
 proaches, that General Scott displayed those attributes of moral 
 courage, of genuine philanthropy, which would weigh so much 
 more in the scale of national gratitude, than the exercise of physical 
 courage — that quality common to our race in the battle-field. From 
 cot to cot of the sick soldiers, their general daily went, soothing the 
 last moments of the dying, sustaining and cheering those who hoped 
 to survive, and for all, disarming the pestilence of that formidable 
 character of contagion which seemed to render its attack inevitable, 
 and almost synonymous with death, by showing in his own person 
 that he feared it not. Of the numbers whom his heroic self-confi- 
 dence and generous example, in such circumstances, saved from 
 death, by dissipating their apprehensions, no estimate has ever been 
 
20 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 made ; but such deeds and such (Jpvotion are not unmarked by the 
 eye of Providence, and cannot be without their reward. 
 
 Of the nine hundred and fifty men that left Buffalo, not more than 
 four hundred survived for active service. On leaving Chicago, with 
 this diminished command, Scott proceeded as rapidly as possible to 
 the Mississippi, and there joined General Atkinson at Prairie du 
 Chien, who, in the battle of the Badaxe, had already scattered the 
 forces of Black Hawk. 
 
 In spite of all the precaution adopted by Scott and Atkinson, the 
 cholera was communicated anew to the army assembled at Rock 
 Island, and great were its ravages. Here, again, as on board the 
 steamboat, when the malady first appeared, Scott's self-sacrificing 
 care and solicitude for his men were unceasing. 
 
 It was late in September before the dread disease was extirpated 
 from the camp, and then commenced the negotiations with the Sacs 
 and Foxes ; this was concluded by Scott with consummate skill, 
 and resulted in the cession, for a valuable consideration, of the fine 
 region which now constitutes the state of Iowa. Another treaty 
 was made on the same terms by him with the Winnebagoes, by 
 which they ceded some five million acres of land east of the Missis- 
 sippi and between the Ilhnois and Wisconsin, now constituting a 
 valuable portion of the territory of Wisconsin. In reference, as \^ ell 
 to his successful negotiations, as to his humane conduct under the 
 calamity of pestilence, the then Secretary of War, General Cass, 
 wrote thus to General Scott : 
 
 " Allow me to congratulate you upon the fortunate consummation 
 of your arduous duties, and to express my^entire approbation of the 
 whole course of your proceedings, during a series of difficulties re- 
 quiring higher moral courage than the operations of an active cam- 
 paign under ordinary circumstances." 
 
 Scarcely had Scott reached home and his family in New York, 
 when he was detailed by President Jackson to a new, important, 
 and most delicate duty, that of maintaining at home the supremacy 
 of the United States against South Carolina nullification. He imme- 
 diately proceeded to Washington, and there, in personal interviews 
 with the president and the cabinet, becoming fully possessed of their 
 views, and having expressed to them his own, he was invested 
 with very ample discretionary power to meet the perilous crisis. 
 In no scene of his life, perhaps, has General Scott exhibited more 
 
SCOTT IN FLORIDA. 21 
 
 thorough patriotism — more entire devotion to the laws and constitu- 
 tion of his country — more anxious, and skilfully-conducted efforts to 
 arrest that direst of calamities, civil war — more self-command — more 
 tact and talent — than while stationed at Fort Moultrie, in Charleston 
 Harbour, and face to face, as it were, with nullification in arms. A 
 single drop of blood shed at that moment might have deluged the 
 nation in blood — and yet the laws of the United States, made in 
 conformity with the constitution, Scott was sworn and commissioned 
 to uphold, defend, and enforce : the point of difficulty was to avert 
 the bloodshed, and yet maintain the laws ; and he came off entirely 
 successful in both — under circumstances that history will do justice 
 to, as those who remember the fearful apprehensions of that day did 
 at the time, and still do. -^ 
 
 His next field of public service was in Florida, where the Semi- 
 noles — in possession of the everglades, and having taken our troops 
 at unawares — owing to the want of adequate preparation by the ad- • 
 ministration, although timely warned of the danger by the gallant 
 Clinch — seemed for a time to set the whole efforts of our country 
 at defiance. 
 
 On the 20th January, 1836, General Scott was ordered to the 
 command of the troops in Florida, and he displayed his habitual 
 promptitude in obeying the order. He was apprised of the will of" 
 the president at four o'clock in the afternoon, and asked when he 
 could set forth. " This night," was the reply. But a day's delay 
 was required to draw up the requisite instructions, and he left 
 Washington on the 21st. 
 
 We enter not here into an examination of the steps taken and the 
 plans devised by General Scott, to bring to a rapid and sure termi 
 nation these disastrous and discreditable hostilities, nor into the 
 manner or the motives of his unmilitary recall, and of the subse- 
 quent investigation of his conduct by a court of inquiry ; these are 
 among the historic archives of the nation. Our only concern here 
 with them is to say, that this court unanimously approved his con- 
 duct — pronounced the plan of his Seminole campaign " well devised," 
 and added that it "was prosecuted with energy, steadiness, and 
 ability." With regard to the Creek war, which at the same time 
 fell upon his hands, the court found " that the plan of campaign 
 adopted by Major-General Scott was well calculated to lead to sue 
 cessful results ; and that it was prosecuted by him, as far a^ practi 
 
 0* 
 
22 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 cable, with zeal and ability, until he was recalled from the com- 
 mand." 
 
 Mr. Van Buren, who had now become president, approved the 
 finding of the court, and the nation at large ratified the verdict. 
 Public dinners were tendered to General Scott by the citizens of 
 New York, of Richmond, and of other places, all of which, how- 
 ever, he dechned ; and was in the discharge of the ordinary duties 
 of his -station, when the patriot troubles broke out in 1837 on the 
 Canada frontier. For two years these troubles agitated our coun- 
 try, and seriously menaced its peace. To no man in so great a 
 degree as to General Scott is it indebted for the preservation of that 
 peace. His honour and patriotism, his approved military service, 
 his reputation and his bearing as a soldier, gave great efl!ect to his 
 frank and friendly expostulations with the deluded American citi- 
 zens, who supposed they were acting patriotically in taking part 
 with the Canadian revolters ; and by kindness and reason, combined 
 with much skill and assiduity in discovering and tracing the rami- 
 fications of the patriot lodges, he was enabled to prevent any out- 
 break that might connpromise our country with Great Britain. His 
 leturn from the Niagara frontier w>as greeted with compliments at 
 Albany and elsewhere, and all felt that a great national good had 
 been accomplished by this gallant soldier. 
 
 In 1838, another difficult and painful service was confided to Gene- 
 lal Scott — that of removing the Cherokees from the homes of their 
 fathers, to the region beyond the Mississippi. Here he was as suc- 
 cessful as in all previous pubhc service : tempering humanity with 
 power, and operating more by moral influence than force, he effected 
 this most trying object in a manner that secured the gratitude of those 
 whom he was, acting for .liis country, obliged to wrong. It was 
 this service, connected with his subsequent pacific arrangement of 
 the north-eastern boundary difficuhies, that drew from the lamented 
 Channing — that apostle of human rights — this fine tribute : 
 
 "To this distinguished man belongs the rare honour of uniting 
 with military energy and daring the spirit of a philanthropist. His 
 exploits in the field, which placed him in the first rank of our sol- 
 diers, have been obscured by the purer and more lasting glory of a 
 pacificator, and of a friend of mankind. In the whole history of the 
 mtercourse of civihzed with barbarous or half-civilized communities, 
 we doubt whether a brighter page can be found than that which re- 
 
NORTH-EASTERN BOUNDARY QUESTION. 23 
 
 cords his agency in the removal of the Cherokees. As far as the 
 wrongs done to this race can be atoned for, General Scott has made 
 the expiation. 
 
 " In his recent mission to the disturbed borders of our country, 
 he has succeeded, not so much by policy as by the nobleness and 
 generosity of his character, by moral influences, by the earnest con 
 viction with which he has enforced upon all with whom he has had 
 to do, the obligations of patriotism, justice, humanity, and religion. 
 It would not be easy to find among us a man who has won a purer 
 fame, and I am happy to offer this tribute, because I would do some- 
 thing — no matter how little — to hasten the time when the spirit of 
 Christian humanity shall be accounted an essential attribute, and the 
 brightest ornament to a public man." 
 
 This is justly said, and most justly apphed. 
 
 In 1839, Scott was again deputed by the government to keep the 
 peace, and, soldier as he is, to use all his great influence to prevent 
 the occurrence of war. The dispute respecting the contested boun- 
 dary on the north-eastern frontier had become alarming — Massa- 
 chusetts and Maine on one side, and New Brunswick on the other, 
 had in some degree taken the matter into their own hands, and 
 hostile bands stood facing each other ; a single indiscretion among 
 them might have precipitated war beyond the possibility of its bemg 
 averted. Happily, a friendship formed on the field of battle, in 
 years long past, between General Scott and General Sir John Har- 
 vey, the governor of New Brunswick, contributed to smooth the 
 difficulties between the two nations. General Scott having over- 
 come the first great obstacles in soothing the irritated feelings of the 
 American borderers, made overtures to Sir John Harvey for the 
 mutual withdrawal of troops from the disputed territory ; and Sir 
 John frankly acceded to them, saying in his letter of the 23d March, 
 1839, to General Scott, " My reliance upon you, my dear general, 
 has led me to give my willing assent to the proposition which you 
 have made yourself the very acceptable means of conveying to me." 
 
 The menacing position of affairs was now effectually changed intu 
 feelings of reciprocal forbearance, and Daniel Webster finally accom 
 phshed, by the treaty at Washington, the good work so satisfactorily 
 commenced by the pacificator, Scott. 
 
 Soon after the commencement of actual hostilities between tne 
 United States and Mexico, Scott requested of government permis- 
 
24 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 sion to join General Taylor with a large army, and push foiAvard 
 for the enemy's capital. This was denied him, and he remained at 
 Washington until November. Receiving orders to proceed to the 
 seat of war, he embarked from New York, and reached the mouth 
 of the Rio Grande January 1st, 1847. After mustering an army of 
 nearly twelve thousand men, part of them from General Taylor's 
 force, he proceeded against the city and castle of Vera Cruz, the 
 first object of the campaign. The following graphic description of 
 the landing of the troops and siege of the city, is from the pen of 
 an eye-witness : — 
 
 " On the fifth day of March, 1847, while the American squadron 
 was lying at Anton Lizardo, a norther sprang up, and commenced 
 blowing with great violence. The ships rolled and pitched, and 
 tugged at their anchors, as if striving to tear them from their hold, 
 while the sea was white with foam. About noon, General Scott's 
 fleet of transports, destined for the reduction of Vera Cruz, came 
 like a great white cloud bearing down before the storm. The whole 
 eastern horizon looked like a wall of canvass. Vessel after vessel 
 came flying in under reduced sail, until the usually quiet harbour was 
 crowded with them. A perfect wilderness of spars and rigging met 
 the eye at every turn ; and for five days, all was bustle, activity and 
 excitement. Officers of the two services were visiting about from 
 ship to ship ; drums were beating, bands of music, playing, and 
 every thing told of an approaching conflict. 
 
 " On the 10th, the army were conveyed in huge surf-boats from 
 the transports to the different ships of war, which immediately got 
 under way for Vera Cruz. During the passage down to the city, 
 I was in the fore-top of the United States' sloop-of-war 'Albany,' 
 from which place I had a good view of all that occurred. It was a 
 'sight to see !' The tail ships of war sailing leisurely along under 
 their top-sails, their decks thronged in every part with dense masses 
 of troops, whose bright muskets and bayonets were flashing in the 
 sunbeams ; the gingling of spurs and sabres ; the bands of music 
 playing ; the hum of the multitude rising up like the murmur of the 
 distant ocean ; the small steamers plying about, their decks crowded 
 with anxious spectators ; the long lines of surf-boats towing astern 
 of the ships, ready to disembark the troops ; all these tended to 
 render the scene one of the deepest interest. 
 
 "About three o'clock, P. M., the armada arrived abreast of the 
 
SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. * 25 
 
 Jittle desert island of Sacrificio, where the time-worn walls and bat- 
 tlements of Vera Cruz, and the old grim castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, 
 with their ponderous cannon, tier upon tier, basking in the yellow 
 rays of the sun, burst upon our view. It was a most beautiful, nay, 
 a sublime sight, that embarkation. I still retained my position in 
 the fore-top, and was watching every movement with the most 
 anxious interest ; for it was thought by many that the enemy would 
 oppose the landing of our troops. About four o'clock, the huge 
 surf-boats, each capable of conveying one hundred men, were haul- 
 ed to the gang-ways of the different men-of-war, and quickly laden 
 with their ' warlike fraughtage ;' formed in a single line, nearly a 
 mile in length ; and at a given signal, commenced slowly moving 
 toward the Mexican shore. It was a grand spectacle ! On, on 
 went the long range of boats, loaded down to the gunwales with 
 brave men, the rays of the slowly-departing sun resting upon their 
 uniforms and bristling bayonets, and wrapping the far inland and 
 fantastic mountains of Mexico in robes of gold. On they went ; 
 the measured stroke of the countless oars mingling with the hoarse 
 dull roar of the trampling surf upon the sandy beach, and the shriek 
 of the myriads of sea-birds soaring high in air, until the boats struck 
 the shore, and quick as thought our army began to land. At this 
 instant, the American flag was planted, and unrolling its folds, float- 
 ed proudly out upon the evening breeze ; the crews of the men-of- 
 war made the welkin ring with their fierce cheering; and a dozen 
 bands of music, at the same time, and as if actuated by one impulse, 
 struck up 
 
 ' 'T is the star-spangled banner ! O, long may it wave, 
 O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave !' 
 
 " Early the next morning, the old grim castle of San Juan d'Ulloa 
 commenced trying the range of its heavy guns, throwing Paixhan 
 shells at the army, and continued it at intervals for a week ; but 
 with the exception of an occasional skirmish with a party of the 
 enemy's lancers, they had all the fun to themselves. In the mean 
 time our forces went quietly on with their preparations, stationing 
 their pickets, planting their heavy mortars, landing their horses, 
 provisions and munitions of war, constantly annoyed with a cease- 
 less fire from the Mexican batteries, which our troops were as yet 
 too busy to return. 
 
26 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 "On the 34th, Lieutenant Oliver Hazard Perry, with a zeal 
 worthy of his illustrious father, ' the hero of Lake Erie,' dismounted 
 one of the waist guns of the 'Albany,' a sixty-eight-pounder, pro- 
 cured a number of volunteers who would willingly have charged 
 up to the muzzles of the Mexican cannon with such a leader, and 
 taking about forty rounds of Paixhan shells, proceeded on shore, 
 where, after dragging his gun through .the sand for three miles, he 
 arrived at a small fortification, which the engineers had constructed 
 of sand-bags for him, and there planted his engine of destruction, 
 in a situation which commanded the whole city of Vera Cruz. 
 Roused by such a gallant example, guns from each of the other 
 ships of the squadron were disembarked, and conveyed to the breast- 
 work, which was as yet concealed from the eyes of the Mexicans, 
 by being in the rear of an almost impervious chapparal, and in a 
 short time a most formidable fortress was completed, which was 
 styled the Naval Battery. 
 
 "At this period. General Scott, having quietly made all his ar- 
 rangements, while a constant shower of shot and shell were thrown 
 at his army by the enemy, sent a flag of truce, with a summons for 
 the immediate surrender of the city of Vera Cruz, and the castle 
 of San Juan d'UIloa, and with a full understanding that unless his 
 demand was immediately complied with, an attack would follow. 
 As a matter of course, the Mexicans, expecting an assault, for which 
 they were well prepared, and not a bombardment, returned an in- 
 dignant refusal, and were told that at four o'clock, P. M., they should 
 hear farther from us. In the mean time, the chapparal had been 
 cut away, disclosing the Naval Battery to the gaze of the astonished 
 Mexicans, and the mortars and heavy artillery, which had been 
 planted upon the hills overlooking the city, and were ready to vomit 
 forth their fires of death. Every person was now waiting with 
 trenibling anxiety the commencement of the fray. 
 
 "About four o'clock, P. M., while the crews of the squadron were 
 all at supper, a sudden and tremendous roar of artillery on shore 
 proclaimed that the battle had begun. The tea-things were left to 
 ' take care of themselves,' and pellmell tumbled sick and well up 
 the ladders to the spar-dock. I followed with the human tide, and 
 feoon found myself in the fore-top of the 'Albany,' and looking 
 around me a sublime but terrific sight my elevated perch presented 
 to the view. Some two hundred sail of vessels were lying immc- 
 
SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 27 
 
 diately around us, their tops, cross-trees, yards, shrouds — every 
 thing where a foot-hold could be obtained — crowded with hunma 
 beings, clustered like swarming bees in mid-summer on the trees, 
 all intently watching the battle, I turned my eyes on shore. Jona- 
 than had at last awakened from his slumber, and had set to work 
 in earnest. Bomb-shells were flying like hail-stones into Vera Cruz 
 from every quarter ; sulphurous flashes, clouds of smoke, and the 
 dull boom of the heavy guns arose from the walls of the city in re- 
 turn, while ever and anon a red sheet of flame would leap from the 
 great brass mortars on the ramparts of the grim castle, followed by 
 a report, which fairly made the earth tremble. The large ships of 
 the squadron could not approach near enough to the shore to parti- 
 cipate in the atlack upon the city, without exposing them to the fire 
 of the castle ; but all the gun-boats, small steamers, and every thing 
 that could be brought to bear upon the enemy, were sent in and 
 commenced blazing away ; a steady stream of fire, like the red 
 glare of a volcano ! This state of things continued until sunset, 
 when the small vessels were called off; but the mortars kept throw- 
 ing shells into the devoted town the live-long night. I was watch- 
 ing them until after midnight, and it was one of the most striking 
 displays that I ever beheld. 
 
 "A huge black cloud of smoke hung like a pall over the American 
 army, completely concealing it from view ; the Mexicans had ceased 
 firing, in order to prevent our troops from directing their guns by 
 the flashes from the walls ; but the bombardiers had obtained the 
 exact range before dark, and kept thundering away, every shell fall- 
 ing directly into the doomed city. Suddenly, a vivid, lightning-Hke 
 flash would gleam for an instant upon the black pall of smoke hang- 
 ing over our lines, and then as the roar of the great mortar came 
 borne to our ears, the ponderous shell would be seen to dart upward 
 like a meteor, and after describing a semi-circle in the air, descend 
 with a loud crash upon the house-tops, or into the resounding streets 
 of the fated city. Then, after a brief but awful moment of sus- 
 pense, a lurid glare, illuminating for an instant the white domes and 
 grim fortresses of Vera Cruz, faUing into ruins with the shock, and 
 the echoing crash tliat came borne to our ears, told that the shell 
 had exploded, and executed its terrible mission ' 
 
 " Throughout the whole night these fearful missiles were travel 
 ling into the city in one continued stream ; but the enemy did no. 
 3 
 
28 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 return the fire. At day-light, however, the Mexicans again opened 
 their batteries upon our army, with the most determined bravery. 
 
 "About eight o'clock, A. M., the gallant Perry and his brave asso- 
 ciates, having finished the mounting of their guns, and completed 
 all their arrangements, opened with a tremendous roar the Naval 
 Battery upon the west side of the city, and were immediately an- 
 swered from four distinct batteries of the enemy. The firm earth 
 trembled beneath the discharge of these ponderous guns, and the 
 shot flew like hail into the town, and were returned with interest 
 by the Mexicans. Their heavy guns were served with wonderful 
 precision ; and almost every shot struck the httle fort, burst open 
 the sand-bags of which it was constructed, and covered our brave 
 officers and men with a cloud of dust. Many shot and shell were 
 thrown directly through the embrasures ; and to use the expressions 
 of one of our old tars who had been in several engagements, ' the 
 red-skins handled their long thirty-two's as if they had been rifles!' 
 Several of our men and one officer had fallen, but the remainder of 
 the brave fellows kept blazing away ; while the forts and ramparts 
 of the city began to crumble to the earth. This state of things con- 
 tinued until the twenty-seventh; the army throwing a constant 
 shower of bombs into the city, and the Naval Battery, (manned 
 daily by fresh officers and men,) beating down the fortifications, and 
 destroying every thing within its range, when a flag of truce was 
 sent out with an offer, which was immediately accepted, of an un- 
 conditional surrender of the city of Vera Cruz and the castle of San 
 Juan d'Ulloa." 
 
 Before the siege commenced, General Scott had sent printed pass- 
 ports to the different consuls, and also requested a surrender of the 
 city, in order to preserve the lives of the non-combatants. These 
 were disregarded at the time ; but when the siege was in full ope- 
 ration, he received a communication from the consuls, requesting 
 that the women and children might be permitted to pass out. His 
 answer we give in his own words : — 
 
 " I enclose a copy of a memorial received last night, signed by 
 the consuls of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Prussia, within 
 Vera Cruz, asking me to grant a truce to enable the neutrals, to- 
 gether with Mexican women and children, to withdraw from the 
 scene of havoc about them. I shall reply, the moment that an op- 
 portunity may be taken, to say — 1. That a truce can only be granted 
 
TERMS OF THE SURRENDER. 29 
 
 on the application of Governor Morales, with a vjevv to surrender. 
 2. That in sending safeguards to the different consuls, beginning as 
 far back as the 13th inst,, I distinctly admonished them — particularly 
 the French and Spanish consuls — and of course, through the two, 
 the other consuls, of the dangers that have followed. 8. That al- 
 though at that date I had already refused to allow any person what- 
 soever to pass the line of investment either way, yet the blockade 
 had been left open to the consuls and other neutrals to pass out to 
 their respective ships of war up to the 22d instant ; and 4th : 
 
 "I shall enclose to the memorialists a copy of my summons to 
 the governor, to show that I had fully considered the impending 
 hardships and distresses of the place, including those of women and 
 children, before one gun had been fired in that direction. The in- 
 tercourse between the neutral ships of war and the city was stopped 
 at the last-mentioned date by Commodore Perry, with my concur- 
 rence, which I placed on the ground that the intercourse could not 
 fail to give to the enemy moral aid and comfort." 
 
 The following were the terms of surrender, finally agreed upon 
 by Generals Worth and Pillow, and Colonel Totten, on the part of 
 the Americans, and Villannuera, Herrera, and Robles, on the part 
 of the Mexicans ! 
 
 "1. The whole garrison, or garrisons, to be surrendered to the 
 arms of the United States, as prisoners of war, the 29th instant, at 
 ten o'clock, A. M. ; the garrisons to be permitted to march out with 
 all the honours of war, and to lay down their arms to sucn officers 
 as may be appointed by the general-in-chief of the United States' 
 armies, and at a point to be agreed upon by the commissioners. 
 
 " 2. Mexican officers shall preserve their arms and private effects, 
 including horses and horse-furniture, and to be allowed, regular and 
 irregular officers, as also the rank and file, five days to retire to their 
 respective homes, on parole, as hereinafter prescribed. 
 
 "3. Coincident with the surrender, as stipulated in article 1, the 
 Mexican flags of the various forts and stations shall be struck, sa- 
 luted by their own batteries ; and, immediately thereafter. Forts 
 Santiago and Conception, and the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, oc 
 cupied by the forces of the United States. 
 
 "4. The rank and file of the regular portion of the prisoners to 
 be disposed of after surrender and parole, as their general-in-chief 
 
30 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 may desire, and the irregular to be permitted to return to their 
 homes. The officers, in respect to all arms and descriptions of 
 force, giving the usual parole, that the said rank and file, as well as 
 themselves, shall not serve again until duly exchanged. 
 
 " 5. All the material of war, and all pubhc property of every 
 description found in the city, the castle of San Juan de Uiloa, and 
 their dependencies, to belong to the United States ; but the arma- 
 ment of the same (not injured or destroyed in the^ further prosecu- 
 tion of the actual war) may be considered as liable to be restored to 
 Mexico by a definite treaty of peace. 
 
 " 6. The sick and wounded Mexicans to be allowed to remain in 
 the city, with such medical officers and attendants, and officers of 
 the army as may be necessary to their care and treatment. 
 
 "7. Absolute protection is solemnly guarantied to persons in the 
 city, and property, and it is clearly understood that no private build- 
 ing or property is to be taken or used by the forces of the United 
 States, without previous arrangement with the owners, and for a 
 fair equivalent. 
 
 "8. Absolute freedom of religious worship and ceremonies is 
 solemnly guarantied." 
 
 General Scott remained about two weeks at Vera Cruz, and then 
 set out for the capital. On the 17th of April he arrived at the pass 
 of Sierra Gordo, where General Santa Anna was entrenched with 
 eleven thousand men. On the same day Scott issued the following 
 celebrated order : — 
 
 " The enemy's whole line of entrenchments and batteries will be 
 attacked in front, and at the same time turned, early in the day to- 
 morrow — probably before ten o'clock, A. M. 
 
 " The second (Twiggs's) division of regulars is already advanced 
 'vithin eas}'' turning distance towards the enemy's left. That divi- 
 sion has orders to move forward before daylight to-morrow, and take 
 up position across the National Road to the enemy's rear, so as to 
 cut off a retreat towards Jalapa. It may be reinforced to-day, if 
 unexpectedly attacked in force, by regiments one or two, taken from 
 Shields's brigade of volunteers. If not, the two volunteer regi- 
 nienis will march for that purpose at daylight to-morrow morning, 
 under Brigadier-General Shields, who will report to Brigadier-Ge 
 neral Twiggs on getting up with him, or the general-in-chief, if he 
 be in advance. 
 
SCOTT'S CELEBRATED ORDER. 31 
 
 " The remaining regiment of that volunteer brigade will receive 
 instructions in the course of this day. 
 
 "The first division of regulars (Worth's) will follow the move- 
 ment against the enemy's left at sunrise to-morrow morning. 
 
 "As already arranged, Brigadier-General Pillow's brigade will 
 march at six o'clock to-morrow morning along the route he has care- 
 fully reconnoitred, and stand ready as soon as he hears the report 
 of arms on our right — sooner, if circumstances should favour him 
 — to pierce the enemy's hne of batteries at such point — the nearei 
 the river the belter — as he may select. Once in the rear of tha! 
 line, he will turn to the right or left, or both, and attack the batteries 
 in reverse, or if abandoned, he will pursue the enemy with vigour 
 until further orders. 
 
 "Wall's field-battery and the cavalry will be held in reserve on 
 the National Road, a little out of view and range of tfie enemy s 
 batteries. They will take up that position at nine o'clock in the 
 morning. 
 
 " The enemy's batteries being carried or abandoned, all our divi- 
 sions and corps will pursue with vigour. 
 
 "This pursuit maybe continued many miles, until stopped by 
 darkness, or fortified positions towards Jalapa. Consequently, the 
 body of the army will not return to this encampment, but be fol- 
 lowed to-morrow afternoon, or early the next morning, by the bag- 
 gage trains for the several corps. For this purpose, the feebler offi- 
 cers and men of each corps will be left to guard its camp and efiects, 
 and to load up the latter in the wagons of the corps. 
 
 " As soon as it shall be known that the eneiny's works have been 
 carried, or that the general pursuit has been commenced, one wagon 
 for each regiment, and one for the cavalry, will follow the move- 
 ment, to receive, under the directions of medical officers, the 
 wounded, who will be brought back to this place for treatment in 
 the "general hospital. 
 
 "The surgeon-general will organize this important service and 
 designate that hospital, as well as the medical officers to be left ai 
 that place. 
 
 "Every man who marches out to attack or pursue the enemy 
 will take the usual allowance of ammunition, and subsistence for at 
 least two days." 
 
 This document is famous for its exact delineation of every movt^- 
 3* 
 
32 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 ment of the battle, with one single exception, the day before the 
 action really took place. This is shown by the annexed report, 
 written after the engagement : — 
 
 " The plan of attack, sketched in General Orders, No. Ill, here- 
 with, was finely executed by this gallant army, before two o'clock, 
 P. M., yesterday. We are quite embarrassed with the results of 
 victory — prisoners of war, heavy ordnance, field batteries, small 
 arms, and accoutrements. About three thousand men laid down 
 their arms with the usual proportion of field and company officers, 
 besides five generals, several of them of great distinction. Pinson, 
 Jarerro, La Vega, Noriega, and Obando. A sixth general, Vasquez, 
 was killed in defending the battery (tower) in the rear of the whole 
 Mexican arn)y, the capture of which gave us those glorious re- 
 sults. 
 
 " Our loss, though comparatively small in numbers, has been se- 
 rious. Brigadier-General Shields, a commander of activity, zeal, 
 and talent, is, I fear, if not dead, mortally wounded. He is some 
 five miles from me at the moment. The field of operations covered 
 many miles, broken by mountains and deep chasms, and I have not 
 a report, as yet, from any division or brigade. Twiggs's division, 
 followed by Shields's (now Colonel Baker's) brigade, are now at, or 
 near Jalapa, and Worth's division is en route thither, all pursuing, 
 with good results, as I learn, that part of the Mexican army — per- 
 haps six or seven thousand men, who fled before our right had carried 
 the tower, and gained the Jalapa road. Pillow's brigade, alone, is 
 near me, at this depot of wounded, sick, and prisoners ; and I have 
 time only to give from him the names of 1st Lieutenant F. B. Nel- 
 son, and 2d C. G. Gill, both of the 2d Tennessee foot (Haskell's 
 regiment) among the killed, and in the brigade one hundred and six, 
 of all ranks, killed or wounded. Among the latter the gallant bri- 
 gadier-general himself has a smart wound in the arm, but not dis- 
 abled, and Major R. Farqueson, 2d Tennessee ; Captain H. F. 
 Murray, 2d Lieutenant G. T. Sutherland, 1st Lieutenant W. P. 
 Hale, (adjutant,) all of the same regiment, severely ; and 1st Lieu- 
 tenant W. Yearwood, mortally wounded. And I know, from per- 
 sonal observation on the ground, that 1st Lieutenant Ewell, of the 
 Ttifles, if not now dead, was mortally wounded, in entering, sword 
 in hand, the entrenchments around the captured tower. Second 
 I lieutenant Derby, topographical engineers, I also saw, at the same 
 
BATTLE OF SIERRA GORDO. 33 
 
 place, severely wounded ; and Captain Patten, 2d United States' 
 infantry, lost his right hand. 
 
 •'Major Sumner, 2d United States' dragoons, was shghtly wound- 
 ed the day before, and Captain Johnston, topographical engineers — 
 now lieutenant-colonel of infantry — was very severely wounded some 
 days earlier, while reconnoitring. 
 
 " I must not omit to add that Captain Mason and 2d Lieutenant 
 Davis, both of the rifles, were among the very severely wounded in 
 storming the same tower. I estimate our total loss, in killed and 
 wounded, may be about two hundred and fifty, and that of the enemy 
 three hundred and fifty. In the pursuit towards Jalapa, (twenty- 
 five miles hence,) I learn we have added much to the enemy's loss 
 in prisoners, killed, and wounded. In fact, I suppose his retreating 
 army to be nearly disorganized, and hence my haste to follow, in an 
 hour or two, to profit by events. 
 
 " In this hurried and imperfect report, I must not omit to say that 
 Brigadier-General Twiggs, in passing the mountain range beyond 
 Cerro Gordo, crowned with the tower, detached from his division, 
 as I suggested before, a strong force to carry that height, which 
 commanded the Jalapa road at the foot, and could not fail, if carried, 
 to cut off the whole, or any part of the enemy's forces from a retreat 
 in any direction. A portion of the 1st artillery, under the often-dis- 
 tinguished Brevet Colonel Childs, the 3d infantry, under Captain 
 Alexander, the 7th infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Plymton, and 
 the rifles, under Major Loring, all under the temporary command 
 of Colonel Harney, 2d dragoons, during the confinement to his bed 
 of Brevet Brigadier-General P. F. Smith, composed that detach- 
 ment. The style of execution, which I had the pleasure to witness, 
 was most brilliant and decisive. The brigade ascended the long and 
 difficult slope of Sierra Gordo, without shelter, and under the tre- 
 mendous fire of artillery and musketry, with the utmost steadiness, 
 reached the breastworks, drove the enemy from them, planted the 
 colours of the 1st artillery, 3d and 7th infantry — the enemy's flas 
 still flying — and, after some minutes of sharp firing, finished the 
 conquest with the bayonet. 
 
 "It is a most pleasing duty to say that the highest praise is due 
 to Harney, Childs, Plymton, Loring, Alexander, their gallant offi- 
 cers and men, for this brilliant service, independent of the great 
 results which soon followed. 
 
34 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 " Worth's division of regulars coming up at this time, he detached 
 Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Smith, with his light battalion, to 
 support the assault, but not in time. The general, reaching the 
 tower a few minutes before me, and observing a white flag displayed 
 from the nearest portion of the enemy towards the batteries below, 
 sent out Colonels Harney and Childs to hold a parley. The sur 
 render followed in an hour or two. 
 
 " Major-General Patterson left a sick bed to share in the dangers 
 and fatigues of the day ; and after the surrender, went forward to 
 command the advanced forces towards Jalapa. 
 
 "Brigadier-General Pillow and his brigade twice assaulted with 
 great daring the enemy's line of batteries on our left ; and though 
 without success, they contributed much to distract and dismay their 
 immediate opponents. 
 
 "President Santa Anna, with Generals Canalizo and Almonte, 
 and some six or eight thousand men, escaped towards Jalapa just 
 before Sierra Gordo wa? carried, and before Twiggs' division reached 
 the National Road above. 
 
 "I have deternn'ned to parole the prisoners — officers and men— 
 as I have not the means of feeding them here, beyond to-day, and 
 cannot afford to detach a heavy body of horse and foot, with wagons, 
 to accompany them to Vera Cruz. Our baggage train, though m- 
 creasing, is not yet half large enough to give an assured progress to 
 this army. Besides, a greater number of prisoners would, probably, 
 escape from the escort in the long and dpcp sandy road, without 
 subsistence — ten to one — that we shall find again, out of the same 
 body of men, in the ranks opposed to us. Not one of the Vera 
 Cruz prisoners is believed to have been in the Hues of Sierra Gordo. 
 Some six of the officers, highest in rank, refuse to give their paroles, 
 except to go to Vera Cruz, and thence, perhaps, to the United 
 States. 
 
 "The small arms and their accoutrements, being of no value to 
 'jur army here or at home, I have ordered them to be destroyed, for 
 we have not the means of transporting them. I am also somewhat 
 
 •embarrassed with the pieces of artillery — all bronze — which 
 
 we have captured. It will take a brigade, and half the mules of this 
 army to transport them fifty miles. A field battery I shall take for 
 service with the army ; but the heavy metal must be collected, and 
 
MARCH FOR THE CAPITAL. 35 
 
 left here for the present. We have our own siege-train and the 
 proper carriages with. us. 
 
 "Being much occupied with the prisoners, and all the details of 
 a forward movement, besides looking to the supplies which are to 
 follow from Vera Cruz, I have time to add no more — intending to 
 be at Jalapa early to-morrow. We shall not, probably, again meet 
 with serious opposition this side of Perote — certainly not, unless 
 delayed by the want of means of transportation. 
 
 "I invite attention to the accompanying letter to President Santa 
 Anna, taken in his carriage yesterday ; also to his proclamation, 
 issued on hearing tliat we had captured Vera Cruz, &c., in which 
 he says : — ' If the enemy advance one step more, the national inde- 
 pendence will be buried in the abyss of the past.' We have taken 
 that step. 
 
 " One of the principal motives for paroling the prisoners of war 
 is, to diminish the resistances of other garrisons in our march." 
 
 After the capture of Puebla by General Worth, [May 15th,] the 
 army remained there until the 7th of August, when it commenced 
 its march for the Mexican capital. An excellent description of this 
 march, and of the great battles consequent upon it, is given by a 
 participator. 
 
 " We left Puebla on the morning of the 7th, and entered upon a 
 beautiful rolling country of great fertility, supplying with its gar- 
 dens the inhabitants of Puebla with food, and surrounded by lofty 
 mountains, some of which were covered with snow. Our road was 
 gradually ascending, and so good that on looking back from the 
 head of the column our train could be seen for miles in rear, dotting 
 with its snow-white tops the maguey-covered plain. On our left 
 was Popocalapetl an^i Iscatafetl, the snow on their not distant tops 
 rendering the air quite chilly. General Scott did not leave with us, 
 but came on the next day with Captain Kearny's dragoons. 
 
 "The second day's march was Hke the first, gradually ascending, 
 passing through defiles, narrow passes, and over deep chasms, where 
 a more determined enemy might have seriously annoyed us by 
 merely making use of the obstacles Nature everywhere presented. 
 Thick woods of the finest forest-trees were abundant, and the rugged 
 nature of the country would readily carry one back to the northern 
 parts of New England, or the passes of the ' Notch.' Here and 
 4 
 
36 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 there beautiful little lakes were interspersed in the deep valleys, 
 and the clearness and coldness of their waters were almost incredible. 
 
 " The third day we were to encounter the much-vaunted pass of 
 * Rio Frio,'' and also the passage of the mountain which was to lead 
 us to the El Dorado of our hopes, the great plain of Mexico. Our 
 march was to be long and difficult, and three o'clock saw us under 
 way, with heart and hopes full of the prospect before us. The 
 dreaded defile is reached and passed. The mountains which skirt 
 the road on the left here close upon it for about a mile, over- 
 hanging and enfilading it completely, and affording with their crests 
 most excellent coverings for an enemy's marksmen. The newly- 
 cut trees and long range of breastworks thrown up on the crest, 
 showed us that preparations had been made, while numerous para- 
 pets with embrasures in the logs, taught us what might have been 
 done. But no men were there ; the muskets and cannon were 
 gone. Valencia, with six thousand Mexicans, was full a day's 
 march ahead, making for Mexico with a speed which betrayed home- 
 sickness. Rio Frio was found to be a little stream pouring down 
 from the Snow mountain, of icy coldness and crystal purity. After 
 a slight pause for refreshment, we commenced our ascent of the 
 ridge which separates the plains of Puebla and Mexico, the former 
 of which it had hitherto skirted. For several long miles we toiled 
 up the hill, only recompensed for our labour by what we hoped to 
 attain at last. When all were pretty nearly worn out, a sudden 
 turn in the road brought to our view a sight which none can ever 
 forget. The whole vast plain of Mexico was before us. The cold 
 ness of the air, which was most sensibly felt at this great height, 
 our fatigue and danger were forgotten, and our eyes were the only 
 sense that thought of enjoyment. Mexico, with its lofty steeples 
 and its chequered domes, its bright reality, and its former fame, its 
 modern splendour and its ancient magnificence, was before us ; 
 while around on every side its thousand lakes seemed like silver 
 stars on a velvet mantle. 
 
 " We encamped that night at the base of the mountain, with the 
 enemy's scouts on every side of us. The next day we reached 
 Jlyotla, only fifteen miles from Mexico by the National Road, which 
 we had hitherto been following. Here we halted until Generals 
 Quitman, Pillow, and Worth, with their divisions, should come up. 
 We were separated from the city by the marshes which surround 
 
DARING RECONNOISSANCE. 37 
 
 Lake Tezcuco, and by the lake itself. The road is a causeway- 
 running through the marsh, and is commanded by a steep and lofty 
 hill called El Pinnol. This hill completely enfilades and commands 
 the National Road, and had been fortified and repaired with the 
 greatest care by Santa Anna. One side was inaccessible by nature ; 
 the rest had been made so by art. Batteries, in all mounting fifty 
 guns of different cahbres, had been placed on its sides, and a deep 
 ditch, twenty-four feet wide and ten deep, filled with water, had 
 been cut, connecting the parts already surrounded by marshes. On 
 this side Santa Anna had twenty-five thousand men against our 
 force of a little over nine thousand, all told. 
 
 " On the 22d we made a reconnoissance of the work, which was 
 pronounced impracticable, as the lives of five thousand men would 
 be lost before the ditch could be crossed. We continued our search, 
 and found another road, which went round on the left, but when 
 within five miles of the city were halted by coming suddenly upon 
 five strong batteries on the hill which commanded this road, at a 
 place called Mexicahingo. We soon countermarched, and then 
 saw our danger. With one regiment, and three companies of ca- 
 valry, in all about four hundred men, we saw that El Pinnol lay 
 directly between us and our camp, distant full fifteen miles. Every 
 eye was fixed on the hill, with the expectation of an approaching 
 column which should drive us back into a Mexican prison, while 
 we stepped off* with the speed and endurance of four hundred Cap- 
 tain Barclays ! At about midnight we arrived safely at camp, and 
 General Scott did us the honour of calling it ' the boldest reconnois- 
 sance of the war.' General Wortb was encamped about five miles 
 off' — that is, in a straight fine — across the Lake Chalco, at a place 
 of the same name, but about ten miles by the road. The Mexicans 
 had a foundry in the mountains, at which we were getting some 
 shells made, and on returning from which Lieutenant Schuyler Ha- 
 milton was badly wounded. 
 
 " By means of his scouts, General Worth had found a path round 
 the left of Lake Chalco, which led us to the western gate of the 
 city, and which, up to that time, had not been fortified. On the 
 14th, the other divisions commenced their march, while we brought 
 up the train and the rear. In the morning, the train was sent in 
 advance, while Smith's brigade acted as rear-guard. It was com- 
 posed of the rifles, 1st artillery, and the 3d infantry, with Taylor's 
 
38 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 battery. As the rear-guard, marching slowly along, reached with 
 the train, word came to General Twiggs that a force of about five 
 thousand men were trying to cross the road between them and the 
 train in order to cut it off. We were then passing through a small 
 village which, by a curious coincidence, was called Buena Vista. 
 On our left were large fields of half-grown barley, through which 
 was seen advancing in splendid order the enemy's column. It was 
 the most splendid sight I had ever seen. The yellow cloaks, red 
 caps and jackets of the lancers, and the bright blue and white uni- 
 forms of the infantry, were most beautifully contrasted with the 
 green of the barley-field. Our line of battle was soon formed, and 
 we deployed through the grain to turn their left and cut them off 
 from the mountains. A few shots, however, from the battery, soon 
 showed them that they were observed ; and, countermarching in 
 haste, they left their dead on the field. Thus ended our fight of 
 Buena Vista. That night we staid at Chalco. The next day we 
 made a long and toilsome march over a horrible road, through 
 which, with the utmost difficulty, we dragged our wagons by the 
 assistance of both men and mules. The next was nearly the same, 
 except that the road was, if possible, worse than before, as the Mexi- 
 cans had blocked it up with large stones, rolled down from the 
 neighbouring hills. This night we encamped at a most beautiful 
 ohve grove, of immense size, and accommodating at once both divi- 
 sions. In the town, as well as in Chalco, there are still standing 
 the churches of the Indians, where the fire-worshippers assembled 
 before Cortez had introduced- a new religion. They are large and 
 sombre edifices, differing but little from the churches of this country, 
 and, being near the city, are said to have been formerly resorted to 
 by the ancient kings. 
 
 " The next day we arrived in sight of the rest of the army, and 
 heard the guns with which Worth was breaching the walls of San 
 Antonio. That night the noAvs of the. death of Captain Thornton, 
 of the 2d dragoons, reached us. He w-as a brave officer and a tho- 
 rough gentleman, but was always unfortunate in his military career. 
 
 " On the morning of the 19th, we left the little village where we 
 had heard this sad news, and took the road to San Juan, about 
 seven miles to the west, and only about ten miles from the city. 
 When we arrived here we heard the sound of General Worth's 
 guns, who was said to have attacked San Aicgustine, a village three 
 
SKIRMISH WITH THE ENEMY. 39 
 
 miles nearer the capital, where Santa Anna was said to he with 
 twenty thousand men. When we arrived at San Juan, the men 
 were told to sling their blankets across their shoulders, put their 
 knapsacks into their wagons, and to put two days' bread and beef 
 in their haversacks. When this order came, all knew that the time 
 had come. The officers arranged their effects, put on their old coats, 
 and filled their haversacks and flasks. Soon we were ready for any 
 thing but a thrashing. We here heard the position of the enemy, 
 which was nearly as follows: San'a Anna, with twenty thousand 
 men, was at San Jlugustine ; Valencia, with ten thousand, was at 
 a hill called Contreros, which commanded another road parallel to 
 the San Augustine road, but which led into it between the city and 
 Santa Anna. Now, b}?- cutting a road across, if we could whip 
 Valencia, we could follow the road up, and thus get in between 
 Santa Anna and Mexico, and whip him too. General Worth (sup- 
 ported by General Quitman) was to keep Santa Anna in check, 
 while Twiggs (backed by Pillow) was to try and astonish Valencia, 
 which you will see he did very effectually. Pillow, with some of 
 the ten regiments, was to cut the road. 
 
 " We left San Juan about one o'clock, not particularly desiring a 
 fight so late in the day, but still not shunning it in case we could 
 have a respectable chance. About two P. M., as we had crawled 
 to the top of a hill, whither we had been ourselves pulling Magru- 
 der's battery and the mountain howitzers, we suddenly espied Va- 
 lencia fortified on a hill about two hundred yards off, and strongly 
 reinforced by a column which had just come out of the city. We 
 laid down close to avoid drawing their fire, while the battery moved 
 past at a full gallop. Just then. General Smith's manly voice rung 
 ouW' Forward the rifles — to support the battery.^ On they went 
 till we got about eight hundred yards from the work, when the 
 enemy opened upon them with his long guns, which were after- 
 wards found to be sixteen and eight-inch howitzers. The ground 
 was the worst possible for artillery, covered with rocks large and 
 small, prickly-pear and cactus, intersected by ditches filled with 
 water and lined with maguey-plant, itself imperviable to cavalry, 
 and with patches of corn which concealed the enemy's skirmishers, 
 while it impeded our own passage. The artillery advanced but 
 slowly under a most tremendous fire, which greatly injured it before 
 it could be got in range, and the thickness of the undergrowth caused 
 4* 
 
40 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 the skirmishers thrown forward to lose their relative position, as well 
 as the column. About four, the battery got in position under a m.ost 
 murderous fire of grape, canister, and round-shot. Here the supe- 
 riority of the enemy's pieces rendered our fire nugatory. We could 
 get but three pieces in battery, while they had twenty-seven, all of 
 them three times the calibre of ours. For two hours our troops stood 
 the storm of iron and lead they hailed upon them unmoved. At 
 every discharge they laid flat down to avoid the storm, and then 
 sprung up to serve the guns. At the end of that lime, two of the 
 guns were dismounted, and we badly hurt : thirteen of the horses 
 Avere killed and disabled, and fifteen of the cannoniers killed and 
 wounded. The regiment was then recalled. The lancers had been 
 repelled in three successive charges. The 8d infantry and 1st artil- 
 lery had also engaged and successfully repelled the enemy's skir- 
 mishers without losing either officers or men. The greatest loss had 
 been at the batteries. Officers looked gloomy for the first day's fight, 
 but the brigade was formed, and General Smith in person took com- 
 mand. All felt revived, and followed him with a yell, as, creeping 
 low to avoid the grape, (which was coming very fast,) we made a 
 circuit in rear of the batteries ; and, passing off to the right, we were 
 soon lost to view in the chapparal and cactus. 
 
 "Passing over the path that we scrambled through, behold us at 
 almost six o'clock in the evening, tired, hungry, and sorrowful, 
 emerging from the chaparral and crossing the road between it and 
 Valencia. Here we found Cadwalader and his brigade already 
 formed, and discovered Riley's brigade skirmishing in rear of the 
 enemy's works. Valencia was ignorant of our approach, and we 
 were as yet safe. In front of us was Valencia, strongly entrenched 
 on a hill-side and surrounded by a regular field-work, concealed from 
 us by an orchard in our rear. Mendoza, with a column of six 
 thousand, was in the road, but thinking us to be friends. On our 
 right was a large range of hills whose continued crest was parallel 
 to the road, and in which were formed in line of battle five thousand 
 of the best Mexican cavalry. On our left we were separated from 
 our own forces by an almost impassable wilderness, and it was now 
 twilight. Even Smith looked round for help. Suddenly a thou- 
 sand vivas came across the hill-side like the yells of prairie wolves 
 in the dead of night, and the squadrons on our right formed for 
 charging. Smith is himself again ! " Face to the rear !" " Wait 
 
BATTLE OF CONTREROS. 41 
 
 till you see their red caps, and then give it to them!" Furiously 
 ihey came on a few yards, then changed their minds, and, disgusted 
 at our cool reception, retired to their couches. 
 
 On the edge of the road, between us and Valencia, a Mexican 
 hamlet spread out, with its mud huts, large orchards, deep-cut roads, 
 and a strong church; and through the centre of this hamlet ran a 
 path parallel to the main road, but concealed from it; it is nearly a 
 mile long. In this road Smith's and Riley's brigade bivouacked. 
 Shields, who came up in the night, lay in the orchard, while Cad- 
 walader was nearest the enemy's works. As we were within range 
 of their batteries, which could enfilade the road in which we lay, 
 we built a stone breastwork at either end to conceal ourselves from 
 their view and grape. There we were, completely surroundeU by 
 the enemy, cut off" from our communications, ignorant of the ground, 
 without artillery, weary, dispirited, and dejected. We were a dis- 
 heartened set. With Santa Anna and Salas's promise of " no quar- 
 ter," a force of four to one against us, and one half defeated already, 
 no succour from Puebla, and no news from General Scott, ah seemed 
 dark. Suddenly the words came whispered along, ^'■we storm at 
 midnight.'''' Now we are ourselves again ! But what a horrible 
 night ! There we lay, too tired to eat, too wet to sleep, in the mid- 
 dle of that muddy road, officers and men side by side, with a heavy 
 rain pouring down upon us, the officers without blankets or over- 
 coats, (they had lost them in coming across,) and the men worn out 
 with fatigue. About midnight the rain was so heavy that the 
 streams in the road flooded us, and there we stood crowded together, 
 drenched and benumbed, waiting till daylight. 
 
 At half-past three the welcome word '•'fcdl in^'' was passed down, 
 and we commenced our march. The enemy's works were on a 
 hill-side, behind which rose other and slightly higher hills, separated 
 by deep ravines and gullies, and intersected by streams. The 
 whole face of the country was of stiff" clay, which rendered it almost 
 impossible to advance. We formed our line about a quarter of a 
 mile from the enemy's works, Riley's brigade on our right. At 
 about four we started, winding through a thick orchard which effec- 
 tually concealed us, even had it not been dark, debouching into a 
 deep ravine which ran within about five hundred yards of the work, 
 and which carried us directly in rear and out of sight of their batte- 
 ries. At dawn of day we reached our place after incredible exer- 
 
42 MAJOR-GENEKAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 tions, and got ready for our charge. The men threw off their wet • 
 blankets and looked to their pieces, while the officers got ready for 
 a rush, and the first smile that ht up our faces for twelve hours boded 
 but little good for the Mexicans. On the right, and opposite the 
 right of their work, was Riley's brigade of the 2d and 1st infantry 
 and 4th artillery, next the rifles, then the 1st artillery and 3d infan- 
 try. In rear of our left was Cadwalader's brigade, as a support, 
 with Shields's brigade in rear as a reserve — the whole division un- 
 der command of General Smith, in the absence of General Twiggs. 
 They had a smooth place to rush down on the enemy's work, with 
 the brow of the hill to keep under until the word was given. - 
 
 "At last, just at daylight, General Smith slowly walking up, asked 
 if all was ready. A look answered him. ^ Men forward T And 
 we did ' forward.' Springing up at once, Riley's brigade opened, 
 when the crack of a hundred rifles startled the Mexicans from their 
 astonishment, and they opened their fire. Useless fire ! for we were 
 so close that they overshot us, and, before they could turn their 
 pieces on us we were on them. Then such cheers arose as you 
 never heard. The men rushed forward like demons, yelling and 
 firing the while. The carnage was frightful, and, though they fired 
 sharply, it was of no use. The earthen parapet was cleared in an 
 mstant, and the blows of the stocks- could be plainly heard mingled 
 with the yells and groans around. Just before the charge was made, 
 a large body of lancers came winding up the road looking most 
 splendidly in their brilliant uniforms. They never got to the work, 
 but turned and fled. In an instant all was one mass of confusion, 
 each trying to be foremost in the flight. The road was literally 
 blocked up, and, while many perished by their own guns, it was 
 almost impossible to fire on the mass from the danger of killing our 
 own men. Some fled up the ravine on the left, or on the right, and 
 many of these were slain by turning their own guns on them. To- 
 wards the city the rifles and 2d infantry led off the pursuit. Seeing 
 that a large crowd of the fugitives were jammed up in a pass in 
 the road, some of our men ran through the cornfield, and by thus 
 heading them off and firing down upon them, about tliirty men took 
 over five hundred prisoners, nearly a hundred of them officers. 
 After disarming the prisoners, as the pursuit had ceased, we went 
 back to the fort, where we found our troops in full possession, and 
 the rout complete. 
 
DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY. 43 
 
 " We found that the enemy's position was much stronger than 
 we had supposed, and their artillery much, larger and more abun- 
 dant. Our own loss was small, which may be accounted for by 
 their perfect surprise at our charge, as to them we appeared as if 
 rising out of the earth, so unperceived was our approach. Our loss 
 was one officer killed. Captain Hanson of the 7th infantry, and 
 Lieutenant Van Buren of the rifles shot through the leg, and about 
 fifty men killed and wounded. Their force consisted of eight thou- 
 sand men, under Valencia, with a reserve, which had not yet arrived, 
 under Santa Anna. Their loss, as since ascertained, was as follows: 
 Killed and buried since the fight, seven hundred and fifty ; wound- 
 ed, one thousand, and fifteen hundred prisoners, exclusive of officers, 
 including four generals — Salas, Mendoza,.Garcia, and Guadalupe — 
 in addition to dozens of colonels, majors, captains, &c. We captured 
 m all on the hill twenty-two pieces of cannon, including five eight- 
 inch howitzers, two long eighteens, three long sixteens, and several 
 of twelve and eight inches, and also the two identical six-pounders 
 captured by the Mexicans at Buena Vista, taken from Captain 
 Washington's battery of the 4th artillery. The first officer who 
 saw them happened to be the officer of the 4th, selected by General 
 Scott to command the new battery of that regiment, Captain Drum. 
 In addition were taken immense quantities of ammunition and mus- 
 kets ; in fact, the way was strewed with muskets, escopets, lances, 
 and flags for miles. Large quantities of horses and mules were also 
 captured, though large numbers were killed. 
 
 " Thus ended the glorious battle of Contreros, in which two thou- 
 sand men, under General P. F. Smith, completely routed and de- 
 stroyed an army of eight thousand men, under General Valenda, 
 with Santa Anna and a force of twenty thousand men, within five 
 miles. Their army was so completely routed that not fifteen hun- 
 dred men rejoined Santa Anna and participated in the second bat- 
 tle. Most people would have thought that a pretty good day's work. 
 Not so. We had only saved ourselves, not conquered Mexico, and 
 men's work was before us yet. 
 
 "At eight A. M. we formed again, and General Twiggs having 
 taken command, we started on the road to Mexico. We had hardly 
 marched a mile before we were sharply fired upon from both sides 
 of the road, and our right was deployed to drive the enemy in. We 
 soon found that we had caught up with the retreating party, from 
 
44 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 the very brisk firing in front, and we drove them through the httle 
 town of San Angelo, where they had been halting in force. About 
 half a mile from ihis town we entered the suburbs of another called 
 San Kalherina, when a large party in the church-yard fired on the 
 head of the column, and the bails came right among us. Our men 
 kept rushing on their rear and cutting them down, until a discharge 
 of grape-shot from a large piece in front drove them back to the 
 column. In this short space of time five men were kiUed, ten taken 
 prisoners, and a small colour captured, which was carried the rest 
 of the day. 
 
 " Meanwhile General Worth had made a demonstration on San 
 Antonio, where the enemy was fortified in a strong hacienda ; but 
 they retired on his approach to Churubusco, where the works were 
 deemed impregnable. They consisted of a fortified hacienda, which 
 was surrounded by a high and thick wall on all sides. Inside the 
 wall was a stone building, the roof of which was flat and higher 
 than the walls. Above all this was a stone church, still higher than 
 the rest, and having a large steeple. The wall was pierced with 
 loop-holes, and so arranged that there were two tiers of men firing 
 at the same time. They thus had four different ranges of men firing 
 at once, and four ranks were formed on each range, and placed at 
 such a height that they could not only overlook all the surrounding 
 country, but at the same time they had a plunging fire upon us. 
 Outside the hacienda, and completely commanding the avenues of 
 approach, was a field-work extending around two sides of the fort, 
 and protecteu a deep wet ditch, and armed with seven large 
 pieces. This hacienda is at the commencement of the causeway 
 leading to the western gate of the city, and had to be passed before 
 getting on the road. About three hundred yards in rear of this 
 work another field-work had been built where a cross-road meets 
 the causeway, at a point where it crosses a river, thus forming a 
 bridge head, or Ute de pont. This was also very strong, and armed 
 with three large pieces of cannon. The works were surround- 
 ed on every side by large corn-fields, which were filled with the 
 enemy's skirmishers, so that it was difficult to make a reconnoissance. 
 It was thciefore decided to make the attack immediately, as they 
 were full of men, and extended for nearly a mile on the road to the 
 city, completely covering the causeway. The attack commenced 
 about one, P. M. General Twiggs's division attacked on the side 
 
BATTLE OF CHURUBUSCO. 45 
 
 towards which they approached the fort ; that is, opposite the city. 
 General Worth's attacked the bridge head, which he took in about 
 an hour and a half; while Generals Pillow and Quitman were on 
 the extreme left, between the causeway and Twiggs's division. The 
 rifles were on the left and in rear of the work, intrusted by Gene- 
 ral Scott with the task of charging it in case General Pierce 
 gave way. The firing was most tremendous — in fact, one continued 
 roll while the combat lasted. The enemy, from their elevated sta- 
 tion, could readily see our men, who were unable to get a clear 
 view from their position. Three of the pieces were manned by 
 ' the Deserters,' a body of about one hundred, who had deserted 
 from the ranks of our army during the war. They were enrolled 
 in two companies, commanded by a deserter, and were better uni- 
 formed and disciplined than the rest of the army. These men 
 fought most desperately, and are said not only to have shot down 
 several of our officers whom they knew, but to have pulled down 
 the white flag of surrender no less ■than three times. 
 
 " The battle raged most furiously for about three hours, when, 
 both sides having lost a great many, the enemy began to give way. 
 As soon as they commenced retreating, Kearny's squadron passed 
 through the tete de pont, and, charging through the retreating co- 
 lumn, pursued them to the very gate of the city. When our men got 
 within about five hundred yards of the gate, they were opened upon 
 with grape and canister, and several officers wounded. Amongst 
 the number was Captain Kearny, 1st dragoons, who lost his left 
 arm above the elbow. Lieutenant Graham, of New York, received 
 a severe flesh-wound in his left arm. Captain McReynolds, ditto. 
 Our loss in this second battle was large. We lost in killed seven 
 officers : Captains Capron, Burke, 1st artillery ; Lieutenants Irons, 
 Johnston, Hoffinan, Captain Anderson, Lieutenant Easely, 2d in- 
 fantry ; Captain Hanson, 7th infantry. Lieutenant Irons died on 
 the 28th. Colonel Butler, of South Carolina, and about thirty 
 officers wounded, exclusive of the volunteers. The official returns 
 give our loss in killed and wounded at one thousand one hundred 
 and fifty, besides officers. The Mexican loss is five hundred killed 
 in the second battle, one thousand wounded, and eleven hundred 
 prisoners, exclusive of officers. Three more generals were taken, 
 among them General Rincon and Anaya, the provisional President ; 
 also, ten pieces of cannon and an immense amount of ammunition 
 5 
 
46 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 and stores. Santa Anna, in his report, states his loss in killed, 
 wounded, and missing at twelve thousand. He has only eighteen 
 thousand left out of thirty thousand, which he gives as his force on 
 the 20th in both actions. 
 
 "Thus ended the battle of Churubusco, one of the most furious 
 and deadly, for its length, of any of the war. For reasons which 
 he deemed conclusive. General Scott did not enter the city that 
 night, but encamped on the battle-field, about four miles from the 
 western gate of the city. The next day a flag of truce came out, 
 and propositions were made which resulted in an armistice. 
 
 "Meanwhile, the army is encamped in the villages around the 
 city, recruiting from their fatigue and nursing the sick and wounded. 
 There are but few sick, and the wounded are getting along com- 
 fortably in their hospitals. 
 
 The New Orleans Delta has the following remarks on these 
 battles : 
 
 "Never have there been exhibited in one day so many individual 
 instances of heroic courage, indomitable valour, and determination 
 in overcoming great and apparently insurmountable obstacles. From 
 one end of the army to the other there prevailed but one feeling and 
 one resolve, and that was victory or death. Our officers set noble 
 examples to their men, which were imitated with as much cool de- 
 termination as they were set. There was no faltering, no holding 
 back, and there is no corps or command but acquitted itself with 
 honour to themselves and credit to the country. The regulars 
 added new laurels to those already acquired, and the volunteers 
 have given a repetition of the noble bearing of their countrymen on 
 the bloody field of Buena Vista. South Carolina chivalry and the 
 sons of the Empire State have inscribed their names on the roll of 
 fame, and will return home bright ornaments to the states from 
 whence they came. 
 
 " The Mexicans also fought as they never fought before ; they 
 strongly resisted us at every point, and contested every inch with 
 the strongest determination and even to desperation. They knew 
 that their capital and their all depended upon the issue, and with 
 this knowledge and thus prompted, they threw themselves into the 
 breach as no person ever expected they would — and one of the best 
 evidences of this is the number of killed and wounded on both sides. 
 
 "General Scott, at the head of our army during the engagement, 
 
CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. 47 
 
 received a slight wound in tlie leg, and, what is very remarkable, 
 no person whatever except himself was aware of it until after the 
 battle was over. A great deal has been said and written in reference 
 to the ability of General Scott as a military man, but those who have 
 not seen him in command and under fire, cannot form any just con- 
 ception of his abilities. His cool consideration of every thing around 
 him — his quick perception — his firm resolves and immediate exe- 
 cution — equal if they do not surpass those of any of the great gene- 
 rals whose deeds have been made so conspicuous in history." 
 
 After the works at Churubusco had been carried by storm, the 
 dragoons, under their valiant leader, Colonel Harney, were ordered 
 forward to pursue the retreating foe ; and onward they went, like 
 winged messengers of death, their bright sabres glittering in the 
 sunbeams, amidst the huzzas of the light troops, flushed with the 
 victory over the fort. The horses seemed to partake of the enthu- 
 siasm of their riders, and dashed forward with supernatural strength, 
 and in this spirit and state of feeling they overtook the flying army, 
 and continued to cut them down to the very gates of the city. 
 
 Ayotk is twenty miles from Mexico, on the main road from Vera 
 Cruz to that capital. About midway between Ayotla and Mexico 
 are the strong fortifications of Penon ; and others at another pass 
 called Mexicalcingo. Mexicalcingo lies to the southward of the 
 Vera Cruz road, at the head of Lake Xochimilco. It is about six 
 miles S. S. E. from Mexico, while Penon is about nine miles E. S. E. 
 The town of Chalco is situated on the eastern border of the lake of 
 the same name, three or four miles south of the Vera Cruz road. 
 The Venta de Chalco, or village of Chalco, is immediately on said 
 road, two or three miles south-east of Ayotla. The route of the 
 army from that point ran along the northern and then the western 
 border of Lake Chalco, between w^hich and Lake Xochimilco on the 
 west there is only half a mile of land. The road around the town 
 passes entirely to the southward of Lake Chalco. 
 
 Contreros, where the first battle was fought, is a fortified position 
 between San Augustin and San Angel. Churubusco, the scene of 
 the second great conflict, is about two miles north of San Angel, and 
 perhaps four south of Mexico. 
 
 On the evening of the 20th, General Scott offered a cessation ot 
 hostilities to the Mexican authorities, in order to afTord an opportu 
 nity to negotiate a treaty of peace. This was accepted. Commis 
 
48 MAJOR-GENERAL VVINFIELD SOOTT. 
 
 sioners were appointed by Santa Anna to confer with those from 
 the American army, named by General Scott. The following terms 
 of a preparatory armistice were concluded by these gentlemen : — 
 
 "Art. 1. Hostilities shall instantly and absolutely cease between 
 the armies of the United States of America and the United Mexican 
 States, within thirty leagues of the capital of the latter states, to 
 allow time to the commissioners appointed by the United States and 
 the commissioners to be appointed by the Mexican republic to ne- 
 gotiate. 
 
 " 2. The armistice shall continue as long as the commissioners 
 of the two governments may be engaged on negotiations, or until 
 the commander of either of the said armies shall give formal notice 
 to the other of the cessation of the armistice, and for forty-eight 
 hours after such notice. 
 
 " 3. In the mean time neither army shall, within thirty leagues of 
 the city of Mexico, commence any new fortification or military 
 work of offence or defence, or do anything to enlarge or strengthen 
 any existing work or fortification of that character within the said 
 limits. 
 
 *' 4. Neither army shall be reinforced within the same. Any rein- 
 forcements in troops or munitions of war, other than subsistence 
 now approaching either army, shall be stopped at the distance of 
 twenty-eight leagues from the city of Mexico. 
 
 " 5. Neither army or any detachment from it, shall advance be- 
 yond the line it at present occupies. 
 
 " 6. Neither army, nor any detachment or individual of either, 
 shall pass the neutral limits established by the last article, except 
 under a flag of truce bearing the correspondence between the two 
 armies, or on the business authorized by the next article, and indi- 
 viduals of either army who may chance to straggle within the neu- 
 tral limits shall, by the opposite party, be kindly Avarned off or sent 
 back to their own armies under flags of truce. 
 
 •'7. The American army shall not by violence obstruct the pasi- 
 sage, from the open country into the city of Mexico, of the ordinary 
 supplies of food necessary to the consumption of its inhabitants or 
 the Mexican army within the city; nor shall the Mexican authori- 
 ties, civil or military, do any act to obstruct the passage of supplies 
 from the city or the country needed by the American army. 
 
 "8. All American prisoners of war remaining in the hands of th« 
 
TER3IS OF THE ARMISTICE. 49 
 
 Mexican army, and not heretofore exchanged, shall immediately, or 
 as soon as practicable, be restored to the American army, against a 
 like number, having regard to rank, of Mexican prisoners captured 
 by the American army. 
 
 " 9. All American citizens who were established in the city of 
 Mexico prior to the existing war, and who have since been expelled 
 from that city, shall be allowed to return to their respective business 
 or families therein, without delay or molestation. <% 
 
 " 10. The better to enable the belligerent armies to execute these 
 articles, and to favour the great object of peace, it is further agreed 
 between the parlies, that any courier with despatches that either 
 army shall desire to send along the hne from the city of Mexico or 
 its vicinity, to and from Vera Cruz, shall receive a safe conduct from 
 the commander of the opposing army. 
 
 " 11. The administration of justice between Mexicans, according 
 to the general and state constitutions and laws, by the local authori- 
 ties of the towns and places occupied by the American forces, shall 
 not be obstructed in any manner. 
 
 " 12. Persons and property shall be rfespected in the towns and 
 places occupied by the American forces. No person shall be mo- 
 lested in the exercise of his profession; nor shall the services of any 
 one be required without his consent. In all cases where services 
 are voluntarily rendered a just price shall be paid, and trade remain 
 unmolested. 
 
 " 13. Those wounded prisoners who may desire to remove to 
 some more convenient place, for the purpose of being cured of their 
 wounds, shall be allowed to do so without molestation, they still re- 
 maining prisoners. 
 
 " 14. The Mexican medical officers who may wish to attend the 
 wounded shall have the privilege of doing so if their services be 
 required. 
 
 " 15. For the more perfect execution of this agreement, two com- 
 missioners shall be appointed, one by each party, who in case of 
 disagreement shall appoint a third. 
 
 " 16. This convention shall have no force or effect unless approved 
 by their Excellencies, the commanders respectively of the two 
 armies, within twenty-four hours, reckoning from the 6th hour of 
 the 23d day of August, 1847." 
 
 These articles were signed by Generals duitman, P. F. Smith, 
 5* 
 
50 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 and Franklin Pierce, on the part of the Americans ; and Ignacio de 
 Maria y Villamil and Benito duijano on that of the Mexicans. After- 
 wards the following notes were appended : — 
 
 " Considered, approved, and ratified, with the express understand' 
 ing that the word ' supplies,^ as used the second time, without quali- 
 fication in the seventh article of this military convention — American 
 copy — shall be taken to mean (as in both the British and American 
 ^armies) arms, munitions, clothing, equipments, subsistence (for men,) 
 forage, and in general, all the wants of an army. That word 'sup- 
 plies' in the Mexican copy, is erroneously translated ' viveres' instead 
 of 'recursos.' " 
 
 This was signed by General Scott. Santa Anna replied as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 "Ratified, suppressing the ninth article, and explaining the fourth, 
 to the effect that the temporary peace of this armistice shall be 
 observed in the capital, and twenty-eight leagues around it ; and 
 agreeing that the word supplies shviW be translated recursos ; and 
 that it comprehends every thing which the army may need, ex- 
 cept arms and ammunitions." 
 
 This qualification was accepted and ratified by the American 
 general. 
 
 Hopes were now entertained by General Scott and the friends of 
 peace in both nations, that the long-protracted struggle was about to 
 be amicably adjusted. These, however, were disappointed. Mr. 
 Trist, the American envoy, demanded the cession of California and 
 the territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande rivers, while the 
 Mexicans refused to yield any portion of Texas. The negotiations 
 accordingly closed. 
 
 On the 6th of September, General Scott accused Santa Anna of 
 violating the armistice, by constructing fortifications within the capi- 
 tal. The Mexican general replied by laying a similar charge to the 
 Americans, and affirming his willingness to recommence hostilities 
 immediately. The subsequent operations are given in General 
 Scott's report, which we annex, omitting the details of General 
 Worth's operations, which have already been given. 
 
 "Negotiations were actively continued with, as W'as understood 
 some prospect of a successful result up to the 2d instant, when our 
 commissioner handed in his uUimatwn (on boundaries), and the ne- 
 gotiators adjourned to meet again on the 6th. 
 
INFRACTIONS OF THE TRUCE. 51 
 
 "Some infractions of the truce, in respect to our supplies frotiv 
 the city, were earlier committed, followed by apologies, on the part 
 of the enemy. Those vexations I was willing to put down to the 
 imbecility of the government, and waived pointed demands of repa- 
 ration while any hope remained of a satisfactory termination of the 
 war. But on the 5lh, and more fully on the 6th, I learned that as 
 soon as the ullimatum had been considered in a grand council of 
 ministers and others, President Santa Anna, on the 4th or .5th, with- 
 out giving me the slightest notice, actively recommenced strengthen- 
 ing the military defences of the city, in gross violation of the 3d 
 article of the armistice. 
 
 " On that information, which has since received the fullest verifi- 
 cation, I addressed to him my note of the 6th. His reply, dated the 
 ?ame day, received the next morning, was absolutely and notoriously 
 false, both in recrimination and explanation. * * * * 
 
 " Being delayed by the terms of the armistice more than two 
 weeks, we had now, late on the 7th, to begin to reconnoitre the dif- 
 ferent approaches to the city, within our reach, before I could lay 
 down any definitive plan of attack. 
 
 " The same afternoon, a large body of the enemy was discovered 
 hovering about the Mohnos del Rey, within a mile and a third of 
 this village, (Tacubaya,) where I am quartered with the general 
 staff and Worth's division. 
 
 " It might have been supposed that an attack upon us was in- 
 tended ; but knowing the great value to the enemy of those mills, 
 (Molinos del Rey,) containing a cannon-foundry, with a large depo- 
 sit of powder in Casa Mata near them ; and having heard, two days 
 before, that many church-bells had been sent out to be cast into guns 
 — the enemy's movement was easily understood, and I resolved at 
 once to drive him early the next morning, to seize the powder, and 
 to destroy the foundry. 
 
 "Another motive for this decision — leaving the general plan of 
 attack upon the city for full reconnoissances — was, that we knew our 
 lecent captures had left the enemy not a fourth of the guns neces- 
 sary to arm, all at the same time, the strong works of each of the 
 eight city gates ; and we could not cut the communication between 
 the foundry and the capital without first taking the formidable castle 
 on the heights of Chapultepec, which overlooked both and stood be- 
 tween. 
 
52 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 "For ibis difficult operation we were not entirely ready, and 
 moreover we might altogether neglect the castle, if, as we then 
 hoped, our reconnoissances should prove that the distant southern 
 approaches to the city were more eligible than this south-western 
 approach. 
 
 " Hence the decision promptly taken, the execution of which was 
 assigned to Brevet Major-General Worth, whose division was rein- 
 forced with Cadwalader's brigade of Pillow's division, three squad- 
 rons of dragoons under Major Sumner, and some heavy guns of the 
 siege train under Captain Huger of the ordnance, and Captain Drum 
 
 of the 4th artillery — two officers of the highest merit. 
 
 ******** 
 
 " The enemy having several times reinforced his line, and the ac- 
 tion soon becoming much more general than I had expected, I called 
 up, from the distance of three miles, first Major-General Pillow, with 
 his remaining brigade, (Pierce's,) and next Riley's brigade, of 
 Twiggs' division — leaving his other brigade (Smith's) in observa- 
 tion at San Angel. Those corps approached with zeal and rapidity; 
 but the battle was won just as Brigadier-General Pierce reached the 
 ground, and had interposed his corps between Garland's brigade 
 (Worth's division) and the retreating enemy." 
 
 Like General Taylor, after the capture of Monterey, the com- 
 mander-in-chief was destined to experience considerable opposition, 
 respecting his offer of the armistice. In reference to this opposition, 
 the New Orleans Deha has the following pertinent remarks : — 
 
 " The sophist who lectured Hannibal on the art of war doubtless 
 considered himself a supremely wise man, and the conqueror of 
 Scipio but an indifferent general. The race to which he belonged 
 has not passed away, but flourishes in these latter days in all the 
 vigour and bloom of its youth. The present war has furnished 
 ample employment to these military philosophers, and has enabled 
 them at the same time to display the extent of their knowledge and 
 bless mankind with a sun-flood of information. Among the subjects 
 to which they have recently directed their powerful intellects, and 
 upon which they have expended columns of acute disquisition and 
 pathetic declamation, none has afforded a fairer field for their pecu- 
 liar powers than the armistice granted by General Scott after the 
 battles of Contreros and Churubusco. It is needless to say that in 
 the opinion of these sages the general was totally in the wrong ; his 
 
OPINIONS RESPECTING THE ARMISTICE. 53 
 
 conduct was not only foolish, but, in view of the consequences which 
 they ascribe to it, criminal. To him they impute the delay in cap- 
 luring the city, the failure of the negotiations, and the subsequent 
 loss of life in the combats that ensued from the 8th to the 14lh*of 
 September. Bowing, as we do, with becoming deference to opi- 
 nions so carefully formed, and so fearlessly promulgated, we yet beg 
 leave to suggest, that before General Scott is finally condemned, it 
 would be as well to wait for further information ; and, before he is 
 even arraigned at the bar of public opinion for an alleged offence, 
 it would be no more than fair to examine closely the information 
 which we already possess. 
 
 "In the advance upon Mexico, the 'first line of defence' of the 
 city, consisting of the strong posts of El Penon and Mexicalcingo, 
 was avoided by a detour to the left, around the head of Lake Chalco. 
 This movement began on the 15th of August, and, owing to the 
 broken nature of the country and the necessity of cutting a road for 
 many miles, it was a work of great toil and hardship.- It was, how- 
 ever, accomplished in two days, and on the 18th our troops were in 
 a position to act against Confreres and Churubusco, forming with 
 the secondary works in their neighbourhood, 'the second line of de- 
 fence.' On the 19th, the movement was made against Contreros. 
 Of the prolonged and difficult operations of that day, through dense 
 chapparal, along rocky and precipitous paths, and ainid constant 
 combat and peril, it is not necessary to speak, for all will recollect 
 the truthful descriptions which we have already published. To this 
 day of toil and danger succeeded one of the most dismal nights ex- 
 perienced in that climate. The storm is described as terrific. The 
 soldiers might perchance have snatched a morsel of food, but a mo- 
 ment's sleep was impossible. Under these circumstances, Contreros 
 was captured and Valencia's force dispersed early in the morning, 
 and the battle of Churubusco closed, and the second line of defence 
 was carried after the most desperate and bloody engagement of the 
 war at five o'clock in the afternoon. Now the first question that 
 arises is, could General Scott have entered Mexico on the night of 
 the 20th ? His soldiers had been watching, marching, fasting, and 
 fighting for more than thirty-six hours ; over a thousand of his 
 small force were killed or disabled, and the heights of Chapultepec 
 and the line of the garitas were still before him, capable, as was 
 afterwards shown, of making a strong defence. How easy soeve' 
 
54 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 the achievement may seem to an editor in his closet, we apprehend 
 that it was a labour not to be undertaken by a general in the field. 
 The Mexican army which defended Churubusco, though defeated, 
 wdS not destroyed ; it retreated towards the third and strongest line 
 of defence, and was, or could easily have been, ralhed behind its 
 batteries. For General Scott to have attempted to enter Mexico on 
 the night of the 20th of August, it appears to us would have been 
 an act of desperation which nothing could have justified but the ex- 
 ceedingly improbable result of success. Had he undertaken it and 
 failed, the warriors of the quill would have been the first to discover 
 and expose the madness ©f the act. They would have inquired 
 why he could not have waited until morning ; why, with half-fam- 
 ished and exhausted troops, with the wounded caUing for assistance, 
 the dead unburied, and the living scarce able to drag one leg after 
 the other, he had marched against strong works and a densely popu- 
 lated city, when one night's rest would have quadrupled the efii- 
 ciency of his force ? And the voice of censure would have been 
 as general as it would probably have been deserved. 
 
 " The conclusion has thus been forced upon us, that General 
 Scott was obliged to pause for breath after the continued operations 
 of the 19th and 20th, which terminated in the terrible slaughter of 
 Churubusco. 
 
 "But that same evening he received a flag of truce from the 
 enemy, asking for an armistice and proposing peace. Representa- 
 tions were at the same time made to him by those connected with 
 the British Embassy, that there was every probability that negotia- 
 tions would terminate favourably and honourably to all parties. The 
 American commander was placed in a position of great delicacy 
 and responsibility. It was his ardent desire to terminate the war, 
 spare the lives of his soldiers, and avoid the infliction of unneces- 
 sary injury, even upon the foe. He had good reason to believe that 
 by granting the armistice all these objects would be attained ; and 
 he did grant it, making it terminable in forty-eight hours. What 
 would have been said of him had he refused ? He must, in that 
 case, either have taken the city or failed in the attempt. If the 
 former, we would have been precisely in the condition in which we 
 are at present, and General Scott would have been accused of sac- 
 rificing the lives of his countrymen, and unnecessarily prolonging 
 the war, to promote his own ambitious aims, and gratify the perni- 
 
MERITS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. 55 
 
 cious vanity of claiming the conqueror's rank with Cortez. Not 
 one in fifty of those who have now discovered that all negotiation 
 with Mexico was an idle farce, but would have been certain that, 
 had the Mexican proposition been entertained, we should have had 
 an honourable and permanent peace. But in the hazards of war 
 General Scott might have been repulsed on the morning of the 21st, 
 and then imagination can scarcely depict the execrations which 
 would have been poured upon his head. Whatever he might have 
 done, it will thus be seen, he would have exposed himself to ani- 
 madversion and misconstruction ; to the idle comments of the un- 
 thinking, and the malicious remarks of the envious. For our own 
 part, we are willing to believe that General Scott acted as every 
 hero and patriot would have done, placed in his position, and bur- 
 dened with his responsibilities ; at any rate, we must see something 
 stronger than has yet appeared against him, to suspect that he acted 
 with want of judgment or want of zeal." 
 
 The following remarks upon the merits of the negotiations, and 
 their final result, will also be read with interest : — 
 
 " The abortive negotiations which preceded the renewal of the 
 war, are in a high degree instructive, as indicating more conclusively 
 than any other evidence could do, the intentions and confidence of 
 the respective parties. On the side of the United States it was 
 proposed that the boundary-line of the two republics should run up the 
 middle of the Rio Grande, strike off westward on reaching the hmits of 
 New Mexico, take the course of the Gila and the lower Colorado, and 
 so through the mouth of the latter river down the middle of theCali- 
 fornian Gulf, into the Pacific. In other words, this would bring the 
 south-western boundary-line of the United States about ten degrees 
 further south, would deprive Mexico of all Upper and Lower Cali- 
 fornia, as well as of the districts on the Rio Grande, and would 
 leave her wiih the Gila for her northern boundary, but just above 
 the present frontier of Sonora, which marks her settled territories. 
 Enormous as was this claim, it was not the point upon which the 
 negotiations broke off, for the Americans phrased their requirements 
 considerately, and offered a liberal price for the cession they desired. 
 Santa Anna, it is true, was for reserving a certain portion of Cali- 
 fornia, for Mexican expansion, and he suggested the 37th in place 
 of the 32d parallel, as the boundary of the two countries. Yet it 
 is hardly disguised that on the point of cession and sale in thii 
 
 Q 
 
56 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 quarter, the Mexican commissioners were amenable to the reasons 
 which Mr. Polk brought, by millions, against them, and the tranfer 
 might have been completed but for a comparatively insignificant 
 slice of debateable land. The old Texan boundary-line w^as again 
 brought under discussion, the one party insisting on the Rio Grande, 
 and the other, as in honour bound, upon the Nueces ; and this little 
 difference proved incapable of adjustment between parties who had 
 just been judiciously chaffering about ten degrees of territory ! It 
 is thus clear, that from the great object which has been so unhap- 
 pily sought by a war, the Americans are now only separated by an 
 obstacle which that very war has raised. We have before expressed 
 our persuasion that, looking at the natural destinies and necessities 
 of men and states, the vast province of New California would 
 much more reasonably fall to the lot of an expansive and enter- 
 prising people, who iuight reclaim its wastes and colonize its 
 shores, than remain the nominal and desolate appanage of a sta- 
 tionary or retrogading race, which could never have either the 
 motives or the means to improve its advantages for commerce, or 
 explore the resources of its soil." 
 
 At the risk of some subsequent repetition we insert the admirable 
 report of General Scolt, concerning his operations after the battle of 
 Molino del Rey. Its details are more circumstantial and satisfactory 
 than any account that has yet appeared : — 
 
 "At the end of another series of arduous and brilliant operations, 
 of more than forty-eight hours' continuance, this glorious army 
 hoisted, on the morning of the 14th, the colours of the United States 
 on the walls of this palace. 
 
 " The victory of the 8th, at the Molinos del Rey, was followed by 
 daring reconnoissances on the part of our distinguished engineers — 
 Captain Lee, Lieutenants Beauregard, Stevens, and Tower — Major 
 Smith, senior, being sick, and Captain Mason, third in rank, wound- 
 ed. Their operations were directed principally to the south -— to- 
 wards the gates of the Piedad, San Angel, (Nino Perdido,) San 
 Antonio, and the Paseo de la Viga. 
 
 " This city stands on a slight swell of ground, near the centre of 
 an irregular basin, and is girdled with a ditch in its greater extent— 
 a navigable canal of great breadth and depth — very difficult to bridge 
 in the presence of an enemy, and serving at once for drainage, cus- 
 tom-house purposes, and military defence ; leaving eight entrances 
 
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK. 57 
 
 or gates, over arches — each of which we found defended by a sys- 
 tem of strong works, that seemed to require nothing but some men 
 and guns to be impregnable. 
 
 " Outside and within the cross-fires of those gates, we foiand to 
 the south other obstacles but little less formidable. All the approaches 
 near the city are over elevated causeways, cut in many places (to 
 oppose us) and flanked, on both sides, by ditches, also of unusual 
 dimensions The numerous cross-roads are flanked, in like manner, 
 having bridges at the intersections, recently broken. The meadows 
 thus checkered, are, moreover, in many spots, under water or 
 marshy ; for, it will be remembered, we were in the midst of the 
 wet season, though with less rain than usual, and we could not wait 
 for the fall of the neighbouring lakes and the consequent drainage 
 of the wet grounds at the edge of the city — the lowest in the whole 
 basin. 
 
 " After a close personal survey of the southern gates, covered by 
 Pillow's division and Riley's brigade of Twiggs' — with four times 
 our numbers concentrated in our immediate front — I determined, on 
 the 11th, to avoid that net-work of obstacles, and to seek, by a sudden 
 inversion, to the south-west and west, less unfavourable approaches, 
 
 "To economize the lives of our gallant officers and men, as well 
 as to insure success, it became indispensable that this resolution 
 should be long masked from the enemy ; and, again, that the new 
 movement, when discovered, should be mistaken for a feint, and the 
 old as indicating our true and ultimate point of attack. 
 
 "Accordingly, on the spot, the 11th, I ordered duitman's division 
 from Coyoacan, to join Pillow by daylight, before the southern gates, 
 and then that the two major-generals, with their divisions, should, 
 by night, proceed (two miles) to join me at Tacubaya, Avhere I was 
 quartered with Worth's division. Twiggs, with Riley's brigade, 
 and Captains Taylor's and Steptoe's field-batteries — the latter of 
 twelve-pounders — was left in front of those gates, to manosuvre, to 
 threaten, or to make false attacks, in order to occupy and deceive 
 the enemy. Twiggs' other brigade (Smith's) was left at supporting 
 distance, in the rear, at San Angel, till the morning of the 13th, and 
 also to support our general depot at Miscoac. The stratagem against 
 the south was admirably executed throughout the 12th and down to 
 the afternoon of the 13th, when it was loo late for the enemy to re- 
 cover from the effects of his delusion. 
 6 
 
58 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 " The first step in the new movement was to carry Chapultepec, 
 a natural and isolated mound of great elevation, strongly fortified at 
 its base, on its acclivities and heights. Besides a numerous garrison, 
 there was the military college of the republic, with a large number 
 of sub-lieutenants and other students. Those works were withm 
 direct gun-shot of the village of Tacubaya ; and, until carried, we 
 could not approach the city on the west, without making a circuit 
 too wide and too hazardous. 
 
 "In the course of the same night, (that of the 11th,) heavy bat- 
 teries, within easy ranges, were established. No. 1, on our right, 
 under the command of Captain Drum, 4th artillery, (relieved late 
 next day, for some hours, by Lieutenant Andrews of the 3d,) and 
 No. 2, commanded by Lieutenant Hagner, ordnance — both support- 
 ed by duitman's division. Nos. 3 and 4, on the opposite side, sup- 
 ported by Pillow's division, were commanded, the former by Captain 
 Brooks and Lieutenant S, S. Anderson, 2d artillery, alternately, and 
 the latter by Lieutenant Stone, ordnance. The batteries were traced 
 by Captain Huger and Captain Lee, engineers, and constructed by 
 them, with the able assistance of the young officers of those corps 
 and the artillery. 
 
 "To prepare for an assault, it was foreseen that the play of the 
 batteries might run into the second day ; but recent captures had 
 not only trebled our siege pieces, but also our ammunition ; and we 
 knew that we should greatly augment both, by carrying the place. 
 I was, therefore, in no haste in ordering an assault before the works 
 were well crippled by our missiles. 
 
 " The bombardment and cannonade, under the direction of Cap- 
 tain Huger, were commenced early in the morning of the 12lh. 
 Before nightfall, which necessarily stopped our batteries, we had 
 perceived that a good impression had been made on the castle and 
 its outworks, and that a large body of the enemy had remained out- 
 side, towards the city, from an early hour, to avoid our fire, and to 
 be at hand on its cessation, in order to reinforce the garrison against 
 an assault. The same outside force was discovered the next morn- 
 ing, after our batteries had re-opened upon the castle, by which we 
 again reduced its garrison to the minimum needed for the guns. 
 
 "Pillow and Gluitman had been in position since early in the 
 mght of the lllh. Major-General Worth was now ordered to hold 
 nis division in reserve, near the foundry, to support Pillow ; and 
 
STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. 59 
 
 Brigadier-General Smith, of Twiggs' division, had just arrived with 
 his brigade from Piedad, (two miles,) to support Quitman. Twiggs' 
 guns, before the southern gates, again reminded us, as the day be- 
 fore, that he, with Riley's brigade and Taylor's and Steptoe's bat- 
 teries, was in activity, threatening the southern gates, and there 
 holding a great part of the Mexican army on the defensive. 
 
 " Worth's division furnished Pillow's attack with an assaulting 
 party of some two hundred and fifty volunteer officers and men, 
 under Captain McKenzie, of the 2d artillery ; and Twiggs' division 
 supplied a similar one, commanded by Captain Casey, 2d infantry, 
 to Quitman. Each of those httle columns was furnished with scal- 
 ing ladders. 
 
 "The signal 1 had appointed for the attack was the momentary 
 cessation of fire on the part of our heavy batteries. About eight 
 o'clock on the morning of the 13lh, judging that the time had ar- 
 rived, by the effect of the missiles we had thrown, I sent an aid-de- 
 camp to Pillow, and another to Quitman, with notice that the con- 
 certed signal was about to be given. Both columns now advanced 
 with an alacrity that gave assurance of prompt success. The bat- 
 teries, seizing opportunities, threw shot and shells upon the enemy 
 over the heads of our men, with good effect, particularly at every 
 attempt to reinforce the works from without to meet our assault. 
 
 "Major-General Pillow's approach on the west side lay through 
 an open grove, filled with sharp-shooters, who were speedily dis- 
 lodged ; when, being up with the front of the attack, and emerging 
 into open space, at the foot of a rocky acclivity, that gallant leader 
 was struck down by an agonizing wound. The immediate com- 
 mand devolved on Brigadier-General Cadwalader, in the absence 
 of the senior brigadier (Pierce) of the same division — an invalid 
 since the events of August 19th. On a previous call of Pillow, 
 Wortii had just sent him a reinforcement — Colonel Clarke's brigade. 
 
 " The broken acclivity was still to be ascended, and a strong re- 
 doubt, midwaj'^, to be carried before reaching the castle on the 
 heights. The advance of our brave men, led by brave officers, 
 though necessarily slow, was unwavering, over rocks, chasms, and 
 mines, and under the hottest fire of cannon and musketry. The 
 redoubt now yielded to resistless valour, and the shouts that followed 
 announced to the castle the fate that impended. The enemy were 
 steadily driven from shelter to shelter. The retreat allowed not 
 6* 
 
60 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 lime to fire a single mine, without the certainty of blowing up friend 
 and foe. Those who at a distance attempted to apply matches to 
 the long trains, were shot down by our men. There was death be- 
 low as well as above ground. At length the ditch and wall of the 
 main work were reached ; the scaling ladders were brought up and 
 planted by the storming parties; some of the daring spirits first in 
 the assault were cast down — killed or wounded ; but a lodgment 
 was soon made; streams of heroes followed; all opposition was 
 overcome, and several of our regimental colours flung out from the 
 upper walls, amidst long-continued shouts and cheers, which sent 
 dismay into the capital. No scene could have been more animating 
 or glorious. 
 
 "Major-General Q,uitman, nobly supported by Brigadier-Gene- 
 rals Shields and Smith, [P. F.] his other officers and men, was up 
 with the part assigned him. Simultaneously with the movement on 
 the west, he had gallantly approached the south-east of the same 
 works over a causeway with cuts and batteries, and defended by an 
 army strongly posted outside, to the east of the works. Those for- 
 midable obstacles Q.uitman had to face, with but little shelter for his 
 troops or space for manoeuvring. Deep ditches, flanking the cause- 
 way, made it difficult to cross on either side into the adjoining mea- 
 dows, and these again were intersected by other ditches. Smith 
 and his brigade had been early thrown out to make a sweep to the 
 right, in order to present a front against the enemy's line, (outside,) 
 and to turn -two intervening batteries, near the foot of Chapultepec. 
 This movement was also intended to support Quitman's storming 
 parties, both on the causewa3\ The first of these, furnished by 
 Twiggs' division, was commanded in succession by Captain Casey, 
 2d infantry, and Captain Paul, 7th infantry, after Casey had been 
 severely wounded ; and the second, originally under the gallant 
 Major Twiggs, marine corps, killed, and then Captain Miller, 2d 
 Pennsylvania volunteers. The storming party, now commanded 
 by Captain Paul, seconded b}' Captain Roberts of the rifles, Lieu- 
 tenant Stewart, and others of the same regiment. Smith's brigade, 
 carried the two batteries in the road, took some guns, with many 
 prisoners, and drove the enemy posted behind in support. The 
 New York and the South Carolina volunteers, (Shields' brigade,) 
 and the 2d Pennsylvania volunteers, all on the left of Quitman's 
 line, together with portions of his storming parties, crossed the mea- 
 
OFFICERS AND CORPS DISTINGUISHED. 61 
 
 dows in front, under a heavy fire, and entered the outer enclosure 
 of Chapultepec just in time to join in the final assault from the 
 west. 
 
 "Besides Major-Gcnerals Pillow and duitman, Brigadier-Gene- 
 rals Shields, Smith and Cadwalader, the following are the officers 
 and corps most distinguished in those brilliant operations: The vol- 
 tigeur regiment, in two detachments, commanded respectively, by 
 Colonel Andrews and Lieutenant-Colonel Johnstone — the latter 
 mostly in the lead, accompanied by Major Caldwell, Captains Bar- 
 nard and Biddle,of the same regiment — the former the first to plant 
 a regimental colour, and the latter among the first in the assault; — 
 the storming party of Worth's division, under Captain McKenzie, 
 2d artillery, with Lieutenant Seldon, 8th infantry, early on the lad- 
 der and badly wounded ; Lieutenant Armistead, 6th infantry, the 
 first to leap into the ditch to plant a ladder ; Lieutenants Rodgers 
 of the 4th, and J. P, Smith of the 5th infantry — both mortally 
 wounded — the 9th infantry, under Colonel Ransom, who was killed 
 while gallantly leading that regiment ; the 15th infantry under 
 Lietitenant-Colonel Howard and Major Woods, with Captain Chase, 
 whose company gallantly carried the redoubt, midway up the ac- 
 clivity ; Colonel Clarke's brigade, (Worth's division,) consisting of 
 the 5th, 8th, and part of the 6lh regiments of infantry, commanded 
 respectively by Captain Chapman, Major Montgomery, and Lieu- 
 tenant Edward Johnson — the latter specially noticed, with Lieuten- 
 ants Longstreet, (badly wounded — advancing — colours in hand,) 
 Picket, and Merchant — the last three of the 8th infantry ; portions 
 of the United States' marines. New York, South Carolina, and 2d 
 Pennsylvania volunteers, which, delayed with their division (Quit- 
 man's) by the hot engagement below, arrived just in time to parti- 
 cipate in the assault of the heights — particularly a detachment under 
 Lieutenant Reid, New York volunteers, consibting of a company of 
 the same, with one of marines ; and another detachment, a portion 
 of the storming party, (Twiggs' division, serving with duitman,) 
 under Lieutenant Steel, 2d infantry — after the fall of Lieutenant 
 Gantt, 7th infantry. 
 
 '' In this connection, it is but just to recall the decisive effect of the 
 
 heavy batteries, Nos. 1, 2, 8, and 4, commanded by those excellent 
 
 officers — Captain Drum, 4lh artillery, assisted by Lieutenants Ben 
 
 jamin and Porter of his own company ; Captain Brooks and Lieu 
 
 Q* 
 
62 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 tenant Anderson, 2d artillery, assisted by Lieutenant Russell, 4th 
 infantry, a volunteer; Lieutenants Hagner and Stone, of the ord- 
 nance, and Lieutenant Andrews, 3d artillery — the whole superin- 
 tended by Captain Huger, chief of ordnance with this army — an 
 officer distinguished by every kind of merit. The mountain howitzer 
 battery under Lieutenant Reno, of the ordnance, deserves also to 
 be particularly mentioned. Attached to the voltigeurs, it followed 
 the movements of that regiment, and again won applause. 
 
 "In adding to the hst of individuals of conspicuous merit, I must 
 limit myself to a few of the many names which might be enume- 
 rated : Captain Hooker, assistant adjutant-general, who won special 
 applause, successivel}', in the stafTof Pillow and Cadwalader ; Lieu- 
 tenant Lovell, 4th artillery, (wounded,) chief of Quitman's staff; 
 Captain Page, assistant adjutant-general, (wounded,) and Lieuten- 
 ant Hammond, 3d artillery, both of Shields' staff, and Lieutenant 
 Van Dorn, (7th infantry,) aid-de-camp to Brigadier-General Smith. 
 
 " Those operations all occurred on the west, south-east, and 
 heights of Chapultepec. To the north, and at the base of the 
 mound, inaccessible on that side, the 11th infantry, under Lieuten- 
 ant Colonel Herbert, the 14th under Colonel Trousdale, and Captain 
 Magruder's field battery, 1st artillery — one section advanced under 
 Lieutenant Jackson — all of Pillow's division — -had, at the same time, 
 some spirited affairs against superior numbers, driving the enemy 
 from a battery on the road, and capturing a gun. In these, the 
 officers and corps named gained merited praise. Colonel Trousdale, 
 the commander, though twice wounded, continued on duty until the 
 ■ heights were carried. 
 
 " Early on the morning of the 13th, I repeated the orders of the 
 night before to Major-General Worth, to be, with his division, at 
 hand, to support the movement of Major-General Pillow from our 
 left. The latter seems soon to have called for that entire division, 
 standing, momentarily, in reserve, and Worth sent him Colonel 
 Clarke's brigade. The call, if not unnecessary, was, at least, from 
 the circumstances, unknown to me at the time ; for, soon observing 
 that the very large body of the enemy in the road in front of Major- 
 General Quitman's right, was receiving reinforcements from the 
 city — less than a mile and a half to the east — I sent instructions to 
 Worth, on our opposite flank, to turn Chapultepec with his division, 
 and to proceed cautiously, by the road at its northern base, in order, 
 
PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY. 63 
 
 if not met by very superior numbers, to threaten or to attack, 
 in rear, tiiat body of the enemy. The movement, it was also 
 believed, could not fail to distract and to intimidate the enemy gene- 
 rally, 
 
 " Worth promptly advanced with his remaining brigade — Colonel 
 Garland's — Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Smith's light battalion, Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Duncan's field battery — all of his division — and three 
 squadrons of dragoons under Major Sumner, which I had just or- 
 dered up to join in the movement. 
 
 "Having turned the forest on the west, and arriving opposite to 
 the north centre of Chapultepec, Worth came up with the troops in 
 the road, under Colonel Trousdale, and aided by a flank movement 
 of a part .of Garland's brigade, in taking the one-gun breastwork, 
 then under the fire of Lieutenant Jackson's section of Captain 
 Magruder's field battery. Continuing to advance, this division 
 passed Chapultepec, attacking the right of the enemy's line, resting 
 on that road, about the moment of the general retreat, consequent 
 upon the capture of the formidable castle and its outworks. 
 
 "Arriving some minutes later, and mounting to the top of the 
 castle, the whole field to the east lay plainly under my view. 
 
 "There are two routes from Chapultepec to the capital, the one 
 on the right entering the same gate, Belen, with the road from the 
 south via Piedad ; and the other obliquing to the left, to intersect 
 the great western or San Cosme road, in a suburb outside the gate 
 of San Cosme. 
 
 " Each of these routes (an elevated causeway) presents a doable 
 roadway, on the sides of an aqueduct of strong masonry and great 
 height, resting on open arches and massive pillars, which together 
 aflbrd fine points both for attack and defence. The sideways of 
 both aqueducts are, moreover, defended by many strong breastworks, 
 at the gates, and before reaching them. As we had expected, we 
 found the four tracks unusually dry and solid for the season. 
 
 "Worth and Quitman were prompt in pursuing the retreating 
 enemy — the former by the San Cosme aqueduct, and the latter 
 along that of Belen. Each had now advanced some hundred 
 yards. 
 
 "Deeming it all-important to profit by our successes, and the 
 conseauent dismay of the enemy, which could not be otherwise than 
 general, I hastened to despatch from Chapultepec — first Clarke'ii 
 
64 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 ^ 
 
 brigade, and then Cadvvalader's, to the support of Worth, and gave 
 orders that the necessary heavy guns should follow. Pierce's bri- 
 gade was, at the same time, sent to Cluitman, and, in the course of 
 the afternoon, I caused some additional siege pieces to be added to 
 flis train. Then, after designating the 15th infantry, under Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Howard — Morgan, the colonel, had been disabled by 
 a wound at Churubusco — as the garrison of Chapultepec, and giv- 
 ing directions for the care of the prisoners of war, the captured ord- 
 nance and ordnance stores, I proceeded to join the advance of 
 Worth; within the suburb, and beyond the turn at the junction of 
 the aqueduct with the great highway from the west to the gate of 
 San Cosme. 
 
 "At this junction of roads Ave first passed one of those formidable 
 systems of city defences spoken of above, and it had not a gun ! — a 
 strong proof — 1. That the enemy had expected us to fail in the 
 attack upon Chapultepec, even if we meant any thing more than a 
 feint; 2. That, in either case, we designed, in his belief, to return 
 and double our forces against the southern gates — a delusion kept 
 up by the active demonstrations of Twiggs and the forces posted on 
 that side; and 3. That advancing rapidly from the reduction of 
 Chapultepec, the enemy had not time to shift guns — our previous 
 captures had left him, comj^aratively, but few — from the southern 
 gates. 
 
 "Within those disgarnished works I found our troops engaged in 
 a street-fight against the enemy, posted in gardens, at windows and 
 on -house-tops — all flat, with parapets. Worth ordered forward the 
 mountain howitzers of Cadwalader's brigade, preceded by skirmish- 
 ers and pioneers, with pick-axes and crow-bars, to force windows 
 and doors, or to burrow through walls. The assailants were soon 
 in an equality of position fatal to the enemy. By eight o'clock in 
 the evening. Worth had carried two batteries in this suburb. Ac- 
 cording to my instructions, he here posted guards and sentinels, and 
 placed his troops under shelter for the night. There was but one 
 more obstacle — the San Cosme gate (custom-house) between him 
 •ind the great square in front of the cathedral and palace — the heart 
 of the city ; and that barrier, it was known, could not, by daylight, 
 resist our siege guns thirty minutes. 
 
 "I had gone back to the foot of Chapultepec, the point from 
 which the two aqueducts begin to diverge, some hours earlier, m 
 
AMERICANS ENTER THE CAPITAL. 65 
 
 order W be near that new depot, and in easy communication with 
 Quitman and Twiggs as well as with Worth. 
 
 " From this point I ordered all detachments and stragglers to their 
 respective corps, then in advance ; sent to Quitman additional siege 
 guns, ammunition, entrenching tools ; directed Twiggs' remaining 
 brigade (Riley's) from Piedad, to support Worth, and Captain Step- 
 toe's field battery, also at Piedad, to rejoin Gluitman's division. 
 
 " 1 had been, from the first, well aware that the western, or San 
 Cosme, was the less difficult route to the centre and conquest of the 
 capital ; and therefore intended that Gluitman should only manoeuvre 
 and threaten the Belen or southwestern gate, in order to favour the 
 mam attack by Worth — knowing that the strong defences at the 
 Belen were directly under the guns of the much stronger fortress, 
 called the Citadel, just within. Both of these defences of the enemy 
 were also within easy supporting distances from the San Angel (or 
 Nino Perdido) and San Antonio gates. Hence the greater support, 
 in numbers, given to Worth's movement as the mai)i attack. 
 
 "Those views I repeatedly, in the course of the day, communi- 
 cated to Major-General Quitman ; but, being in hot pursuit — gallant 
 himself, and ably supported by Brigadier-Generals Shields and 
 Smith — Shields badly wounded before Chapultepec, and refusing to 
 retire — as well as by all the officers and men of the column — Quit- 
 man continued to press forward, under flank and direct fires — car- 
 ried an intermediate battery of two guns, and then the gate, before 
 two o'clock in the afternoon, but not without proportionate loss, in- 
 creased by his steady maintenance of that position. 
 
 "Here, of the heavy battery — 4th artillery — Captain Drum and 
 Lieutenant Benjamin were mortally wounded, and Lieutenant 
 Porter, its third in rank, slightly. The loss of those two most dis- 
 tinguished officers the army will long mourn. Lieutenants J. B. 
 Moragne and William Canty, of the South Carolina volunteers, also 
 of high merit, fell on the same occasion — besides many of our 
 bravest non-commissioned officers and men — particularly in Cap- 
 tain Drum's veteran company. I cannot, in this place, give names 
 or numbers, but full returns of the killed and wounded of all corps 
 in their recent operations, will accompany this report. 
 
 "Quitman, within the city — adding several new defences to the 
 position he had won, and sheltering his corps as well as practicable 
 
66 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 — now awaited the return of daylight under the guns of the for- 
 midable citadel, yet to be subdued. 
 
 " At about four o'clock next morning, (September 14,) a deputa- 
 tion of the ayuntamiento (city council) waited upon me to report 
 that the federal government and the army of Mexico had fled from 
 the capital some three hours before, and to demand terms of capitu- 
 lation in favour of the church, the citizens, and the municipal au- 
 thorities. I promptly replied that I would sign no capitulation; 
 that the city had been virtually in our possession from the time of 
 the lodgements effected by Worth and Quitman the day before ; 
 that I regretted the silent escape of the Mexican army ; that I should 
 levy a moderate contribution, for special purposes ; and that the 
 American army should come under no terms, not self-imposed — 
 such only as its own honour, the dignity of the United States, and 
 the spirit of the age, should, in my opinion, imperiously demand 
 and impose. 
 # * * * * * * * *.# #« 
 
 " At the termination of the interview with the city deputation, I 
 communicated, about daylight, orders to Worth and Q,uitman to ad- 
 vance slowly and cautiously (to guard against treachery) towards 
 the heart of the city, and to occupy its stronger and more command- 
 ing points. Gluitman proceeded to the great plaza or square, planted 
 guards, and hoisted the colours of the United Slates on the national 
 palace — containing the halls of Congress and executive departments 
 of federal Mexico. In this grateful service, Quitman might have 
 been anticipated by Worth, but for my express orders, halting the 
 latter at the head of the Alemeda, (a green park,) within three 
 squares of that goal of general ambition. The capital, however, 
 was not taken by any one or two corps, but by the talent, the science, 
 the gallantry, the prowess of this entire army. In the glorious con- 
 quest, all had contributed — early and powerfully — the killed, the 
 wounded, and the fit for duty — at Vera Cruz, Sierra Gordo, Con- 
 treros, San Antonio, Churubusco, (three battles,) the Molinos del 
 Rey, and Chapultepec — as much as those who fought at the gates 
 t;f Belen and San Cosme. 
 
 " Soon after we had entered, and were in the act of occupying 
 the city, a fire was opened on us from the flat roofs of the houses, from 
 windows and corners of streets, by some two thousand convicts, 
 liberated fne nighf before by the flying government — joined by per- 
 
NUMBER IN THE BATTLES. 67 
 
 haps as many Mexican soldiers, who had disbanded themselves and 
 thrown off their uniforms. This unlawful war lasted more than 
 twenty-four hours, in spite of the exertions of the municipal autho- 
 rities, and was not put down until we had lost many men, including 
 several officers, killed or wounded, and had punished the miscreants. 
 Their objects were, to gratify national hatred ; and, in the general 
 alarm and confusion, to plunder the wealthy inhabitants — particularly 
 the deserted houses. But families are now generally returning; 
 business of every kind has been resumed, and the city is already 
 tranquil and cheerful, under the admirable conduct (with exceptions 
 very few and trifling) of our gallant troops. 
 
 " This army has been more disgusted than surprised that, by 
 some sinister process on the part of certain individuals at home, its 
 numbers have been generally almost trebled in our pubHc papers — 
 beginning at Washington. 
 
 "Leaving, as we all feared, inadequate garrisons at Vera Cruz, 
 Perote, and Puebla, with much larger hospitals ; and being obliged, 
 most reluctantly, from the same cause, (general paucity of numbers,) 
 to abandon Jalapa, we marched [August 7-10] from Puebla, with 
 only ten thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight, rank and file. 
 This number includes the garrison of Jalapa, and the two thousand 
 four hundred and twenty-nine men brought up by Brigadier-Ge- 
 neral Pierce, August 6. 
 
 " At Contreros, Churubusco, &c., [August 20,] we had but eight 
 thousand four hundred and ninety-seven men engaged — after de- 
 ducting the garrison of San Augustin, (our general depot,) the in- 
 termediate sick and the dead ; at the Molinos del Rey [September 
 8] but three brigades, with some cavalry and artillery — making in 
 ail three thousand two hundred and fifty-one men — were in the 
 battle ; in the two days [September 12 and 13] our whole operating 
 force, after deducting, again, the recent killed, wounded, and sick, 
 together with the garrison of Miscoac (the then general depot) and 
 that of Tacubaya, was but seven thousand one hundred and eighty ; 
 and, finally, after deducting the new garrison of Chapultepec, with 
 the killed and wounded of the two days, we took possession, Sep- 
 tember 14, of this great capital, with less than six thousand men ! 
 And I re-assert, upon accumulated and unquestionable evidence, 
 that, in not one of those conflicts, was this army opposed by fewer 
 7 
 
68 MAJOR-GENERAL WIN FIELD SCOTT. 
 
 than three and a half times its numbers — in several of them by a 
 still greater excess. 
 
 " I recapitulate our losses since we arrived in the basin of Mexico. 
 
 "August 19, 20. — Killed, 137, including 14 officers. Wounded, 
 877, including 62 officers. Missing, (probably killed,) 38 rank and 
 file. Total, 1,052. 
 
 "September 8. — Killed, 116, including 9 officers. Wounded, 
 665, including 49 officers. Missing, 18 rank and file. Total, 862. 
 
 "September 12, 13, 14. — Killed, 130, including 10 officers. 
 Wounded, 703, including 68 officers. Missing, 20 rank and file. 
 Total, 862. 
 
 " Grand total of losses, 2,703, including 383 officers. 
 
 " On the other hand, this small force has beaten on the same oc- 
 casions, in view of their capital, the whole Mexican army, of (at 
 the beginning) thirty-odd thousand men — posted, always, in chosen 
 positions, behind entrenchments, or more formidable defences of na- 
 ture and art ; killed or wounded, of that number, more than seven 
 thousand officers and men ; taken three thousand seven hundred and 
 thirty prisoners, one-seventh officers, including thirteen generals, of 
 whom three had been presidents of this republic ; captured more 
 than twenty colours and standards, seventy-five pieces of ordnance, 
 besides fifty-seven wall pieces, twenty thousand small arms, an im- 
 mense quantity of shot, shells, powder, &c. &c. 
 
 " Of that enemy, once so formidable in numbers, appointments, 
 artillery, &c., twenty-odd thousand have disbanded themselves in 
 despair, leaving, as is known, not more than three fragments, the 
 largest about two thousand five hundred — now wandering in differ- 
 ent directions, without magazines or a military chest, and living at 
 free quarters upon their own people. 
 
 " General Santa Anna, himself a fugitive, is beheved to be on the 
 point of resigning the chief magistracy, and escaping to neutral 
 Guatemala. A new president, no doubt, will soon be declared, and 
 the federal Congress is expected to re-assemble at Queretaro, one 
 hundred and twenty-five miles north of this, on the Zacatecas road, 
 some time in October. 1 have seen and given safe conduct through 
 this city, to several of its members. The government will find itself 
 without resources ; no army, no arsenal, no magazines, and but little 
 revenue, internal or external. Still, such is the obstinacy, or rather 
 infatuation, of this people, that it is very doubtful whether the new 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPITAL. 69 
 
 authorities will dare to sue for peace on terms which, in the recent 
 negotiations, were made known by our Minister. * * * 
 
 "In conclusion, I beg to enumerate, once more, with due com- 
 mendation and thanks, the distinguished staff officers, general and 
 personal, who, in our last operations in front of the enemy, accom- 
 panied me, and communicated orders to every point and through 
 every danger. Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock, acting inspector-gene- 
 ral ; Major TurnbuU and Lieutenant Hardcastle, topographical en- 
 gineers ; Major Kirby, chief paymaster ; Captain Irwin, chief quar- 
 termaster ; Captain Grayson, chief commissary ; Captain H. L. 
 Scott, in the adjutant-general's department ; lieutenant Williams, 
 aid-de-camp ; Lieutenant Lay, military secretary, and Major J. P. 
 Gaines, Kentucky cavalry, volunteer aid-de-camp. Captain Lee, 
 engineer, so constantly distinguished, also bore importajit orders 
 from me (September 13) until he fainted from a wound and the loss 
 of two nights' sleep at the batteries. 
 
 "Lieutenants Beauregard, Stephens, and Tower, all wounded, 
 were employed with the divisions, and Lieutenants G. W. Smith 
 and G, B. McClellan with the company of sappers and miners. 
 Those five lieutenants of engineers, hke their captain, won the ad- 
 miration of all about them. The ordnance officers, Captain Huger, 
 Lieutenants Hagner, Stone, and Reno, were highly effective, and 
 distinguished at the several batteries ; and I must add that Captain 
 McKinstry, assistant quartermaster, at the close of the operations, 
 executed several important commissions for me as a special volun- 
 teer. 
 
 "Surgeon-General Lawson, and the medical staff generally, were 
 skilful and untiring in and out of fire in ministering to the numerous 
 wounded." > 
 
 The city of Mexico is thus described in Murray's Encyclopedia 
 of Geography : — 
 
 " The state of Mexico comprises the valley of Mexico, a fine and 
 splendid region, variegated by extensive lakes, and surrounded bj'' 
 some of the loftiest volcanic peaks of the new world. Its circum- 
 ference is about two hundred miles, and it forms the very centre of 
 the great table-land of Anahuac, elevated from six to eight thousand 
 feet above the level of the sea. In the centre of this valley stands 
 the city of Mexico ; the ancient Mexico, or Tenochtitlan, having 
 been built in the middle of a lake, and connected with the continent 
 7* 
 
70 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 by extensive causeways or dykes. The new Mexico is three m'les 
 froia the lake of Tezcuco, and nearly six from that of Chalco ; yet 
 Humboldt considers it certain, from the remains of the ancient 
 teocalli, or temples, that it occupies the identical position of the for- 
 mer city, and that a great part of the waters of the valley have been 
 dried up. Mexico was long considered the largest city of America; 
 but it is now surpassed by New York, perhaps even by Rio Janeiro. 
 Some estimates have raised its population to two hundred thousand ; 
 but it may, on good grounds, be fixed at from* one hundred and 
 twenty to one hundred and forty thousand. It is beyond dispute 
 the most splendid. 'Mexico is undoubtedly one of the finest cities 
 built by Europeans in either hemisphere ; with the exception of St. 
 Petersburgh, Berlin, and Philadelphia, and some quarters of West- 
 minster, there does not exist a city of the same extent which can be 
 comparea to the capital of New Spain, for the uniform level of the 
 ground on which it stands, for the regularity and breadth of the 
 streets, and the extent of the squares and public places. The archi- 
 tecture is generally of a very pure style, and there are even edifices 
 of a very beautiful structure.' The palace of the late viceroys, the 
 cathedral, built in what is termed the Gothic style, several of the 
 convents, and some private palaces, reared upon plans furnished by 
 the pupils of the Academy of the Fine Arts, are of great extent and 
 magnificence ; yet, upon the whole, it is rather the arrangement, 
 regularity, and general effect of the city which render it so striking. 
 Nothing in particular can be more enchanting than the view of the 
 city and the valley from the surrounding heights. The eye sweeps 
 over a vast extent of cultivated fields to the very base of the colossal 
 mountains, covered with perpetual snow. The city appears as if 
 washed by the waters of the lake of Tezcuco, which, surrounded by 
 villages and hamlets, resembles the most beautiful of the Swiss lakes ; 
 and the rich cultivation of the vicinity forms a striking contrast with 
 the naked mountains. Among these rise the famous volcano Popo- 
 catepetl and the mountain of Iztaccihuatl, of which the first, an en- 
 ormous cone, burns occasionally, throwing up smoke and ashes in 
 the midst of eternal snows. The police of the city is excellent ; most 
 of the streets are handsomely paved, lighted, and cleansed. The 
 annual consumption in Mexico has been computed at sixteen thou- 
 sand three hundred beeves ; two hundred and seventy-nine thousand 
 sheep; fifty thousand hogs; one million six hundred thousand fowls, 
 
DESCRIPTION OF THE FORTIFICATIONS. 71 
 
 including ducks and turkeys; two hundred and five thousand pigeons 
 and partridges. The markets are remarkably well supplied with 
 animal and vegetable productions, brought by crowds of canoes along 
 the lake of Chalco, and the canal leading to it. These canoes are 
 often guided by females, who at the same time are weaving cotton 
 in their simple portable looms, or plucking fowls, and throwing the 
 feathers into the water. Most of the flowers and roots have been 
 raised in chinampus, or floating gardens, an invention peculiar to 
 the new world. They consist of rafts formed of reeds, roots, and 
 bushes, and covered with black saline mould, which, being irrigated 
 by the water of the lake, becomes exceedingly fertile. It is a great 
 disadvantage to Mexico, however, that it stands nearly on a level 
 with the surrounding lake ; which, in seasons of heavy rain, over- 
 whelms it with destructive inundations. The construction of a 
 desague, or canal, to carry off" the waters of the lake of Zumpango, 
 and of the principal river by which it is fed, has* since 1629, pre- 
 vented any very desolating flood. The desague, though not conduct- 
 ed with skill and judgment, cost five milhons of dollars, and is one 
 of the most stupendous hydraulic works ever executed. Were it 
 filled with water, the largest vessels of war might pass by it through 
 the range of mountains which bound the plain of Mexico. The 
 alarms, however, have been frequent, and cannot well cease, while 
 the level of that lake is twenty feet above that of the great square 
 of Mexico." 
 
 The New Orleans Picayune gives the following description of 
 the fortifications around the Mexican capital : — 
 
 "Much as has already been said, our people even up to this time 
 have but an imperfect idea of the immense superiority of force 
 General Scott's little army had to contend with in the valley of 
 Mexico. Some weeks since one of the editors of this paper, writing 
 fron the seat of war, attempted to draw a parallel between the deeds 
 of the early Spaniards and those of our own gallant soldiers ; but at 
 the time he did not know the full strength of the Mexican works 
 and fortifications, all completed previous to the noted 13lh Septem- 
 ber, and ready to repel the onslaughts of the comparatively insigni- 
 ficant band of invaders. From a statement by Captain Lee, one of 
 the best engineers in the American or any other service, it would 
 seem that the Mexicans had at the 
 
72 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 Penon - - - 20 batteries, for 51 guns, and 15 inf. breastworks. 
 
 Mexicalcingo 
 
 - 8 
 
 
 38 " 
 
 
 1 " 
 
 San Antonio 
 
 - 7 
 
 
 24 « 
 
 
 2 « 
 
 Churubusco 
 
 - 2 
 
 
 15 ' 
 
 
 (( ( 
 
 Contreros 
 
 - 1 
 
 
 22 " 
 
 
 (( t 
 
 Chapultepec 
 
 - 7 
 
 
 19 « 
 
 
 7 " 
 
 Total, 
 
 45 
 
 169 
 
 25 
 
 "These were the outer works, admirably well situated for de- 
 fence, and presenting a most formidable appearance to those who 
 were compelled to attack them from causeways, marshes, and open 
 plains. The works at El Molino, including the battery and the lines 
 of infantry intrenchments and strong buildings, are not enumerated 
 in the above. Immediately around the city of Mexico, independent 
 of the innumerable ditches — these ditches filled with water, gene- 
 rally twenty-five feet wide and five feet deep, whose banks formed 
 natural parapets — there were forty-seven additional batteries, pre- 
 pared like the others for one hundred and seventy-seven guns, and 
 with seventeen infantry breastworks. Adding these to the above, 
 and we have on all the lines defending the approaches to the city 
 no less than ninety-two batteries, prepared for three hundred and 
 forty-six guns, and forty-two infantry breastworks ! When it is 
 added that to all these works — and our own engineers were forcibly 
 struck with the admirable style in which all the batteries of the 
 enemy were constructed — that the city of Mexico was naturally de- 
 fended by canals, houses of solid and heavy masonry, mud ditches, 
 water, &c. &c. ; that all the buildings have flat roofs with solid 
 parapets ; that the convents and many other public edifices are but 
 so many fortifications — when all these circumstances are taken into 
 consideration, with the immense numerical superiority of the Mexi- 
 cans, the achievements of the invaders will appear almost incre- 
 dible. 
 
 " The science of engineering is probably as well understood by 
 the Mexicans as by any of the European nations, as an examination 
 of their works will at once prove, while their artillery practice is 
 most effective ; yet all availed them nothing against the bold and 
 steady advance of the Americans. The sanguinary battle of El 
 Molino, costl}'^ as it was to General Worth's division, was appallingly 
 disastrous to the enemy, as there his two best infantry regiments, the 
 
INDUSTRY OF THE MEXICANS. 73 
 
 11th and 12th of the line, were utterly annihilated. From that day 
 jntil the capital was entered, comparatively speaking, our army 
 suffered but htlle from the musketry of the enemy, his cannon doing 
 nearly all the execution. General Gluiiman's advance upon the 
 Garita of Belen, one of the most daring deeds of the war, was 
 through an avenue of blood caused by the grape, canister and round 
 shot of the Mexican cannon ; while the streets of San Cosme, through 
 which the remnant of General Worth's division was compelled to 
 advance, was literally swept by the heavy cannon and wall pieces 
 at the garita of the same name. The infantry firing around the 
 base of Chapultepec was as nothing compared with the incessant tor- 
 nado of bullets vfhich rattled amid the ranks of our columns as they 
 advanced upon Churubusco and the Molino del Rey. 
 
 " And who constructed the batteries and breastworks around the 
 capital of Mexico ? Men, women, and children, as by a common 
 impulse, were busy night and day, and even ladies of the higher 
 class are said to have been liberal in their toil in adding to the com- 
 mon defence. Works complete in every part sprung up, as if by 
 magic ; the morning light would dawn upon some well-barricaded 
 approach, which the night before was apparently open to the ad- 
 vance of armed men. From the outposts of the Americans, at any 
 time between the 8th and 12th September, thousands and thousands 
 of the enemy could be seen, spade and mattock in hand, strengthen- 
 ing old and forming new barriers, and the busy hum of labour 
 reached our sentinels even during the still hours of the night, as 
 fresh guns were placed in position, or new avenues of approach were 
 closed against the invaders, ^et all would not do. The Mexicans 
 had not the stern courage to defend the works they had constructed 
 with such zeal and care, and one after another fell before the un- 
 flinching bravery of men who had but victory or death before 
 them." * 
 
 The Hartford Times thus speaks of General Scott's campaign m 
 Mexico : — 
 
 " It seems to us that the merit of General Scott, in gaining the 
 late astounding victories before Mexico, has not as yet received its 
 fitting tribute from the public press. His political opinions must 
 necessarily ever debar him from receiving the suffrages of the Demo- 
 cratic party for the chief magistracy of the Union. But this circum- 
 stance cannot prevent us from seeing that this great soldier has 
 
74 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 deserved exceedingly well of the Republic, and acquired a very 
 strong title to the fervent gratitude of his countrymen. Perhaps, 
 indeed, to a man whose hairs are already silvered in the service of 
 his country, the due appreciation and acknowledgment of that ser- 
 vice may prove a more acceptable reward than the highest office 
 that could be conferred upon him. At all events, the least that can 
 be done is to award just honour and praise, in no stinted or niggardly 
 measure, to those who have no other remuneration to expect for 
 their brave deeds. The battles of Contreros and Churubusco cer- 
 tainly rank among the most brilliant military achievements of the 
 age. A little band of eleven thousand audacious invaders have de- 
 feated, with immense slaughter, an army of thirty thousand troops, 
 drawn up in a position of their own choosing, on their own soil, to 
 defend their altars and hearths, in the very heart of their country. 
 But it wag not alone the indomitable valour of our troops which 
 distinguished these battles. They were to an equal degree marked 
 with all the skill, science, and foresight of a masterly strategy. 
 
 "In turning the rocky and almost impregnable passes of Penon 
 and Mexicalcingo, fortified with terrific batteries, upon which the 
 enemy had expended the labour of months. General Scott displayed 
 the most consummate generalship. It was not the mere avoiding 
 or evading these formidable posts which constituted its merit. It 
 was, that his cool and practised eye discerned at a glance that a 
 passage could be cut through dense forests and tangled defiles, and 
 heaps of huge rock, where the enemy never dreamed that such an 
 exploit was conceivable. It was a repetition of the same skilful 
 outflanking manoeuvre by which he had before spared so much va- 
 luable life at Sierra Gordo — a movement which rendered all the 
 laborious preparations and defences of the enemy useless, and which 
 Santa Anna himself pronounced to be masterly and worthy of Napo- 
 leon. It has been^he crowning merit of Scott, that, while he has 
 been everywhere victorious, he has also everywhere husbanded his 
 forces. Daring and intrepid to the last degree where those qualities 
 were called for, he has at the same time been careful never wantonly 
 to waste the lives of his troops in unnecessary stormings or reckless 
 assaults. Under almost any other general, his mere handful of 
 troops would long since have melted away from repeated collisions 
 with inert but overwhelming masses. With a humanity not less 
 conspicuous than his bravery, Scott has always abstained from any 
 
OPINIONS OP THE PRESS. 75 
 
 indiscriminate slaughter even of a sanguinary and merciless foe. 
 * * * It was a great thing to have mastered the renowned for- 
 tress of San Juan de Ulloa — a second Gibraltar — with so trifling a 
 loss of life. The victory over Santa Anna at Sierra Gordo, in the 
 manner as well as in the magnitude of the achievement, was 
 a daring and masterly exploit. It was also a great thing — a sight, 
 in fact, full of moral grandeur — when four thousand two hundred 
 tattered and wayworn soldiers under his command entered the mag- 
 nificent city of Puebla, and, with all the confidence of conquerors, 
 stacked their arms and laid themselves down to sleep in the great 
 square, surrounded by a hostile population of eighty thousand. 
 
 " But, last of all, and more admirable than all, has been the care 
 with which he has nursed and kept together his little band of eleven 
 thousand, and the almost fabulous audacity and still more incredible 
 success with which he has pushed them, step by step, to the very 
 heart of a civilized nation of seven millions, and to the gates of a 
 capital of two hundred thousand souls, the renowned seat of a le- 
 gendary and mythic magnificence, and the most ancient and best- 
 built city on the continent. If modern warfare has any parallel for 
 this great feat of arms, we know not where to look for it. 
 
 "The successive triumphs of Vera Cruz, of Sierra Gordo, of 
 Puebla, and of Mexico, undimmed as they have hitherto been by a 
 single reverse, have unquestionably raised the reputation of the 
 commander to a very great height, and placed it, to say the least, 
 fully on a level with that of the greatest generals of his time. Nor 
 is there any denying that those victories have been of such an order 
 that, while they elevate the successful leader, they also, to at least 
 an equal degree, exalt the character and extend the renown of his 
 country. Hence we cannot bring ourselves to make any apology 
 for what appears to us a just notice of General Scott, on the score 
 of his being a Whig. A sense of gratitude for his distinguished 
 services in this war would not permit us to say less. The fame of 
 a victorious general cannot justly be held to belong to any party. It 
 is the property of the whole nation.' 
 
 The Baltimore American of October 22d, says : — 
 
 " The records of the gallant achievements of our troops in Mexico 
 add new lustre to the martial history of the Repubhc. From the 
 landing at Vera ^ruz, to the entrance of our army into the city of 
 Mexico, a series of brilliant exploits has marked every step of their 
 
 K 
 
76 MAJOR-GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT. 
 
 way. If the retreat of Xenophon, with ten thousand men, from the 
 heart of an enemy's country, is regarded with admiration, and men- 
 tioned in history as one of those extraordinary things which genius 
 and enterprise can accomphsh when favoured by fortune, what must 
 be said of the advance of an army httle exceeding ten thousand into 
 the valley of Mexico, into the capital of the enemy's country, three 
 hundred miles from the coast, storming its way as it marched, de- 
 feating armies far exceeding it in numbers, and entrenched in strong 
 fortifications, and holding its position victoriously in a city of one 
 hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants, in the midst of a dense 
 and hostile population around ? 
 
 " The army which has done this is composed, too, in part of 
 volunteer soldiers who have seen service for the first time — of men 
 who hurried from the peaceful avocations of hfe to encounter the 
 perils and hardships of war, with no preparation, no habitual disci 
 pline, expecting to receive their first lessons in mihlary affairs upon 
 the field of battle. Noble scholars indeed have thej'- proved them- 
 selves to be ! The soldiers of one campaign, they are veterans al- 
 ready, able to cope with the veterans of any service. 
 
 " The masterly generalship of the commander-in-chief has ex- 
 hibited the most admirable combinations of discretion and daring 
 throughout this whole career of bold invasion, of determined per- 
 severance and heroic achievements. The laurels of Chippewa, 
 which crowned the youthful brow of Scott, are renewed and fresh- 
 ened by those plucked from the battle-fields of Mexico. Long may 
 they flourish in the brightness of their verdure ! 
 
 " The forbearance of General Scott when he entered the city of 
 Mexico, as testified to by the letters of resident foreigners who had 
 witnessed the sacking of European cities when entered by an ex- 
 cited and victorious soldiery, is a characteristic of the most exalted 
 kind, reflecting unspeakable honour upon the commander who or- 
 dered, and upon the troops that obeyed such directions of forbear- 
 ance at such a moment. The evidence is direct, that no houses 
 were molested, except those from which shots were fired upon our 
 men. 
 
 " The country has reason to be proud indeed of this brave little 
 army, of its eminent general, of its noble and accomplished officers. 
 Worthily have they sustained the American name^ gloriously have 
 they exalted its martial renown in the eyes of the world. It is now 
 
GOLD MEDALS VOTED BY CONGRESS AND VIRGINIA. 77 
 
 for the country to sustain tliem, to strengthen that gallant band, to 
 uphold them in that distant and hostile land upon which they have 
 enstamped the impress of American valor, and displayed victory 
 on the folds of the national flag/' 
 
 Pursuant to the instructions of the President, General Scott, 
 on the 18th of February, 1848, transferred, at the City of Mexico, 
 the command of the Army of Mexico to Major-General Butler. 
 He continued some little time in that city attending to the meet- 
 ings of the Court of Inquiry, then in session there. He was 
 subsequently escorted to Vera Cruz by a company of dragoons, 
 and thence took shipping for New York direct. His object in 
 avoiding New Orleans, where great preparations were being made 
 to receive him, was simply to carry out a determination he had 
 formed to return to his country in as quiet a manner as possible. 
 He also disappointed the inhabitants of New York, for, instead of 
 lauding in the midst of their salutes, he proceeded directly to join 
 his family at Elizabethtown, New Jersey, where he arrived in 
 the month of May. Having reported himself at Washington, he 
 remained at home, in a state of quiet, until August 31, 1848, 
 when he was assigned by President Polk to the command of the 
 Eastern Division of the Army, with his Head Quarters at, or 
 near New York. At the same time, the Western Division of the 
 Army was assigned to General Taylor, and when he became 
 President, the entire command of the Army was again assigned 
 to General Scott, the date of which order was May 10, 1849. 
 His Head Quarters remained at New York until October 31, 
 1850, when President Fillmore invited him to Washington, where 
 he now remains, the truly much admired and well-beloved of the 
 entire metropolis. 
 
 For his splendid services in Mexico, Congress voted to General 
 Scott a medal of the finest gold, valued at about $500, but the 
 workmanship of which cost over $3000, and a precisely similar 
 testimonial was subsequently awarded to him by the State of Vir- 
 ginia. 
 
 During a late session of Congress, a movement was made in 
 the Senate to create the grade of Lieutenant-General, to be filled 
 by brevet only, and at the time the joint resolution was debated, 
 8 
 
78 NOMINATED FOR THE PRESIDENCY. 
 
 it was well understood that it had for its main object the honor- 
 ing of General Scott. The resolution passed the Senate by a 
 large vote, and although not yet a law of the land it will probably 
 become so. 
 
 General Scott has for many years been a favorite candidate for 
 the office of President of the United States among the masses of 
 the people, who always appreciate great and substantial public 
 services. Hundreds of times during the last ten years has he 
 been nominated for the office by primary meetings of the people, 
 and county and state conventions; but it was not until the 21st 
 of June, 1852, that he was nominated by the unanimous vote of a 
 National Convention for the highest office in the world. 
 
 The administrative talents of General Scott have been so often, 
 and so clearly exhibited in his long and useful career as a public 
 man, that the reproach of being a mere military chieftain can 
 never be applied to him. Like Washington, he has had occasion 
 to prove himself first in peace, as well as first in war, and we doubt 
 not the result of the coming election will prove that he is first in 
 the hearts of his countrymen. 
 
LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 THE YOUNG DOMINICAN; 
 OK, THE MYSTERIES OF THE INQUISITION, 
 
 AND OTHER SECRET SOCIETIES OP SPAIN. 
 BY M. V. DE FEREAL. 
 
 WITH HISTORICAL NOTES. BY M. MANUEL DE CUENDIAS, 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED WITH TWENTY SPLENDID ENGRAVINGS BY FRENCH ARTISTS 
 
 One volume, octavo. 
 
 SAY'S POLITICAL ECONOMY. 
 
 A TREATISE ON POLITICAL ECONOMY; . 
 
 Or, The Production, Distribution and Consumption of Wealth. 
 
 B7 JSAl^ BAPTISTH SAV. 
 
 FIFTH AMERICAN EDITION, WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES, 
 BY C. C. BIDDLE, Esq. 
 
 In one volume, octavo. 
 
 It would be beneficial to our country if all those who are aspiring to oflSce, were required by their 
 constituents to be familiar with the pages of Say. 
 
 The distinguished biographer of the author, in noticing this work, observes : " Happily for science 
 he commenced tliat study which forms the basis of his admirable Treatise on Political Economy ; m 
 work which not only improved under his hand with every successive edition, but has been translated 
 into most of the European languages." 
 
 The Editor of the North American Review, speaking of Say, observes, that "he is the most 
 popular, and perhaps the most able writer on PoUtical Economy, since the time of Smith." 
 
 LAURENCE STERNE'S WORKS, 
 
 WITH A LIFE OF THE AUTHOR: 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 
 
 WITH SEVEN BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATIONS, ENGRAVED BY GILBERT AND GIHON, 
 
 FROM DESIGNS BY DARLEY. 
 
 One volume, octavo; cloth, gilt. 
 
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 Captive — even the Dead Ass, — this is all we have to say of Sterne; and in the memory of these 
 characters, histories, and sketches, a thousand follies and worse than follies are forgotten. The 
 volume is a very handsome one. 
 
 THE MEXICAN WAR AND ITS HEROES. 
 
 A COMPLETE HISTOKY OF THE MEXICAN WAR, 
 
 EMBRACING ALL THE OPERATIONS UNDER GENERALS TAYLOR AND SCOTT. 
 
 WITH A BIOGRAPHY OF THE OFFICERS. 
 
 A L .g , 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO, 
 
 Under Gen. Kearny, Cols. Doniphan and Fremont. Together with Numerous Anecdotes of the 
 
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 In one volume, 12mo. 
 16 
 
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 In one volume, 12mo. 
 
 EL PUCIIERO ; or, A Mixed Dish from Mexico. 
 
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 BY RICHARD M'SHERRY, M. D., U. S. N., 
 
 LATE ACTING SURGEON OF REGIMENT OF MARINE 8. 
 
 In one volume, 12mo. 
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 BY LEONARD MYERS. 
 
 One volume, 12mo. 
 " 'Money-Bags and Titles' is quite a remarkalile work, amounts to a kindly exposure of the folly 
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 much to enlist his attention and win his approbation in the pages of tliis unpretending, but truly 
 meritorious publication." 
 
 WHAT IS CIIUUCH HISTORY? 
 
 AVINDICATION OF THE IDEA OF HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS, 
 
 BY PHILIP SCHAF. 
 
 TRANSLATED TROM THE GERMAN. 
 
 In one volume, 12mo. 
 
 17 
 
LIPPINCOTT, GRAMDO & CO.'S PUBIilCATIONS. 
 
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 Beautifully Illustrated by Uarley. Stitched. a, 
 
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 BY L. STERNE. 
 
 Illustrated as above by Darley. Stitched. 
 
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 «»f tiet'veen, that one reads with renewed delight his delicate turns. &c. 
 
 THE LIFE OF GENERAL JACKSON, 
 
 WITU A LIKENESS OF THE OLD HERO. 
 One volume, ISmo. 
 
 LIFE OF PAUL JONES. 
 
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 fight between the Bon Homme Ridiard and Serapis, the most desperate naval action on record — 
 Bnd the alarm into which, with so small a force, he threw the coasts of England and Scotland — are 
 matters comparatively well known to Americans ; but the incidents of his subsequent career have 
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 actions of such a man, ought to meet with an extensive sale, and become as popular as Robinson 
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 Or, A Narrative of the Captivity and Escape of Christophorus Plato Castanis, 
 
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 the Greek Boy in the Sunday-SchooL 
 
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 k Ck)Uection of New and Beautiful Tunes, adapted to the use of Sabbath-Schools, from some of tna 
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 21 
 
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 CAMP LIFE OF A VOLUNTEER. 
 
 A Campaign in Mexico; Or, A Glimpse at Life in Camp. 
 
 BY "ONE WHO HAS SEEN THE ELEPHANT." 
 
 %\U of (lEiunii piuljari] <Kai](or, 
 
 COMPRISING A NARRATIVE OF EVENTS CONNECTED WITH HIS PROFESSIONAL 
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 FREDERICK OVERMAN, 
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 Among its many valuable features, are tables showing at a glance Ihe distance, fare, ani time 
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 the question frequently asked, without obtaining a satisfactory reply, is here answered in fuli. 
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 THE LEGISLATIVE GUIDE: 
 
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LIPPINCOTT'S 
 
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