THE LEFT WING.

of the church, as signals of surrender.

371

General Rincon,

the commanding officer, and a large number of other officers and soldiers, among whom was a battalion, mostly foreigners, composed of deserters from the American army, were made prisoners. General Scott, who had been wounded by a grape shot, arrived at the church soon after the surrender, and was greeted with deafening cheers by his brave troops.

On the extreme left, the brigades of General Shields and Pierce had sustained themselves manfully. Fainting from pain and exhaustion, General Pierce was borne from the field. The 9th infantry under Colonel Ransom, the 12th under Captain Wood-Lieutenant Colonel Bonham having been wounded in the morningand the 15th under Colonel Morgan, advanced against the enemy with the steadiness of veterans. Colonel Morgan was severely wounded, and transferred the command of his regiment to Lieutenant Colonel Howard. Colonel Butler, of the South Carolina volunteers, fell dead in the thickest of the fight, and Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson also receiving a mortal wound, Major Gladden assumed the command. Colonel Burnett was likewise dreadfully wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Baxter took charge of the New York regiment. It was a noble sight to witness the strife between the Palmettos and the New Yorkers. Side by side, and shoulder to shoulder, they moved against the enemy, each striving to be foremost in the encounter. were the colors of the New York regiment shot down, but they were snatched again by some brave spirit, ready to peril all in their defence. Both regiments lost more than one-third of their number in this fearful struggle, and the clothing of the survivors was literally riddled by the bullets. At length, the fire of the Amer

Twice

372

COMPLETE DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY.

ican muskets, and the howitzer battery actively served by Lieutenant Reno, aided by the panic communicated by the troops giving way in front, and followed by a charge with the bayonet, caused the enemy's infantry to falter, and with their supports of cavalry, to retreat towards the capital. General Shields instantly fol lowed, and succeeded in taking a number of prisoners. Major Sumner had been ordered to support the left wing, understood to be hardly pressed, with the rifles, previously held in reserve, and a troop of the 2nd dragoons under Captain Sibley, but he did not come up until 'the contest was over.

The Mexicans no longer made serious resistance The causeway was covered with the masses of the retreating troops; and General Shields, with his command, meeting the forces of Generals Worth and Pillow in the road, joined them in the pursuit. At the special request of Colonel Harney, the way was cleared, and he was permitted to follow the enemy with a part of his brigade, up to the gate of San Antonio, interchanging sabre-cuts with the Mexican lancers, and cutting down all who refused to surrender. The recall was sounded when the battery at the garita opened on the pursuing force; but Captain Kearny, of the 1st dragoons, who headed the charge with his troop, and that of Captain McReynolds of the 3rd, persisted in remaining untu Major Mills, of the 15th infantry, who accompanied him, was killed, and most of the officers of the squadron, himself among the number, were badly wounded.

The trophies of this memorable day, which had witnessed such a series of brilliant triumphs, including the captures at Contreras, were thirty-seven pieces of siege and field ordnance; large numbers of small arms, standards, pack .ules and horses; and vast quantities of

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shot, shells, and ammunition. The enemy lost 4,000 men in killed and wounded, and there were 205 officers and 2,432 rank and file, taken prisoners. Among the captured officers were Generals Garey, Anaya, Salas, Mendoza, Blanco, Garcia, Arellano, and Rincon. The first two being members of the Mexican Congress, were unconditionally released, by order of General Scott.* Generals Frontera and Mexia were killed.

The American loss, though much less in proportion, was still very severe. There were 137 killed, embracing some of the bravest and most estimable officers, 879 wounded, and 40 missing.†

At sunset the battle was ended. Taking advantage of the panic that prevailed, General Scott might, perhaps, have immediately forced his way into the capital. He had but 8,000 effective men, most of whom had been fasting, and fighting with the elements and the enemy, for the last thirty-six hours; and the enterprise was too hazardous to be undertaken. The powers of endurance of his men might have sustained them. still further; but had they proved unequal to the task, the morning sun would have smiled on their folly and lisgrace.

* Report of Lieutenant Colonel Hitchcock, acting Inspector General, August 25th, 1847.

† Nineteen American officers were killed, or mortally wounded, durng the operations of the 18th, 19th, and 20th of August, viz:-Captain Thornton, 2nd dragroons; Captains Capron and M. T. Burke, and Lieutenants Hoffman, Irons, and Johnstone, 1st artillery; Captain J. W. Anderson and Lieutenant Easly, 2nd infantry; Lieutenant Bacon, 6th infantry; Captain Hanson, 7th infantry; Major Mills, Captain Quarles, and Lieutenants Goodman and Goodloe, 15th infantry; Lieutenant Chandler, New York Volunteers; and Colonel Butler, Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson, and Lieutenants Adams and Williams, of the South Carolina volunteers.

CHAPTER XIII.

EL MOLINO DEL REY.

The Armistice-Fruitless attempt at Negotiation-Bad faith of the Mexican authorities-Political dissensions-Violation and Rupture 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.

WITH a victorious enemy knocking at the gates of the Capital, and the booming thunder of their artillery echoing through the valley, the Mexican government and people had cause for alarm and apprehension. Their last stronghold was at the mercy of the conqueror. They had been steadily driven from one defence to another, and the final overwhelming defeat at Contreras and Churubusco, filled the city with consternation. In this season of tribulation there was no lack of counsellors. Some, mindful of the heroism displayed by their gallant kinsmen at Saragossa, exhorted their countrymen to convert every house into a fortification, and, if summoned to surrender, to return, as their only answer, "War, to the knife!" Others appealed to the memories of Iturbide, Hidalgo, and Morelos, the heroes of Mexican Independence, and entreated their descendants to imitate their bravery and daring.

The enemies of Santa Anna attributed the disasters which had befallen the armies of the republic, to his incompetency as a commander; but this was no time for unavailing complaints. The peril was imminent,-the crisis immediate. There was but one alternative :

EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY.

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ney must either abandon the indefensible position which they had hitherto occupied,—that of refusing to hear any proposition from the American government,or prepare to meet her soldiers, foot to foot, for a last struggle, like the dauntless Guatemozin and his brave Aztecs, at their own firesides.

Santa Anna and his ministers instantly decided upon procuring a cessation of hostilities,-not so much with the hope of concluding a peace, unless it would leave him firmly seated in power, as for the purpose of gaining time to revive the spirits of his soldiers, and to strengthen the defences of the city. At his instigation, the British Consul, with other foreign residents, visited General Scott, on the night of the 20th of August, while the smoke of the conflict still lingered over the battle field, and admonished him not to be too precipitate, lest a spirit of national desperation should be aroused, and the war unnecessarily protracted. They also represented, that the Mexican President was disposed to enter into negotiations, but that the influence of his enemies was so great, and the popular prejudices were such, that he was unable to make the first advances. Remembering that his mission was to conquer, not the country, but a fair and honorable peace, General Scott had already determined to give the enemy time for reflection, and to sacrifice to patriotism, "the eclat that would have followed an entrance, sword in hand, into a great capital."* Though nothing definite was decided on at this interview, his visitors parted from him with the assurance, that he would do nothing derogatory to the character he had exhibited throughout the campaign, that of a magnanimous victor.

* Official report of General Scott to the Secretary of War, August 28th, 1847.