Chapter XX: Section 4: And be it further resolved, That the President of (3)

His second brigade (Colonel Clarke's) conducted by Captain Mason,
Engineer, assisted by Lieutenant Hardcastle, Topographical
Engineer, turned to the left, and by a wide sweep came out upon
the high road to the capital. At this point the heavy garrison
(three thousand men) in retreat was, by Clarke, cut in the
centre: one portion, the rear, driven upon Dolores, off to the
right, and the other upon Churubusco, in the direct line of our
operations. The first brigade (Colonel Garland's), same division,
consisting of the 2d Artillery, under Major Gait, the 3d
Artillery, under Lieutenant-Colonel Belton, and the 4th Infantry,
commanded by Major F. Lee, with Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan's field
battery (temporarily) followed in pursuit through the town,
taking one general prisoner, the abandoned guns (five pieces),
much ammunition and other public property.

The forcing of San Antonio was the _second_ brilliant event of
the day. Worth's division being soon reunited in hot pursuit, he
was joined by Major-General Pillow, who, marching from Coyoacan
and discovering that San Antonio had been carried, immediately
turned to the left according to my instructions, and, though much
impeded by ditches and swamps, hastened to the attack of
Churubusco.

The hamlet or scattered houses bearing this name, presented
besides the fortified convent, a strong field-work
(_tête-de-pont_) with regular bastions and curtains, at the head
of a bridge over which the road passes from San Antonio to the
capital.

The whole remaining forces of Mexico, some twenty-seven thousand
men, cavalry, artillery and infantry, collected from every
quarter, were now in, on the flanks, or within supporting
distance of those works, and seemed resolved to make a last and
desperate stand; for if beaten here, the feebler defences at the
gates of the city, four miles off, could not, as was well known
to both parties, delay the victors an hour. The capital of an
ancient empire, now of a great republic, or an early peace, the
assailants were resolved to win. Not an American, and we were
less than a third of the enemy's numbers, had a doubt as to the
result.

The fortified church or convent, hotly pressed by Twiggs, (p. 319)
had already held out about an hour, when Worth and Pillow,
the latter having with him Cadwallader's brigade, began
to manoeuvre closely upon the _tête-de-pont_, with the convent
at half gunshot to their left. Garland's brigade (Worth's
division), to which had been added the light battalion under
Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Smith, continued to advance in front and
under the fire of a long line of infantry off on the left of the
bridge; and Clarke, of the same division, directed his brigade
along the road or close by its side. Two of Pillow's and
Cadwallader's regiments, the 11th and 14th, supported and
participated in this direct movement; the other (the Voltigeurs)
was left in reserve. Most of these corps, particularly Clarke's
brigade, advancing perpendicularly, were made to suffer much by
the fire of the _tête-de-pont_, and they would have suffered
greatly more by flank attacks from the convent, but for the
pressure of Twiggs on the other side of that work.

This well-combined and daring movement at length reached the
principal point of attack, and the formidable _tête-de-pont_ was
at once assaulted and carried by the bayonet. Its deep wet ditch
was first gallantly crossed by the 8th and 5th Infantry,
commanded respectively by Major Waite and Lieutenant-Colonel
Martin Scott, followed closely by the 6th Infantry (same
brigade), which had been so much exposed on the road, the 11th
regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Graham, and the 14th,
commanded by Colonel Trousdale, both of Cadwallader's brigade,
Pillow's division. About the same time the enemy in front of
Garland, after a hot conflict of an hour and a half, gave way in
a retreat toward the capital.

The immediate result of this _third_ signal triumph of the day
were three field pieces, one hundred and ninety-two prisoners,
much ammunition, and two colors taken at the _tête-de-pont_.

Lieutenant I. F. Irons, 1st Artillery, aid-de-camp to
Brigadier-General Cadwallader, a young officer of great merit and
conspicuous in battle on several previous occasions, received in
front of the work a mortal wound. (Since dead.)

As the concurrent attack upon the convent favored physically and
morally the assault upon the _tête-de-pont_, so reciprocally, no
doubt, the fall of the latter contributed to the capture of the
former. The two works were only some four hundred and fifty yards
apart; and as soon as we were in possession of the
_tête-de-pont_, a captured four-pounder was turned and fired,
first by Captain Larkin Smith, and next by Lieutenant Snelling,
both of the 8th Infantry, several times upon the convent. In the
same brief interval, Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan (also of Worth's
division) gallantly brought two of his guns to bear at a short
range from the San Antonio road, upon the principal face of the
work and on the tower of the church, which in the obstinate
contest, had been often refilled with some of the best
sharpshooters of the enemy.

Finally, twenty minutes after the _tête-de-pont_ had been carried
by Worth and Pillow, and at the end of a desperate conflict of
two hours and a half, the church or convent, the citadel of the
strong line of defence along the rivulet of Churubusco, yielded
to Twiggs' division, and threw out on all sides signals of
surrender. The white flags, however, were not exhibited until the
moment when the 3d Infantry, under Captain Alexander, had cleared
the way by fire and bayonet, and had entered the work. Captain I.
M. Smith and Lieutenant O. L. Shepherd, both of that regiment,
with their companies, had the glory of leading the assault. (p. 320)
The former received the surrender, and Captain Alexander
instantly hung out from the balcony the colors of the gallant 3d.
Major Dimick, with a part of the 1st Artillery, serving as
infantry, entered nearly abreast with the leading troops.

Captain Taylor's field battery, attached to Twiggs' division,
opened its effective fire at an early moment upon the outworks of
the convent and the tower of its church. Exposed to the severest
fire of the enemy, the captain, his officers and men, won
universal admiration; but at length, much disabled in men and
horses, the battery was by superior orders withdrawn from the
action thirty minutes before the surrender of the convent.

Those corps, excepting Taylor's battery, belonged to the brigade
of Brigadier-General P. F. Smith, who closely directed the whole
attack with his habitual coolness and ability: while Riley's
brigade, the 2d and 7th Infantry, under Captain T. Morris and
Lieutenant-Colonel Plympton respectively, vigorously engaged the
right of the work and part of its rear. At the moment the Rifles,
belonging to Smith's, were detached in support of
Brigadier-General Shields on our extreme left, and the 4th
Artillery, acting as infantry, under Major Gardner, belonging to
Riley's brigade, had been left in charge of the camp, trophies,
etc., at Contreras. Twiggs' division at Churubusco had thus been
deprived of the services of two of its most gallant and effective
regiments.

The immediate results of this victory were: the capture of seven
field pieces, some ammunition, one color, three generals, and one
thousand two hundred and sixty-one prisoners, including other
officers.

Captains E. A. Capron and M. J. Burke, and Lieutenant G. Hoffman,
all of the 1st Artillery, and Captain J. W. Anderson and
Lieutenant Thomas Easley, both of the 2d Infantry, five officers
of great merit, fell gallantly before this work.

The capture of the enemy's citadel was the _fourth_ great
achievement of our arms in the same day.

It has been stated that some two hours and a half before,
Pierce's, followed closely by the volunteer brigade, both under
the command of Brigadier-General Shields, had been dispatched to
our left to turn the enemy's works; to prevent the escape of the
garrisons and to oppose the extention of the enemy's numerous
corps from the rear upon and around our left.

Considering the inferior numbers of the two brigades, the objects
of the movement were difficult to accomplish. Hence the
re-enforcement (the Rifles, etc.,) sent forward a little later.

In a winding march of a mile around to the right, this temporary
division found itself on the edge of an open wet meadow, near the
road from San Antonio to the capital, and in the presence of some
four thousand of the enemy's infantry, a little in rear of
Churubusco, on that road. Establishing the right at a strong
building, Shields extended his left parallel to the road, to
outflank the enemy toward the capital. But the enemy extending
his right, supported by three thousand cavalry, more rapidly
(being favored by better ground) in the same direction, Shields
concentrated the division about a hamlet and determined to attack
in front. The battle was long, hot and varied; but, ultimately,
success crowned the zeal and gallantry of our troops, ably (p. 321)
directed by their distinguished commander, Brigadier-General
Shields. The 9th, 12th and 15th regiments, under Colonel Ransom,
Captain Wood, and Colonel Morgan respectively, of Pierce's
brigade (Pillow's division), and the New York and South Carolina
Volunteers, under Colonels Burnett and Butler respectively, of
Shields' own brigade (Quitman's division), together with the
mountain howitzer battery, now under Lieutenant Reno of the
Ordnance Corps, all shared in the glory of this action, our
_fifth_ victory in the same day.

Brigadier-General Pierce, from the hurt of the evening before,
under pain and exhaustion, fainted in the action. Several other
changes in command occurred on this field. Thus Colonel Morgan
being severely wounded, the command of the 15th Infantry devolved
on Lieutenant-Colonel Howard; Colonel Burnett receiving a like
wound, the command of the New York Volunteers fell to
Lieutenant-Colonel Baxter; and, on the fall of the lamented
Colonel P. M. Butler, earlier badly wounded, but continuing to
lead nobly in the hottest of the battle, the command of the South
Carolina Volunteers devolved, first, on Lieutenant-Colonel
Dickenson, who being severely wounded (as before in the siege of
Vera Cruz), the regiment ultimately fell under the orders of
Major Gladden.

Lieutenants David Adams and W. R. Williams of the same corps;
Captain Augustus Quarks and Lieutenant J. B. Goodman of the 15th,
and Lieutenant E. Chandler, New York Volunteers, all gallant
officers, nobly fell in the same action.

Shields took three hundred and eighty prisoners, including
officers; and it cannot be doubted that the rage of the conflict
between him and the enemy, just in the rear of the _tête-de-pont_
and the convent, had some influence on the surrender of those
formidable defences.

As soon as the _tête-de-pont_ was carried, the greater part of
Worth's and Pillow's forces passed that bridge in rapid pursuit
of the flying enemy. These distinguished generals, coming up with
Brigadier-General Shields, now also victorious, the three
continued to press upon the fugitives to within a mile and a half
of the capital. Here, Colonel Harney, with a small part of his
brigade of cavalry, rapidly passed to the front, and charged the
enemy up to the nearest gate.

The cavalry charge was headed by Captain Kearny, of the 1st
Dragoons, having in squadron with his own troop, that of Captain
M'Reynolds of the 3d making the usual escort to general
headquarters; but, being early in the day detached for general
service, was now under Colonel Hamey's orders. The gallant
captain not hearing the _recall_, that had been sounded, dashed
up to the San Antonio gate, sabring in his way all who resisted.
Of the seven officers of the squadron, Kearny lost his left arm;
M'Reynolds and Lieutenant Lorimer Graham were both severely
wounded, and Lieutenant R. S. Ewell, who succeeded to the command
of the escort, had two horses killed under him. Major F. D. Mills
of the 15th Infantry, a volunteer in this charge, was killed at
the gate.

So terminated the series of events which I have but feebly
presented. My thanks were freely poured out on the different
fields, to the abilities and science of generals and other
officers, to the zeal and prowess of all, the rank and file
included. But a reward infinitely higher, the applause of a
grateful country and government, will, I cannot doubt, be
accorded in due time to so much merit of every sort displayed (p. 322)
by this glorious army, which has now overcome all difficulties:
distance, climate, ground, fortifications, numbers.

It has in a single day, in many battles, as often defeated
thirty-two thousand men; made about three thousand prisoners,
including eight generals (two of them ex-presidents), and two
hundred and five other officers; killed or wounded four thousand
of all ranks, besides entire corps dispersed and dissolved;
captured thirty-seven pieces of ordnance, more than trebling our
siege train and field batteries, with a large number of small
arms, a full supply of ammunition of every kind, etc. etc.

These great results have overwhelmed the enemy. Our loss amounts
to one thousand and fifty-three: _killed_, one hundred and
thirty-nine, including sixteen officers; _wounded_, eight hundred
and seventy-six, with sixty officers. The greater number of the
dead and disabled were of the highest worth. Those under
treatment, thanks to our very able medical officers, are doing
well.

I regret having been obliged, on the 20th, to leave Major-General
Quitman, an able commander, with a part of his division, the fine
2d Pennsylvania Volunteers, and the veteran detachment of United
States marines, at our important depot, San Augustin. It was
there that I had placed our sick and wounded, the siege, supply
and baggage trains. If these had been lost, the army would have
been driven almost to despair; and considering the enemy's very
great excess of numbers, and the many approaches to the depot, it
might well have become, emphatically, the post of honor.

After so many victories, we might, with but little additional
loss, have occupied the capital the same evening. But Mr. Trist,
commissioner, etc., as well as myself, had been admonished by the
best friends of peace, intelligent neutrals, and some American
residents, against precipitation, lest, by wantonly driving away
the government and others, dishonored, we might scatter the
elements of peace, excite a spirit of national desperation and
thus indefinitely postpone the hope of accommodation.

Deeply impressed with this danger, and remembering our mission,
_to conquer a peace_, the army very cheerfully sacrificed to
patriotism, to the great wish and want of our country, the
_éclat_ that would have followed an entrance, sword in hand, into
a great capital. Willing to leave something to this republic, of
no immediate value to us, on which to rest her pride, and to
recover temper, I halted our victorious corps at the gates of the
city (at least for a time), and have them now cantoned in the
neighboring villages, where they are well sheltered and supplied
with all necessaries.

On the morning of the 21st, being about to take up battering or
assaulting position, to authorize me to summon the city to
surrender, or to sign an armistice with a pledge to enter at once
into negotiations for peace, a mission came out to propose a
truce. Rejecting its terms, I dispatched my contemplated note to
President Santa Anna, omitting the summons. The 22d,
commissioners were appointed by the commanders of the two armies;
the armistice was signed the 23d, and ratifications exchanged the
24th.

All matters in dispute between the two governments have been thus
happily turned over to their plenipotentiaries, who have now had
several conferences, and with, I think, some hope of signing a
treaty of peace.

There will be transmitted to the adjutant-general reports from
divisions, brigades, etc., on the foregoing operations, to which
I must refer, with my hearty concurrence in the just applause (p. 323)
bestowed on corps and individuals by their respective commanders.
I have been able, this report being necessarily a summary, to
bring out, comparatively, but little of individual merit not
lying directly in the way of the narrative. Thus I doubt whether
I have, in express terms, given my approbation and applause to
the commanders of divisions and independent brigades; but left
their fame upon higher grounds, the simple record of their great
deeds and the brilliant results.

To the staff, both general and personal, attached to general
headquarters, I was again under high obligations for services in
the field, as always in the bureau, I add their names, etc.:
Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock, Acting Inspector General; Major J.
L. Smith, Captain R. E. Lee (as distinguished for felicitous
execution as for science and daring), Captain Mason, Lieutenants
Stevens, Beauregard, Tower, G. W. Smith, George B. McClellan, and
Foster, all of the Engineers; Major Turnbull, Captain J.
McClellan, and Lieutenant Hardcastle, Topographical Engineers;
Captain Huger and Lieutenant Hagner, of the Ordnance; Captains
Irwin and Wayne, of the Quartermaster's Department; Captain
Grayson, of the Commissariat; Surgeon-General Lawson, in his
particular department; Captain H. L. Scott, Acting
Adjutant-General; Lieutenant T. Williams, Aid-de-Camp, and
Lieutenant Lay, Military Secretary.

Lieutenant Schuyler Hamilton, another aid-de-camp, had a week
before been thrown out of activity by a severe wound received in
a successful charge of cavalry against cavalry, and four times
his numbers; but on the 20th, I had the valuable services, as
volunteer aids, of Majors Kirby and Van Buren, of the Pay
Department, always eager for activity and distinction, and of a
third, the gallant Major J. P. Gaines, of the Kentucky
Volunteers.

I have the honor to be, Sir, with high respect, your most
obedient servant,
Winfield SCOTT.

_____

_General Scott to the Secretary of War._

To the Honorable Headquarters of the Army,
William L. MARCY, Tacubaya, near Mexico,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. September 11, 1847.

Sir: I have heretofore reported that I had, August 24, concluded
an armistice with President Santa Anna, which was promptly
followed by meetings between Mr. Trist and Mexican commissioners
appointed to treat of peace.

Negotiations were actively continued with, as was understood,
some prospect of a successful result, up to the 2d instant, when
our commissioner handed in his ultimatum (on boundaries), and the
negotiators adjourned to meet again on the 6th.

Some infractions of the truce in respect to our supplies from the
city, were earlier committed, followed by apologies on the part
of the enemy. These vexations I was willing to put down to the
imbecility of the government, and waived any pointed demands of
reparation while any hope remained of a satisfactory termination
of the war. But on the 5th, and more fully on the sixth, (p. 324)
I learned that as soon as the _ultimatum_ had been considered in
a grand council of ministers and others, President Santa Anna on
the 4th or 5th, without giving me the slightest notice, actively
recommenced strengthening the military defences of the city,
in gross violation of the 3d article of the armistice.

On that information, which has since received the fullest
verification, I addressed to him my note of the 6th. His reply,
dated the same day, received the next morning, was absolutely and
notoriously false, both in recrimination and explanation. I
enclose copies of both papers, and have had no subsequent
correspondence with the enemy.

Being delayed by the terms of the armistice more than two weeks,
we had now, late on the 7th, to begin to reconnoitre the
different approaches to the city, within our reach, before I
could lay down any definitive plan of attack.

The same afternoon a large body of the enemy was discovered
hovering about the _Molinos del Rey_, within a mile and a third
of this village, where I am quartered with the general staff and
Worth's division.

It might have been supposed that an attack upon us was intended;
but knowing the great value to the enemy of those mills (_Molinos
del Rey_), containing a cannon foundry, with a large deposit of
powder in _Casa Mata_ near them, and having heard two days before
that many church bells had been sent to be cast into guns, the
movement was easily understood, and I resolved at once to drive
him early the next morning, to seize the powder, and to destroy
the foundry.

Another motive for this decision, leaving the general plan of
attack upon the city for full reconnoissance, was, that we knew
our recent captures had left the enemy not a fourth of the guns
necessary to arm, all at the same time, the strong works at each
of the eight city gates; and we could not cut the communication
between the foundry and the capital without first taking the
formidable castle on the heights of Chapultepec, which overlooked
both and stood between.

For this difficult operation we were not entirely ready, and
moreover we might altogether neglect the castle, if, as we then
hoped, our reconnoissances should prove that the distant southern
approaches to the city were more eligible than this southwestern
one.

Hence the decision promptly taken, the execution of which was
assigned to Brevet Major-General Worth, whose division was
re-enforced with Cadwallader's brigade of Pillow's division,
three squadrons of dragoons under Major Sumner, and some heavy
guns of the siege train under Captain Huger of the Ordnance, and
Captain Drum of the 4th Artillery, two officers of the highest
merit.

For the decisive and brilliant results, I beg to refer to the
report of the immediate commander, Major-General Worth, in whose
commendations of the gallant officers and men, dead and living, I
heartily concur, having witnessed, but with little indifference,
their noble devotion to fame and to country.

The enemy having several times re-enforced his line, and the
action soon becoming much more general than I had expected, I
called up, from the distance of three miles, first Major-General
Pillow, with his remaining brigade (Pierce's), and next Riley's
brigade of Twiggs' division, leaving his other brigade (Smith's)
in observation at San Angel. Those corps approached with zeal (p. 325)
and rapidity, but the battle was won just as Brigadier-General
Pierce reached the ground, and had interposed his corps between
Garland's brigade (Worth's division) and the retreating enemy.

The accompanying report mentions, with just commendation, two of
my volunteer aids: Major Kirby, Paymaster, and Major Gaines, of
the Kentucky Volunteers. I also had the valuable services, on the
same field, of several officers of my staff, general and
personal: Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock, Acting Inspector-General;
Captain R. E. Lee, Engineer; Captain Irwin, Chief Quartermaster;
Captain Grayson, Chief Commissary; Captain H. L. Scott, Acting
Adjutant-General; Lieutenant Williams, Aid-de-Camp; and
Lieutenant Lay, Military Secretary.

I have the honor to be, Sir, with high respect, your obedient
servant,
Winfield SCOTT.

_____

_General Scott to the Secretary of War._

To the Honorable Headquarters of the Army,
William L. MARCY, National Palace of Mexico,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. September 18th, 1847.

Sir: At the end of another series of arduous and brilliant
operations of more than forty-eight hours' continuance, this
glorious army hoisted, on the morning of the 14th, the colors of
the United States on the walls of this palace.

The victory of the 8th, at the Molinos del Rey, was followed by
daring reconnaissances on the part of our distinguished
engineers, Captain Lee, Lieutenants Beauregard, Stevens, and
Tower: Major Smith, senior, being sick, and Captain Mason, third
in rank, wounded. Their operations were directed principally to
the south, towards the gates of the Piedad, San Angel, (Nino
Perdido,) San Antonio, and the Paseo de la Viga.

This city stands on a slight swell of ground, near the centre of
an irregular basin, and is girdled with a ditch in its greater
extent, a navigable canal of great breadth and depth, very
difficult to bridge in the presence of an enemy, and serving at
once for drainage, custom-house purposes, and military defence;
leaving eight entrances or gates, over arches, each of which we
found defended by a system of strong works, that seemed to
require nothing but some men and guns to be impregnable.

Outside and within the cross-fires of those gates, we found to
the south other obstacles but little less formidable. All the
approaches near the city are over elevated causeways, cut in many
places (to oppose us), and flanked on both sides by ditches, also
of unusual dimensions. The numerous cross-roads are flanked in
like manner, having bridges at the intersections, recently
broken. The meadows thus checkered are, moreover, in many spots,
under water or marshy; for, it will be remembered, we were in the
midst of the wet season, though with less rain than usual, and we
could not wait for the fall of the neighboring lakes and the
consequent drainage of the wet grounds at the edge of the (p. 326)
city, the lowest in the whole basin.

After a close personal survey of the southern gates, covered by
Pillow's division and Riley's brigade of Twiggs', with four times
our numbers concentrated in our immediate front, I determined on
the 11th to avoid that network of obstacles, and to seek, by a
sudden diversion to the southwest and west, less unfavorable
approaches.

To economize the lives of our gallant officers and men, as well
as to ensure success, it became indispensable that this
resolution should be long masked from the enemy; and again, that
the new movement, when discovered, should be mistaken for a
feint, and the old as indicating our true and ultimate point of
attack.

Accordingly, on the spot, the 11th, I ordered Quitman's division
from Coyoacan, to join Pillow, by daylight, before the southern
gates, and then that the two major-generals, with their
divisions, should, by night, proceed (two miles) to join me at
Tacubaya, where I was quartered with Worth's division. Twiggs,
with Riley's brigade and Captain Taylor's and Steptoe's field
batteries, the latter of twelve-pounders, was left in front of
those gates to manoeuvre, to threaten, or to make false
attacks, in order to occupy and deceive the enemy. Twiggs' other
brigade (Smith's) was left at supporting distance, in the rear,
at San Angel, till the morning of the 13th, and also to support
our general depot at Miscoac. The stratagem against the south was
admirably executed throughout the 12th and down to the afternoon
of the 13th, when it was too late for the enemy to recover from
the effects of his delusion.

The first step in the new movement was to carry Chapultepec, a
natural and isolated mound of great elevation, strongly fortified
at its base, on its acclivities and heights. Besides a numerous
garrison, here was the military college of the republic, with a
large number of sub-lieutenants and other students. Those works
were within direct gun-shot of the village of Tacubaya, and,
until carried, we could not approach the city on the west without
making a circuit too wide and too hazardous.

In the course of the same night (that of the 11th) heavy
batteries, within easy ranges, were established. No. 1, on our
right, under the command of Captain Drum, 4th Artillery (relieved
late next day, for some hours, by Lieutenant Andrews, of the 3d),
and No. 2, commanded by Lieutenant Hagner, Ordnance, both
supported by Pillow's division, were commanded, the former, by
Captain Brooks and Lieutenant S. S. Anderson, 2d Artillery,
alternately, and the latter by Lieutenant Stone, Ordnance. The
batteries were traced by Captain Huger and Captain Lee, Engineer,
and constructed by them with the able assistance of the young
officers of those corps and the Artillery.

To prepare for an assault, it was foreseen that the play of the
batteries might run into the second day; but recent captures had
not only trebled our siege-pieces, but also our ammunition; and
we knew that we should greatly augment both by carrying the
place. I was, therefore, in no haste in ordering an assault
before the works were well crippled by our missiles.

The bombardment and cannonade, under the direction of Captain
Huger, were commenced early in the morning of the 12th. Before
nightfall, which necessarily stopped our batteries, we had
perceived that a good impression had been made on the castle and
its outworks, and that a large body of the enemy had remained
outside, towards the city, from an early hour to avoid our (p. 327)
fire, and to be at hand on its cessation, in order to
re-enforce the garrison against an assault. The same outside
force was discovered the next morning, after our batteries had
re-opened upon the castle, by which we again reduced its garrison
to the minimum needed for the guns.

Pillow and Quitman had been in position since early in the night
of the 11th. Major-General Worth was now ordered to hold his
division in reserve, near the foundry, to support Pillow; and
Brigadier-General Smith, of Twiggs' division, had just arrived
with his brigade from Piedad (two miles), to support Quitman.
Twiggs' guns, before the southern gates, again reminded us, as
the day before, that he, with Riley's brigade, and Taylor's and
Steptoe's batteries, was in activity, threatening the southern
gates, and there holding a great part of the Mexican army on the
defensive.

Worth's division furnished Pillow's attack with an assaulting
party of some two hundred and fifty volunteer officers and men,
under Captain McKenzie, of the 2d Artillery; and Twiggs' division
supplied a similar one, commanded by Captain Casey, 2d Infantry,
to Quitman. Each of these little columns was furnished with
scaling ladders.

The signal I had appointed for the attack was the momentary
cessation of fire on the part of our heavy batteries. About 8
o'clock in the morning of the 13th, judging that the time had
arrived by the effect of the missiles we had thrown, I sent an
aid-de-camp to Pillow, and another to Quitman, with notice that
the concerted signal was about to be given. Both columns now
advanced with an alacrity that gave assurance of prompt success.
The batteries, seizing opportunities, threw shots and shells upon
the enemy over the heads of our men, with good effect,
particularly at every attempt to re-enforce the works from
without to meet our assault.

Major-General Pillow's approach, on the west side, lay through an
open grove, filled with sharp-shooters, who were speedily
dislodged; when being up with the front of the attack, and
emerging into open space, at the foot of a rocky acclivity, that
gallant leader was struck down by an agonizing wound. The
immediate command devolved on Brigadier-General Cadwallader, in
the absence of the senior brigadier (Pierce) of the same
division, an invalid since the events of August 19. On a previous
call of Pillow, Worth had just sent him a re-enforcement, Colonel
Clarke's brigade.

The broken acclivity was still to be ascended, and a strong
redoubt, midway, to be carried, before reaching the castle on the
heights. The advance of our brave men, led by brave officers,
though necessarily slow, was unwavering, over rocks, chasms, and
mines, and under the hottest fire of cannon and musketry. The
redoubt now yielded to resistless valor, and the shouts that
followed announced to the castle the fate that impended. The
enemy were steadily driven from shelter to shelter. The retreat
allowed no time to fire a single mine, without the certainty of
blowing up friend and foe. Those who at a distance attempted to
apply matches to the long trains, were shot down by our men.
There was death below, as well as above ground. At length the
ditch and wall of the main work was reached; the scaling ladders
were brought up and planted by the storming parties; some of the
daring spirits first in the assault were cast down, killed or
wounded; but a lodgment was soon made; streams of heroes (p. 328)
followed; all opposition was overcome, and several of our
regimental colors flung out from the upper walls, amidst
long-continued shouts and cheers, which sent dismay into the
capital. No scene could have been more animating or glorious.

Major-General Quitman, nobly supported by Brigadier-Generals
Shields and Smith, (P. F.,) his other officers and men, was up
with the part assigned him. Simultaneously with the movement on
the west, he had gallantly approached the southeast of the same
works, over a causeway with cuts and batteries, and defended by
an army strongly posted outside, to the east of the works. Those
formidable obstacles Quitman had to face, with but little shelter
for his troops or space for manoeuvring. Deep ditches flanked
the causeway, made it difficult to cross on either side into the
adjoining meadows, and these again were intersected by other
ditches. Smith and his brigade had been early thrown out to make
a sweep to the right, in order to present a front against the
enemy's lines, (outside,) and to turn two intervening batteries
near the foot of Chapultepec. This movement was also intended to
support Quitman's storming parties, both on the causeway. The
first of these, furnished by Twiggs' division, was commanded in
succession by Captain Casey, 2d Infantry, and Captain Paul, 7th
Infantry, after Casey had been severely wounded; and the second,
originally under the gallant Major Twiggs, Marine Corps, killed,
and then Captain Miller, 2d Pennsylvania Volunteers. The storming
party, now commanded by Captain Paul, seconded by Captain
Roberts, of the Rifles, Lieutenant Stewart, and others of the
same regiment, Smith's brigade, carried the two batteries in the
road, took some guns, with many prisoners, and drove the enemy
posted behind in support. The New York and South Carolina
Volunteers (Shields' brigade) and the 2d Pennsylvania Volunteers,
all on the left of Quitman's line, together with portions of his
storming parties, crossed the meadows in front, under a heavy
fire, and entered the outer enclosure of Chapultepec just in time
to join in the final assault from the west.

Besides Major-Generals Pillow and Quitman, Brigadier-Generals
Shields, Smith, and Cadwallader, the following are the officers
and corps most distinguished in those brilliant operations: The
Voltigeur regiment in two detachments, commanded respectively by
Colonel Andrews and Lieutenant-Colonel Johnstone, the latter
mostly in the lead, accompanied by Major Caldwell; Captains
Barnard and Biddle, of the same regiment, the former the first to
plant a regimental color, and the latter among the first in the
assault; the storming party of Worth's division, under Captain
McKenzie, 2d Artillery, with Lieutenant Selden, 8th Infantry,
early on the ladder and badly wounded; Lieutenant Armistead, 6th
Infantry, the first to leap into the ditch to plant a ladder;
Lieutenants Rodgers of the 4th, and J. P. Smith of the 5th
Infantry, both mortally wounded; the 9th Infantry, under Colonel
Ransom, who was killed while gallantly leading that gallant
regiment, the 15th Infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Howard and
Major Woods, with Captain Chase, whose company gallantly carried
the redoubt, midway up the acclivity; Colonel Clarke's brigade
(Worth's division) consisting of the 5th, 8th, and part of the
6th regiments of Infantry, commanded respectively by Captain
Chapman, Major Montgomery, and Lieutenant Edward Johnson, the
latter specially noticed, with Lieutenants Longstreet (badly
wounded, advancing, colors in hand), Pickett, and Merchant, the
last three of the 8th Infantry; portions of the United States (p. 329)
marines, New York, South Carolina, and 2d Pennsylvania
Volunteers, which, delayed with their division (Quitman's) by the
hot engagement below, arrived just in time to participate in the
assault of the heights, particularly a detachment under
Lieutenant Reid, New York Volunteers, consisting of a company of
the same, with one of marines; and another detachment, a portion
of the storming party, (Twiggs' division, serving with Quitman,)
under Lieutenant Steele, 2d Infantry, after the fall of
Lieutenant Gantt, 7th Infantry.

In this connection, it is but just to recall the decisive effect
of the heavy batteries, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, commanded by those
excellent officers, Captain Drum, 4th Artillery, assisted by
Lieutenants Benjamin and Porter of his own company; Captain
Brooks and Lieutenant Anderson, 2d Artillery, assisted by
Lieutenant Russell, 4th Infantry, a volunteer; Lieutenants Hagner
and Stone of the Ordnance, and Lieutenant Andrews, 3d Artillery;
the whole superintended by Captain Huger, chief of Ordnance with
this army, an officer distinguished by every kind of merit. The
mountain howitzer battery, under Lieutenant Reno, of the
Ordnance, deserves, also, to be particularly mentioned. Attached
to the Voltigeurs, it followed the movements of that regiment,
and again won applause.

In adding to the list of individuals of conspicuous merit, I must
limit myself to a few of the many names which might be
enumerated. Captain Hooker, assistant adjutant-general, who won
special applause, successively, in the staff of Pillow and
Cadwallader; Lieutenant Lovell, 4th Artillery (wounded), chief of
Quitman's staff; Captain Page, assistant adjutant-general
(wounded), and Lieutenant Hammond, 3d Artillery, both of Shields'
staff, and Lieutenant Van Dorn (17th Infantry), aid-de-camp to
Brigadier-General Smith.

Those operations all occurred on the west, southeast, and heights
of Chapultepec. To the north and at the base of the mound,
inaccessible on that side, the 11th Infantry, under
Lieutenant-Colonel Hebert, the 14th, under Colonel Trousdale, and
Captain Magruder's field battery, 1st Artillery: one section
advanced under Lieutenant Jackson, all of Pillow's division, had,
at the same time, some spirited affairs against superior numbers,
driving the enemy from a battery in the road, and capturing a
gun. In these, the officers and corps named gained merited
praise. Colonel Trousdale, the commander, though twice wounded,
continued on duty until the heights were carried.

Early in the morning of the 13th, I repeated the orders of the
night before to Major-General Worth, to be, with his division, at
hand to support the movement of Major-General Pillow from our
left. The latter seems soon to have called for that entire
division, standing momentarily in reserve, and Worth sent him
Colonel Clarke's brigade. The call, if not unnecessary, was at
least, from the circumstances, unknown to me at the time; for,
soon observing that the very large body of the enemy, in the road
in front of Major-General Quitman's right, was receiving
re-enforcements from the city, less than a mile and a half to the
east, I sent instructions to Worth, on our opposite flank, to
turn Chapultepec with his division, and to proceed cautiously by
the road at its northern base, in order, if not met by very
superior numbers, to threaten or to attack, in rear, that body of
the enemy. The movement, it was also believed, could not fail to
distract and to intimidate the enemy generally.

Worth promptly advanced with his remaining brigade, Colonel (p. 330)
Garland's, Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Smith's light battalion,
Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan's field battery, all of his division,
and three squadrons of dragoons, under Major Sumner, which I
had just ordered up to join in the movement.

Having turned the forest on the west, and arriving opposite to
the north centre of Chapultepec, Worth came up with the troops in
the road, under Colonel Trousdale, and aided, by a flank movement
of a part of Garland's brigade, in taking the one gun breastwork,
then under the fire of Lieutenant Jackson's section of Captain
Magruder's field battery. Continuing to advance, this division
passed Chapultepec, attacking the right of the enemy's line,
resting on that road, about the moment of the general retreat
consequent upon the capture of the formidable castle and its
outworks.

Arriving some minutes later, and mounting to the top of the
castle, the whole field to the east lay plainly under my view.

There are two routes from Chapultepec to the capital, the one on
the right entering the same gate, Belen, with the road from the
south, via Piedad; and the other obliquing to the left, to
intersect the great western or San Cosmo road, in a suburb
outside of the gate of San Cosmo.

Each of these routes (an elevated causeway) presents a double
roadway on the sides of an aqueduct of strong masonry and great
height, resting on open arches and massive pillars, which
together afford fine points both for attack and defence. The
sideways of both aqueducts are, moreover, defended by many strong
breastworks at the gates, and before reaching them. As we had
expected, we found the four tracks unusually dry and solid for
the season.

Worth and Quitman were prompt in pursuing the retreating enemy,
the former by the San Cosmo aqueduct, and the latter along that
of Belen. Each had now advanced some hundred yards.

Deeming it all important to profit by our successes, and the
consequent dismay of the enemy, which could not be otherwise than
general, I hastened to dispatch from Chapultepec, first Clarke's
brigade, and then Cadwallader's, to the support of Worth, and
gave orders that the necessary heavy guns should follow. Pierce's
brigade was, at the same time, sent to Quitman, and, in the
course of the afternoon, I caused some additional siege pieces to
be added to his train. Then, after designating the 15th Infantry,
under Lieutenant-Colonel Howard (Morgan, the Colonel, had been
disabled by a wound at Churubusco), as the garrison of
Chapultepec, and giving directions for the care of the prisoners
of war, the captured ordnance and ordnance stores, I proceeded to
join the advance of Worth, within the suburb, and beyond the turn
at the junction of the aqueduct with the great highway from the
west to the gate of San Cosmo.

At this junction of roads, we first passed one of these
formidable systems of city defences, spoken of above, and it had
not a gun! a strong proof, 1. That the enemy had expected us to
fail in the attack upon Chapultepec, even if we meant anything
more than a feint; 2. That, in either case, we designed, in his
belief, to return and double our forces against the southern
gates: a delusion kept up by the active demonstration of Twiggs
and the forces posted on that side; and, 3. That advancing
rapidly from the reduction of Chapultepec, the enemy had not
time to shift guns--our previous captures had left him, (p. 331)
comparatively, but few--from the southern gates.

Within those disgarnished works, I found our troops engaged in a
street fight against the enemy posted in gardens, at windows, and
on house-tops, all flat, with parapets. Worth ordered forward the
mountain howitzers of Cadwallader's brigade, preceded by
skirmishers and pioneers with pickaxes and crowbars, to force
windows and doors, or to burrow through walls. The assailants
were soon in an equality of position fatal to the enemy. By eight
o'clock in the evening, Worth had carried two batteries in this
suburb. According to my instructions, he here posted guards and
sentinels, and placed his troops under shelter for the night.
There was but one more obstacle, the San Cosmo gate,
(custom-house,) between him and the great square in front of the
cathedral and palace, the heart of the city; and that barrier it
was known could not, by daylight, resist our siege guns thirty
minutes.

I had gone back to the foot of Chapultepec, the point from which
the two aqueducts begin to diverge, some hours earlier, in order
to be near that new depot, and in easy communication with Quitman
and Twiggs, as well as with Worth.

From this point I ordered all detachments and stragglers to their
respective corps, then in advance; sent to Quitman additional
siege guns, ammunition, intrenching tools; directed Twiggs'
remaining brigade, Riley's from Piedad, to support Worth, and
Captain Steptoe's field battery, also at Piedad, to rejoin
Quitman's division.

I had been, from the first, well aware that the western or San
Cosmo, was the less difficult route to the centre, and conquest
of the capital, and therefore intended that Quitman should only
manoeuvre and threaten the Belen or southwestern gate, in order
to favor the main attack by Worth, knowing that the strong
defences at the Belen were directly under the guns of the much
stronger fortress, called the citadel, just within. Both of these
defences of the enemy were also within easy supporting distance
from San Angel (or Nino Perdido) and San Antonio gates. Hence the
greater support, in numbers, given to Worth's movement as the
main attack.

These views I repeatedly, in the course of the day, communicated
to Major-General Quitman; but being in hot pursuit, gallant
himself, and ably supported by Brigadier-Generals Shields and
Smith, Shields badly wounded before Chapultepec, and refusing to
retire, as well as by all the officers and men of the column,
Quitman continued to press forward, under flank and direct fires,
carried an intermediate battery of two guns, and then the gate,
before two o'clock in the afternoon, but not without
proportionate loss, increased by his steady maintenance of that
position.

Here, of the heavy battery, (4th Artillery,) Captain Drum and
Lieutenant Benjamin were mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Porter,
its third in rank, slightly. The loss of those two most
distinguished officers the army will long mourn. Lieutenants J.
B. Morange and William Canty, of the South Carolina Volunteers,
also of high merit, fell on the same occasion, besides many of
our bravest non-commissioned officers and men, particularly in
Captain Drum's veteran company. I cannot, in this place, give
names or numbers; but full returns of the killed and wounded, of
all corps, in their recent operations, will accompany this
report.

Quitman within the city, adding several new defences to the
position he had won, and sheltering his corps as well as
practicable, now awaited the return of daylight under the guns of
the formidable citadel, yet to be subdued.

About 4 o'clock next morning (September 14th) a deputation (p. 332)
of the _ayuntamiento_ (city council) waited upon me to report
that the federal government and the army of Mexico had fled
from the capital some three hours before; and to demand
terms of capitulation in favor of the church, the citizens, and
the municipal authorities. I promptly replied that I would sign
no capitulation; that the city had been virtually in our
possession from the time of the lodgments effected by Worth and
Quitman the day before; that I regretted the silent escape of the
Mexican army; that I should levy upon the city a moderate
contribution, for special purposes; and that the American army
should come under no terms not self-imposed: such only as its own
honor, the dignity of the United States, and the spirit of the
age, should, in my opinion, imperiously demand and impose.

For the terms, so imposed, I refer the department to subsequent
General Orders, Nos. 287 and 289 (paragraphs 7, 8, and 9 of the
latter), copies of which are herewith enclosed.

At the termination of the interview with the city deputation, I
communicated, about daylight, orders to Worth and Quitman to
advance slowly and cautiously (to guard against treachery)
towards the heart of the city, and to occupy its stronger and
more commanding points. Quitman proceeded to the great plaza or
square, planted guards, and hoisted the colors of the United
States on the national palace, containing the halls of Congress
and executive departments of Federal Mexico. In this grateful
service Quitman might have been anticipated by Worth, but for my
express orders, halting the latter at the head of the Alameda (a
green park), within three squares of that goal of general
ambition. The capital, however, was not taken by any one or two
corps, but by the talent, the science, the gallantry, the prowess
of this entire army. In the glorious conquest all had
contributed, early and powerfully, the killed, the wounded, and
the fit for duty, at Vera Cruz, Cerro-Gordo, Contreras, San
Antonio, Churubusco, (three battles,) the Molinos del Rey, and
Chapultepec, as much as those who fought at the gates of Belen
and San Cosmo.

Soon after we had entered, and were in the act of occupying the
city, a fire was opened upon us from the flat roofs of the
houses, from windows and corners of streets, by some two thousand
convicts, liberated the night before by the flying government,
joined by perhaps as many Mexican soldiers, who had disbanded
themselves and thrown off their uniforms. This unlawful war
lasted more than twenty-four hours, in spite of the exertions of
the municipal authorities, and was not put down till we had lost
many men, including several officers, killed or wounded, and had
punished the miscreants. Their objects were to gratify national
hatred, and in the general alarm and confusion, to plunder the
wealthy inhabitants, particularly the deserted houses. But
families are now generally returning; business of every kind has
been resumed, and the city is already tranquil and cheerful,
under the admirable conduct (with exceptions very few and
trifling) of our gallant troops.

This army has been more disgusted than surprised that by some
sinister process on the part of certain individuals at home, its
numbers have been, generally, almost trebled in our public
papers, beginning at Washington.

Leaving, as we all feared, inadequate garrisons at Vera Cruz,
Perote, and Puebla, with much larger hospitals; and being
obliged, most reluctantly, from the same cause (general (p. 333)
paucity of numbers) to abandon Jalapa, we marched (August 7-10)
from Puebla with only 10,738 rank and file. This number includes
the garrison of Jalapa, and the 2,429 men brought up by
Brigadier-General Pierce, August 6.

At Contreras, Churubusco, etc. (August 20), we had but 8,497 men
engaged, after deducting the garrison of San Augustin (our
general depot), the intermediate sick and the dead; at the
Molinos del Rey (September 8), but three brigades, with some
cavalry and artillery, making in all 3,251 men, were in battle;
in the two days, September 12th and 13th, our whole operating
force, after deducting again the recent killed, wounded, and
sick, together with the garrison of Miscoac (the then general
depot) and that of Tacubaya, was but 7,180; and, finally, after
deducting the new garrison of Chapultepec, with the killed and
wounded of the two days, we took possession (September 14th) of
this great capital with less than 6,000 men. And I re-assert,
upon accumulated and unquestionable evidence, that, in not one of
those conflicts was this army opposed by fewer than three and a
half times its numbers, in several of them, by a yet greater
excess. I recapitulate our losses since we arrived in the basin
of Mexico.

_August 19-20._ Killed, 137, including 14 officers. Wounded, 877,
including 62 officers. Missing (probably killed), 38 rank and
file. Total 1,052.

_September 8._ Killed, 116, including 9 officers. Wounded, 665,
including 49 officers. Missing, 18 rank and file. Total 789.

_September 12, 13, 14._ Killed, 130, including 10 officers.
Wounded, 703, including 68 officers. Missing, 29 rank and file.
Total 862.

Grand total of losses, 2,703, including 383 officers.

On the other hand, this small force has beaten on the same
occasions in view of their capital, the whole Mexican army, of
(at the beginning) thirty odd thousand men; posted always in
chosen positions, behind intrenchments, or more formidable
defences of nature and art; killed or wounded, of that number,
more than 7,000 officers and men; taken 3,730 prisoners,
one-seventh officers, including 13 generals, of whom 3 have been
presidents of this republic; captured more than 20 colors and
standards, 75 pieces of ordnance, besides 57 wall pieces, 20,000
small arms, an immense quantity of shots, shells, powder, &c.,
&c.

Of that enemy, once so formidable in numbers, appointments,
artillery, &c., twenty odd thousand have disbanded themselves in
despair, leaving, as is known, not more than three fragments, the
largest about 2,500, now wandering in different directions,
without magazines or a military chest, and living at free
quarters upon their own people.

General Santa Anna, himself a fugitive, is believed to be on the
point of resigning the chief magistracy, and escaping to neutral
Guatemala. A new president, no doubt, will soon be declared, and
the federal Congress is expected to reassemble at Queretaro, 125
miles north of this, on the Zacatecas road, some time in October.
I have seen and given safe conduct through this city to several
of its members. The government will find itself without
resources; no army, no arsenals, no magazines, and but little
revenue, internal or external. Still, such is the obstinacy, or
rather infatuation, of this people, that it is very doubtful
whether the new authorities will dare to sue for peace on terms
which in the recent negotiations were made known by our minister.

In conclusion, I beg to enumerate, once more, with due (p. 334)
commendation and thanks, the distinguished staff officers,
general and personal, who, in our last operations in front of the
enemy, accompanied me, and communicated orders to every point and
through every danger. Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock, Acting
Inspector-General, Major Turnbull and Lieutenant Hardcastle,
Topographical Engineers; Major Kirby, Chief Paymaster; Captain
Irwin, Chief Quartermaster; Captain Grayson, Chief Commissary;
Captain H. L. Scott, Chief in the Adjutant-General's Department;
Lieutenant Williams, Aid-de-Camp; Lieutenant Lay, Military
Secretary; and Major J. P. Gaines, Kentucky Cavalry, volunteer
Aid-de-Camp; Captain Lee, Engineer, so constantly distinguished,
also bore important orders from me (September 13), until he
fainted from a wound and the loss of two nights' sleep at the
batteries. Lieutenants Beauregard, Stevens and Tower, all
wounded, were employed with the divisions, and Lieutenants G. W.
Smith and G. B. McClellan, with the company of sappers and
miners. Those fine Lieutenants of Engineers, like their Captain,
won the admiration of all about them. The ordnance officers,
Captain Huger, Lieutenants Hagner, Stone, and Reno, were highly
effective, and distinguished at the several batteries; and I must
add that Captain McKinstry, Assistant Quartermaster, at the close
of the operations, executed several important commissions for me
as a special volunteer.

Surgeon-General Lawson, and the medical staff generally, were
skillful and untiring, in and out of fire, in ministering to the
numerous wounded.

To illustrate the operations in this basin, I enclose two
beautiful drawings, prepared under the directions of Major
Turnbull, mostly from actual surveys.

I have the honor to be, Sir, with high respect, your most
obedient servant,
Winfield SCOTT.

_____

_General Orders No. 286._