55

executive to make treaties, and that its functions were limited to the approval or disapproval of them. Santa Anna's position was embarrassing, and he referred the matter to a council of general officers, who, equally afraid of consequences, avoided more direct advice than by expressing the opinion that another opportunity should be afforded Mexico of gaining a victory before proposals of peace should be entertained. Santa Anna adopted a course which presented to him a twofold result-success in negotiation, or a delay in the advance of the enemy which would be favorable to his own defensive preparations." He privately intimated to the American headquarters that if $1,000,000 were placed at his disposal, to be paid at the conclusion of peace, and $10,000 paid down, he would appoint commissioners. In the conferences which were held at Puebla on this proposition Scott advocated its acceptance. The question, however, whether the United States government would consent to have recourse to the payment of the million as a bribe was a difficult one, and long discussed. Pillow was admitted into council, and raised objections, but finally yielded to Scott's arguments. Santa Anna was accordingly apprised in cipher that his proposition was accepted, and the $10,000 were disbursed from the secret-service money at Scott's disposal. When matters had gone thus far Santa Anna intimated that to enable him, in view of the existing feelings at the capital, to appoint the commissioners for Mexico, it would be necessary for the American army to advance, and threaten the city by carrying one of the Mexican outworks. Whether Scott had full confidence in Santa Anna's promises or not, he did not for one moment relax his preparations. Pierce had arrived at Vera Cruz, and Scott, according to his previous plans, was waiting for his division to come up, which would enable him to advance with

55 Roa Bárcena considers that Santa Anna's only c'ject in the proceeding, to be narrated was simply to gain time. Recuerdos, 286-7.

his full strength. Pierce left Vera Cruz on the 19th of July, and by the end of the month the American general proceeded to put in operation a new movement.56

56 These negotiations with Santa Anna appear to have terminated with the advance of the American army. Ripley enters fully into this curious piece of diplomacy, which fully illustrates Santa Anna's cunning. War with Mex., ii. 148-70.

CHAPTER XVIII.

INVASION OF THE VALLEY OF MEXICO.

AUGUST, 1847.

SCOTT ADVANCES-MUSTERing of the MEXICANS-DEFENCES OF THE CAPITAL-THE CHALCO ROUTE-A FLANK MOVEMENT-VALENCIA'S INSUBORDINATION HIS AMBITIOUS DESIGNS-THE BATTLE OF PADIERNA BEGINS -SANTA ANNA'S INACTION-THE MORNING SURPRISE-EFFECT of VaLENCIA'S DEFEAT-BRAVO OUTFLANKED FORTIFICATIONS OF CHURUBUSCO -ANTIQUATED TACTICS-CANNONADING THE CONVENT-CRITICAL POSITION OF SHIELDS THE TÊTE DE PONT-GALLANTRY OF RINCON AND ANAYA-SANTA ANNA RETREATS WITHIN THE GATES-PERIL OF THE

CITY.

THE arrival of General Pierce with reënforcements1 enabled Scott to begin the long-meditated march upon the capital. The rarefied air of the table-land affected the men severely, and combined with climatic fevers, dysentery, and other causes to swell the sick-list at Puebla. The care of these as well as the city itself devolved upon Colonel Childs, with a few hundred men. This deduction made, left at the disposal of Scott about 11,200 men, with which force he set out from Puebla between the 7th and 10th of August, en echelon, leaving one short day's march between each of the four divisions, under Worth, Twiggs, Pillow, and Quitman, respectively.‘

1 Of 2,429 men, with which he had left Vera Cruz July 19, 1847.

His report in U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 30, Ses. 1, Sen. Ex. 1, p. 471. Nearly 700 of the sick died.

Not counting train-men and Mexican and army followers, Scott asserts that he left with only 10,738 rank and file. Id., 384. The Mexican version of Roa Bárcena enumerates 40 pieces of artillery, 700 wagons and 500 laden mules. Recuerdos, 299. Gamboa, Impug., 49, assumes over 6,000 horses and mules, and 1,100 wagons. Desertion assisted to reduce the force somewhat, as Mansfield, Mex. War, 223, points out.

Twiggs left on the first day, preceded by Harney's cavalry brigade. His

ADVANCE ON THE CAPITAL.

469

Scott had naturally expected to meet with opposition in crossing the range into the valley of Mexico, for here a very effective resistance could have been made with a small force; and he was not a little elated as he saw further evidence of the enemy's neglect. The route followed was along the less elevated Rio Frio, north of the hoary-headed sentinels, Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl, at whose feet was verdure bright with flowers of a never-ending summer. With emotions not unlike to those that stirred the first intruding Spaniards three centuries before, the soldiers yielded themselves to the entrancing view from the summit of the pass. The contrast with the bleak ridges around lent to it the glamour of a terrestrial paradise, and, with senses quickened in the aroma-laden air, their eyes lingered on the winding lakes with azure skies reflected, on undulating fields and meadows bright with blossoms, on villages nestling in gleaming whiteness midst shady groves, and beyond on the checkered domes and fretted turrets of the foremost capital upon the continent.

With far different feelings the Mexicans beheld the advance in its tortuous march along the slopes of volcanoes, extinct or slumbering within, but girdled without by a death-bearing cestus, marked by a broken gleam of bayonets, by the white-covered wagons and fluttering pennons. Many a patriot's heart beat high with indignation at the sight of the invaders, while others felt a creeping fear akin to that of the spectators of yore at the winding march of pagan processions round the temple pyramids, from whose summits were to rise the agony shrieks of human victims and the fumes of blood.

With his usual evanescent energy Santa Anna had bestirred himself to meet the threatening danger, by

two brigades were commanded by Gen. Persifer Smith and Col. Riley; those of Worth by cols Garland and Clarke; Pillow's by gens Cadwalader and Pierce; Quitman's volunteers were mostly under Gen. Shields. Scott's Repts, 31; Sonorense, Sept. 17, 1847.