CHAP. 1846. General John E. Wool, a native of New York, who had seen service in the war of 1812, and distinguished himself at Queenstown Heights, was commissioned to drill the volunteers. By the most untiring diligence he had, in the short space of six weeks, inspected and taken into the service twelve thousand men, nine thousand of whom were hurried off to reinforce General Taylor, while the remainder marched under his own command to San Antonio, in Texas, there to be in readiness to act according to circumstances. General Taylor remained three months at Matamoras, his operations restricted for want of men, but as soon as reinforcements reached him, he prepared to advance into the country, in accordance with orders received from Washington. He sent in advance General William J. Worth, with the first division toward Monterey, the capital city of New Leon. Worth took his first lessons in warfare in 1812. From love of military life, when a mere youth he enlisted as a common soldier, but his ready talents attracted the attention of Colonel, now General Scott, and from that day his promotion began. A fortAug. night later, leaving General Twiggs in command at Matamoras, Taylor himself moved with the main division,more than six thousand men,-and the entire army encamped within three miles of the doomed city. 20. Sept. 9. Monterey was an old city built by the Spaniards nearly three centuries ago. In a fertile valley, hedged in by high mountains, it could be approached only in two directions; from the north-east toward Matamoras, and from the west by a road, which passed through a rocky gorge, toward Saltillo. The city, nearly two miles in length by one in breadth, had three large plazas or squares; the houses, built in the old Spanish style, were one story high, with strong walls of masonry rising three or four MONTEREY AND ITS FORTIFICATIONS. 707 LI. feet above their flat roofs. The city itself was fortified by CHAP. massive walls, and on its ramparts were forty-two pieces of heavy artillery, while from the mountain tops, north of 1846. the town, the Americans could see that the flat roofs of the stone houses were converted into places of defence, and bristled with musketry, and that the streets were rendered impassable by numerous barricades. On the one side, on a hill, stood the Bishop's Palace, a massive stone building, strongly fortified, on the other were redoubts well manned, in the rear was the river San Juan, south of which towered abrupt mountains. Such was the appearance and strength of Monterey, garrisoned as it was by ten thousand troops, nearly all regulars, under the command of General Ampudia. It was now to be assailed by an army of less than seven thousand men. Ten days elapsed before the vicinity of the town could be thoroughly reconnoitred. In the afternoon, General Worth was ordered, with six hundred and fifty men, to find his way around the hill occupied by the Bishop's Palace, gain the Saltillo road, and carry the works in that direction, while a diversion would be made against the centre and left of the town, by batteries erected during the night. The impetuous Worth, by great exertions, accomplished his purpose, by opening a new road over the mountains. In one instance he came to a small stream in a deep gully, the bridge over which had been broken down. A neighboring field furnished the material ; his men soon filled the chasm, and passed over on a cornstalk-bridge. Sept. 19. The next morning the batteries erected the night before opened upon the enemy, who replied with a hearty good will. At length, after hard fighting, one of the Mexican works of great strength, situated in the lower part of the town, was captured. The brigade under General Sept. Quitman, of the Mississippi Volunteers, "carried the work 20. LI. CHAP in handsome style, as well as the strong building in its rear." General Butler had also entered the town on the 1846. right; both of these positions were maintained. 23. While these operations were in progress, General Worth succeeded in gaining the Saltillo road, and thus cut off the enemy's communication with the west. He carried, in succession, the heights south of the river and road, and immediately turned the guns upon the Bishop's Palace. During the night, the Mexicans evacuated their works in the lower town; but the next day they kept up a vig orous fire from the Citadel. The following morning at dawn of day, in the midst of a fog and drizzling rain, Worth stormed the crest overlooking the Bishop's Palace, Sept. and at noon, the Palace itself fell into the hands of the Americans. Yet the city, with its fortified houses, was far from being taken. Our troops advanced from house to house, and from square to square, until they reached a street but one square in the rear of the principal plaza, in and near which the enemy's force was mostly concentrated." The Americans obtained the plaza, then forced the houses on either side, and, by means of crowbars, tore down the walls, ascended to the roofs, then drew up one or two field-pieces, and drove the enemy from point to point till the city capitulated. The carnage was terrible. The shouts of the combatants, mingled with the wail of suffering women and children, presented a scene so heart-rending that even the demon of war might be supposed to turn from it in horror. The Mexicans had effectually barricaded their streets, but these were almost undisturbed, while the invaders. burrowed from house to house. The conflict continued for almost four days, in which the Mexicans fought desperately from behind their barricades on the house 'Gen. Taylor's Report. CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. 709 tops, where they did not hesitate to meet the invaders of CHAP their hearthstones hand to hand. The following morning Ampudia surrendered the town and garrison. The Mexican soldiers were permitted to march out with the honors of war. General Taylor was assured that those in authority at the city of Mexico were desirous of peace. In consequence of these representations, and also of his want of provisions, he agreed to a cessation of hostilities for eight weeks, if his government should sanction the measure. He now left General Worth in command of the city, and retired with the main force of the army to Walnut Springs, about three miles distant, and there encamped. LI. 1846. Sept. 24. LII. CHAPTER LII. POLK'S ADMINISTRATION-CONTINUED. The President hopes for Peace.-Santa Anna.-Hostilities to be renewed.- CHAP. THOSE in power at Washington had hoped, indeed, it was confidently predicted, that the war would be ended within 1846. "ninety" or "one hundred and twenty days" from its commencement, and a peace concluded, that "should give indemnity for the past and security for the future." These desirable ends were to be attained by treaty, through the means of that incomparable patriot, Santa Anna, then an exile in Havana, who promised, for a certain consideration, if restored to authority in Mexico, to exert his influence in favor of peace. A secret messenger from Washington had made to the "illustrious exile" overtures to this effect, about the time that General Taylor was ordered to the Rio Grande; the special act which led to hostilities.' In his next annual message the President gives some Dec. information on this subject. "Santa Anna," said that document, "had expressed his regret that he had subverted the Federal Constitution of his country," and "that he 'Benton's "Thirty Years' View," Vol. ii. pp. 561 and 681-2. |