June 25–28. During these days information has reached headquarters of the landing of General Pillow at Vera Cruz, and of his order to General Cadwallader to await his arrival in Perote. The whole command, probably amounting to five thousand men, will arrive as early as the 5th of July.
Rumors for several days have been rife in Puebla of negotiations for a treaty of peace being commenced. Several messengers are known to have arrived from Mexico, and the Mexican president has been notified by General Scott that a commissioner with powers to treat has arrived from the United States. I see no indication of the least disposition to treat on the part of the Mexican nation, and nothing can stay the advance of our army to the valley of Mexico. Even then, in consequence of the rainy season and the smallness of our force, we shall restrict ourselves to the narrowest limits; but a small portion of the heart of the country will feel our presence, and the spirit of the people will not be subdued. They will flatter themselves with the hope of soon driving from their capital and their soil the infamous invader. New armies will be raised, and we again in the fall obliged to take the field. North to Zacatecas let our arms extend!
July 1. The Mexican congress, agreeably to the proclamation of the president, assembled on the 28th of June, but, wanting five of a quorum, adjourned to the 5th of July, the special subject of their consideration being the appointing of commissioners to treat of peace. Pillow reached Perote yesterday (probably), and will probably be in Puebla on the 7th or 8th inst. It is also supposed that Pierce has arrived in Vera Cruz with additional troops. It is a doubtful matter whether the Mexican congress will take a decided course in initiating negotiations, or whether the commissioners whom they appoint will agree upon the terms. I have every confidence that General Scott, whilst showing every disposition to respond to any desire for peace which the Mexican nation may express, and exerting his whole strength to accomplish that great object, will not permit it to be made a pretext to gain time, and a cover to the complete organization of the enemy’s force. The enemy may treat at this time. They stickle on points of honor, and will have the greatest repugnance to the occupation of their capital. They see our force daily increasing. They have felt our prowess at the Cerro Gordo. They know we desire peace. Our terms are not hard. If we advance and enter the City of Mexico, their government will be in a measure dissolved, and the favorable moment for negotiations have gone. All these considerations must incline the candid and intelligent portion of the nation to arrange all matters in dispute before we advance from Puebla. Yet the Castilian obstinacy and pride may overrule all these considerations, and determine them to try the issue of a protracted contest. It is possible they may consider our terms, if agreed to, as the step fatal and inevitable towards the final occupation of the whole country, and, considering the present conflict as one for national independence, they may conclude to fight as long as a man remains to bear arms. For one, I cannot but consider the issue doubtful, and am inclined to the belief that nothing will come from the present movement, and that we shall advance to and enter the City of Mexico.
July 4. The anniversary of our national independence has dawned upon the Americans in Puebla most auspiciously. News came last evening that General Pierce, with two thousand men, left Vera Cruz on June 28, and that in a week he would be followed by six thousand more troops. If this be true, we shall be able to launch a column of fifteen thousand men against the capital. It must fall into our hands with but little resistance. The rainy season should be devoted to the disciplining and reorganization of the whole army, new levies and old troops. Thus in October, based in the valley of Mexico, we shall be in condition to move in any direction, and doubtless, northward, our columns will march as far as Zacatecas, unless previously peace be agreed upon.
A war fever has broken out afresh in the capital, and energetic measures are being taken to add to their means of defense. Church bells are being cast into cannon, and field-works and fortifications put in good condition.
The engineer staff called on the general officers in the morning and dined together afterwards. We passed a pleasant day.
July 6. A courier came in this morning with information that El Pinal was occupied by a guerrilla force of one thousand men, and that the train had been at Ojo de Agua two days, resting from the fatigues of the march from Perote. The roads were bad, and many of the teams had given out. Colonel Harney, with a force of seven hundred men and a relief train of forty wagons, started at eight o’clock, July 7, to disperse the assemblage at El Pinal, and meet the exposed train at Nopalucan. The troops still continue sick. About noon the arrival of General Pillow at Amasoque was announced; about five o’clock the dragoons arrived, bringing with them the long-expected mail.
July 8. The troops reached Puebla about noon to-day, and as they passed General Scott in review, they made a sorry appearance. In some respects composed of good material, they have come in all haste to the seat of war without a single day’s drill, and after a march of one hundred and sixty-one miles it is not surprising they were much worn down. The day in the city was by all devoted to reading letters and papers. I had the extreme felicity of getting five letters from my dear wife, announcing her comfortable settlement for the season in Newport. In a distant land, the pleasure of receiving intelligence from our dear friends at home is above and beyond all other pleasures. My latest dates were to the 31st of May.
July 9. A general order of to-day assigned Pillow to the command of the third regular division, composed of Cadwallader’s and Pierce’s brigades, General Quitman continuing in command of the volunteer division till it shall become practicable to join his proper regular division with General Taylor. General Shields was assigned to the command of the volunteer brigade now in Puebla. We learned to-day that there was a movement to the north against Santa Anna in which eight states joined. The prospect of peace is very small.
July 10. News from Mexico more unfavorable to peace. Congress wants eleven of a quorum. There are now eighteen thousand troops in the valley of Mexico, provided with arms and sixty pieces of cannon. Four thousand troops from San Luis Potosi are said to be daily expected. All the causeways are armed with cannon, protected by field-works with wet ditches. Important advantages will result from deferring the advance to Mexico till the close of the rainy season. Time will be gained to put the new levies in shape, instructing both officers and men in their duty, and making them more reliable before an enemy. The large number of sick will be much reduced, and sickness will be prevented by the march in dry weather. Reinforcements will come up. The disposition of the Mexicans for peace will be thoroughly tested, and ulterior operations after conquering the city and valley can be arranged. The war can be vigorously pushed in the dry season, with ample supplies of transportation. The new levies are utterly unreliable, and the main dependence is in the old troops, scarcely six thousand effective men. Not the least doubt is felt at our ability at this time to enter the capital, and it is not to be disguised that every day’s delay increases the strength of the enemy’s force and affords the means to perfect his works. I believe, however, that our own strength will increase in a greater ratio. The dry season will give important advantages in our own counter-works, greater in proportion than in those possessed by the enemy. Our victory will also be more decisive, and will have greater results.