mi h .^°. .^" •^. ..« 0^ I I "*ill^ PIli:SIDEKT 01 THE TTSriTEB STATES. *, v# Jll. 1/1, '"I'lk HISTORY OF THE WAR BETWEEN TUB UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF HOSTILITIES RATIFICATl OF THE TREAT!' OP PEACE. BY JOHN S. JENKINS, AUTHOR OF "THB OENEI14LS OF THE LAST WAR WITH ORBAT BRITAIN," 1 ETC. ETC. ETC, AUBURN. DERBY, MILLER & COMPANY. 1849. Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by DESBY MILLER & CO. In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Northern District of New York. THOMAS B. SMITH, STKRKOTYPKR, 31GWILUA.M STRKKT, N. T. ®l)is ttJork is CDcbiraleb TO BOTH REGULARS AND VOLUKTEERS, WHOSE GALLANTRY AND INTRF.PIDITY WERE SO OFTZ-N MANIFESTED nUHING THE PROGRESS OP THE WAR WITH MEXICO ; AND TUE RECORD OP WHOSE ACHIEVEMENTS WILL CONSTITUTE, THROUGH ALL FUTURE TIME, ONE OF THE MOST ATTR^rTIVE FEATURES OF OUR MILITARY AND NATIONAL HISTORY. PREFACE. The War with Mexico constitutes an episode, ani\ by no means, an unimportant one, in the history of the American Union. Its brilliant scenes, and stirring incidents, have at- tracted unusual attention, and they must long continue to be remembered. The honor of the nation, and the triumph of her arms, are so closely allied, in the estimation of our citizens, that the permanent record of these events cannot be devoid of interest. — The military annals of the world pre- sent no higher, or more enduring evidences, of the skill and courage of any other soldiery. Each arm of the service, — cavalry, artillery,* and infantry, — has gained imperishable renown ; and the navy, too, ever famed for its gallantry and heroism, though necessarily participating, to a less extent, in the active operations of the war, is entitled to no small share of the laurels which have been won. Since the commencement of hostilities, there has certainly * It will be borne in mind, by the reader, that the artillery regiments in the American service, are equipped, and act, as infantry ; with the exception of those detached companies serving with batteries, and des- ignated by the names of their commanding officers. VI PREFACE. been no great dearth of publications, having reference, di- rectly or indirectly, to the prosecution of the war. Bio- graphical sketches of our most distinguished officers, and numerous compilations, glancing at the more important achievements of the array, have been issued ; — but, at the moment of writing this Preface, I am not aware of the pub- lication of any complete history of the colhsion between the two great republics on this Continent, which is now happily terminated. Such a work must naturally be desired, and these pages have been written, with a view of satisfying, in some degree, the public expectation. In the preparation of this volume, my main reliance, for the facts and details connected with the military operations, has been upon the official reports of the officers of the army, — as well those occupying subordinate positions, as those at the head of columns or divisions. The narrative, proper, of the war, is preceded by a review of its origin and causes, written after a careful examination of the diplomatic corre- spondence, and the various publications, of a public or pri- vate character, that have appeared from time to time, calcu- lated to throw any light on the subject. Most of the works which have been of service to me, in preparing the volume, are cited in the text, or notes. Among those not so cited, are, — Newell's History of the Kevolution in Texas ; " Texas and the Texans," by H. Stu- art Foote ; " Our Army on the Rio Grande," and " Our Army at Monterey," by T. B. Thorpe ; the Campaign PREFACE. VU Sketches of Captain W. S. Henry ; " The Conquest of Cal- ifornia and New Mexico," by J. Madison Cutts ; " Doni- phan's Expedition," by J. T. Hughes ; and " Adventures in Mexico," b}^ C. Dunnovan. I have also derived much valuable information from the letters of the regular and occasional correspondents of differ- ent public journals, and, particularly, those of the New Or- leans press. I have often found these, however, conflictbg very materially with the official statements, and, as, from the nature of the case, was to be presumed, more or less tinged with the gossip of the camp. It has, therefore, been some- times extremely difficult to separate the real from the fanci- fvJ ; and I can hardly flatter myself with the hope that I have entirely avoided errors, though I trust none may be found, impairing the general fidelity of the work. It is likewise proper that I should acknowledge my in- debtedness to the well-executed maps of Majors Tumbull and Linnard, and the other able and intelligent officers of the Corps of Topographical Engmeers, which have accompanied the official reports from the seat of war. My thanks are further due, to J. S. Meehan, Esquire, the Librarian of Congress, and his assistants, for their kindness and courtesy ; and to the Hon. John A. Dix, of the. United States Senate, for the receipt of several valuable public doc- Txments. Auburn, September 1, 1848. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. ORIGIN AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. Page The Government and People of the United States — Revolutions in Mexico — Claims of American citizens — Negotiations — Warlike feelings — Settlement of Texas — Revolution — Proposition for An- nexation to the United States — Treaty of President Tyler — Joint Resolutions — Admission of Texas — Her Boundaries — March of General Taylor to the Rio Grande — Hostile Demonstrations on the part of Mexico— Capture of Thornton and his party . . . 15 CHAPTER II. BATTLES ON THE RIO GRANDE. The intelligence of Thornton's Capture received in the United States — Fears for the Safety of General Taylor — Proceedings of Congress — Preparations for War — Prompt response to the call for Volunteers — The Army of Occupation — Skirmishing — March to Point Isabel — Bombardment of Fort Brown— Battle of Palo Alto — Resaca de la Palma — Capture of Matamoras, and other Mex- ican Towns on the Rio Grande 89 CHAPTER III. CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO. Fremont's Expedition — Jealousy of the Mexican Authorities — Affair at Sonoma — Declaration of Independence — The Pacific Squadron — Capture of all the prominent points in the Californias March of the Army of the West from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe Conquest of New Mexico — Departure of General Kearny 1* X CONTENTS. Pag« for California — Counter Revolution — Battle of San Pascual — Passage of the San Gabriel^ — Ciudad de los Angelos — Arrival of Troops, and complete occupation of the Country 123 CHAPTER IV. MONTEREY. Censure of General Arista — Arrival of Volunteers on the Rio Grande — Proclamation — Difficulty in procuring Transportation and Supplies — Advance of the Army — Encounter at Ramos — Defen- ces of Monterey — Skirmish at San Jeromino — Storming of Fed- eracion Hill and the Soldada — Diversion in the lower part of the Town — The Enemy's line of defence penetrated — Terrible slaugh- ter among the Assailants — Capture of the Bishop's Palace — The Americans in the City — Street-fighting— Capitulation .... 149 CHAPTER V. wool's column. Terms of the Capitulation at Monterey — Armistice — Revolution in Mexico — Return of Santa Anna — Proposition to Negotiate — Evacuation of Monterey — Concentration of troops at San An- tonio de Bexar — March of General Wool— Change of Route — Monclova — Termination of the Armistice— Occupation of Saltillo, Parras, and Tampico — The Mexican Army at San Luis Potosi — Threatened Attack on Saltillo — March to Victoria 178 CHAPTER VI. NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE GULF. The American Navy — The Home Squadron — Blockade of the Mex- ican Ports — Loss of the Truxton — Laws passed by the Govern- ment of Mexico to encourage Privateering — Attempt against Alvarado — ^Attack on Tabasco — Occupation of Tampico — Burn- ing of the Creole — Wreck of the Somers — Capture of Laguna . 195 CHAPTER VII. BUENA VISTA.' General Scott ordered to Mexico — Expedition to Vera Cruz — With- drawal of Troops from the Army under General Taylor — Surprise CONTENTS. XI Page of Arkansas and Kentucky Cavalry at Encarnacion — Advance of Santa Anna from San Luis Potosi — The Pass of Angos- tura — Buena Vista — Position of the American Troops — Approach of the Enemy — The Battle — Bravery of the Volunteers — Skir- mish near Saltillo — Disastrous retreat of the Mexican Army — Attack on the Wagon Trains — Pursuit of Urrea 206 CHAPTER VIII. SAN JUAN DE ULUA. The Island of Lobos — Rendezvous of American Forces — OflVr to negotiate — Vera Cruz — Castle of San Juan De Ulua — Landing of the Troops under General Scott — Skirmishing — Line of In- vestment — Bombardment — Effect of the Fire — Affair at the Pu- ente del Midois— Dragoon fight at Madellin — Capitulation of the City and Castle — Capture of Alvarado — Advance of the Army into the Interior — Opening of the Mexican Ports 244 CHAPTER IX. SCOTT AT CERRO GORDO. Return of Santa Anna to the city of Jlexico — Fortifications at Cerro Gordo— Arrival of the American Army at the Rio del Plan — Storming the Heights — The Enemy routed — Capture of Jalapa and Perote — The Guerilleros — Proclamation of General Scott — Entrance of the Americans into Puebla — Warlike proceedings of the Mexican government — Skirmishing on the road from Vera Cruz— The Army reinforced — March towards the Mexican Cap- ital 268 CHAPTER X. Doniphan's march. The Missouri Volunteers — Expedition against the Navajos — Orders to join General Wool — La Jornada del Muerto — Skirmish at Bracito — El Paso del Norte — Fortifications of the Enemy at the Pass of Sacramento — The Battle — Flight of the Mexicans — Entrance into the City of Chihuahua — March to Monterey — Re- turn Home 305 XU CONTENTS. CHAPTER XL REVOLT IN NEW MEJaCO. Page Disaffection among the inhabitants of New Mexico — Murder of Governor Bent and others— March of Colonel Price — Defeat of the enemy at Canada — Affair at Moro — The Pass of Embudo — Storming of Puebla de Taos — Suppression of the Revolt — Dep- redations in the Valley of the 3Ioro — Skirmishes with the Marau- ders—Quiet restored in the Province 321 CHAPTER Xn. CONTRERAS AND CHURUBUSCO. Route from Puebla — The Valley of Mexico — Fortifications — Turn- ing Lake Chalco — Affair at Oka Laka — March of Major Lally from Vera Cruz to Jalapa — Arrival of the American army at San Augus- tin — Attempt to reach the San Angel road — Crossing the Pedregal — The Night Bivouac — Storming the Intrenchments atContreras — The Enemy driven from San Antonio — Battle of Churubusco — The Victors at the Gates of the Capital 334 CHAPTER Xni. EL MOLINO DEL REY. The Armistice — Fruitless attempt at Negotiation — Bad faith of the Mexican authorities — Political dissensions — Violation and Rup- ture of the Truce — Correspondence between General Scott and Santa Anna — Reconnaissances — Assault of El Molino del Rey and Casa de Mata — Severity of the Action — The Enemy driven from their position 374 CHAPTER XIV. CAPTURE OF MEXICO Preparations for a final attack on the City and its defences — Heavy Batteries planted — The Cannonade — Storming of Chapul tepee — CONTENTS. Xm Page Advance of General Quitman to the Garita de Belen and the Ciudadela — Operations of General Worth on the San Cosme Causeway — Flight of Santa Anna and his Army — Entrance of General Scott into the Capital — The Leperos — Quiet restored in the City — Change in the Mexican Administration 398 CHAPTER XV. THE ARMY UNDER TAYLOR. The American forces on the line of the Sierra Madre, and in the Valley of the Rio Grande — Correspondence between General Taylor and General Mora y Villamil — The Texan Rangers — Ex- pedition to Huejutla — Part of General Taylor's forces ordered to Vera Cruz — Position of the Troops — The command transferred to General Wool 433 CHAPTER XVI. THE GULF SQUADRON. Expedition against Tuspan — Capture of the Town — The Carmel- ita — Recapture of Tabasco — Repeated Skirmishes with the Ene- my — Affair at Timulte — Abandonment of the City — Difficulties in Yucatan . . . • 445 CHAPTER XVII, CLOSING SCENES OF THE WAR. Defence of Puebla — Occupation of the Prominent Points on the National Road — March of General Lane to the Relief of Colonel Childs — Battle of Huamantla — Attack on Atlixco — The Gueril- leros— Opening of General Scott's Communications — The Mex- ican Congress and Government — Negotiations Resumed — The Army in the Capital — Orders for tlie Collection of Taxes — Ex- pedition to Tehuacan — Affairs in California — Capture of Gua- yamas and Mazatlan — Defence of La Paz and San Jose — March of General Price upon Chihuahua— Storming of Santa Cruz de Resales 454 MT CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVIII. TREATY OF PEACE. rage Firmness of the Mexican Administration — Treaty of Peace con- cluded — Skirmishes — Expedition of General Lane — Ratification of the Treaty — Evacuation of Mexico by the American Troops — Reflections — The Territory Acquired — Capacity of our Country for War — Conclusion . , 491 THE WAR WITH MEXICO. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN AND CAUSES OF THE WAR. The Government anu People of the United States — Revolutions m Mexico — Claims of American citizens — Negotiations — Warlike feel- ings — Settlement of Texas — Revolution — Proposition for Annexation to the United States — Treaty of President Tyler — Joint Resolutions — Admission of Texas — Her Boundaries — March of General Taylor to the Rio Grande — Hostile demonstrations on the part of Mexico — Capture of Thornton and his party. From the time of the cessation of hostih'ties with Great Britain, in pursuance of the treaty concluded at Ghent, in December 1814, until 1846, a period of more than thirty years, the government of the United States was not involved in war with any of the nations of the earth. Occasional interruptions of her friendly rela- tions with other countries and governments temporarily disturbed the harmony previously existing between them ; but the causes of dispute were soon removed, and every difficulty satisfactorily adjusted, with, per- haps, the single exception — that which terminated in the war with Mexico. The American Confederacy was formed, not for the political aggrandizement of its members, collectively or individually, but solely and entirely for purposes of mutual protection and defence. It has been our uniform policy, since the assertion and 16 THE AMERICAN NATION". successful vindication of our independence, though never sacrificing anything of national dignity, to keep aloof from all entangling alliances with foreign powers, to avoid subjects of contention likely to furnish an ex- cuse for their interference in our domestic affairs, and assiduously to cultivate the arts and the institutions of peace. The elements of greatness and power are ours ; yet these have been manifested, not so much in the achievements of our armies, and the splendor of our mil- itary establishments, as in the protection afforded to our commerce, and the encouragement given to the agri- cultural and industrial pursuits to which our people are devoted. The growth of the nation has been rapid, beyond parallel. At the beginning of the present cen- tury, she was weak and feeble — she is now great and powerful. But her career of glory, unexampled as it is, has been marked, more than all, by the development of new principles in government, by the energy and industry which have made the wilderness to blossom like the rose, and by the extension of human civiliza- tion, from the frozen regions of the north to the land of perpetual flowers — from the rock-bound coast of the Atlantic to the prairies of the West — " the gardens of the desert," whose " very weeds are beautiful," and whose " waste More rich than other climes' fertility." At the close of the Revolution, a new government was established, and we became, emphatically, a new people. It was our aim and object to remain at peace with the world, and to continue forever wholly inde- pendent of every other power. Our land was the refuge of the oppressed of every nation and creed ; the natural enmity of the Briton and the Gaul was forgot MARTIAL SPIRIT. 17 ten ; the traits and characteristics which were always found arrayed in hostihty upon the Eastern Continent, were here blended harmoniously together; and those prejudices calculated to diminish or impair the strength of the alliance, were softened and subdued by the con- sciousness that its preservation was essential to our safety. The terms "Anglo-Saxon," and "Anglo-Amer- ican," are often applied to us ; but is not this the lan- guage of mere affectation and cant ? Surely they are inapplicable to us and to our children. We have sprung from the Saxon, the Norman, and the Celt, with here and there an admixture of nearly all the other races of the earth. We are Americans ! — neither more nor less — and why should we claim a different title from that which Washington and his contemporaries were proud to own ? This is ours, justly ours ; and it has become a passport to respect and confidence throughout the world. While engrossed in the prosecution of those peace- ful pursuits, for the security of which their government was formed, the American people have not been un- mindful of the efforts that have been made to establish institutions similar to their own, in other quarters of the globe. Their sympathies were never withheld from the oppressed, nor their assistance denied, when it could be rendered consistently with their duties and obligations as a nation. Neither have they failed to assert, at all proper times, and on all proper occasions, their rights as a separate and independent sovereignty. The martial spirit of a republic, whose independence was secured by force of arms, could not be easily sub- dued. Every citizen among us shares the privileges and the responsibilities of government ; each one can say^ like the French monarch, though in a far different 19 PATRrOTISM. spirit, " I am the state !" and iience it is, that the lan- guage of menace, or an act of outrage or insult com- mitted in the remotest section of the Union, sends an instantaneous thrill through the breasts of our country- men. Peace societies and conventions have denounced feuds, and contentions, and wars ; they have striven to inculcate mildness and forbearance in the adjustment of all difficulties among governments ; they have labored, earnestly and zealously, to make forgiveness the law of the council-room and the audience-cham- ber ; but, however praiseworthy their efforts, or benev- olent their intentions, they have produced little change in the feelings and dispositions of the American people. Go where we may, at home or abroad, — on the sea or on the land, — wherever we find one of our citizens, standing beneath the broad folds of our national flag, we shall see his eye kindle and his bosom throb, as he gazes on the proud emblem floating above him ; and if, at such a moment, violence be offered, either rightfully or wrongfully, to him or to it, his arm is nerved for the defence with tenfold vigor and strength 1 The moralist who can sit calmly down to analyze the sentiment which is thus manifested, may discover something of error mixed up with what is commenda- ble ; but so long as it forms the same part of our na- tures with patriotism and love of country, it cannot well be separated. If it be dangerous to arouse it, with- out justifiable and sufficient cause, it is far more so, to trifle with, or insult it with impunity. This sentiment, or emotion, or impulse, by whatever name it may be dignified, has become a fixed and abiding principle in the hearts of our fellow-citizens ; and it was never more signally exhibited than during the progress of the Mex- ican war. Differences of opinion existed with regard REPUBLIC OF MEXICO. 19 to the necessity for the commencement of hostilities ; but when once determined on, all classes and parties aided in their vigorous prosecution. Our young men, at the plough and in the workshop — in the office and the counting-house — in tow^n and in country — had no sooner heard of battles, than they longed " to follow to the field." The recital of the brilliant deeds performed by men animated by such a spirit, will, no doubt, be welcome to the reader : but before proceeding with the narrative, the origin and causes of the war seem very appropriately to demand attention. The republic of Mexico, for such she has claimed to be, amid all the phases and changes in her political con- dition, has never possessed a firm or stable government since 1821, when she ceased to be one of the depend- encies of the Spanish crown, except during the first presidency under the federal constitution. Her pro- longed struggle for independence was not viewed with indifference in the United States. The government of the latter was the first to recognize her separate exist- ence, and her battle fields were crimsoned with the blood of many an American citizen. In the darkest hour of her fortunes, in the midst of peril and difficulty, she was cheered and encouraged by those who had encountered similar trials and dangers, and who were then basking in the sunshine of freedom, and enjoying the rich re-, ward they had labored to secure. The ties and associ- ' ations thus formed, it was hoped would become more firm and enduring, as the commercial and social inter- course between the two countries was extended. But the character and habits of the Mexican people unfitted them for the rational enjoyment of free institutions ; and they became the easy prey of the military despots, who by turns harassed and oppressed them. The descend- 20 CIVIL DISSENSIONS. ants of the Spaniard, while they have retained many of the more noble traits of their ancestors, they have acquired all the baser passions and characteristics of the different races with which they have amalgamated.* They are passionate and vindictive, treacherous and cruel, indolent and selfish ; and their bravery is an im- pulse rather than a sentiment. Thefierte of the an- cient Hidalgo, the pride of the old Castilian, are almost forgotten ; and the faith of their forefathers is corrupted by the traditions of Tlascala and Cholula. In 1822, Iturbide was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico, by the lawless and licentious soldiery whom he had rendered obedient to his wishes. His short reign was characterized by the profligacy, anarchy, and corrup- tion, which reigned everywhere triumphant. The money and property of foreign merchants were seized without warrant or justification, and the laws of nations openly and constantly disregarded. His attempt to unite the descendants of the Spaniards, and the original natives of Mexico, on terms of amity and friendship, in support of a government whose rapacity was only limited by its power of gratification, proved utterly abortive. He was dethroned and put to death by an exasperated peo- pie, in 1824, at which time the federal constitution, mod- elled after that of the United States, was adopted, and Victoria elevated to the presidency. Aside from the revolt of General Bravo, the vice-president, which was soon quelled, his term of office was comparatively tran- quil and peaceful ; yet, in several instances, the prop- * The population of Mexico is about 7,000,000. One-fifth of this num- ber are whites, of Spanish origin; two-fifths, Indians; and the re- mainder, partly negroes, but mainly composed of a mongrel population, descended from whites, Indians, and negroes, who are termed Mesti- zoes, MidattoeSj and Zanibocs. • DON ANTONIO LOl'KZ DE SANTA ANNA. SANTA ANNA. 21 erty of American citizens was illegally wrested from them by the corrupt agents of the government. Upon the expiration of Victoria's term, a bloody contest en- sued between the rival candidates for the succession. General Guerrero was the successful candidate, and his competitor, Pedrazo, was banished. Within a year the former was deprived of his power and his life. Con- fusion, disorder, and misrule, prevailed throughout the republic. Two great parties, embracing numerous minor factions, were contesting for the supremacy. The Federalistas were in favor of adhering to the con- stitution of 1824, and the Centralistas desired to estab- lish a central consolidated government. Guerrero was succeeded by the vice-president, Bustamente, a prom- inent and leading centralist. The war between the two parties was waged more fiercely than ever. Bus- tamente was finally banished, and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, one of the heroes of the revolu- tion, was raised to power by the joint efforts of the aristocracy and clergy. The constitution of 1824 was nominally preserved during all these dissensions ; but in October, 1835, it was set aside by Santa Anna, and the country divided into departments, with governors appointed by the central authorities.* The southern states, or provinces, generally concurred in the change ; but those at the north refused to accede, until they were chastised into submission by the presidential dictator, who had broken the league of federation, and established centralism in its stead. Texas alone refused to surren- der her state sovereignty, and maintained a successful * Under the federal constitution, Mexico was divided into 19 states, 4 territories, and a federal district. The provinces of Coahuila and Texas were formed into a state bearing the names of both. 22 CONSOLIDATION. resistance against the armies sent to subdue her.* This consolidated government, formed in 1835, under- went no material change, until the year 1 846, although its founder was compelled to share the power secured to the central head, in turn, with Bustamente, Herrera, and Paredes.f ' While the republic of Mexico was divided and dis- tracted by these internal tumults and disorders, the government of Spain attempted its re-subjugation. Ex- peditions and armaments were fitted out, but they only served to exhaust the treasuries of both the mother country and her former colony. The Mexican author- ities employed the most illegal measures to replenish their coffers. The position of the United States, in the immediate vicinity, and the extent of their com- merce in the Gulf, caused them to feel the efiects of the arbitrary proceedings which were resorted to, more seriously than any other nation, and rendered it im- * Yucatan followed the example of Texas, in 1840, and declared herself independent. In 1843 she was reunited to Mexico; but in 1846, she again revolted, and, assuming a position of neutrality, refused to take part in the war against the United States. •f Paredes is an avowed monarchist in principle, and after his acces- sion to power, the calling of a foreign prince to the throne was advo- cated in the columns of the " Tiempo,"a journal conducted by Lucas Ala- man, one of his confidential friends, and the author of his convocatoria, or edict, calling together the constituent Congress, promulgated on the 27th of January, 1846. The same idea was suggested by a French au- thor, (M. de Mofras,) in a work on Oregon and California, published with the approbation of the Court of France, in 1844. He advocated the establishment of a European monarchy, and thought a suitable per- son to occupy the throne might be selected from the infantas of Spain, the French princes, or the archdukes of Austria. From a statement made by Senor Olozoga in the Cortes of Spain, on the 1st of December, 1847, it appears that large sums of money were drawn from the treasury in Havana, in the year 1846, for the purpose of establishing a Spanish prince on the throne of Mexico. CLAIMS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. 23 possible to maintain that strict amity which, under other auspices, might have been forever preserved be- tween the two great repubUcs on the Western Con- tinent. Vessels sailing under the American flag were plundered ; the goods of our merchants confiscated, and the owners, or their agents, imprisoned with im- punity. The advent to power of each new usurper, was attended by renewed violations of public law and private rights. Useless and oppressive blockades were attempted to be enforced by one party against the other, though fighting beneath the same banner, and loudly professing their attachment to the same country. That the adventurous citizens of the American Union, know- ing little or nothing of civil strife and commotion in their own country, should be unable at all times to dis- tinguish between the party in power and their oppo- nents, and should sometimes disregard the regulations and enactments which appeared to them to have been unjustly and arbitrarily established, were the natural consequences of the unsettled character of the Mexican government. For a long time the authorities of the United States contented themselves with remonstrating aa;ainst these proceedings, and making reclamations in behalf of our citizens. Promises of redress were postponed or evaded, and remonstrances were followed by new acts of dep- redation, and still more wanton outrages. At length, a treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, was con- cluded between the two republics, on the 5th of April, 1831. The condition of things, however, remained unchanged. Although the provisions of the treaty were clear and positive, "the course of seizure and confiscation of the property of our citizens, the viola- tion of their persons, and the insults to our flag, pur. 24 ADDITIONAL INJURIES. sued by Mexico previous to that time, were scarcely- suspended for even a brief period."* The situation of that country^vvas, indeed, most deplorable; the accumulating burdens beneath which she struggled, threatened to blot out her national existence ; and it was thought best to exhibit towards her a spirit of for- bearance and magnanimity, in the hope that corres- ponding feelings would be produced on her part, to be followed by an amicable adjustment of all difficulties and disputes. On the contrary, additional indignities were heaped upon the officers and flag of the United States ; applications for the redress of grievances were unavailing; and in 1837, the American government was itself insulted by the Mexican minister at Wash- ington.! These circumstances constituted, in the opinion of the then Executive, a sufficient justification for immediate war ; but desirous, as he was, to avoid this alternative, and in view of the embarrassed condition of Mexico, he thought one more opportunity of aton- ing for the past should be given, before taking redress into our own hands. " To avoid all misconception," he said, " on the part of Mexico, as well as to protect our national character from reproach, this opportunity ♦ Message of President Polk, December, 1846. ■f It is but just to Mexico, to remark, that one ground of complaint on her part, and one excuse for delaying the settlement of the American claims for spoliations and personal injuries, was. the interference of our citizens in the revolutionary struggle in Texas. This, however, was but a pretence which fortunately presented itself, and should have had little weight with a nation disposed herself to be just. The authority of the general government was exerted to prevent any act of interference in contravention of existing laws or treaties; but it was impossible to place any restraint upon the right of expatriation. American citizens have always claimed and exercised this right, and numbers of the-m fought on the side of the Texans, as they had previously done in behalf of the Mexican people themselves. PBOCEJiDINGS OF CONGRESS. 25 should be given with the avowed design and full prep^ aration to take immediate satisfaction, if it should not be obtained on a repetition of the demand for it. To this end, I recommend that an act be passed author- izing reprisals, and the use of the naval force of the United States, by the Executive, against Mexico, to enforce them, in the event of a refusal by the Mexican government to come to an amicable adjustment of the matters in controversy between us, upon another de- mand thereof, made from on board of one of our vessels of war on the coast of Mexico."* The two houses of Congress coincided vi^ith the Pres- ident in the opinion, that the government of the United States would be fully justified in taking redress into her own hands ; but, in order that " the equity and moder- ation" with which she had acted " towards a sister re- public," might be placed beyond doubt or question, they advised " the experiment of another demand," to be " made in the most solemn form." The recommenda- tion was carried into effect, and a special messenger dispatched to Mexico, by whom a final demand for re- dress was made, on the 20th of July,' 1837. The reply of the Mexican government, made on the 29th of the same month, abounded in expressions of an anxious de- sire " to terminate the existing difficulties between the two governments" upon fair and honorable terms, in a speedy manner, and in accordance with " the sacred obligations imposed by international law, and the relig- ious faith of treaties." It was also stated, that the de- cision made by the Mexican government in each case, would be duly communicated to the government of the United States, through her minister at Washington. These promises and assurances answered the object * ^;^"''i3l Mpssacre of President Jackson, February, 1837. 2 26 THE JOINT COMMISSION. which Mexico appears to have had in view — that of securing further delay and postponement. The annual message of President Van Buren, in De- cember, 1837, informed Congress, that " for not one of our public complaints had satisfaction been given or offered ;" that but " one case of personal wrong" had been favorably considered, and but four cases, " out of all those formally presented, and earnestly pressed/' had been decided upon by the Mexican government. This tedious mode of proceeding, especially where the claims were so numerous, and had so long been the subjects of discussion and negotiation, was certainly unworthy of any nation. The American Executive recommended the adoption of prompt and decisive measures ; but the pecuniary embarrassments of the country, and a desire to avoid hostilities, induced Con- gress to hesitate. A new negotiation was opened with Mexico, and on the 11th of April, 1839, a joint com- mission was appointed "for the adjustment of claims of citizens of the United States of America upon the gov- ernment of the Mexican republic," whose powers were to terminate in February, 1842. The commissioners met, and organized on the 11th of August, 1840. Four months were spent in the discussion and determination of frivolous questions raised by the Mexican commis- sioners ; and it was not until the month of December following, that the board commenced the examination of the claims. The powers of the commission ceased in February, 1842, before one half, in amount, of the claims submitted to them had been disposed of. The amount of claims allowed by the board, and by the umpire authorized to make a final decision in cases of disagreement between the Mexican and American commissioners, exceeded two millions of dollars. The AMOJNT OF THE CLAIMS. 27 claims pending before the umpire, who considered that his authority exoired simultaneously with that of the joint commission, amounted to more than nine hundred thousand dollars ; and those left undecided, for want of time, amounted to near three and a half millions.* The sum acknowledged and awarded to the Ameri- can claimants by the joint commission and the umpire, was admitted by the Mexican government to be an actual liquidated debt ; and at her request, and for her convenience, its paynjent was postponed by a conven- tion concluded on the 30th of January, 1843, and en- tered into, as therein expressed, " for the accommoda- tion of Mexico." The interest due on this sum, on the 30th of April, 1839, and three of the twenty instalments provided for by the terms of the convention, were paid ; but the remaining instalments, commencing with that payable in April, 1844, were still due by Mexico on the breaking out of hostilities. The convention of Janu- ary, 1843, also made provision for another convention, for the settlement of the remaining claims ; in accord- ance with which, a third convention was signed at the city of Mexico, on the 20th of November, 1843. This convention was ratified by the Senate of the United States, in January, 1844, with two amendments, which were both just and reasonable. Although the subject was repeatedly urged upon the consideration of the Mexican government, she did not decide whether she would or would not accede to those amendments. During the pendency of these negotiations for the settlement and payment of the American claims, which were characterized on the part of Mexico, by delay, prevarication, and evasion ; and from the time when rec amations were firstmadeby our government, the re- * The amount of these claims, in the aggregate, was $0,291,604 61. 28 TEXAS lations existing between the two countries were far from be'ng of a friendly or pacific character. Had they been otherwise, it is not unlikely that the subjects of dispute which afterwards arose, and which constituted the immediate cause of war, would not have led to any iu- terrup>ion of the harmony demanded by the permanent welfare and happiness of both nations. But this pre- disposition to hostilities was heightened and strength- ened by the negotiations for the acquisition of Texas, and assumed a positive and decided form, upon its in- corporation into the American confederacy. Prior to the year 1690, the territory embraced with in the limits of the present state of Texas, formed a nominal part of the conquest of Cortes. In that year the Spaniards drove out a French colony, who had established themselves at Matagorda, and made their first permanent settlement at San Francisco. The old Spanish town of San Antonio de Bexar, the original capital of the province, was founded in 1G98 ; La Bahia, afterwards called Goliad, in 1716 ; Nacogdoches in 1732 ; and Victoria at a still later date. For many years, but little was known in regard to the soil, cli- mate, or position of the country. Its limits were not accurately defined, nor its natural history correctly understood, by the Spanish historians and geographers, while it remained under the dominion of Spain.* Humboldt's great work, " La Nouvelle Espagne," writ- ten in 1803, and published in 1807, is the most reliable authority of that day; but the boundaries laid down in his Atlas seem to have been arbitrarily adopted, as they do not follow any of those great natural landmarks which would probably have been selected, had they * Diccionario Geografico— Historico de Las Indias Occidentales 6 America : Madrid, 1789, Tom. v. p. 109. HER GEOGRAPHY. 29 been established by any legitimate authority.* The statistical information furnished by Pike, in the narra- tive of his expedition undertaken in 1807, was deemed very valuable, though it added nothing to the accuracy of the geographical knowledge of the country. The northern portion w^is inhabited by the Camanches, Apaches, Mescaleros, and other predatory tribes of Indians ; and the few white inhabitants at the south were careless and indifferent as to its cultivation, and appeared entirely ignorant of its resources and its ca- pacity for improvement. It was quite natural, there- fore, that the most erroneous ideas should hav^ been entertained with regard to its fertility and productive- ness, by the people of other countries. The skilt bor- dering on the coast was supposed to be a barren Waste, or desert prairie ; and the interior cold, sterilti, and mountainous. Later historians and travellers repre- sent the level strip lying along the Gulf, as resembling that in the other southern states, in all its principal features ; as being well adapted to the culture of sugar and cotton, and remarkably fertile in the vicinity of the numerous creeks and rivers.f North of the 32nd * Atlas Geographique et Physique, du Royaume de La Nouvelle Es- pagne. Paris, 1808. * f The country lying between the Nueces and the Rio Grande has been generally understood to be a desert prairie, and is sometimes called " the stupendous desert.'' Probably there has been some confusion in relation to the precise locality of the great desert of Muerto, lying west of the Guadalupe mountains. In a speech delivered by Mr. Sevier, of Arkansas, in the Senate of the United States, on the 4th of February 1848, the "desert" between the two rivers is stated to be, in fact, "a large fertile prairie, resembling the famous blue-grass pastures of Ken- tucky." After traversing 119 miles, near three fourths of the distance from Corpus Christi to Point Isabel, General Taylor, in his letter to the adjutant general, dated at " E! Sauce," March 18th, 1846, represents h\? command to be " in fine condition and spirits." The march was 30 LOUISIANA PURCHASE. parallel of latitude, the climate is colder, but the coun- try is rolling and fertile, or, if broken, possessing well- watered valleys, and destined eventually to be occupied for raising stock and grain.* After the cession of Louisiana to France, and its purchase by the government of the United States, in 1803, it was claimed by the latter, that the Rio Grande del Norte formed the south-western boundary of the acquired territory. This claim was never acknowl- edged by Spain ; and when Pike passed through the country, on his way from the Passo del Norte to Nacogdoches, he saw no evidence that the people deemed themselves connected in any way with the Louisiana purchase ; on the contrary, their habits, cus- toms, and feelings, were thoroughly Spanish and Mexi- can. The title to the disputed territory was repeatedly asserted by the United States ; but all the claims of the latter to the country west of the Sabine, were sun'en- dered to Spain in 1819. The acquisition of Louisiana was followed by an influx of population from the northern states. Enterprise and industry soon altered the appearance of the rich lands in the valley of the Mississippi. Their value was enhanced to such an extent, that it attracted attention in Mexico, or New Spain, as it was then called. Texas possessed the same natural advantages ; yet, although it had been settled for so many years, the population amounted to but little more than 3000 in 1820 ; they had made but few improvements, and lived in perpetual dread of the undoubtedly a tedious one, as is always to be expected in a new coun- try, but the " desert" could hardly have been as cheerless and unpleasant as has been supposed. * Pike's Narrative — Kennedy's Texas -Parnham's Observations— Folsora's Mexico in 1842. COLONIZATION OF TEXAS. 31 Indians prowling about their towns. On the 17th of January, 1821, Moses Austin, a citizen of the United States, obtained permission from the supreme gov- ernment of the eastern internal provinces of New Spain, to settle in Texas with a colony of his country- men ; and in December of the same year, his son, Stephen F. Austin, arrived on the river Brazos with the first settlers from the United States. These colonists, and those who afterwards joined them, have often been termed "speculators and adventurers;" but the same language might be applied, with nearly, if not quite as much propriety, to nine-tenths of the inhabitants of the valley of the Mississippi and its tributaries. Their energy and activity contrasted most favorably with the indolent habits and snail-like progress of the Spanish inhabitants, and in a few years changed the whole as- pect of the country. The Spanish population of Texas, it must be admit- ted, were not, at first, well disposed to the American settlers ; but the importance of strengthening them- selves against the Indian depredators on their northern frontier, and, subsequently, against the efforts of Spain to reconquer her revolted provinces, led to the adop- tion of measures designed to encourage and promote immigration from the United States, and from other countries. On the 4th of January, 1823, the Mexican Congress passed a national colonization law, which was approved by the Emperor Iturbide, and on the 18th of February following, a decree was issued au- thorizing Austin to proceed with his settlement. After the abdication and overthrow of the emperor, this de- cree was confirmed by the first executive council, in accordance with the special directions of Congress. The federal constitution of Mexico, similar to that of 32 JEALOUSY OF THE srAMARDS. the United States in all its essential features, was adopted on the 2nd of February, 1824, and on the 7th of May, the provinces of Texas and Coahuila were united into one state. This union was always unpop- ular, and was violently opposed by the Texans, though finally acquiesced in, as provision was made in the de- cree for giving a separate constitution to Texas, when- ever her population should be large enough to warrant it. A second general celonization law was passed by the Mexican Congress, in August, 1824, and in March, 1825, a similar enactment received the assent of the Legislature of Coahuila and Texas. The most flatter- ing inducements were held out to foreigners to make settlements, and a strong current of immigration was soon turned in that direction. Texas rapidly increased in population and influence. The Spanish inhabitants became jealous of the increasing prosperity of its citi- zens, and the Centralistas were particularly alarmed, lest the federal doctrines of the American Union, upon which the Mexican constitution was professedly based, would acquire a permanent foothold, and put an end to all their hopes of effecting a change in the government. This feeling was increased by the dispute that ensued in relation to the question of slavery, which had been abolished by the constitution of 1824.* Many of the American settlers had brought their slaves with them from the United States, and large numbers were im- ported from other countries. The general government endeavored to check the increase of slavery; but the * It is a singular fact, that servitude for debt, one of the most odious forms of slavery, has continued to exist in Mexico. The victims of this eystem are caWed peons, and rarely, if ever, regain their freedom. From this circumstance it may fairly be inferred, that envy and jealousy prompted, in some degree, the proceedings in relation to slavery in Texas. TEIUMPH OF CENTRALISM. 33 Texans insisted, as has always been contended by the slave states in the American Union, that it was a sub- ject wholly of municipal regulation. An attempt was made, however, to put an end to the immigration from the United States, by the passage of a law in the Mex- ican Congress, on the 6th of April, 1830, totally pro- hibiting the admission of American settlers into Texas. Military posts were established by the central govern- ment, and the civil authorities interrupted in the dis- charge of their duties under the state laws. These proceedings were regarded as being arbitrary and op- pressive in the extreme, and calculated to destroy the separate sovereignty guaranteed to Texas by the con- stitution and laws ; and the act of prohibition was openly evaded and disregarded. Centralism was temporarily estabUshed by Busta- mente in 1832, and the Texans took up arms in defence of the federal constitution. They captured the garri- sons at Velasco, Anahuac, and Nacogdoches ; but hos- tilities were soon after suspended by the defeat of the centralists, and the elevation of Santa Anna to the presidency. In the spring of 1833, the citizens of Texas held a convention at San Felipe de Austin, and adopted a constitution as a separate state, in conformity with the decree of the 7th of May, 1824. The popu- lation was now almost exclusively American, and their habits, feelings, associations, and ideas of government, were totally at variance with those of the citizens of other Mexican states ; yet they appear to have been willing to continue under the same federal head, pro- vided there was no interference with their internal af- fairs. Stephen F. Austin was commissioned by the Texan convention to present the constitution to the 2* 34 OVERTHROW OF THE CONFEDERATION. Mexican Congress, together with a petition for their admission into the Union. No attention was paid to the petition, and Austin wrote home to his friends to organize a government, notwithstanding the refusal to ratify the proceedings of the convention. His letter was intercepted, and he himself for a long time detained in confinement. The Texans were indignant ; but remonstrated in vain. While matters were in this situation, Santa Anna de- clared in favor of centralism. The northern provinces of Mexico refused to concur in the establishment of a consolidated government, until, one by one, they were forced to yield to the dictator. Zacatecas and Dur- ango stood out nobly, but they, too, were overcome by superior numbers. Having completed, as he supposed, the work of subjugation in the northern provinces, Santa Anna detached General Cos into Texas, with an armed force, to secure obedience to the central gov- ernment, to compel the observance of the act of 1830, and to secure the person of one Lorenzo de Zavala who had proposed a law in the Mexican Congress levelled against the monopoly of property by the clergy. He was also directed to deprive the people of their arms, in accordance with a decree of the general Congress made in 1834. The Mexican general dissolved the legislature of Coahuila and Texas at the point of the bayonet, and arrested all the officers of the government. One of the most sacred rights secured to the citi- zens of the United States by their constitution, is that of bearing arms ; and the act to disarm the population of Texas, in connection with the overthrow of the fed- eral government, very naturally created a desire for producing a revolution. The standard of revolt was at once raised. On the 28th of September they de- REVOLUTION IN TEXAS. 35 feated a Mexican force at Gonzales, on the Rio Guada- lupe. The fortress at Goliad was taken in October, and a few days later the city of San Antonio de Bexar, the head-quarters of General Cos, was invested. They were also successful at Conception, Sepantillan and San Patricio, and in two battles fought in the vicinity of San Antonio. On the 5th of December the city itself was stormed, by a force of 300 men, under General Milam, and after five days' severe fighting. General Cos surrendei'ed himself and 1,300 Mexicans, who were afterwards set at liberty, on their parole of honor, not to oppose in any way, thereafter, " the federal constitu- tion of 1824." The delegates of the people of Texas assembled at San Felipe on the 3rd of November, 1835, for a "gen- eral consultation," and solemnly declared that they had taken up arms in defence of the federal constitution ot 1824 ; that Santa Anna and his military chieftains had " dissolved the social compact which existed between Texas and the other members of the Mexican confed- eracy ;" and that they no longer felt themselves bound by the confederation, but would be willing to adhere to it if the provisions of the constitution were sacredly regarded. A temporary government was organized by the delegates, and a convention appointed to be held for the adoption of a constitution, on the 1st of March, 1836. The central government of Mexico was de- ' termined effectually to subdue the revolted state, and General Santa Anna took the field in person, with 8,000 troops. The cruelties practised under his directions, and in pursuance of his orders, awakened a most des- perate spirit of resistance, and on the 21st of April, 1836, he was defeated and taken prisoner by an inferior 36 CAPTURE OF SANTA ANNA. force under General Samuel Houston, upon the Danks of the San Jacinto. After his capture, the Mexican commander was per- mitted to visit the United States, though not yet abso- lutely released by the Texan authorities ; but he was subsequently allowed to return to Mexico, upon his en- tering into a convention, prescribing, among other things, the boundaries of Texas, and in which it was stated " that the President Santa Anna, in his official character as chief of the Mexican nation, and the Gen- erals Don Vincente Filisola, Don Jose Urrea, Don Jo- aquim Ramires y Sesma, and Don Antonio Gaona, as chiefs of armies, do solemnly acknowledge, sanction, and ratify, the full, entire, and perfect independence of the Republic of Texas, with such boundaries as are hereafter set forth and agreed upon for the same : and they do solemnly and respectively pledge themselves, with all their personal and official attributes, to procure, without delay, the final and complete ratification and confirmation of this agreement, and all the parts thereof, by the proper and legitimate government of Mexico, by the incorporation of the same into a solemn and perpetual treaty of amity and commerce, to be nego- tiated with that government at the city of Mexico, by ministers plenipotentiary to be deputed by the govern- ment of Texas for this high purpose." A copy of this document was forwarded to General Filisola, then at the head of 5,000 troops, the remains of the shattered" army of invasion. He concurred in its stipulations, anl was permitted, in accordance therewith, to retire with his forces west of the Rio Grande. The conven- tion also received the approbation of other Mexican officers, though never ratified by the government of ihat nation. It was expressly disallowed by the Con- BECOGNITION OF INDEPENDENCE. 37 gress of Mexico, notwithstanding it was concluded by a chief magistrate exercising dictatorial power, and preparations were made, on several future occasions, for the re-invasion and subjugation of Texas. The troops of the Mexican republic entered her territories under Urrea in 1837, and under Woll in 1842, but were soon compelled to retire. The distracted state of the country prevented any further attempts to recover the province. The Texan convention assembled on the 1st of March, 1836, and on the following day made a formal and absolute declaration of independence. A constitution was also adopted, and submitted tx) the people for their ratification. The government thereby organized went into operation,. and continued to exer- cise its powers until the year 1845. The government of the United States promptly recognized the independ- ence achieved at San Jacinto, and her example was imitated by all the other great powers of the world.* The citizens of Texas, having acquired that in- dependent position for which they had contended, nat- urally turned their eyes to the land of their nativity, around whose constitution and laws there clustered a thousand cheering and animating recollections. The S3'mpathies of a common origin, and a common tongue, were not obliterated. Their hearts yearned towards the homes of their brethren, and the burial-places of their fathers. They longed to return again to the fold which they had left, to be sheltered beneath " the flag of the stars," and enjoy the privileges and the institutions in which they claimed an interest, as the legacy of the same ancestry. The question of annexing the young republic to the United States was referred to the peo- • The reader is referred to Kennedy's Texas for a detailed account of the Revolution in Texas. 38 PROPOSITION OF ANNEXATION. pie by the convention of 1836, and there was an al- most united vote in favor of the measure. In compli- ance therewith, a proposition to that effect was made by the Texan minister, on the 4th of August, 1837, which was declined by President Van Buren, upon the follow- ing grounds : that the acknowledgment of the independ- ence of Texas admitted her separate existence as a gov- ernment de facto, but not de jure ; that while a state of war continued between her and Mexico, and the United States remained at peace with the latter, the question of war with her adversary was necessarily involved ; and that the conditions of the existing treaty of amity and commerce should be scrupulously observed, so long as Mexico performed her duties, and respected the rights of the United States.* On the 14th of June, 1838, a resolution declaring that it was desirable to re-annex Texas, whenever it could be done with her consent, and consistent with the treaties, stipulations, and faith of the United States, was laid on the table in the Senate, by a vote of twenty- four to fourteen.! The subject was again agitated in the summer and fall of 1842, and instructions were giv^en to her minister, by the government of Texas, for the renewal of negotiations. No corresponding action was taken by the American Executive, and the instructions were withdrawn in August, 1843. Meanwhile, through the interposition of Great Britain, hostilities had been suspended by an armistice between Mexico and Texas, * Senate Doe. 341, (pp. 103, et seq.) 1st session, 28th Congress. — At- tempts were made to purchase Texas from Mexico, during the adminis- trations of John Quincy Adams, and General Jackson. Spain was then, ostensibly, at war with Mexico ; but it is supposed that measures would have been taken to secure her consent, although her rights at that time were merely nominal. •f Senate Journal: 1st session, 25th Congress. THE SLAVERY aUESTION. 39 for the purpose of treating on terms of peace. Santa Anna insisted on regarding the latter as " a depart- ment of Mexico," which character had been appUed to all the Mexican states, on the abrogation of the federal constitution ; but the President of Texas refused to surrender, in any manner, her claims to be considered as a sovereign state under the confederacy, and the negotiations terminated in no satisfactory result. 'A discussion took place in the British House of Lords, on the 18th day of August, 1843, between Lord Brougham and Lord Aberdeen, (Her Majesty's Prin- cipal Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs,) in rela- tion to the subject of Texas and Texan slavery, which occasioned considerable agitation and alarm in the United States. It was insisted that there was a de- sign on foot to abolish that institution in Texas ;* and that, if ca ried into effect, the property invested in slaves, in the southern states, would be rendered so insecure, that it must rapidly depreciate in value. In- structions were given to the American Minister in London, to call the attention of Lord Aberdeen to the subject, which was accordingly done. It appeared that the government of Great Britain had recommended to Mexico the acknowledgment of the independence of Texas, connected with the subject of the abolition of slavery ; but, as the former had given no encourage- ment to the suggestion, nothing had been done.f Lord Aberdeen also transmitted a dispatch to the British Minister at Washington, at a later date, but not until after it was known, or understood, in England, that the project of annexation had been again revived, which * By the provisions of the present Constitution of Texas slavery can- not be abolished, •f Letter of Mr. Everett to Mr. Upshur, November 16th, 1843. 40 FOREIGN POLICY OF ENGLAND. was communicated to the Secretary of State of the United States, and in which it was denied that the British government had sought, in any manner, to es- tabhsh a dominant influence in Texas, or to disturb the tranquillity of the slave-holding states. The desire of Great Britain to promote the abolition of slavery in Texas, was admitted by her secretary, but he declared that she would not " seek to compel, or unduly con- trol," either her, or Mexico.* Much of the alarm manifested on this subject may have been unfounded, and t!ie facts do not warrant the conclusion, that the government of Great Britain in- tended to interfere directly in the matter. Still, it was for her interest to destroy the competition between the slave labor of the southern states, and the free labor of her West Indian colonies ; the Oregon question threatened to disturb her peaceful relations with the United States, and several of her leading journals called the public attention to the importance of Texas as a cotton growing state, and predicted her future in- dependence of the American Union, if she could secure the monopoly of that product in another quarter; and besides, the foreign policy of England has not always been of the most frank and open character. The pro- tection of an association of merchants in the East Indies, of a fur company in North America, and of the opium trade in China, furnished excuses for the exten- sion of her power and authority in those quarters of the globe ; and the philanthropic motives which she avowed, might have served a similar purpose in regard to Texas. Private individuals could have acquired interests in that country, which England would have ♦ Senate Doc. 341, (p 48), 1st session, 28tli Congress. ANNEXATION OF TEXAS. 41 felt bound to protect, whenevei- the disputes and difTer- ences which would naturally have been engendered between the citizens of the slave states, and the inhab- itants of a free state on their borders, had placed them in jeopardy. These considerations may be wholly in- ferential ; yet they deserve to be regarded as of some weight, and especially so, because the security of the institution of slavery in the southern states, and the prevention of foreign interference with the republics of America, in connection with the advantages of the acquisition, in a commercial point of view, were the controlling reasons for the annexation of Texas.* In the meantime, a formal proposition for tlie conclu- sion of a treaty of annexation was made to the repub- lic of Texas, by Mr. Upshur, the American Secretary of State, under the direction of President Tyler, which was accepted. Commissioners were appointed, and a treaty concluded, at Washington, on the 12lh day of April, 1844. The treaty was submitted to the Senate of the United States, but was rejected by that body on the 8lh of June, after a long and animated discussion. At the ensuing session of Congress, the subject was again brought forward, and joint resolutions, providing for the annexation, were adopted on the 1st day of March, 1845. The people of Texas, represented in convention, signified their assent to the terms of the resolutions on the 4th of July, and adopted a state con- stitution. This was confirmed by the American Con- gress, and Texas finally aflmittcd into the Union as a state, on the 29th day of December, 1845. The proceedings of the government of the United States in relation to Texas, did not pass without notice * See diplomatic correspondence, Senate Doc. 341, 1st session, 28t.h Congress. 42 PROTEST OF MEXICO. on the part of Mexico. On the 23rd of August, 1843, Mr. de Bocanegra, the Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations, officially informed Mr. Waddy Thompson, the American Minister in Mexico, that " the Mexican government [would] consider equivalent to a declara- tion of war against the Mexican Republic, the passage of an act for the incorporation of Texas with the terri- tory of the United States ; the certainty of the fact being sufficient for the immediate proclamation of war, leaving to the civilized world to determine with regard to the justice of the cause of the Mexican nation, in a struggle which it [had] been so far from provoking." The tone of a portion of the note of Mr. de Bocane- gra was harsh and dictatorial, and received a sharp re- proof from Mr. Thompson. A second note was writ- ten by the former, in September, which was more sub- dued in its character, and assured the American Envoy, that Mexico did not threaten, still less provoke or ex- cite ; but that she would " regard the annexation of Texas to the United States as a hostile act."* The same Mexican official, however, addressed a circular letter to the European ministers resident in Mexico, on the 31st of May, 1844, in which he pronounced the treaty of annexation, absolutely, " a declaration of war between the two nations." The Mexican Minister at Washington, General Al- monte, wrote a note to Mr. Upshur, on the 3rd of No- vember, 1843, protesting, in the name of his govern- ment, against the annexation, and declaring that, "on sanction been given by the Executive of the Union to the incorporation of Texas into the United States, he [would] consider his mission ended, seeing that, as the Secretary of State [would] have learned, the Mexican • Senate Doc. 311, (pp. 89 et seq.), 1st session, 23th Congress, DIPLOMATIC INTERCOURSE SUSPENDED. 43 government [was] resolved to declare war so soon as it [received] information of such an act."* Santa Anna, then President of Mexico, made a similar announce- ment on the 12th of June, 1814, and expressed the de- termination of Mexico to re-conquer Texas. This an- nouncement was followed by a requisition for thirty- thousand men, and four millions of dollars, to carry on the war. Generals Canalizo and Woll were ordered to the north with an armed force, but accomplished nothing in the way of subjugation. On the 6th of March, 1845, General Almonte protested against the resolutions of annexation, and demanded his pass- ports, which were granted ; and on the 2nd of April, the American Minister in Mexico was refused all inter- course with that government, upon the ground, as stated by the Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations, that the government of Mexico could " not continue diplomatic relations with the United States, upon the presumption that such relations [were] reconcilable with the law" of annexation. President Herrera issued a proclamation on the 4th of June, 1845, declaring that the annexation in nowise destroyed the I'ights of Mex- ico, and that she would maintain them by force of arms. Two decrees of the Mexican Congress were affixed to this proclamation, providing for calling out all the armed forces of the nation.f * Senate Doc. 341, (p. 94), 1st session, 28th Congress. •f Apprehensions of a war growing out of the annexation seem to have been early entertained by President Tyler and his cabinet. On the 15th day of April, 1844, three days after the treaty was signed, con- fidential instructions were issued to Commodore David Conner, then in command of the Home Squadron, to concentrate his force in the Gulf, and show himself occasionally before Vera Cruz. He was also in- structed, if any armed force threatened the invasion of Texas, pending the ratification of the treaty, to remonstrate with the commanding officer, 44 POSITION OF THB UNITED STATES. Under these circumstances the diplomatic intercourse between the two republics was interrupted, and a quasi state of war existed from the spring* of 1845, until the commencement of actual hostilities. The acknowledgment of the independence of Texas, admitted merely the fact of her separate existence as a nation ; but in annexing her territory, the American government went one step further. It was assumed that she was independent of right, and, therefore, ca- pable of treating, and being treated with, like all other powers. In October, 1843, Mr. Thompson, the minis- ter in Mexico, was instructed by Mr. Upshur, to inform that government, that the United States regarded Texas as an independent and sovereign power, and that, as she had " shaken off the authority of Mexico, and suc- cessfully resisted her power for eight years," they would " not feel themselves under any obligation to respect her former relation with that country."* The hostile demonstrations made by Mexico, for nine years after the battle of San Jacinto, were confined, with two excep- tions — when Urrea and Woll crossed the Rio Grande but were forced to retire — to the clandestine forays of rancherosf and Indians. Distracted by her intestine and assure him, that the execution of such a hostile purpose, in the event of the ratification, would lead to actual hostilities. Similar or- ders were issued on the 27th of April to Brevet Brigadier General Zach- ary Taylor, of the 1st Infantry, then in command of the first military department, and stationed at Fort Jesup, Louisiana, to which post he had been transferred but a few days previous. The force under his command was largely increased, and he was instructed to communicate, amfidentiaUy, with the President of Texas. — Senate Doc. 341, (p. 76), 1st session, 2Sth Congress. * Senate Doc. 341, (p. 94), 1st session, 28th Congress. ■f The ranckeros of Mexico were originally herdsmen, like the gunchos on the pampas of Buenos Ayres. They are small of stature, but wiry and muscular. Tiieir usual costume is quite picturesque; consisting EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE. 45 divisions, Mexico lacked the means to recover the country, though her intention to do so was repeatedly declared. The predatory warfare* waged on her part, only served to demonstrate her utter inability to subdue the province, and an indirect admission to this effect was made by the offer in March, 1845, to acknowledge her independence, upon the condition that she would not annex herself, or become subject to any other country. Texas, on the contrary, had shown that she was able to resist every effort upon the land, and her vessels of war had spread terror and alarm in the Mexican ports on the Gulf. Adopting- the principle, then, that Texas was actually and rightfully independent, a treaty was concluded under the administration of President Tyler, without consulting the feelings or wishes of the Mexican gov- ernment. But a state of war nominally existed be- tween the two countries, and the relations of one party, in the event of the ratification of the treaty, were to be assumed by the United States. The latter was desirous of negotiating for the settlement of all questions in dif- ference, for the entire cessation of hostilities, and the of loose trowsers, green jackets slashed with yellow, broad-leafed hats, boots of untanned leatlier, and heavy spurs with long rowels. Most of their time is spent on horseback, and they throw the lasso with such dexterity as to catch wild horses or cattle, or even to drag a horseman from the saddle. During the war they acted as inegular cavalry, and in addition to their ordinary weapons, the lasso and hunting knife, were armed with long curved sabres and lances. They diil not, however, prove a very formidable body. Their covsrardice was so great, that they never ventured to attack anything like an equal force, and the wild shout of a " Texan Ranger" would scatter them like the leaves in a whirlwind. • Mr. Webster, as Secretary of State, in 1842, instructed the Ameri- can Minister in Mexico to call the attention of that government to the ■manner in wh ch the war against Texas was prosecuted, as being to- tally opposed to the usages of civilized nation*. 46 REFUSAL OF THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT. establishment of a boundary line, which was necessarily left undetermined during the existence of the war. Immediately after the conclusion of the treaty, the American Charge d'Affaires, by the direction of Mr. Calhoun, who had succeeded Mr. Upshur as Secretary of State, assured the Mexican government, that it was the desire of the President of the United States to settle all questions between the two countries, that might grow out of the treaty, " or any other cause, on the most liberal and satisfactory terms, including that of boundary ;" and that the boundary of Texas had been purposely left without specification in the treaty, so that it might be " an open question, to be fairly and fully discussed and settled, according to the rights of each, and the mutual interest and security of the two coun- tries,"* Shortly after this, an Envoy, (Mr. Shannon,) was sent to Mexico, with full and adequate powers to enter upon the negotiation. He, also, was instructed by Mr. Calhoun, on the 10th of September, 1844, " to re- new the declaration made to the Mexican Secretary by our Charge d'affaires, in announcing the conclusion of the treaty, that the measure was adopted in no spirit of hostility to Mexico, and that, if annexation should be consummated, the United States [would] be pre- pared to adjust all questions growing out of it, including that of boundary, on the most liberal terms."f Assur- ances of the same purport were made to General Al- monte, after the passage of the joint resolutions, by Mr. Buchanan, on the 10th of May, 1845. But Mexico, unmindful of the leniency which had so long been • Letter of Mr. Calhoun to Mr. Green— Senate Doc. 341, (p. 53), let session, 28th Congress. ■j- Public Documents accompanying President's Message, 2nd session, 28th Congress. THE BOUNDARIES OF TEXAS. 47 exhibited towards her, and forgetting what courtesy, in view of this fact, appeared to require at her hands, would listen to no terms — would hear no propositions. All intercourse was suspended, and no other course re- mained for the government of the United States to pursue, but that of asserting her title to the territory acquired, by an armed occupation. The boundary was left " an open question," as stated by Mr. Calhoun, in the treaty of 1844, and the joint resolutions of annexa- tion asserted no claim to any territory except that " rightfully belonging" to Texas. Mexico chose not to enter into any negotiations on the subject of the boun- dary, and it was therefore necessary for the United States to decide for themselves, and to act upon that decision, until the matter was settled by negotiation. The political limits of Texas Proper, previous to the revolution, " were the Nueces river on the west ; along the Red River on the north ; the Sabine on the east ; and the Gulf of Mexico on the south."* The dis- solution of the Mexican confederacy, and her separa- tion from the other states composing the federal asso- ciation, gave her no greater extent of territory than what she already possessed ; and her title to all acces- sions made subsequent to the revolution, must rest upon conquest and occupation, or the assent, express or im- plied, of the Mexican government.! The advantage's of the Rio Grande as a great natural military obstacle, * Letter of H. M. Morfit, special agent sent by President Jackson to Texas. — House of Rep., Doc. 35, 2nd session, 24th Congress. •f The claim of the government of the United States, uniformly as- serted from 1803 to 1819, that Texas extended to the Rio Grande, is eoraetimes referred to in support of the title to that river. But it seems to deserve little consideration as an argument. The boundaries of Texas were fixed, vs'ith her consent and approbation, by the constitution of 1824, and we cannot well go back of that arrangement 48 LAW OF CONGRESS. were so apparent to the Texan officers in 1836, that in the convention entered into with Santa Anna,* it was agreed that that river, from its mouth to its source, should constitute the south-western boundary of the country. But this agreement, or convention, was never officially confirmed by the Mexican government. He had, previous to his capture, exercised dictatorial pow- ers, and good faith might have required Mexico to ratify his acts, though she preferred to disavow them. Texas, however, decided to adhere to the Rio Grande as the boundary, and on the 19th of December 1836, an act was passed by her Congress, establishing that river, from its mouth up its principal stream to its source, as such boun- dary. From the source of the river, the line on the north and east was declared to be " as defined between the Uni- ted States and Spain." In compliance with a call of the Senate, pending the discussion on the treaty of 1844, President Tyler sent in a map of the country proposed to be ceded, upon which the boundaries, as above de- scribed, were marked in red lines.f The act of the Texan Congress was unrepealed, at the time of her final admission in 1845 ; the new constitution adopted, im- paired its validity in no respect, as it expressly provided for continuing all prior enactments in full force ; and on the 31st day of December, two days after she was admit- ted as a state, the Congress of the United States passed a law establishing " a collection district in the State of Texas," and Corpus Christi, west of the Nueces, was made a port of delivery, for which a surveyor was afterwards appointed. At the opening of the session, President Polk had informed Congress that the army had been " ordered to take a position in the country * See page 36. t Senate Doc. 341, let session, 28th Congress. NEW MEXICO. 49 between the Nueces and the Del Norte, [Rio Grande],' and to repel any invasion of the Texan territory which might be attempted by the Mexican forces." No mea- sures were taken to recall any portion of the troops at this session, and at the following one a law was passed, establishing post-offices upon, and post-roads extending to the Rio Grande. These facts show, therefore, that the claim originally made by Texas to the left bank of the river, was adopted and asserted by the government of the United States, from the inception of the project of annexation, until and after the commencement of the war, with the following qualifications : — A willingness to negotiate upon the question of boundary was evinced by the terms of the joint resolutions, which provided for the annexation, subject to the adjustment, by the Uni- ted States, "of all questions of boundary that [might] arise with other governments ;" and, secondly, the claim to any territory east of the Rio Grande, and north of the ancient limits of Texas, was tacitly, if not expressly waived. The boundary claimed by Texas embraced a consider- able portion of the province of New Mexico, lying east of the Rio Grande, and containing a number of towns and a large population. This province was first visited by the Spaniards, under Vasquez Coronado, in 1540, who occu- pied the country until 1542, when they voluntarily evac- uated it. They revisited it again in 1583, and made some temporary settlements. The final subjugation of the country was effected by them, under their leader Onate, in 1595; twelve years before any permanent settlement had been made in North America, except by the Spaniards themselves, and long previous to Fa- ther Hennepin's voyage down the Mississippi. The Indians drove the Spaniards away in 1680, but they 3 50 CLAIM TO THE LOWER RIO GRANDE. returned in 1681, and after a long struggle succeeded in establishing their authority on a firm foundation. The French government did not claim any part of New Mexico, and the royal charter declared that province to be the western boundary of Louisiana. Texas never occupied tiie country, nor exercised any acts of sover- eignty there, and her claim could only have been found- ed upon the convention made with Santa Anna, which was hardly sufficient to support it. The government of the United States appears to have taken this view^ of the question. The same Congress that adopted the joint resolutions, passed a law allowing a drawback on for- eign merchandise re-exported in the original packages to " Santa Fe, in New Mexico," one of the towns situ- ated east of the Rio Grande, and the capital of the province. The instructions given to General Kearny, and the proceedings of that officer, are conclusive evi- dence that this portion of New Mexico was not re- garded as forming a part of Texas. She was treated as a conquered province, and President Polk in his an- nual message, in December, 1846, referred to Santa Fe as a captured town.* The claim of Texas, and subsequently of the United States, to the country lying between the Nueces and the * There is one fact, which deserves to be noticed in this connec- tion. The joint resolutions of annexation contained a proviso relat- ing to all that portion of the territory lying above the parallel of 3G^ 30' north latitude ; Texas proper did not extend above that parallel ; and hence it is urged, that Congress intended to claim the whole country east of the Rio Grande. Perhaps a majority of those who voted for the proviso had not examined the question with reference to that fact, and the line was intended rather to apply to the territory, if it should be obtained by negotiation, than to confirm a claim which had never been supported by possession or occupation. It may be doubted, whether Texas herself designed to insist upon her title to any part of New Mexico, in a negotiation for peace. It was the lower Rio Grande, from the ASSERTION OF TITLE. 51 lower Rio Grande, appears to have been much better founded. The intention to insist upon that river as the boundary, was asserted in the convention with Santa Anna, which, if it had no other effect, operated as notice to Mexico of the extent of the claim. After it became known that Mexico would not ratify the convention, and that Urrea was preparing to invade Texas, General Rusk, then at the head of the Texan army, ordered General Felix Huston to take position, with a detach- ment, at Corpus Christi ; and the latter sent his scouting parties to the Rio Grande. At that time there were no permanent settlements on the left bank of the river, with the exception of a few ranches opposite Mier, Ca- margo, Reinosa, and Matamoras, the occupants of which had been engaged in herding and smuggling, but took refuge on the west side of the Rio Grande, upon the approach of Huston's troops. The great majority of the inhabitants retired to the rear of Rusk's army, in compliance with his orders. Urrea crossed the river but once, and soon returned. Although he had 10,000 men at Matamoras, General Huston held in subjection the whole country to the Rio Grande, and his advanced corps traversed it at pleasure. In December, 1836, when the law prescribing the boundaries of Texas was passed, she was in possession of the disputed terri- tory, and her civil and political jurisdiction was ex- tended over it. Custom-houses, post-ofRces and post- roads, and election precincts, were established west of the Nueces. The county of San Patricio was laid out reaching to the Rio Grande. The public lands between Pass to the Gulf, which she desired to have as a boundary; and Judge ElHs, the President of the Texan Convention of 1836, and a member of the Congress of 183G-7, has said, that the chiim covered a large ex- tent of territor}', in order that there might he room to yield, if necessary. 52 EXTENSION OF JURISDICTION. the two rivers were surveyed and sold, and all the evi- dences of grants and transfers of land, subsequent to the revolution of 1834, were entered among the records of Texas. Persons holding colony contracts made by the department of Tamaulipas, which was bounded on the east by the Nueces, prior to the revolution, voted at Corpus Christi under the laws of Texas.* Members of the Texan Congress were elected, who resided on the right bank of the Nueces, several years previous to the annexation ; and that part of Texas was also repre- sented in the Congress and the Convention by which the joint resolutions of 1845 were accepted. The col- lectoral district of Aransas was established by the first Congress, and extended from the mouth of the San An- tonio to the Rio Grande. Boats were repeatedly sent out by the collector to watch the coast, and reconnoitre the Laguna Madre, and the Brazos. In the fall of 1838, when their ports were blockaded by the French fleet, the Mexicans landed a cargo of flour at a place about ten miles west of the present town of Corpus Christi, now called " Flour Bluffs" from this circum- stance, for the purpose of secretly conveying it across the country. The flour was destroyed, and the vessel seized under the orders of the collector of the district, for violating the revenue laws of Texas. In the spring of 1837, the Mexican rancheros again ventured across the Rio Grande to herd their cattle ; but they were immediately attacked by the Texan " cow-boys," as they were termed, and compelled to cross over to the right bank. Repeated efforts were made by the rancheros to establish themselves perma- * The place of voting was near the Nueces, and upwards of 150 miles from the Rio Grande ; but a similar state of things has frequently existed in the western part of the United States. MILITARY ORGANIZATION AT LAREDO. 53 nently, but the "cow-boys," though not acting under any positive orders of the Texan government, resisted every attempt, and during the desultory contests which took place, from 1837 to 1842, drove off nearly 80,000 head of cattle. The Mexican authorities uniformly discountenanced the establishment of any permanent settlements north of the river, and the civil jurisdic- tion of the department of Tamaulipas was exerted but rarely, if at all, in that part of its ancient dominions. After the defeat of the federalistas, who revolted against the central government of Mexico in 1839, Generals Anaya and Canales, two of their leaders, crossed over the Rio Grande for protection. The latter united his forces with those of Captain Ross, of the Texan rangers, and a number of " cow-boys." They then crossed the river, and drove the Mexican army into Matamoras. Canales took shelter in Texas again, in 1840, when he was joined by Colonel Jordan, with near two hundred "cow-boys." They crossed the Rio Grande a second time, and penetrated as far into the country as Sal- tillo, where Canales betrayed his allies, who succeeded, however, in fighting their way back to the river. Af- ter the invasion and defeat of Woll in 1842, the Texan army drove him across the Rio Grande and took pos- session of Laredo. At this point there had been a military organization, previous to the revolution in Texas, which was in existence when the army of the United States marched to the Rio Grande. On ac- count of their liability to be attacked by the Indians in their vicinity, the inhabitants of Laredo were excepted from the operation of the act disarming the citizens of Coahuila and Texas ; but they claimed to belong to the latter whenever they were visited by Hays and McCul- loch's rangers, who frequently crossed over the conn- 54 SETTLEMEXT AT POINT ISABEL. try from San Antonio, to that and other points on the river ; and Canales called them Texans, in one of his proclamations in 1846. They were, no doubt, of Mex- ican extraction ; but, although the authority exercised over them by Texas was somewhat questionable, still it was more decided than that of Mexico. Besides the settlement at Laredo, there were a few straggling huts at Point Isabel, near the Brazos Santiago, occupied by Mexican fishermen and smugglers. During the diffi- culty with France, and the war with Texas, the goods imported by the merchants at Matamoras were often landed at the Brazos, in order to escape the notice of the enemy's vessels lying off the mouth of the Rio Grande. An agent of the custom-house at Matamo- ras was sent down to the Point, to collect the duties before the goods were taken over the river; and a revenue officer was continued there until the approach of General Taylor with his army, whose main duty it was to prevent the smuggling constantly kept up, on account of the neglect of Mexico to occupy the coun- try. Had she supposed her title to be good, is it not likely that she would have taken more effectual meas- ures to protect her revenue than she actually did ?* The legal enactments of the Texas Cono;ress in re- lation to the boundary, could certainly give her no title to the disputed territoiy, except as they were supported by the military and civil authority which she exercised. She did not fortify the whole left bank of the Rio ' Grande, nor establish military posts at every prominent point on the Gulf; but her ability to drive the Mexi- cans from the territory, at pleasure, was demonstrated, and if private individuals returned there and estab- * The regular custom-house at the mouth of the Rio Grande was on the right bank of the river, near the Gi'lf. AUTHORITY EXERCISED BY TEXAS. 55 lished themselves, it would seem to have been done merely by her sufferance. The authority exercised by Texas, in the valley of the Nueces, and upon its west- ern bank, including the settlement at Corpus Christi, was undoubted and undeniable. In the other part of the territory in dispute, there could not have been one hundred persons as late as 1844, and it cannot be said with justice, that the Mexicans then had any " actual possession or fixed habitation east of the Rio del Norte," between the Gulf of Mexico and " the mountainous barriers at the Pass,"* with the exception of what they might claim at Laredo and Brazos Santiago. Mr. Donelson, the American Charge d' Affaires, called the attention of the government of the United States, and of General Taylor, to the existence of these settle- ments, or posts, in the spring of 1845.t The latter was expressly instructed, when he entered the terri- tory, not to interfere with the establishments made' by Mexico, and to respect the rights and property of pri- vate citizens ; and it is unnecessary to say, that his orders were faithfully observed. But, in addition to these facts, Mexico herself, through her agents and officers, tacitly admitted the claim of Texas to the lower Rio Grande, on several occasions ; although, as a general thing, she made no distinction in regard to any part of the country between that river and the Sabine. Her claim extended to the whole of Texas, and the comparatively unimportant question of boundary was merged in the greater one of title. Al- ways insisting upon her right to every part and parcel * Memoir of Lieut. Emory: Senate Doc. 311, (p. 5G), 1st session, 28th Congress. t Letters to Mr. Buchanan, June 30, and July 11 j— to General Tay- lor, June 2Sth, and July 7. 56 ADMISSIONS OF MEXICO. of Texas, whenever, subsequent to the battle of San Jacinto, she adopted, either voluntarily or by compul- sion, a limit to the territory, all of which she regarded as having been forcibly and unjustly wrested from her, that limit was the Rio Grande. The southern and western bank of the river formed the outer limit of her military posts and fortifications. When her armies crossed it in force, the preparations made, the disposi- tions for tlie march, and the orders of the officers, showed that the movement was considered one of in- vasion ; and when compelled to retreat, they retired be- hind it as to a place of refuge. An armistice was en- tered into in 1813, in which it was stipulated that the Mexicans should confine themselves to the right bank of the river, and that the Texans should remain on the left bank. Tornel, the minister of war, in his letter dated July 7th, instructed General Woll, the com- mander-in-chief of the army of the noi'th, that hostili- ties against Texas were " to be immediately suspended at all points of the line under [his] command," and that he must withdraw to it his advanced parties.* The line commanded by General Woll was the Rio Grande ; and in his proclamation declaring the armistice at an end, he gave notice that every individual found one league from the river, on the east, would be looked upon as favoring " the usurpers of that territory," and be brought to trial before a court-martial, to be severely punished, if found guilty. Here, it seems, the Mexican general treated the question as one of usurpation, and admitted that the territory usurped extended to the Rio Grande. Canalcs, also, issued a pronunciamenlo against the government of Paredes, at Camargo, in February 1846, in which he described himself as being » Senate Doc. oil, (p. 84), 1st session, 2gth Congress. AMERICAN ADVANCE UNOPPOSED. 57 "on the northern frontier."'* It is very questionahle \vhether ho would have used this expression, if, in his opinion, the actual frontier was the Nueces, from 150 to 200 inilcs further north. The intention of General Taylor to advance to the Rio Grande was known long before his army commenced its march ; reconnaissances of the dilTerent routes by land and water, of Padre Lland, the Laguna Madre, and the Brazos, were made early in February, 1846; and the fact that a forward movement was in contemplation, had been commu- nicated by the Mexican officers on the frontier to their government. Notwithstanding this, no preparations were made to resist the approach of the American gen- eral, and he was induced, from the entire absence of such preparations, to believe that he would encounter no opposition. f The situation of the country afforded numerous opportunities for harassing the American troops on their march, and the passage of the Arroyo Colorado, if disputed, would have been attended with great loss. " This stream," says General Taylor, '■' is a salt river, or rather lagoon, nearly one hundred yards broad, and so deep as barely to be fordable. It would have formed a serious obstruction to our march, had the enemy chosen to occupy its right bank, even with a small force. "J The IMexican I^Iinister, Pena y Peiia, in his confiden- tial interview with Mr. Black, and in his note to that gentleman, insisted on the withdrawal of the American naval fores off Vera Cruz, previous to the reception of * House of Rap. Executive Doc. 19G, (p. lOG), 1st session, 29di Con- gress. t Letters to the Adjutant General, October 8th, 1815, and Fcbraaiy 4th and 16th, 1846. :|: Letter to the Adjutant General, March 31, 184G. 58 OCCUPATION NOT COMPLAINED OF. a minister, in order that his government might not even appear to act under an implied menace. General Taylor was then known to be at Corpus Christi, and in the actual occupancy of territory lying west of the Nueces ; but this was not made the subject of com- plaint, nor even thought worthy of mention. At no time did the government of Herrera pretend that the occupation of the disputed territory was one of the rea- sons for refusing to receive Mr. Slidell : neither did Castillo y Lanzas, the minister of Paredes, in his note communicating the final determination of the Mexican government, allege that the occupation, or the contem- plated advance to the Rio Grande, was the cause of the refusal.* Paredes once issued orders to attack the American army early in March, when the intentions of General Taylor were unknown ; and near the close of the month, when it was understood in Mexico, that he designed to advance, he issued a manifesto, declaring that the Mexican government would itself commit no act of aggression ; thus acknowledging that the United States had committed no new act of that character, otherwise it would certainly have been mentioned. Mexico undoubtedly considered every movement for the establishment of the authoi'ity of the United States as an act of hostility ; and in his procla- mation of the 23rd of April 184G, declaring that the war had been commenced, Paredes referred to the oc- cupation of Corpus Christi, the appearance of the naval squadrons in the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, the advance to the Rio Grande, and the blockade of the river, each and all, as so many aggravations of the orig- mal cause of ofience — the annexation of Texas. That * See Diplomatic Correspondence, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 196, st session, 29th Congresl EXCEPTIONS. 59 act was the principal grievance, and the others but so many incidents. This idea also appears to have been entertained by the Mexican commissioners, Herrera, Conto, Villamil, and Atristain, who stated expressly, in their letter to Mr. Trist, on the 6th of September, 1847, that the war was " undertaken solely on account of the territory of the State of Texas."* Opposed to these admissions, direct or implied, of the Mexican authorities, are the proclamations and dis- patches issued by Mejia, Ampudia, and Arista, on the approach of General Taylor. All three of these gene- erals declared that the advance of his army Vv'as a hos- tile movement ; yet they appeared to differ with respect to the proper point to which the invading forces, as they were called, should be allowed to extend their occupation. Mejia announced, through his represen- tative, that the passage of the Arroyo Colorado would be regarded as an act of war ; Ampudia desired Gene- ral Taylor to retire beyond the Nueces ; and Arista insisted, that the law annexing Texas gave no right to occupy the Rio del Norte, without attempting to con- fine the American army to any precise limits. f The prefect of the northern district of Tamaullpas, Jenes Cardenas, also issued his protest, dated at Santa Rita, on the 23rd of March, against the occupation of any portion of the department ; but it must be remembered that the head-quarters of his prefecture were at Mata- moras, and it is doubtful whether he t ver exercised au- thority north of the Rio Grand t. Besides, General Taylor very properly regarded him as a mere tool of * Senate Exec. Doc. 20, (p. 9), 1st session, 30th Congress. t See Mejia's proclamation, dated March I8th, 1846; General Tay- lor's letter, March 21st; Ampudia's dispatch, April 12th; and Arista's proclamation to the foreigners in the American army, April 20. 60 PREPARATIONS FOR INVADING TEXAS. the military authorities in Matamoras, and after the capture of that city, he proved himself to be as corrupt as he was pusillanimous.* The diplomatic relations between the United States and Mexico having been interrupted by the act of the latter, it was thought advisable to prepare for the prompt assertion of the claim of Texas to the left bank of the Rio Grande, as the only remaining alternative. Immediately on the issuing of the proclamation of the President of Texas, in April 1845, calling a convention, and an extra session of Congress, to take into considera- tion the joint resolutions of annexation, it was officially announced by the government of Mexico that prepara- tions for an invasion would be forthwith made.f Upon the receipt of this information, confidential instructions were issued fi'om the War Office of the United States, to General Taylor,' then in command of the forces at Fort Jesup4 to put himself in communication, at once, with the authorities of Texas, and the diplomatic agents of 'the United States in that republic, and, after he should be advised that her convention had acceded to the terms of annexation, to employ his command in defend- ing her territories against foreign invasion, and Indian incursions. He was also instructed to regard the west- * In his interview with Colonel Twiggs, after the surrender of Mata- moras, the prefect entirely lost sight of his fellow citizens, for whom he had previously shown so much solicitude. Instead of looking to their comfort and well-being his first and last request was, that he might be allowed to retain his o fice. t Herrerawas then at tht head of affairs, he having overthrown Santa Anna in the fall of 1844. :j: General Taylor was instructed soon after the passage of the joint resolutions, viz: on the 21st of JMarch, 1845, to hold his troops in readi- ness to move into Texas. After the orders issued to him in the spring of 1844, and previou.s to his entering Texas, his command was knowa as the " army of observation." INSTRUCTIONS TO GENERAL TAYLOR. Gl em frontier of Texas, the llio Grande, as the point of his ultimate destination ; to select and occupy, on or near that river, such a position as would best consist with the health of the troops, and be best adapted for the protection and defence of the country ; but not to effect a landing on the frontier until the terms of an- nexation had been actually accepted. Additional orders were issued to him, at different times, before and after his arrival in Texas, to avoid all acts of aggression, unless an actual state of war should exist ; to extend his protection to the whole territory east of the Rio Grande, but not to disturb the Mexican forces at the posts in their possession, if any, on the east side of the river; to take position with a portion of his troops, at least, west of the Nueces ; to call upon the authorities of Texas for what auxiliary forces he might require, and, in his discretion in case of emergency, upon the respective governors of the states of Louisiana, Ala- bama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky, for such number of volunteers as he deemed necessary ; and to regard the assembling of a large Mexican army on the borders of Texas, and the crossing, or attempting to cross, the Rio Grande, with a considerable force, as an invasion of the United States, and the commencement of hostilities. Other acts, such as committing depre- dations on the commerce of the United States, by the public armed vessels or privateers of Mexico, were to be considered by him in the same light ; and he was left to decide for himself as to any act of a similar char- acter, not enumerated, that might be committed. Should hostilities commence, he was instructed to act upon the offensive as far as his means would permit.* * See the instructions to General Taylor, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 196. (pp. fiH, et seq.), 1st 6es.sion, 29th Congress. 62 MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMY. Simultaneously with the instructions to General Tay- lor, orders were issued to the naval force in the Gulf of Mexico, commanded by Commodore David Conner, to co-operate with the army ; and to the Pacific squad- ron, to be prepared for a state of war, and act accord- ingly. Officers of the corps of engineers, topographical engineers, and ordnance corps, were directed to repair forthwith to the army destined for the occupation of Texas ; the different bureaus were employed in pro- viding the maiei'icl for active operations ; and, in addi- tion to the ordinary complement of artillery and other arms, 11,000 muskets and rifles were forwarded to Texas, for the use of the auxiliary forces and volun- teers, if called into service, and subject to the orders of General Taylor. Such was the alacrity with which the preparations for war were made, that in a very few weeks one half of the disposable force of the army, and all it was then thought proper to withdraw from the nor- thern frontier and Atlantic coast, on account of the threatening aspect of our relations with Great Britain, was already established in Texas, or en route for Gen- eral Taylor's camp. With the promptitude which has always constituted a striking feature in his military character, General Taylor* proceeded, without delay, to carry out the in- structions and orders which he had received. His command was immediately put in motion. The terms of annexation proposed by the United States were duly accepted by Texas on the 4th day of July, 1845 ; and * This officer entered the army as a lieutenant in the 7th Infantry, in the year 1808. He served with great credit in the war of 1812, and the war with the Sacs and Foxes in 1832. Having been promoted to the command of a regiment, he joined the army in Florida, in 1836, and was brevetted a brigadier general for his gallantry and good conduct at the battle of Okee-chobee. THE CAMP AT CORPUS CHRISTI. 63 on the 7th, her Congress and Convention requested that the army of the Union, to which she now belonged, might be employed for her protection. On the day af- ter receiving the information, which was to be the guide for his movements, General Taylor left New Orleans with his army, and arrived at the inlet of Aransas bay, on the 28th of July. The troops were temporarily landed on St. Joseph's Island, but afterwards transferred to Corpus Christi, on the bay of that name, and west of the Nueces, where a permanent camp and depot were established. The debarkation on this coast, from the shoalness of the water, and the prevalence of unfa- vorable winds, w'as not free from difficulties and em- barrassments, but they appear to have been overcome without any serious hinderance or obstruction. Having succeeded in landing his army, and establish- ing it in a secure position. General Taylor commenced a rigid system of instruction and discipline, which he found to be necessary in order to fit it for the active duties of the field. Many of the companies had been for a long time stationed at remote posts on the fron- tiers, and were wholly unacquainted with the evolu- tions of the line ; but, in a short time, every thing was changed, and the troops in the camp at Corpus Christi were probably the best disciplined corps which, prior to that time, had ever been collected on the continent. Nothing was neglected on the part of the commanding officer of the " army of occupation," to perfect its disci- pline, and to increase its efficiency. Every attention was paid to the health and comfort of his command ; and the idea at all times uppermost in his mind appears to have been, to prepare it for any emergency, and to enable it, when the time came for action, to strike i;)romptly, and with effect. 64 KEN'EWED EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE. Soon after his arrival at Corpus Christ!, General Tay- lor's army was strengthened by the arrival of the rein- forcements which had been ordered to join him, and early in the autumn, his force amounted to upwards of 4,000 men, all regular troops. In addition, he mustered into the service of the United States, several companies of Texan rangers, some of which were stationed at San Antonio, and others at Austin. C In the meantime the Mexican government had not been idle. The determination avowed by Herrera to invade Texas was not a mere threat. Efforts were made to increase the army, and provide the means for carrying on the war. The embarrassed condition of the finances prevented the immediate accomplishment of the wishes of the government, although General Arista was ordered from Monterey to Matamoras, in the month of August, with a force of 1,500 men, to re- inforce the troops already in that quarter, then about 500 strong. Later in the season, between eight and nine thousand men were assembled at San Luis Potosi, under General Paredes, then in command of the army of the north. In the month of September, 1845, information was received from Mexico, which rendered it probable that the government of that country would be willing to re- store her former diplomatic relations with the United States. Accordingly, Mr. Black, the American Consul at the city of Mexico, was instructed by Mr. Buchanan, the Secretary of State, to ascertain whether the Mexi- can government would receive an envoy, " intrusted with full power to adjust all the questions in dispute be- tween the two governments ;" and if the reply to his inquiry should be in the affirmative, he was informed that "such an envoy" would be "immediately dis- CONSENT TO RECEIVE A MINISTER. 65 patched to Mexico." A confidential interview took place between Mr. Black and Peiia y Peiia, the Mexi- can Minister of Foreign Relations, in which the sub- stance of the dispatch received from his government was made known by the American Consul ; and on the 13th of October, he addressed an official note to the Mexican Minister, communicating the instructions he had received, in the precise terms of the letter of Mr. Buchanan, as before quoted. On the 15th of October, Pena y Pena informed Mr. Black, in writing, that his government was "disposed to receive the commissioner of the United States," who might come " with full pow- ers" " to settle the present dispute in a peaceful, reason- able, and honorable manner ;" but requested, as a pre- liminary step to negotiation, that the naval force in sight of Vera Cruz should be recalled. Great secrecy was observed by Pena y Pena in his communications with Mr. Black, and the guarded language employed in his note shows that the Mexican government designed, at that time, to lay the foundation for a refusal to com- ply with the terms of the proposition which they pro- fessed to accept, although it positively precluded the idea of any negotiation except in relation to all causes of difference between the two countries. The offer to send a minister was made in a frank and honorable manner, and presumed to have been accepted in a sim- ilar spirit ; and hence no notice was taken of the appa- rent discrepancy between the terms of the proposition as made by the American government, and as accept- ed by the Mexican Minister. Herrera, the President of Mexico, had always been regarded as a firm and decided federalist, and was supposed to be favorable to an amicable settlement of the differences with the United States. Previous to his elevation to the Presi- ■06 TIMIDITY OF HERBERA. dency, he manifested considerable spirit and determi- nation, and succeeded in overthrowing Santa Anna, only after a long and desperate struggle ; but the very moment he entered upon the administration of the gov- ernment, and when prompt and vigorous measures were necessary to maintain his authority, he began to waver and hesitate. Among his supporters, in opposi- tion to Santa Anna, was a small, but influential faction of monarchists, headed by Paredes ; and, being desir- ous of conciliating them, he doubted the expediency of carrying out the federal doctrines which he had previ- ously avowed. His timidity displeased many of his warmest friends, and they became lukewarm in his sup- port ; while the monarchists managed silently to secure the control of the army, at all times potential in Mexico, which a single prompt movement on his part would have effectually prevented. Jealousy, suspicion, and distrust, were manifested by all classes and parties in Mexico, at the time when the proposition to resume her diplomatic relations with the United States was received arid accepted. The ar- rangement, however, was approved by the Mexican Congress in secret session ; the American naval force off Vera Cmz was withdrawn ; every thing wore a promising aspect ; and towards the close of October, the Mexican Minister of Foreign Relations expressed some anxiety to know when the envoy from the United States might be expected. The American Executive, immediately upon the receipt of Mr. Black's dispatches, appointed Mr. John Slidell as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Government of Mexico, and gave him full in- structions and powers to settle and adjust all differences between the two countries.* Mr. Slidell arrived at • la his annual message ia December 1845, President Polk stated ARRIVAL OF TUE AMERICAN ENVOY. 67 Vera Cruz on the 30th of November, and hastened for- ward, immediately, to the city of Mexico. At Puebla he was met by Mr. Black, who informed him that the Mexican government were alarmed by his arrival at such an inopportune moment, as they had not expected him until the 1st of January, and matters had not been prepared for his reception. The first intimation re- ceived by Mr. Black, that the time of the arrival of an envoy was deemed of any importance, was on the 3rd of December, in an interview with Pena y Pena, and he had hastened from Mexico to meet Mr. Slidell, and communicate with him before he reached the capital. It appeared that the administration of Herrera had been constantly growing weaker and w^eaker. Instead of seizing, into his own hands, the means which might have enabled him to control the turbulent government over which he was placed, he suffered them to be used for his own destruction. Finesse and management were resorted to, when nothing could have so much strengthened his administration, as promptitude, firm- ness, and decision. Early in November he began to be seriously alarmed ; the fidelity of Paredes was sus- pected ; and orders were issued for him to break up his cantonment at San Luis, and to scatter the troops in different parts of the country. Herrera and his minis- ters were probably well disposed to the United States, but their indecision was followed by its legitimate re- sults ; and wlien Mr. Slidell presented himself, they at- tempted to bolster up the tottering administration, by a refusal to receive him. The arrival of an envoy from the United States was a matter that it was impossible that he did not think it advisable to iccommend any " ulterior measures of redress," in consequence of the favorable change in our relations with Mexico. — See letter of instructions to Mr. Slidell, November 10, 18-45. g^ REVOLUTIONARY PROJECTS. to conceal, after he had once landed ; the evil which might easily have been prevented, if the Mexican gov- ernment had but intimated the necessity for delay, was past all remedy ; and Mr. Slidell concluded to continue his journey to Mexico. The fact that the administration of Herrera had ' consented to receive a minister, was known long pre- vious to the arrival of Mr. Slidell, although the pronun- ciamento of Paredes against the government, issued at San Luis, did not appear until the 15th of December. For several weeks before Mr. Slidell reached Mexico, the monarchists and centralists in the capital were very busily engaged in preparing the plan of their antici- pated movement. An outbreak was regarded as a matter of certainty, unless the administration took measures to prevent it. On the second day after his arrival in Mexico, Mr. Slidell addressed a letter to the Mexican Minister, dated the 8th of December, inform- ing him of his arrival, and desiring to know when his credentials would be received and himself accredited. No answer was returned to this communication ; and in two private interviews between Mr. Black and Pena y Pena, held on the 8th and 13th of December, the latter exhibited so many symptoms of a desire to evade a compliance with the terms of the proposition which the Mexican government had accepted, that Mr. Slidell wrote a second note, on the 15th of the month, request- • ing to know when he might expect a reply to that pre- '. viously written. On the following day he was in- formed by Pena y Pena, that there had been difficul- ties in regard to his reception, which it had been found necessary to submit to the council of government for their determination. The difficulties alluded to were — that Mr. Slidell's appointment had not received the DUPLICITY AND BAD FAITH. 69 sanction of Congress, or been confirmed by the Senate ; and that the Mexican government had consented to receive a commissioner to settle the question relating to Texas, but not a resident minister. These objec- tions were evidently mare pretences, as the only argu- ment urged against the administration, by Paredes and his supporters, was, that it had consented to receive a minister, and listen to a proposition for opening new negotiations. This was the only question involved, as admitted by Herrera himself, in a letter written to Pa- checo. Minister of Foreign Relations, on the 25th of August, 1847.* The bad faith of the Mexican admin- istration in this transaction was subsequently exhibited in a most unenviable light, by the publication of a com- munication made to the council of government by Pena y Pena, in his official capacity, on the 11th of December, at the very time when he was professing so, much friendship towards Mr. Black and Mr. Slidell, in which the refusal to receive the minister was recom- mended in positive and express terms. f The delibera- tions of the council, though nominally secret, were matters of public notoriety. Its members were well known to be decidedly opposed to the reception, and, on the 18th of December, their dictamen advising against it was made public. Information of this fact, and of the evident want of frankness and candor on the part of Herrera's administration, in their inter- course with him, was communicated by Mr. Slidell, on the same day, to the government of the United States. J The dispatch of Mr. Slidell was received on the ,12th day of January, 1846, and on the succeeding day • Senate Exec. Doc. 1, (p. 41), 1st session, 30th Congress. t House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 196, (p. 49), 1st session, '29tli Congress. X Ibid. (pp. 18, et seq.) 70 GENERAL TAYLOR ORDERED TO ADVANCE General Taylor was instructed to advance and occupy, with the troops under his command, positions on or near the east bank of the Rio Grande, as soon as it could be conveniently done; and several vessels of war were ordered to reinforce the squadron in the Gulf. He was also directed not to enforce the common right to navigate the river, without further orders, or treat Mexico as an enemy, until she should assume that character; but if any open act of hostility should be committed, he was not to act merely on the defensive, if the means at his disposal enabled him to do other- wise. In every possible event, he was required to pro- tect private property, and respect the personal rights and religion of the Mexican people. Texas having been duly admitted into the Confederacy, he was fur- ther authorized to make a requisition on the governor of that state, for such of its militia force as might be necessary.* The American army encamped at Corpus Christi, during the pendency of negotiations, had been con- stantly engaged in perfecting its discipline, and pre- paring for the field. Occasional rumors were heard, of the concentration and movement of he enemy's forces towards the frontier, and now and then a report would reach the camp that an invasion was to be ap- prehended. The idle stories put in circulation created no uneasiness in the breast of General Taylor ; he never distrusted his ability to maintain his position, or to make a forward movement, if required so to do ; and so far was he from apprehending any danger, and so confident that he might rely under all circumstances on the brave men under his orders, that he informed the adjutant general on the 2Gth of August, 1815, that * House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 196, (pp. 77. et seq.) 1st sess., 29th Cong THE ORDERS MADE PUBLIC. 71 he considered his command "fully adequate to meet any crisis that might arise." Early in that month, a rumor had reached New Orleans in regard to the march of troops from the interior of Mexico, which had been magnified to such an extent, that it produced no little consternation and alarm. General Gaines, who was then in command of that military division, immediately mustered a volunteer battalion of artil- lery into the service of the United States, and sent them to reinforce General Taylor. Their arrival pro- duced some little surprise in the camp at Corpus Christi, as the general in command had not required their ser- vices. In consideration of their alacrity in obeying the call of General Gaines, who was determined not to have the army suffer any reverse if it could be prevented, the Louisiana volunteers were retained until the expiration of the term allowed by law for their enrolment ; and General Taylor requested that there- after no militia force should be sent to him without his requisition.* The instructions issued to General Taylor to move forward to the Rio Grande, were received on the 4th of February. Reconnoitering parties were at once thrown out, and examinations made of the different routes to the river, by land and water. The fact that he intended to advance to the Rio Grande was com- municated to some citizens of Matamoras, who visited his camp in Febru?"}-, to dispose of some mules. He stated to them, that the movement was not intended to be a hostile one ; that the Mexicans living on the east side of the river would not be disturbed in any way ; that every thing required for the use of the army would * Sec correspondence, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 196, 1st session, 29th Congress. TS PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARCH. be purchased at a fair price ; and that, in no case would he go beyond the Rio Grande, unless hostilities were commenced by Mexico. Similar sentiments were ex- pressed to the Custom-house officer at Brazos Santi- ago, by Captain Hardee, the officer who commanded the escort covering the i-econnaissance of Padre Island. The American troops were also commanded, in general orders, to refrain from the commission of any act of hostility, and to observe the rights and respect the re- ligion of the Mexican people.* Every thing being in readiness for the march, a depot of forage and subsist- ence was thrown forward to the Santa Gertrudes, about forty miles from Corpus Christi, on the 28th of February, and on the 8th of March, the advance brig- ade of the main army, consisting of the cavalry and Major Ringgold's light artillery, the whole under the • The following is a copy of the order issued by General Taylor pre- vious to his march from Corpus Christi, copies of which, translated into Spanish, were sent in advance, and distributed in all the MexiL'an towns on the right bank of the river. The terseness and vigor of General Taylor's style, as illustrated in his dispatches and orders, ehcited uni- versal admiration : " The army of occupation of Texas being now about to take a posi- tion upon the Icfl bank of t!ie Rio Grande, under the orders of the Ex- ecutive of the United States, the general-in-chief desires to express the hope that the movement will be advantageous to all concerned ; and with the object of attaining this laudable end, he has ordered all under liis command to observe, with the most scrupulous respect, the rights of all the inhabitants who may be found in peaceful prosecution of their respective occupations, as well on the left as on the right side of the Rio Grande. Under no pretext, nor in any way, will any interference be allowed with the civil rights or religious privileges of the inhabitants ; out the utmost respect for them will be maintained. " Whatsoever may be needed for the use of the army will be bought by the proper purveyor, and paid for at the highest prices. The gen- eral-in-chief has the satisfaction to say that he confides in the patriotism and discipline of the army under his command, and that he feels sure ihat his orders will be obeyed with the utmost exactness." CIEN TWIGGS. HEFUSAL TO EECEIVE MR. SLIDELL 73 command of Colonel Twiggs,* left the encampment. The two brigades of infantry followed in succession, the last leaving Corpus Christi on the 1 1th. General Taylor and stafl' accompanied the rear brigade. The steamers and transports, containing the provisions and supplies for a depot to be established at Point Isabel,! the siege train and field battery, together with a company of ar- tillery and the engineer and ordnance officers, com- manded by Major Munroe, left Corpus Christi at the same time, under convoy of the brigs of war Porpoise and Lawrence, and the revenue cutter Woodbury. Meanwhile, the anticipated revolution had taken place. Mr. Slidell waited two days after the publica- tion of the dictamen of the council of government, in the expectation of receiving a reply to a note he had addressed to Pena y Peiia, on the 16th of December, desiring to be informed what were the difficulties in the way of his reception. Having received no communi- cation from the Mexican Minister, he wrote a second note on the 20th instant, to which a reply was returned on the same day, communicating the positive determi- nation of the Mexican government not to receive him. This decision was made too late to save the adminis- tration. Its want of firmness and decision was so mani- fest, that the military in the capital pronounced in favor of the revolutionists on the 29th of December, and on * General David E. Twiggs entered the army in 1812, as a captain in the 8th Infantr}^ and served during the war. He also acted under the orders of Generals Gaines and .Jackson during the Seminole war, and rendered efficient services in the difficulties with the Sacs and Foxes, and the Florida Indians. He was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Dra- goons on the 8lh of July, 183G, and promoted to the rank of brigadier general on the 30th of June, 184G. f Point Isabel lies north-east of the island of Brazos, on the opposite side of the Laguna Madre. The 'illage at the Point was called by the Mexicans, Frontone. 4 74 OVERTHROW OF HERRERA. the following day Herrcra resigned the presidency, without making a single effort to quell the outbreak. The tide had been turned for months, and he lacked the courage to stem it for an instant. Paredes entered the city with his troops, in triumph, on the 2nd of Jan- uary, and on the next day was chosen provisional Pres- ident. Soon after he was elected to the same office, by the Constituent Congress. He had come into power for the avowed purpose of putting an end to all negotia- tions with the United States, and of declaring and carry- ing on an offensive war. The desire to establish him- self firmly in his place rendered him loth to remove the army to a distance, and no immediate measures of hostility were adopted. In a short time after his eleva- tion, the establishment of a monarchy in Mexico was suggested by some of his most intimate friends. This movement proved to be unpopular, and prevented his obtaining the necessary loans for the support and in- crease of the army. The condition of the relations between the United States and Great Britain also boded war, and he was quite willing to wait and see the for- mer engaged with a more powerful antagonist, before venturing to cope with her forces single-handed. Mr. Slidell had retired to Jalapa in February, to await the termination of the revolutionary contest in Mexico. As an entirely different government had been established, after the country became more quiet, he addressed a note, on the 1st of March, to the new Minister of Foreign Relations, Castillo y Lanzas, calling his attention to the subject of his reception, and requesting to know the views of the new administration in regard to the ques- tion. He was informed, in reply, by the note of the minister, written on the 12th, that he could not be re- ceived as a resident minister, and similar reasons were GEN. PAREDES. MARCH FROM CORPUS CHRISTI. 75 given for the refusal lo those previously expressed by Pena y Pefia. In consequence of this final rejection of the offer to negotiate, Mr. Slidell requested the neces- sary passports, and, in a few days, set out on his return to the United States.* The Mexican government imme- diately commenced making preparations for war. Loans were obtained, arms and supplies provided for the army, and its numerical force augmented ; and on the 4th of April, positive orders were issued to the officers com- manding on the northern frontier, to attack the Ameri- can troops. The march of the American army from Corpus Christi, was not obstructed by the Mexicans. Small armed parties were occasionally seen in the distance, who disappeared on the approach of the advancing col- umns of General Taylor's force. For a few miles from their late encampment, the roads were found to be in good order; but further in the interior, the country presented a more unfavorable appeai'ance. It was for the most part unbroken, but either low and marshy, or dry and sandy, with here and there a stretch of prairie land, covered with thick matted grass, and dotted at intervals with muskeet bushes, and clumps of chaparral. The route was toilsome and fatiguing, yet the soldiers bore every hardship without a murmur or complaint. f On the 19th of March, the advanced corps halted within three miles of the Arroyo Colorado, in order to effect a concentration of the force preparatory to crossing the stream, the passage of which, it was thought, might be * See Diplomatic Correspondence, House of Rep. Doc. 19G, 1st ses- Kion, 29th Congress. f The distance from Corpus Christi to Matamoras, according to the route pursued by the American army, was 163 miles — to Point Isabel, 160. 76 PASSAGE or THE ARROYO COLORADO. disputed. A reconnaissance was made of the ford, when a party of rancheros were discovered on the right bank, who signified to the officer in command, that an attempt to pass the river would be considered an act of hostility. General Taylor promptly made his dispositions to cross under fire. A road was opened down the bank of the river, and early on the morning of the 20th, the cavalry and first brigade of infantry advanced towards the ford, while the batteries of field artillery were so placed as to sweep the opposite shore ; the port-fires were lighted, and every preparation made for action. The ranche- ros again appeared, and stated to Captain Mansfield, who was sent to communicate with them, that they had positive orders to fire on the Americans if they endeav- ored to cross the river. A second party now came up, at the head of which was a person who represented himself to be the adjutant general of the Mexican troops., though he was afterwards discovered to be a private citizen of Matamoras.* He, too, said he had peremp- tory orders to fire upon the Americans, and that the passage of the river would be considered as a declara- tion of war. A proclamation issued by General Mejia, the Mexican commander at Matamoras, on the 18th instant, was also presented by him, in which a similar announcement was made. Orders were now given by General Taylor to pro- ceed witli the passage ; and the enemy notified not to obstruct it in any manner. The second brigade of infantry was formed on the right, and the crossing commenced. Not a gun was fired, and the Mexicans retreated in the direction of Matamoras. The whole * In reply to a question put to him, this individual admitted that the order of General Taylor announcing the spirit in which he proposed to occupy the country, had been received at Matamoras. GENL. WILLIAM J. WORTH. ARRIVAL AT POINT ISABEL. 77 army passed the river, with their wagon trains, entirely unmolested, and pursued their march towards the Rio Grande. A few ranchcros were seen on the route, but did not approach within hailing distance. On the morn- ing of the 24th, General Taylor halted at a point on the road from Matamoras to Point Isabel, about eighteen miles from the former and ten from the latter. Gen- eral Worth* was then ordered to advance with the in- fantry brigades on the Matamoras road, until he came to a suitable position for an encampment, where he would halt his command, and await the return of General Tay- lor, who proceeded to Point Isabel with the dragoons, to meet the transports and establish a depot. Under- standing that a Mexican force had taken possession of the village of Frontone, he determined not to molest them. While on his way to the Point, he was met by a civil deputation from Matamoras, who desired an interview. They presented to him a formal protest against the occupation of the country, signed by the prefect of the northern district of Tamaulipas. He had not time to make his reply, when the buildings at Frontone were discovered to be on fire. Believing that he had been trifled with, and considering the destruc- tion of property on disputed territory as an open act of hostility, he informed the deputation that he would answer them on his arrival opposite Matamoras, which he afterwards did. • General William J. Worth joined the army as private secretary to General Lewis, in 1812. He afterwards obtained a commission, and acted as aid to General Scott, in the memorable battles of Chippewa and Niagara. He was appointed Colonel of the 8th regiment of in- fantry, on the 7th of July, 1838. The war with the Seminole Indians in Florida was brought to a close through his instrumentality, and his services were rewarded in 1842, with the brevet of brigadier general. The additional brevet of a major general was conferred on him for hi« gallant services in Mexico. 78 THE RIO GRANDE. Colonel Twiggs hastened forward with the dragoons, to extinguish the flames and capture the incendiaries. On their arrival, they found but two or three inoffensive Mexicans in the village ; the remainder having fled at their approach. The fire, which appeared to have been the work of the port captain, under the orders of Gen- eral Garcia, consumed but three or four houses before it was arrested. On reaching the Point, General Tay- lor was gratified to find that the steamers and trans- ports had just arrived in the harbor. A depot was established, and defences thrown up for its protection, in pursuance of his directions; he then set out to re- join General Worth, leaving Major I\Iunroe in com- mand, with two companies of artillery. On coming up with the main body of his army, Gen- eral Taylor again ordered the march to be resumed. and arrived opposite Matamoras, on the 28th of March, without meeting any resistance. Two of his dragoons, sent forward from the advanced guard, were captured by the Mexicans, but were subsequently released. On his approach to the river, great excitement appeared to be produced in the city of Matamoras ; troops were moved to and fro, and batteries prepared to command his posi- tion. Being desirous of announcing, in due form, the object of his advance to the river, and of affording an opportunity of establishing friendly intercourse, a white flag was exhibited on the left bank, under his orders. A communication was opened with the Mexican offi- cers, and General Worth w^as dispatched, with his staff, across the river, as the bearer of a communication to General Mejia, informing him of the desire of General Taylor for amicable relations, and his willingness to leave the port of Brazos Santiago open to the citizens of Matamoras, until the question of boundary should INTERVIEW BETWEEN WORTH AND I,A VEGA. 79 be definitely settled. An interview with General Mejia was refused, but General Worth was met on the right bank of the river, by General La Vega, who was at- tended by the Licenciado Casares, representing the civil authorities of Matanioras, and several other per- sons. The dispatch of General Taylor was read to Gen- eral La Vega, who was also told by General Worth, that he was directed to deliver it to the commanding officer at Matamoras. This was refused ; whereupon General Worth, having been informed that the Ameri- can consul was at liberty, and in the exercise of his official functions, demanded an interview with him, in /he name of his government. The demand was not complied with, and the American general returned, and reported the result of his mission to General Taylor.* * The following extracts from the minutes of the interview between Generals Worth and La Vega, show^ with what pertinacity the Mexi- cans persisted in maintaining on tliis occasion, that there was no war, although, as they alleged, so many acts of hostility had been committed. (House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 19G, p. 114, 1st session, 29th Congress:) "' General Worth. la the American consul in arrest, or in prison ? — • General La Vei^a. No. — General Worth. Is he now in the exercise of his proper functions 1 — General La Vega, (after apparently consulting with the Licenciado Casares for a moment) replied that he was. — Gen- eral Worth. Then, as an American officer, in the name of my govern- ment and- my commanding general, I demand an interview with the consul of my country. (No reply.) — General Worth. Has Mexico de- clared war against the United States ? — General La Vega. No. — Gen- eral Worth. Are the two countries still at peace 1— General La Vega. Yes. — General Worth. Then I again demand an interview with the consul of my government, in Matamoras, in the presence, of course, of these gentlemen, or any other that the commanding general in Mata- moras may be pleased to designate. " General La Vega reiterated that the consul was in the proper exer- cise of his functions ; that he was not in arrest, nor were any other Americans in arrest in Matamoras ; that he would submit the demand to General Mejia, adding, that he thought there would be great diffi- culty. 80 THE AMERICAN ENCAMPMENT. The Mexicans still persisting in keeping up a hostile at- titude, a position was selected for a permanent encamp- ment, and the American flag planted for the first time on the left bank of the Rio Grande. The construction of defensive works was immedi- ately commenced by General Taylor, in imitation of the example of the Mexicans, who had already erected several batteries and redoubts. Fifteen hundred soldiers were constantly employed on fatigue duty, working day and night with commendable patience and perseverance. Intrenchments were thrown up, and a fort erected, with six bastions, large enough to accommodate a force of two thousand men. Batteries were also completed, and mounted with heavy guns bearing directly upon the public square of Matamoras. The defences of Point Isabel were, in like manner, strengthened as rapidly as circumstances would permit. Notwithstanding these hostile preparations, no actual collision with the enemy's forces took place for several days, and the impression that there would be no war became generally entertained. In this belief. General " This demand was repeatedly made in the most emphatic manner, and a reply requested ; General La Vega stating the consul continued in the exercise of his functions, and that Gen. Worth's demand would be 8ub- mitted to Gen. Mejia. » » * ♦ » " No reply having been received from Gen. La Vega relative to the demand for an interview with the American consul, the question was again introduced by Gen. Worth, and the demand for the last time re- iterated. " Gen. La Vega then promptly refused to comply with the demand, replying, without waiting for the interpretation, ' No, no.' " GcTiercd Worth. I have now to state that a refusal of my demand to see the American consul is regarded as a belligerent act ; and, in con- clusion, I have to add, the commanding general of the American forces on the left bank of the river will regard the passage of any armed party of Mexicans in hostile array across the Rio Grande as an act of war, and pursue it accordingly." SCENE ON THE RIO GRANDE. 81 Worth expressed a desire to be separated from his com- mand, on account of some difficulty in relation to his brevet rank. This was done on the 7th of April, and he soon after returned home, with the intention of re- signing his commission.* Aside from the presence of the two armies, the scene presented at this time, on the banks of the Rio Grande, was of a peaceful, yet imposing character. On the op- posite shore from the American encampment was the city of Matamoras, with its towering catliedral, its neat houses, and pretty gardens ; on the verge of the town were the small reed and thatched habitations of the humbler classes; and in the distance, tiie cultivated fields of cotton and cane, and smiling ht'.ciendas im- bosomed amid groves of ebony and lignur.a-vitce. At sunset the whole population of the city crowded down to the river's side, to hear the bands belonging to the American regiments discourse " the eloquent music" whose rich notes were borne to their ears mingled with the low murmuring of the Bravo ; and, in default of more chivalric enterprises, it is said that many a love- passage took place between our young officers and the gay Mexican senoritas. But this quiet was only the hush that preceded the tempest ; and the angry pas- sions smothered for the moment, soon burst forth, like the vf rath of Jove, with redoubled vengeance. On the 11th of April, General Ampudia arrived from Monterey, and assumed the command at Matamoras. He was accompanied by 200 cavalry, and a force of * General Worth insisted that his brevet entitled him to precedence over Colonei Twiggs, whose commission as colonel was of an older date than his own. In conformity with the rule adopted by the War Depart- ment, General Taylor decided that brevet rank gave no command, ex- cept where there was a regular assignment to duty according to such brevet rank. 4* 82 DISPATCH OF AMPUDIA. 2,200 men followed close in his rear. When passing through Reinosa, he ordered all Americans to leave that place within twenty-four hours, and to retire to Victoria. A similar order was issued on his arrival at Matamoras, where his entrance was hailed by the ring- ing of bells, the firing of cannon, and other demonstra- tions of joy. His assumption of the command was un- derstood to be the signal for the commencement of hostilities ; a rigid non-intercourse was established with the Americans on the left bank ; and the Mexican pickets were extended above and below the city for several miles. Copies of a proclamation* issued by him, on the road to Matamoras, addressed to the soldiers of foreign birth in the American army, and artfully ap- pealing to their cupidity to induce them to desert, were secretly introduced into General Taylor's camp. A number of desertions took place, but the prompt meas- ures taken by the American commander soon put an end to them. Some of those who attempted to escape were drowned in the river, and others were fired upon by the guards. Those who reached the Mexican lines were loaded with favors, and every mark of distinction conferred upon them, almost without solicitation, A dispatch was received by General Taylor from Ampudia, on the morning of the 12th of April, formally requii'ing him to break up his camp "in the peremptory term of twenty-four hours," and retire to the other bank of the Nueces, pending the negotiations for the settlement of the Texas question ;* and advising him, " that arms-, and arms alone, must decide " between them, if he insisted on remaining in his position, and that the war to be thus commenced, would be conducted * The final refusal of the Mexican government to receive Mr. Slidell, though anticipated at Matamoras, was not yet positively known. REPLY OF GENERAL TAYLOR. 83 on his part, " conformably to the principles established by the most civilized nations." General^ Taylor replied on the same day, declining to enter upon any discus- sion in regard to the international question, but remind- ing General Ampudia that, although Mexico had hith- erto refused to hear any proposition for negotiation, he ! had been instructed, in occupying the country, to ab- ' stain from all acts of hostility, which instructions had so far been carefully observed. He added, however, that he should not avoid the alternative presented by the Mexican commander, and would leave the respon- sibility with those who rashly commenced hostilities.* General Ampudia having thus announced the existence of a state of war. General Taylor prepared himself for * " I need hardly advise you that, charged^s I anij in only a military capacity, with the performance of specific duties, I cannot enter into a discussion of the international question involved in the advance of the American army. You will, however, permit me to say, that the govern- ment of the United States has constantly sought a settlement, by nego- tiation, of the question of boundary ; that an envoy was dispatched to Mexico for that purpose, and that up to the most recent dates said en- voy had not been received by the actual Mexican government, if, indeed, he has not received his passports and left the republic. In the mean- time, I have been ordered to occupy the country up to the left bank of the Rio Grande, until the boundary shall be definitely settled. In carry- ing out these instructions, I have carefully abstained from all acts of hostility, obeying, in this regard, not only the letter of my instructions, but the plain dictates of justice and humanity. ' " The instructions under which I am acting will not permit me to re- ! trograde from the position I now occupy. In view of the relations be- tween our respective governments, and the individual suffering which may result, I regret the alternative which you offer; but, at the same time, wish it understood that I shall by no means avoid such alternative, leaving the responsibility with those who rashly commence hostilities. In conclusion, you will permit me to give the assurance, that on my part, the laws and customs of war among civihzed nations shall be care- full" :)bserved." — Extract from General Taylor's reply to Ampudia, April 12th, 1846. 84 MURDER OF COLONEL CROSS. the consequences, intending, as he had previously done, to act strictly on the defence. Instructions were given to the naval commander at Brazos Santiago, on the 13th instant, to blockade the mouth of the Rio Grande, in order to stop all supplies intended for Matamoras. The second regiment of infantry was removed out of reach of the shot from the Mexican batteries, and the field-work occupied by the third regiment, and two batteries of light artillery. Strong guards of foot and mounted men were stationed along the margin of the river, and every precaution adopted to prevent sur- prise. An additional force was ordered to Point Isabel, and the fort well supplied with artillery and ammuni- tion. The peremptory term specified by Ampudia expired without producing «iny act of hostility on his part, and every thing continued quiet for several days. While matters were in this condition, the American army was called upon to lament the loss of Colonel Trueman Cross, Deputy Quartermaster-general, and a most estimable officer. He was accustomed to take daily exercise on horseback, and on the morning of the 10th of April rode out as usual. It was supposed for a long time that he had been taken prisoner, and conveyed across the river, but his body was subsequently discov- ered in a dense chaparral, some miles from the fort, in a horribly mutilated state. He was only recognized by his uniform, and was undoubtedly murdered by the lawless banditti who hung around the Mexican camp, but acted under no orders except those given by their own chosen leaders. On the 17th instant, and previous to the discovery of the body of Colonel Cross, Lieutenants Porter and Dob- bins, each with a party of twelve men, were sent out REMONSTRANCE AGAINST THE BLOCKADE. 85 10 obtain intelligence in regard to the missing officer. The two detachments took different directions. On the second day out, Lieutenant Porter met a party of Mexicans, about eighteen miles from General Taylor's camp, and one third of that distance north of the river, numbering near one hundred and fift}^ one of whom snapped his piece at him. He instantly discharged both barrels of his gun, and the Mexicans disappeared in the thicket. Their camp, with their horses and equipage, were captured. On their return, the Ameri- cans encountered another body of Mexicans, who had probably been joined by those previously seen. It was nearly nightfall, and raining heavily. They were in- stantly fired upon, but were unable to return it on ac- count of their ammunition being damaged. Lieutenant Porter and one of his men were killed, and the remain- der of the party returned to camp. Two vessels bound to Matamoras with supplies for the army were warned off the mouth of the Rio Grande, on the 17th of April, by the blockading force. On re- ceiving information of the fact, Ampudia remonstrated against the blockade. His letter to General Taylor was dated on the 22nd instant, and on the same day, a reply was made, in the usual sententious and impressive style of the American commander. He briefly re- viewed his proceedings since he had left Corpus Christi with the army under his orders ; pointing out the nu- merous evidences of his desire to avoid hostilities, and showing conclusively that the responsibility of produc- ing them did not rest with him. When authoritatively informed by General Ampudia, that war would be the consequence of a refusal to abandon his position, he issued the order to the naval commanders for the en- forcement of a blockade, which, he insisted, was not only 86 ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ARISTA. justifiable under the circumstances, but could not be removed, unless an armistice was desired, in which case he would cheerfully open the river. As for the consequences that might result, and which were inti- mated in the remonstrance of General Ampudia, he begged to be understood that he was prepared for them, whatever they might be. General Arista* arrived at Matamoras on the 24th of April, and assumed the chief command, information of which was communicated by himself, in a courteous note to General Taylor, stating, also, that he considered hostilities commenced, and should prosecute them. A second proclamation, prepared by him, was distributed among the American soldiers, inviting them to desert, and promising large bounties of land as a reward for espousing the Mexican cause. A few, a very few, of those to whom the proclamation was addressed, accept- ed the offer ; but, to their honor be it said, the great majority spurned it with the scorn and indignation which it merited. On the evening of the 23rd of April, General Taylor's spies reported that 2,500 Mexicans had crossed the Rio Grande above the American encampment, and about 1,500 below, with the intention of surrounding his position, and cutting off all communication with the depot at Point Isabel. Captain Ker was dispatched * General Arista commanded the army on the northern frontier of Mexico, in the summer of 1845. He returned to the interior in the fall, when the revolutionary movements were in progress. He was op- posed to Paredes, and it was at one time supposed that he would 'pro- nounce against him, as the Mexicans term it, but it seems that he was content to wait for a more favorable opportunity. After his defeat by General Taylor, in May 1846, he endeavored to organize a revolutionary faction, but was unsuccessful, and soon after retired from the army. He is said to have been one of the ablest senerals in the Mexican service. CAPTURE OF Thornton's party. 87 on the following day, with a squadron of dragoons, to reconnoitre the crossing near Burrita, and returned in a few hours, with the intelHgence that the alarm was unfounded. At the same time another squadron, under Captain Thornton, was sent to scour the country above. They proceeded up the river about twenty-six miles, wdthout discovering any signs of the enemy, although their inquiries on the way tended to show that they had crossed the river in strength. At this point the guide refused to go any further, alleging that the whole country was full of Mexicans. The orders of Captain Thornton were, to discover the position and force of the enemy, if they had passed the river, but to proceed with care and caution. He was entirely ignorant of the coun- try,, but perfectly fearless, and somewhat impetuous. Having decided to go on without the guide, his advanced guard was increased, and the party again moved for- ward. At a distance of about three miles further, they discovered a plantation, inclosed by a chaparral fence, except on the side facing the river, with a farm-house situated about two hundred yards from the entrance, which was narrow, and secured by a pair of bars. Captain Thornton halted the advanced guard, and went into the field ahead of his men, to speak with some persons who appeared to be at work. Sufficient precautions had not been taken to guard against surprise, and a signal to the guard was mistaken by the remain- der of the force all of whom entered the inclosure. In an instant the chaparral swarmed with the Mexicans, who had completely surrounded them, and apparently cut off every chance of escape. A body of cavalry also made their appearance, and charged upon the little band, who met them gallantly, and with success. A destructive fire was now poured upon them, which it 88 REaUISITIOX FOR VOLUNTEERS. was impossible to resist, and orders were given by Cap- tain Thornton to his men, f.o cut their way through the enemy. With a single bound he cleared the fence, overturning a number of the Mexicans who endeavored to stop him, and darted ahead in the direction of General Taylor's position. In leaping' a precipice, his horse fell with him, and he remained for some time insensible. When he recovered, he again started for the camp, but was taken prisoner before he reached it. Meanwhile Captain Hardee, who had succeeded to the command of the squadron, ordered his men to ford the river ; but the banks were found to.be so boggy, that this was impossi- ble, and he then surrendered himself and men prisoners of war. In this affair the American loss was ten killed, and about fifty taken prisoners. The Mexican force consisted of cavalry and infantry, over three hundred strong, commanded by General Torrejon. General Taylor forthwith communicated the particulars of the enounter to his government ; and, deeming that the time had arrived when additional forces v/ere neces- sary, he made a requisition on the Governor of Louisi- ana for four regiments of infantry, and on the Governor of Texas for two regiments of mounted men, and two of foot, all which were to be sent into the field as soon as possible. CHAPTER II BATTLES ON THE RIO GRANDE. The intelligence of Thornton's Capture received in the United States — Fears for the Safety of General Taylor — Proceedings of Congress — Preparations for War — Prompt response to the call for Volunteers — The Army of Occupation — Skirmishing — March to Point Isabel — Bombardment of Fort Brown — Battle of Palo Alto — Resaca de la Palma — Capture of Matamoras, and other Mexican Towns on the Rio Grande. The fiery cross, borne by the swift-footed Walise, as the signal for the marshalling of the Scottish clans, did not arouse a deeper or more intense feeling of anxiety, than the intelligence of the capture of Thornton and his command on the banks of the Bravo. With the rapidity of the electric fire, it was communicated from ^one extremity of the country to the other. One rumor followed close upon another. Exaggerated accounts of th'e forces of the enemy, and the dangers that beset the army of occupation, were circulated far and near ; each new repetition affording wider scope to the imagi- nation, and magnifying the causes of alarm, until the public mind was actually prepared for any disaster or reverse. Cut off froin all communication with his depot of provisions and supplies, hemmed in and sur- rounded by a force trebling his own in numbers, Gen- eral Taylor was represented to be in a most perilous position. The information that he was authorized to call on the governors of the neighboring states for vol- 90 EXCITEMENT «v' THE UNITED STATES. unteers whenever he deemed it necessary, quieted tho fears and apprehensions of the community but for a moment, and all ^vere soon prepossessed with the idea that he had waited until it was too late. Even those who were best acquainted with his qualities as a soldier, and knew that he would not rashly thrust himself into danger, trembled for his safety ; and, although they were satisfied that he would fight like the stag at bay, whatever might be the strength of his assailants, they feared lest courage and determination would avail him nothing, against the powerful army which threatened to ov.erwhelm him. In the city of New Orleans, and the adjoining coun- try, the excitement was so great that it could scarcely be controlled. Partaking of the enthusiasm of those who surrounded him, the veteran General Gaines,* then in command of that division, without waiting for orders from Washington, made large requisitions for volunteers, on the Governors of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Missouri, in addition to those called for by General Taylor.f There was no lack of applicants to meet all the requisitions, and the only strife was, who should be first and foremost in the rescue. Within a * Major General Edmund P. Gaines has been in the service ahnost half a century. He was appointed an ensign in 1799, and received his com- mission as a brigadier general in 1814. He received the brevet of ma- jor general for his brave defence of Fort Erie, against the assault of the British army under General Drummond. •f The calls made by General Gaines were countermanded as soon as they came to the knowledge of the President, though recognized to the extent of the number of troops already furnished. These unexpected additions to his force, not only exhausted General Taylor's supplies, but they also seriously embarrassed his movements.— (Letters to the Adjutant General, May 20th, Jujie 3rd, and July 1st, 1816.) But no one doubted that the motives of Gen,eral Gaines were eminently praiseworthy. Too much credit, perhaps, was given to the rumors against which he and «" PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS. 91 very short time a considerable force was mustered into the service of the United States, equipped and pro- vided, and on their way to the seat of war. Cong-ress was still in session, when the information that hostilities had commenced on the Rio Grande reached Washington. A special message was received from the President, on the 11th of May, communicating the' dispatches of General Taylor, and recommending the most energetic measures for the prosecution of the war. Two days were occupied in the deliberation and discussion of the subject, and on the 13th, an act was passed, with great unanimity, declaring that a state of war existed " by the act of the republic of Mexico," and authorizing the President to accept the services of fifty thousand volunteers. The sum of ten millions of dol- lars also was appropriated to carry on the war. Energy and activity were at once infused into every department of the public service. Consultations were held between the President, the Secretary of War, and General Scott,* the general-in-chief of the army. Memoranda were furnished to the different staff officers and heads of bureaus. Quartermasters, commissaries, and medical purveyors, were busily engaged in making calculations, preparing estimates, and providing the the War Department had been warned by General Taylor ; but he could not see a brother officer in supposed peril, without volunteering to aid him. When he heard the sound of cannon, he knew it was time to fight, as Napoleon said, " without waiting for orders." * Major General Winfield Scott is so well known, as the Hero of Chippewa and Niagara, that it is almost superfluous to refer to his mil- itary history. He entered the army, with the rank of captain, in 1808, and in March, 1814, at the age of twenty-eight, was made a brigadier general. In the same year he was brevetted a major general, for his distinguished services on the Niagara frontier, and on the 25th of June, 1841, he was appointed General in Chief of the Army, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of General Macomb. 92 PLANS FOR THE CAMPAIGN'. necessary supplies for the comfort and health of the troops, their sustenance and equipment, and the requi- site facilities for transportation. How well the duties of these officers were discharged, is attested by the fact, that an additional force of near 20,000 men was sent into the field early in the ensuing summer. The general plan of the campaign, determined on at Washington, was, to make a series of flank invasions, or attacks, on the western, northern, and eastern frontiers of Mexico. A strong naval squadron was already lying in the Gulf, and orders were issued to Commodore Conner, on the 13th of May, to blockade the Mexican ports. Instructions had been previously given to Com- modore Sloat, the officer commanding the Pacific squadron, to take possession of the principal ports and towns on that coast, as fast as his means would allow, whenever he was credibly informed that hostilities had commenced. The land forces of the United States were to penetrate the enemy's country in three divis- ions — one proceeding from Fort Leavenworth on the Missouri river, ivnder Colonel (afterwards General) Kearny,* into New Mexico and California; the sec- ond, under General Wool,t to rendezvous at San An- * Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearny received his first commission, that of a Ueutenant, in 1812. He served during the v/at with credit, and after the peace was mainly employed on the western frontier. He rose by regular promotion to the rank of brigadier general, which ap- pointment was conferred on him on the 30th of June, 1846. •)• Brigadier General John E. Wool obtained a captain's commission m 1812. His military debut was made at the battle of Queenston, where he highly distinguished himself. He also bore a conspicuous part under General Macomb at Plattsburg. In 1816, he was appointed inspector-general of the army, and continued to act in that capacity for twenty-five years. His acquirements as a disciplinarian, and his skill as a tactician, are conceded to be of a high order. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1841. ACaUISITION OF TERraTORY FORESEEN. 93 tonic de Bexar, and march due west towards Chihua- hua ; subject, however, to the orders of the officer in command of the third division, which was to consti- tute the main body of the army, and assuming the Rio Grande as the base Hne of its operations, to overrun and occupy the provinces of Coahuila, New Leon, and Ta- mauhpas. If found to be practicable, a movement in the direction of the city of Mexico was designed to be made from this quarter ; but, if otherwise, two projects were in contemplation — a march from Tampico on San Luis Potosi, and the capture of Vera Cruz — to be followed by an advance movement towards the Mexican capital ; one or both of which were to be adopted, as circum- stances might render expedient. In order to secure the possession of California, without weakening the column under General Kearny, a regiment of volunteers, with a small body of regular soldiers, were to be sent round by sea. An examination of the map will show the nature and the propriety of these different movements. The idea of making a permanent conquest of any portion of the republic of Mexico, for the sake of territorial aggran- dizement alone, was disavowed by the administration, and would have been as foreign to the purposes for which our government was formed, as it was abhorrent to the wishes of the American people. But it was fore- seen, at the outset, that the prosecution of the war, if successful, would be followed by the acquisition of some part of the domain of Mexico. She was confessedly bankrupt ; her mines, her revenues, her lands, indeed all her most valuable resources, were pledged for the security of other obligations ; and she possessed no means of satisfying the claims of the American citizens, and those which would necessarily grow out of a state 94 GENERAL SCOTT AND THE PRESIDENT. of hostilities, except by a cession of her territory. It was thought expedient therefore, to take possession of that lying contiguous to the United States, ana, pursu- ing the same policy, to establish temporary civil govern- ments in New Mexico and California, to be continued in another form, if those provinces were annexed, and to be suspended in the event of their restoration. By carrying the war, at the same time, into the interior, into the heart of the country, it was evident that the government of Mexico would be ultimately driven to abandon her position of refusing to negotiate, and to conclude a treaty of peace on fair and honorable terms. The several projects adopted by the principal exec- utive and military officers of the government, with such modifications and changes as were discovered to be ne- cessary, were carried into effect. General Wool found it impracticable to continue his route over the mountains to Chihuahua, and turned aside to Monclova and Parras, afterwards effecting a junction with General Taylor's army at Saltillo. The demonstration from Tampico, against San Luis Potosi, and the march into the in- terior of Mexico from the north, were also abandoned. It was originally designed that the main body of the army should be placed under the immediate command of General Scott, whose official position, to say noth- ing of his ability, seemed to render the selection a proper and desirable one. An unfortunate misunder- standing, between the President and Secretary of War on the one hand, and himself on the other, was fol- lowed by a change in the orders which had been given, and he was directed to confine his services to the city of Washington. It would be out of place in a work of this character, to enter into the details of that controversy. It is sufficient to say of it, that although there was too CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS. 95 little deference shown on the one side, towards those whom the law and the constitution had intrusted with Superior authority, it was forgotten on the other, that the wounds of a soldier who had fought and bled in the service of his country, were to be held sacred, and that a single hasty word, or an ill-advised act, ought to weigh as nothing against the qualifications which placed their possessor in the front rank of military men in the world. There are few friends of General Scott but will lament this occurrence ; and it is equally true, that the efforts made to supersede him will never be regarded with favor. Neither Congress nor the country approved them ; and if mentioned at all, they should only be regretted.* The proclamation of the President of the United States, announcing the existence of the war with Mex- ico, was issued on the same day with the passage of the act in Congress. So prompt was the country to respond to the call for volunteers, that in a few weeks the ser- vices of more than two hundred thousand men were offered to the Executive. But a small portion of these could be accepted, and only twenty-four regiments, whose aggregate strength was 18,000 men, were im- mediately called into the field. Early in the session of * A bill was introduced in Congress, in May, 1846, providing for the appointment of two additional major generals, and authorizing the President to assign them their relative command and rank. It failed to become a law in that shape ; and provision was afterwards made for the appointment of tne major general, and two brigadiers. -General Taylor was appointed the major general, and the brigadiers selected were Generals Twiggs and Kearny. At the session of 1846-7, the project of creating the office of lieutenant general was brought forward, but Congress could not be induced to sanction it. The appointment was intended to be conferred on a civilian, who would thus have been elevated above all the more experienced, if not abler, officers of the army. 96 ACTIVE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WAR. Congress a bill had been introduced, in pursuance of the suggestion of the general-in-chief, authorizing an increase of the rank and file of the regular army. It was not pressed forward with as much celerity as it should have been, and became a la-w but a short time prior to the act of the 13th of May. All the disposable recruits enlisted for several months previous had been sent to General Taylor, and this was continued after the passage of the bill. The regular force in Mexico was increased, during the season, to almost 7,000 men. Though deprived of any active command, General- Scott, in connection with the able staflf officers under his orders, applied himself vigorously to the task of fit- ting the volunteers for the scenes that awaited them. The city of New Orleans was to be the grand depot of supply, and all the materiel for carrying on the war was hurried forward as rapidly as possible to this point. Whatever determination, perseverance, and ability could accomplish, was performed. Delays and embar- rassments sometimes occurred, but these were to have been expected in a gountry without a standing army, and which was called upon in an emergency to raise and equip a large volunteer force. Temporary incon- venience was felt on all hands, yet this was of minor importance, in comparison with the evils which might follow from keeping up a large military establishment. While all these preparations w'ere being made at Washington, and in other parts of the country ; and while so much apprehension and alarm were entertained for the safety. of General Taylor and the army on the Rio Grande, he appears to have been entirely uncon- scious of his and their danger. Jn a letter written to the adjutant general on the 20th of May, 1846, he said, that he knew, if the Mexicans fought him at all, "it GENERAL TAYLOR S FORCE TOO SMALL. 97 ■would be before the arrival of the volunteers." He never doubted his ability to maintain himself, with the force already under his command, against the whole Mexican army ; and the sequel proved that his confi- dence in the bravery and discipline of his men was well founded. Nevertheless, it is to be regretted that a much larger army was not sent, in the first instance, to assert, by its presence, the claim of the United States to the disputed territory. The reluctance always ex- hibited in Congress to increase the regular military force ; the jealousy with which any proposition of that character would be regarded by the people ; the suppo- sition that it might be looked upon in England as a measure of intimidation, while the ©regon negotiation was in progress, and there was no actual war with Mexico ; and the necessity of keeping the Atlantic coast, and the northern frontier, well protected, until that question was settled, were strong reasons for the course adopted by our government. But a single con- sideration will show that this policy was an unfortunate one, though it may have been necessary. The great body of the Mexican army at Matamoras were ignorant and cowardly, but of an excitable temperament, and, after the capture of Thornton and his dragoons, easily wrought upon to engage in any enterprise which their leaders thought proper to undertake ; but had General Taylor's force been double what it was in numbers, those leaders must have seen that it would be madness to think of contending against him, and it is scarcely probable that they would have hastened on the war by crossing the river. After the capture of the party under Captain Thorn- ton, the Mexican detachment on the left bank of the river, commanded by General Torrejon, was increased 5 98 CAPTAIN WALKEK AND HIS RANGERS. by large reinforcements from the opposite shore. A part of this force, by making a detour to the left, gained a position between General Taylor's camp and Point Isabel, and the remainder occupied the country above. The communication between the Point and the main army was now closed, and the teams employed in con- veying provisions and supplies from the depot, were compelled to return without reaching their destination. Captain Walker had been stationed with his company of Texan Rangers, between the two positions, with in- structions to keep the road open ; and on being informed by the teamsters that the Mexicans had completely ob- structed it, he left his camp with about half his force, on the 28th of April, U) reconnoitre. The captain was an experienced frontier soldier, and gave his men special directions to guard against a surprise. During his absence, the camp was suddenly attacked by a large body of ranchero cavalry, supposed to be nearly 1,500 strong. The rangers were mostly new volunteers, and did not obey the injunctions of their leader ; they were instantly thrown into confusion, and he returned in time to check, but not to remedy the disaster. A smart engagement was kept up for a few moments, during which the Mexicans lost thirty men, but the captain was forced to make a hurried retreat to the Point. His own loss was nine, in killed and wounded. The information brought in by Captain Walker oc- casioned much alarm and anxiety at the Point. The ene- emy could not be ignorant of the value of the stores col- lected here, and an attack was hourly expected. Every man connected with the service was provided w^ith arms, and the masters and crews of the vessels and trans- ports lying in the harbor promptly came on shore and tendered their services. The entire force which Major POINT ISABEL THREATENED. 99 Mu iroe was thus enabled to collect for the defence of the post, including the two companies of artillery and the rangers, amounted to about 500 men. His artillery consisted of sixteen brass six pounders, two long eigh- teens, and two ship's guns. He was amply provided with ammunition, and felt confident that he could with- 1 stand a force three times his own in number. Though the enterprise was a most hazardous one, "Captain Walker offered to be the bearer of a com- munication from Major Munroe to General Taylor, apprizing him of the situation of the depot, provided four men would accompany him. Permission was given him to make the attempt, and six men volun- teered to go with him. He left the Point with his party, on the morning of the 29th of April ; the service was full of peril, as every bush and thicket were supposed to conceal a hidden enemy ; but he succeeded, on the evening of the same day, in reaching the camp oppo- site Matamoras, in safety, after making several hair- breadth escapes ; on one occasion cutting his way through a body of Mexican lancers who endeavored to intercept him. Previous to this time, General Taylor had been in- formed that the enemy were preparing to cross below his camp, with the view of effecting a junction with the force under General Torrejon. The design of Arista was at once apparent. Ever since the blockade, pro- visions had been scarce in Matamoras. The prize at Point Isabel had attracted his attention, and he had de- termined to secure it. This position in his hands. General Taylor WDuVd be cut of from his supplies, and from all communication with New Orleans, by water, tlie only mode by which he could be immediately reinforced, or furnished with military stores and provisions. The 100 M^RCH TO THE POINT. unfinished state of his field-work, and the necessity of placing it in a good condition for defence, had hitherto prevented General Taylor from acting on the offensive ; but as his own ammunition and provisions were be- coming reduced, and his principal depot was menaced, he determined to march to the Point with the main body of the army as soon as possible, and put an end to the land blockade which the enemy appeared dis- posed to enforce against him. The troops were em- ployed without intermission, on the field-work, until the morning of the 1st of May, when it appeared to be capable of being defended by an inferior force, and orders were then issued to prepare for the march. The seventh regiment of infantry, with Captain Lowd's and Lieutenant Bragg's companies of artillery, numbering, in all, about 600 men, were detailed to gar- rison the field-work, and complete its defences. Major Brown, of the 7th, was left in command. At half-past three in the afternoon of the 1st, the main force marched under General Taylor, leaving all their sick behind them at the post ; and at eleven o'clock on the same evening bivouacked in the open prairie, about ten miles from Point Isabel. The march was resumed the next morn- ing, and they reached the depot early in the day, with- out discovering any indications of the enemy. The departure of General Taylor, with the greater part of his army, was hailed in Matamoras with every manifestation of joy. His march was pronounced a hasty retreat, and it was said that he had shut himself up in the fort, and lacked sufficient courage to meet the Mexicans in the field. The newspapers published in Matamoras abounded in declarations to this effect ; and El Monitor Repuhlicano boastfully announced, that the American general " dared not resist the valor ATTACK ON FORT BROWN. 101 and enthusiasm of the sons of Mexico." Within a week they were taught to know him better, and their loud boasting changed to mournful lamentations.* General Arista, who now had not far from 8,000 men under his command, left Matamoras with the prin- cipal part of the troops remaining on the right bank of the river, several hours before the departure of General Taylor from his position opposite the city. On arriv- ing at the crossing-place below Matamoras, the flat boats were found to be so much injured, that consider- able delay was produced before he could, concentrate his forces for the contemplated attack on the Point. General Taylor was on his way to its relief, and he did not think it advisable to hazard an engagement, in the then disordered condition of his army. The detach- ment under General Torrejon occupied the left bank, to cover the crossing, and the Americans were there- fore unmolested on their march. An attack on Fort Texas, as the American field-work opposite Matamoras was called,"f next suggested itself to the Mexican commander. The necessary orders were given, and the firing commenced at daylight on Sunday mornii g, the 3rd instant, from a battery of seven guns, (ei^ht-pounders,) protected by a breast- work of sand-bags.. The reveille was beaten at every point of the Mexican line, and the solemn stillness of * It was claimed by the Mexican journals that their army made every effort to come up with the Americans, but were unable to do so. This is not at all probable. Arista left Matamoras at eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 1st, and his troops had preceded him several hours. General Mejia who remained in command in the city, dispatched a mes- senger with the news of General Taylor's march soon after it com- menced. If the Mexicans had desired to overtake General Taylor, they could have found him that night on the prairie. ■\ The name was subsequently chanced to Fort Brown. 102 SETTLEMENT AT POINT ISABEL. the day was soon broken by the thunder of the cannon, the pealing notes of the church bells in Matamoras, and the loud vivas of the inhabitants who had assem- bled to witness the scene, and to cheer and animate their countrymen. The American batteries were quickly manned, and a strong fire kept up from the eighteen and six-pounders, for thirty minutes, when the enemy's fort was silenced. Two of their guns were disabled, and the remainder were removed to another fort lower down. A few shells had been thrown from a mortar in the sand-bag fort, but this was also re- moved to the lower fort, and a heavy cannonade com- menced from that point, which was continued, almost without intermission, until 12 o'clock at night, during which time from twelve to fifteen hundred shot were discharged. But little damage was done by the Mexi- can guns, though the embrasures were frequently struck. The only real annoyance was produced by the mortar, from which a number of shells were thrown that exploded in the fort. Finding that his six-pound- ers produced no effect, Major Brown ordered them to be posted in the rear to prevent an assault. A steady and deliberate fire was then continued from the eigh- teen-pounders by Captain Lowd, anJ a number of houses and other buildings in the city were considera- bly injured by the balls. An attempt was made to fire the town by throwing hot balls, but they could not be sufficiently heated to answer the purpose. At ten o'clock in the forenoon Major Brown ordered the fire to cease. It was found to be impossible to silence the mortar, and, as the enemy's guns did no harm, he wished to husband the small supply of ammunition in the fort. During the cannonade and bombardment, the garrison continued their labors on the unfinished LAW OF CONGRESS. 103 works, under the superintendence of the efficient engi- neer officer, Captain Mansfield. But one man was killed in the fort, and none were wounded. The cannonade in the direction of Matamoras on the 3rd instant was heard at Point Isabel, and General Taylor dispatched Captain Walker, with ten of his rangers, protected by a squadron of cavalry under Cap- tain May, to communicate with Major Brown. The party set out at two o'clock in the afternoon, and at nine came in sight of the watch fires of the enemy, who were encamped near Palo Alto. Taking a wide circuit, Captain May gained a position in the rear, where he concealed his men in a thicket of chaparral, while Captain Walker proceeded to the fort. The lat- ter accomplished his errand, and communicated the orders of General Taylor, not to hazard the safety of the fort by a sally, under any circumstances, but to defend it to the last. Having obtained fresh horses, he returned to the place where he had parted with the cavalry escort, but found it deserted. He was then compelled to seek safety in the fort during the day. At night he ventured forth again, and reached the Point unharmed, notwithstanding there were numer- ous parties on the alert to capture him. His bold and daring feats as a partisan were known to the Mexicans, and they were anxious to get him in their power, but he eluded all their efforts. Meanwhile Captain May had waited until daylight, and finding that Captain Walker did not return, he sup- posed he had been taken by the enemy, and as his own position would soon be an unsafe one, he decided to re- turn. In order to reconnoitre the enemy's position, he passed within half a mile of their camp at a full gallop. When about twelve miles from Point Isabel he encoun- 104 CLAIM TO THE LOWER RIO GRANDE. tered a body of one hundred and fifty lancers, whom he charged and pursued nearly three miles ; but as their horses were fresh, and his much jaded, he was unable to overtake them. Fears were now entertained for the safety of Captain Walker, but all alarm was banished by his subsequent reappearance. He brought the in- formation that the firing of the batteries at Matamoras had recommenced on tlie morning of the 4th, but was kept up only at long intervals, and without producing any damage. The partial cessation of the enemy's fire enabled Major Brown to continue the work on the defences of the fort, without any serious molestation. On the night of the 4th the Mexicans crossed the river and erected a strong battery, provided with cannon and mortars, in the rear of his position. About five o'clock in the af- ternoon, the field-battery commenced playing, and at the same time a constant discharge of shot and shells was kept up from the batteries in Matamoras. The garrison were not daunted by reason of their being ex- posed to this cross fire, but returned it with spirit until the enemy's batteries were silenced for the day. To- wards evening detachments of Mexican lancers and rancheros were observed hovering about in the vicinity of the fort on the north and east. Lieutenant Hanson, at his request, was sent out with a party to reconnoitre, and returned with the intelligence that the enemy were making preparations to invest the fort. The invest- ment was completed before night, and Major Brown now fired his eighteen-pounders at regular intervals, which was the preconcerted signal to inform General Taylor of his situation. Having failed in his design of capturing the depot at Point Isabel, General Arista had drawn his forces DEATH OF MAJOR BROWN. 105 around the fort opposite ]Matamoras, in the hope of ef- fecting its reduction before it could be reheved. The firing was renewed from his batteries, on the morninf]; of the Gth, with increased vigor. Owing to the scarcity of ammunition in the fort, Major Brown ordered his men to, cease firing, but to be prepared for resisting an assault. Soon after giving this order, he was struck by the fragments of a shell which exploded near him. The injury proved to be mortal, and terminated his career on the 9th of May. His loss to the service was a se- vere one, and, as General Taylor afterwards remarked, to the army under his orders it was " indeed irrepara- ble." After the fall of Major Brown, Captain Hawkins, of the same regiment, assumed the command. From the fact that the guns of the fort had ceased playing, the Mexicans supposed them completely silenced. About noon they also stopped firing, and every thing remained quiet for two hours, when one of their batteries com- menced a slow fire. The light companies near the fort moved within musket range, as if preparing for an as- sault, but were soon driven away by Captain Lowd's battery, which opened upon them. At five o'clock the IMexicans sounded a parley, and two officers approached tlie fort, with a written communication from General Arista, summoning the garrison to surrender, to which a reply was to be returned within one hour. A coun- cil of his officers was convened by Captain Hawkins, and the summons laid before them. The stern and unanimous response was — to defend the fort to the death ! * The reply of the American commander was * The reply of Captain Hawkins to that part of Arista's note sum- moning him to surrender, was so brief, and yet so pertinent, that it deserves to be copied: " Your humane communication," said lie, " has lOG THE DEFENCE CONTINUED. followed by a terrible cannonade, much more severe than any which had preceded it. At night the garrison slept on their arms, in readiness for the anticipated at- tack. During the whole of the following day they were on the alert. A severe cannonading was constantly kept up by the enemy, and assaulting parties were sev- eral times formed, though as often dispersed by a few rounds of canister and grape fired from the fort. In the evening Captain Mansfield sallied out with a party, and levelled the traverse and some clumps of chaparral, which had sheltered the sharp-shooters, whose fire had been quite annoying to the Americans. At midnight the garrison was aroused by volleys of musketry and bugle calls, which continued until near daylight. An assault was confidently anticipated, but the brave de- fenders of the fort were happily disappointed. At dawn of day on the 8th, the firing was renewed, and continued with very little intermission, until two o'clock in the afternoon. The forces of the enemy did not appear to be as numerous as they had been, and when this was discovered, the hopes of the garrison began to revive. Wearied and worn out with the con- stant watching, the labor and fatigue of the last six days, they lay down to rest themselves upon the ram- parts which had witnessed their long and anxious vigils. Their ammunition was reduced so low, that they had been ordered to refrain from firing, unless the enemy approached within eighty yards of the fort.* This, of itself, would have discouraged men who were not sus- just been received, and, after the consideration due to its importance, I must respectfully decline to surrender my forces to you." * The tents of the 7th infantry were cut up, also, during the bom- bardment of the fort, to make sand-bags for the protection of the gar- rison. MARCH OF TAYLOR FROM POINT ISABEL. 107 tained by the indomitable courage that nerved their hands, and strengthened their hearts. They still feared the worst, but they did not wholly despond. For a few moments all was still, — and then the silence was suddenly broken by the thunder of heavy artillery. Each man sprang to his feet, and for an instant held his breath. Boom ! — boom ! — those low, deep echoes were repeated and prolonged in the distance. The sound could not be mistaken — General Taylor was on the road to rescue them — the bronzed countenances of that band were lit up by a smile of joy, and their glad hurrah rang loud and clear down the valley of the Rio Grande. On the 6th of May, a body of recruits for General Taylor's army arrived at Point Isabel. The garrison of the fort at the depot was strengthened by the addi- tion of this detachment ; and having completed his preparations, General Taylor left the Point on the af- ternoon of the succeeding day, with a force of about 2,300 men, accompanied by a large wagon train con- taining his ammunition and supplies. Occasional guns were heard in the direction of Matamoras, which as- sured him that everything was right in that quarter. It was his determination to fight the enemy, if they of- fered him battle,* and his intentions were communicated to the army. On the night of the 7th, his forces bi- vouacked about seven miles from Point Isabel. The march was resumed on the following morning, and continued until about noon, when his cavalry advance reported that the Mexican army were drawn up in front, near the water hole of Palo Alto. ♦ " If the enemy oppose my march, in whatever force, I shall fight him." — Letter of General Taylor to the adjutant general, May 7th, 1846. 108 THE FIELD OF PALO ALTO. The Mexican position was admirably chosen. Their column was over a mile in length. In front was the open prairie, flanked on either hand by small pools of fresh water, and surrounded by groves of dwarfish trees,* clumps of chaparral, and thickets of prickly pear. Their left, consisting of a hea^ry force of cav- alry, commanded by General Torrejon, occupied the road, resting on the chaparral in the rear, while to the right extended their long lines of infantry, with an oc- casional party of lancers. The artillery, twelve pieces in number, was posted in the intervals, under the di- rection of General Requena. General Ampudia acted as second in command to Arista. The array presented by his forces was splendid and striking ; the day was bright and clear ; and a slight breeze rustled among the leaves, and gently lifted the standards and guidons be- neath which they were marshalled for the fight. On reaching the water, General Taylor ordered a halt to refresh his men, who were thirsty and fatigued, though anxious to be led forward to the attack. Hav- ing filled their canteens, the troops were formed in line of battle. The right wing, commanded by Colonel Twiggs, consisted of the 5th infantry. Lieutenant Col- onel Mcintosh ; Major Ringgold's light artillery ; 3rd infantry, Captain Morris ; two eighteen pounders in command of Lieutenant Churchill ; and 4th infantry, Major Allen — the 3rd and 4th regiments, composing the third brigade, were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Garland. The two squadrons of dragoons, under Cap- tains Ker and May, were also posted on the right. The left was couiposed of the battalion of artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Childs ; Captain Duncan's light ar- tillery ; and the 8th infantry, Captain Montgomery — * This species of tree is called " Palo Alto." COMMENCEMENT OF THE BATTLE. 109 all forming the first brigade, and commanded by Lieu- tenant Colonel Belknap. The wagon train was strongly- parked near the water in rear of the right wing, under the direction of Captains Crossman and Myers, and protected by Captain Ker's squadron. At two o'clock the army took up the march by heads of columns, all moving with the utmost regularity and promptitude, and the stillness broken only by their measured tread, the firm tones of command, the heavy tramp of cavalry, the rumbling wheels of the artillery, and the shrill notes of mart:"al music. While they were advancing, Lieutenant Blake, of the topographical en- gineers, volunteered a reconnaissance, which he exe- cuted in the most daring manner, to the admiration of all who beheld it. Approaching to v/ithin rifle shot of the enemy's line, he dismounted, and coolly surveyed their position with his spy-glass. He then remounted, and galloped along the whole line, discovering the ar- tillery, which had been previously masked by the tall grass of the prairie, and estimating the number of their cavalry and infantry with singular accuracy.* General Taylor halted his columns, and deployed them into line, within seven hundred yards of the en- emy, whose artillery began to pour forth its warlike music. Their guns were by no means skilfully served; the balls almost invariably bounced over the heads of the Americans, a.nd ricocheted along the plain in the rear, or ploughed deep furrows in the prairie, and filled the air with clouds of dust. On both sides the battle was mainly confined to the artillery. The guns of Ringgold, Churchill, and Duncan, were finely managed. • The career of this officer was brief indeed. He accidentally shot himself with one of his pistols on the morning of the 9th of May, and died before night. 110 REPULSE OF THE MEXICAN LANCERS. For two hours the roar was almost deafening. Whole columns of the enemy were swept away, as if by the breath of the tornado. The American infantry exhib- ited the highest proof of soldiership, in remaining inac- tive under a severe fire, yet ready at any moment to protect the artillery from a charge of cavalry. The Mexican lancers grew impatient, and demanded that some movement should be made to check the fire com- mitting such dreadful havoc among them, or that they should be allowed to retire. General Torrejon led them to the charge on the right flank, but Colonel Twiggs promptly met it with the 5th infantry, Captain Walker's rangers, and a section of Ringgold's artillery, under Lieutenant Ridgely. They could not withstand the iron torrent poured upon them, and retreated in confu- sion. Colonel Montero rallied a part of the force, and reformed them ; but his advance was soon checked by the 3rd infantry. Meanwhile, the dry grass of the prai- rie had burst into a blaze, and dark, dense clouds of smoke almost shut out the light of day, and hung in heavy festoons over the combatants. The enemy's fire now slackened, and they fell back on the left nearer to the chaparral in their rear. The firing of both armies ceased for nearly an hour, and it was then resumed b}^ the Americans, with the same terrible effect before witnessed. General Taylor had been steadily gaining ground, and the eighteen- pounders occupied the position formerly held by the Mexican cavalry. The tw^o lines were nearly parallel, when the battle was renewed by incessant showers of balls thrown from the American batteries. The Mexi- can fire was concentrated, for a few moments, on the light battery of the right wing, and the eighteen-pound- RETREAT OF THE ENEMY. ill ers. Major Ringgold* was mortally wounded, while directing his pieces, and Captain Page, of the 4th infantry, which had been ordered to the support of Churchill's guns, also received a severe wound, under which he lingered for several weeks, but finally expired. The artillery companies, under Lieutenant Colonel Childs, were afterwards ordered up to defend the eigh- teen-pounders, which was bravely done. The battalion was formed in square to receive the charge of cavalry ; but the advancing squadrons were scattered by a deadly discharge of canister from the guns. A brisk fire of small arms was then opened on the square, which was silenced by a well-directed volley. Several attempts were made, in the meantime, to turn the left flank, but foiled by the vigilance of Lieu- tenant Colonel Belknap, with the 8th infantry, the light battery, and the dragoons. Protected by the smoke, Captain Duncan dashed upon a column, before they were aware of his approach, and delivered a raking fire that drove them from the field with immense loss. About half an hour before sunset, Captain May made an attempt to charge the left flank of the enemy, but was forced to desist on account of the inadequacy of his force. Darkness at length separated the contending armies. The enemy retired into the adjoining chaparral, and during the night continued their retreat to a more favorable position, still further in the rear. They found it entirely useless to attempt a contest in the open plain. * Major Ringgold will long be remembered by the army and the country, for his accomplishments as an officer. The light artillery, now acknowledged to be one of ihe most efficient arms of the service, was introduced, and brought to its high state of perfection, mainly tkrough his instrumentality. 112 LOSS OF THE TWO ARMIES. Their artillery was shown to be ineffective against the better-directed fire of the American batteries, and every attempt to outflank General Taylor's little army, al- though their force consisted of 6,000 men, was met by skilful manoeuvering. If a demonstration was made on the American right, that wing half-wheeled to the left by regiments, and marched by its right flank upon a point a little beyond the enemy's left ; if on the left, that wing half-wheeled to the right, and marched by its left flank on a point beyond the enemy's right. When the Mexican cavalry, availing themselves of the open spaces produced by these movements, prepared to charge, at the instant the word was given to form by companies, right and left, into line, and barriers of glittering steel were at once presented to check their progress. ^ The American loss in the battle of the 8th was ten killed, including the two officers, and forty-four wound- ed. That of the enemy was near one hundred and fifty killed, and three hundred wounded.* Worn out and overcome with fatigue, General Taylor's gallant army lay down upon the field where their courage had been so severely tested, while the dragoons kept watch around them, to think over the events of the day, and what the morrow might bring forth, and, perhaps, to dream of their far-off" homes, and of those who were near and dear. The night was serene and beautiful ; the early moon shed its mellow light over the scene ; but that dark pall of smoke still hung above the battle- field. Early in the morning of the 9th, General Taylor or- dered his command under arms, and called a council of war to decide upon the course it was proper to pur- ♦ In his official dispatch, Arista set down liis total loss at 252. RESACA DE LA PALMA. 113 sue. Differences of opinion prevailed ; some being in favor of returning to tiie Point ; others tliinking it best to intrench themselves in their position; and others still, recommending the resumption of the march in the direction of Matamoras. General Taylor reconciled all the differences, and closed the council, with the em- phatic declaration that he would be opposite Matamo- ras before night, if he lived ! Arista had not been discouraged by his defeat on the 8th, and was determined to try his fortunes in a second engagement. About midway between the battle-ground at Palo Alto and the Rio Grande, and in the centre of the dense forest of chaparral extending from one point to the other, a distance of full seven miles, the road crosses a semi-circular ravine, with the opening towards Point Isabel, on an elevated ridge. Here it was decided to make another stand. Embankments were thrown up nearly breast high, and the infantry ranged in two lines, one under the front bank of the ravine, and the other behind the wall of chaparral on the opposite side. A strong battery was planted in the road, in the centre of the front line, and two smaller batteries on either side of the ridge, but on the rising ground in the rear. These were supported by veteran infantry regiments, and the Tampico battalion, a brave and well-appointed corps. Another battery was stationed on the right wing of the front line. During the night, and in the morning, Arista had ordered up reinforcernents, until his effective strength equalled, if it did not exceed, that of the previous day. The nature of the ground, how- ever, deprived him of the assistance of his cavalry in a great measure ; but this was more than counterbalanced by the strength of his position, surrounded, as it was, by almost impervious thickets, and the main road, the 114 THE BATTLE. only open space, completely covered by his cannon. Such were the dispositions made by the Mexican gen- eral at the Resaca de la Palma,* for the reception of the American army on the road to the relief of the gar- rison opposite Matamoras. . General Taylor commenced his march about mid- day on the 9th, and on arriving at the edge of the chap- arral, learned that the enemy were in force upon the road in his front. The supply train was secured at its former position, and protected by the battalion of artil- lery, except the light companies, under Lieutenant Colonel Childs, and the two eighteen-pounders of Lieu- tenant Churchill, with two twelve-pounders which had not been in the action of the 8th. The wounded offi- cers and men were at the same time sent back to Point Isabel. Captain McCall was then detached with the light companies to feel the enemy. While moving along, he was suddenly fired upon by a masked battery, and lost several of his men. Having reconnoitred the enemy's position, he fell back within reach of support, and sent word to General Taylor. Lieutenant Ridgely, who had succeeded to the com- mand of Major Ringgold's battery, was now ordered to move forward, supported by the light companies. The 5th infantry and one battalion of the 4th were thrown into the forest on the left, and the 3rd regiment and the other battalion of the 4th on the right, with orders to support the battery, and engage the Mexican infantry. Lieutenant Ridgely advanced at full speed, and imme- diately opened his fire. The Mexican batteries saluted him, in turn, with a constant roar, which continued for nearly an hour. Most of their balls flew over the heads of his men, otherwise they must have been lite- * The dry river, or ravine, of the Palm. CHARGE OF CAPTAIN MAY. 115 rally cut to pieces. The Mexican infantr} gave way before the severe fire of musketry from the American line, but so long as their batteries continued to play, the advantage gained could not be improved. But one resource was left. Captain May was ordered up with his squadron of dragoons, and directed by General Taylor to charge the battery in the road. Ranging his men in column of fours, the captain gave the word to follow, and away they went with the speed of the wind. Halting a moment, while Lieutenant Ridgely drew the enemy's fire, they dashed on again, clearing the breastwork, and overturning the gunners at their posts, by the resistless impetuosity of their charge. The work was done, but the loss was severe. One officer, (Lieu-, tenant Inge,) and nine men of the squadron, with eigh- teen horses, were killed, and ten men, and the same number of horses, severely wounded. When Captain May reined in his steed on the opposite side of the ra- vine, but six of his men were within call, the remainder having been either killed, or unhorsed, or separated in the confusion of the melee ; with these he turned and captured the Mexican artillery, taking General La Vega prisoner, who had vainly endeavored to rally his men to the defence of their guns. At the same time with the charge of the dragoons, the American infantry advanced towards the ravine, and after a series of desperate hand-to-hand encounters, in which Lieutenant Colonels Belknap and Mcintosh,* * Colonel Belknap was at the head of the 8th infantry, and, in the thickest of the fight, seized a Mexican standard with which he waved his men on to the charge. The flag was soon after carried away by a ball, but he continued to press on with the staff still in his hand. Col- onel Mcintosh was attacked by a large body of Mexican lancers and infantry, in the midst of the chaparral. His horse fell dead beneath bim, and he was also thrown to the earth, and pinned down by a bay- 116 DEFEAT OP THE MEXICANS. Captains Morris, Montgomery, Buchanan, and Baibour, particularly distinguished themselves, the enemy were completely defeated. The Mexican lancers were brought up, and attempted to stem the victorious Americans, now bearing every thing before them, but it was all in vain. The 5th infantry drove off the artillerists, who had returned to the guns silenced by Captain May, and the 4th captured Arista's camp, with his splendid pavil- ion, his official correspondence and dispatches, the mil- itary chest of the army, and large quantities of plate. The Tampico battalion was the last to quit the field, but they were routed, and their tri-colored standard, which they had so bravely defended, became the prize of the victors. Among the spoils were eight pieces of artiMery, several colors and standards, five hundred pack-saddles; stands of small arms, ammunition-boxes and cartridges, without number ; and, what was equally welcome to the American soldiers, an ample supper, which the Mexican cooks had provided in anticipation of the victory they expected to achieve. The defeat was total. The battalion of artillery, Captain Duncan's battery, and the dragoons, pursued the retreating columns of the enemy to the banks of the Rio Grande. Numbers of the fugitives were cut down in their flight, and when they reached the river, it wasj but to experience the crnehy and ingratitude of their eountrymen. The means provided for the crossing were totally inadequate, and when the flats were fillec Anet, which entered his mpjith and canje out behind his ear. Seizing the weapon with one hand, be raised his sword with the other to cui down his antagonists. He was then fastened more securely to tha groiUnd by two additionfU bayonets, one passing through his arm, an4 tte other through his hip. Froni:this position he was fortunately res cued, and survived his wounds, terrrihle aad severe as they were, bu to fall An another gloxioos field. GARRISON m THE FORT RELIEVED. 117 with the infantry, the lancers charged down upon them, and took the places of the occupants, who were driven over into the river, and drowned. The loss sustained by the Mexican army on this occasion must have been great — probably not less than five hundred in killed and wounded. A number of prisoners were also taken by the Americans, and among them were fourteen officers. General Taylor's loss was thirty-nine killed and eighty- three wounded. On the evening of the 8th of May, the long and anx- ious suspense, in which the American garrison opposite Matamoras remained during the battle at Palo Alto, was terminated by the arrival of a Mexican fugitive, from whom they learned the particulars of the conflict. They continued to fire their eighteen-pounders at inter- vals, to inform General Taylor that all was still well with them. The Mexican batteries again opened on the morning of the 9th, and kept up their fii'e until the can- nonading at Resaca de la Palma was heard, when they suddenly ceased, having continued the bombai'dment for upwards of one hundred and sixty hours. The gar- rison listened breathlessly to the roar of the artillery, and when it paused they well knew a charge had been made. In a short time the flying Mexicans came in sight, followed by the victors of the field, whose appear- ance was hailed with loud and hearty cheers from the garrison. Their heavy guns were now turned upon the Mexicans, and aided to complete the rout and over- throw. In a single week, the proud array with which Arista had crossed the Rio Grande, boasting of his ability to drive General Taylor from his position, and to capture his military stores and armament, had melted away like snow beneath the rays of a summer's sun. The inhab- 118 EFFECT OF THE VICTORIES. itants of Matamoras had seen their army go forth to battle, confident that they should witness their return with the trophies of victory. The triumphal festival was in readiness, and wreaths and decorations prepared in honor of the deeds of gallantry and daring which . fancy pictured to their view. The tidings from Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma dissolved all their bright hopes and expectations, and filled their hearts with sadness and sorrow. Confusion and alarm usurped the places of merriment and festivity. Numbers of the citizens retired into the country with their efl^ects, and those who were left behind awaited the capture of the city, which they anticipated with fear and anxiety, but were powerless to prevent. Had General Taylor been supplied with the requisite means for crossing the river, his army might have bivouacked in the plaza of Matamoras, on the night after the battle at Resaca de la Palma. He had re- quested the government to furnish him with a ponton train several months previous, but this had been neg- lected, and he was therefore obliged to remain inactive for several days. But the victories achieved by General Taylor and his army were not without their good results. Besides effecting the complete expulsion of the Mexican forces from the territory north of the Rio Grande, and con- vincing the world that American valor and intrepidity did not exist only in name, they served to remove many unfounded, but long-cherished prejudices, which existed at home, and to pave the way for the brilliant cam- paign that followed. The army had been looked upon by many as an unnecessary organization — the soldiers were said to be inefficient, and the officers better fitted to grace the salons of fashion and pleasure, than to PREJUDICES DISPELLED. 119 meet the stern realities of the battle-field. The mili- tary school at West Point had also received its portion of censure, and there were those who termed it a nur- sery for carpet-knights, instead of warriors. But how soon were these errors dispelled when the day of trial came, and that little band on the Rio Grande were seen fighting their way, inch by inch, and step by step, over- coming every obstacle, as if moved by one mind, and animated by one impulse ! — how soon did the American people learn to respect and admire the genius and skill of the brave men who were instructed on the banks of the Hudson, and imbued with the revolutionary spirit still lingering around the scenes where they were nur- tured ! It was fortunate for General Taylor, fortunate for the country, that the army under his orders was com- posed of regulars alone, who knew no such word as " fail !" Volunteers might have fought as well — their bravery has been too often tested to be doubted now — but had they faltered, what might have been the result? — and where the spirit of emulation that cheered and encouraged the citizen soldiers, who fought at Mon- terey and Buena Vista, at Cerro Gordo and Contreras? On the 10th of May, the Americans buried their dead, and an exchange of prisoners was effected, by means of which Captain Thornton and his command were re- covered. In honor of its brave defender, the field-work opposite Matamoras was called Fort Brown ; and the name of Fort Polk was given to the defences at Point Isabel. General Taylor, accompanied by a small escort, rode over to the Point in perfect security on the 11th, to meet Commodore Conner, who had left Vera Cruz with his squadron, on receiving the information that the Mexican troops were concentrating at Matamoras, and 120 EXPEDITION AGAINST BURRITA. had now anchored ofTthe Rio Grande, with the inten- tion of rendering such assistance to the army as might be in his power. A combined expedition with the naval and land forces against the Mexican towns on the river was determined on, and five hundred sailors and ma- rines were landed and organized under the command of Captain Gregory. The movements of some of the old " salts" are stated to have been rather awkward at the first, but they soon learned to manoeuvre with the accuracy and precision of landsmen. It was reported, on the 13th instant, that the Mexi- cans were collecting a large force at Burrita, a small town on the southern shore of the Rio Grande, situate between Matamoras and the Gulf. An expedition was arranged for the capture of the town, but in conse- quence of the roughness of the bar, occasioned by the unfavorable weather, the boats from the squadron were unable to enter the river until the 15th, On the 14th General Taylor returned to Fort Brown with over six hundred men, mostly volunteers from Louisiana and Alabama, who had, just arrived, a train of artillery and mortars, and two hundred and fifty wagons containing army stores. Lieutenant Colonel Wilson crossed the river on the 15th with a battalion of the 1st infantry and three companies of volunteers, and took possession of Burrita without encountering any resistance. General Taylor was unable to complete his prepara- tions for the capture of Matamoras until the 17th of May. His arrangements having been perfected in the morning of that day, Colonel Twiggs was ordered to cross above the town with the advance, consisting of the light companies and regular and volunteer cavalry, to be followed by the main body of the army, while Lieutenant Colonel Wilson was directed to move up CAPTURE OF MATAMOEAS. 121 thd river from Burrita, and thus make a diversion in their favor. Batteries were also set and mortars planted, for the purpose of bombarding the city, if any attempt should be made to defend it. Before the army had commenced its march up the river. General Taylor was waited upon by General Requena, who had been authorized by General Arista to treat for an armis- tice until the two governments should finally settle the questions in dispute. This was refused by General Taylor, inasmuch as he had proposed an armistice to General Ampudia, which had not been accepted, and now that hostilities had been provoked by the Mexi- cans, nothing would content him but the surrender of Matamoras, though the Mexican army would be per- mitted to retire, but not to take the public property with them. A reply to the answer given to General Requena was promised in the afternoon, but, as it did not come, General Taylor renewed his orders for cross- ing the river, which were carried into effect. It after- wards appeared that the proposition was only made to gain time. Arista left Matamoras during the night of the 17tli, with his forces, and on the following day Gen- eral Taylor took possession of the town without moles- tation. The Mexican citizens remaining in Matamoras were evidently inclined to look upon the Americans with fear and distrust. But a rigid system of police was estab- lished by the direction of Colonel Twiggs, who had been appointed governor of the city, and order and regularity took the place of the confusion which had prevailed. The inhabitants did not regard the change with indifference, and became at once more friendly and well disposed. Several hundred wounded Mexicans were found in Matamoras, and a quantity of military 6 122 PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY. Stores, which had been secreted by the enemy before leaving the city. Lieutenant Colonel Garland was dis- patched with a body of cavalry, upon the road takfen by the Mexican army, with orders to harass their rear. He pursued their route for sixty miles, when he returned, on account of the scarcity of water and the unfitness of his horses to proceed further, having had a slight skirmish with a small party which he captured. After establishing his army in comfortable quarters at Mata- moras, General Taylor sent out a party of the Texan rangers, under Captain McCulloch, who entered Rei- nosa, Camargo, Mier, and Reveilla, without opposition. J. C. FREMONT. Lieut. Col. Mounted Rifles. CHAPTER III. CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO. Fremont's Expedition — Jealousy of the Mexican Authorities — Afftiir at Sonoma — Declaration of Independence — The Pacific Squadron — Capture of all the prominent points in the Californias— March of the Army of the West from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe — Conquest of New Mexico — Departure of General Kearny for California — Counter Revolution — Battle of San Pascual — Passage of the San Gabriel — Ciudad de los Angelos — Arrival of Troops, and complete occupation of the Country. The conquest of New Mexico and the Californias, though bloodless in comparison with the military opera- tions conducted in other, quarters of the Mexican re- public, and presenting but few incidents likely to be commemorated " in story and in song," is of too much consequence, both with reference to the geographical extent of the territory overrun, and the commercial advantages which it has been supposed would be se- cured by its acquisition, to be entirely lost sight of amid the more brilliant achievements of the war. There were no powerful armies in the field — there were few victories won — few trophies gained ; but our officers, both of the army and the navy, discharged the duties they were required to perform, faithfully and well, and therefore deserve to be commended. But little resist- ance was offered to their movements, yet whenever encountered, it was promptly met, and as promptly put down. In addition to the other important points on 124 THE SANTA FK TRADE. the Pacific coast, the harbor of San Francisco, asserted by many of the ablest and most experienced navigators, to be the best and the safest on the North American continent,* now belongs to the United States. Its value as a depot of refreshments and supplies for Amer- ican whalemen, and its importance in connection with the China and East India trade, can scarcely be over estimated. In the progress of time it must become to our commerce with the Asiatic governments, what the city of New York now is to that with the countries lying along the Mediterranean, and the eastern shore of the Atlantic. Previous to the war, the trade between Santa F6 and the United States, principally carried on through the city of St. Louis, amounted annually to nearly two millions of dollars. The profits realized by the Amer- ican citizens, whose active enterprise had established and fostered this inland commerce, early excited the envy of the Mexican government, and on the 23rd of September, 1843, a decree was issued forbidding for- eigners, after six months from the date of its promul- gation, from selling by retail any goods within the con- fines of Mexico. One of the objects of this decree was, to cut off the commerce between the United States and the province of New Mexico, and compel the latter to become tributary to the towns on the Gulf, or to secure to the Mexicans themselves the entire mo- nopoly of the retail trade. It also afforded the means of gratifying the cupidity of the officers appointed in New Mexico by the central government, and served as a cloak for imposition and extortion. Evasions of the ordinance were invited and connived at, only to be fol- lowed by the most arbitrary exactions. To such an * See Balbi's Apege de Geographie. Fremont's expedition. 125 extent was this carried by Manuel Armijo, the gov- ernor of New Mexico, prior to and at the time of the commencement of the war, that, in repeated instances, a duty of five hundred dollars was collected on each wagon load of goods belonging to American traders. The permanent acquisition of this province will put an end to similar violations of international comity, and leave the trade free to seek its natural channel, un- checked and unrestrained. In the fall of 1845, Captain John C. Fremont,* of the corps of Topographical Engineers, was dispatched by the War Department, with a small party of men, armed and equipped for hunting, and for protecting themselves against the Indians, upon an exploring tour beyond the Rocky Mountains, the object of which was to discover, if possible, a new and shorter route to the mouth of the Columbia River. In^ order to accomplish his purpose, he found it necessary to enter the territory of Califor- nia, early in the winter of 1846. On the 29th of Jan- uary he halted his party about one hundred miles from Monf-rey, and proceeded alone to that city, to explain the obje.''t of his visit, and to secure permission to re- main durin g the winter in the valley of the San Joa- quim. General fJe Castro, the military commandant, complc.ined, at first, of the hostile appearance of the party ^ ^ut, on be'ng informed by Captain Fremont of 'his rank, and of the peaceful object of his visit, the de- sired permission was granted, apparently with great cordiality. TKe capta;n immediately returned and brought his men nearer tcr the city, when he was ap- prised by Mr. Larldn, the A.'iierican Consul, that Gen- * This officer had been previously distiiiguished for his scientific dis- coveries, and his successful .ejptkrations oi' the country in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. 126 AN ATTACK THREATENED. eral de Castro was raising a large force to attack him He had but sixty-two men, and was ill prepared to en- counter a body of troops superior to his own, and espe- cially so for the reason that nothing of the kind had been anticipated. Surprised and astonished at the treachery of the Mexican .officer, and conscious that an attack had not been provoked on his part, either by his acts or his in- tentions, Captain Fremont took a position about thirty miles from Monterey, on the summit of a mountain range overlooking the town, where he intrenched him- self, and raised the American flag, determined, in self- defence, to resist every attempt to dislodge him. De Castro did not approach within attacking distance, but remained in the vicinity for several days, apparently threatening a movement on the position occupied by the little band. No attack having been made. Captain Fremont marched out with the intention of resuming his journey towards Oregon, on the 10th day of March. Supposing that there was no more cause for siarm, he discharged a number of his party, who wished to re- main in the country, and refused to receive others in their stead, on account of his desire carefully to avoid arousing the prejudices or apprehe^isions of the Mex- ican authorities. Continuing his- march by slow de- grees, with de Castro following in his rear, accompa- nied by a force of near five hundred men ; and the hostile Indians, excited by the latter, constantly hover- ing in his neighborhood, and harassing his command ; he reached the Great Tlamath Lake, in the territory of Oregon, on the 15tb of May. The deep snow still lin- gering on the summits of the Sierra Nevada, obstructed his further progress, and the Tlamath Indians continued to annoy him. While here a courier arrived, who had PURSUIT OF DE CASTRO. 127 been sent forward to say that Mr. Gillespie and five men were endeavoring to overtake him. Knowing the treacherous character of the savages in the vicinity, he accompanied the courier on his return, with ten men. The distance to be travelled was sixty miles, and he was unable to come up with the party in one day. His men were fatigued and wearied with the ride, and failed to keep guard during the night. This neglect well nigh proved destructive to the whole band. A number of Tlamath warriors, whom they had supplied but a few days before with tobacco and provisions, stole suddenly upon their encampment, and killed three of the men, and wounded a friendly Delaware. The savages were finally repulsed, and Captain Fremont soon after returned to the Bay of San Francisco, with his whole party. While on his way, he had several encounters with the Indians, in which both he and his men behaved with great gallantry. While yet hesitating what course to adopt, Captain Fremont was informed that General de Castro was rapidly approaching, with the design of cutting oflT his party, and destroying or driving from the country the American settlers in the valley of the Sacramento.* The security of his men, and of the inhabitants who had once been his countrymen, was now placed in ex- treme jeopard}^, and it became necessary that prompt and decided measures should be instantly adopted. The permanent safety of the settlers appeared to de- pend, not merely on the defeat of de Castro, but on the • Captain Fremont was charged by the Mexican authorities with in- stigating the American settlers to revolt. When he occupied his in- trenched position overlooking Monterey, the settlers manifested a dispo- sition to take part with him against de Castro, and probably would have done so had he been attacked. This appears to have been the only foundation for the charge. 128 S .!!lMISHI^G NEAR THE SAN FKANCISCO. total overthrow of the Mexican authority, and the establishment of an independent government in Cali- fornia. On the 6th of June, 1846, Captain (now Lieu- tenant Colonel) Fremont* determined to accomplish these objects. Boldly turning on his pursuers, by a series of rapid movements, conceived and executed with equal daring and skill, he soon drove the Mexican general from that portion of the territory north of the Bay of San Francisco. On the 11th of June, a party of de Castro's men, consisting of one officer and four- teen privates, with two hundred horses, were surprised and captured by twelve of Lieutenant Colonel Fre- mont's command. At daybreak on the 15th instant, the military post a*t Sonoma was taken, with nine brass cannon, two hundred and fifty stand of arms, a quan- tity of ammunition, and a number of prisoners, among whom were Colonel Vallejo and several other officers. Leaving a garrison of twelve men to defend the post, Lieutenant Colonel Fremont proceeded to the Rio de los Americanos, a branch of the Sacramento, to pro- cure assistance from the American settlers. Soon after he reached there, an express arrived with the informa- tion that de Castro was preparing to cross the bay and attack the post. This intelligence was received in the afternoon of the 23rd of June, and he immediately re- turned with ninety mounted riflemen, whom he had collected in the valley. By riding night and day, they traversed the intervening distance of eighty miles be- fore two o'clock on the morning of the 25th. The enemy had not yet made their appearance. A party of twenty men were sent out to reconnoitre, and fell in with the vanguard of de Castro's force, consisting ♦ He was appointed a Lieutenant Colonel in the regiment of mounted riflemen, on the 27th of May, 1846. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCF 129 of seventy dragoons, who had just crossed the bay. A smart skirmish ensued, which resulted in the defeat of the Mexicans, with the loss of five men in killed and wounded. Fremont's party were uninjured. The Mexican commander, De la Torre, escaped with his men, losing his transport boats and his artillery, the latter being spiked. [ Having succeeded in driving the Mexicans from the northern shore of the bay, Lieutenant Colonel Fremont returned to Sonoma on the 4th of July. On the fol- lowing day he collected the Americans together, and, after explaining the condition of things in the territory, advised an immediate declaration of their independ- ence. This was accordingly made, and he was select- ed to assume the chief direction of affairs. In the meantime de Castro had established himself at Santa Clara, an intrenched post on the south side of the bay, with four hundred men and two pieces of field artillery. An attack on his position was decided on. In order to reach Santa Clara, it was necessary to make a cir- cuit of upwards of one hundred miles. Lieutenant Colonel Fremont commenced his march on the 6th of July, with one hundred and sixty mounted riflemen, and in three days reached the American settlements on the fork of the Sacramento. Here he learned that de Castro had abandoned Santa Clara, and was retiring to Ciudad de los Angelos,* the place of residence of the governor-general of the Californias, and about four hundred miles south of San Francisco. Every thing was prepared for continuing the pursuit, when the in- formation was received that the war had been com- menced, and that Commodore Sloat had taken the ports on the Pacific. The American flag was now ♦ City of the Angels. 6* 130 PROCEEDINGS OF COMMODORE SLOAT. substituted for the flag of independence, and the party started to overtake de Castro. They captured St. Johns on the 18th of July, a few hours previous to the arrival of Purser Fauntleroy, who had been sent by Commodore John D. Sloat to hoist the flag of the United States at the mission, and to recover some cannon and munitions of war which had been buried by the enemy. In company with the naval forces, Lieutenant Colonel Fremont returned to Monterey on the 19th instant. While lying off Mazatlan, on the 7th of June, Com- modore Sloat, then in command of the Pacific squad- ron, was informed that the Mexican troops had crossed the Rio Grande and attacked General Taylor's army, and that the squadron under Commodore Conner was then blockading the Mexican ports in the Gulf. In ac- cordance with instructions previously issued,* he sailed for the coast of California, to commence offensive op- erations, on the 8th instant, in the frigate Savannah. He arrived off" Monterey on the 2nd of July, and on the 7th summoned the town to surrender. A definite answer was not returned to his summons ; whereupon a body of marinfes and sailors were landed, in order to capture the place. No resistance was oflfered ; and the American flag was raised in the town without opposi- sition. On the 8th, Commander Montgomery, of the sloop of war Portsmouth, took possession of San Fran- cisco and the adjoining country, in the name of the government of the United States. Commodore Rob- ert F. Stockton arrived at Monterey, in the frigate Congress, on the 15th of July, and on the 23rd was ordered to duty on shore. * The instructions to Commodore Sloat were issued on the 24th of June, 1845, but did not reach him until several months afterwards. THE CALIFORNIA BATTALION. 131 On his arrival at Monterey, Lieutenant Colonel Fre- mont informed Commodore Sloat of his proceedings, and of his desire to capture the foi'ce under de Castro. The commodore declined to aid him in the enterprise, as he was about to return to the United' States, in con- sequence of his enfeebled health ; but when the author- ity on shore was intrusted to Commodore Stockton, he entered into the project at once, and gave it a most hearty and efficient support. A battalion of mounted riflemen, consisting mainly of the American settlers in California, was immediately formed, and the command given to Lieutenant Colonel Fremont, with the rank of major — the fact of his promotion being still unknown in California. This force was organized for the pur- pose of co-operating with the marines and sailors em- ployed on the land under the orders of Commodore Stockton. It was understood, at this time, that Pio Pico, the Governor of California, and General de Castro, the military commandant, were near Ciudad de los Ange- los, at the head of seven hundred cavalry, well mounted, and brave and expert horsemen.* A threatening proc- lamation had been issued by the governor, denouncing * The force under Pico and de Castro was chiefly composed of armed Californians, under Mexican leaders. The former are celebrated for their skilful horsemanship, and their dexterity in the use of the lance. Their horses are small, but remarkably fleet, easily trained, and capable j of great endurance. In March, 1847, Lieutenant Colonel Fremont, with two companions, travelled on horseback, from Ciudad de los Ange- los, to Monterey, and returned again immediately, at the rate of one hundred and twenty-five miles in a day. Each of the party had three horses,which were in turn, under the saddle. The six loose horses ran ahead, without bridle or halter, and wore caught with the lasso when required. At the end of the journey the horses were apparently as fresh as ever. The riders, also, it may be added, showed themselves capable of enduring extraordinary hardship and fatigue without diffi- culty. 132 COMMODORE STOCKTON AT SAN PEDRO. the foreigners in the territory, and expressing his deter- niination to drive them forthwith from the soil of Cali- fornia. On the 25th of July, the sloop of war Cyane, Captain Mervine, sailed from Monterey, with Lieuten- ant Colonel Fremont and his battalion, for San Diego, to intercept the retreat of General de Castro, while Commodore Stockton was to land at San Pedro, and attack him in front. Commodore Sloat gave up the entire command of the squadron to Commodore Stock- ton, on the 29th, and returned home. The latter soon completed his arrangements for the contemplated at- tack on de Castro. He left Monterey on the 1st of August, in the Congress, and arrived at San Pedro, about twenty-eight miles from Ciudad de ios Angelos, on the 6th ; having stopped at Santa Barbara on the way, and taken possession of the place. In the mean- time Lieutenant Colonel Fremont had reached San Diego, and landed with his battalion, but experienced great difficulty in procuring horses. He succeeded, at length, in mounting his men, and pushed forward in the direction of the enemy, who were encamped on the Misa, with seven pieces of artillery. Commodore Stockton landed at San Pedro, with a force of three hundred and sixty sailors and marines, established a camp, and commenced drilling and in- structing his men. Not being provided with field artil- lery> he procured two or three pieces of small ordnance from a merchant ship, and mounted them on cart- wheels, together with an eighteen-pounder carronade taken from his own ship. While engaged in making these preparations, two commissioners came from the camp of de Castro, with a flag of truce, to enter into negotiations. The gallant commodore cheerfully lis- tened to their propositions ; but when informed that, as CAPTURE OF CIUDAD DE LOS ANGEL03. 133 a preliminary step to negotiation, he must pledge him- self to remain where he was with his forces, he instantly closed the conference, and informed the commissioners that this was out of the question, and that he " would either take the country, or be whipped out of it !" One of the commissioners returned, in a few days, with a letter from General de Castro, written in the most ex- travagant language, and proclaiming his determination to defend the territory to the last. The commodore declined making any reply to the communication, but sent orders to Lieutenant Colonel Fremont to join him on the route, and commenced his march. Notwith- standing his boastful declarations, the Mexican general wisely concluded not to risk an engagement with the force advancing against him; his cannon were buried; his men dispersed ; and Governor Pio Pico and him- self fled to Sonora for safety. The commodore was joined on his march by Lieu- tenant Colonel Fremont, with his battalion of volunteer riflemen, numbering one hundred and twenty men. The retreat of the enemy was so precipitate that they could not overtake them, and they entered Ciudad de los Angelos, and took possession of the government house, without opposition. Parties of the riflemen were sent out to capture the Mexican officers who had headed the Californians.* A number of them were taken, but were allowed to go at large on their parole. Commodore Stockton soon after issued his proclama- tion, declaring the territory of California to be a part of the United States, by right of conquest, and an- nouncing himself as the governor thereof. Lieutenant ♦ The inhabitants of California are principally of Indian, or mixed descent, and military officers were sent from Mexico to take command of them. 1^4 TROOPS SENT TO CALIFORNIA. Colonel Fremont was appointed military commandant of the territory ; laws and regulations were established, and officers selected to enforce them. In the brief pe- riod of sixty days possession had been taken of every important town in the territory, and it was supposed that the conquest was permanently secured.* From the necessity of the case, the government of the United States relied upon the naval squadron in the Pacific to commence offensive movements in Cali- fornia, on the breaking out of the Vv^ar. It was fore- seen, however, that the presence of a military force would be necessary to secure the possession of the country. Accordingly, a company of artillery was embarked from New York, in August, 1846, and fol- lowed, in September, by a regiment of volunteer in- fantry, under Colonel Stevenson.f On the arrival of these troops, and of General Kearny with such part of his force as could be spared from New Mexico, it was expected that the command on shore would be assumed ♦ The instructions issued to the officers commanding the Pacific squadron contemplated the establishment of a temporary civil govern- ment in California, but did not authorize any political rights to be con- ferred on the inhabitants ; leaving it for the event of the war to deter- mine, whether the jurisdiction thus assumed, as an incident to the conquest, should be permanent. — Letter of the Secretary of the Navy, June 14, 1847. — Special message of President Polk, 2nd session, 29th Congress. + The regiment of volunteers commanded by Colonel Stevenson, was raised upon the condition that they should be discharged, whcrevei they might be, at the termination of the war, provided it was in a terri- tory of the United States. Men were selected to compose it, under the instructions of the Secretary of War, who would be likely to remain in Oregon, or in that quarter of the country, in order that the authority of the United States, if the territory of California should be perma- nently acquired by the terms of a treaty of peace, might be more read- ily maintained, through the instrumentality, if necessary, of the American settlers. BK.IGAD1EU GKNL. STEl'HKN WATT^ KEAltMEV. THE ARMY OF THE WEST. 135 by the officers of the army, and that the naval squadron would enforce the blockade. Instructions to this effect were issued from the Navy Department, but did not reach the commanding officer of the Pacific squadron until February, 1847.* The company of artillery ar- rived in California in the same month, and the regiment under Colonel Stevenson in March following. On the 30th day of June, 1846, General Kearny, who had been assigned to the command of " the Army of the West," left Fort Leavenworth with a force of about 1,000 men, on his march towards New Mexico. Before entering the enemy's territory, he was reinforced by a battalion of Mormon emigrants, on their way to Oregon or California, who were mustered into the ser- vice of the United States, and placed under the com- mand of Major Cooke, of the 2nd dragoons. With this and other additions, his army was subsequently in- creased to near 1,900. The regular dragoons, com- manded by Major Sumner, were but two hundred strong ; the remainder of the force was composed of volunteers. A large part of the latter, however, were mounted men, and many of them, in addition to their ordinary arms, were provided with knives and revolv- ing pistols. Their artillery consisted of eight long brass six-pounders, and two twelve-pounder howitzers. Pursuing the military road, the Army of the West crossed the grassy prairies lying between the Missouri and Kansas rivers, and clothed at this season of the year in the richest verdure, and gemmed with count- less flowers, of every shape and hue. On the 4th of July they struck the main road leading from Independ- ence to Santa Fe, at Elm Grove, and were soon upon * See the Proceedings of the Court Martial for the trial of Lieuten- ant Colonel Fremont. 136 THE GREAT PR MRIE. the Great Prairie, extending to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west, miles on miles, the same monotonous plain, for ages the pasture-ground of the elk and the buffalo, and its solitary echoes woken but rarely by the sound of human voices. Occasion- ally their path was crossed by a small stream murmur- ing softly along on its way to mingle its waters with those of the mighty river of the AVest ; and the fresh green foliage of the timber skirting its banks would form a most agreeable contrast to the short dry grass of the intervening waste, broken only here and there by small tufts of bushes, or giving place to sandy bar- rens, still more cheerless and uninviting. The parties of Indians whom they discovered on the prairie avoid- ed their track, and the buffalo fled at their approach. Their appearance, however, enlivened the scene, and it was a relief even to encounter the habitations of the prairie-dogs, whose burrows teemed with an unnum- bered progeny. At sunset they were cheered by the breeze which swept over the plain, refreshing them with its cool breath, after a day of weary travel ; but very often when they lay down to rest, the mournful howl of the gray wolf, who roamed about the encamp- ment, was the only lullaby to which they listened. The army reached the Arkansas on the 19th of July, and continued their march along its northern bank to Bent's fort,* a small post established for trading with the Indians, where they arrived near the close of the month. This was the rendezvous of the different de- tachments, and large quantities of stores had been sent here to await their arrival. Having refreshed his men ♦ This post is 574 miles from Fort Leavenworth. It was established by George and Charles Bent, the latter of whom was appointed Gov- ernor of New Mexico by General Kearny. GENERAL KEARNY IN NEW MEXICO. 137 by a short halt, and supplied himself with mules to draw the artillery, instead of the horses which were completely worn down in the march, General Kearny proceeded on his route. After leaving the valley of the Arkansas the country became more mountainous. The road lay over the spurs of the Cordilleras, between the head waters of the Cimmaron and Canadian rivers, and those of the Rio Grande. The first range which they crossed was the Raton. The scene presented from its summit is described as being of great sublim- ity.* To the northwest was Pike's Peak, the highest point of the Rocky Mountains north of the city of Chi- huahua ; while to the south and west were tall moun- tain ridges, some covered with evergreens, but most of them mere masses of rock, entirely destitute of wood, here glistening like silver in the sunlight, and there " grim, old, and gray," as the ruins of antiquity. To those who gazed upon them, it was easy to fancy they often saw in the distance the turrets and donjon keep of a feudal castle, with the banners of its lord streaming proudly in the wind from the time-worn battlements ; and further on, the tottering spire, the crumbling arch, and broken nave, of some old cathedral fallen to decay. General Kearny arrived at the Lower Moro, the first Mexican town upon the road to Santa Fe, on the 13th of August, and at the Upper Moro, on the follow- ing day. At the latter point there was a fort which had been occupied by a small party of soldiers, who had retired on the approach of the American army. At each village through which he passed, General Kearny directed the alcalde to take the oath of allegiance to • Journal of Lieut. Emory. 138 CAPTURE OF SANTA Fjfi. the United States, and assured him and the citizens generally, that their persons, property and religion, would be sacredly respected. While at the Upper Moro, the scouts sent out by General Kearny reported that the enemy were in force at the Moro Pass, a defile among the mountains about a mile distant from the village. On arriving there his men were drawn up in battle array, and prep- arations made to dislodge the Mexican forces. Just as the army were advancing, the general was informed that the enemy had retreated to the Pecos Pass, a re- markably strong position still further in the rear. At this place the caiion, or valley, is contracted to a nar- row gorge not more than twenty yards wide, through which the road passes on a shelf of rock jutting out from the cliffs, which rise almost perpendicular, seve- ral hundred feet high, on each side of the pass. Gov- ernor Armijo had collected here between three and four thousand men, with an apparent determination to dispute the passage with the American army. At the top of the ascent he planted his artillery, which raked the road, and were protected by a breastwork of felled trees. The mountain barriers securely guarded his flanks, and the position could only have been taken by a coup de jnain. With resolute detenders it might have been the Thermopylae of New Mexico ; but Ar- mijo and his officers concluded to abandon it without firing a single gun in its defence, and retired in hot haste to Chihuahua. General Kearny passed through the defile, and entered the city of Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, on the 18th of August, without en- countering the least resistance. Proceeding to the governor's house he took formal possession of the city and province. The American flag was hoisted in the CIVIL GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED. 139 plaza, and a salute of thirteen guns fired in honor of the bloodless conquest which had been achieved.* On the 23rd of August General Kearny issued his proclamation, declaring the department of New Mexico to be a part of the United States, absolving the inhab- itants from their allegiance to the Mexican republic, and claiming them as American citizens. A civil govern- ment was organized, and the proper officers appointed. f The citizens of Santa Fe appeared quite down- hearted and dispirited for several days after the arrival of the American army ; but General Kearny took every opportunity to pacify them, and adopted the most rigorous measures to prevent the commission of any injur ' to their persons or property by his troops. Their apprehensions gradually disappeared, and it was not long before it seemed to be a matter of indifference what rulers exercised authority over them, provided they could dispose of their choice Muscatel grapes, their melons and peaches, their corn and red peppers, to good advantage, and be allowed to drink their wine or coffee, and smoke their cigaritos, undisturbed. In order that no excesses or outrages should be committed, aiid that the efficiency of the army might remain un- * The whole distance from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe, travelled by the American army in six weeks, was 883 miles. ■f General Kearny was authorized to establish a temporary civil government in New Mexico, and all his measures designed to promote this object were approved by the government of the United States ; but so far as he attempted to confer any political rights of a permanent char- acter, his course was disapproved. His absolving the inhabitants of New Mexico from their allegiance, if it had any effect, simply amounted to a declaration that while the authority of his government was exerted in the province, and they refrained from taking up arms, they would not be treated as enemies. — Letter of the Secretary of War to General Kearny, January 11, 1817.— Special Message of President Polk, 2nd session, 29th Congress. 140 DEPARTURE FOR CALIFORNIA. impaired, the coffee-house keepers were forbidden to sell liquor to the American soldiers, and gaming of every kind was prohibited.* Order and quiet were established, and every thing wore a peaceful and con- tented aspect. Early in September General Kearny made a recon naissance down the valley of the Rio Grande, accom- panied by 750 men. He passed through San Domingo, Albuquerque and Valencia, as far as Tomae, about one hundred miles below Santa Fe, from whence he re- turned, without discovering any evidences of a desire to resist his authority. A party of fifty men were soon after sent to the north to bring in some Apache chiefs, with whom a treaty was formed on favorable terms. The conquest of the province having been effected, and tranquillity perfectly restored, General Kearny appointed Charles Bent governor of the territory, and departed for California on the 25th of September, at- tended by Major Sumner with 300 of the 1st dragoons. Proceeding down the river to Albuquerque he crossed over to the right bank, and continued his way south until the 5th of October, when he met an express sent by Commodore Stockton and Lieutenant Colonel Fre- mont, who reported that they were already in posses- sion of the Californias, and that the war was ended in that quarter. On receiving this welcome intelligence he directed Major Sumner to return with 200 of the dragoons, reserving the remainder as an escort for him- * The inhabitants of New Mexico are inveterate gamesters, and pa»- monatcly devoted to their favorite " monte." As in California, the great majority are the descendants of the ancient Aztec tribes. Those of Spanish descent are comparatively few, yet they treat the Indian popu- lation, though more numerous than themselves, rather like serfs than fellow-citizens. COUNTER REVOLUTION. 141 Beir. Following the valley of the Rio Grande for the distance of two hundred and thirty miles bslovv Santa Fe, he there left the river, and marched westward, by the way of the Copper Mines, to the Rio Gila, where he arrived on the 20th instant. He then proceeded down this stream to its junction with the Colorado of the West, a distance of five hundred miles ; halting but two days on the road, at the village of the Penos In- dians, to obtain provisions and recruit his horses. His course now lay down the Colorado for forty miles, and thence sixty miles a,cross the southern extremity of the great desert of California.* His long and toilsome march terminated on the 2nd of December, when he entered one of the frontier settlements of the territory. Hearing that a counter-revolution had taken place in the Californias, he dispatched a messenger to Commo- dore Stockton, with a letter requesting that a party might be sent out to open a communication with him. Without waiting for a reply, he moved forward cau- tiously, and was met on the 5th instant, about forty • "This immense plain, the existence of which was until very re- cently wholly unknown, is situated in the central part of Upper or New California. It is limited on the north by a mass of rocks, which sepa- rate it from the head waters of the Lewis river, on the west by an irreg- ular chain of mountains, extending in parallel ridges along the shores of the Pacific ocean, on the east by the western branches of the Colorado, and on the south by the valley of the Colorado. Its area is equal to that of Virginia, and consists of an elevated plateau or table land, flanked on all sides by descents more or less inclined, according to their geological structure. * * * It presents Httle less than an arid sur- face, broken at intervals by a few detached mountains, of limited ex- tent, but rising in some instances above the region of perpetual snow. Prom these mountains small streams flow during the rainy seasons. On reaching the plains, these torrents instantly disappear in the sand, leav- ing no other trace of their existence than the fragments of rocks and other debris, which are borne down by the currents, and deposited at the bases of the hills." — Re-issue, American Family Magazine, Part 14. 142 REVOLT IN THE CAPITAL. miles from San Diego, by a detachment of California volunteers, and carbineers from the Congress, with a field-piece, under Captain Gillespie, from whom he learned the particulai's of the attempted revolution. Commodore Stockton left Ciudad de los Angelos, with his sailors and marines, on the 2nd of September, and proceeded to San Francisco, at which place he designed to make arrangements for an attack on Ma- zatlan and Acapulco, in conjunction with Lieutenant Colonel Fremont. The latter joined him on the 12th of October, with 170 men of his battalion, having left Captain Gillespie with a small party in command at the capital. The expedition immediately started ; the Commodore sailing with his force for San Pedro, in the Congress ; and Lieutenant Colonel Fremont in a vessel chartered for the purpose, intending to land at Santa Barbara. No sooner had the greater part of the American forces been withdrawn from the vicinity of the capital, than symptoms of a revolt began to be manifested. The inhabitants did not appear willing to acquiesce at once in this sudden change of their government, and the disaffected were encouraged to make resistance by the Mexican officers still in the territory. An appeal to arms was determined on, and a body of the enemy, numbering five or six hundred, took the field under the command of General Flores. Captain Gillespie was besieged in the government house and forced to capit- ulate, having obtained permission, however, to retire with his men on board the Savannah, then lying off San Pedro. Captain Mervine, in command of the frigate, promptly landed a portion of his crew, and marched towards the capital. He met a party of the enemy with one piece of artillery, a short distance RISING AT SANTA BARBARA. 143 from San Pedro, whom he attacked. Being without artillery, and finding it impossible to capture that of the enemy, on account of the speed of their horses which they attached to the piece whenever a charge was attempted, he returned to the vessel, having lost several men in killed and wounded. About the time that these insurrectionary move- ments commenced, an armed Mexican schooner, the Malek Adhel, appeared on the coast, and was cap- tured by the sloop of war Warren. A rising also took place at Santa Barbara, which was put down without difficulty ; the enemy appearing to concentrate their forces between San Diego and the capital, with the de- sign of making their principal effort in that quarter. Lieutenant Colonel Fremont found that he would be unable to mount his command at Santa Barbara, and therefore landed at Monterey. After considerable de- lay he succeeded in providing horses for his men, and set out towards the capital. In the meantime, Com- modore Stockton had left San Pedro, and sailed for San Diego, which he found to be threatened by the enemy. The body of sailors and marines whom he had before employed on shore, and who cheerfully per- formed the duties of cavalry, infantry and artillery, as occasion required, were landed forthwith, and prepara- tions commenced for re- subjugating the country in an effectual manner. Matters were in this position when General Kearny arrived in the territory. On his way to join General Kearny, Captain Gil- lespie learned that there was an armed party of Cali- fornians, with a number of extra horses, at San Pascual, about three leagues distant on another road leading to San Diego. Lieutenant Hammond was sent forward with a party in the evening to make a reconnaissance. 144 SKIRMISH AT SAN PASCUAL. He returned at two o'clock in the morning of the 6th of December, and reported that he had discovered the enemy, who had seen but did not pursue him. At break of da}' the whole force was in motion. Captain Johnston led the advance guard of twelve dragoons mounted on the best horses ; then followed fifty dra- goons under Captain Moore, most of whom were mounted on the mules which they had ridden from Santa Fe,* Captain Gillespie's volunteers, two moun- tain howitzers managed by dragoons, and commanded by Lieutenant Davidson ; the rest of the troops, in- cluding the men from the squadron under Lieutenant Beall and Passed Midshipman Duncan, remained in the rear with the baggage, under the direction of Major Swords. At the dawn of day they approached the enemy, who were already in the saddle. They proved to be a body of men, about 160 strong, under Andre Pico, brother of the late governor. Captain Johnston charged furiously upon them with the advance, followed by the remainder of the dragoons. They could not meet the shock, and gave way in a few moments ; General Kearny, with Captain Moore and the mounted men, were soon in hot pursuit. The Californians were well mounted, and discovering that a part of the Americans had become separated from their companions, turned like lightning upon them. For five minutes the ground was fiercely contested, the enemy inflicting terrible wounds with their long lances, and displaying no little dexterity and promptness in their manoiuvres. On the approach of the remainder of General Kearny's force, they abandoned the field, carrying away most of their dead and wounded, — only six being left behind them. « The distance travelled fronai Santa Fe was 1,050 miles. GENERAL KEARNY REINFORCED. 145 General Kearny was unable lo bring his howitzers into action, in consequence of the mules before them be- coming frightened and unmanageable. The affliir at San Pascual was of brief duration, but spirited, and attended with the loss of several valuable officers. Captain Johnston fell at the commencement of the action, and Captain Moore and Lieutenant Ham- mond were lanced when the enemy turned upon them. General Kearny himself received two severe lance wounds. The total loss was three officers killed, and four wounded ; sixteen privates killed, and eleven wounded. On the following morning General Kearny buried his dead and provided ambulances for the wounded, when the march was resumed. The enemy appeared on the hills in their front, but retired on their approach, to San Bernardo, where they took possession of a hill and seemed inclined to make a stand. The advance drove them from this position, killing and wounding five of their number, v/ithout loss to themselves. The situa- tion of his command General Kearny now found to be hazardous in the extreme. A number of them were wounded ; they were but ill provided, and surrounded by enemies, evidently watching an opportunity to cut off the whole party. Orders were therefore given to encamp, and an express dispatched to Commodore Stockton for assistance. Lieutenant Gray was sent forward by the Commodore from San Diego, with 215 men, and joined General Kearny on the 11th instant. Thus reinforced the General arrived at San Diego on the next day without again encountering the enemy. Every thing being in readiness for the movement on Ciudad de los Angelos, which Commodore Stockton had projected, at his request General Kearny asssumed 7 146 PASSAGE OF THE SAN GABRIEL. the command of the expedition ; the Commodore him- self accompanying the troops on their march. The total strength of the force was 500 men, consisting of 60 mounted dragoons under Captain Turner, 50 California volunteers, and the remainder marines and sailors, with a strong battery of artillery. The march was commenced on the 29th of December, and con- tinued without interruption until the 8th of January, 1847, when the enemy appeared in force on the heights which commanded the crossing of the San Gabriel. They numbered 600 mounted men, with four pieces of artillery, under the command of General Flores. A strong party of skirmishers were thrown forward in front of the American line, and the whole force crossed the river, pressing on firmly and steadily under a severe fire, stormed the heights, and drove the enemy from their position, after an action of about an hour and a half. The heavy artillery was pushed in the advance when they began to waver, and completed the rout. A charge upon the American left flank was once at- tempted, but the enemy were quickly repulsed. The American forces proceeded towards the capital on the 9th instant, and again met the enemy on the plains of Misa near the city. Their artillery opened, but did not check the advance of the Americans. The firQ was returned with spirit. A constant skirmishing was continued for two hours, at the end of which time the entmy made an unsuccessful effort to charge, and finally moved off, carrying with them their killed and wounded. In these two actions the Americans lost but one man kil\ed, and thirteen wounded. The brave tars from the national vessels proved as efficient, during the whole march of one hundred and fifty miles, as CAPITULATION OF THE rNSURGENT3. 147 their companions who belonged to the army, and vied with them in the display of courage and endurance. The Americans entered the capital of the Californias on the 10th of January, and on the 13th the leaders of the revolt capitulated at Couenga to Lieutenant Colo- nel Fremont, who was on his way from Santa Barbara with 400 men and four pieces of artillery, after having suppressed the attempted rising in that quarter of the territory. The enemy surrendered their artillery, and with the exception of an occasional emeute, quite lim- ited in extent, submitted peaceably to the authority of the American officers.* A serious disagreement between Commodore Stock- ton and General Kearny in relation to their respective powers, interrupted the harmony which had character- ized their previous intercourse, soon after they entered Ciudad de los Angelos. The dispute originated in the indefinite character of their instructions ; the conquest of California having been achieved before those of a more positive nature had reached them. This was not contemplated, it would seem, by either the Navy or the War Department, and produced a great deal of ill- feeling and animosity. Both officers claimed the right to exercise the chief command. On the 16th of Jan- uary Commodore Stockton appointed Lieutenant Col- onel Fremont governor of the territory, who accepted the office, and continued to exercise its functions until the month of March, although General Kearny insisted that the power in fact belonged to himself exclusively. Commodore Stockton was relieved by Commodore W. Branford Shubrick in the month of February, and * On the arrival of the Mormon battalion under Major Cooke, in Ja/i- uary, 1847, the Californians manifested a disposition to attack them, bat were finally quieted. 148 ARRIVAL OF TROOPS. returned over land to the United States. Commodore Shubrick was succeeded in a few days by Commodore James Biddle, who arrived on the 2nd of March, and assumed the chief command. More definite instruc- tions had now been received, and the presence of a larger military force enabled General Kearny to main- tain his rights as the commanding officer on shore. The naval commanders thereafter voluntarily confined themselves, under their orders, to the enforcement of the blockade, and Lieutenant Colonel Fremont was superseded in his authority as governor.* On the arrival of the New York regiment under Colo- nel Stevenson, it was distributed among the different posts, and the territory constituted into a military de- partment. General Kearny remained in command until the 31st of May, when he returned home ; being succeeded by Colonel Mason, of the 1st dragoons, as the commanding officer of the department. * For the particulars of this controversy, see the Proceedings of tho Court Martial for the trial of Lieutenant Colonel Fremont, held at Washington in the winter of 1847-48. The finding of the Court fully sustained the position assumed by General Kearny, that Lieutenant Colonel Fremont had been guilty of mutiny and disobedience of orders. A majority of the Court, however, deemed the case one not requiring a severe punishment, especially in view of the meritorious services of the accused, and the sentence was remitted by the President. Believing that he had acted in entire good faith, the Lieutenant Colonel resigned his commission, which terminated bis connection with the army. GKN. ARISTA. CHAPTER IV. MONTEREY. Censure of General Arista — Arrival of Volunteers on the Rio Grande — Proclamation — Difficulty in procuring Transportation and Supplies — Advance of the Army — Encounter at Ramos — Defences of Monterey — Skirmish at San Jeromino — Storming of Federacion Hill and the Soldada — Diversion in the lower part of the Town — The Enemy's line of defence penetrated — Terrible slaughter among the Assailants — Cap- ture of the Bishop's Palace— The Americans in the City — Street-fight- ing — Capitu lation. In addition to the mortification ©f defeat, General Arista was fated to experience the bitterness of the truth, that the unsuccessful warrior rarely finds sym- pathy among those whom he has vainly endeavored to serve. Heroes are but too often the creatures of chance, and " a breath unmakes them, as a breath has made." The government of Parades had not enter- tained the idea that the army under General Taylor would dare to cope with the Vv'ell-appointed legions which had been sent into the field ; they were ignorant of the spirit that animated the American soldiers; they did not know, that ere the flag of their country should have trailed in defeat, not one would have been left to witness its humiliation. After leaving Matamoras, Arista retii'ed with the remnant of his army to the vicinity of Linares, and subsequently to the city of Monterey. Pickets were tlirown out on the road to Matamoras, in anticipation 150 TUANKS TO THE ARMY. of a general pursuit. This was not attempted by the American commander, and the enemy were allowed to collect their scattered forces at Monterey entirely un- molested. Arista was severely censured by his supe- riors, and relieved from his command. Galling under the rebuke, and never being particularly friendly to the elevation of Paredes, he attempted to produce another revolution in public affairs. His reverses had alienated the army, in a great measure, and he was unable to secure their co-operation. The design, therefore, could not be carried into effect, and he retired to his ha- cienda near Monterey, refusing to obey the summons directing him to repair to the capital. On the 16th of June, 1846, Paredes was regularly chosen to the Pres- idency, and a change was made in the officers com- mandino; the forces on the northern frontier. General Arevalo was ordered to Monterey, and General Am- pudia to San Luis Potosi, to collect reinforcements, and be in readiness to relieve any point that might be menaced by the American army. Proclamations were at the same time issued by Paredes, exhorting the Mexican people to make greater exertions, and pi-omis- ing them certain success for the future. Congratulations were liberally showered, from every quarter of the Union, upon the army of occupation, for their gallant achievements on the banks of the Rio Grande. Tiie captured standards and colors brought to Washington by Lieutenant Colonel Payne, of the 4th artillery, acting Inspector-general of the army, who had been disabled at Resaca de la Pal ma, were de- posited among the national archives. The thanks of Congress, and of the people in their public meetings, were freely tendered. General Taylor was rewarded with the brevet of Major General, and soon after re- PROCLAMATION TO THE MEXICANS. 151 ceived a full commission of the same rank, in pursuance of a law authorizing the appointment of an additional officer of that grade. The volunteers enlisted under the act of Congress were sent forward to the Rio Grande as expeditiously as possible, and early in the month of June the army under General Taylor num- bered not far from 9,000 men.* In anticipation of a movement towards the interior of the enemy's country. General Taylor caused a proc- lamation prepared at the War Department, and trans- lated into the Spanish language, to be circulated among the Mexican people, in order to apprize them of the ob- jects for which the war was prosecuted, and the manner in which it would be conducted.f The first and most ♦ The general officers appointed to the command of the volunteers were William O. Butler of Kentucky, and Robert Patterson of Pennsyl- vania, Major Generals; and Gideon J. Pillow of Tennessee, Thomas L. Hamer of Ohio, John A. Quitman of Mississippi, Thomas Marshall of Kentucky, Joseph Lane of Indiana, and James Shields of Illinois, Brigadier Generals. Generals Butler and Patterson were officers in the army during the last war with Great Britain, and the former, then a member of General Jackson's staff, was highly commended for his gal- lantry at the battle of New Orleans. Governor J. Pinckney Henderson of Texas, acted as Major General of the volunteers from that state. •f " We come to obtain reparation for repeated wrongs and injuries; we come to obtain indemnity for the past, and security for the future ; we come to overthrow the tyrants who have destroyed your hberties ; but we come to make no war upon the people of Mexico, nor upon any form of free government they may choose to select for themselves. It is our wish to see you liberated from despots, to drive back the savage Camanches, to prevent the renewal of their assaults, and to compel them to restore to you from captivity your Ion;;,- lost wives and children. Your religion, your altars, your churches, the property of your churches and citizens, the emblems of your faith and .ts ministers, shall be pro- tected, and remain inviolable. Hundreds of our army, and hundreds of thousands of our citizens, are members of the Catholic Church. In every state, and in nearly every city and village of our Union, Catholic churches exist, and the priests perform their holy functions in peace and 152 DIFFERENT ROUTES INTO THE INTERIOR. important point to be secured, after the capture of Matamoras, was the city of Monterey,* situated at the base of the Sierra Madre, at a point wliere all the principal approaches from the Rio Grande concen- trated, and commanding the main pass through the wall of mountains, the only road practicable for artillery leading to the heart of Mexico. Two routes lay open for the choice of General Taylor ; the one to leave the river at Matamoras, and follow the track of the retreating Mexicans through the interior ; and the other to proceed up the Rio Grande as far as Mier, and then take the road through Seralvo and Marin. The first was almost entirely destitute of subsistence ; on the second there was but a limited supply ; and an army moving in either direction would be compelled to depend on its principal depots upon or near the Rio Grande. But by pushing his supplies up the river, General Taylor found he could establish a depot much nearer to Monterey than the position at Matamoras, besides being more convenient to the route by way of Kecurity under the sacred guaranty of our Constitution. We come omong the people of Jlexico as friends and republican brethren, and all who receive us as such, shall be protected, whilst all who are se- duced into the army of your dictntors shall l)e treated as enemies. We shall want from you nothing but food for our army, and for this you shall always be paid in cash the full value. It is the settled policy of your tyrants to deceive you in regard to the character and policy of our government and people. Those tyrants fear the example of our free in- stitutions, and constantly endeavor to misrepresent our purposes, and inspire you with hatred for your republican brethren of the American Union. Give us but the opportunity to undeceive you, and you will soon learn that all the representations of Parcdes were false, and were only made to induce you to consent to the establislimcnt of a despotic government." — Extract from the Proclamation addressed to tlic Mexi- can nation. — House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, (p. 15^ 2nd session, 29th Congress. * The Kins of the Mountain. TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPLIES. 153 Sgralvo and Marin. He therefore decidsd to pursue that route, as it would require less transportation by land, and to establish his main depot at Camargo.* The Rio Grande has been very properly termed, "the muddiest, crookedest, and swiftest river in North America." The channel is constantly shifting, and the navigation obstructed by so many sand-bars, that it is difficult for the smallest steamboats to proceed further up than Reinosa, except in high water. Notwithstand- ing the efforts made by the Quartermaster's Depart- ment to forward supplies for the army, and procure suitable boats to navigate the river, most of which had to be obtained in the United States, and at remote dis- tances from the seaboard, it was not until the month of August that General Taylor was able to move for- ward with his troops. The causes of this delay were various, and, in most cases, could not well have been avoided. In some instances requisitions were not made in due season ; in others the contractors failed to fulfil their obligations; and in others still, the officers of the bureau may have been at fault, although the of- ficial correspondence of General Jesup, the Quarter- master-general, and his subordinates, shows that they labored most assiduously in the performance of their duties.f ♦ Camargo is situated at the mouth of the San Juan, on its southern ehore. and on the right bank of the Rio Grande. It is 48 miles above Rcinosa, and 93 from Matamoras. •j- In September, 184o, General Jesup asked, and obtained leave to join the ar.ny on the Rio Grande, and remained there and at New Or- leans for several months, constantly employed in the duties of his office. After this time, there was less coaiplaint in regard to the want of trans- portation and supplies. — See Correspondent-e of Quartermaster's Depart- ment, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 1 19, (pp. 2jO, et. seq.) 2nd session, 29th Congress. 7* 154 SICKNESS AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS. Had General Taylor been in a situation to advance with a large army, immediately after the capture of Matamoras, there can be no doubt that Monterey might have been taken without the least difficulty, and, per- haps, without striking a single blow. At first blush" this would seem to have been a most desirable result; but a moment's reflection will suggest an important consideration decidedly opposed to such a conclusion. The history of the war, as conducted in the provinces of California and New Mexico, presents one truth in bold and strong relief, — which is, that something more than the occupation of an enemy's territory by an armed force apparently sufficient to overawe the in- habitants, is necessary to constitute an effectual con- quest. General Taylor might have overrun the whole country between the Rio Grande and the Sierra Ma- dre, and yet there have been no safety for his army, if separated into detachments, until the enemy had con- centrated their forces, and there had been a fair trial of strength in the field. To conquer a people at home, on their own soil, their moral energies must be pros- trated, and that can only be done by a defeat. The loss before Monterey was severe, but was it not better thus, than that the valley of the San Juan should have been deluged with the blood of American soldiers lulled into a false security, and unprepared for the sudden onslaught of Mexican guerilleros aad rancheros ? After the arrival of the volunteers, and while waiting for boats to navigate the river. General Taylor wisely directed that the troops should be thoroughly drilled and disciplined. The sickly season came on before he proceeded up the Rio Grande, and large numbers of the volunteer corps were swept away by the noxious vapors of the tierra caliente, aggravated, no doubt, in ADVANCE FROM TUE KIO GRANDE. 155 their influence, by the irregular habits formed in the camp by those who were unaccustomed to this new mode of life. Notwithstanding the intei'ference of General Taylor, and the adoption of more stringent regulations, the causes of this mortahty were never wholly removed, though they were ultimately checked to a great extent. The army commenced moving towards Monterey early in August. General Taylor arrived at Camargo on the 8th instant, and on the 17th, General Worth* marched for Seralvo, with the first brigade of his di- vision, followed by the second brigade on the 25th. The spy companies had previously been thrown for- ward, but had not found the enemy posted in force on either side of the San Juan. On the 11th of August, a party of sixty Mexicans, armed, with carbines, and well supplied with ammunition, were captured and brought into Camargo. Captain McCulloch, with his company of fifty men, discovered a body of irregular cavalry, over one hundred strong, at China, and made his dispositions to attack them, but they prudently avoided an engagement. On the 4th of September, General Taylor received a dispatch from General Worth, informing him that Ampudia had arrived at Monterey with reinforce- ments ; that the Mexican cavalry were supposed to be at Caiderita ; and that General Canales was at Marin with 600 men, and had his advance at Papayallos on the road to Seralvo. On the following day, the re- maining divisions of the army commenced the march ; * General Worth was in Washington when the intelligence was re- ceived that hostilities had commenced on llie Rio Grande, and had al- ready handed in his resignation. He promptly withdrew it and returned to the seat of war, resuming the command of his division on the 28th of May. 156 STECNGTU OF THE ARMY. the Texas cavalry, under General Henderson, being sent round by China and Caiderita, with orders to join the main army at Marin ; and General Taylor, with the rest of his forces, crossing the San Juan at Camargo, and moving forward by the other road to Seralvo. The entire strength of the army destined for the re- duction of Monterey, was about 6,600, nearly one-half of whom were regulars, whose coolness and constancy in battle vvere not to be questioned. But few of the volunteers had ever been in an engagement ; but they were all brave and ambitious, well disciplined, and de- termined to accomplish something that would reflect honor on the country to which they belonged, and to follow, in all things, the bidding of the leader under whose banner they marched, to fight and to conquer. General Patterson was left in command on the Rio Grande, with near 3,000- men. A portion of these troops might have been added to the main column un- der General Taylor, but he was convinced that it would be impracticable to sustain a larger body of men, in consequence of the deficiency in transportation. He was forced to depend upon tlie resources of the coun- try, and it was with great difficulty that he procured a sufficient number of pack mules to carry the necessary supplies for his men on the march.* * The main army was organized by General Taylor into three divis- ions : — the first, under General Twiggs, consisting of four companies of the 2nd dragoons. Lieutenant Colonel May, and Captain RiJgeiy's bat- tery ; Captain Biogg's battery, 3rd infantry, Major Lear, and 4th in- fantry, Major Allen, foriiiing the third brigade of regulars, and com- manded by Lieutenant Colonel Garland; and the 1st infantry, Major Abercromble, and the Baltimore and Washington battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Watson, forming the fourth brigaile, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Wilson; the second division, under General Worth, consisting oi" Lieutenant Colonel Dunc:^n's battery, the artillery battalion, Lieu- SKIRMISH AT RAMOS. 157 The army hnlted for a few days at Seralvo, where a depot was established. The first division resumed the march on the 13th of September, and was followed, on successive days, by the other divisions ; the troops be- ing provided with eight days' rations, and forty rounds of ammunition. The advance, consisting of McCuI- loch's rangers, Captain Graham's dragoons, and a small body of pioneers and engineers, marched early on the 12th. The roads were generally hard and level, but occasionally crossed by a deep gully, which required some preparation to fit it for the passage of artillery. From Papayallos the advance were always in sight of the Mexican pickets, who retired slowly before them. On the 14th, the rangers encountered a body of two hundred cavalry at Ramos. Dashing furiously upon the enemy, they routed them in an instant, and drove them rapidly through the town. They entered Marin, near the San Juan, on the next day, and there found General Torrejon, with 1,000 cavalry, who were drawn up in the principal street, their bright and new escopetas and tenant Colonel Childs, and 8th infantry, Captain Scrivner, forming the first brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Staniford ; and Lieu- tenant Mackall's battery, 5tli infantry, Major M. Scott, 7th infantry, Cap- tain Miles, and Captain Blanchard's company of Louisiana volunteers, forming the second brigade, commanded by Colonel P. F. Smith, of the mounted riHemen ; and the third, or volunteer division, under General Butler, consisting of the 1st Kentucky regiment, Colonel Ormsby, and 1st Ohio regiment. Colonel Mitchell, forming the first brigade, com- manded by General Hamer; and the 1st Tennessee regiment, Colonel Campbell, and Mississippi regiment, Colonel Davis, forming the second brigade, commanded by General Quitman. The Texas division, con- sisting of the 1st and 2nd regiments of mounted volunteers, under Colo- nels Hays and Wood, was commanded by General Henderson, and de- tached, as occasion required, to co-operate with the other divisions. The artillery consisted of one ten-inch mortar, two twenty-four pounder howitzers, in charge of Captain Webster, with a company of artillery detached, and four light field batteries of four guns each. THE TEXAN EANGERS. lances glowing with sunbeams, and their gay scarlet uniforms presenting a most brilliant appearance. The Mexicans were soon in great commotion, and fancying that General Taylor's army was about pouncing down upon them from the neighboring hills, retreated in haste towards Monterey, without firing a single gun. It was not unusual, on the march from the Rio Grande, to behold the most decided evidences of terror and apprehension among the Mexican inhabitants, and more particulai'ly whenever they caught sight of the Texan rangers, with their wide-brimmed sombreros shading the swarthy countenances whose ferocity was enhanced by their long beards and mustachios, — each man's belt garnished with revolvers, the deadly rifle slung over his shoulder, and, still fresh in his heart, the recollections of Salado and the Alamo.* The husband- man would shrink behind the covert of muskeet bushes lining the roadside, while his wife and daughters, with their dark eyes half-veiled beneath the drooping lashes, and swimming with tears, and their clear olive com- plexions blanched in affright, would press their tremb- ling lips to the glittering crosses suspended from their necks, and hurriedly murmur forth a fervent prayer to * Besides performing other important services, the Texan volunteers, or rangers, were found by General Taylor to be of great assistance as scouts and vedettes. They were skilful horsemen, and had learned many of the arts of the Indian warriors. It was said of the regiment of Colonel Hays, that there were few of its members who could not pick a ailvcr dollar from the ground, when at full speed, or shelter themselves from the fire of an enemy, without dismounting, by wheeling their horses to either flank, and throwing their bodies beliind them. They were armed with short rifles, revolving pistols, and sabres ; and in mak- ing a charge, were instructed to fire first with the rifle, then to discharge their pistols while advancing on a gallop, and to complete the work with the sabre. A body of men, thus equipped and drilled, would be formi- dable enough on an open plain. APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY. 159 " our Lady of Gaudalupc," to protect and shield them from the invader. But when the army under General Taylor came upon the track of the Mexican cavalry, they found that the poor and inoffensive inhabitants had been stripped of their property, or compelled to wit- ness its destruction, in order, as they were assured, that no supplies might be left on the route for the enemy ; and los biienos Americanos were repeatedly entreated to save them from the cruelty of Torrejon and the rancheros. The different corps of the American army were concentrated at Marin, 107 miles from Camargo, and within 24 miles of Monterey, on the 17th of Septem- ber. Early in the morning of the 18th, they were again in motion. In case the enemy were met in force on the march, the line of battle was ordered to be formed, with the first division on the right, the second division on the left, and the volunteer division in the centre. After leaving Marin, the country appeared much more fertile than between that town and the Rio Grande. The valleys, irrigated by the mountain streams, abounded in the most luxuriant vegetation ; there were large fields of corn and sugar cane, tempt- ing patches of melons, gay parterres of tropical flow- ers, groves of figs and olives, with an occasional thicket of chaparral, whose dark foliage added a great deal to the beauty of the landscape ; and the soft breeze that sighed among the jagged cliffs of the Sierra Madre, or rippled the waters of the San Juan, was laden with the fragrance of the wild rose and the jasmine, the orange and the pomegranate. Numerous copies of proclamations issued by General Ampudia, repeating the inducements to desert offered to the American soldiers opposite Matamoras, were 160 CAMP AT WALNUT SPRINGS. found scattered along the road to Monterey. This was, indeed, a most singuhir mode of warfare, but it appears to have been the one brilliant idea conceiv^ed by the Mexican generals, in their own estimation, if we may judge by the pertinacity with which they adhered to it during the continuance of the war. The American army lay at San Francisco during the night of the 18th, and arrived before Monterey on the I'Jth. The Mexicans had destroyed a bridge on the road, but its place was soon supplied with corn- stalks from a neighboring field, and the troops crossed over with their baggage and artillery without difficulty. General Taylor selected a position for his encampment, at Walnut Springs, in a grove of walnut trees, about three miles from the city, and then rode forward with the general and staff officers to reconnoitre. They were accompanied by a detachment of dragoons and Texan rangers, and on approaching within a few hun- dred yards, were fired upon by the enemy's batteries. A number of shot were thrown, but without doing any injury. A body of Mexican cavalry also made their appearance on the plain, but after firing a volley from their escopetas they retired into the town. The American soldiers manifested considerable impatience, because they could not advance against the enemy at once. The information which General Taylor had been able to obtain in regard to the defences of the city, and the strength of the garrison, was quite limited, and the confidential messengers whom he employed, appear either to have deceived him, or to have been them- selves deceived.* He was not strong enough to invest the city, and was not provided with a siege train, hav- ♦ See Correspondence, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 1 19, (pp. 130, 139 Znd session, 29th Congress. o -^ THE CITY OF MONTEREY. 161 mg only the ten-inch mortar that could be of any especial service. He was aware, therefore, that the place must be carried by assault, but determined not to advance hastily, or without proper precautions. The engineer officers were directed to make the necessary examinations, and in order that the army might be pre- pared for any sudden attack, the men were directed to sleep on their arms. The city of Monterey was originally founded more than two centuries ago. It is the capital of the State of New Leon, and is situated on the left bank of the Arroyo* San Juan, a small branch of the main river of the same name, which winds down the pass leading to Saltillo, and after encircling the town on the south, and partially on the east, continues its way to the stream of which it is a tributary. Upon the north, the plain rises gradually from the river, its well-tilled fields, and beautiful gardens and groves, exhibiting in- dications of a high state of cultivation. South and west are the mountain ridges of the Sierra Madre, with the gorge opening on the south-west. It is approached on the north-east from Caiderita and Marin, and on the north-west from Monclova and Presquina Grande. The main road to Saltillo leaves the city at its south- western extremity, and passes along the left bank of the Arroyo San Juan, with a branch crossing the stream, and penetrating the mountains through a smaller defile a short distance east of the principal pass. There are three large squares or plazas : the Plaza de la Capella,t in the western part of the town, the Plazuela de Carne, ♦ This term is of frequent occurrence in the geography of Mexico. It is the Mexican word used to designate a small stream from a larger one of the same name. •f This is the cemetery referred to in some of the dispatches. 162 IT3 FORTIFICATIONS. nearer the centre, and the great Plaza upon which stands the Cathedral, in the south-east corner. The houses are built of stone, in the old Spanish style, with flat roofs, and battlements, or parapets, between two and three feet high ; and, with the exception of the pubhc edifices around the main plaza, they are gener- ally but one story in height. To almost every house there is attached a small garden inclosed by stone walls. The streets are laid out with great regularity, running parallel to each other, with the intersecting streets cross- ing at right angles. The natural position of the city rendered it easy of defence, and every advantage had been improved to the utmost. On the north side of the town, between the road to Monclova and that to Marin, there was a large rectangular fortress, known as the citadel, cover- ing nearly three acres of ground, with four bastion fronts, surrounded by a work of solid masonry, and supplied with heavy guns. At the north-eastern angle, in the suburbs, there was a strong redoubt of masonry of four faces, with an open gorge of ten feet, prepared for four guns, overlooked and commanded by a large stone house in the rear, also fortified. South of this was a second redoubt of four faces, with three guns, and de- fended by an open gorge of twenty feet, commanded by another redoubt with three guns, overlooking the Caiderita road crossing the Arroyo San Juan by the bridge Purissima, which was also defended by a tete du pont of masonry. And still further south, there were two other redoubts, only one of which, with three guns, was occupied, having in its rear a stone house prepared for infantry, with loop-holes and sand-bags. All these redoubts were connected by fleches of masonry, or breastworks of earth and brush. Along the southern THE GAEKISON. 163 edge of the city, overlooking the river, ran a stone wall four feet thick, with embrasures for guns, and banquettes for infantry. Upon the west was an iso- lated hill, called Loma de Independencia, towering up to a height of seven hundred feet, and sloping towards the town on the east, but presenting a steep and almost perpendicular acclivity on the west. On the summit of this hill was a gun-battery, with a breastwork of sand-bags, and about midway of the slope a strongly fortified structure, called the Bishop's palace, with out- works of masonry, containing two or three guns mount- ed in barbette. About six hundred yards south of the hill of Independence, and on the opposite side of the Arroyo San Juan, between the two gorges of the Sal- tillo road, was Federacion hill, with strong batteries on its crest, and the Soldada fort on the same height, but retired about six hundred yards from the batteries. This hill not only commanded the hill of Independence, but guarded all the approaches to the town in that quarter. The city itself was one continued fortifica- tion. The plazas and streets were barricaded and de- fended by artillery. Breastworks were thrown up in every direction. The walls of the cemetery on the west side of the town, the sides of the houses, the parapets on the house-tops, and even the garden walls, were pierced with creneles and loop-holes for musketry ; and wherever the firm mason-work was deemed insufficient,' sand-bags were provided for the protection of those behind them. The cathedral in the main plaza was the principal magazine for the ammunition. Months had been spent in completing these defences ; forty- two pieces of artillery w^ere planted in different quar- ters of the town ; and General Ampudia had with him about 7,000 regular troops, and two or three thousand 1C4 GENERAL. WORTH DETACHED. volunteers and citizens, — yet strongly fortified as was his position, by nature and art, it was doomed to fall before the resistless energy of the American soldiers. Reconnaissances of the city and its defences were made, on the eastern side, by Captain Williams of the topographical engineers, and on the west by Major Mansfield, of the corps of engineers. The latter re- ported that the enemy's position could be turned by throwing forward a column to the Saltillo road, and carrying the detached works in its vicinity. General Worth was selected, with his division and Colonel Hays' Texan regiment, to execute the important enter- prise. He commenced his march from General Tay- lor's camp, at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 20th ; his men being supplied with two days' rations, but tak- ing; no tents. Makino; a wide circuit to the ri^ht he reached the Presquina Grande road at six o'clock, hav- ing traversed only six miles, on account of the delay in making the route practicable for artillery. Halting his division out of range of the battery on the hill of Inde- pendence, a reconnaissance was made to the intersec- tion of the Presquina Grande road with the Saltillo road, and the troops bivouacked at their position during the night. The movement had not escaped the notice of the enemy, and reinforcements were thrown towards the Bishop's palace and the height above it. In order . to divert their attention, General Taylor directed the divisions under Generals Butler and Twiggs to be dis- played in front of the town until dark. In the night the mortar and twenty-four-pounder howitzers were placed in battery, with a view of opening a fire upon the citadel on the succeeding day. Early in the morning of the 21st, General Worth put his division again in motion, having written a note to SKIRMISH AT SAN JEROMINO. 165 General Taylor, suggesting a diversion in his favor, on the north and east of the town. The road wound in and out around the ridges projecting from the moun- tains on the west, and sometimes brought the column within range of the batteries on the hill of Indepen- dence. On turning one of these angles, at the haci- enda of San Jeromino, a strong force of Mexican, cavalry and infantry came suddenly upon the advance, which consisted of Hays' Texans, supported by the light companies of the first brigade under Captain C. F. Smith, and Duncan's battery. The rangers met the charge with a deadly fire from their unerring rifles, and the light companies also opened upon the attacking party. Duncan's battery was in action in a moment, together with a section of Lieutenant Mackall's bat- tery. The conflict lasted about fifteen minutes, when, as the whole first brigade had now formed to the front, the enemy retired in disorder along the Saltillo road, closely followed by the Americans, who took possession of the gorge, and thus prevented their return to the city, and excluded all reinforcements and supplies from entering in that direction. The enemy left one hun- dred of their men, either killed or wounded, on the ground, and among them a colonel of lancers. General Worth halted his division at the opening of the gorge, but on discovering that his men were still within reach of the enemy's fire, he advanced about half a mile further on the Saltillo road. At twelve o'clock, Captain C. F. Smith w^as detached with four companies of the artillery battalion, and six companies of Texan rangers, on foot, under Major Chevalier, about three hundred men in all, to storm the batteries on Federacion hill.* The movement could not be masked, * " General Worth rode up as the command moved off, and pointing 166 STORMING OF FEDERACION HJLLL. and the party was almost regarded as a forlorn hope, when the enemy's guns opened a plunging fire upon them, and their light troops were seen descending the slopes, and preparing for the onset. Captain Miles was instantly ordered, with the 7th infantry, to support the assaulting party. Instead of taking the more cir- cuitous route pursued by the former detachment, the regiment moved directly to the foot of the height, press- ing forward with alacrity, though the waters of the river, as they forded it, hissed and foamed with the shot which fell thick and fast around them. Without wavering or faltering in the least, both detachments advanced up the hill, clinging to the pointed rocks and bushes of thorn for support, as the loose stones and earth crumbled away beneath their feet, with the balls whistling over their heads, and fragments of rock and gravel falling constantly upon them. They halted only to deliver their fire, and the enemy were driven stead- ily before them. Heavy reinforcements now appeared on the height, and again there was danger. Colonel P. F. Smithf hastened with the 5th infantry under Major Scott, the Louisiana volunteers, and fifty of the rangers under Colonel Hays, to the assistance of his comrades. On arriving at the foot of the ascent, he saw that he could take advantage of the ground, and, by moving a part of his force obliquely up the hill to the right, carry both batteries at once. The move- to the height, said, ' Men, you are to take that hill, and I know you will do it.' With one response they replied, ' We will.' " — Reid's Scouting Expeditions of the Texas Rangers. * Colonel Smith held the rank of Brigadier General of the Louisiana Volunteers first mustered into service, but who were discharged before the army marched to Monterey. He was appointed colonel of the regi- ment of mounted riflemen of the regular army, in May, 1816, and after- wards brcvetted a brigadier general. DIVERSION IN THE LOWER TOWN. 167 ment was ordered. Up they all went, animating each other by the loud cheers that rang down the hill side, and echoed among the gorges. Captain Smith drove the enemy from the breastwork, like chaff before a whirlwind, and then came a contest between the vic- tors, as to who should first reach the Soldada. The assault terminated in a race. Each man strained every nerve. The 5th was foremost, though hard pressed by the other detachments, and entered the fort at one end, as the Mexicans retired at the other. The works of the enemy on the southern bank of the river were carried, and their guns turned upon Independence hill and the Bishop's palace. Previous to the reception of General Worth's note, General Taylor had determined to make a diversion against the lower part of the town. The first division of regulars, and the division of volunteers, moved towards the city in the morning, having left one com- pany of each regiment as a camp guard. The dra- goons under Lieutenant Colonel May, and Colonel Wood's regiment of Texan mounted volunteers, under the immediate command of General Henderson, were directed to the right to support General Worth. Lieu- tenant Colonel Garland advanced with Bragg's battery, the 1st and 3rd infantry, and the Baltimore and Wash- ington battalion, piloted by Major Mansfield, against the defences at the north-eastern angle of the city, while the mortar served by Captain Ramsay, and the howitzer battery under Captain Webster, opened their fire. General Butler remained with his division in rear of the batlery. The remaining regiment of General Twiggs' division, the 4th infantry, was also held in re- serve ; the general himself, though suffering severely 168 TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. from sickness, being present, and directing the move- ments of his command. The column under Lieutenant Colonel Garland was soon exposed to the converging fire of the citadel and the redoubts, and annoyed by the galling discharges of musketry from the adjacent* houses and stone walls. Moving rapidly to the light of the fort at the north- eastern angle, an attempt was made to carry it by gaining a position in the rear. Shower upon shower of balls fell upon and around them ; yet they pressed nobly on. Again and again that '• iron sleet " poured down, " In (ieadlj drifts of fiery spray." The stoutest hearted of them all began to quail. The best and bravest, of both officers and men, had fallen, and the whole column seemed devoted to immediate destruction. Still those men were ready for the ad- vance ; their bosoms throbbed with anxiety, but they sheltered no coward hearts. It was madness, however, for the officers further to expose their commands, while the enemy were protected by their breastworks and barricades ; and most of them were temporarily with- drawn to places of comparative security. The battery under Captain Bragg was terribly cut up, and com- pelled to retire out of range. Captain Backus, of the 1st infantry, with portions of the different companies, gained the roof of a tannery looking directly into the gorge of the fort ; and had just commenced pouring his destructive volleys into the work, when General Quit- man arrived upon the ground with his brigade of vol- unteers, and three companies of the 4Lh infantry under Major Allen. They, too, encounteied a most with- ering fire. The Tennessee regiment sustained a severe CAPTURE OF THE FIRST FORT. 169 loss, and the companies of the regular infantry, in the advance, were deprived of one third of their officers and men, v\'ho were struck down in an instant. For a moment they staggered and fell back ; but the officers, both of the regulars and volunteers, as if animated by one sentiment, sprang into the front line, and encour- aged the men by their words and their example. Be- ing joined by the remaining companies of the 4th in- fantry, they again moved forward, no longer to be repulsed. The breastworks were surmounted, and the battery won. Meanwhile General Butler had entered the edge of the town with the 1st Ohio regiment, the remaining regiment of General Hamer's brigade, the 1st Ken- tucky, being left to support the mortar and howitzer battery. Discovering that nothing could be gained in his front, and being advised by Major Mansfield to withdraw his command, he was about retiring, when he learned that the first fort had been taken. The direc- tion of his column was promptly changed, and he ad- vanced under a severe fire to within one hundred yards of the second fort, called El Diablo. He here found that the intervening space was completely swept by the fire of three distinct batteries, but being anxious to capture the work, if within his power, he was pre- paring to storm it, when he received a severe w^ound which compelled him to halt. He afterwards surren- dered the command to General Hamer, who moved the regin:ient to a new position, and within sustaining dis- tance of the batteries under Captains Ridgely and Webster, which had already occupied the first fort, and were vigorously playing upon the second. General Taylor now came up, and ordered Lieutenant Colonel Garland, with such men as could be collected of the 8 170 DEMONSTRATIONS OF CAVALRY. 1st, 3rd, and 4th infantry, and Baltimore and Wash* ington battalion, with a section of Ridgely's battery, to enter the town, penetrate to the right, and carry the second battery, if possible. The command advanced beyond the bridge, Purissima, exposed to an incessant fire from the forts and the. citadel, where they sustained themselves for some time, but finding it impracticable to gain the rear of the battery, they withdrew to the captured fort. While these efforts were being made to carry the ad- vanced works, several demonstrations were made by the enemy's cavalry ; one of which, on the opposite side of the river, was dispersed by Captain Ridgely's battery ; another was repulsed, with considerable loss, by the Ohio regiment and a part of the Mississippi regi- ment ; and a third, by Captain Bragg's battery, sup- ported by Captain Miller of the 1st infantry, with a mixed command. On the approach of evening, the troops were ordered back to camp, with the excep- tion of Captain Ridgely's company, and the regular infantry of the 1st division, reinforced by one battalion of the Kentucky regiment, who remained on guard during the night in the captured fort. Intrenching tools were procured, and the works materially strength- ened before morning. For six long hours had this contest continued in the lower part of the town. The streets were slippery with the blood of the assailants. They had lost three hun- dred and ninety-four men, in killed and wounded, dur- ing the operations of the day, among whom were some of the ablest and most accomplished office-rs in the ser- vice. The line of the enemy's defences had been penetrated, and a foothold gained, but at a great sacri- fice. It was truly a scene of havoc and slaughter. In AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE. I7l the midsl of the horrors of that terrible conflict, a Mex- ican woman was seen going abrut among the dead, regardless of her own danger, an.^ making no distinc- tion between friend and foe, as she proceeded on her errand of love, binding up the broken limbs, moisten- ing the parched lips of the dying, and ministering to the comforts of the wounded. While thus engaged, while thus displaying the gentle virtues, the tenderness, and the unwavering fortitude of her sex, she was struck by a chance ball, and fell to the earth among the armed men who lay in heaps around her. The American soldiers knew how to appreciate such nobleness of heart, — the magnanimity of such a sacrifice. They nursed her tenderly until she died, and on the follow- ing day they buried her, amid the constant fire from the Mexican batteries. It was all they could do to testify their sympathy, but it will be long ere they for- get the kind and tender-hearted being, " who found a martyr's grave, On that red field of Monterey." The capture of Federacion hill and the Soldada, only rendered it more necessary that the possession of the hill of Independence and the Bishop's palace should also be secured. The party who stormed the former, had been nearly thirty-six hours without food, and to add to their hardships, a violent storm came up towards evening on the 21st. Without any covering to protect them from the pelting rain, they lay down with their arms upon the ground, to snatch a few hours sleep. At three o'clock in the morning of the 22nd, they were aroused to storm the hill Independencia. The execu- tion of this enterprise was intrusted to Lieutenant 172 INDEPENDENCE HILL. Colonel Childs, with three companies of his artillery battalion, three companies of the 8th infantry under Captain Scriven, and two hundred Texan riflemen, under Colonel Hays and Lieutenant Colonel Walker.* There were faint gleams of morning light dancing on the summits of the hills, but the sky was curtained by a thick veil of clouds, and the valley still in deep shade. Proceeding cautiously along, the party picked their way up the steep hill, among the rocks and thorny bushes of chaparral, and at daybreak were within one hundred yards of the breastwork on the summit. Here they encountered a body of Mexicans who had been sta- tioned in a cleft of rocks on the night previous, in an- ticipation of an attack. Three men of the artillery battalion, having advanced with too much haste, came unexpectedly upon the enemy. They instantly yielded, but were shot down with the very pieces which they had surrendered. It did not require this act of cruelty and outrage to kindle the zeal and fire the ambition of their comrades. With a loud fierce shout for vengeance they sprang up the height. A deadly volley from their guns, and a charge with the bayonet, placed them in possession of the work ; the enemy delivering an ineffectual fire as they retreated. The next object of attack was the Bish- op's palace, about four hundred yards distant. The Mex- icans had withdrawn their guns from the battery, and the detachment were obliged to wait for their own cannon. Lieutenant Rowland, of Duncan's battery, was ordered from the main rank with a twelve-pounder howitzer, and in two hours his men had dragged and * The rank of this officer in the Texan Volunteers was that of Lieu- tenant Colonel; but he is better known as '• Captain Walker." He received a captain's commissio'n in General Smith's regiment of mounted nfiemen. • CAPTURE OF THE BISIIOP's PALACE. 173 lifted their piece up the hill, by -main strength, and were showering their missiles upon the enemy. The detachment on the height was also reinforced by the 5th infantry and the Louisiana volunteers. The enemy saw the advantage which had been gained, and manifested a determination to recover the heights. Several feints were made, and then a heavy sortie supported by a strong body of cavalry. The Ameri- cans were prepared for the movement. Captain Vin- ton advanced under cover of the rocks, with two companies of light troops, to draw the enemy forward, followed by the main column under Lieutenant Colonel Childs, with the Texans on either flank. The Mexi- cans advanced boldly, but were scattered in confusion by one general discharge from all arms. Before they could regain their works, the American soldiers rushed down upon them, shouting as they ran. Entering the palace by a door which had been barricaded, but open- ed by the fire of the howitzer, they completed the vic- tory. Lieutenant Ayres was the first to reach the hal- yards and haul down the flag, which was soon replaced by the American standard, waving proudly in the breeze. The captured guns, together with Duncan's and Mackall's batteries, which came up at a full gallop, were effectively served upon the Mexican soldiers, who fled towards the city, pouring in confused masses down the street leading to the Plaza de la Capella, the pro- longation of which was now held by the Americans. With the loss of but seventy men in killed and wound- ed, General Worth had accomplished the purpose for which his division was detached. The enterprise was executed promptly and skilfully, and with entire suc- cess. His whole force was soon after concentrated in 174 THE AMERICANS IN THE CITY. the vicinity of the palace, in readiness to co-operate with General Taylor in an assault upon the town. The main body of the army spent the 22nd in bury- ing their dead, and caring for the wounded ; although the enemy did not remit their fire from the citadel and the works on the east side of the town. Many an anxious eye was turned from General Taylor's camp towards the scene of General Worth's operations, and when the American flag was unfurled on the Bishop's palace, the welkin rang with glad hurrahs. General Quitman's brigade relieved Lieutenant Colonel Gar- land's command, with the exception of Ridgely's bat- tery, in the occupation of the captured fort, and an assault on the remaining works was now contemplated to be made on the following day : but at early dawn on the 23rd, it was discovered that the enemy had aban- doned their defences in the lower part of the town, and were concentrating their forces near the main plaza, for a last desperate struggle. The brigade of General Quitman, the 2nd regiment of Texan volunteers under General Henderson, who had returned from General Worth's position, and Captain Bragg's battery, sup- ported by the 3rd infantry, immediately entered the city. Detachments of the troops proceeded gradually, breaking through the stone walls, springing from one house to another, mounting to the flat roofs, and driv- ing the enemy before them, until they had advanced within two squares of the main plaza. About noon a communication was received from the governor of the State of New Leon, requesting permission for the in- habitants who were non-combatants, to leave the city. This application was made too late, and General Taylor refused to grant the request. At three in the afternoon he directed the troops on the east side of the town to BREAKING THROUGH THE WALLS. 175 iCtire from their advanced position. They had been constantly engaged for eight hours, and needed both rest and food to enable them to continue the attack. Meanwhile General Worth had not been idle. In the morning of the 23rd, he sent a detachment to take possession of the gorge near Santa Catarina, and had designed to move forvv^ard into the city under favor of the ensuing night ; but on hearing the heavy firing upon the opposite side of the town, he organized two columns of attack, who were ordered to press on to the first plaza, keeping under cover as much as possible, to get hold of the ends of the streets beyond it, and then, entering the houses, to break through the longitudinal sections of the walls with picks and bars, and work their way from house to house. The light artillery fol- lowed the columns in sections and pieces to support the movement. All day long the work proceeded. Step by step, slowly, but surely, the Americans won their way into the city. The solid masonry yielded before their pon- derous blows. The inhabitants were stricken as with a panic. For years Monterey had defied the arms of Spain ; but here were soldiers who mocked at every obstacle, and overcame every difliculty. Begrimed with dust and smoke, imagination pictured them as beings from another world. As they sprang, like magic, through the firm walls of the apartments where pale- faced women had retired for shelter, shriek upon shriek rent the air, and only ceased when those who uttered them were assured, in friendly tones, that there were wives and daughters by the firesides of those dark war- riors, who waited for their coming, and whose purity and innocence were not forgotten even in the wild excitement of that hour, by those who esteemed and 176 CAPITULATION. loved them. 'Galleries and corridors, chambers and balconies, which had oft resounded with the notes of merriment and joy, or listened to the endearments of affection and the soft accents of love, now echoed with the rattle of musketry, the sharp crack of the rifle, the clash of steel against steel, the exulting shout and the dying groan ; and, high above all the din, rose the unceasing thunder of artillery. At sunset General Worth's division had reached a street but one square in rear of the great plaza, leav- ing a covered way behind them, and had carried a large building overlooking the principal defences of the enemy. The mortar had been sent round by General Taylor, and this was placed in position in the Plaza de la Capella, masked by the church wall, and opened on the main plaza and the cathedral, where the enemy were principally collected, and whither the aged and helpless had retired as to their only remaining place of refuge. Two howitzers and a six-pounder were also mounted on the captured building, and every prep- aration made during the night to renew the assault at dawn of day. But this was rendered unnecessary. Monterey was already lost and won ! Early in the morning of the 24th a flag was sent out by General Ampudia, accompanied by Colonel Moreno as the bearer of a communication to General Taylor, proposing to evacuate the city with the personnel and maUriel of war. This was positively refused, and a surrender of the town demanded. Soon after a con- ference took place between General Taylor and Gene- ral Ampudia, at the quarters of General Worth, which resulted in the appointment of commissioners and the capitulation of the city.* * Considerable parleying took place at the conference, and at th» CONDUCT OF AMPUDIA. 177 sittings of the commissioners, and hostilities were several times upon the point of being renewed. At the request of General Ampudia, the word "surrender" in the articles was changed to " capitulation," and he afterwards desired to have this softened down into " stipulation." Several hours were spent in disputes upon immaterial points, until Gen- eral Taylor peremptorily announced that he would be trifled with no longer. On one occasion, he is reported to have said to General Ampu- dia — " Sir, I hold you and your army in the hollow of my hand ; the conference is closed, — in thirty minutes you shall hear from my bat- teries!" The Mexican general hesitated no longer, the terms were agreed upon, and the capitulation signed. CHAPTER V. wool's column. Terms of the Capitulation at Monterey — Armistice— Revolution in Mex- ico—Return of Santa Anna — Proposition to negotiate — Evacuation of Monterey — Concentration of troops at San Antonio de Bexar — March of General Wool — Change of Route — Monclova — Termination of the Armistice — Occupation of Saltillo, Parras, and Tampico — The Mexican Army at San Luis Potosi— Threatened Attack on Saltillo — March to Victoria. In whatever light it may be viewed, the capture of Monterey must be regarded as one of the most briUiant achievements recorded in the annals of modern war- fare. Though most advantageously situated and well defended, the city was compelled to capitulate, after three days' fighting, to an inferior force, without heavy artillery, and destitute of the means usually employed for the reduction of fortified towns. A simple state- ment of the difficulties to be overcome by General Taylor and his army, and of the success which crowned their efforts, is all that is required to establish their claims to the gratitude and admiration of their coun- trymen. The terms of the capitulation, however, were not entirely satisfactory to the army, or rather, to the Texan volunteers, who, it cannot be denied, were but too anxious to redress the wrongs which they had received during their revolution ; neither were they ap- proved by the Executive authorities of the United TERMS OP THE CAPITULATION. 179 States.* It was thought by the President, that an un- conditional surrender of the Mexican forces in Monte- rey, and of iheir arnls and munitions of war, should have been insisted upon by General Taylor ; and that the article providing for an armistice was both unnec- essary and unadvisable.f General Taylor might have taken the city without a surrender. There was no misgiving on the part of his soldiers. However obstinate the defence, it would cer- tainly have been overcome in the end, even though every street and plaza had been drenched in blood. On the evening of the 24th of September, the exact dis- tance to the cathedral and the main plaza was ascer- tained by the officer having charge of the mortar, and he was prepared to throw his shells accordingly. Had no offer to capitulate been received, the fire would have * See Correspondence between the Secretary of War and General Taylor, House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, (pp. 77, et seq.) 2nd Session, 29th Congress. t The following were the terms of the capitulation : " Terms of capitulation of the city of Monterey, the capital of Nuevo Leon, agreed upon by the undersigned Commissioners, to wit: General Worth, of the United States Army, General Henderson of the Texan Volunteers, and Colonel Davi.s, of the Mississippi Riflemen, on the part of Major General Taylor, commanding-in-chief the United States forces, and General Requena and General Ortega, of the Army of Mexico, and Senor Manuel M. Llano, Governor of Nuevo Leon, on the part of Sefior General Don Pedro Arapudia, commanding-in-chief the Army of the North of Mexico : " Art. L As the legitimate result of the operations before this place, and the present position of the contending armies, it is agreed that the city, the fortifications, cannon, the munitions of war, and all other pub- lic property, with the undermentioned exceptions, be surrendered to the commanding general of the United States forces now at Monterey. " Art. II. That the Mexican Ibrces be allowed to retain the following arms, to wit : the commissioned officers their side-arms, the infantry their arms and accoutrements, the cavalry their arms and accoutre- ments, the artillery one field battery, not to exceed six pieces, with twenty-one rounds of ammunition. 180 C0N3EaUENCE3 OF AN ASSAULT. been kept up for a few hours, and this would have been followed by an assault, probably on the night of the 24th. The powder of the enemy *was stored in the ca- thedral, and the women and children were collected in and ne^r the main plaza. The loss of life which must inevitably have attended the assault, and the conse- quent explosion of the magazine, would have been frightful. Every principle of humanity demanded that this should be avoided, if possible, and General Taylor and the American commissioners were very willing to be governed by such a consideration, when they found it was impossible to prevent the escape of the Mexi- can soldiers, with all their lie[ht arms and baijcraore, through the numerous narrow passes in the rear of the city, which they were unable to guard. In his dispatch to the Mexican minister at war announcing the surren- der, dated on the 25th of September, Ampudia intima- " Art. III. That the Mexican armed forces retire, within seven days from this date, beyond the hne formed by the pass of Rinconada, the city of Linares, and San Fernando de Parras. " Art. IV. That the citadel of Monterey be evacuated by the Mexi- can and occupied by the American forces to-morrow morning at ten o'clock. " Art. V. To avoid collisions, and for mutual convenience, that the troops of the United States will not occupy the city until tlie Mexican forces have withdrawn, except for hospital and storage purposes. " Art. VI. That the forces of the United States will not advance be- yond the line specified in the 3rd article, before the expiration of eight weeks, or until orders or instructions of the respective governments can be received. " Art. VII. That the public property to be delivered, shall be turned over and received by officers appointed by the conmianding generals of the two armies. " Art. VIII. That all doubts as to the meaning of any of the preced- ing articles, shall be solved by an equitable construction, or on princi- ples of liberality to the retiring army. '= Art. IX. That the Mexican flag, when struck at the citadel, may be saluted by its own battery. " Done at Monterey, Sept. 24, 184G.'' THE ARMISTICE. 181 ted that he would have been compelled to open his way with the bayonet. His assertion, however, is not enti- tled to much weight, because he undoubtedly anticipa- ted censure, and was anxious to avoid it by represent- ing his* situation to have been desperate as possible. Military men who have examined the ground, and all the abler and more experienced officers in the army of General Taylor, concur in the opinion that the terms of the capitulation were as rigorous as ought to have been required ; and he must be a bold man who would undertake to question the judgment of those who are so competent to decide. The armistice was another feature of the capitulation to which objections were made. General Taylor was not in a situation to advance from Monterey, or to pros- ecute the war, on account of the severe loss he had sustained, and the want of necessary supplies, until a very few days before the expiration of the term pre- scribed in the article. So far, therefore, as the force under his immediate command was concerned, the delay would have been necessary under any circum- stances, and could have produced no injurious results. The enemy desired the armistice; it might have had the tendency to restore friendly relations at once ; and good policy required the concession to be made. But while the army was on its march to Monterey, and employed in its reduction, an expedition was planned by the President and his cabinet against Tampico and the southern part of the department of Tamaulipas, below the line which neither party was to cross while the armistice was in force. In the month of June pre- vious. General Taylor had been placed in the full com- mand of all the land forces of the United States opera- ting against the republic of Mexico, south of the prov 182 REVOLUTION IN' MEXICO. ince of New Mexico ;* this order had not been coun- termanded ; the contemplated movement against Tam- pico was not known to him or to the American com- missioners ; and they did all that was required of them, in leaving the armistice subject to the ratification of their government. But beside all this, General Taylor was instructed by the Secretary of War, that hostili- ties were to be prosecuted for the conquest of a speedy and honorable peace ;t Ampudia expressly stated in the conference that propositions for peace had been made ; it was notorious, too, that negotiations had been, or were, in progress ; the object of the war seemed about to be gained ; and the commissioners of both countries were influenced in their deliberations by these consid- erations. The propositions for peace alluded to by Ampudia, were made by the authorities of the United States, in the month of July, in consequence of a change in the Mexican government. Paredes was never firmly seated in power. As early as the 8th of March, 1846, Santa Anna, then in exile at Havana, addressed a confiden- tial letter to a friend in Mexico, accompanied with his plan for a revolution. He declared that his sentiments were changed in relation to the proper form of govern- ment for his countrymen, and that he was willing one should be established by a Congress to be chosen in ac- cordance with the electoral laws under which the mem- bers of the Congress of 1824 were elected. These views were satisfactory to the leading federalists, and it was de- signed to make a movement on the 1st of April. J The * House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, (p. 50,) 2nd Session, 29lh Congress, t Ibid., loc. cit. ■^ House of Rep. Exec. Doc. ,4, (pp. 34, et seq.) 2nd Session. SDtb Conjiress. RETURN OF SANl K ANNA. 183 main reliance of Paredes was upon the army, and this could not be withdrawn from him, or secured by the friends of Santa Anna and the federalists, until after the battles on the Rio Grande. The cry was then raised, that the war had not been conducted with sufficient vigor or skill. Paredes was deposed and thrown into prison, but afterwards made his escape to Havana. General Salas, the firm friend of Santa Anna, was chosen pro- visional President, and immediately issued a decree requiring a Congress to be elected and to assemble on the 6th of December following, under the laws in force in 1824. In the meantime it was declared that the constitution of 1824 should be the supreme law of the land. Santa Anna arrived at Vera Cruz on the 16th of August, having been allowed to pass the blockading squadron without opposition, in pursuance of instruc- tions from the Navy Department. The order received by Commodore Conner to allow Santa Anna to enter the Mexican ports freely, if he endeavored to do so, although he could unquestionably have returned had it not been in existence, was issued, on the 13th of May 1846. It was then supposed that his presence in Mexico might lead to the overthrow of Paredes, and to the establishment of a government more favorable to peace ; but this proved to be a mistake.* Paredes originally came into power as the friend of war ; yet the very men who were the most active in deposing him were compelled to make similar profes- sions. The popular feeling was warlike, and the army were dissatisfied in consequence of their reverses. Whatever may have been the private sentiments of Santa Anna, however much he was inclined to peace, * Annual Message of PresiJent Polk, December, 184G: Special Mee- sage and accompanying documents, January 12, 1848. 184 OVERTURES FOR PEACE. he could never have regained any part of his formei influence, except as the decided supporter of wax measures. He was too wise not to understand thai the true policy of his country should have been the restoration of peace, but he was also too ambitious not to yield to the current bearing every thing before it. He was not ignorant of the prevailing fondness of the Mexican people for military heroes, and he well knew that his own fame must be rejuvenated, and the laurels which had been withered at San Jacinto, restored to their original freshness, before he could succeed in guid- ing or controlling them. Had he been able to have achieved one victory, — had he forced his way through the wall of living men who blocked up the narrow pass of Angostura, or maintained his position on the heights of Cerro Gordo, he would have been hailed with loud acclaim as the saviour of his country. At such an hour, and under such circumstances, he might have recommended peace, and his advice would have been followed without hesitation, i- As soon as it became known that a new government had been established in Mexico, the olive branch was again tendered to her. Mr. Buchanan addressed a letter to the Mexican minister of foreign relations, on the 27th of July 1846, proposing that negotiations should be opened for the conclusion of a peace. The minister, Mr. Rejon, replied on the 31st of August, declining any action in the premises, except that of simply laying the proposition before the Congress to assemble in December.* The result of this attempt to open negotiations between the two countries for the adjustment of their difficulties, was not known at • House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 4, (pp. 40, et seq.) 2nJ Session, 29th Congress. i EVACUATION OP MONTEREY. 185 the time of the capitulation at Monterey. A govern- ment supposed to be more favorable to psace was in existence, and friendly overtures had been made. For this reason the request of Ampudia for an armistice was granted by General Taylor and the American commissioners. On the 25th of September the citadel in front of Monterey was occupied by a detachment of the Amer- ican army under Colonel P. F. Smith, and the Mexi- can troops soon after evacuated the town. Ampudia retired with his forces to Saltillo. He endeavored to prevail upon the inhabitants to fortify the place and prepare for resistance. Being unsuccessful, he pro- ceeded with the main body of his army to San Luis Potosi, where he was placed in arrest, and ordered to be tried by a court martial, for neglecting to maintain his position at Monterey. Thirty-five pieces of artillery, and a large amount of ammunition, were surrendered to General Taylor in pursuance of the terms of the capitulation. The loss sustained by his army before Monterey was 488; eigh- teen officers were killed, or subsequently died of their wounds,* and twenty-six were wounded ; there were one hundred and eight men killed, and three hundred and thirty-seven wounded. The loss of the enemy was not ascertained, but was supposed to exceed five hundred. * The names of the officers killed were, Captain Williams, topo- graphical engineers; Lieutenant Terrett, 1st infantry; Major Barbour, Captains Morris and Field, Lieutenants Irwin and Hazlitt, 3rd infantry ; Lieutenants Hoskins and Woods, 4th infantry; Captain M'Kavett, 8th infantry ; Lieutenant Colonel Watson, Baltimore and Washington bat- talion ; Captain Battlem and Lieutenant Putnam. 1st Tennessee ; Lieu- tenant Hett, Ohio regiment; and Captain Gillespie, Texan volunteers. Lieutenant Dihvorth, 1st infantry, Major Lear, 3rd infantry, and Lieut. Graham, 4th infantry, died of their wounds after the occupation of the city. 186 MARCH OF GENERAL WOOL. Immediately after the passage of the act of May 13, 1846, General Wool was ordered to muster into service the volunteers from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. In the brief period of six weeks fourteen and a half regiments were organized, and on their way to the seat of war. Ten thousand men were sent to reinforce General Taylor, and the remainder, about twenty-five hundred in number, were ordered to San Antonio de Bexar. General Wool landed at La Vaca on Matagorda Bay, on the 2nd of August, with the 1st and 2nd Illinois regiments, and from thence marched to the appointed rendezvous of his division. Colonel Harney, of the 2nd dragoons, had been previously stationed at San Antonio with a small force of regular cavalry, and several companies of Texan volunteers, for the protection of the frontier from Indian incursions. The other regiments and de- tachments ordered to join General Wool arrived during the month of August. Several weeks were spent in hauling the supplies for the army from La Vaca, the nearest point to San Antonio on the Gulf; but the time was profitably employed in organizing and drilling the command preparatory to taking the field. All things being made ready, the advance of the army of the centre, under Colonel Harney, marched from San Antonio on the 26th of September. General Wool left on tlie 29th ; the 1st Illinois regiment under Colonel Hardin marched on the 2nd of October ; and the rear under Colonel Churchill, Inspector-general, followed in a few days, consisting of the 2nd Illinois and various detachments belonging to the different corps.* From San Antonio the route lay westward to * The central division, under General Wool, consisted of four com- panies of the 2nd dragoons, Colonel Harney ; one company of the 4th DISCIPLINE OF III3 TROOPS. 187 the Rio Grande opposite Presidio, a distance of one hundred and fifty-seven miles, through a tract of coun- try about equally divided into fertile prairies, sandy barrens, and marshy chaparrals. Boats had been con- structed at San Antonio for crossing the Rio Grande, and transported over land. The passage of the river, therefore, was effected without difficulty, on the 10th of October. General Wool anticipated resistance on entering the enemy's country, but was amply prepared to meet it. His men were well provided, and in a fine state of dis- cipline. The rules and regulations which he laid down and enforced were often regarded as being too harsh and severe, but they contributed materially to preserve the health and efficiency of his command. Every halt or delay was improved in drilling and manoeuvring the troops ; complaints were loud and frequent among the volunteers ; yet their commander would permit no re- laxation. Himself a soldier in every sense of the word, he knew what constituted the real strength of an army. He would not suffer the discipline of his command to be neglected upon any consideration, and those who complained the most bitterly learned to bless the cau- tious foresight that saved them from utter destruction on the bloody field of Buena Vista.* Leaving the Rio Grande at Presidio, General Wool marched through Nava and San Fernando to Santa artillery, Captain Washington, with eight pieces, two twelve pounders, and the remainder six pounders ; battalion of Gth infantry. Major Bonne- ville; Colonel Yell's regiment Arkansas mounted volunteers; 1st Illinois infantry, Colonel Hardin ; 2nd Illinois, Colonel Bissell ; and one com- pany of Kentucky Cavalry, and one of Texan volunteers. Total strength, 2,829. • See the Correspondence between General Wool and the Illinois volunteers, June, 1847. 188 ARravAL at monclova. Rosa, taking peaceable possession of the different towns on his route ; the Mexican population neither possess- ing the means, nor the incHnation, to oppose his move- ments. At Santa Rosa he unexpectedly found an im- passable barrier to his further advance in the direction of Chihuahua. The tall peaks of the Sierra Gorda, fringed with cedars, and concealing countless stores of wealth within their bosoms, towered to the very clouds before him, and looked down frowningly upon the ste- rile plains, the fertile valleys, the beautiful haciendas and olive groves, of Coahuila. There was no pathway through the mountains, and to storm that mighty breast- work which nature had reared, was beyond the power and skill of his soldiers. He therefore turned aside to Monclova, the ancient capital of the province, where he arrived on the 29th of October. The Spanish in- habitants of this town are wealthy, intelligent and re- fined, hospitable and courteous. The American army were received and treated with marked kindness and condescension ; and on informing General Taylor, then at Monterey, of his arrival at Monclova, General Wool was directed to remain there until further orders. Immediately upon his landing at Vera Cruz, Santa Anna issued a proclamation containing similar senti- ments with those communicated to his friends, while he was at Havana, and retired temporarily to his hacienda of Mang-o de Clavo, where he remained until the month of September. He then set out for the city of Mexico, and arrived at Ayotla, on the 14th of September. At this place he received a communication offering him the supreme executive power, or dictatorship, of the republic, in the name of the provisional government. This was accepted on the same day, and he thus be- came, as he styled himself, '* the Commander in Chief MEXICAN ARMY AT SAN LUIS POTOSI. 180 of the Liberating Army of Mexico." On the 15th of September he entered the capital amid the congratula- tions of his fellow-citizens, thousands of whom assem- bled to celebrate the re-establishment of the federal constitution, to join in "the glorious cry of Dolores," and to welcome the soldier and hero whom they already fancied as their deliverer. Decrees had been previously issued providing for the increase of the forces, their supply and equipment ; and Santa Anna hastened directly to the head-quarters of the northern army at San Luis Potosi, to receive the new levies, and con- duct the future operations of the war in that quarter. The spirit of the nation was aroused. San Luis was soon filled to overflowing with troops, and even the women came down in crowds, from San Diego and Tlascala, to cheer the soldiers by their presence, and encourage them by their approving words and smiles. On the second of September a dispatch was for- warded to General Taylor from the War Department, directing him to make preparations for an expedition against Tampico, to be commanded by General Pat- terson, in which allusions were made to an advance upon San Luis Potosi if found practicable. This dis- patch was intercepted by the enemy, and prepara- tions were forthwith made by the Mexican forces at San Luis to check the advance of the American army, which was supposed to be in contemplation. Deeming it impossible to hold Tampico, the garrison was with- drawn on the 27th of October. Early in November Santa Anna was officially notified by General Taylor that the armistice would terminate on the 13th instant, and that hostilities would thereupon be recommenced. The work on the fortifications erected at San Luis was now prosecuted as rapidly as possible ; the water-tanks 190 OCCUPATION OF SALTILLO. on the road leading from Saltillo were destroyed ; antf General Miilon was ordered with a body of cavalry to hold that route in observation, while General Urrea was sent to Tula with a similar force, to keep watch over the passes in the vicinity of Tampico and Victoria.* General Taylor remained quietly at Monterey for several weeks after the capitulation. Occasional ex- cesses were committed by some of the lawless volun- teers under his command ; but this evil was promptly checked by an order forbidding their free ingress into the town. The main body of the troops were en- camped at Walnut Springs, and the city occupied by a garrison detailed for that purpose. On the 5th of November he notified Santa Anna that the armistice would terminate previous to the expiration of the time specified in the articles of capitulation, in accordance with instructions received from the War Department ; and on the 13th he advanced towards Saltillo, the cap- ital of Coahuila, about seventy miles beyond Monterey, accompanied by General Worth with about 1200 men under his command. General Taylor regarded the occupation of this town as being of the highest impor- tance. It appeared to be a necessary outpost to Mon- terey, and covered both the defile leading from the lower country to the table land in the interior, and the * It is stated iit a letter written from Mexico, that Santa Anna col- lected his army at San Luis Potosi, with the intention of advancing against General Taylor, (Frost's Life of General Taylor, p. 2l4.) The movements of the Mexican commander do not appear to justify any Buch conclusion. He expected to be attacked, and made preparations to defend his position. Indeed, after the dispatch of the 2nd of Sep- tember was intercepted, he could have formed no other opinion. Gen- eral Taylor did not advance, and when a portion of his troops were withdrawn, and the Mexican people began to complain on account of the delay, Santa Anna moved forward with his army, but not until that time. GENERAL WOOL ORDERED TO PARRAS. 191 road to Parras, situated in one of the richest sections of northern Mexico, and from which large supphes of cattle and breadstuffs could be drawn if required. No opposition was made to the occupation of Saltillo, the governor of the State contenting himself with a mere protest.. General Worth was left in command, and General Taylor returned to Monterey. Tampico was taken without opposition, by a por- tion of the Gulf squadron, on the 14th of November, and soon after garrisoned by eight companies of artil- lery, under Lieutenant Colonel Belton, and a regiment of Alabama volunteers, well supplied with heavy ord- nance and provisions, the whole commanded by Gene- ral Shields. Towards the close of the month General Wool was ordered with his force to Parras, where he experienced the same kind treatment from the inhabit- ants which he had met at Monclova. He lay encamped for a number of weeks in the Alameda ; every atten- tion was paid to his wants ; and whenever his men were sick, he was invited by the citizens to bring them into their houses. Saltillo and Santa Fe being in pos- session of the American troops, it w^as not thought ad- visable for him to proceed to Chihuahua, as that town could be occupied at any moment if it should be found necessary. The distance from Saltillo to San Luis Potosi is not far from three hundred miles, and for a greater part of the w^ay very poorly supplied with water. General Taylor early formed the opinion that a march to San Luis w^ould not be expedient, but that if the war was to be prosecuted, an expedition against Vera Cruz, and an advance movement from thence in the direction of the capital, would be preferable. These views were 192 MARCH TO VICTORIA. communicated at different times to his government.* In anticipation of receiving tiie necessary orders to pre- pare a part of the troops under his command for the expedition, he left Monterey for Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, with all his disposable forces, under the command of Generals Twiggs and Quitman,, on the 15th of December, having already directed General Patterson to join him at that place with the regiment of Tennessee cavalry, and two regiments of volunteer infantry. General Butler remained in command of the reserve at Monterey. At Montemorelos General Tay- lor effected a junction with the 2nd infantry under Col- onel Riley, and the 2nd Tennessee foot. While here he received a dispatch from General Worth, informing him that Saltillo was threatened by Santa Anna, who was within three days' march, and that he could hold the position for that time against any force that might be brought against him, but would require assistance on the fourth day. General Quitman was ordered to continue his march to Victoria with the volunteers, reinforced by a field battery, and General Taylor re- turned to Monterey with the regulars under General Twiggs. Generals Butler and Wool had also been advised of the threatened attack on Saltillo, and had moved rapidly * " I am decidedly opposed to carrying the war beyond Saltillo in this direction, which place has been entirely abandoned by the Mexican forces, all of whom have been concentrated at San Luis Potosi. * * » • If we are, (in the language of Mr. Polk and General Scott,) under the necessity of ' conquering a peace,' — and that by taking the Capital of the country, — we must go to Vera Cruz, take that place, and then march on the city of Mexico." — Letter of General Taylor to General Gaines, November 5, 1847. See also, General Taylor's letters to the Adjatant General, dated July 2nd, October 15th, November 8th, 9th, and lath, and December 8th, and to President Polk dated August 1st, in House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, 2nd session, 29th Congress. ( THREATENED ATTACK ON SALTILLO. 193 to join General Worth with all their available forces. General Wool received the intelligence on the even- ing of the 17th, and in two hours his whole army was in motion. He was three nights upon the road, and his men were aroused at one o'clock in the morning to resume the march. When they arrived near Saltillo, his soldiers, who had confidently anticipated a battle, were much chagrined to find that the alarm proved to be unfounded. On the 21st of December General Wool took position with his command at Agua Nueva, a small rancho seventeen miles south of Saltillo and near the great pass through the mountains, in order to hold the approaches from San Luis in observation. On his way to Saltillo Genei'al Taylor was informed that the position was no longer in danger. He there- fore retraced his steps to the camp near Monterey, and in a few days again started for Victoria. At Monte- morelos,an officer of the topographical engineers, with a squadron of cavalry, under Lieutenant Colonel May, was dispatched to reconnoitre a pass through the moun- tains to Labradores, and thence to Linares. The reconnaissance was effected, but on the return of the party to Linares, the baggage and ten men of the rear guard were cut off in a narrow pass beyond San Pedro. Lieutenant Colonel May dismounted a portion of the squadron and repassed the defile, in the hope of rescu- ing his men. Occasional shots were fired upon him from the cliffs overhead, but he did not encounter the enemy. General Q,uitman occupied Victoria without resist- ance on the 29th of December. A body of the ene- my's cavaify, numbering about 1,500, and belonging to a strong division of observation stationed at Tula un- der General Valencia, were in the town when he ap- 9 194 LINE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. preached, but retired before he came up, to Jamauve. General Taylor arrived on the 4th of January with the regulars under General Twiggs, and was joined on the same day by General Patterson with the regiments ordered from Matamoras. The united force amounted to more than 5,000 men. With the possession of Vic- toria, every prominent town on the line of the Sierra Madre, between Saltillo and Tampico, was occupied by General Taylor with the forces under his command. COM. CONNER. CHAPTER VI. NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE GULP. The American Navy — The Home Squadron — Blockade of the Mexican Ports — Loss of the Truxton — Laws passed by the Government of Mexico to encourage Privateering — Attempt against Alvarado — At- tack on Tabasco — Occupation of Tampico — Burning of the Creole — Wreck of the Somers — Capture of Laguna. When the American people shall forget how freely the generous blood of Lawrence and Decatur was shed in maintaining their rights, and defending their flag, — when the valor and intrepidity of Porter and HjH, of Perry and Macdonough, and the brave asso- ciates who shared their dangers, and contributed to their renown, are no longer remembered, — then, but not until then, will the navy upon which they have never yet relied in vain, cease to occupy the prominent place in their estimation and regard, which it has so long maintained. If the country had derived no other benefit from its organization, the security rendered to her commerce would be an ample repayment for every outlay ; but, in addition to this, we are indebted to it,' in no unimportant degree, for the deference and respect manifested by the nations of the world in their inter- course with us. The officers and seamen of our navy have shown themselves, on repeated occasions, and under the most trying circumstances, to be prompt and zealous in the performance of their duty. We have learned to look upon them as the appointed guardians 196 THE HOME SaUADRON. of the national honor, on other shores, and in foreign lands ; and it is something of which they may well be proud, that they have never proved faithless to their trust. On the day of the passage of the act declaring that war existed with Mexico, Commodore Conner was officially notified of the event, and instructed to block- ade the Mexican ports on the Gulf; his attention be- ing more particularly directed to that part of the coast between the Goatzacoalcos and the Rio Grande.* Several vessels of war were also dispatched, as soon as they could be got in readiness, to reinforce the squadron under his command. f Anterior to this he had rendered important services to the army of oc- cupation, commanded by General Taylor, in their operations on the Rio Grande ; and upon the reception of his instructions, he prepared at once to carry them into effect. Most of the time, during the summer months, was spent in discharging the inactive, ar.J sometimes irksome duties of the blockade, varied but rarely by any incident of more than ordinary moment. Commodore Conner made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the port of Alvarado, on the 7th of August, 1846 ; none of his vessels being of sufficiently light draught to cross the bar.J Commander Carpenter, * This direction was given, in order to exempt Yucatan from the blockade. •j- After the arrival of the vessels ordered to the Gulf, the Home Squad- ron consisted of the frigates Cumberland and Raritan, 44 guns each ; sloops of war, Falmouth, John Adams, and St. Mary's, 20 guns each ; steamer Mississippi, 10 guns, (Paixhan) ; steamer Princeton, 9 guns; brigs Porpoise, Somers, Lawrence, Perry, and Truxton, 10 guns each ; and the schooner Flirt. Total number of guns, 217. ^ One effect produced by the Gulf stream is, to cause the accumulation of numerous sand-bars along the eastern coast of Mexico, and especi- ally across the mouths of the rivers. But very few of the ports can be LAWS TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATEERING. 197 of the brig Truxton, was still more unfortunate, in a similar enterprise against Tuspan, on the 15th of the same month. His vessel grounded on the bar at the mouth of the river ; every effort was made to get her off, but all proved of no avail. It was found impos- sible to save her, and she was abandoned. Lieujpn- ant Hunter made his escape with a boat's crew, to another vessel of the squadron, and the remaining officers and men surrendered to the enemy, but were afterwards exchanged, at the instance of the Mexican government, for General La Vega, and other prisoners taken by General Taylor. Though it may not have been often expressed in words, it is certain that a very general feeling of regret was entertained throughout the country, when it be- came known, after the commencement of hostilities with Mexico, that no opportunity would be afforded to the navy for the performance of distinguished services upon their own appropriate theatre. Mexico was al- most without a naval establishment ; her marine con- sisting only of a few brigs, small steamers, and gunboats, intended rather for coast and harbor defence, than for offensive operations on the ocean. *Soon after the re- turn of Santa Anna, however, a plan was devised for annoying American commerce, which it was thought, at one time, would afford an opportunity for our navy to display its unquestioned gallantry and heroism. On the 11th of September, a special decree was enacted by the Mexican Congress, for the naturalization of for- eigners, and on the 24th instant, regulations were es- tablished for privateering, under which prize letters entered at all, except by vessels of light draught, unless with the assist- ance of camels; and the principal harbor, the bay of Vera Cruz, has been justly called " nothing more than a bad roadstead." 198 ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE ALVARADO. were issued by General Salas, then charged with the supreme executive power. Officers in the Mexican service were sent to Havana, and other ports, with blank commissions for privateers, letters of citizenship, and naturalization papers for crews, which were offered for sale. The prompt measures taken by the Captain General, in conformity with the stipulations of the treaty between Spain and the United States, to pre- vent the fitting out of privateers in the harbors on the island of Cuba, and the absence of sufficient pecuniary inducements to risk a capture by the American men- of-war, rendered the attempt of the Mexican govern- ment entirely abortive.* Small steamers and schooners adapted for entering the harbors in the Gulf, were purchased for the use of the Home Squadron, in the fall of 1846; and on the 15th of October, Commodore Conner made a second effort to capture Alvarado. The entrance of the river was defended by several batteries that opened a brisk fire on the American vessels, which attempted to cross the bar in two divisions. The first, consisting of the schooners Reefer and Bonita, towed by the steamer Vixen, crossed in safety, and engaged with the bat- teries ; the steamer Mississippi, commanded by Com- modore Matthew C. Perry, having also gained a favor- able position, brought her heavy guns to bear, and nearly destroyed one of the enemy's breastworks ; but unfortunately, the steamer McLane, with the schooners Nonata and Petrel, and the revenue cutter Forward, in tow, comprising the second division, grounded on the bar, and the enterprise was again defeated. Commo- dore Conner thought it would be imprudent to go for- * House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 4, (pp. 40, ct seq.) 2nd session, 29tli Congress. CAPTURE OF FRONTEIRA. 199 ward with the first division alone, and reluctantly or- dered it to retire. On the following day Commodore Perry sailed for Tabasco with the steamer Mississippi and the small vessels. This town is the capital of the State of the same name, one of the richest and most fertile in Mex- ico, and is especially celebrated for its exportation of spice, produced in the extensive forests near the river Baraderas. It is situated on the river Goatzacoalcos, about eighty miles in the interior, and has formerly pos- sessed considerable trade, mainly carried on by foreign merchants. The small town of Fronteira lies near the mouth of the river seventy-four miles below Tabasco, and, in the early part of the war, was a famous place of rendezvous for the vessels and steamers of the enemy engaged in bringing munitions of war from Yucatan into Mexico. Commodore Perry arrived off the debouchure of the Goatzacoalcos on the 23rd of October. The Missis- sippi remained at anchor outside, in charge of Com- mander Adams, while the Commodore crossed the bar in the Vixen, Captain Sands, having in tow the Bonita, Lieutenant Benham, and Forward, Captain Nones, and several barges containing a detachment of sailors and marines organized for service on shore, if required, un- der Captain Forrest. The Nonata, Lieutenant Haz- ard, followed under sail. Notwithstanding her heavy drag, the Vixen steadily ascended the stream against a four-knot current. On arriving near Fronteira, they found that the alarm had been given, though the enemy were unprepared for resistance. Two steamers were discovered firing up, in order to make their escape by ascending the river ; but it was too late. The Vixen cast off her tow in an instant, and darted in advance, 000 ATTACK ON TOBASCO. with the other vessels and barges following quickly in her wake. No attempt was made to defend the town, or the Mexican vessels in the port, all which were captured by the Americans. The schooner Amada endeavored to get up the river ; but she was pursued by the Bonita, and easily overtaken. Being anxious to reach Tabasco before the enemy had time to strengthen their defences, Commodore Perry ordered the detachment under Captain Forrest to be transferred to the Petrita, the largest of the captured steamers, which also took in tow the Nonata and For- ward, with the barges. The Bonita was attached to the Vixen as before. The flotilla being in readiness, they pi'oceeded up the river on the morning of the 24th, Lieutenant Walsh having been left with a party in command at Fronteira. At nine o'clock in the fore- noon of the ensuing day they came in sight of Fort Ac- cachappa, erected to command a difficult pass in the river, where the high and steep banks approached nearer to each other, and the graceful branches of the cotton-wood, the fan-like leaves of the palmetto, the velvet foliage of the magnolia, and the long trailing moss, growing upon the opposite shores, mingled their rich hues together in the watery mirror beneath them. Anticipating resistance at this point, arrangements were made to land Captain Forrest with his detachment, when it was found that the men had fled who were employed in preparing the guns in the fort for service. After spiking the artillery the fleet passed on its way unmolested. At noon the whole flotilla anchored in front of Tabasco, within musket range of the town, and formed in line of battle. Captain Forrest was immedi- ately sent on shore with a flag to summon the city to REFUSAL TO CAPITULATE. 201 surrender ; and in the meantime five merchant vessels found at anchor in the river were secured. The governor of Tabasco was inclined to be exceed- ingly valiant of speech, though very careful that his- tory should chronicle no exhibition of his daring and prowess in defending the State from invasion ; and in reply to Commodore Perry, he not only refused to capitulate, but invited him to open his fire as soon as he pleased. The town was completely at the mercy of the American vessels ; but the Commodore was un- willing to destroy it, and therefore ordered the guns of the Vixen to be fired at the flag-staff and over the houses. At the third discharge the flag-staff" was seen to fall, whereupon Captain Forrest again went ashore to inquire whether it had been shot away or struck by the enemy. He was informed that it had been cut down by the shot, and that the city would not be sur- rendered. The firing was now renewed, and the de- tachment of sailors and marines landed under cover of the guns. Captain Forrest took a position in the town with his command, notwithstanding a scattering fire of musketry from the enemy, and remained there until the approach of evening, when Commodore Perry di- rected the party to return to the vessels, fearing that they might be cut off" in the narrow streets after dark, as they were unused to this kind of warfare, and would naturally be too indiflferent to their personal safety and security. During the night the American sailors lay at their quarters, ready to return the fire of the enemy's artil- lery, which it was supposed would be planted in the streets opening towards the river. Nothing of the kind was attempted, although the straggling fire from their small arms was kept up, but without producing any 9* 20® APPEAL OF THE MEECHANTS. alarm, or causing serious injury. Soon after the at- tack was renewed on the following morning, Commo- dore Perry learned that the foreign merchants, who had been the greatest sufferers from his fire, and the citizens generally, were in favor of an immediate cap- itulation, but were overruled by the governor, who ap- peared entirely unconcerned for the safety of them or their property. An earnest appeal was made to the American commander, by the merchants, not to des- troy the town. It was not designed to occupy the place, in any event, on account of its insalubrity, and as the main object of the expedition, the captui'e of the Mexican vessels, had been accomplished, the com- modore decided to drop down the river with his prizes. The latter were soon got under way, in advance of the flotilla, and a white flag was hoisted, as a notice to the citizens of the town, that they would not be again molested. At this moment it was discovered that one of the prizes in command of Lieutenant Parker, had drifted ashore, and that a large body of the enemy had collected behind the houses in the vicinity, and were pouring volley after volley of musketry into her. The movement down the river was forthwith suspended, and a general fire from the flotilla opened upon the town. A number of houses were demolished, and the smoking ruins attested the severity of the chastisement which had been so cowardly provoked. The enemy's fire was speedily silenced. Lieutenant Parker bravely defended his vessel, and succeeded in getting her afloat, with the loss of one man killed, and two wounded. Lieutenant Morris was also killed while bearing an or- der from the commodore to Lieutenant Parker. No further attempt was made to molest the Amer- ican vessels or their prizes, and they continued down BURNING OF THE CREOLE. 203 the river. On his return to Fronteira, Commodore Perry dispatched his prizes that were of sufficient value to be manned, to Vera Cruz, and destroyed all the smaller craft. The McLane and Forward were left to blockade the river ; and on the 31st. the remainder of the fleet proceeded to rejoin Commodore Conner. Orders were issued from the Navy Department, in October, to capture and occupy Tampico, with a view of masking an attack on Vera Cruz and the Castle of San Juan de Ulua, then in contemplation. In accord- ance therewith, Commodore Conner sailed for that port on the 13th of November, with a considerable portion of his squadron, and on the 14th took possession of the city, without opptjsition, — the armed forces of the enemy having been previously withdrawn.* During the absence of the squadron, the brig Somers, Lieutenant Semmes, remained off Vera Cruz, to con- tinue the blockade. On the evening of the 20th of November, a most daring exploit was performed by Lieutenant Parker, and Passed Midshipmen Rodgers and Hynson, belonging to the vessel, in a small boat manned by six men. Protected by the darkness of the night, they surprised the bark Creole, which had been engaged in conveying munitions of war into the coun- try, in defiance of the blockade, as she lay at anchor, beneath the walls of the castle. The men left to guard • A number of small vessels were also captured in the harbor of Tampico ; the prize money for those taken at this place and at Tobasco amounting to about ^220,000. Previous to the capture of Tampico, Commodore Conner received full information in regard to its defences, vrith a plan of the town, the forts, and the harbor, from Mrs. Ann Chase, the wife of the American Consul. She manifested an extraordinary degree of intrepidity and determination on the approach of the squad- ron. In spite of the opposition of the ayuntamiento, (city counc ), she persisted in hoisting the flag of her country, and was neither mo 3d by solicitations, nor intimidated by menace. 204 WRECK OF THE SOMERS. the vessel were put on shore, and the craft set on fire. On the 5th of December, Midshipman Rodgers, in com- pany with Assistant Surgeon Wright, and one of the crew, went ashore to reconnoitre the enemy's mag- azines. They had proceeded but| a short distance from the beach when they were surrounded by a party of Mexicans. Dr. Wright fortunately made his es- cape, but his two companions were taken prisoners.* This event was followed by a still more serious disas- ter, on the 8th instant. Indications of a northerly gale wei*e observed in the evening of the 7 th, and the Somers took shelter under Green Island. A sail was reported from aloft the next morning, and she stood out for several miles, when the approaching vessel was ascertained to be the John Adams, on her way back from Tampico, to relieve the Somers in the blockade. As the latter was returning to her anchorage, a sUspicious- looking craft was discovered standing in for Vera Cruz. The canvas was crowded upon the Somers, her officers being determined not to be found remiss in their duty, and all haste was made to intercept the strange vessel. In the effort to avoid the reef de Pajordas, on her lee, she was ' overtaken by the norther. At the first gust she was thrown upon her beam-ends. She careened over rapidly, and in half an hour was in- gulfed beneath the angry billows, now howling and hissing with the fury of a Phlegethon. Acting Mas- * After being transfeired from one place of confinement to another, and encountering the severest hardsliips, Midshipman Rodgers succeeded in making his escape in the fall of 18 17, from the city of Mexico, where he was then detained, and took part with the beleaguering army under Generr.l Scott in its capture, serving as a volunteer in the staff of Gen- eral P low. While a prisoner he obtained much important informa- tion, which was communicated, at different times, to the American office s. CAPTURE OF LAGUNA. 205 ter Clemson and Passed Midshipman Hynson, with nearly one half of the crew, which consisted of eighty persons, were carried down with the vessel, and found a watery grave on that stranger shore, " uncoffined and unaneled." The remaining officers and men were picked up by the John Adams, and the small boats gallantly sent out from the British, French, and Span- ish ships of war anchored in view of the wreck, or succeeded in reaching the shore, where they were taken prisoners by the Mexicans. On the 20th of December, Commodore Perry, with the Mississippi, Vixen, Bonita, and Petrel, took posses- sion of Laguna, in Yucatan, and destroyed the guns and munitions of war found in the fort and town. Commander Sands was left in charge with the Vixen and Petrel. Soon after this occurrence, the vessels belonging to the squadron, which could be spared from enforcing the blockade, were ordered to rendezvous at Veia Cruz, to assist the army in its reduction. CHAPTER VII. BUENA VISTA. General Scott ordered to Mexico — Expedition to Vera Cruz — With- drawal of Troops from the Army under General Taylor — Surprise of Arkansas and Kentucky Cavalry at Encarnacion — Advance of Santa Anna from San Luis Potosi — The Pass of Angostura — Buena Vista — Position of the American Troops — Approach of the Enemy — The Battle — Bravery of the Volunteers — Skirmish near Saltillo — Disas- trous retreat of the Mexican Army — Attack on the Wagon Trains — Pursuit of Urrea. On the 1st day of January, 1847, and within the short space of eight months from the commencement of hostilities, the provinces of New Mexico, CaUfornia, Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila, New Leon, and Tamau- lipas, embracing more than one half of the geograph- ical area of the Mexican Republic, were either vir- tually conquered, or in the actual possesion of the American forces. The different military operations thus far conducted, had been executed with unexampled skill and ability, and attended with the most satisfactory results. The territory occupied by the army under General Taylor, could not, indeed, have been regarded of much value as a permanent acquisition, if conquest had been the object of the war ; but in a military point of view, the campaign on the Rio Grande was as important as it was successful. Every thing had been achieved which was to be desired. On three separate occasions the armies of Mexico had been de- ■« 05 w > ^ ^^ r s^ ? o § ^ w s- -^ ^ f ^ < S 3 ^3- NORTHERN PROVINCES OF MEXICO. 207 feated. No superiority of numbers, or advantages of position, could stay the advance of the American sol- diers. The power, the military strength and resources of the enemy, were essentially weakened ; and it mat- tered little upon what theatre this had been effected, vv'hether upon a barren shore or a sandy desert, so long as her capacity for resistance was diminished. A large army, it is true, was soon collected at San Luis Potosi, but the disheartening influences of defeat were felt even there. Rumor asserted that the victorious Amer- icans were moving towards the interior ; parties of observation were thrown forward, and preparations for defence were made ; yet many doubted their ability to maintain the position.* A descent upon the Gulf coast of Mexico had long been in contemplation at the War Department of the United States ; but the prevalence of the vomito dur- ing the summer months forbade any such enterprise. Had the climate and season been more favorable, it is not likely that this would have been undertaken at the commencement of the war, notwithstanding the im- portance of the movement in order to the conquest of a speedy and honorable peace ; because hopes were entertained, that the northern and frontier departments of Mexico would declare themselves independent of the central government, and establish pacific relations with the American Union. General Taylor was led to be- lieve that such would be the case, from the information • " You may imagine how we are situated here with respect to the approach of the invaders. * * • * Who can teli what will be our fate 1 — yet we have 25,000 men more or less, 52 pieces of artillery, 24- pounders, and below, in excellent condition, an incredible quantity of powder, and ball of every cahbre." — Letter of correspondent of El Lo- comotor, (Vera Cruz,) dated at San Luis, 14th November, 1846. 208 SCOTT ORDERED TO THE SEAT OF WAR. derived through his agents.* It was certainly no chimerical supposition. The northern provinces were known to be ardently attached to the federal constitu- tion ; and when Paredes came into power, there were strong symptoms manifested of a desire to resist his authority. They would naturally have turned to the American army for support, and it is reasonable to sup- pose, that the fear of losing a large portion of territory south and west of the Rio Grande, might have con- strained the Mexican Government to listen to over- tures of peace. But before the war had fairly com- menced, the project for the re-establishment of the federal constitution, and the return of Santa Anna, was started by the opponents of Paredes, and his sub- sequent overthrow put an end to the expectations which had been formed in regard to the secession of the northern provinces. The suggestions of General Taylor in favor of main- taining a defensive position on the line of the Sierra Madre, and the information communicated by him, showing that a march on San Luis Potosi from Sal- tillo would be attended with serious difficulty and em- barrassment, and that the Santa Barbara pass, open- ing towards Tampico, and that in the direction of Tula, were both impracticable for artillery, led to an abandonment of the movement designed to be made upon San Luis Potosi, from the north ; and in Novem- ber 1846, General Scott was ordered to repair to the Rio Grande, for the purpose of setting on foot and conducting an expedition against Vera Cruz and the castle of San Juan de Ulua. Previous to this time much valuable information had been procured in re- * Letter of General Taylor to the Adjutant General, September 6, 1845. EXPEDITION AGAINST VERA CRUZ. 209 lation to the defences of the city and castle, and Gen- eral Scott had been actively and constantly employed for several weeks in making the necessary preparations. Heavy ordnance, large quantities of missiles and ammu- nition, transport vessels, bomb-ketches, and surf-boats to land the troops, were ordered to be prepared, and dispatched to the Gulf without delay. A corps of sap- pers and miners, and mountain howitzer and rocket batteries, were also organized to take part in the ex- pedition, and accompany the army on its march to the Mexican capital. It was originally intended that the attack on Vera Cruz should be made in co-operation with the navy, by a detachment from General Taylor's army of four or five thousand men, under the command of General Patterson.* After the dispatch of the 2nd of Sep- tember, intimating an intention to make a descent on the Gulf coast, at Tampico, was intercepted by the enemy, it became evident that a much larger force would be necessary. Tampico was occupied, how- ever, as has been stated, in order to mask the more important enterprise in contemplation. General Scott had made an unsuccessful application to the President of the United States, to be ordered to the s'^at of war, in the month of September ; but, in consequence of the prior misunderstandi.'ig, his request was denied. t At a later day this determination was * House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, (pp. 84; 88), 2nd Session, 29th Congress. ■)• Allusion has been heretofore made to this controversy (ante, p. 94). It appears to have been mainly of a personal character, and one reflect- ing little credit or honor on those concerned, though proving, very con- clusively, that our military and civil officers, no matter hov? high their station, are not exempt from the passions and prejudices which some- times afQict those who move in a liumbler sphere. For the particulars 210 PROPRIETY OF THE ORDER. wisely reconsidered, and in accordance with the gen- eral expectation of the country, he was directed to take the field. To him, more than to any other man, was the army indebted for its high state of discipline, its usefulness and efficiency ; and it was due to his past services, and his talents, that he should be allowed to participate in the active operations of the war. If the laurels won at Chippewa and Niagara could be re- freshed and reinvigorated by the cool breezes that swept over the terra templada of Mexico, — if there were new victories to be gained that could give ad- ditional lustre to the undying fame which formed one of the richest jewels of the nation, — it was but just that the opportunity should be given. Large rein- forcements were about to be sent to Mexico, and the occasion seemed most favorable for directing the gen- eral-in-chief of the army to assume the command, since it could be done at such a time without prejudice to the officer who had hitherto so skilfully directed its movements.* There was a peculiar fitness, too, in as- sigmng General Scott to conduct the expedition against Vera Cruz, because the merit of planning the move- of the difference, see Appendix to the Congressional Globe, 1845-6, pp. 650, et seq. ; House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, 2nd session, 29th Con- gress; Senate Document, No. 1, 1st session, 30th Congress; and the correspondence bet-veen General Scott and the War Department com- municated to the Ho\ise of Representatives, March 20th and April 26lh, 1848. * General Taylor exptcted that General Scott would be ordered to Mexico, and did not appear in the least disappointed when informed that this had been done. Indeed, it does not seem strange that this should be the case. At the commencement of the war there were a number of officers in the army »iperior in rank to General Taylor ; but within a very few weeks after that time he stood second only to Gen- eral Scott. INCREASE OF THE ARMY. 211 ment was his own, and his experience, sagacity, and skill, were requisite to insure its success.* The order directing General Scott to repair to Mex- ico, and clothing him with discretionary power in re- .gard to the future conduct of hostilities, was issued on the 23rd, of November, and on the 24th he left Wash- ington for New York, where he embarked for New Orleans.f Before leaving the capital, the necessary preliminary arrangements had been made for the ex- pedition. Nine additional volunteer regiments, includ- ing one of Texan horse, were called for ; and at the ensuing session of Congress, bills were introduced, and passed, authorizing ten new regiments of regular troops to be raised, and the increase of the artillery regiments and marine corps, — and providing for the appointment of two major generals, and three brigadier generals, and the encouragement of enlistment, by large boun- ties. The general officers, the ten regiments, and the addition to the marine corps, were to be continued in service only during the existence of the war. J * Projects of General Scott laid before the Secretary of War, Octo- ber 27th, 1846, and November 12th, 16th, and 21st, of the same year. f " The President, several days since, communicated in person to you his orders to repair to Mexico, to take the command of the forces there assembled, and particularly to organize and set on foot an expedition to operate on the Gulf coast, if, on arriving at the theatre of action, you shall deem it to be practicable. It is not proposed to control your oper- ations by definite and positive instructions, but you are left to prosecute them as your judgment, under a full view of all the circumstances, shall dictate." — Extract from the letter of the Secretary of War to General Scott, dated November 2lst, 1846. t The ten regiment bill did not become a law until the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1847, partly in consequence of the attempt made to create the office of lieutenant general heretofore alluded to. (Ante, p. 95, note.) By the terms of the act, the President was authorized to equip one of the infantry regiments as voltigeurs, which was done.' Under the law authorizing the selection of additional general officers, Gideon 212 LETTER TO GENERAL TAYLOR. While in New York, General Scott addressed a let- ter to General Taylor, informing him that he was about to embark for the seat of war ; that he designed to undertake an expedition in a different quarter of the enemy's country ; and that he should be compelled, though reluctantly, to take from him the greater part of the troops under his command.* He reached New Orleans near the close of December, and early in Jan- uary following he was upon the Rio Grande. Instruc- tions with reference to his plans, and the number, and character of the men whom he wished to be pre- pared for the expedition, were sent to General Taylor, by different messengers. Lieutenant Ritchie, one of J. Pillow and John A. Quitman, brigadier generals of volunteers, were appointed major generals ; and Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, George Cadwalader of Pennsylvania, and Enos D. Hopping of New York, were appointed brigadier generals. Thomas H. Benton of Mis- souri, and William Gumming of Georgia, were originally appointed the major generals, but did not accept. The vacancies occasioned in the volunteer service, by the promotion of Generals Pillow and Quitman, were filled by the appointment of Caleb Gushing of Massachusetts, and Sterling Price of Missouri. * " I am not coming, my dear general, to supersede you in the imme- diate command on the line of operations rendered illustrious by you and your gallant army. My proposed theatre is different. You may imag- ine it ; and I wish very much that it were prudent, at this distance, to tell you all that I expect to attempt and hope to execute. * * * But, my dear general, I shall be obliged to take from you most of the gallant officers and men, (regulars and volunteers,) whom you have so long and so nobly commanded. I am afraid that I shall, by imperious ne- cessity — the approach of yellow fever on the Gulf coast — reduce you, for a time, to stand on the defensive. This will be infinitely painful to you, and for that reason, distressing to me. But I rely upon your pa- triotism to submit to the temporary sacrifice with cheerfulness. No man can better afford to do so. Recent victories place you on the high emi- nence ; and I even flatter myself that any benefit that may -esult to me, personally, from the unequal division of troops alluded to, will lessen the pain of your consequent inactivity.'' — Letter of General Scott to General Taylor, November 25th, 1846. TROOPS IN THE FIELD. 2l3 the beaiers of dispatches, was on his way to seek the latter, when he was attacked, between Linares and Victoria, by a party of rancheros, and cruelly murdered. The papers in his possession fell into the hands of the enemy, and the fact that an expedition against Vera Cruz was projected could no longer be concealed. When the arrangements for the expedition against Vera Cruz were made at Washington, preparatory to the departure of General Scott, it was not supposed that General Taylor would deem it advisable to ad- vance beyond Monterey, or occupy the lower part of the State of Tamaulipas.* It was intended that he should remain upon the defensive until additional troops could be sent out from the United States. The im- portance of the position at Saltillo was not correctly understood at the War Department, and hence it was not taken into account in the calculations which had been made. General Taylor might have occupied and held the city of Monterey with a much smaller force than was left under his control ; but he wisely decided to keep possession of Saltillo, as being a still more commanding position, and completely covering the single road practicable for artillery, which was the only formidable arm of the Mexican service, to the valley of the Rio Grande. Monterey was well situated for defence ; but if the enemy could advance to that point, the communication with his principal depots would be more likely to be cut off, and their protection attended with more danger and difficulty. The whole number of troops upon the Rio Grande, and en route for the Gulf, including the new volunteer regiments, was not far from 20,000. General Scott * House of Rep. Exec. Doc. 119, (pp. 84, 89, 108) Snd Session, 29th ConOTess. • * 214 DIVISION OF THE FORCES. required 12,000 of these for the expedition against Vera Cruz. Besides the volunteers embarked from the United States for the island of Lobos, the appointed place of rendezvous, nearly all the regular troops under Generals Twiggs and Worth, and the greater part of the volunteer division of General Patterson, were or- dered to the same point. It was with great reluc- tance that General Taylor parted with the veteran troops whom he had so long commanded ;* but the en- terprise which General Scott was about to attempt, was of primary importance. It was necessary that Vera Cruz and the castle of San Juan de Ulua should be reduced, if at all, before the return of the sickly season ; and if that could only be done by an assault, the regular regiments would be especially needed. Moreover, it was to be apprehended that Santa Anna might move his army from San Luis Potosi, in the direction of Vera Cruz, after receiving the informa- tion contained in the dispatches borne by Lieutenant Ritchie. Had he done this, the column under General Scott would probably have been decimated ere they could have effected a landing on the Mexican shore. Undoubtedly it wOuld have been a wiser policy to have called out a larger number of volunteers in the sum- mer or fall of 1846 ; but the error was one very likely to be committed in a country like ours. It was too late to correct it when General Scott arrived upon the Rio Grande ; he had no dragon's teeth, from which armed soldiers might be raised at his bidding ; and a • Letters of General Taylor to tlie Adjutant General, January 15th and 27th, 1847. General Taylor did not anticipate that he would be required to part with more than four or five thousand of the troops un- der his command (Doc. 1 19, p. 94) ; but very magnanimously made the sacrifice when the exigencies of the service required it. SURPRISE AT ENCARNACION. 215 delay, even of a few weeks, could not be permitted. About six hundred regulars, including two squadrons of dragoons, and four of the finest artillery companies in the army, with the best disciplined regiments of volunteers, which had been drilled by General Wool, or under the eye of General Taylor himself, were left upon the line of the Sierra Madre.* In view of the loss of life which afterwards occurred, it may be re- gretted that the army under General Taylor was neces- sarily so much reduced ; but he knew of what mate- rials it was composed, and did not rashly expose himself to peril. His force was small, but it proved sufficient ; and had it not been for the defection of one of his regiments, the repulse at Buena Vista would have been the complete rout of the Mexican army. After giving the necessary instructions to the troops ordered to join General Scott, General Taylor returned to Monterey. During his absence General Wool had remained encamped with his division at Agua Nueva, until General Worth left Saltillo, when he took posi- tion on the heights above and to the south of the city, with a portion of his command, and distributed the re- mainder through the valley. General Minon was known to be in the vicinity with his lancers, and scouting parties were constantly kept out to obtain in- formation. On the 22nd of January a party of over seventy men, consisting of Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry, commanded by Majors Borland and Gaines, were surprised at the hacienda of Encarnacion, forty- eight miles beyond Saltillo, by General Miiion. Re- sistance against so formidable a force would have been * Generals Patterson, Twiggs, Worth, Pillow, Quitman and Shields, accompanied General Scott, and Generals Butler, Wool, Marshall and Lane remained with General Taylor. S16 ADVANCE TO AGUA NUEVA. idle, and they surrendered themselves prisoners of war Captain Henrie of the Texan Rangers was with the detachment, but gallantly made his escape on the second day after their capture. On the 27th of Jan- uary, a picket guard of seventeen men of the Ken- tucky volunteers, under Captain Heady, were also captured by the enemy. The advanced pickets were repeatedly driven in, and it was confidently rumored, that the main body of the Mexican forces under Santa Anna were marching to attack the American army. Leaving a force of fifteen hundred men to garrison the city of Monterey, General Taylor proceeded to Saltillo, early in February. While General Worth was in command at this point, a strong redoubt com- manding the town and the plain in which it is situated, had been constructed by General Lane's Indiana bri- gade, under the direction of Lieutenant Kingsbury of the ordnance corps. Captain Webster occupied the redoubt with two twenty-four pounder howitzers, and several pieces of smaller calibre ; and Major Warren, of the 1st Illinois foot, was directed to guard the town with four companies of the Illinois volunteers, two of each regiment. On the 8th of February the remain- der of the army, about 5,000 strong, moved forward under General Taylor to Agua Nueva, where he could have the advantage of a large plain to drill his troops, and hold in observation the road from San Luis Potosi, and the difl^erent passes leading to Parras, Monclova, and Saltillo. The road from Saltillo to Agua Nueva pursues a south-westerly course, through an irregular and broken valley, varying from two to three miles in width, and bounded on either side by the tall mountain ridges of BUENA VISTA. 217 the Sierra Madre. About five miles south of Saltillo is the hacienda of Buena Vista,* and a short distance beyond this the flanking nriountains incline nearer to each other, and form the pass of Angostura. The at- tention of General Taylor was called to this position by General Wool, as being one which a small army could easily maintain against a larger force. Notwith- standing its advantages, the former decided to proceed to Agua Nueva, as he had at first intended, and if Santa Anna approached with his army, to fall back to the ground which he saw at a glance was well adapted to the limited numbers of his command. By this means he would be enabled to practise a ruse upon the enemy, and lead them to attack him in a position of his own selection, and which he felt fully competent to hold. This determination was strengthened on his arrival at Agua Nueva, which he found to be a more exposed position, and one that could be readily turned on either flank. Information having been received that the Mexican forces were concentrating in his front, Gen- eral Taylor ordered Major McCuIloch, with a party of Texan spies, to reconnoitre the San Luis road. The detachment left Agua Nueva on the 16th of Feb- ruary, and about midnight encountered a small body of the enemy's cavalry, whom they drove towards En- carnacion, and then returned to camp. On the 20th instant a strong reconnaissance was dispatched to the hacienda of Heclionda, under Lieutenant Colonel May, and Major McCulloch made another examination of Encarnacion. The reports of these officers ren- dered it certain that Santa Anna, instead of marching with the forces which he had concentrated at San Luis Potosi, to meet General Scott at Vera Cruz, had con- ♦ Beautiful view. 10 ' 218 THE AMERICAN ARMY RETIRE. eluded to take advantage of the withdrawal of such a large number of troops from the line commanded by General Taylor, and by one decisive blow endeavor to wipe out the ignominy of past reverses, and retrieve the waning fortunes of the Mexican Republic. At noon on the 21st, General Taylor broke up his camp at Agua Nueva, and retired leisurely towards the position in front of the hacienda of Buena Vista, which had previously been selected. Colonel Yell re- mained at Agua Nueva with his regiment of Arkansas cavalry, to look out for the enemy, and cover the re- moval of the public stores. The 2nd Kentucky foot under Colonel McKee, and a section of Captain Wash- ington's battery, halted at Encantada to support Col- onel Yell. The 1st Illinois foot under Colonel Hardin were stationed at the pass of Angostura, where it had been determined to give battle to the enemy. Gen- eral Taylor proceeded to Saltillo, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel May, with his squadron of the 2nd dragoons, two batteries of the 3rd artillery, under Cap- tains Sherman and Bragg, and the Mississippi rifle regiment, under Colonel Davis. On the evening of the 21st, the regiment of Kentucky cavalry under Colonel Marshall, and the squadron of the 1st dragoons. Cap- tain Steen, were ordered to Agua Nueva, to reinforce Colonel Yell. General Wool encamped near Buena Vista with the remaining section of Washington's battery, the 2nd Illinois foot. Colonel Bissell, and the 2nd and 3rd Indiana regiments, commanded by Col- onels Bowles and J. H. Lane.* Before the removal * In addition to the forces above enumerated, General Taylor had under his command one company of Texan volunteers, and a spy com- pany commanded by Major McCuIIoch. The two Indiana regiments formed a brigade under the command of General Lane. COL. (MlARLKf^ A. MAY. DISAFFEtnON AT SAN LUIS. 219 of the stores could be effected, Colonel Yell's pickets were driven in by the enemy, and, in obedience to his instructions, he retired with the reinforcements un- der Colonel Marshall, after destroying a small quan- tity of grain remaining at the hacienda, and leav- ing a few wagons which had been abandoned by the teamsters. At Encantada he was joined by the force under Colonel McKee, and they fell back to- gether to Buena Vista, before daylight on the morning of the 22nd. From the time of his arrival at San Luis Potosi, in October 1846, Santa Anna labored unceasingly in strengthening his fortifications at that point, and in equipping and instructing the men under his command. Political dissensions and differences, however, were not entirely healed. His approach to the city of Mex- ico, and his journey to take command of the army of the north, had been attended with all the pomp and parade, the glitter and show, the shouting and rejoic- ing, of a triumphal procession ; but much of this en- thusiasm was transient and unreal. The elements of discontent still existed. The Mexican Congress, which assembled in December, elected Santa Anna to the presidency, and made choice of Gomez Farias as vice president, upon whom the executive authority devolved during the absence of the former. The monarchists and centralists were opposed to this arrangement, and did not repress their complaints. Weeks and months rolled by ; no enemy appeared ; and the army remained inactive. The people became dissatisfied ; they ex- pected e^ ery thing from Santa Anna, and could not be disappointed. Murmurs were repeatedly heard ; and it was at length asserted that motives of personal 220 THE ARMY UNDER SANTA ANNA. ambition detained him at San Luis Potosi.* He could hesitate no longer. His private credit was pledged for a joan of one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, and the necessary supplies for twelve days procured for his army. On the 28th of January he commenced mov- ing forward with twenty pieces of artillery, and a force of about 20,000 men, exclusive of the cavalry detach- ments under Generals Minon and Urrea already thrown in the advance. f The march was long and tedious. The army was scantily supplied with food, water and clothing ; the weather was harsh and inclement ; and sickness and desertion fast thinned their numbers. Encouraged by the promise of their leader, that they would soon be supplied from the well-filled storehouses of the American army at Saltillo and Monterey, they * It is questionable whether the withdrawal of so large a number of troops from the line of the Sierra Madre, formed the controllinir reason for the advance of Santa Anna against General Taylor. Political con- siderations probably had far more influence. The army could have made the march to Vera Cruz, thougli a longer distance, wit!i far less inconvenience ; but he dared not lead them in the direction of the capi- tal. It was said that the presence of so large a force at San Luis, un- der his orders, was dangerous to the liberties of the country, and the march towards the Gulf, to meet General Scott, would have been the signal for a bloody revolution. f The accounts are very conflicting in relation to the strength of^the Mexican army. In his official report of the battle at Buena Vista, Santa Anna states that the force with which he left San Luis Potosi, including garrisons and detachments, amounted to 18,133, and that his artillery train consisted of seventeen pieces. Another statement makes the army amount to over 21,000, with twenty-two pieces. The general orders issued on the 28th of January, at San Luis, (Senate Exec. Doc. No. 1, 1st session, 29th Congress, p. 154,) and found on the battle ground at Buena Vista, show that there were twenty pieces of artillery. In his summons to General Taylor, the Mexican commander said the forces under his orders numbered 20,000, including, doubtless, the de- tachment under General Miuon, and perhaps that under Urrea ; but he was more likely to exaggerate his strength than the contrary. Gen- ADVANCE FROM ENCENADA. 221 continued to advance in spite of the obstacles which were calculated to discourage them. The various detachments of the Mexican army were concentrated at San Fernando, and on the night of the 20th of February they encamped at Encenada. On the morning of the 21st mass was said in front of the different divisions, and at noon the whole column were again on the march; the brigade of light infantry under General Ampudia, accompanied by a body of lancers, leading the van ; the divisions of infantry, under General Lombardini, in the centre ; and the division of cavalry and infantry, under General Ortega, bringing up the rear. General Mifion wa,s ordered with his cavalry brigade to make a diversion in the rear of the American army, and occupy the hacienda of Buena Vista. The detachment under General Urrea at Tula had received instructions to advance from their position, and attack the American posts, and cut off their communications between Monterey and the Rio Grande. It had been the intention of Santa Anna, on learn ing the position of General Taylor, to place his forces between the American army and Saltillo, and compel them to fight him at this disadvantage. The retrograde movement to Buena Vista defeated his project. His eral Miiion's cavalry brigade was 1,200 strong ; General Urrea had an in- definite number of men, varying from two to three thousand ; General Vasquez remained at Matehuala with a brigade of infantry as a corps de reserve; and the main body under Santa Anna probably did not much exceed 17,000 men. The following general officers accompanied the arm) ; Alvarez, general-in-chief of cavalry ; Lombardini, com- mander-in-chief of the infantry ; Requena, general-in-chief of artillery; Mora y Viliamil, chief of the engineers ; Micheltorena, chief of the general staff; and Generals R. Vasquez, Torrejon, Ampudia, Andrade, Juvera, Quintaniar, Mifion, (detached,) Jaurequi, Conde, Pacheco, Gar- cia, Ortega, Mejia, Flores, Guzman, Mora, and Romero. 222 THE FIELD OF BUENA VISTA. troops were elated, however, with the idea that the Americans were retreating before them, and he deter- mined to advance by the direct road to Saltillo. There were other passes through the mountains, by way of HecHonda on his right, and La Punta de Santa Elena on his left, by which he could have gained the Saltillo road in rear of Buena Vista ; but either of these routes would have required three or four days' march, and the state of his supplies forbade any further delay. He passed the night of the 21st with his main body, in the vicinity of Agua Nueva, and at early dawn on the following morning took up his line of march towards the pass of Angostura. The position selected by General Taylor for the re- ception of the enemy is nearly one mile in advance of the hacienda of Buena Vista. At this point the bases of the mountainous ridges are about two miles apart. The main road to Agua Nueva passes through a nar- row defile inclining to the west before it enters the gorge, and then turning to the east. Upon its right is a valley, or alluvial bottom, formed from the debris of the neighboring hills, with a small branch of the San Juan winding through it, and everywhere cut up by deep gullies, and yawning pits and chasms, washed out by the torrents plunging from the mountain sides during the rainy seasons, which render it impracticable for cavalry or artillery ; and further beyond, there is an intermediate range of hills, with a narrow pass in- tervening between them and the mountains. Upon the left the ground descends gradually from the he'ghts towards the road, forming an elevated plain of table land, free from timber, with the exception of a few shrubs and bushes, but intersected by a succession of APPROACH OF THE MEXICANS. 223 ravines also worn by the mountain torrents. The ravines are of irregular formation, some extending to the very foot of the mountains, and others terminating midway in the plain. On the extreme left their banks are sloping, and can be passed without difficulty, but nearer the road they are more precipitous, and form a series of steep and rocky bluffs. In the rear of the principal plain, upon which the Hne of battle was formed, are similar plateaus, separated in like manner by ravines. On the night of the 21st, the 1st lUinois regiment threw up a parapet on a hill east of the gorge, and dug a small ditch, and made a parapet extending from the road around the brink of a deep gully on the right. In the morning a ditch and parapet were thrown across the road for the protection of a bat- tery of artillery, leaving a narrow passage next the bluff, which was closed by running in two wagons loaded with stone. At nine o'clock the enemy were discovered advancing over the distant hills, " Winding from cliff to cliff, in loose array." As they approached the American lines, their columns closed up together. Dense squadrons of horse, with glittering lances and gay pennons, formed the advance, and then came the long serried files of infantry, with artillery and cavalry intermingled ; column upon col- umn deploying in the valley, as if there were no end to the stream of warriors which threatened to over- whelm the feeble band before them. But though weak in numbers, the American soldiers were strong in their position, strong in the memory of past victories, strong in the prestige of their leader's name, and stronger 224 SUMMONS TO SUURENDER. yet in the recollection that they were the countrymen — and this was the birlhda}' — of Washington ! In the absence of General Taylor, the line of battle was formed by General Wool. Captain Washington was posted in the road with his battery, with two companies of the 1st Illinois behind the breastwork on his right, and the 2nd Kentucky infantry, Colonel McKee. occupying a spur of the elevated ground in the rear. Colonel Hardin remained in position on the height, with six companies of his regiment, having the 2nd Illinois, Colonel Bissell, and the company of Texan volunteers. Captain Connor, on his left. The Indiana brigade under General Lane, took position on a ridge in rear of the front line, and Captain Steen's squadron of Isl dragoons was held in reserve. The Kentucky and Arkansas regiments of cavalry, under Colonels Marshall and Yell, were stationed on the left of the second line. Soon afterwards the rifle companies of the volunteer cavalry were dismounted, and, with a battalion of riflemen from the Indiana brigade, under Major Gorman, sustained by the remaining companies of the Kentucky regiment, the whole commanded by Colonel Marshall, were ordered to take ground to the front and extreme left. When the commanding gen- eral arrived from Saltillo with the remainder of the /roops, the squadron of 2nd dragoons, Lieutenant Col- onel May, the light batteries of Captains Sherman and Bragg, and the Mississippi regiment, Colonel Davis, were held in reserve with the squadron under Captain Steen. At eleven o'clock General Taylor received a note from Santa Anna, informing him that he was surrounded by twenty thousand men, and requiring him to surrender if he wished to avoid being cut to pieces. SKIRMISHING IN THE MOUNTAINS. 225 The reply was what might have been expected — a prompt and decided refusal.* At two o'clock the battalions of Mexican light in- fantry, under General Ampudia, commenced deploying to the right, evidently intending to outflank the Amer- icans and secure the heights overlooking the broad plateau east of the battery in the road, while a large howitzer opened its fire upon the left of the line. Gen- eral Lane moved forward with a section of Washing- ton's battery under Lieutenant O'Brien, and the 2nd Indiana regiment, on the left of the 2nd Illinois, to check the movement. A demonstration was also ob- * The correspondence between Santa Anna and General Taylor was remarkable for its boastful tone on the one hand, and its emphatic brevity on the other. It was as follows ; — Summons of Santa Anna. " You are surrounded by twenty thousand men, and cannot in any human probability avoid suffering a rout, and being cut to pieces with your troops ; but as you deserve consideration and particular esteem, I wish to save you from a catastrophe, and for that purpose give you this notice in order that you may surrender at discretion, under the assur- ance that you will be treated with the consideration belonging to the Mexican character, to which end you will be granted an hour's time to make up your mind, to commence from the moment when my flag of truce arrives in your camp. " With this view, I assure you of mj particular consideration. " God and Liberty. Camp at Encani"'da, February 22, 1847. " Anto, Lopez de Santa Anna. " To General Z. Taylor, ) Commanding the forces of the U. S." J Reply of General Taylor. " Head-quarters, Army of Occupation, ) Near Bueiia Vista, Feb. 22, 1847. J " Sir : — In reply to your note of this date, summoning me to surrender my force at discretion, I beg leave to say that I decline acceding to your request. With high respect, I an. sir, " Your obedient servant, Z. Taylor, "Major General, U. S. A. Comm'g. "Senor Gen. D. Anto. Lopez de Sant\ Anna, ) Commanding in chief, Encantada." \ 10* 226 THE DAY OF BATTLE. served on the other flank, and the 2nd Kentucky reg- iment, with a section of Bragg's battery and a detach- ment of mounted men, were ordered to take post on the right of the gulhes, and some distance in advance of the centre. Colonel Marshall had anticipated the effort to out- flank, and was prepared to meet the enemy. He had secured possession of one of the spurs running out from the mountains, and was preparing to occupy a still more commanding one in his front, when he was induced to fall back through some mistake in the delivery of an order from General Wool. When the enemy's light troops approached, a spirited conflict ensued, which was kept up for several hours. The American loss was trifling, but the fatal fire of their rifles filled the ravines and gorges with the dead and dying of their opponents. Numbers, however, pre- vailed against courage and determination. Before dark the Mexicans had occupied the sides, and scaled the summits of the Sierra Madre, and had thus out- flanked the American position. The recall was sounded, and Colonel Marshall returned with his com- mand to the plain. During the night of t\ e 22nd, the American troops bivouacked at their respective positions without fires, and lay on their arms. Long before daybreak on the following morning, they were aroused from their slum- bers to prepare for the coming contest. The day dawned beautifully. The sky was clear and cloudless. The sunlight streamed over the distant mountain tops, bathing hill and rock, ravire and plain, forest and chaparral, in a rich flood of golden radiance. The cool breeze that swept through the valley was wel- comed by many a feverish brow ; and it rested softly COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTION. 227 on many a manly cheek, glowing with hope and enthu- siasm, that was cold in death ere the shadows of even- ing stole along the western hills. There were throb- bing bosoms and anxious hearts in that little army ; but few among them all were faint in spirit, or dreaded the encounter. Apprehending that an attempt might be made on Saltillo by the detachment under General Minon, which had been visible all day in rear of the town, and that the force stationed there would be unable to resist it, General Taylor had returned in the evening of the 22nd, with the JMississippi regiment, and the squadron of the 2nd dragoons, to make further preparations for its de- fence. Two companies of the Mississippi rifles under Captain Rogers, and one piece from Bragg's battery under Captain Shover, were left to protect the train and head-quarter camp. In the morning of the 23rd the general returned to the field with the remainder of the Mississippi regiment and the dragoons. Before he arrived upon the ground the battle had commenced. The action was opened on the extreme left of the American line, by the Mexican light troops, and the riflemen who had again moved up the mountains. Major Trail was soon after detached with three com- panies of the 2nd Illinois to the assistance of Colonel Marshall. The united command bravely maintained their ground against the superior force under General Ampudia, which attempted to drive them from their position. About eight o'clock Santa Anna put in mo- tion his main columns of attack ; the divisions of Lom- bardini and Pacheco, with a portion of the cavalry under Juvera, and a twelve-pounder battery, advan- cing on the left of the American line, in order to gain the elevated ground ; and a strong column of attack 228 THE AMERICAN LEFT TURNED. under Mora y Villamil, with three pieces of artillery, moving along the road towards the centre. A battery of eight-pounders, consisting of eight pieces, was planted on the crest of a hill near the road where the different columns were formed for the attack, and Gen- eral Ortega remained in command of a strong reserve. The column advancing against the centre was checked in a few moments by a rapid fire from Wash- ington's battery, which opened wide gaps in the op- posing ranks. The enemy broke and retired. The lancers were interposed to prevent the retreat, and drive the infantry forward. But they could better meet the spear-points of their counti-ymen, than the scathing torrent that poured down that roadway. Retreating in confusion they joined the column mov- ing towards the American left. In this quarter the attack was more successful. The heavy Mexican bat- tery was pushed to the foot of the heights which the light troops had ascended, and their cavalry and in- fantry, advancing up the bed of a ravine in front of the American line, soon gained a position on the plateau. The battle now commenced in earnest. The 2nd Indiana sustained themselves for a short time without faltering, and Lieutenant O'Brien opened a vigorous fire which mowed down the enemy in scores. His guns were advanced. Once more the Mexican line began to waver, and the infantry were again driven forward by the lancers. A single bold and vigorous onset would have secured the victory. General Lane urged his men to stand firm — to push upon the enemy. But the fire was too terrible. The Indiana regiment reeled to and fro like a drunken man. They staggered back and retired from the field in confusion, at the moment when General Taylor arrived from Saltillo. THE INDIANA REGIMENT. 229 Captain Lincoln, assistant adjutant-general in the staff of General Wool, lost his life in attempting to rally the fugitives. Major Dix, of the Pay Department, also dashed forward, and snatching the colors of the reg- iment, he called upon the men to stand by them to the last. General Lane, though severely wounded, exhorted and entreated them to follow him to victory or to death.* All efforts were in vain. A portion of them were rallied and joined the Mississippi regiment, doing good service throughout the day ; of the remain- der, some retired to the hacienda of Buena Vista, and others to Saltillo. The riflemen and cavalry under Colonel Marshall, being thus cut off from the centre, retreated in good order in the direction of Buena Vista. Lieutenant O'Brien maintained the ground with his guns, until all his cannoneers were killed or wounded ; but being de- prived of his support, he was forced to retire, leaving one of his pieces, the horses attached to which were * General Lane, was completely carried away with enthusiasm, and closed his eloquent and impassioned appeal to the retreating soldiers, by reminding them what a glorious thing it would be to have it said in history, that '• the icJwlc Indiana regiment were cut to pieces!" Posthu- mous fame seemed of little value at such a time, and his entreaties were lost upon them. He was too brave a soldier to offer an apology for their retreat; but in his official report there is one fact stated, which should never be forgotten when their conduct is called in question. He says : " The 2nd regiment of my command which o^^ened the ba' de on the plain, in such gallant style, deserves a passing remark. I shall attempt to make no apology for their retreat ; for it was their duty to stand or die to the last man until they received orders to retire ; but I desire to call your attention to one fact connected with this affair. They re- mained in their position, in line, receiving the fire of 3,000 or 4,000 in- fantry in front, exposed at the same time on the left flank to a most desperate raking fire from the enemy's battery, posted within point- blank shot, until they had deliberately discharged iicenty rounds of car- fridges at the enemy." 230 THE MISSISSIPPI RIFLES. either killed or disabled, in the hands of the enemy. The 2nd Illinois at once became exposed to the en- filading fire of the heavy battery. Eight regiments of Mexican infantry came down upon them, and they were forced temporarily to take shelter behind the ra- vines. Sections of Sherman's battery, under Lieuten- ants Thomas and French, advanced to their assistance. The 2nd Kentucky regiment, and Captain Bragg's battery, had already been ordered from the right, and, in connection with the 1st and 2nd Illinois, and the sections of Sherman's battery, they drove back the enemy in handsome style, and regained possession of a portion of the plateau. The Mexican columns were compelled to hug the mountain more closely, and their immense hosts began to pour along its base to the rear of the American line. Here they were met by the Mississippi rifles, who came into action in double-quick time. As a column of the enemy's infantry, flanked by their cavalry, moved down the slopes towards the road. Colonel Davis hastened to meet them. His men were halted only when within range of their rifles, and were then ordered to " fire advancing." The front lines of the enemy fell before them. They too suffered severely, but they pressed boldly forward, crossing a deep ravine under a galling fire, until a body of cavalry attempted to gain their rear, when they retired slowly, and aftir dispersirg the lancers, formed again behind the ravine which they had first crossed. The enemy's battery had been constantly playing upon the front and centre, but its fire was now turned upon the position occupied by the Mississippi regiment. Lieutenant Kilburn, with one piece from Bragg's bat- tery, was ordered to this point, where a new line of battle, forming a crotchet perpendicular to the first REPULSE OF THE MEXICANS. 231 line, was taken up. The 3rd Indiana regiment, under Colonel J. H. Lane, accompanied by General Lane, also advanced to redeem the character of the state to which they belonged. This was bravely done. Dar- ing and repeated efforts were made by the enemy against this portion of the line, but they were as often repulsed. At length a large body of cavalry debouched from their cover on the left of the position. The Mis- sissippi regiment immediately filed to the right and fronted across the plain, while the 3rd Indiana formed on the bank of a ravine, and in advance of the right flank of the Mississippians, by which a re-entering angle was presented to the enemy. The Mexican lan- cers came dashing onward, in close and beautiful order. Captain Sherman now arrived with two pieces from his battery. The American soldiers were firm and steady as experienced veterans, and when the enemy came within thirty yards, a broad sheet of flame flashed from the entire line. Whole masses of men and horses were seen to fall upon the plain. The enemy we/e instantly checked and thrown into confusion. Tlie Americans advanced, still pouring forth their withering volleys. Captain Bragg also brought his battery round to this position, and commenced raining deadly show- ers of grape upon the Mexicans, as they retreated for shelter to the gorges and ravines near the mountains. Lieutenant Rucker, at the head of the squadron of 1st dragoons, Captain Steen having been wounded when the left flank was turned, was ordered to move up a ravine and charge them. Before this was done, the order was countermanded, and he was directed to join Lieutenant Colonel May, who was advancing with his squadron of the 2nd dragoons, a squadron of Arkansas horse under Captain Pike, and Lieutenant Reynolds 232 THE LANCERS ROUTED. with a section of Sherman's batteiy, to check the en- emy's cavalry, from the head of their column on the left, who were threatening a descent on the hacienda of Buena Vista, near which the train of supplies and baggage had been parked. Before Lieutenant Colonel May had reached the ground, Colonels Marshall and Yell had encountered the enemy with the Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry. The order to charge was given on both sides at the same instant. Like knights at the tourney they sprang forward to do their devoir. The squadrons met in the centre of the plain. They were interlocked ; lances and sabres were shivered ; and they gra[)pled each other in the death-embrace. The shock was dreadful ; Colonel Yell fell among the foremost ; but his fall was fearfully avenged.* The fight was of short duration. The rifle battalions under Majors Trail and Gorman, and a portion of the Indiana infantr}' which had re- treated, were formed under the direction of Major Munroe, chief of artillery, and Major Morrison of the volunteer staff. The enemy did not wait to meet this additional force. Their column divided ; one part re- treating to the mountains, and the other dashing through the hacienda, where they received a galling fire from the riflemen and infantry. Lieutenant Colonel May had at this moment come up, and aided with his com- mand in completing the rout of this portion of the lancers. The whole Mexican column which had turned the * The wounJs inflicted by the Mexican lancers were severe. Some of them seemed to take great dehght in torturing the wounded and the dying. The body of Adjutant Vauglin, of the Kentucky cavah-y, who fell in this charge, contained no less than fourteen wounds, more than one half of which were mortal. RUSE OF SANTA ANNA. 233 American left were now in a critical position. On one flank the regular dragoons, the Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry, Lieutenant Reynolds' section of ar- tillery, and the ralHed men under Majors Trail and Gorman, and on the other the batteries of Sherman and Bragg, and the 3rd Indiana and Mississippi reg- iments, were advancing to complete their destruction. Behind them was the wall of mountains, and before them a band of determined men, firm as the hills whicii looked down upon their valor, whose messengers of death were sending so many of their number to their last account. They faced about to retrace their steps, exposing their right flank to the American fire, but caring only to reach some place of safety. Just as they commenced their retreat, a white flag was seen approaching from the Mexican head-quarters. Its bearer delivered a message from Santa Anna to Gen- eral Taylor, requesting to know what the latter wanted. General Wool was ordered to the enemy's lines, to de- mand the immediate surrender of the column cut ofT from the main body, and the American soldiers slack- ened their fire. General Wool soon learned that the Mexican com- mander had practised a ruse. He was unable to in- duce the enemy to stop the fire of their battery, and returned without having an interview with Santa Anna. The retreating column had in the meantime taken ad- vantage of the pause in the fire, and the configuration of the ground, and were no longer in immediate dan- ger. As they came opposite the American centre, the 1st and 2nd Illinois, the 2nd Kentucky, and Lieuten- ant O'Brien with two guns from Washington's battery, moved forward to terminate the contest by a vigorous charge. The movement was unfortunate, and again 234 LAST EFFORT OF THE ENEMY. the tide of battle turned. Resolved to make one more final and desperate struggle for the mastery, Santa Anna had already ordered up his reserves, and his batteries redoubled their fire. The reinforcements marched up the ravine in front of the original line of battle, as the Americans were advancing, and formed at the base of the mountains, in connection with the column which had retreated. Against so powerful an host that little phalanx could not have been expected to prevail. Borne down before this overwhelming array which came so unexpectedly upon them, the in- fantry retired down the smaller ravines to the road. The lancers followed close upon them, slaughtering in- discriminately those who lay helpless beneath their horses' hoofs, those who were willing to surrender, and those who died with a note of defiance on their lips. Colonels Hardin and McKee, and Lieutenant Colonel Clay, were among the slain. Lieutenant Colonel Clay was not mortally wounded, and his men endeavored to carry him from the ground. Seeing so many falling around him, he begged to be laid down upon the field, where he died fighting bravely to the last. A prompt fire from Washington's battery upon the lancers, as they attempted to follow the American infantry into the road, put an end to the pursuit. Meanwhile Lieutenant O'Brien had never ceased his fire. Two horses were shot under him, and a second time were all his cannoneers cut down. The enemy seemed goaded to desperation, and continued to press forward. Still he remained firmly by his guns, and never left them until the Mexicans were at their muzzles. Both pieces were captured and taken from the field. The crisis of the action had arrived. The centre of the American line was almost forced. But ■Ill smstmimt THE DEFEAT. 235 relief was nigh. Captain Bragg hurried forward with his battery at a gallop, and reached the plateau before all was lost. Without any infantry to support him he opened his fire within a few yards of the Mexican line.* General Taylor had also arrived upon this part of the field, which he saw must be maintained at any cost, and his presence served to animate the men. The enemy wavered, but recovered ; additional quantities of grape were forced into the American guns ; again the Mexicans staggered back, but they ralHed once more, like some giant in the last agony struggling with the destroyer death. At this time Sherman had brought his battery to bear upon them, and the 3rd Indiana and Mississippi regiments advanced upon their right flank. Neither man nor horse could stand before that iron torrent, which swept the plain as with the besom of destruction. Repulsed, routed, and in dis- order, they abandoned the contest. As soon as the action commenced at Buena Vista, in the morning of the 23rd, a demonstration was made on the redoubt and encampment at Saltillo, by the lan- cers under General Miilon. Major Warren had di- rected the streets to be barricaded, and three of his companies were thrown into the cathedral. Captain Webster opened upon the enemy with his twenty-four pounder howitzers, as soon as they came within range, and drove them beyond the reach of his shells, with the loss of several men and horses. They succeeded, ♦ In reply to Captain Bragg's request to be furnished with a support- ing party, General Taylor, turning to the chiet'of his staff, said — " Major Bliss and I will support you !" and immediately galloped forward. When the enemy appeared inclined to persist in their advance, thg general gave his celebrated order- -"A little more grape, Captain Bragg!" — words which will long be remembered in connection with the events of that day. 236 REMARKS ON THE RATTLE. however, in occupying the road south of the town, and picked up a number of fugitives from the principal field. Between two and three o'clock they began to move towards their former position, when Captain Shover advanced upon them at a gallop, with a six- pounder, in the open plain, and poured his shot into the flank of the column. A number of teamsters and fugitives from the battle-ground now joined him, and he pressed forward. The enemy retired behind a hill, and prepared to charge down upon him as he ascended it ; but by moving his piece to the right he gained a favorable position, and a single shot dispersed them. IMeanwhile Captain Webster had ordered Lieutenant Donaldson with one gun from the redoubt to the assist- ance of Captain Shover. Both pieces were brought to bear upon the retiring column, when they broke, and fled up the base of the mountain to their encampment. In the morning they were seen retiring tlirough the Palames pass, and did not make their appearance again on the Saltillo plain. The battle of Buena Vista does not require words of commendation. The facts are of themselves eloquent. The pass of Angostura, the plain upon which the bravery of those volunteers, many of whom had never before been in action, was tested, and the hills which flank it, will be a perpetual monument. Less than five thousand men, not five hundred of whom were reg- ulars, with fourteen pieces of artillery, maintained their position, though the ravines around them streamed with their blood, from early dawn until set of sun.* Sometimes the day seemed almost lost, and General * General Taylor's total strength, exclusive of the force at Saltillo, was 4,759. The regulars engaged, deducting the general staff, num- bered only 476. Most of his guns were of small calibre. KILLED AND WOUNDED. 237 Taylor was advised by several of his officers to retire to a new position. This could never have been done with volunteers. There was but one alternative : they must fight where they stood, or surrender. Had they been regulars, there would have been more una- nimity in their efforts ; but it may have been fortunate that they were otherwise. Many of them looked upon the contest as a personal matter, and being unable to appreciate the disadvantages which an experienced soldier would have instantly remarked, so long as they were whole and unharmed, there was no immediate danger. The Mexican troops were wearied and hun- gry, and in some degree dispirited ; yet they literally fought for their bread, and this, too, with the ferocity of wolves, and an energy bordering upon despair. The loss sustained by the American army on this occasion was dreadfully severe. Seven hundred and twenty-three, nearly one-sixth of the whole number engaged, were either killed or wounded, and there were twenty-three missing. The Mexican loss was between fifteen hundred and two thousand.* The American officers were not behind their men in the exhibition of zeal and bravery. There were three hundred and thirty-four in the battle, sixty-nine of whom, more than one-fifth, were killed or wounded.f * Santa Anna, in his official report, represents his loss to have been 1,500. The number of prisoners taken by the Americans was 294. Gen- eral Lomhardini was severely wounded. t There were twenty-eight officers killed in the battle, viz. ; Captain Lincoln, assistant adjutant-general; Lieutenants Moore and McNulty, Mississippi rifles ; Colonel Hardin, Captain Zabriskie, and Lieutenant Houghton,. 1st Illinois; Captain Woodward, Lieutenants Rountree, Fletcher, Ferguson, Robbins, Kelley, Steele, Bartleson, Atherton, and Price, 2nd Illinois ; Lieutenants Campbell and Leonhard, Texas volun- teers ; Captains Kinder and Walker, and Lieutenant Parr, 2nd Indi- 238 KETREAT OF THE MEXICANS. Generals Taylor and Wool were often exposed dur- ing the day to the severest fire. Colonel Whiting, as- sistant quartermaster-general, Colonels Churchill and Belknap, inspectors-general, Major Mansfield of the engineers, Major Munroe, chief of artillery, Major Bliss, assistant adjutant-general, and Captain Eaton, and Lieutenants Garnett and McDowell, aids-de-camp, were conspicuous for their gallantry. It was late in the afternoon of the 23rd, when Santa Anna finally withdrew his men from the field. The American line had been turned in the morning, but the ground then lost was now entirely recovered. Night once more fell upon that valley ; wood could not be procured, and again the soldiers bivouacked at their posts without fires, though the mercury stood be- low the freezing point. They expected that the con- test would be renewed in the morning, but they were ready for the attack. The wounded were removed to Saltillo. Seven fresh companies were drawn from the town, and General Marshall was rapidly coming up with a reinforcement of Kentucky cavalry, and four heavy guns under Captain Prentiss, of the 1st artillery, having made a forced march from the pass of Rinco- nada, on the road to Monterey. When the morning light broke in upon the American soldiers, their eyes were turned towards the Mexican encampment. The enemy were no longer to be seen ; they had vanished in the darkness. It was soon ascertained that Santa Anna had fallen back to Agua Nueva. No pursuit was ordered by General Taylor, as his men had not ana ; Captain Taggart, 3rd Indiana ; Colonel McKee, Lieutenant Colonel Clay, and Captain Willis, 2nd Kentucky; Colonel Yell and Captain Porter, Arkansas cavalry ; and Adjutant Vaughn, 1st Ken- tucky cavalry. GENERAL UEREA. 239 yet recovered from their weariness and exhaustion. An exchange of prisoners was negotiated on the 24th, and completed on the following day. On the 26th the Mexican army commenced a disastrous retreat, leav- ing large numbers of their wounded to be cared for by General Taylor's army. The Americans resumed their position at Agua Nueva on the 27th of February. Colonel Belknap was dispatched with a command to Encarnacion, on the 1st of March, and found the road- side strewed with the dead and dying of the discom- fited host hurrying onward to San Luis Potosi, with a dark cloud of vultures hovering constantly on their track.* While the American and Mexican armies were con- tending on the field of Buena Vista, General Urrea and his cavalry made their appearance in the valley of the San Juan. They arrived before Marin at noon on the 23rd of February, and threatened an attack upon the force at that place, which consisted of three com- panies of the 2nd Ohio infantry under Lieutenant Col- onel Irvin. Information was immediately sent to Mon- terey that the post was in danger, and Colonel Ormsby, of the Louisville Legion, then in command in that * The capture of three pieces of artillery, and a few company mark- ing-flags, were the only trophies borne from the field by Santa Anna ; but these were pointed to as affording conclusive evidence that the vic- tory had been won by the Mexican army. General Taylor was not moved from his original position ; yet the Mexican commander declared that he would have done this if his army had not been almost destitute of food and water. A few more such victories might have caused Gen- eral Taylor to repeat the lamentation of Pyrrhus, but Santa Anna never could have entered Saltillo except as a prisoner of war. There was food in plenty behind the American lines, and why did he not take it 1 He knew he lacked the power, and hence his retreat, to which he applied the milder term of" countermarch," was ordered. 240 ATTACK ON A WAGON TEAIN. town,* promptly dispatched Major Shepherd with three companies and two pieces of artillery, to the relief of Lieutenant Colonel Irvin. The advance guard of Major Shepherd encountered the enemy on the road, and a slight skirmish took place. The pieces were discharged upon the right and left, and a volley of musketry fired into the chaparral, when the detach- ment moved forward without interruption, and reached Marin in the mornins: of the 25th. Several skirmishes had already taken place, but the enemy retired on the arrival of the reinforcement. Meanwhile Colonel Morgan, of the 2nd Ohio volun- teers, was advancing with eight companies of his reg- iment, about two hundred men, from Serai vo. He had received instructions from General Taylor on the 23rd, to concentrate his regiment at that point, and march to Monterey forthwith. He left Seralvo in the morning of the 24th, and in the evening was met by a courier, who informed him that a most atrocious act of barbarity had just been committed by a portion of the force commanded by General Urrea ; that a wagon- train under the escort of Lieutenant Barbour, with forty men, had been surrounded near Ramos ; and that the soldiers had been killed or taken prisoners, and the wagoners butchered. He proceeded on his march during the night, and at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th reached the scene of the disaster, where he found the bodies of between forty and fifty of the wagoners horribly mutilated, some of them harv- * General Butler had returned to the United States, under the ad- vice of his physicians, on account of his wound received at the storm- ing of '^'' 'nterey, from which he did not recover for a long time. Most of the balls used by the Mexicans were of copper, and very poisonous in their effect, especially in that warm climate. SKIRMISH NEAR AGUA FEIO. 241 m^ been staked to the ground and cut to pieces, the wagons burning, and several of the dead bodies con- suming in the flames. The march was continued to Marin, which was found nearly deserted, Lieutenant Colonel Irvin having proceeded towards Monterey upon the arrival of Major Shepherd. At eleven o'clock at night on the 25th the camp-fires of the enemy were seen in the distance, and in an hour Colonel Morgan was again upon the road. On the morning of the 26th, when within a mile and a half of Agua Frio, his flank- ers reported the enemy to be in force in the chaparral on either side of the road. Forming his men in a square he resumed his march, after driving back a small body of Mexicans who made their appearance on his flanks. A short distance beyond Agua Frio the enemy again appeared, full eight hundred strong ; and a constant firing was kept up until the detachment ap- proached San Francisco. Clouds of lancers hovered around, threatening to sweep down upon the small force and overthrow them in an instant. Lieutenant Stevens was now dispatched to overtake Lieutenant Colonel Irvin. Dashing through the enemy who oc- cupied the chaparral flanking both sides of the road, he came up with him at Walnut Springs. The latter at once returned, with one hundred and fifty men and two field-pieces, and joined his regiment in a few hours, dislodging a body of the enemy from their ambush as he advanced in front. In the meantime Colonel Mor- gan had repulsed a vigorous charge made upon his front and flanks, and on being joined by the reinforce- ment he ordered an attack. An animated action took place, which continued for a few minutes, when the enemy retreated in confusion, having lost upwards of fifty men in killed and wounded. The American loss 11 942 TRAIN UNDER MAJOR GIDDINGS. was five killed, among whom was Captain Graham, assistant quartermaster, and one wounded. The de- tachment was not molested again on the route to Monterey. On the 5th of March, Major Giddings, of the 1st Ohio regiment, with a mixed command of two hundred and sixty men, and two pieces of artillery, escorting a large wagon-train, and Major Coffee and Lieutenant Crittenden, bearers of dispatches, left Monterey for Camargo. On the 7th, he was attacked by the Mex- ican lancers and rancheros under Generals Urrea and Romero, who completely surrounded his command. The wagon-train was ordered to be parked in the centre, as well as it could be done considering its ex- tent. One company was posted in the rear with a single piece of artillery, and the remainder of the force, with the other gun, were in front. The enemy suc- ceeded in breaking through the train ; a number of the drivers deserted their teams ; and the fright- ened mules sprang from the road into the chaparral. Forty wagons were captured by the Mexicans and burned.*' A warm fire was kept up from the front ; but the rear-guard was in extreme danger. A parley was sounded, and a surrender demanded. This was not to be entertained a single moment. Captain Brad- ley cut his way through to the rear with eighty men, and the whole train was soon re-united. The enemy could make no further impression, and withdrew to- wards Seralvo. Early on the 8th, Major Giddings entered the towm, and found that the Mexicans had * One of the wagons burned contained a large quantity of ammuni- tion which exploded, and killed or wounded ten of the enemy. After that lime they were more careful how they attempted to make a bonfire of such combustible materials. INDEMNITY REQUIRED. 243 evacuated it in the night. Here he awaited the arri- val of Colonel Curtis, who had left Camargo several days previous with 1200 men, in order to obtain a new supply of ammunition. Colonel Curtis reached Seralvo on the 12th, and Major Giddings resumed his march, arriving at Camargo on the 15th. Colonel Curtis continued on his way to Monterey, attempting in vain to come up with the enemy, until the 18th instant, when he was met near Marin by Gen- eral Taylor, with Lieutenant Colonel May's dragoons and Bragg's artillery, also in pursuit of Urrea. The general had left Agua Nueva, General Wool remaining in command of the forces in that quarter, as soon as he heard of the outrages which had been committed. The pursuit was continued by the united force, but Urrea eluded them by retiring beyond the mountains. General Taylor returned to Monterey, and on the 31st of March issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Tamaulipas, New Leon and Coahuila, reminding them of the manner in which the war had so far been con- ducted on his part, and of the respect paid to their persons and property so long as they remained neu- tral ; but, inasmuch as many of them had been con- cerned in the destruction of the wagon-trains, and the pillage of their contents, he demanded an indemnifica- tion to be forthwith made — each district, or juzgado,^ being required to pay its due proportion. The assess- ments were made, and payment enforced. No further outrages of this character were committed, and Gen- eral Taylor again established his head-quarters at Wal- nut Springs, leaving General Wool still in command at Saltillo and its vicinity. CHAPTER VIII. SAN JUAN DE ULUA. The Island of Lobos — Rendezvous of American Forces — Offer to nego- tiate — Vera Cruz — Castle of San Juan de Ulua — Landing of the . Troops under General Scott — Skirmishing — Line of Investment — Bombardment — Effect of the Fire — Affair at the Pucnte del Midois — Dragoon fight at Madellin — Capitulation of the City and Castle — Capture of Alvarado — Advance of the Army into the Interior — Open- ing of the Mexican Ports. The island of Lobos is one of the gems of the " Blue Gulf." It is a sweet little spot, barely two miles in circumference, and formed entirely of coral. The Mexican coast is about twelve miles from its western shore ; Tampico sixty-five miles to the north-west, and Vera Cruz twice that distance in the opposite direction. It is covered with choice tropical fruits and plants, with trees and shrubs of every variety. There are lemons and figs, banyan and palm-trees — the latter rarely exceeding twenty-five feet in height. Many of the banyans are completely thatched over with ever- green vines, and form most agreeable arbors, through which the sunlight falls, softly and silently, like flakes of snow, and the cool sea breeze finds its way, bear- ing health, and life, and strength upon its wings. During the month of February, 1847, the various detachments of troops arrived, which had been ordered to rendezvous at Lobos, preparatory to making the descent upon the main land ; General Patterson having k'^Wr GENL. WINFIELD SCOTT, Commander in Chief, United States Anny. EENDEZVOU3 AT L.0B03. 245 marched with his division from Victoria to Tampico, at which point he embarked; Generals Scott and Worth saihng from the Brazos ; and the remainder of the forces proceeding directly from the United States to the island. One of the steamers, the Ondiaka, em- ployed in transporting the troops, and having on board a regiment of Louisiana volunteers, under the com- mand of Colonel De Russey, was driven ashore in a gale and wrecked, between Lobos and Tampico. Soon after reaching the land, they encountered a large body of Mexicans commanded by General Cos. The reg- iment were without arms ; yet Colonel De Russey in- stantly formed them in battle array, as if to receive the enemy. They were summoned to surrender immedi- ately ; but an answer was delayed until evening, when camp-fires were lighted, and preparations apparently made to pass the night. The Mexicans were deceived by these appearances, and the American troops took advantag;e of the darkness and drew off in silence. By making a rapid march they reached Tampico with- out again meeting the enemy. Many of the supplies necessary for the army had not arrived at the close of the month ; but the soldiers were now in fine spirits, and, as it was already getting late in the season, General Scott decided not to post- pone the expedition. Fishing and turtle-hunting were at once suspended, the troops were embarked, and the transports got under way. In the afternoon of the 5th of March the whole fleet came bearing down to- wards Anton Lizardo before a violent norther, dark- ening the horizon with their clouds of canvas, and soon filling the bay with a dense forest of masts and spars. It was designed that the attack on Vera Cruz and the castle should be made by the army and navy in co- 246 PROPOSITION TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS. operation with each other ; and on the 7th instant, a reconnaissance of the coast above and below the city, was made by General Scott and Commodore Conner, in the steamer Petrita. From the informa- tion obtained on this occasion, and that acquired from time to time by the naval officers employed in that station, it was thought best to effect a landing on the beach south of Vera Cruz, and due west of the island of Sacrificios. While General Scott was on his way to the seat of war, and preparations were being made for the expedi- tion against Vera Cruz, a third, and more specific prop- osition, was made to the Mexican government for the conclusion of a peace. On the 18th of January, 1847, Mr. Buchanan forwarded a dispatch to the minister of foreign relations, by the hands of one Mr. Atocha, whose diplomatic abilities do not appear to have been of the very highest order, in which it was proposed that a commissioner, or commissioners, should be ap- pointed, to meet at Havana or Jalapa, clothed with full powers to conclude a treaty of peace. In the absence of Santa Anna, then advancing to meet General Tay- lor, the vice-president, Gomez Farias, signified his readiness to concur in the appointment of commission- ers, but required as a preliminary condition, that the blockade should be raised, and that the American in- vading forces should evacuate the territory of Mexico; or, in other words, that all the advantages which had been gained should be sacrificed, and the American government once more trust solely to that faith which the experience of more than twenty years had shown to be as brittle as a rope of sand. It is almost un- necessary to say, that the President of the United States regarded these conditions as being wholly inad- CITY OF VERA CRUZ. 247 missible. The Mexican government was informed of his decision, in a dispatch from the Department of State, on the 15th of April. It was also stated, that the offer to negotiate would not again be renewed, until a more pacificatory spirit was manifested by the Mexican au- thorities ; yet, in order that an opportunity to make peace might at all times be afforded, the chief clerk in the State Department, Mr. Nicholas P. Trist, would be sent to the head-quarters of the army forthwith, as a commissioner invested with full powers to conclude a treaty.* Before this diplomatic correspondence was finally closed, the army under General Scott had carried the victorious standard of the American Union far into the interior of Mexico. Vera CRuzf has long been celebrated, both for its commercial importance, and its commanding position at the terminus, on the Gulf, of the great national road leading from the city of Mexico to the sea-coast. It is situated on the exact spot where Hernando Cortes and his brave Spaniards landed, on the 21st of April, 1519. The name of Chalchiuheuecan was then given to it ; but no permanent colony was established there at that time. The city was founded near the close of the sixteenth century, while the Marquis of Monterey was governor of Mexico, and received a charter of in- corporation in 1615. The location has always been an unhealthy one, as is the case with most of the towns situated in the tierra caliente, or low ground bordering upon the Gulf. The climate is moist, and its natural warmth is increased by the reflection from the sandy • Senate Exec. Doc. No. I (pp. 36, et. seq.), 1st Session, 30th Con- gress, t The True Cross. 248 SAN JUAN DE UI.UA. plains in ths vicinity. The quality of the water is bad ; the atmosphere poisoned by noxious exhalations from numerous ponds and marshes ; and the air full of insects, the most annoying and conspicuous of which is the tancudo, a species of mosquito. From October to April, during which time the north winds prevail, the situation is comparatively healthy. The city is small, its population scarcely exceeding seven thousand in 1844; but it is laid out neatly and regularly. The streets are wide, straight, and well paved. The houses are built of the Muscara stone, taken from the sea-beach ; they are mostly two stories high, and very neat in their appearance. The churches and public buildings are large and fine structures. On the east the walls of the town are laved by the waters of the Gulf, and on the opposite side there is a dry sandy plain, bounded, be- yond cannon range, by innumerable hills of loose sand, from twenty to two hundred and fifty feet in height, which are separated by almost impassable forests of chaparral. The city is surrounded by a wall of stone and mortar, which is not very thick, but has strong towers or forts at irregular intervals. The two most important towers are the Santiago and the Conception, which flank that portion of the wall looking towards the Gulf, and are twelve hundred and seventy Castilian varas, or yards, distant from each other. But the chief feature of the defences of Vera Cruz is the farnods Castle of San Juan de Ulua,* the reduction of which was the • Juan de Grijalva landed on the small island upon which the castle is built, in 1518. There was then a small temple erected on it, in which human victims were sacrificed to the Azlec deities. The Spaniards un- derstood these sacrifices to be made in accordance with the commands of the kings of Acolhua, one of the provinces of the empire ; and the term Ulua is an abbreviation, or corruption, of the former name. ITS DEFENCES. 249 great object of the expedition under General Scott. Its construction was commenced as far back as the year 1582, upon a bar or small island in front of the town, at the distance of one thousand and sixty-two yards from the main land. Near forty millions of dol- lars have been expended upon the work. It is entirely surrounded by water. The exterior polygon, facing Vera Cruz, is three hundred yards in length, and that commanding the north channel is not far from two hundred yards. There are several strong bastions, and the castle is supported by water-batteries at the angles of the city, which double the fire on both the north and south channels. The walls of the fortress are from twelve to fifteen feet thick, and constructer'. of Mad- repora Astrsa, a species of soft coral procured in the neighboring islands, but faced with hard stone. The casemates are impervious to shot, and the magazines are all bomb-proof There are also seven large cis- terns, containing over ninety-three thousand cubic feet of water. Three hundred and seventy pieces of artil- lery would be a full equipment for the castle, and it would then require a garrison of twenty-five hundred ' men ; but that number of guns have never yet been mounted. In the year 1844, there were one hundred and five cannon, of various calibre, in the castle, twenty-oue mortars, and eight obuses ; and, in the city, ninety-nine cannon and seven mortars.* When • Part of the guns in the castle were of very heavy calibre. Among them were ten Bi-pounders, ten G4's, and ten 15, 8 and 12-pounders, (all Paixhan guns); thirty-seven brass, and twenty-five iron 24-pound- ers ; and six 18-inch, and eight 14-inch mortars. Besides being sacked by the pirates under Lorencillo in 1G83, the city of Vera Cruz has ex- perienced many of the reverses of war. It was besieged and carried by the revolutionists in 1821 ; and in the following year was besieged by the Spanish troops. From September 1823 to November 1825, it 11* SSO ARMAMENT AND GARRISON. General Scott landed with his army, there were be- tween two hundred and fifty and three hundred can- non in the city and castle. The latter was garrisoned by near two thousand men, and in the former there was from three to five thousand. As at Monterey, many of the streets in the city were barricaded, and the houses and walls pierced for musketry. The offi- cer in command of the town and castle was Juan Mo- rales, governor and commanding-general of the state of Vera Cruz. The debarkation of the troops was fixed for the 9th of March. The surf-boats were launched, and care- fully numi-ered; and early in the morning of the ap- pointed day, most of the troops were transferred from the transports to the vessels of war, to avoid crowding the contracted anchorage between Sacrificios and the main land with too many sail. At eleven o'clock the was three times bombarded by the Spanish, then occupying the castle of San Juan. In the latter year the castle itself was captured by the Mexicans, and the city enjoyed a season of repose. It was again be- sieged by the ministerial troops in 1832. In 1838 both the castle and town were blockaded and taken by the French ; whose vessels, how- ever, were allowed to take their position undisturbed. After this last attack, extensive improvements were made in the fortifications of the city, and in the castle itself During the summer of 1846, it was gen- erally supposed that the squadron under Commodore Conner would at- tempt the capture of San Juan de Ulua ; but it appears, from the letter of instructions of the Secretary of the Navy, dated May I3th, that the naval force in the Gulf was not thought to be strong enough to make the effort. It is stated in a letter written by an officer in the American army, that the Mexican commander of the castle sent word to Commo- dore Conner, that he might bring his fleet up and lire " until there was not a shot in the locker, and he would promise him not to return a gun until he was done." The castle was very strong, without doubt, and the Mexicans were confident. of their ability to hold it ; but they would have found it a difficult task to resist the skill and bravery of the army and navy of the United States, although its reduction was effected without putting them to the test. # LANDING OF THE AMERICAN TROOPS. 251 squadron was in motion, and at three in the afternoon it was abreast of Sacrificios. Every thing appeared to favor the movement. There was nothing hke confu- sion or disorder. The soldiers knew they were about to land in an enemy's country, but it was a moment for which many of them had long panted. The scene was full of interest and animation. The inspiring strains of martial music broke cheerily on the ear. The bay was crowded with vessels, filled with armed men, whose bright muskets and bayonets flashed in the sunlight. The stars and stripes fluttered everywhere in the breeze. In the distance were the officers and crews of the foreign vessels attentively watching the proceedings. Every fore-top and spar was crowded with anxious spectators. It was a bright, clear day, and the air was soft and balmy ; the sea was scarcely ruffled by the mild breeze that came in gentle pufl^s from the south-east, — and the yellow haze of the ap- proaching evening rested, like the mantle of a spirit, upon its broad bosom, rising and falling with the long majestic swells which rolled towards the shore ; or it lingered around the tall spires and ancient battlements of Vera Cruz, and the gloomy fortress of San Juan, with its guns piled tier upon tier, frowning defiance to the invaders. The landing commenced instantly after the arrival of the squadron. The surf-boats, sixty-five in number, which had been towed astern of the larger vessels, were brought alongside to receive the troops, and the steamers Spitfire and Vixen, with five gun-boats, formed a line parallel with the beach, and within good grape range, to cover the descent. The small boats were manned by sailors from the squadron, and each one placed in charge of a naval officer. The first line 252 NO OPPOSITION OFFERED. ordered to disembark, was commanded by General Worth, and consisted of 4,500 men, fully armed and accoutred, and ready to encounter the enemy if the landing was opposed. As soon as the boats had re- ceived their respective complements, they formed in a line, abreast, between the gun-boats and the large ves- sels. A gun was then- fired from the Massachusetts, as the signal to "give way." The hardy seamen bent to their task ; every muscle was strained ; the tough oars quivered ; the waters parted ; and, like so many frightened gulls, they darted towards the land. As the keels grated on the beach, the men sprang overboard, shouting and cheering as they rushed through the water, in their haste to reach the shore. In a moment the American flag was unfurled, and greeted with long and loud hurrahs. Their comrades remaining on board the vessels, — soldiers and sailors, men and ofRcers, — echoed back the shout, and the bands of music com- pleted the salute with the glorious notes of '"'the Star Spangled Banner." On the approach of the American squadron and transports. Governor Morales issued a proclamation abounding in expressions of patriotism ; but no attempt was made to oppose the landing of the troops. The beach upon which the disembarkation took place was overlooked by high hills, and a few pieces of artillery, advantageously posted, would have done fearful execu- tion among the invading forces. No attempt was made to oppose them, however, — the Mexican commander, like the ostrich, which fancies itself secure when its head is hid in the sand, deeming himself perfectly safe while he was surrounded and protected by stone walls, garnished with cannon, and bristling with bayonets. Before sunset General Worth had formed his men on FIRE FROM THE CITY AND CASTLE. 253 the shore in line of battle, as a precautionary measure in case they should be molested. The remainder of the troops were landed by the surf-boats, in successive trips, and at ten o'clock in the evening,, the whole army, with the exception of a few straggling compa- nies, consisting of between ten and eleven thousand men, had reached the shore in safety, without the slightest accident — a result unsurpassed and unparal- leled in the history of war.* Great credit is due to Commodore Conner, who was in his small boat personally superintending the move- ment, and to the officers and seamen under his com- mand, for the skilful and successful manner in which the disembarkation was effected; and to General Scott and his officers belongs the merit of ably seconding the efforts to put them and their soldiers upon the shore, and of making every preparation to gain a foot- hold, and maintain it, in spite of opposition. At daylight in the morning of the 10th, a rapid fire of shot and shells was opened from the city and castle upon the position occupied by the American army. A small detachment, under Captain Gordon, was sent out to reconnoitre, and encountered a body of the enemy, whom they compelled to retire towards the town. At sunrise, the steamer Spitfire, Com- mander Tatnall, moved up, and continued to fire into the city and castle for nearly an hour. General Scott * The French expedition against Algiers, in 1830, is said to have been " the most complete armament in every respect that ever left Eu- rope." Ample provision was made in means and facilities for landing the troops, and the disembarkation took place in a wide bay. General Scott landed with his army upon an open beach directly on the ocean. No resistance was offered in either case; but the French succeeded in landing only nine thousand men on the first day, and that with the loss of between thirty and forty lives. S54 SKIRMISHING. landed early in the morning, and at his request the marines of the squadron, organized into a detach- ment under Captain Edson, were sent ashore, and temporarily attached to the 3rd artillery. During the day another transport arrived, and the total strength of the army was thus augmented to more than 11,000 men. The regulars were divided into two brigades, commanded by Generals Worth and Twiggs, and the volunteer division of General Patterson into three bri- gades, under the command of Generals Pillow, Quit- man and Shields. Before landing, General Scott had rendered himself familiar with the topography of the cauntry in the neighborhood of Vera Cruz, and the necessary orders had been issued for taking up the line of investment. General Worth's brigade advanced up the beach on the morning of the 10th instant, and occupied the ground designated for his command, on the right of the line, and within range of the heavy guns of the castle. Parties of Mexican infantry and cavalry appeared in the distance, but were dispersed by the mountain how- itzers and light batteries. General Patterson then moved forward with his division, for the purpose of forming on the left of General Worth. The move- ment required considerable labor, and was attended with numerous difRculties. Roads were cut through the thick chaparral, and the men were obliged to drag the cannon over the hills, half blinded by the whirling sand, and exposed to the shot from the enemy's fortifi- cations, which occasionally came whistling over their heads. The brigade of General Pillow, in the advance, had several skirmishes with bodies of Mexicans found posted in the chaparral, who were driven off with loss. A party of the enemy were also discovered in the INVESTMENT COMPLETED. 255 magazine, a large and strong stone building in rear of the city. Captain Taylor was ordered up with one piece of his battery, and opened his fire, when the Mexicans immediately deserted the building. General Pillow pushed through the chaparral with the 1st Ten- nessee regiment, and took possession. At night the brigade reached its position, and on the following day Generals Quitman and Shields formed their brigades on the left. In the morning of the 11th, a smart skir- mish took place with a body of Mexican infantry and lancers, who were supported by a brisk cannonade from the city. Captain Davis, of the Georgia regi- ment, was thrown forward with a party of riflemen to bring on an engao-ement, and sustained himself hand- somely until reinforced by two companies of his regi- ment under Colonel Jackson, and a portion of the South Carolina regiment, under Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson, when the enemy were repulsed and forced to take shelter beneath the guns of the town. General Twiggs was ordered to take post on the ex- treme left with his brigade, and commenced his march in the morning of the 11th ; the progress of his column was interrupted by impediments similar to those which had disturbed the march of the volunteer division ; but the difficulties in his way were no sooner met than they were overcome. His advance guard, consisting of a squadron of the mounted riflemen under Major Sumner, 2nd dragoons, repeatedly came up with par- ties of the enemy, who were routed in an instant. The head of the column arrived at the hamlet of Vergara, on the beach north of Vera Cruz, about noon on the 13th instant, and the work of investment was then fully completed. On the same day safeguards were sent by General Scott to the foreign consuls in the 256 OPENING OF THE TRENCHES. city, for the protection of themselves, their • families» and their property. The toils were now set. A cor- don of soldiers, whose encampment extended in a mag- nificent semicircle, from shore to shore, girt the city upon the one side, and upon the other was the broad ocean occupied by a numerous fleet, well manned, and sufficient to prevent all ingress in that quarter. To break the chain was impossible ; and to avoid being crushed by its contracting folds was shown in the se- quel to be equally vain. The line of investment occupied a distance of about seven miles, with an interval of from two and a half to three miles between it and the city, and throughout its whole extent was within range of the enemy's heavy artillery, which kept up an unremitting fire by day and night, though with little or no effect. But very few of the carts and draught horses ordered for the expedition had at this time arrived on the coast, and an incalcula- ble amount of labor was necessarily performed by the troops, in hauling their cannon and supplies by hand, over the sand-hills and through the thickets of chapar- ral. As soon as they were well established in their positions on the line of investment, detachments were sent out from each brigade to clear its front, includ- ing the sub-bourgs, of the enemy's parties. This was quickly accomplished. The Mexican outposts and skir- mishers were all driven in, and reconnaissances made of the intervening ground. At midnight on the 18th instant, the trenches were opened by the sappers and miners, within eight hundred yards of the city, and bat- teries were constructed for the reception of the heavy guns and mortars, under the supervision and direction of Colonel Totten, Major Smith, Captains Lee and San- THE CITY SUMMONED. 257 ders, and the other able and efficient officers of the corps of engineers. A succession of severe northers* delayed the land- ing of the mortars and guns for several days, and it was not until the afternoon of the 22nd that three bat- teries were completed, and seven mortars placed in position. General Scott then summoned the city to surrender ; offijring to stipulate — for the reason that the heavy guns, and more than one half of the mortars intended for the expedition had not then arrived, and he was in no situation to threaten the castle — that he would not fire from the town upon the latter, unless he should be first attacked by the garrison. Governor Morales chose to consider both the city and castle embraced in the summons, and peremptorily refused to surrender. Orders were now given to open the fire upon the city, and the commanders of the foreign vessels in the harbor were officially notified by Commodore Perry,t that all intercourse with the shore must for the present cease. The intelligence of the glorious victory at Buena Vista had just been received, and the American soldiers and sailors were full of zeal and enthusiasm. The plans and arrangements of General Scott had beep adopted with caution, but they were settled with mathematical precision, and he was ready to carry * These mimic Siroccos often interrupted the progress of the work- men in the trenches. Their eyes were nearly blinded with the sand, and the ditches filled up as fast as they could be opened. t Commodore Perry relieved Commodore Conner in the command of the home squadron on the 21st of March. Several vessels of war, in addition to those already in the Gulf, had been ordered to reinforce the squadron, and arrived before and during the siege. Among them were the Ohio, 74 guns ; Potomac, 44 guns ; Saratoga, Albany and German- town, 20 guns each ; and the Decatur, 16 guns. 258 THE BOMBARDMENT. them into effect with that rapidity of execution which has ever characterized his military operations. There were engineer, ordnance, and artillery officers, unex- celled in the world for skill and ability, to execute his orders, and to dictate was to perform. The command of the trenches was assigned to Colonel Bankhead, chief of artillery, and, at a few minutes past four o'clock in the afternoon of the 22nd, the bombardment was commenced by batteries numbers 1, 2, and 3, un- der the charge, respectively, of Captain Brooks and Lieutenant Shackelford, 2nd artillery, and Major Vin- ton, 3rd artillery. The flotilla of small steamers and gun-boats, led by Commander Tatnall in the Spit- fire, were also directed to take a position between Sacrificios and the main land, and commence a simul- taneous fire upon the town. In the meantime the en- emy's guns were not silent. A vigorous cannonade was opened upon the trenches and the flotilla, from the city and castle, which was as warmly, and far more eflfectively returned. The toppling walls and blazing roofs marked where " The booming shot and flaming shell" had fallen ; and when the night came on, it was illu- minated by the red glare which flashed up unceasingly from trench and battery. Burning meteors darted hither and thither athwart the sky, and when they dis- appeared, the surrounding darkness was thrown into yet deeper gloom. Late in the evening the flotilla suspended its fire, but during the live-long night the missiles hurled from the American lines described their fiery circles through the air, and sped away on their errand of death, into that doomed city. In the morning of the 23rd the land batteries wtve EFFECT OF THE FIRE. 259 placed in charge of Captain McKenzie, 2nd artillerj', and Captains Anderson and Taylor, 3rd artillery. Three additional mortars were placed in battery, and the bombardment was kept up without cessation during the day. The flotilla again opened its fire, and Com- mander Tatnall ventured still nearer to the town and castle ; but about nine o'clock all the vessels were re- , called by signal, from a position which, as General Scott remarked in his dispatch, had been " too daringly assumed." But the officers and men of the navy were determined to participate in the conflict. At the ear- nest request of Commodore Perry, General Scott as- signed a position in the trenches, to be mounted with guns from the squadron, and worked by seamen. A strong battery, number 5, was constructed by the en- gineers in the rear of a thick mass of chaparral, and three eight-inch Paixhan guns, and three long thirty- two pounders, were landed, and dragged four miles through the sand by the sailors, assisted by fatigue par- ties from the brigades of Generals Worth and Pillow. At ten o'clock in the morning of the 24th the pieces were in position ; the chaparral was cut away ; and torrents of shot and shell were hurled into the town, tearing and crushing every thing in their range.* Within the city the effect of the American fire was terrible and destructive in the extreme. The earth shook at every discharge. Broad sheets of flame ap- peared to leap forth from the batteries of the assailants. Smoking ruins, crashing roofs and buildings, attested the severity of the bombardment. The firm pave- ments were thrown up in masses, and deep ridges ploughed in the streets. The iron gratings of the bal- * The naval battery was commanded, in succession, by Captains Aulick, Mayo, and Breese. 260 MEMORIAL OF FOREIGN CONSULS. conies were torn from their fastenings, and casements and lattices shivered in pieces. Stone walls and bar- ricades afforded no shelter. Wailing and lamentation were heard in every quarter of the town. Fathers were stricken down upon their own thresholds, and mothers smitten at the fireside, as they leaned over the helpless offspring who clung to them, in vain, for pro- tection. Stout manhood and decrepit age, the weak and the strong, fell dead together. Late on the night of the 24th the consuls of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Prussia, united in a memorial to General Scott, praying him to grant a truce to enable the neutrals, and the Mexican women and children, to escape from the scene of havoc around them. All this suffering had been foreseen by the American commander; the inhabitants had been forewarned ; and the blockade had been left open up to the latest hour, to allow the neu- trals to withdraw. The opportunity offered had not been improved, and he informed the memorialists, in reply, that no terms could now be listened to, unless they were to be accompanied by an unconditional surrender. The Americans suspended their fire but for brief periods. The guns in the city and castle were also in constant activity, though they did little execution. A few shot entered the embrasures of the batteries, and threw clouds of sand into the trenches and over the men serving the pieces ; but the casualties were very few in number. On the morning of the 25th, battery number 4 was in readiness, with four twenty-four pounders and two eight-inch howitzers, and its deep- toned thunder was soon added to the din. During the siege, parties of Mexican rancheros and light troops were frequently seen lurking in the AFFAIR AT PUENTE DEL MIDOIS. 261 rear of the American lines, to entrap the incautious and unwary. In the afternoon of the 24th, Colonel P. F. Smith, of the mounted rifles, was sent out with a detachment of about two hundred men, to support a reconnoitering party under Lieutenant Roberts, who reported that a body of the enemy were on the heights near the Puente del Midois, a handsome stone struc- ture thrown across a small stream of fresh water run- ning into the river Antigua. On approaching the bridge it was discovered to be barricaded with abattis, and that intrenchments had been thrown up on the heights. An attack was instantly ordered. Lieuten- ant Roberts displayed in the chaparral on the right with his company, crossed the stream below the bridge, and having reached the enemy's left, drove them with great spirit from their position. Captain Pope sec- onded the movement with two companies on the other flank, and the whole detachment were almost imme- diately engaged in the pursuit, which was continued for nearly a mile. At sunset they returned to the camp, having killed and wounded a large number of the enemy, with the loss of but four men w^ounded. On the 25th instant, Colonel Harney proceeded with a squadron of dragoons commanded by Major Sumner, and fifty dismounted men under Captain Ker, towards the Madellin river, in consequence of a report that a mounted force was collected in that direction. On ar- riving near the Puente de Marino, he found it to be regularly fortified, and guarded by near two thousand men, with two pieces of artillery. Small parties of lancers were also seen in the chaparral which skirted the bridge. When the detachment came within sixty yards, the enemy opened a heavy fire, and killed and wounded several of the command. Colonel Harney 262 DRAGOON FIGHT AT MADELLIN. now fell back, and sent to the lines for two pieces of artillery. In a short time he was joined by Lieutenant Judd of the 3rd artillery, with two guns, one company of the 1st Tennessee regiment, Captain Cheatham, parts of four companies of the 2nd Tennessee, Colonel Haskell, and about forty dismounted dragoons under Captain Hardee. General Patterson also arrived near the scene of action, but declined interfering with the dispositions made by Colonel Harney for the attack. Captain Ker, with the dismounted men, was placed on the left of the road leading to the bridge ; the volun- teers under Colonel Haskell, on the right ; and the artillery moved along the road, supported by Captain Hardee. Major Sumner remained with his command in reserve. In a few seconds they were warmly en- gaged along the whole line. After six or eight rounds were fired from the guns, the heads of the enemy were no longer seen above the parapet, and a charge was ordered. Colonel Haskell, Captains Cheatham and Hardee, rushed forward at the head of the volunteers and dragoons with fearless intrepidity, and leaped over the fortification, ba3^oneting the gunners at their posts or driving them from the bridge. The enemy fell back, but re-formed beyond the bridge. This was cleared in a moment, and Major Sumner dashed over it with his dragoons. The Mexican lancers could not stand the shock. Their weapons were broken like reeds by the American sabres. The enemy turned and fled in all directions, leaving more than fifty killed and wounded, in the attack and pursuit. The Ameri- can loss was two killed and twelve wounded. The fire was continued during the 25th upon the city of Vera Cruz from the five batteries in operation. In the town, that nifjht was full of horrors. There CAPITULATION OF VERA CRUZ. 263 was no place of safety to be found. The governor was besought and entreated to spare the further effu- sion of blood by a surrender. Proud and punctilious to the end he refused to do any thing that would dero- gate from his honor, but was finally persuaded to yield up the command to General Landero, by whom nego- tiations were opened with General Scott, At eight o'clock in the morning of the 26th the batteries ceased playing, and articles of capitulation were signed on the following day.* The surrender of the city took place in the morning of the 29th, when the Mexican forces marched out to a plain about one mile outside the * " Terms of capitulation agreed upon by the commissioners, viz : — " Generals W. J. Worth and G. J. Pillow, and Colonel J. G. Totten, chief engineer, on the part of Major General Scott, general-in-chief of the armies of the United States ; and Colonel Jose Gutierrez de Villa- nueva, lieutenant colonel of engineers, Manuel Robles, and Colonel Pedro de Herrera, commissioners appointed by General of Brigade, Don Jose .Tunn Landero, commanding in chief, Vera Cruz, the castle of San Juan de Ulua, and their dej)endencies, for the surrender to the arms of the United States of the said forts, with their armaments, munitions of war, garrisons, and arms. " I. The whole garrison, or garrisons to be surrendered to the arms of the United States, as prisoners of war, the 29th instant, at 10 o'clock, A. M. ; the garrisons to be permitted to march out with all the honors of war, and to lay down their arms to such officers as may be appointed by the general-in-cliief of the United States armies, and at a point to be agreed upon by the commissioners. "2. ]\Iexican officers shall preserve their arms and private effects, in- cluding horses and horse furniture, and to be allowed, regular and irreg- ular officers, as also the rank and file, five days to retire to their respec- tive homes, on parole, as hereinafter prescribed. "3. Coincident with the surrender, as stipulated in article l,the Mex- ican flags of the various forts and stations shall be struck, saluted by their own batteries; and, immediately thereafter, Forts Santiago and Conce'ption, and the castle of San Juan de Ulua, occupied by the forces of the United States. " 4. The rank and file of the regular portion of the prisoners to be 264 THE AMERICAN FLAG HOISTED. town, where the American soldiers were drawn up to receive them. After passing between the lines they laid down their arms and colors, and departed for the interior. General Worth was appointed military gov- ernor of the town and caslle, and immediately entered the city with a portion of his division. Shortly after a grand national salute was fired from the squadron, as the American flag rose above the Plaza of Vera Cruz, and floated in triumph over the ramparts of San Juan de Ulua, the Gibraltar of Mexico. The reduction of the city and castle was effected by General Scott, with what may be regarded as a trifling loss, in comparison with the importance of the achieve- ment. Including the losses sustained by the navy, disposed of after surrender and parole, as their general-in-chief may desire, and the irregular to be permitted to return to their homes. The officers, in respect to all arms and descriptions of force, giving the usual parole, that the said rank and file, as well as themselves, shall not serve again until duly exchanged. " 5. All the maleriei of war, and all public property of every descrif*- tion found in the city, the castle of San Juan de Ulua and their de- pendencies, to belong to the United States ; but the armament of the same (not injured or destroyed in the further prosecution of the actuai war) may be considered as liable to be restored to Mexico by a definite treaty of peace. " G. The sick and wounded Mexicans to be allowed to remain in the city with such meJical officers and attendants, and officers o fthe army, ^s may be necessary to their care and treatment. " 7. Absolute protection is solemnly guaranteed to persons in the city, and property, and it is clearly understood that no private building or property is to be taken or used by the forces of the United States, with- out previous arrangement with the owners, and for a fair equivalent. " 8. Absolute freedom of religious worship and ceremonies is solemnly guaranteed." [On account of the roughness of the sea, all communication with the navy was suspended until after commissions had been exchanged, but Captain Aulick was afterwards appointed a commissioner by Commo- dore Perry, and was present at the signing of the articles of capitula- tion, which received his approbation.] CAPTURE OF ALVARADO. 265 there were three officers killed and three wounded, in the debarkation, investment and bombardment, and ten men killed and sixty wounded.* Upon occupying the city it was found to be in a most disgusting state of uncleanliness. General Worth ordered the filth to be removed, and took prompt measures to insure good order, and guard against disease. The poorer inhabi- tants of Vera Cruz were also ascertained to be in a suffering condition, and ten thousand rations were di- rected to be issued for their relief; thus presenting a singular feature in warfare — the victors feeding; the vanquished, with the stores brought hundreds of miles for their own sustenance and support. On the 30th instant a detachment of troops under General Quitman left Vera Cruz to co-operate with the squadron under Commodore Perry, in a joint attack upon Alvarado. Lieutenant Hunter was dispatched in advance, with the steamer Scourge, to blockade the port. He arrived off the bar in the afternoon of the 30th, and at once opened a fire upon the forts at the mouth of the river, which were garrisoned by four hundred men. During the night he stood off, but renewed the attack in the morning, when the enemy evacuated their defences. Several government vessels in the harbor were burned, and the guns spiked or buried in the sand before they retired. Leaving a garrison in the fort. Lieutenant Hunter proceeded up the river and succeeded in capturing four schooners. Early in the morning of the 1st of April, he anchored off Thla- cotalpan, a city containing near seven thousand in- * Major Vinton, 3rd artillery, Captain Alburtis, 2nd infantr}'-, and Midshipman Shubrick, of the navy, were the officers killed. The cas- ualties at the Puente del Midois and the Madellin river, are not in- cluded in the statement in the text. 12 266 MARCH INTO THE INTERIOR. habitants, which surrendered to him without offering any resistance. Commodore Perry arrived on the 2nd with the squadron, but the towns on the river were al- ready captured.* The dreaded vomito would soon be on the coast, and General Scott could not linger at Vera Cruz. Owing to unavoidable delays and accidents, but one fourth of the necessary road-train had arrived, yet he determined to escape the pestilence, as he expressed it, "by pursuing the enemy." Lieutenant Colonel Belton was left with a detachment in command of Vera Cruz and the castle. On the 8th of April, General Twiggs took up the march with his division, and was followed in a few days by the remaining columns of the army. General Scott and his soldiers were now upon the high road to the Mexican capital, confidently trusting — and they were not disappointed — to find it strewn with the laui'els and paved with the trophies of vic- tory. After a period of more than three hundred * Lieutenant Hunter was tried by a court-martial, and sentenced to be dismissed from the squadron for transcending his orders in the attack on Alvarado. His bravery and zeal, ill-timed though they were, cannot be questioned ; but the consequences of a disobedience of orders were never more signally illustrated. It was thought by the quarter-master's department, and that not without reason, that about two-thirds of the draught animals required for the use of the army under General Scott could be procured in Mexico. The country extending from Orizaba to Huasiqualco, which was covered by Alvarado and Thlacotalpan, abounded in horses, mules, and cattle ; which it was the object of the joint expedition under Commodore Perry and General Quitman to se- cure. Lieutenant Hunter was sent in advance merely to blockade the river. Ignorant of the intentions of his superiors, he ventured upon an attack. It was successful ; but before General Quitman arrived in the rear of the enemy's towns, they had fled into the interior with their horses and cattle, and the very resources which were needed for the American army, were seized by Santa Anna and his oflicers. — Annual Report of the Quarter-Master General, Nov. 21, 1847. THE MEXICAN PORTS OPENED. 267 years, they found themselves upon the pathway made famous by the exploits of Hernando Cortes and his followers. Like the Spaniard, perhaps, they came, for the time, at least, to conquer ; but, unlike him, they came to make no war upon inoffensive inhabitants — they violated no altars — they profaned no sanctuaries. They came not to establish a new faith, nor yet in quest of some fabled Pactolus, "n as the ammunition-wagon had not arrived, and the troops were suffering from the inclemency of the weather, they returned to San Fernando. With the first glim- mering of light on the morning of the 4lh, they were again in motion. On approaching the town, Captain Burgwin was stationed within two hundred and sixty yards of the western flank of the church, with his com- pany, and two howitzers, in command of Lieutenant Hassendaubel, of Major Clark's artillery battalion. Lieu- tenant Dyer was ordered to take post with the six- pounder and the remaining two howitzers, about three hundred yards from the northern wall, so as to obtain a cross fire upon the church, the most feasible point of • These fortified villages are frequently to be met with in the north- ern part of Mexico. They are constructed by the half-civilized Mexican Indians, to protect themselves and property against the more savage tribes. The adobe v^alls are formed of bricks dried in the sun. STORMING THE TOWN. 329 attack. The mounted men, under Captains St. Yrain and Slack, moved round to the eastern side of the town, to intercept any fugitives who might attempt to escape in that direction, and the remainder of the troops were directed to support Lieutenant Dyer. The batteries opened at nine o'clock, and at the expiration of two hours no breach had been effected in the walls of the church. Orders were therefore given to storm the building. Captain Burgwin advanced on the western side with the dragoons and one company of the 2nd Missouri, while Captain Angney approached the north- ern wall with his battalion, and two companies of the 2nd Missouri. The enemy held out manfully, and poured a terrible fire upon the assailants, who succeeded in gaining the cover of the wall on the western side of the church. As soon as the Americans had established themselves, they commenced plying their axes in the attempt to effect a breach. A temporary ladder was also con- structed, by the aid of which the roof was fired. Cap- tain Burgwin, and a small part3', penetrated into the caral in front, and endeavored to force the door of the church. They found the attempt fruitless, and, being fully exposed on all sides to the fire of the enemy, the party were compelled to retire to their former position, carrying with them their daring leader mortally wounded. In the meantime several holes had been cut in the west- ern wall, through which shells were thrown in by hand, doing good execution. Lieutenant Wilson now came round with the six-pounder, and poured a heavy fire of grape into the town. Between three and four o'clock in the afternoon the gun was run up, and opened on the church within sixty yards, the enemy still continuing their deadly volleys. After firing several rounds, one 330 CAPITULATION OF THE EEVOLTERS. , of the holes cut with the axes was widened into a prac- ticable breach. The six-pounder was further advanced within ten yards, — a shell and three rounds of grape were thrown into the opening, — and ere the echoes had died away, a party of stormers, headed b}' Lieutenant Dyer, of the ordnance, and Lieutenants Wilson and Taylor, of the 1st dragoons, sprang through the smoke and falling ruins into the centre of the church. The enemy fled before them, and shortly after abandoned the whole western part of the town. Some took refuge in the houses on the east, and others attempted to es- cape to the neighboring hills, but were cut down by the mounted men under Captains St. Vrain and Slack. The American troops were quietly quartered in the houses on the western side of the village, during the night of the 4th, and early in the next morning the aged men and women of the enemy appeared before Colonel Price as suppliants, bearing their children, their images and crosses, and humbly sued for peace. Their request was granted on condition that Tomas, the Puebla Indian, should be delivered up to him. This was done, and he then returned to San Fernando with his command. In this affair the Americans had seven killed and forty-five wounded, many of them mortally. One hundred and fifty of the enemy were killed, and the number of their wounded was still greater. The prompt action of Col- onel Price put an end to the insurrection. All the lead- ers of the movement, with the exception of Cortes, were dead ;* and, although the American forces remained for * Tafoya was killed at Canada; Cliavis fell at Puebla de Taos; Tomas was shot ia an altercation with a private soldier, in the guard- room at San Fernando ; and Montoya was hanged at the latter place on the 7th of February. It will be recollected that General Kearny assumed to transfer the allegiance of the inhabitants of New Mexico, from their own government to that of the United States. If this could DEPREDATIONS COMMITTED. 331 several days at San Fernando, they discovered no more indications of disaffection, and therefore returned to Santa Fe. Syin|)toms of revolt had been manifested at the cap- ital, but the severe defeat sustained by the insurrection- ists in the north, prevented any attempt openly to resist the authority of the United States. A greater degree of vigilance was afterwards observed, and every thing remained peaceful and quiet until the month of May, when bands of Mexicans and Indians, many of whom came from Taos, were embodied in the valley of the Moro, foi- the purpose of attacking the supply trains on their way from Fort Leavenworth, and capturing the horses of the grazing parties which Colonel Price had again distributed through the country. On the 20th of May, the camp of Captain Robinson, of Lieutenant Colonel Willock's battalion, was surprised; one man was killed and two wounded, and over two hundred horses and mules were driven off. Major Ed- monson, then in command at Las Vegas, immediately started in pursuit with about 80 men. Upon his arrival at the Wagon Mound, where Captain Robinson was en- camped, he learned that a wagon-train had been at- tacked at Santa Clara springs, on the 23rd instant, by the same party of marauders, supposed to be between three and four hundred strong, commanded by Cortes. Following closely upon the enemy's trail, in the after- have been done, which it could not, under the laws of nations, the re- volters were all guilty of treason, and the execution of Montoya would therefore have been justifiable. Colonel Price seems to have regarded the matter in this light ; but a few weeks later he was advised that his government had disapproved the official acts of General Kearny, trans- ferring the allegiance of Mexican citizens, and an individual by the name of Trajillo, then recently convicted of treason, was ordered to be set at liberty. 332 SKIRMISHING WITH THE MARAUDERS. noon of the 26th he found them posted in force, on the heights overlooking a deep canon leading down to the Red River. A desultory and spirited contest ensued, which was kept up till dark, when Major Edmonson withdrew his men to a more open position, and en- camped for the night. On the following day he re-en- tered the canon, but found it evacuated. The pursuit was continued for several miles, until the track was lost amongst the large herds of wild horses on the plains. The check was effectual, however, for the time ; the enemy having lost forty-one killed and a large number wounded. The Americans lost but one man killed and three slightly wounded. Lieutenant Brown, of the 2nd Missouri, left Las Ve- gas on the 27th of June, with two men and a Mexican guide, in pursuit of some horses which had been stolen at that place. He found the animals at Las Vallas, fif- teen miles distant ; but, upon his seizing them, the Mex- icans murdered the whole party. On being informed of the massacre. Major Edmonson made a forced march from Las Vegas with sixty men and two howitzers, sur- prised the town, shot dowii a few who attempted to es- cape, and took about forty prisoners. On the 6th of July the camp of Captain Morris, of the separate Mis- souri battalion, was attacked ; Lieutenant Larkin and four men were killed, and there were nine wounded. All the horses and property were captured by the ma- rauders. A portion of the detachment took shelter un- der the banks of the Cienega, near which they had been posted, and maintained their position until the arrival of Captain Shepherd with his company, when the enemy retired. Lieutenant Colonel Willock, commanding at Taos, pursued them some distance, but could not over- take them. THE COUNTRY GENERALLY aUIET. 333 In July, there were frequent rumors of an approach- ing insurrection, and the troops were ordered to be in readiness for any emergency. The presence of an additional force ordered to New Mexico, had the ten- dency to check any movement, if one was in contem- plation. Occasional depredations were committed by the Indians, but the Mexicans busied themselves for the most part in securing their crops, and nothing of ex- traordinary interest occurred during the remainder of the summer, or of the ensuing autumn. ^ CHAPTER XII. CONTRERAS AND CHURUBUSCO. Route from Puebla — The Valley of Mexico — Fortifications — Turning Lake Chalco— Affair at Oka Laka — March of Major Lally from Vera Cruz to Jalapa — Arrival of the American army at San Augustin — Attempt to reach the San Angel road — Crossing the Pedregal — The Night Bivouac — Storming the Intrenchments at Contreras — The En- emy driven from San Antonio — Battle of Churubusco — The Victors at the Gates of the Capital. General Scott left Puebla, in person, on the 8th of August, and on the same day overtook, and then continued with, the leading division under General Twiggs. The different corps of his army moved for- ward, en echelon, being at no time beyond five hours, or supporting distance, apart. The city of Mexico is something more than ninety miles from Puebla. The road ascends gradually through a fertile rolling coun- try, checquered with beautiful gardens and hedges of cactus, with fields of maize and plantations of the aloe, until it reaches the tierra fria, or cold region, " the thii'd and last of the great natural terraces into which the country is divided."* Here the feathery palm gives place to the evergreen, and the fruits and vegetation of the tropics, make room for those usually found in more northern climes. Leaving Cholula to the south, on the third day of their march the Americans arrived at the pass of Rio Frio, ten thousand feet above the level • Prescotl's Conquest of Mexico, vol. i. p. 8. THE VALLEY OF MEXICO. 335 of the ocean. Far away to the north extended the mountain crests of Anahuac, and on the other hand rose the lofty peak of Iztaccihuatl, and still further to the left, and towering still higher into the clouds, "the great volcan," Popocatepetl, — the cold bleak winds of winter ever whistling about their summits, and the gen- tle breez^es of an unending summer sporting and playing_ with the shrubs and [lowers that blossom at their feet.* From Rio Frio the descent is rapid. Shortly after the advance of the army emerged from the pass, and on turning an angle of the mountains, which left their view to the westward entirely unobstructed, the Valley of Mexico bui'st u])on them like some vision of enchant- ment. Spread out before them, and beneath them, lay the goi'geous panorama, of hill and mountain, grove and forest, river and lake, hamlet and city, — upon which they gazed with emotions similar to those with which Hannibal and his ibllovvers looked down from the Alps, over the fair plains of Italy ; or those that animated the mail-clad warriors of Cortes, when they sounded their cheering war-cry of "San .Tago and San Pedro!" through these wild gorges, or, flushed with victory and conquest, turned their eyes upon the same glorious scenes, beholding, " in the midst, — like some Indian empress with her coronal of pearls, — the fair city of Mexico, with her white towers and pyramidal temples, reposing, as it were, on the bosom of the waters, — the far-famed ' Venice of the Aztecs !' '"f The Valley of Mexico, or Tenochtitlan, as it was called ♦ These two mountains, in former times, were looked upon by the Indians as divinities; Iztaccihuatl, " the white woman," as the name signifies, being regarded, according to their superstition, as the wife of Popocatepetl, or " the hill that smokes." During the past century the latter has rarely been in a state of activity. •f- Prescett's Conquest of Mexico, vol. ii. p. 51. 336 BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. by the ancient inhabitants, in which the capital is situ- ated, is an irregular, oval basin, about two hundred miles in circumference, inclosed by walls of porphyritic moun- tains, and surrounded by some of the highest peaks of the Cordilleras. Lying in the centre of the great table land of the country, it is protected alike from the fierce norte, and the rude breezes of the east, by the bold sierras that encircle it. Favored with a most genial temperature, this sunny spot teems with the valuable products, quickened into existence by the warm breath of the tropics, and watered by copious showers of rain, and the torrents that gush forth from the fissures of the neighboring cliffs. Forests of oak and pecan trees adorn the more elevated ground. Here a copse of syc- amores, and there a group of tall cypresses, fling their broad shadows over the landscape, lighted by the rays of the burning sun, or the soft bright moon. The glossy leaves of the myrtle nestle close beside the pep- per tree, whose scarlet berries cast a rich flush over its delicate foliage. Aromatic shrubs load the air with the intoxicating odors that invite the senses to repose, and an endless variety of flowers add their gay and brilliant colors to enhance the beauty of the scene. Just beneath the range of mountains on the east, is the series of lakes which form the most picturesque at- traction of the valley, looking up, like the blue eyes of the turquoise, to the azure heavens above them, whose glory they reflect. Pretty gardens are scattered lav- ishly around them, and smiling villages and haciendas peep out in every direction from the groves in which they are imbosomed. But, conspicuous above all, is the city of Mexico, — containing a population of two hundred thousand souls — the most ancient, as it is the most splendid capital on the Western Continent ! Her THE CHIiVAMPAS. 337 white domes, her Gothic churches, her shady pas6os, and her beautiful Alameda ; her noble cathedral, whose fretted roof, and groined arches, echo daily with the swelling notes of old Te Dewn ; and her lofty palaces, with their sculptured fa9ades, and porticos embellished with porphyry and jasper, are the first to attract atten- tion — the first to elicit admiration. ^ As there is no happiness without its alloy, so there are patches covered with rocks of lava, or masses of scoriae, occasionally to be found in this lovely valley ; and now and then a dark buttress, destitute of vege- tation, — save, perhaps, a stray creeper, rooted in some crevice, and clambering up its rugged sides, — may be seen projecting from the mountains. Still, it may be questioned, whether these do not, by the very contrast they exhibit, serve to add to, rather than diminish, the beauty that surrounds them. The chinampas, — those floating wildernesses of sweets and blossoms, far sur- pass'ng the Alcinas and Morganas of the Italian poets — which dotted the lakes in the time of the conquest, have nearly disappeared.* The clearing away of the primeval forests, too, and other influences connected with the improved condition of the country, have caused their waters to recede from their original limits, and ♦ The chinampas, or floating gardens, were rnfls formeil of reeJs and rushes, and the branches of young trees woven firmly together, which were covered, to the depfh of three or four feet, with the alluvial wash of the streams, and the black mould drav/n up from the bottom of the shallow lakes. Vegetables, flowers, and small trees, were raised in them, and sometime? they were capable of sustaining a hut for the resi- dence of the gardener. Although they could be pushed through the water without much difliculty, they were usually moored near the shore for safety. ThSs was certainly a rare device to insure the presence of sufficient moisture to counteract the burning heat of a tropical sun. — Humboldt's Essai Politique, torn. ii. pp. 87, 153. — Murray's Encyclo- pedia of Geography, pp. 323-4. 15 338 CLUSTER OF LAKES. some of them are now girded by barren strips of land, covered with white sand, or incrusted salts.* Standing close beside them, they appear much less beautiful than in former days, but seen in the distance, with the sunlight streaming over them, they appear like a cluster of rich jewels in a framework of silver. The principal lakes in the valley are five in number. The salt lake, Tezcuco, occupies the lowest ground, near the centre of the basin ; separated from it by a narrow isthmus on the north, is San Christobnl, and further to the north-west is Lake Zumpango ; between five and six miles south of Tezcuco, is Xochimilco, and near the eastern extremity of the latter is Lake Chalco. At the period of the conquest by the Spaniards, the city of Mexico was entirely surrounded by the waters of Lake Tezcuco, and connected with the mainland by three massive causeways or dikes, which, at this day, form important avenues to the capital. For a long time it was liable to frequent inundations, when the great central reservoir, which received the surplus wa- ters of the other lakes, was swollen beyond its oi-dinary height. The elevation of the site by the ruins of the ancient dwellings of the Aztecs, thrown down by Cortes during the siege, — the subsidence of the waters — the building of embankments tmd sluices, — and the construction of the great drain of Huehuetoca, in the seventeenth century, — have entirely obviated the dan- ger. The plaza mayor, or great square, is now four feet higher than the average level of Tezcuco; but the ♦ The waters of LhUp Valsntia, in the valley of Aragua in Venezu- ela, similarly situatetl with tliose in the visinity of Maxico, have su'isiJed in like manner. The same is also true of the lakes of Switzerlaml, and of those near TJbats, in New Granada. The reader will find this sub- ject, — the influen?.? of agriculture on the quantity of runnin^r water of a country,— discussed, at length, in Boussinjault's Rural Economy. THE CAUSEWAYS. 339 environs of the city, tliough more or less cultivated, are quite wet and marshy, especially during the rainy sea- son, that commences towards liie latter part of June, and terminates in September. The modern city,* which is over 7,600 feet above the level of the sea, lies about three miles west of Lake Tezcuco, and near six miles from the north-western point of Lake Xochimilco. It is approached by six great roads, terminating in stone causeways, from one and a half to three miles in length. The National Road, from Vera Cruz, along which the reader has followed the march of General Scott and his army, skirts the south- ern shore of Tezcuco, and enters the capital from the east. The Acapulco road, which terminates in the San Antonio causeway, approaches it from the south ; the road from Toluca, — entering upon the Tacubaya causeway, with a lateral branch leading to the cause- way of San Cosme, from the south-west ; and the great western, or San Cosme road, from the west. The other two roads enter the city from the north. Be- tween these principal roads are smaller ones, also ter- minating in causeways, which lead to the different towns in the valley and its neighborhood. Few soldiers have ever wooed fortune for the smallest of her favors, so assiduously, and with such poor encour- agement, as Santa Anna, the provisional President of Mexico, and General-in-chief of her armies. His military career, subsequent to the overthrow of the federal consti- tution, presents but a series of disasters ; yet, in the midst of his reverses, he seems never to have been absolutely discouraged or disheartened. With the i-ecollections of Angostura and Cerro Gordo fresh in his remembrance, he * Mexico was rebuilt by Cortes, on the site of the ancient capital of the Aztecs 340 FORTIFICATIONS. still hoped for the best. A majority of his countrymen appeared to be with him, heart and hand ;* the clergy, who possessed the means, contributed from their vast wealth for the national protection ; new levies were made, and large numbers of citizens enrolled in the Na- tional Guard ; and he never suffered his energies to relax, nor his spirits to be dampened, after the avowal of his de- termination to prosecute the war to the uttermost. One triumph, — one repulse, — but a single check given to the unbroken tide of victories sweeping in advance of General Scott, as he progressed towards the capital, — would be sufficient to place him on that proud pinnacle of power to which his aspirations were directed, and enable him, and those whom he served, to proffer, in- stead of accepting, terms of peace to the enemy, with- out humiliation, and without dishonor. Early in the month of August, 1847, Mexico was placed in a tolerable condition of defence. The main avenues leading to the city, on the south and east, by one or other of which it was supposed the American army would approach, were strongly guarded. Sweep- ing away, in a wide semicircle, from the southern border of Lake Tezcuco to the western mountains, a chain of bristling fortifications met the eye. About seven miles from the capital, in a south-easterly direc- tion, is Ei Penon, an isolated hill, three hundred feet high, having three plateaus of different elevations, each of which was garnished with a lier of guns, and infan- try breastworks. Dii-ectly at its base, on the north, is the National Road, passing along a causeway con- • In the month of July a coalition was formed by the authorities of the five states of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Zacatecas, Jalisco, and Queretaro, who declared that they would be bound by no treaty so long as the army of the United States threatened the capital, or occupied any part of the Mexican territory. CHURUBUSCO. 341 structed upon the very verge of Lake Tezcuco. The height was completely surrounded by a deep ditch, flooded by sluices from the lake. There was a strong battery, also, on the causeway, four hundred yards in advance of the hill, another by its side, and a third, about a mile from the gate of San Lazaro. Three miles in front of El Penon, at the hamlet of Los Reyes, a second road, though but an indifferent one, branches off to the south-west, to the village of Mexicalcingo, sit- uated at the foot of Lake Xochimilco, on the outlet or canal leading to Mexico, from which it is about five miles distant. The ground in the vicinity of the village is low and boggy, and the bridge over the outlet was fortified, and flanked to the right and left, by powerful batteries.* Two miles south-west of Mexicalcingo, upon the opposite shore of Xochimilco, is Churubusco, on the Acapulco road — the first high ground west of the lake. A short distance north of the village, the road, or cause- way, crosses the river Churubusco, over a large stone bride. This was protected by a tete du pont, with bastioned fronts regularly proportioned, and a wide ditch. The outer face of the south front was seventy five yards in length : — the eastern front was one hun- dred yards, and the western nearly the same. Between two and three miles south of Churubusco, at the village of San Antonio, there were strong fieldworks, contain- ing seven batteries, with twenty-four heavy guns, and two infantry breastworks, which commanded the ap- proaches in that direction. Five miles north-west of Churubusco, where the * At El Penon there were twenty batteries, mounting 51 guns, and fifteen infantry breastworks ; and at Mexicalcingo, eight batteries, mounting 38 guns, and one breastwork for infantry. ^■n. BATTERY ON THE CHAPULTEPEC CAUSEWAY. 419 ing, formed under the arches of the aqueduct, and the remainder of General Smith's brigade — the 1st ar- tillery and 3rd infantry, under Major Dimmick and Captain Alexander — levelled the parapets and filled up the ditches in the road, so as to permit the passage of heavy artillery. This being done, the whole column was put in motion. General Scott arrived at the castle shortly after its reduction, and immediately ordered Colonel Clarke, with his brigade, to join his division, and also dispatched the brigade of General Cadwalader to the support of Gen- eral Worth. The 9th infantry was ordered to follow the movement of General Quitman, and the 15th was designated as the garrison of Chapultepec. Siege pieces were likewise directed to be sent forward to both columns. Having issued these orders. General Scott proceeded along the road taken by General Worth. Two heavy pieces, under Lieutenant Hagner, escorted by a command of New York volunteers and marines, under Captain Gallagher, and two pieces and a 10-inch mortar escorted by the 14th infantry, followed, as soon as they could be got in readiness. Captain Huger also sent heavy guns to General Quitman, and then joined the column of General Worth. The first obstacle encountered by General Quitman was the battery between the "castle of Chapultepec and the garita of Belen. A short, but effective fire, from an 8-inch howitzer brought up by Lieutenant Porter, directed by Captain Drum ; aided by Lieutenant Col- onel Duncan's battery, — which had been advanced, by direction of General Worth, from the causeway along which his column was moving, supported by the light battalion, over a cross route, to within four hundred yards of the work, — together with the daring and 420 GARITA OF BEL^N. bravery of the rifle regiment, soon cleared the battery. The column was forthwith reorganized for an attack upon the work at the garita. The rifles, intermingled with the South Carolina volunteers, led the advance, supported by the remainder of General Quitman's di- vision and the brigade of General Smith, and a part of the 6th infantry, under Major Bonneville, who had fallen into this road. Springing boldly from arch to arch of the aqueduct, the advance moved upon the garita, under a tremen- dous fire of grape, canister, and round shot, from the battery, and of small-arms from the paseo on their Jeft, and the Piedad causeway on their right. The enemy had been completely deceived by the movements of General Scott, and did not recover from their delusion until the American troops were seen streaming along the San Cosme and Chapultepec causeways. It was then too late to plant new batteries, or shift their guns. Still a brave defence was made at the Belen garita, by General Terres, who commanded the forces at this point, supported by a strong reserve under General Garey. Santa Anna also hastened thither ; and for a few moments the conflict was warm and animated. Several rounds of canister, thrown from a sixteen pounder gun, pushed forward to the head of the Amer- ican column by Lieutenant Benjamin, checked the an- noying fire of the Mexican infantry on the Piedad causeway, who were soon after driven back by the 4th artillery, under Major Gardner, advancing for the pur- pose from their position near the church of La Pie- dad. Both gun and howitzer were then opened on the garita. The rifles, now under Captain Simonson, Ma- jor Loring having been severely wounded, from their partial cover beneath the arches of the aqueduct, picked THE AMERICANS IN THE CITY. 421 off the artillerists, one by one ; the enemy's infantry refused to be led forward ; and the removal of their guns was commenced. Discovering this, General Quit- man ordered a charge. The Americans sprang for- ward with eager impetuosity, entered the work at a few minutes past one o'clock in the afternoon, and captured two of its guns. General Quitman was among the first at the garita, and none of the colors having yet come up, attached a silk handkerchief to a rifle, and waved it over the battery, amid the joyous shouts of his brave soldiers. The garita being taken, the riflemen and South Ca rolina volunteers rushed on, and occupied the archea of the aqueduct, within one hundred yards of the citadel. The ammunition of the heavy guns having been expend- ed, Captain Drum turned a captured nine-pounder upon the enemy, and served it with good effect, until the am- munition taken with it was also expended. Daring as was the advance of the American column, they had proceeded too far without the necessary siege guns and ammunition. Yet they held their ground firmly under a most appalling fire. Captain Drum, Lieutenant Ben- jamin, and a number of their men, were killed at the gun which had been run forward in front of the garita, waging an unequal contest with the heavy artillery in the citadel. When the enemy perceived that the Americans had expended their ammunition, they ral- lied to drive them back from the lodgement which had been effected. Repeated, though ineffectual sallies, were made, and both sides of the aqueduct were swept by the iron shower poured from the citadel, the batte- ries on the paseo, and the buildings on the right of the garita. An attempt to enfilade the left flank of the column being apprehended, Captain Naylor took pos- 422 OPERATIONS OF GENERAL WORTH. session of a low sand-bag defence, about one hundred yards to the left of the causeway, with two companies of the 2nd Pennsylvania ; and held it, under a severe fire, till nightfall, when the Mexican batteries ceased firing. , Sweeping the enemy with the utmost ease, from the two batteries enfilading the route, at which they vainly endeavored to make a successful stand, General Worth arrived at the intersection of the branch causeway with the San Cosme road, about two miles distant from Chapultepec. Here, on his left, was a formidable work at the Campo Santo, or English hurying-ground, but entirely destitute of guns. Leaving the brigade of General Cadwalader at this point to protect his rear, General Worth turned to the right, and moved cau- tiously along the road towards the garita of San Cosme, where General Rangel was in command. Several hundred yards further on, the column came upon a strong adobe breastwork, two hundred and fifty yards in front of the garita. The approach to the two de- fences was in a right line, and the whole space was raked by grape, canister, and shells, from the heavy gun and howitzer in the battery at the gate ; in addi- tion to which, an incessant fire of musketry was poured from the tops of the houses and churches, flanking the road. Lieutenant Hagner was ordered forward with his pieces ; but, it being found impossible to bring them into action, on account of the nature of the ground, they were withdrawn. General Worth then decided to vary his mode of operations. Lieutenant Johnson, with a portion of the 6th infantry, moved to the right, in rear of several small buildings, until he reached a large dwelling front- ing the street. Having broken into the house, his men BURROWING THROUGH THE HOUSES. 423 tore open the windows, and commenced firing upon the Mexicans behind the breastwork. A similar move- ment to the left was made by Captain Brooks, of the 2nd artillery, and Lieutenant Gi'ant of the 4th infantry, with small parties. Other troops passing still further up, gained a cross street, and came down on the en- emy's rear, when the latter fell back to the garita. An attempt to regain the work was prevented by the fire of a section of Magruder's battery, under Lieutenant Jackson. The brigade of Colonel Garland was now thrown to the right, and that of Colonel Clarke to the left, with orders to burrow their way, from house to house, with picks and bars. A mountain howitzer was also placed on the top of a commanding building on the left, and another on the church of San Cosme on the right, under Lieutenant Hagner, of the ordnance, and Captain Edwards of the voltigeurs, which soon occa- sioned considerable commotion among the enemy. The contest for the possession of the garita — to which Santa Anna had retired, after his unsuccessful attempt to prevent the advance of General Quitman, equally deluded, however, if he hoped to achieve a tri- umph over the caution, bravery, and skill of General Worth — was spirited, but somewhat desultory; de- tached parties of the different commands, crossing and recrossing the street, as opportunit}' served, to enter some narrow lane, or spring through some open gate- way. At five o'clock in the afternoon, both columns had reached their positions, and it then became neces- sary, at all hazards, to advance a piece of artillery to the captured breastwork. This was gallantly done by Lieutenant Hunt, of Duncan's light battery, who lost five, out of nine men, in moving at full speed over a distance of one hundred and fifty yards. Reaching the 424 THE GARITA OF SAN C03ME TAKEN. breastwork, and pointing his gun through one of the embrasures, he came muzzle to muzzle with the enemy. At the same moment, the troops who had burrowed through the houses, sprang to the roofs, doors, and win- dows. Lieutenant Johnson, with a number of good marksmen from the 6th and 8th infantry, had entered a small adobe shed facing the road ; and Major Bu- chanan had ascended to the top of a house overlooking the garita, with a part of the 4th infantry. For an instant the street was one blaze of fire. But a single withering volley was sufficient, — and a loud pro- longed shout was raised by the victors, as the Mexicans fled from the garita. Captain Mackenzie, with the rem- nant of his storming party, and Lieutenant Colonel Belton, with the 2nd and 3i-d artillery, and 4th infantry, rushed up the road, and the other troops also darted for- ward. The heavy gun in the work, a sixteen-pounder, was captured, and turned upon the enemy, by Captain Bomford and Lieutenant Merchant, of the 8th infantry, " to expedite their departure." Lieutenants Sydney Smith and Judah, of the 4th infantry, w'ith Lieutenant G. W. Smith, of the engineers, and a small party of sap- pers and miners, pursued them nearly half a mile into the city, and captured a gun, and a number of pris- oners, among whom was an aid of Santa Anna ; and one of them had the gratification of eating a supper prepared for his Excellency. During the operations of General Worth in front, an eflTort was made to annoy his left flank by a body of the enemy, cavalry and infantry, who were driven oflf by Captain Biddle, with his company of voltigeurs, B,nd a mountain howitzer. After the capture of the garita, General Worth placed his division in secure positions on the right and left of the road, and estab- FLIGHT OF THE MEXICAN ARMY. 425 lished picket guards. Captain Huger then advanced two siege pieces, and a 10-inch mortar, to the garita, and fired a few 24-pound shot ; and, between nine and ten o'clock in the evening, he threw several shells from the mortar in the direction of the National Palace, about sixteen hundred yards distant. Early in the afternoon, General Scott had returned to Chapultepec. The remaining brigade of General Twiggs, (Colonel Riley's), was ordered from Piedad, to support General Worth ; and Captain Steptoe was directed to rejoin General Quitman's division with his battery. Intrenching tools and ammunition were also sent to General Quitman, whose men were busily em- ployed, throughout the night, in constructing two sand- bag breastworks and parapets, at the garita of Belen, upon which two heavy guns and an 8-inch howitzer were placed in battery by Captain Steptoe. Late in the evening General Shields was forced to retire, in consequence of a severe wound received at the storm- ing of the castle, but his place was filled by General Pierce, who reported for duty to General Quitman. But all these preparations for the reduction of the capital proved to be unnecessar}-. When the blazing shells thrown by Captain Huger were seen falling into the Plaza, Santa Anna, and his officers and advisers, were convinced that it was useless to strun;gle longer. They were besought, on every hand, to prevent a bom- bardment ; the inhabitants were fleeing in alarm ; and insubordination began to make its appearance in the army. A hurried consultation was held, at which it v/as decided to evacuate the city. Before midnight the causeways unoccupied by the American troops, were thronged with fugitives ; with wagons, tumbrils, gun-carriages and caissons ; with ambulances and splen- 426 ADVANCE OF THE AMERICANS INTO THE CITY. did coaches ; horse and foot, officers and soldiers, camp followers and citizens — a motley mass — mingled to- gether in confusion. At one o'clock in the morning of the 14th, a deputa- tion from the ayuntamiento, or city council, came to the advanced post of General Worth, announcing that the officers of the national government and the army had commenced retiring from the city, and that they vv^ere authorized to confer with the General-in-chief of the American forces. On their arrival at the head-quar- ters of General Scott, they informed him of the evacua- tion, and demanded terms of capitulation in favor of the church, the citizens, and the municipal authorities. They were promptly informed by General Scott that he would sign no capitulation ; that the city had been virtually in his possession, from the time when a lodge- ment had been made on the previous day ; that he re- gretted the escape of the Mexican troops; that he should levy a moderate contribution for special purpo- ses ; and that " the American army should come under no terms not self-imposed — such only as its own honor, the dignity of the United States, and the spirit of the age," demanded and required.* Upon the termination of the interview with the city deputation, General Scott dispatched orders to Generals Worth and Quitman, to advance slowly and cautiously towards the heart of the city. At six o'clock, the head of General Worth's division had reached the street leading direct from the Alameda to the plaza mayor, on which the National Palace, containing the halls of Congress and the executive offices of the national gov- ernment, is situated ; and it would have been the first to arrive at " that goal of general ambition,"f had it * Official Report of General Scott, September 18th, 1847. f ^^^^- ENTRY OF GENERAL SCOTT 427 not been halted by direction of General Scott. At dawn of day, General Quitman had taken possession of the citadel, upon the invitation of the civil authorities which was temporarily garrisoned by the South Caro- lina volunteers; and he soon after moved the remainder of his, column, the rifle regiment leading the way, in the direction of the National Palace. Arriving at the great square, he formed his men in front of the Palacio, and at seven o'clock in the morning of the 14th of Sep- tember, 1847, the American flag, — " the first strange banner which had ever waved over that palace since the conquest of Cortes,"* — was planted by Captain Rob- erts, of the rifles, and saluted by the whole command, with every demonstration of applause and satisfaction. General Scott and his staff, in full uniform, entered the capital at eight o'clock, escorted by Major Sumner with his battalion of cavalry. General Quitman was immediately appointed civil and military governor of the city, and General Scott issued an order, cautioning his soldiers to be upon their guard, to commit no dis- orders, and to avoid straggling from the head-quarters of their respective corps. f Shortly after the troops * Official Report of General Quitman, September 29th, 1847. t 1 " Heart duarters of the Army, "General Orders. P ( Mexico, Sept. 14, 1847. No. 284. S " 1. Under the favor of GoJ, the valor of this army, after many glo- rious victories, has hoisted tlie colors of our country in the Capital of Mexico, and on the palace of its government. " 2. But the war is not ended. The Mexican army and government have fled, only to watch an opportu.aity to return upon us in vengeance. We must then be on our guard. " 3. Companies and regiments will be kept together, and all stand on the alert. Our safety is in military discipline. "4. Let there be no drunkenness, no disorders, and no straggling. Stragglers will be in great danger of assassination, and marauders shall be punished by courts martial. "5. All the rules so honorably observed by tliis glorious army, in 4Si8 ATTACK OF THE LEPER03 entered the city, and while they were alout occupying the most important points, they were attacked by crowds of leperos,* and convicts liberated by the author- ities of the state and nation prior to the evacuation of the capital, together with soldiers in disguise, who had not accompanied the army, or had returned after the flight. Escopetas were fired from half-opened doors and windows, and from the corners of the streets and al- leys ; and missiles of every description were thrown from the flat roofs of the houses. The Americans suf- fered considerably at first, from this irregular and an- noying fire; Colonel Garland was badly wounded; Lieutenant Sydney Smith and several men were killed ; and a number of other officers and men received severe Puebla, must be observed here. The honor of the army, and the honor of our country, call for the best behavior on the part of all. The valiant must, to wia the approbation of God and their country, be sober, or- derly, and merciful. His noble brethren in arms will not be deaf to this hasty appeal from their commander and friend. "6. Major General Quitman is appointed civil and military governor of Mexico. " By command of Major General Scott. " H. L. Scott, " Acting Assistant Adjutant General." * The leperos of Mexico correspond, very nearly, to the lazaroni of Italian towns and cities. The number in the city of Mexico, in 1823, is estimated, in Ward's Mexico, at 20,000. The object of these ma- rauders appeared to be to plunder the wealthy citizens, as much as to harass the American troops. During the disturbance, a party of Mex- ican lancers penetrated a short diytance into the city from the north, but were driven back. They were probably sent by Santa Anna, to learn whether any thing could be gained by a return with his forces. A prin- cipal reason for his liberating the convicts may have been, the hope that the Americans would be thrown into such confusion, that he would be able to drive them from the city. If he entertained such an expectation, he was very much deceived in regard to the materials of which the 4merican army was composed. ORDER RESTORED. 429 wounds. The most prompt measures were taken to put an end to these dastardly outrages. Lieutenant Hagner fired upon the houses, occupied by the enemy, with an 8-inch howitzer. The sappers and miners, un- der Lieutenants G, W. Smith and McLellan, forced their way in with crowbars and axes, and cut down every occupant, found with arms, or weapons, in his hands. Good service was also rendered in clearing the streets, and restoring order, by a detachment of cavalry under Major Sumner ; by the 2nd and 7th infantry, under Captain Morris and Lieutenant Colonel Plympton ; a battalion of the 4th infantry, under Major Buchanan ; and part of the rifle regiment, under Captain Roberts. This street-contest continued for more than twenty- four hours ; but the city became tolerably quiet on the 16th ; and on the 18th, the four divisions of the army were posted at or near the four principal gates, viz : San Lazaro, San Antonio, San Cosme, and Peravillo, or Guadalupe ; — and the cavalry brigade, under Colonel Harney, was ordered to occupy the cavalry barracks near the National Palace. Thus terminated, in the capture of the Mexican cap- ital, a campaign unsurpassed, for the brilliancy of its victories, and the magnitude of its results, in the world's history. About 1,000 of the enemy were supposed to have been killed at the storming of Chapultepec, and the subsequent operations in and near the city ; over 1,500 were wounded ; and there were 823 taken pris- oners.* A number of colors and standards were cap- tured by the Americans, together with small-arms and ammunition, in sufficient quantities to supply an army * Among the prisoners were Generals Bravo, Monterde, Noriega, Dosamantz and Saldana. General Perez was killed at the storming of Chapultepec. 430 VIGILANCE OF GENERAL SCOTT. during a campaign, and nearly 100 pieces of artillery. The American loss was 130 killed, 704 wounded, and 29 missing.* All was not yet entirely tranquil in the city. Sleep- less and untiring vigilance was necessary on the part of General Scott and his officers, and they did not fail in the performance of their duty. Stragglers were frequently found assassinated, and dark and terrible threats were uttered. The clergy refused to open their churches for public worship, with a view of preventing the restoration of good order; but when they were told by the American commander that his protection should be withdrawn from them, and the valuable pro- perty committed to their care, unless they continued to discharge their functions as formerly, they were quite willing to resume them. As a consideration for the protection afforded by his army to the property of the church and the citizens. General Scott levied a contribution of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars upon the capital, which was paid in four equal weekly installments.! Martial law was also proclaimed in and about all towns and posts occupied by the American * The Americans lost thirteen officers, either killed or mortally wound- ed, in the operations of the I3th and 14th of September, viz: — Captain Drum and Lieutenant Benjamin, of the 4th artillery ; Lieutenants Syd- ney, Smith and Rodgers, 4th infantry; Lieutenant J. P. Smith, 5th in- fantry ; Lieutenant Gantt, 7th infantiy; Colonel Ransom, 9th infantry; Major Twiggs, marine corps; Lieutenant Colonel Baxter, and Captains Van O' Linda and Pearson, New York Volunteers ; and Lieutenants Can- tey and Morange, of the South Carolina Regiment. t Twenty thonsand dollars of this sum was appropriated to the pur- chase of extra comforts for the wounded and sick of the American sol- diers in hospital, and ninety thousand dollars to the purchase of blankets and shoes for gratuitous distribution among the rank and file of the army; and the remaining forty thousand dollars was reserved for other necessary mihtary purposes. — General Orders, Number 287. RENUNCIATION OF SANTA ANNA. 431 army. The collection of duties at the gates was or- dered to be continued ; — the proceeds of which were applied, as far as necessary, to the payment of the city expenses, and the remainder as was directed by the General-in-chief. Not long after the occupation of the capital, an extensive conspiracy to surprise the Amer- icans and murder the officers and men, fomented by a number of priests and disguised Mexican officers and soldiers, was frustrated. Timely precautions were adopted ; and all Mexican officers in the city, who had not given their paroles, were required to report to Lieutenant Colonel Hitchcock, Acting Inspector Gen- eral. The Mexican army enrolled for the defence of their capital, was almost disorganized. Divided into small commands^ the largest of which, numbering about 4,000 men, proceeded to Queretaro, under General Herrera, it was soon scattered through the country, under various leaders, uncertain what to do, pursuing no definite plan or object, and for the most part, care- less and indifferent as to the further prosecution of the war. On the 7th of September, Santa Anna had issued a decree, ordering that Peria y Peila, President of the Supreme Court of Justice, and Generals Herrera and Bravo, should assume his duties as Provisional President, in case he should fall, or be taken prisoner. After the capture of General Bravo, and the evacuation of the city, he issued a second decree, at Guadalupe Hidalgo, on the 16th of September, renouncing the presidency, and designating Senor Alcorta in the place of General Bravo ; the substance of which decree was commu- nicated to the Governors, and Commandants-general, of the different states, by Senores Pacheco and Alcorta, Ministers of Internal and Foreign Relations, and of 432 ASSEMBLING OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS. War. Accompanied by about 2,500 cavalry, Santa Anna then proceeded to Puebla, to harass the com- munications of General Scott, and to do every thing, in his power, essential to " the defence of the independ- ence of his country."* Under the provisions of the Mexican Constitution, the office of Provisional President devolved on Pena y Peiia, by virtue of his position as the presiding officer of the Supreme Court, and he immediately entered on the discharge of his duties ; refusing, however, to rec- ognize the persons associated with him in the decrees of Santa Anna. This was most probably done with their consent, as they made no attempt to assert their claims, if any they may have had. The acting Pro- visional President, and most of the leading men of Mexico and the adjoining states, repaired to Queretaro, where the National Congress was ordered to assemble, early in October, to take into consideration the de- plorable state of the country. Several of the members passed through the city of Mexico, under a safe con- duct from General Scott. * Official Circular of Pacheco, dated at Toluca, September 18th, 1847. Santa Anna afterwards insisted that his renunciation of the chief ma- gistracy was only of temporary duration, and that he had a right to re- sume the functions of the office at pleasure. — See his Address to the Mexican people, issued at Tehuacan, October 23nd, 1847. '-y^ -„•»•?,% f,V.>.*-'^'^ 7 7^^/^?^9i^m/ CHAPTER XV. THE ARMY UNDER TAYLOR. The American forces on the line of the Sierra Madre, and in the Val- ley of the Rio Giande — Correspondence between General Taylor and General Mora y Villamil — The Texan Rangers — Expedition to Huejutla — Part of General Taylor's forces ordered to Vera Cruz — Position of the Troops — The command transferred to General Wool. The severe defeat experienced by the Mexicans, at Buena Vista, threw them far back into the interior ; and no further attempt was made seriously to molest the Amei'ican forces on the line of the Sierra Madre, and in the valley of the Rio Grande. Reposing quietly and contentedly on the laurels he had won, — his name potential as that of the Black Douglass in overawing the enemy, — General Taylor remained in his camp near Monterey, not seeking an opportunity to achieve new victories, but prepared, at all times, to maintain and enforce the authority of his government over the territory occupied by the troops under his command. Generals Urrea and Canales hovered in the vicinity with their bands of rancheros, but they were careful not to approach within reach of an arm, which, as they well knew, was not more prompt, than it was powerful, to strike. In accordance with the directions of General Taylor, most of the ranchos between Mier and Monterey, which had been the harboring-places of the marauding bands who had obstructed his line of communications, were laid 19 434 CORRESPONDENCE WITH GENERAL VILLAMIL, waste. This harsh, but necessary measure, in connec- tion with his order requiring an indemnity for property destroyed, secured his trains, in a great degree, from attack ; although occasional efforts were made, by small parties of the enemy, to capture some of the wagons, where a train was large, or feebly guarded. The principal object of the banditti appeared to be, to seize the merchants' goods going up under the protec- tion of the army escorts, and General Taylor felt com- pelled, for the safety of his own supplies, to prohibit their accompanying the trains. Fewer inducements, therefore, were held out to the guerilleros ; and conse- quently there were fewer attacks, and fewer losses sustained. After the return of Santa Anna to the city of Mex- ico, General Mora y Villamil held the command, for a short time, at San Luis Potosi ; and when the requi- sition for an indemnification was issued, he addressed a communication to General Taylor, desiring to know, whether his wishes and instructions were, " to prose- cute the war in conformity to the laws of nations, and as war [was] conducted by civilized countries, or as barbarous tribes [carried] it on among themselves ?" Besides referring to the requisition, he also alluded to several acts of violence committed by some of the Texan rangers, a new regiment of which, under Colonel Hays, had recently been enrolled ; and threatened to retaliate, in case satisfaction was not rendered for the grievances specified. General Taylor replied on the 19th of May, 1847, refusing, peremptorily, to give a categorical an- swer to the inquiry, upon the ground that it was a deliberate insult to himself and his government, yet, nevertheless, assuring the Mexican general, that every possible effort had been made to discover the perpe- THE TEXAN RANGER3. 435 trators of the acts complained of, in order to bring them to trial and punishment, but without success. In regard to the threat of retaliation, he treated it, as it deserved, and stated that he was ready for any course of policy which the Mexican authorities decided to adopt.* During the ensuing summer. General Taylor found himself unable 4,0 control the lawlessness of the ran- gers ; and so many unprovoked outrages were com- mitted, the authors of which could very rarely be ascer- tained, that, as an act of justice to himself and to his country, he ordered a number of the more turbulent and refractory among them to be summarily dismissed from the service, regarding them as being wholly un- worthy to belong to the American army.f Collisions, growing out of these outrages, frequently took place ; but the departments of Tamauiipas and New Leon, with this exception, were generally quiet. The active operations of the war were carried on upon a different * " It is with pain that I find myself under the necessity of addressing you in a manner to which I am Httle accustomed ; but I have been provoked to do so by the object and the manner of your communica- tion, which is objectionable, in my estimation, as well in its insinua- tions as in its tone. With respect to tlie implied threat of retaliation, I beg you to understand that I hold it at its true worth, and that I am at all times prepared to act accordingly, whatever may be the policy or mode of carrying on the war, which the Mexican government, or its generals, may think it proper to adopt." — Extract from the letter of General Taylor. f Assassinations and outrages, of the most barbarous and revolting Character, that could not have been provoked by the bad conduct of the rangers, were committed by the regular and irregular Mexican troops. The cruelties practised by the Mexicans during the revolution in Texas, and the war with the United States, no doubt instigated the volunteers to some extent ; but, however justly the former may have been pun- ished, the cruelty of the rangers was none the less deserving of cen- Burs. 436 EXPEDITION TO IIUEJUTLA. theatre, and General Taylor remained strictly on the defensive.* Early in July, Colonel Gates, of the 3rd artillery, the commanding officer at Tampico, received information that a number of American prisoners, entitled to lib- eration, were at or near Huejutia, over one hundred miles in the interior of Tamaulipas, vi'here General Garey had established his head-quarters, with a force from twelve to fifteen hundred strong. Being anxious to liberate them as soon as possible, Colonel Gates or- dered Colonel De Russey, of the Louisiana volunteers, * In his letter to General Gaines, before alluded to, dated November 8th, 1846, General Taylor avowed himself in favor of withdrawing the American troops to a defensive line, extending from some point on the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific, and at the same time enforcing a rigid blockade of the Mexican ports, as the surest mode of conquering a peace. The same idea was advocated by Mr. Calhoun, of South Car- olina, in the Senate of the United States, during the session of 1847-48; propositions for a large increase of the army being then before Congress. The Hon. Joel R. Poinsett, formerly Minister to Mexico, and Secretary of War, also approved of that policy, in a letter addressed to Mr. Butler, a senator in Congress from South Carolina, dated on the 12th of De- cember, 1847, and published in the National Intelligencer on the 22nd of January following. Mr. Poinsett instances, in support of his argu- ment, the failure of the Russian government permanently to enforce her authority over the Caucasians. But the two cases are hardly analogous. The Caucasians are wild, fierce, and intractable, while the Mexicans are indolent, cowardly, and treacherous, — tyrannical as masters, but slavish as subjects ; the former have few or no towns, and when driven from them, they regarded the deprivation as of little consequence, while the latter looked upon their capital, and their principal cities, as their main dependence and reliance ; and, more than all, Russia desired to make a permanent conquest, which, of itself, was well calculated to arouse an untiring and und3'ing spirit of hostility. Had Mexico been inhabited by any other race, except a people de- scended from a Spanish stock, perhaps the defensive policy would have been the most desirable. Such a policy, however, would have been of little or no avail against the Mexican guerilleros. It was the offensive measures adopted by the American commanders, and those alone, which MARCH OF THE COMMAND. 43? to proceed to Huejutla, accompanied by an escort of 12G men, in order to communicate with General Garey, and effect the restoration of the prisoners. Colonel De Russey left Tampico on the 8th of July with his command, consisting of one company of the 3rd artillery, Captain Wyse, with a field-piece ; a com- pany of dragoons, under Captain Boyd and Lieutenant Taneyhill ; a detachment of Louisiana volunteers, un- der Captains Mace and Seguine ; and a small party of Tampico rangers, a volunteer company organized by Colonel Gates for the defence of the post. Passing up the river Panuco, in steamers, about sixty miles, and then marching by land through Asulwama, the alcalde of which was made acquainted with the friendly pur- pose of the expedition, and cheerfully furnished the command with supplies, Colonel De Russey arrived at Tantayuka, twenty-five miles from Huejutla, on the 11th instant. The alcalde of this town was also in- formed of the object of his mission ; and on the morn- ing of the 12th he continued his march. So far he had been unable to find a military officer who might ac- company him to the head-quarters of General Garey and, although he anticipated that preparations for de they feared and dreaded. In a speech delivered in the Senate, on the 4th of January, 1848, Mr. Calhoun made use of the following bold and striking figure : — " Mexico is to us as a dead body, and this is the only way [the defensive policy] that we can cut the cord which binds us to the corpse." Had the distinguished senator but enlarged a little upon his idea, and inquired how Mexico became reduced to that situation, would he not have refuted his own argument '^ She was, indeed, pros- trate and lifeless, — but why ] Because she was in the grasp of a giant ! — The defensive policy would have released her from that grasp, and re- stored her towns and cities, her base of supplies, and all her most val- uable internal resources, — thus inviting a bloody and vindictive warfare, to continue as long as a single man could be found to echo " the wild guerilla's curse" among the gorges of the Sierra Madre. 438 AFFAIR AT THE CALABOSO RIVER. fence would be made, he intended to rely on the white flag when the enemy should be discovered, in order to prevent a conflict, at least until the pacific nature of his visit should be made known. About eight miles from Tantayuka, a Mexican In- dian was met, who informed Colonel De Russey that General Garey, with a large force, had laid an ambus- cade for him, at the Calaboso river, one mile in his front. Captain Boyd was then in advance with his company, and before orders could be sent to him to fall back to the main body, a rapid discharge of fire- arms was heard. Colonel De Russey hurried forward with the remainder of his detachment, and encountered the dragoons in retreat, having already lost Captain Boyd and six of their comrades. On approaching the river, it was found that the enemy, who had displayed considerable sagacity in their choice of position, had cleared the ground from bushes, for the space of one hundred and fifty yards on either side of the road, leaving, beyond the now open ground, a dense hedge of chaparral, in rear of which a fence had been con- structed as an obstacle to the movements of cavalry. The main body of General Garey 's force were upon the opposite bank of the stream, also protected in their front by thick chaparral. A charge was instantly made on either flank by Captains Mace and Seguine, with their men, and the enemy retired hastily across the river. Captain Wyse at once opened his fire upon the main body on the op- posite bank, which was kept up for nearly an hour, when the enemy manifested a disposition to abandon their ground, and their fire altogether ceased. It was now ascertained that all the cartridges but three had been exhausted, and great numbers of the enemy from A RETREAT ORDERED, 439 the towns through which the Americans had passed, were discovered on the flanks and in the rear, who had succeeded in capturing about ninety mules, laden with the provisions, the money, and clothing of the de- tachment. It was also known that the road to Hue- jutla lay through a gorge flanked by steep acclivities, and that the prisoners had been removed. In this position of affairs. Colonel De Russey determined to retrace his steps with his small command. After the retrograde movement commenced, the Mexicans began to harass the American rear, but they were always repulsed, with great loss, by Captain Mace, who poured upon them his volleys of musketry with good effect. On ascending a hill about one mile from Tantayuka, a desperate rush was made by the enemy, and the rear-guard was driven in. Captain Wyse promptly unlimbered his gun, and dispersed the Mexicans with two discharges of canister. In this manner the detachment returned to Tantayuka, keep- ing up a continued fight throughout the whole distance of nine miles. When they reached the town, the en- emy appeared in their front to oppose them. The field-piece was again discharged, and again scattered the enemy in confusion. Colonel De Russey now posted his men on a mound overlooking the town ; powder and ball were procured at the stores ; and a number of cartridges were pre- pared, by using champagne bottles, as a substitute for tin cylinders, which were half filled with balls, and the remaining space packed with earth. Musket car- tridges for the infantry were also manufactured, and every preparation was made to defend the position. At nine o'clock on the night of the 12th, a message was received from General Garey demanding the im- 440 RETURN TO TAMPICO. mediate surrender of the force. Colonel De Russey replied that this was impossible, and then informed the bearer of the message of the object of his visit. The latter stated, in answer, that there had been some mis- understanding in regard to the matter, and arranged an interview between General Garey and Colonel De Russey, to take place in a few hours. The Mexican officers failed to keep the appointment, and suspecting treachery, Colonel De Russey ordered his men under arms, and at two o'clock in the morning of the 13th continued his retreat towards Tampico, protected by the darkness. Shortly after daylight the enemy again appeared upon the flanks and rear of the detachment. Whenever they attempted to make a close attack they were driven off by the fire of the field-piece or mus- kets, though the pursuit was continued for more than fifty miles beyond Tantayuka. The detachment suc- ceeded, however, in reaching Tampico, having lost, in the affair at the Calaboso river, and the subsequent re- treat, fifteen killed and mortally wounded, ten wounded, and three missing.* The enemy lost nearly two hun- dred in killed and wounded. During the absence of Colonel De Russey, Colonel Gates was informed of his critical situation, and it was also rumored that an attack upon Tampico was con- templated ; whereupon, he immediately dispatched a messenger to Colonel Wilson, at Vera Cruz, with a request that he might be reinforced. There being no disposable troops belonging to the army, at that post, Commodore Perry sent a small party of marines to * Among the killed, or mortally wounded, were Captain Boyd and Lieutenant Taneyhill. Having no surgeon or means of transportation, Colonel De Russey was compelled to leave Lieutenant Taneyhill and two privates, all mortally wounded, at the house of the alcalde in Tan- tayuka, "where every attention was paid to their wants. THE ENEMY INTIMIDATED. 441 Tampico. In the meantime Colonel Gates had ordered a reinforcement of one hundred and fifty men to move up the Panuco to-the support of Colonel De Russey, who did not effect a junction with the latter until after the enemy had ceased to molest his command. The alarm at Tampico did not entirely subside for a number of weeks. The ordinary supplies of the market were nearly cut off, and General Garey was reported to be moving upon the town with 3,000 troops. On the 29th of July the schooner Petrel, Lieutenant Moore in com- mand, proceeded up the Panuco, in tow of the steamer Undine, with a detachment of marines on board, and a field-piece in addition to her armament ; but she re- turned without accomplishing any thing, except that the enemy were intimidated from making any attack upon Tampico, if it had been in contemplation.* Exaggerated rumors of the approach of large bodies of troops constantly reached the American camp at Buena Vista, where General Wool remained in com- mand, during the summer of 1847. General Urrea was know^n to be at Tula with about 1,500 troops, and after General Valencia was ordered to Mexico, with his division, General Filisola was left at San Luis Po- tosi with 3,000 men. Canales also roamed about the country with several hundred men, always taking care, however, to keep out of the way of harm. Most of the rumors in circulation had reference to the move- ments of one or more of these commanders, and par- * Towards the latter part of November, the Indian population near Huejutla rose against the troops stationed there, and commenced mur- dering the white inhabitants. The latter were now very willing to im- plore aid from the American commander at Tampico. Notwithstand- in, by Major Emory, of the same corps. None of these officers made any discoveries of minerals, although they were led to conjecture, as private individuals who had visited the country had done, from its volcanic for- mation and peculiar geological features, that they might be found to exist in considerable quantities. f As is often the case, chance at length accomplished what science had • Famham's Adventures in California.— Wilkes' Narrative of the Exploring Ex- pedition. — Fremonl's Narrative. t See Famham's Adventures, Wilkes' and Fremont's Narratives, and Emory's Report. — In 1846, Eugenic Macnamara, a Catholic priest and missionary, obtained a ^ant of a large tract of land between the San Joaquim and the Sierra Nevada, the Cosumn6s and the Tulares in the vicinity of San Gabriel, from Pio Pico, gov- ernor of the Califomias, for the purpose of establishing upon it a large colony of Irish Catholics ; but the grant was not ratified by the Central Government, and tho project was not carried Into effect. There is no evidence that Father Macnamara was aware of the existence of gold in the valley of San Joaquim. DISCOVERT OF GOLD. 611 failed to do. — In the winter of 1847-8, a Mr. Marshall commenced the construction of a saw-mill for Captain Sutter, on the north branch of the American fork, and about fifty miles above New Helvetia, in a re- gion abounding with pine timber. The dam and race were completed, but on attempting to put the mill in motion, it was ascertained that the tail-race was too narrow to permit the water to escape with perfect free- dom. A strong current was then passed in, to wash it wider and deeper, by which a large bed of mud and gravel was thrown up at the foot of the race. Some days after this occurrence, Mr. Marshall observed a number of brilliant particles on this deposit of mud, which attracted his attention. On examining them, he became satisfied that they were gold, and com- municated the fact to Captain Sutter. It was agreed between them, that the circumstance should not be made public for the present ; but, like the secret of Midas, it could not be concealed. The Mormon emigrants, of whom Mr. Marshall was one, were soon made acquainted with the dis- covery, and in a few weeks all California was agitated with the startling information. Business of every kind was neglected, and the ripened grain was left in the fields unharvested. Nearly the whole population of Upper Cali- fornia became infected with the mania, and flocked to the mines. Whalers and merchant vessels entering the ports were abandoned by their crews, and the American soldiers and sailors deserted in scores. Upon the disbandment of Colonel Stevenson's regiment, most of the men made their way to the mineral regions. Within three months after the discovery, it was computed that there were near four thousand persons, including Indians, who were mostly employed by the whites, engaged in washing for gold. Various modes were adopted to separate the metal from the sand and gravel, — some making use of tin-pans ; others of close- woven Indian baskets ; and others still, of a rude machine, called the cradle, six or eight feet long and mounted on rockers, with a coarse grate, or sieve, at one end, but open at the other. The washings were mainly confined to the low wet grounds, and the margins of the streams, — the earth being rarely disturbed more than eighteen inches below the surface. The value of the gold dust obtained by each man, per day, is said to have ranged from ten to fifty dollars, and sometimes even to have far exceeded that. The natural consequence of this state of things was that the prices of labor, and, indeed, of everything, rose immediately, from ten to twenty fold.* As may readily be conjectured, every stream and ravine in the valley % • Official Dispatch of Colonel Mason, Commander of the 10th Military Depart- ment, August 17, 1848.— Letters of Thomas O. Larkin, U. S. Coasul at Monterey, to the Secretary of State, June 1, and June 28, 184a 512 THE PLACERAS. of the Sacramento was soon explored. Gold was found on every one of its tributaries ; but the richest earth was discovered near the Rio de las Plumas, or Feather river,* and its branches, the Yubah and Bear rivers,— and on Weber's creeli, a tributary of the American fork. Ex- plorations were also made in the valley of the San Joaquim, wliich re- sulted in the discovery of gold on the Cosumnes and other streams, and in the ravines cf the Coast Range, west of the valley, as far down as Ciuuad de los Angelos. Sometimes the gold has been found encasing a bright sparkling crystal of quartz, but no accounts have been received up to this date, (January, 1849.) indicating that it has been encountered in its matrix, or the place of its original production. In the " dry diggings," or ravines, it is ob- tained in grains, averaging from one to two pennyweights, — and one piece has been found weighing thirty-five pennyweights; but in the swamps, and on the margins of streams, it is procured in small flat spangles, six or seven of which are required to make one grain. Speci- mens of the metal have been assayed at the mint in Philadelphia, under the direction of Professor Patterson, and the average fineness ascertained to be &;)4 thousandths, being a little below the standard, which is 900, but fully equal to that obtained in the southern States, and nearly as good as the best gold procured in Africa. In regard to the productiveness of the gojd pla-ceras of California, it is difficult to make any estimates, or form any conjectures. In a Memorial of the citizens of San Francisco, dated in September, 1848, praying congress to establish a branch mint in the territory, it was estimated that the sum of five and a half millions of dollars would be removed from the mines during the year ending on the 1st of July, 1819. But this calcu- lation was evidently predicated on the number of persons then engaged at the washings. Since that time, there has been a vast influx of pold-hnnto'S from Oregon, Mexico, South America, and the Sandwich Islands. Large numbers of citizens of the United States, have also set out for California, by way of Cape Horn, the Panama route, or overland from Independence. It is, therefore, not improbable that before the close of the year, the population may be trebled, or even quadrupled. It has been predicted by some, that the washings in California would soon be exhausted, as were those of Brazil, from which ten millions sterling were once annually sent to Europe. The volcanic character of * Feather river is the first considerable branch of the Sacramento below the Prairie Buttes. It has a course of about forty miles, and empties into the main river about fifteen miles above New Helvetia. Though the Sacramento is navigabl* for vessels, only to that place, boats can pass up one hundred mileB further. EXTENT AND PRODUCTIVENESS OF THE MINES. 513 the country, and its geological peculiarities, hardly confirm this opinion although it is by no means improbable. Gold has been found, or there are indications of its existence, at different points along the western base of the Sierra Nevada, for nearly seven hundred miles ; and it has been discovered east of the mountains, on the Great Salt Lake, and at various other places in the great interior basin of California. If we may place any reliance upon the inferences fiiirly deducible from these facts, it may be safely presumed, that the rugged buttresses of the Sierra Nevada contain a vaster deposit of mineral wealth than has yet been found in any other locality in the known world, — in extent and produc- tiveness far excelling the Andes of Peru, the Carpathian lancie of Hun- gary, or ths Ural mountains of Russia.* In addition to the gold mines, other important discoveries have been made in Upper California. A rich vein of quicksilver has been opened at New Almadin, near Santa Clara, which, with imperfect macliinery, — the heat by which the metal is made to exude from the rock bein