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Wax  with  Mexico 


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A.  r 


THE   WAR   WITH    MEXICO 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

The 
Annexation  of  Texas 

Ociavo    h  +  496  pages 
By  mail,  postpaid,  $3  00 

This  is  the  only  work  attempting  to 
deal  thoroughly  with  an  affair  that 
was  intrinsically  far  more  important 
than  had  previously  been  supposed, 
and  was  also  of  no  little  significance 
on  account  of  its  relation  to  the  war 
with  Mexico, 

THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS   . 


THE 

WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


BY 


JUSTIN  H.   SMITH 

FORMERLY  PROFESSOR  OP  MODERN  HISTORY 

AT  DARTMOUTH  COLLEGE 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  ANNEXATION  OF  TEXAS,"  "OUR 
STRUGGLE   FOR   THE   FOURTEENTH   COL- 
ONY," "ARNOLD'S  MARCH  FROM 

CAMBRIDGE   TO   QUE- 
BEC,"  ETC. 


VOLUME    II 


THE    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 

1919 

All  rights  reserved 


COPYRIGHT,    1919, 
THE    MACMILI^AN    COMPANY 


Set  up  and  printed.      Published  December,  1919. 


Norwood   Press 

J.  S.  Gushing  Co. Berwick  A:  Smith  Co 

Norwood.   Maaa.,    U.S.A.  .^^^ 

21 


CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME   II 


PAGE 

MAPS  AND  PLANS  IN  VOLUME  II vi 

CONSPECTUS  OF  EVENTS xi 

PRONUNCIATION  OF  SPANISH     .                        xiii 

CHAPTER 

XXI.    BEHIND  THE  SCENES  AT  MEXICO 1 

XXII.    VERA  CRUZ .17 

XXIII.  CERRO  GORDO 37 

XXIV.  PUEBLA 60 

XXV.    ON  TO  THK  CAPITAL 79 

XXVI.      CONTRERAS  AND  CfiURUBUSCO 99 

XXVII.    NEGOTIATIONS 120 

XXVIII,    MOLINO  DEL  REY,  CHAPULTEPEC  AND  MEXICO      .        .  140 

XXIX.    FINAL  MILITARY  OPERATIONS 165 

XXX.    THE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS 189 

XXXI.    THE  AMERICANS  AS  CONQUERORS 210 

XXXII.    PEACE' 233 

XXXIII.  THE  FINANCES  OF  THE  WAR 253 

XXXIV.  THE  WAR  IN  AMERICAN  POLITICS 268 

XXXV.    THE  FOREIGN  RELATIONS  OF  THE  WAR        .  .294 

XXXVI.    CONCLUSION 310 


NOTES  ON  VOLUME  II 
APPENDIX  (LISTS  OF  Soi  RCKS) 
INDKX 


327 
517 
563 


MAPS  AND  PLANS  IN  VOLUME  TWO 

As  equally  good  sources  disagree  sometimes,  a  few  inconsistencies  are  un- 
avoidable. Numerous  errors  have  been  corrected.  An  asterisk  indicates  an 
unpublished  source.  Statements,  cited  in  the  notes,  have  also  been  used. 

PACK 

1.  The  Fortress  of  San  Juan  deUlua  in  1854 21 

From  a  *plan  in  the  War  Dept.,  Washington. 

2.  Siege  of  Vera  Cruz :  General  Plan 24 

From  a  map  drawn  by  McClellan  from  surveys  done  by  six  Ameri- 
can officers  (N.  Y.  City  Public  Library) ;  *a  map  drawn  by  order  of 
Lieut.  Col.  Henry  Wilson  (War  Dept.,  Washington). 

3.  Siege  of  Vera  Cruz :  The  American  Works          ....      28 

From  a  map  drawn  by  Lieut.  Foster,  based  on  surveys  of  four 
American  officers  (War  Dept.,  Washington) 

4.  From  Vera  Cruz  to  Perote 39 

Based  on  a  map  issued  by  Manouvrier  and  Snell,  New  Orleans, 
1847  (Papers  of  N.  P.  Trist). 

5.  Contour  Lines  near  Cerro  Gordo 40 

From  a  *drawing  in  the  War  College,  Washington. 

6.  Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo :  General  Map 43 

Based  on  a  map  drawn  by  Lieut.  Coppee  from  the  surveys  of  Maj. 
Turnbull  and  Capt.  McClellan  (Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  1 ;  30  Cong.,  1  seas.) ; 
a  map  drawn  by  McClellan  (Mass.  Hist.  Society) ,  a  *sketch  of  a 
reconnaissance  by  Lieut.  Tower  (War  Dept.,  Washington) ;  *Cro- 
quis  de  la  Posici6n  del  campo  de  Cerro  Gordo,  1847  (War  Dept., 
Washington) ;  a  plan  by  I.  A.  de  Soiecki  (Vera  Cruz  City  archives)  ; 
and  a  *sketch  by  Lieut.  Thos.  Williams  (among  his  letters). 

7.  Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo :  Central  Portion 51 

Based  on  the  same  sources  as  No.  6  supra. 

8.  From  Jalapa  to  Puebla 61 

Based  on  a  Fomento  Dept.  map. 

9.  Profile  of  the  Route  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico  ....      62 

From  a  map  published  by  Manouvrier  and  Snell,  New  Orleans, 
1847  (Papers  of  N.  P.  Trist). 

10.  A  Part  of  the  Valley  of  Mexico 80 

From  a  map  surveyed  and  drawn  by  Lieut.  M.  L.  Smith  and  Bvt. 
Capt.  Hardcastle  (Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  11 ;  31  Cong.,  1  sess.) ;  and  a  map 
by  Balbontin  (Invasi6n  Americana). 

11.  Battles  of  August  19  and  20,  1847 :  General  Map       ...    100 

Based  on  a  map  drawn  by  Hardcastle  from  the  surveys  of  Maj. 
Turnbull,  Capt.  McClellan  and  Lieut.  Hardcastle  (Sen.  Ex.  Doo.  1 ; 

vii 


viii  MAPS  AND  PLANS  IN  VOLUME  TWO 

PAGE 

30  Cong.,  1  sess.) ;  the  Smith  and  Hardcastle  map  (No.  10  supra)  ; 
a  *map  drawn  by  Capt.  Barnard  from  the  surveys  of  Capt.  Mason 
and  Lieuts.  Beauregard,  McClellan,  and  Foster  (War  Dept.,  Wash- 
ington) ;  a  map  drawn  by  Hardcastle  from  the  surveys  of  Mason 
and  Hardcastle  (Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  1 ;  30  Cong.,  1  sess  )  ,  a  map  in 
Apuntes;  and  a  map  drawn  by  McClellan  (Mass.  Hist.  Society). 

12.  Battle  of  Contreras 108 

Based  on  the  Turnbull  map  (No  11  supra) ,  a  *plan  of  Capt.  Gard- 
ner (Pierce  Papers)  ,  *notes  by  Capt  Henshaw  on  a  map  by  Hard- 
castle (Mass.  Hist.  Society) ,  u  *sketch  by  Lieut.  Collins,  4th 
Artillery  (Collins  Papers)  ,  New  Orleans  Picayune,  Sept.  12,  1847 ; 
a  plan  by  Balbontin  (Invasion  Americana) ;  and  a  map  in  Apuntes. 

13.  Battle  of  Churubusco Ill 

Based  on  the  Turnbull  map  (No.  11  supra) ;  a  map  drawn  by 
Hardcastle  from  the  surveys  of  Mason  and  Hardcastle  (Sen.  Ex. 
Doc.  1 ,  30  Cong.,  1  sess.) ,  and  a  sketch  by  Balbontin  ("Invasi6n 
Americana"). 

14.  The  Tete  de  Pont,  Churubusco 112 

*Drawn  by  Lieuts.  Beauregard  and  Tower  from  Beauregard 's 
survey  (War  Dept ,  Washington). 

15.  Profile  of  East  Curtain,  Tete  de  Pont,  Churubusco     .         .         .113 

*Drawn  by  Beauregard  from  the  surveys  of  Lieuts.  McClellan, 
Beauregard  and  Foster  (War  Dept.,  Washington). 

16.  The  Fortifications  of  Churubusco  Convent          .         .         .         .114 

*Drawn  by  Beauregard  and  Tower  from  Beauregard's  survey  (War 
Dept  ,  Washington). 

17.  Battles  of  Mexico  :  General  Map 141 

Based  on  a  map  drawn  by  Hardcastle  from  the  surveys  of  Turn- 
bull,  McClellan,  and  Hardcastle  (Sen  Ex.  Doc.  1 ;  30  Com?.,  1  sess.) , 
and  a  map  drawn  by  McClellan  and  Hardcastle  (published  by  the 
government) . 

18.  Battle  of  Molino  del  Key 143 

Based  on  the  maps  specified  under  No.  17  supra ,  a  sketch  by  Hard- 
castle (Sen.  Ex  Doc.  1 ,  30  Cong.,  1  sess.) ,  and  a  sketch  in  New 
Orleans  Picayune,  Oct.  17,  1847. 

19.  Battle  of  Chapultepec 150 

Based  upon  the  maps  specified  under  No.  17  supra,  a  *sketch 
drawn  by  Tower  from  surveys  of  Beauregard  and  Tower  (War 
Dept.,  Washington)  ,  a  plan  accompanying  Gen.  Quitman  report 
(Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  1 ,  30  Cong.,  1  sess ) ,  ^recollections  of  Seilor 
D.  Ignacio  Molina,  Chief  Cartographer  of  the  Fomento  Dept., 
Mexico. 

20.  Blindage  at  Chapultepec 151 

21.  The  Citadel,  Mexico,  in  1840  (War  Dept.  *plan,  Washington).       159 

22.  Alvarado,  Mexico 198 

A  *plan  by  J.  L.  Mason  (War  Dept.,  Washington). 

23.  A  Part  of  Tabasco  River 205 

Baaed  on  a  map  in  Ho.  Ex.  Doc.  1 ;  30  Cong.,  2 


MAPS  AND  PLANS  IN  VOLUME  TWO  ix 


PAGE 


24.  Guaymas,  Mexico 206 

From  a  plan  in  Ho.  Ex.  Doc.  1 ;  30  Cong.,  2  sess. 

25.  Mazatlan,  Mexico 207 

From  a  *drawing  by  Commander  Wouldridge  of  Brigantine  Spy 
(Admiralty  Papers,  Public  Record  Office,  London). 

26.  The  Tip  of  Lower  California 207 

Based  on  a  map  in  Sen,  Ex.  Doc.  18 ,  31  Cong.,  1  sess. 

27.  Territory  acquired  from  Mexico  241 


CONSPECTUS   OF    EVENTS 

1845 

March.  The  United  States  determines  to  annex  Texas ;  W.  S.  Parrolt 

sent  to  conciliate  Mexico. 

July.  Texas  consents ;  Taylor  proceeds  to  Corpus  Christ! . 

Oct.   17.  Larkin  appointed  a  confidential  agent  in  California. 

Nov.  10.  Slidell  ordered  to  Mexico. 

Dec.  20.  Slidell  rejected  by  Herrera. 

1846 

Jan.    13.  Taylor  ordered  to  the  Rio  Grande. 

Mar.    8.  Taylor  marches  from  Corpus  Christi. 

21.  Slidell  finally  rejected  by  Paredes. 

28.  Taylor  reaches  the  Rio  Grande. 

Apr.  25.  Thornton  attacked. 

May    8.  Battle  of  Palo  Alto. 

9.  Battle  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma. 

13.  The  war  bill  becomes  a  law. 

June    5.  Kearny 's  march  to  Santa  Fe  begins. 

July     7.  Monterey,  California,  occupied. 

14.  Camargo  occupied. 
Aug.    4.  Paredes  overthrown. 

7.  First  attack  on  Alvarado. 

13.  Los  Angeles,  California,  occupied. 

16.  Santa  Anna  lands  at  Vera  Cruz. 

18.  Kearny  takes  Santa  Fe. 

19.  Taylor  advances  from  Camargo. 
Sept.  14.  Santa  Anna  enters  Mexico  City. 

20-24.  Operations  at  Monterey,  Mex. 

22-23.  Insurrection  in  California  precipitated. 

23.  Wool's  advance  from  San  Antonio  begins 

25.  Kearny  leaves  Santa  Fe  for  California. 

Oct.     8.  Santa  Anna  arrives  at  San  Luis  Potosf. 


xii  CONSPECTUS  OF  EVENTS 

Oct.    15.  Second  attack  on  Alvarado. 

24.  S  in  Juan  Bautista  captured  by  Perry. 

28.  Tampico  evacuated  by  Parrodi. 

29.  Wool  occupies  Monclova. 
Nov.  15.  Tampico  captured  by  Conner. 

16.  Saltillo  occupied  by  Taylor. 

18.  Scott  appointed  to  command  the  Vera  Cruz  expedition 
Dec.     5.  Wool  occupies  Parras. 

6.  Kearny's  fight  at  San  Pascual. 

25.  Donlphan's  skirmish  at  El  Brazito. 

27.  Scott  reaches  Brazos  Id. 
29.  Victoria  occupied. 

1847 

Jan.     3.  Scott  orders  troops  from  Taylor. 

8.  Fight  at  the  San  Gabriel,  Calif. 

9.  Fight  near  Los  Angeles,  Calif. 

11.  Mexican  law  regarding  Church  property. 

28.  Santa  Anna's  inarch  against  Taylor  begins. 
Feb.     5.  Taylor  places  himself  at  Agua  Nueva. 

19.  Scott  reaches  Tampico. 
22-23.  Battle  of  Buena  Vista. 

27.  Insurrection  at  Mexico  begins. 

28.  Battle  of  Sacramento. 
Mar.    9.  Scott  lands  near  Vera  Cruz. 

29.  Vera  Cruz  occupied. 

39.  Operations  in  Lower  California  opened. 

Apr.     8.  Scott's  advance  from  Vera  Cruz  begins. 

18.  Battle  of  Cerro  Gordo ;  Tuxpdn  captured  by  Perry 

19.  Jalapa  occupied. 
May  15.  Worth  enters  Puebla. 

June    6.  Trist  opens  negotiations  through  the  British  legation. 

16.  San  Juan  Bautista  again  taken. 

Aug.    7.  The  advance  from  Puebla  begins*. 

20.  Battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco. 
Aug.  24-Sept.  7.    Armistice. 

Sept.    8.  Battle  of  Molino  del  Rey. 

13.  Battle  of  Chapultepec ;  the  "siege"  of  Puebla  begins. 

14.  Mexico  City  occupied. 

22.  Pefta  y  Pena  assumes  the  Presidency. 

Oct.     9.  Fight  at  Huamantla. 

20.  Trist  reopens  negotiations. 

Nov.  11.  Mazatldn  occupied  by  Shubrick. 


CONSPECTUS  OF  EVENTS  xiii 

1848 

Feb.    2.    Treaty  of  peace  signed. 
Mar.  4-5.  Armistice  ratified. 

10.    Treaty  accepted  by  U.  S.  Senate. 
May  19,  24.    Treaty  accepted  by  Mexican  Congress. 

30.    Ratifications  of  the  treaty  exchanged. 
June  12.    Mexico  City  evacuated. 
July     4.    Treaty  proclaimed  by  President  Polk. 


THE   PRONUNCIATION   OF   SPANISH 

The  niceties  of  the  matter  would  be  out  of  place  here,  but  a  few  general 
rules  may  prove  helpful. 

A  as  in  English  "ah";  e,  at  the  end  of  a  syllable,  like  a  in  "fame," 
otherwise  like  e  in  "let" ;  i  like  i  in  "machine" ;  o,  at  the  end  of  a  syllable, 
like  o  in  "go,"  otherwise  somewhat  like  o  in  "lot";  u  like  u  in  "rude" 
(but,  unless  marked  with  two  dots,  silent  between  g  or  q  and  e  or  i) ;  y  like 
ee  in  "feet." 

C  like  k  (but,  before  e  and  t,  like  *  to  in  "thin");  ch  as  in  "child"; 
g  as  in  "go"  (but,  before  e  and  i,  like  a  harsh  h] ;  h  silent ;  j  like  a  harsh  h ; 
U  like  f  Hi  in  "million" ;  n  like  ni  in  "onion" ;  qu  like  k ;  r  is  sounded  with 
a  vibration  (trill)  of  the  tip  of  the  tongue  (rr  a  longer  and  more  for- 
cible sound  of  the  same  kind) ;  s  as  in  "sun";  x  like  x  in  "box"  (but,  in 
"Mexico"  and  a  few  other  names,  like  Spanish  j) ;  z  like  *  to  in  "thin." 

Words  bearing  no  mark  of  accentuation  are  stressed  on  the  last  syllable 
if  they  end  in  any  consonant  except  n  or  s,  but  on  the  syllable  next  to  the 
last  if  they  end  in  n,  s  or  a  vowel. 

*In  Mexico,  however,  usually  like  s  in  "sun  "     fln  Mexico  usually 
like  y. 


XIV 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

XXI 

BEHIND  THE  SCENES  AT  MEXICO 

September,  1846-March,  1847 

THE  revolution  of  August  4,  as  already  has  been  suggested, 
was  a  complex  and  inconsistent  affair,  combining  most  hetero- 
geneous elements :  the  popular  institutions  of  1824  and  the 
autocratic  power  of  the  soldier  upheld  with  bayonets ;  the  army 
and  the  people,  whose  relations  had  always  been,  and  in  Mexico 
always  had  to  be,  those  of  wolf  and  lamb ;  the  regular  troops 
and  the  National  Guards,  who  loved  each  other  as  fire  loves 
water;  General  Salas  reluctantly  taking  orders  from  Citizen 
Farias,  and  both  of  them  doing  obeisance  to  Liberator  Santa 
Anna,  whom  both  distrusted ;  and  all  cooperating  to  revive 
a  federal  constitution,  which  had  been  found  in  practice  un- 
workable, and  needed,  in  the  opinion  of  everybody,  to  be 
redrawn.3 

Such  a  state  of  things  argued  insincerity ;  and  in  fact  many 
had  taken  up  the  cry  of  Federalism  at  this  time  simply  because 
the  failure  of  reactionary  designs  had  made  the  word  a  popular 
appeal,  and  because  —  nearly  all  the  former  leaders  of  that  school 
having  been  crushed  by  the  Centralists  —  there  seemed  to  be 
room  for  new  aspirants;  while  the  state  of  things  indicated 
also  that  more  troubles  were  soon  to  arrive,  since  evidently 
no  final  solution  of  the  political  problem  had  been  achieved, 
and  such  a  welter  of  principles,  traditions  and  methods  was  a 
loud  invitation  to  the  demagogue  and  the  schemer.  Don 
Simplicio  predicted  that  new  stars  were  to  flash  out  soon  in 
the  political  heavens,  and  then  disappear  before  the  astronomers 
would  have  time  to  name  them ;  and  it  added  significantly, 
"The  comets  will  be  found  to  1  e  all  tails." 3 

VOL.    TI  —  B  1 


2  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

In  particular  the  field  was  open  for  radical  democracy.  Calm 
judgment  is  never  listened  to  in  a  period  of  excitement,  and 
the  Mexicans,  like  the  French  of  1792,  instead  of  resorting  to 
the  practical  Anglo-Saxon  rule  of  compromising  differences, 
believed  in  carrying  principles  to  their  logical  end.  Centralism 
and  monarchical  ideas  had  failed  to  render  the  nation  happy ; 
democracy  was  therefore  the  panacea,  and  the  more  of  it  the 
better.  The  demoralized  condition  of  the  people  promoted 
this  dangerous  policy.  Referring  to  all  those  concerned  with 
public  affairs,  a  thoughtful  writer  of  the  day  characterized 
them  as  ignorant,  destitute  of  honor,  patriotism,  morality, 
good  faith  or  principles  of  any  kind,  and  influenced  exclusively 
by  self-interest  and  ambition ;  and  naturally  men  of  the  opposite 
kind  held  aloof  in  disgust  and  despair.  For  these  reasons  the 
conservative  wing  of  the  Federalists,  led  by  Pedraza  and  known 
as  the  Moderados  (Moderates),  found  itself  distanced  in  the 
race  for  support ;  and  the  Puros  —  that  is  to  say,  pure  Federal- 
ists and  democrats  —  gained  the  ascendency  at  once.3 

Their  acknowledged  leader,  as  we  have  seen,  was  the  patriotic 
though  indiscreet  Farias,  but  he  was  more  honest  than  brilliant, 
and  a  man  stepped  forward  now  who  reversed  that  description. 
This  man  was  Rejon.  A  keen,  subtle  mind,  a  bold,  unfaltering 
will,  a  ready,  plausible  tongue  and  a  tireless  ambition  quite 
indifferent  about  means,  characterized  him  chiefly,  and  for  the 
present  crisis  these  were  redoubtable  qualifications.  The 
Spanish  minister  once  remarked,  after  conversing  with  him, 
that  it  was  impossible  to  trust  a  person  who  possessed  no 
principles  except  the  transient  interests  of  his  ambition.  And 
Rejon  had  another  qualification  that  was  no  less  important. 
Though  unworthy  of  confidence  and  everywhere  distrusted, 
Santa  Anna  counted  as  an  essential  factor  in  all  plans,  a  power 
that  each  party  felt  it  must  have ;  and  Rejon  was  believed  at 
this  time  to  represent  Santa  Anna.3 

The  aims  and  to  some  extent  the  methods  of  the  radical 
faction  were  borrowed  from  the  United  States,  but  without 
regard  to  differences  of  race,  experience  and  present  circum- 
stances. Government,  they  maintained,  should  be  completely; 
democratic  and  completely  secular ;  and  they  dreamed  of  this 
consummation  almost  voluptuously,  as  a  Mussulman  drerams 
of  paradise.  They  held  public  meetings,  where  everybody 


POLITICS  AT  MEXICO  3 

was  free  to  speak ;  and  in  these  disorderly  gatherings  they  dis- 
cussed religious  freedom,  the  seizure  of  Church  property,  the 
reformation  of  the  clergy,  the  secularization  of  marriage  and 
education,  the  necessity  of  destroying  military  domination  in 
politics,  and  the  capital  punishment  of  all  suspected  monar- 
chists. In  short,  from  the  conservative  point  of  view,  they 
passed  sentence  of  death  on  society.  Santa  Anna  did  not 
sympathize  with  their  programme.  He  wished  society  to  live 
—  for  him,  and  he  was  conducting  now  an  equivocal  corre- 
spondence with  men  hostile  to  the  Puros.  But  it  probably 
suited  his  purpose  to  have  them  succeed  for  a  time,  and  to 
have  the  substantial  citizens  add  to  their  litany,  "From  Rejon 
deliver  us,  good  Lord!"  He  himself  had  played  the  part  of 
the  Lord  before  now,  and  was  willing  to  do  so  again,  though  he 
preferred  the  more  terrestrial  name  of  dictator.3 

Of  course  property  felt  the  menace,  and  it  had  reason  to  do 
so.  During  the  latter  part  of  September,  1846,  an  editorial 
in  the  official  journal,  commonly  attributed  to  Rejon,  intimated 
that  if  the  rich  did  not  contribute  for  the  war,  the  people  would 
know  where  to  find  their  wealth;  and  even  foreign  houses 
were  threatened.  The  British  minister  forced  a  prompt  re- 
traction of  this  language  so  far,  at  least,  as  his  fellow-country- 
men were  concerned ;  but  within  two  weeks  a  number  of 
capitalists  were  invited  to  loan  $200,000  with  an  intimation 
that,  unless  they  did  so,  the  money  would  be  taken.  Every 
one  understood  that  the  leopard,  though  now  comparatively' 
silent,  had  not  changed  his  spots  and  would  not,  and  hence 
four  elite  militia  corps,  familiarly  known  as  the  Polkos,  were 
formed  at  Mexico  to  protect  life  and  property.  One  of  these, 
called  the  Victoria  battalion,  was  composed  of  merchants,' 
professional  men  and  scions  from  wealthy  families.  Another,' 
which  bore  the  name  of  Hidalgo,  consisted  of  clerks ;  and  the 
Bravos  and  Independftncia  battalions,  made  up  largely  of 
artisans,  represented  the  industrial  interests  of  the  city.  The 
ministry,  who  desired  to  exclude  such  persons  from  the  National 
Guard,  opposed  the  recognition  of  these  corps;  but,  supported 
by  Salas,  the  substantial  citizens  carried  the  day.3 

An  equally  natural  reaction  caused  by  radical  violence  was 
political.  In  the  hope  of  welding  the  Federalists  into  a  harmo- 
nious party,  the  council  of  government  had  been  revived,  and 


4  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

members  of  both  wings  had  been  appointed  to  it.  Santa 
Ann$,  in  order  to  establish  his  particular  friend  Haro  at  the 
head  of  the  treasury,  next  proposed  to  transfer  Farias  from 
that  office  to  the  presidency  of  the  council.  This  was  under- 
stood —  correctly,  no  doubt  —  as  a  move  to  eliminate  him 
virtually  from  the  government,  and  was  fiercely  denounced; 
but  Santa  Anna  then  remarked  that  should  Salas  for  any  reason 
drop  out,  the  president  of  the  council  would  take  his  place 
at  the  head  of  the  government,  and  Pedraza  could  have  the 
post  in  case  Farias  preferred  to  remain  as  he  was.1  This  put 
a  new  look  on  the  matter,  and  the  programme,  was  carried  out ; 
but  the  Puro  attacks  upon  their  rivals  continued  to  excite 
bitter  resentment.  When  it  was  arranged  that  Farias  and 
Pedraza  should  publicly  shake  hands,  and  crowds  gathered 
to  witness  the  amazing  ceremony,  it  failed  to  occur.  The 
Moderados  belonging  to  the  council  resigned  ;  the  body  ceased 
to  enjoy  prestige  and  influence;  and  Farias  lost  all  official 
power.  Naturally  some  of  the  blame  for  this  result  was  laid 
to  the  charge  of  the  Pedrazists.  Partisan  rancor  grew  still 
more  savage.  The  fury  of  the  French  revolution  was  rivalled. 
"We  must  finish  with  our  enemies  or  die  ourselves/'  cried  one 
factional  organ ;  "  the  scaffold  must  be  raised ;  we  must  drink 
their  hearts'  blood/'  Bankhead  described  the  situation  as  one 
of  "universal  terror  and  distrust/' 3 

About  the  middle  of  October  there  came  an  explosion.  Ap- 
parently Rejon  demanded  that  Salas  initiate  the  Puro  reforms, 
and  the  acting  Executive,  who  was  not  only  weak  and  incom- 
petent but  obstinate,  resented  the  pressure,  and  turned  his 
face  toward  the  Moderados.  To  the  Puros  this  looked  reac- 
tionary, and  he  was  cha'rged  with  a  design  to  prevent  Congress 
from  assembling.  Next  it  was  required  of  Salas  that  he  should 
give  way  to  Farias  as  the  representative  of  the  new  regime, 
and  probably  there  were  threats  at  least«of  bringing  this  change 
about,  if  necessary,  through  an  insurrection  of  the  populace.2 
Then  Salas,  with  the  Hidalgo  battalion  of  which  he  was  the 
commander,  took  possession  of  the  citadel.  The  people,  alarmed 
by  rumors  that  a  sack  was  contemplated,  flew  to  arms;  and 
Rejon  found  it  necessary  to  moderate  his  tone.3 

When  the  Executive,  as  was  inevitable,  dismissed  him  from 
office,  he  submitted;  and  Santa  Anna  himself,  though  his 


AN  EXPLOSION  5 

orders  to  Rejon  had  been  to  hold  the  post  whatever  Salas  might 
do,  found  public  sentiment  at  the  capital  too  strong  for  him, 
and  concluded  to  accept  the  change.  Rejon's  conduct  had 
excited  so  much  dissension  and  alarm,  that  his  removal  grati- 
fied all  sensible  persons  at  Mexico.  The  rumors  and  the 
disturbance  were  now  attributed  officially  to  agents  of  the 
United  States,  and  comparative  quiet  returned.3 

The  aims  of  Santa  Anna  and  those  of  the  Puros  may  have 
been  exactly  contrary  in  these  events ;  but  both  overshot  the 
mark,  and  they  suffered  a  common  loss  of  prestige.  As  one 
method  of  restoring  it,  they  induced  the  governors  of  San  Luis 
Potosi  and  Queretaro  to  declare  that  within  their  jurisdictions 
the  Liberator  would  be  recognized  as  head  of  the  nation  until 
the  assembling  of  Congress;  but  their  principal  scheme  was 
to  carry  the  Presidential  election.  Congress,  chosen  on  the 
first  day  of  November,  was  to  elect,  and  it  consisted  chiefly 
of  men  termed  by  well-to-do  citizens  "the  dregs  of  society" 
—  that  is  to  say,  poorly  educated  radicals  taken  from  the 
masses.3 

This  appeared  to  ensure  a  Puro  triumph,  yet  there  were 
serious  difficulties.  Rejon  had  been  discredited,  and  the 
former  administration  of  Farias  had  left  painful  memories. 
Besides,  it  was  feared  that  his  election  would  offend  Santa 
Anna,  who  of  course  was  not  on  very  cordial  terms  now  with 
the  tribune  of  the  people,  and  preferred  to  have  a  weak  man 
like  Salas,  with  whom  satisfactory  relations  had  grown  out  of 
the  Rejon  episode,  continue  in  power.  At  one  time  Almonte 
seemed  to  be  the  Puro  favorite ;  but  finally  it  was  decided  to 
cast  the  Presidential  vote  for  Santa  Anna,  who  could  not 
legally  hold  the  chief  political  and  the  chief  military  offices  at 
the  same  time  and  would  no  doubt  remain  with  the  army, 
and  to  elect  Farias  to  the  Vice  Presidency  as  the  actual  execu- 
tive.3 

Even  this  combination,  however,  met  with  strong  and  un- 
expected opposition.  The  conservatives  and  moderates  were 
naturally  against  it ;  certain  states  —  for  the  voting  was  done 
by  these  quasi  sovereignties  as  units  —  could  not  forgive 
Santa  Anna  for  past  misdeeds,  and  the  powerful  Church  party 
looked  upon  Farias  as  Antichrist.  Finally  Escudero  of  Chi- 
huahua, whose  delegation  held  the  balance  of  power,  opened 


6  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

negotiations  with  Farias,  and  that  gentleman  declared  in  writ- 
ing his  willingness  to  "join  loyally"  with  any  one  who  desired 
"in  good  faith  the  welfare  of  the  country/'  Holding  this 
instrument  —  a  weapon,  should  there  be  need  of  it  —  in  their 
hands,  a  number  of  the  Moderados,  who  realized  his  honesty, 
vigor  and  good  intentions,  and  believed  now  that  he  would 
give  them  a  share  in  the  administration,  accepted  the  Puro 
candidates,  and  on  December  22  by  a  narrow  majority  these 
were  elected.  The  news  produced  a  commotion ;  but  without 
encountering  serious  opposition  Farias  took  up  the  reins  of 
government  at  once.3 

His  primary  aim  was  to  support  the  war.  This  he  intended 
to  do  because  he  felt  an  ardent  patriotism,  but  other  reasons 
also  lay  in  his  mind.  Abominating  the  military  class,  he 
desired  to  have  as  many  as  possible  of  the  corrupt  officers  left 
on  the  field,  and  he  designed  to  keep  the  army  so  busy,  that  it 
would  not  be  able  to  prevent  the  states,  which  were  generally 
Federalist  and  democratic  in  sentiment,  from  organizing  their 
strength,  and  making  sure  that  no  tyrannical  central  power 
would  ever  raise  its  front  again.  But  the  first  requirement 
for  military  operations  was  money.  Farias  had,  therefore, 
to  take  up  immediately  the  financial  problem,  and  he  found 
it  most  difficult.3 

Of  all  the  fields  of  Mexican  misgovernment  the  worst  had 
been  the  treasury,  for  it  not  only  required  a  care  and  a  good 
judgment  that  were  peculiarly  foreign  to  the  national  tempera- 
ment, but  provided  opportunities  for  illegitimate  gains  that 
were  most  congenial.  During  Spanish  rule  the  needs  of  the 
country  had  been  fully  met,  and  about  nine  millions  a  year, 
almost  half  of  the  revenues,  left  as  a  surplus.  Under  Iturbide 
a  financial  system  which  three  centuries  of  able  administration 
had  built  up  was  despised,  and  with  mines  abandoned,  agri- 
culture discouraged,  commerce  paralyzed,  honesty  relaxed, 
taxes  diminished  for  the  sake  of  popularity,  and  expenses  in- 
creased for  the  sake  of  glory,  the  foundations  of  ruin  were 
promptly  laid.  The  logical  superstructure  soon  mounted 
high  in  the  shape  of  two  British  loans,  which  bound  Mexico 
to  pay  about  twenty-six  million  dollars  in  return  for  about 
fifteen,  a  large  part  of  which  was  practically  thrown  away 
by  her  agents.5 


FINANCIAL  DIFFICULTIES  7 

The  expulsion  of  the  rich  and  thrifty  Spaniards,  the  costs 
of  civil  wars,  in  which  the  nation  paid  for  both  sides,  unwise 
and  unstable  fiscal  systems,  borrowing  at  such  rates  as  four 
per  cent  a  month,  incredibly  bad  management,4  and  methods 
of  accounting  that  made  it  impossible  for  the  minister  of  the 
treasury  to  know  the  actual  state  of  things,  were  enough  to 
complete  the  edifice ;  but  they  were  supplemented  with  pecula- 
tion, embezzlement,  multiplication  of  offices,  collusion  be- 
tween importers  and  customhouses,  and  systematic  smuggling 
winked  at  by  half-starved  officials.  Revenue  after  revenue 
was  mortgaged,  and  by  1845  the  government  found  itself 
entitled  to  only  about  thirteen  per  cent  of  what  entered  the 
treasury.5 

Since  the  beginning  of  hostilities  our  blockade,  assisted  by 
new  methods  of  wholesale  smuggling,  had  greatly  reduced 
the  income  from  duties,  which  had  always  been  the  principal 
reliance;  the  adoption  of  the  federal  system  had  given  the 
best  part  of  the  internal  revenue  to  the  states ;  and  the  residue 
was  almost  wholly  eaten  up  by  the  officials.  The  foreign 
debt  amounted  now  to  more  than  fifty  millions  and  the  domestic 
debt  was  nearly  twice  as  great.  Every  known  source  of  income 
had  been  anticipated.  Freewill  offerings  had  proved  illusory. 
By  ceasing  to  make  payments  on  account  of  the  debt  in  May, 
1846,  the  government  had  largely  increased  its  income,  of 
course,  but  it  had  forfeited  all  title  to  financial  sympathy; 
and  the  high  officials,  who  robbed  the  treasury  still  in  this  time 
of  supreme  distress,  had  stripped  it  of  all  title  to  respect.5 

The  government,  therefore,  had  no  real  credit.  Men  who 
made  this  kind  of  gambling  their  business  would  now  and  then 
furnish  a  little  money  for  a  brief  term  at  an  exorbitant  rate. 
In  February,  1846,  for  example,  a  loan  was  placed  at  a  total 
sacrifice  of  about  thirty-seven  per  cent.  But  when  the  treas- 
ury was  authorized  to  borrow  fifteen  millions  in  a  regular 
way,  nobody  cared  to  furnish  any  part  of  the  sum.  New  taxes 
were  equally  vain.  In  October,  1846,  the  government  imposed 
a  special  war  "contribution"  in  order  to  save  the  Mexicans, 
it  explained,  from  becoming  foreigners  in  their  own  country, 
like  the  Spaniards  of  Florida;  and  the  chief  result  was  to 
enrage  a  handful  of  persons,  who  found  they  had  been  silly 
enough  to  pay  while  almost  everybody  else  had  laughed.  In 


8  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

November  a  forced  loan  was  demanded  of  the  clergy,  but  the 
project  aroused  such  opposition  that  substantially  it  had  to 
be  given  up.  The  whole  gamut  of  methods,  even  violence, 
has  been  tried  in  vain,  said  the  ministry  in  December.  Business 
was  dead,  confidence  gone,  capital  in  hiding  or  sojourning 
abroad ;  and  if  by  good  luck  a  bag  of  silver  dropped  into  the 
treasury,  it  seemed  to  evaporate  instantly.  Financially, 
reported  the  Spanish  minister,  the  situation  of  the  country  was 
"truly  frightful/'5 

To  make  it  more,  not  less,  frightful,  there  did  exist  one  vast 
accumulation  of  riches.  This  was  the  property  belonging  to 
the  Church.  No  one  could  seriously  deny  that  the  nation  had 
authority  to  use,  in  a  time  of  dire  need,  funds  that  had  been 
given  to  the  organization  in  days  of  plenty,  for  this  was  a 
principle  of  Spanish  law,  and  the  Crown  had  exercised  the  right 
without  so  good  an  excuse.  There  was  also  a  particular  reason 
in  the  present  instance,  for  the  wealth  of  the  Church,  aside  from 
articles  used  in  worship,  consisted  mainly  of  land,  and,  as 
virtually  no  land  tax  existed  in  Mexico,  it  was  escaping  the 
common  burden  —  a  burden,  too,  that  was  peculiarly  for  its 
advantage,  since  in  the  case  of  American  conquest  it  was  bound 
to  lose  its  exclusive  privileges.  Besides,  there  was  the  saying 
of  its  Founder,  "Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give." 5 

Very  naturally,  then,  people  had  been  casting  their  eyes  for 
some  time  at  the  riches  of  the  Church.  In  June,  1844,  El 
Siglo  XIX,  the  most  thoughtful  newspaper  of  Mexico,  had 
suggested  raising  funds  for  the  Texas  war  by  mortgaging  some 
of  its  property ;  and  a  few  months  later  Duff  Green,  then  on 
the  ground,  had  expressed  the  opinion  that  Mexico  would  have 
to  choose  between  that  resource  and  forced  loans.  In  July, 
1845,  the  correspondent  of  the  London  Times  dropped  a  similar 
hint  in  that  journal,  and  in  the  course  of  the  year  it  became 
a  popular  idea,  that  the  Church  could  perform  a  great  public 
service,  and  at  the  same  time  vastly  strengthen  its  own  position, 
by  providing  means  for  the  anticipated  war  against  the  United 
States.  In  October,  1846,  the  Monitor  Republicano  suggested 
once  more  a  mortgage  of  ecclesiastical  property;  and  at  one 
time  the  government  actually  decided  upon  the  measure. 
Batikhead  admitted  that  he  could  see  no  other  resource.  These 
hints  were  not,  however,  acted  upon  by  the  clergy;  and  after 


THE  POLICY  OF  FARIAS  9 

many  long  discussions  they  would  only  agree  to  advance  $10,000 
or  $20,000  a  month  for  a  limited  period.  This  was  to  insult  the 
nation,  exclaimed  the  Monitor  Republican*)? 

Charged  now  with  full  responsibility,  Farias  met  the  issue 
squarely.  Not  only  was  he  determined  to  carry  on  the  war, 
but  the  letters  of  Santa  Anna  had  been,  and  were,  most  urgent. 
November  7  the  General  demanded  that  "no  step"  should  be 
neglected,  if  it  could  "help  to  prevent  the  name  of  Mexican 
from  soon  becoming  the  object  of  ridicule  and  contempt  for 
the  whole  world."  "Do  not  reply  that  the  government  cannot 
obtain  funds,"  he  wrote  later;  "This  would  be  saying  that 
the  nation  has  ceased  to  exist  ...  so  rich  a  nation  cannot  lack 
money  enough  to  support  its  independence,  nor  can  the  govern- 
ment say  that  it  has  no  authority  to  look  for  the  money." 
These  letters  evidently  referred  to  ecclesiastical  property,  and 
they  were  followed  up  at  New  Year's  with  almost  daily  com- 
munications of  the  same  tenor.  Such  fearful  urgency  had  a  good 
excuse,  for  the  government  was  now  sending  him  no  funds.6 

It  had  none.  Although  Farias  kept  faith  with  Escudero, 
the  Moderados  as  a  party  showed  the  radical  chief  no  mercy; 
the  Centralists  loathed  the  apostle  of  federalism;  all  con- 
servatives detested  the  typical  democrat,  and  the  clericals 
abominated  the  extinguisher  of  titles.  All  the  old  ladies 
thought  him  worse  than  Luther,  and  many  of  every  kind  and 
condition  rebelled  at  his  brusque  and  tactless  ways.  No  person 
of  substance  would  lift  a  finger  to  support  his  measures.  A 
cloud  of  distrust,  passion,  hostility  and  mortal  hatred  —  mostly 
an  emanation  from  the  whole  wretched  past  of  the  country — 
grew  thicker  about  him  each  day.  Raise  money  he  could  not. 
Moreover  he  probably  felt  little  desire  to  do  so  by  any  of  the 
ordinary  methods.  One  of  his  cardinal  principles  was  the 
necessity  of  destroying  the  fuero,  the  political  strength  and  the 
intellectual  domination  of  the  Church  by  reducing  its  wealth ; 
and  now  the  demand  of  Santa  Anna,  the  army  and  the  nation 
that  funds  be  provided  for  the  war,  appeared  to  make  this  policy 
opportune  and  even  irresistible.6 

A  committee  of  Congress  reported  against  the  plan  of  borrow- 
ing on  the  security  of  Church  property ;  but  that  signified  little, 
for  no  practical  substitute  was  offered.  There  were  fears  that 
the  army  would  break  up.  There  were  fears  that  for  self- 


10  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

protection  it  would  proclaim  a  dictatorship  or  march  upon  the 
capital.  Santa  Anna's  warning  and  threatening  communica- 
tions were  shown  to  Congress.  The  legislators  tried  to  evade 
the  issue,  but  they  were  told  that  all  the  responsibility  rested 
upon  their  shoulders ;  that  it  was  for  them  to  choose  between 
the  salvation  and  the  ruin  of  the  fatherland ;  and  on  January  7 
they  grappled  with  the  problem.  Behind  them  —  tireless, 
uncompromising,  inexorable  —  the  Executive  insisted  upon 
action;  and  behind  him  stood  Santa  Anna,  demanding  the 
same  thing  and  promising  to  support  it.9 

The  session  lasted  virtually  until  January  11.  The  debates 
were  hot,  and  they  were  bitter.  To  make  use  of  the  Church 
lands,  it  was  argued,  would  invade  the  rights  of  property,  lay 
upon  one  class  of  society  the  general  burden,  and,  should  the 
lands  be  sold,  involve  a  tremendous  loss  of  values,  since  there 
was  little  ready  money  in  the  country,  and  few  would  have 
the  means  and  inclination  to  purchase.  The  country  must  be 
saved,  answered  Rejon,  Juarez  and  their  allies;  is  there  any 
other  resource?  —  point  it  out.  "If  the  Yankee  triumphs," 
cried  one  speaker,  "what  ecclesiastical  property  or  what 
religion  will  be  left  us?"  And  upon  these  principal  themes 
were  played  an  infinite  number  of  variations  in  all  the  possible 
tones  of  Mexican  eloquence  and  fury.9 

Just  before  midnight  on  the  ninth,  however,  the  turmoil 
ceased ;  the  handsome  chamber  of  the  Deputies  became  still. 
High  above  the  throne  in  front  glimmered  pallidly  the  sword 
of  Iturbide;  in  letters  of  gold,  on  the  semi-circular  wall  at 
the  rear,  all  the  names  of  the  Benemeritos  of  Mexico  reflected 
the  subdued  light;  shadows  filled  the  galleries;  exhausted 
members  half-slumbered  in  their  chairs,  and  others  talked 
wearily  here  and  there  in  groups ;  but  the  stillness  was  momen- 
tous, for  the  first  article  of  a  new  law  had  been  passed,  author- 
izing the  Executive  to  raise  fifteen  millions,  for  the  purposes 
of  the  war,  by  pledging  —  if  necessary,  even  selling  —  property 
vested  in  the  Church.7  Minor  discussions  followed.  The 
religious,  charitable  and  educational  work  of  the  clergy  was 
guarded  completely;  many  provisions  designed •> to  hamper 
the  realization  of  the  main  purpose  were  accepted  in  order  to 
conciliate  opposition;  and  at  length,  on  January  11,  the  plan 
became  law.9 


A  CRISIS  AT  MEXICO  11 

"The  crisis  is  terrible,"  wrote  the  minister  of  relations  two 
days  later,  and  well  he  might.  All  the  fierceness  and  intrigues 
of  partisan  politics,  >all  the  cunning  of  high  and  low  finance, 
all  the  subtleties  of  priestcraft  and  all  the  terrors  of  a  haughty 
Church  came  into  play.8  Freely  we  have  received,  but  we  will 
not  give,  and  anathema  to  him  who  takes,  was  in  effect  the 
dictum  of  the  prelates.  For  a  time  it  looked  as  if  no  official 
would  venture,  at  the  peril  of  excommunication,  to  promulgate 
the  law ;  but  Farias  and  Juarez  found  a  man,  and  he  was  ap- 
pointed governor  of  the  Federal  District,  in  which  lay  the 
capital,  for  that  purpose.  Then  came  protests  from  the 
"venerable"  clergy,  complaints  from  state  governments, 
mutinies  of  troops,  and  civilian  insurrections  organized  by 
priests.  Cries  of  "Viva  la  religidn!  Death  to  the  govern- 
ment!" resounded  in  the  streets  of  the  capital.  Ministers 
of  state  were  hard  to  find,  and  they  soon  went  out  of  office. 
Minor  officials  resigned  so  rapidly  they  could  hardly  be  counted. 
Santa  Anna,  after  hailing  the  law  as  the  salvation  of  the  country, 
turned  against  it.  Moderados  in  Congress,  encouraged  by  the 
outcry,  hurled  epithets  harder  than  stones  at  the  Puros.9 

On  the  other  hand  some  of  the  Deputies,  the  regular  troops 
at  the  capital,  who  expected  to  profit  by  the  law,  the  comandante 
general  of  Mexico,  the  National  Guards  and  the  democratic 
masses  rallied  to  the  support  of  the  government ;  and  Farias, 
his  long  head  erect,  and  his  face,  always  thoughtful  and  sad, 
now  anxious  but  set,  appealed  to  the  patriotism  of  the  nation, 
made  the  most  of  his  authority  as  chief  of  the  state,  and  held 
to  his  course  with  inflexible  energy  and  courage.  Not  only 
was  he  determined  to  have  the  law  respected,  but  he  demanded 
that  it  should  be  made  effective.  Chaos  was  the  result. 
"When  we  look  for  a  ray  of  hope/'  said  El  Republicans,  "we 
discover  nothing  but  alarms,  anxieties  and  every  probability 
of  social  dissolution."  "Furious  anarchy,"  was  Haro's  de- 
scription of  the  scene.  There  must  soon  be  a  crash,  he  added ; 
"the  Devil  is  running  away  with  us."  9 

Peaceful  interests  were  not,  however,  entirely  forgotten 
amid  this  turbulence.  During  the  second  week  of  January 
Moses  Y.  Beach,  proprietor  and  editor  of  the  New  York  Sun, 
arrived  at  Vera  Cruz  from  Havana.  He  carried  a  British 
passport.  Besides  his  wife  Mrs.  Storms,  a  remarkably  clever 


12  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

newspaper  woman,  accompanied  him.  Presumably  she  was 
to  play  the  part  of  secretary,  for  Beach  had  large  financial 
enterprises  in  mind,  and  confidential  clerical  assistance  would 
certainly  be  necessary.  For  some  reason  letters  were  written 
from  Cuba  to  Santa  Anna  and  the  authorities  at  Vera  Cruz 
denouncing  him  as  an  American  agent;  and  the  party  had  to 
go  through  with  a  tedious  examination  of  three  days,  for  the 
comandante  general  had  been  expressly  ordered  to  watch  all 
suspicious  foreigners  hailing  from  the  United  States.  But  the 
ordeal  was  passed  satisfactorily,  and  on  the  twenty-third  or 
twenty-fourth  of  January  Beach  arrived  at  the  capital.  Letters 
from  Roman  Catholic  prelates  of  the  United  States  and  Cuba 
gave  him  a  confidential  standing  at  once  in  the  highest  Church 
circles ;  his  project  of  a  canal  across  the  Isthmus  of  Tehuantepec 
excited  the  lively  interest  of  Santa  Anna's  particular  friends; 
and  his  plan  for  a  national  bank  brought  him  into  friendly 
relations  with  Farias  and  the  other  Puro  leaders.10 

Still,  the  presence  of  this  agent  of  civilization  did  not  restore 
tranquillity.  On  February  4  the  government  contrived  by 
shrewd  management  to  put  a  law  through  Congress,  which  in 
effect  gave  it  autocratic  power  to  raise  five  millions,  and  thus 
cut  through  the  complications  and  restrictions  that  had  rendered 
the  action  of  January  11  substantially  inoperative.  The  wrath 
of  the  Church  blazed  afresh.  At  all  hazards  Antichrist  must 
be  put  down.  Already  they  had  concluded  to  supply  Santa 
Anna  with  money,  in  return  of  course  for  his  aid  against  Farias, 
and  now  they  opened  negotiations  with  the  Moderados.  This 
party,  however,  thought  it  would  be  good  tactics  to  divide  the 
Puros  by  supporting  Farias,  provided  he  would  let  them  control 
his  policy,  and  they  so  proposed ;  but  the  impracticable  fellow, 
who  was  battling  for  principles  and  not  place,  declined  the 
offer.  Finally  the  Puros  themselves,  realizing  that  all  the 
other  factions  were  against  their  chief,  decided  that  under  his 
leadership  they  could  not  succeed,  and  resolved  to  throw  him 
overboard.11 

While  they  were  casting  about  for  a  method,  a  certain  Person 
advised  the  clericals  to  offer  an  organized  resistance  against 
the  laws  of  January  11  and  February  4,  and  circumstances 
made  that  course  easy.  General  Pena  y  Barragan,  suspected 
of  conspiring  against  the  government,  was  placed  under  tern- 


INSURRECTION  AT  MEXICO  13 

porary  arrest,  and  this  made  him  eager  to  head  a  revolution. 
Farias,  understanding  that  the  Independencia  battalion  could 
not  be  trusted,  ordered  it  to  Vera  Cruz,  imagining  that  it  would 
not  refuse  to  march  against  the  enemy.  But  on  various  more 
or  less  valid  pretexts  it  did  so ;  the  other  three  elite  battalions 
joined  with  it ;  and  on  February  27  they  declared  that  Farias 
and  Congress,  having  lost  the  confidence  of  the  nation,  had 
forfeited  their  authority,  demanding  at  the  same  time  the 
annulment  of  the  "  anti-religious "  laws.12  Amidst  the  ringing 
of  bells  and  burning  of  gunpowder,  the  city  echoed  with  the 
cries,  " Death  to  Gomez  Farias!  Death  to  the  Puros!" 
Cannon  were  soon  at  the  street  corners,  and  the  usual  scenes 
of  a  Mexican  insurrection,  fatal  chiefly  to  peaceful  residents, 
were  presently  on  exhibition.  The  clergy,  there  is  ample  reason 
to  believe,  paid  the  costs,  and  priests  left  the  confessionals  to 
herald  this  new  crusade  in  the  streets.13 

After  about  nine  days  of  indecisive  skirmishing,  however, 
the  clericals  felt  discouraged.  The  nation  had  not  rallied  to 
their  cause  as  they  had  expected.  The  sum  of  $40,000  was 
required  for  the  next  week  of  fighting,  and  they  hesitated. 
But  again  a  certain  Person  urged  them  on.  Th§  awkwardly 
drawn  Plan  was  reduced  to  one  article  —  Farias  *  must  be 
deposed.  On  that  almost  all  could  agree.  Monarchists, 
Centralists,  Santannistas,  Clericals,  Moclerados,  Puros  were 
for  once  in  happy  unison.  Salas  reappeared  with  some  troops 
to  take  revenge  on  his  old  enemy.  And  yet  with  epic  heroism 
Farias,  never  faltering  and  never  compromising  either  his  official 
dignity  or  his  personal  character,  held  firmly  on  with  his  few 
soldiers  and  such  bf  the  populace  as  he  could  arm.  Again  the 
battle  raged,  and  again  the  innocent  fell.  But  who  was  it  that 
directed  this  tempest?  Who  was  the  mysterious  Person, 
overwhelming  the  government  of  Mexico  with  darkness  and 
confusion  at  this  critical  hour?  He  was  Moses  Y.  Beach,  agent 
of  the  American  state  department  and  adviser  to  the  Mexican 
hierarchy.  Permission  had  been  given  him  to  bring  about 
peace,  if  he  could  ;  and,  unable  to  do  this,  he  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity to  help  Scott.13 

The  time  had  now  arrived  for  the  Saviour  of  Society  to 
appear,  since  all  rational  persons  were  desperately  tired  of  the 
vain  struggle;  and  Pefia  y  Barragan  wrote  to  Santa  Anna, 


14  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

begging  him  to  take  possession  of  the  Presidential  chair.  Con- 
gress did  nothing,  for  many  Deputies  —  fearing  that  it  might 
act  in  a  manner  contrary  to  their  sentiments  —  remained  away 
from  the  chamber,  and  a  quorum  could  not  be  assembled; 
but  when  Pedraza  was  arrested  by  the  government,  a  large 
group  of  Moderado  members,  feeling  that  Santa  Anna's  "vic- 
tory" at  Buena  Vista  had  confirmed  his  power,  addressed  him 
to  the  same  effect  as  Peiia ;  and  the  Liberator,  giving  his  best 
corps  barely  four  days  of  repose,  and  explaining  his  departure 
from  the  north  as  one  more  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  his  country, 
set  out  with  a  substantial  body  of  troops  for  Mexico.14  Along 
his  route  women  made  wreaths  and  threw  them  before  his 
feet.  Men  of  every  faction  acclaimed  him ;  and  from  Quer6taro 
to  the  capital  the  road  was  filled  with  carriages,  in  which  all 
sorts  of  persons  desiring  to  reach  his  ear  strove  to  outdo  one 
another  in  despatch.20 

On  the  first  news  of  the  insurrection  Santa  Anna's  impression 
had  been  that  its  ulterior  aim  was  hostile  to  him,15  for  his 
partisans  at  the  capital  supported  the  government;  and,  as 
a  Puro  envoy  confirmed  this  impression,  he  promised  Farias 
military  aid ;  but  then  appeared  Moderado  agents  with  strong 
assurances  and  probably  with  stronger  financial  arguments, 
and  he  went  over,  though  not  openly,  to  their  side  of  the  contro- 
versy. Both  parties  were  ordered  by  him  to  discontinue 
hostilities,  and  both  did  so  at  once ;  for,  as  the  clergy  had  now 
shut  their  strong  boxes,  the  insurgent  officers  were  anxious  to 
reestablish  a  connection  with  the  national  treasury,  while 
the  regulars  of  Farias  would  not  disobey  Santa  Anna.  After 
the  President's  arrival  at  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  a  Te  Deum  was 
celebrated  there  in  honor  of  his  triumph  over  the  Americans ; 
and  the  next  day,  March  23,  amidst  real  demonstrations  of  joy, 
he  formally  superseded  Farias,  while  a  certain  Person 16  —  dili- 
gently but  vainly  sought  after  by  the  police  —  was  hastily 
making  his  way  through  the  mountains  in  the  direction  of 
Tampico.20 

Apparently  Santa  Anna  had  experienced  the  luckiest  of 
turns.  Precisely  when  the  Americans  had  shattered  his  plans, 
and  he  found  himself  buried  in  the  northern  deserts  with  a 
broken,  starving  army,17  this  insurrection  gave  him  a  splendid 
occasion  for  making  a  triumphal  march  to  the  capital  amid 


SANTA  ANNA  TRIUMPHANT  15 

plaudits  of  gratitude  and  admiration,  and  he  now  found  himself 
at  the  summit  of  prestige  and  power.18  In  reality,  however, 
his  situation  was  by  no  means  entirely  satisfactory.  Under- 
standing that  the  Puros  —  who  in  reality  had  served  him  with 
substantial  good  faith  and  therefore  stood  highest  in  his  present 
sympathy  —  had  lost  their  dominant  position,  he  allied  himself 
with  their  opponents;  but  the  Moderados  disliked  and  dis- 
trusted him  still,  and  he  received  at  least  one  distinct  notice 
that  by  taking  their  side  he  was  placing  himself  gratuitously 
in  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  The  Puros  did  not  feel  extremely 
grateful  to  him  for  merely  avoiding  an  open  break  with  them ; 
and,  although  it  seemed  wise  to  join  in  the  acclamations  lest 
some  worse  thing  befall  them,  they  were  already  sharpening 
their  arrows  against  him.  Indeed,  they  were  believed  to  be 
sharpening  their  daggers,  and  he  took  full  precautions.  The 
clergy  had  trembled  and  recoiled  on  hearing  that  his  arms 
had  triumphed  against  the  Americans,  and  the  Saviour  of 
Society  now  appeared  to  lean  toward  them  —  or  toward  their 
strong  boxes;  but  they  knew  him  well  enough  to  foresee,  as 
they  soon  realized,  that  he  intended  to  extort  ample  compen- 
sation for  all  the  favor  shown  them.20 

Such  was  the  inner  state  of  things,  and  the  external  course  of 
events  proved  not  less  interesting.  The  effect  of  the  insur- 
rection upon  the  progress  of  the  War,  as  we  shall  presently  see, 
was  notable,  and  in  substance  it  produced  a  counter-revolution 
in  domestic  politics.  As  Farias  was  no  more  willing  to  resign 
than  to  compromise,  some  disposition  of  him  seemed  necessary, 
for  Santa  Anna  would  evidently  have  to  take  the  field  again 
shortly,  and  it  would  not  have  been  expedient,  whatever  the 
rights  of  the  case,  to  let  the  executive  power  fall  back  into  his 
control.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  abolish  the  Vice  Presi- 
dency; and  in  this  way  fell  on  April  Fool's  Day  the  noblest 
but  most  unpopular  man  in  the  country.19  At  the  positive 
dictation  of  Santa  Anna  General  P.  M.  Anaya,  a  Moderado, 
was  then  elected  substitute  president,  while  the  raging  Puros 
raged  in  vain.  The  clergy  succeeded,  by  offering  two  millions 
of  real  money,  in  persuading  Santa  Anna  to  annul  the  laws  of 
January  11  and  February  4;  but  the  day  before  he  did  this, 
Church  property  worth  twenty  millions  was  placed  by  Congress — 
theoretically,  at  least  —  within  the  reach  of  the  government.20 


16  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Not  many  weeks  before  this,  Don  Simplicio  had  announced, 
"There  will  be  presented  an  original  tragi-comedy  entitled 
'All  is  a  farce  in  our  beloved  Mexico/  "  and  now  J.  F.  Ramirez, 
who  had  been  minister  of  relations  when  the  hated  law  passed, 
exclaimed  in  bitterness  of  heart :  All  of  us,  without  an  exception, 
have  been  acting  in  a  way  to  deserve  the  contempt  and  chastise- 
ment of  cultivated  nations ;  "  we  are  nothing,  absolutely  noth- 
ing, with  the  aggravating  circumstance  that  our  insensate 
vanity  makes  us  believe  that  we  are  everything." 20 


XXII 

VERA  CRUZ 
February-March,  1847 

ON  the  twenty-first  of  February,  General  Scott,  who  had 
sailed  from  Tampico  in  a  storm  the  day  before,  observed  in 
the  distance  what  seemed  to  be  greenish  bubbles  floating  on  the 
sea.  These  were  the  Lobos  Islands,  and  presently  he  found 
there  on  transports  the  First  and  Second  Pennsylvania,  the 
South  Carolina,  arid  parts  of  the  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and 
New  York  regiments  of  new  volunteers.  Within  a  week  many 
more  troops,  including  nearly  all  the  regulars  of  the  expedition, 
arrived  from  Tampico  or  the  Brazos,  and  the  natural  break- 
water that  protected  the  anchorage  —  a  sandy  coral  island  of 
about  one  hundred  acres,  fringed  with  surf,  covered  with  bushes 
and  small  trees  woven  together  with  vines,  and  scented  by  the 
blossoms  of  wild  oranges,  lemons  and  limes-veiled  itself  behind 
the  spars  and  cordage  of  nearly  a  hundred  vessels.3 

Judicious  measures  prevented  the  smallpox  from  spreading. 
Drilling  began ;  and  the  drum,  fife  and  bugle  aroused  a  fight- 
ing spirit,  while  visiting,  social  jollity  and  military  discussion 
tended  to  create  an  army  solidarity.  In  the  evening  bands 
played  martial  airs,  and  the  watch  fires  on  the  coast  gave  an 
additional  sharpness  to  the  ardor  of  the  soldiers.  Meanwhile 
the  General,  who  still  expected  vigorous  opposition  to  his  land- 
ing, waited  impatiently  for  more  surf-boats  and  heavy  ordnance, 
looked  anxiously  for  the  ten  large  transports l  in  ballast  req- 
uisitioned by  him  in  November,  elaborated  his  plans  for  dis- 
embarking, and  issued  the  corresponding  orders.3 

The  next  rendezvous  was  to  be  off  Anton  Lizardo,  about  a 
dozen  miles  beyond  Vera  Cruz  and  some  two  hundred  more  from 
the  Lobos  anchorage,  where  islands,  reefs  and  the  shore  of  the 
mainland  combined  to  form  a  deep  and  capacious  harbor; 

VOL.   II  — C  17 


18  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  about  noon  on  the  second  of  March  the  steamer  Massa- 
chusetts  plowed  through  the  fleet,  dashing  the  spray  from  her 
bows,  and  set  off  in  that  direction.  A  blue  flag  with  a  red  centre 
waving  at  her  main-truck  indicated  that  Scott  was  aboard, 
and  when  the  noble  figure  of  the  commander-in-chief,  standing 
with  uncovered  head  on  the  deck,  was  observed,  peal  after  peal 
of  cheers  resounded  from  ship  to  ship.  The  clanking  of  anchor 
chains  followed  them ;  the  sailors  broke  into  their  hearty  songs ; 
the  sails  filled  gracefully ;  and  the  fleet  stood  away.3 

For  two  days  its  progress  was  not  fast,  but  then  a  norther 
set  in.  Like  a  panorama,  peak  after  peak  on  the  lofty  sky 
line  passed  rapidly  astern ;  and  finally  Orizaba,  the  "  mountain 
of  the  star,"  upreared  its  head  superbly  more  than  three  miles 
above  sea  level  not  far  inland.  Then  carne  Green  Island,  where 
the  Albany  and  Potomac  were  on  hand  to  give  any  needful 
assistance,2  and  the  John  Adams  showed  her  black  teeth  to  lurk- 
ing blockade-runners ;  while  in  the  distance  the  frowning  bas- 
tions of  Ulua  "castle"  could  be  made  out,  and  the  sixteen  domes 
of  Vera  Cruz  appeared  to  be  promenading  along  her  white 
wall.  Pitching  and  rolling  on  the  huge  billows  of  inky  water, 
with  foam  leaping  high  over  their  bows,  the  transports  threaded 
their  way  swiftly  between  the  tumbling  and  roaring  piles  of 
surf  that  marked  the  reefs,  and  finally,  on  March  5,  the  swallow- 
tail pennant  of  Commodore  Conner  and  the  flags  of  the  American 
squadron  were  seen  off  Anton  Lizardo.  Cheers  followed  cheers 
as  the  transports  dropped  anchor  one  after  another ;  and  when 
the  sun  went  down  in  a  blaze  of  glory  behind  Orizaba,  the  spirits 
of  the  men,  stimulated  by  so  many  novel,  beautiful  and  thrilling 
scenes,  by  the  approach  of  combat  and  the  expectation  of 
triumph,  reached  the  very  culmination  of  military  enthusiasm. 
It  was  a  good  beginning  —  except  that  Scott  arrived  a  month 
late,  and  the  yellow  fever  usually  came  on  time.3 

"Heroic"  Vera  Cruz,  the  city  of  the  "True  Cross,"  was  in 
form  an  irregular  hexagon,  with  a  perimeter  some  two  miles  in 
length,  closely  packed  with  rather  high  buildings  of  soft,  white- 
washed masonry.  Although  famous  as  the  charnel  house  of 
Europeans,  it  was  a  rather  pleasant  place  for  those  who  could 
endure  the  climate.  The  little  alameda,  across  which  many  a 
dandy  strutted  every  day  in  tight  linen  trousers,  a  close  blue 
jacket,  gilt  buttons  and  a  red  sash,  and  many  a  pretty  woman 


VERA  CRUZ  19 

tottered  coquettishly  in  pink  slippers,  was  charming.  The 
curtained  balconies  gave  one  a  hint  now  and  then  of  ladies 
making  their  toilets  and  smoking  their  cigarettes  just  within ; 
and  the  flat  roofs,  equipped  with  observatories  commanding 
the  sea,  were  delightful  resorts  in  the  cool  of  the  day.  Along 
the  water  front  extended  a  massive  wall,  supplemented  at  the 
northern  end  with  Fort  Concepcion,  at  the  southern  end  with 
Fort  Santiago  —  both  of  them  solidly  built  —  and,  between 
the  two,  with  a  mole  of  granite  some  two  hundred  yards  in 
length.  Landward  the  defences  were  feeble,  for  it  had  long 
been  assumed  that  any  serious  attack  would  be  made  by  water ; 
but  there  were  nine  well-constructed,  though  in  most  cases 
not  large,  bastions,  and  between  them  dilapidated  curtains  of 
stone,  brick  and  cement  about  fifteen  feet  high  and  two  and  a 
half  or  three  feet  thick.9 

Behind  the  town  extended  a  plain  rather  more  than  half  a 
mile  wide ;  and  beyond  that  rose  hills  of  light  sand  —  enlarged 
editions  of  the  dunes  that  ran  along  the  shore  north  and  south 
of  Vera  Cruz  —  which  gradually  increased  in  height  until  some 
of  them,  two  or  three  miles  inland,  reached  an  elevation  of 
perhaps  three  hundred  feet.  Then  came  dense  forests,  cut 
here  and  there  by  a  road  and  occasionally  diversified  with  oases 
of  cultivated  land,  richly  scented  by  tropical  fruits  and  flowers. 
To  the  southwest  of  the  city  lay  a  series  of  ponds  and  marshes, 
drained  by  a  small  stream  that  passed  near  the  wall ;  and  this 
creek,  supplemented  by  cisterns  and  an  underground  aqueduct, 
provided  the  town  with  water.  In  the  opposite  direction,  on  a 
reef  named  the  Gallega  —  distant  nearly  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  from  Fort  Concepcion  —  rose  the  fortress  of  Ulua,  built 
of  soft  coral  stone,  faced  with  granite,  in  the  most  scientific 
manner,  and  large  enough  to  accommodate  2500  men.4  Water 
batteries  lay  wherever  it  seemed  possible  to  effect  a  landing, 
and  tremendous  walls,  enfeebled  by  no  casemates,  towered 
to  a  height  of  about  sixty  feet.9 

At  the  beginning  of  March,  1846,  Mora  y  Villamil,  the  highest 
engineer  officer  in  the  Mexican  army  and  at  this  time  coman- 
dante  general  of  Vera  Cruz,  feared  that  on  account  of  Slidell's 
departure  the  Americans  might  suddenly  attack  him.  Aided  by 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Manuel  Robles,  a  skilful  and  active  subordi- 
nate, he  drew  up  detailed  plans  for  repairing  the  crumbling  fortifi- 


20  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

cations  of  the  city  and  castle,  and  these  were  approved  by  the 
government;  but  the  lack  of  money  prevented  the  full  exe- 
cution of  them.  In  October  the  captain  of  a  British  frigate 
warned  the  new  comandante  general  that  an  American  attack 
was  imminent;  and  at  about  the  same  time  Santa  Anna, 
while  bitterly  reproaching  the  government  for  its  neglect  of 
the  town  and  pointing  out  what  needed  to  be  done,  charged 
him  to  make  the  "strong  buildings "  a  second  and  a  third  line 
of  defence  in  case  of  attack,  and  then  perish,  if  necessary,  under 
the  ruins  of  the  city;  but  again  the  want  of  funds  vetoed 
adequate  preparations.  On  the  other  hand,  unpaid  soldiers 
paid  themselves  by  stealing  powder  and  selling  it.9 

About  the  middle  of  November  it  was  learned  at  Mexico 
from  a  New  Orleans  newspaper  that  an  expedition  against 
Vera  Cruz  had  been  projected,  and  within  two  months  the 
news  was  confirmed.  Santa  Anna  heard  of  it,  and  wrote 
that  6000  militia  should  be  assembled  there.  He  was  told 
in  reply  that  his  demand  would  be  met  early  in  February; 
and  assurances  were  given  to  Congress  that  everything  req- 
uisite had  been  done.5  By  the  fourth  of  March  the  coman- 
dante general,  to  whom  the  information  had  been  transmitted, 
was  inditing  urgent  appeals  for  help,  and  soon  the  appearance 
of  Scott  showed  that  a  crisis  had  arrived.  In  reliance  on  the 
promises  of  the  general  government,  hopeful  and  incessant  work 
on  the  fortifications  now  began;  but  within  four  days  letters 
from  the  war  department,  conferring  unlimited  powers  upon 
the  commander,  admitted  that  on  account  of  the  Polko  in- 
surrection at  the  capital  no  assistance  could  be  given,  and  many 
of  the  people  not  only  left  the  city,  but  endeavored  to  draw 
their  friends  and  relatives  from  the  National  Guards.9 

In  point  of  fact  military  men  had  long  known  that  Vera 
Cruz,  as  a  fortified  town  standing  by  itself,  was  indefensible. 
General  Mora  admitted  that  it  needed  stronger  exterior  works 
than  could  be  constructed ;  and  there  was  no  squadron  to  keep 
Ulfia  supplied  with  provisions.  The  proper  course  for  the 
comandante  general  was  either  to  strip  the  city  of  whatever 
Scott  could  use,  and  merely  endeavor  to  prevent  him  from 
advancing  farther,  as  was  privately  argued  by  leading  members 
of  Congress,  or  —  for  the  moral  effect  of  such  an  example  —  to 
send  all  non-combatants  away,  and  struggle  until  crushed; 


A  FIGHTING  CHANCE 


21 


but  neither  public  sentiment  nor  the  government  would  have 
permitted  the  first  of  these  plans,  and,  while  the  comandante 
had  the  second  in  mind  on  the  fifth  of  March,  it  was  too  heroic 
for  execution.9 

Besides,  there  seemed  to  be  a  fighting  chance.  Ulfia  was  much 
stronger  than  when  the  French,  aided  by  fortune,  had  captured 
it,  and  the  anchorage  occupied  by  them  could  now  be  shelled. 
Some  of  the  guns  had  been  improperly  mounted ;  some  of  the 


SAN  JUAN  DE  ULUA 

Scale  of  Metres 


carriages  were  old ;  at  some  of  the  embrasures  balls  of  different 
calibres  were  mixed ;  pieces  without  projectiles  could  be  found, 
and  projectiles  without  pieces;  rust  had  impaired  the  fit  of 
many  balls ;  but  the  city  and  the  fortress  together  had  probably 
three  hundred  serviceable  cannon  and  mortars,*  more  muskets 
than  men,  and  plenty  of  ammunition.  As  an  assault  was 
expected,  the  streets  were  defended  with  cannon  and  barri- 
cades, sand-bags  protected  the  doors  and  windows,  loopholes 
without  number  were  made  in  the  wall,  the  rather  shallow  but 


22  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

wet  ditch  was  cleared,  and  although  barbed  cactus  made  the 
approach  of  an  enemy  to  the  bastions  almost  impossible, 
thousands  of  pitfalls  —  each  with  a  sword,  bayonet  or  short 
pike  set  erect  at  the  bottom  —  were  dug  beyond  the  wall,  so 
arranged  that  no  one  marching  straight  forward  could  well 
avoid  them.9 

Juan  Soto,  the  governor  of  the  state,  was  indefatigable, 
and  as  the  state  militia  numbered  about  20,000,  it  seemed 
reasonable  to  count  upon  succor.  Giffard,  the  British  consul, 
expected  that  substantial  help  would  come  from  that  source. 
Other  states  were  likely  to  furnish  aid  ;  and  the  people,  taught 
by  the  long  inaction  of  the  Americans  off  the  shore  to  despise 
them  and  encouraged  by  fictitious  reports  that  assistance  would 
be  rendered  by  the  national  government,  felt  united  and  enthu- 
siastic.7 The  city  council  offered  all  its  resources,  and  the 
well-to-do  raised  funds  for  a  hospital  by  giving  a  theatrical 
performance.  The  garrison,  led  by  the  brave,  active  and  pop- 
ular though  not  very  able  Morales,  now  comandante  general, 
may  be  estimated  as  at  least  1200  in  Ulua  and  3800  in  the 
city.8  About  half  of  them  were  merely  National  Guards; 
but  these,  decorated  with  tricolored  cockades  and  red  pompons, 
looked  and  felt  extremely  dangerous.  "As  God  lives,"  cried 
one  of  their  leaders,  "either  we  will  triumph,  or  all  of  us,  without 
a  solitary  exception,  will  be  interred  in  the  ruins."  The  civil- 
ians remaining  in  town  may  have  numbered  3000. 9 

Bearing  in  mind  the  necessity,  not  merely  of  taking  Vera 
Cruz  and  Ulua,  but  of  getting  his  army  away  from  the  coast 
before  the  advent  of  yellow  fever,  and  satisfied  that  Polk 
would  show  him  no  mercy  in  case  of  ill-success,  General 
Scott  examined  his  problem  with  all  possible  care,  and  con- 
sulted freely  the  officers  he  particularly  trusted.10  He  could 
not  very  prudently  have  left,  say,  5000  men  to  mask  or  possibly 
Deduce  Vera  Cruz,  as  some  critics  insisted  he  should  have  done, 
and  advanced  with  the  rest,  for  the  essential  purpose  of  his 
expedition  was  to  capture  that  place,  and  such  a  course  might 
have  been  viewed  by  the  government  as  insubordinate. 
Besides,  that  policy  would  probably  have  been  regarded  by  the 
Mexicans  a$  a  sign  of  weakness ;  the  possession  of  the  harbor 
and  shipping  facilities  would  evidently  aid  all  further  opera- 
tions; by  holding  them  it  would  be  possible  to  deprive  the 


THE  DEBARKATION  23 

enemy  of  war  supplies  and  other  necessaries ;  the  arms,  ammu- 
nition and  cannon  of  the  Mexicans  were  highly  valuable,  espe- 
cially to  them ;  and  the  American  army  would  not  have  been 
an  adequate  aggressive  force  after  thus  detaching  nearly  half 
its  numbers.  The  obstacle  before  Scott  had,  therefore,  to  be 
faced  and  overcome.13 

The  best  method,  evidently,  was  to  reduce  the  town  before 
seriously  attacking  Ulua,  because  that  success  would  greatly 
diminish  the  enemy's  fire,  make  it  possible  to  contract  and  so 
strengthen  the  American  line,  and  somewhat  facilitate  the 
transportation  of  supplies.  Such  had  been  the  General's  plan 
from  the  first.  Officers  eager  for  distinction  recommended  an 
assault,  and  Scott  well  knew  that  a  quick,  brilliant  stroke  would 
best  win  him  fame  and  popularity.11  But  he  understood 
equally  well  that  an  assault,  necessarily  made  at  night,  would 
entail  a  heavy  loss  of  his  best  men  —  enough,  perhaps,  to 
prevent  his  advancing  farther  and  escaping  the  pestilence  — 
besides  involving  a  great  slaughter  of  both  combatants  and 
non-combatants  in  the  town.  On  the  other  hand,  as  the  British 
consul  and  the  British  naval  commander  agreed,  there  was  not 
enough  time  before  the  yellow  fever  season  to  warrant  relying 
upon  starvation  alone.12  Siege  and  bombardment  were  there- 
fore indicated,  and  Scott  promptly  decided  upon  that  plan  as 
combining,  better  than  any  other,  humanity  with  effectiveness.13 

The  initial  step  was  to  select  a  point  for  debarking;  and 
Conner,  whom  Scott  had  requested  in  December  to  study  this 
problem,  had  already  fixed  upon  the  beach  of  Mocambo  Bay, 
two  and  a  half  or  three  miles  southeast  of  Vera  Cruz,  which 
was  somewhat  sheltered  from  northers  and  could  be  swept  by 
the  guns  of  the  fleet.  Sacrificios  Island,  a  strip  of  sand  repre- 
senting a  large  reef,  was  just  off  shore,  too,  forming  an  an- 
chorage here.  Accordingly  Scott,  with  Conner,  the  principal 
generals,  Robert  E.  Lee,  P.  G.  T.  Beauregard  and  other  officers, 
went  up  in  the  little  steamer  Petrita,  reconnoitred  the  spot,  and 
then  —  probably  to  deceive  the  Mexicans  regarding  his  inten- 
tions—  ran  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Ulua,  where  he  was 
almost  sunk  by  the  gunners.14  His  judgment  agreed  with  the 
Commodore's,  and  orders  were  given  to  land  on  the  eighth. 
But  when  that  morning  came,  signs  of  a  norther  showed  them- 
selves. The  glass  fell.  The  heat  became  stifling.  A  southerly 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


THE  DEBARKATION  25 

wind  loaded  with  moisture  blew,  and  the  summit  of  Orizaba, 
clad  in  the  azure  hue  of  the  poet,  stood  sharply  forth ;  hence 
the  orders  were  countermanded.17 

The  signs  failed,  however,  and  the  extra  day  was  available 
for  the  last  preparations.  A  detailed  plan  of  debarkation  had 
been  drawn  up  and  announced  while  the  army  was  at  Lobos 
Islands,  but  certain  difficulties  had  not  been  anticipated.  The 
ten  large  transports  in  ballast  had  not  come,  and  to  land  from 
a  great  number  of  small  vessels  at  Sacrificios,  where  there  was 
little  room  and  foreign  warships  occupied  all  the  safe  anchorage, 
appeared  imprudent.  Conner,  therefore,  offered  to  transport 
the  army  on  larger,  better  and  more  ably  handled  vessels  belong- 
ing to  the  squadron,  and  Scott's  wise  acceptance  of  the  proposal 
involved  extensive  readjustments.17 

These,  however,  were  skilfully  arranged,  and  when  the  dawn 
of  March  9  announced  a  perfect  day,  a  scene  of  the  greatest 
activity  began.  Signals  fluttered  to  mastheads.  In  clarion 
tones  officers  issued  their  orders.  Despatch  boats  dashed  here 
and  there.  Sailors  and  soldiers  roared  their  favorite  airs. 
Fully  half  of  the  10,000  and  more  troops  were  placed  on  the 
frigates  Raritan  and  Potomac,  and  most  of  the  others  on  smaller 
vessels  of  the  squadron.  At  about  eleven  o'clock  the  order  to 
sail  was  given.  Amid  thunderous  cheers  the  Massachusetts 
plunged  through  the  fleet,  and  took  its  place  in  the  lead  with 
Conner's  flagship.  A  gentle  breeze  from  the  southeast  filled 
the  sails;  and  the  war  vessels  and  transports  were  off.  After 
a  smooth  voyage  they  began  to  arrive  near  Sacrificios  at  about 
one  o'clock,  and  in  close  quarters,  but  without  mishaps  or 
even  the  least  confusion,  each  dropped  anchor  in  its  allotted 
space.15  The  yards  and  rigging  of  the  foreign  war  vessels 
were  black  with  men,  and  ladies,  armed  with  glasses  and 
parasols,  gazed  impatiently  from  the  deck  of  the  British 
packet.17 

Without  the  loss  of  a  moment  three  signal  flags  rose  to  the 
main-truck  of  the  Massachusetts,  and  the  work  of  landing 
Worth's  brigade  of  regulars  began.  The  double-shotted  cannon 
of  the  squadron  were  brought  to  bear  on  the  shore.  Seven 
gunboats  drawing  eight  feet  or  less  formed  a  line  within  good 
grape  range  of  the  beach,  and  cleared  for  action.  About  sixty- 
five  surf-boats,  which  had  been  towed  from  Anton  Lizardo  by 


26  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

steamers,  were  rowed  by  naval  crews  to  the  vessels  carrying 
troops  —  each  having  a  definite  assignment  —  and  after  re- 
ceiving from  fifty  to  eighty  soldiers  apiece,  .making  up  the 
whole  of  the  brigade,  attached  themselves  in  two  long  lines  to 
the  quarters  of  the  steamer  Princeton,  which  had  now  anchored 
about  450  yards  from  the  shore.  This  process  consumed  several 
hours,  and  it  was  hardly  ended  when  a  shell  whizzed  over 
them.  "Now  we  shall  catch  it,"  thought  the  soldiers,  for 
rumors  of  opposition  had  been  heard,  two  or  three  hundred 
cavalry  could  be  seen,  and  artillery  was  supposed  to  be  lurking 
behind  the  dunes.17  • 

The  flash  of  a  signal  gun  shot  now  from  the  Massachusetts; 
the  surf-boats  cut  loose,  faced  the  shore  abreast  in  the  order  of 
battle,  and  struck  out  for  land ;  and  a  cheer  burst  from  every 
American  throat.  Great  Orizaba  cast  aside  its  veil  of  haze, 
and  stood  out  against  the  setting  sun.  Not  a  cloud  flecked  the 
sky ;  not  a  ripple  marred  the  burnished  water.  Ulua  and  Vera 
Cruz  thundered  loudly,  though  in  vain.  National  airs  rolled  from 
our  squadron.  Shells  from  the  gunboats  broke  up  the  Mexican 
cavalry  and  searched  the  dunes.  The  oars  of  the  straining 
sailors  flashed .  Muskets — not  loaded  but  with  fixed  bayonets — 
glittered.  Regimental  colors  floated  at  the  stern  of  each  boat. 
Suddenly  one  of  the  boats  darted  ahead  and  grounded  on  a  bar 
about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  shore.  Out  leaped  Worth ; 
his  officers  followed  him ;  and  the  whole  brigade  were  instantly 
in  the  breaking  ground-swell,  holding  aloft  their  muskets  and 
cartridge-boxes.17 

Here  was  the  chance  of  the  enemy,  for  our  vessels  could  not 
fire  without  endangering  Americans ;  but  no  enemy  was  to  be 
seen.16  Led  by  their  color-bearers  the  regulars  quickly  splashed 
ashore,  formed  in  a  moment,  charged  to  the  crest  of  the  first 
dune,  planted  their  standards  and  burst  into  cheers ;  the  men 
on  the  ships,  tongue-tied  for  some  time  by  an  excitement  and 
anxiety  that  made  their  brains  reel,  answered  with  huzza 
after  huzza  till  they  made  the  bay  "  seem  peopled  with  victori- 
ous armies/'  wrote  one  of  the  soldiers,  and  the  strains  of  "Star- 
Spangled  Banner"  broke  from  the  bands.  Less  formally,  but 
rapidly  and  in  order,  the  boats  went  back  for  the  troops  of 
Patterson  and  Twiggs ;  and  by  midnight,  without  having  met 
with  a  single  accident,  more  than  10,000  men,  duly  guarded 


VERA  CRUZ  INVESTED  27 

by  sentries,  were  eating  their  biscuit  and  pork  on  the  sand  or 
preparing  to  bivouac.17 

During  the  night  Mexicans  in  the  rear  did  some  shooting  but 
without  effect,  and  the  process  of  investment  began.  Diverting 
attention  from  this  by  having  a  gunboat,  sheltered  about  a  mile 
from  the  city  behind  Point  Hornos,  throw  shot  and  shell  into 
Vera  Cruz  for  a  couple  of  hours  the  next  forenoon,  Scott  had 
Pillow's  brigade  capture  the  hill  of  Malibran  behind  Worth's 
camp,  and  push  on  toward  the  rear  of  the  city.  Quitman 
then  passed  it;  Shields  passed  Quitman,  and  Twiggs  passed 
him.  Wallowing  up  and  down  the  slopes  of  deep  sand  in  a 
sultry  heat  without  water  to  drink  proved  to  be  extremely 
hard  work ;  and  breaking  through  the  valleys,  where  a  matted 
growth  of  chaparral  —  armed  with  thorns  as  keen  as  needles 
and  stiff  as  bayonets  —  resisted  everything  but  sharp  steel, 
was  harder  yet.  Day  and  night  Mexican  irregulars,  both  in- 
fantry and  horse,  and  cannon  salutes  from  the  city  and  the 
castle  embarrassed  operations,  and  there  were  many  brisk 
skirmishes.  Moreover  the  landing  had  scarcely  been  made 
when  a  norther  set  in,  covering  the  men  with  sand,  blowing 
away  old  hilltops  and  building  up  new  ones.  But  not  long 
after  noon  on  March  13  Twiggs  reached  the  Gulf  north  of  the 
city.  The  next  morning  a  well-supported  detachment  from 
each  brigade  advanced  as  far  as  it  could  find  cover,  driving  the 
Mexican  outposts  before  it;  and  by  night  these  detachments 
were  only  about  seven  hundred  yards  from  the  town.21 

The  American  position  as  a  whole,  known  as  Camp  Wash- 
ington, was  now  a  semi-circular  line  about  seven  miles  long. 
There  were  gaps,  but  these  were  rapidly  closed  with  strong 
pickets.  The  railway  and  the  roads  were  all  occupied;  the 
visible  water  supply  of  the  city  was  cut  off ;  and  on  March  16 
Scott  announced  that  nothing  less  than  a  small  army  could 
break  through.  Meantime,  whenever  the  weather  permitted, 
artillery,  stores,  horses  and  provisions  were  landed  in  the  most 
systematic  manner.  Safeguards  were  issued  to  the  repre- 
sentatives of  foreign  powers  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  in  a  letter  of 
March  13  to  the  Spanish  consul18  Scott  indicated  plainly  that 
"  bombardment  or  cannonade,  or  assault,  or  air*  of  these  might 
be  expected  by  the  citizens.21 

The  time  to  plant  artillery  had  now  arrived,  and  the  ideal 


28 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


spot  was  found  on  the  sixteenth ;  but  after  a  battery  had  been 
laid  out  there,  access  to  it  proved  to  be  dangerously  exposed. 
Two  days  later,  however,  a  fairly  good  point  was  discovered, 
near  the  cemetery  and  Worth's  position,  about  half  a  mile 
south  of  the  town,  which  screened  it  somewhat  from  the  castle ; 
and  preparations  to  establish  two  mortar  batteries  there,  about 
one  hundred  yards  apart,  began  the  following  night.  At  the 


SIEGE  OF  VERA  CRUZ 
AMERICAN    BATTERIES 

A  Fort  Santiago 
B  Mattery  oj  San  Fernando 
C  Matttry  of  Santa  Barbara 
D   Quarter*  for  Infantry 
E    Quarter* /or  Cavalry^ 


Wmi  Eng  Co  .N  Y 


same  time  a  deep  road,  wide  enough  to  admit  a  six-mule  team, 
was  under  construction.21 

Most  of  this  labor  had  to  be  done  at  night,  and  the  utmost 
possible  silence  observed.  As  the  transports  lay  a  mile  off 
shore,  while  the  only  wharf  was  an  open  beach,  and  a  norther 
blew  violently  from  the  twelfth  to  the  sixteenth,  the  work  of 
landing  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  proceeded  slowly.  Fortu- 
nately the  work  on  the  batteries  was  not  discovered ;  but  the 
fire  of  Paixhan  guns  and  heavy  mortars  from  the  city  and 
castle,  though  irregular  and  singularly  unfruitful  despite  the 
undeniable  skill  of  the  gunners,19  compelled  the  Americans  to 
adopt  extreme  precautions.  Nor  were  these  embarrassments 
the  only  ones.  Notwithstanding  seasonable  orders,  only  fifteen 
carts  and  about  a  hundred  draught  horses  had  arrived.  Not 


THE  BOMBARDMENT  29 

more  than  one  fifth  of  the  ordnance  requisitioned  by  Scott  about 
the  middle  of  November  and  due  at  the  Brazos  —  he  now 
reminded  Marcy  —  by  January  15,  had  yet  appeared.  A  great 
many  artillery  and  cavalry  horses  had  been  drowned,  injured 
or  delayed ;  and  there  was  a  shortage  of  almost  every  requisite 
for  siege  operations.20  But  the  army  and  the  navy  cooperated 
zealously;  soldiers  took  the  places  of  draught  animals;  and 
in  spite  of  every  difficulty  three  batteries,  mounting  seven  10- 
inch  mortars,  were  in  readiness  by  two  o'clock  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  twenty-second,  and  the  soldiers  felt  eager  to  hear  what 
they  called  the  "sweet  music"  of  these  " faithful  bull-dogs."21 

At  this  hour,  therefore,  Scott  formally  summoned  the  town, 
intimating  that  both  assault  and  bombardment  were  to  be 
apprehended.  The  reply  was  a  refusal  to  surrender;  and  at  a 
quarter  past  four,  accompanied  by  a  deafening  chorus  of  joyous, 
frantic  shouts  and  yells,  the  American  batteries  opened,  while 
the  "mosquito  fleet"  of  two  small  steamers  and  five  gunboats,22 
each  armed  with  a  single  heavy  cannon,  stationed  themselves 
behind  Point  Hornos,  and  fired  briskly.24 

Like  "hungry  lions  in  search  of  prey,"  a  soldier  thought,  the 
shells  from  the  mortars  flew  "howling"  to  their  mark.  With 
heavier  metal  and  vastly  more  of  it,  Vera  Cruz  and  the  castle 
replied.  The  city  wall  blazed  like  a  sheet  of  fire.  Shot,  shell 
and  rockets  came  forth  in  a  deluge,  it  seemed  to  the  men ;  and 
the  two  columns  of  smoke,  rolling  and  whirling,  mounted  high 
and  collided  as  if  striving  to  outflank  and  conquer  each  other. 
Still  more  terrible  was  the  scene  at  night.  A  spurt  of  red  fire ; 
a  fierce  roar;  a  shell  with  an  ignited  fuse  mounting  high, 
pausing,  turning,  and  then  —  more  and  more  swiftly  —  drop- 
ping ;  the  crash  of  a  roof ;  a  terrific  explosion  that  shook  the 
earth ;  screams,  wailing  and  yells  —  all  this  could  be  distinctly 
seen  or  heard  from  the  American  lines.  During  the  twenty- 
third  and  the  following  night  the  fire  still  raged,  but  on  the 
American  side  more  slowly,  for  although  ten  mortars  were  now 
at  work,  a  norther  interrupted  the  supply  of  ammunition.24 

But  while  the  bombardment  made  an  interesting  spectacle, 
as  a  military  operation  it  was  proving  unsatisfactory.  The 
ordnance  thus  far  received  by  Scott  was  inadequate  for  the 
reduction  of  the  city  —  to  say  nothing  of  Ulfia.  With  mortars, 
especially  as  the  distances  could  not  be  ascertained  precisely, 


30  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

it  was  impossible  to  be  sure  of  hitting  the  bastions  and  forts. 
Shells  could  be  thrown  into  the  town,  but  while  the  houses  suf- 
fered much,  the  fortifications  and  garrison  escaped  vital  damage, 
and  there  was  no  sign  of  yielding.  Not  a  few  in  the  American 
army,  who  had  supposed  that  a  fortified  city  could  be  taken 
at  sight  like  a  mint  julep,  grew  impatient ;  the  officers  eager  for 
assault  fumed ;  Worth,  proud  of  his  quick  work  at  Monterey, 
sneered;  Twiggs  grunted.  As  an  army  man  Scott  naturally 
desired  that  branch  of  the  service  to  reap  all  the  glory  of  its 
campaign,  but  he  now  found  himself  compelled  to  ask  for  naval 
guns  heavy  enough  to  breach  the  wall,  and  make  an  assault 
practicable;  and  when  Perry,  who  had  taken  Conner's  place 
on  the  twenty-first,  insisted  that  men  from  the  squadron  should 
work  them,  he  consented.24 

The  new  battery,  constructed  by  Robert  E.  Lee  and  mounting 
three  long  32's  for  solid  shot  and  three  68's  for  shells,  was  planted 
just  behind  the  bushy  crest  of  a  slight  eminence,  only  some  800 
yards  from  the  city  wall,  where  the  enemy  did  not  suppose 
that  such  an  enterprise  would  be  ventured ;  and  until  the  guns 
were  about  ready  to  be  unmasked  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
fourth,  its  existence  was  not  suspected.23  Here  were  instru- 
ments of  power  and  precision,  and  they  told.  The  Mexicans 
concentrated  upon  them  a  terrific  fire,  but  with  no  serious  effect ; 
and  when  on  the  next  morning  a  battery  consisting  of  four 
24-pounders  and  two  8-inch  howitzers  joined  the  infernal 
chorus,  the  fire,  though  hindered  occasionally  by  the  tardiness 
of  ammunition,  was  "awful,"  said  Scott  and  Lee,  while  the  city 
appeared  like  one  dense  thunder-cloud,  red  with  flashes  and 
quivering  with  incessant  roars.24 

That  night  the  batteries  played  still  more  fiercely.  Some- 
times four  or  five  shells  were  sizzling  through  the  air  at  once. 
The  fire,  said  an  officer,  was  now  "perfectly  terrific";  and 
to  heighten  the  wildness  of  the  scene,  many  vessels  could  be 
observed  by  the  light  of  the  moon  going  ashore  in  the  norther. 
About  thirty  were  wrecked  by  this  one  gale,  and  others  had 
to  cut  away  their  masts.  In  the  meantime  preparations  for 
assaulting  both  by  land  and  by  water,  should  an  assault  prove 
to  be  necessary,  were  actively  pressed.24 

In  town,  during  the  early  period  of  these  operations,  the 
enthusiasm  continued  to  run  high,  for  the  cautious  and  faint- 


' SITUATION  IN  VERA  CRUZ  31 

hearted  had  gone  away,  and  the  reports  of  the  irregulars,  con- 
stantly skirmishing  against  the  Americans,  were  colored  to 
suit  the  popular  taste.  Work  on  the  fortifications  proceeded, 
and  fresh  cartridges  for  the  artillery  were  made  with  feverish 
haste.  Bands  played;  the  gunners  amused  themselves  by 
firing  at  small  and  far  distant  groups  among  the  sand-hills; 
and  at  night  fireballs  and  rockets  lighted  up  the  plain  in  an- 
ticipation of  the  hoped-for  assault.  When  the  investment  was 
completed,  when  the  American  outposts  drew  near  the  town, 
and  especially  when  it  became  known  that  preparations  for 
a  bombardment  were  under  way,  the  people  grew  more  serious ; 
but  it  was  expected  that  forces  from  without  would  break  the 
line,  or  at  least  prevent  the  construction  of  batteries.26 

A  painful  disappointment  followed,  however.  Soto  made 
great  efforts  to  collect  the  tax  levied  by  the  state;  but  the 
citizens,  impoverished  by  the  long  blockade,  had  no  money, 
and  without  cash  troops  could  not  be  fed.  In  spite  of  many 
hopes  the  fluctuating  bands  under  Colonel  Senobio,  the  chief 
leader  of  the  irregulars  in  the  vicinity,  do  not  seem  to  have 
risen  at  any  time  far  above  1000,  and  perhaps  never  reached 
that  number.  In  vain  Soto  appealed  for  an  able  general  and 
a  nucleus  of  regulars.  They  were  not  within  reach,  and  the 
few  pieces  of  artillery  could  not  be  moved.  The  states  of 
Puebla  and  Oaxaca  tried  to  help,  but  were  tardy  and  in- 
efficient.26 

Men  from  the  upper  country  dreaded  the  yellow  fever ;  and 
those  of  the  coast,  volatile  by  nature,  ignorant  of  real  warfare, 
without  organization,  training  or  discipline,  were  astonished 
and  confounded  when  they  struck  the  solid  American  line. 
They  pecked  at  it  continually,  but  Morales  himself  could  see 
that  no  skill,  concert  or  strength  marked  their  efforts.  Dis- 
couragement and  wholesale  desertion  followed.  The  city, 
therefore,  could  not  obtain  provisions  by  land ;  and  as  most  of 
the  seamen  alongshore  fled  to  the  mountains,  and  boat  com- 
munication became  more  and  more  difficult,  it  was  realized 
that  supplies  from  the  interior  were  out  of  the  question.  After 
March  20  the  troops  could  be  given  little  or  no  meat;  but 
soldiers  were  detailed  to  fish  the  prolific  waters  under  the  guns 
of  Ulfia,  and  no  doubt  beans  and  tortillas,  the  staple  food  of  the 
common  people,  continued  to  be  fairly  plentiful.26 


32  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

The  opening  of  the  bombardment;  however,  precipitated  a 
crisis,  and  as  our  fire  grew  more  and  more  intense,  the  con- 
sternation and  suffering  increased.  Crashing  roofs;  burning 
houses;  flying  pavements;  doors,  windows  and  furniture 
blocking  the  streets;  a  pandemonium  of  confused  and  frightful 
sounds ;  bells  ringing  without  hands ;  awful  explosions ;  domes 
and  steeples  threatening  to  fall ;  the  earth  quaking ;  crowds  of 
screaming  women,  who  rushed  hither  and  thither;  terrible 
wounds  and  sudden  deaths  —  all  these  were  new  and  over- 
whelming scenes.25  Only  one  bakery  escaped  destruction,  as  it 
happened,  and  the  children  cried  in  vain  for  bread ;  the  priests 
would  not  leave  their  shelter  to  comfort  and  absolve;  and 
finally  the  very  instinct  of  self-preservation  was  lost  in  a  stupid 
despair  more  dreadful  to  witness  than  death  itself.26 

The  troops  in  the  southwestern  section,  under  our  heaviest 
fire,  became  terror-stricken.  In  other  quarters  men  left  the 
ranks  to  look  after  families  and  friends ;  and  when  a  murky 
dawn  ended  the  terrible  night  of  the  twenty-fifth,  demoraliza- 
tion was  rife.  People  wandered  about  the  streets  cry- 
ing for  surrender.  Always  passionate,  they  now  hated 
their  own  government  for  deserting  them.  The  consuls 
went  out  under  a  flag  of  truce,  but  Scott  refused  to  see 
them,  sending  them  word  —  it  was  reported  —  that  any 
persons  leaving  the  city  would  be  fired  upon,  and  that  unless 
it  should  surrender  in  the  meantime,  new  as  well  as  the  old 
batteries  would  open  the  next  morning.  This  fact  over- 
whelmed the  people ;  and  the  prospect  of  being  exterminated 
at  leisure  by  an  enemy  who  could  not  be  injured,  beat  down  their 
last  thought  of  resistance.26 

Consul  Giffard  had  predicted  that  any  plausible  excuse  for 
surrender  would  be  turned  to  good  account.  Supplies  were 
now  said  to  be  failing,  and  in  the  course  of  this  dreadful  night 
an  informal  meeting  of  officers  agreed  upon  capitulation. 
Naturally  the  idea  gave  offence  to  many,  and  there  was  talk  of 
opening  a  way  through  the  American  line  with  the  sword. 
But  a  council  of  war  soon  decided  to  negotiate ;  commissioners 
were  appointed;  and  Scott,  who  was  invited  to  take  similar 
action,  did  so.  The  six  men  came  together  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  twenty-sixth,  but  could  not  agree;  and  the  Mexicans 
returned  to  the  city,  leaving  behind  them  a  proposition.29 


THE  SURRENDER  OF  VERA  CRUZ        33 

Worth,  who  was  our  chief  representative,  believed  the  nego- 
tiations were  simply  a  waste  of  time,  and  favored  an  immediate 
assault ;  but  Scott  saw  that  the  Mexicans,  while  trying  to  save 
appearances,  really  meant  surrender,  and  the  next  morning 
granted  with  certain  vital  modifications  their  terms.27  His 
demands  were  accepted,  and  it  was  thus  agreed  in  substance 
that  Landero,  to  whom  the  command  had  been  turned  over, 
should  march  his  army  out  with  all  the  honors  of  war,  the 
troops  be  paroled,  and  the  armament  —  so  far  as  not  destroyed 
in  the  course  of  the  war  —  be  disposed  of  by  the  treaty  of 
peace.  It  was  further  agreed  that  all  the  Mexican  sick  should 
remain  in  town  under  Mexican  care,  private  property  be  re- 
spected, and  religious  rights  be  held  sacred.29 

It  was  a  "shameful  surrender,''  declared  Santa  Anna,  and 
from  a  military  point  of  view  this  could  hardly  be  denied.  Ulua 
had  practically  not  been  touched ;  it  had  a  considerable  supply 
of  provisions,  and  there  was  a  chance  of  obtaining  more  from 
blockade-runners.  Vera  Cruz  was  in  a  harder  yet  not  in  a 
desperate  plight.  Men  of  importance  there,  knowing  the  city 
would  be  denounced  for  surrendering,  naturally  endeavored  to 
prove  that  it  had  suffered  terribly  and  exhausted  its  resources 
before  yielding;  and  the  principal  neutrals  —  friendly  toward 
them,  engaged  mostly  in  trade,  and  more  willing  to  have  life 
sacrificed  than  property  —  raised  an  outcry  against  the  pro- 
ceedings of  Scott  that  became  a  fierce  indictment  in  Europe 
and  the  United  States.  But  the  British  naval  commander, 
though  not  inclined  to  favor  the  General,  reported  that  the 
casualties  in  the  city  were  only  eighty  soldiers  killed  or  wounded, 
about  one  hundred  old  men,  women  and  children  killed,  and 
an  unknown  number  injured,  and  that  its  food  supply,  while 
no  doubt  less  delicate  and  varied  than  could  have  been  desired, 
would  have  lasted  beyond  the  middle  of  April;  and  there  is 
considerable  evidence  that  his  figures  were  approximately 
correct.28  Ammunition  did  not  fail,  nor  did  water.29 

The  surrender  was  really  due  therefore  to  the  moral  effect 
of  Scott's  artillery.  Even  Giffard,  who  termed  his  operations 
cruel  and  unnecessary,  admitted  this ;  and,  bearing  in  mind  the 
General's  obligations  to  obey  his  government  and  save  the  lives 
of  his  men,  the  inevitable  horrors  of  an  assault  by  night,  and  the 
serious  danger  that  a  reliance  upon  starvation  as  the  sole  means 

VOL.  II  — D 


34  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

of  reducing  the  city  would  have  given  time  for  Santa  Anna's 
regulars  and  the  yellow  fever  to  arrive,  one  concludes  again 
and  finally  that  Scott's  method  was  humane  and  wise.29 

Owing  to  inequalities  of  the  ground,  the  character  of  the  soil, 
great  skill  on  the  part  of  our  engineers,  incessant  care  and  re- 
markable good  fortune,  the  total  losses  caused  by  6267  Mexi- 
can shot,  8486  shells  and  all  the  bullets  of  the  irregulars  were 
only  about  nineteen  killed  and  sixty-three  wounded.  The 
siege  was  not  exactly  a  fete  champetre,  however.  It  was  tire- 
some to  be  awakened  at  night  so  often  by  Mexican  skirmishers, 
disagreeable  to  be  routed  out  by  the  diabolical  screech  of  a 
heavy  shell,  and  quite  annoying  to  have  one  of  the  u  big  dinner- 
pots,  "  as  the  soldiers  called  them,  explode  close  by.  Satu- 
rating dews,  abominable  drinking  water,  scanty  and  bad 
rations,  howling  wolves,  lizards  in  one's  boot,  "jiggers  "  that 
made  the  feet  itch  incessantly,  fleas  that  even  a  sleeping-bag 
could  not  discourage,  and  sand-flies  nearly  as  voracious,  were 
minor  but  real  afflictions.  When  a  norther  began,  the  whole 
aspect  of  nature  seemed  to  change.  The  sky  became  a  pall, 
the  atmosphere  a  winding-sheet,  the  wind  a  scourge ;  and  the 
roaring,  chilling  blast  filled  one's  ears,  eyes,  mouth  and  even 
pores  with  biting  grit,  cut  the  tents  into  ribbons,  and  sometimes 
buried  their  sleeping  inmates.30  To  escape  from  the  Mexican 
shot  sentries  often  had  to  burrow  in  the  sand,  and  under  the 
tropical  sun  they  learned  to  appreciate  the  power  of  the  old 
brick  oven.  When  carrying  provisions  or  dragging  cannon, 
amidst  hills  that  blazed  like  the  mirrors  of  Archimedes  at 
Syracuse,  men  often  dropped.31 

On  the  other  hand,  besides  the  initial  high  spirits,  which 
helped  immensely,  and  the  excitement  and  comradeship  that 
knocked  off  the  edge  of  hardships,  there  were  special  sources 
of  cheer  —  particularly  the  "  blue-shirts,"  as  the  seamen  were 
called.  When  turning  out  in  the  face  of  an  icy  sand-blast 
sharp  enough  to  cut  granite,  it  was  something  to  hear  a  salty 
voice  give  the  order,  "Form  line  of  battle  on  the  starboard 
tack ! "  But  sailors  on  shore  leave,  who  burst  from  their  long 
confinement  like  birds  let  loose,  and  "cruised"  in  the  environs 
with  perfect  abandon,  were  better  yet.  Their  sport  with  the 
wild  monkeys  was  truly  edifying,  and  their  delight  over  the 
burro  would  have  set  Diogenes  laughing.  Sometimes  they 


VERA  CRUZ  OCCUPIED  35 

rode  him,  and  sometimes  they  carried  him.  Planted  in  the 
Mexican  style  just  forward  of  the  creature's  tail,  they  felt 
that  at  last  they  were  riding  the  quarter-deck,  and  commanding 
a  snug  vessel  of  their  own.  Above  all  they  enjoyed  "mooring 
ship."  This  congenial  manoeuvre  was  achieved  by  taking 
aboard  for  "  anchor  "  a  heavy  block  of  wood,  previously  attached 
to  the  donkey's  neck  with  a  long  rope,  then  racing  at  full 
speed,  heaving  the  "anchor,"  paying  out  the  cable,  and 
bringing  up  in  a  heap  on  the  sand  —  the  donkey  on  top,  very 
likely.31 

Not  less  cheering  and  a  little  more  military  was  the  news, 
which  arrived  by  the  fifteenth  of  March,  that  "Old  Wooden- 
leg's"  army  had  been  "licked  up  like  salt"  at  Buena  Vista. 
And  still  another  comfort  was  to  gaze  from  a  safely  remote  hill 
at  Vera  Cruz,  which  looked  —  the  soldiers  agreed  —  so  oriental, 
with  airy  palm  trees  visible  over  the  white  wall,  hundreds  of 
buzzards  floating  in  wide  circles  far  above,  the  dark  bulwarks 
of  Ulua  set  in  waves  of  purple  and  gold  on  the  left,  a  forest  of 
American  spars  and  masts  on  the  right,  piercing  the  misty 
splendor  of  the  yellow  beach,  the  bright  sails  of  fishing  boats  in 
the  middle  distance,  and  the  vast,  blue,  cool  Gulf  beyond  it 
all.  How  the  panting  soldiers  gloated  on  the  prospect  of  taking 
possession ! 31 

And  on  March  29  they  did  so.  The  day  was  enchantingly 
summerlike  ;  a  delightful  southeast  breeze  came  over  the  water ; 
and  the  domes  of  Vera  Cruz  were  gilded  with  splendid  sunshine. 
In  a  green  meadow,  shaded  with  cocoanut  palms,  a  little  way 
south  of  the  town,  Worth's  brigade  was  drawn  up  in  a  dingy 
line,  and  a  dingy  line  of  volunteers,  about  seventy  yards  dis- 
tant, faced  it.  At  one  end  of  the  intervening  space,  near  the 
city  wall,  stood  sailors  and  marines.  The  American  dragoons 
and  a  battery  were  opposite  them,  and  a  white  flag  waved  at 
the  centre.  A  little  before  noon  the  Mexican  troops,  in  their 
best  uniforms  of  blue,  white  and  red,  marched  out  of  the  gate, 
formed  by  company  front  with  a  band  at  the  head  of  each 
regiment,  advanced  to  the  flag,  and  stacked  arms.  A  few 
slammed  or  even  broke  their  muskets;  many  kissed  their 
hands  to  the  city ;  and  a  standard  bearer,  who  had  removed  his 
flag  from  the  staff  and  secreted  it  in  his  bosom,  wept  for  joy 
when  permitted  to  keep  it.  But  most  of  the  men  seemed  in 


36  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

fairly  good  spirits,  and  as  a  rule  the  much-decorated  officers, 
who  retained  their  swords,  produced  a  fine  impression.32 

As  the  rear  of  the  column  left  the  gate,  the  Mexican  banner 
on  Fort  Santiago,  after  receiving  a  last  salute  from  the  guns 
of  the  city  and  castle,  was  lowered;  and  then  issued  forth 
a  crowd  of  men,  women  and  children,  loaded  with  fiddles, 
guitars,  parrots,  monkeys,  dogs,  game-cocks,  toys  and  household 
utensils,  that  was  enough  to  destroy  any  funereal  sentiments 
which  otherwise  might  have  been  felt.  Even  by  the  Mexican 
accounts,  not  a  word  or  look  of  triumph,  not  even  a  note  of 
authority,  was  chargeable  to  the  victors;  and  Worth,'  who 
received  the  column,  proffered  a  thousand  courtesies.  General 
Scott,  the  so-called  "vain-glorious/'  remained  in  the  back- 
ground ;  but  he  sent  a  note  excusing  from  their  parole  about 
forty  officers,  whom  he  expected  to  aid  him  at  the  capital  as 
in  effect  advocates  of  peace.32 

Amid  cheers  and  the  waving  of  caps,  American  flags  then 
rose  on  the  forts,  greeted  by  hundreds  of  salutes  from  sea  and 
shore.  It  seemed,  wrote  a  soldier,  as  if  there  were  nothing  in 
the  world  but  cannon,  and  all  the  cannon  thundering;  and 
the  glory  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  gleaming  amidst  the  smoke, 
gave  a  new  significance  to  the  emblem  of  patriotism.  With  his 
bands  playing  favorite  American  airs,  Worth's  brigade  now 
marched  into  the  town;  and  later  Scott,  with  his  staff  and  a 
brilliant  escort,  followed  it.  Perry  took  formal  possession  of 
Ulua ;  and  the  disbanded  Mexican  troops  that  resided  elsewhere 
scattered  to  their  homes,  preparing  the  people  for  submission 
wherever  they  went  by  tales  of  American  invincibility,  and 
teaching  them  by  every  sort  of  outrage  to  welcome  American 
rule.32 


XXIII 
CERRO  GORDO 

April,  1847 

I  BELIEVE  it  would  be  many  months  after  the  capture  of 
Vera  Cruz  and  the  fortress  of  tMa,  sa;d  Minister  Pakenham 
in  substance  at  the  end  of  January,  1847,  before  an  army  strong 
enough  to  advance  any  distance  into  the  interior  could  be  col- 
lected there,  and  meantime  the  climate  wouM  be  "frightfully 
destructive."  Heat,  fatigue,  differences  in  food,  and  the  yellow 
fever  will  cause  heavy  losses,  wrote  Bermtidez  de  Castro,  the 
Spanish  minister  at  Mexico  in  March,  and  the  road  to  the 
capital  passes  so  many  centres  of  population  and  so  many  fine 
military  positions,  that  without  great  labor  and  preparations 
an  invading  force  can  be  destroyed.  Two  men  better  qualified 
to  express  opinions  on  the  matter  could  scarcely  have  been 
found;  but  without  hesitation  the  "  scientific  and  visionary" 
Scott  addressed  himself  to  the  task.  Had  the  requisitions  duly 
made  by  him  in  November  been  complied  with,  he  might  by 
this  time,  at  a  trifling  cost  in  lives,  have  been  standing  on  the 
great  plateau,  and  quite  possibly  within  the  capital ;  but  now, 
with  only  two  thirds  of  the  desired  troops  1  and  an  insufficient 
supply  of  many  other  essentials,  he  fearlessly  girded  up  his 
loins.6 

Stores  were  expeditiously  landed.  The  First  Infantry  and 
two  independent  volunteer  companies  received  orders  to 
garrison  the  town  and  the  fortress.  It  was  arranged  to  mini- 
mize the  danger  of  yellow  fever  by  keeping  the  Americans  at 
the  water-front  as  much  as  possible  and  cleaning  the  city. 
The  military  department  of  Vera  Cruz,  extending  fifty  miles 
inland,  was  created.  Foreign  merchants,  under  the  threat  of 
a  six  per  cent  duty  on  exported  gold  and  silver,  supplied  funds 
by  cashing  official  drafts  on  the  Un'ted  States  at  par.  "One 
more  appeal  ...  to  the  ninety-seven  honorable  men,  against, 

37 


38  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

perhaps,  the  three  miscreants  in  every  hundred/'  urging  them 
to  cooperate  actively  in  preventing  even  trivial  outrages,  was 
issued ;  and  the  people  of  the  region  were  addressed  2  in  a 
proclamation.8 

"Mexicans/'  said  Scott,  I  am  advancing  at  the  head  of  a 
powerful  army,  which  is  soon  to  be  doubled,  and  another  army 
of  ours  is  advancing  in  the  north.  "Americans  are  not  your 
enemies/'  however,  but  only  the  enemies  of  those  who  mis- 
governed you,  and  brought  about  this  unnatural  war.  To  the 
peaceable  inhabitants  and  to  your  church,  which  is  respected 
by  the  government,  laws  and  people  in  all  parts  of  our  country, 
we  are  friends.  Everything  possible  will  be  done  to  prevent 
or  punish  outrages  against  you;  and  on  the  other  hand  any 
citizen,  not  belonging  to  the  regular  forces,  who  undertakes 
to  injure  us  will  be  severely  chastised.  "Let,  then,  all  good 
Mexicans  remain  at  home,  or  at  their  peaceful  occupations." 
Let  them  also  furnish  supplies,  for  all  who  do  so  will  be  paid 
in  cash  and  protected.  If  such  a  course  be  followed,  the  war 
may  soon  end  honorably  for  both  sides;  and  the  Americans, 
"having  converted  enemies  into  friends,"  will  return  home.6 

The  problem  of  transportation,  however,  caused  the  General 
a  great  deal  of  trouble.  As  early  as  the  beginning  of  February 
notice  of  his  probable  needs  had  been  given  by  him  to  the 
quartermaster's  department,  and  presumably  steps  had  been 
taken  to  meet  them ;  but  the  loss  of  animals  on  board  the  ships 
during  storms  or  by  the  wrecking  of  transports  had  upset  all 
calculations.3  For  wagons  especially  he  was  dependent  upon 
the  United  States.  At  least  eight  hundred  were  needed,  and 
up  to  April  5  only  one  hundred  and  eighty  had  arrived,  though 
three  hundred  more  were  known  to  be  on  the  way.  Four  or 
five  thousand  mules  were  required  for  wagons,  two  or  three 
thousand  for  pack-saddles,  and  about  four  hundred  mules  or 
horses  for  the  siege  train;  and  by  the  same  date  less  than 
1100  had  been  obtained.  An  expedition  to  the  village  of  La 
Antigua  4  on  the  north  shore  met  with  little  success  in  this 
regard,  and  a  more  important  one,  to  the  rich  country  on  the 
upper  Alvarado  River,4  which  was  supposed  to  abound  in 
horses  and  mules,  produced  but  very  disappointing  results.* 

In  the  opinion  of  Scott,  however,  the 'district  near  Jalapa,  a 
beautiful  city  about  seventy-four  miles  inland,  was  likely  to 


MEXICAN  DEFENSIVE  PLANS 


39 


prove  more  satisfactory.  From  Beach's  friend,  Mrs.  Storms, 
who  had  presented  herself  to  him  on  March  20,  he  seems  to 
have  learned  that  friendly  sentiments  were  entertained  there. 
No  serious  opposition  below  that  point  and  even  for  some 
distance  beyond  it  seemed  to  him  probable;  and  hence  on 
April  8,  although  his  means  for  equipping  a  road  train  were 
but  a  quarter  of  what  he  desired,  and  only  an  inadequate  siege 
train  could  be  moved,  the  second  division  of  regulars,  com- 
manded by  Brigadier  General  Twiggs,  marched  for  Jjalapa,  which 


VERA   CRUZ  TO  PEROTE 

N 


Wmt.EogCo  .NY 


was  also  the  first  point  where  large  quantities  of  subsistence 
and  forage  could  be  obtained.6 

Measures  to  defend  the  route  had  been  set  on  foot  by  Mexico 
in  good  season.6  From  the  lofty  plateau  of  the  interior  the 
national  highway  —  which  it  was  evident  that  an  American 
army  would  have  to  follow  on  account  of  its  artillery  —  wound 
through  mountains  to  sea  level,  presenting,  according  to  the 
minister  of  war,  "almost  insuperable  obstacles  against  any 
audacious  invader/'  Not  far  above  Jalapa  the  village  of  Las 
Vigas  marked  a  spot  of  military  value,  and  the  narrow,  rugged 
pass  at  La  Hoya,  though  it  could  be  turned  without  much 
difficulty,  afforded  an  excellent  opportunity  to  stop  a  weak 
force  or  delay  a  strong  one,  while  below  that  city  Corral  Falso, 


40 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


Cerro  Gordo,  Plan  del  Rio  and  the  national  bridge  (puente 
national)  were  fine  points.  As  early  as  October  11,  1846,  an 
order  to  fortify  several  of  these  positions  was  issued.  Some 
gangs  of  laborers  assembled,  a  little  preparatory  clearing  of 
the  ground  was  done,  a  few  cannon  were  moved  about;  but 
energy,  money,  supplies,  appliances  and  engineering  skill  fell 
indefinitely  short  of  the  requirements,  and  up  to  the  twentieth 
of  March,  1847,  nothing  substantial  was  accomplished.9 

That  day  Santa  Anna  arrived  near  the  capital  on  his  return 
from  the  north,  and,  although  he  expected  Vera  Cruz  to  delay 
the  Americans  much  longer  than  it  did,  he  seems  to  have  taken 
the  southern  danger  into  consideration  at  once.  Disputes 
between  the  generals  had  sprung  up.  As  a  result  La  Vega 

was  given  the  district  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  Corral  Falso, 
General  Gregorio  Gomez 
that  extending  from  Corral 
Falso  to  Las  Vigas,  and 
General  Gaona  a  jurisdic- 
tion above  this;  and  each 
was  ordered  to  fortify  his 
best  points  and  raise  as 
many  troops  as  he  could. 
Over  all  of  these  officers 
,  was  then  placed  General 

Canalizo,  a  little  man  with  a  big  tongue,  as  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  eastern  division.  The  forces  lyider  Senobio  and 
other  chiefs  were  to  be  gathered,  "  regularized "  and  trained. 
The  troops  —  a  cavalry  brigade,  two  brigades  of  infantry  and 
a  force  of  artillery  —  that  had  followed  the  President  from 
La  Angostura  were  ordered  to  march  toward  Vera  Cruz  by 
the  shortest  route,  a  br'gade  under  Rangel  to  proceed  from 
the  capital  in  the  same  direction,  and  2000  National  Guards, 
from  Puebla  to  join  those  corps ;  and  General  Mora,  who  now 
commanded  the  Army  of  the  North,  was  instructed  to  send 
his  bronze  16-pounders  to  Jalapa  with  all  possible  speed.7 
Every  effective  engineer  then  at  the  capital  received  similar 
marching  orders,  and  attention  was  given  to  the  need  of 
ammunition,  wagons,  mules  and  other  necessaries.  At  the 
same  time  instructions  were  issued  to  block  the  route  via 


CONTOUR  LINES  NEAR  CERRO  GORDO 

The    difference  of   elevation  between   two 
lines  is  fifty  metres. 


SANTA  ANNA  AT  THE  FRONT         41 

Orizaba  at  Chiquihuite,  a  naturally  strong  position  below  that 
city.9 

Late  on  March  30  news  that  Vera  Cruz  had  fallen  reached 
the  capital.  At  once  the  government  expelled  Black,  the 
American  consul  residing  at  Mexico,  and  issued  a  circular  call- 
ing upon  all  citizens  to  forget  rancor  and  dissension,  offer  their 
lives  and  fortunes,  and  stand  unitedly  behind  the  President. 
"Mexicans/'  exclaimed  Santa  Anna,  "do  not  hesitate  between 
death  and  slavery.  .  .  .  Awake !  A  sepulchre  opens  at  your 
feet;  let  it  at  least  be  covered  with  laurels !"  and  he  adjured 
Canalizo  in  the  name  of  the  country  to  fortify  Corral  Falso 
and  Cerro  Gordo,  and  above  all  to  defend  the  national  bridge 
"in  all  possible  ways  and  at  all  costs"  in  order  to  give  time  for 
troops  to  concentrate  above  it.  With  Senobio's  forces  and 
the  militia  —  amounting,  said  this  letter,  to  more  than  2000 
men  —  and  aided  by  the  topography  of  the  ground,  itself 
"equal  in  value  to  an  army,"  the  enemy  could  be  detained, 
the  President  assured  him;  and  he  was  authorized  to  shoot 
every  deserter  and  every  coward.  At  the  same  time  Governor 
Soto  was  directed  to  proclaim  martial  law,  call  out  all  the  fit 
men  between  the  ages  of  fifteen  and  fifty  years,  and  aid  Canalizo 
in  every  possible  way.  Then,  after  transferring  the  executive 
power  to  General  Anaya,  the  substitute  President,  Santa 
Anna  left  the  capital  on  April  2.  As  he  went  down  the  steps 
of  the  palace  to  his  waiting  carriage,  he  and  the  onlookers  felt 
sad  presentiments  they  could  not  hide.  Even  his  enemies 
had  tears  in  their  eyes,  and  it  seemed  to  every  one  like  a  final 
good-by.9 

On  the  way  gloomy  reports  met  him.  Soto  wrote  that  while 
all  in  his  power  had  been  done,  the  fate  of  Vera  Cruz  had 
smitten  the  people  with  terror,  and  the  resources  of  the  ^tate 
were  far  from  adequate.  Canalizo  wrote  no  more  hopefully. 
Efforts  had  Seen  made  to  rouse  the  spirit  of  the  public.8  Under 
penalty  of  death  all  intercourse  with  the  Americans  had  been 
prohibited,  and  under  the  same  threat  all  citizens  had  been 
ordered  to  place  beyond  the  invader's  reach  whatever  could 
be  of  service  to  him.  But  the  outlook  was  dark.  Although  a 
good  engineer  had  been  at  the  national  bridge  for  a  week, 
work  on  the  fortifications  had  scarcely  begun ;  eight  hundred 
out  of  a  thousand  men  had  fled  panic-stricken  on  learn- 


42  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

ing  of  Scott's  triumph  at  Vera  Cruz,  there  was  little  ammunition 
or  money,  and  the  bridge  could  not  be  held.  In  view  of  Santa 
Anna's  adjuration  Canalizo  promised  to  make  another  effort, 
but  he  soon  ordered  La  Vega  to  abandon  the  position.  The 
light  fortifications  recently  built  were  demolished,  and  as 
wagons  to  carry  the  guns  away  could  not  be  obtained,  they 
were  spiked  and  pitched  into  a  ravine.9 

Observing  at  La  Hoya  that  virtually  nothing  had  been  done, 
Santa  Ann-a  ordered  Engineer  Cano  to  fortify  the  pass,  and 
then  went  on  to  his  great  hacienda  of  El  Encero,  eight  miles 
below  Jalapa,  where  he  arrived  on  the  fifth.  Two  days  later, 
in  company  with  Lieutenant  Colonel  Robles,  he  passed  Corral 
Falso,  five  miles  farther  down  the  highway,  and  the  hamlet  of 
Cerro  Gordo,  nearly  five  miles  beyond  that,  and  finally,  making 
a  steep  and  circuitous  descent,  he  came  to  Plan  del  Rio,  about 
five  miles  from  the  hamlet.  Near  the  first  of  these  three  posi- 
tions the  highway  passed  through  a  narrow,  craggy  defile,  that 
could  not  be  turned ;  but  Santa  Anna  decided  to  make  a  stand 
at  the  second,  because  according  to  the  country  people  and  the 
traditions  of  both  the  Spanish  regime  and  the  revolutionary 
war,  it  was  equally  unassailable  on  the  flanks,  and  holding  it 
would  force  the  Americans  to  remain  within  reach  of  the  yellow 
fever,  which  ceased  to  be  terrible  just  above  Plan  del  Rio.14 

Very  little  work  had  been  done  at  Cerro  Gordo,  but  the 
position  seemed  admirable.  About  half  a  mile  below  the  hamlet 
the  descending  highway  entered  a  ravine,  which  rapidly 
deepened.  On  the  left  of  this  rose  a  hill  named  El  Telegrafo, 
which,  though  low  and  easily  ascended  from  the  direction  of 
the  hamlet,  was  five  or  six  hundred  feet  high  on  the  opposite 
side  and  extremely  steep.  To  the  right  of  the  ravine  the  grade 
of  the  hamlet  continued  for  more  than  a  mile,  ending  finally 
in  three  tongues,  just  south  of  which  the  plateau  was  cut, 
approximately  east  and  west,  by  a  precipitous  canyon  of  rock 
more  than  five  hundred  feet  deep,  the  channel  of  a  small  stream 
called  the  Rio  del  Plan.  The  tongues,  which  may  be  desig- 
nated from  soi^th  to  north  as  A,  B  and  C,  were  parallel  to  the 
highway  and  more  or  less  fully  commanded  it.10  Near  the  head 
of  the  ravine,  at  a  spot  that  may  be  called  D,  a  road  branched 
off  from  the  highway  toward  the  tongues,  and  there  was  a 
low  eminence,  E,  in  this  vicinity,14 


CERRO  GORDO 


43 


44  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Believing  that  Scott  could  advance  with  artillery  only  by 
the  highway,  Santa  Anna  gave  his  chief  attention  to  this  part 
of  the  terrain,  and  recalling  Cano  and  his  men  from  La  Hoya, 
he  sent  them  to  assist  Robles  here.  At  the  ends  of  the  tongues 
parapets  were  laid  out,  which,  though  not  completed,  served 
to  indicate  the  correct  positions ;  and  in  front  of  each  the  bushes 
and  trees  were  cut  down  and  left  on  the  ground,  so  that  an 
assailant  should  be  impeded  and  should  have  no  screen.  On 
A  General  Pinzon,  a  mulatto  of  considerable  ability,  was  placed 
with  about  six  guns  and  some  five  hundred  men.  At  B,  where 
the  highway  had  formerly  run,  there  were  not  less  than  eight 
guns  and  about  a  thousand  troops  under  General  Jarero.  C 
was  held  by  Colonel  Badillo  with  about  five  pieces  and  nearly 
three  hundred  men.11  E  was  entrusted  to  General  La  Vega 
with  a  reserve  of  some  five  hundred  grenadiers;  and  that 
officer  had  charge  also  of  a  six  or  seven  gun  battery  at  D  and 
of  a  neighboring  breastwork,  parallel  to  the  highway  —  which 
was  cut  at  that  point  —  and  completely  dominating  it,  where 
the  Sixth  Regiment,  counting  nine  hundred  bayonets,  was 
placed.  In  all  some  3500  men,  including  the  artillery,  occupied 
this  wing.14 

April  17  Santa  Anna  transferred  Robles,  Cano  and  their 
laborers  to  the  other  side  of  the  highway.  On  the  summit  of 
El  Telegrafo,  which  commanded  the  entire  position,  there  was 
a  level  space  of  about  an  acre,  and  in  it  stood  a  square  stone 
tower.  Here  a  breastwork,  some  distance  back  from  the  crest 
and  partly  enclosing  the  tower,  was  imperfectly  constructed ; 
four  4-pounders  were  planted ;  all  the  bushes,  cactus  and  small 
trees  within  musket  range  on  the  slope  were  cut  down  and  left 
on  the  ground;  and  the  Third  Infantry,  consisting  of  about 
one  hundred  men,  took  possession  of  the  summit.  To  the  left 
and  rear  of  this  point  ran  a  spur,  which  rose  to  a  minor  crest 
—  a  broken  ledge  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  high  —  some  thirty 
feet  lower  than  the  summit  and  about  a  hundred  yards  from  it. 
In  the  rear  of  all  these  points,  close  to  the  hamlet,  lay  the  main 
camp  and  strong  reserves  of  troops  and  guns.  To  Santa  Anna 
the  position  seemed  impregnable.  He  reported  to  the  govern- 
ment that  it  was  completely  fortified,  well  armed  with  artillery 
and  garrisoned  with  12,000  men.12  News  from  the  capital 
that  revolutionary  movements  were  on  foot  and  that  some- 


CERRO  GORDO  45 

thing  must  be  accomplished  to  prevent  the  idea  of  peace  from 
gaining  currency,  no  longer  troubled  him.  Confiding  in  his 
army  and  his  position  he  gave  free  rein  to  his  vanity,  his  lord- 
liness and  his  exultation.  Here  should  the  proud  invaders  be 
rolled  back  or  here  under  the  saffron  wing  of  the  plague  should 
they  rot.  And  then  let  domestic  foes  tremble  ! 14 

But  a  number  of  circumstances  undermined  him.  The 
narrow  camp,  too  much  crowded  with  cottages,  tents,  huts  and 
market  booths,  became  confused  even  while  there  were  no 
hostilities.  Insects  kept  the  troops  restive.  The  supply  of 
water,  brought  in  barrels  from  the  Rio  del  Plan,  was  insuffi- 
cient,13 and  many  drank  the  crude  sap  of  the  maguey,  which 
made  them  ill.  A  sort  of  cholera  set  in,  and  exposure  pro- 
duced lung  troubles.  Far  worse,  however,  were  the  moral 
distempers.  Some  of  the  troops  had  turned  their  backs  to 
the  Americans  at  Palo  Alto,  the  Ilesaca,  Monterey  and  Buena 
Vista,  while  others  had  recently,  to  their  utter  amazement, 
seen  heroic  Vera  Cruz  and  mighty  Ulua,  the  pride  of  Mexico, 
haul  down  their  flags ;  and  men  of  both  classes  represented  the 
enemy  as  invincible.  Every  deserter  was  ordere  1  shot,  and 
this  interference  with  a  popular  diversion  gave  offence.14 

Looking  at  the  shaggy  hills  and  ravines  on  his  left,  Santa 
Anna  declared  that  a  rabbit  could  not  get  through  there. 
Perhaps  not,  thought  many  a  soldier,  but  the  Americans  are 
not  rabbits.  About  seven  hundred  yards  in  front  of  El  Tele- 
grafo  stood  a  similar  though  somewhat  lower  hill  called  La 
Atalaya,  which  commanded  a  wide  expanse  of  the  rough  country, 
and  the  engineers  felt  it  should  be  fortified  and  strongly  held ; 
but  the  President  would  merely  station  twenty-five  men  there. 
Robles  himself  believed  that  Scott  could  turn  the  main  position, 
and  wanted  fortifications  erected  at  the  extreme  left;  but 
Santa  Anna  would  listen  to  no  advice,  and  his  cocksureness 
itself  excited  alarm.  In  private,  officers  talked  of  a  disaster, 
and  even  Canalizo  foreboded  it.  The  tinder  of  a  panic  was 
ready.14 

Meanwhile  Twiggs  with  two  field  batteries,15  six  24-pounders, 
two  8-inch  howitzers,  four  10-inch  mortars,  and  a  squadron  of 
dragoons  —  in  all  some  2600  men  —  set  out  in  the  footsteps 
of  Cortez.16  Most  fortunately  the  troops  had  a  stock  of  en- 
thusiasm, for  the  beginning  of  the  march  was  terrible.  After 


46  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

going  three  miles  along  the  beach  they  struck  off  at  a  right 
angle  for  six  or  eight  on  a  deep,  sandy  road,  sometimes  three 
or  four  feet  below  the  level  of  the  ground,  with  a  blazing  sun 
overhead,  not  a  breath  of  moving  air,  and  Twiggs's  horse  for  a 
pace-maker.  Many  threw  away  everything  detachable,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  division  —  at  least  four  fifths,  it  was 
said  —  fell  by  the  way.  Some  died,  and  many  others  did  not 
rejoin  the  command  for  days.  Unbroken  mules  and  drivers 
ignorant  of  their  business  added  to  the  difficulties.  The 
meagre  facilities  for  transportation  did  not  permit  even  officers 
to  have  tents,  and  some  of  the  scanty  supplies  were  lost  through 
the  breaking  down  of  wagons.19 

The  next  day,  happily,  a  change  took  place.  The  column 
set  out  before  sunrise,  marched  more  slowly,  and  halted  oc- 
casionally; and  the  national  highway,  no  longer  buried  in 
sand,  proved  to  be  a  spacious,  comfortably  graded  cement 
avenue,  carried  over  the  streams  by  handsome  bridges  of  cut 
stone,  and  flanked  on  both  sides  by  the  estates  of  Santa  Anna.17 
Now  it  penetrated  a  dark  forest  of  palms,  cactus,  limes  and 
countless  other  trees  festooned  with  vines,  and  now  it  crossed 
rolling  prairies.  Here  it  was  cut  through  solid  rock;  here  it 
skirted  a  beautiful  hill,  with  a  charming  vista  of  leafy  glades ; 
and  presently  it  was  clinging  as  if  in  terror  to  the  face  of  a  cliff. 
Bowers  carpeted  with  many  soft  hues  and  perfumed  with 
heliotrope  recalled  ideas  of  Eden,  while  marshes  full  of  strange 
bloated  growths,  bluish-green  pools  rimmed  with  flowers  of  a 
suspicious  brilliancy,  and  thick  clumps  of  dagger  plants  tipped 
with  crimson  offered  suggestions  of  a  different  sort.19 

Matted  tangles  of  leafage  spattered  with  gold,  big  tulipans 
gleaming  in  the  shadows  like  a  red  rose  in  the  hair  of  a  Spanish 
dancer,  blossoms  like  scarlet  hornets  that  almost  flew  at  one's 
eyes,  and  blooms  like  red-hot  hair-brushes,  the  sight  of  which 
made  the  scalp  tingle,  were  balanced  with  big,  close  masses 
of  white  throats  and  purple  mouths,  and  with  banks  of  the 
greenish-white  cuatismilla,  discharging  invisible  clouds  of  a 
fragrance  that  seemed  to  be  locust  blended  with  lily  of  the 
valley.  Trees  with  tops  like  balloons,  like  corkscrews  and 
like  tables,  trees  drained  almost  dry  by  starry  parasites  that 
swung  from  their  branches,  trees  covered  with  strawberry 
blossoms  —  or  what  appeared  to  be  strawberry  blossoms  — 


TWIGGS'S  ADVANCE  47 

that  were  to  graduate  into  coffee  beans,  trees  bare  of  every- 
thing except  great  yellow  suns,  the  Flower  of  God,  that  fasci- 
nated one's  gaze  —  these  and  countless  other  surprises  followed 
one  another ;  and  then  would  come  a  whole  grove  netted  over 
with  morning  glories  in  full  bloom.  Amid  scenes  like  these  our 
exhausted  troops  quickly  regained  their  spirits.19 

Toward  the  end  of  the  march  on  the  eleventh,  when  about 
thirty-seven  miles  from  Vera  Cruz,  the  troops  crossed  a  branch 
of  the  Antigua,  and  soon  came  to  the  river  itself.  In  the 
triangular  space  thus  bounded  rose  a  hill  crowned  with  an  old 
fort.18  Here  stood  the  national  bridge,  a  magnificent  structure 
more  than  fifty  feet  high  and  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  length, 
commanding  romantic  views  of  the  rapid  stream  winding 
through  towering  vistas  of  luxuriant  vegetation.  On  leaving 
the  bridge  the  road  made  a  sharp  turn  to  the  left  at  the  foot  of  a 
high  and  very  steep  bluff ;  and  it  seemed  as  if  a  battery  planted 
at  the  top  of  the  bluff,  as  La  Vega's  had  been,  might  stop  an 
army  until  overpowered  with  siege  guns.  But  Canalizo  had 
been  wiser  than  his  chief,  for  there  were  fords  above  and  below 
and  cross-roads  in  the  rear,  that  made  it  possible  to  turn  the 
position.  So  amidst  a  wondrous  illumination  from  glow- 
worms and  fireflies,  the  troops  made  their  third  camp  here 
in  peace.19 

Beyond  this  point  the  influence  of  Canalizo  could  be  seen. 
The  bamboo  huts  thatched  with  palrn-leaves  were  all  vacant 
and  empty.  Scarcely  one  living  creature  could  be  seen  except 
flitting  birds.  These,  however,  still  abounded :  parrots,  ma- 
caws, hawks,  eagles,  orioles,  humming-birds,  mocking-birds, 
cardinals  brighter  than  cardinals,  cranes  larger  than  cranes, 
talkative  chachalacas,  toucans  as  vociferous  as  their  bills  were 
huge  —  every  color  from  indigo  to  scarlet,  and  every  note 
from  the  scream  to  the  warble ;  and  the  same  ocean  of  green 
still  rolled  its  vast  billows,  warmed  and  brightened  by  the 
same  golden  sun.19 

At  the  end  of  this  march,  about  thirteen  miles  from  the 
national  bridge,  the  highway  narrowed  and  pitched  down  a 
long,  steep,  winding  descent,  with  overhanging  trees  and  rocks 
on  one  side  and  a  precipice  on  the  other,  as  if  making  for  the 
centre  of  the  globe.  Then  it  crossed  Rfo  del  Plan,  and  came  to 
a  small,  irregular  opening,  where  a  few  scattered  huts  could  be 


48  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

seen.  This  was  Plan  del  Rio.  Views  of  superb  heights  de- 
lighted the  eye,  but  the  hot  breath  of  the  coast  could  be  felt 
in  the  valley.  Even  the  hollows  between  the  sand-hills  of 
Vera  Cruz  were  thought  less  pestilential.  But  the  men  lay 
down,  and,  as  a  soldier  wrote,  covered  themselves  with  the 
sky.19', 

In  the  midst  of  scenery  like  this,  "Old  Davy"  Twiggs  ap- 
peared like  a  perfectly  natural  feature.  His  robust  and  capa- 
cious body,  powerful  shoulders,  bull-neck,  heavy,  cherry-red 
face,  and  nearly  six  feet  of  erect  stature  represented  physical 
energy  at  its  maximum.  With  bristling  white  hair  and,  when 
the  regulations  did  not  interfere,  a  thick  white  beard,  he  seemed 
like  a  kind  of  snow-clad  volcano,  a  human  ^Etna,  pouring  forth 
a  red-hot  flood  of  orders  and  objurgations  from  his  crater  of  a 
mouth ;  and  he  was  vastly  enjoyed  by  the  rough  soldiers  even 
when,  as  they  said,  he  "cursed  them  right  out  of  their  boots. " 
In  a  more  strictly  human  aspect  he  made  an  excellent  disci- 
plinarian, and  he  could  get  more  work  out  of  the  men  than 
anybody  else  in  the  army ;  but  as  a  warrior,  while  he  always 
looked  thirsty  for  a  fight,  he  was  thought  over-anxious  to  fight 
another  day  —  to  be,  in  short,  a  hero  of  the  future  instead  of 
the  past ;  and  as  a  general,  Scott  had  already  said  that  he  was 
not  qualified  "  to  command  an  army  —  either  in  the  presence, 
or  in  the  absence  of  an  enemy."  His  brains  were,  in  fact, 
merely  what  happened  to  be  left  over  from  the  making  of  his 
spinal  cord,  and  the  soldiers'  names  for  him  —  the  "Horse" 
and  the  "  Bengal  Tiger"  —  classed  him  fairly  as  regarded 
intellect.20 

Twiggs  had  been  warned  by  Scott  that  a  substantial  army, 
commanded  by  Santa  Anna,  lay  in  his  front;  lancers  were 
encountered  on  April  11 ;  and  a  reconnaissance  of  that  after- 
noon, made  because  the  enemy  were  said  to  be  in  force  just 
ahead,  proved  that  guns  commanded  the  pass  of  Cerro  Gordo ; 
yet  the  next  morning  he  advanced  in  the  usual  marching  order. 
Nothing  saved  his  division  but  the  eagerness  of  the  Mexicans. 
They  opened  fire  before  he  was  entirely  within  the  jaws  of 
death,  and  he  managed  to  retreat  —  extricating  his  train  with 
difficulty,  however.  The  enemy  have  given  up  and  withdrawn, 
boasted  Santa  Anna,  while  the  Americans  felt  ashamed.  Further 
reconnoitring  on  that  day  gave  a  still  more  impressive  idea  of 


DISCOURAGEMENT  49 

the  problem  ahead ;  but  the  General,  as  if  intoxicated  by  hold- 
ing an  independent  command,  ordered  an  assault  made  at 
daybreak  the  next  morning.  The  Volunteer  Division,  consist- 
ing at  present  of  two  brigades,  a  field  battery  and  a  squadron 
of  cavalry,  then  arrived.  Patterson,  who  led  it,  seemed, 
however,  by  no  means  eager  to  accept  the  responsibility  of 
command,  and,  as  no  confidence  whatever  was  felt  in  Pillow, 
the  second  in  rank,  he  placed  the  entire  force  under  Twiggs 
on  the  ground  of  illness.  Pillow  and  Shields,  who  were  thought 
no  less  willing  than  Twiggs  to  make  a  bid  for  glory  at  the 
expense  of  their  men,  then  demanded  a  day  for  rest  and  prepara- 
tion ;  and  accordingly,  about  sunset  on  the  thirteenth,  orders 
for  the  attack  were  issued.20 

But  the  officers  and  sold'ers,  distrusting  alike  the  informa- 
tion and  the  ability  of  their  commander,  now  felt  extremely 
depressed.  The  situation  appeared  hopeless,  thought  even 
Lieutenant  U.  S.  Grant ;  and  Captain  Robert  E.  Lee  descr  bed 
the  Mexican  position  as  an  "  unscalable "  precipice  on  one  side 
and  "impas&'il  le"  ravines  on  the  other.  It  seemed,  wrote 
a  third  man,  like  a  Gibraltar ;  and  the  idea  of  assailing  it  w  th 
Twiggs  for  leader  inspired  the  deepest  alarm.  Everybody 
not  selfishly  ambitious  desired  to  wait  for  the  commander- 
in-chief ;  and  yet  Polk,  in  order  to  justify  his  depreciat'on  of 
Scott,  said  with  reference  to  this  very  s'tuation,  that  our  forces 
wou'd  be  victorious  "if  there  was  not  an  officer  among 
them."  Suddenly,  however,  the  faces  of  the  men  brooding 
round  their  bivouac  fires  lighted  up,  for  news  came  that 
Patterson,  in  order  to  veto  the  project  of  Tw'ggs,  had  assumed 
the  command,  and  ordered  offensive  operations  to  be  sus- 
pended.20 

Scott,  whose  ideas  of  an  army  differed  radically  from  those 
prevalent  in  Mexico,  hard^  believed  that  Santa  Anna  could 
place  himself  below  Jalapa  at  this  time  with  as  many  as  4000 
men,  even  though  reports  of  a  larger  number  reached  him; 
but  he  arranged  to  drop  his  work  at  Vera  Cruz  on  the  first  news 
of  serious  opposition,  and  'etters  from  Twiggs  and  Pillow,  re- 
ceived late  on  Apr'l  11,  led  him  to  set  out  the  next  day.  Early 
on  Wednesday  afternoon,  the  14th,  he  was  at  Plan  del  Rio, 
doffing  his  o'd  straw  hat  as  the  soldiers,  who  doubtless  realized 
that  in  taking  Vera  Cruz  by  siege  instead  of  assault  he  had 

VOL.   II — E 


50  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

spared  their  lives,  cheered  tumultuously.  Instantly  chaos 
became  order,  confidence  reigned,  and  the  jealous  clashes  of 
the  commanders  ended.  Now  something  will  be  done,  thought 
the  officers ;  the  soldiers  began  to  laugh  and  whistle ;  and  what 
an  officer  called  a  "hum  of  satisf action "  pervaded  the  camp. 
Already  the  battle  was  half  gained.23 

Engineers  Beauregard  and  Tower  had  by  this  time  done 
some  reconnoitring,  and,  as  indeed  would  have  been  fairly 
obvious  to  any  intelligent  person,  had  concluded  that  a  turn- 
ing movement  against  the  Mexican  left  —  toward  which  a 
trail  had  been  found  to  lead  —  offered  the  best  hope.  But  an 
idea  was  not  a  plan.  The  reconnaissances  were  far  from  com- 
plete, and  reports  upon  the  Mexican  position  and  numbers 
differed  materially.  Hence  the  commander-in-chief,  who 
accepted  everything  valuable  done  by  his  subordinates  but 
never  surrendered  his  own  judgment,  decided  to  begin  anew, 
and,  in  the  hope  of  gaining  the  highway  in  Santa  Anna's  rear 
and  cutting  off  his  entire  army,  sent  Captain  Lee  at  once  to 
the  ravines.21  Friday  that  indefatigable  engineer  found  him- 
self in  contact  with  the  Mexican  lines  far  to  the  rear  of  El 
Telegrafo.  Reconnoitring  could  go  no  farther,  and  the  high- 
way toward  Jalapa  was  not  actually  seen  ;  but  there  were  good 
reasons  for  believing  it  near,  and  the1  construction  of  a  "road" 
for  troops  and  artillery  on  the  route  discovered  by  Lee  was 
pressed  with  great  energy.  At  about  9  o'clock  on  Friday 
evening  all  the  facts  and  conclusions  were  brought  together  in 
a  plan  by  Major  John  L.  Smith,  senior  engineer  on  the  ground, 
and  in  substance  his  plan  was  adopted.  Its  essential  point 
was,  in  accordance  with  Scott's  announced  aim,  to  gain  the 
highway  in  the  Mexican  rear  first  of  all,  and  then  —  not  until 
then — attack  in  the  rear  and  perhaps  also  on  the  front.22  After 
the  adjournment  of  this  conference  the  army  was  further 
cheered  by  the  arrival  of  Worth,  1600  picked  men  and  a  num- 
ber of  heavy  guns.  The  Mexican  forces  were  estimated  as 
12-18,000,  and  Scott  had  only  8500;  but  the  bright  stars  of 
that  night  looked  down  on  an  army  sleeping  soundly  in  full 
courage  and  confidence.23 

At  seven  or  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning  Twiggs  advanced. 
His  instructions  were  to  avoid  a  collision,  occupy  La  Atalaya, 
reach  the  Mexican  left,  and  rest  on  his  arms  near  the  highway 


PRELIMINARY  OPERATIONS 


51 


until  the  remainder  of  the  army  should  be  in  position,  and  the 
time  for  acting  decisively  should  arrive.  Accordingly,  after 
marching  about  three  miles  along  the  highway  he  turned  off 
to  the  right  by  the  road  already  cut,  ordering  the  men  to  trail 
arms  and  preserve  absolute  silence.  At  one  point  the  road 
lay  for  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet  in  view  of  the  enemy,  and 
Lee  proposed  to  screen  it  with  brush.  But  this  appeared  to 
Twiggs  quite  unnecessary,  and  hence  the  Mexicans  could  ob- 
serve not  only  the  troops  but  four  mountain  howitzers,  four 
6-pounders,  and  two  12-pounders  gleaming  in  the  sun.  Pinzon 


BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO 
CENTRAL  PART  OF  THE  FIELD 

Scale  of  Feet 


and  also  the  outpost  on  La  Atalaya  notified  Santa  Anna  of 
the  American  movement,  and  strong  reinforcements  were 
therefore  despatched  to  that  hill.26 

Twiggs  advanced  but  slowly,  for  the  road  —  hewed  in  the 
roughest  way  through  oaks,  mesquite,  chaparral,  cactus  and 
the  like  and  over  almost  impassable  ground  —  could  barely 
answer  its  purpose,  but  about  noonday  the  command  found 
itself  in  the  vicinity  of  La  Atalaya.  Lieutenant  Gardner  of 
the  Seventh  Infantry  was  then  directed  to  ascend  a  neighbor- 
ing hill  with  Company  E,  and  take  an  observation  of  the 
enemy.  He  was  attacked ;  upon  which  Colonel  Harney,  now 
commanding  Twiggs's  first  brigade  in  place  of  Persifor  F. 


52  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Smith,  who  was  ill,  sent  forces  to  relieve  him,  pursued  the 
Mexicans  to  La  Atalaya  with  the  Mounted  Rifles,  First  Ar- 
tillery and  other  troops,  and  after  a  stiff  combat  occupied  that 
point.26 

One  of  the  captains  —  for  on  such  ground  independence  of 
action  was  unavoidable  —  inquired  of  Twiggs  how  far  to 
charge  the  enemy.  "Charge  'em  to  hell!"  roared  the  Bengal 
Tiger;  and  naturally  enough  a  small  American  force  rushed 
down  the  farther  slope  of  La  Atalaya  and  began  to  ascend 
El  Telegrafo.  It  was  then  in  a  desperate  situation,  exposed 
to  the  cannon  of  the  Mexicans  and  to  overwhelming  numbers. 
A  party  of  Americans  under  Major  Sumner,  which  bravely 
hastened  to  its  relief,  succeeded  only  in  sharing  its  plight. 
But  happily  cover  was  found;  a  howitzer  discouraged  the 
enemy ;  and  later  this  group  was  able  to  retire.  La  Atalaya 
remained  in  American  hands  despite  attempts  to  recover  it; 
but  the  Mexicans  had  been  fully  warned,  and  our  troops  were 
not  lying  on  their  arms  near  the  Jalapa  route.  Meantime  or 
soon  Shields's  brigade  came  to  the  support  of  Twiggs,  who 
now  had  control  of  nearly  5000  men.  The  casualties  amounted 
to  about  ninety  on  our  side  and  more  than  two  hundred  on 
the  other;  but  the  Mexicans,  whose  operations  had  been 
directed  by  Santa  Anna  himself,  believed  the  Americans  had 
seriously  attacked  El  Telegrafo,  and  exulted  loudly  with  shouts 
and  music  over  what  seemed  to  them  a  triumph.26 

Santa  Anna  did  not  yet  believe,  or  would  not  admit,  that 
Scott's  main  drive  would  be  aimed  against  his  left,  but  he 
recognized  the  wisdom  of  strengthening  that  wing.  He  there- 
fore ordered  a  breastwork,  which  was  made  of  short  palisades 
reinforced  behind  with  stones  and  brush,  to  be  thrown  up  near 
the  base  of  El  Telegrafo,  placed  a  couple  of  12-pounders,  the 
Second  Ligero  and  the  Fourth  Line  regiments  on  the  summit, 
selected  brave  Ciriaco  Vazquez  to  command  there,  planted 
five  guns  on  a  slight  eminence  near  headquarters  to  guard  the 
mouth  of  a  wooded  ravine  on  the  left,  had  the  ground  in  front 
of  this  battery  partly  cleared,  and  ordered  the  Eleventh  regi- 
ment and  Canalizo's  cavalry  to  support  the  guns.  The  Ameri- 
cans were  not  less  active.  By  dint  of  extraordinary  exertions 
General  Shields's  brigade,  assisted  by  other  troops,  dragged  a 
24-pounder  and  two  24-pound  howitzers  with  ropes  through 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO        53 

the  woods  and  rocky  gorges,  pulled  them  up  the  steep  and  bris- 
tling side  of  La  Atalaya,  mounted  them,  and  constructed  a 
parapet  for  them  and  the  rocket  battery;  and  with  perhaps 
even  greater  difficulty  four  New  York  companies  placed  an 
8-inch  howitzer  on  the  farther  side  of  Rio  del  Plan  over  against 
the  tongues,  A,  B  and  C.  Darkness  and  rain  did  not  facilitate 
these  operations.26 

Sunday  morning  the  sky  was  clear,  a  gentle  breeze  from  the 
Gulf  just  fluttered  the  red,  white  and  green  flag  on  the  stone 
tower,  and  the  Mexican  trumpets  blared  in  all  directions. 
Soon  the  guns  of  La  Atalaya  solemnly  announced  the  battle, 
producing  consternation  at  first  on  the  summit  of  El  Telegrafo ; 
but  the  pieces  were  badly  aimed,  and  accomplished  little  beyond 
encouraging  the  Americans  and  calling  forth  a  vigorous  reply.24 
The  Second  Infantry  and  Fourth  Artillery  under  Brevet 
Colonel  Riley  of  Twiggs's  division  now  moved  on  toward 
Santa  Anna's  rear  and  the  Jalapa  route,  supported  by  the 
brigade  of  Shields,  which  included  the  New  York  regiment  and 
the  Third  and  Fourth  Illinois.  Learning  of  this  activity  in 
the  valley,  General  Vazquez  ordered  Colonel  Uraga  with  the 
Fourth  Infantry  and  a  4-pounder  to  the  minor  crest  of  El 
Telegrafo,  and  as  Riley  crossed  the  continuation  of  the  spur  he 
was  much  annoyed  by  their  fire.  Four  companies  of  the 
Second  Infantry  were  therefore  detached  as  skirmishers,  and 
before  long,  in  spite  of  Scott's  orders  and  the  protest  of  Lee, 
who  was  conducting  Riley's  command,  Twiggs,  pawing  the 
ground  somewhere  out  of  range,  ordered  Riley's  whole  brigade 
up  the  hill.  Shields,  however,  proceeded  along  the  route  dis- 
covered by  Lee.  The  ground  was  rough  and  precipitous,  and 
the  growth  of  trees  and  thorny  chaparral  dense;  but  the 
General  —  a  stout,  soldier-like  man  with  a  heavy  mustache, 
black  hair  and  brilliant  dark  eyes  —  had  a  great  deal  of  energy, 
and  in  three  straggling  files  his  men  pushed  on.26 

During  the  artillery  duel  Harney's  command  lay  under  cover 
on  the  summit  of  La  Atalaya,  listening  to  the  harsh,  bitter 
shriek  of  the  Mexican  grape,  which  tore  the  bushes  into  shreds ; 
but  at  about  7  o'clock  a  charge  upon  El  Telegrafo  was  ordered.25 
As  the  troops  measured  the  height,  crowned  with  guns  and 
fortifications  and  topped  off  with  a  scornful  banner,  the  attempt 
seemed  almost  impudent;  but  that  was  the  day's  work,  and 


54  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

it  had  to  be  done.  First  the  "cursed  Riflemen,"  as  the  Mexi- 
cans named  them,  were  diverted  to  the  left,  where  the  Mexican 
Sixth  Infantry  could  be  seen  approaching ;  the  bugles  sounded ; 
and  then  the  Third  and  the  Seventh  Infantry,  supported  by  the 
First  Artillery,  dashed  down  the  slope  of  La  Atalaya.  Here 
and  in  the  valley  they  were  swept  by  a  deadly  shower  of  bullets, 
canister  and  grape,  and  the  front  melted  like  snowflakes ;  but, 
as  fearless  Captain  Roberts  of  the  Rifles  put  it, "  When  dangers 
thickened  and  death  talked  more  familiarly  face  to  face,  the 
men  seemed  to  rise  above  every  terror."  The  contest  at  the 
palisade  breastwork  was  hard,  and  the  Mexicans  dared  even 
to  cross  bayonets  with  Americans ;  but  they  finally  gave  way. 
Here  a  little  time  was  taken  for  rest,  and  then  forward  pressed 
the  troops,  helping  themselves  up  the  slope,  over  craggy  rocks 
and  loose  stones,  and  through  the  chaparral  by  catching  at 
bushes  and  trees.  The  screen  of  woods  and  the  steepness  of 
the  incline  protected  them  now.26 

Very  different  proved  the  cleared  part  of  the  hill,  where 
small  trees,  bushes  and  thorny  cactus  lay  spread  with  tops 
pointing  down.  Here  progress  was  slow  and  concealment 
impossible.  But  with  deliberate  fearlessness  the  men  plodded 
firmly  on,  firing  at  will,  strong  in  that  mutual  confidence  which 
gives  a  charge  its  force.  They  "seem  to  despise  death,"  cried 
the  Mexicans  in  astonishment.  Here  and  there  one  was  struck 
down;  here  and  there,  breathless  and  exhausted,  one  dropped; 
but  no  flinching  could  be  seen.  Like  the  wave  of  fire  in  a  burn- 
ing prairie,  the  line  moved  steadily  up.  "Charge,  charge!" 
shouted  the  officers;  and  the  men  yelled  and  cheered,  yelled 
and  cheered,  yelled  and  cheered  till  sometimes  it  seemed  as  if 
even  the  trees  were  cheering,  till  sometimes  the  roar  of  the  guns 
could  not  be  heard;  and  Harney  —  red-headed,  tempestuous 
Harney  of  the  steel-blue  eyes  —  at  last  in  his  element,  led  them 
as  they  deserved  to  be  led.  Superbly  tall,  his  athletic  figure 
needed  no  plume ;  the  sword  in  his  long  arm  waved  them  on ; 
like  the  keen  edge  of  a  billow  rushing  upon  the  shore  his  calm, 
shrill  voice  rode  the  tumult.26 

Just  below  the  crest  a  pause  for  breath ;  and  then  the  blue 
stripe  was  up  and  over.  At  the  breastwork  the  fighting  was 
sharp,  for  Santa  Anna  had  sent  up  two  more  regiments;  but 
soon  Vdzquez  fell ;  with  pistols,  bayonets  and  clubbed  muskets 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO        55 

the  Mexicans  were  driven  from  the  summit ;  and  in  a  moment 
big  Sergeant  Henry  of  the  Seventh  had  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
flying  from  the  tower.  Riley's  men,  pushing  up  through  dense 
thickets  under  a  hot  fire,  had  now  taken  possession  of  the  spur ; 
and  while  some  of  them  hurried  on  to  join  Harney,  others  shot 
down  the  gunners  of  the  battery  on  the  summit.  In  a  twinkling 
Captain  Magruder  turned  the  pieces,  and  poured  a  storm  of 
iron  on  the  flying  Mexicans.  General  Baneneli,  commanding 
the  reserve  just  below,  tried  hard  to  charge,  but  his  men  would 
not  face  the  yelling  Americans.  The  Grenadiers  and  the 
Eleventh  Infantry,  hurried  by  Santa  Anna  in  that  direction, 
were  overwhelmed  by  the  fugitives;  Riley's  advance  plunged 
down  the  hill  toward  the  Mexican  camp ;  and  an  indescribable 
confusion  ensued.26 

Just  at  this  time,  after  a  fearful  march  of  perhaps  two  miles, 
Shields  with  his  foremost  companies  emerged  from  the  chaparral 
on  the  Mexican  left,  and  hastily  prepared  to  charge.  Three 
guns  of  the  headquarters  battery,  one  hundred  and  fifty  or 
two  hundred  yards  distant  in  their  front,  had  been  turned  upon 
Riley,  but  the  other  two  let  fly  at  them.  Shields  fell  and  his 
men  recoiled.  It  was  no  wonder.  About  three  hundred  raw 
volunteers,  without  regulars  and  without  artillery,  stood  before 
cannon  and  an  army !  Some  two  thousand  fresh  horse  under 
Canalizo,  guarding  that  very  ravine,  faced  them  just  at  the 
left  of  the  battery,  and  the  cannon  kept  at  work.  But  their 
mere  emerging  from  the  close  chaparral  at  this  point,  in  a 
strength  which  the  enemy  could  not  measure,  was  of  itself  a 
triumph.26 

"The  Yankees!  They  have  come  out  to  the  road!"  cried 
the  Mexicans;  "Every  one  for  himself!"  Some  of  Riley's 
men  shot  down  or  frightened  away  the  gunners  of  the  battery, 
and  in  another  moment  seized  three  of  the  pieces.  At  the 
same  instant  a  section  of  Shields's  brigade,  which  had  now  come 
up  in  more  force,  captured  the  other  two,  while  a  second  section, 
followed  by  the  Seventh  Infantry,  struck  for  the  highway. 
Canalizo,  afraid  of  being  cut  off,  took  flight,  as  many  had 
already  done ;  and  all  the  rest  of  the  Mexicans  who  could,  either 
followed  him  or,  like  Santa  Anna  himself,  rushed  headlong 
down  one  or  the  other  of  two  paths,  narrow  and  steep,  that 
descended  into  the  canyon  of  the  Rio  del  Plan.  Scott,  who 


56  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

had  watched  the  charge  "under  a  canopy  of  balls,"  as  Major 
Patten  said,  was  now  on  the  scene.  Harney,  his  old  foe,  he 
greeted  in  the  warmest  and  friendliest  of  terms;  and,  as  he 
moved  among  the  victorious  troops  with  tears  rolling  down  his 
cheeks,  he  spoke  to  them  noble  and  touching  words,  as  not 
merely  their  commander  but  their  elder  brother  in  arms,  fully 
sharing  their  pains,  their  pride  and  their  joy.26 

While  these  brave  scenes  were  enacted,  the  other  flank  wit- 
nessed a  burlesque  of  war.  Naturally  Scott  planned  to  attack 
the  Mexican  right  in  order  to  deceive  Santa  Anna  regarding 
his  intentions,  prevent  the  troops  of  that  wing  from  going  to 
the  assistance  of  the  other,  and  perhaps  accomplish  something 
positive  in  that  quarter.27  This  piece  of  work  was  assigned 
to  Pillow's  brigade,  and  although  he  objected  to  it  as  dangerous, 
a  hint  about  discipline  brought  him  into  line.  As  early  as  April 
13,  in  view  of  Twiggs's  plan,  he  and  Lieutenant  Tower  of  the 
engineers  had  reconnoitred  the  ground,  and  this  examination 
had  been  continued  on  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth;  but  the 
General  did  not  understand  or  did  not  remember  what  he  saw. 
It  was  clear,  however,  that  a  force  attacking  between  A  and 
the  canyon  would  have  the  enemy  on  but  one  side,  and  would 
be  as  far  as  possible  from  the  guns  occupying  B  and  C.  With 
Scott's  approval  this  plan  was  adopted,  and  the  8-inch  howitzer 
was  placed  so  as  to  command  the  flank  and  rear  of  the  battery 
at  A29 

Pillow's  orders  were  to  set  out  on  his  march  of  about  four 
miles  at  6  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning,  yet  he  did  not  reach  his 
position  until  almost  9.  One  reason  for  the  delay '  probably 
was,  that  in  consequence  of  a  manoeuvre,  executed  by  his 
order,  the  rear  of  the  column  missed  the  proper  route.  Another 
reason  also  may  be  surmised.  Aside  from  wanting  confidence 
in  their  general's  military  capacity,  his  troops  had  long  dis- 
liked him ;  and  his  display  of  unfeeling  harshness  on  the  march 
from  Vera  Cruz  had  given  further  offence.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances things  never  can  go  well.29 

During  the  march  he  announced  that  he  had  changed  his 
mind,  and  would  have  the  First  Pennsylvania  (Wynkoop) 
supported  by  the  First  Tennessee  (Campbell)  attack  on  the 
northern  face  of  tongue  A,  and  the  Second  Tennessee  (Haskell) 
supported  by  the  Second  Pennsylvania  (Roberts)  attack  on 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CERRO  GORDO        57 

the  southern  face  of  By  which  was  obviously  sure  —  since  it 
guarded  the  old  road  —  to  be  held  more  strongly  than  either 
of  the  other  tongues.28  This  ingenious  plan,  moreover,  divided 
the  American  while  tending  to  concentrate  the  Mexican  strength. 
By  mismanagement  he  reversed  both  of  his  attacking  regiments 
—  a  mistake  that  caused  embarrassment  and  loss  of  time ;  and 
then  on  leaving  the  highway,  about  three  miles  from  Plan  del 
Rfo,  and  entering  the  narrow  path  leading  to  the  point  of 
attack,  he  adopted  this  order :  Wynkoop,  Haskell,  Campbell, 
Roberts,  which  —  since  it  was  necessary  to  advance  mostly 
in  single  file  —  placed  Campbell  and  Roberts  a  long  distance 
from  the  troops  that  each  was  to  support,  so  that  neither  of 
them  reached  his  position  before  the  fighting  on  this  wing 
ended.29 

On  arriving  at  the  appointed  spot,  where  the  orders  of  Mexi- 
can officers  at  B  could  be  heard  very  distinctly,  Haskell  began 
to  form  his  badly  scattered  regiment.  "Why  the  Hell  don't 
Colonel  Wynkoop  file  to  the  right  ?"  shouted  Pillow  at  the  top 
of  his  voice.  A  bugle  in  the  front  sounded  instantly,  and 
within  three  minutes  the  Mexicans  opened  a  heavy  fire  of  grape 
and  canister.  Some  of  Haskell's  men,  brave  but  not  in  hand, 
bolted;  others  took  shelter;  and  the  rest,  at  Pillow's  order, 
charged  pell-mell.  Emerging  into  the  cleared  space  they  re- 
ceived a  murderous  fire  from  all  of  the  tongues.  In  less  than 
three  minutes  about  eighty,  including  every  field  officer  except 
the  colonel,  were  either  killed  or  wounded,  and  all  able  to  move 
were  in  flight.  Pillow  meanwhile,  squatting  in  the  bushes  with 
his  back  to  the  enemy  at  a  distance  of  about  450  yards,  was 
"shot  all  to  pieces,"  as  he  said,  by  a  canister  bullet  that  slightly 
wounded  his  upper  arm ;  and  he  retired  at  a  run,  leaving  Wyn- 
koop without  the  promised  instructions.29 

A  state  of  general  confusion  ensued.  Campbell  and  his  men 
were  anxious  to  charge;  Wynkoop  felt  no  less  eager  when  it 
was  too  late;  the  Second  Pennsylvania  was  demoralized;  all 
were  more  or  less  under  fire.  Campbell,  however,  to  whom 
Pillow  resigned  the  command,  got  the  men  almost  ready  to 
charge  upon  tongue  A ;  but  then  Pillow,  venturing  back  from 
the  rear,  withdrew  his  brigade  so  far  into  the  woods  that,  until 
notified  by  Scott,  he  did  not  know  the  Mexicans  in  his  front, 
who  found  their  rear  was  occupied  by  the  Americans,  had 


58  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

surrendered.  As  for  the  8-inch  howitzer,  it  fired  seven  in- 
effective shells;  and  then,  at  the  critical  time,  as  Pillow  had 
neglected  to  arrange  a  code  of  signals,  Ripley,  who  controlled 
it,  suspended  work.  Evidently,  as  Polk  said,  gallant  Ameri- 
cans —  and  such  Pillow's  men  really  were  —  did  not  require 
a  commander ! 2d 

A  little  before  10  o'clock  the  fighting  was  over  and  pursuit 
began.  Having  little  cavalry  and  no  adequate  subsistence 
train  Scott's  powers  in  this  respect  were  limited;  but  every 
man  had  been  expected  to  set  out  in  the  morning  with  rations 
for  two  days,  and  substantially  all  the  troops  except  Pillow's, 
accompanied  by  two  incomplete  batteries,  moved  actively 
forward.  Patterson  once  more  became  well  enough  to  act,  and 
took  charge  of  the  advanced  forces.  Frequently  bands  of 
fugitives  were  seen  at  a  distance,  looking  in  their  cotton  or  linen 
jackets  like  flocks  of  sheep.  The  artillery  had  some  fair  long 
shots,  and  occasionally  other  troops  also  came  within  reach  of 
the  enemy.  But  the  Mexicans  fled  —  even  the  cavalry  — 
without  stopping  for  ceremony,  too  much  cowed  to  face  even 
a  small  party  of  Americans ;  and  the  results  were  of  little  sig- 
nificance.31 

Heat  and  exhaustion  checked  the  most  advanced  pursuers 
about  four  miles  from  Jalapa,  but  nothing  could  stop  the 
Mexicans.  Like  stampeded  cattle,  the  fugitives  thought  only 
of  flying  until  worn  out.  No  stand  was  made  at  Jalapa. 
At  La  Hoya,  the  second  line  of  defence,  General  Gomez,  hear- 
ing of  the  disaster,  sent  word  to  the  rear,  "  All  is  lost  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  all,  all!"  and  fled.  In  complete  disorder,  panting, 
starving,  falling  by  the  way  —  the  horses  of  the  cavalry  in  a 
like  state  —  the  men  streamed  on  toward  Puebla,  plundering 
when  they  could.  Thousands  also  of  those  who  surrendered 
managed  to  escape  at  one  place  or  another  in  the  rough,  wooded 
country,  and,  as  Scott  could  with  difficulty  feed  his  own  army 
and  thought  future  opposition  could  be  weakened  by  proving 
the  friendly  sentiments  of  his  proclamation,  the  remaining 
3000  were  released  on  parole.30  More  than  4000  stand  of  arms, 
old  and  not  worth  using,  were  destroyed;  and  about  forty 
cannon,  which  Scott  had  no  means  of  transporting,  were 
rendered  unserviceable  and  left  at  Cerro  Gordo.  The  Mexican 
casualties  were  estimated  at  1000  or  1200,  while  the  American 


JALAPA  OCCUPIED  59 

loss  during  the  two  days  amounted  to  only  thirty  officers  and 
387  men,  of  whom  sixty-four  were  killed.31 

Next  morning  the  Americans  advanced  again.  For  the  two 
last  miles  below  Jalapa  the  highway  ran  between  continuous 
hedges  loaded  with  blossoms  and  vocal  with  the  songs  of  birds, 
while  bougainvillea  flamed  here  and  there  on  a  cabin  or  tree-top 
in  a  conflagration  of  purple,  and  the  air  was  laden  with  de- 
licious perfumes;  and  when  the  town  was  descried  from  an 
eminence,  it  seemed  like  a  delicate  mosaic  set  in  a  massive 
frame  of  rich  emerald.  Friends  had  been  left  behind  forever, 
but  grief  was  offset  by  the  joy  of  surviving ;  and  after  dressing 
ranks  the  troops  began  to  enter  Jalapa  at  about  9  o'clock  with 
bayonets  fixed,  colors  flying  and  bands  playing.  Some  of  the 
girls  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  unkempt  appearance  and 
nondescript  costumes  of  the  terrible  and  victorious  Yankees; 
but  the  people,  who  lined  the  streets,  appeared  neither  hostile 
nor  afraid,  and  the  bells  rang  out  a  welcome.32  The  soldiers 
for  their  part  soon  felt  they  had  reached  Eden,  and  they  were 
none  the  less  content  on  hearing  of  the  dull  saffron  haze  which 
now  hung  over  Vera  Cruz  —  a  visible  token  that  "  King  Death 
in  his  Yellow  Robe"  had  once  more  set  up  his  throne  there; 
while  Scott  himself,  wishing  to  tranquillize  the  army  and 
favorably  impress  the  public,  proceeded  to  hide  the  errors 'of 
his  subordinates  with  reports  that  misled  the  public.33  As 
for  the  future  he  cheerfully  announced,  "  Mexico  has  no  longer 
an  army."  Apparently  the  United  States  had  a  very  substan- 
tial one;  but  surprises  were  soon  to  occur.34 


XXIV 

PUEBLA 

April-August,  1847 

WISHING  to  take  advantage  of  the  Mexican  panic,  Scott 
hurried  Worth's  division  after  the  fugitives.  Down  the  steep 
hill  on  which  Jalapa  lies  poured  the  men  in  blue,  passing  the 
little  plaza  and  the  quaint  cathedral ;  and  then  without  halt, 
leaving  the  city  of  flowers  and  its  groves  of  liquidambar,  they 
set  out  on  a  long,  gradual  ascent.  What  a  march  they  now 
had!  "The  most  beautiful  country  there  is/*  commented  an 
officer;  and  his  remark  was  truer  than  he  knew.  Dominated 
by  the  splendid  snowy  peak  of  Orizaba,  there  spread  a  vast 
expanse  of  hills  and  gorges,  mountains  and  valleys,  here  studded 
with  white  villages,  there  gemmed  with  a  silver  cascade,  yonder 
brightened  with  fresh  fields  of  corn  and  grain,  always  variegated 
with  the  shadows  of  lazy  clouds,  and  everywhere  softly  receding 
into  a  deeper  and  still  deeper  blue ;  and  as  the  column  wound 
in  and  out  through  the  clear,  cool  and  fragrant  atmosphere, 
every  turn  revealed  new  beauties  or  displayed  once  more  the 
beauties  already  seen  —  only  a  little  nearer  each  time,  or  a  little 
more  remote.1 

Gradually  the  ascent  grew  sharper  and  the  air  cooler,  and 
about  a  dozen  miles  from  Jalapa  Worth  came  to  the  Black  Pass 
—  the  "terrible  pass,"  wrote  Scott  —  of  La  Hoy  a,  where  for 
more  than  a  mile  the  troops  were  squeezed  between  two  steep 
mountains,  cleared  to  afford  artillery  a  fair  sweep,  and  partly 
fortified ;  but  the  seven  or  eight  guns  lay  on  the  ground  spiked, 
and  not  an  enemy  could  be  seen.  Then  after  making  a  sharp 
twist  they  kept  on  winding  and  ascending  for  about  six  miles 
till  they  reached  the  log  houses  of  Las  Vigas,  much  like  those 
of  Russia  and  Sweden.  Vegetation  was  luxuriant  still;  but 
the  trees  on  the  steep  hills  at  the  left  were  evergreens,  and  the 
flowers  that  brightened  the  overtowering  walls,  buttresses  and 

60 


THE  ADVANCE  FROM  JALAPA 


61 


JALAPA  TO  PUEBLA 


spurting  arches  of  black  lava  were  mostly  dandelions  and  yellow 
jarilla,  for  the  Americans  now  stood  a  mile  and  a  half  above 
the  sea  and  almost  three  quarters  of  a  mile  above  Jalapa. 
Here  the  winds  bit ;  and  now  and  then  masses  of  thick  vapor, 
whirling  up  from  an  immense  gorge  and  burying  the  column  for  a 
time  in  wintry  twilight,  would  sweep  on  ahead  of  it  in  rolling, 
shining  volumes  of  heaven-high  clouds.1 

This  was  the  final  pass;  and  after  marching  some  twelve 
miles  farther,  one  saw  at  the  left  edge  of  a  sandy,  gravelly  plain, 
set  with  occasional  tufts  of  coarse  grass,  the  dust-brown  castle 
of  Perote  and,  seemingly  just  above  it  though  in  reality  several 
miles  distant,  the  pine-clad  mountain  of  that  name.  The 
castle  was  a  superb  specimen  of  military  architecture,  capable 
of  accommodating  more  than  2000  men ;  but  it  had  long  served 
chiefly  as  a  state  prison,  a 
refuge  for  troops,  an  arsenal, 
and  a  depot  for  the  rich 
convoys  that  went  this  way. 
The  American  troops  could 
have  passed  by  on  the  other 
side  of  the  plain,  had  that 
been  necessary;  but  it  was 
not.  With  only  twenty-three 
gunners  and  scarcely  any 
powder,  General  Gaona  could 
not  have  defended  the  place.  Canalizo  therefore  ordered  him 
to  evacuate  it  on  the  nineteenth ;  and  at  noon  on  the  twenty- 
second  Worth  took  possession  of  its  elaborate  bastions,  more 
than  fifty  cannon,  more  than  25,000  balls  and  shells  and  even 
500  muskets,  which  the  terror-stricken  Mexicans  had  not  cared 
to  remove.  Throwing  Garland's  brigade  and  Duncan's  battery 
about  fifteen  miles  in  advance  to  facilitate  the  gathering  of 
subsistence,  Worth  now  halted  in  accordance  with  his  orders.1 

Scott  meantime  remained  at  Jalapa  to  study  his  problems 
and  make  his  preparations.  The  capital  of  Mexico,  he  be- 
lieved, lay  at  his  mercy,  and  this  opinion  seems  to  have  been 
correct;  but  unlike  his  critics,  who  merely  had  to  deal  with 
legions  of  ink  on  areas  of  paper,  he  found  that  much  needed 
to  be  done  before  seizing  it.  The  position  of  the  Americans 
depended  vitally  on  military  prestige,  and  it  was  therefore 


62 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


Mexico 


Venta  de  Cordoba 


Mt  (xtacclhuatl 


PuebU 


LPuenteNadonal 


L  Santa  Fe 

IveraCraz 


of  the  utmost  importance  to  suffer 
no  reverse.  His  first  care  was  to 
make  sure  of  getting  up  in  advance 
of  the  especially  fatal  rainy  season, 
which  was  expected  to  begin  at  the 
latest  by  the  first  week  of  June, 
the  needful  clothing,  equipments, 
ammunition,  salt,  medicines  and 
many  other  imported  articles ;  and 
since  the  lack  of  cavalry  and  a  due 
regard  for  the  health  of  the  troops 
forbade  trying  to  keep  the  road 
below  Cerro  Gordo  clear  of  Mexi- 
cans, this  tedious  work  involved  the 
use  of  heavily  escorted  convoys,2 
and  the  exercise  of  unceasing  vigil- 
ance, energy  and  skill.6 

His  next  care  was  to  gather  pro- 
visions, determine  whether  supplies 
of  breadstuffs,  meats,  rice,  beans, 
coffee,  sugar  and  forage  existed  near 
the  proposed  line  of  march,  and 
arrange  for  obtaining  them  despite 
the  hatred  of  the  people,  which 
quite  equalled  their  fear.3  A  third 
care  was  to  divine  what  Santa 
Anna  intended  and  was  able  to  do, 
for  news  came  that  he  was  now  on 
our  flank  and  rear,  preparing  to 
conduct  guerilla  war  against  the 
American  detachments  and  convoys. 
Contrary  to  his  expectation  Scott 
found  subsistence  and  forage  scarce 
at  Jalapa,  and  as  Quitman's  brigade 
came  up  without  the  extra  rations 
it  had  been  ordered  to  bring,  the 
situation  proved  embarrassing.  A 
scarcity  of  funds  aggravated  it 
alarmingly.  An  immediate  advance 
upon  the  capital  was  therefore  out  of 


SCOTT'S  DIFFICULTIES  63 

the  question ;  but  on  April  30  Scott  issued  preliminary  instruc- 
tions, enjoining  kind  treatment  of  the  people  in  the  strongest 
possible  terms,  as  absolutely  necessary  if  the  troops  did  not 
wish  to  starve ;  and  the  volunteers  were  ordered  to  set  out  on 
the  fourth  and  fifth  of  May.6 

But  now  a  difficulty  that  had  been  feared  by  Scott  rose 
directly  in  his  path.  Seven  regiments  and  two  companies  of 
volunteers  were  to  be  free  at  various  near  dates,  averaging 
about  the  middle  of  June.  Polk,  believing  that  many  would 
reenlist,  had  recommended  that  a  bounty  should  be  offered 
as  an  inducement,  and  Congress  had  acted  upon  the  suggestion. 
April  26  General  Scott  received  the  law  and  promptly  circulated 
it ;  but  he  soon  found  that  Folk's  expectations  were  to  be  dis- 
appointed.6 

It  would  have  been  quite  agreeable  to  linger  at  Jalapa, 
strolling  about  this  paradise  of  birds,  gazing  at  the  many-hued 
blossoms  of  a  perpetual  springtime,  feasting  on  the  delicacies 
of  semi-tropical  gardens,  winning  occasional  glimpses  of  exotic 
luxury  through  doors  ajar,  listening  to  ever-graceful  senoritas 

—  a  few  dazzling  blondes  as  well  as  many  sparkling  brunettes 

—  who  played  the  guitar  hour  after  hour  in  their  grated  win- 
dows, and  catching  glances  now  and  then  from  eyes  of  fire; 
but  the  soldiers  had  learned  what  campaigning  really  meant-. 
They  had  been  allowed  to  go  unpaid  and  unprovided  for.     They 
had  met  with  hardships  and  privations  not  counted  upon  at 
the  time  of  enlistment.     Disease,  battle,  death,  fearful  toil 
and  frightful  marches  had  been  found  realities.     Besides,  they 
had  now  "  seen  the  elephant,"  as  they  said ;  they  felt  they  had 
won  glory  enough;    and,  as  even  Colonel  Campbell  admitted, 
they  "sighed  heavily"  for  home,  family  and  friends.     In  spite 
of  their,  strong  desire  to  see  the  Halls  of  the  Montezumas,  out 
of  about  3700  men  only  enough  to  make  one  company  would 
reengage,  and    special    inducements,  offered   by  the   General, 
to  remain  as  teamsters  proved  wholly  ineffective.6 

One  course  now  open  to  Scott  was  to  march  on,  trusting  that 
new  forces  would  arrive  seasonably  to  replace  the  soldiers  dis- 
charged; but  of  this  he  had  no  assurance.  Another  was  to 
assume  that  even  when  legally  free  the  volunteers  would  not 
abandon  him  in  the  enemy's  capital;  but  the  evidence  was 
all  to  the  contrary.  More  than  once  American  troops  had  in- 


64  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

sisted  upon  their  rights  without  considering  the  needs  of  the 
country ;  and  now  five  colonels  declared  in  writing  that  "  only 
a  very  small  proportion"  of  their  men  would  "under  any 
supposable  circumstances"  remain  in  the  service  "for  any  time 
whatever"  beyond  their  term.  Such  was  the  sentiment  of  all 
these  volunteers.6 

Moreover,  to  advance,  capture  Mexico  and  so  force  the  men 
to  sail  from  Vera  Cruz  in  the  midst  of  the  pestilential  season 
would  have  been  insubordinate  as  well  as  inhumane,  for  the 
government  had  ordered  most  emphatically,  with  particular 
reference  to  the  yellow  fever,  that  regard  for  their  health  must 
outweigh  all  military  considerations.4  The  returning  volunteers 
would  also  have  been  exposed,  under  inexperienced  commanders 
and  without  a  proper  complement  of  artillery,  to  Santa  Anna 
and  the  guerillas,  and  those  remaining  behind  at  the  capital 
would  have  been  regarded  by  the  Mexicans  as  destined  prey. 
On  the  other  hand,  should  the  entire  army  retreat  after  captur- 
ing Mexico,  the  exultant  people  would  have  risen  almost  en 
masse  to  starve,  harass  and  slaughter  them ;  while  even  Worth 
doubted  whether  Scott's  whole  force,  could  it  by  any  pos- 
sibility be  persuaded  to  remain  intact,  would  be  strong  enough 
to  hold  the  capital.  Finally,  as  the  sequel  was  to  show  and 
as  any  well-informed  person  could  have  foreseen,  merely  captur- 
ing and  retaining  Mexico  City  was  not  sure  by  any  means  to 
end  the  war.  The  seat  of  government  could  easily  move,  and 
Scott  was  correctly  informed  that  it  proposed  to  do  so.  Santa 
Anna  was  in  the  field  with  a  growing  army;  his  moral  and 
physical  resources  had  not  been  exhausted ;  and  more  fighting 
needed  to  be  done.6 

Scott  was  called  slow  by  some  of  his  critics,  but  when  the  case 
permitted  he  could  make  a  quick  decision;  and  on  the  sixth 
and  seventh  of  May  the  volunteers  referred  to  — "  with  a 
joyous  and  pleasant  countenance  upon  every  man,"  as  one  of 
them  wrote  —  set  out  for  home  under  Patterson.5  Their 
departure  left  the  General  with  an  army  of  7113.  As  for  early 
reinforcements,  he  had  recommended  on  November  29  the 
addition  of  twelve  regiments  to  the  regular  establishment,  and 
had  said  that  about  the  first  of  May  they  would  be  indispen- 
sable ;  but  at  present  he  only  knew  that  960  recruits  were  on 
the  way.  None  the  less  he  sent  Quitman  forward  with  three 


MEXICAN  ASSISTANCE  65 

regiments  of  November  volunteers,  and  on  the  sixth  of  May 
instructed  Worth  to  advance  with  his  division  and  two  of 
those  regiments,  led  by  Quitman,  against  Puebla,  leaving  the 
third  regiment  with  a  sufficient  number  of  artillerists  at  Perote.* 

For  the  confidence  with  which  less  than  4000  men  were  thus 
advanced  beyond  the  reach  of  prompt  assistance,  to  cope  with 
a  strong  city  and  the  Mexican  troops,  there  was  a  special 
reason.  The  heads  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  Mexico, 
who  did  not  feel  all  the  religious  intolerance  which  they  deemed 
h>  proper  to  exhibit  in  public,  cherished  no  love  toward  Santa 
Anna.  For  many  years  his  rapacity  had  given  them  offence; 
and  one  of  his  first  acts  on  landing  at  Vera  Cruz  in  August, 
1846,  had  been  to  strike  at  their  power.  They  had  therefore  felt 
disposed  to  favor  the  continuance  of  hostilities,  hoping  that  he 
and  his  myrmidons  would  be  destroyed.  But  when  Moses 
Y.  Beach  made  it  plain  to  them  on  the  one  hand  that  resistance 
to  the  United  States  would  be  dangerous,  and  on  the  other 
guaranteed  the  freedom  and  the  property  of  Church  and  citizens, 
they  decided  to  support  our  efforts  in  behalf  of  peace,  work 
against  Santa  Anna  as  the  chief  obstacle,  and  arrange  secretly 
to  have  Jalapa,  Perote,  Puebla  and  Mexico  City  refrain  from 
opposing  Scott.8 

At  "  unconquered  Puebla/'  which  was  more  fully  under  the 
domination  of  the  Church  than  any  other  Mexican  town,  circum- 
stances favored  the  clerical  design.  Terrible  stories  had  been 
circulated  there  about  the  Americans.  They  were  barbarians, 
vandals,  tigers;  they  had  branded  and  sent  across  the  Gulf 
into  slavery  shiploads  of  Tampico  people,  and  stuck  little 
children  on  their  bayonets  at  Vera  Cruz.  But  these  tales  had 
now  lost  all  credibility.  Santa  Anna  had  been  found  out. 
Buena  Vista  no  longer  seemed  a  Mexican  victory.  The  military 
caste  was  not  only  hated  but  despised.  News  had  come  that 
wherever  the  Americans  took  possession,  odious  taxes  were 
abolished  and  trade  became  brisk.  Scott's  treatment  of  the 
people  shone  in  comparison  with  Santa  Anna's,  and  his  soldiers 
looked  angelic  beside  the  guerillas.  The  defeat  at  Cerro 
Gordo  caused  not  only  deep  discouragement  but  even  deeper 
disgust,  for  the  men  and  money  of  the  state  had  been  sacrificed 
to  the  incompetence  of  the  commanders.  Besides,  marvels 
were  told  of  the  Americans.  They  could  hew  a  man  asunder 

VOL.  II  — F 


66  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

at  one  stroke ;  their  horses  were  gigantic  and  incredibly  swift ; 
their  artillery  was  unspeakably  terrible ;  and  every  one  of  their 
bullets  might  split  into  fifty  pieces,  each  of  the  pieces  fatal. 
Worth's  division  included  5000  of  these  warriors,  an  American 
deserter  stated.8 

With  such  popular  support  the  clericals  had  Isunza,  who  was 
closely  connected  with  them,  put  in  place  of  the  vigorous 
Ibarra  as  governor,  and  he  not  only  took  a  stand  for  non-resist- 
ance, but  answered  the  appeals  of  the  national  government 
with  sharp  complaints.  Instead  of  preaching  against  the 
Americans,  the  churchmen  led  pious  processions  about  the 
streets,  to  show  that  prayer  and  not  the  arm  of  flesh  was  to  be 
relied  upon.  The  arms  and  ammunition  were  sent  away  —  for 
safe-keeping.  The  governor  would  supply  no  funds  for  military 
purposes.  "Reason  prohibits  vain  sacrifices/'  he  remarked. 
The  comandante  general  decided  that  the  city  could  not  be 
defended.  The  prefect  ordered  that  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Americans,  not  more  than  three  citizens  were  to  meet  in  public, 
and  that  none  should  carry  arms;  while  the  ayuntamiento 
announced  that  no  unsigned  placards  would  be  tolerated. 
"Men  are  not  all  called  to  play  the  role  of  heroes/'  observed 
the  Monitor  del  Pueblo.  We  can  only  "await  with  resignation 
the  terrible  blow  with  which  Providence  chooses  to  afflict  us," 
decided  the  city  authorities.  All  the  arrangements  are  com- 
plete, Worth  was  notified  by  headquarters  on  the  tenth  of  May. 
The  people  are  waiting  for  you,  reported  foreigners  from 
Puebla.8 

Scott,  for  his  part,  agreed  to  protect  the  citizens  and  espe- 
cially the  Church,  and  he  put  forth  on  the  eleventh  of  May  a 
proclamation  called  by  him  "the  crowning  act  of  conciliation," 
which  was  drawn  up  under  his  direction  by  a  representative  of 
the  bishop  of  Puebla,  and  embodied  the  ideas  and  sentiments 
deemed  by  the  leaders  of  the  clerical  party  most  likely  to  be 
effective.7  The  oppression  under  which  the  people  of  Mexico 
lay  crushed  received  in  this  proclamation  brief  but  vivid  treat- 
ment, distrust  regarding  Santa  Anna's  abilities,  honor  and  aims 
was  excited,  and  the  Americans  were  represented  as  true 
brethren  of  the  Mexicans.  Paredes,  an  unpatriotic  usurper, 
had  forced  us  to  take  up  arms  in  behalf  of  republican  insti- 
tutions and  the  welfare  of  the  whole  continent,  as  well  as  for 


SANTA  ANNA'S  MEASURES  67 

the  maintenance  of  our  proper  dignity ;  but  we  were  anxious 
now  as  ever,  to  live  in  peace  and  friendship  with  Mexico,  even 
though  determined,  if  the  war  must  continue,  to  do  the  work 
of  the  sword  thoroughly.8 

On  the  other  hand  Santa  Anna  was  not  idle.  His  first 
thought  on  quitting  the  terrible  field  of  Cerro  Gordo  was  that 
Canalizo's  horse  would  stop  at  El  Encero,  and  that  he  might 
rally  the  flying  infantry  upon  it ;  but  on  moving  in  that  direction 
by  the  southern  bank  of  Rfo  del  Plan  he  found  himself  cut  off 
by  the  American  pursuit,  and  turned  abruptly  to  the  left. 
Always  profoundly  depressed  after  a  reverse,  he  rode  along  grim 
and  speechless,  as  if  stunned  ;  but  the  next  day  an  enthusiastic 
reception  at  a  small  town,  aided  perhaps  by  the  marvellous 
beauty  of  the  district,  lifted  his  head.  In  the  early  evening 
of  April  21  he  reached  Orizaba,  and  here  the  applause  of  the 
readily  excited  townsfolk  made  him  feel  himself  once  more  a 
general  and  a  President.12 

His  low  intellectual  plane  did  not  permit  him  to  understand 
his  mental  inferiority  or  to  perceive  the  real  strength  of  the 
unpretentious  and  apparently  careless  Americans.9  It  was 
impossible  for  him,  looking  abroad  upon  a  vast  and  potentially 
rich  country  with  all  the  vanity  of  his  people,  to  believe  that  a 
handful  of  poorly  dressed  Yankees,  imperfectly  trained  and 
seemingly  not  very  martial,  could  overpower  its  millions. 
He  felt  that  sooner  or  later  his  groping  finger  would  touch 
the  right  spring,  as  it  had  done  so  many  times  before,  and  the 
nation  would  rise  up  about  him.  Pride,  self-will  and  blind 
passion,  raging  in  his  heart,  inflamed  his  courage;  and  his 
sense  of  a  proprietary  claim  to  the  country  inspired  him  with  a 
sort  of  patriotism.  What  has  been  lost  after  all,  he  said, 
except  a  position  and  some  cannon  ?  The  nation  is  still  mighty. 
Let  it  but  join  me,  and  I  shall  yet  be  victorious.12 

Within  his  reach  lay  the  brigade  of  Antonio  de  Le6n  —  a 
little  more  than  1000  poorly  armed  men  with  two  6-pounders 
—  just  from  Oaxaca,  the  presence  of  which  in  this  quarter 
had  brought  him  to  Orizaba,  and  also  the  National  Guards 
ordered  before  the  battle  to  Chiquihuite.  Larger  and  smaller 
bodies  of  fugitives  and  irregulars,  learning  where  he  was,  came 
in.  All  the  armed  men  of  the  vicinity,  whatever  their  proper 
function,  he  caught  in  his  unsparing  net,  and  he  summoned 


68  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

to  the  colors  every  citizen  from  sixteen  to  forty  years  of  age. 
Beyond  the  sweep  of  his  arm  far  less  animation  reigned.  One 
disappointment  more,  one  hope  less  now,  was  the  mildest 
frame  of  mind  among  the  public.  Canalizo,  a  faithful  dog 
that  for  the  present  had  been  kicked  one  time  too  many,  sharply 
resented  Santa  Anna's  complaints.  The  scattering  soldiers 
and  officers,  denouncing  him  bitterly  as  well  as  exaggerating 
the  power  of  the  Americans,  discouraged  the  people.  A  popular 
newspaper  demanded  savagely  that  he  should  be  court-mar- 
tialled.  The  charge  of  collusion  .with  the  invaders  came  back 
to  life.  Many  of  the  Indians,  feeling  that  an  American  triumph 
would  help  them,  became  restive.12 

But  the  government  stood  resolutely  behind  him,  and  he  was 
invested  with  plenary  powers.  Soto  tried  again  to  rouse  the 
people  of  the  state.  From  a  wider  and  wider  circle  fugitives 
and  laboring  men  were  gathered.  Small  cannon  and  some 
artillerists  came  within  his  reach.  The  stocks  of  horses  and 
mules  that  Scott  had  tried  in  vain  to  get  from  the  region  of 
the  upper  Alvarado  River  were  turned  to  account.  Con- 
siderable money  and  supplies  arrived  from  the  government, 
and  other  funds  and  necessaries  were  taken  without  formalities 
wherever  they  could  be  discovered.10  By  the  first  of  May 
he  pretended  there  were  4000  men  under  his  flag,  and  no  doubt 
he  did  have  2500.12 

By  good  fortune  more  than  by  design,  too,  he  found  himself 
in  an  excellent  position,  within  striking  distance  of  Scott's 
communications,  rear  and  base;  and  even  though  not  richly 
imbued  with  the  spirit  of  Napoleonic  warfare,  he  laid  his  plans 
accordingly.  But  —  fortunately  for  Scott,  who  might  have 
been  seriously  embarrassed  u —  Santa  Anna  was  more  politician 
than  general.  On  May  15  the  election  of  a  President  was  to 
occur,  and  the  votes  had  to  be  counted  at  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment. His  enemies  and  rivals  were  incessantly  busy  there. 
A  revolution  had  begun  to  brew,  he  understood.  A  suspicion 
had  got  abroad  that  he  intended  to  give  up  the  fight  and  move 
into  Guatemala ;  and  news  reached  him  that  Mexico  City  was 
to  be  surrendered.  For  these  reasons  and  to  obtain  additional 
supplies,  all  his  forces  were  directed  upon  Puebla ;  and  at  the 
head  of  a  motley  and  miserable  army  numbering  —  he  boasted 
— -  4500  men  he  arrived  there  on  May  II.12 


THE  AMERICANS  MARCH  ON  69 

His  reception  was  not  flattering.  Aside  from  the  fact  that 
everybody  of  much  account  felt  ready  to  see  Scott,  the  town 
had  suffered  previously  through  Santa  Anna's  visiting  it,  ac- 
counts of  his  exactions  had  come  from  Orizaba,  his  presence 
was  thought  likely  to  result  in  hostilities,  and  the  people  feared 
that  he  would  compel  them  to  take  up  arms.  Many  fled  at 
his  approach,  and  many  more  wished  they  were  elsewhere. 
Not  without  excuse  under  the  circumstances,  his  conduct  was 
arbitrary,  insulting  and  extortionate.  He  cashiered  all  the 
officers  of  the  Vera  Cruz  garrison,  raved  at  the  indifference 
of  the  authorities  and  people  at  Puebla,  seized  the  horses, 
made  liberal  demands  for  cash,  and  —  it  was  asserted  —  even 
took  ornaments  of  gold  from  the  churches.  Some  funds,  a 
quantity  of  ammunition  and  some  cannon  were  finally  obtained 
here;  but  Isunza  furnished  him  less  than  two  hundred  men, 
and  perhaps  the  indignation  of  the  people  quite  offset  his 
gains.13 

Close  behind  him,  too,  came  the  Americans.  Already  a 
day's  march  apart,  Worth's  two  brigades  maintained  that 
interval  for  some  time,  followed  by  Quitman  with  the  New 
York  and  South  Carolina  regiments  at  an  equal  distance.  For 
six  or  eight  miles  from  Perote  the  country  was  highly  cultivated 
and  already  brown  with  ripening  wheat  and  barley ;  but  then 
came  a  sandy,  arid  region  where  steep,  conical  hills  of  bare 
limestone,  calcined  like  those  of  the  Rhone  valley,  shot  up  from 
a  wide,  smooth  plain  in  extravagant  confusion,  and  appeared 
to  bar  the  way.  Hacienda  buildings  that  were  crenellated 
fortresses  could  be  seen  here  and  there ;  but  the  only  cheering 
sights  were  glimpses  of  silvery  Orizaba,  a  number  of  smaller 
mountains  with  Italian  profiles,  forked  lightnings  at  play 
sometimes  in  the  black  clouds,  and  mirages  of  gardens,  fakes 
and  sylvan  shores  that  deceived  even  the  most  experienced.14 

At  Ojo  de  Agua,  about  thirty-five  miles  from  Perote,  a 
spring  of  water  almost  as  large  as  the  fountain  of  Vaucluse 
gave  rise  to  a  creek,  which  watered  palmettoes  and  extensive 
meadows.  Eight  or  nine  miles  farther  on,  the  troops  came 
to  dark  Nopalucan,  which  lay  reclining  on  a  comfortable  emi- 
nence and  viewing  complacently  its  fertile  valley.  Then 
some  twenty-five  miles  of  romantic  scenery  brought  them  to 
Amozoc,  a  manufacturing  town  of  2000  souls  ten  or  eleven 


70  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

miles  from  Puebla,  and  here  Worth,  who  had  made  easy  marches 
for  two  days  in  order  to  lessen  the  interval  between  him  and 
Quitman,  halted  his  now  united  brigades  at  noon  on  the  four- 
teenth to  await  that  officer,  and  to  give  his  own  dusty  division 
time  to  "brush  up."14 

Santa  Anna,  after  sending  his  infantry  and  artillery  toward 
Mexico  early  that  morning,  had  moved  off  with  some  2000 
.cavalry  to  surprise  Quitman,  supposing  that  he  would  be  at 
his  usual  distance  behind  Worth,  and  that  Worth  had  con- 
tinued his  march.  The  consequence  was  that  his  troops,  finding 
themselves  at  about  eight  o'clock  within  half  a  mile  or  so  of 
Duncan's  battery  and  under  fire,  scattered  promptly  up  the 
hills  and  into  the  woods.  Divining  correctly  that  he  would 
reassemble  them  to  strike  at  Quitman,  Worth  despatched  forces 
at  once  to  the  rear ;  but  Quitman,  who  had  set  out  in  the  night, 
was  now  only  two  miles  distant,  and,  warned  by  the  artillery 
fire,  had  prepared  to  meet  the  enemy.  Santa  Anna  therefore 
accomplished  nothing  more  than  to  fatigue  his  men,  and  give 
them  a  superfluous  lesson  in  running  away ;  and  after  returning 
with  them  to  Puebla  for  the  night,  he  evacuated  that  city 
before  daybreak  the  next  morning  with  one  more  failure  to  his 
account.14 

While  at  Nopalucan,  May  12,  Worth  had  addressed  the 
governor  and  the  municipality  at  Puebla,  saying  that  in  three 
days  he  should  take  possession  of  the  city,  and  that  he  desired 
to  confer  with  the  civil  authorities  before  doing  so,  in  order 
to  arrange  for  the  maintenance  of  order  and  worship.  Owing 
to  what  was  regarded  as  a  lack  of  formality  in  this  proceeding 
and  to  Santa  Anna's  insistence  that  Worth  should  have  ad- 
dressed him,  no  reply  was  made.  But  when  a  second  letter 
arrived  in  the  evening  of  the  fourteenth,  the  ayuntamiento 
appointed  a  commission  to  meet  the  American  general,  and  the 
next  morning  a  conference  took  place  at  Chachapa,  where  our 
troops  arrived  at  an  early  hour.  Generqus  pledges  of  civil  and 
religious  protection  were  then  offered  and  accepted ;  and  the 
Pueblans,  who  adopted  the  usual  jockeying  tactics,  drew  from 
Worth  an  agreement  that  Mexican  law,  to  be  administered  by 
Mexican  authorities,  should  remain  in  force,  although  Scott's 
General  Orders  20  had  thrown  the  protection  of  military  law 
round  the  American  troops.15  In  short,  said  Hitchcock, 


WORTH  TAKES  POSSESSION  OF  PUEBLA  71 

the  inspector  general  of  the  army,  Worth  —  not  Puebla  — 
surrendered  ;  and  Scott  found  it  necessary  to  rectify  the  error.17 

At  a  little  before  ten  o'clock  that  day  the  American  troops 
—  who  had  suffered  badly  from  dust  on  the  arid,  stony  hills, 
consoled  only  by  views  of  the  great  snow-clad  volcanoes  glitter- 
ing behind  Puebla  —  approached  the  city.  It  was  a  proud 
moment  for  them  when,  as  their  brilliant  commander  said, 
"with  all  the  flush  and  glow  of  victory  in  their  hearts "  they 
entered  the  second  city  of  Mexico  in  importance  and  the  first 
tn  military  fame.  Almost  the  entire  population  of  the  town 
looked  on.  Streets,  sidewalks,  windows  and  balconies  were 
thronged  with  holiday-makers.  As  usual,  the  appearance  of 
the  victorious  Americans  fell  sadly  below  expectation  —  per- 
haps only  demigods  in  luminous  mail  could  have  reached  it; 
but  the  people  showed  an  intense  curiosity  to  scrutinize  them. 
Sometimes  the  troops  had  to  work  their  way  through  the  crowd ; 
but  no  ill  temper  was  displayed  on  either  side,  and  finally, 
reaching  the  main  plaza,  our  men  stacked  their  arms  and  lay 
down  to  sleep  as  if  at  home.17 

Puebla,  a  fine  city  laid  out  in  the  rectangular  style  and  in- 
habited by  some  80,000  persons,  was  chiefly  noted  for  piety, 
cotton  mills,  dolls  and  sweetmeats.  The  principal  feature 
was  the  cathedral  with  its  two  dark  towers  —  each  of  thfena 
capped  with  a  yellowish,  incrusted  dome  bearing  aloft  a  globe 
and  cross,  and  each  filled  with  numberless  bells  of  all  sizes, 
which  singly  performed  special  offices,  and  three  times  a  day 
rang  together  in  a  celestial  chorus.  Eight  or  ten  altars,  reful- 
gent with  sacred  vessels  of  gold,  silver  and  precious  stones  in 
amazing  profusion,  lighted  up  the  interior ;  and  there  was  also 
a  candelabra  so  big  —  or  was  it  so  grimy  ?  —  that  $4000  had 
been  paid  a  few  months  earlier  for  cleaning  it.  Near  by,  in 
the  arcades  of  the  plaza,  could  be  found  the  dolls  and  sweet- 
meats; and  of  course  Poblana  market  girls,  too,  were  there: 
black  eyes,  black  hair  combed  over  the  ears,  huge  silver  ear- 
rings, snowy  chemisette  partly  hidden  with  a  gray  rebosa 
(scarf),  short  red  petticoat  fastened  round  the  waist  with  a 
silk  band  and  fringed  with  yellow,  small  shoes  and  large  silver 
buckles.17 

For  almost  a  fortnight  Worth  now  had  an  opportunity  to 
show  the  real  breadth  of  his  admired  talents.  With  the  eccle- 


72  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

siastical  authorities,  for  obvious  reasons,  no  difficulties  occurred. 
He  and  the  bishop  exchanged  calls  promptly.  Bells  rang, 
churches  opened,  and  in  some  of  them  public  rejoicings  were 
celebrated.  But  between  him  and  the  civil  functionaries, 
mainly  in  consequence  of  his  excessive  complaisance,  there 
sprang  up  not  a  little  friction.  His  troops  felt  very  much 
dissatisfied,  for  his  nervous  and  restless  temperament  was  in 
continual  excitement  about  Mexican  attacks,  and  once  he 
kept  them  standing  under  arms  needlessly  all  day.  Such  alarms 
came  to  be  known  as  "Worth's  scarecrows" ;  and  as  the  natural 
consequence,  had  a  real  danger  presented  itself,  the  men  would 
have  responded  tardily  and  half-heartedly.17 

Worse  yet,  on  evidence  for  which  he  himself  could  not  say 
much,  he  warned  his  division  a  little  later  (June  16)  by  means 
of  a  circular,  that  attempts  to  poison  them  were  to  be  feared, 
adding  gratuitously,  "Doubtless  there  are  among  those  with 
whom  we  are  situated  many  who  will  not  hesitate,  as  is  the 
habit  of  cowards,  to  poison  those  from  whom  they  habitually 
fly  in  battle  —  a  resource  familiar  in  Spanish  history,  legiti- 
mately inherited  and  willingly  practised  by  Mexicans."  Of 
course  the  circular  was  not  likely  to  elude  publicity,  and  its 
indiscretion  blazed.  It  gave  the  Pueblans  a  dangerous  hint, 
insulted  all  Mexicans,  and  reflected  grossly  upon  Spain,  whose 
continued  neutrality  was  highly  desirable.16  Evidently,  though 
quite  able  to  criticise,  Worth  did  not  possess  all  the  qualifications 
of  a  commander-in-chief  ,17 

Happily  a  wiser  mind  and  steadier  hand  now  took  charge. 
Until  May  20  General  Scott  had  felt  compelled  to  wait  at 
Jalapa  for  a  heavy  train,  from  which  he  expected  much  more 
than  he  received.  Two  days  later  Twiggs  set  out,  and  on  the 
twenty-eighth  Scott  —  after  leaving  a  garrison  at  Jalapa  and 
a  smaller  one  at  Perote  —  reached  Puebla  with  four  troops 
of  horse  one  day  in  advance  of  the  division.18  As  at  Plan  del 
Rio  his  arrival  brought  confidence  and  tranquillity.  Needless 
alarms  ended.  Rumors  of  hostile  forces  were  investigated 
promptly  by  his  Mexican  Spy  Company  19  or  other  trustworthy 
persons,  and  the  General  fixed  his  mind  on  greater  work  than 
trying  to  hunt  down  every  party  of  irregulars  that  raised  a 
dust  in  the  vicinity.  The  troops  were  drilled  each  morning  and, 
if  the  weather  permitted,  later  each  day,  and  after  about  six 


THE  AMERICAN  SITUATION  AT  PUEBLA  73 

weeks  of  this  made  a  brilliant  showing,  when  reviewed  by 
divisions.  The  engineer  soldiers  received  special  training  for 
the  work  supposed  to  lie  before  them;  careful  maps  of  the 
district  between  Puebla  and  the  capital  were  prepared;  and' 
Scott  frequently  gathered  the  engineers  and  the  heads  of  the 
army  at  his  quarters  of  an  evening,  discussing  military  affairs 
or  monologuing  inimitably  on  the  many  interesting  persons 
and  events  familiar  to  him.22 

The  Mexican  government  ordered  that  nothing  marketable 
should  be  taken  into  the  city,  but  the  Pueblans  replied  un-' 
answerably :  There  is  no  power  to  enforce  that  policy ;  and  if 
there  were,  the  result  would  be  to  starve  us,  not  the  Americans, 
for  they  could  supply  their  needs  by  the  sword  and  we  could 
not.  The  markets  offered,  therefore,  all  sorts  of  articles  and 
at  moderate  prices.  Indeed  they  were  too  abundant,  for  the 
soldiers  gormandized  on  fruits  and  sugar-cane  brandy,  and 
these  indulgences,  added  to  the  want  of  salt  meat,  the  change 
of  climate  and  water,  the  rare  atmosphere,  the  chilling  winds 
and  the  lack  of  suitable  clothing,  caused  a  great  amount  of 
sickness  —  principally  dysentery  and  ague.  On  the  fourth 
of  June  more  than  1000  Americans  were  on  the  invalid  list, 
and  that  number  largely  increased.22 

Sickness  of  mind  prevailed  no  less.  It  depressed  one  to  hear 
the  dead  march  almost  every  evening.  Rumors  of  wholesale 
plots  to  assassinate  the  officers  and  poison  the  men  tried  their 
nerves.  Renewed  efforts  to  cause  desertion  excited  alarm. 
Whig  speeches  condemning  the  war  and  suggesting  that  bloody 
hands  and  hospitable  graves  ought  rightfully  to  be  the  welcome 
of  our  soldiers  in  Mexico  undermined  confidence  and  courage. 
Poverty  chilled  their  marrow.  Men  had  served  eight  months 
and  been  paid  for  two.  At  the  time  when  shoes  and  other 
indispensable  clothing  had  to  be  obtained  at  an  exorbitant 
cost,  the  army  was  already  in  debt  and  credit  was  flickering.20 
Through  an  intercepted  letter  the  Mexicans  knew  of  Scott's 
financial  difficulties,  and  the  Americans  knew  that  they  knew. 
The  expected  revolution  against  Santa  Anna  did  not  break 
out,  and  a  pacific  President  was  not  elected  on  June  15,  as 
General  Scott  had  almost  expected.22 

To  crown  all  other  discouragements,  we  had  a  ridiculously 
small  army,  while  news  came  repeatedly  that  Santa  Anna's 


74  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

forces  were  growing  rapidly.  With  less  than  5800  privates 
—  not  over  4000  of  them  available  for  an  advance  —  the 
General  had  to  face,  not  only  the  Mexican  army,  but  a  nation 

»of  seven  million  inflammable  persons,  who  might  at  any  time 
be  roused  to  fury  by  some  untoward  event.  Even  the  960 
recruits  that  had  been  counted  upon  did  not  arrive.  June  3, 
therefore,  deciding  to  throw  away  the  scabbard  and  meet  all 
odds  with  the  naked  sword,  he  reluctantly  ordered  up  to  Puebla 
the  garrison  of  Jalapa 21  and  a  part  of  the  men  left  at  Perote, 

'cutting  himself  off  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country.22 

Pillow,  the  great  captain,  wrote  censures  on  this  course  to 
Polk,  and  Polk,  the  consummate  strategist,  agreed  with  his 
agent;  but  Scott  understood  that  necessity  is  a  supreme  law 
and  courage  the  soldier's  first  axiom.  A  farther  advance  was, 
however,  impossible.  To  leave  Puebla  without  a  garrison, 
allowing  that  strong  city,  reoccupied  by  the  enemy,  to  menace 
the  rear  and  stand  like  a  wall  of  stone  across  the  path  of  rein- 
forcements and  supplies,  was  out  of  the  question ;  and  troops 
were  also  needed  to  protect  helpers  and  overawe  enemies 
among  the  civil  population.  If  reduced  by  these  deductions 
the  army  would  not  have  constituted  a  striking  force.  Nothing 
could  be  done  but  stand  at  guard,  and  await  new  troops.22 

These,  for  a  number  of  reasons,  were  delayed.  Marcy's 
report  of  December  5,  1846,  presented  to  Congress  at  the  open- 
ing of  the  session,  admitted  that  the  regular  army  stood  nearly 
7000  below  full  strength,  and  it  also  recommended  the  addition 
of  ten  regiments ;  but  the  administration,  feeling  at  sea  about 
its  war  policy,  and  not  realizing  how  far  the  men  on  the  firing- 
line  came  short  of  their  estimated  numbers  or  how  much  time 
would  be  required  to  place  new  troops  there,  took  no  decided 
stand  in  the  matter.  On  the  twenty-ninth,  however,  a  bill 
authorizing  the  new  regiments  was  presented  in  the  House  by 
the  military  committee,  and  the  President  followed  this  up 
some  days  later  with  a  Message.  A  law  offering  a  bounty  of 
twelve  dollars  to  encourage  enlisting,  upon  which  the  war 
department  acted  promptly,  was  the  next  move;  and  on 
January  11,  1847,  the  House,  excited  by  news  that  Worth  stood 
in  great  peril  at  Saltillo,  voted  the  new  regiments.  The  Senate, 
on  the  other  hand,  procrastinated  until  Marcy  was  in  despair, 
and  Polk  twice  decided  to  address  the  country.  Without 


THE  PROBLEM  OF  REINFORCEMENTS  75 

much  doubt  partisan  scheming  and  personal  aims  were  chiefly 
responsible  for  the  delay ;  but  differences  of  opinion,  more  or 
less  honest,  regarding  the  comparative  utility  of  regulars  and 
volunteers,  the  expediency  and  proper  terms  of  a  land  bounty, 
and  the  rights  of  the  Senate  in  regard  to  the  choice  of  officers 
caused  much  discussion,  in  which  every  issue  touching  the 
inception  and  conduct  of  the  war  had  to  run  the  gantlet  of 
passionate  vociferation.25 

Progress  was  also  hindered  in  another  way.  Although  Polk 
had  found  it  necessary  to  appoint  Scott  and  had  given  that 
officer  to  understand  that  bygones  were  to  be  bygones,  he  liked 
him  no  better  than  before,  did  not  wish  the  Whigs  and  their 
possible  candidate  for  the  Presidency  to  win  more  glory  in 
the  war,  and  realized  the  political  wisdom  —  particularly  in 
view  of  Calhoun's  unfriendliness  —  of  pleasing  the  Van 
Buren  Democrats.  There  were  also  objections  to  the  existing 
arrangement  that  could  be  stated  publicly.  The  number  of 
troops  to  be  employed  in  Mexico  was  said  to  require  a  chief  of 
higher  grade  than  a  major  general,  and  Polk  took  the  ground 
that  the  commander  —  especially  since  he  might  be  desired  to 
handle  the  question  of  a  treaty  —  should  be  in  full  agreement 
and  sympathy  with  the  Executive.25 

For  these  combined  reasons  he  offered  to  Benton  the  post 
of  lieutenant  general,  provided  it  could  be  established,  before 
Scott  left  Washington,  and  about  the  first  of  January  requested 
Congress  to  authorize  the  appointment  of  such  an  officer.23 
This  precipitated  a  commotion.  The  Senator's  harsh,  domineer- 
ing ways  had  made  him  unpopular,  and  grave  doubts  regarding 
his  technical  and  temperamental  fitness  for  the  place  existed 
not 'only  in  Congress  but  in  the  Cabinet.  Calhoun  and  his 
friends  detested  the  idea  of  letting  Benton  gain  so  much  prestige 
and  with  it  very  likely  the  Presidency ;  the  partisans  of  Taylor 
and  Scott  resented  such  treatment  of  their  favorites ;  all  the 
Whigs,  besides  suspecting  Polk  of  scheming  to  evade  respon- 
sibility and  make  Benton  his  grateful  successor,  rallied  to  the 
support  of  their  two  most  prominent  men ;  and,  after  serving 
for  some  time  as  an  embarrassment,  the  plan  was  rejected.25 

Finally,  then,  after  a  conference  committee  had  adjusted 
the  differences  between  the  two  Houses,  the  Ten  Regiment 
Bill,  though  defeated  once  in  the  Senate,  passed  that  body  on 


76  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

February  the  tenth,  and  received  Folk's  approval  the  next  day ; 
and  as  a  loan  bill  had  been  worried  through  Congress  at  the 
end  of  January,  something  was  apparently  to  be  done.24  Since, 
however,  the  officers  were  liable  to  be  discharged  on  the  con- 
clusion of  peace,  it  was  not  believed  that  many  already  in  the 
service  could  be  induced  by  a  slight  advance  in  rank  to  enter 
the  new  establishment,  and  for  this  and  probably  other  reasons 
few  of  the  more  than  five  hundred  places  were  offered  to  the 
army.  The  field  was  therefore  clear  for  civilian  warriors, 
and  their  campaign  opened  at  once.  Not  limiting  their  opera- 
tions to  Capitol  Hill,  applicants  for  commissions  besieged  and 
assaulted  the  White  House.  "I  have  pushed  them  off  and 
fought  them  with  both  hands  like  a  man  fighting  fire/'  wrote 
Polk  in  his  diary,  but  "it  has  all  been  in  vain."  "Loafers 
without  merit"  came,  and  equally  meritorious  Congressmen 
supported  them.  Not  one  in  ten  of  the  appointees  was  known 
to  the  President,  and  their  degree  of  unfitness  was  precisely 
what  might  have  been  expected.  A  considerable  number  of 
them  had  actually  been  run  out  of  the  service  —  in  some  cases 
for  bad  conduct  before  the  enemy  —  and  many  were  found  less 
teachable  than  privates.23 

During  February  this  beautiful  exhibition  continued,  and 
such  were  the  only  immediate  fruits  of  the  much  debated  law, 
for  it  empowered  no  one  to  organize  the  new  troops  into  brigades 
and  divisions  or  to  appoint  general  officers,  and  the  military 
appropriations  had  not  yet  been  made.  Further  Congressional 
exertions,  therefore,  had  to  be  put  forth;  but  at  last  on  the 
second  and  third  of  March,  after  a  loss  of  almost  three  months 
at  this  crisis  of  the  war,  the  deficiencies  were  supplied,  and 
enlistment  shortly  began.  Vigorous  efforts  were  made  by  the 
administration  to  set  the  new  regulars  in  motion,  company  by 
company,  and  even  squad  by  squad ;  and  finally  on  the  nine- 
teenth of  April,  since  little  more  could  be  expected  from  the 
November  calls,  requisitions  for  six  and  a  half  new  regiments 
of  volunteer  infantry  and  twelve  companies  of  horse  —  all 
to  serve  until  the  conclusion  of  peace  —  were  issued.23 

On  the  fourth  of  June,  then,  about  six  hundred  new  troops, 
commanded  by  Brevet  Colonel  Mclntosh,  left  Vera  Cruz  for 
the  interior,  escorting  a  long  train  of  loaded  mules  and  wagons 
and  two  or  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  specie.  Mexican 


THE  AMERICAN  ARMY  77 

irregulars,  who  knew  the  value  of  the  convoy,  soon  attacked 
and  stopped  it.  Cadwalader,  then  waiting  for  a  part  of  his 
brigade,  reinforced  Mclntosh  on  the  eleventh  with  about 
five  hundred  men  and  took  command.  Fighting  h's  way  along 
he  incorporated  the  garrison  of  Jalapa  commanded  by  Colonel 
Childs,  and  on  the  twenty-first  reached  Perote.27 

Meanwhile  Pillow,  now  a  major  general  by  the  grace 
of  his  former  law  partner,  arriving  at  Vera  Cruz  and  finding 
there  some  2000  of  his  men,  had  advanced  with  most  of  them  on 
June  18 ;  and  although  Scott  was  in  the  most  urgent  need  of 
money,  Pillow  ordered  Cadwalader  to  await  his  arrival  at  Perote. 
Eventually,  on  July  3,  the  combined  forces  were  in  motion, 
and  five  days  later  all  of  them  —  including  the  recruits  long  since 
expected  —  passed  the  brown  gate  of  Puebla.  Of  the  rank 
and  file  Scott  now  had  8061  effectives  and  2215  sick.  Next 
Brigadier  General  Pierce  with  some  2500  men  got  away  from  the 
coast  about  the  fifteenth  of  July,26  and  after  similar  fighting 
appeared  at  headquarters  on  the  sixth  of  August  with  a  heavy 
siege  battery,  a  long  train  of  wagons  and  $85,000  in  unsalable 
drafts,  but  with  none  of  the  specie  that  had  been  expected 
and  regarded  as  indispensable.27 

Scott  now  had  about  14,000  men,  some  2500  of  whom  lay, 
however,  in  the  hospitals,  while  about  s'x  hundred  were  con- 
valescents too  feeble  for  an  ordinary  clay's  march.  The  cavalry, 
led  by  Colonel  Harney,  included  portions  of  the  three  dragoon 
regiments  under  Captain  Kearny,  Major  Sumner  and  Major 
McRcynolds.  For  artillery,  besides  the  siege  train,  there 
were  the  field  batteries  of  Duncan,  Taylor,  Steptoe  and  others,28 
and  the  howitzer  and  rocket  battery  of  Talcott.  Brevet  Major 
General  Worth's  division  of  infantry,  known  as  the  First,  con- 
sisted of  Brevet  Colonel  Garland's  brigade  (Second  and  Third 
Artillery,  Fourth  Infantry  and  a  light  battalion)  and  the  brigade 
of  Colonel  Clarke,  which  included  the  Fifth,  Sixth  and  Eighth 
Infantry.  The  Second  Division,  commanded  by  Brigadier 
General  Twiggs,  was  composed  of  the  regiments  under  Brevet 
Brigadier  General  Persifor  F.  Smith  (Mounted  Riflemen,  First 
Artillery  and  Third  Infantry)  and  Brevet  Colonel  Riley  (Fourth 
Artillery,  Second  and  Seventh  Infantry).  Major  General 
Pillow,  higher  in  rank  than  the  brave,  able  and  experienced 
Worth,  a  professional  soldier,  had  the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth 


78  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Infantry  and  the  Voltigeur  regiment  under  Brigadier  General 
Cadwalader,  a  polished  veteran  of  Chestnut  Street  parades, 
Philadelphia,  and  the  Ninth,  Twelfth  and  Fifteenth  Infantry 
under  the  gentlemanly  Franklin  Pierce,  a  social  and  political 
hero  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire;  while  General  Shields's 
brigade  (New  York  and  South  Carolina  volunteers)  and  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Watson's,  consisting  of  three  hundred  marines 
and  a  detachment  of  the  Second  Pennsylvania,  made  up  the 
division  of  Quitman1,  an  excellent  person  and  politician,  who 
had  now  reached  the  highest  military  grade.29 

The  troops  that  had  been  waiting  at  Puebla  were  by  this 
time  in  fine  training ;  and  the  new  men,  besides  receiving  the 
soldier's  baptism  on  the  way  up,  had  learned  at  least  the  value 
of  discipline  and  skill.  The  former  had  become  to  a  large  extent 
acclimated,  and  they  felt  an  entire  confidence  in  their  com- 
mander, which,  fully  accredited  by  his  victories,  extended 
promptly  to  the  reinforcements.  The  essential  clothing  had 
been  purchased  or  manufactured.  Thanks  to  indefatigable 
exertions  a  large  stock  of  provisions  had  been  accumulated, 
and  at  a  cost  of  15  per  cent  funds  for  the  march  to  the  capital 
had  been  raised.  Although  time  had  permitted  the  friendly 
sentiments  and  reasonable  arguments  of  Scott's  proclamation 
to  leaven  the  people,  and  association  with  the  Americans  had 
refuted  the  calumnies  previously  effective  against  them,  our 
officers  and  men  expected  hard  fighting.  Thoughts  of  distant 
homes  and  of  near  perils  were  silvering  many  a  fine  head.  There 
were  no  good  laughers  in  the  army  now.  But  in  an  equal  degree 
hearts  were  nerved.  Mentally  the  cost  of  success,  figured 
without  discount,  was  already  paid.  All  felt  eager  to  advance. 
And  when,  anticipating  Pierce's  arrival  by  one  day,  Scott  gave 
the  order,  a  soldier's  joy  lighted  up  their  bronzed  features.30 


XXV 
ON  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

April-August,  1847 

ALMOST  immediately  after  Santa  Anna  left  the  seat  of 
government  for  the  Cerro  Gordo  campaign,  more  than  twenty 
generals  and  several  members  of  Congress  were  called  together 
at  the  palace  by  Anaya  to  consider  the  defence  of  the  capital.1 
Apparently  the  problem  could  be  solved  without  much  diffi- 
culty. Mexico  lies  in  a  rather  shallow  basin  —  said  to  be  the 
crater  of  an  ancient  volcano  —  about  thirty-two  by  forty-six 
miles  in  diameter.  In  the  time  of  Cortez  the  site  had  consisted 
of  islands  barely  rising  above  the  water,  but  the  spaces  between 
these  had  gradually  been  filled,  and  the  water  had  subsided. 
Six  lakes  could  still  be  counted,  however;  almost  everywhere 
else  in  the  environs  there  were  marshes  traversed  by  elevated 
roads  or  causeways ;  and  the  rim  of  the  basin,  as  well  as  the 
routes  beyond  it,  seemed  to  offer  advantageous  points  for  de- 
fence.2 

The  sentiment  of  this  council  and  of  the  city,  though  con- 
cealed under  a  cloak  of  bellicose  ardor,  opposed  resisting  the 
Americans  in  earnest,  or  at  all  events  opposed  inviting  bombard- 
ment ;  and  it  was  therefore  decided  merely  to  take  precautions 
against  a  raid,  fortify  certain  points  on  the  roads,  and  bring 
out  a  host  of  irregulars  to  hang  upon  the  rear  and  flanks  of  the 
enemy.  All  men  capable  of  bearing  arms  were  summoned  to 
the  colors.  The  states  were  called  upon  for  aid.  Hopes  of 
borrowing  twenty  millions  imparted  a  sunny  look  to  the  situa- 
tion ;  and  ecclesiastics,  naturally  passive  in  view  of  the  agree- 
ment with  Beach  to  let  Scott  have  the  city,  were  deliberately 
forced  into  the  streets  by  the  civil  authorities  to  preach  fanati- 
cism and  rouse  the  public  from  their  apathy.  Except  perhaps 
by  this  last  method,  however,  little  was  accomplished.  Let 
us  unite,  let  us  unite,  and  do  you  go  and  fight  against  the 

79 


80 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


French/*  some  of  the  Spanish  priests  had  said  when  their  coun- 
try was  invaded  by  Napoleon.  So  things  went  now  in  Mexico, 
and  every  one  assigned  to  himself  the  duty  of  exhorting.  Fine 
ideas  beamed  forth,  but  everything  of  practical  utility  was 
conspicuously  wanting.  Still,  as  the  American  volunteers 
were  considered  "banditti,  without  the  slightest  knowledge  of 
military  tactics,  without  any  sort  of  training,  without  con- 
fidence, and  in  general  easily  terrified,"  no  keen  sense  of  alarm 
was  felt.2 

The  disaster  of  Cerro  Gordo  cast  new  and  fearful  shadows  up- 
on the  scene.   That  defeat,  said  Anaya,  "  simply  means  complete 


ruin  for  the  whole  republic/'  and  even  his  gratification  that 
Santa  Anna's  "interesting  person"  had  not  gone  down  in  the 
wreck  seemed  rather  of  an  iridescent  kind.  Military  con- 
fidence, which  had  revived  after  earlier  shocks,  gave  way  en- 
tirely The  prestige  derived  by  Santa  Anna  from  his  alleged 
success  at  Buena  Vista  was  now  torn  to  shreds  by  panting 
fugitives  from  the  south.  About  a  thousand  pamphlets,  for 
which  no  language  was  too  savage  or  too  true,  poured  light  upon 
his  character  and  achievements,  and  the  military  men  as  a 
class  met  with  similar  treatment.3  To  be  sure,  the  government 


POLITICAL  CHAOS  AT  MEXICO  81 

promised  boldly  to  continue  the  war.  April  20  Congress  in- 
vested the  Executive  with  autocratic  powers,  and  prohibited 
all  steps  toward  peace.4  The  Federal  District,  in  which  lay  the 
capital,  was  placed  under  martial  law.  Urgent  demands  for 
troops  were  sent  wherever  soldiers  could  be  supposed  to  lurk. 
Once  more  the  authorities  called  upon  every  citizen  of  the  proper 
age  to  take  up  arms.  Quotas  aggregating  32,000  men  were 
formally  assigned  to  the  states.  Light  fortifications,  intended 
to  delay  and  perhaps  block  the  Americans,  were  ordered  to  be 
thrown  up  along  the  route ;  and  the  heads  of  the  Church 
issued  an  appeal  for  concord  and  morality.5 

But  all  of  these  proceedings  displayed  more  alarm  than 
courage,  more  desperation  than  intelligence.  Many  of  the 
defensive  points  were  found  valueless.  Tools,  funds,  engineers 
and  laborers  fell  short.  The  meagre  donations  for  continuing 
hostilities  evinced  a  total  want  of  enthusiasm.  The  problem 
of  obtaining  enough  troops,  provisions  and  artillery  to  defend 
the  town  seemed  more  and  more  insoluble,  and  the  danger  not 
only  of  bombardment  but  of  sack  more  and  more  terrible. 
Grandees  got  out  their  old  travelling  coaches,  and  even  plain 
citizens  began  to  emigrate.  The  government  itself  decided 
that  against  an  army  represented  by  American  deserters  as 
more  than  16,000  strong,  fully  equipped,  shortly  to  be  rein- 
forced, and  soon  to  advance,  the  city  could  not  possibly  be 
held;  and  the  favorite  plan  of  the  administration,  the  most 
promising  that  could  be  devised,  was  to  buy  up  Scott's  Irish 
soldiers  through  the  priest  McNamara,  recently  conspicuous 
in  California,  and  facilitate  their  desertion  by  having  Santa 
Anna  attack  Puebla.  Should  this  fail,  submission  and  peace 
appear  to  have  been  deemed  inevitable.5 

With  some  exceptions  rulers  and  people  alike,  wearied  by 
decades  of  dissensions,  oppression,  scheming,  robbery  and  illu- 
sory promises,  discouraged  by  the  passive  opposition  of  the 
clergy  and  the  wealthy  classes,  overwhelmed  by  a  series  of 
military  disasters,  convinced  that  incompetent  and  perhaps 
traitorous  generals  led  the  armies,  and  powerless  to  discern 
any  happy  omens  for  the  country,  felt  neither  hope  nor  spirit ; 
and  the  kindness  of  the  Americans,  added  to  their  invincibility, 
had  now  overcome  even  the  instinct  of  race. 

To  heighten  the  confusion,  a  state  of  governmental  chaos 

VOL.  II  —  Q 


82  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

reigned.  Anaya  had  at  most  but  little  prestige  or  influence, 
and  friends  of  Santa  Anna,  angry  because  excluded  from  office, 
created  a  friction  between  the  two  that  weakened  both.  The 
ministers  could  not  cooperate  harmoniously.  General  Bravo 
was  given  command  of  all  the  troops  in  the  Federal  Distr  ct 
and  the  state  of  Mexico,  and  Santa  Anna  did  not  want  him  in 
that  important  position.  Congress  devoted  itself,  when  not 
harassing  the  administration,  to  wrangling  over  a  new  con- 
stitution, substantially  that  of  1824,  which  finally  was  voted  on 
the  eighteenth  of  May.  In  conscious  impotence  the  Puros 
writhed  and  snarled ;  and  their  enemies,  the  Moderados,  after 
having  triumphed  and  brought  Santa  Anna  to  their  side,  now 
boldly  paraded  their  dislike  of  him,  and,  by  showing  no  concern 
except  about  retaining  their  power,  excited  hostility  and 
contempt.  Common  sense  was  no  less  wanting  than  patriotism  ; 
and  when  these  two  parties  finally  agreed  to  save  the  country, 
their  plan  wTas  —  to  supplement  the  constitution  with  two  more 
articles.5 

Of  all  the  discontent,  resentments  and  ambitions  the  now 
despised  Santa  Anna  became  naturally  the  target.  Almonte 
still  plotted  to  be  President.  Arista  and  Ampudia,  joined  now 
in  disgrace  as  formerly  in  misfortune,  felt  thoroughly  dissatisfied. 
Gomez  Farias  could  not  forget  his  betrayal,  and  Olaguibel, 
governor  of  the  most  important  state,  Mexico,  loyally  sup- 
ported him.  Bravo  reciprocated  Santa  Anna's  dislike.  Valen- 
cia aspired  to  the  chief  military  command.  All  in  favor  of 
ending  the  war  —  who  now  had  an  organ,  El  Razonador  — 
considered  Santa  Anna  a  bar  to  peace  and  even  to  the  faithful 
observance  of  a  preliminary  armistice;  and  some  of  them, 
arguing  that  his  extraordinary  powers  were  cancelled  automat- 
ically by  the  adoption  of  a  new  organic  law,  advocated  placing 
him  in  the  interior  somewhere,  ostensibly  to  wait  for  new  troops, 
and  negotiating  a  treaty  without  his  knowledge.  The  Puros 
were  expected  to  explode  a  revolution  against  him  about  the 
twentieth  of  May,  and  for  all  sorts  of  personal  or  patriotic 
reasons  a  host  of  minor  individuals  made  ready  to  cooperate 
with  it.5 

But  all  these  busy  folks  were  only  mice,  reckoning  without 
the  cat.  On  leaving  Puebla  Santa  Anna  proceeded  to  San 
Martfn,  which  lay  on  the  direct  road  to  Mexico  where  it  began 


SANTA  ANNA  AT  THE  CAPITAL  83 

to  ascend  the  rim  of  the  Valley.  Works  had  been  erected 
near,  but  it  was  found  they  could  easily  be  turned  and  not 
easily  be  provisioned ;  and  a  council  of  war  decided  to  occupy 
the  capital,  since  only  there  could  large  resources  be  counted 
upon.  May  18,  therefore,  the  wretched  army  of  3000  or 
3500  men  arrived  at  Ayotla,  fifteen  miles  from  their  destination. 
Learning  of  this  unexpected  and  undesired  event,  the  hostile 
elements  undertook  to  "pronounce"  at  once,  but  could  not  set 
the  movement  off.  Three  leading  statesmen  of  the  dominant 
party  then  hurried  to  meet  the  General,  and  after  arguing  all 
day  persuaded  him  to  write  that  Anaya  might  remain  in  office, 
and  even  decide  whether  Mexico  City  should  be  defended, 
while  he  himself  would  retain  his  military  command,  or,  if 
dissatisfied  with  Anaya's  decision,  would  resign.6 

But  presently  cunning  Tornel  and  one  or  two  others  convinced 
Santa  Anna  that  a  mere  handful  of  enemies  had  spread  this  net 
in  order  to  drag  him  from  power,  and  eliminate  his  influence  on 
the  vital  question  of  peace.  Jealousy  and  fears  inspired  by  the 
favor  that  Valencia  and  Bravo  were  apparently  enjoying,  added 
to  the  urgency  of  his  officers,  did  the  rest;  and  on  the  nine- 
teenth, in  spite  of  the  understanding  just  agreed  upon  —  indeed, 
only  about  an  hour  after  his  letter  reached  the  palace  —  his 
troops  entered  the  city.  Anaya's  rather  sour  and  curdled 
face  flushed  hot  and  bitter.  He  did  not  care  to  retain  the 
Presidency,  for  he  believed  a  revolution  would  soon  break  out ; 
but  forcible  ejection,  in  disregard  of  a  written  promise,  was 
another  affair.  He  found  himself  powerless,  however ;  and  the 
next  day,  after  inducing  a  council  of  generals  to  decide  upon 
holding  Mexico,  Santa  Anna  announced  that  he  would  sacrifice 
his  wishes,  and  resume  the  executive  power.6 

The  state  of  things  that  ensued  was  indescribable.  Nothing 
equal  to  it  has  been  known  perhaps,  and  nothing  imagined 
save  the  witches'  caldron.  One  public  man  estimated  the 
number  of  bubbling  intrigues  as  twenty  millions.  Nothing  is 
left  us  except  vanity  and  dissension,  but  those  we  possess  in 
the  superlative  degree,  wrote  Ramirez.  Congress  had  no 
prestige,  no  power,  no  capacity;  and  its  factions  could  see 
nothing  except  opportunities  to  stab  one  another.  Santa  Anna's 
breach  of  faith  intensified  the  distrust  and  hatred  of  the  Mode- 
rados  without  gratifying  the  Puros.  Hoping  to  win  some  pop- 


84  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

ularity,  he  restored  the  freedom  of  the  press,  which  had  recently 
been  curtailed ;  but  his  enemies  merely  took  advantage  of  it. 
"The  man  of  La  Angostura,  of  Cerro  Gordo,  of  Amozoc,  weary 
of  destroying  Mexicans  on  the  field  of  battle,  comes  home 
tranquilly  to  find  repose  in  the  Presidential  chair/'  exclaimed 
Almonte's  organ.6 

A  plausible  and  eloquent  manifesto  put  out  over  Santa 
Anna's  name  dropped  cold  on  the  pavement.  No  basis  of 
popular  or  political  strength  for  even  a  temporary  footing  could 
be  discovered  by  his  counsellors.  Santa  Anna  himself  felt 
staggered  by  the  opposition.  His  only  chance  was  to  place 
the  nation  between  the  devil  and  the  deep  sea  —  between 
bayonets  and  chaos  —  hoping  it  would  again  call  upon  him  to 
save  it ;  and  so  on  the  twenty-eighth,  declaring  that  schemers 
and  revolutionists,  who  found  him  in  their  way,  paralyzed  his 
efforts  to  serve  the  country,  he  made  another  sacrifice,  and 
resigned  the  Presidency.6 

Unhappily  for  him  it  soon  appeared  likely  that  Congress 
would  accept  the  sacrifice,  while  on  the  other  hand  certain 
aspects  of  his  outlook  brightened.  Busy  Tornel  induced  a 
fraction  of  the  Puros,  who  realized  their  helplessness,  to  adopt 
his  cause.  Valencia,  though  much  to  Santa  Anna's  repugnance, 
had  been  given  for  his  present  portion  the  chief  command  at 
San  Luis  Potosi,  and  so  disappeared  from  the  capital.  Almonte 
found  himself  in  prison  under  a  charge  of  conspiracy.  Arista 
and  Ampudia  were  banished  from  the  vicinity.  Bravo  retired 
from  his  command.  At  the  same  time  promotions  fell  copiously 
on  devotees;  and  the  happy  recipients  knew  these  might 
well  cease  to  be  valid,  should  their  patron  fall.  Almonte  was 
said  to  have  received  a  majority  of  the  votes  for  President, 
while  Santa  Anna  had  been  supported  by  only  Chihuahua; 
but  so  much  territory  lay  in  American  hands  that  a  question 
about  the  legality  of  the  election  arose,  and  Congress  deferred 
the  matter.  On  the  second  of  June,  therefore,  the  arch-pres- 
tidigitator laid  himself  once  more  upon  the  altar,  and  in  order 
to  save  the  country  from  Scott  and  anarchy  withdrew  his 
resignation.6 

"Mexicans,  I  shall  be  with  you  always  —  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  your  ruin/'  so  the  Monitor  Republicano  paraphrased  his 
announcement;  and  then  it  added:  "What  a  life  of  sacrifice 


SANTA  ANNA  STILL  SUPREME  85 

is  the  General's;  a  sacrifice  to  take  the  power,  to  resign,  to 
resume;  ultimate  sacrifice ;  ultimate  final ;  ultimate  more  final ; 
ultimate  most  final ;  ultimate  the  very  finalest.  But  let  him 
cheer  up.  He  is  not  alone  in  making  sacrifices.  For  twenty-five 
years  the  Mexican  people  have  been  sacrificing  themselves,  all 
of  them,  in  the  hope  that  certain  persons  would  do  good  to  the 
country."  But  in  spite  of  sarcasm  and  ridicule  Santa  Anna  had 
triumphed.  Hated  by  many,  disliked  by  most,  distrusted  by 
nearly  all,  yet  forging  ahead  because  he  was  on  the  ground  with 
troops,  because  his  combination  of  good  luck,  audacity  and 
cunning  could  not  be  matched,  because  the  Moderado  govern- 
ment had  proved  incompetent,  because  a  regime  of  dissension  and 
anarchy  could  organize  no  solid  opposition  against  him,  and  be- 
cause a  group  of  selfish  interests  found  in  him  a  sharp,  tough  bit 
of  steel  to  fix  at  the  head  of  their  spear,  he  triumphed  once  more.6 

The  victory  threatened,  however,  to  be  fatal.  In  every 
direction  lurked  pitfalls  charged  with  gunpowder.  In  all  the 
history  of  Mexico  dissensions  had  never  been  more  bitter, 
nor  political  and  social  chaos  nearer.  Congress  annoyed  him 
until  at  length,  by  failing  week  after  week  to  form  a  quorum 
lest  one  faction  or  another  should  score  an  advantage,  it  fell 
into  abeyance  and  left  him  virtually  a  dictator.7  In  the  hope 
of  obtaining  funds  from  the  Church,  he  gave  deeper  offence 
than  ever  to  the  most  prominent  of  the  Moderados ;  but  the 
prelates,  in  alliance  with  leading  monarchists,  continued  to 
plot  against  him.  Newspapers  waged  a  bitter  campaign  un- 
til choked  with  an  iron  hand.  His  persecution  of  the  generals 
excited  fierce  resentment.  A  Puro  chief,  entering  the  Cabinet 
and  getting  a  glimpse  of  his  ulterior  aims,  resigned  in  six  days.8 

In  short  the  administration  had  no  political  creed,  and  could 
find  no  political  support;  and  the  assistance  of  that  indis- 
pensable villain,  Tornel,  who  could  be  seen  stealing  to  the 
palace  at  the  hour  when  the  night-hawk  begins  to  fly,  covered 
it  with  discredit.  Executive  authorities  waged  almost  civil 
war  upon  one  another.  Rumors,  not  without  some  basis,  that 
a  formal  dictatorship  was  in  view,  could  not  be  stilled;  and 
the  general  want  of  confidence  in  the  President's  character  and 
aims  rendered  the  most  skilful  appeals  to  patriotism  vain. 
Only  by  the  utmost  exertions  could  the  fragile  edifice  of  govern- 
ment be  kept  balanced  on  the  poin^t  of  the  bayonet.8 


86  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Nor  was  the  opposition  against  Santa  Anna  confined  to  his 
immediate  vicinity.  The  people  of  Mexico  City  had  always 
despised  the  outlying  states;  and  not  only  was  this  disdain 
repaid,  but  the  capital,  source  of  so  many  political  and  financial 
ills  experienced  by  the  rest  of  the  country,  was  looked  upon  by 
a  great  number  of  thoughtful  men  as  hopelessly  corrupt  — 
as  a  diseased  part  that  required  amputation.  When  restoring 
the  old  federal  system  in  August,  1846,  in  order  to  satisfy  his 
democratic  allies  and  win  popularity,  Santa  Anna  apparently 
did  not  foresee,  as  Consul  Black  did,  that  after  realizing  their 
power  and  getting  into  touch  with  one  another,  the  states 
would  take  a  firm  position  upon  their  prerogatives.  In  addition 
to  such  difficulties,  it  was  commonly  felt  that  military  men  and 
the  army  stood  mortally  opposed  to  democracy  and  federal 
institutions,  that  success  in  the  field  might  enable  Santa  Anna  to 
overthrow  this  principle  and  these  institutions,  and  that  a  loud 
cry  for  patriotism  and  war,  combined  with  a  systematic  with- 
holding of  men  and  supplies,  would  compel  him  to  fight  and 
ensure  his  ruin.8 

By  evasions,  therefore,  or  in  some  cases  positive  refusals 
to  obey  the  commands  of  the  general  government,  substantially 
all  the  states  withheld  support,  frequently  alleging  that  under 
the  regime  of  the  new  constitution  its  extraordinary  powers, 
conferred  by  the  law  of  April  20,  did  not  exist,  and  that  all 
National  Guards,  as  well  as  all  revenues  assigned  to  the  states  in 
September,  1846,  were  independent  of  the  national  authorities. 
In  this  opposition  Zacatecas  naturally  played  a  leading  part, 
but  perhaps  Olaguibel,  an  impressive,  honest  and  able  man, 
who  had  travelled  in  the  United  States  and  Europe  and 
had  filled  his  library  with  busts  of  the  leading  American 
statesmen,  was  its  foremost  representative ;  and  the  firm  sup- 
port of  his  constituents,  who  felt  intensely  jealous  of  Santa 
Anna,  as  well  as  the  cooperation  of  Gomez  Farias,  rendered 
him  a  formidable  person.  Balked  thus  by  constitutional 
theories  that  not  only  flattered  local  interests  and  pride  but 
'were  noticeably  economical,  Santa  Anna  could  obtain  —  aside 
from  the  troops  brought  by  General  Juan  Alvarez  and  a  few 
others  —  very  little  assistance  outside  of  the  Federal  District.8 

That  was  hard  enough,  but  still  greater  difficulties  lay  behind 
it.  In  the  far  northwest  Sonora,  Sinaloa  and  Durango  enter- 


SANTA  ANNA  PREPARES  FOR  BATTLE  87 

tained  the  idea  of  uniting  as  a  new  republic,  and  six  of  the 
central  states  were  banded  together  in  a  Coalition.  This 
extra-legal,  if  not  illegal,  organization  had  been  called  into 
existence  in  January,  1847,  by  the  pronunciamiento  of  the 
Mazatlan  garrison,  which  aimed  at  making  Santa  Anna  dic- 
tator. By  the  end  of  May  it  was  in  good  shape,  and  had  a  plan 
for  troops  of  its  own.  Two  weeks  later  the  delegates,  who 
made  Lagos  their  place  of  meeting,  called  themselves  an 
Assembly,  and  were  buying  arms;  and  by  the  fourth  of  July 
they  felt  bold  enough  to  declare  null  a  decree  of  Santa  Anna. 
Of  course  the  ostensible  purpose  was  to  protect  independence, 
nationality  and  federal  institutions ;  but,  as  the  correspondence 
of  the  state  governors  reveals,  the  real  aims  included  the 
establishment  of  a  "new  pact  of  alliance/'  a  new  confederation, 
in  which  Santa  Anna  and  that  Babylon,  the  city  of  Mexico, 
should  have  no  part.  With  this  Coalition  a  large  number  of 
the  Puros  naturally  sympathized.8 

In  the  face  of  it  all,  however,  the  futile  strategist  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  with  a  truly  superb  wilfulness  and  a  more  truly  pitiful 
self-confidence,  snatched  up  once  more  the  bloody  dice. 
Cannon  were  brought  from  distant  points,  cast  by  the  govern- 
ment from  bells  and  old  ordnance  at  Chapultepec  and  else- 
where, or  manufactured  by  contractors.  New  muskets,  of 
which  foreigners  offered  to  deliver  great  stocks  at  Mexican 
ports  or  by  way  of  Guatemala,  were  purchased;  old  ones, 
appropriated  by  deserters  or  stolen  during  revolutions,  were 
hunted  up ;  and  all  citizens  were  ordered,  though  perhaps  with- 
out great  results,  to  let  the  government  have  what  arms  they 
owned.  Immense  quantities  of  powder  were  produced  at 
Morelia,  at  Guanajuato,  at  Santa  Fe  near  Mexico,  and  at  the 
capital;  a  great  deal  was  imported  overland  from  British 
Honduras,  and  additional  supplies  came  from  New  Orleans  by 
the  way  of  Campeche.  At  various  points  mortars,  bayonets, 
projectiles  and  numberless  other  articles  were  turned  out  by 
government  establishments  or  private  contractors.  Forges 
clanged  on  all  sides ;  and  wherever  the  President's  restless 
and  unscrupulous  mind  could  have  its  way,  there  reigned  a 
feverish  activity,  cooled  only  by  a  want  of  funds.11 

At  Mexico  City,  before  his  arrival,  some  2000  regulars  and 
8000  National  Guards,  besides  the  officers,  were  in  garrison; 


88  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  these  with  his  army,  five  hundred  from  Queretaro,  some 
two  hundred  Irish  deserters,  an  unknown  number  of  able-bodied 
loafers  impressed  at  the  capital,  and  larger  or  smaller  accessions 
from  other  sources,  made  up  the  Army  of  the  East.  The 
Army  of  the  South  under  Juan  Alvarez,  who  commanded  the 
line  to  Acapulco  with  headquarters  near  Mexico,  had  on  its 
roll  at  the  end  of  June  2748  officers  and  men ;  and  Canalizo, 
comandante  general  of  Puebla,  who  became  reconciled  to  his 
chief  in  June,  was  supposed  to  have  a  few  thousands  of  National 
Guards  and  irregulars.  But  as  most  of  these  forces  were  poorly 
paid  and  a  large  part  of  them  served  unwillingly,  desertion  — 
in  spite  of  the  severest  rules — was  common,  and  the  numbers 
fluctuated  incessantly.11 

At  San  Luis  Potosi,  meantime,  lay  the  Army  of  the  North, 
which  contained  the  largest  percentage  of  veterans.  In  May 
Valencia,  so  long  a  rival  of  the  President,  had  talked  in  a  very 
lofty  style,  as  if  already  the  military  head  of  the  nation,  about 
marching  south  and  cutting  Worth  to  pieces,  and  Santa  Anna, 
though  anxious  to  get  his  troops,  now  wished  him  to  remain  at 
a  distance;  but  in  July,  on  account  of  Scott's  approaching 
reinforcements,  it  seemed  necessary  to  bring  down  that  army, 
and  it  arrived  at  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  a  few  miles  north  of 
Mexico,  on  the  twenty-seventh,  numbering  more  than  4000 
men  with  twenty-two  guns.  Just  how  many  soldiers  the 
President  then  had  cannot  be  stated,  and  in  all  probability 
no  one  could  have  stated  at  the  time ;  but,  such  as  they  were, 
there  seem  to  have  been  fully  25,000  men  and  probably,  as 
reports  and  intercepted  letters  convinced  many  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, 30,000,  if  not  more.9  Some  were  well  dressed,  well 
equipped  and  well  trained ;  but  from  that  pinnacle  the  army 
descended  to  mere  off-scourings,  whose  rags  were  as  the 
President  said,  "a  disgrace  to  the  nation/'  and  whose  military 
efficiency  doubtless  corresponded.11 

Of  equally  varied  quality  were  the  officers.  The  generals 
best  known  to  the  country  were  nearly  all  out  of  the  service 
now,  being  under  charges  or  at  odds  with  the  head  of  the 
government.  Valencia  was  a  conspirator,  a  drunkard,  a  dolt 
and  a  volcano.  Alvarez,  an  ignorant  mulatto  from  the  wilds, 
understood  only  half-savage,  partisan  fighting.  Lombardini,  a 
strutting  lackey,  who  commanded  the  Army  of  the  East 


THE  MEXICAN  PLANS  89 

except  when  Santa  Anna  took  personal  charge  of  it,  strove  to 
conceal  behind  a  swarthy  face,  a  heavy  mustache  and  goatee, 
and  a  ceaseless  volubility  the  poverty  of  his  intellect ;  and  the 
great  mass  of  the  officers  were  —  well,  they  had  already  shown 
their  value.  They  were  now  ordered  to  be  intelligent  and  brave, 
to  be  zealous  whether  paid  or  not  paid,  to  do  their  full  duty  and 
something  more,  to  cast  behind  them  every  thought  of  accepting 
parole,  and  to  say  nothing  against  their  superiors ;  but  it  lay 
beyond  the  power  of  orders  to  make  them  what  they  could  not 
be,  and  the  small  number  of  excellent  men  were  lost  in  the  crowd.11 

Regarding  the  plan  of  operations  a  radical  difference  of 
opinion  existed.  To  not  a  few  the  idea  that  Scott  was  lying 
comfortably  at  Puebla  seemed  almost  unendurable.  They 
longed  to  have  him  attacked  unceasingly;  and  they  insisted 
that,  should  the  arrogant  invader  dare  to  march  for  the  capital, 
every  step  of  the  route  should  be  contested.  Santa  Anna  on 
the  other  hand  st'll  believed  in  concentration,  and  though  some 
regard  was  paid  to  the  apprehensions  of  the  ayuntamiento,  his 
views  naturally  prevailed.  The  plan  adopted,  then,  after 
considerable  vacillation  in  regard  to  details,  was  to  protect 
the  entire  perimeter  of  the  city  with  fortifications,  inundate 
more  or  less  the  surrounding  meadows,  and  prevent  Scott  from 
seriously  injuring  the  town  with  his  artillery  by  erecting  a 
series  of  works  at  the  most  advantageous  points  of  the  environs. 
These  protected  lines  were  to  be  held  by  the  less  reliable  corps 
—  National  Guards,  for  example  —  and  the  troops  belonging 
to  the  regular  army  were  to  be  a  mobile  force  ready  to  defend 
the  city  at  any  threatened  point.11 

The  plan  was  thus  essentially  defensive,  and  it  has  been  said 
with  much  force  that  a  system  of  this  kind  promises  merely 
negative  results  in  the  case  of  success,  and  positive  ruin  in  the 
case  of  defeat.  But  the  present  situation  was  peculiar.  Sup-« 
plied  with  provisions  for  no  long  period,  and  without  hopes  of 
early  and  strong  reinforcements,  the  Americans  were  bound 
to  fail  unless  promptly  and  signally  victorious,  and  their  enter- 
ing the  Valley  would  then  have  meant  destruction.  "Scott  is 
lost/'  exclaimed  the  Duke  of  Wellington  after  the  Americans 
crossed  the  rim ;  "  He  cannot  capture  the  city  and  he  cannot 
fall  back  upon  his  base."  Santa  Anna's  plan,  therefore,  did  not 
merit  the  criticism  bestowed  upon  it.11 


90  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Besides,  Alvarez  with  nearly  all  the  Mexican  horse  was  to 
swing  in  behind  the  advancing  Americans,  cut  off  their  com- 
munication with  Puebla,  follow,  annoy  and  injure  them  in  every 
possible  way,  conceal  his  real  strength  so  as  to  bring  out  and 
overwhelm  their  cavalry,  attack  vigorously  whenever  Scott 
should  become  seriously  engaged  before  Mexican  fortifications, 
and  be  ready  to  prevent  his  retreat\  Canalizo  with  his  thou- 
sands was  to  support  Alvarez ;  and  Valencia  also,  advancing 
from  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  to  the  village  of  Texcoco,  east  of 
Mexico,  was  to  cooperate  with  him,  and  especially  to  throw 
himself  with  all  his  energy  into  the  attack  on  the  American 
rear  or  flank,  whenever  Scott  should  assail  the  outer  works. 
At  the  same  time  the  people  of  the  neighboring  towns  and 
villages  were  to  swarm  about  the  invader  like  hornets,  and 
sting  him  day  and  night  incessantly.  In  short  the  plan  was 
excellent  —  only  Santa  Anna  overlooked,  as  usual,  several 
possibilities.11 

As  soon  as  he  took  up  the  reins  of  government  the  con- 
struction of  defences  had  begun,  and  now,  under  the  technical 
direction  of  General  Mora,  Manuel  Robles  and  Juan  Cano,  it 
was  pushed  with  all  the  energy  of  an  intense  military  despot  who 
stuck  at  nothing.  Villages  were  depopulated,  haciendas  robbed 
of  their  laborers,  jails  emptied,  and  the  streets  cleared  of 
vagabonds.  Enforce  obedience,  the  governor  of  the  District 
was  curtly  told  when  he  reported  that  his  orders  had  no  effect. 
Sunset  no  longer  promised  repose,  and  the  church  bells  no 
longer  meant  worship.  Informed  on  July  18  that  Scott  would 
leave  Puebla  on  the  twenty-first,  Santa  Anna  rose  above  his 
exemplar,  Napoleon,  and  took  for  model  the  Creator.  Within 
eight  days  let  all  the  works  be  completed,  he  decreed.  But 
engineers,  laborers,  tools,  instruments,  timber,  provisions,  time 
And  cash  —  much  of  which  was  embezzled  by  high  officers  and 
officials  even  at  this  juncture  — all  fell  short,  and  Santa 
Anna's  serviceable  cannon  were  not  enough  to  equip  even  the 
works  constructed.11 

Certain  points,  however,  became  quite  formidable,  and 
especially  Old  Penon,  a  lofty,  precipitous  hill  of  rock  standing 
by  itself,  close  to  the  Puebla  route,  seven  miles  from  the  city.10 
Stockades,  breastworks,  parapets  and  guns  bristled  on  summit 
and  brow ;  works  at  the  base  and  in  advance  commanded  all 


THE  PEOPLE  ENTHUSIASTIC  91 

dangerous  approaches ;  a  trench  full  of  water  crossed  the  road ; 
the  meadows  in  front  —  cut  with  ditches  —  were  inundated ; 
and  the  swampy  edge  of  Lake  Texcoco  guarded  the  opposite 
side  of  the  road.  To  the  Mexicans,  who  always  measured  the 
strength  of  a  chain  by  its  heaviest  link,  this  position  seemed  a 
wonderful  protection  ;  and  in  general  the  people,  if  not  the  city, 
were  strongly  fortified  by  the  President's  labors.11 

For  other  reasons  also  the  morale  of  the  inhabitants  improved. 
Characteristic  light-heartedness  made  them  turn  from  past 
defeats  to  future  triumphs.  They  were  told  that  at  Cerro 
Gordo  Scott  had  made  his  troops  fight  by  opening  a  battery 
upon  them  from  the  rear ;  that  his  men,  while  they  presumed 
to  think  they  could  make  "vile  slaves "  of  the  generous  and 
valiant  Mexicans,  were  few,  sickly,  poverty-stricken,  dis- 
satisfied ;  and  that  Polk,  embarrassed  by  the  expense  of  the 
war,  could  send  him  but  scanty  reinforcements.  Greed, 
brutality  and  sanguinary  ambition  were  charged  against  us  at 
this  crisis  by  the  London  Times  in  its  usual  contemptuous 
manner,  and  the  JHario  eagerly  quoted  it.  The  successes  of 
the  guerillas  against  American  convoys  roused  a  lively  enthu- 
siasm. "Only  a  little,  a  very  little"  effort  is  necessary  to  beat 
the  hateful  Anglo-Saxon,  proclaimed  the  government;  and  a 
review  of  the  brilliant  Eleventh  Infantry,  headed  by  its  band  of 
twenty-five  pieces,  made  that  little  seem  easy  and  agreeable.11 

People  who  bore  the  names  of  saints  as  a  matter  of  course 
easily  exploded  Scott's  Address  of  May  11.  How  absurd, 
they  cried,  for  the  American  general  to  pretend  he  is  a  Chris- 
tian :  there  is  no  St.  Winfield  in  the  calendar  !  The  only  hope 
of  the  Americans  lies  'n  Mexican  dissension,  therefore  let  us 
disappoint  them,  it  was  urged ;  and  to  promote  harmony  all 
the  newspapers  except  the  official  organ  were  suspended  on 
plausible  grounds.  Santa  Anna's  activity  and  warlike  spirit 
had  to  be  recognized  by  all.  We  must  confide  in  him  and 
gather  round  him  like  a  band  of  brothers,  preached  the  Diario; 
and  when  all  political  trials  were  ordered  to  end,  and  the  Presi- 
dent banqueted  at  Valencia's  house,  the  fraternal  era  so  long 
hoped  for  seemed  at  hand.11 

Finally,  on  the  ninth  of  August,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, a  16-pounder  boomed  portentously  from  the  citadel. 
'The  long  roll  was  beaten.  Bands  of  music  patrolled  the  city. 


92  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Hands  clapped.  Vivas  echoed  through  the  streets.  Rackets 
flashed  rosettes  in  the  sky.  "  Blinded  by  pride  the  enemy  have 
set  out  for  the  capital/'  proclaimed  Santa  Anna;  "For  this, 
Mexicans,  I  congratulate  myself  and  you."  The  government, 
while  savagely  and  contemptuously  scoring  the  Americans, 
announced  a  series  of  reforms  to  be  effected  by  Santa  Anna, 
not  as  a  constitutional  magistrate,  but  as  a  Divine  Providence ; 
and  the  Diario  echoed  back,  "  Half  a  dozen  of  these  measures 
would  change  the  face  of  the  Republic/'  The  President  as- 
sumed command  of  the  army,  and  every  citizen  from  sixteen 
to  fifty  years  of  age  took  his  place  in  the  ranks.  Amidst  the 
most  fervid  enthusiasm  of  crowds  that  filled  the  streets,  bal- 
conies and  housetops,  troops  followed  troops  gaily  toward  Old 
Penon,  and  two  days  later  the  forces  were  reviewed  there.12 

Tents  gleamed  under  a  splendid  sun.  Bands  played  as  if 
inspired.  The  soldiers  marched  with  a  quick,  impatient  step. 
Anaya — recently  the  chief  magistrate,  Gorostiza — the  primate 
of  Mexico 's  literary  men,  white-haired  Herrera  —  the  most 
honored  of  her  political  chiefs,  and  countless  other  dignitaries 
did  honor  to  the  occasion.  The  rich  vestments  of  the  clergy 
gave  exquisite  lustre  and  color,  and  their  pompous  benedictions 
added  a  sense  of  more  than  human  grandeur.  All  were  happy, 
radiant,  brotherly.  Every  thought  of  peace,  every  thought  of 
opposing  or  even  doubting  Santa  Anna  appeared  to  be  for- 
gotten. In  all  his  previous  career  so  refulgent  a  day  had  never 
been  his.  "Ecce  Homo!"  cried  the  Diario;  "Behold  the  illus- 
trious champion  of  1821,  the  hero  of  1829,  the  genius  of  1838!" 
For  him  the  hill  became  a  Mount  of  Transfiguration.  Or  rather, 
perhaps,  it  was  Mt.  Sinai,  where  Deity  appeared  in  thunders 
and  lightnings.  You  MUST,  was  the  command  to  the 
governor  of  Zacatecas  this  day.  Let  the  state  of  Mexico  send 
me  her  troops,  rang  the  message  to  Olaguibel.  And  Olaguibel 
replied  meekly,  They  shall  go  to-morrow.12 

Scott  was  in  fact  advancing.  On  the  morning  of  Saturday, 
the  seventh,  his  camp  was  astir  early.  The  base  of  Popocate- 
petl seemed  black,  and  the  slopes  a  pale,  silvery  blue ;  but  its 
top,  almost  18,000  feet  above  the  sea,  was  a  "Blazing  Star," 
as  some  of  the  Indians  named  the  mountain,  and  appeared 
like  an  omen  of  victory.  The  Second  Division  was  soon  ready. 
Twiggs  faced  it,  waved  his  hat  round  his  white  head,  and  cried 


SCOTT'S  MARCH  TO  MEXICO  93 

in  the  voice  of  Ajax,  "Now,  my  lads,  give  them  a  Cerro  Gordo 
shout !"  A  simultaneous  hurrah  from  twenty-five  hundred  iron 
throats  was  the  response ;  and  at  six  o'clock,  preceded  by  the 
cavalry  and  the  engineer  company  arid  followed  by  the  siege 
train  —  while  his  band,  mounted  on  splendid  white  horses, 
played  our  national  airs  —  he  began  the  eventful  march.  One 
day  apart,  Quitman,  Worth  and  Pillow  followed  him.  Though 
it  was  announced  that  no  man  unable  to  do  three  marches  could 
be  permitted  to  go,  hundreds  of  convalescents  unequal  to  the 
effort  insisted  upon  trying,  and,  gradually  falling  out,  rejoined  the 
garrison  of  Puebla.  Feeble  in  numbers 13  for  such  an  enterprise, 
but  confiding  in  their  quality,  their  leader  and  their  prestige, 
the  10,738  men  and  their  officers  pressed  boldly  forward.15 

For  a  time  the  dust  proved  extremely  annoying  and  the  sun 
scorched;  but  soon  mountain  air  began  to  be  felt,  and  the 
troops  entered  a  wide,  blooming  and  scented  valley,  full  of  rich 
fields,  grazing  herds,  noble  hacienda  houses  that  were  almost 
palaces,  and  trim  white  churches  that  seemed  like  stragglers 
from  the  great  host  at  Puebla.  In  the  rear  shone  Orizaba  and 
the  nearer  pyramid  of  Malinchi.  On  the  left  Popocatepetl 
and  his  consort,  the  Sleeping  Woman  (Iztaccihuatl),  deeply 
blanketed  in  fleecy  white,  looked  hardly  a  stone's  throw  distant ; 
and  after  the  sun  had  set,  the  air  grown  cold,  and  the  valley — 
now  less  open  —  filled  with  shadows,  their  purple  tops  glowed 
like  interplanetary  lighthouses.15 

Soon  after  passing  the  ugly  little  town  of  San  Martin,  twenty 
miles  from  Puebla,  the  troops  began  to  ascend  more  rapidly. 
Eleven  miles  more  brought  them  to  a  mountain  river,  Tesme- 
lucan,  where  the  elegant  aerial  bridge  that  spanned  the  abyss 
made  them  almost  feel  they  were  flying.  The  scenery  now 
became  Alpine.  Deep  chasms  answered  to  peaks,  and  lovely 
glens  to  precipices;  and  the  cedar,  the  oak  and  the  ash,  as 
well  as  pines  of  extraordinary  height  and  straightness,  reared 
themselves  on  the  slopes.  At  Rio  Frio,  about  thirty-six  miles 
from  both  Puebla  and  Mexico,  where  an  icy  stream  dashed 
foaming  down  the  rocks,  the  mountains  closed  in  on  the  left, 
and  their  crest,  lined  with  deserted  parapets,  almost  overhung 
the  road.14  Then  a  stiff er  climb  of  about  five  miles  placed  the 
troops  on  a  narrow  plateau  which  formed  the  summit ;  and  they 
were  now  10,500  feet  above  the  sea.15 


94  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

A  few  miles  down  the  steep  descent  on  the  other  side  their 
prospect  opened,  and  below,  girt  round  with  singularly  bold 
mountains  —  rough,  dark  and  purplish,  but  softened  here  and 
there  with  a  wisp  of  shining  vapor  —  lay  the  Valley  of  Mexico, 
which  the  pellucid  atmosphere,  transmitting  colors  and  outlines 
undimmed,  brought  wondrously  nigh.  Ten  small  volcanoes, 
that  had  been  crumbling  for  ages  untold,  stood  clothed  in 
luxuriant  verdure  nearly  to  the  summit.  Six  broad  lakes 
now  laughed  under  the  brilliant  sun  and  now  brooded  in  the 
shadows  of  passing  clouds.  Velvet  champaigns  —  cut  with 
ash-colored  roads,  gleaming  canals  and  straight  lines  of  poplars, 
and  studded  with  walled  haciendas,  rambling  towns  and  cozy- 
looking  villages  —  were  further  variegated  with  highly  cul- 
tivated fields  of  many  crops,  with  groves  and  orchards  from 
which  peered  steeples  and  bell-towers,  with  villa  roofs  of  tiles, 
red  and  cheery,  and  with  whitewashed  cottages  that  shone 
like  silver  Every  possible  hue  of  green  and  every  possible 
tone  of  light  and  shade  blended  into  one  harmonious  effect. 
And  in  the  midst  of  this  wonderful  scene,  as  the  climax  of  the 
stillness  and  beauty,  the  focus  of  all  eyes,  the  aim  of  all  desires, 
untarnished  by  smoke,  seemingly  without  stain,  bright  with 
sunshine,  begemmed  with  many  a  palace,  park  and  lofty 
church,  slumbered  the  capital  of  Mexico,  Venice-of-the- 
Mountains.  Xot  one  of  the  fascinated  soldiers  but  held  his 
breath;  and  not  one,  testified  the  commander-in-chief,  but 
said  to  himself  or  his  neighbor,  "That  splendid  city  shall  soon 
be  ours!"15 

Along  this  part  of  the  route  almost  13,000  trees  had  been  cut 
down  for  barricades,  and  some  of  them  had  been  placed  in  the 
road ;  but  the  Americans  were  not  materially  hindered,  and  in 
crossing  the  lower  slopes  they  found  little  to  do  except  admire 
the  wondrous  variety  and  profusion  of  the  wild-flowers.  On  the 
eleventh,  seeing  Mexicans  ahead  for  the  second  time,  Twiggs 
waited  for  Quitman;  but  a  few  hours  later,  after  passing  a 
cross-road,  he  went  on  about  four  miles,  and  occupied  the  adobe 
village  of  Ayotla,  half-buried  in  olive  trees,  while  Harney's 
cavalry  took  post  at  San  Isidro,  a  mile  and  a  half  in  advance, 
and  Quitman  camped  in  the  rear.  The  next  day  Worth's 
division  turned  to  the  left  by  the  cross-road,  marched  three 
miles  and  a  half  to  the  squalid  little  town  of  Chalco,  simmering 


THE  APPROACH  TO  MEXICO  95 

at  the  margin  of  the  shallow,  marshy  lake  bearing  that  name, 
and  finally  halted  a  little  distance  beyond ;  and  Pillow  camped 
at  Chimalpa,  not  far  beyond  Worth.15 

But  what  had  the  enemy  been  doing  ?  The  people  along  the 
route,  who  were  to  have  stung  the  Americans  day  and  night, 
recognized  the  difference  between  them  and  the  Mexican  irreg- 
ulars, welcomed  them  cordially,  and  gave  them  all  possible 
assistance.  Canalizo  —  who  seems  to  have  been  cowed  by  the 
disaster  of  Cerro  Gordo,  and  some  time  before  this  had  fled 
from  San  Martin,  with  six  hundred  men  at  his  back,  on  seeing  an 
American  officer,  detailed  to  arrange  an  exchange  of  prisoners, 
approach  with  a  small  escort  —  felt  no  desire  to  fight,  besides 
which  most  of  his  troops  revolted  or  deserted ;  and  Governor 
Isunza  not  only  failed  to  assist  him  with  men  and  means,  but 
flatly  refused  him  a  particular  corps,  expressly  demanded  by 
the  Executive  at  Mexico.16 

Alvarez,  well-nigh  a  brigand,  had  always  fought  for  his 
own  advantage,  knew  that  all  the  other  chief  leaders  were  dohig 
this  now,  and,  in  addition  to  cherishing  resentments  against 
Santa  Anna,  probably  felt  no  craving  to  play  a  strictly  inferior 
part.  Though  he  did  not  have  all  the  men  for  whom  he  seems 
to  have  been  drawing  rations,  his  force  was  important,  and  in 
three  particulars  he  obeyed  his  orders.  He  stationed  himself 
at  the  designated  point  on  the  flank  of  San  Martin,  kept  beyond 
the  reach  of  Scott's  artillery,  and  scrupulously  refrained  from 
attacking  the  Americans  on  unfavorable  terms;  but  while  he 
made  excuses  bravely,  and  proposed  valiant  operations  that 
Santa  Anna  forbade  as  inconsistent  with  his  general  plan,  he 
retired  some  ten  miles  from  the  route  on  the  plea  that  his  ex- 
hausted horses  required  pasturage.  For  probably  similar  reasons 
Valencia  quibbled  and  shirked ;  his  train  of  heavy  guns  — 
which,  though  needed  in  the  fortifications,  he  would  not  give 
up  —  impeded  his  movements ;  and  so  the  only  hostilities  were 
a  trifling  skirmish  with  irregulars,  in  which  one  American 
trooper  fell  a  victim  to  his  own  rashness.  Thus  ended,  to  his 
deep  disgust,  the  first  chapter  of  Santa  Anna's  hopes.16 

Four  lines  of  advance  now  offered  themselves  to  Scott.  By 
taking  the  cross-road  to  the  right  he  could  have  skirted  Lake 
Texcoco,  passing  the  village  of  that  name,  and  approached  the 
north  or  the  northwest  quarter  of  Mexico.  But  the  route  would 


96  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

have  been  long,  deficient  in  water  and  fuel,  and  circuitous; 
it  was  defended  by  Valencia  with  an  ample  supply  of  artillery ; 
a  movement  in  that  direction  would  have  made  surprise  or 
even  sudden  attack  impossible  for  him ;  at  a  pass  near  Guada- 
lupe  Hidalgo  stood  fortifications;  and  a  march  round  these 
would  have  involved  another  long  circuit  on  exposed  and  un- 
known ground.  This  route,  therefore,  was  not  seriously  con- 
sidered. On  the  other  hand,  after  the  most  thorough  investi- 
gation, Scott  had  planned  before  leaving  Puebla  to  take  the 
cross-road  to  the  left,  inarch  along  the  southern  shores  of  Lakes 
Chalco  and  Xochimilco,  and  reach  San  Agustm,  some  ten  miles 
to  the  south  of  Mexico ;  and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  he  placed 
Worth,  who  was  to  lead  the  movement  while  Twiggs  was  to 
menace  Old  Penon,  near  Chalco.17 

On  reaching  the  ground,  however,  unfavorable  reports  about 
this  road  were  given  by  Mexican  spies ;  and  the  General,  partly 
for  that  reason  and  partly  to  mystify  the  enemy,  reconnoitred 
the  Penon  and  also  a  fourth  route,  which  led  to  the  village  of 
Mexicaltzingo,  about  five  miles  from  the  city.  In  regard  to 
the  Penon  his  engineers  —  who  pushed  their  investigations  with 
the  utmost  intrepidity,  studied  every  foot  of  the  red  ledges 
dripping  with  crimson  gravel,  and  even  penetrated  behind  the 
hill  —  decided  that  it  could  be  carried,  but  only  at  a  severe 
loss;  while  the  evidence  concerning  the  fourth  possibility  led 
to  a  substantially  similar  conclusion,  supported  by  the  addi- 
tional objection,  that  apparently  success  would  place  the 
Americans  on  difficult  and  unknown  ground.  At  about  the 
same  time  Scott  obtained  further  information  regarding  the 
Chalco  route,  which  seemed  to  justify  the  opinion  formed  at 
Puebla.  Consequently  the  orders  to  attack  Mexicaltzingo  — 
issued  either  because  at  the  time  Scott  thought  he  should  march 
that  way  or  because  he  desired  to  mislead  the  cunning  Mexican 
spies,  who  even  gained  the  confidence  of  high  American  officers — 
were  suddenly  rescinded  in  the  night  of  the  fourteenth,  and 
the  next  day,  though  Twiggs  continued  to  threaten  the  Penon 
until  the  morning  of  the  sixteenth,  all  the  rest  of  the  army, 
headed  by  the  cavalry  and  Worth's  division,  set  out  for  San 
Agustm,  distant  from  Chalco  some  twenty-five  miles.17 

For  about  half  this  distance  the  road  was  little  more  than 
a  narrow  lane,  with  a  lake  —  or  more  properly  a  watery  marsh 


TO  SAN  AGUSTiN  97 

—  on  the  right  and  bold  foothills  close  on  the  left.  Spaces  of 
firm  ground  there  were.  At  one  time  venerable  olive  trees 
formed  an  arch  over  the  road;  once  the  troops  camped  in  a 
fine  grove,  and  some  ledgy,  rocky  spurs  had  to  be  crossed.  But 
for  much  of  the  way,  although  the  weather  had  been  remarkably 
dry  for  the  midst  of  the  rainy  season,  the  story,  as  Scott  had 
anticipated,  was  "mud,  mud,  mud."  Now  and  then  a  man 
would  slip  and  sink  to  his  waist  in  a  bog-hole;  in  places  the 
track  was  quite  overflowed ;  the  chilly,  torrential  rains  of  almost 
every  afternoon  increased  the  difficulties;  and  the  labor  of 
getting  several  miles  of  wagons  and  heavy  guns  along  such  a 
route  was  almost  incredible.  Besides,  the  troops  had  to  be 
ready  at  all  hours  for  attack  —  frontal,  rear  or  flank.  But 
early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  seventeenth  Harney  and  Worth's 
advance  reached  San  Agustin,  a  delightful  place  full  of  handsome 
gardens  and  orchards ;  and  the  next  day  the  rest  of  the  troops 
joined  them  —  "ready,"  as  a  soldier  put  it,  "for  anything 
except  a  thrashing."  18 

But  again,  where  were  the  Mexicans  ?  With  so  many  works 
to  construct,  Santa  Anna  could  hardly  be  censured  for  leaving 
unfortified  —  especially  as  both  an  inner  and  an  outer  line  were 
made  ready  against  any  forces  using  it  —  a  route  that  seemed 
to  be  quite  impracticable  for  an  army  train;  but  he  might 
have  placed  upon  it  a  few  light  guns  and  a  body  of  skirmishers, 
who  could  have  embarrassed  the  Americans  greatly.  This, 
however,  with  his  usual  over-confidence  and  faulty  judgment, 
he  neglected  to  do.  Yet  he  was  not  idle.  On  the  fourteenth 
he  knew  the  Americans  were  talking  of  a  march  to  San  Agustin ; 
and  though  he  suspected  this  language  might  be  a  blind,  he 
not  only  sent  additional  forces  to  that  quarter,  but  ordered 
Alvarez  to  follow  Scott,  should  such  a  movement  occur,  and 
be  ready  to  fall  upon  him  bravely  should  he  attack  a  fortified 
position ;  and  when  the  movement  actually  began  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  though  Santa  Anna  misinterpreted  its  aim,  he  promptly 
took  further  defensive  steps  on  that  line.18 

One  result  was  a  slight  brush  between  Alvarez  and  Twiggs 
after  the  latter  moved  from  Chalco  on  the  sixteenth;  but 
Alvarez  soon  found  so  many  difficulties  in  the  road  pursued 
by  the  Americans  and  so  little  food  or  pasturage  left  in  their 
rear,  that  he  once  more  abandoned  his  appointed  field  of 

VOL.    II — H 


98  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

operations.  Santa  Anna  would  not  break  up  his  general  plan 
by  sending  strong  detachments  from  the  southern  line;  and 
consequently  Scott's  march  was  merely  annoyed  by  a  few  hun- 
dred irregulars,  who  fired  at  intervals,  rolled  great  stones  down 
the  slopes,  and  cut  ditches  in  the  road,  but  broke  from  cover  and 
fled  like  scared  rabbits  when  C.  F.  Smith's  corps  of  light  infantry 
ran  leaping  and  shouting  across  the  hillsides.  Thus  ended  the 
second  chapter  of  Santa  Anna's  hopes.18 

Meantime  a  precipitate  rearrangement  of  the  Mexican  forces 
took  place.  The  President,  after  reconnoitring  the  American 
advance,  hastened  to  place  himself  between  San  Agustin  and 
Mexico.  Troops  were  despatched  from  the  Penon  to  various 
points  on  the  southern  front,  and  Valencia  was  ordered  to 
proceed  by  the  way  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  to  the  same  quarter. 
But  the  former  status  could  no  more  be  restored  than  one  could 
put  back  the  smoke  of  an  exploded  shell.  The  strongest 
fortifications  had  been  turned  and  rendered  useless;  and  any 
one  could  see  that  on  the  side  now  threatened,  where  a  number 
of  causeways  approached  the  city,  the  defence  of  it  would 
almost  necessarily  be  weakened  by  a  division  of  the  garrison. 
After  such  enthusiasm  and  such  impatience  to  meet  the  enemy, 
retirement  unadorned  with  laurels  or  with  even  the  stains  of 
combat  produced  a  humiliating  reaction  in  all  hearts.19 

At  Mexico  the  returning  soldiers  found  empty  streets,  tin- 
tenanted  balconies  and  bolted  windows ;  and  the  silent,  sombre, 
fearsome  aspect  of  a  besieged  city  enveloped  and  oppressed 
them.  Doubts  as  to  Santa  Anna's  competence  or  loyalty, 
which  had  slept  but  not  died  amidst  the  recent  glorification 
and  his  confident  promises  of  "a  splendid  triumph/'  awoke. 
People  recalled  that  precisely  when  the  enemy  were  moving 
against  Vera  Cruz,  the  Mexican  army  had  been  led  off  into  the 
northern  deserts ;  and  they  hotly  demanded  why  the  engineers, 
the  laborers,  the  troops  and  the  cannon  had  been  massed  at 
Old  Penon,  where  Scott  could  nullify  them  all  by  a  turn  of 
the  wrist.  As  if  in  answer,  it  was  publicly  stated  that  an 
outpost  had  found  a  treasonable  communication  addressed  by 
the  President  of  Mexico  to  the  American  commander;  and 
so  ended  Chapter  III  of  Santa  Anna's  hopes.19 


XXVI 
CONTRERAS,  CHURUBUSCO 

August,  1847 

WHILE  grievously  disappointed  by  the  collapse  of  his  efforts 
at  Old  Penon,  Santa  Anna  felt  by  no  means  despondent  regard- 
ing his  new  line.  Toward  the  south  ran  the  great  highway  of 
Acapulco  —  'along  which  numberless  cargoes  of  silks,  teas 
and  spices  had  approached  —  guarded  at  about  a  mile  from 
the  city  by  the  gateway  or  garita  of  San  Antonio  Abad.  Three 
miles  and  a  half  beyond  that  garita  the  highway  crossed  a 
bridge  over  Churubusco  River,  here  practically  a  drainage 
canal  running  between  high  embankments  planted  with  maguey, 
with  Mexicaltzingo  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  at  the  left. 
On  the  farther  side  of  the  river,  a  fifth  of  a  mile  southwest  of 
the  bridge,  stood  a  massive  convent  and  church,  skirted  by 
the  rambling  hamlet  of  Churubusco.  Passing  the  church  at  a 
distance  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  yards  the  highway  veered 
slightly  toward  the  east,  and  some  two  and  a  quarter  miles 
from  the  river  came  to  a  great  feudal  hacienda  named  San 
Antonio,  adorned  with  trim  silver  poplars  and  Peruvian  pepper 
trees  along  the  front  of  its  buildings.  A  scant  mile  then  brought 
one  to  the  similar  but  far  less  pretentious  establishment  of 
Cuapa;  and  two  scant  miles  more  to  San  Agustin.1  At 
the  Churubusco  bridgehead  and  convent  and  at  San  Antonio, 
where  the  erection  of  defences  had  begun  some  time  before, 
laborers  could  now  be  seen  working  —  particularly  at  San 
Antonio  —  like  bees ;  and  with  all  possible  haste  guns,  as 
well  as  troops,  were  brought  over  from  the  Penon.  Here,  said 
the  President,  he  "desired  to  have  the  battle  fought/' 4 

To  increase  his  confidence,  troops  not  only  occupied  Mexi- 
caltzingo on  the  left,  but  in  even  stronger  force  guarded  the 
opposite  flank.  About  three  miles  toward  the  south  from 
San  Cosme,  the  western  garita  of  Mexico,  the  traveller,  passing 
the  fortified  hill  of  Chapultepec  on  the  right,  found  himself  at 

99 


100 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


VALENCIA'S  MOVEMENTS  101 

the  genial  suburb  of  Tacubaya.  Keeping  on  in  the  same 
general  direction  for  nearly  six  miles  and  traversing  Mixcoac 
at  about  half-way,  one  came  to  San  Angel,  a  pretty  but  narrow 
town  of  some  importance  on  the  skirt  of  the  foothills.  Two 
miles  from  here  toward  the  east  at  Coyoacan,  a  garden  spot 
loved  by  Cortez  and  Alvarado,  the  fine  brigade  of  Perez,  which 
consisted  of  about  3500  infantry,  was  now  placed;  and  at 
San  Angel  itself  a  high  military  officer,  followed  by  some 
5500  troops  2  from  Guadalupe,  drove  up  in  a  coach  about  noon 
on  Tuesday,  the  seventeenth  of  August.  The  man  was  of 
average  height  but  unusually  broad,  with  a  bull-neck  deep  in 
his  shoulders  >  as  if  some  person  had  tried  to  force  a  good  idea 
into  his  head  with  a  pile-driver,  a  hard,  cruel,  domineering 
look  about  his  blue  eyes,  small  side-whiskers,  and  a  heavy 
mustache.  It  was  Valencia,  whose  imputed  schemes  and 
intrigues  had  of  late  been  keeping  every  tongue  busy.4 

Valencia's  instructions  were  to  block  the  way  from  Coyoadin 
to  Tacubaya  with  men  and  works;  but  he  mounted  at  once, 
rode  on  south  by  the  turnpike,  passed  Ansaldo  —  a  farmhouse 
buried  in  its  orchard,  two  miles  and  a  half  or  so  from  San  Angel 
—  and  a  strong  half-mile  beyond  it  paused.  On  his  right, 
open  ground  sloped  gradually  back  into  a  rounded  hill,  some 
three  or  four  hundred  yards  from  the  road ;  and  below  him  on 
the  left  flowed  a  small  but  lively  stream  at  the  bottom  of  a 
deep,  wide  ravine,  near  the  opposite  side  of  which  stood  the 
adobe  buildings  of  Padierna  farm.4 

From  this  point  a  mule-path,  barely  practicable  for  horses, 
wriggled  off  in  the  direction  of  San  Agustin,  here  about  four 
miles  distant  in  a  straight  line ;  and  —  covering  the  whole 
intermediate  plain  from  San  Antonio  and  San  Agustfri  on 
the  one  side  to  Padierna  and  San  Angel  on  the  other,  from 
Coyoacan  on  the  north  to  the  mountains  on  the  south  —  ex- 
tended a  pedregal  or  lava  bed,  which  looked  as  if  a  raging  sea 
of  molten  rock  had  instantly  congealed,  had  then  been  filled 
by  the  storms  of  centuries  with  fissures,  caves,  jagged  points 
and  lurking  pitfalls,  and  finally  had  been  decorated  with  oc- 
casional stunted  trees  and  clumps  of  bushes.  After  pursuing 
the  mule-path  for  some  distance,  ordering  a  camp  and  batteries 
established  on  the  slope  of  the  rounded  hill,  and  instructing 
experts  to  reconnoitre  the  ground  thoroughly,  Valencia  re- 


102  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

turned  to  his  post;  and  in  the  evening,  on  learning  from  the 
experts  that  four  other  paths  —  one  of  them  available  for 
artillery  —  led  from  San  Agustin  to  San  Angel,  he  summarized 
the  reconnaissances  in  a  letter  to  Santa  Anna,  complaining  that 
he  had  neither  room  to  manoeuvre  nor  time  to  fortify  where  he 
was,  asking  leave  to  change  his  position,  and  calling  for  2000 
more  men.4 

The  next  day,  Wednesday,  the  eighteenth,  Santa  Anna, 
writing  back  that  Scott  intended  to  attack  San  Antonio, 
ordered  Valencia  to  place  his  troops  at  Coyoacan,  and  send 
his  artillery  to  Churubusco,  a  mile  farther  east.  Valencia, 
who  by  this  time  had  placed  a  strong  outpost  on  the  mule- 
path  and  sappers  on  the  rounded  hill,  replied  that  Scott,  striking 
both  at  San  Antonio  and  at  San  Angel,  would  push  his  thrust 
in  whichever  direction  he  should  find  the  easier,  and  that  he 
could  not  conscientiously  leave  the  second  point  unguarded  by 
obeying  those  orders.  Notes  worthy  of  the  most  finished  and 
effusive  pirates  were  then  exchanged;  and  in  the  end  Santa 
Anna,  who  longed  to  remove  his  insubordinate  general  but 
dared  not,  authorized  him  to  do  as  he  pleased  and  assume,  of 
course,  the  attendant  responsibility.3  Accordingly  on  Thurs- 
day morning  Valencia  advanced  with  trumpets,  drums  and 
flags  to  the  rounded  hill,  and  proceeded  to  array  his  forces. 
A  long,  low,  earthen  parapet  with  an  angle  at  the  southern  end 
already  faced  Padierna,  and  five  guns  were  in  battery;  but 
the  summit  of  the  hill  was  neglected.4 

During  this  time  the  Americans  were  not  inactive.  Early  on 
Wednesday  Scott  directed  Worth  and  Engineers  Mason  and 
Tower,  supported  by  Garland's  brigade  of  infantry  and  a  body 
of  dragoons,  to  reconnoitre  San  Antonio.5  The  task  was 
accomplished  boldly  and  thoroughly;  and  they  found  the 
place  heavily  defended,  not  only  in  the  vicinity  of  the  white 
castle  which  formed  the  headquarters  of  the  hacienda,  but  for 
a  long  distance  eastward  —  where,  moreover,  the  water-soaked 
ground  almost  forbade  approach  —  and  saw  countless  laborers 
toiling  hard  upon  the  works.  The  presence  of  at  least  one 
24-pounder  was  demonstrated,  and  other  heavy  cannon  were 
believed  to  be  there.  In  Worth's  opinion,  the  cost  of  making 
a  successful  assault  by  the  narrow,  gun-swept  causeway  with 
fascines  and  ladders  would  cripple  the  army.6 


SCOTT  FEELS  HIS  WAY  103 

Questioning  peons  through  an  interpreter,  the  officers  learned 
of  a  path  which  began  at  the  highway  near  Cuapa,  made  a 
circuit  on  the  left  through  the  pedregal,  and  apparently  re- 
turned to  the  highway  some  distance  inside  the  works,  and 
this  received  careful  attention;  but  the  conclusion  was,  that 
while  infantry  could  filter  through  it,  artillery  could  not  pass ; 
and  to  advance  by  such  a  route  in  the  presence  of  a  strong, 
unshaken  enemy,  whose  front  and  other  flank  could  not  be 
attacked  or  seriously  threatened,  appeared  worse  than  hazardous. 
Even  Scott  felt  rather  depressed  on  hearing  the  reports,  es- 
pecially as  fortifications  were  said  to  exist  north  of  the  hacienda. 
The  men,  wagons  and  guns,  all  covered  with  mud,  that  lay 
scattered  about  on  the  wet  ground,  seemed  little  indeed  like  a 
conquering  army.  Except  for  some  cattle,  the  army  had  only 
four  days'  provisions ;  the  hard  bread  was  already  musty,  and 
the  horses  lacked  forage.6 

Later,  however,  Lee  and  Beauregard  brought  somewhat 
more  promising  information.  To  the  hacienda  of  Pena  Pobre, 
a  mile  and  a  quarter  from  San  Agustin  toward  the  west,  they 
had  found  a  good  road ;  and  then,  after  proceeding  about  an 
equal  distance  by  a  mule-path  to  the  top  of  a  sharp  ridge,  they 
had  seen  the  path  continue  to  Padierna  and  the  turnpike, 
which  lay  in  full  view  nearly  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  and  they 
believed  it  possible  to  make  a  road  by  that  line.  Their  escort 
had  routed  a  hostile  corps  of  observation,  and  some  men  had 
been  seen  at  work  on  a  rounded  hill  beyond  the  turnpike,  but 
no  other  Mexican  forces  appeared  to  be  near.  Indeed,  it 
seemed  probable  that  much  less  adequate  defences  had  been 
provided  here  than  on  the  great  southern  highway,  and  in 
this  direction  Scott  resolved  to  strike.  "An  enemy  that  halts, 
vacillates,  declines  the  battle  offered  him,  makes  a  circuit, 
hunts  for  a  position  and  finds  none  to  suit  him  is  an  enemy  lost/' 
exulted  the  Diario* 

The  next  morning,  August  19,  therefore  —  while  Quitman 
unwillingly  remained  at  San  Agustin  to  guard  the  base,7  and 
Worth,  with  his  engineers  and  troops,  continued  to  reconnoitre 
and  threaten  on  the  San  Antonio  side  —  Scott  ordered  a  force 
of  engineers  to  build  a  road  in  the  other  direction.  Pillow's 
division  was  to  furnish  working-parties,  and  Twiggs's  to  clear 
away  whatever  Mexican  detachments  might  undertake  to 


104  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

hinder  the  operations;  and  the  implied  instructions  were  to 
gain  and  hold  the  San  Angel  turnpike,  so  that  San  Antonio 
could  be  turned.  Scott  did  not  expect  or  desire  a  general  en- 
gagement at  this  time ;  but  he  directed  Pillow  to  take  command 
and  employ  both  divisions,  if  a  battle  should  be  opened,  promis- 
ing that  in  such  an  event  he  would  soon  appear  or\  the  field. 
Under  these  instructions  the  troops  advanced  cautiously  but 
rapidly  the  first  mile  and  a  quarter,  constructed  a  road  to  the 
summit  of  the  ridge,  pulled  up  the  guns  with  drag-ropes,  and 
looked  over.  As  the  returning  tide  makes  a  sea  in  the  Bay  of 
Fundy,  where  only  bare  ground  had  been  visible  a  few  hours 
earlier,  Valencia's  army  had  taken  possession.  It  was  now  one 
o'clock,  and  evidently  road-building  was  over  for  a  while.11 

Pillow,  however,  knew  all  about  winning  victories.  From 
a  central  hill,  Zacatepec,  where  he  stood,  he  could  measure 
Valencia's  forces  to  a  nicety,  and  he  decided  to  brush  them 
away.  By  his  order  the  Mounted  Rifles,  particularly  the  ad- 
vanced companies  of  Roberts  and  Porter,  deployed  quickly, 
drove  the  Mexican  skirmishers  in  a  handsome  style  from  rocks 
and  fissures,  and  finally  occupied  Padierna.  At  the  same  time 
and  under  his  instructions  Magruder  —  tall,  blonde  and  intrepid 

—  advanced  his  field  battery  nearly  a  mile  without  cover  over 
that  almost  impassable  ground,  which  the  enemy  had  now 
barred  with  stone  walls,  planted  it  under  the  slight  protection 
of  a  transverse  ledge,  and  rot  long  after  two  o'clock  opened  a 
duel  with  Mexican  siege  guns,  68-pound  howitzers  and  many 
lighter  pieces,  more  than  twenty  in  all,  at  a  range  of  about 
900  yards,  while  brave  Callender  fought  the  howitzer  battery 
beside  him,  dashing  little  Reno  set  off  rockets,  and  Smith's 
and  Pierce's  brigades,  which  were  presently  to  attack  Valencia's 
camp,  furnished  support.    And  Pillow  knew  also  how  to  "bag" 
a  defeated  enemy.    So  he  ordered  Riley's  brigade  to  the  ex- 
treme right  to  cooperate  with  the  frontal  attack  by  checking 
reinforcements  and  cutting  off  Valencia's  retreat.    Then  he 
countermanded  this  order,  but  not  in  season.11 

Zigzagging,  scrambling,  leaping,  and  sliding  as  best  they 
could  over  about  a  mile  of  pedregal,  Riley's  brigade  crossed 
the  stream  and  the  turnpike,  formed  in  the  orchard  of  Ansaldo, 
routed  small  bodies  of  lancers,  passed  through  San  Ger6nimo 

—  an  Indian  village  lying  amid  trees  and  ravines  a  quarter  of 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CONTRERAS  105 

a  mile  west  of  Ansaldo  and  about  three  times  as  far  from 
Valencia  —  had  a  stiff  but  victorious  brush  with  Torrejon 
and  three  regiments  of  cavalry,  defied  Valencia's  cannon,  some 
of  which  now  faced  this  way,  found  cover  at  length  in  broken 
ground  between  the  village  and  his  camp,  and  waited  for  the 
Mexicans  to  be  routed.  But  the  major  general  commanding 
failed  in  the  prime  essential  of  his  plan,  for  he  did  not  induce 
Valencia  to  retreat.  Badly  crippled,  the  American  batteries 
became  silent  after  an  hour  or  so,  the  brigades  that  had  ex- 
pected to  charge  saw  clearly  they  could  accomplish  nothing, 
and  Riley  found  himself  isolated.  So  ended  wretchedly  the 
first  phase  of  the  battle  of  Contreras,8  Pillow's  phase.11 

But  by  this  time  a  second  phase  was  taking  shape.  Pillow 
himself  perceived  that  Riley  had  been  thrown  into  imminent 
peril,  and  sent  Cadwalader's  brigade,  which  was  followed  by 
the  Fifteenth  Infantry,  to  his  support.  Smith,  useless  where 
he  was  and  probably  feeling  little  confidence  in  Pillow  or  Twiggs, 
decided  to  regard  himself  as  the  senior  officer  present,  gathered 
his  men,  except  those  employed  in  skirmishing,  and,  with  a 
yell  of  endorsement  from  them,  proceeded  in  the  direction  that 
Riley  had  taken  —  not,  however,  primarily  to  intercept  Valen- 
cia's retreat  or  reinforcements,  but  with  a  direct  view  to 
attacking  his  left  flank.  At  about  the  same  time  —  probably 
by  half-past  three  o'clock  —  Scott  himself  joined  Pillow  and 
other  officers  on  Zacatepec,  viewed  with  his  usual  battlefield 
equanimity  the  desperate  state  of  things,  now  spread  before 
him  like  a  map  on  a  table,  studied  Valencia's  batteries,  the 
heavy  ranks  of  supporting  infantry  and  the  long  lines  of  cavalry 
in  the  rear,  and  soon  fixed  upon  woody  San  Geronimo  — 
marked  at  a  line  distance  of  about  a  mile  and  three  quarters 
by  its  white  steeple  —  as  the  key  to  the  situation,  since  it  both 
flanked  and  isolated  Valencia,  and  ordered  Shields's  brigade 
also,  which  had  followed  him  from  San  Agustfn,  to  that  point.11 

Smith,  arriving  at  San  Geronimo  about  an  hour  before  sunset, 
found  all  of  the  commands,  except  Shields's,  that  had  been 
ordered  to  go  there ;  and  he  also  found  that  Santa  Anna,  after 
hurrying  from  San  Antonio  through  Coyoacan  and  San  Angel, 
had  placed  himself  with  Perez's  brigade  and  seven  or  eight 
hundred  cavalry  and  artillery  on  low  hills  about  one  half  or 
three  quarters  of  a  mile  behind  San  Geronimo,  and  —  though 


106  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

checked  by  Cadwalader's  brigade  —  was  making  ready  to 
attack.  Smith  at  once  began  preparing  to  dispose  of  him, 
while  the  Mexicans  on  the  hills,  after  four  or  five  guns  arrived, 
indulged  in  vivas,  music  and  a  little  harmless  cannonading; 
but  both  commanders  finally  concluded  that  the  hour  was 
now  too  late  for  a  battle.  Santa  Anna  also  decided  that  an  im- 
passable ravine  separated  him  from  the  Americans,  and  that 
he  could  not  prudently  expose  his  men  and  arms  to  the  rain  then 
imminent;  and  therefore,  leaving  his  cavalry  and  artillery 
behind,  he  put  the  rest  of  his  forces  under  cover  at  San  Angel.11 

Night  and  a  storm  now  set  in,  but  behind  the  curtain  of 
darkness  four  striking  scenes  were  presented.  Scott,  the 
general  who  seemed  to  have  lost  half  his  army  all  at  once 
without  a  battle,  sat  at  headquarters  anxious  and  helpless. 
Seven  times  he  despatched  an  officer  to  his  isolated  right  with 
orders,  and  seven  times  the  officer  failed  to  get  through.  But 
still  he  waited  —  patient,  considerate  for  those  about  him, 
hopeful  and  alert,  reflecting  no  doubt  that  brave  men,  skilful 
officers  and  the  natural  strength  of  San  Geronimo  would  count. 
Valencia,  on  the  other  hand,  feeling  that  at  last  he  had  proved 
Santa  Anna  a  blunderer,  and  had  forced  him  into  the  position 
of  a  mere  assistant,  was  jubilant,  boastful  and  literally  in- 
toxicated. He  reported  grandly  on  his  "brilliant  day,"  and 
scattered  promotions  as  if  already  head  of  the  state.11 

Santa  Anna,  devoured  by  passions  and  perplexities,  now 
sent  Jose  Ramiro  to  Valencia  by  a  circuitous  route  with  orders 
to  retreat  at  once.  Not  long  afterwards  two  of  Valencia's 
aides  reached  San  Angel,  bringing  news  that,  instead  of  being 
exterminated,  thousands  of  Americans  were  established  in 
the  San  Geronimo  woods.  Don't  talk  to  me,  Santa  Anna  cried 
to  the  aides,  who  endeavored  to  excuse  the  situation ;  Valencia 
is  an  ambitious,  insubordinate  sot;  he  deserves  to  have  his 
brains  blown  out,  and  I  will  not  -expose  my  men  to  the  storm 
for  him ;  let  him  spike  his  guns,  make  the  ammunition  useless, 
and  retreat.  When  Ramiro  arrived  at  the  camp,  Valencia 
would  not  listen  to  his  message,  and  fiercely  demanded  am- 
munition and  men;  but  when  his  aides  reported,  he  saw  his 
doom.9  "Traitor,  he  has  sold  us!"  he  cried,  storming  like 
a  madman  in  the  midst  of  his  troops.  Soldiers  heard  and 
echoed  the  cry.  Women  shrieked.  Frightened  horses  broke 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CONTRERAS 


107 


loose  and  galloped  into  the  night.  Americans  with  lights  are 
creeping  in  behind  us,  reported  Torrejon.  The  army  under- 
stood. Scouts  were  feeling  the  way.  The  price  had  been  paid 
to  Santa  Anna.  Their  blood  would  soon  be  claimed.11 


BATTLE    OF    CONTRERAS 

Scale  of  Yards 


0     100  200  300  400  600 
A  Riley's  first  formation  for  attack 
B  After  crossing  first  barranca,  faced  to  right  flank 

to  turn  second  ban  anca 
C  Change  of  direction 

D  One  column,  just  deployed  and  advancing 
F  Magruder'a  Battery  {  An,n   lg 


G    Calender's  Battery) 
H   American  line  of  march 


In  ignorance  of  all  these  outside  events  the  Americans  at 
San  Geronimo,  too  exhausted  to  eat,  bore  the  torrents  of  chill- 
ing, beating  rain  without  fires  and  in  darkness  as  best  they 
could.  Some  found  huts,  but  most  of  them  lay  in  the  mud  or 
stood  up  under  trees.  Smith's  and  Riley's  men  occupied  the 
lanes,  and  Shields's  brigade,  which  stumbled  in  at  about  mid- 
night, put  up  in  the  road  and  an  orchard.  Officers  fared  like 


108  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

privates.  In  such  a  plight,  the  troops  listened  for  hours  to 
the  music  and  vivas  of  the  enemy,  and  for  their  own  part  could 
only  reflect  on  the  painful  and  fruitless  exertions  of  the  day 
and  on  the  prospects  of  the  morrow.  Without  cavalry,  with- 
out cannon,  without  reserves  of  provisions  or  ammunition, 
without  hope  of  quarter,  they  felt  that  with  some  4200  men 
they  might  have  to  face  25,000  exultant  Mexicans  and  any 
amount  of  artillery  at  daybreak.  But  everybody  believed  in 
General  Smith.10  "Here  he  is!"  "Now  well  have  them!" 
Riley's  soldiers  had  cried  on  seeing  Smith  arrive;  and  the 
confidence  was  not  misplaced.11 

During  the  afternoon  a  ravine  leading  toward  Valencia's 
rear  had  been  found.  Smith  seized  upon  the  hint  at  once, 
and  proposed  to  attack  by  that  route  before  daybreak  with 
bayonets  only ;  a  conference  of  officers  agreed  to  his  plan ; 
it  was  decided  to  notify  Scott,  and  suggest  that  a  diversion 
be  made  on  Valencia's  front  at  the  proper  time;  Lee  under- 
took the  almost  impossible  feat  of  carrying  this  message  across 
the  pedregal ;  and  Officers  Tower  and  Brooks,  whose  lights 
—  probably  occasional  matches  —  Torrejon  had  reported, 
were  sent  off  to  study  the  ravine,  and  prepare  to  be  the  guides. 
As  Santa  Anna  was  expected  to  attack  early,  Shields  accepted 
the  charge  of  building  fires  in  the  morning  as  if  no  Americans 
had  left  the  ground,  and  holding  San  Geronimo.11 

Two  hours  after  midnight  the  troops  were  roused,  and  at 
three  o'clock  Riley  began  to  move.  But  it  was  tedious  work 
to  marshal  the  scattered  corps  in  the  darkness  and  rain  by  touch 
and  whisper,  and  morning  broke  before  the  last  were  out  of 
the  village.  The  ravine  branched  deceptively;  it  was  full  of 
rocks,  too;  and  the  watery  clay,  a  soldier  said,  slipped  like 
"soft  soap."  Finally,  however,  the  units  closed  up  at  about 
a  mile  from  San  Geronimo,  and,  partially  hidden  in  a  fog, 
scrambled  up  to  firm  ground  behind  a  low  hill.  As  it  was  now 
light,  the  firearms  were  put  in  order ;  and  with  quick  adaptation 
to  the  topography,  the  present  arrangement  of  the  Mexicans 
and  their  probable  movements,  General  Smith  marshalled  and 
instructed  the  troops.11 

Riley's  brigade,  about  1300  strong,  was  to  be  the  storming 
party.  Cadwalader's  in  halves  formed  a  wing  on  each  side 
to  keep  off  cavalry.  A  part  of  Smith's,  together  with  the 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CONTRERAS  109 

engineer  company,  was  directed  to  slip  along  behind  elevated 
ground,  and  fall  upon  the  flank  or  rear  of  a  Mexican  force 
posted  in  advance;  and  the  rest  of  it,  marching  by  the  left, 
was  ordered  to  strike  the  camp  and  a  large  body  of  lancers 
on  the  flank.  Even  the  possibility  of  a  rear  attack  from 
Santa  Anna,  supposed  to  be  still  where  he  had  been  seen  the 
evening  before,  was  provided  against.  Meanwhile  the  troops 
that  had  remained  in  the  pedregal,  assembled  as  well  as  possible 
by  Twiggs  and  Lee  during  the  latter  part  of  the  night,  in 
accordance  with  orders  from  Scott,  watched  and  waited  near 
Padierna  under  Colonel  Ransom  of  the  Ninth  Infantry.11 

Finally  a  slightly  round-shouldered  man,  with  blue  eyes,  a 
sandy  mustache  and  sandy  hair,  walked  slowly  to  the  front 
and  looked  at  his  watch.  It  was  about  six  o'clock.  "Are 
you  ready?"  he  asked  in  a  cheery  voice.  "Ready!"  the 
troops  answered  with  a  meaning  smile.  He  gave  them  a  keen 
glance.  "Men,  forward !"  he  then  ordered,  for  it  was  General 
Smith.  "Forward,  forward!"  flew  the  command  through 
the  ranks,  and  ahead  they  went.11 

Struck  on  front  and  rear  General  Mendoza's  advanced  corps 
fired  without  aiming,  turned  and  bolted;  but  Ransom's  men, 
darting  across  the  ravine,  gave  Valencia  something  else  — 
something  he  fancied  more  serious  than  Smith's  approach  — 
to  think  about.  Only  a  pair  of  6-pounders  bore  on  Riley,  and 
they  fired  high.  Soon  the  Mexicans  at  the  breastwork,  ex- 
changing shots  wildly  with  Ransom,  found  that  bullets  were 
coming  from  behind,  leaped  over  the  parapet  and  fled.  At- 
tacked by  Smith's  men,  the  lancers  gave  way  and  upset  the 
rest  of  the  infantry;  and  Riley 's  column,  deployed  as  well 
as  time  and  the  ground  would  allow,  bore  down  like  a  flood. 
All  was  now  confusion  in  the  camp :  infantry,  horse,  artillery, 
mules,  women,  laborers  in  a  mob.  Some  of  the  gunners  re- 
mained at  their  pieces  —  chained  to  them,  it  was  said  —  but, 
like  the  infantry,  they  aimed  little ;  and  almost  in  a  moment, 
like  a  bag  turned  upside  down,  the  camp  was  empty  of  all 
the  Mexicans  who  could  get  away.  Again  General  Smith 
drew  out  his  watch.  "It  has  taken  just  seventeen  minutes/' 
he  remarked.11 

Riley's  brigade  halted  to  secure  the  prisoners  and  the  spoils, 
among  which  —  to  the  frantic  delight  of  the  soldiers  —  were 


110  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

the  two  cannon  lost  so  nobly  at  Buena  Vista ;  but  the  rest  of 
the  victorious  troops  pursued  the  enemy  to  San  Angel;  and 
the  Mexicans  fleeing  by  the  turnpike  toward  Ansaldo,  cannon- 
aded from  their  own  camp  and  running  the  gantlet  of  Smith, 
Ransom  and  even  Shields,  who  had  moved  down  toward  the 
road,  fared  badly.  Others,  including  Torrejon  and  a  large 
part  of  the  cavalry,  managed  by  taking  rough  paths  to  reach 
San  Geronimo  and  the  hills.  Valencia  also  escaped ;  but  Salas, 
who  tried  to  check  the  flight,  was  captured.  Seven  hundred 
Mexicans  fell,  it  was  estimated ;  over  eight  hundred  were  made 
prisoners ;  the  captured  cannon,  including  the  best  that  Santa 
Anna  had,  and  the  captured  ammunition  proved  invaluable; 
and  the  cost,  as  reported  by  Scott,  was  not  over  sixty  Ameri- 
cans killed  and  wounded.11 

Nor  were  such  the  only  consequences  of  this  lightning-stroke. 
Santa  Anna,  having  at  length  decided  to  rescue  Valencia  and 
raised  his  forces  to  at  least  7000  by  drawing  Rangel's  reserve 
brigade  from  the  city,  had  set  out  at  daybreak  for  his  position 
of  the  night  before ;  but  when  in  sight  of  Valencia's  camp  he 
learned  from  flying  soldiers  that  all  was  over,  and  that  his 
outer  line  of  defences  had  failed.  Angrily  striking  at  fugitives 
with  his  whip  he  turned  back,  and  waited  near  San  Angel  for 
a  while,  unable  to  decide  anything.  Then  he  sent  Rangel  to 
guard  the  southwest  section  of  Mexico,  despatched  orders  to 
evacuate  San  Antonio  and  Mexicaltzingo,  and  marched  with 
the  rest  of  his  forces  to  Churubusco.  Here  priceless  time  was 
spent  in  raving  against  Valencia  —  whom  he  ordered  shot  at 
sight  —  in  a  passion  that  almost  crazed  him.  His  dominant 
idea  now,  so  far  as  he  could  think  at  all,  was  to  make  the  capital 
a  second  Troy ;  and,  probably  with  that  in  view,  he  set  Perez's 
brigade  in  motion  toward  the  city.12 

After  a  time,  however,  reason  gained  the  better  of  despera- 
tion, and  seeing  the  necessity  of  protecting  the  retreat  of  the 
San  Antonio  garrison,  he  ordered  General  Rincon,  who  was  ably 
seconded  by  Anaya,  to  hold  the  Churubusco  convent  as  long 
as  possible,  garrisoned  the  bridgehead  with  one  of  Perez's 
regiments,  extended  two  others  far  down  behind  the  embank- 
ment of  the  river  eastwardly,  used  a  part  of  the  remaining  two 
as  a  line  from  the  bridgehead  to  the  convent,  and  stationed 
the  rest  on  the  highway  behind.12 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE  OF  CONTRERAS 


111 


The  convent  position  included,  besides  the  building  proper, 
a  strong  church  with  a  parapeted  roof,  a  high  stone  enclosure 
provided  on  the  inside  with  scaffolds  for  troops,  a  broad,  wet 
ditch,  two  outside  bastions  facing  Coyoacan,  unfinished  but 
strong  breastworks  on  the  west  and  south,  two  detached  adobe 
huts  pierced  with  embrasures  on  their  southwest  sides,  four 
8-pounders,  three  smaller  guns,  and  for  garrison  some  1500 
or  1800  men,  consisting  of  the  Mexico  battalions  named  Inde- 
pendencia  and  Bravos,  the  San  Patricio  contingent  of  American 
deserters  or  most  of  it,  and  some  detachments  of  other  corps ; 


while  the  bridgehead,  a  powerful,  scientifically  constructed 
work,  with  four  feet  of  water  in  the  ditch  and  three  heavy 
cannon,  appeared  to  defy  attack.  Surveying  this  excellent 
position  Santa  Anna  recovered  some  of  his  courage,  and  began 
work  actively  to  complete  the  fortifications  near  the  bridge. 
The  untried  militia  at  the  convent  were  almost  in  despair  when 
they  found  themselves  in  the  forefront,  but  he  promised  to  aid 
them  at  the  critical  time.12 

Scott,  for  his  part,  left  San  Agustin  before  he  knew  how 
Smith's  plan  had  worked  out,  met  the  news  on  the  pedregal, 
kept  on  to  San  Angel,  and  near  that  place,  amid  tumultuous 
cheering,  took  command  of  Pillow's  and  Twiggs's  divisions.13 


112 


THE  WAR  WITH   MEXICO 


The  road  to  Mexico  by  way  of  Tacubaya  lay  open,  but  he 
could  not  move  now  in  that  direction  and  leave  Worth,  Quit- 
man,  the  artillery,  the  baggage,  the  stores  and  the  sick  to  join 
him  as  best  they  could,  exposed  —  as  it  was  believed  —  to 
some  25,000  Mexicans.  The  first  needful  step  was  to  capture 
San  Antonio  and  reunite  his  army.  Worth  had  already  been 

directed,  after  the  rout  of 
Valencia  became  known,  to 
attack  and  also  turn  that 
position  whenever  he  should 
learn  that  Pillow  and 
Twiggs  had  gained  its  rear ; 
and  as  a  cross-road  led 
from  San  Antonio  to  Coyo- 
acan,  Coyoacan  was  the 
proper  point  of  concentra- 
tion. Scott  therefore  went 
there  with  his  troops,  and 
sent  Lee,  strongly  escorted 
by  dragoons  and  Mounted  Rifles,  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy  and 
give  the  preconcerted  signal  for  Worth's  advance.  Further 
to  assist  that  general,  Pillow  with  Cadwalader's  brigade  was 
now  ordered  down  the  cross-road.14 

Worth  did  not,  however,  wait  for  assistance.  At  about 
eleven  o'clock  he  sent  Colonel  Clarke's  brigade  —  the  Fifth, 
Sixth  and  Eighth  Infantry  —  and  Brevet  Colonel  C.  F.  Smith's 
battalion  from  Cuapa  to  turn  San  Antonio  by  the  path  on  the 
left  hand  and  cut  off  retreat,  and  placed  Garland,  accompanied 
by  Duncan's  battery,  in  a  somewhat  sheltered  spot,  as  near 
as  possible  to  the  fortifications,  with  orders  to  advance  on 
hearing  the  other  brigade  at  work.  Clarke's  tortuous  path 
seemed  to  be  three  miles  long,  and  as  it  lay  for  two  thirds  of 
the  distance  in  the  pedregal,  where  the  troops  had  to  slide  and 
scramble  in  single  file,  two  hours  were  occupied  in  the  march. 
The  Mexicans,  therefore,  warned  by  seeing  this  movement  — 
which  they  vainly  attempted  to  check  —  as  well  as  ordered 
by  Santa  Anna  to  retire,  made  the  utmost  efforts,  after  spiking 
some  of  their  guns,  to  escape  with  the  rest  of  them.  But  the 
garrison  of  San  Antonio  and  the  neighboring  fortifications, 
which  consisted  of  the  Hidalgo  and  Victoria  battalions  of 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CHURUBUSCO  113 

Mexico  and  some  other  militia,  were  wholly  unfitted  to  execute 
a  difficult  retreat  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.  Not  far  from  its 
middle  Clarke  struck  their  column;  and  while  the  first  part, 
led  by  General  Bravo,  kept  on  toward  Churubusco  bridge, 
the  second  broke  up  and  scattered.15 

By  this  time  Garland,  having  found  by  pushing  a  company 
forward  that  San  Antonio  had  been  evacuated,  hastened  on 
to  unite  with  Clarke.  The  enemy  were  quickly  driven  from 
fortifications  of  a  minor  importance  at  Sotepingo,  and  the 
division  then  rushed  for- 
ward after  Bravo,  while  the 
Mexicans  —  a  mass  of  cav- 
alry, infantry  and  artillery, 
wagons,  mules,  women,  ser- 
vants, carriages  and  camp- 
followers  —  made  all  pos- 
sible speed.  Owing  to  the  T®TE  DE  PONT- 

effects     Of     the     raillS,     tWO  Profile  of  east  curtain. 

Mexican  guns  and  a  number  of  wagons  were  mired  on  the 
way;  and  near  the  Churubusco  bridge  Perez's  brigade,  hard 
pressed  by  the  Americans  from  San  Angel,  crowded  in  upon 
the  stream  of  fugitives.15 

So  it  happened  that  when  Engineer  Stevens  climbed  the 
church  tower  of  Coyoacan  at  about  noon  to  reconnoitre,  he 
observed  a  large  body  of  Mexican  troops  pouring  along  the 
highway  from  San  Antonio.  Apparently  Santa  Anna  was 
drawing  all  his  forces  to  the  city.  Dense  fields  of  corn  six  feet 
high  or  more  almost  hid  the  works  at  the  convent.  Perceiving, 
however,  the  nose  of  a  bastion,  Stevens  concluded  there  might 
be  one  gun  at  that  point,  which  he  thought  could  be  rushed; 
and  a  prisoner  mentioned  only  two  guns.  The  entire  American 
army,  reacting  from  the  gloom  of  the  previous  evening,  exultant 
over  Smith's  victory,  and  almost  intoxicated  by  the  change 
from  storm  to  splendid  sunshine,  was  now  feeling  invincible, 
eager  and  over-confident.  Stevens  merely  shared  the  con- 
tagion; his  report  —  precipitate  and  misleading,  as  he  fully 
admitted  later  —  signified  that  without  loss  of  a  moment  the 
San  Antonio  garrison  ought  by  all  means  to  be  intercepted; 
and  so  Scott  did  what  we  know  it  had  not  been  his  intention 
to  do :  ordered  Twiggs  immediately  to  the  convent  and  high- 

VOL.    II  —  I 


114 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


way  by  the  direct  road.  "Make  haste,  my  sons,"  he  called 
to  the  troops,  "  or  they  will  be  gone  before  you  reach  them ! "  16 
At  his  instance  and  by  way  of  precaution,  engineers  were 
sent  on  to  make  investigations;  but,  as  the  case  appeared 
simple  and  urgent,  the  investigating  and  the  fighting  began 
hastily  together.  In  a  haphazard  way  the  Mounted  Rifles, 
or  at  least  a  part  of  them,  became  engaged;  then  the  First 

Artillery  advanced ;  and  soon 
the  rest  of  Smith's  brigade — 
the  Third  Infantry  —  besides 
the  engineer  company  and 
Taylor's  battery  were  thrown 
in.  Rincon,  a  gray-haired 
Spanish  veteran,  deceived  our 
generals,  for  he  desired  to 
save  ammunition,  and  there- 
fore did  not  open  *his  artil- 
lery fire  till  the  Americans  had  come  within  musket  range. 
To  pause  after  the  conflict  began  would  have  chilled  the 
ardor  of  the  troops  and  encouraged  the  enemy.  Victory  or 
defeat  were  the  only  alternatives,  and  a  defeat  could  not  be 
thought  of.16 

Victory  did  not  arrive,  however ;  so  now  the  Second  and  the 
Seventh  Infantry,  led  by  Riley,  attacked  the  Mexican  right. 
Amidst  the  corn  the  American  infantry  became  scattered,  yet 
in  the  same  haphazard  way  fought  on ;  and  Taylor,  placed 
in  a  very  exposed  position  before  the  state  of  things  was  under- 
stood, fired  at  short  musket  range  with  beautiful  precision  and 
rapidity.  But  the  Mexicans,  inspired  by  good  leaders  and  by 
the  example  of  the  American  deserters,  who  aimed  the  cannon, 
stood  their  ground.  From  parapets  and  bastions  poured  sheets 
of  unceasing  flame,  sally  followed  sally,  and  guns  at  the  bridge- 
head cooperated.  In  an  hour  and  a  half  Taylor  drove  the 
enemy  from  the  walls  and  from  the  roof  of  the  church,  but  he 
lost  twenty-four  men  and  fourteen  horses  killed  and  wounded. 
The  battery  had  to  be  withdrawn,  and  victory  seemed  almost 
beyond  reach.16 

Worth  had  now  been  attacking  the  bridgehead  for  half  an 
hour  or  more.  Hurrying  the  troops  along,  without  giving  them 
definite  instructions,  at  a  speed  limited  only  by  their  wind  and 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CHURUBUSCO  115 

the  obstacles  in  their  way,  he  had  left  the  Sixth  Infantry  on 
the  highway,  placed  the  Fifth  and  the  Eighth  at  the  right  of  it, 
and  sent  the  rest  of  his  infantry  obliquely  against  the  Mexican 
left;  and  then,  without  a  reconnaissance  of  the  bridgehead, 
the  Sixth  was  ordered  to  charge  whatever  lay  in  its  front.15 

Probably  the  army  contained  no  better  corps,  but  it  recoiled 
twice  in  confusion  under  a  terrific  storm  of  iron  and  lead. 
Valor  was  not  lacking,  but  the  men  were  dumfounded  to  come 
"  butt-end  first/'  as  a  soldier  put  it,  upon  such  a  fort  so  strongly 
held,  when  they  had  supposed  they  were  chasing  a  parcel  of 
rabbits ;  and  their  numbers  were  unequal  to  the  task.  Officers 
as  well  as  men  showed  every  sign  of  panic.  The  regiment 
could  not  be  kept  on  the  highway ;  and  the  troops  in  the  tall 
corn  on  the  right  accomplished  no  more.  The  ground  was  soft 
there ;  and  it  was  cut  up  with  dikes  and  with  deep,  wide  ditches 
containing  about  three  feet  of  water.  The  men  fought,  but 
they  fought  in  general  disorder.  C.  F.  Smith  found  himself 
with  not  more  than  twenty  of  his  battalion  at  hand.  Even 
the  artillery,  the  backbone  of  the  army,  failed  now,  for  Dun- 
can's light  pieces  could  not  challenge  the  bridgehead  squarely 
on  the  highway,  and  the  ground  beside  it  was  unsuitable  for 
them;  while  occasional  fire  from  the  convent  and  the  ex- 
plosion of  an  ammunition  wagon  abandoned  by  the  Mexicans 
added  to  the  difficulties.15 

At  the  same  time,  besides  these  two  combats  which  Scott 
had  not  expected,  one  planned  by  him  was  taking  place.  A 
few  minutes  after  sending  Twiggs  toward  Churubusco  he 
ordered  Pierce  —  and  presently  Shields  also  —  to  follow  a 
road  leading  north  from  Coyoacan,  cross  Churubusco  River, 
and  move  toward  Santa  Anna's  rear,  so  as  to  protect  the  Ameri- 
can flank  and  rear,  favor  the  attack  on  the  convent,  and  cut 
off  the  retreat  of  the  Mexicans.  The  route  adopted  by  the 
troops  after  leaving  the  road  took  them  for  a  mile  and  a  half 
through  cornfields  and  marshes,  and  placed  them  near  the 
highway,  about  three  quarters  of  a  mile  north  of  the  bridge- 
head, not  far  from  the  hacienda  of  Los  Portales.  To  parry 
the  blow  Santa  Anna  at  once  moved  in  that  direction  with  the 
Fourth  Ligero,  the  Tulancingo  regiment  and  most  of  the 
Eleventh  Line,  his  finest  corps,  extending  his  men  —  perhaps 
2200  in  all  —  until  they  almost  overlapped  the  Americans; 


116  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

while  some  1500  or  2000  cavalry,  probably  consisting  of  the 
horse  that  had  followed  him  to  San  Angel  reinforced  by  that 
which  had  escaped  from  Contreras,  menaced  —  though  afraid 
to  attack  —  Shields's  left.17 

Precisely  what  occurred  now  cannot  be  stated,  for  apparently 
most  of  the  reporting  officers  were  more  anxious  to  conceal  than 
to  disclose  facts;  but  it  seems  clear  that  Shields  handled  the 
men  clumsily,  that  his  own  regiments  fell  into  disorder  when 
charging  and  shrank  from  the  devouring  Mexican  fire,  and  that 
Pierce's  brigade,  composed  of  excellent  material  but  officered 
to  a  large  extent  with  political  favorites,  actually  skulked. 
The  Mexicans,  on  the  other  hand,  finding  two  ditches  along 
the  highway -to  protect  them  from  the  dreaded  bayonet  and 
an  embankment  to  screen  them  somewhat  from  bullets,  fought 
stiffly.  Shields  was  therefore  unable,  with  his  six  hundred 
good  men  and  two  small  howitzers,  to  make  any  impression, 
and  after  a  time  his  troops  huddled  wherever  they  could  in 
the  shelter  of  some  buildings.17 

But  finally,  between  three  and  four  o'clock,  the  spell  broke. 
Worth's  men,  though  astonished  and  for  a  time  dismayed,  had 
no  thought  of  giving  up.  "Victory  or  death"  was  not  a  phrase 
to  them,  but  a  conviction.  Though  dikes,  ditches,  bad  ground, 
corn  higher  than  their  heads,  and  the  Mexican  artillery  fire 
broke  up  their  organization,  personal  courage  and  personal 
leadership  survived.  In  smaller  or  larger  groups  they  fought 
on.  Sfanta  Anna,  by  taking  the  Fourth  Ligero  from  Perez 
to  defend  the  rear,  deducted  half  the  strength  of  his  left  wing, 
and  no  doubt  Shields's  operations,  very  suggestive  of  the 
American  methods  used  in  previous  battles,  tended  to  make 
the  troops  at  the  bridgehead  nervous.  Gradually  a  part  of 
the  unlucky  Sixth  and  men  of  C.  F.  Smith's  and  Garland's 
commands,  working  toward  the  extreme  American  right,  out- 
reached  the  enemy,  crossed  the  river,  turned  the  Mexican  line, 
and  moved  on  toward  the  highway.  This  created  great  alarm. 
The  fate  of  Valencia  was  recalled.  Many  of  the  officers  wilted. 
Ammunition  seems  partially  to  have  failed;  and  at  length, 
under  a  still  galling  fire,  some  of  the  Eighth  Infantry,  followed 
by  more  of  the  Fifth,  waded  the  ditch  of  the  bridgehead  — 
twenty  feet  broad  it  was  —  climbed  over  the  parapet  or  pushed 
through  the  embrasures,  and  settled  the  question  hand  to  hand.16 


THE  BATTLE  OF  CHURUBUSCO  117 

At  once  Duncan  planted  two  of  his  guns  on  the  highway 
near  the  convent,  and  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  aided  by  a 
piece  or  two  at  the  bridgehead,  he  fired  with  a  judgment, 
rapidity  and  accuracy  that  delighted  the  on-lookers.  By  this 
time  two  of  Rincon's  guns  at  the  right  of  the  convent  and 
one  of  the  other  pieces  had  become  unserviceable;  the  am- 
munition, so  lavishly  expended,  had  failed  the  infantry;  and 
the  loss  of  the  bridgehead,  which  stood  on  higher  and  com- 
manding ground,  was  recognized  as  a  most  serious  blow.  The 
artillery  commandant  began  to  move  a  cannon  from  the  front 
side  to  the  right.  Only  two  guns  were  in  play  on  the  front; 
and  our  Third  Infantry,  noting  the  slackened  fire,  dashed  over 
the  parapet  at  the  left  of  the  convent.  Still  the  American 
deserters  would  not  permit  a  white  flag  to  be  shown,  and  the 
garrison  retired  sullenly  to  the  interior  of  the  building.  But 
Captain  J.  M.  Smith,  seeing  that  active  resistance  was  over, 
now  put  up  a  white  handkerchief  himself  to  prevent  further 
bloodshed.  The  signal  of  surrender  stopped  Duncan's  work, 
too ;  and  the  Mexicans,  astonished  by  the  consideration  shown 
them,  laid  down  their  arms.18 

Perez  and  Bravo  with  a  large  part  of  the  troops  were  now  on 
the  way  to  Mexico  via  Mexicaltzingo  and  Old  Pen6n,  and 
others  were  taking  flight  along  the  highway,  pursued  by  Worth's 
division.  Shields  perceived  what  was  occurring,  and  harangued 
his  brigade.  "The  South  Carolinians  will  follow  you  to  the 
death,"  answered  the  "Tigers,"  as  they  were  called  by  Scott. 
Many,  if  not  all,  of  the  New  Yorkers  joined  them;  Pierce's 
officers  mustered  pluck  enough  to  guard  the  left;  and  once 
more  a  charge  was  made.  It  proved  no  easy  work,  though,  even 
now.  First  and  last  more  than  a  third  of  Shields's  brigade  were 
killed  or  wounded.  Brave,  handsome  Butler,  commanding 
the  Tigers,  and  his  lieutenant  colonel  went  down,  and  Colonel 
Burnett  of  the  New  Yorkers  fell.  But  at  last  Shields  carried 
the  day,  captured  nearly  four  hundred  Mexicans,  and  met 
Worth's  cheering  van  on  the  highway.17 

All  joined  then  in  the  pursuit,  supported  with  a  captured 
6-pounder  and  a  howitzer,  and  took  liberal  toll  as  they  went, 
until,  after  charging  nearly  two  miles,  they  were  halted  by 
Worth.  Orders  from  the  commander-in-chief  to  the  same 
effect  soon  arrived.  Four  companies  of  dragoons  under 


118  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Harney  were  permitted,  however,  to  keep  on,  and  when  the 
sight  of  a  battery  led  him  to  pull  up,  Captain  Kearny  of  the 
First  resolved  to  charge  the  guns,  and  galloped  ahead.19 

"Oh,  what  a  glorious  sight  it  was  to  see  Phil  Kearny  riding 
into  them ! "  wrote  a  soldier.  His  own  troop  were  picked  men ; 
they  rode  picked  horses  —  all  iron-gray  —  that  now  seemed 
endowed  with  supernatural  strength;  and  his  other  troop 
were  fit  comrades.  Standing  quite  upright  in  the  stirrups  they 
looked  like  centaurs.  Little  by  little  the  rear  fours,  hearing 
the  trumpet  sound  the  recall,  dropped  off ;  but  the  leader  and 
about  a  dozen  others  kept  on  like  a  swift  vessel,  dashing  the 
billows  of  humanity  right  and  left.  The  battery,  which  stood 
at  the  garita,  fired  upon  friend  and  foe  alike.  Still  the  little 
group  arrived  there,  leaped  from  their  horses  to  carry  it,  and 
found  —  that  they  were  alone.  The  panic  of  the  enemy, 
however,  saved  them.  Tearing  loose  and  springing  into  the 
saddle,  they  got  away.  But  a  grape-shot  was  faster  than 
Kearny ;  and  so,  losing  an  arm  but  winning  a  brevet,  he  finished 
valiantly  the  battle  of  Churubusco.19 

Santa  Anna's  total  loss  for  the  day  —  the  killed,  the  wounded 
and  especially  the  missing  —  may  be  roughly  estimated  as 
10,000.  He  admitted  that  he  lost  more  than  a  third  of  his 
men.  After  he  was  able  to  find  where  he  stood  (August  30) 
the  Army  of  the  East  contained  11,381  privates.  Alvarez  had 
2447  privates  (August  26) ;  and,  besides  remnants  of  Valencia's 
troops,  there  were  doubtless  many  small  bodies  of  militia. 
Scott  estimated  the  Mexicans  killed  and  wounded  as  4297, 
and  2637  prisoners,  including  eight  generals,  were  reported; 
while  the  American  ordnance  was  more  than  trebled,  and  the 
scanty  stock  of  ammunition  enormously  increased.  Out  of 
8497  engaged  in  the  two  battles,  we  lost  fourteen  officers  and 

119  privates  killed,  sixty  and  805  respectively  wounded,  and 
some  forty  of  the  rank  and  file  missing,  who  probably  lost 
their  lives.20 

The  high  moral  qualities  displayed  by  our  troops  made  the 
day  glorious,  as  Hitchcock  said,  "in  the  highest  degree";  and 
the  army,  naturally  overestimating  the  numbers  of  the  enemy, 
felt  exceedingly  proud.  Scott,  riding  about  the  field,  gray 
and  massive,  was  hailed  by  the  troops  as  the  very  genius  of 
power  and  command. 


AFTER  THE  BATTLE  OF  CHUBUBUSCO          119 

<f  Never  did  mightier  man  or  horse 
Stem  a  tempestuous  torrent's  course," 

they  felt ;  and  when  he  addressed  them  with  the  eloquence  of 
a  soldier's  heart,  it  seemed  as  if  the  cheers  that  followed  must 
have  shaken  the  "  Halls."  Nature,  however,  appeared  to  view 
the  situation  differently.  The  mountains  above  Padierna 
wrinkled  their  foreheads  with  still  deeper  furrows,  or  knit 
them  with  still  darker  scowls.  Dense  black  clouds,  preceded 
by  gleaming  heralds,  rushed  suddenly  across  the  sky.  Light- 
ning flashed  in  sheets.  Thunders  rolled  until  the  earth  seemed 
to  tremble.  Torrents  of  rain  deluged  the  ground;  and  in  a 
little  while,  almost  like  something  heavy  and  solid,  night 
swiftly  and  prematurely  descended.21 


XXVII 

NEGOTIATIONS 
May,  1846-September,  1847 

AFTER  fighting  ceased,  the  Americans  found  temporary 
quarters  wherever  they  could.  Most  of  Shields 's  command 
occupied  Los  Portales  "in  a  most  deplorable  condition,"  and 
Worth's  division  remained  at  the  same  point  or  in  Churubusco. 
Some  of  Pillow's  men  retired  to  San  Antonio,  and  there  passed 
the  night  without  rations,  blankets,  fires  or  lights,  while  others 
moved  across  to  Mixcoac.  A  part  of  Twiggs's  lay  in  a  muddy 
field  without  shelter,  while  the  rest  made  their  way  to  Coyoacan 
or  San  Angel.  Some  of  the  troops,  covered  with  sticky  mud, 
slept  in  a  barn  on  straw,  and  acquired  an  extremely  curious 
appearance.  For  all  it  was  a  hard  night,  and  perhaps  hardest 
for  the  officer  on  guard.  The  hours  crawled.  Thoughts  of  the 
battle,  the  morrow  and  the  distant  home  barely  stirred  his 
leaden  brain.  Every  instant,  drowsiness  threatened  to  become 
stupor.  Now  and  then  a  sentry's  challenge,  the  snort  of  a  horse, 
the  blast  of  a  bugle  roused  him  with  a  start.  At  last  came  a 
streak  in  the  east.  He  called  the  drummer,  and  ordered  him 
to  "beat  off."  Instantly  the  sharp  roll  was  taken  up  by  others. 
The  bustle  of  men  awoke;  and  the  troops  were  alive  again. 
Joy  and  pride  welled  up  in  their  hearts,  but  the  sadness  of 
bereavement  also  and  a  sense  of  disappointment.  They  seemed 
to  have  won  the  race  but  lost  the  prize.  Why  had  they  not 
slept  in  the  city  ?  1 

There  were  adequate  military  reasons  for  this.  It  was  be- 
lieved that  Santa  Anna  still  had  some  20,000  men,  and  what 
fortifications  defended  the  interior  of  Mexico  no  one  pretended 
to  say.  Three  surprises  had  met  the  Americans  during  the  past 
forty-eight  hours.  They  had  sick  and  wounded,  prisoners, 
wagons  and  captured  material  to  look  after.  They  were 

120 


AMERICAN  EFFORTS  TO  MAKE  PEACE  121 

scattered,  unmunitioned,  spent.  Not  a  few  had  become  ill. 
In  spite  of  Scott's  precise  orders  to  carry  rations  a  large  number 
had  gone  hungry  for  about  a  day,  and  many  had  fasted  longer. 
The  stock  of  provisions  had  practically  been  exhausted.  If 
repulsed,  the  troops  would  have  faced  starvation ;  if  successful, 
they  would  have  been  a  disorganized  mass  of  ravenous,  in- 
furiated soldiers  in  a  hostile  city.  Almost  all,  even  officers, 
were  eager  for  a  revel  in  the  "  Halls  " ;  they  would  largely  have 
scattered  for  something  to  eat  and  something  to  drink ;  many 
would  soon  have  been  intoxicated;  and  fearful  scenes,  costly 
alike  to  them  and  the  inhabitants,  would  have  disgraced  the 
victory  and  imperilled  the  army.1 

Besides,  the  aim  of  the  United  States  was  peace ;  it  appeared 
certain  that  in  view  of  the  battle  just  won  the  Mexicans  would 
be  disposed  to  offer  acceptable  terms ;  and  resident  Americans 
as  well  as  neutrals  had  assured  Scott  that  by  taking  the  city, 
breaking  up  the  government,  dispersing  the  sensible  and  sub- 
stantial men  who  desired  a  settlement,  and  perhaps  rousing  the 
people  to  desperation,  he  would  be  defeating  his  own  govern- 
ment. On  the  other  hand,  as  the  General  had  reckoned  before 
leaving  Puebla,  the  presence  of  a  victorious  American  army 
waiting  at  the  gate  seemed  likely  to  excite  intense  fears  of 
slaughter  and  sack,  and  prove  a  most  effective  argument 
for  negotiation.  Consequently,  though  sure  he  could  break 
his  way  in,  Scott  deliberately  sacrificed  military  glory,  and 
halted.  The  wish  to  end  hostilities  was  the  dominant  con- 
sideration ;  and,  fully  to  understand  this,  we  must  now  place 
ourselves  at  Washington,  and  then  return  to  our  present  point 
by  a  singularly  winding  route.1 

Both  in  his  war  Message  of  May  11,  1846,  and  later,  Polk 
announced  that  he  would  be  ready  to  negotiate  whenever 
Mexico  would  make  or  even  hear  propositions ;  and  he  sought 
a  listening  ear  with  a  persistence  due  to  several  causes :  a  real 
des're  to  end  the  war,  a  naive  ignorance  of  Mexican  psychology, 
the  exigencies  of  home  politics  and  foreign  relations,  a  natural 
predilection  on  his  own  part  and  on  Buchanan's  for  schemes 
and  tactics,  and  behind  all  a  sincere  wish,  in  accordance  with 
our  long-standing  sentiment  and  policy,  for  the  prosperity 
and  friendship  of  the  sister  republic.  Taylor  was  therefore 
instructed  to  place  himself  on  confidential  terms,  if  possible, 


122  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

at  the  Mexican  headquarters  with  a  view  to  bringing  about 
negotiations;  and  in  line  with  this  policy  Worth,  while  at 
Saltillo,  offered  pleasant  sentiments  to  Santa  Anna  on  the 
subject  of  peace.2 

The  battles  on  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  unwelcome  effects 
of  the  blockade  tended  to  sober  Mexico,  as  did  the  aloofness 
of  Great  Britain ;  and  Marcy  counted  not  a  little  on  the  settle- 
ment of  the  Oregon  question.  Intimations  were  received 
from  Consul  Black  in  June  and  July,  1846,  that  not  only  all 
thoughtful  citizens  but  Paredes  himself  desired  to  reach  an 
agreement.  Bravo  and  his  Cabinet,  who  temporarily  assumed 
the  reins  of  government,  felt  more  strongly  in  the  same  way, 
and  were  more  free  to  act;  other  signs  also  pointed  in  that 
direction  ;  and  it  was  hoped  that  Santa  Anna,  should  he  regain 
power,  would  favor  peace.  The  American  administration, 
on  the  other  hand,  felt  much  embarrassed  by  the  unexpected 
seriousness  of  the  problems  involved  in  the  conflict.  So  on 
the  twenty-seventh  of  July  Buchanan  addressed  the  Mexican 
minister  of  relations,  waiving  as  undesirable  all  discussion 
upon  the  causes  of  the  war,  and  inviting  negotiations  in  the 
most  conciliatory  manner.4 

But  the  government  of  Salas,  which  received  this  overture, 
had  attacked  Paredes  for  slackness  in  prosecuting  the  hostilities ; 
and  he  now  counted  upon  this  issue  for  maintaining  the  power 
it  had  given  him.  Besides,  wrote  Bankhead,  the  Mexicans 
were  still  confident  they  could  hold  their  own  against  the 
United  States ;  and  the  war  spirit  ran  so  strongly  that  Santa 
Anna,  returning  from  exile  to  treat,  remained  to  fight.3  Rejon, 
therefore,  answering  Buchanan  in  a  lofty  and  cutting  strain, 
refused  to  ignore  the  causes  of  the  war,  and  only  promised 
that  Congress,  on  meeting  in  December,  would  take  the  matter 
up.  In  other  words,  as  an  American  newspaper  observed,  he 
said  in  effect :  We  are  sorry  that  you  feel  so  tired  of  the  cam- 
paign ;  as  for  ourselves,  we  are  quite  comfortable.  The  reply 
was  not  one  to  fire  the  popular  heart  of  the  United  States; 
and  without  committing  Mexico  to  anything,  it  required  our 
Executive  to  prepare  for  a  long  and  arduous  contest.  Nor  was 
Salas  reassuring  when  he  laid  the  subject  before  Congress. 
"If  Mexico  fights  with  constancy  and  courage,  hers  will  be 
the  triumph/'  he  proclaimed,  and  therefore  the  government 


AMERICAN  EFFORTS  TO  MAKE  PEACE  123 

has  not  desired  to  hear  proposals  of  peace.  Polk  answered 
Rejon  by  ordering  the  hostilities  to  be  conducted  more  harshly, 
and  by  announcing  in  his  Message  at  the  beginning  of  December 
that  an  indemnity  covering  the  costs  of  the  war,  as  well  as  our 
claims,  would  be  required;  but  the  Mexican  Congress  did 
nothing.4 

About  a  week  after  Buchanan  addressed  the  minister  of 
relations  in  July,  Polk  recommended  to  Congress  a  nai've 
measure  admirably  fitted  to  embarrass  peace  negotiations 
as  much  as  it  was  intended  to  facilitate  them.  This  was  an 
appropriation  of  $2,000,000  to  be  used  in  that  business  for 
"extraordinary  expenses."  Probably  the  measure,  vigorously 
though  confidentially  pressed  by  the  Executive,  would  have 
passed ;  but  Senator  Davis  killed  it  by  speaking  against  time. 
In  the  following  session  a  similar  proposition  granting  three 
millions  came  up  about  the  middle  of  January,  1847,  and  on 
March  3,  after  every  Congressman  with  a  voice  had  talked 
himself  out,  it  was  carried.  The  natural  result  followed. 
Even  at  our  Capitol  there  were  open  though  false  charges 
that  bribery  was  contemplated,  and  to  the  Mexican  that  design 
seemed  of  course  transparently  plain.  No  public  man  who 
cares  for  his  reputation  can  vote  for  peace  now,  said  the  Diario* 

The  sentiment  in  favor  of  offering  to  treat  with  our  weak 
and  unfortunate  neighbor  —  as  illustrated  by  formal  action 
in  Rhode  Island  and  New  York,  for  example  —  was  in  fact 
strong.  Even  the  British  minister  at  Washington  recognized 
that  the  feeling  in  the  Senate  was  "  entirely  in  favor  of  generous 
and  pacific  measures  towards  Mexico."  Such  Whigs  as  Web- 
ster and  Winthrop  demanded  that  a  commission  be  sent; 
Benton  favored  that  idea ;  and  about  the  middle  of  January, 
1847,  it  was  powerfully  supported  by  Atocha,  who  presented 
himself  at  the  capital.  This  cunning  and  perfectly  unscru- 
pulous intriguer,  who  had  been  expelled  by  Santa  Anna's 
enemies  in  1845  because  he  represented  the  dictator's  corrupt 
financial  methods  and  then  by  Santa  Anna  himself  in  September, 
1846,  because  he  knew  too  much  about  the  Liberator's  dealings 
with  Mackenzie,  readily  proved  his  intimacy  with  leading 
Mexicans,  created  the  belief  that  he  was  the  government's 
peace  agent,  induced  our  administration  to  propose  on  January 
18  a  meeting  of  American  and  Mexican  commissioners  at 


124  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Jalapa  or  Havana,  and  was  made  the  bearer  of  Buchanan's 
despatch  to  the  minister  of  relations.6 

Undoubtedly,  though  invested  with  no  diplomatic  functions, 
Atocha  was  expected  to  do  much  personally;  but  in  this  he 
totally  failed.  At  Vera  Cruz  the  people  attempted  to  murder 
him.  At  Mexico  he  was  ordered  to  leave  almost  immediately, 
and  was  prevented  from  talking  with  any  person  of  influence ; 
and  such  use  as  he  contrived  to  make  of  the  pen,  in  suggesting 
terms  of  peace  to  Rejon,  proved  utterly  fruitless.  In  short, 
the  American  messenger  was  handled  with  tongs,  and  he  was 
back  at  Washington  about  the  twentieth  of  March  with  an 
offensively  worded  note,  refusing  to  treat  until  all  Mexican 
lands  and  waters  should  be  evacuated  by  our  forces.  Clearly 
this  was  a  most  unhappy  overture.6 

Many  circumstances  combined  to  inspire  such  boldness  on 
the  part  of  our  antagonist.  Aside  from  the  personal  interest 
of  many  public  men  in  continuing  the  war,  and  the  belief, 
prompted  by  vanity  and  encouraged  by  specious  arguments, 
both  domestic  and  European,  that  natural  defences,  latent 
resources  and  the  military  ardor  of  brave  citizens  fighting  for 
their  homes  would  enable  her  to  beat  untrained  money-grub- 
bers and  "cowardly  adventurers,"  operating  far  from  their 
base  — aside  from  all  this,  hatred  of  "the  rapacious  invader," 
a  fear  that  peace  would  only  lead  to  fresh  demands  and  fresh 
encroachments,  and  the  fine  theory  that  no  people  struggling 
for  their  independence  could  be  vanquished  exerted  a  strong 
influence.7 

The  fact  that  an  actual  occupation  of  California  would  have 
to  be  reckoned  with  could  hardly  be  faced.  To  make  peace 
without  first  gaining  a  victory  seemed  humiliating,  sure  to  be 
disadvantageous,  and  likely  to  make  dispirited  Mexico  the 
sport  and  prey  of  the  whole  world;  and  Santa  Anna  in  par- 
ticular felt  strongly  on  this  point,  because  his  personal  future 
as  well  as  the  cause  of  the  nation  required  some  show  of  success. 
No  peace  is  possible  now  except  the  peace  of  the  grave  — 
national  and  racial  extinction  —  it  was  insisted.  Many 
reasoned  that  Polk,  to  satisfy  the  United  States,  would  have 
to  demand,  as  matters  stood,  a  huge  indemnity.  Why  regret 
a  war  that  is  bringing  so  much  gold  into  the  country ;  a  war 
that  will  overthrow  Santa  Anna,  the  corruptionists,  the  in- 


WHY  MEXICO  WOULD  NOT  TREAT  125 

triguers,  the  military  men  and  the  sham  patriots ;  a  war  that 
will  put  an  end  to  extortion  and  finally  unite  all*  the  good  ele- 
ments of  the  nation,  demanded  not  a  few;  and  why  make 
sacrifices  to  stop  it,  when  peace  will  bring  civil  wars,  which  are 
worse  ?  7 

Better  subjugation  than  surrender,  cried  some  in  desperation ; 
while  others  believed  that  an  American  conquest  and  an- 
nexation would  extinguish  privilege  and  monopoly,  set  up  a 
pure  democracy,  ensure  stability  and  order,  bring  in  a  flood 
of  enterprising  northerners,  and  make  the  country  prosper. 
The  clergy  in  particular,  anxious  to  preserve  their  property 
and  their  ease,  felt  rather  more  than  willing  to  accept  such  a 
denouement.  On  the  other  hand,  many  believed  that  our 
people  neither  would  nor  could  bear  for  any  length  of  time 
the  expense  of  the  contest.  This  was  the  key  to  Rejon's  policy, 
as  he  told  the  Spanish  minister.  It  was,  therefore,  only  neces- 
sary to  protract  the  war  a  little  —  meanwhile  allowing  the 
wrath  of  Heaven  time  to  pass  away  —  in  order  to  reach  the  very 
pinnacle  of  glory.7 

European  journals  offered  much  encouragement.  Mexico 
need  only  be  obstinate,  advised  the  London  Times,  and  it 
seemed  a  most  agreeable  prescription.  The  United  States 
cannot  long  maintain  the  necessary  troops,  predicted  the 
Globe.  The  Americans  are  tired  of  the  war,  need  peace  more 
than  Mexico,  have  no  disciplined  soldiers,  cannot  follow  up 
their  successes,  and  with  good  reason  dread  British  inter- 
ference, remarked  some  of  the  French  papers.  Even  more  sig- 
nificant were  expressions  coming  from  the  United  States. 
Hold  fast,  and  you  can  make  "a  brilliant  treaty,"  said  a  letter. 
All  are  disgusted  with  the  hostilities,  and  in  four  years  this 
country  will  kneel  and  pray  for  peace,  declared  others.  Per- 
sistent American  denunciations  of  the  war  as  dishonorable 
made  the  idea  of  submission  look  shameful  to  our  enemies. 
No  nation  as  brave  and  numerous  as  the  Mexicans  have  ever 
been  conquered,  announced  the  New  York  Express.  The 
American  treasury  will  soon  be  empty,  predicted  the  National 
Intelligencer;  and  that  influential  paper  endorsed  the  view 
that  our  antagonist  could  wear  us  out.  Calhoun  used  all  his 
powers  to  show  that  it  would  be  "folly"  to  push  the  war,  and 
ruin  to  push  it  successfully.  Still  more  encouraging  were  the 


126  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Whig  orators.  In  the  voice  of  doom  Webster  threatened  the 
President  with  impeachment;  and  Corwin  exclaimed,  "Call 
home  your  army ;  I  will  feed  and  plothe  it  no  longer."  Reports 
of  a  Whig  revolution  circulated  at  Mexico;  and  the  belief, 
accepted  by  many  in  Europe  also,  that  at  any  rate  the  Whigs 
would  soon  come  into  power  and  reverse  the  policy  of  the 
American  government,  was  confidently  entertained  by  our 
foes.7 

But  nothing  proved  so  comforting,  so  cheering,  as  the  con- 
duct of  our  government.  The  call  for  12-months  volunteers 
appeared  to  indicate  the  limit  of  our  endurance,  and  invited 
procrastination.  Folk's  assurances,  following  so  many  earlier 
assurances  from  American  Presidents,  that  for  our  own  sake 
we  desired  Mexico  to  be  strong,  prosperous  and  friendly,  im- 
plied that  we  did  not  intend  to  crowd  her  far.  Our  conciliatory 
language  and  repeated  efforts  to  negotiate  were  noted  as  clear 
signs  of  weakness.  The  employment  of  an  agent  like  Atocha 
seemed  a  confession  of  impotence;  and  the  appropriation  of 
three  millions  for  secret  expenses  in  order  to  obtain  peace,  as 
El  Republicano  put  it,  looked  like  throwing  up  the  sponge. 
Polk  wishes  to  exchange  a  bad  war  for  a  good  bargain,  sneered 
Le  Constitutionnel  of  Paris.  An  extension  of  our  boundary 
was  believed  to  be  one  aim  of  the  negotiations  we  urged ;  and 
the  Mexicans  felt,  said  Pakenham,  that  we  should  not  think 
of  buying  territory,  if  able  to  take  it  by  force.  The  idea  of 
selling  it  under  such  circumstances  was  viewed  as  doubly 
degrading.7 

Happily  saved  by  his  ignorance  of  Mexican  character  and 
sentiment  from  the  mortification  of  knowing  all  this,  fully 
conscious  that  the  war  was  unpopular  even  with- his  own  party, 
and  hopeful  that  Buena  Vista  and  the  capture  of  Vera  Cruz 
had  affected  Mexico,  Polk  favored  the  idea  of  a  commission. 
Benton,  however,  would  not  have  Slidell  on  the  board;  the 
President  could  not  well  ignore  Slidell  unless  a  higher  official 
—  the  secretary  of  state  himself  —  should  be  made  sole  repre- 
sentative ;  and  no  first-class  man  could  go  to  Mexico  and  dance 
attendance  on  the  whims,  delays  and  insults  of  a  government 
that  scornfully  held  off.  Indeed,  the  nation  could  not  afford 
to  place  the  head  of  our  state  department  or  a  commission 
of  leading  public  figures  in  such  a  predicament.8 


TRIST  APPOINTED  PEACE  COMMISSIONER        127 

At  length,  however,  Buchanan's  resourceful  mind  thought 
of  sending  Nicholas  P.  Trist,  a  protegg  of  his  own  and  now  chief 
clerk  of  the  state  department.  Trist's  dignity,  it  was  doubt- 
less thought,  would  not  be  too  delicate ;  his  action,  it  seemed 
evident,  could  be  controlled ;  and  the  glory  of  success,  if  a  treaty 
should  be  made,  would  belong  to  the  administration — par- 
ticularly the  secretary  of  state  —  and  not  exalt  the  agent  in 
any  dangerous  political  sense.  Besides,  the  chief  clerk  was 
a  man  of  agreeable  and  impressive  appearance,  admitted 
talents,  unusual  industry  and  the  highest  character;  he  had 
studied  at  West  Point;  he  knew  diplomatic  business;  as 
consul  at  Havana  for  a  term  of  years,  he  had  become  acquainted 
with  Spanish-American  traits;  and  he  spoke  the  language  of 
Mexico  fluently.  He  was  therefore  immediately  appointed 
as  Folk's  agent  —  though  officially  styled  "Commissioner 
Plenipotentiary"  —  to  be  paid,  not  as  a  diplomatic  representa- 
tive, but  from  the  appropriation  for  the  contingent  expenses  of 
foreign  intercourse.8 

The  appointment  was  not,  however,  entirely  felicitous. 
Trist,  associated  with  Jefferson  as  law-student  and  as  grandson 
by  marriage  and  associated  with  Jackson  as  private  secretary, 
had  sojourned  on  Olympus  and  tasted  the  ambrosia  of  the  gods ; 
but  he  did  not  possess  their  divine  constitution,  and  ambrosia 
disagreed  with  him.  It  gave  him  queer  feelings  in  the  head 
that  were  not  exactly  growing  pains,  and  produced  a  state  of 
mind  that  was  neither  of  heaven  nor  of  earth.  The  Declaration 
of  Independence  was  always  resounding  in  his  thoughts,  and 
mentally  he  was  always  walking  up  the  stairs  of  the  White 
House  arm  in  arm  with  a  hero,  sage  and  prophet ;  but  he  over- 
looked the  foundation  of  downright  common  sense  on  which 
great  men  build,  and  lacked  the  humor  that  might  at  least 
have  kept  him  near  the  ground.8 

Aspiring,  as  he  said,  to  influence  the  course  of  the  world  by 
drawing  supernal  truths  from  the  region  of  abstract  speculation, 
he  resembled  the  gazing  astronomer  who  walked  into  the  ditch ; 
and  a  deep,  sticky  ditch  lay  just  before  him.  Cordial  cooper- 
ation with  Scott  was  almost  indispensable  for  the  proper  exe- 
cution of  his  work ;  but  he  thought  he  disliked  the  man,  he  knew 
that  Polk  and  the  Cabinet  disliked  him,  and  his  chiefs  — 
probably  afraid  that  he  might  be  overpowered  by  the  Whig 


128  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

general  —  took  superabundant  pains  to  brace  him.  Polk 
urged  him  to  consort  with  Pillow,  whom  he  represented  as  a 
Cincinnatus  compounded  with  a  Scipio  Africanus;  and  Bu- 
chanan, uprearing  his  big  person  impressively,  expanding  in 
his  courtly,  diplomatic  style,  and  beaming  upon  the  artless, 
ethereal  chief  clerk  with  his  uncommunicative  blue  eyes,  in- 
timated that  by  faithfully  carrying  out  the  wishes  of  the  govern- 
ment he  might  become  the  next  Democratic  nominee  for  the 
Presidency ! 8 

Trist  was  equipped  with  a  commission,  credentials,  letters 
from  the  secretaries  of  the  war  and  the  navy  departments  to 
Scott  and  Perry,  a  draft  or  projet  of  a  treaty,  instructions 
directing  him  to  inform  our  military  and  naval  commanders, 
if  Mexico  should  make  and  ratify  the  treaty,  and  a  sealed 
despatch  to  the  minister  of  relations,  in  which  Buchanan 
pointed  out  that  an  evacuation  of  Mexican  territory  would 
be  a  surrender  of  all  our  costly  gains,  but  announced  that  a 
commissioner,  ranking  second  in  our  state  department,  would 
attend  the  army,  and  be  ready  at  all  times  to  negotiate.  Osten- 
sibly a  mere  bearer  of  despatches,  the  chief  clerk  hastened 
incognito  to  New  Orleans,  reached  Vera  Cruz  on  May  6,  fell 
very  sick  there,  and  forwarded  to  Scott  both  Marcy's  letter 
and  Buchanan's  despatch,  which  was  to  be  placed  at  once  in 
the  hands  of  the  Mexican  commander.  He  was  authorized 
—  not  ordered,  as  he  should  have  been  —  to  let  the  General 
see  his  own  instructions  and  his  copy  of  the  sealed  despatch, 
which  would  have  explained  the  plans  of  the  government; 
but  instead  of  doing  this  he  merely  wrote  a  letter  of  his  own.9 

What  that  letter  said  was  never  disclosed ;  but  we  know 
that  it  proceeded  from  a  truly  amiable  but  high-strung,  "  top- 
lofty" man,  who  felt  expressly  Called  by  Destiny  to  perform 
a  Great  National  Act  and  incidentally  to  put  Winfield  Scott 
where  he  belonged. 

The  General's  reply,  on  the  other  hand,  is  extant,  and  can 
readily  be  understood.  He  was  already  in  a  state  of  mind 
regarding  the  administration.  Friends  had  warned  him 
against  it  since  his  departure  from  the  United  States,  and  the 
warnings  had  seemed  to  be  coming  true.  After  Polk  had 
promised  him  confidence  and  cooperation,  and  after  he  as  a 
grateful  return  had  assisted  Polk  with  the  Whigs,  the  President 


NEGOTIATIONS  OPENED  129 

had  immediately  branded  him  before  the  world  as  unfit,  and 
outraged  his  natural  pride  as  a  military  man,  by  trying  to 
have  a  civilian  placed  over  him.  Polk  had  infringed  upon 
his  rightful  power  to  discipline  unruly  subordinates ;  his  requi- 
sitions for  vessels,  troops  and  supplies  had  not  been  met ;  and 
now,  though  general-in-chief,  he  was  required  to  transmit 
a  despatch,  doubtless  bearing  seriously  upon  the  war,  without 
knowing  its  contents  or  using  a  proper  discretion  as  to  its 
opportuneness  —  a  requirement  that  Marcy  did  not  undertake 
to  defend ;  and  he  read  in  the  Secretary's  letter  these  words : 
"Mr.  Trist  is  clothed  with  such  diplomatic  powers  as  will 
authorize  him  to  enter  into  arrangements  with  the  government 
of  Mexico  for  the  suspension  of  hostilities."  This  looked 
mysterious  and,  in  view  of  Folk's  course  toward  him,  alarming. 
He  believed  that  in  a  highly  important  respect  the  management 
of  the  campaign  had  been  taken  from  him,  and  he  felt  that  he 
was  to  be  degraded  before  his  army,  the  Mexicans  and  the  public 
at  large  by  a  clerk  from  the  state  department,  of  whom  he  had 
known  at  Washington  just  enough  to  believe  he  disliked  him.9 

It  seemed  unjust  and  insulting ;  and  being  an  irascible,  over- 
worked, over- worried  soldier  and  master  of  language,  seven 
of  whose  regiments  had  just  gone  home  unexpectedly,  he 
answered  as  might  have  been  foreseen.  Trist,  angry,  ill,  con- 
scious to  his  pen's  point  of  every  convolution,  involution, 
evolution,  ramification  and  complication  of  his  mental  processes, 
and  unaware  of  Marcy 's  blundering  phraseology,  replied  at 
a  length  and  in  a  tone  that  were  enough  to  drive  Scott  wild ; 
and  when  he  finally  reached  headquarters  on  May  14,  though 
Scott  provided  amply  for  his  dignity  and  comfort,  the  two  were 
not  on  speaking  terms,  and  further  epistolary  exchanges  only 
widened  the  breach.  I  fear  Scott  and  Trist  have  got  to  writing, 
groaned  Marcy,  who  knew  them  both ;  if  so,  all  is  over.  As 
for  the  sealed  despatch,  on  the  grounds  that  it  was  doubtful 
whether  the  present  circumstances  warranted  its  presentation, 
and  that  anyhow  a  proper  escort  for  protection  against  guerillas 
could  not  then  be  afforded,  it  was  returned  to  the  commissioner.9 

On  the  sixth  of  June,  therefore,  Trist  wrote  a  letter  to  Bank- 
head,  explaining  the  character  of  Buchanan's  despatch,  asking 
him  to  make  known  the  existence  of  the  despatch  and  Trist's 
presence  with  the  army,  and  inquiring  whether  at  a  proper 

VOL.   II — K 


130  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

time  that  minister  would  transmit  the  paper  to  the  Mexican 
government.  Bankhead,  as  we  know,  strongly  desired  peace. 
The  interests  of  the  British  merchants  at  Puebla  and  the  capital 
and  of  consul-general  Mackintosh,  who  not  only  was  in 
business  but  had  made  large  advances  to  Santa  Anna,  lay 
in  the  same  direction ;  and  hence  Edward  Thornton,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  British  legation,  called  on  Trist  at  Puebla  five  days 
later.10  Trist's  verbal  explanations  of  his  government's  aims 
proved  satisfactory,  and  soon  the  despatch  arrived  at  its  des- 
tination.12 

The  law  of  April  20  had  forbidden,  however,  all  negotiations 
with  the  United  States.  Ibarra,  the  minister  of  relations,  there- 
fore, replied  to  Buchanan  that  his  communication  would  be 
laid  before  Congress,  and  Santa  Anna  promised  Bankhead 
that  he  would  use  his  best  efforts  to  have  it  considered  promptly 
and  favorably.  Meantime  the  public  disputed  fiercely  whether 
an  American  proposition  should  be  heard.  Many  of  course 
denounced  the  idea,  but  others  said  it  would  place  Mexico  in 
a  better  position  to  listen,  than  to  reject  a  proffer  of  peace  with- 
out knowing  its  terms.  The  Diario  —  that  is  to  say,  the 
President  —  advocated  this  opinion,  and  the  peace  feeling, 
represented  by  the  most  sober  and  intelligent  citizens,  especially 
of  the  mercantile  class,  and  supported  by  the  sensible  arguments 
of  El  Razonador,  showed  no  little  strength.12 

June  24  Thornton  visited  Puebla  again,  delivered  Ibarra's 
reply  to  Buchanan,  stated  that  Santa  Anna  had  openly  declared 
in  favor  of  negotiations,  and  added  that  Santa  Anna  felt  —  as 
did  Bankhead  —  that  an  immediate  attack  upon  the  capital 
would  be  most  unfortunate  for  the  cause  of  peace.  Trist, 
therefore,  perhaps  having  had  pains  in  the  head  for  some  time 
that  were  growing  pains,  addressed  §cott  on  the  subject,  and  sent 
him  the  official  documents  that  explained  his  mission.  The 
General  replied  in  a  friendly  and  high-minded  style.  The  two 
met.  Each  discovered  that  his  impression  of  the  other  had  been 
radically  incorrect.  When  Trist  became  very  ill  again,  as  he 
soon  did,  Scott  anxiously  went  through  his  personal  stores 
for  guava  marmalade ;  and  they  became  intimate  and  mutually 
admiring  friends.  The  commander-in-chief  cordially  proposed 
to  disregard  for  the  sake  of  his  country  every  thought  of  personal 
glory,  and  he  was  ready  to  assume  all  needful  responsibility.12 


SANTA  ANNA'S  EMBARRASSMENTS  131 

In  Mexico,  however,  a  lubricant  almost  always  had  to  be 
applied  in  government  affairs,  and  that  lubricant  was  gold. 
Knowing  that  the  United  States  eagerly  desired  peace  and  had 
already  appropriated  millions  to  gain  it,  not  a  few  Mexicans 
would  have  felt  they  sinned  against  nature  and  custom  had 
they  been  willing  to  oblige  us  for  nothing.  Santa  Anna's  greed 
overtopped  the  mountains.  Rejon  was  well  understood  to  be 
corrupt.  Valencia,  one  of  the  loudest  declaimers  against  peace, 
had  a  large  family,  was  old  and  was  poor ;  and  in  Santa  Anna's 
opinion  he  desired  to  be  a  little  more  comfortable.  Numerous 
minor  figures,  more  or  less  prominent  in  Congress,  also  appre- 
ciated comfort.  The  British  merchants,  with  whom  "  arrange- 
ments "  were  a  regular  feature  of  dealings  with  the  government, 
believed  the  Americans  would  have  to  apply  the  lubricant. 
Such  was  Bankhead's  opinion,  and  on  his  second  visit  Thornton 
intimated  as  much.  Scott,  though  he  would  not  have  attempted 
to  corrupt  an  honest  person,  considered  it  no  worse  to  employ 
a  "statesman"  than  a  spy,  if  the  statesman  desired  to  serve 
him ;  and  he  believed  that  without  the  use  of  money  a  year 
of  bloodshed  would  not  force  Mexico  to  sign  an  acceptable 
treaty.  He  offered,  therefore,  to  provide  the  requisite  funds 
for  carrying  out  Thornton's  idea,  and  Trist  welcomed  his 
assistance.12 

Santa  Anna  doubtless  felt  eager  to  obtain  peace  provided 
he  could  remain  in  authority,  and  that  proviso  was  natural, 
for  otherwise  he  would  have  lost  a  position  he  loved,  and  exile 
or  death  would  have  been  his  early  portion;  but  it  was  not 
easy  to  calculate  the  chances.  Buchanan's  despatch  seemed 
to  many  a  fresh  sign  of  weakness.  Scott  had  less  than  half 
the  numbers  that  Marcy  had  promised,  and  many  inferred 
that  no  more  good  troops  .could  be  sent.  For  a  nation  to 
succumb  before  less  than  10,000  isolated  men,  poorly  trained 
and  poorly  supplied,  seemed  ridiculous  and  even  irrational. 
Trist's  lack  of  prestige  was  another  offence  to  Mexican  pride. 
The  charge  of  collusion,  supported  by  the  known  fact  that  an 
American  officer  had  visited  Santa  Anna  in  Cuba,  manacled 
him ;  his  countless  enemies  were  awake  and  implacable ;  and 
he  found  it  necessary  to  deny  that  he  thought  of  treating.15 

The  Coalition  opposed  all  thoughts  of  peace.  Fearful  of 
responsibility  and  paralyzed  by  personal  and  factional  intrigues! 


132  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Congress  would  not  assemble.  Nobody  of  influence  had  the 
courage  to  advocate  what  all  knew  to  be  necessary.  Each 
party  held  back,  hoping  the  other  would  make  a  tactical  blunder 
of  that  sort.  The  law  of  April  20  towered  squarely  in  the  way. 
A  caricature  represented  Polk  amputating  Santa  Anna's  re- 
maining leg,  and  the  ether  sponges  were  labelled  "3,000,000 
pesos."  As  the  President  and  his  friends  could  see  no  way 
out  of  the  predicament,  he  decided  —  so  the  Spanish  minister 
reported  —  to  smash  his  army  against  Scott's,  hoping  that 
a  treaty  would  then  be  acceptable  to  the  nation.  But  the  loss 
of  his  troops  would  have  left  him  powerless ;  and  he  confined 
himself  now  to  advising,  as  did  the  British,  that  Scott  should 
alarm  the  capital  by  advancing  toward  it.12 

At  length,  however,  an  arrangement  for  a  meeting  of  Congress 
was  made  by  the  factions,  and  on  July  13  that  august  body 
convened ;  but  it  referred  Buchanan's  letter  back  to  the  adminis- 
tration as  executive  business,  declaring  at  the  same  time  against 
an  "ignominious"  treaty,  and  leaving  untouched  the  law  of 
April  20 ;  and  then  practically,  though  not  in  form,  it  broke  up. 
Santa  Anna  was  now  inclined  to  hold  that  Congress  had 
abandoned  him,  negotiate  a  treaty  of  peace  as  a  military  act, 
and  carry  it  through  by  means  of  the  American  lubricant. 
Three  days  later,  therefore,  after  discussing  the  matter  with 
Pillow  and  the  commander-in-chief,  Trist  formally  asked  the 
cooperation  of  Scott  in  providing  $10,000  at  once  and  promising 
to  hand  over  a  million  whenever  a  treaty  should  be  ratified 
by  Mexico ;  and  Scott  not  only  assented,11  but  paid  the  smaller 
sum  that  day,  as  bread  upon  the  waters,  out  of  his  fund  for 
secret  expenses.12 

The  outlook  seemed  favorable.  Pedraza  and  Baranda,  both 
of  them  in  favor  of  a  settlement,  were  virtually  decided  upon 
as  the  Mexican  commissioners,  and  July  27  Santa  Anna  called 
his  generals  together  —  presumably  to  bring  them  round. 
But  Valencia  arrived  that  day  from  San  Luis  Potosi  with  his 
army,  loudly  declaiming  for  war  and  closely  watching  for  a 
slip  on  Santa  Anna's  part;  Scott's  delay  about  advancing 
weakened  the  plan ;  and  so  the  council  of  generals  did  nothing. 
Santa  Anna  now  hesitated  more  and  more.  Both  he  and  his 
officers  became  encouraged  by  the  accumulation  of  troops 
war  material.  Finally  they  concluded  that  a  triumph 


AN  ARMISTICE  133 

lay  within  their  reach,  and  the  idea  of  making  peace  lost  its 
attractiveness.  Scott  for  his  part  allowed  the  negotiations  to 
have  no  influence  on  his  military  plans.  He  doubtless  hoped 
that  a  white  flag  and  an  offer  to  treat  would  meet  him  on  the 
way  to  Mexico ;  but  as  they  did  not  come,  those  plans  were 
unflinchingly  executed,  and  our  arms  triumphed.12 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  Churubusco  ended,  he  returned  to 
San  Agustin,  and  as  the  initial  step  toward  peace  negotiations 
wrote  a  note  summoning  Mexico  City  to  surrender.  But 
Santa  Anna  did  not  wait  for  it.  The  town  was  in  a  dreadful 
state  of  confusion  and  panic.  Wounded  or  demoralized  soldiers 
could  be  seen  everywhere.  Many  roamed  about  the  streets, 
crying  out  at  the  slightest  alarm,  "Here  come  the  Yankees!" 
Astounded  by  the  American  victories  and  utterly  disheartened 
by  the  incompetence,  cowardice  and  quarrels  of  their  leaders, 
many  felt  that  God  had  pronounced  the  doom  of  Belshazzar 
against  "this  accursed  Babylon."  Hence,  though  Santa  Anna 
rallied  troops  as  well  as  possible,  he  felt  that  an  assault  could 
not  be  repulsed,  and  at  about  midnight  had  Pacheco,  then 
minister  of  relations,  address  a  despatch  to  Buchanan  proposing 
the  negotiations  requested  so  many  times  by  the  American 
government.13  The  purpose  of  the  despatch,  which  Bankhead 
transmitted  open  to  Trist  with  an  appeal  from  himself  to  heed 
it,  was  to  prevent  the  Americans  from  entering  the  city ;  and 
the  Spanish  minister,  who  was  consulted  with  reference  to  it, 
agreed  that  in  view  of  Folk's  repeated  assurances  it  could  not 
fail  to  have  that  effect.14 

Thornton  and  Mackintosh  also  brought  their  influence  to 
bear ;  and  the  next  morning,  while  Scott  was  preparing  to  take 
up  battering  or  assaulting  positions  to  warrant  the  summons, 
General  Mora  met  him  at  Coyoacan  with  a  proposal  for  a  truce. 
The  terms  of  this  proposal  were  not  satisfactory ;  but  Scott 
sent  back  by  him  an  overture  for  a  short  armistice.  This  was 
accepted  by  Santa  Anna  as  a  gift  from  heaven.  Commissioners 
to  arrange  the  terms  were  appointed  the  next  day,  and  on  the 
twenty-fourth  ratifications  of  their  agreement  settled  the 
matter.  The  army,  though  its  entire  confidence  in  Scott 
prevented  all  trouble,  felt  profoundly  dissatisfied;  but  with 
a  total  disregard  of  personal  considerations  the  General  took 
what  reasonably  seemed  to  him  the  wise  course.14 


134  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Scott,  who  was  now  at  Tacubaya  with  Trist,  held  his  troops 
at  command  —  Worth  and  the  dragoons  at  Tacubaya,  Pillow 
at  Mixcoac,  Twiggs  about  four  miles  farther  out,  and  Quitman 
at  San  Agustin  —  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  fairly  safe  himself, 
and  to  threaten  the  western  and  southern  approaches  of  the 
city.  The  well  men  cleaned  their  clothes  and  arms,  and  the 
sick  and  wounded  soon  found  themselves  comfortable  and 
cheerful.  Several  Mexican  Congressmen  #mong  the  prisoners 
were  set  free.  About  half  a  million  of  needed  specie  was 
obtained  from  the  city  —  principally  and  perhaps  entirely 
by  cashing  drafts  on  the  United  States  government.  A  large 
quantity  of  provisions,  contracted  for  while  the  Americans  lay 
at  Puebla,  was  brought  out,  and  a  train  of  wagons  proceeded 
for  the  same  purpose  to  the  valley  of  Toluca,  where  Olaguibel, 
ostensibly  the  implacable  enemy  of  the  Americans,  helped 
them  to  obtain  supplies.  Apples,  pears  and  peaches  of  an 
indifferent  quality  were  now  ripe,  and  the  soldiers  lived  fairly 
well.15 

Santa  Anna  was  even  busier  than  Scott.  Measures  were 
taken  to  collect  all  missing  soldiers,  reorganize  and  rearrange 
the  corps,  maintain  a  state  of  defence,  and  revive  morale  by 
removing  disaffected  officers  as  well  as  by  punishing  conspicuous 
delinquents.  All  American  prisoners  in  the  city  were  freely 
given  up.  Gamboa,  a  politician  of  Mexico  state,  caused  some 
trouble  by  critically  reviewing  Santa  Anna's  course  during  the 
war,  and  formally  charging  him  with  treason.  Far  more 
serious  was  the  combination  of  Valencia  —  who  was  still  re- 
garded by  many  as  a  martyr,  had  gathered  a  small  army,  and 
had  pronounced  against  Santa  Anna  —  with  Olaguibel,  who 
stood  on  confidential  terms  with  Alvarez;  and  to  make  this 
combination  still  more  threatening,  it  seemed  to  be  supported 
by  Paredes,  now  at  the  head  of  a  small  force,  by  Almonte  and 
by  Canalizo.  All  possible  care  was  taken  to  guard  against 
the  movement.  Every  officer  known  to  have  been  associated 
with  Valencia  was  imprisoned  or  at  least  cashiered;  every 
hint  of  intrigue  excited  attention ;  and  the  government  heard 
with  deep  concern  that  somebody  on  a  sorrel  horse  had  carried 
letters  from  Toluca  to  Queretaro.  Naturally  Santa  Anna 
did  not  fail  to  assemble  the  generals,  and  offer  his  place  to  any 
one  who  would  take  it ;  and  of  course  none  of  them  had  the  bad 


NEGOTIATIONS  135 

taste  —  not  to  say  imprudence  —  to  come  forward.  More- 
over behind  all  the  military  disaffection,  rejoicing  over  it  as 
a  threat  against  Santa  Anna,  though  unwilling  to  join  forces 
with  the  army  in  any  cause,  towered  the  Coalition,  justly 
regarded  as  even  more  dangerous.15 

But  obviously  the  chief  business  of  the  government  was  the 
negotiation  with  Trist.  Here  Santa  Anna  acted  sincerely  — 
as  sincerely  as  the  drowning  man  who  clutches  at  a  plank, 
no  matter  how  great  a  rascal  he  has  been.  On  this  point  we 
have  a  superabundant  amount  of  evidence,  and  in  particular  the 
full  reports  of  Lozano,  charge  d'affaires  of  Spain,  with  whom 
Santa  Anna  talked  explicitly  and  at  great  length.  Texas  and 
upper  California  could  be  given  up,  the  General  thought,  as 
territory  already  lost.  The  region  between  the  Rio  Grande 
and  the  Nueces,  it  was  hastily  inferred  from  a  vague  remark 
dropped  by  Trist  at  Puebla,  could  be  made  neutral,  perhaps 
under  a  European  guaranty ;  and  with  that  barrier  established 
against  smuggling  and  the  dreaded  encroachments  of  the 
United  States,  and  with  millions  of  shining  American  dollars 
pouring  into  the  treasury  for  the  benefit  of  those  supporting 
him  and  the  treaty,  Santa  Anna  felt  he  could  meet  all 
opponents.  In  his  own  mind,  though  he  intended  to  get 
still  better  terms  if  possible,  the  bargain  was  as  good  as 
made.  He  therefore  placed  on  the  commission  superior  men, 
disposed  to  effect  an  amicable  settlement,  and  not  mere 
partisans  of  his  own :  ex-President  Herrera,  J.  B.  Couto,  a 
man  of  the  highest  integrity  and  leader  of  the  Mexican  bar, 
General  Ignacio  Mora,  chief  of  the  military  engineers,  and 
Miguel  Atristain,  a  lawyer  supposed  to  represent  British 
commercial  interests ;  and  he  put  forth  a  manifesto  entirely 
satisfactory  from  the  American  point  of  view,  in  which  he 
declared  openly  for  peace,  and,  holding  that  Congress  on 
being  duly  consulted  had  referred  the  subject  back  to  the 
Executive,  brushed  aside  the  law  of  April  20. 17 

Trist,  for  his  part,  stated  promptly  the  full  demands  of  the 
United  States,  which  required  that  Mexico  should  not  only 
accept  the  Rio  Grande  line  but  cede  New  Mexico  and  upper 
California ;  and  three  or  four  days  later,  in  the  hope  of  remov- 
ing difficulties,  he  decided  to  inform  Santa  Anna  confidentially 
that  he  would  pay  the  highest  sum  authorized  by  his  instruc- 


136  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

tions.  This  course  was  proper  for  the  representative  of  a 
country  that  had  always  loved  frank  diplomacy,  and  felt  no 
need  of  jockeying  in  the  present  negotiations ;  and  it  was  also 
prudent,  for  in  tedious  haggling  and  crafty  special  pleading  no 
Anglo-Saxon  could  rival  the  Mexicans.  September  1  and  2 
the  terms  were  fully  discussed.16  Regarding  certain  minor 
points  that  might  have  entered  into  an  agreement  a  mutual 
disposition  to  be  conciliatory  showed  itself,  but  on  the  essentials 
Trist  held  firmly.  Much  to  his  surprise,  the  pecuniary  con- 
sideration appeared  to  count  for  little  in  comparison  with  the 
alienating  of  territory  and  its  population,  and  the  Mexicans 
proved  obdurate.  At  last,  therefore,  to  save  the  only  hope 
of  peace,  Trist  proposed  that  the  armistice  be  extended  forty 
or  forty-five  days,  and  the  decision  of  Washington  be  obtained 
as  to  excluding  nationality  and  population  from  the  Nueces- 
Rio  Grande  district.17 

The  proposed  extension  of  time  Santa  Anna,  angry  at  what 
he  thought  had  been  a  deception  on  Trist 's  part  with  reference 
to  this  district,  rejected  at  once  as  a  scheme  to  get  provisions 
and  reinforcements,  and  so  he  found  himself  confronted  squarely 
by  unexpected  and  unpalatable  terms.  Nor  were  these  his  only 
difficulties.  With  light-hearted  vanity  the  people  still  ignored 
their  long  series  of  defeats.  An  intense  fear  prevailed  that 
Santa  Anna,  with  what  military  forces  remained  and  the 
money  coming  from  Washington,  would  sweep  away  republican 
institutions,  establish  himself  as  autocrat  for  life,  and  wreak 
vengeance  on  his  enemies.  All  the  standard  objections  against 
ending  the  war  marshalled  themselves  anew.  Arguments, 
protests  and  threats,  official  as  well  as  unofficial,  poured  in.17 
Any  sale  of  territory,  wrote  the  governor  of  Queretaro,  would 
authorize  a  general  secession.  Negotiations  not  shared  in  by 
Congress  are  treasonable,  proclaimed  Farias,  Otero,  Rosa  and 
other  statesmen  in  concert.  Rejon,  who  probably  wished  the 
Americans  to  capture  Mexico,  install  the  Puros  in  authority 
and  make  a  treaty  with  them,  added  his  loud  voice  to  the 
chorus.  The  Coalition  and  the  Valencia-Olaguibel  conspiracy 
loomed  up  darker  than  before.  States  and  citizens  who  refused 
to  support  the  war  denounced  Santa  Anna  for  proposing  to 
end  it.  Many  who  longed  for  a  treaty  would  not  think  of  a 
treaty  signed  by  him.  The  friends  of  peace  lacked  organiza- 


FAILURE  OF  THE  NEGOTIATIONS  137 

tion  and  the  courage  necessary  to  dominate  the  situation.  The 
members  of  Congress  would  not  gather,  and  it  seemed  evident 
that  no  popular  asssembly  would  ever  ratify  the  "sale"  of  loyal 
fellow-citizens,  which  the  New  Mexicans  were  believed  to  be.17 

Apparently  Santa  Anna's  one  chance  was  to  declare  himself 
dictator  immediately,  and,  if  he  cared  to  make  so  distasteful 
a  bargain,  ratify  it  himself ;  but  there  were  signs  that  his  army 
—  with  Valencia  and  Paredes,  long  favorites  of  the  military 
caste,  bidding  against  him  —  would  not  support  his  authority 
against  such  opposition  in  such  a  cause.  Rascally  but  keen 
Tornel,  who  called  himself  the  Rainbow  because  he  shone  in 
stormy  times,  but  was  likened  by  others  to  the  bat,  poured 
self-interested  counsels  against  peace  into  his  ear;  and  from 
similar  motives  Pacheco  assisted  Tornel.  Santa  Anna's  nerve 
weakened.  Besides,  an  alternative  offered  itself.  Had  not 
Scott  lost  a  good  part  of  his  little  army  in  the  recent  fighting, 
and  made  the  armistice  in  the  desperate  hope  of  receiving  fresh 
troops?  Might  not  fickle  fortune  change  in  the  next  battle? 
Whatever  its  result,  could  the  Americans  venture  to  demand 
more  than  was  now  demanded  ?  Why  not  have  another  throw 
of  the  dice,  and  then  make  the  treaty,  if  it  could  not  be 
avoided  ? 17 

As  soon  as  Trist's  persistence  in  our  demands  was  made 
known  to  him,  therefore,  although  he  still  felt  some  hope  they 
would  be  modified,  Santa  Anna  began  to  prepare  a  line  of 
retreat.  Warlike  instead  of  pacific  reasons  for  agreeing  to  the 
armistice  made  their  appearance  in  public.  Every  thought 
of  negotiating  a  treaty  was  denied,  and  papers  were  drawn  up 
representing  him  as  a  bold  and  indignant  champion  of  Mexican 
rights.  At  first  his  orders  had  been  to  keep  the  agreement 
with  Scott  inviolably ;  but  on  finding  that  no  acceptable  modi- 
fication of  Trist's  demands  was  in  sight,  he  proceeded  to 
break  it  —  especially  by  preventing  money  and  supplies  from 
leaving  the  city,  and  by  having  work  done  on  the  fortifications 
of  Chapultepec  —  and  appeals  for  troops,  funds  and  materials 
were  issued.  Scott,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  good  reason  to 
believe,  adhered  to  his  pledges ;  but  he  was  alert,  and  his  paid 
agents  in  the  city  watched  Santa  Anna's  proceedings.  On 
September  2  he  relinquished  all  real  expectation  of  peace,  yet 
he  still  clung  to  hope.19 


138  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

The  Mexican  leader  also  shrank  from  drawing  the  sword. 
But  on  the  afternoon  of  the  6th  his  commissioners,  arriving  late 
and  agitated  at  the  rendezvous,  presented  Trist  with  a  counter- 
projet,  which  they  knew  he  would  reject,  and  an  argumentative 
note  intended  for  the  Mexican  public.  No  discussion  took 
place.  Evidently  the  time  for  words  had  passed.  Scott  then 
sent  a  letter  charging  that  Santa  Anna  had  violated  the  armis- 
tice, and  announcing  that  unless  complete  satisfaction  should 
be  made  before  noon  the  following  day,  hostilities  would  be  re- 
sumed. Santa  Anna's  ingenious  reply  was  mainly  a  counter- 
blast of  accusations  designed  to  rouse  what  he  called  "the 
first  city  of  the  American  continent"  ;  and  again  it  was  war.18 
Yet  something  had  been  accomplished.  The  word  "peace" 
had  been  uttered  and  seriously  considered ;  it  was  Trist's  firm 
belief  that  not  only  the  commissioners  but  most  of  the  Cabinet 
were  for  accepting  the  American  terms;  in  a  measure  this 
attitude  on  the  part  of  leading  Moderados  committed  their 
party;  and  the  Mexican  plenipotentiaries  retired  from  the 
meetings  filled  with  cordiality  and  even  admiration  for  Trist.19 

In  the  United  States  great  disappointment  was  felt  over  the 
issue  of  these  negotiations.  The  general  view  of  the  armistice 
was  the  easy,  superficial  one  that  all  Mexicans  were  rascals, 
and  that  Santa  Anna  had  shamelessly  tricked  our  good  faith. 
Marcy,  not  seeing  that  the  counter-projet  was  a  political  ruse, 
gravely  pronounced  it  "extravagant  and  inadmissible."  Polk, 
whose  knowledge  of  the  Mexicans  was  revealed  by  his  quaint 
idea  that  an  extension  of  the  American  aegis  over  New  Mexico 
might  be  welcomed  by  them,  condemned  the  armistice  as  if 
peace  had  not  been  his  avowed  aim ;  and  the  administration 
organ,  besides  representing  Scott  and  Trist  as  dupes,  described 
it  as  contrary  to  the  intentions  of  the  government,  when  in  fact  a 
commissioner  had  attended  the  army  for  the  express  purpose 
of  negotiating  at  the  earliest  possible  moment.  Mexico  rejects 
peace,  proclaimed  the  Union;  let  us  give  her  war.  "Burn 
the  olive  branch  and  whet  the  sword,"  was  the  popular  cry ; 
let  her  be  humbled  in  dust  and  ashes ! 20 

To  the  army  the  respite  of  a  fortnight  proved  a  physical, 
mental  and  moral  blessing.  San  Agustin,  buried  in  orchards, 
umbrageous  Coyoacan,  cozy  San  Angel  and  lively  Mixcoac 
had  each  its  charms ;  and  Tacubaya,  where  the  palace,  em- 


THE  AMERICAN  VIEW  139 

bowered  in  blossoms  and  fragrance,  crowned  a  hill  gently  — 
even  pensively  —  shaded  by  silvery  old  olives,  was  lovelier 
yet,  and  afforded  the  noblest  views.  Here  the  brilliant  sunrise, 
first  lighting  up  the  distant  white  volcanoes  that  propped  the 
sky,  and  then  stooping  to  brighten  the  near-by  villas  of  the  city 
merchants,  ushered  in  gorgeously  the  perfect  day.  After 
noon  black,  jagged  clouds  could  be  seen  gathering  quickly  in 
the  soft  and  luminous  blue ;  the  edge  of  one  would  melt  into 
a  slender  gray  shadow,  dripping  to  the  earth;  and  in  a  few 
moments  the  grandest  artillery  of  the  heavens  would  be  at 
work.  Then  sometimes  a  rainbow  followed;  the  sunset  was 
fair;  the  moon  rose  clear  and  full;  and  the  white  houses, 
massive  towers  and  brilliant  porcelain  domes  of  the  city  ap- 
peared to  be  afloat  in  a  magical  radiance  toned  with  slumber 
and  with  dreams.  "Heaven  help  those  at  home,"  wrote  a 
soldier,  "who  think  they  know  what  moonlight  is  I" 21 

Amid  experiences  like  these  it  seemed  hard,  almost  impossible, 
to  contemplate  war  and  bloodshed.  But  the  troops  felt 
thoroughly  angered  by  what  they  looked  upon  as  Mexican 
treachery  —  first  in  pretending  to  negotiate,  and  then  in  violat- 
ing the  armistice;  and  they  quickly  nerved  themselves,  not 
without  satisfaction,  for  the  coming  struggle.  All  realized 
that  only  triumph  could  save  them  now  from  destruction.21 


XXVIII 
MOLING  DEL  REY,  CHAPULTEPEC,  MEXICO 

September,  1847 

RATHER  more  than  half  a  mile  west  of  Chapultepec  and  still 
farther  north  of  Tacubaya  stood  a  complicated  range  of  low 
stone  buildings  known  as  El  Molino  del  Rey  (The  King's  Mill). 
They  extended  in  a  rambling  fashion  approximately  north  and 
south  more  than  300  yards,  and  consisted  essentially  of  a  flour 
mill  and  a  foundry  for  bronze  cannon.  The  heavy  walls  and 
the  parapets  of  the  flat  roofs,  reinforced  with  sand-bags,  made 
these  buildings  almost  a  fort.  Nearly  half  a  mile  from  them 
toward  the  northwest  lay  a  very  solid  stone  edifice,  at  one 
time  a  powder  magazine,  called  the  Casa  Mata,  protected  now 
with  a  small,  dry  fosse  and  light,  incomplete  breastworks. 
Along  the  west  front  of  El  Molino  extended  a  somewhat  ir- 
regular drainage  ditch,  or  series  of  ditches,  at  this  critical  time 
free  from  water,  which  then  made  a  bend,  passed  some  twenty- 
five  yards  from  the  south  face  of  Casa  Mata,  continued  in  the 
same  direction  nearly  one  fourth  of  a  mile,  and  finally  joined  a 
deep,  wide  ravine,  that  ran  for  a  long  way  northeast  and  south- 
west, and  could  not  easily  be  crossed  except  (at  X)  near  this 
junction.  For  military  uses  the  ditch  gained  strength  from  dirt 
thrown  up  in  front  of  it  and  a  line  of  maguey  growing  some 
thirty  yards  back.  From  it  an  easy  slope,  clear  of  trees  but 
somewhat  obstructed  with  cornfields  near  the  bend,  rose  toward 
the  southwest  for  about  600  yards  and  culminated  in  a  ridge, 
which  overlooked  Tacubaya;  while  west  of  the  ravine  and  a 
mile  or  so  from  Casa  Mata  stood  the  hacienda  buildings  of  Los 
Morales.1  ^ 

Inferring  from  supposed  signs  of  American  activity,  and  also 
from  Scott's  peremptory  letter,  that  on  the  afternoon  of  Sep- 
tember 7  a  determined  effort  would  be  made  to  seize  Chapul- 

140 


SCOTT'S  PREPARATIONS 


141 


BATTLES 
OF  MEXICO 

Scale  of  Yard* 


A 

B  Cathtdral 

C 

D  Alamtde 

E  AyHik  Ctmtttry 

O 

oftlim  not  ar**d) 
P   A 


142  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

tepee  and  attack  the  defences  of  the  city,  which  had  not  become 
very  strong  in  this  quarter,  Santa  Anna  made  special  efforts 
during  the  sixth  to  place  his  most  serviceable  troops  on  the 
terrain  just  described ;  and  the  next  day,  taking  command 
there  in  person,  he  posted  and  instructed  them  with  particular 
care.  Leon's  and  Rangel's  brigades  were  stationed  in  El 
Molino ;  the  best  of  Perez's  brigade  garrisoned  the  Casa  Mata ; 
Ramirez's  occupied  the  intermediate  space;  four  guns  were 
placed  a  little  in  front  of  the  bend ;  3000  or  4000  horse  under 
Alvarez  —  the  first  division  commanded  by  him  and  the  second 
by  Manuel  Andrade  —  proceeded  to  Los  Morales;  reserves 
of  infantry  and  artillery  lay  in  the  rear,  and  the  cannon  of 
Chapultepec  were  made  ready  to  sweep  the  ridge  and  slope.2 

At  the  same  time  pains  were  taken  to  rouse  Mexico  City. 
Suspicion  of  Santa  Anna  persisted,  but  his  credit  had  been 
improved  not  a  little  by  Valencia's  conduct,  and  the  public 
felt  inclined  to  believe  in  him  once  more.  The  image  of  the 
Virgin  of  Guadalupe,  the  Patroness  of  Mexico,  now  passed 
through  the  streets.  Under  orders  from  Tornel  the  clergy 
preached  a  crusade  against  the  heretical  invaders.  Tales  of 
alleged  American  atrocities  supplemented  their  exhortations. 
People  were  ordered  to  sharpen  their  daggers,  and  make  ready 
to  throw  paving-stones  from  the  azoteas.  That  Scott's  hand- 
ful —  only  some  8000  available  men  and  supposed  to  number 
even  less  —  could  beat  18,000  or  20,000  valiant  Mexicans, 
protected  by  strong  defences,  and  capture  a  city  still  occupied 
by  perhaps  200,000  persons,  appeared  incredible.  Citizens  as 
well  as  troops  grew  confident.  When  the  bells  began  to  ring 
at  about  half-past  nine  on  the  morning  of  the  seventh,  all 
welcomed  the  alarm ;  and  when  Santa  Anna  visited  the  chosen 
terrain  during  the  afternoon  to  issue  his  orders  for  battle,  he 
was  received  with  applause.3 

Scott  also  prepared.  September  7  the  engineer  company  and 
Cadwalader's  brigade  advanced  from  Mixcoac  to  Tacubaya,  the 
rest  of  Pillow's  division  and  one  of  Twiggs's  brigades  moved 
toward  the  city  as  a  feint,  and  Twiggs's  other  brigade  and 
Quitman's  division  were  ordered  to  concentrate  at  Mixcoac. 
Captain  Mason  and  Lieutenant  Foster  of  the  engineers  daringly 
reconnoitred  the  Mexican  position,  and,  although  Casa  Mata  — 
standing  on  low  ground  and  partially  masked  by  its  earthworks 


BATTLE  OF  MOLING  DEL  HEY 


143 


and  the  maguey  —  was  not  adequately  made  out,  they  analyzed 
the  situation  correctly  otherwise.  Then,  to  prevent  errors, 
Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  Duncan  and  two  engineers  did  the 
work  a  second  time ;  and  Scott  and  Worth  also  made  observa- 
tions. Information  that  he  deemed  thoroughly  safe  led  the 
commander-in-chief  to  believe  that  guns  needed  for  the  defence 
of  the  city  were  now  under  construction  at  El  Molino,  and  he 
desired  Worth  to  have  a  party  destroy  the  works  and  material 
during  the  coming  night  —  in  his  opinion  an  easy  task  —  and 
immediately  retire.  At  Worth's  request,  however,  a  daybreak 
attack  and,  as  the  natural  consequence,  a  broader  plan  were 
decided  upon.4 

Accordingly,  the  first  gray  light  of  September  8  found  the 
Americans    waiting    to    assault    the    position.    One    cannon 


BATTLE  OF   EL   MOLINO 

SCALE  OF  YARDS 


A  fiver's  Battery 

B  W>  itjht't,  Storming  Party 

C  Snnth  i>  L^(,ht  tfattuhon 

D  Garland  sBtiaude 

E  Dium  sBatttiy  G-pdra  (2) 

V  Dutuan'aButtttv  0-ndttt  ( 


G  Mclntosk'a  Brigade 
H  Sumner'n  Draoootia        s  ,• 
1  Cadualadcr's  Brifjade 
K  Mexican  Forces 
L  Advance  ofMtnoan  Cavalry 
\  PattMje  acroxs  Ranne 


Headquarter*  of 
Gen   Scott 


guarded  the  road  from  Mexico  to  Tacubaya.  Brevet  Colonel 
Garland's  brigade  and  Captain  Drum  of  the  Fourth  Artillery 
with  his  two  Buena  Vista  6-pounders  were  directly  south  of  El 
Molino,  at  a  distance  of  about  400  yards  from  it,  to  ward  off 
a  flank  attack  from  Chapultepec,  threaten  the  mill,  and  be  ready 
to  assist  as  might  be  necessary.  On  the  ridge,  not  far  to  their 
left,  stood  Captain  Huger  with  two  24-pound  siege  guns,  Brevet 
Major  Wright's  party  of  stormers  —  twelve  officers  with  five 
companies  of  100  men  each,  drawn  during  the  night  from  the 


144  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

six  regiments  of  Worth's  division — and  a  supporting  body  com- 
posed of  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  C.  F.  Smith's  light  battalion. 
Some  500  yards  farther  to  the  left  and  higher  up  the  ridge  the 
guns  of  Duncan,  who  had  charge  of  all  the  artillery,  bore  upon 
the  Mexicans  near  Casa  Mata,  about  700  yards  distant,  with 
Colonel  Clarke's  brigade  —  now  commanded,  on  account  of 
Clarke's  illness,  by  Brevet  Colonel  Mclntosh  —  on  the  left  of 
the  pieces  and  General  Cadwalader's  brigade,  acting  as  a  reserve, 
at  their  right  and  rear.  And  finally,  near  the  ravine,  Major 
Sumner  of  the  Second  Dragoons  with  some  270  mounted  men 
occupied  our  extreme  left  under  orders  to  hold  the  Mexican 
cavalry  in  check  and  cooperate  wherever  he  could.  In  all 
there  were  3447  officers  and  men.5 

Apparently  Worth's  dispositions  had  been  wisely  planned, 
and  a  scrutiny  of  the  Mexican  position,  could  it  have  been 
made,  would  have  confirmed  the  expectations  of  a  quick  victory. 
Deceived  by  Scott's  feint  against  the  southern  front  of  the 
capital,  Santa  Anna  had  broken  up  his  army  during  the  night, 
and  now,  with  a  considerable  part  of  it  and  some  of  the  guns, 
he  was  fully  two  hours  distant.  No  one  officer  commanded  the 
troops  before  Worth.  Only  a  sharp,  strong  thrust  was  required.5 

As  soon  as  Huger  could  make  out  the  low,  white  walls  of 
El  Molino,  about  a  third  of  a  mile  distant,  he  opened  fire; 
and  at  the  same  time  Engineers  Mason  and  Foster  advanced 
some  350  yards.  All  was  perfectly  still  in  front.  Both  of  them 
believed  the  position  had  been  abandoned,  and  Mason  sent 
Foster  back  to  have  Wright's  party  —  now  deployed  in  line  — 
advance.  Consequently,  instead  of  waiting,  as  had  been  the 
plan,  until  the  24-pounders  had  perceptibly  shaken  the  mill, 
the  stormers  advanced  and  masked  those  guns  when  some  ten 
rounds  had  been  fired.  The  Mexican  pieces,  which  had  been 
moved  nearer  the  mill  during  the  night,  at  once  opened  furiously 
with  canister  from  an  unexpected  quarter,  and  soon  a  terrific 
fusillade  burst  from  the  parapeted  azoteas  of  El  Molino.  In 
spite  of  it  all,  three  of  the  pieces  were  taken,  however.8 

But  the  American  spearhead  —  Wright's  party  —  was  merely 
glued  fragments  of  steel,  not  a  forged  blade.  A  large  part  of 
the  men  were  separated  from  the  comrades  and  officers  whom 
they  knew  and  relied  upon,  and  all  from  the  colors  they  adored. 
Mason,  Foster,  Wright  and  eight  other  officers  out  of  fourteen 


BATTLE  OF  MOLINO  DEL  KEY  145 

went  down.  The  column  broke.  Nearly  a  third  of  the  men, 
whose  comrades  fought  later  in  the  engagement,  under  their 
proper  colors  and  officers,  like  heroes,  absol  itely  bolted.  The 
enemy  saw  that  only  a  handful  were  persisting,  and  promptly 
rallied.  Without  orders  brave  Lieutenant  Colonel  Echeagaray 
brought  from  Chapultepec  the  Third  Ligero.  "At  them!" 
he  cried ;  and  instantly  a  counter-attack  was  launched.  The 
guns  were  recaptured.  The  Americans  had  to  retreat.  And 
the  pursuing  Mexicans  butchered  and  robbed  our  wounded.5 

Smith's  battalion  rapidly  advanced,  however,  though  possibly 
not  quite  soon  enough.  Drum  directed  a  quick,  accurate  fire 
upon  the  Mexican  battery.  Garland  moved  up  by  a  road 
that  sheltered  his  command  until  it  came  within  some  200 
yards  of  the  mill.  Drum  followed  1  im,  stopping  at  intervals 
to  deliver  canister.  Cadwalader  sent  aid.  Tall,  swarthy 
Leon  crumpled  suddenly  with  a  bullet  in  his  side ;  valiant 
Balderas  fell  over  into  the  arms  of  his  son ;  and  for  these 
ardent  leaders  the  Mexicans  had  no  substitutes.  Ramirez 
took  flight.  The  Mexican  reserves  would  not  budge.  The 
Americans  captured  the  enemy's  guns,  penetrated  into  the 
buildings,  and  forced  their  way  to  the  azoteas.  Close  fighting 
then  settled  the  issue;  and  before  very  long,  under  the  fire 
of  their  own  pieces,  as  well  as  Drum's  and  one  from  Huger,, 
the  Mexican  left  wing  and  the  troops  coming  to  its  aid  from 
Chapultepec  were  in  precipitate  retreat.5 

Casa  Mata,  still  held  by  the  excellent  men  under  Perez  but 
wholly  destitute  of  artillery  and  feebly  protected  by  its  earthen 
enclosure,  might  have  been  cleared  of  defenders  by  a  vigorous 
application  of  artillery.  Duncan  began  work.  But  Worth 
believed  in  brilliant  operations,  and  ordered  Mclntosh  to 
assault  the  position.  With  a  smile  that  beautified  his  rugged 
face,  the  old  warrior  set  out ;  and  sf>on,  bleeding  from  two 
wounds,  he  was  lying  on  the  slope.  The  second  and  the  third 
in  command  fell.  Officer  after  officer  was  struck  down.  The 
men  toppled  over  by  the  wholesale.  Wild  with  enthusiasm 
some  of  the  Mexicans  leaped  over  the  defences  and  came  to 
meet  their  assailants.5 

In  spite  of  their  well-aimed  and  murderous  volleys,  however, 
they  were  soon  punishel  and  driven  back.  Bat  what  mare 
could  be  done  ?  The  walls  of  Casa  Mata  had  not  been  breached, 

VOL.    II  —  L 


146  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  there  were  no  ladders.  So  the  Americans  lay  down  behind 
the  embankment  of  the  ditch,  and  coolly  picked  off  Mexicans 
at  Casa  Mata  and  behind  the  maguey.  After  a  time  their 
muskets  became  foul.  Their  ammunition  began  to  give  out. 
Somehow  an  order  to  retire  got  started ;  and  finally  the 
shattered  remnants  of  the  brigade  fell  back  to  the  rear,  followed 
by  miscreants  who  glutted  their  fury  on  our  wounded.  But 
Duncan,  whose  guns  had  been  masked  by  Mclntosh's  advance, 
now  resumed  his  work  upon  Casa  Mata,  and  in  a  short  while 
the  Mexicans  were  in  flight,  pursued  by  the  unerring  missiles 
of  the  battery.5 

Yet  there  were  still  3000  or  4000  horse  at  Los  Morales. 
These  troops  had  been  expected  by  Santa  Anna  to  sweep  the 
field,  and  he  had  personally  given  their  commander  his  in- 
structions. But  a  mere  partisan  fighter  like  Alvarez  did  not 
know  what  to  do  with  two  divisions  of  cavalry,  an  arm  that  it 
requires  distinctive  qualifications  and  much  experience  to 
handle  well.  Besides,  his  division  included  no  artillery,  and 
he  probably  felt  no  more  anxious  than  before  to  help  the 
President  at  his  own  expense.  He  followed  but  carelessly 
Santa  Anna's  instructions.  His  orders  to  Andrade  were  more 
or  less  confused  and  impracticable;  and  that  officer,  who 
was  at  odds  with  his  commander  and  felt  that  Santa  Anna  had 
overlooked  his  achievements  at  Buena  Vista,  concluded  to  keep 
himself  and  his  men  out  of  danger.5 

At  length,  however,  while  Mclntosh  was  charging,  Alvarez 
advanced  in  brilliant  array  with  his  own  division.  Sumner  at 
once  dashed  hotly  across  the  ravine  and  at  them,  passing  the 
Mexican  infantry  within  pistol  range  and  losing  forty-four  men 
and  104  horses  in  perhaps  ten  seconds.  Duncan  turned  his 
now  unemployed  guns  in  the  same  direction.  One  of  Alvarez's 
brigades,  made  up  of  untrained  guerillas,  broke  immediately 
under  the  cannon  fire ;  and  the  whole  division  soon  retreated 
in  disorder  upon  Andrade's  men,  fiercely  pursued  by  the 
riderless  horses  of  Surnner's  command,  as  if  to  get  revenge  for 
the  loss  of  their  masters.  Later  some  of  the  cavalry  undertook, 
or  so  pretended,  to  cross  the  ravine  at  another  point.  But 
Sumner  dashed  at  them  again,  a  part  of  Cadwalader's  brigade 
was  now  in  that  quarter,  and  both  Duncan  and  Huger  —  the 
latter  being  at  present  near  the  American  centre  with  one  gun  — 


THE  GREAT  PROBLEM  147 

sent  their  compliments ;  the  Mexicans  retreated ;  and  at  about 
seven  o'clock  the  battle  ended.5 

"A  sad  mistake,"  said  Hitchcock,  and  he  was  right.  A  few 
cannon  moulds  were  found.  The  partial  destruction  of  El 
Molino  and  Casa  Mata  cancelled  the  military  value  of  the 
position,  and  facilitated  later  American  operations;  but  such 
operations  were  not  contemplated  at  this  time.  A  few  small 
cannon  and  a  quantity  of  more  or  less  valuable  ammunition 
fell  into  our  hands,  and  a  heavy  gun  at  Chapultepec  became 
disabled.  Probably  2000  Mexicans  were  killed  or  wounded, 
and  perhaps  an  equal  number  deserted.  Nearly  700  prisoners 
were  taken.  The  loss  of  two  excellent  officers  meant  still  more, 
perhaps.  Intrenching  implements  needed  at  Chapultepec  were 
lost.  The  want  of  cooperation  among  the  Mexican  generals 
and  especially  the  total  failure  of  the  cavalry  to  meet  expecta- 
tions disheartened  the  capital.  But  the  casualties  in  the  little 
American  army  amounted  to  124  killed  and  582  wounded.  The 
confidence  of  the  officers,  if  not  the  men,  in  their  leaders  faltered 
at  the  evident  mistakes  of  Scott  and  Worth.  Each  of  those 
generals  blamed  the  other,  and  the  discord  between  them, 
which  reached  down  to  the  private  soldier,  became  worse  than 
ever.  No  American  could  find  satisfaction  in  a  barren  victory 
gained  with  such  difficulty  and  at  such  a  cost ;  and  the  Mexicans, 
believing  we  had  aimed  to  accomplish  far  more,  exulted  over 
their  imaginary  triumph.  Scott  faced  the  situat'on  with  un- 
shaken fortitude,  but  those  who  knew  him  intimately  saw  that 
he  felt  anxious.6 

However,  the  great  problem  before  them  soon  occupied  the 
minds  of  all.  Mexico,  lying  on  a  very  slight  elevation  or 
swell,  could  be  entered  on  its  western  side  by  the  garita  of 
San  Cosme  and  at  the  southwest  by  the  garita  of  Belen,  to 
each  of  which  led  a  causeway  from  the  fortified  hill  of  Chapul- 
tepec, about  a  mile  and  a  half  southwest  of  Belen.  From  this 
garita  a  second  causeway  ran  south  about  an  equal  distance 
to  the  picturesque  chapel  of  La  Piedad,  where  it  was  crossed  by 
one  extending  eastwardly  from  Tacubaya  to  the  San  Antonio 
or  Acapulco  highway,  which  —  it  will  be  recalled  —  led  south 
to  Churubusco  and  San  Agustfri.  Not  far  north  of  the  latter 
junction  and  about  a  mile  from  the  city  proper  stood  the  garita 
of  San  Antonio ;  while,  intermediate  between  the  San  Antonio 


148  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  the  Piedad  routes,  the  Nino  Perdido  causeway,  coming  from 
San  Angel,  connected  with  Nino  Perdido  garita,  which  stood  at 
the  edge  of  the  city.  Finally,  a  road  leading  nearly  east  from 
San  Antonio  gateway  conducted  one  to  La  Viga  garita  and 
La  Viga  canal,  a  deep  and  broad  waterway,  which,  sii  ce  it 
could  not  well  be  bridged  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  practically 
bounded  Scott's  field  of  operations.  There  were  thus  four 
garitas  —  Belen,  Nino  Perdido,  San  Antonio  and  La  Viga 
in  this  order  from  west  to  east  —  each  guarding  an  approach 
to  the  capital  from  the  south.7 

Scott's  expectation  was  to  break  the  south  front,  and  after 
the  armistice  ended,  his  engineers,  assisted  to  some  extent  by 
himself  and  a  Mexican  officer  in  his  pay,  reconnoitred  it  actively 
and  boldly  except  on  the  forenoon  of  the  eighth.  Had  it  been 
feasible  to  strike  immediately  on  the  resumption  of  hostilities, 
the  enemy's  lines  would  have  been  found  poorly  fortified  and 
armed.  But  this  could  not  well  be  done  with  Santa  Anna's 
principal  forces  menacing  our  flank ;  the  American  army  was 
not  yet  in  position ;  and  Scott  desired  first  of  all  to  destroy 
El  Molino.  After  the  battle  of  the  eighth  half  of  his  troops 
imperatively  required  a  breathing  space.  The  wounded  had  to 
be  given  attention.  The  army  still  needed  to  be  placed.  It  was 
necessary  to  protect  hospitals,  baggage  and  stores  —  espec'ally 
since  Governor  Olaguibel  and  about  700  militia,  supposed  by 
Americans  to  be  Alvarez  with  his  two  divisions,  were  approach- 
ing the  rear,  and  according  to  reports  Valencia  had  8000  men 
in  that  vicinity.  Moreover  Scott's  information  was  not  com- 
plete. The  eighth  of  September,  following  the  twent'eth  of 
August,  had  proved  the  danger  of  rashness ;  and  the  fresh  losses 
made  extreme  caution  absolutely  necessary.  Finally  Scott 
felt  a  suspicion  that  the  Mexicans  expected  and  wished  him  to 
attack  their  apparently  unfinished  works  covering  the  south 
front.8 

On  the  morning  of  the  eleventh  he  inspected  these  once  more, 
and  then  had  a  conference  of  generals  and  engineers  at  La 
Piedad.  It  was  a  solemn  gathering.  Before  them  lay  the 
fortified  capital  of  Mexico,  a  hopeful  army  of  perhaps  15,000, 
a  good  equipment  of  artillery,  nearly  700  trained  gunners,  and 
a  large  population,  somewhat  disillusioned,  but  excited  and 
vengeful ;  and  in  view  of  the  American  situation  it  was  essential, 


CHAPULTEPEC  149 

as  the  commander-in-chief  clearly  indicated,  to  strike  a  vital 
blow  at  once.9 

But  where?  Point  by  point  Scott  fully  and  fairly  stated 
the  case :  at  the  southwest  the  mighty  porphyritic  hill  of  Chapul- 
tepec  to  carry,  but  a  clear  problem,  hard  ground,  excellent 
places  for  batteries,  Huger's  opinion  that  in  one  day  the  for- 
t  fied  college  on  the  top  of  the  hill  could  be  demolished,  n  the 
event  of  success  a  position  from  which  to  operate  freely,  and 
at  least  a  possibility  that,  after  losing  what  was  commonly 
deemed  its  key,  Mexico  would  listen  to  terms ;  on  the  southern 
front  marshes,  inundations,  large  ditches  full  of  water  every- 
where, causeways  already  cut  by  the  enemy,  bridges  destroyed, 
a  topography  that  made  rear  and  flank  attacks  impossible,  an 
extensive  series  of  well-planned  and  well-armed  fortificat'ons 
crossing  their  fires  and  commanding  one  another,  and  an 
enemy  apparently  eager  to  have  the  attack  made  here.  Scott, 
while  disclaiming  any  wish  to  influence  the  judgment  of  others, 
pronounced  frankly  for  Chapultepec.9 

Then  one  of  the  engineers  —  a  tall,  handsome  young  man, 
with  a  positive  chin,  a  strong  nose,  a  dark,  closely  trimmed 
mustache,  dark  hair  clustering  above  his  ears,  and  a  fresh,  clear 
color  in  his  face  • —  stood  up  and  reported  crisply  on  the  work 
of  reconnoitring.  His  name  was  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  he  rec- 
ommended approaching  by  the  southern  front.  Three  other 
engineers  concurred  with  him.  Four  generals,  doubtless  in- 
fluenced by  these  experts,  took  the  same  view.  Twiggs  and 
Riley  irclined  the  other  way.  The  fifth  engineer  present  was 
then  called  upon,  and  he  —  Beauregard  —  in  a  long,  technical 
statement  argued  for  the  Chapultepec  route.  Pierce  changed 
his  opinion.  A  silence  followed ;  and  then  Scott,  drawing  up 
his  magnificent  figure  to  its  full  height,  announced  in  his  grand 
way :  u  Gentlemen,  we  will  attack  by  the  western  gates.  The 
general  officers  present  here  will  remain  for  further  orders  — 
the  meeting  is  dissolved/7  And  so  the  die  was  cast.10 

The  preparation  of  Chapultepec  for  defence  had  begun  in 
May,  and  Santa  Anna  had  insisted  upon  it  as  of  the  "highest 
importance";  but  want  of  money  hindered  and  at  times 
checked  operations.  During  the  armistice  a  little  progress 
was  made,  and  September  9,  under  the  direction  of  a  competent 
engineer  and  of  the  President  himself,  the  work  began  in  earnest. 


150 


THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 


But  alterations  in  plan,  a  lack  of  implements,  a  shortage  of 
materials,  the  general  confusion  and  the  want  of  time  naturally 
made  thoroughness  impossible.  Chapultepec  was  therefore  a 
fort  but  not  really  a  fortress.  It  stood  alone,  too,  without  the 
supporting  positions  that  a  fortress  must  have ;  and  shot  and 
shell  could  penetrate  the  defences  of  the  college  on  the  summit 
of  the  hill  almost  everywhere.  Even  the  parapets  were  not 


BATTLE    OF 
CHAPULTEPEC 

Gen   Quit-man's  troops 
Gen  Pillow's  troops 
Gen    Worth's  troops 


ready ;  and  instead  of  the  2000  men  required  for  an  adequate 
garrison  of  the  buildings  and  works,  only  a  few  hundreds 
occupied  them.  Their  elevation  merely  hindered  approach  — 
not  assault  —  and  artillery  could  largely  offset  that  advantage. 
To  hold  the  grove  was  essential,  for  without  it  the  garrison  above 
could  not  obtain  supplies  or  even  water ;  and  here  the  want  of 
adequate  defences  had  a  still  worse  effect,  since  large  forces 
could  not  be  protected  against  artillery.11 


CHAPULTEPECJ  151 

Yet  for  7180  available  Americans  including  those  required 
to  make  a  feint  against  the  southern  front  —  an  "army"  that 
had  to  contemplate  still  harder  work  beyond,  and  could  not 
afford  severe  losses  here  —  Chapultepec  meant  a  great  deal. 
In  general  the  position  formed  an  approximate  rectangle  about 
three  fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  by  one  fourth  of  a  mile  in 
width,  bounded  at  its  western  end  by  El  Molino  and  on  the 
other  sides  with  high  stone  walls.  In  the  south  wall,  at  about 
its  middle  point,  there  was  an  opening  covered  on  the  outside 
by  a  sand-bag  redan  (B),  unarmed.  From  the  main  gateway 
in  the  eastern  end  the  causeway  of  Belen  struck  off  toward  the 
city,  another  road  —  guarded  here  by  a  cut  and  by  two  bat- 
teries —  ran  toward  Tacubaya,  and  a  third,  after  running  west- 
wardly  into  the  rectangle  and  a  little  way  up  the  slope  until  it 
arrived  at  a  4-pounder  in  a  circular  redoubt  (C),  flanked  with 
an  infantry  eiitrenchment  (D),  turned  sharply  toward  the 
northeast,  and  finally  climbed  to  the  summit.12 

Here  on  a  rectangular  level  space  or  terre-plein,  supported  at 
the  eastern  end  by  an  almost  vertical  precipice  and  on  the 
other  sides  by  high,  parapeted  walls,  rose 
the  masonry  buildings  of  the  military  col- 
lege, skilfully  though  incompletely  rein- 
forced with  sand-bags  and  screens  of  tim- 
ber (blindage),  supplemented  with  parapeted 
azoteas,  and  surrounded  with  ten  effective 
guns,  heavy  and  light.  A  deep,  broad  fosse 


at  the  base  of  the  western  wall,  mines  below  BLINp^Ep^c  °HA" 
that,  and  finally,  half-way  down  the  slope, 
a  redan  (E)  strengthened  this  end,  where  the  incline  was 
gentlest.  In  swamps  at  the  western  foot  of  the  hill  stood  a  large 
grove  of  huge  cypresses  —  extending  also  toward  the  main 
gateway  —  through  which  ran  an  east  and  west  road  com- 
manded by  this  redan  (E)  and  also  by  the  wall  of  the  fort. 
Beyond  the  grove  came  a  north-and-south  ditch,  intended  for 
drainage,  with  a  redan-breastwork  (A)  —  looking  westward 
—  at  its  northern  end ;  and  finally,  after  traversing  level  and 
open  fields  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  toward  the  west, 
one  arrived  at  El  Molino.  Placed  so  conspicuously  in  view, 
150  or  200  feet  in  height,  Chapultepec  seemed  to  deserve  its 
popular  reputation  of  impregnability,  and  the  American  soldiers 


152  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

gazed  at  the  white  walls  on  the  summit,  transfigured  in  the 
sunlight,  with  dread  if  not  with  consternation.12 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  September  11,  Quitman's  division 
ostentatiously  presented  itself  at  La  Piedad,  but  after  dark  both 
h  s  and  Pillow's  moved  to  Tacubaya,  leaving  Twiggs  with 
Brevet  Colonel  Kiley's  brigade  and  Steptoe's  and  Taylor's  field 
pieces  behind.  Turing  the  night  two  16's  and  an  eight-inch 
howitzer  under  Drum  were  placed  behind  bushes  on  the  road 
from  Tacubaya  to  Mexico,  about  1000  yards  from  Chapultepec, 
and  a  similar  howitzer  with  a  24-pounder,  masked  in  the  same 
way,  south  of  El  Molino  under  Hagner;  and  these  batteries 
(Nos.  1  and  2)  opened  fre  the  next  morning  (September  12). 
I  ater  in  the  day  a  10-pound  siege  gun  and  an  eight-inch  howitzer 
(Battery  No.  3)  and  a  ten-inch  mortar  (No.  4),  planted  nearer 
the  mill,  joined  in  the  work.  Chapultepec  replied ;  and,  as 
usual,  the  Mexican  artillerymen  —  of  whom  there  was  a  full 
complement  —  did  well,  occasionally  knocking  sand-bags  from 
the  American  parapets,  while  our  own  gunners,  warned  by  the 
burst  of  smoke,  took  shelter  at  each  discharge.  Meantime 
Step  toe,  in  the  hope  of  deceiving  the  Mexicans  as  to  Scott's 
purpose,  made  as  much  noise  as  possible  opposite  the  San 
Antonio  garita.13 

During  these  preparations  the  Mexicans  passed  their  days 
in  a  state  of  fever.  Reports  that  our  army  had  only  half- 
rations  cheered  them,  arid  Scott's  deceptive  manoeuvres  were 
attributed  by  many  to  indecision  or  timidity.  On  the  eleventh 
a  review  and  a  valiant  proclamation  from  the  President  recalled 
his  "victory"  of  1829  over  the  Spaniards.  But  a  sense  of 
weakness  and  confusion,  the  loss  of  friends,  the  continual  alarms, 
the  marchings  and  countermarchings,  and  the  ominous  clang 
of  the  bells  kept  them  sad  and  anxious.  Santa  Anna,  for  his 
part,  displayed  as  usual  a  remarkable  activity  and  a  remark- 
able .want  of  judgment  and  method.  During  the  night  of 
September  9  he  set  perhaps  2000  men  at  work  —  one  hour 
each  —  on  the  southern  fortifications,  and  the  parapets  rose 
as  if  by  enchantment.  Not  knowing  where  Scott  would  strike, 
he  broke  his  army  into  a  number  of  detachments,  and  shifted 
troops  and  guns  frequently  according  to  his  notion  of  the  proba- 
bilities, wrhile  always  maintaining  a  reserve.  But  he  lost 
himself  in  a  maze  of  details;  and  on  the  eleventh,  deceived  by 


SEPTEMBER  12  153 

the  rather  weak  American  feint,  he  unwisely  drew  men  and 
cannon  from  Chapultepec  and  Belen.14 

Early  the  next  morning,  however,  the  reports  of  spies  and 
the  roar  of  Scott's  heavy  guns  enlightened  him.  Troops  were 
hurried  to  the  real  point  of  danger.  With  all  speed  he  went 
there  himself,  ordered  his  best  engineers  to  work  on  the  forti- 
fications near  the  main  gateway  of  the  Chapultepec  enclosure, 
and  posted  troops  close  by.  But  there  was  little  he  could  do. 
More  and  more  accurately  the  American  batteries  fired  and  kept 
on  firing.  Two  of  the  best  cannon  in  the  fort  were  disabled. 
The  buildings  of  the  college  suffered,  the  garrison  suffered  more, 
and  their  morale  suffered  most  of  all,  for  except  the  engineers 
and  gunners  the  men  felt  utterly  helpless.  When  Santa  Anna 
entered  the  rectangle  unattended  to  reconnoitre,  a  shell  burst 
near  him  and  covered  his  red  pony  with  dirt.  Toward  evening 
General  Bravo,  the  commander  of  the  position,  came  down, 
reported  to  him  that  the  garrison  were  cowed,  and  demanded 
fresh  troops ;  but  Santa  Anna  could  see  no  use  of  sending  them 
forward  to  be  destroyed  on  the  way  or  else  demoralized  after 
arriving.  They  should  be  provided,  he  said,  at  the  critical 
moment.15 

Scott  saw,  however,  as  the  day  waned,  that  Huger's  expecta- 
tions would  not  be  realized  —  that  an  assault  would  be  neces- 
sary. For  this  last  resort  preparations  had  in  fact  been  made. 
The  troops  and  the  ladders  were  now  ready.  Fearing  the 
Mexicans  would  repair  the  damages  under  cover  of  night  he 
thought  at  first  of  delivering  the  blow  at  once;  but  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  now  too  late  in  the  day,  that  his  guns  could 
soon  dispose  of  repairs  and  reinforcements,  and  that  a  morning 
attack  would  give  many  hours  for  pursuing  the  advantages 
gained.  Engineers  proceeded  to  mend  and  improve  our  own 
batteries,  and  the  generals  met  for  a  conference.  Here  the 
plans  were  finally  decided  upon.  Quitman's  division  and  a 
forlorn  hope  of  about  265  selected  officers  and  men  from 
Twiggs's  division,  under  Captain  Casey  of  the  Second  Infantry, 
were  to  advance  by  the  Tacubaya  road  ;  and  Pillow's,  preceded 
by  a  similar  party  from  Worth's  division,  led  by  Captain  Mc- 
Kenzie  of  the  Second  Artillery,  was  to  attack  by  way  of  El 
Molino  and  the  grove.  Then  every  one  betook  himself  to  his 
post.  But  Pillow  felt  discontented.  "We  shall  be  defeated," 


154  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

said  Worth  privately ;  and  even  Scott  admitted  to  Hitchcock, 
"I  have  my  misgivings/' 16 

At  daybreak  —  about  half-past  five  —  the  next  morning  a 
signal  gun  broke  the  stillness,  and  then  our  batteries  opened. 
For  two  hours  or  so  they  hurled  shot  and  shells  at  the  fort,  and 
then  for  some  thirty  minutes  grape,  canister  and  shells  were 
poured  into  the  grove.  At  about  eight  o'clock,  as  if  by  common 
consent,  they  stopped  —  but  only  to  burst  forth  again  with  new 
fury.17 

That  one  momentary  pause  was  the  command  to  attack. 
Colonel  .Trousdale,  with  the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth  Infantry 
and  a  section  of  Magruder's  field  battery  under  the  "  Stonewall' ' 
Jackson  of  our  civil  war,  moved  some  distance  eastward  from 
near  El  Molino  by  the  Anzures  causeway  along  the  northern 
side  of  the  rectangle,  to  prevent  reinforcement  and  embarrass 
escape  in  that  quarter.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Johnston  with  four 
companies  of  the  gray  Voltigeurs  advanced  outside  the  south 
wall,  drove  the  Mexicans  from  the  redan  (B)  and  from  the 
wall,  behind  which  they  had  been  standing  on  platforms,  passed 
through  the  opening,  captured  the  circular  redoubt  (C)  and 
the  breastwork  near  it  (D),  and  opened  fire  on  the  southern 
parapet  of  the  fort.  Reno's  howitzers,  taken  from  El  Molino 
eastward  into  the  fields,  poured  shells  upon  the  grove  and  the 
Mexican  entrenchments  (A  and  E).  Four  other  Voltigeur 
companies  under  Colonel  Andrews,  after  crossing  those  open 
fields,  rushed  with  loud  cheers  into  the  swamp ;  and  the  Ninth 
and  the  Fifteenth  Infantry,  deploying  into  line,  followed  them 
closely.  Decorated  with  long,  hanging  moss,  the  venerable 
cypresses,  dear  alike  to  Cortez  and  to  Montezuma,  seemed 
like  the  fit  guardians  of  some  mystical  and  melancholy  religion ; 
but  now  hurrahs  and  sharp  flashes  and  the  terrible  crash  of 
cannon-balls  amidst  the  branches  broke  their  shadowy  silence, 
and  the  Americans,  wallowing  through  the  mire,  drove  the 
Mexican  skirmishers  from  tree  to  tree,  from  the  grove,  and 
at  last  from  the  battle.17 

Clearly  it  was  time  for  Santa  Anna  to  support  the  garrison. 
Attempts  had  been  made  to  repair  the  fort  during  the  night, 
but  no  adequate  materials  could  be  found  there.  A  cannon 
had  burst.  The  dead  and  wounded  lay  about.  There  were  no 
surgeons,  no  medical  supplies.  The  expected  reinforcements 


BATTLE  OF  CHAPULTEPEC  155 

did  not  appear.  Most  of  the  students,  gallant  lads  in  gray 
uniforms  and  gaily  tasselled  blue  caps,  withdrew  by  command. 
Bravo  —  thickset  and  erect,  with  deep  eyes  and  a  powerful 
chin  —  though  he  was  cold  and  unenterprising,  had  flawless 
courage,  and  he  stood  with  folded  arms  or  marched  calmly  from 
post  to  post.  But  the  infantry  of  the  garrison  —  hungry, 
exhausted,  stunned,  hopeless  —  cowered  behind  the  parapets. 
Many  had  to  be  driven  to  their  places,  and  some  had  to  be 
fired  on.  Even  the  engineers  and  gunners  felt  despondent.17 

But  Santa  Anna  could  not  see  what  to  do.  No  doubt  the 
hill  was  to  be  attacked  from  the  grove,  but  the  enemy  seemed 
likely  to  assault  by  the  Tacubaya  causeway  also,  and  Trous- 
dale,  he  fancied,  might  come  round  by  a  road  that  skirted  the 
eastern  end  of  the  rectangle  to  strike  his  rear.  Besides,  the 
officers  and  men  showed  no  desire  to  challenge  the  American 
artillery  by  marching  up  the  hill,  arid  he  understood  well 
enough  himself  how  few  of  them  could  probably  reach  the  fort. 
At  length,  however,  he  strengthened  the  forces  on  the  Tacubaya 
road,  and  sent  most  of  the  San  Bias  Activo  battalion  to  Bravo. 
At  the  circular  redoubt  this  corps  met  the  Americans,  and  not 
many  of  them  lived  to  go  farther.17 

East  of  the  grove,  Andrews  with  his  Voltigeurs  and  Reno 
with  his  howitzers  turned  a  little  to  the  right  and  united  with 
Johnston.  This  left  the  Ninth  a  clear  front.  Colonel  Ransom 
had  promised,  the  day  before,  that  he  and  his  men  would  go  into 
the  fort  or  die.  Proudly  erect,  sword  in  hand,  the  beau-ideal  of  a 
soldier,  he  strode  in  front  up  the  steepest  part  of  the  slope, 
while  the  Fifteenth  marched  on  his  left.  The  breastwork  (E) 
was  captured ;  and  then,  coming  in  view  of  the  fort  —  its 
buildings  almost  hidden  in  smoke,  its  parapets  a  sheet  of  flame, 
the  air  filled  with  the  hiss  and  shriek  and  roar  of  missiles  —  he 
waved  his  sword,  shouted,  "Forward,  the  Ninth !"  and  fell 
dead  with  a  bullet  in  his  forehead.  A  terrible  cry  rose  from 
his  men:  "Ransom  has  fallen  —  the  Colonel  is  shot!"  Wild 
for  revenge  they  all  charged  on,  and  a  part  of  them  reached  the 
fosse.17 

But  there  had  been  some  mistake.  The  ladders  had  been 
[entrusted  to  raw  men,  it  was  said ;  perhaps  they  had  not  been 
started  off  in  time;  apparently  some  of  the  bearers  had  left 
their  places  and  hurried  on ;  some  had  been  killed  and  others 


15<)  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

frightened.  Anyhow  the  ladders  did  not  arrive.  Like  the 
Voltigeurs  on  their  right,  the  Ninth  and  the  Fifteenth  sought 
shelter  behind  rocks  and  stumps  and  fired  at  the  parapet ;  and 
the  tardy  storming  party,  which  was  to  have  passed  through 
them,  feeling  no  desire  to  get  between  the  two  lines  of  fire 
and  really  unable  to  do  anything  without  ladders,  halted.17 

The  men  were  fairly  safe.  Their  muskets  taught  most  of  the 
enemy  to  keep  down  behind  the  parapet.  The  rest  of  the 
Mexicans  fired  very  badly,  and  the  Americans  near  the  wall 
could  not  be  reached  by  the  cannon.  But  the  attack  was  making 
no  progress.  Time  passed  —  five,  ten,  fifteen  dreadful  minutes, 
and  still  no  ladders  could  even  be  seen.  The  American  batteries, 
which  had  been  firing  over  the  heads  of  our  troops,  could  no 
longer  do  it  safely.  The  ardor  of  battle  was  cooling.  Low 
mounds  that  looked  like  graves,  but  in  reality  were  the  mines, 
lay  under  our  men,  and  a  Mexican  lieutenant  of  engineers 
had  orders  to  fire  them  at  the  right  moment.  Santa  Anna  with 
perhaps  4000  or  even  5000  reserves  so  near  —  might  he  not 
come  round  the  hill?  Scott's  whole  gazing  army,  back  even  to 
Lieutenant  Mayne  Reid  at  Battery  No.  2,  was  seized  with  a 
horrible  fear.  Pillow,  lying  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  painfully 
hurt  in  the  ankle,  sent  for  the  whole  of  Worth's  division, 
which  was  supporting  him  as  a  reserve,  and  begged  Worth  to 
make  "great  haste"  or  it  would  be  "too  late."  17 

There  was,  however,  a  nearer  source  of  help.  When  the 
signal  for  attack  was  given,  Quitman's  division  —  preceded  by 
forty  pioneers  under  Captain  Reynolds  of  the  Marines,  Casey's 
forlorn  hope,  and  120  stormers  from  the  volunteer  division  led 
by  Major  Twiggs  of  the  Marines  —  advanced  on  the  Tacu- 
baya  causeway  until  about  200  yards  from  the  gateway  batteries. 
To  support  it,  repel  a  body  of  Mexicans  on  its  right,  ward  off 
any  force  that  might  approach  from  the  city,  perhaps  turn 
those  batteries,  and  if  possible  gain  the  Mexican  rear,  General 
Smith  struck  off  into  the  meadows  and  pushed  on  despite 
the  ditches;  and  Captain  Drum  and  Lieutenant  Benjamin, 
each  with  a  single  gun,  and  Lieutenant  Hunt  with  two  of 
Duncan's  pieces  advanced  by  the  road,  firing  on  those  batteries 
or  at  the  hill  and  fort  as  opportunities  offered.17 

On  each  side  of  the  causeway  ran  a  ditch  that  was  almost  a 
canal  and  cramped  the  troops  not  a  little ;  and  a  terrible  fire 


BATTLE  OF  CHAPULTEPEC  157 

of  artillery  and  musketry  from  the  meadows,  the  front,  the 
wall  of  the  rectangle  and  the  fort  on  the  hill-top  greeted  them. 
Quitman  had  reconnoitred  here  the  day  before,  and  thought 
he  understood  the  problem;  but  the  Mexicans  had  made 
further  preparations  afterwards,  and  when  he  ordered  a  charge, 
it  was  checked,  and  Twiggs  and  Casey  fell.  Ahead  of  him, 
partly  enfilading  the  road,  blazed  at  least  five  guns,  and  some 
of  the  best  soldiers  in  the  Mexican  army  —  commanded  by 
General  Rangel  —  occupied  the  stone  buildings  near  them,  while 
others  fired  from  behind  the  wall  near  the  gateway.  Under 
this  concentrated  and  awful  storm  the  Americans  recoiled,  and 
sheltered  themselves  near  a  bend  in  the  road  by  lying  down, 
getting  into  the  ditches  or  occupying  some  houses.  Here,  too, 
the  offensive  was  blocked ;  the  attack  failed.17 

But  "the  issue  of  battle  lies  in  the  hearts  of  men,"  and  the 
will  of  every  American  heart  was  Victory.  Lieutenant  Reid, 
hurrying  over  from  the  battery  with  two  companies,  dropped 
on  the  slope,  but  his  men  went  forward.  By  Quitman's  order 
the  New  York  and  the  Second  Pennsylvania  regiments  left  the 
Tacubaya  causeway,  under  a  heavy  fire  waded  the  ditches  on 
the  left  and  rear  to  the  redan  (B),  and  charged  through  the 
opening,  while  the  Palmettoes,  finding  a  break  in  the  same  wall, 
made  a  little  farther  east  by  an  American  cannon,  enlarged  it 
with  their  bayonets  and  squeezed  through.  Shields  and  the 
commanders  of  the  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  regiments  were 
wounded,  but  the  troops  kept  on.  Clarke's  brigade,  sent 
forward  by  Worth,  hastened  up  the  western  slope,  and  when 
Lieutenant  Longstreet  of  the  Eighth  fell,  Lieutenant  Pickett 
seized  the  colors.  For  some  reason  the  mines  failed  to  explode ; 
and  at  last  the  ladders  came  up.17 

Shouting  and  yelling,  the  Voltigeurs,  the  Ninth  and  Fifteenth, 
some  of  McKenzie's  and  the  foremost  of  Quitman's  men,  all 
closely  intermingled,  and  brilliant  with  flags  and  the  sparkle  of 
arms,  crowded  to  the  fosse.  The  first  ladders,  with  all  the  bold 
fellows  upon  them,  were  thrown  down,  but  in  a  moment  so 
many  more  were  placed,  side  by  side,  that  fifty  could  go  up 
abreast.  The  blue  Voltigeur  flag,  now  full  of  holes,  was  planted 
on  the  parapet.  A  tide  of  brave  Americans  overflowed  the  fort. 
Resistance  was  vain.  A  little  before  half-past  nine  Bravo 
gave  up  his  diamond-hilted  sword,  and  the  tricolor,  that 


158  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

had  been  waving  placidly  amidst  the  uproar,  came  down  with 
a  jerk.17 

Fire  was  opened  then  upon  the  Mexicans  at  the  gateway 
below,  and  fearless  Captain  Roberts  of  Casey's  storming  party, 
at  the  head  of  all  the  troops  on  the  causeway  and  supported 
by  General  Smith's  brigade,  carried  the  gateway  batteries. 
Many  from  Quitman's  and  Smith's  commands  rushed  to  the 
summit,  dealing  with  flying  enemies  as  they  went.  Scott  himself 
came  up  —  the  hero  of  Chippewa  and  Lundy's  Lane.  The 
men  pressed  round  him.  He  told  them  how  glad  he  was,  and 
how  proud  of  them ;  and  how  proud  their  country,  their  wives, 
their  sisters  and  their  sweethearts  would  be ;  and  it  seemed  as 
if  such  cheering  had  never  been  heard,  anywhere  in  the  world, 
before.17 

Exultant  but  weary,  the  soldiers  now  looked  about  them  as 
they  took  breath.  From  this  eyrie  the  whole  wonderful  Valley 
of  Mexico  could  be  surveyed.  All  round  the  west  the  great 
wall  of  rugged  mountains  closed  it  in,  and  two  vast,  snowy 
peaks  guarded  its  portal  on  the  east.  As  if  reluctantly  the 
mountains  gradually  subsided  into  verdant  hills  and  a  wide 
plain,  enamelled  in  a  thousand  soft  hues.  The  broad,  smooth 
lakes  gleamed  like  molten  silver.  The  gold  of  ripening  grain, 
penciled  lines  of  pale-green  maguey,  cottages  radiant  in  the 
sun  like  the  sails  of  distant  ships,  country-houses  and  villas 
half  hiding  in  foliage,  and  many  straight,  converging  avenues, 
lined  with  trees,  delighted  the  eye.  In  the  midst,  clear-cut  as 
a  medallion,  lay  the  city  of  Mexico,  the  capital,  its  roofs  and 
towers  black  with  people;  and  there,  just  yonder,  stood  the 
Halls  of  the  Montezumas,  the  Jerusalem  of  these  ardent  young 
crusaders.  Unfortunately  breastworks,  redoubts,  cannon  and 
a  Mexican  army  were  still  to  be  reckoned  with.  Santa  Anna 
had  probably  lost  not  more  than  1800  killed,  wounded  and 
missing  this  day,  and  apparently  Scott's  loss  had  been  about 
one  fourth  as  great.18 

But  the  Americans  quickly  prepared  to  advance  —  first  of 
all,  Quitman.  Naturally  a  certain  discretion  had  been  given 
to  the  commanding  generals,  and  he  intended  to  make  the  most 
of  it.  Looking  from  the  hill  along  the  Bel6n  causeway,  he 
saw  a  wide  avenue  divided  through  the  middle  by  a  stone 
aqueduct  some  eight  feet  wide  and  fifteen  feet  high,  resting 


QUITMAN'S  OPERATIONS 


159 


on  heavy  arches  and  pillars  of  masonry.  Owing  to  fine  weather 
the  road  was  unusually  firm.  A  small  number  of  troops,  fleeing 
in  the  utmost  confusion,  could  be  seen  upon  it,  but  at  only  one 
point  fortifications.  Borrowing  all  of  Pillow's  troops  except 
the  Fifteenth  Infantry,  which  remained  to  hold  Chapultepec 
and  guard  the  prisoners,  he  quietly  gave  orders  that  his  men 
should  assemble  near  the  main  gateway.  At  once  the  inspiring 
words  began  to  circulate,  "Quitman's  division  to  the  city!" 
and  as  soon  as  possible  the  Rifles,  in  their  crimson  sashes,  were 
leading  the  march  forward.  About  a  rnile  on,  a  two-gun  bat- 
tery, with  a  field  redan  at  its  right  on  the  marsh,  blocked  the 
way.  For  an  hour  or  so  Drum  used  a  small  gun  upon  it. 
Then  the  Rifles,  after  creeping  along  the  aqueduct  from  arch  to 
arch,  took  it  by  assault,  and  the  inarch  continued  toward  the 
fortifications  at  the  garita.19 

As  at  the  other  garitas,  no  gates  existed  here,  but  a  ditch  and  a 
parapet  blocked  one  half  of  the  causeway  and  a  zigzag  re- 
doubt the  other.  Just  at  the  north  was  the 
stone  house  intended  for  guards  and  customs 
officials,  beyond  which  lay  the  wide  Paseo 
(Promenade).  South,  on  the  Piedad  road, 
were  artillery  and  infantry  that  could  fire 
through  the  arches.  Inside  the  garita, 
buildings  extending  toward  the  east  offered 
shelter,  and  in  open  ground  a  little  more 
toward  the  north  and  about  300  yards  dis- 
tant, the  extensive  edifice  called  the  citadel, 
protected  with  a  wall  and  a  wet  ditch,  con- 
stituted a  serious  obstacle.19 

Santa  Anna,  after  acting  like  a  madman 

1^1          ljL  »  I,  ,      ,,  •  .,        THE  CITADEL  IN  1840. 

when  Chapultepec  tell,  came  to  this  garita. 
General  Terres,  a  brave  old  Spaniard,  commanded  here  with 
about  180  infantry  and  some  artillerymen.  Santa  Anna  gave 
him  three  guns  of  medium  power,  and  stationed  General 
Ramirez  in  the  Paseo,  Brevet  General  Argiielles  on  the  opposite 
side,  and  General  Perdigon  Garay  and  Colonel  Barrios  in  the 
rear  with  substantial  reserves.19 

On  approaching  this  formidable  position,  Quitman  en- 
countered a  withering  storm  of  bullets,  grape  and  solid  shot 
from  both  sides  and  the  front,  and  suffered  rather  severely. 


160  THE  WAR  WITBI  MEXICO 

But  Drum  and  Benjamin,  iron  men,  bringing  up  as  soon  as 
possible  a  long  18-pounder  and  a  24-pound  howitzer  on  the 
opposite  sides  of  the  aqueduct,  dampened  the  ardor  of  the 
Mexicans  not  a  little,  and  splinters  from  the  masonry  did  havoc 
among  the  sheltered  artillerymen  at  the  garita.  Some  troops 
already  beaten  at  Chapultepec  and  at  the  intermediate  battery 
soon  became  demoralized.  At  about  one  o'clock  rumors  crept 
in  that  Americans  from  the  southern  front  were  turning  the 
position.  Ramirez,  Garay,  Argiielles  and  Barrios  retired  with- 
out the  formality  of  saying  good-by ;  and  Terres,  whose 
cannon  ammunition  had  failed,  withdrew  prudently  to  the 
citadel  with  two  of  the  guns  and  about  seventy  panicky  men, 
the  remnant  of  his  garrison.  The  Rifles  now  dashed  over  the 
parapet ;  and  at  exactly  twenty  minutes  past  one  a  tall,  slender 
man  with  short,  bristling,  grayish  hair  stood  on  it,  smoking  a 
cigar  and  waving  a  red  handkerchief  tied  to  a  rifle.  It  was 
Quitman,  self-possessed  but  exultant ;  and  in  a  few  moments  the 
Palmetto  colors  and  the  green  banner  of  the  Rifles,  with  its 
blazing  gold  eagle,  were  flying  at  the  portal  of  the  city.19 

The  advance  then  continued  for  some  little  distance,  and,  as 
the  ammunition  of  our  two  heavy  guns  had  been  exhausted, 
the  captured  Mexican  8-pounder  was  made  to  do  good  service. 
But  Santa  Anna,  who  had  thought  the  position  safe  and  gone 
on  to  San  Cosine,  soon  arrived  with  ordnance  and  troops. 
The  citadel  was  reinforced,  and  infantry  and  cannon  were  placed 
at  other  points.  Quitman's  last  artillery  cartridges  were  used, 
and  under  the  enemy's  fire  no  more  could  be  brought  up.  Solid 
shot  cut  down  both  Drum  and  Benjamin.  Our  infantry  had 
to  retire  to  the  vicinity  of  the  garita.  Attempts  were  then 
made  to  strengthen  the  position ;  but  they  did  not  accomplish 
very  much.  Ammunition  gave  out  entirely,  and  firing  ceased. 
Tae  enemy  grew  bolder.  Again  and  again  they  charged,  and 
though  repulsed  they  did  not  appear  to  be  discouraged.  By  this 
time  every  member  of  Quitman's  staff,  Beauregard,  his  engineer 
officer,  and  all  his  artillery  officers  had  been  killed  or  wounded, 
and  he  longed  anxiously  for  night.19 

Meanwhile,  events  had  occurred  on  Scott's  other  wing. 
Trousdale's  command,  supplemented  with  Jackson's  guns, 
pushed  along  the  road  and  aqueduct  on  the  north  side  of  the 
rectangle,  and  the  latter  distinguished  himself  by  fearlessly 


THE  SAN  COSME  APPROACH  161 

attacking  a  one-gun  redoubt,  which,  supported  by  infantry 
and  by  fire  from  the  summit  of  the  hill,  barred  the  way. 
To  check  Mexican  reinforcements  and  threaten  the  enemy  — 
particularly  the  troops  in  Quitman's  front  —  Scott  now  had 
Worth,  Garland's  brigade,  C.  F.  Smith's  battalion,  Duncan's 
battery,  the  rest  of  Magruder's  battery  and  Sumner's  dragoons 
pursue  the  same  route.  The  one-gun  redoubt  was  flanked  and 
occupied ;  and  Worth's  forces  arrived  at  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  rectangle  in  time  to  annoy  the  retreat  of  Ilangel  and  other 
departing  Mexicans.20 

Here  began  the  broad,  straight  Veronica  causeway — closely 
similar  to  that  of  Belen  —  which  extended  almost  north  for 
nearly  two  miles  (3530  yards)  to  the  English  cemetery,  and 
there  joined  the  San  Cosme  highway  at  approximately  a  right 
angle.  Understanding  the  difficulties  of  the  Belen  approach, 
Scott  intended  to  make  only  a  feint  in  that  quarter,  and  let  his 
left  wing  break  into  the  city.  He  therefore  sent  the  brigades  of 
Clarke  and  Cadwalader  and  also  Huger  with  siege  guns  to 
Worth.  To  organize  the  attacking  column,  replenish  the 
ammunition,  make  other  needed  preparations,  and  sweep 
away  the  resistance  encountered  at  several  minor  fortifications, 
especially  near  the  cemetery,  required  time ;  but  at  about  four 
o'clock  Worth  found  himself  on  the  straight  highway  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  San  Cosme  garita.20 

This  entrance  to  the  city  had  been  included  in  the  general 
scheme  of  defence,  but  on  account  of  its  remoteness  from  press- 
ing danger  few  workmen  had  been  employed  here ;  and  when 
Chapultepec  fell,  it  lay  entirely  open  except  for  a  small  parapet 
without  a  ditch  extending  partly  across  the  highway  some 
250  yards  to  the  west.  General  Pefia,  however,  coming  this 
way  from  Chapultepec,  stopped  at  the  parapet,  and  Rangel 
placed  at  the  garita  such  troops  as  he  could  assemble.  Santa 
Anna,  who  displayed  on  this  occasion  reckless  valor  and  an 
almost  fiendish  activity,  sent  three  available  cannon  and  brought 
additional  troops.  The  roofs  of  buildings  in  the  vicinity  were 
occupied.  A  redoubt  with  embrasures  was  hastily  erected  at 
the  garita,  the  near  arches  of  the  aqueduct  were  stopped  up 
with  sand-bags,  and  some  guns  in  the  Paseo  were  prepared  to 
cooperate.20 

On  attempting  to  advance,  therefore,  Worth  found  the  high- 

VOL.   II  —  M 


162  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

way  swept  with  bullets,  canister,  grape  and  shells.  Garland, 
however,  was  ordered  to  creep  forward  under  the  protection  of 
the  arches,  and  endeavor  to  reach  the  south  flank  of  the  garita, 
and  Clarke  to  burrow  through  the  continuous  line  of  buildings 
on  the  other  side,  and  strike  the  northern  flank.  Lieutenant 
U.  S.  Grant,  who  was  reported  as  acquitting  himself  at  this 
time  "most  nobly,"  waded  some  ditches  with  a  party  of  men 
and  a  mountain  howitzer,  and  planted  the  gun  on  the  roof  of 
a  church  at  the  right ;  and  Lieutenant  Raphael  Semmes  of  the 
navy  performed  a  similar  exploit  on  the  left.  Artillery  fire  com- 
pelled Pena,  who  —  reinforced  by  Santa  Anna  with  two  com- 
panies of  the  Eleventh  Infantry  —  was  fighting  gallantly,  to  leave 
the  parapet ;  and  Hunt,  of  Duncan's  battery,  though  he  lost 
more  than  half  his  men  in  dashing  150  yards  at  full  speed, 
landed  a  gun  at  that  point,  where  he  could  load  in  safety  and 
then  fire  from  the  one  embrasure.20 

By  five  o'clock  these  preparations  were  complete.  On  the 
other  hand  Rangel  had  been  severely  wounded,  and  his  principal 
gun,  a  24-pound  howitzer,  had  become  unserviceable.  Sud- 
denly, to  his  utter  astonishment,  Americans  appeared  on  the 
top  of  a  three-story  house  that  commanded  the  interior  of  his 
redoubt,  and  with  a  single  volley  disposed  of  almost  every 
gunner  and  artillery  mule.  Then  some  of  them  hurried  down 
to  the  front  door  of  the  house,  burst  it  open,  and  rushed  into 
the  redoubt,  where  they  met  Americans  just  arrived  by  a 
flanking  movement  from  the  other  side  of  the  highway.  In  a 
panic  the  Mexicans  fled,  literally  sweeping  away  Santa  Anna 
and  a  body  of  troops,  who  had  come  at  all  speed  from  Belen 
to  support  the  position.  Many  of  them  scattered,  but  with  no 
little  difficulty*  others  were  conducted  to  the  citadel.  By  six 
o'clock  Worth  entered  Mexico.  Near  the  garita  his  forces 
^were  safely  housed,  and  by  way  of  "good-night"  and  good 
advice,  Huger  dropped  a  few  shells  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
palace.20 

The  end,  however,  was  not  yet  in  view.  Santa  Anna  had 
some  5000  infantry  and  fifteen  cannon  at  the  citadel,  with 
probably  about  7000  more  troops  not  far  away,  and  the  Amer- 
icans, besides  having  lost  many  in  the  day's  fighting,  were 
now  fearfully  divided.  Not  only  Worth  but  Quitman,  who 
p  anted  three  heavy  guns  in  battery  during  the  night,  intended 


THE  AMERICANS  CAPTURE  MEXICO  163 

to  advance  in  the  morning,  and  apparently  a  day  of  carnage 
was  to  ensue.20 

But  Santa  Anna  probably  began  to  feel  the  reaction  that 
always  followed  his  great  efforts.  Funds  and  provisions  were 
scanty.  The  army  was  demoralized,  and  the  mass  of  the 
people  felt  disheartened.  Within  the  town  there  were  no  forti- 
fications, and  it  looked  as  if  another  battle  under  these  conditions 
might  scatter  the  troops,  and  involve  the  loss  of  nearly  all  the 
war  material.  Besides,  leading  persons  in  the  city  had  always 
been  strenuously  anxious  to  prevent  bombardment  and  assault ; 
and  the  President  was  urged  now,  as  four  months  previously,  to 
spare  it.  Early  in  the  evening,  therefore,  he  briefly  discussed 
the  situation  with  Olaguibel,  the  minister  of  war  and  three 
generals.  The  Governor  was  for  acting  deliberately ;  but  Santa 
Anna,  declaring  that  honor  had  been  satisfied  and  the  city 
could  not  be  defended  successfully,  ordered  immediate  evacua- 
tion; and  by  one  o'clock  the  troops  retired  in  a  somewhat 
orderly  fashion  to  Guadalupe  Hidalgo.  About  three  hours  later 
a  commission  of  the  city  council  (ayuntamiento)  offered  terms 
of  capitulation  at  the  American  headquarters  in  Tacubaya. 
These  were  of  course  rejected,  for  the  town  lay  at  our  mercy ;  but 
Scott  gave  informally  the  usual  assurances  of  good  treatment.21 

So  when  the  first  thin  streak  of  dawn  glimmered  forth 
behind  the  gray  volcanoes,  and  our  cannon  at  Belen  garita 
were  on  the  point  of  opening  fire,  a  white  flag  and  an  invitation 
to  enter  the  capital  reached  Quitman.  First  making  sure  there 
was  no  deception,  he  advanced;  and  after  stopping  about 
half  an  hour  at  the  citadel  he  moved  forward  under  a  splendid 
sun  to  the  grand  plaza,  which  fronted  the  palace  and  the 
cathedral,  with  Smith's  brigade,  the  Marines,  the  New  York 
volunteers  and  Steptoe's  battery.  As  a  triumphal  procession 
the  command  looked  rather  strange.  Quitman  and  Smith 
marched  at  its  head  on  foot  —  the  former  with  only  one  shoe ; 
and  behind  them  came  troops  decorated  with  mud,  the  red 
stains  of  battle  and  rough  bandages,  carrying  arms  at  quite 
haphazard  angles.  Not  less  astonishing  looked  the  city,  for 
sidewalks,  windows,  balconies  and  housetops  were  crowded 
with  people.  Except  for  the  silence,  the  countless  white  hand- 
kerchiefs and  the  foreign  flags,  it  might  have  been  thought  a 
holiday.  Before  the  palace,  which  filled  the  east  side  of  the 


164  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

plaza,  the  troops  formed  in  line  of  battle.  Officers  took  their 
places  at  the  front,  and  when  Captain  Roberts  hoisted  a 
battle-scarred  American  flag  on  the  staff  of  the  palace  at  seven 
o'clock,  arms  were  presented  and  the  officers  saluted.22 

Soon  loud  cheering  was  heard.  A  few  squares  away  the 
commander-in-chief,  escorted  by  cavalry  with  drawn  swords, 
had  reached  Worth's  command,  which  had  stopped  at  six  o'clock 
by  orders  opposite  the  high  ash  trees  of  the  Alameda.  A 
clatter  of  galloping  hoofs  followed;  and  in  another  moment, 
amidst  the  involuntary  applause  of  the  Mexicans,  General  Scott, 
dressed  in  full  uniform  and  mounted  on  a  tall,  heavy  bay 
charger,  dashed  with  his  staff  and  Harney's  dragoons  into  the 
grand  plaza — his  noble  figure,  gold  epaulets  and  snowy  plumes, 
resplendent  under  the  brilliant  sun,  fitly  typifying  the  invisible 
glory  of  his  unkempt  and  limping  army.  Uncovering,  he  rode 
slowly  along  the  line  of  battle  to  the  music  of  our  national  airs ; 
the  troops,  presenting  arms  again,  cheered  and  hurrahed 
till  it  seemed  as  if  the  earthquake-proof  cathedral  must  be 
shaking,  and  the  cavalry  escort  waved  high  their  flashing 
blades.22 

In  stentorian  tones  the  commaiider-in-chief  appointed 
Quitman  governor  of  the  city;  and  then,  dismounting  in 
the  courtyard,  he  clanked  up  the  broad  stairway  of  the  palace, 
to  indite  congratulations  on  the  "many  glorious  victories"  of 
his  army.  Presently  cross-belted  American  Marines  were 
calmly  patrolling  the  Halls  of  the  Montezumas  as  if  they 
owned  them,  while  the  rest  of  the  troops  gazed  with  profound 
exultation  at  the  long  pinkish  facade  and  the  endless  balconies 
of  the  upper  story,  and  the  people  gazed  silently  at  the  troops. 
"They  are  all  and  each  of  them  heroes,"  commented  a  foreigner 
present,  and  others  in  the  world  thought  the  same. 

"Light  up  your  homes,  O  fathers, 
For  those  young  hero  bands, 
Whose  march  is  still  through  vanquished  towns 
And  over  conquered  lands, 
Whose  valor,  wild,  impetuous 
In  all  its  fiery  glow, 
Pours  onward  like  a  lava-tide, 
And  sweeps  away  the  foe  1"  a 


XXIX 

FINAL  MILITARY  OPERATIONS 

January,  1847-April,  1848 

AT  the  north,  after  the  Buena  Vista  campaign  and  the  em- 
barrassments growing  out  of  it  came  to  an  end,  Taylor  probably 
wished,  in  what  an  officer  called  "his  easy  dog-trot  fashion," 
to  advance  as  far  as  San  Luis  Potosi,  and  retained  troops 
urgently  needed  by  Scott;  but  by  the  middle  erf  June,  1847, 
he  doubtless  realized  that  effective  operations  on  so  long  a 
line,  especially  through  hostile  and  much  of  the  way  through 
barren  territory,  were  impracticable,  and  advised  that  Scott's 
column  alone  should  act  on  the  offensive.  A  month  later 
orders  of  a  corresponding  tenor  were  issued  at  Washington, 
and  then  some  3000  surplus  troops  of  the  northern  army  pro- 
ceeded toward  the  capital,  though  too  late,  of  course,  to  assist 
in  the  decisive  struggle.1 

Valencia,  during  his  brief  stay  at  San  Luis  Potosi  in  the 
early  summer  of  1847,  not  only  requested  permission  to  move 
against  Saltillo,  but  planned  that  General  Filisola,  aided  by 
a  brigade  under  Avalos,  then  lying  at  Matehuala,  by  Reyes, 
the  cornandante  general  of  Zacatecas,  and  by  Urrea  —  who  still 
commanded  the  "brigade  of  observation,"  and  could  easily 
pass  across  the  Sierra  Madre  from  Tula  —  should  threaten, 
if  not  attack,  Saltillo  and  Monterey,  and  at  least  keep  the 
Americans  on  the  defensive.  Some  disquieting  movements 
of  these  troops  resulted ;  but  Valencia  was  soon  called  to  Mex- 
ico, and  various  difficulties,  chiefly  a  lack  of  means  resulting 
from  the  American  occupation,  proved  fatal  to  this  ambitious 
enterprise,  besides  hindering  the  Mexican  preparations  to 
receive  Taylor  at  San  Luis  Potosi.1 

During  the  winter  of  1846-47  and  to  some  extent  later,  the 
garrison  of  Tampico  was  menaced  by  plans  for  an  uprising, 

165 


166  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

to  be  assisted  by  outside  forces,  and  sometimes  it  was  feared 
that  a  move  to  capture  the  city  would  be  launched  from  Tula 
in  the  hope  of  embarrassing  Scott's  communications ;  but  the 
Americans,  though  not  strong  in  numbers  there,  were  vigilant 
and  well  protected  by  fortifications.  Besides,  the  authorities 
of  Tamaulipas,  now  living  on  fairly  good  terms  with  the  in- 
vaders, had  little  wish  to  take  part  in  active  hostilities.  They 
quarrelled  bitterly  with  Urrea,  who  naturally  attempted  to  draw 
supplies  and  money 'from  the  region,  and  in  November,  1847, 
with  a  view  to  bringing  about  harmony,  that  officer  was  re- 
moved. Scott's  victories  and  especially  the  fall  of  Mexico  had 
no  little  effect  in  this  quarter;  the  prospect  of  serious  opera- 
tions entirely  disappeared;  and  early  in  November,  1847, 
General  Taylor,  who  had  reached  the  conclusion  some  time 
before  that  his  country  wanted  him  for  President,  and  had 
laid  aside  his  old  brown  coat  in  favor  of  checked  shirt  sleeves, 
set  out  for  home  on  a  leave  of  absence,  which  actually  continued 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  Wool  took  his  place ;  but  nothing 
occurred  in  this  region  except  guerilla  affairs,  of  which  a  due 
account  will  be  given  presently.1 

In  the  northwest,  meantime,  Price,  who  commanded  in  New 
Mexico  and  was  disturbed  by  rumors  of  danger  from  the  south, 
decided  on  hiSj  own  responsibility,  ignoring  instructions  to  do 
otherwise,  that  he  must  assume  the  aggressive.  Early  in 
March,  1848,  the  city  of  Chihuahua  was  therefore  reoccupied ; 
$nd  on  the  sixteenth  of  that  month,  after  a  little  brisk  fighting, 
the  town  of  Rosales,  about  sixty  miles  to  the  southeast,  which 
Angel  Trias  held  with  some  800  men,  chiefly  National  Guards, 
was  captured  by  assault  with  a  trifling  loss.  But  this  campaign 
had  no  general  effect  on  the  war  —  indeed,  the  treaty  of  peace 
had  already  been  signed  —  and  Price  was  ordered  by  Marcy 
to  retire.1 

In  Scott's  department  the  final  military  operations  began 
very  promptly.  Immediately  after  the  Americans  took  pos- 
session of  the  grand  plaza  at  Mexico  on  the  morning  of  Septem- 
ber 14,  a  multitude  of  blanketed  leperos  crowded  closely  upon 
them.  Already  these  miscreants  had  tasted  the  disorder  they 
loved,  for  the  palace  had  been  left  unguarded,  and  they  had 
sacked  it;  and  now  they  showed  signs  of  turbulence.  The 
plaza  was  cleared,  however,  and  no  further  trouble  seemed 


FIGHTING  IN  THE  CAPITAL  107 

likely.  But  when  our  troops  began  to  march  away  to  their 
quarters,  a  shot  was  heard.  A  bullet  probably  intended  for 
Worth  struck  Garland,  and  almost  instantly  firing  from  street 
corners,  windows  and  the  tops  of  houses  became  general,  though 
not  systematic.  Thousands  of  convicts  from  the  jail  supported 
the  populace,  and  in  one  way  or  another  not  a  few  of  the 
better  class  cooperated.  By  Tornel's  order  paving  stones 
had  been  taken  to  many  of  the  azoteas  with  a  view  to  resisting 
the  invader  step  by  step,  and  these,  like  every  other  sort  of 
weapon,  were  now  used.2 

Though  surprised,  the  Americans  promptly  accepted  the 
challenge.  Skirmishers  drove  back  the  mobs.  Grape  and 
cani-ter  swept  the  streets.  As  a  rule,  every  house  from  which 
a  shot  flew  became  a  target  for  our  heavy  cannon,  which  seemed 
to  shake  the  very  foundations  of  the  city,  and  when  breached 
was  immediately  sacked ;  and  sharpshooters  worked  effectively 
on  towers  and  roofs.  Scott  threatened  even  sterner  measures ; 
and  the  city  authorities  not  only  put  up  notices,  embodying 
his  threats  and  imploring  the  people  to  desist  from  a  vain  and 
imprudent  contest,  but  interceded  personally  with  them  in 
the  streets.  By  about  noon  the  Americans  held  all  the  points 
of  vantage,  and  as  evening  approached,  the  firing  died  away. 
A  fearful  night  ensued.  It  was  dark  and  cold.  No  lights 
relieved  the  gloom.  Wild  mobs  ran  shouting  through  the 
streets,  and  the  hoof -beats  of  American  patrols  resounded  from 
square  to  square.2 

Santa  Anna,  finding  it  impossible  on  the  morning  of  the 
fourteenth  to  subsist  his  army  at  Guadalupe,  had  ordered  the 
infantry  and  heavy  guns  to  Queretaro  under  General  Herrera, 
and  proceeded  with  four  small  pieces  and  the  cavalry  to  San 
Cristobal,  a  point  about  fourteen  miles  northeast  of  the  capital. 
After  seeing  the  people  of  Mexico  view  with  indifference  his 
efforts  of  the  previous  day,  he  expected  nothing  of  them ;  but 
on  learning  of  the  outbreak  he  marched  back  to  Guadalupe, 
and  at  a  late  hour  sent  into  Mexico  a  small  force  of  cavalry 
and  infantry  to  investigate  and  assist.  This  met  Duncan's 
battery  and  retreated ;  but  Santa  Anna,  assured  that  on  the 
next  day  there  would  be  a  rising  en  masse,  erected  a  breastwork 
at  the  Peralvillo  garita  on  the  north  side  of  the  town,  and 
waited,2 


168  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

As  soon  as  day  broke,  gloomy  and  wet,  the  shooting  was 
in  fact  resumed,  at  least  in  the  northern  quarters.  But  he 
soon  perceived  that  no  general  movement  was  taking  place, 
and  again  marched  away.  This  disheartened  the  people  still 
more;  the  efforts  of  the  authorities  influenced  them  greatly; 
and  by  the  end  of  the  afternoon,  realizing  that  much  was  to 
be  suffered  and  nothing  gained,  they  generally  abandoned  hope. 
During  the  next  day  or  two  scattering  shots  could  be  heard, 
but  real  fighting  was  over.  Extravagant  hopes  of  destroying 
the  small  American  army  were  still  entertained  by  lightheaded 
men.  "You  will  soon  behold  the  banner  of  the  haughty  in- 
vader trailing  in  the  dust,"  wrote  one  of  these,  and  attempts 
were  made  by  military  officers  to  organize  a  real  conspiracy ; 
but  lack  of  courage,  means,  confidence  and  mutual  trust  —  as 
well  as  the  watchfulness  of  the  Americans  —  made  success 
impossible.  Scott  repeatedly  warned  his  troops  to  be  vigilant 
and  orderly,  to  keep  together,  and  to  refrain  from  drinking. 
As  the  danger  grew  less  menacing,  however,  they  became  less 
careful,  and  for  probably  a  month  assassinations  were  frequent. 
From  first  to  last  several  hundred  Americans  perished  in  the 
hostilities,  and  no  doubt  far  more  of  the  enemy.  But  by  the 
middle  of  October  the  city  was  tranquil.2 

The  concluding  field  operations  in  Scott's  department  re- 
sembled for  the  most  part  the  fighting  just  described,  for  they 
had  to  do  chiefly  with  guerillas.  That  style  of  warfare  suited 
the  national  character.  It  had  figured  prominently  in  the 
Spanish  struggle  against  Napoleon  and  in  the  Mexican  war  of 
independence ;  and  when  the  public  began  to  see  clearly  that 
battles  could  not  stop  the  Americans,  it  was  invoked  — 
even  though  by  universal  military  practice  in  Europe  those 
who  robbed  and  fought  at  will,  while  pretending  to  be  in- 
offensive, were  considered  brigands  and  assassins  —  as  the 
one  hope.3 

Thoughtful  persons  like  J.  F.  Ramirez  and  General  Mora 
pointed  out  serious  dangers:  the  impossibility  of  discipline, 
the  relaxation  of  morale,  the  destruction  of  all  standards,  and 
the  certainty  that  a  spirit  of  violence  and  rapine  would  grow 
by  what  it  fed  upon ;  and  they  recognized  the  improbability 
that  such  methods  could  prevail  against  the  strength,  equip- 
ment, compactness  and  skill  of  the  Americans.  But  the  obvious 


170  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

shot ;  and  many  were  led  by  fear  or  a  lust  for  plunder  to  take 
up  arms.4 

The  American  trains  in  particular  seemed  likely  to  be 
easy  prey.  As  they  commonly  stretched  out  for  some  two 
miles  and  were  guarded  only  —  for  so  the  character  of  the  road 
usually  dictated  —  at  the  ends,  the  Mexicans,  trained  to  charge 
at  full  speed  through  an  ordinary  thicket,  could  readily  attack 
them  from  ambush  at  about  the  middle  point,  create  a  stampede, 
and  do  a  great  deal  of  mischief.  Infantry  could  not  pursue 
the  guerillas  with  success,  and  the  number  of  our  mounted 
men  was  always  comparatively  small,  for  every  Mexican 
ranchero  had  at  least  one  smart  pony.  In  September,  1847, 
a  band  even  attacked  Mier.  Governor  Aguirre  of  Coahuila 
exerted  himself  particularly  to  organize  forces  of  this  char- 
acter, and  not  only  alcaldes  but  priests  aided  the  cause.4 

The  American  leaders,  however,  pursuing  a  course  that  was 
now  conciliatory,  now  severe,  and  in  many  instances  technically 
unjust,  succeeded  in  coping  with  a  system  that  was  itself  unjust. 
Taylor  levied  on  the  people  of  Nuevo  Leon  a  tax  of  $96,000, 
the  estimated  value  of  the  goods  destroyed  at  Agua  Negra, 
but  suspended  it  indefinitely,  when  representative  authorities 
proved  the  substantial  innocence  of  the  population  and  begged 
for  mercy.  Cavalry  patrols  and  detachments  pursuing  culprits 
fairly  wore  out  their  horses.  Villages,  if  even  suspected  of 
harboring  the  "  banditti,"  were  burned.  Contributions  were 
imposed  wherever  connivance  appeared  probable.  By  April, 

1847,  Canales  was  in  despair.5 

Then  Wool  determined  to  stamp  out  the  evil,  and  announced 
in  July  that  any  guerillas  caught  by  him  would  be  executed. 
In  December,  1847,  he  issued  his  famous  Order  11,  which  not 
only  made  the  Mexican  authorities  and  their  towns  responsible 
for  all  damages  done,  but  required  them  to  hunt  down  the 
"brigands."  Aguirre  attempted  to  retaliate,  but  in  vain. 
The  Americans  had  pow'er  enough  to  carry  out  threats,  whereas 
he  had  not;  and  he  admitted  his  failure.  Besides,  the  mass 
of  the  population  were  indolent  in  mind  as  well  as  body,  and 
looked  upon  submission  as  preferable  to  danger.  In  February, 

1848,  finding  the  guilty  rancheros  were  anxious  to  give  up  the 
business,  Wool  enabled  them  to  resume  peaceful  occupations 
by  declaring  an  amnesty,  and  in  the  following  May  he  stated 


GUERILLAS  IN  VERA  CRUZ  STATE  171 

that  %he  country  had  never  before  been  so  free  from  highway 
robbery.5 

In  the  south,  Vera  Cruz,  a  state  of  mountains,  gorges, 
thickets  and  forests  threaded  with  blind  paths,  was  the  chief 
home  of  the  guerilla,  and  it  looked  as  if  Scott's  line  of  com- 
munication might  be  virtually  destroyed.  Not  only  many 
hardy,  hot-blooded  and  unscrupulous  natives,  but  a  great 
many  desperadoes  hailing  from  Cuba  were  ready  to  enlist. 
After  the  fall  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  still  more  after  the  battle  of 
Cerro  Gordo,  a  large  number  of  regular  officers,  to  say  nothing 
of  privates,  could  scarcely  find  bread,  and  some  men,  like  the 
ex-divinity  student,  ex-Carlist,  Jarauta  —  whose  small,  close 
beard,  fierce  black  eyes,  braided  jacket,  graceful  cloak  and  gold- 
laced  sombrero  gave  him  a  romantic  air  —  had  acquired  in 
Spain  a  taste  for  this  adventurous,  reckless  life ;  butya  vastly 
greater  number  were  prosaic  felons,  liberated  from  prison  under 
a  pledge  to  rob  and  murder.  Nominally  J.  C.  Rebolledo,  a 
fine  looking  man  of  rather  humane  instincts,  was  the  chief  in 
this  district,  but  the  800  or  so  persons  belonging  to  many 
small  bands,  while  occasionally  acting  more  or  less  in  concert, 
were  mainly  independent.  The  decree  under  which  all  goods 
coming  from  points  occupied  by  the  Americans  were  lawful 
booty  opened  possibilities  of  large  gains,  and  Rebolledo's 
capture  of  ten  loaded  wagons  in  April,  1847,  set  the  people 
aflame  with  cupidity.6 

Brevet  Colonel  Mclntosh  and  his  inexperienced  officers, 
who  left  Vera  Cruz  for  the  interior  —  it  will  be  recalled  — 
about  the  first  of  June,  1847,  with  a  well-advertised  convoy 
including  a  large  amount  of  specie,  dependent  on  wild  mus- 
tangs under  raw,  half-mutinous  drivers  largely  ignorant  of 
English,  received  the  full  benefit  of  this  ambitious  feeling. 
Near  Tolome  and  at  Paso  de  Ovejas  he  lost  men,  wagons  and 
pack-mules ;  and  at  the  national  bridge  there  was  a  genuine 
skirmish,  in  which  a  number  of  Americans  were  killed  or 
wounded.  Out  of  about  130  wagons  twenty-four  had  to  be 
abandoned  in  the  low  country ;  and  a  little  way  above  Jalapa, 
though  strongly  reinforced,  the  troops  had  to  fight  again. 
General  Pierce,  who  left  Vera  Cruz  about  six  weeks  later  than 
Mclntosh,  had  similar  experiences.  Early  in  August  Major 
Lally  set  out  from  the  coast  with  a  few  more  than  1000  soldiers, 


172  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

two  6-pounders  and  sixty-four  wagons.  He  lost  no  merchandise, 
but  his  four  fights  cost  him  nearly  100  men  killed,  wounded 
and  missing ;  and  Captain  Wells,  who  followed  Lally  with  some 
200  recruits  and  additional  ammunition,  lost  forty  and  had  to 
retreat.  These  and  other  affairs  proved  that  irregulars,  favored 
by  the  geography  of  the  region,  were  capable  of  doing  substan- 
tial harm.7 

But  in  Vera  Cruz,  as  in  every  other  quarter  where  they 
operated,  though  perhaps  nowhere  else  in  so  marked  a  degree, 
the  lack  of  morale,  which  enabled  the  guerilla  system  to  exist, 
proved  the  cause  of  its  failure.  Poor  arms,  poor  ammunition, 
poor  marksmanship,  and  the  want  of  artillery  might  have  been 
remedied,  or  at  least  might  have  been  offset  by  the  counter- 
balancing advantages ;  but  this  defect  was  fatal.  The  Mexican 
guerillas  were  very  different  from  what  the  guerillas  of  Spain 
had  been.  They  fought  like  savages  without  the  excuse  of 
savages,  for  they  knew  better.  Infuriated  by  their  treacheries 
and  cruelties,  the  Americans  were  persistent  and  unsparing 
in  severity.  Patrols  who  seemed  never  to  sleep  hunted  out 
their  nests  in  the  mountains.  On  the  march,  flanking  parties 
would  force  their  way  through  the  woods  five  miles  or  more 
from  the  road  to  catch  them  between  two  fires.  The  torch 
was  applied  with  much  liberality  on  suspicion,  and  sometimes 
on  general  principles,  to  huts  and  villages;  and  in  the  end  a 
black  swath  of  devastation,  leagues  in  width,  marked  the 
route.8 

Scott  ordered  that  in  every  case  of  outrage  the  nearest  alcalde, 
if  he  failed  to  deliver  up  the  guilty,  should  be  fined  at  least 
$300  for  a  murder  or  the  value  of  the  stolen  property  for  a 
robbery,  and  that  any  robber  or  murderer  and  any  person 
belonging  to  a  known  party  of  such  miscreants  might,  when 
caught,  be  summarily  tried  by  three  officers,  and  either  flogged 
or  executed.  This  plan,  however,  did  not  quite  satisfy  those 
on  the  ground  —  especially  the  Texas  troops.  Captain 
Walker,  on  his  cream-colored  horse,  and  Colonel  Hays,  in  his 
blue  roundabout,  black  trousers  and  black  leather  cap,  im- 
pressed themselves  on  the  Mexican  imagination  as  the  agents 
of  diabolical  wrath ;  and  in  general  it  was  a  tale  of  merciless 
atrocities  followed  by  merciless  reprisals.8 

At  the  same  time  this  lack  of  morale  deprived  the  guerillas 


GUERILLAS  OF  THE  CENTRE  173 

of  Mexican  support.  By  taking  bribes  for  letting  merchandise 
pass  up  to  the  interior  and  sometimes  even  guarding  it,  they 
violated  the  laws  on  which  their  existence  rested.  Mostly 
they  were  brave  only  where  they  felt  safe.  When  laden  with 
booty  they  would  scatter  to  their  homes,  no  matter  how  im- 
portant the  business  in  hand.  Rivalries  and  even  hostilities 
between  parties  operating  in  the  same  district  arose.  Co- 
operation could  seldom  be  reckoned  upon,  and  hardly  any 
would  face  the  climate  far  above  Jalapa.  Soon  learning  that 
it  was  more  wholesome  to  waylay  Mexicans  than  Americans, 
they  plundered  their  fellow-countrymen  without  ceremony; 
and  they  would  rob  even  old  women  or  young  children  of  their 
needful  clothing.  Sheafs  of  complaints  against  them  piled 
up  in  the  state  and  national  archives.  People  organized  to 
fight  them,  and  sometimes  appealed  to  the  Americans  against 
the  very  men  who  were  to  have  been  their  champions.  "The 
Mexicans  have  sown  to  the  storm,  they  are  now  reaping  the 
whirlwind,"  said  an  American  officer.9 

In  the  states  of  Puebla,  Mexico  and  Oaxaca  also  guerillas 
were  organized,  and  in  Puebla  all  these  parties  could  find  an 
opportunity.  General  Rea,  a  pupil  of  Morelos  and  the  Mexican 
revolution,  had  the  discredit  of  the  chief  command,  though 
Bravo,  who  stood  at  the  summit  of  the  social  scale,  was  mainly 
responsible  for  their  iniquities,  since  during  his  brief  term  as 
comandante  general  of  Puebla  he  issued  a  great  number  of 
patents  to  unfit  leaders.  What  Rea  did  particularly  in  this 
regard  was  to  combine  individuals  and  small  groups,  and 
place  them  under  some  kind  of  supervision.  He  loved  to 
answer  critics  by  saying  that  his  guerillas  were  in  the  field 
because  honorable  men  were  not ;  and  that,  had  not  the  govern- 
ment condoned  their  crimes,  they  would  have  served  the 
Americans  as  counter-guerillas.  After  a  time  his  officers 
adopted  a  set  of  rules  which  aimed  to  regulate  operations,  but 
even  this  measure  seems  to  have  accomplished  little.  The 
guerillas  robbed  the  people,  seized  funds  belonging  to  the 
state,  and  pillaged  even  churches.  Some  gangs  were  large 
enough  to  attack  haciendas.  One  party  called  themselves 
the  "Lancers  of  the  Poisoned  Spear."  10 

Soon  after  Scott  left  Puebla  for  Mexico  early  in  August, 
1847,  these  banditti  and  every  individual  ruffian  of  that  vicinity 


174  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

hurried  to  the  city.  Mexicans  and  even  foreign  residents 
were  robbed  and  outraged,  and  about  the  first  of  September, 
in  the  hope  of  more  booty,  the  Americans  also  were  attacked. 
Two  thousand  soldiers  were  needed  for  a  garrison,  and  Colonel 
Childs,  the  civil  and  military  governor,  actually  had  2193; 
but  1800  of  these  were  in  hospitals.  His  effectives  consisted 
of  about  fifty  cavalry,  100  artillery,  250  of  the  First  Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers,  and  a  small  spy  company  of  Mexicans.11 

Headquarters,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Black  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  main  body  of  troops  occupied  the  "cuartel  San  Jose/' 
a  large  rectangular  building  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  town, 
which  had  a  plaza  of  its  own  opening  toward  a  public  promenade 
called  the  Tivoli.  To  this  position  five  howitzers  were  allotted, 
and  within  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  it  all  the  sick  were 
placed.  Half  a  mile  or  so  from  the  town  on  a  hill  stood  Loreto 
fort,  a  stone  affair  equipped  with  two  1 2-pound  field  guns  and 
a  10-inch  mortar,  where  Major  Gwynn  of  the  Sixth  Infantry 
commanded  ;  and  not  far  distant,  on  a  higher  point  of  the  same 
hill,  was  Guadalupe  church,  now  protected  with  mountain 
howitzers,  a  ditch  and  an  earthen  wall,  under  Captain  More- 
head  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiment.  But  the  chief  element 
of  the  defence  was  the  large,  robust,  finely-featured  Childs, 
a  skilful  and  veteran  officer,  cold  in  manner,  clear  in  judg- 
ment, and  inflexible  in  courage.  September  13  the  " siege" 
began  in  earnest,  and  from  that  day  on  there  was  a  continual 
small-arm  attack,  particularly  at  night,  upon  San  Jose,  which 
replied  with  a  musket  and  howitzer  fire  that  kept  the  assailants 
at  a  respectful  distance.  What  was  more  serious  than  guerilla 
shooting,  all  supplies  were  now  cut  off.  Such  was  the  state  of 
things  at  the  second  city  of  Mexico  when  Santa  Anna  retired 
from  the  first.11 

Santa  Anna's  real  intention  was  probably  to  seek  an  asylum 
in  Guatemala.  But  many  of  his  friends  urged  that  he  could 
make  himself  dictator  as  the  sole  hope  of  the  country,  and  it 
was  clear  that,  if  he  should  recover  Puebla  and  cut  off  Scott, 
he  would  still  be  able  to  boast  of  a  triumph.  His  cavalry, 
though  greatly  reduced  by  desertion,  included  some  2000  men 
backed  with  four  light  guns.  Alvarez,  who  was  ordered  to 
Puebla,  still  had  about  600  foot  and  horse.  Rea,  Santa  Anna 
understood,  commanded  600  irregulars ;  2500  National  Guards  - 


THE  "  SIEGE  "  OF  PUEBLA  175 

lay  near  him  with  two  field  pieces,  it  was  reported ;  and  the 
Pueblans  were  described  as  eager  to  fight.  Six  thousand  men 
and  six  guns  appeared  quite  enough  to  dispose  of  "  six  hundred 
sick  Yankees,"  as  Mexicans  described  the  garrison;  and  he 
therefore  presented  himself  at  Puebla  on  September  21.  Two 
days  later  Alvarez  arrived  there.  But  between  these  two 
events  Childs  appeared  at  a  second-story  balcony,  "winking 
and  smiling  all  over  his  face,"  as  a  soldier  expressed  it,  and 
announced  that  Scott  had  taken  the  capital.  Evidently, 
therefore,  the  Mexican  President  was  not  greatly  to  be  feared.11 

After  looking  about,  Santa  Anna  concluded  that  it  would 
not  be  easy  to  capture  the  American  positions  by  assault,  and 
appealed  to  the  minister  of  war  —  wherever  that  official  might 
be  —  for  1000  infantry,  a  16-pounder,  a  12-pounder,  ammuni- 
tion and  supplies.  He  now  had  ten  cannon,  but  all  of  them 
were  light;  owing  to  desertion  his  force  included  only  some 
4000  men;  and  the  citizens  had  no  arms,  he  reported.  Prob- 
ably, too,  the  annoyances  and  outrages  inflicted  upon  them  by 
him  and  his  troops,  and  his  appointing  the  guerilla  chief  mili- 
tary commandant  of  the  city  dampened  whatever  ardor  they 
had  possessed.12 

On  September  23  and  24  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made 
at  Guadalupe,  and  the  next  day  Santa  Anna  summoned 
Childs,  describing  his  army  as  8000  strong,  and  graciously  an- 
nouncing that  "for  the  sake  of  humanity"  the  Americans 
might  retire  "within  a  limited  time"  with  the  honors  of  war. 
Childs  replied  as  was  proper,  and  then,  riding  to  the  posts, 
gave  notice  amid  cheers  that  no  surrender  need  be  expected. 
To  add  the  touch  of  humor  that  soldiers  love,  an  American  flag 
was  manufactured  out  of  an  old  Mexican  uniform,  and  raised 
aloft ;  and  the  garrison  settled  down  to  severe  duty,  stern  dis- 
cipline, short  rations  and  incessant  watchfulness  at  all  hours. 
The  Mexicans  tried  to  approach  San  Jose  by  throwing  up  suc- 
cessive breastworks  at  night  in  the  streets  leading  that  way, 
but  shot,  shell  and  rockets  from  Loreto  kept  them  back. 
September  30  Santa  Anna  learned  that  no  ammunition  could 
be  provided  for  the  heavy  cannon  demanded  of  the  minister, 
and  resolved  apparently  to  make  a  bold  effort.  With  two 
6-pounders  he  fired  all  day  on  the  weak,  plaza  face  of  San 
Jose.  But  Childs,  anticipating  such  a  manoeuvre,  had  brought 


176  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

a  12-pounder  from  Loreto  the  night  before ;  and  this,  protected 
with  bags  of  tobacco,  made  an  assault  impracticable.12 

A  new  factor  now  entered  the  military  situation.  About  the 
middle  of  September  General  "Jo"  Lane,  one  of  Taylor's  chief 
officers  at  Buena  Vista,  arrived  at  Vera  Cruz  from  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  on  the  nineteenth  his  brigade  set  out  for  the 
interior.  Aware  of  the  situation  at  Puebla  but  not  aware 
what  was  to  be  encountered  on  the  route,  the  General  had  not 
made  adequate  preparations,  and  on  meeting  guerillas  at 
the  national  bridge  he  was  obliged  to  send  back  for  ammu- 
nition and  supplies.  By  October  1,  however,  he  managed  to 
leave  Jalapa.13 

It  was  a  hard  march  that  ensued.  Torrents  of  rain  deluged 
the  troops.  Sometimes  the  road  lay  deep  under  water.  For 
dinner  they  had  a  thin  slice  of  beef,  a  couple  of  "crackers" 
and  some  coffee ;  for  supper,  after  darkness  fell  upon  them  with 
tropical  abruptness,  the  same  without  the  beef;  and  perhaps 
mud  for  a  couch.  But  Lane,  a  hearty  westerner  with  a  stout 
frame  and  unbounded  vigor,  led  on  unshrinkingly  in  his  black 
hat  and  old  blue  overcoat,  and  the  rest  followed  him  eagerly. 
October  5,  after  incorporating  additional  troops  at  Perote, 
he  left  that  place  with  a  force  of  about  3300  and  seven  guns, 
and  marched  on  across  hot  plains,  where  water  sold  for  five 
dollars  a  drink,  and  men  died  of  sheer  fatigue.13 

Santa  Anna,  informed  by  spies  that  1000  Americans  were 
approaching,  and  anxious,  not  only  to  prevent  them  from  join- 
ing Childs,  but  still  more  to  win  the  glory  of  routing  them, 
had  set  out  from  Puebla  four  days  earlier  with  perhaps  3500 
men,  leaving  Rea  to  continue  the  fighting.  Desertion  played 
havoc  with  his  command,  especially  when  the  strength  of  Lane's 
force  was  ascertained;  but,  after  sending  back  a  large  part 
of  the  faithful  in  order  to  keep  control  of  them,  he  took  possession 
of  El  Final,  where  the  national  highway  passed  between  a 
precipitous  mountain  and  a  ravine,  with  about  1000  cavalry 
and  six  guns,  and  made  preparations  to  ambush  Lane's  rear. 
This  done,  he  moved  to  Huamantla,  a  sizable  town  eight  miles 
distant,  and  waited.13 

Early  on  October  9  the  drums  and  bugles  awoke  Lane's 
troops  at  the  hacienda  of  San  Antonio  Tamaris,  approximately 
ten  miles  from  Huamantla  and  twelve  from  El  Final ;  and  the 


THE  FIGHT  AT  HUAMANTLA  177 

men,  leaping  from  the  damp  grass  and  buckling  their  rnuddy 
belts,  found  the  white  walls  of  the  hacienda,  the  church  towers 
of  neighboring  villages,  the  dark  woods  on  the  hillsides,  and 
the  distant,  snowy  peaks  all  aglow  under  a  splendid  sun.  Never, 
perhaps,  did  soldiers  feel  more  like  having  an  adventure.  Santa 
Anna  had  just  marched  from  Huamantla  to  conceal  his  force 
at  El  Final,  leaving  behind  him  with  no  scouts  or  outposts 
his  six  guns,  a  very  small  guard  for  them  and  a  party  of  ir- 
regulars; but  a  spy  reported  to  the  Americans  that  he  was 
at  Huamantla,  and  Lane  moved  off  to  attack  him.  First  rode 
four  mounted  companies,  and  at  their  head  a  rather  short, 
slender,  Spare,  slouchy  man,  with  reddish  hair,  a  small  reddish 
beard,  mild  blue  eyes  and  a  quiet,  kindly  manner,  whom  no- 
body would  have  picked  out  as  a  fearless,  indomitable  fighter, 
the  scourge  of  the  guerillas,  but  in  fact  he  was  Captain  Walker ; 
and  then  marched  Lane  with  five  guns  and  some  1800  men.14 

When  about  three  miles  from  their  destination,  Walker  and 
his  200  cavalry,  seeing  a  party  of  Mexican  horse  approach  the 
town,  dashed  ahead.  Entering  Huamantla  they  formed  in 
fours,  and  then  with  a  yell,  a  flash  of  sabres  and  a  thunder  of 
hoofs  they  swept  through  to  the  plaza.  The  Mexicans  had 
time  to  get  four  of  the  guns  away,  but  the  others  were  captured* 
and  most  of  the  American  troopers,  concluding  their  work 
had  been  finished,  scattered  to  drink,  loot  or  hunt  for  cannon 
and  ammunition.  But  now  Santa  Anna,  who  had  observed 
Lane's  movement  from  a  church  tower  near  El  Final,  appeared 
with  his  full  command.  They  were  a  beautiful  sight  —  gallop- 
ing horses,  red  and  green  uniforms,  brilliant  pennons  and  a 
billowy  sea  of  flashing  lance  points;  but  they  were  enemies, 
and  the  Americans  accepted  their  challenge.14 

"Take  it  cool,  my  boys,  but  run  like  the  devil !"  cried  Lane. 
Every  nerve  was  taxed.  Blood  gushed  from  nostrils.  The 
Mexicans,  lashing  their  steeds  into  foam,  reached  the  goal 
first,  however,  and  the  American  troopers  found  themselves 
attacked  on  all  sides.  Walker  was  shot  from  a  house,  and  soon 
expired;  but  he  lived  long  enough  to  give  a  final  order: 
"Don't  surrender  boys;  the  infantry  will  soon  be  here." 
And  so  they  were  —  "with  a  shout  and  a  bound,"  said  one  of 
them.  The  tide  was  quickly  turned,  and  giving  up  the  town, 
"Peg-Leg,"  as  the  soldiers  loved  to  call  Santa  Anna,  passed 

VOL.    II  —  N 


178  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

the  night  some  distance  away.  So  ended  the  Tale  of  Hua- 
mantla  or  The  Biter  Bitten,  which  received  no  little  applause 
at  the  time.14 

While  these  events  were  taking  place,  the  garrison  of  Puebla 
continued  to  be  hemmed  in,  starved  and  harassed.  Their 
casualties  numbered  in  all  only  fifty-two,  but  they  felt  severely 
the  effect  of  so  long  a  strain.  Though  a  number  of  sorties  were 
made,  and  their  persecutors  had  to  retire  from  several  annoying 
positions,  the  Americans  were  not  strong  enough  to  do  more. 
Their  day  of  deliverance  was  approaching,  however.  October 
10  Lane  moved  forward,  dogged  and  somewhat  annoyed  by 
Santa  Anna.  Two  days  later  his  men  saw  the  spires  of  Puebla, 
dominated  by  the  sombre  towers  of  the  cathedral,  and  set  off 
by  white  volcanoes  veiled  with  clouds.  And  now  and  again 
the  numberless  bells  of  the  city,  great  and  small,  pealed  forth 
harmonious  tones  of  many  colors,  that  seemed  to  blend  and 
interweave  in  rich  and  varied  tapestries  of  sound,  hung  out 
in  the  mediaeval  style  to  honor  their  triumphal  approach.15 

At  about  one  o'clock,  announced  by  the  bells  of  Guadalupe, 
they  entered  the  suburbs  —  not  a  few  of  them  at  a  run.  One 
column  then  advanced  by  the  main  street,  while  another  flanked 
the  town  by  the  left.  For  two  hours  there  was  considerable 
firing  from  houses,  though  Rea's  guerillas  had  begun  to  leave 
their  posts  the  night  before ;  but  at  length  Lane  extended  his 
" rough  paw"  to  Childs,  with  a  sunny  smile  on  his  rather  hard 
features,  and  the  garrison  joyously  welcomed  their  deliverers. 
In  the  main  plaza  a  bugler  played  "  The  Star-Spangled  Banner/' 
and  all  sang  the  chorus : 

"The  star-spangled  banner,  Oh,  long  may  it  wave 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave  I" 16 

Now  followed  the  punishment  of  Rea.  Some  twenty- 
five  miles  from  Puebla  toward  the  southwest  lay  beautiful 
Atlixco,  a  defensible  point  that  not  only  reconciled  the  climates 
of  the  temperate  and  the  cold  zones  of  Mexico,  and  controlled 
a  region  fertile  in  grains,  flocks  and  herds,  but,  while  fairly 
remote  from  the  Americans,  gave  convenient  access  to  important 
roads.  Here,  in  the  midst  of  flowers,  fruits  and  snowy  moun- 
tains, the  government  of  Puebla  had  found  a  refuge,  when  the 
Americans  under  Worth  approached  the  state  capital ;  and  to 


POLITICAL  CHAOS  IN  MEXICO  179 

this  asylum  Rea  now  withdrew.  De  facto,  at  least,  the  guerilla 
chief  was  the  most  important  person  on  the  ground.  The 
authorities  did  not  relish  his  prominence;  they  detested  his 
men  and  his  methods ;  and  on  October  18,  tired  of  spending 
money  fruitlessly  on  the  National  Guards  for  Rea  to  command, 
they  dissolved  the  corps.  But  many  of  the  irregulars  proposed 
to  make  the  best  of  what  appeared  to  be  a  good  situation,  in 
which  they  could  live  on  plunder,  if  not  paid.16 

October  18  Lane,  who  apparently  never  slept  nor  expected  his 
followers  to  sleep,  ordered  them  to  be  ready  in  the  morning  for 
an  expedition.  Many  of  the  soldiers  were  barefoot,  but  they 
borrowed  shoes;  and  at  about  nine  o'clock,  cheered  by  the 
fife  and  the  drum,  some  1500  men  set  out  round  the  base  of 
Popocatepetl  under  a  hot  sun.  At  about  four  in  the  afternoon, 
after  making  twenty  miles  or  so,  they  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy, 
and  a  running  fight  began.  Blistered  feet  and  parching  tongues 
were  now  forgotten.  The  Mexicans,  holding  some  good  position 
and  protected  by  chaparral,  could  make  a  stand  against  cavalry, 
but  when  the  infantry  came  up  they  always  fled.  Shortly 
after  sunset  Lane  reached  Atlixco,  which  stood  on  the  slope 
of  a  lofty  hill.  As  it  was  unsafe  to  risk  a  street  fight  in  an  un- 
known town  at  night,  he  ordered  the  artillery  to  open.  The 
moon  was  full.  Marks  were  easily  selected.  By  their  burn- 
ing fuses  the  shells  could  be  traced  until  they  fell  amidst  the 
shadows ;  and  then  a  burst  of  red  fire,  the  crash  of  roofs  and 
walls,  and  the  cries  of  the  people  told  the  rest.17 

After  about  an  hour  of  cannonading,  the  troops  advanced 
into  the  town  —  which  surrendered  at  once  —  and  there  slept 
as  best  they  could.  Rea,  with  two  guns  and  the  disordered 
remnants  of  his  force,  retreated  to  Izucar  de  Matamoros,  about 
thirty  miles  farther  down  the  valley;  but  from  that  point 
he  was  routed  a  month  later.  These  and  other  exploits  of  Lane's 
discouraged  as  well  as  dispersed  the  chief  guerilla  forces  of  the 
plateau,  and  in  February,  1848,  Rea  asked  permission  of  the 
Mexican  authorities  to  leave  the  country.17 

Neither  in  these  affairs  nor  in  any  other  military  operations 
did  Santa  Anna  figure  at  this  time,  and  there  was  a  good  reason 
for  his  inactivity.  Officially  he  no  longer  existed.  As  General 
Scott  had  feared,  our  entering  the  capital  had  resulted  in  the 
destruction  of  the  Mexican  government.  September  16  Santa 


180  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Anna  resigned,  explaining  that  it  was  advisable  to  preserve 
the  chief  magistracy  from  the  hazards  of  war,  and  fix  it  near 
the  centre  of  wealth  and  population,  whereas  he  proposed  to 
continue  the  hostilities  wherever  that  should  be  possible.  The 
same  proclamation  or  decree  assigned  the  executive  power  to 
a  triumvirate:  the  president  of  the  supreme  court,  General 
Herrera  and  General  Alcorta,  and  Santa  Anna  then  ceased 
actually  to  exercise  any  civil  authority.18 

But  as  Congress  was  not  in  session  to  accept  his  resignation, 
some  doubted  whether  it  became  effective;  the  presidency 
of  the  supreme  court  was  vacant  on  account  of  the  incum- 
bent's death ;  the  appointment  of  Herrera  and  Alcorta  needed 
to  be  made,  or  at  least  confirmed,  by  the  council  of  govern- 
ment, a  body  no  longer  acting ;  and  it  was  denied  broadly  that 
Santa  Anna  had  the  power  to  issue  such  a  decree.  Pena  y  Pena, 
to  be  sure,  was  regarded  as  a  member  of  the  court,  and,  if  he 
was,  he  could  claim  by  right  of  seniority  to  act  as  the  chief 
justice;  but  the  legality  of  his  membership  was  questioned, 
and  the  presidency  of  that  body  was  really  an  elective  office. 
Pena  was  old,  feeble  and  even  timid ;  his  ill-success  as  Herrera's 
minister  of  relations  doubtless  weighed  heavily  upon  him ;  and 
he  was  now  living,  almost  as  a  recluse,  in  the  country.  Indeed 
there  was  really  no  organic  law  even,  for  the  amended  constitu- 
tion of  1824,  though  formally  adopted,  had  not  come  into  effect. 
In  short,  chaos  reigned,  and  the  states  were  officially  "resum- 
ing" their  individual  sovereignty.18 

But  a  number  of  good  and  able  men,  particularly  Cuevas 
and  Couto,  determined  to  ward  off  ruin,  and  awakened  others. 
Pena,  drawn  from  his  retirement,  consented  for  patriotic 
reasons  to  override  all  the  technical  difficulties ;  and  on  Septem- 
ber 22  he  announced  formally  that,  in  order  to  give  the  nation 
a  head,  he  would  act  as  the  Executive  until  an  interim  President 
could  somehow  be  chosen.  At  the  small  city  of  Toluca,  capital 
of  the  state  of  Mexico,  just  outside  the  Valley,  this  fiction  of 
a  government  pitched  its  tent;  and  perhaps  it  gained  some 
feeling  of  security  from  the  vast  bastioned,  battlemented  ridge 
between  it  and  the  Americans,  from  snowy  Mt.  Miguel  towering 
above  the  city,  and  from  the  peacefully  shining  lagoons  of  the 
intervening  meadows.  What  was  more  important,  Herrera, 
Olagulbel  and  many  others  of  the  best  men  rallied  to  the  sup- 


SANTA  ANNA  ELIMINATED  181 

port  of  Peiia,  the  representatives  of  neutral  governments 
recognized  him,  and  the  states  began  to  concur.  Early  in 
October,  however,  he  removed  to  Quer&aro,  a  safer  yet  central 
place,  and  with  Luis  de  la  Rosa  as  sole  minister  addressed  him- 
self to  his  task.19 

The  programme  that  he  announced  was  honorable  and  straight- 
forward. My  tenure  of  office  will  be  extremely  brief,  he  said 
in  effect,  for  Congress  will  be  assembled  as  soon  as  possible; 
I  will  usurp  no  powers,  but  will  not  be  turned  from  the  path 
of  duty  by  insurrections;  the  closest  economy  will  be 
practised,  the  necessary  taxes  laid  fairly,  and  all  interests 
respected ;  union  and  harmony  will  be  the  watchwords,  and  the 
national  rights  will  be  maintained.  His  most  urgent  problem, 
of  course,  was  to  deal  with  Santa  Anna,  who  not  only  held  the 
chief  military  command,  but  insisted  that  he  could  resume 
the  Presidential  authority  by  simply  withdrawing  his  resigna- 
tion ;  and  in  this  matter  the  government  showed  a  decision  that 
earned  it  no  little  prestige.  All  Santa  Anna's  protests  against 
political  effacement  were  disregarded,  and  on  October  7  he 
was  instructed  both  to  give  up  his  troops  and  to  submit,  as  did 
other  unsuccessful  commanders,  to  a  military  trial.20 

At  about  the  time  this  order  overtook  him,  the  Huamantla 
affair  occurred.  From  a  military  point  of  view  he  was  now 
prostrate.  He  saw  it  himself,  and  knew  that  the  country  would 
see  it.  Evidently  his  countless  political  enemies  would  make 
the  most  of  his  complete  failure,  and  he  was  doubtless  aware 
that  his  military  reports  had  offended  many  officers.  His 
chief  executive  merits  —  decision  and  activity  —  had  led  only 
to  a  useless  expenditure  of  life  and  money,  it  was  now  pointed 
out,  and  his  ostensible  patriotism  was  attributed  to  passion 
and  obstinacy.  Even  his  confidence  in  himself  broke  down. 
Unable  to  understand  why  failure  had  attended  all  his  efforts, 
he  fell  into  a  sombre  depression,  and  without  a  struggle  he  placed 
his  troops  at  the  orders  of  General  Reyes,  who  joined  him  on 
October  11  with  about  1000  men.  His  part  in  the  war  was 
over;  and  in  the  following  January,  realizing  that  nothing 
could  be  gained  through  intrigue  or  conspiracy  and  fearing  the 
Americans  would  make  him  a  prisoner,  he  asked  for  permission 
to  leave  the  country.  Both  his  own  government  and  our 
authorities  consented.  And  after  giving  a  dinner  at  El  Encero 


182  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

to  the  American  officers  of  that  vicinity,  who  had  treated  him 
with  distinguished  consideration,  he  sailed  once  more,  about 
the  first  of  April,  from  what  he  regarded  as  an  ungrateful 
country.21 

Santa  Anna  being  now  eliminated,  the  government  had  to 
face  its  military  difficulties  without  his  assistance.  In  general 
the  problem  was  to  make  bricks  with  neither  straw  nor  clay. 
Almost  every  good  cannon  had  been  taken  by  the  Americans, 
and  the  muskets  had  nearly  all  been  captured,  thrown  away 
or  sold.  Ammunition  was  almost  wholly  wanting.  The 
engineering  material  had  been  lost  or  destroyed.  Vast  sums 
of  money  were  needed  to  provide  fortifications  as  well  as  re- 
place all  this  equipment,  and  the  government  could  hardly 
obtain  enough,  day  by  day,  to  cover  its  minimum  expenses. 
Even  officers  had  to  sell  their  shoes  for  bread.22 

As  for  an  army,  Santa  Anna  and  Alvarez  together  had  some 
2000  troops  the  first  week  of  October,  Reyes  had  about  1000, 
about  3000  from  Mexico  City  concentrated  at  Queretaro  under 
Herrera,  about  1000  from  Jalisco  were  on  their  way  to  the 
same  point,  and  small  detachments  existed  at  various  other 
places.  But  nearly  all  of  these  men  were  utterly  demoralized. 
"Almost  useless/*  they  were  officially  termed ;  and  the  army 
as  a  whole  felt  the  crushing  weight  of  general  contempt.  He- 
rrera,  the  cominander-in-chief,  became  so  disgusted  over  the 
uncontrolled  excesses  of  the  troops  that  he  resigned.  Rincon 
declined  on  the  ground  of  ill-health  to  serve.  Arista,  when 
summoned  to  Queretaro,  declared  he  would  not  command  a 
soldier  until  exonerated  for  his  conduct  on  the  Rio  Grande. 
No  officers  of  high  distinction,  indeed,  were  available  except 
the  aged,  torpid  and  infirm  Bustamante  and  "the  old  woman/' 
Filisola,  as  Bancroft  described  him.22 

Attempts  were  made  to  lay  plans  of  campaign,  but  an  expert 
summed  up  one  of  them  by  saying  it  appeared  excellent  —  only 
it  was  based  upon  things  as  they  should  have  been,  not  as  they 
were ;  and  all  the  others  had  the  same  defect.  Schemes  were 
devised  to  reform,  reorganize  and  build  up  the  forces,  and  quotas 
amounting  to  16,000  were  assigned  to  the  states;  but  Mexico, 
which  had  been  expected  to  furnish  nearly  a  quarter  of  these 
men,  promptly  answered  that  she  could  not,  and  other  states 
did  not  even  reply.  In  fact,  the  regular  forces  decreased  instead 


JTHE  AMERICAN  POLICY  183 

of  multiplying,  for  sometimes  a  general  could  not  feed  his  troops, 
and  frequently,  when  soldiers  were  let  out  of  the  barracks  on 
service,  they  vanished ;  and  the  people,  instead  of  helping  to 
support  the  Mexican  troops,  even  dreaded  to  see  them  ap- 
proach, for  their  coming  was  liable  to  draw  an  American 
attack,  and  more  than  liable  to  mean  extortion,  outrage  and 
robbery.  Nowhere  on  the  military  horizon  could  a  glimmer  of 
light  be  seen.22 

Over  against  this  pitiful  government  stood  the  United  States 
—  wealth  against  poverty,  strength  against  weakness;  and 
the  antithesis  was  complete,  for  while  the  Mexicans  could  only 
plan,  that  was  the  hardest  thing  for  us  to  do.  The  idea  of 
retiring  to  a  defensive  line  still  persisted.  Taylor  himself 
adhered  to  it.  But  in  addition  to  the  other  overwhelming 
objections  to  this  project,  it  seemed  improbable  that  a  majority 
in  Congress  could  agree  where  to  draw  the  line.  Even  Calhoun, 
though  qualified  to  make  a  better  argument  for  an  untenable 
proposition  than  any  other  man  in  the  country,  was  unable  to 
present  this  policy  in  such  a  manner  as  to  satisfy  either  the 
friends  or  the  opponents  of  the  war.  Some  advised  holding, 
in  addition  to  the  territory  thus  to  be  cut  off,  the  chief  ports 
of  Mexico;  and  some  advocated  retaining  the  capital  also, 
and  the  line  to  Vera  Cruz.  Others  favored  the  occupation 
of  still  more  cities ;  and  many  were  for  subjugating  and  holding 
the  entire  country.23 

To  this  last  plan,  however,  even  had  it  been  practicable  to 
levy  all  the  costs  upon  Mexico,  there  were  tremendous  objections. 
It  would  have  involved  keeping  under  arms  80,000  or  possibly 
100,000  young  men,  seriously  needed  at  home  for  the  most 
part,  in  order  to  be  sure  of  having  effectives  enough  at  the  front. 
The  troops  in  Mexico  would  have  become  corrupted  both 
physically  and  morally;  and  the  commanders  would  have 
acquired  the  ideas  and  vices  of  proconsuls.  It  seemed  to  be 
almost  an  insoluble  problem.  No  final  decision  was  made. 
But  the  government  determined  to  occupy  the  capital,  hold  the 
line  to  Vera  Cruz,  retain  the  chief  ports,  and  extend  our  holdings 
according  to  circumstances.23 

To  Scott,  however,  the  lack  of  a  definitive  plan  signified 
little.  Not  one  reinforcement  entered  the  capital  until  after 
the  first  of  November,  and  even  at  the  end  of  that  month  he 


184  ,  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

was  barely  able  to  garrison  Mexico  and  Chapultepec.  Decem- 
ber 4  his  army  included  only  about  8000  privates,  of  whom  a 
quarter  were  sick.  During  the  next  three  weeks  Generals 
Patterson,  Butler  and  Gushing,  Colonel  Hays,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Johnston  and  Major  Lally,  each  with  troops,  arrived ; 
and  the  forces  then  numbered  about  11,000  effectives  and  3000 
sick.24 

Scott  therefore  announced,  with  no  doubt  a  strategic  purpose 
as  well  as  a  rhetorical  flourish,  that  our  army  was  "about  to 
spread  itself  over  and  to  occupy  the  Republic  of  Mexico." 
What. he  really  intended  was  to  take  possession  successively 
of  the  principal  mining  regions  —  those  of  Zacatecas  and  San 
Luis  Potosi  —  and  the  capitals  of  such  important  states  as 
lay  within  easy  reach.  Even  for  the  former  purpose,  however, 
two  columns  of  some  5000  effectives  each  were  needed,  and 
the  men  as  well  as  clothing  for  them  could  not  be  provided. 
The  only  immediate  operations,  therefore,  aside  fropi  the 
establishment  of  new  posts  on  the  road  to  Vera  Cruz,  were 
the  peaceful  occupation  of  Pachuca,  a  mining  town  about  fifty 
miles  northeast  of  Mexico,  Toluca,  about  thirty-eight  miles 
distant  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  Cuernavaca,  the  key 
to  the  Acapulco  region,  a  little  farther  away  toward  the  south- 
west.24 

February  6, 1848,  an  expedition  of  more  consequence  marched, 
by  Scott's  orders,  from  Vera  Cruz.  Most  of  the  guerillas  who 
infested  the  road  to  the  interior  lived  and  found  a  market 
at  or  near  Cordoba,  a  city  about  sixty-five  miles  to  the  south- 
west, and  Orizaba,  sixteen  or  eighteen  miles  beyond  it  in  the 
same  direction ;  and  Bankhead  was  instructed  to  occupy  those 
towns.  Very  different  from  Lane's  rough  trips  on  the  plateau 
was  this  march.  Near  Cordoba  flourished  such  genuine  trop- 
ical wonders  as  the  bread  tree,  the  butter  tree,  the  milk  tree, 
and  a  kind  of  palm  called  "the  traveller's  friend/'  which 
covered  the  wayfarer's  head  with  a  tent,  and  quenched  his 
thirst  with  abundant  sap.  Going  on,  one  found  enormous 
masses  of  vegetation  —  thick,  matted,  boundlessly  prolific 
—  moulded  into  astonishing  yet  harmonious  forms  by  the 
bays  and  promontories  of  the  rapidly  mounting  foothills; 
terraces  of  luxuriant  foliage  piled  on  sheer  cliffs,  castles 
on  the  terraces,  and  cathedrals  on  the  castles;  verdure, 


THE  REMOVAL  OF  SCOTT  185 

verdure  everywhere,  dripping,  flowing,  spurting,  tumbling 
in  every  hue  and  shade  of  green,  with  a  dark,  velvety  mist 
in  the  gorges  that  became  clear  sapphire  when  the  sun  touched 
it,  and  here  and  there  a  cascade  letting  fall  its  crystal  thread 
from  a  mossy  crag.25 

Then  came  the  rich  Orizaba  valley,  hemmed  in  with  jungles, 
and  winding  off  between  sombre,  precipitous  mountains  until 
lost  in  the  dreamy  distance ;  and  above  it  the  sparkling  snows 
of  the  vast  peak  sent  down  a  torrent  of  gray  glacier  water,  that 
leaped  into  mid-air,  and  then,  gathering  itself  below,  wound  on 
through  splendid,  odorous  trees  full  of  parrots,  canaries  and 
mocking-birds,  hurried  past  fragrant  orange  groves  and  still 
more  fragrant  blossoms,  poured  through  the  arches  of  a  noble 
old  bridge,  and  buried  itself  in  the  woods.  But  the  Americans 
did  not  forget  their  orders.  Both  cities  were  occupied  without 
resistance,  and  both  were  garrisoned;  and  the  guerillas  now 
found  their  proceedings  considerably  hampered.25 

The  final  military  operations  of  Scott  seemed  thus  rather 
tame,  as  was  natural;  but  Polk  executed  one  that  could  be 
termed  startling,  if  not  exactly  brilliant.  His  principal  assist- 
ants were  Pillow,  Worth  and  Duncan ;  and  in  different  ways 
each  had  excellent  qualifications  for  the  work.  Pillow  was 
not  "The  Lie  Incarnate,"  as  Trist  believed,  nor  even  "a  perfect 
ass,"  as  many  thought;  but  vanity,  ambition,  lack  of  probity, 
and  a  gift  for  dark  and  cunning  methods  characterized  him. 
His  instincts  and  talents,  indeed,  were  those  of  the  criminal 
lawyer  who  minds  nothing  about  his  case  except  the  verdict. 
When  the  President's  brother  shot  a  man  down  in  the  street 
at  Nashville,  Pillow  got  him  off.  With  reference  to  his  work 
in  helping  bring  about  Folk's  nomination  at  Baltimore  he 
wrote,  "The  fatal  blow  was  given,  but  it  was  not  seen  nor 
known  what  produced  such  a  result  —  nor  where  the  blow  came 
from."  "I  feel  as  boyant  as  the  air,"  he  said  in  December, 
1846,  when  great  dissatisfaction  with  Taylor  prevailed  at 
Washington,  because  I  know  "that  I  haw  done  the  work.  .  .  . 
I  have  paid  him  in  full"  for  his  treatment  of  me.  And  one 
could  seldom  get  a  finger  on  Pillow's  back,  when  he  was  not 
wriggling  actively  toward  some  object  of  selfish  desire.26 

Without  a  particle  of  real  military  ability  or  success  to  his 
credit,  he  now  stood  second  in  our  army,  and  hence  logically 


186  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

enough  saw  no  reason  why  he  might  not,  by  some  devious 
path,  arrive  at  the  first  position  and  even  at  the  Presidency. 
"Modesty/'  said  Burke,  "does  not  long  survive  innocence/' 
To  plant  such  a  person,  with  urgent  recommendations,  at  open, 
big-hearted  Scott's  right  hand,  to  win  his  confidence,  to  spy 
upon,  criticise  and  undermine  him,  and  inevitably  to  scheme 
for  his  place,  was  indecent ;  but  Polk  did  it.26 

Very  unlike  Pillow  was  the  courtly  and  fascinating  Worth; 
but  his  mind  was  intense,  narrow  and  self-centred.  After 
the  battle  of  Monterey  he  exclaimed,  "I  am  satisfied  with 
myself.  The  most  vindictive  foes  crouch  at  my  feet,  and  my 
friends  choke  with  joy  and  delight. "  And  there  is  one  sin 
of  which  even  angels  are  capable,  we  have  been  told.  All  his 
military  recognition  he  owed  to  Scott,  but  probably  the  debt 
weighed  heavily  on  his  proud  and  restive  nature ;  and,  while 
apparently  reciprocating  the  genuine  affection  of  his  chief,  he 
had  inwardly  rejected  Scott's  principles  and  methods  nearly 
thirty  years  before  the  Mexican  war.  Regarding  his  friend, 
fellow  New  Yorker  and  brother  Democrat,  Marcy,  an  adroit 
politician,  he  felt  very  differently.  "I  would  not  give  an 
ounce"  of  his  wisdom,  he  wrote  in  June,  1846,  for  all  Scott's 
glory ;  Scott  "  is  determined  to  sink  and  draw  his  friends  down 
with  him."  27 

At  Vera  Cruz  the  commander-in-chief,  relying  on  their  long 
intimacy,  told  Worth  frankly  that  he  believed  the  adminis- 
tration intended  to  ruin  him,  and  the  subordinate  officer  evi- 
dently determined  not  to  be  drawn  down.  At  the  same  place 
a  brother  officer  suggested  to  Worth  a  higher  position  than  was 
even  the  highest  in  the  army.  The  suggestion  appears  to  have 
struck  root.  All  military  men  believed  the  next  President 
would  be  one  of  them,  and  what  commander  had  acquired  a 
more  brilliant  reputation  ?  The  New  York  Sun  recommended 
him  for  the  place ;  and  the  idea  of  his  candidacy  was  favorably 
received  by  many.  This  prospect  naturally  turned  him  still 
more  against  his  old  friend,  for  either  Scott  or  Taylor  seemed  al- 
most certain  to  be  the  Whig  nominee.  Through  a  series  of 
clashes,  for  which  little  —  if  any  —  justification  can  be  seen, 
and  in  spite  of  Scott's  efforts  to  conciliate  him,  Worth  proceeded 
then  to  gain  emancipation  from  his  burden  of  gratitude,  and 
place  himself  in  open  antagonism  to  his  former  patron.23 


THE  REMOVAL  OF  SCOTT  187 

Duncan's  motives  were  different  again.  He  was  intimate 
with  Worth ;  and  Pillow,  who  offered  to  marry  the  Colonel  to 
a  rich  and  handsome  widow,  doubtless  promised  him  the  post 
of  inspector  general.  At  any  rate  he  urged  Polk  to  make  the 
appointment,  hinting  at  other  reasons  than  mere  qualifications, 
and  it  was  made;  and  we  know  that  Duncan  gave  himself 
much  trouble  to  assist  Pillow  as  a  partisan  supporter.  The 
power  of  such  a  combination,  headed  by  the  President  himself, 
to  gather  adherents  from  the  many  ambitious  officers  hardly 
needs  to  be  pointed  out;  and  finally  there  were,  of  course, 
jealous  and  envious  men.  "Since  we  cannot  attain  to  great- 
ness, let  us  revenge  ourselves  by  railing -at  it,"  said  Montaigne 
for  the  benefit  of  such  persons ;  and  many  of  the  officers  knew 
that  greatness  was  beyond  their  powers.  None  of  them  could 
monologue  as  Scott  did ;  none  could  look  in  a  cocked  hat  as 
he  looked;  none  had  won  the  Mexican  war;  and,  moreover, 
he  was  the  sole  general-in-chief.29 

The  result  was  a  powerful  movement  against  the  prestige 
and  authority  properly  belonging  to  Scott.  Pillow's  reports 
on  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Chapultepec  tended  to  repre- 
sent the  General  as  a  nonentity;  and  Worth  not  only  did 
somewhat  the  same,  but  referred  to  the  Commander  in  terms 
of  ridicule  and  contempt.  A  letter,  doubtless  written  directly 
or  indirectly  by  Pillow  over  the  signature  of  "Leonidas," 
extolling  Pillow  shamelessly  and  belittling  Scott,  was  trickily 
worked  into  the  New  Orleans  Delta  of  September  10,  1847; 
and  another  letter,  containing  a  passage  intended  to  show  that 
Worth  and  Duncan  had  saved  Scott  from  choosing  the  wrong 
approach  to  the  capital,  appeared  in  the  United  States,  then 
in  a  Tampico  newspaper  and  finally  at  Mexico  City.  Both 
letters  were  grossly  improper,  especially  since  the  army  lay 
in  the  enemy's  country ;  and  Scott  found  it  necessary  to  act. 
As  he  well  said,  "The  general-in-chief  who  once  submits  to  an 
outrage  from  a  junior,  must  lay  his  account  to  suffer  the  like 
from  all  the  vicious  under  him,"  and  "even  the  great  mass  of 
the  spirited,  intelligent,  and  well  affected,  among  his  brothers 
in  arms,  would  soon  reduce  such  commander  to  utter  imbecility, 
by  holding  him  in  just  scorn  and  contempt  "  for  his  recreancy 
to  himself  and  the  country.30 

On  November  12,  therefore,  he  issued  his  General  Orders 


188  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

349,  which  aimed  to  stigmatize  these  offences  in  such  a  way  as 
to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  them.  Duncan  then  assumed  in 
a  plainly  defiant  manner  the  paternity  of  the  Tampico  letter, 
although  in  fact  the  offensive  passage  had  not  been  written 
by  him.  His  primary  object  in  doing  this  was  evidently  to 
give  Worth  a  handle,  and  the  handle  was  promptly  seized. 
One  thing  led  to  another ;  and  in  the  end  formal  charges  were 
brought  by  the  commander-in-chief  against  Pillow,  Worth 
and  Duncan,  and  by  the  two  generals  against  him ;  appeals 
—  insulting  to  Scott  —  were  made  by  Pillow  and  Worth  to 
the  government;  and  the  technical  "arrest"  of  the  three 
officers  followed.81 

The  government  then  stepped  in.    Scott  had  no  doubt  given 
it  offence  during  the  campaign,  for  his  letters  had  plainly 
enough  revealed  a  conviction  that  Polk  had  broken  faith  with 
him,  and  purposely  thrown  difficulties  and  annoyances  across 
his  path;    but  the  circumstances  had  appeared  to  warrant 
his  complaints,  and  Marcy  had  at  least  "got  even"  by  ad- 
ministering liberal  censures  in  reply.    The  balance  in  fact  — 
aside,  perhaps,  from  a  mere  acerbity  of  language  —  was  against 
the  administration.    Besides,  having  served  the  country  well 
and  saved  the  government  from  disaster,  Scott  was  entitled 
to  some  indulgence  for  irritation  caused  by  the  peculiarly  trying 
circumstances  that  surrounded  him.    He  was  a  large  man, 
had  done  a  large  work  and  merited  large  treatment.    But 
there  was  nothing  large  about  the  administration.    The  confines 
of  mediocrity  hemmed  it  in.    Pillow  and  Duncan  were  there- 
fore by  its  orders  relieved  of  arrest ;  Worth  was  not  only  re- 
leased, but  assigned  to  duty  according  to  his  highest  brevet 
rank ;  and  "  in  view  of  the  present  state  of  things  in  the  army/' 
chiefly  or  entirely  caused  by  Folk's  agent  and  Marcy's  friend, 
Scott  was  deposed.    He  had  performed  his  task,  said  Robert 
E.  Lee,  and  now  was  "turned  out  as  an  old  horse  to  die." 
April  22,  1848,  amidst  the  lamentations,  cheers  and  blessings 
of  the  army  as  a  whole  —  trembling  himself  with  emotion  — 
he  took  his  leave,  and  Major  General  Butler,  who  was  a  Demo- 
crat and  looked  well  on  a  horse,  bore  sway  at  headquarters.32 


XXX 
THE   NAVAL  OPERATIONS  OF  THE  WAR 

1845-1848 

IN  January,  1846,  the  United  States  had  available  for  naval 
hostilities  one  ship-of-the-line,  seven  frigates  and  razees,  fifteen 
sloops-of-war,  six  brigs,  one  schooner  and  three  steamers  — 
that  is  to  say,  thirty-three  war  craft.  As  ships-of-the-line 
carried  more  than  seventy  guns,  frigates  about  forty-four  to 
fifty,  sloops  twenty,  brigs  ten  and  other  vessels  in  proportion, 
this  fleet  had  1155  cannon.  Two  of  the  vessels,  under  Com- 
modore James  Biddle,  were  on  the  coast  of  Asia;  several 
occupied  the  Brazil  station ;  and  five  cruised  in  African  waters 
to  check  the  trade  in  slaves.  The  Pacific  squadron,  com- 
manded by  Commodore  John  D.  Sloat,  comprised  on  July 
1,  1846,  the  frigate  Savannah,  the  sloops  Portsmouth,  Levant, 
Warren  and  Cyane,  the  schooner  Shark  and  the  storeship  Erie, 
to  which  the  frigate  Congress,  the  razee  Independence  and  the 
sloops  Dale,  Saratoga  and  Preble  were  added  later  in  the  year, 
while  the  Levant  went  home ;  and  substantially  all  the  rest  of 
the  fleet,  known  as  the  Home  Squadron,  attended  to  the  West 
Indies  and  Gulf  service,  under  Commodore  David  Conner.1 

The  appropriation  for  the  year  ending  with  June,  1846,  was 
a  little  less  than  ten  millions,  but  only  about  six  and  a  half 
millions  were  expended.  The  war  bill  of  May  13  permitted 
the  completion  of  all  vessels  then  building  and  the  purchase 
of  others;  and  by  November,  1847,  after  suffering  a  number 
of  losses,  the  navy  had  in  commission  five  ships-of-the-line, 
one  razee,  four  frigates,  thirteen  sloops,  six  brigs,  eleven 
schooners,  four  bomb-vessels,  twelve  steamers  and  six  store- 
ships.1 

The  peace  establishment  created  by  Congress  in  1844  provided 
for  7500  petty  officers,  seamen,  landsmen  and  boys,  and  in 

189 


190  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

August,  1846,  this  number  was  raised  to  10,000  for  the  period 
of  the  war ;  but  owing  to  the  remarkable  activity  of  the  mer- 
chant marine  and  the  consequently  high  wages,  men  could  not 
easily  be  obtained.  During  the  most  important  year  — 
November,  1846,  to  November,  1847  — not  over  8000  were 
in  the  fleet  at  any  one  time.  The  whole  number  of  seamen 
employed  in  the  course  of  the  war  did  not  exceed  7000;  and 
hence  plans  to  strengthen  our  forces  in  the  Gulf  and  the  Pacific 
had  to  be  curtailed.  The  service,  too,  did  not  enjoy  unqualified 
popularity.  In  the  sailor's  decalogue  appeared  this  command- 
ment: 

"Six  days  shalt  thou  work 
And  do  all  thou  art  able, 
On  the  seventh  thou  shalt  holystone 
The  deck  and  scrape  the  cable"  ; 

and  the  cannon  had  to  be  rubbed  with  fragrant  "sea  pitch1' 
from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  until  they  shone  like  Japanese 
lacquer.1  Discipline,  therefore,  not  reinforced  by  the  enthu- 
siasm and  the  necessities  of  war,  fell  considerably  below  its 
reputation,  and  the  crews  were  eager  to  be  free  when  their  time 
expired.  The  officers,  even,  had  become  lax  after  thirty  years 
of  peace,  and  in  too  many  instances  their  standards  of  conduct 
had  given  way.2 

In  the  administration  of  the  navy,  also,  the  eifects  of  a  long 
peace  could  be  seen.  The  control  of  matters  had  fallen,  though 
not  by  accident,  into  the  hands  of  shrewd  officers  deeply  in- 
terested in  themselves  and  their  friends.  Supernumeraries 
abounded.  Those  who  drew  the  most  pay  often  rendered 
the  least  service.  The  pet  ambition  was  for  a  safe,  quiet  and 
easy  position.  Shore  billets  were  too  numerous.  No  field 
officer  of  the  Marines  had  cruised  since  his  promotion,  and  one 
of  them  had  been  in  the  service  more  than  a  generation  with- 
out going  to  sea.  Secretary  Bancroft,  eager  for  distinction, 
undertook  to  eliminate  the  abuses,  but  only  succeeded  in 
eliminating  himself.  He  had  taught  Greek,  and  was  ridiculed 
by  the  naval  men  as  undertaking  to  play  the  pedagogue  over 
them.  Having  no  dominating  force  of  character  nor  even  a 
commanding  presence,  he  could  not  stand  against  the  govern- 
ing clique.  The  requirements  of  the  war,  which  might  have 
assisted  an  abler  administrator  to  win  the  day,  only  increased 


PRIVATEERING  191 

his  difficulties.  The  Senate  refused  to  confirm  some  of  his 
appointees;  and  early  in  September,  1846,  he  became  our 
minister  to  England.3 

J.  Y.  Mason,  who  succeeded  him,  was  a  fat,  easy,  agreeable 
man,  quite  innocent  of  the  desire  to  achieve  reforms.  Nobody 
disliked  him,  but  nobody  felt  obliged  to  obey  him;  and  as 
late  as  the  twentieth  of  February,  1847,  suddenly  discovering 
that  Scott  had  mentioned  certain  designs  of  the  army  against 
Vera  Cruz,  he  awoke  to  the  fact  that  his  department  had 
failed  to  give  the  anticipated  assistance.  Just  what  could 
be  expected  of  the  navy  under  all  these  prejudicial  conditions 
was,  therefore,  in  some  minds,  a  little  uncertain.8 

One  of  the  most  serious  duties  imposed  upon  it  was  to  guard 
against  privateering,  for  not  only  our  commerce  but  the  supplies 
required  by  our  troops  depended  upon  free  lanes.  About 
the  middle  of  1845  the  government  issued  orders  that  any 
activity  of  Such  a  kind  on  the  part  of  Mexico  should  be 
considered  the  signal  for  war;  and  as  a  deterrent  it  was 
announced  by  the  newspapers,  though  incorrectly,  that  pri- 
vateersmen  were  to  be  regarded  as  pirates.  Crews  not  pre- 
dominantly composed  of  Mexicans,  it  was  often  asserted,  could 
legally  be  "strung  up  to  the  yard-arm,"  since  we  were  under- 
stood to  have  treaties  that  sanctioned  this  principle  with  most 
countries.4 

After  the  war  actually  began,  a  great  deal  of  danger  was 
apprehended.  Desperate  characters  were  believed  to  be 
waiting  at  New  Orleans,  and  "piratical  gangs"  in  the  ports 
of  Cuba,  where  Almonte  seemed  to  be  at  work.  News  arrived 
early  in  August,  1846,  that  privateering  regulations  had  been 
issued  by  Mexico,  and  suspicious  craft  soon  appeared  off  Key 
West.  In  December  the  Mexican  minister  of  war  openly 
avowed  that  great  hopes  of  injuring  the  United  States  in  this 
manner  were  entertained.  Blank  certificates  and  commissions 
reached  Washington;  information  regarding  efforts  to  set 
vessels  at  work  in  various  quarters  arrived  there ;  and  finally 
the  Carmelita  of  Bangor,  Maine,  was  captured  near  Gibraltar 
by  a  felucca  named  El  Unico,  fitted  out  at  Oran,  Algeria,  and 
run  by  Spanish  desperadoes.4  * 

Mexico  had  not  in  reality,  after  studying  the  subject  with 
deep  interest,  much  expectation  of  accomplishing  any  large 


192  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

results  by  issuing  letters  of  marque,  and  the  regulations  of  July, 
1846,  were  intended  principally  or  wholly  to  annoy  this  country ; 
but  in  September  and  October  she  took  the  matter  up  rather 
seriously.  A  new  law  provided  that  any  foreigner  entering 
her  naval  service  might  become  a  Mexican  at  once,  and  blank 
naturalization  papers  as  well  as  thousands  of  privateering 
commissions,  duly  signed  but  not  filled  out,  were  carried  by 
agents  to  the  West  Indies,  Great  Britain,  France  and  Spain. 
Almonte  did  his  best  at  Havana.  J.  N.  Pareda,  appointed 
Mexican  charge  d'affaires  at  Madrid,  appears  to  have  circulated 
the  documents  actively  in  the  Peninsular  ports ;  and  another 
privateer,  a  Spanish  steamer  named  La  Rosita,  put  out  from 
Oran.5 

On  the  other  hand,  the  representatives  of  the  United  States 
insisted  upon  our  treaties  and  the  obligations  of  neutrality. 
Folk's  annual  Message  of  December,  1846,  denounced  the 
Mexican  plan  as  inviting  "all  the  freebooters  upon  earth/' 
who  felt  like  paying  for  the  privilege,  to  cruise  aganist  American 
commerce,  announced  that  our  own  courts  would  say  whether 
such  papers  could  protect  them  from  the  pirate's  doom,  recom- 
mended that  Congress  provide  at  once  for  the  trial  of  Spanish 
subjects  caught  in  such  business,  and  suggested  American 
privateers  —  intended  mainly  to  recapture  vessels  taken 
under  Mexican  letters.  An  American  force  hastened  to  the 
Mediterranean,  and  our  squadrons  were  expected  to  seize  all 
the  rovers  putting  out,  as  well  as  intercept  all  prizes  on  their 
way  to  the  enemy's  ports.  These  precautions  looked  rather 
discouraging  to  enterprising  desperadoes.6 

In  England  there  was  a  feeling,  as  will  appear  later,  that 
Mexico  should  be  allowed  the  utmost  license  against  us,  and  the 
Mexican  minister  at  London  received  many  applications  for 
letters ;  but  Great  Britain  did  not  really  wish  her  supplies  of 
cotton  to  be  endangered,  and  all  the  seas  to  be  filled  with 
corsairs  preying  upon  the  trade  of  the  world ;  and  in  Octo- 
ber, 1845,  her  minister  to  Mexico  was  instructed  to  prevent 
that  country,  if  he  could,  from  issuing  letters  of  marque  indis- 
criminately. Bankhead  protested  also,  as  did  the  Spanish 
minister,  against  important  features  of  the  regulations.  Palm- 
erston  himself,  though  he  acted  in  a  languid  fashion,  and 
gave  notice  at  Washington  that  British  subjects,  found  on 


THE  BLOCKADE  193 

Mexican  privateers,  could  not  be  treated  as  pirates,  announced 
that  his  government  would  faithfully  do  its  duty.7 

France  was  prompt  and  active  in  responding  to  our  demands. 
Spain,  placed  under  stringent  obligations  by  the  treaty  of 
October,  1795,  promised  full  compliance  with  its  requirements, 
captured  El  Unico,  punished  its  crew,  pursued  La  Rosita,  and 
ordered  O'Donnell,  the  captain  general  of  Cuba,  to  act  as  her 
obligations  required ;  but  she  accepted  Pareda,  the  colporteur 
of  what  was  piracy  under  her  agreement,  as  consul  of  Mexico ; 
and  the  captain  general,  while  he  convinced  the  American 
representative  of  his  good-will  and  in  fact  would  not  permit 
an  open  violation  of  the  treaty,  suggested  to  the  Mexicans 
ways  —  fortunately  impracticable  —  of  evading  his  own  rules. 
But  the  risks  of  privateering  under  so  many  embarrassments 
and  the  virtual  impossibility  of  converting  a  prize  into  cash, 
prevented  all  attempts  except  the  feeble  ones  already  mentioned. 
In  this  field,  consequently,  our  navy,  though  incessantly  watch- 
ful, could  acquire  no  laurels.7 

Another  aspect  of  the  situation  concerned  it  more  seriously. 
On  the  day  Congress  passed  the  war  bill  (May  13,  1846)  orders 
were  issued  to  blockade  the  ports  of  Mexico.  Several  definite 
aims  prompted  this  action.  Primarily,  of  course,  it  was  de- 
sired to  prevent  supplies  of  all  kinds  from  reaching  the  enemy, 
and  to  deprive  them  of  the  almost  indispensable  revenues 
obtained  in  peace  by  taxing  imports ;  but  there  were  also  hopes 
that  loss  of  business  would  induce  Great  Britain  and  France, 
which  had  a  profitable  trade  in  that  quarter,  to  urge  upon  Mex- 
ico the  acceptance  of  our  terms.  The  blockade  was  therefore 
to  be  enforced  vigorously.  At  the  same  time  neutrals  were 
to  be  treated  with  all  reasonable  indulgence.  Theoretically 
only  their  war  vessels  had  the  right  of  entering  closed  ports, 
but  practically  the  intention  was  to  broaden  that  narrow  door 
considerably.  Toward  itself,  however,  the  United  States 
determined  to  be  strictly  faithful  in  observing  its  declared 
principles.  Merely  those  ports  where  the  order  could  become 
effective  were  in  view.  The  announcement  of  blockade  was 
to  be  made  as  public  as  it  could  be;  and  in  particular  the 
government  required  that  a  full  warning  should  be  given  to 
neutral  ships.8 

For  the  work  thus  imposed  upon  him  Conner  had  ample 

VOL.  II O 


194  THE  WAR  WITH ,  MEXICO 

time  to  prepare.  As  early  as  August,  1845,  he  was  directed 
to  blockade  the  Gulf  ports  in  case  of  war;  early  in  1846  he 
knew  of  Mexico's  attitude  regarding  Slidell ;  before  the  end  of 
March  his  vessels  occupied  convenient  positions ;  and  promptly 
on  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  a  blockade  was  announced  at 
the  chief  harbors.  By  July,  with  some  assistance  from  the 
revenue  service,  it  extended  from  the  Rio  Grande  to  the 
Goatzacoalcos.9 

But  the  difficulty  of  making  it  continuously  effective  proved 
to  be  extraordinary.    There  were  not  vessels  enough  of  the 
proper  kind ;  occasionally  a  more  or  less  complete  concentration 
became  necessary;    and   accidents  of  many  sorts  occurred. 
Uncharted  shoals  and  rocks,  currents  of  unknown  direction 
and  force,  the  frequent  haze,  and  the  darkening  of  the  light- 
houses made  extreme  caution  imperative.    The  suddenness 
and  violence  of  the  storms  almost  surpassed  belief.    At  Vera 
Cruz  the  Somers  was  blown  over  and  sunk  before  Semmes, 
her  able  commander,  could  take  steps  to  avert  the  disaster. 
Even  at  the  anchorages  one  would  suddenly  hear  on  a  calm 
afternoon  the  clarion  orders  of  the  speaking  trumpet ;  the  ship 
would  quiver  and  reverberate  as  the  cable  of  the  heaviest 
anchor  ran  swiftly  out ;  in  a  moment  the  storm  would  burst ; 
and  for  days  it  might  be  a  question  almost  hourly  of  going 
ashore.     At  such  times  all  sailing  vessels  on  patrol  duty  had 
to  make  instantly  for  the  open  sea,  and  before  they  could 
return  to  their  stations  a  lurking  blockade  runner  could  per- 
haps enter   the   port.    Owing   to   such   difficulties  Alvarado 
and  Frontera,  for  instance,  could  not  be  watched  continuously.9 
Embarrassments  also  of  a  minor  yet  serious  character  had  to 
be  encountered.    Our  vessels,  unlike  those  of  England,  were 
designed  exclusively  for  war,  and  long  confinement  impaired 
the  efficiency  of  the  men.    The  government  supplies  of  eat- 
ables needed  to  be  eked  out  from  New  Orleans  huckster  boats 
and  European  merchant  ships.    Water  could  not  be  obtained 
readily  from  a  hostile  shore.    At  the  Antigua  River,  in  July, 
1846,  the  boats  going  up  with  casks  were  fired  upon,  and  such 
affairs  had  to  be  expected.    Vessels  were  despatched  long  dis- 
tances occasionally  to  obtain  fresh  provisions,  but  even  then 
scurvy  of  a  most  serious  nature  broke  out  in  the  summer  of 
1846,  disabling  some  of  the  largest  and  most  efficient  ships  for 


OFFENSIVE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS  195 

several  months.  The  Raritan  had  more  than  200  cases.  Nearly 
all  on  the  Potomac  suffered.  The  Falmouth  had  to  go  as  far 
north  as  Boston  to  throw  it  off.  Swampy  shores  and  kelp 
rotting  under  the  torrid  sun  produced  myriads  of  poisonous 
as  well  as  otherwise  annoying  insects.  During  a  brief  stay 
in  the  river  off  Tampico  nearly  all  the  officers  and  men  con- 
tracted ague,  and  the  yellow  fever  scourged  a  number  of  the 
vessels.  More  than  two  thirds  of  those  on  the  Saratoga  had 
the  latter  disease.  In  August,  1847,  the  Mississippi  left  her 
station  with  some  200  men  suffering  from  it.10 

Being  strangers  and  enemies,  the  Americans  labored  under 
peculiar  disadvantages.  The  people  gladly  assisted  blockade 
runners  in  every  possible  way.  Spanish  captains  in  particular, 
having  friends  on  shore  and  pilots  thoroughly  familiar  with 
the  coast,  could  not  be  prevented  from  reaching  harbor  at 
night  or  in  thick  weather  by  way  of  the  shoals.  Sometimes 
it  looked,  for  one  or  another  of  these  many  reasons,  as  if  our 
officers  were  careless  or  incompetent.  Army  observers,  not 
well  informed  regarding  the  conditions,  felt  disposed  now  and 
then  to  pronounce  the  blockade  a  humbug,  and  naturally 
some  foreigners  did  so.  This  opinion  had  neither  truth  nor 
probability  in  its  favor.  But  naturally,  in  view  of  all  the 
circumstances,  it  proved  more  satisfactory  to  occupy  the  ports, 
and  open  them  to  commerce  on  the  basis  of  a  reasonable  con- 
tributory tariff.11 

Besides  cruising  to  watch  for  privateers  and  hovering  off 
the  chief  harbors  to  maintain  a  blockade,  our  fleet  was  expected 
to  share  in  the  general  offensive.  For  one  thing  Bancroft 
ordered  Conner  to  seize  all  the  Mexican  war  vessels  that  he 
could  reach.  But  here  a  singular  difficulty  arose:  none  of 
that  sort  existed.  The  navy  of  Mexico,  aside  from  small 
craft  in  the  Pacific,  included  nine  vessels  amounting  to  about 
3200  tons.  The  most  important  were  the  steamers  Guadalupe 
and  Moctezitma,  built  in  England,  which  made  up  nearly  two 
thirds  of  this  meagre  total ;  but  as  these  had  never  been  paid 
for,  they  were  easily  transferred  to  a  British  firm,  and  in  con- 
sequence of  a  calm  succeeded  in  escaping  to  Havana.  The 
rest  of  the  vessels — a  small  brig,  which  changed  its  name  too 
often  to  have  one,  and  six  even  smaller  craft  —  took  refuge 
early  in  the  Alvarado  River.  The  commander  sank  three  of 


196  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

them  to  obstruct  the  channel,  and  when  Hunter  took  Alvarado 
in  April,  1847,  the  rest  were  burned.12 

Conner's  only  chance  for  offensive  work,  therefore,  aside 
from  capturing  a  merchant  vessel  occasionally,  was  to  engage 
in  shore  operations ;  and  while  the  officers  and  men  felt  eager 
to  get  a  nearer  view  of  the  scenery,  as  they  said,  and  rival  the 
glories  of  the  army,  they  found  themselves  embarrassed  by 
the  same  difficulties  that  attended  blockading  and  by  others 
also.  The  want  of  tenders  and  storeships  proved  especially 
serious  when  hostilities  were  in  view.  Each  vessel  had  to 
obtain  supplies  at  the  Pensacola  navy  yard;  the  round  trip 
cost  a  month  or  so ;  and  that  base  lacked  the  needed  equipment. 
Once  it  spent  about  four  weeks  in  supplying  the  Potomac  with 
bread  for  a  three-months  cruise,  and  in  July,  1846,  the  yellow 
fever  broke  out  there.  A  point  of  capital  importance  was 
to  reach  the  small  harbors  and  cut  off  all  trade ;  but  until  the 
last  of  September,  1846,  Conner  had  not  a  vessel  that  could 
cross  the  bars,  tow  boats  over,  and  operate  in  the  rivers ;  and 
the  first  load  of  coal  reached  him  two  weeks  later.  A  shortage 
of  officers  and  men  hampered  operations ;  and  Mason,  besides 
failing  to  anticipate  such  a  case,  failed  to  be  awake  when  it 
occurred.  By  December,  1846,  the  Home  Squadron  included 
a  substantial  flotilla  of  small  craft,  mounting  from  one  to  four 
guns  each ;  but  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  supplies  and  making 
repairs  on  a  hostile  coast  in  a  season  of  storms  almost  paralyzed 
it.13 

Another  embarrassment  existed.  Conner  was  a  brave,  able, 
accomplished,  excellent  man,  but  for  a  generation  his  business 
had  been  that  of  a  navigator.  His  duty  had  been  to  go  his 
rounds  in  safety,  and  he  did  it  well.  Nobody  could  handle  a 
frigate  better  in  a  storm.  He  looked  carefully  after  the  health 
of  his  men,  too.  In  thoughtfulness,  prudence,  judgment  and 
fidelity  he  left  nothing  to  be  desired.  But  his  constitution 
had  never  been  robust,  and  the  effects  of  an  old  wound,  thirty 
years  of  service  in  a  southern  climate  and  the  torture  of  neu- 
ralgia had  now  made  him  a  confirmed  invalid,  worn  and  wasted, 
and  subject  at  intervals  to  almost  maddening  pain.  His 
powers  both  of  thought  and  of  execution  were  impaired.  Natu- 
rally such  a  man  did  not  wish  to  risk  either  men  or  ships ;  and, 
lacking  the  vigor  for  quick  decisions  and  powerful  action,  he 


THE  HOME  SQUADRON  197 

could  not  wisely  involve  himself  in  dangerous  complications. 
On  the  outbreak  of  war  he  should  have  retired ;  but  he  knew 
that  he  stood  high  in  favor  at  Washington,  Bancroft  had  assured 
him  that  he  could  retain  the  command  indefinitely,  and  no 
doubt  he  failed  to  realize  the  situation.  More  or  less  well, 
however,  shore  operations  were  carried  on,  and  our  next  business 
will  be  to  trace  them  from  the  beginning.14 

Owing  to  the  state  of  our  relations  with  Mexico  the  Home 
Squadron  concentrated  at  Vera  Cruz  in  February,  1846,  and 
later,  in  accordance  with  instructions  to  cooperate  with  Taylor, 
Conner  presented  himself  at  Point  Isabel  in  time  to  safeguard 
that  position  during  the  battles  on  the  Rio  Grande,  and  assist 
in  occupying  Burrita.  When  the  war  bill  passed,  his  forces 
consisted  of  the  steamer  Mississippi,  which  could  tow  a  number 
of  small  craft  at  full  speed,  the  steamer  Princeton,  a  swift 
vessel  designed  by  the  celebrated  Ericsson,  the  handsome 
frigate  Raritan,  which  flew  the  broad  blue  pennant  of  the 
Commodore  at  the  main,  the  frigates  Cumberland  and  Potomac, 
the  sloops  Falmouth,  John  Adams  and  St.  Mary's,  the  brigs 
Porpoise  and  Somers  and  the  schooner  Flirt,  with  probably 
some  2700  men.  Leaving  the  Brazos  about  the  twentieth 
of  May  Conner  sailed  with  a  part  of  the  squadron  for  Pensacola, 
while  other  vessels  did  blockade  work  or  scouted  along  the 
coast  as  far  as  Yucatan.  In  June  Captain  Saunders  of  the 
St.  Mary's,  lying  off  Tampico  bar,  opened  fire  twice  on 
the  Mexicans,  who  seemed  to  be  erecting  works,  and  made  a 
bold,  well-planned  effort  against  three  gunboats  anchored  inside 
the  mouth  of  the  P&nuco,  which  only  circumstances  defeated. 
By  August  the  composition  of  the  squadron  and  its  distribution 
changed  somewhat;  three  small  schooner-gunboats  had  ar- 
rived ;  but  there  was  no  material  difference  in  strength.16 

Meanwhile  Conner  had  in  mind  the  small,  handy  Mexican 
vessels  then  lying  in  Alvarado  River,  which  did  nobody  any 
good  there,  and  were  capable  of  assisting  in  his  work  materially. 
It  seemed  very  proper  to  seize  or  at  least  destroy  them.  From 
residents  of  Alvarado,  who  traded  with  the  Americans,  useful 
information  was  doubtless  obtained;  and  the  master  of  a 
captured  launch,  well  fed  and  well  frightened,  gave  correct 
details  regarding  the  bar,  channel  and  shipping.  A  redoubt 
Stood  near  the  beach,  but  it  contained  no  large  guns;  and, 


198  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

although  warned  by  the  questioning  of  the  launch's  master, 
the  Mexicans  gathered  no  forces  except  some  200  militia  in 
the  town  and  about  as  many  more  several  hours  distant  up  the 
river.  The  situation  invited  a  l>old  stroke.16 

Accordingly  the  Mississippi  and  Princeton,  two  frigates 
and  the  schooner-gunboats  —  each  of  these  mounting  one  piece 
—  dropped  anchor  in  line  opposite  the  fort  at  eleven  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  August  7,  1846,  and  the  steamers  opened  a  fire, 
to  which  the  lightness  of  the  Mexican  ordnance  permitted  no 
reply.  The  bombardment  continued  more  or  less  actively  for 
about  six  hours,  but  without  effect.  Owing  to  the  swift  current 
of  the  river,  swollen  by  heavy  rains,  it  seemed  hardly  possible 
to  row  up  to  the  town,  and  finally  the  gunboats  were  placed 
within  musket  range  of  the  shore  some  distance  north  of  the 
fort.  Apparently  the  intention  was  to  land  under  the  pro- 
tection of  our  artillery.  The  Mexicans  therefore  opened  a 
small-arms  fire  from  the  sand-hills,  to  which  our  cannon  and 
the  muskets  on  the  gunboats  replied;  but  in  about  half  an 
hour  darkness  put  an  end  to  the  operations.  Bad  weather 
came  on  immediately;  the  open  roadstead  was  unsafe;  and 
after  nightfall,  although  it  had  been  proposed  to  resume  the 
attack  the  next  day,  Conner  withdrew  with  his  disgusted  men 
to  Anton  Lizardo.16 

The  following  month  one  of  the  bureau  chiefs  gave  him  to 
understand  that  the  administration  wished  something  done 
for  the  newspapers  to  make  a  "  noise "  about,  and  another 
attempt  upon  the  same  position  was  planned.  By  this  time 
the  enemy  had  improved  the  defences,  and  mounted  a  heavy 

pivot  gun  on  a  high  knoll ; 
and  a  letter  from  one  of  our 
sailors,  picked  up  on  the 
beach,  gave  them  ample 
notice  of  the  attack.  These 
facts  did  not  signify  mate- 
rially, however,  for  the 
Americans  realized  they 
must  positively  win  a  victory  this  time,  and  braced  them- 
selves, for  whatever  might  occur.  A  little  after  sunrise, 
October  15,  the  Mississippi,  the  Vixen  (a  small  steamer 
carrying  three  guns  which  had  recently  joined  the  squadron)4 


\ 


OPERATIONS  AT  THE  SOUTHEAST  199 

the  McLane  (a  steamer  loaned  by  the  revenue  service),  the 
three  gunboats,  the  Nonata  (a  prize  schooner  mounting  four 
guns),  and  a  revenue  schooner  named  the  Forward  arrived  off 
the  bar.  The  plan  was  to  have  the  Mississippi  cannonade 
with  shells,  and  the  other  steamers,  towing  the  gunboats, 
ascend  the  river.17 

Everything  went  wrong,  however.  The  Mississippi  produced 
no  effect.  Owing  to  the  strength  of  the  current  it  seemed 
necessary  to  have  wind,  and  Conner  waited  in  vain  until  about 
2  o'clock  for  the  usual  sea  breeze.  The  bar  stood  higher  than 
it  ordinarily  did ;  and  although  he,  aboard  the  Vixen,  crossed 
with  two  gunboats,  the  McLane  grounded,  and  her  section 
—  the  larger  section  —  of  the  force  was  thrown  into  the  utmost 
disorder  amidst  the  breakers.  Not  only  did  the  Mexican  fire 
prove  serious,  for  a  shot  struck  near  the  wheelhouse  of  the 
Vixen,  but  up  the  river  could  be  seen  another  fort,  and  also 
Mexican  vessels  carrying  more  metal  than  Conner  now  had 
available.  He  therefore  retired  across  the  bar,  touching 
twice ;  and  when  at  length  his  other  section  found  itself  ready 
to  try  once  more,  he  deemed  the  hour  too  late.  Besides,  he 
now  believed  the  McLane  would  be  unable  to  go  up  the  river 
with  even  one  gunboat  in  tow.  Again  bad  weather  came  on, 
and  again  the  expedition  withdrew.  Officers  and  men  were 
angry  this  time  as  well  as  disgusted ;  and  although  the  Mexicans 
on  the  ground  realized  that  accidents  had  saved  them,  a  shout 
of  triumph  and  encouragement  rang  through  their  country.17 

The  Mississippi  now  bore  the  red  pennant  of  Matthew 
C.  Perry,  who  was  to  have  command  of  the  squadron  on  Con- 
ner's retirement,  and  meantime,  feeling  anxious  to  serve,  con- 
tented himself  with  the  dignity  of  a  vice  commodore  and  acted 
as  a  captain ;  and  since  not  only  the  Vixen  but  coal  to  make 
her  effective  were  at  last  on  hand,  Conner  despatched  his 
energetic  lieutenant  southeastward,  on  the  next  day  after 
the  second  Alvarado  fiasco,  with  all  the  vessels  employed  in 
that  affair  except  one  of  the  gunboats.  After  seizing  on  the  way 
an  American  barque,  found  in  communication  with  Mexicans, 
Perry  entered'Tabasco  River  on  the  twenty-third,  took  posses- 
sion of  the  town  (Frontera),  and  the  next  day  —  transferring 
men  from  his  flagship,  which  drew  too  much  water  for  the  bar, 
to  the  captured  Petrita>a,  small  but  swift  American-built  steamer 


200  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

—  he  proceeded  about  seventy-five  miles  up  the  rapid  and 
winding  stream  through  heavy  and  splendid  forests,  disabling 
the  guns  of  a  small,  deserted  fort  on  the  way,  and  reached  San 
Juan  Bautista,  capital  of  the  state  of  Tabasco,  and  seat  of  an 
active  commerce  in  munitions  and  other  goods,  that  reached 
as  far  as  Mexico  City.  Here  five  merchant  vessels  fell  into 
his  possession.  But  now,  unfamiliar  with  Mexican  tactics, 
Perry  blundered  into  peremptorily  summoning  the  town,  which 
J.  B.  Traconis,  the  comandante  general,  refused  to  give  up.18 

San  Juan  Bautista  was  a  small,  dull  city  of  broad  streets 
and  one-story  brick  houses,  lying  in  a  wide  plain.  In  spite 
of  scandalous  desertion  Traconis  probably  had  about  400  men 
supported  by  two  small  guns.  These  forces  he  broke  into  a 
number  of  parties  and  placed  in  the  outskirts.  Perry  opened 
fire  on  the  town  with  cannon,  and  after  a  time  sent  a  party 
ashore.  A  skirmish  followed,  but  nothing  decisive  could  be 
accomplished,  and  after  sunset,  fearing  the  sailors  would  be 
shot  down  in  the  streets  during  the  night,  he  recalled  them.18 

On  the  following  day  the  foreigners  protested  against  the 
bombardment.  Negotiations  were  then  tried;  but  the  Co- 
mandante General,  who  cared  much  for  his  dignity  and  nothing 
for  the  people,  insisted  on  playing  out  his  role  of  the  fearless 
patriot.  Since  it  was  impracticable  to  garrison  the  town, 
Perry  decided  to  retire.  But  as  one  of  the  prizes  grounded 
near  the  shore  and  a  party  of  the  Mexicans  —  although  a  white 
flag  could  be  seen  on  the  Vixen  and  other  vessels  —  fired  on 
the  Americans  who  were  aboard,  causing  the  death  of  one  and 
injuring  two  more,  he  resumed  the  cannonade.  Of  course 
the  enemy  gracefully  withdrew ;  and  then  Perry  did  the  same, 
leaving  Traconis  to  magnify  his  triumph.  The  McLane  and 
Forward  were  left  at  Frontera  to  blockade  the  river  and  protect 
neutrals ;  and  after  burning  four  vessels  and  capturing  one  more 
on  the  way,  Perry  rejoined  Conner  on  the  last  day  of  the  month 
with  nine  prizes.  In  its  real  aim  the  expedition  had  succeeded ; 
but  the  affair  at  San  Juan  Bautista  had  been  so  indecisive  and 
murderous  that  even  American  soldiers,  eager  to  claim  credit 
and  imtfed  to  the  chances  of  war,  felt  humiliated.18 

The  fortnight  of  activity  and  excitement  cheered  the  men 
of  the  squadron  a  great  deal,  however,  and  then  followed  the 
capture  of  Tampico,  which  delighted  Secretary  Mason  beyond 


PERRY  SUCCEEDS  CONNER  201 

measure,  and  gave  the  newspapers  genuine  material  for  a 
"noise."  When  this  affair,  including  the  trip  up  the  P&nuco, 
ended,  Conner  despatched  his  lieutenant  southeastward  in 
the  Vixen,  accompanied  by  two  gunboats.  December  21,  at 
the  town  of  Laguna  on  El  Carmen  Island,  Yucatan,  Perry 
seized  a  couple  of  small  forts,  garrisoned  by  a  few  timid  soldiers, 
and  disabled  the  guns;  and  after  reinforcing  the  blockade 
of  Tabasco  River,  looking  into  the  coastal  waters,  and  making 
two  prizes  on  his  return  voyage,  he  joined  the  squadron  two 
days  after  Christmas.  A  visit  of  Conner's  to  the  same  point 
the  following  month  ended  important  operations  in  this  quarter 
for  some  time.  The  occupation  of  Laguna  checked  a  thriving 
illicit  commerce  by  the  river  that  entered  the  Gulf  here.19 

All  this  while  the  haughty,  outstanding  challenge  —  the 
scalp-lock,  so  to  speak  —  of  Mexico,  the  fortress  of  San  Juan 
de  Ulua  in  Vera  Cruz  harbor,  remained  secure.  The  capture 
of  it,  many  of  our  citizens  felt,  would  wrap  the  Gulf  in  a  blaze 
of  American  glory;  and  young  Porter,  young  Farragut  and 
other  possible  Decaturs  had  plans  of  attack  ready.  But  older 
men  thought  the  enterprise  impracticable  for  the  navy  alone. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  war  Bancroft  expressly  notified  Conner 
that  his  forces  were  not  deemed  adequate  for  such  an  under- 
taking.  Not  only  had  the  fortress  been  strongly  and  shrewdly 
constructed,  but  the  channel  that  led  to  it  was  narrow  and 
winding,  so  that  a  mishap  would  have  endangered  all  of  the 
attacking  vessels.  The  French  had  taken  it  in  1838,  but  only 
by  good  luck  and  a  sort  of  treachery,  and  since  that  year  it 
had  been  greatly  strengthened.  Conner  and  Scott  agreed 
that  it  could  not  be  captured  by  the  fleet.  But  in  March, 
1847,  misfortune  overtook  Ulua,  for  Scott,  supported  brilliantly 
by  the  naval  forces,  laid  siege  to  Vera  Cruz.20 

To  the  Home  Squadron  and  its  commander  as  well  as  to  the 
"castle"  this  event  signified  a  great  deal.  In  fact  it  brought 
Conner  both  to  the  climax  and  to  the  tragedy  of  his  professional 
career.  It  enabled  him  to  display  in  the  debarkation  his  real 
abilities;  and  then  precipitated  him  on  the  eve  of  a  triumph 
into  oblivion.  His  regular  term  as  commander  had  expired 
in  November,  1846,  and  Perry  notified  him  that  a  successor 
was  ready.  But  Conner  held  Bancroft's  promise  of  an  indefi- 
nite continuance  in  his  position ;  he  doubtless  felt  that  after 


202  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

long  withholding  needed  means,  the  department  owed  him  a 
chance  to  do  something  worth  while ;  and  when  he  found  that 
Scott  was  to  move  against  Vera  Cruz,  he  saw  his  opportunity. 
Unfortunately  for  him  the  change  of  secretaries,  the  complaints 
and  bold  proposals  of  young  officers,  and  the  clamor  of  the 
public,  ignorant  both  of  what  had  been  possible  and  of  what 
had  been  accomplished,  had  undermined  his  position.21 

In  January,1847,  Slidell  informed  the  government  that  Con- 
ner had  lost  not  only  his  physical  and  mental  vigor  but  the 
confidence  of  his  men.  The  following  month  Perry,  whose 
ship  had  gone  to  Norfolk  for  repairs,  visited  Washington  fre- 
quently ;  and  how  that  ambitious,  coarse-grained,  wilful  man 
talked,  one  can  readily  imagine.  Besides,  while  Perry's  outfit 
of  Christian  graces  was  noticeably  defective,  it  could  not  be 
denied  that  he  possessed  energy  and  a  fighting  temper.  The 
government  therefore  decided  that  Conner  had  not  "shown 
himself  equal  to  the  crisis/'  March  3  a  change  of  commanders 
was  ordered;  and  when  the  denouement  of  the  operations 
at  Vera  Cruz  approached,  instead  of  gracefully  permitting 
Conner  to  finish  what  he  had  begun,  "Old  Bruin/'  as  the  sailors 
called  Perry,  insisted  upon  his  rights.  March  21,  therefore, 
his  broad  blue  pennant  went  up  on  the  Mississippi,  and  in  a 
few  days  his  name  shone  forth  in  the  capitulation  of  Vera  Cruz 
and  Uliia.  "Poor  Commodore  Conner,"  said  Marcy.21 

Only  one  important  fortified  place  on  the  Gulf,  Tuxpan, 
now  flew  the  tricolor,  and  it  was  a  point  of  pride  to  capture 
the  town,  for  guns  from  the  Truxtun  —  our  finest  brig,  wrecked 
on  the  bar  —  had  been  mounted  there,  and  the  strength  of  the 
position  challenged  our  squadron.  The  city  stood  on  the  left 
bank  of  a  river  bearing  the  same  name  and  about  six  miles 
from  its  mouth.  On  the  lower  edge  of  it  rose  a  steep  eminence, 
Hospital  Hill,  with  a  9-pounder  not  far  from  its  base  and  a 
32-pound  carronade  pivoted  at  its  top,  both  of  them  bearing 
upon  the  river.  Nearly  a  mile  and  a  half  below,  at  the  junction 
of  a  tributary,  stood  a  water  battery  of  two  18's  called  Pal- 
masola;  and  some  distance  farther  down,  on  a  bluff  about 
sixty  feet  high  jutting  into  the  stream,  two  32-pound  carronades 
and  a  long  nine  in  La  Pena  redoubt  commanded  the  stream 
for  perhaps  two  miles.  In  and  near  these  forts  were  stationed 
some  three  or  four  hundred  Mexicans  under  General  Cos.22 


TUXPAN  CAPTUBED  203 

Early  on  April  17  a  large  American  force,  including  the 
"Two  Follies,"  as  forecastle  wit  or  experience  had  christened 
the  Spitfire  and  Vixen,  concentrated  off  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
Perry  had  the  channel  of  the  bar  sounded  and  marked  with 
buoys,  and  the  small  steamers  lightened.  The  next  morning 
at  high  tide  —  near  ten  o'clock  —  in  spite  of  serious  misgivings 
the  flotilla  got  through  the  surf  into  the  placid  river.  The 
Spitfire,  commanded  by  Tattnall  and  carrying  Perry,  the 
Vixen  and  another  small  steamer  named  the  Scourge,  then  took 
in  tow  three  armed  schooners  and  some  thirty  rowboats,  which 
contained  four  light  guns  and  almost  1600  men ;  and  this  fine 
procession,  adorned  with  brilliant  pennants  and  ensigns,  wound 
upward  in  admirable  order  between  the  low  and  verdant  banks.22 

Perhaps  two  miles  below  La  Pena  the  river,  here  two  or  three 
hundred  yards  in  width,  straightened,  the  current  became 
swifter,  and  the  banks  rose  into  thickly  wooded  hills.  When 
the  flotilla  reached  this  point,  a  curl  of  smoke  burst  from  the 
redoubt.  "Go  ahead  fast!"  signalled  the  Commodore.  The 
steamers  dropped  their  tows.  The  sails  of  the  schooners  filled, 
and  hundreds  of  oars  flashed  in  the  now  declining  sun.22 

It  was  a  race,  but  more  than  a  race.  The  shore  artillery 
spoke  loudly  and  well.  The  Spitfire  suffered  repeatedly. 
Tattnall  was  wounded.  With  boom  after  boom  steamers  and 
gunboats  replied.  As  the  Americans  approached  it,  La  Pena's 
fire  died  out.  "Land  and  storm!"  ordered  Perry.  "Ay, 
ay,  Sir,"  was  the  response.  Amidst  the  thunder  of  cheers 
it  was  done,  but  the  Mexicans  did  not  wait  for  their  visitors. 
Dropping  rammers  and  sponges  they  ran,  and  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  flew  up.  A  fire  from  the  woods  was  quickly  silenced. 
No  less  promptly  yielded  the  other  forts;  and  "at  a  gallop" 
the  town  was  captured.  In  all,  the  casualties  numbered  only 
fourteen.  A  few  prizes  fell  into  Perry's  net  above  Tuxpan; 
the  forts  were  demolished ;  the  Truxtun's  guns  were  shipped  off, 
and  leaving  two  vessels  to  blockade  the  river,  he  sailed  away.22 

After  this  Perry  and  his  officers  cruised  for  prizes,  and  invited 
a  number  of  small  ports  to  raise  our  flag  —  an  invitation  al- 
ways accepted  with  alacrity  if  not  enthusiasm  —  but  his  at- 
tention was  chiefly  fixed  on  the  southeast.  Yucatan  and  to 
a  certain  extent  her  neighbor,  Tabasco,  endeavored  to  carry 
water  on  both  shoulders.  The  former  province,  which  was  more 


204  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

industrious  and  prosperous  than  any  other  part  of  Mexico, 
had  always  demanded  and  usually  been  accorded  under  both 
Spanish  and  Mexican  rule  a  position  of  semi-independence. 
In  recent  years  difficulties  had  arisen  between  her  and  the 
government,  but  her  sympathies  were  entirely  against  the 
United  States.  Both  from  policy  and  from  a  sense  of  humanity, 
our  desire  was  to  see  her  remain  neutral  and  to  spare  her  the 
rigors  of  war;  but  Yucatan,  without  appreciating  either  our 
wish  or  our  conduct,  aimed  simply  to  preserve  her  export 
commerce,  her  no  less  valued  business  of  importing  American 
flour,  and  her  trade  —  especially  in  foodstuffs  and  munitions 
—  with  Mexico,  escape  all  the  burdens  and  losses  of  the  conflict, 
and  run  no  risk  of  later  Mexican  vengeance.23 

To  accomplish  so  difficult  a  task  her  cunning  and  unscrupulous 
politicians  veered  and  turned,  put  out  statements,  and  organized 
revolutions  according  to  the  exigencies  of  the  moment.  Her 
two  chief  cities,  Merida  and  Campeche,  now  joined  hands  and 
now  seemed  or  were  antagonistic.  Local  rivalries  complicated 
the  situation  further;  and  on  our  side,  owing  to  the  distance 
between  Washington  and  the  Home  Squadron,  there  could 
not  be  perfect  cooperation.  The  blockade  was  therefore 
imposed  and  lifted,  imposed  and  lifted  by  turns.  At  length, 
in  May,  1847,  Perry  took  possession  of  Laguna  and  El  Carmen 
Island,  appointed  a  naval  officer  as  governor,  and  authorized 
commerce  under  the  contributory  tariff ;  but  at  the  same  time 
our  efforts  to  prevent  all  contraband  trade,  both  there  and 
by  Tabasco  River,  continued.23 

In  June  Perry  decided  to  attack  San  Juan  Bautista  again. 
On  the  thirteenth  he  reached  the  bar  at  Frontera  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  the  next  day  he  proceeded  up  the  river,  with  a 
flotilla  of  one  brig,  one  schooner,  four  small  steamers,  three 
bomb-vessels  and  a  fleet  of  rowboats.  After  easily  silencing 
the  fire  of  two  breastworks  on  the  way,  he  found  obstructions 
in  the  river  opposite  a  third,  and  fearing  the  steamers  might 
not  be  able  to  pass  them  without  delay,  landed  quickly  with 
ten  guns  and  more  than  1100  men,  and  under  an  almost  insup- 
portable heat  routed  a  hostile  party.  The  steamers,  however, 
passed  on,  driving  the  enemy  from  the  breastwork,  and  by 
the  sixteenth  San  Juan  Bautista  once  more  became  ours. 
The  fortifications  were  destroyed,  and  the  guns  put  aboard.24 


OPERATIONS  ON  THE  PACIFIC  COAST 


205 


Perry  decided  to  hold  the  place,  and  on  retiring  left  there 
nearly  two  hundred  men  besides  four  small  vessels  and  their 
complements.  But  this  proved  another  mistake.  The  Mex- 
icans were  driven  from  the  vicinity,  but  when  our  force  went 
back  to  the  town,  they  immediately  returned  to  blockade  it; 
and  on  July  22,  after  the 
climate  had  laid  low  more 
than  a  third  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, our  garrison  abandoned 
the  place.  From  this  time 
on,  Perry  found  occupation 
enough  in  watching  Tuxpan 
River,  protecting  against 
Mexican  irregulars  the  ports 
where  American  custom- 
houses existed,  and  patrol- 
ling the  coast.24 

During  these  operations  of 
the  Home  Squadron  signifi- 
cant events  had  been  taking 
place  also  on  the  other  coast 
of  Mexico.  Its  enormous 
length  made  a  strict  block- 
ade practically  impossible ; 
but  on  the  nineteenth  of 
August,  184(i,  the  magnifi- 
cent Stockton  covered  it 
completely  —  with  a  procla- 
mation. It  was  not  that  he 
intended  to  declare  a  paper 
blockade,  but  only  that  he 
did  not,  like  finite  creatures, 
realize  the  necessity  of  ade- 
quate means.  -About  three 

days  later  Du  Pont  in  the  Cyane  and  Hull  in  the  Warren 
left  California  for  the  south.  During  their  cruise  fourteen 
or  fifteen  prizes  were  taken  —  including  the  Malek  Add,  an 
armed  brig  —  and  so  all  probability  that  our  commerce  and 
whalers  in  the  Pacific  would  be  molested  happily  vanished. 
Guaymas  was  cannonaded  a  little  (October  6),  and  Mazatl&n 


A  PART  OF 
TABASCO    RIVER 
From  Devil's  Bend  to  3.  Joan 

lnf  the  Landinr  and 
March  of  Cem.  Perry's  ftotei 
June  16.  1847 


Guaymaa 

S+*    +  A 


206  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

0 

suffered  a  rather  nominal  blockade  of  about  four  weeks.  That 
period  ended  on  the  eighth  of  November,  and  for  almost  three 
months  no  American  vessel  appeared  there.25 

In  February  and  March,  1847,  the  Portsmouth  watched  the 
port  for  about  five  weeks,  but  then  it  was  left  wide  open  again. 
England  refused  to  recognize  such  a  blockade.  The  United 

States  admitted  its  ille- 
gality; and  on  the  sixth 
of  March,  1847,  Commo- 
dore Biddle,  now  com- 
manding the  squadron, 
cancelled  Stockton's  proc- 
lamation. During  the 
spring  of  1847  Mazatl&n, 
which  had  almost  a  monopoly  of  the  commerce,  was  again 
blockaded  for  a  time,  and  after  May  the  summer  hurricanes 
interdicted  commerce.  Since  Mexico  had  no  armed  vessel  of 
any  importance  in  the  Pacific,  naval  operations  then  became 
unnecessary.25 

In  July,  1847,  Shubrick  succeeded  Biddle.  As  the  blockade 
of  Mazatlan  had  been  raised,  he  issued  on  August  6  a  fresh 
notice,  covering  that  port,  Guaymas  and  San  Bias,  and  about 
the  middle  of  October  sailed  from  Monterey,  California,  in  the 
Independence,  accompanied  by  the  Cyane.  The  rest  of  his 
active  squadron  —  which  had  preceded  him  southward  or  was 
to  join  him  in  that  quarter  —  consisted  of  the  Congress,  Ports- 
mouth, Preble,  Dale  and  two  storeships.  On  the  twenty-ninth 
near  Cape  San  Lucas  he  met  Lavallette  in  the  Congress,  and 
learned  that  after  an  hour's  cannonading  —  caused  by  the 
disobliging  refusal  of  General  Campusano  to  surrender  — 
Guaymas  had  been  occupied  nine  days  before.  November 
10  mountains  lighted  by  a  declining  sun  and  canopied  by  a 
turquoise  sky  rose  from  the  Gulf  of  California  before  him  on 
the  east ;  and  soon,  approaching  a  long,  curving  line  of  white 
beach,  he  dropped  anchor  near  the  lioness-hill  of  Crest6n  Is- 
land, which  crouched,  grandly  recumbent,  with  her  fore  paws 
extended,  watching  over  two  islet  cubs  that  slept  in  front  of 
her.  Here,  on  the  mainland,  was  Mazatl&n.2* 

For  nearly  eighteen  months  the  port,  second  only  to  Vera 
Cruz  in  the  value  of  its  commerce,  had  been  controlled  by 


OPERATIONS  ON  THE  PACIFIC  COAST 


207 


PLAN   OF  MAZATLAN 

SCALE  OF  MILES 


Colonel  Rafael  TSllez,  a  happy-go-lucky  insurgent  of  convivial 
tastes,  oriental  convictions  on  the  subject  of  seraglios,  and 
aboriginal  ideas  touching  honor.  In  finance  he  succeeded,  for 
it  was  only  necessary  to  put 
his  fist,  whenever  it  felt 
empty,  into  the  till  at  the 
customhouse;  but  as  a 
warrior  he  proved  hardly 
equal  to  the  crisis.  In 
short,  he  retired  promptly 
and  contented  himself  with 
partially  blocking  the  port, 
which  our  forces  occupied 
on  the  eleventh.  Novem- 
ber 20  an  attempt  of  the 
Americans  to  cut  off  an 


Wmt  Eng  CO..N  T 


annoying  Mexican  party 
some  ten  miles  from  the  city  failed ;  but  the  town  was  presently 
fortified  in  such  a  way  that  it  stood  in  no  danger.  Early  in 
January,  1848,  San  Bias  was  blockaded.  Manzanillo's  turn 
came  on  the  seventeenth  of  that  month;  and  numerous  ex- 
peditions, which  scoured  the  coast  and  went  short  distances 
inland,  seized  light  craft,  destroyed  fortifications,  and  captured 
ordnance.27 

In  tracing  all  these  operations  in  the  Pacific  one  receives 
a  certain  impression  of  tardiness  and  inefficiency.    Acapulco, 
a   point   of   slight  commercial  importance 
but  one  distinctly  in  the  view  of  our  naval 
commanders,  escaped  entirely;   and  other 
ports,  especially  San  Bias,  were  apparently 
neglected.     But  the  American  vessels  had 
no  base  near  at  hand.    Few  safe  harbors 
could  be  found.    Long  voyages  were  nec- 
essary to  obtain  provisions  and  to  send  or 
pick  up  despatches.    The  sailors  often  found 
themselves  compelled  to  do  the  work  of 
soldiers  ashore ;  and  in  particular  vexatious 
duties  had  to  be  performed  by  the  navy  in  Lower  California.28 
January  11, 1847,  J.  Y.  Mason  informed  Stockton  that  both 
Californias  were  to  be  retained ;   and  in  the  course  of  fifteen 


LOWER 
CALIFORNIA 


208  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

days,  beginning  with  March  30,  La  Paz,  San  Lucas  and  San 
Jose,  the  chief  towns  of  the  peninsula,  were  occupied  by  our 
squadron.  The  authorities  readily  submitted,  and  the  people 
seemed  to  concur.  An  intensely  hostile  spirit  showed  itself 
before  long,  however,  and,  with  the  aid  of  leaders  and  re- 
sources drawn  from  the  mainland,  bitter  attacks  —  heroically 
resisted  —  were  made  upon  our  feeble  posts  at  San  Jose  and 
La  Paz  during  the  fall  and  winter.  Some  American  troops 
from  upper  California  rendered  great  assistance ;  but  Shubrick's 
watchful  cooperation  was  constantly  requisite,  and  the  spirit 
of  resistance  could  not  be  exorcised  until  the  end  of  March, 
1848.28 

The  naval  operations  on  both  coasts  failed  to  win  loud  ap- 
plause, but  there  were  obvious  reasons.  The  high  expectations 
of  the  public,  based  upon  the  war  of  1812,  could  not  possibly 
be  satisfied,  for  our  navy  met  with  no  enemy  on  its  proper 
element.  Its  work  had  to  be  plodding  and  monotonous.  Due 
preparations  for  that  had  not  been  made,  and  even  the  best 
informed  landsmen  understood  but  very  imperfectly  the 
difficulties  that  were  encountered.  Under  such  circumstances 
to  conduct  the  blockade  with  as  much  efficiency  as  was  actually 
shown,  depriving  Mexico  of  revenues  and  to  a  large  extent 
of  munitions,  giving  general  satisfaction  meanwhile  to  foreign 
interests  more  than  willing  to  complain,  was  no  slight  achieve- 
ment ;  and  to  play  at  the  same  time  so  effective  a  part  on  land, 
especially  in  the  conquest  of  California,  merited  far  higher 
encomiums  than  were  bestowed.29 

The  conduct  of  naval  men  in  occupied  territory  crowned 
their  services.  At  Mazatlan,  for  example,  Shubrick  announced 
that  he  would  exert  himself  to  benefit,  not  injure,  the  people. 
Religious  freedom,  the  protection  of  person  and  property, 
firm  support  of  the  city  authorities,  a  low  tariff  and  unre- 
stricted commerce  —  except  in  munitions  and  with  Mexican 
ports  —  were  granted.  Vexatious  taxes  that  burdened  the  poor 
disappeared,  and  a  wise,  economical  fiscal  system  took  their 
place.  The  sale  of  ardent  spirits  to  men  in  our  service  was 
prohibited.  The  Americans  mingled  freely  with  the  people 
and,  as  the  local  historian  admitted,  "behaved  like  gentlemen." 
After  six  weeks  of  this  regime  Shubrick  was  formally  requested 
t»y  the  merchants  to  stay  there.  At  Guaymas  a  similar  policy 


REVIEW  OF  THE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS  209 

produced  similar  results,  and  the  people  felt  anxious  to  have 
Campusano's  forces  leave  the  vicinity.  Laguna  became 
under  our  authority  more  prosperous  than  ever  before. 
The  naval  balls  and  parties  were  extremely  popular;  and 
even  after  peace  came,  the  Commodore  was  "most  earnestly'* 
requested  by  the  people  to  let  our  forces  remain  for  a  while.30 


VOL.  II- 


XXXI 
THE  AMERICANS  AS  CONQUERORS 

1846-1848 

FOR  a  considerable  time  large  parts  of  Mexico  were  occupied 
by  our  troops,  and  it  is  quite  worth  while  to  know  something 
of  their  life  and  behavior  there.  Conquering  soldiers  in  a  foreign 
land,  especially  when  the  enemy  is  deemed  cowardly,  treacherous 
and  cruel,  are  not  likely  to  be  angels ;  and  we  may  count  upon 
meeting  here  with  disagreeable  as  well  as  complimentary  facts. 
But  we  must  face  these  as  brave  and  honest  men  who  love  the 
truth,  believe  in  our  country,  and  are  not  foolish  enough  to 
expect  perfection  of  human  nature.  It  will  be  some  consolation 
to  recall  Napoleon's  maxim,  "The  conduct  of  a  general  in  a 
conquered  country  is  beset  with  difficulties,"  and  to  remember 
that  no  nation,  if  well  acquainted  with  its  history,  will  think 
of  pointing  the  finger  at  us. 

The  purpose  of  the  United  States  was  to  treat  non-combatants 
as  friends,  and  protect  them  in  all  their  rights  of  person,  prop- 
erty and  religion.1  Civilization  prescribed  this  course,  and 
policy  emphasized  it.  Both  for  immediate  military  success 
and  for  the  restoration,  after  the  war,  of  mutually  profitable 
relations,  it  seemed  highly  desirable  to  strike  only  at  the  gov- 
ernment and  the  army  of  Mexico,  and  to  avoid  angering  the 
great  body  of  the  citizens.2 

Accordingly  Taylor  was"  promptly  supplied  with  a  proclama- 
tion, to  be  distributed  in  both  English  and  Spanish,  which  threw 
upon  Paredes  the  odium  of  the  conflict,  assured  the  Mexican 
people  that  a  government  of  "usurpers  and  tyrants "  had  in- 
volved them  in  its  losses  and  miseries,  and  promised  that  no 
one  behaving  as  a  neutral  would  be  molested ;  the  General  was 
instructed  that  his  "utmost  endeavors"  must  be  put  forth 
to  make  good  the  pledge ;  and  an  active  policy  of  conciliation 

210 


DISORDERS  AT  MATAMOROS  211 

was  urged  upon  him.  As  will  be  seen  later,  the  course  of  the  war 
and  the  attitude  of  Mexico  eventually  suggested  a  programme 
considerably  sterner  in  certain  respects ;  but  such  was  the  real 
desire  of  our  government,  and  it  went  so  far  that  in  order  to 
prove  we  had  no  intention  of  attacking  the  religion  of  the 
Mexicans,  Roman  Catholic  priests  were  engaged  to  accompany 
our  army.2 

Taylor,  besides  resting  under  a  strict  obligation  to  obey  his 
orders,  doubtless  concurred  fully  in  this  view  of  the  matter, 
and  for  a  time  good  conduct  on  the  part  of  our  troops  pre- 
vailed. The  authorities  of  Matamoros  were  respected;  the 
people  felt  contented,  and  viewed  the  war  with  indifference ; 
persons  of  the  upper  classes  began  to  show  themselves ;  and  the 
town  seemed  on  the  way  to  being  a  smart  little  New  Orleans. 
But  the  arrival  of  the  volunteers  in  force  gave  the  situation 
a  new  aspect.8  Even  men  of  umblemished  reputations  appeared 
to  feel  that  becoming  soldiers  exempted  them  from  every  law, 
both  civil  and  moral.6 

When  in  camp  below  New  Orleans  the  troops  were  guilty  of 
some  "sky-larking"  —  that  is  to  say,  plundering;  and  when 
they  entered  the  enemy's  country  they  became,  said  a  regular 
officer,  "the  living  embodiment  of  a  moral  pestilence.  Crime 
followed  in  their  footsteps,  and  wherever  they  trod,  they  left 
indelible  traces  of  infamy."  To  meet  their  wishes,  disorderly 
establishments  of  every  kind  sprang  up,4  and  the  streets  were 
constantly  filled  with  drunken,  brawling,  insolent  officers 
and  men  carrying  arms.  One  of  them  drew  a  pistol  on  the 
British  consul  because  his  cane  was  black ;  many  depredations 
were  committed ;  and  before  the  tenth  of  July  at  least  five  or 
six  harmless  persons  were  shot  down  for  amusement.8 

Although  it  would  seem  as  if  Taylor,  with  some  2500  regulars 
at  his  back,  might  have  enforced  order,  he  declared  that  he 
could  not,  and  soon  gave  up  the  effort.  Unwilling  to  bring 
offenders  before  a  military  court,  he  endeavored  to  have  the 
Mexican  judges  act  in  some  cases,  but  of  course  they  dared  not ; 
and  he  shipped  a  few  of  the  malefactors  to  New  Orleans,  where 
they  could  not  be  held  a  moment  for  crimes  perpetrated  abroad. 
The  result  was  practical  impunity  —  "perfect  impunity," 
wrote  the  British  consul  —  for  the  worst  of  crimes.  At  the 
beginning  of  August,  however,  the  General  prohibited  the 


212  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

importation  of  liquor  by  the  Rio  Grande;  and  as  the  army 
was  then  moving  on,  Matamoros  became  comparatively  quiet.8 

Later  commanders  undertook  with  considerable  success  to 
keep  it  so;  but  even  in  January,  1847,  robbery  and  violence 
were  not  unknown  there,  and  the  non-commissioned  officers 
as  well  as  the  soldiers  were  forbidden  to  leave  their  quarters 
with  arms  unless  on  duty.  Discharged  volunteers  on  their 
way  down  the  river  did  great  harm,6  and  Taylor  wrote  in  June, 
1847,  "There  is  scarcely  a  form  of  crime  that  has  not  been 
reported  to  me  as  committed  by  them/*  Above  Matamoros 
determined  efforts  were  made  with  partial  success  to  keep 
liquor  from  the  troops,  and  the  conditions  were  better.  Here 
and  there  Americans  would  "muster  in"  some  fruit  or  fowls. 
"Soldiers  who  have  to  fight  their  enemy  in  the  enemy's 
country  will  never  go  hungry  as  long  as  there  are  any 
chickens  about/1  wrote  one  of  them;  and  in  fact,  said  an 
officer,  it  was  a  patriotic  duty  for  Uncle  Sam's  men  to  keep 
their  souls  and  their  bodies  together.  But  the  rule  in  such 
cases  was  to  compensate  the  owners,  and  probably  no  serious 
resentment  lingered.6 

During  the  battles  of  Monterey  there  was  enough  shooting 
to  satisfy  any  reasonable  person,  and  the  quiet  beauty  of  the  scene 
should  soon  have  banished  thoughts  of  carnage.  The  tranquil 
mountains  that  stood  about  the  town  on  three  sides,  receding 
as  the  clouds  enveloped  them  in  shadow  or  approaching  as  the 
splendor  of  the  sun  brightened  every  point,  the  statuesque 
aguacates  clothed  in  foliage  like  dark  green  velvet,  the  fan-like 
palmettoes,  the  feathery  date  palms,  the  delicious  oranges  and 
pomegranates,  the  murmuring  streams,  and  the  lilies  that 
brightened  many  a  pool  invited  to  repose ;  yet  no  sooner  was 
battle  over  than  murder  began.10 

The  chief  criminals  were  the  Texans,*  who  felt  that  barbarities 
committed  by  the  Mexican  on  their  soil  during  the  revolution 
warranted  the  cruelest  retaliation.  At  Matamoros  they  had 
been  the  fiercest  of  the  volunteers,  and  now  —  stationed  for 
a  while  at  the  town  —  they  found  a  still  better  opportunity.7 
Other  volunteers  aided  them.  To  say  nothing  of  robberies 

*  These  men  have  to  be  called  Texans  because  they  hailed  from  that 
state,  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  nearly  all  of  them  had  come 
from  other  parts  of  the  Union. 


AFFAIRS  AT  SALTILLO  213 

and  minor  outrages  perpetrated  "in  the  broad  light  of  day," 
it  was  thought,  noted  a  regular  officer  in  his  diary,  that  not 
less  than  one  hundred  Mexicans  were  slain  in  cold  blood,  and 
out  of  about  7000  still  in  town,  5000,  more  or  less,  fled.  A 
citizen  cannot  take  his  hat  off,  wrote  a  Mexican,  without  some 
American's  saying,  "That  is  mine";  and  if  the  owner  denies 
it,  he  gets  a  bullet.  Strict  regulations  8  were  soon  framed, 
however,  and  under  Worth's  command  the  volunteer  learned 
what  they  meant.10 

To  a  large  extent,  if  we  leave  the  Texans  out  of  the  account, 
the  Mexicans  themselves  were  responsible  for  the  worst  out- 
rages of  Monterey  and  the  vicinity.  They  sold  liquor  to  the 
troops  persistently,  and  retaliated  indiscriminately  for  the 
excesses  that  resulted.  The  Americans  then  took  vengeance, 
and  in  the  end  some  ghastly  deeds  on  rather  a  large  scale  oc- 
curred. Singularly  enough,  too,  the  punctiliousness  of  our 
officers  contributed  to  the  same  end.  They  would  not  convict 
a  Mexican  without  legal  proof  of  his  guilt,  and  when  soldiers 
saw  a  man,  who  was  almost  certainly  the  murderer  of  their 
comrade,  let  off  because  a  drove  of  Mexicans  testified  to  an 
alibi,  they  were  likely  to  steal  out  after  him  or  make  some  one 
else  pay  his  forfeit.9  Still,  the  many  injunctions  to  be  fair 
and  kindly  toward  the  people  were  not  without  effect.  One 
soldier  used  to  sit  cross-legged  in  the  square  of  Monterey,  and 
play  his  rickety  accordion  for  the  benefit  of  the  populace.10 

At  Saltillo  strict  police  regulations  were  made.  As  had  now 
become  the  general  rule,  to  provide  soldiers  with  intoxicating 
beverages,  except  by  special  permission,  was  forbidden,  and 
fifty  lashes  were  made  the  penalty  for  disobedience.  The 
troops  had  to  seek  their  quarters  at  retreat,  and  the  Mexicans 
go  home  when  the  ten  o'clock  bell  rang.  But  in  spite  of  every 
precaution  the  "lawless  volunteers,"  as  Worth  called  them, 
were  guilty  of  many  offences,  and  —  with  the  perhaps  excessive 
emphasis  of  a  high-minded  regular  officer  —  he  wrote  to  his 
daughter,  "The  innocent  blood  that  has  been  basely,  cowardly 
and  barbarously  shed  in  cold  blood,  aside  from  other  and 
deeper  crimes,  will  appeal  to  Heaven  for,  and,  I  trust,  receive, 
just  retribution."  u 

Here,  as  at  Monterey,  Worth  made  an  admirable  governor, 
sitting  four  hours  a  day  to  hear  complaints,  and  administering 


214  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

substantial  justice  without  reference  to  legal  technicalities; 
and  his  successors  were  much  like  him.11  A  sergeant  was 
discharged  for  treating  a  Mexican  unjustly.  An  American 
"  doctor "  was  expelled  for  disorderly  conduct.  Soldiers  were 
not  allowed  to  endanger  the  people  by  riding  fast  in  the  streets. 
Property  stolen  or  destroyed  was  paid  for  by  the  army,  and 
this  rule  was  made  to  work  the  other  way  also.  The  town 
prospered ;  and  although  some  of  the  soldiers  would  now  and 
then  help  themselves  to  fruit  or  snatch  a  piece  of  candy  from 
a  stand,  and  cases  of  outrage  on  the  one  hand  or  assassination 
on  the  other  occurred  at  intervals,  the  people  —  notably 
hostile  at  first  —  became  friendly,  the  windows  were  always 
full  of  laughing  girls,  and  the  women  in  their  rebosas,  red 
petticoats  and  blue  cloth  slippers  went  every  evening  to  the 
fountain  in  the  plaza  with  their  tall  earthen  jars,  unmolested 
and  unafraid.12 

Tampico,  to  say  nothing  of  the  drills  and  parades,  offered 
enough  interesting  sights  and  amusements  to  keep  the  soldiers 
out  of  mischief,  one  might  have  thought.  The  many  strange 
and  beautiful  trees;  the  mullard  and  sea-trout,  schools  of 
yellow  jackfish,  huge,  pearly  tarpon,  and  many  other  denizens 
of  the  rivers  and  lagoons;  the  buzzards  coasting  on  air,  the 
grunting  ravens,  and  forty  other  kinds  of  birds;  the  long, 
slender  pirogues  of  red  cedar  constantly  bringing  luscious 
fruits  to  the  market;  the  many  vessels  coming  and  going: 
these  were  only  a  few  of  the  attractions.  But  in  reality  the 
town  was  a  hard  problem,  for  its  nearness  to  the  United  States 
and  its  commercial  relations  made  the  exclusion  of  all  unde- 
sirable visitors  impossible.  So-called  restaurants  bearing 
popular  American  names  flourished,  and,  in  spite  of  the  pro- 
hibition against  importing  liquor,  strong  drink  was  about  all 
they  offered  except  hard  beef ;  while  the  existence  of  gambling 
houses  was  proved  by  the  severe  and  repeated  orders  against 
them.  Almost  every  volunteer,  said  a  regular  officer,  celebrated 
his  arrival  with  a  "frolic/' 13  and  according  to  the  Mexican 
accounts,  threats,  insults  and  small  depredations  were  not 
infrequent.14 

But  in  Tampico  as  elsewhere,  the  people  had  much  less  to 
suffer,  in  all  probability,  than  from  the  Mexican  troops  who 
formerly  had  garrisoned  the  town,  and  the  big  United  States 


AFFAIRS  AT  TAMPICO  215 

flag  set  up  in  the  plaza  near  the  Panuco  represented  substantial 
benefits.  Many  new  kinds  of  manufactured  articles  made 
their  appearance,  and  all  such  things  were  sold  at  low  prices. 
Business  became  active.  According  to  tradition  the  paving 
of  the  city  dates  from  this  time.  A  theatre  was  built.  Prepa- 
rations were  made  and  presumably  carried  out  for  the  extension 
of  the  mole.  An  American  newspaper  appeared.  Mexican 
visitors  had  to  give  an, account  of  themselves,  and  there  were 
no  riots  and  no  dirks.  Patrols  marched  up  and  down  the  broad 
streets;  sentries  with  fixed  bayonets  were  on  hand  at  every 
gathering,  even  balls;  and  the  very  happiest  of  frolics  were 
pretty  sure  to  end  before  morning  with  a  nap  on  the  guard 
house  floor.14 

Some  of  the  Mexicans  thought  our  volunteer  officers  were 
afraid  of  their  men,  but  Gates,  Shields  and  the  other  commanders 
do  not  seem  to  have  been.  The  assistance  of  the  leading 
Mexicans  in  maintaining  order  was  invited ;  many  of  the  citizens 
fraternized  with  our  men ;  and  in  general  a  high  rate  of  mor- 
tality was  probably  the  only  serious  consequence  of  reckless 
tendencies.  The  residents  thought  the  American  volunteers 
careless,  badly  dressed  and  poorly  drilled ;  but  some  of  them 
admitted  they  had  never  felt  so  safe  before.14 

Clearly  our  troops  improved  in  conduct  as  time  went  on, 
but  none  the  less  their  early  excesses  had  serious  consequences. 
For  a  long  while  there  had  been  a  tendency  in  the  northeastern 
parts  of  Mexico  to  secede.  The  primary  scheme  had  been  to 
join  Texas;  and  after  our  absorption  of  Texas  ended  it,  the 
idea  of  an  independent  republic,  with  American  protection 
or  annexation  to  this  country  in  view,  gained  much  support. 
Early  in  1846  the  authors  of  this  project  were  in  communication 
with  Taylor  and  the  American  government.  Whether  such  a 
plan  could  have  been  executed  or  not,  there  were  reasons  for 
our  wishing  to  have  the  people  cherish  it.  In  such  a  mood  they 
were  bound  to  be  our  friends  instead  of  enemies,  and  the  paralyz- 
ing influence  of  their  temper  would  have  extended  into  other 
provinces.15 

Accordingly  Taylor  was  instructed  to  favor  the  idea.  But 
reports  of  the  outrages  committed  by  our  volunteers  penetrated 
to  all  quarters;  the  Mexican  authorities,  who  understood  the 
popular  tendencies,  were  doubtless  active  in  spreading  the 


216  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

reports ;  and  the  disposition  to  view  us  with  cordiality  received 
a  shock  from  which  it  never  recovered.  "People  near  Mata- 
moros,  previously  inclined  to  favor  the  Americans,"  declared 
the  comandante  general  of  Nuevo  Le6n  in  a  broadside,  "have 
written  these  weighty  words :  'The  domination  of  the  Grand 
Turk  is  kinder  than  that  of  the  Americans.  Their  motto  is 
deceit.  Tlieir  love  is  like  the  robber's.  Their  goodness  is 
usurpation ;  and  their  boasted  liberty  is  the  grossest  despotism, 
iniquity  and  insolence,  disguised  under  the  most  consummate 
hypocrisy.' "  As  an  offset,  the  bad  conduct  of  Mexican  officers 
and  troops  did  not  signify.  That  was  a  family  affair.15 

The  blackest  shadow  in  the  picture,  however,  was  New 
Mexico.  Armijo  had  compensated  the  people  for  his  tyranny 
and  robbery  by  permitting  them  every  sort  of  license  in  their 
social  relations.  Virtue  was  little  known  and  less  valued. 
Even  women  fought  duels  with  dirks  or  butcher-knives. 
Dances,  at  which  all  classes  mingled  in  the  revelry,  were  the 
chief  amusements;  the  church  bells  announced  them;  and 
at  mass  one  heard  the  same  music,  played  by  the  same  musicians. 
Gambling  and  cock-fighting  stood  next  in  esteem,  perhaps; 
and  then  came  other  vices  that  seemed  more  precisely  neces- 
sities than  ornaments  of  existence.18 

To  throw  into  a  small  and  isolated  community  of  that  sort, 
without  books  or  society  or  proper  diversions,  a  large  number 
of  young  and  reckless  frontiersmen  greatly  above  the  average 
in  physical  vigor,  was  to  make  it  a  seething  caldron  of  gross 
passions.  The  soldiers  were  not  willing  to  do  what  little  work 
there  was,  and  they  scorned  regulations.  "The  dirtiest,  row- 
diest crew  I  have  ever  seen  collected  together/'  was  a  responsible 
British  traveller's  description  of  the  American  forces ;  and  a 
soldier  wrote  in  his  diary,  "A  more  drunken  and  depraved 
set,  I  am  sure,  can  never  be  found."  To  be  liked,  an  officer 
had  to  be  lax,  and  to  be  unpopular  was  liable  to  mean  —  as 
good  officers  learned  —  a  pistol  or  a  sabre  in  one's  face.  Half 
the  captains,  a  letter  said,  could  be  found  every  night  in  bad 
places.  The  disorder  of  the  governor's  Christmas  dinner 
party  disturbed  the  whole  town.  There  was  probably  no 
deliberate  oppression.  Gross  outrages  appear  to  have  been 
few.  But  the  drunken,  brawling,  overbearing  volunteers 
despised  the  men  about  them  and  showed  it ;  and  the  latter, 


AMERICAN  RULE  IN  CALIFORNIA  217 

flouted  at  every  turn,  and  in  particular  robbed  of  their  women, 
scowled  and  brooded  with  all  the  ferocity  of  an  indolent  but 
passionate,  jealous  race,  and  plied  the  knife  when  they  dared.18 

Kearny  might  perhaps  have  ridden  the  tempest,  but  a  local 
politician  like  Price  could  only  be  swept  away.  A  few  of  the 
better  Americans  got  up  a  prayer-meeting,  but  that  was  just 
a  dewdrop  in  Tartarus.  One  began  to  be  ashamed  of  one's 
nation,  wrote  a  good  officer.  To  enhance  dissatisfaction,  the 
Indians  continued  their  depredations  as  if  no  treaties  had  been 
made.  A  well-meant  code  of  laws  was  drawn  up,  but  it  con- 
tained certain  troublesome  provisions  about  land  titles;  and 
some  taxation  had  to  be  imposed.  The  people  took  fright. 
"We  have  come  for  your  good ;  yes,  for  all  your  goods,"  began 
to  be  their  interpretation  of  Kearny's  assurances.18 

Naturally  an  insurrection  occurred.  Price  now  showed 
energy,  and  the  troops  courage.  In  a  brief  campaign,  January 
and  February,  1847,  the  malcontents  were  put  down.  But 
the  people,  though  cowed,  loved  the  victors  none  the  better, 
and  the  victors  trusted  and  respected  the  people  none  the  more. 
The  conditions  became  perhaps  worse  than  ever.16  Supplies 
were  uncertain.  Discipline  became  lax  again,  and  the  Indians 
were  now  more  rapacious  than  for  twenty  years.  Dissipation 
resulted  in  much  sickness  and  many  deaths.  Moreover  the 
people  felt  wronged  because  political  privileges  bestowed  by 
Kearny  in  excess  of  his  authority  had  to  be  withdrawn.  For 
most,  if  not  all,  of  the  time  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  the 
money  required  for  the  administration  of  civil  affairs,  and  the 
civil  authorities  clashed  with  the  military.17  Undoubtedly 
serious  difficulties  were  inherent  in  the  situation,  but  nothing 
could  excuse  our  government  for  permitting  such  a  state  of 
things  to  continue  for  so  long  a  time.18 

Very  different  was  the  scene  in  California.  Soon  after  the 
treaty  of  Cahuenga  was  made  Stockton  returned  to  his  naval 
duties,  and  Fremont,  appointed  by  him  under  the  law  of  nations, 
assumed  the  governorship.19  In  February,  1847,  however, 
orders  that  had  been  issued  at  Washington  early  in  November, 
directing  that  the  chief  military  officer  should  take  command, 
reached  San  Francisco,  and  about  the  first  of  March  Kearny 
became  the  executive.  In  general  he  was  inclined  to  be  less 
indulgent  than  Fr6mont  or  Sloat,  but  he  intended  to  be  fair  and 


218  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

kind.  "The  Americans  and  Californians,"  he  proclaimed  with 
the  same  exaggeration  of  his  authority  as  at  Santa  Fe,  "are 
now  but  one  people ;  let  us  cherish  one  wish,  one  hope,  and  let 
that  be  for  the  peace  and  quiet  of  our  country.  Let  us  as  a 
band  of  brothers  unite  and  emulate  each  other  in  our  efforts 
to  benefit  and  improve  this  our  beautiful,  and  which  soon 
must  be  our  happy  and  prosperous  home."  21 

At  the  end  of  May,  1847,  he  returned  to  the  east,  and  Colonel 
It.  B.  Mason  of  the  First  Dragoons,  whom  the  government  had 
sent  out  for  the  purpose,  became  governor  and  commander- 
in-chief .  Mason  was  an  excellent  executive,  able,  experienced, 
sensible,  strong  and  faithful.  Some  thought  his  character 
hard,  but  probably  all  clear-headed  persons  realized  that  it 
was  just.  He  believed  in  firm  though  kind  methods,  avoided 
entanglements,  and  bore  sway  successfully  till  the  close  of  the 
war.21 

The  restless  faction  of  the  Los  Angeles  district,  free  from 
the  restraint  of  a  large  American  element,  still  existed,  and  at 
intervals  caused  considerable  anxiety.  Indeed  it  is  clear  from 
Mexican  sources  that  a  hope  of  troops  from  the  south  was 
fondly  cherished  there  for  a  long  time.  The  approach  of  the 
Mormon  battalion,  which  —  after  suffering  many  hardships 
on  the  route  from  Santa  Fe  —  arrived  at  San  Diego  under 
Captain  Cooke  in  January,  1847,  excited  the  people,  for  that 
sect  was  loathed  in  California.  A  great  deal  of  trouble  about 
land  titles  arose,  for  the  surveying  had  been  poorly  done,  the 
boundaries  overlapped  in  many  instances,  and  few  had  the 
proper  documents.  Fremont's  volunteers,  expecting  large 
pay,  refused  to  be  mustered  into  the  service  under  the  law  of 
May  13,  1846,  and  were  discharged  in  a  very  angry  frame  of 
mind,  April,  1847,  with  no  pay  at  all ;  and  very  little  was  done 
toward  compensating  the  people  for  the  spoliations  committed 
by  the  volunteers.21 

The  government,  though  tempered  by  the  maintenance  of 
the  alcalde  system,  was  necessarily  a  military  one;  the  old 
alcaldes,  familiar  with  the  customs  of  the  land,  would  not  serve ; 
the  new  ones,  though  generally  good  men,  could  not  always 
give  satisfaction ;  and  the  growing  American  element,  disgusted 
with  so  unsystematic  a  system,  demanded  self-government 
and  written  laws.  No  funds  could  legally  be  had  for  the  ex- 


AMERICAN  RULE  IN  CALIFORNIA  219 

penses  of  war  and  civil  administration  except  those  derived 
from  the  customhouses,  and  the  Americans  were  so  deeply 
committed  by  their  promise  of  low  duties  that  Mason  felt 
compelled  to  reduce  the  tariff  explicitly  ordered  by  the  govern- 
ment. There  were  jealous  differences  of  opinion  on  many 
points  between  the  Californians  and  the  Americans,  between 
the  various  nationalities  of  the  foreigners,  and  between  the  old 
and  the  new  immigrants ;  and  finally  the  people  were  disturbed 
by  serious  quarrels  between  the  Stockton-Fremont  party  and 
the  Kearny-Mason  party,  and  by  the  old  fear  that  eventually 
the  Americans  would  sail  away,  leaving  them  to  settle  with 
Mexico  as  best  they  could.21 

For  troops,  besides  Company  C  of  the  First  Dragoons, 
Kearny's  escort  from  Santa  Fe,  there  were  Company  F  of  the 
Third  Artillery,  which  arrived  in  February,  1847,  the  Mormon 
battalion,  and  a  regiment  of  New  York  volunteers  under 
Colonel  J.  D.  Stevenson,  who  came  in  March,  1847,  and  were 
expected  to  remain  in  California  as  settlers  after  the  close  of 
the  war.20  Apparently  the  Mormons  were  to  be  a  source  of 
weakness  rather  than  strength,  and  the  antecedents  of  the  New 
York  regiment  inspired  little  confidence.  Stevenson's  men 
did  in  fact  begin  promptly  to  "sow  wild  oats/'  They  were 
not  disposed  to  work  on  the  fortifications,  and  they  were  in- 
subordinate. But  under  Mason's  control  they  soon  learned 
to  do  well,  and  he  reported  that  at  the  close  of  the  war  "one 
common  cry  of  regret  arose  [from  the  Californians]  at  the  order 
for  their  disbandment ;  [and]  the  little  petty  causes  of  complaint 
were  forgotten  in  the  remembrance  of  the  more  substantial 
advantages  they  had  enjoyed  under  the  protection  of  the 
military/'  The  conduct  of  the  Mormons  was  always  exem- 
plary and  they  won  the  esteem  of  the  people.21 

Imported  articles  became  cheap.  Real  estate  and  all  the 
products  of  the  soil,  particularly  at  the  north,  increased  in 
value.  Commerce  trebled  in  a  year.  All  damages  caused 
by  men  recognized  as  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  were 
repaired,  and  the  offenders  punished.  The  return  of  Jos6 
Castro  without  means  or  hopes  at  the  beginning  of  1848  pro- 
duced an  excellent  effect.  Gold-digging  became  more  at- 
tractive than  conspiracies.  And  although  a  certain  number 
of  irreconcilables  cherished  regrets  and  grievances,  the  official 


220  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

news  of  peace  and  absorption  in  the  United  States  —  which 
came  on  the  evening  of  August  6,  1848  —  greeted  a  busy  and 
hopeful  community.21 

So  much  for  the  north,  and  we  pass  now  to  the  r%ime  of 
Scott.  After  learning  of  the  atrocities  perpetrated  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  that  "scientific  and  visionary"  officer  drafted  and  laid 
before  the  secretary  of  war  a  martial-law  order,  to  be  enforced 
in  Mexico  until  action  should  be  taken  by  Congress.  But 
the  idea  of  putting  constraint  on  the  free  American  voter 
probably  struck  Marcy  with  terror.  He  started  at  the  title, 
said  nothing,  and  after  a  while  returned  the  paper  without 
comment.  Scott  then  sent  it  on  to  Taylor,  and  was  informed 
that  the  General  threw  it  aside  almost  instantly,  calling  it 
"  another  of  Scott's  lessons."  The  crying  need  of  some  adequate 
method  for  punishing  American  soldiers  in  foreign  parts  com- 
pelled Marcy  in  December  to  recommend  that  Congress  author- 
ize a  military  tribunal ;  but  that  body  also  doubtless  had  an 
eye  to  votes,  and  took  no  action.25 

Scott,  however,  though  an  aspirant  for  the  Presidency,  did 
not  shrink  from  his  duty,  and  on  arriving  in  Tampico  he  issued 
General  Orders  20,  which  threw  the  pale  of  martial  law  round 
all  United  States  forces  operating  in  Mexico,  and  provided  for 
the  punishment,  through  "military  commissions,"  of  offences 
committed  by,  in  or  upon  them.22  Orders  20,  republished  at 
Vera  Cruz,  Puebla  and  the  capital  and  widely  circulated  in 
Spanish,  were  supplemented  by  issuing  safeguards,  under 
which  one  or  more  soldiers,  bearing  a  proper  document  signed 
by  a  corps  or  division  commander,  could  be  quartered  at  any 
place  which  it  was  especially  for  the  interest  of  the  army  to 
protect.23  In  occupying  towns  the  rule  was  to  billet  no  officer 
or  man,  without  consent,  upon  any  inhabitant,  and  to  quarter 
the  troops  in  barracks  and  other  public  buildings  already  used 
for  the  purpose  by  the  Mexican  government.24  These  arrange- 
ments, the  practice  of  paying  for  everything  used  by  the  army, 
the  principle  of  treating  non-combatant  Mexicans  as  fellow- 
citizens,  and  a  strenuous  endeavor  to  enlist  the  cooperation 
of  all  the  decent  men  of  the  army  in  the  suppression  of  outrages 
constituted  the  system  of  Scott.25 

At  Vera  Cruz  misdeeds  were  perpetrated,  of  course,  but  the 
culprits  who  could  be  detected  paid  a  price  for  their  sport  that 


SCOTT'S  POLICY  221 

put  the  fear  of  the  Lord  —  or  at  least  of  Scott  —  into  the 
hearts  of  others.  One  tipsy  fellow,  who  nearly  killed  a  Mexican 
woman  with  kicks  and  blows,  was  strapped  over  a  wagon, 
given  twelve  good  lashes,  and  then  placed  at  labor  in  a  fort 
with  a  ball-and-chain  for  the  rest  of  the  war.  A  second  ruffian, 
for  a  worse  offence  against  a  woman,  was  promptly  and  pub- 
licly hanged.26  On  the  other  hand  preventive  regulations27 
concerning  liquor,  gambling,  roaming  about  the  city  and  the 
like  soon  went  into  force.80 

But  the  American  measures  were  not  simply  negative. 
Worth,  who  became  governor  as  soon  as  the  town  surrendered, 
distributed  free  rations  among  the  people,  and  prevented 
extortion  by  establishing  a  fair  scale  of  prices  for  eatables. 
A  large  force  of  laborers  was  employed  at  liberal  wages  to  clean 
the  streets  and  the  Augean  castle  of  Ulfia.  Assured  of  protection 
the  shops  reopened  promptly.  In  ten  days  the  general  effects 
of  the  bombardment  appeared  hardly  noticeable.  Freed  from 
the  exactions  of  their  officials  and  military  chiefs  and  rapidly 
gaining  confidence  in  our  intentions,  the  people  seemed  like 
new  men.  Commerce,  favored  by  the  low  American  duties, 
took  on  fresh  life.  Although  anti-Catholic  sentiment  was 
raging  in  the  United  States,  Scott  and  some  of  his  principal 
officers  attended  mass  and  even  marched  in  the  processions ; 
and  the  soldiers  were  bidden  to  salute  not  only  the  tasselled 
cane  of  the  magistrate  but  the  cassock  of  the  priest.30 

Worth  soon  moved  on  with  Scott's  army ;  but  his  successor 
was  described  by  the  British  consul  as  deserving  "all  praise." 
Those  who  followed  him  did  perhaps  equally  well;  28  all 
branches  of  the  public  service  were  maintained ;  the  good-will 
of  the  citizens  was  acquired  and  held ;  and  Lerdo  de  Tejada, 
one  of  the  best  statesmen  and  historians  of  Mexico,  has  declared 
that  Vera  Cruz  had  to  suffer  scarcely  anything  from  the  Ameri- 
can occupation  except  the  humiliation  of  foreign  rule,  while 
profiting  substantially  in  several  respects.30 

These  results  were  achieved,  too,  under  serious  and  almost 
crippling  embarrassments.  In  some  regards  the  city  was 
highly  agreeable.  Fish  more  resplendent  than  gems  lay  al- 
ways in  the  market.  A  long  list  of  delicious  fruits  and  vege- 
tables graced  each  its  proper  season.  Often  a  duet  of  the 
military  band  and  the  mocking-birds  enchanted  the  ear.  To 


222  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

sip  a  sherbet  at  noonday  —  all  the  curtains  drooping  over  the 
balconies,  the  blue  sky  gray  with  excess  of  light,  the  black- 
birds panting  with  beaks  wide  open  and  wings  partly  spread, 
the  lepero  drunk  with  sleep  in  the  shadow  of  a  wall,  a  hush 
over  the  docks,  a  stillness  in  the  market  —  had  an  exotic 
fascination;  and  an  evening  stroll  round  the  plaza  or  along 
the  beach  at  Vergara,  where  the  principal  camp  lay,  with  the 
soft,  languid,  lingering  breeze  of  the  Gulf  on  one's  face  and 
every  star  asking  to  be  counted,  was  a  delight  one  could  not 
soon  forget.30 

This  region,  however,  was  a  favorite  hunting-ground,  not 
only  of  the  yellow  fever,  but  of  diseases  even  more  fatal.29  A 
few  slices  of  the  fragrant  Cordoba  pineapple,  washed  down 
with  a  glass  of  the  almost  irresistible  brandy,  left  one  hardly 
time  to  make  a  will.  Through  the  long  day  a  huge  ball  of  fire 
called  the  sun  poured  down  an  intense  heat,  and  at  night  the 
mosquitos  were  numberless.  The  story  of  the  invalids  was 
long  and  sad ;  and  sadder  yet  the  tale  of  many  a  gallant  soldier- 
boy,  full  of  thoughts  of  the  loved  ones,  who  breathed  his  last 
sigh  in  the  crowded  wards  of  a  hospital  —  alone.30 

At  Cordoba,  where  the  lanes  blazed  with  small  red  roses, 
the  sentiment  was  intensely  Mexican,  and  the  authorities 
ordered  that  on  the  approach  of  the  American  forces  as  many 
of  the  inhabitants  as  possible  should  leave  town  with  every- 
th'ng  belonging  to  the  state  that  could  be  of  service.  But  the 
people  were  mostly  satisfied  with  shutting  themselves  up 
during  the  brief  stay  of  General  Bankhead,  and  the  merchants 
did  not  go  so  far  as  that.  The  legitimate  rights  of  the  con- 
queror were  asserted,  but  the  American  commander  perhaps 
made  full  compensation  for  this  by  requiring  the  city  council 
to  reduce  the  expenses  of  administration.  Care  was  taken  to 
provide  for  the  punishment  of  all  disorders,  and  in  particular 
for  all  interference  with  religious  observances.  After  Bank- 
head  left,  hearing  that  some  of  the  garrison  were  plundering, 
he  threatened  to  send  an  entire  battalion,  if  necessary,  to 
apprehend  the  culprits.81 

On  higher  ground  farther  west  lay  Orizaba,  sombre  yet 
beautiful  amidst  its  orchards,  gardens,  palm  groves,  orange 
trees  and  rich  fields  of  tobacco  and  sugar-cane,  like  a  proud 
Span'sh  dowager  surrounded  by  her  grandchildren.  Here  the 


THE  STATE  OF  THINGS  AT  JALAPA  223 

troops  helped  themselves  occasionally  to  fruit  and  cane,  injured 
trees  and  committed  some  graver  offences.  The  consequence 
was  that  soldiers  were  forbidden  to  leave  the  town  except  on 
service  and  the  officers  commanding  guards  in  the  outskirts 
had  to  arrest  every  man  guilty  of  such  acts  or  pay  for  the 
damages,  and  in  either  case  were  held  responsible  for  diso- 
bedience and  neglect  of  duty.32 

Of  all  the  places  occupied  by  American  troops  in  Mexico 
the  most  delightful  was  Jalapa.  In  fact,  probably  a  more 
del'ghtful  place  is  nowhere  to  be  found.  For  natural  attrac- 
tiveness it  surpasses  even  Taormina,  Kandy  and  Nikko, 
the  beauty-spots  of  Sicily,  Ceylon,  Japan.  The  abundant 
water  was  excellent,  which  could  rarely  be  said  of  Mexican 
towns,  and  ice  from  Orizaba  Mountain  could  be  had  to 
cool  the  abundant  refreshments.  The  mercury  never  stood 
high  and  never  low.  Spring  was  almost  the  only  season. 
The  foliage  always  looked  new  and  exuberant,  and  blossoms 
were  constantly  opening  as  if  with  ever  fresh  surprise.34 

From  the  plaza  one  gazed  into  a  broad  valley  tapestried 
with  many-hued  verdure.  Here  palms,  live-oaks,  magnolias, 
tamarinds  and  aguacates  —  often  enmeshed  with  beautiful 
and  sometimes  with  aromatic  vines  —  gracefully  sheltered 
the  azalea,  the  verbena,  the  poppy,  the  jasmine  and  countless 
varieties  of  geraniums  and  roses.  Here  such  exquisite  plants 
as  the  vanilla,  heliotrope  and  tree-lily  exhaled  with  unceasing 
generosity  their  delightful  odors.  Here,  amid  ancient  forests, 
gorges  curtained  with  exotic  ferns  and  orchids  extended  to 
mysterious  depths  teeming  with  all  manner  of  strange,  fasci- 
nating growths.  And  when,  after  long  surveying  this  Eden, 
or  descending  to  wander  far  in  its  mazy  paths,  one's  eye  rose 
to  a  broad  belt  of  pines  and  firs  clothing  jagged  sierras,  and  at 
last,  above  their  rich  green,  beheld  a  slender  but  enormous 
pyramid  of  snow,  the  peak  of  Orizaba,  heaven-high  and  re- 
splendent against  the  deep,  tropical  blue,  it  seemed  as  if  nature 
had  lavished  on  this  chosen  spot  the  whole  diapason  of  her 
beauty.  Music  hath  charms  to  soothe;  and  such  loveliness, 
grace,  perfume  and  grandeur,  combined,  were  splendidly  suited 
to  still  the  passions  of  war.34 

Scott  and  the  first  American  troops  proved  worthy  of  this 
paradise.  Nobody  was  molested.  The  officers  lodged  only 


224  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

in  vacated  houses.  The  soldiers  tried  to  make  friends  among 
the  townsfolk.  Our  generals  attended  the  funeral  of  a  worthy 
Mexican  officer  killed  at  Cerro  Gordo.  Gold  and  silver  flowed 
in  streams  —  brighter  than  "  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers  of 
Damascus"  —  that  reached  the  humblest  cottage.  Many 
of  the  people  wept  when  Scott  marched  away.34 

But  some  later  commands,  untamed  volunteers  who  stopped 
there  for  a  brief  time,  left  a  different  impression.  Lally's  men 
seem  to  have  been  a  scourge,  and  Wynkoop's  proved  so  lawless 
that  even  Lally's  were  glad  to  see  the  last  of  them.  During 
their  stay  the  shops  were  closed,  and  all  business  came  to  an 
end.  Seven  officers  left  their  accounts  unpaid  at  the  hotels, 
and  some  of  them  carried  away  towels  or  the  shirts  of  brother 
officers.  In  a  word  they  were  natural  thieves.  Other  mis- 
deeds could  be  traced  to  the  lack,  for  some  time,  of  pay.  But 
the  main  cause  of  trouble  was  liquor.  Against  this  evil,  as 
against  gambling  and  the  rest,  adequate  regulations  were  issued ; 
but  sometimes  commissioned  officers,  anxious  to  be  popular, 
would  force  hotel  keepers  to  let  their  men  have  drink.  At  the 
bottom  of  everything  lay  the  selling  of  liquor  by  wholly  un- 
authorized persons.  "  Let  the  municipal  authorities  unite  with 
me  to  put  a  stop  to  that  infamous  traffic"  wrote  one  American 
governor  of  the  city  to  the  first  alcalde, "and  I  will  answer  for 
it  that  there  will  be  no  disturbances  or  outrages  committed 
by  the  soldiers."  34 

Another  feature  also  of  the  American  occupation  came  out 
with  especial  clearness  at  Jalapa.  Not  only  were  offences,  ex- 
tending to  robbery  and  murder,  committed  against  our  troops, 
but  it  was  found  on  scrupulous  investigation  that  often  definite 
stories  of  misdeeds  charged  to  our  men  were  plausible  only  till 
the  other  side  came  out,  and  that  many  claims  for  damages 
were  deliberately  invented  or  grossly  exaggerated.34 

Against  all  real  offenders  the  successive  governors  — par- 
ticularly Colonel  George  W.  Hughes,  who  remained  in  office 
a  considerable  time  —  were  as  a  rule  severe.  Stern  orders, 
biting  rebukes,  earnest  appeals  to  represent  our  country 
worthily,  precautions  like  patrols  and  frequent  roll-calls,  and 
at  need  exemplary  punishments  were  not  lacking.  One  day 
four  soldiers  received  thirty  lashes  each,  had  their  heads  shaved, 
and  were  drummed  out  of  camp,  with  the  word  "ROBBER" 


THE  AMERICANS  AT  PUEBLA  225 

pasted  on  their  backs,  for  breaking  into  a  house.33  But  at 
the  same  time  careful  measures  had  to  be  taken  for  the  pro- 
tection of  our  men  and  our  government.  Happily  the  people 
in  general  seem  to  have  understood  that  some  pilfering  and 
occasionally  other  misdemeanors  were  unavoidable,  and  to 
have  appreciated  our  efforts  to  defend,  conciliate  and  please 
them,  to  maintain  —  in  cooperation  with  the  town  officials  — 
the  municipal  service,  to  provide  for  the  charities  of  the  city, 
and  to  ensure  respect  for  woman,  religion  and  civil  authority. 
Vigne,  a  French  traveller,  says  the  Americans  were  much  liked 
at  Jalapa,  and  probably  they  were  nowhere  treated  more 
pleasantly.34 

At  Puebla,  August  1,  1847,  the  Robert  Anderson  of  Fort 
Sumter  wrote :  "  We  have  been  now  in  this  large  City  since 
May  15th,  with  a  soldiery  gathered  from  many  Nations,  many 
of  them  undisciplined,  and  yet,  I  will  venture  the  assertion, 
without  fear  of  contradiction,  that,  in  no  City  of  the  same 
size,  either  in  our  own  blessed  Country  or  in  any  other,  is 
private  property,  or  are  private  rights,  more  secure  and  better 
guarded  than  here.  .  .  .  Not  an  instance,  I  am  certain,  has 
been  elicited,  or  brought  to  light,  of  one  of  our  soldiers  killing 
a  Mexican.  .  .  .  'Tis  truly  wonderful,  I  cannot  understand 
it." 35  The  people  are  all  contented,  said  a  letter  to  El 
Republicano,  for  business  is  good  and  taxes  are  low;  and,  he 
might  have  added,  an  American  band  plays  for  us  in  the  park. 
It  is  "  almost  incredible,"  admitted  a  writer  n  El  National, 
a  newspaper  of  the  state,  how  well  the  American  soldiers  treat 
our  priests  and  women.  How  are  they  able  to  wear  the  mask 
so  long?  The  common  people,  not  seeing  through  the  trick, 
accept  their  conduct  in  good  faith.37 

After  the  siege  ended,  some  of  our  men  were  arrested  for 
plundering  houses  from  which  they  had  been  fired  upon,  and 
there  was  a  little  pilfering  at  the  fruit  stands ;  but  Ftirlong,  the 
Mexican  prefect,  urged  the  people  to  give  the  war  no  further 
thought,  and  friendly  relations  very  soon  returned.  Street 
lanterns  were  still  punctured  occasionally  by  tipsy  and  facetious 
Americans  with  their  bayonets,  but  they  were  paid  for.  When 
Lane's  brigade  of  volunteers  arrived,  complaints  began  in 
earnest,  and  a  committee  laid  the  situation  before  Scott ;  but 
there  was  no  case  ojF  such  importance  that  amends  or  even 


226  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

invest* gat'on  was  demanded,36  The  city  council  stated  to  the 
prefect  that  Childs  had  saved  its  authority,  improved  the 
condit  on  of  the  town,  aided  the  Mexican  officials,  and  given 
them  willing  audience  in  order  to  concert  measures  for  the 
public  good.  One  measure  in  particular  was  the  re-establish- 
ment of  the  chamber  of  commerce,  destroyed  by  the  state 
government;  and,  as  the  bishop  admitted,  Childs  did  all  in 
his  power  to  prevent  and  remedy  abuses.37 

At  Mexico  City  there  were  "some  outrages  naturally/5 
reported  Doyle,  charge  d'affaires  of  England;  and  emphasis 
can  fairly  be  placed  on  his  last  word,  for  the  troops,  entering 
the  town  excited  by  desperate  fighting  and  crowned  with 
victory,  were  fired  upon  by  the  populace,  and  found  themselves 
hunted  at  every  turn  by  robbers,  assassins  and  their  confeder- 
ates.38 Doyle  added  that  "even  from  the  beginning  a  great 
deal  of  forbearance"  was  *  displayed  by  the  Americans;  and 
the  correspondent  of  the  London  Daily  News  wrote,  "On  the 
whole  I  must  confess  that  General  Scott  and  his  troops  have 
acted  with  unexpected  moderation. "  Indeed,  they  "have 
shown  an  exemplary  clemency,"  admitted  a  Mexican  letter 
printed  by  a  Mexican  paper.43 

The  restaurant-keeper  who  furnished  a  meal  and  got  rather 
less  than  he  expected  or  the  janitor  who  tried  to  keep  soldiers 
out  of  their  assigned  quarters  and  got  rather  more,  had  little 
reason  to  complain.  Indeed,  both  had  reason  to  be  content, 
for  in  a  city  full  of  leperos  and  escaped  felons  property  and  life 
depended  upon  our  protection.  "We  must  endure  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Americans  or  suffer  worse  things/'  said  a  Mexican. 
No  allowances  were  made  by  Scott,  however.39  "Revelling 
in  the  halls  of  Montezuma"  means  now,  a  soldier  wrote  home, 
that  if  the  patrol  finds  you  in  the  street  after  eight  o'clock  in 
the  evening  you  are  taken  to  the  guardhouse,  and  if  noisy, 
you  are  handcuffed ;  and  for  more  serious  offences  the  punish- 
ments were  extremely  severe.  Quitman,  the  first  governor  of 
the  city,40  and  P.  F.  Smith,  who  succeeded  him,  ably  seconded 
the  commander-in-chief.43 

Under  such  auspices  the  shops  began  to  open  within  a  week 
after  the  capital  surrendered,  and  business  was  soon  brisker 
than  ever.  The  clergy  were  somewhat  refractory,  and  on 
September  19  all  the  churches  were  found  closed;  but  Quit- 


AMERICAN  RULE  AT  THE  CAPITAL  227 

man  immediately  sent  word  that  should  they  remain  closed, 
the  United  States  flags  would  be  removed  from  their  towers 
as  a  sign  that  our  army  had  withdrawn  its  protection.  No 
further  hint  was  needed,  for  millions  in  gold,  silver  and  gems 
lay  within  their  dark  walls;  and  soon  the  relations  between 
army  and  church  became  entirely  satisfactory.43 

The  troops  then  felt  at  liberty  to  make  themselves  at  home. 
The  American  Star,  "a  neat  and  saucy  little  sheet/'  whose 
proprietors  and  editors  had  followed  the  troops  from  Vera 
Cruz,  and  set  up  their  press  wherever  Scott  made  a  stay,  ap- 
peared on  September  20,  and  later  was  followed  by  the  North 
American*1  The  cafes  and  eating  places  took  on  strange 
names :  New  York  Restaurant  Eagle  Hotel,  Old  Kentucky 
House  and  the  like.  "American  Dry  Goods/'  read  one  sign; 
" Mince  Pies  for  sale  Here/'  another;  "Mush  and  Milk  at  AH 
Hours/'  a  third.  Officers  formed  an  association  called  the 
Aztec  Club.  An  agitation  for  an  American  railroad  to  Vera 
Cruz  began.  An  American  sermon  was  preached  at  the  palace 
in  the  splendid  Ambassadors'  Hall,  on  the  text:  "Only  fear 
the  LORD,  and  serve  Him  in  truth  with  all  your  heart;  for 
consider  how  great  things  he  hath  done  for  you";  and  other 
sermons  followed.  American  citizens,  temporarily  soldiers, 
made  all  the  shows  prosperous,  and  a  complimentary  benefit 
was  given  to  Sefiora  Canete  at  the  National  Theatre  by  "The 
Chiefs  and  Officers  of  the  American  Army/'  As  cold  weather 
came  on,  stoves,  chimneys  and  smoke  made  their  appearance 
to  the  intense  astonishment  of  the  natives,  total  strangers 
to  such  abominations;  and  finally  that  proud  Spanish  insti- 
tution, the  bull-fight,  succumbed  in  this  manner  i43 

"The  Publid  are  respectfull  informed  thoh  the  secind  Bull  Fihk  niil 
take  place,  this  Evening,  Wsdnesday,  lOte  instant,  cohen  nill  bi  introduced 
&  variez  of  new  performanas,  by  the  Compay  of  Bull  Fighk,  and  fa  which 
occasia  has  been  obtaind.    Some  of  the  mest  fusian  Bulls  in  the  Countri. 
THIS  WSDNESDAY.    NIGHT  10  NOVEMBRE  1847." 

Unfortunately,  under  such  names  as  "Contreras,"  "Churu- 
busco "  and  "Old  Chapultepec,"  American  drinks  of  established 
fame  arrived.  Music  halls  and  dance  houses,  familiarly  known 
as  the  Hells  of  Montezuma,  were  crowded.  Relieved  now  from 
the  anxiety  and  tension  of  the  campaign,  the  gallant  volunteers 
could  not  be  sti  1  a  moment.  Generally  they  were  rather 


228  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

brusque  and  rowdyish,  and  to  the  polite  Mexicans  they  ap- 
peared even  more  so  than  they  really  were.  They  loved  to 
present  themselves  at  a  show  with  trousers  tucked  into  their 
boots,  drape  their  legs  over  the  backs  of  the  seats,  and  yell 
for  American  patriotic  airs ;  and  they  seemed  to  be  always 
eating  except  when  busy  with  a  glass.43 

Gambling  became  a  rage,  and  in  its  temples  were  other 
priestesses  besides  those  of  Chance.  Of  La  Bella  Uni6n,  the 
chief  resort,  it  was  said,  What  is  unknown  "  is  as  well  as  what 
is  known/'  Eager  for  popularity  and  advancement  many 
officers  would  not  interfere,  and  in  fact  some  of  them  sank 
almost  as  low  as  their  men.  One  consequence  of  such  dissi- 
pation was  illness,42  and  another  was  robberies,  quarrels  and 
fights.  The  arrival  of  reinforcements  —  fresh  volunteers 
and  recruits  —  quickened  all  riotous  tendencies.  So  far  as 
personal  morals  went  the  conditions  of  Santa  Fe  were  ap- 
proached by  not  a  few,  and  to  crown  all  two  volunteer  officers, 
involved  in  what  seems  to  have  been  a  gambling-house  fracas, 
were  convicted  of  murder.  Conqueror  as  well  as  conquered 
must  pay  his  penalty.43 

Most,  however,  shrank  from  such  a  life,  and  many  tried  to 
render  the  American  stay  a  fine  experience  for  themselves 
and  for  others.  It  was  not  in  vain.  Their  nobler  tastes 
found  congenial  soil.  The  turquoise  sky,  the  pictured  facades 
of  the  houses,  the  handsome  gray  old  palaces  curiously  and 
lavishly  sculptured,  and  embellished  with  precious  tiles  in  blue 
and  white,  the  Alameda  with  its  grand  trees  and  its  fountain, 
the  amazing  richness  of  the  churches  and  their  wondrous 
gilded  carvings,  the  embroidered  gold  vestments  of  the  priests, 
the  perfume  here  and  there  of  an  ancient  garden  stealing  out 
through  a  broken  wall,  the  red  conflagration  of  sunrise  behind 
snowy  mountains,  the  distant,  mellow  clang  of  a  convent  bell 
as  evening  shadows  gathered,  the  brilliant  round  moon  turning 
the  peaks  into  gigantic  veiled  watchmen  and  setting  massive 
domes  and  spires  a-quiver  with  a  mystical  sort  of  life  —  these 
things  helped  introduce  our  finer  spirits  to  the  heart  of  the  land, 
and  fill  them  with  sympathy  and  good-will.  Mexico  has 
never  been  without  strangers  to  love  her,  and  she  found  such 
among  her  conquerors.48 

Here  our  survey  of  the  ground  ends,  but  a  few  vertical 


AMERICAN  METHODS  229 

sections  will  be  instructive.  While  always  having  it  understood 
that  our  authority  was  paramount,  the  American  local  governors 
desired  to  let  the  alcaldes  and  ayuntamientos  (city  councils) 
look  after  municipal  affairs,  and  were  disposed  to  cooperate 
in  a  liberal  fashion  with  them  for  the  good  order,  the  efficient 
and  economical  administration  and  even  the  improvement 
of  the  towns.46 

Naturally  enough  those  officials,  exposed  to  the  criticism 
of  both  sides,  found  their  positions  irksome.  Usually,  though 
not  always,  they  were  permitted  to  resign  if  they  chose  to  do 
so,  and  new  officials  were  then  elected  by  the  people  or  appointed 
by  the  governor.  Shields  extinguished  the  ayuntamiento  of 
Tampico  for  incompetence  and  malfeasance  in  office,  and 
selected  their  successors.  At  Mexico  a  refractory  council  was 
dissolved  by  Scott,  and  a  Puro  body,  friendly  to  the  Americans 
and  anxious  to  make  the  city  government  democratic  through 
our  aid,  was  chosen  in  a  somewhat  irregular  way.  When 
provisions,  mules  and  other  such  things  were  needed,  it  was 
usual  to  call  upon  the  town  authorities  to  furnish  them  at  liberal 
prices.  A  threat  that  otherwise  the  needed  supplies  would  be 
taken  by  force  and  nothing  paid,  often  accompanied  the  re- 
quest ;  but  this  was  in  most  cases  only  designed  to  justify  the 
authorities,  in  the  view  of  the  people,  for  complying.46 

Attention  was  paid  by  the  governors  to  the  care  and  lighting 
of  the  streets,  proper  sanitation,  the  maintenance  of  schools, 
hospitals,  prisons  and  public  works,  and  especially  to  the 
police.  At  Cordoba  the  city  guards  were  allowed  to  carry 
only  clubs,  but  such  a  restriction  was  not  usual.  Worth  had 
regulars  for  policemen  at  one  time.  At  Puebla  after  the  siege 
a  guard  of  100  volunteers  patrolled  the  streets  all  night.  Gen- 
eral Smith  enlisted  at  Mexico  a  picked  body  of  four  hundred 
American  soldiers.  Shields,  while  governor  of  Tampico,  placed 
an  officer  of  the  regulars  at  the  head  of  this  department.  The 
police  were  firmly  supported  by  the  governor,  if  they  proved 
reliable ;  if  not,  a  change  occurred.  The  Americans  held  that 
peaceable  citizens  lost  none  of  their  political  rights  during 
our  occupation,  and  on  election  days  our  troops  were  kept  in 
their  quarters  or  marched  out  of  town.44  So,  too,  Mexican 
tribunals  were  entirely  free  in  dealing  with  Mexican  affairs, 
though  no  one  connected  with  our  army  could  be  tried  by  them ; 


230  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  their  decisions  were  enforced  by  our  commanders.45  When 
Mexicans  were  placed  before  an  American  military  commission 
they  were  permitted  to  bring  counsel,  but  occasionally  some- 
what unusual  methods  had  to  be  employed,  because  men  ready 
to  make  any  sort  of  an  oath  in  defence  of  a  fellow-countryman 
could  always  be  found.  Our  protection  extended,  of  course, 
to  the  subjects  of  foreign  powers.46 

Social  relations  between  the  Mexicans  and  our  armies  were 
hindered  by  the  old  impression  that  Americans  were  haughty, 
taciturn  and  insolent,  by  the  fear  of  receiving  actual  insults 
and  injuries  from  our  soldiery,  and,  when  this  fear  wore  off, 
by  a  dread  that  any  association  with  Americans  would  later 
be  punished  by  fellow-citizens  —  as  proved  to  be  the  result 
at  Victoria,  for  example.  The  relations  of  Scott  and  his 
officers  with  churchmen  were  generally  good,  but  as  a  rule 
the  educated  and  wealthy  moved  away  on  our  approach  or  shut 
themselves  up.  In  the  case  of  Tampico,47  however,  officers 
were  able  to  secure  the  presence  of  Mexican  ladies  at  a  steam- 
boat excursion  and  a  ball.50 

As  a  rule,  Parras  was  hospitable  throughout  the  war.  At 
Jalapa  the  two  nationalities  mixed  somewhat  freely.  Governor 
Hughes  became  intimate  with  the  leading  clergymen,  and  he 
stated  that  on  account  of  the  general  cordiality  shown  by  the 
Franciscans  the  head  of  that  order  was  banished  from  the 
capital.  A  handsome  ball  was  given  there  to  Childs  when  he 
left  the  city.  It  was  at  Mexico,  however,  that  social  relations 
were  best  established.48  Society  decided  rather  promptly  to 
appear  in  public  as  usual.  Even  common  soldiers  were  often 
able  to  make  friends  of  respectable  persons,  and  officers 
became  intimate  in  many  families.  What  was  more  surprising, 
a  figure  in  public  affairs  like  Alam&n  opened  his  door.50 

The  women,  usually  so  ardent  in  their  patriotism,  were 
noticeably  cordial.  The  Mexican  men  were  as  a  rule  es- 
sentially feminine,  and  the  downright  virility  of  the  northern 
breed  made  itself  deeply  and  quickly  felt.  Less  than  three 
weeks  after  the  capture  of  Monterey  Private  Kingsbury  naively 
wrote,  "The  women  are  very  kind.  ...  I  enjoy  myself  much 
in  company  with  the  fair  Senoras."  Conversation  was 
probably  somewhat  limited ;  but  a  great  many  soldiers  made  a 
dash  at  Spanish,  and  while  some  concluded  the  people  did  not 


AMERICAN  RULE  BENEFICENT  231 

understand  their  own  language,  others  achieved  results  that 
were  at  least  interesting.49  Our  officers,  it  hardly  need  be 
said,  never  lagged  behind  their  men.50 

A  fandango  on  hard  ground  beside  a  winding  river  with  man- 
dolins and  guitars  softly  singing  and  moonlight  sifting  down 
through  gently  waving  palms,  was  not  despised,  and  to  go  from 
leaky  canvas  to  a  gilded  ball-room  for  a  whirl  with  a  black-eyed 
beauty  who  could  waltz  with  a  full  glass  of  water  on  her  head, 
was  a  strong  argument  for  treating  Mexicans  kindly.  The 
dark  senoritas  of  Jalapa  in  particular,  and  still  more  their 
celestial  cousins  of  the  golden  hair  and  blue  eyes,  loved  to 
dance,  chat  and  intrigue,  and  now  their  wit  and  their  fans 
had  the  opportunity  of  a  lifetime ;  at  Puebla,  the  full  name  of 
which  meant  The  City  of  Angels,  "  bewitching  glances "  often 
made  our  officers  feel  "aguish/'  said  one  of  them;  and  the 
capital  stood  first  in  this  as  in  all  other  respects.  Romance 
never  had  a  more  brilliant  or  a  deadlier  course.  Many  a  brave 
heart  was  thrilled  by  a  mysterious  invitation  that  meant  per- 
haps a  kiss  and  perhaps  a  stab,  and  many  a  fearless  gallant 
made  a  wild  ride  into  the  night.  That  woman's  subtle  power, 
added  to  the  influence  of  our  gentlemanly  and  highly  educated 
officers  in  social  intercourse,  had  important  effects  on  public 
sentiment  cannot  be  doubted.  Still,  fear  of  their  own  country- 
men prevented  people  from  associating  openly  with  Americans 
to  any  great  extent.50 

In  short,  as  this  phase  of  the  subject  is  reviewed,  one  finds 
much  that  was  deplorable  and  in  the  case  of  a  foreign  war 
should  always  be  guarded  against.  But  that  is  not  strange. 
War  is  ugly  business ;  and  since  all  of  us  begin  conscious  ex- 
istence as  savages,  and  many  rise  little  above  that  stage,  we 
should  not  be  surprised  if  some  of  our  soldiers,  deprived  to 
such  an  extent  of  uplifting  influences,  reverted  more  or  less 
toward  it.  Besides,  a  grain  or  two  of  lawlessness  is  after  all 
a  normal  and  useful  ingredient  in  human  nature.52 

On  the  whole  there  was  a  vast  deal  to  admire  and  praise. 
Scott,  a  man  well  versed  in  the  history  of  campaigns,  asserted 
that  his  troops  displayed  "the  highest  moral  deportment  and 
discipline  ever  known  in  an  invading  army."  Doyle,  after 
making  careful  inquiries  all  the  way  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the 
capital  and  viewing  the  case  as  a  practical  man,  reported  with 


232  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

reference  to  our  troops  that  "Even  from  the  account  of  the 
Mexicans  themselves  they  seem  to  have  behaved  very  well/' 
Guti&rez  de  Estrada,  a  Mexican  of  high  standing,  said  to  his 
people  that  the  Americans  occupying  their  country  ensured 
them  security  of  person  and  possessions  and  all  proper  satis- 
factions better  than  their  own  governments  had  ever  done.52 

And  when  one  considers  also  the  relative  fewness  of  serious 
outrages  and  the  comparatively  small  number  of  individuals 
affected,  the  great  sums  of  money  paid  for  supplies  and  labor,61 
the  reduced  prices  of  almost  all  manufactured  articles,  the 
prevention  of  brigandage,  insurrections,  and  civil  as  well  as 
military  extortions,  tyranny  and  excesses  in  the  territory  that 
we  held,  the  promotion  of  commerce  and  trade,  the  good  ideas 
of  municipal  administration  frequently  exhibited  by  the  govern- 
ors of  towns,  and  the  fine  examples  of  subordination  to  author- 
ity, both  military  and  civil,  exhibited  by  all  grades  of  our  troops 
from  the  private  up  to  General  Scott  himself  —  when  these 
things  are  considered,  one  may  well  feel  that  our  occupation 
was  a  blessing  to  the  people.  Yet  —  they  would  rather  have 
had  Mexican  abuse  than  American  benefits.52 


XXXII 
PEACE 

October,  1847-July,  1848 

IN  the  end  peace  came,  for  sooner  or  later  it  had  to  come ; 
but  nobody  could  have  imagined  the  extraordinary  course  of 
events  that  was  to  bring  it  about,  and  for  a  long  while  it  seemed 
impossible. 

All  the  men  of  sense  in  Mexico  recognized  that  she  had  neither 
physical  nor  moral  strength  enough  to  continue  the  struggle, 
but  the  majority  of  the  nation  were  not  sensible.  The  old  in- 
fluences operated  still.  Some  could  not  forgive  the  outrages 
perpetrated  by  our  volunteers;  some  wished  so  lucrative  a 
war  to  continue ;  some  dreaded  the  demoralizing  effect  of  the 
millions  coming  from  the  United  States,  of  which  every  politi- 
cian and  every  military  chief  were  sure  to  want  as  much  as 
possible.  Incorrigible  vanity  still  ignored  failures  and  offered 
iridescent  hopes.  Pride  revolted  against  making  terms  while 
the  invader's  foot  pressed  the  sacred  earth  of  the  fatherland, 
and  against  the  inevitable  surrender  of  territory.  At  least, 
said  not  a  few,  we  must  wait  until  we  make  ourselves  look  for- 
midable, so  as  to  command  respect ;  and  this  meant  indefinite 
postponement.1 

Our  army  still  appeared  insignificant;  many  of  our  troops 
were  deserting,  and  some  of  the  generals  hated  one  another. 
Most  of  the  people  saw  an  American  soldier  or  heard  a  word  of 
English  seldom,  if  at  all.  Almost  everything  went  on  as  be- 
fore. The  people  confessed  their  sins  to  the  same  priests,  an- 
swered for  their  misdemeanors  in  the  same  courts,  bribed  the 
same  officials,  paid  taxes  to  the  same  embezzlers,  and  were 
bullied  by  the  same  policemen  in  the  same  uniform.  Evi- 
dently the  Americans  dared  not  use  their  advantage.  On  the 
other  hand  they  were  eager  for  peace.  Doubtless  they 
knew  the  war  had  few  apologists  in  the  United  States,  thought 

233 


234  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

many,  and  realized  that  soon  a  change  of  administration  would 
end  it.1 

A  large  section  of  the  Puro  party  —  a  section  which  may  be 
called  for  the  present  purpose  Eventualists  —  felt,  even  though 
Santa  Anna's  fall  had  removed  one  great  objection  to  peace, 
that  it  was  highly  desirable  to  have  the  war  continue  until  the 
old  army  should  be  virtually  exterminated,  or  desired  that  at 
least  we  should  hold  the  country  until  the  military,  clerical, 
political  and  social  reforms  desired  by  the  Puros  could  be  effected 
and  public  tranquillity  be  ensured.  A  larger  number  than  ever 
craved  annexation  to  the  United  States  as  the  only  guaranty  of 
order  and  prosperity ;  and  still  others  dared  not  advocate  peace, 
lest  they  should  be  charged  with  lacking  patriotism  or  touching 
"  foreign  gold."  Besides,  had  not  the  government,  since  the 
fall  of  the  capital,  announced  that  all  damages  resulting  from 
hostilities  would  have  to  be  made  good  by  the  United  States? 
That  did  not  seem  like  throwing  up  the  sponge.1 

In  addition  to  these  embarrassments  many  facts  appeared  to 
show  that  sensible,  concerted  action,  even  if  generally  desired, 
would  be  impossible.  Political  organization  seemed  to  be  dis- 
solving. News  of  riots  and  insurrections  came  on  every  wind. 
Even  the  governor  of  Mexico  state  was  made  a  prisoner  by 
malcontents.  Many  believed  with  reason  that,  like  the 
Texas  war,  the  present  conflict  had  been  used  as  a  pretext  for 
official  extortion,  and  refused  to  pay  taxes.  The  central  govern- 
ment was  regarded  not  infrequently  as  a  common  enemy. 
Unruly,  vicious,  greedy  men  —  especially  the  unpaid  army  of- 
ficers —  plotted  incessantly.  Signs  pointed  to  Indian  uprisings, 
which  the  presence  of  the  Americans  encouraged.  State  decrees 
against  an  ignominious  peace,  and  state  governments  that 
had  not  experienced  the  ills  of  invasion,  barred  the  way  of 
negotiation.2 

Secessions  looked  highly  probable.  The  Coalition  of  Lagos 
agitated  constantly.  The  legally  obliterated  state  of  Aguas 
Calientes  threatened  to  take  up  arms.  Zacatecas  made  trouble 
about  internal  affairs.  The  Eventualists,  or  a  large  part  of 
them,  felt  ready  to  smash  the  federal  union  into  bits.  The 
monarchists  labored,  not  without  success,  to  prove  that  a 
European  king  and  European  troops  could  save  the  nation. 
The  Santannistas  hoped  to  make  the  Prince  of  Spoilers  dictator. 


PEACE  NEGOTIATIONS  REOPENED      235 

Many  of  the  Puros  felt  ready  to  join  them  in  order  to  regain  a 
share  of  the  power,  and  a  dull,  subterranean  rumbling  satisfied 
not  a  few  that  Santa  Anna  would  soon  be  supreme.  Almonte, 
the  implacable  foe  of  peace,  though  now  regarded  by  nearly 
every  one  as  a  cunning,  selfish  adventurer,  seemed  to  many  a 
useful  tool ;  and  his  Presidential  hopes  found  strong  support.2 

Among  the  Americans  officers  pessimism  reigned.  In  point  of 
time,  wrote  the  commanding  general,  we  may  not  be  half  through 
the  war.  Bankhead  could  observe  no  sign  of  peace.  "Mexico 
is  an  ugly  enemy.  She  will  not  fight  —  and  will  not  treat/' 
said  Webster.  The  venerable  Albert  Gallatin,  scanning  the 
horizon  from  his  watchtower,  discovered  "hardly  any  hope" 
that  peace  would  be  concluded  by  Folk's  administration.  With 
the  capture  of  Mexico  City  the  real  difficulties  of  the  Americans 
begin,  thought  Le  Correspondant  of  Paris;  and  the  London 
Times  declared  that  we  should  have  to  drop  the  war  or  annex  a 
country  that  would  cost  us  more  than  its  value. 

The  conditions  threatened  a  long,  expensive,  demoralizing 
occupation  of  Mexico,  leading  almost  inevitably  to  either  our 
absorbing  millions  of  undesirable  aliens  or  our  becoming  in- 
volved in  a  general  state  of  irritation  and  hostility  liable  to  end 
in  a  national  outburst  of  hatred  and  fury  against  us.  To  avoid 
these  deplorable  alternatives  Polk  thought  of  practically  setting 
up  a  government  with  which  to  make  peace.  But  such  an 
organization  —  even  if  really  feasible,  which  Polk  himself 
doubted  —  would  have  required  protection  for  a  length  of  time 
that  no  one  could  forecast,  would  very  likely  have  ended  in  the 
same  dilemma  as  undisguised  occupation,  and,  if  at  all  success- 
ful, might  have  given  the  world  a  pretext  for  saddling  Mexico's 
future  upon  us.  How  to  escape  from  the  predicament  Polk 
and  his  advisers  discussed  anxiously  but  without  success.3 

President  Pena  y  Pena,  however,  supported  by  his  Cabinet, 
by  a  group  of  true,  honest  patriots  and  by  the  Moderado  party 
in  general,  determined  to  end  the  war ;  and  Trist,  who  under- 
stood their  sentiments,  reopened  the  subject  on  the  twentieth 
of  October.  Within  a  fortnight  he  was  informed  that  Mexico 
desired  peace,  and  would  appoint  commissioners  in  a  few  days. 
November  2  Congress  met.  Letters  in  favor  of  concluding  the 
hostilities  poured  in  upon  the  members  and  had  their  effect.  The 
Puro-Santannista  league  attacked  the  government  promptly 


236  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

on  the  ground  of  remissness  in  conducting  the  war,  but  a  resolu- 
tion calling  upon  the  ministry  to  state  what  military  steps  it  had 
taken  failed  by  more  than  two  to  one.  Senator  Otero  offered 
a  motion,  forbidding  the  authorities  to  consider  the  cession  of 
any  territory  held  without  question  by  Mexico  before  the  war ; 
but  this  was  rejected,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  by  a  vote  of  46  to  29. 
Sefior  del  Rio  then  summoned  the  administration  to  state 
whether  negotiations  with  Trist  had  been  resumed,  and  he  also 
went  down.4 

On  the  eleventh  came  the  election  of  an  interim  President, 
and  again  the  peace  party  triumphed.  The  opposition  —  which 
had  found  Almonte  too  unpopular,  especially  among  the  San- 
tannistas  —  gave  their  votes  to  Cumplido,  on  the  basis  of  an 
understanding  that  Santa  Anna  should  neither  be  reinstated 
nor  be  put  on  trial,  but  Anaya  was  chosen  by  42  against  31. 
About  a  week  later  the  representatives  of  seven  states  met  at 
Queretaro  by  invitation  of  the  government,  and  after  a  desul- 
tory but  illuminating  discussion  of  nearly  ten  days  agreed,  with 
the  exception  of  San  Luis  Potosi,  to  support  a  movement  for 
peace.  Even  the  war  party  felt  the  strength  of  the  current.5 

Some  action  in  that  sense  looked  almost  sure ;  and,  as  a  new 
Congress  was  expected  to  assemble  at  the  beginning  of  the 
year,  the  present  members,  partly  in  consequence  of  intrigues 
and  partly  from  a  fear  of  responsibility,  slipped  away  in  such 
numbers  as  to  conclude  the  session,  leaving  the  government  a 
free  field.  The  opposition  then  came  to  a  head  in  an  insurrec- 
tion at  Queretaro.  But  Anaya  brought  out  artillery  and  some 
reliable  troops,  particularly  200  American  deserters,  and  an- 
nounced that  he  would  not  only  fight  in  deadly  earnest  but  make 
examples  of  the  chief  rebels.  To  the  insurgents  these  ideas 
were  novel  and  shocking,  and  they  declined  to  play  the  game 
out.  The  road  to  peace  then  seemed  to  be  open.6 

But  the  marplot  had  been  at  work.  Finding  he  could  not 
control  Scott's  policy  with  reference  to  the  armistice  and  prob- 
ably wishing  to  undermine  the  general-in-chief ,  Pillow  had  writ- 
ten to  the  President.  Exactly  what  he  said  cannot  be  stated,  but 
probably  he  described  the  armistice  as  a  gross  blunder,  and  ao 
cused  our  peace  commissioner  of  acting  as  a  tool  of  Scott  for  the 
injury  of  Folk's  friends  —  especially  Pillow ;  and  on  October  4 
Polk  ordered  the  recall  of  Trist.  In  his  despatch  Buchanan  in- 


TRIST  RECALLED  237 

timated  that  our  envoy's  presence  might  encourage  the  Mexi- 
cans to  insist  upon  insulting  terms,  like  those  tendered  by  them 
on  September  6,  and  —  probably  with  a  view  to  hardening  our 
conditions  —  announced  that  Mexico  must  sue  for  peace  at 
Washington.  By  the  twenty-first  came  news  that  Scott  had 
entered  the  capital,  and  that  Trist  had  fallen  short  of  obedience 
by  intimating  that  possibly  we  might  not  insist  upon  the  Rio 
Grande  line.  Folk's  feelings  grew  hot  as  he  reflected,  and  on  the 
twenty-fifth  a  special  messenger  set  out  with  a  reprimand  and 
a  repetition  of  the  order  to  leave  Mexico.  Both  despatches 
reached  their  destination  on  the  same  day,  November  16.6 

On  receiving  them  Trist  decided  to  inform  the  Mexican  au- 
thorities of  his  recall  and  go  home  at  the  first  opportunity.  In- 
deed it  seemed  to  him  the  best  policy  to  return  and  lay  before  his 
government  some  of  the  information  it  lacked.  But  a  special 
escort  could  not  be  spared, -and,  as  no  train  was  to  go  down  until 
December  4,  he  could  be  deliberate.  By  Thornton,  therefore, 
who  was  temporarily  in  charge  of  the  British  legation  and  set  out 
for  Queretaro  the  next  day,  he  sent  merely  an  informal  notice 
of  what  had  occurred,  with  a  request  that  some  proposal  be  sent 
on  to  Polk.  By  the  day  Thornton  arrived  (November  21)  Mex- 
ican peace  commissioners  had  been  appointed ;  and  Pena, 
minister  of  relations  under  the  interim  government,  listened 
to  his  news  with  signs  of  emotion  painful  to  witness.  No 
Mexican  felt  ready  to  sue  for  peace  at  Washington,  and  Folk's 
demand  signified  the  failure  and  political  ruin  of  the  peace  men.7 

Pena  took  the  ground  that  Trist's  proposal  to  reopen  the 
negotiations  bound  his  government,  and  implored  the  charge  to 
urge  upon  him  the  sincerity  and  the  difficulties  of  the  Mexican 
authorities.  He  also  begged  Thornton  for  an  intimation,  to 
be  used  against  the  war  party,  that  England  could  not  be 
counted  upon  for  assistance ;  and  the  charge  complied  promptly 
with  both  requests.  Fortified  also  by  the  action  of  Congress 
and  the  sentiment  of  the  governors,  and  believing  that  in  view 
of  Mexico's  present  attitude  the  United  States  would  shortly 
cancel  its  orders  of  recall,  Pena  then  officially  notified  Trist  that 
negotiators  had  been  appointed.7 

Our  commissioner  now  found  himself  in  a  most  extraordinary 
position.  Buchanan's  letters  of  recall  proved  that  peace  was 
desired  and  the  situation  misunderstood  bv  our  Executive,  but 


238  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

these  facts  could  not  obliterate  certain  others.  Trist  was  not 
merely  a  private  citizen  but  a  discharged  official  under  the  frown 
of  his  government.  Dealings  with  Pena  could  be  described  as 
traitorous.  A  warning  against  confidence  in  Mexican  pretences 
and  a  notice  that  harder  terms  would  now  be  exacted  by  the 
United  States  had  been  served  upon  him ;  and  what  those  terms 
would  be  he  could  only  imagine.  Yet  he  fully  believed  in  the 
sincerity  of  Pena  and  his  associates.  Thornton  confirmed  this 
opinion,  and  adjured  him  to  improve  the  opportunity.  No  one 
on  the  ground  could  see  any  other  way  to  peace.  General 
Scott  favored  negotiating  and  probably  expressed  the  opinion 
to  Trist,  as  to  Mexicans,  that,  should  he  make  a  treaty,  it 
would  be  accepted  by  the  United  States.  But  on  him,  Nicholas 
P.  Trist  alone,  it  depended  to  say  whether  two  nations  were  to 
be  miserable  or  happy,  to  keep  on  cutting  at  each  other's  throats 
or  enjoy  the  blessings  of  peace ;  and  on  him  it  rested  to  assume, 
should  he  take  humanity  and  patriotism  for  guides,  a  most 
arduous  task  at  the  gravest  personal  risk  and  with  no  sub- 
stantial profit  in  view.  At  noon  on  December  4  he  decided 
aright,  and  it  was  a  truly  noble  act.8 

Trist  now  had  it  intimated  to  the  Mexican  commissioners, 
that  if  they  were  disposed  to  accept  a  boundary  line  traced  up 
the  Rio  Grande  to  thirty-two  degrees  of  latitude  and  thence 
west,  he  would  meet  them  privately  to  make  further  arrange- 
ments. The  outcome  was  a  strong  recommendation  from  the 
Mexican  commissioners,  presented  and  urged  by  Thornton,  that 
Pena  consent.  Pena  did  so ;  but  he  pointed  out  that  it  would 
be  necessary  to  defer  action  until  the  new  Senate  should  con- 
firm the  nomination  of  the  commissioners.  Encouraged,  how- 
ever, by  advices  from  Thornton,  Trist  revoked  his  official  notice 
that  Polk  had  recalled  him,  and  waited,  with  feelings  that  can 
be  imagined,  for  the  waters  to  move.9 

The  negotiations  stood  in  fact  at  a  graver  crisis  than  he 
thought.  News  that  leading  Whigs  talked  of  settling  with 
Mexico  on  terms  far  easier  than  Trist  proposed  caused  hesitation 
at  Quer6taro,  and  fresh  hopes  of  English  assistance  had  a  still 
greater  effect.  But  fortunately  Doyle  arrived  at  this  juncture 
to  take  charge  of  the  British  legation,  and  promptly  directed 
Thornton  to  state  that  nothing  more  than  good  offices 
could  be  expected  of  his  government.  The  support  of  these 


THE  PEACE  NEGOTIATIONS  239 

British  diplomats,  one  at  the  capital  and  the  other  at  Quer6taro, 
proved  most  helpful ;  but  then  came  Folk's  Message,  which  en- 
couraged the  Eventualists  by  saying  that,  should  Mexico  con- 
tinue the  war,  our  protection  might  be  given  to  any  party  able 
and  willing  to  set  up  a  republican  government  and  make  peace. 
Trist  grew  more  and  more  anxious,  and  on  the  day  after  Christ- 
mas expressed  his  desire  to  proceed.  In  consequence  of  Doyle's 
attitude  all  Mexican  scruples  about  the  confirmation  of  the 
commissioners  vanished.  On  January  1  their  full  "powers'1 
reached  the  capital;  and,  beginning  on  the  second,  Couto, 
Cuevas  and  Atristain  met  there  secretly  with  Trist  almost  every 
day.  Rincon,  the  other  member  of  the  board,  did  not  serve.9 

Trist  was  prepared  to  stimulate  his  colleagues  with  news  that 
a  sentiment  in  favor  of  pushing  the  war  through  without  de- 
lay had  now  become  pronounced  in  the  United  States.  At  the 
same  time  his  letter  of  September  7  provided  them  with  a  most 
convenient  position,  for  it  maintained  that  all  the  districts 
now  held  by  American  troops  were  ours  by  right  of  conquest, 
and  that  by  accepting  our  terms  Mexico,  instead  of  selling  lands 
and  population,  would  recover  a  large  amount  of  both.  He  gave 
them,  too,  an  agreeable  surprise  by  proposing  substantially  the 
same  terms  as  during  the  armistice.10 

They  for  their  part  knew  California  and  all  of  Texas  were 
lost;  but  their  instructions  were  exacting,  and  they  struggled 
for  all  conceivable  advantages.  Foreign  arbitration  and  a  Eu- 
ropean guaranty  of  the  boundary  were  promptly  demanded,  and 
were  as  promptly  refused.  It  was  proposed  that  on  the  signing 
of  the  treaty  all  American  forces  in  the  country  should  retire  to 
within  fifty  leagues  of  the  coast ;  but  this  and  other  unreasonable 
conditions  met  the  same  fate.  Anticipating  sharp  and  cap- 
tious criticism  from  opposing  lawyers  in  Congress,  the  Mexicans 
devoted  the  most  wearisome  care  to  phraseology.  Cordiality 
prevailed,  however.  Trist's  good-will,  self-sacrifice  and  cour- 
tesy received  full  recognition,  and  he  seems  to  have  been  rather 
intimate  with  Couto,  the  ablest  of  his  colleagues.  Doyle  and 
Thornton,  though  always  respecting  the  line  of  strict  neutrality, 
assisted  materially  in  removing  difficulties.10 

Trist  felt  intensely  anxious  to  save  time,  and  for  good  reasons. 
Orders  might  arrive  any  day  —  and  eventually  did  arrive  — 
making  it  absolutely  impossible  for  him  to  act  as  an  American 


240  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

representative.  Scott  was  placed  by  his  orders  under  a  mili- 
tary obligation  to  drive  the  government  from  Queretaro,  and 
though  he  granted  a  de  facto  truce,  thinly  disguised  by  occupy- 
ing a  few  places  and  intimating  a  desire  for  new  instructions,  a 
positive  despatch  might  at  any  hour  end  that  state  of  things.11 

Yet  day  after  day  passed.  The  Mexican  government  and 
commissioners  felt  obliged  to  stick  at  everything  and  to  confer 
often  by  letter.  January  8  Anaya's  term  expired  by  limitation ; 
and,  as  Congress  had  not  assembled,  his  predecessor  became 
once  more  the  provisional  executive.  Four  days  later  an  abor- 
tive insurrection  at  San  Luis  Potosi  frightened  the  timid  Pefia 
nearly  out  of  his  wits,  for  it  seemed  like  the  prologue  of 
a  revolution,  and  he  demanded  that  before  signing  a  treaty 
he  should  have  sufficient  American  funds  to  provide  adequate 
support  against  malcontents ;  but  at  length  his  commissioners, 
insisting  that  such  a  proposal  would  be  indecorous,  eliminated 
this  difficulty.  Finally  the  government  stopped  short  at  the 
financial  consideration.  It  asked  for  thirty  millions,  and  our 
commissioner,  in  view  of  the  expenses  already  caused  by  the 
protraction  of  the  war,  would  give  but  fifteen.  On  the  twenty- 
ninth  of  January,  therefore,  Trist,  in  very  considerate  but  very 
positive  language,  officially  declared  the  negotiation  ended.11 

By  arrangement,  however,  Doyle  informed  the  Mexican  com- 
missioners that  enough  time  to  communicate  once  more  with 
Queretaro  would  be  given.  Through  the  same  channel  they 
received  a  hint  from  Scott,  that  he  would  protect  the  authori- 
ties against  the  dreaded  revolution,  should  a  treaty  be  signed, 
but  would  otherwise  have  to  dislodge  the  government,  and 
thenceforth  hunt  it  like  a  deer  on  the  mountain.  Doyle  talked 
with  British  directness  and  good  sense.  The  commissioners 
brought  all  this  pressure  to  bear  on  their  government.  It 
yielded;  and,  on  the  second  of  February,  at  the  suburb  of 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  seat  of  the  most  venerated  shrine  in  Mex- 
ico, in  the  profound  secrecy  that  had  shrouded  all  these  nego- 
tiations, the  treaty  was  at  last  signed.12 

By  its  terms  Mexico  appeared  to  sacrifice,  independently  of 
Texas,  an  immense  area ;  but  she  really  suffered  little,  for  she 
had  no  grip  —  and  deserved  to  have  none  —  upon  California 
and  New  Mexico.  Indeed  she  had  found  those  distant  regions 
merely  embarrassing.  Nor  did  she  really  cede  any  territory. 


A  TREATY  SIGNED 


241 


AsTrist  contended  and  our  Supreme  Court  has  in  effect  decided, 
the  only  cession  was  that  made  by  the  United  States  in  surren- 
dering districts  then  in  our  hands.  Our  real  title  was  conquest 
—  conquest  from  those  who  had  taken  the  country  by  conquest 
from  its  conquerors.  What  Mexico  granted  us  was  peace 
and  an  acknowledgement  of  our  title.  In  return  we  gave  her 
not  only  peace,  which  meant  vastly  more  to  Mexico  than  to  us, 
but  extensive  lands,  the  renunciation  of  all  American  claims 
antedating  the  treaty,  and  fifteen  million  dollars  in  money  — 


TERRITORY   ACQUIRED    FROM    MEXICO 

SCALE  OF  MILES 
0  50  100      200       300       400       600 

U  mo  I  ug  Co    N  Y  


GULF  OF 
MEXICO 


a  wealth  of  gold  that  her  treasury  had  never  seen  before.  On 
both  sides  the  treaty  conferred  benefits ;  on  our  part  it  was  mag- 
nanimous; and  to  settle  the  matter  in  this  way  gave  the 
United  States  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  worth  all  it  cost.13 

The  wish  of  the  Mexican  government  had  been  to  open  the 
peace  negotiations  by  making  an  armistice.  To  the  Americans 
this  could  offer  little  advantage,  for  the  only  enemies  they  now 
had  to  fear  were  guerillas,  and  these  recognized  no  laws.  To 
Pena,  on  the  other  hand,  it  meant  security  from  hostile  expedi- 
tions, larger  revenues,  diminished  expenses,  Congressional  elec- 


VOL.  II  —  R 


242  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

tions  in  the  territory  under  American  control,  and  hence  the 
political  support  of  those  who  felt  the  burdens  of  war.  But 
Scott,  while  ready  to  grant  a  virtual  immunity  from  attack 
during  the  negotiations,  was  neither  authorized  nor  willing  to 
sign  an  armistice  at  that  stage ;  and  to  have  done  so,  indicating 
that  peace  was  contemplated,  would  have  endangered  the  plans 
of  the  Mexican  government  itself.  In  order,  however,  to  bring 
about  the  execution  of  the  treaty  our  commissioner  had  to  de- 
mand of  Scott  a  pledge  that  he  would  send  out  no  more  expedi- 
tions until  new  instructions,  issued  after  the  arrival  of  the  treaty 
at  Washington,  should  reach  him.  In  short,  he  requested 
the  General  to  disregard  the  orders  of  a  government  eager 
to  put  him  in  the  wrong ;  and  Scott,  placing  the  public  weal 
above  all  personal  considerations,  promptly  consented.14 

The  second  article  of  the  treaty  provided  expressly  for  a  sus- 
pension of  hostilities,  and  in  view  of  its  previous  anxiety  to  ob- 
tain that  concession,  the  Mexican  government  was  expected  to 
act  in  the  matter  at  once ;  but  it  procrastinated  so  much  as  to 
excite  suspicions  of  bad  faith  at  the  American  headquarters. 
This  conduct,  however,  was  merely  owing  to  its  constitutional 
apathy ;  and  on  the  twenty-second  of  February,  1848,  Generals 
Mora  and  Quijano  opened  negotiations  with  Worth  and  Smith 
at  the  capital.  True  to  the  Mexican  practice,  followed  on  almost 
every  occasion  since  the  first  of  our  dealings  with  Mexico,  they 
began  with  what  Doyle  fairly  characterized  as  "  exorbitant " 
demands.  For  example,  they  asked  for  the  evacuation  of  the 
capital,  Puebla,  Jalapa  and  Vera  Cruz,  and  for  concessions 
incompatible  with  the  treaty  of  peace  itself.14 

But  Worth  and  Smith,  assuming  promptly  a  just  and  firm 
attitude,  as  our  civil  officials  ought  to  have  done  from  the  be- 
ginning, refused  to  consider  such  demands,  and  the  Mexicans 
then  withdrew  them.  Everything  within  reason,  however,  was 
granted.  Doyle  called  the  armistice,  indeed,  "very  favour- 
able" to  the  weaker  side,  and  the  ratification  of  it  on  March  4 
and  5  by  the  Mexican  and  American  commanders-in-chief  sup- 
plemented happily  the  treaty  of  peace.  Not  only  that,  but  it 
stopped  for  the  time  being  every  attempt  at  revolt,  for  under 
one  of  the  articles  insurgents  were  to  be  opposed  by  the  armies 
of  both  nations.  Paredes  and  Almonte  found  it  wise  to  be 
quiet,  and  —  as  we  have  observed  —  Santa  Anna  sailed  away.14 


AMERICAN  IDEAS  ABOUT  MEXICO  243 

The  treaty,  conveyed  with  extraordinary  speed,  reached  the 
White  House  on  February  the  nineteenth,  but  whether  it  did 
well  to  arrive  so  soon  —  or  even  to  arrive  at  all  —  appeared 
extremely  doubtful.  As  we  have  learned,  a  strong  appetite 
for  territory  had  existed  in  the  United  States  before  the  war, 
and  Mexico  had  looked  inviting.  In  January,  1846,  Baker  of 
Illinois  suggested  in  Congress  the  absorption  of  that  country. 
By  the  following  July  a  somewhat  organized  annexation  party 
existed  at  New  York,  and  later  Senator  Dickinson  became  its 
champion.  The  wish  to  acquire  soon  became  strong.  Per- 
haps Moses  Y.  Beach  visited  Mexico  in  this  cause.  Certainly 
Mrs.  Storms,  who  accompanied  him,  worked  actively  for  it, 
and  his  paper  ardently  recommended  annexation  as  not  only 
advantageous  for  the  United  States  but  sure  to  benefit 
Mexico.15 

Other  papers  warmly  took  up  this  idea,  arguing  that  Provi- 
dence called  upon  us  to  regenerate  her  decadent  population. 
"The  Spanish  have  ceased  to  rule  in  Mexico,"  announced  the 
Democratic  Review  as  its  watchword  in  February,  1847.  Seces- 
sionists like  Simms  of  South  Carolina  thought  the  proposed 
confederacy  would  need  that  country  to  give  it  bulk;  and 
by  a  different  route  Senator  Hannegan  of  Indiana,  representing 
the  strong  expansionist  sentiment  of  the  West,  arrived  at  the 
same  point  of  view  in  regard  to  annexing  Mexico.15 

The  recall  of  Trist,  which  seemed  to  give  the  United  States  a 
free  hand,  and  also  the  plan  to  extend  our  occupation  of  her 
territory,  which  logically  pointed  that  way,  strongly  pro- 
moted the  idea,  for  besides  the  obvious  tendency  of  these  meas- 
ures they  were  supposed  to  mean  that  Polk  had  that  end  in  view. 
The  attitude  of  men  high  in  the  administration  circle  produced 
a  similar  effect.  Bancroft  held  that  we  should  "rescue  a  large 
part  of  Mexico  from  anarchy."  Cass  used  language  that  sug- 
gested rescuing  the  whole,  and  followers  of  his  talked  that  way 
explicitly.  Apparently  he  thought  he  could  win  the  next  Presi- 
dential election  on  this  issue;  and  the  war  party  at  his  back 
offered  Mexico  as  a  reward  for  supporting  its  views.  Bu- 
chanan, at  first  opposed  to  the  acquisition  of  any  territory, 
trimmed  his  sails  to  the  rising  breeze,  and  wrote  that  if  Mexico 
did  not  conclude  the  war,  it  would  be  necessary  for  us  to  "fulfill 
the  destiny  "  ass;gned  to  us  by  Providence.  Walker,  who  knew 


244  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

more  about  the  far  southwest  than  any  other  man  at  Washing- 
ton, favored  annexation  strongly,  and  even  tried  to  drag  the 
subject  into  his  annual  report.  Indeed,  the  financial  editor  of 
the  New  York  Herald  saw  in  him  the  regenerator  of  Mexico ;  and 
very  likely  he  himself,  as  head  of  the  treasury,  dreamed  of 
winning  immense  economic  triumphs  in  that  field.16 

Soon  after  1848  came  in,  the  annexation  cause  began  to  put 
on  a  bold  front.  Naturally  the  younger  element  in  the  party 
and  the  country  felt  inclined  to  take  it  up.  Crocodile  tears 
were  shed  over  the  "poor  foundling "  —  though  a  future  heiress 
—  placed  by  Divine  Providence  at  our  threshold.  The  danger 
that  England  or  France  might  ravish  it  away  from  us  came  to 
the  fore.  Conquest  was  pronounced  in  the  Senate  a  legitimate 
method  of  expansion.  Orators  in  both  Houses  pointed  more 
plainly  toward  an  extension  at  the  cost  of  Mexico.  Declara- 
tions in  the  contrary  sense  indicated  the  force  of  the  current. 
Senator  Niles  believed  that  substantially  all  of  the  Democrats 
among  his  colleagues  would  fall  in  with  the  plan.  Enthusiastic 
citizens  acclaimed  it.  Speculators  fancied  it  would  help  their 
schemes  in  various  ways.  Capitalists  believed  that  by  stimulat- 
ing enterprise  it  would  enlarge  and  continue  the  demand  for 
money.  Manufacturers  and  high  tariff  men  argued  that  it 
would  increase  the  national  expenses  and  therefore  the  duties. 
Army  officers  could  see  a  wide  field  for  them ;  and  the  opponents 
of  slavery,  led  by  the  National  Era,  felt  that  Mexican  planta- 
tions would  draw  away  the  negroes  —  now  understood  to  be 
unprofitable  —  of  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Virginia.  Public 
meetings  became  excited  on  the  subject.  The  country  is  going 
mad  for  Mexico,  inferred  Buchanan;  and  Walker  believed 
that  only  a  systematic  newspaper  agitation  was  needed  to  en- 
sure success.17 

Polk  moved  in  the  same  direction.  In  September,  1847,  he 
concluded  that,  should  the  war  continue,  he  might  demand 
Tamaulipas  and  the  line  of  thirty-one  degrees,  and  reduce  the 
compensation  to  fifteen  millions ;  and  before  the  end  of  January, 
1848,  he  felt  inclined  to  throw  aside  entirely  the  terms  offered 
through  Trist.  Besides,  he  loathed  the  treaty  on  account  of 
the  man  who  made  it  and  the  man  who  gave  assistance.  After 
his  recall,  considering  himself  a  private  citizen,  Trist  reported 
with  a  free  hand,  criticising  the  President's  recent  Message  as 


THE  QUESTION  BEFORE  POLK  245 

encouraging  the  Eventualists,  and  expressing  his  opinions  on 
the  business  without  much  reserve.  Naturally  Polk  the  Medi- 
ocre, guided  by  Pillow  the  Cunning,  totally  misconceived  the 
spirit  of  Trist  and  Scott.  In  his  eyes  they  had  contrived  a 
wicked  political  "conspiracy"  against  Him,  His  administration, 
His  party  and  His  Pillow.  Both  had  proved "  utterly  un- 
worthy ,"  and  on  January  25  the  "arrogant,  impudent"  and 
"very  base"  Trist  was  ordered  to  leave  headquarters.  To 
accept,  approve,  endorse,  recommend  and  support  the  work 
of  such  a  scoundrel  seemed  impossible.18 

But  Polk  had  professed  to  be  considerate  and  forbearing 
toward  our  erring  sister,  and  to  seek  only  redress,  indemnity, 
security  and  peace.  His  terms  had  been  officially  stated ;  and 
while  his  Message  of  December,  1847,  had  suggested  that  a 
continuance  of  the  war  might  be  expected  to  modify  them, 
no  real  fighting  had  occurred  since  then,  and  —  although  Polk 
had  known  for  about  six  weeks  that  negotiations  on  virtually 
the  old  basis  were  afoot  —  no  modification  of  them  had  been 
announced.  That  Message  had  expressly  disclaimed  all  thought 
of  making  "  a  permanent  conquest ' '  of  Mexico ;  and  on  the  fourth 
of  this  very  February  Sevier,  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
foreign  relations,  had  stated  in  the  Senate  that  Polk  was  anx- 
ious for  peace,  desired  only  indemnity,  and  wanted  to  preserve 
Mexican  nationality.19 

Trist  had  substantially  embodied  Folk's  terms  in  the  treaty, 
and  had  even  anticipated  his  thought  of  reducing  the 
compensation.  Congress  had  vqted  men  and  money  on 
the  basis  of  Folk's  professions  and  terms;  and,  should  he 
now  raise  his  demands,  all  his  enemies  would  say  their  charges 
of  greed,  falsehood,  injustice,  o'ervaulting  ambition  and 
bloodthirsty  wickedness  had^been  proved.  Hostilities  might 
continue,  the  Whigs  might  carry  the  election,  the  war  might 
^nd  in  disaster  and  ignominy,  and  all  the  gains  now  embodied 
in  the  treaty  might  be  lost.  Even  should  these  perils  be 
avoided,  it  seemed  extremely  doubtful  whether  Mexico  would 
ever  accept  by  treaty  a  more  encroaching  boundary,  and 
quite  possible  that  an  endeavor  to  obtain  it  would  open  a  long 
vista  of  expenses,  guerilla  warfare,  foreign  complications  and 
Heaven  only  knew  what.  Extension  toward  the  south  was 
liable  to  kindle  the  fires  of  an  anti-slavery  agitation  and 


246  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

perhaps  disrupt  the  Union.  The  treaty  and  the  victories  that  it 
consummated  meant  enough  glory  for  any  President.  Finally, 
Polk,  now  moving  about  with  dragging  steps,  dry,  brown  face, 
gray  hair  and  sunken  eyes,  perhaps  felt  weary  of  battling  both 
abroad  and  at  home ;  and  at  the  very  least,  should  he  endorse 
this  paper  and  lay  it  before  the  Senate,  his  responsibility 
would  cease.19 

Buchanan  and  Walker  opposed  the  treaty ;  but  the  former, 
as  well  as  Polk  himself,  recognized  that  any  personal  miscon- 
duct of  Trist,  a  mere  agent  of  the  Executive,  had  no  proper 
bearing  on  the  question.  The  rest  of  the  Secretaries  favored 
placing  the  document  before  the  Senate.  On  February  22, 
after  full  debates  in  the  Cabinet,  Polk  did  this,  recommending 
by  implication  the  acceptance  of  it;  and  so  a  paper  which 
had  been  simply  a  memorandum  drawn  up  by  a  private  Ameri- 
can citizen  and  several  Mexicans  holding  official  positions,  be- 
came a  real  treaty,  merely  awaiting  confirmation.20 

Among  the  Senators  the  treaty  met  with  jeers  and  scowls. 
"Great  Jehovah!"  exclaimed  Lieutenant  W.  T.  Sherman  on 
learning  its  terms ;  it  is  "  just  such  a  one  as  Mexico  would  have 
imposed  on  us  had  she  been  the  conqueror";  and  so  thought 
a  number  of  the  Senators.  It  is  a  mere  piece  of  waste  paper, 
cried  many ;  the  impudent,  perhaps  traitorous,  work  of  a  dis- 
credited agent,  whom  the  President  had  ordered  out  of  Mexico ; 
and  it  would  be  undignified,  ridiculous,  degrading,  to  accept  such 
a  thing.  The  war  party  opposed  it.  The  annexationists  op- 
posed it.  The  no-territory  men  opposed  it.  The  Little  Un- 
ionists, who  thought  the  country  too  big  already,  opposed  it. 
Not  a  few  hated  to  think  of  letting  Polk  elude  them  so  easily.21 

But  suddenly  the  head  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  as  he  sat  in 
the  House,  dropped.  He  was  borne  to  the  Speaker's  room. 
"This  is  the  last  of  earth;  I  am  content,"  murmured  the 
venerable  statesman.  For  two  days  he  lingered,  unconscious ; 
and  then  he  passed  away.  This  tragic  event  had  a  deep 
effect.  There  fell  a  hush,  as  when  snow  descends  upon  the 
city  pavement.  The  sessions  of  Congress  were  suspended. 
Senators  were  prevented  from  announcing  their  positions 
hastily.  And  when  discussion  began  once  more,  it  was  re- 
sumed with  a  new  feeling  of  seriousness,  a  new  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility.21 


THE  TREATY  BEFORE  THE  SENATE      247 

If  the  President  could  put  up  with  Trist  and  his  work,  surely 
the  Senate  could,  one  began  to  think ;  and  in  every  way  Folk's 
virtual  endorsement  gave  the  paper  enough  respectability. 
Politics  played  a  leading  role  in  almost  every  mind,  but  after  a 
little  it  seemed  like  bad  strategy  to  vote  against  the  glory  and 
the  territory  ensured  by  its  terms.  The  committee  on  foreign 
relations,  which  decided  to  throw  the  treaty  aside  and  send  an 
"imposing"  commission  to  do  the  work  over,  dropped  the 
scheme  when  Polk  told  them  bluntly  this  would  be  "worse 
than  an  idle  ceremony."  Benton,  thoroughly  angry  at  the 
administration  because  Fremont,  his  son-in-law,  had  been  con- 
demned for  insubordination  in  California ;  Berrien,  wedded  to 
his  "no-territory"  idea ;  Corwin,  anxious  perhaps  to  have  more 
Americans  find  hospitable  graves  in  Mexico ;  Webster,  who 
asserted  that  California  and  New  Mexico  were  "not  worth  a 
dollar"  ;  and  certain  other  Senators,  committed  for  this  or  that 
reason,  were  beyond  argument ;  but  all  their  hopes  failed.22 

The  deep  current  set  against  them.  "What  better  can  we 
do?"  became  an  unanswerable  argument  for  the  treaty.  The 
people  wanted  peace.  They  desired  no  more  bloodshed,  no 
more  costs.  One  could  not  be  sure  of  obtaining  another  treaty 
from  chaotic  Mexico,  or  sure  that  any  treaty  differing  from  the 
present  one  could  have  as  good  a  chance  in  the  American 
Senate.  To  reject  the  work  of  Trist  was  understood  more- 
and  more  clearly  to  involve,  perhaps,  not  only  interminable 
fighting,  but  a  train  of  moral,  political,  industrial,  commercial 
and  financial  ills  of  which  no  one  could  see  the  end.  Already 
enough  generals  had  built  up  reputations,  thought  many  of  the 
politicians.  It  would  be  of  priceless  advantage,  urged  some  of 
the  finer  men,  to  supplement  our  military  triumphs  with  a 
great  act  of  magnanimity.  By  March  7  ratification,  which  had 
been  for  a  time  extremely  doubtful,  appeared  probable.  Hous- 
ton of  Texas,  a  leading  opponent,  concluded  to  visit  New  Hamp- 
shire. And  on  the  tenth  by  38  against  14  —  a  narrow  margin, 
since  a  majority  of  two-thirds  was  requisite  —  the  treaty  won. 
A  transfer  of  four  votes  from  the  affirmative  to  the  negative 
would  have  defeated  it.22 

There  were  a  few  amendments.  Article  X,  which  might 
have  revived  extinct  Mexican  claims  to  lands  in  Texas  now 
occupied  by  bona  fide  settlers,  went  overboard  at  once.  The 


248  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

provision  of  security  for  the  Roman  Catholic  church  in  the  ac- 
quired territory  (Art.  IX)  fell  out  as  unnecessary,  as  reflect- 
ing on  the  good  faith  of  the  United  States,  as  suggesting  govern- 
ment interference  with  religious  affairs  in  this  country,  and  as 
tending  to  confirm  the  Mexican  pretence  that  we  entertained 
hostile  feelings  toward  that  communion.  The  Senate  refused 
to  agree  that  California  and  New  Mexico  should  be  made  into 
'states  "as  soon  as  poss'ble"  (Art.  IX),  regarding  that  as  a  step 
to  be  taken  with  deliberation,  and  only  when,  in  the  judgment 
of  Congress,  all  the  prerequisites  of  statehood  should  exist.  In- 
stead of  allowing  Mexico  to  choose  between  payment  by  instal- 
ments and  payment  in  securities  convertible  at  once  into  cash 
(Art.  XII)  it  was  decided  to  offer  only  the  former  method,  as  a 
veiled  hint  that  an  infraction  of  the  treaty  would  cause  a  sus- 
pension of  the  instalments.  Another  amendment  permitted 
the  Indians  to  have  firearms,  which,  as  they  lived  by  the  chase, 
had  to  be  done.  A  further  modification,  intended  to  hasten  the 
conclusion  of  peace,  authorized  the  exchange  of  ratifications  at 
Queretaro  whenever  Mexico  should  accept  the  amended  treaty  ; 
and  it  was  also  provided  by  the  Senate  that  evacuation  could 
then  begin.  Finally  a  secret  article,  which  permitted  Mexico 
to  consummate  the  ratification  of  the  agreement  at  any  time 
within  eight  months,  instead  of  the  four  months  of  Article 
XXIII,  was  cancelled,  because  it  seemed  to  encourage  pro- 
crastination, and  allow  her  time  to  escape  from  the  treaty, 
while  compelling  us  to  bear  great  expenses.  But  none  of  these 
changes  touched  the  essentials.23 

It  now  became  necessary  to  have  some  one  explain  the 
amended  treaty  to  Mexico,  bring  about  her  acceptance  of  it, 
And,  should  it  be  confirmed,  exchange  the  ratifications.  This 
gave  Po  k  a  chance  to  prove  himself  a  large  man.  Scott,  though 
not  without  serious  grounds  of  offence  against  Hitchcock, 
Harney  and  Quitman,  had  forgiven  and  honored  them,  because 
they  deserved  well  of  the  country.  Trist,  the  bringer  of  peace, 
the  negotiator  of  its  terms,  high  in  the  favor  of  the  Mexican 
government,  and  able  to  exert  much  influence  on  the  Mexican 
Congress,  deserved  the  appointment.  If  the  treaty  represented 
a  great  national  service  and  had  merit  enough  to  be  accepted, 
Its  maker  had  merit  enough  to  be  recognized.  But  the  Presi- 
dent was  only  Polk  the  Mediocre  after  all.  ,  His  plumage  had 


THE  TREATY  IN  MEXICO  249 

been  ruffled ;  and  instead  of  giving  Trist  this  high  and  lucrative 
post,  he  relegated  the  peacemaker  to  a  dishonorable  oblivion, 
and  would  not  even  pay  him  for  the  time  actually  spent  in  the 
negotiations.  To  think  that  a  President  of  the  United  States 
could  be  so  small ! 24 

Aside  from  this  petty  meanness  and  spite,  however,  Polk 
selected  a  man  worthy,  both  personally  and  officially,  of  the 
position.  This  was  Sevier,  chairman  of  the  Senate  committee 
of  foreign  relations  and  leading  champion  of  the  treaty  in  that 
body.  Then,  as  Sevier  became  suddenly  though  temporarily 
ill  and  no  delay  could  be  risked,  Clifford,  the  attorney  general, 
was  appointed  associate  commissioner  with  equal  powers ;  and 
eventual^  the  two  —  both  arriving  at  Mexico  by  the  fifteenth 
of  April  —  acted  in  concert.24 

Mexico  now  became  the  scene  of  action  again.  February  6 
the  government  announced  what  had  been  done  about  peace. 
Knowing  how  loud  an  outcry  had  been  raised  against  even  con- 
sidering a  treaty,  one  can  imagine  what  occurred,  now  that  a 
treaty  had  been  made.  The  old  objections  were  reiterated. 
Trist's  lack  of  authority  was  dwelt  upon.  Secret,  despotic,  il- 
legal, treasonable,  shameful,  ruinous,  were  a  few  of  the  everyday 
epithets  that  bombarded  the  government.  It  had  no  power  to 
alienate  Mexican  territory.  It  should  have  waited  for  the 
American  friends  of  peace  to  act.  Even  "  the  sepulchral  com- 
fort" of  temporary  subjugation  was  described  as  preferable  to 
such  a  peace.  "Approval  of  the  treaty,  "  exclaimed  Rejon,  "is 
the  political  death  of  the  Republic."  Another  insurrection 
broke  out  at  San  Luis  Potosi,  and  all  the  comandantes  general 
were  notified  to  expect  revolts.25 

The  peace  men,  however,  stood  firm.  Honor  has  been  saved, 
they  insisted.  The  United  States  has  recognized  Mexico  as  an 
independent  nation.  There  has  been  no  suing  for  terms  at 
Washington.  Territory  has  been  regained,  not  sold.  To  speak 
properly,  indeed,  this  is  a  "treaty  of  restitution ";  fifteen  mil- 
lions are  to  be  paid  for  injuries  done  us ;  the  territory  acquired 
by  the  United  States  costs  her  more  dearly  than  Louisiana ;  and 
full  rights  have  been  secured  for  all  Mexicans  adopted  by  an- 
other government.  Whatever  harshness  can  be  found  in  the 
conditions  is  due  to  the  circumstances,  not  the  government. 
War  has  no  respect  for  justice.  Besides,  in  case  of  need  a  nation, 


250  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

like  an  individual,  may  find  amputation  expedient,  and  be  the 
stronger  for  it.  Above  all,  the  administration  has  merely  done 
its  duty  in  treating  according  to  its  best  judgment.  It  has  de- 
termined nothing,  settled  nothing.  The  facts  of  the  case  will  be 
laid  before  Congress,  and  the  representatives  of  the  people  shall 
decide.25 

Here,  then,  came  the  real  crisis :  would  Congress  ratify  the 
treaty?  At  Washington,  in  spite  of  some  encouraging  reports, 
the  impression  gained  ground  that  it  would  not.  The  amend- 
ments appeared  to  cause  little  excitement,  but  they  were  not 
the  real  issues.  Opponents  of  peace  had  the  speeches  of  Ameri- 
can statesmen  printed,  and  hawked  them  about  the  streets. 
Prudent  Mexicans  demanded  an  end  of  the  uncertainty,  disorder 
and  chaos  that  was  paralyzing  the  country;  but  so  had  they 
always  demanded  it.  The  government  exhibited  little  activity, 
while  the  Puros  and  the  friends  of  Santa  Anna  did  not  sleep. 
The  especially  important  elections  in  the  occupied  territory  did 
not  end  until  April  23,  and  by  that  date  one  could  see  that  some- 
thing else  was  to  be  feared  even  more  than  opposition.  As  on 
every  other  occasion  demanding  a  patriotic  stand,  most  of  the 
decent  men  felt  afraid  to  assume  responsibility.  Another  diffi- 
culty was  that  money  for  their  travelling  expenses  had  custom- 
arily been  advanced  to  the  members  by  the  government,  and 
now  it  had  no  money  for  the  purpose.  Finally,  however,  said 
an  American  who  did  not  precisely  understand  the  affair,  mer- 
chants at  the  capital  subscribed  a  large  sum  to  hunt  up  the 
Congress  and  feed  it  long  enough  to  ratify  the  treaty ;  severer 
measures  also  were  taken  to  ensure  attendance;  and  early  in 
May  a  quorum  of  shaking  legislators  convened.26 

In  opening  Congress  Pena  stated  the  grand  question  ably. 
Honor,  union,  independence  and  the  hope  of  national  prosperity 
and  felicity  have  been  saved,  he  pointed  out ;  the  United  States 
made  the  proposals,  and  Mexico  has  obtained  all  the  advantages 
possible  under  the  circumstances ;  we  have  given  up  some  terri- 
tory, but  the  foremost  nations  of  the  world  have  done  the  same 
at  one  time  or  another ;  every  one  sees  that  we  should  have  ad- 
justed our  difficulties  in  1845,  but  it  is  now  possible  once  more  to 
settle  them,  and  the  opportunity  to  do  so  shou'd  not  again  be 
lost.  The  ministers  of  war  and  finance  presented  statements 
proving  the  impossibility  of  continuing  the  war  successfully, 


THE  TREATY  RATIFIED  BY  MEXICO  251 

and  the  peace  commissioners  justified  the  terms  of  the  treaty. 
The  prospect  of  recovering  the  Mexican  customhouses  and  re- 
ceiving the  American  millions  looked  highly  attractive.  No  less 
telling,  doubtless,  were  the  preparations  of  the  United  States  to 
resume  hostilities  with  fresh  energy,  and  to  tax  Mexico  rigor- 
ously. The  most  efficient  American  army  that  had  yet  been 
seen  in  the  country  awaited  Butler's  orders,  and  large  reinforce- 
ments had  been  voted  by  Congress.  No  responsible  men  in 
their  senses  could  resist  such  arguments.  The  treaty,  as 
amended  by  the  American  Senate,  was  promptly  ratified,  and 
by  June  9  Washington  had  the  news.  With  all  speed  it  ran 
from  city  to  city,  from  town  to  town,  from  vale  to  vale;  and 
everywhere  it  was  greeted  with  quiet  but  heartfelt  rejoicings.27 

By  an  arrangement  already  made,  Sevier  and  Clifford,  after 
learning  what  had  been  done  by  the  Mexican  Congress,  pro- 
ceeded to  the  seat  of  government.  It  was  a  tiresome  journey  of 
about  145  miles ;  but  at  last,  from  the  summit  of  a  high  ridge, 
they  sawtlomes  and  spires  two  miles  or  so  distant,  glittering  on  a 
low  eminence  in  a  fine  valley,  which  was  enclosed  by  parallel 
ranges  of  mountains.  The  town  was  Queretaro ;  and  on  May  the 
twenty-sixth,  in  the  President's  rather  plain  reception  room, 
dignified  with  crimson  curtains  and  with  chairs  of  state,  Clifford 
presented  their  credentials.28 

Pena,  tall  and  benign  though  sadly  worn,  Rosa,  the  minister 
of  relations,  rather  short  and  swarthy  but  with  large,  thoughtful 
eyes  lighting  up  his  countenance,  and  Anaya,  the  minister  of 
war,  tall  and  gaunt,  with  high  cheek  bones  and  a  face  of  Indian 
stolidity,  received  them  with  all  due  courtesy.  " Sister  repub- 
lics, may  the  two  countries  ever  maintain  the  most  friendly 
relations,"  was  the  American  greeting;  and  Pena  replied,  "As 
the  head  of  this  nation,  I  desire  nothing  more  ardently  than  that 
our  treaty  may  prove  the  immutable  basis  of  that  constant  har- 
mony and  good  understanding  which  should  prevail  sincerely 
between  the  two  republics/'  Conversations  and  formalities  en- 
sued, and  on  May  30  an  exchange  of  the  ratifications  concluded 
this  momentous  business.28 

In  the  execution  of  the  treaty  a  few  misunderstandings  arose, 
but  none  of  serious  importance ;  and  the  minister  of  relations 
attested  the  good  faith  of  the  United  States.29  Orders  for  the 
evacuation  of  Mexican  territory  were  promptly  given  to  our 


252  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

commanders  in  the  various  fields  of  operation,  and  were  promptly 
obeyed.80  Even  before  the  last  formalities  occurred,  in  fact, 
Butler  called  in  his  outposts,  and  as  the  sun  rose  on  the  twelfth 
of  June  it  shone  upon  the  arms  of  his  rejoicing  troops,  drawn 
up  —  facing  the  palace  —  in  the  grand  plaza  of  the  capital. 
Housetops,  balconies  and  the  near  streets  were  full,  but  perfect 
order  and  stillness  prevailed  except  for  the  sharp  commands  of 
our  officers.  Thirty  guns  saluted  the  American  banner  on  the 
palace,  and  then  it  was  lowered.  The  Mexican  flag  took  its 
place  on  the  staff  and  received  the  same  honors.  An 
American  band  struck  up  gaily.  The  unconquered  ranks 
wheeled,  marched  and  left  the  city.  Herrera,  the  new  President, 
returned  to  the  chair  from  which  Paredes  had  ejected  him,  and 
the  proud  capital  rejoiced  to  be  free  once  more.  But  it  rejoiced 
soberly.  "I  question,"  said  U.  S.  Grant,  "whether  the  great 
majority  of  the  Mexican  people  did  not  regret  our  departure  as 
much  as  they  had  regretted  our  coming."  31 

The  plan  of  evacuation  was  to  let  the  troops  wait  near  Jalapa 
until  transports  could  be  provided  and  their  baggage  go  aboard, 
and  then  march  to  the  unhealthy  coast  and  sail  away  as  quickly 
as  possible.  For  some  time  General  Smith  had  now  been  mak- 
ing preparations  at  Vera  Cruz  with  his  characteristic  efficiency ; 
and  soon  the  army,  the  sick,  the  wounded  and  the  many  who 
attended  to  their  needs,  took  ship  rapidly  for  New  Orleans.  By 
the  twelfth  of  July  more  than  25,000  embarked,  and  on  the  last 
day  of  the  month  all  the  fortifications  of  Vera  Cruz  and  frowning 
Ulfia,  the  symbol  of  Mexican  pride,  were  given  up.  Stirred  by 
feelings  deep  and  strong,  the  departing  soldiers  looked  round  them 
with  a  farewell  gaze  —  at  the  low  white  walls,  at  the  exotic  vege- 
tation that  had  now  come  to  be  familiar,  and  at  the  gleaming, 
snowy  peak  of  Orizaba,  towering  above  its  belt  of  dark  evergreens. 
They  had  trodden  the  soil  of  that  wonderful  country  with  the 
stern,  proud  foot  of  the  conqueror,  but  they  now  left  it  full 
of  sympathy  and  good  wishes ;  and  one  of  the  number  put  his 
feelings  into  terse  and  soldierlike  rhymes : 

"  The  stranger  parting  from  the  shore, 
Thy  glories  to  behold  no  more, 
Bids  thee  farewell  with  swelling  heart 
As  his  swift  bark  leaps  o'er  the  sea, 
And,  as  the  truant  tear-drops  start, 
Prays  God  that  thou  mayst  yet  be  free. " 82 


XXXIII 
THE  FINANCES  OF  THE  WAR 

1846-1848 

MEXICO,  as  we  have  learned,  entered  upon  the  contest  with 
neither  money  nor  revenues  nor  credit.  From  nothing,  nothing 
comes;  and  many  supposed  she  was  too  poor  to  fight.  But 
she  did  fight  —  or  at  least  men  fought  in  her  name  —  and 
one  cannot  help  asking  how  they  contrived  to  do  so.  In  full 
the  question  cannot  be  answered,  but  some  of  the  facts  lie  within 
our  view,  and  these  are  not  only  valuable  in  themselves  but 
highly  suggestive.1 

Aside  from  loans,  the  income  of  the  government  in  1844  was 
figured  roughly  as  follows :  import  duties,  seven  million  dol- 
lars; duties  on  commerce  in  the  interior,  four  and  a  quarter 
millions;  profits  from  the  monopolies  of  the  mints,  tobacco, 
stamped  paper,  playing  cards,  national  lottery,  post-office, 
etc.,  two  and  a  quarter  millions;  miscellaneous  taxes  and 
revenues,  three  millions;  total,  sixteen  and  a  half  millions 
net.  But  the  American  blockade  cut  off  nearly  fifty  per  cent 
of  this  income  at  one  stroke;  and  not  only  our  progressive 
occupation  of  territory,  but  the  dislike  of  the  people  for  national 
taxes,  their  growing  dissatisfaction  with  Santa  Anna's  regime, 
and  their  increasing  destitution  caused  a  rapid  shrinkage  of  the 
residue.2 

It  was  proposed  to  contrive  a  general  plan  of  taxation  for 
the  emergency ;  but  probably  the  interests  principally  threat- 
ened put  a  stop  to  it,  and  at  all  events  it  mysteriously  disap- 
peared. The  government  was  given  ample  authority,  but 
could  do  nothing.  A  war  tax  was  laid  on  house-rents,  for 
example ;  but  it  could  not  be  collected  everywhere,  and  prob- 
ably its  net  proceeds  amounted  to  little.  In  November,  1846, 
it  was  decided  to  issue  drafts  for  two  millions,  to  be  accepted 
by  the  clergy  and  then  purchased  by  designated  citizens ;  but 

253 


254  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

the  scheme,  though  actually  decreed,  proved  a  failure,  and  the 
famous  laws  of  January  11  and  February  4,  1847,  were  no  more 
successful.  June  17,  1847,  a  special  tax  of  one  million  was* 
assessed  upon  the  entire  population ;  but  only  a  small  fraction 
of  this  appears  to  have  been  paid.  In  November,  1847,  the 
government  offered  to  deduct  one  half  of  the  pending  national 
taxes  levied  before  May  1,  1846,  if  citizens  would  pay  them 
by  February  1,  1848 ;  and  this  indicates  clearly  how  the  people 
had  been  acting.  A  few  of  the  states,  besides  maintaining 
National  Guards,  erecting  fortifications  and  manufacturing 
cannon,  remitted  some  cash  to  the  central  government;  but 
when  we  find  the  richest  of  them  all,  Mexico,  boasting  that 
she  had  sent  the  insignificant  sum  of  about  $160,000,  we  have 
reason  to  place  a  rather  slight  value  upon  this  kind  of  assistance. 
Moreover,  accepted  drafts  on  that  state,  payable  in  one,  two  and 
three  months,  could  not  be  sold  —  even  at  a  discount.3 

The  clergy  gave  nominally  a  million  and  a  half,  but  they 
appear  to  have  taken  up  indirectly,  at  a  discount  of  forty  per 
cent,  the  drafts  of  which  this  donation  consisted.  Citizens 
provided  a  large  part  of  the  new  ordnance,  but  aside  from  this 
we  hear  of  few  substantial  gifts.  Just  after  the  battle  of  Molino 
del  Rey,  in  order  to  obtain  bread  for  the  army,  the  government 
requested  the  bakers  of  the  capital  to  meet,  but  only  a  part  of 
them  came.  A  "positive  supreme  order "  then  brought  them 
together,  and  they  promised  contributions;  yet  the  promises 
were  not  kept.4 

Every  possible  effort  was  made  to  borrow.  Once  the  treasury 
offered  a  national  loan  of  two  and  a  half  millions,  but  it  fell 
flat  in  the  states  that  might  have  paid  the  most.  Just  before 
the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  there  was  a  door-to-door  canvass  at 
Mexico ;  but  only  small  sums  can  have  been  picked  up.  About 
three  months  later  the  government  imposed  a  forced  loan,  of 
which  more  than  $280,000  were  assigned  to  the  capital;  but 
the  Mexicans  had  learned  to  evade  such  extortions,  and  it  proved 
hard  to  collect  the  allotted  amounts.  In  July,  1847,  the  British 
consul  general,  Mackintosh,  loaned  $600,000  in  exchange  for 
the  ratification  of  an  arrangement  negotiated  with  the  British 
bondholders.  In  four  loans  the  clergy  furnished  some  three 
millions,  all  told.  The  President  raised  money,  it  was  reported, 
on  public  and  private  securities,  sold  bonds  freely  at  very  low 


THE  AMERICAN  FINANCIAL  OUTLOOK  255 

rates,  and  borrowed  in  effect  by  giving  contracts  on  terms  favor- 
able enough  to  make  the  transactions  worth  while  as  gambling 
propositions.  The  principal  mint,  for  example,  was  turned 
over  to  the  British  consul  general  for  a  period  of  ten  years 
in  February,  1847,  in  exchange  for  some  $200,000  in  cash  and 
a  promise  to  pay  one  per  cent  on  the  amount  coined ;  and  on 
similar  principles  arms  and  other  necessaries  were  sometimes 
obtained.4 

All  of  these  financial  operations  were  at  least  ostensibly 
lawful,  but  Santa  Anna  did  not  pause  here.  Wherever  money 
could  be  found,  he  seems  to  have  taken  it,  holding  that  the 
exigency  outweighed  all  rights  and  all  pledges.  Funds  belong- 
ing to  the  tobacco  revenue  were  illegally  seized,  for  instance; 
and  a  large  sum  due  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts  fell  into  this 
voracious  maw.  Not  only  cash  but  everything  needed  for 
the  army  went  the  same  way.  At  Jalapa  early  in  April,  1847, 
for  example,  all  the  owners  of  horses  received  orders  to  bring 
them  in.  Grain,  forage,  lead,  lumber,  arms,  ammunition, 
tools,  cattle,  mules  and  laborers  were  taken  by  force;  and 
sometimes  military  officers  exhibited  the  burglar's  predilection 
for  a  midnight  hour.  Here  was  a  kind  of  finance  that  saved 
the  expenses  of  accounting,  and  without  it  even  the  low  cost 
of  the  Mexican  soldier  would  not  explain  Santa  Anna's  holding 
out  so  long.5 

The  United  States,  happily,  stood  far  above  this  level,  but 
not  so  far  that  probably  mere  good  luck  did  not  save  us  from 
grave  trouble ;  and  it  was  easy  to  foresee  many  dangers  — 
all  the  worse  because  they  naturally  made  capital  timid  — 
when  the  hostilities  began.  The  total  receipts  of  the  treasury 
for  the  fiscal  year  ending  with  June  30,  1845,  were  nearly  thirty 
millions  and  the  ordinary  expenditures  $22,935,828.  It  was 
estimated  that  during  the  next  year  the  receipts  would  fall 
about  three  millions,  and  Walker  —  allowing  the  munificent 
amounts  of  something  more  than  two  and  a  half  millions  for 
the  army  and  something  less  than  five  for  the  navy  —  expected 
to  reduce  the  total  disbursements  a  little,  anticipating  for  the 
period  ending  with  June,  1847,  a  further  saving  of  more  than 
four  millions.  The  receipts  for  July-September,  1845, 
proved  to  be  more  than  two  millions  below  those  of  the  corre- 
sponding months  of  1844,  and  the  customs  income  for  the  fiscal 


256  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

year  1845-46  was  $815,445  less  than  for  the  preceding  twelve- 
month. In  a  word,  shrinking  revenues  and  curtailed  outlays 
were  the  prospect.6 

In  th:s  condition  of  things,  not  only  had  the  unpredictable 
costs  and  embarrassments  of  war  to  be  faced,  but  those  of  war 
in  a  distant  land.  Money  was  to  be  sent  out  of  the  country, 
never  to  return,  and  the  bills  for  supplies  to  be  increased  by 
the  burdens  of  marine  transportation,  insurance  and  losses; 
while  risks  from  privateers  and  European  complication  could 
be  seen.  Before  such  an  outlook  business  men  shrank  from 
large  enterprises.  People  with  money  felt  disposed  to  keep  it.7 

Where,  then,  were  funds  to  come  from?  The  currency  had 
been  inflated  by  the  paper  issues  of  many  banks.  Stocks  were 
selling  far  below  the  prices  of  twelve  months  before.  Even  the 
business  men  who  did  not  endorse  the  tariff  of  1842  had  adjusted 
their  affairs  to  it,  and  now  everybody  understood  that  a  new 
scale  of  duties,  based  upon  free-trade  ideas,  lay  on  the  treasury 
anvil.  Calls  for  the  government  funds  held  and  used  by  state 
depositories  and  for  the  specie  of  all  the  banks  were  feared. 
The  banks  cannot  support  a  loan,  and  even  in  peace  our  capi- 
talists have  never  done  so,  remarked  the  financial  editor  of  the 
New  York  Herald,  probably  the  best  newspaper  authority.7 

The  government  must  look  abroad,  concluded  the  editor, 
and  in  Europe  no  light  could  be  seen.  By  1842  our  state  debts, 
mostly  held  there,  had  amounted  to  nearly  $200,000,000. 
Mississippi,  Michigan,  Arkansas  and  Florida  sank  in  the  mire 
of  repudiation.  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Louisiana  became  delinquent.  The  bonds  of  South  Caro- 
lina fell  below  par.  Missouri  passed  a  stay  law.  Sidney 
Smith,  when  he  met  a  Pennsylvanian  at  dinner,  felt  like  divid- 
ing the  man's  raiment  among  the  British  guests,  most  of  whom, 
if  not  all,  had  probably  suffered  by  the  "dishonor"  of  the 
state.  Indeed,  the  bondholders  were  disposed  to  throw  off 
half  of  the  interest  rate,  if  our  national  treasury  would  assume 
the  debts ;  but  a  proposition  to  do  this  failed  in  Congress.8 

As  early  as  1841  even  our  six  per  cent  national  bonds  would 
not  sell  in  Europe,  though  money  commanded  less  than  half 
as  large  a  return  there.  "Who  will  lend  on  American  securi- 
ties?" asked  the  London  Spectator  the  very  month  we  began 
war  upon  Mexico.  Our  credit  then  grew  worse  instead  of 


NEW  FISCAL  LAWS  257 

better.  The  war  bill  precipitated  a  panic  in  Wall  Street,  and 
soon  business  in  the  west  and  south  was  described  as  prostrate. 
Bad  as  such  a  financial  outlook  was  in  itself,  too,  it  involved 
a  consequent  ill.  Evidently  the  administration  would  have 
to  pinch;  and,  as  Madame  de  Sevigne  once  remarked,  " There 
is  nothing  so  expensive  as  want  of  money." 8 

The  Democrats,  however,  were  committed  against  the  pro- 
tective tariff  of  1842,  now  in  force,  and  Polk  as  a  party  man 
felt  that  something  must  be  done  about  it.  Walker  no  doubt 
shared  this  opinion ;  and,  having  gained  immense  prestige  in 
the  south  by  his  brilliant  advocacy  of  the  annexation  of  Texas, 
he  very  likely  hoped  that  by  now  carrying  into  effect  the  fiscal 
ideas  prevalent  in  that  section,  he  might  supplant  Calhoun. 
Probably,  too,  he  sincerely  believed  in  these  ideas.  To  him 
the  existing  scale  of  duties  appeared  to  be  the  cause  of  the 
shrinking  revenues ;  and  he  stated  boldly  that  war,  which  had 
been  recognized  for  some  time  as  a  possibility,  "would  create 
an  increased  irecessity  for  reducing  our  present  high  duties  in 
order  to  obtain  sufficient  revenue  to  meet  increased  expendi- 
tures.1' 9 

Soon  after  hostilities  began,  therefore,  a  tariff  bill  came 
before  Congress.  It  was  bitterly  and  stubbornly  fought.  In 
the  Senate  its  defeat  appeared  sure ;  but  Crittenden  and  Clay- 
ton, believing  it  could  only  prove  a  discreditable  failure,  had 
a  Whig  support  it  in  order  to  gain  party  advantage  at  the 
expense  of  the  nation,  and  by  this  unworthy  trick  and  the 
casting  vote  of  the  presiding  officer  it  passed.  In  company 
with  it  went  a  warehouse  bill  and  the  restoration  of  the  sub- 
treasury  system,  which  divorced  the  government  from  the 
banks,  and  required  the  treasury  to  accept  and  pay  out  only 
specie.  About  the  first  of  August,  1846,  this  entire  system 
became  law.  "Our  administration  seems  enamoured  of  ruin, 
and  woos  calamity  for  itself/'  exclaimed  the  Whig  North  Amer- 
ican; our  credit  is  threatened  by  the  sub-treasury  plan;  our 
industries  are  deprived  of  protection;  "while  an  expensive 
war  is  eating  out  our  vitals,  our  revenue  is  to  be  diminished" ; 
and  a  direct  tax  will  have  to  be  laid.9 

The  new  tariff  became  effective  on  the  first  of  December, 
1 846.     As  of  course  importers  waited  for  it,  a  lean  period  pre- 
ceded  that  event,   and  tfye  heavy  receipts  that  followed  ft, 
VOL.  n| — [s 


258  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

providing  Walker  with  an  apt  retort,  did  not  prevent  the  total 
for  the  year  ending  with  June,  1847,  from  coming  short  of  his 
estimate  by  more  than  four  millions.  Without  waiting  to 
acquire  this  unwelcome  fact,  however,  the  government  found 
itself  compelled  in  June,  1846,  to  revise  at  a  sharp  angle  upward 
its  predictions  of  the  expenditures.  Over  and  above  their  cal- 
culations of  the  previous  December  the  war  and  navy  depart- 
ments now  called  for  $23,952,904,  which  Polk  informed  Con- 
gress was  "the  largest  amount  which  any  state  of  the  service" 
would  require  up  to  July  1, 1847.  The  secretary  of  the  treasury 
had  expected  to  find  on  July  1,  1847,  a  surplus  (virtually  that 
estimated  for  the  previous  year  minus  half  a  million)  of  at  least 
$4,332,441,  and  had  confidently  hoped  for  a  substantial  gain 
in  revenue;  but  he  admitted  that  it  was  now  requisite,  since 
a  working  capital  of  four  millions  for  the  treasury  and  the 
mints  had  to  be  kept  on  hand,  to  provide  $12,586,406  of  addi- 
tional income.10 

The  proper  method  of  handling  our  war  finances  was,  in  the 
first  place,  to  increase  the  existing  taxes  —  riot  only  to  obtain 
funds  promptly,  but  as  a  firm  support  for  the  nation's  credit 
and  a  basis  for  those  temporary  loans  which  are  a  wise  expedi- 
ent at  the  beginning  of  a  war ;  and  Walker  expected  the  pro- 
posed tariff  to  answer  this  purpose.  But  the  question  how  to 
raise  these  twelve  and  a  half  millions  remained.  Excise  and 
direct  taxes,  the  administration  believed,  would  not  be  prompt 
enough,  and  would  not  seem  to  the  public  warranted  by  the 
circumstances.  It  was  therefore  recommended  to  Congress 
that  both  treasury*  notes  and  a  loan  should  be  resorted  to ;  and 
on  July  22, 1846,  without  much  debate,  the  issue  of  ten  millions 
in  such  obligations,  to  be  sold  at  not  less  than  par,  was  author- 
ized.11 

Treasury  notes  could  not  really  serve  the  government's 
purpose  well,  for  they  were  soon  to  be  paid,  the  expense  of  hand- 
ling them  fell  upon  the  treasury,  and,  as  they  were  receivable 
for  duties,  they  were  sure  to  pour  into  the  customhouses  instead 
of  real  money  whenever  they  should  be  cheaper  than  specie. 
The  treasury,  bound  by  law  to  pay  out  only  the  latter,  would 
then  have  to  buy  coin  at  the  market  price  —  presumably,  as 
Gallatin  said,  with  depreciated  notes.  These  would  then  fall 
still  more,  and  so  the  process  appeared  certain  to  continue. 


BONDS  ISSUED  259 

But  notes  were  the  most  convenient  and  readiest,  if  not  the 
only  way  of  quickly  anticipating  revenue ;  they  were  partic- 
ularly suited  to  the  nature  of  the  government's  expenditures ; 
they  provided  an  easy  method  of  transmitting  the  large  sums 
that  would  be  needed  in  the  south  on  the  war  account ;  and 
financial  critics  at  New  York  approved  of  them.  Not  all 
were  of  that  opinion,  however.  About  the  middle  of  September 
the  appearance  of  notes  for  half  a  million  was  announced  by 
one  journal  under  the  heading,  "  Extensive  Paper  Money  Manu- 
factory"; but  the  government  persisted,  and  by  the  ninth  of 
December,  1846,  nearly  four  millions  of  them  were  out.  This 
with  the  balance  —  more  than  nine  millions  —  handed  over 
by  the  previous  fiscal  year,  made  up  for  the  lean  customs  re- 
ceipts of  this  period.12 

Meanwhile  attention  was  given  to  the  more  substantial 
resource  of  a  loan.  At  the  end  of  September  the  secretary 
of  the  treasury  disappeared  mysteriously  from  his  accustomed 
haunts,  and  to  Folk's  acute  distress  of  mind  wandered  for 
more  than  two  weeks  in  the  perilous  jungle  of  Wall  Street. 
His  experiences  there  were  in  fact  rather  hard.  The  capitalists 
looked  with  favor  on  the  project  of  a  loan  and  had  plenty  of 
money,  but  —  believing  the  government  would  require  a  large 
amount,  and  therefore  that  a  loan  made  now  would  be  likely 
to  depreciate,  as  well  as  actuated  by  their  characteristic  spirit 
of  thrift  —  they  stood  out  for  six  per  cent.  The  New  York 
and  Boston  banks,  it  was  thought  at  the  White  House,  were 
in  league  against  the  administration.  Besides,  the  public 
had  little  information  about  the  way  money  was  being  spent, 
and  felt  apprehensive  of  extravagance  and  a  huge  debt.  Many 
believed  the  war  had  cost  half  a  million  each  day.  Not  a  few 
distrusted  Walker.  He  had  engineered  Mississippi  into  bank- 
ruptcy, and  had  become  insolvent  personally.  In  the  Senate 
his  reputation  had  been  that  of  a  needy  adventurer,  intensely 
ambitious,  clever  in  debate  and  intrigue,  but  not  of  solid  ability, 
and  especially  not  a  financier.  At  present  nobody  denied  his 
real  talents  or  his  extreme  devotion  to  work,  but  he  was  charged 
with  inaccuracy  and  with  sophistical  reasoning.18 

Apparently  five  and  two  fifths  per  cent  was  all  he  felt  ready 
to  offer,  and  special  reasons  could  be  given  for  halting  there, 
since  it  was  feared  that  issuing  a  six  per  cent  loan  at  par  would 


260  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

injure  the  United  States  sixes,  now  held  at  106,  and  also  the 
credit  of  the  government.  But  finally,  with  the  approval  of 
the  President  and  the  Cabinet,  he  advertised,  October  30, 
for  bids  on  a  five  million  loan  for  ten  years  at  six  per  cent. 
November  12  the  tenders  were  opened.  For  a  small  fraction 
of  the  amount  a  slight  premium  was  offered,  and  for  the  rest 
par.  No  doubt  the  rate,  in  comparison  with  European  stand- 
ards, had  to  be  regarded  as  high,  but  on  the  other  hand  this 
was  our  first  specie  loan,  and  was  said  to  be  the  only  war  loan 
ever  taken  without  a  discount.13 

Plainly,  however,  more  needed  to  be  done.  It  was  already 
extraordinarily  difficult  to  pay  the  comparatively  small  ex- 
penses of  the  war,  wrote  the  British  minister  at  this  time. 
Congress  had  not  fully  provided  for  even  the  minimum  needs 
recognized  by  the  sanguine,  if  not  sophistical,  Walker;  and 
early  in  December,  1846,  his  annual  report  intimated  that  on 
July  1,  1848,  with  a  due  allowance  for  the  working  capital  of 
the  treasury,  there  would  be  a  deficit  of  twenty-three  millions. 
Apparently  a  loan  was  requisite,  and  he  advised  making  the 
term  twenty  years.  Then,  with  no  little  anxiety,  the  ad- 
ministration waited.  •  At  the  end  of  December  Bancroft  wrote 
privately,  "If  we  can  raise  the  ways  and  means/'  we  can  sur- 
mount the  other  difficulties.  On  the  eleventh  of  January, 
1847,  a  bill  virtually  embodying  Walker's  recommendations 
was  thrown  into  the  House,  and  a  long,  acrimonious  debate 
ensued.  The  treasury  "languishes/'  announced  the  organ  of 
the  government ;  needed  volunteers  could  not  be  called  out ; 
but  the  legislators  had  irrepressible  things  to  say.  At  length, 
however,  on  January  28  the  bill  providing  $23,000,000  became 
a  law.  Though  it  primarily  contemplated  treasury  notes, 
it  permitted  the  Executive  liberty  of  action ;  and  a  large 
amount  of  six  per  cent  bonds  were  sold.14 

But  Polk  was  by  no  means  out  of  trouble  now.  Walker's 
estimate  made  no  mention  of  great  outstanding  purchases, 
for  which  the  contractors  had  not  yet  sent  in  their  accounts. 
Not  only  the  customs  duties  but  the  sales  of  public  lands  were 
coming  far  short  of  his  expectations.  No  allowance  appeared 
to  be  made  for  the  effect  of  bounty  land  scrip  that  was  likely 
to  reduce  them  still  more.  The  Vera  Cruz  expedition  and  a 
possible  march  to  the  enemy's  capital  were  in  view.  Indeed, 


A  TARIFF  FOR  MEXICAN  PORTS  261 

the  real  war  had  only  begun.  Besides,  the  temper  of  Congress 
had  already  threatened  trouble  and  made  it.  Not  only  to 
ensure  additional  revenue  in  general,  but  in  particular  —  it 
would  seem  —  to  strengthen  the  credit  of  the  government  by 
showing  how  the  interest  on  its  obligations  would  be  taken  care 
of,  the  Secretary  brought  up  again  the  suggestion  of  his  annual 
report,  that  a  duty  of  twenty-five  per  cent  should  be  placed 
on  tea  and  coffee,  which  —  although  the  free  list  had  been  re- 
stricted in  the  tariff  of  1846  —  had  been  left  untaxed.  In  fact 
it  had  been  intimated  by  him  at  New  York,  even  if  not  actually 
promised,  that  such  a  step  would  be  taken ;  and  a  few  days 
before  Christmas,  1846,  he  notified  the  committee  on  ways  and 
means  that  probably  without  this  assistance  a  satisfactory 
loan  could  not  be  made.  Yet  Congress  rejected  the  proposi- 
tion by  a  great  majority.15 

A  plan  of  Benton's  also  —  to  grade  the  public  lands  on  the 
basis  of  their  attractiveness,  and  reduce  prices  accordingly  — 
which  would  have  increased  the  income  of  the  government, 
failed  to  pass,  though  endorsed  by  Polk,  Walker  and  the  gen- 
eral land  commissioner.  Pessimists  were  happy.  With  Polk, 
the  war,  the  weather,  the  sub-treasuries  "and  perhaps  the 
Devil5 '  to  struggle  against,  wrote  a  correspondent  of  Martin 
Van  Buren,  soon  not  an  ingot  would  be  "left  standing/' and 
there  was  "no  calculating,  no  prophesying"  what  would  be- 
come of  the  nation.15 

Apparently  to  offset  the  failure  of  the  tea  and  coffee  tax, 
Walker's  active  brain  produced  another  scheme,  designed  not 
only  to  bring  in  revenue  and  reassure  the  capitalists,  but  also 
to  please  the  shipping  men  of  the  United  States  and  neutral 
countries.  This  was  to  open  the  Mexican  ports  controlled  by 
us,  and  permit  merchandise  to  enter  there  under  a  moderate 
scale  of  duties.  During  March,  1847,  assisted  by  Senator 
Benton  and  the  attorney  general,  Polk  satisfied  himself  that 
under  his  powers  as  commander-in-chief  he  could  impose  and 
collect  the  duties  as  military  contributions,  for  by  the  right  of 
Conquest  he  could  either  exclude  commerce  or  admit  it  on  his 
own  terms,  and  contributions  were  legitimate  under  the  laws 
of  war.  Said  Vattel,  "A  nation  [at  war]  on  every  opportunity 
lays  its  hands  on  the  enemy's  goods,  appropriates  them  to  itself, 
and  thereby,  besides  weakening  the  adversary,  strengthens 


262  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

itself,  and  at  least  in  part,  procures  an  indemnification,  an 
equivalent,  either  for  the  very  cause  of  the  war,  or  for  the 
expences  and  losses  resulting  from  it" ;  and  a  low  scale  of  duties 
was  an  extremely  mild  application  of  this  principle.16 

Moreover,  it  was  quite  as  legitimate  under  our  Constitution 
also,  though  not  expressly  mentioned,  as  to  blockade  or  bom- 
bard Vera  Cruz,  respecting  which  the  organic  law  was  equally 
silent.  Indeed,  to  have  left  the  ports  wide  open  or  allowed  the 
high  Mexican  tariff  to  remain  in  force  would,  in  addition  to 
being  harmful  to  us,  have  required  as  great  an  exercise  of 
authority.  Finally,  Scott  and  some  of  our  naval  commanders, 
moved  by  the  evident  proprieties  of  the  situation,  fixed  duties 
and  used  the  proceeds  at  their  discretion,  and  it  was  mani- 
festly better  to  arrange  the  business  in  a  uniform,  well-consid- 
ered manner.16 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  substantially  either  our 
own  or  the  Mexican  tariff  would  be  applied,  but  neither  would 
have  answered.  Mexican  imports  were  very  different  from 
ours ;  specific,  not  ad  valorem,  duties  had  been  customary  there ; 
and  competent  appraisers  could  not  be  found.  On  the  other 
hand  the  unreasonable  Mexican  duties,  besides  preventing 
commerce  to  a  large  extent,  encouraged  fraud  and  smuggling. 
In  March,  1847,  therefore,  a  special  tariff  was  prepared  by 
Walker,  lowering  the  Mexican  duties  on  imports  more  than 
one  half,  and  substituting  for  all  port  dues  and  charges  a  uni- 
form tax  of  one  dollar  per  ton ;  and  on  March  31  Polk  ordered 
the  system  to  be  put  in  force.  Mexico  retorted  that  goods 
paying  the  American  duties  —  especially  goods  prohibited  by 
her  laws  —  would  be  confiscated,  and  this  attitude  caused 
some  uneasiness  in  France ;  but  it  seemed  fairly  evident  that 
the  United  States  would  protect  neutrals  accepting  our  policy, 
and  not  only  the  foreign  merchants  in  Mexico  but  the  neutral 
governments  felt  highly  pleased  with  our  course,.17 

The  authorities  at  Washington,  however,  did  not  rejoice  as 
much.  The  real  difficulty  lay,  not  in  landing  merchandise 
at  the  ports,  but  in  placing  it  before  Mexican  customers,  and 
comparatively  few  of  the  latter  could  be  reached.  Persevering 
efforts  were  made  to  solve  the  problem  on  both  coasts.  Some- 
times, for  reasons  not  fully  understood,  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment issued  licenses  for  the  passage  of  goods  to  the  interior, 


GOOD  FORTUNE  HELPS  US  263 

and  for  a  consideration  local  authorities  in  the  northeast  did 
the  same;  but  even  these  documents  were  not  always  valid 
against  officials  and  military  men  whose  "patriotism"  had  not 
been  "sweetened."  European  merchants  could  see  this  diffi- 
culty. Up  to  October  20,  1847,  only  one  small  cargo  from  that 
direction  entered  the  harbor  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  Walker  admitted 
privately  that  a  very  small  part  of  the  few  imports  was  dis- 
posed of  for  consumption  beyond  the  coast.  In  a  word,  this 
vaunted  plan  gave  no  substantial  help  on  the  problem  of  sup- 
porting the  war.18 

But  by  this  time  the  good  luck  which  has  been  supposed  to 
keep  an  eye  on  the  United  States  of  America  had  intervened. 
In  1846  came  the  great  Irish  famine.  British  provision  laws 
were  suspended.  Faced  with  starvation  people  cared  little 
what  they  paid,  if  they  could  obtain  food.  Our  agricultural 
products,  which  had  fallen  heavily  in  market  value  since  Octo- 
ber 1,  1845,  rose  with  astonishing  buoyancy.  Western  grain 
that  had  scarcely  been  worth  transporting  —  frequently  not 
worth  it  —  became  precious.  A  ship  could  earn  thirty  per 
cent  of  her  cost  in  one  round  trip,  yet  hardly  enough  vessels 
could  be  found.  So  abrupt  was  the  turn  that  a  financial 
editor  who  had  predicted  on  December  17,  1846,  a  speedy 
return  to  the  distress  of  1837,  declared  on  January  30,  1847, 
"We  are  on  the  high  road  to  an  unprecedented  prosperity." 
The  abolition  of  the  British  corn  laws  ensured  our  farmers  not 
only  temporary  relief  but  a  permanent  market.  Cotton,  too, 
and  even  cotton  goods  were  in  active  demand  abroad;  and 
a  famine  in  Germany  gave  us  additional  support.19 

Every  vessel  from  the  other  side  brought  more  of  the  specie 
that  had  been  expected  to  disappear  from  circulation  here. 
Between  the  first  of  January  and  the  middle  of  July,  1847, 
approximately  twenty-four  millions  came  in,  besides  about 
five  millions  in  the  pockets  of  immigrants.  Everybody  who 
did  anything  or  had  anything  shared  in  the  general  increase 
of  wealth.  Hoarding  went  out  of  fashion.  All  were  spenders. 
In  particular,  a  craze  for  dress  demanded  great  quantities  of 
European  fabrics.  The  warehousing  plan  also  stimulated 
importation.  For  the  quarter  ending  with  September,  1847, 
the  customs  duties  amounted  to  more  than  eleven  millions  — 
almost  half  the  total  of  the  preceding  year  —  and  for  the  week 


264  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

ending  with  October  1  they  were  nearly  double  those  of  the 
corresponding  week  in  1846.  In  a  word,  gold  rained  upon  us ; 
the  languishing  treasury  revived ;  and  the  credit  of  the  govern- 
ment revived  with  it.  Later,  in  the  autumn  of  1847,  to  be  sure, 
the  financial  downpour  abated,  but  it  had  already  done  its 
work.  The  ship  of  state  rode  now  beyond  the  bar.19 

Yet  Polk  still  had  to  cope  with  difficulties.  Early  in  Decem- 
ber, 1847,  when  Congress  assembled,  he  found  it  necessary  to 
present  large  estimates  and  to  admit  that  a  deficit  of  nearly 
sixteen  millions  was  to  be  expected  by  July  1,  1848 ;  and  there 
seemed  to  be  little  hope  that  Congress  would  provide  addi- 
tional revenue.  Borrowing  was  inevitable,  and  Walker's 
report  of  December  8  proposed  a  loan  of  $18,500,000.  Noth- 
ing was  done,  however.  The  banks  of  New  York  and  Boston 
endeavored  to  force  upon  the  government  a  fiscal  policy  more 
acceptable  to  them,  and  a  strong  element  in  Congress,  of  which 
more  will  be  heard  in  the  next  chapter,  not  only  entertained 
a  similar  desire,  but  seemed  willing  to  impair  the  credit  of  the 
administration.  At  length,  on  the  nineteenth  of  January, 
1848,  a  bill  was  introduced,  and  after  a  further  delay  another 
long  debate  opened.  "How  is  the  loan  bill  getting  on,  Sir?" 
inquired  a  newspaper  correspondent  of  a  Representative  of 
the  People  after  it  had  been  on  the  tapis  for  about  a  month. 
"Oh,  they  are  spouting  away,  spouting  away,  Sir,"  was  the 
careless  reply.  But  on  the  last  day  of  March  a  six  per  cent, 
loan  of  $16,000,000  was  authorized  on  substantially  the  same 
basis  as  the  previous  loans.  The  treaty  of  peace  had  been 
signed  on  February  2,  and  the  new  bonds  brought  a  premium 
rising  in  some  instances  to  $4.05  on  a  hundred.20 

In  the  same  report  (December,  1847)  Walker  announced, 
though  evidently  a  little  chastened  in  spirit,  that  relief  would 
soon  come  from  Mexico.  What  he  chiefly  counted  upon  at 
this  time,  however,  was  not  customs  duties.  As  early  as  the 
nineteenth  of  September,  1846,  Polk,  justly  offended  by  the 
enemy's  disdainful  treatment  of  our  olive  branch,  decided  that 
instead  of  endeavoring  longer  to  conciliate  the  Mexicans  by 
paying  liberally  for  supplies,  we  should  bring  them  to  terms 
by  levying  contributions  or  taking  needed  articles  without 
compensation,  and  this  course  was  promptly  recommended  to 
General  Taylor;  but  he  replied,  as  we  have  seen,  that  such  a 


THE  MEXICANS  TAXED  265 

policy  was  impracticable.  Shortly  after  the  capture  of  Vera 
Cruz  General  Scott  received  instructions  of  the  same  tenor, 
and  he  made  a  similar  reply.  Early  in  the  autumn  of  1847, 
however,  as  Mexico  had  again  rejected  the  olive  branch,  this 
change  of  system  was  pressed  upon  Scott  with  fresh  urgency, 
and  before  long  explicit  orders  to  make  all  the  revenues  and 
resources  of  Mexico  available,  as  far  as  they  could  be, 
followed.21 

Scott,  however,  knowing  the  laws  of  war  and  the  wishes  of 
his  government,  began  operations  without  waiting  for  these 
later  instructions.  Almost  immediately  after  entering  the 
capital  he  laid  upon  it  an  assessment  of  $150,000,  and  set  on 
foot  an  examination  into  the  general  question  of  drawing 
revenues  from  the  country,  which  eventually  showed  that  nearly 
twenty-three  millions  a  year  could  theoretically  be  collected, 
should  we  take  possession  of  the  whole  territory.  November 
25,  he  directed  that  no  rent  should  be  paid  for  houses  and  quar- 
ters except  so  far  as  contracts  existed.  About  three  weeks 
later,  notice  was  given  that  in  the  districts  held  by  the  Amer- 
icans all  the  taxes  and  dues  previously  paid  to  the  Mexican 
government  would  be  required  of  the  authorities  for  the  sup- 
port of  our  army ;  and  at  the  end  of  December  an  assessment 
equal  to  four  times  the  direct  taxes  paid  in  1843  was  laid  upon 
the  states.  Scott's  action  was  of  course  taken  by  Wool,  now 
commanding  in  the  northeast,  as  a  pattern.22 

But  again  Walker's  hopes  were  disappointed.  The  most  im- 
portant of  the  monopolies,  tobacco,  had  to  be  given  up  because 
the  American  product  could  not  be  excluded,  and  for  adminis- 
trative reasons  the  other  monopolies  also  were  surrendered. 
Owing  to  the  dangers  of  waste,  corruption,  extortion  and  resent- 
ment, the  business  of  collecting  taxes  had  to  be  entrusted  to 
the  state  authorities,  and  they  possessed  wonderful  dexterity 
in  the  arts  of  evasion.  State  assessments  were  actually  made 
on  Mexico  and  Vera  Cruz  only.  The  owners  of  occupied  build- 
ings were  in  many  cases  friends,  and  could  not  well  be  deprived 
of  their  rents.  Contracts  or  agreements  that  stood  in  the  way 
had  to  be  respected.  Gold  and  silver  were  clandestinely  ex- 
ported. Smuggling  across  the  northern  border  could  not  be 
stopped.  Brigands  exacted  their  toll.  The  time  required 
for  investigation  and  planning,  and  in  certain  instances  for 


266  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

correspondence  with  our  government,  militated  against  prompt 
action.  We  strongly  desired  to  settle  with  Mexico  and  evacuate 
the  country,  and  hence  —  especially  after  the  peace  negotia- 
tions began  —  it  would  not  have  been  wise  to  run  the  risk  of 
exasperating  the  nation  for  the  sake  of  a  few  dollars.  In  short 
the  net  proceeds,  including  $106,928  turned  in  by  naval  officers, 
were  only  $3,935,676.23 

Some  of  this  money  went  directly  to  supply  needs  of  the  army 
and  navy,  but  by  far  the  greater  part  of  those  needs  had  to  be 
met  in  other  ways.  During  the  first  nine  months  of  1847,  it 
was  figured  that  the  United  States  exported  more  than  $12,000,000 
in  specie  to  Mexico.  Many  drafts  on  the  principal  American 
cities  were  sold  there,  and  those  on  the  quartermasters  at  New 
Orleans,  Philadelphia,  Washington  and  New  York  amounted 
to  nearly  $8,000,000  before  December,  1847.  Payments  were 
also  made  in  the  United  States  on  the  certificates  of  officers 
acting  in  the  field ;  and  about  the  first  of  August,  1847,  Bel- 
mont,  the  New  York  agent  of  the  Rothschilds,  arranged  with 
our  administration  to  place  funds  in  the  hands  of  any  pay- 
master or  quartermaster  named  by  Scott.  In  general  the 
large  financial  operations  made  necessary  by  the  transfers  of 
money  were  skilfully,  honestly  and  safely  conducted.  Some 
$24,000,000  were  distributed  by  the  pay  department  through 
its  thirty-five  officers,  for  instance,  and  nothing  was  lost  by 
accident,  robbery,  theft  or  capture.24 

The  total  money  cost  of  the  war  on  the  American  side  has 
been  given  at  very  low  and  at  very  high  amounts,  and  none  of 
the  estimates  inspires  much  confidence.  The  excess  expendi- 
tures of  the  army  and  navy  appear  to  have  been  $63,605,621 ; 
of  which  $49,000,000  were  raised  by  selling  bonds  and  treasury 
notes,  and  were  substantially  added  to  the  national  debt. 
But  these  figures  by  no  means  answer  the  question.  To  the 
apparent  cost  we  must  add  twelve  millions  paid  later  to  Mexico, 
the  American  claims  of  which  we  relieved  her,  the  war  expenses 
of  the  treasury  department,  bounty  lands,  pensions,  valid 
claims  for  damages,  and  other  liabilities  of  many  kinds  gradu- 
ally discharged  after  peace  returned ;  and  from  the  total  must 
be  subtracted  the  bonds  and  treasury  notes  then  available  for 
issue  and  the  actual  worth  of  ships,  ordnance  and  other  materials 
required  for  the  war  and  left  over.  Evidently  it  is  not  feasible 


THE  COST  OF  THE  WAR  267 

to  reach  a  satisfactory  conclusion,  but  as  a  very  bold  guess 
one  may  suggest  a  hundred  millions.25 

Even  were  that  a  close  estimate,  however,  it  would  mean 
little.  On  the  one  hand  lives,  physical  and  mental  sufferings, 
personal  losses  of  every  description,  much  national  obloquy 
and  a  thousand  minor  factors  would  need  to  be  considered,  and 
on  the  other  our  gain  in  territory,  in  recognized  power,  in  mili- 
tary and  naval  efficiency,  in  national  self-consciousness  and  in 
particulars  not  so  obvious.  One  thing,  however,  is  clear.  The 
war  cost  far  less  money  than  its  opponents  had  expected. 
Webster  solemnly  predicted  in  December,  1846,  that  should  it 
end  the  following  spring,  our  debt  would  be  a  hundred  millions, 
but  on  the  first  of  July,  1848,  the  debt  was  less  than  sixty-six 
millions.26 


XXXIV 
THE  WAR  IN  AMERICAN  POLITICS 

1846-1848 

IN  Mexico  the  war  had  far  more  intimate  relations  with  poli- 
tics than  it  had  in  our  own  country.  Here  invading  troops  did 
not  scatter  our  civil  authorities,  Presidents  did  not  rise  and 
fall,  cabinets  did  not  organize  and  melt  away,  revolutions  and 
revolts  did  not  hover  continually  at  the  door.  Every  part  of 
the  country  contributed  to  the  result.  Supplies  were  voted, 
and  troops  assembled  according  to  law.  We  have  there- 
fore studied  Mexican  politics  in  connection  with  events  as 
these  occurred,  and  reserved  American  politics  to  be  surveyed 
more  comprehensively ;  but  this  does  not  imply  any  lack  of 
significance  in  the  second  topic.1 

At  first  the  war  seemed  extremely  popular.  The  rush  to 
volunteer  showed  that.  A  tone  of  opposition  prevailed  in  New 
England,  but  it  was  quiet  —  hardly  perceptible.  May  21 , 50,000 
people  gathered  in  front  of  the  city  hall  at  New  York  and  called 
for  vigorous  measures.  Hostilities  appeared  to  be  regarded  by 
all  as  a  just  punishment  for  the  long  series  of  Mexican  insults, 
barbarities  and  outrages.  The  country  called;  patriotism 
responded,  and  other  considerations  helped.  Democratic  poli- 
ticians believed  their  party  would  gain  prestige  and  strength. 
A  great  and  common  purpose  would  bind  it  firmly  together. 
Many  offices  and  appointments  would  follow,  and  almost  every- 
body would  gain  some  profit  in  a  business  way.  Taylor's  "  vic- 
tories" on  the  Rio  Grande  intensified  the  enthusiasm.  "Upon 
the  duties  which  the  present  crisis  invoked,"  exclaimed  the 
Philadelphia  North  American,  "our  country  has  but  one  heart," 
and  an  invasion  of  the  enemy's  territory  "will  meet  the  appro- 
bation of  the  entire  American  public."  Accordingly  the  first 
session  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Congress  pushed  its  work  far  into 
the  summer  of  1846  —  even  after  Senator  Fairfield  wrote,  "All 

268 


THE  WAR  SOON  UNPOPULAR  269 

nature  [is]  hissing"  —  and  embodied  the  government's  policy 
in  laws.2 

But  this  mood  changed  surprisingly.  When  Congress  ad- 
journed, it  was  in  bad  humor,  and  the  country  sympathized 
with  it.  News  of  the  occupation  of  California  produced  little 
enthusiasm,  for  it  had  been  expected.  The  fighting  at  Mon- 
terey excited  interest,  but  it  was  followed  at  once  by  a  long 
armistice,  and  it  had  no  permanent  effect  on  the  downward 
course  of  public  sentiment.  Instead  of  glorying  in  the  war,  the 
Democrats  now  defended  it  feebly,  and  a  great  many  regarded 
it  as  a  grave  political  blunder.  The  fall  Congressional  elec- 
tions went  strongly  against  them.  Every  reverse  could  be  ex- 
plained, of  course  —  in  Pennsylvania  a  heavy  storm,  in  New 
York  the  opposition  of  "every  most  pestilential  and  reckless  form 
of  law-hating  faction/'  apathy  here,  lack  of  organization  there  — 
but  the  National  Intelligencer,  chief  organ  of  the  Whigs,  brushed 
explanations  aside,  and  coldly  remarked,  u  We  presume  that  our 
President  and  his  Cabinet  are  by  this  time  convinced  that  they 
have  forfeited  the  public  confidence  —  the  confidence,  that  is, 
of  their  own  party;  that  of  the  other  they  never  possessed"; 
and  by  mid-winter  the  political  outlook  for  the  war  seemed  ex- 
tremely dark.3 

The  reasons  for  this  change  were  complex  and  interesting. 
The  people  —  Democrats  and  Whigs  alike  —  knew  they  did  not 
want  Polk  for  chief  executive.  To  the  millions  demanding, 
"Who  is  James  K.  Polk?"  the  answer  had  been  given,  "He  is 
President  of  the  United  States";  but  this  excellent  retort  si- 
lenced instead  of  satisfying.  Disagreeable  ideas  prevailed  re- 
garding the  methods  of  his  nomination  and  his  election.  Many 
viewed  him  as  an  Accident,  an  Unpleasant  Surprise,  a  Surrepti- 
tious Incumbent ;  and  his  unpopularity  not  only  was  a  disad- 
vantage in  itself,  but  colored  the  interpretation  placed  upon 
everything  he  did  or  said.4 

Besides  this  initial  difficulty,  he  was  not  considered  a 
large  enough  man  for  the  place,  and  the  Cabinet  seemed  too 
much  of  a  piece  with  him  in  that  respect.  The  public  did  not 
hear  Folk's  confidential  declaration,  "1  intend  to  be  myself 
President  of  the  United  States."  They  were  not  aware  that  he 
risked  a  great  deal  to  avoid  having  Calhoun  and  Flagg,  a  New 
York  man  of  unusual  ability,  in  his  official  family.  But  they 


270  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

felt  like  the  Washington  correspondent  of  the  Bost  in  Atlas,  who 
said,  They  are  "little  fellows/' and  "were  they  all  thrown  in 
a  bag  together,  it  would  make  little  difference  which  came  out 
first";  and  they  suspected  that  Polk  aimed  to  eliminate  all 
possible  competitors.  Many,  indeed,  believed  it  should  be  so. 
"Who  would  not  regret,"  asked  Senator  Mangum,  "to  see  the 
choice  of  this  great  and  free  people  thrown  into  shadow  by  over- 
topping talent?"  The  President  was  inaugurated  on  a  cold, 
rainy,  cheerless  day,  and  sentiment,  among  those  who  counted, 
resembled  the  weather.4 

The  policy  of  the  administration  confirmed  these  impressions. 
Polk  had  no  great  ideas,  no  inspiring  imagination,  no  kindling 
enthusiasm,  no  moving  eloquence,  no  contagious  humor,  no 
winning  personality.    He  was  not  exactly  a  "burning  bush" 
of  patriotism,  hallowing  the  ground  about  him,  and  forcing  men 
to  put  off  their  grimy,  everyday  shoes  of  selfish  designs.    To 
sway  the  nation  or  even  the  Democrats  in  any  grand  way  lay 
beyond  him.    He  was  a  partisan,  to  be  sure,  but  without  a  party. 
His  trumpet  note — has  shed  "American  blood  upon  the  Ameri- 
can soil " — came  from  a  newspaper.    Almost  his  only  resource, 
therefore,  was  patronage,  and  the  business  of  trading  offices 
for  support  is  essentially  a  mean  one.    It  makes  intrigue  a  pro- 
fession, creates  many  enemies  while  it  creates  few  friends  and 
renders  confidence  well-nigh  impossible.    Without  calling  the 
President  "mendacious,"  one  can  understand  how  J.  K.Paulding 
came  to  say,  that  he  possessed  no  honesty  of  purpose,  no  frank- 
ness of  heart.    Tossing  out  a  plump  lie  now  and  then  would 
have  given  less  offence  than  continual  secretiveness  and  evasion 
caused.    Polk  described  the  cunning  Pillow  as  "one  of  the 
shrewdest  men  you  ever  knew."    That  gave  Polk's  measure, 
and   political   necessities   developed   his   natural   disposition. 
"  This  little  mole,"  Blair  called  him.    Blair  was  prejudiced ;  but 
for  a  different  bete  noire  he  would  have  chosen  a  different 
name.6 

New  York  state  affairs  had  an  especially  bad  effect  on  Polk's 
reputation  and  influence.  Knowing  that  he  had  played  the  part 
of  Jacob,  the  Supplanter,  to  Van  Buren's  Esau  at  the  Baltimore 
convention,  and  not  expecting  to  be  forgiven,  Polk  probablj 
felt  thoroughly  distrustful  of  the  Locofocos  from  the  beginning. 
Silas  Wright's  declining  positively  to  run  for  the  Vice  Presidency 


POLK  DISLIKED  271 

on  his  ticket  doubtless  gave  offence.  His  bad  faith  in  refusing 
to  accept  Flagg,  apparently  to  save  himself  from  being  over- 
shadowed, after  virtually  agreeing  to  do  it,  seemed  inexcusable. 
His  taking  Marcy  into  the  Cabinet  at  the  behest  of  an  active  but 
rather  unscrupulous  remnant  of  the  "irregular"  Conservatives 
heightened  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  substantial  elements.  The 
defeat  of  the  New  York  Democrats  in  the  fall  elections  of  1846, 
which  was  charged  by  the  regulars  to  treachery  on  the  part  of 
the  Conservatives,  created  still  further  trouble.  Making  fac- 
tional appointments,  and  especially  choosing  for  a  high  post  at 
New  York  City  a  "poor,  stupid  dutchman  by  the  name  of 
Bouck/'asan  extremist  called  him,  seemed  to  the  faithful  nothing 
less  than  party  treason.  In  thus  alienating  the  ablest  and  best 
Democrats  of  the  state,  who  were  trusted  and  admired  by  the 
party  as  a  whole,  and  supporting  a  faction  that  had  no  national 
standing,  the  President  made  a  great  mistake.  He  "  has  proved 
himself  to  be  a  poor  devil,"  said  one  of  Van  Buren's  corre- 
spondents ;  even  Tyler's  name  was  less  execrated  than  "  Jim 
Folk's/'  wrote  one  of  Judge  McLean's ;  and  for  thus  weakening 
,the  Democrats  in  the  Empire  State,  he  was  naturally  blamed  in 
all  quarters.6 

A  variety  of  minor  yet  serious  complaints  helped  fill  up  the 
measure.  Polk  was  equally  anxious  and  unable  to  harmonize 
the  party,  and  as  he  tried  to  satisfy  clamorous  malcontents,  it 
came  to  be  said  that  he  was  always  ready  to  hang  an  old  friend 
for  the  sake  of  gaining  two  new  ones.  Ranking  low  in  ability 
to  judge  of  character,  enjoying  but  a  limited  acquaintance,  and 
placing  an  unreasonable  value  upon  experience  in  Congress,  he 
too  often  appointed  unfit  men  when  he  meant  well,  or  put  the 
right  men  into  the  wrong  places.  Naturally  office-seekers 
dogged  his  footsteps,  and  numberless  disappointed  aspirants 
bore  grudges  deadlier  than  stilettos.  His  wriggling  out  of  em- 
phatic declarations  in  favor  of  our  broad  Oregon  claims  excited 
profound  wrath  in  the  west,  and  made  a  bad  impression  in  other 
sections.  Senator  Hannegan  proclaimed  that  if  the  President 
accepted  the  line  of  forty-nine  degrees,  he  would  be  consigned  to 
"a  damnation  so  deep  that  the  hand  of  resurrection"  would 
never  be  able  to  "  drag  him  forth  " ;  and  he  did  accept  it.7 

The  veto  of  a  river  and  harbor  bill  that  offered  captivating 
opportunities  for  looting  the  treasury  brought  upon  him  the 


272  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

woes  of  Tyler.  The  government,  said  the  aggrieved,  "is  fast 
degenerating  into  a  mere  quadrennial  elective  despotism "; 
Polk  "  wants  the  purse  of  the  nation  for  his  own  schemes  of  presi- 
dential ambition."  Finally,  the  apparent  hampering  of  Taylor 
and  Scott,  and  the  playing  off  of  the  one  against  the  other  seemed 
to  a  multitude  of  citizens  unworthy  of  a  President,  unpatriotic 
and  mean;  and  then  partisans  accused  him  of  letting  Whig 
generals  have  all  the  glory,  lest  a  Democratic  warrior  shouldjgain 
the  Presidential  nomination  in  1848.  Truly,  "deep  and  dismal 
was  the  ditch,"  as  B.  F.  Butler  said,  into  which  Polk  fell.7 

Moreover  a  whole  sheaf  of  arrows,  not  directly  aimed  at  him, 
struck  his  administration.  The  annexation  of  Texas  rankled 
still  in  many  bosoms,  and  the  extremists  were  implacable. 
Lowell  did  not  shrink  from  recommending  secession  : 

"  Ef  I'd  my  way  I  would  ruther 

We  should  go  to  work  an'  part,  — 
They  take  one  way,  we  take  t'other,  — 
Guess  it  wouldn't  break  my  heart. " 

John  Quincy  Adams  contemplated  the  same  extreme  remedy, 
and  Giddings  went  so  far  as  to  write,  "  Ohio  is  now  a  party  to  no 
subsisting  Union. "  Those  opposed  to  the  measure  felt  hostile 
to  the  President  who  had  favored  and  consummated  it;  the 
great  number  whose  theory  had  been  that  it  would  not  lead  to 
war  felt  obliged  to  argue  now  that  Polk  had  brought  about  a 
conflict  unnecessarily;  and  everything  in  our  relations  with 
Mexico  was  viewed  through  a  fog  of  prejudices  and  animosities 
rising  from  that  gory  political  battlefield.  Not  a  few  appoint- 
ments to  high  military  positions  had  seemed  to  rest  on  political 
expediency,  and  the  battles  near  the  Rio  Grande  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  a  long  period  of  inactivity,  charged  by  many  to  the  gov- 
ernment. Volunteers  not  accepted  for  the  war  had  remarks  to 
make,  and  troops  returning  from  the  front  often  used  expres- 
sions hardly  coherent  enough  to  be  termed  remarks.  The  six- 
months  men  called  out  by  Gaines  belonged  in  the  latter  class ; 
and  although  Marcy  did  nothing  respecting  them  save  to  obey 
the  plain  requirement  of  the  law,  citizens  of  Louisiana  applied 
language  to  him  that  might  have  kindled  sympathy  for  Judas 
Iscariot.8 
The  government's  fiscal  system,  though  of  course  accepted  by 


DENUNCIATIONS  OF  THE  WAR  273 

many,  excited  sharp  resentment.  Overwhelming  the  country  all 
at  once  with  such  a  combination  of  new  laws  —  a  warehouse  act, 
a  sub-treasury  bill  and  a  "free-trade"  tariff  —  was  denounced 
as  an  unspeakable  outrage,  and  each  of  those  measures  amounted 
in  the  opinion  of  many  to  a  crime.  Gideon  Welles  thought  the 
idea  of  reducing  our  tariff  during  the  war  an  "insane  project" ; 
and  the  measure  as  framed,  a  compromise  between  theory  and 
expediency,  satisfied  hardly  any  one.  Real  free-traders  com- 
plained because  their  principles  had  been  sacrificed,  and  the  New 
Englanders  because  those  principles  had  not  been  sacrificed 
enough.  The  iron  and  coal  state  raged  and  wept  by  turns : 
she  had  been  betrayed,  and  "her  groans  were  music"  to  the 
arrogant  low-tariff  section  cherished  by  the  government.  Only 
corruption  and  intimidation  could  have  carried  such  a  monstros- 
ity through  Congress;  and,  worse  yet,  "Sir  Robert  Walker" 
had  been  truckling  to  England.  "British  all  over,"  scribbled 
the  American  Sentinel  on  the  warehousing  system;  and  the 
tariff  was  trailed  to  a  British  lair  packed  with  British  statesmen, 
British  capitalists,  British  manufacturers  and  British  merchants. 
To  please  them  our  wheels  of  production  were  to  stop,  our 
banks  close,  and  the  industrious  North  fall  in  despair  at  the 
feet  of  an  implacable  South.  "'To  your  tents,  O  Israel!'" 
cried  the  National  Intelligencer. 9 

In  countless  eyes  the  war  itself  soon  lost  its  glamour.  Imag- 
ining that  our  advance  to  the  Rio  Grande  had  been  the  cause" 
of  it,  many  felt  bound  to  denounce  it  as  unauthorized,  unconsti- 
tutional, unjust,  aggressive ;  and  not  a  few,  in  dense  ignorance 
of  the  history,  character  and  views  of  the  Mexicans,  thought, 
like  Professor  Kent  of  Harvard  University,  that  it  was  "de- 
moniacal" to  make  war  upon  those  poor  innocents,  as  if  they 
had  not  been  shooting  one  another  pretty  continuously  and  also 
aching  to  shoot  us.  Not  reflecting  that  nations  begin  to  think 
of  indemnities  as  soon,  at  least,  as  they  begin  to  fight,  and  that 
legitimate  advantages  might  accrue  from  occupying  Mexican 
territory,  people  viewed  suspiciously  the  operations  of  Taylor, 
Wool,  Kearny,  Stockton  and  Stevenson,  threw  up  their  hands, 
and  exclaimed,  "Conquest!"  as  if  the  ground  they  stood  upon 
and  half  the  world  besides  had  not  been  gained  by  the  sword. 
"Cormorants  of  territory!"  hissed  a  Thersites.  "Sages  and 
Heroes  of  the  Revolution,  lo,  the  consummation  of  your  labors ! " 

VOL.   II  — T 


274  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

wailed  a  Cassandra ;  Mexico  is  to  be  absorbed,  and  "  the  original, 
moving,  burning  stimulus"  of  the  crime  is  the  wish  to  manufac- 
ture glory  for  Polk,  and  gratify  him  with  a  second  term.  To 
be  sure,  the  nation  had  officially  endorsed  the  war ;  but  multi- 
tudes were  eager  to  have  the  nation  disgraced,  if  they  could  only 
disgrace  Polk.10 

Toward  the  future  as  well  as  the  past  frowned  the  critics  of 
the  administration.  Territory  seemed  likely  to  be  acquired,  and 
it  was  feared  that  slavery  would  plant  its  black  hoof  upon  the 
soil.  In  Massachusetts  a  group  of  young  men,  who  doubtless 
believed  in  freedom  unselfishly,  believed  also  that  it  was  the 
coming  idea,  and  might  carry  them  ahead  of  such  conserva- 
ative  leaders  as  Webster  and  Winthrop.  Suinner  was  one  of 
these;  and  he,  without  offering  proof  that  slavery  stood 
behind  the  war,  pushed  through  the  legislature  some  blood- 
curdling resolutions  against  the  "gigantic  crime";  while 
Lowell,  not  stopping  to  ascertain  whether  negro  servitude 
could  thrive  on  the  Pacific,  sounded  an  appeal  to  sectional 
feelings : 

"They  jest  want  this  Californy 

So's  to  lug  new  slave-states  in 

To  abuse  ye,  an'  to  scorn  ye, 

And  to  plunder  ye  like  sin. "  u 

From  the  increased  political  power  of  the  South,  northern 
agriculture,  commerce  arid  manufactures  would  suffer.  New, 
sparsely  settled  states  would  have  the  same  authority  in  the 
Senate  as  Massachusetts  or  Pennsylvania.  The  augmenting 
of  Western  strength  would  prove  an  injury  to  older  sections. 
New  Orleans  would  gain  ground  financially  and  commercially 
at  the  expense  of  New  York.  Annexing  new  territory  would 
lessen  the  value  of  lands  already  in  the  Union.  The  war  would 
increase  the  power  of  the  Executive,  and  bring  home  an  army 
of  "heroes"  to  monopolize  the  offices.  It  was  most  likely  to 
be  interminable  and  costly,  for  in  the  autumn  of  1846  Mexico 
showed  no  signs  of  begging  for  peace  and  Taylor  no  signs  of  ac- 
complishing anything  decisive.  Privateers  might  ruin  our  com- 
merce, and  the  blockade  might  lead  to  European  interference. 
The  nation,  debased  by  dwelling  upon  scenes  of  devastation  and 
violence,  and  by  the  absorption  of  aliens  low  in  the  scale  of  hu- 
manity, would  become  barbarous,  cruel,  rapacious,  bloodthirsty. 


POLICY  OF  THE  WHIGS  275 

Taxes,  debt,  waste  of  public  funds,  corrupt  elections,  a  great 
standing  army,  despotism,  fanaticism,  civil  war,  disunion,  the 
reprobation  of  mankind  and  the  retribution  of  heaven  would 
follow.11 

Under  these  circumstances  the  gyrations  and  contortions  of 
Whig  politics,  viewed  as  a  whole,  were  curious  to  observe.  At 
first  the  party  joined  in  shouting  and  voting  for  stern  hostilities. 
"Doubt,  division,  reproach  will  be  unknown/'  announced  the 
North  American.  But  the  Whigs  presently  saw,  as  the  New 
York  Tribune  pointed  out,  that  a  full  share  of  the  burden  would 
be  theirs,  while  most  of  the  glory  and  profit  would  fall  to  the 
other  side.  Moreover,  these  criticisms  of  Polk  and  the  war,  even 
when  not  suggested  by  the  Whigs,  seemed  like  yellow  fields  of 
ripening  party  advantage.  Very  soon,  therefore,  they  withdrew 
to  a  respectable,  intrenched  position :  they  would  support  the 
war,  but  on  its  conclusion  Polk  and  the  Democrats  would  be 
called  to  a  strict  account.  "I  have  no  doubt  we  shall  make 
much  Capital  out  of  it,"  wrote  a  Whig  Congressman.  Pres- 
ently, however,  it  looked  as  if  the  conclusion  of  the  war  might 
lie  beyond  the  next  Presidential  election,  and  most  of  the  party 
sallied  forth  impatiently,  sickle  in  hand.12 

Castigating  Polk  was  the  most  obvious  opportunity  for  the 
harvesters,  and  they  used  it  with  due  zeal.  Some  of  the  jibes 
were  good-natured.  Playing  on  the  powers  legally  his,  the 
National  Intelligencer  happily  exclaimed,  "Here,  there,  every- 
where at  once,  civil,  military,  judicial  and  executive,  dove  of 
peace,  thunderbolt  of  war,  and  a  perfect  serpent  of  diplomacy, 
who  was  ever  so  various  or  so  amazing?"  Bracketing  the 
President  of  the  United  States  with  a  famous  dwarf  of  the  day 
as  "Tom  Thumb's  cousin,  Jim  Thumb,"  was  another  merry  as 
well  as  able  fling.  To  remark,  however,  when  he  sent  in  a  Mes- 
sage, that  he  came  "puffing  and  blowing  into  Congress,"  went 
a  trifle  too  far,  perhaps ;  and  other  pleasantries  exposed  them- 
selves distinctly  to  that  criticism.  The  Boston  Atlas  described 
the  war  Message  as  "perfectly  characteristic  of  its  author;  — 
weak,  wheedling  and  sneaking,"  while  some  thought  it  better 
to  sail  on  the  other  tack,  and  picture  "His  High  Mightiness," 
the  arrogant,  domineering  tyrant  of  the  White  House,  as  plant- 
ing "his  foot  upon  the  charter  of  our  liberties."  13 

Despatching  Taylor  to  the  Rio  Grande  was  called  "a  well- 


276  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

s 

nigh  fatal  blunder,"  even  though  suggested  by  the  "demon," 
who  was  commonly  thought  rather  shrewd.  Letting  Santa  Anna 
go  back  to  Mexico  seemed  to  different  Whigs  like  treason, 
treachery,  folly  and  idiocy.  Polk  "  takes  his  ease  on  some  #ia%- 
eight  do//ar#  per  day"  while  the  soldiers  he  has  driven  to  the 
field  subsist  on  fare  that  "his  very  slaves  would  loathe/'  the 
Whig  Almanac  luckily  discovered.  Bribery,  duplicity,  false- 
hood, imbecility,  cowardice  and  infamy  were  a  few  of  the  other 
good  things  found  in  the  President's  conduct;  and  the  chief 
Whig  organ  undertook  to  lay  him  finally  at  rest  on  the  greensward 
in  this  elegant  fashion :  "  Why,  the  very  savage  of  the  court- 
yard in  other  times  —  that  most  brutal  of  mankind,  the  bully 
of  the  bailiwick,  who  chewed  up  an  ear  or  nose,  or  scooped  out 
with  thumb  a  prostrate  adversary's  eye  —  was  generous  in 
comparison."  13 

In  attempting  more  serious  criticism  the  Whigs  met  with  em- 
barrassments. The  majority  of  them,  whose  argument  had 
been  that  immediate  annexation  of  Texas  would  necessarily 
mean  war,  could  not  with  inward  peace  declare  that  Polk  had 
brought  on  the  war  by  sending  Taylor  to  the  Rio  Grande ;  and 
the  great  number  whose  contention  had  been  that  Mexico  still 
owned  Texas  could  not  well  deny  that  annexing  her  province  by 
an  Act  of  Congress,  which  amounted  on  their  theory  to  a  consti- 
tutional declaration  of  war,  had  created  a  state  of  things  which 
made  it  entirely  proper  for  Polk  to  send  Taylor  there.  "Swin- 
dlers of  1844,  with  your  'peaceable  annexation/  do  not  skulk! 
Here  is  the  fruit  of  your  doings !  Look  it  in  the  face ! J '  exclaimed 
the  New  York  Tribune  when  the  war  bill  passed,  but  it  soon 
appeared  more  tactful  to  ignore  this  aspect  of  the  matter.14 

Other  embarrassments  remained,  however.  It  was  very 
well  for  northern  Whigs  to  indulge  in  what  Carlyle  might 
have  called  a  "running  shriek"  against  "a  pro-slavery  war," 
but  they  were  cautioned  to  let  no  echoes  of  it  cross  the 
Potomac.  When  a  Senator  greeted  the  war  Message  by  saying 
he  would  later  read  the  documents  that  accompanied  it,  and 
for  the  present  would  merely  observe  that  Folk's  course  was 
"utterly  unjustifiable,"  Ritchie  paraphrased  Master  Dogberry 
at  him:  "By  virtue  of  mine  office  I  do  suspect  thee  to  be  a 
thief."  While  some  papers  denounced  the  government  for 
not  settling  with  Mexico  by  negotiation,  others  admitted  that 


EMBARRASSMENTS  OF  THE  WHIGS  277 

Mexico  had  refused  to  treat.  When  Delano  announced  for  the 
sake  of  buncombe  that  he  was  "  ready  to  go  shoulder  to  shoulder 
with  all  those  who  supported  the  honor  of  the  country/'  Thur- 
man  replied  that  it  seemed  a  strange  method  of  supporting  one's 
country,  to  declare  like  Delano,  after  war  had  begun,  when  it 
existed  both  in  law  and  in  fact,  that  it  was  "illegal,  unright- 
eous, and  damnable."  Abraham  Lincoln,  wishing  to  distin- 
guish himself  before  the  home  folks,  did  this  feat  in  the  House 
by  revealing,  in  a  manner  suited  to  his  years,  that  since  Mexico 
had  exercised  jurisdiction  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  the  first  American  blood  must  have  been  shed  on 
Mexican,  not  American,  soil ;  but  unhappily  the  fact  remained 
that  Connecticut  had  for  some  time  exercised  effective  juris- 
diction over  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  yet  did  not  own  the 
territory.15 

Those  who  raved  against  Polk  and  his  "  tribe"  for  driving  the 
war  bill  through  Congress  had  to  face  Winthrop  and  a  galaxy  of 
other  Whigs,  who  admitted  that  war  did  already  exist.  Con- 
gressmen denouncing  the  Executive  for  sending  Taylor  to  the 
Rio  Grande  were  unable  to  deny  that  notice  of  his  march  from 
Corpus  Christi  had  been  given  on  the  floor  of  the  House  (March 
23)  long  before  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  and  nothing  had  been 
done  about  it;  that  on  May  12  Whigs  of  the  Senate,  led  by 
Crittenden,  had  recognized  that  American  territory  extended  to 
the  Rio  Grande ;  and  that  after  the  army  could  safely  have  with- 
drawn from  that  vicinity  no  serious  attempt  had  been  made  to 
bring  about  its  recall.  Partisans  of  the  unoffending  Mexicans  were 
startled  to  hear  the  impeccable  Boston  Atlas  confess  in  a  moment 
of  candor :  "The  conduct  of  that  government  towards  us  has 
been  such  as  might  have  justified  the  extreme  resort  to  war" ; 
and  those  eager  to  berate  Polk  for  unconstitutional  aggressive- 
ness had  to  digest  a  similar  lapse  on  the  part  of  the  National 
Intelligencer,  which  conceded  that  Congress  had  thrown  round 
him  a  mantle  of  indemnity  by  a  vote  "  implying  confidence  in  the 
rectitude  of  the  President  in  beginning  this  war."  16 

While  Polk  was  roundly  taken  to  task  for  appointing  so  many 
Democratic  generals,  Whig  journals  boasted  that  most  of  the 
leading  officers  belonged  to  their  party.  The  military  operations 
afforded  numerous  opportunities  for  invectives  against  the  ad- 
ministration, but  ere  long  a  number  of  the  invectives  came 


278  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

home  to  stay.  Taylor,  it  appeared,  had  recommended  the  ad- 
vance to  the  Rio  Grande ;  he  protested  against  embarrassing  the 
prosecution  of  the  war  by  discussing  its  genesis ;  and  the  small-* 
ness  of  his  army  at  the  critical  time,  his  waiting  so  long  after  the 
occupation  of  Matamoros,  the  terms  given  at  Monterey,  his 
peril  at  Buena  Vista,  Kearny's  off-hand  annexation  of  New 
Mexico,  Scott's  discharging  volunteers  after  the  battle  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  and  his  famous  Jalapa  proclamation,  all  brought  up 
against  the  administration,  proved  in  every  case  chargeable  to 
the  Whig  commanders.16 

Orators  caused  as  much  pain  as  generals,  perhaps.  "  Black 
Tom"  Corwin's  brilliant  advice  that  American  soldiers  in  Mex- 
ico should  be  welcomed  to  hospitable  graves,  though  it  gained 
high  rank  in  the  nightmare  school  of  literature,  overshot  the 
mark.  It  scandalized  the  nation.  It  staggered  patriotism. 
It  shocked  humanity.  Most  of  all  it  infuriated  the  troops, 
battling  for  their  country  in  a  foreign  land.  The  speech 
arrived  at  Buena  Vista  soon  after  the  struggle  with  Santa  Anna. 
A  rude  effigy  of  Corwin  was  made  up  of  the  vilest  materials, 
dressed  in  a  Mexican  uniform  and  burned ;  and  over  the  ashes 
these  lines  were  posted  up : 

*'  Old  Tom  Corwin  is  dead  and  here  he  lies ; 
Nobody's  sorry  and  nobody  cries ; 
Where  he's  gone  and  how  he  fares, 
Nobody  knows  and  nobody  cares." 

The  soldiers  had  friends  at  home,  and  of  course  made  their  sen- 
timents known.  The  speech  sounded  the  knell  of  its  author's 
great  political  hopes ;  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  its 
reception  frightened  into  dumbness  a  number  of  his  colleagues, 
who  had  arranged  to  follow  his  lead.17 

But  other  styles  of  oratorical  attack  were  still  feasible.  Just 
before  Congress  met  in  December,  1846,  the  Whigs  hung  out  at 
the  Chinese  Museum,  Philadelphia,  their  Great  Blue  Light.  In 
other  words  a  powerful  orator,  a  powerful  lawyer,  a  powerful 
statesman  —  Daniel  Webster  by  name  —  after  studying  on  the 
problem  for  half  a  year,  undertook,  if  one  may  quote  an  admirer, 
to  "knock  the  sand"  from  under  the  government.  Hour  after 
hour  he  talked  on,  till  he  mortgaged  fourteen  columns  of  the 
United  States  Gazette,  and  the  reporters  fled ;  but  he  came  far 
short  of  making  out  a  case.  Other  efforts  of  his  proved  no 


WHIG  ORATORS  279 

more  successful.  Before  the  Whig  convention  at  Springfield  he 
argued  in  a  tedious,  prosy,  court-room  style.  This  is  "a  war 
of  pretexts"  —  three  of  them,  he  asserted:  first,  that  Mexico 
invaded  American  territory ;  secondly,  that  she  would  not  re- 
ceive Slidell ;  and  thirdly,  that  she  would  not  pay  our  claims. 
Did  Webster  fail  to  see  that  a  pasus  belli  recognized  almost 
unanimously  by  our  Executive  and  Congress  was  for  this  country 
at  least  more  than  a  "pretext"?  Did  he  fail  to  see  that  his 
other  "pretexts"  had  not  been  offered  by  Polk  as  grounds  for 
passing  the  war  bill  ?  And  how  could  he  say  the  pretexts  were 
"all  unfounded"?  Did  he  suppose  that  Mexico  had  paid  our 
claims  ?  Did  he  suppose  that  she  had  welcomed  Slidell  ?  Of 
course  not ;  but  he  was  the  attorney  of  New  England  Whiggism, 
trying  to  make  a  good  case  out  of  a  poor  one.18 

His  really  effective  contributions  to  the  polemics  consisted, 
not  of  arguments,  but  of  impressive  hints :  "  I  am  greatly  de- 
ceived, Mr.  President,  if  we  shall  not  ere  long  see  facts  coming 
to  the  light,  and  circumstances  found  coinciding  and  con- 
curring, which  will  fix  on  the  government"  its  alleged  guilt; 
and  a  President  bringing  on  war  in  the  manner  charged  against 
Polk,  would  commit  "an  impeachable  offence,"  as  if  Polk  might 
have  been  impeached  after  Congress  had  assumed  the  respon- 
sibility for  his  acts.  But  unhappily  Father  Ritchie  offered 
another  citation,  "Well,  well,  we  know;  or  there  be,  and  if 
there  might;  or  if  we  list  to  speak."  18 

And  not  only  did  Webster  disappoint,  but  he  mortified  Whig 
friends.  Texas  had  been  an  independent  state  as  early  as  1840, 
he  said;  our  annexing  it  gave  Mexico  no  just  ground  of  com- 
plaint; she  was  "entirely  unreasonable  and  senseless"  in  reject- 
ing our  offer  to  treat ;  if  she  preferred  war  to  peace  we  could  but 
fight;  and  now  the  war  must  be  vigorously  prosecuted.  He 
squarely  refused  to  call  the  invasion  of  her  territory  unjust. 
He  seemed  to  approve  of  his  son's  going  to  the  field  in  the  "un- 
holy" cause  of  his  country.  He  admitted  that  Whig  policy  in 
Massachusetts  was  in  some  respects  "quite  narrow."  "I  am 
tired  —  and  disgusted  —  as  much  as  you  possibly  can  be,  with 
the  fanaticism  and  narrowness  of  some  of  our  People,"  he  wrote ; 
and  no  doubt  it  made  him  still  more  tired  to  hear  Lowell's  cap- 
tivating but  wayward  muse  advise  young  fellows,  on  grounds  of 
personal  advantage,  to  keep  out  of  the  army,  and  suggest  that, 


280  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

should  they  get  seduced  by  some  "strutting"  sergeant  into 
taking  up  arms  for  the  country,  insubordination  and  even  deser- 
sertion  would  become  them. 

"  Thrash  away,  you'll  hev  to  rattle 

On  them  kittle-drums  o'  yourn,  — 
'Taint  a  knowin'  kind  o'  cattle 

That  is  ketched  with  mouldy  corn."  l9 

While  such  were  the  troubles  of  waking  hours,  the  bedchamber, 
too,  of  many  Whigs  had  its  troubled  moments.  Ghosts  walked. 
John  Jay,  a  sincere  opponent  of  our  second  war  against  England, 
came  back,  holding  out  a  scroll  that  bore  these  words  of  his, 
"As  the  war  has  been  constitutionally  declared,  the  people  are 
evidently  bound  to  support  it."  Came  back  the  Rev.  David 
Osgood,  D.D.,  of  Medford,  Massachusetts,  with  his  sermon  of 
June  27,  1812  :  "My  mind  has  been  in  a  constant  agony,  not  so 
much  at  the  inevitable  loss  of  our  temporal  prosperity  and  hap- 
piness, and  the  complicated  miseries  of  war,  as  at  its  guilt,  its 
outrage  against  heaven,  against  all  truth,  honesty,  justice,  good- 
ness, against  all  the  principles  of  social  happiness. "  Came  back 
another  Federalist,  the  Rev.  Elijah  Parish,  D.D.,  with  a  sermon 
recommending  treason  as  a  pious  duty :  "  New  England,  if  in- 
vaded, would  be  obliged  to  defend  herself.  Do  you  not  then 
owe  it  to  your  children,  and  owe  it  to  your  God,  to  make 
peace  for  yourselves  ?"  Unlike  Jay,  these  men  appeared  to  be 
unhappy ;  and  then  certain  patriots  of  the  Hartford  Convention 
filed  by  with  averted  eyes,  each  dragging  after  him  a  blasted 
reputation.20 

In  one  thing,  however,  the  opponents  of  the  war  succeeded. 
Going  far  beyond  the  limits  of  reasonable  criticism  and  helpful 
suggestions,  and  indulging  in  language  calculated  to  dishearten 
and  hamper  the  administration,  they  encouraged  the  enemy. 
It  is  merely  Folk's  war,  announced  the  Boston  Atlas,  quoted  in 
the  Monitor  Republicans.  Mexico  would  have  disgraced  herself 
by  receiving  Slidell,  declared  the  same  journal.  Her  spirit, 
proclaimed  the  National  Intelligencer,  was  fitted  to  "  command 
the  admiration  of  all  men  capable  of  appreciating  the  virtue  of 
courage  and  fortitude  under  the  most  disastrous  circumstances." 
Severance,  a  member  of  Congress,  openly  applauded  her  resist- 
ance. We  cannot  beat  her  without  ruining  our  finances,  main- 
tained Waddy  Thompson.  The  destruction  of  her  national  in- 


THE  DEMOCRATS  IN  CONGRESS  281 

dependence  was  "the  true  issue,"  one  sheet  falsely  assured  her, 
as  if  to  whet  her  sword.  It  was  entirely  uncertain,  proclaimed 
Calhoun  in  February,  1847,  whether  our  army  could  reach  Mex- 
ico City  or  dictate  a  peace  if  it  should.  She  cannot  be  con- 
quered, it  was  often  said.21 

Magazines  of  epithets  and  arguments,  that  became  gunpowder 
the  moment  they  crossed  the  Rio  Grande,  poured  from  the  Whig 
presses.  Leading  papers  invoked  foreign  intervention.  The 
official  journal  of  the  Mexican  government  offered  the  thanks 
of  the  nation  to  Webster  for  threatening  our  President  with 
impeachment.  "  If  there  is  in  the  United  States  a  heart  worthy 
of  American  liberty,  its  impulse  is  to  join  the  Mexicans,"  ex- 
claimed a  Boston  journal ;  "  It  would  be  a  sad  and  woeful  joy, 
but  a  joy  nevertheless,  to  hear  that  the  hordes  under  Scott  and 
Taylor  were,  every  man  of  them,  swept  into  the  next  world"  No 
wonder  that  Polk  dropped  a  hint  about  aiding  and  abetting  the 
enemy.  It  was  proper.  In  1813-14  the  National  Intelligencer 
had  stigmatized  those  who  denounced  the  country's  war  after 
its  own  present  fashion  as  "traitors  in  thought  and  purpose."  21 

Early  in  December,  1846,  amidst  feelings  of  depression,  dis- 
satisfaction with  the  government  and  opposition  to  the  war,  the 
second  session  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Congress  opened.  The 
Democrats  of  that  body  found  themselves  in  a  general  state 
of  dissension.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year  Marcy  had  written 
privately,  "Our  noble  party  [is] on  the  brink  of  ruin,"  and  there 
it  still  hung.22 

Van  Buren's  implacable  followers  nursed  a  grudge  against 
Polk  for  the  intrigues  that  had  led  to  his  nomination ;  and  the 
partisans  of  Cass  nursed  one  against  them  for  their  votes  at  the 
Baltimore  convention.  New  York  Barnburners  and  Old  Hun- 
kers glared  at  one  another.  Calhoun's  friends  were  sour  be- 
cause of  his  exclusion  from  the  Cabinet.  The  old  free-traders 
cursed  Walker  in  their  hearts  for  stealing  their  tariff  hobby. 
The  westerners  had  no  thought  of  forgiving  the  South  for 
dropping  Oregon,  and  the  South  refused  to  be  scared  by  those 
"Big  Braggarts"  of  the  west,  who  seemed  to  want  all  the  funds 
in  the  treasury  for  their  internal  improvements.  Many  wore 
crape  and  hatchets,  one  might  say,  for  the  river  and  harbor  bill. 
Everybody  wished  to  blame  somebody  for  the  recent  election 
returns.  Some  were  quite  ready  to  break  openly  with  the 


282  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

administration.  The  partisans  of  Buchanan  and  those  of 
Dallas  marched  with  daggers  drawn.  "All  around  is  dis- 
sension and  distrust.  Gloom  overspreads  the  party/'  wrote 
G.  W.  Thompson  of  Wheeling.22 

The  best  of  leadership  was  needed,  and  it  could  not  be  found. 
If  a  person  did  not  understand  the  situation,  he  wondered ;  if  he 
did,  he  wondered  more.  Nobody  credited  Polk  with  possessing 
the  rod  of  Moses.  Many  disliked  the  man  too  much  to  respect 
the  official.  He  could  inspire  neither  love  nor  fear.  While  at 
one  end  of  the  avenue  sat  a  party  without  a  President,  at  the 
other  sat  a  President  without  a  party.  With  a  large  Democratic 
margin  in  each  chamber,  he  admitted  that  he  was  practically  in 
the  minority ;  and  at  first  sight  this  appeared  the  more  surpris- 
ing because  Polk,  knowing  Congress  and  not  knowing  the  coun- 
try, labored  with  his  eye  on  the  former.  But  the  explanation 
could  easily  be  found.  The  people  were  not  believed  to  be 
standing  behind  him.  Within  a  month  he  was  to  be  rebuffed 
three  times  in  the  House  on  important  matters  during  as  many 
days.  One  of  his  favorite  measures  was  to  go  down  amid  shouts 
of  laughter  without  a  single  friendly  vote.  The  Cabinet  en- 
joyed no  greater  respect.  Walker  seemed  to  be  regarded  as  its 
leading  spirit,  but  men  distrusted  his  character  as  much  as  they 
admired  his  talents  and  energy.  Moreover,  in  spite  of  Folk's 
determination  to  shut  Presidential  aspirants  from  his  council, 
both  Walker  and  Buchanan  probably  felt  less  interest  in  the 
war  than  in  personal  schemes.23 

These  circumstances  left  the  party  to  find  such  leadership  as 
it  could  in  Congress,  and  the  leadership  it  found  was  a  triangular 
fight  —  Benton,  Cass  and  Calhoun.  Benton  had  remarkable 
powers  and  seldom  failed  to  be  a  Democrat,  a  Senator  and  a 
patriot,  but  he  was  egotistical,  moody,  overbearing,  passionate ; 
he  despised  Cass, he  more  than  hated  Calhoun,  and  he  treated  his 
fellow-Democrats  in  general  as  minions.  Cass,  a  courtier  and 
somewhat  a  scholar,  lacked  parliamentary  experience,  drew 
more  timidity  than  courage  from  his  Presidential  hopes,  and 
possessed  no  political  convictions  to  reinforce  his  talents.  Cal- 
houn's  high  character,  rare  intellectual  strength  and  frank, 
affable  manners  made  him  personally  the  most  influential  man 
at  the  capital ;  but  his  judgment  was  erratic,  and  he  aimed  to 
stand  aloof,  with  a  following  of  about  four  Senators,  as  a  balance- 


THE  WHIGS  IN  CONGRESS  283 

of-power  faction.  He  was  intensely  narrow,  too.  For  him  there 
seemed  to  be  only  one  region  in  the  world ;  only  one  state  in 
the  south,  and  only  one  public  man  there.  Cass  was  loyal  to 
the  administration,  Benton  helpful  but  domineering,  and  Cal- 
houn  unfriendly.  Not  a  very  firm  tripod,  this,  to  support  a 
government  engaged  in  war.  With  almost  all  the  Democrats, 
politics  —  that  is  to  say,  offices  —  held  the  stage,  and  country 
occupied  the  background.  Dissatisfaction  with  Polk 's  appoint- 
ments increased  the  confusion.  Indeed,  a  "  passion  "  for  getting 
jobs  invaded  the  sacred  halls  of  legislation,  and  the  President 
found  not  less  than  twenty  men  voting  against  his  measures  to 
avenge  personal  disappointments.24 

Whig  harmony  and  efficiency  were  happily  not  impaired  by 
these  allurements  of  the  fleshpots,  for  the  Executive  did  not 
belong  to  their  party;  but  their  numberless  inconsistencies 
proved  most  embarrassing,  and  the  necessity  of  satisfying 
public  sentiment,  and  throwing  the  responsibility  upon  the 
administration,  by  voting  supplies  for  hostilities  they  de- 
nounced, weakened  them.  No  absurdities,  however,  were  too 
glaring,  no  contradictions  too  thorny  for  what  they  termed  their 
"  patriotic  sublimity  "  to  ignore  or  surmount.  They  denounced 
the  war  enough  to  incriminate  themselves  when  they  supported 
it,  and  they  supported  it  enough  to  stultify  themselves  when 
they  condemned  it.  Combining  the  views  of  several  groups,  one 
discovered  a  line  of  policy  truly  remarkable :  the  attack  upon 
Mexico  was  unconstitutional  and  wicked,  but  it  should  be  carried 
on ;  so  let  us  halt,  send  an  embassy,  and  proffer  again  the  nego- 
tiations that  Mexico  has  repeatedly  and  recently  spurned.25 

The  success  of  the  government's  military  and  fiscal  policies  in 
comparison  with  what  had  been  predicted,  and  the  freedom  of 
our  commerce  from  Mexican  and  European  molestation  were 
troublesome  facts ;  but  hopes  of  disaster  could  still  be  enter- 
tained, and  prophecies  of  woe  still  be  chanted.  Constructive 
statesmanship,  they  held,  was  not  their  affair.  The  country's 
difficulties  occasioned  them  but  slight  concern.  On  that  score 
their  detachment  was  charming. 

"I  beard  a  lion  in'the  lobby  roar ; 
Say,  Mr.  Speaker,  shall  we  shut  the  door 
And  keep  him  out,  or  shall  we  let  him  in 
And  see  if  we  can  get  him  out  again  ? " 


284  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

In  fact  they  found  it  most  agreeable  to  hear  savage  growls  and 
roars,  and  proclaim  that  all  responsibility  belonged  to  the  Demo- 
crats. To  heighten  the  turmoil  Taylor  and  Scott  were  in  poli- 
tics, where  they  should  not  have  been,  and  they  had  active  and 
hopeful  friends  in  Congress.  Many  of  the  Whigs,  indeed,  felt 
quite  ready  to  put  up  "  Old  Zack  "  for  President  and  "  Old  Whitey ' ' 
for  Vice  President,  if  only  they  could  injure  Polk  and  whip  the 
Democrats  thereby ;  and  their  opponents,  understanding  the 
game,  fended  off  with  no  more  scruple.26 

The  speeches,  which  ran  on  almost  interminably,  were  often 
able,  sometimes  eloquent,  almost  always  prejudiced,  and  quite 
always  deficient  in  information.  Indeed,  a  multitude  of  essen- 
tial or  important  data  were  wholly  unknown.  The  same  facts, 
the  same  errors,  the  same  arguments,  the  same  epithets,  the 
same  laudable  sentiments  and  the  same  ignoble  aims  presented 
themselves  over  and  over  again.  Assertions  and  denials,  proofs 
and  refutations,  accusations  and  answers,  flings  and  retorts  pur- 
sued and  were  pursued.  There  was  what  the  Public  Ledger  called 
"an  everlasting  begging  of  the  question"  —  taking  premises  for 
granted  and  reaching  conclusions  that  any  one  could  accept,  if 
he  pleased.  "How  glad  I  shall  be  when  I  escape  from  the 
region  of  speeches  —  and  get  into  the  region  of  [undisguised] 
pigs  and  calves/'  Senator  Fairfield  had  exclaimed  a  few  months 
earlier ;  and  no  doubt  many  felt  in  the  same  way  now.26 

Naturally  the  genesis  of  the  conflict  proved  to  be  a  favorite 
object  of  contemplation,  and  almost  every  complaint  against 
the  administration  that  wit  could  invent  or  stupidity  fall  into 
was  brought  forward.  The  fact  that  the  action  of  the  same 
Congress  at  its  first  session  had  turned  the  leaf  upon  that  subject 
made  no  difference.  The  fact  that  Folk's  newspaper  organ  chal- 
lenged in  his  name  "the  most  rigorous  investigation  —  not  at  any 
future  time,  but  now"  —  into  the  Executive's  "whole  conduct 
of  our  Mexican  relations"  did  not  signify.  No  such  investiga- 
tion was  attempted,  but  invective  continued.  The  opposition 
merely  cocked  its  eye  suspiciously  at  everything,  and  found 
everything  iniquitous. 

"  He  must  have  optics  sharp,  I  ween, 
Who  sees  what  is  not  to  be  seen, " 

but  the  feat  was  now  accomplished.27 


OPPOSITION  SCHEMES  285 

For  example,  Congress  had  scarcely  assembled  when  attacks 
began  on  the  establishment  of  civil  governments  in  California 
and  New  Mexico.  With  such  unusual  strength  of  vision  it 
could  readily  be  seen  that  Polk  had  been  indulging  in  some  vil- 
lainy there.  For  a  week  or  so  excitement  raged.  But  after  a 
while  several  things  appeared.  Our  only  aim  had  been  to  miti- 
gate the  harshness  of  military  rule,  about  which  the  kindly 
Whigs  had  felt  much  exercised.  The  action  complained  of  had 
been  taken  under  a  military  sanction,  and  was  proper  legally 
as  well  as  by  common  sense,  for  the  Executive,  as  commander-in- 
chief ,  possessed  the  fullest  military  authority  in  regions  occupied 
by  our  arms.  Harrison,  a  Whig,  had  proceeded  after  a  similar 
fashion  in  Canada  during  the  War  of  1812;  and  our  Supreme 
Court  had  even  endorsed  the  view  of  a  Whig  lawyer,  Daniel 
Webster  by  name,  that  British  occupation  of  Castine,  Maine, 
during  the  same  war  gave  England  rights  of  sovereignty  there 
for  the  time  being.  So  far  as  Kearny,  a  Whig  officer,  had  gone 
wrong,  the  fault  had  been  his  own;  and,  finally,  the  unholy 
word  "conquest,"  which  had  made  the  Whigs  most  unhappy 
when  applied  by  Polk  to  the  occupation  of  New  Mexico,  was 
found  to  have  been  applied  to  the  British  occupation  of  Castine 
by  our  own  Supreme  Court.28 

Behind  idealistic  declamation  lay  schemes  that  were  distinctly 
practical.  It  was  thought,  for  example,  that  if  the  war  could 
be  made  odious,  and  the  government's  measures  be  hindered  in 
Congress,  Polk  would  have  to  placate  the  Whigs  by  restoring 
the  protective  tariff.  This  came  out  beautifully  in  the  treatment 
of  the  proposal  to  lay  a  duty  on  tea  and  coffee,  which  even  the 
National  Intelligencer  endorsed.  A  Democrat,  "Long  John" 
Wentworth  of  Illinois,  fully  as  noted  for  corporeal  as  for  spiritual 
grandeur,  and  wrathful  over  Folk's  course  in  the  Oregon  and 
river  and  harbor  affairs,  moved  the  rejection  of  the  plan,  and 
the  Whigs  fell  into  line.29 

It  was  a  noble  scene.  Regard  for  the  poor  man  filled  the 
mouths  of  the  orators.  Though  his  cottons,  his  sugar  and  his 
salt  had  been  cheerfully  made  to  pay,  this  duty  would  be  "  in- 
human," a  "tax  on  poverty,"  a  tax  "against  the  fireside  and 
against  woman,"  a  tax  "against  the  wages  of  weary  labor"  to 
support  the  "extravagance"  of  the  "Tiberius"  in  the  White 
House.  But  almost  in  the  same  breath  came  the  hint,  "If  the 


286  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

administration  needs  money,  let  it  re-enact  the  [protective) 
tariff  of  1842."  "The  first  condition  [of  Whig  support]  is," 
explained  the  Boston  Atlas,  "repeal  the  British  Bill.  Repeal 
the  bantling  of  the  House  of  Lords.  Repeal  the  offspring  of 
British  paternity  and  precedent."  "Should  they  be  in  want 
of  money,"  proclaimed  Webster,  "  I  would  say  to  them  —  restore 
what  you  have  destroyed."  A  fairly  definite  understanding  to 
this  effect  seems  to  have  existed  among  the  Whigs ;  malcontents 
on  the  other  side  gave  them  help ;  and  the  proposed  duty  was 
rejected  in  the  House  by  a  vote  of  115  to  48.  Partly  for  the 
same  reason  troops  were  not  promptly  voted.  If  the  govern- 
ment does  not  need  money,  it  does  not  need  men,  said  the  opposi- 
sition.  Thus  the  "patriotic  sublimity"  of  the  Whigs  again 
commanded  admiration,  and  some  of  the  Democrats  now  had 
a  share  in  it.29 

Another  illustration  of  sublimity  was  the  "  Wilmot  Proviso," 
that  "firebell  in  the  night,"  as  Alexander  H.  Stephens  called  it, 
which  no  doubt  some  Congressmen  accepted  at  its  face  value, 
and  a  multitude  of  honest  citizens  regarded  as  a  New  Command- 
ment revealed  on  a  new  Sinai.  The  introduction  of  this  meas- 
sure,  which  prohibited  slavery  in  territory  acquired  from  Mex- 
ico, was  both  unnecessary  and  unwise.  It  blocked  needed  war 
legislation,  added  to  the  prevailing  discord,  and  weakened  the 
government  in  the  face  of  the  enemy.30 

But  reasons  of  state  outweighed  all  such  trifling  considerations. 
The  northern  Whigs,  to  hurt  their  opponents  and  gain  recruits, 
had  for  some  time  been  taunting  the  northern  Democrats  with 
subserviency  to  the  slave  power,  and  it  seemed  to  the  latter  that 
a  declaration  of  independence  would  help  their  electioneering. 
Van  Buren  men,  especially  in  the  state  of  New  York,  desired  to 
annoy  Polk  in  return  for  his  beating  their  favorite,  and  taking  an 
Old  Hunker  instead  of  a  Barnburner  into  the  Cabinet.  Wilmot, 
the  only  Pennsylvania  Democrat  that  had  voted  for  the  new 
tariff,  did  not  feel  precisely  happy  about  his  action,  and  was 
anxious  to  repel  the  charge  of  truckling.  His  great  state  and 
New  England  considered  the  "Southern"  tariff  an  abomination, 
and  longed  to  retaliate.  Many  felt  that  Walker  and  Tyler  had 
used  sharp  practice  in  the  annexation  of  Texas  for  the  advan- 
tage of  their  section.  The  West  believed  the  South  had  actually 
broken  a  bargain  by  getting  its  help  in  that  matter  and  then 


BERRIEN'S  PLAN  287 

dropping  the  Oregon  issue.  A  general  sense  that  southern 
politicians  had  been  overbearing  prevailed  above  the  line. 
The  fear  that  southern  domination  would  blight  interests  dear 
to  the  North  exerted  its  usual  strength ;  and  as  a  final  merit,  the 
Proviso  helped  to  make  the  war  odious  by  suggesting  that  it 
aimed  to  extend  slavery.30 

So  without  regard  to  the  logic -of  the  situation,  the  welfare  of 
the  country  or  the  needs  of  our  armies  it  was  urged ;  and  then 
Calhoun  made  a  profit  in  his  turn  by  bringing  in  a  series  of  pro- 
slavery  dogmas  to  rally  the  southerners  under  his  banner.  The 
northern  Whigs,  for  reasons  just  mentioned,  and  particularly  to 
save  themselves  at  home,  took  up  the  Proviso,  and  it  fared  well ; 
but  after  a  time  the  party  discovered  that  favoring  it  might  cost 
them  several  states  in  the  next  Presidential  contest,  and  so  the 
New  Commandment  was  quietly  filed  away.30 

To  replace  it,  however,  calm  the  "Proviso  men/'  and  avert 
a  party  split  by  preventing  the  emergence  of  a  slavery  issue,  the 
"  patriotic  sublimity  "  of  the  Whigs  evolved  another  idea.  This 
was  the  proposition  of  Senator  Berrien  that  no  territory  should 
be  taken  from  Mexico,  and  that  while  it  would  be  "  desirable  "  to 
have  the  Texas  boundary  settled  and  our  claims  paid,  we 
should  always  be  ready  to  make  terms  that  would  leave  Mexican 
honor  "inviolate."  Here  was  truly  a  remarkable  proposition. 
By  voting  three  millions  to  facilitate  a  settlement  with  Mexico, 
in  full  view  of  Folk's  grounds  for  proposing  that  measure,  Con- 
gress had  already  committed  itself  to  the  principle  of  acquiring 
territory.31 

But  other  objections  to  Berrien's  plan  far  outweighed  the 
point  of  consistency.  If  the  United  States  was  to  decide  what 
would  satisfy  Mexican  honor,  the  plan  could  only  have  proved 
futile  —  even  insulting ;  and  if  Mexico  herself,  it  was  ludicrous. 
Nothing  would  have  satisfied  Mexico's  ideas  of  honor  except 
the  evacuation  of  her  territory  and  the  surrender  of  Texas. 
When  convinced  by  the  passage  of  this  resolution  that  she  had 
nothing  to  lose  in  the  end,  she  would  have  felt  still  less  anxiety 
to  sacrifice  her  daily  golden  egg  —  the  money  that  our  armies 
paid  out  —  by  ending  the  war.  Implying  that  she  had  done 
nothing  worthy  of  stripes,  Berrien  turned  the  war  Message  and 
the  war  bill  into  falsehoods,  and  accused  the  United  States  of  a 
horrible  crime  —  the  crime  of  warring  upon  an  innocent  neighbor 


288  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

merely  to  do  havoc.  He  reduced  the  minima  of  our  solemn  de- 
mands to  mere  desiderata.  He  represented  our  expenditures, 
our  dead  and  our  victories  as  elements  of  a  senseless  farce,  and 
left  us  no  respectable  excuse  for  having  troops  in  Mexico,  except 
that  we  sent  them  down  to  scatter  silver  dollars  and  study  the 
fandango.  He  proposed  to  make  this  nation  unique  in  history  as 
combining  the  villain,  the  ruffian,  the  simpleton  and  the  come- 
dian. He  attempted  to  revive  the  unendurable  status  quo  ante, 
leave  the  United  States  without  indemnity  for  the  past  or  secur- 
ity for  the  future,  stimulate  Mexican  vanity  and  self-confidence, 
and  weaken  the  prestige  of  our  arms  in  Europe.  In  order  to 
preserve  Whig  solidarity  he  aimed  to  deprive  us,  not  merely 
of  California,  but  of  self-respect.31 

All  this  Berrien  proposed.  Yet  Webster,  dreaming  still 
of  the  Presidency,  endorsed  the  plan.  He  was  put  up  as  a 
candidate  by  the  Massachusetts  Whigs  on  that  basis ;  and  his 
party,  hoping  to  win  spoils  in  the  approaching  national  election 
by  this  device,  quite  generally  accepted  it.  Said  a  correspond- 
ent of  the  National  Intelligencer,  vouched  for  by  the  editor 
as  a  Whig  statesman,  "  No  Mexican  territory.  Let  this  be  the 
issue.  Let  this  be  the  motto  inscribed  on  the  Whig  banner,  and 
victory  is  certain."  31 

All  these  manoeuvres  of  the  Whigs,  aided  by  the  Democratic 
underworking,  resulted,  of  course,  in  the  protraction  of  a  war 
which  they  posed  as  hating.  The  first  seven  weeks  of  the 
session  were  almost  thrown  away.  The  opposition  hung  back 
from  granting  needed  troops  for  reasons  already  suggested,  and 
also  lest  the  administration  should  turn  the  appointments  to 
party  account.  Democratic  dissensions  and  probably  a  wish  to 
annoy  Whig  generals  had  a  similar  effect.  Grudges  on  account 
of  the  tariff  and  the  river  and  harbor  veto  played  their  part 
against  war  legislation.  Men  stooped  so  low  as  to  argue  that 
Polk,  the  President  of  the  United  States,  could  not  be  trusted 
with  $3,000,000,  when  customhouse  officials  had  larger  sums 
in  their  keeping.  And  then  his  "imbecile"  administration 
was  charged  with  permitting  the  war  to  drag,  "  when  by  a  few 
vigorous  blows  it  could  have  been  ended  long  since."  Its 
course  exhibited  "unsurpassed  inefficiency,"  declared  the 
Boston  Atlas,  as  well  as  "one  unrelieved  picture  of  wrong- 
doing, corruption,  weakness  and  blunders."  Indeed,  the  gov- 


CLAY'S  LEADERSHIP  289 

ernment,  "rolling  this  war,  as  a  sweet  morsel,  under  its 
tongue,"  was  detected  in  wilfully  doing  "everything  in  its 
power  to  prevent"  the  energetic  ^operations  upon  which,  as 
any  one  could  see,  its  financial,  political  and  personal  credit 
vitally  depended.32 

In  November,  1847,  Henry  Clay,  the  plumed  leader  of  the 
national  Whig  party,  celebrated  also  as  the  man  who  elected 
Polk,  after  taking  even  a  longer  time  than  others  to  consult 
the  omens,  gave  out  a  speech  and  a  set  of  resolutions.  These 
were  intended  as  a  chart  for  the  party  to  be  guided  by  under  the 
pilotage  of  that  distinguished  though  unlucky  navigator.  The 
author  forgot  having  said  in  1813,  "  an  honorable  peace  is  attain- 
able only  by  an  efficient  war,"  but  he  remembered  to  condole 
with  suffering  Ireland.  He  forgot  that  a  country  engaged  in 
hostilities  of  uncertain  duration  and  cost  cannot  wisely  bind 
itself  to  specific  terms  of  peace,  but  reiterated  the  favorite  Whig 
taunt  that  it  was  a  blind  war,  without  known  aim.  Historically 
too,  he  wandered  a  little,  for  he  charged  the  President  with  or- 
dering Taylor  to  plant  cannon  opposite  Matamoros  "  at  the  very 
time"  when  Slidell  was  "bending  his  way"  to  Mexico;  but 
Polk  was  unpopular,  and  few  thought  it  necessary  to  speak  the 
truth  about  him.  We  oppose  the  annexation  of  Mexico,  Clay 
proclaimed,  which,  on  the  other  hand  was  perhaps  too  true  to  be 
interesting ;  and  we  demand  only  a  proper  boundary  for  Texas, 
which  bore  him  a  long  distance  toward  Berrien.33 

But  here  was  the  master  stroke :  We  desire  to  acquire  no 
foreign  territory  "for  the  purpose"  of  extending  slavery  to  it. 
This  had  the  threefold  merit  of  completely  "dodging"  the  great 
question  of  principle,  giving  the  northern  Whigs  a  graven  image 
to  worship,  and  conceding  to  their  southern  brethren  a  full  priv- 
ilege to  do  anything  possible  in  the  acquired  territory,  after  it 
should  be  ours.  But  unfortunately  for  his  party  the  Navigator 
admitted  that  Congress  had  made  the  conflict  a  national  war, 
that  a  long  series  of  "  glorious  "  victories  had  been  won,  and  that 
since  Congress  had  formulated  no  declaration  regarding  the 
objects  in  view,  Polk  —  frequently  accused  by  Whigs  of  carrying 
on  the  war  for  diabolical  purposes  both  abhorrent  and  fatal  to 
the  Constitution  — had  been  free  to  use  his  judgment.  In  Mex- 
ico Clay's  speech  was  widely  circulated,  and  a  competent  ob- 
server thought  it  might  delay  peace  one  or  two  years.  Such 

VOL.   II  —  IT 


290  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

was  the  highest  Whig  leadership  in  what  Webster  called  a  "  dark 
and  troubled  night. "  33 

One  idea  in  the  minds  of  not  a  few  who  endorsed  the  "  no 
territory''  plan  was  that  its  adoption  would  render  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  war  aimless,  and  so  check  it  abruptly.  Others  fa- 
vored gaining  the  same  end  by  stopping  supplies.  Ex-Senator 
Rives,  a  leader  of  prominence,  advised  Crittenden  to  concert 
measures  for  this  purpose  with  Democratic  "patriots" ;  and  in 
fact  an  understanding  on  the  point  seems  to  have  been  reached. 
"Be  prompt,  when  you  are  wrong,  to  back  straight  out/'  urged 
the  New  York  Tribune,  demanding  the  recall  of  our  troops. 
Other  Whigs,  after  doing  all  they  could  to  make  the  war  aimless, 
argued,  We  are  fighting  for  nothing,  why  persist?  "Let  us  call 
home  our  armies/5  insisted  Corwin.  "Stop  the  war.  With- 
draw our  forces/'  cried  Sumner ;  and  Corwin  believed,  early  in 
February,  1847,  that  only  two  more  votes  would  commit  the 
Senate  for  this  plan  of  complete  national  stultification,  and  for 
bringing  back  in  a  keenly  aggravated  state  all  our  Mexican 
difficulties.  Practically  nobody  dreamed  of  offering  to  Mexico 
the  reparation  that  such  an  idea  of  dropping  the  war  implied. 
The  proposition  was  therefore  hollow  and  insincere ;  little  more 
than  politics  weakly  flavored  with  sentimentality.34 

The  month  after  Clay's  chart  appeared,  the  first  session  of 
the  Thirtieth  Congress  assembled.  About  half  the  Representa- 
tives were  new  men,  a  majority  belonged  to  the  Whig  party,  and 
all  had  been  chosen  during  the  gloomy  autumn  of  the  previous 
year.  By  the  Navigator  and  by  other  party  leaders  their 
work  had  been  mapped  out  for  them.  The  objects  of  the  war 
were  to  be  defined  as  at  most  a  settlement  of  the  Texas  boundary 
at  the  Rio  Grande,  or  a  little  farther  north,  and  payment  of  the 
old  American  claims ;  supplies  were  to  be  qualified  and  limited 
accordingly,  or  entirely  cut  off ;  and  in  this  manner  hostilities 
would  be  ended.35 

But  politics,  not  principle,  still  dominated  most  of  the  Whigs. 
They  viewed  everything  with  reference  to  the  impending  elec- 
tion of  a  President ;  and  public  sentiment  regarding  the  war  had 
now  changed.  The  battle  of  Buena  Vista  had  aroused  extraor- 
dinary enthusiasm;  Scott's  victories,  refuting  the  charges  of 
inefficiency  and  silencing  the  prophets  of  calamity,  had  been  de- 
cisive as  well  as  brilliant ;  the  expenses  of  the  war  were  far  less 


THE  OPPOSITION  FAILS  291 

burdensome  than  its  opponents  had  prophesied;  Mexico  had 
proved  stubborn  and  unreasonable ;  the  sort  of  opposition  that 
had  been  practised  was  seen  to  be  aiding  the  enemy,  and  hence 
fell  somewhat  into  disfavor;  and  the  people,  believing  peace 
and  a  reward  for  their  sacrifices  within  reach,  had  made  up  their 
minds  to  carry  the  business  through.  Besides,  many  of  the 
Whigs  themselves  were  too  proud  to  "back  out,"  and  many  at 
the  north  —  high-tariff  men  —  wished  the  war  to  continue.  By 
a  rather  small  vote  and  a  very  narrow  margin  —  85  to  81  —  it 
was  duly  branded  as  unnecessary  and  unconstitutional,  and 
Webster,  now  an  out-an-out  opposition  candidate  for  the  Presi- 
dency, approved  of  this  little  black  "blister-plaster";  but  in 
view  of  national  sentiment  "patriotic  sublimity"  of  a  practical 
sort  now  looked  expensive,  and  a  motion  contemplating  the 
withdrawal  of  our  troops  perished  in  the  House  under  a  vote  of 
41  to  137.35 

It  was  perfectly  feasible,  however,  to  snarl,  nag,  procrastinate 
and  work  for  personal  aims;  and  few  opportunities  passed 
unheeded.  "Tiger  hunts"  —  ambitious  members  attacking 
rivals  —  used  up  much  time.  Cliques  locked  horns  over  press- 
ing military  needs.  Webster  seemed  to  forget  everything  ex- 
cept his  ambition.  Benton  raged  over  the  fate  of  the  Lieuten- 
ant General  bill  and  the  censure  of  Fremont  for  disobeying 
Kearny.  Calhoun,  having  allowed  his  hair  to  grow,  resembled  a 
porcupine  less  than  before,  but  felt  no  less  anxious  to  prove  him- 
self the  sole  hope  of  the  South.  Polk,  instead  of  gaining  popu- 
larity from  the  success  of  his  administration,  was  looked  upon 
as  intoxicated  by  its  fumes,  and  a  section  of  his  party  advised 
throwing  him  openly  to  the  sharks.  Congressional  resolutions 
were  aimed  at  him.  All  the  dying  embers  of  controversy  were 
solicitously  fanned.  The  causes  of  the  war,  the  conduct  of  the 
war,  the  instructions  to  Slidell,  the  return  of  Santa  Anna,  the 
occupation  of  New  Mexico,  the  tariff  in  Mexican  ports  and  the 
treatment  of  Taylor  and  Scott  furnished  themes  for  stale 
speeches.  To  chill  the  growing  popularity  of  the  war,  direct 
taxes  were  suggested ;  and  the  chairman  of  the  ways  and  means 
committee  piled  up  the  prospective  costs  far  above  the  estimates 
of  the  government.  After  some  two  months  of  it  Marcy  gave 
up  hope.  But  the  Whigs  knew  they  must  do  nothing  serious 
against  the  war,  and  before  long  it  happily  ended.86 


29?  THiE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Th3  results  of  all  this  personal,  designing  or  factious  opposi- 
tion to  the  government  and  the  war  proved  most  unfortunate. 
The  administration  could  never  be  sure  what  action  Congress 
would  take,  nor  when ;  and  therefore  its  course  was  necessarily 
timid,  weak  and  hesitating.  Time  and  strength  had  to  be  con- 
sumed in  foreseeing  and  in  meeting  captious  objections,  and  in 
battling  against  public  prejudices  that  hampered  both  military 
and  financial  efficiency.  "We  shall  have  three  months  of  tur- 
moil—  our  errors  exposed,  our  good  deeds  perverted/*  wrote 
Marcy  to  a  friend  at  the  beginning  of  December,  1846 ;  and  such 
an  expectation  did  not  conduce  to  satisfactory  work.  Bold, 
rapid  strokes  could  not  be  ventured  ;  caution  and  cheese-paring 
had  to  be  the  rule.  In  the  field  all  this  bore  fruit  in  vexation, 
delay,  expense  and  loss  of  life.  uln  the  name  of  God,"  ex- 
claimed a  man  at  the  front,  "  will  the  politicians  of  our  country 
never  cease  gambling  for  the  Presidency  upon  the  blood  of  their 
countrymen  ?"87 

And  the  uproar  had  another  consequence.  When  the  treaty 
was  ratified  the  government  organ  referred  to  the  conflict  with 
Mexico  as  "  one  of  the  most  brilliant  wars  that  ever  adorned  the 
annals  of  any  nation"  ;  and  the  chief  Whig  journal  placed  these 
words  without  criticism  in  its  own  editorial  column.  The 
trial  was  over,  and  the  fiercely  contesting  lawyers  walked 
off,  arm  in  arm,  to  dine.  The  inefficient  and  shameless  war  was 
now  brilliant  and  most  creditable.  Indeed,  the  Whigs  chose 
for  standard-bearer  a  man  who  represented  professionally  the 
military  spirit  they  had  raised  pious  hands  against,  who  belonged 
to  the  slaveholding  order  so  plainly  viewed  askance  by  the  New 
Commandment,  who  had  recommended  the  advance  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  who  had  aimed  the  cannon  at  Matamoros,  who  had  ad- 
vised appropriating  Mexican  territory  by  force  of  arms,  and  who 
owed  in  fact  all  his  prominence  to  playing  a  leading  role  in  the 
" illegal,  unrighteous,  and  damnable"  war.  Nobody  thought 
of  impeaching  Polk,  or  of  bringing  home  to  him  the  guilt  that  was 
to  have  sunk  him  to  the  bottom  of  the  bottomless  pit.38 

Yet  all  the  Whig  journalism  and  oratory  stood  in  the  record. 
Hosea  Biglow  became  an  immortal.39  New  Englanders  gained 
the  ear  of  reading  people.  Keen  young  radicals  of  the  northeast, 
where  the  muse  of  history  chiefly  dwelt,  dominated  to  a  great 
extent  the  public  thought.  Polk  retired  from  power  and  from 


RESULTS  OF  THE  OPPOSITION  293 

life,  and  nobody  cared  to  defend,  or  even  to  hear  defended,  a 
creature  so  unpopular  and  so  generally  denounced.  Declama- 
tion that  well-informed  men  of  the  day  had  rated  at  its  true 
value  came  to  be  taken  seriously.  One  side  of  the  case  faded 
from  sight,  the  other  was  engraved  on  bronze.  And  so  the 
patriotic  habit  of  eagerly  throwing  stones  at  the  Mexican 
War  and  its  backers  became  traditional.40 

This  has  been  a  mistake.  No  doubt,  as  we  have  seen, 
errors  and  misdeeds  enough  must  be  charged  to  the  admin- 
istration. All  the  actors  were  vessels  of  clay,  like  the  rest  of 
us.  But  in  reality  the  least  creditable  phase  of  our  proceed- 
ings was  the  conduct  of  the  opposition. 


XXXV 

THE  FOREIGN  RELATIONS  OF  THE  WAR 

1846-1848 

AT  the  time  our  difficulties  with  Mexico  approached  their 
climax,  the  popularity  and  prestige  of  the  United  States  abroad 
were  not  the  highest  possible.  England,  our  gentle  mother, 
showed  a  particular  want  of  regard  for  us.1  Herself  recently 
weaned  from  slavery,  she  viewed  with  a  convert's  intolerance 
our  adhering  to  that  institution.  Having  just  cured  her  most 
outrageous  electoral  abuses,  she  enjoyed  hearing  the  London 
Times  describe  our  government  as  "  a  polity  corrupted  in  all 
its  channels  with  the  foulest  venality."  Ever  scrupulous  and 
self-denying  when  a  question  of  gaining  territory  was  con- 
cerned, she  felt  shocked  by  American  "rapacity";  and  the 
Times,  while  infinitely  proud  that  England's  banner  waved 
in  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  ridiculed  American  "imperial 
pretensions"  as  echoed  and  re-echoed  "in  a  nasal  jargon,  com- 
pounded at  once  of  bad  grammar  and  worse  principle."  3 

The  disposition  of  certain  states  to  repudiate  bonds  held 
in  Great  Britain,  and  their  tardiness  in  paying  interest,  excited 
all  the  righteous  indignation  of  the  creditor.  The  descrip- 
tions of  this  country  put  forth  by  honored  guests  like  Dickens 
and  Mrs.  Trollope,  who  made  themselves  merry  and  popular 
at  our  expense,  furnished  excuses  for  countless  jibes;  and  in 
September,  1845,  the  Times  discovered  "great  danger"  that 
the  nightmare  of  an  old  English  writer  would  come  true  in  the 
United  States:  "No  arts,  no  letters,  no  society,  and,  what  is 
worst  of  all,  continual  feare  and  danger  of  violent  death,  and 
the  life  of  man  solitary,  poore,  nasty,  brutish,  and  short." 3 

If  one  aspect  of  our  civilization  appeared  more  laughable 
than  all  the  rest,  it  was  the  military  side.  The  title  of  General, 
observed  the  Times,  was  "legitimately  common  to  the  greater 

294 


THE  UNITED  STATES  CRITICIZED  ABROAD      295 

part  of  the  respectable  male  population,"  and  Britannia  out- 
did this  excellent  jest  by  telling  of  "majors  who  serve  out 
beer,  and  colonels  who  rub  down  the  heels  of  one's  horse." 
Literary  men  were  angered  by  our  failure  to  amend  the  copy- 
right law  as  they  desired ;  and  our  pronounced  republicanism, 
trumpeted  by  Polk  in  his  annual  Message  of  1845,  irritated 
almost  everybody.  The  plain  intimation  of  the  same  Mes- 
sage that  European  monarchies  were  not  expected  to  inter- 
fere in  America  seemed  even  worse;  and  the  President  was 
represented  as  meaning  that  we  intended  to  get  Mexico  into 
a  dark  alley  alone,  and  rob  her.  The  annexation  of  Texas, 
which  England  had  exerted  all  her  diplomatic  strength  to  pre- 
vent, could  not  be  forgiven,  and  the  Oregon  difficulty  threat- 
ened war.3 

Even  Englishmen  who  believed  in  the  rights  of  the  people, 
said  the  Times,  turned  from  us  with  "indignant  scorn;"  and 
in  another  of  its  many  outbursts,  which  would  have  been  ter- 
rible had  they  not  been  ludicrous,  that  paper  warned  us  that, 
as  we  followed  the  example,  we  invited  the  punishment  of  self- 
willed  Corcyra.  "The  most  impudent,  bullying,  boasting 
nation  of  mankind,"  was  Britannia's  genial  description  of  us; 
and  she  loved  to  parade  "our  national  scorn  of  America  and 
her  statesmanship."  In  short,  McLane,  the  American  min- 
ister at  London,  reported  privately  —  with  some  exaggera- 
tion, one  desires  to  believe  —  that  a  deep-seated  dislike, 
"amounting  almost  to  hate,  of  our  people,  of  our  country  and 
of  our  Institutions,"  prevailed  universally  in  England.3 

On  the  continent  these  opinions  were  more  or  less  distinctly 
reflected.  In  France  the  heart  of  the  people  beat  warmly  for 
us  and  against  their  neighbors  across  the  Channel;  but  the 
court  and  the  government,  regarding  a  close  alliance  with 
Great  Britain  as  of  cardinal  importance,  and  the  newspapers 
which,  like  the  Journal  des  Debats,  represented  them  with  more 
or  less  fidelity,  exerted  a  strong  influence  the  other  way.  At 
the  end  of  1845  Polk  deepened  this,  for  his  Message  referred 
in  cutting  terms  to  the  interference  of  that  country  on  the  side 
of  Great  Britain2  in  our  business  of  absorbing  Texas.3 

The  French  government  occupied  a  weak  position  in  ref- 
erence to  that  affair,  for  Guizot,  the  chief  minister,  believing 
that  Henry  Clay  would  be  elected  President  and  shelve  it, 


296  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

had  thought  he  could  safely  gratify  England.  Thiers,  ardent 
and  eloquent,  now  attacked  his  course  in  Parliament,  insist- 
ing that  an  ally  had  been  sacrificed  to  an  enemy.  Guizot, 
pale,  scholarly  and  calculating,  said  in  reply,  Thiers  has  ap- 
pealed to  your  instincts,  I  will  appeal  to  your  judgment ;  and 
pressed  his  theory  of  an  American  balance  of  power.  But 
good-will  for  the  United  States  and  hatred  for  England  were 
too  strong  for  him.  "What  empty  vocalization!  "  exclaimed 
Le  National;  "What  unhappy  exertions!  What  reverberat- 
ing accents,  like  echoes  in  the  desert !  It  was  poor.  It  was 
cold.  It  was  null."  Yet  no  doubt  the  sting  of  Folk's  rebuke 
lingered,  though  Guizot  intimated  in  bitterly  sweet  language 
that  it  should  not  be  resented,  since  he  knew  no  better ;  and 
many  Frenchmen  who  condemned  their  government's  policy, 
condemned  the  United  States  for  publicly  recalling  it.3 

Mexico,  however,  stood  in  a  much  worse  position  abroad 
than  we.  For  many  years,  it  is  true,  she  had  been  represent- 
ing herself  as  Andromeda,  shivering  at  the  American  croco- 
dile or  what-not  that  was  approaching  to  devour  her;  and  at 
the  end  of  July,  1845,  in  announcing  to  foreign  governments 
that  hostilities  were  shortly  to  begin,  she  repeated  that  while 
she  had  done  everything  honorable  to  preserve  peace,  the 
United  States  had  exhibited  "  no  rule  of  conduct  toward  Mexico 
except  a  disloyal  and  perfidious  policy,  and  no  purpose  except 
to  seize  successively  every  part  of  her  territory  that  it  could 
obtain.  "4 

By  such  reiterated  protestations  considerable  sympathy  was 
aroused  at  London  and  Paris.  Englishmen  holding  Mexican 
bonds  naturally  had  tender  feelings  on  the  subject.  British 
capitalists  involved  in  Mexican  silver  mines  and  other  invest- 
ments, and  British  merchants  and  manufacturers,  who  en- 
joyed the  lion's  pre-eminence  in  Mexican  commerce,  felt  deeply 
interested.  British  finances  required  silver  bullion,  and  Brit- 
ish statesmen  dreaded  a  further  extension  of  our  boundary 
toward  the  southwest.  But  the  politics  of  Mexico  excited 
such  contempt,  her  financial  conduct  such  disgust,  her  restric- 
tions upon  foreign  trade  such  irritation,  and  her  treatment 
of  foreign  powers  such  resentment  that  she  could  not  be  viewed 
with  cordiality,  confidence  or  even  respect.4 

Disraeli  spoke  of  every  government  of  Mexico  as  "born  in 


MEXICO  UNPOPULAR  IN  EUROPE  297 

a  revolution  and  expiring  in  a  riot."  The  charge  d'affaires 
of  Spain  told  Santa  Anna  that,  on  account  of  the  instability 
of  chiefs  and  systems,  it  was  impossible  to  have  a  settled  policy 
toward  his  country.  In  twenty  years  British  imports  did  not 
increase,  and  the  number  of  British  houses  engaged  in  Mexi- 
can business  diminished.  The  treaty  made  with  France  after 
the  war  of  1838  was  not  carried  out  by  Mexico;  and  at  the 
beginning  of  1846,  owing  to  a  long-standing  quarrel,  which 
France  would  have  settled  on  reasonable  terms,  that  country 
was  represented  by  the  Spanish  minister.  Mexico  has  "wil- 
fully incurred  the  odium  of  foreign  Nations/'  declared  the 
British  Foreign  Office ;  and  the  Mexican  correspondent  of  the 
Times  was  permitted  to  say  in  its  columns  that  an  American 
absorption  of  Mexico  would  be  greatly  for  the  advantage  of 
humanity.  The  London  Athenceum  expressed  the  same  opin- 
ion. Even  Le  Journal  des  Debate,  besides  complaining  that 
every  nation  in  Europe  had  been  treated  outrageously  by 
Mexico,  admitted  that  she  had  "sunk  to  the  lowest  point 
of  weakness  and  folly. "  The  country  "is  destitute  of  intelli- 
gence, of  energy,  of  principle/'  said  that  paper;  "it  is  a  gov- 
ernment of  barbarians,  but  of  barbarians  enervated  by  the 
corrupting  vices  of  civilization/'4 

To  conciliate  public  opinion  abroad,  our  state  department 
on  May  14,  1846,  one  day  after  Congress  authorized  war,  is- 
sued a  circular  to  the  American  ministers  and  consuls.5  "It 
is  our  interest,  as  it  has  ever  been  our  inclination,"  said  Bu- 
chanan, "that  Mexico  should  be  an  independent  and  powerful 
Republic,  and  that  our  relations  with  her  should  be  of  the  most 
friendly  character";  but  "the  avaricious  and  unprincipled 
men  who  have  placed  themselves  at  the  head  of  her  Goverp- 
ment  "  have  prevented  her  from  acting  the  part  of  a  stable 
and  orderly  nation.  "For  some  years,  in  our  intercourse  with 
her,  we  have  incurred  much  of  the  expense,  and  suffered  many 
of  the  inconveniences  of  war  whilst  nominally  at  peace.  This 
state  of  things  had,  at  last,  become  intolerable.  We  go  to  war 
with  Mexico  solely  for  the  purpose  of  conquering  an  honorable 
and  permanent  peace.  Whilst  we  intend  to  prosecute  the 
war  with  vigor,  both  by  land  and  by  sea,  we  shall  bear  the  olive 
branch  in  one  hand,  and  the  sword  in  the  other;  and  when- 
ever she  will  accept  the  former,  we  shall  sheathe  the  latter." 


298  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

This  despatch  and  the  President's  recent  Message6  were  to 
guide  our  foreign  representatives  in  conversation  about  the 
war.7 

By  the  Spanish-Americans  the  outbreak  of  hostilities  was 
received  with  surprising  calmness.  Mexico  endeavored  to 
make  them  feel  that  a  conflict  of  races  had  begun,  and  that 
she  was  leading  the  van  in  a  common  cause ;  but  whether  dis- 
satisfied with  her  course  in  the  past  —  especially  with  ref- 
erence to  preferential  trade  relations  —  thankful  to  the  United 
States  for  the  shelter  of  the  "Monroe  Doctrine/'  or  simply 
indifferent  to  outside  concerns,  they  held  aloof.  Guatemala 
alone  displayed  a  strong  sympathy.  The  official  gazette  of 
New  Granada  printed  Folk's  war  Message  in  full  without  a 
word  of  criticism.9 

The  mother-country,  Spain,  would  naturally  have  been  ex- 
pected to  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  contest ;  but  Mexico  had 
been  a  rebellious  daughter,  had  treated  the  Spanish  subjects 
within  her  borders  with  cruel  unfriendliness,  and  had  recently 
shown  a  fierce  aversion  to  the  scheme  of  subjecting  her  to  a 
Spanish  prince.  For  commercial  reasons  that  power  desired 
an  early  termination  of  the  hostilities,  and  signified  as  much  to 
our  government ;  8  but  at  the  same  time  she  pledged  herself 
to  "the  strictest  neutrality,"  and  she  refrained  from  even  offer- 
ing mediation.  Her  minister  at  Mexico,  Bermudez  de  Castro, 
assisted  the  authorities  there  with  advice,  but  before  the  war 
ended  he  turned  over  the  legation  to  a  charge,  and  went  home. 
A  band  of  Carlist  officers  talked  of  going  to  the  scene  of  action 
in  May,  1847 ;  but  if  their  plan  was  carried  out,  they  success- 
fully avoided  publicity.  About  the  same  time  El  Heraldo  of 
Madrid  asked  whether  Europe  would  permit  the  United  States 
to  absorb,  little  by  little,  all  of  America;  but  this  was  aca- 
demic, and  the  journal  admitted  that  Mexico  was  then  practi- 
cally beyond  relief.9 

Baron  von  Canitz,  the  Prussian  minister  of  foreign  rela- 
tions, when  officially  notified  of  the  war,  said  it  must  be  far 
from  easy  to  live  on  amicable  terms  with  a  country  like  Mex- 
ico, "  where  anarchy  reigns  and  where  the  Supreme  power  was 
constantly  contested  by  a  succession  of  military  chieftains, 
who  were  compelled  to  maintain  their  usurped  authority  by 
the  same  unworthy  means  by  which  they  had  obtained  it." 


SENTIMENT  IN  ENGLAND  299 

Aided  by  Alexander  von  Humboldt,  who  had  lived  in  Mexico, 
King  Frederick  William  followed  the  operations  of  the  war 
attentively;  but,  happy  enough  that  we  were  not  his  own 
neighbors,  he  felt  no  concern  about  a  possible  enlargement  of 
our  territory  at  the  expense  of  Mexico.  Indeed,  he  looked 
upon  our  success  as  in  the  interest  of  civilization,  and  at  a  dis- 
tinguished public  meeting  one  of  the  ministers  referred  to  our 
future  power  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  with  hope  and  appro- 
bation. For  the  rest,  as  the  Zollverein  had  little  direct  com- 
mercial business  with  the  region  blockaded,  Prussia  busied 
herself  with  her  own  affairs.10 

At  London  the  announcement  of  hostilities  was  both  unex- 
pected and  unwelcome.  Ostensibly  they  grew  out  of  the  an- 
nexation of  Texas,  and  for  that  reason  were  a  disagreeable  re- 
minder. They  took  place  in  spite  of  earnest  efforts  to  pre- 
vent Mexico  from  challenging  the  United  States,  and  hence 
recalled  another  diplomatic  failure.  They  seemed  almost  cer- 
tain to  injure  British  interests,  and  increase  the  territory  and 
prestige  of  the  United  States.  There  was  a  notion,  voiced  in 
Parliament  by  Disraeli,  that  success  might  be  followed  by  an 
attack  upon  Canada  or  the  British  West  Indies.  It  seemed 
highly  probable  that  had  England  postponed  for  a  few  days 
the  offer  which  finally  settled  the  Oregon  dispute,  better  terms 
might  have  been  extorted  from  the  United  States.  Her  policy 
had  been  to  have  our  difficulties  with  Mexico  kept  alive  until 
after  an  adjustment  of  that  affair,  and  now  it  was  thought 
possible  that  we  might  bring  Mexico  to  terms  at  once,  and  use 
in  some  other  unpleasant  way  our  military  preparations.  The 
war,  so  much  regretted  by  her,  was  seen  to  be  largely,  if  not 
mainly  or  wholly,  due  to  this  policy  and  that  of  the  British 
newspapers,  which  had  urged  Mexico  to  despise  our  military 
power,  and  to  rely  upon  the  difficulty  of  invading  her  territory 
successfully ;  and  finally  an  uncomfortable  fear  prevailed  that 
in  some  way  the  peace  of  the  world  might  be  imperilled.11 

Hence  disappointment  and  irritation  were  felt  at  the  Brit- 
ish Foreign  Office.  Aberdeen  warned  our  minister  that  dangers 
of  collision  would  be  involved  in  a  blockade  and  in  any  project 
of  acquiring  territory;  and  he  said  frankly  that  he  could  not 
be  expected  to  contemplate  with  any  pleasure  the  disastrous 
injuries  the  war  might  very  probably  inflict  upon  the  Mexi- 


300  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

can  government  and  people.  Only  one  cause  of  satisfaction 
could  be  seen  by  the  British  Cabinet.  An  apprehension  had 
been  felt  that  France  might  be  induced  —  through  her  friend- 
ship for  the  United  States  or  the  idea  that  American  control  of 
Mexico  would  be  for  her  diplomatic  and  commercial  advan- 
tage —  to  join  us ;  and  the  French  king,  confirming  an  antici- 
patory declaration  already  made  by  Guizot,  took  position  at 
once  for  strict  neutrality.11 

In  the  press  and  the  commercial  circles  of  London  sympathy 
with  Mexico  was  general,  said  our  minister ;  and  the  news  that 
Americans  were  fighting  aroused  no  sentiment  in  our  favor. 
Of  course  little  could  be  expected  of  "that  Napoleon  of  the 
backwoods/'  as  Britannia  called  our  President.  The  defeat 
of  Taylor  on  the  Rio  Grande  was  hoped  for  and  counted  upon ; 
and  even  after  his  overthrow  of  Arista  the  Times,  which  had 
already  predicted  that  our  operations,  in  the  case  of  hostili- 
ties, would  be  "utterly  uninteresting  and  inglorious'5  —  even 
"disgusting"  —  concluded  that  we  should  probably  fail. 
"Bluster  does  not  win  battles,  though  it  may  begin  brawls," 
the  editor  moralized.  All  Europe  must  consider  the  war  "an 
insulting  and  illegal  aggression,"  said  the  Chronicle;  and  the 
Post  attributed  our  course  to  "the  angry  passions  of  the  un- 
tamed democracy  of  the  States,"  which  Polk  was  ready  to 
gratify  at  any  cost.11 

The  press  of  France,  on  the  other  hand,  was  in  general 
friendly.  Let  the  Americans  have  Mexico,  and  a  prodi- 
gious development  of  the  country  will  follow,  urged  Le  Na- 
tional; would  not  that  be  preferable  to  seeing  the  English  get 
it?  To  support  the  United  States  is  to  strengthen  an  ally 
against  Great  Britain,  it  added.  Le  Correspondant  said,  "The 
Anglo-Saxon  race  will  flow  unchecked  over  the  fair  prov- 
inces where  the  people,  descendants  of  the  conquering  Span- 
iards, have  allowed  themselves  to  slumber  in  corruption"; 
and  it  argued  that  such  a  change  would  benefit  the  Roman 
Catholic  church  in  Mexico  by  purifying  and  energizing  it. 
Even  Le  Journal  des  Debats  admitted  that  our  invasion  "would 
be  something  which  humanity  would  have  to  applaud,  in 
spite  of  the  just  reprobation  attached  to  a  spirit  of  conquest." 
In  view  of  such  public  sentiment  W.  R.  King,  our  minister  at 
Paris,  had  reason  to  predict,  that  no  trouble  was  to  be  appre- 


ENGLAND  DISPOSED  TO  INTERVENE  301 

bended  from  the  government,  since  the  country  would  restrain 
it.12  Even  Guizot,  when  bitterest  at  heart,  found  it  neces- 
sary to  profess  high  respect  for  that  "great  nation,"  the  United 
States.13 

June  6,  1846  —  that  is  to  say,  without  loss  of  time  —  Aber- 
deen, the  British  minister  of  foreign  affairs,  intimated  to  Mc- 
Lane  in  a  private  conversation,  unofficially,  and  upon  his  per- 
sonal responsibility,  that  should  Polk  desire  it,  "he  would  be 
happy,  in  a  more  formal  way,  to  propose  a  mediation. "  14  This 
proposal,  received  by  McLane  in  his  private  capacity  only, 
was  duly  made  known  to  our  government,  but  it  elicited  no 
reply.  Our  silence  did  not  please  Palmerston,  who  succeeded 
Aberdeen  about  the  beginning  t>f  July ;  and  that  young  "  fop 
with  grey  hair/'  as  Le  Journal  des  Debats  described  him,  re- 
solved to  propose  mediation  in  such  terms  as  to  require  an 
answer.17 

Soon  after  the  middle  of  August,  therefore,  he  instructed 
Pakenham  to  ascertain  whether  a  formal  oft'er  of  mediation 
would  be  acceptable,  and  if  so  to  make  it  in  "the  form  which 
might  be  agreed  upon"  by  Pakenham  and  Buchanan.15  The 
only  result,  however,  was  a  memorandum  received  from  our 
government  on  September  11,  which  said  that  it  duly  appre- 
ciated the  friendly  spirit  of  the  British  Cabinet,  that  it  de- 
sired to  make  peace  upon  just  and  honorable  terms  and  had 
therefore  made  an  overture  to  Mexico  on  July  27,  and  that  it 
thought  the  formal  mediation  of  a  foreign  power  unnecessary 
and  inexpedient,  but  would  regard  with  favor  any  influence 
used  to  induce  Mexico  to  accept  this  overture.16  Later  Paken- 
ham improved  every  opportunity  to  remind  Buchanan  of  the 
British  government's  "anxious  desire  ...  to  be  useful  in  bring- 
ing about  a  reconciliation  between  the  two  Republicks,"  but 
he  found  himself  unable  to  accomplish  anything  in  this  direc- 
tion.17 

The  real  question,  however,  was  whether  Great  Britain 
would  forcibly  interpose.  Such  a  policy  she  forbade  Mexico 
to  count  on,  saying  that  she  could  not  be  expected  to  assume 
the  chief  burden  of  a  war  which  had  resulted  from  the  fail- 
ure of  that  country  to  act  upon  her  advice ; 18  but  this  did  not 
bind  her  own  hands,  and  no  doubt  the  government  felt  a  pres- 
sure, if  not  a  leaning,  in  the  direction  of  interference.  Both 


302  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

certain  interests  and  certain  passions  demanded  such  a  course. 
The  Times  and  other  newspapers  pointed  that  way,19  and  in  the 
House  of  Commons  Disraeli  and  Bentinck  spoke  on  that  side. 
"A  pretence  only  is  wanting,"  wrote  McLane.  This,  however, 
was  not  precisely  correct.  Aberdeen  told  Murphy,  the  Mexi- 
can minister,  that  it  would  be  Quixotic  to  take  up  arms  on  the 
simple  ground  that  Mexico  had  been  wronged ;  and  in  view  of 
England's  own  course,  it  would  also  have  been  ridiculous. 
"Scinde  is  ours,"  exclaimed  Britannia  at  about  this  time,  thus 
announcing  one  more  step  in  the  conquest  of  India,  "and  we 
pay  the  penalty  of  the  treachery  by  which  it  was  acquired  in 
the  curse  of  possession."  What  Great  Britain  wanted  was  a 
substantial  advantage  in  prospect.20 

For  a  time  it  looked  as  if  California  might  provide  this.  Peel 
himself  was  rather  dazzled  by  the  idea  of  gaining  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  Aberdeen  viewed  with  "the  utmost  repugnance/' 
wrote  Murphy,  the  likelihood  that  we  should  acquire  the 
province.  During  the  last  three  months  of  1845  the  subject 
was  thoroughly  discussed  by  Murphy  and  Aberdeen,  and  the 
latter's  mind  appeared  to  be  "tormented"  for  a  solution  of  the 
problem.  The  method  of  interposition  followed  in  the  war 
between  Buenos  Aires  and  Montevideo  appealed  to  him,  but 
he  felt  that  France  could  not  easily  be  drawn  into  it.  The 
Mackintosh  plan  of  British  colonization  received  careful  atten- 
tion as  possibly  the  means  of  creating  a  British  interest  in  Cali- 
fornia; but  Aberdeen  thought  it  would  be  unbecoming,  and 
would  give  the  United  States  a  just  ground  of  offence,  to  put 
the  plan  in  operation  at  so  late  a  day,  evidently  for  the  purpose 
of  blocking  us  (a  proposito  para  las  drcunstancias) ,  and  he 
feared  it  would  not  be  effective  after  all  against  American  im- 
migration. The  Mexican  decree  of  April,  1837,  which  mort- 
gaged a  certain  quantity  of  lands  (for  instance,  in  California) 
to  the  bondholders  appeared  to  promise  better,  and  on  that 
basis  a  scheme  was  actually  drawn  up  at  London  in  October, 
1845,  for  submission  to  the  government  of  Mexico.  But  at  this 
juncture  Herrera  was  overthrown,  the  British  Cabinet  felt  pro- 
foundly disgusted,  and  Murphy's  position  became  uncertain.21 

After  Aberdeen  retired  from  the  Foreign  Office  in  1846, 
the  suggestion  of  Paredes  that  Great  Britain  take  military 
possession  of  California  seems  to  have  tempted  Palmerston; 


BRITISH  INTERVENTION  NOT  FEASIBLE         303 

but,  aside  from  other  objections,  he  shrewdly  suspected  that 
Mexico  had  by  this  time  lost  control  of  the  territory.  In 
December,  1847,  Dr.  Mora,  who  succeeded  Murphy,  proposed 
on  his  own  responsibility  a  sale  of  California  to  England,  argu- 
ing that  by  our  endeavor  to  purchase  it  the  United  States  had 
confessed  we  had  no  claim  there ;  but  Palmerston,  though  evi- 
dently tempted  again,  merely  decided  that  any  authorized 
communication  on  the  subject  should  receive  the  attention 
justly  due  to  its  importance,  and  soon  the  treaty  of  peace  put 
an  end  to  the  matter.  No  "  substantial  advantage  "  had  seemed 
to  come  within  reach.21 

Nor  had  even  a  satisfactory  pretext  for  intervention  been 
found.  McLane  had  urged  our  government  to  give  none, 
and  in  particular  to  avoid  all  infringement  upon  the  rights  of 
neutrals.22  The  policy  of  our  blockade  was  extremely  liberal. 
British  mail  packets  were  exempt  from  its  restrictions,  and 
they  were  permitted  to  embark  specie  and  land  quicksilver  at 
Vera  Cruz  and  Tampico.  During  the  blockade  of  Mazatlan 
British  subjects  were  treated  with  such  consideration  that 
our  courtesy  was  formally  acknowledged,  and  it  was  admitted 
that  Scott  "invariably"  guarded  their  interests  in  the  sphere 
of  his  operations.  Our  opening  the  ports  to  all  nations,  es- 
tablishing a  low  tariff,  and  endeavoring  to  protect  commercial 
relations  with  the  interior  were  boons  that  foreign  powers 
had  no  reason  to  expect,  and  British  traders  appreciated 
our  attitude.23  By  December,  1847,  the  merchants  of  London 
were  distinctly  opposed  to  interventioh ;  and  when  the  Due  de 
Broglie  demanded  in  astonishment  why  England  had  viewed 
our  military  operations  with  such  indifference,  he  was  told  that 
Mexico  in  the  hands  of  the  United  States  would  be  of  far  more 
value  in  regard  to  commerce  and  investments  than  ever 
before.  At  the  same  time  persons  of  less  narrow  views  hoped 
to  see  that  country  regenerated  through  us.24 

On  the  other  hand  embarrassments  of  the  most  serious 
character  stood  in  the  way  of  interposition.  As  the  Globe 
said,  the  project  of  annexing  Texas  had  afforded  better  grounds, 
yet  England  had  looked  aghast  before  the  prospect  of  losses 
and  risks  involved  in  a  collision  with  this  country.  So  had 
she  done  in  the  case  of  Oregon ;  and  the  advantages  of  remain- 
ing at  peace  with  the  United  States  were  still  obvious.  There 


304  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

were  other  considerations  also.  She  wanted  time  to  readjust 
her  business  under  the  regime  of  free  trade,  and  Le  National 
thought  she  desired  to  develop  her  India  cotton  fields  before 
severing  her  relations  with  us.  The  political  situation  in 
Ireland  and  the  Irish  famine  were  grave  embarrassments, 
and  the  generous  aid  given  by  the  United  States  to  the  starv- 
ing population  of  that  island  excited  gratitude.  British  mer- 
cantile finances  proved  to  be  unsound,  and  a  bad  panic  oc- 
curred; and  manufacturing  interests  awoke  to  the  fact  that 
many  rivals  threatened  them.  The  profound  unrest  which 
precipitated  Europe  into  the  revolutionary  convulsions  of 
1848  could  already  be  felt ; 25  and  finally  the  relations  of  Eng- 
land to  France  occasioned  a  grave  sense  of  uncertainty.26 

With  the  support  of  that  power,  said  Murphy,  Aberdeen 
would  have  been  willing  to  fight.27  Her  military  assistance 
did  not  particularly  matter,  but  he  was  afraid  that  popular 
unfriendliness  toward  the  government  —  already  shown  by  a 
violent  opposition  in  the  press  and  the  parliament  —  and  the 
scarcely  slumbering  hatred  of  England  might  drive  the  country 
into  active  support  of  the  United  States,  and  bring  on  a  gen- 
eral conflagration.28  Such  was  the  situation  when  Peel,  whom 
Louis  Philippe  leaned  heavily  upon,  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
British  government ;  and  after  he  resigned  at  the  end  of  June, 
1846,  it  became  far  more  difficult.  For  the  new  administra- 
tion Louis  entertained  no  such  regard.  The  marriage  of  the 
Due  de  Montpensier,  his  son,  to  a  Spanish  princess  destroyed 
the  entente  cordiale.  Harsh  language  was  exchanged.  Guizot 
and  Palmerston  endeavored  to  overthrow  each  other,,  and  the 
British  ambassador  at  Paris  had  a  personal  difficulty  with 
Guizot.29 

As  for  France  herself,  the  premier's  loud  advocacy  of  an 
American  balance  of  power  compelled  him  logically  to  prevent 
the  United  States,  if  he  could,  from  acquiring  new  territory. 
Influential  writers  —  Gabriel  Ferry,  for  example  —  insisted 
that  French  interests,  principles  and  prestige  in  Mexico  de- 
manded protection.  L'Epoque,  which  many  regarded  as 
Guizot's  personal  organ,  took  that  ground  firmly  in  a  long  and 
studied  article,  and  called  for  joint  intervention.  Le  Journal 
des  Debate,  our  persistent  enemy,  suggested  the  same  view. 
But  the  diplomatic  journal,  La  Portefeuille,  was  resolute  for 


EFFECTS  OF  AMERICAN  SUCCESS  305 

neutrality,  and  the  other  leading  papers  reiterated  the  familiar 
objections  against  playing  the  British  game ;  and  hence,  while 
it  appeared  reasonable  to  expect  that  Guizot  would  aid  Eng- 
land more  or  less  in  a  diplomatic  way  to  limit  the  extension  of 
our  boundaries,  no  other  sort  of  French  intervention  seemed  at 
all  probable.30 

The  success  of  our  armies  clinched  the  argument.  From  the 
first,  McLane  urged  that  a  vigorous  campaign  should  be  waged. 
That,  he  said,  would  be  the  best  way  to  prevent  interference, 
and  he  predicted  that  victories  would  overcome  sympathy 
with  Mexico.  Had  Taylor  been  defeated  on  the  Rio  Grande, 
as  Londoners  expected,  those  ill-disposed  toward  us  in  Europe, 
wrote  our  minister  /at  Paris,  "might  have  been  emboldened 
to  unfriendly  or  offensive  demonstrations " ;  but  as  it  was,  re- 
ported McLane,  the  conduct  of  the  American  army  and  the 
magnanimity  of  the  American  general  served  to  "  inspire  a 
respect  for  our  country  and  our  cause  which  was  not  felt  be- 
fore, and  which  nothing  less  could  have  produced. "  The  fail- 
ure of  Ulfia  to  detain  Scott  until  the  yellow  fever  should  force 
him  to  decamp  had  no  slight  effect ;  and  the  victories  at  Vera 
Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo,  reported  Bancroft,  who  succeeded 
McLane  at  the  court  of  St.  James,  totally  changed  the  com- 
plexion of  sentiment  in  Europe  regarding  the  United  States. 
After  the  battles  of  Contreras  and  Churubusco  the  same  min- 
ister said  to  a  friend,  "You  should  be  here  to  see  how  our  suc- 
cesses have  opened  the  eyes  of  the  Old  World  to  our  great 
destinies."  In  England  racial  sympathy,  too,  could  not  wholly 
be  suppressed.  Scott  received  very  handsome  compliments 
from  the  commander  of  the  British  fleet  at  Vera  Cruz  and  from 
a  son  of  Sir  Robert  Peel,  who  was  aboard  one  of  the  vessels ; 
and  Robert  Anderson  remarked  in  his  diary :  When  our  arms 
do  something  glorious,  "jealousy,  for  the  moment,  is  conquered 
by  pride. "  Indeed  Lord  Palmerston  himself  spoke  most  warmly 
to  Bancroft  of  our  victories  as  illustrating  the  superiority  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon.31 

King  believed  they  "secured  a  perhaps  doubtful  neutrality." 
"Let  Mexico  show  the  determination  and  the  power  to  resist," 
remarked  Le  Journal  des  Debate  significantly,  and  a  way  to 
aid  her  will  doubtless  be  found,  but  "Europe  cannot  intervene 
effectively  in  behalf  of  a  people  who  throw  themselves  away." 

VOL.   II  —  X 


306  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

It  is  impossible  to  help  those  who  will  not  help  themselves,  ad- 
mitted the  London  Times;  and  Palmerston  —  disgusted,  no 
doubt,  like  every  one  else,  with  Mexico's  failure  to  achieve  any- 
thing except  fresh  revolutions  —  admitted  to  Barikhead  that 
it  would  be  very  imprudent  to  break  with  the  United  States 
for  the  sake  of  a  country  which  did  nothing  effectual  to  defend 
itself.31 

Some  things,  however,  it  was  possible  to  do  against  us.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  conflict  our  minister  observed  in  London  a 
systematic  endeavor  to  break  down  American  credit,  and  so 
embarrass  our  military  operations.  Viscount  Ranelagh  pro- 
posed to  bring  over  enough  British  officers  for  some  four  or 
five  thousand  men,  and  it  was  not  their  fault  nor  his  that 
Murphy  said  the  Mexicans  would  not  serve  under  foreigners. 
A  captain  employed  by  the  highly  favored  company  of  English 
mail  packets  landed  Paredes,  an  avowed  enemy  of  the  United 
States,  at  Vera  Cruz.  Mexico  is  "the  very  country  for  the 
guerilla,"  hinted  Britannia;  it  "has  ready-made  guerillas  by 
the  ten  thousand  or  the  hundred  thousand;  it  has  hills  and 
hollows  where  ten  men  might  stop  the  march  of  50,000. "  And 
the  same  journal  went  still  farther.  In  the  case  of  an  invasion, 
it  proclaimed,  "the  soldier  is  a  soldier  no  more ;  he  is  a  burglar, 
a  robber,  a  murderer ";  and  should  foreign  troops  invade 
England,  "No  quarter!  "  ought  rightfully  to  be  the  cry.32 

But  the  special  delight  of  unfriendly  journals  was  to  mis- 
represent our  military  operations.33  Apparently  Taylor's  bat- 
tles on  the  Rio  Grande  surprised  the  editorial  mind  so  much 
that  few  comments  were  ready,  but  after  a  while  the  Times 
remarked,  "No  hostile  army  has  been  really  beaten";  and 
it  described  our  success  at  Monterey  as  merely  occupying  "a 
town  of  log-huts."  That  paper  long  professed  to  regard  the 
war  as  "a  border  squabble,"  "ridiculous  and  contemptible," 
"justified  by  hypocrisy,"  "carried  on  with  impotence,"  and 
sure  to  end  "in  some  compromise  more  humiliating  to  the 
United  States  than  to  Mexico. "  "The  Americans  who  have  to 
conduct  this  most  wearisome  of  wars,"  it  assured  its  gratified 
readers,  "  are  least  of  all  nations  competent  to  the  task.  They 
have  no  army,  and  have  constitutional  objections  to  raising 
one.  They  have  no  money,  and  are  resolutely  determined  to 
find  none.  They  have  no  General,  and  have  just  agreed 


VIEWS  OF  OUR  MILITARY  OPERATIONS          307 

[by  rejecting  the  plan  of  a  lieutenant  general]  never  to  have 
one."34 

"The  military  tactics  of  the  Americans/'  remarked  the 
Examiner  at  the  same  stage,  "have  displayed  an  equal  want  of 
talent  and  of  purpose";  while  its  fair  colleague,  Britannia, 
exclaimed:  The  hostilities  against  Mexico  are  "at  once 
wretched  and  ridiculous.  ...  So  much  for  the  boasting  of 
Jonathan!"  With  unwinking  and  unsuspecting  humor  the 
Times  commented  thus  on  the  fight  at  Buena  Vista :  "  Be- 
yond the  fact  that  the  Americans  undoubtedly  beat  off,  though 
from  a  strong  position,  a  force  nearly  quadrupling  their  own, 
they  seem  to  have  no  great  grounds  for  triumph."  In  fact 
they  were  now  "worse  off  than  ever";  they  had  actually  lost 
prestige ;  and  all  the  Mexicans  needed  to  do  was  "  to  sit  still 
and  be  sulky."34 

Scott  fared  no  better  than  Taylor.  His  bombarding  Vera 
Cruz  was  characterized  as  "revolting,"  as  an  "infamy,"  as 
"one  of  the  most  atrocious  and  barbarous  acts  committed  in 
modern  times  by  the  forces  of  a  civilized  nation,"  as  "degrad- 
ing to  mankind."  Somehow  the  Times  was  repentant  enough 
to  publish  a  reply,  which  said:  "The  first  broadside  of  Lord 
Exinouth's  guns  at  Algiers  destroyed  a  greater  number  of  un- 
offending, unarmed  people,  than  the  bombardment  of  Vera 
Cruz,"  and  pointed  out  that  Scott  was  under  some  obligation 
to  treat  with  humanity  his  own  troops,  whom  delay  would  have 
exposed  to  the  yellow  fever.  Compassionate  John  Bull !  ex- 
claimed the  American  Review;  "Is  it  true  that  the  English 
bombarded  Copenhagen  ?  Is  Hindostan  more  than  a  fiction  ? 
Had  Clive  and  Hastings  any  substantial  bodily  existence?  Is 
not  Ireland  a  mythe  *"  and  of  course  it  might  have  added  that 
an  assault  would  have  caused  immensely  more  loss  of  life  at 
Vera  Cruz  than  did  the  bombardment.35 

According  to  the  Times  our  contemplated  advance  against 
Mexico  City  was  "the  mere  dream  of  an  ignorant  populace"; 
while  the  more  prudent  Morning  Chronicle  termed  it  "about 
as  visionary  as  that  of  Napoleon  upon  Moscow."  "There  is 
but  one  thing  we  know  of,"  added  the  Chronicle,  "that  is  more 
difficult  than  for  the  United  States  army  to  get  to  Mexico, 
and  that  would  be  to  get  back  again  to  Vera  Cruz."  When 
the  Americans  triumphed  at  Cerro  Gordo  over  both  nature 


308  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  man,  the  Chronicle  itself  had  to  admit  that  our  courage  was 
"unquestionable/'  but  it  consoled  itself  by  placing  the  Ameri- 
can and  Mexican  armies  on  the  same  level  as  partaking  "pretty 
considerably  of  the  nature  of  mobs."  The  victories  of  Con- 
treras  and  Churubusco  were  viewed  by  the  Times  as  calculated 
"to  raise  the  confidence"  of  our  enemy,  and  the  editor  an- 
nounced that  Scott,  after  these  disastrous  triumphs,  was  "  much 
more  likely  to  capitulate"  than  to  capture  Mexico.  Naturally 
Britannia  pronounced  our  invasion  of  the  country  "a  great 
mistake,"  and  asked  in  deep  concern,  How  are  the  Americans 
going  to  get  out  of  it?36 

The  occupation  of  the  capital  was  regarded  as  only  one  mis- 
fortune more.  "The  Americans  have  played  out  their  last 
card,"  roared  the  Thunderer,  "and  are  still  as  far  as  ever 
from  the  game."  Worse  yet,  it  foresaw,  we  were  now  going 
to  crown  our  outrages.  The  churches  would  be  robbed,  and 
"when  churches  are  ransacked  will  houses  be  spared?  When 
saints  are  despoiled  will  citizens  be  spared?"  The  war  never 
can  end,  added  the  same  paper,  for  "  the  invaders  of  Mexico  .  .  . 
are  not  the  men  to  build  the  temple  of  peace"  ;  and  retribution 
is  inevitable,  since  the  passion  for  conquest,  which  has  already 
"extinguished"  the  political  morality  of  the  United  States, 
will  eventually  impair  their  political  institutions,  and  the 
annexed  provinces  will  be  an  American  Ireland.36 

The  treaty  of  peace  caused  no  serious  trouble.  As  early 
as  January,  1846,  Le  Journal  des  Debate  said  the  Americans 
would  soon  have  California,  and  thus  prepared  its  readers 
for  the  main  feature  of  our  terms.  The  United  States  will 
obtain  California,  for  Mexico  cannot  pay  an  indemnity,  echoed 
Le  National.  In  reply  to  Aberdeen's  hint  on  the  opening  of 
hostilities,  that  it  would  be  imprudent  for  this  country  to 
appropriate  any  Mexican  territory,  McLane  remarked  that 
"it  was  at  present  not  easy  to  foresee  all  the  consequences  of 
a  war  which  Mexico  had  so  wantonly  provoked,  and  in  which 
the  United  States  had  so  much  injustice  and  so  many  wrongs 
to  redress";  and  no  British  statesman  could  have  failed  to 
understand  what  this  meant.87 

When  Folk's  Message  of  December,  1846,  clearly  showed 
that  we  expected  to  retain  California,  the  British  newspapers 
set  up  an  incoherent,  savage  growl ;  but  the  triumphs  at  Vera 


OUR  PEACE  TERMS  ACCEPTABLE  TO  EUROPE     309 

Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo  made  it  plain  that  we  had  earned  — 
or  were  likely  to  earn  —  the  rights  of  a  conqueror,  and  must 
be  taken  seriously.  Bancroft  soon  wrote  that  England  was 
"preparing  to  hear  of  our  negotiating  for  half,  or  two  thirds, 
or  even  the  whole  of  Mexico";  and  Palmerston  himself  said 
we  might  as  well  take  it  all.  "You  are  the  Lords  of  Mexico/' 
exclaimed  Lord  Ashburton  to  our  minister.  After  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  capital  even  Le  Journal  des  Debate  admitted  that 
the  only  possible  indemnity  would  be  a  province  or  two,  and 
Britannia  remarked,  "From  this  time  the  whole  country  must 
be  considered  as  part  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States." 
"It  is  becoming  a  fashion,  rather,  to  expect  the  absorption 
of  all  Mexico/'  reported  Bancroft.37 

When  the  treaty  arrived  in  Europe,  the  convulsions  of  wide- 
spread revolution  had  begun  there,  people  on  the  continent 
were  too  busy  to  think  much  about  our  gains,  and  the  British 
did  not  wish  to  think  of  them;  but  the  general  sentiment  of 
those  who  considered  the  matter  appears  to  have  been  sur- 
prise at  our  moderation.  Humboldt,  though  a  citizen  of 
Mexico,  conceded  that  our  terms  were  proper ;  and  the  critical 
Journal  des  Debate  remarked,  "Assuredly  this  is  sparing  a 
foe  who  lies  in  the  dust."  Such  a  characterization  of  our  be- 
havior was  for  us  a  legitimate  source  of  pride;  and,  as  the 
respect  universally  paid  to  valor  and  success  accompanied  it 
all  over  Europe,  we  had  ample  reason  to  feel  gratified.37 


XXXVI 
CONCLUSION 

1825-1848 

THE  conflict  with  Mexico  came  to  pass  as  logically  as  a 
thunderstorm.  At  the  beginning  of  her  independent  existence 
our  people  felt  earnestly  and  enthusiastically  anxious  to  main- 
tain cordial  relations  with  our  sister  republic,  and  many  crossed 
the  line  of  absurd  sentimentality  in  that  cause.  Friction  was 
inevitable,  however.  The  Americans  were  direct,  positive, 
brusque,  angular  and  pushing;  and  they  could  not  understand 
their  neighbors  on  the  south.  The  Mexicans  were  equally  unable 
to  fathom  our  good-will,  sincerity,  patriotism,  resoluteness  and 
courage;  and  certain  features  of  their  character  and  national 
condition  made  it  far  from  easy  to  get  on  with  them.1 

Though  generally  amiable  arid  often  brilliant  or  charming, 
they  lacked  common  sense,  principle,  steadiness  and  knowledge 
of  the  world.  They  were  passionate,  suspicious,  over-subtle, 
self-confident  and  fond  of  gamblers'  risks.  They  regarded  firm- 
ness on  our  part  as  arrogance,  and  kindness  as  debility.  Their 
policy  was  defined  by  the  Mexico  correspondent  of  the  London 
Times  as  a  compound  of  Spanish  intrigue  and  Indian  cunning, 
dominated  —  it  might  have  been  added  —  by  provincial  vanity 
and  sensitiveness.  They  scarcely  possessed  the  character  of  a 
nation.  The  whole  period  from  1822  to  1848  has  been  classified 
by  their  National  Museum  as  a  period  of  anarchy.  Their  inter- 
national duties  were  not  recognized.  Unscrupulous  factions 
and  usurpers  used  foreign  relations  as  the  shuttlecocks  of  selfish 
schemes.  Pride,  said  their  own  statesman,  J.  F.  Ramirez,  for- 
bade them  to  treat  on  the  necessary  basis  of  mutual  consider- 
ation and  concession,  and  insisted  upon  either  complete  victory 
or  the  consolation  of  having  yielded  to  irresistible  force,  while 
procrastination  put  off  the  settlement  of  issues  until  the  proper 
time  for  adjusting  them  had  passed.2 

310 


WHY  MEXICO  WAS  DEFEATED  311 

Then  between  us  and  this  difficult  people  arose  the  extraor- 
dinarily complicated  question  of  Texas.  It  was  characteristic 
of  Mexico  to  deny  the  justice  of  the  Texan  revolt  on  the  ground 
that  settlers  in  her  territory  were  bound  to  accept  the  political 
will  of  the  country ;  but  it  was  futile.  "  Nobody  will  be  argued 
into  slavery/'  said  Burke;  and  this  was  peculiarly  true  when 
the  proffered  slavery  did  not  in  truth  represent  the  will  of  the 
country,  and  was  more  capricious,  cruel  and  injurious  than  the 
regime  against  which  the  Mexicans  themselves  had  rebelled. 
Our  recognition  of  Texas  not  only  was  founded  on  just  reasons, 
but  was  concurred  in  by  the  leading  powers  of  Europe.  The 
annexation  of  that  republic  meant  the  wise  and  unforced  incor- 
poration of  a  free  people,  independent  both  by  right  and  in  fact, 
after  Mexico  had  practically  abandoned  all  expectation  of  its 
becoming  once  more  a  part  of  that  nation,  and  entertained  little 
hope  save  to  gratify  a  stubborn  pride  at  tjie  expense  of  Texas 
and  the  rest  of  the  world.3 

Her  treatment  of  Texans  and  Americans  violated  the  laws  of 
justice  and  humanity,  and  —  since  there  was  no  tribunal  to 
punish  it  —  laid  upon  the  United  States,  both  as  her  nearest 
neighbor  and  as  an  injured  community,  the  duty  of  retribution. 
In  almost  every  way  possible,  indeed,  she  forced  us  to  take  a 
stand.  She  would  neither  reason  nor  hearken  to  reason,  would 
not  understand,  would  not  negotiate.  Compensation  for  the 
loss  of  territory,  in  excess  of  its  value  to  her,  she  knew  she  could 
have.  Peace  and  harmony  with  this  country  she  knew  might 
be  hers.  But  prejudice,  vanity,  passion  and  wretched  politics 
inclined  her  toward  war;  her  overrated  military  advantages, 
her  expectations  of  European  aid,  the  unpreparedness  of  the 
United  States,  and  in  particular  the  supposed  inferiority  of 
Taylor  and  his  army  encouraged  her;  and  she  deliberately 
launched  the  attack  so  long  threatened. 

As  was  just  and  natural,  Mexico  primarily  owed  her  failure 
in  the  war  to  the  characteristics  that  led  her  into  it.  From  a 
strictly  military  point  of  view  her  case  was  not  precisely  hopeless. 
Intrinsically  the  rank  and  file  of  her  armies,  though  not  by  nature 
warlike,  had  courage  enough,  and  possessed  an  extraordi- 
nary degree  of  that  willingness  to  endure  fatigue  and  hardship, 
which  Napoleon  deemed  still  more  important.  They  were  more 
frugal  and  obedient  than  our  men ;  and  while  the  lack  of  moral 


312  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

and  physical  strength,  discipline  and  confidence  in  one  another 
and  their  officers  made  them  shrink  from  the  American  bayonet 
and  the  fixed  American  eye  behind  it,  they  bore  infantry  and 
artillery  fire  as  well  as  we  did,  if  not  better.  Many  engineers 
proved  themselves  excellent ;  many  artillery  officers  were  brave 
and  efficient ;  and  hence  there  was  no  reason  why  the  infantry 
and  cavalry  might  not  have  been  well  handled. 

But  the  military  point  of  view  was  by  no  means  the  only  one 
to  be  considered.  The  want  of  public  virtue  had  filled  the  army 
with  miserable  officers,  the  legislative  halls  with  dishonest, 
scheming,  clashing  politicians,  and  the  whole  nation  with  quarrel- 
ing factions  and  wrathful,  disheartened  people,  secretly  thankful 
to  find  their  oppressors,  whom  they  could  not  punish  themselves, 
punished  by  the  Americans.  The  hungry  and  beaten  conscript 
went  into  battle  sure  that  if  wounded  he  would  starve,  if  killed 
he  would  be  devoured  by  the  birds,  and  should  neither  accident 
occur  he  would  simply  drudge  on  as  before ;  and  the  industrious, 
useful  citizen  understood,  that  if  he  should  help  the  leaders  of 
the  nation  by  paying  contributions,  he  would  then  have  to  fatten 
them  by  paying  again.  "We  are  saved  by  hope,"  wrote  the 
great  Apostle,  and  the  nation  saw  no  hope.  Primarily  Mexico  was 
defeated  because  she  did  not  fight ;  and  she  did  not  fight  because 
she  had  nothing  to  fight  for.  The  military  class,  who  had  long 
pretended  to  be  the  nation,  was  given  a  chance  to  prove  its  claim, 
and  the  poor  wretches  who  could  be  forced  into  the  ranks  had  to 
support  it ;  but  the  people  in  general,  holding  aloof  to  a  great 
extent,  said  in  effect,  "Thou  who  hast  consumed  all  the  rev- 
enues without  giving  anything  in  return,  thou  for  whom  we  have 
sacrificed  so  much,  thou  who  hast  used  our  own  blood  to  make 
thyself  master  instead  of  servant  —  may  the  woe  thou  hast  so 
long  inflicted  on  us  fall  now  on  thee !  "  4 

Santa  Anna,  the  logical  hero  of  such  a  nation,  was  also  its 
logical  scourge  —  a  statesman  unable  to  guide,  a  general  unfitted 
to  command,  a  leader  qualified  only  to  win  revolutions,  lose 
battles,  and  alternate  between  dictatorship  and  exile.  Some 
observers  —  even  American  officers  — » impressed  by  the  impos- 
ing front  that  he  reared  time  after  time,  felt  that  he  was  a  great 
man.  Unquestionably  he  gathered  troops  and  resources  as  no 
other  Mexican  of  the  time  could  have  done.  No  doubt  his 
lunge  into  the  north  and  his  defence  of  the  capital  were  remark- 


THE  AMERICAN  CONGRESS  313 

able ;  and  one  could  not  complain  of  him,  as  did  Tacitus  of  a 
Roman  commander,  that  he  was  unable  to  harangue  his  army. 
He  certainly  did  many  things.5 

But  he  did  few  things  well.  His  achievements  were  the  tem- 
porary triumphs  of  autocratic  will-power.  He  suffered  always 
from  an  essential  want  of  capacity.  He  did  not  understand 
the  Americans,  and  fancied  that  one  defeat  would  cow  us.  He 
did  not  even  understand  his  fellow-citizens,  and  could  not  realize 
that  his  long  course  of  misconduct,  and  finally  his  negotiations 
with  Mackenzie,  had  cut  the  root  of  confidence.  A  proclama- 
tion that  sounded  eloquent,  he  felt  must  be  convincing.  The 
impossibility  of  controlling  the  factional  politics  of  such  a  coun- 
try and  also  managing  a  war  without  the  support  of  the  nation 
—  of  riding  two  such  horses  at  the  same  time  —  lay  beyond  his 
comprehension.  Often  his  policy  was  like  that  of  the  man  who 
ruins  his  constitution  with  drugs  in  order  to  cure  a  local  ailment. 
Even  his  apparently  noble  decisions  grew  out  of  selfishness  and 
rang  hollow. 

To  his  mind  a  collection  of  men  was  an  army.  Personal  aims 
and  feelings,  instead  of  sound  policy  and  the  demands  of  disci- 
pline, controlled  mostly  his  relations  with  officers.  Because  a 
revolutionary  band  could  be  held  together  by  the  hope  of  plunder, 
he  imagined  that  a  campaign  could  be  waged  on  that  basis. 
Because  he  thought  it  would  be  natural  for  the  enemy  to  attack 
him  in  a  certain  way,  he  concluded  positively  that  no  other  at- 
tack would  be  made.  Strategy  he  did  not  attempt.  And  when 
it  came  to  the  direction  of  a  battle,  owing  to  ignorance  and  in- 
tellectual disqualifications,  he  lacked  the  quickness  of  perception 
and  rapidity  of  combination  that  were  essential  to  success.  For 
the  same  reasons  his  total  strength  was  never  focused  at  the 
vital  time  and  place,  and  a  defeat  became  a  rout.6 

This  is  what  a  final  glance  at  the  Mexicans  reveals ;  and  now, 
to  conclude  the  whole  investigation,  we  should  take  a  summary 
view  of  our  own  side. 

While  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  did  not  approach  that 
of  Mexico  in  badness,  there  was  too  much  resemblance.  One 
should  always  remember  that  among  the  people  who  really  make 
up  the  world  and  keep  it  going  perfection  is,  and  is  likely  to  be, 
somewhat  rare;  but  for  an  elect  body  our  Congress  fell  be- 
low all  reasonable  expectations.  The  comedy  of  its  political 


314  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

manoeuvres  was  only  surpassed  by  the  tragedy  of  them.  Amos 
Kendall  said,  after  the  hostilities  began,  "  There  can  be  no  peace 
with  that  people  [the  Mexicans]  but  through  victory  or  with 
dishonor/*  and  any  person  of  judgment  could  see  this ;  yet  prej- 
udices, passions  and  interests  prevented  many  from  honestly 
supporting  a  national  war,  and  turned  not  a  few  into  virtual 
enemies  of  their  country.  Markoe  wrote  from  Vera  Cruz  with 
reference  to  Clay,  Webster,  Gallatin  and  others  of  their  school, 
u  These  great  men  have  by  their  speeches  done  more  to  prevent 
peace  than  though  they  had  each  of  them  severally  arrayed 
10,000  Mexicans  against  Scott'1;  and  when  one  recalls  the  ex- 
pense and  bloodshed  that  would  almost  certainly  have  been 
spared  this  country  and  Mexico  had  our  government  felt  at 
liberty  to  spend  with  decent  liberality  in  meeting  Scott's  requi- 
sitions promptly,  patience  itself  takes  fire.7 

To  think  of  giving  him  so  small  an  army  that  the  Mexicans  felt 
positively  ashamed  to  yield !  And  then  to  reflect  how  politics 
went  into  the  army  itself,  endangering  the  lives  of  men  and  the 
fortunes  of  the  country  through  unfit  appointments.  "  How  we 
have  been  gulled  and  led  about/'  exclaimed  a  soldier,  "by  a  set 
of  political  demagogues,  who,  regardless  of  the  fearful  responsi- 
bility, have  forced  themselves  into  positions  they  possess  no 
qualifications  to  fill,  with  a  hope  thereby  to  promote  their  future 
political  aggrandizement!"  We  recall,  even  though  we  do  not 
endorse,  the  Frenchman  who  observed,  "The  more  I  see  of  the 
representatives  of  the  people,  the  more  I  love  my  dogs  " ;  and 
we  also  recall  the  opinion  of  a  British  king :  "  Politics  are  a  trade 
for  a  rascal,  not  for  a  gentleman."  8 

The  President  showed  himself  a  small  man,  but  the  saying  of 
La  Rochefoucauld  comes  to  mind :  "  We  may  appear  great 
in  an  employment  beneath  our  merit,  but  we  often  appear  little 
in  ones  too  great  for  us."  The  situation  in  which  Polk, 
essentially  a  local  politician  from  Tennessee,  found  himself  — 
called  upon  to  re-make  the  fiscal  system  of  the  country,  to  dis- 
pose of  long-standing  and  now  critical  issues  with  Great  Britain 
and  Mexico,  to  cope  with  a  factious  and  unscrupulous  opposition 
in  Congress,  and  to  face  a  war  in  a  foreign  land,  almost  un- 
known to  us,  with  a  handful  of  regulars  commanded  by  Whigs 
—  was  extremely  difficult ;  but  he  steered  his  course  firmly  to 
the  end,  set  an  example  of  honest,  faithful  administration, 


GENERAL  TAYLOR  315 

established  a  fiscal  system  under  which  the  country  enjoyed  a 
period  of  great  prosperity,  effected  with  England  an  adjustment 
that  in  essence  had  been  refused,  enjoyed  a  series  of  uniform  tri- 
umphs in  the  field,  and  obtained  from  our  enemy  the  peace  and 
the  territory  he  desired.9 

Indeed,  he  achieved  a  still  more  surprising  triumph,  for  he 
disproved  the  favorite  American  axiom:  "Nothing  succeeds 
like  success."  His  lack  of  commanding  qualities,  his  inability 
to  win  admiration  and  sympathy,  and  his  resorting  to  small 
methods  because  he  lacked  the  power  to  wield  great  ones,  made 
him  seem  legitimate  prey.  He  became  the  dog  with  a  bad 
name,  for  which  any  stick  or  stone  was  good  enough.  Other 
men  in  public  life  could  misrepresent  the  facts  —  as  many  were 
doing  all  the  time  —  and  still  be  honored ;  but  if  Polk  "put  the 
best  foot  forward,"  if  he  allowed  men  to  draw  inferences  from 
their  wishes,  if  —  wittingly  or  not  —  he  colored  things,  if  — 
even  by  accident  —  he  made  an  incorrect  statement,  he  was 
promptly  denounced  as  a  villain. 

And  when  he  had  supported  his  tremendous  burden  loyally, 
if  not  with  eclat ;  when  denunciations  had  failed,  threats  crum- 
bled, taunts  miscarried,  hostile  predictions  fallen  to  the  ground ; 
when  our  people  had  not  risen  up  against  the  war,  our  treasury 
had  not  collapsed,  our  armies  had  not  withered  away ;  when  our 
sword  had  been  wielded  with  honor,  our  territory  and  commer- 
cial field  been  extended  far  to  the  west,  our  international  status 
been  elevated  —  after  all  these  triumphs  the  bitter  tongue  of 
a  partisan  spit  out  on  the  floor  of  our  national  House  the  famous 
nickname,  "Polk  the  Mendacious, "the  President  left  office  un- 
der a  leaden  cloud  of  disparagement  and  contempt,  and  later 
authors  delighted  to  dip  their  pens  in  the  gall  of  his  enemies. 
Truly,  however  little  we  feel  inclined  to  go  into  raptures  over 
Polk,  we  can  admire  his  traducers  even  less. 

Next,  in  view  of  the  civil  as  well  as  military  fame  gained  from 
the  war  by  Taylor,  one  thinks  of  him.  In  reviewing  his  opera- 
tions we  must  beware  of  judging  him  by  mere  professional  stand- 
ards, for  he  was  more,  as  well  as  less,  than  a  technical  soldier. 
The  most  essential  qualities  for  a  general,  says  the  Baron  de 
Jomini,  are  physical  and  moral  courage ;  and  in  these  respects 
the  head  of  our  army  of  occupation  was  flawless.  Indeed  al- 
most all  the  moral  qualifications  of  an  eminent  commander  were 


316  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

his.  He  was  a  born  fighter  and  born  leader.  He  could  think 
best  in  danger  and  excitement.  He  could  inspire  confidence  and 
win  devotion.  The  fact  that  one  so  plain  could  be  a  paladin 
made  even  the  ordinary  feel  capable  of  heroism.  Like  all  un- 
disciplined men  of  great  force  he  possessed  large  reserves  of 
strength,  and  when  an  emergency  stimulated  these,  he  dis- 
played a  power  that  compelled  those  on  the  ground  to  imitate 
and  those  at  a  distance  to  admire  him.10 

On  the  other  hand,  most  of  the  intellectual  qualifications  of 
the  commander  were  largely  wanting.  To  be  sure  he  possessed 
a  great  deal  of  practical  shrewdness,  and  he  used  moral  force 
with  a  broad  sort  of  calculation  that  enabled  him  to  produce 
effects  which  a  mere  educated  soldier  could  scarcely  have  ob- 
tained. But  he  did  not  understand  the  aims  or  the  art  of  war, 
lacked  initiative,  failed  in  prevision,  neglected  preparation,  ig- 
nored details,  took  little  care  to  gather  information,  misunder- 
stood the  intentions  of  the  enemy,  and  underestimated  their 
strength.  He  preferred  swinging  an  axe  at  a  door  to  conducting 
the  battle  sagaciously  from  a  distance.  He  would  chat  with 
soldiers  about  home,  and  then  sacrifice  their  lives. 

His  "  victories  "  made  him  famous,  but  the  true  test  of  general- 
ship, observes  Henderson,  is  "the  number  of  mistakes";  and 
every  stage  of  Taylor's  progress  was  marked  with  grave  errors. 
Besides,  "however  brilliant  an  action  may  be,"  remarks  La 
Rochefoucauld,  "  it  ought  not  to  pass  for  great  when  it  is  not  the 
result  of  a  great  design";  and  not  only  were  none  of  Taylor's 
exploits  deliberately  planned,  but  he  never  understood  the  risks 
he  was  braving.  Some  ironical  but  loving  god  seemed  to  at- 
tend him.  The  life  he  carelessly,  improvidently  ventured  was 
guarded ;  and  insubordination,  both  toward  the  President  and 
toward  the  general-in-chief,  made  him  the  successor  of  the 
first  and  the  superior  of  the  second.  "Old  Zack  is  the  most 
lucky  man  alive,"  said  Colonel  Campbell.11 

Scott,  however,  was  of  course  the  pre-eminent  commander. 
In  war  he  felt  at  home.  He  "  is  a  Soldier  and  a  General  from  the 
ground  up,"  wrote  Consul  Parrott  after  watching  his  operations. 
With  the  possible  exception  of  Molino  del  Rey,  the  petulant  in- 
discretion that  he  sometimes  exhibited  in  civil  affairs  did  not 
affect  his  conduct  in  the  field.  To  appreciate  him,  "to  know 
him  at  all/9  said  Trist,  one  had  to  see  him  in  the  military  sphere. 


GENERAL  SCOTT  317 

Karl  von  Grone,  who  observed  him  at  work,  wrote:  "He  is 
quiet,  reserved,  reflective.  When,  after  mature  consideration 
of  the  circumstances,  he  has  formed  his  decision,  he  goes  with 
strong,  sure  steps  to  his  goal.  He  can  manage  with  scanty  re- 
sources, is  adroit  in  deceiving  the  enemy,  and  where  feints  are 
not  possible,  deals  a  heavy,  straight  blow.  When  main  force 
must  break  the  way,  he  demands  much  from  his  troops ;  but,  as 
he  possesses  their  full  confidence,  and  is  recognized  as  a  fighter 
of  dauntless  courage,  he  can  do  this."  12 

"  He  sees  everything,  and  calculates  the  cost  of  every  meas- 
ure," said  Robert  E.  Lee.  He  could  be  "quick  as  guncotton 
when  neccessary,"  wrote  Parrott,  yet  deliberate  and  cautious 
under  the  utmost  pressure .  His  initiative  and  self-reliance  never 
failed;  yet,  as  even  the  prejudiced  Semmes  admitted,  he 
made  full  use  of  all  the  talents,  as  well  as  all  the  valor,  of  his 
army.  Thgiighhis  plans  were  laid  with  extreme  care  in  view 
6f  all  the  information  that  could  be  obtained,  he  never  permitted 
them  to  shackle  him,  and  promptly  adapted  himself,  whether  in 
campaign  or  in  battle,  to  a  change  of  circumstances.  Both 
great  things  and  little  things  were  given  his  attention,  but  with 
due  reference  to  their  comparative  importance.  He  knew  the 
rules  of  his  art,  and  also  knew  when  to  disregard  them.  He 
could  both  rouse  troops  to  the  highest  pitch  of  enthusiasm,  and 
surpass  the  calculations  of  the  expert.  Says  Hamley,  it  is  "im- 
practicable" to  "conceive  how  sustained  operations  can  be  con- 
ducted in  the  face  of  an  enemy  without  a  secure  starting-point." 
Scott  accomplished  this.12 

Characteristics  of  a  more  personal  kind  supported  his  profes- 
sional ability.  The  General,  Trist  assured  his  wife,  was  "the 
soul  of  honour  and  probity,  and  full  of  the  most  sterling  quali- 
ties of  heart  and  head ;  affectionate,  generous,  forgiving  and  a 
lover  of  justice. "  Though  few  made  allowances  for  his  imper- 
fections, he  was  always  ready  to  do  this  for  others;  and  his 
magnanimity  would  have  been  remarkable,  even  had  he  not 
been  a  natural  fighting  man.  Such  traits  enabled  him  to  get  on 
excellently  with  reasonable  officers,  while  his  ability,  prudence, 
vigilance,  good  cheer,  steadiness,  courage,  sympathy,  and  trust 
in  his  army,  and  his  anxiety  to  avoid  wasting  the  labor  and  lives 
of  the  men,  gave  him  the  entire  confidence  of  the  privates.  A 
soldier  who  loved  peace  instead  of  war,  a  general  who  valued 


318  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

the  lives  of  his  troops  more  than  glory,  a  conqueror  who  became 
in  the  hour  of  triumph  a  friend,  and  a  citizen  who  placed  his 
country  above  self-interest,  he  was  the  ideal  commander  of  a 
republican  army.13 

To  speak  broadly  and  leaving  genius  out  of  the  account,  he 
possessed  all  the  military  qualities  of  Taylor,  and  all  Taylor 
lacked.  Taylor  could  fight  splendidly,  Scott  could  also  avail 
himself  of  the  advantages  that  knowledge  and  skill  were  able 
to  supply.  The  soldiers  of  the  one  believed  their  leader  was 
going  to  win,  those  of  the  other  could  give  reasons  for  their  faith. 
The  army  of  occupation  was  ready  to  follow  its  commander  with 
eyes  shut,  the  army  of  conquest  with  eyes  open.  Both  were 
kind  at  heart,  but  Scott's  humanity  was  made  systematically 
effective.  Both  faced  perils  with  unwavering  courage,  but 
Scott  did  all  he  could  to  understand  what  lay  before  him.  Both 
complained  of  the  government,  but  Scott  had  reason  to  do  so. 
Both  disregarded  instructions;  but  while  Taylor  aimed  to 
gratify  himself,  Scott's  aim  was  to  benefit  his  country.14 

The  advantages  were  not  all  on  one  side,  however.  Taylor 
had  excellent  control  of  his  temper  and  the  everyday,  personal 
shrewdness  that  Scott  needed.  His  unsophistication  bore  the 
winning  appearance  of  ingenuousness,  while  Scott's  reflective 
and  studious  ways  gave  him  the  reputation  of  a  schemer.  Each 
needed  to  be  supplemented,  but  only  Taylor  had  a  Bliss.  Scott's 
men  felt  they  were  serving  under  a  strong  leader,  Taylor's  that 
they  were  serving  with  one ;  while  to  Great  Demos,  always 
undiscriminating,  the  one  represented  head,  the  other  heart; 
the  one  science,  the  other  heroism.14 

Both  were  remarkable.  Taylor  was  a  distinguished  ple- 
beian, Scott  a  distinguished  patrician ;  the  first  a  superb  cap- 
tain, the  second  a  superb  general ;  and  each  a  great  man. 

The  soldiers,  of  course,  did  not  equal  their  chief  comjjp^pders 
in  point  of  interest,  but  certain  facts  concerning**them 
deserve  attention.  The  total  number  of  regulars  in  the  war 
service  down  to  July  5,  1848,  was  about  31,000.  Of  these,  to 
use  round  numbers,  1600  were  discharged  because  their  term 
expired,  2550  for  disability,  and  500  for  other  causes;  2850 
deserted;  530  were  killed  and  2100  wounded  in  battle;  400 
died  of  their  wounds ;  and  there  were  4900  ordinary  or  acci- 
dental deaths.  Of  the  volunteers  59,000  actually  served ;  7200 


THE  AMERICAN  ARMY  319 

were  discharged  for  disability,  and  2000  for  other  reasons  be- 
fore the  expiration  of  their  term ;  3900  deserted ;  1350  were 
wounded ;  600  were  killed  or  died  of  their  wounds ;  and  there 
were  6400  ordinary  or  accidental  deaths.  So  it  appears  that  out 
of  some  90,000  officers  and  men  serving,  6750  deserted,  12,250 
had  to  be  discharged  before  their  term  expired,  11,300  met  with 
ordinary  or  accidental  deaths,  and  only  1550  were  accounted 
for  by  the  enemy.  The  difference  between  the  number  mustered 
in  and  the  number  available  at  the  front,  and  also  between  the 
number  who  lost  their  lives  by  fighting  and  the  number  who 
dropped  out  from  other  causes,  was  most  instructive.  The 
Americans  captured  seem  to  have  numbered  less  than  1100. 
Of  the  volunteers,  a  very  disproportionate  percentage  went 
from  the  southwest ;  the  northwest  did  well,  and  the  northeast 
lagged.15 

From  these  figures  it  appears  that  approximately  three  out 
of  one  hundred  regulars  were  killed  or  died  in  consequence  of 
wounds  and  eight  were  discharged  for  disability,  whereas  the 
numbers  for  the  volunteers  were  one  and  twelve ;  and  in  fact  the 
showing  of  the  regulars  was  still  better,  since  the  "  new"  regulars, 
officered  with  inferior  men  chosen  largely  for  political  reasons, 
did  not  equal  the  record  of  the  old  establishment.  In  many 
other  respects  also  the  volunteers  ranked  low.  Not  only  was 
there  a  greater  percentage  of  sickness  among  them,  but  the 
invalids  required  attendants.  The  volunteers  wasted  clothing, 
provisions  and  ammunition  both  heedlessly  and  through  igno- 
rance of  administrative  business;  and  their  arms  were  not 
properly  cared  for.16 

They  had  no  intention  of  submitting  to  the  discipline  and 
routine  labor  of  campaigning,  and  even  at  the  close  of  the  war 
could  not  be  called  real  troops.  The  volunteers,  wrote  one  of 
them,  "will  not  be  treated  as  regular  soldiers." 

"Sergeant,  buck  him  and  gag  him,  our  officers  cry, 
For  each  trifling  cffence  which  they  happen  to  spy, 
Till  with  bucking  and  gagging  of  Dick,  Pat  and  Bill, 
Faith,  the  Mexican's  ranks  they  have  helped  to  fill," 

so  another,  an  exceptionally  good  man,  testified.  "Soldiers 
will  take  their  merry  frolics,"  an  officer  admitted.  The  camp 
slogan  of  a  sturdy  North  Carolina  company  was :  "Soldier,  will 


320  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

you  work  ?  "  "  Sell  my  shirt  first."  "  Soldier,  will  you  fight  ?  " 
"Twell  I  die."  But  even  their  fighting  did  not  prove  entirely 
satisfactory.  Individually  they  were  braver  than  the  regulars ; 
but  the  soldier's  business  is  to  fight  when  the  time  comes,  and 
the  volunteers  to  a  considerable  extent  wanted  to  fight  when 
they  pleased.  They  might  do  splendidly  and  they  might  not, 
their  general  knew.  In  a  word,  they  were  unreliable ;  and  they 
even  imperilled  their  own  cause  by  exasperating  the  people. 
Marcy  confessed  that  he  felt  disappointed.  Yet  there  were 
offsets.  Their  patriotism  and  enthusiasm  stimulated  their 
officers  and  the  regulars ;  and  at  their  best  —  silent,  grim, 
patient,  with  a  look  of  kingship  in  their  faces  —  they 
glorified  hardships,  perils,  wounds,  disease  and  death.16 

A  common  idea  of  the  regulars  was  expressed  in  the  House 
by  Tilden  of  Ohio,  who  described  them  as  "a  set  of  puppets 
.  .  .  shut  up  without  exercise  and  in  barracks,  from  year's  end 
to  year's  end'' ;  and  the  "sausage  democracy"  looked  with  con- 
tempt upon  West  Pointers  as  both  puppets  and  aristocrats. 
The  regulars,  however,  were  preferable  not  only  in  camp  and  on 
the  march,  but  on  the  field.  In  addition  to  being  steady  them- 
selves, they  helped  immensely  to  steady  the  volunteers;  and 
the  regular  officers  furnished  volunteer  generals  with  knowledge, 
skill  and  sometimes  resolution.  As  for  their  own  commands, 
West  Pointers  might  curse  their  men,  but  they  took  splendid 
care  of  them;  and  it  was  far  better  that  men  should  fear 
their  officers  than  that  officers,  like  many  in  the  volunteer  army, 
should  fear  their  men.  General  Scott  said  that  without  the 
science  of  the  Military  Academy  his  army,  multiplied  by  four, 
could  not  have  set  foot  in  the  capital ;  and  Patterson,  like  him 
not  a  graduate  of  the  school,  concurred  in  this  opinion.17 

Our  horse  was  to  a  large  extent  little  more  than  mounted  in- 
fantry ;  and  our  real  cavalry,  besides  riding  like  the  French  and 
therefore  badly,  showed  no  mastery  in  sword  practice.  On  the 
other  hand  our  field  artillery  was  excellent  in  personnel  and 
material ;  and  the  engineers,  though  not  fully  trained  according 
to  the  most  exacting  standards,  earned  abundant  praise.  More 
than  once  they  made  the  very  strength  of  the  Mexican  position 
help  our  men  while  they  were  preparing  to  attack ;  and  the  re- 
port of  General  Smith  upon  certain  officers  —  "Nothing  seemed 
to  them  too  bold  to  be  undertaken,  or  too  difficult  to 


THE  AMERICAN  ARMY  321 

be  executed" — might  have  been  applied  to  the  corps  as  a 
body.18 

In  organization  our  armies  were  inferior  to  the  best  European 
models ;  but,  said  Gabriel  Ferry  in  the  Revue  des  Deux  Mondes, 
the  soldiers  made  up  for  this  defect  by  displaying  an  energy 
adequate  for  every  need.  The  infantry  were  criticised  by  foreign 
observers  for  a  lack  of  correctness  and  snap  in  their  move- 
ments. "What  is  called  the  American  army,"  wrote  the  minis- 
ter of  Spain,  to  imply  that  we  had  no  real  troops.  But  they 
husbanded  their  strength  in  this  way ;  it  was  therefore  ready 
for  emergencies ;  and  they  had  the  initiative,  ingenuity,  inde- 
pendence and  self-reliance  that  have  been  cultivated  of  late 
years  abroad  in  place  of  conventional  precision.19 

Despite  all  technical  defects,  the  faults  of  the  volunteers 
and  the  admixture  of  mere  immigrants  among  the  regulars,  we 
had  soldiers  to  remember  with  pride.  So  many  of  the  officers 
were  superior  men  that  almost  all  caught  the  inspiration  more 
or  less,  and  the  privates  felt  ready  to  obey  and  follow  them. 
The  troops  as  a  body  acquired  a  sense  of  invincibility.  "We 
may  be  killed,  but  we  can't  be  whipped/'  was  a  favorite  watch- 
word ;  and  they  fully  meant  it,  said  Karl  von  Grone.  Dangers 
and  hardships  were  bravely  faced,  as  a  rule,  and  often  were  faced 
with  gayety.  "Oh,  this  is  a  glorious  life  of  mine,"  exclaimed 
Lieutenant  Hamilton;  "a  life  in  a  land  of  fruits  and  flowers, 
of  dark-eyed  maidens  and  sunny  skies,  of  snow-capped  moun- 
tains and  of  flowering  valleys ;  a  life  of  adventure,  of  calm  and 
storm,  of  bivouac  and  battle."  20 

No  doubt  the  political  and  social  conditions  of  Mexico 
helped  our  troops  greatly,  but  in  addition  to  routing  every  time 
an  enemy  who  was  by  no  means  intrinsically  contemptible,  out- 
numbered us  and  knew  the  ground,  they  had  to  war  against 
deserts,  war  against  mountains,  war  against  fearful  storms,  war 
against  a  strange  climate,  war  against  a  devouring  pestilence ; 
and  in  spite  of  every  difficulty  Scott,  after  capturing  more  than 
a  thousand  officers  and  more  than  six  hundred  cannon,  occupied 
the  capital  of  Mexico  with  less  than  six  thousand  men.  The 
troops  themselves,  instead  of  boasting,  pronounced  it  a 
" miracle";  but  the  critical  and  unfriendly  Journal  des  Debate 
declared :  "The  new  conquerors  have  equalled  by  their  exploits 
the  great  Cortez  himself,  if  they  have  not  eclipsed  him."  *° 

VOL.  IT — T 


322  THE  WAR  WITH  MEXICO 

Yet  after  all  it  was  "  a  war  of  conquest,"  we  have  long  been 
told.  Popularly  "conquest"  is  in  truth  an  odious  word,  for 
it  has  commonly  been  associated  with  odious  deeds :  aggression 
and  cruel  tyranny;  but  "circumstances  alter  cases,"  and  when 
the  facts  are  unobjectionable,  so  is  the  term.  Legally,  the 
idea  has  prevailed  that  conquest  is  robbery ;  but  this  idea  seems 
to  have  grown  from  the  old  conception  that  the  government 
owned  the  country,  and  such  is  not  our  opinion  to-day/1 

Forcible  acquisitions  may  indeed  be  commendable.  In  that 
way  Rome  civilized  Europe,  England  gave  peace,  order  and 
comparative  happiness  to  India,  and  our  own  country  came 
into  being ;  and  none  of  us  would  undo  these  results.  The  wel- 
fare of  humanity  is  the  true  principle.  Life  has  the  right  of 
way  over  death ;  enlightenment  and  energy  over  ignorance  and 
torpor.  Possession  means  use ;  power  and  opportunities  mean 
service.  The  primary  law  is  that  all  shall  move  forward  and 
cooperate  in  achieving  the  general  destiny.  Like  individuals, 
every  nation  must  run  its  course  to  the  best  of  its  ability,  and 
if  it  grossly  flags,  pay  the  penalty.  In  the  absence  of  any  other 
tribunal,  war  must  enforce  this  penalty.  "Whosoever  hath  [in 
use],  to  him  shall  be  given,  .  .  .  but  whosoever  hath  not,  from 
him  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath."  Such  is 
eternal  right ;  not  the  justice  of  the  law  schools,  but  the  justice 
of  the  Supreme  Power.21 

Of  all  conquerors  we  were  perhaps  the  most  excusable,  the 
most  reasonable,  the  most  beneficent.  The  Mexicans  had  come 
far  short  of  their  duty  to  the  world.  Being  what  they  were,  they 
had  forfeited  a  large  share  of  their  national  rights.  Even  Hum- 
boldt  said  that  Mexico  "ought  not  to  expect  to  withhold,  from 
the  uses  of  civilization  and  improvement,"  such  neglected  ter- 
ritories as  New  Mexico  and  California.  A  philosopher  like 
Josiah  Royce,  a  moralist  like  Francis  Lieber  and  an  unsympa- 
thetic historian  like  Dr.  von  Hoist  agree  substantially  that  our 
duty  called  upon  us  to  occupy  the  Golden  Gate.  Not  merely  an 
administration  or  a  party,  but  the  nation  believed  that  our 
destiny  called  us  there,  and  felt  ready  to  assume  the  high 
responsibility  of  taking  possession.22 

Besides,  while  ours  could  perhaps  be  called  a  war  of  con- 
quest, it  was  not  a  war  for  conquest  —  the  really  vital  point. 
We  found  it  necessary  to  require  territory,  for  otherwise  our 


THE  WAR  LEAVES  MEXICO  FRIENDLY          323 

claims  and  indemnity  could  not  be  paid.  The  conflict  was  forced 
upon  us ;  yet  we  refused  to  take  advantage  of  our  opportunity. 
"It  is  almost  impossible/'  says  Bryce,  "for  a  feeble  State,  full 
of  natural  wealth  which  her  people  do  not  use,  not  to  crumble 
under  the  impact  of  a  stronger  and  more  enterprising  race." 
But  we  gave  back  much  that  we  took,  and  paid  for  the  rest 
more  than  it  was  worth  to  Mexico.  "All  deserve  praise, 
who  .  .  .  have  been  more  just  than  their  actual  power  made  it 
necessary  to  be,"  said  Thucydides ;  and  we  were  not  only  just 
but  liberal.  Finally,  we  gave  proof,  in  the  prosperity  and  use- 
fulness of  our  new  territories,  that  our  responsibility  was  amply 
met.22 

So  the  account  was  fairly  adjusted  and  more.  But  something 
still  remains  to  say.  A  closer  acquaintance  with  us  and  with 
real  national  life  taught  Mexico  some  of  her  mistakes,  confirmed 
the  political  relations  of  her  states,  and  helped  greatly  to  liber- 
alize her  ideas  and  institutions.  "The  sad  part  of  it  is  that 
our  chastisement  is  merited,"  preached  Ramirez.  "He  that 
reflects  how  useful  are  the  lessons  of  suffering  and  misfortune," 
declared  the  minister  of  relations,  "  will  admit  that  no  one  could 
show  more  clearly  the  deformity  of  our  errors  than  the  foreign 
invader  [has  done],  and  that  there  could  have  been  no  more 
efficacious  means  of  elevating  our  reason  above  the  bastard  in- 
terests of  political  passion."  M 

Still  warmer  sentiments  prevailed.  One  of  the  chief  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  making  a  treaty  was  the  desire  of  not  a  few  Mex- 
icans to  have  the  United  States  annex  their  country ;  and  after 
that  plan  failed,  the  American  general-in-chief  was  actually 
invited  to  become  dictator  for  a  term  of  years,  backed  by  Amer- 
ican troops.  With  reference  to  Trist,  our  commissioner,  Couto 
and  Cuevas  remarked  on  presenting  the  treaty  to  Congress,  "Of 
him  there  remain  in  Mexico  none  but  grateful  and  honoring 
recollections";  and  when  bidding  Clifford  good-by,  the  Presi- 
dent expressed  —  in  no  perfunctory  way  —  a  sincere  desire  for 
the  most  "sisterly"  relations  between  the  two  countries,  as 
essential  to  the  welfare  of  Mexico.  Indeed,  that  nation  had 
not  felt  so  cordial  toward  the  United  States  for  many  years 
as  it  did  immediately  after  the  war.28 

In  Europe,  too,  fairer  views  and  feelings  regarding  us  began 
to  be  entertained.  "  If  nothing  occur  to  tarnish  what  has  been 


324  ,  , , .  THE  WAR  WITH,  MEXICO 

90  well  begun,"  wrote  our  minister  at  the  court  of  St.  James  in 
June,  1846,  "the  moral  influence  produced  here  and  in  Europe 
generally  will  be  worth  all  the  expenses  of  the  war."  "It  was 
a  hard  lesson  for  England  to  learn,  but  she  has  learned  it,"  re- 
ported Bancroft,  who  succeeded  him ;  "  that  America  means  to 
go  on  her  own  way,  and  that  Europe  .  .  .  must  give  up  the 
thought  of  swaying  her  destiny."  Our  triumphs  over  Mexico, 
remarked  C.  J.  Ingersoll  in  the  House,  "have  been  admirable 
lessons  ...  to  the  world,  that  the  [wise]  policy  of  all  nations 
is  peace  with  these  United  States."  Only  on  respect  and  ap- 
preciation can  peace  and  mutual  helpfulness  be  founded,  and 
both  our  victories  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  used  pro- 
moted harmony  between  us  and  the  powers  of  Europe.23 

Humanity  and  moderation  —  such  humanity  and  modera- 
tion as  are  practicable  amid  hostilities  —  gilded  our  arms,  "  The 
elevated  and  kindly  character  of  Taylor  and  Scott,"  said  the 
Mexican  historian,  Roa  Barcena,  "lessened  as  far  as  was  possible 
the  evils  of  war."  The  Americans  always  treated  us  during 
the  conflict  with  "the  most  noble  courtesy,"  wrote  Ceballos. 
"We  shall  certainly  consider  it  as  an  unprecedented  event  if 
this  enormous  booty  [the  wealth  of  the  Mexican  churches]  es- 
capes from  pillage,"  proclaimed  the  London  Times;  and  it  did 
escape.  We  have  beaten  the  enemy,  felt  Robert  E.  Lee,  the 
knightly  soldier,  "in  a  manner  no  man  might  be  ashamed  of." 
Even  Theodore  Parker,  though  opposed  to  the  war,  made  this 
public  acknowledgment :  "  It  has  been  conducted  with  as  much 
gentleness  as  a  war  of  invasion  can  be."  And  a  brave  officer  of 
rare  intelligence  uttered  on  the  floor  of  our  Senate  these  words : 
"We  have  cause  to  be  proud  of  the  record  this  war  will  leave 
behind  it  —  a  monument  more  lasting  than  brass.  We,  the 
actors  of  to-day,  must  soon  crumble  to  dust ;  the  institutions 
we  now  maintain,  and  hope  will  be  perpetual,  may  pass  away ; 
the  Republic  may  sink  in  the  ocean  of  time,  and  the  tide  of 
human  affairs  roll  unbroken  over  its  grave ;  but  the  events  of 
this  war  will  live  in  the  history  of  our  country  and  our  race, 
Affording  in  all  ages  to  come,  proof  of  the  high  state  of  civiliza- 
tion amongst  the  people  who  conducted  it."  * 


XXI.    BEHIND  THE  SCENES  AT  MEXICO 

1.  This  is  a  good  illustration  of  Santa  Anna's  political  ability. 

2.  Farias  appears  to  have  had  no  share  in  this  quarrel  with  Salas 
(Mexico  a  travel,  iv,  593). 

3.  The  course  of  Mexican  politics.     Federahsta  Puro,  No.  3,  supplmt. ; 
No.  6,  supplmt.     London  Times,  Feb.  9,  1847.    Apuntes,  71-3,  76,  124-6. 
ISBankhead,  Nos.  120, 136, 140, 146,  153, 157, 160,  169,  180, 1846.     53Con- 
sul  Campbell,  Nov.  10,  1846.     52Consul  Black,  Aug   22,  27;    Sept.  17, 
22,   26,    1846.     Comunicaci6n   Circular  de  .  .  .  Pefia  y  Pena     Garcia, 
Revol.  de  Ayutla,  18,  20,  27.     Ultim  s  Comumcaciones  habidas  entre 
.  .  .     Salas  y  .  .  .  Rej6n      Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  538.    Prieto, 
Memorias,    ii,    195,    199.      ISThornton   to   Addmgton,    June  29,    1847. 
13Gutie>rez  de  Estrada   to  Palmerston,  Mar.   1,  1847      M6x.  en  1847, 
12-4.     Ramirez,  Mexico,  12, 142-4, 149, 152-4,  156, 165, 172, 176.    83Rej6n 
to  Berdusco,  Dec.  23.     Eco,  Nov.  4,  7,  11,  14,  1846.     Escudero,  Mems., 
8,  13,  14.     Dublan,  Legisl ,  v,  171,  238-9.     Memona  de  .  .  .  Relaciones, 
Dec.,  1846.     TSBermudez  de  Castro,  nos  332,  res. ;  343,  res  ;   345,  res. ; 
346;  368.     Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,  100-1,  118,  120,  124,  126-8. 
83Gov.   Quer6taro  to  Farias,  Oct.  20.     Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,   144. 
Rivera,   Los    Gobernantes,  ii,    310.     Lara,    Resumen,    65,  note      Mora, 
Papeles   Ineditos,    64-5.     162Conner,    Dec.    31,    1846      164/d    Jan.   5, 
1847.     Bustamante,  Campaiia,  7.     Ho.  60;    30,  1,  p.  1125  (S.  Anna). 
Baz,  Juarez,  43.     Mexico  a  travel,  iv,  576-7,  589,  591-2,  600-1,  698.    Re- 
publicano,  Sept.  28;  Oct.  20,  28;  Nov.  17;  Dec.  24,  1846;  Jan.  1,  22-3; 
Feb.  3,  1847.     Monitor  Re  pub  ,  Sept.  25-6,  30;    Oct.  19-23,  26;    Dec. 
25,  1846.     Diario,  Sept.  23,  25,  29;  Oct  9,  12,  14,  16,  31 ;  Nov.  24;  Dec. 
18-9,  22,  28,  29,  1846.     And  from  76  the  following      Procl.  gov.  S.  L.  P., 
Oct.  22, 1846.     J.  Alvarez,  Oct.  22.     Comte.  gen.  Mex.,  Oct  16     Canalizo 
to  comte.   gen.  Mex.,   Oct.  18.     Comte.  gen    Oaxaca,  Oct.  24     Salas, 
procl.,  Oct.  25.     Guerra,  circulars,  Oct.  14,  19,  22 ;   Dec.  23.    Relaciones 
to  gov.  Fed.  Dist ,  Dec.  23.     Relaciones  circular,  Oct.  19     Comte.  gen. 
Chiapas,  Nov.  3.     Also  others  of  minor  importance.     Otero  was  associated 
with  Pethuza  in  the  leadership  of  the  Moderados. 

4.  So  far  as  possible,  revenue  was  anticipated,  even  at  a  great  loss. 
E.f.t  if  a  merchant  expected  a  cargo  to  arrive  at  Vera  Cruz,  he  sent  a 
broker  (agiottsta)  to  the  minister  of  the  treasury,  and  by  paying  a  sum  hi 
advance  he  obtained  drafts  on  the  Vera  Cruz  customhouse  that  were 
receivable  at  par  for  the  duties.     Of  course  the  merchant,  the  broker  and 
the  minister  made  profits,  and  the  treasury  lost  (N.  Y.  Herald,  Jan.  18, 
1845).     Another  way  in  which  the  minister  could  make  money  was  to 
accept  at  face  value  as  part  of  a  loan  or  payment  government  paper  that 
had  cost  the  one  who  tendered  it  only  a  trifle,  and  take  a  share  of  the  net 
proceeds.     "Agiotista"  became  an  odious  term.    It  was  given  out  that 
Santa  Anna  would  accept  no  pay,  but  the  treasury  books  showed  that  he 
drew  his  salary  for  even  the  time  while  he  was  at  Havana  (335Worrall 
to  Trist,    Nov.  28,   1847).    They  apparently  showed  also  that  in  1846 
millions  were  distributed  among  generals,  brokers  and  others.    The  British 

327 


328  NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXI,  PAGES  7-9 

minister  said  that  Iturbe  was  the  ninth  finance  minister  whom  he  had 
seen  devoting  "his  peculiar  attention  to  the  augmentation,  of  his  private 
means  while  in  office"  (ISBankhead,  no.  104,  1846).  Another  great 
evil  was  that,  in  spite  of  express  prohibitions,  state  officials  drew  upon  the 
proceeds  of  the  tobacco  monopoly  The  following  table  illustrates  the 
state  of  the  treasury  (1846) . 

Get   12  Oct   16  Dec.  26  Dec.  29 

On  hand            $8510  $3410  —  $1148 

Rec'd                    —  3500  $7162  3700 

Paid                     1402  3628  5713  4367 

A  poll  tax  was  thought  of  by  Rej6n,  but  evidently  the  government  dared 
not  propose  it  (TSBermudez  de  Castro,  nos.  332,  res.,  346,  1846). 

5.  Mexican  financial  history  (see  also  the  first  part  of  chap,  xxxiii) 
Comunicaci6n  Circular  de         .  Pena  y  Pena      Memona  de  .         Rela- 
ciones,  Mar.,  1845 ;   Dec ,    1846.     Rivera,  Jalapa,   in,    368,    716.     Ilus- 
trador  Catolico,  no  239.     Hacienda,  series  of  Memonas      Hacienda,  Mam- 
fiesto  de  la  Admin,  y  Progresos      London  Times,  July  6,  1846      Breve 
Resumen      Casasus,  Hist,  de  la  Deuda  contraida,  etc  ,  passim.     Paredes, 
address  to  Cong ,  June  6,  1846  (Diano).     Alaindn,  Liquidaci6n.     Esposi- 
ci6n  del  Cong   Gen      llMartin,  Apr.  30,  1827 ;   July  4 ;    Aug  25,  1828 
llSeries  of  Me"moires  on  the  Spanish   Colonies      Sierra,    Evolution,    i, 
178,  218.     Zamacois,  M6x ,  xn,    254      52Consul    Jones,    Aug.    1,    1839. 
56W.  S  Parrott,  Oct.  4,  11,  1845.     58Howland  &  Aspinwall,  Mar.  1,  1847. 
Republicano,  Feb.  2,   1847      ISAshburnham,  nos    39,   51,    1837;   3,  97, 
1838.     ISPakenham,  nos   28,  1833 ;  6,  1836 ;  44,  62,  1839      ISBankhead, 
nos.  81,    1844;    6,   38,   70,    106,    1845;    21,    104,    127,    146,    169,    1846.. 
52Poinsett,  Jan.  4;    Aug    5,  1825;    July  16,  1828.     52Butler,  July  16, 
1832.     Revista  Econ ,  Dec    14,  1843 ;    Feb.  5,  1844     Tornel,  Resena,  9, 
171.     Macgregor,  Progress,   i,   674-83      Thompson,    Recoils.,   12,    27-8, 
87.     52D.  Green,  Oct.  28;    Nov    12,  29,  1844.     N    Y   Herald,  Jan    18, 

1845.  Siglo  XIX,  June  14,   1844;    Dec    2,   1845       Patriota  Mexicano, 
Dec.  9,  1845.     Reforma,  Jan   23,  1846      London  Times,  Mar   29;    May 
15;  Sept  9;   Nov   11;   Dec.  6,  1845;   Mar.  2,  1846      Revue  Indep  ,  Apr 
25,  1845      52Consul  Black,  Aug.  23,  1845.     52Consul  Dimond,  no   338, 
May  7,  1846.     TSBermiidez  de  Castro,  no.  346,  1846      52Consul  McCall, 
no.  65,  Sept.  26,  1845      Balbontin,  Estado,  66.     Wash.  Union,  Feb    2, 
1848   (Pomsett).     N.  Y    Globe,  June  3,   1846.     Dwrw,  Sept    18,    1846. 
Monitor  Repub  ,  Nov  27,  1846 ;   Jan   9,  1847.     Ward,  Mexico,  i ,  331-7. 
76To  S.   Anna,   Nov.   25.     Vicano   Capitular,   Contestaci6n      Priestley, 
Jose*  de  Gdlvez,  Chap.  x. 

6.  The  present  financial  problem      Dubldn,  Legislaci6n,  v.,  172,  211-Gy 
235-7,    240.     TTRclaciones   circular,   Nov    27,    1846.     ISBankhead,    no. 
6,  1845;    nos.  21,  127,  153,  167,  169,  1846.     52Consul  Black,  Dec.  29, 

1846.  Apuntes,  76, 124-6      Ramfrez,  Mexico,  171.     335  Worrall  to  Trist, 
Nov.  28,   1847.     Rivera,    Jalapa,  iii,   716       Ilustrador  Catdhco,  i.,   281. 
Me*x.  en  1847,  14-19,  24      Don  Simplww,  Feb.  13,  1847.     86Relaciones, 
Oct.   26,    1846.    Zempoalteca,   Nov.    27,    1846.     Escudero,    Mems.,    8, 
92Gov.  Fed.  Dist.,  procl.,  Jan.  16.     82Gov.  Durango  to  legisl.,  Nov.  8, 
1846.     Columna  de  la  Libertad,  Jan.  8,  1847.     Sierra,  Evolution,  i,  178, 
217-8.     62McLane,   no    5,   1845.     56W.  S.   Parrott,   Oct.   4,   11,    1845. 
llM&noire,  1828.     D.  Green  to  Calhoun,  Oct.  28;  Nov.  12  in  Jameson, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXI,  PAGES  9-11     329 

Calh.  Corresp.,  976-80,  991.  Siglo  XIX,  Jan.  14,  1844  London  Time*, 
Sept.  9 ;  Dec.  6,  1845 ;  Oct.  8,  1846 ;  Jan.  8,  1847.  Memoria  de  .  .  . 
Relaciones,  Dec  ,  1846  (Lafragua).  ,  73Bermudez  de  Castro,  nos.  316,  res., 
346,  371,  res.,  445.  Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  11,  128.  75Relaciones, 
circulars  to  govs.,  Oct.  9;  Dec.  17,  1846;  circs,  nos  233,  238,  255,  1846. 
75aHacienda,  circulars,  Oct.  10;  Nov.  9;  Dec.  5,  31,  1846.  86V.  Cruz 
state  treas.  to  gov.,  Jan  11 ;  Feb  4,  1847  Constitutional,  Dec.  18,  1846. 
Wash.  Union,  Jan.  18,  29;  May  11,  1847.  Monitor,  Oct.  12.  166Pom- 
maresto  Conner,  Oct  7,  1846  RepMicano,  Oct.  22;  Nov.  5,  13,  24; 
Dec.  8,  1846;  Jan  23,  1847  Monitor  Repub ,  Sept  25,  30;  Oct. 
18;  Nov.  19,  30;  Dec  19,  1846  Diano,  Sept.  23,  25,  29;  Oct.  2,  3; 
Nov.  21,  23;  Dec.  4,  13,  15,  21,  29,  30,  1846;  Jan.  1,  7-9,  1847  Mexico 
&  travel,  iv,  589,  600,  628-9  76S.  Anna,  Nov.  7,  9,  19 ;  Dec.  3,  4,  7, 
30,  1846;  Jan.  1,  2,  4,  7,  1847  76 J  Alvarez,  Sept  30,  1846  76Circ 
to  comtes.  gen  ,  Sept  28,  1846. 

7.  The  law  was  a  compromise  (Apuntes,  124)      Ilejon,  as  he  frankly 
told  the  Spanish  minister  (note  6),  was  for  nationalizing  —  i  e.,  confiscat- 
ing —  the  property  of  the  Church      Santa  Anna  preferred  to  let  the  clergy 
keep  the  title  to  their  wealth,  and  require  a  loan  from  them  now  and  then 
—  a  process  termed  " milking"  (Jameson,  Calhoun  Corresp,  992).     The 
essential  basis  on  which  the  law  passed  was  the  practical  necessity  of  rais- 
ing money  for  the  war ;  but  many  who  recognized  this  necessity  and  even 
the  desirability  of  reducing  the  wealth  and  power  of  the  Church  could  not 
bring  themselves  to  act 

8.  The  law,  if  fully  enforced,  would  no  doubt  have  done  much  injury, 
however  great  its  benefits     E  g  ,  a  great  amount  of  land  had  been  hypoth- 
ecated to  the  Church  with  no  expectation  on  either  side  that  the  loan 
which  it  secured  would  ever  be  paid ;  but  the  government,  in  order  to  ob- 
tain cash,  intended  that  the  loan  should  be  paid  or  the  land  sold.     Many 
individuals  would  thus  have  been  ruined  and  the  agricultural  interests 
partially  crippled,  while  on  account  of  the  small  amount  of  money  in  cir- 
culation, only  very  low  prices  would  have  been    realized  for  the   land 
(ISBankhead,  no    7,  1847)      Moreover,  land  with  a  Church  curse   upon 
it  was  sure  to  sell  slowly,  and  many  believed  that  titles  obtained  in  this 
way  would  not  hold  good  very  long      As  the  clergy  would  give  no  informa- 
tion about  their  property,  some  exempted  property  was  seized,  and  these 
mistakes  caused  trouble  (Mexico  a  travel,  iv,  631).     Many  objected  to  the 
law  because  they  presumed  that  the  proceeds  of  sales  would  reach  private 
pockets.     The  principal  arguments  against  it  were  summed  up  by  the 
88ayuntamiento  of  C6rdoba  as  follows'    "It  attacks  property,  invades 
the  rights  of  the  states,  contravenes  the  sovereignty  of  the  Church  and  is 
anti-religious,  for  there  can  be  no  religion  without  worship,  no  worship 
without  priests  and  no  priests  without  Church  property  "     On  the  other 
hand  the  Puro  92ayuntamiento  of  the  capital  described  the  law  as  "A  law 
to  save  our  independence  and  religion,  in  which  nothing  is  done  except 
that  one  class  of  society  is  to  loan  its  property  to  society  as  a  whole,"  add- 
ing, "How  unfortunate  would  be  our  faith,  if  the  religion  of  the  Savior 
could  be  supported  only  with  money  .  .  .  charity  and  poverty  were  . 
the  example  of  his  mission  "     The  metropolitan  chapter  of  Mexico  took 
the  ground  that  property  once  consecrated  to  God  was  sacred,  and  that  to 
take  it  would  be  an  act  of  sacrilege  sure  to  bring  upon  the  country  the 
wrath  and  punishment  of  heaven   (92Representaci6n).    The  bishop  of 
Puebla  said  to  his  flock:    "Far  from  us  is  the  idea  of  disturbing  public 


330         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXI,  PAGES  11-ia 

order,  but  we  must  notify  our  very  dear  lambs  that  the  pasturage  offered 
them  is  poisonous ;  and  if  for  so  doing  we  incur  the  wrath  of  men,  we  will 
strengthen  our  weakness  with  the  words  of  the  chief  of  the  Apostles  at  the 
council  of  the  Jews:  'We  must  obey  God  rather  than  men'"  (32Mani- 
fiesto).  This  was  a  clear  and  official  incitement  to  insurrection. 

9.  The  law  of  Jan.  11  and  the  struggle  over  it.    Apuntes,  124-32.     13 
Bankhead,  nos.  180,  1846;    6,  7,  10,  14,  17,  1847.     Gaxiola,  Invasi6n, 
118.     82 J.  Parrott,  Feb.  6.     56Beach,  report,  June  4.     London  Times, 
Sept.  9;  Oct.  7,  1846;   Mar.  11;   May  12,  1847.     Oil  portrait  of  Farias, 
city  hall,  Mex.     52Consul  Black,  Feb.  24.     Revue  Indep.,  Apr.  25,  1845. 
Rivera,   Jalapa,  iii,  822,  825-6.     Catdlico,   hi,    553.     Conducta   Admin, 
de  Berdusco.     Ilustrador  Catdlico,  no.  239.     88C6rdoba  ayunt.,  Feb.  4. 
92Mex.  hyunt.  to  chapter,  Jan.  14.     92Ayunt.,  procl.,  Jan.  14.     92Repre- 
sentaci6n  of  metrop.  chapter  to  Cong.     92Segunda  Pro  testa;    Tercera 
Protesta  del  Ven.  C  bildo  Metrop.     92Exposici6n  que  el  Sr.  Vicario  Capit. 
92Expos.  del  Cabildo  Metrop.     92Procl.  of  gov.   Fed.   Dist.,  Jan.   16. 
95Quere*t.  cong.,  Jan.  12.     95Puebla  ayunt  to  gov.,  Jan.  16.     95Sdnchez 
to  Puebla  ayunt.,  Feb.  16.     82Bish.  Puebla,  manif.,  Jan.  27       82Gov. 
Puebla,  procl.,  Jan.  27 ;  Mar.  5,  15.     Lamentos  de  los  Mox.     73Bermudez 
de  Castro,  nos.  332,  res.,  346,  445.     Dublan,  Legislaci6n,  v.,  246,  255, 
261-2.     Registro  Oficial  de  Durango,  Jan.  26.     SOGuanajuato  cong.,  Jan. 
29.     L^comotor,    Jan.    18.     Mora,    Papeles,    74-6.     Negrete,     Invasi6n 
iv,  app.,  412-4.     Ramirez,  Mexico,  172,  184,  188,  190,  193,  198.     Diario, 
Dec.  21,  1846;  Jan.  7-9,  11-16,  18,  19,  26,  30;  Feb.  4,  1847.     Republicano, 
Dec.  9,  12,  1846;  Jan.  8,  11,  23-4,  27,  29;  Feb.  6,  11,  12;  May  14,  1847. 
Mdxico  a  trave*s,  iv,  601-8,  628,  630-1,  638      And  the  following  from  76. 
Comte.  gen.  Quere*t.,   Jan.    19,  20,  22.     Id.,  procl.,   Jan.  20.     Comte 
gen.  Puebla,  Jan   12,  28;  Feb.  17.     Guerra,  order,  Jan.  24.     Min.  eccles. 
affairs  to  metropol.  chapter,  Jan.  14.     Comte  gen  Mex  ,  Jan.  15.     Comte. 
gen.  Jalisco,  Feb.  2.     J.  Alvarez,  Feb.  2.     Comte.  gen.  Oaxaca,  Feb.  11, 
15.     Comte.  gen.  Guanaj.,  Jan.  29;  Feb.  15,  res.     To  comte.  gen.  Puebla, 
Feb.  24.     Decrees,  Jan.  15,  27;    Feb.  4,  7,  10.     To  S.  Anna,   Jan.  30. 
S.  Anna,  Jan.  7,  13,  22,  26,  29 ;  Feb.  9. 

10.  Beach's  mission  and  escape.     56Special  Missions,  p.  257.      56Beach 
report,  June  4,  1847.     Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  14,  1847.     108Mrs.  Storms  to 
Bancroft,  July  23,  1846,  and  Marcy's  endorsement.     Griffis,  Perry,  224. 
5lConsul  Black,  Jan.  28,  1847.     N.  Y.  Sun,  Apr.  15;  Aug.  16,  24,  1847. 
166Dimond  to  Conner,  Jan.  — ,   1847.     Scribner's  Monthly,   xvii,    300. 
Appleton,  Amer.  Biog.  (article  on  M.  Y.  B  ).     Kenly,   Md.  Vol.,  269. 
76To  comte.  gen.  V.  Cruz,  Jan.  14.     76Landero,  Jan.  14.     76S.  Anna, 
Jan.  22. 

11.  Apuntes,    126.     ISBankhead,    no.    14,    1847.     56Beach,    report, 
June  4,  1847.    Ramirez,  Mexico,  193^4,  198-9.     M6xico  £  travel,  iv,  608, 
631.     199Anon.  MS.  of  go-between. 

12.  The*  monarchists,  who  were  closely  associated  with  the  Church, 
shared  in  the  insurrection  (Apuntes,  119),  and  no  doubt  many  of  the 
Moderados  took  part  in  it  (London  Times,  May  10,  1847),  though  Pedraza 
denied  positively  that  he  drew  up  the  plan  (Apuntes,  131). 

13.  The  insurrection.    56Beach,  report,  June  4,  1847.    Apuntes,  126, 
128-37.     ISBankhead,    no.    17,    1847.    Consideraciones,  37.     Me*x.  en 
1847,  14,  19.    Le6n,  Hist.  Gen.,  475.     82J.  Parrott,  Feb.  6.     Bustamante, 
Campafia  sin,  etc.,  5,  8,  10,  11,  13.     62Black,  Mar.  6.     London  Times, 
May  10,   12.    Salas,  pamphlet,   Mar.  3.    ISPefia  y  Barragan,   prod., 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXI,  PAGES  13-14          331 

Mar.  8.  S^ptimo  Disengafio.  Boletin  de  la  Democracia,  Mar.  2,  7,  13. 
Farias,  Address.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  190,  193,  198-9,  201,  204,  209.  Mexico 
&  travel,  iv,  631-5.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  hi,  841-9.  Arco  Iris,  Nov.  24,  1847. 
Escudero,  Mems.,  14,  19,  20.  82Zacatecas  cong.,  Mar.  5.  82 Jalisco 
legisl.,  Mar.  12.  77Relaciones,  circular,  Mar.  13.  80Me*x.  state  legisl., 
Mar.  18.  Balbontm,  Invasion,  104.  80Lt.  gov.  Mex.  state  prod, 
Mar.  23.  199Anon.  MS.  TGFarias,  procl.  83Gov.  Quer6t.  to  Pefia 
y  Barragan,  Mar.  2,  20.  Rivera,  Los  Gobernantes,  ii.,  318.  N.  Y.  Sun, 
Apr.  15;  Aug.  24.  Diarw,  Feb.  20,  21.  Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  27,  1846; 
Feb.  13;  Mar.  23.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1125  (S.  Anna).  Lerdo  de  Tejada, 
Apuntes,  ii,  539.  And  from  76  the  following,  besides  others  of  minor 
importance.  Comte.  gen.  Quer6t.,  Jan.  20.  Canalize  to  Anaya,  Feb. 
26.  J.  Alvarez,  Mar.  10.  L.  Carn6n,  Mar.  10.  Gov.  Puebla,  Feb.  17; 
reply,  Feb.  24.  Plan  of  Puebla  insurgents,  Feb.  27.  Govt.  bulletins, 
Mar.  2,  5.  Morales,  Mar.  1.  Aguascalientes  legisl.,  Mar.  4.  Gov. 
Zacat.  to  Relac.,  Mar.  5.  Gov.  Queret.  to  Relac.,  Mar.  9.  Provis  gov. 
Jalisco  to  Relac.,  Mar  3.  Comte  gen.  Jalisco  to  garrison,  Mar.  7.  Gov. 
Puebla  to  Relac  ,  Mar.  5  Lt  Col.  Indep.  b  ttal  to  mistress,  Mar.  15. 
Comte  gen.  Oaxaca,  Feb.  17.  Gov.  M6x.  state  to  Relac.,  Mar.  19. 
Id.,  procl.,  Mar.  18.  Decrees,  Mar.  1,  8,  12,  15. 

On  this  subject  Beach  reported  in  substance  as  follows:  When  the 
government  resolved  to  raise  money  on  the  Church  property,  I  urged  the 
clericals  to  an  organized  resistance  They  consented,  and  at  the  moment 
of  General  Scott's  debarkation  at  Vera  Cruz  they  made  a  most  important 
diversion  in  his  favor  by  raising  the  standard  of  civil  war  at  the  capital, 
at  Puebla  and  in  a  degree  at  Michoacdn.  This  occupied  5000  men  and 
all  the  arms,  munitions  of  war  and  means  of  the  government  in  the  city 
of  Mexico  for  twenty-three  days ;  effectually  preventing  them  from  aiding 
Vera  Cruz,  or  strengthening  Puebla  or  the  strongholds  nearer  the  coast. 
On  the  tenth  day  of  this  rebellion  or  pronunciamiento,  I  was  informed  that 
$40,000  would  be  required  of  the  clergy  to  carry  it  on  another  week,  and 
that  it  would  be  paid  if  the  importance  of  the  crisis  justified  the  outlay. 
As  General  Scott  had  but  just  landed  his  artillery  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  might 
be  detained  there  for  some  time.  I  deemed  that  almost  any  outlay  would 
be  justified.  The  rebellion  was  therefore  kept  up,  until  the  sudden  appear- 
ance of  General  Santa  Anna  closed  the  affair.  [One  must  remember,  in 
passing  judgment  on  the  conduct  of  the  clergy,  how  much  they  had  suf- 
fered at  the  hands  of  Santa  Anna  and  how  much  reason  they  had  to  fear 
him.] 

Beach  had  arranged  to  visit  Mexico  on  private  business,  and  he  persuaded 
Buchanan  that  he  could,  through  Almonte  and  others,  bring  about  peace. 
Hence  he  was  appointed  "confidential  agent  to  the  Republic  of  Mexico" 
to  accomplish  what  he  could;  and,  on  learning  the  state  of  things  at 
Mexico,  he  saw  that  Scott's  operations  could  be  materially  assisted  by 
inaugurating  and  continuing  the  clerical  insurrection.  His  report  may 
be  found  in  the  state  department  archives  at  Washington. 

14.  Santa  Anna  left  San  Luis  Potosi  March  15  with  more  than  5000 
men  and  ten  guns. 

15.  Rej6n  wrote  to  Santa  Anna,  March  7,  1847,  urging  him  to  stand 
firmly  by  his  manifesto  of  August  16,  1846,  —  i.e.  by  the  Puros,  and  detail- 
ing a  series  of  Moderado  intrigues  intended  (he  said)  to  annoy  and  humiliate 
Santa  Anna  until  he  should  inaugurate  a  revolution,  with  a  view  to  then 
having  him  shot. 


332         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXI,  PAGES  14-16 

16.  Beach  was  watched  for  several  days  before  he  left  the  city.     He 
escaped  by  paying  for  his  lodgings  for  some  time  to  come,  leaving  a  trunk 
there,  taking  a  carriage  late  at  night  without  baggage,  and  choosing  an 
unusual  route  (N.  Y.  Sun,  Aug.  16,  1847).    A  reward  of  $1000  was  offered 
for  him  dead  or  alive  (ibid.,  Aug.  24).     Notices  were  put  up  denouncing 
as  a  traitor  anyone  possessing  a  copy  of  the  New  York  Sun.     He  was 
accused  of  having  tried  to  bring  about  a  clerical  revolution  and  also  to 
induce  the  states  of  Guanajuato,  Quere*taro,  San  Luis  Potosf  and  Jalisco 
to  secede  and  declare  for  the  United  States.     See  also  N.  Y.  Sun,   May 
27,  1847;  Polk,  Diary,  May  11,  1847;  Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  269     We  shall 
hear  again  of  Beach's  operations. 

17.  Santa  Anna  received  news  of  the  insurrection  near  Cedral. 

18.  Santa  Anna  may  very  possibly  have  hoped  now  to  combine  the 
military  class,  the  conservatives  and  the  clericals  into  a  solid  phalanx 
behind  him,  and  he  may  have  commended  the  movement  against  Church 
property  for  the  very  purpose  of  making  the  clergy  feel  the  need  of  his 
assistance.    See  Tribute  &  la  Verdad,  76. 

19.  His  overthrow  was  not  really  due  to  the  law  of  January  11,  but 
resulted  from  his  radical  ideas  and  unpractical  methods,  the  odium  of 
his  former  administration,  his  consequent  inability  to  secure  the  cooper- 
ation of  influential  men,  and  the  general  state  of  unrest  and  dissension. 

20.  Outcome   of  the   insurrection.     Apuntes,    111,    115-8,    133,    136-8. 
ISBankhead,  nos.  33,  34,  1847.     Me*x.  en  1847,  14-18.     69S  Anna,  order, 
Mar.  14.     Anglo-Saxon,  Mar.  13.     56Beach,  report,  June  4,  1847.     Bus- 
tamante,  Campafta,  30.     London  Times,  May  10.     Britannia,  May  15. 
Mexico  &  travel,  iv,  577,  635-40.     Ramirez,  M6xico,  184,  198-9,  205,  207, 
209-12,  215-8.     82Gov.  Puebla,  boletfn  No.  4  (S.  Anna  to  Farias,  Mar.  6 ; 
Gil  to  Ruano,  Mar.  6).    TTRelaciones,  circulars,  Mar.  22 ;  Apr.  1.    Tributo 
a  la  Verdad,  76.     75Rej6n  to  S.  Anna,  Mar.  7.     84Palacios  to  Gov.  S.  L. 
P.,  Mar.   17.     Republic'ano,  Mar    24.     75aHacienda,  circular,   Mar.  29 
Puga  y  Acal,  Docs.,  62-3.     Escudero,  Mems ,  19.     Bustamante,  Nuevo 
Bernal,    li,    146-7.     Dublan,    Legisl.,    v,    262-5.     Locomotor,    Jan.    18 
Baz,   Juarez,  47.     Diarw,   Mar.   29,    1847   (Baz).     The  twenty-millions 
law  had  very  little  effect,  if  any.     Le  Constitutwnnel,  June  17,  1847  (The 
clergy  have  kept  none  of  the  promises  by  the  aid  of  which  they  obtained 
the  repeal  of  the  confiscation  of  their  property). 

XXII.   VERA  CRUZ 

1.  "New  volunteers,"  those  called  out  in  November.     For  the  ten 
transports  see  chap,  xviii,  note  28.     Jan.  18  Conner  wrote  to  Scott  that 
Santa  Anna  had  moved,  about  January  1,  against  Taylor,  but  that  from 
all  accounts  presumably  Taylor  had  probably  retired  to  Monterey  (Ho. 
60;  30,  1,  p.  893).     It  was  therefore  natural  for  Scott  to  feel  satisfied  that 
Santa  Anna,  learning  of  the  expedition  against  Vera  Cruz,  would  retrace 
his  steps  and  reach  that  place  in  season.     At  Scott's  instance  a  spy,  selected 
by  Consul  Campbell  with  the  aid  of  Consul  Dimond  (who  visited  Cuba 
for  the  purpose),  was  to  have  set  out  from  Havana  in  January  for  Mexico 
City  and  San  Luis  Potosf  (166Dimond  to  Conner,  Jan.  15) ;  but  the  author 
found  no  further  trace  of  him. 

2.  Some  transports  reached  Ant6n  Lizardo  Feb.  27  and  notified  Conner 
that  Scott  was  coming  (162Conner,  Feb.  27).    Certain  troops,  leaving 
Tampico  March  1,  arrived  at  that  rendezvous  in  advance  of  Scott  (139 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  17-21          333 

W.  B.  Campbell  to  wife,  Mar.  6).     By  sunset  on  March  5  about  seventy 
sail  had  appeared  there 

3.  To  Antdn  Lizardo.    Macgregor,  Progress,  i,  677     47Conner,  Dec.  1 
1846;    Feb.   17;    Mar    7,   10,   1847.     159Collms  narrative.    298Porter, 
diary.     66Remarks  in  margin  of  chart  of  V.  Cruz  harbor.     Le  Clercq, 
Voyage,    401,    418      Robertson,    Remms.,    214-6.     Campos,    Recuerdos, 
31.     Hitchcock,   Fifty  Years,  238.     Grant,    Mems.,  i,    125.     Hartman, 
Journal,  6      Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,   123      Picayune,  Mar.  26.     Delta, 
Oct.  16.     Meade,  Letters,  i,  187.     65Scott,  gen.  orders  28,   33,  34,    37. 
SISSaunders  to  Conner,  Mar.  5.     Oswandei,  Notes,    63      Semmes,  Ser- 
vice,   106,    109,    111.     Kenly,    Md.    Volunteer,  266.     Lawton,    Artillery 
Officer,  65-6,  68.     146Caswell,  diary.     322Smith,  diary.    Kitchen,  Rec- 
ord, 21-2.     270Moore,  diary      327Sutherland,  letter      Ballentme,  Eng- 
lishj  Soldier,    i,    257,    261      254McClellan    to    sister,    Feb.  23.     Moore, 
Scott's  Campaign,  1-4.     Parker,   Recoils ,  49,  82      Washington    Union, 
Apr.   6.     Monitor  Repub.,   Mar    16.     164Scott  to  Conner,  Feb.  22,  26 
162Conner  to  wife,  Aug    10,  1846;    Feb   26,  27,  1847.     Ho   60;    30,  1, 
pp.  879,  892  (Conner) ;  896  (Hetzel) ;  893,  896,  899  (Scott) ;  568  (Jesup). 
Nebel    and    Kendall,    17      Diccionano    Umv     (Anton  Lizardo).     Niles, 
Mar.  13,   1847,   p.  21      332Tennery,  diary      Sedgwick,   Corresp.,  i,  65. 
254McClellan,  diary      165Conner  to  Scott,  Jan    18;    to  Breese  and  to 
Aulick,  Feb  28.     Hamniersly,  Naval  Encyclop  ,  94      139W  B.  Campbell 
to  wife,  Mar   6      Smith,  To  Mexico,  108-10      TGGaray,  Mar  5.     76Cos, 
Feb   19,  21      76Soto,  Mar.  7.     76Watchman  at  I  liia,  Mar.  5. 

4.  For  additional  information  regarding  San  Juan  de  Ulua  the  reader 
may  consult  chapters  xvm  and  xxx. 

5.  New  York  letters  received  in  Cuba  and  made  known  at  Mexico  gave 
notice  that  Scott  planned  to  capture  Vera  Cruz  before  attacking  Ulua 
(76Relaciones,  Jan    26) ;    some  Mexicans  believed  he  would  enter  the 
Antigua  River  (which  emptied  a  short  distance  to  the  north)  with  boats, 
and  strike  at  once  into  the  interior ;  some  thought  he  would  land  at  Tux- 
pdn,  and  march  south  along  the  coast ;  and  some  ridiculed  the  idea  of  an 
attack  upon  Vera  Cruz  on  the  ground  that,  since  the  Americans  could 
not  possibly  reach  the  capital  by  that  route,  it  would  be  useless  to  capture 
the  city  (Monitor  Re  pub.,  Mar.  28)      Many  argued  that  in  any  case  Ulua 
would  protect  Vera  Cruz 

6.  Besides  fine  old  Spanish  guns,  there  were  new  and  heavy  English 
pieces  (Nacwnal,  July  12,  1846)  and  twenty  recently  cast  in  the  United 
States   (Davis,  Autobiog.,   131).     A  battery  of  sixteen  bronze  long  24- 
pdrs.,  made  in  England  in  1840,  was  pronounced  by  American  artillery 
officers  "far  superior "  to  anything  of  the  sort  they  had  seen  elsewhere 
(213  Hatch  to  father,  Apr.  2).     It  was  in  the  city      As  to  the  amount  of 
ordnance  in  the  city  and  castle  accounts  differed.     Scott  made  it  400 
pieces;    Hitchcock,  upwards  of  350;    Balbontfn,   113  mounted,  46  un- 
mounted at  Ulua,  83  and  57  respectively  at  Vera  Cruz ;  G.  T.  M.  Davis, 
390  effective  pieces.    The  statement  of  the  Mexican  government,  Decem- 
ber, 1846  (based  of  course  on  earlier  reports),  was  as  follows :  Vera  Cruz, 
mounted,  bronze,  eleven  24's,  twenty  16's,  six  12's,  four  8's,  four  4's, 
four  mountain  4's,  five  12-inch  mortars,  seven  8-mch  howitzers,  and  of 
iron,  mounted,  three  42-lb.  mortars,  three  24-lb.  cannon,  five  12's,  nine 
8's,  six  13-inch  mortars,  two  9-inch  mortars ;  UMa,  bronze,  mounted,  thirty- 
six  24's,  four  16's,  four  8's,  two  14-inch  mortars,  and  of  iron,  mounted, 
ten  84-lb.  mortars,  ten  68-lb   mortars,  sixteen  42-lb   mortars,    fifty-one 


334         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  21-22 

24-lb.  cannon,  two  16's,  —  a  total  of  224  besides  a  considerable  number  of 
unmounted  pieces  in  both  places,  some  of  which  were  doubtless  mounted 
later  (Memoria  de  .  .  .  Guerra).  Still  other  guns  were  sent  from  the 
interior.  Possibly  some  unserviceable  ordnance  may  have  been  included 
in  the  highest  American  figures.  *  Balbontfn  gives  the  number  of  firearms 
as  7369  —  half  of  the  total  number  belonging  to  the  government.  Ripley 
(War  with  Mex.,  n,  19)  and  Wilcox  (Mex.  War,  251)  state  that  there 
was  no  ditch,  but  the  weight  of  evidence  seems  to  be  against  them.  Perhaps 
the  drifting  sand  filled  the  ditch  before  the  Americans  took  the  city. 

7.  It  was  not  easy  to  believe  that  the  factions  at  Mexico  would  not 
agree  to  turn  their  arms  against  the  Americans  on  learning  they  had  landed. 
March  9  the  state  of  Vera  Cruz  issued  a  strong  appeal  to  them  and  to  the 
nation.    Neutrals   and   valuable   neutral   property  were   taken   aboard 
foreign    war-vessels    (12Matson    to   Giffard,    Mar.    5).     The   American 
blockade  had  greatly  impaired  the  resources  of  the  state  and  city.     A 
forced  loan  was  imposed  by  the  former,  but  no  large  receipts  could  be 
expected 

8.  The  accepted  (not  official)  Mexican  figures  were  1030  for  Ulua  and 
3360  for  Vera  Cruz,  but  the  authorities  did  not  consider  it  obligatory  to 
publish  the  correct  number.     ISMarch  11  the   British  consul,  Giffard, 
reported  the  garrisons  as  about   1500  and  4000   respectively,  and  later 
(according  to  Mexican  accounts  that  were  probably  rather  flattering) 
more  than  1000  threw  themselves  into  the  city.     Santa  Anna  stated  in 
April  that  Morales  had  5000  in  the  town  (76S.  Anna,  Apr.  29),  but  he  was 
unfriendly  to  that  officer.      Scott's  figures  were  5000  besides  those  who 
perished  or  escaped  during  the  siege ;   but  before  the  surrender  he  heard 
the  city  alone  had  that  number  (Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  221).     British  naval 
officers  stated  there  were  about  6000  in  city  and  castle  (Meade,  Letters, 
i,  188),  and  Col.  Campbell  was  told  there  were  5-6000  (139to  wife,  Mar. 
6).     The  Mexicans  complained  of  a  lack  of  gunners,  but  their  own  figures 
were  680.     No  doubt  the  troops  were  poorly  cared  for,  but  such  was  the 
custom.     Robles  counted  for  not  a  little.     In  the  autumn  of  1846  Landero, 
personally  liked  but  considered  wanting  in  ability  and  regarded  as  a  tool 
of  Santa  Anna,  was  made  comte.  gen.  because  Morales  was  strenuously 
denounced   by  Santa  Anna  as  politically  unsafe  (76S.  Anna,  Oct.  14) ; 
but  on  the  approach  of  the  crisis  the  people  forced  a  change,  and  the  con- 
fidence inspired  by  Morales  enabled  him  (Landero  admitted  in  his  76 
report,  Apr.  3,  1847)  to  accomplish  more  than  the  latter  could  have  done. 
Particular  resentment  was  felt  against  Santa  Anna  for  taking  away  in 
August,  1846,  the  best  regiment  (the  Eleventh  Infantry).    For  the  names 
of  corps  at  Vera  Cruz  and  Ulua  see  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  158. 

9.  The  situation  at  Vera  Cruz  and  Ulua.     ISConsul  Giffard,  Nov.  1 ; 
Dec.  1,  1846;    Feb.  28;    Mar.  11,  1847.    52Consul  Dimond,  no.  336, 
May  2,  1846.     Engineer  School,  U.  S.  Army,  Occasional  Papers,  no.  16. 
218Henshaw  narrative.     280Nunelee,  diary.     159Collins,  diary.     6Bravo 
to  Tola,  Apr.  18,  1846.    224Hitchcock,  diary,  Mar.  13.     ISPakenham, 
no.  25,  1842.    National,  July  12,   1846.     Constitutional,  May  8,  1847. 
W.   S.   Parrott,   Feb.  6,    1847.     80M£xico   state   legislature   to   people. 
Memoria  de  .  .  .  Guerra,   Dec.,    1846,   p.   22.     (Cisterns,  etc.)   Lyon, 
Journal,  ii,  221,    Orbigny,  Voyage,  407-8.     Robertson,  Visit,  i,  232,  239. 
Ruxton,  Adventures  (London,  1847),  12-15.     Robertson,  Remins.,  225-6, 
235,  237.    Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  541-50,  552,  569.    Naredo, 
Orizaba,  i,  107-8.    Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  422.    Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  248. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  21-22          335 

Bailentine,  English  Soldier,  i,  288-9.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  239.  Balbontm, 
Estado,  4&-55.  Tribute  a  la  Verdad,  17-26,  29,  88.  Apuntes,  152-5. 
S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  33.  Delta,  Oct.  16, 1847.  350 Weber,  recoils.  12Mat- 
son  to  Giffard,  Mar.  5,  1847;  to  Fischer,  Mar.  8;  to  commodore,  Mar. 
10,  25.  Oswandel,  Notes,  102.  Semmes,  Service,  102,  104-6.  139W. 
B.  Campbell  to  D.  C.,  Mar.  20.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii,  56,  865.  Otero, 
Comunicaci6n,  11.  Diarw,  Apr.  8.  Repubhcano,  Dec.  8,  1846.  86Rela- 
ciones  to  gov.,  Jan.  27,  1847;  reply,  Feb.  1.  86State  treas.  to  gov.,  Jan. 
15.  SGMorales  to  gov.,  Feb.  8.  90Soto,  proclam  ,  Mar.  2.  90ld.  to 
state  congress,  Dec.  1,  1846.  100V.  Cruz  ayunt.  to  prefect,  June  4, 

1846.  lOOBravo  to  ayunt ,  June  9,  1846.     lOOAyunt.  to  jefe  of  dept , 
Oct.  26,  1846.     lOOSoto,  proclam.,  Feb.  6,  1847.     88/d.,  proclam.,  Feb. 
15,  1847.     Regenerad  r  Ref  ub  Puebla,  Mar.  13 ;  Apr.  7,  1847.     82Noti- 
cias  de  V.  Cruz.     Kenly,  Md.  Volunteer,  267.     Mexico  d  travels,  iv,  600. 
Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  67,  105-7.      El   Estado  de  Veracruz  a  Todos. 
Memoria  de  .  .  .  Guerra,   Dec.,   1846.     146Caswell,   diary     270Moore, 
diary.     TSBermudez  de  Castro,  nos.  441,  445,  Feb.  28;     Mar.  2,  1847. 
Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  n,  67      Valois,  Mexique,  40-43.     27lMorales 
to  commander  of   Uliia,  Oct.  20,  1846.      Moore,  Scott's  Campaign,  12. 
Conner,  Castle  of  S.  Juan  de  Ulloa,  13.     Parker,  Recoils.,  79.     (Learned) 
Monitor  Repub ,  Nov.  13,  30,  1846;   Mar.  28,  1847.     Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iv,  app  ,  413-4.     166Campbell  to  Conner,  Jan.  9,  1847.     166Pommares  to 
Conner,  Oct.  15,  1846      Ho    60;    30,  1,  pp.  911,  1169  (Scott).     Meade, 
Letters,    i,    188.     Diccionario   Univ.    (Ulua).     47Conner,    Oct.   4,    1846. 
165/d.  to  Scott,  Jan.  18;    Feb    5,  1847.     lOOSoto  to  jefe,  V.  Cr.  dept., 
Sept.  17,  1846.     lOOJefe  to  V.  Cr  ayunt.,  Dec  21, 1846.     Bishop,  Journal, 
29.     Niles,  May  9,  1846,  p.  160.     So  Quart  Rev.,  July,  1851.    86V.  Cruz 
congress,  manifiesto,  Mar.  9.     And  from  76  the  following     A  large  amount 
of  correspondence  between  the  dept.  and  successive  commanders  at  Vera 
Cruz,  particularly  in  March,  April,  Sept   and  Oct ,  1846,  Jan.  and  Feb., 

1847,  relating  to  the  fortifications,  garrison,  supplies  and  dangers  of  the 
city  and  Ulua.     S.  Anna,  Oct.  12,  14,  20,  1846 ;   Jan.  14,  18 ;   Apr.  29, 
1847.     Morales,  Jan.  20,  1847.    Tampico  letter  to  Garay,  Jan.  25.     Soto, 
Feb.  7,  15 ;  Mar.  7,  etc      Morales,  Feb  9,  15 ;  Mar.  4,  5,  etc.     Boletin  de 
la  Democracy  Mar.  2,  1847  (N.  Y.  letter,  Jan.  8).     To  S   Anna,  Oct. 
17,  1846;    Jan.  30,  1847.     To  Morales,  Mar.  6,  7      Morales,  proclam., 
Mar.  5      Landero,  report,  Apr.  3.    Jalapa  letter,   Mar.   16.     Canalize 
to  Hacienda,  Jan    11.     Landero,  Jan.  25,   1847.    J    Alvarez,  Oct.  21, 
1846.     Memo.,  Feb.  9,  1847.    Tampico  letter,  Dec.  30,  1846.     Morales 
to  Marfn,  Mar.  11. 

10.  What  Scott  called  his  "little  cabinet"  consisted  of  Col  Totten 
(chief  engineer),  Lieut.  Col.  Hitchcock  (acting  inspector  general),  Capt. 
Robert  E.  Lee  (engineer)  and  H.  L.  Scott  (acting  as  military  secretary). 
Col.  James  Bankhead  was  chief  artillery  officer,  Capt  Huger  was  acting 
chief  of  ordnance,  and  Maj.  Turnbull  was  the  chief  topographical  engineer 
(Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  239-40).  Col.  Harney  commanded  the  regular  cavalry, 
and  Capt.  Edson  commanded  three  companies  of  marines  loaned  by 
Conner,  and  temporarily  attached  to  the  Third  Artillery.  At  this  time 
the  engineers,  artillery  and  cavalry  were  kept  by  Scott  under  his  immediate 
orders.  While  at  Lobos  Islands  he  laid  down  the  rule  (65gen.  orders 
33)  that  every  project  of  siege  or  bombardment  should  first  be  discussed 
between  the  senior  engineer  and  artillery  officers  and  then  reported  to  him 
for  approval  or  amendment.  Hence  the  detailed  plan  for  the  operations 


336          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  22-26 

at  Vera  Cruz  came  formally  from  Totten,  and  he  has  been  credited  with 
originating  it. 

11.  Simms  wrote  to  Gov.  Hammond  of  South  Carolina  that  Scott's 
operations  at  Vera  Cruz  lacked  brilliancy. 

12.  Conner  had  reckoned  upon  the  starvation ,  method ;    but  (1)  the 
amount  of  supplies  in  the  town  and  castle  was  not  certainly  known  and, 
as  we  shall  find,  was  too  large  for  this  method ;   (2)  fishing  was  a  resource 
of  unmeasured  value  (even  from  the  mole  great  quantities  of  fish  were 
caught :  Delta,  Oct.  16,  1847) ;    (3)  it  was  possible  that  on  some  night  the 
American  line  might  be  temporarily  broken,  and  thousands  of  cattle  be 
run  into  the  city;    (4)  as  British  observers  agreed,  the  Mexicans  were 
capable  of  bearing  privations  for  a  long  while;    (5)  Scott  rested  under 
an  imperative  obligation  to  remove  his  army  from  the  coast  in  time  to 
save  it  from  the  v6mito ;  and  (6)  he  had  to  count  on  reducing  Ultia  after 
capturing  the  city. 

13  13Giffard,  Mar.  11.  Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  422-5.  Ballentine,  English 
Soldier,  h,  3-6.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  140-1.  Sen  1;  30,  1,  pp.  223, 
239.  Balbontfn,  Estado,  53,  55.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  33  ISMatson 
to  commodore,  Mar.  11,  25.  Steele,  Amer.  Campaigns,  i,  120.  N.  Y. 
Sun,  Aug.  16,  1847  (Scott  should  have  left  5000  to  reduce  V.  Cruz) 
So.  Quart.  Rev.,  July,  1851.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp  47-9.  Oswandel,  Notes, 
101.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  892  (Conner)  McCall,  Letters,  483  Moore, 
Scott's  Camp.,  12 

14.  This  seems  like  a  foolhardy  performance ;  but  other  boats  had  gone 
as  near  without  being  fired  upon,  and  the  Petnta  was  supposed  to  be  out 
of  range  (Mag  Am    Hist.,  xiv,  567).     The  engineers  intended  of  course 
to  get  as  near  as  they  could  with  safety,  and  it  is  possible  that  Scott  wished 
to  set  an  example  of  fearlessness      McCall,  who  was  on  board,  wrote  that 
this  occurred  on  Mar.  6 ;  other  accounts  place  it  on  the  seventh. 

15.  Just  as  the  fleet  was  leaving  Anton  Lizardo,  800  Louisiana  volun- 
teers arrived.     These,  with  a  shipload  who  came  some  hours  later,  gave 
Scott   upwards   of    11,000   men       His   62return   of    Mar.    25   included 
13,470. 

16.  With  some  light  guns,  which  would  probably  have  been  lost,  a 
thousand  Americans  might  have  been  accounted  for.     It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  until  the  boats  moved  toward  the  shore  the  Mexicans  did  not 
know  where  the  blow  would  fall;    but  their  own  explanation  was  that 
they  had  no  suitable  troops  to  spare  for  the  purpose  (Tribute  &  la  Verdad, 
28).     Morales  had,  however,  what  he  called  an  Extra-muros  section, 
i.e.,  militia.     A  lack  of  intelligence,  enterprise  or  nerve  was  doubtless  the 
real  cause  of  his  remissness.    The  one  shot  mentioned  in  the  text  probably 
came  from  a  gun  found  later  among  the  dunes  (69Backus  to  Brady,  Sept. 
22,  1848).    A  company  of  sappers  and  miners  and  an  iron  boat  loaded 
with   entrenching   tools   and   sand-bags  accompanied   Worth's   brigade. 
Less  than  half  the  surf-boats  ordered  by  Scott  had  arrived. 

17.  The  landing.     Bullock,  Six  Months  (1825),  i,  10.     Sen.  1;    30,  1, 
pp.  216-8,  220,  222  (Scott);    239HLO  (gen.  orders  80).    Ho.  1;    30,  2, 
pp.  1177-9.    Apuntes,   153.     Engineer  School,  U.  S.  Army,    Occasional 
Papers,   no.   16.    218Henshaw  narrative.    280Nunelee,  diary.    216Hei- 
man,  First  Regt.  of  Tenn.     159Collins,  diary.     298Porter,  diary.     69Bac- 
kus  to  Brady,  Sept.  22,  1848.    Robertson,  Remins.,  216-9.    Lerdo  de 
Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  540,  551.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  413-4,  418-9,  421.     Bal- 
lentine,  English  Soldier,  i,  292-303.     Davis,  Autobiog.,  125.     Tributo  i, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  26-28          337 

la  Verdad,  28,  etc.  McCall,  Letters,  475.  Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,  125. 
Picayune,  Mar.  25.  Meade,  Letters,  187-8.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  28, 
33,  34,  42,  45.  12Matson  to  commodore,  Mar.  11.  Oswandel,  Notes, 
67-70,  83.  Semmes,  Service,  111,  125-7.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  234.  Law- 
ton,  Artillery  Officer,  74,  79,  167.  270Moore,  diary.  Journ.  Milit.  Serv. 
Instil.,  v,  37 ;  xxiv,  422-8.  Moore,  Scott's  Campaign,  5.  Revue  des  Deux 
tiondes,  Aug.  1,  1847,  p  418.  Conner,  Home  Squadron,  18-20,  60-70. 
Smith,  To  Mexico,  113-4.  Nebel  and  Kendall,  17.  Parker,  Recoils., 
49,  83,  85-6.  162Conner  to  wife,  Jan.  11;  Mar.  10,  United  Service, 
July,  1895,  p.  37;  Dec,  1896,  pp.  492-517.  Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens,  i, 
108.  Jones,  Tattnall,  58.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  847,  1169  (Scott);  892 
(Conner).  Sedgwick,  Corresp.,  i,  71-2.  254McClellan,  diary.  165Con- 
ner,  Mar.  1 1 ;  order,  Mar  7 ;  to  Forrest,  Mar.  7  316 Judd  to  Sherman, 
Feb.  26,  1848  Mag  of  Amer.  Hist ,  xiv  (Scammon).  So.  Quart.  Rev., 
July,  1851.  139W.  B  Campbell  to  wife,  Mar.  13  76Morales,  Mar.  9,  10. 
76Liandero,  report,  Apr  3. 

18.  The  consuls  were  in  close  touch  with  one  another  and  with  the  Mex- 
icans, and  hence  the  charge  that  Scott  gave  no  warning  of  a  bombardment 
falls  to  the  ground.     He  could  not  be  expected  to  state  positively  and 
precisely  what  he  intended  to  do.     By  Mar.  13  Morales  reached  the  con- 
clusion that  he  would  not  assault  (82M.  to  gov.  Puebla,  Mar    13),  and 
by  Mar.  20  that  a  bombardment  was  to  be  expected  (76M.  to  Guerra  y 
Marina,  Mar.  20).     Intercourse  with  neutral  vessels  was  allowed  to  remain 
open  until  the  morning  of  Mar.  23  (12Matson  to  commodore,  Mar.  25), 
mainly  as  away  of  escape  for  neutrals  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  230)  (closed  then 
—  except  under  a  flag  of  truce  —  because  affording  moral  aid  and  .comfort 
ibid.,  p.  228) ;   and  Matson,  the  British  naval  commander,  warned  the 
British  residents  with  his  utmost  energy  that  they  would  not  be  safe  dur- 
ing "an  assault  or  a  Bombardment"  (12M    to  commodore,  Apr  2).     He 
was  notified  in  advance  that  intercourse  with  neutral  vessels  would  shortly 
be  cut  off,  and  so  informed  Giffard  officially  on  March  18  for  the  benefit 
of  British  residents    (12M.   to  commodore,   March  25)      Scott's  warn- 
ing note  to  the  Spanish  consul  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  219)  referred  to  the  city, 
not  to  UMa,  for  the  consuls  resided  in  the  city ;   yet  Matson  and  Giffard 
had  the  face  to  assert  that  on  the  authority  of  Conner  they  understood 
that  only  Ulua  would  be  bombarded.     Matson  admitted  that  he  did  this 
for  effect  on  Perry  (12to  commodore,  Apr.  2) ;    and  he  did  not  question 
Scott's  right  to  act  as  he  did  (12to  Perry,  Mar.  27).     Again,  Scott's  sum- 
mons stated  that  batteries  adequate  to  reduce  the  city  were  in  readiness, 
and  this  was  further  notice  of  a  bombardment.     Everything  compatible 
with  the  military  necessities  of  the  United  States  was  thus  done  for  neu- 
trals and  non-combatants.     Moreover  Morales  replied  that  Scott  might 
attack  in  the  way  he  thought  most  advantageous  (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  227). 
The  truth  is  that  the  people  were  full  of  fighting  spirit,  did  not  know  what 
real  war  meant,  and  felt  not  a  little  confidence      Giffard  certainly  (12Mat- 
son  to  commodore,  Mar.  25)  and  (as  Perry  reported,  47Oct.  22)  the  other 
consuls  probably  took  under  their  protection  large  quantities  of  property 
belonging  to  Mexicans.     By  means  of  kites  the  Mexicans  distributed 
addresses  to  the  "honest"  Americans,  defying  their  prowess  but  inviting 
them  to  accept  lands,  as  friends  and  brethren,  in  the  country  of  perpetual 

19.  The  Americans  admitted  the  skill  of  the  Mexican  gunners.    Twenty- 
eight  balls  were  put  through  a  wall  five  feet  high  and  150  feet  long,  more 

VOL.   II  —  7 


338         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  28-30 

than  a  mile  distant.    Americans  were  supposed  to  be  lying  behind  the 
wall  (Kenly,  Md.  Volunteer,  267). 

20.  Scott  still  supposed  Ulua  would  have  to  be  reduced  after  the  cap- 
ture of  Vera  Cruz,  and  felt  greatly  troubled  by  the  non-arrival  of  the 
larger  part  of  the  heavy  ordnance,  etc.,  that  had  been  duly  called  for  (Sen. 
1;   30,  1,  p.  222).     He  was  annoyed  also  by  his  lack  of  enough  cavalry 
for  thorough  reconnoitring,  and  by  the  passing  and  repassmg  of  small 
boats  between  the  city  and  the  north  shore.     Owing  to  the  treacherous 
weather  none  of  the  American  vessels  could  lie  close  enough  to  the  coast 
to  stop  this  intercourse  entirely.     A  sortie  against  the  batteries  was  to 
be  anticipated,  but  access  to  them  was  made  so  easy  and  secure  that  such 
an  attack  could  have  been  repulsed.     The  squadron  endeavored  to  divert 
the  attention  of  the  enemy  while  the  mortars  were  being  placed. 

21.  Scott's  preliminary  operations.     ISGiffard,  Feb.  28,   1847.    Engi- 
neer School,  U.  S.  A.,  Occas.  Papers,  no.   16.     218Henshaw  narrative. 
Charleston   Mercury,   Apr.   6,    1847.    280Nunelee,   diary.     Trans.    Ills 
State  Hist.  Soc.,  1906,  p.  179.     159Collins,  diary      Sen.  1;    30,  1,  pp 
216-25,  244-9  (reports  of  Scott  and  his  officers).     Ho.  1;   30,  2,  p.  1177 
(Conner).     298Porter,  diary.     SlBankhead  to  Scott,  Mar.  26.     SOPickett 

to  ,    Mar.    10.     Robertson,    Remins.,    220-27.     Lerdo   de   Tejada, 

Apuntes,  li,  552.     Scott,  Mems  ,  ii,  426.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  240-5 
Grant,  Mems.,  i,  127.     Billentine,  English  Soldier,  i,  304-6;    ii,  18-9 
Davis,  Autobiog.,  126.     Tribute  d  la  Verdad,  29.     McCall,  Letters,  477. 
Hartman,  Journal,  7-8.     Picayune,  Mar.  26,  30,  31 ;   Apr.  2,  4.     Meade, 
Letters,  i,   191.     SSOWeber,  recoils.     65Scott,  gen.  orders,  nos.  33,  53. 
McCabe,    Lee,    17.     12Matson    to    commodore,    Mar.    11.     Oswandel, 
Notes,  71-85.     Semmes,  Service,  129      139W.  B.  Campbell  to  D  C.,  Mar 
20.     210Simms  to  Hammond,    May   1.     Lawton,   Artillery  Officer,   73, 
78,  81,  84,  89.     124Blocklenger,  letter.     270Moore,  diary.     Steele,  Amer. 
Campaigns,  i,  106.     Nebel  and  Kendall,  18-9.     37<  Scott  to  Conner,  Mar 
16.     Griffis,  Perry,  216.     Conner,  Home  Squadron,  68.     Monitor  Repub., 
Mar.  16.     164Scott  to  Conner,  Mar.  17,  18,  19,  20     Spirit  of  the  Times, 
Apr.    17.     166Dimond   to   Conner,   Jan.    15      166Campbell   to   Conner, 
Jan.  9.     United  Service,  July,   1895,  p.  37.     Jones,  Tattnall,  57.     Ho. 
60;   30,  1,  p.  1169  (Scott).     254McClellan,  diary.     165Conner  to  Scott, 
Mar.  19.     Bishop,  Journal,  29.     So.  Quart.  Rev.,  July,  1851.     76Morales, 
Mar.  10,  16.     76Cano,  Mar.  26.     Mag.  of  Amer  Hist ,  xiv,  567. 

22.  The  mosquito  fleet  consisted  of  the  steamers  Spitfire  and  Vixen 
under  Commanders  J.  Tattnall  and  J.  R.  Sands,  and  the  gunboats  Bomta, 
Reefer,  Petrel,  Falcon  and  Tampico  under  Lieuts.  Commanding  F.  G 
Benham,  J.  S.  Sterett,  T.  D.  Shaw,  J.  J.  Glasson  and  W.  P.  Griffin  (Ho 
1;   30,  2,  p.  1182).    Each  had  a  32-pounder  or  8-inch  Paixhan.    Addi- 
tional information  may  be  found  in  chap.  xxx. 

23.  The  parapet  of  the  naval  battery  (known  as  No.  5)  was  of  sand- 
bags.   Each  of  the  guns  weighed  6300  pounds,  and  was  mounted  on  a 
ship-carriage,  so  that  transportation  on  land  was  extremely  laborious. 
They  were  taken  ashore  March  23,  and  some  1500  men  were  employed 
in  dragging  them  nearly  two  and  a  half  miles  through  the  sand.    Scott 
did  not  value  the  shell  guns  highly.    They  were  8-inch  Paixhans.     Cap- 
tains Aulick  and  Mayo  commanded  the  battery  alternately.     According 
to  Robert  Anderson  the  orders  for  the  battery  were  issued  by  Conner 
(Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  101)  who  had  repeatedly  offered  it  before  Scott 
gave  up  the  hope  of  receiving  adequate  army  ordnance  in  time  (Conner, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  30-32          339 

Home  Squad.,  47,  note  3).  Early  on  the  morning  of  March  23  Perry  (who 
had  withdrawn  the  mosquito  fleet  the  previous  evening)  had  Tattnall 
launch  a  sharp  though  brief  attack,  presumably  to  divert  attention  from 
the  naval  battery,  then  under  construction.  An  officer  who  gained  fame 
later  as  Commodore  Porter  was  Tattnall's  pilot.  The  opening  of  Battery 
No.  4  (24-pounders,  etc.)  was  delayed  by  a  norther,  and  one  of  the  howitzers 
was  not  ready  as  soon  as  the  other  pieces.  Only  about  half  of  the  siege- 
train  and  ordnance  stores  called  for  in  November  arrived  before  Vera 
Cruz  surrendered  (see  chap,  xviii,  note  11). 

24.  Summons  and  bombardment.     Sen.  1;   30,  1,  pp.  222-44  (reports 
of  Scott  and  his  officers ;  summons  and  reply ;  etc.) ;  230  (Scott  to  con- 
suls, Mar.  25).     Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  1175-83  (naval  reports).     ISMorales, 
circular,  Apr.  4.     ISGiffard,  nos.  7,  8,  Mar.  22,  29.     12Matson  to  commo- 
dore, Mar.  25,  28 ;  Apr.  2 ;   to  Perry,  Mar.  27.    47Perry,  Mar.  26 ;  Oct. 
22.     Henshaw    narrative.     Nunelee,    diary.     216Heiman,    First    Regt. 
Trans.  111.  State  Hist.  Soc.,  1906,  pp.  179-80.     Collins,  diary.     224Hitch- 
cock  to  Lizzie,  Mar.  27.     SOPerry  to  Mason,  Mar.  25.     SOScott  to  Perry 

and  reply,  Mar.  25.     ClBankhead  to  Scott,  Mar.  26.     COPickett  to , 

Mar.  10.     Robertson,  Remins.,  227-32,  278.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes, 
ii,  555.     Scott,  Mems.,  li,  426-7.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  244r-7.     Bal- 
lentine,   English  Soldier,   ii,   24.      Davis,   Autobiog.,    127.     A  Soldier's 
Honor,  24.     Apuntes,  155-8.     Tributo  &  la  Verdad,  30-1,  109.     McCall, 
Letters,    480.     Nebel    and    Kendall,    19-21.     Hartman,    Journal,    9-10. 
Picayune,  Apr.  4.     Meade,  Letters,  i,  192.     F.  Lee,  Lee,  36-7.     McClay, 
Navy,  ii,  180-1,  183.     Oswandel,  Notes,  90-5.    Semmes,  Service,  130- 
42.     139W.  B.  Campbell  to  D.  C.,  Mar.  28.     Diario,  Mar.  29;  Apr.  10. 
Regenerador    Repub ,    Apr.    7.     Kenly,    Md.  Volunteer,    267.     Lawton, 
Artillery  Off.,  91-7,  101,  104.     Caswell,  diary.     322Smith,  diary.     Moore, 
diary.     358Wilhams    to   father,    Mar.    25,    28.    Judah,    diary.     Moore, 
Scott's  Campaign,  15.     Arnold,  Jackson,  84.     Conner,  Home  Squadron, 
47,  note  3.     Wash.  Union,  Sept.  11.     N.  Y.  Sun,  Apr.  16.     162Conner 
to  wife,  Mar.  31.     Soley,   Porter,  67-9.      Jones,  Tattnall,  57.     Ho.  60; 
30,  1,  pp.  913,  1220  (Scott).     ISOScott  to  Stribling,  Mar.  25.     Ramsey, 
Other  Side,   190,  note.     Bishop,  Journal.    So.  Quart.  Rev.,  July,  1851. 
Weekly  Courier  and  N.  Y.  Enquirer,  Mar.  2,  1848  (letter  probably  by  Hitch- 
cock).    Gnffis,    Perry,    221-3.     Furber,    Twelve   Months  Vol.,   519-40 
76G.G6mez,  Mar.  25.     76Soto,  Mar.  28.     76Morales,  Mar.  24.     76Vega 
Mar.  25 

25.  March  24  the  consuls  requested  Scott  to  grant  a  truce  and  allow  the 
women  and  children  to  leave  town  (12Matson  to  commodore,  Apr.  2). 
With  perfect  propriety  he  declined  to  do  so  (Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  427),  unless 
Morales  should  ask  for  a  truce  with  a  view  to  surrender  (Sen.  1 ;   30,  1, 
p.  226),  pointing  out  that  due  warnings  had  been  given  (note  18).    He 
could  not  afford  to  suspend  his  operations  or  let  the  number  of  mouths 
be  diminished ;  and  doubtless  he  was  counting  on  the  moral  effect  of  the 
presence  of  women  and  children.     Time  pressed;  there  were  well-founded 
reports  that  a  Mexican  army  was  approaching ;  and  cases  of  yellow  fever 
had  occurred  (Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  427,  and  see  Davis,  Autobiog.,  141). 
Scott's  action  looks  hard,  but  it  was  humane  to  force  an  immediate  sur- 
render.   Roa  Bdrcena  (Recuerdos,  178)  fully  admits  that  the  American 
policy  was  just.    This  move  of  the  consuls  tended  to  shake  the  confidence 
of  the  Mexicans,  and  led  to  dissensions  among  the  officers. 

March  25  Harney  was  sent  against  a  force  posted  at  a  bridge  near  Medel- 


340          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  32-33 

1m,  about  ten  miles  from  Vera  Cruz  (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  250-2).  Includ- 
ing reinforcements,  his  detachment  consisted  of  about  500  men  with  artil- 
lery. The  independent  reports  of  the  two  principal  Mexican  officers  give 
their  number  as  140-50  with  scarcely  any  ammunition.  Harney  thought 
there  were  2000  of  them,  and  claimed  great  credit  for  carrying  the  day. 
His  orders  were  to  reconnoitre  only.  There  were  other  insignificant 
affaire  (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  249-55;  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  915;  Reavis,  Har- 
ney, 186). 

26.  On  the  Mexican  side.     ISGiffard,  Mar.  11,  29.     12Matson  to  com- 
modore, Mar.  25;   Apr.  2.     Papeles  Varios,  no.  10.     Henshaw  narrative. 
Nunelee,   diary.     Collins,    diary.     Robertson,    Remins.,   222.     Lerdo   de 
Tejada,  Apurites,  li,  552-3,  etc.     Ballentine,  English  Soldier,  n,  32-3. 
Davis,  Autobiog  ,  138.     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp  220-38  (reports,  etc  )      Tnbuto 
*  la  Verdad,  29,  30,   109  (Ult.  Boletfn).     Apuntes,   157-60      Picayune, 
Apr.  9.     (Fish)  Delta,  Oct.   16.     312Morales,  Apr.  3.     Revue  de  Parta, 
Dec.,   1844.     Semmes,  Service,   149      82Noticias  de  Veracruz      86Rela- 
ciones  to  gov.,  Jan.  27.     86  Treasurer  to  gov.,  Jan.  15.     86Many  letters 
regarding  inability  to  pay  the  tax.     lOOMorales  to  ayunt ,  Mar.  12,  17, 
20;   reply,  Mar.  14      95lbarra,  proclam.,  Mar.  23.     Regenerador  Repub., 
Apr.  7.     82Gov.  to  legislature  of  Puebla,  Mar.  9.     82lbarra,  proclam., 
Mar.  17.     82Morales  to  gov.  Puebla,  Mar.  13.     86/d.  to  Soto,   Mar.  8. 
Lawton,    Artillery    Off.,    106-7.     Caswell,    diary      Moore,    diary.     375 
Morales  to  Soto,  Mar.  14.     Monitor  Repub.,  Apr  4.     Spirit  of  the  Times, 
Apr.  17.     SOLegislature  of    Me"x.   state,  address       165Conner  to  Scott, 
Mar.  19.     Bishop,  Journal      And  from  76  the  following      Comte.   gen 
Puebla,    proclam ,    Mar.    16      Arrieta,  Mar.    15.     Cano,    Mar.    26.     S 
Anna,  Apr.  29.     Memo.,  Feb.  9.     F.  Vdzquez,  Mar.  26.     Soto,  Jan.  23, 
26;  Mar.  7,  9,  19,  24,  25  (two)      G.  G6mez,  Mar.  18,  19,  20  (two).     Vega, 
Mar.  24,  25  (two).     Canahzo,  Apr.  1.     Morales,   Mar.  5,  10,  16,  20,  24 
Landero,  Jan.  30,  Apr.  3.     Hacienda,  Mar.   15      To  G    G6mez,    Mar. 
16.     To  Soto,  Mar.  28      And  many  documents  of  minor  importance. 

27.  Morales,  probably  in  view  of  Santa  Anna's  enmity,  would   not 
surrender  though  he  believed  he  ought  to  do  so  (76Landero,  Apr  3),  but 
he  turned  the  command  over  to  Landero  when  capitulation  was  seen  to  be 
inevitable,  and  left  the  city  in  a  boat  during  the  night  of  March  25-6. 
He  induced  Gen.  Jose"  Duran,  who  commanded  at  Ulua,  to  regard  himself 
as  under  Landejo's  orders,  it  was  stated  by  Santa  Anna  (76 Apr.  29), 
and  so  brought  about  the  surrender  of  the  castle.     This  apparently  sin- 
gular move  was  doubtless  made  to  save  Vera  Cruz  from  being  bombarded 
by  Ulua.     (Recognizing  this  danger  *to  the  city,  Scott  intimated,  when 
summoning  the  town,  that  no  batteries  would  be  established  in  it  against 
Ultia,  unless  Ulua  should  open  fire  upon  it )    There  was  considerable 
dissatisfaction  among  the  Americans  because  the  prisoners  were  set  free, 
for  their  parole  was  justly  deemed  of  slight  value ;  but  it  would  have  been 
costly,  and  perhaps  not  easy,  to  hold  them  at  Vera  Cruz  or  send  them  to 
the  United  States,  and  they  did  good  service  by  spreading  tales  of  American 
prowess.     Mar.  26  the  consuls  went  to  Scott's  camp  under  a  white  flag, 
but  he  would  not  see  them  (12Matson  to  commodore,  Apr.  2).      On  the 
morning  of  March  27  two  boat-loads  of  neutrals  under  the  French  flag 
attempted  to  reach  the  neutral  vessels  at  Sacrificios,  but  Perry  would 
not  allow  them  to  proceed  (12Matson  to  commodore,  Apr.  2).     (Roa 
Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  178,  admits  that  Perry's  course  was  proper.)    At 
about  the  same  time  the  consuls  and  the  second  alcaide  threatened  that 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  33-34          341 

unless  the  military  chiefs  would  promptly  bring  hostilities  to  an  end,  they 
would  lead  the  non-combatants  toward  the  American  lines  at  the  risk*of 
being  fired  upon.  This  was  said  to  have  had  great  effect  in  town,  but  the 
chiefs  had  already  decided  to  give  up  Owing  to  bad  weather  the  navy 
was  not  represented  at  all  the  deliberations.  Some  of  the  American  mili- 
tary men  felt  that  the  share  of  the  navy  did  not  entitle  its  representative 
to  sign  the  capitulation.  It  was  stated  by  Sedgwick  that,  aside  from  the 
investment,  only  about  600  Americans  took  part  in  the  operations. 

28.  Next  to  Matson's  figures  our  best  evidence  regarding  the  casualties 
is  the  statement  of  Giffard,  that  hundreds  of  women  and  children,  harbored 
at  the  consulates,  escaped  from  harm  though  the  buildings  suffered  (13 
Mar.  29) .  Many  other  buildings  were  no  doubt  equally  solid  and  equally 
distant  from  the  principal  scene  of  destruction  Vera  Cruz  was  a  great 
importing  city,  where  large  stocks  of  goods  needed  to  be  securely  housed 
Mercantile  establishments  had  strong  vaults,  m  which  families  now  took 
refuge.  Many  found  safety  on  the  long  mole  Scott  asserted  that  most 
of  the  people  were  sheltered  in  the  basements.  Consequently  one  can 
hardly  believe  that  more  than  500  persons  out  of  a  civilian  population  prob- 
ably not  exceeding  3000  were  injured  Lieut.  Mackall  believed  that 
perhaps  thirty  or  forty  soldiers  were  killed  or  wounded  (252Apr.  30). 
Kendall,  editor  of  the  New  Orleans  Picayune,  who  was  on  the  ground, 
represented  150  as  a  mean  estimate  of  the  total  number  that  perished 
(Picayune,  Apr.  9).  Landero  reported  750  killed  arid  200  wounded  (76 
Apr.  3),  evidently  an  absurd  statement,  for  a  greater  number  must  have 
been  hurt  than  killed.  Other  Mexican  estimates  rose  as  high  as  600  civil- 
ians killed,  which  would  imply  on  a  reasonable  calculation  that  almost 
every  civilian  was  hit.  One  of  the  best  Mexican  authorities  (Apuntes, 
165)  states  that  600  or  more  soldiers  were  wounded,  arid  400  of  these 
lost  their  lives  This  is  far  too  large  a  percentage  of  fatalities  How 
accurate  this  authority  is  may  be  judged  also  from  the  fact  that  the 
Americans  are  said  to  have  thrown  6700  projectiles  into  the  town,  whereas 
(Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p  244)  the  number  was  actually  about  2500  (possibly 
besides  those  from  the  naval  battery,  which  may  have  thrown  800). 
It  is  worth  while  to  add  that  Scott  was  persistently  represented  (partly 
to  exalt  the  Mexicans  and  partly  to  injure  the  Americans)  as  having  de- 
stroyed a  great  number  of  non-combatants,  but  Morales  wrote  on  March 
24  that  most  of  the  killed  and  wounded  had  been  soldiers 

Next  let  us  inquire  as  to  the  provisions.  Giffard  stated  (ISMar.  29) 
that  when  the  Mexicans  surrendered,  the  city  had  food  enough  for  three 
days  and  the  castle  for  ten;  but  probably  he  had  reference  only  to  the 
provisions  belonging  to  the  authorities,  and  perhaps,  as  he  had  objected 
strongly  to  the  destruction  of  property  and  tried  to  stop  the  bombardment 
by  sending  word  to  Scott  that  hunger  would  force  the  Mexicans  to  yield 
in  a  few  days,  he  felt  compelled  to  support  that  representation  March 
10  Conner  thought  the  enemy  had  subsistence  enough  for  about  four  or 
five  weeks  (Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  1179).  76 April  29,  after  having  talked  with 
officers  from  Vera  Cruz,  Santa  Anna  assured  the  minister  of  war  that 
Morales  could  have  held  out  until  he  (Santa  Anna)  could  have  arrived 
with  regular  forces.  Gov.  Soto,  who  went  down  to  the  coast,  where  he  was 
in  communication  with  the  city  by  means  of  boats  and  doubtless  knew 
whether  stocks  of  foodstuffs  (belonging  perhaps  to  neutrals)  existed  there, 
placed  drafts  for  $30,000,  payable  at  Vera  Cruz,  in  the  hands  of  Morales 
on  March  24  (76Soto,  March  25).  This  money  must  have  been  intended 


342          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXII,  PAGES  34-36 

solely  or  principally  for  provisions,  for  on  the  fourteenth  Morales  had 
written  to  Soto  that  nothing  else  was  needed.  On  the  same  day  $2000 
from  Oaxaca  were  delivered.  These  sums  would  have  purchased  enough 
food  to  last  beyond  April  15.  About  March  17  a  French  barque  ran  in 
during  a  norther,  which  shows  that  supplies  from  the  outside  could  be  hoped 
for.  The  property  loss  due  to  the  bombardment  was  estimated  at  five 
to  six  million  dollars  (Monitor  Repub.,  Apr.  4).  The  southwest  quarter 
of  the  town  was  demolished.  It  was  ordered  that  not  only  Morales,  but 
Landero  and  Dur&n  should  be  tried.  Besides  disliking  Morales,  Santa 
Anna  felt  resentment  against  Vera  Cruz  for  receiving  him  so  coldly  in 
August,  1846. 

29.  The  surrender;  losses  (note  28).     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  224-6  (Scott) ; 
228  (consuls);  229-38  (Scott,  etc.);  239  (gen.  orders  80).     Apuntes,  159- 
66.     McCall,  Letters,  483-4.     Picayune,  Apr.  9.     252Mackall  to  father, 
Mar.    30.     312Morales,    Apr.    3.     12Matson   to   commodore,    Mar.    25; 
Apr.  2;     to  Perry,  Mar.   27;   reply,    Mar.  27.     Sernmes,   Service,   141. 
LHario,   Mar.   27 ;    Apr    4,   8.     Regenerador   Repub ,   Apr.    7.     Lawton, 
Artillery  Off.,  98,  100,  106,     Hiney,  diary.     358Williams  to  father,  Mar. 
28.     Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  h,  160.     375Morales  to  Soto,  Mar.  14. 
Monitor  Repub  ,  Apr.  4,  5.     N.  Y    Sun,  Aug.  16      166Kirby  to  Conner, 
Mar.  27.     Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  1186.     Mag.  of  Amer  Hist.,  xiv,  570.     Bishop, 
Journal.     IsGiffard,  nos.  7,  8,  Mar.  22,  29.    Henshaw  narrative.     Collins, 
diary      95Puebla  ayunt ,  address,  Apr.  7  (V.  Cruz  yielded  because  of  "the 
lamentations  of  innocent  families  expecting  every  instant  to  die  ")      Roa 
Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  177-9.     Tnbuto  d  la  Verdad,  109  (Ult  Bol )      Nebel 
and  Kendall,  21.     Robertson,  Remins.,  232.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes, 
ii,   558-69.     Scott,    Meins ,   ii,   427-9.     Hitchcock,   Fifty  Years,   243-8 
76Landero,  Apr.  3.     76/d.  to  Canalizo,  Mar.  31.     76Canahzo,  Apr.  1 
7$S.  Anna,  Apr.  4,  29.     76To  S    Anna,  May  4.     76Terms  of  capitula- 
tion.    The  date  of  the  capitulation  was  Mar.  27. 

Had  Vera  Cruz  held  out  until  April  15,  perhaps  5000  regulars  would 
have  been  in  Scott's  rear  (chap,  xxm,  note  12).  With  this  backing, 
3-4000  irregulars  could  probably  have  been  embodied  By  means  of 
signals  and  boat  communication  operations  in  concert  with  the  garrison 
of  Vera  Cruz  could  have  been  arranged  for,  and  the  prospect  would  have 
encouraged  the  city  to  hold  out  to  the  uttermost  Very  likely  Scott's 
line  could  have  been  broken,  and  provisions  introduced  He  could  not, 
then,  before  the  advent  of  the  yellow  fever,  have  reduced  Ulua  and  Vera 
Cruz,  and  have  made  the  preparations  necessary  for  advancing  into  a 
hostile  region  in  the  face  of  a  numerous  enemy.  When  the  fever  became 
active,  Santa  Anna's  upper  country  troops  could  have  retired  quickly, 
leaving  the  Americans  to  be  annoyed  by  the  coast  forces.  Other  diseases 
quite  as  fatal  as  the  v6mito  prevailed  in  that  district  (Thompson,  Recoils  , 
4).  Lieut.  Hatch  (to  father,  Apr.  2)  wrote  that  all  attributed  the  sur- 
render to  the  effect  of  Scott's  artillery  upon  the  civilians,  and  the  circum- 
stances prove  as  much. 

30.  The  northers,  though  in  themselves  a  scourge,  drove  the  mosquitoes 
away,  and  so  prevented  the  yellow  fever.     They  subsided  about  the  middle 
of  April,  and  then  the  fever  was  due. 

31.  Hardships  and  consolations.     (Losses)   Ho.   24;    31,   1;    Sen.   1; 
30,  1,  pp.  253-5;    Ho.  1;    30,  2,  p.  1185  (naval).     Henshaw  narrative. 
Charleston  Mercury,  Apr.  6.     Nunelee,  diary.     Collins,  diary.     American 
Eagle,  V.  Cruz,  Apr.  8.     60Pickett  to ,  Mar.  10.    Vigne,  Travels,  i, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGE  37  343 

8.  Robertson,  Remins.,  223,  226-7.  Campos,  Recuerdos,  31.  Scott. 
Mems.,  11,  430.  Ballentme,  English  Soldier,  n,  8,  15.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p. 
221  (gen.  orders  54) ;  224-6  (Scott,  Mar.  23).  Picayune,  Apr.  4.  350 
Weber,  recoils.  Maury,  Recoils.,  34.  12Matson  to  commodore,  Mar. 
11,  25.  Oswandel,  Notes,  71-4,  79-81.  Semmes,  Service,  107-8.  Law- 
ton,  Artillery  Off.,  79,  88,  96.  Gilliam,  Travels,  40.  36lWoods,  recoils. 
Caswell,  diary.  327SutheHand  to  father,  July  15.  Moore,  diary.  136 
Butterfield,  recoils  Spirit  of  the  Times,  Apr.  17.  Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens, 
i,  115.  Tennery,  diary.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  879  (Conner).  Brazil,  Sea 
Memories,  57.  Lancaster  Co  Hist  Soc  Mag,  Mar.  6,  1908  (Nauman). 
Our  army  loss  was  nine  killed  and  fifty-one  wounded  (Ho.  24 ;  31,  1). 
32.  Occupation  of  city  and  "castle."  American  Eagle,  V.  Cruz,  Apr. 

6.  Nunelee,  diary      Collins,  diary      Polk,  Diary,  May  15.     Robertson, 
Remins  ,  232.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  n,  567-8      Naredo,  Orizaba, 
108.     Hitchcock,    Fifty    Years,    247.     Davis,    Autobiog.,    129-30      Sen. 
1;    30,  1,  pp.  229,  235  (Scott);   237-8      Ho.  1;    30,  2,  p    1185  (Perry). 
Apuntes,  166-7.     Picayune,  Apr.  9,  10,  14      Lawton,  Artillery  Off,  110. 
252Mackall  to  father,  Mar.  30.     12Matson  to  commodore,  Apr.  2.     Os- 
wandel, Notes,  98.     Semmes,  Service,  145-6      Regeneradir  Repub  ,  Apr. 

7.  Lawton,  Artillery  Off  ,  102-3     222Hmey,  diary      146Caswell,  diary 
322Smith,    diary.     270Moore,   diary      Id ,   Scott's   Campaign,   23      Ho. 
60;    30,  1,  p    907  (Marcy) ;  911   (Scott)      Tennery,  diary.     Sedgwick, 
Corresp.,  i,   79-80.     Bishop,   Journal     Littell,  no    157,  p.  326   (Hine). 
139W.  B.  Campbell  to  wife,  Mar.  31      Britannia,  May  15  (V.  Cruz  letter, 
Apr.  1).     76Landero,  gen.  orders,  Mar.  29-30     76S.  Anna,  Apr  29.     Nebel 
and  Kendall,  21. 

Some  of  the  National  Guards  broke  up  and  took  flight  in  order  to  avoid 
surrendering.  As  fast  as  the  arms  were  stacked  American  sentries  mounted 
guard  over  them.  When  the  Mexican  soldiers  found  the  victors  offering 
to  divide  rations  with  them,  their  sentiments  became  friendly,  and  most  of 
those  belonging  at  Vera  Cruz  went  back  to  town  that  day. 

XXIII.   CERRO  GORDO 

1.  According  to  a  memo,  furnished  by  the  adjutant  general  to  the 
ordnance  bureau,  Mar  24,  Scott's  forces  were  as  follows  I.  REGULARS. 
I  Dragoons,  Co.  F.  2  Dragoons,  Cos.  A,  B,  C,  F,  I,  K.  *Mounted  Rifle- 
men (on  foot).  1  Art ,  Co.  K  2  Art ,  Co  A  3  Art.,  Co.  H  (These 
three  companies  had  field  batteries  )  Artillery  serving  as  infantry :  *1 
Art.,  Cos,  B,  F,  G,  H,  1 ,  2  Art ,  Cos  B,  C,  D,  F,  G,  H,  I,  K;  3  Art.,  Cos 
A,  B,  D,  G,  K;  *4  Art ,  Cos  A,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H.  1  Inf  ,  Cos  C,  E,  F,  G,  H, 
K.  *2  Inf.,  Cos.  A,  B,  D,  E,  F,  G,  H,  I,  K.  *3  Inf.,  Cos.  C,  D,  F,  G, 
H,  I,  K.  4  Inf.,  Cos.  A,  By  C,  D,  E,  I.  d  Inf.,  Cos.  E,  F,  G,  H,  I,  K.  6 
Inf.,  Cos.  A,  C,  D,  E,  F,  H  *7  Inf.,  Cos  C,  D,  E,  F,  I,  K  8  Inf.,  Cos. 
A,  B,  D,  E,  H,  /,  K.  (Italics  indicate  the  division  of  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen. 
Worth;  asterisks  that  of  Brig.  Gen.  Twiggs.)  II.  VOLUNTEERS. 
(Maj.  Gen.  Patterson.)  Term.'  Mounted  regt.  Infantry:  Baltimore  and 
Wash,  battal. ;  Ga.  regt. ;  Ala.  regt. ;  two  Tenn.  regts  ;  two  111.  regts. ; 
Ky.  co. ;  La.  co. ;  La.  regt  ;  two  Pa.  regts. ;  N.  Y.  regt. ;  S  C  regt.  This 
list  includes  troops  not  mentioned  by  Scott  (Mems.,  ii,  460-5).  As 
Worth  was  now  serving  with  his  brevet  rank  his  command  was  called  a 
division.  The  same  change  was  made  in  Twiggs's  case.  A  letter  of 
Mar.  13  from  Marcy,  due  to  a  suggestion  from  Polk  of  the  day  before. 


344        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  37-38 

urged  Scott  to  make  the  protection  of  the  troops  against  yellow  tever  his 
prime  consideration  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  904;  Polk,  Diary,  Mar.  12,  20) 
At  the  same  time  it  gave  a  slanting  assent  to  the  movement  against  the 
capital  by  discussing  the  question  of  roads.  This  was  Scott's  first  authori- 
zation to  proceed  (So.  Quart.  Rev  ,  Apr.,  1852),  and  the  Cabinet  had  not 
decided  to  have  him  do  so,  though  he  had  assumed  that  Benton's  plan, 
endorsed  by  himself,  was  the  basis  of  his  expedition  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p 
913).  The  hesitation  of  the  government  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that 
Marcy  first  wrote  merely,  "If  you  should  occupy  an  interior  position," 
which  he  changed  to,  "If  you  should  move  into  the  interior"  (Marcy 
papers) . 

2.  This  proclamation  has  been  censured  on  the  ground  that  it  exasper- 
ated the  Mexicans  by  mentioning  their  domestic  dissensions  and  bad 
government      If  so,  the  blame  rested  primarily  on  the  American  govern- 
ment, which  had  ordered  Taylor  to  circulate  a  proclamation  embodying 
such  ideas  (p    1  of  chap  xxxi).     The  word  "unnatural"  has  been  thought 
unfortunate  as  suggesting  (since  ordinary  war  seemed  to  Mexico  perfectly 
normal,  and  Scott  could  not  be  supposed  to  be  reflecting  upon  himself  and 
his  government)  that  the  Mexicans  were  acting  in  an  inhuman  and  inde- 
cent way ;   but  the  author  does  not  recall  seeing  any  such  point  made  by 
them. 

3.  Many  wagons  were  lost  in  wrecked  vessels.     It  had  been  supposed 
that  about  two  thirds  of  the  animals  would  be  obtained  locally,  but  it  was 
found  by  April  5  that  not  one  tenth  of  them  could  be  reckoned  upon. 

4.  Harney  proceeded  to  La  Antigua  on  April  2  with  two  squadrons 
of  dragoons,  a  section  of  artillery  and   two  infantry  companies,  drove 
lancers  from  the  village,  captured  about  thirty-five  horses  and  obtained 
Mexican  promises  of  assistance  from  the  people  (Ho  60 ;  30,  1,  pp  915-6) 
He  returned  the  next  day      The  Alvarado  expedition  set  out  on  March 
30      It  was  a  joint  affair  designed  not  only  (like  Harney's)  to  obtain  draft 
animals  and  beef  cattle  and  open  up  permanent  markets  for  these  desid- 
erata, but  to  impress  arid  "neutralize"  the  people  of  that  section,  acquire 
a  harbor  for  Perry's  small  vessels,  provide  a  regular  supply  of  water  for  the 
squadron,  and  perhaps  capture  the  Mexican  vessels  lying  there.     Perry 
himself  commanded  the  naval  contingent,  and  Quitman  commanded  the 
land  force,  which  consisted  of  three  volunteer  regiments  (Ga  ,  Ala.  and 
S.  Car  ),  a  squadron  of  dragoons  and  a  section  of  artillery  (Ho    60;   30, 
1,  pp.  917-8).     The  march  of  about  fifty  miles  (about  44  by  the  present 
railroad)  was  at  times  difficult  and  always  hot.     Late  on  April  1  Perry 
and  Quitman  reached  Alvarado,  a   fishing  town  of    1200-1500  persons, 
and  the  land  forces  arrived  the  next  day.     They  found  it  occupied  by  an 
American   midshipman    and   five   sailors.     Lieut     Hunter,    commanding 
a  one-gun  propeller,  the  Scourge,  sent  down  to  assist  in  blockading  the 
town,  had  violated  his  orders  (probably  to  show  what  the  naval  men  were 
capable  of  doing,  if  given  a  chance  to  act)  by  opening  fire,  upon  which  the 
town  (though  it  endeavored  later  to  rescind  its  action)  had  offered  to  Bur- 
render.     Learning  that  public  property  had  been  taken  up  the  Alvarado 
River,  here  a  wide,  clear,  deep  stream,  he  pursued  it  and,  to  take  advantage 
of  the  panic  resulting  from  the  fall  of  Vera  Cruz,  captured  the  industrious 
town  of  Tlacot&lpam.     Quitman  accepted  this  turn  of  events  genially, 
but  Perry  was  furious,  and  to  the  disgust  of  many  naval  officers  and  the 
general  public  Hunter  was  tried  and  cashiered. 

To  Scott  the  results  of  Hunter's  error  were  serious  (Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  p 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  3&-S9        345 

547).  The  intention  had  been  to  grant  capitulations  to  the  towns  on  terms 
that  would  have  provided  the  Americans  with  a  large  number  of  the  needed 
animals  (Wash.  Union,  Sept.  11)  or  to  obtain  the  same  result  in  some  other 
way ;  but  Hunter's  action,  though  only  one  day  in  advance,  gave  time  for 
the  removal  of  the  livestock.  Quitman  did,  however,  arrange  with  the 
authorities  of  Tlacotalpam  for  at  least  500  horses,  and  opened  negotiations 
for  more  and  for  beef  cattle.  How  fruitful  these  arrangements  proved 
cannot  be  stated.  April  8  about  300  of  the  Fifth  Infantry  sailed  from 
Vera  Cruz  for  the  same  district  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  928),  and  about  April 
14  they  brought  back  some  wild  mustangs. 

On  retiring  from  Alvarado  the  Mexicans  burned  the  few  small  vessels 
that  constituted  the  national  navy,  and  spiked  or  buried  the  ordnance  of 
the  forts.  The  buried  guns  were,  however,  discovered.  In  all  they  num- 
bered about  sixty,  but  a  large  part  were  valueless  carronades.  For  Quit- 
man's  troops  the  expedition  was  unfortunate.  A  number  ^died  and  almost 
all  were  prostrated.  He  was  back  at  Vera  Cruz  April  6.  The  affair 
amused  the  American  public  hugely.  One  evidence  of  this  is  afforded  by 
the  following  lines  (N.  Y.  Sun,  May  7,  1847) : 

"On  came  each  gay  and  gallant  ship, 
On  came  the  troops  like  mad,  oh ! 
But  not  a  soul  was  there  to  whip, 
Unless  they  fought  a  shadow ; 

'  Five  sailors  sat  within  a  fort, 

In  leading  of  a  lad,  oh ! 
And  thus  was  spoiled  the  pretty  sport 
Of  taking  Alvarado  " 

5.  Scott's  preparations  for  advancing  (including  the  Alvarado  expedition). 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  903  (Marcy) ;  908,  912-3,  920,  928,  937,  1221,  1271 
(Scott) ;  915  (Harney) ;  917  (Quitman) ;  918  (Mason) ;  939  (gen.  orders). 
GOScott  to  Marcy,  Apr.  5.  Coumer  Frati^ais,  Apr  17.  6lHarney, 
report,  Apr  4.  Negrete,  Invasion,  in,  app  ,  435  Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  431 
Robertson,  Remms  ,  238.  Velasco,  Geografia,  lii,  203.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1, 
pp  230  (Scott);  547  (Jesup).  Davis,  Autobiog ,  140.  Delta,  May  19. 
Diccionano  Universal  (Alvarado).  164Scott  to  Conner,  Mar.  20.  60 
Mason  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Apr.  9.  Semmes,  Service,  148,  211.  TSBermudez 
de  Castro,  no  445,  Mar.  2,  1847.  Nebel  and  Kendall,  23.  Ho.  1 ;  30, 
2,  p.  1190.  Lawtori,  Artill.  Officer,  121.  270Moore,  diary.  Id.,  Scott's 
Camp  ,  44-9,  52.  Gnffis,  Perry,  239.  Parker,  Recoils.,  103-4.  12Cap- 
tain  of  Alarm  to  commodore,  Apr.  13.  Bennett,  Steam  Navy,  94,  97. 
Maclay,  Navy,  n,  185.  358Wilhams  to  father,  Apr.  5.  62Adj.  gen.  to 
ordnance  dept.,  Mar.  24.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  87,  91, 105.  65/d.,  proclam., 
Apr.  11.  ISGiffard,  no.  12,  Apr.  13.  Polk,  Diary,  Mar.  12-14.  ISPak- 
enham,  no.  7,  Jan.  28.  Metropol.  Mag.,  Jan.,  1908,  p.  441.  Soley, 
Porter,  71.  Wash.  Union,  Sept.  11.  N.  Y.  Sun,  May  7,  21.  Niles, 
May  1,  pp.  131,  141;  22,  p.  189.  Southwest.  Hist.  Qtrly.,  xviii,  216. 
Steele,  Am.  Campaigns,  i,  120.  76Marfn,  Jan.  2;  Apr.  26.  76L6pez, 
Jan.  15.  SOPlan  of  Alvarado.  Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  1200  (Mackenzie). 

Worth,  although  he  had  been  given  the  most  prominent  place  in  the 
operations  against  Vera  Cruz,  demanded  the  leading  position  in  the  ad- 
rance,  and  felt  deeply  offended  when  Scott,  mindful  of  the  rights  of  the 
Sooond  Division,  replied  that  he  would  not,  even  to  please  his  best  friend, 


346        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  39-42 

do  an  injustice  (Mag.  Am.  Hist.,  xiv,  573-4).  There  was  a  route  to  thr 
interior  via  Orizaba,  but  it  was  not  available  for  artillery.  In  reply  to 
Marcy's  despatch  of  March  13,  which  suggested  that  the  advance  be  made 
from  Tuxp&n,  Scott  pointed  out  the  impracticability  of  that  plan  (Ho 
60;  30,  1,  p.  909). 

6.  In  January  Gen,  R.  D.  de  La  Vega  was  made  chief  of  the  Division 
of  the  East  and  provided  with  an  army  —  mostly  of  paper.     The  same 
month  Alonzo  Wenghieri  offered  to  furnish  50,000  muskets,  25,000  ter- 
cerolas  (carbines  of  a  certain  kind)  and  50,000  swords  at  reasonable  prices, 
but  it  is  not  certain  that  his  offer,  though  endorsed  by  the  war  department, 
was  accepted  (76to  Hacienda,  Jan.  14).     By  March  12,  four  16-pounders 
from  Vera  Cruz  arrived  at  the  national  bridge      March  18  orders  proper 
for  the  situation  were  despatched  to  La  Vega,  but  they  sound  as  if  issued 
mainly  for  form's  sake.     In  February  the  government  attempted  to  take 
control  of  25,000  National  Guards  for  the  purposes  of  the  war  (76circular 
Feb  3) ;  but  it  soon  rescinded  that  unpalatable  assumption  of  authority, 
and  confined  itself  to  asking  state  governors  for  them  (76circular,  Apr.  8). 

7.  March  24  the  northern  brigades  were  at  Quere*taro  on  their  way 
south  (76acuerdo,1  Mar    24)      Rangel's  brigade  and  some  artillery  left 
the  capital  March  28.     March  30,  1400  National  Guards,  who  had  been 
turned  over  to  the  national  government  by  the  governor  of  the   state 
(82Guerra  to  gov.,  Apr.  1),  left  Puebla  to  join  700  of  the  same  class  already 
at  Jalapa,  and  some  12-pounders  were  despatched  from  the  former  city 
These  forces  were  primarily  designed  to  aid  in  the  defence  of  Vera  Cruz 
by  attacking  Scott's  rear      There  was  great  need  of  money,  especially 
as  the  attitude  of  the  clergy  was  now  so  dubious  that  even  drafts  accepted 
by  them  were  distrusted  (Diarw,  June  8) 

8  One  method  of  rousing  the  public  was  to  excite  religious  fanaticism 
A  pamphlet,  Clamor  de  las  Owjas,  declared  that  some  of  the  Vera  Cruz 
churches  were  to  be  sold  to  Protestants,  others  to  Mohammedans,  others 
to  pigs,  others  to  worshippers  of  Venus 

9.  Mexican  preparations  before  Santa  Anna  arrived  on  the  ground  Cour- 
rier  Fran$ais,  Apr.  3,  10,  17.  52Consul  Black,  Apr.  25.  Davis,  Autobiog  , 
142  ISBankhead,  no.  34,  1847.  Apuntes,  120-2,  168.  Revue  Indep , 
Apr.  25,  1845.  Memoria  de  .  .  .  Guerra,  Dec  ,  1846.  Lerdo  de  Tejada, 
Apuntes,  n,  574.  Diarw,  Mar.  29;  June  8  Monitor  Repub  ,  Mar.  31. 
Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii,  888.  Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  105.  94Canahzo,  proclams., 
Apr.  2,  4.  94Soto,  proclams.,  Jan.  22;  Feb  5.  Regenerador  Repub., 
Mar.  31.  84Guerra,  decree,  Feb.  13.  84Relaciones,  circular,  Feb.  16. 
Repubhcano,  Mar.  31.  Ramsey,  Other  Side,  221,  note.  And  from  76  the 
following  (out  of  a  great  number).  To  Rinc6n,  Oct.  10,  11,  1846.  To  La 
Vega,  Jan.  25 ;  Mar.  18, 20, 27, 1847.  Acuerdos,  Mar.  24, 25, 28,  29,  30,  31 ; 
Apr.  1.  To  Gaona,  Apr.  1  To  Canahzo,  Mar.  28,  31;  Apr.  1.  Gaona, 
Mar.  18;  Apr.  1.  Soto,  Mar.  7,  22,  26;  Apr  3.  G.  G6mez,  Mar. 
18,  19,  25,  26.  La  Vega,  Mar.  22,  24.  Canalizo,  Mar.  30;  Apr.  1,  3. 
To  Soto,  Apr.  1.  Soto  to  V.  Cruz  cong.,  Dec.  1,  1846.  Morales,  Oct. 
15,  1846;  Feb.  2,  6,  1847.  Canalizo  to  his  troops,  Mar.  29.  Guerra, 
circulars,  Feb  3,  13 ;  Mar.  31 ;  Apr.  8  To  comte.  gen.  Mex.,  Mar.  25. 
Canalizo,  proclam.,  Mar.  29.  To  gov.  Puebla,  Apr.  1.  Gov.  Puebla, 

1  "  Acuerdo,"  frequently  to  be  mentioned  hereafter  in  the  Mexican  citations, 
meant  the  decision  of  an  executive  conference,  and  was  applied  also  to  the 
memorandum  embodying  the  decision.  The  conferences  referred  to  will  usually 
be  those  in  which  the  President  or  at  least  the  Cabinet  was  concerned. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  42-45         347 

Mar.  28.     A  little  later  Santa  Anna  had  the  spiked  cannon  drawn  to  Cerro 
Gordo  by  cattle 

10.  The  northern  wall  of  the  canon  is  much  more  nearly  vertical  than 
the  southern      The  author  went  down  one  side  and  up  the  other  by  rough 
mule  paths 

11.  Accounts  differ  as  to  the  number  of  men  and  guns  on  each  tongue  but 
agree  that  B  was  much  more  strongly  guarded  than  A  and  C.     It  had 
supporting  works      After  the  battle  R    E    Lee  wrote  that  the  highway 
was  commanded  by  thirty-five  Mexican  guns  (F    Lee,  Gen.  Lee,  38). 
Allowing  four  for  El  Telegrafo,  five  for  the  battery  at  the  camp,  and  seven 
for  D,  we  should  have  nineteen  left  for  the  tongues      In  all,  according  to 
the  chief  Mexican  artillery  officer,  there  were  forty-one  pieces,  so  that 
Santa  Anna  was  able  to  send  additional  guns  to  his  left      There  seems  to 
have  been  a  12-pounder  at  A,  but  most  of  the  guns  were  light      The  four 
16-pounders  were  at  D,  and  commanded  the  highway 

12  After  the  battle  Santa  Anna  reduced  his  numbers  to  about  6000 
infantry  (only  about  half  of  them  permanent)  and  1500  or  2000  cavalry 
(76May  7;  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  112);  but  on  March  20  (76to 
La  Vega)  he  had  placed  the  troops  from  La  Angostura  at  6000  (Roa 
Barcena,  Recuerdos,  194,  says  5650)  to  which  must  be  added  at  least 
2000  from  the  capital  (ibid  ),  2000  (besides  a  brigade  that  arrived  just 
before  the  battle)  from  Puebla  (note  7),  and  contingents  from  Jalapa, 
Coatepec  and  other  places  Mexican  accounts  run  from  Santa  Anna's 
figures  up  to  15,000  (Repubhcano,  June  1,  correspondent)  Canahzo, 
April  3,  proclaimed  that  more  than  12,000  were  coming,  and  the  troops 
to  whom  he  referred  did  not  include  all  who  were  present  ISBankhead 
placed  the  number  from  Mexico  at  2500  R:u  Barcena  (Recuerdos,  195) 
specifies  3,  4,  5,  6  and  11  Line  regiments,  1,  2,  3,  4  Ligero  regiments,  5  and 
9  cavalry,  and  12  smaller  corps  of  foot  arid  horse  Canahzo's  demand 
that  all  citizens  rally  to  the  colors  does  not  seem  to  have  been  very  effective ; 
but  many  who  had  given  their  parole  at  Vera  Cruz  were  forced  to  take  up 
arms  (llo-i  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  189)  It  appears  safe  to  estimate  that 
Santa  Anna  had  at  least  10,000,  probably  11,000,  and  quite  possibly  12,000 
men  besides  the  Puebla  brigade  under  Arteaga,  which  arrived  after  the 
fight  had  begun  The  brigade  from  Mexico  arrived  April  11,  and  the  three 
brigades  from  the  north  April  12  After  the  battle  S'\nta  Anna  and  others 
attempted  to  represent  the  troops  as  of  wretched  quality  But  cer- 
tainly he  had  picked  the  corps  brought  from  the  north,  and  there  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  other  troops  were  below  the  average  Santa 
Anna  pretended  that  he  lacked  ammunition,  but  great  quantities  were 
found  in  the  camp  after  the  battle  (Oswandel,  Notes,  139)  The  distri- 
bution of  it  was  very  likely  defective,  however  It  was  asserted  also  that 
some  of  the  cannon  cartridges  contained  no  powder.  They  should  have 
been  inspected  Twenty-nine  Irishmen  served  in  the  hospital  force  (76 
acuerdo,  Mar.  30)  The  army  was  fairly  well  supplied  with  money. 
April  10  38,000  pesos  went  from  the  capital,  and  the  bishop  of  Puebla 
sent  10,000. 

13.  Santa  Anna  had  water  brought  from  El  Encero  by  a  ditch,  but  it 
only  began  to  run  just  as  the  battle  opened. 

14.  Mexican  preparations,  Apr  4-16.     Delta,  May  1.     Picayune,  May  2. 
312Anaya  to  S  Anna,  Apr.  9.    312Guerra  to  gov  Puebla,  Apr  9.    S12Pablo 
to  S.  Anna,  Apr  8      312Guerra  to  S.  Anna,  Apr.  9     312Baranda  to  S.  Anna, 
Apr.  8      Courrier  Frangais,  Apr.  17.     Repub.,  Apr.  22 ;   June  1, 9.     Sen.  1 ; 


348        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  45-46 

30, 1,  p  -261.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  49.  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  134.  Apun- 
tes,  121,  169-75.  Tribute  dla  Verdad,  41.  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  33-7. 
Su&rez  y  Navarro,  Causas,  68.  Steele,  Amer.  Campaigns,  i,  121.  Diarto, 
Mar.  29;  Apr.  3,  9,  30;  June  10.  Gamboa,  Impug.,  29-32.  Ramirez, 
M&tico,  214,  229.  Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,  157,  189.  Lerdo  de 
Tejada,  Apuntes,  u,  574.  Dubl&n,  Legislaci6n,  v,  264-5.  Monitor  Repub., 
Apr.  24,  27,  28;  May  3;  Oct.  24.  ISBankhead,  no.  34,  Apr.  1.  Os- 
wandel,  Notes,  139  82Pav6n,  Apr.  29.  Sedgwick,  Corres.,  i,  86.  76 
Gaona,  Apr.  8.  76To  Canalizo,  Apr.  2.  76To  S.  Anna,  Apr.  9.  76 
Canalizo,  Mar.  29;  Apr.  3,  24.  76S.  Anna,  Apr.  6,  7,  11,  13,  17,  29; 
May  7.  76Uraga,  May  1.  76Memorias  by  heads  of  war  dept.,  Nov., 
1847.  76Decrees,  Apr.  8,  10.  76 A  great  number  of  less  important  papers. 
No  doubt,  as  Wiltisen  ("  Higher  Theory  of  War  ")  and  others  have 
said,  combining  strategical  defensive  with  tactical  defensive  is  as  a  rule  to 
be  condemned ;  but  here  the  circumstances  were  peculiar.  The  Americans 
were  pursued  by  the  yellow  fever,  and  only  a  decisive  victory  could  save 
them  from  ruin.  Hence  Santa  Anna's  policy  cannot  be  censured  uncere- 
moniously. Ripley  (War  with  Mexico)  gives  the  name  El  Tel6grafo 
to  La  Atalaya,  an  error  that  of  course  leads  to  much  confusion.  Robles 
had  a  series  of  objections  to  the  Cerro  Gordo  position.  It  could  be  turned ; 
the  rough  and  woody  country  made  it  possible  for  the  enemy  to  get  near , 
cavalry  could  not  be  used;  the  line  was  too  long;  a  threatened  point 
could  not  be  easily  reinforced;  water  was  lacking;  retreat,  especially 
with  artillery,  would  be  difficult  (Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  197-8). 

15.  One  of  the  field  batteries  was  Taylor's ;    the  other  was  Talcott's 
howitzer  and  rocket  battery  (R  Jones  to  ordnance  dept.,  Dec.  3,  1846) 
Steptoe's  field  battery  and  a  squadron  of  dragoons  accompanied  Patter- 
son later     The  statement  regarding  the  artillery  outfit  is  from   Lieut 
Hatch  (213to  father,  Apr.  7),  who  went  with  Twiggs. 

16.  Scott  has  been  called  rash  for  sending  his  army  forward  and  expos- 
ing it  to  attack  piecemeal.     But  (1)  had  it  all  formed  one  column  it  would 
have  been  no  safer  against  a  raid  from  some  crossroad ;    (2)  had  it  been 
attacked  in  front,  numbers  would  not  have  signified,  and  the  individual 
superiority  of  the  Americans  as  well  as  their  superior  artillery  would  have 
given  them  the  advantage ;    and  (3)  Santa  Anna,  having  possession  of  such 
fine  defensive  positions,  was  not  likely  to  make  a  venturesome  attack, 
especially  as  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista  had  shown  how  tenaciously  the 
Americans  could  defend  themselves.    The  two  last  points  bear  also  upon 
the  criticism  that  Santa  Anna  ought  to  have  attacked  Twiggs  before  the 
arrival  of  Pillow  and  Shields  (see  remark  at  the  end  of  note  14) .     The  volun- 
teer division  left  Vera  Cruz  April  9  under  Patterson.     It  consisted  of 
two  brigades,  for  Quitman's  men  had  not  sufficient  transportation,  and 
probably  needed  time  to  recover  from  the  effects  of  the  Alvarado  expedi- 
tion.   Capt.  Loch,  a  British  naval  officer  off  Vera  Cruz,  was  as   much 
surprised  as  Scott  when  it  was  found  that  Santa  Anna  had  a  large  force  at 
Cerro  Gordo  (12to  commodore,  Apr.  9). 

17.  From  the  national  bridge  to  Cerro  Gordo  the  pavement  was  not  in 
rery  good  condition.    Above  the  latter  point  stone  blocks  took  the  place 
of  cement.     In  places,  where  these  had  never  been  laid,  or  had  been  taken 
up  by  revolutionists,  or  had  been  overlaid  with  stones  by  floods,  the  high- 
way was  extremely  bad. 

18.  The  position  looked  impregnable  but  was  not,  for  a  besieging  force 
'  ould  easily  deprive  the  garrison  of  provisions  and  water. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIH,  PAGES  4&-50         349 

19.  The  march  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Plan  del  Rio.    Ho.  60;  30,  I,  pp.  920- 
2,  928  (Scott);   921  (gen.  orders  94).    Hartman,  Journal,  10.    Picayune, 
Dec.  9.    Delta,  May  15.     312Guti<§rrez  to  gov.  Puebla,  Apr.  9.    Sen. 
1;    30,  1,  p.  274  (Twiggs).    217Henshaw  papers.    Stapp,  Prisoners  of 
Perote,  159-60.    Raleigh  Star,  May  5.    280Nunelee,  diary     159Narra- 
tive  based  on  papers  of  F.  Collins.     220Higgins  to  Clutter,  Apr.  1,  1851. 
Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier,  ii,  36-48.     Davis,  Autobiog.,  142-4.     Apuntes, 
169.    Ward,  Mexico,  i,  12 ;  ii,  177-88.    Robertson,  Visit,  i,  269.    Ruxton, 
Adventures  (1849),  22-5.    Tudor,  Tour,  ii,  171-5.     Bullock,  Six  Months 
(1825),  i,  32-42.     Orbigny,  Voyage,  409-10.     Robertson,  Remins.,  238-40, 
242.     Latrobe,   Rambler,   297.     Velasco,   Geografia,  iii,  28,  37,  54,  64. 
Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  123,  132.    Engineer  School,  U.  S.  Army,  Occas. 
Papers,  no.  16.     29lPierce,  diary.     Journal  Milit.  Service  Instil.,  v,  38 
(Coppe*e).     Bishop,  Journal      60G.  W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  Apr.  23.     Haw- 
thorne,   Pierce,    78-85.    Steele,   Amer.    Campaigns,   i,    121.     185Memo. 
on  the  route.     356Whitcomb,  diary.     Carleton,  address.  ,  Lowenstern, 
Le    Mexique,    32.     236Judah,    diary      Wash.    Union,    May    1.     Vedette, 
viii,    no.    5.     322Smith,    diary.     Norton,    Life      270Moore,    diary.     358 
Williams  to  father,   Apr.   21.     152Claiborne,   memoirs     136Butter£eld, 
recoils.     Revue  de  Paris,  Dec.,  1844.     66Stevens  to  J.  L.  Smith,  May  7. 
66G.  W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  May  1.     6§Scott,  gen.  orders  91.     Thompson, 
recoils.,    11-12      Poinsett,    Notes,    25-9.     335Calendario   de   Ontiveros. 
12Loch  to  Lambert,  Apr  9.     Oswandel,  Notes,  108-10,  119.    Semmes,  Ser- 
vice, 162-75.    256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Apr.  19.    254McClellan,  diary.  Mag. 
Amer.  Hist.,  xiv,  575     Littell,  no.  162,  p.  546.    139W.  B.  Campbell  to  wife, 
Apr.  8.    Moore,  Scott's  Camp     TlDiccionario  Universal  (Puente  Nacional) . 

20.  Twiggs   and   his   operations,   Apr.    11-13.    Maury,    Recoils.,   29. 
Sen.  1;   30,  1,  p.  274  (Twiggs).     217Henshaw  papers.     Trans.  Ills.  State 
Hist.  Soc.,  1906,  p.  181.     159Narrative  based  on  the  papers  of  Francis 
Collins.     Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  30.     66Tower  to  Twiggs,  Apr.  16.     60Scott 
(on  Twiggs),  remarks  on  a  letter  from  Worth.     Id.,  Mems.,  ii,  432.     Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  250.     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  131.     Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier, 
ii,  25-6,  51-4.     Brackett,  U.  S.  Cavalry,  141.     Davis,  Autobiog.,  143-6. 
Apuntes,    173-5     Robertson,    Remins.,    240.     270Moore,    diary.    Lan- 
caster Co.  Hist.  Soc.  Mag.,  Mar.  6,  1908  (Nauman).     Bishop,  Journal. 
210Bragg  to  Hammond,  Dec.  20,  1847 ;   May  4,  1848.     327Sutherland  to 
father,  Aug.  — ;    Nov.  28,  1847.     358Williams  to  father,  Apr.  21.    151 
Claiborne,  mems.     112Beauregard  to  Patterson,  Apr.  20.    204Gouverneur, 
diary.     66Tower    to    Maj.    Smith,    undated.     273Mullan,    diary.     Lee, 
Lee,  38.     139W.  B.  to  D.  Campbell,  Apr.   13.    Hist.   Teacher's  Mag., 
Apr.,  1912,  p.  75.    Ho.  60;  30,  1 ;  pp.  921  (gen.  orders  94) ;  928  (Scott). 
So.   Qtrly.   Rev.,   Jan.,    1852.     170Crooker  to  father,   Apr.   27.     Henry, 
Camp.  Sketches,  268.    Furber,  Twelve  Months  Vol.,  331.    Some  may 
ask  why  Scott  put  a  general  like  Twiggs  forward.     Twiggs  had  a  rank  and 
a  position  that  had  to  be  recognized,  and  his  officers  and  men  had  their 
right  to  see  honorable  service  and  win  distinction. 

21.  Major  J.  L.  Smith  commanded  the  engineer  company  of  fifty-one 
men.     Lee  had  ten  of  the  men,  and  under  his  direction  Lieut.  Foster  with 
eight  had  charge  of  building  the  road  "located"  by  Lee.    Lieut.  Mason 
also  worked  on  the  road.     McClellan  with  ten  was  assigned  to  Pillow's 
command,  and  G.  W.  Smith  with  ten  to  Harney's  (6$G.  W.  Smith  to  I, 
I.  Stevens,  Apr.  23).    Tower  had  charge  of  the  reconnoitring  on  the 
Mexican  right. 


350         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  50-51 

22.  I.  I.  Stevens,  one  of  the  engineer  officers,  66reporting  on  May  7, 
stated  in  the  most  distinct  manner  that  according  to  this  plan  El  Tele*grafo 
was  not  to  be  attacked  before  the  highway  in  its  rear  should  have  been 
occupied  in  strength,  and  that  insistence  upon  this  point  constituted  the 
essential  difference  between  this  plan  and  the  operations  previously  sug- 
gested by  Beauregard.    Scott  wrote  to  Marcy  (Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  261) 
that  he  had  intended  to  turn  the  Mexican  position  and  attack  in  the  rear 
He  clearly  indicated  as  much  in  his  Memoirs  (ii,  432),  and  his  orders  for 
th3  battb  were  that  Twiggs's  division,  supposed  to  be  already  near  the 
highway,  should  move  before  daybreak  to  occupy  it,  while  the  orders  only 
contemplated  an  attack  in  front  as  likely  to  be  made  before  10  o'clock. 
It  was  well  understood  in  the  army  that  his  plan  was  to  bag  Santa  Anna's 
army,  and  this  implied  —  since  some  of  the  Mexicans  were  likely  to  retire 
early  —  that  the  way  of  escape  must  be  cut  off  before  a  frontal  attack 
should  be  launched.     Stevens  tried  to  reach  the  highway  via  the  Mexican 
right,  but  was  taken  ill  and  had  to  return  (Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  124). 

23.  Scott's  operations,  Apr.   12-16.     Sen.    1;    30,    1,   p.   261    (Scott). 
Picayune,    May    1,    2.     217Henshaw   papers.     A    Soldier's    Honor,     24 
Trans.  Ills.  State  Hist.  Soc  ,  1906,  p.  181.     159Narrative  based  on  the 
papers  of  F.  Collins.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  432.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
250.    Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier,  ii,  56-8.    Davis,  Autobiog.,  144-8.    Bishop, 
Journal.    322Smith,  diary.  112Beauregard  to  Patterson,  Apr.  20.    lllSte- 
vens  to  J.   L.  Smith,  May  7.     lllG.  W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  Apr.  23. 
lllTower  to  J.  L.  Smith,  undated.     lllMason  to  J.  L  Smith,  Apr.  24. 
6§Scott,   gen.  orders  105,   111.     332Tennery,  diary.     McCabe,  Lee,  19, 
note.     12Loch  to  Lambert,  Apr.  9.    Oswandel,  Notes,  113-5.    Stevens, 
I.  I.  Stevens,  i,  122-4.     Ho.  60;   30,  1,  pp.  929  (Scott);   939  (Twiggs) ; 
940  (Pillow). 

24.  The  range  had  to  be  estimated  (322W.  B.  Smith,  diary),  and  per- 
haps it  was  not  easy  to  rectify  the  estimate  by  seeing  where  the  shot  struck. 
Many  of  them  flew  much  too  high. 

25.  Scott's  orders  for  the  battle  gave  no  directions  for  such  a  charge 
His  plan  was  to  place  Twiggs's  division  and  Shields's  brigade,  supported 
by  Worth's  command,  on  the  highway  in  Santa  Anna's  rear  and  attack 
from  that  quarter.     From  one  of  his  reports  it  appears  that  he  made  some 
suggestion  to  Twiggs  about  the  possibility  of  a  frontal  attack  on  El  Tel6- 
grafo  —  presumably  in  the  case  of  some  unlooked-for  turn  of  events ;  but 
he  did  not  expect  that  officer  to  create  the  turn.     The  charge  seems  to  have 
been  ordered  by  Scott  during  the  night  (213Hatch  to  father,  Apr.  21). 
To  be  sure,  Scott's  orders  spoke  of  a  frontal  attack,  but  evidently  the 
reference  was  to  Pillow's  movement. 

The  officers  of  the  Rifles  were  taken  by  Polk  from  civil  life.  Scott  offset 
this  by  having  Major  Sumner  of  the  Second  Dragoons,  a  veteran  and  able 
soldier,  command  the  corps ;  but  as  Sumner  had  been  disabled  on  Satur- 
day, Major  Loring  was  now  at  its  head.  When  moving  from  shelter  he 
exposed  his  men  to  being  enfiladed  by  the  enemy's  cannon,  and  the  other 
troops  actually  cried  out,  "That's  the  way  to  murder  men"  (218Henshaw) 
This  illustrates  how  political  appointments  are  likely  to  work  on  the  firing 
line.  The  Rifles  were  expected  to  join  in  the  attack  on  El  Tele*grafo 
after  repulsing  the  enemy  on  the  left,  but  a  part  of  them  were  unable  to 
do  so  (p.  352). 

26.  Events  of  Apr.  17-18  (except  Pillow's  operations).     Sen.  1 ;   30,  1, 
pp.  255-95,  298  (Scott's  orders;  reports  of  himself  and  officers).    Maury, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  51-56          351 

Recoils.,  37,  44.  Hartman,  Journal,  11.  M'Sherry,  El  Puchero,  221-3. 
Picayune,  May  1,  6,  9,  19.  Delta,  May  1,  15 ;  June  18.  252Mackall  to 
father,  Apr.  18.  335Trist,  May  7,  25.  217Henshaw  papers.  Trans. 
Ills.  State  Hist.  Soc.,  1905,  p.  213 ;  1906,  pp.  182-3.  159Narrative  based 
on  F.  Collins  papers  6Riley  court  of  inquiry.  SOPlympton  to  Scott, 
July  27.  60E  K.  Smith  to  Plympton,  July  23.  60J.  R.  Smith  to  Pulk, 
Nov.  30,  1848.  60Twiggs  to  J.  R.  Smith,  Nov.  9,  1848.  60Morris  to 
J.  R.  Smith,  Nov.  15, 1848.  66Russell  court  of  inquiry :  orders  155.  223 
Hirschorn,  recoils  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app.,  46-52,  98-114.  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  251-2.  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  132.  Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier, 
ii,  59-84,  88,  90-1.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  148-52,  155-8.  Apuntes,  175-83. 
Tributo  a  la  Verdad,  42,  49,  62,  136.  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  34-41.  Id., 
Manifiesto,  1847,  7.  Eye  witness,  Complete  History,  79-80.  Robert- 
son, Remins.,  248-52.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  137-40,  267.  Engineer 
School,  U.  S.  Army,  Occas.  Papers,  no  16  N.  Y.  Times,  July  16,  1916 
(Worth)  Bishop,  Journal.  Nebel  and  Kendall,  24-5.  S.  Anna,  Mi 
Historia,  67-8  66G.  W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  Apr.  23.  Mansfield,  Mex. 
War,  195.  210Bragg  to  Hammond,  May  4,  1848  254McClellan,  diary ; 
to  sister,  Apr.  22.  Diarw,  Apr.  28,  30;  May  20;  June  10,  23,  30.  Re- 
publicano,  Apr.  21,  23,  27;  June  9;  July  10.  84Ampudia  to  gov.  S.  L. 
Potosi,  Oct  10.  Gamboa,  Impug.,  30.  Kenly,  Md  Vol ,  337.  Ramirez, 
Mexico,  227-9,  231,  261.  298Porter,  diary.  London  Times,  June  15. 
Wash.  Union,  May  10,  11 ;  Oct.  23.  Monitor  Repub.,  Apr  20,  23,  24,  27; 
May  3,  6;  Nov.  1,  30.  Spirit  of  the  Times,  May  29;  June  5.  124Block- 
lenger,  recoils  327Sutherland  to  father,  Aug.  — .  Vedette,  ii,  no.  2. 
322Smith,  diary.  SOTRoberts  to  wife,  Apr.  21.  178Davis,  diary.  270 
Moore,  diary.  358Williams  to  father,  Apr.  21.  152Claiborne,  memoirs. 
112Beauregard  to  Patterson,  Apr.  20.  66Stevens  to  J.  L.  Smith,  May 
7.  66Tower  to  J.  L  Smith,  undated.  66Mason  to  J,  L.  Smith,  Apr. 
24  Arnold,  Jackson,  87.  66G.  W.  Smith  to  Lee,  Apr.  20.  66Lee  to 
Twiggs,  undated.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  249  SORiley  to  Westcott,  Nov. 
30.  332Tennery,  diary.  Gime"nez,  Apologia.  Ho  85;  30,  1.  Journal 
U.  S.  Artill.,  1892,  pp  419-20.  Lee,  Gen.  Lee,  38.  Oswandel,  Notes, 
116,  122-8.  Semmes,  Service,  178-81,  183.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii,  887-94. 
82Soto  to  gov  Puebla,  Apr.  18.  82Pav6n  to  Puebla  sec.  state,  Apr.  29. 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p  1089  (Hitchcock).  Niles,  May  22,  pp.  183,  188.  148 
Chamberlain,  recoils.  Elderkin,  Biog.  Sketches,  66.  Journ.  Mil.  Serv. 
Instit.,  xlii,  128.  Henderson,  Science  of  War,  215.  Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens, 
i,  1$6.  Smithwick,  Evolution,  286.  76S.  Anna,  Apr.  17,  21;  May  7. 
TGCanalizo,  Apr.  18,  21.  76Carrera,  May  1.  76Circular,  Apr.  20.  76 
Ampudia,  Apr  25  76To  Brito,  May  25.  76Alvarez,  Oct.  28  76Canalizo 
to  Villaba  &  Co.,  Apr.  24;  to  son,  Apr.  24.  76Memorias  by  heads  of 
depts.,  Nov.,  1847. 

REMARKS  on  the  battle  (April  18).  The  perfect  confidence  displayed 
in  Scott's  orders  for  the  battle  is  noteworthy.  No  doubt  it  had  a  great 
effect  on  the  troops.  The  orders  to  Worth  were  rather  vague.  Probably 
this  was  because  the  course  of  the  battle  was  expected  to  indicate  how 
his  division  could  be  used  to  the  best  advantage,  but  possibly  on  account 
of  his  intense  jealousy  of  Twiggs  it  was  not  deemed  wise  to  say  clearly  that 
he  was  to  support  Twiggs.  In  fact  he  followed  Twiggs,  ascended  El 
Tel6grafo,  saw  the  white  flag  at  the  tongues,  and  sent  Harney  and  Childs 
(Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  ii,  74)  to  accept  the  surrender  of  the  Mexican 
right  wing.  The  movement  assigned  to  Twiggs  was  hazardous,  but  the 


352        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  5&-57, 

military  quality  of  Santa  Anna  and  the  Mexican  troops  was  now  well 
understood. 

General  Shields  was  struck  by  a  grape  shot  that  passed  through  the 
upper  part  of  his  body ;  and  his  recovery,  due  to  high  surgical  skill  and  the 
most  devoted  nursing,  seemed  almost  miraculous.  When  Shields  fell, 
Col.  E.  D.  Baker  took  command  Canalize  was  ordere'd  to  charge  Shields's 
brigade ;  but  the  ground  was  only  partly  cleared,  arid  Santa  Anna  reported 
that  a  charge  was  not  practicable.  Canahzo  was,  however,  accused  by 
many  of  causing  the  Mexican  defeat  by  letting  the  Americans  reach 
the  highway.  He  could  have  dismounted  all  his  cavalry,  as  he  did  his 
cuirassiers,  and  2000  fresh  troops  —  especially  if  aided  by  those  at  the 
tongues  —  might  have  done  a  good  deal ;  but  probably  he  believed  that 
the  battle  had  already  been  lost  When  Shields 's  men  approached  the 
highway  they  came  upon  a  party  of  Mexican  surgeons,  and  on  learning 
their  business  became  instantly,  according  to  the  surgeons,  their  friends 
and  protectors  (Diano,  Apr  30)  The  chief  Mexican  surgeon  stated  that 
the  Americans  made  no  distinction  between  the  two  nationalities  in 
bringing  wounded  men  to  the  hospitals  (Courrier  Fran^ais,  May  5).  Worth's 
command,  deprived  of  its  expected  share  m  the  battle  through  Twiggs's 
departure  from  Scott's  plan,  played  the  part  of  a  reserve.  Harney's 
charge  may  have  been  launched  just  when  it  was  because  a  thinning 
out  of  the  summit  of  El  Tel£grafo  (probably  due  to  sending  troops  against 
Riley)  led  to  the  belief  that  the  La  Atalaya  guns  were  doing  great  execu- 
tion (Ballentine,  Eng.  Sold  ,  li,  81).  Harney  placed  the  Seventh  Infantry 
on  his  right,  deploying  some  of  the  men  as  skirmishers  to  guard  that  flank, 
and  the  Third  on  his  left,  protected  by  the  Rifles  (In  consequence  of 
Loring's  incompetence  (213Hatch  to  father,  Apr.  21)  the  Rifles  did  not 
charge  in  a  body  or  effectively  )  This  line  was  supported  by  the  First 
Artillery.  Some  of  Harney's  men  joined  with  Riley's  in  capturing  the 
minor  crest.  The  La  Atalaya  battery  fired  over  the  heads  of  the  charging 
Americans  as  long  as  this  appeared  to  be  safe.  Vazquez  died  bravely 
at  his  post,  whereas  a  number  of  high  Mexican  officers  proved  recreant. 
After  the  fighting  began  near  the  summit  of  El  Tele*grafo  the  Mexican 
cannon  placed  there  could  not  be  used,  for  they  would  have  injured  Mexi- 
cans as  well  as  Americans.  Santa  Anna  appears  to  have  done  all  in  his 
power  to  stem  the  tide  of  defeat.  About  1000  Puebla  men  under  Gen 
Arteaga  arrived  during  the  battle  They  were  placed  at  the  headquarters 
battery,  but  took  flight  early.  S  Anna's  line  was  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  long. 

27.  It  has  been  argued  that  Pillow's  attack  should  have  been  a  "mere 
feint,"  i.e  threat.     But  (1)  Scott  had  reason  to  fear  that  the  purpose  of 
a  "mere  feint"  would  be  detected  as  soon  as  the  grand  battle  should  begin, 
and  that  the  feint  would  fail  of  its  purpose  (see  Donaldson  and  Becke,  387) ; 
and  (2)  Pillow  had  troops  of  superior  mettle,  who  probably  would  not 
have  been  satisfied  to  make  a  mere  threat  (Nebel  and  Kendall,  25,  note) . 
In  ordering  this  attack  Scott  violated  Napoleon's  principle,  which  was  to 
turn  the  enemy's  flank  without  dividing  his  own  army  (Johnston,  Founda- 
tions,  180),  but  the  circumstances  warranted  doing  so.     In  particular 
Santa  Anna  had  shown  that  he  did  not  wish  to  be  aggressive,  and  Scott 
intended  to  keep  him  busy  (see  Hamley,  Operations,  160). 

28.  Pillow  had  also  a  few  Tennessee  horse  and  (attached  to  Haskell's 
regiment)  a  Kentucky  company  —  in  all  about  2000  men   (Robertson, 
Heroins.,  244). 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  57-58          353 

29.  The  text  is  based  primarily  on  the  full  and  minute  account  given 
in  the  diary  of  George  B.  McClellan  (who  accompanied  Pillow  and  whose 
integrity  and  technical  ability  will  not  be  questioned)  and  the  following 
documents :   reports  of  Engineers  Stevens  (66May  7)  and  Tower  (66un- 
dated) ;    Haskell  and  sixteen  officers  (Picayune,  May  29);    Haskell  (ib., 
June  28) ;    Pillow,  reply  (ib  ,  June  9) ;   Id.,  61substitute  report,  May  29 
(to  take  the  place  of  his  published  report,  which  he  admitted  was  not  cor- 
rect) ;    139letters  of  Col    Campbell,  an  able  and  fair  man  (who  said  pri- 
vately the  affair  was  most  badly  managed ;  also  that  Pillow  was  no  general, 
and  on  the  field  had  no  judgment  or  decision) ;  224 Williams  to  Hitchcock, 
June  4,  1849;    Wynkoop,  July  16,  in  Picayune,  Sept    19;    Stevens,  I    I. 
Stevens,  i,  125  (Stevens  says,  e.y  ,  that  Pillow's  attack   failed   because 
"  made  prematurely,  with  great  precipitation,  without  order  in  the  assault- 
ing columns,  and  before  the  supporting  columns  were  m  position,  and  at 
the  wrong  point,"  and  that  it,  "both  as  to  time  and  as  to  direction,  was 
earnestly  remonstrated  against  by  the  engineer  officer  directing  the  attack, 
by  the  personal  staff  of  th?  general,  and  by  Col.  Campbell,  second  in  com- 
mand")      Of  course  Ripley,  who  wrote  his  history  of  the  war  in  consul- 
tation with  Pillow,  gives  a  misleading  account  of  this  affair  as  of  others. 

The  author  used  also  the  following  sources  *  Sen  51 ;  32,  1      Sen  1 ;  30, 

I,  pp    257  (Scott),    258   (orders   111);    294   (Patterson);    296  (Pillow). 
217Henshaw   papers      Taylor,    Letters    (Bixby),    109      69Pillow   to   adj. 
gen  ,  June  25,  1848      69Ripley  to  adj    gen  ,  June  25,  1848       66Tower  to 
Twiggs,    Apr     16      Negrete,    Invasi6n,    m,    app ,    50      Hitchcock,    Fifty 
Years,  251      Furber,  Twelve  Months  Vol ,  593      Grant,  Mems  ,  i,  133 
Davis,  Autobiog ,   146      Apuntes,   173,   181.     Weekly  Courier  and  N    Y. 
Enquirer,    Mar    2,    1848      Robertson,  Remins ,  244-8      Lawton,   Artill 
Officer,  139      293Pillow  to  wife,  June  9      293Rams  to  Mrs    Pillow,  Apr 
18      Republicano,  June  9,  24      Picayune,  May  9;    Sept    11      M6xico  & 
t raves,   iv,    654      Hillard,    McClellan,    18,    19      Nat    Intelligencer,   June 

II.  Momt'jr  Re  pub  ,  June  24      358  Williams  to  father,  Apr  21      Vedette, 
viii,  no.  5      Oswandel,   Notes,   110-1,   122-35.     Semmes,  Service,   182-3. 
Hitchcock  in  semi-weekly  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar.  1,  1848.     lOOMata, 
Apr    18      82Pav6n   to  Puebla    sec.  state,  Apr    29      288Tapper  to  wife, 
May  3      Nile*,  June  5,  p    219 ,    Oct    2,  p    75      Boston  Atlas,  Dec    13 
Griepenkerl,  Applied  Tactics,  116.     316Judd  to  Sherman,  Feb  26,  1848. 
Johnstone,  Foundations,  180      So  Qtrly   Rev  ,  Jan  ,  1852.     181  Armstrong 
to  Donelson,  July  4      139Cummmgs  to    Campbell,  May  12;   June  13 
76Carrera,  May  1.     768    Anna,  May  7      The  reason  why  reversing  the 
regiments  caused  trouble  seems  to  have  been  that  infantry  were  accustomed 
to  manoeuvre  and  fight  in  a  certain  formation,  and  felt  awkward  if  the 
right  was  unexpectedly  brought  out  on  the  left.     As  Wynkoop  had  farther 
to  march  than  Haskell  and  did  not  wish  to  attack  before  his  support  was 
m  position,  placing  Campbell  third  in  the  line  of  march  involved  a  delay 
One  derives   a  lesson  on  the  value  of  official  reports  from   Patterson's 
representation  that  Pillow  was  wounded  while  gallantly  leading  his  bri- 
gade (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p  29  >) 

30.  The  American  soldiers  were  not  pleased  with  this  policy      The 
American  government  expressed  itself  against  it  and,  placing  an  undeserved 
value  on  Mexican  officers,  ordered  that  no  more  of  them  should  be  paroled 
except  for  special  reasons      It  is  probably  enough  to  say  that   Scott  was 
in  the  best  position  to  judge;    but  one  may  remark  that  Santa   Anna's 
difficulty  was  not  so  much  to  obtain  men  as  to  obtain  arms.      Further 

VOL.  IT — 2  A 


354        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIII,  PAGES  58-59 

grounds  for  releasing  them  are  mentioned  in  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  257.  Ac- 
cording to  Gen.  Pavon,  Gen.  La  Vega  and  twenty-four  other  officers  were 
not  paroled.  Some  six  declined  to  give  their  paroles.  Among  the  spoils 
were  a  large  amount  of  ammunition,  $11,79119  in  cash  (Sen.  34;  34, 
3,  p.  24),  and  a  wooden  leg  (supposed  to  have  belonged  to  Santa  Anna) 
now  preserved  in  the  capitol  at  Springfield,  111, 

31.  Pursuit,  losses,  prisoners,  spoils.     Ho.  60;    30,  1,  948,    1012,  1221 
(Scott);    1089   (Hitchcock);    1233    (Marcy).     Sen.    1;    30,    1,   pp.   258 
(gen.  orders  111) ;  202  (Scott) ;  276,  278,  283,  etc.     Scott,  Mems  ,  n,  443. 
Hitchcock,   Fifty   Years,   253.     Ballentine,   Eng.   Soldier,   86-7,    106-7 
Tribute  &  la  Verdad,  62      Bustamante,  N.   Birnal,  ii,   189.    S.  Anna, 
Apelacion,  40.     Lawton,  Artill   Officer,  140,  179.    Ho.  24;   31,  1.     Sen 
34;    31,  3,  p.  37.     Repubhcano,  Apr.  27;   June  9.     Sen.  52;    30,  1,  pp 
122,  136      Courmer  Frangoi^  May  5.     Mexico  &  trav6s,  iv,  655.     Monitor 
Repub.,  Apr.  24 ;  May  6.     322Smith,  diary.     Williams  to  father,  Apr.  21 
152Claiborne,    mems.     332Tennery,    diary.      82Pav6n    to    Puebla    sec 
state,  Apr.  29.     N   Y.  Sun,  Aug    16.     Niles,  May  15,  p.  164;    May  29' 
p.  201.     McClellan,  diary      Nobel  and  Kendall,  25      Robertson,  Remins  , 
249,  253.     76Carrera,  Apr   27 ,    May  1      76Arnpudia,  Apr.  25      76CanaT 
lizo,  Apr.  18      76/d  ,  undated      76S    Anna,  May  7      76 Junta  directiva- 
May  3.     76G   G6mez  to  Gaona,  Apr    18      The  cavalry  appear  to  have 
been  late  in  beginning  the  pursuit      Ripley  (War,  etc  ,  11,  75)  says  Scott 
was,  so  busy  that  he  forgot  to  send  for  the  cavalry,  but  Scott's  orders 
for  the  battle  put  the  responsibility  on  the  commander  of  that  corps, 
which  was  placed  in  reserve  on  the  highway  with  a  field  battery  (Sen 
1 ;  30,  1,  p.  259).     In  places,  too,  they  found  the  highway  cut  or  blocked 

32.  A  deputation  of  the  ayuntamiento  met  Patterson   (Sen.   1 ;    30, 
1,  p.  296),  and  were  promised   protection  on  condition   that  no  liquor 
should  be  sold  to  the  troops.     The  term  "nondescript  costumes"  applies 
primarily  to  the  volunteers,  but  probably  some  of  the  regulars  had  lost 
parts  of  their  outfits. 

33.  Scott's  report  was  a  model  in  concealing  facts ;  and  Worth,  writing 
to  a  member  of  his  family,  called  it  "a  lie  from  beginning  to  end."     Gen. 
U.  S   Grant,  doubtless  recording  without  investigation  his  early  impres- 
sions, wrote  in  his  Personal  Memoirs  (i,  132) :   "  Perhaps  there  was  not  a 
battle  of  the  Mexican  war,  or  of  any  other,  where  orders  issued  before 
an  engagement  were  nearer  being  a  correct  report  of  what  afterwards 
took  place,"  and  such  has  been  the  accepted  opinion,  though  a  thought- 
ful comparison  of  the  orders  with  Scott's  own  report  (Sen    1 ;   30,  1,  pp 
258,  261)  is  enough  to  disprove  this  view.     For  example,  Scott  in  his 
orders,  intending  to  attack  from  the  enemy's  rear,  assigned  no  troops  to 
the  frontal  attack  on  El  Tele*grafo,  which  was  the  mam  feature  of  the 
actual  battle.     Unpublished  documents  of  a  wholly  unbiassed  character 
disprove  it  still  further.     As  two  more  illustrations,   the  artillery,  for 
which  infinite  trouble  was  taken  to  make  a  passable  road,  did  not  figure 
at  all  in  the  battle  (though  a  section  of  Taylor's  battery  went  that  way  in 
season  to  join  in  the  pursuit),  and  a  court  of  inquiry  declared  that  Riley's 
brigade,  which  played  a  most  important  role,  'was  diverted  from  its  orig- 
inal destination  —  a  finding    approved    by   Scott    (65gen.   orders  249). 
Robert  Anderson  said  that  if  Scott's  orders  had  been  carried  out,  not  a 
Mexican  would  have  escaped  (Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  137) ;  and  Davis, 
Shields's  aide,  stated  that  Twiggs  failed  to  execute  Scott's  orders  and  dis- 
appointed Scott's  expectations   (Autobiography,   148)      Fee  also  notes 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  60-62         355 

22  and  25.  It  is  possible  that  one  reason  why  Scott  in  his  report  com- 
mended Twiggs's  course  was  that,  even  if  satisfied  as  to  the  practicability 
of  his  own  plan,  he  did  not  care  to  raise  an  issue  on  that  question.  Obvi- 
ously it  would  have  been  impossible  to  prove  now  that  the  plan  was  prac- 
ticable, and  a  bitter,  harmful  controversy  would  have  resulted.  That  on 
general  principles  such  an  exposure  of  the  American  flank  was  very  hazard- 
ous could  not  be  denied 

34.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p  296  (Patterson).  217Henshaw  papers.  159 
Narrative  based  on  F.  Collins  papers  Robertson,  Remins.,  253-7. 
Ruxton,  Adventures  (1847),  16.  (King  Death)  Gnffis,  Perry,  217.  298 
Porter,  diary.  Monitor  Repub.,  Apr.  24,  27.  322Smith,  diary.  66G. 
W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  May  1.  Oswandel,  Notes,  140  256  J.  Parrott 
to  Marcy,  Apr  19  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  948  (Scott).  254McClellan,  diary. 
Ramirez,  Mexico,  260. 

XXIV.   PUEBLA 

1.  Worth's   advance.     Henshaw    narrative.      Hitchcock,    Fifty   Years, 
255      Ballentme,  Eng    Soldier,  n,  154.     Davis,  Autobiog ,  173.     Delta, 
July  8      Picayune,  May  19.     159Collins  papers,  Apr.  21 ;  June  19.     M5x- 
ico  d  trave*s,  iv,    655      Tornel,  Breve   Resena,  345.     Robertson,    Visit, 
i,    303.     Orbigny,    Voyage,    411      Lyon,    Journal,    ii,    181.     Balbontln, 
Estado,  22      Velasco,  Geografia,  iii,  97,  99.     Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  141- 
4.     Robertson,    Remms ,    276.     68Scott   to  Worth,  May   6.     Colecci6n 
de    Itineraries.     Revue   de   Paris,    Dec ,    1844.     Oswandel,    Notes,    162. 
Semmes,   Service,   217-22      139W    B    to  D.   Campbell,   Apr.   25.     185 
Memo      Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  pp.  261  (Scott) ;  300  (Worth)      Ramirez,  M&dco, 
228-9      Roa  Bdrcena,   Recuerdos,  236-9.     254McClelhn   to  sister,  Apr. 
22.     236Judah,  diary      Moore,  Scott's  Campaign,  10-2.     Norton,  Life. 
Diccionano    Universal     (Las     Vigas    and    Perote).      327Sutherland    to 
father,  undated.     Ward,  Mexico,  n,  193-5.     Green,  Journal,  238.     Ho. 
60;  30,  1,  pp.  944-6,  948  (Scott)      364 Worth  to  daughter,  Apr.  30.    Ne- 
grete,  Invasi6n,  ni,  app  ,  58,  60,  110.     Tributo  £  la  Verdad,  43-6.     76 
Gaona,  Mar.  4,  8,  15;  Apr.  8,  19.     76To  Id.,  Apr    17.     76Canalizo,  Apr. 
21,  24,  etc.     76Baneneh,  Apr.  24      76Bravo,    Apr.  23.     76S.  Anna,  Apr. 
27.     The  distance  from  Jalapa  to  Perote  was  called  about  thirty  miles. 

2.  "Convoy"  will  be  used  to  signify  a  line  of  wagons  or  pack-mules 
or  both  transporting  merchandise  or  supplies  under  escort.    Among  the 
difficulties  in  getting  articles  from  the  coast  were  the  sandy  road,  the 
heat,  the  weakness  and  insufficient  number  of  animals,  the  shortage  of 
wagons,  and  above  all  the  want  of  good  drivers  and  conductors  (Sen.  52 ; 
30,  1,  p.  127)      Scott  had  supposed  that  successive  bodies  of  new  troops 
would  escort  the  convoys  up,  but  the  diversion  of  these  to  the  Rio  Grande 
for  some  time  (in  consequence  of  S.  Anna's  advance  against  Taylor)  made 
it  necessary  to  weaken  his  forces  by  sending  escorts  from  Jalapa  (SlScott 
to  Wilson,  Apr.  26).     The  policy  of  treating  the  Mexicans  kindly  required 
more  self-support  and  therefore  larger  trains  than  would  otherwise  have 
been  necessary.     Moreover,  in  order  to  avoid  a  reverse,  which  would 
have  had  consequences  of  peculiar  gravity  in  Mexico,  Scott  had  to  avoid 
risks. 

3.  It  has  been  argued  (e.g.  by  Semmes)  that  Scott  was  in  fact  able  to 
obtain  subsistence  from  the  country  all  the  spring  and  summer,  and  there- 
fore the  matter  involved  no  difficulties  (Service,  208) ;   but  Scott  Jiad  to 


356         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  62-65 

ascertain  beforehand  through  agents  (Delta,  May  18)  both  that  subsistence 
existed  and  that  it  could  be  obtained;  and  to  make  the  success  of  his 
precautions  a  basis  for  asserting  that  he  should  not  have  waited  to  take 
them,  is  unreasonable.  Scott  said  later  that  he  might  have  rushed  ahead 
by  depending  upon  the  provisions  near  at  hand,  but  that  within  a  week 
the  army  would  have  had  to  scatter  and  fight  for  supplies  (Mems.,  ii, 
553) .  The  resources  of  the  country  were  found  to  be  mostly  at  a  distance 
from  the  line  of  march  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  949).  Time  was  required  to 
select  intelligent,  reliable  agents,  and  they  needed  time  to  go  and  come 
A  particular  reason  for  deliberation  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  new  crops 
would  not  be  ready  before  about  the  middle  of  June.  It  should  be  added 
that  some  statements  of  Semmes  and  others  regarding  material  elements 
of  the  situation  are  contradicted  by  Scott's  reports  written  at  the  time. 
Semmes  was  probably  influenced  by  Worth,  whose  aide  he  was 

4.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  904.     Marcy  forgot  this  when  he  severely  censured 
Scott  for  dismissing  the  men  before  their  time  was  out  (ibid.,  1245) 

5.  By  the  61field  return  of  May  7  Scott  had:    Engineer  Co    (Smith), 
43;  Ordnance  Co.  (Huger),  60;   First  Div.  (Worth),  2331;   Second  Div 
(Twiggs),  2216;    Dragoons  (Harney),  433;   volunteers  (Quitman),  2030 
The  disparity  between  Scott's  numbers  as  figured  at  Washington  and  his 
numbers  as  counted  at  the  front  is  suggested  by  the  fact  that  on  April 
26  his  volunteers  (aside  from  those  now  discharged)  were  estimated  by 
the  adjutant  general  as  4994  (Ho.  60;    30,  1,  p    928)      The  regiments 
that  went  home  were  the  Georgia,  the  Alabama,  the  Third  and    Fourth 
Illinois,  and  the  First,  Second  and  Third  Tennessee 

6.  Scott  at  Jalapa  (except  his  proclamation,  etc      Note  <V     Ho.  60;    30, 
1,  pp.  910,  944-8,  954-8,  1221  (Scott) ;   983-92 ;   950  (H  L  Scott) ;   904, 
953,  1241  (Marcy) ;  967  (Worth).     6lScott  to  Wilson,  Apr.  26      68Worth 
court  of  inquiry,  proceedings.     Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier,  i,  278;   ii,  118- 
23,   126-7,   129-30,    143-4      66Beauregard  to  Smith,   May   10.     52Trist 
to   Buchanan,    May   7.     Davis,    Autobiog ,    164-6     Hartman,   Journal, 
13.     SSOScott  to  Cadwalader,  Apr  25      304Patterson,  orders  10,  May  1 
(The  district)  Robertson,  Visit,  i,  278;    Ruxton,  Adventures  (1915),  56; 
Kendall,  Narrative  (N   Y,  1844),  ii,  398;  Orbigny,  Voyage,  410;    Lyon, 
Journal,  ii,   186;    Velasco,  Geografia,  m,  99.     362G.  A    Worth  to  Van 
Buren,  May  20.     Robertson,  Remms,  261,  275      Revue  de  Pans,  Dec  , 
1844.     aiSHenshaw  narrative      Lowenstern,   Le  Mexique,    26      68Scott 
to  Worth,  May  6.     SSScott,  gen.  orders  128,  129,  135-6,  Apr.  30,  30 ;   May 
4,  5.     332Tennery,  diary.     Thompson,  Recoils ,   13     Oswandel,  Notes, 
142,  149,  152.     Sen.  14;    30,  1,  p    6  (Scott)      Sernrnes  Service,  189-90, 
207-10.     Sen  65;  30,  1,  p  528  (Hitchcock)      139W   B  to  D  Campbell, 
Nov.  2,  1846.     Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp   124,  129  (Scott).     Picayune,  May  4,  7, 
11;    Nov.    14.     Steele,   Amer.   Campaigns,   i,    110      335Scott   to   Trist, 
July  21,  1848.     SlField  report,  May  7,  1847.     SlScott  to  Wilson,  May  2. 
Moore,  Scott's  Camp.,  68      Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  236.     322Smith, 
diary.     270Moore,   diary.     TSBermudez   de   Castro,   no.   517,    June   29. 
Polk,  Message,  Feb.  13  (Richardson,,  iv,  515).     Scott,  Meni8  ,  ii,  452,  466, 
553.     London  Tunes,  Aug.  6      Diarw,  Aug.  5.     N.   Y.  Sun,  Aug.   16 
Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens,  i,  133,  135.     (Bounty)  IT.  S.  Statutes  at  Large, 
ix,  184.     Upton,  Mil.  Policy,  215.     .So.  Qtrly.  Review,  Apr.,   1852,  376- 
85.    SlScott,  memo,    Nov.  29,   1846  (12   new  regts  ).     Sen    1;    30,   1, 
pp.  45-6.    364 Worth  to  dmghter,  Apr.  30.     Bishop,  Journal.     112Beaure- 
gard  to  Smith,  May  2.     Negrete,  Invasion,  iii,  app.,  60.     60Scott  to  Marcy, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  65-66         357 

Apr.  5.  Stevens,  Campaigns,  16.  139Five  colonels  to  Scott,  May  1. 
62Adj.  gen.  to  Brooke,  May  29.  (Goyt.  will  move)  76To  S.  Anna, 
Apr.  21. 

The  Spanish  minister  reported  that  if  Scott  had  been  prepared  to 
attack  the  capital  immediately  after  April  18,  he  could  have  taken  it 
without  a  shot  (no  517,  June  29).  Patterson  left  the  army  at  this  time 
because  the  return  of  so  many  volunteers  destroyed  his  command,  and 
Pillow  left  because  he  had  been  appointed  a  major  general  and  wished 
to  bring  on  his  division.  Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  ii,  514)  says  Scott 
could  have  established  a  garrison  of  4000  at  Mexico  and  held  the  city. 
But  assassinations  and  sickness  would  soon  have  reduced  his  numbers. 
Parties  sent  out  for  provisions  and  forage  would  have  been  cut  off.  The 
Mexicans,  not  yet  thoroughly  beaten,  would  have  been  encouraged  by 
the  isolation  of  so  weak  a  force,  as  they  had  been  by  the  size  of  Taylor's 
army.  They  might  have  been  able  to  starve  out  the  garrison.  The 
result  would  probably  have  been  at  best  that  a  rescue-army  would  have 
had  to  fight  its  way  to  the  capital  without  the  assistance  of  Scott,  his 
regular  officers  and  his  veteran  troops.  He  had  no  right  to  take  such  a 
risk,  especially  when  it  seemed  very  doubtful  whether  success  in  holding 
the  capital  would  signify  much. 

7.  This  agent,  whose  name  has  been  given  as  Campos  and  (probably 
correctly)  as  Campomanes,  appears  to  have  been  the  parish  priest  of 
Jalapa  (Baz,  Judrez,  47,  note).  The  paper,  which  was  printed  first  in 
Spanish  and  then  in  English  (TGHitchcock  to  Worth,  May  12),  may  be 
summarized  as  follows :  It  is  my  duty,  Mexicans,  to  make  known  certain 
facts  that  are  purposely  concealed  from  you.  For  the  sake  not  only  of 
ourselves  but  of  the  whole  American  continent  and  of  republican  institu- 
tions, we  of  the  United  States  made  every  effort  consistent  with  honor  to 
adjust  our  difficulties  with  Mexico,  but  the  patriotic  Herrera  was  thrown 
from  power,  and  the  new  government,  ignoring  your  interests  in  order  to 
further  its  monarchical  designs,  compelled  my  nation  to  take  up  arms. 
Like  you,  we  hoped  that  good  would  result  from  the  overthrow  of  Paredes, 
and  therefore  we  permitted  Santa  Anna  to  return;  but,  again  like  you 
perhaps,  we  were  mistaken  as  to  his  intentions  What  has  followed,  you 
know.  Your  troops,  whose  devotion  and  valor  we  admire,  have  been 
badly  led,  and  even  betrayed  or  deceived ;  and  he  has  not  only  rewarded 
those  who  waged  civil  war  at  Mexico,  but  insulted  the  brave  defenders 
of  Vera  Cruz.  Recently  the  battle  at  Cerro  Gordo  showed  what  you 
may  expect  from  him.  Everywhere  generals  long  supported  in  idleness 
by  the  nation  have  exhibited  a  lack  of  honor  or  skill,  while  the  dead  or 
wounded  soldiers,  abandoned  on  the  field,  have  not  been  given  by  their 
leaders  even  the  poor  recompense  of  a  grave.  The  clergy  and  all  other 
peaceable  and  useful  citizens  have  been,  and  still  are,  taxed,  menaced 
and  sacrificed,  whereas  criminals  go  unpunished.  Can  this  be  called 
liberty?  The  Mexicans,  I  am  sure,  have  the  courage  to  admit  mistakes 
that  involve  no  dishonor,  and  to  adopt  for  the  future  a  policy  of  peace, 
of  liberty  and  of  harmony  with  their  brethren  of  the  United  States.  My 
troops,  as  your  bishops  and  priests  will  testify,  have  not  committed  the 
outrages  alleged  against  us  for  the  purpose  of  exciting  your  anger.  We 
adore  the  same  God  as  you,  and  many  of  our  people  and  of  our  army  axe 
Roman  Catholics.  We  punish  crime  and  reward  merit ;  we  respect  prop- 
erty—  especially  that  of  the  Church  —  and  we  seek  your  friendship. 
Abandon  prejudice,  then ;  cease  to  be  victims  of  the  ambitious ;  act  as  a 


358        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  66-67 

great  American  nation.  If,  however,  the  war  must  go  on,  my  country 
will  send  —  should  they  be  needed  —  100,000  men,  and  settle  the  pending 
difficulties  in  a  decisive  manner.  Guerilla  warfare,  should  it  be  persisted 
in,  would  lead  to  reprisals,  and  you  could  not  blame  us  for  your  sufferings. 

1  have  set  out  for  Puebla  and  Mexico,  and  shall  certainly  reach  those 
places ;  but  my  desire  is  peace,  friendship,  union.     It  is  for  you  to  choose 
between  these  and  war  (Tribute  a  la  Verdad,  doc.  18). 

It  has  been  said  that  this  proclamation,  by  opening  old  political  sores 
and  insulting  the  Mexicans,  did  more  harm  than  good  (Southern  Quarterly 
Renew,  April,  1852,  p.  394) ;  but  (1)  even  the  formal  reply  made  to  it 
admitted  its  truth,  and  the  facts  outlasted  any  temporary  resentment 
that  may  have  been  produced  in  some  minds ;  (2)  it  was  intended  for  the 
common  people,  with  whom  plain,  solid  interests  had  more  influence  than 
high-flown  sentiments  of  pride ;  (3)  the  clericals,  who  suggested  the  con- 
tents of  the  proclamation,  were  shrewd  men ;  (4)  the  fury  of  Santa  Anna 
against  it  (76May  18)  is  sufficient  evidence  that  he  saw  it  would  injure 
him;  and  (5)  we  have  direct  proof  that  it  was  received  eagerly  by  the 
Mexicans.  See,  for  example,  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  240-1. 

Closely  allied  with  the  clerical  party  were  the  monarchists,  who,  though 
comparatively  few,  wielded  much  influence  on  account  of  their  wealth 
and  social  position.  They  had  good  reason  to  fear  the  United  States 
but  they  hated  Santa  Anna ;  and  it  was  suspected  that  they  wished  the 
people  to  realize  that  without  European  aid  they  were  helpless. 

Among  minor  matters  attended  to  by  Scott  at  Jalapa  were  the  establish- 
ment of  a  battery  commanding  the  city,  and  the  creation  of  the  military 
department  of  Jalapa  (Plan  del  Rfo  to  La  Hoya,  inclusive). 

8.  The  understanding  with  the  clericals,  etc.     (Beach)  56Report,  June 
4;    N.  Y.  Sun,  May  19,  22.     (Agent)    Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  255-6; 
68/d.    to    Worth,    May    10;     Baz,    Juarez,   47,    note;    Apuntes,    192; 
Sen.    52;    30,    1,   p.    125    (Scott).      Tributo  d  la  Verdad,  49,    54,    56 
and  doc.  no.  18  (proclam.  of  May  11).    S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  41-3.     Clai- 
borne,  Quitman,  i,  311.     Consideraciones,  3,  7,  22-3.     (Priests  tolerant; 
Kendall,  Narrative  (N.  Y.,  1844),  ii,  341-3;    Consideraciones,  32,  37; 
Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,   160-1,   175      (True)   ISBankhead,  no.  57,  May 
29;    Impug.  del  Manif.     London  Times,  July  15.     Apuntes,  193.    Sen. 
52;    30,   1,  p.   127  (Marcy).    Ramirez,  Mexico,  239,  256-7,    263,  272. 
M6xico  &  travel,  iv,  661.    236Judah,  diary,May  2,  6,  17,  26.     95Protest, 
Apr.  12.    Monitor  del  Pueblo,  Apr.  29.     95Sdnchez,  proclam.,    Apr.  29. 
95Orders,  May  8.     95Ayunt.,  proceedings.    Picayune,  June  30.     820tero, 
proclam.,  Apr.  26.     82Baranda  to  gov.,  Apr.  24  and  reply  (draft).     82 
Isunza,  proclam.,  May  13.     (Crowning)  Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  549.  (Proclam. 
of  May  11)  Wash.  Union,  June  12.     Courrier  des  Etats  Unis,  May  22. 
Mata,  Reflecciones.    Ho.  60;    30,  1,   pp.  967,   995  (Worth);  968  (pro- 
clam.)    Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,  190.    76Winette,  statement,  May 

2  76To  S.  Anna,   May   14.    76S.   Anna,   May   18.      76Hitchcock  to 
Worth,  May  12  (intercepted).    76Ftirlong,  May  17. 

9.  His  intellectual  plane  is  suggested  by  the  fact  that  after  the  battle 
he  promptly  sent  instructions  to  his  mistress  but  not  to  his  second  in  com- 
mand (TGCanalizo,  Apr.  24). 

10.  At  this  juncture  appeals  were  again  made  to  the  Roman  Catholics, 
particularly  the  Irish,  of  the  American   army,   and   apparently  2-300 
deserted  while  at  Jalapa  (Ballentine,  English  Soldier,  ii,  144).    One  appeal 
said,  "Are  Catholic  Irishmen  to  be  the  destroyers  of  Catholic  temples, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  67-69        359 

the  murderers  of  Catholic  priests,  and  the  founders  of  heretical  rites  in 
this  pious  country?"  A  large  amount  of  money  seems  to  have  been  col- 
lected by  Santa  Anna  at  this  time.  The  Mamfiesto  of  Vera  Cruz  State 
(Monitor  Repubhcano,  Dec.  19,  1847)  asserted  that  in  fifteen  days  he 
obtained  120,000  pesos,  though  he  said  (May  9)  he  had  received  less  than 
25,000  (Gamboa,  Impug ,  35). 

11.  Santa  Anna's  flank  position  was  even  more  favorable  than  Wash- 
ington's at  Morristown.     While  he  lingered  near  Vera  Cruz,  Scott  could 
not  feel  safe,  and  his  trains  were  in  imminent  danger.    Had  he  remained 
there,  Scott,  whose  small  numbers  would  not  have  permitted  him  to  send 
an  adequate  detachment  to  Orizaba,  might  have  felt  compelled  to  go  there 
with  his  whole  army,  and  much  embarrassment   might   have  resulted 
(Steele,  American  Campaigns,  i,  125-6.     W.  B.  Lane,  The  United  Service, 
June,  1896,  p.  485.     Stevens,  1.  I.  Stevens,  146). 

12.  Santa  Anna's  operations  till  he  reached  Puebla.    Only  the  principal 
documents   can    be  cited   here.     Tributo   a*    la   Verdad,   48-9,  54,   136. 
Picayune,    May    6.     Diano   Sept.    10      312Guerra  to  S.  Anna,  Apr.  8. 
Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  265-7,  570,  634.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  app., 
72-3,  76.     366M,  Address  to  Amer.  soldiers,  Apr.  — .     Id.,  Detail,  8. 
Defensa  de  .  .  .  Estrada      S.  Anna,  Manifesto,  Mar.  24,  1848.     12Loch 
to  admiralty,  Apr.  20,  1847.     Apuntes,  183-91.     Gamboa,  Impug.,  36. 
Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app.,  274.     ISBankhead,  no.  42,  1847.     Courrier 
Franqais,  May  5.     Ramirez,  Mexico,  261.     Mexico  a"  traves,  iv,  660-1.     88 
C6rdoba  ayunt.,  proceedings,  Apr.  26-9.     820fficial   docs.,  Apr.  20-30. 
8  Prefect  of  Matamoros,  Apr.  26.     (Indians)  82Prefect  Tlapa,  May  13. 
Republicans,  May  4.     TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no    517,  June  29      Nat. 
Intelligencer,  June  2.     Monitor  Repub  ,  May  4,  23.     (Tlacotalpam)  Sen. 
1 ;  30,  1,  p.  547.     Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  11,  190.    S.  Anna,  Comunic. 
Oficial.     Carrefio,  Jefes,  cclxx      Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  230.     76 
Carrera,  Apr.  27.     (Chiquihuite  )     TSAcuerd},   Mar.  29;    76Soto,  Apr. 
3 ;  76to  Soto,  Apr.  1.     76Canakzo,  Apr.  21,  24,  28.    76To  S.  Anna,  Apr.  21. 
76To  Canahzo,   Apr.  21.     76To   Bravo,    Apr.  21.     76Furlong,   May  9. 
76Gov.  to  comte    gen.    Oaxaca,  May  4.     76S.  Anna,  Apr.  27.     76/d.  to 
Rosa,  Feb.  5,  1848. 

13.  Santa  Anna's  operations  after  he  reached  Puebla  (except  the  Amozoc 
fight).     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv.  app  ,  250-2,  255,     Tributo  a*  la   Verdad, 
49-53,  56-7.     S    Anna,  Apelaci6n,  41-3.     Id.,  Detail,  8.     166Pommares 
to   Conner,   Aug.   29,    1846,   confid.     Donnavan,   Adventures,   99.     Dos 
Palabras.     London  Times,  July  9.     Apuntes,  192-3.     Gamboa,  Impug., 
33-5.     Ramirez,  Mc*xico,  260,  282.     M6xico  a"  trav6s,  iv,  661.     95Protest, 
Apr.  12.     Monitor  del  Pueblo,  Apr.  29.     82Comte.  gen.  to  gov.,  May  10. 
82 Letter  to  secy.,  May  11.     95Puebla  ayunt.,  proceedings,  May   10-15. 
82lsunza,  proclam.,  May  12.     199S.  Anna  to  Gim&iez,  May  15.     Diario, 
May  10.     Monitor  Repub.,  May  13,  23 ;  Dec.  12.     Baz,  Judrez,  47,  note. 
Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,   190.      312Bishop    Puebla   to   S.   Anna, 
Apr.  8.     76S   Anna,  Apr.  27,  29;   May  11,  15.     76To  S.  Anna,  Apr.  20, 
30.     76To   Bravo,   Apr.   21.     76To   Gaona,    Apr.   21.     76Carrera,   Apr. 
23.     76Fiirlong,  May  9.     76S.  Anna  to  Rea,  May  12. 

14.  The  American  advance  to  Puebla  (including  the  Amozoc  fight).    Ho. 
60;  30,  1,  pp.  944-8,  957  (Scott) ;  967,  991  (Worth).    GlScott  to  Wilson, 
Apr.   23.    218Henshaw   namtive.     Tributo  &  la   Verdad,   50.    Scott, 
Mems.,  ii,   430.    Grant,   Mems.,  i,   135.     Billentine,   Eng.  Soldier,  ii, 
159,   161,   175-6.    S.   Anna,  Apelaci6n,  41-2.    SOSWorth  to  Quitman, 


360         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  69-71 

May  10.  159Collins  papers,  May  20;  July  3-8.  Robertson,  Visit,  i, 
312.  Orbigny,  Voyage,  412.  Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  145,  156,  162, 
17D-4,  207-8.  Journal  Miht  Serv  Instil ,  xvii  (Van  Deusen)  Lo wen- 
stern,  Le  M6xique,  31  Smith,  To  Mexico,  153,  163,  165  (nothing  in  U 
S.  equal  to  Puebla),  166  Sen  65 ;  30, 1,  p  527.  Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade, 
191,  276  213Hatch  to  father,  June  3  688cott  to  Worth,  May  6.  Colec- 
ci6n  de  Itineraries.  Revue  de  Pans,  Dec  ,  1844.  Semmes,  Service,  225-6, 
230-7.  Apuntes,  193-6.  Sen  52;  30,  1,  p.  125  (Scott).  Garnboa, 
Impug.,  36  Mexico  a  trav6s,  iv,  662  236Judah,  diary  Moore,  Scott's 
Camp ,  84-96.  Rosa,  Impresiones,  passim  270Moore,  diary.  Steele, 
Amer.  Camps,  i,  107,  110  Diarw,  May  16  Ward,  Mexico,  li,  201. 
Stevens,  I  I.  Stevens,  i,  140,  142  364Worth  to  daughter,  Apr  30.  76 
Prefect  of  S  J.  de  los  Llanos,  May  11.  TGComte  miht  Huamantla, 
Apr  29  76To  Bravo,  Apr  26  76Furlong,  May  5  76Bravo,  Apr 
23.  76S  Anna,  May  13,  15.  76To  S  Anna,  May  14.  76S.  Anna  to 
Rea,  May  12  And  others 

Santa  Anna,  to  justify  his  course,  said  he  felt  compelled  to  leave  Pueblu 
on  account  of  the  unfavorable -local  conditions  and  the  approach  of  the 
Americans  (Detail,  8).  Worth  did  not  have  outposts  and  scouts  on  the 
alert,  as  he  should  have  had,  at  Amozoc,  and  knew  nothing  about  the  roads 
(Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  142).  Scott's  delay  showed  that  he  did  not  feel  strong 
enough  to  advance  to  the  capital  That  city  was  therefore  in  no  danger 
from  his  army.  If  Santa  Anna,  instead  of  going  there,  had  now  gathered 
all  the  Mexican  strength  between  Puebla  and  Vera  Cruz  and  prevented 
reinforcements  from  reaching  Scott,  the  latter  would  have  been  in  a  hard 
position 

15.  The  Puebla  ayuntamiento  archives  contain  the  agreement  signed 
at  Chachapa  by  Worth      Later  he  sought  to  modify  this  (68orders  31), 
calling  it  merely  a  memorandum  (68to  H.  L  Scott,  June  16),  and  on  May 
20  he  signed  a  new  95version    •  Naturally  the  Pueblans  held  to  the  formei 
(SSDoran  to  Scott,  June  17)      For  general  orders  20  see  p  455 

16.  Sernmes  represents  Worth's  regime  as  entirely  satisfactory  to  the 
civil  authorities  (Service,  275)      This  illustrates  the  fact  that  caution  is 
necessary  in  reading  what  he  says  when  Worth  is  concerned,  for  the  rec- 
ords of  the  ayuntamiento  give  a  different  impression      For  Worth's  charac- 
teristics see  chap    xn,  note  8.     The   Southern   Quarterly   Review,  April, 
1852,  406,  note,  said  Worth  "was  quite  superficial,  had  no  solid  or  pro- 
found attainments,  nor  was  he  gifted  with  grasp  of  mind  requisite  to  high 
combinations  and  extended  operations."     Robert  Anderson  remarked  once 
that  he  hoped  Worth  would  not,  "from  a  fit  of  passion,  alter  his  opinions" 
(Anderson  Artill  Officer,  32)      Hitchcock  in  N    Y   Courier  and  Enquirer 
(semi- weekly),   Mar    1,    1848 :    Worth  has  striking   manners  and  great 
felicity  in  conversation,  but  is  utterly  destitute  of  stability  and  judgment 

17.  Worth's  operations  at  Puebla.     GSWorth  court  of  inquiry,  proceed- 
ings, documents.     Weekly  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar  2,  1848.     Tributo 
a  la  Verdad,  12,  48,  51-2.     224H.  L  Scott  to  Worth,  June  20      6lScott 
to   Wilson,    Apr.   26.     Hitchcock,    Fifty   Years,   257.     (Alarms)    Grant, 
Mems.,  i,  136 ;  Delta,  July  8 ;  218Henshaw  narrative ;  307Roberts,  diary  ; 
Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  527-8.     303G en  orders  128.     Collins  papers      Robert- 
son, Visit,  i,  314     Ruxton,  Adventures  (1847),  30.     Bullock,  Six  Months 
(1825),  i,  83.     Le6n,  Hist.  Gen.,  477      Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  169,  174-5, 
226.      Journal  des  Debats,  July  6,    1847.      Semmes,   Service,  210,   254, 
264,  275.     Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii,  912      Apuntes,   193-5     Sen    52;    30,   1, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  71-72         361 

p  125  (Scott).  Gamboa,  Impug.,  33-4.  Ramirez,  M6xico,  261,  267-8, 
272  Mexico  a  traves,  iv,  662  236Judah,  diary.  Monitor  del  Pueblo, 
Apr  29.  95Ayunt  ,  orders,  May  8.  95Ayunt ,  proceedings  and  corresp 
with  Worth.  9§W  to  first  alcalde,  May  18.  82Bravo,  proclam.,  Apr. 
28.  82lsunza,  proclam.,  May  13.  270Moore,  diary.  Davis,  Autobiog , 
274.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app.,  61,  86-7.  Monitor  Repub.,  May  2, 
21 ;  June  5.  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  994  (Worth).  Niles  Jan.  15,  1848,  p.  311 
364Worth  to  Sprague,  July  29,  1847  76S.  Anna,  May  13,  16.  76Furlong, 
May  13.  76Worth,  May  12.  76Bravo,  Apr  30  76Worth  to  Furlong, 
May  17  76To  Furlong,  May  20 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  n,  115)  points  out  very  pertinently  that 
Worth  placed  his  troops  injudiciously  at  Puebla  Worth's  errors  bore  most 
unfortunate  fruit.  Scott,  before  knowing  or  suspecting  what  had  been 
conceded  to  Mexican  laws,  made  sharp  comments  on  the  attitude  of  the 
Puebla  authorities  Naturally  he  felt  seriously  troubled.  Worth  even 
allowed  them  to  try  citizens  who  had  killed  American  soldiers,  and  of 
course  the  culprits  were  acquitted  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p  527;  95ayunt. 
to  Worth,  May  22)  Scott  thought  seriously  of  evacuating  the  city  and 
recapturing  it  in  order  to  wipe  out  that  concession ;  but,  concluding  that 
such  a  course  would  be  rather  farcical,  he  simply  overrode  the  concession 
by  republishing  general  orders  20  (chap  xxxi,  note  22)  This  action  and 
the  comments  angered  Worth  Scott  angered  him  further  by  requesting 
him  to  withdraw  the  68circular  of  June  16,  which  was  impolitic,  implied 
that  Worth  held  an  independent  command,  and  if  entitled  to  credence 
(Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  227)  should  have  been  given  to  headquarters, 
so  that  all  the  troops  could  be  warned  (224H  L  Scott  to  Worth,  June  20) 
Worth  therefore  demanded  a  court  of  inquiry  (65gen  orders  196).  Quit- 
man,  Twiggs  and  P  F.  Smith  formed  the  court  and  sat  on  June  30  Their 
68conclusions  strongly  condemned  the  circular,  the  terms  granted  to 
Puebla  and  Worth's  complaints  against  Scott;  and  they  pronounced 
him  worthy  of  a  severe  rebuke,  as  certainly  he  was.  Scott  could  not 
avoid  approving  the  verdict  and  publishing  it  in  orders  (65no  196),  but 
these  orders  were  made  known  only  to  chiefs  of  the  general  staff  and  com- 
manders of  divisions  and  brigades.  From  this  time  Worth  was  no  doubt 
in  his  heart  a  mortal  enemy  of  Scott.  Unhappily,  more  will  be  heard  of 
this  matter.  As  for  criticising  Scott,  Worth  wrote  on  July  29  (364to  S.) 
that  Scott  might  have  entered  Mexico  city  by  May  20,  in  which  case  (it 
was  Worth's  "firm  belief")  "peace  would  have  immediately  resulted" 
—  a  very  superficial  judgment.  Worth  added:  "We  gain  victories  and 
halt  until  all  the  moral  advantages  are  lost  "  Hitchcock  well  said  that 
Worth  looked  only  at  his  ability  to  march  troops  to  a  certain  place,  while 
Scott  had  to  see  also  how  the  advance  could  be  supported  and  supplied 
(Sen  65;  30,  1,  p.  528).  (Other  references  for  this  note  68Scott  to 
Worth,  June  16.  GSWorth  to  Scott,  June  20  68/rf  ,  order  61,  June  20. 
Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  226-8  68Worth  to  H  L  Scott,  June  16.  68 
Scott  to  Worth,  May  6.  Naciorml  (Atlixco),  May  16.  Davis,  Autobiog, 
270-1,  274.) 

18.  At  Jalapa  he  left  Brev.  Col.  Childs  with  the  First  Artillery  (five 
companies),  the  Second  Pennsylvania  and  three  companies  of  the  First 
Pennsylvania ;  at  Perote  seven  companies  of  the  First  Pennsylvania 
with  some  artillerists;  arid  at  each  place  a  troop  of  dragoons  (Sen.  52; 
30,  1,  p.  125).  The  stock  of  ammunition  was  still  inadequate,  and  the 
paymaster  had  only  half  of  his  estimate  for  January-April  (ibid.,  124-5). 


362        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  72-74 

19.  Domfnguez,  leader  of  the  Spy  Company,  had  been  an  honest  weaver, 
it  was  said,  but  on  being  robbed  by  a  Mexican  officer,  took  to  the  road  and 
became  a  brigand  chief.     When  the  Americans  reached  Puebla  he  was 
living  there  quietly  with  his  family;    but,  knowing  the  insecurity  of  his 
position,  he  accepted  Hitchcock's  offer  to  become  a  scout.     His  band  con- 
sisted at  first  of  five  men  but  rose  to  about  100,  and  probably  might  have 
been  increased  to  2000  (Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  266).     He  and  men  of  his 
even  entered  the  capital  in  disguise.     While  he  was  at  the  head  of  the  com- 
pany, the  actual  captain  was  a  Virginian  named  Spooner,  who  had  been 
a  member  of  his  band ;  and  the  two  lieutenants  also  were  foreigners.     The 
men  seem  to  have  served  and  obeyed  orders  faithfully,  and  their  leader 
refused  very  advantageous  terms  offered  by  Santa  Anna.     (For  the  Spy 
Co.  see  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  259,  263-4,  330,  335-41,  344-5.     Brackett, 
Lane's  Brigade,  187      Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  266.     Henshaw  narrative, 
Aug.  8.     69Domfnguez  to  Polk  [Sept ,  1848]  ) 

20.  Hargous,  an  American  merchant  of  Vera  Cruz,  was  Scott's  financial 
agent  (Picayune,  June  30)      Without  him  one  hardly  sees  what  the  Amer- 
icans could  have  done.     An  intercepted  letter  from  the  wife  of  Brev.  Col. 
Childs,  abusing  Polk  roundly,  gave  considerable  comfort  to  the  enemy. 
Another  letter  imparted  much  information  about  military  matters.     One 
is  again  surprised  that  our  war  department  did  not  use  a  cipher. 

21.  Scott  instructed  the  commander  at  Vera  Cruz  what  to  do  in  case 
of  attack,  and  gave  the  commander  at  Jalapa  full  directions  with  refer- 
ence to  the  sick  and  wounded  (about  1000)  lying  there    (Ho.  60;   30,  1, 
p.  997).     There  were  also  about  1000  sick  at  Vera  Cruz  and  200  at  Perote 
(Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p   129).     The  people  at  home  did  not  understand  Scott's 
situation      Regiments  nominally  800-1000  strong  had  actually  less  than 
300  (185  —  to  Duncan,  July  20). 

Owing  to  the  state  of  public  sentiment  in  Mexico,  cutting  loose  from 
Vera  Cruz  was  much  less  hazardous  than  it  seemed.  Besides,  the  sinall- 
ness  of  the  American  army  made  the  problem  of  subsistence  and  forage 
comparatively  simple.  Marcy  was  candid  enough  to  admit  that  Scott 
understood  the  advantages  of  holding  Jalapa,  and  was  the  best  judge  as 
to  the  advisability  of  giving  it  up  (Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  pp.  1003-4).  The  Br  t  sh 
consul  at  Vera  Cruz  reported  it  as  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  merchants 
of  that  place  that  with  five  times  his  actual  force  Scott  could  not  have  kept 
the  line  to  the  interior  open  (13no.  19). 

22.  Scott  at  Puebla.    Ho.  60;    30,  1,  pp.  954,  957,  993,  997,  1012-3 
(Scott) ;   967  (Worth) ;   998,  1002-4  (Marcy) ;    1021-7  (Scott  and  Quit- 
man).     Sen.  52;   30,  1,  pp.  124,  129,  135  (Scott);   242  (Tnst).     Rivera, 
Jalapa,    iii,    912,    925.     Henshaw    narrative.     Haynes,    Scott's    Guide. 
Tributo  a  la  Verdad,  56.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  453-4,  460,  466.     Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,  256-9,  261,  266,  270,  341-4.     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  136.     Bal- 
lentine,    Eng.    Soldier,    ii,    135-6.     Davis,    Autobiog.,    169.     Picayune, 
May  19;  June  30;  Aug  20;  Nov.  14.    Delta,  June  12;  July  9.     Repub- 
licano,  June  6,  7,  14.     (Sickness)  223Hirschorn,  recoils.;    Delta,  July  9; 
Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  145,  154,  242;    29lPierce,  diary;    Scott,  June  4 
(Sen.  52;   30,  1,  p.  129);   Moore,  Scott's  Camp.,   119;   TSBermudaz  de 
Castro,  no.  517,  June  29;    SlSJudd  to  Sherman,  Feb.  26,  1848.     Polk, 
Diary,  Apr.  2,  10,  12 ;  July  9,  13,  15.     159Collins  papers,  May  22.     Le6n, 
Hist  Gen.,  477-8.     Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  153,  177-8,  189,  2C)3,  206, 
211-6,  228,  233-4,  242-6,  256,  265,  272,  274.    SSWorth  court  of  inquiry, 
docs.    SSScott  to  Worth,  May  6.    65Gen.  orders  206,  211,  238;  July  9 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  74-75         363 

12,  28.  (4000  available)  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  257.  Simples  Obser- 
vaciones  (written  by  Hitchcock).  COWilson  to  Marcy,  Aug.  1.  335 
Trist  to  wife,  Aug.  6.  Oswandel,  Notes,  223,  240.  Semmes,  Service, 
210,  239,  247,  263,  275-6,  278-81.  Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  524.  224L.  V.  to 
M.  O.,  Aug.  21  (intercepted  Mex.  letter).  185[Duncanj  to  Lewis,  July 
20.  307Roberts,  diary.  236Judah,  diary.  95Ayunt.  to  Bravo,  Apr. 
29.  95Amable  to  prefect,  Aug.  18.  270Moore,  diary.  327Sutherland 
to  father,  Aug.  — .  73Bermudez  de  Castro,  no.  517,  June  29.  Kennebec 
Journal,  May  21.  Repub.  Banner,  May  19.  Nat.  Intelligencer,  June  1. 
Monitor  Repub.,  May  2;  June  5,  8.  Sedgwick,  Corres.,  i,  101.  132 
Atocha  to  Buchanan,  Aug.  1.  Baz,  Juarez,  47,  note.  Negrete,  Inva- 
si6n,  ni,  app.,  87-9.  364Worth  to  S.,  July  29 ;  to  daughter,  Apr.  30.  Ohio 
Arch,  and  Hist  Qtrly  ,  Apr.-July,  1912,  p.  292.  6lScott  to  Wilson,  May  2. 
Steele,  Amer  Camps.,  i,  122.  And  from  76  the  following  and  others. 
R.  Rueda,  statement  [June  18].  Acuerdo,  July  13.  Soto,  July  3.  Sol- 
dier from  Puebla,  statement,  July  17.  Alvarez,  June  16 ;  July  28.  Isunza 
to  Canahzo,  July  20.  Bravo,  proclam ,  Apr.  28.  Furlong,  May  17. 
To  Flirlong,  May  20  "  Em  Deuttcher,"  circular  to  Germans  To  Alvarez, 
June  19.  Worth  to  first  alcalde,  May  17 ;  to  ayunt.,  May  18. 

Alvarez  stated  that  he  had  an  organized  party  at  Puebla  preparing  for 
an  insurrection,  and  meanwhile  was  systematically  promoting  desertion. 

The  alarm  caused  by  Santa  Anna's  advance  against  Taylor  led  to  the 
temporary  diversion  of  troops  (intended  for  Scott)  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
but  on  April  30  Marcy  sent  Scott  statements  showing  that  about  3500 
new  regulars  were  expected  to  land  at  Vera  Cruz  before  June  1  and  that 
some  5500  volunteers  also  had  been  ordered  to  him.  Unfortunately  the 
despatch  was  captured  by  the  enemy,  and  Scott  did  not  receive  another 
copy  of  it  until  June  6  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  922-5,  1012).  (Expected) 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  994.  The  official  counting  of  the  votes  was  deferred 
until  Jan.,  1848. 

23.  Richardson,   Messages,  iv,  508.     Benton  wanted  full  powers  to 
negotiate  (Polk,  Diary,  Mar.  8,  1847),  and  was  willing  to  take  the  position 
mainly  with  a  view  to  its  diplomatic  functions  (Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  pp. 
246-7). 

24.  The  new  regiments   (which  brought  the  regular  army  up  to  1356 
officers  and  29,534  men)  were  to  serve  during  the  war  and  then  be  dis- 
banded.   One  of  them  was  the  Third  Dragoons.    Another  consisted  of 
"  Voltigeurs,"  theoretically  an  equal  number  of  infantry,  and  of  mounted 
men  (the  former  to  be  taken  up  on  the  horses  of  the  latter,  when  celerity 
of  movement  should  be  desired)  with  a  battery  of  small  guns  that  could 
be  taken  apart  and  transported  on  mules  (Niles,  May  15,  1847,  p.  161) ; 
but  practically  the  Voltigeurs  were  foot-riflemen  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  924). 
The  regiments  destined  for  Scott  were  the  following :   (Brig.  Gen.  Pierce's 
brig.)  9  Inf.  from  N.  Eng.  under  Col.  Ransom,  12  Inf.  from  N.  andS.  Car., 
Mo.,  Ark.  and  Texas  under  Lieut.  Col.  Bonham  in  the  absence  of  Col. 
Wilson,  and  15  Inf.  from  Ohio,  Mich.,  Wis.  and  Iowa  under  Lt.  Col.  How- 
ard in  the  absence  of  Col.  Morgan;    (Brig.  Gen.  Cadwalader's  brig.) 
11  Inf.  from  Pa.,  Del.  and  Md.,  under  Col.  Ramsey,  14  Inf.  from  111., 
Tenn.  and  La.  under  Col.  Trousdale,  Voltigeurs  from  Pa.,  Md.,  Va., 
Ga.,  Ky.  and  Miss,  under  Col.  Andrews  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  924).    Each 
regiment  was  theoretically  to  consist  of  851  men  including  47  officers 
(ibid.),  but  the  two  brigades  going  to  Scott  were  not  expected  to  muster 
quite  3500.    Scott  was  authorized  to  change  the  organization  should  the 


364         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  75-76 

exigencies  of  the  campaign  require  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  922).  Each  private 
serving  a  year  or  more  was  to  receive  100  acres  of  government  land  or 
$100  in  treasury  scrip  as  a  bounty.  The  law  of  March  3  provided  also 
that  (in  view  of  the  deficiency  in  field  officers  caused  by  the  lack  of  a  retire- 
ment law)  an  additional  major  might  be  appointed  in  each  regiment, 
that  individuals  might  be  accepted  to  fill  vacancies  in  volunteer  corps, 
that  non-commissioned  officers  might  be  brevetted  to  the  lowest  commis- 
sioned rank,  that  distinguished  privates  might  be  given  certificates  of 
merit  and  $2.00  extra  per  month,  that  two  companies  might  be  added  to 
each  artillery  regiment,  that  one  more  company  in  each  artillery  regi- 
ment might  be  equipped  as  field  artillery,  that  unfilled  regular  or  volun- 
teer regiments  should  be  consolidated  and  the  supernumerary  officers 
discharged,  etc.  (These  laws  were  quite  elaborate  and  cannot  be  given 
in  full  here ;  see  U.  S.  Statutes  at  Large,  ix,  123,  184.)  After  receiving 
Scott's  report  on  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  Polk  ordered  five  companies 
of  the  Third  Dragoons  to  him. 

25.  Reinforcements  provided.  Upton,  Miht.  Policy,  206-7.  62Adj. 
gen.  to  Scott,  May  10.  65M,  gen  orders  57,  Dec.  22 ;  2,  Jan.  8 ;  8,  Mar 
4;  17,  Apr.  15.  Semmes,  Service,  314-5.  354 Welles  papers  Polk, 
Messages,  Dec  29  (Jan.  4,  1847),  1846;  Feb.  13,  1847  (Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  508,  513.  lOSPolk  to  Bancroft,  Jan.  30.  Wash.  Union, 
Jan.  4,  7,  11,  12,  14,  21,  etc.  Nat.  Intelligencer,  May  26  Cong.  Globe, 
Sen.  and  Ho.,  Dec.  28  to  Mar.  3  (One  needs  to  examine  the  proceedings 
and  speeches  considerably  in  detail).  (Voltigeurs)  Niles,  May  15,  p.  161. 
Amer.  Review,  Sept.,  1847,  p.  223.  Statutes  at  Large,  ix,  117,  123,  184 
Boston  Atlas,  Jan.  14.  316Bragg  to  Sherman,  Mar.  1,  1848.  GlRansom, 
Apr.  12;  May  9,  21;  June  26.  6lScott  to  Wilson,  Apr.  26  330H.  L 
Scott  to  Cadwalader,  Apr.  25.  61  Adj.  gen.  to  Scott,  Dec  17,  1846; 
Jan.  23;  Mar.  20;  May  6,  10,  22,  1847;  to  Cadwalader,  Apr.  28;  to 
qtr.  mr.  gen.,  Apr  21.  Ho.  42;  29,  2:  adj.  gen.,  Jan.  13  256Marcy  to 
Wetmore,  Jan.  6,  10;  July  16.  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  121  (Marcy).  Senex, 
Myth.  Ho.  48;  29,  2  (adj.  gen.).  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  45,  50.  62Marcy 
to  Brooke,  Mar.  22;  to  Pierce,  Mar.  22;  to  govs.  Ala.,  Miss.,  La.,  Mar. 
22.  SlAdj.  gen.  to  Cadwalader,  Mar.  26.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  866,  944, 
948,  1221  (Scott) ;  873,  905-6,  922,  953,  1241  (Marcy) ;  924,  926  (state- 
ments). 69Scott,  mems.  for  adj.  gen.,  Nov.  29,  1846.  Polk,  Diary. 

The  principal  references  for  the  attempt  to  give  Ben  ton  the  chief  com- 
mand are  the  following.  345Benton  to  Polk,  Mar.  6;  to  Van  Buren, 
Jan.  26.  Polk,  Diary,  Nov.  10,  11,  18;  Dec.  3,  9,  11,  12,  14,  15,  18-21, 
24,  25,  1846 ;  Jan.  2,  4,  16,  19,  22-3 ;  Feb.  4-Mar.  12 ;  Mar.  19-20, 
22;  Apr.  6,  14,  28;  May  10-4;  July  17,  1847.  21oSimms  to  Hammond, 
May  1.  354 Welles  papers.  345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Dec.  26,  1846; 
Mar.  13,  1847.  Jameson,  Calhoun  Corres.,  727.  Dix,  Speeches,  i,  166 
London  Times,  Feb.  18;  Mar.  17;  Apr.  17.  Meigs,  Benton,  364-7 
Benton,  View,  ii,  698.  Id.,  speech :  Niles,  June  5,  1847,  p.  223.  Scott, 
Mems.,  ii,  401.  Public  Ledger,  Jan.  8,  27;  Mar.  1.  Cong.  Globe,  29,  2, 
Senate,  Jan.  11,  14,  15  (Badger's  speech  the  most  important  one  made  on 
the  subject),  25  (Benton);  House,  passim.  Blaine,  Twenty  Years,  i, 
76.  Buchanan,  Works,  viii,  365,  367.  Mag.  of  Amer.  Hist.,  xiv,  575. 
Wash.  Union,  Mar.  11.  SlBenton  to  adj.  gen.,  Mar.  9. 

This  call  of  Apr.  19  included  (infantry)  a  regiment,  each,  from  Ills., 
Oh.,  Ind. ;  a  battalion  (5  cos.),  each,  from  N.  J.,  Mo.,  Ga.,  Ala.,  La.; 
three  cos.  from  the  Dist.  of  Columbia;  two  cos.,  each,  from  Pa.,  Md., 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  76-77        365 

Va. ;  and  one  co.  from  Fla. ;  also  (horse)  two  cos.  from  La.  and  one 
co.,  each,  from  Oh.,  Ills.,  Ga.,  Ala.,  Ark.  A  regt.  consisted  of  ten  cos. 
Each  co.  included  a  capt.,  a  first  lieut.,  two  second  lieuts.,  four  sergts., 
four  corps.,  two  musicians  and  eighty  privates.  A  co.  of  horse  had  also 
one  farrier  and  blacksmith  (62memo.,  Apr.  21).  Of  vols.  Scott  was  now 
to  have  two  brigades  :  I,  *one  N.  Y.  and  *two  Pa.  regts,  and  two  Pa.  cos. ; 
II,  *one  S.  Car.  and  *one  La.  regt.,  one  La.  and  one  Ga.  battal.,  two  cos. 
La.  horse  and  one  co.  Ga  horse  (asterisks  mean,  "already  in  Mexico"). 
There  were  certain  exceptions  as  to  the  dates  of  calls  which  it  seems  un- 
necessary to  specify. 

After  the  lieutenant  general  plan  failed,  Benton  was  nominated  as  a 
major  general,  and  was  promptly  confirmed  by  the  Senate,  and  a  bill  au- 
thorizing Polk  to  place  him  in  supreme  command  was  urged  upon  Congress 
(Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1219);  but  as  it  appeared  doubtful  whether  the  chief 
authority  could  be  conferred  upon  him,  Benton  declined  the  position 
abruptly  (345letters  dated  Mar  9)  This  episode  caused  no  material 
delay  in  war  legislation 

26.  One  unfortunate  result  of  giving  up  the  line  of  communication  was 
that  new  troops  had  to  wait  at  Vera  Cruz  until  assembled  in  sufficient 
force  to  defy  the  enemy,  and  some  of  them  fell  sick  in  consequence ,  but 
this  was  not  fairly  chargeable  to  the  evacuation  of  Jalapa,  for  the  irregu- 
lars did  their  worst  below  that  city  It  was  the  intention  of  the  govern- 
ment that  Quitinan  should  go  to  Taylor,  but  Scott  retained  him  because 
his  services  were  valued  and  he  could  not  be  sent  away  without  a  heavy 
detachment  (Sen  52;  30,  1,  p  137)  Having  only  two  full  regiments, 
though  a  major  general,  Quitman  naturally  felt  aggrieved  (Ho  60;  30, 
I,  p  1024)  To  illustrate  once  more  the  diileience  between  paper  figures 
and  real  ones,  the  Washington  Union  stated  on  July  20  that  more  than 
15,000  reinforcements  had  marched  from  Vera  Cruz.  The  text  shows 
how  many  did  go.  July  19  Marcy  wrote  that  1900  men  were  en  route 
to  Vera  Cruz  (Ho  60;  30,  1,  p  1003)  The  fact  was  that  on  August  2 
or  3  about  850  men  left  that  place  for  the  interior  under  Col  L.  D  Wilson 
of  the  Twelfth  Infantry  (60Wilson,  July  31) 

27  Reinforcements  arrive  (Other  references  will  be  given  when  the 
guerillas  are  studied'  chap  xxix  )  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1002,  1241  (Marcy) ; 
1012,  1221  (Scott)  Sen  1 ,  30,  1,  app  ,  4,  13,  16,  18,  20-25  (Melntosh 
fit  at  ).  Scott,  Mems.,  11,  453,  ete.  65/rf.,  gen.  orders  250,  1847.  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  265,  269  Davis,  Autobiog ,  174-5  69Marcy  to 
Pillow  and  Quitman,  Apr  14  Hart  man,  Journal,  15.  Picayune,  Aug. 
20  Delta,  Oct  1  Upton,  Milit  Policy,  213-4  Polk,  Diary,  May  10 
159CoHins  papers  29lPierce,  diary  SlCadwalader  to  Wilson,  June 
13.  62Adj  gen  to  Scott,  May  10,  22  287Parnsh,  diary  60H.  Wilson 
to  Marcy,  Aug  1  60L.  D  Wilson  to  Marcy,  July  31  Mansfield,  Mex. 
War,  224.  Sen  52  ;  30,  1,  p  136.  236Judah,  diary  Monitor  del  Pueblo, 
Apr.  29.  l78Davis,  diary  335Dimond  to  Tnst,  July  14.  Semmes,  Ser- 
vice, 314.  Wash.  Union,  July  20.  ISOPillow  to  wife,  June  14.  61 
H.  Wilson  to  adj.  gen.,  June  7,  14  6lPillow  to  adj  gen.  [June  19].  Hen- 
shaw  narrative.  Lawton,  Artill  Officer,  215,  238-41,  272-4.  6lJones 
to  Wilson,  Apr.  29  76Soto,  Julv  17,  21,  23,  25,  31;  Aug.  3,  11.  76 
Canalizo,  July  8.  76Alvarez,  July  5  76Hitchcock  to  Worth,  May  12. 
76Many  other  documents. 

28.  Under  general  orders  218,  July  16,  1847,  the  following  artillery 
companies  were  ordered  to  be  equipped  (i.e.,  were  recognized)  as  light 


366        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIV,  PAGES  77-78 

(Held)  artillery  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  March  3,  1847 :  First  Regi- 
ment, Co.  I,  Capt.  J.  B.  Magruder ;  Second,  Co.  M,  J.  F.  Roland ;  Third, 
Co.  E,  T.  W.  Sherman ;  Fourth,  Co.  G,  S.  H.  Drum.  Co.  M  was  not 
organized  in  time  to  serve  during  the  war ;  the  others  were  already  in  the 
service. 

29.  Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  460-5.    Grone,  Briefe,  84.     60Marcy  to  Quit- 
man,  Apr.  14.     Upton,  Milit.  Policy,  214.     159Colhns  papers,  June  18. 
236Judah,  diary,  Apr.  26.     Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  274.    Aldnch,  Marine 
Corps,  104.     Ho.  60;    30,  1,  p.  1002  (Marcy) ;    1012  (Scott).     62Adj 
gen.  to  Scott,  May  22.    Journ.  Miht.  Serv.  Instil ,  in,  415. 

The  general  staff  (as  given  by  Scott  in  his  Mems  ,  ii,  460-3)  included 
at  this  time :  Lt.  Col.  Hitchcock,  asst.  inspect,  gen. ;  Capt.  H.  L.  Scott 
(not  related  to  the  General)  actg.  adj.  gen.;  First  Lt.  T.  Williams,  Bvt. 
First  Lieut.  G.  W.  Lay  and  Second  Lieut.  Schuyler  Hamilton,  aides ;  Maj. 
J.  P.  Gaines  (one  of  the  Encarnacion  prisoners,  who  had  escaped)  vol. 
aide ;  Maj.  J.  L.  Smith,  Capt.  R.  E.  Lee,  and  Lieuts.  P.  G.  T.  Beauregard, 
1. 1.  Stevens,  Z.  B.  Tower,  G.  W.  Smith,  G.  B.  McClellan  and  J.  G.  Foster, 
engineer  officers;  Maj.  Wm.  Turnbull,  Capt.  J.  McClellan,  Second  Lieut. 
George  Thorn  and  Bvt.  Second  Lieut.  E.  L.  F  Hardcastle,  topog.  engs. ; 
Capt.  Benjamin  Huger,  First  Lieut.  P.  V.  Hagner  and  Second  Lieut.  C. 
P.  Stone,  ordnance  officers ;  Capt.  J.  R.  Irwin,  chief  quartermaster ;  Capt. 
J.  B.  Grayson,  chief  of  subsistence  dept. ;  Maj.  E.  Kirby,  chief  paymaster; 
Surgeon  Gen.,  Thomas  Lawson.  The  Marine  Corps,  which  had  no  regi- 
mental organization,  included,  Mar.  2,  1847,  1283  privates.  On  that  day 
Congress  raised  the  number  to  2293,'  and  added  twelve  "  commanding 
officers"  (Sen.  66;  30,  1).  In  May,  1847,  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  in 
order  to  help  strengthen  Scott,  offered  a  part  of  this  corps  (Sen.  1 ;  30, 

I,  p.  957).     Perry  did  not  think  it  wise  to  detach  all  of  the  men  whom 
the  department  proposed  to  contribute  (47July  4),  but  a  battalion  under 
Lieut.  Col.  Watson  and  Maj.  Twiggs  marched  to  Puebla  with  Pierce. 

30.  Picayune,  Aug.  20;    Nov.  14.     Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  244,  246, 
274-5.     Sen.  52;   30,  1,  p.  135  (Scott).     65Scott,  gen.   orders  246,  Aug 
5.     Collins  Papers.    Smith,  To  Mexico,   178.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
271. 

XXV.    ON  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

1.  This  chapter  is  amply  .supported.     About  1400  documents  were 
used  in  writing  it.     As,  however,  any  investigator  consulting  on  this 
subject  the  76archives  would  easily  find  the  pertinent  papers,  only  the 
most  important  ones  belonging  to  that  collection  will  be  cited. 

2.  A  fairs  at  Mexico  to  Apr.  20.    Sen.  19;  30,2  (M.L.  Smith).    34lBlack, 
memorial,  Dec.  20.     312Anaya  to  S.  Anna,  Apr.  9.      S12Baranda  to  S. 
Anna,  Apr.  9.    Monitor  Repub.,  Apr.  11.    Picayune,  May  12.    Semmes, 
Service,  328.    92Gov.  Federal  Dist.  to  Mex   ayunt.,  Apr.  10.    92Mex. 
ayunt.,  proclam.,  Apr.  27.    Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p.  1088.     Niles,  May  15,  p. 
168  (Gamboa).    Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  338.    N.  Y.  Sun,  May  19.     Apuntes, 
198-9.    Otero,  Comunicaci6n.    Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  483.     From 
76  the  following.     Memo.,  Apr.  10.    Salas,  Apr.  12.    Ords.  to  generals, 
Apr.  2.    Ords.  to  Liceaga,  Apr.  10      Relaciones  to  gov.  Fed.  Dist.,  Apr. 

II.  Almonte,  May  14.    To  comte.  gen.  Guanajuato,  Apr.  16.    To  J.  P. 
Galvez,  Apr.  9.    Measures  recommended,  Apr.  6,  14.    Relaciones,  Apr. 
12.    Berrospe  to  Monterede,  Jan.  20,  1846. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  79-82          367 

3.  This  specimen  may  be  quoted:   "The  cunning  dissimulator,  Ibarra 
[a  member  of  the  Cabinet],  venomous  as  a  serpent,  crawls  forth  obscurely 
from  his  lurking-place  to-day  in  order  that  he  may  set  his  malignant  teeth 
to-morrow  in  the  vitals  of  the  republic.  .  .  .    Off  with  the  heads  of  the 
vile  traitors  ! "    One  ingenious  writer  said :  If  Santa  Anna  will  not  sacrifice 
his  vanity   by  admitting   he  is  incompetent,  why  should  we   sacrifice 
our  lives  and  property?    Apiil  21  a  general  amnesty  for  political  offences 
was  declared  in  the  vain  hope  of  producing  harmony  (76to  Bustamante,  Apr. 
21). 

4.  This  important  law  provided  (Mexico  d  travel,  iv,  656) :   1,  The  gov- 
ernment is  authorized  to  take  all  steps  necessary  to  carry  on  the  war  and 
preserve  the  republican  system ;  2,  but  it  must  not  make  peace  with  the 
United  States,  cede  territory,  conclude  negotiations  [particularly  with 
reference  to  a  monarchical  r6gime]  with  foreign  powers ;  3,  make  coloni- 
zation contracts,  impose  punishments  or  confer  civil  or  military  appoint- 
ments except  those  placed  within  its  authority  by  the  Constitution;   4, 
any  arrangement  between  the  United  States  and  authorities  superseding 
the  present  government  shall  be  void ;  5,  any  person,  whatever  his  status, 
who  treats  with  the  United  States  is  hereby  declared  a  traitor ;  6,  should 
Congress  be  unable  to  meet,  its  place  shall  be  taken  by  a  council  of  govern- 
ment, consisting  of  the  senior  member  present  of  each  state  delegation. 

5.  Affairs  at  Mexico,  Apr.  20  to  May  18.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  44-5; 
app  ,  76     Id.,  Detail,  8      Dublan,  Legislaci6n,  v,  267  (Apr.  20).    Gime'nez, 
Mems.,  107-9.     M6x.  en  1847,  20.     Picayune,  May  6,  20.      Defensa  de 
.  .  .  Estrada.     312Basadre   to   S.  Anna,  Apr.   9,  very   private.     73Ber- 
mudez  de  Castro,   no.   517,   June  29.     Mamfiesto  del  Supr.   Tribunal. 
Molina,   El  Asalto.     Memoria  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Jan  ,   1849.     Boletin 
de  Noticias,  May  14.    Republicano,  May  10,  22.     Courrier  Frangais,  May 
5.     London  Times,  June  15;    July  9.     Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii, 
196-8.     Encarnacion  Prisoners,  67.     52Trist,  no.  7,  June  13.     92Dona- 
tions,    Mex.,    May    1-6.     92Bravo,    proclam.,    May    6.     Roa    Barcena, 
Recuerdos,  570      92Ayunt ,  call  for  volunteers,  May  20.     Consideraciones. 
Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p.  967  (Worth).     SOOlagufbel  to  Relac.,  Aug.  15.     Lara, 
Resumen,  66,  note.    Mexico  a  travels,  iv,  655-6,  661,  704.   Pneto,  Memonas, 
ii,  210-2.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  255.     Ramirez,  Mexico,  229,  233-4, 
239,  241,  246-7,  250-1,  256,  272-7,  284      SSMetropol.  dean,  May  8. 
Monitor  Repub.,  Apr.  22;    May  3,  8,  10-11.     S.  Anna,  manifiesto,  Mar. 
24,  1848.     Apuntes,  199,  200-1,  203-4.     SOGuerra  to  gov.,  Mar.  11 ;  Apr. 
22.     SOGov.  to  Bravo,  May  5.     Diarw,  Apr.  25,  28 ;  May  3,  4,  6,  12,  15. 
From  76  the  following.     Decrees,  Apr.  26;  May  1.    Junta  directiva,  May 
1,  3.     Acuerdo,  Apr.  20,  25.     Circular,  Apr.  30.     Garrison,  estado,  May 
13.     To  generals,  Apr.  25.     To  Brito,  May  25.     J.  J.  Min6n,  Apr.  24. 
Deserters,    May    15.     Circular,    May   4.     Basadre,    May    16,    res.    To 
Alvarez,  Apr,  26.      To  Monterde,   May  18.      To  S.  Anna,  Apr.  20-2. 
To  Bravo,  Apr.  24.    To  Bustamante,  Apr   21.     Almonte,  Apr.  28,  30; 
May  8,  12,  15,  18.     Monterde,  May  9.    Bravo,  May  11,  16.    RimxSn, 
May  17.     S.  Anna,  May  16. 

6.  Affairs  at  Mexico,  May  18  to  June  2.    Negrete,  Invasion,  iii,  app., 
61-72,  81-3;    iv,  app.,  261-8,  273-4.     Tribute  &  la  Verdad,  56,  74-6. 
Gim6nez,  Memorias,  109-11.    S.  Anna  to  Congress,  May  28  (Biblioteca 
Nac.).     Id.,  Apelaci6n,  app.,  83-8.     Id.,  Detail,  8.     Defensa  de  .  ,  . 
Estrada.    Sen.  52;    30,  1,  p.  177-8.    Portrait  of  Anaya :  city  hall,  Mex. 
Picayune,  July  15;  Aug.  7,  8.    Monitor  Repub.,  May  20;  June  3,  4,  14; 


368          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  82-87 

Dec.  12  (S.  Anna,  Nov.  19).  Republicano,  May  10;  June  5,  10,  15,  26. 
M6xioo  a  travel,  iv,  662,  664-7.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  229-30,  233,  284-6. 
ISBankhead,  nos.  59,  60,  May  29.  London  Times,  July  9,  16 ;  Aug.  6. 
TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no.  517,  June  29.  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos, 
290-3.  Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bemal,  n,  157,  196-204.  Encarnacion 
Prisoners,  67.  SOGuerra  to  gov.  Mex  ,  May  20.  Diano,  May  19,  21, 
23-4;  June  8  Boletin  de  la  Dcmocracia,  May  25  Hitchcock,  Fifty 
Years,  260  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  967  Apuntes,  201,  204.  Otcro,  Replica. 
Dublan,  Legislaci6n,  v,  264.  76Bravo,  May  15,  16,  24,  30  76S  Anna  to 
Rosa,  Feb.  5,  1848  76Valencia,  June  7,  1847.  76Mora,  June  5.  76To 
Brito,  May  25.  SOBravo,  proclam  ,  May  6  76S  Anna,  May  21 

The    statesmen    who    met    S    Anna  were  Manuel   Baranda,  Ignacio 
Trigucros  and  J.  F.  Ramirez. 

7.  A  signal  illustration  01  the  incompetence  of  the  Mexican  government, 
particularly  Congress,  was  afforded  by  its  treatment  of  Great  Bnta'in 
At  the  end  of  August,  1846,  Bankhead,  under  the  instructions  of  the  Foreign 
Office  (13to  Bankhead,  no.  20),  proposed  mediation  to  Mexico,  but  the  offer 
was  not  welcomed.  Santa  Anna  and  Rej6n  believed  that  it  proceeded 
wholly  from  self-interest,  and  that,  in  order  to  prevent  her  commerce  from 
suffering  longer  from  the  war  and  other  interests  from  becoming  im- 
perilled, England  was  ready  to  sacrifice  the  honor  and  welfare  of  their 
country  (73Bermudez  de  Castro,  nos.  332,  res  ,  343,  res  ,  Sept.  24,  27, 
1846) ;  and,  moreover,  the  Mexicans  still  felt  quite  able  to  cope  with  the 
United  States  (ISBankhead,  no.  130,  Sept.  7,  1846)  In  October,  under 
renewed  instructions  (13no  11),  Bankhead  again  submitted  the  proposal 
(ISnos.  162,  180),  and  later  he  returned  to  the  charge  (Apuntes,  202). 
The  subject  was  unwisely  referred  by  the  Mexican  Executive  to  Congress, 
but  nothing  was  done  (ibid).  After  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  however, 
the  administration  thought  negotiations  might  be  used  to  delay  the 
American  advance  (ibid  ,  Ramirez,  Mexico,  246)  and  the  Puros  hoped  the 
subject  might  be  made  embarrassing  to  the  government  (Ramirez,  Mexico, 
224)  Violent,  acrimonious  and  dangerous  debates  followed  in  Congress 
and,  in  order  to  embarrass  the  Executive  (ISBankhead,  no  45,  1847), 
enough  Puros  remained  away  (at  the  time  set  for  voting)  to  destroy  the 
quorum  (ibid  )  The  matter  was  then  dropped  (Ramirez,  M6xico,  246,  274) 
The  general  feeling  was  that  British  mediation  would  signify  British  control 
and  a  dishonorable,  disadvantageous  peace  (London  Times,  June  15 ; 
Monitor  Repub.,  May  18)  But,  even  if  this  view  contained  some  elements 
of  justice,  trifling  with  a  great  power  and  throwing  the  vital  interests  of 
Mexico  into  the  cockpit  of  party  politics  could  not  be  excused 

8  The  political  situation  after  June  2  S  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  app.,  pp  3,  6, 
8,  10,  etc  Id.,  Detail,  8  87Coalition  junta,  July  7 ;  Aug.  8 ;  etc.  Repub- 
lican*), June  4,  5,  9,  15,  16,  20,  22,  26.  312Baranda  to  S.  Anna,  Apr.  8 
M6xico  a  travel,  iv,  667,  704.  Iriiciativa  que  el  Hon.  Cong,  del  Estado  de 
Zacat.  Otero,  R6plica.  ISBankhead,  nos  60,  May  29 ;  64,  65,  70,  June 
29.  Id.,  no.  125,  Dec.  30,  1845  (Tornel  has  no  reputation  for  honesty). 
London  Times,  Aug  6  77Gov.  S.  Luis  Potosf,  June  19.  ISThornton  to 
Bankhead,  June  14  52Consul  Black,  no.  389,  Sept.  12,  1846  Encarna- 
cion  Prisoners,  68,  77-8,  86.  73Bermudez  de  Castro,  no.  517,  June  29 
77Letter  from  Coatepec,  June  26.  82Treas.  to  sec.  state  of  Puebla,  June 
14;  reply,  June  15.  82Guerra  to  gov.  Puebla,  Aug.  2;  reply,  Aug.  7. 
SOLegisl.  of  Me*x.  state,  Mar.  26;  June  12.  80/rf.,  address,  Apr.  26. 
SOCoalition,  address,  Aug  4.  Vcrdadero  Liberal,  Aug.  12.  SOCoal. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  87-91          369 

junta  to  gov.  Me*x  ,  June  17.  SOld.,  dictamen,  July  4.  SOOaxaca  state, 
exposici6n,  June  26.  83Gov.  Quere"taro  to  gov.  S.  Luis  Potosi,  Apr.  9. 
DiariOj  June  7,  8,  11,  24,  30;  July  3,  9,  18.  Monitor  Repub.,  May  3,  4, 
26-7;  June  3,  7,  11,  13,  14-16,  18,  19,  24,  30;  July  6,  7,  9;  Dec.  12  (S. 
Anna,  Nov.  19).  Niles,  Oct  30,  p.  141.  83Gov.  Quere"taro  to  Farias, 
Oct.  20,  1846 ;  to  Anaya,  May  4 ;  to  all  govs  ,  May  7.  82Gov.  Jalisco 
to  gov.  Puebla,  Apr.  13.  82Gov.  M6x.  to  gov  Puebla,  Apr.  12.  Ramirez, 
M6xico,  237,  244-6,  254,  263,  272,  288-90.  80Gov  Mex.  to  Bravo,  May  5. 
76To  Alvarez,  June  29  76Extracto  re  Guanajuato.  76J.  J.  de  Eche- 
verrfa,  June  6.  76Arellano,  July  9  76Olaguibel  to  Relac.,  Apr.  19. 
76Hacienda  to  Basadre,  Aug  9  76Reyes,  June  1,  22.  76Basadre, 
Aug.  9.  76Yanez,  June  15.  76Mora,  Apr.  28. 

In  February,  1847,  a  revolutionary  government  satisfactory  to  the 
people  was  set  up  in  Oaxaca  state,  and  this  supported  the  national  cause  to 
the  full  extent  of  its  ability.  A  factional  combination  made  up  in  Congress, 
however,  took  the  side  (May  8)  of  the  deposed  authorities.  This  action 
naturally  caused  great  dissatisfaction  in  Oaxaca  (76exposici6n  de  la  cong. 
de  Oaxaca,  June  26),  and  it  was  particularly  imprudent  because  Gen 
Antonio  de  Le6n  and  his  officers  were  partisans  of  the  revolutionary  party 
(Ramirez,  Mexico,  255) 

9  July  9  the  Mexican  Army  of  the  East  included,  according  to  a 
document  published  by  Santa  Anna,  17,548  officers  and  men  A.  L6pez 
(De"cimo  Calendano,  57)  placed  the  army,  including  the  National  Guards, 
at  30,000  on  Aug.  9  The  only  official  Mexican-  accounts  of  the  forces 
present  in  and  near  the  capital  early  in  August  was  made  up  during  the 
following  November,  and  are  far  from  complete ;  but  they  were  stated 
to  have  been  five  times  as  large  as  those  existing  in  November,  which  were 
8109  total,  6785  available  (75report  at  meeting  of  govs  ;  Mexico  &  trave*s, 
iv,  701).  The  unofficial  statements  cannot  be  harmonized  with  these 
accounts  nor  (except  when  drawn  from  the  same  source)  with  one  another 
It  does  not  help  us  to  know  what  corps  were  present  (see  Roa  Barcena), 
for  we  have  not  the  number  of  men  in  each  of  them  The  com- 
manders of  brigades  in  the  Army  of  the  East  were  Generals  Terr6s, 
Martinez,  Rangel,  Pe>ez,  Le6n  and  Anaya  and  Col  Zerecero.  The  three 
sections  of  Valencia's  army  were  commanded  respectively  by  Mejia, 
Parrodi  and  Salas.  A  portion  of  Alvarez's  force  consisted  of  semi-savage 
"  pintos "  —  men  from  the  hot  region,  who  were  marked  with  spots 
(HM&noire).  They  lay  flat  when  charged  upon,  and  hewed  the  enemy 
down  with  heavy  knives  (machetes),  and  they  were  expected  to  fill  the 
Americans  with  terror. 

10.  The  hill  (El  Pen6n  Viejo)  was  about  1000  yards  in  length  at  the 
base,  and  the  higher  of  its  two  summits  reached  an  elevation  of  about 
400-450  feet  (66reports  of  Lee,  Stevens  and  Mason,  Aug.  12,  26)      The 
work  of  fortifying  it  was  skilfully  as  well  as  thoroughly  done.     Engineer 
I.  I.  Stevens  made  out  nearly  forty  guns.     Topog.  Engineer  M.  L.  Smith 
thought  there  were  about  sixty  (Sen.  19;   30,  2,  p.  4).     A  large  stock  of 
rations  was  placed  here  (76acuerdo,  Aug  5). 

11.  Santa  Anna's  preparations  (see  note  1).     66Stevens  to  J.  L.  Smith, 
Aug.  12,  26.     66R.  E.  Lee,  J.  L.  Mason  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Aug.  12.     S.  Anna, 
Apelaci6n,   44-7.     Id.,   Detail,  8-11.     SOPatterson  to  Marcy,  Oct.    26. 
Picayune,    June   30;     Aug.    8.     Donnavan,    Adventures,    29.     Pacheco, 
Exposici6n.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  91-4,  123-5.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii, 
466.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  274.     234lntercepted  Letters  (ed.  by  H\tch- 

VOL.  n  —  2s 


370          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  91-92 

cock).  (Embezzlement;  Consideraciones,  25;  Apuntes,  207.  Sen.  19; 
30,  2  (M  L.  Smith,  ELF.  Hardcastle).  Apuntes,  205-10,  223-8. 
Molina,  El  Asalto.  Raleigh  Star,  Sept.  I.  ISThornton,  June  29. 
178Davis,  diary.  Portrait  of  Loinbardmi :  city  hall,  Mexico.  350 Weber, 
recoils  N  Orl  Delia,  July  18  Verdadero  Liberal,  May  20  (San  Patricio 
cos.)  DubMn,  Legislaci6n,  v,  290;  Diano,  July  15  M6xico  A  travels,  iv, 
668-71  70"Guerra,"  no  1120.  London  Times,  May  10;  Sept.  6. 
Semmes,  Service,  348-9  Dublan,  Legislation,  v,  280,  284,  289,  294 
73Bermudez  de  Castro,  nos.  517,  June  29;  534,  res.,  July  28  TSLozano, 
No.  2,  Aug  24  Gamboa,  Impug ,  51  Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  11, 
205-6  335Thornton  to  N  P  Tnst,  July  29.  Encarnacion  Prisoners, 
69.  BOWilson  to  Marcy,*Aug  1  N.  Y  Sun,  Aug  23.  Diano,  May  24; 
June  5-10,  14-6,  18,  20,  etc  Monitor  Repub  ,  May  31  (Eleventh  Inf.) ; 
June  13-5,  18,  etc  ;  Dec  12  (S  Anna,  Nov.  19).  Niles,  June  19,  p  251. 
ISBankhead,  no.  74,  1846  (Honduras)  60Patterson  to  Marcy,  Oct. 

26,  1847      (Powder  from  N   Orl )     166Consul  McFaul  to ,  Nov   12, 

1846.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  268  The  following  from  76  are  cited  for  p  irticu- 
lar  reasons.  Valencia,  proclam.,  May  14.  Estado  of  garrison,  M  ly  13 
Aytmt ,  Mexico,  June  3.  Recommended  measures,  Apr  6,  14  Circulars, 
June  12;  July  24.  S.  Anna  to  Alcorta,  June  12;  Aug  3.  Valencia, 
July  19.  Statement,  lines  of  defence,  June  29  J.  Terr6s,  report  on 
ca^  airy  [Nov  ]  J.  de  D.  Peza,  report  on  infantry,  Nov.  29  Acuerdos, 
May  21,  23-4;  June  5,  6,  8,  19,  25;  July  17,  18,  19,  28,  30;  Aug  2,  3,  5, 
6.  To  Alvarez,  June  3,  30,  etc  To  Mora,  June  26;  July  2,  20,  23,  etc. 
To  Lombardini,  June  26;  July  2,  5,  7,  11,  22,  31,  etc.  Alvarez.  May  29; 
June  9,  16;  July  5,  etc  Mora,  July  9,  19,  20,  22,  etc.  Lombardini, 
July  6,  7,  10,  12,  14,  15,  etc  Olaguibel,  Aug.  20.  Decrees,  June  5,  8; 
July  10,  12;  Aug  8,  etc 

Among  other  preparations  were  the  following,  information  about  the 
defence  not  to  be  published,  and  no  communication  to  be  had  with  points 
occupied  by  the  Americans ;  the  troops  to  be  trained  in  firing  (June  6) ; 
the  state  of  siege  to  be  rigorous  (June  28) ;  as  much  wheat  as  possible  to  be 
ground  and  stored  in  the  city,  and  the  rest  to  be  removed  from  the  Valley , 
all  Americans,  even  if  naturalized,  to  leave  the  city  (July  12) ;  the  American 
prisoners  (c .g  ,  from  La  Encarnaci6n)  to  go  to  Toluca ;  prices  of  provisions 
fixed ;  no  persons  to  be  tried  for  acts  not  injurious  to  a  third  party  Nat- 
urally there  was  much  evasion  of  these  edicts  A  Council  of  Defence 
composed  of  the  heads  of  the  executive  departments  most  concerned  in 
the  work  began  to  meet  on  July  2  (76acuerdo,  June  29 ;  Lomb  rdini, 
July  6).  After  the  near  approach  of  the  enemy  the  shops  (excepting  those 
selling  provisions  and  those  of  the  Plaza  del  Mercado)  were  to  close, 
civilian  horses  and  carriages  to  keep  off  the  streets,  and  no  civilian  to 
leave  the  city  [without  a  pass)  except  those  who  had  brought  in  coal 
and  provisions  [but  on  August  13  permission  was  given  old  men,  women 
and  children  to  go  out]  By  August  24  nearly  all  civilians  [of  any 
importance]  left  the  city  (73Lozano,  no.  2).  After  the  Americans  came 
within  easy  reach  the  usual  efforts  to  cause  desertion  among  them  were 
made  by  the  Mexican  government.  The  Paixhan  guns  cast  by  the 
Mexicans  were  believed  by  them  to  equal  the  American  ordnance 
(Apuntes,  207) 

12.  Diarw,  Aug.  10-13.  77Relaciones,  circular,  Aug  9.  73Lozano, 
no.  2,  Aug.  24.  Apuntes,  206-8,  210-20.  Mdxiro  a"  trav6a,  iv,  671-2. 
Ramirez,  Mexico,  296.  76To  Basadre,  Aug.  10  76To  Alvarez,  Aug.  12. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,-  PAGES  92-95          371 

TSRelaciones  to  gov.  Zacat.,  Aug.  11.     76Olaguibel,  Aug.  11.     76Decree, 
Aug.  8. 

13.  April  30  Marcy  had  promised  that  by  the  end  of  June,  Scott  should 
have  about  20,000  men  (Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p.  922).     Scott  felt  he  needed  that 
number  in  addition  to  the  garrison  of  Puebla  (Sedgwick,  Corres.,  i,  141). 
He  has  been  criticised  for  having  his  small  army  march  in  four  divisions 
a  day  apart      Twiggs  and  Quitman  together  had  only  about  4000  men 
and  it  has  been  represented  that,  even  had  they  and  the  cavalry  com- 
bined,  Santa  Anna  could  have  crushed  them   before  Worth  could  have 
reached  the  scene  (Semmes,  Service,  326) ;  but,  as  a  day's  march  was  only 
12-15  miles  (Hardc-astle  in  Sen.  19 ;  30,  2,  p.  10),  Worth  was  but  five  hours 
(in  case  of  emergency  much  less)  behind  Quitnlan,  and  an  attack  strong 
enough  to  crush  Harney,  Twiggs  and  Quitman,  provided  as  they  were 
with  heavy  ordnance,  could  not  have  taken  place  in  a  moment  nor  with- 
out warning,    Scott  expected  to  be  attacked  on  the  march  (Scott,  Mems., 
ii,  466)      He  might  have  avoided  the  high  mountains  by  taking  the  route 
via  Tlaxcala  and  Apam ;   but  this  route  was  long  and  unsuitable  for  his 
trains      There  were  nearly  1000  wagons  (335Tnst  to  Buchanan,  Aug.  22). 

14.  These  works  were  abandoned  because  not  in  keeping  with  Santa 
Anna's  plan.     Very  likely  the  fact  that  it  would  not  have  been  easy  to 
subsist  a  large  force  here  counted  also.     Many  of  the  Americans  believed 
Santa  Anna  had  built  the  works  in  the  expectation  of  using  them  to  cut 
Scott  off  after  defeating  him  in  the  Valley,  and  set  their  teeth  the  harder. 
All  felt  that  they  must  conquer  or  die. 

15  Scott's  march  to  Ayotla  Scott,  Mems ,  n,  465-7.  Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,  266,  271  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  164-5.  Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier, 
ii,  190-3  Davis,  Autobiog ,  192.  Missouri  Republican,  Nov.  3,  1857 
(Hitchcock).  217Henshaw  papers.  218Henshaw  narrative.  Haynes, 
Gen.  Scott's  Guide  ISSDrum,  recoils.  376Nicholson,  recoils.  Donna- 
van,  Adventures,  98  159Collins  papers  (Route)  Lyon,  Journal,  ii, 
106 ;  Thompson,  Recoils  ,  33 ;  Velasco,  Geograffa,  i,  25 ;  Cardona,  M6x. 
y  sus  Capitales,  129;  Robertson,  Visit,  i,  321;  Ruxton,  Adventures 
(1847),  33-4;  Tudor,  Tour,  ii,  211;  LeClercq,  Voyage,  178-9;  Mason, 
Pictures,  iit  6 ;  Bullock,  Across  Mex ,  67-8.  Lawton,  Artillery  Officer, 
274,  281-7.  65Gen  orders  246,  Aug  5.  29lPierce  papers.  Sen.  11; 
31,  1  (map)  Sen  19;  30,  2  (M  L  Smith,  E  L.  F.  Hardcastle).  G.  W. 
Smith,  Co  A  Carleton,  Address.  178Davis,  diary.  Sen.  52;  30,  1, 
pp  124  (Scott) ;  186-8.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  303  (Scott),  app.,  37.  Kenly, 
Md  Vol.,  344.  Rosa,  Impresiones  Nebel  and  Kendall,  27.  Brackett, 
Lane's  Brigade,  280-1.  Colecci6n  de  Itineraries  Oswandel,  Notes, 
242,  245.  Semmes,  Service,  235,  286-9,  325-8,  452-3.  73Bermudez  de 
Castro,  nos.  534,  res.,  July  28;  550,  Aug.  21.  73Lozano,  no.  2,  Aug.  24. 
335Trist,  statement,  July  25,  1849.  236Judah,  diary.  Diario,  July  2. 
Sedgwick,  Corres ,  i,  108,  141.  Smith,  To  Mexico,  188-93.  Wilson, 
Mexico,  168  Niles,  Oct.  30,  p.  138.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  app.,  37.  Ho.  60; 
30,  1,  p.  1032  (Scott)  132Atocha  to  Buchanan,  Aug.  1.  Ripley,  War 
with  Mexico,  ii,  187.  Mi<  hipan  Pioneer  Soc.  Colls,  vii  (Toll).  So. 
Qtrly.  Rev.,  Apr  ,  1852,  pp.  406-7.  316Judd  to  Sherman,  Feb.  26,  1848. 
Ramirez,  M6xico,  239.  Monitor  Repub.,  Oct.  1  (Gamboa).  Manifesto 
que  dirige  .  .  .  Alvarez 

16.  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  44;  app.,  146-50,  157-61.  Sen.  52;  30,  1, 
pp.  186-7.  TSBermtidez  de  Castro,  no.  534,  res.,  July  28.  Monitor  Repub., 
Dec.  12  (S  Anna,  Nov  19).  And  from  76  the  following.  To  Canalize, 


372          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  95-96 

June  30.  To  Alvarez,  June  29,  30;  July  13,  28;  Aug.  6,  9,  12,  14,  21. 
To  Valencia,  Aug.  9,  11,  13,  14,  15.  Canalizo,  June  23;  July  19;  Aug.  9, 
10, 11.  Alvarez,  July  5,  8 ;  Aug.  6,  8,  8,  9,  9, 10,  10, 11,  12,  12,  25.  Valen- 
cia, Aug.  7,  9,  10,  11,  12,  14.  Expediente  against  Valencia.  Acuerdo,  Aug. 
13. 

17.  The  choice  of  approaches.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  272-4.  Grant, 
Mems.,  164-5.  Mo.  Republican,  Nov.  3,  1857  (Hitchcock).  Weekly 
Courier  and  N.  Y,  Enquirer,  Mar.  2, 1848  (letter  from  Hitchcock) .  217Hen- 
shaw  to  wife,  Aug.  21.  Haynes,  Gen.  Scott's  Guide.  61  Hamilton  to 
Scott,  Oct.  17,  1850.  66R.  E.  Lee,  I.  I.  Stevens,  J.  L.  Mason  to  J.  L. 
Smith,  Aug.  12,  26.  Chase,  Polk  Admin.,  225.  Claiborne,  Quitman,  i, 
333-7.  SSlHill,  diary.  159Collins  papers.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer, 
289.  Sen.  11;  31,  1  (M  L.  Smith).  Sen.  19;  30,  2  (M.  L.  Smith,  E. 
L.  F.  Hardcastle).  178Davis,  diary.  136Butterfield,  recoils  S  Anna, 
Detail,  11.  52Trist  nos.  11,  12,  Aug.  14,  22.  185Letters  from  Worth, 
Duncan  and  others.  335H.  L.  Scott  to  Worth,  Aug  13.  Picayune,  Oct 
8.  Nebel  and  Kendall,  27  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  303,  app.,  27  Apuntes, 
208,  225.  Semmes,  Service,  348-52,  355-8.  Ramirez,  M6xico,  293  Sen. 
65;  30,  1,  pp.  461-2  (Lee);  522-7  (Hitchcock).  68Charges  against 
Duncan  (Scott).  236Judah,  diary.  Wash.  Union,  Nov.  3.  Nat.  In- 
telligencer, Nov.  12.  Diario,  Aug.  18.  377Capt.  Willing  (paper  published 
by  Engineer  School,  Washington)  Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens,  i,  148-9,  190 
So.  Qtrly.  Rev  ,  Apr.,  1852,  p  412  76Order  to  Lombardmi,  June  19  76To 
Mora,  July  2.  76Acuerdos,  Aug.  5,  8.  76Mora,  Aug  2.  76Gugerson  to 
Alvarez,  Aug  10  76(Spies)  Alvarez,  Aug  12;  Valencia,  Aug  13,  14 , 
Becerril,  Aug  13;  spy,  Aug.  12;  etc.  76Bravo,  Aug  13.  76To  Bravo, 
Aug.  13. 

The  Mexicaltzingo  plan  was  said  to  be,  that  while  the  rest  of  the  troops 
should  force  their  way  between  Lakes  Chalco  and  Xochimilco  by  a  broken 
causeway  commanded  by  five  batteries  on  a  hill,  Worth  should  pass 
round  or  across  the  latter  lake  and  cooperate  with  them  wherever  he  could 
do  so  to  the  best  advantage  (Davis,  Autobiog.,  193 ;  etc.).  Under  orders 
from  Scott  (Hitchcock  in  Mo  Republican,  Nov  3,  1857;  377paper, 
335H.  L.  Scott  to  Worth,  Aug.  13 ;  68charges  against  Duncan)  to  examine 
the  Chalco  route,  Worth  (at  Duncan's  suggestion)  had  Duncan,  supported 
by  strong  detachments,  reconnoitre  that  route  on  August  14  under  the 
pretence  of  obtaining  provisions.  Duncan,  who  reported  (305 Aug.  14) 
favorably,  was  sent  to  Scott  late  that  day  to  give  an  account  of  the  re- 
connaissance and  deliver  a  305letter  from  Worth,  which  argued  against 
dividing  the  army.  Not  receiving  credit  in  Scott's  report  Duncan  pub- 
lished (Picayune,  Oct.  8;  Dec.  18)  a  letter  claiming  in  effect  to  have 
caused  the  change  of  plan  (chap  xxix,  p.  187).  But  the  letter  proved  that 
he  knew  less  about  the  matter  than  he  supposed  (68charges) ;  it  did  not 
prove  that  the  change  of  orders  resulted  from  his  report ;  and  there  is  no 
proof  that  Scott  intended  to  divide  the  army — though  he  collected  boats 
enough  for  about  2000  men  with  a  view  to  crossing  or  to  making  the  Mexi- 
cans believe  (Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  335)  he  intended  to  cross  the  lake 
and  it  was  thought  that  as  many  more  could  be  obtained — or  definitely 
decided  to  attack  Mexicaltzingo.  On  the  other  hand  Scott  stated  (68 

charges)  that  he  was  himself  investigating  (305Mackall  to ,  May  10, 

1848)  the  Chalco  route  while  Duncan  was  doing  so,  and  that  a  spy  sent 
from  headquarters  reported  favorably  upon  it  (68charges) ;  and  he  denied 
squarely  that  he  gave  up  the  Mexicaltzingo  for  the  Chalco  route  in  conse- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGES  96-98          373 

quence  of  Duncan's  report  (68charges).  Extreme  secrecy  and  all  possible 
mystification  of  the  enemy  were  necessary,  and  on  account  of  Worth's 
unfriendliness  Scott  had  special  reasons  for  not  opening  his  mind  fully  to 
him.  Other  generals  have  purposely  kept  their  subordinates  in  the  dark 
(see  Henderson,  Jackson,  i,  421,  441 ;  Id.,  Science  of  War,  42).  Instead  of 
proving  that  Worth  was  the  better  general,  Worth  and  Duncan  proved 
the  opposite,  for  they  showed  that  Worth  committed  himself  to  the  Chalco 
route  on  very  incomplete  data,  whereas  Scott  studied  three  routes  and 
reserved  his  decision  until,  as  far  as  was  possible,  he  had  full  information 
before  him.  As  usual,  when  Worth's  relations  with  Scott  were  concerned, 
we  find  Semmes  inaccurate  and  biassed  here  Ripley  uses  the  incident 
against  Scott  at  great  length  and  very  unfairly  Facts  regarding  the 
Mexicaltzingo  route  are  brought  forward,  though  not  known  to  the  Amer- 
icans at  the  time  (Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  194).  We  are  told  (p.  191) 
that  Scott  ordered  Duncan  to  study  the  Chalco  route  after  Duncan  had 
proposed  to  do  so,  as  if  Scott  had  not  previously  ordered  Worth,  Duncan's 
commander,  to  investigate  the  route  It  is  alleged  that  the  case  did  not 
warrant  "a  departure  from  the  rules  of  the  [military]  art  to  so  great  a 
degree"  [as  was  proposed  by  the  Mexicaltzingo  plan];  yet  Ripley  shows 
that  the  Texcoco  route  was  impracticable  (pp.  179,  186),  that  El  Pefi6n 
was  virtually  " impregnable"  (p.  188),  and  that  the  Chalco  route  was  con- 
sidered out  of  the  question  (p.  190).  This  was  a  situation  clearly  war- 
ranting extraordinary  measures.  On  p.  202  Ripley  seems  to  argue  that 
the  orders  to  attack  Mexicaltzingo  cannot  have  been  given  to  conceal  the 
movement  that  Scott  actually  made,  since  any  movement  against  that 
point  would  have  caused  Santa  Anna  to  place  troops  in  that  vicinity, 
detect  promptly  Scott's  real  intention,  and  defend  the  southern  line,  and 
so  the  ruse  would  have  defeated  itself.  But  (1)  the  question  concerns 
orders,  not  —  as  Ripley  assumes  —  an  actual  movement  toward  Mexi- 
caltzingo ;  (2)  Santa  Anna  had  troops  in  the  vicinity  of  Mexicaltzingo,  but 
the  results  anticipated  by  Ripley  did  not  follow ;  (3)  indeed,  though  Ripley 
was  not  aware  of  the  fact,  Santa  Anna  concluded  Aug.  14  (76to  Valencia) 
that  Scott  was  going  to  S.  Agustin,  and  merely  had  the  reserves  at  S. 
Antonio  ganta  go  with  five  4-pounders  to  S  Antonio  hacienda  (76to 
Valencia,  Aug.  14),  for  he  was  relying  on  his  fortified  points ;  and  (4)  since 
the  same  troops  could  not  defend  at  the  same  time  the  works  near  Mexi- 
caltzingo and  also  the  road  to  S.  Agustin,  orders  involving  a  threat  against 
the  former  would  have  tended,  without  costing  Scott  anytlu'ng,  to  keep 
the  latter  clear 

The  vulnerable  point  of  El  Pefi6n  Vie  jo  was  that  owing  to  its  steep- 
ness the  cannon  could  have  little  action  on  the  slopes  (66Stevens  to  Smith, 
Aug  26),  A  particular  disadvantage  in  attacking  Mexicaltzingo  would 
have  been  that  (Santa  Anna  said)  such  a  movement  could  have  been 
detected  m  good  season,  and  reinforcements  could  have  been  placed  there 
promptly  (76to  Bravo,  Aug.  13).  As  the  American  generals  needed  in- 
formation that  could  only  be  obtained  from  Mexicans,  they  were  pecul- 
iarly exposed  to  the  artifices  of  spies,  and  some  of  these  gained  a  confiden- 
tial footing  with  Worth  and  even  with  Scott. 

18.  To  S.  Agustin.  218Henshaw  narrative.  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  47, 
50;  app.,  146-51.  Id.,  Detail,  12.  Ballentine,  Eng.  Soldier,  ii,  195. 
Davis,  Autobiog.,  192-5.  217Henshaw  to  wife,  Aug.  21.  22lHill,  diary. 
159Collins  papers.  Latrobe,  Rambler,  121.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer, 
290,  293  Sen.  34;  34,  3,'p.  37.  Sen.  11;  31,  1  (map).  Sen.  19;  30,  2 


374  NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXV,  PAGE  98 

(M.  L.  Smith,  E.  L.  F.  Hardcastle).  G.  W.  Smith,  Co.  A.  204Gouverneur, 
diary.  178Davis,  diary.  Gamboa,  Impug.,  38-9.  Mexico  a  travel,  iv, 
672.  Apuntes,  220,  229.  Arr6mz,  Manual,  i,  243  Semmes,  Service, 
352-5,  370-5.  Nebel  and  Kendall,  28.  12Caryton  to  Lambert,  Sept.  1 
Steele,  Campaigns,  i,  123.  236Judah,  diary.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
275.  Moore,  Scott's  Camp  ,  129.  Wash.  Union,  Nov.  3.  Stevens,  I.  1 
Stevens,  108.  Niles,  Oct.  30,  p.  139  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  303  (Scott); 
app.,  28  (Twiggs) ;  37  (Sumner) ;  39  (McKinstry)  76To  Alvarez,  Aug. 
11,  21.  76To  Valencia,  Aug  14,  15  76To  Lornbardmi,  Aug  14.  76 
Acuerdos,  Aug  15,  16.  76To  Herrera,  Aug.  15.  76Becernl,  Aug.  15, 
76Valencia,  Aug.  14,  15.  76Alvarez,  Aug.  16,  17,  19,  22,  25  76To 
Alvarez,  Aug  14,  15  Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  11,  647  (Lee  to  Mason) 

Santa  Anna's  policy  seems  to  have  been  wise.  Any  detachments  that 
he  could  have  thrown  hastily  in  front  of  Worth  must  have  consisted  of 
inferior  troops,  and  would  no  doubt  have  been  routed.  The  last  portion 
of  the  Chalco  route  was  over  ground  which,  though  in  part  hilly,  was  firm 
(T.  F.  Davis,  diary)  The  brush  with  Twiggs  was  greatly  exaggerated 
by  the  Americans,  some  of  whom  estimated  the  enemy  as  12,000  strong, 
and  felt  that  a  victory  was  gained,  whereas  Alvarez  had  no  intention 
of  fighting,  and  did  not  come  within  musket  range  It  has  been  said 
(Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  n,  289)  that  Scott  should  have  had  the  cavalry, 
Worth  and  Pillow  advance  without  heavy  baggage,  and  reach  S  Agustfn 
in  twelve  hours  But  (1)  there  was  a  distinct  advantage  in  keeping  Worth's 
division  intact,  (2)  Scott's  van  was  less  likely  to  be  attacked  than  his  rear, 
(3)  Scott  probably  understood  that  Santa  Anna  intended  to  rely  on  his 
fortified  positions,  for  he  was  wrell  posted  about  affairs  at  the  capital 
(ISThornton  to  Bankhead,  June  14),  nothing  could  be  kept  secret  there, 
and  Santa  Anna's  Plan  was  known  to  many,  (4)  Scott's  judgment  on  the 
point  was  likely,  especially  in  view  of  his  fuller  knowledge  of  the  facts, 
to  be  better  than  Ripley's,  and  (5)  it  was  justified  by  the  event  The 
Chalco  route  was  the  one  taken  by  Cortez  (Gamboa,  Impug  ,  38)  In 
leaving  Pen6n  Viejo  Santa  Anna  had  money  and  provisions  remain  there 
for  a  prospective  "distant  march"  (76to  Herrera,  Aug  15)  Whether 
this  referred  to  a  pursuit  of  the  Americans  or  his  own  flight  can  only  be 
guessed,  but  as  the  order  was  addressed  to  Herrera,  one  inclines  to  the 
former  view 

19.  52Trist,  no  11,  Aug  14.  Mexico  a  travel,  iv,  672-3.  Apuntes, 
220-2,  230  S.  Anna,  Detail,  11-2.  95Notice  to  first  alcalde,  Aug  19 
So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Apr.,  1852  Negretc,  Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  446.  73Ber- 
mtidez  de  Castro,  no  445,  Mar.  2  76To  Valencia,  Aug.  14,  15,  16  76To 
Lombardmi,  Aug.  14.  76Vaiencia,  Aug.  15,  16.  76To  Alvarez,  Aug  16 
76Acuerdo,  Aug.  16. 

XXVI.  CONTRERAS,  CHURUBUSCO 

1.  The  basis  for  distances  is  Smith  and  Hardcastle's  map  of  the  Valley 
(Sen.  11 ;  31,  1)  A  garita  had  to  be  a  somewhat  formal  place,  for  mu- 
nicipal duties  were  levied  and  collected  there,  and  some  accommodations 
for  the  officials  and  the  guards  were  necessary  The  last  word  of  "S. 
Antonio  Abad"  was  commonly  omitted.  For  the  sake  of  distinction  the 
Acapulco  road  will  be  called  the  " highway"  and  the  road  via  Tacubaya, 
San  Angel  and  Ansaldo  the  "turnpike"  (Trist's  word  for  it).  The  name 
Contreras  was  applied  by  Americans  to  three  places,  to  none  of  which  it 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  99-102         375 

belonged.     Contreras  was  a  village  on  the  turnpike  some  distance  south 
of  Padierna.     San  Agustin  was  also  known  as  Tlalpam. 

2.  August  14  Valencia's  TGreturn  (estado)  included  486  officers,  5078  rank 
and  file,  1447  horses,  one  siege  16-pounder,  three  siege  12-pounders,  five 
8-inch  (68-pound)  howitzers  and  fifteen  smaller  guns.     One  of  the  guns 
was  assigned  to  Torrej6n  and  he  saved  it.     Another  small  one  disappeared. 
The  name  of  the  rounded  hill  where  Valencia  took  post  was  Peloncoahu- 
titUn 

3.  Valencia  had  one  excuse,  for  very  possibly  he  believed  (in  view  of 
Santa  Anna's  delay  at  San  Luis  Potosi,  abandonment  of  Tampico,  ap- 
parent neglect  of  Vera  Cruz,  etc  )  that  the  President  traitorously  intended 
to  leave  open  a  door  by  which  Scott  could  reach  the  capital ;  but  none  the 
less  he  was  a  conscienceless  conspirator  arid  the  mortal  foe  of  Santa  Anna, 
disgusted  with  subordination,  and  eager  to  overthrow  his  chief      His  past 
conduct  had  been  thoroughly  suspicious,  and  his  manifiesto  of  August  22 
does  not  bear  analysis  well      To  remove  him  would  have  seemed  an  act 
of  jealousy,  if  not  treason,  and  very  likely  have  caused  a  mutiny.     Santa 
Anna  hoped  that  the  national  crisis  would  hold  him  in  line  for  the  time 
being.     Besides,  Santa  Anna  did  not  know  precisely  where  Valencia  pro- 
posed to  make  a  stand  (Diano,  Sept  1)      When  he  learned,  he  sent  General 
Mora  to  reconnoitre  the  position  (76to  Valencia,  August  19).     Again,  he 
could  not  afford  to  raise  an  issue  with  Valencia  now,  for  the  latter  (doubt- 
less with  the  help  of  his  engineers)  had  divined  Scott's  plans  better  than 
the  former,  and  undertaken  to  guard  a  quarter  left  open  by  the  President. 
Finally  it  was  quite  possible  that  Santa  Anna  thought  Valencia  would  be 
taught  a  lesson  by  the  Americans.     It  is  unnecessary  to  discuss  the  merits 
and  disadvantages  of  Valencia's  position,  for  they  will  appear  plainly  in 
the  narrative  (see  Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  110-11).     Had  the  Americans  been 
willing  to  do  as  he  wished,  the  hill  would  have  been  entirely  satisfactory. 
Of  Valencia's  intellectual  quality  the  following  specimen  is  suggestive' 
"  Soldiers  of  Liberty,  anarchy  put  out  its  head,  but  your  arms  drowned 
it  in  a  moment." 

4  Mexican  preliminaries  Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  304,  306  (Scott) ;  348-9 
(Smith);  app  ,  80  (Alexander)  Collins  papers  66Lee  to  Smith,  Aug.  21. 
Semmes,  Service,  393.  Sen  65 ;  30,  1,  pp.  276  (Longstreet) ;  570.  224ln- 
tercepted  Letters  (14,  L  V  to  M  O  ;  26,  to  Old  Gentleman)  Apuntes, 
221,230-6.  Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  111  Gamboa,  Impug.,  41  70"Guerra," 
no  30  (F.  Perez).  Mexico  a  traves,  iv,  672-3,  677  Long,  Memoirs, 
54.  So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Apr.,  1852,  ^>p  408-9.  Latrobe,  Rambler,  90.  Sen. 
19;  30,  2  (Hardcastle  to  Smith;  Smith  to  Abert).  Valencia,  Manifiesto. 
Calder6n,  Life,  i,  314.  178Davis,  diary  Prieto,  Mems.,  11,  213.  73Ber- 
rnudez  de  Castro,  no  534,  res  ,  July  28  S  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  51-2 ;  app., 
140-54,  157-60.  M,  Detail,  12.  Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  17,  1847.  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  276.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app.,  279-83.  76Acuerdo, 
Aug.  16  76To  Lombardim,  July  22  76To  Alvarez,  Aug  21.  76Zere- 
cero,  Aug.  25.  76To  Valencia,  Aug  16.  76Expediente  contra  Valencia. 

The  defences  of  Valencia's  camp  were  somewhat  extended  later,  but  not 
enough  to  render  them  formidable. 

5.  According  to  a  topographical  officer  (Washington  Union,  Nov.  3, 
1817)  the  only  route  from  San  Agustfn  to  Mexico  of  which  the  Americans 
knew  when  they  reached  the  ground  was  the  highway.  This  surprises 
one  at  first.  But  the  turnpike  beyond  San  Angel  was  a  local  road  serving 
only  a  few  farms,  the  small  villages  of  San  Ger6nimo  and  Contreras,  and 


376        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  102-105 

a  manufacturing  establishment  near  Contreras.  It  seemed  to  be  of  no 
strategic  significance,  and  was  not  likely  to  be  heard  of  at  a  distance.  The 
fortifications  along  the  highway  were  largely  developed  after  Scott  turned 
toward  San  Agustfn.  Valencia's  movements  were  impromptu.  Scott 
had  an  Englishman  residing  at  Mexico  in  his  pay,  and  we  know  that  two 
persons  brought  data  on  Aug.  19  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  162).  Apparently 
Scott  did  his  duty  as  to  seeking  information. 

6.  American  preliminaries     Sen.  1 ;    30,  1>  pp.  304,  307,  315,  348-50 
(reports  of  Scott,  Worth  and  Smith) ;    app.,  41  (Mason) ;    66  (Smith) ; 
101  (Magruder) ;  118  (Cadwalader).    Wilhelrn,  Eighth  Inf.,  ii,  307.    Pica- 
yune, Sept.  8 ;   Oct.  21.     66Lee  to  Smith,  Aug.  21.     Semmes,  Service,  380, 
393.     224lntercepted  Letters  (26,  To  Old  Gentleman).     Hitchcock,  Fifty 
Years,  275.     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  142.     Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p  188  (Tnst,  no.  12) 
TSExpediente  contra  Valencia      236Judah,  diary.     Sen.  19 ;   30,  2  (Hard- 
castle  to  Smith)      Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  17.     Diano,  Aug.  19. 

7.  Quitman  had  only  the  Second  Pennsylvania,  the  Marines,  Step  toe's 
battery  and  a  troop  or  two  of  dragoons  (Sen.  1 ;  30, 1,  p.  341) ;  but  Worth's 
division  was  available  in  case  of  need.     See  Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  347 

8.  Pillow,  as  was  decided  by  a  court  of  inquiry  (Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  pp.  332- 
45)  on  the  testimony  of  such  men  as  Lee  (p   78),  Smith  (p    102),  Rilcy 
(p.  147)  and  Shields  (p.  268),  did  not  devise  the  plan  on  which  this  victory 
was  gained ;    and  when  Lee  brought  word  to  Scott  of  Smith's  plan  he 
washed  his  hands  of  it  (335Trist,  draft  of  address ;  Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p  333) , 
but  he  had  the  audacity  to  claim  that  Smith  merely  executed  the  precise 
plans  and  views  laid  down  by  Pillow  for  his  guidance  (Ho  60 ;  30, 1,  p.  1018) 
Pillow  could  claim  the  credit  only  on  the  ground  that  he  was  the  senior 
officer  on  the  field,  and  that  Smith's  operations  were  a  logical  consequence 
of  the  events  ;  but  Scott  was  the  senior  of  Pillow,  and  all  that  occurred  wan 
—  as  Smith  pointed  out  (Sen  65;  30,1,  p  104) — the  logical  consequence 
of  Scott's  order  to  gain  possession  of  the  San  Angel  road.     The  consensus 
of  opinion  was  expressed  by  Twiggs .    "General  Smith  deserves  the  whole 
credit"  (Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  196)      Moreover  the  famous  letter  signed 
"Leonidas" — prepared  at  Pillow's  quarters  doubtless  with  his  conni- 
vance (Hitchcock  in  Mo    Republican,  Oct.  2,  1857;     Republican  Banner, 
Feb  23,  1858),  conveyed  by  his  agency  (Davis,  Autobiog.,  285)  to  the  New 
Orleans  Delta,  which  published  it  Sept.   10  (chap,  xxix,  note  31),  and 
fathered  (when  exposed)  by  an  untruthful  subordinate  of  his  —  "puffed" 
Pillow  in  the  most  extravagant  manner  for  this  "  unparallelled  victory," 
and  represented  Scott  not  only  as  leaving  everything  to  Pillow  but  as 
blundering  sadly.     E.g.  it  said,  "The  army  had  been  marching  through 
marshes  and  almost  impassable  roads,  nearly  half  around  the  city,  to  find 
some  points  upon  the  enemy's  works  that  could  be  successfully  assailed," 
the  provisions  had  been  nearly  exhausted,  and  the  mountains  prevented 
going  farther;   Pillow's  "plan  of  battle  [at  Contreras],  and  the  deposition 
of  his  forces  were  most  judicious,"  and  he  "achieved  this  signal  and  brilliant 
victory."     (For  the  letter  signed  "  Leonidas  "  see  Sen.  65 ;  30,  I  (pp.  385-9, 
and  the  testimony  of  Pillow,  Bums,  Freaner,  Trist) ;    335Pillow  to  Trist, 
Aug.  31,  private;  St.  Louis  Evening  News,  Oct    2,   1857;   chap,  xxix, 
pp.  435-7.) 

Pillow's  design  in  having  such  a  statement  prepared  and  placed  before 
the  people  in  advance  of  the  official  reports  was  probably  to  influence  public 
opinion  in  the  United  States  so  as  to  make  him  an  available  candidate  for 
the  Presidency  or  enable  Polk  to  put  him  in  Scott/R  place  As  Pillow  was 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  105-110        377 

known  to  have  great  influence  with  the  President,  and  was  an  active, 
affable,  plausible  man,  he  naturally  had  a  following ;  but  the  sentiment  of 
the  able  and  honest  officers  towards  him  was  one  of  contempt.  "The 
ass  Pillow,"  "that  consummate  fool,"  said  the  future  General  D.  H.  Hill 
(diary)  of  Pillow  as  he  showed  himself  on  Aug.  19.  A  sensible  Pennsyl- 
vanian  wrote  in  his  diary,  Aug  10,  that  Pillow  was  without  question 
"the  poorest  and  most  unpopular"  of  the  generals  (Oswandel,  Notes, 
249).  Col.  W.  B.  Campbell  characterized  him  as  light,  impetuous,  of 
little  military  judgment  and  no  skill  (139to  D  Campbell,  Mar.  20,  28 ; 
Apr  18,  25) ;  and  a  correspondent  of  the  future  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman 
described  him  as  "a  mass  of  vanity,  conceit,  ignorance,  ambition  and 
want  of  truth"  (SIGJudd,  Feb.  26,  1848).  The  doings  of  the  Pillow  court 
of  inquiry  (Sen  65 ;  30,  1)  were  carefully  digested  and  analyzed  by  the 
author;  but  as  the  subject  concerns  only  incidentally  the  history  of  the 
war,  space  cannot  be  taken  to  present  this  analysis. 

9.  Valencia  could  see  that  retreat  meant  his  personal  ruin,  and  he  pre- 
ferred to  argue  that  honor  required  him  to  hold  his  ground 

10.  Persifor  F.  Smith,  a  graduate  from  Princeton,  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  at  Philadelphia,  practised  law  at  New  Orleans,  and  had  considerable 
military  experience  in  the  Florida  war.     He  was  a  simple,  scholarly,  un- 
assuming man;    but  all  ranks  appreciated  his  ability,  attainments,  clear 
perception,  valor,  promptness  and  steadiness. 

11.  The  battle  of  Contreras      Sen   1;   30,  1,  pp.  303,  etc. ;    app  ,  pp.  66, 
etc.  (reports  of  Scott  and  his  officers)      S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  52-5 ;   app., 
154-6,  160      Id.,  Detail,  12-4.     Picayune,    Sept    8;    Oct    21      221H01, 
diary.     SlTwiggs   to  Marcy,  Feb.  7,   1848.     66Lee  to  Smith,  Aug.  21, 
1847.     GORiley  to  Westcott,  Nov.  30      Semmes,  Service,  381,  385,  392. 
224lntercepted  letters  (14,  L  V.  to  M   O  ;    25,  note  by  E.  A.  H. ;    28). 
Apuntes,  237-43.     McSherry,  El  Puchero,  73,  76.     Murphy,  Hungerford, 
99.     Delta,  Sept.  9 ;   Nov   12 ;   Dec   1      Monitor  Repub.,  Sept.  27  (Salas) ; 
Dec    12  (S    Anna).     Porvenir,  Aug    26,  supplem.   (Valencia).     SSScott, 
gen  orders  258      Balbontln,  Invasi6n,    111-8      Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
276-8,  281.     Bailentine,  English  Soldier,  11,  207,  218-20,  223-6,  228-9. 
Davis,   Autobiog,    196-8.     66Foster  to   Smith,   Aug.   23.     66McClellan 
to  Smith,  Aug  23.     66Beauregard  to  Smith,  Aug  25.     66Tower  to  Smith, 
Aug  25.     66Mason  to  Smith,  Aug  24      Prieto,  Mems.,  11,  222-7.    L<5pez, 
De*cimo  Calendano,  58.     SOOlagufbel,  Aug  20-1.     199Anon.  MS.  written 
by    a    person    of    importance.     307Roberts,    diary.     Gamboa,    Impug., 
42-3.     350 Weber,   recoils.     70"Guerra,"   no.    30   (F.   P6rez).     Ramirez, 
Mexico,  298.    Mexico  &  travel,  iv,  677.     217Henshaw  to  wife,  Aug.  21. 
327Sutherland  to  father,  Nov.  28.     Jackson,  Memoirs  of  Jackson,  41. 
Sen.  52;    30,  1,  p.  188.     Long,  Memoirs,  54-9     Wash.  Unwn,  Sept.  20. 
Diario,  Aug  24;    Sept.  1.    So.  Mag.,  July,  1874,  p.  75.     204Gouverneur, 
diary      277Burnett,    statement.      United    Service,     June,    1896    (Lane). 
Sen.  65;    30,  1,  pp.  62  (H.  L.  Scott);    68-9  (Williams);    72-4,  298,  300 
(Gen.  Scott) ;   75-9,  463  (Lee) ;   81-6  (Cadwalader) ;   97  (Deas) ;   99-106 
(Smith) ;    137-8  (Canby) ;    147-51  (Riley) ;    162  (Hooker) ;    180  (Hodge)  ; 
182-4,  188  (Ripley) ;  208-9  (Rains) ;  230-1  (Beauregard) ;  232-3  (Hitch- 
cock) ;  246  (Morgan) ;  267  (Shields) ;  270  (Howard) ;  283,  286-7  (Twiggs)  ; 
334-5  (verdict) ;    570.     Stevens,  I.  I.  Stevens,  i,  174-9,  196.     Carrefio, 
Jefes,  ccxc  (Pe*rez),  ccxciv  (Torrej6n).    Niles,  Oct.  30,  pp.  138-9.     Cong. 
Globe,  34,  1,  p.  105  (Foote).     Lancaster  Co.  Hist.  Soc.  Mag.,  Mar.  6, 
1908.    Gime*nez,  Mems.,  266.    29lPierce  to  Appleton,  Aug.  27.    29lGard- 


378        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  105-110 

ner  to  Canby,  Aug.  30.  291  Pierce  to  Hooker,  Aug.  22.  Engineer  School, 
U.  S.  A.,  Occas.  Papers,  No.  16.  Valencia,  Mamfiesto.  178Davis,  diary. 
Stevens,  Vindication,  4-7.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app.,  281-3  76Tornel, 
Aug.  19.  76Orders  to  Valencia,  Aug  26.  Kenly,  Md  Vol.,  421. 
73Lozano,  No.  2.,  Aug.  24.  210Bragg  to  Hammond,  Dec.  20.  125Bon- 
ham  to  wife,  Aug.  24;  to  adj.  gen.,  Feb.  26,  1849.  So.  Qtrly.  Rev  ,  Apr., 
1852,  pp.  415-26.  Calder6n,  Hectificaciones,  41  S  Anna,  Mi  Histona, 
72-3.  112Beauregard  to  Smith,  Aug.  25.  76Valencia,  Aug  19.  76J.  B 
Arguelles,  Aug.  22.  76Alcorta  to  Alvarez,  Aug.  21.  76Alvarez,  Aug 
21. 

REMARKS.  This  engagement  was  called  by  the  Mexicans  the  battle  of 
Padierna.  At  first  Valencia  had  a  reserve  under  Salas  at  Ansaldo,  but  he 
drew  this  in  at  about  the  time  when  the  battle  began  He  then  placed 
Torre j6n's  cavalry  between  Ansaldo  and  his  main  position  A  turn  in 
the  road  near  his  position  enabled  him  to  command  the  turnpike  for  some 
distance.  For  further  details  regarding  his  dispositions  see  Apuntes,  236 
During  the  afternoon  of  Aug  19  the  Ninth  Infantry  (Ransom)  and  a 
battalion  of  the  Twelfth  under  Lieut  Col  Bonham  crossed  the  ravine  and 
remained  about  200  yards  from  Valencia's  camp  until  9  or  10  o'clock, 
partly  occupying  usefully  Valencia's  attention  When  these  troops  re- 
tired, Mexicans  attacked  the  guard  at  Padierna,  but  American  reinforce- 
ments defeated  them  R.  E.  Lee  and  G.  B.  McClellan  helped  set  up 
Magruder's  battery,  and  T  J.  ("Stonewall")  Jackson  commanded  one 
section  of  it  a  part  of  the  time  These  officers  distinguished  themselves 
highly.  Riley  understood  he  was  "sent  across  the  pedregal  to  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  enemy  and  check  reinforcements"  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p  148). 
When  Smith  moved  to  the  right,  he  had  Magruder  resume  firing  to  divert 
attention  from  that  movement  Magruder's  men  tried  to  save  themselves 
by  falling  flat  at  each  Mexican  discharge,  and  the  ground  sheltered  them 
somewhat,  yet  fifteen  were  killed  or  wounded.  His  guns  were  withdrawn 
over  the  rocks  after  nightfall 

It  has  been  said  with  force  that  it  would  have  been  better  had  Scott 
been  on  the  ground  from  the  first.  But  he  did  not  wish  or  expect  to  fight ; 
no  doubt  he  had  much  administrative  work  on  hand  ,  he  was  not  far  away ; 
aid  he  believed  that  his  instructions  to  Pillow  provided  for  all  probable 
contingencies  It  seems  to  be  true  that  Pillow,  a  most  plausible  and 
insinuating  talker,  had  gained  a  certain  ascendency  over  him.  Probably 
for  this  reason,  as  well  as  owing  to  his  general  wish  to  gratify  his  officers, 
Scott  permitted  Pillow  to  make  statements  in  his  report  on  the  battle, 
which,  as  the  trial  of  Pillow  showed,  ought  not  to  have  been  there 
(210Bragg).  Pillow  later  urged  the  point  that  Scott  approved  of  his 
dispositions;  but  it  was  Scott's  practice  to  accept  what  his  officers  did, 
and  make  the  best  of  it  Scott  was  slightly  wounded  m  the  leg  during 
the  afternoon  of  August  19  but  did  not  mention  the  incident  at  the  time. 
Later  the  wound  made  him  trouble. 

The  Fifteenth  Infantry  (Morgan)  did  not  act  with  the  rest  of  Pierce's 
brigade  on  Aug.  19,  for  Pillow  had  detached  it  as  a  reserve.  Pierce  was 
injured  by  falling  from  his  horse,  and  hence  Col.  Ransom  took  command 
of  the  brigade.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Valencia  placed  a  4-pounder  and 
two  battalions  of  infantry  on  the  turnpike  toward  Ansaldo  to  prevent 
more  Americans  from  reaching  San  Ger6nuno  (Balbontm,  Invasi6n,  114), 
but  this  force  accomplished  nothing.  At  first  he  had  thought  the  Ameri- 
cans crossing  the  pedregal  in  groups,  partly  concealed  by  the  ground  and 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  105-110         379 

trees,  were  mere  scouting  parties.  It  was  found  impossible  at  the  Pillow 
trial  to  decide  at  just  what  time  Scott  arrived  on  the  lookout  hill  (the 
lower  summit  of  Zacatepec).  The  variation  of  careful  witnesses  was  an 
hour  and  twenty-five  minutes  Watches  appear  to  have  been  out  of 
order,  and  therefore  one  cannot  be  positive  regarding  the  precise  time  of 
any  event 

Smith's  plan  to  attack  Santa  Anna  on  Aug.  19  has  been  criticised  as 
unsound  (Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  339,  note).  But  he  believed  a  repulse 
of  Santa  Anna  would  ensure  the  defeat  of  Valencia ;  he  wanted  to  dispose 
of  Santa  Anna  before  his  forces  could  become  stronger ;  he  did  not  wish 
(having  no  artillery)  to  let  him  cannonade  at  his  leisure ;  and  probably 
the  situation  of  the  American  right  appeared  to  require  unusual  boldness. 
Lee  (66to  J  L  Smith,  Aug.  21)  attached  less  importance  to  this  opera- 
tion Tower  (66to  J  L  Smith,  Aug  25)  said  the  inexperience  of  the  new 
troops,  particularly  Cadwalader's,  had  something  to  do  with  leading  Smith 
to  give  up  the  plan  Doubtless  Pillow's  fiasco,  Aug  19,  tended  to  inflate 
Valencia's  confidence  and  so  to  ensure  his  destruction  Valencia's  artillery 
accomplished  nothing  against  the  Americans  at  San  Ger6mmo,  partly 
because  the  trees  and  rough  ground  hid  and  protected  them,  and  partly 
because  the  guns  he  used  were  not  very  powerful  Smith  supposed  he 
was  Shields's  senior,  and  retained  the  command  after  the  hitter's  arrival 
at  San  Ger6mrno  Shields  refrained  from  claiming  it,  knowing  that  Smith 
had  made  preparations  to  attack  and  understood  the  situation  best. 
Cadwalader,  as  well  as  Shields,  outranked  Smith ;  but  doubtless  he  felt 
unequal  to  the  situation,  and  he  did  not  assert  his  rights  During  the 
night  the  few  houses  at  San  Ger6mmo  were  required  for  the  wounded. 

Santa  Anna  has  been  too  much  criticised  for  his  course  Valencia  did 
not  see  the  Americans  m  forco,  Aug.  19,  until  after  one  o'clock,  and  we  do 
not  know  how  promptly  he  reported  the  fact  Santa  Anna  stated  that 
at  about  two  o'clock  he  received  word  from  Valencia  that  cannon  fire 
had  begun.  He  was  then  at  San  Antonio,  yet  m  about  four  hours  he  had 
a  considerable  force  near  San  Ger6mmo  He  reasonably  hesitated  about 
attacking  an  unknown  number  of  Americans  in  an  admirable  defensive 
position  His  cavalry  could  have  done  nothing  in  the  ravines,  lanes  and 
woods  which  composed  it,  and  his  artillery  little  Had  he  attacked,  as  he 
threatened  to  do,  late  on  Aug  19,  he  would  have  been  beaten  After 
Riley  joined  him,  Smith  had  about  3600  men  (Sen  65;  30,  1,  p  105). 
Had  Santa  Anna  advanced  by  the  turnpike  he  \\ould  have  exposed  his 
flank  to  Smith.  Valencia  had  got  himself  into  a  hopeless  impasse,  and 
the  best  thing  he  could  have  done  was  to  tear  himself  out  of  it,  as  Santa 
Anna  ordered.  Santa  Anna  sent  orders  to  Pe>ez  in  the  afternoon  to  help 
Valencia,  but  overtaking  that  brigade  (which  had  set  out  for  the  purpose) 
took  charge  of  it  Shields  brought  about  600  men  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  344). 

Smith's  plan  of  attack  against  Valencia  was  not  perfectly  safe,  for,  as 
Napoleon  said,  the  ground  of  a  night  attack  should  be  thoroughly  known ; 
but  the  circumstances  warranted  the  risk  Friday  morning  Tower,  who 
had  discovered  the  ravine  (66Tower  to  J.  L  Smith,  Aug.  25),  led  Riley's 
brigade,  and  Beauregard  led  Smith's.  As  soon  as  Valencia  was  routed, 
orders  were  given  to  complete  the  road  begun  Aug.  19,  but  this  was  soon 
found  to  be  unnecessary.  The  Fifteenth  regiment,  on  account  of  its 
distance  from  Riley,  reached  Valencia's  camp  too  late  to  take  part  in  the 
battle.  It  should  be  remembered  that  Smith's  troops  did  not  know  of  the 
demoralization  of  the  Mexicans,  and  expected  to  find  them  elated  and 


380        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  105-110 

confident.  Apparently  Shields  made  a  mistake  in  leaving  San  Ger6nimo 
to  go  to  the  road  on  Friday  morning,  but  the  mistake  was  natural.  Valen- 
cia went  to  Toluca  with  a  few  troops.  He  was  notified  to  present  himself 
for  trial,  which  would  have  meant  death.  Some  irregulars  made  a  trivial 
attack  upon  Quitman  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  347),  but  Alvarez's  troops  did  not 
come  near  San  Agustfn.  Twiggs  had  a  lame  foot  at  this  time,  and  he 
was  not  under  fire  Aug  19  Brookes  (Brooks)  was  on  his  staff 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico  ii,  291)  intimates  that  Scott  sent  Pillow 
and  Twiggs  forward,  Aug.  19,  without  taking  much  into  account  Valencia's 
army  and  cannon,  and  permitted  the  Mexicans  to  open  the  battle  when 
they  pleased.  This  seems  careless  on  Scott's  part ;  but,  as  the  text  shows, 
Scott  did  not  know  Valencia  had  marched  to  Padierna,  and  had  no  reason 
to  suppose  (particularly  in  view  of  the  threat  against  S.  Antonio)  that  large 
Mexican  forces  would  be  there.  Ripley  suggests  (p.  292)  that  it  was 
improper  to  let  Valencia  see  the  road-building,  learn  the  Americans  were 
moving  that  way,  and  prepare  to  receive  them ;  but  road-building  ceased 
when  the  Americans  came  in  view  of  Valencia,  and  after  that  time  he  had 
little  opportunity  for  preparations.  Ripley  complains  (p.  293)  that  it 
was  cpnf using  to  have  Twiggs  open  the  battle,  Pillow  take  charge  of  it, 
and  Scott  supersede  Pillow;  but  it  is  not  customary  for  the  general-in- 
chief  to  ride  at  the  head  of  his  forces  on  a  road-building  expedition,  and 
under  the  circumstances  the  above  arrangement  was  natural.  He  re- 
marks (p.  297)  that  Riley's  reconnoitring  with  a  view  to  assaulting 
Valencia's  rear  proves  that  he  understood  his  mission  was  more  than 
to  occupy  S.  Ger6nimo  and  await  orders  [i,e.  understood  that  Pillow  sent 
him  to  do  what  Smith  did] ;  but  Riley  testified  that  he  had  no  such  under- 
standing, and  reconnoitred  on  his  own  responsibility  to  obtain  informa- 
tion that  might  prove  useful  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  147-8).  Ripley,  in  his 
efforts  to  sustain  Pillow's  claims,  says  (p.  297)  that  Riley  fell  back  be- 
cause of  his  "believing  himself  unsupported, "yet  says  that  Riley  "relied" 
on  being  supported.  He  explains  (p.  298)  Pillow's  not  informing  Riley 
of  the  despatch  of  Cadwalader  by  saying  that  a  single  mounted  officer  could 
not  cross  the  pedregal ;  but  an  officer  could  cross  on  foot,  and  all  or  most 
of  the  officers  were  afoot  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  304).  Rives  (U.  S  and  Mexico, 
ii,  488)  observes  that  placing  four  brigades  successively  between  superior 
forces  of  the  enemy  involved  a  great  risk ;  but  it  should  be  remembered 
not  only  that  it  was  worth  while  to  take  the  risk  and  that  the  American 
troops  were  of  superior  quality,  but  that  Santa  Anna  was  not  present  when 
Riley  went  to  S.  Ger6mmo,  Valencia  could  not  see  what  was  taking  place 
in  that  quarter,  he  was  expecting  a  frontal  attack  all  the  afternoon,  S 
Ger6nimo  was  a  splendid  defensive  position,  and  the  Mexicans  could  not 
see  how  large  forces  occupied  it. 

Had  Santa  Anna  and  Valencia  cooperated  with  judgment  and  good-will, 
Scott's  army  would  perhaps  have  been  crushed ;  but  had  the  Mexicans 
been  sensible  and  patriotic,  we  should  have  had  no  war.  How  much  Scott 
knew  about  the  mutual  relations  of  Santa  Anna  and  Valencia  one  cannot 
say,  but  in  all  probability  he  was  well  informed  regarding  them.  As 
scarcely  needs  to  be  pointed  out,  this  battle  and  that  of  Churubusco  had  a 
great  effect  in  discouraging,  not  merely  the  Mexicans  in  the  vicinity  but 
those  at  a  distance.  Men  intending  to  fight  or  to  provide  money  drew 
back  at  once  (e.g.  TSlsunza,  Aug.  24). 

12.  Santa  Anna's  course  after  the  battle  of  Contreras.  Sen.  19;  30,  2 
(Smith  to  Abert).  224lntercepted  letters  (14,  L.  V.  to  M.  O. ;  22,  diary  ; 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  110-118        381 

23,  narrative ;  26,  to  Old  Gentleman).  Apuntes,  209-10,  241,  244,  250-4. 
Semmes,  Service,  396-7.  Picayune,  Oct.  8.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  306,  315, 
325;  app.,  69  (reports  of  Scott  and  others).  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  53 
Id.,  Detail,  14-5.  Balbontfn,  Invasi6n,  120-1.  217Henshaw  to  wife, 
Aug.  21.  6lHuger,  Aug.  22.  70"Guerra,"  no.  30  (F.  PSrez,  Rangel, 
Arguelles,  Zenea).  Mexico  £  travel,  iv,  678.  Wash.  Union,  Nov.  3. 
Diario,  Sept.  1,  2.  Monitor  Repub.,  Oct.  24;  Dec.  13,  17.  Carrefio, 
Jefes,  ccxc  (Pe*rez),  ccciv,  cccvi.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app.,  446;  iv, 
app.,  283-4.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  295.  Remarks  on  Mason  and 
Hardcastle's  Plan  of  Worth's  operations  (Sen.  1;  30,  1).  TGReport  of 
losses,  Churubusco,  Aug.  21.  76Rinc6n,  Aug.  20.  76 Arguelles,  Aug.  22. 
76Rinc6n  to  S.  Anna,  Aug.  26. 

13.  To  guard  against  contingencies  Scott  had  ordered  Worth  with 
Garland's  brigade  and  Quitman  with  his  troops  to  proceed  toward  San 
Ger6nimo  on  Friday  morning,  leaving  San  Agustin  guarded  by  Harney 
(Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  pp.  306-7).     This  has  been  thought  risky.     But  Scott  had 
no  doubt  learned  from  Lee  that  Santa  Anna  was  operating  in  the  vicinity 
of  San  Ger6mmo,  where  was  evidently  the  critical  field,  and  hence  prob- 
ably he  felt  that  there  was  little  danger  of  an  attack  upon  San  Agustin 
that  Harney  aided,  if  necessary,  by  Clarke's  brigade  (not  far  distant) 
could  not  meet. 

14.  Scott's  course  after  the  battle  of  Contreras.     Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  pp.  306-9, 
338,  344 ;  app.,  36  (reports  of  Scott,  Pillow,  Shields,  Kearny).     Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,   278,   281-2.     Davis,   Autobiog ,    199.     Picayune,  Sept.   8. 
66Lee  to  Smith,  Aug.  21.     335Tnst,  draft  of  address.     Wash   Union,  Sept. 
15.     Sen.  65;    30,  1,  pp.  74,  632  (Scott);    77  (Lee).     So.  Qtrly*  Review, 
July,  1852,  pp.  81-2.     Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1018  (Scott).     Smith,  To  Mexico, 
199. 

15.  Worth's  operations  at  Churubusco.     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  306,  315,  333 ; 
app.,  36, 41-2, 44-65  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers).  22lHill,  diary.  68Bonne- 
ville  court-martial  (testimony  of  Hoffman,  Nelson,  Pemberton,  Worth, 
Armistead,  Ruggles,  etc.).     335Trist,  draft  of  address.     Semmes,  Service, 
394-400.     Sen.  19;  30,  2  (Smith  to  Abert).     Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  464  (Lee). 
224lntercepted  letters  (14,  L.  V.  to  M.  O. ;    23,   narrative ;    26,  to  Old 
Gentleman).     Apuntes,    244-6.     Picayune,    Sept.    22;       Oct    8.     Delta, 
Sept.  26.     76Zerecero  to  Guerra,  Aug.  25.     76Rmc6n  to  S.  Anna,  Aug.  26. 
Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  120-2.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  278,  282.     260Hen- 
shaw,  comments  on  map.     Stevens,  Stevens,    i,  198.     GlHuger,   report, 
Aug.    22.      65Scott,    gen.    orders  327,    Oct.    28.      Gamboa,  Impug.,  47. 
70" Guerra/'  no.  30  (P6rez,  Perdig6n  Garay).     Ramirez,  M6xico,  299-301. 
73Lozano,  no.  2,  Aug.  24.     236Judah,  diary.     Ho.  60;    30,   1,  pp.   1018 
(Scott);      1076   (Hoffman).    Carreno,   Jefes,   cccvi   (Pe>ez).     So.  Qtrly. 
Review,  July,  1852,  pp.  82-4,  90-1.     Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  294-5,  298. 
Smith,  To  Mexico,  199-202.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app.,  284.     S.  Anna, 
Detail,  15.  Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  17. 

16.  Twiggs's  operations.     Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  pp.  306,  315,  322,  325,  348, 
etc. ;  app.,  69-82,  85-8,  96-7,  etc.  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers).    22lHill, 
diary.     12Caryton  to  Lambert,  Sept.  1.     Apuntes,  246,  250-3.     Ballen- 
tine,  Eng.  Sold.,  ii,  230.     66Stevens  to  Smith,  Aug.  24.     Sen.  65;    30,  1, 
p.  98  (H.  L.  Scott).    Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  180-4,  199.     Stevens,  Vindic., 
4-7.     Carrefio,  Jefes,  29.     Michigan  Pioneer  Soc.  Colls.,  ii,  173;   vii,  117. 
So.  Qtrly.  Review,  July,   1852,  pp.  87-90.     Engineer  School,  U.    S.  A., 
Occas.  Papers,  no.  16.    Journ.  Milit.  Serv.  Instit ,  xvii   (Van  Deusen). 


382        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  110-118 

76Argiielles,  Aug.  22.  76Rinc6n  to  S.  Anna,  Aug.  26.  Davis,  Autobiog., 
199.  70"Guerra,"  no.  30  (G.  Pdrez).  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  m,  app.,  447. 
Calder6n,  Rectificaciones,  43.  S.  Anna,  Mi  Historia,  73-4.  Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,  278-9,  282. 

17.  Shields's  operations.    Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  303,  306,  315,  325,  333,  342 ; 
app.,  76,  106,  113,  118,  128,  130-4  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers).     66Lee 
to  Smith,  Aug.  21      Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  342-3.     City  of  Charleston, 
Year  Book,   1883,  p    523.     SOSShields  to  Quitman,"  Aug.  21.     22lHill, 
diary      335Tribt,  draft  of  address.     Sernmes,  Service,  402.     224lntercepted 
letters  (22,  diary ;   25,  to  E.).     Hawthorne,  Pierce,  100.     Apuntes,  246-7. 
Murphy,  Hungerford,  102.     76Zerecero  to  Guerra,  Aug.  25.     Balbontin, 
Invasi6n,   121-2.     Davis,   Autobiog.,  200-1,  286.     70"  Guerra,"    no.    30 
(F.  Pe>ez).     Stevens,  Stevens,   i,  198.     Ramirez,  M6xico,  300.     Carreno, 
Jefes,  ccxciv  (Torrej6n),  cccvn  (Pe*rez).     170Crooker  to  mother,  Sept.  1. 
So.  Qtrly  Renew,  July,  1852,  pp.  93-9.     Oil  painting  of  Butler :  sen.  cham- 
ber, Columbia,  8    C.     Sen.  19;    30,  2  (Smith  to  Abert).     29lPierce  to 
Appleton,  Aug.  27      Monitor  Repub  ,  Dec.  17.     125Bonham  to  adj.  gen  , 
June  15,  1848.     Nat    Intelligencer,  Jan.  3,   1848.     Stevens,  Vindication, 
4-7.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app  ,  285.     277Burnett,  statement      Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  279.     Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  464.     S  Anna,  Detail,  15 

18.  Sen.  1 ;    30,  1    pp.  306,  315,  325,  etc. ;    app  ,  35,  42,  46,  49,  64,  77, 
127,  etc.  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers)      Semmes,  Service,  397,  401-2. 
224lntercepted  letters  (17,  J.  U.  to  J.  P    F.)      Apuntes,   254-8.     76Ar- 
giielles,  Aug.  22      76Rinc6n  to  S   Anna,  Aug.  26.     Balbontin,  Invasi6n, 
122.     Ballentine,   Eng.   Sold,   n,   233.     Carreno,   Jefes,  cccvn    (Perez). 
Niles,  Jan.  22,  1848,  p.  323. 

19  S.  Anna,  Detail,  15-6.  Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  313,  318,  340,  347 ;  app  , 
p.  36  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers)  Picayune,  Oct  21  Apuntes,  247. 
Charleston  Courier,  Oct.  2.  Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  123.  Fate  of  F.  D 
Mills  Grant,  Mems ,  i,  146  Davis,  Autobiog ,  202  223Hirschorn , 
recoils.  De  Peyster,  Kearny,  140,  142-5.  Journ.  U.  8.  Cavalry  Assoc., 
Mar.,  1911,  p  841  Ramsey,  Other  Side,  287,  note  Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iv,  app.,  285-6 

REMARKS  ON  THE  BATTLE  OF  CHURUBUSCO.  The  active  fortifying  of 
the  convent  did  not  begin  until  the  afternoon  of  Aug.  18  (76Rinc6n  to 
S.  Anna,  Aug  26) ;  one  gun  arrived  there  on  the  morning  of  the  twentieth 
and  the  rest  were  left  by  Santa  Anna  later  that  day  (Apuntes,  252) ;  and 
hence  Scott  could  not  well  have  learned  from  spies  what  the  situation  was 
in  that  quarter.  It  is  bootless  to  say  (Calder6n,  Rectificacioi\es,  43)  that 
Santa  Anna  should  have  prevented  Scott  from  reaching  Coyoaca*n.  Neither 
he  nor  his  army  was  in  a  condition  to  fight  without  fortifications,  and  they 
could  not  have  stopped  the  Americans  anywhere  if  not  at  Churubusco 
On  the  Mexican  right  at  the  convent  were  two  8-pounders  and  a  4-pounder ; 
in  embrasures  at  the  front,  an  8-pounder  and  a  4-pounder ;  en  barbette  at 
the  left  an  8-pounder;  and  in  an  embrasure  defending  the  left  flank  a 
6-pounder.  A  detachment  of  the  Independencia  battalion  under  Pcfii'inuri 
occupied  Coyoacjin  when  the  Americans  approached,  and  retired  with 
some  loss.  The  fight  at  Churubusco  convent  was  actually  begun  by  the 
Mounted  Rifles,  but  their  orders  were  merely  to  escort  the  reconnoitring 
party,  and  the  First  Artillery  was  expected  to  clear  the  way  by  turning 
the  supposed  one-gun  battery  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  330).  Riley  had  only  the 
Second  and  Seventh  Infantry  at  Churubusco.  The  Fourth  Artillery  was 
on  guard  at  Valencia's  camp.  Scott  ordered  that  Worth  should  attack 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  110-118        383 

and  turn  San  Antonio  aft(*  finding  the  Americans  were  in  its  rear,  but 
when  he  sent  Lee  to  give  the  signal  to  Worth,  Lee  found  Worth  had  al- 
ready done  this. 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  n,  250-1)  says  that  Scott  ordered  Pillow 
to  do  what  Twiggs  did  and  vice  versa  But  (1)  nothing  of  this  is  found 
in  Scott's  or  Pillow's  report ;  (2)  Scott  would  not  have  been  likely  to  order 
two  bitter  enemies  (Worth  and  Twiggs)  to  cooperate  in  an  indefinite 
manner,  and  (3)  H/  L.  Scott  testified  at  the  Pillow  trial  that  he  carried 
from  Gen  Scott  to  Twiggs  the  order  to  attack  the  convent  (Sen.  65;  30, 
1,  p  98).  Davis,  Shields's  aide,  says  on  the  other  hand  (Autobiog  ,  199) 
that  Scott  knew  by  reconnaissances  of  a  remarkably  strong  fortification 
at  Churubusco,  and  ordered  Twiggs  to  take  the  route  actually  taken  by 
Shields.  But  (1)  Davis's  first  statement  is  not  correct;  (2)  Scott  was  at 
Coyoacan,  where  the  roads  forked,  and  would  have  recalled  Twiggs,  had 
he  seen  that  officer  take  the  wrong  road ;  (3)  Scott  felt  in  haste  to  strike 
the  retreating  Mexicans,  and  the  quickest  way  to  do  that  was  apparently 
by  the  road  to  Churubusco ;  and  (4)  H.  L.  Scott's  testimony,  supported 
by  the  reports  of  Gens  Scott  and  Twiggs,  seems  to  be  decisive.  Davis's 
account  contains  other  errors,  and  appears  to  have  been  written  long 
afterwards  from  memory. 

What  Scott  intended  to  do  after  concentrating  we  do  not  know.  Prob- 
ably, as  was  his  custom,  he  held  several  plans  in  suspense,  awaiting  develop- 
ments and  fuller  information  regarding  the  enemy,  which  the  delay  ex- 
pecte  1  in  Worth's  operations  would  have  given  him  time  to  acquire.  But 
his  promptness  in  sending  off  Pierce  and  Shields,  and  his  attempt  to  hold 
back  one  of  Smith's  and  one  of  Pierce's  brigades,  suggest  that  he  aimed  to 
get  behind  Santa  Anna  himself  and  force  a  decisive  battle.  Gen.  U.  S. 
Grant  endorsed  Scott's  strategy  at  Churubusco  as  faultless  and  said  the 
engineers  served  him  perfectly  (Mems.,  i,  145) ;  but  Stevens 's  confession 
is  decisive  on  both  points  (Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  180,  184,  196,  199).  Stevens 
states  expressly  that  Scott  had  intended  to  reconnoitre  before  attacking 
at  Churubusco 

Worth's  attacking  the  bridge  without  reconnoitring  was  mainly  due  to 
over-confidence  and  eagerness;  but  the  intense  ambition  and  rivalry  of 
Worth  and  Twiggs  probably  had  something  to  do  with  the  undue  haste  of 
both.  Of  course  Semmes  (Service,  398,  446)  asserts  that  Worth  advanced 
with  deliberation  and  reconnoitred  the  bridgehead,  but  the  evidence, 
especially  that  given  at  the  trial  of  Major  Bonneville,  is  decisively  against 
him.  Ripley,  on  the  other  hand,  states  that  a  reconnaissance  was  not 
practicable  (War  with  Mexico,  ii,  267) ;  but  while  a  complete  reconnais- 
sance could  not  be  made,  the  cornfields  on  the  right  would  have  enabled 
an  officer  to  advance  unseen,  and  at  a  glance  learn  something  regarding 
the  obstacle  in  front.  This  would  have  been  to  save,  not  lose,  time. 

Scott  was  accused  of  having  no  plan  and  leaving  his  generals  to  attack 
as  they  saw  fit,  and  was  criticized  especially  for  fighting  to  gain  a  road 
neither  needed  nor  used  by  him,  from  which  the  enemy  could  easily  have 
been  manoeuvred,  had  they  cared  to  hold  it  (Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos, 
378) ;  but  the  text  explains  these  apparent  errors.  The  battle  was,  how- 
ever, in  effect  a  blunder,  even  though  not  chargeable  to  Scott  as  such. 
Still,  the  ardor  of  the  army  was  something  not  be  thrown  away  by  delay- 
ing, and  the  promptness  of  the  Americans  prevented  Santa  Anna  from 
completing  his  preparations.  (Greene,  Russian  Army,  433:  Excessive 
prudence  has  a  bad  effect  on  the  morale  of  the  men.)  Perhaps  Scott 


384        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  110-118 

gained  as  much  as  he  lost  in  this  way.     Moreover,  had  he  manoeuvred 
the  Mexicans  out  of  Churubusco,  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  fight 
them  elsewhere,  when  they  would  probably  have  been  more  ready  to 
fight ;  the  moral  effect  of  this  victory  on  both  armies  would  not  have  been 
gained;    and  our  military  annals  would  not  have  contained  this  page. 
The  moral  effect  on  the  Mexicans,  however,  was  largely  offset  by  pride  in 
the  stubborn  resistance  they  had  offered,  and  by  the  armistice  that  Scott 
immediately  offered.     One  could  not  always  determine  just  where  firing, 
heard  from  a  distance,  was  taking  place.     Probably  for  this  reason  we  have 
inconsistent  reports  that  make  it  impossible  to  determine  precisely  where 
and  when  the  battle  began.     The  Sixth  Infantry,  moving  toward  the  bridge 
a  considerable  distance  in  advance  of  Worth  himself,  were  said  to  have 
received  the  first  fire  from  the  convent  (Hoffman :  Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p.  1076), 
but  Scott  reported  that  the  attack  upon  the  convent  began  some  time 
before  that  upon  the  bridgehead      Stevens  (I.  I.  Stevens,  198)  supports 
him.     The  writer  in  "Apuntes"  says  that  Worth  was  checked  by  am- 
munition wagons  in  the  road,  and  that  Santa  Anna,  seeing  this,  recalled 
P6rez  to  defend  the  bridge ;  but  the  wagons  appear  to  have  caused  no  such 
delay  as  this  writer  assumed.     The  rest  of  Santa  Anna's  force  (which  this 
writer  says  kept  on  towards  Mexico)  was  mainly  cavalry,  and  presumably 
this  cavalry  assisted  in  flanking  Shields      Brev.  Lieut.  Col  C.  F.  Smith's 
battalion  consisted  of  two  companies  from  the  Second  Artillery,  one  from 
the  Fifth  Infantry  and  one  from  the  Eighth  Infantry  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  316). 
The  Fifteenth,  but  only  one  battalion  (commanded  by  Capt.  Wood)  of 
the  Twelfth  Infantry  was  with  Pierce,  and  a  battery  of  mountain  howitzers 
Pierce,  who  had  been  thrown  from  his  horse  the  day  before,  fainted  and 
fell  out  before  coming  into  action,  so  Shields  commanded  both  brigades. 
Lee  was  the  engineer  officer  with  Shields.     Seeing  the  need  of  more  troops, 
he  went  back  to  Scott  and  obtained  the  Mounted  Rifles  and  a  troop  of 
the  Second  Dragoons,  but  these  rnen  did  not  reach  the  spot  in  time  to 
fight.     Scott  has  been  criticized  for  not  sending  a  stronger  force  in  this 
direction ;   but  in  fact  he  did  not  even  retain  an  escort,  and  the  Rifles  were 
Twiggs's  reserve  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  309).     The  South  Carolina  regiment, 
commonly  known  as  the  " Palme t toes/'  was  made  up  of  superior  material 
Men  fit  to  be  officers  were  in  the  ranks     Shields's  movement  was  partly 
based  on  a  misapprehension,  for  the  Mexicans  could  retreat  from  Churu- 
busco via  Mexicaltzingo ;  but  anyhow  it  was  wise  to  aid  the  frontal  attack 
on  the  bridge  by  applying  pressure  on  the  flank.     Shields  seems  to  have 
marched  too  far  north  to  cooperate  effectively  with  the  attack  upon  the 
bridgehead.     Presumably  he  did  so  in  order  to  reach  Santa  Anna's  rear. 
The  combined  effect  of  this  movement  and  the  outflanking  of  the  Mexican 
left  was  to  extend  the  American  line  enormously,  and  expose  it  to  a  (happily 
very  improbable)  counter-attack.     At  about  three  o'clock  the  Americans 
were  in  three  sections,  badly  separated  by  distance  or  by  the  enemy, 
while  the  Mexicans,  besides  fighting  behind  strong  defences,  were  all 
actually  or  virtually  in  touch  one  with  another,  and  able  to  give  mutual 
support. 

Shields  naturally  overestimated  the  numbers  opposed  to  him.  Perhaps 
the  Victoria  and  Hidalgo  battalions  from  San  Antonio  passed  along  the 
highway  to  Mexico  at  this  time.  They  would  not  fight.  They  thought 
hunger,  sunburn  and  blistered  feet  bad  enough.  The  Americans  be- 
lieved that  they  fought  at  least  32,000  men  on  Aug.  20  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1, 
p.  313) ;  but  this  was  a  great  exaggeration.  Rangcl's  brigade  was  in 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVI,  PAGES  118-119         385 

town ;  Alvarez's  was  far  away ;  and  there  must  have  been  a  large  number 
of  soldiers  guarding  the  fortifications,  and  attending  to  the  general  require- 
ments of  the  service.  The  number  fighting  that  day  on  the  Mexican  side 
seems  to  have  been  about  16,000,  though  Mexican  authors  have  tried  to 
reduce  it  to  12,000  or  13,000  (e  g.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  375). 

Scott's  dragoons  were  divided  and  assigned  to  special  duties  at  this  time 
(Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  app.,  38)  Pillow  and  a  part  of  his  troops  joined  Worth, 
but  figured  very  little  in  reports  of  the  fighting.  The  Eleventh  and 
Fourteenth  Infantry  attempted  to  cut  the  Mexican  line  from  the  bridge 
to  the  convent,  but  on  account  of  the  heavy  fire  were  ordered  to  lie  down. 
Col.  Andrews  explained  that  his  regiment  (Voltigeurs)  came  up  later  than 
Worth's  division,  and  could  not  fire  without  endangering  troops  ahead  of 
him  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  app  ,  122) ,  but  this  is  not  convincing,  for  he  must 
have  left  Coyoacitn  at  about  noon,  and  there  was  room  enough  at  the 
front. 

It  was  stated  at  Puebla  in  October,  1847,  that  260  Americans  fought  with 
the  Mexicans  at  Churubusco  (Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  no.  1)  Some  of  these 
men  cut  their  way  through  (70"Guerra,"  no  30,  Perdig6n  Garay),  and 
reached  Mexico  (ibid  ,  Rangel)  Some  eighty  appear  to  have  been  captured. 
They  were  fairly  tried  A  number  were  found  not  guilty  of  deserting,  and 
were  released  About  fifteen  (Hartman,  Journal,  18),  who  had  deserted 
before  the  declaration  of  war,  wore  merely  branded  with  a  "D,"  and 
fifty  of  those  taken  at  Churubusco  were  executed  (65Scott,  gen.  orders 
296).  There  was  bitter  complaint  because  any  were  spared,  but  Scott 
declared  he  would  rather  be  put  to  the  sword  with  his  whole  army  than  do 
an  injustice  in  the  matter  (Davis,  Autobiog ,  226),  and  urged  the  courts 
to  find  grounds  for  reducing  the  number  of  executions  (335notes  on  letter 
to  Ho  of  Repres  )  It  was  said  that  more  than  once  the  American  de- 
serters killed  Mexicans  who  tried  to  raise  a  white  flag  at  the  convent. 
For  the  deserters  and  their  fate  consult :  12Caryton  to  Lambert,  Sept.  1 ; 
Picayune,  Sept.  8;  Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  pp  319,  344;  Ballentme,  Eng  Sold.,  ii, 
230;  70"Guerra,"  no  30  (Rangel,  Perdig6n  Garay),  Judah,  diary; 
Amer.  Star,  Mexico,  Sept  20 ;  Diano,  Sept  2 ;  Flag  of  Freedom,  Puebla,  i, 
no.  1 ;  178Davis,  diary ;  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  452 ;  Hartman, 
Journal,  17-8;  Scott/65gen  orders  281-3;  Davis,  Autobiog,  224-7). 
Hancock  and  Longstreet,  destined  to  be  on  opposite  sides  at  Gettysburg, 
here  fought  together  Twiggs  was  at  this  time  under  fire  (Stevens,  Stevens, 
i,  199).  Rives  (U.  S,  and  Mexico,  n,  493)  explains  the  stiff  defence  of  the 
convent  as  due  to  the  presence  of  "men  of  Spanish  (not  Indian)  descent"  ; 
but  (1)  the  Victoria  and  Hidalgo  battalions,  which  would  not  fight  (supra) 
were  still  more  truly  "Spanish"  (vol.  ii,  p.  3),  and  (2)  the  nearly  worth- 
less officers  were  always  of  such  descent. 

20.  Sen.  65;    30,  1,  pp.  465,  478.    Sen    1;  30,  1,  pp.  313-4,  348,  384 
Ho.  24;     31,  1.     76Rmc6n  to  S.  Anna,  Aug.  26.     76Quijano,  Sept.  3. 
7601agufbel,  Aug.  27     Ramirez,  M6xico,  299.    Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  17 
(S.Anna).     76Alcorta,  Aug.  30.     12Cary  ton  to  Lambert,  Sept  1.   Semmes, 
Service,    408.     76Report,     Aug.    21.    224lntercepted    letters,    passim. 
76Cuerpo  M6dico,  report,  Aug.  24. 

21.  Mich.  Pioneer  Soc.  Colls.,  ii,  173.     Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  199.     En- 
carnacion  Prisoners,  55.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  278-80.     Sen.  1;    30, 
1,  p.  331.    Sen.  65;    30,  1,  p   464  (Lee).     Apuntes,  247     Roa  Bdrcena, 
Recuerdos,  377. 


386      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES   120-122 


XXVII.  NEGOTIATIONS 

1.  The  American  situation  after  the  battles  of  Aug.  20.    260Henshaw, 
comments  on  map.     SlTrousdale,  Aug.  22.     217Henshaw  to  wife,  Aug. 
21,  etc.     218Henshaw  narrative.     Vedette,  vii,  no.  9  (Toll).     St.  Louis 
Republican,  Sept.  27.     Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  314  (Scott).     Hitchcock,  Fifty 
Years,    284-5,    294.     McSherry,    El    Puchero,    88,     100.     364Worth    to 
daughter,   Sept.  2.     6lN    C.   to  Elizabeth   Miller,   Nov.  30.    Semmes, 
Service,  413.     London  Chronicle,  Nov.  12.     N.  Y.  Herald,  Feb.  5,  1848 
(Pierce).     236Judah,    diary.     Sen.    52;     30,    1,    p.    129    (Scott).     Semi- 
weekly  N.  Y  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar.  1,  1848.     358Wilhams  to  father, 
Oct.  1.     29lPierce  to  wife,  Aug    23      Davis,  Autobiog-aphv,  189      350 
Weber,  recoils.     SOSShields   to   Quitman,  Aug.  21.     22lHill,   diary.     68 
Scott's  statement  to  court  of  inquiry,  Apr    17,  1848      Gamboa,  Impug., 
49.     Picayune,  Sept.  9     Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  460  (Turnbull). 

Semmes  (Service,  413)  says  that  eventually  Scott  had  to  disperse  the 
elements  of  peace,  and  incorrectly  adds  that  they  seemed  to  rerssemble 
all  the  more  rapidly.  But  Scott  had  reason  to  believe  that  what  it  required 
months  to  do  later  could  be  done  now  in  only  a  few  weeks  He  reported 
that  understanding  his  nation's  desire  for  peace  and  "Willing  to  leave 
something  to  this  republic  —  of  no  immediate  value  to  us  —  on  which  to 
rest  her  pride,  and  to  recover  temper  —  I  halted  our  victorious  corps  at 
the  gates  of  the  city"  (Sen  1;  30,  1,  p  314).  Even  the  fiery  Worth 
deemed  it  best  not  to  enter  Mexico  at  this  time  (364to  daughter,  Sept  2). 

2.  lOSMarcy  to  Bancroft,  Apr    28      Polk,  Messages,    May  11 ;    June 
16,  1846;    Feb    10,  1847  (Richardson,  iv,  437,  451,  511).     Ho.  60;    30, 

1,  pp.  328  (Scott) ;    334  (Marcy)      297Benton  MS.   (with  Polk's  notes) 
received  by  Polk,  July  4,  1846.     69Worth  to  Bliss,  Nov.  29;    Dec.  14, 
1846. 

3.  Bankhead  reported,  Oct.  10,  1846,  that  he  was  weary  of  arguing  in 
favor  of  treating  with  the  United  States ;    that  the  dominant  faction, 
positively  refusing  to  negotiate,  were  crying,  "  A  levy  of  40,000  and  make 
terms  only  on  the  other  side  of  the  Nueces '" 

4.  The  overture  of  July,  18Jf>.     Sen    107;   29,  2,  pp.  1-3.     Sen.  1;   29, 

2,  pp.  43-4.     ISPakenham,  nos.  93,  July  13;    107,  Aug.  13;    119,  Sept. 
28;   130,  Nov.  12,  1846.     ISBankhead  to  Pakenham,  Oct.  10.     256Marcy 
to  Wetmore,  June  13.     Locomotor,  June  27.     158Cobb  to  wife,  June  4. 
National,  June  22.     Pregonero,  June  11.     Monit  r  Repub  ,  June  22.     162 
Buchanan  to  Conner,  Oct.  1.     162Conner,  July  19.     ISBankhead,  nos. 
92,  104,  105,  June  29;    July  30;    125,  Aug.  31;    128-30,  Sept.  7,1846. 
Rej6n    to  Buchanan,  Aug.  31   (in  Memoria   de  .  .  .  Relaciones,    1846). 
Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  19,  20,  26.     Buchanan,  Works  (Moore),  vii,  40,  82,  87. 
Indicadvr,  Aug.  27.     Nat.  Intelligencer,  Sept.  28.     D  ano,  Dec.  6,  13,  25. 
52Black,  May  21 ;  June  9;  July  4.     166/d.  to  Conner,  July  9;   Aug.  1. 
166Pommares  to  Gregory,  July  2      166/'/.  to  Conner,  July  4,  21  ;   Aug. 
12.    Reeves,  Arner.  Diplomacy,  298.    Polk,  Message,  Dec.  8  (Richard- 
son, iv,  494).    297Mackenzie,  July  7.    76Comandante,  V.  Cruz,  Aug. 
26.     See  vol.  i,  pp.  217,  502,  504 

Sept.  26  Buchanan  replied  to  Rej6n  that  the  United  States  did  not 
wish  to  ignore  in  the  peace  negotiations  the  causes  of  the  war,  since  to  do 
that  would  be  to  abandon  the  just  claims  of  the  United  States  (Polk, 
Diary,  Sept.  26;  Sen.  1;  29,  2,  p.  44).  The  necessity  of  explaining  his 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  122-124        387 

previous  despatch  illustrated  once  more  the  Mexican  superiority  in  diplo- 
matic fencing.  Buchanan  added  that  delay  would  make  it  the  harder 
to  end  the  conflict.  Polk  regarded  the  Mexican  reply  as  a  refusal  to  treat 
(Diary,  Sept.  19).  In  consequence  he  proposed  aggressive  operations  in 
Tamauhpas  (chap,  xiii,  p.  263)  and  the  imposition  of  contributions  in  lieu 
of  paying  for  needed  supplies  (chap,  xxxhi,  p.  2b'4).  Buchanan,  however, 
directed  Conner  to  notify  Slidell,  who  was  still  on  waiting  orders  at  New 
Orleans,  whenever  the  Mexican  government  should  announce  that  it  was 
"disposed"  to  treat  (1620ct.  1). 

5.  Polk,  Diary,  July  26,  30,  31 ;  Aug.  1,  4,  7,  8, 10,  1846.    Id.  to  Senate, 
Aug.  4,  8  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  456,  466).     Id.,  Message,  Dec.  8, 
1846   (ib.,  494-5)      Benton,  View,  li,  681-2.     Cong.    Globe,  29,    1,   pp. 
1211-21.     See  also  the  long  debates  on  the  subject  in  Senate  and  House, 
Jan.  and  Feb  ,  1847  (Cong.  Globe).    Von  Hoist,  United  States,  iii,  293. 
Benton,  Abr    Debates,  xvi,  40,  note,  45   (Sevier),  60  (Cass).    Boston 
Atlas,  Feb.   17,   1847.     ISMora  to  Palmerston,  May  26,  1847.     Diario, 
May  24;    June  8,   1847.     Repubhcano,  June  11,   1847.     ISThornton  to 
Bankhead,  June  14,  1847    (Consul  Black  notified)  ISPakenham,  no.  40, 
Mar.    29,   1847.    Wash.    Union,  Aug    12,   1846      lOSPolk  to  Bancroft, 
Jan.  30,  18471    Daily  Telegraph,  Oct.  16,  1852. 

The  request  for  two  millions  apparently  grew  out  of  the  negotiation  with 
Santa  Anna;  see  chap,  ix,  note  38.  Polk's  object  was  probably  to  be 
able  to  supply  funds  promptly  to  the  Mexican  administration  making  a 
treaty,  and  to  satisfy  it  that  it  would  be  able  to  gain  the  needful  military 
support.  The  three  millions  could  not  be  used  until  after  Mexico  should 
have  ratified  the  treaty  (Benton,  Abr.  Deb  ,  xvi,  46  (Bernen),  60  (Cass) ; 
Washington  Telegraph,  Oct.  18,  1852),  and  the  government  was  required 
to  account  for  the  expenditure  of  the  money  (U.  S.  Stat  at  Large,  ix,  174 ; 
Benton,  Abr.  Deb  ,  xvi,  45).  An  improper  use  of  it  was  therefore  im- 
possible 

6.  The    overture    of   January,    1847.    Ho.   85;     29,    2.     Washington 
Union,   Oct.  9,  1846  (N.  Y  ) ;    Apr.  22;   June  11,  1847.     162Matson  to 
Conner,  Feb.  20,  1847.     Sen    1 ;    30,  1,  pp.  36-7.     162Conner  to  wife, 
Feb.   17.     132Benton  to  Buchanan,  Jan.   14.     132Atocha  to  Buchanan, 
July  3      13? Buchanan  to  Atocha,  Jan.  18;    to  Scott  and  Perry,  Apr.  23. 
Niles,  May  1,  p.  129;    May  15,  p.  162     Von  Hoist,  United  States,  iii, 
332.     Courrier  des  Etats  Unis,  Aug.  15,  1846.     Buchanan,  Works  (Moore), 
vii,  198,  211.     ISBankhead,  nos.  141,  Sept.  29,  1846;   16,  Mar.  2,  1847. 
TSBermtidez  de  Castro,  no.  444,  res.,  Mar.  1.    Tributo  &  la  Verdad,  26. 
58Dobson,  Feb.  14.    Epoca,  Feb.  23.     86Gefe  V.  C.  dept.  to  gov.,  Feb.  9. 
Don  SimpUm,  Feb.  17.     Diario,  Aug.  18.     Webster,  Writings,  ix,  158. 
52Black,  Feb.  24.     ISPakenham,  nos.  107,  Aug.  13,  1846;   40,  Mar.  29; 
56,  Apr   28,  1847.    Nat.  Intelligencer,  June  10,  1845;   May  3,  1847.    52 
Shannon   to   Cuevas,    Mar.    1,    1845.    69A   clipping  from   Republicano. 
Polk,   Diary,   Nov.   7,   1846;    Jan.   12-19;    Mar.  20,   1847.    Picayune, 
May  6,  1847.     Delta,  Mar.  13.     76Morales,  Feb.  9. 

At  Atocha 's  suggestion  the  American  commissioners  were  to  have 
power  to  suspend  hostilities  after  actually  meeting  Mexican  commission- 
ers. Such  was  Webster's  idea  (Writings,  ix,  158).  The  plan  would  have 
given  Mexico  a  fine  opportunity  to  protract  the  negotiations,  let  our  war 
expenses  accumulate,  and  cause  our  war  spirit  to  languish.  The  Mexi- 
can reply  said  that  the  Texas  affair  [besides  being  atrocious  in  itself]  was 
"a  cover  to  ulterior  designs,  which  now  stand  disclosed"  (Sen.  1;  30, 


388       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  124-126 

1,  p,  37).  The  failure  of  the  overture  naturally  angered  Polk,  and  he  de- 
clared for  a  most  energetic  military  movement  against  the  capital  (Diary, 
Mar.  20).  In  April  Atocha,  who  loved  to  represent  himself  as  "sole  agent 
for  Santa  Anna's  gamecocks  and  all,  and  his  particular  friend  in  every 
respect "  (162Conner,  Feb  17),  returned  to  Mexico  ostensibly  on  private 
business,  but  with  132letters  of  introduction  from  the  government  to  Scott, 
Shields  and  Perry.  "O  God",  exclaimed  El  Republicano,  "send  unto  us 
shells,  rifles,  shot  and  every  kind  of  projectiles  and  misfortunes;  burn 
and  destroy  us,  reduce  us  to  ashes,  annihilate  us,  but  permit  not 

that  Atocha  be  the  broker  of  a  treaty  of  peace !'' 

'  7.  The  Mexican  attitude.  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  190,  205-12  (Tnst),  174 
Picayune,  May  12;  July  8;  Oct  15,  17.  Apuntes,  264  ISBankhead, 
nos.  42-3,  Apr  30;  58,  May  29;  83,  Aug.  29.  Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  16. 
Ramirez,  Mexico,  224,  234,  239,  248,  263,  271,  275  Meade,  Letters,  i, 
180.  Sen  1 ;  29,  2,  p  44.  Mexico  en  1847,  34  77Undated  clipping 
from  N.  Y.  Sun  describing  a  Mexican  society  to  promote  annexation  to 
TJ.  S.  47Mexican  letter,  Orizaba,  [Sept ,  1847]  ISPakenham,  no  40, 
Mar.  29.  ISBankhead  to  Pak.,  Oct  10,  1846.  Semmes,  Service,  426 
335Belton  to  Hitchcock,  Aug.  23  Ocampo,  Obras,  263.  Republicano, 
Oct.  24,  1846;  May  8,  11;  June  9,  11,  1847.  Esperanto,  Aug  8,  1846 
tfco  de  Tampwo,  Nov.  11,  1846.  Zempoalteca,  July  15,  1847  SOSpeaker 
in  Mexico  legislature,  Apr.  21.  London  Times,  July  15;  Oct  27;  Nov 
6,  16,  1846;  Jan  8,  13;  Feb.  9;  Mar  15;  May  10,  1847  Tribute  d  la 
Verdad,  27.  M'Sherry,  El  Puchero,  189  TSBernuldez  de  Castro,  no 
332,  res.,  Sept  24,  1846.  Encarnacion  Prisoners,  83  Opinion  del  Ejcrcito, 
Nov  13,  1846.  Cong  Globe,  29,  2,  app  ,  211  (Corwm) ;  323  (Calhoun) 
$36Eayres  to  S  Anna,  Oct.  10,  1846;  reply,  Oct  21  52Blaek,  Sept  22, 
28,  1846  92Mex.  ayunt.  to  gov  Fed  District,  Sept  3,  1847.  Sen  1 ; 
30,  1,  p.  36.  Wash  Union,  Sept  28 ;  Oct  6,  27,  1846 ;  Apr.  22 ;  May  22 ; 
July  10;  Aug  5;  Oct  5,  1847  Nat  Intelligencer,  Nov  7,  1846,  Feb 
5,  1847.  N  Y  Express,  Nov.  12,  1846.  Iris  Espanol,  Oct  30,  1846 
Regenerador  Repub ,  Dec.  23,  1846.  Benton,  Abr.  Debates,  xvi,  58-9 
(Calhoun).  132Cushmg  to  Buchanan,  Oct  31,  1847  ConMutwnnel, 
Nov.  10;  Dec  5,  1846;  Aug.  17,  1847.  Correspondant,  Sept  15,  1846. 
London  Globe,  Nov  16,  1846.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  270  Law  ton, 
Artill  Officer,  144  Monitor  Repub.,  Sept  2 ;  Nov.  14,  18,  1846 ,  Apr 
21,  29;  May  15,  17,  27,  1847.  Dwrw,  Oct  8  ,  Nov  21;  Dec.  20,  23, 
1841;  Feb.  13,  14;  Mar  31;  Apr.  11;  May  5,  21,  23,  25;  June  10,  18; 
July  8;  Aug  29,  1847.  76Mora,  Apr  23,  1847  See  also  chap  xxxiv, 
note  21,  and  the  corresponding  text 

8.  Appointment  of  Trist.  Polk,  Diary,  Dec.  3,  4,  9,  1846;  Jan.  18; 
Apr.  10,  14,  16,  21-2,  1847.  335Buclmmin  to  Trist,  July  13,  1847.  Mans- 
field, Mexican  War,  275.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  310.  52Trist  to 
Buchanan,  July  31,  private.  Ho.  69;  30,  1,  p.  43  (Buchanan).  STTrist, 
reports.  Polk,  Message,  Dec.  7,  1847  (Richardson,  iv,  536).  Benton, 
View,  ii,  704.  Chase,  Polk  Administration,  215-6.  335Mrs.  Trist  to 
T.,  July  13.  3«Biair  to  Van  Buren,  Dec.  26,  1846 ;  July  7,  1847.  Delta, 
May  1,  1848.  335Trist  to  Mann,  Dec.  — ,  1853  (draft).  335Document 
by  Triat  re  his  wife.  335Trist,  draft  of  letter  to  the  Times.  Amer.  Hist. 
Review,  x,  312-4  (Reeves).  335Trist  to  Felton,  June  14,  18—.  881 
M.,  memorial  (draft).  335Buchanan,  Aug.  28,  1845  (appointing  Trist 
c)iief  clerk).  For  Buchanan:  354 Welles  papers;  Monit >r  Repub,  Mar. 
10,  1848  (Landa) ;  Poore,  Percy's  Remins.,  i,  332. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  126-129        389 

9.  Trist' s  early  relations  with  Scott  in  Mexico.  SSSTrist's  credentials, 
etc.  335Walker  to  Trist  Apr.  15.  335Buchanan  to  Relacionea,  Apr. 
15,  Pennsylvanian,  Apr.  18.  Boston  Post,  Apr  15  335Trist  to  wife, 
Apr.  18,  25,  28 ;  May  4,  8,  15,  21,  etc. ;  to  Buchanan,  May  21.  335Trist's 
sister  to  T  ,  May  22  335Tnst,  drafts  and  memoranda.  Scott,  Mems., 
li,  399-401,  576,  579  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  150,  153,  159,  181  (Trist); 
126,  135,  157,  172  (Scott) ;  123,  128,  131  (Marcy) ;  108-9.  335Buchanan 
to  Trist,  July  13,  private  Ho.  69;  30,  1,  pp.  43,  47,  etc.  52Trist  to 
Scott,  May  9  Ho  60 ;  30,  1,  pp.  940  (Marcy) ;  993, 1218  (Scott).  Kenly, 
Md  Vol ,  336.  Mansfield,  Scott,  364.  Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  15,  16 ;  June 
12-15 ;  July  9,  13,  15,  17 ;  Aug.  24.  52Buchanan  to  Trist,  July  13.  Lon- 
don Times,  July  15;  Aug.  16  (Genevese  traveller:  Scott  warned). 
Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  38  Polk,  Message,  Dec.  7,  1847  (Richardson,  iv,  535). 
47Scott  to  Semmes,  May  9  48Mason  to  Perry,  Apr  15,  confid.  335 
Trist  to  Scott,  Sept  30  (draft)  Oswandel,  Notes,  155-6.  Semmes, 
Service,  197-201  345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Mar  3,  1848  335Trist  to  Ho. 
Repres,  Feb.  12,  1848  (draft).  Sen  107;  29,  2,  p  3  (Buchanan  to 
Conner,  July  27,  1846).  132Mason  to  Buchanan,  June  28  N.  Y.  Courier 
and  Enquirer  m  Niks,  July  10.  Buchanan,  Works  (Moore),  vii,  270-9 
So  Qtrly  Review,  Apr,  1852,  pp  386-93  (Sernmes  episode)  Ho. 
60;  30,  1,  pp  976-92  335Tnst  to  Felton,  June  14,  18— 

The  government  desired  to  keep  the  despatch  of  the  peace  commis- 
sioner secret,  lest  Whigs  should  defeat  the  plan  (Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  16), 
but  a  member  of  the  Cabinet  betrayed  the  fact  (335Trist  to  Mann,  Dec. 
— ,  1853).  Scott  had  been  given  some  reason  to  expect  that  he  would  be 
(as  he  naturally  desired  to  be)  one  of  a  peace  commission  (Mems  ,  ii,  576), 
as  would  have  been  very  proper,  and  no  doubt  he  was  not  pleased  to  find 
he  had  been  ignored  He  was  further  exasperated  at  this  time  by  the 
arrival  of  Lieut  Semmes,  as  a  representative  of  the  navy,  to  see  about 
the  case  of  a  naval  prisoner  (Rogers:  chap,  xxx,  p  444),  as  if  Scott  had 
not  been  able  and  willing  to  attend  to  the  business,  and  in  fact  had  not 
already  attended  to  it  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p  989),  and  by  Semmes's  demand 
(which  had  to  be  refused)  for  an  escort  (Semmes,  Service,  198,  etc. ;  Ho. 
60;  30,  1,  pp.  977-92)  It  would  not  have  been  proper  to  detach  one 
soldier  unnecessarily  May  31  Marcy  wrote  to  Scott  that  Trist  was 
"directed"  to  show  the  General  his  instructions  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  123) ; 
but  Buchanan  used  the  word  "authorised"  (52to  Trist,  July  13).  So  did 
Polk  (Message,  December  7,  1847)  and  Marcy  to  Scott  on  July  12  (Sen. 
52;  30,  1,  p.  133)  Polk  and  the  Cabinet  were  greatly  disturbed  by  the 
quarrel  between  Scott  and  Trist,  blaming  both  but  of  course  blaming 
Scott  most.  Polk  proposed  to  recall  them,  but  Marcy  said  Scott  could 
not  be  spared  at  that  time,  and  the  rest  of  the  Cabinet  agreed  with  him 
(Polk,  Diary,  June  12,  14;  July  9).  Polk  said  Scott  had  thrown  away 
"the  golden  moment"  to  make  peace  But,  as  Scott  knew  (Sen.  52;  30, 
1,  p.  120),  the  Mexican  Congress  by  its  law  of  April  20  (vol.  ii,  p.  81) 
had  made  peace  negotiations  practically  impossible.  A  military  officer 
is  not  expected  to  execute  an  order  if  the  condition  of  things  when  he 
receives  it  is  essentially  different  from  that  known  or  assumed  by  his 
superior  at  the  time  of  issuing  it.  Trist  admitted  later  that  he  had  been 
misinformed  about  the  Mexican  situation,  and  was  not  sorry  Scott  did 
not  promptly  forward  the  despatch  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  819,  825).  As  for 
the  power  to  grant  an  armistice,  Scott  held  that  the  army,  cut  off  without 
supplies  in  the  heart  of  a  hostile  country,  must  be  free  to  take  military 


390      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  129-132 

security  for  its  own  safety  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  121).  Trist  was  given 
authority  to  draw  any  part  of  the  three  millions  appropriated  to  facilitate 
making  a  treaty.  Buchanan  to  excuse  himself  wrote  (52to  Trist,  June 
14)  that  Scott  would  not  have  replied  to  Trist  as  he  did,  had  he  waited  to 
see  Trist's  instructions.  This  amounted  to  saying  that,  since  Scott  knew 
nothing  about  those  instructions,  his  letter  was  natural.  Marcy  admitted 
(May  31 :  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  122)  that  Scott  ought  to  have  seen  the  in- 
structions, the  projet  and  Buchanan's  despatch,  of  which  Trist  had  a  copy. 
Dec.  26  256Scott  had  written  privately  to  Marcy  that  he  had  heard  from 
Congressmen  of  a  plan  to  place  Benton  over  him,  but  did  not  believe  a 
word  of  it ;  and  Jan.  16  he  again  had  expressed  his  gratitude  and  loyalty 
to  the  President.  But  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  while  the  adminis- 
tration was  entitled  to  full  credit  for  its  meanness  and  blundering,  the 
trouble  arose  primarily  from  Scott's  having  gone  deeply  into  politics. 
He  was  not  politically  active  now.  Jan.  16  he  256wrote  privately  to 
Marcy,  "On  setting  out,  on  my  present  mission,  I  laid  down  whiggism, 
without  taking  up  democracy"  but  the  politicians  were  not  fitted  to  believe 
this  manly  and  truthful  declaration.  The  Whigs  insisted  that  Trist  had 
been  sent  to  embarrass  and  perhaps  to  ruin  Scott 

10.  Thornton,   later  Sir  Edward  Thornton,    British   minister  to   the 
United  States,  saw  Scott  also,  who  gave  him  to  understand  that  he  should 
advance  against  Mexico  July  1  or  2  unless  a  reply  to  Buchanan's  despatch 
should  seem  probable  (1ST.  to  Addmgton,  June  29)      Thornton  believed 
that  Rej6n  was  intriguing  with  Scott  to  have  the  Americans  come  to 
Mexico,  install  the  Puros  and  make  peace  with  them,  and  that  Rej6n's 
party  were  insisting  upon  war  for  this  reason  (ibid  ).     Baranda  had  tried 
to  catch  Scott  in  some  entanglement  by  means  of  secret,  negotiations 
through  the  British  legation,  but  had  failed  (ISBankhead,  nos.  47,  54, 
1817).     Bankhead  exerted  all  his  influence  with  the  government  in  favor 
of  negotiations     June  22  the  minister  of  relations  replied  politely  to  Buch- 
anan that  his  despatch  had  been  referred  to  Congress,  with  which  the  settle- 
ment of  the  matter  rested  (Diario,  June  26). 

11.  Scott  335wrote  to  Trist,  July  17,  to  the  following  effect:   I  concur 
with  you,  several  of  my  generals  and  many  foreigners  of  high  standing 
here  and  at  Mexico  in  believing  that  our  occupation  of  twenty  principal 
towns,  besides  those  we  already  hold,  probably  would  not  within  a  year 
or  more  force  the  Mexicans  to  accept  a  peace  on  terms  honorable  to  the 
United  States  without  the  pledge  in  advance  or  the  payment  of  money  to 
some  of  the  principal  authorities.     This  is  expected  as  a  preliminary  to 
any  negotiation.    We  must  pay  $10,000  down  to  one  high  official,  and 
$1,000,000,  probably  to  be  divided  among  many,  on  the  ratification  of 
a  treaty.    With  your  concurrence  I  sent  $10,000  to  Mexico  yesterday, 
and  at  the  proper  time  I  will  unite  with  you  in  pledging  $1,000,000.     I  have 
no  question  as  to  the  morality  of  this  course,  nor  have  you.    We  have 
tempted  the  integrity  of  no  one.    The  overture,  if  corrupt,  came  from 
parties  already  corrupted.    We  merely  avail  ourselves  of  that  corruption 
to  obtain  an  end  highly  advantageous  to  both  countries.    Such  transac- 
tions have  always  been  considered  allowable  in  war.    We  do  not  know 
that  this  money  would  not  go  into  the  same  channels  as  that  which  our 
government  is  willing  to  pay  publicly  for  territory  would  go  into. 

June  4  Poinsett  said  he  should  be  " surprised"  if  the  Mexicans  could  be 
made  to  accept  the  terms  of  the  United  States  (345to  Van  Buren).  June 
11  Buchanan  said  privately  he  should  not  be  "much  disappointed1'  should 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  132-133        391 

the  war  continue  for  years  (132to  Fremont).  July  16  Marcy  could  see 
no  hopes  of  terminating  it  (256to  Wetmore).  Hence  the  fears  of  Trist 
and  Scott  do  not  seem  unreasonable.  The  $1,000,000  was  to  have  been 
deducted  fioJi  the  sum  to  be  paid  by  the  United  States  government  (224 
Hitchcock,  memo.)  Who  the  intended  go-between  was  cannot  be  stated, 
though  on  settling  his  accounts  Scott  told  confidentially  who  received 
the  $10,000  (Scott  in  N.  Y.  Herald,  Nov.  3,  1857) ;  but  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  it  was  Miguel  Arroyo,  who  will  presently  appear  as  secre- 
tary to  the  Mexican  peace  commissioners.  It  has  been  said  (Rives,  U. 
S.  and  Mexico,  ii,  501)  that  Scott  acted  as  he  d  d  with  reference  to  peace 
because  anxious  to  get  back  to  the  United  States  for  personal  political 
reasons.  Had  this  been  true,  Scott  would  have  resigned  under  the  cloud 
of  glory  rising  from  his  capture  of  Mexico  City  We  have  political  letters 
written  by  Taylor  at  this  period,  but  Scott  seems  to  have  shown  no  such 
activity.  On  the  other  hand  he  wrote  to  Marcy  (no  e  9),  "On  setting 
out,  on  my  present  mission,  I  laid  down  whiggism  " 

July  16  Scott  mentioned  the  subject  of  paying  for  a  treaty  to  a  num- 
ber of  his  principal  officers  at  what  came  to  be  called  improperly  a  council, 
stating  ((f  supra)  that  he  felt  no  scruples  about  it  (Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
257).  Pillow,  who  had  already  assented  heartily  to  the  plan  (Claiborne, 
Quitman,  i,  317),  supported  that  view  of  it  strongly  (68Shields  to  Marcy, 
Mar.  11,  1848)  Quitman,  Shields  and  Cadwalader  opposed  it  Prob- 
ably their  opinions  had  no  practical  effect,  for  Scott  had  already  com- 
mitted himself,  and  the  Mexicans  soon  ceased  to  desire  peace.  July  7 
Trist  sent  to  Buchanan  a  copy  of  a  note  written  by  him  (52to  Thornton) 
which  could  hardly  fail  to  suggest  to  a  politician  that  something  peculiar 
was  afoot,  and  early  in  August  "Gomez,"  an  army  correspondent  ot  the 
St.  Louis  Republican,  gave  some  account  of  the  negotiations  (published 
Nov  22,  republished  by  the  Baltimore  Sun,  Dec.  6).  Polk  and  the  Cabinet 
made  no  sign,  however.  But  on  Oct.  28  and  January  18  Pillow,  now  a 
bitter  enemy  of  Scott,  wrote  to  Polk  about  the  affair  (Polk  Diary,  Dec. 
11,  18,  20,  28,  1847;  Feb.  16,  19,  1848),  pretending  (224Hitchcock,  memo.) 
that  Scott  had  beguiled  him  into  supporting  the  plan,  and  that  his  better 
nature  had  almost  immediately  reacted  against  it  Pillow  ond  Polk 
doubtless  thought  that  here  lay  an  opportunity  to  do  Scott  a  great  injury, 
and  took  the  matter  up  with  much  apparent  indignation ;  and  in  March, 
1848,  Marcy  confidentially  ordered  the  officers  sitting  in  the  Pillow  court 
of  inquiry  to  make  an  investigation  (Polk,  Diary,  Mar.  14,  16 ;  68Marcy, 
Mar.  17).  They  did  whit  they  could,  but  the  investigation  came  to  noth- 
ing, for  Trist  and  Scott  would  not  implicate  the  British  legation.  See 
GSproceedings  of  the  court  and  statements  of  generals ;  Daily  Democrat, 
Chicago,  Sept.  15,  1857;  256Marcy  to  Towson,  Mar.  17,  1848;  68Scott 
to  Marcy,  Jan.  28,  1848,  and  Shields  to  Marcy,  Feb.  12,  1848;  Davis, 
Autobiography,  177;  224Hitchcock,  memo.;  Claiborne,  Quitman,  i, 
323;  256memo  Scott  overlooked  the  facts  that  such  a  bargain  could 
not  be  kept  secret  indefinitely,  and  that,  even  if  ethically  justifiable  and 
in  accordance  with  the  practice  of  giving  presents  to  Indian  chiefs  and 
Barbary  pirates,  it  would  give  great  offence  to  American  pride.  The 
latter  point  was  urged  forcibly  by  Shields.  To  buy  peace  of  a  vanquished 
enemy  seemed  to  him  and  Quitman  humiliating  and  degrading. 

12.  The  Puebla  negotiations.  52Trist  to  Buchanan,  nos.  7,  June  13; 
9,  July  23  (and  P.  S.,  July  25) ;  12,  Aug.  22.  52Thornton  to  Trist,  July 
29.  ISThornton  to  Bankhead,  June  14;  to  Addington,  June  29.  13 


392       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  132-133 

Pakenham,  no.  116,  Sept.  13,  1846.  335Trist  to  Scott,  June  25,  confi- 
dential; July  16,  confidential.  335Worth  to  Trist,  July  2,  22.  132 
Atocha  to  Buchanan,  July  3.  335[Thornton]  to  Hargous,  undated.  335 
Trist  to  Thornton,  July  3.  335Scott  to  Trist,  July  17 ;  to  P.  F.  Smith, 
July  6.  335Trist  to  Buchanan,  no.  8,  July  7.  335 — —  to  Trist,  July  8 
St.  Louis  Republican,  Nov.  22.  Baltimore  Sun,  Dec  6.  Diano,  May 
21,  23-5;  June  8,  26,  27;  July  2,  18,  24-6;  Aug  18.  Monitor  Repub., 

May  13;    June  18,  25,  27-8      335 to ,  July  21.     335Otero  to 

Pesado,  July  13.  Picayune,  June  30;  Aug  8;  Get  1,  15  Rcpubhcano, 
June  24-5.  Scott,  Mems.,  li,  579.  47Semmes  to  Perry,  July  28  Clai- 
borne,  Quitman,  i,  314-21,  326.  Polk,  Diary  (see  note  11)  68Quit- 
man  to  Marcy,  Mar  9,  1848  SSPillow  to  Marcy,  Jan  18,  1848.  52 
Buchanan  to  Trist,  no.  7,  Dec  21,  1847.  68Shields  to  Marcy,  Mar  9, 
1848.  Raleigh  Star,  Aug  25,  1847  SOWilson  to  Marcy,  July  31 ;  Aug 
1.  London  Times,  May  10;  Aug.  6;  Sept.  6.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  239, 
255-6,  263.  271.  Davis,  Autobiography,  177-8,  207-9  224Hitchcock, 
Memorandum  X.  Y  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar  1,  2,  1848  Missouri 
Republican,  Sept  16,  1857  68Scott  to  Marcy,  Jan  28,  1848.  68Shields 
to  Marcy,  Feb.  12,  1848  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  38,  40.  Sen.  1 ;  29,  2,  p.  44 
Sen.  34;  34,  3,  pp  21,  37-9  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  144,  150,  229,  232, 
235,  238,  240,  259-61,  269-70  335Tnst  to  Thornton,  July  30.  335E.  E 
Smith  to  Trist,  Aug.  31.  335Trist  to  Scott,  Sept.  30  (draft)  256Marcy 
to  Wetmore,  July  16;  Oct.  21.  Otero,  Comunicaci6n  Dictamen 
de  la  Comisi6n,  etc ,  29,  30.  Republicans,  May  8,  21 ;  June  9,  28.  82 
J.  J.  Otero,  proclam.,  Apr.  25  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  111,  app.,  115-20 
52J.  A.  Jones  to  Polk,  May  2  Delta,  July  15  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
260-1,  264-9,  326.  SOScott  to  Marcy,  Apr.  5.  ISBankhead,  nos.  184, 
Dec.  30,  1846;  6,  Jan  29;  34,  Apr.  1;  42,  46,  Apr  30;  47,  May  6;  54, 
58-60,  May  29;  01,  June  26;  67,  June  29;  75,  July  29,  1847.  68Scott 
to  Towson  et  al ,  Apr  17,  1848  335H  L  Scott  to  Trist,  May  29,  1852 
Wash.  Telegraph,  Get  13,  22,  1852  London  Chronicle,  Aug.  6.  335 
Trist  to  Scott,  Sept.  1,  1861.  Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  pp  524-5.  56M.  Y.  Beach, 
June  4.  Wash  Union,  June  2;  July  10;  Aug  5,  20.  N.  Y  Sun,  May 

22.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  830  (Trist) ;  945,  1011,  1085  (Scott) ;  922  (Marcy) 
132 Atocha  to  Buchanan,  July  3 ;    Aug.  1 ;    Sept    4,  21      132Dimond  to 
Buchanan,   Aug    2      Klein,   Treaty,   255.     Buchanan,   Works    (Moore), 
vii,   484.     N.   Y.   Herald,   Nov    3,    1857    (Scott)      Furse,   Organization, 
143.     R6plica  d  la  Defensa      Semmes,  Service,  310,  413      73Bermudez 

de  Castro,  no.  517,  June  29     Apuntes,  199      185 to  Lewis,  July  20. 

335Trist,  marginal  notes  on  Sen.  52;    30,  1.     Sen    52;    30,  1,  pp.*  135, 
172  (Scott) ;    181-6,  231-46,  306  (Trist) ;    194  (S   Anna)      76Orders  for 
Guzmdn  and  Avila.     76Alvarez,  July  16 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  ii,  149)  represents  Scott  as  desiring  a  recon- 
ciliation with  Trist  in  order  to  play  a  brilliant  part  in  bringing  about  peace 
and  so  increase  his  political  popularity.  This  view,  which  befits  a  pupil 
and  friend  of  Pillow  and  furthers  the  purpose  of  both  to  injure  Scott,  is 
disproved  by  a  number  of  circumstances  and  particularly  by  the  fact  that, 
after  the  reconciliation  took  place,  Scott,  while  ready  to  do  all  in  hih 
power  for  peace  —  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  military  glory  —  kept  himself 
entirely  in  the  background  so  far  as  that  business  was  concerned.  July 

23,  1847,  Trist  wrote  to  Buchanan :  Scott's  whole  conduct  with  reference 
to  the  duties  with  which  I  am  charged  "has  been  characterized  by  the 
purest  public  spirit,  and  a  fidelity  and  devotion  which  could  not  be  sur- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  132-133       393 

passed,  to  the  views  of  the  government,  in  regard  to  the  restoration  of 
peace"  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  831)  Aiming  to  further  the  negotiations  with 
Santa  Anna,  Scott  sent  from  Puebla  to  Mexico  a  335Memorandum  that 
he  would  advance  and  would  either  defeat  the  Mexicans  in  view  of  the 
capital  (if  they  would  offer  battle)  or  capture  a  strong  position,  and  then, 
if  able  to  restrain  his  troops,  would  halt  and  give  the  Mexicans  an  oppor- 
tunity to  save  the  capital  by  making  peace  (Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  524).  Rip- 
ley  (War  with  Mexico,  li,  167-9)  endeavors  to  relate  this  honorable  inci- 
dent in  a  way  to  represent  Scott  as  the  dupe  of  Santa  Anna  and  to  compli- 
ment Pillow.  But  the  fact  that  for  good  and  purely  American  reasons  the 
general-m-chief  pursued  this  very  course  after  the  negotiations  had  ended, 
refutes  Ripley;  and  it  also  proves  that  in  offering  to  make  that  agree- 
ment Scott  did  not  allow  his  military  plans  to  be  influenced  by  the  enemy, 
as  was  charged,  for  by  the  morning  of  Aug  20,  as  no  sign  of  a  disposition 
to  treat  had  met  Scott,  he  regarded  the  Memorandum  and  every  other 
vestige  of  an  understanding  as  no  longer  binding  upon  him  "in  any  degree" 
(SSScott  to  court,  Apr  17,  1848,  confid  ).  Scott  was  ready,  in  the 
interest  of  his  country  and  humanity,  to  do  anything,  compatible  with 
his  duty,  to  obtain  peace. 

Rives  (op.  cit.j  11,  445)  states  that  in  consequence  of  a  letter  of  July  16 
from  Pacheco,  minister  of  relations,  to  Congress  a  committee  of  Congress 
reported  that  the  restrictions  placed  by  the  law  of  Apr  20  on  the  preroga- 
tives of  the  Executive  had  been  removed  by  the  recent  "Act  of  Reforms" 
of  the  Constitution  This  would  have  been  an  important  point ;  but  the 
facts  are  that  the  committee's  report,  now  lying  before  the  author,  was 
dated  July  13  and  did  not  mention  the  law  of  Apr  20,  and  that  Congress 
was  not  in  session  to  receive  Pacheco 's  reply  of  July  16  to  its  report  (52 
Trist,  no.  9,  July  23) 

13.  Pacheco  asked  Bankhead  to  use  his  good  offices  with  Scott  to  save 
the  city  from  sack ;    but  as  neither  the  United  States  nor  Mexico  had 
shown  favor  to  the  offer  of  British  mediation,  he  would  not  act      It  is 
hard  to  see  how,  with  due  regard  to  Polk's  declarations  and  the  real  desire 
of  the  United  States  for  peace,  Scott  could  have  taken  the  risk  of  scatter- 
ing the  Mexican  government  and  the  elements  of  peace  by  refusing  to 
remain  outside  the  city  for  a  time ;    and  remaining  outside  involved  an 
armistice,  because  —  for  one  thing  —  the  only  large  stock  of  provisions 
on  which  he  could  count  lay  in  town.     Hence  censure  of  Scott  for  making 
the  armistice  came  from  Polk  with  a  very  bad  grace  (52Trist,  no.  22 ;  221 
Hill,  diary) 

14.  The  making  of  the  armistice      Sen.  52,    30,  1,  pp    186,  190,  231-2 
(Trist);     189    (Pacheco),    192    (Scott).     52Trist   to   Buchanan,    no     12, 
Aug.  22      52Bankhead  to  Trist,  Aug    20,  21.     Contestaciones  Habidas, 
3-7,  11-19.     Picayune,  Sept   9.     Apuntes,  260-3,  268-9.     Sen.  1;   30,  1, 
p.  314  (Scott) ;    356-9.     Kenly,  Md    Vol ,  350.     68Scott,  statement  to 
court,  Apr.  17,  1848,  confid.    ISBankhead,  nos.  76,  Aug.  21 ;   82,  Aug 
29.    Raleigh  Star,  Sept.  22.     22lHill,  diary      M6xico  a  travel,  iv,  681. 
Hitchcock,   Fifty  Years,   279-80,    284-6.     Davis,   Autobiog.,    189,   207, 
215-6.    224lntercepted  letters  (Hitchcock,  ed.).    259lntercepted  letter. 
Chicago  Democrat,  Sept.  15,  1857.     6lGates  to  adj.  gen.,  Aug.  31.    Hen- 
shaw  narrative.    S    Anna,   Apelaci6n,   61-2.    29lPierce  to  wife,   Aug. 
23 ;  to  Appleton,  Aug  27.     335Trist,  memo.,  July  29.     Semmes,  Service, 
U2,  415-9,  427,  446     N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar.  1,  1848.    Sen. 
'5;  30,  1,  pp.  170,  178,  191,  196-8,  204,  281,  288,  460,  465,  543.    SORela- 


394       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  132-133 

clones,  circulars,  Aug.  23,  30.  SORelaciones  to  Olagufbel,  Aug.  31,  res. 
73Lozano,  no.  5,  res.,  Aug.  28.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  447-8;  iv, 
app.,  286.  335Trist,  notes  on  a  letter  to  Ho.  of  Repres.,  Feb.  12,  1848. 
Wash.  Telegraph^  Oct.  13,  1852.  236Judah,  diary.  Sedgwick,  Corresp., 
i,  114.  So.  Qtrly.  Renew,  July,  1852,  pp.  112-6.  S.  Anna,  Detail,  16. 
Monitor  Repub  ,  Dec.  12  (S.  Anna,  report,  Nov.  19).  70"Guerra,"  no.  30 
(F.  Perez,  statement,  June  17,  1853).  Ramirez,  Mexico,  301.  Wash. 
Union,  Nov.  3.  76To  Lombardini,  Aug.  21.  76Tornel  to  Lombardmi, 
Aug.  24.  76Circulars,  Aug.  26;  Sept  1,  6,  7.  76Many  others.  Mora 
was  accompanied  by  Arrang6iz,  lately  Mexican  consul  at  New  Orleans. 

Quitman  and  Pierce,  who  had  not  been  able  to  distinguish  themselves 
in  the  recent  battles,  and  P.  F.  Smith  were  armistice  commissioners  for 
the  Americans  and  Generals  Mora  and  Quijano  for  the  Mexicans  They 
met  at  Mackintosh's  house.  In  brief  the  terms,  as  drawn  up,  were  as 
follows:  1,  cessition  of  hostilities;  2,  to  continue  while  the  peace  com- 
missioners are  negotiating  or  forty-eight  hours  after  one  of  the  commanders- 
in-chief  gives  formal  notice  of  its  termination;  3,  during  the  armistice 
no  military  work,  offensive  or  defensive,  shall  be  begun,  enlarged  or  rein- 
forced ;  4,  neither  army  shall  be  reinforced ;  troops  and  munitions  en 
route  shall  stop  twenty-eight  leagues  [about  seventy-five  miles]  from  Mex- 
ico ;  5,  no  troops  of  either  side  shall  advance  "beyond  the  line  now  a(  tually 
occupied";  6,  the  intermediate  ground  shall  not  be  trespassed  upon  by 
military  men  except  when  acting  as  messengers  or  engaged  under  a  white 
flag  on  other  business ;  7,  neither  side  shall  prevent  the  other  from  receiv- 
ing provisions ;  the  Americans  may  obtain  supplies  from  city  or  country ; 
8,  prisoners  shall  be  exchanged ;  9,  Americans  residing  at  Mexico  and 
banished  thence  may  return ;  10,  either  army  may  send  messengers  to  or 
from  Vera  Cruz;  11,  the  Americans  will  not  interfere  with  the  adminis- 
tration of  justice  when  Mexicans  are  the  parties;  12,  they  will  respect 
private  property,  personal  rights  and  trade ;  13,  wounded  prisoners  shall 
be  free  to  move  for  treatment  and  cure ;  14,  Mexican  army  health  officers 
may  attend  on  such  Mexicans;  15,  commissioners  shall  superintend  the 
fulfilment  of  this  agreement;  16,  the  agreement  is  to  be  approved  by 
the  commanders-in-chief  within  twenty-four  hours  (Sen  52 ;  30,  1,  p  310). 
Santa  Anna  struck  out  article  9,  but  through  passports  the  same  end  was 
reached  (52Trist,  no.  13);  and  it  was  agreed  that  "supplies"  (recur sos) 
in  article  7  should  cover  everything  needed  by  the  army  except  arms  and 
munitions.  For  Scott's  draft  see  Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  543. 

It  is  believed  that  enough  has  been  said  in  the  text  to  show  the  wisdom 
of  making  the  armistice,  and  more  space  cannot  be  given  to  the  subject. 
Any  one  interested  in  it  should  read  Tnst's  52no  22  (most  of  it  in  Sen. 
52;  30,  1,  pp.  231-66).  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Mexicans 
believed  the  armistice  was  greatly  for  the  advantage  of  the  Americans. 
Alcorta,  minister  of  war,  said  that  Scott's  purpose  in  proposing  it  was 
solely  to  give  his  troops  a  needed  rest,  collect  his  wounded,  obtain  pro- 
visions and  prepare  batteries  (Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app  ,  448).  It  was 
believed  that  his  losses  had  been  severe  (61undated  Mexican  letter). 
The  reasons  avowed  by  Santa  Anna  for  accepting  the  armistice  were 
to  let  the  troops  rest  and  recover  morale,  to  gather  the  wounded  and  the 
dispersed,  and  in  general  to  undo  the  effects  of  the  recent  battles ;  also  to 
show  the  world  that  Mexico  was  willing  to  discuss  peace,  and  to  convince 
all  that  the  American  demands  were  unreasonable.  The  weakest  point 
about  the  armistice  was  Scott's  not  requiring  that  Chapul tepee  should 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  133-134       395 

be  surrendered  or  evacuated,  as  at  one  time  he  intended  to  do  (Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,  285).  The  reason  for  his  policy  was,  in  brief,  that  he  believed 
Santa  Anna  fully  intended  to  make  peace,  and,  understanding  the  immense 
difficulties  that  Santa  Anna  would  have  to  meet,  he  did  not  wish  to  increase 
them  (52Trist,  no.  13).  Besides,  magnanimity  —  which  is  a  strong  qual- 
ity, not  a  weak  one  —  to  a  beaten  foe  often  produces  good  results.  Per- 
haps Scott  erred  on  this  point ;  but  if  so,  it  was  a  noble  error  and  not  has- 
tily to  be  censured.  Apparently  by  oversight,  neither  Scott  nor  Trist  had 
been  instructed  what  to  do  should  the  Mexicans  ask  for  an  armistice  with 
a  view  to  peace.  Hence  Scott  was  left  to  take  the  course  that  seemed  to 
him  best,  and  that  he  did.  Pillow  claimed  great  glory  for  opposing  the 
unsuccessful  armistice.  Rives  says  (U.  S.  and  Mexico,  ii,  501)  that 
Scott  was  too  eager  for  a  return  to  the  United  States  to  be  " critical*'  of 
Santa  Anna's  honesty.  This  is  to  say  that  Scott  was  unfit  to  be  a  corporal. 
Everybody  was  suspicious  of  Santa  Anna,  See  Sen.  52 ;  30,  1,  pp  248-52. 
Rives  further  says  (p.  507)  that  Scott  should  have  seen  that  Santa  Anna, 
situated  as  he  was,  would  have  accepted  any  conditions ;  but  Santa  Anna 
certainly  would  not  He  did  not  accept  our  peace  terms  Rives  also  al- 
ludes to  Scott's  " amiable  weakness"  m  the  matter  (p.  508)  — very  errone- 
ously, the  present  author  thinks. 

15.  Picayune,  Sept.  9;  Oct.  16,  17.  Gamboa,  Impug.,  49,  50.  Apun- 
tes,  270-1,  286.  ISBankhead,  nos.  77,  Aug.  27;  83,  Aug  29  221HU1, 
diary.  Ramirez,  M6xico,  275,  303.  M6xico  a*  trav6s,  iv,  686.  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  280,  287-92,  294.  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  148.  Davis, 
Autobiog ,  211.  224lntercepted  letters  (Hitchcock,  ed).  Henshaw 
narrative.  Haynes,  Gen  Scott's  Guide  259lntercepted  letter  Sen. 
19;  30,  2  (M.  L.  Smith,  Nov  30,  1848).  29lPierce  to  Appleton,  Aug. 
27.  Law.ton,  Artill  Officer,  297,  301,  303,  306.  178Davis,  diary.  Diario, 
Sept.  2,  4,  8.  335Belton  to  Hitchcock,  Aug  23.  335E  E  Smith  to 
Trist,  Aug.  31.  335Memo.  in  Spanish,  Aug.  — .  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos, 
415.  Semmes,  Service,  424.  Sen.  11;  31,  1  (Hardcastle) .  SORelaciones, 
circular,  Aug.  23.  SOAlcalde  S  Fe  to  Olaguibel,  Aug.  29.  SOClagufbei 
to  legislature,  Aug.  30;  reply,  Sept.  1.  SOValencia  to  O.,  Aug.  21,  23. 
80O.  to  Guerra,  Aug  22.  SOGuerra  to  O.,  Aug  24;  reply,  Aug.  29. 
199MS.  written  by  leading  citizen.  TSLozano,  nos.  5,  res.,  Aug.  28;  8, 
res.,  Sept.  17.  E^carnacion  Prisoners,  81,  83-4.  Monit  r  Repub  ,  Nov. 
16  (Alvarez).  Carreno,  Jefes,  cccxv,  note.  9.60 Henshaw,  comments 
on  map.  Wash.  Union,  Nov.  3.  Apuntes,  271-2.  And  from  76  the 
following  (and  many  others).  Alvarez,  Aug.  22,  23,  24,  26,  29.  To 
comandante  Toluca,  Aug.  24.  Acuerdos,  Aug,  23,  25,  26,  28,  31 ;  Sept. 
1,  4.  To  Alvarez,  Aug.  21,  25,  28.  Tornel,  Aug.  27,  27,  verv  res.,  29. 
To  Ugarte  and  comtes.  gen  Guanajuato,  S.  Luis  Potosf  and  Quer6taro, 
Aug.  29.  Cosfo,  Sept.  6  J.  Y.  G  iti6rr*z,  S-pt.  2,  res.  To  Lombardini, 
Aug.  9  22,  24,  25  Alcorta,  AUK  22  Quijano  to  Lombardini,  Aug.  23, 
24.  To  comte.  gen  Mexico,  Aug  27  29,  30  Bravo,  Aug.  28.  To 
Herrera,  Aug.  25.  To  Relaciones,  Aug  27.  Tornel  to  comte.  gen., 
Sept.  4.  Pacheco  to  To-nel,  Aug  23  C  rculars,  Aug  26;  Sept.  1,6, 
7.  Alvarez  to  Olagufhel,  Oct.  30.  Olagufbel,  Aug.  27. 

Paredes,  who  had  been  banished,  landed  at  Vera  Cruz  on  Aug.  14 
(Paredes,  Breve  Exposici6n). 

On  August  26  a  long  train  of  armv  wasrons  went  to  the  capital  for 
provisions  and  was  turned  back ;  but  an  explanation  came  promptly  from 
Santa  Anna.  The  next  day  a  similar  train,  while  waiting  in  the  main 


396       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  134-135 

plaza  of  the  city  (76Tornel,  Aug.  27),  was  attacked  by  the  populace  be- 
cause the  teamsters  appeared  to  gaze  with  indifference,  if  not  insultingly, 
at  a  religious  procession  (Carreno,  Jefes,  cccxv;  Henshaw  narrative). 
Immediately  the  prevailing  hostility  against  the  Americans  and  a  sus- 
picion that  Santa  Anna  was  planning  to  introduce  Americans  in  this  way 
and  betray  the  capital  (Arco  Ins,  Nov.  29,  1847)  led  to  a  riot,  in  which 
six  or  seven  of  the  Americans  were  injured  and  two  killed  Tornel,  now 
governor  of  the  Federal  District,  tried  without  effect  to  quell  the  mob, 
but  Herrora,  comandante  general,  succeeded  (Apuntes,  271).  Mexican 
troops  defended  the  wagons  (Davis,  Autobiog.,  211).  Santa  Anna  felt 
and  expressed  deep  regret  for  the  incident  (76to  Relaciones,  Aug.  27), 
and  some  Mexican  officers  were  punished  for  imprudence  (76to  comte 
gen.  Mex ,  Aug  27).  Scott  viewed  the  affair  philosophically.  After 
this  Herrera  and  Tornel  took  precautions  (TGTornel,  Aug  29),  the  busi- 
ness was  done  at  a  very  early  time  in  the  morning,  the  wagons  did  not 
actually  go  into  the  city  (76to  comte.  gen  Mex.,  Aug.  29),  and  an  officer 
of  the  American  commissary  department,  disguised  as  a  peasant,  had 
charge  of  them.  Minor  riots  occurred  later,  however,  and  after  a  time 
the  place  where  the  supplies  intended  for  Scott  were  kept  was  discovered 
and  sacked  (Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  291).  Owing  to  the  non-success 
of  the  negotiations,  about  $300,000  of  American  cash  had  to  be  left  in  the 
town.  Both  cash  and  provisions  had  been  arranged  for  by  the  indefati- 
gable Hargous  (ibid  )  During  the  armistice  the  American  equipments, 
artillery,  etc.  were  put  into  the  best  possible  order. 

16.  Santa  Anna  had  much  difficulty  in  persuading  good  men  to  serve 
as  commissioners  Trist  met  the  Mexican  commissioners  first  on  Aug 
27  at  Atzcapuzalco,  about  eight  miles  from  Tacubaya  (Sen  52;  30,  1, 
pp.  191,  195),  but  at  the  second  session  (Aug.  28)  it  was  agreed  to  meet 
at  the  house  of  Alfaro  (Casa  Colorado)  near  Tacubaya  and  within  the 
Mexican  lines  The  instructions  drafted  for  the  Mexican  commissioners, 
Aug.  24  and  29,  were  avowedly  drawn  as  if  Mexico  had  " triumphed," 
and  represented  merely  a  basis  for  bargaining  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  313-5, 
369-71).  The  commissioners  were  authorized  at  first  only  to  receive  and 
transmit  the  American  propositions;  but,  believing  they  would  be  given 
(as  they  were  on  Aug.  31 :  ibid.,  335)  full  powers,  like  his  own,  to  negotiate, 
Trist  laid  his  projet  (ibid.,  326-30)  before  them  on  Aug.  27  (see  Roa 
B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  389,  note  1).  Aug  29  Santa  Anna  and  his  Cabinet 
discussed  this  (Sen  52;  30,  1,  330).  Aug.  30  he  discussed  it  with  his 
generals  (Diario,  Aug  31).  Sept.  1  the  Mexicans  presented  to  Trist 
their  full  powers,  and  the  discussion  of  his  terms  began,  Sept.  2  they  were 
discussed  further,  and,  as  agreement  was  found  to  be  impossible,  Tnst 
proposed  that  the  armistice  be  extended.  A  large  gathering  at  the  palace 
then  discussed  the  situation  (Apuntes,  278).  Sept.  3  Santa  Anna  ordered 
that  no  more  provisions  and  other  articles  that  could  be  useful  to  the 
Americans  should  leave  the  city  (76to  comte.  gen.  Mex.).  Sept.  4  Pacheco, 
the  minister  of  relations,  issued  a  77circular  intimating  that  unless  Trist 
should  moderate  his  terms,  negotiations  would  be  broken  off.  Cabinet 
consultations  followed,  however  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  202).  Sept.  5  Pacheco 
notified  the  Mexican  commissioners  that  the  Nueces-Rio  Grande  district 
and  New  Mexico  would  not  be  surrendered  (ibid.,  373-5).  Sept.  6  the 
final  meeting  wa«  held  and  the  Mexican  counter-pro  jet  presented  (ibid , 
375-80).  The  Spanish  charge*  had  thought  that,  owing  to  Santa  Anna's 
disposition  to  jockey,  the  negotiations  would  last  a  long  time.  This  wab 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  135-137        397 

prevented  by  Trist's  frank,  direct  methods.     Trist  was  now  in  good  health 
except  for  a  severe  toothache.     He  and  Scott  worked  in  perfect  harmony. 

Santa  Anna  was  extremely  anxious  to  gain  foreign  support  and,  if 
possible,  a  foreign  guaranty  of  the  boundary  (73Lozano,  no.  3,  res.,  Aug. 
25).  Seiffart,  the  Prussian  minister,  who  had  felt  annoyed  by  the  insignif- 
icant role  to  which  the  negative  policy  of  his  government  and  his  own  lack 
of  capacity  had  condemned  him,  now  broke  out  with  an  unauthorized 
expression  of  sympathy  for  Mexico,  and  Santa  Anna  endeavored  to  use 
this  as  a  lever  on  his  colleagues  (TSLozano,  no.  8,  res ,  Sept.  17).  But 
France  had  no  representative  on  the  scene  Bankhead,  besides  enter- 
taining considerable  displeasure  because  his  advice  and  the  British  offer 
of  mediation  had  not  been  effective,  had  been  for  some  months,  and  still 
was,  too  ill  to  take  a  strong  position  (TSLozano,  no  5,  res.,  Aug.  28) ; 
and  Ram6n  Lozano,  the  Spanish  charge  ( the  minister  having  left  for  home 
on  the  conclusion  of  the  armistice),  would  not  act  without  instructions, 
and  personally  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  would  not  be  easy  to  obtain 
a  European  guaranty  of  the  new  line  (73nos  5,  res  ,  8,  res  ). 

17.  The  negotiations  (including  S  Anna's  difficulties)  Sen  52;  30,  1, 
must  be  studied  closely  by  any  one  desiring  to  investigate  the  subject, 
and  hence  citations  of  the  documents  that  it  contains  need  not  be  given. 
52Tnst  to  Buchanan,  nos  13,  Aug  21,  15,  Sept  4,  confid  335Thornton 
to  Trist,  July  29  Sen  Report  261;  41,  2  Sen  20;  30,  1.  Ho  40; 
30,  1.  Ho  69,  30,  1,  pp  43,  47,  56,  59  52Contestaciones  Habidas, 
1847,  with  Trist's  notes,  throughout  Delta,  Nov  13  Picayune,  May  12 ; 
June  30;  Sept  9;  Get  1,  15,  16,  17  Apuntes,  264-9,  277-9,  283,  286. 
52Buchanan  to  Trist,  no  3,  July  13  ISBankhead,  nos  83,  Aug.  29; 
87,  Sept.  28  Constitutionnel,  Aug  17  Ramirez,  Mexico,  234,  241, 
271-2,  274,  278,  303  Hitchcock,  Fiftv  Years,  287-9  Davis,  Autobiog., 
209  224lntercepted  letters  (Hitchcock,  ed  )  lOSBuchanan  to  Bancroft, 
Sept.  29  224Letter  from  member  of  Congress  (intercepted),  Aug. 
21  Henshaw  narrative  Pacheco,  Exposici6n  284Comumeaci6n  que 
sobre  .  dingi6  .  Otero  Negrcte^  Invasi6n,  m,  app ,  483  (Otero) 
Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  388-408  Mexico  en  1847,  34  London  Times, 
May  10 ;  Oct  26.  Polk,  Message,  Dec  7,  1847 ;  Feh  2,  1848  (Richard- 
son, Messages,  iv,  536-9).  29lPierce  to  Appleton,  Aug  27  47Pnvate 
letter  from  Orizaba,  undated  Lawton,  Artill  Officer,  240,  271  ISThorn- 
ton  to  Addington,  June  29  Arco  Ins,  Sept  16  Opinion  Publica,  Aug. 
29.  Diario,  Aug.  31.  335E  E  Smith  to  Trist,  Aug  31  83Gov.  Quere*- 
taro  to  Relacionr\s,  Sept  4  83Gov  Jalisco  to  Relacioncs,  Aug  31.  83 
Farias,  Otero  et  al ,  declaration,  Aug  22  SSQueretaro  legislature  to  ReL, 
Sept.  4  Semmes,  Service,  414,  426,  446  Sen  65;  *30,  1,  p  540  SOGov. 
S.  L.  Potosf  to  Olagufbel,  Aug.  28  SOGov.  Quer6taro  to  O  ,  Aug  21 ; 
reply,  Aug.  27.  SORelaciones,  circulars,  Aug  23,  30  SOOlag  to  Relac., 
Aug.  26.  SOOlag  ,  proclam  ,  Aug  26.  SORelac  to  Olag  ,  Aug.  31,  res.  ; 
Sept.  6,  8.  SOProceedings  of  Coalition  junta,  Aug.  4,  25.  80Me*xico 
legisl.,  Aug  27.  Porvenir,  Aug.  24,  supplmnt.  199MS  written  by  a 
leading  person.  82Gov.  Oaxaca  to  gov.  Puebla,  Sept.  9.  TSBermudez 
de  Castro,  no.  550,  Aug.  21.  TSLozano,  nos.  3,  res.,  Aug.  25;  5,  res., 
Aug.  28 ;  6,  Sept  10 ;  8,  res ,  Sept.  17  Encarnacion  Prisoners,  83. 
SOCoalition  junta  to  Mexico  state,  Aug.  14.  92Mexico  ayunt.  to  gov. 
Fed.  District,  Sept.  3.  N.  Y.  Herald,  Feb.  5,  1848.  Nat.  Intelligencer, 
Aug.  31.  Monitor  Repub.,  May  26,  31;  Oct.  8  132Atocha  to  Buch- 
anan, Sept.  4.  Amer.  Hist.  Review,  x,  319  (Reeves)  Amer.  Review, 


398       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  135-137 

Jan.,  1848,  5-14.  So.  Qtrly.  Review,  July,  1852,  pp.  114-5.  Republican**, 
May  11.  ISlBuchanan  to  Donelson,  Jan.  29.  Prieto,  Mems.,  236. 
364Worth  to  S.,  July  29;  to  Marcy,  Oct.  30.  221H111,  diary.  S.  Anna, 
Detail,  16.  S.  Anna,  Mi  Historia,  74.  86Relaciones,  circular,  Sept.  4. 
and  from  76  the  following  (and  many  others).  Coslo,  Sept.  6.  J.  Y. 
Guti6rrez,  Sept.  2.  To  Herrera,  Aug.  25.  To  Bravo,  Aug.  31.  To 
comte.  gen.  Mexico,  Sept.  3.  To  Canalizo,  Aug.  12.  To  comte  gen. 
Quer6taro,  Sept.  4.  Gov.  Michoacdn,  Sept.  3.  Alvarez  to  Olagufbel, 
Oct.  30.  To  Alvarez,  Aug.  21. 

Santa  Anna  said  in  his  manifesto:  "A  perpetual  war  is  an  absurdity; 
because  war  is  a  calamity,  and  the  instinct  of  self-preservation,  which  is 
even  stronger  and  more  powerful  in  nations  than  in  individuals,  recom- 
mends that  no  means  whatever  should  be  omitted  that  may  lead  to  an 
advantageous  arrangement.  To  adopt  this  course  the  constitution  gives 
me  competent  authority.  Consecrated  to  interests  so  noble  and  highly 
privileged,  it  is  my  duty  to  maintain  at  all  cost  the  respect  and  reverence 
due  to  the  supreme  authority  with  which  I  am  invested  ...  I  will  be 
yet  more  explicit:  sedition  and  attempts  at  subverting  the  government 
shall  be  exemphrily  punished"  (Sen.  52  ;  30,  1,  p.  250). 
(Trist's  "vague  remark")  Ibid.,  253. 

The  Mexican  commissioners  were  instructed  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  314, 
369-71)  to  draw  Trist  into  discussions  that  not  only  would  have  given 
them  opportunities  to  create  awkward  dialectic  situations,  as  Rej6n  and 
others  had  done  with  reference  to  Texas,  but  might  have  excited  fresh 
discord  in  the  United  States  regarding  our  treatment  of  Mexico.  For 
example,  they  were  to  ask  the  motives  and  aims  of  the  war,  and  whether 
the  United  States  based  its  expectations  upon  force  or  upon  friendly  nego- 
tiation. The  ground  was  taken  that  since  Mexico  was  now  ready  to  give 
up  Texas,  all  reason  for  the  war  had  ceased  to  exist  [as  if  the  fighting  that 
had  already  occurred,  its  loss  of  life,  triumphs  and  expenses,  signified 
nothing].  It  was  urged  that  since  no  title  except  to  Texas  had  been  claimed 
by  the  United  States,  we  could  continue  the  war  only  for  the  odious  sake 
of  conquest  or  the  unheard-of  purpose  to  punish  Mexico  because  she  was 
unwilling  to  s?il  her  hnds  and  her  people  (see  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos, 
391,  400-1,  583,  note  3). 

In  justification  of  his  plan  to  extend  the  armistice,  Trist  pointed  out 
that  the  American  sick  and  wounded  would  recover,  the  rainy  reason 
end,  the  inundations  diminish,  the  roads  improve  and  the  temperature 
fall  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  259).  Ripley,  on  the  other  hand,  asserts  (op.  cti. 
ii,  350)  that  the  Americans  would  have  been  "  dependent  upon  the  good 
faith  of  the  Mexicans  for  all  of  the  conveniences  and  many  of  the  neces- 
saries of  life,"  and,  at  the  end  of  forty-five  days,  after  living  in  unhealthy 
villages,  would  hardly  have  been  fit  to  act.  But  had  Santa  Anna  accepted 
Trist's  proposal  he  would  have  done  so  with  the  strong  expectation  of 
peace  and  American  ass'stance,  and  hence  would  have  treated  our  army 
well;  and  Tacubaya,  S.  Angel  and  S.  Agustfn  were  not  only  salubrious 
but  delightful  in  comparison  with  the  capital,  and  free  from  its  tempta- 
tions. With  reference  to  Trist's  departing  from  his  instructions  by  pro- 
posing to  refer  a  point  back  to  Washington,  it  is  interesting  to  recall 
Napoleon's  dictum  (which  bears  also  on  Scott's  action  supra  regarding 
the  sealed  despatch) :  "A  genera  1-in-chief  cannot  exonerate  himself  from 
responsibility  for  his  faults  by  pleading  an  order  of  his  sovereign  or  the 
minister,  when  the  individual  from  whom  it  proceeds  is  at  a  distance  from 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVII,  PAGES  137-139        399 

the  field  of  operations,  and  but  partially,  or  not  at  all,  acquainted  with 
the  actual  condition  of  things "  (Maxims,  p.  59). 

18.  There  was  probably  some  basis  for  certain  of  Santa  Anna's  charges 
against  the  American  troops.     Scott  allowed  a  day  to  pass,  it  was  said,  in 
order  to  enable  Americans  in  town  to  get  away.    Ripley  (op.  cit.,  ii,  352) 
says  this  was  done  to  allow  unarmed  inhabitants  to  do  so.    But  it  was 
good  policy  to  prevent  such  persons  from  leaving,  and  such  had  been 
Scott's  course  at  Vera  Cruz  (chap,  xxii,  p.  32).     Naturally  Santa  Anna 
wavered  back  and  forth,  and  Trist  believed  that  at  about  three  o'clock, 
Sept.  5,  he  almost  decided  to  accept  the  American  terms  (Sen.  52;    30, 
1,    p.    251). 

19.  The  termination  of  the  armistice     Sen.  52;    30,   1,  pp.   195-203, 
231-66   (Trist);    307,  346,  etc.     52Trist  to  Buchanan,  no.   15,  confid., 
Sept  4.     Sen  20;  30,  1,  pp.  9,  14.     Contestaciones  Habidas  (1847),  22,  26, 

28,  30,  34.    Picayune,  Oct  16     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp  354,  360.     303H.  L.  Scott 
to  Quitman,  Aug  31      National,  Nov.  14.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  291-4. 
Haynes,  Gen.  Scott's  Guide.     217Henshaw  to  wife,  Sept    13.     London 
Tines,  Nov.  13.     Sen.  34;    34,  3,  pp    21,  37-9.    Ho.  40;    30,  1.    291 
Pierce  to  wife,  Aug.  23.     Lawton,  Artill  Officer,  309.     335Trist  to  Thorn- 
ton, confid.,  Nov.  24  (the  Americans  kept  the  armistice  faithfully).     335 
Memo,   in  Spanish,   Aug    — .     Semmes,   Service,  415      Sen.   11 ;    31,   1 
(Hardcastle).     SORelaciones  to  Olagufbel,  Aug   31,  res  ;    Sept.  6,  8.     73 
Lozino,  no.  7,  Sept.   16.     Negrete,   Invasi6n,  ui,  app  ,  448      92Tornel 
to  M  >x    ayunt ,  Aug.  30.     187Thomas  to  Eddy,  Aug    26.     N.  Y.  Sun, 
Oct.  5     Sen    65;    30,  1,  p.  67     Ramsey,  Other  Side,  330,  note     And 
from  76  the  following  (chiefly  showing  orders  contrary  to  the  armistice). 
To  Alvarez,  Aug.  28      Tornel,  Aug.  27,  very  res  ;  Sept  3.     Bravo,  Sept. 
5.     Acuerdos,  Sept    3,  4      Orders  to  Tenth  Infantry,  Aug.  28.     To  govs. 
Puebla  and  four  other  states,  Sept.  6.     To  govs.  Mexico,  Guanajuato, 
Jalisco,  Sept.  — .     To  Relaciones,  Aug  27     S  Anna,  proclam.,  Sept.  7. 

23.  The  armistice  as  viewed  in  the  United  States.  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp. 
138  (Marcy) ;  231  (Trist,  no.  22).  Sen.  20 ;  30,  1,  p.  14  (Trist).  Apuntes, 
278-9  Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  7,  19;  Mar.  16,  1848.  London  Times,  Oct. 

29,  Ramirez,  Mexico,  241.     Polk,  Message,  Dec.  7,  1847  (Richardson, 
iv,  536).     ISCrampton,  no.  42,  Oct.  13.     Wash.  Union,  Oct.  4-6.     256 
Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Oct.  21.     58Jones  to  Polk,  May  2.    Negrete,  Inva- 
si6n,  iii,  app.,  448.     354Welles  papers.     ISlFairfield  to  wife,  Jan.   10. 
N.  Y.  Herald,  Dec.  15.     Monitor  Repub.,  Dec.  21.     Baltimore  Sun,  Oct. 
5.     Ho.  69;    30,  1,  p.  56  (Buchanan).    335Buchanan  to  Trist,  Oct.  24-5, 
1847. 

It  has  been  said  with  truth  that  the  war  was  waged  on  the  theory  that 
Texas  extended  to  the  Rio  Grande,  but  the  United  States  could  have 
neutralized  (and  this  is  the  most  that  was  considered  by  Trist:  Sen.  52; 

30,  1,  p.  258)  the  region  between  that  river  and  the  Nueces  without  imply- 
ing in  the  least  that  our  claim  to  it  had  not  been  valid.     The  fact  that 
Santa  Anna  and  Pacheco  thought  that  an  extension  of  the  armistice  would 
benefit  the  Americans  (ibid.,  260)  is  a  striking,  though  by  no  means  the 
only,  answer  to  Folk's  charge  that  it  would  have  been  greatly  to  our  dis- 
advantage (ibid.,  259).    Ramfrez  (M6xico,  241)  pointed  out  that  inaction 
was  bad  for  the  Mexicans,  since  they  lacked  funds  to  support  troops  long. 
Santa  Anna  could  not  materially  increase  his  army  after  Sept.  1,  and  he 
subsisted  it  with  extreme  difficulty  (Sen.  52;    30,  1,  pp.  259-30).    The 
armistice  in  general  was  regarded  by  the  Mexicans  as  an  American  trick. 


400       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  140-143 

The  American  Review  (Whig)  argued  that  the  rejection  of  the  counter- 
projet  (which  conceded  to  us  Texas  as  far  as  the  Nueces  and  California 
down  to  37  degrees)  proved  that  Polk  was  fighting,  not  for  peace,  but 
for  conquest;  but  the  counter-projet  did  not  recognize  the  American 
claim  to  the  Rio  Grande  line  nor  to  an  indemnity  for  the  costs  of  the  war, 
which  Mexico  had  forced  upon  us.  Any  one  interested  in  the  equity  of 
the  matter  should  read  the  reply  to  the  Mexican  commissioners  drafted 
by  Trist  (Sen.  20;  30,  1,  p.  14). 

21.  Army  feeling.  252Mackall  to  wife,  Feb.  21,  1848.  Picayune, 
Oct.  17.  22lHill,  diary.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  271,  290.  29lPierce 
to  wife,  Aug  23;  Sept.  1  Robertson,  Visit,  u,  344.  Lawton,  Artill. 
Officer,  309.  Diccionano  Universal  (Mixcoac).  Semmes,  Service,  414, 
427.  Calder6n,  Life,  i,  142,  146.  N.  Y.  Sun,  Sept.  16.  Such  scenes 
were  noted  with  keen  appreciation  not  only  by  officers  but  by  privates, 
as  diaries  and  letters  attest  Clear  afternoons  and  evenings  occur  now  and 
then  even  at  the  height  of  the  rainy  season. 

XXVIII.   MOLINO  DEL  REY,   CHAPULTEPEC,   MEXICO 

1.  Hardcastle's  map  (Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  p.  312)  and  (as  elsewhere)    the 
author's  observations     So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Oct ,  1852.     Negrete,   Invasi6n, 
iv,  app  ,  295-6      Balbontm,  Invasi6n,  126.     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  149.     66J. 
L.    Mason    to   J.  L    Smith,   Sept    25.     66Stevens  to  Smith,  Sept.  25 
Semmes,  Service,  436,  440.     Apuntes,  290-1.     Picayune,  Aug.  8.     Delta, 
Oct.  14     Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  pp   355  (Scott),    373   (Sumner),  425-6  (Smith) 
Wise,   Gringos   (N.   Y ,    1849),   259     269Mohna,   recoils. 

The  foundry  was  decreed  in  July,  1846  (76report  on  artillery,  Nov  , 
1846 ;  Memoria  de  .  Guerra,  Dec.).  The  building  it  occupied  had  been 
a  powder  mill  The  principal  entrance  to  El  Molino  was  by  an  archway 
near  the  south  end  Sept.  5  Scott  heard  that  bells  had  been  sent  to  El 
Moiino  to  be  cast  into  cannon  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  355).  Santa  Anna  did  in 
fact  call  for  gifts  of  bells,  etc.  to  be  used  for  military  purposes  (76Carrera, 
Sept  6) 

2.  Sen.  52 ;  30,  1,  pp.  381-2  (S  Anna  to  Scott,  Sept.  6).     76To  Herrera, 
Sept.    6.     lOOGuerra,    circular,    Sept.    11.     Apuntes,    290-2.     S.    Anna, 
Mi  Historia,  75      Id.,  Detail,  23      TSAcuerdo,  Sept.  4.     Gime'nez,  Memo- 
rias,    266.     76Alvarez    to    S.    Anna,   Sept.   25.     Negrete,    Invasi6n,   iv, 
app.,  293.     Balbontfn,  Invasi6n,  125-6.    Grant,  Mems.,  i,  151.     Mason 
to  Smith  :  note  1.     76Alvarez,  Sept  6.     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  app.,  134-5  (Dun- 
can)     Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  424. 

3.  Ramfrez,  Mexico,  299.     73Lozano,  nos.  2,  8,  res.,  1847.     199Anon 
MS.  Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  346.    S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  49.    Gim6nez,  Memo- 
rias,    111.     358 Williams    to   father,    Oct.    1.     Exposici6n    dirigida.     179 
Diario    Esactfsimo.     Negrete,    Invasi6n,    iv,    app.,    295-6.     lOOAlcorta, 
circular,  Sept.  11.    76Tornel,  decree,  Sept.  7. 

4.  Smith,   Co.   A,   Corps  of  Engineers.    22lHill,   diary.    Hitchcock, 
Fifty  Years,  296.    260Henshaw,   comments  on    map.    217/r/.   to  wife, 
Sept.  13.    SSScott,  Ken.  orders,  Sept.  ?.     Sen.  1 ;  30,  l,pp.  354  (Scott), 
361   (Worth),  425  (Smith).     178Davis,  diary.    Sen.  65;    30,   1,  p.  298 
(Scott).     Mason  to  Smith :  note  1.     eeFoster  to  Smith,  Sept.  8.    66Beau- 
regard  to  Smith,  Sept.  20     224Hitchcock,  introd.  to  intercepted  letters. 
So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Oct.,   1852,  302.    Semmes,  Service,  431-4. 

Un  ler  Scott's  orders,  Pillow  with  the  Ninth  and  Fifteenth  Infantry 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES   143-146       401 

was  at  S.  Borja  and  Riley's  brigade  (Twiggs's  division)  at  Nalvarte  on 
Sept-  7,  evening  (Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  ii,  363).  Late  on  Sept.  7 
Quitman's  division  also  was  sent  to  the  south  front  of  Mexico.  Recon- 
noitring was  done  there  on  rather  an  extensive  scale  during  the  night, 
and  the  Mexicans  were  thoroughly  roused. 

5.  The  battle  of  Sept  8  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  354,  375  (Scott),  361  (Worth), 
368  (return),  373  (Sumner),  374  (Huger),  425  (Smith),  430  (Hitchcock) ; 
app.,  pp.  134-165,  192  (officers).  Ho  1;  30,  2,  p  1237  (Perry).  179 
Diano  Esactisimo  Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  204-7.  Sedgwick,  Corresp., 
i,  170.  Semi-weekly  N  Y  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar  1,  1848  Elder- 
kin,  Biog  Sketches.  So  Qtrly.  Rev,  Oct ,  1852,  298-315.  Negrete, 
Invasi6n,  ni,  app  ,  463-9;  iv,  app.,  295-9.  S.  Anna,  Detail,  23-5.  Bal- 
bontin,  -Invasi6n,  125-9.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  296-9,  303.  Grant, 
Wems  ,  i,  152-3.  Ballentine,  Eng.  Sold  ,  ii,  238,  240.  217Henshaw  to 
wife,  Sept.  13  218Henshaw  narrative  6lLetter  from  Mexico,  Sept. 
11.  69May  to  Harney,  Nov  17,  1848  69Steele  to  Harney,  — ,  1848. 
69Harney  to  Marcy,  May  22,  1848  66Mason  to  J  L  Smith,  Sept  25, 
1847.  66Stevens  to  Id  ,  Sept  25  66G  W.  Smith  to  Stevens,  Sept.  20. 
Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  352  Raleigh  Star,  Oct  27  22lHill,  diary. 
304Kirby  to  Mrs  E  K  Smith,  Sept  12  60Andrews  to  Daniel,  Dec.  10. 
Louisville  Democrat,  Dec  17  68Testimony  at  Bonneville  court  martial. 
London  Times,  Nov  13  Semmes,  Service,  436-449  Sen  65;  30,  1, 
p.  503.  Apuntes,  210,  294-304  lOORelaoiones,  circular,  Sept  8.  199 
Anon.  MS  Correo  Nacnnal,  Dec  10.  Gamboa,  Impug ,  52  70 
"Guerra,"  no.  155  (testimony  of  Garay)  70"Guerra",  no  274  (testi- 
mony at  the  trial  of  Andrade  and  Jauregui)  Picayune,  Oct.  14;  Nov 
3  SSOWeber,  recoils  Delta,  Oct  14,  26  Ramirez,  M6xico,  304-6. 
Mexico  £  trav6s,  iv,  687-9  Davis,  Autobiog ,  271  Wash.  Union, 
Nov.  3  Diano,  Sept  8  364 Worth  to  daughter,  Sept  28 ;  to  S  ,  Dec.  27. 
Prieto,  Memorias,  n,  238-9  73Lozano,  no  7,  1847  Moore,  Scott's 
Camp  ,  155-63.  Steele,  Amer.  Camps  ,  \,  117  Niles,  Oct  30,  p  137. 
Bartlett,  Pierce,  153  Wise,  Gringos  (N  Y  ,  1849),  259  Gimfaiez,  Memo- 
rias, 112,  266  205Graham,  memo  book  178Davis,  diary.  Diccionano 
Univ.  (Le6ri)  Sen.  19;  30,  2  (M  L  Smith,  Nov  30,  1848)  Molina, 
El  Asalto.  29lPieroe  to  Hooker,  Sept  15  Stevens,  Vindication.  328 
Sweet,  statement  69Huger,  Sept  9.  Lawton,  Artill  Off.,  311-4,  323, 
326.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  426-7,  437-9,  447-53.  76Herrera  to 
Relaciones,  Oct.  14  76Ortega,  Sept  13  76To  comte  gen  Mex  ,  Oct. 
29.  76M.  Andrade,  Sept  9;  Nov.  3.  76 J.  Y.  Gutierrez,  proclrm , 
Sept.  11.  76Nonega,  Nov  19  76Alcorta,  circular,  Sept.  11.  76Comte 
gen.  Oaxaca,  Sept  15  76/rf  of  Quere*taro,  Sept  14  Calder6n,  Rectifi- 
cacioncs 

REMARKS  on  the  battle  of  Sept  8.  In  forming  an  opinion  of  the  battle 
as  a  military  operation  one  must  ignore  the  fact  that  the  position  gained 
was  used  later  as  a  stepping-stone,  for  at  this  time  Scott  was  not  planning 
to  capture  Chapultepec  It  appears  surprising  that  Scott,  knowing  that 
heavy  Mexican  forces  were  on  the  spot,  apparently  desiring  to  fight  there, 
should  have  thought  that  a  place  as  valuable  to  the  enemy  as  he  deemed 
El  Molino  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  355)  ought  to  be  attacked  at  night,  and  could 
be  taken  easily  (Sen.  65  ;  30,  1,  p.  579)  by  men  unacquainted  with  ground 
and  buildings  familiar  to  the  enemy,  and  should  have  neglected  to  have 
more  of  his  troops  near  at  hand ;  but  we  do  not  know  what  details  were 
included  in  the  information  upon  which  he  so  confidently  relied,  nor  do  we 
VOL.  n  —  2  D 


402      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES   143-146 

know  the  source  of  it  (ibid.,  298).  Pillow  reported,  apparently  during 
the  evening  of  September  7,  that  the  cannon  and  machinery  had  been  re- 
moved (ibid.,  298,  579) ;  no  smoke  appeared  to  issue  from  the  mill ; 
no  sound  of  boring  could  be  heard  (Semmes,  Service,  431).  It  has  been 
suggested  that  Scott  felt  over-eager  to  punish  Santa  Anna  for  disappoint- 
ing his  expectations  of  peace;  but  he  doubtless  had  learned  from  Trist 
of  Santa  Anna's  political  difficulties.  He  was,  however,  angry  on  account 
of  the  violations  of  the  armistice.  The  principal  information  on  which 
Scott  acted  was  understood  to  have  come  through  Trist;  it  had  been 
correct;  but  Scott  seems  to  have  erred  in  overlooking  the  chance  that 
conditions  might  change  in  two  or  three  days.  Rives  (U.  S.  and  Mexico, 
ii,  528)  states  that  the  attack  was  based  on  a  "  rumor."  This  is  an  error. 
On  account  of  the  apparent  incorrectness  of  Scott's  information  end  the 
massing  of  Mexican  troops  in  and  near  El  Molino,  some  Americans  sus- 
pected that  Santa  Anna  set  a  trap  for  him.  But  the  fact  that  Santa  Anna 
left  this  quarter  and  took  away  a  considerable  part  of  his  troops  early  in 
the  night  of  Sept  7  —  leaving  behind,  according  to  Roa  Bdrcena 
(Recuerdos,  427)  4000  infantry  and  artillery  privates  —  disposes  of  that 
idea.  It  has  been  said  that  Scott  might  have  stopped  work  at  the  foundry 
(had  work  been  then  proceed-ng)  by  cutting  off  the  supply  of  water  (i.e., 
power) ;  but  he  wished  to  seize  the  finished  cannon  supposed  to  be  there 
(Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  298)  and  the  large  quantity  of  powder  that  he  had 
heard  was  at  Casa  Mata. 

The  only  argument  advanced  in  favor  of  a  night  attack  seems  to  have 
been  the  danger  of  fire  from  Chapultepec.  In  reply  it  was  said  that  (as 
had  been  seen  at  Cerro  Gordo)  a  plunging  fire  did  little  harm.  The  dis- 
tance of  Chapultepec  seems  almost  to  nullify  this  reply ;  but  as  a  matter 
of  fact  the  cannon  of  Chapultepec  appear  to  have  done  no  execution  in 
the  battle.  Worth's  officers  met  him  after  dark,  Sept  7,  and  later  one  of 
them  submitted  his  general  plan  of  operations  to  Scott,  who  discussed  it 
at  considerable  length  and  finally  (virtually  admitting  that  a  night  attack 
was  not  advisable)  approved  all  of  it  except  the  following  po:nt.  Worth 
strongly  desired  to  effect  a  lodgement  in  the  grove  of  Chapultepec,  which 
he  believed  he  could  take  at  a  cost  of  fifty  men  (364Worth  to  S.,  Dec.  27). 
(Indeed,  he  pushed  some  of  his  troops  several  hundred  yards  that  way : 
Sen.  1;  30,  1,  app  ,  138;  Davis,  Autobiog ,  271).  But  Scott  refused 
positively  to  have  this  done.  Semmes  (Service,  447)  says  that  Worth 
desired  to  capture  Chapultepec  at  this  time  because  with  his  remarkable 
intuitive  judgment  he  saw,  as  Scott  saw  later,  that  this  was  the  true  ap- 
proach to  the  city;  but  Scott's  later  opinion  was  due  to  a  study  of  the 
ground  which  neither  he  nor  Worth  had  at  this  time  been  able  to  make  and 
to  Mexican  fortifying  not  yet  done.  Even  if  Worth  could  have  carried 
Chapultepec  rather  easily,  the  prudent  maxim  that  one  should  not  buy 
(because  it  can  be  got  cheaply)  what  one  does  not  want,  appeared  to  apply 
with  especial  force  after  losses  that  could  be  so  ill  afforded  had  been  suf- 
fered; and  it  was  not  certain  that  the  castle  could  be  taken  without  a 
struggle.  One  costly  surprise  was  enough  for  one  day.  Engineer  Stevens 
(Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  206)  thought  an  attempt  should  have  been  made  to 
reconnoitre  the  Mexican  r'ght  v(ith  a  view  to  turning  the  position ;  but 
to  push  a  reconnoitring  party  between  the  Mexican  right  wing  and  the 
cavalry  of  Alvarez  must  have  looked  extremely  hazardous. 

Clarke's  brigade  consisted  of  the  Fifth  Sixth  and  Eighth  Infantry,  it 
will  be  recalled.  Cadwalader  had  the  Voltigeurs  and  Eleventh  and  Four- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  143-146      403 

teenth  Infantry.  C.  F.  Smith  being  ill,  his  battalion  was  commanded 
by  Captain  E.  K.  Smith,  who  was  mortally  wounded.  Semmes  (Service, 
445)  says  that  Cadwalader's  brigade  and  Drum's  guns  had  been  added 
at  Worth's  request,  but  Hitchcock  (Fifty  Years,  296)  and  Scott's  general 
orders  of  Sept.  7  show  that  Scott  originally  intended  to  give  Worth  one  of 
Pillow's  brigades.  Worth  could  no  doubt  have  had  more  light  guns,  but 
it  was  said  that  projectiles  for  the  heavy  guns  were  so  few  that  it  was 
necessary  to  husband  them  closely.  Scott,  however,  stated  (Sen. 
1 ;  30,  1,  p.  377)  that  he  had  plenty  of  such  ammunition.  Ripley  (op. 
cit.f  ii,  461)  says  that  "the  nature  of  the  orders  [given  to  Worth]  forbade 
an  attack  by  artillery" ;  but  (1)  there  is  no  evidence  to  prove  this;  (2) 
artillery  was  used  on  C  sa  Mata,  only  not  long  enough ;  (3)  it  was  used 
again  later  with  success  (Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  527 ;  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  app.,  136). 
See  Stevens,  Stevens,  206.  Indeed,  it  seems  to  have  been  unnecessary 
to  attack  Casa  Mata.  It  could  not  have  held  out  long  after  the  fall  of 
El  Molino.  Ripley  admits  (p.  462)  that  the  battle  "was  confused," 
but  adds,  "storming  is  always  a  work  of  confusion  "  Here  he  confounds 
occurrences  with  management.  The  former  must  involve  noise  and  con- 
fusion in  such  an  affair,  but  the  latter  should  not. 

Sumner  had  one  troop  of  the  First  Dragoons,  six  troops  of  the  Second, 
part  of  a  troop  of  the  Third,  and  a  company  of  Mounted  Rifles.  Foster 
had  ten  pioneers.  Drum  had  three  guns,  but  one  of  them  was  sent  out 
on  the  road  to  Mexico,  and  during  the  battle  one  of  the  others  became 
disabled  by  the  breaking  of  a  priming  wire.  Semmes  —  determined,  as 
usual,  to  defend  Worth  at  all  hazards  —  says  that  during  Mclntosh's 
charge  Duncan's  battery  was  called  away  to  repel  the  Mexican  cavalry; 
but  Duncan's  report  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  app.,  136)  shows  that  his  guns  did  not 
turn  against  the  cavalry  until  masked  by  Mclntosh's  troops.  The  part 
of  Cadwalader's  brigade  that  moved  to  the  left  was  the  Voltigeurs.  After 
the  repulse  of  Clarke's  brigade  some  of  the  Voltigeurs  went  into  the  ravine 
and  moved  toward  the  rear  of  Casa  Mata.  This  perhaps  helped  to  force 
the  Mexicans  out,  and  certainly  resulted  in  the  capture  of  many  prisoners. 
Vigorous  pursuit  of  the  Mex  cans  was  in  general  impracticable  on  account 
of  the  character  of  the  ground  and  the  fire  from  Chapultepec.  Finding 
the  engagement  far  more  serious  than  he  had  expected,  Scott  summoned 
forces  from  the  southern  front  of  the  city  and  from  Mixcoac,  but  these 
could  not  arrive  soon  enough  to  give  material  assistance.  Jackson's 
section  of  Magruder's  battery  came  from  Mixcoac  in  time  to  contribute 
a  little  to  the  final  repulse  of  the  Mexican  cavalry.  Worth  blamed  Scott 
for  saying  in  his  report  that  Pierce's  brigade  interposed  between  Garland 
and  the  Mexicans,  and  asserted  that  it  did  not  arrive  until  a  considerable 
time  after  the  battle  ended  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1079) ;  and  it  was  felt  by 
others,  too,  that  Scott  erred  here.  But  from  the  17f  diary  of  a  man  in  the 
Ninth  Infantry  it  seems  clear  that  that  regiment  —  a  part  of  Pierce's 
brigade  —  did  as  Scott  stated. 

The  number  of  Americans  actually  engaged  was  3251  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1, 
p.  369).  Our  loss  was  116  (including  nine  officers)  ki'led,  665  (including 
forty-nine  officers)  wounded,  and  eighteen  privates  missing  (ibid.,  384). 
We  captured  685,  including  53  officers.  One  third  of  Clarke's  brigade,  in- 
cluding one  half  of  the  officers,  were  killed  or  wounded  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p. 
145).  The  Fifth  Infantry  seemed  little  more  than  a  company  after  the 
battle  (Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  297). 

Santa  Anna  stated  later  (Mi  Historia,  75)  that  Iturbe,  a  wealthy  resi- 


404       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  147-148 

dent  of  Tacubaya,  notified  Tornel  that  Scott  intended  to  enter  the  city 
during  the  night  of  Sept.  7  by  the  San  Lazaro  garita,  on  the  eastern  side 
of  Mexico,  and  that  for  this  reason  he  (Santa  Anna)  took  troops  away  from 
El  Molino ;  but  Santa  Anna  always  laid  the  blame  for  his  mistakes  upon 
some  one.  No  doubt  Scott's  feint  against  the  southern  side  of  the  city 
and  his  not  attacking  during  the  afternoon  were  enough  to  cause  alarm, 
but  Santa  Anna  blundered  in  going  to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  city,  for 
an  American  attack  there  must  have  developed  slowly  owing  to  the  swamps, 
whereas  an  attack  upon  El  Molino  could  be  made  quickly.  He  reached 
the  scene  of  the  battle  at  about  half-past  nine,  and  claimed  that,  but  for 
his  arrival,  Chapultepec  might  have  been  lost  (Apelaci6n,  app  ,  111). 
The  government  represented  that  he  was  in  command  during  the  battle 
(Apuntes,  304)  By  Scott's  orders  Casa  Mata  was  blown  up.  The  Mex- 
icans believed  that  a  shot  of  theirs  exploded  the  magazine.  Andrade  was 
tried  and  acquitted.  Had  he  been  as  much  at  fault  as  Alvarez  alleged, 
the  latter  should  have  replaced  him  on  the  spot  with  another  officer. 
About  noon  the  Mexican  cavalry  (or  at  least  Andrade's  division)  were 
ordered  to  charge,  but  on  reaching  the  battlefield  found  the  Americans 
had  retired  It  has  been  suggested  (Roa  B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  448)  that 
a  part  of  the  Mexican  cavalry  should  have  been  dismounted  and  placed 
between  El  Molino  and  Casa  Mata ;  but  one  may  feel  sure  that  Alvarez 
would  not  have  consented  to  that  arrangement  One  hesitates  to  think 
what  the  results  of  the  battle  might  have  been,  had  not  Santa  Anna  with- 
drawn previously  with  a  considerable  part  of  his  troops ;  and  of  this  move- 
ment Scott  was  not  aware,  though  he  may  have  hoped  that  his  feint  against 
the  city  would  have  an  effect  of  that  sort. 

After  the  battle  the  American  troops  reoccupied  in  general  the  positions 
held  by  them  before  it. 

6.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  297-9,  303      224/d  ,  mtrod   to  intercepted 
letters.     217Henshaw  to  wife,  Sept    13      TSLozano,  no  7,  1847      Raleigh 
Star,  Oct.  27.     SllHill,  diary.     Semmes,  Service,  447-9      London  Times, 
Nov.   13.     TtOrtega,  Sept.   13      lOOGuerra,  circular,  Sept.   11      76J    Y 
Gutierrez,   proelam.,  Sept    11      Apuntes,  303-4.     199Anon.  MS.     Pica- 
yune, Oct.  14.     Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  pp    361  (Worth),  430  (Hitchcock) ;    app  , 
156  (Cadwalader).     Sen    19;    30,  2   (Smith  to  Abert,   Nov.  30,   1848) 
69Huger,  Sept.  9,  1847      Ho.  24;    31,  1.     Sen.  G5;    30,  1,  p.  145  (Lee) 
Negrete,  Invasi6n,  hi,  app.,  468      N.  Y.  Tribune,  Dec.  17,  1882  (Mayne 
Reid).     S.   Anna,   Detail,   24      70"Guerra",   no    273    (trial  of   Bravo) 
Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  206. 

7.  Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  375  (Scott)  and  map.     TSLozano,  no.  7,  1847 
Semmes,   Service,  430.     So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,   Jan.,  1853,  2-3      Nile*,  Oct.  9, 
p.  89.     92Piedad  judge,  Sept.  9.     Diccionario  Universal  (Mexico)      Rob- 
ertson, Visit,  ii,  344. 

8.  Sen.  1;    30,  1,  pp.  376  (Scott),  425-7  (Smith).     Sen    65;    30,  1, 
pp.  77  (Lee),  185  (Ripley),  579  (Pillow  says  he  reported  to  Scott  on  Sept 
9  that  the  Mexican  works  opposite  Piedad,  where  Pillow  then  was,  could 
be    carried    easily).     Davis,    Autobiog ,    223.     Hitchcock,    Fifty    Years, 
298-300.    So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Jan.,  1853,  pp.  4-5.     «6Lee  to  J.  L.  Smith, 
Sept.  15.    66Beauregard  to  Id.,  Sept.  20.     lllld.  to  Id.,  Sept.  27.    218 
Henshaw  narrative.     76To  Olagufbel,  Sept.  11. 

Ripley  (op.  cit.,  ii,  470)  and  Rives  (op.  cit.,  ii,  528)  reflect  upon  Scott 
for  having  no  reconnaissances  made  between  Aug.  20  and  Sept.  7.  But 
to  make  them  would  have  violated  the  meaning  and  spirit  of  the  armistice, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  14&-151       405 

which  prescribed  an  " absolute  cessation  of  hostilities"  (Sen.  52;  30,  1, 
p.  310),  and  it  was  highly  important  to  show  the  strictest  good  faith  dur- 
ing the  delicate  negotiations.  Rives  (ibid.)  says  "no  preparation  what- 
ever had  been  made  for  the  contingency  of  renewed  hostilities."  This 
statement  results  from  a  lack  of  information.  Numberless  things  had 
been  done  to  put  the  army  and  its  equipment  into  fighting  trim.  Rives 
says  also  (ibid.)  that  the  Mexicans,  had  they  been  enterprising,  could  easily 
have  beaten  our  army  m  detail  at  this  time  This  seems  to  be  a  mistake 
(see  Sen.  19;  30,  2,  p  8).  A  frontal  attack  upon  Worth  could  certainly 
have  been  repulsed,  and  an  attempt  to  strike  Pillow,  Twiggs  or  Quitman 
would  have  exposed  their  own  flank  and  rear  Moreover  it  was  clear 
that  Santa  Anna  had  no  intention  of  assuming  the  offensive  Rives  says 
himself  he  had  none  (op  cit.,  466),  attributing  his  decision  to  "well-justi- 
fied distrust  of  his  own  army" ;  and  since  the  decision  was  made  (July) 
nothing  had  occurred  to  reassure  him  Napoleon  said,  "A  well-estab- 
lished maxim  of  war  is,  not  to  do  anything  which  your  enemy  desires  " 

9  Sen  65;  30,  1,  pp  77-8,  145  (Lee),  81  (Cadwalader),  112-3  (Beaure- 
gard),  123  (Tost),  169  (Hooker)      Sen    1  ,    30,  1,  pp    375  (Scott),  427 
(Smith).     Exposici6n  dingida,  6      So    Qtrly    Rev  ,  Jan  ,   1853,  pp.  6-15. 
Hitchcock,   Fifty  Years,  300      113Beauregard,  remins      66/d    to  J.  L 
Smith,  Sept  20.     111/d  to  Id  ,  Sept  27      69Letter  of  Sept  11  from  Mex- 
ico.    Semmes,   Service,  430.     (Gunners)   76Carrera,  report,  Dec ,   1847. 
(Key)  Apuntes,  304,  317     Wash.  Union,  Dec  9.    210Alvord  to  Hammond, 
Feb  21,  1848.     Rodriguez,  Breve  Resena,  870.     Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  207 

Ripley  (op  cit ,  li,  472)  remarks  that  even  after  taking  Chapultepec 
Scott  was  "yet  at  a  distance  of  two  miles  from  the  city,  with  the  positive 
certainty  of  running  upon  the  citadel  if  the  direct  route  were  pursued." 
But  two  miles  on  a  broad,  good  causeway  signified  little,  it  was  unneces- 
sary to  take  the  direct  route,  and  Scott  had  no  intention  of  taking  it 
Ripley  admits  (p  473)  that  Scott  reasonably  supposed  that  the  defences 
at  S.  Cosme  were  comparatively  weak. 

10  Sen    1;    30,  1,  p   428  (Smith).     Sen   65;   30,  1,  pp   77  (Lee),  112 
(Beauregard),    169    (Hooker),  257    (Quitman)      HSBeauregard,  remins 
Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  300.     Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  353-5     The  de- 
scription of  Lee  is  based  principally  upon  a  picture  (seen  at  the  Confederate 
Museum,  Richmond)  made  soon  after  the  Mexican  war.     The  weather 
was  still  unusually  favorable  for  military  operations. 

11  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app  ,  294-6.     Evidence  at  the  trial  of  Bravo 
(70"Guerra,"  no.  273).     S.  Anna,  Detail,  22.      76To  Monterde,  May  24 
76Monterde,  June   18,  21-2.     76To  Lombardini,  July  6,  23;    Aug.  3 
76Tornel,   Sept.    12      76To    Bravo,    Sept.    10.     76Bravo,    Sept.    14      76 
Liceaga  to  Lombardini,  Aug.  22.     76Reports  on  Bravo's  conduct,  July 
21,  24,  1848     Apuntes,  317.    Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  459. 

12.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  map;  pp.  400  (Pillow),  410  (Quitman).  76Bravo, 
Sept.  14.  Negrete,  In v  ,  i v,  app. ,  294-6  Semmes,  Service,  450-1 .  Tornel, 
Sept.  12.  To  Bravo,  Sept.  10.  Apuntes,  307-8.  357Wilcox,  diary 
70Evidence  at  the  trial  of  Bravo  ("Guerra,"  no.  273).  Ripley,  War 
with  Mexico,  ii,  396-8.  (Impreg.)  22lHill,  diary  Hitchcock,  Fifty 
Years,  285,  302. 

The  southeastern  corner  of  the  rectangle  was  irregularly  cut  off.  A 
bullet-proof  wall,  about  fifteen  feet  high,  protected  the  eastern  end,  and 
ran  along  the  southern  line  of  the  rectangle  with  platforms  or  scaffolds 
for  infantry  on  its  inner  side,  while  a  stone  aqueduct  —  its  arches  filled 


406       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  152-153 

in  here  with  heavy  masonry  —  extended  (in  the  Anzures  causeway)  along 
the  nortfiern  side  of  the  rectangle,  and  continued  via  S.  Cosme  to  the  city. 
Cultivated  fields,  adjacent  to  El  Molino,  occupied  about  a  third  of  the 
rectangle.  On  each  side  of  the  north-and-south  drainage  ditch  there  was 
an  embankment.  The  next  section  —  perhaps  one  sixth  —  of  the  rec- 
tangle was  occupied  by  the  swamps  and  cypresses,  and  then  came  the 
hill  —  extremely  steep  except  at  the  west,  and  steep  there.  A  road  or 
wide  path  led  east  through  the  grove  to  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  open- 
ing in  the  south  wall,  covered  by  the  exterior,  unarmed  redan  (#),  had 
a  ditch  outside  of  the  redan  for  additional  protection  The  road  that 
went  up  to  the  college  was  defended  inside  the  main  gateway  with  a 
9-pounder  (placed  here  Sept.  12).  The  circular  (arc  of  a  circle)  redoubt 
(C)  was  at  the  gtorieta  (an  open  space  furnished  with  seats,  etc.).  One 
or  two  other  slight  fortifications  probably  existed. 

The  south  wall  of  the  terre-plem  had  a  parapet  except  near  the  south- 
east corner.  Along  the  base  of  the  west  wall  ran  a  fosse  about  twelve  feet 
wide  and  ten  deep.  Rather  extensive  mines  (to  be  fired  by  powder-trains 
laid  on  or  just  under  the  surface  of  the  ground)  lay  below  the  fosse ;  and 
beyond  them  —  about  half-way  down  the  slope  —  stood  a  redan  (E) 
for  some  fifty  men,  which  seems  to  have  been  about  125  feet  from  the  wall 
This  west  wall  was  a  priest-cap :  i.e.,  it  was  indented  like  a  shallow  V,  so 
that  its  two  halves  could  afford  support  to  each  other  In  the  central 
portion  of  the  terre-plem  stood  the  masonry  edifice  of  the  military  college 
with  an  open  terrace  at  its  eastern  end  and  some  stone  buildings  with 
flat,  parapeted  roofs,  at  its  western  end.  A  half-round  bastion  on  each 
of  the  long  sides  afforded  room  for  a  heavy  gun  commanding  in  each  case 
a  semicircle.  (The  one  in  the  southern  bastion  seems  to  have  been  dis- 
abled on  Sept.  8  )  East  of  the  southern  bastion,  in  a  smaller  projection 
stood  a  lighter  gun  looking  toward  the  lower  gateway ;  behind  the  some- 
what zigzag  parapet  westward  two  or  three  smaller  pieces  covering  the 
road  and  the  southwest  approach ;  on  the  terre-plem  commanding  the 
upper  gateway  a  couple  of  light  howitzers ;  and  at  the  western  end,  specially 
screened  with  timber  and  sand-bags,  two  heavy  pieces,  which  swept  the 
approach  from  El  Molino.  (One  of  the  pieces  was  a  68-pound  howitzer 
Ripley  is  precise  in  his  account  of  the  size  and  the  placing  of  the  guns,  but 
the  evidence  is  against  him.  He  says  there  were  eleven.  There  seem 
to  have  been  thirteen ;  but  one  of  them  was  not  mounted,  and  two  were 
now  disabled.)  Timbering,  proof  against  bullets,  covered  much  of  the  lower 
story,  the  parapeted  azotea  of  the  main  edifice  and  some  other  parts  of  the 
buildings ;  and  sand-bags  afforded  further,  though  inadequate,  protection 
at  a  number  of  peculiarly  exposed  points. 

13.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  377  (Scott),  397  (Twiggs),  399  (Riley),  400  (Pil- 
low), 410  (Quitman),  422  (Huger) ;  app.,  197  (Pierce),  201  (Cadwalader), 
230  (Porter).    Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  185  (Ripley).    260Henshaw,  comments 
on  map.     217/d.  to  wife,  Sept.  13.     66Lee  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Sept.  15.     66 
McClellan  to  Smith,  Sept.  20     SSBeauregard  to  Smith,  Sept.  20.     111/rf 
to  Id.,  Sept.  27.     304Andrews  to  Lovell,  Sept.  19.     304Hunt  to  Id.,  Sept 
15.     304Steptoe  to  Id.,  Sept.  16.     304Porter  to  Id.,  Sept.  16.     304Wilcox, 
diary.    Ramsey,  Other  Side,  457.     SiTSutherland   to  father,  Aug.  — • 
ITSDavis,  diary.    Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  426.      TSCarrera,  Sept.  1. 

14.  Negrete  Invasitfn,  iv,  app.,  299-300.    SlLotter  from  Mex.,  Sept. 
11.    Apuntes,  305-6,  309-10,  314.    Ramirez,   Mexico,   307-8.    Diario, 
Sept.  11.     73Lozano,  no.  7,  1847.    S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  57.    Id.,  Detail, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  153-158      407 

25.  76To  Bravo,  Sept.  10.  76Bravo,  Sept.  11.  76Tornel  to  Carrera, 
Sept.  9.  92Ayunt.  to  S.  Anna,  Sept.  11.  92Letter  from  Piedad,  Sept. 
11.  199 Anon.  MS. 

15.  76Bravo,   Sept.    14.    Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  427;    iv,  app., 
299-300.     179Diano   Esactfsimo.     London    Times,    Nov.    13.     S.   Anna, 
Detail,  26.     76To  comtes.  gen.   Quere*taro  and  Guanajuato,    Sept.    12. 
Arco   Iris,    Nov.   30.     Apuntes,    310-2.     70Trial  of   Bravo    ("Guerra," 
no.  273).     70Trial  of  Terres  (" Guerra,"  no.  155).     Molina,  Asalto.     269 
Id.,  recoils.     Pneto,  Memorias,  11,  241-3.     Rangel,  Parte  (with  notes). 

16.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  377  (Scott),  410-2  (Quitrnan) ;  app.,  231  (Mac- 
kenzie).    Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  143  (Lee),  193,  200-1  (Worth),  259  (Quit- 
man).     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  301-2.     Henshaw  narrative.     376Nichol- 
son,  recoils.     22lHill,  diary. 

17.  The  battle  of  Chapultepec.    Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  375,  391-425 ;  app., 
169-231  (reports  of  Scott  and  officers).     Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  119  (Tilton), 
146  (Lee),  155-6,  158  (Bennett),  170,  172  (Hooker),  204-9  (Rams),  217-8 
(Drum),  219  (Batss),  220-1  (Johnston),  222-4  (Loeser),  270-5  (Howard). 
Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  208-10     Niles,  Oct.  30,  p.  137.    Cong.  Globe,  34,  1, 
pp.  105-7.     Sen.  Report  32;  34,  1.     Brown,  Ninth  Inf.,  70.     Henderson, 
Science  of  War,  97  ("The  issue  of  battle").     So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Jan.,  1853, 
pp.    15-42.     76Bravo,    Sept.    14.     Negrete,    Invasi6n,    iii,   app.,    428-9; 
iv,    app.,    300-4.     Balbontm,    Invasi6n,    131.    Hitchcock,   Fifty   Years, 
302-3.     Ballentine,    Eng.    Sold ,    n,    242-7     Davis,    Autobiog.,    231-2. 
Henshaw  narrative.     ISOPillow  to  wife,  Oct.  18.    Weekly  N.  Y.  Courier 
and  Enquirer,  Mar.  2,  1848.     6lSeymour,  Oct.  31,  1847.     69H.  V.  Johnson 
et  al.  to  Polk,  Apr.  6,  1848.     376Nicholson,  recoils.     183Drum,  recoils. 
223Hirschorn,  recoils.      66G.  W   Smith  to  Stevens,  Sept.  20.    66Tower 
to  J.  L.  Smith,  Sept.  23.     Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  361-2,  380-6.     Raleigh 
Star,   Oct.   27.     22lHill,   diary.      200Reid  to   Gladden,   May  27,    1849. 
S.   Anna,   Detail,    16,   26-9,   38-42.     15lNumerous  reports  and  letters 
regarding    Quitman's    operations.     HSBeauregard,    remins.    (based    on 
diary    and   notes).     15lWilcox,    diary.     SOSQuitman   papers.     National, 
Nov.  14.     179Diario  Esactfsimo.     60Riley  to  Westcott,  Nov.  30,  1847. 
SOLoring  to  P.  F.  Smith,  Sept.  27      GSTestimony  at  Bonneville  court 
martial.     GOMiller  to  sister,  undated.     60/d.  to  mother,  Mar.  24,  1848. 
London    Times,  Nov.  13,    1847.     335Reynolds   to  Trist,  Sept.  27.     Os- 
wandel,    Notes,    426.     Semmes,    Service,    453-5.     Arco    Ins,    Nov.    30. 
Apuntes,  311,  314-6.     199Anon.  MS.    Rangel,  Parte  (with  notes).    Eco 
del  Comercio,  May  1,  1848.     Sen.  11 ;  31,  1  (M.  L.  Smith,  Nov.  30,  1848). 
Gamboa,     Impug ,     55.     70"Guerra,"    no      1044     (trial    of    Alemdn). 
70" Guerra,"  no.  273   (trial   of   Bravo).     Monitor,    Apr.    27,   1848.     70 
"Guerra,"  no.  155  (trial  of  Terras).     Statue  of  Bravo  at  Puebla.     Delta, 
Oct.  14,  26 ;  Nov.  3,  20.     M6xico  a  trav6s,  iv,  690-5     76Bravo,  Dec.  27. 
Dunovant,    Battles,    5-10.    Wash.    Union,    Nov.    3.    Monitor   Repub., 
Oct.  24;    Dec.  16  (S.  Anna).    Nashville  Repub.  Banner,  Oct.  28,  1857. 
292Pillow  to  wife,  Oct.  18.    Spirit  of  the  Age,  Feb.  10 ;   July  29,  1848. 
Pachaco,  Exposfci6n.    Wise,  Gringos  (N.  Y.,  1849),  257-9.    Calder6n, 
Rectificaciones,  47.     Vedette,  iv,  nos.  3,  8,  12.    327Sutherland  to  father. 
AUg4  — .     l78Davis,  diary.    Flag  of  Freedom,  Nov.    27.       Molina,  El 
Asalto.    269/d.,   recoils.    29lPierce   to   Appleton,   Sept.  26.     5lMarine 
off.,  Oct.  20.     Reynolds,  Exculpation.    ISlBrindle,  statement.     Ripley, 
War  with  Mexico,  ii,  396-402.    Encarnacion  Prisoners,  84.    Hist.  Teach- 
er's Mag.,  Apr.,  1912  (Vieregg).' 


408       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES   153-158 

REMARKS  on  the  battle  of  Chapultepec  Chapultepec  had  been  a  pro- 
tected summer  palace,  not  a  fortress.  At  this  time  the  upper  stories  that 
one  sees  now  did  not  exist.  There  were  perhaps  three  times  as  many  large 
trees  in  the  grove  as  at  present.  For  military  reasons  the  small  trees  had 
recently  been  cleared  away  Scott  had  a  small  map  of  the  city,  apparently 
purchased  from  the  British  courier  (Sen.  34;  34,  3,  p  25).  The  Twelfth 
Infantry  guarded  the  stores  at  Mixcoac,  and  Sept.  10  Harney  was  sent 
there  with  a  body  of  dragoons  Sumner  was  then  placed  in  command 
of  all  the  dragoons  at  Tacubaya  (Sen  1;  30,  1,  p  421).  P.  F.  Smith's 
brigade  remained  at  Mixcoac  until  the  morning  of  Sept.  13.  Lee,  Beaure- 
gard,  Stevens  and  Tower  reconnoitred  the  southern  front.  Scott  was 
there  nearly  all  day  Sept  9,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  eleventh.  Tlie 
purposes  in  view  were  to  study  the  Mexican  preparations,  ascertain  the 
nature  of  the  ground,  and  find  places  for  batteries  In  general  the  ground, 
even  where  covered  with  water,  appeared  to  be  firm  enough  for  infantry, 
and  suitable  places  for  batteries  were  found. 

Bravo  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  Chapultepec  on  August  27. 
Sept  9  Alvarez  was  ordered  to  take  the  cavalry  to  Guadalupe.  Accord- 
ing to  76Bravo,  Sept.  14,  the  garrison  of  Chapultepec  on  the  morning  of 
Sept  12,  aside  from  gunners  and  engineers,  was  the  Tenth  Line  Infantry 
(250),  Mma  battalion  (277),  Um6n  battalion  (121),  Querctaro  battalion 
(115),  Toluca  battalion  (27),  Patria  battalion  (42)  These  832  men  were  dis- 
posed as  follows  .  defending  the  road  to  Tacubaya,  160 ;  redoubt  on  south 
side  of  hill  (apparently  at  B),  215;  gloneta  redoubt  (C),  92;  entrench- 
ment at  the  right  of  the  qlorieta  (D),  42;  north  side  of  the  hill,  80;  build- 
ings at  summit,  243  (TSBravo,  report,  Sept  14).  The  buildings  near  the 
gateway  batteries  were  defended  principally  by  the  Matarnoros  de  Morelia 
battalion 

At  the  conference  of  Sept  1 1  Engineers  Smith,  Lee,  Stevens  and  Tower 
favored  attacking  San  Antonio,  and  Quitman,  Shields,  Cadwalader  and 
Pierce  took  that  view  Pillow  did  the  same  Hilcy  arid  Twiggs  sided 
with  Scott  though  not  for  positive  reasons  Hitchcock  and  Tnst  do  not 
seem  to  have  expressed  opinions  Worth  and  P.  F  Smith  were  engaged 
elsewhere.  Scott's  attacking  Chapultepec  against  the  advice  of  Lee 
illustrated  the  fact  that  his  success  in  Mexico  was  not  due  to  that  officer, 
as  the  value  of  Lee's  services  and  his  later  fame  have  loci  some  to  imagine 

Gen  U.  S  Grant  regarded  the  battles  of  Sept  8  and  13  as  wholly  un- 
necessary (Mems  ,  i,  154).  But  here,  as  elsewhere  in  referring  to  the 
Mexican  War,  he  seems  to  have  been  merely  recording  youthful  impres- 
sions. He  says  that,  had  Scott  gone  round  those  positions,  the  Mexicans 
would  have  evacuated  them ;  but  Scott  did  not  wish  the  Mexicans,  to 
evacuate  El  Molino  and  Casa  Mata,  taking  with  them  their  gunpowder 
and  (supposed)  foundry  material .  i.  c  ,  Grant  failed  to  understand  the 
question  With  regard  to  Chapultepec  also  it  is  an  issue  between  a  lieu- 
tenant and  the  major  general  commanding.  Scott  did  not  overlook  the 
idea  of  going  round  (Worth:  Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  199);  and  hence,  as  he 
understood  the  case  far  better  than  Granfr  did  at  the  time  or  when  he  wrote 
his  Memoirs,  one  concludes  that  his  judgment  was  correct.  He  stated 
(Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  377)  that  [Grant's]  plan  would  have  required  too  wide 
and  hazardous  a  circuit  The  following  other  objections  against  it  may 
be  suggested.  Grant's  plan  would  have  required  the  army  to  abandon 
the  roads  for  difficult  fields  and  marshes,  limited  the  practicability  of 
defending  the  rear  in  case  of  attack,  weakened  greatly  the  effective  feint- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  153-158      409 

ing  upon  which  Scott  counted  (ibid.,  376),  produced  a  bad  moral  effect  — 
especially  in  view  of  the  recent  battle  —  by  suggesting  that  he  dared  not 
attack  Chapultepec,  exposed  our  assaulting  troops  to  a  cannonade  from 
the  rear,  and  left  behind  them  a  menace  of  other  uncertain  but  alarming 
possibilities.  The  capture  of  Chapultepec,  on  the  other  hand,  worked 
morally  as  well  as  physically  in  our  favor,  and  was  thought  by  Scott  likely 
to  have  an  even  greater  effect  than  it  had  (Sen  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  169) ;  and  it 
was  stated  by  our  engineers  that  mortars  planted  there  would  command  a 
large  part  of  the  city.  It  has  been  said  that  our  batteries  were  too  far 
from  the  target ;  but  it  was  not  known  what  guns  Chapultepec  had, 
and  no  doubt  our  engineers  and  artillery  officers  ventured  as  far  as  appeared 
expedient.  Clearly,  however,  too  much  was  expected  of  our  batteries. 

Battery  No.  1,  to  play  on  the  south  side  of  the  iort,  was  laid  out  by  Lee ; 
No  2,  opposite  the  southwest  angle  of  the  fort,  by  Huger.  The  batteries 
did  not  fire  accurately  at  first  (179Diario  Esactfsimo).  This  seems  to 
have  been  due  to  a  lack  of  platforms  for  the  guns  Quitman's  division 
supported  No.  1,  which  was  particularly  exposed,  and  in  the  afternoon  he 
made  a  bold  reconnaissance  of  the  road,  discovering  artillery  and  a  ditch 
in  his  front  (Claiborne,  Quitman,  n,  app  ,  308)  The  Mexicans  made 
advances  toward  No  1  on  Sept.  12,  but  canister  repelled  them  To  hinder 
reinforcements  from  reaching  Chapultepec,  Quitman  by  Scott's  order 
placed  fifty  men  well  forward  on  the  road  in  the  night  of  Sept  12-13,  and 
some  skirmishing  occurred  A  9-pounder  protected  with  sand-bags  was 
planted  just  in  front  of  No.  1.  The  intention  had  been  to  establish  an 
advanced  battery,  but  the  Mexicans  prevented  this  Two  New  York 
companies  supported  No.  2  Battery  No.  3  had  a  brass  16-pounder. 
This,  becoming  unserviceable,  was  replaced  with  an  iron  24-pounder. 
Batteries  1,  2  and  3  commanded  the  south  and  west  fronts  of  Chapul- 
tepec fort,  and  No  4  commanded  its  interior  No  1  stood  about  1000 
yards  from  the  south  front  of  the  foi  t ;  No  2  about  1400  yards  from  its 
southwestern  angle;  No  3  about  1140  yards  from  its  west  front;  and 
No  4  a  little  nearer  than  No  3  (Hardcastle's  map  in  Sen  1 ;  30,  1) 

Pillow  reoccupied  El  Mohno  early  Sept  12  and  his  division  slept  there 
the  following  night.  Early  Sept  13  Twiggs  resumed  operations  at  La 
Piedad,  and  the  Mexicans  endeavored  to  draw  him  on  Steptoe  had  two 
12-pounders  and  two  24-pound  howitzers.  The  weakness  and  gradual 
discontinuance  of  his  fire  and  the  fact  that  Twiggs  did  not  expose  his 
infantry  rendered  this  feint  ineffective.  Scott  states  that  Taylor's  battery 
also  was  at  La  Piedad,  but  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  used  at  this  time. 
Perhaps,  as  the  Mexicans  were  likely  to  attack,  it  was  held  in  reserve 

The  storming  parties  were  composed  of  volunteers.  In  some  and  pos- 
sibly in  all  cases  some  slight  reward  was  offered.  In  a  number  of  regi- 
ments so  many  volunteered  that  it  became  necessary  to  draw  lots.  Scott 
thought  Pillow  would  need  one  brigade ;  but  Pillow  sent  for  Worth's  whole 
division  and  received  one  (Clarke's)  brigade  of  it.  Ripley  (op.  cit.,  li, 
420)  states  that  Pillow  asked  for  only  one  of  Worth's  brigades,  but  against 
him  is  the  testimony  of  Scott,  of  Worth  and  of  Semmes,  who  bore  Pillow's 
message.  Some  of  Clarke's  men  arrived  in  tune  to  fight.  After  the 
battle  Pillow  admitted  that  not  over  1000  of  his  men  took  part  in  the  as- 
sault (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p  408).  He  had  too  many.  They  were  in  one  an- 
other's way.  Pillow  stated  that  the  garrison  was  6000,  thus  probably 
reckoning  almost  every  Mexican  soldier  within  a  mile  of  the  hill.  Pillow 
wrote  (ISOOct.  18) :  I  led  "to  the  very  Cannon's  mouth,  where  I  was  cut 


410       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  15&-158 

down  —  Then  my  men  picked  me  up  and  carried  me  forward  under  my 
orders  and  with  a  shout  of  exultation  and  triumph,  scaled  the  ditches  and 
wall."  In  fact  he  seems  to  have  received  a  painful  wound  on  the  ankle 
from  a  glancing  grapeshot  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  378), 
and  was  not  carried  to  the  summit  until  serious  fighting  had  ended  (Sen. 
65;  30,  1,  pp.  156,  172,  204,  217,  222,  224).  Cadwalader  succeeded  him 
in  command.  Lt.  Col.  Hubert  with  the  Eleventh  Infantry,  assisted  by 
Sumner's  dragoons  and  in  effect  by  Trousdale  and  Jackson,  kept  off  a 
strong  force  of  lancers  that  menaced  the  American  rear  from  the  direction 
of  Los  Morales. 

Sept.  13  when  Santa  Anna  finally  sent  the  San  Bias  battalion  (per- 
haps 400)  toward  the  summit,  the  approach  of  the  Americans  forced  it  to 
halt  —  apparently  at  the  entrenchment  (D)  near  the  gloneta.  The  Third 
Ligero  was  ordered  to  reinforce  this  battalion,  but  the  college  fell  before 
it  arrived,  and  it  retired.  Other  troops  were  sent  to  the  lower  parts  of  the 
hill.  Some  perished,  some  retreated,  some  were  captured.  The  Hidalgo 
battalion  fought  on  the  Tacubaya  road.  Reserves  of  2-5000  were  on  the 
Bel6n  causeway  near  Chapul tepee. 

A  Mexican  lieutenant  of  engineers  named  Alemdn  had  charge  of  firing 
the  mines,  and  he  was  ordered  to  do  his  work.  At  his  trial  he  said  that 
he  found  his  way  blocked  by  Mexican  troops,  and  that  before  he  could 
reach  his  post  the  Americans  were  there.  Some,  if  not  all,  of  the  canvas 
pipes  containing  the  trains  had  already  been  found  and  cut  by  our  troops. 
The  Americans  got  over  the  fosse  by  laying  ladders  across  it.  The  man 
who  first  reached  the  Mexican  flagstaff  appears  to  have  been  Capt.  Kim- 
ball,  a  Vermonter  but  born  in  New  Hampshire.  He  stood  on  guard  there 
till  Seymour,  who  commanded  his  regiment  after  Ransom's  fall,  arrived. 
Sept.  13  the  Americans  took  revenge  for  the  atrocities  perpetrated  upon 
our  wounded  on  the  eighth. 

The  second  in  command  in  Casey's  party  was  Capt.  Paul,  but  Capt. 
B.  S.  Roberts,  whose  company  stood  at  the  head  of  it,  led  the  successful 
charge.  Gen.  Rangel  reported  that  by  this  time  the  Mexican  muskets 
had  become  useless  and  the  one  cannon  that  directly  enfiladed  the  road 
had  been  accidentally  disabled.  It  is  quite  clear,  particularly  in  the 
light  of  Mexican  evidence,  that  the  fort  on  the  summit  was  carried  before 
the  gateway  batteries.  Quitman  rendered  no  essential  service  in  the 
capture  of  Chapultepec,  though  he  kept  many  Mexicans  occupied.  His 
troops  that  went  up  the  hill  were  not  needed.  (Even  Clarke's  brigade  was 
a  greater  reinforcement  than  the  situation  called  for.)  Shields  states  that 
the  three  regiments  turned  off  to  the  left  because  the  Mexicans  in  Quit- 
man's  front  were  found  too  strong,  and  if  these  could  not  be  beaten  before 
those  three  regiments  were  detached,  evidently  the  remainder  of  Quit- 
man's  command  was  not  strong  enough  to  beat  them.  When  Roberts 
led  the  successful  charge,  Worth  (whom  Clarke  rejoined),  Trousdale  and 
Jackson  had  appeared  at  the  northeast  of  Chapultepec  and  menaced  the 
rear  of  the  gateway  batteries.  Exc3pt  thirty  to  fifty  under  Capt.  Terrett 
the  Marines  did  not  distinguish  themselves.  Their  commander,  however, 
said  that  their  ammunition  failed,  and  other  officers  stated  that  Quitman 
ordered  the  corps  to  halt.  This  was  their  first  battle. 

P.  F.  Smith  had  the  Mounted  Rifles  (minus  two  companies  detached), 
First  Artillery  and  Third  Infantry  (minus  two  companies  detached). 
It  was  hoped  that  he  could  strike  the  Bel6n  aqueduct,  break  through, 
and  take  the  Mexican  flank  and  rear.  Smith's  brigade  not  being  strong 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  158-160      411 

enough  —  under  the  difficulties  of  the  ground  and  in  view  of  Quitman's 
halt  —  to  attack  Santa  Anna's  reserves,  veered  toward  the  causeway, 
and  under  the  partial  shelter  of  maguey  opened  fire.  His  right  companies 
took  part  in  the  final  charge  against  the  gateway  batteries.  Had  Quit- 
man  given  Smith  the  pioneer  party  with  planks,  etc.,  for  bridging  the  ditches, 
and  a  storming  party,  and  supported  him  with  two  of  the  regiments  that 
went  up  the  hill,  Smith  could  have  struck  the  Mexicans  effectively  on  the 
Bel£n  route,  while  Quitman  himself  was  doing  what  he  could  on  the  Tacu- 
baya  road  with  the  rest  of  his  command.  A  great  number  of  prisoners 
could  probably  have  been  captured  in  this  way  (Stevens,  Stevens,  i, 
214-5).  Gen.  Rangel  reported  that  the  corps  which  defended  the  work  on 
the  Tacubaya  causeway  lost  one  third,  and  that  almost  every  member  of 
his  staff  was  wounded  Sept.  8  or  13.  The  serious  fighting  inside  the  fort 
lasted  only  four  or  five  minutes.  When  the  final  assault  occurred,  the 
effective  defenders,  all  told,  probably  did  not  number  more  than  275. 
Bravo Js  sword  was  returned  to  him.  He  was  charged  by  Santa  Anna 
with  bad  conduct,  but  when  tried  was  fully  exonerated.  In  reference 
to  Chapultepec  the  author  was  kindly  assisted  by  Senor  D  Ignacio  Molina, 
head  of  the  cartography  section  of  the  Mexican  government,  who  was  a 
student  at  the  military  college  in  Sept.,  1847,  and,  being  an  engineer  by 
profession,  could  be  relied  upon. 

18.  Pillow  estimated  the  Mexican  killed,  wounded  and  captured  at 
Chapultepec  at  about  1800  (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p  408),  and  mentioned  that 
the  prisoners  included   Gens     Bravo,  Noriega,   Monterde  [Dosamantes, 
Saldana],  three  colonels,  seven  heut  colonels  and  40  captains     The  actual 
number  of  Mexicans  captured  in  the  operations  of  Sept    13-14  was  125 
officers,  698   men   besides   about  forty  students   (Hitchcock  in  Sen.  1 ; 
30,  1,  p.  430).     As  to  their  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  one  can  only 
guess.     The  American  loss  on  Sept    12-14  was .    killed,  10  officers,  128 
rank  and  file;  wounded,  60  officers,  613  rank  and  file  (Ho.  24;  31,  1). 
What  part  of   this  loss  was  incurred  at  Chapultepec  cannot  be  stated. 
(Black)  McSherry  (M'Sherry),  ElPuchero,  108. 

19.  The  Bettn  operations.     Ho   60;   30,  1,  pp    1019,  1021-5.     Sen.  1; 
30,  1,  pp.  381-3  (Scott),  398  (Twiggs),  414-6  (Quitman),  423  (Huger) ; 
app  ,   180  (Bonneville),   184  (Smith),  191   (Beauregard),  215  (Seymour), 
223  (Smith),  225  (Shields),  230  (Porter).     Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  pp.  188  (Ripley). 
633    (Pillow).     Carrefio,    Jefes,   166     Niles,  Oct     30,    i  p.    137-8.     Sen. 
Report  32;    34,  1      Brown,  Ninth  Inf.,  62     Haskm,  First  Artill ,  115. 
So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Jan.,  1853,  pp.  43-4      Negrete,  Invasi6n,  m,  app.,  133, 
145-9;    iv,  app.,  304-8      Balbontin,  Invasi6n,   132      Davis,  Autobiog., 
209-10,    232-4,    262-3      376Nicholson,    recoils.     218Henshaw   narrative. 
GSDimick  to  Woodbury,   Dec.    1,    1848.     69Cmlds  to  Dimick,  Dec.  2, 
1848.     Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  347,  364,  367-9,  372,  385-6.     ISlReports 
and  letters.     City  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  Year  Book,  1883,  p.  523.     Row- 
land,  Miss.   Register,   418      HSBeauregard,   remins.     357Wilcox,   diary. 
SOSReports.     60Loring  to   P.   F.    Smith,   Sept.   27.     60Dimick  to   Id., 
Sept.  20.     60/d.  et  al  to  P.  F.  Smith,  Oct.  19,  1848.     60/d.  to  adj.  gen., 
Nov.  30,  1848.     GSWiihams  to  Porter,  Apr.  11,  1857.     65Adj.  gen.,  orders 
7,   Feb.   20,    1847.     Rodriguez,   Breve  Resena,   870.     Gamboa,   Impug., 
56.     70"Guerra,"  no.  155  (trial  of  Terras).    Picayune,  Nov.  20.    Delta, 
Oct.  14,  26,  1847;  Jan.  11,  1848.     Mexico  &  traves,  iv,  695.     Dunovant, 
Battles,  11-17.    Wash.  Union,  Sept.  11.    Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  3;   Dec. 
16.    South.  Mag.,  July,  1874,  p.  78.     364Worth  to  daughter,  Sept.  28. 


412       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  158-160 

Ramsey,  Other  Side,  249,  note.  Prieto,  Memorias,  ii,  246.  270Moore, 
diary.  SSSStatement  re  Quitman  by  Trist.  SORelac.  to  Olagufbel, 
Sept.  14.  Statements  to  the  author  from  Quitman's  daughters.  327 
Sutherland  to  father,  Aug.  — .  178Davis,  diary.  269Mohna,  recoils. 
Reynolds,  Exculpation.  Stevens,  Vindication.  S.  Anna,  Detail,  21, 
29-32.  Raleigh  Star,  Nov.  3.  76Tornel  to  Carrera,  Sept.  9.  Apuntes, 
309,  317-22.  Diccionario  Universal  (Mexico}.  68Bonneville  court 
martial.  Semmes,  Service,  457  Monitor  Repub ,  Nov.  3  (Terr6s) 
Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  210-1.  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  492-3. 

REMARKS  on  the  Helen  operations.     The  Mexicans  retiring  by  this 
road  were  commanded  by  Gen.  Lombardmi.     The  principal  corps  was 
the  Activo  regiment  of  Moreha.     The  ditch  across  the  Tacubaya  cause- 
way at  the  gateway  batteries  was  promptly  filled  in  by  the  Americans  to 
permit  passage.    A  part  of  the  men  who  captured  the  gateway  batteries 
pursued  the  fleeing  Mexicans,  but  not  far.     A  part  of  the  Sixth  Infantry, 
having  gone  astray,  joined  Quitman.     It  has  been  suggested  that  Scott 
made  a  mistake  in  not  giving  orders,  before  the  attack  upon  Chapultepec, 
for  subsequent  operations,  and  thus  left  the  troops  to  their  own  devices , 
but  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  calculate  in  advance  what  the  situation 
would  be,  and  he  went  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  summit  of  the  hill,  which 
was  the  proper  place  for  surveying  the  field  and  issuing  suitable  commands 
The  Belen  ganta  presented  a  hard  problem  because,  having  been  more 
threatened  than  the  San  Cosme  ganta,  it  seemed  likely  to  be  more  strongly 
guarded,  because,  being  nearer  to  the  forces  protecting  the  southern  front, 
it  could  be  more  quickly  and  effectively  reinforced,  and  because  it  was 
supported  by  the  citadel,  which  could  only  be  approached  over  open  ground 
Scott,  therefore  determined  to  make  only  a  feint  at  Beteii  (Sen    1 ,  30,  1, 
p.  382)      Quitman,  however,  owing  to  the  abortive  Alvarado  expedition, 
had  not  figured  at  Cerro  Gordo.     Aug  20  and  Sept  8  his  duty  had  been 
to  guard  the  rear     Hence  he  had  won  no  6clat  under  Scott,  and,  feeling 
that  Scott  was  unfriendly  to  him,  he  apparently  resolved  at  this  time  to 
take  the  bit  in  his  teeth  (Davis,  Autobiog.,  232)      During  his  operations 
against  the  city  Scott  repeatedly  signified  his  disapproval  of  them,  but 
Quitman  refused  to  retire  without  a  positive  order  (Claiborne,  Quitman, 
i,  386),  and,  since  Quitman  had  committed  him,  Scott,  although  extremely 
annoyed   (Davis,  Autobiog.,  234-5),  wisely  refrained  from  giving  this 
Gen.  U.  S.  Grant  said,  "It  is  always,  however,  in  order  to  follow  a  retreat- 
ing foe,  unless  stopped  or  otherwise  directed "   (Merns  ,  i,   152).     This 
principle  authorized  Quitman 's  moving  toward  the  city  but  not  the  later 
part  of  his  operations.     At  the  expense  of  his  men,  therefore,  Quitman 
was  guilty  of  virtual  insubordination  —  though  not  of  positive  disobedi- 
ence—  for  personal  reasons.    This  fact  it  is  necessary  to  make  clear 
But  his  men  were  no  doubt  as  willing  as  he  to  risk  their  lives,  and  it  was 
only  natural  that  Quitman  should  seek  to  distinguish  himself.    That 
motive  had  to  be  recognized,  for  without  it  probably  few  volunteer  officers 
would  have  been  in  the  field.    Ripley  (op.  cit.,  ii,  549)  says  that  according 
to  Scott's  report  orders  were  repeatedly  sent  to  Quitman  to  prevent  his 
too  rapid  advance,  but  Quitman  did  not  receive  them  and  could  not  find 
the  staff  officer  who  had  borne  them.    What  Scott  said  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p 
382)  was  that  he  repeatedly  communicated  his  "views"  to  Quitman,  and 
Davis  (Autobiog.,  234-5)  supports  this  statement.    The  purpose  of  Rip- 
ley's  remark  apparently  was  to  hint  that  Scott's  statement  was  untrue 
The  intermediate  battery  (at  what  was  called  the  Bridge  of  the  Insur- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES   160-163      413 

gents)  seems  to  have  been  built  for  four  guns  but  to  have  had  only  one,  two, 
three  guns  m  place,  or  perhaps  none.  The  accounts  disagree.  Quitman 
and  Smith,  both  of  them  volunteer  officers,  appear  distinctly  to  have 
colored  their  reports  m  favor  of  the  Palmetto  regiment,  which  was  second 
to  none  in  gallantry,  but  was  not  enabled  by  circumstances  to  do  all  it 
would  gladly  have  done  here.  The  First  Artillery,  on  the  other  hand, 
did  not  receive  the  credit  it  deserved  It  was  merely  a  question  of  pre- 
cedence, not  of  courage,  but  vigorous  protests  against  their  reports  were 
the  consequence  Perhaps,  however,  the  real  explanation  of  their  inac- 
curacies is  that  the  reports  represent  orders  of  which  circumstances  (un- 
known or  forgotten  by  them)  prevented  the  execution. 

Sept.  9,  believing  Scott  would  attack  the  southern  side,  Santa  Anna 
had  two  guns  removed  from  the  Bclen  ganta  The  " citadel"  had  origi- 
nally been  a  tobacco  factory  Terrcs  was  treated  by  Santa  Anna  with 
the  utmost  contempt  and  even  subjected  to  personal  violence,  but  a  court 
martial  exonerated  him,  and  he  was  regarded  by  Scott  with  marked  re- 
spect (Delta,  Jan.  11,  1848) 

20.  The  S.  Cosme  operations  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp  381-2  (Scott),  391-3 
(Worth),  421  (Sumner),  424  (Huger),  428-9  (J.  L.  Smith),;  app.,  166 
(Huger),  etc  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp  1072-3,  1077,  1079  Journ  Miht. 
Serv.  Instit ,  v,  46 ;  xxxm,  444  Wilson,  Grant,  63-7.  Stevens,  Stevens, 
i,  211-2,  215  So.  Qtrly  Rev  ,  Jan  ,  1853,  p  44  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii, 
app.,  430-41,  450;  iv,  app  ,  305-8  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  150,  155-9.  Bal- 
lentine,  Eng.  Sold  ,  ii,  249.  66Lee  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Sept.  15.  66McClellan 
to  G.  W  Smith,  Sept  14  66Stevens  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Sept  25  Claiborne, 
Quitman,  i,  379  HSBeauregard,  remins  SOPaul  to  Lovell,  Sept.  20. 
Semmes,  Service,  457-61.  Apuntes,  316-22  Rangel,  Parte  (with  notes). 
70"Guerra,"  no  273  (trial  of  Bravo)  Delta,  Oct  14  S  Anna,  Detail, 
30-2  M6xico  a  travcs,  iv,  695  Monitor  Repub  ,  Dec.  16  (S.  Anna). 
76Mora  to  Lombardmi,  Aug.  9;  to  Guerra,  July  22.  76Lombardini, 
Aug  22.  Jackson,  Mems.,  43  SORelac  to  Olaguibel,  Sept  14.  G.  W. 
Smith,  Co.  A,  Corps  of  Engins.  5lLetter  from  Marine  officer,  Oct.  20. 
SlTerrett,  undated  5lHenderson  to  sec  navy,  May  12,  1848.  Stevens, 
Vindication  Raleigh  Star,  Oct  27.  Arnold,  Jackson,  130,  177.  Dab- 
ney,  Jackson,  47-9  Murphy,  Remins  ,  69.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos, 
496-502. 

REMARKS  on  the  San  Cosme  operations.  The  Mexicans  retreating  by 
this  route  were  commanded  by  Gen  Rangel,  assisted  by  Gen.  Pena  y 
Barragan  and  Lt  Col.  Echeagaray.  It  is  impossible  to  be  as  precise  as 
would  be  desirable  in  describing  the  first  part  of  Worth's  advance,  for 
the  reports  are  both  vague  and  inconsistent.  This  is  mainly,  no  doubt, 
because  the  officers  wrote  from  memory  and  without  the  aid  of  a  map. 
Ripley  observes  (op.  cit.,  ii,  484)  that  Worth's  movement  "had  the  great 
element  of  success,  celerity."  In  reality,  it  was  very  slow,  but  unofficial 
accounts  and  the  Mexican  reports  contain  evidence  that  the  resistance 
was  not  only  vigorous  but  more  than  once  temporarily  triumphant.  The 
one-gun  redoubt  seems  to  have  been  abandoned  when  the  hill  yielded. 
Ripley  observes  also  (op.  cit.,  ii,  485)  that  Worth  did  not  need  to  advance 
rapidly:  "Time  was  not  immediately  pressing."  But  this  is  a  mistake, 
for  substantially  all  the  Mexican  preparations  at  the  S.  Cosme  garita  were 
made  after  Worth's  advance  began.  The  fortification  (unarmed)  near 
the  English  cemetery  was  at  the  bridge  of  Santo  Tomas.  The  Mexican 
infantry  was  withdrawn  from  this  position  because  the  Americans  could 


414      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  160-163 

have  struck  the  S.  Cosme  highway  (by  a  cross-road)  between  it  and  the 
city;  but  a  large  body  of  cavalry  under  Torrej6n  remained  and  charged 
in  order  to  gain  time  for  Rangel  to  make  preparations  at  the  garita. 

While  Quitman  was  struggling  with  the  intermediate  battery,  Duncan 
of  Worth's  command  sent  a  gun  from  La  Ver6nica  causeway  into  a  road 
that  extended  some  distance  toward  the  right,  and  fired  at  the  Mexicans. 
He  and  Worth  believed  they  gave  Quitman  material  assistance,  but  this 
does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  fact,  for  the  distance  was  found  to  be 
much  greater  than  they  supposed  (HSBeauregard).  The  better  way  to 
aid  Quitman  would  have  been  to  press  forward  without  loss  of  time,  and 
threaten  the  rear  of  the  Mexicans  opposing  Quitman.  Later  some  of 
Worth's  guns  did  aid  Quitman  by  firing  at  the  garita. 

With  remarkable  daring  Capt.  Terrett  of  the  Marines,  Lieuts.  Gore 
and  U.  S.  Grant  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  a  few  other  officers  and  a  small 
party  of  men  captured  the  unarmed  work  near  the  junction  of  La  Ver6nica 
and  San  Cosme  roads  by  moving  to  the  left  round  the  English  cemetery, 
and  took  the  parapet  on  the  San  Cosme  highway  From  the  latter  Worth 
recalled  them  because  the  American  guns  behind  them  were  about  to  open. 
Cadwalader,  sent  to  Worth  by  Scott,  was  placed  by  the  former  at  the 
English  cemetery  to  guard  Worth's  left  and  rear.  Sumner,  after  pursuing 
the  Mexicans  for  some  time,  was  detached  to  protect  Tacubaya.  Scott 
joined  Worth  near  the  English  cemetery  and  directed  him  to  carry  the 
garita  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  392),  but  he  soon  returned  to  the  base  of  Chapul- 
tepec  so  as  to  be  within  easy  reach  of  all  his  scattered  forces  (ibid.,  382). 
By  Scott's  order  Huger  sent  to  Worth  four  siege  guns  and  a  mortar,  but 
on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  ground  none  of  these  pieces  was  used  against 
the  garita  (ibid.,  424).  Santa  Anna  brought  four  guns  to  the  garita,  but 
only  three  of  them  were  available.  The  stampede  from  the  garita  seems 
to  have  been  due  in  part  to  a  cornet  signal  for  retreat,  meant  for  a  single 
corps  The  cavalry  under  Alvarez  entered  the  city  during  the  afternoon 
of  Sept  12.  Grant  was  assisted  by  Lieut.  Lendrum  of  the  Third  Artillery 
in  handling  the  mountain  howitzer. 

21.  The  night  of  Sept.  13-14  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  383  (Scott),  393 
(Worth),  416  (Quitman),  424  (Huger),  429  (J.  L.  Smith) ;  app.,  168,  etc. 
(officers).  Ho.  60:  30,  1,  pp.  1077-9  (Worth),  1079  (Scott).  mDiario 
Esactfsimo.  Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  213,  215.  Sen.  Rep.  32 ;  34, 1.  Negrete, 
Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  129,  450;  iv,  108,  116-22;  app.,  309-10.  So.  Qtrly. 
Rev.,  Jan.,  1853,  p.  49.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  235-7,  287-90.  217Henshaw 
to  wife,  Sept.  13  [partly  later].  218Henshaw  narrative  6lGates,  Oct.  6. 
376Nicholson,  recoils.  ISlSteptoe  to  Lovell,  Sept.  16.  London  Times, 
Nov.  13.  92S.  Anna  to  Mex.  ayunt.,  Sept.  15.  SOFerndndez  to  gov. 
Michoacdn,  Sept.  13.  SORelac.  to  Olagufbel,  Sept.  14.  S.  Anna,  Mi 
Historia,  83.  Gamboa,  Impug.,  57-8.  70"Guerra,"  no.  954  (trial  of 
Bonilla).  366Ayunt.  poster,  Sept.  25.  Monitor  Repub.,  Sept.  27 
(Pacheco) ;  Oct.  2  (S.  Anna).  S.  Anna,  Contestaci6n.  Lawton,  Artill. 
Off.,  315.  73Lozano,  nos.  4  and  8,  res.,  1847.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  318. 
92Mex.  ayunt.  to  Scott,  Sept.  13,  11  P.M.  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  58-9. 
Calder6n,  Rectificaciones,  48.  Gim6nez,  Memories,  114.  Stevens, 
Vindication.  Raleigh  Star,  Oct.  27.  112Beauregard  to  Quitman,  Sept. 
17.  113/d,  remins.  Rangel,  Parte  (with  notes).  Claiborne,  Quitman, 
i,  370.  22lHill,  diary.  Semmes,  Service,  463.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
304.  S.  Anna,  Detail,  32-3.  Apuntes,  334-5.  Roa  B&rcena,  Recuerdos, 
603-4. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  163-164      415 

Quitman  sent  to  Scott  for  heavy  cannon  and  ammunition,  and  the 
latter,  though  offended  by  Quitman's  course,  had  them  supplied.  During 
the  night,  under  Beauregard's  direction,  two  batteries  inside  the  Bele"n 
garita  (for  a  24-pounder,  an  18-pounder  and  a  24-pound  howitzer)  and  a 
breastwork  on  the  right  for  infantry  were  made  ready.  Step  toe,  sent 
here  by  Scott,  was  on  hand  to  superintend  the  firing.  To  assault  the  citadel 
across  about  300  yards  of  open  ground,  even  with  the  aid  of  these  pieces, 
would  have  been  a  very  serious  affair,  and  it  was  most  fortunate  for  Quit- 
man that  Worth's  entering  the  town  where  no  citadel  existed  made  it 
unnecessary. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  Huger's  brief  bombardment  caused  Santa 
Anna  to  evacuate  the  city  (Semmes,  Service,  463) ;  but  Santa  Anna  knew, 
without  being  shown  again,  what  the  American  artillery  could  do,  and  he 
seems  to  have  decided  upon  his  policy  before  this  firing  occurred.  Santa 
Anna's  chief  published  reasons  for  the  evacuation  were  that  he  wished  to 
save  the  city  from  bombardment,  assault  and  sack,  and  save  the  army, 
arms  and  cannon  for  future  operations.  Gamboa  complained  that  no 
provision  was  made  before  the  evacuation  for  the  security  of  the  people, 
the  archives,  etc  But  Scott's  previous  conduct  was  an  adequate  pledge, 
and  the  council  relied  upon  his  regard  for  international  law.  Considering 
Santa  Anna's  known  love  of  money,  the  vast  Mexican  interests  now  im- 
perilled, and  his  summary  manner  of  deciding  the  question  of  evacuation, 
one  cannot  help  suspecting  that  inducements  were  offered  him.  The 
council  was  probably  held  merely  to  divide  the  responsibility  for  what 
he  had  resolved  to  do. 

It  was  charged  that  Santa  Anna  let  the  criminals  out  of  jail  expressly 
to  attack  the  Americans,  and  to  bring  odium  upon  us  by  committing  out- 
rages that  could  be  attributed  to  our  troops.  One  cannot  be  sure  about 
this  matter ;  but  it  is  noticeable  that  Gamboa,  in  piling  up  all  possible 
charges  against  the  President,  only  accused  him  of  failing  to  prevent  the 
criminals  from  getting  free.  Santa  Anna  must  have  been  completely 
exhausted,  but  it  seems  to  be  true,  as  was  stated  by  the  British  minister 
(Bankhead,  no.  86,  1847),  that  some  one  in  authority  let  about  2000  men 
out  of  confinement  Very  likely  it  was  hoped  that  the  Americans  would 
be  guilty  of  disorder;  but  the  palace  at  least  was  sacked  before  they 
entered  it.  Some  of  the  Mexican  soldiers  acted  like  brigands,  it  was 
reported  —  even  robbing  the  British  consul.  No  preparations  to  evac- 
uate the  town  had  been  made.  Some  one  might  and  should  have  had 
sentinels  posted  at  the  public  buildings  and  offices  ready  to  surrender 
them  in  a  proper  manner.  See  chap,  xxix,  note  2 

On  account  of  illness  Pierce  had  no  part  in  the  battles  of  Sept.  8  and  13. 
Probably  in  order  to  occupy  a  place  in  the  reports  he  appeared  at  the 
Bele"n  garita  at  about  four  A.M.,  Sept.  14  (though  he  belonged  to  Pillow's 
division)  on  the  ground  that  the  Ninth  Infantry  was  then  serving  under 
Quitman.  Although  Scott  refused  to  grant  a  capitulation  or  sign  any 
pledge,  he  seems  to  have  indicated  quite  definitely  to  the  commission  how 
the  capital  would  be  treated  (Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  122),  and  in  particu- 
lar that  in  consideration  of  being  protected  it  would  have  to  pay  $150,000 
for  necessaries  and  comforts  to  be  given  our  troops.  The  ayuntamiento 
attempted  to  force  Scott  to  make  pledges  by  saying  that  otherwise  it  could 
offer  no  security  to  his  army  or  its  property.  This  was  ingenious,  and  so 
was  its  solemn  Protest  (Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  108)  that  it  had  no  inten- 
tion of  submitting  voluntarily  to  any  foreign  authority. 


416      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXVIII,  PAGES  163-164 

Scott's  report  offended  Worth  by  saying  that  he  did  not  pass  the  garita 
until  Sept.  14  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1077).  This  was  technically  an  error, 
and  Scott  so  acknowledged  in  writing  (ibid.,  1079).  But  one  cannot 
suppose  he  intended  (though  Worth  imagined  he  did)  to  belittle  Worth, 
for  his  plan  had  been  to  give  that  officer  the  glory  of  capturing  the  city, 
and  he  was  displeased  to  find  that  Quitman  had  taken  precedence  of  Worth 
(Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  377).  Moreover,  Scott  stated  expressly  in  his 
report  that  Worth,  had  he  not  halted  m  obedience  to  orders,  might  have 
anticipated  Quitman  (Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  383).  Scott  seems,  indeed,  to  have 
intended,  in  giving  Worth  the  command  on  Sept  8  and  destining  him  to 
take  possession  of  the  city,  to  close  the  breach  between  that  officer  and 
himself,  but  Worth  contrived,  by  taking  needless  offence  on  both  occasions, 
to  widen  it.  Another  complaint  was  that  Scott  ordered  Worth  to  stop 
at  the  Alameda,  and  thus  enabled  Quitman  to  reach  the  palace  first 
(Semmes,  Service,  464) ;  but  apparently  this  was  because  Scott  intended 
to  join  Worth  there  (Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  417),  for  when  Scott  proceeded  from 
Tacubaya  to  the  city  on  the  morning  of  Sept  14  he  took  the  long  route 
via  San  Cosme,  not  knowing  what  Quitrnan  had  done. 

Semmes  (Service,  469)  states  that  S  Anna  left  40  pieces  of  artillery 
behind  when  he  evacuated  the  city.  Gamboa  asserted  that  at  the  end 
of  the  fighting,  Sept  13,  there  were  still  9000  Mexican  soldiers  besides 
4000  National  Guards  (Impug  ,  59)  The  Spanish  chargf*  reported  that 
when  the  fighting  ended  Santa  Anna  had  12,000  troops  As  the  minister 
of  relations  was  his  guest  at  the  time  this  would  seem  almost  equivalent 
to  an  official  estimate  (73Lozano,  no.  7,  Sept  16)  Mounted  and  un- 
mounted, the  Americans  found  twenty-two  cannon  at  the  citadel  (304 
Geary  to  Quitman,  Sept  14)  In  spite  of  Santa  Anna's  efforts  to  prevent 
the  capture  of  the  city,  many  still  believed  that  he  was  in  league  with  the 
Americans  (Roa  B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  419) 

22.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  383  (Scott),  393  (Worth),  398  (Twiggs),  417 
(Quitman)  Niles,  Oct  30,  p  137  Sen.  Rep  32;  34,  1.  Scott,  Mems  , 
11,  535.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  237  376Nicholson,  recoils.  224lntrod.  to 
intercepted  letters  66Beaurcgard  to  Quitman,  Sept.  17.  304WTatson 
to  Shields,  Sept.  16.  Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  362,  note,  376.  llSBeaure- 
gard,  remins.  15lRoberts  to  Union,  July  12,  1848.  357Wilcox,  diary 
Arroniz,  Manual,  i,  411.  65Scott,  gen  orders  286  Semrnes,  Service, 
464.  Apuntes,  326.  London  Chronicle,  Nov.  12  SOTRoberts,  diary. 
187Thomas  to  Eddy,  Oct  26  Wise,  Gringos  (N  Y.,  1849),  255  Nor- 
ton, Life,  172  327Sutherland  to  father,  Aug  — .  Lowell  (Mass  )  Journal, 
Sept.  14,  1852.  Verse  by  Grace  Greenwood  (in  Stevenson,  Poems) 

Epitomizing  his  operations  in  the  Valley,  Scott  said  his  army  had  beaten 
thirty-odd  thousand  men,  posted  behind  defences  at  chosen  positions, 
killed  or  wounded  more  than  7000,  taken  3730  (one  seventh  officers), 
including  thirteen  generals,  and  captured  more  than  twenty  colors  and 
standards,  75  pieces  of  ordnance,  57  wall-pieces,  20,000  small  arms,  and 
an  immense  quantity  of  munitions  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  384-5).  The  total 
American  losses  on  Sept.  12,  13  and  14 :  note  18. 

XXIX.   FINAL  MILITARY  OPERATIONS 

1.  The  chief  documents  relating  to  Taylor's  field.  Brackett,  Lane's 
Brigade,  31-2  63Marcy  to  Taylor,  July  15,  1847.  169Taylor  to  Critten- 
den,  May  15;  Sept  15,  1847  Delta,  Aug  3.  Wash.  Union,  June  17. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES   165-166        417 

76Mora,  Mar.  31;  Apr  7;  May  12.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1118-49,  1170, 
1172,  1175,  1177,  1180,  1185-8,  1195,  1197-8  (Taylor);  1003,  1193-4 
(Marcy).  76A.  Chavez,  July  29.  76Gonzalez  to  Urrea,  July  12.  76 
Valencia,  June  7,  19,  26.  76Fihsola,  Aug.  10.  76Extracto,  Aug.  10 
Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  409-11,  460  35*Welles  papers.  330Taylor,  Aug.  16. 
Spirit  of  the  Age,  Feb  17,  1848  76Pena  y  Barragan,  June  26,  1847. 
Charleston  Mercury,  Sept.  2.  Polk,  Diary,  May  11.  6lAdj.  gen.  to 
Brooke,  May  29 ;  to  Taylor,  July  16 ;  to  Talcott,  Mar  24.  69Wool  to 
Bliss,  Aug  25.  (Tampico)  Kenly,  Md.  Vol ,  241,  244,  252 ;  69Riley  to 
Bliss,  Dec  14,  1846  ,  6lShields  to  adj  gen  ,  Jan.  19,  1847;  66Beauregard 
to  Gates,  Feb  24;  761  Muiioz,  Dec  19,  21,  25,  1846;  65Gates,  special 
orders  7,  Feb  25,  1847,  76Valdez  to  F  de  Garay,  Jan.  3,  1847;  76 
Garay,  Jan.  22,  res.,  29,  res  ;  76J.  J  Landero,  Jan.  25 ;  76S.  Anna,  Jan. 
9 ;  76F.  de  Garay,  Jan  22 ;  76to  Mora,  May  24  (Tamaulipas  authori- 
ties) 76J.  Cardenas  to  Relacioncs,  Nov  16,  1847 ,  76Urrea,  Nov.  15 ;  75 
Memoria  de  Relaciones,  Nov.  19 ;  76gov  Tarn  to  comte.  gen.  Tarn., 

Jan.  17,  1848;  76/d  to  Relaciones,  Nov.  29,  1847;  76Tam  congress, 
decree,  Nov.  14  (Taylor's  going  home)  GlTaylor,  Oct  26,  1847; 
Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p  145  (Marcy),  330Taylor  to  Gen.  — ,  Aug  16,  1847; 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp  1199,  1213-4  (Taylor);  1210  (Jones)  (Costume) 
Delta,  Aug  3,  1847.  69Wool,  gen  orders,  Dec  22,  1847 

The  distance  from  Camargo  to  Mexico  City  seerns  to  have  been  about 
820  miles  by  the  direct  road  As  early  as  May  11,  1847,  Polk  remarked 
to  the  Cabinet  that  it  was  more  important  to  reinforce  Scott  than  Taylor 
(Diary).  In  March,  1847,  Taylor  had.  (regulars)  2  cos  of  First  Dra- 
goons ;  ditto,  Second  Dragoons ,  four  artillery  cos  (C  of  1st ;  C  and  E 
of  3d ;  B  of  4th)  with  batteries ,  five  artillery  cos  as  infantry ;  (volun- 
teers) Arkansas  horse  regt  ;  ditto,  Kentucky ;  two  cos  Texas  horse ; 
two  regts.  Kentucky  foot ;  three  Ohio  foot ;  three  Ind.  foot ;  two  111. 
foot ;  two  Miss,  foot ,  one  each  Va  ,  No.  Car.,  So  Car  and  Mass,  foot 
(62adj.  gen.  to  ordnance  dept ,  March  24,  1847)  June  16  Taylor  wrote 
that  Wool  would  soon  have  at  Buena  Vista  six  regular  companies  (Second 
Dragoons,  Fourth  Artillery),  four  cos  of  volunteer  horse  (First  Arkansas, 
Third  Texas) ,  and  Marshall's  brigade  (in  all  about  2500) ;  that  there 
would  be  a  small  garrison  at  Monterey,  and  that  the  troops  on  or  coming 
to  the  Rio  Grande  would  go  to  a  camp  of  instruction  at  Mier  He  reckoned 
that  by  August  15  he  would  have  about  8000  effectives  (Ho.  60;  30,  1, 
pp.  1177,  1180)  The  New  Orleans  Delta  of  Aug.  3  said  Wool  had  at 
Buena  Vista  about  2900,  Taylor  at  Monterey  800,  and  the  posts  at  Cerralvo, 
Mier  and  Matamoros  about  3300.  In  May  and  June  the  time  of  practi- 
cally all  Taylor's  12-months  men  (thirteen  regts.)  was  out.  Only  enough 
for  one  company  would  reenlist.  The  government  intended  Taylor 
should  have  after  losing  these  men  fully  10,000,  to  wit  (Ho.  60;  30,  1, 
pp.  924-6) :  (regulars)  Hopping's  brigade  consisting  of  Tenth  Infantry 
(N.  Y.,  N.  J.)  under  Col  Temple;  Thirteenth  Infantry  (Va  ,  Ga.,  Ala., 
Fla.)  under  Col.  Echols ;  Sixteenth  Infantry  (Ky.,  Ind  ,  111.)  under  Col 
Tibbatts ;  and  also  the  Third  Dragoons ;  (volunteers)  Marshall's  brigade 
(one  regt.  each  from  *Miss  ,  *Va.  and  *No.  Car  ,  five  Va.  companies  — 
*three  of  them  already  in  Mexico) ;  Lane's  brigade  (111.  regt ,  111.  horse 
co.,  Ind.  regt.,  five  N.  J  cos.,  one  Fla.  co  ,  one  Ark.  horse  cO.,  five  Texas 
horse  cos.) ;  Cushing's  brigade  -(*Mass.  regt ,  Ohio  regt.,  Ohio  horse  co., 
five  D.  C.  and  Md.  cos.,  five  Ala.  cos.,  one  Ala.  horse  co  ).  (The  star 
means  "  already  in  Mexico  ")  In  spite  of  this  it  was  charged  that  the 

VOL.  II  —  2  B 


418       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  165-166 

government  was  leaving  Taylor  with  only  a  corporal's  guard.  Troops 
began  to  leave  Taylor's  tor  Scott's  field  during  the  latter  part  of  August. 
Taylor  retained  the  Tenth  and  Sixteenth  regular  regts.  and  the  battery  of 
Deas  (Co.  B,  Fourth  Artillery)  and  sent  to  Scott,  besides  Hays's  n>en 
and  a  body  under  Gushing,  three  regts.  of  -volunteers  (Mass.,  Ohio,  Ind.) : 
an  aggregate  of  2957  (62adj.  gen.,  Oct.  6).  He  estimated  that  Hays 
had  about  400.  Wool,  who  had  been  commanding  at  Saltillo  and  Buena 
Vista,  moved  to  Monterey  after  Taylor  left  that  place,  and  Col.  John 
Hamtramck  succeeded  him  A  letter  from  Buena  Vista  dated  Jan.  17, 
18  43,  said  that  Hamtramck  then  had  2600  and  Woo  at  Monterey  1400; 
and  that  the  total  force  in  that  field  amounted  to  five  light  batteries,  four 
infantry  regiments,  ten  companies  of  dragoons  and  four  companies  of 
horse  (Spirit  of  the  Age,  Feb.  17,  1848). 

About  200  American  prisoners  (privates),  who  were  supposed  by  them- 
selves and  other  Americans  to  have  been  exchanged  for  Mexicans  cap- 
tured at  Cerro  Gordo,  were  sent  by  the  Mexican  government  in  May, 
1847,  to  Huejutla,  about  120  miles  from  Tampico  on  the  road  to  Mexico, 
in  order  to  prevent  them  from  escaping  or  being  recaptured,  and  suffered 
terrible  privations  in  the  mountains.  July  7,  1847,  Gates,  commanding 
at  Tampico,  sent  Col  De  Russey  of  the  Louisiana  volunteers,  with  126 
men  (including  35  mounted  men)  and  a  6-pdr  under  Capt.  F.  O.  Wyse 
to  endeavor  peaceably  to  obtain  the  release  of  these  prisoners,  or,  if  that 
could  not  be  done,  to  rescue  them.  De  Russey  sent  word  to  Gen.  F.  de 
Garay,  the  Mexican  commander  in  that  distnct,  regarding  his  mission, 
but  was  ambushed  near  Huejutla.  With  some  loss  he  beat  off  his  as- 
sail in  ts,  and  after  fighting  more  or  less  three  days  on  his  retreat,  succeeded, 
after  receiving  aid  from  Tampico,  in  reaching  that  place.  His  loss  was 
12  killed  and  7  wounded  Later  the  prisoners  were  released  on  parole. 
The  girrison  of  Tampico  at  this  time  was  only  about  650  effectives ;  but 
July  31  five  companies  of  111.  vols  were  ordered  to  go  there  from  N.  Or- 
leans In  April,  1848,  Gen.  Shields  was  ordered  to  take  command  at 
Tampico  (For  this  paragraph :  Encarnacion  Prisoners,  70 ;  65Gates, 
sp3cul  orders  41,  July  7;  61  Id  ,  July  21,  Aug.  24;  365Wyse,  May  15, 
187o;  Slidj  gsn  to  Gates,  July  31 ;  Ho.  24;  31,1;  Tampico  Sentinel, 
extra,  July  18 ;  76Garay,  July  19,  28 ;  76V  de  Mora,  Sept.  10 ;  Apuntes, 
380-4 ;  Niles,  Aug.  7,  p.  357 ;  61adj  gen.  to  Shields,  Mar  30,  1848  ) 

In  the  summer  of  1847  discipline  at  Buena  Vista  was  in  a  bad  state 
(76Filisola,  Aug.  10 ;  w report  of  a  trustworthy  spy).  In  August  a  mutiny 
occurred  (Sen.  62;  30,  1),  and  Wool  discharged  dishonorably  two  lieuts. 
and  two  privates  (Ho.  78;  30,  1).  Polk  countermanded  this  discharge 
on  the  ground  that  Wool  had  exceeded  his  authority  (256Marcy  to  Wool, 
Jan.  17,  1848).  A  court  of  inquiry  was  ordered  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  1207-8). 
This  fully  vindicated  Wool  (Sen.  62;  30,  1). 

By  the  autumn  of  1847  the  Americans  occupied  Tamaulipas  and  Nuevo 
LeVi  pretty  effectively,  but  in  Coahuila  held  only  Saltillo  and  its  vicinity. 
In  Feb.  and  March,  1848,  that  state  was  overrun  (SlWool,  Mar.  2,  1848; 
76 $ov.  Coahuila,  Mar.  29,  1848),  and  on  March  7  Mazapil  in  northern 
Zicatecas  was  made  an  American  outpost  (6lWool  to  Price,  Apr.  5,  1848 ; 
TScoiite.  gen.  Zacatecas,  Mar.  10).  The  Americans  tried  repeatedly 
without  success  to  apprehend  Gov.  Aguirre,  who  was  known  to  be  hoFtile. 
Finally,  about  the  middle  of  Dec.,  1847,  -they  burned  his  house  and  de- 
stroyed the  clothing  of  his  family  who  were,  there  (76report  to  comte.  gen. 
Durango,  res.,  Dec.  21,  1847). 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  167-168        419 

Valencia's  plan  of  combined  operations  appears  to  have  been  an  elabo- 
ration of  a  suggestion  of  Filisola.  By  June  22  Filisola,  then  at  Durango, 
was  ready  to  advance.  July  31  he  feared  his  men  would  disband  from 
lack  of  means.  About  Aug.  1  he  moved.  Many  deserted  or  fell  sick. 
August  11  he  had  634  available  privates.  Avalos  was  in  a  similar  condi- 
tion, and  his  brigade  shrank  rapidly.  Most  of  the  troops  placed  under 
Filisola 's  orders  were  diverted  or  simply  failed  to  appear,  and  finally  on 
Aug.  23,  1847,  he  was  ordered  to  Quer£taro.  (This  paragraph  is  based 
upon  numerous  76reports  from  the  officers  concerned.) 

Price's  campaign.  In  Oct.,  1847,  it  was  feared  at  Santa  Fe  that  the 
Mexicans  intended  to  attack  New  Mexico  (Santa  Fe  Republican,  Oct.  9), 
and  a  considerable  American  force  appears  to  have  gone  to  the  southern 
part  of  the  province  (76prefect  El  Paso,  Oct.  26).  In  November  El  Paso 
was  the  scene  of  preparations  to  march  south.  The  people  of  Chihuahua 
state  had  mostly  been  cowed  at  Sacramento,  but  Trias  and  a  few  others 
were  determined  to  fight.  He  obtained  500  muskets  that  were  landed 
at  Guaymas,  and  his  arsenal  turned  out  eight  small  field  pieces.  At  Santa 
Cruz  de  Resales  he  took  post  with  804  men,  besides  officers.  Price  had 
665  men,  but  his  artillery  was  much  superior  to  that  of  the  Mexicans. 
His  object  was  to  get  the  munitions  and  other  public  property  that  Trias 
had  brought  from  Chihuahua  City.  Trias  said  he  knew  officially  that 
a  treaty  had  been  signed ;  but,  as  the  Mexicans  were  more  noted  for  astute- 
ness than  for  veracity,  Price  would  not  believe  him.  He  did,  however, 
wait  about  a  week.  After  some  fighting  Trias  and  his  entire  force  sur- 
rendered. He  lost  238  killed  The  American  loss  was  4  killed  and  19 
wounded  (62idj  gen.  to  Price,  Oct.  4;  Nov.  20,  1847  256Marcy  to  Price, 
May  22,  1848;  to  Wool,  May  23.  76Trias,  Nov  30;  Feb  15;  Mar.  21. 
Ho  1 ;  30,  2,  pp.  76-7,  113-36  6lCorresp  between  Price  and  Trias,  Mar. 
10,  etc  Ho  24;  31,  1  Eco  del  Comercw,  June  22,  1848.  76Cha"vez 
to  Armijo,  Oct.  21,  1847.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  535-7  Mexico  & 
travcs,  iv,  710.  SlJustimani  and  Trias,  report,  Mar.  22,  1848.  Apuntes, 
397-401).  Price  exhibited  energy  and  courage  in  this  campaign  but  poor 
judgment.  A  force  occupying  El  Paso  would  have  protected  New  Mexico, 
and  to  go  even  beyond  the  city  of  Chihuahua  and  fight  so  serious  an  ag- 
gressive battle  long  after  the  capture  of  Mexico  City  and  in  the  face  of 
positive  assurances  that  a  treaty  had  been  signed  was  hardly  reasonable. 
One  suspects  that  commercial  interests  were  behind  this  campaign.  Gen. 
Butler  ordered  restitution  made  (60to  Marcy,  Apr.  7). 

2.  The  chief  documents  relating  to  hostilities  at  Mexico.  221  Hill, 
diary.  National,  Nov.  14,  etc  ,  1847.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  289,  296, 
Apuntes,  325,  330-9,  362.  London  Chronicle,  Nov.  12.  Negrete,  In- 
vasi6n,  111,  app.,  451,  etc.;  iv,  app.,  310-2  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  59,  60, 
63.  Gamboa,  Impug ,  59,  60.  Ramfrez,  Mexico,  317-8.  Semmes, 
Service,  466-7.  92Ayunt.  proclams.  92Corresp.  between  Veramecdi 
and  S.  Anna.  92Ayunt.  to  Quitman,  Sept.  15-6.  92Mexican  officials 
to  Veramendi,  Sept.  — .  92Quitman,  proclam.,  Sept.  26.  92Veramendi, 
proclam.,  Sept.  27.  Arco  Iris,  Dec.  1.  Picayune,  Oct.  14;  Nov.  20, 
N.  Y.  Sun,  Oct  14.  Diario  Esactfsimo.  Niles,  Oct.  30,  p.  138.  364 
Worth  to  daughter,  Sept.  28.  Prieto,  Memorias,  ii,  248-58.  357Wilcox, 
diary.  Sen.  34 ;  34,  3,  p.  25.  366Poster.  S.  Anna,  Detail,  33-4.  Ion- 
don  'Times,  Nov.  13.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp.  383-4  (Scott),  393  (Worth); 
399  (Riley) ;  417  (Quitman) ;  424  (Hue-er) ;  app  ,  169  (Smith),  185  (Smith), 
188  (Morris),  190  (Plympton).  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  304-5.  Monitor 


420       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  167-168 

Repub.t  Sept.  28  Grant,  Mems  ,  i,  162-3  Henshaw  narrative  Clai- 
borne,  Quitman,  i,  378.  Engineer  School,  Occas.  Papers  16.  73Lozano, 
no.  7,  1847.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  240  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  607-11, 
542.  American  Star,  Oct  14. 

Santa  Anna  sent  an  order  to  Herrera  to  return  to  Mexico,  but  by  the 
time  Herrera  received  it  he  was  so  far  away  that  he  did  not  think  it  best 
to  go  back,  and  the  order  was  soon  rescinded.  One  of  the  92proclamations 
of  the  president  of  the  ayuntamiento,  12:30  P.M  ,  Sept  14,  said:  "The 
general  in  charge  of  the  American  forces  which  have  occupied  the  city 
this  morning  has  informed  the  Ayuntamiento  that  if  within  three  hours, 
counted  from  the  time  this  notice  is  posted,  there  is  not  an  entire  cessation 
of  the  acts  of  hostility  now  being  committed  with  palpable  imprudence 
and  to  the  grave  prejudice  of  the  peaceable  citizens,  he  will  proceed  with 
all  rigor  against  the  guilty,  permitting  their  goods  and  property  to  be 
sacked  and  razing  the  block  in  which  are  situated  the  houses  from  which 
the  American  troops  are  fired  upon  "  There  is  no  evidence  that  the 
last  threat  was  executed  In  another  92proclamation  of  the  same  day 
the  people  were  called  upon  to  " reciprocate  the  civilization"  of  the  Amer- 
ican army,  and  to  leave  national  affairs  to  the  nation  In  a  92third  the 
people  were  told  that  Scott  had  refused  to  give  the  pledges  asked  for  by 
the  ayuntamiento  until  the  hostilities  should  cease  The  action  of  the 
ayuntamiento  brought  upon  President  Veramendi  the  most  violent  de- 
nunciations and  menaces  of  Santa  Anna  Veramendi  92rephed  that  he 
" idolized"  his  country,  and  was  only  trying  to  avert  the  disasters  to  which 
it  had  been  doomed  by  "the  most  well-proven  rapine,  the  most  lamen- 
table demoralization  of  our  people,  and  not  by  true  patriotism  or  zeal  to 
prevent  the  sacking  of  the  churches"  and  other  outrages  Veramendi 
wrote  finally  that  it  would  be  a  waste  of  time  to  continue  the  discussion , 
that  the  authonties  would  do  their  duty  and  accept  the  verdict  of  public 
opinion. 

The  Americans  commonly  believed  that  the  convicts  were  released 
from  the  prison  by  Santa  Anna  with  the  expectation  that  their  crimes 
would  be  charged  to  the  Americans  ;  and  on  the  other  hand  Otero  asserted 
that  the  Americans  released  them  to  prey  upon  the  people  His  view  was 
certainly  erroneous ;  and  the  other,  though  not  without  support,  may 
have  been  so.  In  the  confusion  the  jailers  perhaps  left  the  prisoners 
unguarded  or  released  them  to  save  them  from  starving  Some  believed 
that  the  real  purpose  of  the  uprising  was  to  plunder  the  houses  of  the  city 
under  cover  of  the  disorder,  and  there  is  reason  to  think  this  motive 
existed.  No  doubt,  too,  some  Americans  robbed  the  houses  of  innocent 
citizens  from  which  they  supposed,  or  pretended  to  suppose,  that  bullets 
had  come  (221HU1,  diary).  As  late  as  December  an  uprising  was  planned 
Scott  had  agents  (including  a  member  of  Congress  and  a  governor)  to  give 
him  information  (Sen.  34;  34,  3,  p  38).  Scott's  general  orders  289, 
Sept.  18,  for  the  distribution  of  the  troops  in  the  city  show  that  all  the 
principal  sections  were  covered,  and  that  a  guard  and  two  guns  defended 
each  of  the  principal  gates.  No  private  house  was  to  be  used  for  quarters 
till  all  suitable  public  buildings  had  been  occupied,  nor  then  without  the 
owner's  consent  or  an  order  from  headquarters.  Officers  were  to  be  with 
or  near  their  troops. 

3.  The  chief  documents  Lieber,  Guerrillas,  19,  20.  Diano,  Apr. 
28;  May  2,  4,  10,  23,  1847.  SOAddress  of  M6x.  legislature,  Apr.  26 
Republicans,  May  8.  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  138  (Marcy).  Porvenir,  May  27. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES   168-170     '  421 

Picayune,  Feb.  23 ;  May  6 ;  Dec.  9.  Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  312.  Ramirez, 
M6xico,  241,  244,  260.  Mexico  £  travel,  iv,  712.  256Marcy  to 
Kearny,  Dec.  10,  1846  76Mora,  Apr.  23,  1847  86Vera  Cruz  con- 
gress, mamfiesto,  Sept.  28  76Soto,  proclam.,  undated.  92Address 
of  citizens,  Apr  6.  SlSalas,  proclam.,  Apr.  21  76S  Anna,  May 
16.  76Relaciones  to  Olaguibcl,  Aug.  16.  257[Hughes]  to  Frank, 
Nov.  11  76  Decrees,  Apr  28;  May  1.  Roa  Barcena,  Rec ,  250-5, 

In  Spanish  guerrilla  means  a  party,  each  member  of  which  is  a  guerrtr- 
Hero  The  value  of  the  work  done  by  the  Spanish  guerillas  was  commonly 
much  overrated  by  the  Mexicans.  Not  only  did  the  "patriotic"  irregu- 
lars act  atrociously  in  Mexico  during  the  revolution  against  Spain,  but  those 
organized  by  the  viceroy  behaved  so  badly  that  he  disbanded  them  (Mexico 
&  travel,  ui,  234)  Guerillas  ("light  corps  of  the  National  Guard") 
were  decreed  by  the  Mexican  government  on  April  8,  1847.  A  citizen 
after  obtaining  authorization  from  the  state  or  the  national  government, 
could  raise  a  body  of  volunteers  (not  less  than  fifty),  rank  according  to 
the  number  from  lieutenant  to  colonel  (800),  and  give  his  name  to  the 
corps  Other  corps  were  to  be  supported  by  the  state  or  the  central 
government  Goods  taken  from  the  enemy  were  to  be  divided  among 
the  captors  and  could  be  sold  without  paying  duty  August  16,  1847, 
the  government  ordered  that  the  people  within  thirty  leagues  (about 
eighty  miles)  of  every  point  occupied  by  the  enemy  should  rise  en  masse, 
and  attack  them  with  "the  arms  each  may  have,  fire-arms  or  cold  steel, 
great  or  small,  long  or  short  —  ma  word,  if  there  be  nothing  else,  with 
sticks  and  stones  "  (76Relaciones  to  Olaguibel) 

Other  guerilla  leaders  in  Vera  Cruz  state  were  M  Senobio  (near  the 
coast),  the  Spanish  priest  J.  A.  Martinez,  Juan  Aburto,  F.  Mendoza 
and  J  M  Vazquez  T  Marin  had  charge  of  the  guerillas  near  C6rdoba. 
Jarauta  was  ordered  to  bring  together  a  number  of  small  parties  that  were 
simply  preying  upon  the  people.  In  the  autumn  of  1847  he  offered  to 
join  the  Americans,  but  Gen.  Patterson,  who  arrived  at  Jalapa  just  then, 
would  make  no  arrangement  with  him  (Kenly,  Md.  Vol ,  328-31 ;  257 
[Hughes]  to  Frank,  Nov  11) 

4.  76Urrea,  Aug    12,  res     76Canales  to  Urrea,  Feb.  5;    Aug    6;    to 
alcalde  of  Guerrero,  Apr.  4.     69Lamar  to  Bliss,  Apr.  21.     245Canales  to 
-— ,  Apr.  4      Apuntes,  387-8.     Republicano,  June  11.     Ho.  60;    30,   1, 
pp.    1138-42;    1197    (Belknap).     256F.   J    Parker  to   F.  Smith,  Apr.  1. 
Picayune,  Feb.  23.     Smith,  Chile,  294,  298     245Boyd  to  Bee,  Apr.  4 
148Chamberlain,  recoils. 

If  a  train  moved  in  sections  with  troops  between  them  its  length  was 
increased  so  much  that  more  strength  was  believed  to  be  lost  than  gained. 
The  "roads"  were  usually  narrow,  especially  in  rough  country.  For 
Urrea  see  chap,  xx,  p.  400. 

5.  Ho.  60;    30,   1,  pp.  1138,  1142,  1180,  1211   (Taylor).     6lWool  to 
adj.  gen.,  Dec.  20,  1847;  Feb.  4;  Mar.  2 ;  May  9,  1848;  to  Hunter,  Dec. 
14,  1847 ;   to  Hamtramck,  Dec    18 ;   to  Lobo,  July  25 ;   to  Marcy,  Feb 
26,  1848;  65orders,  11,  Dec.  17,  1847.    65/rf.,  orders  66,  Feb   26,  1848. 
69Commrs.  of  N.  Le6n  towns  to  Taylor,  Apr.  — ,  1847.    6lMcDowell 
to  Butlor,  Jan.  18,  1848.     348Pattridge  to  Miss  W.,  July  21,  1847.     Apun- 
tes, 387.     Republican*,  Apr.  14,  1847.    Niks,  May  8,  1847,  p.  152.    212 
Hastings,  diary.     Sen.  32;   31,  1  (Hughes,  irem.,  43).     USChamberlain, 
recoils.     76Aguirre,  proclam.,  Aug.  27,   1847.     76Canales  to  R.  Uribe, 


422       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  170-172 

Apr.  10.    76Urrea,  May  27.     76Jefe  politico,  Saltillo,  to  ayunt.,  Sept.. 
28;  Nov.  4. 

Final  action  regarding  the  fine  of  $96,000  was  made  contingent  on  the 
conduct  of  the  people  (Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p.  1139).  General  Mora,  command- 
ing at  San  Luis  Potosf ,  thought  he  could  take  advantage  of  a  small  massacre 
perpetrated  by  Americans  to  score  a  point,  but  Taylor  disposed  of  him 
summarily  (ibid.,  pp.  1138-41). 

6.  Sun  of  Anahuac,   Aug.   25,    1847.     Apuntes,   385-7.     73Bcrmudea 
de  Castro,  no.  517,  1847.     350Weber,  recoils     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes, 
h,  579.     Wise,  Gringos  (N.  Y.,  1849),  278,  281.     Picayune,  Oct.  15  ;  Dec. 
19.    Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  323.    Oswandel,  Notes,  153,  166,  215.     76Mora, 
Apr.   23,    1847.     76Rea,    Nov.    14.     Dublan,    Legislaci6n,   v,   284,   288. 
Diario,  May  2,  10;   June  27  (S.  Anna,  decree,  June  26).     76Lombardini, 
May  27.     76Guerra,  circular,  June  26. 

7.  6lWilson  to  adj.  gen.,  Aug.  21,   1847.     (Losses)  Ho.  24;    31,   1. 
68Court  of  inquiry,  Puebla,  July  17.     22lHill,  diary,  Nov.  8.     69Hughes 
to  Capt.  Scott,  Jan.  8,   1848.     Grone,  Brief e,  33,  37,  etc.     6lLally  to 
Wilson,  Aug.   11,  26.     ClBriscoe,  report,   Mar.   1,   1848.     65Scott,  gen. 
orders  250,  1847;    45,  1848.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  579,  582. 
Delta,  Oct.  1,  5,  1847.    Kenly,  Md    Vol.,  304-8,  318.    Apuntes,  386-7. 
234McDaniel  to  Johnson,  Jan.  28,  1848.     Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1068  (Mar- 
shall) ;    1069  (Miles) ;    1082  (Scott)      Niles,  Sept    18,  1847,  p.  35 ;   Oct. 
16,  p.  103.     29lPierce,  diary.     29lBonham  to  Pierce,  July  27.     6lCad- 
walader  to  Wilson,  June  13.    287Parrish,  diary.     76Soto,  June  10,  14; 
July    19.     76Mendoza    to    Soto,    June    16.     178Davis,    diary.     Diario, 
June  23.    Sen.  1;   30,  1,  pp.  482  (Lally) ;   488  (Sears);   489  (Ridgely); 
491-5 ;   app  ,  4,  13,  16  (Mclntosh) ;    18  (Cadwalader) ;   21  (Wynkoop) ; 
23  (Walker);  25  (Pierce).    Roa  Barcena,  Rec.,  252,  254,  262.     Oswandel, 
Notes,  381.     June  6  Mclntosh  lost  six  killed,  fifteen  wounded. 

For  Mclntosh  and  Pierce  see  chap,  xxiv,  pp  7(5-7.  Mclntosh  left  Vcra 
Cruz  June  4  with  132  wagons,  about  500  pack-mules,  170  dragoons,  100 
dismounted  dragoons  and  about  450  infantry  The  wagon  horses  were 
weak  mustangs ;  the  mules  unbroken  and  vicious ;  the  teamsters  Mexi- 
cans, mostly  new  to  the  business  The  wagons  became  too  much  sepa- 
rated. The  dragoons  acted  imprudently.  A  court  of  inquiry  exonerated 
Mclntosh.  The  guerillas  destroyed  the  fine  bridge  at  Plan  del  Rfo  in  the 
hope  of  stopping  Cadwalader,  who  marched  from  Vera  Cruz  to  reinforce 
Mclntosh.  Lally  had  two  companies  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  two  of  the 
Fifth,  one  of  the  Eleventh,  three  of  the  Twelfth,  one  of  the  Fifteenth,  two 
of  the  Voltigeurs  and  one  of  Louisiana  horse  The  "missing"  numbered 
twelve.  He  admitted  that  at  the  national  bridge  only  his  artillery  gave 
him  the  victory.  Lally  had  been  appointed  from  civil  life,  and,  though 
military  in  appearance,  did  not  understand  his  present  busineFS  (Orone, 
Briefe,  46-8).  Hearing  at  Perote  that  Lally  had  been  repulsed,  Colonel 
Wynkoop  with  two  companies  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry  marched  to 
Jalapa  in  thirty-six  hours.  Naturally  the  Americans  greatly  overestimated 
the  numbers  of  the  guerillas  they  were  fighting.  In  November,  1847, 
the  guerillas  operated  so  near  Vera  Cruz  that  the  farmers  would  rot 
bring  milk  and  vegetables  to  the  city  unless  escorted.  January  3,  1848, 
Lieut.  Col.  Miles  left  Vergara  with  some  500  wapons  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  pack-mules.  He  had  1300  troops,  but  only  150  of  them  were  cavalry. 
The  train  extended  at  least  nine  miles.  In  spite  of  unusual  precautions 
250-300  of  the  pack-mules  were  captured  near  Santa  Fe.  Most  of  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  172-173        423 

goods  thus  lost  belonged  to  Mexican  merchants.  In  February,  1848- 
a  party  under  Lieut.  Col.  Briscoe  was  attacked  on  its  way  to  Orizaba. 
A  number  of  other  encounters  are  mentioned  by  Mexicans. 

8.  Oswandel,  Notes,  156,  215-6,  365,  382.     ISGiffard,  nos.  19,  May 
30;    37,  Oct.  20,  1847.     ISDoyle,  no.  1,  Jan.   13,   1848      6lHughes  to 
[Wilson],  Sept   13.     65Scott,  gen.  orders  127,  Apr.  29 ;  372,  Dec.  12,  1847. 
Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  174,  186,  194,  196.     128/d,  diary.     12PeU  to 
Lambert,  Nov.  30.     Zirckel,  Tagebuch,  50,  53,  61-2.     Correo  Nactonal, 
Dec.    21.     Henshaw    narrative      Grone,    Briefe,    37-61.     SlTwiggs    to 
Marcy,    Mar.    1,    1848.     Hitchcock,    Fifty   Years,    310      Scott,    Mems., 
ii,  575.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  11,  579,  582       152Claiborne,  n  ems. 
Sen.  52;    30,   1,   p    138   (Marcy).     Delta,   Dec.  23.     Apuntes,   386.     62 
Adj     gen.   to  Wilson,   Aug.    12      Moore,   Scott's  Camp.,   72      Ramirez, 
Mexico,  241-3,  260.     Fraser's  Mag  ,  xxxvm,  91-6      76J   G.  Ter&n,  May 
17.     Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  134      Vera  Cruz  Eagle,  May  29      SlWilson  to 
adj.  gen  ,  June  7      159Collms  papers      Polk,   Diary,  July  16      76Soto, 
July  23;   Aug.  11.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  lii,  app  ,  60-1.     Flag  of  Freedom, 
i,  no.  4.     305Richardson,  recoils 

It  was  a  common  practice  of  these  guerillas  to  mutilate  wounded 
Americans.  The  lasso  was  one  of  their  weapons  Their  rule  was  to  take 
no  prisoners.  After  Scott  had  to  abandon  his  communications  with  Vera 
Cruz,  the  government  felt  extremely  anxious  to  have  the  line  re-opened 
and  kept  open  August  12,  1847,  the  commander  at  Vera  Cruz  was  assured 
that  this  was  "of  the  first  importance/'  and  troops  were  sent  to  him  ex- 
pressly for  the  purpose  The  volunteers  in  general,  personally  brave  and 
enterprising,  did  good  service  against  the  guerillas  (Stevens,  Stevens,  i, 
134) ;  but  as  the  latter  almost  always  had  horses,  there  was  a  particular 
need  of  cavalry  on  our  side.  About  the  first  of  July,  1847,  the  governors 
of  Illinois  and  Georgia  were  called  upon  for  two  and  five  companies  re- 
spectively of  mounted  men  to  help  keep  this  line  open  Polk  hirrself 
selected  Hays's  regiment  (Diary,  July  16)  Walker,  though  stern  with 
the  guerillas,  would  not  permit  his  men  to  pillage  Rebolledo  was  be- 
trayed, and  was  taken  by  Mexican  counter-guerillas  in  November,  1847 ; 
but  he  was  defended  by  an  American  named  Kennedy,  who  resided  at 
Jalapa,  and  was  merely  imprisoned.  Jarauta  was  shot  in  July,  1848, 
for  revolutionary  activities  Marcy  wrote  to  Scott  that  the  guerilla 
system  was  "hardly  recognized  as  a  legitimate  mode  of  warfare,  and  should 
be  met  with  the  utmost  allowable  severity"  (Sen  52;  30,  1,  p  138), 
and  ordered  him  to  destroy  the  rendezvous  of  the  guerillas.  The  guerillas 
failed  completely  to  affect  the  general  course  of  the  war,  as  they  were 
expected  to  do,  but  even  as  late  as  March,  1848,  the  road  from  Vera  Cruz 
to  Jalapa  was  safe  for  large  parties  only.  Hays's  Rangers  seemed  to  aim 
to  dress  as  outlandishly  as  possible,  and  with  their  huge  beards  looked 
almost  like  savages.  The  officers  were  like  the  men  in  looks  and  costurre. 
The  horses  were  of  all  sizes  and  colors.  For  arms  each  had  a  rifle,  a  pair 
of  pistols  and  one  or  two  Colt's  five-shooters  (Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
310;  Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  174).  Hays's  usual  order  for  attack  was 
to  point  at  the  enemy  and  shout,  "Give  'em  hell !"  (Zirckel,  Tagebuch,  11). 

9.  128Brackett,  diary.     Tribute  &  la  Verdad,  58      Grone,  Briefe,  33. 
SlChilds,  Jan.  13,  1848.     (Hostilities)  47Perry,  Nov.  2,  1847.     76Men- 
doza   to   Soto,    June    16,    1847.     47Private    letter    (Mexican),    Orizaba, 
[Sept.,  1847].     307Roberts,  diary.     Porvenir,   May  27.     Picayune,  May 
5.     76Acuerdo,  July  30.     76Mora,  Apr.  23,  1847.     76Relaciones  to  Guerra, 


424      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES   173-174 

Aug.  26.  76Soto,  Sept  12.  86Llorea  to  Soto,  June  12  76Marin  to 
Soto,  Sept.  22,  25  TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no  517,  1847.  Diarw, 
June  11.  214Hays  and  Caperton,  Hays.  2§7[Hughes]  to  Frank,  Dec. 
16.  Mexico  a  travel,  iv,  662. 

10.  128Brackett,     diary.      80M6x.     legislature,     address,     Apr.     26, 
1847;    decree,   May  31.     SlChilds,  Jan    13,   1848      Fla.g  of  Freedom,  i, 
no.  3      Garaboa,  Impug  ,  66      Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,  53,  215. 
Apuntes,  386      Nacional,  Dec.   18.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  29      82Puebla 
state  treas.  to  secy  ,  May  10     And  from  76  the  following      Bravo,  May 
22,   1847.     Guerra,  circular,   May  4.     Lists  of    guerilla   patents   issued. 
Gov.  Oaxaca,  proclam.,  Jan   25,  1848.     Peria  y  Barragan,  Nov.  24,  1847. 
To  Tonvj6n,  Dec    28.     Rea  to  Peiia  y  Bairagan,  Nov.  26;    to  Guerra, 
Nov.  14      Rules  of  Rea's  officers      Alvarez,  June  16.     Rea  said  he  had 
commanded  regulars      He  treated  some  captured  Americans  with  much 
civility. 

11.  Sen.  1;   30,  1,  pp.  385  (Scott);   471  (Childs) ,   app.,  33  (Gwynn) , 
34  (Morehead).     ISThornton,  no    5,  Oct.  29,  1847.     National,  Nov.  14 
Bracket^,  Lane's  Brigade,  113,  117,  131.     356Whitcomb,  diary.     Zirckel, 
Tagpbuch,   102      95Puebla  ayunt ,  proceedings,  Aug.  31      65Scott,  gen 
orders  246,  Aug.  5.     66 J.  L.  Smith  to  H.  L.  Scott,  July  13      Scott,  Mems  , 
ii,  550      Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  nos.  1,  5      Kitchen,  Record,  63-9.     Lawtori, 
Artill    Off.,  278      270Moore,  diary      Oswandel,    Notes,  248,  254,  259, 
265,  268,  293.     S.  Anna,  Mi  Histona,  85      Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app  , 
313.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  60      Sen.  52;   30,  1,  pp   202,  206      Mexico  d 
traves,    iv,    699.      76Comte     gen    Puebla,    Sept     18      76Relaciones   to 
Guerra,  Dec   11      Moore,  Scott's  Camp  ,  116,  214-6      73Lozano,  no.  9, 
1847.     82Puebla  congress,  decree,  Aug   12.     Ramsey,  Other  Side,  394-5 
Smith,  To  Mexico,  171     Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  517     S  Anna,  Detail, 
33,  35. 

The  cavalry  were  under  Capt.  Ford,  the  artillery  under  Capts  Ken- 
drick  and  Miller,  and  the  infantry  (six  companies)  under  Lieut.  Col 
Black  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  471)  Capt.  Rowe,  Ninth  Infantry,  commanded 
a  hospital  that  was  persistently  attacked.  A  considerable  number  of  the 
sick  were  able  to  do  light  duty.  Some  civilian  employees  helped.  Childs 
had  authority  from  Scott  to  organize  the  convalescents  into  companies 
and  battalions  (65Scott,  gen  orders  246).  Scott  spoke  of  the  garrison  as 
"competent"  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  303),  and  no  doubt  it  was  as  nearly  equal 
to  the  dangers  that  appeared  to  threaten  it  as  was  the  army  that  advanced 
from  Puebla  But  the  garrison  was  weaker  than  Scott  had  intended  it 
to  be,  for  many  convalescents  had  represented  themselves  as  well  Four 
Pennsylvania  companies,  Ford's  company  and  Miller's  company  held 
S.  Jos6,  which  was  a  poor  building  for  the  purpose  and  badly  placed 
Guadalupe  was  occupied  as  a  protection  to  Loreto. 

Guerillas  entered  Puebla  Aug  12.  Childs  at  once  gave  notice  to  the 
prefect  that,  should  the  people  attempt  to  overpower  the  garrison,  "the 
City  would  probably  suffer"  from  his  artillery  (69 Aug.  12).  The  first 
attack  upon  the  Americans  gave  the  guerillas  about  700  mules  and  some 
other  property.  The  next  day  some  fifty  armed  teamsters  and  others 
went  against  the  guerillas,  and  only  fifteen  of  them  returned.  The  author- 
ities of  the  city  were  disgusted  with  the  operations  of  the  guerillas.  About 
the  first  of  September,  by  order  of  the  state  congress,  the  National  Guards 
moved  to  help  recover  the  city  from  the  Americans,  but  the  orders  given 
them  seemed  to  show  little  determination  to  cooperate  with  Rea  or  fight 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  174-177        425 

in  earnest,  and  hence  many  became  disheartened  and  deserted  (820cho- 
terena).  Typhoid  fever  broke  out  among  the  American  sick  and  carried 
off  many  (Moore,  Scott's  Camps.,  218).  News  of  the  capture  of  Mexico 
was  brought  in  by  a  courier  disguised  as  a  lepero.  S  Cnst6bal  was  on  the 
road  from  Mexico  to  Puebla  via  Aparn,  which  Santa  Anna  chose  to  take 
Alvarez  went  via  S.  Martin. 

12.  Sen.  1 ;   30,  1,  p   471  (Childs) ;   app  ,  28  (Black) ;   34  (Morehead) 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1029  (S.  Anna) ;   1030  (Childs).    Ramsey,  Other  Side, 
396.     Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,   113,  117      Moore,  Scott's  Camp.,  218, 
223-4.     Rodriguez,   Breve  Reseila,    1848.     95Puebla  prefect  to   ayunt, 
Sept    17.     95Rea  to  prefect,  Sept.  23.     Negrete,  Invasion,  iv,  app  ,  314 
Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  nos    1,  5      270Moore,  diary.     76S.  Anna  to  Guerra, 
Sept  23,  30      Gamboa,  Impug  ,  60.     S   Anna,  Detail,  35-6 

13.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  460 ;   iv,  app  ,  295.     Hitchcock,  Fifty 
Years,  347.     Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  no    3     Lawton,  Artill.   Officer,  324 
Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  71,  80,  101      152Claiborno,  mems      76lsunza 
to  Relaciones,  Oct   12.     76S.  Anna,  Sept.  30 ;   Oct  4.     Mexico  d  trave*s, 
iv,  699.     82J.  A.  Ochotorcna,  Oct.  — .     82S   Anna  to  gov    Puebla,  Oct 
6.     82P.  M.  Herrera  to  Puebla  sec  state,  Oct.  7      827d  ,  diary.    Zirckel, 
Tagebuch,   50,   53,   61-2.     GlTaylor,   order,   Aug.    16.     Apuntes,  347-8. 
32lSmith,  diary.     327Sutherland  to  father,  undated      Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  p. 
477  (Lane).     Ho    60;  30,  1,  pp   1030  (Lane);  1198  (Taylor).     246Lane, 
Autobiog.     Rosa,  Impresiones      Seinmes,  Service,  234     Hartman,  Jour- 
nal, 14-5.     Smith,  To  Mexico,  161      S   Anna,  Detail,  36     Roa  Barcena, 
Recuerdos,  519. 

From  Perote,  hearing  that  large  Mexican  forces  were  in  his  front,  Lano 
took  four  companies  of  the  First  Pennsylvania,  Walker's  company  of 
Mounted  Riflemen,  some  convalescents  and  three  guns  under  Taylor  (Third 
Artillery).  Wynkoop  of  the  First  Pennsylvania  commanded  these  men. 
Before  long  they  returned  to  Perote  Santa  Anna  reported  that  he  took 
from  Puebla  3500  men  His  worst  trouble  was  with  his  Puebla  National 
Guards,  who  thought  the  expedition  was  a  treasonable  scheme  of  his  to 
get  them  away  from  Puebla.  On  finding  his  command  melting  away, 
he  sent  all  but  about  1000  cavalry  back  to  Puebla  under  Alvarez  From 
Puebla  Alvarez  retired  to  Atlixco  and  thence  to  the  south.  Later  he 
took  possession  of  Cuernavaca  in  the  state  of  M6xico 

14.  The  Huamantla    affair.     Ho.   60;    30,  1,   p     1031    (Lane).     Sen. 
1;    30,  1,  p    477  (Lane).     Apuntes,  348.     Perry,  Indiana,  234.     ("Peg- 
Leg")  166Pommares  to  Conner,  Aug.  4,  1846      Norton,  Life,  154,  157. 
Brackett,    Lane's    Brigade,    88-94.     129/rf ,    diary.     Zirckel,    Tagebuch, 
96-8,  155.     Flag  of  Freedom,  Oct.  23;  24,  extra,  27      Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iii,  app.,  460-3;    iv,  app.,  315-6.     Correo  Nacwnal,  Mar    30,  1848.     S. 
Anna,    Apelaci6n,    65.     222Hiney,    diary.     Gronc,    Bnefe,    65-7.     152 
Claiborne,  mems.     Gamboa,  Impug.,  61.     147Chamberlam,  diary.     Roa 
Ba>cena,  Recuerdos,  519.    S.  Anna,  Detail,  37.    Besides  losing  Walker, 
Lane  had  23  men  wounded  (Ho.  24  ;  31,  1). 

Lane  was  born  in  1814.  For  a  time  he  was  a  trader  at  Lawrenceburg, 
Indiana ;  and  then  he  studied  law  in  the  manner  of  that  time  and  region 
He  was  not  a  man  of  much  education  He  meant  thoroughly  well  in  a 
rough  way,  but  was  rather  careless  about  discipline.  His  men  realized 
that  he  did  not  look  out  for  their  comfort  or  husband  their  strength,  but 
admired  his  courage,  energy  and  shrewd  planning  so  much  that  they  for- 
gave him.  He  was  called  the  Marion  of  the  war. 


426      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  177-179 

To  guard  his  baggage,  etc.,  Lane  left  at  the  hacienda  the  Fourth  Ohio 
(Col.  Brough),  three  regula*  companies  under  Capt.  Simmons,  and  Lieut. 
Pratt  (Second  Art.)  with  two  guns.  Walker  had  his  own  company  of 
Mounted  Riflemen,  two  companies  of  Louisiana  cavalry,  and  one  com- 
pany of  Georgia  cavalry  (Brackett,  Lane's  Brig.,  89).  Lane  had,  in  the 
following  order,  the  Fourth  Indiana  (Col.  Gorman),  four  Pennsylvania 
companies  (Col.  Wynkoop),  five  guns  (Capt.  Taylor),  a  battalion  of 
the  Ninth  Infantry  (Maj.  Lally)  and  six  companies  of  regulars  (Capt. 
Heintzelman).  Santa  Anna,  hearing  that  a  few  Americans  were  on  their 
way  to  Huamantla,  sent  a  party  of  Puebla  mounted  police  to  protect 
the  town.  Evidently  this  was  the  party  that  Walker  saw  approach- 
ing it. 

Much  was  written  about  this  fight.  It  was  said  that  Walker  was  ordered 
not  to  advance  beyond  supporting  distance;  that  he  was  authorized  to 
act  according  to  circumstances ;  that  he  dashed  ahead  because  he  received 
word  that  the  Mexican  guns  were  being  taken  away,  etc. ;  but  Lane  re- 
ported that  he  ordered  Walker  to  move  ahead  ("within  supporting  dis- 
tance") and,  should  the  Mexicans  be  found  in  force,  to  wait  for  the  in- 
fantry (Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  477).  He  reached  the  town  about  forty-five 
minutes  before  the  infantry  did.  Santa  Anna  was  repulsed  by  the  Fourth 
Indiana.  In  spite  of  Lane,  much  plundering  was  done  by  the  victors, 
in  whose  defence  it  was  urged  that  citizens  fired  from  the  houses.  Though 
Walker  captured  two  guns,  he  had  no  priming  tubes,  and  therefore  could 
make  little,  if  any,  use  of  them.  Lane's  loss  was  about  twenty-five  killed 
and  wounded.  Santa  Anna  reported  two  killed,  seven  wounded,  and  a 
number  missing,  but  his  loss  was  estimated  by  Americans  at  100. 

15.  Brackett,    Lane's    Brigade,     108.     356Whitcomb,     diary.     Perry, 
Indiana,   253.     Zirckel,   Tagebuch,    103.     76Scott   to   Childs,   Sept.    16. 
Negrete  Invasi6n,  iii    app.,  460.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  347.     Flag  of 
Freedom,  i,  no.  5.    Oswandel,  Notes,  339-41.     76Alvarez,  Oct.  13.    76Rea 
to  Alvarez,  Oct.   13.     Sen.   1;    30,   1,  pp.  471   (Childs);    476  (Lane). 
("Rough  paw")  335Trist  to  wife,  Mar.  14,  1848. 

Santa  Aiina  overtook  Lane  at  El  Pinal,  but  admitted  that  the  Americans 
marched  so  cautiously  that  he  could  accomplish  nothing.  The  loss  of 
the  garrison,  Sept.  13  to  Oct.  12,  was  fifteen  killed,  thirty-seven  wounded 
(Ho.  24;  31,  1).  The  loss  of  the  Mexicans  was  estimated  by  Americans 
at  300-500. 

16.  Diccionario  Universal  (Atlixco).     Mexico  d   travels,  iv,  662,  702. 
Calder6n,  Life,  ii,  93.    Zirckel,  Tagebuch,  112.    76G.  Rodriguez,  Oct.  14. 
76Rea,  Oct.  24.     356Whitcomb,  diary.    Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  479  (Lane). 

17.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  479  (Lane).    Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  75-6  (Marcy,  re- 
port).   Grone,  Briefe,  69.     Roa  B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  522-3.     Brackett, 
Lane's  Brigade,  146,  149-51,  164.    Zirckel,  Tagebuch,  110-3.    Flag  of 
Freed™,  i,  nos.  1,  3.    76Alvarez,  Dec.  14.    76Rea,  Oct.  24,  1847 ;   Feb. 
10,  1848.    76Memo.  to  head  of  plana  mayor,  Feb.  19,  1848.    GlDumont 
to  Lane,  Nov.-15.    307Roberts  to  Iowa  State  Hist.  Soc.,  Dec.  14,  1863. 

Lane  had  the  Fourth  Ohio,  Fourth  Indiana,  Lally's  and  Heintzelman's 
battalions,  Wynkoop's  four  Pennsylvania  companies,  Taylor's  (3)  and 
Pratt's  (2)  guns,  and  a  squadron  of  the  Third  Dragoons  (Capt.  Ford) 
on  the  Atlixco  expedition.  When  he  entered  the  town  the  city  authorities 
met  him,  surrendered,  and  asked  protection.  Lane  had  one  killed  and 
one  wounded ;  the  Mexicans  admitted  a  loss  of  219  killed  and  300  wounded. 
On  his  way  back  to  Puebla  Lane  turned  off  with  450  men  to  Guexocingo 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  179-180        427 

to  capture  two  guns  just  made  there.  They  had  been  removed,  but  he 
destroyed  the  carriages  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  481). 

October  29-30  an  expedition  from  Puebla  visited  Tlaxcala  (356Whii>- 
comb,  diary).  November  9-10  at  night  Lane  with  a  force  of  dragoons 
went  over  this  road  again,  and  recovered  twenty-one  loaded  wagons  that 
had  been  captured  by  guerillas,  besides  seven  that  they  had  set  afire  as 
he  approached.  Thirteen  Mexican  officers  and  many  horses  and  cattle 
were  taken.  This  time  he  had  about  100  cavalry,  200  Indiana  and  200 
Ohio  men.  He  returned  to  Puebla  in  the  night  of  Nov.  12-13  without 
having  lost  a  man.  In  the  evening  of  Nov.  22  he  left  Puebla  for  Izucar 
de  "Matamoros  with  about  200  mounted  men.  In  the  morning  he  sur- 
prised (76Arenal  to  Rea,  Nov.  26)  a  body  of  Mexican  irregulars,  causing 
considerable  loss,  captured  three  cannon  (76Pena  y  Barragdn,  Nov.  28) 
and  much  ammunition,  and  rescued  a  number  of  American  prisoners. 
On  his  return,  Nov.  24-5,  he  was  attacked  by  Rea,  but  again  triumphed 
(Ho  1;  30,  2,  p.  87).  One  or  two  Americans  were  killed  and  several 
wounded  If  Rea's  report  can  be  believed,  the  Americans  greatly  exag- 
gerated, as  was  natural,  his  numbers  and  losses  (76to  Pena  y  B.,  Nov. 
26).  In  January,  1848,  Lane  with  four  companies  of  Texas  Rangers, 
two  of  the  Third  Dragoons  and  one  of  Mounted  Riflemen  was  sent  from 
Mexico  to  clear  the  roads  of  guerillas  (Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  75).  In  the  course 
of  his  rapid  march  he  almost  succeeded  in  capturing  Santa  Anna,  then 
residing  at  Tehuacdn.  He  finally  proceeded  to  Orizaba  and  C6rdoba, 
captured  public  property,  recovered  stolen  merchandise,  and  released 
American  prisoners  (Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  8&-9S).  February  17  he  set  out 
from  Mexico  with  250  Rangers  and  130  of  the  Third  Dragoons  against 
the  guerillas  north  and  northeast  of  the  capital  (ibid.,  p.  76).  February 
25  he  captured  the  town  of  Sequaltepl&n  after  a  stiff  skirmish,  killing  a 
considerable  number  and  taking  some  fifty  prisoners.  It  was  said  that 
Jarauta  led  the  guerillas  here  For  Lane's  operations  subsequent  to  the 
Atlixco  expedition :  Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  168,  174,  192,  205,  234-45. 
Whitcomb,  diary.  Zirckel,  Tagebuch,  122-3.  6lDumont  to  Lane, 
Nov.  15.  76S.  Anna,  Feb.  1,  1848.  Id.,  Apelaci6n,  65.  Amer.  Home 
Journal,  Aug.,  1906.  Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  no.  1  T.  F.  Davis,  diary.  Clai- 
borne,  memoirs.  76Puebla  comte.  gen.,  Nov.  28.  76Rea  to  Pena  y  Bar- 
ragdn, Nov.  26.  Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  pp.  75-6  (Marcy,  report),  86-103.  Men- 
tion should  also  be  made  of  Capt.  Ruff,  who  on  July  30,  1847,  with  eighty- 
two  Mounted  Riflemen  attacked  about  300  Mexicans  (guerillas  and 
infantry)  entrenched  in  houses  and  a  church  at  S.  Juan  near  Ojo  de  Agua. 
With  a  loss  of  one  man  wounded,  he  killed  or  wounded  about  seventy  to 
ninety  of  the  enemy,  it  was  believed  (69Porter  to  Mrs.  P.,  July  31 ;  Sen. 
1;  30,  1,  app.,  25-6  (Smith);  Smith,  To  Mexico,  187). 

18.  (Destruction,  etc.)  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  205-6  (Trist) ;  Exposici6n 
dirigida.  52Trist,  no.  16,  confid.,  Sept.  27,  1847.  Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iii,  app.,  130-2,  134-6,  155-65,  421-6.  ISBankhead,  no.  86,  Sept.  28. 
Pacheco,  Exposici6n.  Colecci6n  de  Documentos,  4.  S.  Anna,  Contesta- 
ci6n  al  Oficio.  M6xico  &  trave*s,  iv,  700.  TGRosa  to  Herrera,  Sept.  29. 
76M.  Ocampo  to  Herrera,  Sept.  24.  SOM&c.  legislature,  decree,  Sept. 
18.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  74. 

Real  or  at  least  additional  reasons  for  the  decree  of  Sept.  16  were  prob- 
ably that  Santa  Anna  intended  to  leave  the  country  or  desired  to  let  it 
try  to  get  on  without  him.  Rives  (U.  S.  and  Mexico,  ii,  584)  denies  that 
Pena  was  timid:  but  (1)  Bankhead  and  Trist  so  described  him;  and  (2) 


428        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  180-182 

his  conduct  in  the  negotiations  with  Slidell  and  with  Trist  confirms  their 
opinion.  In  the  latter  case  all  the  strength  of  his  entourage  was  required 
to  make  him  face  the  situation. 

19.  76Rosa  to  Herrera,  Sept.  29.     Mexico  d  travel,  iv,  700.    Gam- 
boa,  Impug.,  65.     52Tnst,  nos.  16,  confid.,  Sept.  27;    17,  confid.,  Oct. 
1 ;    18,  Oct.  25.     52/d.  to  Hetty  Parker,  Sept.  28.    Colecci6n  de  Docu- 
mentos,    110.     80Me"xico    legislature,  decree,  Sept.    23.     80/d.,    com  tee 
on  constit.  points,  report,  Sept.  18.     SOOlagufbel  to  Me"x.  legisl.,  Sept. 
25.     SOMichoacan  legislature,  decree,  Sept.  24.     Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos, 
566.     Negrete,    Invasi6n,  lii,   app.,   155-61.     (Toluca)    Revue   de   Paris, 
Dec.,  1844;   Encarnacion  Prisoners,  75.     TSLozano,  no.  9,  1847. 

Pena  admitted  that  it  was  impossible  to  fulfil  the  constitutional  require- 
ments, but  said  it  was  a  public  duty  to  establish  a  government  as  near 
them  as  was  practicable  (Colec.  de  Docs.,  110).  The  legislature  of  M6xico 
state  denounced  Pena  as  representing  the  peace  element,  and  refused  to 
recognize  any  federal  authority  except  the  Lagos  Coalition ;  but  its  decree 
was  not  favorably  received  -by  the  public,  and  Olaguibel  would  not  pro- 
mulgate it. 

20.  75Circular  del      .  .Pena  .  .  .  d  los  Gobernadores,   Sept,  27.     75 
Circulares  del  mm.  de  relac.,  Sept.  27.     7§Peiia,  mamfiesto,  Oct.   13. 
75Rosa  to  prest.  of  Congress,  Oct.  14.     52Tnst,  no.  16,  confid  ,  Sept.  27. 
Communicaciones  habidas.     Correo  Nacional,  Oct  18.     Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iii,  app  ,  176,  408-11,  421-6,  469-83.    S.  Anna,  Mi  Historia,  90.     GAnder- 
son   papers     76Pena,    circular,   Nov.   16.    6S.  Anna  to  J.  M.  Guerra, 
Oct.  25.     Id.,  Contestaci6n  al  Oficio.     Id  ,  Comunicaci6n  Oficial.     Sen 
1 ;  30,  1,  p.  385  (Scott).     75S  Anna  to  Congress,  Nov.  1. 

Scott  assisted  Pena  by  giving  safe-conducts  to  several  members  of  Con- 
gress (Sen.  1 :  30,  1,  p.  385)  Santa  Anna  took  the  ground  that  he  was 
still  legally  responsible  for  the  government  of  the  country,  and  therefore 
must  be  allowed  to  exercise  the  powers  of  a  President.  Nov.  1  he  made 
this  demand  formally  (Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app.,  469).  He  also  tried 
to  create  trouble  for  the  new  government  by  proclaiming  that  his  removal 
from  the  command  of  the  army  was  intended  to  cause  his  personal  destruc- 
tion or  to  pave  the  way  for  a  disgraceful  peace.  He  further  said  he  could 
not  be  placed  on  trial  until  Congress  should  declare  there  were  grounds 
for  trying  him.  But  he  found  he  had  no  prestige  left.  Rosa  said  to 
Santa  Anna  that  his  resignation  of  the  Presidency  had  been  consummated 
by  actually  giving  up  the  executive  power,  and  that,  in  view  of  public 
opinion,  it  would  be  impossible  to  prove  Perm's  impartiality  and  maintain 
discipline  in  the  army,  unless  the  conduct  of  the  general  defeated  at  Cerro 
Gordo  and  in  the  later  battles  were  officially  inquired  into  (ibid.,  421) 
In  reply  to  another  letter  from  Santa  Anna  he  said  (Nov.  11)  that  Pena 
would  not  discuss  the  resignation  further,  that  his  authority  had  been  recog- 
nized by  all  the  states  and  by  Congress,  and  that  Congress  admitted  no 
right  on  Santa  Anna's  part  to  resume  the  Presidency.  In  January,  1848, 
Rosa  issued  a  circular  reproaching  Santa  Anna  for  his  past  political  conduct. 

21.  76M.  Ocampo,  Nov.  27.  76Comte.  gen.  Oaxaca,  Mar.  16,  1848. 
76Guerra  to  Relaciones,  Feb.  14.  76Gov.  Oaxaca  to  Relaciones,  Dec. 
27,  1847.  76Milit.  comte.  Orizaba,  Jan.  20,  1848.  Mexico  d  trove's, 
iv,  699-700.  Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  391-7.  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  205-6.  76 
8.  Anna  to  Reyes,  Oct.  16,  1847.  Correo  Nacional,  Oct.  26,  1847 ;  Apr. 
4,  1848.  76 J.  M.  Mifi6n  to  Guerra,  Oct.  20.  Comunicaciones  habidas. 
47Perry,  Nov.  3.  Eco  del  Comercio,  Apr.  6,  1848.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES   182-183 

927;  iv,  8-9.  Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  10,  1847.  179Diario  Esactfsimo, 
Sept.  15.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  519-21,  532.  69Thomas  to  Twiggs, 

Mar.  6,  1848     69Seymour  to  Hughes,  Mar.  27.     69 to  adj.  gen.  of  the 

Amer.  army,  Mar.  29  69Hughes,  safeguard  to  S.  Anna,  family  and 
attendants,  Mar.  17.  69Hughes  to  Twiggs,  Mar.  15.  S.  Anna,  Detail, 
37.  ISDoyle,  nos.  29,  38,  1848. 

Santa  Anna's  military  reports  had  excited  resentment  because  he  had 
been  liberal  with  censures,  particularly  to  relievo  himself  of  blame. 

Santa  Anna  was  ordered  to  turn  the  command  over  to  Rinc6n  or  (tem- 
porarily) Alvarez.  But  he  said  that  he  did  not  know  where  Rinc6n  was, 
and  that  on  account  of  the  position  of  the  Americans  he  could  not  safely 
send  his  artillery  to  Alvarez.  Reyes  marched  north  Santa  Anna  then 
chose  Tehuacdn  for  a  place  of  residence  instead  of  going  nearer  Guatemala, 
because  he  still  had  hopes  of  regaining  power  through  intrigue  or  revolu- 
tion. His  presence  was  not  desired  there  by  the  people,  presumably  be- 
cause it  endangered  them.  They  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  stay;  and 
his  friends,  whose  opinions  he  asked,  now  felt  that  his  remaining  in  the 
country  would  injure  them.  See  also  chap  xxxii,  p  242  He  sailed 
from  La  Antigua  on  or  about  April  4  in  a  Spanish  brig  for  Venezuela,  it 
was  understood,  after  expressing  warm  appreciation  of  the  treatment 
received  at  this  time  from  the  Americans  (69to  Gutierrez,  Mar.  11,  1848). 
Some  thought  he  had  increased  his  wealth  since  his  return  to  Mexico. 

22.  Chief  documents  used.  S  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  app  ,  138-9.  Id. 
Comunicaci6n  Oficial  Sudrez  y  Navarro,  Causas,  70-2  M6xico  & 
trav6s,  iv,  700-1 .  Dubldn,  Legislaci6n,  v,  300-4,  307-14,  333-5  Apuntes, 
339-40  Curtis,  Buchanan,  i,  590  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  app.,  399. 
335Thornton  to  Tnst,  Dec  5  75Anaya  at  me  etmg  of  govs  ,  Nov.  Roa 
B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  572  And  from  76  the  following  Director  gen. 
of  artill ,  Dec  — ,  1847  Suarez  y  Navarro,  Nov  9  J.  de  D.  Peza, 
Nov.  29.  Secci6n  de  operaciones,  Nov  —  J.  M.  Mdrquez  to  Mora, 
Nov  29  Rmc6n,  Jan  8,  1848  Olagufbel,  Oct  29 ;  Dec  24,  1847  Id. 
to  Alvarez,  Oct  23,  26  Bustamante,  Oct.  2  Memorias  of  the  chiefs  of 
sections,  Nov  — .  To  plana  mayor  and  to  Filisola,  Nov.  19.  Orders 
for  reorganizing  the  army,  Dec  1,  20  Min  of  war,  memoria,  Nov.  19. 
Diario,  divisi6n  del  oriente,  Sept  29-Oct  15.  Rosa  to  Herrera,  Sept. 
29  Comte  gen  Quere"taro,  Sept  16.  To  Bustamante,  Oct  30 ;  Dec. 
30.  Quijano,  Jan.  27,  1848.  Gen.  staff,  memo  ,  Dec.  31,  1847.  Filisola, 
Dec.  27.  Alcorta  (plana  mayor),  Dec.  27  Gen.  in  chief  of  infantry, 
Oct.  14.  Rosa,  Nov.  2.  Alvarez,  Oct  20,  28;  Nov  19  To  Alvarez, 
Oct.  28,  31.  Alvarez  to  Olaguibel,  Oct  21.  To  Rea,  Nov  1  To  Ola- 
guibel,  Oct.  23.  Valencia,  Jan.  4,  1848. 

Nov.  19  a  detailed  statement  of  the  available  forces  gave  the  figures 
as  6785  scattered  over  twelve  states  The  largest  body  (2683)  was  at 
Quere"taro.  Oct.  14  the  Army  of  the  East  had  only  one  16-pounder, 
one  12-pounder,  one  6-pounder,  three  5  J-pounders,  one  4-pounder  and  two 
24-pound  howitzers.  It  was  pointed  out  that  even  if  men  could  be  raised, 
they  would  be  of  the  poorest  sort,  and  long  before  an  efficient  army  could 
be  created,  the  Americans  might  be  expected  to  attack  them.  Hen-era 
probably  had  about  4000  men  when  he  left  Mexico,  but  he  could  not 
prevent  wholesale  desertion  on  the  way  to  Quere"taro.  (Gam boa  asserted 
that  Herrera  took  only  2-3000  infantry  from  Mexico,  but  his  statements 
are  not  always  to  be  relied  upon.)  Jan.  2,  1848,  Valencia  was  captured 
by  the  Americans. 


430      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  183-184 

t 

Filisola  and  Alcorta  agreed  substantially  in  recommending  an  elastic, 
evasive  plan  of  campaign:  bodies  of,  say,  2000  men  to  be  stationed  at 
strategic  positions;  the  one  attacked  to  fall  back  upon  the  next;  these 
to  fight  or  join  the  third,  as  might  seem  best ;  those  not  otherwise  engaged, 
to  strike  for  the  American  rear;  and  thus  a  campaign  of  movements,  in 
which  the  Mexicans  would  have  the  advantages  of  mobility,  of  knowing 
the  country,  and  of  having  the  cooperation  of  the  people,  would  be  pursued 
in  order  to  wear  out  the  Americans.  But  the  means  of  carrying  out  this 
system  were  lacking.  In  October  the  government  planned  to  have  three 
sizable  armies;  but  by  the  end  of  December  it  limited  its  ambition  to 
having  two  small  brigades  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry,  each  headed  by 
a  colonel. 

23.  Chief  documents.    Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  60-2.     lOSBancroft  to  Polk, 
Dec.  3,  1846.     256Barnard  to  Totten,  Oct.  11,  1847.     66/cZ.  to  Id.,  Dec. 
15,  1847     (Taylor)  169Peyton  to  Cnttenden,  Jan.  25,  1848 ;    169Taylor 
to   Crittenden,   Nov.    15,    1847.     354Welles  papers.     Davis,   Autobiog., 
257-8.    Wash.  Union,  Jan.  7,  1848.    N.  Y.  Sun,  May  17,  1847.    Niles, 
Oct.  23,  1847,  p.  114.    Schouler,  Hist.  Briefs,  155.    Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  pp. 
60-2    (Marcy,    report).     Calhoun    Corres.,    718    (to    Clemson).     Public 
Ledger,  Jan.  4,  1848.     169Rives  to  Cnttenden,  Feb.  8,  1847.     Richardson, 
Messages,   iv,   542-4.     ISCrampton  to  Palmerston,   nos.   71,    1847;    5, 
1848.     Claiborne,  Quitman,  ii,  7.     Polk,  Diary,  Oct.  30,  1847.     6lScott, 
Sept.  18.    Sen.  52;    30,  1,  pp.  138-40,  211.    256Totten  to  Marcy,  Nov. 
23,    24.     256Tnst    to    Buchanan,    Sept.    28.     Picayune,    Dec.    15.    See 
chap,  xxxii,  p.  235. 

Sept.  17,  at  a  gathering  of  generals,  one  of  the  best  proposed  retiring 
at  once  to  Vera  Cruz.  For  the  defensive  plan  see  chap,  xviii,  p.  348. 
General  Butler  (Caihoun,  Corres.,  1146)  and  apparently  Daniel  Webster 
(BDston  Courier,  Feb.  20,  23,  1847)  favored  this  plan.  Had  it  been  adopted 
we  should  in  all  probability  have  been  forced  sooner  or  later  to  resume 
active  operations  after  having  given  up  the  results  of  much  fighting  It 
seemed  hardly  possible  that  a  majority  in  Congress  would  soon  be  able  to 
agree  upon  a  policy,  and  it  looked  as  if  injurious  debates  on  the  subject 
might  occur.  Marcy  particularly  advised  Scott  to  prevent  the  formation 
of  a  new  Mexican  army,  but  authorized  him  to  use  his  own  judgment 
as  to  military  operations  They  were  not,  however,  to  be  modified  in 
consequence  of  Mexican  peace  proposals  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  140).  For 
the  difficult  situation  of  the  United  States  see  the  first  paragraphs  of 
chap  xxxii 

24.  Ho.  60;   30,  1,  pp.  1031,  1033,  1036,  1039,  1047-50,  1067  (Scott); 
1093-9  (Marcy) ;  1060,  1260  (Jesup).    Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  98  (H.  L.  Scott). 
364Worth  to  S.,  Dec.  27,  1847.     Sen.  52;    30,  1,  pp.  140-4.     76Comte. 
gen.  Mexico,  Jan.  10,  1848.     SlScott  to  Twiggs,  Dec.  26,  1847.     65/rf., 
gen.  orders  376,  389  of  1847 ;   7  of  1848.     356Whitcomb,  diary.     12Pell 
of  sloop  Daring  to  Lambert,  Nov.  30,  1847.    66Lee  to  Totten,  Jan.  1 ;  Feb. 
1,  1818.     Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  310-1.     178Davis,  diary.    Picayune^ 
Feb.  27. 

In  June  and  August,  1847,  the  First  and  Second  Illinois  regiments  (12- 
months  men)  were  replaced  with  "for  the  war"  regiments  bearing  the 
same  names.  As  we  have  seen  (note  8)  Illinois  and  Georgia  were  called 
upon  about  the  first  of  July  for  mounted  companies.  June  23  Louisiana 
was  asked  to  furnish  two  mounted,  acclimated  companies  to  clear  guer- 
illas from  near  Vera  Cruz.  July  16  a  Pennsylvania  foot  regiment,  or- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  183-184        431 

ganized  some  time  earlier  at  Carlisle,  was  accepted.  July  16  a  proposed 
battalion  of  Mississippi  riflemen  was  accepted  as  infantry.  July  19  an 
Illinois  horse  company  and  a  Delaware  infantry  company  were  accepted. 
July  24  a  Maryland  artillery  company  was  authorized,  and  Missouri 
was  requested  to  furnish  an  artillery  company,  two  infantry  companies  and 
two  mounted  companies.  August  17  Polk  found  that  6000  of  the  50,000 
volunteers  authorized  by  the  war  bill  had  not  been  called  out,  and  that 
the  Cabinet  were  in  favor  of  calling  more  of  them  (Diary).  That  day 
Ohio  was  asked  for  an  infantry  regiment.  August  21  an  infantry  com- 
pany, tendered  by  W.  J.  Corcoran  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  was  accepted. 
August  26  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  were  called  upon  for  two  infantry 
regiments  each,  and  an  Indiana  regiment  was  accepted.  Sept.  6  a  North 
Carolina  company  was  accepted  on  the  condition  that  it  should  be  ready 
for  muster  by  Oct.  10.  Sept.  7,  owing  to  the  delay  of  the  Carlisle  com- 
pany, a  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  company  was  accepted  in  lieu  of  it.  Sept.  8  two 
Ohio  companies  were  asked  for.  Sept.  27  Marcy  stated  that  nearly  or 
quite  all  of  the  50,000  volunteers  had  been  accepted  (Niles,  Oct.  30,  p.  144). 
Oct.  8  another  Tennessee  regiment  (ten  extra  companies  were  ready) 
and  a  Michigan  regiment  were  called  for.  Aug.  23  only  one  of  the  five 
Mississippi  companies  was  ready.  The  government  explained  that  men 
did  not  wish  to  serve  on  foot.  The  battalion  was  completed  near  the  end 
of  December  (Rowland,  Register,  416).  Alabama  and  Virginia  also  \\ere 
backward  at  this  time.  The  Act  of  March  3,  authorizing  individual 
enlistments  of  volunteers,  provided  no  means  for  its  execution,  no  bounty 
and  no  clothing,  and  volunteers  received  less  pay  than  the  regulars  (62adj. 
gen.  to  Hamtramck,  Feb.  28,  1848).  Naturally  men  did  not  care  to  leave 
home  singly  and  be  kept  at  depots  for  perhaps  weeks,  waiting  for  enough 
to  be  collected  to  be  sent  on.  In  Aug.  and  Sept  the  transportation  of 
troops  was  embarrassed  by  a  serious  epidemic  of  yellow  fever  at  New  Or- 
leans. Transportation  difficulties  at  Vera  Cruz  caused  delays  later. 

Nov.  30,  1847,  the  authorized  regulars  were  1336  commissioned  officers 
(eleven  generals,  thirty-five  in  general  staff,  115  medical  men,  thirty-one 
in  pay  department,  forty-three  engineers,  thirty-six  topographical  engi- 
neers, thirty-six  ordnance  officers,  118  officers  in  three  dragoon  regiments, 
thirty-five  in  Mounted  Riflemen,  208  in  four  artillery  regiments,  648 
in  sixteen  infantry  regiments,  forty-seven  in  one  regiment  of  Voltigeurs 
and  foot  riflemen)  and  28,960  enlisted  men  (3408  dragoons,  1146  Mounted 
Riflemen,  5492  artillery,  17,664  infantry,  1 104  Voltigeurs  and  foot  riflemen, 
100  engineer  soldiers,  forty-six  ordnance  sergeants,  seventeen  military 
storekeepers) ;  but  according  to  the  returns  (not  all  recent)  the  enlisted 
men  numbered  not  more  than  20,333  (adj.  gen.'s  report  in  Sen.  1;  30,  1, 
p.  72).  Of  12-months  volunteers  there  were  (mounted)  one  regiment  of 
seven  companies,  one  battalion  and  four  independent  companies,  and 
two  companies  of  infantry:  aggregate,  eighty-two  officers,  2037  non- 
commissioned men  and  privates.  Of  volunteers  "for  the  war"  there  were 
theoretically  seven  generals;  125  staff  officers  (including  quartermaster's, 
commissary's  and  medical  departments,  and  twelve  (additional)  in  the 
pay  department) ;  of  horse  one  regiment,  two  battalions,  twenty-two 
independent  companies  (total,  184  officers,  4871  others) ;  of  foot  artillery 
three  companies  (twelve  and  342  respectively) ;  of  infantry  twenty-two 
regiments,  five  battalions,  eight  independent  companies  (1159  and 
27,603  respectively):  aggregates,  1355  and  32816  respectively.  The 
numler  still  on  the  rolls  (Nov.  30)  "for  the  war"  was  not  supposed  to 


432       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  183-184 

exceed  20,286.    This  number  was  believed  by  the  adjutant  general  to  be 
"much  beyond"  the  number  of  effectives. 

There  were  supposed  to  be  in  the  field  19,818  regulars  and  (aside  from 
803  on  California  service)  21,124  volunteers  (officers  and  men) ;  en  route 
1691  regulars,  100  volunteers:  total  (including  the  California  men),  43,536. 
Scott's  army  (regulars)  was  figured  as  15,071  in  the  field,  1396  en  route, 
555  at  Vera  Cruz,  79  at  Tampico ;  (volunteers)  in  the  field  and  at  Tam- 
pico,  14,955.  His  operating  army,  including  the  sick  and  the  disabled, 
was  estimated  as  about  30,209.  Wool's  army  was  figured  as  (regulars) 
3,642  in  the  field,  295  en  route  and  (volunteers)  2790 :  total,  6727.  Price 
was  believed  to  have  255  regulars  (dragoons),  2902  volunteers ;  and  Mason 
(California)  216  regulars  (one  company  of  dragoons  and  one  company 
of  artillery),  803  volunteers  (adj.  gen.'s  report,  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  72). 
All  the  figures  were  approximate  and  there  were  discrepancies  in  the 
reckoning. 

Nov.  20  the  adjutant  general  stated  the  regulars  sent  to  Scott  as  rein- 
forcements thus :  of  the  old  establishment  (absent  companies,  reorganized 
companies  and  recruits),  5564;  new  establishment  (troops  raised  and 
organized  after  March  4,  1847),  five  companies  of  Third  Dragoons,  the 
Ninth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth  (nine  companies),  Fourteenth  and  Fifteenth 
Infantry,  the  Voltigeurs,  and  recruits  for  the  same,  6345  (62 to  Scott) ;  and 
also  six  companies  (360)  of  Marines  under  Lieut.  Colonel  Watson.  Scott's 
returns  were  infrequent  or  were  lost  on  the  way.  Perhaps  he  dared  not 
run  the  risk  of  exposing  them  to  guerillas.  Hence  as  a  rule  one  must 
accept  general  statements.  Quitman's  division,  being  now  very  small, 
was  broken  up,  and  he  was  permitted  to  report  at  Washington  for  a  new 
command  (Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  395)  As  a  rule  no  officer  was  permitted 
to  leave  the  army  except  "with  a  view  to  the  good  of  the  service  or  the 
recovery  of  health"  (6lScott  to  Patterson,  Oct.  28,  1847).  Oct.  22 
even  leaves  of  absence  that  had  been  granted  or  promised  were  cancelled 
The  government  ordered  the  reinforcements  to  leave  Vera  Cruz  promptly, 
and  Bankhead  was  put  in  the  place  of  Wilson  there  in  order  to  obtain  more 
efficient  management  (62adj.  gen.  to  Scott,  Nov.  9).  After  about  the 
middle  of  October  the  troops  at  Mexico  were  thoroughly  drilled,  and  by 
the  middle  of  November  came  to  be  better  disciplined  than  ever  before. 

April  29,  1847,  although  the  12-months  army  was  about  to  disband, 
Marcy  requested  Patterson  and  Butler  to  remain  in  the  service  as  major 
generals,  and  Marshall,  Lane  and  Shields  to  remain  as  brigadier  generals. 
Marshall  arrived  at  Mexico  City  January  21,  1848.  It  is  not  possible  to 
state  how  many  troops  came  with  each  of  the  officers.  Col.  Hays  brought 
five  companies  of  Rangers.  Lt.  Col.  Johnston  had  about  1300  men  when 
at  Puebla.  In  general  about  half  of  a  command  fell  out  from  sickness  and 
other  causes  between  Vera  Cruz  and  Mexico  (125Bonham  to  mother, 
Dec.  7,  1847).  Fruits,  liquor,  insufficient  clothing  and  at  this  time  the 
measles  were  the  chief  causes  of  sickness. 

Scott's  announcement  (65gen.  orders  376)  was  dated  Dec.  15.  Jan. 
6  Scott  had  14,964,  of  whom  11,162  were  effectives  (Ho.  60 ;  30, 1,  p.  1061). 
By  Feb.  13  his  rank  and  file  amounted  to  26,910,  and  2000  recruits  were 
en  route  (62adj.  gen.  to  Cass,  Mar.  9,  1848).  Though  5546  of  the  rank 
and  file  and  181  officers  were  then  sick,  he  had  been  for  some  time  strong 
enough  to  occupy  Zacatecas  and  San  Luis  Potosf,  but  the  peace  negotia- 
tions (chap,  xxxii)  affected  his  plans.  The  new  posts  were  at  Rfo  Frio 
(between  Mexico  and  Puebla),  and  the  national  bridge  and  San  Juan 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES   184-185        433 

(between  Jalapa  and  Vera  Cruz).  Early  in  March,  1848,  a  post  was 
established  at  Ojo  de  Agua  between  Puebla  and  Perote.  The  purpose 
of  the  posts  was  to  defend  the  line  against  the  guerillas  and  furnish  escorts 
for  trains,  couriers,  etc.  Jalapa  and  Puebla  were  held  somewhat  strongly. 
At  the  former  there  were  on  January  8,  1848,  three  infantry  companies 
and  a  rifle  company  from  the  District  of  Columbia,  two  infantry  com- 
panies, a  rifle  company  and  a  battery  (six  guns)  from  Baltimore,  four 
New  Jersey  infantry  companies,  a  Pennsylvania  infantry  company  and 
a  mounted  company.  Sickness  and  other  causes  reduced  the  effectives, 
however,  to  556  (69Hughes  to  H.  L.  Scott,  Jan.  8,  1848).  Puebla  was 
held,  Feb.  122,  by  some  2500  men :  the  Fourth  Indiana,  Fourth  Ohio, 
Fourth  Artillery,  Fifth  Ohio  (five  companies),  Second  Artillery  (two 
companies),  and  two  Florida  companies  (Perry,  Indiana,  287).  Pachuca 
was  occupied  Dec.  29  by  the  Ninth  Infantry  (178Davis,  diary)  Cad- 
walader  marched  for  Toluca  Jan  6  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1062).  Jan.  29 
Col.  Clarke  set  out  for  Cuernavaca  with  a  brigade  (66Lee  to  Totten, 
Feb.  1).  His  approach  compelled  Alvarez  to  break  up  the  small  force 
he  had  been  holding  at  that  point  and  hastily  retire. 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  n,  524)  says  that  Scott  neglected  "the  proper 
military  measures  of  occupation"  in  order  to  favor  peace  negotiations 
contrary  to  the  u policy"  of  his  government;  but  the  most  fundamental 
policy  of  that  government  was  to  bring  about  a  satisfactory  peace ;  Scott 
had  not  sufficient  forces  to  carry  out  a  military  occupation  of  the  country 
until  late  in  December ;  and  by  that  time  peace  was  within  reach. 

25.  Twiggs  to  H    L.  Scott,  Jan    16,  1848;    to  adj.  gen,  Jan.  17;    to 
Bankhead,  Feb    3      697V/   to  Marcy,  Feb    19.     6lScott  to  Twiggs,  Dec. 
26,  1847.     6lHughes  to  [Wilson],  Sept.  13,  1847.     Brackett,  Lane's  Bri- 
gade, 241-2      Free  American,  Jan.  14,  1848      152Claiborne,  mems.     Ve- 
lasco,   Geografia,    in,    176.     Leclercq,    Voyage,    386      Moreno,    Cant6n, 
380      88C6rdoba  ayunt ,  proceedings,  Feb    16.     Picayune,  Feb   27. 

There  was  a  convenient  road  from  Orizaba  to  Paso  de  Ovejas  on  the 
national  highway  about  thirty  miles  from  Vera  Cruz  The  recently 
captured  goods  had  been  in  charge  of  Lieut  Col  Miles  (note  7)  Bank- 
head  arrived  at  C6rdoba  Feb  13  and  left  for  Orizaba  Feb  17.  The  Mich- 
igan volunteers  remained  there  Other  reasons  for  this  expedition  will 
be  mentioned  in  chap  xxxui. 

26.  Remarks  of  Gov.  J.  D.  Porter  of  Tenn.  to  the  author  (vanity, 
ignorance  of  war).     111.  State  Hist    Soc.  Trans  ,  1906,  p    178  (unfit  to 
serve  as  corporal)      ISOPillow  to  wife,  Dec.  8,  1846  (re  Taylor).     Sen. 
52;    30,  1,  p.  252  (Trist's  opinion)      307  B.  S    Roberts,  diary,  Nov.  26, 
1847  ("ass  by  nature").     335Trist,  notes  for  letter  to  Ho    of  Repres. 
("Lie";    lack  of  probity;    Scott's  confidence,  etc.).     252Mackall,  Sept. 
18,  1847  (no  vainer  peacock  or  greater  ass ;  gave  no  aid  in  the  final  battles). 
292Pillow  to  wife,  Dec.  12,  1847  (eye  to  Presidency).     335Paper  prepared 
by  Trist    (re  Folk's  brother).     277Pillow  to  Maj.  —  (beautifully  illus- 
trates   "wriggling").     Scott,    Mems.,  ii,    416.     Lawton,    Artill     Officer, 
338  (vanity).     297Pillow  to  Polk,  May  30, 1844  ("fatal  blow").     M'Sherry 
Puchero,  179  (not  considered  a  general).     Chap,  xxiii,  note  29  (general- 
ship).     (Recommendations)      ISOPillow  to  wife,   Dec.  8,   1846.      (Con- 
fidence) 335Trist,  notes,  supra.     Pillow's  letters  generally. 

For  uncomplimentary  opinions  regarding  Pillow  see  chap,  xxvi,  note  8. 
It  should  be  remembered,  however,  that  later  he  became  a  political  issue 
in  Tennessee,  and  many  things  said  of  him  then  were  colored  by  partisan- 
VOL   ir  —  2r 


434      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  185-186 

ship ;   also  that  the  prejudice  of  many  regulars  in  reference  to  the  volun- 
teers may  have  counted. 

27.  (After  Monterey)     364  W.  to  S.,  Oct.  2,  1846.     (Ambition)  Scott, 
Mems.,    ii,    416.      (Restive)    Lawton,    Artill     Officer,    276.      (Affection) 
Grant,  Mems.,  i,  151;  335Tnst,  notes  for  letter  to  Ho.,  supra  (Pillow: 
Scott's  fatherly  affection  for  Worth  will  always  get  the  better  of  any  resent- 
ment) ;   Lawton,  ibid.     (Rejected)  364W.  to  -— ,  Mar.  3,  1848.     (Friend) 
183Drum,  recoils.;    224Hitchcock,  diary,  Apr.   14,   1846.     (Ounce)   364 
Worth  to  daughter,  June  10,  1846. 

28.  (Told)  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1226  (Scott)      (Brother  officer)  ISSDrum, 
recoils,  (his  name  was  Lieut.  Col.  Black  of  Pa  )      (Root)  ISSDrum,  recoils. ; 
Davis,  Autobiog  ,  286      N-  Y  Sun,  Aug.  14,  1847.     (Favorably)  Picayune, 
Jan.  17,  1848  (the  plan  ripening  fast) ;    149Eells  to  Chase,  Feb.  24,  1848 
(W.  may  be  the  Dem.  nominee) ;    185Pillow  to  Duncan,  June  4,  1849 
(W.  had  a  good  chance  of  nomination) ;    182Bowdon  to  W.,  Mar.  18, 
1848,    strictly    confid      (Clashes,  conciliate)    Infra     (Antagonism)    169 
Mill?  to  Crittenden,  Jan  28,  1848;  Grant,  Mems  ,  i,  172. 

For  remarks  on  Worth's  character  see  chap,  xii,  note  8  and  chap 
xxiv,  note  16.  At  Vera  Cruz  Worth  ridiculed  Scott's  methods  in  com- 
parison with  his  own  at  Monterey  (Sen.  65 ;  30,  1,  p.  528),  and  his  journal- 
istic champion,  the  editor  of  the  New  York  Sun,  took  the  same  line  (Aug. 
16).  He  was  determined  to  have  an  assault,  in  which  he  would  naturally 
have  played  a  conspicuous  part  (Mag  of  Am.  Hist.,  xiv,  569).  He  was 
enraged  because  Scott  properly  had  Twiggs  lead  the  advance  from  that  c  ty 
(ibid  ,  562 ;  see  also  chap,  xxiii,  note  5)  Apparently  m  order  to  become 
prominent  in  the  coming  battle,  he  seems  to  have  left  Vera  Cruz  without 
a  suitable  supply  of  provisions  —  contrary  to  orders  (Sen  65;  30,  1, 
p.  528).  Probably  because  Scott,  for  reasons  of  policy,  praised  Twiggs's 
conduct  at  Cerro  Gordo  in  his  report,  Worth  pronounced  the  report  "a 
lie  from  beginning  to  end"  (364to  S.,  Dec.  27,  1847).  He  was  impatient 
and  offensive  because  Scott  would  not  permit  him  to  advance  upon  Puebla 
as  soon  as  he  wished  to  go  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  528;  364W.  to  daughter, 
Apr.  30,  1847).  Next,  his  wrath  was  excited  there  because,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  verdict  of  a  court  martial,  Scott  censured  —  in  the  mildest 
possible  manner  —  his  improper  conduct  (p.  361;  Delta,  Jan.  6,  1848). 
Wholly  without  authority  he  announced  that  his  division  was  to  lend  the 
movement  from  Puebla  against  Mexico  (236Judah,  diary,  May  6),  though 
it  was  Twiggs's  turn  to  lead.  He  accused  Scott  of  trying  to  belittle  his 
achievements  at  Churubusco  (364to  S.,  Dec  27,  1847).  He  blamed  Scott 
for  the  losses  resulting  from  his  own  imprudence  at  Mohno  del  Rey  and 
for  not  permitting  him  to  attack  Chapul tepee  that  day ;  and  he  protested 
because  Scott,  doutbless  by  accident,  did  not  credit  him  with  the  technical 
distinction  of  actually  passing  the  San  Cosme  girita  on  Sept.  13  (p.  416; 
Sedgwick,  Corres.,  i,  169).  Unmoved  by  Worth's  conduct,  Scott  seems 
to  have  given  him  all  the  prominence  to  which  he  was  entitled.  It  was 
understood  that  he  assigned  him  to  command  on  Sept.  8  with  a  special 
view  to  conciliating  him  (Grant,  Merns,,  i,  151) ;  and  it  is  clear  that  he 
intended  to  have  him  capture  the  city  of  Mexico  (p.  412).  It  is  probable 
that  Scott  had  shown  some  egotism  and  irascibility  in  the  course  of  the 
strenuous  campaign,  but  no  doubt  almost  every  high  officer  had  done  the 
same,  for  all  had  tempers  and  believed  in  themselves ;  and  it  is  extremely 
doubtful  whether  any  one  had  shown  more  kindness  and  magnanimity 
than  he  —  particularly  toward  Pillow  and  Worth.  Even  after  all  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  186-188         435 

trouble,  Scott  wrote  (Mems.,  ii,  416)  that  Pillow's  nature  was  free  from 
malignity,  whereas  Pillow's  letters  prove  the  contrary  strikingly. 

29.  (Intimate)   185Duncan   papers,  passim.     (Widow)  185  P.  to  D., 
Sept.  3,  1848.     (Urged)  185P.  to  Polk,  June  21,  1849.     (Made)  Scott, 
Mems.,  ii,  416;    Cullum,  Biog.  Register,  i,  447.     (Trouble)  Sen.  65;   30, 
1,  p.  305.     (Gather)  329Taliaferro  to  — ,  Apr.  26,  1848;    Scott,  Mems., 
ii,  417. 

Pillow  boasted  of  his  power,  and  on  that  basis  threatened  men  whom 
he  wished  to  control  (Tahaferro,  supra;  Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  117).  How 
strong  this  influence  was  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  Col.  Campbell  of 
Tennessee,  who  had  stated  repeatedly  that  Pillow  had  no  military  ability 
(pp  353,  377),  recommended  him  for  appointment  as  a  major  general 
(139to  Polk,  Feb  19,  1847).  It  is  interesting  to  note,  in  comparison  with 
the  character  of  the  cabal  against  Scott,  that  he  was  supported  by  such 
men  as  Trist,  E.  A  Hitchcock,  Robert  E.  Lee  and  Robert  Anderson. 

30.  (Reports)  Ho   60;  30,  1,  pp  1015-20;  Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  389-91, 
629-34;    Lawton,   Artill    Officer,   319-20.     (Same)    Lawton,   Art.   Off., 
319-20;   Weekly  N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar  2,  1848;    169Mills  to 
Crittenden,  Jan.  28,  1848      (Terms)  Remarks  in  note  28;    169Mills  to 

Cnttenden,  Jan    28,  1848;    364W.  to  ,  Mar.  3,  1848  ("an  ass  will 

be  an  ass")      (Trickily)  Sen   65;   30,  1,  p.  391;   Davis,  Autobiog.,  285; 
note   31.     (Another)    Semmes,    Service,    358-9      (In   U.   S )    Picayune, 
Oct    8.     (Tampico)   Semmes,  Service,  360      (Mexico)   Sen    65;    30,   1, 
p.  117.     (Improper)  Ib  ,  p    454  (Marcy)      (Necessary)  169Mills,  supra; 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1087,  1225-6  (Scott). 

31.  (Gen.  orders  349)  Sen.  65;   30,  1,  p.  455      (Stigmatize)  210Alvord 
to  Hammond,  Apr    21,  1848;    210Bragg  to  Hammond,  Dec    20,  1847. 
(Assumed)  Picayune,  Oct.  8;    Dec.   18.     (Defiant)  Stevens,  Stevens,  i, 
223.     (Not   written)    Infra.     (Seized)    Semmes,    Service,   361-4;    Spirit 
of  the  Age,  Mar.  9;    Apr.   13,   1848      (Charges)  Polk,  Diary,  Dec    30, 
1847 ;  Jan.  1 ;  Apr  18, 1848 ;  infra.     (Appeals)  Infra.     (Arrest)  256Marcy 
to  Butler,  Jan.  13,  1848. 

See  note  28.  For  the  Leonidas  letter  see  p.  376  This  letter  Pillow 
seems  clearly  to  have  smuggled  into  a  packet  sent  by  Freaner,  the  corre- 
spondent of  the  New  Orleans  Delta,  to  his  paper,  after  Freaner  had  re- 
jected its  twin  (Sen  65;  30,  1,  p.  14)  on  the  ground  that  it  was  incorrect, 
and  the  editor,  inferring  that  it  was  endorsed  by  Freaner,  printed  it  (ibid., 
250;  Delta,  Apr  7,  1848).  When  Scott  finally  opened  his  eyes  (after 
August  20)  to  the  rascality  of  Pillow  (335Trist,  notes,  supra),  Pillow 
realized  he  had  gone  too  far.  He  refused  to  ask  for  a  court  of  inquiry 
when  challenged  to  do  so  (335Hitchcock  to  Pillow,  Nov.  24,  1847,  and 
note  by  H  ),  told  Quitman  that  he  could  not  face  an  investigation  (335Trist, 
statement),  and  wrote  to  his  wife  that  he  was  going  to  resign  and  live  quietly 
(2920ct  27,  1847).  Then,  it  would  appear,  he  induced  Burns  (335ed.  of 
Delta  to  Trist,  May  16,  1848),  a  paymaster  in  his  division,  to  assume  the 
authorship  of  the  Leonidas  letter  (the  worst  count  against  him),  and  be- 
came confident,  even  defiant,  with  reference  to  Scott  (180to  wife,  Nov.  25). 
The  friend  to  whom  Duncan  wrote,  in  sending  his  letter  to  the  press,  modi- 
fied it  freely,  and  inserted  m  it  a  passage  regarding  the  Chalco  route  (p. 
372)  taken  from  a  letter  written  by  a  man  named  Chason.  So  he  explained 
to  Duncan  (185 to  Duncan,  Jan.  1,  1848). 

Gen.  orders  349,  Nov.  12,  1847,  said  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  p.  455):  'It  re- 
quires not  a  little  charity  to  believe  that  the  principal  heroes  of  the  scan- 


436       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  186-188 

dalous  letters  alluded  to  did  not  write  them,  or  specially  procure  them 
to  be  written,  and  the  intelligent  can  be  at  no  loss  in  conjecturing  the 
authors  —  chiefs,  partizans,  and  pet  familiars.  To  the  honor  of  the 
service,  the  disease  —  pruriency  of  fame,  not  earned  —  cannot  have  seized 
upon  half  a  dozen  officers  (present,)  all  of  whom,  it  is  believed,  belong  to 
the  same  two  coteries"  The  next  two  sentences  were  still  stronger: 
"False  credit/'  "despicable  self-puffings  and  malignant  exclusions  of 
others,"  "the  conceited  and  the  envious,"  "indignation"  of  the  honorable 
officers.  Though  in  the  right,  Scott  allowed  himself  to  go  too  far  in  his 
use  of  language,  as  he  did  at  other  times.  Commenting  on  the  order, 
Braxton  Bragg,  though  not  one  of  Scott's  friends,  said  in  substance: 
Half  the  reputations  in  the  war  have  been  made  by  false  reports  and 
newspaper  misrepresentations  [this  was  to  a  large  extent  true],  and  it 
has  gone  so  far  that  Scott  has  at  last  issued  a  strong  order  (210to  Ham- 
mond, Dec.  20,  1847)  Another  correspondent  of  Gov.  Hammond  of 
South  Carolina  said  he  was  glad  that  Scott  had  undertaken  to  expose 
"such  quackery,  charlatanry,  imposture  and  lying  braggadocio"  (210A1- 
vord,  Apr.  21,  1848).  This  appears  to  have  been  the  general  sentiment 
of  the  officers  (numerous  citations  could  be  given). 

On  the  publication  of  gen.  orders  349  Worth  asked  Scott  whether  the 
charge  of  scandalous  conduct  referred  to  him.  Scott  replied  that  it  re- 
ferred to  the  authors  and  abettors  of  the  Leomdas  letter,  and  that  he 
could  not  be  more  explicit  Worth  declared  the  reply  unsatisfactory, 
and  handed  to  Scott  a  sort  of  appeal  to  the  President  that  referred  in- 
sultingly to  the  former  (68Scott,  charges,  Nov  27)  Scott  therefore 
charged  him  with  "behaving  with  contempt  and  disrespect  towards  his 
commanding  officer  "  He  was  arrested  for  insulting  Scott  in  a  letter 
to  Marcy  (Sen  65;  30,  1,  p.  471).  The  charges  against  Duncan  were 
writing  a  (published)  letter  in  violation  of  the  army  regulation  no.  650, 
and  making  in  it  a  false  statement  about  the  adoption  of  the  Chalco  route 
in  order  to  magnify  himself  and  Worth  (68charges,  Nov.  27)  "Arrest" 
signified  confinement  to  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  New  York  Tribune 
said  truthfully  with  reference  to  the  troubles  between  Scott  and  the  gen- 
erals :  "  The  duties  of  a  Commanding  General  in  the  heart  of  an  enemy 
country,  with  an  army  flushed  with  victory  yet  inactive,  and  under  the 
influences  incident  to  so  perilous  a  position,  are  very  delicate,  and  can 
only  be  met  by  firmness  and  the  maintenance  of  rigorous  discipline" 
(Nat.  Intelligencer,  Dec.  28,  1847) 

32.  (Conviction)  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1218  (Scott);  infra  (Censures) 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1229,  1248  (Marcy);  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  131  (Marcy). 
(Relieved)  256Marcy  to  Butler,  Jan.  13,  1848.  (Rank)  60Butler  to 
Marcy,  Mar.  2.  (Deposed)  Ho.  60 ;  30, 1,  p.  1044.  Lee,  Lee,  46.  (Army) 
15*Claiborne,  mems. ;  Oswandel,  Notes,  481,  483;  22lHill,  diary; 
252Mackall,  Feb.  21;  Picayune,  Mar.  23;  ISDoyle,  no.  27,  1848;  Lee, 
Lee,  44;  210Alvord  to  Hammond,  Feb  24;  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  321. 
(Departure)  Lowell  Journal,  Sept  14,  1852 ;  Picayune,  Mar  23 ;  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  328.  (Looked)  327Sutherland  to  father,  Feb.  15,  1848. 

Jan.  9,  1847,  a  ISTcorrespondent  of  Calhoun  wrote,  "Unless  some 
powerful  influence  is  soon  brought  to  bear  we  [in  Charleston,  S.  C  ]  fear 
we  shall  stand  forth  discredited  and  degraded  in  the  sight  of  all  the  world." 
It  is  hard  to  see  how  the  country,  without  Scott,  could  have  avoided  this. 

Scott's  chief  complaints  were  a  failure  to  supply  seasonably  the  desired 
m^ans  for  waging  the  campaign,  interference  with  the  rights  of  the  com- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXIX,  PAGES  186-188        437 

manding  general  (e.g.  in  Harney's  case),  the  plan  to  place  a  civilian  (Ben ton) 
over  him,  the  apparent  intention  to  let  Trist  interfere  in  military  affairs, 
and  the  refusal  to  provide  a  chief  of  staff  satisfactory  to  him  (Lawton, 
Artill.  Officer,  319).  See  also  chapter  xxvn,  p  129.  All  the  charges 
except  those  against  Pillow  were  withdrawn.  The  latter  should  have 
been  placed  before  a  court-martial,  and  so  Polk  and  the  Cabinet  decided 
(Polk,  Diary,  Jan  3,  1848).  But  —  probably  because  he  feared  that 
his  friend  would  be  convicted  —  Polk  concluded  to  have  first  a  court  of 
inquiry  in  order  to  ascertain  what  the  evidence  was,  and  perhaps  dispose 
of  the  matter  (ibid  ,  Jan  8)  The  court  was  selected  by  Polk  —  doubtless 
with  a  view  to  Pillow's  acquittal  (ibid  ,  Jan  15)  The  fact  that  Pillow 
was  entirely  satisfied  with  it  (180to  wife,  Feb  27)  is  almost  enough  to 
prove  this  The  British  charge"  reported  that  it  seemed  to  favor  Pillow 
(ISDoyle,  no.  39,  1848)  Two  of  the  members  were  brevetted  later, 
though  one  of  them  (Scott  publicly  stated)  had  no  other  connection  with 
the  war,  and  the  connection  of  the  other  had  been  slight  (Scott  in  N  Y 
Herald,  Nov  3,  1857). 

The  principal  charges  against  Pillow  were,  first,  that  Pillow's  claim  to 
have  won  the  battle  of  Contreras  was  unfounded,  on  which  the  verdict 
went  against  him  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp  317,  333) ,  and,  secondly,  that  he 
was  directly  or  indirectly  the  author  of  the  Leomdas  letter  In  order  to 
maintain  that  he  wrote  it  (which  he  had  strongly  denied  on  three  oc- 
casions (ibid  ,  56-7,  131),  Burns  had  to  admit  that  he  had  spoken  falsely 
in  it  (ibid  ,  33,  388-9),  and  he  swore  that  he  believed  he  wrote  certain 
interlineations  (ibid  ,  32)  which  it  was  found  had  been  written  by  the 
editor  of  the  Delta  (ibid  ,  250) ;  but  he  stuck  to  it  that  he  had  dared  to 
steal  into  Pillow's  private  office,  and  remain  there  long  enough  to  copy 
the  substance  and  to  a  large  extent  the  phraseology  of  a  long  document 
(ibid.,  32).  And  therefore,  although  statements  substantially  equivalent 
to  those  of  the  Leomdas  letter  were  brought  home  to  Pillow  (ibid.,  389- 
391),  Pillow  had  to  be  acquitted.  John  Sedgwick,  later  General  Sedg- 
wick,  wrote:  I  think  the  court  must  acquit  Pillow,  "but  the  sentiment 
of  the  army  will  never  acquit  him"  (Corres.,  i,  182)  Naturally  a  lawyer 
like  Pillow  had  a  great  advantage  at  the  trial  over  Scott,  upon  whom  it 
was  incumbent  to  conduct  the  prosecution  His  handling  of  the  case 
was  extremely  clever.  The  same  court  was  instructed  to  inquire  into 
the  so-called  "council"  of  Puebla  (p.  391),  and  thus  Scott  was  virtually 
put  on  trial,  yet,  contrary  to  the  articles  of  war,  had  no  opportunity  to 
question  witnesses  (Mo.  Republican,  Nov.  5,  1857).  Pillow  was  before 
another  court  of  inquiry  (Sen.  65;  30,  1,  pp.  338-73),  and  the  evidence 
convicted  him,  morally  at  least,  of  attempting  to  appropriate,  in  viola- 
tion of  the  articles  of  war,  a  captured  Mexican  howitzer.  Pillow's  appeal 
to  the  government  grew  out  of  Scott's  approving  the  findings  of  this  court, 
and  his  arrest  resulted  from  the  disrespect  shown  in  connection  with  the 
appeal. 

June  4,  1847,  Scott  wrote  to  Marcy:  "Considering  the  many  cruel 
disappointments  and  mortifications  I  have  been  made  to  feel  since  I  left 
Washington,  or  the  total  want  of  support  and  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the 
War  Department  which  I  have  so  long  experienced,  I  beg  to  be  recalled 
from  this  army  the  moment  that  it  may  be  safe  for  any  person  to  embark 
at  Vera  Cruz,  which  I  suppose  will  be  early  in  November"  (Sen.  52;  30, 
1,  p.  131).  This  application  was  denied  and  (since  the  circumstances  on 
which  it  was  based  appeared  to  change)  became  obsolete.  A  correspondent 


438         NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  189-190 

of  Governor  Hammond  of  South  Carolina  said  it  was  "absurd,  unjust, 
ridiculous,  and  impolitic,  in  this  crisis  of  events  here,  to  remove  the  vic- 
torious general,  whose  prestige  with  the  Mexicans  is  great,  very  great,  both 
for  war  and  peace"  (210Alvord,  Feb.  24,  1848).  He  attributed  the  recall 
to  "Mr.  Quackery  Pillow."  The  recall  was  dated  January  13  (Ho.  60, 
30,  1,  p.  1044).  Scott  turned  over  the  command  to  Butler  on  February  18 
(65gen.  orders  59).  March  14  the  British  charg6  reported  that  signs  of 
relaxed  discipline  were  visible  (ISDoyle,  no.  27).  As  early  as  August  7, 
1847,  Polk  had  contemplated  substituting  Butler  for  Scott  (Uiary). 
Nov.  25  Pillow  wrote  that  this  was  to  be  done  (180to  wife).  Early  in 
January,  1848,  some  members  of  the  Cabinet  favored  giving  Taylor  the 
place,  but  Polk  would  not  (Diary,  Jan.  4). 

May  6,  1848,  the  adjutant  general  stated  that  the  army  under  Butler 
consisted  of  26,785  (aggregate  present),  of  whom  174  officers  and  4611 
men  were  sick,  and  that  it  occupied  the  following  places :  Mexico,  Toluca, 
Cuernavaca,  Pachuca,  Rfo  Fno,  Puebla,  Perote,  Jalapa,  national  bridge, 
Orizaba,  Cordoba  and  Vera  Cruz.  Some  of  the  returns,  however,  on 
which  the  statement  was  based  were  several  months  old  (62to  Cass). 
By  May  1  Scott,  Pillow,  Pierce,  Cadwalader,  Quitman,  Shields  and  Gush- 
ing had  left  the  country.  May  23  S  W.  Kearny  was  appointed  governor 
of  Mexico  City  (65orders  103). 

XXX.  THE  NAVAL  OPERATIONS 

1.  Sen.  187,  263;   29,  1.     Ho.  60;    30,  1,  pp.  774-5  (Bancroft).     Sen. 
1;  29,  2,  pp.  377-8.     (War  bill)  Vol.  i,  p.  181.    Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  973. 
(Expense)  Ho.  188;   29,  1;   Sen.  139;   29,  2.     In  Jan  ,  1846,  there  were 
also  3  receiving  ships  and  11  small  unarmed  vessels  and  storeships.     In 
ordinary  and  building  there  were  2  (5)  ships-of-the-lme,  5  (3)  frigates 
and  razees,  6  (2)  sloops-of-war,  2  (0)  brigs  and  3  (1)  steamers,  carrying 
576  (614)  guns      (The  figures  in  parentheses  represent  vessels  building ) 
The  time  of  the  crews  of  the  Savannah  and  Warren  expired  before  July  1 
and  Sloat  was  authorized  to  send  them  east.     Three  schooners  —  the 
Bonita,  the  Reefer  and  the  Petrel  —  built  at  New  York  for  Mexico  but  not 
paid  for,  were  purchased  (Niles,  June  13,  1846,  p    226;  see  chap,  xni, 
note  31).     In  Oct.,  1847,  there  were  also  one  ordnance  transport  and  six 
storeships. 

2.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  945.    U.  S.  Naval  Institute,  Proceedings,  xiv,  539 
(S.  C.  Rowan,  recoils.).     Griffis,  Perry,  200.     Ho.  24;    30,  2  (Mason  to 
Speaker).     (Reputation)  TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no.  445,  1847.     Sen   69; 
30,   1    (punishments).     374Shubnck  to  Conner,    July    17,    1845:    "The 
time  has  been  when  the  conviction  of  an  officer  of  having  told  a  deliberate, 
premeditated,  official  lie  would  be  fatal  to  him,  so  far  at  least  as  the  opinion 
of  a  Court  Martial  would  go,  but  that  time  has  passed  —  alas !  for  the 
Navy."    In  the  course  of  a  short  cruise,  1847-48,  Farragut  had  to  "rid 
the  service"  of  five  junior  officers  and  bring  to  trial  a  first  lieutenant  for 
drunkenness  (Mahan,  Farragut,  97).     Mar.  5,  1847,  120Capt    Mervine 
charged  a  lieutenant  with  being  intoxicated  repeatedly  while  command- 
ing at  S.  Jose*,  Calif.,  amidst  a  hostile  population.     July  10,  1847,  120J.  H. 
Brown,  S.  Francisco,  Calif.,  wrote  to  Biddle  that  officers  got  drunk  at  his 
house  and  did  havoc.     120Commander  Hull  informed  Biddle,  Mar.  4, 
1847,  that  a  midshipman  came  aboard  intoxicated.     Many  seamen  were 
of  foreign  birth,  but  only  26  out  of  853  officers. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  190-193         439 

3.  354 Welles  papers.    Ho.  188,  191;    29,  1.    Howe,  Bancroft,  i,  292. 
Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  9,  1846;    Feb.  20,  1847.     lOSBuchanan  to  Bancroft, 
Sept.  29,  1847.    256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Nov.  28,  1845.    Seward,  Seward 
at  Wash.,  i,  51.     "Bancroft"  was  of  course  George  Bancroft,  the  historian. 

4.  48Bancroft    to    Conner,    Aug.    30,    1845,    secret.     London    Times, 
June  11,  1846.     52Bancroft,  no.  25,  1847.     52Kmg,  no.  28,  1846.     52Mar- 
tin,  no.  14,  1847.     Picayune,  May  7,  1846.     SSSpofford,  Tyleston  &  Co., 
Dec.   11,   1846.     ISBankhead,  no.  79,  1845.     58Emory,  Stetson  &  Co., 
June  5,  1847.     46Newell  to  J.  Y.  Mason,  Nov.  25,  1846.    Sen.  1 ;   30,  1, 
915  (Mason,  report).      Richmond  Enquirer,  Aug    15,  1845.     Phila.  No. 
Amer.,  June  20,  1845.     Mernoria  de  .  .      Guerra,  Dec.  9,  1846.     Mexico 
a  travel,  iv,  569.     ISPakenham,  no.  42,   1846.     52Saunders   (Madrid), 
nos.  9,  12,  1847,     52Littlefield  to  Saunders,  May  2,  1847.     N   Y.  Herald 
(weekly),  May  16,  1846.     Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p   566  (Jesup).    Boston  Atlas, 
May  18,  1846.     Buchanan,  Works,  vn,  325-6  (to  W    R.  J  ),  355-6  (to 
T.  N.  C.).     49Bancroft  to  Conner,  Aug  29,  1846.     What  is  said  of  Cuba 
applies  to  Porto  Rico  also. 

5.  (Action  of  Mexico)  ISBankhead,  nos.  68,  100,  147,  150,  161,  1846; 
London  Times,  Jan.  8,  13,  15,  1847 ;   Dublan,  Legislaci6n,  v,  161 ;    52SH- 
dell  to  Buchanan,  Mar  27,  1846;   52Martm,  no.  11,  1847;  297Mackenzie 
(S.  Anna)  to  Buchanan,  July  7,  1846 ;   Semmes,  Service,  80-1 ;   Mexico  d 
travel,  iv,  569 ;    52Consul  Black,  Sept.  28 ;    Oct.  29,  1846 ;    TSBermudez 
de  Castro,  nos.  294,  res  ,  368,  1846 ;   52Bancroft,  no   16,  1847 ;   76Tornel, 
circular  (regulations),  July  26,  1846;   Memona  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Dec., 
1846;    52Memona  de  .  .  .  Guerra,  Dec  ,  1846;   Diario,  July  27;   Oct.  3, 
1846.     Irving  (Madrid),  no  8,  1847.     London  Times,  Jan  8,  13,  15,  1847. 
Semmes,  Service,  80      Sen    1;    29,  2,  pp    40-1      52Saunders  (Madrid), 
no.  9,  1847.     76Almonte,  Dec   10,  1846.     Buchanan,  Works,  vii,  334-42 
(to  R.  M.  S.). 

6.  52Martin,no.  11, 1847      52Bancrof t,  no  16,1847.     52lrving,  July  18, 
1846.     Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  495-6      Sen.  1 ;    30,  1,  945-6  (report). 
Wash.  Union,  July  22,  1847.     The  29th  Cong  ,  second  session,  provided 
for  the  punishment  of  the  citizens  (apprehended  on  privateers)  of  those 
states  having  treaties  with  the  U.  S.  which  made  their  acts  piracy  (Wash. 
Union,  Mar.  9,  1847 ;    ISPakenham,  no.  26,  1847)      lOSBancroft  to  Bu- 
chanan, Feb.  3,   1847.     ISFor.  Off.  to  Bankhead,  no    34,   1845.     Cong. 
Globe,  29,  1,  p.  811  (Berrien).     Buchanan,  Works,  vii,  23,  52.     The  sug- 
gestion of  commissioning  American  privateers  excited  opposition  in  Europe. 
It  was  feared  that  they  would  molest  neutrals.    Even  m  the  U.  S.  it  was 
opposed  (Dayton  in  Senate,  Jan  27,  1847).     Nothing  came  of  it. 

7.  (England)  ISBankhead,  nos.  79,  1845;   150,  1846;   13To  Bankhead, 
nos.  34,  1845;   1,  1847;  London  Times,  Jan.  22,  1847;  Britannia,  Jan.  23, 
1847;   52Bancroft,  no   16,1847;  Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  21,  1846;    52Ban- 
croft,  no.  18,  1847;    108/d.  to  Buchanan,  Feb.  3,  1847;   73Bermudez  de 
Castro,  no.  294,  res.,  368,  1846.     (France)  52Martin,  nos.  11,  15,  1847; 
52Guizot  to  Martin,  Feb.  26,   1847.     (Spain)   TSBermudez  de  C.,  nos. 
294,  res.,  368,  1846;    52To  Consul  Campbell,  May  14,  1846;    77Mex. 
Consul,  Havana,  Dec    10,  1846,  res.;    76Almonte,  Dec    10,  1846;   72ln- 
structs.  to  capt.  gen.,  June  18,  1846;    52lrving,  July  18,  1846;   nos.  5, 
8,  1847;   7ldocs.  relating  to  Cuban  ports;  Sen.  1;  29,  2,  p  40;  Boston 
Courier,  Jan.  20,  1847;   Buchanan,  Works,  vii,  334  (to  R.  M.  S.).    Sen. 
1;    30,    1,    945-6  (report).     Picayune,  Aug.   26,  1846.    Conner,  Home 
Squadron,  12. 


440       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  193-194 

8.  Rchardson,  Messages,  iv,  548-9,  561.     Ho    60;    30,  1,  pp    774-5 
(Bancro  t).     Sen.  1;    29,  2,  p.  377.     Sen.  1;    30,  1,  p.  951.     59Circular 
1o  II.  S   ministers,  May  14,  1846.     47Conner  to  Bancroft,  May  14,  1846 
52Consul  Chase,   Jan.   20,   1846.     TGParrodi,   July  2,    1846.     52McLane 
(London),  no.  54,  1846.     ISGiffard  (V.  Cruz),  June  30,  1846.     162Morris 
to  Conner,  Oct.  24,  1846      SlSCormer,  instructions,  May  14. 

American  vessels  were  excluded  on  the  score  of  impartiality  and  also 
because  the  admission  of  them  would  have  defeated  the  main  purposes 
of  the  blockade  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  571)  A  particular  advantage 
of  the  blockade  is  that  it  enables  a  belligerent  to  close  ports  that  it  is 
not  desirable  or  not  possible  to  capture  and  hold.  Under  the  II.  S  regu- 
lat  ons  vesse's  lying  in  Mexican  ports  on  the  announcement  of  the  blockade 
could  remain  twenty  days  and  then  leave  with  or  without  cargo  Ap- 
proaching vessels  could  not  be  captured  or  detained  unless  previously 
warned  in  writing  by  a  cruiser  (SISConner,  instructions).  Vera  Cruz 
and  Tampico  remained  open  for  British  mail  packets  (ibid.).  Fishing 
boats  were  not  molested  Rona  fide  British  property,  including  cochineal, 
could  be  embarked  on  British  war  vessels  at  Vera  Cruz  (ISBankhead, 
no.  23,  1847).  From  the  end  of  June,  1846,  Conner  permitted  British 
mail  packets  to  land  quicksilver  and  take  bullion.  Engagements  made 
before  the  war  could  be  fulfilled  (SISSaunders  to  Callaghan,  June  23,  1846) 
A  difficult  question  came  up  concerning  the  floating  property  of  neutrals 
residing  in  Mexico  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p  1305)  Mexico  decreed  that  since 
her  ports  of  entry  were  blockaded,  all  her  other  ports  might  give  free 
entrance  to  vessels  forcing  the  blockade  (70"Guerra,"  no  1079),  and 
that  no  tonnage  dues  should  be  charged  during  the  continuance  of  the 
blockade  (76Guerra,  circular,  Oct  10,  1846)  England  had  to  admit 
that  she  was  th?  last  nation  to  protest  against  a  strict  blockade,  but  warned 
us  that  difficulties  might  arise  in  the  enforcement  of  it  (52McLane,  no  50, 
1848) ;  and  she  would  not  have  our  announcement  published  in  the  London 
Gazette  since,  said  Aberdeen,  it  might  check  trade  and  after  all  not  be 
made  good  (52McLane,  no  55)  Spam  insisted  upon  neutral  rights  with 
peculiar  jealousy  The  Spanish  commander  even  claimed  free  access  to 
blockaded  ports  under  arts  14  and  15  of  the  tieaty  of  1795,  but  found 
that  art  16  warranted  the  blockade  Spain's  vessels  were  treated  with 
special  indulgence,  but  she  made  many  complaints  For  Spain  :  72lnstrs 
to  capt.  gen.  of  Cuba,  June  18,  1846;  52lrvmg,  no  2,  1846;  52lstunz  to 
Irving,  Aug  5,  1846 ;  Tlpapcrs  relating  to  complaints ;  Buchanan,  Works, 
vii,  240-1,  290-2;  47Span  commander  to  Conner,  June  24,  1846;  reply, 
June  26 

9.  48Bancroft  to  Conner,  Aug    30,   1845,  secret      Picayune,  Mar    11, 
1847.    Sen    1;    29,  2,  p    377  (Mason,  report)      Ho    1;    30,  2,  p.  1163 
(Conner)      76Parrodi,  May  20,  1846.     76Capt  of  poft,  Tampico,  May  20 
Semmes,  Service,  106      Conner,  Home  Squadron,  9.     Negrete,  Invasi6n, 
iii,  173.     SISConner,  proclarn.,  May  14.     313/d  ,  instructions,  May    14 
SlSSaunders  to  C  ,  June  20;   Oct.  24;   to  Arner.  consul,  May  20.     313C 
to  Saunders,   July  22;     Sept.   30      164Conner,   reports,  spring  of  1846 
Ho.  60;  30,   1,  p.  525  (spec    orders  128)      Nile*,  Oct    10,  1846,  p.  85 
47Conner,  Oct  8.     (Goatzacoalcos)  About  1 40  miles  S  E  from  V.  Cruz. 

It  does  not  seem  worth  while  to  follow  the  movements  of  particular 
vessels.  Sept.  30,  1846,  the  blockade  was  extended  southeast  to  the 
Rver  S.  Pedro  y  S  Pablo  (Difficulties)  47Conner,  Sept.  22,  1846; 
Pkayune,  Mar.  11,  1847;  Griffis,  Perry,  210;  SISSaundors  to  Wash. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  194-197        441 

Union,  Oct.  10,  1846;  313/d.  to  Conner,  Oct  24;  Semmes,  Service,  106; 
162Conner,  Jan.  28,  1847.  (Somen)  Sen.  43;  29,  2;  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  pp. 
945,  950;  374Semmes  to  Conner,  Dec  10,  1846;  ISPakenham,  no.  151, 
1846. 

Just  after  the  blockade  began  at  Vera  Cruz  Gen  Bravo,  commanding 
there,  permitted  several  American  vessels  to  leave  the  port,  and  in  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  liberality  two  Mexican  merchant  vessels  were  sent 
in  to  him  with  their  cargoes,  crews  and  passengers  Courteous  notes 
were  exchanged  (76Gacyores  to  Bravo,  May  27 ;  reply,  May  28 ;  Bravo, 
May  2o).  At  Tampico  Capt  Saunders  and  the  city  authorities  were 
mutually  considerate  (313S  to  Bancroft,  June  6,  1846). 

10  (Designed)  London  Times,  Dec.  10,  1846  Comte.  gen  V.  Cruz, 
July  9,  1846.  Sen  1 ;  30,  1,  945,  950-1  ISPakenham,  no.  98,  1846 
162Conner,  Dec  18,  1846.  Foltz,  Report  Niles,  Oct.  10,  1846,  pp.  84-5. 
47Conner,  July  22,  1846.  Semmes,  Service,  100  Parker,  Recoils  ,  58, 
62,  etc  McClay,  Navy,  11,  177-8  Bennett,  Steam  Navy,  98  Ho.  1 ; 
30,  2,  p.  1233  (Perry). 

N£ll.  TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no.  441,  1847  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes, 
ii,  540.  Henshaw  narrative,  Mar  17,  1847  Smith,  To  Mexico,  117-8. 
Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p.  1233  (Perry)  ISGiffard,  Jan  31,  1847.  Picayune, 
Mar.  11,  1847.  Contributory  tariff :  pp  261-3. 

12.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p  775  (Bancroft)  (Mex  navy)  Balbontm,  Estado, 
19;  Diano,  Apr  4,  5,  1846;  70"Guerra,"  no  1120,  13Giffard,  Dec  20, 
1846.  76Acta  of  naval  offs  ,  Mar.  12,  1846  Memona  de  Guerra, 

Dec.,  1846  76Mora  y  Villamil,  Mar  12,  1846  76C)rders  to  Marin, 
Mar.  9,  1846.  76Marin,  Apr  26,  1847  N  Y  Sun,  June  8,  1846  Niles, 
May  1,  1847,  p  131  (Hunter) 

13  375Perry  to  Mason,  Nov  16,  1846  Conner,  Home  Squadron,  9, 
11,  14.  Parker,  Recoils  ,  67,  71  162Morris  to  Conner,  June  24,  Oct  24, 
1846  Ho  1;  30,  2,  pp  1172  (Conner),  1191-2  (Perry)  46Perry, 
Nov.  16,  1846  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp  252-3  Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,  287, 
293.  166Perry  to  Conner,  Dec  27,  1846  166Reports  on  condition  of 
engines,  boilers,  etc  Bennett,  Steam  Navy,  93  47Conner,  Sept.  22, 
1846  Soley,  Porter,  64  165Conner,  Nov  24,  1846 

14.  162Conner's  letters  to  his  wife  Curtis,  Buchanan,  i,  603  (Slidell). 
Soley,  Porter,  53-4  Semmes,  Service,  114,  128  Conner,  Home  Squad- 
ron, 6,  23  162Bancroft  to  Conner,  Dec.  10,  1845  162Matson  to  Id  , 
Feb.  27,  1847 

15  48Bancroft  to  Conner,  Aug  30,  1845,  secret  Polk,  Diary,  Jan.  17, 
1846.  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp.  774-5  (Bancroft)  69Conner  to  Taylor,  Feb.  4. 
47ld.  to  Bancroft,  May  14  162/d  ,  May  20  SlBancroft  to  Conner, 
Jan  17.  London  Times,  June  29;  Dec.  10  Semmes,  Service,  100. 
76Bravo,  May  4  Tampico  Eco,  June  9,  16  76Parrodi,  June  8,  17. 
76Vilar  to  Parrodi,  June  8.  162Saunders  to  Conner,  June  20  313/d 
to  Id  ,  June  17  313/d.  to  Wash  Union,  Oct.  10.  Niles,  May  23,  1846, 
p.  178  Sen.  1 ;  29,  2,  p  377  (Mason,  report)  Conner,  Home  Squadron, 
9.  Bennett,  Steam  Navy,  34-5,  43,  62-3,  67-8,  71.  Ho  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  1163 
(Conner).  Picayune,  Aug.  26.  For  Conner's  cooperation  with  Taylor 
see  vol.  i,  pp.  466,  469 

The  Princeton  was  the  earliest  naval  steam  propeller.  She  was  rigged 
as  a  slvp.  Saunders  opened  fire,  June  8,  because  he  feared  new  fortifica- 
tions (near  the  mouth  of  the  Pdnueo)  would  make  it  hard  to  capture 
Tampico.  He  did  little  damage.  The  enemy  replied  feebly.  Suspect- 


442        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  197-199 

ing  that  the  Mexican  gunboats  intended  to  sail  out  and  raid  American 
commerce,  he  determined  to  capture  them  by  surprise  in  the  night  of 
June  14-15.  He  had  no  good  pilot.  The  boats  had  much  difficulty  hi 
finding  the  channel,  which  had  recently  shifted,  and  were  even  compelled 
to  row  more  than  half  a  mile  against  a  swift  current  within  pistol  shot 
of  the  shore.  One  of  them  grounded  twice.  The  moon  came  out.  The. 
Americans  were  discovered  and  fired  upon.  They  replied;  and  then,  as 
a  surprise  was  no  longer  possible,  they  retired  according  to  orders.  May  28 
Conner,  on  the  Cumberland,  was  at  Pensacola;  the  St.  Mary's  off  Tam- 
pico;  the  Mississippi  and  Falmouth  off  V.  Cruz;  the  Rantan  there  or 
on  her  way  to  that  port ;  the  Lawrence  (which  seems  to  have  been  a  brig 
but  was  not  mentioned  in  the  department's  list  of  vessels  under  Conner 
on  May  13)  assisting  the  army ;  and  the  Somers  on  the  Yucatan  service 
(Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p.  1163).  Aug.  10  the  Cumberland  (still  the  flag-ship), 
Potomac,  Falmouth,  Mississippi,  Princeton,  Flirt  and  the  three  gunboats 
(Bonita,  Reefer,  Petrel)  lay  at  Ant6n  Lizardo ;  the  St.  Mary's  and  Porpoise 
were  off  V.  Cruz;  the  John  Adams  off  Tampico;  the  brig  Truxtun  had 
gone  to  Chagres,  and  the  brig  Perry  had  gone  to  look  for  privateers  near 
Cape  S.  Antonio  (Picayune,  Aug.  26).  These  data  give  one  an  idea  of  the 
usual  distribution  of  the  vessels. 

16.  The  affair  of  Aug  7.    165Conner  to  Bancroft,  May  31.     47/d.  told., 
Aug  10  Ho.  4;   29,  2,  p.  630 '(Conner).    Picayune,  Aug.  22,  26.    N  Y. 
Sun,  Dec  7.     Sen  1 ;  29, 2,  p.  381.     Semmes,  Service,  88.     Parker,  Recoils., 
66-7.    Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,  287.     TSLandero,  Aug.  10.    76Comte  gen. 
V.  Cruz,  July  15.    Esperanza,  Aug.27.    Locomotor,  Aug.  10.    For  Alvarado, 
vol.  ii,  p.  344.     For  Ant6n  Lizardo,  vol.  li,  p.  17.     The  Americans  felt 
the  more  chagrined  because  British  naval  men  witnessed  their  failure. 

17.  The  Affair  of  Oct  15.     162Morris  to  Conner,  Sept.  21.     47Conner, 
Oct.    17.     162/d.,  Oct.  16.     United  Service,  July,  1895,  p.  33.    Ho.   4; 
29,  2,  pp.  630-1.     Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,  290,  293,  298-306.    Picayune, 
Nov.  8      Sen.  1 ;    29,  2,  p.  381.    Gnffis,  Perry,  199.    Semmes,  Service, 
88.     Conner,  Home  Squadron,   17.     76Marm  to  comte.  gen.,  Oct.   17. 
TSLandero,  Sept.  5,  14;    Oct.  12.    76Soto,  Oct.  18.    76Marin  to  Soto, 
Oct.    15.    Diario,   Oct.   29,    30.     76Guerra,    circular,    Oct.    21.    Wash. 
Unwn,  Nov.  30.     London  Times,  Dec.  10. 

According  to  Conner's  son  (Home  Squadron,  17),  the  secretary  of  the 
navy  on  Sept.  22  instructed  Conner  to  attack  Alvarado,  supposing  he  had 
been  reinforced,  and  it  has  been  said  that  the  attack  should  not  have  been 
made  without  more  strength;  but  the  difficulty  was  that  the  American 
forces  could  not  be  made  available.  It  is  not  easy  to  see  how  Conner  was 
at  fault  unless,  as  perhaps  on  Aug.  7,  he  might  have  landed  in  boats  under 
such  protection  as  his  cannon  could  give,  stormed  the  fort  that  stood  near 
the  beach,  and  then  landed  more  men.  Conner  does  not  seem  to  have 
thought  that  sailors  could  do  much  ashore.  He  had  a  landing-force 
(Conner,  Home  Squadron,  15),  but  whether  at  this  time  and  place  is  not 
clear.  Probably  a  bold,  though  unsuccessful,  attack  would  have  been 
better  than  to  back  out.  He  is  said  to  have  argued,  after  the  failure  of 
Aug.  7,  that  even  success  would  not  have  been  worth  what  it  would  have 
cost  (Picayune,  Aug.  26) ;  but  this  left  moral  effects  out  of  the  account. 
It  was  said  by  a  naval  man  that  he  should  have  added  the  McLane's 
tow  to  his  own  and  gone  ahead ;  but  it  seems  extremely  doubtful  whether 
he  could  have  advanced  against  the  current.  Conner's  report  (Oct.  17) 
says  the  Mississippi  could  not  get  near  enough  to  make  any  impression 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  199-201        443 

on  the  fort,  but  a  Mexican  account  printed  in  La  Esperanza,  Aug.  27, 
stated  that  some  shot  from  our  vessels  struck  more  than  200  yards 
behind  the  fort,  and  one  sees  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  statement  was 
an  invention.  Conner  seems  to  have  thought  of  coming  to  Alvarado 
again,  for  in  Jan.,  1847,  the  Mexicans  reported  that  the  bar  was  being 
sounded  (76Landero,  Jan.  28).  For  the  capture  of  the  place  at  the  be- 
ginning of  April,  1847,  see  vol.  n,  p.  344.  Apr.  2  a  naval  expedition  went 
up  the  river,  returning  on  Apr.  4  (66 J.  L.  Mason  to  J.  L.  Smith,  Apr.  9). 

18.  The  first  Tabasco  expedition.     (Perry)  46Perry,  Aug.  15, 17 ;  165Con- 
ner  to  P.,  Oct.  6;   Conner,  Home  Squadron,  12-3.     162Conner,  Oct.  30. 
Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  pp.  1165-70  (Perry's  report,  etc.)      Ho.  4;  29,  2,  pp.  632-9. 
Diario,  Nov.  7,  1846  (Traconis'  reports,  etc  )      47Perry  to  Mason,  Nov.  16. 
Taylor,  Broad  Pennant,  316.    76Gov.  of  Chiapas,  Oct.  27     60Champlen 
to  Polk,  Dec.  4.    Semmes,  Service,  89.     Conner,  Home  Squadron,  9. 
Information  given  to  the  author  by  a  Mexican  civil  engineer  residing  in 
Tabasco.     Apuntes,    389-90.     TSBermudez    de    Castro,    no.    445,    1847. 
Aldrich,  Marine  Corps,  97     Ho.  4;   29,  2,  p.  639     Sen.  1 ;  29,  2,  p.  381. 
Parker,   Recoils.,    73-4.     76Traconis,    Nov.    16.     Temistocles,    Dec.    31. 
76Santalo's  testimony,   Nov    2.     76Comte.  gen   Tab  ,  Apr.  6.     Sen.   1 ; 
30,  1,  p.  950.     166List  of  vessels  captured      166Perry  to  Conner,  Nov.  11. 
166Merchants  to  Perry,  Oct  26.     76Traconis,  proclam  ,  Aug  12.     ISGif- 
fard,  Jan.  31,  1847.     Meade,  Letters,  i,  169. 

As  Perry  was  assigned  to  the  Mississippi  on  Oct  6,  and  commanded 
this  important  expedition  so  soon  afterward,  it  has  been  supposed  in- 
correctly that  virtually,  if  not  formally,  the  squadron  was  divided  The 
hop3  of  the  United  States  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  had  been  that  Ta- 
basco would  be  neutral.  The  orders  were  not  to  disturb  it  in  that  case 
(49Bancroft  to  Conner,  May  19).  Perry's  expedition  was  followed  in 
Nov.  by  a  revolution  in  Tabasco  based  ostensibly  on  the  failure  of  the 
Mexican  government  to  protect  the  state;  but  really  the  outbreak  was 
due  to  local  rivalries,  and  probably  it  caused  the  national  government 
no  material  annoyance  (76Alcorta,  Jan  4,  1848;  Mexico  d  travels,  iv, 
599;  ISBankhead,  no  186,  1846;  76Acta  of  garrison,  Nov.  19,  1846; 
Wash.  Union,  Jan.  18,  1847).  Frontera  was  a  valuable  point,  for  the 
Americans  could  obtain  water  and  cattle  there  and  hinder  illicit  commerce. 
The  Tabasco  River  is  now  called  usually  the  Grijalva 

19.  For  the  Tampico  and  Panuco  expeditions,  vol.  i,  pp.  279,  281. 
16aMason  to  Conner,  Nov.  29,  1846,  priv    and  confid.     Ho    1 ;  •  30,  2, 
pp.  1175  (Conner),  1176  (Perry).    Semmes,  Service,  90     Bennett,  Steam 
Navy,  93.     47Conner,  Dec.  17.    166Perry  to  C.,  Dec.  27;  to  Benham, 
Dec.  23;   to  Sands  and  Parker,  Dec.  21.     166Benham  to  Perry,  Dec.  22. 
166Parker  to  Perry,  Dec.  22.     166Conner  to  Hunt,  Feb.  8, 1847.     166Sands 
to  Conner,  Feb.  20.     ISGiffard,  Jan.  31,  1847.    The  expedition  set  out  on 
Dec.  17. 

Many  of  the  people  of  Tabasco  supposed,  when  Perry  arrived  off 
Frontera  in  Dec.,  that  he  was  going  to  S.  Juan  Bautista  to  avenge  his 
"defeat1';  and  as  he  did  not,  they  presumably  felt  more  haughty  than 
ever  (Temistocles,  Dec.  31), 

20.  Niles,  Oct.  31,  1846,  p.  132.    Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p.  775.     (Bancroft) 
Mason  to  Conner,  Oct.  26.    Soley,  Porter,  59.    Farragut,  Farragut,  158, 
197.     United  Service,  Feb.,   1897  (Conner).     Mexico  &  travel,  iv,  419. 
Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  422.    N.  Y.  Eve.  Post,  June  10.    165Conner  to  Ban- 
croft,  June  11  (impregnable  if  properly  equipped  and  manned).    Me- 


444        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  201-203 

moria  de  .  .  .  Guerra,  Dec.,  1846.  Wash.  Union,  June  17.  Diccionario 
Universal  (Ulua)  Journal  des  Debats,  Aug.  11,  1838.  162Morris  to 
Conner,  June  10,  24 ;  Oct.  24,  1846.  See  chap,  xvni,  p.  349,  and  note  2. 
Oct.  3,  1846,  the  garrison  were  in  a  state  of  mutiny  because  hungry 
(TSMorales,  Oct.  4;  S.  Anna,  Oct.  14),  but  the  Americans  did  not  know 
this.  Conner  suggested  that  he  be  given  a  landing  brigade,  so  that  he 
could  make  a  combined  land  and  water  attack  (Conner,  S.  Juan  de  Ulloa, 
15).  During  the  siege  of  Vera  Cruz  Perry  planned  to  bombard  the  fortress 
and  attack  it  with  boats  on  a  dark  night  in  conjunction  with  the  land 
forces  (Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p.  1191).  Many  original  documents  bearing  on  the 
construction  of  Ulua  could  be  cited,  but  they  would  have  only  an  anti- 
quarian interest.  David  D.  Porter  and  David  G  Farragut  are  the  men 
referred  to.  The  eagerness  of  certain  young  officers  led  to  some  enter- 
prises that  were  not  altogether  felicitous.  Contrary  to  orders  Lieut. 
Parker  burned  the  Creole  (Criolla),  the  last  scrap  of  Mexican  commerce, 
under  the  guns  of  Uliia  at  night :  but  this  injured  Hargous,  the  American 
merchant,  who  owned  or  had  chartered  her  (374Semmes  to  Conner,  Nov 
28;  Dec.  6,  1846;  374Parker  to  Semmes,  Nov.  27)  It  has  been  said 
that  this  ended  a  secret  correspondence  by  which  Conner  obtained  valuable 
information  (Conner,  Home  Squadron,  7),  but  circumstances  had  prob- 
ably put  a  stop  to  that  about  six  weeks  before  (166Pommares  to  Conner, 
Oct.  17)  A  plan  was  laid  to  blow  up  a  Mexican  powder  magazine  near 
V.  Cruz,  but  this  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Passed  Midshipman  R.  C 
Rogers  and  another  man  (162Semmes  to  Perry,  Dec  6,  1846 ;  162 Wright 
to  Semmes,  Dec  6;  Semmes,  Service,  91)  For  the  capture  of  Vera  Cruz 
and  Ulua  see  chap  xxii 

21.  162Conner,  Sept  30,  1846  374Perry  to  C  ,  Nov  24  162Morris 
to  C ,  Oct  24  Picayune,  Jan  6,  1847.  Curtis,  Buchanan,  i,  603-4 
Griffis,  Perry,  210-1,  221.  lOSAppleton  to  Bancroft,  Feb.  24;  Apr.  27, 
1847.  Parker,  Recoils,  92.  Sen  1;  30,  1,  945  (Mason,  report) 
mSemmes  to  Conner,  Sept.  29,  1850.  165Conner  to  Perry,  Mar.  20, 
1847.  256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Apr.  6,  1847  Conner's  reputation  in 
the  navy  at  the  present  day  is  that  of  a  coward  —  one  of  the  numberless 
instances  of  historical  injustice. 

22  Capture  of  Tuxpdn.  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp  1192-8,  1202  (Perry  and 
others).  Semmes,  Service,  150-5  76Cos,  Jan  18;  Apr  4,  16,  29. 
Picayune,  Jan  2  Griffis,  Perry,  241.  76Soto,  Aug.  31,  1846.  76Cos 
to  ayunt ,  Apr  24.  Parker,  Recoils.,  78,  106-7.  76Proceeds  of  Tuxpan 
ayunt.,  Apr.  22  Captain  of  the  port,  Apr.  26.  American  Star  (Jalapa), 
May  2.  Wash  Union,  May  13,  17;  June  4;  Sept  11.  Soley,  Porter, 
72.  Eagle  (V.  Cruz),  Apr.  28.  Jones,  Tattnall,  64-5 

Perry's  force,  consisting  of  the  steamers  Mississippi,  Spitfire  (a  vessel 
—  similar  to  the  Vixen  —  which  had  joined  the  squadron  in  November), 
Vixen  and  Scourge,  the  schooner-gunboats  Reefer,  Petrel  and  Bonita,  the 
frigate  Raritan  (carrying  180  officers  and  men  from  the  Potomac  besides 
her  own  complement),  the  sloops  Albany,  John  Adams,  Decatur  and 
Oermantown,  the  bomb-vessels  Vesuvius,  &tna  and  Hecla,  and  300  officers 
and  men  from  the  ship-of-the-line  Ohio,  which  stopped  at  Vera  Cruz,  on 
her  way  to  the  Pacific,  to  assist  Scott,  who  were  distributed  on  the  Missis- 
sippi and  smaller  vessels,  gathered  first  at  Lobos  Ids.,  where  the  forces 
were  drilled  about  a  day  for  the  attack.  Next,  after  having  been  separated 
by  a  norther,  they  met  off  the  bar.  The  Mexicans  were  driven  a  short 
distance  from  the  town,  but  further  pursuit  into  the  chaparral  would 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  203-205         445 

have  been  vain.  An  expedition  went  some  distance  up  the  river  from 
Tuxpdn  (Semmes,  Service,  154)  The  city  government  had  not  wished 
Cos  to  defend  the  town,  and  hence  he  withdrew  all  his  troops  from  town 
before  the  attack.  Most  of  his  troops  soon  scattered.  The  city  would 
not  help  support  them,  but  furnished  the  Americans  with  supplies  cheer- 
fully. At  Perry's  request  steps  were  taken  to  maintain  order.  He  now 
left  the  Albany  and  Reefer  off  the  river,  and  sent  the  Hecla  to  blockade 
Soto  la  Marina,  the  Germantown  to  search  the  coast  north  of  Lobos  Ids., 
the  jEtna  to  occupy  Tabasco  River,  the  Porpoise  and  the  Vesuvius  to 
hold  Laguna  Besides  the  flotilla  mentioned  above  he  probably  had 
under  his  command  at  this  time  the  gunboats  Falcon  and  Tampico  (vol  ii, 
p.  338;  Ho  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  1182).  For  the  loss  of  the  Truxtun  m  Aug  ,  1846, 
which  led  to  a  great  deal  of  discussion  regarding  the  conduct  of  Carpender, 
her  captain,  see  162Conner,  Aug.  24 ;  47/d  ,  Aug  24 ;  47Carpender  to 
Conner,  Aug.  24;  Mason  to  Polk,  Oct  28,  1846;  Semmes,  Service,  82; 
N.  Orl.  Commerc  Bulletin,  Sept  8 ;  Parker,  Recoils  ,  78 ,  Docs  in  Conner 
papers;  comte  gen  V  Cruz,  Aug  23  and  docs  ;  Taylor,  Broad  Pen- 
nant, 260 ;  Wash.  Union,  Sept  12,  22 ;  Nat  Intelligencer,  Sept  14. 

23.  (Small  ports)  Ho  1 ;  30,  2,  pp  1204-8,  1223,  1228-9 ;  TSBuchanan 
to  authorities  of  Tapantla,  May  10,  1847.     The  main  purposes  of  taking 
the  small  ports  were  to  gather  fresh  provisions,  exclude  contraband  trade, 
and  obtain  funds  under  the  contributory  tariff  (chap,  xxxm)      The  usual 
terms  required  a  renunciation  of  Mexican  allegiance  during  the  war, 
obedience  to  American  orders,  and  the  payment  of  all  revenues  to  the 
United  States 

An  indefinite  number  of  citations  bearing  upon  the  situation  in  Yucatan 
could  be  given,  but  the  following  are  deemed  sufficient.  Bankhead,  no  11, 
1846.  Journal  des  Debats,  Sept.  13,  1842.  Constitutional,  Nov.  2-3, 
1846  Polk,  Diary,  Aug  29,  1845;  Feb  27,  1847.  Sen  43;  30,  1. 
49Bancroft  to  Conner,  May  19,  1846  49Mason  to  Id  ,  Oct  16,  1846; 
Feb.  25,  1847 ;  to  Perry,  Mar.  17,  1847  Semmes,  Service,  84  335Tms- 
ley  to  Tnst,  Aug  6,  1846  335Robira  to  Id  ,June  7,  1847  Sen  40, 
42,  43,  45,  49 ;  30,  1.  Gaccta  de  Ciudad  Victoria,  Jan  27,  1846  Picayune, 
Oct.  8,  1846 ;  Jan  12,  1847.  Mexico  a*  traves,  iv,  599  Sen  1 ;  29,  2, 
p.  382.  Suarez  y  Navarro,  Causas,  6-9  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  581-3. 
Momoria  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Dec  ,  1846  76Barbachano,  procl ,  July  2, 

1846.  Temlstodcs,  Dec    27,1846      13Pakenham,  no.  33,  1847.    Ho.  60; 
30,  1,  pp.  256-7  (Walker),     Wash.  Union,  Jan    18,  1847      366Declar  of 
Me>ida      166Perry   to   Conner,    Dec    27,    1846      166Conner  to   Sands, 

Feb.  8,  1847      166McFaul  to  ,  Nov.  12,  1847.     Buchanan,  Works, 

vii,  222.     Ho.  1;    30,  2,  pp.  1175-6  (Conner),  1204  (Perry)      165Gen. 
orders,  Dec.  15,  1846      (May  cruise)  47Perry,  Dec.  27,  1846;    Sept.  21, 

1847.  47Conner,  Dec    29      May  15  Laguna  port  was  opened  to  com- 
merce;  May  18  Frontera. 

24.  Second   Tabasco  expedition.     Ho.    1;    30,   2,   pp    1207-23,   28-32 
(Perry  and  officers).     47Perry,  June  25.     47Correspondence  of  Perry  and 
Bigelow,   July   18-23      Bennett,   Steam   Navy,   97.     Negrete,   Invasion, 
iii,  153-6.     Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  526-8.     76Correspondence  of  Bigelow 
and  Echagaray,  July  1,  2 ;  letters  of  E  ,  May  31 ;  June  9,  18,  23 ;  July  5. 
Mexico  d  trav6s,  iv,  703.     (Later)  Ho.  1 ;    30,  2,  pp.  1233-6  (Perry) ; 
47Perry,  Aug.  16.  ,  „ 

On  the  way  to  S.  J.  Bautista  Perry  had  six  men  wounded.  Many  tell 
from  exhaustion.  June  30  on  an  expedition  to  Tamult6,  about  three  miles 


446        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  205-206 

out,  three  were  killed  and  eight  wounded.  The  Mexican  leadera  were 
Bvt.  Gen.  Domingo  Echagaray  and  three  Maldonado  brothers. 

Aug.  16,  1847,  the  squadron  was  disposed  as  follows:  (Raritan  and 
Albany  had  gone  home) ;  Mississippi,  Pensacola ;  sloop  Germantown, 
Ant6n  Lizardo,  preparing  to  distribute  supplies  J  sloop  Decatur,  blockading 
Tuxpan;  sloop  Saratoga,  V.  Cruz,  maintaining  connection  with  the  army 
and  watching  the  police ;  sloop  John  Adams,  expected  from  Tuxpdn  prob- 
ably to  j  oin  bomb- vessel  Stromboh  in  Goatzacoalcos  River ;  gunboats  Reefer 
and  Petrel  at  Tampico;  gunboat  Falcon  at  Alvarado;  steamer  Scourge, 
bomb-vessel  &tna,  gunboat  Bonila  at  Frontera;  bomb- vessel  Vesuvius, 
gunboat  Mahonese  at  Laguna;  steamers  Vixen  and  Scorpion  in  reserve; 
steamers  Spitfire  and  Petnta  laid  up  with  injured  engines;  bomb-vessel 
Hecla  ashore  on  Alvarado  bar.  Aug.  18,  1847,  Perry  ordered  that  all 
merchant  vessels  should  be  visited  on  their  arrival  in  port  to  detect  irregu- 
larities (Ho  60;  30,  1,  p  788). 

25.  For  the  share  of  the  navy  in  the  conquest  of  California  see  chap, 
xvii.  (Impossible)  13P.  J.  Blake  of  Juno,  Apr.  10,  1848;  53Pakenham 
to  Buchanan,  Dec.  14,  1846;  13ld  ,  no.  57,  1846.  (Proclam.  and  orders) 
Ho.  4;  29,  2,  pp.  670,  673-4.  Du  Pont,  Official  Despatches,  9.  (Can- 
celled, etc.)  53Pakenham  to  Buchanan,  Dec  14;  12Walker  to  Seymour, 
Mar.  26,  1847 ;  132Howland  &  Aspinwall  to  Buchanan,  Sept.  22,  1847 ; 
ISPakenham,  no.  139,  1846 ;  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  1303  (Mason) ;  48Mason 
to  Biddle,  Mar.  30,  1847;  480rders,  Dec.  24,  1846;  247Biddle  to 
Larkin,  Mar.  6,  1847.  47Stockton  to  Du  Pont  and  to  Hull,  Aug.  20, 
1846.  47/d  ,  reports,  Aug.  22;  Nov.  23.  47Hull  to  Stockton,  Sept.  12. 

47Du  Pont  to  Stockton,  Oct    12.     76Peinbert  to  ,  res,  undated. 

Calif  Star,  i,  no  9.  (Guaymas)  Du  Pont,  Official  Despatches,  13 ;  47Cor- 
respondence  of  Du  Pont,  Spanish  vice  consul,  and  Campusano ;  Sonorense, 
Oct.  9;  TGcomte.  gen.  of  Smaloa,  Nov.  11;  76gov.  Sonora,  Oct  16; 
76Campusano,  Oct.  5;  Cyane,  journal;  U.  S.  Naval  Instit.  Proceeds., 
1888,  p.  539  (Rowan).  (Mazatlan)  lllCyane,  journal  and  abstract  of 
journal;  47DuPont  to  Stockton,  Dec.  1;  Id.,  Official  Despatches,  19; 
12Walker  to  Seymour,  Mar.  26,  1847 ;  76T£llez  to  Bustamante,  Feb.  17, 
1847;  ISA.  Forbes,  Apr.  17,  1847;  ISBankhead,  no.  9,  1847.  Sen.  1; 
29,  2,  pp.  378-80.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  948.  Balbontfn,  Estado,  19.  Me- 
moria  de  .  .  .  Guerra,  Dec  ,  1846.  (Spring)  120Shubrick  to  Biddle, 
May  4,  1847;  120hst  of  captures.  Wise,  Gringos  (N  Y.,  1849),  82-100. 
TGLetter  from  Mazatlan,  May  5;  247Biddle  to  Larkin,  Mar.  6,  1847. 
47Shubrick,  May  31;  June  1;  Aug.  11,  1847.  (Monopoly)  12Seymour, 
Dec.  26,  1846,  no.  70.  (After  May)  6lR.  B.  Mason  to  adj.  gen.,  Feb  1, 
1848;  47Shubrick,  May  31,  1847.  Journ  Miht  Serv  Instil ,  xxxii,  249. 

Stockton  intended  to  cruise  for  the  protection  of  our  whalers,  etc.,  and 
also  to  invade  Mexico  by  way  of  Acapulco  (vol.  i,  p.  338) ;  but  affairs  in 
California  prevented.  The  Malek  Adel  was  bravely  cut  out  at  Mazatlan, 
Sept.  7,  1846,  under  the  Mexican  guns.  Guaymas  was  cannonaded  be- 
cause the  Mexicans  refused  to  give  up  two  gunboats,  preferring  to  burn 
them.  As  there  were  two  harbors  at  Mazatlan,  a  single  vessel  could  not 
blockade  the  port  satisfactorily.  In  the  spring  of  1847  Shubrick  was 
ordered  to  blockade  both  Mazatlan  and  Guaymas,  but  for  this  reason  he 
kept  both  the  Independence  and  the  Cyane  at  Mazatlan.  In  Feb.  and 
March,  1847,  there  might  have  been  serious  trouble  between  the  British 
commander,  Sir  Baldwin  Walker,  and  Captain  Montgomery  of  the  Ports- 
mouth owing  to  conflicting  orders  and  interests ;  but  the  former,  having 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  206-207         447 

far  the  stronger  force,  knew  he  could  afford  to  be  considerate,  and  the 
latter  treated  British  commerce  so  well  that  our  government  was  thanked 
by  England  (13to  Crampton,  June  30,  1847;  Sherman,  Sloat,  xxiv; 
and  note  part  cularly  Journ.  Miht  Serv  Institute,  xxxu,  249-53). 
Shubnck  was  at  Mazatlan  in  May,  1847,  but  left  at  the  beginning  of 
June.  The  Cyane  remained  a  little  longer  She  and  the  Portsmouth 
anchored  there,  at  the  end  of  June,  but  both  sailed  away  within  two  days. 
Biddle  was  ordered  Jan.  6,  1846,  to  take  command  of  the  squadron,  but 
did  not  receive  the  orders  until  Dec.  31  (at  Lima).  Mar.  2  he  took  com- 
mand. His  vessels  then  were  the  Columbus  (74  guns)  on  which  he  arrived, 
Independence  (razee,  54),  frigates  Congress  (44)  and  Savannah  (44),  sloops 
Portsmouth  (20),  Levant  (20),  Cyane  (20),  Warren  (20),  Dale  (16)  and 
Preble  (16),  storeships  Erie  (8),  Lexington  (8)  and  Southampton  (6),  and 
the  captured  Malek  Adel  (Sen  1;  30,  1,  p.  948;  48Bancroft  to  Shubnck, 
Aug  21,  1846)  The  Savannah  and  Levant  went  home ;  and  the  Warren, 
on  account  of  its  condition,  was  assigned  to  guard  duty  (120Shubrick  to 
Stockton,  Mar.  1,  1847)  The  Ohio  reached  the  squadron  in  the  early 
part  of  1848.  Besides  blockading,  cruising  for  prizes,  looking  after  the 
American  whalers,  and  watching  for  possible  privateers,  long  voyages 
were  necessary  to  obtain  provisions  and  instructions  The  latter  were 
usually  very  tardy  and  the  commanders  had  to  follow  their  own  judgment 
in  the  main.  Monterey,  Calif  ,  was  in  general  the  base  of  operations 

26.  (Succeeded)  49Bancroft  to  Shubnck,  Aug   21,  1846;    120Shubrick 
to  Biddle,  Mar.  5;   July  20,  1847;   47Shubrick,  July  21.     (Notice)  47/d., 
Aug    11.     Ho.  1;   30,  2,  pp.  1072-5  (Shubnck).     76Te"llez,  Nov   4,  1847. 
(Guaymas)  Ho.  1 ;   30,  2,  pp   1075-83  (Lavallette  et  al ),  1110  (Shubnck) ; 
Correo  Nacional,  Nov.  30;    ISWooldridge,  Nov.  18.     (Mazatlan)  Wise, 
Gringos  (N.  Y.,   1849),  95;    Lummis,   Mex.  of  To-day,   150;    Mofras, 
Explor  ,  i,  173 ;  Gaxiola,  Invasi6n,  162. 

Guaymas,  a  place  of  considerable  importance,  was  summoned  Oct.  19. 
The  Mexican  troops  and  people  decamped,  and  the  cannon  were  removed. 
Hence  the  cannonade  did  little  harm.  A  civil  official  reported  the  evacua- 
tion to  Lavallette  of  the  Congress,  who  was  there  with  the  Portsmouth 
(Montgomery).  As  Campusano,  who  was  believed  to  have  600-800 
troops  and  6-8  guns,  remained  in  the  vicinity  and  cut  off  water  and  pro- 
visions, the  town  was  abandoned  by  its  foreign  residents  also.  American 
marines  landed,  but  soon  reembarked.  Nov.  17  a  landing  party  was 
ambushed  in  the  town,  and  the  Dale,  then  occupying  the  harbor,  took 
part  in  the  firing  One  American  was  wounded.  The  harbor  of  Mazatlan 
was  open  to  the  worst  winds. 

27.  The  references  to  Tellez  in  76  are  almost  innumerable.     It  seems 
enough  to  cite  here:    M.  Guti6rrez,  May  19,  1846;    To  J.  I   Gutierrez, 
May  13,  17;   To  T&lez,  Aug.  18;   J.  I.  Gutierrez,  May  9;   also  Gaxiola, 
Invasi6n,  passim;    Apuntes,  371-3;    ISBankhead,  no.  74,  1846;    Wise, 
Gringos  (N.  Y.,  1849),  99.     See  also  chap,  xvi,  note  5.     Te"llez,  who  was 
a  generous,  careless  person,  arrived  at  Mazatlan  at  the  head  of  an  expedi- 
tion bound  for  Upper  California.     During  the  year  before  the  war  the 
receipts  from  the  customhouse  were  about  $3,000,000.     He  pronounced 
May  7,  1846,  in  favor  of  federalism  as  an  excuse  for  insubordination. 
In  Jan.,   1847,  fearing  the  government  might  overpower  him,  he  pro- 
nounced for   Santa   Anna   as   dictator.     He   pretended   to   be   a   loyal 
Mexican,   and    the    government  wavered    between    recognizing   him  as 
comandante  general  of  Sinaloa  and  trying  to  crush  him.    Finally  it  de- 


448       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  207-208 

cided  on  the  latter  course.  Cut  off  from  his  financial  resources  by  the 
Americans,  he  could  not  support  his  forces,  and  toward  the  end  of  Jan., 
1848,  he  gave  up.  J.  P.  Anaya  was  then  comte.  gen.  (Capture  of  Mazat- 
lan, etc.)  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  1089-92,  1104,  1110,  1117;  Wise,  Gringos 
(N.  Y.,  1849),  144-5;  Apuntes,  374-5;  76T611cz,  Nov.  10,  14,  15;  SlShu- 
brick  to  R.  B.  Mason,  Dec.  6;  ISWooldridge,  Nov.  18;  Gaxiola,  In- 
vasi6n,  163-6.  The  Erie  had  arrived  at  M.  on  Nov.  1. 

(Nov.  20)  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  1105-8;  Wise,  op.  ciL,  150-7;  76T611ez, 
Nov.  20;  U.  S.  Naval  Instit.  Proceeds  ,  1888  (Rowan,  p.  555) ;  Apuntes, 
376 ;  76Horn,  Nov.  15,  21 ;  Gaxioia,  Invasi6n,  186.  A  land  party  of 
94  and  a  boat  party  of  62  set  out  from  Mazatlan  at  about  1  A  M.  The 
Mexicans,  who  were  commanded  by  Lieut  Carlos  Horn,  a  Swiss,  ought 
to  have  been  routed,  but  they  had  received  notice  of  the  expedition  and 
were  on  the  alert  The  American  land  party  fell  partially  into  an  ambus- 
cade, and  the  boat  party  were  misled  After  some  desultory  fighting  both 
sides  retired  The  Americans  lost  1  killed  and  21  wounded  The  Mexican 
loss  was  probably  somewhat  larger 

Dec  13  Americans  routed  a  Mexican  advanced  party  about  twenty 
miles  from  the  city,  inflicting  some  loss  and  suffering  none  (Ho  60 ;  30, 
1,  p  1083-4;  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p  1121)  The  Mexican  blockade  was  evaded 
easily  by  bribery 

(Fortifications)  Ho  1;  30,  2,  p.  1120  (Halleck),  1131  (Shubrick) ; 
76J  P.  Anaya,  Mar  11,  1848.  (Safe)  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1083  (Shubrick). 

(S  Bias)  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1084  (Shubrick);  comtc  gen.  of  Jalisco, 
Jan.  11;  Feb.  22,  1848;  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp  1127  (Bailey),  1128  (Chatard). 
S.  Bias  was  blockaded  under  a  fresh  notice  issued  Jan  1,  in  consequence 
of  the  delay.  (Manzanilio)  Ho  1;  30,  2,  p.  1129  (Shubrick),  prmc. 
comte,  Colima,  Jan  18;  comte  gen.  Jalisco,  Feb  1,  29  Altata  was 
blockaded  Feb  13  by  a  hired  schooner,  the  Triton  (76comte  gen  Sinaloa, 
Feb.  21)  (Expeditions)  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  1133-7,  1158-61;  comte. 
gen  Jalisco,  Feb  1.  Jan  31  Shubrick  reported  that  not  one  Mexican 
cannon  was  mounted  on  the  coast  except  at  Acapulco  (Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p. 
1129)  Early  in  Nov  ,  1847,  T  A  C  Jones  set  out  from  the  east  to  meet 
the  Ohio  at  Valparaiso  and  succeed  Shubrick 

28.  The  fort  at  Acapulco  was  now  in  a  ruinous  condition  The  cannon 
were  removed  and  (it  was  reported)  sold  by  Juan  Alvarez,  Shubrick 
(47 Aug.  11,  1847)  said  it  was  worse  than  useless  to  blockade  Mazatlan 
without  blockading  S  Bias,  because  vessels  unable  to  enter  at  M  would 
then  enter  at  S.  B  and  pay  duties  to  the  Mexicans.  He  forcibly  urged 
upon  Scott  and  Col  Mason,  commanding  in  California,  the  importance 
of  providing  troops  (Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1035;  6lDec.  6,  1847),  and  Mason 
sent  as  far  as  Oregon  for  volunteers  (Sherman,  Memoirs,  i,  38) ;  but  every 
effort  to  find  men  was  in  vain  (SlMason,  May  19,  1848)  All  that  Mason 
could  spare  went  to  Lower  California.  With  the  men  who  were  ashore 
Shubrick  said  he  could  have  sealed  up  the  west  coast  (Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p. 
1084). 

Mason  to  Stockton,  Jan.  11,  1847.  S.  Jos6  was  occupied  Mar.  30; 
S.  Lucas  Apr.  3 ;  La  Paz  Apr.  13.  In  August  two  companies  of  N.  Y. 
volunteers  under  Lt.  Col.  Burton  arrived  on  the  ground.  The  passing 
of  men  and  munitions  from  the  mainland  to  the  Peninsula  was  promptly 
cut  off  by  our  navy.  The  towns  of  Mulej6  (opposite  Guaymas)  and 
Comandu,  several  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  La  Paz,  were  the  centres 
of  the  opposition  Citizens  of  the  former  under  Vicente  Mejfa  and  of  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXX,  PAGES  208-209         449 

latter  under  J.  M.  Moreno,  all  commanded  by  Manuel  Pineda,  marched 
south  with  no  little  devotion.  Pineda  moved  against  La  Paz  (held  by 
Burton) ;  the  other  two  leaders  against  8  Jose  (held  by  Lieut.  Heywood 
of  the  navy)  The  latter  were  repulsed  without  much  difficulty,  but  only 
the  arrival  of  the  Cyane,  Dec.  8,  ended  a  series  of  small  skirmishes  at  La 
Paz.  In  Jan  S  Jose  had  to  undergo  a  more  serious  attack.  By  the 
twelfth  our  garrison  (27  marines,  15  seamen,  some  20  volunteers)  found 
itself,  after  a  desultory  siege  of  about  three  weeks,  in  a  critical  situation; 
but  on  the  fourteenth  Du  Pont  arrived  in  the  Cyane,  and  this  ensured  the 
defeat  of  the  Mexicans  on  the  following  day  March  22  about  150  Amer- 
ican troops,  who  had  left  Monterey  Mar  5,  arrived  at  La  Paz.  Burton, 
having  now  about  270  men,  assumed  the  offensive,  and  the  skirmish  of 
Mar.  30  at  Todos  Santos  (without  loss  on  the  American  side)  ended  the 
hostilities.  The  American  casulties  in  all  the  skirmishing  were  insignificant 
For  the  principal  documents  see  Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  pp  103-12,  1055-64,  1086-8, 
1095-1102,  1110-2,  1117-8,  1122-7,  1129-31,  1137-55;  Ho  17;  31,  1; 
Sen.  18;  31,  1,  pp  293,  299,  488-504;  Du  Pont,  Official  Despatches,  23, 
31,  35;  TSPineda  to  comte.  gen  Sonora,  Oct  3,  1847;  47Shubnck, 
Dec.  4,  21;  76Pnnc  cornte.  of  Muleje  to  V  Mejfa,  Oct.  3;  76Pmeda 
and  Mejia,  Oct  3 ;  76Rclacioncs  to  Guerra,  Feb  26,  1848  U  S  Naval 
Instit  Proceeds  ,  xiv,  pp  304-25 

29.  ISBankhead,  no  168,  1846  London  Times,  Jan.  30,  1847  73Ber- 
mudez  de  Castro,  nos  441,  445,  1847  163Semmes  to  Conner,  Sept.  29, 
1850.  Conner,  Home  Squadron,  3-4,  21  Bennett,  Momtor,  40-1. 
162Matson  to  Conner,  Mar.  28,  1847  162Mason  to  Id  ,  Nov.  29,  1846, 
pnv  and  confid  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  570-2.  ISGiffard  to  Bank- 
head,  May  27,  1846  166Shubnck  to  Conner,  Aug  19,  1845,  priv  Bu- 
chanan, Works,  vn,  240-1,  290-2  47Conner,  June  30,  1846 

Spain  complained  of  us,  but  unjustly  Some  thought  inefficiency  was 
shown  by  the  number  of  American  vessels  lost  (besides  the  Somers  and  the 
Truxtun,  the  Boston,  the  Hecla  and  the  Neptune  were  wrecked,  the  Perry 
and  the  Cumberland  were  damaged,  and  some  minor  losses  were  suffered), 
but  considering  the  character  of  the  coast  this  opinion  seems  unfair.  An 
important  feature  of  the  war  was  the  demonstration  of  the  superiority  of 
steam  vessels 

30  76Lavallette,  pioclam.,  Oct  26,  1847  Apuntes,  375-9  Conner, 
Home  Squadron,  14  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  139-46 ;  app  ,  399  Ho  1  ; 
30,  2,  pp.  1092  (articles),  1109,  1129-33  (Shubrick)  47Letter  to  Shubnck, 
Dec  23,  1847  47Lavallette,  orders,  5,  6,  1847 ;  3,  5,  1848.  Semmes, 
Service,  85-7  Gaxiola,  Invasi6n,  166-81,  217,  223  Duties  to  the 
amount  of  $150,000  were  collected  Conner  reported,  June  30,  1846, 
that  the  blockade  had  deprived  Mexico  of  $500,000  in  duties.  This 
paragraph  belongs  logically  in  chap  xxxi,  but  is  placed  here  to  complete 
the  subject. 

xxxi.   THE  AMP;RICANS  AS  CONQUERORS 

I.  For  the  conduct  of  naval  men  see  pp  208-9  and  note  30  of  that 
ihupter. 

2  The  American  policy.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  155-8,  165-6,  284.  Mata- 
noros  Flag,  July  14,  1846.  60Marcy  to  McElroy,  May  19,  1846.  Polk, 
Diary,  May  19-20.  Our  proclamations  had  some  effect  upon  the  people, 
nit  probably  not  much.  They  were  accustomed  to  meaningless  promises. 

VOL.  II  —  2  G 


450      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  210-212 

3.  Gen.  Patterson  once  asserted  that  volunteers  were  no  worse  than 
regulars,  but  the  evidence  of  other  officers  and  of  the  Mexicans  was  over- 
whelmingly against  him.    Regulars  committed  offences,  but  these  appear  to 
have  been  commonly  pilfering,  and  to  have  been  chargeable  mostly  to 
fresh  recruits.    It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  volunteers  often  bore 
the  blame  for  acts  done  by  soldiers  dishonorably  discharged,  deserters, 
teamsters  and  other  civilian  employees  and  by  the  many  "black  kgs" 
and  "human  vultures"  who  followed  the  army.     The  great  difficulty  was 
to  identify  the  culprits.     Mexicans  were  often  afraid  to  testify  against 
our  soldiers. 

4.  After  Matamoros  was  captured,  crowds  of  women  and  girls  continued 
to  bathe  naked  in  the  river.     The  Fame  thing  occurred  elsewhere. 

5.  A  Mexican  wrote  to  Gen.  Mejia  that  Taylor  expressly  refused  to 
acc3pt  any  responsibility  for  such  men,  and  that  he  said  the  people  might 
kill  them. 

6  The  Matamoros  district.  SlAyuntamiento  archives  Davis,  Auto- 
biog.,  102.  Meade,  Letters,  i,  86,  91,  105,  108-9,  147.  218Hershaw 
narrative.  Tilden,  Notes,  21  Robertson,  Remins.,  71.  Scott  (256  to 
Marcy,  Jan.  16,  1847,  private)  gave  an  appalling  account  of  the  outrages 
and  added,  "As  far  as  I  can  learn,  not  one  of  the  felons  has  been  punished." 
29lCushmg  to  Pierce,  May  4,  1847.  Smith,  Chile  con  Came,  292-4 
Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  22.  Buhoup,  Narrative,  50.  Oswandel, 
Notes,  37,  49,  193  V  Cruz  American  Eagle,  Apr  10,  1847.  ISGiffard  to 
Pakenham,  May  28;  to  Bankhead,  May  20;  June  9.  ISBankhead,  no. 
118,  1846  French,  Two  Wars,  58.  65Taylor,  gen.  orders  62,  May  17; 
65,  Miy  23;  94,  Aug  2  65Patterson,  orders,  Sept.  29;  Oct  14. 
Picayune,  Aug.  4,  25  New  Orl  Commer  Bulletin,  Sept  22.  69Cushing, 
order,  Sept  24,  1847.  69Longoria,  statement,  Aug  17.  60Patterson  to 
Bliss,  Oct  21.  GOTaylor  to  Hepburn  et  al ,  Nov  2.  Zirckel,  lagebuch, 
45-6.  Matamoros  Reveille,  June  24.  Henry,  Camp.  Sketches,  118, 
122,  124,  137.  Giddmgs,  Sketches,  89  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p  1178  Niles, 
Au?.  1,  1846,  p  341 ;  Sept.  12,  p  23.  Davis,  Recoils.,  236.  Spirit  of  the 
Times,  July  4.  Sedgwick,  Corresp.,  i ,  4-5.  New  London  Morning  News, 
Dec.  10.  History  Teacher'*  Mag  ,  Apr  ,  1912  (Vieregg).  SOSShields  to 
Walker,  Aug  3.  Nat.  Intelligencer,  Dec  23,  1846.  193Foster  to  father, 
Aug.  14,  1846  (Matamoros  a  "complete  sink  of  pollution").  ISOPillow 
to  wife,  Sept.  6,  1846.  TSMejfa,  June  20  76Spamsh  consul,  Matarnorus, 
June  7  76Oircfa  to  Parrodi  June  20;  Aug.  10.  76Division  of  the  North, 
Noticias,  July  8.  ItGaceta  de  Tamaulipast  July  16.  76Parrodi,  June  3. 
TGCarroll  to  Faulac,  Aug.  9. 

7.  In  June,  1847,  Taylor  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  Texan  horse 
had  scarcely  made  one  expedition  without  committing  murder,  and  asked 
that  no  more  should  be  sent  to  him  (Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p.  1178).    Some  of 
them  committed  outrages  at  Parras,  where  the  Americans  had  been  kindly 
treated,  and  Wool  then  ordered  that   Texan  volunteers  should  not  be 
sent  on  distant  expeditions  except  under  "extraordinary  circumstances" 
(69McDowell  to  Hamtramck,  Dec.  10,  1847). 

8.  E.g. :    No  soldier  quartered  outside  the  town  (as  nearly  all  were) 
could  enter  it  without  a  pass  signed  by  his  captain  and  his  colonel.    Such 
passes  were  good  for  only  one  dav,  and  only  two  could  be  issued  the  same 
day  in  the  same  company.    Soldiers  could  use  only  a  particular  road  and 
had  to  leave  the  city  before  the  retreat  was  sounded  (Ho.  60 ;  30, 1 ,  p.  5C8). 
Besides  punishing  offences,  our  commanders  endeavored,  first  of  all,  to 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  212-213        451 

prevent  the  sale  of  liquor;  secondly,  to  shut  out  gamblers  and  other 
undesirable  followers  of  the  army;  and,  thirdly,  to  inculcate  a  sense  of 
humanity  and  a  regard  for  the  rights  of  the  people.  In  April,  1847,  well- 
to-do  refugees  were  ordered  to  return  to  Monterey  under  the  threat  of 
occupying  their  houses,  for  while  absent  they  were  beyond  the  reach  of 
American  taxes  and  were  encouraging  guerillas  (97Monterey  judge,  Apr. 
14,  1847).  A  similar  policy  was  followed  elsewhere. 

9.  American  officers  were  not,  however,  flabby  in  protecting  the  lives 
of  their  men,  and  sometimes  the  authorities  or  the  people  of  a  place  where 
one  of  these  fell  a  victim  to  Mexican  hate  were  held  responsible  until 
the  culprit  was  discovered  (e.g.,  6lWool  to  Pleasanton,  Jan.  15,  1848). 
Such  wholesale  justice  was  often  the  only  possible  kind,  and  there  is  ample 
evidence  that  even  the  cruel  retaliation  practised  by  our  soldiers  had  good 
effects. 

10.  The  Monterey   district.     Meade,   Letters,   i,    108,    130,    147,    161. 
218Henshaw  narrative.     Picayune,    Jan    27,  1847.     212Hastings,  diary, 
May  28,  1847.     Giddmgs,  Sketches,  221,  325.     Buhoup,  Narrative,  108. 
Thorpe,  Our  Army  at  Monterey,  120.     144Cassidy,  recoils.    Anon,  diary. 
97Ayunt.,  Saltillo,  Apr.  14,   1847.     93Ayunt.,  Monterey,  Oct.  8,  1846; 
May  18,  1847.    Durango  Registro  Oficwl,  Oct.  15,  1846.    Epoca,  Oct.  17. 
London    Times,    June    15,    1847.     22lHill,    diary.      280Nunelee,    diary. 
303Orders   149,   Dec.  3,    1846      Everett,   Recoils.,  216-9      ISGiffard  to 
Bankhead,  May  20,  1846.     ISBankhead,  no.  118,  1846.     Diario,  Oct.  9, 
24;  Nov.  2.     Monitor  Repub.,  Oct.  18,  28;  Nov.  20.     Washington  Union, 
Dec.    29.      National    Intelligencer,    Sept.    10;     Nov.    11;     Dec.    7,    23. 
Metropol  Mag.,  Dec.,  1907  (Hamilton).     Henry,  Camp.  Sketches,  222-5. 
Smith,  To  Mexico,  85,  89.     6lHamtramck  to  McDowell,  Jan.  20,  1848. 
65Wool,  orders  67,  Feb.  26,  1848.      65Taylor,  gen.  orders,  126,  Oct.  5, 
1846;    149,  Dec.  2.     65Patterson,  orders,  Sept    29;    Oct.  14.    65Wool, 
orders  7,  15,  25,  31,  64,  66-7,  94,  112,  Jan  -Mar  ,  1848.     65Taylor,  special 
orders   114,   Sept.,  1847.      65Wool,  special  orders  147,  156,  Dec.,  1847. 
6lWool  to  Hamtramck,  Dec.   18,   1847.      6lMcDowell  to  Hamtramck, 
Dec.  10,  1847;   to  Butler,  Mar.  2,  1848.     6lWool  to  Pleasanton,  Jan.  15, 
1848.     SOTRoberts,  diary,  Nov.  28;   Dec  5,  1846.    Delta,  Aug.  15,  1847. 
147Chamberlain,  diary.     Apuntes,  65.     Gaceta  Extraordmana,  Victoria, 
Aug.  17,  1846.     Wilhelm,  Eighth  Infantry,  i,  281.     69Morales  to  Taylor, 
Sept.  29;    Oct.  6.     65Worth,  orders,  Oct    8.    69/d.  to  Bliss,  Sept.  27; 
Oct.  5.     61/d.,  endorsement  on  statement  of  Gaines.     GlTaylor,  June  4, 
1847.     ClWool  to  Jones,  May  9,  1848.     J.  Davis  in  Cong   Globe,  37,  1, 
app.,  p.  1034.     93MitchelI,  proclam.,  Apr.  6,  1847.     93Tibbatts,  orders, 
Sept.  8,  1847.     Republicano,  Apr.  14,  1847.     Carpenter,  Travels,  13,  29, 
30.     52Dimond,  no.  341,  May  24,  1846.     Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  430-1,  1125, 
1138,  1178  (Taylor);   508,  512-3,  orders  126,  146,  149;   533,  spec,  orders 
113.     Niles,  Nov.  14,  1846,  p.  165;    Nov.  21,  p.  180;   Apr.  10,  1847,  p. 
89;  Oct.  23,  p.  115.     STOTaylor  to  Louisville  Legion,  Dec.  1,  1846.    Hist. 
Mag.,  May,  1870  (Deas).    Sen.  32;  31,  1,  p.  43.    214Hays  and  Caperton, 
Life    of   Hays.      Observador   Zacatecano,    Dec.    27,    1846,    supplement. 
76Gonzdlez  to  S.  Anna,  Nov.  21,  1846.     76Garcia  to  Parrodi,  Aug.  10, 
1846.     76Ampudia,  Oct.  4,  1846.    76J.  F.  Rada,  Oct.  17.     76Letter  from 
Cadereita,  Apr.  5,  1847.     76Many  others.  ( 

By  the  end  of  the  war  desolation  marked  the  route  from  the  Rio  Grande 
to  Saltillo  except  at  the  sizable  towns.  To  the  credit  of  the  volunteers  it 
should  be  added  that  on  Mar.  9,  1847,  two  priests  and  other  citizens  of 


452       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  213-214 

Monterey  presented  a  93petition  to  Taylor  to  let  the  Kentucky  regiment 
garrison  the  city,  not  only  because  those  soldiers  were  accustomed  to  it, 
but  because  their  "well  known  morality  and  good  conduct"  inspired 
"security  and  confidence." 

11  Some  of  the  orders  were :  Strangers  now  here  and  Mexicans  arriving 
must  report  for  examination,  no  Mexican  may  have  arms  or  leave  town 
without  permission,  all   Mexicans   conducting  themselves   properly    are 
entitled  to  civil  and  kind  treatment  as  well  as  protection,  and  the  troops 
must  not  molest  them  under  pain  of  severe  punishment  (Jan   25,  1847) ; 
All  officers  are  to  see  that  soldiers  annoying  the  Mexicans  are  punished 
(Feb    1) ;    Not  only  officers  but  men  are  to  arrest  any  soldier  maltreating 
a  Mexican   (Feb    12) ;    Gambling-houses  and  drmkmg-houses  must  be 
broken  up,  no  one  may  stay  in  town  who  would  countenance  such  things, 
"improper  intruders"  will  not  be  tolerated,  and  quiet  must  be  maintained 
(March  16) ;   Officers  in  town  without  my  express  permission  must  return 
to  the  camp  at  Buena  Vista  (June  6) ;    No  one  may  reside  at  Saltillo,  if 
able  to  work,  without  some  honest  vocation,  a  tariff  of  prices  will  be  issued 
from  time  to  time,  public  exhibitions  and  dances  without  permission  are 
prohibited,  Mexican  houses  may  not  be  taken  for  private  uses  without  the 
consent  of  the  owners  (July  9)      Some  of  those  orders  were  merely  repeti- 
tions of  orders  previously  given      The  policy  was  to  have  no  more  troops 
in  town  than  were  needed  to  guard  property,  etc      To  prevent  serious 
outrages,  soldiers  were  forbidden  to  leave  tho  camp  at  Buena  Vista  armed 
(65Aug    10,  1847) ;    and  this  was  the  rule  elsewhere 

12  The     Saltillo     district        Wilhelm,     Eighth     Infantrv.     i  ,     299 
SOOPrickett,     letters       97Ayuntamiento     archives       97Jefe     politico     to 
ayunt,    Nov    30,    1846      34Stokes   to   Graham,    Aug    8,    1847      Perry, 
Indiana,    138,    142      6lPame    to    Porterfiold,    Jan     24,    1848      69Worth 
to  E.   Gonzalez,   Dec     16,    17,    1846      65Wool,    orders    202,    209,    219, 
245,    etc.,    Jan.-Mar,    1847.     65/e? ,    orders    275,    286,    308,    315,    341, 
350,   394,   455,    May-Sept  ,    1847       65/d  ,   orders    138,    Dec     14,    1847 
GlMcDowcll   to   Hamtramck,    Doc    28,  1847      Picayune,  Juno    1  ;    July 
2,    1847.     65Worth,    orders,    Nov     16,    19,    23      97/d ,   proclam.,   Nov. 
19      69/d   to  Saltillo  officials,  Nov    17,  23      69Gov    Saltillo,  ordor,  Jan 
11,  1848.     Correo  Nacwnal,  Mar.  3,  1848      348Pattridgo  to  Miss  W  ,  Aug 

25,  1847.     Ho  60;   30,  1,  pp   1111,  1125  (Taylor)      Littell,  no   165,  p.  88 
(Saltillo,  May  11,  1847).     364Worth  to  daughter,  Jan   4,  1847      Monitor 
Repub  ,  Mar  29,  1847.    Arnold,  Jackson,  87-90     And  from  76  tho  follow  ing 
and  many  more      Gonzalez  to  Worth,  Nov  30 ;  reply,  Doo  2      Rolaciones, 
Feb.  1,  1848      Gonzalez  to  S    Anna,  Nov    21,  1816      Orders  of  Worth, 
Nov.  16,  19,  22,  23,  1846      Gonzalez,  protest,  Nov.  22,  1846      Worth  to 
Gonzalez,  Nov.  28;  Dec  17,  1846.     S  Anna,  Jan  4,  1847  (with  docs,  from 

Gonzalez).     Worth  to  ,  Nov.  17,  1846      Hun  ton  to  Gonzalez,  Mar. 

29,  1847.     Filisola,  Aug.  10,  1847      Avalos,  Aug  5,  1847 

13.  It  was  left  for  a  regular  to  show  the  benefit  of  discipline,  for  he 
visited  a  suburban  village,  terrorized  some  250  able-bodied  Mexicans,  and 
went  calmly  from  house  to  hou^e  collecting  blackmail 

14.  The    Tampico    district.     99Ayuntarniento    archives      146Caswell, 
diary,  Apr.  1,  1847.    Eco,  Dec.  9,  1846.     99Shields  to  ayunt.,  Dec.  28, 
1846;  Jan.  2,  1847      ISConsul  Glass,  Aug.  21,  1847.     69Gates,  orders  17, 

26,  28,  35,  Mar -Apr  ,  1847.     159Collins,  diary  (introduction).     65Gates, 
orders  30,  48,  49;  special  orders  7,  10,  30,  41.     Picayune,  Jan.  2,  8;  Feb. 
18;  Mar  19     69Shields,  orders  3,  Dec.  22,  1846;  to  Bliss,  Jan.  13,  1847. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  214-217        453 

61J.  L.  Gardner,  Nov.  23,  1846.  6lGates,  Dec.  4,  1846  61/d.,  orders, 
Sept.  18,  1847  6lShields,  orders,  Jan  1,  2,  6,  1847  Gild ,  Dec.  23, 
1846;  Jan  19,1847  75Hacienda  to  Relaciones,  Dec  3,1847.  Lawton, 
Artillery  Officer,  12,  24,  37,  39,  40,  46-7.  Ballentine,  English  Soldier,  i, 
276-81.  Wilhelm,  Eighth  Infantry,  i,  299.  761.  Muiloz,  Nov.  26,  1846, 
76R.  M  Nunez,  Jan.  25,  1847.  TGTestimony  of  Mateo  Dorante.  76F 
de  Garay,  Jan.  22,  1847  76Docs  sent  by  Garay  76A  Gonzalez 
to  Urrea,  Feb  1,  1847  76Many  others 

15  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp  333-6  (Maroy)  224Hitchcock,  diary,  Mar.  26, 
1846  52W.  S  Parrott,  Oct  4,  1845  52Slidell,  no  3,  Dec  17,  1845 
6lTaylor,  no  10,  Feb.  7,  1846.  GlCarbajal  to  Taylor,  Feb.  6,  1846 
Gild ,  memo  ,  Feb  6  BlCanales  to  Taylor,  Jan  29,  1846.  61[Mesa  to 
Taylor],  statement  Monitor  Repub  ,  June  14,  1846.  93Ayunt.  to  gov. 
N.  Le6n,  Dec  31,  1846  London  Times,  June  15,  1847  Picayune,  Aug 
11,  1846  Ampudia,  Mamfiesto,  1847  Henshaw  narrative  69Un- 
signed  statement  285Mejia  to  Paredes,  July  20,  1846  52Butler,  Aug. 
1,  1832  Smith,  Annex  of  Texas,  46-7  Niles,  Nov  21,  1846,  p.  180. 
76Comte  gen  Nuevo  Le<5n,  broadside,  Aug  12,  1846  76Ampudia, 
Sept  9,  1846  76Mora  y  Villamil,  Apr  19,  1847,  res  76Many  others 

The  number  of  citations  could  be  multiplied,  and  the  author  may  write 
an  article  or  brief  monograph  on  the  subject 

16.  July  7,  1847,  the  veteran  ex-editor  of  the  Washington  Globe  said 
in  a  345letter  •   My  son  [Frank  P.  Blair,  who  had  been  II  S  district  attor- 
ney of  the  province]  "  represents  the  state  of  things  in  New  Mexico  as 
horrible      It  seems  that  even  respectable  men  at  home,  have  become  so  de- 
praved by  the  license  of  the  region  they  are  in,  that  they  stick  at  no  enor- 
mity whatever  "     A  little  later  the  most  concise  report  from  Santa  Fe 
ran  thus,  "All  is  hubbub  and  confusion  here,  discharged  volunteers  are 
leaving,    drunk,   and  volunteers  not   discharged   are  remaining  drunk" 
(Niles,  Nov  6,  1847,  p   155) 

17.  Here,  as  in-  California,  military  rule  was  softened  by  having  a  sub- 
ordinate civil  administration      The  reader  will  understand,  of  course,  that 
not  everything  was  bad.     In  the  scanty  space  that  can  be  given  to  the 
subject  here  it  is  necessary  to  speak  in  broad  terms 

18  New  Mexico  Nat  Intelligencer,  Dec  8,  1846;  Apr  1;  May 
13;  Aug.  11,  1847.  Wash  Union,  Mar  18;  Apr  21,  1847  N.  Y. 
Tribune,  Nov  22,  1847.  Prince,  Concise  History,  182-6  ISDoyle, 
no  29,  Mar  14,  1848  Sen.  1;  29,  2,  pp  58-9  52Alvarez,  Sept 
4,  1846  63Marcy  to  Kearny,  May  10,  1847  6lKearny  order, 
Sept  22,  1846.  6lGner,  Feb.  15,  1847.  6lNewby,  Sept.  18;  Oct 
8,  1847.  6lPnce,  Feb.  26;  Aug.  14,  1847.  SOMarcy  to  Pnce,  Mar 
30,  1847;  to  Edwards,  Mar.  25,  1847.  Sllngalls,  Feb  16,  1847. 
6lFischer,  Feb  16,  1847  Bancroft,  Pacific  States,  xii,  431  6lBroadside, 
Feb.  15,  1847  68Court-martial,  Feb  4,  1848  (S.  Fe)  69Vigil,  Mar  26, 
1847.  Sen.  18;  31,  1,  pp.  183-6.  Inman,  Old  S.  Fe  Trail,  113-40.  346 
Blair  to  Van  Buren  July  7,  1847.  73Bermudez  de  Castro,  no  445,  1847 
Anzeiger  des  Westens,  Sept.  24,  26;  Nov.  16,  1846;  June  21,  1847  (Krib- 
ben).  243Kribben,  letters.  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp.  172,  174-7  (Kearny). 
Ho.  Report  52;  37,  3  Niles,  Apr.  24,  1847,  pp  119,  121;  June  19,  p 
252;  Aug.  14,  p.  375;  Nov.  6,  p.  155.  N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Aug 
13,  1847.  Ho.  5;  31,  1,  p  104.  Report  of  Conner,  Indian  Affairs, 
1858,  p.  188.  Ho.  70;  30,  1,  pp.  11,  13,  17,  21,  24,  31,  33,  34,  etc.  Sen. 
1;  30,  1,  pp.  520,  524,  531-5,  545.  256Polk  to  Marcy,  June  2,  1846. 


454      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  217-218 

aoiGibson,  diary.  Picayune,  Mar.  5,  1847.  Ho.  41;  30,  1,  pp.  498, 
511-2,  551.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  507,  594,  639.  Wash.  Union, 
Oct.  3;  Nov.  25,  1846.  Parkman,  Calif,  and  Ore.  Trail,  416-20.  Elliott, 
Notes,  233,  247.  224Santa  Fe  letter  (printed).  Sen.  23;  30,  1  (Abert). 
Ruxton,  Adventures  (1847  ed.),  185,  189.  Benton,  View,  n,  683.  6lPrice, 
Sept.  18,  1847.  212Hastings,  diary.  Cooke,  Conquest,  39,  41,  50. 
239Mead  to  Kemper,  July  26,  1841.  Hughes,  Doniphan's  Expedition, 
131.  GlWooster,  Sept.  25,  1846.  Sen.  7;  30,  1  (Emory).  Ho.  24;  31, 
1.  Price,  portrait  (Mo.  Hist.  Soc.).  61/d.  to  delegates;  to  adj  gen., 
Feb.  6,  1848.  65/d  ,  orders  10,  Feb.  5.  6lPrince  to  Vigil,  Dec.  21,  1847. 
Numerous  documents  relating  to  the  subject  may  be  found  among  the 
Vigil  papers  (N.  Mex.  Hist.  Soc.).  Cutts,  Conquest,  217-35,  240-3. 
76Varela,  Sept.  6,  1847.  76Chavez  to  Armijo,  Aug.  24,  1847.  76Ugarte 
to  Filisola,  July  2,  1847.  76Bent,  proclam.,  Jan.  2,  1847.  76Many  others. 
The  American  loss  in  fighting  the  insurgents  was  8  killed,  52  wounded. 

Chihuahua  was  merely  an  addendum  to  Santa  Fe.  The  people  seemed 
to  regard  our  troops  "as  a  race  of  devils  and  with  just  reason,"  wrote  a 
soldier  in  his  diary.  Once  two  Americans,  fighting  in  their  cups,  tore  each 
other's  clothes  off  and  went  stark  naked  through  the  streets.  Of  course 
property  suffered.  The  women,  however,  in  spite  of  husbands,  fiances  and 
priests,  were  devoted  to  the  Americans,  and  when  the  time  for  evacuation 
came  some  followed  their  lovers  for  leagues,  and  a  few  even  for  days. 
For  the  state  of  things  in  Chihuahua:  Sen.  Misc.  26;  30,  1.  The  Anglo- 
Saxon,  (Chihuahua),  no.  1.  Bustamante,  Nuevo  Bernal,  ii,  110.  Ho. 
Report  404;  30,  1,  pp.  6,  13.  Ronde*,  Voyage,  136,  138-9.  212Hastings, 
diary.  20lGibson,  diary.  Anzeiger  des  Western,  June  21,  1847  (Kribben). 
Republicans,  April  10,  1847. 

19.  Kearny  claimed  the  right  to  govern,  but  Stockton  and  Fremont 
insisted  that  his  instructions  to  take  possession  of  California  and  establish 
a  civil  government*  there  had  been  made  obsolete  by  events.     Kearny 
perforce  accepted  the  situation  for  a  time,  and  with  his  dragoons  went  north 
at  the  end  of  January.     The  friction  between  him  and  Fr6mont  was  acute. 
Finally,  when  both  were  on  their  way  east,  Kearny  had  Fr6mont  arrested. 
On    charges  —  essentially    insubordination  —  preferred    by   the  General, 
Fremont  was  tried  by  a  court-martial  and  sentenced  to  be  dismissed  from 
the  army  (65adj.  gen  ,  orders,  Feb.  17,  1848).     Polk  remitted  the  sentence, 
but  Fr6mont  resigned.     This  controversy  having  been  merely  incidental 
to  the  war,  more  space  cannot  be  given  to  it;   but,  as  the  opinion  of  the 
author  may  be  desired,  he  will  say,  after  reviewing  all  the  documents  of  the 
case,  that  he  thinks  Fr6mont  was  a  provokingly  unprincipled  and  successful 
schemer,  and  that  Kearny  showed  himself  grasping,  jealous,  domineering 
and  harsh. 

20.  The  Mormons  were  free  July  16,  1847,  and  but  one  company  could 
be  recruited  from  the  battalion.    This  served  till  March  14,  1848.    A  part 
of  the  New  York  regiment  was  sent  to  Lower  California  (chap,  xxx,  note 
28),  and  the  gold-diggings  led  some  to  desert.     February  1,  1848,  Mason 
had  only  621  effectives  (6lMason  to  adj   gen.,  Feb.  1,  1848). 

21.  California.     (This  note,  as  written,  included  nearly  two  hundred 
items;  but,  as  the  subject  concerns  the  history  of  the  Mexican  War  only 
incidentally,  it  has  been  condensed.)     Reports  from  military  and  naval 
officers  in  the  adjutant  general's  office  and  the  navy  (squadron  and  cap- 
tains' letters)  archives.     323-5Stevenson,  letter  book,  gen.  order  book, 
regtal.  ord.  book.    Colton,  Three  Years,  24,  32,  155,  172,  175.    Cooke, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  218-220       455 

Conquest,  45,  etc.  Ho.  70;  30,  1,  pp.  28,  etc.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  160, 
229,  242,  245-6.  Benton,  View,  11,  715,  718.  Clark,  First  Regt.,  12, 
etc.  316Sherman  papers.  Sen.  1;  29,  2,  pp.  49-50,  65  Calif.  Star, 
Mar.  6,  1847.  London  Times,  Aug  13-4,  1846.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp  55-7, 
947.  Sherman  Letters,  39.  Wise,  Gringos,  47,  etc  Hughes,  Doniphan's 
Exped.,  204-30,  244-8  256Marcy  papers  247Larkm  papers.  Ban- 
croft, Pacific  States,  xh,  478;  xvn,  417,  etc  4An  ador,  Memonas,  172. 
122Bidwell,  California,  180.  210Hammond  papers.  Annals  Amer. 
Acad.,  xii,  70-1  (R.  D.  Hunt)  349Watterstcn  papers.  120Biddle 
papers.  Cutts,  Conquest,  65,  71,  123,  164,  248.  Wash.  Union,  Sept.  30; 
Dec.  9,  1846.  N.  Y.  Journ.  of  Commerce,  Dec.  30,  1840  Diano,  Oct.  16, 
1846.  Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  p.  604  (Benton).  Annals  of  the  Am  Acad.,  xii, 
71  (Hunt).  Nat.  Intelligencer,  Sept  22,  1846  Buchanan,  Works,  vii, 
332.  132Buchanan  papers  Hall,  S  Jose,  154-6  Sherman,  Home 
Letters,  96,  113  Id,  Mems  ,  i,  29,  34,  56.  Niles,  Aug.  29,  p.  416; 
Sept.  12,  1846,  p.  20;  Oct  23,  1847,  p  115  Sen  33;  30,  1.  Ho.  Rep., 
817;  30,  1.  Sen.  439;  29,  1  Ho  17;  31,  1.  Ho  1;  30,  2,  pp.  47,  51, 
53,  etc.,  1037,  1069.  Revere,  Tour,  78  Sen  7;  30,  1.  Sen.  Rep.  75; 
30,  1,  pp.  14-5.  Sen.  31;  30,  2,  pp  23,  28-30  Sen  18;  31,  1,  pp.  398- 
401.  Tuthill,  Calif ,  208-13.  Schafer,  Pacific  Slope,  209  Porter, 
Kearny,  31.  Willey,  Trans  Period,  66,  70  Royce,  Calif  ,  197  120Cits. 
to  Biddle,  Mar.  2,  1847  Tyler,  Concise  Hist ,  202-52,  277,  288  Stock- 
ton, Life,  158  372Hyde,  statement  70"Cahformas"  (see  Richman, 
California,  for  many  of  the  most  important).  76Pe*rez,  Oct  22  76Coma- 
durdn  to  comte  gen  Sonora,  Nov  14;  to  Cooke,  Dec  16  76/d., 
Nov.  21;  Dec.  17  76Cooke  to  Gandera,  Dec  18  76Cuesta,  Dec.  30, 
1846;  July  23,  1847.  76Estado,  Tucson,  Dec.  3,  1846  76Lun6n  to 
Cooke,  [Dec.  16] ;  reply,  [Dec  16]  76Cuesta  to  mil.  comte  Anspe,  Dec. 
18.  76Vanguard  section,  estado,  Dec.  23;  etc 

For  the  Mormons  see  vol  i,  p  290  P  St  G  Cooke,  acting  as  It.  col., 
led  the  Mormon  battalion  from  Santa  Fe,  New  Mex.,  to  California 

22.  "Head  Quarters  of  the  Army,  Tampico,  February  19,  1847. 
General  Orders,  no.  20  1.  It  may  well  be  apprehended  that  many  grave 
offences  not  provided  for  in  the  act  of  Congress  'establishing  rules  and 
articles  for  the  government  of  the  armies  of  the  United  States,'  approved 
April  10,  1806,  may  be  again  committed  —  by,  or  upon,  individuals  of 
those  armies,  in  Mexico,  pending  the  existing  war  between  the  two  Repub- 
lics. Allusion  is  here  made  to  atrocities,  any  one  of  which,  if  committed 
within  the  United  States  or  their  organized  territories,  would,  of  course, 
be  tried  and  severely  punished  by  the  ordinary  or  civil  courts  of  the  land. 
2.  Assassinations;  murder;  malicious  stabbing  or  maiming;  rape; 
malicious  assault  and  battery;  robbery;  theft;  the  wanton  desecration 
of  churches,  cemeteries  or  other  religious  edifices  and  fixtures,  and  the 
destruction,  except  by  order  of  a  superior  officer,  of  public  or  private 
property,  are  such  offences  3  The  good  of  the  service,  the  honor  of  the 
United  States  and  the  interests  of  humanity,  imperiously  deirand  that 
every  crime,  enumerated  above,  should  be  severely  punished  (Para- 
graphs 4-6  demonstrate  the  necessity  of  a  code  supplemental  to  the  rules 
and  articles  of  war.)  7.  That  unwritten  code  is  Martial  Law,  as  an  addi- 
tion to  the*  written  military  code,  prescribed  by  Congress  in  the  rules  and 
articles  of  war,  and  which  unwritten  code,  all  armies,  in  hostile  countries, 
are  forced  to  adopt  —  not  only  for  their  own  safety,  but  for  the  protection 
of  the  unoffending  inhabitants  and  their  property,  about  the  theaters  of 


456  NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,   PAGE  220 

military  operations,  against  injuries  contrary  to  the  laws  of  war  8.  From 
the  same  supreme  necessity,  martial  law  is  hereby  declared,  as  a  supple- 
mental code  in,  and  about,  all  camps,  posts  and  hospitals  which  may  be 
occupied  by  any  part  of  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  in  Mexico,  and  in, 
and  about,  all  columns,  escorts,  convoys,  guards  and  detachments,  of  the 
said  forces,  while  engaged  in  prosecuting  the  existing  war  in,  and  against 
the  said  republic  9.  Accordingly,  every  crime,  enumerated  in  paragraph 
No.  2,  above,  whether  committed  —  1  By  anv  inhabitant  of  Mexico, 
sojourner  or  traveller  therein,  upon  the  person  or  property  of  any  in- 
dividual of  the  United  States'  forces,  retainer  or  follower  of  the  same ; 
2.  By  any  individual  of  the  said  forces,  retainer  or  follower  of  the  same, 
upon  the  person  or  property  of  any  inhabitant  of  Mexico,  sojourner  or 
traveller  therein,  or  3.  By  any  individual  of  the  said  forces,  retainer  01 
follower  of  the  same,  upon  the  person  or  property  of  any  other  individual 
of  the  said  forces,  retainer  or  follower  of  the  same  —  shall  be  duly  tried 
and  punished  under  the  said  supplemental  code.  10  For  this  purpose  it 
is  ordered,  that  all  offenders,  in  the  matters  aforesaid,  shall  be  promptly 
seized  and  confined,  and  reported,  for  trial,  before  Military  Commission* 
to  be  duly  appointed  as  follows:  11  Every  military  commission,  undei 
this  order,  will  be  appointed,  govenied  and  limited,  as  prescribed  by  the 
65th,  66th,  67th,  and  97th,  oi  the  said  rules  and  articles  of  war,  and  the 
proceedings  of  such  commissions  will  be  duly  recorded,  in  writing,  re- 
viewed, revised,  disapproved  or  approved,  and  the  sentences  executed  — 
all,  as  in  the  cases  of  the  proceedings  and  sentences  of  courts-martial ; 
provided,  that  no  military  commission  shall  try  any  case  clearly  cognizable  by 
any  court-martial,  and  provided  also  that  no  sentence  of  a  military  com- 
mission shall  be  put  in  execution  against  any  individual,  whatsoever, 
which  may  not  be,  according  to  the  nature  and  degree  of  the  offence,  as 
established  by  evidence,  in  conformity  with  known  punishments,  in  like 
cases,  in  some  one  of  the  States  of  the  United  States  of  America  12  This 
order  will  be  read  at  the  head  of  every  Company  serving  in  Mexico  "  This 
order  helps  to  explain  the  later  improvement  at  the  north  which  we  have 
noted. 

23    The  ordinary  safeguard  ran  thus      "By  authority  of 
The  person,  the  property,  and  the  family  of  [or  such  a  college, 

mill,  etc.,  and  the  persons  and  things  belonging  to  it]  are  placed  under 
the  safeguard  of  the  United  States  To  offer  any  violence  or  injury 
to  them  is  expressly  forbidden ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  ordered  that  safety 
and  protection  be  given  to  him,  or  them,  in  case  of  need  "  Safeguards 
were  given  to  towns  also  The  following  is  a  specimen  :  "Safeguard 
Office  of  the  Civil  &  Military  Governor,  Puebla,  22nd  January,  1848 
Whereas  the  Municipality  of  the  town  of  San  Martin,  on  the  main  road 
to  Mexico,  has  presented  a  Solicitation  to  this  Government  with  regard  to 
certain  permissions  and  protection  this  Safeguard  is  given  to  said  Munici- 
pality in  the  following  terms  —  1.  The  authorities  and  inhabitants  of 
San  Martin,  their  families  and  private  property  are  placed  under  the 
protection  of  the  United  States  forces,  as  long  as  they  remain  quiet,  neutral 
and  peaceable  and  will  therefore  be  left  unmolested  and  not  interfered  with 
by  the  troops  and  followers  of  the  United  States  army  On  the  contrary  their 
civil  authorities  will  be  respected,  and  protection  and  assistance  will  be 
given  to  them  such  as  they  should  need  or  claim.  —  2  All  honorable  and 
peaceable  inhabitants  guaranteed  to  be  such  by  the  Municipality  have 
permission  to  carry  arms  for  the  defence  of  the  community,  their  persons 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  220-222        457 

and  their  property  against  robbers.  —  3.  They  are  allowed  to  organize  a 
neutral  police  force  of  twenty  five  armed  and  mounted  men  for  protection 
of  the  town  against  robbers  and  for  assisting  the  authorities  in  executing 
their  duties,  the  criminals  taken  prisoners  by  them  to  be  delivered  over  to 
the  Governor  of  Puebla  —  4,  Permission  is  likewise  granted  to  said  au- 
thorities and  inhabitants  to  defend  themselves  against  any  one  who  comes 
to  plunder,  rob  or  attack  them,  may  he  be  robber,  guemllero  [i.e.,  "gue- 
rilla''], or  an  American  soldier.  —  5  The  Municipality  of  San  Martin  has 
permission,  to  arrest  and  remit  to  their  commanding  officers  all  American 
soldiers,  they  may  find  within  the  district  of  San  Martm,  drunk  dispersed 
or  deserters.  —  6.  It  is  strictly  prohibited  to  the  troops  and  followers  of 
the  United  States  army  to  open  the  prison  at  San  Martm  and  put  the 
criminals  in  liberty.  —  7.  A  copy  of  this  Safeguard  has  been  forwarded  to 
the  General  in  chief  of  the  United  States  forces  m  order  to  communicate  it 
to  the  commanding  officers  of  the  army,  and  of  divisions,  which  have  to 
pass  by  San  Martin.  Another  copy  has  been  remitted  to  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  military  post  at  Rio  Fno  — " 

24  Numerous  large  monasteries,  occupied  by  only  a  few  monks,  were 
found  useful,  and  the  use  of  them  for  such  a  purpose  gave  no  offence 
(Scott,  Mems  ,  11,  580) 

25.  Scott's  policy.     Scott,  Mems  ,  n,  393-6,  547-9,  580     Hitchcock  in 
Republic,  Feb    15,   1851      Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,   147      69Safeguard. 
SOScott,  May  26,  1846      65Gen   orders  20,  Feb    19,  1847      Ho    60;    30, 
1,  p.  873.     Sen   1 ,  29,  2,  p  55      80  Qtrlij  Review,  Jan  ,  1852,  p   133 

26.  Scott  called  upon  "the  97  honorable  men  m  every  100"  to  seize 
m  the  act  and  report  the  "scoundrels"   committing  outrages  (Ho    60, 
30,  1,  p   914)      He  thus  enlisted,  he  believed,  the  cooperation  of  "thou- 
sands of  good  soldiers"  (60to  Marcy,  Apr  5,  1847)      As  m  civil  life,  it  was 
of  course  impossible  to  apprehend  all  the  criminals. 

27.  The  impracticable  attempt  to  keep  liquor  out  of  the  city  was  not 
tried  here      A  system  of  license  and  supervision  was  adopted      April  1 
two  taverns  were  authorized  to  sell  liquor  (to  be  used  on  the  premises) 

28.  Worth's  successors  in  the  governorship  were  Col   Henry  Wilson  up 
to  about  the  middle  of  December,  1847 ;   Gen   James  Bankhead  for  a  fe\* 
days;   Gen    Twiggs  until  Mar   25,1848;    Col   Wilson  for  a  day  or  two ; 
Gen.  S.  W  Kearny      When  Wilson  left  m  December,  1847,  the  merchants 
and  consuls  gave  him  a  vote  of  thanks  (Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  11,  585) 
Mar.  30,  1848,  the  Mexican  ayuntamiento  was  restored 

29.  Thompson,  Recoils  ,   4    Dysentery  was  prevalent  and  dangerous 
Dec   29,  1847,  a  responsible  writer  at  Vera  Cruz  stated  that  not  less  than 
1,200  Americans  had  succumbed  there  to  the  climate  since  April 

30  The  Vera  Cruz  district  52Tnst,  May  7, 1847  Bullock,  Six  Months 
(1825  ed  ),  i,  19,  20.  lOOAyuntamiento  archives.  Lerdo  de  Tejada, 
Apuntes,  ii,  572-3,  584-5  Lyon,  Journal,  li,  214,  221  Flag  of  Freedom, 
i,  no.  4.  Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  112,  115,  117,  119  NiUs,  Sept  25, 
1847,  p.  53,  etc.  SSlWoods,  recoils  144Cassidy,  recoils  327Suther- 
land,  letters.  322Smith,  diary.  152Claiborne,  mems  270Moore,  diary 
Oswandel,  Notes,  105-6  86S  Anna  to  Soto,  Apr  14,  1847.  Wash 
Union,  July  26,  29,  1847.  Amer.  Eagle,  V.  Cruz,  Apr.  3,  13;  Oct  11,  16, 
1847.  76J.  Soto,  July  3,  1847.  256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Apr.  19,  1847 
ISGiffard,  Apr.  13;  May  15;  June  15,  1847.  MlHill,  diary.  69Scott 
to  Patterson,  Mar.  30,  1847.  SSWilson,  orders  (1847)  20,  23,  64,  lib, 
128,  142.  65Bankhead,  orders  167  65Twiggs,  orders  11,  14.  65Wilson, 


458      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  222-225 

orders  (1848),  130.  GSKearny,  orders  172.  65Scott,  gen.  orders  75,  87, 
101.  60 Wilson  to  Marcy,  Aug.  1, 1847.  SlWorth,  orders  1-7.  6lKearny, 
Apr.  9,  1848,  and  endorsement.  Don  Simplwio,  Apr.  21,  1847.  Diario, 
Apr.  13,  1847.  Long,  Lee,  68.  GOScott,  Apr.  5,  1847.  Ho.  60;  30,  1, 
pp.  914  (Scott);  938  (Dorich).  166Pommares  to  Conner,  Oct.  7,  1846. 
Stevens,  Stevens,  i,  117-8.  12Pell  of  Sloop  Daring,  Nov.  30,  1847. 
Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  288-9. 

31.  The  Cdrdoba  district.     SSAyuntamiento  archives.     Moreno,  Cant6n, 
378,  380,   382-3.     London  Saturday  Review,   1865,  p.  6.     65Bankhead, 
orders  11,  12,  28. 

32.  Tne  Orizaba  district.     94Ayuntamiento  archives.     Cubas,  Cuadro, 
54.     Velasco,    Geografia,    iii,     179.     Diccionano    Universal     (Orizaba). 
65Bankhead,  orders  38,  100.     69Collecci6n  de  Itinerarios. 

33.  Neither  at  Jalapa  nor  elsewhere  were  there  many  complaints  from 
women.     Here  the  soldiers  gave  parties.     Harlots  were  the  only  women 
present,  but  they  were  treated  —  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  town  — 
as  ladies  (Roa  Bdrcena,  Rccuerdos,  247). 

34.  The  Jalapa  district.     90Ayuntamiento  archives.     Brackett,  Lane's 
Brigade,  62-3     Vigne,  Travels,  i,   14-16       Bullock,  Six  Months  (1825 
ed.),  i,  55.     Velasco,  Geograffa,  hi,  28,  37,  54,  97      2570rders  and  let- 
ters from  G  H[ughes]  to  Frank  [Markoe]      Oswandel,  Notes,  196,  389. 
Sammes,  Service,  205,  215.     National,  Dec.  22,  1847 ;  Jan  5,  1848      69A1- 
calde  to  gov  ,  Nov.  25,  27,  1847.     69Orders,  Dec.  3,  10,  15,  1847 ;    Feb.  4 ; 

Apr.  25;    Miy  7,  1848      69Patterson  to  Pillow,  Sept.  22,  1846;   to , 

Nov.  24,  1847.     69 Am.  gov.  to  alcalde,  Nov.  26 ;  Dec   13,1847;  Jan  17; 
Feb.  28;  Mir.  15,  1848.     69Hughes,  proclam.,  Nov.  30,  1847.     287Parrish, 
diary.     332Tennery,  diary.     Picayune,  May  28;    Dec.  19,  24,  25,  1847. 
Kenly,  Md    Volunteer,  365-8,  382.     Wash.  Union,  May  22,  1847.     159 
Collins  papers.     Lyon,  Journal,  li,  186.     Ward,  Mexico,  ii,  193.     Negrete, 
Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  58-9      Grone,  Bnefe,  62.     Rivera,  Jalapa,  iii,  900-2; 
iv,  20,  28-34.      69Hughes  to  prefect,  May  31,  1848;   to  Scott,  Jan.  5, 
1848;  to  first  alcalde,  Mar.  27,  1848;  orders,  Nov.  29,  30,  1847;  Jan.  10; 
Feb.  19;   May  4,  5,  1848.     69/d.  to  officers,  Jan.  15,  1848.     68Court  of 
inquiry,  Jalapa,  May  31,  1848.    Arco  Ins,  Dec.  1,  1847.    Ho.  60;   30,  1, 
p.  1029.     Niles,  Jan.  1,  1848,  p.  276.     76Soto,  proclam  ,  Sept.  10,  1847. 
Roa    Bdrcena,    Recuerdos,    235-6,   245-7.     Hartman,    Journal,    13      327 
Sutherland  to  father,  undated.     13Bankhead,  no.  42,  1847  (the  conduct 
of  Scott  and  his  officers  at. Jalapa  is  "highly  extolled"). 

35.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  272.    The   presence  of  Scott,  Worth  and 
other  superior  officers  who,  as  the  soldiers  knew,  could  not  be  trifled  with, 
may   help   to   explain   the   mystery.     (Later   some   outrages   occurred.) 
The  troops  were  kept  within  a  large  square  space  with  sentries  at  each 
corner,  and  the  boundaries  of  it  could  not  be  crossed  after  dark  by  either 
civilians  or  soldiers  (Republicano,  June  14).     At  one  place  on  the  way  to 
Puebla,  wrote  a  soldier  in  his  diary,  a  sentry  was  placed  at  every  shop, 
and  even  women  selling  bread  on  the  street  were  guarded. 

36.  Personally  Lane  discouraged  outrages.    Once  when  some  of  his 
famished  men  had  robbed  a  poor  man's  cornfield  Lane,  besides  having 
him  paid  the  full  amount  of  the  damages,  added  as  much  more  from  his 
own  pocket  (Brackett,  Lane's  Brig,,  74-5).     It  was  said  that  priests  were 
sometimes  ill-used,  but  this  was  natural  enough  when  they  were  capable 
of  codperating  with  guerillas,  inducing  American  soldiers  to  desert,  and 
harboring  such  deserters. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  225-226         459 

37.  The  Puebla  district.    Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  nos.  1,  5.    Lawton,  Artillery 
Officer,    272.     270Moore,    diary.     95Childs,    proclam.,    Nov.    11,    1847 
(placard).     Oswandel,  Notes,  345,  390.     95Ayuntamiento  archives  (pro- 
ceedings, correspondence  with  Worth,  orders  of  Worth,  etc.).     95Ftirlong, 
proclam.,    Oct.    14,    1847.     95Childs,    proclam.,    Oct.   25,    1847.     95The 
bishop  to  Scott,  Dec.  1,  1847.     95Furlong  to  Scott,  Dec    1,  1847.     95 
Ayunt.    to    prefect,  Oct    26,    1847      SOlWorth,  orders,   May  16,   1847. 
Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  121,  125,  131,  136,  165,  210.     356Whitcomb, 
diary.     Repubhcano,  June  13,  14,  21  (El  Nacional),  24,  1847.     69Ftirlong 
to  Am.  gov,  Aug    10,  1847.     69Prefect  to  Childs,  Oct    14;    Nov.  2,  8; 
Dec.  20,  1847;    Feb.  8,  184S      GQChilds's  official  papers      GIScott,  gen. 
orders  187,  1847.     Nacional,  Dec.  18,  etc  ,  1847.     95Report  of  the  com- 
mittee appointed  to  confer  with  Scott,  Jan.  4,   1848      75Jefe  politico 
Tlaxcala  to  Scott,  Nov.  23,  1847.      Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app  ,  122-3. 
Donnavan,  Adventures,  100.     Colecci6n  de  Documentos  (Childs,  orders, 
Oct.  16).    Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1030  (Childs). 

There  was  special  feeling  about  churches  The  bishop  of  Puebla  com- 
plained to  Scott  that  our  soldiers  desecrated  a  church  at  Tlaxcala,  and 
stole  some  priests'  robes  But  the  soldiers  had  found  that  the  church 
was  the  base  of  the  guerillas  they  were  pursuing,  and  discovered  the  robes 
on  the  floor.  Our  officers  made  great  efforts  to  prevent  outrages  here  and 
to  restore  the  stolen  property  (Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  211;  Zirckel, 
Tagebuch,  123;  etc  ).  It  seems  to  have  been  true  that  no  church  was 
desecrated  by  Americans  that  had  not  been  desecrated  by  Mexicans,  and 
used  for  hostile  purposes 

38.  The  16pero  dared  not  attack  a  sober  American  soldier.     The  scheme 
was  to  get  the  soldiers  intoxicated,  and,  when  they  staggered  and  fell, 
knife  them      After  a  time  our  men  invented  a  trick  to  meet  it     They  would 
pretend  to  be  intoxicated,  fall  to  the  ground,  and  make  ready  for  the  would- 
be  assassin;   and  finally  the  leperos  feared  a  drunken  soldier  even  more 
than  a  sober  one.     Carrying  concealed  weapons  was  forbidden ;  suspected 
persons  were  searched ;  and  any  one  found  guilty  was  given  twenty  lashes 
on  the  bare  back.     This  had  an  excellent  effect 

39.  A  specimen  case  was  that  of  private  Gahagiun  of  the  Seventh 
Infantry   (65gen.   orders  378)      For  breaking  into  a  house  and  taking 
some  ladies'  clothing  he  was  sentenced  to  receive  fifty  lashes  on  his  bare 
back  "well  laid  on  with  a  rawhide,"  to  be  confined  at  hard  labor  during 
the  rest  of  his  term,  to  be  then  dishonorably  discharged  and  drummed  out 
—  $250  of  his  pay  to  go  to  the  person  robbed  and  the  rest  to  be  confiscated. 
Mexicans  as  well  as  Americans  were  publicly  flogged.    In  extreme  cases 
hanging  was  the  punishment. 

Scott  made  the  following  daily  details  in  order  to  ensure  order  and 
discipline  (65gen.  orders  298,  September  24,  1847) :  "1.  A  general  officer 
of  the  day  to  report  to  me ;  to  superintend  the  good  order  and  discipline 
of  the  garrison,  visit  the  guards  and  outposts,  organize  patrols,  and  receive 
reports  regarding  order  and  discipline.  2.  A  field  officer  of  the  day  of 
each  division  and  of  the  cavalry  brigade  to  superintend  the  troops  in 
quarters,  be  present  at  the  mounting  and  dismounting  of  the  guards,  have 
control  of  the  in-lying  pickets,  etc.  3.  One  third  of  each  regiment  not  on 
other  duty  will  constitute  its  portion  of  the  in-lying  guard.  4.  A  captain 
or  subaltern  of  the  day  of  each  regiment  will  superintend  the  quarters, 
attend  the  parading  of  regimental  guards,  have  the  roll  called  frequently 
and  at  unexpected  times,  visit  company  kitchens  and  messes,  etc.  me 


460       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  226-228 

drill  of  the  troops  was  kept  up,  and  of  course  it  was  only  when  off  duty  that 
they  could  be  disorderly.  Doyle  reported  that  a  gentleman  from  Pachuca, 
a  place  at  some  distance  from  Mexico,  said  :  "  Nothing  can  be  better  than 
the  behavior  of  the  American  troops  at  Pachuca"  (no.  5,  1848).  On  the 
other  hand  Lane's  men  were  guilty  of  excesses  at  Tulancingo.  In  65gen. 
orders  395,  December  31,  1847,  Scott  said:  "Men  free  at  home,  must 
maintain  the  honor  of  freeman  when  abroad  If  they  forget  that,  they 
will  degrade  themselves  to  the  level  of  felons  and  slaves,  and  may  be  right- 
fully condemned  and  treated  as  such ;  for  felons,  according  to  the  laws  of 
God  and  man,  are  slaves"  (Ho  60;  30,  1,  p  1066) 

40.  Quitman  strictly  forbade   (Sept    21)    "any  interference  with  or 
inutihation  of  the  books,  papers,  or  records  contained  within  the  Palace  " 

41.  Matamoros,    Monterey,    Tampico,    Jalapa    and    Puebla    had    an 
American  newspaper ;  Vera  Cruz  arid  Mexico  two 

42  In  consequence  of  the  incapacity  of  our  medical  men  and  particularly 
their  ignorance  of  the  effects  of  the  climate,  diseases  not  considered  dan- 
gerous by  residents  often  proved  fatal  to  the  American  soldiers  (ISThorn- 
ton,  no  5,  1847). 

43.  The  Mexico  dish  id.  Davis,  Autobiog.,  246,  258,  261-2,  277 
Henshaw  narrative.  Donnavan,  Adventures,  93,  97  Instrucciones 
Otorgadas.  Wise,  Gringos,  260  Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  314-5,  321 
Jameson,  Calhoun  Corresp  ,  1163-5  Quitman,  orders,  Oct  6,  1847,  in 
Papeles  Vanos.  Journ.  Miht.  Serv  Instit.,  xv,  627  McSherry,  Puchero, 
163  Vedette,  n,  no  10  (Brooks).  Norton,  Life,  172.  32lSmith,  diary 
358Wilhams  to  father,  Dec  27,  1847;  Feb.  22,  1848  152Claiborne, 
mems.  Oswandel,  Notes,  431,  433,  455,  525,  583  92Ayuntamiento 
archives.  69aArchives  of  Federal  District.  SOArchives  of  Mexico  state 
Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  307.  SOGracida  to  Butler,  Feb  25,  1848 
ISDoyle,  nos  1,  5,  27,  1848  Britannia,  Sept  28,  1847  (Daily  News). 
Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  395  Calder6n,  Life,  i,  139-40  National,  Nov. 
14,  1847.  60N.  C  to  .1.  L.  Miller,  May  7,  1848.  62Jones  to  Bedmger, 
Mar.  11,  1848  Captain  of  Vols  ,  Conquest,  27  65Scott,  gen  orders, 
Sept.  14,  16,  17,  24;  Dec  18,  31,  1847.  London  Times,  Nov.  12,  13,  1847 
Sen  52;  30,  1,  pp  205-12  Picayune,  Oct  15;  Nov  14;  Dec.  19,  29, 
1847  Delta,  Nov.  6,  7,  12;  Dec  19,  24,  1847  Sen  1;  30,  1,  p  384 
(Scott).  Kenly,  Md  Vol  ,  413  M6xico  a  traves,  iv,  703-4.  65Scott, 
gen.  orders  190,  355.  Rodriguez,  Breve  Resena,  1848,  1849,  p  5.  ISBank- 
head,  no  86,  Sept  28,  1847.  73Lozano,  no  8,  res  ,  Sept.  17,  1847  Ra- 
rnfrez,  Mexico,  318  N  Y  Journ.  Comm.,  Feb.  28,  1848  Monitor  Repub  , 
Dec.  7,  20,  1847.  277Veramendi  to  Quitman,  Oct  8,  1847  366Memb 

rnunicip   council  to ,  Nov    14  and  reply.     (Mexican  letter)  Nacional, 

Nov.  14,  1847.  Ballentine,  Eng  Soldier,  n,  260-3,  270-1  Apuntes, 
362-7,  369  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1065  Sen.  34;  34,  3,  p.  37.  132Nowcll 
to  mother,  Oct.  21,  1847  Sedgwick,  Corresp.,  i,  153.  Stevens,  Stevens, 
i,  219.  12lPlacards  and  Notices  Lancaster  Co.  Hist.  Soc.  Mag.,  Mar 
6,  1908.  214Hays  and  Caperton,  Life  of  Hays  London  Chronicle,  Nov 
12,  1847.  Roa  B&rcena,  Recuerdos,  543.  Lane  (Adventures)  showp 
that  our  officers  were  by  no  means  all  saints,  but  this  is  not  a  fact  to  occasion 
surprise. 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  li,  571)  complains  that  immorality  was  pro- 
moted at  Mexico  by  giving  licenses  to  gambling  places ;  but  it  would  not 
have  been  possible  to  prevent  the  soldiers  from  gambling  among  themselves 
and  in  "dives,"  and  no  doubt  Scott  believed  it  would  be  best  to  have  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  228-230        461 

gambling  done  where  some  control  could  be  exercised  over  it,  and  where  the 
men  would  not  be  in  danger  of  the  assassin's  knife  Ripley  admits  that 
gambling  " flourished"  before  licenses  were  given  (p  570).  Ilipley 
suggests  (p.  574)  that  "active  operations  would  have  been  the  immediate 
and  effectual  remedy"  for  the  immorality;  but,  as  we  have  seen,  there 
were  not  enough  troops,  etc.,  for  active  operations,  and  perhaps  shooting 
Mexicans  needlessly  would  have  been  no  better  business  than  gambling 
Ripley  admits  (p.  577)  that  most  of  the  troops  were  kept  outside  the  city. 
Riley's  brigade  was  at  Tacubaya,  Patterson's  division  at  8  Angel,  and  a 
part  of  Butler's  division  at  El  Molmo  del  Key  The  other  part  and 
Smith's  brigade  remained  in  town 

44  Probably  fearing  American  interference  or  influence,  the  Mexican 
government    at    Queretaro    discountenanced    such    elections    (Mexico    & 
traves,  iv,  704)      As  the  records  are  by  no  means  complete,  it  is  necessary 
in  this  and  other  cases  to  assume  that  like  causes  produced  like  effects 
unless  there  is  some  evidence  to  the  contrary      General  conclusions  could 
not  otherwise  be  reached 

45  At  Tampico  Shields  appointed  three  Mexican  alcaldes  and  also  (to 
act  with  these  in  cases  between  Americans  and  Mexicans)  an  American 
court  of  three  American  citizens 

46  Gaceta  de  Tarnauhpas,  July   10,    1840      65Scott,  gen    orders  238 
Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  314- .5      Davis,  Autobiog  ,  240      224Lctter  from 
C.  to  Scott,  Nov    14,  1847      Instrucciones  Otorgadas      Wilhclrn,  Eighth 
Infantry,  i,  299      Moreno,  Cant6n,  378,  380,  382    Qmtmaii,  order,  Get 
0,  1817,  in  Papeles  Vanos      Defensa  de  Ir.arte       McSherry,  Kl  Puchoro, 
103      358Williams  to  father,   Feb    22,   1848      V    Cruz  American  Eagle, 
May    22;      Apr     3,     1847        \yuntanncnto    archives,    Jalapa,    C6rdoba, 
Orizaba,  Puebhi,  Mexico,  Tampico,  Saltillo      92Quitnmn,  proclam  ,  Oct. 
0T  1847      3667r/  ,  poster,  Sept    10      95\Vorth  to  Puebla  ayunt  ,  May  31, 
1847;  to  alcalde,  Mav  17,  1847,  reply,  proclam  ,  May  22,  1847,  to  alcalde, 
May  22      303/r/  ,  orders  34      Narional,  Jan    28,  1848      ISDoyle,  No    5, 
1848      Roa  Bdrcona,  Recuerdos,  251,  549      Diarw,   May  14,   1847      Ho 
00,   30,  1,  p    1047  (Scott)      65B:mkhead,  orders,  Feb   10,  1848      6lHam- 
tramck  to  McDowell,  Jan    20,  1818       Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  17,  39, 
40,194,208      GSMarcv  to  Davenport,  Aug   0;   Doc    14,1847      Brackett, 
Lane's  Brigade,  105      69Gov   Jalapa  to  alcalde,  Nov   20;   Dec    13,  1847; 
Jan    17;    Mar    15,1848,   orders  352 ,   to  a  vim  t  ,  Feb  28,1848      69Gates, 
orders  20,  35      65Wilson,  orders  110,   142,   1847      65T\\iggs,  orders  11 
€5Kearnv,  orders  172      65Wool,  oideis,  July  9 ;    Dec    14,1847;   Jan   20, 
1848      65Butler,  orders  43,  1848      SlMcDowell  to  alcalde,  Dec  30,  1847. 
Sen   52;   30,  1,  p.  205  (Tnst)      Picayune,  Jan  2,   Mar   19;   Dec   19,23, 

1847.  Repubhcano,  June  14,  1847.     Kenly,  Md    Vol  ,  380      SlWorth  to 
Bliss,  Sept.  28,  1840      Mexico  a  traveX  iv,  703-4,  711      Rivera,  Jalapa, 
iii,  900,  902;   iv,  28-34      69\Vorth  to  commrs  ,  Nov  23,  1840;  orders  61, 
1846.     693cott  to  Hughes,  Jan.  28,  1848      6lShields,  Jan.  19,  1847 ;  orders, 
Dec.  26,  1846;    Jan    1,  2,  6,  1847.     6lWorth,  orders  2,  Mar    30,  1847. 
76Worth  to  E.  Gonzalez,  Nov.  23,  28,  1840      76S  Anna,  Jan  4,  1847,  with 
docs.     76Garay,  Jan    22,  1847,  and  docs.     76Worth,  proclam.,  Nov    30, 
1846.     76Morgan  to  Martinez,  Jan    18,  1847      76Aldrete  to  Mejia,  Aug 
30,  1846.     For  taxes,  etc.,  see  chap    xxxiu     .76Mora,  Fob    18,    Mar.  8, 

1848.  76Many  others 

47.   An  English  soldier  in  our  army  said  with  refeience  to  the  better 
class  at  Tampico:    they  were  shy  of  "the  vstrange,  wild-looking,  hairy- 


462      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXI,  PAGES  230-232 

faced  savages  of  the  half-horse  and  half-alligator  breed,  who  galloped  about 
the  streets  and  plazas  mounted  on  mules  and  Mexican  ponies,  and  armed 
with  sabres,  bowies,  and  revolvers,  and  in  every  uncouth  variety  of  costume 
peculiar  to  the  American  backwoodsman";  adding  that  the  Mexicans 
addressed  them  as  "Gentlemen,"  but  in  their  absence  spoke  of  them  with 
intense  bitterness  as  " cursed  volunteers"  (Ballentine,  Eng.  Sold.,  i,  276-7). 

48.  The  foreigners  residing  at  Mexico  generally  received  the  American 
army  well. 

49.  In  a  soldier's  written  vocabulary  occurred  these  words:    weaves 
(for  huevos),  chickketer  (chiquita),  sennereters  (senoritas),  irrancus  (naran- 
jas),  onerpas  (un  peso),  leavero  (libro).    There  were  cases  in  which  women 
went  long  distances  to  give  information  to  officers  they  had  never  seen. 
After  the  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  ladies  at  Mexico  wore  their  hair  loose  "a 
la  Scott,"  and  were  rebuked  by  the  press. 

50.  Social  relations.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  580.     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  118. 
Meade,  Letters,  i,  86,  180,  185.     148Chamberlain,  recoils.     Bullock,  Six 
Months  (1825  ed.),  i,  55-6.    Flag  of  Freedom,  i,  no.  5.    257G.  [Hughes]  to 
Frank  [Markoe],  Dec.  13,  1847.     242Kingsbury  to  mother,  Oct.  14,  1846. 
SAnon.  diary.    Oswandel,  Notes,  211,  433.    Jamieson,  Campaign,  48. 
Semmes,  Service,  173,  205,  215,  263.    Biog.  de  Alaman,  40.    22lHill, 
diary.     Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  131,  136,  138.    Rivera,  Jalapa,  hi,  912. 
Picayune,  May  28,  1847.    Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  368.    69Hughes  to  Scott,  Jan. 
5,  1848.     349Pattridge  to  Miss  W.,  May  22,  1848.     Apuntes,  363.     Wil- 
helm,  Eighth  Infantry,  i,  430.     Sedgwick,  Corresp.,  i,  145.     Ballentine, 
English  Soldier,  i,  276-7.    Spirit  of  the    Times,  July  4,   1846.    Perry, 
Indiana,  141.     76Document  sent  by  Garay,  Dec.  30,  1846.     SSSBelton  to 
Hitchcock,  Aug.  23,  1847. 

51.  This  money  had  a  powerful  influence  in  keeping  the  people  quiet. 

52.  Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  396,  580.      Grant,  Mems.,  i,  102.      Gutierrez  de 
Estrada,     M£x.    en     1840.     HOBarbour,    diary.     95Belton,     proclam., 
July  16,  1847.     ISDoyle,  no.  1,  1848.    Delta,  Jan.  19,  1847.     Rodriguez, 
Breve  Resefia,  1848.    Lawton,  Artillery  Officer,  24.     New  London  Morning 
News,  Dec.  10,  1846.    Apuntes,  368.    350Weber,  recoils.    Cong.  Globe, 
45,  3,  pp.  1627-8  (Shields).    Picayune,  Sept.  14,  1847. 

XXXII.   PEACE 

'  1.  52Trist,  nos.  16,  confid.,  17,  confid.,  18,  22-3.  (Trist's  despatches,  as 
printed  in  Sen.  52;  30  1,  are  not  in  all  cases  complete.)  Sierra,  Evolu- 
tion i,  223.  (Outrages)  Area  Iris,  Nov.  9,  1847.  Razonador  in  Nacional, 
Jan.  5,  1848.  Nacional,  Jan.  19,  1848.  SOAlmonte  to  Olagufbel,  Sept.  16, 
1847.  335Thornton  to  Trist,  Dec.  5,  1847.  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years, 
308-9,  315.  Calhoun  Corresp.,  1163,  1166.  349Partridge  to  Miss  W., 
May  22,  1848.  125Bonham  to  mother,  Dec.  7,  1847.  Ills.  State  Hist. 
Soc.  Trans.,  1912,  pp.  17-23.  Lawton,  Artill.  Officer,  327,  331.  Wash. 
Unim,  May  22,  1847.  291P.  F.  Smith  to  Pierce,  undated.  Monitor 
Repub.,  Dec.  3,  14,  1847.  Picayune,  Dec.  23,  1847;  Jan.  7,  8,  1848. 
ISDoyle,  no.  18,  1848.  (Damages)  TGCircular,  Oct.  3,  1847. 

2.  Sierra,  EvoL,  i,  223.  ISThornton,  no.  6,  1847.  Roa  Barcena, 
Recuerdos,  571.  52Trist,  nos.  18,  22-3.  Picayune,  Nov.  30,  1847; 
Feb.  20,  1848.  Protesta  de  la  Diputaci6n.  Tribute  a  la  Verdad,  58. 
Nacional,  Jan.  8,  19,  1848.  SOOlagufbel,  proclam.,  Dec.  9,  1&47. 
335Thorafcm  to  Trist,  Dec.  5,  1847.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  23,  40,  45, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  233-236       463 

74.  Correo  National,  Feb.  7,  19 ;  Mar.  21,  1848.  (Aguas  Cal.)  76Guerra 
to  Relaciones,  Jan.  24,  1848.  76Olaguibel,  Nov.  29.  76Gov.  Oaxaca  to 
Relaciones,  Dec.  27.  Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  15,  27,  29;  Dec.  29,  1847. 
366Correspondence  between  gov.  S.  L.  Potosi  and  A.  0.  de  Parada. 
335Trist,  memo,  of  second  conference.  256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Dec.  20, 
private,  27  private,  28,  private,  1847.  No.  American  (Mexico),  Dec.  14, 
1847.  169Taylor  to  Crittenden,  Nov.  1,  1847.  304Duncan  to  Quitnaan, 
Nov.  27,  1847.  Webster,  Letteis,  343.  SlScott,  Sept.  18.  (Bankhead) 
132Cushing  to  Buchanan,  Oct.  31,  1847.  125Bonham  to  mother,  Dec.  7, 
1847;  Jan.  12,  1848.  Gallatin,  War  Expenses.  345Poinsett  to  Van 
Buren,  June  4,  1847 ;  Mar.  9,  1848.  304Duncan  to  Quitman,  Nov.  27. 
No.  American  (Mex.),  Dec.  14.  P.  F.  Smith,  supra  Eco  del  Comercio, 
May  9,  1848.  Correspondent,  Nov.  15,  1847.  Times,  Jan.  15,  1848. 

The  substantial  war  elements  were  the  Eventualists,  Monarchists  and 
Santannistas.  The  76archives  for  this  time  are  full  of  reports  of  political 
disturbances. 

3.  Polk,  Diary,  Nov.  20,  23,  30;    Dec.  4,  18,  1847.    132Donelson  to 
Buchanan,  May  15,  1847,  private.    Ho.  60 ;  30, 1, 1037  (Marcy).     52Trist, 
no.   22,      P.    F.   Smith:   note    1.      Richardson,   Messages,   iv,   537-46. 
See  chap,  xxix,  p.  183.  'Had  the  war  continued  it  would  not  have  been 
against  Paredes  or  Santa  Anna  and  the  military  class.    It  would  have 
seemed  to  be  a  war  of  conquest  directed  against  the  Mexican  nation,  and 
even  the  peace  party  would  have  had  to  turn  against  us. 

4.  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  585.     ISThornton,  nos.  6,  7, 1847.    52Trist, 
nos.  16,  confid  ,  18-20.     33§/d.  to  Rosa,  Oct.  20,  1847.     Monitor  Repub., 
Nov.  8,  10,  13;    Dec.  29.    Ho.  69;    30,  1,  p    58  (Rosa).    Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  572.     Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  22-3.     M6xico  d  travel,  iv,  704-5. 
Exposici6n  6  Programa.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  in,  app.,  483,  516. 

Trist  reopened  the  negotiations  naturally  by  forwarding  to  Luis  de  la 
Rosa,  the  minister  of  relations,  a  letter  (dated  Sept.  7)  written  by  him 
as  a  reply  to  the  note  and  counter-projet  of  the  Mexican  peace  com- 
missioners dated  Sept.  6.  In  this  he  argued  that  Texas  possessed  good 
grounds  for  rebelling,  and  became  independent ;  that,  having  been  right- 
fully annexed  by  the  United  States,  she  had  to  be  protected  against  in- 
vasion ;  that  any  previously  existing  boundary  between  her  and  Mexico 
had  been  obliterated  by  the  revolutionary  war,  and  she  had  a  right  to 
claim  the  Rio  Grande  as  the  boundary ;  that  as  Mexico  would  not  nego- 
tiate on  the  subject,  Polk  was  compelled  to  accept  that  delimitation ;  that 
in  the  resulting  war  the  United  States  had  occupied  Mexican  territory 
and  now  justly  held  it  by  right  of  conquest,  yet  not  by  the  odious  title 
of  conquest  resulting  from  war  without  good  cause  —  not  from  a  mere 
desire  of  obtaining  territory  (Sen.  20;  30,  1,  p.  21).  This  letter  and  a 
brief  accompanying  note,  which  stated  that  his  powers  had  not  been 
withdrawn  and  expressed  a  desire  to  resume  the  negotiations,  were  trans- 
mitted by  Thornton,  now  acting  (hi  the  absence  of  Bankhead  and  Doyle) 
as  British  charge*,  who  strongly  urged  upon  Rosa  the  renewal  of  the  nego- 
tiations (52Trist,  no.  19).  Rosa  replied  favorably,  but  said  he  was  too 
busy  just  then,  and  needed  certain  documents.  Later  Pena  explained 
the  delay  as  resulting  from  the  provisional  character  of  his  administration 
(52to  Trist,  Nov.  22).  In  reality  the  government  desired  to  ascertain 
and  influence  public  and  Congressional  sentiment  before  acting  (Exposici6n 
dirigida).  Rosa's  reply  to  Trist  said  there  appeared  to  be  little  hope  of 
peace,  but  this  was  for  self-defence  (Trist,  no,  20). 


464      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  236-237 

5.  52Trist,  nos.  19,  23.  Sen  52;  30,  1,  p.  239.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  23. 
Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  17,  18,  23,  27 ;  Dec.  26.  (Deserters)  Nat.  Intelhg  , 
June  24,  1848.  76Rosa  to  govs  ,  Oct.  20.  75Report  of  the  meeting  of 
governors  M6xico  &  travds,  iv,  706  335Thornton  to  Tnst,  Nov.  25, 
1847.  Dublan,  Legislaci6n,  v,  305.  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  567-8, 
571-6.  335Davidson  to  Thornton,  Nov.  23.  Picayune,  Nov.  30. 

At  the  meeting  Puebla,  Quer6taro,  Michoacan,  Guanajuato  and  S.  L. 
Potosf  states  were  represented  by  their  governors,  Zacatccas  by  her  vice 
governor,  and  Jalisco  by  a  commissioner  The  President  and  the 
ministers  were  present.  The  meeting  was  advisory  and  confidential 
The  government  took  the  ground  that  the  war  could  not  be  continued 
and  that  Me'xico  should  endeavor  to  obtain,  not  an  honorable  peace,  but 
one  as  little  humiliating  as  possible,  and  one  that  would  save  Mexican 
nationality ;  but  it  preferred  war  and  promised  to  carry  it  on  if  given  the 
necessary  men  and  supplies  The  governors  naturally  showed  their 
repugnance  to  peace  on  such  a  basis,  but  could  not  offer  adequate  re- 
sources, and  the  one  rational  conclusion  was  inevitable  A  report  of  the 
discussions  may  be  found  in  the  Gobernaci6n  archives,  Mexico.  The 
sessions  began  on  Nov  19  and  concluded  on  Nov  27  The  insurrection 
came  to  a  head  on  Dec  19  News  of  Tnst's  recall  helped  to  quiet  the 
war  party  (52Trist,  no.  22) 

6  Pillow,  address  in  Chicago  Daily  Democrat,  Sept  15,  1857  Polk, 
Diary,  Oct  4,  5,  20-3,  25;  Dec.  30,  1847,  Jan  2,  1848  52Sec  state 
to  Tnst,  Oct  6,  25.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  541  335Memo  of  Tnst 
on  despatch  of  Oct.  6  Sen  Rep  261;  41,  2.  Ho  69;  30,  1,  pp  59-61 
(Tnst). 

A  private  335note  (Oct  24)  from  Buchanan  to  Trist,  taken  in  connec- 
tion with  Polk's  Diary,  suggests  a  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the  adminis- 
tration that,  in  intimating  that  the  United  States  might  possibly  not 
insist  upon  the  Rio  Grande  line,  Trist  had  purposely  played  into  the 
hands  of  the  Whigs,  who  were  now  asserting  that  the  intermediate  region 
did  not  belong  to  us  This  suspicion  and  the  idea  that  Trist  was  helping 
Scott  to  injure  the  President's  friends  in  the  army  would  explain  a  great 
deal  of  wrath  Another  personal  335note  (Oct  24)  from  Buchanan 
shows  that  the  terms  offered  by  Trist  in  September  were  now  regarded  as 
too  moderate  to  be  popular,  and  gives  one  the  feeling  that,  especially 
since  Trist  had  shown  a  disposition  to  weaken  them,  the  prestige  of  the 
administration  demanded  his  recall.  Oct.  25  Buchanan  said  Trist  had 
offered  to  give  up  a  part  of  California,  but  Trist  denied  this  (335memo.) 
Oct  6  Marcy  directed  Scott  to  inform  the  Mexican  authorities  of  Trist's 
recall  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1008)  Trist's  patriotism  and  sense  of  duty 
do  not  seem  to  have  been  affected  by  his  recall  Nov.  27  he  wrote  to 
Buchanan  that  a  commission  should  be  sent  to  take  up  his  work  on  the  spot 
(Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  230) ;  and  the  next  day,  through  Mrs.  Trist,  he  335ad- 
jured  Buchanan  to  lose  "not  a  minute11  about  this,  proposing  Scott  and 
Butler.  Dec.  31  Polk  received  indirectly  a  similar  recommendation  from 
Gen.  Twiggs,  and  Sen.  Davis  (the  Col  Davis  of  Monterey  and  Buena 
Vista)  pointed  out  to  him  that,  should  Mexican  commissioners  go  to 
Washington,  probably  their  government  would  be  overthrown  during 
their  absence,  and  they  might  be  shot  as  traitors  on  their  return  (Diary, 
Dec.  31).  Polk  therefore  virtually  decided  that  Butler  should  take  Trist's 
place  as  well  as  Scott's  (ibid.,  Dec.  31;  Jan.  2).  Pillow  (Address)  at- 
tributed to  his  letter  the  recall  of  Trist 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  237-239       465 

7.  Sen.  Report  261,    41,  2.     Ho.  69;    30,  1,  pp.  59-66  (Trist).     Sen. 
60;   30,  1,  p.  61  (Pefia).     52Tnst,  nos.  21,  23.     ISThornton,  nos.  11,  14, 

1847.  335/d.  to  Trist,  Nov.  22,  confid  ;    Nov.  22,  private;    Nov.  25. 
Roa  Barcena,   Recuerdos,   583,   585.     335Tnst   to   Thornton,   Nov.   24, 
confid.,  Nov.  25,  private.     75Peiia  at  meeting  of  govs      52Pefia  to  Trist, 
Nov.  22.     Trist's  departure  had  to  be  delayed  by  the  necessity  of  testify- 
ing at  Pillow's  trial 

8.  (Traitorous)  London  Times,  Mar.  15,  1848.     Sen  52;  30,  1,  pp.  140, 
144   (Scott)      256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Jan    28,    1848      Scott,  Menis  ,  n, 
576.     ISThornton,  no   21,  confid      Id  to  Trist .   note  7.     Sen   Rep.  261 ; 
41,  2      Trist,  no    22      13/d.  to  Thornton,  Dec    4,  1847      335/d.  to  Id  , 
Nov.  24      335/d  to  wife,  Dec   4 

It  has  been  said  that  Trist's  decision  was  due  to  Scott,  but  Trist  was 
not  under  Scott's  control  Scott  tried  without  success  to  dissuade  him 
from  breaking  with  Polk  (335statemcnt  by  Tust  in  his  papers).  Trist 
335wrote  to  his  wife,  Dec  4,  "Knowing  it  to  be  the  very  last  chance,  and 
impressed  with  the  dreadful  consequences  to  our  country  which  cannot 
fail  to  attend  the  loss  of  that  chance/'  I  decided  to-dav  at  noon  to  attempt 
to  make  a  treaty,  the  decision  is  altogether  my  own  Sen  Rep.  261, 
the  basis  of  which  was  evidently  supplied  by  Trist,  says  that  Freaner,  the 
correspondent  of  the  New  Orleans  Delta,  was  "the  only  man  who  had 
been  in  any  way  instrumental  in  determining  Mr  Trist  to  make  the 
attempt."  It  has  also  been  said  that  Scott  and  Trist  wished  to  make 
the  treaty  because  Polk  now  wanted  more  of  Mexico,  and  they  desired 
to  "spite"  him,  but  neither  man  was  of  such  a  type,  no  suggestion  of 
the  scheme  appears  in  Trist's  official  01  personal  letters  or  in  Thornton's 
reports  to  the  Foreign  Office,  and  public  considerations  are  quite  enough 
to  explain  Tnst's  course  Sen  Rep  261  says  that  on  Dec  4  occurred 
an  incident  "in  itself  of  the  most  casual,  and  trivial,  and  commonplace 
kind,"  which  led  to  Trist's  making  the  treaty  This  has  been  thought 
to  mean  the  postponement  of  the  train  with  which  he  was  to  have  gone 
down ;  but  the  above  description  does  not  seem  to  fit  this  important 
occurrence,  and  the  author  is  inclined  to  believe  that  it  refers  to  a  cfiance 
meeting  of  Trist  and  Freaner,  while  Tnst's  decision  hung  in  the  balance 
Freaner  was  regarded  by  Trist  as  an  honest  man  of  unusual  sagacity, 
and  he  was  a  strong,  sympathetic  character  Pena  held  that,  since 
his  peace  commissioners  had  been  appointed,  he  could  deal  with  the  subject 
through  them  only,  and  hence,  as  they  were  at  a  distance,  he  could  not 
possibly  send  a  proposal  to  Mexico  for  Trist  to  carry  home,  as  it  was 
suggested  to  him  to  do  Trist  counted  on  one  fact  as  lessening  his  re- 
sponsibility '  the  government  could  disavow  his  work  without  embarrass- 
ment (52no.  22)  See  Napoleon's  dictum  (chap,  xxvn,  note  17,  p  398) 

9.  ISThornton,  no.  21,  confid,  1847.     IsDoyle,  nos.  1,  3,  1847;    10, 

1848.  52Tnst,  nos.  23-5.     256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Dec.  27,  1847,  private. 
Sen.  60;   30,  1,  pp.  61  (Pena),  62  (Trist).     (Rinc6n)  Mexico  a  travel,  iv, 
705-7.     335Memo     re    withdrawal    of    notice      335Thornton    to    Trist, 
Nov.   24,    priv  ;     Dec     5,    11,    confid.     Roa   Btircena,    Recuerdos,   590. 
335Trist  to  Pena,   Dec.  26,   1847.     Lee,   Gen.  Lee,  43.     Noticias  Muy 
Importantes.     Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  545.     335Powers  of  the  commrs. 
335Trist,  minutes  of  meetings,  etc. 

Doyle  arrived  at  Vera  Cruz  on  Nov.  30,  and  soon  received  from  the 
Foreign  Office  a  despatch  (13no.  40)  making  clear  its  attitude  of  benevolent 
neutrality  (Doyle,  no.  3).  Polk's  message  encouraged  the  Eventualists, 

VOL.   II  —  2  H 


466      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  239-240 

because  it  showed  that  if  they  could  defeat  the  present  negotiations,  the 
war  would  continue,  the  peace  party  would  fall  from  power,  and  then  the 
Eventualists  would  have  American  support  in  setting  up  a  government 
according  to  their  ideas.  Rmc6n  pretended  to  be  ill.  Associated  with 
the  ministry  of  Relaciones  at  this  time  as  confidential  advisers  were  such 
men  as  Pedraza,  Lafragua  and  Cuevas. 

10.   Sen.  20;   30,  1,  p.  21.    336Buchanan  to  Trist,  Oct.  24,  personal. 

335 to  Id ,  Oct.  25.     335Dimond  to  Id ,  Oct.  27.     TSLozano,  no.  3, 

res.,  1847.  335Trist,  notes  and  memoranda.  335Notes  of  Trist  and 
Couto.  335Thornton's  translation  of  Mexican  draft  of  treaty.  335Notes 
from  Doyle  and  Thornton.  (Unreasonable)  Mexico  d  trav6s,  iv,  706. 
Sierra,  Evolution,  i,  223  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  592,  596-7.  ISDoyle, 
nos.  10  (with  memoranda),  29,  1848.  ISPalmerston  to  Mora,  June  20, 
1848.  52Trist,  no.  27.  Exposici6n  dingida,  6.  (Trist's  conduct)  Ne- 
grete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  324. 

Trist  relied  for  guidance  on  his  original  instructions  (Ho.  69;  30,  1, 
pp.  43-7),  the  projet  of  a  treaty  accompanying  the  instructions  (ibid., 
p.  47),  52instructions  of  July  13  and  19,  1847,  former  treaties  of  the  United 
States,  and  our  general  principles  and  policy  (52Trist,  no.  27).  See  also 
Folk's  Diary,  Apr.  13,  1847  In  regard  to  the  western  end  of  the  boundary 
the  instructions  were  faulty,  and  Trist  found  it  necessary  to  use  his  judg- 
ment (52enclosure  in  his  no.  27)  Greatly  fearing  the  designs  of  the 
Monarchists,  he  desired  to  have  a  secret  article  binding  upon  Mexico 
the  constitution  of  1824,  and  was  willing  to  promise  in  return  that  enough 
American  troops  to  support  the  government  should  remain  five  years; 
but  the  proposition  was  declined  (13Doyle,  no.  10,  1848).  There  was  a 
difficulty  in  doing  anything  about  Tehuantepec,  for  British  interests 
were  involved,  and  that  matter  was  dropped  by  Trist  in  order  to  facili- 
tate the  adjustment  of  the  boundary  (Exposici6n,  supra).  It  did  not 
signify  much  now,  for  the  United  States  had  its  eye  upon  a  better  route 
(J.  S  Reeves  in  Amer.  Hist.  Rev  ,  x,  323).  The  subject  that  consumed 
the  most  time  was  the  status  of  the  people  of  the  surrendered  territory 
(Trist,  no  27)  The  Mexicans  asked  that  their  civil  law  should  continue 
to  rule  there  until  the  territory  should  be  organized  into  states,  but  Trist 
(perhaps  in  the  interest  of  slavery)  would  not  consent  (ISDoyle,  no.  10). 

11.  ISDoyle,  nos.  10,  12,  13,  1848.  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  568, 
579,  591,  602-3,  605-6  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1039  (Scott).  52Trist,  nos. 
25-7.  M6xico  d  travel,  iv,  706-8.  335Trist  to  wife,  Dec.  26,  1847; 
to  Scott,  Jan  28,  1848;  to  commrs  ,  Jan.  29,  1848.  ISDoyle  to  commrs., 
Jan.  28-9.  (S.  L.  P  )  83Gov.  S  L.  P.  to  gov.  Quer6taro,  Feb.  5,  1848; 
77Relaciones,  circular,  Jan.  17;  Nacwnal,  Jan.  26  (plan) ;  Feb.  2;  Rivera, 
Jalapa,  iv,  41,  43;  M6xico  d  trav6s,  iv,  706.  256Marcy  to  Wetmore, 
Jan.  28. 

Pena  became  the  chief  executive  again  because  the  expiration  of  Anaya's 
term  (ordered  by  the  Congress  that  elected  him  to  occur  on  Jan.  8,  since 
it  was  expected  that  the  new  Congress  would  have  assembled  by  that 
date)  left  the  country  without  a  head,  and  the  position  devolved  upon 
him  as  chief  of  the  supreme  court.  L.  de  la  Rosa  was  then  appointed 
minister  of  relations.  The  plan  of  the  S.  L.  P.  governor  was  that  four 
states  —  S.  L.  P.,  Zacatecas,  Guanajuato  and  Jalisco  —  should  combine, 
repudiate  the  national  government,  and  continue  the  war,  expecting  other 
states  to  join  them ;  but  public  opinion,  even  in  his  own  state,  failed  to 
mpport  him.  Almonte  was  actively  working  against  peace  at  this  time, 


NOTES  .ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  239-240      467 

basing  his  arguments  particularly  on  the  attitude  of  the  peace  party  in 
the  United  States  and  the  poverty  of  the  American  treasury*  Jan.  30 
he  called  attention  to  the  Whig  majority  in  our  House,  said  our  Congress 
would  probably  refuse  to  send  more  troops  to  Mexico,  and  urged  the 
Mexican  government  to  procrastinate.  The  reply  of  the  government 
was  a  mere  acknowledgment  of  receipt.  Feb.  14  he  argued  that  Walker's 
report  showed  we  could  not  continue  the  war  much  longer  On  the  other 
hand  there  seems  to  be  some  reason  to  believe  that  personal  relations  and 
interests  may  have  influenced  the  Mexican  commissioners  in  favor  of 
making  the  treaty  (Puga  y  Acal,  Documentos,  letter  no.  74).  Marcy 
to  Scott,  Oct  6,  1847 :  Your  military  operations  are  not  to  be  modified 
by  Mexican  proposals  to  negotiate  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  140). 

12.  ISThornton,  no.  11,  1847.  ISDoyle,  nos  4,  1847;  13,  14  and  18, 
1848.  Sen.  60;  30,  1,  p  65  (Trist).  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1082  (Scott). 
Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  604-7.  ISDoyle  to  commrs  ,  Jan.  28,  29;  to 
Rosa,  Jan.  29  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  315-6.  Mexico  a  travel,  iv, 
706-8.  33 5 Memo,  from  Freaner. 

The  Mexican  government  naturally  desired  to  keep  all  information 
about  the  treaty  from  its  enemies.  The  public  came  to  believe,  however, 
that  an  important  act  had  taken  place  on  Feb.  2.  Freaner  carried  the 
treaty  to  Washington.  For  two  weeks  escorts  had  been  waiting  at  the 
proper  points  on  the  road  to  Vera  Cruz.  The  Spanish  representative, 
under  his  instructions,  took  no  part  in  these  negotiations.  The  Prussian 
minister,  lacking  both  official  authorization  and  personal  influence,  was 
equally  inactive.  France  had  no  minister  on  the  scene. 

Ripley  (War  with  Mexico,  ii,  557)  says  that  "no  man  who  so  palpably 
disobeys  the  direct  instructions* of  his  government"  as  did  Trist,  could  be 
fit  to  negotiate  a  treaty ;  suggests  (p.  564)  that  it  was  improper  to  let  the 
British  cooperate  in  the  matter ;  and  argues  (pp  582-4)  that  Scott  should 
have  broken  up  the  negotiations  or  else  assumed  the  full  responsibility 
for  them,  withholding  from  the  Mexican  government  the  fact  of  Trist 's 
recall.  All  this  and  the  rest  are  mere  fault-finding,  and  the  critic  could 
and  would  have  been  much  more  severe,  had  the  course  he  recommended 
been  adopted  Of  course  he  proves  the  obvious  facts  that  Scott  and  Trist, 
in  the  interest  of  two  nations  and  to  accomplish  what  their  government 
ardently  desired,  at  great  personal  risk  disregarded  mistaken  instructions, 
accepted  British  assistance  without  which  they  would  probably  have 
failed,  and  obtained  a  treaty  which  Polk  himself,  though  he  hated  both 
of  them,  felt  constrained  to  accept ;  but  this  was  a  truly  glorious  achieve- 
ment. Scott  had  no  right  to  act  as  Ripley  says  he  should  have  done. 
The  armistice,  a  military  affair,  was  properly  his  concern,  but  negotiating 
a  treaty  was  diplomatic  business.  Mackintosh,  says  Ripley  (p.  563),  had 
a  hand  in  the  negotiations,  but  this  seems  to  be  an  error.  Rives  (U.  S. 
and  Mexico,  ii,  524-5)  says  "it  might  perhaps  have  been  well  to  replace 
Trist  by  a  stronger  man."  But  every  possible  man  had  been  considered 
(p.  126),  and  a  stronger  roan  would  probably  have  tried  to  drive  the  Mex- 
icans and  have  failed.  Trist  they  liked  and  trusted,  yet  could  not  deceive 
or  frighten. 

The  chief  points  of  the  treaty  signed  on  Feb.  2  were  as  follows  (Sen. 
52;  30,  1,  p.  38):  Art.  1.  Peace.  2.  Immediate  armistice,  and  so  far 
as  possible  a  restoration  of  the  constitutional  order  in  the  places  occupied 
by  the  Americans.  3.  After  ratification  by  both  governments  the  block- 
ade to  cease,  the  customhouses  held  by  the  Americans  to  be  given  up, 


468      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  240-241 

and  the  interior  to  be  evacuated  as  soon  as  practicable.  Mexico  to  assist. 
Duties  collected  after  Mexico's  ratification  to  be  paid  over  to  her.  4.  Im- 
mediately on  the  exchange  of  ratifications  all  Mexican  places  and  public 
property  to  be  given  up,  and  all  prisoners  surrendered.  The  process  to 
be  completed  within  three  months,  unless  the  sickly  season  should  require 
American  troops  to  remain  longer  at  designated  points.  5  The  new 
boundary  (Rio  Grande,  southern  and  western  lines  of  New  Mexico,  the 
Gila,  the  Colorado,  the  line  between  upper  and  lower  California).  The 
line  to  be  run  and  marked  by  a  joint  commission  within  a  year  after  the 
exchange  of  ratifications.  No  change  in  it  to  be  made  except  with  the 
free  and  formal  consent  of  both  nations.  6.  The  United  States  may 
navigate  the  Gulf  of  California  and  the  Colorado  to  the  Gila,  and  the  two 
governments  will  arrange  for  "a  road,  canal,  or  railway"  within  a  marine 
league  of  the  Gila,  should  it  be  found  practicable.  7  The  navigation  of 
the  Gila  and  of  the  Rio  Grande  to  New  Mexico  to  be  free  to  both  coun- 
tries. 8.  All  Mexicans  in  the  transferred  territory  may  go  or  stay,  will 
have  full  power  over  their  property,  and  may  elect  within  a  year  to  re- 
main Mexican  citizens.  9.  Mexicans  not  so  electing  shall  be  "admitted 
as  soon  as  possible,  according  to  the  principles  of  the  federal  constitution, 
to  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  rights  of  citizens  of  the  United  States,"  and 
meantime  shall  have  the  rights  "now  vested  in  them  according  to  the 
Mexican  laws  "  No  interference  with  Roman  Catholic  worship,  property 
or  ecclesiastical  administration.  10  Mexican  grants  of  lands  (made  be- 
fore May  13,  1846)  to  be  valid,  and  the  period  for  fulfilling  conditions  to 
be  reckoned  from  the  exchange  of  ratifications  11  The  United  States 
to  prevent  or  punish  Indian  incursions  from  its  territory,  and  exact  satis- 
faction for  damage  done,  etc.  12.  The  United  States  to  pay  Mexico 
$15,000,000.  (As  to  method  of  payment,  see  p  248  )  13  The  United 
States  to  pay  the  claims  against  Mexico  already  decided  14  Also  to 
assume  all  other  claims  arising  before  Feb.  2,  1848  15  The  latter  claims 
are  to  be  passed  upon  by  an  American  commission  (which  will  be  supplied 
by  Mexico,  on  demand,  with  needed  books,  etc  ),  and  not  more  than 
$3,250,000  may  be  paid  to  satisfy  the  claims  16  Each  nation  may 
fortify  any  point  within  its  territory.  17.  The  commercial  treaty  of 
1831,  so  far  as  compatible  with  this  treaty,  revived  for  eight  years. 

18.  Supplies   for   American   troops   in    Mexico   to   enter   free   of   duty. 

19.  Provisions  respecting  merchandise  brought  into  Mexican  ports  oc- 
cupied by  the  Americans.     20.  A  provision  regarding  certain  merchandise 
arriving  at  Mexican  ports  shortly  after  the  restoration  of  the  custom- 
houses.   21.  Should  difficulties  arise  between  the  two  countries,  negotia- 
tions and  arbitration  —  not  reprisals  or  hostilities  —  to  be  employed, 
unless  the  circumstances  forbid.    22.  Provisions  for  resident  merchants 
and  prisoners  in  case  of  war  between  the  two  nations.    23.  Ratifications 
to  be  exchanged  at  Washington  in  four  months  or,  if  practicable,  sooner. 
Secret  article     The  four  months  of  Art    23  may  be  extended  to  eight 
months. 

13.  If  we  hold  that  Texas  extended  only  to  New  Mexico,  the  treaty 
gave  us  619,275  square  miles  (Donaldson,  Public  Domain,  124,  134). 
(Little)  198Gallatin,  note  on  peace  treaty;  Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos, 
618 ;  ISPalmerston  to  Mora,  June  20,  1848.  The  U.  S.  Supreme  Court 
held  (Merryman  vs.  Bourne,  9  Wallace,  592)  that  the  acquisition  of  Cali- 
fornia was  "complete  on  the  seventh  of  July,  1846."  It  said,  "Conquest 
is  a  valid  title,  while  the  victor  maintains  the  exclusive  possession  of  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  240-241      469 

conquered  country ";  and  the  United  States  intended  to  do  this  in  the 
region  we  took.  On  this  and  other  points  see  Klein,  Treaty,  247-81 ; 
Butler,  Treaty-Making  Power,  i,  78,  168-9 ;  U.  S  Cavalry  Journal,  xxv, 
p.  18;  Reid,  Problems,  271-5.  It  was  necessary  to  take  territory  from 
Mexico  to  offset  our  claims,  quashed  by  the  war  (Richardson,  Messages, 
iv,  537),  and  partially  offset  the  costs  of  a  war  forced  upon  us,  for,  had 
the  treaty  awarded  us  a  money  indemnity,  she  would  not  have  been  will- 
ing and  morally  able,  even  if  theoretically  able,  to  pay  it.  (See  Ben  ton, 
Abr.  Deb  ,  xvi,  40-1.)  Aside  from  the  question  of  right,  too,  the  Amer- 
ican people  would  have  been  profoundly  dissatisfied  to  see  our  armies 
return  empty-handed,  and  this  feeling  would  probably  have  meant  more 
to  Mexico  than  the  loss  of  her  nominal  territory  (see  Root  in  Cong.  Globe, 
30,  1,  app  ,  p.  395).  Mexico  could  give  up  more  easily  ^what  she  did  than 
any  equivalent  territory  (Map)  Gadsderi  line  at  N  E.  is  disputed. 

An  apparent  inconsistency  may  be  noted  here,  for  on  p.  138  of  vol.  i 
it  was  intimated  that  an  agreement  with  Mexico  was  needed  to  fix  the 
boundary  of  Texas  The  explanation  is  that  the  United  States  had 
demonstrated  its  ability  to  hold  the  line,  but  the  republic  of  Texas  was 
not  strong  enough  to  prevent  Mexican  troops  from  going  and  remaining 
north  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

The  Mexican  commissioners  rejected  the  line  of  32°,  desired  by  the 
United  States  (Sen  52;  30,  1,  p  91),  for  three  reasons:  1,  it  would  be 
for  a  long  distance  only  a  mathematical  boundary ;  2,  it  was  liable,  when 
surveyed,  to  cut  off  important  points  like  Paso  del  Norte;  3,  it  would 
prevent  land  communication  between  Sonora  and  lower  California  (Ex- 
posici6n  dingida).  It  was  proposed  at  one  time  to  divide  S.  Diego,  but 
for  that  concession  Trist  demanded  too  much.  Besides,  S  Diego  belonged 
distinctly  to  upper  California  Lower  California  was  relinquished  because 
inaccessible  and  poor  Not  only  for  sentimental  reasons  but  because  other- 
wise the  treaty,  they  believed,  could  not  possibly  be  ratified,  the  Mexican 
commissioners  were  determined  to  hold  all  of  Sonora  and  Chihuahua. 
Tamauhpas,  happily,  had  made  no  protest  against  relinquishing  her  claim 
to  the  intermediate  region  (52Tnst,  no.  27)  To  ask  the  consent  of  the 
people  in  the  acquired  territory  was  not  deemed  necessary  by  the  United 
States  (Butler,  op.  cit ,  i,  83-4),  but  citizenship  was  not  forced  upon  Mex- 
icans by  the  treaty  (art.  viu)  Art.  x  was  demanded  by  the  Mexicans 
(ISDoyle,  no.  10,  1848)  Art  xix  harmonized  the  American  pledge  that 
goods  imported  during  our  occupation  of  the  ports  should  pay  only  the 
American  tariff  (52Buchanan  to  Trist,  June  14,  1847),  with  the  Mexican 
view  that  our  tariff  could  not  be  operative  beyond  the  limits  of  our  occu- 
pation (Exposici6n  dirigida) 

An  error  regarding  the  assumption  of  our  claims  has  prevailed  Two 
classes  of  claims  were  provided  for:  1,  those  liquidated  under  the  con- 
vention of  1839  but  not  covered  by  the  three  Mexican  instalments  (vol.  i, 
p.  81) ;  2,  all  unliquidated  claims  antedating  Feb.  2,  1848.  Under  the 
first  head  the  United  States  paid,  under  the  act  approved  July  29,  1848 
(Statutes  at  Large,  ix,  265),  $2,090,253  19  including  interest  (A.  J.  Peters, 
asst.  sec.  treas.  to  the  author,  Nov.  30,  1915) ;  under  the  second  head  the 
claims  commission  awarded  (in  1852)  $3,208,314  96,  including  interest 
(Sen.  34;  32,  1;  documents  preserved  in  the  state  dept.).  The  treaty 
provided  that  under  the  second  head  the  U.  S.  should  not  be  liable  for 
more  than  $3,250,000.  The  phraseology  of  our  projet  regarding  this 
matter,  when  literally  translated,  did  not  readily  penetrate  the  Mexican 


470      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  241-242 

mind,  and  hence  was  re-worked  (Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  294).  Roa  Bdrcena 
(Recuerdos,  chap,  xxxiv)  gives  many  interesting  details  derived  from 
the  papers  of  Couto.  Other  details  may  be  found  in  the  Tnst  papers, 
Doyle's  reports,  and  the  Exposici6n  dmgida  (Negrete,  Invasion,  iv, 
296). 

14.  The  armistice.  ISThornton,  no.  21,  1847,  confid.  Roa  B&rcena, 
Recuerdos,  590-1.  ISDoyle,  nos.  10,  28,  29,  1848.  52Tnst,  no.  26. 
335Thornton  to  Trist,  Nov.  22,  1847,  confid.  335Tnst  to  Scott,  Jan.  28, 
1848.  335[Pena]  to  Mex.  commrs.,  Jan.  11,  private.  76Many  communi- 
cations, principally  between  the  Mexican  government  and  the  Mexican 
armistice  commrs.  (instructions,  reports,  etc.),  Feb.,  1848.  60Butler  to 
Marcy,  Mar.  3,  13.  76/d,  Feb.  21,  appn  t.  of  W.  and  S.  76Lay  to  Mora, 
Apr.  27.  76To  Lombardini,  Mar.  4.  (Terms)  Dublin,  Legislaci6n,  v, 
345-8;  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  334,  342;  lllButler,  gen  orders,  no.  18, 
Mar.  6,  1848.  76Circular,  Mar.  10  Mexico  a  traves,  iv,  706,  709. 
760tero,  Mar.  31.  29lWinship  to  Pierce,  Mar  5.  Sen  52;  30,  1,  p. 
140  (Scott). 

^  As  we  have  seen,  the  Mexican  government  had  frowned  on  elections  held 
in  occupied  territory,  probably  fearing  American  pressure  upon  the  voters. 
The  reader  may  note  an  apparent  inconsistency  here.  The  war  is  repre- 
sented sometimes  as  so  lucrative  that  its  continuance  was  desired  by 
Mexicans,  and  yet  it  is  said  that  the  districts  occupied  by  our  troops  felt 
its  burdens,  and  for  that  reason  desired  peace.  Both  currents  of  senti- 
ment existed.  In  some  districts  and  at  some  times  the  one  predominated ; 
in  other  districts  and  at  other  times  the  other.  Doyle  assisted  materially 
in  the  armistice  negotiations.  The  armistice  was  signed  on  Mar  2.  Its 
terms  were :  1,  suspension  of  hostilities ;  2,  neither  side  to  extend  its 
occupation  of  territory ;  3,  all  civilians  to  travel  freely,  all  military  persons 
under  white  flag;  4,  " contributions "  for  February  and  March  under 
American  65orders  376  and  395  to  be  suspended,  etc  ;  5,  Mexicans  to 
exercise  full  political  rights,  and  officials  recognized  by  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment to  be  recognized  by  the  Americans;  *6,  no  Americans  to  interfere 
with  Mexican  elections ;  *7,  Mexican  authorities  to  levy  and  collect  taxes ; 
*8,  Mexican  postal  facilities  might  be  re-established,  and  the  Americans 
would  protect  them ;  *9,  the  Mexican  government  might  take  the  stocks 
of  monopolized  articles ;  *10,  public  offices  not  occupied  by  Americans  to 
be  given  up,  and  also,  as  soon  as  conveniently  possible,  all  religious  and 
charitable  buildings;  *11,  Mexican  courts  to  act  exclusively  except  when 
a  person  belonging  to  the  American  army  was  originally  a  party,  or  the 
interest  of  the  American  government  is  concerned ;  *12,  police  to  be  es- 
tablished ;  *13,  person  and  property  to  be  protected ;  *14,  Mexico  to  act 
freely  against  savages  on  the  northern  frontier,  and  American  commanders 
to  help  with  influence ;  15,  church  property  to  be  respected ;  16,  armed 
bodies  assembled  anywhere,  to  commit  hostilities  not  authorized  by  either 
government, -to  be  opposed  by  both  governments;  17,  the  armistice  to 
remain  in  force  during  the  period  fixed  by  the  treaty,  unless  notice  of 
terminating  it  is  given.  The  starred  articles  have  particular  reference 
to  territory  occupied  by  the  Americans.  Some  of  the  articles  merely 
make  obligatory  what  the  Americans  had  been  doing.  Next  after  Art.  1, 
Art.  16  was  chiefly  important.  The  purpose  of  it-  was  to  prevent  insur- 
rections, and  it  could  not  fail  to  have  that  effect.  The  first  intention  was 
to  keep  Art.  16  secret,  but  the  wisdom  of  publishing  it  soon  became  clear. 
The  armistice  was  published  at  Quere*taro  on  March  11.  Some  slight 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  243-246        471 

and  unavoidable  violations  of  it,  particularly  in  the  pursuit  of  guerillas, 
occurred,  but  no  serious  trouble. 

15.  Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  19.     (Learned)  Vol.  i,  p.  123.     Calhoun  Corresp., 
1119-21.    137Fisher  to  Calhoun,  May  25, 1847.    52Trist,  no.  27.   210Simms 
to  Hammond,  Jan.  15,  1847.    Nat.  Intellig.,  May  19 ;  Nov.  20, 1847.    N.  Y. 
Sun,  May  17,  20 ;  Aug.  20-1,  1817.    London  Times,  Oct.  29,  1847.     Dodd, 
Walker,  25.    Bourne,  Essays,  227-36.     Benton,  View,  11,  704.     lOSStorms 
to  Bancroft,  July  23,  1846.     (Baker)  Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  p.  279.     (Seces- 
sion) Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  204-14,  287.     U.  S.  Mag.,  Feb.,  1847,  p. 
100. 

16.  Polk,  Diary,  May  13,  1846;  Nov.  23;  Dec.  7,  1847;  Feb.  21,  1848. 
ISCrampton,  nos.  59,  1847 ;  8,  9,  1848.     lOSBancroft  to  Greene,  Nov.  3, 

1847.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  541.     345Niles  to  Van  Buren,  Jan.  20, 

1848.  lOSBuchanan  to  Bancroft,  Dec.  29,  1846,  priv.     Cong.  Globe,  30, 
1,  app.,  197.     Foote,  Remms  ,  220.    Monitor  Repub.,  Mar.  10,  1848  (C. 
Landa).     Calhoun  Corresp  ,  741  (to  A.  P.  C.  and  Mrs.  C.).     N.  Y.  Journ. 
Comm.,  Dec.  11,  1847;    Feb   4,  1848.     N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Nov.  30, 

1847.  N.  Y  Sun,  Jan  24,  1848      Cong  Globe,  30,  1,  pp   157-60  (Dickin- 
son), 215  (Crittenden),  219  (Foote),  256  (Dix),  302  (Sevier),  321  (Cass) ; 
app.,  488  (Tompkms),  349  (Breese)      Nat.  Intelhg.,  Jan.  31,  1848  (Cass). 
345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Dec  29,  1847 

17.  ISCrampton,  no    19,  1848.     345Niles  to  Van  Buren,  Jan   20,  1848. 
345Dix  to  Id.,  Jan.  27,   1848.     (Mad)  335Statement  by  Trist,  Nov.  4, 
1857.     Calhoun  Corresp  ,  742  (to  C  ),  751  (to  J   E.  C  )      Public  Ledger, 
Jan.  4,  1848.     N.  Y.  Sun,  May  17,  1848.     Bourne,  Essays,  235      Cong. 
Globe,  see  note  16;    also  428  (Cabell).     Meade  in  Ho,  Jan.  31,  1848, 
and  Ho.  debate  on  Ten  Regt  Bill,  Jan  24-Feb  3,  passim      Niles,  Feb.  5, 
1818,  p.  354.     Sen.  Misc  ,  8 ;  30,  1      137Hatcher  to  Calhoun,  Jan  5,  1848. 

18.  Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  4,  7,  1847;    Jan    4,  15,  24-5,  1848.     Sen.  52; 
30,    1,   pp.   146,    148   (Marcy)      52Tnst,  nos.   22,   25.     335Buchanan  to 
Trist,  Oct.  27,  1847,  priv.     335Trist  to  Thornton,  Nov.  24,  confid.;    to 
wife  (for  Buchanan),  Nov.  28      ISCrampton,  no  38,  1847.     132Buchanan, 
memo  ,  Jan.  5,  1848.     BOButler  to  Trist  and  reply,  Mar   17,  18,  1848. 

19.  Polk,  Diary,  Jan.  4,  5,  23,  1847;   Feb.  19-21,  1848.     52Buchanan 
to  Trist,  Oct.  6,  25,  1847      Amer.  Rev.,  Feb,  1848,  p    110  (Everything 
done  by  Congress  for  the  war  has  been  done  under  Folk's  pledge  to  make 
peace  as  soon  as  justice  and  honor  could  be  satisfied.).     Richardson,  Mes- 
sages, iv,  544,  573-5.     (P  's  looks)   Momtor  Repub  ,  Mar.   10,  1848  (C. 
Landa);    Tyler,  Tyler,  ii,   457.     W.  E.  Dodd  in  Ills.  State  Hist.  Soc. 
Trans.,  1912,  pp.  17-23.     Id.,  Walker,  25-6      Picayune,  Feb.  26;   Mar.  3, 

1848.  (Sevier)  Wash.  Union,  Feb.  4,  1848.     ISCrampton,  no.  19,  1848. 
Polk  intimated  to  the  Senate  that  the  treaty  would  need  to  be  amended. 

Trist  was  confidentially  authorized  to  pay  $20,000,000  for  what  he  actually 
obtained,  $5,000,000  more  for  Lower  California,  and  $5,000,000  for  the 
right  of  transit  across  the  isthmus  of  Tehuantepec  (Polk,  Diary,  Apr.  13, 
1847;  Ho.  69;  30,  1,  p.  44). 

20.  Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  19-21.     297Report  of  Cabinet  meeting,  Feb.  20, 
certified  by  Polk's  private  secy.     Sen   Report  261 ;   41,2.    Sen.  69;   30, 
1,    pp.    65-72    (Buchanan).     ISCrampton,    no.    21,    1848.     Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  573T5.     Klein,  Treaty,  Public  Ledger,  June  15,  1849  (Dallas). 

Buchanan  probably  desired  to  have  the  treaty  go  to  the  Senate.  He 
would  then  share  in  the  credit  of  the  administration,  should  it  be  popular, 
and  in  the  contrary  event  would  be  able  to  say  that  he  opposed  it  (Polk, 


472       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  246-247 

Diary,  Feb.  21).  Folk's  accepting  the  treaty  as  the  best  agreement  that 
could  be  obtained  under  the  circumstances  completely  vindicated  Trist's 
decision  to  make  it  and  Scott's  cooperation. 

In  April,  1848,  the  question  of  occupying  Yucatan  came  up.  The 
indigenes  appeared  to  be  on  the  point  of  exterminating  the  whites 
and  as  a  desperate  resource  Yucatan  offered  herself  simultaneously  to 
England,  France  and  the  United  States.  Apr  29  Polk  recommended 
intervention  to  Congress,  and  this  has  been  thought  (Ills  State  Hist.  Soc 
Trans  ,  1912,  17-23)  to  mean  that  he  was  ready  to  take  Yucatan,  upset 
the  treaty,  and  bring  about  the  dismemberment  —  perhaps  the  annexation 
—  of  Mexico.  But  the  treaty,  which  had  now  been  ratified  by  our  Senate, 
contained  in  art  5  a  provisnm  expressly  intended  to  prevent  us  from  annex- 
ing more  of  Mexico's  territory  without  her  consent  (see  Buchanan  to 
Hilliard,  Works,  viii,  56),  and  to  believe  that  after  giving  this  pledge  our 
Executive  proposed  to  reverse  his  entire  policy  regarding  Mexico  and  be 
guilty  of  such  bad  faith  would  require  much  more  evidence  than  we  have 
It  seems  to  the  author  that  humanity  combined  with  an  avowed  desire 
to  keep  European  powers  out  of  Yucatan  fully  explain  what  Polk  did 
(see  Folk's  Diary,  Apr  25).  Congress  decided  against  occupying  Yu- 
catan Its  troubles  were  settled  by  an  agreement  between  the  two  parties 
(Nat  Intelligencer,  May  17). 

21.  Sherman  Letters,  46-7.  Polk,  Diary,  Fob  28  Public  Ledger, 
June  15,  1849  (Dallas)  N  Y  Journ  Commerce,  Fob  25-6,  Mar.  1,  11 
Niles,  Feb  26,  1848,  pp  401-3  139Fulton  to  Campbell,  Mar  5.  198Ber- 
nen  to  Gallatin,  June  7  Morse,  J  Q  Adams,  307-8  Adams  was  stricken 
down  two  days  after  the  treaty  reached  Washington  By  this  time  the 
Senators  understood  its  contents  fairly  well,  no  doubt 

22  Polk,  Diary,  Feb  25-Mar  10,  Apr  27  ISCrampton,  no  21, 
1848  Meigs,  Benton,  378  Benton,  View,  n,  694  210Woodward  to 
Hammond,  Feb  23  210Alvord  to  Id ,  Feb  24  Calhoun  Corresp  , 
743  (to  Mrs  C  ),  745  (to  T  G  C  )  (Politicians)  Benton,  View,  11,  710 
253McL<vm,  remarks  345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Mar  3,  1848  N  Y 
Journ  Commerce,  Feb  25,  Mar  1-3,  7,  11  Sen  52;  30,  1,  pp.  3-37 
(proceedings)  Wash  Union,  Mar  2,  4  Bait  Clipper,  Mar  4.  Bait 
Patriot,  Mar  3  Nat.  Intelhg  ,  Feb  28 ;  Mar  4  Public  Ledger,  Feb  24 
N  Y  Herald,  Oct  30,  1847  Johnson,  Douglas,  123  Webster,  Writ- 
ings, x,  3-33  Boston  Courier,  Feb  24,  1848.  Cong  Globe,  30,  1,  app  , 
497  (Dayton) 

The  Whigs  were  suspected  of  trying  to  gam  enough  Democratic  support 
so  that  they  could  not  be  charged  with  beating  the  treaty  as  a  party  (Polk, 
Diary,  Mar.  3;  Public  Ledger,  Mar  8).  Webster's  policy  was  not  only 
unpatriotic  but  unintelligent,  for  a  continuation  of  the  war  would  probably 
have  led  either  to  defeat  or  to  larger  acquisitions ;  but  perhaps  he  believed 
no  bad  results  would  occur  before  the  next  Presidential  election.  He  kniw 
the  country  as  a  whole  wanted  the  treaty  ratified  for  the  sake  of  peace 
(Writings,  x,  7),  and  he  was  unable  to  make  the  New  England  Whig 
Senators  join  him  against  the  treaty  Calhoun  wrote  to  Gallatin  that, 
owing  to  diversity  of  opinion  in  the  Senate,  not  even  a  majority  could 
have  been  obtained  for  any  proposition  different  from  the  corresponding 
proposition  of  the  treaty  (198Mar.  13,  1848).  What  increased  the  danger 
involved  in  rejecting  the  treaty  was  the  prospect  that,  with  both  Scott 
and  Taylor  out  of  the  field,  operations  —  even  should  they  not  become 
unsuccessful  —  would  lack  the  interest  which  had  largely  prevented  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  247-250       473 

public  from  thinking  of  the  cost  and  other  ills  of  the  conflict,  and  hence 
it  would  be  impossible  to  support  the  war  (132 W.  R.  King  to  Buchanan, 
Oct.  5,  1847 ;  Seward,  Seward  at  Wash  ,  i,  62)  Feb.  28  the  committee 
on  foreign  relations  reported  the  treaty  without  recommendation.  Web- 
ster at  once  proposed  a  commission.  His  motion  was  tabled  Mar.  2 
(Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp  4,  9). 

For  Fremont  (Ben ton's  son-in-law)  see  chap  xxxi,  note  19. 

Benton  was  probably  opposed  to  the  treaty  also  because  he  had  held 
that  Texas  ended  at  the  Nueces  There  was  a  particular  reason  for  saying 
that  we  obtained  the  new  territory  by  cession  rather  than  by  conquest. 
The  latter  construction  would  have  raised  the  troublesome  questions, 
What  place  is  there  under  our  Constitution  for  a  conquered  province, 
and  what  right  has  our  government  to  hold  foreigners  in  subjection 
(210B  Tucker  to  Hammond,  Mar  16,  1848)  ?  Four  senators  did  not  vote. 
For  an  analysis  of  the  vote  see  Rives,  op.  cit ,  11,  636-7. 

23  Dallas  in  Public  Ledger,  June  15,  1849      Sen   69 ;   30,  1,  pp.  66-72 
(Buchanan)      Art   10  was  thought  insulting  to  Texas  and  contrary  to  the 
terms  of  annexation.     Probably  American  courts  would  not  have  enforced 
it,  and  almost  certainly  it  would  have  caused  much  litigation      Sevier 
and  Clifford  were  authorized  to  give  Mexico  (if  necessary),  after  her  rati- 
fication of  the  amended  treaty,  a  choice  between  the  two  methods  of 
payment  (52to  S   and  C  ,  Mar   22,  1848)      For  the  treaty  as  drawn  and 
as  amended  see  Ho   50 ,   30,  2 

24  Polk,  Diary,  Mar   11,12,14-18,20,23.     Welles  papers      52Buch- 
anan  to  Clifford,  Mar    18,  1848.     Polk  to  Senate,  Mar   18 .  Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  577      Claiborne,  Quitman,  i,  318      Ho   50;    30,  2,  pp   47- 
52  (Buchanan),  55  (Clifford,  Sevier).     Benton,  View,  n,  711.     335Memo- 
randa. 

The  amount  paid  for  nominal  services  in  securing  the  consummation 
(in  Mexico)  of  Tnst's  treaty  was  $28,728  67,  while  he  received  nothing  for 
doing  the  real  work  Years  later  he  was  paid  (Sen  Rep  261;  41,  2) 
It  is  true  that  disgust  with  Folk's  course  toward  Scott  and  himself,  and 
particularly  with  Folk's  employing  a  man  like  Pillow,  led  Tnst  to  say  he 
would  not  serve  again  under  Polk  (335Nov  28,  1847) ;  but  had  the  Presi- 
dent now  acted  a  manly  part,  Tnst  would  no  doubt  have  accepted  the 
appointment  given  to  Sevier.  For  R.  E.  Lee's  feeling  on  the  matter  see 
Lee,  Gen  Lee,  46  In  the  night  of  Mar  11  Maj.  Graham  left  Washington 
to  notify  Butler  of  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  (Polk,  Diary).  Buchanan's 
letter  to  the  minister  of  relations  (Ho  50;  30,  2,  pp.  47-52)  gave  a  con- 
ciliatory explanation  of  the  amendments. 

25.  13Doyle,  nos   18,  29,  1848.     83Relaciones,  circular,  Feb.  6.     76Cir- 
culars,  Feb.   16,   18      Atalaya,  Feb.  2,   1848      Correo  Nacwnal,  Feb.  7. 
Kenly,  Md   Vol  ,  464      Exposici6n  dirigida      Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  296- 
334.     Roa  Barcena,  Recuerdos,  615,  619      Rej6n,  Observaciones.     Com- 
municaci6n   circular.     M6xico   a"    travel,    iv,   708-9.     Eco   del   Comercio, 
Mar.  15.     SOJunta  legislativa  of  M6x.  state  to  gov  ,  Dec.  17,  1847;  reply 
from  Peiia,  Dec.  28.     In  view  of  previous  notes,  further  citations  here  seem 
unnecessary. 

26.  (Impression)    Polk,   Diary,   Mar.   9;    Calhoun   Corresp.,   757   (to 
T.  G.  C.).     60Butler  to  Marcy,  Mar.  3,  13;   Apr.  7.     13Doyle,  nos.  18, 
29,  41,  52,  1848.     Ho.  50;  30,  2,  pp.  55-6  (S.  and  C.),  72  (Rosa).     Correo 
National,  Feb.  7.     Mexico  d  travel,  iv,  710.     Long,  Memoirs,  62.    Apun- 
tes,  393.     (Hunt  up)  29lWinship  to  Pierce,  Mar.  5.     52Trist,  nos.  25, 


.  474       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  250-251 

27,  29.  Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  64.  125Bonham  to  mother,  May  14.  Pic- 
ayune, Feb.  27.  (Hawked)  Wash.  Union,  Apr.  9,  25  (letters  from  Mexico). 
It  was  feared  that  Folk's  haste  in  sending  Sevier  and  Clifford  would 
lead  the  Mexican  Congress  to  feel  that  we  were  eager  for  peace ;  that  the 
inexperience  of  those  diplomats  might  tempt  the  Mexicans  to  test  their 
ability;  that  the  recall  of  Scott  and  Trist  would  have  an  unfavorable 
influence,  and  that  Mexican  Congressmen  might  hold  off  in  order  to  be 
bought  by  the  Americans  with  funds  said  to  have  been  provided  for  the 
purpose  (Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  7).  On  the  other  hand  the  refusal  of  the 
government  to  appropriate  any  part,  of  the  fifteen  millions  coming  from 
the  United  States  produced  a  good  effect.  It  was  an  excellent  sign  that 
Almonte  failed  to  get  elected  to  the  Senate.  A  quorum  assembled  May  3. 
Congress  opened  formally  May  7.  By  May  9  the  treaty  was  before  it. 

27.  Ho.  50;    30,  2,  pp    61  (S    and  C  ),  62-72,  76      Apuntes,  393-5. 
Exposici6n  dingida.     Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  296 ;   app  ,  399      Ballentine, 
Eng.  Soldier,  ii,  295-6.     Mexico  a  trav6s,  iv,  710.     Public  Ledger,  June  15, 
1849    (Dallas).     (Preparations)    Richardson,    Messages,    iv,    544,    546. 
Wash.   Union,  June  9.     Nat.  Intellig.,  Mar.   14.     ISCrampton,  no.   19, 
1848.     13Doyle,  no.  54,  1848. 

Pefia  said  he  regretted  the  amendments  but  —  especially  since  no  new 
negotiation  was  deemed  possible  —  did  not  think  the  treaty  should  be 
rejected  on  account  of  them.  The  vote  in  the  Chamber  of  Deputies, 
May  19,  was  51  to  35 ;  in  the  Senate,  May  24,  33  to  4  (60Butler  to  Marcy, 
May  26).  Action  of  the  New  Mexico  Legislative  Assembly  looking 
toward  absorption  in  the  United  States  was  of  great  assistance,  for  it 
stopped  the  cry  that  loyal  citizens  were  being  sold.  Some  300-500  Amer- 
ican deserters,  who  were  at  Quer6taro,  took  a  strong  stand  for  peace,  be- 
cause they  were  likely  to  be  captured  and  shot,  should  the  war  continue ; 
and  the  Mexicans  felt  considerable  responsibility  for  the  deserters.  Folk's 
Message  of  Dec.  7,  1847,  declared  strongly  for  pushing  the  war  at  the 
expense  of  Mexico,  if  she  would  not  make  a  treaty,  and  announced  that 
California  and  New  Mexico  would  not  in  any  event  be  relinquished. 
Under  this  spur  our  Congress  voted  additional  forces.  The  Whigs  held 
off,  but  dared  not  refuse  to  support  the  war  (p.  291).  The  speeches 
particularly  worthy  of  attention  were  those  of  Cass  (Mar.  14)  and  Webster 
(Mar.  23).  Noisy  popular  demonstrations  of  joy  were  lacking  because 
there  had  been  no  business  disturbances,  no  invasion  and  no  sinking  of 
ships,  the  seat  of  war  was  distant,  for  nine  months  nothing  striking  had 
occurred  there,  Taylor  and  Scott  were  out  of  the  field,  and  few  had  per- 
sonal reasons  for  feeling  interested  in  our  Mexican  relations. 

28.  Richardson,   Messages,   iv,  679-87.    Sen.   69;    30,   1,  pp.  72-3. 
Ho  50;   30,  2,  pp.  56-79.    60Butler  to  Marcy,  May  21.    Calendario  de 
Ontiveros,  1847.    Kendall,  Narrative  (N.  Y.,  1844),  ii,  185,  192.     (Dis- 
tance) Ho.  60;    30,  1,  p.  1047  (Scott).    Wise,  Gringos  (N.  Y.,  1849), 
267-70.    Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  630,  644.    Nat.  Intellig.,  June  24, 
1848.    Portrait  of  Pefta :  city  hall,  Mex. 

Apparently  the  Mexican  government  deferred  the  appearance  of  Sevier 
and  Clifford  at  Quer6taro  (especially  as  they  insisted  upon  having  an 
American  escort)  lest  it  should  seem  to  be  acting  under  pressure  or  lest 
some  untoward  accident  should  occur.  This  course  was  doubtless  wise. 
May  19  they  were  invited  to  come,  for  the  Deputies  had  just  ratified  the 
treaty  and  the  Senators  were  sure  to  do  so.  Sevier  was  ill  on  May  26. 
He  returned  to  the  United  States  soon  after  the  formalities  were  con- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  251-252        475 

eluded,  but  Clifford  remained  as  our  minister.  Rosa  arrived  at  Wash- 
ington in  November,  1848,  as  the  minister  of  Mexico.  During  their  stay 
at  Quer6taro  our  commissioners  were  led  to  embody  in  a  protocol  some 
explanations  of  the  treaty.  In  1849  the  Mexicans  asserted  that  the 
protocol  gave  them  additional  advantages ;  and  the  Whigs  —  apparently 
encouraged  by  Benton,  who  was  accused  of  acting  in  collusion  with  the 
Mexican  minister  —  undertook  to  make  trouble  for  the  administration 
and  perhaps  invalidate  the  treaty.  But  it  was  unreasonable  to  pretend 
that  such  a  document  could  modify  a  treaty  previously  ratified  by  the 
American  Senate  and  the  Mexican  Congress.  Besides,  Sevier  and  Clifford 
gave  explicit  notice,  before  drawing  up  the  protocol,  that  they  had  no 
power  to  modify  the  treaty  (52difford  to  Cuevas,  Apr  30,  1849).  At 
length  the  Mexican  government  admitted  formally  that  the  protocol  was 
merely  explanatory  (52Lacunza  to  Clifford,  July  13,  1849)  See  also  on 
this  subject  Ho.  50;  30,  2,  pp  76-9.  Polk,  Diary,  Feb  4,  6,  8,  10,  1849. 
Foote,  Remins.,  332-5.  Sen.  1 ;  31,  1,  pp  69-89  Ho.  5,  pt  1,  31,  1, 
pp.  69-89.  Meigs,  Benton,  378-9.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  679-87. 
Foster,  Amer.  Diplom  ,  320  Buchanan,  Works,  vm,  350  (to  C  ) 

29.  Memoria    de         .  Relaciones,    Jan  ,    1849      The    chief    cause    of 
difficulty  was  that  Clifford  referred  certain  matters  to  Washington  that 
he  should  have  settled  himself,  and  thus  caused  delay      The  worst  conse- 
quence was  that  the  customhouse  at  Vera  Cruz  did  not  pass  into  Mexican 
hands  at  the  appointed  time,  because  no  one  had  authority  to  surrender 
it.     At  length,  however,  Gen    Smith  assumed  the  responsibility  of  doing 
this,  and  Clifford  endorsed  his  action      Similar  difficulties  arose  at  Tam- 
pico  and  Mazatldn      (On  this  topic  one  may  consult .   52Buchanan  to 
Clifford,   Aug     15,    1848;     ISGiffard,   Apr     10,    July   16,    52Chfford  to 
Smith,  June  27 ;  July  4 ;  52Smith  to  Clifford,  July  8 ;  and  reply,  July  18 ; 
520tero  to  Clifford,  June  21 ;    July  1 ;  Buchanan,  Works,  vm,  177,  268, 
272,  284.)     Complaint  was  made  because  a  body  of  our  troops,  in  order 
to  go  from  Monterey,  Mex  ,  to  New  Mexico,  crossed  territory  not  actually 
in  our  possession.     June  30  arrangements  were  completed  for  paying  the 
$3,000,000  which  Trist,  and  then  Butler,  had  been  authorized  to  draw 
(Polk,  Diary,  Feb    23;    52Chfford,  no    15;    Sen    52;    30,  1,  pp    107-9). 
July  4  the  treaty  was  duly  proclaimed  by  Polk  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv, 
627 ;    Ho.  1 ;    30,  2,  p    173) ;    and  two  days  later  he  recommended  that 
provision  be  made  for  carrying  it  into  effect  (details  in  n*ote  31).     Mexico 
appropriated  funds  to  bring  from  the  surrendered  territory  such  of  her 
citizens  as  might  desire  to  leave  it  (Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iv,  342-9). 

30.  Evacuation  of  northeastern  Mexico      6lWool  to  Jones,   Mar.  21 ; 
June  8,  15 ;  61  Jones  to  Butler,  May  17 ;  61/d  to  Wool,  June  7,  17 ;  65gen 
orders  25;   65Wool,  orders  156,  June  12  (announcing  that  peace  had  been 
made) ;  76 A.  de  Leano,  Monterey,  June  25  (possession  given  yesterday) ; 
76Aguirre  to  Id  ,  Saltillo,  June  29  (S  evacuated,  June  14).     76Clarke  to 
Mex.  commander,  Mazapil,  Mar.  18.     July  6,  61  Wool  wrote  to  the  adj. 
gen.  from  the  Brazos  that  four  cos.  of  dragoons  would  soon  set  out  for 
California,  and  Bragg's  battery  and  one  co   of  dragoons  for  S.  Fe  under 
orders  from  the  war  dept. ;  and  that  all  the  volunteers  except  five  mounted 
cos.  had  embarked. 

The  northwest.  6lPrice  to  Rails,  Apr.  16 ;  61/d.  to  vice  gov  Chihuahua, 
Apr.  16;  Mexico  d  trave*s,  iv,  710;  76Price  to  Mex.  commrs  ,  May  1; 
69Wool  to  Marcy,  June  22;  61/d.  to  adj.  gen.,  July  6.  On  Aug.  6  news 
of  peace  and  the  retention  of  upper  Calif,  (which  went  overland  from  La 


476      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXII,  PAGES  251-252 

Paz  in  Lower  Calif.)  reached  Mason  at  Monterey.  He  then  ordered  the 
N.  Y.  vols.  discharged.  This  process  was  completed  on  Oct.  26  (Sen.  18 ; 
31,  1,  pp.  573,  626).  GlMason  to  adj.  gen.,  Aug.  19  (anticipatory  orders 
given  to  Burton  m  Lower  Calif,  to  evacuate  on  learning  of  peace).  Sen. 
18;  31,  1,  p.  513  (Burton  to  Mason,  June  27 :  official  news  of  peace  have 
come). 

Naval  evacuation.  Ho  50;  30,  2,  p  52  (Buchanan)  48Mason  to 
Shubrick  or  Jones,  Mar  11,  confid  48/d  to  Jones,  June  27  (Polk  wished 
to  retain  Lower  Calif.,  but  did  not  wish  to  prevent  peace  by  insisting; 
do  what  you  rightfully  can  to  help  friendly  Mexicans  corne  to  the  U.  S., 
if  they  wish  to  do  so).  July  15  at  La  Paz  47 Jones  and  Shubrick  agreed 
that  such  persons  should  be  transported  to  California,  and  that,  in  extreme 
cases  of  destitution  caused  by  Mexican  vengeance,  reasonable  compensa- 
tion should  be  made  out  of  the  military  contributions  collected  in  that 
quarter.  76Comte.  gen.  Sonora,  July  13  (U.  S  vessels  left  Guaymas 
July  5).  Gaxiola,  Invasi6n,  215  (Lavallette  evacuated  Mazatlan  June  17). 
The  treaty  had  been  received  at  Mazatldn  on  June  13.  Ho.  50;  30,  2, 
p.  52  (B  ).  52 Jones  to  Anaya,  June  13 

31.  60Butler  to  Marcy,  May  21 ;    June  2.  SOMemo.,  May  30     ISDoyle, 
no     66,    1848      52difford,    no     13,    1848       Mexico   a   trav6s,    iv,    711 
Rivera,  Jalapa,  iv,  88.     (Herrera)  52Rosa  to  Sevier  and  Clifford,  June 
2;    SORelaciones  circular,  June  13      Grant,  Mems ,  i,  118      Sen    Rep 
32;  34,  1  (Naylor). 

Arrangements  were  made  by  Butler  and  the  ayuntamiento  so  that  local 
Mexican  guards  began  to  patrol  the  city  as  soon  as  the  Americans  marched 
out  (92  memo  )  Our  troops  began  to  leave  the  capital  on  May  30  (60Butler 
to  Marcy,  June  2)  The  order  of  march  was  :  heavy  artillery ;  Patterson's 
division  (vols  ) ;  Marshall's  division  (vols  ) ;  Col  Bonham  and  third  divi- 
sion (regulars) ;  Kearny  and  second  division  (regulars) ;  Butler  and  first 
division  (regulars).  Divisions  were  as  a  rule  two  days  apart  Worth 
remained  at  the  capital  for  a  time  after  June  12  to  dispose  of  surplus  prop- 
erty. After  Butler  sailed  (June  21)  Worth  was  in  command  July  6 
Polk  presented  the  consummated  treaty  to  Congress,  recommending  the 
appropriation  of  $12,000,000  for  Mexico,  provision  for  a  commissioner 
and  a  surveyor  to  run  and  mark  the  boundary  line,  and  provision  for  com- 
missioners to  adjust  the  American  claims  against  Mexico  assumed  by  the 
United  States  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  587-93).  Herrera  was  declared 
President  on  May  30. 

32.  SlThomas  to  Brooke,  May  21.     Lerdo  de  Tejada,  Apuntes,  ii,  585 
13Giffard  to  Doyle,  Aug   1.     Mexico  d  trav6s,  iv,  711.     61P.  F   Smith, 
July  11.     SlWorth  to  Smith,  June  27.     254McClellan  to  "Tom,"  May  23. 
(Symbol)   Ho.   60;    30,    1,  p.   911    (Scott)       (Verse)  Oswandel,  Notes, 
587. 

It  seems  unnecessary  to  cite  the  numerous  orders  regarding  details. 

For  the  embarkation  see  Ho.  1 ;  30,  2,  p.  201.  For  one  reason  or  another 
a  few  men  remained  in  Mexico.  There  was  a  plan  to  march  some  of  the 
troops  north  from  the  capital,  but  it  did  not  seem  wise  to  ask  the  consent 
of  the  Mexican  Congress.  The  original  intention  was  to  have  the  men 
going  by  water  land  as  near  their  homes  as  practicable,  but  the  northern 
men  objected  strenuously  to  the  tedious  voyage.  The  Mexicans  and 
Americans  awaiting  execution  were  released.  The  members  of  the  Mex- 
ican Spy  Co.  were  offered  $20  apiece  and  a  trip  to  Texas.  Our  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  were  provided  for  on  their  arrival  in  the  United  Statefl. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  253-256      477 

XXXIII.    THE  FINANCES  OF  THE  WAR 

1.  On  Mexican  finances  see  also  vol.  ii,  pp.  6-8 

2.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1070,  table.    Sen.  14;  30,  1,  pp.  13-24.     SlScott, 
memoir  on  Mexican  finances  received  at  the  war  dept.,  Jan.  6,  1848. 
Mexican  national  accounts  were  kept  in  so  peculiar  a  way,  and  the  officials 
were  so  much  more  anxious  to  conceal  than  to  reveal  the  truth,  that  it 
would  be  extremely  difficult  and  very  likely  impossible  to  state  precisely 
ail  the  details  regarding  the  finances  of  the  government. 

3.  Ramirez,   Mexico,  243-4      Dubldn,  Legislacion,  v,   135,   172,  211, 
240,  246,  255,  261-3,  286.     SOGuerra  to  Hacienda,  Sept.  8,  1847.     Diana, 
Dec.  31,  1846;    June  17;    July  6,  1847.     76Guerra,  circulars,  June  17; 
July  6,  1847.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  67      82Proclam  of  act'g  gov.  Puebla, 
Nov.  30,  1847.     SOMex.  state  legislature,  address,  Apr   26,  1847.     76S. 
Anna,  Nov   16,  1846.     Vera  Cruz  state,  or  at  least  her  governor,  showed 
much  zeal,  but  all  her  resources  were  needed  for  home  use      See  also 
chap,  xxi,  p   9 

4.  75Report  of  meeting  of  govs  ,  Nov  ,  1847.     S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  45, 
67.     Courner  des  Etats  Urns,  May  22,  1847      Encarnacion  Prisoners,  69. 
Mexico  &  traves,  iv,  667      Apuntes,  206-7.     RepuUicano,  June  17,  1847. 
TGMemo,  Apr.  6,   1847.     Picayune,  Aug.  7,  8,   1847      London   Times, 
Sept.  6,  1847      Seinmes,  Service,  313      Ramirez,  Mexico,  238     Gamboa, 
Impug  ,  67      Dictamen  de  la  Comisi6n,  29-30      92Mexico  ayunt.,  Sept  9, 
1847.     92Tornel  to  Mexico  ayunt,  Sept    12.     Ho    60;    30,  1,  p.  1063 
(Scott).     Ripley,  War  with  Mexico,  n,  126,  489. 

The  clergy  may  have  given  something  in  addition  to  the  $1,500,000 
See  the  end  of  chap  xxi,  p  15.  The  arrangement  with  the  bondholders 
was  known  as  the  "conversion  of  1846."  This  loan  gave  Mackintosh  a 
particular  reason  for  desiring  to  have  peace  made.  The  loan  was  to  have 
been  repaid  in  nine  months  During  July  arid  August,  1847,  Santa  Anna 
appears  to  have  raised  in  one  way  and  another,  as  indicated  in  the  text, 
about  $1,000,000  The  pay  of  officials  was  reduced  or  withheld  For 
forced  loans  see  chap  i,  note  7.  In  July,  1847,  though  foreigners  were 
exempt  from  forced  loans,  Santa  Anna  evaded  the  agreement  by  taking 
money  without  going  through  the  ceremony  of  promising  to  repay  it. 

5.  SOLombardmi   to    Mexico   ayunt ,    Aug.    13,    1847      75Meeting   of 
govs.,  Nov.,  1847.     Diano,  July  1,  1847.     Ramirez,  Mexico,  260.     90Ja- 
lapa  ayunt ,  Apr.  10,  1847.     94Canalizo  to  Orizaba  ayunt.,  Apr.  4,  1847. 
82Comte.  milit ,  S  Martin,  to  Puebla  sec  state,  Mar.  31,  1847.     312Anaya 
to  S.  Anna,  Apr  9,  1847.     76Many  memoranda,  orders,  etc      There  was 
waste,  of  course,  as  well  as  injustice  and  peculation      This  was  brought 
out  at  the  meeting  of  governors. 

6.  Ho.  6;    29,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec    3,  1845)      Sen   2;    29,  2  (Id., 
report,  Dec.  9, 1846).     Ho  9 ;  29, 1  (Id  ,  estimates,  Dec  4, 1845).     Ho  51 ; 
29,  1  (war  dept.  contracts).     Ho  56;  29,  1  (Marcy,  report,  Jan.  9,  1846). 
Ho.  81 ;  29,  1. 

7.  Bankers'  Mag.,  ii,  202-4.     *N.  Y    Herald    (weekly),  May  16,  23; 
June  6;    July  3;    Aug.  8,  15,  29,  1846.     London  Times,  July  15,  1846 
198Gallatin  to  Everett,  Dec.  16,  1847.     354Welles  papers  (Hist    of  29 
Cong.,  2  sess.).     Nat.  Intelligencer,     Nov.  28,  1846. 

*  All  the  citations  of  the  Herald  in  the  notes  on  this  chapter  refer  to  the  finan- 
cial articles. 


478      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  256-257 

8.  Wash.   Union,  Nov.  30,  1846.    N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  May  16; 
June  6,  1846;   June  19,  1847.    Scott,  Repudiation,  37,  47,  162.    Green, 
Repudiation,  11,   13,   15.     Niles,  Dec.  4,  1847,  p.  218.     (SSvigne')  Bu- 
chanan, Works,  vii,  66.     London  Spectator,  May  30,  1846.     354Welles 
papers.     Dewey,    Financial    History,    245.     Bolles,    Financial    History, 
580-2.     Journ.  Mil.  Serv  Instil ,  xiv,  198. 

The  huge  state  debts  were  mostly  due  to  extravagant  enterprises  often 
supported  by  fraudulent  banking.  Delinquency  was  in  reality  a  salutary 
suspension  of  payments  that  prevented  bankruptcy,  but  the  creditors 
did  not  know  this  at  the  time,  and  felt  little  disposed  to  be  charitable. 

9.  Taussig,  Tariff  Hist.,  113-5      Niles,  June  6,  1846,  p.  212;   Aug.  1, 
1846,  p.  345 ;  Aug  14,  1847,  p  369.    Boston  Atlas,  Jan.  6,  1847.    Ambler, 
Ritchie,  264.     Webster,  Letters,  337-9.     SOSShields  to  Walker,  Aug.  3, 
1846.     Sen.  105 ;  29,  2  (Walker  to  Dallas,  Feb.  1,  1847).    Ho.  227 ;  29,  1 
Ho.  7;   30,  2  (Walker,  report,  Dec  9,  1848).     (Walker,  Jarnagm)  Welles 
papers.     (Haywood)  1  Allen  to  "Effie,"  July  25,  1846;    210McDuffie  to 
Hammond,  July  20,  1846.     N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Aug.  1,  29;   Dec.  19, 
1846;   Jan.  29,  1848.     N.  Y.  Globe,  Jan   9,  1847      Bankers'  Mag.,  i,  136; 
ii,  74.    Ho  6 ;  29,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec  3,  1845)      Sen  2 ;  29,  2  (Id., 
report,  Dec.  9,  1846)      U.  S   Stat.  at  Large,  ix,  42,  53,  59,  106.     Lalor, 
Cyclop  ,  ii,  495 ;  lii,  864     Phila  No.  American,  July  16,  1846. 

Walker's  report  of  December  3,  1845,  enunciated  and  defended  his  tariff 
principles  (Ho.  6;  29,  1).  These  were  :  1,  to  collect  only  enough  revenue 
for  the  economical  administration  of  the  government ;  2,  to  have  no  duty 
higher  than  the  lowest  rate  that  will  yield  the  greatest  revenue  (e.g.  some 
luxuries  are  so  easily  smuggled  in  that  a  high  duty  would  produce  little) ; 
3,  below  such  a  rate  to  permit  discrimination,  if  thought  desirable  (e.g. 
less  on  necessaries  than  on  luxuries) ;  4,  to  lay  the  maximum  rate  on 
luxuries ;  5,  to  have  only  ad  valorem  duties ;  and,  6,  to  discriminate  against 
no  section  or  class  of  the  nation.  He  expressed  the  opinions  that  many  of 
the  high  duties  were  becoming  prohibitive  and  therefore  unprofitable,  and 
that  the  increased  risk  and  costs  of  transportation  during  a  war  would 
cause  nearly  all  of  them  to  become  so.  Besides,  he  said,  "at  least  two 
thirds  of  the  taxes  imposed  by  the  present  tariff  are  paid,  not  into  the 
treasury,  but  to  the  protected  classes"  (Niles,  Aug.  1,  1846,  p.  349). 
Walker  also  charged  that  the  specific  duties,  which  formed  a  part  of  the 
1842  tariff,  taxed  most  highly  the  cheapest  articles  and  therefore  produced 
relatively  little  (Sen.  105;  29,  2:  to  Dallas).  It  was  argued  by  others 
that  war  would  sufficiently  hinder  importing  to  make  a  protective  tariff 
unnecessary  (Wash.  Union,  May  28,  1846). 

The  essential  idea  underlying  the  tariff  of  1846,  though  it  was  not 
strictly  a  revenue  tariff,  was  that  it  would  increase  the  revenue  by  stimu- 
lating importation.  But  opponents  argued  that  unless  Europe  should 
take  a  greatly  increased  quantity  of  our  agricultural  products  —  which 
there  was  no  reason  to  expect  —  we  could  not  pay  for  larger  imports; 
while,  should  foreign  goods  be  "dumped"  at  low  prices  upon  our  markets, 
American  manufacturers  would  be  ruined.  Even  in  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1845,  the  balance  of  trade  had  been  $7,251,589  against  us,  and 
we  had  exported  $8,606,495  in  specie  (Bankers'  Mag.,  i,  136).  Under 
the  tariff  of  1842  the  average  rate  of  duty  was  24  per  cent ;  under  that  of 
1846,  18  per  cent. 

One  natural  effect  of  the  uncertainty  caused  by  the  new  fiscal  laws  was 
to  check  business,  but  this  was  offset  by  its  tendency  to  check  speculation 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  257-258      479 

and  inflation.  The  specie  feature  tended  to  contract  the  currency,  and 
many  deemed  this  unfortunate  m  view  of  the  large  calls  for  money  likely 
to  result  from  the  war.  Good  judges  thought  its  enforcement  would 
have  to  be  deferred,  therefore.  A  special  cause  of  alarm  was  that  in  pre- 
paring for  the  second  war  with  England  the  duties  had  been  increased 
instead  of  reduced.  Senator  Hay  wood  of  North  Carolina  opposed  the 
new  scale  of  duties  as  sure  to  plunge  the  country  into  debt,  opposed  putting 
them  into  effect  so  promptly  (Dec.  1,  1846),  and  opposed  the  adoption  of 
such  a  combination  of  new  financial  measures  (Wash  Union,  Aug.  18, 
1846).  He  therefore  resigned,  and  this  endangered  the  plan  of  the  ad- 
ministration. 

The  warehouse  system  consisted  in  deferring  the  payment  of  assessed 
duties  without  an  interest  charge,  the  government  retaining  the  goods 
meanwhile  as  security  for  the  eventual  payment  of  them.  Goods  could 
therefore  wait  for  a  purchaser,  instead  of  going  —  if  not  at  once  in  de- 
mand —  for  what  they  would  bring  at  a  forced  sale  This  encouraged 
importation  and  built  up  extensive  stocks,  which  in  turn  attracted  pur- 
chasers from  afar  (Walker,  report,  Dec  9,  1846,  in  Sen  2;  29,  2).  This 
system,  like  that  of  the  sub-treasury,  proved  highly  advantageous.  The 
specie  provision  of  the  sub-treasury  bill  required  the  government  to  accept 
only  specie  after  Dec.  31,  1846,  and  to  pay  out  only  specie  after  Mar.  31, 
1847  (U.  S  Stat  at  Large,  ix,  64),  with  the  exception  of  treasury  notes. 

10.  N  Y.  Tribune,  Jan  24,  1848.     Sen.  105;  29,  2  (Walker  to  Dallas, 
Feb.  1,  1847).     Sen.  392;  29,  1  (Polk,  Message,  June  16;  Walker,  June  15, 
1846,  etc.)      Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  29,  1846.     Ho  6;   29,  1  (Walker,  report, 
Dec.  3,  1845).     Sen   2;   29,  2  (Id ,  report,  Dec   9,  1846)      Ho.  6;   30,  1 
(Id.,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847)      Ho  2  and  10;  29,  2     Ho.  9,  51,  56,  81,  82; 
29,  1      Sen.  1 ;   29,  2,  p.  395     Sen  27 ;  30,  1 

The  warehouse  bill  also  delayed  the  payment  of  duties  Walker's  esti- 
mate of  the  customs  revenue  for  1846-7  was  $27,835,731  (report,  Dec.  9, 
1846,  in  Sen.  2;  29,  2).  The  receipts  were  actually  $23,747,865  (report, 
Dec.  8,  1847,  in  Ho.  6;  30,  1)  Walker  pointed  out  that  nearly  half  a 
million  was  due  on  warehoused  goods  (Niks,  July  31,  1847,  p  337) ;  but 
these  goods  might  not  all  have  been  imported,  had  it  been  necessary  to 
pay  the  duties  at  once,  and  some  of  them  were  practically  sure  to  be  ex- 
ported, and  hence  not  all  the  duties  assessed  upon  them  could  be  con- 
sidered a  part  of  the  revenue,  as  Walker  intimated.  The  Democrats 
feared  that  taxes  would  make  the  war  unpopular,  and  the  Whigs  hoped 
to  obtain  that  result  by  less  expensive  methods. 

11.  Sen   392;    29,  1  (Walker  to  Polk,  June  15,  1846).     Gallatin,  War 
Expenses,  15-6.     Niles,  Sept.  19,  1846,  p.  48;  Oct  3,  1846,  p.  80.    Bank- 
ers' Mag.,  i,  193-4,  322.     N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  July  18;  Aug.  15;  Sept. 
19;   Oct.  31,  1846;   Jan.  9,  1847.     Baylcy,  National  Loans,  70-2.    Poht. 
Sci.  Qtrly.,  i,  375-84.     N.  Y.  Tribune,  Jan.  24,  1848.     U.  S.  Stat.  at  Large, 
ix,  39.    Knox,  U.  S  Notes,  63-4. 

The  Act  of  July  22,  1846,  was  based  upon  and  virtually  embodied  that 
of  Oct.  12,  1837.  Notes  redeemed  could  be  reissued  Any  fraction  of 
the  $10,000,000  could  be  issued  in  notes  or  in  stock  (bonds)  at  the  Presi- 
dent's discretion,  but  the  amount  of  both  could  not  exceed  that  figure. 
The  bonds  were  to  conform  to  the  Act  of  Apr.  15,  1842,  and  to  "be  re- 
deemable at  a  period  not  longer  than  ten  years  from  the  issue  thereof/' 
Walker  thought  that  only  a  war  with  a  powerful  maritime  nation,  expos- 
ing our  commerce  to  peril  and  causing  a  great  loss  in  customs  revenue, 


480       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  258-260 

would  be  thought  to  warrant  excise  and  direct  taxes.  (The  idea  of  a 
direct  tax  was  widely  unpopular,  because  such  a  tax  would  be  based  upon 
population,  and  therefore  would  favor  the  capitalistic  sections  )  Before 
issuing  treasury  notes  Walker  used  up  much  of  the  surplus  lying  in  the 
banks.  The  notes  were  issued  at  par  They  could  not  become  a  circu- 
lating medium  For  redemption  they  went  to  the  city  banks  So  long 
as  these  banks  had  deposits  of  public  funds,  they  were  accepted  as  cash. 
After  that,  their  tendency  was  to  fall.  About  Oct.  1,  1846,  the  notes 
were  quoted  at  98|  m  St.  Louis.  For  a  time  the  New  Orleans  banks 
would  not  receive  the  notes,  but  retaliation  brought  the  banks  round. 
Since  only  specie  and  treasury  notes  were  to  be  receivable  after  Jan.  1, 
1847,  for  dues  to  the  government,  the  sub-treasury  Act  aided  the  notes. 
On  the  other  hand  the  issuance  of  the  notes  offset  the  specie  requirement 
of  that  Act,  and  therefore  prevented  or  modified  some  of  its  anticipated 
consequences  —  particularly  a  dram  upon  the  specie  of  the  banks.  One 
advantage  of  the  notes  was  that,  should  the  war  suddenly  end,  they  could 
be  withdrawn  and  the  interest  on  them  stopped  This  was  not  true  of 
loans 

12  Ho  6;  29,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec  3,  1845).  Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  29, 
1846  Gallatm,  War  Expenses,  14-6  Niles,  Sept  12,  1846,  p  17  De 
Knight,  Currency,  69  N  Y  Herald  (weekly),  June  6;  Aug  15,  1846; 
Jan  9,  1847;  Jan  29,  1848  Bankers'  Mag  ,  i,  193-4 

The  authority  to  issue  these  notes  was  limited  to  one  year;  but  on 
Jan.  28,  1847,  the  time  was  extended  to  six  months  after  the  ratification 
of  peace  with  Mexico,  with  the  proviso  that  the  notes  thus  authorized 
.should  not  exceed  $5,000,000  in  amount  (§  15,  IT  S  Stat.  at  Large,  ix, 
121-2)  In  his  report  of  Dec  9,  1846,  Walker  stated  that  $3,853,100  of 
these  notes  had  been  issued,  $1,766,450  bearing  interest  at  one  tenth  of 

1  per  cent  (De  Knight,  Currency,  69),  and  the  residue  at  5|  per  cent  per 
annum  payable  on  redemption      Nov    2,   1846,  treasury  notes  of  prior 
issues  amounting  to  $412,283  97  were  outstanding     The  surplus,  July  1, 
1846,  was  $9,126,439      Sept    29,   1846,  the  treasury  contained  "only  a 
fraction  over"  four  millions  (Polk,  Diary,  Sept   29) 

13.  ISPakenham,  nos.  127,  Oct  29;  130,  Nov  12,  1846  (Walker) 
Wash.  Union,  May  10;  Dec.  9,  1847;  N.  Y  Express,  Dec.  12,  1846; 
Welles  papers;  Boston  Courier,  Feb.  17,  1848;  345G  A  Worth  to  V. 
Buren,  Dec.  16,  1847;  198Gallatm  to  Newboldt,  Feb  8,  1848;  198/d. 
to  Rockwell,  May  8,  1848;  ISlBuehanan  to  Donelson,  May  13,  1847. 
Miss.  Hist  Soc.  Pubs  ,  vi,  363  Dodd,  Walker,  24,  etc.  Wash.  Union, 
Nov.  16;  Dec  8,  1846.  N.  Y.  Express,  Nov  18,  1846.  Bankers1  Mag., 
i,  321-2.  N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Sept.  19;  Nov  7,  14,  28,  1846.  Bayley, 
National  Loans,  71  De  Knight,  Currency,  70.  Nilcs,  Oct.  10,  p.  81 ; 
Oct  17,  p.  97;  Oct  24,  p.  128;  Nov.  7,  pp.  146-7,  1846.  Sen.  105;  29, 

2  (Walker  to  Dallas,  Feb.  1,  1847)      Polk,  Diary,  Oct.  1,  13,  15-7,  22,  30; 
Nov.  7,  1846.     London  Times,  Oct.  27,  1846.    Sen.  2;    29,  2  (Walker, 
report,  Dec   9,  1846)      Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  app.,  124  (Ingersoll)      Dewey, 
Financial  History,  256 

Professor  Tucker  proved,  it  was  said,  that  Walker's  argument  for  free 
trade  made  an  error  of  $1,000,000  per  year  in  the  productive  industry  of 
the  United  States.  Stewart  of  Pennsylania  charged  him  in  Congress 
with  a  number  of  errors.  Rockwell  of  Connecticut  made  a  startling 
analysis  of  treasury  statements  (Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  pp.  404-7) ;  but  it 
would  lead  us  too  far  afield  to  enter  upon  such  a  discussion. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGE  260          481 

$4,999,149  of  the  loan  was  issued  (Bayley,  Nat.  Loans,  71).  On  $363,900 
there  was  an  average  premium  of  .277  of  1  per  cent,  while  the  rest  went  at 
par  (De  Knight,  Currency,  70).  Opponents  of  the  government  attributed 
the  success  of  the  loan  to  Marcy's  statement  that  it  would  not  be  neces- 
sary to  call  for  more  volunteers.  As  a  new  call  for  volunteers  went  out 
almost  immediately  after  the  bids  were  opened,  he  was  charged  falsely 
with  having  played  a  trick  on  the  public  (N.  Y.  Express,  Nov.  18,  1846). 
For  the  truth  in  this  matter  see  vol.  i,  p.  351  Most  of  the  loan  was  taken 
at  New  York,  but  it  became  fairly  well  distributed.  Walker's  offering 
the  loan  only  ten  days  after  advertising  an  issue  of  $3,000,000  in  notes 
(Ntles,  Nov  ,  1846,  p  147)  was  rather  alarming,  it  must  be  admitted.  A 
less  reasonable  criticism  on  his  policy  was  that  he  could  and  should  have 
borrowed  liberally  June  1  and  July  1  at  5  per  cent.  At  those  dates  he 
had  a  large  surplus,  the  tariff  had  not  been  changed,  and  the  administration 
did  not  expect  a  serious  war. 

14.  Sen  2;  29,  2  (Walker,  report,  Dec  9,  1846)  Dewey,  Financial 
History,  255-6  IT  8  Stat  at  Large,  ix,  118  247Kmg  to  Larkm,  Nov.  7, 
1847  Polk,  Diary,  Feb  16  ISPakenham,  no  13,  Nov  12,  1846*'  Niles, 
Apr.  24,  1847,  p  113;  June  5,  p  224;  Aug  21,  pp.  392,  400;  Feb  5,1848, 
p.  354  (McLean)  Wash  Vmon,  Jan  14;  Apr.  12,  1847  N  Y.  Herald 
(weekly),  Apr  24;  Nov  30,  1847;  Feb  26;  Mar  4,  11,  18,  1848  Bayley, 
Nat.  Loans,  72.  De  Knight,  Currency,  71-2  Knox,  U  S.  Notes,  64,  69 
lOSBuchanan  to  Bancroft,  Dec  29,  1846,  pnv 

The  estimated  deficit,  July  1,  1847,  was  $4,779,042  (Walker,  report, 
Dec  9,  1846  in  Sen  2  ;  29,  2).  By  the  Act  of  Jan.  28,  1847,  the  treasury 
notes  were  to  be  redeemable  in  one  or  two  years,  to  bear  interest  (not 
more  than  6  per  cent)  at  the  discretion  of  the  President,  and  to  be  con- 
vertible into  bonds  None  could  be  issued,  used  as  security  for  loans, 
or  bought  up  by  the  government,  at  less  than  par  plus  the  accrued  interest. 
New  notes  could  be  issued  for  those  redeemed,  but  the  total  outstanding 
amount  of  notes  and  bonds  issued  under  the  Act  could  not  exceed 
$23,000,000  The  public  lands  were  in  effect  pledged  as  security  for 
the  loan,  which  was  made  payable  at  any  time  after  Dec  31,  1867.  The 
Act  provided  that  the  notes  to  be  issued  under  it  and  all  previous  treasury 
notes  could  be  converted  into  6  per  cent  stock  (bonds). 

It  was  predicted  that  the  loan  could  not  be  placed  at  better  than  90, 
if  at  all  (N.  Y.  Express,  Dec  14,  1846)  Bids  (to  be  in  by  Apr.  10)  for 
$18,000,000  of  it  were  invited  on  Feb  9,  1847  The  New  York  and 
Boston  banks  appear  to  have  agreed  on  a  price,  but  some  New  York 
capitalists  offered  more,  and  they  in  turn  were  outbid  by  Corcoran  and 
Riggs  of  Washington,  who  seem  to  have  taken  a  very  large  part  of  it. 
The  bids  above  par  totalled  about  $55,000,000,  and  the  premiums  offered 
ran  as  high  as  2  per  cent  It  has  been  called  a  mistake  to  pay  6  per  cent 
on  long-term  bonds,  and  this  is  proved  by  the  premium  they  soon  com- 
manded. But  before  the  bonds  were  issued  grave  doubts  regarding  their 
acceptability  were  entertained,  and  a  saving  in  interest  was  of  relatively 
little  importance .  Many  had  expected  that  the  whole  amount  ($23,000,000) 
would  be  issued  in  treasury  notes  and  practically  increase  the  amount  of 
the  currency ;  but  the  amount  issued  at  first  was  largely  taken  for  invest- 
ments (N.  V  Herald  (weekly),  Mar.  20,  1847).  Hence  the  currency  in 
circulation  was  diminished.  However,  the  specie  coming  from  abroad 
soon  made  up  for  this 

Bids  for  $5,000,000  of  notes  were  invited  on  Feb.  26.  The  Rothschilds 
VOL.  n  —  2  i 


482      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  260-261 

(represented  by  A.  Belmont)  were  soon  understood  to  be  interested,  and 
were  in  fact  successful  to  a  large  extent  in  the  bidding.  Their  bidding 
encouraged  American  capitalists.  Probably  the  notes  could  safely,  and 
therefore  should,  have  been  made  convertible  into  5  per  cent,  instead  of 
6  per  cent,  bonds.  The  interest  paid  on  them  at  redemption  was  5|  or 
6  per  cent  (De  Knight,  Currency,  71). 

June  1,  1847,  Walker  reported  treasury  notes  as  outstanding  (minus 
$789,700  of  cancelled  notes  on  hand) :  of  issues  prior  to  July  22,  1846, 
$303,817 ;  of  issues  under  the  Act  of  July  22,  $3,565,600 ;  of  issues  under 
the  Act  of  Jan.  28,  $8,100,000;  net  total,  $11,179,717  (Niles,  June  5, 
p.  22i).  About  the  middle  of  August,  1847,  they  sold  at  106i,  but  within 
a  week  (probably  because  reports  that  Scott  had  captured  Mexico  City 
were  found  to  be  false)  they  fell  at  New  York  to  103£.  The  issuing  of 
more  notes  was  objected  to  on  the  ground  that  it  would  virtually  mean  a 
government  bank  controlled  by  a  party.  It  was  argued  by  some  that 
notes  for  small  amounts  bearing  interest  at  a  nominal  rate  should  have 
been  put  out.  These,  it  was  said,  would  have  been  purchased  by  persons 
of  small  means,  who  actually  put  their  savings  into  specie  needed  by  the 
government.  The  question  was  raised  why  Polk  asked  in  December, 
1816,  for  funds  to  cover  the  fiscal  year  1847-8  (N.  Y.  Express,  Dec.  14, 
1846).  Walker's  report  included  estimates  for  that  period,  but  this  fact 
does  not  seem  to  be  an  adequate  explanation.  One  suspects  that  Polk 
and  Walker  knew  the  money  would  be  needed,  and  thought  this  the 
easiest  way  to  get  it 

15.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  516      Pakenham,  no.  6,  Jan.  28,  1847. 
Sen.  2;  29,  2  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  9,  1846).    Ho.  6;   30,  1  (Id.,  report, 
Dec.  8,  1847).    Ho.  7 ;  30,  2  (Id  ,  report,  Dec.  9,  1848).    Sen.  105 ;  29,  2 
(Id.  to  Dallas,  Feb.  1,  1847).     Sen.  392 ;  29,  1  (Id.  to  Polk,  June  15,  1846). 
Taussig,  Tariff  Hist,  115.    Welles  papers.    Polk,  Diary,  Jan.  2,  1847. 
Niles,  Jan.  2,  1847,  p.  288.     Boston  Courier,  Feb.  17,  1848.     Cong.  Globe, 
30,  1,  pp   281,  298.     N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Jan.  9,  1847.     (Pessimists) 
345G.  A.  Worth  to  Van  Buren,  May  20,  1847. 

In  Dec.,  1847,  Polk  had  to  admit  that  a  deficiency  of  $15,729,114  on 
June  30,  1848,  was  probable.  The  British  minister  reported  that  one 
reason  for  proposing  the  tax  on  tea  and  coffee  was  a  wish  to  defeat  an- 
ticipated attempts  of  the  protectionists  to  repeal  the  tariff  of  1846.  It 
was  suspected  that  Walker  made  the  appeal  to  Congress  in  order  to  dis- 
play his  influence  or  to  relieve  that  body  of  responsibility  for  modifying 
the  tariff  it  had  so  recently  voted.  The  motives  of  the  House  were  mixed. 
Some  members  doubtless  objected  to  the  plan  on  principle,  others  because 
they  wished  to  be  consistent  with  their  action  in  accepting  that  tariff, 
others  because  the  estimated  return  from  such  a  tax  ($2,500,000  or 
$3,000,000  per  year)  did  not  seem  enough  to  meet  the  requirements,  and 
others,  perhaps,  to  rebuke  what  struck  them  like  dictation  on  Walker's 
part ;  but  the  main  considerations  appear  to  be  those  mentioned  in  chap, 
xxxiv  (e  g  ,  p  285.)  The  vote  in  the  House  was  taken  Jan.  2, 1847.  Walker 
persisted,  but  without  effect.  Benton's  idea  was  adopted  in  1854.  See 
"Public  Lands,  Bill  to  reduce  and  graduate  the  price  of,"  in  Senate  index 
of  Cong.  Globe,  29  Cong.,  1  and  2  sess. ;  30  Cong.,  1  sess.,  etc. 

16.  Ho.  6;   30,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847).    Ho.  7;   30,  2  (Id., 
report,  Dec.  9,  1848).    ISPakenham,  no.  147,  Dec.  29,  1846.    Stockton, 
circular,  Aug.  15,  1846.    Ho.  60;    30,  1,  pp.  905  (Marcy);    930,  1085 
(Scott);  931  (Worth).    London  Times,  June  8,  1846.    Richardson,  Mes- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  261-262      483 

sages,  iv,  548-9,  570,  672.  Vattel,  book  3,  chap.  9,  sect.  161.  Bait. 
American,  Feb.  17,  1847.  Wash.  Union,  Apr.  12,  1847.  N.  Y.  Herald 
(weekly),  May  1,  1847.  Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  pp.  552,  558,  561  (Polk) ;  553 
(Walker).  Niles,  Apr.  24,  1847,  p.  113.  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p.  1075  (Shu- 
brick).  47Shubrick,  Apr.  15,  1848.  76Lavallette,  proclam.,  Oct.  26, 
1847.  Sen.  24;  30,  1  (Polk,  Message).  Ho.  20;  30,  2  (Polk,  Message). 
Polk,  Diary,  Mar.  10,  1847. 

We  do  not  positively  know  that  Walker  originated  the  idea  of  the  tariff 
in  Mexican  ports,  nor  that  it  had  any  relation  to  the  tea  and  coffee  tax; 
but  one  would  naturally  assume  as  much,  and  so  the  Washington  Union 
stated  (Niles,  Apr.  24,  1847,  p.  113).  At  first,  however,  Walker  did  not 
perceive  that  the  tariff  would  have  to  rest  upon  the  President's  military 
authority.  Contributions  took  the  place  of  the  pillage  formerly  practised 
in  war.  An  advantage  of  the  plan,  perhaps  not  contemplated  at  frst, 
was  that  it  would  greatly  discourage  smuggling,  and  therefore,  since  im- 
ports would  mostly  have  to  pass  the  inspection  of  American  officers, 
contraband  could  much  more  fully  be  excluded.  This  tariff  was  fiercely 
attacked  in  Congress,  but  the  position  of  the  Executive  was  impregnable. 
Complaint  was  also  made  that  Americans  as  well  as  neutrals  had  to  pay 
it ;  but  had  they  not  done  so,  they  would  have  been  able  to  defy  competi- 
tion, foreign  nations  would  have  complained,  the  Mexicans  would  have 
benefited  by  the  low  prices  of  merchandise,  and  the  United  States  would 
have  obtained  no  revenue. 

The  American  policy  prior  to  March  31,  1847,  is  shown  by  Walker's 
circular  of  June  30,  1846  (Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p.  158)  and  by  Mr  rcy's  63in- 
structions  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Tampico,  Dec.  15,  1846.  The 
latter  said :  Only  United  States  vessels  may  enter,  and  those  only  when 
carrying  articles  produced  in  the  United  States  or  imports  upon  which 
United  States  duties  have  been  paid,  and  on  all  such  goods  no  duties  will 
be  charged.  "But  in  a  spirit  of  accommodation"  clearances  to  Tampico 
of  cargoes  of  foreign  products,  etc.,  in  American  vessels  will  be  granted 
(duties  having  been  paid)  without  being  unloaded  in  the  United  States. 
Vessels  admitted  at  Tampico  may  take  out  return  cargoes  of  the  prop- 
erty of  Americans  or  neutrals  without  paying  export  duties;  and  specie 
belonging  to  neutrals  may  be  freely  exported.  Indeed  this  export  of 
specie  should  be  encouraged,  since  it  prevents  Mexico  from  seizing  the 
m3ans  of  waging  war.  Pakenham  complained  that  this  policy  would  give 
American  goods  (which  would  not  have  to  pay  a  duty)  a  monopoly  of  the 
Mexican  market;  but  it  seemed  impossible  at  this  time  to  run  the  risk 
of  the  military  injury  liable  to  result  from  admitting  neutral  vessels  gen- 
erally. He  seems  to  have  felt  inclined  to  protest,  but  he  did  not  find 
that  the  ministers  of  France,  Spain  and  Germany  intended  to  do  so 
(13  no.  147).  Previous  to  Dec.  15,  1846,  American  goods  had  been  exten- 
sively smuggled  into  Mexico  across  the  Rio  Grande,  and  of  course  that 
process  continued. 

17.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  975,  1014  (Marcy);  1083  (Shubrick).  Sen.  1; 
30,  1,  pp.  552-76,  583,  585  (Marcy);  585  (circular);  586  (Walker);  951 
(Mason)  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  pp.  1073,  1086  (Shubrick).  Sen.  14;  30,  1, 
pp.  9  (Marcy);  10  (Walker).  London  Times,  June  8,  1846;  June  15, 
1847.  Polk,  Diary,  June  11;  Nov.  6,  1847.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv, 
531-2,  548.  52Charge*  Martin,  no.  31,  May  15,  1847.  13Consul  Glass, 
July  12,  1848.  Ho.  6;  30,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847).  Ho,  7;  30, 
2  (Id.,  report,  Dec.  9,  1848).  Constitutionnel,  May  15,  1847.  ISMora  to 


484      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  262-264 

Palmerston,  May  19,  1847.  Nat.  Intelligencer,  Apr.  24,  1847.  48Mason 
to  Perry,  Apr.  3 ;  June  16,  1847. 

In  some  cases  the  Mexican  tariff  was  reduced  very  much  more  than 
one  half,  and  many  articles  of  daily  use,  that  had  previously  been  pro- 
hibited, became  available.  No  tonnage  dues  were  assessed  on  vessels 
(chartered  by  the  United  States)  laden  exclusively  with  supplies  for  our 
army  or  navy  (SOMarcy  to  Scott,  May  10,  1847),  and  United  States 
officers,  soldiers  and  sailors  were  exempted  from  the  operation  of  the 
order  to  pay  duties  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  548).  At  Matamoros, 
Tampico  and  Vera  Cruz  the  military  governors  acted  as  collectors.  At 
places  held  by  the  navy,  naval  officers  did  so.  On  the  Pacific  coast  it 
proved  necessary  to  modify  the  tariff.  June  11,  1847,  the  regulations 
were  somewhat  modified  (Polk,  Diary,  June  11),  and  additional  changes 
were  made  in  Nov.,  1847  (Polk,  Diary,  Nov.  6;  Sen.  14;  30,  1,  p.  11). 
July  31,  1847,  the  duty  on  books  was  made  20  per  cent  ad!  valorem  (Sen.  1 ; 
30,  1,  p.  585). 

Charge"  Martin  reported  from  Pans  that  the  French  newspapers,  alarmed 
by  the  protest  of  the  Mexican  consul  at  Havre,  called  on  their  government 
to  demand  guaranties  from  ours.  Martin  justly  took  the  position  that 
our  admitting  French  commerce  to  Mexican  ports  was  a  pure  favor,  to 
be  enjoyed  at  the  risk  of  those  caring  to  take  advantage  of  it,  but  expressed 
the  opinion  freely  that  in  the  treaty  of  peace  we  should  protect  the  in- 
terests invited  by  our  policy,  as  in  fact  we  pledged  ourselves  to  do  and  did 
(Walker,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847  in  Ho.  6;  30,  1,  619;  chap,  xxxu,  p.  468) 

18.  N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  May  1,  Dec.  4,  1847.     Ho.  60 ;  30,  1,  p  1037 
(Marcy).     Ho.  1;   30,  2,  p.  1148  (Shubrick).     ISConsul  Giffard,  no    37, 
Oct.  20,  1847.     Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  548      ISConsul  Glass,  Dec.  1, 
1847 ;   July  12,  1848.     TSHacienda  to  Relaciones,  Dec   3,  1847      75Gov. 
Tamaulipas  to  Relaciones,  Dec.  10,  23,  1847      75Gates,  order,  Nov.  27, 
1847.     76Hacienda  to  Guerra,  Dec.  3,  29,  1847.     ISCrampton,  no.  30, 
Aug.  13,  1847.     76 to  Amador,  Feb.  2,  1848. 

The  governor  of  Tamaulipas  wrote  frankly  to  the  central  government 
that  prohibition  would  merely  promote  robbery  and  smuggling  while 
injuring  good  Mexicans.  He  therefore  did  nothing  except  to  collect  a 
duty.  Yet  Gates,  commanding  at  Tampico,  had  to  send  escorts  with 
traders,  and  could  not  fully  protect  them. 

19.  N.   Y.   Express,   Dec.    1,    1846.     Sumner,   Amer.    Currency,    167. 
Economist,   Apr    24,    1847     Gallatin,   War  Expenses,   3,    10     Bankers' 
Mag.,  i,  513-6,  609-12,  673-4;    ii,  201,  706-7.     N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly), 
Dec.  19,  1846;    Feb.  6;   Apr.  17,  24;    July  24,  31;    Nov.  20;    Dec    11, 
1847.    Niles,  Feb.  13,  1847,  p.  384;    Feb.  27,  p.  416;    Sept.  11,  p.  18; 
Sept.  25,  p.  60;   Oct.  2,  p.  80;  Oct.  9,  p.  82;  Oct.  23,  p.  128;   Nov.  6, 
p.  145.    52Bancroft,  no.  46,  Dec.  4,  1847.    Welles  papers.     198Gallatin 
to  Everett,  Dec.  16,  1847.    Ho.  6;  30,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847). 
Ho.  7;    30,  2  (Id.,  report,  Dec.  9,  1848).    ISlBuchanan  to  Donelson, 
Jan.  29,  1847. 

During  the  year  ending  June  30,  1848,  almost  thirty-seven  and  a  half 
millions  in  breadstuffs  were  exported  (Walker,  report,  Dec  9,  1848  in 
Ho.  7;  30,  2).  As  early  as  March,  1847,  the  Bankers'  Magazine  esti- 
mated the  increase  in  the  value  of  our  "present"  exports  of  grain  and 
cotton  as  $12-15,000,000.  The  customs  receipts  for  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1847,  were  $23,747,865;  for  the  following  year  $31,757,071. 
Of  course  the  rising  tide  of  prosperity,  besides  increasing  the  customs 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  264-265      485 

receipts  and  bringing  specie,  enhanced  the  credit  of  the  government 
generally,  and  assisted  the  country  in  other  ways  to  support  the  burden 
of  the  war.  The  crops  of  1847  were  fine  in  Europe;  the  importations 
were  found  there  to  have  been  excessive ;  and  prices  fell  sharply.  British 
business  proved  to  be  far  less  solid  than  it  had  been  supposed  to  be.  Ban- 
croft, our  minister,  reported  "a  whirlwind  of  bankruptcies  overspreading 
the  land"  (no.  46,  Dec.  4,  1847).  Orders  for  American  goods  were  can- 
celled Owing  to  a  want  of  confidence  the  practice  of  consigning  goods 
to  English  houses,  with  bills  drawn  on  the  consignees  for  a  considerable 
part  of  their  value,  was  to  a  large  extent  abandoned.  Every  vessel  from 
England  brought  large  parcels  of  American  bonds  to  be  sold  for  what 
they  would  fetch.  Early  in  November  the  rate  of  exchange  went  up 
and  specie  began  to  be  exported  from  this  country,  though  much  remained 
in  the  interior.  Numerous  failures  occurred  in  the  United  States.  All 
called  in  their  resources  But  here  the  trouble  did  not  prove  to  be  long 
or  very  serious;  and  while  another  year  of  war  might  have  caused  em- 
barrassment, the  country,  despite  the  revolution  in  France,  soon  found 
itself  comfortable. 

20.  Ho.  6;   30,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  8,  1847)      Ho.  7;   30,  2  (Id., 
report,  Dec.  9,  1848).     U.  S.  Stat.  at  Large,  ix,  217      13Crampton,  no. 
40,  Apr.  2,  1848      N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Jan.  29,  1848.     Bayley,  Na- 
tional Loans,  73      De  Knight,  Currency,  73      For  the  debates  in  Congress 
consult  the  Cong  Globe.     Boston  Courier,  Feb  23,  1848.     345Niles  to  V 
Buren,  Dec.  16,  1847.     Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  1,  1848. 

The  debate  in  the  House  began  Feb.  8  and  ended  Feb  17.  In  the 
course  of  the  discussion  it  came  out  that  the  treasury  really  had  about 
$7,000,000  more  than  had  been  supposed,  but  that  $4,000,000  were  de- 
sired by  the  war  department  to  make  good  certain  deficiences.  The 
amount  of  the  loan  was  therefore  reduced  from  $18,500,000  to  "not  more 
than"  $16,000,000  (Bayley,  Nat.  Loans,  73).  The  power  to  borrow  under 
this  Act  was  to  continue  one  year.  The  bonds  were  to  bear  not  more 
than  6  per  cent  interest,  be  sold  at  not  less  than  par,  and  be  reimbursable 
at  any  time  after  July  1,  1868.  Before  July  1,  1868,  the  secretary  could 
purchase  the  bonds  at  the  market  price  (but  not  below  par).  Coupons 
could  be  attached  to  the  certificates,  and  such  certificates  be  transferable 
by  mere  delivery.  The  secretary  of  the  treasury  was  required  to  adver- 
tise for  bids  —  these  to  be  received  20-60  days  from  the  date  of  the  earliest 
advertisement  at  Washington.  In  order  to  give  the  loan  the  aid  of  assured 
peace,  Walker  arranged  the  advertising  so  as  to  defer  the  time  of  opening 
the  bids  until  June  17,  1848.  The  premium  obtained  was  $487,169. 
Though  assisted  with  this  loan,  the  treasury  ended  the  fiscal  year  with  a 
balance  of  only  $153,535. 

21.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  354  (Taylor);  994  (Scott);  1005  (Mason);  341, 
10Q7,  1037  (Marcy).    256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Dec.  20,  1847,  private. 
*56Marcy  to  Scott,  Nov.  17,  1847.    Sen.  14;    30,  1,  pp.  5  (Marcy),  6 
(Scott)      Cong,  Globe,  30,  1,  app.,  423-4.    Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  19,  1846; 
Aug.  31 ;  Oct.  4,  5,  1847.    63Mason  to  Scott,  Sept.  1,  1847.    Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  546-8.     ISCrampton,  no.  58,  Nov.  28,  1847.    Sen.  52;  30, 
1,   pp.    124   (Scott);    145   (Marcy).    Scott,   Mems.,  ii,   552-3.    Diario, 
May  23,  1847.    Republican*),  June  9,  1847.    Ho.  6;    30,  1  (Walker,  re- 
port, Dec.  8,  1847). 

For  the  olive  branches  (i.e.  offers  to  treat)  see  pp.  122-4.  A  particular 
difficulty  in  attempting  to  live  on  the  country  would  have  been  the  general 


486  NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGE  265 

sparseness  of  the  population,  especially  since  the  Americans  had  to  keep 
together.  For  this  reason,  though  some  of  the  enemy  expected  us  to 
rouse  the  nation  by  undertaking  to  enforce  such  a  policy,  the  wiser  Mex- 
icans did  not  look  for  it.  On  the  ground  that  places  would  be  occupied 
alternately  by  the  contending  armies,  the  British  chargS  at  Washington 
deplored  the  order  to  exact  contributions ;  but  the  course  of  the  war  pre- 
served the  Mexicans  from  this  misfortune  hi  a  way  he  did  not  anticipate. 
22.  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1048,  1062,  1081,  1085  (Scott),  1050,  1063,  1066 
(gen.  orders).  J.  Parrott  to  Marcy  (note  21).  256/d.  to  Id.,'  Dec.  28, 

1847,  private.     GOButler  to  Marcy,  Mar.  7,  1848.     69Wool  to  Marcy, 
Jan.  24,  1848.    Sen.  14;   30,  1,  pp.  11,  13.    GSMarcy  to  Gates,  Mar.  7, 
1848;    to  Davenport,  May  2,  1848.     65Scott,  gen.  orders  358,  376,  395 
(1847);    15,  31  (1848).    Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  553,  582.     Grant,  Mems ,  i, 
170-1.    GlMcDowell  to  Hunter,  Feb.   20;    Mar.    5,    1848.    Rodriguez, 
Breve  Resena,  1849,  5.    69Scott  to  commander  at  Jalapa,  Jan.  6,  1848. 
GlMcDowell  to  Monclova  ayunt.,  Mar.  5,  1848.     SOActg.  treas.,  Me"x. 
state,  Feb.  29,  1848.     GiTaylor  to  Marcy,  Nov.  20,  1847.     GOButler  to 
Marcy,  Mar.  2,  7,  1848.     92Mex.  ayunt.,  session  of  Sept.  16,  1847.    92Quit- 
man,  proclam.,  Sept.  22.     92Veramendi  to  ayunt.,  Sept.  24.     6 5 Wool, 
orders  157,  Dec.,  1847.     Delta,  free.  19,  1847^("  Mustang  ")      6,  Memoir 
on  Mex.  finances.    Sen.  19;    30,  1,  pp.  2^4  (Scott).     Moreno,  Cant6n, 
380.     69Wool  to  Taylor,  Mar.  7,  1847."  GlMcDowell  to  Webb,  Apr.  15, 

1848.  S58Williams  to  father,  Dec.  27,  1847. 

Besides  the  $150,000,  Scott  collected  some  $70,000  (about  $12,000 
captured  at  Cerro  Gordo,  nearly  $50,000  for  captured  tobacco,  and  smaller 
amounts  for  licenses,  etc.).  Polk  was  accused  ofjjxoensistency  for  holding 
that  Mexico  could  pay  us  no  indemnity  except  iifterritory  and  yet  expect- 
ing to  draw  large  revenues  from  that  country  (Amer.  Review,  Jan.,  1848, 
p.  *2).  The  reply  is  threefedd :  1,  in  the  latter  case  he  assumed  that  Mexico 
was  to  be  deprived  by  military  force  of  the  revenues  normally  used  by  a 
nation;  2,  even  if  a  Mexican  government  might  have  had  the  physical 
power  to  raise  a  cash  indemnity  for  us,  it  could  not  actually  have  obtained 
the  money  from  the  people  for  that  purpose,  as  otir  own  armies  were  ex- 
pected to  do  by  force;  and,  3,  Polk's  expectations  were  not  realized. 
Polk  was  also  charged  with  encroaching  upon  the  prerogatives  of  the 
House  both  in  taxing  the  Mexicans  and  in  spending  the  proceeds.  Webster 
and  Calhoun  concurred^in  this  view  (Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  495-6).  But  if 
Gen.  Taylor  had  a  right  —  as  all  admitted  —  to  impress  a  Mexican  donkey 
into  the  service  of  his  army,  Polk  had  a  right  to  do  all  that  he  did  in  this 
regard.  The  authority  of  the  command^r-in-chief  in  the  enemy's  country, 
waging  war  according  to  the  Constitution,  was  quite  broad  enough  to 
cover  it.  See  Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  app.,  423-4. 

The  estimated  possible  revenues  were  as  follows:  import  duties, 
$12,000,000 ;  duties  on  goods  passing  to  the  interior,  $2,400,000 ;  direct 
taxes  on  real  estate,  professions,  trades,  etc.,  $3,000,000;  duties  on  the 
production  of  gold  and  silver,  $600,000 ;  melting  and  assay  dues,  $50,000 ; 
export  duties  on  coined  gold  and  silver,  $1,000,000;  revenue  from  the 
monopolies,  $3,525,000  (GlMemoir).  Transit  dues  on  animals  and  goods, 
including  the  duties  at  city  gates  (alcabalas),  were  to  be  discontinued. 
For  a  short  time  in  1847  Perry  allowed  logwood  to  be  exported  under  a 
10  per  cent  duty.  It  seemed  impracticable  to  seize  the  mines,  for  the 
miners  would  probably  have  fled  on  the  approach  of  American  troops. 

Scott  resolved  not  to  take  the  ordinary  state  and  city  revenues,  because 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  265-266      487 

he  felt  that  such  a  course  would  be  "to  make  war  on  civilization" ;  since 
every  civilized  community  requires  the  means  of  paying  for  administration, 
without  which  it  would  fall  into  anarchy  (Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1049).  His 
broad  taxation  orders  were  based  upon  an  announced  intention  of  spread- 
ing over  the  country.  He  proposed  to  send  out  expeditions  soon.  One 
actually  proceeded,  as  we  have  seen,  to  Toluca,  another  to  Cuernavaca, 
and  another  to  the  important  mining  town  of  Pachuca  (Ho.  60;  30,  1, 
pp.  1048,  1061-2).  T^e  occupation^  C6rdoba  and  Orizaba  was  partly 
in  pursuance  of  the  same  policy  (SlScott  to  Twiggs,  Dec.  26,  1847).  He 
proposed  in  particular  to  send  7000  men  to  San  Luis  Potosf  m-oTder  to 
open  the  communication  betweeftyTampico  and  the  mining  city  of  Zaca/ 
tecas.  But  his  lack  of\troops  and  the  peace  negotiations  prevented  this. 

In  order  to  force  the  products  of  the  mines  into  circuiatioiHfor  the  benefit 
of  both  Americans  and  Mexicans,  Scott  forbade  the  exportation  sDf  gold 
and  silver  buijion,  and  omgold  and  silver  coin  exported  he  imposed  a  duty 
of  5  per  cent  (65gen.  orders  362).  Walker's  and  Polk's  views  on  these 
points  had  been  different  from  Scott's,  and  Scott's  action  was  taken  sul  ject 
to  revision  at  Washington,  where  ne  presented  his  reasons.  At  the  end 
of  Apn^l,  1848,  Walker's  instructions  w^re  put  into  force  by  General  Butler. 

Scott  instructed  his  officer^ to  execute  his  orders  inlls  conciliatory  man- 


ner, if  possible,  but  apply  forcCN^hould  that  be  necessary.  Should  there 
be  no  other  way^  the  &xnmanding  officer  was  to  collect  the  assessment  in 
money  or  some  etitiivalent  from  the  weaHhier  inhabitants.  ^  ^ 

In  the  northeast  Wm*l  carried  out  the  financial  purposes  of  the  gov^rn- 
ment  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  beginning  at  SajltiUo  as  early  as  May,  1847T 
with  a  revenue  system,  the  occupation  of  buflchngs,  anoSthe  seizure  of 
cattle,  mules,  etc.  "*^£  punished  refractory  towns  and  places  violating 
pledges  of  neutrality  wuh  special  taxes.  Mar.  2,  r848,  he  reported  that 
all  were  paying  their  taxes.  The  owners  of  houses  taken  for  the  use  of 
the.  army  were  indemnified  through  a  tax-on  all  the  real  estate  of  the 
vicinity.  In  northwestern  Mexico  only  coast  towns  were  in  our  hands. 
California  and  New  Mexico,  which  the  United  States  government  in- 
tended to  retain,  were  of  course  viewed  in  a~~c!irTerent  light*.  NattfWrUy 
all  possible  attempts  were  made  by  the  Mexicans  to  protect  their  property 
against  us.  Subsistence,  forage,  etc.,  continued  to  be  paid  for,  since  the 
interests  of  the  army  prescribed  that  policy  stttk.  Our  officers  were  not 
permitted  to  have  any  interest  (e  g.  claim  for  special  services)  in  cases  of 
seizure,  etc.  -^  — k 

23.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv  591,  651,  678.  Sen.  52 ;  30,  1,  pp.  107-9. 
69Hughes  to  Scott,  Jan.  5,  1848  _63Marcy  to  Twiggs,  Mar.  7,  1848. 
Ho.  60;  30,  1,  p.  1062  (Scott).  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  588.  Ho.  47;  30,  2, 
pp.  2  (Marcy),  109  (Mason).  Ho.  1;  30,  2,  p.  1131  (Shubrick).  47Shu- 
brick,  Apr.  15,  1848.  69Wool  to  Marcy,  Jan.  24,  1848.  Sen.  14;  30,  1, 
p.  11  (Scott). 

Import,  export  and  tonnage  duties  produced  in  all  only  $3,434,665; 
contributions  from  other  sources,  $553,055;  captured  money  and  prop- 
erty, $163,573 ;  assessments  on  states  and  the  City  of  Mexico,  $225,649 ; 
and  state  end  municipal  revenues,  together  with  some  other  sources  of 
income,  $163,055.  From  these  amounts  the  costs  of  collection,  draw- 
backs on  goods  disposed  of  to  men  in  the  service,  and  the  expenses  of  the 
state  and  municipal  governments  had  to  be  deducted.  It  was  to  make 
up  for  surrendering  the  monopolies  that  Scott  quadrupled  the  state  assess- 
ments originally  contemplated.  $769,650  derived  from  the  military 


488       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  260-267 

contributions  were  applied  on  the  first  instalment  due  to  Mexico.  All 
of  the  $3,000,000  appropriated  by  the  Act  of  March  3,  1847,  was  paid  to 
her  shortly  after  she  ratified  the  treaty  of  peace  (Sen.  52 ;  30,  1,  pp.  107-9 ; 
Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  588). 

24.  Sen.  1;   30,  1,  p  589.     ISPakenham,  no   74,  June  13,  1846.     Ho. 
Rep.  503;  31,  1.    Ho  60;  30,  1,  p.  1004  (Marcy).    Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p  125 
(Scott).    Scott,   Mems.,   ii,   583.    Polk,   Diary,   Aug    18-20,   24-5,  28; 
Nov.  13,   1847.     Wash.   Union,  Dee    9,  1847.     N    Y.  Herald  (weekly), 
May  23;   June  20;   Oct.  31;   Nov   7,  1846;   Aug  21;   Oct.  16;   Nov.  6, 
1847.     Ho.  Report  503;  31,  1.     Picayune,  Sept.  14,  1847     256J  Parrott 
to  Marcy,  Dec  20,  27,  1847,  private.     139W.  B  to  D  Campbell,  Aug  9, 
1816 

Scott  spent  nearly  $64,000  of  the  funds  that  he  denved  from  the  Mexicans 
for  blankets  and  shoes  given  to  private  soldiers ;  and  $10  each  were  given 
to  a  large  number  of  wounded  men  when  they  left  the  hospital.  Probably 
Belmont's  arrangement  left  the  Rothschilds  a  handsome  profit,  for  John 
Parrott,  who  had  been  our  consul  at  MazatUn,  offered,  if  the  government 
would  open  a  credit  of  two  or  three  millions  in  London,  to  take  charge  of 
supplying  cash  in  Mexico  at  the  rate  of  five  dollars  for  every  pound  sterling, 
and  a  pound  sterling  would  have  cost  the  government  only  about  $4.80 
One  main  purpose  of  our  government  in  laying  an  export  duty  on  gold 
and  silver  was  to  facilitate  the  exchange  of  treasury  notes  for  specie  with 
Mexican  citizens;  but  probably  little  was  accomplished,  for  nearly  all 
the  specie  in  Mexico  was  held  by  foreigners  In  the  offices  at  Washington 
a  good  deal  of  carelessness  in  making  estimates  and  handling  funds  ap- 
pears to  have  prevailed  (e  g  Folk's  Diary,  Aug  18-28,  1847),  and  Walker's 
relations  with  Belmont  and  with  Corcoran  and  Riggs  were  perhaps  a  little 
too  intimate  (ibid  ) ;  but  one  finds  no  reasons  for  suspecting  Walker  of 
crookedness.  Of  course  property  was  handled  more  or  less  wastefully 
in  the  field,  and  contractors  took  an  advantage  sometimes.  Roa  Bdrcena 
(Recuerdos,  249)  states  that  some  men  buying  grain,  etc.,  for  the  American 
army  required  the  sellers  to  give  receipts  for  larger  sums  than  were  paid 
to  them.  See  also  Polk,  Diary,  July  10,  1847.  The  largest  loss  resulted 
from  Gaines's  unauthorized  calls  for  troops,  which  probably  cost  $1,500,000 
(ISPakenham,  no.  74,  1847). 

25.  Sen.  15;   30,  1.    Semmes,  Service,  472-3.    Bancroft,  Pac.  States, 
viii,  545.    Ho.  70;  30,  1,  p.  11.     Ho.  9,  27;  30,  2.    Polk,  Diary,  Nov.  7, 
1846;  Feb.  16;  Nov.  6,  9,  1847;  Jan.  24,  1848.    Sen.  27;  30,  1.     73Ber- 
mudez  de  Castro,  no.  517,  June  29,  1847.    Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  591 
Ho.  6;  29,  1  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  3,  1845).    Ho.  7;  30,  2  (Id.,  report, 
Dec.  9,  1848).    Lalor,  Cyclop  ,  iii,  864.    N.  Y.  Herald  (weekly),  Apr.  10, 
1847;  July  1,  1848 

26.  (Webster)  Wash.  Union,  Dec.  11,  1846;  Niks,  Jan.  9,  1847,  p.  303. 
Cong.  Globe,  30, 1,  p.  912  (Stephens).     The  national  debt,  Oct.  1,  1845,  was 
$17,075,446  (Walker,  report,  Dec.  3,  1845).    July  6,  1848,  Polk  gave  it 
as  $65,778,450  including  the  bonds  and  treasury  notes  still  available  for 
issue  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  591).    Walker's  report,  Dec.  9,  1848, 
gave  the  increase  of  the  national  debt  over  that  of  March  4,  1845,  as 
$48,036,151. 

In  a  sense  the  war  with  Mexico  cost  too  little.  The  estimates  were 
pared  below  our  needs.  Troops  could  not  be  called  out  when  they  should 
have  been.  Transports  and  many  other  necessaries  were  lacking  at  critical 
times.  This  point  will  come  up  in  the  text  of  the  next  chapter,  At  the 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIII,  PAGES  266-267      489 

end  of  the  war  the  country  and  the  treasury  were  in  a  sound  condition, 
and  the  government's  income  was  ample.  A  period  of  solid  prosperity 
ensued.  It  may  be  worth  mention  that  American  capitalists  offered  more 
than  $100,000,000  for  the  less  than  $50,000,000  of  government  securities, 
and  that  the  total  received  by  the  treasury  in  premiums  was  $555,511 
(Walker,  report,  Dec  9,  1848,  in  Ho  7 ;  30,  2) 

An  account  of  the  money  market  during  the  war  (based  mainly  on  the 
financial  columns  of  the  New  York  Weekly  Herald)  may  be  of  interest. 
During  the  early  spring  of  1846  the  Oregon  controversy  with  England 
was  a  strong  depressing  influence  The  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Mexico 
caused  a  panic  (May  11),  but  this  passed  immediately  (May  12),  and  by 
May  19  the  market  was  rather  buoyant,  largely  in  consequence  of  favorable 
news  from  Taylor.  It  then  declined ;  but  about  the  middle  of  June  there 
was  a  plethora  of  money,  and  much  activity  prevailed  in  consequence  of 
the  settlement  of  the  Oregon  controversy  This  faded  gradually  away 
into  dulness,  but  quickened  again  about  the  first  of  August.  Fluctuations 
followed.  The  first  half  of  September  saw  a  decline.  Sept.  5  United 
States  bonds  that  had  sold  at  113  before  the  war  brought  only  102,  but 
the  prospect  of  foreign  demands  for  grain  caused  a  revival  (Sept.  20- 
Oct.  3).  Dulness  then  returned;  the  general  feeling  about  the  war  was 
reflected  in  very  low  prices  about  the  middle  of  November,  and  Dec.  7 
was  a  "blue  day."  Though  the  treasury  required  all  payments  to  it  to 
be  in  specie  on  and  after  Jan  1,  1847,  it  did  not  begin  to  pay  out  specie 
until  Apr.  1  Hence  it  piled  up  com  during  the  interim  Jan.  3,  1847, 
the  market  was  rather  stringent.  During  the  second  half  of  February, 
the  Bank  of  England  rate  rose  from  3  to  4.  Prices  continued  to  decline 
until  by  April  4  good  prospects  at  the  seat  of  war  and  an  influx  of  specie 
turned  the  tide.  May  1  the  New  York  banks  were  said  to  have  more 
than  $12,000,000  in  specie.  May  10  Reading  R.  R.  difficulties  precipi- 
tated a  panic,  but  this  was  only  a  flurry.  Money  was  extremely  abundant 
in  a  few  days  (May  19)  and  prices  advanced  until  about  the  middle  of  July 
During  the  second  week  of  August  the  increasing  war  expenses  bore  hard 
on  the  market,  and  treasury  notes  fell  about  2  per  cent.  About  Oct.  1 
the  report  that  Scott  had  entered  Mexico  City  was  found  to  be  untrue, 
and  a  panic  set  in  (Oct.  4),  due  to  that  fact  and  bad  news  regarding  the 
financial  situation  in  Europe.  The  "explosion"  of  "corners"  followed. 
By  Nov.  11  the  banks  were  "shaking  in  the  wind,"  and  a  crisis  came  on 
at  once  (Nov.  14).  Paper  money  was  loudly  called  for.  After  a  troubled 
month,  however,  money  became  much  easier  and  prices  responded  (Dec 
19).  Another  month,  and  the  banks  (really  in  a  tight  place  themselves) 
were  believed  to  be  tightening  everything  to  force  a  change  hi  the  financial 
policy  of  the  government  (Jan.  25,  1848) ;  but  by  Feb  10  natural  condi- 
tions revived  buoyancy,  and  there  was  a  loud  call  for  more  treasury  notes. 
Things  then  quieted  down,  but  the  arrival  of  the  draft  of  a  treaty  stimu- 
lated activity  once  more.  Absurd  rumors  about  the  terms  of  the  treaty 
next  caused  a  temporary  reaction ;  but  when  it  was  accepted,  prices  went 
up  (Mar.  11).  For  the  day-by-day  prices  of  United  States  securities, 
Dec.  1,  1846,  to  Dec.  1,  1847,  see  Ho.  6;  30,  1,  p.  71. 

Other  financial  legislation  of  the  war  period.  U.  S.  Statutes  at  Large,  ix, 
p.  35,  Act  of  June  27,  1846,  sec.  2 :  $75,000  in  U.  S.  stock  belonging  to  the 
Seneca  Indians  to  be  cancelled,  and  interest  to  be  paid  them  on  a  credit  of 
that  amount  to  be  entered  on  the  books  of  the  secretary  of  the  treasury. 
P.  94,  Act  of  Aug.  10,  1846 :  Mexican  Indemnity  Stock  (see  Bayley,  Na- 


490       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  268-270 

tional  Loans,  71,  modified  by  statements  of  this  work).  P.  106,  Act 
of  Aug.  10,  1846 :  Treasury  notes,  stolen  and  put  into  circulation,  to  be 
redeemed  by  the  government.  P.  125,  Act  of  Feb.  11,  1847,  sec.  9:  Any 
non-commissioned  officer,  musician  and  private  entitled  under  this  Act 
to  receive  a  certificate  or  warrant  for  160  acres  (or  40  acres)  may  take 
instead  of  it  $100  (or  $25)  in  6  per  cent  treasury  scrip,  redeemable  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  government.  P.  248,  Act  of  July  19,  1848 :  Three  months' 
extra  pay  to  all  who  actually  served  out  their  term  or  were  honorably 
discharged,  or  the  heirs  of  those  who  lost  life  or  died  after  being  honorably 
discharged.  P.  249,  Act  of  July  21,  1848 :  Act  of  July  4,  1836,  granting 
half-pay  and  pensions  to  widows,  orphans,  etc.,  made  applicable  to  cases 
of  these  in  the  Mexican  War.  P.  412,  Act  of  March  3,  1849  :  To  provide 
for  settling  accounts  of  those  who  received  money  from  military  contribu- 
tions, etc.,  in  Mexico.  P.  414,  Act  of  March  3,  1849  :  To  provide  payment 
for  property  lost  or  destroyed  in  the  military  service  of  U.  S.  P.  520,  Act 
of  Sept.  28,  1850 :  Bounty  lands  to  be  given  to  certain  officers  and  soldiers 
who  served  in  the  Mexican  War. 

XXXIV.  THE  WAR  IN  AMERICAN  POLITICS 

1.  The  chief  sources  for  this  chapter  were  personal  correspondence,  the 
debates  of  Congress,  and  periodicals  representing  all  shades  of  politics. 
The  leading  newspapers  were  examined  for  every  day  of  the  war  and 
also  before  and  after  it. 

2.  Parker,   Sermon.     Rhodes,   U.   S.,   i,   88.     Weekly  N    Y.   Herald, 
May  23.     No.  Amer ,  May  15,  21.     mFairfield  to  wife,  July  10,  1846. 

3.  London  Times,  Aug    31.     Welles  papers  (account  of  29  Cong.,  2 
sess.).     lOSMarcy  to  Bancroft,  Apr.  28,   1847.     Calhoun  Corresp.,  717 
(to  T.  G.  C.),  1096  (Fisher).     ISPakenham,  nos.  119,  132,  1846 ;  6,  9,  1847. 
139Gentry  to  C.,  Feb.  20,  1847.     139A.  to  D.  C  ,  Jan.  20,  1847.     Journal 
des  Debate,  Nov.  4,  1846.     (Elections)  N.  Y.  Tribune,  Nov.  26,  1847; 
132Stokes  to  Buchanan,  Jan.  3,  1847;   Welles  papers;   Schurz,  Clay,  ii, 
289;  Von  Hoist,  U.  S.,  in,  336;   N.  Y.  Herald,  Nov.  7,  14,  1846;  Wash. 
Union,  Oct.  16,  22;  Nov.  9,  14,  19,  27,  1846;  May  5,  1847;  Nat.  Intelhg., 
Nov.  7,  1846.     Pub.  Ledger,  Dec.  23,  1846.     In  the  winter  we  find  some 
state  legislatures  passing  resolutions  (Ho.  93,  97 ;  29,  2)  in  favor  of  prose- 
cuting the  war,  but  these  are  signs  of  prevailing  discouragement. 

4.  (Nomination  and  election)  Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  250-2,  310-5. 

S«Gilpin  to  Van  Buren,  May  24,  1846.     234A.  Johnson  to ,  July  22, 

1846,   private.    London    Times,   July   15,    1846.    Welles   papers.    Nat. 
Intellig.,  Nov.  20,  1847.     (Cabinet)  Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  8,  1847;   345Blair 
to  Van  Buren,  Jan.  29 ;  Feb.  29,  1848 ;  297correspond.  between  Polk  and 
M.  Van  Buren,  C.  Johnson,  A.  V.  Brown  and  others,  Dec.,  1844-Feb., 
1845;    Poore,  Perley's  Remins.,  i,  334;    Welles  papers;    297Simpson  to 
Polk,  Nov.  13,  1848.     (Myself)  Tenn.  Hist.  Mag.,  Sept.,  1915  (to  C.  J., 
Dec.  21,  1844).     Boston    Atlas,   Dec.  31,   1846.     206Mangum    to   Gra- 
ham, Feb.  21,  1845.     (Folk's  discretion  distrusted)  Cong.  Globe,  29,  1, 
pp.  554  (Allen),  567  (Webster). 

What  is  said  of  Polk  in  this  and  succeeding  paragraphs  should  be  sup- 
plemented by  referring  to  vol.  i,  pp.  128-9  and  to  the  concluding  chapter. 

5.  For  a  study  of  Folk's  character  see  vol.  i,  pp.  128-9.    34BPauling  to 
Van  Buren,  Feb.  5,  1847.     (Pillow)  Polk  to  Johnson,  May  17  [14],  1844: 
Tenn.  Hist.  Mag.,  Sept.,  1915.    Seward,  Seward  at  Washington,  i,  37,  51. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  270-273      491 

345Frearoon  to  Van  Buren,  Jan.  23,  1847.  34§Blair  to  V.  B.,  Jan.  29, 
1848.  Tyler,  Tyler,  ii,  457  (Gardiner).  345G.  A.  Worth  to  V.  B.,  Mar.  20, 
1847.  139Gentry  to  Campbell,  Feb.  20,  1847.  Schurz,  Clay,  ii,  289. 
Von  Hoist,  U.  S.,  iii,  273,  292,  336.  Boston  Alias,  Dec.  12,  1846.  Ben- 
ton,  Abr.  Debates,  xvi,  75  (Badger).  Kohl,  Claims,  71. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  feeing  about  Folk's  personality  and  methods, 
his  enemies  felt  warranted  in  straining  points  against  him.  It  was  called 
treachery  to  negotiate  with  Santa  Anna  while  negotiating  with  Paredes 
(No.  American,  Dec  15,  1846),  even  though  the  latter  negotiation  had 
practically  ended  before  the  former  began.  His  dwelling  upon  our  claims 
against  Mexico  in  his  annual  Message  of  1846,  which  it  was  quite  proper 
to  do  in  reviewing  the  Mexican  situation,  was  represented  as  an  after- 
thought, intended  to  justify  a  blow  already  struck  and  discrediting  the 
assertion  that  Mexico  had  caused  the  war  by  invading  our  territory  (Boston 
Atlas,  Dec.  12,  1846)  It  was  pointed  out  that  the  proclamation  sent  to 
Taylor  for  distribution  ascribed  to  the  United  States  aims  different  from 
those  professed  in  the  Message  of  May  11  (Nat.  Intellig  ,  Aug.  14,  1846), 
as  if  Polk  could  be  required  to  say  everything  every  time. 

6.  256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Jan.  21;   Oct.  5;   Nov.  7;   Dec.  12,  1846. 
Welles  papers.     345Wright  to  Van  Buren,  Nov.  10,  1846.     345Cambre- 
long  to  Id.,  Nov.  30.     345Thompson  to  Id.,  Dec.  23.     345Blair  to  Id., 
Dec.  26.     345Albany  Atlas,  extra,  Dec.,  1846.     345G.  A.  Worth  to  V.  B., 
Mar.  20,  1847.     253Mower  to  McLean,  Aug.  27,  1846.     132Wright  to 
Buchanan,  Sept.  8,  10,  1846      Bigelow,  Tilden,  i,  110-1.     Blaine,  Twenty 

Years,  i,  78.     Buchanan,  Works,  viii,  365-7.    234A.  Johnson  to  , 

July  22,  1846,  private. 

The  "  Conservative "  party  arose  in  1837  from  the  opposition  to  Van 
Buren's  sub-treasury  plan,  which  Silas  Wright  championed.  Many  honest 
Conservatives,  realizing  they  had  been  mistaken,  left  the  party;  but 
their  places  were  taken  by  canal  claimants. 

7.  Welles  papers.     Calhoun  Correspond.,  713  (to  Mrs.  C.).     (Hang) 

234A.   Johnson    to ,   July    22,   1846       (Office-seekers)   Polk,  Diary, 

Feb.  24;  Apr.  7,  1847,  etc      (Oregon)  Polk,  Diary,  Feb.  24,  1846;  Polit. 
Sci.  Qtrly.,  xxvi,  458  (R.  L.  Schuyler) ;  Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  p.  815  (Delano) ; 
Boston  Atlas,  May  20,  1846;  Blaine,  Twenty  Years,  i,  65;  Wash.  Union, 
Aug.  18,  1846.     (Veto)  253Mower  to  McLean,  Aug.  8,  1846 ;  lOSAppleton 
to  Bancroft,  July  16,  1847;    Wash.  Union,  Aug.  3,  1846,  quoting  Nat. 
Intellig.',  N.  Y.  Herald,  Aug.  15,  1846;  No.  American,  Jan.  14;  Dec.  20, 
1847      (Generals)  Von  Hoist,  U.  S.,  iii,  298;   Rhodes,  U.  S.,  i,  89;   Bu- 
chanan, Works,  viii,  365-7 ;  Calhoun  Corresp.,  727-8  (to  D.  G.).    345But- 
ler  to  Van  Buren,  Nov.  6,  1847. 

8.  Lowell,  Biglow  papers,  i,  59.     (Adams)  260Winthrop  to  N.  Hale, 
Wash.,  "Sunday."     (Giddings)  Wash.   Union,  June  30;    July  2,  1846. 
Cole,  Whig  Party,  118-9.    Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  258-80.     Cong.  Globe, 
29,  1,  p.  309.     (La.)  Vol.  i,  p.  205  and  note  3 ;  N.  Orl  Jeffersonian  in  Nat. 
Intellig.,  Aug.  28,  1846;   Wash.  Union,  June  30;   July  2;   Aug.  11,  1846. 
Calhoun  Corresp.,  1096-7  (Fisher).    N.  Y.  Tribune,  May  13;   Dec.  15, 
1846.     137Prescott  to  Calhoun,  Aug.  20,  1847. 

9.  Ho.  85;    29,  2.    253Mower  to  McLean,  Aug.  8,  1846.    Taussig, 
Tariff  Hist.,  114-5.    34§Welles  to  Van  Buren,  July  28,  1846.    London 
Times,  Dec.  3,  1846.    Courrier  des  Etats  Unis,  Oct.  17;    Nov.  6,  1846. 
N.  Y.  Sun,  July  9,  1846.    N.  Y.  Express,  Nov.  10,  17,  21,  30,  1846.    Niks, 
July  18,  p.  305  (Sentinel) ;  Aug.  1,  p.  345  (Nat.  Intettig.) ;  Sept.  12,  p.  17, 


492      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  273-275 

1846.  Boston  Courier,  July  8,  1846.  Elaine,  Twenty  Years,  i,  65.  Bos- 
ton Atlas,  Jan.  6,  1847.  Wash.  Union,  Aug.  18,  28,  1846.  Nat.  Intellig., 
Aug.  5,  1846.  N.  Y.  Tribune,  Dec.  3,  1846.  No.  American,  July  16,  17 ; 
Aug.  1 ;  Dec.  9,  1846.  (Betrayed)  Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  314. 

10.  241W.  to  J.  Kent,  Dec.  11,  1846;   Jan.  17;   Mar.  5,  1847.     Amer. 
Review,   Oct.,    1847,   333-46.     Johnston  and  Browne,   Stephens,   210-1. 
London  Times,  Dec.  3,  1846.    Sherman  Letters,  38-9.    Webster,  Writ- 
ings, x,  12.    Winthrop,  Wmthrop,  61.     ISPakenham,  no.  98,  1846.    N.  Y. 
Sun,   Aug    28,    1846.     No.   American,   Dec.    30,    1846;    Jan.   18,   1847. 
Rhodes,  U.  S.,  i,  91.     Wash.  Union,  Sept.  30,  1846  (Mass,  convention). 
Nat    Intellig.,  July  18;    Dec.  25,  1846;    Apr.  17;    Nov.  20,  1847.    St 
Louis  Republican,  July  23,   1846.    Journ.  of  Comm.  in  Wash.    Union, 
Aug.  6,  1847. 

Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  stood  quite  close  to  the  administration, 
said  in  the  Senate:  "  Con  quest  was  not  the  motive  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  war ;  satisfaction,  indemnity,  security,  was  the  motive  —  conquest 
and  territory  the  means"  (Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  app.,  222). 

11.  Ho.  23,  81,  85;    29,  2.     Sen.  97;    29,  2     Webster,  Writings,  ix, 
260;  x,  12;  xin,  359     Sherman  Letters,  38-9.     Boston  Advertiser,  Oct.  3, 

1846.  Niles,  Sept.  18,  1847,  p.  44.     Rhodes,  U  S.,  i,  91.     Blaine,  Twenty 
Years,  i,  65      Wmthrop  before  the  Mass,  convention  (note  10).     Courrier 
des  Etats  Unis,  Oct.  17 ;    Nov    6,  1846.    Wash.  Union,  Apr.  29,  1847 
Pierce,  Sumner,  iii,  140,  144,  146.     Lowell,  Biglow  papers,  i,  56.     Liver- 
more,  War,  92.     Curtis,  Webster,  ii,  324.     Amer.  Review,  1847,  p.  441. 
ISPakenham,  no.  93,  1846     Benton,  Abr.  Debs,  xvi,  54  (Morehead) 
(West)  198Berrien  to  Gallatm,  June  7,  1848.     The  North  American  of 
Oct.  8,  1847,  used  this  language :   "The  abstract  question  of  the  extension 
of  slavery  is  not  the  only  nor  the  greatest  issue  of  this  contest.     The  great 
question  is,  shall  we  become  the  dependants  and  vassals  of  a  Southern 
political  ascendancy?  .  .  .     The  nabobs  of  the  South  will  dictate  to  UH 
the  terms  upon  which,  in  the  face  of  their  hostile  policy,  we  shall  struggle 
for  existence.     Our  agriculture,  our  manufactures,  our  commerce,  will  be 
committed  to  their  guardianship  —  the  guardianship  of  the  wolf  over  the 
lamb."     At  the  Springfield  Whig  convention,  Sept    29,  1847,  Webster 
said  he  would  "resist  any  further  increase  of  slave  representation,"  which 
meant  the  same  thing  (Writings,  xiii,  362).     Nat.  Intellig.,  Dec.  29,  1846. 
Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  app.,  919  (G.  Davis).     (Heroes)  345Law  to  Van  Buren, 
Aug.  2,  1847.    Welles  papers.    Calhoun  Corresp.,  1096-7  (Fisher).    Nat 
Intellig.,  May  13,  1846.     London  Times,  Dec.  18,  1846.     ISPakenham, 
no.  93,  1846.     Louisville  Journal,  Mar.  31,  1847.     N.  Y.  Express,  Apr.  2, 

1847.  Wash.  Union,  Aug.  13,  1847.     (Debasement,  etc.)  Amer.  Review, 
1847,  p.  441;   Lyell,  Second  Visit  (N.  Y.,  1849),  ii,  257;  Ho.  81;  29,  2; 
Monitor  Repub.,  Feb.  2,  1847  (quoting  Boston  Atlas)]    Nat.  Intellig., 
Nov.  28  (quoting  N.  Y.  Eve.  Post)',    Dec.  29,  1846;    Norfolk  Herald, 
Apr.  12,  1847 ;  etc. 

12.  N.  Y.  Tribune,  May  19,  1846.    Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  pp.  788  (Critten- 
den),  835.    Welles  papers.     169Rives  to  Crittenden,  Feb.  5,  1847.    Ham- 
mond, Wright,  672.    Von  Hoist,  U.  S.,  iii,  252.    Amer.  Review,  Feb., 
1847,  109,  118.    Wash.  Union,  Mar.  19,  1847.    Schurz,  Clay,  ii,  289. 
Detroit  Free  Press,  Nov.  28,   1846.    Cincin.  Enquirer,  Dec.  16,  1846. 
No.  American,  May  12,  1846.    N.  Y.  Herald,  Dec.  19,  1846.     (Capital) 
WFulton  to  Campbell,  Jan.  — ,  1847. 

The  proper  stand  for  the  Whigs  was  pointed  out  by  Gov.  Briggs  of 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  275-278      493 

Massachusetts  in  general  orders:  " Whatever  may  be  the  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  the  origin"  of  the  war,  the  constitutional  authorities  have 
declared  that  a  war  exists ;  patriotism  and  humanity  dictate  that  it  should 
be  brought  to  a  speedy  and  successful  end;  hence  all  should  cooperate 
(Niles,  July  11,  1846,  pp.  293-4).  It  will  be  noted  that  the  author  is 
dealing  in  this  chapter  with  politics,  not  the  convictions  of  private  persons, 
which,  even  when  mistaken,  were  entitled  to  respect,  because  sincere  and 
associated  with  worthy  sentiments. 

13.  Nat   Intelhg.,  May  13,  15;    July  18;    Sept.  19,  1846;    Jan.  27; 
Aug.  5;    Dec.  11,  1847.    253Mower  to  McLean,  Mar.  1,  1847.     Cong. 
Globe,  29,  1,  app.,  919  (G.  Davis) ;  29,  2,  34-6  (Giddmgs)      Boston  Atlas, 
May  15,  18,  20;    June  11,  1846.     Bait   American,  Dec   2,  1846.     N.  Y. 
Tribune,  May  26,  1846;   Sept.  3;    Nov.  18,  1847;   Jan.  7,  1848.     Cong. 
Globe,  30,  1,  566  (Hilhard).     ($68)  [Tribune]  Whig  Almanac,  1847,  p.  21. 
(Express)  Wash.  Union,  June  19,  1847.     These  and  the  citations  of  the 
following  notes  could  be  multiplied. 

14.  Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  274-5      198J.  R.  Ingersoll  to  Gallatin, 
Dec.  25,   1847      Benton,  Abr.  Debates,  xvi,  78   (Colquitt).     Louisville 
Journal,  Sept.  17,  1847      Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  app.,  643  (Giddmgs) ;   30,  1, 
app.,  227  (Cobb)      Mr    Wmthrop's  Vote  on  the  War  Bill      Webster  at 
Phila.  (Writings,  iv,  26-34)      Wash    Union,  Dec    6,  1847      N.  Y.  Trib- 
une, May  15,     1846      N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Aug  31,  1847.     Gid- 
dings,  Speeches,  259 

15.  N.  Y.  Tribune,  May  13,  1846      ISOGcntry  to  Campbell,  Feb.  20, 
1847.     Wash.    Union,   May   12;    Oct.   1,   1846;    May    15,   1847.     Cong. 
Globe,  29,  1,  pp   815,  931;    app.,  928-32.     Boston  Atlas,  Dec    11,  1846; 
May  13,  1847      Ky    Observer,  July  8,  1846,  in  Wash.   Union,  July  14. 
N    Y.  Tribune,  May  13,  1846      Wmthrop,  Speeches,  i,  573-4.     Nicolay 
and  Hay,  Lincoln,  i',  317-20,  327-45      Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  pp   154-6  (Lin- 
coln's speech)      Though  Lincoln's  speech  was  later  than  the  time  referred 
to  in  the  text,  his  argument  was  not.     (Conn.)  Clark,  Conn  ,  200-1. 

16.  375Taylor  to  Davis,  Feb   16,  1848,  in  Madigan,  cat ,  1914.     Penn- 
sylvanian,  Nov.  4,  1846.     Wmthrop,  Speeches,  i,  574.     N    Y   Eve.  Post,' 
June  4,  1846.     Wash    Union,  July  14,  1846 ;    Mar   29,  31 ;   Aug.  16,  20, 
1847;   Jan  2,  13,  1848      U   S   Gazette,  Oct   13,  1846      Cong.  Globe,  29,  1, 
pp.  534  (Brmkerhoff) ;  app.,  916  (Hudson),     Boston  Atlas,  Dec.  11,  1846; 
May  13,  1847.     Nat  Intelhg  ,  May  16;  Oct.  19;  Dec.  18,  1846;  Apr.  17; 
May  17;   June  22,  1847      N    Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Aug.  9,  17,  1847. 
(Recognized)  Cnttenden's  amendment :    vol.  i,  p.  473 ;    Cong   Globe,  30, 
1,  p.  276.     (Smallness)  Vol.  i,  pp.  161,  455-6,  464 

Another  interesting  fact  was  that  on  Mar  26,  1846,  Mcllvame  of  the 
House,  discussing  an  appropriation  bill,  raised  the  issue  that  in  sending 
Taylor  to  the  Rio  Grande  Polk  had  been  "  invading  Mexico, "  yet,  although 
the  bill  was  objectionable  from  several  points  of  view,  it  passed  by  a  vote 
of  111  to  38  (Cong  Globe,  29,  1,  pp.  558,  574).  See  also  Lumpkin's  speech, 
ibid.,  834-7.  Polk  was  mercilessly  ridiculed  for  believing  that  Santa 
Anna  would  favor  peace,  but  his  opponents  had  to  admit  that  a  Whig 
general,  Taylor,  believed  (or  appeared  to  believe)  Ampudia's  assertions 
to  the  same  effect  (chap,  xii,  p.  504)  made  under  circumstances  that  ren- 
dered the  idea  far  less  plausible. 

17.  See  vol.  ii,   p   73.     Wash.  Union,   Feb.  25,   1847.    St.  Louis  Re- 
publican, July  3,  1847.    McCulloch,  Men  and  Measures,  65.    Seward, 
Autob.  of  W.  H.  S.,  774.    An  undated  slip  from  the  Chicago  Times,  found 


494      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  278-281 

by  the  author,  contained  a  letter  from  Burlington,  la.,  which  stated  that 
Col.  Sweney,  proprietor  of  the  Barret  House,  had  known  Corwin  well 
from  boyhood  on,  and  that  he  had  heard  Corwin  say  with  tears  in  his 
eyes  that  his  speech  was  made  by  arrangement  with  Webster  and  others, 
who  desired  to  prevent  the  appropriation  of  more  money  for  the  war,  and 
agreed  to  follow  Corwin. 

18.  For  a  discussion  of  the  Philadelphia  speech  see  vol.  i,  p.  458.    Web- 
ster, Writings,  iv,  7;    ix,  253;    xiii,  348-50.     Public  Ledger,  Dec.  6,  15, 
1846.    N.  Y.  Tribune,  Dec.  4,  7,  1846.    N.  Y.  Herald,  Aug.  22,  1846. 
N.  Y.  Sun,  Dec.  5,  1846.    Wash.  Unwn,  Dec.  2,  4,  7,  11,  1846;  Mar.  10; 
Oct.  14,  16,  1847.     Charleston  Mercury,  Dec.  8,  1846.     253Dowlmg  to 
McLean,  Mar.  24,  1848.     Nov.  6,  1846,  at  Faneuil  Hall,  Boston,  Webster 
called  forth  rapturous  applause  by  saying,  in  a  manner  quite  unworthy 
of  a  Senator  and  a  great  constitutional  lawyer,  "In  my  judgment  it  is  an 
impeachable  offence"  for  the  President  so  to  act  as  to  involve  the  country 
in  war  without  the  consent  of  Congress  (Niles,  Nov.  21,  p.  186).    This,  if 
it  meant  anything,  was  a  begging  of  the  question      Webster  could  not  deny 
that  the  President  had  a  right  to  repel  invasion  without  consulting  Con- 
gress, and  Polk  believed  the  Mexicans  had  invaded  our  territory,  thus 
precipitating  the  war. 

Polk's  Message  of  May  11  mentioned,  as  was  natural,  the  rejection  of 
Slidell  and  the  failure  of  Mexico  to  pay  our  claims,  but  its  practical  gist 
was  contained  in  the  following  sentence :  "  As  war  exists,  and,  notwith- 
standing all  our  efforts  to  avoid  it,  exists  by  the  act  of  Mexico  herself, 
we  are  called  upon  by  every  consideration  of  duty  and  patriotism  to 
vindicate  with  decision  the  honor,  the  rights,  and  the  inteiests  of  our 
country  " 

19.  (Independent,  ground)  Webster,  Writings,  iv,  24;  xiii,  351.     (Sense- 
less, fight)  Ibid.,  ix,  157-60.     (Prosecute)  Ibid.,  iv,  33;    N.  Y.  Tribune, 
Dec.  3,  1846.     (Refused)  Writings,  ix,  157.     (Approve)  Pierce,  Sumner, 
iii,  112.     (Narrow)  Webster,  Letters,  350.     (Tired)  Writings,  xviii,  246. 
Lowell,  Biglow  Papers,  i,  54,  etc.  (see  a  paper,  written  by  the  present 
author,  on  the  Biglow  papers  in  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Proceeds.,  May,  1912, 
p.  602). 

20.  (Jay)  Pellew,  Jay,  310.    The  clerical  quotations  in  the  text  are 
from  a  non-partisan  paper,  the  N.  Y.  Herald,  Feb.  20,  1847.    The  extract 
from  Osgood  may  be  found  in  his  Solemn  Protest,  p.  13.    That  from 
Parish  the  author  has  not  been  able  to  verify,  but  presumably  it  was 
correct.    That  such  sentiments  were  entertained  will  not  be  questioned. 
Osgood  denounced  the  authors  of  the  war  as  "desperate  in  wickedness," 
etc.    See  quotations  from  him  and  others  in  Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  app., 
930-1.    Weekly  N.  Y.  Herald  (non-partisan),  Jan.  16,  1847 :   They  who 
oppose  this  war  will  one  day  stand  before  the  country  like  the  men  of  the 
Hartford  Convention.    Pierce,  Sumner,  iii,  139. 

21.  Boston  Atlas,  May  18,  20,  1846.     Monitor  Repub.,  Feb.  2,  1847. 
Nat.  Intellig.,  May  11;    Oct.  15  (Thompson),  26,  1847;    Jan.  26,  1848. 
(Hudson)  Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  p.  418.    N.  Y.  Tribune,  Nov.  6,  1847.     (CaK 
houn)  Benton,  Abr.  Debates,  xvi,  58.    Wash.   Union,  Sept.  24,  1846; 
June  2,  1847.     Diario,  Dec.  20,   1846.     Meade,  Letters,  i,  180.     (Joy) 
Boston  Daily  Chronotype  in  N.  Y.  Globe,  May  14,  1847.     137McLane  to 
Calhoun,   Jan.    18,    1848.    Richardson,    Messages,   iv,   473.     (1813-14) 
Wash.  Union  Dec.  10,  1846.    See  also  vol.  ii,  p.  125. 

In  the  office  of  the  sec.  of  relaciones  was  found  a  large  collection  of  ex- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  281-283      495 

tracts  from  American  speeches  and  newspapers  (N.  Y.  Herald,  Feb.  5, 
1848:  Gen.  Pierce).  Whig  journals  assured  Mexico  that  her  cause  was 
just ;  that  a  majority  of  the  Americans  detested  the  war ;  that  our  treasury 
could  not  bear  the  cost;  that  our  government  was  incompetent;  that 
it  was  disloyal  to  our  commanders;  that  our  armies  could  not  win  the 
war;  that  soon  the  administration  would  be  rebuked  and  its  policy  be 
reversed.  The  government  "stand  ready  to  yield  anything  that  Mexico 
may  demand  as  the  price  of  peace,"  asserted  the  N.  Y.  Courier  and  En- 
quirer (Wash.  Union,  July  10,  1847).  For  numerous  other  quotations 
see  Cong  Globe,  30,  1,  app.,  347.  April  27,  1847,  El  Progreso  of  Quere"taro 
said:  The  peace  party  in  the  United  States  "have  been  encouraging  us 
to  sustain  ourselves  until  we  could  obtain  from  them  a  satisfactory  ar- 
rangement of  our  difficulties  as  soon  as  they  should  come  into  power" 
(Wash  Union,  May  28,  1848). 

22.  256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Jan.  21 ;   Dec.  5,  12,  1846.     Welles  papers 
(Review  of  Pol.  Hist,  of  U.  S.;    2d  sess.  of  29  Cong.).    253Mower  to 
McLean,  Aug.  27,  1846.     345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Jan.  20 ;  Nov.  27,  1846. 
345Giipm  to  Van  Buren,  May  24,  1846.     345Thompson  to  Van  Buren, 
Dec.  23,  1846.     345M.  Van  B ,  Jr.,  to  Van  Buren  [Apr.  28,  1846].    Polk, 
Diary,  July  13;  Sept.  11,  1846;  Jan  5,  1847.     lOSAppleton  to  Bancroft, 
Feb.   24,    1847.     lOSWescott  to  Bancroft,   Mar.   1,   1848.    253Reed  to 
McLean,  Oct  26, 1846      206J.  Graham  to  Gov.  G  ,  Jan.  10, 1847.     Courrier 

des  Etats  Unis,  Oct  17,  1846.     379Ewing  to ,  Mar.  11,  1846      Wash. 

Union,  Nov.  19,  1846.     Niles,  May  16,  1846,  p    175.     234A.  Johnson  to 
— ,  July  22,  1846,  private.     N.  Y.  Journ  of  Comm.,  Dec.  9,  1846.     N.  Y. 
Herald,  Nov.  14,  1846.     Bragg  to  Van  Buren,  Mar.  10,  1847.     Seward, 
Seward  at  Washington,  i,  37,  68,  71.  "Old  Hunkers  "and  "Barnburners'' 
(the  Van  Buren  wing)  were  the  two  N.  Y.  factions. 

23.  Welles  papers :  note  22.     253M   Brown  to  McLean,  June  5,  1846, 
Bragg :  note  22     345Gilpin  to  Van  Buren,  May  24,  1846 ;    Apr.  6,  1847. 
Seward,  Seward  at  Washington,  i,  37,  51.     Nat.  Intelhg.,  Jan.  6,  1847. 
Picayune,  Feb.  26,  1848.     N.  Y.  Journ.  Comm.,  Jan.  7,  1847.     Public 
Ledger,   Feb.    12,    1847.     N.   Y.   Tribune,  Jan.    12,    1847.     Polk,   Diary, 
Nov.  7,  1845;   Jan.  28;   Mar.  22,  23,  1846;   Jan.  14,  1847.     345Blair  to 
Van  Buren,  Nov.  27,  1846.     Boston  Alias,  Jan.  9,  1847.     345 Welles  to 
Van  Buren,  July  28,  1846.    256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Apr.  23,  1848.     (As- 
pirants) 231  Jackson  to  Blair,  Dec.  14,  1844. 

24.  The  author's  remarks  on  Benton,  Calhoun  and  Cass  are  based  on 
sources  too  numerous  to  be  specified,  and  will  not,  it  is  believed,  raise  nny 
question.     The  principal  out-of-the-way  sources  are  the  following :  Welles 
papers :   note  22.     137aCalhoun  to  Mathews,  Sept.  19,  1847.     210Ham- 
mond-Simms   corresp.,    Mar  .-Nov.,    1847.    253M.    Brown    to    McLean, 
June  5,  1846.     345Blair  to  Van  Buren,  Jan.  20,  1846.     345Poinsett  to 
Van  Buren,  June  4,  1847.     345Gilpin  to  Van  Buren,  Nov.  23,  1845.     Lon- 
don Times,  Apr.  17,   1847.    206J.  Graham  to  brother,  Jan.   10,   1847. 
Polk,  Diary,  May  21 ;  June  22,  29,  30,  1846;  Jan.  9,  14,  15,  22;  Feb.  8, 
13 ;  Apr.  7,  16,  1847.     lOSAppleton  to  Bancroft,  Feb.  24,  1847.    Calhoun 
Corresp.,  707  (to  T.  G.  C  ).    132King  to  Buchanan,  Oct.  5,  1847.    Cal- 
houn, Works,  iv,  371.    Boston  Atlas,  June  1,   1846.    Boston  Courier, 
Feb.  23,  1847.    Penna.  Mag.,  xi,  462  (Dallas,  Dec.  16).    168D.  H.  Lewis, 
May  11,  1848.    Wash.  Union,  Feb.  13,  18;   Mar.  15,  17;  Apr.  5,  1847. 
N.  Y.  Journ.  Comm.,  Feb.  15,  1847.    Public  Ledger,  Feb.  12,  16,  1847 
210Tucker  to  Hammond,  Apr.  24,  1847. 


496      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  283-284 

Allen  of  Ohio,  noted  for  vanity  and  a  powerful  voice,  felt  so  disgusted 
about  the  outcome  of  the  Oregon  business,  that  at  the  beginning  of  this 
session  he  threw  up  the  chairmanship  of  the  committee  on  foreign  relations 
and  declined  to  serve  on  any  committee.  Niles,  an  excellent  man,  was  a 
protectionist,  like  the  Pennsylvania  Senators.  Hannegan  was  a  man  of 
lorce  but  a  rabid  westerner.  He,  Dickinson  and  Breese  were  distinctly 
Cass  men.  Calhoun's  partisans  were  Butler  (So  Carolina),  Lewis  (Ala- 
bama) and  the  Florida  senators,  while  Colquitt  and  Speight  were  thought 
to  be  guided  considerably  by  him ;  but  as  time  went  on  his  influence  over 
most  of  this  group  waned  Of  the  Whig  Senators  Webster  spent  most  of 
his  time  in  the  practice  of  law  Cnttenden  was  in  general  honest  and 
sensible ;  but  he  and  Clayton  had  induced  Jarnagm  to  vote  for  Walker's 
tariff,  believing  that  it  would  discredit  the  Democrats,  and  the  failure  of 
this  unworthy  trick  damaged  their  prestige  considerably  Clayton  had 
unusual  ability  and  experience,  but  was  crafty  and  insincere  Manguni 
enjoyed  a  deserved  respect,  but  was  not  of  striking  ability 

Of  the  House  Democrats,  P  King  stood  high  in  the  confidence  of  his 
colleagues,  and  had  no  little  skill  in  leading  C  J  Ingersoll  was  the  most 
important  Pennsylvaman,  but  his  attainments  and  eloquence  were  accom- 
panied by  erratic  judgment.  Thurman  surpassed  the  other  Ohio  Repre- 
sentatives in  good  conduct  and  talents,  but  Bnnkerhoff  displayed  more 
activity  than  he  Douglas  ranked  first  in  the  Illinois  group,  and  perhaps 
first  among  the  supporters  of  the  administration  in  the  House.  Drom- 
goole  (Virginia)  possessed  remarkable  legislative  abilities  and  reputation ; 
but  did  not  care  to  exert  himself  overmuch  McKay  (PJorth  Carolina) 
and  Haralson  (Georgia)  were  chairmen,  respectively,  of  the  ways  and 
means  and  the  military  committees,  but  did  not  distinguish  themselves. 
Rhett,  an  able  and  acute  man,  was  a  more  consistent  representative  of 
South  Carolina  principles  than  Calhoun  Of  the  Whigs  Severance  (Maine) 
possessed  more  than  average  ability.  Winthrop  (Massachusetts)  was  a 
gentleman,  a  fine  speaker  and  debater,  honest,  scholarly  and  conserva- 
tive —  an  ideal  public  man  Hudson  (Massachusetts)  had  energy  and 
character  but  was  too  partisan  J  R  Ingersoll  (Pennsylvania)  had  good 
abilities  and  good  sense.  Giddmgs  (Ohio)  has  to  be  considered  a  calcu- 
lating fanatic,  not  enthusiast,  of  the  abolition  school  Vinton  (Ohio) 
stood  among  the  best  on  either  side  of  the  House  in  wisdom,  sincerity 
and  good  conduct 

25  Welles  papers:  note  22.  ISPakenham,  no  150,  1846.  Von 
Hoist,  U  S  ,  lii,  252-4  139Fulton  to  Campbell,  Jan  — ,  1847.  198ln- 
gersoil  to  Gallatm,  Dec.  25,  1847.  (Embassy)  Webster,  Writings,  ix,  157, 
see  vol  11,  p  123;  Wash  Union,  June  27;  Oct.  1,1846  Public  Ledger, 
Dec.  8,  1846.  (Sublimity)  No.  American,  Jan.  11,  1847  Pierce,  Sumner, 
in,  111,  139  Charleston  Mercury,  Jan.  26,  27,  1847.  *56Marcy  to  Wet- 
more,  Dec  5,  12,  1846.  (The  generals,  etc.)  Marcy  to  W.,  Nov.  14,  1846; 
Greeley,  Recoils.,  211 ;  Welles  papers;  345Wright  to  VanBuren,  Jan.  28, 
1847;  169Letcher  to  Crittenden,  Dec.  20,  1847;  ISCrampton,  no.  9, 
1848;  Johnston  and  Browne,  Stephens,  224;  Calhoun  Corresp.,  713, 
715-6  (to  Mrs.  C.) ;  lOSBuchanan  to  Bancroft,  June  14,  1847;  206J 
Graham  to  Gov.  G.,  Jan.  10,  1847;  ISlBuchanan  to  Donelson,  May  13, 
1847;  Wash  Union,  Jan.  30  Scott  was  "in"  politics  but  inactive 

"Old  Whitey,"  it  will  be  recalled,  was  Taylor's  favorite  horse.  When 
the  author  refers  to  the  course  of  "the  Whigs"  or  "the  Democrats"  it  is 
to  be  understood,  of  course,  that  exceptions  existed. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  284-287      497 

26.  The  principal  speeches  have  been  cited  elsewhere.     They  are  to  be 
found,  of  course,  in  the  Congressional  Globe  under  the  proper  headings, 
and  less  fully  in  Benton's  Abridged  Debates      Public  Ledger,  Feb.  25, 
1847.     19lFairfield  to  wife,  Apr.  14,  1846. 

27.  See  particularly  the  debate  on  the  $3,000,000  bill  and  the  Ten 
Regiment  bill,  and,  in  the  House,  the  Loan  bill.    Wash.  Union,  May  18, 
1846. 

28.  Polk,  Diary,  Dec.  19,  1846      Benton,  View,  n,  678.     House  pro- 
ceedings in  Cong    Globe,  29,  2,   Dec    8-16.     Richardson,   Messages,  iv, 
506-7,  594-600      U   S   vs   Rice  -   4  Wheaton,  246,  253.     Story,  Commen- 
taries on  the  Constitution,  §  1318      Butler,  Treaty-making  Power,  i,  128, 
168-9.     (Decision,   Castme,   Harrison)   Wash.    Union,   Dec     11,    15,   26, 
1846;    Dec    12,  1847      Kent,  Commentaries,  i,  282      Cong.  Globe,  29,  2, 
app,   130,  col.   1      Von  Hoist,  U    S,  m,  261,  note  1,  336      (Kearny  a 
Whig)    Richmond    Whig   m   Nat    Intellig ,   Get     19,    1846      (Unhappy) 
Amer   Review,  Feb  ,  1848,  p    110      Public  Ledger,  Feb   8,  1847 

The  National  Intelligencer  had  the  hardihood  to  state  (Dec  25,  1846) : 
"It  is  the  opinion  of  the  President  that  the  fact  of  conquest  annexes 
foreign  provinces  to  the  United  States  "  The  Tcxans  complained  be- 
cause the  part  of  New  Mexico  claimed  by  them  was  occupied  by  Kearny ; 
but  since  the  enemy  had  held  it  by  military  force  this  action  was  proper, 
and  Buchanan  assured  Henderson  that  the  temporary  military  occupation 
would  not  affect  the  rights  of  his  state  (Buchanan,  Works,  vii,  215).  The 
author  did  not  find  Harrison's  proclamation  in  Ms  ;  but  Mr  D  M. 
Matteson  discovered  it  m  Nile*,  Nov  27,  1813,  p  215  Copies  of  official 
documents  in  the  Burton  Historical  Collection,  kindly  furnished  to  the 
author,  throw  further  light  on  the  fact  that  American  sovereignty  over 
a  portion  of  Canada  was  declared  m  1813  The  subject  is  certainly  an 
interesting  one 

29  The  Whigs  wished  to  repeal  all  of  the  new  fiscal  policy  Welles 
papers:  note  22  Wash  Union,  Mar  9,  1847  Lyell,  Second  Visit 
(N.  Y.,  1849),  256  Public  Ledger,  Dec  8,  1846  (Nat.  Intellig  )  Charleston 
Mercury,  Jan.  12,  26,  1847  Pierce,  Sumner,  in,  122.  Niles,  Jan  2,  1847, 
p.  288.  Boston  Atlas,  Jan  6;  Feb  6,  1847  (Webster)  Niles,  Jan  9, 
1847,  p.  303.  N  Y  Journ  of  Comrn.,  Jan  4,  1847  N.  Y  Tribune, 
Feb.  14,  1847.  No  American,  Dec  24,  1846;  Jan.  4,  1847  Polk,  Diary, 
Jan.  22,  1847.  Nat  Intellig  ,  Jan.  14,  1847  (if  the  government  desires 
the  cooperation  of  the  Whigs,  let  it  repeal  the  tariff  and  sub-treasury 
Acts).  Note  also  the  treatment  of  the  important  public  land  ques- 
tion (vol.  ii,  p.  261) 

30.  Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  pp.  1211-21.  Greeley,  Amer.  Conflict,  i,  189. 
Smith,  Annex  of  Tex  ,  314,  351-2.  Welles  papers.  McLaughlin,  Cass, 
229.  Cole,  Whig  Party,  119,  122-4.  Polk,  Diary,  Dec.  19,  23,  1846; 
Jan.  4,  16,  22,  23,  1847.  Benton,  View,  ii,  695.  Wilson,  Rise  and  Fall, 
ii,  15,  16.  ISPakenham,  no  5,  1847  lOSPolk  to  Bancroft,  Jan.  30,  1847, 
private.  Meigs,  Benton,  371  Amer.  Hist.  Assoc.  Report,  1911,  i,  187- 
95  (C.  E.  Persinger)  Cong  Globe,  29,  2,  pp  453-5,  541-55.  Von  Hoist, 
U.  S.,  iii,  301,  306-7  Calhoun,  Works,  iv,  323.  ISTFisher  to  Calhoun, 
Aug.  22,  1847.  Stephens,  U  S.,  391.  Cutts,  Questions,  154.  Garrison, 
Extension,  254-68  Boston  Atlas,  Jan.  4,  1847.  Blaine,  Twenty  Years, 
i,  73.  So.  Qtrly.  Review,  Jan.,  1851,  p  196.  Wash  Union,  July  3 ;  Aug.  12, 
1846;  Jan  16,  1847.  N.  Y  Herald,  Jan.  16;  Feb.  20,  1847.  Merriam, 
Bowles,  i,  48.  139Gentry  to  Campbell,  Apr.  18,  1848. 
VOL.  ii  —  2  K 


498      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  287-288 

The  Proviso,  offered  as  an  amendment  to  the  $2,000,000  and  $3,000,000 
bills,  was  objected  to  because :  1,  J.  Q.  Adams,  Ben  ton  and  others  argued 
that  any  territory  acquired  from  Mexico  would  come  to  us  "free"  by  law, 
and  slavery  would  not  exist  there  unless  subsequent  legislation  and  also 
the  natural  Conditions  should  be  favorable  to  it;  2,  the  question  \\ould 
necessarily  be  settled  when  Congress  should  have  to  decide  regarding  the 
government  of  such  territory,  and  present  action  would  not  bind  a 
future  Congress ;  3,  it  did  not  relate  to  American  territory,  property  or 
citizens  —  in  short  it  related  to  nothing  that  existed;  4,  the  only  \\ay  to 
reach  the  end  aimed  at  by  the  Proviso  would  be  through  a  treaty,  and, 
should  the  treaty  be  violated,  Mexico  would  have  a  right  to  interfere 
with  our  domestic  affairs;  5,  the  President  would  have  no  right  to  sign 
such  a  treaty,  for  the  subject  belonged  to  Congress;  6,  the  American 
Senate  would  not  ratify  such  a  treaty,  and  hence  the  adoption  of  the  Pro- 
viso would  prevent  peace  and  the  acquisition  of  territory;  7,  it  was  in- 
sulting to  Mexico  to  legislate  about  territory  belonging  to  her,  would 
scandalize  the  world,  and  might  prolong  the  war,  8,  the  Proviso  stood 
in  the  way  of  needed  war  legislation,  tended  to  alarm  the  South  and  lessen 
its  interest  in  the  war,  incited  to  discord  at  a  time  when  harmony  was 
peculiarly  desirable,  promoted  sectionalism,  and,  if  adopted,  might  render 
the  administration  powerless  to  wage  the  war  successfully.  As  is  well 
known,  Bnnkerhoff  of  Ohio  was  the  father  of  the  Proviso,  but  for  stra- 
tegical reasons  Wilmot  was  asked  to  introduce  it.  Wilmot  himself  did 
not  insist  upon  the  Proviso,  when  Polk  explained  to  him  some  of  the 
difficulties  For  a  convenient  review  of  the  later  history  of  the  Proviso 
principle  see  Lalor,  Cyclopaedia,  iii,  1115-7.  The  Proviso  threatened 
Whig  unity  and  success,  of  course,  because  the  northern  wing  and  the 
southern  wing  of  the  party  could  not  agree  regarding  slavery. 

31.  137Fisher  to  Calhoun,  Aug.  22,  1847.  (Committed)  Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  536-41  169Rives  to  Cnttenden,  Feb  5,  8,  1847.  330J  P 
to  Z  Taylor,  Sept.  8,  1847.  Merriam,  Bowles,  i,  48  Curtis,  Webster, 
i,  303-7,  324  5.  Webster,  Writings,  ix,  257-9 ;  xiii,  328.  ISPakenham, 
no.  18,  1847  Lalor,  Cyclopaedia,  iii,  1105  Amer.  Review,  Oct.,  1847, 
345-6.  Louisville  Journal,  Sept.  17,  1847.  Cincirm  Enquirer,  Nov.  15, 
1847.  Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  pp.  555-6  (Webster) ;  app.,  296-302  (Berricn) 
132Donolson  to  Buchanan,  Jan.  8,  1847.  132Bancroft  to  Id.,  Oct.  18, 
1847.  Boston  Courier,  Feb  14,  1848.  Corwin  to  F  ,  Feb.  4,  1847  :  Ohio 
Phil,  and  Hist.  Soc.  Pubs.,  July-Sept ,  1914.  Benton,  Abr.  Debs  ,  xvi,  42 
(Berrien).  Wash.  Union,  Feb  8,  25;  Sept  8,  13,  16;  Oct  5,  1847 
Public  Ledger,  Feb  8,  17,  1847  Cole,  Whig  Party,  119-22.  Pierce, 
Sumner,  in,  159.  Nat  Intelhg.,  Sept.  7,  1847. 

Berrien's  words  (Benton,  Abr.  Debates,  xvi,  42) :  The  war  "ought  not 
to  be  prosecuted  .  with  any  view  to  the  dismemberment  of  that  republic, 
or  to  the  acquisition  by  conquest  of  any  part  of  her  territory" ;  this  gov- 
ernment "will  always  be  ready  to  enter  into  negotiations,  with  a  view  to 
terminate  the  present  unhappy  conflict  on  terms  which  shall  .  .  .  pre- 
serve inviolate  the  national  honor  ...  of  Mexico";  "it  is  especially 
desirable  .  .  .  that  the  boundary  of  the  State  of  Texas  should  be  definitely 
settled,  and  that  provision  be  made  by  the  republic  of  Mexico  for  the 
prompt  and  equitable  settlement  of  the  just  claims  of  our  citizens."  Nat- 
urally the  Whigs  endeavored  to  recommend  the  "No  territory"  idea  by 
dwelling  on  other  points  (e.g.  the  country  was  already  large  enough ;  this 
plan  would  prevent  a  struggle  between  North  and  South  over  slavery; 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  288-290       499 

without  it  no  treaty  with  Mexico  could  be  ratified).  How  much  merit 
these  arguments  possessed,  it  is  unnecessary  to  point  out;  but  no  doubt 
there  was  more  or  less  honest  belief  in  them,  especially  among  the  rank 
and  file.  The  people  in  general,  however,  were  against  giving  up  all  the 
fruits  of  our  victories,  and. even  Calhoun  admitted  that  we  could  not  get 
out  of  the  war  with  credit  unless  we  made  a  large  gain  in  territory. 

32.  256Marcy  to  Wctmore,  Dec.  5,  12,  1846.     lOSAppleton  to  Ban- 
croft, Feb.  24,  1847.     lOSPolk  to  Bancroft,  Jan.  30,  1847,  private.    Welles 
papers.     Public  Ledger,  Mar.  2,  1847.     Boston  Atlas,  Jan.  18,  21 ;  Feb.  8; 
Mar.  3,  1847      Polk,  Diary,  Jan   19,  1847.     Nat.  Intelhg  ,  Aug.  11,  1846; 
July  22,  1847.     N.  Y.  Journ.  Comm.,  Jan.  7,  1847.     N.  Y.  Express,  Sept.  4, 
1847.     N.  Y.  Tribune,  Jan.  8,  1847;   Jan.  27,  1848      Bait.  American  in 
Wash    Union,  Sept  8,  1847.    No.  American,  Dec.  30,  1846;  Oct.  6,  1847. 
Slidell  to  Buchanan,  Nov.  5,  1846:    "The  fate  of  the  administration  de- 
p3nd?  on  the  successful  conduct  of  the  war"  (Curtis,  Buchanan,  i,  601). 

33.  (Ebcted)  Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  307-9      169Burnley  to  Critten- 
den,  Dec.  12,  1847.     132R.  Taylor  to  Buchanan,  Nov.  18,  1847,  private. 
Seward,  Seward  at  Washington,  i,  57-8.     Schurz,  Clay,  ii,  290-2.     Wash. 
Union,  Nov    16-18,  24  (Clay's  speech  in  full,  which  Colton  does  not  give 
complete),  27,  29;    Dec.  1,  ,1847.     N    Y.  Sun,  Nov    16,  1847.     N.  Y. 
Herald,  Nov    17,  1847      Cmcinn   Enquirer,  Nov.  15,  1847.     (Abhorrent) 
Amer.  Review,  Feb.,  1848,  110      Lexington  Observer,  Nov  17,  1847.     Clay, 
Works  (Colton,  ed  ),  in,  60-7.     No  American,  Dec.  4,  1847.     Cole,  Whig 
Party,  120.     Shackford,  Citizen's  Appeal,  18.     Hill,  Lawrence,  76.     (In 
Mexico)  256  J   Parrott  to  Marcy,  Dec.  27,  1847,  private.     Webster,  Writ- 
ings, xin,  328 

34  169Rives  to  Crittenden,  Feb.  8,  1847.     ISPakenharn,  no  132,  1846. 
Cong   Globe,  29,  2,  app  ,  211-8  (Corwin),  282-9  (Severance).     Corwin  to 
Follett,  Feb   4,  1847 :   Ohio  Phil,  and  Hist  Soc.  Pubs  ,  July-Sept.,  1914. 
N.  Y    Tribune,  Jan    25,  1847.     No.  American,  May  27,  1847.     Sunmer, 
Orations,  n,    143,    187.     Pierce,   Sumner,  in,   138,   140.     253Dowling  to 
McLean,  Dec  7,  1847. 

35  Semmes,  Service,  69.     253Mower  to  McLean,  Nov.  22;    Dec.  13, 
1847.     345Niles  to  Van  Buren,  Jan    20,   1848.     137Rhett  to  Calhoun, 
May  20,  1847      169Prunt  to  Crittenden,  Dec    5,  1847.     London  Times, 
Feb.    15,    1848      ISCrampton,   no    42,    1847      Calhoun  Corresp.,   727-8 
(to  D.  G),  737-9  (to  W.  T  ).    Sherman   Letters,  38.    Welles  papers. 
lOSPolk  to  Bancroft,  Jan    30,   1847,  private.     Nat.  Intellig.,  Aug.   17; 
Dec.  27,  1847;    Jan    10,  1848.     Public  Ledger,  Dec.  25,  1847;    Jan.  31; 
Feb.  11,  1848      Bourne,  Essays,  227.     Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  pp.  93  (with- 
drawal), 94  (vote),  95  (unconstitutional),  391-2  (Schenck),  396  (Henley), 
495,  530  (Webster),  566  (Hilliard).    Amer.  Review,  vi,  331,  342.    Von 
Hoist,  U.  S.,  lii,  289,  337.    Amer.  Hist.  Assoc.  Report,  1911,  ii,  83  (La- 
mar).     N    Y.  Journ.  Comm.,  Jan.  27,   1848.     Cincinn.  Atlas  in  Wash. 
Union,   Aug.   25,    1847.     Ohio  State  Journal:    ibid.,   Aug.   30.    Wash. 
Union,  Nov.  4;    Dec.   16,   1847.     335Dimond  to  Trist,  Oct.  27,   1847. 
335Buchanan  to  Trist,  Oct.  7,  24,  1847,  private.     N.  Y.  Tribune,  Nov.  5, 
1847.     N.  Y.  Herald,  Dec.  4,  1847.     198G.  Davis  to  Gallatin,  Mar.  6, 
1848      345Law  to  Van  Buren,  Aug.  2,  1847. 

Public  sentiment  was  well  voiced  by  the  governor  of  Virginia  in  a  42Mes- 
sage  to  the  Assembly,  Dec.  6,  1847  (exec,  letter  book,  no.  73,  p.  325) : 
"Shall  the  insolent  Mexican  go  unpunished?  Shall  the  glories  of  Palo 
Alto,  Resaca  de  La  Palma,  Monterey,  etc.,  pass  away  in  a  dream,  leaving 


600      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  290-291 

no  solid  memorials  behind  them  of  a  skill,  a  gallantry,  and  a  self-sacrificing 
devotion  unsurpassed  in  the  history  of  man?  I  regard  this  war  as  a 
practical  question,  and  to  be  disposed  of  accordingly.  That  morbid 
sympathy  that  lives  only  for  Mexico  —  that  Mexico  which  murders  the 
drunken  soldier,  and  lances  the  wounded  on  the  field  of  battle  —  I  cannot 
approve,  nor  can  I  respect  that  closet  philosophy  that  calls  on  us  to  sur- 
render everything  because  we  are  victorious.  No,  my  sympathies  are 
for  my  country,  for  the  gallant  dead,  for  those  whose  mighty  deeds  have 
given  a  bolder  and  a  broader  light  to  our  glorious  constellation,  for  the 
widows  and  for  their  orphans.  ...  I  would  be  just  to  Mexico,  but  just 
also  to  my  own  country/' 

The  difficulty  of  reaching  an  agreement  in  Congress  about  the  relation 
of  slavery  interests  to  th£  war  was  thought  by  the  British  representative 
to  stand  in  the  way  of  compelling  the  administration  to  stop  hostilities 
(ISCrampton,  no  71,  Dec.  30,  1847),  and  no  doubt  had  considerable 
eftect.  In  the  speakership  contest  220  Representatives  voted  (Cong 
Globe,  30,  1,  p.  2).  To  hold  that  Congress  had  power  to  prescribe  the 
objects  of  the  war  was  virtually  to  declare  Congress  the  supreme  com- 
mander and  treaty-making  power  It  was  also  to  declare  the  nation  im- 
potent to  wage  the  war,  for,  as  the  parties  stood,  it  could  not  pass  a  bill 
over  the  President's  veto. 

36.  345Poinsett  to  Van  Buren,  June  4,  1847  345Blair  to  Id.,  Dec.  9, 
1847.  Webster,  Writings,  x,  262  (re  Ten  Regiment  bill:  the  war  un- 
necessary and  unconstitutional).  256Marcy  to  Wetrnore,  Jan.  28,  1848. 
Public  Ledger,  Dec  15,  1847;  Jan.  31;  Feb.  2,  1848.  Wash  Union, 
Mar.  24,  1848  Cong  Globe,  30,  1,  pp.  57-8  (Goggm),  154-6  (Lincoln), 
267-9  (resolutions),  415-7  (Smith),  495-6,  530-5  (Webster),  etc  (Direct 
taxes)  N  Y.  Journ.  Comm.,  Dec  25,  1847.  (Chairman)  N.  Y  Herald, 
Feb  13,  1848  (financial  article)  Nat.  Intelhg  ,  Jan  17,  1848 

The  British  charg6  at  Washington,  though  that  legation  was  strongly 
in  sympathy  with  the  Whigs,  reported  that  the  Whigs  lost  no  opportunity 
to  embarrass  and  discredit  the  administration  (ISCrampton,  no.  19, 
Feb.  9,  1848).  Slidell's  instructions  never  having  been  acted  upon,  were 
practically  a  dead  letter,  and  it  was  important  not  to  make  them  public, 
lest  the  Mexicans,  knowing  on  what  terms  the  United  States  had  been 
willing  to  restore  friendly  intercourse,  should  use  the  information  to  em- 
barrass future  negotiations;  but  the  House,  admitting  this  point  by 
promising  to  keep  them  secret  —  which  everybody  knew  could  not  be 
done  —  demanded  them,  and  resented  Folk's  wise  refusal  to  transmit 
them.  The  National  Intelligencer  (Dec.  18,  1847)  asserted  that  Shdell 
had  been  "ordered  not  to  negotiate  a  settlement  of  the  Boundary  of 
Texas  .  .  unless  in  complication  with  the  cession  to  the  U.  S  of  Cali- 
fornia," which  was  positively  fplse.  Polk,  Diary,  Jan.  5,  6,  8,  10,  13,  17, 
23;  July  6,  1848.  After  peace  was  declared  he  sent  them  (Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  594-600). 

The  Mexican  tariff  gave  rise  to  some  of  the  best  declamation  of  the  war 
period.  The  National  Intelligencer  accused  Polk  of  exercising  "absolute 
monarchical  power"  in  that  matter  (Apr.  3,  1847).  The  Albany  States- 
man (Apr.  9)  said,  "This  is  surely  the  most  flagrant  usurpation  and  the 
most  matchless  piece  of  impudence  with  which  any  ruler  in  modern  times 
has  ever  ventured  to  insult  an  intelligent  people."  In  March,  1848,  the 
subject  came  up  in  Congress,  and  Webster  (Writings,  x,  262)  declared  the 
President  had  no  right  to  lay  the  duties,  and  that  the  duties  were  paid  by 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXIV,  PAGES  292-293        501 

Americans  and  neutrals;  whereas  in  fact  his  military  powers  gave  the 
President  ample  authority,  and  of  course  the  duties  were  added  to  the 
prices  of  the  goods.  The  National  Intelligencer  went  so  far  as  to  deny 
that  the  President  had  any  military  initiative  whatever,  and  to  assert 
that  as  commander-in-chief  he  was  merely  ''a  subordinate"  of  Congress 
(see  Wash.  Union,  Aug.  21,  1847). 

37.  256Marcy  to  Wetmore,  Dec.  5,  1846      Spirit  of  the  Age,  Feb.  3, 
1848 

38.  Wash.  Union,  June  9,  1848      157Barclay  to  Cobb,  Dec.  24,  1847. 
Nat.  Intelhg.,  June  10,  1848.      (Illegal)  Delano's  words,  p.  277.      (Ad- 
vised) 370To  Davis,  Apr.  18,  1848      (Mil.  spirit)  Wash.  Unwn,  May  22, 
1847.     Norfolk  Herald,  Apr    12,  1847.     Every  Representative  who  had 
voted  or  said  that  Polk  began  the  war  unconstitutionally  was  bound  to 
move  for  his  impeachment 

39  By  "Hosea  Biglow"  the  author  means,  of  course,  the  ideas  expressed 
by  Lowell  in  his  Biglow  Papers. 

40.  As  early  as  Jan  2,  1847,  the  N  Y.  Herald,  a  non-partisan  journal, 
said  the  course  of  the  Whigs  with  reference  to  the  war  had  almost  ruined 
them  in  public  estimation  Indeed  that  fact  has  been  in  a  general  way 
recognized  (Pierce,  Sumner,  in,  111;  Schurz,  Clay,  11,  289;  Von  Hoist, 
U  S  ,  lii,  252)  Probably  the  reasons  why  the  Democrats  behaved  better 
than  the  Whigs  were  that  (1)  circumstances  did  not  involve  them  in  such 
dilemmas,  and  (2)  they  had  the  responsibilities  of  conducting  affairs. 

XXXV.   THE  FOREIGN  RELATIONS  OF  THE  WAR 

1  It  should  be  remembered  that  American  newspapers  and  public  men 
were  saying  unpleasant  things  about  England  at  this  period  The  dis- 
like was  mutual  as  well  as  natural  She  still  entertained,  no  doubt,  a 
smouldering  resentment  against  this  country  for  having  dared  to  become 
independent,  and  she  noted  with  a  jealousy  that  is  quite  easily  under- 
stood the  rapid  growth  of  her  sometime  colony  in  population,  wealth 
and  commercial  importance. 

2.  Polk  said:    "Even  France,  the  country  which  had  been  our  ancient 
ally,  the  country  which  has  a  common  interest  with  us  in  maintaining  the 
freedom  of  the  seas,  the  country  which,  by  the  cession  of  Louisiana,  first 
opened  to  us  access  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  the  country  with  which  we  have 
been  every  year  drawing  more  and  more  closely  the  bonds  of  successful 
commerce,  most  unexpectedly,  and  to  our  unfeigned  regret,  took  part  in 
an  effort  to  prevent  annexation  and  to  impose  on  Texas,  as  a  condition 
of  the  recognition  of  her  independence  by  Mexico,  that  she  would  never 
join  herself  to  the  United  States"  (Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  387)      For 
further  information  regarding  the  interference  of  England  and  France 
see  J.  H.  Smith,  The  Annexation  of  Texas.    Polk  was  treated  alternately 
by  the  Journal  des  Debats  and  by  most  of  the  English  press  as  a  nonentity 
and  as  a  power  for  evil. 

3.  Standing   of  the    United   States   abroad.     lOSSumner   to    Bancroft. 
Feb.   1,   1846.     (Hate)   297McLane  to  Polk   (received  June  21,   1846). 
Bennett,  Mems.,  386.     52Bancroft,  no.  25,  May  3,  1847.     77Mangino, 
no.  10,  Mar.  8,  1837 ;   Jan.  29,  1846,  res.     Smith,  Annex,  of  Texas,  382. 
London  Morning  Post,  Apr.  5,  1846.     Jameson,  Calhoun  Corresp.,  653, 
698.     N.  Y.  Herald,  June  8,  1844.     77Murphy,  nos.  17,  Nov.  1,  1845, 
res.;    2,  Jan.  1,  1846.     Nat.  Intelligencer,  June  22,  1847.     ISiDonelson 


502        NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGES  294-297 

to  Buchanan,  Jan.  8,  1847.  52King,  nos.  21,  25,  28,  29,  Jan.  1,  30 ;  June  1, 
30,  1846.  Constitutimnel,  Jan.  15,  1846.  National,  Nov.  28,  1844; 
Dec.  3,  1845;  Jan.  22;  May  16,  1846.  52McLane,  nos.  18,  May  21,1830; 
5,  Sept.  18,  1845 ;  54,  55,  June  3,  18,  1846.  Morning  Chronicle,  Dec.  25, 
1845 ;  Jan.  17 ;  July  27,  1846.  Britannia,  Jan.  10 ;  Mar.  28 ;  Apr.  18, 
1846.  Spectator,  Feb.  7;  Sept.  26,  1846.  Examiner,  Mar.  29,  1845. 
Standard,  Nov.  25, 1844.  Richardson,  Messages,  iv,  387.  Times,  Sept.  23 ; 
Dec.  27,  1845 ;  Jan.  26,  1846 ;  Mar.  27,  1847.  Journal  des  Debats,  Jan.  22 ; 
May  15,  1846 ;  Jan.  2-3,  1848 

Martin,  our  charge"  at  Paris,  wrote  (52no.  17,  Aug.  15,  1845)  that  the 
skill,  prudence,  firmness  and  disregard  of  European  interference  exhibited 
by  our  government  in  dealing  with  the  annexation  of  Texas  had  improved 
our  position  in  Europe ;  and  McLane  expressed  the  opinion  (no  5,  Sept.  18, 
1845)  that  our  spirited  preparations  during  the  summer  of  1845  to  fight 
Mexico  had  had  a  good  effect ;  but  these  were  matters  to  increase  respect 
rather  than  favor.  The  London  Morning  Chronicle  of  July  27,  1846,  after 
we  had  shown  our  prowess,  politely  explained  our  occasional  coarseness  of 
manners  and  speech  as  due  to  the  working  out  of  the  principle  of  political 
equality,  and  asserted  that  the  English  middle  classes  viewed  the  United 
States  with  admiration  and  pride  as  a  "magnificent  demonstration  of  the 
progressive  energy  and  self-governing  power  of  their  own  victorious  race." 
Probably  a  similar  feeling  lurked  in  the  upper  and  controlling  classes. 
McLane's  report  to  Polk,  cited  at  the  end  of  the  paragraph,  was  made  in 
June,  1846 ;  but  such  a  state  of  feeling  could  not  have  arisen  in  a  few  months. 

4.  Standing  of  Mexico  abroad.  Duflot  de  Mofras,  Exploration,  i,  32. 
(Odium)  ISForeign  Office  to  Bankhead,  no.  53,  Dec  31,  1844  ISBank- 
head,  no.  99,  July  30,  1846.  52McLane,  nos  18,  May  21,  1830;  69, 
Aug.  15,  1846.  77Mangmo,  no  10,  Mar.  8,  1837.  77Relaciones  to 
ministers  at  London  and  Paris,  July  30,  1845  Memoria  de  .  Re- 
laciones,  Dec.,  1846.  77Murphy,  no  5,  Apr.  1,  1845  77Pefia  to  Garro, 
no.  24,  Oct.  28,  1845  77Cuevas  to  Garro,  no  15,  July  30,  1845,  res 
(Told)  73Lozano,  no.  3,  Aug  25,  1847,  res.  V.  Cruz  Locomotor,  July  26, 
1846.  Amer.  Review,  Jan  ,  1846,  p  87.  Dwmelle,  Address,  11.  London 
Athenoeum,  Sept  13,  1845.  Journal  des  Debats,  Feb.  18 ;  July  9,  1845 ; 
July  8,  1846.  National,  Nov.  19,  1844 ;  Jan.  18,  1846  London  Morning 
Chronicle,  Sept.  15,  1846.  Thompson,  Recollections,  236  Spectator, 
Sept.  19,  1846.  Examiner,  Aug  2,  1845.  Smith,  Annexation,  382,  etc. 
London  Times,  Apr  11;  Aug  25,  1846 

Even  during  the  war  Mexico  gave  offence  to  England  by  her  treatment 
of  the  offer  to  mediate  (vol.  n,  p.  368)  and  by  her  action  regarding  her 
debt.  In  the  latter  business  Bankhead  charged  her  with  a  "breach  of 
publick  faith"  (77to  Relaciones,  May  18,  1847). 

5  Buchanan  wished  to  give  a  pledge  to  take  no  Mexican  territory, 
insisting  that  unless  we  should  do  so,  if  interrogated,  it  was  "almost  cer- 
tain that  both  England  and  France  would  join  with  Mexico."  Polk 
refused,  however,  to  do  this,  adding  that  such  an  inquiry  would  be  "in- 
sulting" and  would  not  be  answered,  and  adding  also  that  he  would  like 
to  obtain  a  proper  territorial  indemnity  (Polk,  Diary,  May  13,  1846). 
Doubtless  Buchanan  had  an  eye  to  his  standing  with  the  northern  Demo- 
crats, who  did  not  wish  the  area  of  slavery  extended. 

6.  See  vol.  i,  p.  181  for  the  Message. 

7.  For  this  paragraph.     Buchanan,  Works,  vi,  484-5.     ^Confidential 
circular,  May  14,  1846.    See  also  Ho.  Rep.  752;  29,  1,  pp.  50-2. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGES  298-301        503 

8.  For  commercial  reasons  Spain  was  particularly  jealous  of  our  block- 
ade, and  although  treated  with  special  indulgence,  she  complained  more 
than  any  other  power;    but  no  real  friction  resulted.     See  chap,  xxx, 
notes  7,  8. 

9.  For  these  two  paragraphs.     52Martin,  no.  13,  May  15,  1847.     Gu- 
tie'rrez  de  Estrada,  Mexico  en  1840,  p   32.    Gaceta  de  la  Nueva  Granada, 
Aug   16,  1846,  etc.     Peruano,  passim.     Comercio,  passim.     72Span.  govt. 
to  capt    gen.  Cuba,  June  18,  1846  (including  correspondence  with  the 
Spanish  minister  at  Washington).     Dix,  Speeches,  i,  214,  note.     Sen.  52; 
30,  1,  p.  2)7.     Heraldo,  Apr.  26,  1847.     Ho    60;    30,  1,  p.  1009.     Bu- 
chanan, Works,  vn,  290-2 ;  vm,  282-3,  298-9.     52lrvmg,  July  18 ;  Aug. 
15;    Oct.  8,  1846.     52Saunders,  nos.  1,  Aug.  6;    6,  Nov.  16,  1846;    8, 
Feb.  13 ;   24,  Nov.  6,  1847. 

R  M.  Saunders,  the  American  minister,  mistakenly  invited  an  offer 
of  mediation  from  Spain,  but  she  felt  very  much  afraid  that  we  should 
reject  it,  and  also  that  it  might  give  offence  to  England  and  France  No 
written  communications  on  the  subject  passed  between  him  and  the 
Spanish  government,  however.  El  Heraldo  also  remarked  that  the  war 
would  tend  to  unite  the  Spaniards  of  both  Americas  against  the  U.  S., 
and  that  Spain,  seizing  the  opportunity,  should  offer  them  her  protection 
and  tolerate  no  other  influence.  Such  a  suggestion  was  not  likely  to  heh> 
Mexico 

10.  lOSBancroft  to  Polk,  June  3,  1847      355Wheaton,  no.  287,  June  23, 
1846.     ISlDonelson  to  Buchanan,  July  7,  19;    Sept    18,  1846.     132/d., 
Jan.  8;    Feb.  21,  private,  1847.     ISlCanitz  to  Wheaton,  June  25,  1846. 

Baron  Gerolt,  the  Prussian  minister  at  Washington,  sympathized  with 
and  assisted  our  government  (ISlBuchanan  to  Donelson,  May  23,  1848). 

11.  297McLane  to  Polk  (received  June  21,  1846)      13To  Bankhead, 
nos.  18,  34,  May  31;  Oct.  1,  1845;  15,  June  1,  1846      52McLane,  nos.  5, 
Sept.  18,  1845;    50,  54,  55,  69,  May  29;    June  3,  18;    Aug.  15,  1846. 
TTMurphy,  no.  2,  Jan.  1,  1846      52Kmg,  no.  28,  June  1,  1846.     Journal 
des  Debats,  Feb.  4,*1845.     ISTSaunders  to  Calhoun,  June  27,  1846.     Gor- 
don, Aberdeen,  183-4.     London  Morning  Post,  Jan.  17 ;    Apr.  5,  1846. 
335McLane,  May  29,  1846.     Morning  Chronicle,  Feb.  3 ;    May  30,  1846. 
Morning  Herald,  June  24,  1846      Britannia,  May  3, 1845.     Times,  Sept  1, 
1845;    May  14;    June  1,  11;    Aug    25,  31,  1846.     ISBankhead,  no.  94, 
Sept.   29,   1845.     52Everett,  no     337,   July  4,    1845.     Calhoun    Corre- 
spondence, 698. 

12.  McLane  did  not  feel  quite  so  confident     His  private  297letter  of 
January  17,  1846,  to  Polk  said  that  in  case  of  war  with  England  he  was 
not  sure  popular  sentiment  would  be  able  to  restrain  the  French  govern- 
ment ;  but  the  representative  of  Mexico  at  Paris  believed  that  in  such  an 
event  the  government  would  probably  be  unable  to  "neutralize  the  effects 
of  the  innate  hatred  of  the  French  toward  their  neighbors  and  rivals,"  the 
British  (77Mangmo,  Jan.  29,  1846,  res.). 

13.  TTGarro,   May   30,    1845,   res     llMexique,   xi,   215    (Deffaudis). 
297McLane  to  Polk,  Jan.  17,  1846,  private.     Charleston  Mercury,  Sept.  8, 
1846  (Paris  letter).     52Kmg,  nos.  25,  28,  29,  Jan   30;   June  1,  30,  1846. 
National,  June  27,  30,  1846.     Correspondant,  May  1;    Nov.  15,  1846; 
Jan.   15,  1847.     Morning  Chronicle,  Feb.  3,  1846.     Journal  des  Debate, 
Feb.  4;  Jaly  9,  1845. 

14.  Aberdeen's  intimation  was  construed  in  England  as  an  offer  of 
mediation,  while  the  American  government  insisted  that  no  such  offer 


504          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGE  301 

was  made  by  him;  but  this  difference  of  view  did  not  lead  to  friction. 
Pakenham  told  Buchanan  he  had  received  no  instructions  on  the  subject, 
but  knew  that  his  government  would  be  glad  to  bring  about  peace  by 
interposing  its  good  offices  Buchanan  replied  that  he  was  afraid  formal 
mediation  would  prove  a  vain  and  "  en  tangling"  affair  for  the  mediating 
power.  So  thought  Pakenham,  for  he  believed  the  United  States  would 
make  territorial  demands  which  England  would  not  be  willing  to  counte- 
nance or  advise  Mexico  to  accept.  Buchanan  added  that  we  should  be 
glad  to  have  England  persuade  Mexico  to  listen  to  reason,  since  our  gov- 
ernment was  anxious  to  establish  peace  on  just  and  even  generous  terms 
(ISPakenham,  no  82,  June  28,  1846).  Pakenham  concluded  that  our 
government  relied  on  "the  anxiety  which  England  must  feel,  for  the  sake 
of  her  trade  with  Mexico  and  the  safety  of  British  interests  committed  in 
so  many  ways  in  that  country,  to  see  peace  reestablished  between  the  two 
Republics"  (13/</,  no  93,  July  13,  1846)  Senator  Archer  hinted  to 
Polk  that  he  (Archer)  could  bring  about  mediation  through  his  friend 
Pakenham,  but  met  of  course  with  no  encouragement  (Polk,  Diary,  Sept.  4, 
1846). 

15.  This  was  described  by  Palmerston  in  Parliament  as  a  definite  offer 
of  mediation  (Morning  Chronicle,  Aug.  26).     The  settlement  of  the  Oregon 
difficulty  made  such  an  offer  more  proper  than  it  would  have  been  at  an 
earlier  date 

16.  Buchanan  was  absent  from  Washington  at  this  time  (PaHenham, 
no   16)      According  to  the  New  York  correspondent  of  the  London  Times, 
the  Americans  feared  that  unsuccessful  mediation  might  be  construed  as 
giving  some  color  of  right  to  authoritative  interposition  (Times,  Oct.  15, 
1846). 

17.  British   mediation      Polk,    Diary,    Sept     4,    10,    11,    1846      52To 
McLane,  no.  44,  July  27      52McLane,  nos    55,  69,  June  18;    Aug    15, 
1846.     52Boyd,  no   3,  Sept   18.     ISTo  Pakenham,  no   10,  Aug.  18,  1846 
13Pakenham,  nos   82,  93,  99,  107,  116,  119,  132,  June  28;    July  13,  29; 
Aug    13;   Sept    13,  28;    Nov   23,  1846;   no.  56,  Apr.  28,  1847.     London 
Times   (Bentinck,  Disraeli),  Aug    25;    Oct    15,   1846      iMs.  speech  of 
Aug.  6,  1846      Morning  Chronicle,  Aug    26,   1847      Journal  des  Debats, 
(fop)  June  30 ;   Aug  27,  1846 

Both  of  these  British  attempts  to  mediate  were  accompanied  with  similai 
offers  to  Mexico,  which  proved  equally  unfruitful  (vol.  ii,  p.  368).  At  the 
end  of  October  Bankhead  was  instructed  to  advise  Mexico  that,  since  the 
United  States  had  rejected  the  British  good  offices,  she  should  settle  with 
us  at  once  on  the  most  favorable  terms  that  she  could  obtain. 

18.  For  the  benefit  of  the  Mexican  government,  the  Foreign  Office  wrote 
to  Bankhead  (ISno.  15),  June  1,  1846:   "She  [Great  Britain]  would  find 
herself  engaged  in  a  war  with  a  Nation  with  whom  she  would  have  no 
personal  cause  of  quarrel,  in  behalf  of  a  Nation  and  Government  which 
she  has  repeatedly  warned  in  the  most  friendly  and  urgent  manner  of 
their  danger,  and  which,  solely  in  consequence  of  their  wilfull  contempt 
of  that  warning,  have  at  last  plunged  headlong  down  the  precipice  from 
which  the  British  Government  spared  no  efforts  to  save  them";    and 
Bankhead  was  instructed  to  let  Paredes  know  "the  real  state  of  the  case 
without  disguise/'     Aberdeen's  thus  declining  to  interfere  on  behalf  of 
Mexico  was  particularly  natural  in  view  of  the  talk  that  had  occurred 
uith  the  Mexican  minister  at  London  while  the  Oregon  issue  was  pending 
(vol.  i,  p.  115,  and  note  27  infra).    As  a  step  intended  to  settle  that  issue 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGES  302-303        505 

had  now  been  taken,  it  appeared  probable  that  there  would  be  no  longer 
any  occasion  to  tow  Mexico  along,  and,  as  Aberdeen  was  aware  on  June  1 
that  hostilities  had  occurred  near  the  Rio  Grande,  it  seemed  important  to 
disentangle  himself  completely,  so  as  to  be  able  to  act  with  a  free  hand. 

19.  July  26,  1846,  the  Times  asserted  that  a  war  with  the  United  States 
" would  be  the  very  farthest  from  being  unpopular"  (denied  the  next  day 
by  the  Morning  Chronicle  so  far  as  the  mass  of  the  Liberals  were  concerned), 
and  on  September  28  said  there  had  been  few  modern  cases  in  which  Eng- 
land could  have  "  imposed "  her  arbitration  with  greater  reason  than  upon 
the  United  States  and  Mexico 

20.  For  this  paragraph.     ISTo  Bankhead,  nos.  18,  May  31 ;  34,  Oct.  1, 
1845;    15,  June  1,  1846      77Murphy,  no    17,  Nov.  1,  1845,  res.     London 
Globe,  Aug.  25, 1846.     London  Spectator,  May  30 ;  Sept.  26, 1846.     ISPalm- 
erston,  memo  of  reply  to  Bankhead's  no.  46,  Apr.  30,  1847.     52McLane, 
no    54,  June  3,  1846.     London  Times,  July  26 ;    Aug   25,  26 ;    Sept.  16, 
1846.     Morning   Chronicle,    July   27,    1846.     Britannia,    Mar.    9,    1844; 
Apr  18,  1846 ;.  Jan  9,  1847.     Examiner,  May  30,  1846.     Morning  Herald, 
June  24,  1846. 

21.  77Murphy,  nos.  15,  Oct.  1,  1845,  muy  res.;  17,  Nov   1,  1845,  res  ; 
19,  Dec    1,  1845,  res.;   4,  Feb    1,  1846,  res.     77Pena  y  Pena  to  Murphy, 
no.  14,  Dec  27,  1845      Diario,  Dec  29,  31,  1846.     Mora,  Papeles  Ine'ditos, 
71-3      Gordon,  Aberdeen,  183-4      ISMora  to  Palmerston,  Dec   15,  1847 
ISPalmerston,  memo   in  reply  to  Mora,  Dec.  25,  1847;    Jan    1,  1848,  to 
Mora.     13To  Bankhead,  nos   18,  May  31,  1845;    15,  June  1;  4,  Aug   15, 

1846.  London  Times,  Sept    10,  1845 ;    July  15,  1846.     For  the  attitude 
of  England  in  reference  to  California  see  chap,  xvi,  note  8. 

22  Aberdeen  told  Murphy  about  the  first  of  August,  1845,  that  the 
course  of  England  and  France  in  the  event  of  war  between  Mexico  and 
the  United  States  would  very  likely  depend  upon  incidents  that  might 
occur,  and  gave  Murphy  the  impression  that  he  would  like  to  have  the 
war  take  place  and  prove  favorable  to  Mexico  (77Murphy,  no.  9,  August  1, 
1845).     Some  friction  arose  between  American  authorities  and  French 
subjects  in  California.     The  United  States  justly  attributed  it  to  the 
latter,  but  took  occasion  to  assure  France  that  we  would  not  "  tolerate " 
any  action  on  the  part  of  American  agents  giving  "just  cause  of  complaint" 
to  foreigners  inhabiting  regions  occupied  by  our  troops  (Buchanan,  Works, 
vii,  372). 

23  The  London  Examiner  of  May  15,   1847,  said:    "Much  of  the 
British  goods  in  depot  at  the  West  Indian  Islands  have  been  forced  into 
Mexico  through  the  medium  of  the  new  American  custom  house  at  Tam- 
pico;"    the   capture  of  Vera  Cruz  will  facilitate  this  operation;    "and 
thus,  instead  of  quarreling  with  the  Americans  in  behalf  of  Mexico,  we, 
or  at  least  our  traders,  are  quietly  sharing  with  the  Americans  the  profits 
of  Mexican  subjugation  "     See,  however,  chap  xxxiii,  p.  263. 

24.  For  this  paragraph.  Sen.  1;  30,  1,  p.  951.  (Broglie)  lOSBancroft 
to  Polk,  Oct.  18,  1847  Howe,  Bancroft,  n,  10,  17.  297McLane  to  Polk 
(received  June  21,  1846).  62/d.,  no.  69,  Aug.  15,  1846.  52Bancroft, 
nos.  25,  May  3;  46,  Dec.  4,  1847.  ISPakenham,  nos.  102,  Aug.  13; 
111,  Sept.  13,  1846  IsCrampton,  no.  21,  July  29,  1847  (Invariably) 
ISDoyle,  no.  5,  Jan  13,  1848.  132Bancroft,  Nov.  3,  1846.  Buchanan, 
Works,  vii,  290-2,  366-8,  372-3.  National,  May  1,  1847.  Correspondant, 
May  1,  1846.  SSBuchanan  to  Pageot,  July  21,  1847.  Examiner,  May  15, 

1847.  77Murphy,  no.  9,  Aug.   1,  1845.    See  chap,  xxx,  note  8.    The 


506      NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGES  303-304 

Mexicans  expected  that  the  injury  done  to  neutral  commerce  by  the  war 
would  lead  foreign  nations  to  help  them  (ISBankhead,  no.  162,  1846). 
For  privateering  see  vol.  ii,  pp.  191-3 ;  for  the  low  tariff,  see  vol.  ii,  pp. 
261-3. 

25.  Revolutionary  movements  broke  out  in  Italy  (January),  France 
(February),   Germany,   and  Austria   (March).     Louis  Philippe  lost  his 
throne 

26.  For  this  paragraph      lOSBancroft  to  Polk,  Jan.  4 ;    May  14,  1847. 
108/d.   to   Buchanan,   Nov    3,    1847.     Howe,   Bancroft,   ii,   5      London 
Globe,  Aug  25, 1846.     52Bancroft,  no.  46,  Dec  4, 1847.     National,  Nov.  24, 
1845.     Correspondant,  Feb.  1,  1846      297McLane  to  Polk,  Aug   2,  1846. 
TSBermudez  de  Castro,  no.  294,  res.,  July  28,  1846      13To  Bankhead, 
no.  15,  June  1,  1846.     52Martm,  no.  13,  May  15,  1847.     52Boyd,  no.  2, 
Sept    3,   1846. 

Pena  y  Pena  (Comunicaci6n  Circular)  said  publicly  and  distinctly  in 
1848  that  foreign  powers  signified  to  Mexico  that  they  regarded  the  an- 
nexation of  Texas  as  an  accomplished  fact;  and  he  added  that  the  one 
most  interested  to  prevent  the  aggrandizement  of  the  United  States  felt 
that  its  economic  interests  required  it  to  digest  in  silence  its  own  grievances 
rather  than  compromise  those  interests  by  declaring  war, 

27.  Aberdeen  said  to  Murphy  that  England  did  not  wish  to  fight  the 
United  States  alone,  but  added  that  "if  France  would  join  her,  the  case 
would  be  very  different";   and  he  actually  requested  the  French  minister 
at  London  to  sound  Guizot  on  the  subject  (77Murphy,  no.  15,  Oct.  1, 
1845,  muy  res  ).     After  another  talk  Murphy  reported  to  the  same  effect : 
"[Aberdeen]  would  not  mind  in  the  least  having  a  war  [with  the  United 
States]  if  he  could  drag  France  along  behind  him"  [Nada  le  importaria 
esa  Guerra  si  pudiese  arrastrar  tras  si  d  la  Francia]  (77no.  17,  Nov   1,  1845, 
res.).     It  is  of  course  possible  that  Murphy  attached  too  much  seriousness 
to  Aberdeen's  remarks ;  but  the  authorities  at  Mexico  had  to  take  his 
reports  as  they  stood. 

28.  Murphy,  who  seems  to  have  been  at  this  time  in  the  most  intimate 
relations  with  Aberdeen,  reported  (77no.   15,  Oct.   1,   1845,  muy  res ) : 
France,  in  accordance  with  her  long-standing  disposition  and  animosities, 
"would  be  capable  not  only  of  opposing  the  views  of  Great  Britain,  but 
even  of  going  so  far  as  to  make  common  cause  with  the  United  States 
against  her,  forcing  Louis  Philippe  to  adopt  this  extreme  course  however 
repugnant  it  might  be  to  him.     It  is  therefore  not  strange  that  the  British 
minister  views  with  dread  anything  that  might  expose  him  to  war  with  the 
United  States  without  securing  a  perfect  understanding  in  advance  with 
France,  not  because  he  needs  the  aid  of  her  physical  strength  in  a  conflict 
with  those  States,  but  to  commit  her  in  such  a  manner  that  her  physical 
strength  would  not  be  added  to  that  of  the  enemy,  causing  perhaps  a 
general  conflagration  of  incalculable  consequences  in  the  world." 

29.  For  this  paragraph.     lOSBancroft  to  Polk,  Jan.  19,  1847.     Howe, 
Bancroft,  ii,  5-6.     52Boyd,  no.  3,  Sept.  18,  1846.     77Murphy,  nos.  15, 
Oct.  1,  muy  res.;    17,  Nov.  1,  res.,  1845.     132Bancroft,  Nov.  3,  1846. 
82King,  no.  29,  June  30,  1846.    Journal  des  Dtbats,  July  9,  1845 ;  Oct.  6, 
1846.     52Martin,  no.  11,  Feb.  28,  1847.     Diet.  Nat.  Biog.   (article  on 
Peel). 

Dec.  28,  1847,  Charg6  Thornton  was  instructed  (13no.  2)  that,  should 
Mexico  propose  British  mediation,  he  was  merely  to  say  that  he  would 
transmit  the  proposal  to  London. 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXV,  PAGES  304-309        507 

30.  lOSBancroft  to  Polk,  Jan.  19,  1847.     52Martin,  nos.  34,  Aug.  31, 
1846 ;   13,  May  15,  1847.     Dix,  Speeches,  i,  207.     Revue  des  Deux  Mondes, 
Aug.   1,   1847,  429-31.     Washington   Union,  Oct.  6,   1846   (Paris  letter, 
Sept.   17).     (L'Epoque)  Niles,  July  25,   1846,  p.  336.     52Kmg,  no.  29, 
June  30,  1846.     Courner  des  Etats  Unis,  July  20,  1846  (r<§sum6  of  the 
French  press).     77Mangino,  Jan.  29,  1846,  res. 

31.  297McLane   to   Polk   (received  June  21,    1846).     62/d.,   nos.   50, 
May  29 ;  54,  55,  June  3,  18,  1846.     132Bancroft,  May  18,  1847.    Journal 
des  Debats,  Sept    19;    Dec.  21,  1846.     ISPalmerston,  memo,  of  reply  to 
Bankhead's  no.  46,  Apr.  30,  1847;    to  Mora,  May  31,   1847.     London 
Times,   Sept     16,    1846      335McLane,    May   29,    1846.     lOSBancroft   to 
Polk,  May  14 ;  June  3,  1847 ;  to  Greene,  Nov.  3,  1847.     Howe,  Bancroft, 
ii,    18,    28       (Anderson)    Lawton,    Artillery    Officer,    232.      52Bancroft, 
no    25,  May  3,  1847.     52Kmg,   nos.  28,  29,  31,  June   1,   30;    July  20, 
1846 

J.  F.  Ramirez,  who  saw  numerous*  letters  from  Europe,  concluded  by 
April  3,  1847,  that  Mexico  would  receive  no  aid  from  that  direction  (Ra- 
mfrez,  Mexico,  224-5) 

32.  (Credit)  297McLane  to  Polk  (received  June  21,  1846)      (Ranelagh) 
76Murphy,  Oct    1,  1845;    Mora,  Papeles  Ineditos,  97      (Paredes)  Buch- 
anan, Works,  vii,  411-3;    Ho   60;    30,  1,  pp    787,  789,  791,  796,  798; 
47Perry  to  senior  British  naval  officer  at  V  Cruz,  Aug  18,  1847,  and  reply, 
Aug  21.     Britannia,  Oct   17,  1846;   Jan   3,23;   June  5,  1847 

33.  There  are  three  reasons  for  presenting  the  newspaper  quotations 
of  this  chapter:    1,  They  form  a  part  of  the  history,    2,  many  indicate 
that  the  American  task  was  not  considered  an  easy  one;    and  3,  many 
show  how  the  Mexicans  were  encouraged  by  the  European  press.     This 
encouragement  stood  constantly  in  the  way  of  our  making  peace.     It  is 
well  to  remember  that  gibes,  quite  as  offensive,  against  England  could  be 
found  in  American  journals  of  that  period 

34  Times,  Get  30;  Nov  9,1846;  Jan  1;  Feh  18;  Mar  15;  Apr.  20, 
26,  1847  Britannia,  Feb  20,  1847  Examiner,  Dec  22,  1846 

35.    Times,  May  10,  12,  1847.     Amer.  Review,  Mar,  1848,  p   249 

36  297Bancroft  to  Polk,  Jan  28,  1848  Journal  des  Debats,  Nov  4, 
1846;  Feb  22,  1847  ConsLitutumnel,  Dec  18,  1846  Times,  Aug.  31, 
1846;  Jan  1;  May  10;  Sept  30;  Nov  13;  Dec  2,  1847;  Jan.  4,  20, 
1848  Chronicle,  Mar.  6;  June  1;  Sept  30,  1847  Britannia,  Oct.  9, 
30 ;  Nov.  13,  1847 

Some  of  the  French  papers  also  bore  heavily  upon  the  operations  of  1846. 
Le  Journal  des  Debats  said  they  had  been  a  failure ;  that  no  foresight, 
energy  or  skill  had  been  displayed ;  that  the  war  had  proved  costly  and 
was  likely  to  prove  endless.  Le  Constitutional  thought  our  resources 
might  not  hold  out.  But  the  press  of  France  made  no  such  exhibition  of 
conscious  weakness  and  humiliation  trying  to  hide  themselves  (lOSBan- 
croft to  Polk,  Jan  28,  1848)  as  did  that  of  England 

37.  lOSBancroft  to  Polk,  Jan.  4,  19 ;  May  14 ;  June  3 ;  Nov.  18,  1847 ; 
Jan.  28,  1848.  52McLane,  no.  50,  May  29,  1846.  52Boyd,  no.  3,  Sept.  18, 
1846.  52Bancroft,  no.  25,  May  3,  1847.  Journal  des  Debats,  Jan.  21 ; 
June  1-2,  1846 ;  Oct  5,  1847 ;  Aug.  15,  1848.  132Bancroft,  May  18,  1847. 
62Kmg,  nos  21,  Jan.  1 ;  29,  June  30, 1846.  National,  June  18, 1846.  ISTo 
Thornton,  no.  2,  Dec.  28,  1847.  ISMora  to  Palmerston,  Apr.  22 ;  May  26 ; 
Dec.  15,  1847;  June  26,  1848.  ISPalmerston  to  Mora,  May  31  (2); 
Oct.  7,  1847 ;  June  30,  1848.  Britannia,  Nov.  13,  1847. 


508          NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGE  310 

Dr.  J.  M.  L.  Mora,  beginning  in  April,  1847,  endeavored  to  secure 
British  aid  in  settling  the  terms  and  guaranteeing  the  permanence  of 
peace,  and  did  not  give  up  until  near  the  end  of  June,  1848 ;  but  Palmer- 
ston  would  not  meddle,  and  cautioned  the  representative  of  England 
that,  should  a  request  for  British  mediation  be  presented  to  him,  he  should 
simply  say  the  proposition  would  be  transmitted  to  London.  Dec.  28, 
1847,  the  British  Foreign  Office  wrote  to  Thornton  (13no.  2)  that  Cuevas 
had  asked  England  to  guarantee  the  treaty  of  peace;  that  it  was  highly 
improbable  the  United  States  would  join  in  making  this  request;  that 
to  guarantee  the  treaty  without  a  joint  application  would  be  equivalent 
to  a  contingent  alliance  with  Mexico  against  the  United  States ;  and  that 
England  was  not  likely  to  take  that  step  in  any  event. 

XXXVI.     CONCLUSION 

1.  Webster  in  the  Senate,  June  24,  1846:  "We  certainly  wished  her 
[Mexico]  success.  .  We  wished  her  well;  and  I  think  now  that  the 

people  of  the  United  States  have  no  desire,  it  would  give  them,  I  think, 
no  pleasure,  to  do  her  an  injury  beyond  what  is  necessary  to  maintain 
their  own  rights.  The  people  of  the  United  States  cannot  wish  to  crush 
the  republic  of  Mexico ;  it  cannot  be  their  desire  to  break  down  a  neigh- 
boring republic;  it  cannot  be  their  wish  to  drive  her  back  again  to  a 
monarchical  form  of  government,  and  to  render  her  a  mere  appanage  to 
some  one  of  the  thrones  of  Europe"  (Writings,  ix,  158)  Crittenden 
spoke  as  follows  in  the  Senate,  May  11,  1846:  "From  the  first  struggle 
for  liberty  in  South  America  and  Mexico,  it  was  the  cherished  policy  of 
this  country  to  extend  to  them  sympathy,  comfort,  and  friendship  .  . 
They  were  regarded  as  a  portion  of  that  great  system  of  republics  which 
were  to  stand  forth  in  proud  contrast  with  the  Governments  of  the  Old 
World  ...  As  the  head  of  the  republican  system,  our  policy  was  to 
cheer  and  cherish  them,  and  lead  them  in  the  way  to  that  liberty  we  had 
established,  and  of  which  we  had  set  the  example  ...  it  was  our  interest 
to  cherish  them,  and  cultivate  their  friendship"  (Cong.  Globe,  29,  1,  p.  788) 
As  it  may  be  thought  that  these  statements  were  made  for  public  effect, 
the  following  passage  is  quoted  from  resolutions  passed  by  the  people  of 
Bloomington  (now  Muscatine),  Territory  of  Iowa,  June  5,  1846 :  "Mexico, 
being  a  sister  republic,  has  been  looked  to  by  citizens  of  the  United  States 
with  the  sincere  hope  that  that  country  would  become  an  enlightened,  free 
and  liberal  nation  .  .  .  and  thereby,  become  another  beacon  (as  the 
United  States  already  is)  to  the  monarchies  of  the  world,  to  show  them 
that  men  are  capable  of  governing  themselves,  and  let  them  see  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  free,  republican  government"  (Iowa  and  War,  no.  12) 
These  statements  were  no  doubt  fundamentally  true  despite  the  resent- 
ment produced  by  the  outrages  perpetrated  upon  Texans  and  Americans, 
etc.,  which  was  mainly  directed  toward  official  Mexico. 

Senator  Hannegan  rebuked  sentimentality  (often  feigned  for  political 
reasons)  in  these  words:  I  cannot  "participate  in  the  sympathy  which 
I  have  heard  invoked  in  behalf  of  Mexico  as  a  sister  republic.  In  the 
first  place  the  wrongs  she  has  done  us,  and  our  citizens  resident  within 
her  borders,  show  no  very  sisterly  affection  on  her  part ;  and  in  the  next, 
I  must  confess  my  want  of  sympathy  with  any  people  where  anarchy 
rules  in  the  name  of  liberty.  Her  history  is  a  libel  upon  republican  gov- 
ernment. When  human  sympathy  shall  follow  insubordination,  misrule, 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  311-312      509 

and  bloodshed,  then,  but  not  till  then,  will  it  be  properly  invoked  for 
Mexico"  (Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  p.  517,  col  1).     354Welles  papers. 

2.  London  Times,  Aug.  6,  1847.  Webster  to  Thompson,  Apr.  5,  1842 : 
"Every  nation,  on  being  received,  at  her  own  request,  into  the  circle  of 
civilized  Governments  must  understand  that  .  .  .  she  binds  herself  also 
to  the  strict  and  faithful  observance  of  all  those  principles,  laws,  and 
usages,  which  have  obtained  currency  among  civilized  States.  .  .  .  No 
community  can  be  allowed  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of  national  character,  in 
modern  times,  without  submitting  to  all  the  duties  which  that  character 
imposes"  (Ho.  266;  27,  2,  p.  32).  Mex.  Nat  Museum,  Boletin  i,  no. 
9.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  235.  London  Spectator,  Dec.  9,  1911:  "When  a 
country  can  not  manage  its  own  affairs,  and  can  not  keep  order  among 
its  own  people,  it  has  already  lost  its  independence  " 

3  This  and  following  paragraphs  are  of  course  a  very  incomplete  sum- 
mary, which  the  reader  can  fill  in  from  the  first  chapters  of  this  work. 
With  reference  to  the  annexation  of  Texas  Cass  justly  said:  "The  peace 
[and  prosperity]  of  the  world  cannot  be  put  to  hazard  by  the  pertinacious 
obstinacy  of  any  nation,  which  holds  on  to  nominal  claims,  without  the 
power  or  the  disposition  to  maintain  them"  (Cong.  Globe,  30,  1,  app.,  425). 
It  was  the  reasonable  opinion  of  many  that  if  Taylor  had  had  a  strong 
army,  well  placed  [especially  had  he  been  a  general  capable  of  impressing 
the  Mexicans]  there  would  have  been  no  war  (e  g  132  W  R,  King,  June  1, 
1846;  So  Qrtly  Rev.,  Nov  ,  1850,  428). 

4.  Grant,  Mems.,  i,  168-9  :  "I  have  seen  as  brave  stands  made  by  some 
of  these  men  [Mexican  troops]  as  I  have  ever  seen  made  by  soldiers  " 
HSBeauregard  :  The  Mexicans  stood  artillery  and  infantry  fire  "fully  as 
well  as  our  own  troops,"  etc  Picayune,  Oct.  4,  1846  (Haile) :  All  admit 
that  the  Mexicans  handle  guns  in  battery  as  well  as  we  could.  364Worth 
to  S  ,  Nov  2,  1846  The  Americans  won  mostly  with  the  bayonet.  The 
Mexicans  lacked  the  discipline  and  the  confidence  in  themselves,  one 
another  and  their  officers  which  were  necessary  to  sustain  them  against 
a  charge.  Constitutwnnel,  Aug.  17,  1847.  Negrete,  Invasi6n,  iii,  app., 
143;  489  (Otero)  S.  Anna,  Apelaci6n,  57  Id.,  Comumcaci6n  Oficial. 
76To  Ocampo,  Dec.  18,  1847  (the  chief  cause  of  our  ills  is  a  want  of  mili- 
tary men  possessing  a  political  conscience)  Richtofen,  Zustande,  59,  60. 
76Mora,  Apr  14,  23,  1847.  Memona  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Jan.,  1849. 
Consideraciones,  7,  etc  Sen.  52;  30,  1,  p.  242.  7601aguibel  to  Re- 
laciones,  Aug.  15,  1847.  Puebla  National,  Jan.  19,  1848  (Payno).  Mexico 
ii  trav6s,  iv,  698-9.  Pacheco,  Exposici6n.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  234-5. 

The  Mexican  newspapers  did  much  to  sap  courage.  From  north  to 
south  there  was  a  chorus  of  disheartening  epithets  for  the  adored  patria : 
sad,  unfortunate,  lamentable,  ill-starred,  suffering,  doomed.  The  whole 
diapason  of  misery  filled  the  air.  On  all  sides  echoed  confessions  —  on 
one  another's  account,  of  course  —  of  mistakes,  blunders  and  vices; 
egotism,  cynicism,  deceit,  selfishness,  hypocrisy,  rancor,  partisanship, 
dissension,  indifference  to  the  welfare  of  the  nation,  unscrupulous  ambi- 
tion, malfeasance  in  office,  wholesale  plundering,  rascality  favored  by  the 
authorities,  personal  degeneracy,  social  demoralization,  military  incompe- 
tency.  Even  the  orthodox  estimate  of  the  Americans  tended  the  same 
way.  What  had  become  of  justice  in  heaven  and  hope  on  earth  when  our 
"infamous,"  "incompetent"  generals  could  triumph  again  and  again, 
with  a  handful  of  barbarians  and  adventurers,  cowardly,  ill-clad,  ignorant, 
debased  and  undisciplined,  over  devout  Catholics  and  valiant  patriots  ?  A 


510       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  312-315 

particular  fact  tended  to  promote  dissension.  There  were  three  groups 
of  states  —  the  north,  the  centre  and  the  south ;  and  the  first  and  the 
third  felt  that  their  interests  had  always  been  sacrificed  to  those  of  the 
centre.  This  paragraph  and  most  of  the  other  paragraphs  of  the  present 
chapter  are  of  course  to  be  read  in  the  light  of  what  has  already  been  said. 
For  this  one  may  refer  to  the  index. 

Some  readers  may  feel  that  the  author  is  inconsistent  in  saying  (vol.  i, 
p.  116)  that  Mexico  wanted  the  war  and  here  that  she  was  not  really  in  it ; 
but  (1)  many  persons  desire  things  which  they  feel  unwilling  later  to  pay 
for,  and  (2)  the  course  of  the  war  was  very  different  from  that  which  Mexico 
had  expected.  The  nation  desired  the  uprising  against  Santa  Anna, 
December,  1844,  but  was  soon  dissatisfied  with  the  results  of  it. 

5.  Sedgwick,  Corresp.,  i,  150;    Kenly,  Md.  Vol.,  391;    Encarnacion 
Prisoners,  69 ;  Stevens,  Stevens,  145. 

6.  Balbontfn,  Invasi6n,  135-6.     Scott,  Mems.,  ii,  466.     ISDoyle,  no.  1, 
1848.     Memoria  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Jan.,  1849.     Sen.  52 ;  30,  1,  p.  242. 
ISBankhead,  no.  86,  1847.     Sierra,  Evolution,  i,  376.     76Mora,  Apr.  28, 
1847.    Monitor  Repub.,  Nov.  8,  1847.    Id.,  Nov.  30,  1847  (Uraga).    Apun- 
tes,  347.     Mexico  d  trav6s,  iv,  698. 

Judging  Santa  Anna  one  must  allow  for  the  facts  that  his  subordinates 
were  incompetent,  and  that  neither  he  nor  they  had  known  what  real 
armies  and  real  wars  were.  But  this  condition  of  things  was  far  more 
due  to  him  than  to  any  other  person.  It  should  be  remembered,  too,  that 
while  the  Americans  had  numbers  against  them,  they  possessed  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  offensive.  But  this,  again,  was  very  largely  the  fault  of 
Santa  Anna. 

7.  (Kendall)  Wash.  Union,  Mar.  1,  1847.     257C.  to  F.  Markoe,  Jan.  3, 
1847.     Our  commanders  never  had  enough  troops  to  garner  the  fruits  of 
victory.    256Scott  to  Marcy,  Jan.  16,  1847,  priv. :  "For  God's  sake  give 
me  a  reinforcement  of  12,000  regulars,  at  the  least,  for  a  sure  and  unin- 
terrupted march  from  Vera  Cruz  upon  the  city  of  Mexico."    Upton, 
Military  Policy,  215 :  If  Scott  had  had  15,000  regulars  after  Cerro  Gordo 
he  could  have  taken  Mexico  City     If  troops,  vessels,  etc.  had  been  sup- 
plied promptly,  there  would  have  been  no  battle  of  Cerro  Gordo  (Ho.  60; 
30,  1,  p.  908). 

8.  Scribner,  Campaign,  21. 

9.  Polk's  Diary  contains  ample  evidence  regarding  the  character  of  his 
administration;   e.g.  May  16,  19;    June  23-4;   Aug.  18;   Sept.  22,  24, 
1846;    Aug.  19,  23;    Nov.  10-1,  1847;    Jan.  24,  1848.     (Period)  Lalor, 
Cyclopaedia,  ui,  864.    As  Taussig  says  (Tariff  Hist.,  122),  our  prosperity 
from  1846  to  1860  should  not  be  attributed  solely  to  the  tariff  of  1846. 
London  Examiner,  Jan.  2,  1847  ("Polk  has  been  the  greatest  of  American 
conquerors,  the  most  successful  of  American  diplomatists,"  and  yet  his 
recent  Message  does  not  boast).    Curtis,  Buchanan,  ii,  72.    Schouler, 
Hist.  Briefs,  138  (Dallas  said  of  Polk:    "He  left  nothing  unfinished; 
what  he  attempted  he  did"). 

Our  problem  was  hard.  The  report  of  the  quartermaster  general, 
Nov.  24,  1847,  said  that  our  nearest  de*p6ts  were  farther  from  the  source 
of  supply  than  Algiers  from  Marseilles,  yet  we  had  accomplished  more  in 
a  few  months  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  than  France  had  accomplished 
in  Africa  in  seventeen  years  (Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  549).  Polk's  relations  with 
Pillow  offer  a  curious  problem  in  psychology  and  in  morals ;  but  one  sees 
from  his  diary  how  deeply  Buchanan's  cleverness  impressed  his  plodding 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  315-319      511 

mind,  and  a  person  like  Polk,  with  more  taste  than  talent  for  subtlety, 
was  naturally  fascinated  by  Pillow's  readiness  and  cunning.  Besides,  he 
was  much  indebted  to  Pillow.  His  treatment  of  Scott  is  another  problem. 
Perhaps  he  felt  that  as  President  he  was  above  the  ordinary  requirements 
of  fair  dealing,  and  certainly  he  was  intensely  partisan. 

10.  Jomini,  Pr6cis,  i,  143.    Grant,  Mems.,  i,  100.    Greene,  Army  Life, 
142  (Napoleon).     139W.  B.  to  D.  Campbell,  Nov.  2,  1846. 

11.  So.  Qtrly.  Rev.,  Jan.,  1851,  p.  31.    Polk,  Diary,  Nov.  21,  1846; 
Mar.  28;    May  6,   1847,  etc.    Garrison,  Extension,   242.    Henderson, 
Science  of  War,  14.     139W.  B.  to  D.  Campbell,  Mar.  20,  1847.    Amer. 
Hist.  Review,  Apr.,  1919,  446,  454-6,  462  (Marcy). 

12.  256J.  Parrott  to  Marcy,  Apr.  19,  1847,  private.     Lawton,  Artill. 
Officer,  246.    Sen.  52;    30,  1,  p.  187.    Grone,  Briefe,  80  (punctuation 
modified)      Semmes,   Service,  378.    Ho.  60;    30,    1,   p.    1255    (Jesup). 
(Shackle)  Hitchcock  in  Mo.  Republican,  Nov.  3,  1857.     llSBeauregard, 
remins.    Hamley,  Operations,  20     Sen.  65;   30,  1,  p.  465  (Lee). 

13.  335Trist  to  Mrs.  T.,  Oct.  18,  1847.     335/d.,  Notes  for  letter  to 
Ho.  of  Repres.    Lawton,  Artill.  Off.,  151,  246.    Sen.  52;  30,  1,  pp.  190-1. 
52Trist,  Aug.   14,   1847.    Sen.  65;    30,  1,  p.  465  (Lee).    Hitchcock  in 
semi-weekly  N.  Y.  Courier  and  Enquirer,  Mar.  1,  1847.    Id.  in  Republic, 
Feb.  15,  1851   (re  a  Mexican  book).     Ho.  60;   30,  1,  p.  1255  (Jesup). 
Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  635  (after  Mexico  was  captured,  Scott  became 
"the  most  sincere  and  powerful  of  the  friends  of  peace").    So.  Qtrly. 
Rev ,  xviii,  428. 

14.  Lawton,   Artill.   Off.,   151.    Sen.   52;    30,   1,  p.   190.    Picayune, 
Oct.  22,  1847.     Grant,  Mems ,  i,  139.     253Harvey  to  McLean,  June  13, 
1847. 

15.  The  earlier  statements  issued  by  our  government  were  in  many 
instances  incorrect.    The  figures  of  the  text  are  from  the  adj.  gen.'s  report 
of  Dec.  3,  1849  (Ho.  24;   31,  1).    They  may  be  given  more  precisely  as 
follows.     I.  REGULARS.    Apr.,  1846,  7224  in  all.    On  the  Texas  frontier, 
May,  1846,  3554  present  and  absent.     27,470  (15,736  of  "the  old  establish- 
ment," 11,186  of  the  new  regiments,  and  548  Marines),  including  recruits, 
joined  the  army  in  Mexico.    The  total  in  the  service  up  to  and  including 
July  5,  1848,  was  about  31,024  (35,009  were  recruited  from  May  1,  1846, 
and  32,190  of  these  were  put  en  route;   but  some  died  or  were  killed  in 
Mexico  before  becoming  attached  to  a  regiment,  and  some  cannot  be 
accounted   for).     Losses.    A :    Old   establishment.     Discharged   on   ex- 
piration of  term,  1561 ;  for  disability,  1782 ;  by  order  or  by  civil  authority, 
373 ;   total,  3716.     Killed  in  battle,  41  offs.  —  422  men ;  died  of  wounds, 
22  —  307,  respectively ;   ordinary  deaths,  49  —  2574 ;    accidental  deaths, 
5  —  134;    total  deaths,  117  —  3437.    Wounded  in  battle,  118  —  1685. 
Resignations,  37.     Desertions,  2247.    B:    New  regiments.    Discharged 
on  expiration  of  term,  12 ;   for  disability,  767 ;  by  order  or  by  civil  au- 
thority, 114.    Killed  in  battle,  5  offs.  —  62  men ;  died  of  wounds,  5  —  71 ; 
ordinary  deaths,  36  —  2055 ;    accidental  deaths,  0  —  30 ;    total  deaths, 
46  —  2218.    Wounded  in  battle,   36  —  236.    Resignations,  92.    Deser- 
tions, 602.    C :  Marines  serving  with  the  army.    Killed  in  battle,  1  —  5 ; 
died  of  wounds,  0  —  3 ;  ordinary  deaths,  3  —  33 ;  total,  4  —  41.    II.  VOL- 
UNTEERS.   Mustered  in,  May,  1846,  and  later  (16,887  mounted ;  1129  ar- 
tillery;   55,244  infantry)  73,260,  including  3131  commissioned  officers. 
Of  this  number  14,448  (3-months  and  6-months  men;    two  regiments 
of  12-months  men  from  Ohio  and  Missouri;  one  Iowa  company)  did 


512       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  319-320 

not  serve.  Total  serving,  58,812.  Discharged  before  the  end  of  their 
term,  9169,  including  7200  for  disability.  Killed  in  battle  and  died  of 
wounds,  607;  ordinary  deaths,  6216;  accidental,  192;  total,  7015. 
Wounded,  about  1340.  Resignations,  279.  Desertions,  3876.  The 
number  of  ordinary  deaths  and  discharges  for  disability  was  probably 
still  larger,  for  the  returns  were  incomplete.  Some  " ordinary"  deaths 
probably  resulted  from  wounds.  July,  1848,  there  were  (officers  included) 
24,033  regulars  and  23,117  volunteers  Nearly  all  official  figures  of  cas- 
ualties are  approximate  (Discrepancies  exist  in  the  accounts) 

One  may  consult  also:  Ho.  42,  48;  29,  2  Sen.  36;  30,  1.  Ohio  Arch, 
and  Hist  Qtrly  ,  1912,  p  280  111.  State  Hist.  Soc.  Trans  ,  1912,  p.  17 
(W.  E.  Dodd)  Lawton,  Artill  Off,  317.  Sen.  4;  29,  2.  Picayune, 
Nov.  4,  1847  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p  1114  117R.  Jones  to  Mayer,  Feb.  8, 
1849.  Brackett,  Lane's  Brigade,  131,  292  Claiborne,  Quitman,  ii, 
app  ,  311.  Semmes,  Service,  472  6111.  Jones  to  Cass,  Mar  9,  1848. 
Cong.  Globe,  45,  3,  pp  1627-8  (Shields)  U.  S.  Army  and  Navy  Journal, 
Apr.  25,  1885,  p  787  288Naylor,  Alphab  list  of  American  prisoners 
(1063  in  all)  Sen  1 ;  29,  2,  p.  56.  Mich  Pioneer  Soc  Colls  ,  vi,  20. 
Rowland,  Register,  412  GlWool  to  Jones,  Jan  7,  1848 

One  of  the  principal  histories  of  the  war  gives  the  deaths  resulting  from 
battle  as  5101,  and  the  total  number  as  "not  less''  than  25,000'  Many 
men  afflicted  with  chronic  diseases  enlisted  in  the  hope  of  deriving  benefit 
from  the  climate  of  Mexico,  but  died  there.  Many  came  home  bringing 
the  germs  of  disease  or  with  enfeebled  constitutions. 

16.  (New  regiments)  364 Worth  to  S.,  Sept.  5,  1846.  (Invalids) 
29lSmith  to  Pierce,  Feb  2,  1848,  254McClellan,  diary,  Dec  5,  1846; 
Meade,  Letters,  i,  161-2  (Waste)  Meade,  Letters,  i,'  161-2  (Arms) 
256Scott  to  Marcy,  Jan  16,  1847,  private  (Undisciplined)  22lHill, 
diary;  95report  of  comtee  ,  Jan  4,  1848;  Ho  60;  30,  1,  p  336  (Taylor) ; 
327Sutherland  to  father,  Aug  — ,  1847;  Scott,  supra  (Close)  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  346;  Olmsted,  Journey,  463.  (One)  280Nunelee, 
diary.  (Another)  Oswandel,  Notes,  476.  (Officer)  146Caswell,  diary 
(N.  Car  )  Greensborough  (N  C  )  Morning  Post,  Apr.  5,  1903  (Braver) 
Grant,  Mems.,  i,  167-8.  (Unreliable)  Balbontin,  Invasi6n,  75;  Smith, 
To  Mexico,  151.  (Imperilled)  Ho  60;  30,  1,  pp.  336,  1178  (Taylor); 
1049  (Scott);  Scott,  Mems,  n,  540  256Marcy  to  Wetmorc,  Jan.  6, 
1847.  (Stimulated)  Cong.  Globe,  35,  1,  pp  971-2  (Quitman);  Stevens, 
Campaigns,  12;  152Claiborne,  mems 

To  suppose,  as  many  appear  to  do,  that  the  only  business  in  war  is  to 
fight,  is  as  if  one  should  think  that  in  railroading  the  only  work  is  to  run 
the  trains.  The  following  from  Scott's  256letter  to  Marcy,  Jan  16,  1847, 
is  pertinent :  "A  regiment  of  regulars,  in  fifteen  minutes  from  the  evening 
halt,  will  have  tents  pitched  and  trenched  around,  besides  straw,  leaves 
or  bushes  for  dry  sleeping;  arms  and  ammunition  well  secured  and  in 
order  for  any  night  attack ;  fires  made,  kettles  boiling,  in  order  to  whole- 
some cooking;  all  the  men  dried,  or  warmed,  and  at  their  comfortable 
supper,  merry  as  crickets,  before  the  end  of  the  first  hour.  .  .  .  Volun- 
teers neglect  ail  those  points ;  eat  their  salt  meat  raw  (if  they  have  saved 
any  at  all)  or,  worse  than  raw,  fried  —  death  to  any  Christian  man  the 
fifth  day;  lose  or  waste  their  clothing;  lie  down  wet,  or  on  wet  ground 
—  fatal  to  health,  and,  in  a  short  time,  to  life ;  leave  arms  and  ammunition 
exposed  to  rain  and  dews ;  hence  both  generally  useless  and  soon  lost,  and 
•certainly  hardly  ever  worth  a  cent  in  battle,"  etc.,  etc.  So  in  the  field 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  320-321       513 

"the  want  of  the  touch  of  the  elbow  (which  cannot  be  acquired  with  the  best 
instructors  in  many  months) ;  the  want  of  the  sure  step  in  advancing, 
falling  back  and  wheeling ;  .  .  .  the  want  of  military  confidence  in  each 
other,  and,  above  all,  the  want  of  reciprocal  confidence  between  officers 
and  men  "  cause  frightful  losses. 

McClellan  wrote  in  his  254diary :  "I  have  seen  more  suffering  since  I 
came  out  here  than  1  could  have  imagined  to  exist  —  it  is  really  awful  — 
I  allude  to  the  sufferings  of  the  Volunteers.  They  literally  die  like  dogs 
—  were  it  all  known  in  the  States,  ...  all  would  be  willing  to  have  so 
large  a  regular  army  that  we  could  dispense  entirely  with  the  Volunteer 
system  "  Trist  stated  m  a  335letter  to  the  N.  Y.  Tribune,  July  14,  1853, 
that  the  volunteer  system  was  a  debasing  humbug,  because  the  generals, 
aiming  at  political  success,  posed  as  great  commanders  with  no  basis 
except  the  courage  of  their  men  and  the  skill  of  their  (regular)  aides. 
Worth  said  that  the  intelligent  volunteers  ridiculed  the  system,  except  for 
home  defence,  more  than  the  regulars  did  (364to  Capt  S  ,  Nov  2,  1846). 

Webster  said  the  advantage  of  the  volunteer  service  was  that  it  was 
generous  and  patriotic,  entered  into  mostly  to  gain  distinction,  and  be- 
cause it  gave  men  what  they  liked  —  an  opportunity  to  bear  arms  under 
officers  chosen  by  themselves  (Webster,  Letters,  347) ;  but  one  sees  at 
once  that  these  views  came  far  short  of  covering  the  case  practically. 
That  very  ambition  to  win  distinction,  for  example,  made  them  dissatisfied 
and  insubordinate  when  expected  to  do  the  ordinary  work  of  soldiering 
(169Taylor  to  Crittcnden,  Jan  26,  1847) ;  and  volunteer  officers  like  Pillow 
did  not  compare  with  regulars  like  Scott  and  Taylor  in  kindness  toward  the 
men.  The  battle  of  Buena  Vista  was  popularly  supposed  to  have  proved 
the  efficiency  of  volunteers,  but  failed  to  do  so  (see  chap,  xx;  316Bragg  to 
Sherman,  Mar.  1,  1848;  330Taylor  to  brother,  Mar  27,  1847;  Zirckel, 
Tagebuch,  9),  though  they  had  had  a  sufficiently  long  training  (Upton, 
Military  Policy,  209)  The  Marquis  de  Radepont,  who  accompanied 
Scott's  army  to  observe  its  operations,  was  particularly  astonished  that 
the  General  had  so  little  control  over  the  volunteers,  a  state  of  things  that 
more  than  once  endangered  all,  he  said.  Scott,  Taylor,  Worth,  Twiggs, 
Wool,  Quitman,  Smith  and  Shields  were  not  West  Pointers,  but  the  first 
five  were  professionals.  Some  of  the  volunteer  officers,  who  had  been  in 
business,  surpassed  the  regulars  in  such  work  as  transportation. 

17.  (Tilden)  Cong    Globe,  29,  1,  p.  543.     (Aristocrats)  N.  Y.  Herald, 
June  20,  1846.     (Steadied  vols  )  Stevens,  Camps  ,  12 ;    Ruxton,  Adven- 
tures  (1847),   178;    Hitchcock,   Fifty  Years,   346.     (Reg.  offs )   Grant, 
Mems.,  i,  168;  364Worth  to  S.,  Sept  5,  1846;  ISCrampton,  no.  17,  1848; 
Collins,  diary,  Jan.  29,  1847 ;  Lawton,  Art  Off.,  276.     (Took  care)  254Mc- 
Clellan,  diary,  Dec.  5,  1846;    148Chamberlain,  recoils.     (Science)  Hitch- 
cock, Fifty  Years,  310;  Cullum,  Biog.  Register,  i,  p.  xi 

18.  Grone,  Brief  e,  83      Commerc    Review  of  S.  and  W.,  Dec  ,   1846, 
426-30  (Poinsett).     Grant,  Mems.,  i,  143.     Sen.  1 ;  30,  1,  p.  332  (Smith). 
Observador  Zacatecano,  Dec.  27,  1846,  supplem    (Requena).     Owing  prob- 
ably to  the  exigencies  of  the  case  the  engineers  were  given  a  somewhat 
exaggerated  importance.     Some  of  their  officers  were  not  experts;   were 
perhaps  hardly  more  than  engineers  by  commission      And  engineers  were 
frequently  employed  to  do  reconnaissance  work  that  was  more  properly 
the  function  of  infantry  patrols. 

19.  Commerc.  Rev. :   note  18.     Grone,  Brief  e,  70,  81.     Revue  des  Deux 
Mondes,  Aug.  1,  1847,  385.     TSBcrmtidez  de  Castro,  no.  517,  1847. 

VOL.rlI  —  2  L 


514       NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  321-323 

20.  (Immigrants)  Ho.  38 ;  30,2.     278Niehenke,  statement.     136Butter- 
field,  recoils.     Grone,  Bnefe,  84.     Metrop.  Mag.,  Jan.,  1908.     (1000)  Sen. 
1;  30,  1,  p.  431.     (600)  Hitchcock,  Fifty  Years,  293.     (6000)  Sen.  1;  30, 
1,  p.  384.     (Miracle)  358Williams  to  father,  Oct.  1,  1847.     Journal  des 
Debats,  Aug.  15,  1848 

21.  (Legally)  250Lieber  to  Ruggles,  Apr.  23,  1847.     Curtis,  Buchanan, 
i,   609.     Cong.  Globe,   29,  2,   app.,    125.     (Welfare)    London  Athenceum, 
Sept.  13,  1845.     (Right  of  way)  Von  Hoist,  U.  S.,  iii,  272;  London  Atlas, 
May  18,  1844. 

We  are  now  trying  to  outgrow  the  old  view  of  war  and  the  analogous 
view  of  commercial  and  industrial  competition,  but  in  1846  these  had  not 
become  practical  issues.  This  paragraph  is  to  be  understood  in  a  broad, 
large  way,  of  course.  The  London  Chronicle  said :  In  our  colonies  we 
fine  owners  who  in  a  certain  number  of  years  do  not  develop  their  lands, 
and  this  fine  is  preparatory  to  ejectment;  "The  Americans  have  acted 
on  this  principle  after  a  kind  of  public  lynch-law"  (Aug.  13,  1845).  (Its 
direct  reference  was  to  the  annexation  of  Texas,  but  the  principle  applied 
to  the  war  with  Mexico.)  Rives  argues  that  the  war  was  "begun  for  the 
purpose  of  acquiring  territory*'  in  payment  of  our  claims,  and  that  there- 
fore its  morality  was  questionable  (U.  S.  and  Mexico,  ii,  657-8).  But 
(1)  the  territory  was  wanted  in  payment  of  what  was  justly  due  us,  and 
therefore  we  could  rightfully  collect,  and  that  Mexico  could  pay  us  only 
in  land  was  not  our  fault ;  (2)  the  war  was  not  entered  into  by  us  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  territory ;  and  (3)  it  was  not  "begun"  by  the  United 
States. 

22.  (Humboldt)   ISlDonelson  to  Buchanan,  Sept    18,   1846.     Royce, 
Calif,  51.     Lieber:    note  21      Von  Hoist,  U.  S,  ni,  269-72.     (Nation) 
Chap,  vi,  note  11 ;  Cong.  Globe,  29,  2,  p.  387  (Giles) ;  Polk,  Diary,  Eec.  19, 
18 18;    Jan.  23,  1847;    iSenator  Allen  in  secret  session,  Aug.  6,  1846; 
Curtis,  Buchanan,  i,  609;  Howe,  Bancroft,  i,  286      Public  Ledger,  June  15, 
1819  (Dallas).     Welles,  Study.     (Bryce)  This  quotation  is  taken  from  a 
writer  of  good  standing.     The  present  author  has  not  been  able  to  find 
ths  passage,  but  presumes  it  was  correctly  quoted.     Davis,  Autobiog., 
291-2. 

July  6,  1818,  Polk  informed  Congress  that  we  had  more  than  700  whaling 
ships  in  the  Pacific,  representing  not  less  than  $40,000,000,  and  employ- 
ing fully  20,000  seamen,  and  that  owing  to  the  acquisition  of  California 
we  were  less  than  thirty  days  from  Canton.  These  facts  explain  how 
important  that  acquisition  was,  and  how  serious  it  would  have  seemed  to 
let  a  European  power  make  it. 

23.  Ramirez,  Mexico,  319.     Memoria  de  .  .  .  Relaciones,  Jan.,  1849, 
p.  8.     (Obstacle)   Vol.   ii,   p.   234.     (Invited)   Scott,  Mems.,   ii,   581-2. 
(Trist)  335Thornton  to  Trist,  May  26,  1848.     52Walsh,  Nov.  10,   1848. 
(Europe)  J.  H.  Smith  in  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Proceeds.,  June,  1914,  p.  462; 
Howe,  Bancroft,  ii,  5;   lOSBancroft  to  Greene,  Nov.  3,  1847;   108/rf.  to 
Polk,   Jan.   19,    1847;    Bennett,   Mems.,   386.     (Harmony)   Richardson, 
Messages,  iv,  587,  631 ;  132McLane  to  Buchanan,  June  18,  1846;  Wash. 
Union,  Nov.  3,  1846;   N.  Y.  Herald,  July  25,  1846;    Cong.  Globe,  29,  2, 
app.,  125. 

The  war  helped  to  save  Mexican  nationality  because  (1)  it  was  to  some 
extent  a  national  issue ;  (2)  it  cut  off  the  parts  most  likely  to  set  the  ex- 
ample of  secession ;  (3)  contact  with  the  Americans  convinced  the  people 
of  Tamaulipas,  N.  Le6n,  etc.,  that  they  could  not  hold  their  own  in  cotnpe- 


NOTES  ON  CHAPTER  XXXVI,  PAGES  323-324      515 

tition  with  our  citizens ;  (4)  the  Mexicans  received  a  stern  lesson  in  political 
wisdom,  which  was  taken  to  heart  for  a  time,  and  had  some  permanent 
effect ;  and  (5)  the  money  that  we  paid  strengthened  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment. The  war  helped  the  liberals,  for  it  demonstrated  our  superiority. 
24.  Roa  Bdrcena,  Recuerdos,  635.  Ceballos,  Capitulos,  123.  London 
Times,  Nov.  13,  1847.  Lee,  Gen.  Lee,  43,  Parker,  Sermon,  Cong. 
Globe,  30,  1,  p.  499.  Webster,  Writings,  x,  9.  For  Scott's  treatment  of 
prisoners  see,  e.g.,  Ho.  60;  30,  1,  pp.  1055-9. 


APPENDIX  — THE   SOURCES 

A.  MANUSCRIPT  AND  PERSONAL  SOURCES 

As  a  number  of  the  owners  or  holders  of  MSS.  (whose  names  are  pre- 
ceded below  by  colons)  did  not  desire  to  receive  applications  for  the  use 
of  their  papers,  it  has  been  thought  best  to  omit  all  addresses. 

Some  documents  belonging  to  large  collections  are,  for  convenience  of 
citation,  listed  separately.  A  few  verbal  statements  (so  described)  are 
included. 

The  numbers  preceding  collections,  etc.,  correspond  to  numbers  pre- 
ceding citations  of  MS.  documents  in  the  notes. 

Allen,  William.     IPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Allred,  R.  N.    2Recollections  :  R.  R.  Allred,  Esq. 

Alvarado,  J.  B.    3Hist.  de  California  :  Bancroft  Coll.,  Univ.  of  California. 

Amador,  J.  M.    4Memorias  sobre  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Anaya,  P.  M.     SMemoria  :  Sen.  Lie.  D.  Genaro  Garcfa. 

Anderson,  Robert.     GPapers  :  Mrs.  James  M.  Lawton. 

Anderson,  W.  E.     TDocument. 

Anonymous.     SSoldier's  Diary  sent  anonymously  to  the  author. 

Antrim,  Jay.     SSketches  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Aram,  Joseph.     lONarrative  :  Mrs.  Grace  Aram. 

Archives  of  France.     UDept.  des  Affaires  Etrangeres,  Paris. 

Archives  of  Great  Britain.  12Admiralty  Papers  ;  13Foreign  Office  Papers  : 
Public  Record  Office,  London. 

Archives  of  States.  14Alabama,  ISArkansas,  ISConnecticut,  ITDelaware, 
ISGeorgia,  ISFlorida,  20Illinois,  21Indiana,  22Iowa,  23Kentucky, 
24Louisiana,  26Maine,  26Maryland,  27Massachusetts,  28Michigan, 
29Mississippi,  SOMissouri,  SlNew  Hampshire,  32New  Jersey,  33New 
York,  34North  Carolina,  35Ohio,  36Pennsylvania,  STRhode  Island, 
38South  Carolina,  39Tennessee,  40Texas,  4lVermont,  42Virginia, 
43  Wisconsin. 

Archives  of  the  44U.  S.  Embassy  at  Mexico. 

Archives  of  the  45U.  S.  Legation  in  Texas  :  State  Dept.,  Washington. 

Archives  of  U.  S.  Navy  Dept.  46Captain's  Letters  ;  47Squadron  Letters  ; 
48Confidential  Letter  Books  ;  49Orders  ;  SOExecutive  Letters ; 
SlMarine  Corps. 

Archives  of  U.  S.  State  Dept.  52Correspondence  (and  enclosures)  with 
diplomatic  and  consular  agents  in  Mexico,  Great  Britain,  Prance, 
Spain,  Prussia  and  Texas  ;  63Notes  to  and  from  the  legations  of  those 
countries  ;  54Report  Books  ;  6§Confidential  Report  Books  ;  WSpecial 

517 


618  APPENDIX 

Missions  and  Correspondence  with  confidential  agents  in  Mexico, 
Texas  and  California  ;  67Domestic  Letter  Books  ;  68Miscellaneous 
Letters  and  Replies  ;  69Circulars  issued  to  diplomatic  and  consular 
agents.  See  also  Claims  Commission. 

Archives  of  U.  S.  War  Dept.  GOSecretary  of  War's  files  ;  GlAdjutant 
General's  files  ;  62Quartermaster  General's  files  ;  63Military  Book  ;* 
64Adjutant  General,  Miscellany  ;  66Orders  ;  GGEngineer's  office ; 
67Bureau  of  Topog.  Engineers  ;  68Judge  Advocate  General's  office, 
courts  martial,  courts  of  inquiry  ;  69Discontinued  Commands,  etc. 

Archivo  69adel  Distrito  Federal,  Mexico. 

Archivo  YOGeneral  y  Publico  (particularly  "Guerra")*  Mexico. 

Archivo  71Hist6rico-Nacional,  Madrid. 

Archivo  72Nacional  de  Cuba. 

Archivo  73Particular  del  Ministerio  de  Estado,  Madrid. 

Archivos  (National)  de  74Fomento  (Maps)  ;  76Gobernaci6n  (formerly 
called  "Relaciones  Interiores")  ;  75aHacienda ;  76Guerra  y 
Marina  ;  77Relaciones  (i.e.,  Exteriores).  At  Mexico  City. 

Archivos  (State)  de  78Coahuila,  79Jalisco,  SOMexico,  SINuevo  Le6n, 
82Puebla,  83Queretaro,  84San  Luis  Potosf,  SSTamaulipas,  86Vera 
Cruz,  87Zacatecas.  At  the  state  capitals. 

Archives  (Municipd)  de  88C6rdoba,  89Guadalajara,  90Jalapa,  9lMata- 
moros,  92Mexico,  93Monterey,  94Orizaba,  96Puebla,  96Quer6taro, 
97Saltillo,  98San  Luis  Potosf,  99Tampico,  lOOVera  Cruz,  lOlVictoria, 
102Zacatecas. 

Avila,  Juan.     lOSNotas  Californianas  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Aver  104Collection  :  Newberry  Library,  Chicago. 

Baldridge,  William.    106The  Days  of  1846  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Bancroft  lOGCollection  :  Univ.  of  California. 

Bancroft  107Papers  :  New  York  City  Public  Library. 

Bancroft,  George.     lOSPapers  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 

Bandini,  Juan.  109Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft 
Coll. 

Barbour,  H.  H.    HODiary  :  Mrs.  Barbour. 

Beauregard,  P.  G.  T.     lllPapers  :  C.  S.  Hook,  Esq. 

Beauregard,  P.  G.  T.    112Papers  :  Justin  H.  Smith. 

Beauregard,  P.  G.  T.  HSReminiscences  (done  by  him  from  diary  and 
notes)  :  Claiborne  papers,  Mississippi  Dept.  of  Hist. 

Beeler,  Louis  F.    114Recollections. 

Belden,  Josiah.    USStatement  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Bell,  A.  N.    HGDocument. 

Benjamin,  W.  R.    117Collection. 

Berlandier,  Luis.    118Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Bevan,  William.    119S'atement. 

Biddle,  James.    120Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Biddle,  Charles  J.    121Papers  :  Charles  Biddle,  Esq. 

Bidwell,  John.    122California,  1841-8  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Bidwell,  John.    123Statement  :  Harvard  Univ.  Library. 

Blocklenger,  Benjamin.    124Letter. 


APPENDIX  519 

Bonham,  Milledge  L.     126Letters  :  Dr.  Milledge  Lake  Bonham,  III. 

Botello,  Narciso.     126Anales  del  Sur  de  la  California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Boyle,  John.     127Letter  :  Miss  Esmeralda  Boyle. 

Bracket!,  A.  G.     128Diary  :  Mrs.  Brackett. 

Breokenridge,  Robert  J.     129Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Brichta,  A.  C.     ISOLetter  .  belonging  to  the  family. 

Brindle,  William.     131Statement  :  J.  D.  Parrish,  Esq. 

Buchanan,  James.     132Papers  •  Pennsylvania  Hist.  Soc. 

Buck,  Dr.  Solon  J.     133Collection. 

Burton,  C.  M.     134Collection,  Public  Library,  Detroit. 

Butler,  Anthony.     135Papers  :  Univ.  of  Texas. 

Bu'terfield,  James.     136Recolleotions. 

Calhoun,  John  C.     137Papers  :  Clemson  Coll. 

Calhoun,  John  C.     137aPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Campbell,  William  B.     138Letters  :  John  DeWitt,  Esq. 

Campbell,  William  B.  (and  David)      139Papers  :  Lemuel  R.  Campbell, 

Esq.;    Mrs.  James  S.  Pilcher. 

Cantwell,  John  L.  P.     UOLetter  :  Miss  Jessica  R.  Smith. 
Carson,  J.  C.     141Statement  :  Bancroft  Coll. 
Carson,  J.  H.     142Gold  Mines  of  1848  •  Bancroft  Coll. 
Cary,  T.  G.     143California  Papers  .  Boston  Public  Library. 
Cassidy,  P.  A.     144Recol lections. 
Castro,  Manuel.     146Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft 

Coll. 

Caswell,  William  R.     146Diary  and  Letters  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 
Chamberlain,  S.  E.     147Diary  :  loaned  by  the  writer. 
Chamberlain,  S.  E.     148Recollections  (verbal). 
Chase,  Salmon  P.     149Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Cheatham,  B.  F.     160Diary  and  Papers  :  Mrs.  Telfair  Hodgson. 
Claiborne,  J.  F.  H.     16lPapers  :  State  of  Mississippi,  Dept.  of  Hist 
Claiborne,  Thomas.     152Memoirs     belonging  to  the  family. 
Claims  Commission  of  1849.     163Book  of  Awards  ;    154Book  of  Opinions  ; 

ISBJournal  :  U.  S.  State  Dept. 
Clay,  Henry.     156Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Cobb,  Howell.     167Papers   (printed  later  by  the  Amer.  Hist.  Assoc.)  : 

Dr.  U.  B.  Phillips 

Cobb,  Howell.     168Papers  :  Dr.  R.  P.  Brooks. 
Collins,  Francis.     169Papers  (published  later  in  the  Qtrly.  Publication  of 

the  Hist,  and  Philos.  Soo.  of  Ohio,  1915,  Nos.  2-3). 
Columbus.     IGORecord  of  Punishments,  1846-7  :  U.  S.  Naval  Academy 

Library. 

Congress.     161  Journal  of  a  Cruise,  1846  :  U.  S.  Naval  Academy  Library. 
Conner,  David.     162Papers  :  Hon.  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt. 
Conner,  David.     163Papers  :  P.  F.  Madigan,  Esq. 
Conner,  David.     164Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Conner,  David.     165Papers  :  Navy  Dept.  Library. 
Conner,  David.     166Papers  :  New  York  City  Library. 
Coutts.    167Diary  of  a  March  to  California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 


520  APPENDIX 

Gralle",  R.  K.     168Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Crittenden,  J.  J.     169Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Crooker  Family  (of  South  Carolina).     ITOPapers  :  Dr.  E.  M.  Shealy. 

Cyane.     ITlJournal  of  a  Cruise  ;     Abstract  of  Journal  :    U.  S.  Naval 

Academy  Library. 

Cyane.     172Log  Book  :  Library,  U.  S.  Navy  Dept. 

Davis,  Jefferson.     173 Address  :  Library  of  Congress  (reading-room  desk). 
Davis,  Jefferson.     174Papers  :  Confederate  Memorial,  New  Orleans. 
Davis,  Jefferson.     175Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Davis,  Jefferson.     176Papers  :  State  of  Mississippi,  Dept.  of  Hist. 
Davis,  John  W.     177Statement  of  the  Battle  of  San  Pascual  :    Bancroft 

Coll. 

Davis,  T.  F.     178Diary  .  belonging  to  the  family. 
Diario  179Esactfsimo  de  lo  ocurrido  en  Mexico,  etc.  •  Bancroft  Coll. 
Dreer  ISOCollection  :  Pennsylvania  Hist.  Soc. 
Donelson,  A.  J.     ISlPapers  :  Mrs.  Wm.  A.  Donelson  (now  in  the  Library 

of  Congress). 

Dormitzer,  Walter.     182Collection. 
Drum,  R.  C.     183Recollections  (verbal). 
Duke,  Moses  S.     184Letters  :  Miss  Winnie  V.  Lynch. 
Duncan,  James.     185Papers  :  U.  S.  Military  Academy. 
Duncan,  W.  L.     186Notes  on  Bishop's  Journal  :  McLean  County  (111  ) 

Hist.  Soc. 

Eddy  187Manuscripts  :  Charles  Carroll,  Esq. 
Edwards,  Marcellus  B.     188Diary  :  Missouri  Hist.  Soc. 
Evans,  Mrs.  Lucy.     189Letter  :  belonging  to  the  family. 
Ewing,  J.  C.     190Diary  •  belonging  to  the  family. 
Fairfield,  John.     19lPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Ford  192Coilection  :  New  York  City  Public  Library. 
Foster,  R.  C.     193Letters  :  Mrs.  Edward  W.  Foster. 
Fourth  (Mexican)  Infantry.     194Book  of  Accounts  .  New  York  Hist.  Sor. 
Fowler,  W.  P.     196Collection. 

Fremont,  John  C.     196Statement  :  Library  of  Harvard  Univ. 
Gaines,  E.  P.     197Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Gallatin,  Albert.     198Papers  :  New  York  Hist.  Soc. 
Garcia,  Sen.  Lie.  D.  Genaro.     199Collection. 
Gibbes,  W.  H.    200Collection. 
Gibson,  George  R.     201Diary  :  Missouri  Hist.  Soc. 
Gim£nez,  M.  M.    202Papers  :  Sen.  Lie.  I).  Genaro  Garcia. 
Gleason,  James.    203Letter. 

Gouverneur,  S.  L.    204Diary  :  Mrs.  Rose  Gouverneur  Hoes. 
Graham,  L.  P.    206Memorandum  Book  :  E.  W.  McGlenen,  Esq. 
Graham,  W.  A.    206Papers  :  A.  W.  Graham,  Esq. 
Griffin,  John  S.    207Journal  of  1846  :  Bancroft  Coil. 
Guadalajara  (Public  Library)  208Collection. 
Guitar,  Aldon.    209Letter. 

Hammond,  J.  H.    210Diary  and  Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Hardie,  James  A.    21lPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 


APPENDIX  521 

Hastings,  D.  H.    212Diary  :  loaned  by  the  writer. 

Hatch,  John  P.     213Letters  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Hays,  John  C.,  and  Caperton,  John,  214Life  and  Adventures  of  John  C. 
Hays  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Heald,  Nathan.     216Papers  :  Univ.  of  Wisconsin  Library. 

Heiman,  A.  216Services  of  the  First  Regt.  of  Tennessee  :  Tennessee  Hist. 
Soc. 

Henshaw,  J.  C.    217Papers  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 

Henshaw,  J.  C.  218Narrative,  prepared  by  Mrs.  Henshaw  from  his 
papers  .  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 

Her&ldica  219del  Ejercito  Mex.,  etc. :  Biblioteca  National. 

Higgins,  H.  H.    220Plans  and  letters  :  Mrs.  T.  M.  Coxe. 

Hill,  D.  H.    221Diary  :  Pres.  D.  H.  Hill. 

Hiney,  E.  F.     222Diary. 

Hirschorn,  Jacob.     223Recollections     Justin  H.  Smith. 

Hitchcock,  E.  A.  224Diary  and  Papers  :  Mrs.  E.  A.  Hitchcock  (now  in 
the  Library  of  Congress). 

Holt,  Joseph.     226Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Hook,  C.  S.    226Collection. 

Hoyle,  E.  D.     227Recollections. 

Illinois  University      228Collection. 

Indiana  State  Library  229Collection 

Ittirbide,  Agustm  de.     230Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Jackson,  Andrew.     231Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Jameson,  J.  Franklin.     232Collection. 

Janssens,  Agustin.  233Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Ban- 
croft Coll. 

Johnson,  Andrew.     234Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Jones,  Roger.    235Papers  :  W.  R.  Benjamin,  Esq. 

Judah,  H.  M.    236Diary  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Kearny,  S.  W.    237Letter  Book  :  Missouri  Hist.  Soc. 

Keating,  E.  H.    238Map  of  Monterey,  Mex.  :  Monterey  City  Govt. 

Kemper,  Jackson.     239Papers  :  Univ.  of  Wisconsin  Library. 

Kennerly,  W.  C.     240Narrative. 

Kent,  James.     24lPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Kingsbury,  D.  M.     242Letters  to  his  Mother. 

Kribben,  Christian.     243Home  Letters  :  B.  D.  Kribben,  Esq. 

Lakin,  George  W.     244Papers  :  Univ.  of  Wisconsin  Library. 

Lamar,  M.  B.    246Papers  :  Texas  State  Library. 

Lane,  Joseph.    246Autobiography  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Larkin,  T.  O.    247Papers  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Lasselle,  Stanislaus.    248Papers  :  Indiana  State  Library. 

Leese,  Jacob  P.    249Bear  Flag  Papers  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Lieber,  Francis.    250Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Lowry,  Robert.    261Narrative. 

Mackall,  W.  W.    262Letters  :  belonging  to  the  family. 

McLean,  John.    253Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

McClellan,  Geo.  B.    254Diary  and  Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 


522  APPENDIX 

Mangum,  W.  P.    256Papers  :  A.  W.  Graham,  Esq. 

Marcy,  W.  L.    256Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Markoe  and  Maxcy.    257Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Marshall,  Henry.    258  Recollections  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Maryland  Hist.  Soc.  269Collection. 

Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc.  2GOCollection. 

Memoires.  2611,  Apparently  prepared  by  the  French  agent  in  Mexico  ; 
261aII,  Sur  les  Revolutions  du  Mexique  :  Dept.  des  Affaires  Etran- 
geres,  Paris. 

Memorias.  262Reports  issued  under  this  title  by  Depts.  of  the  Mexican 
government  (see  also  "Memorias"  under  the  head  of  Books  and 
Pamphlets.  A  number  of  the  Memorias  were  not  published  —  un- 
less in  newspapers  —  but  exist  in  MS.  in  the  library  of  the  Srfo.  de 
Relaciones). 

Mervine,  William.     263Letter  Books  and  Papers  :  Navy  Dept.  Library. 

Mexican  Hist.  264Documents  :  Museo  Nacional,  Mexico. 

Miller,  N.  C.    265Letter. 

Miller,  W.  D.     266Papers     belonging  to  the  family. 

Mississippi  Dept.  of  Hist.  267Collections  (Dr.  Dunbar  Rowland,  Director). 

Missouri  Hist.  Soc.  2G8Collection. 

Molina,  Sen    D   Ignacio.     269Recollections  (verbal). 

Moore,  H.  Judge.    270Diary. 

Morales,  J.  B.     27lPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Morgan,  George.     272Memoir  of  :  Col.  J.  M.  Morgan. 

Mullan,  James.     273Diary  •  belonging  to  the  family. 

Neeld,  Peter  C.     274Letter. 

Nelson,  T.  B.,  Jr.     276Letter  :  Mrs.  Annie  J.  Holland. 

Neville,  Harvey.     276Diary  :  Chicago  Hist.  Soc. 

New  York  Hist.  Soc.  277Collection. 

Niehenke,  R.    278Statement. 

Notes.  279Sur  les  Possessions  Espagnoles  en  Amerique  :  Dept.  des 
Affaires  Etrangeres,  Paris. 

Nunelee,  S.  F.    280Diary  :  James  Howell  Nunelee,  Esq. 

O'Keefe,  Michael.    281Statement :  Justin  H.  Smith. 

Olivera,  Agustfn.  282Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft 
Coll. 

Orders  (General  and  Special).  283 Army  of  the  North  under  Mejfa, 
Ampudia  and  Arista  :  New  York  Hist.  Soc. 

Otero,  M.  284Comunicaci6n  que  sobre  las  Negoc.  Diplom.,  etc.  :  Yale 
Univ.  Library. 

Paredes  y  Arrillaga,  Mariano.    285Papers  :  Sen.  Lie.  D.  Genaro  Garcia. 

Parker,  James.    286Statement. 

Parrish,  P.  C.    287Diary. 

Pennsylvania  Hist.  Soc.  288Collection. 

P£rez  de  Acal.    289Papers  :  Guadalajara  Public  Library. 

Pico,  Pio  (Familia  Pico).  290Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  : 
Bancroft  Coll. 

Pierce,  Franklin.    29lPapers  :  Library  of  Congress. 


APPENDIX  523 

Pillow,  Gideon  J.    292Letters  :  W.  R.  Benjamin  Collection. 

Pillow,  Gideon  J.    293Letters  :  Library  of  Congress. 

Pillow,  Gideon  J.    294Letters  :  Pennsylvania  Hist.  Soc. 

Pinto,  Rafael.    296Apuntaciones  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft 

Coll. 

Poinsett,  Joel  R.     296Papers  :  Pennsylvania  Hist.  Soc. 
Polk,  James  K.    297Papers  :  Library  of  Congress  (including  the  Polk 

papers  examined  by  the  author  at  the  Chicago  Hist.  Soc.). 
Porter,  Andrew.    298Papers  :  Major  John  Biddle  Porter. 
Posey,  Carnot.    299Letters  :  Dr.  Walter  L.  Fleming. 
Pricket,  John  A.     SOOLetters. 
Primer  Battn.  Activo  de  Oaxaca.    SOlLibro  de  Servicios  :  Rhode  Island 

Hist.  Soc. 

Puryear,  J.  F.     302Document. 

Quitman,  John  A.    303Papers  :  in  possession  of  the  family. 
Quitman,  John  A.     304Papers  in  the  Claiborne  Papers. 
Richardson,  C.  T.     305Recollections     Justin  H   Smith. 
Riser,  J.  J.     306Recollections  (Mormon  Battalion). 
Roberts,  B.  S.    307Diary  and  letters  :  Brigadier  General  B.  K.  Roberts. 
Roberts,  Charles.    308Autograph  Collection  :  Haverford  Coll. 
Roessler,  Edward.     309Diary  :  belonging  to  the  family. 
Roque,  J.  K.     SlODocument. 

Santa  Anna,  A.  L.  de.    31lPapers  :  Sen.  Lie.  D.  Genaro  Garcia. 
Santa  Anna,  A.  L.  de.    312Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Saunders,  J.  L.    313Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Sawyer,  Charles  H.    314Documents  for  the  Hist,  of  the  Conquest  of 

California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 

Schouler,  William.     316Papers  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 
Sherman,  W.  T.    316Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Sibiey,  H.  H.    317Papers  :  Minnesota  Hist.  Soc. 
Smith,  C.  B.    318Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Smith,  George.     319Diary  •  belonging  to  the  family. 
Smith,  Persifor  F.    320Papers  :  State  Normal  School,  West  Chester,  Pa. 
Smith,  T.  F.     32lDiary  :  belonging  to  the  writer. 
Smith,  W.  B.    322Diary  •  belonging  to  the  family. 
Stevenson,  J.  D.    323Letter  Book  ;    324General  Order  Book ;    325Regi- 

mental  Order  Book  :  New  York  Hist.  Soc. 
Sumner,  Charles.     326Papers  :  Harvard  Univ.  Library. 
Sutherland,  D.  H.     327Letters  :  belonging  to  the  family. 
Sweet,  G.  N.    328Statement. 

Taliaferro,  William  B.    329Papers  :  Miss  L.  S.  Taliaferro. 
Taylor,  Zachary.    330Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Taylor,  Zachary.    331Papers  :  Henkels  catalogue. 
Tennery,  Thomas  D.    332Diary  :  Rev.  John  S.  Cook,  D.D. 
Tlacot&lpam,  Mex.    333Judicial  Archives. 

Torres,  Manuel.    334Peripecias  de  la  Vida  California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 
Trist,  Nicholas  P.    336Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Turner,  C.  B.    336Letter :  belonging  to  the  family. 


524  APPENDIX 

Turner,  H.  S.    337Diary  :  Missouri  Hist.  Soc. 

U.  S.  House  of  Representatives.    338Files  :  Capitol,  Washington. 

U.  S.  House  of  Representatives.    339Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 

U.  S.  Military  Academy  (West  Point).    340Colleetion. 

U.  S.  Senate.    341Files  :  Capitol,  Washington. 

University  of  Illinois.    342Collection. 

Vallejo,  M.  G.    343Documentos  para  la  Hist,  de  California  :  Bancroft 

Coll. 

Vallejo,  M.  G.    344Recuerdos  Hist,  y  Personales  :  Bancroft  Coll. 
Van  Buren,  Martin.    345Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Wade,  W.  P.    346Document :  belonging  to  the  family. 
Washburne,  Elihu  B.    347Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Watterston,  George.    348Notes  on  U,  S.  History  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Watterston,  George.    349Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Weber,  Juan  L.    360Recollections  (verbal). 
Webster,  Daniel.    351Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Weeks,  J.  W.    352Reminiscences  :  Bancroft  Coll. 
Welles,  Edgar  T.    353Collection  :  Connecticut  Hist.  Soc. 
Welles,  Gideon.    364Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Wheaton,  Henry.    366Papers  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 
Whitcomb,  T.  M.    366Diary  :  T.  J.  Whitcomb,  Esq. 
Wilcox,  C.  M.    367Diary  (portions  copied  by  him)  :  Claiborne  papers, 

Mississippi  Dept.  of  History. 

Williams,  Thomas.    368Letters  :  Rt.  Rev.  G.  Mott  Williams. 
Winthrop-Clifford.    359Correspondence  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 
Winthrop-Kennedy.    360Correspondence  :  Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc. 
Woods,  William.    361Recollections. 
Worth,  G.  A.    362Papers  :  Library  of  Congress. 
Worth,  W.  J.    363Papers  :  W.  R.  Benjamin  Collection. 
Worth,  W.  J.    364Papers  :  Mrs.  K.  S.  Hubbell. 
Wyse,  F.  0.    365Papers  :  Miss  Mary  Wyse. 
Yale  University.    366Collection  (University  Library). 
Yell,  Archibald.    367Papers  :  Mrs.  R.  H.  Fitzgerald. 
Map  Division,  Library  of  Congress.    369Map  of  Palo  Alto. 
Taylor,  Zachary.    370Papers  :  Mrs.  W.  R.  Stauffer. 
Mitchell,  W.  I.    371Statement. 

Hyde,  George.    372Statement  of  Hist.  Facts  on  California  :  Bancroft  Coll. 
Evans,  Joseph.    373Narrative :  Justin  H.  Smith. 
Conner,  David.    374Letters  :  Henkels  catalogue. 
Madigan,  P.  F.    375Collection. 
Nicholson,  A.  S.    376Recollections( verbal). 
Willing,  Wildurr.    377Paper  on  Scott's  operations  (published  later). 
Winthrop,  R.  C.    378The  Mexican  War  Bill  (Massachusetts  Hist.  Soc.) , 
De  Witt,  John.    379Collection  (see  also  No.  138). 


APPENDIX  525 


B.  SERIALS 

As  these  titles,  when  occurring  in  the  notes,  are  self-explanatory,  it  has 
been  thought  best  to  group  them  by  themselves  in  order  to  give  a  com- 
prehensive view  of  the  sources  of  this  class  and  make  it  a  little  easier  to 
use  the  "list  of  books  and  pamphlets."  Most  of  the  volumes  of  serials 
here  cited  as  having  been  examined  contained  nothing  of  value  for  the 
author's  purpose. 

Academy  of  Pacific  Coast  History,  1910-11. 
Academy  of  Political  Science  in  the  City  of  New  York,  1910-17. 
Alabama  Hist.  Society.     Transactions.     Publications,  1899-1904. 
American  Antiquarian  Society.     Proceedings,   1849-1918.     Transactions 

and  Collections,  1857-1911. 

American  Catholic  Hist.  Society.     Records  and  Researches,  1887-1915. 
American  Economic  Association.    Publications,  1889-1905. 
American  Geog.  Society.     Bulletin  I,  pt.  1. 
American  Hist.  Association.    Papers,  1885, 1887, 1889-91 .     Reports,  1889- 

1916. 

American-Irish  Hist.  Society.    Journal,  1898-1905.    Record,  1901-02. 
American-Jewish  Hist.  Society.     Publications,  1893-1914. 
Annals  of  Iowa      3  series. 
Buffalo  Hist.  Society.     Publications,  1879-1914. 
California  Hist.  Society     Papers. 
Columbia  (D.  C.)  Hist.  Society.     Record,  1895-1912. 
Connecticut  Hist.  Society.     Collections,  1860-1916. 
Delaware  Hist.  Society      Papers,  1879-1913 
Essex  Institute.     Hist.  Collections,  1859-1914 
Firelands  Hist.  Society.     Pioneer,  1862-78. 
German-American  Hist.  Society.    Annals,  1901-11. 
Hist  Society  of  Southern  California.     Publications,  1888-1916. 
Illinois  State  Hist.  Library.    Collections,   1903-15.     Governors'  Letter 

Books,  1840-53.     Publications  or  Transactions,  1899-1917. 
Illinois  State  Hist.  Society.    Journal,   1908-14.    Transactions   (see  III. 

State  Hist.  Lib.). 

Indiana  Hist.  Society.     Publications,  1897-1912. 
Iowa,  Hist.  Dept.    Annals,  1893-1914. 
Iowa  State  Hist.  Society.    Annals,  1863-74.     Historical  Record,  1885- 

1902.    Messages  and  Proclamations  of  Governors.     Iowa  and  War, 

No.  12,  1918. 

Kansas  State  Hist.  Society.    Transactions,  i-x.    Collections,  1909-12. 
Kentucky  State  Hist.  Society.     Register,  1903-14. 
Lancaster  County  Hist.  Society.    Papers,  1897-1913. 
Long  Island  Hist.  Society.    Memoirs,  1867-89. 
Louisiana  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1895-1912. 
McClean  County  (111.)  Hist.  Society.    Transactions,  1899-1903. 
Maine  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1847-87.    Collections  and  Proceedings, 

1890-99. 


526  APPENDIX 

Maryland    Hist.    Society.    Miscellaneous    and    "Fund"    Publications, 

1846-81. 
Massachusetts  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1846-1918.    Proceedings,  1859- 

1918. 

Michigan  Pioneer  and  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1877-1912. 
Minnesota  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1860-1915. 
Mississippi  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1898-1909. 
Mississippi  Valley  Hist.  Society.    Proceedings. 
Missouri  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1880-1914. 
Montana  Hist.  Society.    Contributions,  1876-1910. 
Nebraska  State  Hist.  Society.    Proceedings  and  Collections,  1894-1913. 

Transactions  and  Reports,  1885-93. 
Nevada  Hist.  Society.     Biennial  Reports,  1909-13. 
New  Hampshire  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1850-93.    Proceedings,  1872- 

1905. 
New  Jersey  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1846-1900.    Proceedings,  1845- 

1914. 

New  Mexico  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1881-1908. 
New  York  Hist.  Society.    Proceedings,  1844-49.    Collections,  1868-1916. 

Miscellany. 

New  York  State  Hist.  Association.    Publications,  1901-13. 
Ohio  Hist,  and  Philos.  Society.    Publications,  1873-85,  1906-17. 
Ohio  State  Archseol.  and  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1888-1915. 
Old  North  West  Geneal.  Society.    See  "Periodicals." 
Oregon  Hist.  Society.    See  "Periodicals." 
Pennsylvania    Hist.    Society.    Memoirs,    1850-95.     Bulletin,    1845-47. 

Magazine  of  Hist,  and  Biog.,  1877-1917. 
Rhode  Island  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1867-1902.    Publications,  1893- 

1900.    Proceedings,  1872-92,  1900-14. 
Schuylkill  County  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1907-13. 
Societe  de  Geographic.    Bulletin  No.  51. 
South  Car.  Hist.  Society.    Collections. 
Southern  Hist.  Association.    Publications,  1897-1906. 
Tennessee  Hist.  Society.    Quarterly,  1902^*. 
Texas  State  Hist.  Society.    See  "Periodicals." 
Trinity  College  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1897-1912. 
U.  S.  Naval  Institute.    Proceedings. 
University  [of  California].    Chronicle,  I-XIV. 
University  of  Pennsylvania.    Publications. 

Virginia  Hist.  Society.    Collections,  1882-92.    See  also  "Periodicals." 
West  Virginia  Hist,  and  Antiq.  Society.    See  "Periodicals." 
Western  Reserve  Hist.  Society.    Publications,  1870-1914. 
Wisconsin  State   Hist.  Society.    Collections,   1855-1911.    Proceedings, 

1891-1917. 

Worcester  Society  of  Antiquity.    Proceedings,  1875-1909. 
Wyoming  Hist,  and  Geneal.  Society.    Proceedings  and  Collections,  1858- 
1912. 


APPENDIX 


527 


C.  PERIODICALS 

This  list  includes  the  principal  ones.  The  best  collections  are  at  the 
American  Antiquarian  Society,  which  has  numerous  Mexican  broadsides 
also,  the  Library  of  Congress,  the  City  Hall  of  New  Orleans  (southwestern 
journals),  the  Biblioteca  Nacional  and  the  Dept.  of  Hacienda  Library  at 
Mexico,  and  the  British  Museum.  In  a  number  of  instances  only  scattered 
copies  of  a  periodical  were  found  or  quotations  in  some  other  paper. 


Advertiser.  Boston. 

Advertiser.  Detroit. 

Advertiser.  Newark,  N.  J. 

Aguila    del  Norte.      Matamoros, 


Aguila      Mexicano.       Matamoros, 

Mex. 

Aguila  Mexicano.    Mexico. 
American.     Baltimore. 
American.    New  York. 
American.     Portland,  Me. 
American  Eagle.     Vera  Cruz 
American  Economic  Review. 
American  Flag.    Matamoros,  Mex. 
American  Flag.    Vera  Cruz,  Mex. 
American      Historical      Magazine. 

New  York. 
American        Historical        Record. 

Philadelphia. 
American       Historical       Review. 

New  York. 

American  Home  Journal. 
American  Pioneer.    Monterey,  Mex. 
American     Political    Science    Re- 

view.   Baltimore. 
American   [Whig]   Review.       New 

York. 

American  Sentinel.    Philadelphia. 
Americana     New  Yowk. 
Amigo  del  Pueblo.    Mexico. 
Anglo-Saxon.    Chihuahua,  Mex. 
Annals  of  the  American  Academy. 

Philadelphia. 
Anteojo.    Mexico. 
Anzeiger  des  Westens.    St.  Louis. 
Arco  Iris.    Veracruz. 
Argonaut.    San  Francisco. 
Army   and   Navy   Journal.    New 

York. 


Athenaeum.    London. 

Atlantic  Monthly.    Boston. 

Atlas.    Albany,  N.  Y. 

Atlas.    Boston. 

Atlas.     Cincinnati. 

Atleta.     Mexico. 

Autograph.    New  York. 

Bankers'  Magazine.     Baltimore. 

Bee.    New  Orleans. 

Boletm  de  la  Democracia.    Mexico. 

Boletm    del     Norte.    Matamoros, 

M6x. 

Boletm  de  Noticias.    Puebla,  Mex. 
Boletin  Militar.    Mexico. 
Boletm  Oficial.    San  Luis  Potosf, 


Britannia.    London. 

Brownson's      Quarterly      Review. 

Boston  and  New  York. 
California  Star.    Monterey,  Cal. 
Californian.     Monterey,  Cal. 
Catolico.    Mexico. 
Century  Magazine.    New  York. 
Chronicle.     Cincinnati. 
Church  and  State  Gazette.  London. 
Clipper.    Baltimore. 
Collector.    New  York. 
Columna  de  la  Libertad.     Quere- 

taro,  M6x. 

Comercio.    Lima,  Peru. 
Commercial.    Wilmington,  N.  C. 
Commercial  Advertiser.   New  York. 
Commercial  Bulletin.    New  Orl. 
Commercial  Review  of  the  South 

and  West.    New  Orleans. 
Commonwealth.    Lexington,  Ky. 
Congressional  Globe.    Washington. 
Constitutionalist.    Augusta,  Ga. 
Constitutionnel.    Paris. 


528 


APPENDIX 


Correo  de  la  Federaci6n  Mexicana. 

Mexico. 

Correo  Nacional.    Queretaro,  Mex. 
Correspondant.    Paris. 
Correspondent.    Port  Gibson,  Miss. 
Cosmopolita.    Mexico. 
Courier.    Boston. 
Courier.     Charleston,  S.  C. 
Courier.     New  Orleans. 
Courier  and  Enquirer.      New  York. 
Courier    and    Journal.      Natchez, 

Miss. 
Courrier   des   Etats   Unis.       New 

York. 

Courrier  Francais.     Mexico. 
Courrier  Francais.     New  York. 
Crepusculo.    Mexico. 
Defensorde  Tamaulipas.     Victoria, 

Mex. 

Delta.     New  Orleans. 
Democrat.     Columbus,  Miss. 
Democratic    Review.     Washington 

and  New  York. 

Diario  del  Gobierno.    Mexico. 
Diario  del  Gobierno  de  la  Republica 

Mexicana.    Mexico. 
Diario  del  Gobierno  de  los  Estados 

Mexicanos.     Mexico. 
Diario    del     Gobierno     Mexicano. 

Mexico. 

Diario  de  Mexico.     Mexico. 
Diario  Oficial  del  Gobierno  Mexi- 
cano.   Mexico. 
Don  Simplicio.    Mexico. 
Dwight's      American      Magazine. 

New  York. 

Eagle.    Memphis,  Tenn. 
Eagle.    Vera  Cruz. 
Echo  de  la  Louisiane.     New  Or- 
leans. 

Eco.    Tampico,  M6x. 
Eco  del  Comercio.     Mexico. 
Eco    del    Norte    de    Tamaulipas. 

Matamoros,  M£x. 
Economist.    London. 
Edinburgh  Review.    Edinburgh. 
English  Historical  Review. 
Enquirer.    Cincinnati. 


Enquirer.     Richmond,  Va. 

Epoca.    San  Luis  Potosf,  Mex. 

Epoque.     Paris. 

Espectador.    Mexico. 

Esperanza.    Tampico,  M6x 

Evening  Post.     New  York. 

Examiner.     London. 

Express.     New  York. 

Federalista.     Queretaro,  Mex. 

Federalista  Puro.     Mexico. 

Fenix   de   la  Federaci6n.     Toluca, 
Mex. 

Flag  of  Freedom.     Puebla,  M£x 

Forum.    New  York. 

Eraser's  Magazine.    London. 

Fredonian. 

Free  American.     Vera  Cruz. 

Free  Press.     Detroit. 

Gaceta  de  Ciudad  Victoria.     Vic- 
toria, Mex. 

(iaceta    de    la    Nueva    Granada. 
Bogotd. 

Gaceta     del     Gob.     de     Mexico. 
Mexico. 

Gaceta  del  Gob.  .  .  .  de  Tamau- 
lipas.   Victoria,  Mex. 
Gazette.    Alexandria,  Va. 
Gazette.     Cincinnati. 
Gazette.     Corpus  Christi,  Tex. 
Gazette.     Holly  Springs,  Miss. 
Gazette.     Philadelphia. 
Gazette  de  France.     Paris. 
Genius  of  Liberty.    Vera  Cruz. 
Georgian.    Savannah,  Ga. 
Globe.    New  York. 
Globe.    Washington,  D.  C. 
Guard.    Holly  Springs,  Miss. 
Guard.    Toluca,  Mex. 
Harper's  Magazine.    New  York. 
Herald.    Cincinnati. 
Herald.    New  York. 
Herald  and  Tribune.    Mobile,  Ala. 
Heraldo.    Madrid,  Spain. 
Historical  Magazine.     Morrisania, 

etc. 

History  Teacher's  Magazine.  Phila- 
delphia. 
Ilustrador  Cat6Uco.    Mexico. 


APPENDIX 


529 


Imparcial.    M6xico. 

Independiente.  San  Luis  Potosf, 
Mex. 

Indiana  Magazine  of  History. 
Indianapolis. 

Indicador.     Veracruz. 

Infantry  Journal.     Washington. 

International  Military  Digest.  New 
York. 

Iowa  Journal  of  History  and  Pol- 
itics. Iowa  City. 

Iris  Espanol.     Mexico. 

Jalisciense.     Guadalajara,  Mex. 

Jeffersonian.     New  Orleans. 

Journal.     Louisville,  Ky. 

Journal.     Lowell,  Mass. 

Journal.     Providence,  It.  I 

Journal  des  Debats.     Paris. 

Journal  of  American  History. 

Journal  of  Commerce.     London. 

Journal  of  Commerce.     New  York 

Journal  of  Military  Service  In- 
stitution of  U  S.  Governor's 
Island,  N.  Y. 

Journal  of  Political  Economy 
Chicago. 

Journal  of  the  U.  S.  Artillery. 
Fort  Monroe. 

Journal  of  U.  S.  Infantry  Associa- 
tion. 

Kennebec  Journal.     Augusta,  Me. 

Liberal.    Zacatecas,  M£x. 

Liberal  Moderado  Matamoros, 
Mex. 

Liberator.    Boston. 

Lima  de  Vulcano.    Mexico. 

Littcll's  Living  Age.     Boston. 

Locomotor.    Veracruz. 

Louisiana  Advertiser.  New  Or- 
leans. 

Louisiana  Courier.     New  Orleans. 

Louisianais.     New  Orleans. 

Madisonian.    Washington. 

Magazine  of  American  History. 
New  York. 

Magazine  of  History.    New  York. 

Maryland  Historical  Magazine. 
Baltimore. 

VOL.  ii  —  2  M 


Massachusetts   Quarterly   Review. 
Boston. 

Memorial  Hist6rico.     Mexico. 

Mentor  del  Pueblo.    Puebla,  Me"x. 

Mercantile  Journal.     London. 

Merchants'  Magazine.     New  York. 

Mercury.     Charleston,  S.  C. 

Metropolitan       Magazine.       New 
York. 

Mexicano.    Mexico. 

Military  Historian  and  Economist. 
Cambridge,  Mass. 

Military  Service  Institution  Jour- 
nal.    New  York. 

Mississippi   Valley    Historical    Re- 
view.    Cedar  Rapids. 

Missouri    Historical    Review.     Co- 
lumbia 

Missouri  Reporter.     St.  Louis. 

Missouri  Republican.     St.  Louis. 

Monitor.     Mexico. 

Monitor  Constitucional.     Mexico. 

Monitor  del  Pueblo.     Puebla,  Mex. 

Monitor  Republicano.     Mexico. 

Morning  Advertiser.     London. 

Morning  Chronicle.     London. 

Morning  Herald.     London. 

Morning     News.       New     London, 
Conn. 

Morning  News.     New  York. 

Morning      Post,      Greensborough, 
N.  C. 

Morning  Post.     London. 

Morning  Star.     Houston,  Tex. 

Mosquito  Mexicano.    Mexico. 

Mountaineer.     Greenville,  S.  C. 

Mountaineer-Herald.      Ebensburg, 
Pa. 

Nacional.    Puebla,  M6x. 

National.     Paris. 

National    Anti-Slavery    Standard. 
New  York. 

National  Intelligencer.      Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

National    Register.      Washington, 
Tex. 

National  Vindicator.    Washington, 
Tex. 


530 


APPENDIX 


New  England  Historical  Gene- 
alogical Society  Register. 

New  Englander.    New  Haven. 

News.    Galveston,  Tex. 

News.    London. 

Niles'  National  Register.  Balti- 
more. 

North  American.    Mexico. 

North  American.    Philadelphia. 

North  American  Review.  New 
York. 

Notkioso.    San  Crist 6bal,  M£x. 

Nueva  Era  Constitucional  de 
Oaxaca.  Oaxaca,  Mex. 

Observador  Judicial.    Mexico. 

Observador  Zacatecano.  Zacatecas, 
Mex. 

Observer.     Lexington,  Ky. 

Ohio  Archaeological  and  Historical 
Quarterly.  Columbus. 

Ohio  State  Journal.     Columbus. 

Old  and  New.    Boston. 

Old  North  West  Quarterly.  Co- 
lumbus, O. 

Old  School  Democrat.    St.  Louis. 

Opinidn  del  Ejercito.  San  Luis 
Potosf,  Mex. 

Opini6n  Ptiblica.    Morelia,  Me"x. 

Oposici6n.    Mexico. 

Oregon  Historical  Society  Quar- 
terly. Portland. 

Pabell6n  Nacional.    Mexico. 

Patria.    New  Orleans. 

Patriot.    Mobile,  Ala. 

Patriota  Mexicano.    Mexico. 

Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History 
and  Biography.  Philadelphia. 

Pennsylvanian.    Philadelphia. 

Pensador  Mexicano.    Mexico. 

Peruano.    Lima,  Peru. 

Picayune.    New  Orleans. 

Picket  Guard.    Saltillo,  Mex. 

Political  Science  Quarterly.  Boston. 

Politician.    Nashville,  Tenn. 

Politico.    Mexico. 

Porvenir.    Toluca,  Mix. 

Post.    Boston. 

Potter's  American  Monthly. 


Pregonero.    Morelia,  Me"x. 
Progreso.    Quer6taro,  M6x. 
Public  ledger.    Philadelphia. 
Puritano.    Mexico. 
Quarterly   Journal   of   Economics. 

Boston. 

Razonador.    Mexico. 
Reforma.     Mexico. 
Regenerador.    Oaxaca,  M6x. 
Regenerador  Republicano.    Puebla, 

Mex. 

Registro  Oficial.    Durango,  M£x. 
Republica  dc  Rio  Grande  y  Amigo 

de   los   Pueblos.    Matamoros, 

Mex. 

Republican.    Jacksonville,  Ala. 
Republican.    New  Orleans. 
Republican.    St.  Louis. 
Republican.    Santa  Fe,  N.  Mex. 
Republican.    Savannah,  Ga. 
Republican    Banner.        Nashville, 

Tenn. 

Republicano.    Mexico. 
Republicano  Federado.    M6xico. 
Republicano   Jalisciense.      Guada- 
lajara, Mex. 

Reveille.    Matamoros,  Mex. 
Reveille.    St.  Louis. 
Revista   Econ.   y   Comerc.    de   la 

Repilb.    Mexicana.    Mexico. 
Revue  Britannique.    Paris. 
Revue  de  Paris.    Brussels. 
Revue  des  Deux  Mondes.     Paris. 
Revue  des  Races  Latines.    Paris. 
Rcvne  Historiqne.    Paris. 
Revue  Ind£i>endante.    Paris. 
Saturday  Review.    London. 
Scribner's  Magazine.    New  York. 
Scribner's  Monthly.    New  York. 
Seminario      Politico.       Monterey, 

Mex. 

Sentido  Comtin.    Morelia,  M6x. 
Sentinel.    Tampico,  Mex. 
Sentinel.    Vicksburg,  Miss. 
SigloXIX.    Mexico. 
Sinaloense.    Mazatldn,  M6x, 
Sol.    Mexico. 
Sol.    Tampico,  M£x. 


APPENDIX 


531 


Soldado  de  la  Patria.  San  Luis 
Potosf,  M4x. 

Sonorense.    Hermosillo,  Mex. 

South  Atlantic  Quarterly.  D  urham, 
N.C. 

South  Carolina  Historical  and  Gene- 
alogical Magazine.  Charles- 
ton, S.  C. 

Southern  Advocate.  Huntsville, 
Ala. 

Southern  Literary  Messenger. 
Richmond. 

Southern  Magazine.    Baltimore. 

Southern  Quarterly  Review.  New 
Orleans. 

Southwestern  Historical  Quarterly. 
Austin,  Tex. 

Spectateur  Militaire.    Paris. 

Spectator.    London. 

Spectator.     Washington,  D.  C. 

Spirit  of  Jefferson.  Charlestown,Va. 

Spirit  of  the  Age.    Woodstock,  Vt. 

Spirit  of  the  Times.    New  York. 

Standard.    London. 

Star.    Columbia,  S.  C. 

Star.    Raleigh,  N.  C. 

State  Sentinel.    Indianapolis. 

Statesman.    Albany,  N.  Y. 

Sun.    New  York. 

Sun  of  Anahuac.    Vera  Cruz. 

Tel£grafo.    Puebla,  Mex. 

Telegraph.    Houston,  Tex. 

Telegraph.    Washington,  D.  C. 

Temfstocles.  San  Juan  Bautista, 
Mex. 

Texas  Democrat.    Austin,  Tex. 

Texas  Review.    Austin,  Tex. 

Texas  State  Historical  Society 
Quarterly.  Austin,  Tex. 

Texian  Democrat.    Houston,  Tex. 


Tiempo.    Mexico. 

Times.    London. 

Tribune.    New  York. 

Tropic.    New  Orleans. 

Union.    Nashville,  Tenn. 

Union.    Washington,  D.  C. 

Uni6n  Nacional.    Oaxaca,  Mex. 

United  Service.  New  York  and 
Philadelphia. 

United  Service  Magazine.    London. 

U.  S.  Army  and  Navy  Journal. 
New  York. 

U.  S.  Cavalry  Association  Journal. 
Fort  Leavenworth. 

U.  S.  Magazine  and  Democratic 
Review.  Washington  and  New 
York. 

Vedette.    Washington, 

Veracruzano  Libre.  *  Veracruz. 

Verdadero  Liberal.  Guanajuato, 
Mex. 

Vigfa  del  Pacffico.    Mazatldn,  M6x. 

Virginia  Historical  Society  Maga- 
zine of  History  and  Biography. 

Voz  de  Michoacan.    Morelia,  Mex. 

Voz  de  la  Patria.    Mexico. 

Voz  del  Pueblo.    Mexico. 

West  Virginia  Hist  and  Antiq.  Soc.t 
Historical  Mag.  Charleston. 

Western  Monthly  Magazine.  Cin- 
cinnati. 

Whig.    Nashville,  Tenn. 

Whig.    Richmond,  Va. 

Whig  Review.  See  American  Re- 
view. 

William  and  Mary  College  Quar- 
terly Historical  Magazine. 

Yale  Review.    New  Haven. 

Zacatecano.    Zacatecas,  Mex. 

Zempoalteca.    Jalapa,  Mex. 


D.  BOOKS  AND  PAMPHLETS  (EXCEPT  SERIALS) 

These  were  used  primarily,  like  the  other  printed  matter,  on  account 
of  first-hand  material  contained  in  them,  secondly  for  ancillary  information 
on  biography,  topography,  industries,  customs,  etc.,  and  thirdly  for  sug- 
gestions, many  of  which  were  too  general  to  cite.  Some  are  mentioned 


532  APPENDIX 

simply  to  show  that  the  author  did  not  overlook  them.  Others  were 
examined  that  did  not  seem  worth  noticing  at  all  here.  To  have  expanded 
this  list  into  a  bibliography  would  have  been  foreign  to  the  author's  aim 
and  would  have  made  it  intolerably  long.  For  these  reasons  titles  have 
frequently  been  shortened.  The  main  use  of  the  list  was  to  make  it  possible 
to  give  very  brief  titles  in  the  notes.  Numerous  broadsides  examined  by 
the  author  are  not  mentioned. 

I A  las  Annas,  Mexicanos !    M£x.    1846. 

Act*.    Mazatlan.     1847. 

Acta  Celebrada  por  el  Ej6rcito  de  Reserva.    M6x.     1829. 

Acta  Constitutiva  y  de  Reformas,  etc.    Atlixco.     1847. 

Acta  del  Pronunciamiento.    Me"x.     1829. 

Adalberto  de  Cardona,  S.    M6x.  y  Sus  Capitales.    M6x.     1900. 

Adams,  E.    D.      British    Interests    and   Activities   in   Texas.      Balto. 

1910. 
Adams,  Henry.    Albert  Gallatin.    Phila.     1879.    History  of  the  United 

States.    9  v.    N.  Y.     1889-91. 
Adams,  J.  Q.    Memoirs.     12  v.    Phila.     1874-77. 
Addey,  Markinfield.    "Little  Mac."    N.  Y.    1864.     "Stonewall  Jack- 
son."   N.  Y.    1863. 

"Adopted  Citizen."    Texas  Question  Reviewed.    N.  Y.     1844. 
Aguilar  y  L6pez.    Breve  Impugnaci6n,  etc.    M€x.     1848. 
Ah,  Traidores  Gachupines.    Puebla.     1827. 
Al  Publico.    Puebla.     1847. 
Al  Pueblo  M6x. :    Relaci6n  de  las  Causas,  etc.  (Aug.  24,  1847).    M6x. 

1847. 
Alam&n,  Lucas.    Defensa.    Mex.     1834.    Dissert,  sobre  la  Hist,  de  la 

Repub.  Mexicana.    3  v.    Me*x.     1844-49.    Hist,  de  M&dco.    5  v. 

Mexico.     1883-5.     Liquid.  General  de  la  Deuda  Exterior  de  la  Reptib. 

Mex.    M6x.     1845.    Memoria  [on  Agriculture  and  the  Industries]. 

M6x.     1844. 
Alcaraz,  Ram6n,  et  cd.    Apuntes  para  la  Hist,  de  la  Guerra  entre  M6xico 

y  los  Estados  Unidos.    Mex.     1848. 
Aldrich,  M.  A.    U.  S.  Marine  Corps.    Boston.     1875. 
Alexander,  E.  P.    Amer.  Civil  War.    London.     1908. 
[Allen,  George.]    The  Complaint  of  Mexico.    Boston.    1843. 
Allen,  G.  N.    Mexican  Treacheries  and  Cruelties.    Boston  and  N.  Y. 

1848. 

Allen,  H.W.    Recollections  (S.  A.  [Ellis]  Dorsey,  ed.).    N.  Y.     [1866.1 
Allen,  J.  C.    Roster  of  Soldiers,  Sailors  and  Marines  of  the  War  of  1812,  etc, 

Lincoln,  Neb.    1893. 

Allen,  L.  L.    Scenes  upon  the  Rio  Grande.    N.  Y.    1848. 
Almonte,  J.  N.    Noticia  Estad.  sobre  Tejas.    M6x.    1835. 
Alocuci6n  dirigida  en  Chacapa  al  General  de  las  Fuerzas  Amer.    Puebla. 

1847. 

Alvarez,  Juan.    Manifesto.    Mex.    1845. 
Alvarez,  V.  S.    Breve  Noticia  de  Aigunos  Manuscritos.    Mex.    1908. 


APPENDIX  533 

"  Amante  de  Su  Patria."    Causas  para  Declarar  la  Guerra  a  los  EE.  UU. 

Mex.     1829. 

Ambler,  C.  H.    Thomas  Ritchie.    Richmond.     1913. 
''American,  An."    See  Robinson,  A. 
American  Gift  Book.    N.  Y.     1848. 
American  State  Papers.     Class  I,  vol.  vi.    Wash. 
Ampudia,  Pedro  de.    To  Fellow-citizens  (July  10,  1846).     [Mex.     1846.] 

Manifiesto.    Mex.     1847.    El  Ciud.  P.   de  A.   ante  ...  la  Opin. 

Ptiblica.    S.  Luis  Potosf.     1846. 

Analasis  del  Manif .  de  la  Legisl.  de  V.  Cruz.    Puebla.     1827. 
Anderson,  Robert.    Diary  ("An  Artillery  Officer  in  Mexico"),  edited  by 

Mrs.  Eba  A.  Lawton.    N.  Y.     1911. 
Andrews,  C.  M.    Guide  to  the  Materials  for  Amer.  Hist,  to  1783,  in  the 

Public  Record  Office  of  Great  Britain.    Wash.     1912. 
Annual  Report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  the  State  of  the  Finances. 

Wash.     1918. 

Antonio  L6pez  de  Santa  Anna,  Candidato.    Mex.     1850. 
Apelacion  del  Gen.  I.  Reyes  al  Buen  Sentido  de  los  Mexicanos.    Zaoatecas. 

1847. 

Appleton.    Biog.  Dictionary  (Article  on  Z.  Taylor  by  Jefferson  Davis). 
Apuntes  para  la  Biog.  del  ...  Alaman,  etc.    Me*x.     1854. 
Apuntes  para  la  Hist,  de  la  Guerra.     See  Alc&raz. 
Aranda,  A.  L.    Exposicion.    Morelia.     1847. 
Arispe,  Ramos  de.    Memorial.     1814. 

Arista,  Mariano.     Resefia  Hist,  de  la  Revol.  .  .  .  1833.     M6x.     1835. 
Arkansas  History  Commission.    Bulletin  No.  6  (June,  1913). 
Arnold,  T.  J.    Early  Life  and  Letters  of  T.  J.  Jackson.    N.  Y.     [1916.) 
Arrangoiz,  F.  de  P.  de.    Mexico  desde  1808  hasta  1867.    4  v.    Madrid. 

1871-72. 

Arriilaga,  J.  B.     Recopilaci6n.     M£x.     1839, 
Arr6niz,  J.     Hist,  de  Orizaba.     1867. 

Arr6niz,  Marcos.    Manuel  del  Viajero  en  M6xico.    Paris.     1858. 
Articulos  Selectos  ...  del  Aguila  Mex.    M6x.     1828. 
Atocha,  A.  J.    Memorial.     1852.    Statement.     [Wash.     1845.} 
Austin,  G.  L.    Wendell  Phillips.    Boston.     1884. 
Aviraneta  e  Ibargoyen,  E.  de.    Mis  Memorias  Intimas,  1825-29.    M&c. 

1906. 

Aviso  a  los  Estados.    Mex.     1834. 
Babcock,  Elkanah.    War  Hist,  of  Sixth  U.  S.  Infantry.    Kansas  City. 

1903. 

[Babcock,  J.  F.]    Fate  of  Fred  D.  Mills.     [New  Haven.    1848.] 
Bache,  R.  M.    Gen.  G.  G.  Meade.    Phila.    1897. 
Baker,  D.  W.  C.    Texas  Scrap-Book.    N.  Y.     [1875.] 
Balbontm,   Manuel.    Estado  Militar  de  .  .  .  M&rico  en   1846.    M6x. 

Invasidn  Americana.    M6x.    1883. 
[Ballentine,  George.]    Autobiog.  of  an  English  Soldier  in  the  U.  S.  Army. 

2  v.    London.    1853. 
Banco  deAvio.    Informe.    Mex.    1835. 


534  APPENDIX 

Bancroft,  H.  H.     Chronicles  of  the  Builders  of  the  Commonwealth.    7  v. 

S.  Francisco.     1891-92.     Hist,  of  the  Pacific  States,  Mexico  and  Texas. 

16    v.    S.    Francisco.     1883-90.    Resources    and    Development    of 

Mexico.    S.  Francisco.     1893. 
Bandini,  H.  E.    Hist,  of  California.    N.  Y.     [1908.] 
Barcena,  J.  M.  Roa.     See  Roa  Barcena. 
Baril,  V.  L.    Le  Mexique.    Douai.     1862. 
Barker,  E.  C.  (ed.).    Johnson's  Hist,  of  Texas  and  Texans.     5  v.    Chicago. 

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Barragan,  M.    Manifesto.    Mix.     1830. 
"Barrister,  A."  [Forbes].     Trip  to  Mexico.     London.     1851. 
Barrows,  William.     Oregon.     10  ed.     Boston.     1898. 
Bartlett,  D.  V.  G.     Franklin  Pierce.     Auburn.     1852. 
Bassett,  J.  S.     Andrew  Jackson.     2  v.     Garden  City,  N.  Y.     1911. 
Battles  and  Leaders  of  the  Civil  War.    4  v.    N.  Y.     [1887-89.] 
Battles  of  Mexico.     N.  Y.     1848. 

Bayley,  R.  A.    National  Loans  of  the  U.  S.,  1776-1880.     Wash.     1881. 
Baylies,  Francis.     Wool's  Campaign  in  Mexico.     Albany.     1851. 
Baz,  Gustavo.     Vida  de  Benito  Juarez.     Mex.     1864. 
Beechey,  F.  W.    Voyage  to  the  Pacific  and  Beering's  Strait.    2  v.    London. 

1831. 

Beltrami,  J.  C.  [G.  C.].     Le  Mexique.    2  v.    Paris.     1830. 
Benet,  S.  V.    Ordnance  Dept.     Reports,  etc.,  ii.     Wash.     1880. 
[Benham,  H.  W.]     Recollections  of  Mexico  and  the  Battle  of  Buena  Vista. 

Boston.     1871. 
Bennett,  F.  M.    The  Steam  Navy  of  the  U.  S.     Pittsburgh.     1896.    The 

Monitor  and  the  Navy  under  Steam.     Boston.     1900. 
Bennett,  J.  G.     See  "Journalist." 

Benton,  J.  G.     Ordnance  and  Gunnery.     2  ed.     N.  Y.     1862. 
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Biografia  de  Alaman.    M£x. 
Biog.  del  Gen.  Santa-Anna.    M6x.     1847. 
Biog.  del  Gen.  Santa-Anna.    M6x.     1857. 
Biog.  del  Gral.  Santa  Anna.    Mex.     1849. 
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1884. 


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Bishop,  W.  W.    Journal  of  the  Twelve  Months  Campaign  of  Gen.  ShielcU's 

Brigade,  compiled  from  notes  of  Lieuts.  J.  J.  Adams  and  H.  C.  Dunbar. 

St.  Louis.     1847. 

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Mex.     1882. 
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Archives  of  Mexico.    Wash.    1913.    Texas  in  the  Middle  XVIII 

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Breve  Impugnaci6n  &  las  Observaciones  acerca,  etc.    Mex.     1848. 
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Bureau  of  Amer.  Republics.    Mexico.    Wash.    1900* 


536  APPENDIX 

Bustamante,  Anastasio.    Manifiesto  que  el  Vicepresidente  .  .  ,  dirige  & 

laNaci6n.    Mex.     1830. 
Bustamante,  C.  M.  de.    Apuntes  para  la  Hist,  de  .  .  .  S.  Anna.    M6x, 

1845.  Campana   sin   Gloria.    M6x.     1847.    Cuadro   Hist6rico   de 
la  Revol.  Mexicana.    2  ed.     5  v.    Me*x.     1843-46.    Gabinete  Mexi- 
cano,    etc.     2   v.   In   one.    M£x.     1842.     Gobierno   del   Gral  .  .  . 
S.  Anna.    Me*x.     1845.    Hist,  del  Emper.  D.  A.  de  Iturbide.    M6x. 

1846.  Nuevo  Bernal  Dfaz  del  Castillo,  etc.    2  v.    Mix.     1847. 
Butler,  C.  II.     The  Treaty-Making  Power  of  the  U.  S.     2  v.    N.  Y. 

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C[alder6n]  de  la  B[arca,  F.  E.]    Life  in  Mexico.    2  v.    Boston.     1843. 
Calendario  de  Ontiveros.    Mex.     1847. 
Calhoun,  J.  C.     Correspondence.     See  Jameson.    Works   (Crall6,  ed.). 

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Callahan,  E.  W.    Officers  of  U.  S.  Navy  and  Marine  Corps.     N.Y.     1901. 
C&mara  de  Repres.  (La),  &  la  Naci6n.    Mex.    1845. 
Campana  contra  los  Amer.  del  Norte.    Primera  Parte  :  Relaci6n  Hist,  de 

los  Quarenta  Dias.    M£x.    1846. 

Campos,  S.  I.  Recuerdos  Hist,  de  .  .  .  Veracruz.  Mex.  1895. 
[Capen,  Nahum.]  Republic  of  the  U.  S.  of  Amer.  N.  Y.  1848. 
"Captain  of  Volunteers,  A."  Alta  California.  Phila.  1847.  Conquest 

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Cardona,  Adalberto  de.     M6x.  y  sus  Capitales.    Mex.     1890. 
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Carleton,  J.  H.     Battle  of  Buena  Vista.     N.  Y.     1848. 
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M6x.     1837. 

Carpenter,  W.  W.     Travel  and  Adventure  in  Mexico.     N.  Y.     1851. 
Carreno,  A.  M.    Jefes  del  Ej£rcito  Mex.  en  1847.     Mex.     1914. 
Carson,  J.  H.     Early  Recollections  of  the  Mines,  etc.    Stockton.     1852. 
Carta  de  un  Ciud.  Mex.  a  un  Oficial  del  Ejerc.  Norte-Amer.    Atlixco. 

1847. 
Carta  de  un  Filosofo  sobre  la  Ocupacidn  de  los  Bienes  del  Clero.    M£x. 

1847. 

Casasus,  J.  D.  Hist,  de  la  Deuda  contraida  en  Londres,  etc.  M£x.  1885. 
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Castillo  Negrete.  See  Negrete. 

Causa  Criminal  instruida  al  .  .  .  S.  Anna.    Mex.     1846. 
Causas  y  Efectos  de  la  ult.  Revol.  de  M£x.    [Mex.]    1841. 
Cavo,  Andres.    Los  Tres  Siglos  de  M^x.  durante  el  Gob.  Espanoi.    4  v. 

M^x.    1836-38. 
Ceballos,  Ram6n  de.    Capftulos  en  Vindic.  de  M^x.    XXIV.    Madrid. 

1856. 
Censura  Particular  6  Imparcial  del  Cuaderno  titulado  "  Verdadero  Origen, 

etc."    M^x.    1821. 
Cerems.  on  the  presentation  of  the  Swords  voted  Gen.  J.  E.  Wool.    Troy. 

I860. 


APPENDIX  537 

Chadwick,  F.  E.    Relations  of  the  U.  S.  and  Spain  :  Diplomacy.    N.  Y. 

1909. 

Channing,  W.  E.    Works.     19  ed.    6  v.  in  three.    Boston.    1869. 
Charleston  (S.  C.)  Year  Book.     1883. 

Chase,  L.  B.    History  of  the  Polk  Administration.    N.  Y.     1850. 
Chevalier,  Michel.    Mexico  Ancient  and  Modern.    2  v.     London.     1864. 
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Church,  G.  E.    Mexico  :  Its  Revolutions.    N.  Y.     1866. 
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"  Citizen  of  the  U.  S."    France  and  Mexico.     1839. 
Ciudadano  (El).     P.  Ampudia  ante  ...  la  Opini6n  Ptiblica.     S.  Luis 

Potosf.    1846. 

Claiborne,  J.  F.  H.    John  A.  Quitman.    2  v.    N.  Y.     1860. 
Claimants  on  Mexico.     1845. 
Clamor  (El)  de  las  Ovejas,  etc.    Veracruz.     1847. 
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Colecci6n  de  Articulos  .  .  .  sacados  del  Aguila  Mexicano,  etc.    M6x.    1828. 
Colecci6n  de  Decretos  y  Ordenes  del  Soberano  Congreso  Constit.  Mex. 

2v.    M£x.     1825. 
Colecci6n  de  Documentos  .  .  .  relat.  d  la  Instal.  y  Reconoc.  del  Gob. 

Provis.,  etc.    Me*x.     1847. 
Colecci6n  de  Itineraries.    M6x.     1844. 
Colecci6n  de  los  Docs,  mas  Import.,  etc.    M6x.     1847. 
Colecci6n  de  Memorias.    See  Memorias. 
Colecci6n  —  Mexico  y  Los  Estados  Unidos  (A  Collection  of  Documents 

in  the  Biblioteca  Nacional,  Mexico). 

Coleman,  Mrs.  Chapman.    John  J.  Crittenden.    2  v.    Phila.     1871. 
Collum,  R.  S.    Hist,  of  the  U.  S.  Marine  Corps.    Boston.    1875. 
Coiton,  Walter.    Deck  and  Port.    N.  Y.    1850.    Three  Years  in  Cali- 
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Commissioner,  Indian  Affairs.    Report,  1858.    Wash. 
Comunicaci6n    Circular    que  .  .  .  Pefia    y    Peria    estendi6  .  .  .  1845. 

Quer£taro.    1848. 
Comunicacidn  Oficial  del  ...  Santa  Anna  al  .  .  .  Rosa.    Guadalajara. 

1848. 


538  APPENDIX 

Comunicaciones  habidas  entre  el  Sup.  Gob.  de  la  Nacidn  y  .  .  .    S.  Anna, 

etc.    Orizaba.     1847. 

Comunicaciones  relat.  6  la  Agreg.  de  Tejas,  etc.    Me"x.    1845. 
Conducta  Admin,  de  Berdusco.    [Mex.]    1847. 
Confederate  Military  History.    I.    Atlanta.     1899. 
Connecticut  Adj.  Generals.    Record  of  Service  of  Conn.  Men.    Hartford. 

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Conner,  P.  S.  P.    The  Castle  of  S.  Juan  de  Ulloa.     Phila.     1897.    The 

Home  Squadron.  [Phila.]  1896. 
Conquest  of  Mexico.  Boston.  1846. 
Consideraciones  sobre  la  Situacion  ...  de  ...  Mexico  en  ...  1847. 

Mex.     1848. 

[Constituent  Cong,  of  Mex.    Address  to  the  People.]    M6x.     1824. 
Contestacidn  d  las  Observ.  sobre  ...  la  Conducta  del  Senor  Poinsett, 

Mex. 
Contestation  del  Ven.  Cabildo  d  las  dos  Notas  del  Sup.  Gob.,  etc.    M£x. 

1847. 
Contestaciones   habidas  entre  .  .  .  D.   Mariano    Paredes,   D.   Mariano 

Arista  y  el  Sup.  Gob.,  etc.    S.  Luis  Potosf.     1845. 
Contestaciones  habidas  entre  el  Sup.  Gob.  Mex.,  el  Gen.  en  Gefe  del  Eje"rc. 

Amer.  y  el  Comis.  de  los  EE.  UU.    M£x.     1847. 
Convocatoria  espedida  por  el  Gen.  en  Gefe.    Me"x.     1846. 
Cooke,  J.   E.    R.   E.   Lee.    N.   Y.  1871.    Stonewall  Jackson.    N.  Y. 

1876. 
Cooke,  P.  S.  G.    Conquest  of  New  Mexico  and  California.    N.  Y.    1878 

Scenes  and  Adventures  in  the  Army.    Phila.     1857. 
Cooper,  T.  V.    American  Politics.    Springfield,  Mass. 
Copp£e,  Henry.    General  Thomas.    N.  Y.     1893. 
"Corporal  of  the  Guard."    High  Private.    N.  Y.    1848. 
Corral,  J.  J.  del.    Breve  Resena  sobre  ...  la  Hacienda.    Mex.    1848. 
Correspondence  between  Nathan  Appleton  and  J.  G.  Palfrey.    Boston. 

1846. 

Corwin,  Thomas.     Life  and  Speeches  (Morrow,  ed.).     Cincin.     1896. 
Courmont,  F.  de.    Des  Etats  Unis,  de  la  Guerre  du  Mexique,  etc.    Paris. 

1847. 

Cowan,  J.  E.    Condensed  History  of  the  Mexican  War.     [N.  Y.  ?    1902  ?] 
Coxe,  R.  S.    Letter  to  Pendleton.    Wash.    1847.    Review  of  Relations 

between  the  U.  S.  and  Mexico.    N.  Y.    1846. 
Crane,  W.  C.    Sam  Houston.    Phila.    1885  [1884]. 
Creasy,  E.  S.    The  Fifteen  Decisive  Battles  of  the  World.    20  ed.    Lon- 
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Crimines  [de  Zavala].    Me*x.    1829. 

Cuatro  Palabras  en  Justa  Defensa  del  Ejgrcito.    QuerSt.    1848. 
Cuevas,  L.  G.    Porvenir  de  Mexico.    3  v.  in  one.    M6x.    1851-7. 
Cullum,  G.  W.    Biog.  Register  of  the  Officers  and  Graduates  of  ...  West 
Point.    3  v.    N.  Y.    1868,  1879. 


APPENDIX  539 

(Gumming,  Hiram.]    Perfidies,  etc.,  of  the  Tyler  Dynasty.    Wash.     1845. 
Curtis,  G.  T.    Daniel  Webster.    2  v.    N.  Y.    1870.    James  Buchanan. 

2  v.    N.  Y.    1883. 

Cutts,  J.  M.     Conquest  of  California  and  New  Mexico.    Phila.     1847. 
Cutts,  J.  M.  (ed.).     Constitutional  and  Party  Questions  (S.  A.  Douglas). 

N.  Y.     1866. 

Dabney,  R.  L.    T.J.Jackson.    N.  Y.    1866. 
Dana,  R.  H.    Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.    2  ed.    Boston.     1869. 
Daniel,  J.  W.  [ed.].    Jefferson  Davis.    Balto.    1890. 
Davis,  G.  T.  M.    Autobiography.    N.  Y.     1891. 
Davis,  J.    The  Mexican  War  and  Its  Results.    New  Orleans.     1876. 
Davis,  Reuben.    Recollections.    Boston.     1889. 
Davis,  V.  A.     Jefferson  Davis.     2  v     N.  Y.     [1890  ] 
Davis,  W.  H.    Sixty  Years  in  California     S.  Francisco.     1889. 
Dawson,  H.  B.    Battles  of  the  U.  S.    2  v.    N.  Y.     [1858.] 
De  Knight,  W.  F.    Currency  of  the  Country.    Wash.     1897. 
De  Peyster,  J.  W.    Philip  Kearney.    N.  Y.     1869. 
Decaen,  J.     Mexico  y  sus  Alrededores.     Mex.     1855-56. 
Decrees  of  the  Mex.  Republican  Govt.  inviting  Amer.  Emigrants.    N.  Y. 

1864. 

Decretos  y  Ordenes  del  Sober.  Cong.  Constit.  Mex.    2  v.     Mex.    1825. 
Defensade  .  .  .  Estrada.    Toluca.     1847. 
Defensa  de  F.  G.  Iriarte.    Mex.     1850. 
Defensa  del  Gen.  Santa  Anna.     Puebla.     1826. 
Dellenbaugh,  F.  S.    Fremont  and  '49.    N.  Y.     1914. 
Demonstracion  Teorico-practica  de  las  Ventajas  del  Sistema  Federal,  etc. 

Veracruz.     1834. 

Denison  (C.  W.)  and  Herbert  (G.  B.)      W.  S.  Hancock.    Phila.     [18SO.J 
Derrota  de  los  Infames  Yankees.    Puebla.     1847. 
Derrota  de  Palo  Alto.    Mex.     1846. 
Derrota  del  Sr.  Guerrero.     Mex. 
Desdevises  du  Dezert,  G.  N.    L'Espagne  de  1'Ancien    Regime.    3  v. 

Paris.     1897-1904. 

Desesperada  Situacidn  de  los  Mex.    M£x.     1847. 

Despojo  de  los  Bienes  Eclesi&sticos  (a  group  of  pamphlets).    Mex.    1847-9. 
Detail  de  las  Operaciones  ocurridas  en  la  Defensa  de  la  Capital,  etc.    M6x. 

1848. 

Dewees,  W.  B.    Letters  from  an  Early  Settler  of  Texas.     2  ed.    Louis- 
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Dewey,  D.  R.    Financial  History  of  the  U.  S.    N.  Y.  and  London.     1903. 
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Diccionario  Univ.  de  Hist,  y  de  Geog.  (L.  Alam&n,  ed.).     10  v.    Mex. 

1853-56. 

Dictamen  de  la  Comisi6n  ...  el  Pronunc.  de  la  Capital.    Mex.     1835. 
Dictamen  de  la  Comisi6n  .  .  .  sobre  .  .  .  Deuda  Inglesa.    M6x.     1850. 
Dictamen  .  .  .  sobre  Arreglo  de  la  Deuda  Interior.    M£x.    1849. 
Dictamen  sobre  el  contrato  .  .  .  celeb,  por  D.  Ign.  Loperena,     M6x. 

1850. 


540  APPENDIX 

Discourses  .  .  .  during  the  Obsequies  of  T.  B.  Ransom.     [Northfield,  Vt.] 

1905. 

Discurso  pronunciado  por  .  .  .  Juan  Soto.    Veracruz.     1846. 
Discursos  .  .  .  por  .  .  .  Poinsett.    Mex.    1829. 
Dix,J.  A.    Speeches.    2  v.    N.  Y.    1864. 
Dix,  Morgan.    Memoirs  of  John  A.  Dix.    2  v.    N.  Y.     1883. 
Doblado,  Manuel.    Memoria  que  contiene,  etc.    Me"x. 
Documentos  para  la  Historia  de  Mexico  (a  series  of  volumes  belonging  to 

the  Biblioteca  Nacional  of  Mexico). 

Dodd,  W.  E.    Jefferson  Davis.    Phila.     [1907.]    Robert  J.  Walker  :   Im- 
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Domfnguez,  A.  M.    El  P&nuco.    Mex.     1898. 
Donaldson  (J.  W.  E.)  and  Becke  (A.  R).    Military  Hist,  applied  to 

Modern  Warfare.    2  ed.    London.     1907. 
Donaldson,  Thomas.    The  Public  Domain.    Wash.     1884. 
Donat,  Karl  von  (tr.).    Development  of  Strategical  Science  (Cammerer). 
London.     1905.    Russo-Japanese    War    (German    General    Staff). 
6  v.  in  seven.    London.     1908-13. 

Donnavan,  C.    Adventures  in  Mexico.     12  ed.    Boston.    1848. 
Dos  Palabras  &  los  Detractores  de  Puebla.    Puebla.     1847. 
Du  Pont,  S.  F.    Official  Despatches  and  Letters.    Wilmington.    1883. 
Dublan   (M.)  y  Lozano   (J.  M.).    Legislaci6n  Mex.    Tomo  V.    M6x. 

1876. 

Dubose,  J.  W.    Yancey.    Birmingham,  Ala.     1892. 
Duflot  de  Mofras,  Eugene.    Expeditions  des  Espagn.  et  des  Amer.  au 
Mexique.    Paris.     1862.    Exploration  .  .  .  de   P0r£gon,    des   Cab'* 
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Dunbar,  C.  F.  [ed.].    Laws  of  U.  S.  relating  to  Currency,  Finance  and 

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INDEX 


Aberdeen,  Earl  of,  and  Oregon  contro- 
versy and  Mexico,  1.  115;  and 
California,  321,  2  302,  counsel  to 
Mexico,  1.  434  ,  warning  on  annexa- 
tion, 2  299,  508 ,  offers  mediation, 
301,  503,  and  interposition,  302, 
304,  504-6. 

Abert,  J.  J.,  chief  topographical  en- 
gineer, 1.  475. 

Aburto,  Juan,  guerilla,  2.  421. 

Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  1.  14. 

Acapulco,  as  port,  1.  3 ;  not  occupied, 
2.  207,  448 

Acordada,  insurrection  of  the,  1.  41 , 
building,  413. 

Activo  corps  in  Mexican  army,  1.  157 

Acuerdo,  meaning  of  citation  to,  2 
346  n. 

Adams,  J.  Q  ,  Texas  speech,  1.  70,  111  , 
and  Oregon,  152 ,  on  secession,  2 
272 ,  effect  of  death  on  treaty  of 
peace,  246. 

Aetna,  in  attack  on  Tuxpdn,  2.  444, 
in  Home  Squadron,  445,  446. 

Agiotista,  as  term  of  reproach,  2.  327. 

Agriculture,  Mexican  products,  1.  1- 
2  ,  farms,  5  ,  conditions,  16,  410. 

Agua  Nueva,  Taylor's  advance  at,  1. 
374  ;  Santa  Anna's  advance,  Taylor's 
retreat,  381-4,  554 ,  Santa  Anna's 
retirement  to,  parley,  398,  561. 

Aguascahentes  battalion,  at  Monterey, 
1.  494. 

Aguirre,  J.  M  de,  and  occupation  of 
Saltillo,  1  260,  508;  and  guerilla 
warfare,  2  170,  efforts  to  appre- 
hend, 418. 

Aiken,  William,  opposes  war,  1.  188. 

Alabama  troops,  first  enlistments,  1. 
195;  at  Tampico,  282,  512;  at 
siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2.  343;  in  Al- 
varado  expedition,  344;  leave 
Scott,  356,  call  (1847),  364,  365; 
in  Taylor's  later  force,  417 ;  slow 
response  to  call,  431. 

Alaman,  Lucas,  industrial  scheme,  1. 
16 ;  appearance,  25  ,  as  real  ruler, 
character,  43;  and  boundary  nego- 
tiations, 60,  418-9 ,  and  Butler,  62, 
420 ;  and  monarchy,  90,  214 ;  on 
judicial  system,  409;  on  Mexican 
character,  410 ;  and  American  troops, 
1.  230. 


Alamo  massacre,  American  indigna- 
tion, 1.  117. 

Albany,  and  Vera  Cruz  expedition,  2. 
18 ;  in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  444 ;  in 
Home  Squadron,  445,  446. 

Albany  Statesman,  on  tariff  for  Mexi- 
can ports,  2.  500. 

Alcorta,  L.  J.,  and  executive  power 
(1847),  2.  180;  and  armistice,  394; 
and  war  policy,  430. 

Aleman,  Lieutenant,  at  Chapultepec,  2. 
410. 

Aliens,  Mexican  antipathy  and  treat- 
ment, 1.  58,  74,  103,  416.  See  also 
Attitude  towards  United  States. 

Allen,  G   W  ,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164. 

Allen,  James,  and  Mormon  battalion, 
1.  290. 

Allen,  William,  and  war  bill,  1.  183; 
and  Democratic  dissension,  2.  496. 

Alleye  de  Cyprey,  Baron      See  Cyprey. 

Almonte,  J.  N  ,  character,  1.  26 ;  and 
annexation  of  Texas,  84,  87 ;  be- 
littles American  chances  m  war,  104, 
105,  107,  110,  115,  excites  fear  of 
Spanish  America,  111;  and  Euro- 
pean protection,  122  ,  and  outbreak 
of  war,  201,  442  ;  treachery  to  Pare- 
des,  215 ;  combination  with  Santa 
Anna,  216,  222;  return  to  Mexico 
with  Santa  Anna,  486  ,  Presidential 
candidacy  (1846),  2.  5,  82,  84;  ar- 
rested (1846),  84,  anti-peace  atti- 
tude (1847),  235,  236,  466 ;  combina- 
tion against  Santa  Anna,  134 ;  and 
privateering,  191,  192;  subsides, 
242  ,  candidacy  for  Senate,  474. 

Altata,  blockaded,  2.  448. 

Alvarado,  J.  B.,  leader  in  California, 
1.  319;  and  American  occupation, 
335. 

Alvarado,  expedition,  2.  38,  344-5, 
blockade,  194  ,  naval  attacks,  197-9, 
442 ;  map,  198. 

Alvarez,  Juan,  at  Acapulco,  revolt 
(1846),  1.  216,  2.  448;  seizes  Cali- 
fornia expedition,  1.  522;  supports 
Santa  Anna  (1847),  2.  86,  88;  char- 
acter, 88 ;  in  plan  of  defence  of  capi- 
tal, 90 ;  and  Scott's  advance  to  San 
Agustin,  95,  97,  374 ;  and  combina- 
tion against  Santa  Anna,  134;  at 
Molino  del  Key,  142,  146 ;  at  siege 


563 


564 


INDEX 


of  Puebla,  174,  175,  425  ,  force  (Oct. 
1847),  182;  and  Scott  at  Puebla, 
363;  "pintos"  in  force,  369,  and 
Contreras,  380 ,  arid  Chapultepec, 
408 ;  in  the  city,  414  ,  later  move- 
ments, 425,  433  ,  and  Santa  Anna's 
surrender  of  command,  429. 

Alvarez,  Manuel,  American  consul  at 
Sante  Fe,  and  Armijo  and  Kearny's 
expedition,  1.  289. 

American  Review,  on  spirit  of  expansion 
and  unrest,  1.  123,  124,  on  Slidell 
mission,  133 ,  on  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  459-61 ,  on  British  criticism 
of  military  operations,  2  307  ,  on 
peace  negotiations  (1847),  400. 

American  Star,  accompanies  Scott's 
army,  2.  227. 

Amiga  del  Pueblo,  on  Herrera's  rule, 
1.  56 ;  on  incitation  to  war,  87  , 
on  Slidell  mission,  436  ,  on  California, 
522. 

Amnesty,  for  Mexican  political  of- 
fenders, 2.  367 

Amozoc,  Worth  at,  Santa  Anna's  at- 
tack, 2.  69-70,  360. 

Ampudia,  Pedro  de,  cruel  execution  of 
iSentmanat,  1  117,  commands  at 
Matamoros,  148,  and  Taylor,  148, 
149,  158,  455,  intention  to  attack, 
subordinated  to  Arista,  149,  455 , 
and  guerillas,  153 ,  character  and 
appearance,  158,  234 ,  propaganda 
among  American  troops,  160 ,  in 
advance,  162 ;  before  Fort  Brown, 
164,  166,  176,  468,  at  Palo  Alto, 
165  ,  and  rumors  of  Arista's  treach- 
ery, 168, 172  ;  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
174  ,  preparations  and  force  at  Mon- 
terey, 230-1,  234,  494  ;  position  and 
policy  in  command  at  Monterey, 
234;  "Culinary  Knight,"  241, 
during  attack  on  city,  241,  242,  248, 
255,  258,  259,  501 ,  capitulation  and 
retirement,  259,  502,  504,  and 
Pass  of  Rinconada,  265,  508,  at 
Buena  Vista,  366,  388-91 ,  and 
Wool's  march,  510,  force  at  San 
Luis  Potosi,  550,  trial,  550,  hos- 
tility to  Santa  Anna,  2  82;  sent 
away,  84. 

Amusements,  Mexican,  1.  19,  23,  24, 
27. 

Anaya,  J.  P.,  at  Mazatlan,  2.  448. 

Anaya,  P.  M.,  substitute  President,  2. 
15;  council  to  consider  defence  of 
capital,  79 ;  on  effect  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
80 ;  and  Santa  Anna,  82,  92 ;  and 
Santa  Anna's  return  to  capital,  83 ; 
at  Churubusco,  110  ,  chosen  interim 


President,  236 ,  suppresses  war- 
party  insurrection,  236 ;  term  ex- 
pires, 240 ,  appearance,  at  exchange 
of  ratifications,  251  ;  brigade,  369 ; 
in  meeting  of  governors  on  peace,  464. 

Anderson,  Robert,  military  book,  1 
451 ;  and  volunteer  officers,  481 ; 
on  American  rule  in  Puebla,  2.  225 ; 
on  effect  of  victories,  305  ;  on  Cerro 
Gordo,  354  ;  on  Worth,  360. 

Andrade,  Manuel,  at  Cedral,  1.  553 , 
at  Buena  Vista,  557 ;  at  Molino  del 
Rey,  2  141,  146,  404. 

Andrews,  T  P.,  at  Chapul tepee,  2 
154  ;  regiment,  363  ,  at  Churubusco, 
385.  See  also  Voltigeurs 

Angeles.     See  Los  Angeles 

Angostura,  at  Buena  Vista,  1  383-6. 

Annexations  of  Mexican  War,  Mexican 
desire  for,  effect  on,  of  occupation, 
2.  125,  215,  323 ,  as  only  guaranty 
of  order,  234  ,  plan  to  absorb  Mexico, 
243-4,  309 ,  opposition  to  any,  274, 
287-9,  492,  498,  502,  and  Wilmot 
Proviso,  287-8,  498  ,  foreign  opinion 
on,  297,  308  ,  Yucatan,  472  ,  Polk 
and  policy,  502  See  also  California  , 
Expansion  ;  Peace  ,  Texas 

Antigua,  expedition,  2.  38,  344. 

Antislavery  sentiment,  as  expected 
factor  in  war,  1  105,  107 ;  and 
Mexico,  119.  See  also  Slavery. 

Anton  Lizardo,  rendezvous  of  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  2  17,  332 

Apache  Canyon,  N  Mex  ,  expected 
fight  at,  1.  293-5,  516 

Apodaca,  Juan  Ruiz  de,  and  liberal 
constitution,  1.  32. 

Appropriations  for  American  navy,  1. 
190,  2  189  Sec  also  Finances. 

Arab,  Santa  Anna  returns  in,  1.  486 

Arbitrary  rule,  tradition,  1.  30. 

Arbitration  of  claims  on  Mexico,  1 
79-81,  429-31. 

Archer,  William  S  ,  and  advance  to 
Rio  Grande,  1.  152  ,  and  war  bill, 
182 ,  and  British  mediation,  2  504. 

Argueiies,  D.,  at  Bel6n  garita,  2.  159, 
160. 

Arista,  Mariano,  position,  commands 
at  Matamoros,  1.  149 ,  orders 
troops  to  cross  and  attack,  149 ,  on 
beginning  of  war,  155  ;  force,  158  , 
propaganda  among  American  troops, 
160 ;  and  outlook,  161 ;  advance  on 
Taylor's  communications,  162,  464 , 
battle  of  Palo  Alto,  164-70,  465, 
treachery  rumored,  168,  172 ;  battle 
of  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  170-6,  467 , 
position  after  battle,  177 ;  retires  from 


INDEX 


565 


Matamoros,  177-8,  469 ,  relieved 
of  command,  178 ,  pursuit,  204 , 
effect  of  defeat,  213  ,  rebuilds  army, 
225,  489,  and  Fort  Brown,  468, 
hostility  to  Santa  Anna,  i.  82 ;  sent 
away,  84 ,  refuses  command,  182. 

Aristocracy,  conditions,  aspect,  1  5 
23-7  ;  fears  American  influence,  103, 
See  also  Oligarchy. 

Arkansas  troops,  and  Santa  Anna's 
advance,  1  383,554,  at  Buena  Vista, 
386,  555,  558 ,  in  Wool's  march,  509  , 
call  (1847),  2  365  ,  m  Tayloi's  later 
force,  417. 

Arlegui,  J  M  de,  and  Doniphan's 
expedition,  1.  521. 

Armijo,  Manuel,  control  of  New  Mex- 
ico, character,  1  285,  2  216;  and 
advance  of  Kearny's  expedition,  1 
289,  292-3,  516  ;  wavering  and  flight, 
294-5,  516-7. 

Armistice,  Taylor's,  at  Monterey,  1 
259,  501-6,  terminated,  263-4, 
after  Churubusco,  2.  133 ,  Santa 
Anna's  activity  and  position,  134 , 
peace  negotiations  during,  135-8, 
396-400  ,  question  of  extension,  136, 
398,  Santa  Anna  violates,  137, 
terminated,  138,  399,  results,  138; 
terms,  394  ,  wisdom,  394  ,  clashes 
during,  396 ,  opposing  views  on, 
399  ,  question  and  renewed  peace 
negotiations,  240,  242  ,  after  signing 
of  peace  treaty,  terms,  242,  471. 

Arms,  Mexican,  1  156-7,  462 ,  of 
American  army,  450. 

Army,  American,  character  of  official 
reports,  1  ix,  404  ;  belittled  by  for- 
eigners, 105,  condition,  arms  (1845), 
139,  450 --1  ,  war  arts  on  regulars, 
190,  191,  474  ,  attitude  of  regulars, 
208,  481 ,  size  before  call  for  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  537 ,  regular  force 
during  war,  recruiting,  537 ,  Ten 
Regiment  Bill  and  amendment,  2 
74-6,  363,  question  of  lieutenant 
gerieraloy  and  nuijoi  generalcy  com- 
manding for  Benton,  75,  365 , 
character  of  new  officers  under  Ten 
Regiment  Bill,  76  ,  statistical  facts, 
318,  511,  512,  regulars  and  volun- 
teers contrasted,  319-20,  512-3, 
character  of  special  arms,  320,  513 , 
general  character  and  achievement, 
321 ,  Voltigeurs,  363  ,  bounty,  364  , 
authorized  regular  (1847),  431 ;  sup- 
posed size  (Nov.  1847),  432.  See 
also  Morale ,  Mounted  Riflemen , 
Voltigeurs ;  Volunteers ,  and  officers 
and  campaigns  by  name,  regular 


regiments  by  number,  and  volun- 
teers by  name  of  state. 

Army,  Mexican,  position  and  charac- 
ter of  officers,  1.  8-10,  408 ,  of  rank 
and  file,  10,  cavalry  and  artillery, 
11,  and  Iturbide,  35,  power,  36, 
supports  Guerrero,  41 ;  and  Busta- 
mante,  43,  backs  Santa  Anna 
(1832),  45,  Farias'  attempted  re- 
forms, 45 ,  makes  Santa  Anna  dic- 
tator, 46 ,  and  Seven  Laws,  47 ; 
and  financial  crisis,  48 ,  revolts 
against  Santa  Anna,  53 ;  and  Her- 
rera,  55  ,  foreign  opinion,  106,  440 , 
Mexican  opinion,  106 ;  organiza- 
tion and  condition  (1845),  156-7, 
461-2  ,  size  then,  157  ,  and  Paredes, 
214  ,  fragmentary  character,  494 , 
condition  and  command  after  elimi- 
nation of  Santa  Anna  (1847),  2.  182, 
429-30,  as  fighters,  311,  and  civil 
discouragement,  509  See  also  com- 
manders and  campaigns  by  name, 
especially  Ampudia  ,  Arista ;  Santa 
Anna. 

Army  of  the  East,  Mexican,  2.  88,  369. 

Army  of  the  North,  Mexican,  2.  88, 
369  Sec  aho  Valencia 

Army  of  the  South,  Mexican,  2.  88. 
Sec  albo  Alvarez 

Arraiigoiz,  J  ,  Mexican  consul  at  New 
Orleans,  on  hope  in  privateering,  1. 
109. 

Arnero,  1    18. 

Arroyo,  Miguel,  and  douceur  fund,  2. 
391 

Arroyo  Colorado,  Mejia's  ruse  at  cross- 
ing, 1.  147 

Art  of  war,  1.  405 

Arteaga,  M  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  347, 
352. 

Artillery,  Mexican,  1.  11,  156,  461-2, 
m  Monterey  campaign,  1.  228 ;  field, 
of  American  army  at  outbreak  of 
war,  450 ,  in  Scott's  army.  2.  77, 
365 ,  character  of  American,  320. 
See  also  regiments  by  number 

Artillery  Battalion,  m  Monterey  cam- 
paign, 1  241,  242,  244/492,  496, 
501,  508,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
467.  See  also  Childs. 

Ashburnham,  Charles,  British  charg£ 
at  Mexico,  on  Mexican  relations,  1 
74 ;  on  Mexican  obduracy,  134. 

Ashburton,  Baron,  and  California,  1. 
524 ,  and  control  of  Mexico,  ft.  309. 

Ashmun,  George,  and  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1.  456. 

Assessments,  American,  on  Mexicans, 
2.  264-6,  485-8. 


Atalaya,  hill  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  45 ; 
occupied  by  Americans,  50-3. 

Athenceum,  and  American  absorption 
of  Mexico,  2.  297. 

Atlixco,  aspect,  Rea  at,  2.  178 ;  Lane's 
attack,  179,  426. 

Atocha,  A.  J.,  and  Santa  Anna,  1.  202  ; 
and  peace  negotiations,  2.  123,  124, 
126,  387. 

Atnstain,  Miguel,  peace  commissioner, 
2.  135,  239. 

Attitude  toward  Mexico,  American,  1. 
5$,  60,  61,  65,  76-8,  85,  88-91,  95, 
100,  101,  117-21,  125-7,  130-4,  323, 
332,  422,  428,  429,  434-6,  439,  443-5, 
458-61,  2.  121,  123,  310,  508  See 
also  Conquered  territory;  Diplo- 
matic intercourse  ,  Outbreak ,  Prep- 
aration. 

Attitude  toward  the  war,  of  Mexican 
people,  1.  115-6,  442,  2.  312t  510. 
See  also  Opposition ;  Popularity  , 
Preparation. 

Attitude  toward  United  States,  Mexi- 
can, 1.  28,  57-61,  63,  67,  70,  77,  81, 
83,  102-1,  109,  111,  116,  161,  375-6, 
418,  423,  431,  484,  2.  124,  310.  See 
also  Diplomatic  intercourse  ,  Out- 
break; Preparation. 

Auliok,  J.  H.,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
238. 

Aurora  de  la  Liberlad,  excites  fears  of 
Spanish  America,  1  112;  appeal  to 
Europe,  114. 

Avalos,  F.,  and  plans  against  Taylor, 
2.  165,  419. 

Ayotla,  Twiggs  at,  2.  94. 

Ayuntamientos,  in  occupied  territory, 
2.  229,  461. 

Backus,  Electus,  at  Monterey,  1.  252, 
500 ;  on  mistakes  there,  502. 

Badillo,  Colonel,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  44. 

Bahia  company,  at  Monterey,  1.  494. 

Baker,  E.  D.,  wounded,  1.  207  ,  on  war 
and  expansion,  444 ,  and  absorption 
of  Mexico,  2.  243 ;  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
352. 

Balderas, .  Lucas,  killed  at  Molino  del 
Key,  2.  145. 

Baldwin,  John,  claim,  1.  427. 

Ballentme,  George,  on  American  in- 
fantry, 1.  451 ;  on  Tampico  and 
American  occupation,  2.  461. 

Baltimore  American,  on  California,  1. 
325. 

Baltimore  troops.  See  Washington 
and  Baltimore  battalion. 

Bancroft,  George,  on  Polk  and  Cali- 
fornia, 1.  127  ,  on  Folk's  reluctance 


to  fight,  127,  133 ;  on  Folk's  ability, 
129  ,  and  war,  181 ;  instructions  to 
Sloat,  530  ;  as  secretary  of  the  navy, 
2.  190;  and  plan  to  attack  Ulua, 
201;  and  Conner,  201,  and  ab- 
sorption of  Mexico,  243 ,  on  war 
finances,  260,  on  victories  and 
foreign  relations,  305 ,  on  British 
and  war  annexations,  309 ,  on  in- 
fluence abroad  of  war,  324. 

Bancroft,  H.  H.,  on  Castro's  meeting, 
1.  526  ,  on  Gillespie,  526  ,  on  Sloat, 
530,  531. 

Baneneh,  J  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  55. 

Bankhead,  Charles,  British  minister 
at  Mexico,  and  annexation  of  Texas, 
1.  85  ,  and  Mexican-American  rela- 
tions, 91-3,  435 ;  and  Oregon  and 
Mexican  controversies,  114-5;  on 
Rio  Grande  campaign,  179,  180; 
on  Mexican  abandonment  of  Cali- 
fornia, 319,  322 ,  on  Mexican  war 
enthusiasm,  442 ,  on  Santa  Anna 
and  peace  (1846),  487;  on  factions 
of  Federalists,  2.  4 ;  on  Mexican 
finances,  8,  328 ,  on  Mexican  atti- 
tude toward  peace  (1846),  122,  386; 
and  Trist  mission,  129-31,  133,  390; 
and  privateering,  192 ,  and  media- 
tion, 368,  504  ,  on  evacuation  of  city, 
415. 

Bankhead,  James,  occupation  of  C6r- 
doba  and  Orizaba,  2.  184-5,  222, 
433  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  335  ,  in 
command  at  Vera  Cruz,  432,  457. 

Banking,  Mexican  attempt,  1.  17.  See 
also  Finances. 

Baranda,  Manuel,  and  return  of  Santa 
Anna,  1.  221,  2  368,  and  Trist  mis- 
sion, 132,  390 

Harbour,  P.  N.  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
1.  174. 

Barker,    E.    C.,    acknowledgment   to, 

1.  450. 

Barnburners,  and  Polk,  2   270,  281. 
Barrios,   Colonel,   at  Bel6n  garita,  2 

159,  100. 
Barron,   E.,   British  consul  at  Tepic, 

and  California,  1.  524. 
Beach,  Moses  Y.,  in  Mexico,  intrigue, 

2.  11-4,  65,    escape,   14,  332,   and 
absorption  of  Mexico,  243 ,     on  in- 
trigue, 331. 

Beale,  E.  F.,  and  battle  of  San  Pascual, 
1.  535. 

Beale's  grant,  1.  449. 

Bear  Flag  war,  1.  331-3,  528-9,  531. 

Beauregard,  P.  G.  T.,  and  landing  at 
Vera  Cruz,  2.  23,  336,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  50,  350,  reconnoitres  Con- 


INDEX 


567 


treras  route,  103 ;  on  plan  of  attack 
of  capital,  149;  at  Bel6n  garital 
wounded,  160,  415;  engineer  with 
Scott,  366 ;  at  battle  of  Contreras, 
379  ;  reconnoitres  southern  approach 
of  capital,  408 ;  on  Mexican  soldiers, 
509. 

Be* jar  company,  at  Monterey,  1.  494. 

Belen  garita  and  citadel,  2.  147  ;  Quit- 
man's  attack,  158-60,  162,  412,  414- 
6. 

Belknap,  W.  G.,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164 
at  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  174 

Belknap,  Camp,  1.  206. 

Belmont,  August,  and  American  funds 
in  Mexico,  2.  266,  488,  and  war 
loans,  482. 

Belton,  F.  M.,  at  Tampico,  1   281,  512 

Benham,  F.  G.,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
2.  338. 

Benham,  H.  W.,  on  Taylor's  careless- 
ness at  Agua  Nueva,  1  549. 

Benjamin,  Calvin,  at  Chapul tepee,  2. 
156  ;  at  Bel6n  garita,  killed,  160. 

Benjamin,  Park,  on  call  to  arms,  1 
193. 

Bentinck,  Lord  George,  and  interposi- 
tion, 2.  302. 

Benton,  T.  H.,  on  Polk  and  war,  1 
130,  and  war,  182,  183,  471,  on 
cause  of  war,  189 ,  and  Scott,  197, 
354  ,  welcome  to  Domphan's  force, 
314 ,  war  plan,  349,  351 ,  on  ad- 
vance to  Rio  Grande,  458  ,  and  Doni- 
phan's  expedition,  517 ,  on  Gilles- 
pie's  mission  to  Fremont,  528 ;  and 
lieutenant  generalcy,  2  75,  363; 
and  peace,  123,  opposes  Slidell  as 
peace  commissioner,  126 ,  and 
treaty  of  peace,  247,  473,  475, 
public  land  gradation  policy,  261, 
482 ,  and  tariff  for  Mexican  ports, 
261 ;  character  and  leadership,  282, 
291 ;  and  major-generalcv,  365. 

Bent's  Fort,  Kearny's  expedition  at,  1. 
288-9,  515. 

Bermudez  de  Castro,  Salvador,  Span- 
ish minister  at  Mexico,  and  Slidell 
mission,  1.  100 ;  on  Mexican  aggres- 
sion, 455 ;  on  Mexican  finances, 
2.  8;  on  difficulties  of  march  to 
Mexico  City,  37 ,  on  Trist  mis- 
sion, 132,  and  peace,  133,  and  pri- 
vateering, 192;  and  war,  298,  on 
American  army,  321 ;  on  Scott's 
expedition,  357. 

Berra,  FM  at  Monterey,  1.  248. 
Bernen,  J.  M.,  and  war  bill,  1.  183; 
and   treaty  of  peace,  2.  247 ;     no- 
annexation  plan,  287-8,  498.  I 


Biddle,  James,  on  Asia  station,  2.  189 ; 
commands  Pacific  squadron,  vessels, 
206,  447. 

Bid  well,  John,  and  Bear  Flag  war,  1. 
529. 

Bishop's  Palace  at  Monterey,  in  battle, 
capture,  1.  239,  245,  247-8. 

Bissell,  W.  H.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  390, 
391,  394. 

Black,  John,  American  consul  at  Mex- 
ico, and  restoration  of  intercourse, 
1  89,  91,  96;  and  Slidell  mission, 
145,  453 ,  report  on  Santa  Anna's 
attitude,  201 ;  expelled,  2.  41 ;  and 
peace  negotiations,  122 

Black,  S.  W.,  at  siege  of  Puebla,  2. 
174,  424. 

Blank  Pass.     See  Hoya. 

Blair,  F.  P  ,  Sr.,  warning  on  political 
effect  of  war,  1.  353,  on  Polk,  2. 
270 ,  on  excesses  in  New  Mexico, 
453 

Blake,  J   E.,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  165. 

Blanchard,  A.  G  ,  in  Monterey  cam- 
paign, 1  241,  245,  247,  492,  496-8; 
advance  to  Saltillo,  264. 

Blanco,  Colonel,  and  Wool's  march,  1. 
273,  274,  510,  guerilla,  274,  283. 

Blanco,  S.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  389. 

Bliss,  W.  W  S  ,  as  Taylor's  adjutant, 
1  141,  261,  451,  2.  318;  on  Rio 
Grande  campaign,  1.  179;  parley 
after  Buena  Vista,  398;  at  Palo 
Alto,  466. 

Blockade,  not  feared  by  Mexico,  1. 
110,  expected  European  difficulty, 
114,  policy,  character,  2.  193,  208, 
303,  440  ,  physical  difficulties,  194-5  ; 
on  Pacific  coast,  205-6,  446,  448. 

Bloommgton  (Muscatine),  Iowa,  on 
good  will  toward  Mexico,  2.  508. 

Boca  Chica,  1.  205,  480. 

Boeanegra,  J.  M.,  character,  1.  25 ; 
American  correspondence,  68 ;  and 
decree  expelling  Americans,  73 ; 
and  Texas,  84,  85,  419,  433. 

Bocas,  force  at,  1.  553. 

Boletin  Oficwl,  on  Mexican  army,  1. 
106 ;  on  Santa  Anna,  487. 

Bonham,  M.  L,  regiment,  2.  363; 
leaves  Mexico  City,  476. 

Bonita,  captured,  1.  511 ,    at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  2.  238;    added  to  navy, 
438 ;    in  Home  Squadron,  442,  446 ; 
in  attack  at  Tuxpan,  444. 
Bonneville,  B.  L.  E.,  and  Wool,  1.  509. 
Borland,  Solon,  carelessness  and  cap- 
ture ,  1 .  370- 1 .     See  also  Encarnaci6n 
prisoners. 
Boston,  wrecked,  2.  44ft. 


568 


INDEX 


Boston  Atlas,  demand  for  war,  1.  456 , 
on  Folk's  Cabinet,  2.  270 ,  on  Polk, 
275,  276 ;  on  outlook  of  war,  277 , 
encourages  enemy,  280 ,  on  tariff, 
286 ;  on  Folk's  war  policy,  288. 

Botts,  J.  M.,  opposes  war,  1.  189 

Bouck,  W.  C  ,  federal  appointment, 
2.  271. 

Boundaries,  Mexican  negotiation  on 
Louisiana  Purchase,  1.  59-61,  418, 
Sabine  River,  63  ,  offer  of  compensa- 
tion for  proper  Texan,  84-5,  88,  91, 
95,  436,  southern,  of  Texas,  138, 
449,  457,  470,  Texan,  in  peace  ne- 
gotiations, 2  135-6,  238,  396,  399, 
463,  464,  469.  See  also  Annexa- 
tions. 

Bounty  in  Ten  Regiment  Bill,  2.  364, 
490 

Bowles,  W.  A.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1  388, 
390,  391,  555,  557. 

Boyd,  J  McH.,  American  charge1  at 
London,  reports  cited  passim 

Brapg,  Braxton,  force  in  Texas,  1.  146, 
452  ;  at  Fort  Brown,  163  ,  at  Mon- 
terey, 251,  254,  492,  496,  at  Buena 
Vista,  388,  390-2,  395,  555,  557, 
558 ;  on  reports,  404  ;  field  battery, 
450 ;  in  Harney's  brigade,  541  ,  on 
Scott's  order  against  the  cabal,  2 
436 ;  sent  to  New  Mexico,  475 

Bravo,  Nicolas,  as  partisan  leader,  1 
32  ;  revolt  against  Itiirbide,  35  , 
Presidential  candidacy,  37 ,  at- 
tempted revolt  (1827),  38,  par- 
doned, 44,  acting  President  (1846), 
reforms,  217  ,  and  revolt,  217  ,  in- 
cites against  United  States,  418, 
and  Santa  Anna  (1847),  2.  82,  83, 
retires,  84  ,  at  Churubusco',  113,  117  , 
and  desire  for  peace,  122 ;  at  Chapul- 
tepec,  surrenders,  153,  155,  157, 
408,  411  ;  and  guerilla  warfare,  173 

Bravos  battalion,  formation,  2  3 ,  at 
Churubusco,  111. 

Brazito  affair,  1.  301-2,  518 

Brazos  Island,  camp,  1.  205. 

Breckenridge,  H  M.,  claims  commis- 
sioner, 1  430. 

Breese,  Sidney,  position  in  Senate,  2. 
496. 

Bribery  money  in  peace  negotiations, 
2.  131-2,  390 

Bridgehead  at  Churubusco,  2.  Ill, 
maps,  112,  113  ,  attack  and  capture, 
114-6,  383. 

Briggs,  G.  N.,  on  attitude  toward  war, 
2.  492. 

BrinkerhorT,  Jacob,  and  advance  to 
Rio  Grande,  1.  456,  position  in 


House,  2.  496  ,   and  Wilmot  Proviso, 
498. 

Briscoe,  W.  F.,  guerilla  attack  on,  2. 
423. 

Britannia,  on  American  army,  1.  105 , 
on  military  titles,  2.  295 ;  on  people, 
295  ,  on  Polk,  300 ,  on  conquests  in 
India,  302 ;  on  guerilla  warfare, 
306  ,  criticism  of  military  operations, 
307,  308 ;  on  absorption  of  Mexico, 
309. 

British  in  Mexico,  merchants,  1  5, 
17  ;  mining  companies,  15. 

Broglie,  Due  de,  and  war,  2   303. 

Brokers,  in  Mexican  public  finances, 
2  327. 

Brooke,  G.  M.,  and  reinforcement  of 
Tampico,  1  282,  512 ,  and  alarm 
over  Buena  Vista,  400 

Brooks,  W  T  H  ,  at  Contreras,  2   108 

Brough,  C  H  ,  in  Lane's  march  to 
Puebla,  2  426 

Brown, ,  American  agent  to  Santa 

Anna,  1.  479 

Brown,  Jar  oh,  at  Fort  Brown,  1  163  , 
killed,  176,  468. 

Brown,  Milton,  on  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1  457 

Brown,  Fort,  construction,  position, 
map,  1  148,  159,  463,  408,  attack 
on,  arid  battle  of  Rcsaca  de  la  Palm  a, 
164,  176,  467-9,  former  names,  454 

Bryce,  James,  on  justice  of  expansion, 
2  323. 

Buchanan,  James,  and  Almonte,  1 
87  ,  and  Slidell  mission,  instructions, 
95,  100,  127,  436-7  ,  on  war  spirit, 
126 ,  on  peaceful  pohcv,  131  ;  and 
monarchist  plans  in  Mexico,  135, 448  , 
and  southern  boundary  of  Texas, 
139  ,  and  California,  32.7  ,  and  de- 
fensivo-lme  policy,  348 ,  and  Pat- 
terson, 351 ;  and  war  programme, 
351;  and  Parrott,  434;  and_Gil- 
lespie,  528  ,  desire  for  peace  negotia- 
tions, 2  121  ,  overtures  (1846),  122, 
386  ,  and  Trist,  127, 128 ;  appearance, 
128,  and  recall  of  Trist,  230,  237, 
464  ,  and  absorption  of  Mexico,  243, 
244 ,  opposes  treaty,  246,  471  ;  as 
Cabinet  officer,  282  ;  and  Dallas  fac- 
tion, 282 ,  circular  and  conciliation 
of  European  opinion,  297,  502 ;  and 
British  offei  of  mediation,  301,  504  , 
and  Beach,  331 ,  and  Scott-Trist, 
390 ;  does  not  expect  peace,  391 , 
on  Texas  and  Kearny's  occupation 
of  New  Mexico,  497 :  and  annexa- 
tion and  slavery,  502;  apd  Polk, 
510. 


INDEX 


569 


Buena  Vista,  later  force  at,  2.  417,  418  , 

mutiny,  418.     See  also  next  title 
Buena   Vista   campaign,    Taylor's   in- 
subordinate advance  to  Agua  Nueva, 
1.  368,  373-4,  547-8,     carelessness 
and    capture     of    Wool's    scouting 
parties,  370-1  ,     lessened  morale  of 
Wool's    force,    371  ,       Taylor's    un- 
strategic  position  and   carelessness, 
374,  549,  550 ;    assembling  of  Santa 
Anna's  army,  374-9,  550,    plan  to 
attack  Taylor's  weak  and  isolated 
force,  379,  543,  552,     Mexican  ad- 
vance for  surprise,  380-8,  553,  554 , 
map  of  route  between  Mexico  and 
Agua  Nueva,  381  ,     Mexican  force, 
381 ,   552 ,      flight  of   Americans   to 
Buena  Vista,  382-3,  554,     map  of 
roads    between    Monterey    and    El 
Encarnacion,  382  ,    Taylor's  trips  to 
Saltillo,  383,  388,  555,  556 ,    pursuit 
of    Americans,    384,    555,        Santa 
Anna's  failure  to  charge,  384 ;     his 
play  for  time,  385,  555  ,    field,  385  , 
American   position    and   force,    386, 
54S,     555 ,      flank     movement     on 
American   left,   386,   388,      map  of 
field,    387 ,        condition    of    troops 
during    night,    388,     second    day 
mass  in  Mexican  army,  388 ,     con- 
tinuation    of     flanking,     389,     390, 
repulse  of   Blanco's  frontal   charge, 
389,     Pacheco's  advance  on  Ameri- 
can left,  389-91,  557,  558,   repulse 
of  flanking  force,   391  ,     repulse  of 
Pacheco,  391 ,  rout  of  flanking  force, 
ruse  to  save  it,  392-3,  558  ,  criticism 
of  Santa  Anna's  tactics,   393,   558, 
Hardm's    charge    and    repulse,    393, 
559,     repulse  of  Porez's  charge  on 
centre,  394-5 ,     Minon's  repulse  at 
Saltillo,  395,  555,  556,  559  ,   factors 
m  American  success,  Taylor,  395-6, 
559;      Mexican  valor,   396,      losses 
and    condition    of    American    army, 
396,   561  ,      Taylor's   determination 
to  hold  ground,  397,  561  ,    condition 
of  the  Mexican  army,  397 ,    Santa 
Anna's   retnement   to   preserve   or- 
ganization, 397-8,  562  ;   parley,  398, 
562 ;      horrors  of   Mexican   retreat, 
399,       Santa    Anna    credited    with 
victory,   399;      Taylor's   tardy   ad- 
vance, 399 ;    forays  in  his  rear,  399, 
562 ;    alarm  in  United  States,  reac- 
tion, 400 ,     Mexican  batteries,  556  , 
question    of    Taylor's   order   to   re- 
treat,   558,       foreign    comment,    2. 
307. 
Bullion,  export  forbidden,  2.  487. 


Burke,  Edmund,  on  arbitrary  govern- 
meat,  1   52 ,  on  political  slavery,  2. 
311 
Burnett,   E    C.,   acknowledgment   to, 

1  419 
Burnett,  W    B  ,  wounded  at  Churu- 

busco,  2   117. 
Burns,   — — ,  paymaster,  and  Leonidas 

letter,  2.  435,  437 
Burr,  Aaron,  and  spirit  of  expansion, 

1    123,  444. 
Burrita,  expedition,  1.  177,  469;  camp, 

206. 

Burrough,       Marmaduke,       American 
consul  at  Vera  Cruz,  reports  cited 
passim 
Burton,  H    S  ,  in  Lower  California,  2 

448,  449,  476. 

Bustamante,  Anastasio,  Vice-Presi- 
dcnt,  revolt,  1  43  ,  as  President,  43  , 
resigns,  reelevates  Pedraza,  45, 
returns  to  power,  Santa  Anna  un- 
dermines, 47-51 ,  and  California, 
319 ,  and  chief  command,  2  182. 
Butler,  Andrew  P  ,  position  in  Senate, 

2.496 

Butler,  Anthony,  as  minister  at  Mex- 
ico, 1    62,   419,   420,      and   Sabine 
River   boundary,    64 ,      and   claims, 
76,  427,  428 ,    and  Scott,  476. 
Butler,  B   F  ,  on  Polk,  2   272 
Butler,  P    M  ,  killed,  2    117.     Sec  also 

Palmetto 

Butlei,  W  O  ,  division  in  march  to 
Monterey,  1  229,  492,  496  ,  m  battle 
of  Monterey,  252-4,  499  ;  command 
and  force  at  Monterey  (Dec.  1846), 
2S3,  357 ,  and  command  of  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  351 ,  and  expected 
attack,  358  ,  Scott's  instructions  on 
troops  for  Vera  Cruz,  362 ,  in  com- 
mand at  Saltillo,  370,  549,  at 
Brazos,  476  ,  takes  reinforcements 
to  Scott,  2.  184,  succeeds  Scott, 
18S,  438 ,  evacuates  Mexico  City, 
252,  476,  and  Price's  Resales  ex- 
pedition, 419 ,  retained  in  service, 
432  ,  division  garrisoned  at  Molino 
del  Rey,  461 ,  and  peace  commis- 
sion, 464. 

Cabinet,  character  of  Polk's,  2. 269, 282. 

Cadereita,  aspect,  1.  357. 

Cadwalader,  George,  reinforcements 
for  Scott,  2.  77 ;  brigade  in  Scott's 
army,  78,  363;  at  Contreras,  105, 
108,379;  at  Churubusco,  110;  ad- 
vance after  armistice,  142;  at 
Molmo  del  Rey,  144-6,  402,  403; 
at  San  Cosme  garita,  161,  414 ;  and 


570 


INDEX 


douceur,  391 ;  and  plan  of  attack 
on  capital,  408;  at  Chapultepec, 
410 ;  occupies  Toluca,  433  ,  leaves 
Mexico,  438. 

Cahuenga,  capitulation  of,  1.  345. 

Calderon  do  la  Barca,  J.  M.,  Spanish 
minister  at  Washington,  on  Mexican 
army,  1.  106. 

Calhoun,  J.  C  ,  and  annexation  of 
Texas,  1.  84,  86,  433 ;  opposition 
to  war,  123,  182,  183,  185-7,  189, 
443,  472 ;  desire  to  supplant,  123, 
2.  257 ;  on  unrest,  1  124 ,  and  de- 
fensive-line policy,  348,  2.  183  ,  and 
advance  to  the  Rio  Grande,  1.  457, 
458  ,  and  Oregon  question,  458  ;  and 
lieutenant  generalcy  for  Benton,  2 
75  ;  and  peace,  125  ;  and  Folk's  Cab- 
inet, 269  ;  encourages  enemy,  281 , 
followers  and  Polk,  281,  496,  char- 
acter and  leadership,  282,  291  ;  and 
Wilmot  Proviso,  287,  on  treaty  of 
peace,  472 ;  and  war  annexations, 
499. 

California,  Jones  at  Monterey,  1.  69, 
423 ,  abuse  and  expulsion  of  Ameri- 
cans, 71,  73,  423 ,  misgovernment 
and  expulsion  of  Mexican  6fficials, 
virtual  abdication,  87,  319-22,  522, 
523  ;  European  interference  feared, 
American  precautions  against  it, 
90,  95,  325-6,  530 ;  offer  to  purchase, 
95,  436 ,  attitude  of  American 
government,  127,  324-5  ,  conditions 
under  Mexican  rule,  315 ,  popula- 
tion, 315 ,  character  and  life  of 
Californians,  315-7 ,  map  of  coast, 
(1846),  316,  map  of  northern,  317; 
foreign  element,  commerce,  317-9, 
521 ;  question  of  future,  American 
interest,  322-4,  444,  523,  Great 
Britain  and,  323-5,  334,  336,  524, 
527,  531,  2  302,  308,  505;  France 
and,  1.  324,  327,  523;  expected 
peaceful  acquisition,  325 ;  and  cause 
of  Mexican  War,  326,  526 ,  attitude 
of  Californians  toward  foreign  con- 
trol, 327-9,  526;  factional  war 
(1846),  329,  527;  Fremont  and 
Castro,  331,  528;  Gillespie  and 
Fr6mont's  return,  Bear  Flag  war, 
331-3,  528-9,  531 ;  its  results,  333  ; 
Sloat's  hesitation,  333-4,  530,  531 ; 
possession  taken  at  Monterey,  334—5, 
531 ;  defensive  union  of  factions, 
335  ,  Stockton-Fr6mont  union  and 
address,  336,  532;  first  southern 
campaign,  336-7,  532;  Stockton's 
rule,  337-8 ;  rising  in  south  against 
Gillespie's  rule,  338-9,  533-4 ;  sec- 


ond southern  campaign,  339—46, 
534-6 ,  Kearny,  battle  of  San  Pas- 
cual,  341,  534  ;  American  force,  342, 
535,  2.  219,  432;  advance  and  re- 
capture of  Los  Angeles,  1.  342-4 ; 
Fr&mont's  conduct,  his  capitulation 
with  insurgents,  345-6,  535-6,  2. 
218;  results,  1.  346,  536 ;  in  peace 
negotiations  and  treaty,  135,  136, 
238,  240,  248,  468,  469,  under 
American  rule,  217-20,  285,  454; 
justice  of  acquisition,  322,  514; 
friction  between  Kearny  and  Fr6- 
mont,  454. 

Callender,  F.  D.,  at  Contreras,  2.  104, 
105. 

Camargo,  occupation,  as  camp,  1.  210, 
484  ;  camp  broken  up,  356  ;  troops 
left  at,  493  ,  force  at  (Oct.),  506. 

Cameron,  J.  A  ,  American  consul  at 
Vera  Cruz,  reports  cited  passim. 

Campbell,  J.  A.,  opposes  war,  1. 
189. 

Campbell,  R.  B  ,  American  consul  at, 
Havana,  and  Santa  Anna,  1.  221  , 
on  strength  of  Ulua,  536;  and  spy 
for  Scott,  2.  332. 

Campbell,  W.  B  ,  in  battle  of  Mon- 
terey, 1.  249,  252,  on  mistakes  at 
Monterey,  502,  505,  on  Taylor, 
549,  2.  316;  at  Cerro  Gordo,  56, 
57,  353  ,  on  attitude  on  reinlistment, 
63 ;  on  Pillow,  377,  435. 

Campomanes  (Campos), •,  inter- 
mediary between  Scott  and  clergy, 
2.  357. 

Campos.     See  Campomanes. 

Camps,  Taylor's,  at  Corpus  Christi,  1. 
143 ;  Texan,  of  Taylor's  reinforce- 
ments, 205-7,  480,  Camargo,  sick- 
ness, 211,  484,  493;  Cerralvo,  212, 
229,  493 ;  Scott's,  before  Vera  Cruz, 
2.  27  ;  Vergara,  222. 

Campusano,  Antonio,  at  Guaymas,  2. 
206,  209,  447. 

Canales,  Antonio,  force  at  Matamoros, 
1.  158;  character,  158;  at  Palo 
Alto,  165,  166;  at  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  171,  174;  and  Fort  Brown, 
176 ;  leaves  Taylor's  advance  un- 
opposed, 226,  236,  495;  guerilla 
warfare,  479,  2.  169-70. 

Canalizo,  Valentin,  command  below 
Perote,  and  preparations,  2.  40,  41, 
47,  61,  347;  at  Cerro  Gordo,  45, 
352  ;  in  the  battle,  52,  55  ;  and  Santa 
Anna  at  Orizaba,  68 ;  and  army  at 
capital,  88;  in  plan  of  its  defence, 
90,  fails,  95;  combination  against 
Saata  Anna,  134. 


INDEX 


571 


Canitz,  Baron  von,  Prussian  minister 
of  foreign  relations,  and  the  war,  2. 
298,  403. 

Canning,  George,  on  national  respon- 
sibility, 1.  76. 
Cano,  Juan,  at  La  Hoya,  2.  42 ;     at 

Cerro  Gordo,  44. 
Cardenas,   J.,   protest    to    Taylor,    1 

454. 

Carmehta,  captured,  2.  191. 
Carmen  Island,  occupied,  2  204. 
Carnero  Pass,  Taylor  and,  1.  549 
Carpender,  E.  W  ,  and  loss  of  Trux- 

tun,  2.  445. 

Carrasco,  J.  M  ,  at  Monterey,  1  252. 
Carson,  Kit,  and  battle  of  San  Pascual, 

1.  535. 

Casa  Mata,  defences,  2    140,     force, 
142 ,    capture,  145,  146,  403  ,    blown 
up,  404. 
Casey,  Silas,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  153r 

156,  410  ,    wounded,  157. 
Cass,   Lewib,  and  Games' s  Texan  ex- 
pedition, 1    66,    and  war  bill,  183, 
and  Oregon,  200 ,    on  defensive-line 
policy,    348 ,       and    absorption    of 
Mexico,  2    243 ,     and  Barnburners, 
281 ,    character  and  leadership,  282  , 
on  annexation  of  Texas,  509 
Castillo,     Pedro     Fernandez     del,     as 
claims  commibsioner,  1    80,  429-31 
Castillo  y  Lanzas,  J    M    de,  minister 
at  Washington,   1    77 ,     minister  of 
relations,  and  Shdcll,   100,  120,  438, 
439 ;    on  approach  of  war,  1 04 
Castro,   Jos£,  leader  in  California,   1 
319 ,        comandarite    general,    319 
and    foreign    occupation,    328,    329, 
526  ;    civil  war  with  Pico,  329  ,    and 
Fremont,  331,  528,     and  American 
occupation,  335-7,  530,  532  ,   leaves, 
337,  533  ,    and  Bear  Flag  war,  529 
returns,  2.  219. 

Caswell,  W   R  ,  on  Pillow,  1   361 
'Causes  of  the  war,  in  general,  1    58- 
99,    102-16,    134-7,    148-50,    153-5 
158,  179,  185,  432-3,  439,  442,  448 
457-61,    470-3,        special,    189-90 
471-3 ,    advance  to  Rio  Grande  not 
cause,    154-5.     See   also   Outbreak 
Preparation. 

Cavalry,  Mexican,  1.  11,  19  ,  in  Scott's 

advance  on  Mexico,  2.  77 ,    call  for 

American  volunteer,  365      See  als( 

Dragoons. 

Ceballos,  Ram6n  de,  on  treatment  by 

Americans,  2.  324. 

Cedral,  force  at,  1.  553. 

Centralists,  oligarchy  as,  1.  37 ,    party 

resentment,    38-9;        Santa    Anna 


supports,  46-7,  415;  rule,  47-8; 
and  Farias  (1846),  2.  9.  See  also 
Federalism ;  Oligarchy, 
ierralvo,  as  camp,  1.  212,  229,  493; 
occupied,  229,  562 ;  force  at,  2.  417. 
lerro  Gordo,  as  defensive  point,  2. 
40,  41 ,  map  of  contour  lines  near, 
40 ,  selected  as  point  to  resist  Scott's 
advance,  42  ,  field,  defences,  42—5, 
347,  348  ,  general  map  of  battle,  43 ; 
size  and  condition  of  Mexican  force, 
44-5,  347  ,  Twiggs's  force  and  ar- 
tillery, 45  ,  Twiggs's  character,  48 ; 
his  blunder  into,  and  retreat,  48; 
question  of  precipitous  assault,  48- 
9  ,  Scott  on  field,  49  ,  reconnaissance, 
50,  349  ,  Scott's  force,  50 ,  advance 
flanking  Mexican  left,  50-1,  53,  55, 
350-2,  354 ,  map  of  central  part  of 
battle,  51  ,  capture  of  La  Atalaya, 
51  ,  attacks  on  and  capture  of 
Tt'legrafo,  52-5,  350,  352,  354; 
flight  of  flanked  Mexicans,  54,  58-9 ; 
Pillow's  mismanaged  attack,  56-8, 
352-3,  purbuit  to  Jalapa,  58,  59, 
354  ,  spoils,  lobses,  58,  353  ,  char- 
acter of  Scott's  report,  59,  354 ,  ef- 
fect on  Mexicans,  80. 
Chachapa  conference,  2  70,  360 
Chalco,  V*  orth  at,  "  94 
Chamberlain,  S  E  ,  on  retreat  to 

Buena  Vista,  1  554. 
Chapultepec,  and  battle  of  Molmo  del 
Key,  2.  143,  145,  402,  403  ,  and  ap- 
proach of  Mexico  City,  149 ,  deci- 
sion to  attack,  149,  408,  position 
and  defences,  149-52,  405-6,  408; 
maps,  150,  151  ,  American  disposi- 
tions and  bombardment,  152-3,  409, 
plan  for  assault,  153 ,  misgivings, 
153-4 ,  attack  on  grove  and  out- 
works, 154,  155,  problem  of  Santa 
Anna's  support,  154-5,  410,  charge 
to  the  fobbc,  delay,  155-6,  409 ,  at- 
tack on  gateway,  156,  158,  411; 
capture  of  foit,  157,  410,  411  ,  view 
from,  158,  losses,  158,  411  ,  Worth's 
advance,  160,  410,  and  armistice, 
394  ,  Mexican  force,  408 ,  wisdom 
of  attack,  408,  threat  to  Amencan 
rear  during  attack,  410 
Character,  Mexican,  1  3-7,  15,  18-28, 
53,  57,  115,  229,  266,  285,  293,  295, 
315-7,  320,  333,  339,  346,  396,  407-9, 
416-8,  438,  455,  2.  1-2,  31,  32,  45, 
63,  79-87,  91-2,  132,  136,  170,  228, 
230-1, 233-5,  251,  254,  297,  306,  310- 
2,  323,  327,  329,  346,  367,  449,  450, 
461,  509.  See  also  Population; 
Social  condition. 


572 


INDEX 


Charleston  Courier,  on  war  spirit,  1. 

132 ;   and  the  war,  473. 
Charleston  Mercury,  on  Folk's  alarm, 

1.  476. 

Charleston  Patriot,  and  the  war,  1. 
473. 

Chase,  Franklin,  consul  at  Tampico, 
and  occupation  of  city,  1.  279,  511. 

Chase,  Mrs.  Franklin,  and  occupation 
of  Tampico,  1.  279,  511. 

Cheat  ham,  B.  F.t  on  mistakes  at  Mon- 
terey, 1.  502. 

Chew,  Samuel,  claim,  ] .  426. 

Chihuahua,  situation,  1.  3 ;  plans  for 
expedition  against,  266;  gathering 
of  Wool's  force,  267-70 ,  his  advance 
to  Monclova,  270-3,  509 ;  his  diffi- 
culties, 273-4,  509-10;  advance  to 
Parras,  274-5,  510 ;  diversion  of 
Wool's  march,  275  ;  results  of  march, 
276,  510 ;  and  caravan  trade,  286 ; 
Doniphan's  force  against,  298-9, 
519 ;  his  march  to  El  Paso,  Brazito 
affair,  299-303,  518,  his  advance  to 
Sacramento  River,  303-4,  519 ;  polit- 
ical affairs  and  preparations  against 
Domphan,  Mexican  force,  304-6, 
519 ,  battle  of  Sacramento,  306-13, 
520;  occupied,  313,  520;  Doni- 
phan's negotiations,  313  ;  his  march 
to  Saltillo,  313,  521 ;  occupied  by 
Price,  2.  166,  419 ,  under  American 
rule,  454. 

Chihuahua  Rangers,  in  Doniphan's 
expedition,  303,  519. 

Childs,  Thomas,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164 ; 
at  Monterey,  241,  246;  at  Jalapa, 

2.  361 ,      command   at  Puebla,   be- 
sieged, 2.  174-8,  424;    as  governor, 
226. 

Chimalpa,  Pillow  at,  2.  95. 

China,  Mexico,  proposed  attack  on 
Texans  at,  1.  235. 

Chiquihuite,  as  defensive  point,  2.  41. 

Chronology  of  the  war,  1.  xix-xxi. 

Churchill,  Sylvester,  in  Wool's  march, 
1.  270,  273. 

Churchill,  W.  H.,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164, 
167,  466. 

Churubusco,  defences,  2.  98,  110-1, 
382;  map  of  battle,  111;  maps  of 
bridgehead,  112,  113;  capture  of 
San  Antonio,  112  ;  pursuit  of  Mexi- 
cans to  bridgehead,  113;  Coyoacan 
as  American  point  of  concentration, 
112,  382,  383;  attack  and  capture 
of  convent,  113-4,  117,  382,  383, 
385;  map  of  convent,  114;  attack 
and  capture  of  bridgehead,  114-6, 
383;  Shields-Pierce  flank  attack, 


115-7,  384;  pursuit  of  Mexicans, 
117;  Kearny'e  charge,  118;  losses, 
spoils,  118;  American  elation,  118- 
9;  Scott's  army  after  the  battle, 
120;  why  not  followed  up,  120-1 
386,  393 ;  Scott's  probable  plan,  383 ; 
as  blunder,  383 ;  effect  on  morale, 
384;  Mexican  force,  385;  Pillow's 
troops  in,  385 ,  fate  of  captured 
American  deserters,  385. 

Citadel  at  Mexico  City,  2.  159,  160, 
413,  415. 

Cities  of  Mexico,  1.  2. 

Civil  service,  Mexican,  character,  1.  11, 
20. 

Claiborne,  J.  F.  H.,  on  war  spirit,  1. 
444. 

Claims  against  Mexico,  European,  1, 
74,  425  ;  American,  and  conduct  of 
Americans,  74 ;  character  and  jus- 
tice, 74-6,  424-7  ,  American  patience 
and  forbearance,  76,  427  ;  Jackson's 
Message  (1837),  77-8,  428;  demand 
(1837),  78-9,  429;  arbitration,  de- 
lays, 79-80,  429-31 ;  award  (1841), 
convention  on  payments,  cessation 
of  payments,  excuse,  80,  431 ;  ques- 
tion in  efforts  for  resumption  of 
intercourse,  92-5,  97,  435  ;  Mexican 
attitude,  103  ;  and  cause  of  war,  120, 
132,  134,  190,  448,  2.  279,  Folk's 
review,  49 ;  assumption  in  treaty  of 
peace,  241,  468,  469;  necessity  of 
enforcement,  311. 

Clamor  de  las  Ovejas,  2.  346. 

Clark,  M.  L.,  in  Kearny's  expedition, 
1.  288  ;  to  hold  Santa  Fe,  298 ;  joins 
Doniphan,  299,  303,  519;  in  battle 
of  Sacramento,  310,  312. 

Clarke,  N.  S.,  command  at  Matamoros, 

1.  493 ;    brigade  in  Scott's  army,  2. 
77;    at  Churubusco,  112,  113;    at 
Molino  del  Rey,  144,  145,  402,  403 ; 
at  Chapultepec,   157,  409;     at  San 
Cosme  garita,   161,   162,     occupies 
Cuernavaca,  433. 

Classes,  Mexican.     See  Population. 
Clausewitz,  Karl  von,  on  simplicity  of 

war,  1.  508. 
Clay,  C.  M.,  captured,  1.  370-1.     See 

also  Encarnaci6n  prisoners. 
Clay,  Henry  [1],  on  cause  of  war,  1. 

189 ;    speech  and  resolution  on  war, 

2.  289;    war  programme,  290;    re- 
sults of  policy,  314. 

Clay,  Henry  [2],  killed,  1.  394. 

Clayton,  J.  M.,  and  war  bill,  1.  182; 
defence  of  Taylor,  260 ;  and  tariff  of 
1846,  2.  257, 496 ;  position  in  Senate, 
496. 


INDEX 


573 


Clergy.     See  Roman  Catholic  church. 

Clifford,  Nathan,  and  Scott's  expedi- 
tion, 1.  540 ;  and  tariff  for  Mexican 
ports,  2.  261 ;  ratification  commis- 
sioner, 249,  251,  474;  minister  at 
Mexico,  475. 

Climate  of  Mexico,  1.1. 

Coahuila  state,  overrun,  2.  418. 

Coalition  of  Mexican  states,  and  seces- 
sion, 2.  87,  234  ;  opposes  peace,  131 ; 
and  opposition  to  Santa  Anna,  134, 
136 ;  and  collapse  of  government, 
428. 

Cochelet, ,  French  agent  in  Mexico, 

reports  cited  passim 

Collins,  John,  messenger  to  Wool,  1. 
313. 

Colombia.     See  New  Granada. 

Colonies,  mercantile  system,  1  29 

Colquitt,  W.  T.,  position  in  Senate,  2. 
496. 

Col  ton,  Walter,  as  alcalde,  1.  338. 

Columbus,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  447. 

Comanche  Indians,  raids,  1.  479,  521. 

Comandu,  and  American  occupation, 
2.448. 

Commander  in  the  field,  selection 
(1846),  1.  196-8,  200,  477;  for  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  351-4,  538-9 ;  pro- 
posed lieutenant  peneralcy,  2  75 , 
Scott  removed,  188,  437 

Commerce,  American,  influence  on 
demand  for  war,  1.  122,  443  See 
also  Santa  Fo  trail ,  Tariff. 

Commerce,  Mexican,  mercantile  class, 
1  5,  17,  roads,  inland  transporta- 
tion, 16,  18 ,  protective  tariff  and 
prohibition,  17 ,  smuggling,  17 ; 
American  negotiations,  61,  419, 
over  Santa  Fe  trail,  72 ,  general  re- 
striction on  American,  73,  424; 
of  California,  317,  521 ;  foreign,  in 
occupied  Mexican  ports,  2.  262,  303, 
484,  505,  506. 

Commissaries,  Mexican,  1.  157. 

Concepci6n,  Fort,  at  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
19. 

Congress,  American,  and  advance  to 
the  Rio  Grande,  1.  151,  456-9,  2. 
277 ;  war  Message  and  war  bill,  1. 
181-3,  470-3;  war  preparations, 
190;  and  Oregon,  201;  the  Ten 
Regiment  Bill,  2.  74-6 ;  and  lieuten- 
ant generalcy,  75,  363,  365;  and 
two  and  three  million  funds,  123, 
387  ;  and  military  government,  220 , 
and  absorption  of  Mexico,  243-4; 
tariff  of  1846,  warehouse  system, 
sub-treasury,  257,  478-9;  treasury 
notes  and  loans,  258,  260,  264,  479, 


485 ;  proposed  impost  on  tea  and 
coffee,  261, 285, 482 ;  proposed  grada- 
tion of  public  lands,  261 ;  initial 
popularity  of  war,  268;  reaction, 
269,  281 ;  Democratic  dissensions, 
lack  of  leaders,  281-3,  496 ;  position 
of  Whigs,  leaders,  283,  496 ;  charac- 
ter of  war-time  speeches,  284 ;  attacks 
on  war  policy,  284-6,  Wilmot 
Proviso,  286-7,  498;  Whig  no- 
territory  plan,  287-8,  498;  Clay's 
speech  and  resolutions,  289 ;  de- 
mand for  stoppage  of  supplies  and 
recall  of  troops,  290-1,  500;  Whig 
control  of  House,  programme,  290; 
influence  of  success  of  war,  290 ; 
continued  baiting  of  Polk,  291,  500 ; 
war-time  character,  313-4 ;  act 
(1847)  for  volunteers,  431 ;  and 
Yucatan,  472  ;  other  war-time  finan- 
cial legislation,  489.  See  also  Senate. 

Congress,  Mexican,  first  under  Itur- 
bide,  1.  35-6  ,  first  republican,  36-7  ; 
first  constitutional  (1825),  37;  and 
reelevation  of  Pedraza,  45 ;  and 
Farias'  reforms,  46 ;  of  Santa  Anna's 
supporters  (1835),  47,  Seven  Laws 
(1835),  47 ;  and  Santa  Anna,  52-3 ; 
character  (1846),  2.  5;  war-time 
Presidential  elections,  5,  84,  236; 
war  measure  against  church  property, 
9-12,  14,  329;  new  constitution 
(1847),  82,  in  abeyance,  85;  and 
Trist  mission,  130,  132 ;  supports 
peace  party,  236,  ratifies  treaty, 
250-1,474;  and  British  mediation, 
368 

Congress,  in  Pacific  squadron,  1.  336, 
337,  532,  2.  189,  206,  447  ;  at  Guay- 
mas,  206,  447. 

Connelly,  Henry,  and  Kearny,  1.  516. 

Conner,  David,  and  resumption  of  in- 
tercourse (1845),  1  94,436,  peace- 
ful instructions  to  (1845),  131 ;  and 
policy  of  bold  military  attitude,  152 ; 
and  return  of  Santa  Anna,  202,  478, 
486,  487;  attitude  toward  attack 
on  Tampico,  277 ;  occupies  it,  279-81, 
511-2;  and  the  plan  to  attack  Vera 
Cruz,  349-51,  536;  and  attack  on 
Taylor,  466,  2.  197 ;  and  crossing  of 
Rio  Grande,  1.  469 ,  and  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  2.  18,  23,  332,  335,  336, 
338 ;  superseded  by  Perry,  30,  201 ; 
squadron,  distribution,  189, 197,  442 ; 
and  blockade,  193,  difficulties  of 
shore  operations,  196;  character  as 
officer,  196,  444;  attacks  on  Alva- 
rado,  197-9,  442 ;  Tabasco  River  ex- 
pedition, 199-200;  Yucatan  opera- 


574 


INDEX 


tions,  201 ;  and  plans  to  attack  Ulua, 
201,  444. 

Conner,  P.  E.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  389, 
556. 

Conquered  territory,  policy  of  occupy- 
ing territory,  1.  262,  266-7,  508,  2. 
273,  492 ;  civil  government  in  New 
Mexico  and  California,  1.  337-8,  2 
217,  218,  285,  453;  character  of 
naval  control,  208 ,  policy  toward 
noncombatants,  conciliation,  210-1, 
449 ;  outrages  by  volunteers  at  Mata- 
moros,  211,  450;  and  at  Monterey, 
212-3,  450;  liquor  and  troubles, 

212,  213,   224,  457,    regulations  at 
Monterey,  later  security,  213,  450-1 ; 
difficulty  of  convicting  Mexican  of- 
fenders, 213,  451  ,     rule  in  Saltillo, 

213,  452 ,     police  regulations,   213, 
215,  229,  450,  452;     conditions  in 
Tampico,  214,  452  ,  prospeiity,  214r- 
5,    219;      effect   of   occupation   on 
Mexican  desire  for  annexation,  215 ; 
excesses  in  New  Mexico,  216,  453 ; 
Price's  rule  there,  insurrection,  217 ; 
successful  rule  in  California,  217-20, 
454;    use  of  local  civil  officers,  218, 
229,  461 ;   Scott's  orders  for  militarv 
government,   220,   455-7 ;      rule   at 
Vera  Cruz,  220-2,  457  ,    at  C6rdoba 
and  Orizaba,  222  ;    affairs  at  Jalapa, 
223-5,  458 ,'  excesses  elsewhere,  224, 

225 ,  Mexican  offences  and  exag- 
gerations, 224  ,    rule  at  Puebla,  225, 
459 ;  clemency  toward  Mexico  City, 

226,  459 ,    military  discipline  there, 
226,  459-60,    life  at  capital  during 
occupation,   226-8,   460,      Mexican 
courts,  229;    social  relations,  230-1, 
461-2;    general  conclusions  on  con- 
duct of  occupation,  231-2  ,     tariff, 
261-3,    484,      levies   on    Mexicans, 
264-6,  485-8,    American  opposition 
to  occupation,  273,  492,     title  by 
conquest,  285,  468,  497;    justice  of 
conquest,   322,   514 ,    conditions   at 
Chihuahua,  454. 

Conspectus  of  events,  1.  xix-xxi. 

Constitutions,  Spanish  liberal  (1820), 
1.  32;  first  Mexican  (1824),  36-7, 
412-3;  Seven  Laws,  47,  Bases  of 
Tacubaya,  51 ;  Organic  Bases,  52  , 
revival  of  Organic  Bases,  217 ;  re- 
newal of  constitution  of  1824,  222, 
488 ;  of  1847,  2.  82. 

Consuls  in  Mexico^  cut  off,  1.  212,  484. 

Contreras,  battle  of,  field,  2.  101; 
Valencia's  occupation  of  it,  102,  104 ; 
American  reconnaissance  and  ad- 
vance, 103,  380 ;  Pillow's  attack  and 


Riley's  flank  movement,  104,  376, 
378,  380;  support  of  Riley,  105, 
107,  378-80;  Santa  Anna's  move- 
ments, 105,  110,  379,  380;  Valencia 
disobeys  order  to  retire,  106 ,  map, 
107 ;  American  troops  during  night, 
107  ,  American  flank  and  rear  attack, 
108-10,  379,  380 ;  flight  of  Mexicans, 
109;  losses,  spoils,  110,  credit  for 
victory,  376. 

Convent  at  Churubusco,  2.  Ill,  382; 
attack  and  capture,  113-4,  117,  382, 
383,  385 ;  map,  114. 

Convoy.    See  Transportation. 

Cooke,  P.  St.  G  ,  in  Kearny's  expedi- 
tion, 1.  290,  293,  in  California,  2. 
218,  455. 

C6rdoba,  Bankhead's  expedition,  as- 
pect of  route  to,  2.  184-5,  433 ;  un- 
der American  rule,  222,  229 ,  Lane 
at,  427. 

Corcoran,  W.  J.,  company  raised  by, 
2.  431. 

Corpus  Christi,  Taylor's  force  at,  1. 
142,  452. 

Corral  Falso,  as  defensive  point,  2 
39.  41,  42. 

Corruption,  Mexican,  in  army,  1.  9; 
in  civil  service,  12 ;  extent  and  ef- 
fect, 13,  57,  416-7  ;  question  in  peace 
negotiations,  2.  123,  132,  390-1, 
and  war-time  trade,  263  ;  and  Mexi- 
can attitude  on  the  war,  312. 

Corwm,  Thomas,  on  Scott,  1.  197, 
opposition  to  war,  2.  126 ;  and  treaty 
of  peace,  247,  effect  of  "hospitable 
graves"  speech,  278,  494;  demands 
recall  of  troops,  290. 

Cos,  M.  P.  de,  at  Tuxpan,  2.  202,  445. 

Cossack,  claim,  1.  426. 

Cost  of  the  war  to  United  States,  2 
266-7,  488. 

Council  Grove,  trade  rendezvous,  1 
288. 

Courtesy,  Mexican,  1.  26. 

Couto,  J.  B.,  peace  commissioner,  2. 
13^,  239;  and  Pefia,  180;  on  Trist, 
323. 

Cox,  I.  J.,  acknowledgment  to,  1. 
450. 

Cox,  Nathaniel,  claim,  1.  426. 

Coyoacan,  force  at,  2.  101 ;  and  battle 
of  Churubusco,  112,  382-3. 

Crampton,  J.  F.  T.,  British  charge  at 
Washington,  and  levy  on  Mexicans, 
2.  486 ;  on  slavery  and  cessation  of 
war,  500;  on  Whig  war  policy, 
500. 

Crawford,  J.  T.,  British  consul  at  Tain- 
pico,  reports  cited  passim. 


INDEX 


575 


Credit,  lack  of  Mexican  public,  2.  7, 
253 ;  American  foreign,  256.  See 
also  Finances. 

Creole,  burned,  2.  444. 

Creoles,  characteristics,  1.  3,  407, 
and  Spanish-born,  29,  and  inde- 
pendence, 30-1. 

Crepusculo,  on  Santa  Anna  as  dicta- 
tor, 1.  47 ,  on  Santa  Anna  and 
Zacatecas,  550. 

Crime  and  criminal  law,  Mexican,  1. 
13,  21. 

Crittenden,  J.  J.,  and  war  bill,  1.  183, 
187,  473,  2.  277  ,  defence  of  Taylor, 

1.  260,     and    Taylor's    candidacy, 
368 ,   and  tariff  of  1846,  2.  257,  496  , 
and  plan  to  stop  war,  290 ,    position 
in  Senate,  496 ,     on  American  atti- 
tude toward  Mexico,  508. 

Cross,  Trueman,  killed,  1.  160,  463 ,  on 
Taylor  and  transportation,  490. 

Cuba,  Mexico  and,  1.  417;  and 
Mexican  privateering,  2.  192,  193. 

Cuernavaca,  and  Santa  Anna's  dic- 
tatorship, 1.  46 ,  occupied,  2.  184, 
433. 

Cuevas,  L.  G.,  on  chances  of  expected 
war,  1.  Ill ,  and  annexation  of 
Texas,  434  ,  on  resumption  of  inter- 
course, 435  ;  and  Pefia,  2.  180 ,  peace 
commissioner,  239,  466,  on  Trist, 
323. 

Cumberland,  in  Home  Squadron,  2. 
197,  442  ,  damaged,  449 

Cumplido,  I.,  Presidential  candidacy, 

2.  236. 

Curtis,  S.  R.,  and  forays  on  Taylor's 
rear,  1.  562 

Cushing,  Caleb,  sent  to  Scott,  2  184, 
418 ;  brigade  in  Taylor's  force,  417  , 
leaves  Mexico,  438. 

Customs,  Mexican  internal,  1  16,  2 
253.  See  also  Tariff. 

Cuylti,  Gavino,  and  Doniphan's  ad- 
vance, 1.  301. 

Cyane,  at  Monterey,  1  423  ,  in  Pacific 
squadron,  2  189,  205,  206,  446,  447  , 
at  La  Paz  and  San  Jos£,  449 

Cyprey,  Baron  Alieye  de,  French  minis- 
ter at  Mexico,  on  British  recogni- 
tion of  Texas,  1.  432. 

Dakin,  J.  H.,  recruiting  advertisement, 

1.  445. 
Dale,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189,  206, 

447 ;   at  Guaymas,  447. 
Dallas,  G.  M.,  and  Buchanan  faction,  2. 

282 ;  on  Polk,  510. 
Dana,  R.  H.,  and  public  interest  in 

California,  1.  323. 


Davidson,  G.  R.,  captured,  1.  370-1. 

See  also  Encarnaci<5n  prisoners. 
Davis,  C.  W.,  and  outrages,  1.  425. 
Davis,  G.  T.  M.,  on  errors  at  Churu- 
busco,  2.  383  ;    on  Belen  operations, 
412. 

Davis,  Jefferson,  at  Monterey,  1.  249, 
252,  500,  in  negotiations,  502,504, 
505,  at  Buena  Vista,  555;  and 
peace  negotiations,  2.  464  ,  on  glory 
of  the  war,  324. 
Davis,  John,  and  two  million  bill,  2. 

123. 
Deas,  Edward,  battery  m  Taylor's  later 

force,  2.  418. 
Deaths,    in   American   army,   2.    318, 

511,  512. 
Decatur,  in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  2.  444 ; 

in  Home  Squadron,  446. 
Declaration  of  war.     See  Outbreak. 
Defensive-line    policy,    Taylor's   plan, 
1   282-3,461,513,514;    popularity, 
347 ;   persistence,  2.  183,  430. 
Deffaudis,     Baron      French    minister 

at  Mexico,  reports  cited  passim. 
Delano,    Columbus,    and   war   bill,    1 
472  ,      inconsistent  war  criticism,  2 
277. 

Delaware  Indians,  m  Kearny's  expe- 
dition, 1.  288. 
Delaware  troops,  2   431 . 
Democracy,   radical  party   in   Mexico 
(1846),  2  2-4.     See  also  Federalism ; 
Puros 

Democratic  party,  and  war,  1.  184, 
471 ,  early  reaction,  2.  269,  281 ;  and 
Polk,  dissensions,  269-73,  281,  283; 
leaders  in  Congress,  282,  496 ;  dis- 
sensions and  Wilmot  Proviso,  286; 
dissensions  protract  war,  288.  See 
also  Congress ,  Polk. 
Democratic  Rcmew,  and  absorption  of 

Mexico,  2  243. 

De  Russey,  L  G.,  wrecked,  march  to 
Tampico,  1  547  ;  attempt  to  rescue 
prisoners  of  war,  2.  418. 
Descriptions  See  Physical  aspect. 
Desertion,  in  Taylor  army  at  Rio 
Grande,  1.  160,  463  ;  tendency  after 
Monterey,  262;  amount,  9.  318, 
319 ,  fate  of  deserters  captured  at 
Churubusco,  385;  deserters  and 
peace,  474.  See  also  Irish.  Propa- 
ganda 

Diablo,  El,  earthwork  at  Monterey,  1. 
249 ;  attack  on,  253-4,  500 ;  evacu- 
ated, 255. 

Dmrio,  desires  war,  1.  105,  115;  on 
help  from  abroad,  112 ;  on  the  army, 
408;  on  United  States  and  Texas, 


576 


INDEX 


423;  on  start  of  final  campaign,  2. 
92 ;  on  Scott's  predicament,  103 ;  on 
peace  negotiations,  123,  130. 

Diaz  de  la  Vega,  R      See  La  Vega. 

Dickens,  Charles,  jibes  at  Americans, 
2.  294. 

Dickinson,  D.  S.,  and  expansion,  1. 
188;  and  absorption  of  Mexico,  2. 
243  ,  position  in  Senate,  496. 

Dictatorship,  under  first  Mexican  con- 
stitution, 1.  37;  Victoria's,  39, 
Guerrero's,  42 ;  Santa  Anna's,  46, 
51-3,  415,  his  virtual,  during  the 
war,  2.  81,  85 ,  invitation  to  Scott, 
323. 

Dimond,  F.  M  ,  American  consul  at 
Vera  Cruz,  and  restoration  of  inter- 
course, 1.  89  ,  report  on  Santa  Anna's 
attitude,  201 ,  and  war  programme, 
350,  on  Mexico  and  American- 
British  relations,  442 ;  and  spy  for 
Scott,  2.  332. 

Diplomatic  intercourse,  American- 
Mexican,  Mexican  characteristics, 
1.  58,  416,  treatment  of  Pomsett, 
58-9,  417 ,  Louisiana  Purchase 
boundary,  59-61,  418,  treaty  of 
amity  and  commerce,  61,  419, 
recall  of  Poinsetfc  demanded,  62 , 
Butler  as  minister,  62,  419,  420, 
Ellis  as  charge,  63 ,  Sabme  River 
boundary  and  Games's  expedition, 
63-6,  420-2  ,  departure  of  Gorostiza, 
66,  77 ,  and  recognition  of  Texas, 
66,  422,  423,  Bocanegra's  threat, 
68;  Gorostiza's  pamphlet,  dis- 
avowal, 77-9,  rupture  (1845),  87, 
efforts  to  restore,  88-91,  133,  434, 
447 ;  preparation  to  reopen,  91  , 
British  efforts  for  renewal,  91,  435, 
Mexico  agrees  to  resume,  claims 
question  in  agreement,  92-4,  97, 
435—6 ;  need  of  haste,  94  ,  instruc- 
tions to  Slidell,  95,  127,  436 ,  rejec- 
tion of  Slidell,  96-8,  100-1,  120,  127, 
133,  135,  145,  437-9,  447,  453, 
policy  of  bold  military  attitude  to 
encourage  resumption,  152  ,  nego- 
tiations with  Santa  Anna  (1846), 
201-3,  471 ,  difficulties  of  contrasted 
national  characteristics,  2.  310,  508. 
See  also  Claims;  Foreign  relations; 
Peace. 

Direct  tax.  American  attitude  tow- 
ard, 2.  258,  480 

Discipline.  See  Conquered  territory ; 
Morale. 

Disraeli,  Benjamin,  on  Mexico,  2.  296 ; 
and  the  war,  299 ,  and  interposition, 
302. 


District  of  Columbia  troops,  call  and 
response  (1847),  2.  364,  431;  in 
Taylor's  later  force,  417  ;  at  Jalapa, 
433.  See  also  Washington  and 
Baltimore  battalion. 

Dodd,  W.  E.,  on  Calhoun's  rivals  and 
war,  1.  444. 

Dominguez,  Manuel,  as  Scott's  spy, 
2.  362. 

Don  Simplicio,  on  Santa  Anna's  efforts 
at  San  Luis  Potosi,  1.  376,  377,  379 , 
on  revolt  of  1846,  2.  1 ,  on  political 
situation  (1847),  16. 

Donaldson,  J.  L.,  at  Saltillo,  1  559. 

Donelson,  A  J  ,  on  Texas  and  Euro- 
pean aid,  1.  82 ,  peaceful  instruc- 
tions to  (1845),  131 ,  on  Mexico  and 
slavery,  188  ,  and  war,  445. 

Doniphan,  A  W  ,  regiment  in  Kearny's 
expedition,  1.  288 ,  reduces  In- 
dians, 298 ;  force  for  Chihuahua 
march,  98,  303,  519 ,  character  and 
appearance,  299  ,  character  of  force, 
299,  303,  caravan  with,  298,  303, 
519,  520,  ciossmg  of  Jornada  del 
Muerto,  299,  518,  Clark's  rein- 
forcement, 299,  303 ,  preparations 
against  at  El  Paso,  300-1,  518,  af- 
faii  of  Brazito,  301-2,  518,  at  El 
Pa&o,  302  3 ,  advance  to  Sacra- 
mento River,  303-4,  519,  prepara- 
tions against  at  Chihuahua,  304-6, 
519  ,  map  of  march,  305  ,  battle  of 
Sacramento,  306-13,  520,  at  Chi- 
huahua, 313,  520 ;  negotiations,  313  ; 
march  to  Saltillo,  313,  521,  547, 
548 ,  return  to  Missouri,  reception, 
results  of  march,  314  ,  on  and  during 
the  battle,  520 ,  later  career,  521. 

Dorsey,  G  ,  on  Spanish  American  fear 
of  aggression,  1.  Ill 

Dosamantes,  Senonta,  as  volunteer, 
1.  230,  494. 

Dosamantes,  J.,  captured  at  Chapul- 
tepec,  2.  411. 

Douglas,  S.  A  ,  on  cause  of  war,  1. 
189,  on  policy  of  occupying  terri- 
tory, 2  492 ,  position  in  House, 
496. 

Doyle,  P.  W  ,  British  charg6  at  Mexico, 
on  British  recognition  of  Texas,  1 
432,  on  conduct  of  American  sol- 
diers, 2.  226,  231,  460 ,  and  renewal  of 
peace  negotiations,  238-40,  465 ;  and 
armistice,  242,  470 ,  on  relaxed  dis- 
cipline after  Scott's  departure,  438. 

Dragoons,  force  (1845),  1.  139,  450; 
at  Churubusco,  2.  110,  119,  385; 
during  armistice,  134 ;  at  Molino 
del  Rey,  144,  146,  403 ;  at  Chapul- 


INDEX 


577 


tepee,  161,408,  410;  in  Mexico  City, 
164;  with  Scott,  356;  garrison  at 
Jalapa  and  Perote,  361 ,  in  Cali- 
fornia, 475.  See  also  regiments  by 
number. 

Dress,  Mexican,  1.  18-9,  24;  Cali- 
fornian,  316. 

Drink.     See  Liquor. 

Dromgoole,  G.  C.,  position  in  House, 
2  496. 

Drum,  S.  H  ,  company  at  Mohno  del 
Key,  2  143,  145,  403,  at  Chftpul- 
tepec,  152,  156 ,  at  Belen  ganta, 
159,  160 ;  killed,  160 ,  light  artillery, 
366. 

Ducoiiig,  Theodore,  claim,  1   427. 

Duflot  de  Mofras,  Eugene,  on  cause 
of  war,  1  189,  and  California,  324, 
523. 

Duncan,  James,  battery  in  Texas,  1 
146,  at  Palo  Alto,  168,  169,  465, 
at  Monterey,  241,  243,  248,  258, 
492,  496;  advance  to  Saltillo,  264, 
field  battery,  450,  at  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  467 ,  in  advance  of  Perote, 
2.  61 ,  Amozoc  affair,  70 ,  in  Scott's 
army,  77  ,  at  Churubusco,  115,  117  , 
at  Molino  del  Rey,  143-6 ,  at  Cha- 
pul tepee,  161 ,  and  uprising  in  the 
city,  167 ,  and  cabal  against  Scott, 
178,  435 ,  Scott's  charges  against, 
188,  436  ,  Polk  rescues,  188  ,  recon- 
naissance of  Mexicaltzmgo  route, 
372,  373  ,  and  Quitman's  advance  to 
Helen  garita,  414 

Du  Petit  Thouars,  A  A  ,  and  Cali- 
fornia, 1  523 

Du  Pont,  S  F.,  cruise  off  western 
coast  of  Mexico,  2  205 ,  at  La  Paz 
and  San  Jose,  449 

Duran,  Jos6,  and  surrender  of  Ulua,  2 
340,  342. 

Durango  state,  and  Santa  Anna,  1 
376 ,  and  secession  coalition,  2  86 

Echagaray,    Domingo,    at    San    Juan 

Bautista,  2.  446 
Echeagaray,    Lt.  Col  ,  at    Molino   del 

Rey,  2    145  ,    at  San  Cosme  ganta, 

413. 
Echols,   II.    M.,   regiment  in   Taylor's 

force,  2.  417. 

Eckfoid,  Henry,  claim,  1.  426. 
Edson,  Alvin,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2 

335. 
Education,  under  Spanish  rule,  1.  13 , 

common,    after    independence,     14, 

409;   higher,  14 
Eighth  Cavalry,  Mexican,  at  Monterey, 

1.  494. 

VOL.  II  —  2  P 


Eighth  Infantry,  in  Texas,  1.  143 ;  at 
Palo  Alto,  164,  168,  466 ;  at  Resaca 
de  la  Palma,  174  ,  at  Monterey,  246, 
492,  496,  501 ,  advance  to  Saltillo, 
264;  in  Scott's  army,  2.  77;  at 
Churubusco,  112,  115,  116,  384;  at 
Chapultepec,  157 ,  at  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz,  343 ,  at  Molino  del  Rey,  402. 
Eighth  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 

Monterey,  1.  494. 
El  Carmen  Island.     See  Carmen. 
El  Paso,  aspect  and  people,  1.  300,  302  ; 
force  against  Domphan  Brazito  affair, 
300-2,     518,      Domphan     occupies, 
302  3 

El  Tel6grafo      See  Tel6grafo. 

Elections.     See  President 

Eleventh  Infantry,  in  Scott's  army,  2. 
77,  363,  422,  432 ,  at  Chapultepec, 
154,  410,  at  Churubusco,  385;  at 
Molmo  del  Rey,  402 

Eleventh  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2  52,  347,  at  San 
Cosme  garita,  162  ,  and  Vera  Cruz, 
334 

Elkms,  Samuel,  claim,  1   426. 

Elliot,  Charles,  British  minister  in 
Texas,  on  chances  of  expected  war, 
1  105,  107 ,  on  Texas  as  theat  e 
of  war,  107  ,  on  policy  of  expansion, 
123. 

Ellis,  Powhatan,  American  representa- 
tive at  Mexico,  1  63 ,  and  claims, 
76-7  ,  and  California,  324  ,  on  Tornel, 
484 

Ellis,  T  H.,  American  chargS  at 
Mexico,  reports  cited  passim. 

Empire  of  Iturbide,  1   35. 

Encainacion,  Santa  Anna's  army  at, 
1  381  ,  map  of  district,  382.  See 
also  next  title 

Encarnacion  prisoners,  capture,  1. 
370-1  ,  bent  south,  562  ;  at  Huejutla, 
attempt  to  release,  2.  418. 

Engineers,  military,  Mexican,  1.  156, 
461,  2  312,  American  corps,  1  451 ; 
in  the  war,  2  320,  513  ,  under  Scott, 
349,  356,  366 

England.     See  Great  Britain 

Erie,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189,  447. 

Escudero,  J  A  de,  and  Farias,  2.  5,  9 

Espectador,  on  the  war,  1.  442 

Etpoanza,  on  Americans,  1.  484. 

Esteva,  J.  W  ,  on  Mexican  character, 
1  410. 

Estrada,  Gutierrez  de.  See  Gutierrez 
de  Estrada. 

Europe,  expected  to  aid  Mexico,  1. 112- 
5,  442.  Sec  also  Foreign  relations, 
Interposition ,  nations  by  name, 


578 


INDEX 


especially   France;    Great   Britain; 

Spain. 

Eutaw  Indians,  subdued,  1.  298. 
Evacuation   of   Mexican   territory,   2. 

251  2,  475-G. 

Evans,  George,  and  war  bill,  1.  183. 
Eventualists,  and  secession  and  peace, 

2.  234,  239,  465.     See  al*>o  Puros. 
Execution    of    American    citizens,    1. 

70. 
Expansion,  spirit  and  attitude  toward 

Mexico,  1.  123,  444 ;    London  Time* 

on,  2   294  ;   justice,  322-3.     See  also 

Annexations. 
Expulsion  of  American  citizens,  1.  71, 

73,  423,  424. 

Fairfield,  John,  on  Scott,  1.  197;  on 
speeches  m  Congress,  *\  284. 

Falcon,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2.  338, 
in  Home  Squadron,  445,  446. 

Falmouth,  scurvy,  2.  195 ;  in  Home 
Squadron,  197,  442. 

Farias,  Valentin  G6mez,  "Vice  Presi- 
dent, character,  1.  45 ;  as  acting 
President,  attempted  reforms,  45 , 
flees,  47 ;  as  Federalist  leader,  48 , 
and  the  war,  201  ,  combination  with 
Santa  Anna,  216  ,  imprisoned,  216  , 
and  revolt  for  Santa  Anna  (1846), 
217,  221-3,  and  Salas  and  Santa 
Anna,  °.  1,  327,  as  leader  of  radi- 
cals (Puros),  2  ,  shelved,  4  ,  election 
as  Vice  President  and  actual  Execu- 
tive (1846),  5  ;  war  policy,  6  ,  finan- 
cial problem  and  church  property, 
6,  9-14;  and  Beach,  12,  super- 
seded by  Santa  Anna,  14;  office 
abolished,  unpopularity,  15,  332 , 
hostility  to  Santa  Anna,  82 ,  and 
Olaguibel,  86 ;  opposes  peace  nego- 
tiations (1847),  136. 

Farragut,  D.  G.,  and  Ulua,  2.  201. 

Federal  Union,  and  war,  1   473. 

Federalism  and  Federalists,  in  first 
Mexican  constitution,  1,  36-7 ;  oli- 
garchical plots  and  revolt  against, 
37-8,  party  resentment,  38-9, 
overthrow,  47  ;  pre-war  factions,  48 ; 
Bustamante's  attempt  to  restore,  51 , 
arid  Herrera's  rule,  55-6  ,  party  and 
Poinsett,  59;  restoration  (1846), 
217,  222,  488 ;  war-time  factions,  2. 
2-5;  in  election  of  1846,  5,  split 
on  demands  on  church  property,  11  , 
and  Santa  Anna  as  Executive,  15, 
states  defy  Santa  Anna,  plan  for 
new  republic,  86-7,  234,  369, 
state  discussion  on  peace,  236,  464 ; 
antagonistic  state  groups,  510.  See  I 


also  Constitutions ;  Government ; 
Moderados,  Puros. 

Federation  Ridge  at  Monterey,  1.  239, 
497  ,  capture,  244,  498. 

Ferndndez  del  Castillo,  Pedro.  See 
Castillo. 

Ferry,  Gabriel,  on  battle  of  Monterey, 
1.  503,  and  interposition,  2.  304; 
on  American  army,  321. 

Fifteenth  Infantry,  in  Scott's  army,  2. 
78,  363,  422,  432  ;  at  Contreras,  105  ; 

9  at<  Chapultepec,  154,  155,  157, 
garrisons  it,  159 ;  at  Chumbusco, 
384 ,  advance  after  armistice,  400. 

Fifth  Cavalry,  Mexican,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  347. 

Fifth  Infantry,  in  Texas,  1.  143;  at 
Palo  Alto,  164,  167,  at  Resaca  de 
la  Palma,  174;  at  Monterey,  245, 
247,  259,  492,  496 ;  advance  to  Sal- 
tillo,  264;  in  Scott's  army,  2.  77, 
422;  at  Churubusco,  112,  115,  116, 
384  ;  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343  ;  at 
Molmo  del  Rey,  402,  403. 

Fifth  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2  347. 

Fihsola,  Vicente,  and  Doniphan's  ex- 
pedition, 1  521 ;  and  plans  against 
Taylor,  2  165,  419 ,  and  later  com- 
mand, 182,  430. 

Finances,  American,  naval  appropria- 
tions, 1.  190,  2.  189,  unfavorable 
pro-war  conditions,  255,  306 ;  prob- 
lem of  war  loans,  lack  of  credit 
abroad,  256,  478,  need  of  mere  in- 
come, 258,  260,  481 ,  tariff  of  1846, 
warehouse  system,  and  sub-treasurv, 
257,  478-9,  treasury  notes,  258, 
479,  480 ,  first  loan,  259,  479,  481 ; 
second  loan,  260,  481  ,  proposed 
impost  on  tea  and  coffee,  261,  285, 
482 ,  and  gradation  of  public  lands, 
261  ;  tariff  fc  r  Mexican  ports,  261-3, 
303,  484,  500,  505,  effect  of  pros- 
perity due  to  European  conditions, 
263,  484,  third  loan,  264,  485; 
levies  on  Mexicans,  264-6,  485-8; 
funds  and  expenditures  in  Mexico, 
266,  488;  cost  of  the  war,  266-7, 
488;  political  effects  of  Polk's 
policy,  273,  281 ;  money  market 
during  the  war,  489;  other  war- 
time Acts,  489. 

Finances,  Mexican,  Iturbide's  troubles, 
1.  34-5,  and  expulsion  of  Gachu- 
pines,  39 ;  early  republican  dift  cul- 
ties,  39;  cris's  (1837),  48;  under 
Santa  Anna's  dictatorship,  52 ; 
Herrera's  predicament,  55;  war 
preparations,  213-4,  223,  488; 


INDEX 


579 


Santa  Anna's  preparations  at  San 
Luis  Potosi,  377 ;  forced  loans,  410, 
431,  2.  254,  477,  general  war-time 
character,  6,  327 ;  problems,  7 ; 
demands  on  Church,  law  of  Jan.  11, 
opposition,  8-11,  329;  Beach's 
intrigue  and  clerical  revolt,  11-4, 
330-2,  Santa  Anna  and  Church 
property,  15,  329 ;  effect  of  war  on 
normal  income,  253 ,  taxation  proj- 
ects, 253 ,  state  donations,  254 ; 
clerical  donations,  254,  477 ,  loans, 
254,  477  ;  seizures  and  requisitions, 
255;  state  of  treasury  (1846),  328. 

First  Artillery,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  52, 
54,  352;  in  Scott's  army,  77;  at 
Churubusco,  114,  382,  at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  343 ,  garrison  at  Jalapa, 
361;  at  Belen  ganta,  413 ;  in  Tay- 
lor's later  force,  417. 

First  Cavalry,  Mexican,  at  Monterey, 
1.  494. 

First  Dragoons,  in  Kearny's  expedition, 
1.  286,  288,  515;  leave  for  Cali- 
fornia, 297  ,  in  Wool's  march,  509  , 
at  Buena  Vista,  554,  555 ,  in  Scott's 
army,  2.  77 ,  at  Churubusco,  119, 
in  California,  219;  at  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz,  3  43  ,  in  Taylor's  later  force,  417 

First  Infantrv,  at  Burrita,  1.  177,  at 
Monterey,  250,  252,  492,  496,  in 
Smith's  brigade,  541  ,  garrisons  Vera 
Cruz,  2.  37;  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
343. 

First  Ligero,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  347. 

First  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Monterey,  1.  49 1. 

Fischer,  Waldemar,  company  in 
Kearny's  expedition,  1.  288,  515. 

Fla?g,  A  C.,  and  Folk's  Cabinet,  2. 
269,  271. 

Flirt,  m  Home  Squadron,  2.  197,  442. 

Flores,  J  M.,  rising  in  California.  1 
339,  533 ,  as  provisional  governor, 
340;  and  battle  of  San  Pascual, 
342 ;  and  American  advance  on  Los 
Angeles,  343-4,  535 ,  retires  to 
Sonora,  345 ,  and  Larkin,  536. 

Florida  troops,  calls,  1.  537,  2.  364, 
in  Taylor's  later  force,  417;  at 
Puebla,  433. 

Food  and  drink,  Mexican,  1.  2,  20-1. 

Forbes,  Alexander,  British  consul  at 
Topic,  effect  of  his  book  on  Cali- 
fornia, 1.  323. 

Forbes,  J.  A.,  British  vice  consul  in 
California,  on  California  and  inde- 
pendence, 1.  321 ;  on  expected  Amer- 
ican annexation,  325;  and  British 
control,  328,  329,  332. 


Forced  loans  in  Mexico,  1.  410,  2.  254, 
477  ;  to  pay  claims,  1.  431. 

Ford,  Lemuel,  at  siege  of  Puebla,  2. 
424;  in  Lane's  guerilla  operations, 
426. 

Foreign  relations,  American,  European 
attitude  toward  United  States,  2. 
294-6,  502;  and  toward  Mexico, 
296,  502 ;  Buchanan's  circular  on 
origin  and  purpose  of  war,  297; 
Spanish  America  and  the  war,  298; 
attitude  of  Spain,  298;  of  Prussia, 
298 ;  England  and  outbreak  of  war, 
299-300,  France  and  outbreak, 

300,  503  ,  British  offer  of  mediation, 

301,  503-4;     question    of    British 
interposition,    301-4,    504-6;      and 
British-French  relations,   304,   506; 
France  and  interposition,  304;    ef- 
fect of  victories,  305 ;    foreign  help 
of   Mexico,    306,     criticism   of   war 
operations,  306-8,  507 ;    and  treaty 
of  peace,   338-9 ;    influence  of  war 
on,  323      See    also    Diplomatic    in- 
tercourse ;  Preparation ;  nations   by 
name,  especially  France  ;  Great  Brit- 
ain ,  Spam 

Foreigners.    See  Aliens. 

Forsyth,  John,  and  Gaines's  expedi- 
tion, 1.  *  64,  66,  422 ;  and  claims 
commission,  80,  429. 

Forward,  in  attack  on  Alvarado,  2. 
199;  in  Tabasco  expedition,  200. 

Foster,  J.  G.,  at  Molmo  del  Rey, 
wounded,  2.  142,  144,  403 ;  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  349 ,  engineer  with  Scott,  366. 

Fourteenth  Infantry,  in  Scott's  army, 
2.  77,  303,  432,  at  Chapultepec, 
154  ;  at  Churubusco,  385  ;  at  Molino 
del  Rey,  402. 

Fourth  Artillery,  at  Buena  Vista,  1. 
555;  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  53;  in 
Scott's  army,  77,  at  Molino  del 
Rey,  143,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
343;  left  at  Contreras,  382;  in 
Taylor's  later  force,  417,  418. 

Fourth  Infantry,  at  Fort  Jesup,  1.  140 ; 
goes  to  Texas,  141-2,  452 ;  at  Palo 
Alto  164,  167,  168;  at  Monterey, 
252,  256,  492,  498,  500-2,  506;  in 
Scott's  army,  2.  77,  422 ;  at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  343;  at  San  Cosme 
garita,  414. 

Fourth  Ligero,  at  Monterey,  1.  494 ;  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2.  347. 

Fourth  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Palo  Alto,  1.  165,  168;  at  Resaca 
de  la  Palma,  171,  174,  175;  at 
Monterey,  494;  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2. 
52,  53,  347. 


580 


INDEX 


Fourth  of  July,  claim,  1.  424. 

France,  attack  on  Mexico,  1.  49,  74 ; 
and  Texas,  55r  67,  90,  432  ,  and  ex- 
pected war,  112,  and  annexation 
of  Texas,  113,  2.  295,  501,  502 ,  and 
support  of  Mexico,  interposition,  1. 
112-5,  2.  304;  supposed  manipula- 
tion of  Mexico,  1.  121 ,  and  Califor- 
nia, 324,  326,  327,  523,  2.  505 ,  and 
Mexican  privateering,  193 ,  and 
American  tariff  for  Mexican  ports, 
262,  484 ,  attitude  toward  United 
States,  295  ,  attitude  toward  Mexico, 
296-7,  and  outbreak  of  war,  300, 
503 ,  attitude  and  British  relations, 
304,  506 ,  and  American  victories, 
305. 

Franklin,  W.  B  ,  reconnaissance  in 
Wool's  march,  1.  271. 

Freaner,  J.  L.,  and  recall  of  Trist,  2 
465 ,  takes  treaty  to  Washington, 
467. 

Frederick  William  of  Prussia,  and  the 
war,  i.  299 

Fremont,  J.  C.,  expedition  canceled 
(1845),  1.  131,  447,  and  Castro, 
retirement,  331,  528,  Gillespie 
and  return,  Bear  Flag  war,  331 --3, 
528-9,  531 ;  and  Sloat,  335,  531  ,  joins 
Stockton,  force  and  appearance,  336  , 
influences  address,  336  ,  in  first  south- 
ern campaign,  336,  337  ,  command  in 
north,  338 ,  and  second  southern 
campaign,  342,  345,  535-6,  treaty 
with  insurgents,  345-6,  2.  218 ,  as 
governor,  217 ,  and  Kearny,  454 

French,  S.  G.,  on  Taylor  as  fighter,  1 
238. 

French  in  Mexico,  merchants,  1    5 

French  revolution,  influence  in  Mexico, 

1.  30. 

Frontera,  blockade,  2.  194 ,  import- 
ance, 443 

Fugitive  slaves,  rendition  in  American- 
Mexican  negotiations,  1.  419 

Furber,  G.  C.,  work  as  source,  1    404 

Furlong,  C.,  arid  Americans  at  Pucbla, 

2.  225. 

Gachupines,  characteristics,  1.3,  ex- 
pulsion, 39,  42,  413.  See  also  Oli- 
garchy. 

Gahagan,  Dennis,  claim,  1.  427. 

Gaines,  E.  P.,  Nacogdoches  expedition, 
1.  64-6,  420-2,  requisition  for  six- 
months  men,  196,  205,  452,  476,  2. 
272,  511;  and  Scott,  1.  197,  Tay- 
lor's letter,  347,  507  ,  and  command 
of  Vera  Cruz  expedition,  353 ,  re- 
lieved, court  of  inquiry,  476. 


Gaines,  J.  P.,  carelessness  and  capture, 
1.  370-1 ;  at  Saltillo,  541  ,  of  Scott's 
staff,  2.  366.  See  also  Encarnaci6n 
prisoners. 

Gallatin,  Albert,  on  annexation  of 
Texas,  1.  83  ,  pessimism  on  peace 
prospects,  2.  235  ,  on  treasury  notes, 
258;  and  the  war,  314 

Gambling,  American,  1  144,  207,  2 
214 ,  at  Mexico  City,  2  460 

Gamboa,  Ramon,  and  Santa  Anna,  2 
134;  on  evacuation  of  Mexico  City, 
415,  416. 

Gaona,  General,  in  preparations  bolero 
Perote,  2  40  ,  abandons  Perote,  61 

Garay,  F.  de,  and  Do  Russey's  expe- 
dition, 2.  418 

Garay,  J.  G.  Perdigon  See  Perdig6n 
Garay. 

Garcia,  General,  at  Matamoros, 
character,  1  158,  462 

Garcia  Condc,  Pedro,  and  battle  of 
Sacramento,  1  306,  309,  312,  519, 
520. 

Gardner,  J  L  ,  command  tit  Point 
Isabel,  1  493. 

Garland,  John,  at  Palo  Alto,  1  164, 
at  Monterey,  250,  251,  253,  492,  496, 
499,  500 ,  brigade  in  advance  of 
Perote,  2  61  ,  in  Scott's  army,  77  , 
before  San  Antonio,  Mex  ,  102 ,  at 
Churubusco,  113,  110,  at  Molino 
del  Rey,  143,  145 ,  at  Chapultopoc, 
161 ,  at  San  Cosine  ganta,  162 , 
wounded  in  uprising,  167,  and 
Contreras,  381 

Garro,  Miiximo,  Mexican  charg/1  at 
Paris,  reports  cited  passim 

Gates,  William,  at  Tampico,  1  281, 
282,  486,  512,  546,  2.  484  ,  discipline, 
215  ,  and  prisoners  at  Hucjutla,  418. 

Gateways  of  Mexico  City,  2  147  See 
also  Belon  ,  San  Cosmo. 

Georgia  troops,  m  Victoria  march,  1 
357,  at  siepe  of  Veia  Cruz,  2.  343, 
in  Alvarado  expedition,  344  ,  leave 
Scott,  356,  calls  (1847),  304,  365, 
430 ,  for  Scott,  423 ,  cavalry  at 
Huamantla,  426 

"Germanic/us,"  on  volunteers,  1    474 

Germans  in  Mexico,  merchants,  1  5 , 
mining  companies,  15. 

Germantown,  in  attack  on  Tuxpari, 
2.  444  ,  in  Home  Squadron,  445,  446 

Germany.     Sec  Prussia 

Gerolt,  Baron,  Prussian  minister  at 
Washington,  arid  the  war,  2.  503. 

Gibson,  George,  commissary  general 
of  subsistence,  1  475  ,  arid  Graham, 
500. 


INDEX 


581 


Giddings,  J   R.,  and  secession,  2   272 , 

position  in  House,  496. 
Giffard,  F.  L  ,  British  consul  at  Mata- 

moros,  on  conduct  of  volunteers    2 

211 
Giffard,  T.,  British  consul  at  Vera  Cruz, 

on  Vera  C/ruz  expedition,  2    22,  32, 

33,  337,  341  ,  on  American  rule,  221  , 

on  Scott  and  Jalapa,  362 
Gillespie,  A   H  ,  mission  to  California, 

1.  326,  329,  526,  530 ,   and  return  of 
Fremont,  331,  332,  528,    and  Bear 
Flag    war,    332,    529 ,     in    southern 
campaign,  336  ;  rule  at  Lo&  Angeles, 
338 ,    rising  against,  surrender,  339, 
533-4  ,   joins  Kearny,  341 ,  in  battle 
of  San  Pascual,  342  ,  in  expedition  to 
Los  Angeles,  342 

Gillespie,  R.  A.,  at  Monterey,  1    245 , 

march  to  Mier,  483 
Glass,  J.  W  ,  British  consul  at  Tam- 

pico,  reports  cited  passim 
Glasson,  J    J  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 

2.  338 

Goliad  massacre,  American  indigna- 
tion, 1  117 

G6mez,  Gregono,  Jefferson  and  Nat- 
chez incidents,  1  424-5  ,  in  prepara- 
tions below  Perote,  2.  40  ,  flight  from 
La  Hoya,  58 

Gomez  Farias      See  Farias 

G6mcz  Pedraza      See  Pedraza 

Gonzalez, ,  and  Armijo,  1   293. 

Gore,  J  H  ,  at  San  Cosine  garita,  2. 
414. 

Gorman,  W  A  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  386, 
556  ,  at  Huamantla,  2  426 

Gorostiza,  M  E  de,  as  minister  at 
Washington,  1  64 ,  and  Games' s 
expedition,  65-6,  420-2 ,  pamphlet, 
Mexican  disavowal,  77-9 ,  and 
Texas,  432  ,  and  Santa  Anna,  2  92. 

Government,  Mexican,  results  of  colo- 
nial system,  1  29-30,  causes  of 
failure,  56-7,  416-7,  438,  2  310,  312  , 
difficulties  in  tracing  political  de- 
velopment, 1  411  ,  extempore,  after 
loss  of  capital,  2.  179-81,  427,  428, 
results  to,  of  the  war,  514  See  also 
Centralists ,  Congress,  Mexican , 
Conquered  territory  ,  Constitutions , 
Dictatorship ,  Federalism ,  Inde- 
pendence ,  Local  government , 
Monarchy ,  Oligarchy ,  President 
of  Mexico ;  Revolutions  ,  Roman 
Catholic  church. 

Graham,  G.  M.,  and  Garland  at  Monte- 
rey, 1.  500,  messenger  to  Mexico, 
*.  473. 

Graham,  James,  and  Oregon,  1.  200. 


Grande,  Rio.     See  Rio  Grande. 

Grant,  U.  S  ,  at  Monterey,  1.  252,  256, 
501 ,  on  Worth,  408 ;  on  magnify- 
ing of  Taylor's  victories,  549 ;  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2.  49 ,  at  San  Cosme 
garita,  162,  414  ,  on  departure  from 
Mexico,  252 ,  on  Cerro  Gordo,  354 ; 
on  Churubusco,  383,  on  battles 
before  Mexico  City,  408,  on  Mexi- 
can soldiers,  509 

Gray,  A  F  V.,  at  San  Pascual,  1.  535 

Gray  son,  J  B  ,  Scott's  chief  of  sub- 
sistence, 2  366. 

Great  Britain,  British  loans  to  Mexico, 

1.  37  ,  and  Texas,  55,  67,  86,  90,  419, 
432,    449,    2     295,    303,    502,    506; 
commercial  treaty  with  Mexico,  1. 
61 ,    and  California,  69,  319,  323-6, 
328,  334,  336,  524,  527,  531,  2.  302, 
308,    505 ,     Mexican    relations    and 
claims,  1  74,  135,  425,  2.  296-7,  502  , 
and  restoration  of  American-Mexi- 
can intercourse,  1.  91,  435,    Oregon 
controversy,  90,  94,  114-5,  200,  478, 
2   295,  299,  504 ,    question  of  inter- 
position, 1. 112-5,  442,  2  238,  301-4, 
504-6 ,     supposed    manipulation    of 
Mexico,  1    121,  443,    and  Mexican 
privateering,  2    192 ,    and  blockade, 
193,  303,  440,    and  peace  negotia- 
tions,   238,    465,     attitude    toward 
United    States,    294-5,    501 ;     and 
outbreak  of  the  war,  defeat  of  her 
policy,  299-300  ,   offer  of  mediation, 
301,  368,    influence  of  French  rela- 
tions, 304,  506 ,    and  American  vic- 
tories,   305 ,     volunteer    officers   for 
Mexico,  306 ,    and  treaty  of  peace, 
308-9,    508.     See    also    Bankhead , 
Doyle  ,   Pakenham ,  Thornton. 

Green,  B  E  ,  and  Mexican  negotia- 
tions, 1  84-5,  433,  436 ;  on  Tornel, 
484. 

Green,  Duff,  on  Mexican  finances,  2.  8 

Green,  P   C  ,  claim,  1.  426. 

Grecnhow,  Robert,  and  claims  on 
Mexico,  1  78,  429 

Grievances,  American,  1.  70  3,  423, 
424  See  also  Claims ,  Diplomatic 
intercourse 

Griffin,  W    P  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 

2.  338 

Gnjalva  River      See  Tabasco. 

Grone,  Karl  von,  on  Scott,  £.  316,  on 

Ameiican  soldiers,  321. 
Guadalajara,  situation,  1   3. 
Guadalupe,  escape,  2.  195. 
Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  shrine,  1.  223,  488, 

2.  141,    Valencia  at,  2.  88;    treaty 

signed  at,  240,  467. 


582 


INDEX 


Guadalup©  Hidalgo,  treaty  of.  See 
Peace. 

Guanajuato,  powder-mill,  2.  87. 

Guanajuato  cavalry  battalion,  at  Mon- 
terey, 1.  494. 

Guanajuato  state,  in  discussion  on 
peace,  .^  464. 

Guatemala,  and  the  war,  2.  298. 

Guaymas,  as  port,  1.3;  bombarded,  2 
205,  446  ;  map,  206  ;  blockade,  206  , 
occupied,  206,  208,  447. 

Guerilla  warfare,  in  revolt  against 
Spain,  1,  31-2;  threat  (1846),  153, 
154;  Canales'  force,  158,  226,  236, 
479,  495 ;  Blanco's  force,  273,  274, 
283,  510;  m  north  after  Buena 
Vista,  suppression,  399-400,  562,  2. 
169-71,  421,  422,  during  battle  of 
Buena  Vista,  1.  559 ;  operations  on 
Scott's  line,  2.  77,  171,  385,  422, 
423;  and  Scott's  advance,  98, 
Mexican  addiction  to,  168 ;  adop- 
tion and  sanction,  168-9,  421 ;  Vera 
Cruz  state  as  chief  home,  leaders, 
171,  421 ;  Scott's  operations  against, 
,  172,  423  ,  lack  of  morale,  attacks  on 
Mexicans,  172-3 ;  operations  and 
siege  of  Puebla,  173-4,  178,  424, 
Lane's  operations  against,  178-9, 
426-7  ;  British  encouragement,  306  , 
Scott's  warning  on,  358 ;  failure, 
423. 

Guerillas  of  Vengeance,  2.  169. 

Guerrero,  Vicente,  as  partisan  leader, 
1.  32  ;  in  Iturbide's  revolt,  33  ,  re- 
volt against  Iturbide,  35 ,  and 
Montafio's  revolt,  38,  Presidential 
candidacy,  40-1 ;  proclaimed  Presi- 
dent, 41 ;  character,  as  President, 
42 ;  overthrow,  killed,  43 ;  warned 
by  United  States,  59,  418;  and 
Polnsett,  62. 

Guexocingo,  Lane  at,  2.  426. 

Guizot,  F.  P.  G.,  policy  of  balance  of 
power  in  America,  1  90,  2.  304 ,  and 
expected  war,  1.  108,  112,  115;  and 
Texas,  295,  policy  of  neutrality,  v. 
300 ;  and  United  States,  301 ;  and 
Pa'merston,  304. 

Gutierrez,  Captain,  at  Monterey,  1. 
254. 

Gutierrez  de  Estrada,  J.  M.,  and 
monarchy,  1.  90 ;  on  conduct  of 
American  army,  2.  232. 

Gwvnn,  T.  P.,  at  biege  of  Puebla,  2. 
174. 

Hacienda,  1.  19. 

Hacienda  department.  See  Finances, 
Mexican. 


Haddon,  W.  R.f  on  Buena  Vista,  1. 
557. 

Hagner,  P.  V.,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  152 ; 
ordnance  officer  with  Scott,  366. 

Haile, ,  on  losses  at  Monterey,  1. 

505. 

Hamer,  T.  L.,  as  volunteer  officer,  1. 
207,  481 ,  at  Monterey,  253,  254,  492. 

Hamilton,  C.  S.,  on  mistakes  at  Monte- 
rey, 1.  503 ;  on  army  life  m  Mexico, 
2.  321. 

Hamilton,  Schuyler,  of  Scott's  staff, 
2.  366. 

Hamley,  E.  B.,  on  military  strategy, 
2.  317. 

Hammond,  J.  H.,  on  war  spirit,  1.  127. 

Hamtramck,  John,  command  at  Sal- 
tillo,  2  418. 

Hancock,  W.  S.,  at  Churubusco,  2.  385. 

Hannah  Elizabeth,  claim,  1  424 

Hannegan,  E  A.,  and  expansion,  1. 
188,  and  absorption  of  Mexico,  2. 
243;  on  Polk  'and  Oregon,  271; 
position  in  Senate,  496 ,  on  respon- 
sibility of  Mexico,  508 

Haralson,  H.  A.,  position  in  House,  2. 
496. 

Hardcastle,  E.  L.  F.,  topographical 
engineer  with  Scott,  2.  366. 

Hardee,  W.  J.,  captured,  expected 
Mexican  victory  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  161. 

Hardin,  J.  J.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  383, 
386,  390,  391;  charge,  killed,  393- 
4,  556,  559. 

Hargous,  Louis,  and  Santa  Anna,  1. 
4S7  ,  Scott's  agent,  2.  362,  396  ,  and 
navy,  444. 

Harmony,  Peter,  claim,  1.  426. 

Harney,  W.  S  ,  escapade,  1.  268-70, 
509  ,  insubordination  and  magnanim- 
ity of  Scott,  364-5,  545,  546,  2. 
248,  and  Wool,  detached  from 
Wool's  march,  1.  509  ,  brigade,  541 ; 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  2  51,  53-6,  352, 
354  ,  command  m  Scott's  army,  77 ; 
in  advance  from  Puebla,  93,  94 ,  at 
San  Agustin,  97,  381 ;  at  Churu- 
busco, 119,  in  Mexico  City,  164; 
at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  335,  339 ;  La 
Antigua  expedition,  344 ;  during 
Chapultepec,  408. 

Haro  y  Tamariz,  Antonio  de,  and 
Santa  Anna,  2.  4 ;  and  financial 
chaos,  11. 

Harrison,  W.  H.,  and  control  of  occu- 
pied territory,  2.  285,  497. 

Haskeli,  W.  T.,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  56, 
57,  353. 

Hawkins,  E.  S.,  commands  Fort 
Brown,  1.  468. 


INDEX 


583 


Hays,  J.  C.,  at  Monterey,  1.  238,  241,  I 
255,  497,  498,  501 ;  and  protection  of 
Texas,  452;  operations  against 
guerillas,  2  172,  423  ,  goes  to  Scott, 
184,  418,  432 ;  character  of  Rangers, 
423. 

Haywood,  W  H  ,  Jr.,  and  tariff,  2. 
479. 

Heady,  W.  J  ,  caielessncss  and  cap- 
ture, 1  371  See  also  Encarnacion 
prisoners 

Hebert,  P.  O.,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  410. 

Heda,  in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  2  444, 
in  Home  Squadron,  445 ;  ashore, 
446. 

Heintzelman,  S  P  ,  at  Huamantla,  2 
426 ;  in  Lane's  operations,  420 

Henderson,  G.  F  R  ,  on  civilian  judg- 
ment on  military  subjects,  1  x 

Henderson,  J  P.,  command  of  Texan 
troops,  1.  480,  division  in  Montere\ 
campaign,  492,  496 ,  in  Monterey 
negotiations,  502 

Henry,  Thomas,  at  (Yrro  Gordo,  2 
55. 

Henry,  W.  S  ,  on  Cumargo  camp,  1 
212  ;  on  mistakes  at  Monterey,  502  , 
on  Taylor's  force  after  battle,  507 

Heredia,  J.  A.,  command  at  Chihuahua, 

1.  305;    battle  of  Sacramento,  306- 
13 ,     negotiations,    313 ,     displaced, 
521. 

Hernandez,  priest,  and  Butler,  1  62 
Herrera,  J.  J.  dc,  head  of  government 
(1845),  1.  55-6,  and  resumption 
of  American  intercourse,  89,  92,  94, 
435,  436;  administration  totters, 
95;  and  Shdell  mission,  95-8,  120, 
437 ,  fall,  98-9,  438 ,  endorsed  bv 
many  (1846),  210,  221  ,  and  Cali- 
fornia, 329  ,  and  Santa  Anna  (1847), 

2.  92 ;     peace    commissioner,    135 , 
and  evacuation  of   city,    167,   420 , 
and    executive    power    (1847),    180, 
supports  Pefia,   180,  force,  icsigns, 
182,    429,     President    (1848),    and 
American  evacuation,  252 ,   on  res- 
toration   of    cordiality,    323 ,     and 
riot  during  armistice,  396. 

Hervey,  L.,  British  agent  in  Mexico, 
reports  cited  passim. 

Heywood,  Charles,  at  San  Jose,  2.  449. 

Hidalgo,  Miguel,  revolt,  1  31 

Hidalgo  battalion,  formation,  2  3-4 , 
at  San  Antonio,  1 12,  384  ;  at  Chapul- 
tepec, 410. 

Hill,  D.  H.,  on  Monterey,  1  254,  505 , 
on  Pillow,  2.  377. 

Hilliard,  H.  W.,  on  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1.  457. 


Hitchcock,  E.  A.,  in  Texas,  on  Taylor, 
1.  144,  145,  452;  leaves  front,  158; 
Scott's  magnanimity,  545,  2.  248; 
on  Worth's  Chachapa  agreement, 
70,  on  Churubusco,  118;  on  Molino 
del  Rey,  147  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
335,  on  Worth,  361;  of  Scott's 
staf,  366;  and  plan  of  attack  on 
Mexico  City,  408. 

Holmes,  I.  E.,  on  war  spirit,  1.  444; 
and  war  bul,  471,  472;  on  Folk's 
alarm,  476. 

Hoist,  H.  E.  von,  on  Polk  and  war,  1. 
472,  473  on  justice  of  acquiring 
California,  2  322. 

Home  Squadron  during  the  war,  ves- 
sels, distribution,  men,  2.  189,  197, 
442,  444-6  See  also  Conner  ,  Perry. 

Hooker,  Joseph,  at  Monterey,  1.  253. 

Hopping,  E  D.,  brigade  m  Taylor's 
force,  2.  417. 

Horn,  Carlos,  at  Mazatlan,  2.  448. 

Horsemanship,  Meacan,  1   24. 

Houses,  Mexican,  1  18-20,  23  ,  inns,  20. 

Houston,  Sam,  European  intrigue,  1. 
82  ,  and  treaty  of  peace,  2  247. 

Howard,  Joshua,  regiment,  2  363. 

Hoya  Pass,  as  defensive  point,  1.  39, 
42  ,  abandoned,  58,  60. 

Huamantla,  battle,  2    176-8,  425-6. 

Huds  >n,  Charles,  position  m  House,  2. 
496. 

Huds  m,  T  B  ,  m  battle  of  Sacramento, 

1  309,  311,  312. 

Huejutla,  pnsjners  of  war  at,  °.  418. 
Huger,  Benjamin,  at  Molino  del  Rey, 

2  143,   145,   146,    at  Chapultepec, 
149,  153,  409  ,   at  San  Cosme  garita, 
161, 162,  415  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
335 ,     ordnance   officer   with    Scott, 
'3)},  366. 

Hughes,  G.  W ,  reconnaissance  in 
Wool's  march,  1.  271 ,  on  popula- 
tion of  Mexico,  407 ,  on  Wool's 
force,  509;  as  governor  of  Jalapa, 
2  224,  230. 

Hull,  J.  B.,  off  western  coast  of  Mexico, 
2  205. 

Humboldt,  Alexander  von,  on  leperos, 
1  6 ,  and  the  war,  2.  299,  3  )9 ,  on 
justice  of  acquisition  of  California, 
322. 

Hunt,  H.  J  ,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  156 ; 
at  San  Cosme  garita,  162. 

Hunt,  W.  E.,  in  occupation  of  Tam- 
pico,  1.  279. 

Hunter,  C.  G.,  at  Alvarado,  2.  344. 

Ibarra,  D.,  removed,  2.  66 ;  and  Trist 
mission,  130,  390 ;  attack  on,  367. 


584 


INDEX 


Iguala,  Plan  of,  1.  33. 

Illinois,  hard  times  and  unrest,  1.  124 
See  also  Illinois  troops. 

Illinois  troops,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  383, 
386,  387,  389,  390,  556,  559;  in 
Wool's  march,  509  ,  at  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz,  It  343  ,  leave  Scott,  356  ;  call 
and  response  (1847),  364,  365,  430, 
431;  in  Taylor's  later  force,  417; 
at  Tampico,  418 ,  for  Scott,  423 

Importance  of  the  war,  1.  vn 

Independence,  in  Pacific-  squadron,  2 
189,  206,  446,  447. 

Independence  Hill  at  Monterey,  1.  239, 
497  ;  capture,  244-6,  499 

Independence  of  Mexico,  mcitation,  1 
30-1 ;  Hidalgo's  revolt,  31 ,  parti- 
san warfare,  31-2 ,  education  for, 
32  ;  revolt  of  oligarchy  and  Iturbide, 
Plan  of  Iguala,  32-3,  Iturbide's 
rule,  33-5  ,  his  overthrow,  35  ,  Con- 
gress, first  republican  constitution, 
35-7,  412,  413,  Victoria's  admin- 
istration, 37-8 ,  expulsion  of  Gachu- 
pines,  39,  42,  413  ,  Spanish  invasion 
(1829),  41 

Independencia  battalion,  formation, 
2.  3 ;  revolts,  13 ,  at  Churubusco, 
111,  382 

Indiana  troops,  at  Buena  Vista,  1  386, 
388,  390,  391,  555,  557,  call  (1847), 
2.  364,  431 ,  in  Taylor's  later  force, 
417 ,  sent  to  Scott,  418 ,  at  Hua- 
mantla,  426 ,  in  Lane's  operations, 
426,  427 ,  garrison  at  Puebla,  433 

Indianapolis,  enlistments,  1    195. 

Indianapolis  Stale  Sentinel,  on  Mexi- 
cans, 1.  118. 

Indians,  characteristics  and  conditions 
of  Mexican,  1  4,  18,  21  ,  Mexican, 
as  soldiers,  10,  161,  463,  and  inde- 
pendence, 31 ,  Mexico  counts  on 
help  of  American,  107,  in  Kearny's 
expedition,  288 ,  war  and  raids,  269, 
509;  submission  in  New  Mexico, 
298 ;  employment  in  war,  509  ,  raids 
on  American  expeditions,  515 

Indicador,  on  war  lethargy,  1.  214. 

Industry,  conditions  of  Mexican,  1  6, 
15-7,  22. 

Ingersoll,  C.  J.,  on  Polk  and  war,  1. 
456 ,  on  war  bill,  472 .  on  lesson  of 
the  war,  2.  324 ,  position  in  House, 
496. 

Ingersoll,  J.  R.,  position  in  House,  2. 
496. 

Ingraham,  D.  N.,  at  Tampico,  1.  512. 

Iniestra,  Ignacio,  and  California,  1. 
522. 

Inns,  Mexican,  1.  20. 


Intellectual  life,  lack  in  Mexico,  1.  20 

Intelligence  arrangements  and  recon- 
naissance, Taylor's  neglect,  1.  145, 
161,  208,  226,  249,  374,  451,  464, 
476,  478,  549;  Scott's,  2  72,  332, 
362. 

Internal  improvements,  and  Demo- 
cratic dissensions,  2  271,  281 

Interposition,  Mexican  hope  of  Span- 
ish-American, 1  111  ,  and  of  Euro- 
pean, 112-5,  122,  442,  question  of 
British,  2.  301-4,  504-6,  and  of 
French,  304  ,  effect  of  American  vic- 
tories, 305. 

Iowa  troops,  non-active,  2   511 

Ireland,  famine,  effect  on  American 
finances,  2.  263,  484 ,  American 
relief  and  the  war,  304 

Irish  in  American  army,  Mexican  prop- 
aganda among,  1.  507,  2  81,  358, 
deserters  in  Santa  Anna's  army,  88, 
385 ,  in  Mexican  hospital  force, 
347.  See  also  San  Patricio  battal- 
ion. 

Irregulars.     See  Guerilla  warfare. 

Irving,  Washington,  American  minib- 
ter  at  Madrid,  reports  cited  passim 

Irwin,  J.  R  ,  Scott's  chief  quarter- 
master, 2.  366. 

Irwin,  William,  at  Marin,  1.  562. 

Isunza,  J  R  ,  governor  of  Puebla,  and 
Scott's  advance,  2.  66,  69,  95. 

Iturbe,   ,   finance   minister,   graft, 

1    214,?   328 

Iturbide,  Agustin  de,  and  war  on  in- 
surgents, 1.  31 ,  revolt,  33  ,  rule,  33 
5 ,     overthrow,   35 ,     and   Congress, 
35,    execution,  37.    seizure  by,  426, 
and  financial  system,  2   6. 

Iztaccihuatl,  Mount,  aspect,  2.  93 

Izucar  de  Matamoros,  Lane  at,  2  17M, 
427. 

Jackson,    Andrew,    and   Texas,    1     62, 
419,  428,    and  Sabme  River  bound- 
ary, 64  ,   an<l  claims  on  Mexico,  77 
8,  428,    and  war  spirit,  124 

Jackson,  T  J.,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  154, 
160,  410,  at  Oontreras,  378,  at, 
Mohno  del  Rey,  403. 

Jalapa,  site,  aspect,  1.  2,  2  63,  22;i , 
march  of  Scott's  army  for,  38,  45-8 , 
Mexican  preparations  on  route,  39- 
42,  346 ;  defences  at  Cerro  Cordo, 
42-5,  347,  348,  battle  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  48-59,  occupied,  59,  354, 
Scott  at,  his  problems  of  advance, 
61-5;  American  garrison,  74,  301, 
362,  433 ,  American  rule,  223-5,  230, 
231,  458,  Scott's  fortification,  358. 


INDEX 


586 


Jalisco  Lancers,  at  Monterey,  1.  494. 

Jalisco  state,  and  Santa  Anna,  1  376 , 
in  discussion  on  peace,  2.  464. 

Jarauta,  C.  D.  de,  as  guerilla,  2  171 ; 
offers  to  join  Americans,  421 :  exe- 
cuted, 423. 

Jarero,  J.  M  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2  44. 

Jarnagm,  Spencer,  and  tariff  of  1846, 
2.  257,  496. 

Jay,  John,  and  War  of  1812,  2 
280. 

Jefferson,  Tampico  incident,  1    425 

Jesup,  T.  S.,  and  tents,  1  206,  arid 
Wool's  tram,  274  ,  Taylor  on,  352  , 
quartermaster  general,  475 ,  and 
Taylor's  inadequate  preparations  for 
Monterey  campaign,  482,  491 ,  and 
preparations  for  Vera  Cruz  expedi- 
tion, 545. 

Jesup,  Fort,  troops  at  (1845),  1   140 

Jobson,  S  ,  on  Ulua,  1   536. 

John  Adams,  and  Vera  Cruz  expedition, 
2.  18  ,  in  Home  Squadron,  197,  446  , 
in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  444. 

Johnson,  Andrew,  on  cause  of  uar,  1 
189. 

Johnson,  Sir  Thomas,  Mexican  parti- 
san, 1  531. 

Johnston,  A  S  ,  at  Monterey,  1  253 , 
Texan  regiment  for  Taylor,  480 , 
staff  position,  492. 

Johnston,  J.  E  ,  at  Chapultepec,  2 
154,  155 ,  takes  reinforcements  to 
Scott,  184  ,  force  at  Pucbla,  432 

Jomini,  Baron  de,  on  simplicity  of 
war,  1  x ;  on  generalship,  2  315 

Jones,  Anson,  on  Polk  and  war,  1 
445,  446. 

Jones,  Roger,  adjutant  general,  1 
474. 

Jones,  T.  A  C  ,  occupation  of  Monte- 
rey, 1.  69,  323,  327,  423  ,  commands 
Pacific  squadron,  2  448. 

Jones,  W.  D.,  American  consul  at 
Mexico,  reports  cited  jms^im 

Jornada  del  Muerto,  Domphan's  march, 
1  300,  518 

Journal  des  Debate,  on  sympathy  with 
Mexico,  1.  112-4,  on  monarchist 
plan,  470,  attitude  toward  United 
States,  2.  295  ,  on  weakness  of  Mex- 
ico, 297;  on  outbreak  of  war,  300, 
on  Palmerston,  301 ;  and  interposi- 
tion, 304 ,  on  American  victories, 
305 ;  and  terms  of  peace,  308,  309 , 
on  Mexico  expedition  as  achieve- 
ment, 321 ,  criticism  of  military 
operations,  507. 

Juarez,  B.  P.,  and  demand  on  Church 
property,  2.  10,  11. 


Judiciary,  Mexican,  character,  1.  12-3, 

409,  427 ,    in  occupied  territory,  2. 

229. 

Juno,  at  Santa  Barbara,  1   527. 
Justice  of  the  war,  1.  ix,  66-7,  70-83, 

98,  100-1,  116-22,  136-7,  187,  190, 

325-7,  2   310-1,  322-4,  514 
Juvera,  J  ,  at  Venado,  1.  553. 

Kearny,  Philip,  in  Scott's  army,  2.  77 , 

at  Churubusco,  119. 
Kearriy,  S    W  ,  preparation  for  Santa 

Fe    expedition,    force,    1.    286,    288, 

515 ,  map  of  route,  287 ,    march  to 
Bent's   Fort,    288-9,    515,     caravan 
with,    289 ,     Arnnjo's    preparations, 

289,  292-3 ,    Price's  reinforcement, 

290,  516,     Mormon  battalion,   290, 

516 ,  proclamation    and    letter    to 
Armijo,  290,  516 ,    advance  to  San 
Miguel,  291 ,    assurances  to  inhabi- 
tants, 291-2,  516  ,   expected  fight  at 
Apache  Canyon,  condition  of  force, 
292-3,   516 ,     resistance   abandoned, 
293-5,   516-7 ,    occupies   Santa  Fe, 
295-6,    march  to  southern  district, 
297  ,   leaves  for  California,  297,  517  , 
reaches  it,  condition  of  force,  341 , 
battle  of  San  Pascual,  341-2,  534, 
in  advance  on  Los  Angeles,  342—3 , 
rule  m  New  Mexico,  2   217  ,   rule  in 
California,  217,  governor  of  Mexico 
City,  438 ,  and  Fr6mont,  454 ;  gov- 
ernor   of   Vera    Cruz,    457 ,     leaves 
Mexico  City,  476 

Kendall,  Amos,  on  peace,  2.  314. 

Kendall,  G  W  ,  in  Santa  Fe  expedition, 
1  72  ,  on  losses  at  Monterey,  505. 

Kcndrick,  H  L  ,  at  siege  of  Puebla,  2. 
424. 

Kenly,  J  R  ,  on.  war  enthusiasm  of 
Mexicans,  1.  442 

Kennedy, ,  and  Reboliedo,  2.  423 

Kent,  William,  on  the  war,  2.  273. 

Kentucky  troops,  enlistments,  1  195 ; 
in  Monterey  campaign,  255,  492, 
496 ,  at  Bueria  Vista,  383,  386,  388, 
554,  555,  558,  m  Wool's  march, 
509,  at  Saitillo,  541,  at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  2  343  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
352 ,  in  Taylor's  later  force,  417 , 
call  (1847),  431. 

Kerr,  Croghaii,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164, 
168,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  172, 
467 

Kilburn,  C.  L.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  391, 
558. 

Kimball,  E  A.,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  41U. 

King,  Preston,  position  *n  House,  2. 
496. 


586 


INDEX 


King,  W.  R.,  American  minister  at 
Paris,  on  war  and  slavery,  1.  189 ;  on 
French  war  sentiment,  2.  300 ;  on 
importance  of  victories,  305. 

Kingsbury ,  Private,  on  Mexican  women, 
2.  230. 

Kirby,  Edmund,  Scott's  chief  pay- 
master, 2.  366. 

Kribben,  Christian,  on  Chihuahua 
Rangers,  1.  519. 

La  Angostura.     See  Angostura 

La  Antigua.     See  Antigua. 

La  Atalaya.     See  Atalaya. 

La  Bahia.     See  Bahia 

Laboring  class  in  Mexico,  1   0. 

Laclede  Rangers,  in  Kearny's  expedi- 
tion, 1.  288 ,  to  hold  Santa  Fe,  298 

La  Encarnacion.     See  Encarnaci6n. 

Lafragua,  J.  M.,  and  peace  negotia- 
tions, 2.  466. 

Lagos  coalition      See  Coalition 

Laguna,  occupation,  2.  201,  204,  445. 

La  Hoya  Pass.     See  Hoya. 

Lally,  F.  T.,  guerilla  attacks  on,  2. 
171,  422 ,  takes  reinforcements  to 
Scott,  184  ;  rule  at  Jalapa,  224  ,  at 
Huamantla,  426 ;  in  Lane's  opera- 
tions, 426. 

Lampazos  company,  at  Monterey,  1. 
494. 

Lancers  of  the  Poisoned  Spear,  2.  173. 

Landero,  J.  J.  de,  and  surrender  of 
Vera  Cruz,  2.  33,  334,  340,  342. 

Lane,  Camp,  1  480. 

Lane,  Joseph,  at  Saltillo,  1.  371 ;  at 
Buena  Vista,  390,  555,  557  ,  march  to 
relieve  Puebla,  2  176,  425,  battle 
of  Huamantla,  176-8,  426 ;  reaches 
Puebla,  178,  operations  against 
guerillas,  179,  426-7 ;  conduct  of 
soldiers,  225;  brigade  in  Taylor's 
force,  417 ;  career  and  character, 
425 ;  retained  in  service,  432. 

La  Paz.     See  Paz. 

La  Pefia  redoubt.     See  Pefia. 

Laplace,  C.  P.  T.,  and  California,  1. 
523. 

Laredo,  occupation,  1.  452. 

Larkin,  T.  O.,  as  trader  in  California, 
1.  317 ,  on  American  immigrants, 
318 ;  on  independence,  321 ;  Ameri- 
can consul,  324 ,  on  attitude  of 
England,  325,  on  peaceful  absorp- 
tion, 325 ;  instructions  to,  as  confi- 
dential agent,  325,  329;  and  taking 
possession  at  Monterey,  334,  335, 
530;  in  first  southern  campaign, 
337 ;  captured,  536. 

Larnard,  C.  H.,  on  Taylor,  1.  204,  470. 


La  Rochefoucauld-Liancourt,  Due  de, 
on  detail,  1.  ix ;  on  greatness,  2.  314, 
316. 

La  Rosa,  Luis  de.     See  Rosa. 

Las  Boras.     See  Bocas. 

Las  Vegas,  Kearny's  expedition  at,  1. 
2J1. 

Las  Vigas.     See  Vigas. 

La  Vaca.     See  Port  La  Vaca. 

Lavaliette,  E.  A  F.,  at  Guaymas,  2. 
2  )6,  447  ,  evacuates  Mazatldn,  476. 

La  Vega,  R.  Diaz  de,  and  Rio  Grande 
campaign,  1.  158,  179 ,  captured  at 
Resaca  de  la  Palma,  467 ,  in  prepa- 
rations below  Peiote,  2.  40,  42,  346, 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  44,  captured,  not 
paroled,  354. 

La  Vipa  garita.     See  Viga 

Law  of  April  20,  1847,  2.  81,  130,  135, 
367,  389,  393 

Law  of  February  4,  1847,  2.  12,  15. 

Law  of  January  11,  1847,  passage  and 
conflict  over,  2  8-15,329-32. 

Lawrence,  in  Home  Squadron,  2.  442. 

Laws,  chaos  of  Mexican,  1    12. 

Lawson,  Thomas,  surgeon  general,  1. 
366,  475. 

Lay,  G.  W  ,  of  Scott's  staff,  2   366. 

Leavenworth,  Fort,  aspect,  gathering 
of  Kearny's  expedition,  1.  286. 

Lee,  R.  E  ,  in  march  to  Victoria,  1. 
358,  and  landing  at  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
23,  336  ,  at  siege,  30,  335  ;  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  49-51,  53,  349,  reconnoitres 
Contreras,  103,  at  battle,  108,  109, 
378;  at  Churubusco,  110,  383,  384; 
on  plan  to  attack  Mexico  City,  149, 
408 ;  appearance,  149,  405 ,  on  re- 
moval of  Scott,  188 ,  on  Scott  as 
general,  317;  on  victory  and  hu- 
manity, 324 ;  engineer  with  Scott, 
366,  544  ,  reconnoitres  southern  ap- 
proaches of  capital,  408  ,  at  Chapul- 
tepec,  409. 

Leese,  Jacob,  as  trader  in  California, 
1  318. 

Leggett,  Aaron,  claim,  1.  427,  430. 

Lendrum,  J.  H.,  at  San  Cosmc  garita, 
2.  414. 

Leo  XII,  and  Mexican  church,  1. 
408. 

Le6n,  Antonio  de,  brigade,  2.  67,  369 ; 
and  revolt  in  Oaxaca,  369  ;  at  Molino 
del  Rev,  killed,  142,  145. 

Le6n,  Joaquin  Velazquez  de,  as  claims 
commissioner,  1.  80,  429-31. 

Leonidas  letter,  on  Scott,  2. 187, 435-7 ; 
on  Pillow  at  Contreras,  376. 

Leperos,  1.  6 ;  and  American  soldiers, 
2.  166,  459. 


INDEX 


587 


Lerdo  de  Tejada,  M.  M.,  on  American 
rule,  2.  221. 

Lesson  of  the  war  to  Mexico,  2.  323-4, 
514. 

Levant,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189,  447. 

Lewis,  D.  H.,  position  in  Senate,  2. 
496. 

Lexington,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  447. 

Lexington  Commonwealth,  on  British 
intrigue  in  Mexico,  1.  121. 

Libertad  redoubt  at  Monterey,  1.  239, 
248. 

Liberty  of  the  press.     See  Press. 

Lieber,  Francis,  on  justice  of  acquiring 
California,  2.  322. 

Lieutenant  generalcy,  plan  for  appoint- 
ment of  Beiiton,  2  75,  363,  365 

Ligero  cavalry,  at  Monterey,  1.  494. 

Lillers,  Count,  on  attitude  toward 
Mexico,  1.  119. 

Linares,  aspect,  1.  359. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  on  Domphan,  1 
299  ,  war  criticism,  2.  277,  493. 

Liquor,  Mexican  drinks,  1.  2,  21 ,  and 
outrages  bv  American  troops,  2 
211-3,  216,  224,  457,  regulation  at 
Vera  Cruz,  457. 

Livermore,  A.  A.,  on  slavery  as  cause  of 
Mexican  War,  1,  473. 

Liverpool  Mail,  sympathy  with  Mex- 
ico, 1.  112. 

Lizardi  banking  house,  robs  treas- 
ury, 1.  432. 

Llano,  M.  M  ,  in  Monterey  negotia- 
tions, 1.  502. 

Loans,  Mexican,  1.  37,  2  254 ,  Ameri- 
can, 258-60,  479,  481,  485.  See  also 
Finances. 

Lobos  Islands,  rendezvous  for  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  1  367,  2.  17. 

Local  government,  in  occupied  terri- 
tory, 1.  338,  2.  218,  229,  461.  See 
also  Police. 

Loch,  G.  G.,  and  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  348. 

Locofocos,  and  Polk,  2   270,  281. 

LSwenstern,  Isidor,  on  Mexican  aban- 
donment of  California,  1.  319. 

Lombardini,  M.  M.,  at  Buena  Vista, 
1.  389-91,  559 ,  character  and  com- 
mand, 2.  88,  retirement  from 
Chapultepec,  412. 

Lomita,  Camp,  1.  480. 

London  Daily  News,  on  conduct  of 
Americans  in  Mexico,  2.  226. 

London  Examiner,  on  expected  war,  1. 
134 ;  criticism  of  military  opera- 
tions, 2.  307 ;  on  trade  through  oc- 
cupied ports,  505 ;  on  Polk,  510. 

London  Globe,  and  peace,  2.  125 ;  and 
interposition,  303. 


London  Journal  of  Commerce,  on 
American  aggression,  1.  113. 

London  Morning  Chronicle,  on  Cali- 
fornia, 1.  322 ;  on  outbreak  of  war, 
2.  300;  criticism  of  military  opera- 
tions, 307,  308 ;  on  American  people, 
502 ,  on  interposition,  505 ,  on  the 
war  and  development,  514. 

London  Morning  Herald,  on  chances 
of  expected  war,  1.  108 ;  on  annexa- 
tion of  Texas,  1 13. 

London  Post,  on  outbreak  of  war,  2. 
300. 

London  Standard,  on  chances  of  ex- 
pected war,  1.  109,  113. 

London  Times,  on  monarchy  for  Mex- 
ico, 1.  95,  135 ,  on  chances  of  ex- 
pected war,  105,  106,  110,  113,  441, 
442,  on  Oregon  and  Mexico,  115; 
on  American  hostility  to  England, 
121 ,  on  Taylor's  force  in  Mexico, 
142  ,  on  Santa  Anna,  216  ;  on  Cali- 
fornia, 322,  524 ,  on  Santa  Anna  at 
San  Luis  Potosi,  379,  on  Slidell 
mission,  437 ,  on  Mexican  finances, 
2.  8 ,  attack  on  United  States,  91  ; 
and  peace,  125,  235 ;  on  American 
government,  294 ,  on  military  titles, 
294 ,  on  American  people,  295 ;  on 
absorption  of  Mexico,  297 ;  on 
outbreak  of  the  war,  300 ;  and  inter- 
position, 302,  306,  505  ,  criticism  of 
military  operations,  306-8 ;  on 
Mexican  policy,  310 ;  on  probable 
pillage,  324. 

Longstreet,  James,  at  Chapultepec, 
2  157  ,  at  Churubusco,  385. 

Lopez  de  Santa  Anna.  See  Santa 
Anna. 

L6pez  Uraga,  J.     See  Uraga. 

Lormg,  W.  W.,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  350, 
352. 

Los  Angeles,  in  1846,  1.  315 ;  occupied 
by  Americans,  337  ;  Gillespie's  rule, 
rising  against  it,  338-9,  533-4; 
American  advance  and  recapture, 
342-4,  535 ;  map  of  engagement 
near,  344 

Louis  Philippe,  and  Texas,  1.  67, 
2.  304,  policy  of  neutrality,  300. 
See  also  France. 

Louisa,  claim,  1.  426. 

Louisiana  Purchase,  Mexican  nego- 
tiations on  boundary,  1.  59-61 ;  and 
Texas,  138. 

Louisiana  troops,  calls,  1.  150,  480,  537, 
2.  364,  365,  430 ;  in  Vera  Cruz  expe- 
dition, 1.  368,  2.  336,  343 ;  at  Tam- 
pico,  1.  546,  547 ;  with  Scott,  2.  422 ; 
at  Huamantla,  426. 


588 


INDEX 


Louisville  Legion,  at  Monterey,  1. 
255. 

Lowell,  J.  R.,  and  secession,  2  272 ; 
on  slavery  and  the  war,  274 ;  op- 
position to  the  war,  279 

Lower  California,  map  of  tip,  2.  207 ; 
naval  occupation,  counter-attacks, 
207-8,  448-9,  454 ,  in  peace  nego- 
tiations, 409,  476. 

Lozano,  Ramon,  Spanish  charge  at 
Mexico,  and  peace  negotiations,  2. 
135,  396,  467  ;  on  Spain  and  Mexico, 
297 ,  on  Mexican  force  at  time  of 
e\acuation,  416. 

Lumpkin,  Wilson,  opposes  war,  1.  189. 

McCall,  G.  A.,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
1.  170,  172. 

McCall,  J.  G  ,  American  consul  at 
Tampico,  reports  cited  passim. 

McClellan,  G.  B.,  on  Brazos  Island 
camp,  1.  205 ,  engineer,  451  ,  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2  349,  353,  with 
Scott,  366 ,  at  Contreras,  378 ;  on 
volunteers,  513. 

McClellan,  John,  topographical  engi- 
neer with  Scott,  2.  366 

McClung,  A.  K  ,  at  Monterey,  1   253. 

McCulloch,  Ben,  on  scout,  1  204 , 
rangers  in  advance  on  Monterey, 
236,  at  battle  of  Monterey,  243, 
498;  and  Santa  Anna's  advance, 
382,  554 ,  at  Buena  Vista,  556. 

McFaul,  Eneas,  Jr  ,  American  consul 
at  Laguna,  reports  cited  passim 

McGillivray,  Simon,  claim,  1.  427. 

Mcllvame,  A.  R.,  on  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1  456 ,  on  cause  of  the 
war,  2.  493. 

Mclntosh,  J.  S  ,  in  Texas,  1  143 ,  at 
Palo  Alto,  164 ,  reinforcements  for 
Scott,  guerilla  attacks,  2  76-7,  171, 
422 ;  at  M  oil  no  del  Rey,  wounded, 
144,  145,  403. 

Mackall,  W.  W  ,  battery  at  Monterey, 

1.  241,  243,  248,  258,  492,  496,  508; 
and     volunteer     officers,     481  ;      on 
Pillow,  2.  433. 

McKay,  J.  J.,  position  in  the  House, 

2.  496. 

McKee,  W.  R  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  1  388, 
390,  391,  394,  555,  557 ;  killed,  394. 

Mackenzie,  A.  S.,  and  Santa  Anna,  1. 
202-3,  479. 

McKenzie,  Samuel,  at  Chapultepec,  2. 
153,  157. 

Mackintosh,  E.,  British  consul  at 
Mexico,  and  California,  1.  524,  2. 
302;  and  peace,  133,  467,  and 
Mexican  finances,J§254,  255,  477. 


McLane,  Louis,  American  minister  at 
London,  on  England  and  the  war, 
1.  442  ,  on  British  dislike,  2.  295  ,  on 
Europe  and  Texas,  502  ,  on  Mexican 
sympathy  in  England,  300 ,  on  atti- 
tude of  France,  503 ,  on  British  in- 
terposition, 302,  303 ,  and  vigorous 
war,  305 ,  and  Aberdeen  and  warn- 
ing on  annexation,  308 ,  on  influ- 
ence abroad  of  the  war,  324. 

McLane,  R.  M  ,  takes  instructions  to 
Taylor,  1.  350. 

McLane,  in  attack  on  Aivarado,  2 
199;  in  Tabasco  expedition,  200. 

McNamara,  Eugene,  California  grant, 

1.  527 ;     and  Mexican  propaganda, 

2.  81. 

McPherson,  J   D.,  on  Marcy,  1.  475 

McReynolds,  A.  T  ,  with  Scott,  2 
77 

Madrid  Heraldo,  on  the  war,  2.  298, 
503 

Magoffin,  James,  character,  1.  293 , 
and  Armijo,  293,  516 

Magruder,  J  B  ,  battery  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2  55 ,  at  Contreras,  104, 
105,  378 ,  at  Chapultepec,  154,  161  , 
light  artillery,  366,  at  Mohno  del 
Rey,  403. 

Maguey,  dnnk  from,  1.  508 

Mahonese,  in  Home  Squadron,  2    446 

Maldonado,  E  ,  and  brother,  at  Sari 
Juan  Bautista,  2  446 

Malek  Adel,  captured,  2  205,  446, 
added  to  navy,  447 

Mangmo,  R  ,  Mexican  charge  at  Pans, 
reports  cited  passim 

Mangum,  W.  P  ,  on  Polk,  2.  270, 
position  in  Senate,  496. 

Manifest  destiny,  and  attitude  toward 
Mexico,  1.  123,  444,  2  322.  See  also 
Annexations. 

Mansfield,  J  K.  F.,  at  Monterey, 
1.  259,  250,  251,  500;  on  Fort 
Brown,  468 ;  at  Buena  Vista,  555. 

Manufactures,  attempted  promotion 
in  Mexico,  1.  16-7 

Manzanillo,  occupied,  2   207. 

Map  of  Mexico,  1.  xxii 

Marchante,  Francisco,  and  evacuation 
of  Tampico,  1.  512. 

Marcy,  Fort,  at  Santa  Fe,  1.  296. 

Marcy,  W.  L.,  and  Taylor's  occupation 
of  Texas,  1.  142,  452;  and  advance 
to  Rio  Grande,  instructions,  144, 
453,  463,  490 ;  and  raising  of  army, 
191,  193;  clash  with  Scott,  190-1, 
477 ;  appearance,  193 ,  and  Scott's 
deliberateness,  199;  arid  occupa- 
tion of  Tamaulipas,  263,  360;  and 


INDEX 


589 


Monterey  armistice,  263 ,  and  ad- 
vance to  Saltillo,  264  ,  and  defensive- 
line  policy,  283 ,  and  Price's  force, 
290 ,  relations  with  Scott,  354  ,  throws 
responsibility  of  Vera  Cruz  plans 
on  him,  355,  540,  as  claims  com- 
missioner, 430  ,  character,  475  ,  on 
Folk's  alarm,  476,  and  volunteers, 
480,  2.  320,  and  Wool's  march, 

1.  510;    and  further  calls  for  volun- 
teers, 537  ,  and  Scott's  preparations, 
539,  544,  545,    and  Taylor's  Presi- 
dential   ambition,    547 ,     and    Ten 
Regiment    Bill,    2     74 ,     and    peace 
negotiations,    122 ,     and   Tnst-Scott 
quarrel,    128,    129,    389,    390,     and 
failure  of  negotiations  (1847),   138, 
recalls  Price,    166 ,    and  Scott   and 
cabal,    188,   437,    on   Conner,   202, 
and  Scott's  order  for  military  gov- 
ernment, 220  ,  appointment  to  Cab- 
inet, 271,    and  (James's  six-months 
men,   272 ,     on    Democratic   dissen- 
sions, 281  ,  political  despair,  291  ,  on 
opposition,    292 ,     and    Mexico    ex- 
pedition,    343,     346,      and    Scott's 
release   of    time-expired    men,    356 , 
on  Scott  at  Puebla,  362,    does  not 
expect    peace,    391  ,     and    douceur, 
391 ,    on  guerilla  warfare,  423 ,    and 
war  policv  after  capture  of  Mexico 
City,  430,  on  number  of  volunteers, 
431. 

Marin,  occupied,  1   562 

Marin,  T  ,  guerilla,  2   421. 

Marines,  in  Scott's  army,  2  78,  366, 
432,  511  ,  at  Chapultepec,  156,  410, 
in  Mexico  City,  163,  164  ,  at  siege 
of  Ycra  Cruz,  335 

Markoe,  C  ,  on  opposition  to  the  war, 

2.  314,  510. 

Marshall,  Thomas,  at  Buena  Vihta,  1, 
386,  388,  390,  555,  558 ,  at  Brazos, 
476  ;  left  at  Camargo,  493  ,  brigade, 
2.  417 ,  retained  in  service,  432 , 
arrives  at  Mexico  City,  432  ,  divi- 
sion leaves  Mexico  City,  476 

Martin,  Alexandre,  French  agent  in 
Mexico,  on  Mexican  army,  1  408. 

Martin,  J.  J  M.,  American  charg6  at 
Paris,  on  France  and  tariff  for 
Mexican  ports,  2  484 ,  on  Europe 
and  Texas,  502. 

Martin,  Judge,  acknowledgment  to, 
1.  444. 

Martinez,  F.  P.,  Mexican  minister  at 
Washington,  and  claims,  1.  78,  79, 
429. 

Martinez,  General,  brigade,  2.  369. 

Martinez,  J.  A.,  guerilla,  2  421. 


Maryland  troops,  calls  (1847),  2.  364, 
431 ,  in  Taylor's  later  force,  417 , 
at  Jalapa,  433  See  also  Washington 
and  Baltimore  battalion 

Mason,  J  L  ,  reconnoitres  San  An- 
tonio, 2  102 ;  and  Molino  del  Key, 
142,  wounded,  144;  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  349. 

Mason,  J   T  ,  and  Scott,  1.  476. 

Mason,  J  Y  ,  as  secretary  of  the  navy, 
2  191,196,  and  offensive  operations, 
198,  200  ,  and  Lower  California,  207. 

Mason,  R  B  ,  as  governor  of  Cali- 
fornia, 2  218-20,  and  occupation 
of  western  coast  of  Mexico,  448; 
supposed  force,  432. 

Masons,  in  Mexican  politics,  1.  34,  38, 
43,  413. 

Massachusetts,  and  the  war,  2  274, 
493  fire  att,o  Massachusetts  troops. 

Mawach  metis ,  in  Vera  Cruz  expedi- 
tion, 2  18,  25,  26 

Massachusetts  troops,  call,  1  537 ,  in 
Taylor's  later  force,  2  417 ,  sent  to 
Scott,  418 

Matamoros,  Taylor's  assurance  of 
peaceful  intentions,  1  146,  148,  151, 
454 ,  Taylor's  force  across  river 
from,  148,  454  ,  Mexican  force  at, 

158,  462 ,    fortification,    158,    map, 

159 ,  Mexicans    abandon,     177-8 , 
Tavlor    occupies,     178,     204,    480; 
under  American  rule,  481,  2   211-2, 
450,    troops  left  at,  1    493,  2.  417, 
American  tariff,  484 

Matamoros  de  Moreha  battalion,  at 
Chapultepec,  2  408. 

Matehuala,  troops  at,  1   550,  552. 

Matson,  H  S  ,  and  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
2  33,  305,  337 

May,  C  A  ,  at  Palo  Alto,  1  164,  168, 
at  Resaoa  de  la  Paima,  appearance 
and  oharaotei,  174,  467,  advance  to 
Saltillo,  264,  return  to  Monterey 
with  Taylor,  368  ,  and  Santa  Anna's 
advance,  382,  554,  m  march  to 
Victoria,  541  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  555. 

Mayer,  Brantz,  and  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1,  152 

Mayo,  Isaac,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
J  .  338. 

Mazapil,  occupied,  2.  418. 

Mazatlan,  as  port,  1  3  ,  revolt  (1846), 
485;  temporary  blockades,  2.  205, 
446,  447  ;  aspect,  206 ,  under  Tellea, 
207,  447;  occupied,  207,  208,  448; 
map,  207  ,  evacuated,  476. 

Meade,  G.  G.,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
1  173  ,  on  Taylor's  operations,  177, 
179,  on  raw  volunteers,  207,  208; 


590 


INDEX 


at  Monterey,  246,  251,  499 ;  on  wa 
blunders,  267;  on  Tavlor's  de 
fensive-line  plan,  282;  on  Taylo 
as  general,  470;  on  his  lack  of  in 
formation,  49D;  on  organization  o 
aimy  in  Monterey  campaign,  493 
on  Worth,  498. 
Mediation,  British  offers,  2.  301,  368 
503-4;  Spain  and,  502.  See  als< 
Interposition. 

Medical  corps,  Mexican,  1.  157. 
Mejia,     Francisco,     ruse     at    Arroyo 
Colorado,    1.    147;     and   Taylor 
Rio  Grande,  148,    and  irregulars  m 
Texas,  153,  154;   on  Taylor  and  his 
force,  158,  159 ;   propaganda  among 
American  troops,  160,   and  advance 
against  Taylor,  162,  464,  467;    suc- 
ceeds Arista  in  command,  178;    re- 
stores morale,  225 ;  appearance,  226 
plan  at  Monterey,  226 ,  preparations 
to   resist   Taylor    there,    230;     and 
holding  of  Monterey,  231,  494;   and 
brigade  command,  462  ,   in  battle  ol 
Monterey,  494,  500 ;   at  Matehuala 
552 ;  in  Armv  of  the  North,  2.  369 
Mejia,  J.  A  ,  revolt,  1.  49;   Americans 

in  revolt  executed,  70. 
Mejia,  Vicente,  attack  on  La  Paz,  2. 

448. 
Memorial    Hisldnco,     on    monarchist 

plans,  1.  90. 

Memphis,  enlistments,  1.  195. 
Memphis    Daily    Eagle,    on    enlisting, 

1.  195. 
Memphis  Enquirer,  on  war  spirit,  1 

127. 

Mendoza,  F.f  guerilla,  2.  421. 
Mendoza,    N.,    brigade   in    Monterey 
campaign,    1.    494 ,     at    Contreras, 
i.  109. 

Mercantile  class  in  Mexico,  1.  5,  17, 
favor  peace,  2.  130.  See  also  Com- 
merce. 

Mercantile  system,  and  Spanish  col- 
onies, 1.  29. 

Merntt,  Ezekiel,  at  Sau  Diego,  1.  534. 
Merryman  vs.   Bourne,   title  by  con- 
quest, 2.  468. 

Mervme,  William,  at  Monterey,  Cal., 
1.   335;    in  second   southern   cam- 
paign, 340 ,   on  Stockton,  534. 
Mexicaltzingo,   plan   to   advance   by, 

1 .  95,  372-3. 
Mexican  Spy  Company,  Snott's,  2.  72, 

362,  476. 

Mexican  War.  The  analysis  is  carried 
out  through  the  titles  Army ;  Atti- 
tude; Cause;  Conquered  territory; 
Cost;  Diplomatic  intercourse;  Fi- 


nances ;  Foreign  relations ;  Govern- 
ment ;  Guerilla ,  Importance ;  Jus- 
tice; Navy  Opposition;  Outbreak; 
Peace;  Politics;  Popularity;  Prep- 
aration; Programme;  and  the 
leaders  and  campaigns  by  name, 
especially  Buena  Vista ;  California ; 
Doniphan ;  Mexico  expedition , 
Monterey ;  New  Mexico ;  Rio 
Grande;  Santa  Anna;  Scott,  Win- 
field  ;  Taylor,  Zachary ;  Vera  Cruz  ; 
Wool. 

Mexico,  Valley  of,  topography,  2.  79 ; 
map,  80;  aspect,  94,  119,  138,  view 
from  Chapultepec,  158. 

Mexico  battalion,  at  Monterey,  1.  494. 

Mexico  City,  situation,  1.  2 ,  profile  of 
route  from  Vera  Cruz,  2  ,  aspect  and 
life,  charm,  21-8, 2.  228 ,  southern  and 
western  approaches,  map,  141,  147; 
clerical  mcitation  against  Americans, 
142 ;  Quitman  at  Bel6n  garita,  158- 
60,  162,  412,  414-6 ;  map  of  citadel, 
159;  capture  of  San  Cosme  garita, 
161-2,  413,  414,  416 ,  evacuated  by 
Mexicans,  release  of  criminals,  163, 
415,  420  ,  Americans  take  possession, 
163,  415  ,  Quitman  first  governor,  164, 
460;  uprising  against  Americans,  166- 
8,  420 ,  clemency  toward,  226,  459 ; 
military  discipline  in,  226,  459-60; 
resumption  of  ordinary  life,  attitude 
of  clergy,  226 ;  invasion  of  Amer- 
icanisms, 227  ,  social  excesses,  227-8, 
460;  local  government,  229;  police, 

229 ,  social  relations  with  Americans, 

230,  American    evacuation,     252, 
476;     not    during    armistice,    396; 
Kearny  governor,  438,    location  of 
troops  during  occupation,  461.     See 
also  Mexico  expedition. 

Mexico  expedition,  proposals,  1.  349; 
question  of  campaign  left  open,  351 ; 
Taylor's  attitude,  352-3  362-3,  543 ; 
influence  of  Scott's  victories  and 
treatment  on  Mexicans,  2.  36,  45, 
65,  80,  81;  dangers  stated,  37; 
Scott's  preparations  at  Vera  Cruz, 
37 ;  his  proclamation  before  start- 
ing, 38,  344 ;  transportation  problem, 
Antigua  and  Alvarado  expeditions, 
38,  344- -5;  start,  march  to  Cerro 
Gordo,  39,  45-8,  345,  348 ;  map  of 
Vera  Cruz  to  Perote,  39;  Santa 
Anna's  plans  and  preparations  below 
Perote,  39-42,  346 ;  maps  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  40,  43,  51 ;  and  yellow  fever, 
42,  59,  64,  348 ;  defences  and  force 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  42-5,  347,  348; 
battle  of  Cerro  Gordo,  48-59,  349- 


INDEX 


591 


55 ;  occupation  of  Jalapa,  59,  354 ; 
pursuit  to  Perote,  60-1 ;  Scott  at 
Jalapa,  his  problems :  of  supplies, 
61-3,  355,  of  Santa  Anna's  inten- 
tions, 62  ,  of  time-expired  men,  63-4, 
356 ;  force  after  departure  of  time- 
expired  men,  64,  356 ,  advance  to 
Puebla,  64,  66,  69  ,  map  of  profile 
Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico,  62 ,  secret 
arrangement  with  clergy  for  occupa- 
tion of  Puebla,  65-6,  357,  Scott's 
proclamation  at  Jalapa,  May  11,  66, 
357-8 ,  Santa  Anna's  preparations 
at  Orizaba,  67-8,  359,  political  in- 
fluence on  his  movements,  68, 
Santa  Anna  at  Puebla,  69,  360, 
Amozoc  affair,  69-70,  360,  Worth's 
erroneous  agreement  with  Puebla, 
70 ,  occupation  of  Puebla,  71  , 
Worth's  rule  there,  71-2,  361, 
Scott's  intelligence  system,  72,  332, 
362 ,  condition  of  Scott's  army  in 
Puebla,  72-3,  362 ;  concentration, 
communications  severed,  and  rein- 
forcements awaited  there,  73,  357, 
362,  303,  365,  Ten  Regiment  Bill 
to  increase  regulars,  74-6,  363 , 
proposed  appointment  of  Benton  as 
commanding  general,  75,  363,  365 , 
further  call  for  volunteers,  76-7,  364  , 
arrival  of  reinforcements,  7f>,  365 , 
organization  and  size  of  Scott's  force 
in  final  advance,  77,  93,  365,  366, 
condition  of  force  then,  78 ,  situa- 
tion of  capital,  79,  94 ;  unfruitful 
plans  for  defence  of  capital,  govern- 
mental chaos,  79-82,  367  ,  map  of 
the  Valley,  80  ,  Santa  Anna's  return 
to  capital,  opposition  to  his  control, 
82-7  ,  his  collection  of  materiel,  87  , 
his  army  organization,  its  character 
and  officers,  87-9,  369  ,  his  defensive 
plan,  89-90,  370,  defences,  Old 
Penon,  90,  369 ;  bolstering  morale 
of  inhabitants,  91,  142;  their  en- 
thusiasm on  start  of  final  campaign, 
91-2  ,  Scott's  advance  from  Puebla 
to  Lake  Chalco,  92-5,  371  ,  failure 
of  opposition  to  it,  95,  371 ;  choice 
of  line  of  advance,  95-6,  372;  ad- 
vance to  San  Agustfn,  96-8,  374, 
Santa  Anna  and  Scott's  march  to 
southern  front,  97-8,  374 ;  Mexican 
enthusiasm  lost,  98;  Santa  Anna's 
southern  line,  99,  101,  374  ,  general 
map  of  southern  line,  100 ;  field  arid 
Mexican  occupation  of  Contreras, 
101-2,  375 ;  American  reconnais- 
sances and  problem,  102-3,  375; 
battle  of  Contreras,  103-10,  376-80 ; 


Santa  Anna's  arrangements  after 
Contreras,  110-1,  382;  question 
of  American  advance  to  capital 
after  the  battle,  112;  battle  of 
Churubusco,  111-9,  382-5;  Amer- 
icans after  Churubusco,  120;  why 
victory  was  not  followed  up,  120, 
386,  393,  halt  at  Puebla  and 
negotiations,  130;  armistice,  133, 
137-8,  394-6,  398-9  ;  armies  during 
armistice,  134,  138-9 ,  defences  and 
force  at  Molmo  del  Rey,  140--2,  400; 
map  of  battles  of  Mexico  City,  141 ; 
Scott's  preparations  after  armistice, 
142,  400,  404,  battle  of  Molmo 
del  Rey,  143-7,  401-4,  southern 
and  western  approaches  to  city, 
147  ,  Scott's  plans  and  caution  after 
Molmo  del  Rey,  148,  404,  408; 
American  conference  and  problem, 
decision  to  attack  western  gates, 
148-9,  408  .  defences  of  Chapultepec, 
149-52,  405-6,  battle  of  Chapul- 
tepec, 152-8,  408-11,  Quitman  at 
Beleri  garita,  158-60,  162,  412, 
414-5 ,  capture  of  San  Cosme 
garita,  161-2,  413-4,  416,  evacua- 
tion of  the  city,  163,  415  ,  possession 
taken  by  Americans*,  163-4,  415-6 ; 
American  loss  in  final  operations, 
165,  411 ,  nsmz  in  city,  166-8,  420; 
adoption  of  guerilla  warfare  against, 
169 ,  guerilla  warfare  on  line  of 
communication,  171,  422-3,  opera- 
tions against  guerillas,  172,  178-9, 
423,  426-7  ,  **  siege  "  of  Americans 
at  Puebla,  173-5,  424-6 ,  extempore 
Mexican  government,  179-81,  427, 
428,  problem  after  capture  of  city, 
183,  430,  further  tardy  reinforce- 
ments, 183 ,  size  and  condition  of 
American  foice  then,  184,  432  ,  plan 
of  further  campaign,  184,  432,  433; 
American  evacuation,  251-2,  475, 
476  ,  effect  on  American  foreign  rela- 
tions, 305  ;  foreign  criticism,  307-8  ; 
inadequate  force  and  preparation, 
314,  510,  achievement,  spoils,  321, 
416;  administration  and  authoriza- 
tion, 344 ,  Mexican  force  when  it 
evacuated,  416  ,  supposed  American 
force  (Nov.,  1847),  432;  size  of 
army  and  posts  (May,  1848),  438; 
distribution  of  troops  after  occupy- 
ing city,  461.  See  also  Conquered 
territory;  Scott,  W infield ;  "Vera 
Cruz ;  and  battles  by  name  for 
details. 

Mexico    state,    and    guerilla    warfare, 
2.   169,  173 ;    and  rehabilitation  of 


592 


INDEX 


army,  182 ,  war  donation,  254 , 
American  assessment,  265 ;  and 
collapse  of  federal  government,  428 

Michel  torena,  J.  M.,  and  Jones's 
occupation,  1.  69,  423,  in  Cali- 
fornia, 319. 

Michigan  troops,  call,  2.  431 ,  at 
Orizaba,  433. 

Michoacan  state,  and  Santa  Anna,  1 
376 ;  in  discussion  on  peace,  2.  464 

Middle  class  in  Mexico,  1   5,  27 

Mier,  occupied,  1  210  ,  as  camp,  212  , 
force  at,  2.  417. 

Mier  y  Teran,  M.  de,  popularity,  1  44 

Miles,  D.  S  ,  at  Camargo,  1  210-2, 
at  Monterey,  245,  498,  guerilla 
attack  on,  2  422,  433 

Military  government  See  Conquered 
territory. 

Miller,  Captain,  at  siege  of  Puebla,  2 
424 

Miller,  Sergeant,  on  camp  life,  1   207 

Mma  battalion,  at  Chapultepec,  2  408 

Mining,  Mexican  industry,  1.  2,  15 

Mifion,  J  J  ,  captures  by,  1  371 ,  on 
eve  of  Buena  Vista,  381,  383,  m 
the  battle,  384,  386,  391,  395,  396, 
556,  559;  brigade  as  screen  at  San 
Luis  Potosi,  550 

Minor,  George,  at  San  Diego,  1   534 

Mints,  Mexican,  1    16 ;   rented,  2.  255. 

Mississippi,  in  occupation  of  Tampico, 
1279,281,  yellow  fever,  2  195,  m 
Home  Squadron,  197,  442,  446 ,  in 
attack  on  Alvarado,  198,  199,  in 
Tabasco  expedition,  204 ,  in  attack 
on  Tuxpan,  444 

Mississippi  troops,  enlistments,  1  195  , 
at  Monterey,  235,  492,  496,  m 
Victoria  march,  357  ,  at  Lobos  Islands 
rendezvous,  368,  at  Buena  Vista, 
388,  391,  392,  555,  557,  561,  m 
calls  and  response,  537,  2  431  ,  in 
Taylor's  later  force,  417.  See  also 
Davis,  Jefferson. 

Missouri  troops,  calls  (1847),  2  364, 
431 ;  non-active  men,  511  See  also 
Doniphan,  Price. 

Mitchell,  D.  D.,  and  Chihuahua 
Rangers,  1.  519. 

Mixcoac,  Americans  at,  2   134. 

Mobile  Herald  and  Tribune,  on  war 
spirit,  1.  126. 

Moctezuma,  escape,  2.  195. 

Moderados,  and  Puros,  2  2,  4  ,  Polkos, 
3,  13 ;  and  election  of  Farias,  5,  9 ; 
and  demands  on  church  property,  1 1 , 
330 ;  and  Santa  Anna,  14,  15,  331 ; 
incompetent,  82,  85  See  also  Fed- 
eralism. 


Mofras,  Eugene  Duflot  de     See  Duflot 
Molina,   Ignacio,   acknowledgment  to, 

2.  411. 

Molmo  del  Rey,  p<*  ""''on,  defences, 
2.  140,  400;  Mexican  force,  142, 
402 ,  Scott's  preparation  and  plan, 
criticism,  142,  401-2,  404  ;  map,  143 , 
American  disposition  and  force,  143, 
402,  403  ,  Santa  Anna's  actions,  144, 
402,  404;  attacks  and  capture  of 
Mill,  144-5 ;  capture  of  Casa  Mata, 
145,  403,  cavalry  fight,  146,  404, 
a  mistake,  losses,  results,  147,  403 ; 
American  garrison,  461. 
Moltke,  H  K  B  von,  on  strategy,  1.  x 
Monarchy  in  Mexico,  feared  (1845), 
1  90,  95,  435,  plans  and  aid  from 
Europe,  1 14  ,  American  resentment, 
122,  135,  2  304,  466,  collapse  of 
plans,  1  180,  470 ,  Paredes  deserts, 

214,  4S5 ,      Santa    Anna    declares 
against,  219,   anti-peace  activity  of 
adherents,  2   234,  463  ,  adherents  in 
Polko  revolt,  330  ,  and  clerical  under- 
standing with  Scott,  358.      See  also 
Iturbide 

Monasterio,    J     M     O  ,    and    claims, 

1  77. 

Monclova,  Wool  at,  1  273,  509; 
aspect,  273 

Money,  Mexican  minting,  1.  15  ,  Amer- 
ican market  during  war,  2  489. 

Monitor  Constitucional,  on  expected 
foreign  aid,  1  114 

Monitor  del  Pueblo,  on  Scott's  advance, 

2  66 

Monitor  Repuhlicano,   on   the  war,   1 

215,  on  Texas  and  the  war,  457, 
on    Santa    Anna,    488,    2     84,     on 
church  and  war  finances,  8,  9. 

Monroe  Doctrine,  and  European  atti- 
tude on  the  war,  1   112,  2  296  ,   and 
monarchist  plans  in  Mexico,  1    122, 
135;      Mexico     and,     417,      Polk's 
reassertion,  2.  295 
Montafio,  M  ,  revolt,  1   38 
Montemorelos,  aspect,  1.  357. 
Monterde,  J   M.,  captured,  2.  411 
Monterey,    Cal.,    Jones's    occupation, 
1.  69,  423,    m  1846,  as  port,  315, 
521 ;     Sloat    takes    possession     at, 
334  5,  531 

Monterey,  Mexico,  situation,  aspect, 
1.  2,  257,  2.  212,  considered  vital, 
1.  225;  Taylor  leaves  for  Victoria, 
357 ;  Santa  Anna's  plan  against 
(Dec  ),  357,  541 ,  Taylor  instructed 
to  concentrate  at,  his  insubordinate 
advance,  368;  excesses  of  volun- 
teers at,  2,  212-3,  450,  American 


TNDEX 


593 


regulations,  213,  230,  450;  later 
force  at,  417,  418.  See  also  Mon- 
terey campaign. 

Monterey  a*"  ary  battalion,  at  battle 
of  Montei^  ,  1.  494. 

Monterey  campaign,  inadequate  prep- 
aration, steamboats,  1.  208,  481-3 , 
advance  up  Rio  Grande  toCamargo, 
209-11,  Taylor's  force  then,  211, 
212,  4H3 ,  unfortunate  placing  of 
camp  at  Camargo,  211,  484,  493, 
condition  of  Mexican  forces,  225, 
230,  489 ,  Mejia'h  plan  for  guerilla 
warfare,  Canales  frustrates  it,  226, 
236 ,  Taylor's  inaction  and  lack  of 
information,  226,  251,  480,  491,  499, 
his  transportation,  227,  490-1,  493, 
Taylor  and  popular  demand  for  ac- 
tion, he  does  not  anticipate  resist- 
ance, 227,  491-3 ,  his  neglect  of 
artillery,  228,  250,  500,  route  of 
advance,  228 ,  advance  arid  camp 
at  Corral vo,  organization  of  army, 
228-30,  492,  493,  Mexican  force, 
230,  494  ,  Mexican  preparations  at 
Monterey,  230-2,  494 ,  defences, 
232-4,  239,  249,  495,  497,  general 
map  of  battle,  232  ,  Ampucha's  posi- 
tion and  policy,  234 ,  measures  to 
stay  American  advance,  234-5,  237, 
495;  McCulloch's  Rangers,  236, 
advance  from  Cerralvo,  aspect  of 
country,  236-7,  496 ,  arrival  before 
Monterev,  237  ,  confidence  and  size 
of  American  force,  238,  496  ,  Worth's 
flanking  movement  to  Saltillo  road, 
239-44,  497  ,  Ampudia  during  battle, 
241,  242,  248,  255,  258,  259,  501  ,  de- 
tailed map  of  battle,  240 ,  Worth's 
capture  of  Federation  Ridge,  244-6. 
498;  of  Independence  Hill,  246-8, 
499 ;  Taylor's  display  in  force,  249  , 
fortifications  in  Taylor's  front.  249- 
50 ;  his  verbal  instructions  to  Gar- 
land, 250-1,  500  ,  capture  of  Teneria 
redoubt,  251-3,  500,  futile  attack 
on  Diablo,  253-4 ,  Taylor's  mis- 
takes, 254,  260,  500-3,  Mexicans 
abandon  outworks,  255 ,  advance 
toward  plaza,  retirement,  256,  500 : 
failure  to  concert  action  with  Worth, 
256-7,  501  ,  Worth's  attack  in  city, 
257-8 ,  condition  of  Mexican  force, 
bombardment,  258,  501  ,  capitula- 
tion, armistice,  259,  501-2,  Tay- 
lor's acceptance  considered,  260, 
502—6 ,  evacuation  by  Mexicans, 
260;  results,  fame,  261,  506;  condi- 
tion and  size  of  Taylor's  force  after, 
262,  506 ;  Polk  and  terms,  armistice 
VOJ,.  II  —  2  Q 


terminated,  263  ;  to  be  end  of  north- 
ern advance,  350 ;  losses,  505 ;  for- 
eign comment,  2.  306-7. 

Montgomery,  J.  B.,  and  British 
commander,  2.  446 ;  at  Guaymas, 
447. 

Montoya,  J.  M  ,  Mexican  charge  at 
Washington,  reports  cited  passim. 

Mora,  J  M  L  ,  minister  at  London, 
and  England  and  California,  2.  303 ; 
and  Butish  mediation,  508. 

Mora  y  Villamil,  Ignacio,  on  California, 

1  322  ,    on  Texas  and  the  war,  457  , 
and  defences  of  Vera  Cruz,  2.   19 , 
and  preparations  below  Perote,  40 , 
peace      commissioner,      135 ,       and 
guerilla  warfaie,  108,  422  ,   armistice 
negotiations,    242,    394 ,     and    Con- 
treras,  375. 

Morale,  of  American  troops  at  Corpus 
Christi,  1  144  ,  at  Rio  Grande,  147, 
160,  164,  results  of  Rio  Grande 
campaign,  177-9,  469  ,  of  volunteers 
in  first  camps,  207,  481  ,  Wool's 
discipline,  268,  209,  273,  275,  276, 
character  of  Domphan's  force,  299, 
303 ,  of  Wool's  force  before  Buena 
Vista  campaign,  371  ,  Taylor's  in- 
fluence, 372,  374  ,  of  Scott's  force  at 
Puebla,  2  73 ,  at  start  of  final 
campaign,  78 ,  lack,  in  guerillas, 
172,  naval,  190,  438,  mutiny  at 
Buena  Vista,  418 ,  effect  of  news- 
papers on  Mexican,  509  See  also 
Army ;  Conquered  territory ,  De- 
serters. 

Morales,  Juan,  defence  of  Vera  Cruz, 

2  22,  31,  330,  337,  340-2 
Morehead,    T    G  ,  at  siege  of  Puebla, 

2.  174. 

Moreha,  powdei-mill,  2   87 
Moreha  battalion,  at  Monterey,  1  494  , 

at  Belon  garita,  2   412 
Morelos,    J     M  ,    as    partisan    leader, 

1.  32. 
Moreno,  J    M  ,  attack  on  La  Paz,  2. 

449. 
Morfit,    H     M  ,    American    agent    in 

Texas,  reports  cited  passim 
Morgan,  G    W.,  at  Cerralvo,  1.  562, 

and  Fifteenth  Infantry,  2.  363,    at 

Contreras,  378. 
Morier,  J.  J  ,  British  agent  m  Mexico, 

on  Mexican  character,  1.  410. 
Mormon    battalion,    follows    Kearny's 

expedition,  1  290,  516  ,  m  California, 

?.  218,  219,  454,  455. 
Morris,  L.  N  ,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  164. 
Mosquito  fleet,  2.  29,  338. 
Mountain  systems  of  Mexico,  1.  1. 


594 


INDEX 


Mounted  Riflemen,  authorized,  1.  190 ; 
in  Smith's  brigade,  541 ;  at  Oerro 
Gordo,  2.  52,  54,  350,  352  ;  in  Scott's 
army,  77;  at  Contreras,  104,  at 
Churubusco,  110,  114,  382,  384,  at 
Belen  ganta,  159,  160,  at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  343 ;  at  Molino  del  Key, 
403,  at  Chapultepec,  410,  m  the 
guerilla  operations,  427. 

Mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  camp,  1.  205. 

Muleje,  and  American  occupation,  2. 
448. 

Mules.     See  Transportation. 

Munroe,  John,  artillery  at  Point  Isabel, 
1.  146,  148. 

Murphy,  Tomas,  Mexican  agent  at 
London,  Aberdeen's  suggestion  to, 
1.  434  ;  and  interposition,  2.  302,  304, 
504-6  ,  and  foreign  officers,  306. 

Muscatine,  Iowa.     See  Bloommgton. 

Nacogdoches,  Gaines's  expedition,  1. 
64-6,  420-2. 

Najera,  Lieut.  Col.,  at  Monterey,  falls, 
1.  243. 

Napoleon  I,  on  first  quality  of  a  soldier, 
1.  440  ;  on  flank  movement,  497 ,  on 
agent's  responsibility,  2.  398. 

Nashville  Union,  on  war  spirit,  1   12G 

Natchez,  Vera  Cruz  incident,  1.  424, 
425. 

National  bridge.     See  Puente  nacional. 

National  Guard,  Mexican,  and  Federal- 
ists, 1.  221,  222,  Brazito  affair  with 
Domphan,  301-2 ,  attempt  to  cen- 
tralize, 376,  2  346,  at  Vera  Cruz, 
22, 343  ;  and  siege  of  Puebla,  174,  425. 

National  highway,  1  16.  See  aluo 
Mexico  expedition 

National  Intelligencer,  and  peace,  2. 
125,  on  Polk  and  his  party,  269, 
and  tariff,  273,  on  Polk,  275,  on 
outbreak  of  war,  277 ,  encourages 
enemy,  280,  281  ;  and  tax  on  tea 
and  coffee,  285 ,  and  no-territory 
plan,  288 ;  and  victorious  war,  292  , 
on  title  by  conquest,  497 ,  on  tariff 
for  Mexican  ports,  500,  501. 

Navajo  Indians,  conquered,  1.  298. 

Navy,  American,  foreign  opinion,  1. 
106;  pacific  instructions  (1845),  131, 
447;  war  preparations,  190,  mos- 
quito fleet  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
29,  338;  sailors  and  landed  battery 
at  siege,  30,  34,  338 ;  vessels  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war,  distribution, 
189,  197,  438;  appropriation  arid 
increase,  189;  establishment,  condi- 
tion, 189,  438;  administration,  190- 
91 ;  and  Mexican  privateers,  192-3 ; 


blockade,  193  5,  205,  206,  208,  446, 
448 ;  scurvy  and  yellow  fever,  194  5 ; 
and  Mexican  navy,  195;  difficulties 
of  shore  operations,  196;  Alvarado 
expeditions,  197-9,  344 ;  operations 
on  Mexican  western  coast,  205-8, 
446-9;  character  of  service,  208, 
449  ;  character  of  control  of  occupied 
territory,  208,  evacuation,  476. 
See  also  California ;  Conner,  David ; 
Jones,  T.  A.  C. ,  Marines ;  Perry , 
Sloat ;  Shubrick ;  Stockton. 

Navy.  Mexican,  2.  195. 

Negotiations.  See  Diplomatic  inter- 
course ,  Peace 

Neptune,  at  Tampico,  1.  281 ,  wrecked, 
449. 

Neutrality,  American,  and  Texas,  1.  63, 
432 ;  and  Sabme  River  boundary, 
64;  and  Gaines's  expedition,  64-6; 
and  recognition  of  Texas,  66-7, 
422-3 ;  Bocanegra-Webster  corre- 
spondence, 68,  European,  in  the 
war,  2  300-5.  See  also  Interposi- 
tion; Mediation. 

New  Granada,  and  the  war,  2.  298. 

New  Helvetia,  trading  post,  1.  31 8,  522. 

New  Jersey  troops,  call,  2.  364;  in 
Taylor's  later  force,  417 ;  at  Jalapa, 
433. 

New  Mexico,  Santa  Fe  trail  trade,  1. 
72,  284,  514 ,  province,  population, 
284,  political  situation,  284-6,  2. 
216 ,  American  war  policy  toward, 
1.  286 ,  preparation  of  Kearny's 
expedition,  force,  286,  288,  515; 
map  of  his  route,  287 ;  his  march 
to  Pent's  Fort,  288-9,  515,  Ar- 
mijo's  attitude,  preparations,  and 
desertion,  289,  292-4,  516-7  ,  Price's 
reinforcement  of  Kearny,  290,  516; 
Mormon  battalion,  290,  516, 
Kearny's  proclamation  and  letter 
to  Armijo,  290,  516 ,  advance  to 
San  Miguel,  assurances  to  inhabi- 
tants, 291-2,  516,  expected  fight 
at  Apache  Canyon,  condition  of 
expedition,  292-3,  516 ;  resistance 
abandoned,  293-5 ,  occupation  of 
Santa  Fe,  295-6,  Fort  Marcy,  296, 
march  to  southern  district,  297 ;  re- 
taining force,  298 ,  reduction  of 
Indians,  298 ,  Doniphan's  march  to 
El  Paso,  Brazito  affair,  298-300, 
517,  518;  condition  of  force  at 
Santa  Fe,  518  ,  in  peace  negotiations 
and  treaty,  .  135,  136,  238,  240,  248, 
396,  468,  469 ,  character  of  popula- 
tion, 216 ;  excesses  due  to  American 
occupation,  216,  453 ;  Price's  rule, 


INDEX 


595 


insurrection,  217,  453;  civil  govern- 
ment as  conquered  territory,  285 ; 
justice  of  acquisition,  322  ,  supposed 
force  in  (Nov.,  1847),  432;  Texas 
and  occupation,  497. 
New  Orleans,  enlistments,  1.  195 ; 
as  rival  of  New  York,  2.  274 ;  yellow 
fever  (1847),  431. 

New     Orleans     Commercial     Bulletin, 

attacks  policy  of  forbearance,  1.  121 ; 

on  easy  victory  over  Mexico,  126. 

New  Orleans  Delta,  on  Paredes  revolt, 

1.     120 ,      demand    for    war,     443 , 

Leomdas   letter,    2.    187,    435;     on 

Taylor's  force  (1847),  417. 

New  Orleans  Jeffen*onian  Republican, 

attacks  policy  of  forbearance,  1.  120 

New  Orleans  Picayune,  on  monarchist 

plans  m   Mexico,   1    90,    122,    135 , 

attacks    on    policy    of    forbearance, 

119;    on   rejection   of   Slidell,    120, 

on    war   spirit,    126,    132 ,     demand 

for  war,  443. 

New  Orleans  Tropic,  on  policy  of  ex- 
pansion, 1.  123. 

New  York,  and  peace,  2.  123 ,  Polk 
and  factions,  270,  491.  See  also 
New  York  troops. 

New  York  City,  enlistments,  1   194. 
New  York  Courner  dei>  Etats  Urns,  on 
European  protection  of  Mexico,  1. 
121. 

New  York  Express,  and  peace,  2  125. 
New  York  Herald,  on  unrest,  1.  124 , 
on  war  spirit,  124 ,  on  war  as  peace 
movement,  184 ,  on  war  finances, 
2.  256 ,  on  opposition  to  the  war, 
494. 

New  York  Journal  of  Commerce,  on 
war  spirit,  1.  124 ,  on  war  as  peace 
movement,  184 

New  York  Morning  News,  on  policy  of 
expansion,    1.    123 ,     on   war   spirit, 
124-6. 
New  York  Sun,  and  Worth,  2. 186, 434  , 

favors  absorbing  Mexico,  243. 
New  York  Tribune,  on  policy  of  ex- 
pansion, 1.  123 ,  on  Polk  and  war, 
184;  on  the  war  and  politics,  ?. 
275 ;  on  annexation  of  Texas  and 
war,  276 ,  demands  recall  of  troops, 
290 ,  on  Scott  and  the  cabal,  436. 
New  York  troops,  in  Vera  Cruz  expedi- 
tion, 1.  368,  537,  2.  343 ,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  53,  58 ;  in  march  to  Puebla, 
69 ;  in  Scott's  army,  78 ;  at  Churu- 
busco,  117;  at  Chapultepec,  157, 
409 ,  in  Mexico  City,  163 ;  m  Cali- 
fornia, 219,  454,  476;  m  Lower 
California,  448. 


Newspapers,  Mexican,  war-time  lamen- 
tations, 2.  509.  See  also  Press. 

Niles,  J.  M.,  and  absorption  of  Mexico, 
2.  244 ,  position  m  Senate,  496. 

Niles'  Register,  on  Taylor's  general- 
ship, 1.  503. 

Nifio  Perdido  garita,  2.  148. 

Ninth  Cavalry,  Mexican,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  347. 

Ninth  Infantry,  in  Scott's  army,  2. 
78,  363,  432,  at  Contreras,  109;  at 
Chapultepec,  154,  155,  157;  ad- 
vance after  armistice,  400,  at 
Huamantla,  426 ,  at  Pachuca,  433. 

Nonata,  captured,  1.  511. 

Noncombatants,  American  policy  tow- 
ard, 2  210,  220,  229.  See  also  Con- 
quered territory. 

Nopalucan,  aspect,  2.  69. 

Noriega,  General,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  165, 
168,  captured  at  Chapultepec,  2. 
411. 

North  Carolina  troops,  enlistments, 
1.195,  calls,  537,2.431,  in  Taylor's 
later  force,  417. 

Norther,  character,  1.  541 ;  2.  34. 

Nuevo  Le6n,  troops  at  Monterey,  1. 
494 ;  levy  on,  for  guerilla  warfare, 
2  170,  422 ,  attitude  toward  United 
States,  215 ,  general  occupation,  418. 
See  also  Monterey. 

Oaxaca  state,  guerilla  warfare,  2.  173; 
revolt  and  the  war,  369. 

Obreg6n,  Pablo,  Mexican  minister  at 
Washington,  and  boundary  negotia- 
tions, 1.  60 

O'Brien,  J.  P  J.,  battery  at  Buena 
Vista,  1  388,  390-2,  394,  557. 

Ocainpo,  M.,  and  Santa  Anna,  1,  376. 

Occupied  territory.  See  Conquered 
territory. 

O'Donnell,  Leopoldo,  and  Mexican 
privateering,  2.  193. 

O'Dorioju,  Juan,  treaty  with  Iturbide, 
1.33. 

Officers,  character  of  volunteer,  1.  192, 
207,  2.  215;  for  the  ten  new  regi- 
ments, 76,  value  of  West  Point 
training,  320.  See  also  Army; 
Volunteers. 

Ohio,  and  attack  on  Tuxpan,  2. 444 ;  in 
Pacific  squadron,  447. 

Ohio  troops,  enlistments,  1.  195 ;  at 
Monterey,  253,  492,  496 ,  in  Taylor's 
later  force,  2.  417 ,  with  Scott,  418 ; 
in  Lane's  march  to  Puebla,  426 ;  in 
his  guerilla  operations,  426,  427; 
calls  (1847),  364,  365,  431 ;  garrison 
at  Puebla,  433  ;  non-active  men,  511. 


£96 


INDEX 


Ojo  de  Agua,  aspect,  2.  69 ;  American 
post,  433. 

Olaguibel,  F.  M.  de,  warnings  to  Santa 

'  Anna  (1846),  1.  378,  379;  supports 
Farias,  2.  82;  character,  86,  and 
opposition  to  Santa  Anna,  86,  134, 
136;  yields  to  Santa  Anna's  de- 
mands, 92 ;  supplies  for  Scott,  134 ; 
in  American  rear,  148 ,  and  evacua- 
tion of  Mexico,  163  ,  supports  Pefia, 
180,  428. 

Old  Pefi6n,  fortification,  2.  90,  369, 
373;  Mexican  army  at,  92;  Scott 
avoids,  96. 

Oligarchy,  of  Spanish  born,  1.  29 , 
deposes  viceroy,  30 ;  Hidalgo's  re- 
volt against,  31 ,  partisan  warfare 
on,  31 ;  doomed,  32  ,  revolt  against 
liberal  constitution,  32  ;  plots  against 
federal  government,  37 ;  rules  Vic- 
toria, 37,  attempted  revolt  (1823), 
38 ;  expulsion  of  Gachupines,  39,  42, 
413  ;  and  Bustamante's  revolt,  43  , 
and  Santa  Anna,  45 ,  and  Farias' 
reforms,  46 ,  makes  Santa  Anna 
dictator,  46 ,  and  Seven  Laws,  rule, 
,47 ;  factions,  48 ,  goes  over  to 
Santa  Anna  (1841),  50.  See  also 
'  Government ,  Monarchy  ,  Roman 
Catholic  church. 

Olozaga,  Salustiano  de,  on  monarchy 
for  Mexico,  1.  448 

Opposition  to  the  war,  Mexico  counts  on, 
1.  105,  107,  119,  443,  objections  to 
war  bill,  182-3,  471 ,  basis,  2.  273-5  ; 
Whig  troubles,  276-80,  283,  493, 
494 ;  warning  from  opposition  to 
War  of  1812,  280 ;  encourages  enemy, 
280-1,  289,  495  ,  character  of  speeches 
in  Congress,  284-6  ,  and  Wilmot  Pro- 
viso, 286-7,  498 ,  Whig  no-temtory 
plan,  287-8,  498  ,  protracts  war,  288, 
292 ;  demand  for  stoppage  of  sup- 
plies and  recall  of  troops,  290-1,  500  , 
Whig  House  programme,  290  ,  effect 
on,  of  success  of  war,  290  ,  continued 
baiting  of  Polk,  291,  500;  results, 
292,  314,  510,  historical  results, 
292-3,501. 

Oregon  country,  question  and  Mexican 
relations,  1.  90,  94,  130,  137,  2  299, 
504;  and  British  aid  of  Mexico,  1. 
114 ;  and  outbreak  of  the  war,  200, 
458,  478 ;  compromise  settlement, 
201;  effect  on  Polk,  2.  271,  281; 
settlement  and  Wilmot  Proviso, 
286 ;  danger  in,  295. 

Organic  Bases,  1.  52  ,  revival,  217. 

Orizaba,  situation,  aspect,  1.  2,  2.  222 ; 
Santa  Anna's  preparations  at,  67-8 ; 


Bankhead's  expedition,  aspect  of 
route  to,  184-5,  433  American 
rule,  223  ;  Lane  at,  427. 

Orizaba,  Mount,  aspect,  2.  18,  60,  223. 

Ortega,  J.  M.,  in  Monterev  negotia- 
tions, 1.  502. 

Osgood,  David,  on  War  of  1812,  2. 
280,  494. 

Oswandel,  J  J  ,  on  Pillow,  2.  377. 

Otero,  Mariano,  on  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1.  155;  on  income  of  the 
Church,  408  ,  on  Texas  and  the  war, 
458  ;  and  peace  negotiations,  2  136, 
236  ,  leader  of  Moderados,  327. 

Outbreak  of  the  war,  Mexican  policy 
to  avoid  formal  declaration,  1.  88, 
434 ;  protection  of  Texas  and  boun- 
dary question,  138, 153,  449,457, 470 , 
Taylor's  force  occupies  Corpus 
Christi,  141-3,  452 ;  original  size 
of  force,  142 ,  reinforcements,  143, 
454 ,  condition  of  force,  143  ,  rank 
controversy,  144 ,  crossing  of  Rio 
Grande  by  Mexicans  as  invasion, 
144,  453 ,  Taylor's  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  145-8,  454 ,  retaliatory 
orders,  148,  455 ,  Mexicans  cross 
and  attack  Thornton,  149,  455; 
de  facto  war,  Taylor  calls  for  more 
troops,  150,  455 ,  justification  of 
advance  to  Rio  Grande,  151--4,  456 , 
advance  not  cause  of  war,  154-5, 
185,  457,  471  ,  war  begun  by  Mexico, 
155,  190,  2  311-2,  her  grief  for  first 
battles,  1.  179,  Polk's  Message,  181, 

470,  war   bill   in   Congress,    182-3, 
471-3 ;    quick  peace  expected,   184, 

471 ,  political  considerations,   Ben- 
ton,  184-5,  471  ,    Calhoun's  opposi- 
tion, 185-7,  472  ,    existence  of  legal 
war,    186-7,    472,     causes,    187-90, 
326,   471,  473,   526,  2.   284,   310-1, 
508-9;    proclamation,   1    191,  474, 
raising  of  army,  190-6,  445 ,    selec- 
tion   of    commander,     196-8,    200, 
Polk     and     Scott's     plans,     Scott's 
relegation,     198-200,     476-8,      and 
Oregon    question,    200,    458,    478, 
negotiations  with  Santa  Anna,  201-3, 
478-9 ;     Mexican   preparations   and 
declaration,    212,    222-3,   484,   488, 
effect  of  Rio  Grande  campaign  on 
Mexicans,   213 ,    overthrow   of  Pa- 
redes,   214-22,   485,     Santa  Anna's^ 
policy    to    command     army    only, 
222-4,     error   of    short-war   policy, 
347,     popularity,    2.    268;     Whig 
inconsistency   on,   276-7;    Webster 
on  pretexts,  279,  494;    Buchanan's 
diplomatic  circular  on,  297  ;   British 


INDEX 


attitude,  299-300  ,  French  attitude, 
300,  503,  Folk's  alleged  inconsist- 
encies on  causes,  491 ,  as  result  of 
lack  of  preparedness,  509.  See  also 
Preparation  ,  Rio  Grande  campaign 
Owens,  S  C.,  in  Doniphan's  expedition, 

1.  303 ,     at   battle   of    Sacramento, 
killed,  311. 

Pacheco,  F.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1    389- 

91. 
Pacheco,  J   R.,  and  peace  negotiations, 

2.  133,  137,  393,  396 

Pachuca,  occupied,  2.  184,  433 ,  under 
American  rule,  460. 

Pacific  squadron,  vessels  during  the 
war,  2.  189,  447  See  also  Shu- 
brick  ,  Sloat ,  Stockton. 

Padierna,  battle  of      See  Contreras 

Pageot,  A  J  Y  ,  French  minister  at 
Washington,  reports  cited  passim 

Pakenham,  Richard,  British  minister 
at  Mexico  and  Washington,  and 
expulsion  of  Americans,  1  72,  423 , 
and  American  claims  against  Mexico, 
79,  81,  431  ,  on  chances  of  expected 
war,  107,  109 ,  warning  against 
slavery  expansion,  114,  on  Cali- 
fornia, 320,  322 ,  on  growing  dis- 
taste for  war,  347 ,  on  Polk's  di- 
lemma, 349 ,  on  plan  against  Vera 
Cruz,  350,  on  Santa  Anna's  rule, 
415 ,  on  Mexican  treatment  of 
Pomsett,  417  ,  on  Monterey  armis- 
tice, 502  ,  on  march  to  Mexico  Citv, 
2  37  ,  on  desire  for  peace,  123,  126  , 
on  American  war  finances,  260,  482  , 
and  mediation,  301,  504 

Paimasola  fort  near  Tuxpdn,  2   202 

Palmerston,  Viscount,  and  Mexican 
privateering,  2  192 ,  offers  media- 
tion, 301,  504,  and  California,  302, 
and  Guizot,  304 ,  and  American 
victories,  305 ,  and  interposition, 
306  ,  and  absorption  of  Mexico,  309. 

Palmetto  Regiment,  in  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  1  368,  call,  537,  m 
march  to  Puebla,  2.  69 ,  in  Scott's 
army,  78,  343,  at  Churubusco,  117, 
384,  at  Chapultepec,  157,  at 
Bel6n  ganta,  160,  412  ,  m  Alvarado 
expedition,  344. 

Palo  Alto,  battle  of,  American  force, 
1.  163 ,  American  line,  164 ;  map, 
164 ,  Mexican  advance  and  posi- 
tion, 164-5,  Mexican  force,  165, 
artillery,  165,  465,  Torrej6n's  at- 
tack and  repulse,  166-7,  American 
movement  on  right,  167-8;  defeat 
of  Mexican  right,  168-9  ,  losses,  169, 


466 ;  Mexican  retreat,  169.  See  also 
Rio  Grande  campaign. 

Palo  Alto,  Camp,  1.  480. 

Panuco  expedition,  1    281. 

Pareda,  J.  N  ,  and  privateering,  2.  192. 

Paredes  y  Amllaga,  Mariano,  revolt 
(1841),!  50;  revolt  against  Santa 
Anna  (1844),  52,  53,  and  Herrera's 
rule,  55,  56  ,  and  monarchy,  90,  214  ; 
revolt  (1845),  95,  98-9,  438;  as 
temporary  President,  100,  hostility 
toward  United  States,  100,  and 
Slidell,  100,  439 ,  and  the  war,  104, 
155,  190,  452,  2.  66,  revolt  and 
American  opinion,  1  120;  effect  of 
Rio  Grande  campaign  on,  180,  470; 
on  cause  of  the  war,  189,  457,  474; 
his  policy,  212 ,  cuts  off  consuls, 
212,484  ,  elected  President,  212  ,  war 
proclamation,  213 ,  and  plans  to 
take  command,  214-5,  217 ,  dif- 
ficulties, 214-6,  485,  combination 
against,  216,  overthrow,  217,  485; 
and  California,  329,  522-4,  2.  302, 
arid  artillery,  1  462,  exiled,  485; 
supposed  desire  for  peace,  2.  122 ; 
combination  against  Santa  Anna 
(1847),  134,  137,  subsides,  242; 
return,  306,  395 

Paredes,  Fort,  constructed,  1    158 

Paris  Constitution  ncl,  on  chances  of 
expected  war,  1  105,  110,  113;  on 
California,  325 ,  on  three-million 
fund,  2  126 ,  on  clergy  and  repeal 
of  law  of  Jan  11,  332,  criticism  of 
military  operations,  507. 

Paris  Correspondant,  sympathy  with 
Mexico,  1  112  ,  on  Mexican  church, 
408  ,  pessimism  on  peace  prospects, 
2  235  ,  on  outbreak  of  war,  300. 

Paris  Epoque,  and  interposition,  2. 
304 

Paris  Globe,  on  chances  of  expected 
war,  1.  108. 

Pans  National,  on  Guizot 's  American 
policy,  2.  296 ,  on  outbreak  of  war, 
300  ,  on  England  and  war,  304 

Pans  Portefeuille,  and  neutrality,  2. 
304. 

Parish,  Elijah,  on  War  of  1812,  2.  280, 
494. 

Parker,  Theodore,  on  Taylor  at  Buena 
Vista,  1.  559 ,  on  conduct  of  the 
war,  2  324. 

Parker,  W.  A.,  Creole  exploit,  2.  444. 

Parras,  gathering  of  Wool's  force  at 
San  Antonio,  1.  267-70  ,  his  advance 
to  Parras,  270-5;  aspect,  275; 
Comanche  raid,  521 ;  American 
rule,  2.  230 ,  outrages  at,  450. 


598 


INDEX 


Parrodi,  Anastasio,  at  Tampico,  1.  278, 
511;  at  Tula,  553;  command  in 
Army  of  the  North,  2.  369. 

Parrott,  John,  American  consul  at 
Mazatlan,  and  T.  A.C.  Jones,  1.  69; 
on  California,  522 ,  on  Scott,  2.  316, 
317 ;  and  Sloat,  333 ;  and  American 
funds  in  Mexico,  488. 

Parrott,  W.  S.,  American  consul  and 
confidential  agent  in  Mexico,  1.  88, 
89,  93,  94,  133,  434,  435;  and 
advance  to  Rio  Grande,  152;  and 
Sloat,  333;  claim,  426,  430;  on 
British  control  of  Mexico,  443. 

Parsons,  M.  M.,  in  battle  of  Sacra- 
mento, 1.  309,  311,  312. 

Paso.    See  El  Paso. 

Patria  battalion,  at  Chapul tepee,  2. 
408. 

Patriota  Mexieano,  on  Slidell  mission, 
1.  436. 

Patronage,  as  Folk's  resource,  2   270. 

Patten,  G.  W.,  on  Scott  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
2.56. 

Patterson,    Robert,    and   Tamaulipas, 

1.  263,    and  securing  of  Tampico, 
281,   512 ,     and   command   of   Vera 
Cruz    expedition,    351 ,     march    to 
Victoria,  360,  542,  543 ;    as  general, 
361;     and   Pillow,    361;     march    to 
Tampico,  365-6;    at  Lobos  Islands, 
368 ;  command  on  Rio  Grande,  493  , 
distribution    of    force    (Oct.).    506, 
career,  507 ,    at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 

2.  26,    343;     before    Cerro    Gordo, 
and  plan  to  assault,  49 ,    and  the 
battle,  58,  354 ,    takes  time-expired 
men    home,    64,    357 ;     return    to 
Mexico,  184 ;    at  Jalapa,  354 ,    and 
Jarauta,   421 ;    retained   in  service, 
432;    division   at  San  Angel,   461; 
leaves  Mexico  City,  476;    on  West 
Pointers,  513. 

Patterson,  Camp,  1.  480. 

Paul,  G.  R.,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  410 

Paulding,  J.  K.,  on  Polk,  2.  270. 

Paz,  occupied,  counter  attacks,  2.  208, 
448,  449. 

Peace,  speedy,  expected,  1.  184,  471 ; 
Polk1  s  suggested  terms  to  Santa 
Anna  (1846),  202,  471 ;  Santa  Anna 
and,  after  return,  221,  487 ;  mistake 
in  expecting  speedy,  347;  Mexican 
law  forbidding  negotiations,  2.  81, 
130,  135t  367,  389,  393  ,  Scott's  halt 
after  Churubusco,  121,  386,  393; 
attitude  of  Polk  and  Buchanan,  121 , 
supposed  favorable  Mexican  attitude 
(1846),  122 ;  rejection  of  Buchanan's 
advances  (1846),  122,  386;  three 


million  fund  and  bribery,  123  126, 
387  ;  general  American  desire,  123  ; 
Atocha's  mission,  123-4,  126,  387; 
reasons  for  Mexican  obstinacy, 
124—6 ;  problem  of  ignoring  Slidell, 
126 ;  appointment  of  Trist,  his 
character,  127 ;  his  preconceived 
attitude  toward  Scott,  127;  Trist's 
papers,  128,  Trist-Scott  misunder- 
standing and  quarrel,  128-9,  389; 
Bankhead  as  mediator  for  Trist, 
129,  390 ,  controversy  over  receiv- 
ing Buchanan's  communication, 
130-3,  890,  Scott-Trist  reconcilia- 
tion, 130,  392  ;  question  of  douceur, 
131-2,  390-1 ;  Puebla  negotiations, 
132,  391,  393,  Scott's  military  pro- 
posal to  facilitate,  133,  393,  Mex- 
ican overtures  after  Churubusco, 
133;  armistice,  133,  394-6;  nego- 
tiations during  armistice  (1847)  . 
Santa  Anna's  attitude,  135 ,  his 
terms  and  instructions,  neutral 
region  east  of  Rio  Grande,  135,  396, 
398;  Mexican  commissioners,  135, 
Trist's  terms,  deadlock,  135 ,  Santa 
Anna's  dilemma,  136-7,  398 ,  coun- 
ter-projet,  failure,  effect,  138-9, 
399 ,  chronology  of  negotiations 
(1847),  396  ,  Santa  Anna  and  foreign 
support,  397  —  Arguments  against, 
after  fall  of  capital,  233,  470 ,  atti- 
tude of  Eventuahsts  and  other  war 
factions,  234,  463  ,  and  governmental 
chaos,  234 ,  American  pessimism, 
235,  463 ,  Peiia's  determination  to 
negotiate,  235,  463 ,  Trist  reopens 
negotiations  by  reply  to  counter- 
projet,  235,  463 ,  party  success  in 
Presidential  election,  236 ,  state 
discussion,  236,  464 ,  abortive  in- 
surrection of  war  party,  230,  464 , 
support  of  Mexican  Congress,  236 ; 
recall  of  Trist,  236,  464  ,  intention 
to  harden  American  terms,  237,  244, 

464,  474  ,   Trist  ignores  recall,  237-8, 

465,  467 ;    his  boundary  ultimatum, 

238,  further  retardation,  23S,  465, 
Mexican  commissioners,  239  ,   secret 
meetings,  propositions,  239,  460 ,  de- 
lays, need  of  haste,  de  facto  truce, 

239 ,  insurrection  threatens  disrup- 
tion, Scott's  promise  of  protection, 

240,  466;     treaty    secretly    signed, 
240,  467 ;    terms,  surrender  of  con- 
quered   territory    to    Mexico,    240, 
467-70,  473,    map,  241,    armistice, 
242,   471 ,     plan   for   absorption   of 
Mexico,     243-4,     309;      Polk     and 
treaty,  his  dilemma,  244-6,  471-2; 


INDEX 


599 


treaty  in  Senate,  246-7,  472-3 ; 
amendment  there,  247,  473,  rati- 
fication commissioners,  248-9,  473 , 
Mexican  opposition  to  acceptance, 
249,  250 ;  arguments  in  favor,  249- 
51,  474;  ratification  by  Mexican 
Congress,  250,  474 ;  exchange  of 
ratifications,  251,  474 ,  misunder- 
standings, 251,  475,  evacuation  of 
Mexican  territory,  251-2,  475-6 , 
American  opposition  to  annexations, 
274  ;  British  offer  of  mediation,  301, 
368,  503-4;  reception  of  treaty  in 
Europe,  308-9 ;  justice  and  liberality, 
322-3;  Mexican  cordiality,  323, 
effect  in  Europe,  323 ,  explanatory 
protocol,  475  ;  Spam  and  mediation, 
503 ,  Mexico  and  British  guaranty 
of  treaty,  508. 

Pedraza,  Manuel  G6mez,  character, 
elected  President,  1  40 ,  overthrow, 
41 ;  restored  by  Santa  Anna,  44-5 , 
as  Federalist  leader,  48  ,  and  Butler, 
62  ;  Paredes  courts,  215  ,  and  Santa 
Anna  (1846),  224,  as  leader  of 
Moderados,  2.  2,  4;  and  clerical 
revolt,  14,  330,  and  peace  negotia- 
tions, 132,  466. 

Pedregal  near  Contreras,  2.  101,  104 
Peel,  Sir  Robert,  and  California,  2  302 
Pefia  fort  near  Tuxpan,  2  202,  203 
Pefia  y  Barragan,  M.  de  la,  and  revolt, 
2.  12,  13;   at  San  Cosme  ganta,  161, 
162. 

Pefia  y  Pefia,  Manuel  de  la,  character, 
1.  26,  2.  180,  427,  and  renewal  of 
American  intercourse,  i.  91-4,  435, 
and  Slidell  mission,  96,  97,  437 ,  on 
Texas  and  war,  457  ,  as  Executive 
(184?),  2.  180,  427,  428,  eliminate* 
Santa  Anna,  181, 428  ,  determines  to 
re-open  peace  negotiations,  235 , 
Congress  upholds,  235  ,  and  recall  of 
Trist,  237,  465 ,  arid  renewal  of 
negotiations,  238 ,  resumes  adminis- 
tration, 240,  466 ,  and  insurrection 
and  negotiations,  240,  466 ,  and 
treaty  before  Congress,  250,  474  ,  at 
exchange  of  ratifications,  251 ;  on 
European  interposition,  506. 
Pennsylvania,  and  tariff  of  1846,  2  273 

See  also  next  title. 

Pennsylvania  troops,  in  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  1.  368,  2.  343;  calls, 
1.  537,  2.  364,  430 ,  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
56,  57,  353,  in  Scott's  army,  78, 
at  Chapultepec,  157,  at  Puebla, 
174;  at  Huamantla,  425,  426;  in 
'  Lane's  guerilla  operations,  426 ;  at 
Jalapa,  361,  433. 


Pefi6n  Viejo.     See  Old  Pefi6n. 

Pensions,  Mexican  War,  2.  490. 

Penunuri,  F.,  at  Churubusco,  2.  382. 

Peonage,  not  displaced  by  slavery,  1. 
188. 

People.     See  Population. 

Perdigon  Garay,  J.  G.,  at  Belen  garita, 
2  159,  160 

Perez,  F  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  1.  393-5, 
559 ,  at  Coyoacan,  2  101 ;  at 
Contreras,  105,  379  ,  at  Churubusco, 
110,  at  Casa  Mata,  142,  145; 
brigade,  369 

Perote,  castle  of,  occupied  by  Worth, 
2  61 ,  American  garrison,  65,  74, 
361,  362  ,  and  relief  of  Puebla,  176, 
425. 

Perry,  M  C  ,  in  occupation  of  Tam- 
pico,  1  280 ,  and  reinforcements 
for  it,  281,  512,  513,  Taylor  on, 
352,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2.  30, 
36,  339,  340,  Tabasco  expeditions, 
199-200,  204-5,  443,  445;  Yucatan 
operations,  201,  204,  443 ,  super- 
sedes Conner,  201-2  ,  character  as 
officer,  202 ,  capture  of  Tuxpan, 
202-3,  444 ,  operations  at  small 
ports,  203,  445 ,  Alvarado  expedi- 
tion, 344-5  ,  squadron,  distribution, 
442,  444-6  ,  and  attack  on  Ulua,  444. 

Perry,  damaged,  2.  449. 

Petrel,  in  occupation  of  Tampico,  1. 
279,  281 ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
388  ,  added  to  navy,  438 ;  in  Home 
Squadron,  442,  446 ,  in  attack  on 
Tuxpan,  444. 

Pe'nta,  at  Vera  Cruz,  2  23,  336;  in 
Tabasco  expedition,  199 ,  m  Home 
Squadron,  446 

Philadelphia,  enlistments,  1.  195. 

Philadelphia  North  American,  on  tariff 
of  1846,  2  257  ,  and  the  war,  268, 
275  ,  on  war  and  extension  of  slavery, 
492. 

Philadelphia  Public  Ledger,  on  speeches 
in  Congress,  2.  284. 

Physical  aspect,  general,  of  Mexico, 
1.  1-3,  16  ,  of  Corpus  Chris ti,  143 ; 
between  there  and  Rio  Grande,  146 ; 
of  camps  near  Rio  Grande,  205-7; 
of  Camargo,  211,  of  Cerralvo.  229; 
beyond  Cerralvo,  236,  496,  of  Mon- 
terey, 257,  2.  212;  between  Mon- 
terey and  Saltillo,  1  265;  between 
the  Rio  Grande  and  Monclova,  272 ; 
of  Monclwa,  273,  of  Parras,  275; 
of  Tampico,  276,  280,  2  214;  of 
Raton  Pass,  1.  291 ,  of  Santa  Fe, 
296;  of  Jornada  del  Muerto,  300; 
of  El  Paso,  300,  302;  between  El 


600 


INDEX 


Paso  and  Chihuahua,  304 ;  at  Sacra- 
mento River,  308 ,  of  Monterey, 
Cal ,  334 ;  between  Monterey,  Mex., 
and  Victoria,  357-9  ,  between  Mata- 
moros  and  Victoria,  360,  between 
Victoria  and  Tampico,  366  ;  between 
Saltillo  and  Agua  Nueva,  373 ,  be- 
tween San  Luis  Potosi  and  En- 
carnacion,  380,  553 ;  of  Buena 
Vista  field,  385 ,  view  on  approach- 
ing Anton  Lizardo,  2.  18 ,  of  Vera 
Cruz,  18-9,  34  5,  221-2  ;  along  high- 
way from  Perote  to  puente  nacional, 
39 ,  of  Ccrro  Gordo,  42-5,  347 ,  of 
national  highway  between  Vera 
Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo,  46-8 ,  of 
Jalapa,  59,  223 ;  between  Jalapa 
and  Perote,  60-1 ,  between  Perote 
and  Puebla,  69;  of  Puebla,  71, 
178 ,  between  Puebla  and  Valley  of 
Mexico,  92-3,  of  the  Valley,  94, 
119,  138,  158;  of  the  routes  across 
it,  95-7 ;  of  Santa  Anna's  southern 
line,  99,  102,  374,  of  Contreras 
field,  101,  103,  375,  of  Churubusco, 
111,  of  Tacubaya,  138,  400,  of 
Molino  del  Rey,  140 ,  of  western 
and  southern  approaches  to  Mexico 
City,  147;  of  Chapultepec,  150-2, 
405-6 ,  between  Vera  Cruz  and 
Orizaba,  184-5 ,  coast  storms,  194 , 
of  San  Juan  Bautista,  200 ,  of 
Tuxpan,  202-3,  of  Mazatlan,  206, 
of  Orizaba,  222,  of  Mexico  City, 
228. 

Pickett,  G   E  ,  at  Chapultepec,  2.  157. 

Pico,  Andres,  battle  of  San  Pascual, 
1.  341,  342,  534,  succeeds  Flores, 
345,  capitulation,  345 

Pico,  Jesus,  and  Fremont,  1   345 

Pico,  Pio,  as  governor  of  California, 
1.  319,  character,  328,  British 
partisan,  328,  333,  531 ,  civil  war 
with  Castro,  329 ,  and  American 
occupation,  335,  337,  530. 

Pierce,  Franklin,  on  war  enthusiasm, 

1.  442 ,     reinforcements   for   Scott, 

2.  77,  171 ;   brigade  in  Scott's  army, 
78,  363;    brigade  at  Contreras,  104, 
378;     and    at    Churubusco,    115-7, 
384;    and  plan  of  attack  on  Mexico 
City,   149,  408 ;    armistice  commis- 
sioner, 394 ,  and  Molino  del  Rey,  403  ; 
and    battles    before    Mexico,    415, 
leaves  Mexico,  438. 

Pillow,  G.  J.,  as  political  general, 
character,  1.  208,  361,  367,  543,  546, 
2.  185-6,  433,  and  Polk,  1.  367, 
2.  128,  186,  510;  joins  Scott's  head- 
quarters, 1.  367 ,  on  Ripley's  book, 


405;  at  Brazos,  476;  on  Taylor's 
confidence,  492;  left  at  Camargo, 
493 ;  on  Taylor  and  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  536;  on  Taylor  and 
administration,  538,  brigade  at 
Vera  Cruz,  2.  27,  before  Cerro 
Gordo,  49;  in  the  battle,  56-8, 
352-3 ;  censures  on  Scott  to  Polk, 
74 ;  absence,  return  as  major  gen- 
eral, 77,  357 ,  division,  77 :  in 
advance  from  Puebla,  93,  371 ;  at 
Contreras,  103-5,  376,  378,  380, 
at  Churubusco,  110,  385  ;  force  after 
the  battle,  120 ,  and  armistice,  134, 
395 ,  advance  after  armistice,  142, 
400,  at  Chapultepec,  152,  153,  156, 
409 ,  misgivings  there,  153 ,  divi- 
sion in  advance  on  Bel6n  garita, 
159 ,  cabal  against  Scott,  Leonidas 
letter,  187,  435 ,  Scott's  charges 
against,  and  arrest,  188,  437  ,  Polk 
rescues,  188,  and  the  recalling  of 
Tnst,  236 ,  intrigue  against  Scott 
and  Presidential  ambition,  376 , 
opinion  of  good  officers,  377 ,  as- 
cendancy over  Scott,  378 ,  and 
douceur,  391 ,  and  plan  of  attack 
on  Mexico  City,  408  ,  leaves  Mexico, 
438. 
Pineda,  Manuel,  attack  on  La  Paz, 

2.  449. 
Pino,  Manuel,  force  to  resist  Koarriy, 

1.  293,  294. 
"Pmtos,"  in  Alvarez's  force,  2   369 
Pmz6n,    Luis,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  44, 

51 
Plan  del  Rio,  as  defensive  point,  2  40, 

42  ,   Scott's  advance  at,  48 
Plana  mayor,  Mexican,  1    156. 
Plateau,  central,  of  Mexico,  1.  1-2 
Plebeian,  on    war    and    expansion,   1. 

444 

Poblana  market  girls,  2  71 
Poinsett,  J.  R  ,  treatment  as  minister 
at  Mexico,  1.  58-  9,  417 ,  boundary 
and  Texas  negotiations,  59-60,  418, 
commercial  negotiations,  61,  419, 
recall  demanded,  62 ;  on  Mexican 
agriculture,  410,  on  Mexican  cav- 
alry, 440,  on  American  army,  451 , 
on  Tnst  mission,  2.  390 
Point  Isabel,  occupied  by  Taylor,  1. 
146,  148;  as  base,  Taylor  and  line 
of  communication,  160-1,  463;  Tay- 
lor's hurried  march  to,  163,  as 
camp,  205 ,  Mexican  customhouse, 
452;  navy  at,  466,  2.  197;  troops 
left  at,  1.  493. 

Police,  in  occupied  territory,  2.  213, 
215,  229,  450,  452. 


INDEX 


601 


Politics,    in   choice   of   a   commander, 

1.  197,  199-200,    m  Vera  Cruz  ex- 
pedition,   356,    363,    368,    539,   544, 
influence    on    war    operations,    545. 
See     also     Congress,      Democratic, 
Government,  Mexican  ,   Opposition  , 
Polk,   J.   K. ,     President  of   United 
States,  Whig 

Polk,  J.  K.,  efforts  to  restore  inter- 
course with  Mexico,  1  88-91  , 
Shdell  mission,  94-5,  98,  100,  133, 
436,  447 ,  alleged  desire  for  war, 
127-8,  445-6,  478,  diary,  128, 
character,  128-30,  447,  2.  270-1, 
314-5,  510,  disproof  of  desire  for 
war,  1.  130-4,  150,  326,  447,  526, 
ana  Oregon,  130,  137,  200-1,  478, 
and  Scott,  130,  354,  2  75,  188, 
436,  511,  intolerable  conditions 
facing,  134—7,  peaceful  intent  and 
advance  to  Rio  Grande,  151-5, 
456-61;  war  Message,  181,  470, 
expects  quick  peace,  184,  471  ,  and 
slavery  and  the  war,  188,  war 
proclamation,  191,  474  ,  and  volun- 
teering, 191,  193,  and  selection  of 
commanding  officer,  196,  198,  200, 
202,  476,  and  Taylor,  196,  352-3, 
507,  538,  544,  547 ,  alarm  over  Rio 
Grande  conditions,  198,  476 ,  and 
Scott's  war  policy,  clash,  199-200, 
477  ,  negotiations  with  Santa  Anna, 
201-3,471,478-9,2  491,493,  and 
terms  at  Monterey,  1  260,  263,  505 , 
war  programme,  occupation  of  terri- 
tory, 262,  266-7,  350-1,  2  273,  492, 
and  Tampico,  1  278  ,  and  defensive- 
line  policy  dilemma,  283,  348,  and 
New  Mexico,  286 ,  and  California, 
325,  326,  332,  526,  2  514 ,  selection 
of  commander  for  Vera  Cruz  ex- 
pedition, 1.  351-4 ,  and  plans  and 
responsibility  for  Scott's  expedition, 
356,  540,  541,  2  343 ,  and  insubor- 
dination of  Harney,  1.  365,  545 , 
Pillow's  influence  with,  367,  547, 

2.  128,  186,  510 ,   and  Texan  bound- 
ary, 1.  449  ,   and  Domphan's  expedi- 
tion, 517  ,    and  Ten  Regiment  Bill, 
2.  74,  76  ,  and  commanding  generalcy 
for  Benton,  75,  365  ,  and  seekers  for 
army   office,    76;     desire   for   peace 
negotiations,  121 ,    and  rejection  of 
overtures    (1846),    123,    387,    three 
million   fund,    123,    387,     effect   of 
policy  on   Mexican  obduracy,    126, 
problem    of    ignoring    Shdell,    126 , 
appointment  of  Tnst  as  agent,  127 , 
and  failure  of  negotiations  (1847), 
138,  399 ;    and  cabal  against  Scott, 


185-8,  438,  on  privateering,  192; 
and  puppet  government  for  Mexico, 
235,  recalls  Trist,  236,  237,  464, 
and  absorption  of  Mexico,  244 , 
and  the  treaty,  dilemma,  244-6, 
471  ,  appointment  of  ratification 
commissioners,  248-9,  473,  and 
tariff,  257 ,  and  war  loans,  259, 
260,  264,  482  ,  and  tariff  for  Mexican 
ports,  261,  262,  and  levies  on  Mex- 
icans, 264,  486,  public  and  party 
attitude  toward,  269,  271,  282,  291  ; 
Cabinet,  269,  282,  and  patronage, 
270,  283,  and  New  York  politics, 
270,  491  ,  effect  of  Oregon  policy 
on,  271,  281  ,  and  of  river  and 
harbor  veto,  271,  281 ,  and  of 
attitude  toward  Taylor  and  Scott, 
272,  and  of  Texas,  272,  and  of 
unfavorable  war  conditions,  272 , 
and  of  fiscal  policy,  273,  281 ,  Whig 
jibes,  275-6 ,  inconsistency  of  Whig 
criticism,  276-80,  493,  and  Whig 
encouragement  of  enemy,  281 ,  char- 
acter of  Congressional  attacks  on 
policy,  284-(>,  289  ,*  continuation 
of  baiting,  291,  500,  hampering  of 
policy,  292 ,  injustice  of  condemna- 
tion, 293 ,  reassertion  of  Monroe 
Doctime,  295 ,  on  France  and 
Texas,  295,  501,  British  on,  300, 
and  British  mediation,  301,  504, 
achievement,  314-5,  510  ,  and  Trist- 
Scott  quarrel,  389 ,  and  douceur, 
391 ,  and  armistice,  393 ,  and 
mutiny  at  Buena  Vista,  418,  and 
Hays's  regiment,  423,  further  call 
for  volunteers,  431  ,  and  trial  of 
Fremont,  454  ,  and  Yucatan,  472  , 
Message  (1847)  011  pushing  the  war, 
474 ,  and  Lower  California,  476 , 
alleged  war  inconsistencies,  491  , 
and  policy  of  annexations,  502. 

Polk,  Fort,  1.  205 

Polko  revolt,  2.  12-14,  330-2,  334 

Polko  battalions,  formation,  2  3,  13 , 
at  Churubusco,  111 

Poll  tax,  question  of  Mexican,  2.  328. 

Pommares, ,  Conner's  agent,  1.478 

Ponce  de  Le6n,  Antonio,  Brazito 
affair,  1  301  2,  518,  in  battle  of 
Sacramento,  310. 

Popocatepetl,  Mount,  aspect,  2.  92,  93. 

Popularity  of  the  war  in  the  United 
States,  general  American  war  spirit, 
1.  124,  444  ,  why  concentrated  upon 
Mexico,  125,  444-5,  initial,  2.  268, 
reaction,  269,  281,  490,  restoration, 
290,  499.  See  also  Attitude;  Op- 
position; Outbreak,  Preparation. 


602 


INDEX 


Population  of  Mexico,  in  1846,  1.  3, 
407 ;  characteristics  of  Spanish  born, 
3 ;  of  Creoles,  3,  407 ,  of  Indians,  4 , 
social  and  economic  classes,  5-6; 
clergy,  6-8;  army,  8-11;  civil 
officials,  11 ;  judges,  12-3 ;  criminals, 
13 ;  need,  16 ;  picture  of  life  and 
character,  18-28;  general  state, 
types,  28,  445 ;  of  New  Mexico, 
284 ;  of  California,  315 :  character- 
istics of  Calif ormans,  315-7  ,  popu- 
lar American  opinion  of  Mexican, 
445;  of  Santa  Fe,  517;  character- 
istics of  New  Mexicans,  2  216 , 
British  view  of  American  character, 
294-5,  502 ,  contrast  of  American 
and  Mexican  character,  310,  508, 
attitude  of  Mexican,  toward  the 
war,  312,  510.  See  also  Character, 
Conquered  territory ,  Social  condi- 
tions 

Porpoise,  in  Home  Squadron,  2.  197, 
445. 

Port  La  Vaca,  as  base,  1.  267. 

Porter,  Andrew,  at  Contreras,  2.  104. 

Porter,  D.  D  ,  and  Ulua,  2.  201 ,  at 
siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  339. 

Porter,  J.  D.,  acknowledgment  to,  1 
444. 

Porter,  T   H  ,  skirmish,  killed,  1.  160. 

Portsmouth,  at  San  Francisco,  1  333  , 
in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189,  206,  446, 
447,  off  Mazatian,  446,  447,  at 
Guaymas,  447. 

Posada  y  Gardufio,  Manuel,  and  Santa 
Anna's  dictatorship,  1.  52,  chief 
monarchist,  dies,  215. 

Posey,  Carnot,  on  soldiers  and  Taylor, 

1.  374. 

Potomac,   and   Vera   Cruz   expedition, 

2.  18,  25;    scurvy,   195;    in  Home 
Squadron,  197,  442 ;    and  attack  on 
Tuxpan,  444. 

Pratt,  H.  C.,  in  Lane's  march  to 
Puebla,  2.  426. 

Preble,  m  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189,  206, 
447. 

Preparation  for  war,  Mexican,  on 
annexation  of  Texas,  1.  87-8,  434, 
Mexican  hostile  attitude  toward 
Americans,  102-4,  484;  reasons 
for  hope  of  Mexican  success,  104- 
16;  United  States  deemed  feeble, 
104-5;  expected  opposition  m 
United  States,  105,  107,  119,  443; 
foreign  opinion  on  relative  military 
strength,  105-6,  Mexico's  opinion 
of  its  own  army,  106;  Texas  as 
expected  field,  107,  110;  successful 
invasion  of  Mexico  deemed  im- 


possible, 107-8 ;  Mexican  hope  in 
privateering,  108;  and  on  financial 
burden  on  United  States,  109,  130; 
expected  revitalization  of  Mexico, 
110,  expected  aid  from  Spanish 
America,  111 ,  and  from  Europe, 
112-5,  441,  442,  importance  of 
Oregon  controversy,  114-5,  130, 
137,  442 ,  Mexican  desire  for  war, 
115-6,  442,  2  312,  510,  American 
attitude,  1.  117-37,  resentment  of 
Mexican  outrages,  117-9,  443;  pa- 
tience with  an  inferior  people,  119; 
attacks  on  policy  of  forbearance, 
119-21 ,  effect  of  claims  controversy, 
120,  132,  134,  448,  of  rejection  of 
Shdell,  120,  127,  145,  445 ,  supposed 
European  manipulation  of  Mexico, 
121-2,  443 ,  demand  of  the  south- 
west, trade  influences,  122,  443 , 
slaveholders  fear,  123 ;  chance  to 
overthrow  Calhoun,  123  ,  and  spirit 
of  expansion,  123,  444  ,  unrest,  war 
spirit  and  allurements  of  Mexico, 
124-6,  444-5 ,  expected  easy  vic- 
tory, 125  ,  annexation  of  Texas  and 
war  spirit,  126,  132 ,  Folk's  alleged 
desire  for  war,  disproof,  127-34, 
150,  326,  445-8,  478,  526  ,  intolerable 
conditions,  force  as  only  solution, 
134-7 ,  and  monarchy  for  Mexico, 
135,  448  ,  bold  attitude  as  argument 
for  negotiations,  152.  See  also  Dip- 
lomatic intercourse ;  Outbreak. 

President  of  Mexico,  powers  under 
first  constitution,  1.  37 ,  election  of 
Victoria,  37 ;  and  of  Pedraza,  40 ; 
Guerrero,  41 ;  Bustamante,  43,  47 , 
Pedraza  restored,  45 ,  election  of 
Santa  Anna  (1832),  45  ,  Santa  Anna 
temporary,  49 ,  Santa  Anna's  elec- 
tion (1844),  53,  Herrera,  55; 
Paredes  in  power,  100,  212 ,  Santa 
Anna  titular  and  Farias  acting 
(1846),  2.  5-6,  Farias  eliminated, 
Anaya  substitute,  14,  15 ,  Santa 
Anna  resumes  power  (1847),  83; 
election  of  1847  deferred,  73,  84, 
363;  Santa  Anna  resigns,  Pefia 
acting,  180,  240,  427,  428,  466; 
Anaya  elected  ad  interim  (1847),  236 , 
Herrera  (1848),  252.  See  also  Dic- 
tatorship; Revolution. 

President  of  United  States,  Scott's 
ambition,  1.  130,  2.  284,  390-2; 
Taylor's  candidacy  proposed,  1.  179, 
208;  his  ambition  and  suspicions, 
352,  363,  368,  538,  544,  547 ;  effect 
of  Buena  Vista  on  it,  400 ;  his  letter 
to  Gaines,  507 ;  effect  on  Taylor  of 


INDEX 


603 


Folk's  attitude  and  own  conduct, 
2.  272,  278,  493 ;  Whigs  and  candi- 
dates, 284 ,  Webster's  candidacy, 
291 ;  Taylor's  candidacy  as  vindi- 
cation of  the  war,  292 ,  Pillow's 
ambition,  376.  See  alw  Polk. 

Press,  Mexican,  conditions,  1.  15 , 
Paredes's  decrees  on,  215 ,  during 
the  war,  2.  84,  85,  91.  Ste  aho 
Newspapers. 

Price,  Sterling,  to  raise  men,  1.  290 , 
troops  to  reinforce  Kearny,  290, 
516 ;  to  hold  Santa  Fe,  298,  517  , 
Chihuahua  and  Resales  expedition, 
2.  166,  419 ,  as  governor  of  New 
Mexico,  217,  453 ,  supposed  force 
(Nov.,  1847),  432 

Princeton,  in  occupation  of  Tampico, 

1.  279,     at   Vera   Cruz,   2    20 ,    in 
Home     Squadron,     197,     441 ,      m 
attack  on  Alvarado,  198. 

Principles  of  war,  1.  405. 

Prisoners  of  war,  Kncarnaci6n,  1 
370-1,  562,  2  418,  release  after 
Monterey  armistice,  1  507 ,  Scott's 
treatment,  parole,  2.  58,  340,  353, 
515  ,  and  armistice  after  Churubusco, 
134,  394 ;  in  treaty  of  peace,  468 

Prisons,  Mexican,  1    13,  21 

Privateering,  Mexican  hope  in,  1  108  , 
projects,  failure,  2  191-3 ,  question 
of  American,  192,  439 

Proclamations,  war,  1  191,  213,  474  , 
Scott's,  at  Vcra  Cruz,  2  38 ,  of  May 
11,  66,  357-8. 

Programme  of  war,  Polk's  rejection  of 
Scott's  pohcv,  1  198-200,  pohcj 
of  occupying  territory,  262,  266-7, 
508,  2.  273,  492,  defensive-line 
policy,  1  282-3,  461,  513,  514, 

2.  183,  430 ,    failure  of  quick  peace 
programme,     1.     347 ,      project     of 
attack  on  Mexico  City,  349,    ques- 
tion of  attack  on  Vera  Cruz,  349- 
50,     no   further   advance   m   noith, 
350 ,    attack  on  Vera  Cruz  adopted, 
350-1,      advance     to     capital     left 
open,    351,    540,    2.    344,     Marcy 
shifts  responsibility  to  Scott,  1   355, 
540 ;     Taylor    ignores    programme, 
368  ,  Mexican  plan  after  fall  of  capi- 
tal, 2.  182,  430,  American  problem 
after  capture  of   capital,   183,  430 , 
hampered  by  opposition,  292 ,  elTect 
of  inadequate  preparation,  314,  510. 

Progreso,  on  American  peace  party,  2. 

495. 

Pronunciation  of  Spanish,  1.  xxi. 
Propaganda,  Mexican,  among  Taylor's 

troops,  1.  160;  among  Irish  soldiers, 


507,  2.  81,  358;    at  siege  of  Vera 

Cruz,  337      Se'e  also  Desertion. 
Prospects  of  war      See  Preparation. 
Prosperity,    of   occupied    territory,    2 

214,  215,  219,  232,  American,  in  the 

war,  263,  484. 
Provisional,    on    United    States    and 

Texas,  1.  423. 
Prussia,  and  the  war,  1    403,  2.  298-9. 

See  also  Canitz. 

Public  debt      See  Finances ;   Loans. 
Public  lands,  bounty  to  soldiers,  2.  75, 

490,  gradation  policy,  261,  482. 
Public-  opinion,  lack  in  Mexico,  1.  13. 
Puebla,  situation,  aspect,   1    2,  2.  71 ; 

Scott's  advance  from  Jalapa,  64,  66,' 

69,  clencal    control    and    attitude 
toward  Scott's  advance,  understand- 
ing, 65-6,  357  ,    Santa  Anna  at,  69, 
360,     he    evacuates,    70,     Worth's 
conference,     erroneous     agreement, 

70,  360 ,    occupation,  71  ,    character 
of   Worth's  rule,   71-2,   361  ,    Scott 
at,  72,    condition  of  army  m,  72-3; 
advance   from,    78,    92,   371  ,     Scott 
at,  and  peace  negotiations,  130,  391 ; 
guerilla    operations    and    beginning 
of     siege,     173-4,    424 ,      American 
garribon    and    positions,     174,    424, 
433,     Santa    Anna's    siege,    174-6; 
Lane's  march  to  relieve,   176,  425; 
battle  of  Huamantla,  176-8,  425-6; 
arrival   of   Lane,   siege  raised,    178; 
losses  in  siege,  426 ,    American  rule, 
225,  229,  231. 

Puebla  state,  guerilla  warfare,  2.  173 ; 
m  di&cussiori  on  peace,  464 

Pueblo  Indians,  submit  to  Kearny,  1. 
296 

Puente  nacional,  as  defensive  point, 
2  40,  348,  abandoned,  41-2,  as- 
pert,  47  ,  American  post,  432 

Pulque,  1   508 

Purita  Aguda,  occupied,  1   562. 

Punsima  bridge  at  Monterey,  1.  249, 
254. 

Puros,  rise,  aims,  opposition,  2.  2-4 ; 
demands  and  loss  of  prestige,  4-5; 
and  Piesidential  election  (1846),  5; 
abandon  Farias,  12  ,  attitude  toward 
Santa  Anna,  15,  82,  83,  87,  and 
peace  negotiations  (1847),  136,  and 
local  government  under  Scott,  229; 
Eventuahsts,  234,  465,  oppose 
treaty,  250 ,  and  British  mediation, 
368.  See  also  Farias ;  Federalism. 

Queretaro,  situation,  1  3  ,  revolt,  2. 236. 
Queretaro  battalion,  at  Monterey,  1. 
494  ,   at  Chapultepec,  2.  408. 


604 


INDEX 


Queretaro     state,    in    discussion     on 
peace,  2.  464. 

Quijano,    Benito,    armistice    commis 
sioner,  2.  242,  394. 

Quitman,  J.  A.,  brigade  at  Monterey 
1.  249,  252-6,  492 ,   Taylor  on,  352 
march  to  Victoria,  357,  360 ,   march 
to  Tampico,  365-6,  368 ,   at  Brazos 
476;    at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2.  27 
at  Jalapa,  62  ,  in  advance  to  Puebla 
64,  69 ;   Amozoc  affair,  70 ;   division 
in  Scott's  army,   78,  356,   365;    m 
advance  from  Puebla,  93,  94,  371 
at    San    Agustin,     103,    376,    380 
during  armistice,  commissioner,  134 
394 ;    advance  after  armistice,   142 
401 ,   at  Chapultepec,  152,  153,  156 
157,  409-11 ;    at  Beten  ganta,  158- 
60,  162,  412,  414-6,    takes  posses- 
sion of  the  city,  163,  416 ,    as  gov- 
ernor of  it,  164,  226,  460 ,  and  Scott, 
248  ,     Alvarado   expedition,    344-5  ; 
court    of    inquiry    on    Worth,    361 , 
and  Contreras,  381 ,    and  douceur, 
391 ,   and  plan  of  attack  on  capital, 
408  ;  division  broken  up,  432  ,  leaves 
Mexico,  438  ,  not  West  Pointer,  513 

Radepont,  Marquis  de,  on  volunteers, 
2.  513. 

Radicals,  aim  of  Mexican  (1846),  2. 
2-4.  See  also  Puros. 

Rainfall  of  Mexico,  1    1-2. 

Ramirez,  J.  F.,  on  Mexican  responsi- 
bility for  the  war,  1.  116;  on  Santa 
Anna's  manifesto,  219 ,  on  the 
Church,  408 ,  on  judicial  system, 
409;  on  political  situation  (1847), 
2.  16,  83 ,  on  guerilla  warfare,  168 , 
on  Mexican  political  character,  310 , 
on  justice  of  the  war,  323 ,  confer- 
ence with  Santa  Anna,  368 ,  on 
armistice,  399. 

Ramirez,  Sime6n,  brigade  at  Monterey, 

1.  235,  494 ;    at  Molino  del  Rey,  2. 
142;    flight,   145,    at  Bel6n  garita, 
159,  160.    ' 

Ramiro,  Jose,  and  Contreras,  2.  106. 
Ramsey,  A.  C.,  regiment,  2.  363. 
Ranchero,  1.  19. 
Ranelagh,  Viscount,  proffer  to  Mexico, 

2.  306. 

Rangel,  J.,  and  preparations  below 
Perote,  2.  40,  346;  and  Contreras, 
110;  at  Molino  del  Rey,  142;  at 
Chapultepec,  157,  161,  410,  411;  at 
San  Cosme  garita,  wounded,  161, 
162,  413 ;  brigade,  369. 

Rank  controversy  in  American  army, 
1.  144. 


Ransom,  T.  B.,  at  Contreras,  2.  109, 
110,  378;  at  Chapultepec,  killed, 
155 ;  regiment,  263.  See  also  Ninth 
Infantry. 

Raritari,  and  Vera  Cruz  expedition, 
2.  25 ;  scurvy,  195 ;  in  Home 
Squadron,  197,  442,  446,  in  attack 
on  Tuxpan,  444. 

Raton  Pass,  Kearny  at,  aspect,  1 
291. 

Razonador,  peace  organ,  2.  82. 

Rea,  J.,  as  guerilla,  2.  173 ,  siege  of 
Puebla,  174,  176;  retirement  and 
overthrow,  178-9,  426-7. 

Rebolledo,  J.  C.,  as  guerilla,  2.  171  , 
betrayed,  423. 

Recognition  of  Texas,  American,  1.  66, 
422,  423  ,  European,  432. 

Red  Comet,  secret  society,  1.  376. 

Reefer,  captured,  1.  511,  at  siege  of 
Vera  Cruz,  2  238 ,  added  to  navy, 
438,  in  Home  Squadron,  442,  445, 
446  ,  m  attack  on  Tuxpan,  444. 

Reforma,  desires  war,  1    116. 

Reforms,  Farias'  attempts,  1.  45-6. 

Regulars.     See  Army. 

Reid,  J.  W.,  in  battle  of  Sacramento, 
1.  309,  311;  pursuit  of  Comanches, 
521. 

Reid,  Mayne,  at  battle  of  Chapultepec, 
wounded,  2.  156,  157. 

Rej6n,  M.  C.,  and  annexation  of 
Texas,  1.  86 ,  Santa  Anna's  mani- 
festo (1846),  219,  and  new  govern- 
ment, 222  ,  return  with  Santa  Anna, 
486,  as  leader  of  Puros,  2.  2,  3, 
demands  and  dismissal,  4 ,  and 
demand  on  Church  property,  10, 
329,  331 ,  rejects  peace  overtures 
(1846),  122,  and  Atocha  as  peace 
agent,  124,  key  of  policy,  125, 
corrupt,  131  ,  opposes  peace  negoti- 
ations (1847),  136,  and  treaty  of 
peace,  249,  and  poll  tax,  324,  and 
British  offer  of  mediation,  368, 
suspected  intrigue  with  Scott,  390. 

Religion.     See  Roman  Catholic  church 

ileno,  J.  L.,  at  Contreras,  2.  104;    at 

Chapultepec,  154. 

Reports,  character  of  American  army, 
1.  ix,  404,  2.  59,  354. 

Zepublwano,  on  financial  chaos,  2.  11, 
on  three-million  fund,  126;  on 
Atocha,  386. 

lepudiation,  state,  and  American  war 
finances,  2.  256,  294,  478. 

lequena,  T.,  and  defence  of  Monterey, 
1.  233,  489 ;  and  Santa  Anna,  377 ; 
in  Monterey  negotiations,  502;  on 
Taylor's  blunders,  503. 


INDEX 


605 


Hesaca  de  Guerrero.     See  Resaca  de 

la  Palma. 

Resaca  de  la  Palma,  battle  of,  map,  1. 
170;  Mexican  position  and  condi- 
tions, 170-2,  467,  American  ad- 
vance, melee,  172-3;  flanking  of 
Mexican  left,  174  ,  panic  of  Mexican 
right,  174  ;  May's  charge,  174,  467  , 
Arista's  conduct,  175 ,  flight  across 
Rio  Grande,  175 ,  little  pursuit,  175, 
467;  losses,  176.  See  also  Rio 
Grande  campaign. 
Remsta  Econdmica  y  Comercial,  on 

Herrera  administration,  1  438 
Revolutions  in  Mexico,  as  relief  for 
ennui,  1.  21 ,  Hidalgo's  attempt 
(1810),  31,  Itiirbide's  (1821),  33, 
overthrow  of  Iturbide  (1823),  35, 
Montafio  attempt  (1827),  38,  Santa 
Anna's  overthrow  of  Pedraza  (1828), 
40-1 ,  overthrow  of  Guerrero  (1829), 
43 ;  Santa  Anna  restores  Pedraza 
(1832),  44-5  ,  attempt  against  Farias 
(1833),  46,  Mejia's  attempt  (1839), 
49  ,  attempts  of  Paredes  and  Valen- 
cia(1841),  50,  Santa  Anna's  (1841), 
51 ,  overthrow  of  Santa  Anna 
(1844),  53-5,  attempted  Federalist 
(1845),  56,  Paredes  (1845),  98-9, 
120,  438,  Alvarez  (1846),  216,  over- 
throw of  Paredes,  216-7,  485, 
complexity  of  this,  2.  1 ,  clerical 
(Polko),  against  Farias  (1847),  12-4, 
230-2. 

Reyes,  I.,  and  the  defence  of  northern 
states,  1.  305 ,  and  plans  against 
Taylor,  2  165 ,  succeeds  Santa 
Anna,  181,  429. 

Reynolds,  J  F  ,  at  Chapultepec,  2  156 
Reynosa,  occupied,  1   204,  479 
Rhett,  R.  B.,  position  in  House,  2  496, 
Rhode  Island,  and  peace,  2   123 
Richmond  Enquirer,  on  war  spirit,  1 
126 ,    on  divided  sentiment  to  ware 
Mexico,     443.     See     also     Ritchie 
Thomas. 

Richtofen,  Freiherr  von,  Prussian  minis 
ter  at  Mexico,  on  Bocanegra's  note 
1.  69 

Ridgely,  Randolph,  battery  at  Resaca 
de  la  Palma,  1.  172,   173,  467,    a 
Monterey,  254,  492,  496. 
Riley,  Bennet,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2    53 
55,    352,    354,     brigade    in    Scott's 
army,  77;    at  Contreras,  104,  108- 
10,    378-80,     at    Churubusco,    114 
382 ;   and  plan  of  attack  on  Mexico 
City,  149,  408 ,  at  Chapultepec,  152 
advance    after    armistice,    401 ,     a 
Taoubaya,  461. 


Rinc6n,  Manuel,  and  Alvarez*  revolt, 

1  216,   at  Churubusco,  2.  110,  114, 
117;    and  high  command,   182,  429, 
and  peace  commission,  239,  466. 

Imcon  del  Diablo.     See  Diablo. 

Rinconada  Pass,  Mexicans  to  retire  to 
line  of,  1  259,  Taylor's  force  at, 
aspect,  265 ,  Wool's  march  and 
Mexican  abandonment,  508. 

Rmggold,  Samuel,  in  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  1  146,  147 ,  at  Palo  Alto, 
mortally  wounded,  164,  167,  465, 
466 ,  field  battery,  450,  451 ,  and 
artillery  arm,  451. 

Rio,  Senor  del,  and  peace  negotiations, 

2  236. 

Rio  Fno,  American  post,  2   432. 

Rio  Grande  campaign,  river  as  bound- 
ary of  Texas,  1  138 .  Taylor's  force 
as  guard,  142  ,  crossing  by  Mexicans 
as  invasion,  144,  453 ,  Taylor's  ad- 
vance to,  145-8,  454 ,  retaliatory 
orders,  148-9,  455,  Mexicans  cross 
and  attack,  149,  455 ,  de  facto  war, 
Taylor  calls  for  more  troops,  150, 
205,  458,  480,  justification  of  ad- 
vance to,  151-4,  456-61 ,  advance 
not  cause  of  war,  154-5,  185,  457, 
471,  2  276-7 ,  Mexican  force,  1. 
158,  462  ,  Matamoros  fortifications, 
158,  condition  and  position  of 
American  force,  Mexican  opinion, 
158-60,  462,  463,  map  of  Mata- 
moros and  American  position,  159, 
minor  mishaps,  160 ,  Mexican  prop- 
aganda, 160,  Mexican  impatience 
for  combat,  161,  463,  Taylor  and 
line  of  communication,  161,  464 , 
Mexican  advance  on  line,  162,  464 ; 
Taylor's  march  to  Point  Isabel,  163 , 
return  march,  tram,  163 ,  size  of 
American  force,  163,  its  morale, 
164 ,  battle  of  Palo  Alto,  164-9, 
465,  attack  on  Fort  Brown,  164, 
176,  467-9  ,  pursuit  of  Mexicans, 
169,  466,  battle  of  Resaca  de  la 
Palma,  170-6,  467,  Taylor's  in- 
action, permits  Mexicans  to  retire 
from  Matamoros,  176-8,  469  ,  Amer- 
icans cross  and  occupy  town,  178; 
results  of  campaign,  Taylor's  con- 
duct, 178-80,  469,  470,  effect  on 
Mexicans,  179  213,  original  Ameri- 
can force,  2  511 

Ripalda,  Father,  catechism,  1.  13. 
Ripley,  R  S  ,  value  of  his  history,  1. 
404 ,  on  Scott  and  Taylor,  490 ;  on 
Wool's  march,  510,  on  Scott's 
preparations,  539,  544;  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  53,  58 ,  on  Cerro  Gordo, 


606 


INDEX 


348,  353,  354 ;  on  Scott's  delay  at 
Puebla,  361 ;  on  choice  of  routes, 
373 ;  on  Contreras,  380 ;  on  Churu- 
busco,  383;  on  Scott  and  Trist, 
392;  on  armistice,  398,  399;  on 
Molino  del  Rey,  403 ;  on  Scott's 
failure  to  prepare,  404 ;  on  plan  to 
attack  city,  405 ;  on  Chapultepec, 
409,  on  Belen  garita,  412;  on  San 
Cosine  garita,  413;  on  Scott's  fail- 
ure to  occupy  country,  433;  on 
excesses  in  Mexico  City,  460;  on 
peace  negotiations,  467. 

Ritchie,  Thomas,  on  southern  opposi- 
tion to  the  war,  1.  189 ,  on  attitude 
of  Whigs,  2.  276,  279.  See  also  Rich- 
mond Enquirer. 

River  and  harbor  bill,  Folk's  veto,  2. 
271,  281. 

Rives,  W.  C.,  plan  to  stop  the  war, 
2.  290. 

Roa  Barcena,  J.  M.f  on  Mexican  desire 
for  war,  1.  116  ;  value  of  his  history, 
404 ,  on  Texan  boundary,  449 ,  on 
American  and  Mexican  armies,  469 , 
on  Taylor  and  Scott  as  conquerors, 
2.  324,  511. 

Roads,  Mexican,  1.  16. 

Roberts,  B  S  ,  on  charge  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2  54;  at  Contreras,  104; 
at  Chapultepec,  158,  410;  hoists 
flag  in  Mexico  City,  164. 

Roberts,  W.  B.,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  56, 
57. 

Robertson,  J.  B.,  on  mistakes  at 
Monterey,  1.  503. 

Robinson,  J.  A.,  American  consul  at 
Guaymas,  reports  cited  passim. 

Robles,  Manuel,  and  defences  of  Vera 
Cruz,  2.  19,  334;  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
42,  43,  45,  348. 

Rockwell,  J.  A.,  on  Walker,  2.  480. 

Rogers,  R.  C.,  captured,  2.  444. 

Roland,  J.  F.,  company  of  light  ar- 
tillery, 2.  366. 

Roman  Catholic  church  in  Mexico, 
religious  qualities,  1.  4,  7,  14,  22, 
26 ;  authority  and  character,  wealth, 
d  7,  408,  and  education,  14, 
Farias*  attempted  reforms,  45-6, 
and  Seven  Laws,  47 ,  and  Santa 
Anna's  dictatorship,  52  ;  fears  Amer- 
ican influence,  103  ;  and  war  funds, 
213-4,  223,  2.  254,  346,  347,  477, 
Santa  Anna  declares  against  eccle- 
siastical domination  (1846),  1.  219; 
and  war  demands  on  its  property, 
law  of  Jan.  11,  2.  8-11,  329 ;  Beach's 
intrigue  and  revolt,  11-4,  330-2, 
334;  and  Santa  Anna  after  revolt, 


15,  65,  85,  332;  arrangement  with 
Scott,  65-7,  331,  357-8;  and  peace, 
125;  incitation  of  religious  fervor 
against  Americans,  142,  346 ;  Ameri- 
can attitude  toward,  211,  221,  324, 
458,  459;  in  treaty  of  peace,  248, 
468.  See  also  Government ;  Oli- 
garchy. 

Romero,  Manuel,  at  Monterey,  1.  243, 
494  ;  and  Taylor's  march  to  Victoria, 
542. 

Rosa,  Luis  de  la,  opposes  peace  negoti- 
ations (1847),  2  136,  as  Pefia's 
minister,  181,  428,  at  exchange  of 
ratifications,  appearance,  251  ,  and 
reopening  of  peace  negotiations, 
463  ,  minister  at  Washington,  475. 

Rosita,  Mexican  privateer,  2.  192,  193. 

Rothschilds,  and  American  funds  in 
Mexico,  2.  266,  488 ;  and  war  bor- 
rowings, 481. 

Rowan,  John,  claims  commissioner, 
1.  430. 

Rowe,  T.  F.,  at  siege  of  Puebla,  2.  424. 

Royce,  Josiah,  on  justice  of  acquiring 
California,  2.  322. 

Ruiz  de  Apodaca.     See  Apodaca. 

Sabine  River,  as  boundary,  1   63. 

Sacramento,  Cal.,  and  Sutter's  trading 
post,  1.  318 

Sacramento  River,  battle  of,  Mexican 
force,  1.  306,  519,  topography, 
Mexican  defences,  306-8,  520 ;  map, 
307  ,  Domphan's  formation,  308 ; 
his  crossing  of  Arroyo  Seco  and  gain- 
ing of  plateau,  309 ;  repulse  of 
Mexican  cavalry,  310,  artillery 
duel,  310;  capture  of  forts,  311-2, 
520 ;  losses,  312. 

St.  Louis,  enlistments,  1.  195 ;  and 
Santa  Fe  trail  trade,  286. 

St.  Louis  Missouri  Reporter,  attacks 
policy  of  forbearance,  1.  121 ;  de- 
mand for  war,  443 

St.  Louis  Republican,  on  rejection 
of  Slidell,  1.  120  ,  on  war  spirit,  132. 

St.  Louis  Reveille,  on  war  spirit,  1.  126. 

St.  Mary's,  in  occupation  of  Tampico, 

1.  279,  2.    197;    off  Vera  Cruz,   1. 
486 ;  in  Home  Squadron,  2.  197,  442. 

Salas,  J.  M.t  revolt  m  favor  of  Santa 
Anna,  1.  217,  222,  485,  488;  on 
Santa  Anna  at  San  Luis  Potosi, 
379 ;  and  Farias  and  Santa  Anna, 

2.  1,  4;    and  Polkos,  3;    supports 
Moderados,   4;    and   rising  against 
Farias,  13 ;    captured  at  Contreras, 
110,  378;    and  peace  negotiations, 
122;     and    guerilla    warfare,    169; 


INDEX 


607 


command   in   Army   of  the   North, 
369. 
Saldafia,  General,  captured  at  Chapul- 

topec,  2.  411. 

Saltillo,  road  from  Monterey,  Worth's 
movement  on  it,  1.  239-44,  497, 
Taylor's  advance  and  occupation  of 
town,  264-6;  Wool's  expedition 
diverted  to,  275,  358 ;  Domphan 
joins  Wool,  313,  521 ,  Santa  Anna's 
plan  against  (Dec),  357,  541,  and 
battle  of  Buena  Vista,  383,  395,  555, 
556,  559 ,  Valencia's  plans  against, 
2.  165;  under  American  rule,  213, 
452;  Wool's  later  force,  417, 
Hamtramck  commands,  418. 

San  Agustin  (Tlalpam),  Scott's  ad- 
vance to,  2.  96-8,  374,  381 

San  Angel,  Patterson's  divi&ion  at,  2. 
461. 

San  Antonio,  Mex  ,  fortification,  2.  98 , 
American  reconnaissance  and  ad- 
vance, 102-3,  capture,  112,  382. 

San  Antonio,  Texas,  danger  of  Mexican 
attack  (1846),  1  153,  gathering  of 
Wool's  force,  267  ;  aspect,  268 

San  Antonio  (Abad)  ganta,  2    147 

San  Bias,  as  port,  1.  3 ,  blockade,  2 
206,  207,  448,  not  occupied,  207, 
448. 

San  Bias  battalion,  at  Chapul tepee,  2 
410. 

San  Cosme  garita,  2.  147 ,  capture, 
161-2,  413-4,  416 

San  Diego,  Cal.,  in  the  conquest,  1 
336,  340,  534. 

San  Fernando  de  Presas,  1  259, 
502. 

San  Fernando  de  Rosas,  Wool  at, 
aspect,  1  272 

San  Francisco,  Cal  ,  importance  of 
port,  effort  to  acquire,  1.  95,  323-4 
436 

San  Ger6mmo  village,  in  battle  oi 
Contreras,  2  104,  105,  107,  379,  380 

San  Isidro,  Harney  at,  2.  94 

San  Jacmto,  battle  of,  1.  47. 

San  Jose,  Lower  Cal.,  occupied,  coun- 
ter-attacks, 2  208,  448,  449. 

San  Juan,  American  post,  2.  432. 

San  Juan  Bautista,  Perry's  attacks,  2 
199,  204-5,  443,  445. 

San  Juan  de  Ulua,  fortress,  capturec 
by  French,  1.  49;  position  and 
strength,  349,  536,  2  19,  21,  333 
plan,  21 ;  and  the  siege,  33 ,  sur 
render,  occupation,  36,  340,  plan 
for  naval  attack,  201,  444.  See  also 
Vera  Chiz  expedition. 

San  Lucas,  occupied,  2.  208. 


3an  Luis  Potosl,  situation,  1.  3  ;  Santa  ' 
Anna  at,  375-*80 ;   his  march  against 
Taylor,    380,     Scott's   intention    to 
occupy,  2.  184,  432,    war -party  in- 
surrection, 240,  466. 

>an  Luis  Potosi  battalion,  at  Monterey, 
1.  494 

San  Luis  Potosi  cavalry,  at  Monterey, 

1  494 

>ari  Luis  Potosi  state,  in  discussion  on 

peace,  2   464. 
San  Pascual,   Cal  ,   battle,   1.   341-2 ; 

map,  341 
San  Patricio,  Texas,  Taylor's  intended 

movement,  1.  452. 
San  Patricio  corps  of  Irish  deserters, 

at  Buena  Vista,   1    391,   393,   395, 

origin,    494,    550,     at   Churubusco, 

2  111,  117,  385,   fate,  385. 
Sanders,  John,  and  artillery  in  Mon- 

teiey  campaign,  1.  228,  in  battle  of 
Monterey,  246. 

Sands,  J.  R  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
338. 

Santa  Anna,  Aritomo  L6pez  de,  and 
education,  1  14 ,  first  appearance, 
31  ,  in  Itiirbidc's  revolt,  33 ,  re- 
volt against  Iturbide,  35 ,  and 
overthrow  of  Pedraza  (1828),  40, 
41  ,  and  Spanish  invasion,  41 , 
appearance  and  character,  42,  54, 
220,  414,  415,  487,  2  312-3,  510, 
in  retirement,  1.  44,  45,  47,  48,  52, 
restores  Pediaza  (1832),  44-5; 
elected  President  (1H32),  45,  dic- 
tator with  reactionary  support,  46, 
415 ,  plans,  effect  of  Texan  revolt, 
47  ,  lovses  leg  in  attack  on  French, 
hero,  49 ,  undermines  Bustamante, 
49-50,  and  Paredes  revolt,  50 , 
seizes  po\\er  (1841),  dictatorship, 
51-2  ,  constitutional  President,  53 ; 
overthrow,  banished,  53-4 ,  and 
United  States  and  Texas,  63,^  66, 
^-(•^  433 1  plans  against  Texas 
(1S42-3),  67,  70,  closes  New 
Mexican  trade,  72,  and  claims, 
78,  hatred  of  United  States,  103; 
boasts  power  of  army,  106 ,  invites 
a  blockade,  110,  incites  fears  of 
Spanish  America,  111,  on  desire 
for  war,  116;  "butcher,"  117, 
Polk's  negotiations  (1846),  201-3, 
471,  478-9,  2.  491,  493,  combina- 
tion against  Paredes,  1.  215-7,  485, 
Alvarez'  revolt  in  favor  of,  216; 
return,  218,  486,  manifesto,  219, 
position  and  caution,  219-22,  487; 
policy  and  command  of  army  only, 
222-4,  reception  at  the  capital, 


608 


INDEX 


222,  488,  sets  out  for  front,  223, 
and  Monterey  campaign,  230,  234, 
494,  503;  and  termination  of  Mon- 
terey armistice,  264 ;  and  Tampico, 
278,  511 ;  potential  army,  283,  513  ; 
policy  toward  northern  frontier, 
305;  and  Doniphan's  march,  306, 
and  California,  319,  plan  to  attack 
during  Taylor's  Victoria  march,  357  , 
programme  of  one  victory,  374-5 , 
at  San  Luis  Potosi,  incites  patriot- 
ism, 375  ,  attitude  of  states  toward, 

376,  550,    and  National  Guard  and 
officers,  376 ,    financial  worries  and 
operations,     377,     2      254-5,     477, 
character  of  his  northern  army,   1. 

377,  379,    550 ,     rumors   of   his   in- 
tended  treachery   and   dictatorship, 

378,  379,  551 ,    inaction  condemned, 

379,  plan  to  attack  Taylor's  weak 
and   isolated   force,    379,    543,    552 , 
march,    force,    380-2,    552-4 ,     dis- 
covered  by  Amei  icans,    then    flight 
to  Bueria  Vista,  382-3,  554 ,    battle 
of  Bueria  Vista,    384-97  ,    retires  to 
preserve     organized     army,     397-8, 
562 ,     retreat    to    San    Luis    Potosi, 
398,     credited    with    victory,    399, 
robs    treasury     (1844),     432,      and 
Texan    boundary,    449 ,     and    Salas 
and  Farias,  2    1  ,    and  Puros,  2-5 , 
and  shelving  of  Farias,  4,  327 ,    and 
election     (1846),     5,      and    Church 
property,  9-12,  65,  329,  331  ,    and 
clerical    revolt,    supersedes    Farias, 
13-4,     331  ,      political     position     as 
Executive    (1847),    14-5,    332,     and 
defence  of  Vera  Cruz,  20,  334  ,    on 
surrender   of    Vera    Cruz,    33,    341, 
342 ;      preparations     against     Scott 
below  Perote,  40-2,  346,    defences 
and    force    at    Cerro    Gordo,    42-5, 
347,   348;    battle  of   Cerro   Gordo, 
48-59,  352;    flight,  55;    in  retreat, 
67,   358;    preparations  at  Orizaba, 
funds,  67,  359,    political  influences 
on    movements,    at    Puebla,    68-9, 
360 ;       Amozoc      affair,      evacuates 
Puebla,    70,    360,     loss   of   prestige 
after    Cerro    Gordo,    80,    367 ,     as 
target    for    discontent,    82 ,     return 
to    capital    with    army,    breach    of 
faith,  82-3,  368 ,    resumes  executive 
power,  opposition,  83-5;    defied  by 
states,  86-7,    collection  of  matdriel, 
87 ;    organization  of  army,  its  char- 
acter and  officers,  87-9,  369 ;    plan 
of  operation  against  Scott's  advance, 
89-90,    370;     defences,    90;     power 
and    enthusiasm    for,    on    start    of 


final  campaign,  91-2 ;  and  Scott's 
march  to  San  Agustin,  97-8,  374; 
confidence  in,  again  lost,  98 ,  south- 
ern line,  99-101,  374;  and  Valen- 
cia's occupation  of  Contreras  field, 
102,  375;  and  battle  of  Contreras, 
f05,  106,  110,  379,  380,  prepara- 
tions at  Churubusco,  110-1,  382; 
battle  of  Churubusco,  112-9,  382-5; 
attitude  toward  peace  on  his  return 
(1846),  122,  124,  386,  and  Trist 
mission,  130-2 ,  peace  move  after 
Churubusco,  133 ,  armistice,  133, 
137-8,  394-6,  activity  during  it, 
combination  against  him,  134,  136, 
398 ,  peace  negotiations  during 
armistice,  135-8,  396-400;  prepara- 
tions at  Molino  del  Rey,  142 ,  and 
the  battle  there,  144,  402,  404, 
preparations  against  attack  on  city, 
152,  and  Chapultepec,  153-5,  410, 
at  Helen  garita,  159,  160,  413,  at 
San  Cosme  garita,  161,  162;  evacu- 
ates the  city,  163,  415  ,  and  uprising 
m  city,  167,  168,  420,  and  guerilla 
warfare,  169  ,  siege  of  Puebla,  174-6  , 
battle  of  Huamantla,  176-8,  425, 
426,  eliminated,  179-81,427,  428; 
yields  command,  181,  429,  volun- 
tary exile,  181,  242,  429  ,  and  salary, 
327 ,  rapture  of  his  wooden  leg, 
354  ,  Scott's  proclamation  on,  357  , 
and  British  offer  of  mediation,  368; 
almost  captured,  427.  See  also 
Mexico  expedition. 

Santa  Barbara,  Cal  ,  Pico's  conven- 
tion, 1  329,  527 ,  occupied  by 
Stockton,  337,  Fr6mont  at,  345, 
captured  by  insurgents,  534 

Santa  Cruz  de  Resales,  capture,  2 
166 

Santa  Fe,  Mex  ,  powder-mill,  1  462, 
2  87 

Santa  Fe,  N.  Mex  ,  Texan  expedition, 
1.  72,  118,  occupied  by  Kearny, 
296  ,  aspect,  296  ,  troops  remaining 
at,  298,  population,  517;  condition 
of  force  at,  518  See  also  next  title, 
and  New  Mexico 

Santa  Fe  trail,  development  and  im- 
portance, 1.  72,  284,  286,  514, 
Kearny's  expedition  on,  288-9,  515. 

Santa  Rosa,  Wool  at,  1.  272. 

Santa  Rosa  Pass,  skirmish,  1.  541. 

Santangelo,  O.  G.  D  de  A.,  claim,  1 
427  ;  on  outrages,  448. 

Santiago,  Fort,  at  Vera  Cruz,  2.  19. 

Saratoga,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189  ; 
yellow  fever,  195 ;  in  Home  Squad- 
ron, 446. 


INDEX 


609 


Saunders,  J.  L.,  attack  at  Tampico, 
2.  197,  441. 

Saunders,  R  M.,  American  minister  at 
Madrid,  and  Spanish  mediation,  2. 
503. 

Savannah,  at  Monterey,  1.  335 ,  and 
Fremont,  345,  536,  m  Pacific 
squadron,  2  189,  447. 

Schatzel,  I  P  ,  American  consul  at 
Matamoros,  1.  455 

School  of  Mines,  Mexican,  1   14 

Scenery,  Mexican.  See  Physical  as- 
pect. 

Scorpion,  in  Home  Squadron,  2   446 

Scott,  H.  L.,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2 
335  ,  of  Scott's  staff,  306 

Scott,  Martin,  at  Monterey,  1  245, 
498. 

Scott,  Winfield,  political  ambition  and 
the  war,  1.  130,  2  284,  390,  391  , 
relations  with  Polk,  1  130,  354, 
2  75,  188,  436,  511,  and  Taylor 
and  Bliss,  1  141 ,  and  Twiggs- 
Worth  controversy,  144 ,  and  ad- 
vance to  Rio  Grande,  152--4 ,  and 
command  in  the  field,  196,  198 , 
character,  197,  545,  2  248,  316-8, 
war  policy  and  clash  with  adminis- 
tration, relegated,  1  198-200,  476-8  , 
and  Taylor's  intelligence  system, 
227,  on  Monterey,  261,  505,  506, 
and  Taylor,  262,  352,  353,  363,  368, 
544  ,  and  defensive-line  policy,  283  , 
and  war  programme,  350,  351  , 
selected  to  command  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  351-4 ,  and  earlier  re- 
buff, 353,  539 ,  and  Harney,  364-5, 
545,  546,  attitude  toward  Pillow, 
367,  2.  186,  378,  character  of  re- 
ports, 1  404,  2  59,  354 ,  and  flint- 
locks, 1  450,  on  Polk's  alarm  at 
outbreak,  476 ,  and  Taylor's  ad- 
vance from  the  Rio  Grande,  490 , 
and  Domphan's  expedition,  517 , 
and  Taylor's  insubordinate  advance, 
547  ,  on  Twiggs,  2  48 ,  attitude  of 
troops,  49  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  56  ,  at 
Contreras  105.  106,  378,  379,  at 
Churubusco,  111,  118,  119,  383,  halt 
after  Churubusco,  on  it,  121,  386, 
quarrel  with  Tnst,  1^8,  389 ,  recon- 
ciliation and  harmony,  130,  392, 
397,  and  douceui,  131,  132,  390, 
391  ;  and  Mexican  attitude  toward 
Trist,  132,  133,  390,  393;  peace 
move  after  Churubusco,  133  ,  armis- 
tice then,  133,  137,  138,  394-6, 
39H-9,  and  Molino  del  Rey,  143, 
147,  401,  402 ,  decides  to  attack 
Chapultepec,  149,  408,  misgivings 
VOL.  II  —  2  R 


on  it,  154 ,  at  the  battle,  158 ;  and 
advance  after  Chapultepec,  161, 
412,  414-6,  in  Mexico  City,  164, 
415-6,  cabal  against,  185-8,  434-8; 
and  Worth,  186,  361 ,  removed,  188, 
438 ,  orders  for  military  govern- 
ment, 455-7,  and  Catholic  church, 
221 ,  discipline  in  Mexico  City, 
226,  459-60 ,  and  local  government 
there,  229  ,  on  conduct  of  his  army, 
231  ,  pessimism  011  war  outlook,  235 ; 
and  recall  of  Trist,  238,  465,  and 
peace  negotiations  and  de  facto 
truce,  240,  242,  467,  promise  to 
protect  peace  government,  240 ,  and 
armistice  after  signing  of  peace,  242, 
471,  magnanimity,  248,  317,  and 
tariff  for  Mexican  ports,  262 ,  and 
levies  on  Mexicans,  265,  486-7 , 
political  effect  of  Polk's  attitude, 
272 ,  political  effect  of  actions, 
278 ,  and  foreign  interests,  303 ; 
achievement,  31(>-8,  invited  to  be 
dictator,  323 ,  on  plan  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  350,  rebuke  of  Worth  at 
Puebla,  361 ,  and  Semmes's  mission, 
389  ,  suspected  Rej6n  intrigue,  390  ; 
Scott  not  acting  in  politics,  390; 
proposal  to  facilitate  peace  by  halt- 
ing before  Mexico,  393  ,  at  southern 
front,  408 ,  and  Pena  government, 
428  ,  plea  for  adequate  forces,  510 , 
contrasts  icgulars  and  volunteers, 
512  See  aUo  Mexico  expedition , 
Vera  Cruz  expedition 

Scourge,  in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  2.  203, 
444 ,  at  Alvarado,  344 ,  in  Home 
Squadron,  446. 

Scouting      See  Intelligence. 

Scurvy,  m  navy,  2.  194. 

Sea,  at  Tampico,  1   281 

Secession,  and  Texan  annexation,  2. 
272  Sec  al.^0  Coalition 

Second  Artillery,  m  Scott's  army,  2.  77  , 
at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343 ,  at 
Churubusco,  384,  in  Lane's  march 
to  Puebla,  426 ,  garrison  at  Puobla, 
433 

Second  Dragoons,  at  Fort  Jesup,  1. 140 ; 
go  to  Texas,  142-3,  advance  to 
Saltillo,  264  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  388, 
555 ,  in  Monterey  campaign,  492, 
496 ,  at  the  battle,  497 ,  m  Wool's 
march,  509 ,  in  Harney 's  brigade, 
i  541,  m  Scott's  army,  2  77;  at 
siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343 ,  at  Churu- 
busco,  384 ,  in  Taylor's  later  force, 
417. 

Second  Infantry,  in  Victoria  march,  1. 
357 ,  m  Harney's  brigade,  541 ,  at 


610 


INDEX 


Cerro  Gordo,  2.  53 ;   in  Scott's  army, 
77;    at  Churubusco,   114,  382;    at 
siego  of  Vera  Cruz,  343. 
Second  Ligero,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 

1.  173,  174;    at  Monterey,  494;    at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2.  52,  347. 

Sedgwick,  John,  on  Reynosa,  1.  212 ; 

on  Scott  and  Pillow,  2.  439. 
Seiffart,    ,    Prussian    minister    at 

Mexico,  and  peace  negotiations,  2. 

3Q7. 
Semmes,  Raphael,  at  San  Cosine  garita, 

2.  162  ;   wrecked,  194  ,   on  Worth  at 
Puebla,  360,    bias  of  account,  873, 
on  Churubusco,  383  ;  and  Scott,  389  , 
on  Molino  del  Rey,  402,  403. 

Senate,  treaty  of  peace  in,  2.  246-8, 
472  -3.  See  also  Congress,  American 

Senobio,  M.,  and  siege  of  Vera  Cruz, 
2.  31 ,  in  preparations  below  Perote, 
40,  41 ,  guerilla,  421. 

Sentmanat,  Francisco,  executed,  1. 
117,  241. 

Serfdom  in  Mexico,  1.  5. 

Seven  Laws,  1  47  ,  failure,  50. 

Seventh  Infantry,  in  Texas,  1  143 , 
Mexican  propaganda  in,  161 ,  at 
Fort  Brown,  163,  march  to  Ca- 
margo,  209 ,  at  Monterey,  245,  247, 
492,  493,  501  ;  left  there,  508 ;  m 
Smith's  brigade,  541  ,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  51,  54,  55,  352;  in  Scott's 
army,  77  ,  at  Churubusco,  114,  382  , 
at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343. 

Seventh  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Sacramento,  1.  307 ;  at  Monterey, 
494. 

Severance,  Luther,  encourages  enemy, 
2.  280 ;  position  m  House,  496. 

Sevier,  A.  H.,  on  Polk  and  peace,  2. 
245 ;  ratification  commissioner,  249, 
251,  474. 

Seward,  W.  H.,  on  expansion,  1.  444. 

Seymour,  Sir  George,  and  California, 
1.  334,  336,  531. 

Seymour,  T.  H.,  at  Chapultepec,  2. 410. 

Shannon,  Wilson,  American  minister 
at  Mexico,  and  annexation  of  Texas, 
1.  86,  87. 

Shark,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189. 

Shaw,  T.  D.f  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
338. 

Shawnee  Indians,  in  Kearny's  expedi- 
tion, 1.  288. 

Sherman,  T.  W.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1 
390,  392,  395,  555;  in  Smith'n 
brigade,  541 ;  light  artillery,  2,  366. 

Sherman,  W.  T.,  on  California  and 
independence,  1 .  321 ;  on  treaty  of 
peace,  2.  246. 


Shields,  James,  on  enlistment,  1.  195 ; 
in  Wool's  march,  271,  509;  at 
Tampico,  as  governor,  282,  2.  229, 
418,  461,  Taylor  on,  1.  352;  in 
Vera  Cruz  expedition,  368,  2.  27; 
at  Brazos,  1.  476;  career,  509; 
before  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  49;  in  the 
battle,  52,  53,  55;  wounded,  55, 
352,  brigade  in  Scott's  army,  78; 
at  Contreras,  105,  107,  108,  110,  379, 
380,  at  Churubusco,  115-7,  384; 
force  after  that  battle,  120 ,  wounded 
at  Chapultepec,  157 ;  discipline,  215 ; 
and  douceur,  391 :  and  plan  to 
attack  Mexico  City,  408;  retained 
in  service,  432  ;  leaves  Mexico,  438 , 
not  West  Pointer,  513. 

Shiver,  Captain,  in  Monterey  cam- 
paign, 1  492,  496. 

Shover,  W.  H.,  at  Saltillo,  1.  556,  559. 

Shubrick,  W.  B.,  commands  Pacific 
squadron,  blockade  order,  2.  206, 
446  ,  operations,  20(>-8,  447-9 ;  and 
occupied  territory,  208. 

Siglo  XIX,  on  Herrera's  rule,  1.  56 , 
on  Americans,  103  ,  on  corruption, 
417,  011  Paiedes  revolt,  438,  on 
Church  property  and  war  funds,  2.  8. 

Silva,  Mariano,  and  surrender  of 
Monterev,  Cal.,  1.  334. 

Simmons,  S.  G  ,  in  Lane's  march  to 
Puebla,  2  426. 

Simms,  W.  G.,  and  absorption  of 
Mexico,  2.  243 ;  on  Vera  Cruz 
expedition,  336. 

Simpson,  Sir  George,  on  California,  1. 
321. 

Sinaloa  state,  and  secession,  2.  86. 

Sitgreaves,  Lorenzo,  reconnaissance  in 
Wool's  march,  1.  271. 

Six-months  men,  Gaines's  requisition 
and  service,  1.  196,  205,  452,  476, 
2.  272,  511. 

Sixteenth  Infantry,  in  Taylor's  later 
force,  2  417,  418. 

Sixth  Infantry,  in  Wool's  march,  1. 
509;  in  Scott's  army,  2.  77;  at 
Churubusco,  112,  115,  116,  384;  at 
siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343 ,  at  Molino 
del  Rey,  402 ;  at  Belen  garita,  412. 

Sixth  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Monterey,  1.  494 ;  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
2.  44,  54,  347. 

Size  of  Mexico,  1.1. 

Slavery,  Mexico  counts  on  help  of 
American  slaves,  1.  107;  European 
warning  against  expansion,  1 14 , 
interests  and  attitude  toward 
Mexicp,  123 ;  extension  not  cause 
of  war,  187-9,  473;  and  war  an 


INDEX 


611 


nexfttions,  2.  274,  289,  492,  502; 
politics  of  Wilmot  Proviso,  286-7; 
and  stopping  of  the  war,  500. 

Slidell,  John,  Mexican  mission  and 
rejection,  1.  91,  95-8,  100-1,  127, 
145,  326,  436-9,  447,  453,  460 ;  on 
Oregon  and  Mexican  controversies, 
114,  115;  effect  of  rejection  on 
American  opinion,  120 ,  on  failure 
of  mission,  133,  135,  181 ,  and 
advance  to  Rio  Grande,  152 ,  re- 
port on  Santa  Anna's  attitude,  201 , 
and  Patterson,  351 ,  and  peace 
negotiations,  2  126,  387,  and 
Conner,  202 ,  House  demand  for 
instructions,  500. 

Sloat,  J.  D.t  pacific  instructions  to 
(1845),  1.  131,  447;  instructions  on 
California,  326,  526,  530,  hesita- 
tion, final  occupation  of  Monterey, 
333-5,  530-1 ,  gives  place  to  Stock- 
ton, 336;  squadron,  2  189 

Smith,  A.  J.,  and  Mormon  battalion, 
1.  290. 

Smith,  Ashbel,  on  Polk  and  war,  1.  446. 

Smith,  C.  F.,  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma, 
1.  172 ,  at  Monterey,  242,  244,  498 , 
in  march  to  San  Agustin,  2.  98 ,  at 
Churubusco,  112,  115,  116,  384; 
battalion  at  Molmo  del  Rey,  144, 
145,  403,  and  at  Chapultepec,  161. 

Smith,  D.  W.,  American  consul  at 
Matamoros,  reports  cited  passim. 

Smith,  Ephraim  Kirby,  mortally 
wounded  at  Molmo  del  Rey,  2.  403. 

Smith,  G  W  ,  and  Cerro  Gordo,  2. 
349  ,  with  Scott,  366. 

Smith,  Isaac,  on  mistakes  at  Monterey, 

1.  503. 

Smith,  J.  L.,  engineer  company  with 
Scott,  2.  349,  356,  366,  and  plan 
of  attack  on  Mexico  City,  408. 

Smith,  J.  M  ,  at  Churubusco,  2.  117. 

Smith,  M.  L.,  reconnoitres  Old  Pefi6n, 

2.  369. 

Smith,  P.  F.,  brigade  in  march  to 
Monterey,  1.  229,  492,  496;  in  the 
battle,  245,  498;  commands  at 
Monterey,  508,  brigade,  541;  and 
Cerro  Gordo,  2  52,  brigade  in 
Scott's  army,  77;  at  Contreras, 
104-10,  376,  379,  at  Churubusco, 
114;  at  Chapultepec,  156,  158,  408, 
410;  in  Mexico  City,  163;  as  gov- 
ernor there,  226  ,  armistice  negotia- 
tions, 242,  394 ;  and  evacuation, 
252,  475 ,  on  engineers,  320 ;  court 
of  inquiry  on  Worth,  361 ,  credit 
for  Contreras,  376;  career  and 
character,  377;  not  at  conference 


on  attack  on  capital,  408;  not 
West  Pointer,  513. 

Smith,  Sidney,  and  American  repudia- 
tion, 2.  256. 

Smith,  William,  on  the  war,  2.  499. 

Smuggling,  Mexican,  1.  17,  410. 

Social  conditions,  in  Mexico,  idleness, 

1.  15,  22  ,  in  country,  18 ,  in  villages 
and  towns,   19-21 ,    at  the  capital, 
21-8,     character    of    ruling    class, 
25-7,    general  conclusions,  28,  410; 
Mexican    statement    on    character, 
411      See   also   Character;    Popula- 
tion ,    Roman  Catholic  church. 

Society,  Mexican,  conditions,  1.  25; 
intercourse  in  occupied  territory, 

2.  230-1,  461-2 

Soldado,  Fort,  at  Monterey,  1.  241; 
capture,  245,  498. 

Somers,  wrecked,  2.  194 ,  in  Home 
Squadron,  197,  442. 

Sotepmgo,  captured,  2   113. 

So  to,  Juan,  and  defending  of  Vera 
Cruz,  2  22,  31,  341 ,  and  prepara- 
tions below  Perote,  41 ;  and  Santa 
Anna  at  Orizaba,  68. 

South  Carolina  troops,  call,  1.  537; 
in  Taylor's  later  command,  2.  417. 
See  also  Palmetto. 

Southampton,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2. 
447. 

Southern  Quarterly  Review,  on  Worth, 
2  300. 

Spain,  colonial  policy,  1.  29-30;  and 
Mexican-American  relations  (1846), 
100,  and  monarchy  for  Mexico, 
448,  485,  486,  and  Mexican  pri- 
vateering, 2.  193,  attitude,  297, 
298,  and  blockade,  440,  449;  and 
mediation,  503.  See  also  Bermudea 
de  Castro ,  Lozano. 

Spanish,  as  class  in  Mexico,  1.  3; 
merchants,  17.  See  also  Gachu- 
pjnes. 

Spanish  America,  and  expected  Mex- 
ican-American war,  1.  Ill ;  and  the 
actual  war,  2.  298. 

Spanish  language,  key  of  pronuncia- 
tion, 1  xxi. 

Spectator,  on  misrule  in  Mexico,  2.  509. 

Speight,  Jesse,  position  in  Senate,  2. 
496. 

Spitfire,  in  occupation  of  Tampico, 
1.  279,  281 ;  m  attack  on  Tuxpdn, 
2  203,  444 ;  at  siege  of  Vera  Crui, 
338 ;  in  Home  Squadron,  446. 

Spooner,  ,  Mexican  Spy  Com- 
pany, 2.  362. 

Springfield  Illinois  State  Register,  on 
war  and  expansion,  1  444. 


612 


INDEX 


Staff,  Scott's,  2  366. 

Staniford,  Thomas,  brigade  in  Mon- 
terey campaign,  1.  492. 

States,  Mexican.     See  Federalism 

Stauffer,  Mrs.  W.  R.,  acknowledgment 
to,  1.  451 ;  on  Bliss,  451 

Stearns,  ^A.  J.,  as  trader  in  California, 

1.  318*,    and  American  occupation, 
337. 

Stephens,  A.  H  ,  on  the  war,  1.  183. 
Steptoe,  E.  J.,  battery  in  Scott's  army, 

2.  77 ,     during    Chapultepec,    152, 
409  ;  in  Mexico  City,  163  ;   at  Cerro 
Gordo,  348 ,  at  Helen  garita,  415 

Sterett,  J  S  ,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2. 
338. 

Stevens,  I.  I.,  on  mistakes  at  Mon- 
terey, 1.  502;  at  Churubusco,  2 
113,  383;  on  Cerro  Gordo,  350,  353 ; 
engineer  with  Scott,  366 ,  recon- 
noitres Old  Pefi6u,  369 ,  on  Molmo 
del  Rey,  402  ,  reconnoitres  southern 
approach  to  capital,  408 ,  and  plan 
of  attack  on  capital,  40S 

Stevenson,  J.  D.,  in  California,  2   219 

Stewart,  Andrew,  on  Walker,  2.  480 

Stockton,  R  F.,  pacific  instructions 
to  (1845),  1  131,  command  m 
California,  character,  336,  532  ,  and 
Fremont,  address,  336,  532 ,  first 
southern  campaign,  336-7,  532  ,  rule, 
337-8;  plan  against  Mexico,  338, 
second  southern  campaign,  339-44, 
534-5 ,  sends  aid  to  Kearny,  341 , 
and  Fremont's  capitulation,  346 , 
and  blockade,  2  205 ,  relinquishes 
rule,  217. 

Stone,  C.  P.,  ordnance  officer  with 
Scott,  2  366. 

Storms,  Mrs.,  in  Mexico,  2  11  ,  and 
Scott,  39 ,  and  absorption  of  Mexico, 
243. 

Storrs,  Augustus,  claim,  1   425 

Stromboh,  in  Home  Squadron,  2   446 

Sub-treasury  plan  restored,  2.  257,  479 

Sumner,  Charles,  on  cause  of  war,  1 
189 ;  attitude,  274  ,  demands  recall 
of  troops,  290. 

Sumner,  E  V  ,  and  Harney,  1  365 , 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  disabled,  2.  52, 
350 ;  in  Scott's  army,  77 ,  at 
Molino  del  Rey,  144,  146,  403, 
during  and  after  Chapultepec,  161, 
408,  410,  414. 

Supplies.     See  Transportation. 

Supreme  Court,  on  title  by  conquest, 
2.241,468.  '> 

Surnames,  Spanish,  1.  44  n. 

jSutter,  J.  A.,  trading  post,  1.  318,  522. 

Swift,  A.  J  ,  and  engineer  corps,  1.  451. 


Tabasco  River,  Perry's  expeditions, 
2  199-200,  204-5,  443,  445;  map, 
205. 

Tacitus  on  a,  Roman  general,  2.  313. 

Tacubaya,  Americans  at,  2  134 ;  as- 
pect, 138. 

Tacubaya,  Bases  of,  1.  51 

Talbof,  Theodore,  escape  from  Santa 
Barbara,  1.  534. 

Talcott,  G  H.,  battery  in  Scott's  army, 
2.  77  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  348. 

Talcott,  George,  ordnance  bureau,  1 
474. 

Tamaulipas  cavalry,  at  Monterey,  1. 
494. 

Tamaulipas  state,  plan  to  ^occupy,  1 
263,  507 ,  authorities  and  Urrea, 
2  166,  attitude  toward  United 
States,  215  ,  general  occupation,  418  , 
and  American  tariff,  484  See  also 
Tampico  ,  Victoria 

Tampico,  as  port,  1  2 ,  situation, 
map,  276 ,  defences,  277 ,  reasons 
for  occupation,  277,  511  ,  Conner's 
attitude,  277 ,  Mexicans  evacuate, 
278-9,  510,  American  navy  oc- 
cupies, 279-81,  511-2,  securing, 
281-2,  512,  546,  march  of  troops 
from  Victoria  to,  366,  546 ,  as- 
semblage for  Vera  Cruz  expedition, 
367,  546  ,  plans  for  uprising,  2  165  , 
first  naval  attack,  197,  441 ,  undei 
American  rule,  214-5,  229,  230,  452, 
461 ,  aspect,  214 ,  garrison,  418 , 
American  tariff,  484 

Tampico,  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2  338  , 
in  Home  Squadron,  445 

Tariff,  Mexican  protective,  1  17 , 
American,  and  the  war,  105,  130, 
186  ,  of  1846,  political  effect,  opposi- 
tion, 2  257,  273,  281,  286,  478-9, 
proposed,  on  tea  and  coffee,  261, 
285,  482 ,  American,  for  Mexican 
ports,  261-3,  303,  484,  500,  505 

Tattnall,  Josiah,  in  occupation  of 
Tampico,!  281,512.  in  attack  on 
Tuxpan,  wounded,  2  203 ,  at  siege 
of  Vera  Cruz,  338,  339 

Taxation,  Mexican,  of  mines,  1.  15 , 
Mexican  war,  2  253;  question  of 
American  \sar,  258,  480.  See  also 
Finances ,  Tariff. 

Tavlor,  Francis,  field  battery,  1.  450, 
in  Scott's  army,  2.  77 ,  at  Churu- 
busco, 114,  during  Chapultepec, 
152,  409  ,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  348. 

Taylor,  George,  at  Huamantla,  2.  425, 
426. 

Taylor,  William,  American  consul  at 
Vera  Cruz,  reports  cited  passim. 


INDEX 


613 


Taylor,  Zachary,  at  Fort  Jesup,  1  140  , 
career,  140;  character  and  ability, 
140-1,  352,  2  315-6,  318,  Bliss  as 
adjutant,!  141,451,2  318,  takes 
force  to  Corpus  Christi,  1.  .141-3 , 
its  original  size  and  first  reinforce- 
ments, 142,  143,  454,  2  511  ,  condi- 
tion of  force,  1 13 ;  and  Worth- 
Twiggs  rank  controveisv,  144,  atti- 
tude of  officers  and  men,  144,  362, 
372,  374,  549,  Rio  Grande  cam- 
paign [see  this  titlel ,  neglects  to 
acquire  information,  145,  161,  208, 
226,  249,  374,  451,  464,  476,  478, 
549;  fortifies  the  Mexicans,  158-61, 
163,  177  ,  hero  aftei  Rio  Grande  cam- 
paign, 179;  Presidential  ambition, 
personal  effect,  perverted  judgments, 
179,  208,  352,  363,  36S,  538,  547, 
2  284  ,  and  volunteers,  1  191,  474, 
2  212,  450;  relations  with  Polk, 
mutual  hostility,  1  196,  263,  352-3, 
507,  538,  544,  547,  continued  in 
command,  200,  478 ,  feelings  and 
problems  at  Matamoros,  204,  208, 
481 ,  volunteer  reinforcements,  their 
camps  and  morale,  205-8,  480,  481  , 
Monterey  campaign,  [sec  this  title] , 
results  of  campaign  to,  261,  506, 
condition  and  size  of  force  after  it, 
262,  506,  fears  displacement,  262, 
and  Scott,  262,  352,  353,  363,  368, 
544 ,  and  Patterson's  orders  for 
ramaulipas,  263,  507  ,  advance  and 
occupation  of  Saltillo,  264-6 ,  and 
Wool's  march,  275,  276,  509,  510, 
entire  force  of  department  (Dec  , 
1846),  282,  355,  513,  537,  539,  de- 
fensive-line policy,  282-3,  347,  2 
183,  insubordinate  letter  to  Games, 
1  347,  507  ,  on  war  programme,  349, 
536,  instructed  not  to  opeiate  be- 
yond Monterey,  350  ,  and  command 
of  Vera  Cruz  expedition,  351-3, 
*>39 ,  and  Scott's  plans  for  expedi- 
tion, 355-6,  363,  540,  543-4,  546, 
552  ,  sets  out  for  Victoria,  357-60, 
541-2 ,  frustrates  Scott's  plan  for 
conference,  356,  358,  541,  542, 
temporary  return  to  Monterey  ex- 
pecting attack,  357 ,  to  Victoria, 
362 ,  returns  to  Monterey,  365, 
368,  insubordinate  advance  to 
Agua  Nucva,  368,  373-4,  547, 
Buena  Vista  campaign  [see  this 
title] ;  belittles  enemy,  374,  463 ; 
visits  to  Saltillo  during  battle,  383, 
388,  555,  556;  return  to  the  field, 
385,  391 ;  personal  part  in  battle, 
393,  395  ;  guerilla  operations  against, 


suppression  of  them,  399,  2.  169-71, 
421,  422,  effect  of  battle  on  Presi- 
dential chances,  1.  400,  on  capture 
of  Tampico,  511,  512,  force  at 
time  of  Buena  Vista  battle,  548; 
arid  further  operations,  2.  165,  417 ; 
Valencia's  plans  against,  165,  419 , 
leaves  front,  166 ,  ordered  policy 
toward  inhabitants,  210-1 ,  failure 
to  preserve  discipline  at  Matamoros, 
211,  450,  and  levies  on  Mexicans, 
264  ,  political  effect  of  Polk's  atti- 
tude, 272 ,  and  of  own  actions,  278, 
493 ,  candidacy  as  vindication  of 
the  war,  292 ,  foreign  criticism, 
306-7,  507,  achievement,  315-6 
318,  later  force,  417,  not  West 
Pointer,  513 

Tavlor,  Fort      See  Brown. 

Tea  and  coffee,  proposed  American 
impost,  2  261,  285,  482 

Tecolote,  Koainy's  expedition  att  1 
292. 

Tehuaeii.il,  and  Santa  Anna,  2.  429. 

Tehuantepec,  in  peace  negotiations,  2. 
466 

Tcttqrafo,  on  Santa  Anna  as  hero,  1. 
485. 

Telcgrafo  hill  at  Cerro  Gordo,  forti- 
fications, 2  42,  44 ,  attacks  on, 
capture,  52-5,  350,  352,  354. 

Tellez,  Rafael,  and  California  expedi- 
tion, 1  523,  2  447,  at  Mazatlan, 
207,  447. 

Temascahtos      iSVe  Brazito. 

Temple,  R  E  ,  regiment  in  Taylor's 
force,  2  417 

Ten  Regiment  Bill,  passage  and 
amendment,  2  74-5,  363—4 

Teneria  redoubt  at  Monterey,  1.  249- 
250,  capture,  251-3,  500;  after 
capture,  255 

Tennessee  troops,  enlistments,  1  195 , 
in  Texas,  205 ,  at  Camargo,  211 , 
in  Victoria  march,  357 ,  m  Mon- 
terey campaign,  492,  496 ,  at  Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  56,  57,  352,  353;  at  siege 
of  Vera  Cruz,  343  ,  leave  Scott,  356 ; 
further  call,  431 

Tenth  Infantry  m  Taylor's  force,  2. 
417,  418 

Tenth  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Chapultepec,  2.  408. 

Terr6s,  A  ,  at  Bclen  garita,  2  159,  160, 
413 ,  brigade,  369 

Terrett,  G.  H.,  at  Chapultepec,  2  410. 

Tete  de  pont.     See  Bridgehead. 

Texas,  effect  of  revolt  on  Santa  Anna, 
1.  47 ;  conditional  recognition  by 
Mexico,  55,  American  efforts  to 


614 


INDEX 


purchase,  69,  62,  418,  419;  United 
States  and  revolt,  recognition  and 
neutrality,  63,  66,  422-3,  432,  2.  311 ; 
neutrality  and  Gainer's  expedition, 
1.  64-6,  420-2 ;  British  designs,  67  ; 
Santa  Anna's  threatened  invasions 
(1842-43),  67,  70,  121,  Webster's 
protest  ( 1842),  '69;  antislavery 
opposition  and  Mexican  relations, 
70;  Santa  Fe  expedition,  72,  118, 
annexation  justified,  82-3,  432,  2. 
311,  322,  509;  and  European  aid, 
1.  82,  86 ;  Mexico  and  expected 
annexation,  83-6 ;  American  offers 
of  indirect  payment  to  Mexico, 
84-6,  88-9,  91,  95,  433-6;  Mexican 
diplomatic  rupture  and  war  prepara- 
tions on  annexation,  87,  126,  132, 
434 ;  as  expected  theatre  of  war, 
107,  110;  Europe  and  annexation, 
113,  2.  295,  303,  501,  502,  506, 
American  resentment  of  Mexican  out- 
rages, 1.  117;  protection  and  ques- 
tion of  southern  boundary,  138,  153, 
457,  470;  Taylor's  force  in,  142-3, 
454 ;  annexation  as  cause  of  the 
war,  189,  445-6,  448,  2.  276,  and 
Jackson's  message  on  claims,  1. 
428;  British  and  French  recognition 
of  republic,  432 ;  in  peace  negotia- 
tions, 2.  135,  136,  238,  396,  398,  399, 
463,  464,  469 ,  effect  of  annexation 
on  Folk's  position,  272 ;  justice  of 
revolt,  311;  and  Kearnv's  occupa- 
tion of  New  Mexico,  497.  See  aho 
Rio  Grande ;  Texas  troops. 

Texas,  Fort.     See  Brown. 

Texas  troops,  rangers,  1.  143,  236, 
calls,  150,  480,  537;  in  Monterey 
campaign,  237,  241-4,  256,  492, 
496,  501 ;  and  Santa  Anna's  ad- 
vance, 382,  554;  at  Buena  Vista, 
389,  556 ;  retaliation  for  guerillas,  2. 
169;  conduct,  212,  450;  in  Taylor's 
later  force,  417;  in  Lane's  opera- 
tions, 427.  See  also  Hays ;  Hender- 
son, J.  P. 

Theatre,  Mexican,  1.  24. 

Thiers,  L.  A.,  and  United  States,  2.  296. 

Third  Artillery,  in  Twiggs's  division, 
1.  541 ;  at  Buena  Vista,  555 ;  in 
Scott's  army,  2.  77 ;  in  California, 
219;  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343; 
in  Taylor's  later  force,  417 ;  at 
Huamantla,  425. 

Third  Cavalry,  Mexican,  at  Monterey, 
1.  494. 

Third  Dragoons,  in  Scott's  army,  2. 
77,  364,  432 ;  origin,  363 ;  in  Tay- 
lor's later  force,  417 ;  in  Lane's 


operations,  426,  427.  See  also  Dra- 
goons. 

Third  Infantry,  at  Fort  Jesup,  1.  140; 
goes  to  Texas,  141-2 ;  at  Palo  Alto 
and  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  164,  167, 
407,  at  Monterey,  250,  256,  492, 
496,  502  ;  in  Harney's  brigade,  541 ; 
at  Cerro  Gordo,  2.  54,  352;  in 
Scott's  army,  77 ;  at  Churubusco, 
117;  at  siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  343; 
at  Chapul tepee,  410 

Third  Ligero,  at  Monterey,  1  494 ;  at 
Cerro  Gordo,  2  347  ,  at  Chapultepec, 
410. 

Third  Line  Infantry,  Mexican,  at 
Monterey,  1  494 ,  at  Cerro  Gordo, 
2  44,  347. 

Thirteenth  Infantry,  in  Taylor's  force, 
2.  417. 

Thorn,  George,  topographical  en- 
gineer with  Scott,  2  366. 

Thomas,  G.  H  ,  at  Reynosa,  1.  204 ; 
at  Buena  Vista,  394 

Thompson,  G.  L  ,  special  mission  to 
Mexico,  1  84,  85,  433 

Thompson,  G  W  ,  on  Democratic 
dissensions,  2.  282 

Thompson,  Waddv,  minister  at  Mexico, 
and  decree  expelling  Americans,  1. 
73-4  ;  and  claims,  80,  42G,  432  ,  and 
Bocanegra's  threat,  84 ,  on  Mexico 
and  slavery,  188,  opposes  war,  189; 
encourages  enemy,  2  2SO 

Thornton,  Edward,  of  British  legation 
at  Mexico,  and  Trist  mission,  2.  130, 
131,  390,  and  peace,  133,  and  re- 
opening of  negotiations,  237-9,  463; 
and  mediation,  506 

Thornton,  S.  B.,  force  captured,  1.  149, 
455. 

Thucvdides,  on  vigilance  in  campaign, 

1.  371  ,  on  power  and  justice,  2.  323. 
Thurman,   A.  G.,  on   Delano's  incon- 
sistency, 2.  277 ;   position  in  House, 
496. 

Tibbatts,  J.  W.,  regiment  in  Taylor's 

force,  2.  417. 
Tiempo,  monarchist  organ,  1.  214;   on 

Americans,  484. 

Tilden,  D.  R.,  on  regulars,  2.  320. 
Tiacotalpam,  Hunter  at,  2.  344. 
Tlalpam.     See  San  Agustfn. 
Tlaxcala,  Americans  at,  2.  427. 
Tobacco    monopoly,    mismanagement, 

2.  328. 

Todos  Santos,  skirmish,  2.  449. 
Toluca,  seat  of  Pefta's  government,  2. 

180;  occupied,  184,  433. 
Toluca,  Valley  of,  Americans  in,  2. 134 ; 

aspect,  180. 


INDEX 


615 


Tohica  battalion,  at  Chapul tepee,  2 
408. 

Toombs,  Robert,  on  Polk  and  war,  1. 
130;  opposes  war,  1H9 

Topaz,  claim,  1  424. 

Topo  road  at  Monterey,  Worth's  ad- 
vance, 1.  239,  241-4,  497 

Topographical  engineers  with  Scott, 
2.  366. 

Topography  of  Mexico,  1.  1.  See  also 
Physical  aspect 

Tornel  y  Mendivil,  J  M.,  appearance, 
1.  25 ,  character,  46 ,  and  Santa 
Anna's  interests,  4(>,  49,  2  83, 
85  ,  and  Heirera,  1  56 ,  and  But- 
ler, 62;  and  expulsion  of  Amen- 
caiis,  73;  and  Paiedes,  99, 
hatied  of  United  States,  103,  on 
Texas  as  theatre  of  war,  107,  arid 
hope  in  privateering,  109,  and  the 
war,  213,  484,  and  attack  on  Tay- 
lor, 456  ,  and  overthrow  of  Paredes, 
485 ,  opposes  peace  negotiations 
(1847),  2.  137,  and  cleiical  cuisude 
against  Americans,  142 ,  and  up- 
rising in  citv,  167,  and  riot  during 
armistice,  396 ,  and  Molmo  del 
Key,  404 

Torrej6n,  A  ,  attacks  Thornton,  1  149  , 
force  at  Matamoros,  158,  on  Tav- 
lor's  line  of  communication,  162 , 
at  Palo  Alto,  165,  167,  16S,  at 
Tlesaca  de  la  Palma,  171  ,  at  Huena 
Vista,  390,  557 ,  brigade  in  Mon- 
terey campaign,  494  ,  at  Las  Bocas, 
553,  at  Contioras,  2  107,  110,  378 

Totten,  J.  G  ,  chief  engineer,  1  475 , 
at  feiege  of  Vera  Cruz,  2  335,  336 

Tower,  Z.  B.,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2  50, 
56,  349;  reconnoitres  San  Antonio, 
102,  at  Oontrerat>,  107,  379,  en- 
gineer with  Scott,  366  ,  reconnoitres 
southern  approach  of  capital,  40S , 
and  plan  of  attack  on  capital,  40S. 

Towns,  aspect  of  Mexican,  1    19-21 

Towson,    Nathan,  paymaster   general, 

1.  475. 

Tracoms,  J.  BM  at  San  Juan  Bautista, 

2.  200. 

Trade.     See  Commerce. 

Traill,  X.  F.,  at  Buena  Vista,  1   3S9 

Transportation,  in  Mexico,  1.  16,  18, 
in  Taylor's  advance  to  Monterey, 
209,  227,  482,  490,  491,  493,  in 
Wool's  march,  274 ;  Taylor's  and 
guerilla  warfare,  399-400,  2.  169- 
70;  Scott's  problem  and  guerillas, 
38,  62,  77,  171,  344,  355,  365,  422, 
423. 

Treasury.     See  Finances. 


Treasury  notes,  American  war  issues, 
2.  258,  260,  479-82. 

Treaties  and  conventions,  draft,  of 
limits  (1828),  1.  60,  418;  of  limits 
(1832),  61,  419,  of  amity  and  com- 
merce, 61,  419,  claims  arbitration 
(1838,  1839),  79,  81,  431.  See  also 
Peace. 

Trias,  Angel,  as  governor  of  Chihuahua, 

1  305-6  ,  battle  of  Sacramento,  306- 
13,  519,  520  ,  at  Resales,  2   166,  419. 

Trigueros,     Ignacio,     conference    with 

Santa  Anna,  2   368 

Tnst,  N  P,  on  monks,  1.  408,  and 
Texas  boundary,  449  ,  appointment 
as  Polk's  agent,  character,  2  127, 
preconceived  attitude  toward  Scott, 
127,  papers,  128,  misunderstand- 
ing and  quarrel  with  Scott,  128-9, 
389 ,  British  mediation  with  Mex- 
icans, 129-30,  391),  icconcihation 
and  harmony  with  Scott,  130,  392, 
397,  and  douceur,  131-2,  negotia- 
tions during  armistice,  135-6,  138, 
39(>-4()0,  on  Pillow,  185,  reopens 
negotiations,  235,  463  ,  recall,  236, 
461,  ignores  it,  237-8,  465,  467, 
boundary  ultimatum,  238 ,  meet- 
ings and  treaty,  J39-40,  466, 
ciiticism  of  Polk,  Polk's  hatied, 
244 ,  ignored  in  ratification  com- 
mission, 248,  473 ,  on  Scott,  316, 
317 ,  Mexican  commissioners  on, 
323 ,  and  plan  of  attack  on  Mexico 
City,  408,  on  volunteers,  513 
Traon,  blockader,  2  4  IS 
Trollopc,  Fiances  E  ,  jibes,  2  294 
Trousdale,  \\ilham,  at  Chapultepec, 

2  154,  160,  410,    legirnent,  363. 
Truatnn,    wiecked,    2     202,    445,    in 

Home  Squadron,  412 

Tucker,  George,  on  Walker,  2   480 

Tula,  force  at,  1  550,  553 

Turnbuil,  William,  topographical  t>n- 
Kineer  with  Scott,  2  366. 

Tuxpaii,  naval  capture,  2   202-3,  444. 

Twelfth  Infantry,  in  Scott's  aimy  2. 
78,  363,  422,  432;  at  Churubusco, 
384  ,  during  Chapultepec,  408 

Twiggs,  D  E  ,  m  Texas,  1  143 ,  rank 
controversy,  144 ,  advances  to  Rio 
Grande,  146;  at  Palo  Alto,  164,  167; 
in  Monterey  campaign,  250,  404, 
492,  490 ;  division  reorganized,  357, 
541 ;  to  Tampico,  357,  365-6 ,  at 
Lobos  Islands,  368 ;  landing  at  Vera 
Cruz,  2  26;  at  siege,  27,  30,  343; 
march  of  division  to  Cerro  Gordo, 
39,  45-8,  345,  349;  force  and  ar- 
tillery, 45;  appearance  and  char- 


616 


INDEX 


acter  as  general,  48 ,  blunders  into 
Cerro  Gordo  defences  and  retreats, 
48,  349;  question  of  assault,  49; 
m  the  battle,  50-3,  350,  352,  '354 , 
march  to  Puebla,  72 ,  division  in 
Scott's  army,  77,  356,  in  advance 
from  Puebla,  92,  94,  97,  371,  at 
Contreras,  103,  109,  380;  at  Churu- 
busco,  113,  383,  385,  force  aftei 
the  battle,  120,  during  armistice, 
134 ,  advance  after  armistice,  142, 
401 ,  and  plan  of  attack  on  Mexico 
City,  1 49,  40S  ,  feint  during  Chapul- 
tepec,  152,  153,  409,  court  of  in- 
quiry on  Worth,  361  ,  on  credit  for 
Contreras.  37G ,  governor  of  Vera 
Cruz,  457 ,  and  peace  negotiations, 
464 

Twiggs,  Lcvi,  at  Chapultepec,  killed, 
2  156,  157,  commands  Marines 
with  Scott,  366 

Tyler,  John,  expects  war  with  Mexico 
(1842),!  69,  and  California,  324 

Ugarte,   M  ,   and   Kearny's  march,   1. 

289,  294,  297 

Ulua.     See  San  Juan  de  Ulua 
Unico,  Mexican  privateer,  2    191,  193 
Union    battalion,    at    Chapultepec,    2 

408. 

United  States,  at  Monterey,  1   423 
University,  Mexican,  1    14 
Upham,  William,  and  war  bill,  1    183 
Upper  class      Sec  An&tocracy 
Upshur,    A.    P  ,    and    Mexican-Texan 
relations,    1.    70,     protest    against 
trade  restrictions,  73 ,    and  annexa- 
tion of  Texas,  84 
Upton,     Emory,     on     inadequacy     of 

Mexico  expedition.  2   510 
Uraga,  J   L6pez,  at  Palo  Alto,  1.  165  , 
at  Resaca  de  la  Palma,    173,    174 , 
at    Monterey,    233,    494,    at   Cerro 
Gordo,  2.  53. 

Urrea,  Jose,  forays,  1.  400,  562,  at 
Tula,  550,  at  Buena  Vista,  553; 
and  plans  against  Taylor,  2  165 , 
removed,  166,  guerilla,  169 

Valencia,  G  ,  revolt,  1.  50;  plots 
against  Santa  Anna,  52 ,  and 
Paredes,  99,  and  Santa  Anna 
(1846),  377,  550;  and  Taylor's 
march  to  Victoria,  542 ;  at  Tula, 
550;  hostility  to  Santa  Anna  (1847), 
2.  82,  83;  sent  north,  84;  brings 
northern  army  to  capital,  88 ,  char- 
acter, 88,  375;  in  plan  against 
Scott's  advance,  90,  96;  fails,  95; 
ordered  to  southern  front,  98 ;  size  of 


force,  101,  375  ;  appearance,  101 ,  oc- 
cupation of  Contreras  field,  101,  102, 
104,  375;  battle,  104-10,  377-80; 
escapes,  110,  380,  and  Tnst  mis- 
sion, 131,  132,  in  a  combination 
against  Santa  Anna,  134,  136 ;  in 
Scott's  rear,  148 ,  plans  for  move- 
ment against  Taylor,  165,  419, 
subordinates,  369  ,  captured,  429. 
Vallejo,  M  G  ,  leader  in  California, 
1  319,  American  partisan,  328, 
captured,  332. 

Valverde,  Domphan  at,  1    298-9 
Van    Bureri,    Martin,    and    claims    on 
Mexico,  1.  78-9,  429;    on.  cause  of 
wai,     189,      and     California,     324, 
followers    and    Polk,    2     270,    281, 
followers  and  Wilmot  Proviso,  286 
Vandaha,  at  California,  1.  339. 
Vanderhnden,  Pedro,  at  Buena  Vista, 

1.385. 

Vattel,  Emench  de,  on   self-preserva- 
tion, 1    136  ,   on  justification  of  war, 
155,   on  enemy  goods,  2.  261. 
Vazquez,  Cinaco,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2 

52,  53  ,   killed,  54,  352. 
Vazquez,  F    P  ,  bishop  of  Puebia,  on 
law  of  Jan    11,  2    329,    and  battle 
of  Cerro  Gordo,  347 ,    complaint  on 
American  desecration,  459. 
Vazquez,  J.  A  ,  at  Tula,  1.  550 
Vazquez,  J   M  ,  guerilla,  2.  421 
Vega,  R   D   de  la      See  La  Vega 
Vegas      See  Las  Vegas. 
Velazquez  de  Leon,  Joaqum      See  Leon 
Venado,  force  at,  1.  553 
Vera  Cruz,  as  port,  1   2,    aspect,  life, 
2    18,  35,  221-2.     See  aUo  next  title 
Vera  Cruz  expedition,  considered,  risk, 
defences  of  city,  1.  349-50,  536,  2 
18-20,    333,     adoption    of    project, 
1.  350-1  ,    new  troops  to  be  raised, 
351,  537,    question  of  commander, 
351-4 ,     Scott's    plan    and    prepara- 
tions,    354,     539-41  ,      arid    yellow 
fever,    354,   2    22,   23,   37,  59,  336, 
339,  342,  344  ,  responsibility  thrown 
on  Scott,  1.  355,  540,    troops  from 
Taylor's  command,  his  resentment, 
356,  362-3,  365,  540,  543,  544,  546, 
552;    Scott  at  Brazos  Island,  356, 
Taylor   frustrates   Scott's   plan    foi 
conference,     356,     358,     541,     542; 
difficulties  of  assemblage  at  Brazos, 
363-5,   544;     march   from   Victoria 
to  Tampico,  365-6,  546 ;  assemblage 
at  Tampico,  Scott  there,  367,  546, 
rendezvous  at   Lobos   Islands,  367, 
2.    17 ,     sailing    to    Anton  Lizardo, 
17-8,  332 ;    policy  and  preparations 


INDEX 


617 


for  defence,  garrison,  20-22,  334; 
and  Polko  revolt,  20,  331,  334; 
problem  and  solution  of  attack, 
22-3,  335-6 ;  landing  of  American 
force,  23-7,  336,  general  map  of 
siege,  24 ,  investment,  27 ,  Scott's 
warning  to  city,  27,  337 ,  establish- 
ment of  first  batteries,  27-9,  337 , 
map  of  American  batteries,  28 , 
shortage  of  requisites  for  siege,  28, 
29,  336,  338,  339 ,  initial  bombard- 
ment, inadequacy,  29 ,  mosquito 
fleet,  29,  338 ,  dissatisfaction  of 
officers,  30  ,  naval  battery  and  later 
bombardment,  30,  338 ,  conditions 
withm  city,  30-2,  337,  339  ,  negotia- 
tions and  surrender,  32-3,  340,  342 , 
justification  of  bombardment,  casual- 
ties in  city,  33,  339,  341 ,  condition 
of  Scott's  force,  34-5,  342 ,  occupa- 
tion, 35-6,  343 ,  American  garrison, 
37 ,  plans  for  naval  attack  011  Ulua, 
201,  444 ,  American  rule  of  city, 
220-2,  457 ;  American  evacuation, 
252  ,  foreign  comment,  307  ,  Scott's 
"cabinet,"  335,  American  force  at 
siege,  336,  343 ,  American  losses, 
343  ,  American  tariff,  484  Kee  alt>o 
Mexico  expedition. 

Vera  Cruz  state,  guerilla  warfare, 
leaders,  2  169,  171,  421  ,  American 
assessment  on,  265 ,  appeal  to 
Mexican  factions,  334 ,  manifesto 
on  Santa  Anna,  3o9  See  also  Soto 

Veramendi,  M.  R.,  and  uprising  against 
Americans,  2.  420. 

Verpara  Camp,  2    222 

Ver6mca  causeway,  2.  147,  161  ,  ad- 
vance over,  161 

Vesuvius,  in  attack  on  Tuxpsin,  2  444  , 
in  Home  Squadron,  445,  446 

Vice,  prevalence  in  Mexico,  1.  22,  23, 
26,  27.  See  also  Gambling  ,  Liquor 

Vice  Presidency,  abolished  in  Mexico, 
2.  15. 

Victoria,  Guadalupe,  ah  partisan  leader, 
1.  32  ,  in  Itiirbide's  revolt,  33 ,  re- 
volt against  Iturbide,  35  ,  as  Presi- 
dent, 37-40.  and  Texas,  60,  418, 
and  commercial  treaty,  61. 

Victoria,  Taylor's  march,  1.  357-60, 
541  -2  ,  Santa  Anna's  plan  to  attack, 
357 ;  Patterson's  march,  300-2,  542, 
543 ;  map  of  his  march,  360 ,  inarch 
from,  to  Tampico,  365-6,  546, 
Taylor  leaves,  368. 

Victoria  battalion,  formation,  2.  3 , 
at  San  Antonio,  112,  384. 

Vidal,  Luis,  and  Doniphan's  advance, 
1.  301,  518. 


Viga  garita,  2   148. 

Vigas,  as  defensive  point,  2  39 ;  Worth 
at,  60. 

VigA  y  Alarid,  J.  B  ,  receives  Kearny 
at  Santa  Fe,  1.  296 

Vigne,  G  T.,  on  American  rule  at 
Jalapa,  2.  225. 

Villages,  aspect  of  Mexican,  1.  19. 

Villeveque,     ,    French    agent    in 

Mexico,  reports  cited  passim. 

Vmton,  J    R  ,  at  Monterey,  1.  246. 

Vinton,  S  F  ,  position  in  House,  2. 
496 

Virginia,  legislature  on  the  war,  1.  119. 
8ce  also  next  title. 

Virginia  troops,  calls,  1.  537,  2.  364 , 
in  Taylor's  later  force,  417  slow 
i espouse  to  call,  431. 

Vixen,  in  occupation  of  Tampico,  1 
279 ,  in  attack  on  Alvarado,  2.  198, 
199,  in  Tabasco  expedition,  200, 
in  attack  on  Tuxpan,  203,  444 ,  at 
siege  of  Vera  Cruz,  338 ,  in  Home 
Squadron,  446. 

\  oltigeur  regiment,  in  Scott's  army, 
2  78,  422,  432,  at  Chapultepec, 
154-7  ,  origin  and  status,  363  ,  at 
Chuiubusco,  385 ,  at  Molino  del 
Rev,  402,  403 

Volunteers,  authorization,  1  182,  190, 
errors  in  system,  term,  officers, 
their  character,  191-2,  207,  474, 
Taylor  and,  191,  474,  2  212,  450, 
first  call  and  response,  1  192-5, 
445,  475,  476 ,  mustering,  New 
Orleans  camp,  and  voyage  to  Texas, 
195-6,  475,  Games's  six-months 
men,  190,  205,  452,  476,  2.  272, 
511  ,  conditions  m  Texan  camps, 
morale,  205-8,  480,  481  ,  further 
calls,  351,  537,  2  76,  364,  430,  431 , 
Wool  on,  1  371,  term-expired  men 
leave  Scott,  2  63-4,356,  infamous 
conduct  at  Matanioros,  211-2,  450; 
excesses  at  Monterey,  212,  450;  and 
elsewhere,  213,  214,  224,  225,  of- 
ficers and  their  men,  215  ,  statistics, 
318  ,  contrast  with  regulars,  319-20, 
512-3 ,  authorized  size  of  army 
(1847),  431  ,  supposed  number 
(Nov.,  1847),  432.  See  also  Army, 
names  of  states 

Von  Hoist,  H   E      See  Hoist 

Voz  del  Pueblo,  advocates  war,  1  107, 
434,  on  chances  of  expected  war, 
110  ,  on  Slidell  mission,  436. 

Wagons.     See  Transportation. 
Walker,    Sir   Baldwin,   and  American 
commander,  2.  446. 


618 


INDEX 


Walker,  R.  J.,  and  expansion,  1.  186 ; 
and  the  war,  471 ;  and  absorption 
of  Mexico,  2.  243,  244;  opposes 
treaty  of  peace,  246 ;  pre-war 
financial  estimates,  255 ;  tariff  and 
political  ambition,  257,  478;  and 
need  of  more  revenue,  258,  260,  480 , 
loan  negotiations,  distrusted,  259, 
260,  262,  480-2,  proposed  tax  on 
tea  and  coffee,  261,  482;  tariff  for 
Mexican  ports,  261-2 ;  and  levies 
on  Mexicans,  264-5,  487 ,  opposi- 
tion to  policy,  273,  281 ;  as  leader, 
282 ;  integrity,  488. 

Walker,  S.  H.,  surprise,  1.  160,  463 ; 
bold  trip  to  Fort  Brown,  464 ,  at 
Monterey,  501 ,  operations  against 
guerillas,  2.  172,  423 ,  appearance, 
177;  at  Huamantla,  killed,  177,  425, 
426. 

Wall,  William,  at  Punta  Aguda,  1.  562. 

Wallace,  Lew,  enlistment  of  company, 
1.  195. 

Wallace,  W.  H.  L  ,  at  Buena  Vista,  1. 
561. 

Walpole,  Frederick,  on  California  and 
independence,  1.  321. 

War,  simplicity,  1.x,   principles,  405. 

War  department,  staff,  1  474.  Sec  also 
Marcy,  W.  L. 

War  of  1812,  Federalist  opposition,  2. 
280. 

War  spirit.  See  Attitude  ;  Outbreak  , 
Popularity. 

Ward,  H.  G.,  British  minister  at 
Mexico,  and  Monroe  Doctrine,  1. 
112,  on  Mexican  character,  410, 

*  and  Texas,  419. 

Warehouse  bill  of  1846,  2.  257,  479, 

N  success,  263 ;  opposition,  273. 

Warren,  W.  B.,  at  Saitillo,  1.  556. 

Warren,  in  Pacific  squadron,  2.  189, 
205,  447. 

Washington,  J.  M.,  battery  at  Buena 

£  Vista,  1.  384,  386,  389,  344,  555, 
558;  field  battery,  450,  in  Wool's 
march,  509. 

Washington,  Camp,  before  Vera  Cruz, 
2.27. 

Washington  and  Baltimore  battalion, 
at  Monterey,  1.  250,  251,  492,  496, 
in  Quitman's  brigade,  541 ;  garrison 
at  Tampico,  546,  at  siege  of  Vera 
Cruz,  2.  343. 

Washington  Globe,  on  war  spirit,  1.  132. 

Washington      National      Intelligencer. 

t   See  National  Intelligencer. 

Washington  Union,  and  Polk's  alleged 
desire  for  war,  1.  446 ;  on  failure  of 
peace  negotiations,  2.  138 ;  challenge 


to  Polk's  critics,  284 ;  and  victorious 

war,  292. 
Watson,  S.  E.,  brigade  in  Scott's  army, 

2.  78,  366,  432. 
Weatherford,  William,  at  Buena  Vista, 

1.  555. 

Weber,  J.  L.,  on  Mexican  army,  1.  408. 

Webster,  Daniel,  Bocanegra  corre- 
spondence, 1.  68 ,  protests  further 
war  on  Texas,  69 ,  on  Mexican 
responsibility,  76,  2.  508 ,  and  an- 
nexation of  Texas,  1.  82,  433,  on 
Shdell  mission,  98,  on  claims  con- 
troversy, 120,  and  California,  127, 
324;  on  Polk  and  war,  130,  and 
war  bill,  183,  472 ,  and  employment 
of  volunteers,  192 ,  and  advance  to 
Rio  Grande,  458 ,  and  peace,  2  123, 
387 ;  opposition  to  the  war,  126 ; 
pessimism  on  peace  prospects,  235 ; 
and  treaty  of  peace,  247,  472,  473; 
on  cost  of  the  war,  267  ,  ineffective 
war  criticism,  278-80,  494 ,  on 
control  of  occupied  territory,  285 ; 
on  tariff,  286 ,  and  no- territory 
plan,  288 ,  Presidential  candidacy 
and  success  of  war,  291  ,  results  of 
opposition,  314 ,  and  defensive-line 
policy,  430 ,  on  war  and  slavery 
extension,  492  ;  and  Corwm's  speech, 
494 ,  position  in  Senate,  496 ,  on 
tariff  for  Mexican  ports,  500 ,  on 
American  attitude  toward  Mexico, 
508 ;  on  volunteers,  513. 

Webster,  L.  B.,  battery  in  Monterey 
campaign,  1.  496;  at  Saitillo,  556, 
559. 

Weed,  Thurlow,  and  Taylor's  Presi- 
dential candidacy,  1  179 

Weightman,  R.  H  ,  battery  in  Kearny's 
expedition,  1  288,  515,  in  battle  of 
Sacramento,  310,  312. 

Welles,  Gideon,  on  Marcy,  1.  475 ;  on 
tariff,  2.  273 

Wellington,  Duke  of,  on  Scott's  expedi- 
tion, 2.  89. 

Wells,  J.  M.,  guerilla  attack  on,  2. 
172. 

Wenghieri,  Alonzo,  arms  for  Mexican 
army,  2.  346. 

Weritworth,  John,  and  tax  on  tea  and 
coffee,  2.  285. 

West  Point,  value  of  training,  2.  320. 
See  also  Army. 

Westcott,  J.  D.,  Jr.,  position  in  Senate, 

2.  496. 

Whale  fishery,  American,  and  occupa- 
tion of  California,  1.  323,  2.  514; 
and  Mexican  War,  205,  446,  447. 

Whig  Almanac,  on  Polk,  2.  276. 


INDEX 


619 


Whig  party,  and  outbreak  of  the  war,  j 
inconsistencies,  1.  185,  444,  472,  I 
2.  276-7,  283;  encourage  enemy, 
126,  280-1,  289,  495;  and  responsi- 
bility, 275;  jibos  at  Polk,  275-6: 
and  conduct  of  Whip:  generals,  277, 
493 ;  effect  of  Corwin's  speech,  278, 
494 ;  character  of  Webster's  war 
criticism,  278-80,  494;  ghosts  of 
opposition  to  War  of  1812,  280; 
position  in  war-time  Congress,  283 ; 
character  of  opposition  there,  284-6 ; 
and  Wilmot  Proviso,  286-7,  498, 
no-territory  plan,  287-8,  498, 
protract  war,  288 ;  Clay's  speech 
and  resolutions,  289 ,  control  of 
House  programme,  290 ,  effect  on, 
of  success  of  war,  290-1 ,  about 
face,  292 ,  results  of  opposition, 
292-3,  501  ;  and  treaty  of  peace, 
472  ,  proper  attitude,  493  ,  leaders 
in  Senate,  496.  See  also  Opposition. 

Whistler,  William,  in  Texas,  1    143. 

White,  E.  D.,  and  Games' s  Nacog- 
doches  expedition,  1.  421. 

Wickhffe,  C  A  ,  American  confidential 
agent  in  Texas,  reports  cited  passim. 

Wilcocks,  J.  S.,  American  consul  at 
Mexico,  reports  cited  passim. 

Wilcox,  C.  M  ,  value  of  his  history,  1. 
404  ;  on  criticism  at  Monterey,  503 

Wilhelm,  Thomas,  on  Taylor  in  Mon- 
terey campaign,  1  496. 

Wilkes,  Charles,  on  California  and  in- 
dependence, 1.  321. 

Williams,  Thomas,  of  Scott's  staff,  2. 
366. 

Willock,  David,  with  Price,  1  516,  517. 

Wilmot,  David,  and  Wilmot  Proviso, 
2.  286,  498. 

Wilmot  Pioviso,  politics,  2.  286-7; 
objections,  498. 

Wilson,  Benito,  surrender,  1.  339. 

Wilson,  Henry,  at  Reynosa,  1.  204 ; 
brigade  in  Monterey  campaign,  492, 
496 ;  governor  of  Vera  Cruz,  super- 
seded, 2.  432,  457. 

Wilson,  L.  D.,  and  Twelfth  Infantry, 
2.  363. 

Winthrop,  R  C.,  on  cause  of  the  war, 
1.  189,  2.  277 ;  on  Slidell  mission, 
1.  438 ;  and  peace,  2.  123 ;  position 
in  the  House,  496. 

Women,  Mexican,  of  upper  class,  1.  24, 
25. 

Wood,  Allen,  at  Churubusco,  2.  384. 

Wood,  W.  M.,  and  Sloat,  I.  334. 

Wool,  J.  E.,  as  mustering  officer,  1. 
195 ;  gathering  of  Chihuahua  force 
at  San  Antonio,  267-8;  character 


of  force,  268-9;  character  and  dis- 
cipline, appearance,  268,  269,  .273, 
275,  276,  509;  and  Barney's  es- 
capade, 269;  march  to  Monclova, 
270-3,  509 ,  map  of  march,  271 ; 
halt  during  Monterey  armistice, 
273,  509 ,  hardships  and  criticism 
of  march,  273,  509-10;  wagon 
train,  274;  Parras  route,  274,  510; 
at  Parras,  275 ,  diversion  of  expedi- 
tion to  near  Saltillo,  275,  358 ,  results 
of  march,  276,  510;  force  (Dec., 
1846),  283,  513,  and  Doniphan's 
expedition,  313,  521  ,  command  at 
Saltilio,  carelessness  of  scouts,  370-1 , 
diminished  morale  of  troops,  371 ; 
on  volunteers,  371 ;  asks  aid  from 
Taylor,  372 ,  in  advance  to  Agua 
Nueva,  374,  and  retreat,  prepara- 
tions at  Buena  Vista,  383-5,  534, 
555,  in  the  battle,  393,  396,  558;- 
and  retreat  of  Mexicans,  398  ,  march 
and  Mexican  abandonment  of  Rin- 
conada  Pass,  508 ,  succeeds  Taylor 
in  command,  2  106 ,  and  sup- 
pression of  guerilla  warfare,  170; 
levies  on  Mexicans,  265,  487 ;  and 
mutiny  at  Buena  Vista,  418;  and 
force  after  succeeding  Taylor,  417, 
432 ,  and  conduct  of  Texan  volun- 
teers, 450,  evacuates,  475;  not 
West  Pointer,  513. 

Woo&ter,  C.  F.,  at  battle  of  Sacra- 
mento, 1  520. 

Worth,  W  J  ,  in  Texas,  1.  143;  rank 
controversy,  144 ,  on  Taylor,  144, 
260,  501,  502,  and  advance  to  Rio 
Grande,  147,  152,  454 ;  leaves  front, 
158,  return,  at  Oamargo,  211,  in 
march  on  Monterey,  228,  229,  492, 
496,  at  battle  of  Monterey:  move- 
ment to  Saltillo  road,  241-4,  497; 
on  Ampadia,  241 ,  appearance  and 
character,  241,  498,  2  186,  360,  434; 
capture  of  Federation  Ridge,  244-6, 
498,  and  Independence  Hill  and 
Bishop's  Palace,  246-8,  499,  Tay- 
lor neglects  concerted  action,  256-7 ; 
attack  in  city,  257-8,  501 ;  and 
negotiations,  260,  501;  as  real 
victor,  261 ,  in  command  at  Saltillo, 
264 ;  as  commander  there,  force, 
266,  282,  541 ;  Wool's  force  joins, 
276;  and  expected  attack  (Dec.), 
357,  541;  and  gathering  of  Vera 
Cruz  expedition,  364,  365;  and 
Harney,  365;  embarks,  368;  on 
war  spirit,  444;  on  advance  up 
Rio  Grande,  483;  and  gathering 
of  information,  490;  on  Taylor's 


620 


INDEX 


lack;  of  transportation,  491 ;  on 
camp  at  Cerralvo,  493,  landing  at 
Vera  Gnus,  2.  25—6 ;  and  the  siege, 
30 ;  and  negotiations,  33 ;  and  sur- 
render, 36 ;  at  Cerro  Gordo,  50,  351, 
352 ;  pursuit  to  Perote,  60-1 ;  ad- 
vance to  Puebla,  65-6,  69 ;  Amozoc 
affair,  70;  conference  on  Puebla, 
70,  361 ;  occupies  it,  71 ;  mistakes 
as  rulei,  Scott's  rebuke,  71-2,  361; 
"scarecrows,"  72  ;  division  in  Scott's 
army,  77,  343,  356;  in  advance  to 
Valley  of  Mexico,  93-4,  371,  at 
San  Agustfn,  97,  374 ,  reconnoitres 
San  Antonio,  102-3 ,  captures  it, 
112,  382;  at  Churubusco,  114-6, 
383,  384;  force  after  the  battle, 
120;  during  armistice,  134;  study 
of  Molino  del  lley,  143,  m  the 
battle,  143-7,  402-4;  at  Chapul- 
tepec,  153,  156,  157,  161,  409,  410, 
misgivings  there,  154  ,  advance  and 
capture  of  San  Cosme  garita,  161-2, 
413-4,  416,  in  the  city,  164,  416; 
in  uprising,  167,  cabal  against 
Scott,  arrest,  186-8,  434-6,  Polk 
rescues,  188 ,  discipline  as  governor 
of  Saltillo,  213,  450;  on  excesses 
of  volunteers,  213  ;  armistice  negoti- 
ations, 242 ;  and  lead  in  Mexico 
expedition,  345 ,  111  plan  of  attack 
by  Mexicaltzingo,  372,  373;  and 
Contreras,  381 ,  and  failure  to  ad- 
vance after  Churubusco,  386  ,  not  at 
conference  on  attack  on  city,  408 , 
in  command  of  Mexico  expedition, 
476;  on  volunteers,  513;  not  West 
Pointer,  513. 


Wright,  George,  at  Molino  del  Rey, 
wounded,  2.  143,  144. 

Wright,  Silas,  and  Polk,  2.  270. 

Wynkoop,  F.  M.,  at  Cerro  Gordo,  2. 
56,  57,  353  ;  rule  at  Jalapa,  224 ;  and 
guerillas,  422,  at  Huamantla,  425, 
426  ,  in  Lane's  operations,  426. 

Wyse,  F.  O.,  in  De  Russey's  expedition, 
2.  418. 

Yell,  Archibald,  and  Santa  Anna's 
advance,  1.  383,  554 ,  and  Wool, 
509 ,  at  Buena  Vista,  555,  558. 

Yellow  fever,  and  Vera  Cruz  expedi- 
tion, 1.  354,  2.  22,  23,  37,  59,  336, 
339,  342,  344,  and  Mexico  expedi- 
tion, 42,  59,  64,  348 ,  in  navy,  195  , 
in  New  Orleans,  431. 

York  rite  of  Masons      See  Masons. 

Yucatan,  Santa  Anna  as  commandant, 
1.  40,  naval  operations,  201,  204, 
attitude  during  the  war,  203-4 , 
annexation  question,  472. 

Yulee,  D  L  ,  position  in  Senate,  2. 
496 

Zacatecas,  situation,  1  3 ,  powder- 
mill,  462 ,  Scott's  intention  to 
occupy,  184,  432. 

Zacatecas  state,  arid  Santa  Anna,  1.  47, 
86,  376,  550 ,  unrest,  2.  234  ,  Amer- 
icans in,  418  ,  in  discussion  on  peace, 
464. 

Zavala,  Lorenzo  de,  and  overthrow  of 
Pedraza,  1.  41. 

Zerecero,  Colonel,  brigade,  2.  369. 

Zubieta,  Pedro,  on  judicial  system.  1. 
409. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


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