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CHAPTER IX.

Battle of Contreras.- Worth's division storms San Antonio.-Victory of Churubusco-Armistice granted.-Negotiations broken off.-Sanguinary battle of Molino del Rey.-Storming of Chapultepec.-Surrender of the city. Santa Anna resigns the Presidency.-Attacks Colonel Childs at Puebla -Major Lally forces his way from Vera Cruz to Jalapa.-He is joined by General Lane with 2,500 men.-Battle of Huamantla.-Powers invested in Mr. Trist revoked.-Contributions exacted.-Treaty concluded by Mr. Trist.-General Scott recalled.-General Butler appointed to the command of the army.-Treaty of Gaudaloupe Hidalgo.-Americans evacuate Mexico.-The army of the United States.-Territory acquired from Mexico.-Its value.

PILLOW's division was ordered to make a practicable road for heavy artillery, and Twiggs' division was ordered to cover that operation. By three o'clock on the 19th, the men engaged in making the new road, came under the fire of a very heavy park of artillery, which was advantageously posted to check their operations. This battery was supported by large bodies of infantry and cavalry. The divisions of Pillow and Twiggs advanced for the purpose of storming this formidable battery. This movement was met by a terrible fire from the enemy's intrenchments. Not only did the heavy artillery, which lined the hills, send its iron hail into the ranks of the Americans, but the heavy columns of infantry with great gallantry defended that position. For three hours the battle raged furiously, and when night set in the Americans had

made no impression upon the Mexican lines. Nothing could surpass the obstinacy with which the Mexicans held to their position, and not all the gallantry of the Americans could drive them from it. General Scott, discovering that large bodies of troops were advancing from the city, ordered the 15th regiment, under Colonel Morgan, to occupy Contreras. Colonel Riley was at the time on the enemy's left, while the brigade under the command of General Shields was ordered to support Colonel Morgan.

It was now dark, and the cold and chilling rain fell in torrents. Without fires and with no tents to protect them from the tempest, many of the regiments without food, the officers wandering about in search of each other, the obstinate fury with which the battle had been disputed, all had a tendency to cast a temporary gloom over the army. But the glorious results of the next day proved that the confidence of the troops in their invincibility was not shaken. The morning of the 20th of August found the brigades of Shields, Smith, Cadwalader, Riley, and Morgan's regiment around the hacienda of Contreras. Worth was ordered to march with one of his brigades to mask San Antonio, and with the other to advance upon Contreras. Similar orders were given to General Quitman, and the combined forces were to be concentrated upon the battle field. The plan of the attack, which resulted in the defeat of the enemy, was arranged by General Smith. At three o'clock in the morning, the movement commenced, Riley being in the ad

vance.

After surmounting many difficulties he gained the enemy's rear, and with irresistible impetuosity, stormed their intrenchments. The brigade under Colonel Ransom, composed of the 9th regiment and companies from the 3d and 12th, with the rifles, arriving at the same moment, attacked the Mexicans with terrible effect, while the brigade under Shields poured a destructive fire upon the enemy during their retreat.

The results of this brilliant victory were a loss upon the part of the enemy, of 700 killed, 813 prisoners, 83 officers, 4 generals, and 22 pieces of brass ordnance. The battle was won before the arrival of the division under Worth and Quitman; the former general was directed to assail San Antonio in front, as soon as the divisions under Pillow and Twiggs should attack it in the rear. The battle now raged along the whole line.* Worth stormed the intrenchments at San Antonio, and continued to advance until he met Pillow, who, ascertaining that San Antonio had been taken, turned to the left for the purpose of attacking Churubusco. Here almost the entire Mexican force, amounting to more than 20,000 men, commanded by Santa Anna in person, rallied for a last desperate stand. The Americans, flushed with victory, advanced to the attack with great ardor. The position was hemmed in and furiously assaulted by portions of Worth's, Twiggs', and Pillows' divisions, and was carried at the point of

* Report of General Scott to the War Department, August 28th,

the bayonet. The next position to attack was the Convent, which, after a long and desperate defence, was surrendered by the garrison.

This was a brilliant day for the American troops. Victory after victory was won, and one position after another fell into their hands; and without striking another blow, they might have entered the capital in triumph, and thus put an end to the war.* Future events proved the error which was committed in granting an armistice. The Mexicans were determined to resist to the last, and nothing but reducing them to extremity, and subduing their pride by the capture of the city of Mexico, would force them to agree to terms. The history of that country from the time of the invasion under Cortes, proves that the possession of the city decides the fate of Mexico. The revolutions, whether bloodless or produced at the point of the bayonet, have never been signal until the metropolis yielded.

* "After so many victories, we might, with but little additional loss, have occupied the capital the same evening. But Mr. Trist, commissioner, &c., 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 eclat 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."-Report of General Scott to the War Department, August 28th, 1847, Volume 2, Executive Documents, 1st session 30th Congress.

Wherever the pronunciamento was issued, the capital was the point upon which the disaffected concentrated, and its fall alone terminated the struggle.

Το prove that the pride of the Mexican people had not yet been broken, we have only to refer to the events which preceded the armistice, when Santa Anna was fearful of having it known that he had taken the initiative. On the morning of the 21st General Scott offered to sign an armistice, containing a pledge upon the part of the Mexicans to enter at once into the negotiations for peace, while Santa Anna proposed a truce. The latter proposition was rejected, and commissioners were appointed on the 22d; the armistice was signed on the 23d and ratified on the 24th. The first article provided for the absolute suspension of hostilities between the two armies within 30 leagues of the city of Mexico, for the purpose of enabling the commissioners to open negotiations. The third article provided that the armistice should continue while those commissioners were engaged in negotiations, or until the armistice was broken off upon a notice of 48 hours. The fourth article stated that neither army should be reinforced.

As little faith could be placed in the promises of the enemy, General Scott was strongly urged by some of his generals to make the surrender of Chapultepec a guarantee of their good faith; but to this proposition the Mexicans would not agree.*

* "General Orders, }

No.

"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, TACUBAYA, August 24th, 1847.

"The following military convention is published for the information and strict government of the American army, its retainers and followers.

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