LIV.

CHAP. much harsh feeling and retarded the advancement of the cause. At length explanations in relation to the com1847. missioner of peace came to the general from the authori ties at Washington. The Secretary of State severely censured Mr. Trist "for his presuming to command the General-in-Chief."

Santa Anna fled from Cerro Gordo to Orizaba, where he remained some time to organize bands of guerillas to harass the American trains, which would be on their way from Vera Cruz. Afterward he returned to Mexico to find his popularity on the wane. For a time the Mexicans were paralyzed with consternation. Their army on which they had depended so much had been totally routed at Cerro Gordo. The invincible enemy was pressing on; not a barrier intervened between them and the capital. The city was filled with factions; the national councils were divided; ambitious men forgot their patriotism in their desire for self-aggrandizement. The treasury was

Yet in the face

bankrupt, its only resource forced loans.
of all these difficulties, Santa Anna did succeed in raising
an army of twenty-five thousand men with sixty pieces of
artillery, and in having the city fortified. After all be
was the best commander the nation could afford, and the
soldiers once more put themselves under his direction, to
repel the invaders of their country and their sacred homes.
They did not flock to his standard from a prestige of vic
tory, for even when his boasts were still ringing in their
ears, he had been ignominiously defeated; nor were they
induced by the confidence reposed in the integrity of a
great and good man, to whom, as if to a superior being,
the multitude turn in times of great peril; but from sheer
necessity.

Santa Anna understood the Mexican character. By intrigue and the exercise of a vigorous arm, he seized property, and imprisoned or banished his opponents; by pre

PROCLAMATION TO THE MEXICAN PEOPLE.

755

LIV.

tending to be desirous of peace he gained time, and dis- CHAP. honestly entered upon negotiations; offered himself to be bribed, and was accepted. His plans were cunningly de- 1847. vised if they succeeded, the glory would all redound to his name; if they failed, the censure could be thrown upon others.

Thus he employed the three months that General Scott was forced to wait for the arrival of reinforcements. Had the volunteers consented to remain in the service six months longer, in all probability the capture of Mexico and a treaty of peace would have ended the campaign, and the blood spared which was shed in such profusion in the subsequent conflicts.

20.

When at Jalapa General Scott issued a proclamation April to the people of Mexico. This manifesto, in its tone and spirit, was well adapted to the state of affairs of the country, in showing that the true policy of the Mexican people was to conclude a treaty on the liberal terms offered by the government of the United States. The proclamation was issued at the instance of several Mexican gentlemen of influence, one of whom composed it in original Spanish, as it was dictated by the general. It was well received by the people in the country; but Santa Anna captured a courier, who was bearing copies of it to the capital. He at once discovered by the style that it was not a translation, and he proclaimed with his usual virtuous indignation, that it was the production of some Mexican traitor, and thus neutralized its effects on the people of the city.

At this time, he had by secret agents intimated to Mr. Trist that he was desirous of peace, and plainly that money would be still more acceptable: if a million of dollars were placed at his disposal something might be done. That this proposition might be considered, a reconciliation took place between the general and the com

June

25.

LIV.

CHAP. missioner; as neither could well act without the other General Pillow, who had just arrived at Puebla, was also 1847. admitted to these conferences. He was a particular friend of the President, and, owing to the "informal and confidential request" sent from Washington, this participation was granted. Communications were continued with Santa Anna, but with no more important result than that the latter received ten thousand dollars of the secret service money at the disposal of General Scott.

As might have been anticipated, it was soon seen that Santa Anna's only object was to obtain money and gain time, and General Scott made preparations to advance upon the city as soon as the reinforcements under Brigadier-General Franklin Pierce would arrive from Vera Cruz. Meantime, the way to the city had been thoroughly reconnoitred, and General Worth sent forward with the first division. The whole army consisted of not more than ten thousand men, as great numbers had been left in the hospitals at Perote.

The region through which they marched was a high table land beautiful in the extreme, well watered, interspersed with valleys and mountains, whose slopes were covered with the richest verdure, while in the distance their snow-capped summits glittered in the bright sunshine of August. Almost from the same spot where more than three hundred years before Cortez and his followers viewed the distant temples of the city of Montezuma, the Americans hailed with cheers the city of Mexico.

The passes on the direct route had been well fortified, and were well garrisoned in the confident expectation that their positions could not be turned. The strongest of these was El Penon, to capture which the American engineers stated would require the loss of three thousand lives. General Scott was proverbially careful of the lives of his soldiers; the sacrifice must be avoided. The vicinity of the city was reconnoitred in the most daring manner;

EL PENON TURNED-BATTLE OF CONTRERAS.

757

LIV.

and it was discovered that the defences south and west CHAP were not so strongly fortified.

17.

The general diverted his course to the left and turned 1847. El Penon on the south side, and under the direction of skilful engineers crossed chasms and ravines deemed impassable, and therefore but imperfectly guarded. General Twiggs led the advance, and encamped at Chalco on the lake of the same name. Worth followed, took the lead, and with his division halted at the town of San Augus- Ang. tin, about eight miles from the city. In his front was the strong fortress of San Antonio, now the head-quarters of Santa Anna, who left El Penon, when he found that the Americans were on their march round to the south side of the city. North-west of San Antonio and four miles from the city was the village of Churubusco, rendered strong by a series of intrenchments. Not far to the west of the village of San Augustin was the fortified camp of Contreras, which contained six thousand men ; in the rear between the camp and the city were placed twelve thousand men in reserve. The whole number of Mexicans in these various defences was about thirty-five thousand, with nearly one hundred pieces of artillery of various sizes.

General Persifer F. Smith proposed to attack the camp at Contreras, which was under the command of General Valencia. The night had been one of cold rain and storm and intense darkness, except when enlivened by the fitful glare of the lightning. At three o'clock in the morning, the expedition set out; the soldiers, lest they should become separated on the march, were directed to take hold of each other-at sunrise the conflict commenced. The Mexicans were but partially surprised, still the impetuous attack effectually routed them; three thousand of their number were made prisoners, eighty officers and thirty-five pieces of artillery. Among the latter were two pieces taken at Buena Vista, now recap

Aug.

19.

CHAP. tured by a portion of the regiment to which they originally LIV. belonged. Thus commenced this eventful day-severer

1847. conflicts were yet to come.

Generals Shields and Pierce had, during the night, thrown their divisions between Santa Anna and Contreras, The fugitives from the latter place had fled to Churubusco, and there fresh troops had also arrived from the city; it seemed from the preparations, that here a desperate defence was to be made.

A convent, a very strong stone building, was well fortified and pierced for muskets and cannon, also the head of the bridge over the river was well defended.

In an hour or two General Scott arrived; as he rode along through the army he was received with hearty cheers. The morning's success had filled the soldiers with enthusiasm, and they hoped on that day to end the war.

Santa Anna himself was busily engaged in arranging his men beyond the Churubusco River-whose banks were lined with the maguey plant, which shielded nearly all his force from view.

The rain of the previous night had flooded the lowlands in the vicinity; the fortifications were masked by trees and fields of corn; the latter flooded, and every part well known to the enemy, whose guns were so ar ranged as to sweep them perfectly. When the Americans commenced the attack, their officers, in the face of these batteries, would advance and reconnoitre the ground, then the men would march up to that point, the officers would again advance, and the same process be repeated. During this time the cannon balls from the unseen enemy came crashing through the corn, the men and officers fell rapidly, yet as if impelled by some all powerful influence, they moved steadily on until the works of Churubusco were in their hands.

General Scott sent round to the other side a division under General Pillow; they waded through the mud and