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CAPTURE OF GUAYMAS, AND MOVEMENTS OF THE GUERRILLAS.

HE important events attending General

Scott's march to the capital, and the subsequent operations before Puebla, were followed by several battles between detached portions of the American army and guerrillas.

About the same time that the battle of Atlixco was fought, Captain Lavallette [October 15-16] entered the port of Guaymas, a small town on the gulf coast, with part of the American squadron, consisting of the frigate Congress, the sloop of war Portsmouth, and the brig Argo. On the 18th, the latter

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vessel anchored between the islands of Almagre Grande and Almagre Chico, on each of which a mortar was planted. The other vessels had already taken their stations. A flag was despatched to the authorities, through Mr. William Robinson, who, on being conducted to the governor, explained to him the object of the Americans, and advised a surrender. He was answered, that to surrender the town would be entirely incompatible with the honour both of the governor and Mexican nation. Mr. Robinson then returned to the Argo.

On the 19th, the Congress and Portsmouth took up their positions. of attack. At the same time, the place was formally summoned to surrender, but the Mexicans artfully eluded an answer until night. Then, favoured by the darkness, the commandant marched silently to a position, three miles distant, where he had previously placed a battery of fourteen guns, to resist the Americans, should they attempt to penetrate into the interior. At six o'clock on the morning of the 20th, the fire of the assailants opened from both vessels of war, and two mortars, and continued for more than an hour. Five hundred shells and shot were thrown into the town, killing one English resident, and destroying several houses. Being abandoned by their garrison, the citizens signified their willingness to listen to terms, when a party of American sailors and marines landed and ran up the national flag on fort defending the Casa Blanca hill. At the same time, Lavallette issued a proclamation, claiming the town and port for the United States, ordering the surrender of all public property and establishing throughout the district an efficient civil and military police. The Mexican authorities were invited to continue in office

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religion and church property were placed under the American protection, and the customary routine of business was ordered to be resumed. Mr. Robinson was made collector of the port.

About the same time another portion of the squadron captured the port of Mazatlan, also on the gulf coast.

The operations of General Lane, at Atlixco and Huamantla, were followed by a successful attack upon the town of Matamoras, which had been for a long time a principal rendezvous for guerrillas. After a slight skirmish, a party of Mexican lancers were defeated with loss, and the general took measures to hinder his being in future disturbed by them.

In the month of November, events of the most unhappy kind occurred at Mexico, tending to cast a shade over the proud enthusiasm of the officers, who had so heroically followed their leader to the conquest of the famed city of Montezuma. By an article in the mili tary code, "private letters or reports, relative to military marches and onerations" being "frequently mischievous in design, and

DIFFICULTIES AMONG THE OFFICERS. 613

always disgraceful to the army" are strictly forbidden; "and any officer found guilty of making such report for publication, without special permission, or of placing the writing beyond his control, so that it finds its way to the press, within one month after the termination of the campaign, to which it relates, shall be dismissed from the service." Some time after the victories of August 19 and 20, extracts from private letters, dated, "Tacubaya, Mexico, August 24, 1847," purporting to be an original account of the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, appeared in the Pittsburg Post. By some means this account, copied in a Tampico paper, together with a similar one, from a New Orleans paper, fell into the hands of the general-in chief, who immediately issued an order, denouncing the letters as despicable and scandalous, and intimating the general's surmisings of their authors. On the following day, Lieutenant-Colonel Duncan addressed a card to one of the leading Mexican papers, avowing his connection with the Pittsburg letter, and endeavouring to exculpate the generals suspected by the commander, from all blame. He and General Worth were the same day placed under arrest. Subsequently General Pillow was also arrested for contempt to his superior. On receiving news of this transaction, government suspended the general-in-chief himself, on specified charges, preferred in part as an appeal by General Worth, ordered a court-martial to try him with the other officers, and placed the army under command of Major-General Butler.

G

ENERAL TOWSON, paymaster-general, was appointed president of the court. The other members, first named by President Polk, were Brigadier-General Caleb Cushing, and Colonel E. G. W. Butler. Lieutenant Hammond was named as chief advocate. Subsequently Colonel Butler was relieved, and brevet Colonel Belknap appointed in his place. In like manner, Captain S. C. Ridgely succeeded Lieutenant Hammond, as judge advocate and recorder. Perote was first named as the place of meeting, but this was afterwards changed to Puebla.

On the 18th of February, 1848, this body met at the last named city. After remaining in session there for some time, it was removed to Fredericktown, Maryland. All the officers accused were present, and the deliberations occupied the attention of the court,

• General Regulations of the Army, March 1, 1825.

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until after the close of the war. The proceedings, as they transpi.ed, were published daily, both in the United States and Mexico. They excited but one feeling throughout the country-that of regret, that the gallant men who had carried themselves so nobly through the trying scenes of a two years' war, should, at its close, be involved in such unfortunate and unsatisfactory difficulties.

After the fall of the capital, General Twiggs had been ordered to Jalapa, to organize a train, for the main army, and keep in check the neighbouring guerrillas. On the 19th of November, he left that city, with a considerable force and marched for Mexico. About the same time General Butler also entered the capital with a train, and supplies.

General Patterson, during all that part of the campaign following Scott's march from Puebla, had been stationed at Vera Cruz, endeavouring to keep open the communication with the advancing army, as well as to chastise the guerrillas who swarmed in that vicinity. These roaming bands were organized and encouraged by the famous Padre Jarauta, an ecclesiastic, who, abandoning his sacerdotal duties, or rathe

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