When Scott reached the city of Mexico the Government of the United States had in vain endeavored to open negotiations. The Mexicans sternly refused every proposal of peace. Indeed, those in authority durst not entertain for a moment any proposition. Santa Anna had raised an army of twenty-five thousand men, with which he held all the strong positions around the city, and stood ready to check the American advance. General Scott, avoiding the regular causeways leading to the city, as they were all protected by fortresses, pushed on to San Augustin. Here the Mexicans had made little preparation, for at this point began the Pedregal, a broken field of lava, the remains of some extinct volcano. This rough and sterile lava-bed was deemed impassable by troops, and no attempt was made to defend it, though General Valencia lay beyond it with a force of six thousand men. Undeterred by the nature of the ground, General Persifer F. Smith, pushed on across the Pedregal with his own brigade and those commanded by Riley and Cadwallader. Shields pressed on steadily behind him. At San Hieronymo, Smith came up with Santa Anna, but the Mexican general fell back; and at three o'clock in the morning, in the pitchy darkness, Riley advanced to assault the Mexican works at Contreras. He soon carried them, and was in possession of the enemy's camp. Smith's brigade had been attacked by Torrejon's cavalry, but the Mexican lancers with all their horsemanship and prowess could not stand before Smith's brigade, which utterly routed them. Cadwallader, Shields, and Pierce, who had been engaged holding in check Santa Anna's reserves, now hemmed in the fugitives and cut them down.

The Mexicans were utterly defeated. Although the Americans assailed strong works, their loss was comparatively small, not exceeding a hundred in all, while fifteen hundred Mexicans lay dead and wounded

on the field of Contreras, and a thousand more were prisoners, with cannon, muskets, and stores. To the delight of the whole army O'Brien's guns, so gallantly lost at Buena Vista, were here recovered.

Having gained the position at Contreras, one great step was accomplished; but Churubusco was the key to the city, and the assault upon it was a much more serious affair.

Santa Anna had posted himself, with an army of thirty thousand men, in a strong position. An old church and convent had been made. part of his defenses, and strong fortifications covered the bridge by which the Americans could best advance to the assault. Undismayed by the numbers of the enemy or the strength of their works, the American army came on in three divisions. Worth led the right to attack the Mexican post covering the bridge, and drove them to the fortifications, which opened on him. At these he led on his men. Twiggs and Pillow rushed on with their gallant fellows to storm the convent; while Shields, with the left, swept around to attack the enemy's reserve in the rear. The struggle was desperate: the Mexican fire of artillery and musketry swept through the small American line, and it was again and again driven back from the convent and fortifications; but stubborn valor prevailed: both points were carried. Shields and Pierce found the reserves intrenched, and they repeatedly charged amid a murderous fire without success. They could neither carry the works nor demoralize the Mexicans; but a loud American hurra rose above the din of battle. Worth, after carrying the works before him, was sweeping down to take the Mexican reserve in flank. Then the enemy gave way, and the American commanders pushed on in hot pursuit to the very gates of the capital.

Santa Anna had lost the battle of Churubusco, and his great army was shattered; ten thousand men lay dead or wounded, or were grim prisoners in the hands of General Scott. It had not been a bloodless victory to that general. Of his army, less than ten thousand in all, one thousand fell dead or wounded at Churubusco, with nearly a hundred officers.

The city of Mexico was now really at the mercy of General Scott, as Santa Anna could not have prevented his marching in and taking possession; but the Mexican commander resolved to make one more effort. To gain time to rally his forces, he opened negotiations. Scott fell into the snare, and, satisfied with what he had achieved, agreed to an armistice. He was soon, however, convinced of his mistake ; and finding that Santa Anna was insincere, and was merely amusing him to gain time, he resolved to attack the city before all the fruit of the victories at Contreras and Churubusco was lost.

But the conquest that might have been bloodless, was now to be purchased at a heavy cost of life. The Mexicans had been fortifying their position, and again breathed defiance. The point to be attacked by General Scott in order to gain the city, was the fortress of Chapultepec, and the defenses at its base. These consisted of a stone work called Molino del Rey, or the King's Mill, and the arsenal. Both were filled with troops, and the interval between them was occupied by a large force of infantry with artillery. Here Santa Anna himself, with Generals Valdarez and Leon, awaited the American attack. General Worth was ordered to lead the assault. Early on the morning of the 8th of September his corps advanced by starlight. On the right a storming party under Wright attacked the Molino, but were driven. back by the volleys of the Mexicans with terrible loss. Smith and

Cadwallader, however, hastened up, and Garland burst on their flank. These commanders at last drove the enemy from their strong position.

At the arsenal, on the left, the fight was of the fiercest description. Here McIntosh led his brigade up gallantly to the assault, but he soon fell wounded; the next in command was killed, and finally the whole brigade was driven back by the tremendous fire of the Mexicans. As they recoiled from this almost impregnable position shattered and decimated, the Mexican General Alvarez, with his cavalry, came rushing down upon them; but Sumner's dragoons and Duncan's battery met this charge, and at last drove Alvarez from the field.

Duncan then opened on the arsenal, and by his steady and welldirected fire dislodged the enemy from that position, which was immediately occupied by our troops. So far, General Worth had carried the last bulwark. He had accomplished the task assigned to him, but it had been at fearful loss of the brave men who went into that fight, eight hundred, including fifty-eight officers, lay dead or dying, reducing Scott's force to about three thousand men. Santa Anna, who had lost two of his best generals, and nearly two thousand men, fell back, and gathered the remainder of his troops on the southern front of the city.

Worth after this action dismantled the Mexican works and resumed his original position.

COLONEL E. D. BAKER, U. S. SENATOR.

KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF BALL'S BLUFF, OCTOBER 21, 1861.

AMONG the saddest losses which have been inflicted upon the country since the opening of the war, is that of the late lamented Edward D. Baker, Colonel of the First Regiment of California Volunteers, and Senator of the United States. Colonel Baker participated in the battle which took place near Leesburg, in Virginia, on the afternoon of Monday last, and fell at the head of his troops while waving his sword and cheering on his men. By his death, the country is deprived of one of its most eloquent advocates in the superior chamber of our national legislature, and one of its most seasoned and fearless champions in the field.

Colonel Baker, though his ripened years presented him to the country as an accomplished lawyer and a soldier of repute, began life under the most humble circumstances, and is indebted to no regular scholarship, either in literature or arms, for the distinction which, in both of these positions, he achieved. He was essentially one of those spontaneous creations, which our noble institutions so frequently develop, and which are most honorably known among us as "self-made