rounds of ammunition. An armistice of eight weeks was also agreed upon. General Taylor had been entirely successful thus far, and yet a great part of his army was taken from him at that time. A strong detachment was sent, by orders of the War Department, under General Patterson, on an expedition to Tampico, and nine thousand of his best troops were sent from the Rio Grande toward Vera Cruz by General Winfield Scott, commander-in-chief of the army of the United States, who had just arrived at Camargo, on December 30, and was preparing his march against the city of Mexico.

Santa Anna learned by one of the copies of Scott's orders to Butler of the proposed attack on Vera Cruz and of the reduction in Taylor's army. He, therefore, left San Luis Potosi, on January 28, 1847, with twenty thousand men and met Taylor's army of seven thousand five hundred men at the hacienda of Buena Vista. The Mexican general had hurried his troops in the hope of surprising the Americans, and when he found them posted at Buena Vista he arrogantly summoned them to surrender, on February 22. The reply was given on the next day, and in spite of the gallantry of the Mexican troops they were repulsed with great loss by Taylor's forces. On the morning of February 24 it was found that Santa Anna's army had retreated from the battlefield, leaving it in the possession of the Americans. The loss of the latter was less than seven hundred and fifty, while the Mexicans returned to San Luis Potosi with less than half the number of men with whom they had started on their march against Taylor. Mr. James Schouler, in his History of the United States, says rightly: "Buena Vista shines out as unquestionably the most brilliant engagement of the present war, and in American memory the most popular," and he adds: "Taylor himself never showed more nerve; but when everything seemed to falter, he was seen riding upon the plateau amid the thickest of the fight, and calmly surveying the scene." Buena Vista was the last great triumph of Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War, for

hereafter he and what had been left to him of his valiant army were occupied in the defense of the Rio Grande frontier and of the country thus far conquered by the Americans.

General Scott began to embark his army on February 15. His forces numbered over twelve thousand men, and his generals were Worth, Twiggs, Patterson, Pillow, Quitman, and Shields. He landed his troops from the transports, on March 9, on a beach at a short distance from Vera Cruz. The port was blockaded by Commodore Conner, and the city was invested. Scott had decided to open trenches rather than to attempt a capture by storm, and the operations were conducted by Colonel Tatten, a distinguished engineer. On March 22 a cannonade opened from the besieging army and from Commodore Perry's squadron and was continued vigorously for four days, the Mexicans, under General Juan Morales, defending themselves gallantly. On March 26, however, they were forced to surrender, and the garrison was allowed to march out with the honors of war. General Scott was now anxious to leave the Gulf Coast before the unhealthy season came, and accordingly he left Vera Cruz on April 12.

Meanwhile Santa Anna, after his defeat at Buena Vista or La Angostura, as the Mexicans call that battle, had assumed again the presidency of the Republic, and on hearing of the fall of Vera Cruz, had left the capital to wash out that dishonor. He succeeded in raising an army of about ten thousand men and drew up his forces at Cerro Gordo, at a distance of eighteen miles from Jalapa. He had chosen his post well and had fortified it quickly and strongly, but he was unable to resist the attack of Scott's army and was completely defeated, on April 18, 1847. The American troops then took possession of Jalapa, Perote, and Puebla, and halted at the latter town. There General Scott received the unwelcome visit of Nicolas P. Trist, chief clerk of the State Department, who came as the bearer of a project of a treaty of peace, if an opportunity presented itself. Secret agents came from Santa Anna, and he has been accused of

treason, although it is likely that he wished only to gain time for defense by these negotiations.

Reënforcements arrived at Puebla; among them a brigade commanded by Franklin Pierce, who was in a few years to be President of the United States. On August 7 the army started on its march against Mexico, and Scott passed through the country which Cortés had crossed when he advanced toward Tenochtitlán. Santa Anna, whatever had been his faults thus far, showed himself resourceful and energetic, but he could not compete with so able a military commander as Winfield Scott. The American general attacked the Mexicans in the neighborhood of their capital and defeated them in the "battles of Mexico," on August 20, at Padierna or Contreras, and at Churubusco where a heroic resistance was made in a convent by General Anaya.

There was now a suspension of hostilities on August 22, and Commissioner Trist opened negotiations for peace on August 27. The American government demanded practically the cession of Texas, New Mexico, and Upper California and free transit across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and offered a sum of money to be agreed upon. These terms were rejected by the Mexican commissioners and, on September 6, the armistice was broken. Santa Anna, as before, was probably trying to gain time for the defense of the capital, but Scott attacked him with such energy that he was utterly defeated and Mexico was captured. Let us relate briefly the last events of the war.

At Molino del Rey there was a cannon foundry, and Worth was ordered by Scott to take possession of it. The attack at first was to be made at night on September 7, but it was postponed till the next morning and proved to be no easy undertaking. The massive stone buildings of Molino del Rey were protected by the artillery in the fortress of Chapultepec at a distance of about three thousand feet, and it was only after severe fighting that the mill (molino) was taken by the Americans. The latter did not pursue their advantage by attacking Chapultepec, and abandoned the field

to the enemy, who were greatly elated at their apparent triumph. They had indeed fought valiantly under General Antonio León and Colonel Lucas Balderas, who were killed in the engagement, and Colonels Echeagaray and Gelaty. Scott now determined to capture the fortress of Chapultepec which was bravely defended by the veteran General Bravo and was taken by storm by the Americans, on SeptemThere Colonel Felipe Xicotencatl, a descendant of a famous Tlascaltec chieftain, distinguished himself and was killed. The students of the military school also fought valiantly, and among them was Miramon, soon to be celebrated. After the fall of Chapultepec Scott advanced on Mexico, and taking possession of the causeways and of the fortified gates of San Cosme and Belen, he entered the city, on September 14, 1847. Opposition was made by the inhabitants, and the American commander was compelled to sweep the streets with grape and canister and to batter down houses. On the morning of September 15 all resistance ceased, and General Scott was absolute master of Mexico, as Cortés had been of Tenochtitlán after his second capture of the city. The Americans had been commanded in the Mexican War with consummate skill, both by Taylor and by Scott, who were ably supported by valiant officers, among whom many were later to rise to great distinction on both sides of the contest during the Civil War. The most conspicuous of these were Lee, Grant, Thomas, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Beauregard, Albert Sidney Johnston, Joseph E. Johnston, and Bragg. Among the killed at Buena Vista · was Col. Henry Clay, Jr., a son of the great orator and statesman. In Scott's campaigns Worth, Quitman, Pillow, Twiggs, and many other officers did their full duty. Although the Mexicans were poorly armed and disciplined they struggled valiantly against the invaders, whose achievements were remarkable when their small number is considered and the distance from their country.

Santa Anna had evacuated the capital after the capture of the fortified gates, during the night of September 14, and

had renounced his office of president, which was filled temporarily by Manuel de la Peña y Peña, who established his administration at Querétaro. Santa Anna was obliged to hand over to General Reyes the small army which remained to him, as he was deposed by the government and ordered to appear before a council of war. He thereupon left the country and went to New Grenada. This flight was not, `however, to end his career in Mexico, and we shall soon see him again at the head of affairs. He had been very energetic and resourceful during the war but had displayed little ability as a general. He was also far inferior in character to his two opponents, Taylor and Scott.

While Taylor was warring on the Rio Grande General Stephen W. Kearny, with about sixteen hundred men, had marched nine hundred miles over the old Santa Fé Trail and had conquered the capital of New Mexico in August, 1846. He set out afterwards for California, and Colonel Alexander W. Doniphan, who had been with him to Santa Fé, left that place with about nine hundred men, on December 14, to join General Wool who was in command of an expedition directed against Chihuahua, in Northern Mexico. Doniphan made a memorable march of one thousand miles, winning on the way the victories of Bracito and Sacramento Creek. On March 2, 1847, he entered the important town of Chihuahua, but he did not meet Wool there, as the latter had proceeded instead to join General Worth at Saltillo. Doniphan set out for that place and reached it, on May 22, 1847. His expedition and that of Kearny were truly wonderful.

Peña entered upon preliminary negotiations for peace, and a Congress having assembled, Pedro M. Anaya was elected president ad interim, on November 9, his term of office to last until January 8, 1848. At that date Peña succeeded him, and by his efforts peace with the United States was effected, Nicholas P. Trist acting as American commissioner, although his government had withdrawn his powers. The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2,