On account of illness Pierce had no part in the battles of Sept. 8 and 13. Probably in order to occupy a place in the reports he appeared at the Belén garita at about four A.M., Sept. 14 (though he belonged to Pillow’s division) on the ground that the Ninth Infantry was then serving under Quitman. Although Scott refused to grant a capitulation or sign any pledge, he seems to have indicated quite definitely to the commission how the capital would be treated (Negrete, Invasión, iv, 122), and in particular that in consideration of being protected it would have to pay $150,000 for necessaries and comforts to be given our troops. The ayuntamiento attempted to force Scott to make pledges by saying that otherwise it could offer no security to his army or its property. This was ingenious, and so was its solemn Protest (Negrete, Invasión, iv, 108) that it had no intention of submitting voluntarily to any foreign authority.
Scott’s report offended Worth by saying that he did not pass the garita until Sept. 14 (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1077). This was technically an error, and Scott so acknowledged in writing (ibid., 1079). But one cannot suppose he intended (though Worth imagined he did) to belittle Worth, for his plan had been to give that officer the glory of capturing the city, and he was displeased to find that Quitman had taken precedence of Worth (Claiborne, Quitman, i, 377). Moreover, Scott stated expressly in his report that Worth, had he not halted in obedience to orders, might have anticipated Quitman (Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 383). Scott seems, indeed, to have intended, in giving Worth the command on Sept. 8 and destining him to take possession of the city, to close the breach between that officer and himself, but Worth contrived, by taking needless offence on both occasions, to widen it. Another complaint was that Scott ordered Worth to stop at the Alameda, and thus enabled Quitman to reach the palace first (Semmes, Service, 464); but apparently this was because Scott intended to join Worth there (Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 417), for when Scott proceeded from Tacubaya to the city on the morning of Sept. 14 he took the long route via San Cosme, not knowing what Quitman had done.
Semmes (Service, 469) states that S. Anna left 40 pieces of artillery behind when he evacuated the city. Gamboa asserted that at the end of the fighting, Sept. 13, there were still 9000 Mexican soldiers besides 4000 National Guards (Impug., 59). The Spanish chargé reported that when the fighting ended Santa Anna had 12,000 troops. As the minister of relations was his guest at the time this would seem almost equivalent to an official estimate ([73]Lozano, no. 7, Sept. 16). Mounted and unmounted, the Americans found twenty-two cannon at the citadel ([304]Geary to Quitman, Sept. 14). In spite of Santa Anna’s efforts to prevent the capture of the city, many still believed that he was in league with the Americans (Roa Bárcena, Recuerdos, 419).
[22.] Sen. 1; 30, 1, pp. 383 (Scott), 393 (Worth), 398 (Twiggs), 417 (Quitman). Niles, Oct. 30, p. 137. Sen. Rep. 32; 34, 1. Scott, Mems., ii, 535. Davis, Autobiog., 237. [376]Nicholson, recolls. [224]Introd. to intercepted letters. [66]Beauregard to Quitman, Sept. 17. [304]Watson to Shields, Sept. 16. Claiborne, Quitman, i, 362, note, 376. [113]Beauregard, remins. [151]Roberts to Union, July 12, 1848. [357]Wilcox, diary. Arroniz, Manual, i, 411. [65]Scott, gen. orders 286. Semmes, Service, 464. Apuntes, 326. London Chronicle, Nov. 12. [307]Roberts, diary. [187]Thomas to Eddy, Oct. 26. Wise, Gringos (N. Y., 1849), 255. Norton, Life, 172. [327]Sutherland to father, Aug. —. Lowell (Mass.) Journal, Sept. 14, 1852. Verse by Grace Greenwood (in Stevenson, Poems).
Epitomizing his operations in the Valley, Scott said his army had beaten thirty-odd thousand men, posted behind defences at chosen positions, killed or wounded more than 7000, taken 3730 (one seventh officers), including thirteen generals, and captured more than twenty colors and standards, 75 pieces of ordnance, 57 wall-pieces, 20,000 small arms, and an immense quantity of munitions (Sen. 1; 30, 1, pp. 384–5). The total American losses on Sept. 12, 13 and 14: note [18].
XXIX. FINAL MILITARY OPERATIONS
[1.] The chief documents relating to Taylor’s field. Brackett, Lane’s Brigade, 31–2. [63]Marcy to Taylor, July 15, 1847. [169]Taylor to Crittenden, May 15; Sept, 15, 1847. Delta, Aug. 3. Wash. Union, June 17. [76]Mora, Mar. 31; Apr. 7; May 12. Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 1118–49, 1170, 1172, 1175, 1177, 1180, 1185–8, 1195, 1197–8 (Taylor); 1003, 1193–4 (Marcy). [76]A. Chávez, July 29. [76]González to Urrea, July 12. [76]Valencia, June 7, 19, 26. [76]Filisola, Aug. 10. [76]Extracto, Aug. 10. Scott, Mems., ii, 409–11, 460. [354]Welles papers. [330]Taylor, Aug. 16. Spirit of the Age, Feb. 17, 1848. [76]Peña y Barragán, June 26, 1847. Charleston Mercury, Sept. 2. Polk, Diary, May 11. [61]Adj. gen. to Brooke, May 29; to Taylor, July 16; to Talcott, Mar. 24. [69]Wool to Bliss, Aug. 25. (Tampico) Kenly, Md. Vol., 241, 244, 252; [69]Riley to Bliss, Dec. 14, 1846; [61]Shields to adj. gen., Jan. 19, 1847; [66]Beauregard to Gates, Feb. 24; [76]I. Múñoz, Dec. 19, 21, 25, 1846; [65]Gates, special orders 7, Feb. 25, 1847; [76]Váldez to F. de Garay, Jan. 3, 1847; [76]Garay, Jan. 22, res., 29, res.; [76]J. J. Landero, Jan. 25; [76]S. Anna, Jan. 9; [76]F. de Garay, Jan. 22; [76]to Mora, May 24. (Tamaulipas authorities) [76]J. Cárdenas to Relaciones, Nov. 16, 1847; [76]Urrea, Nov. 15; [75]Memoria de ... Relaciones, Nov. 19; [76]gov. Tam. to comte. gen. Tam., Jan. 17, 1848; [76]Id.to Relaciones, Nov. 29, 1847; [76]Tam. congress, decree, Nov. 14. (Taylor’s going home) [61]Taylor, Oct. 26, 1847; Sen. 52; 30, 1, p. 145 (Marcy); [330]Taylor to Gen. —, Aug. 16, 1847; Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 1199, 1213–4 (Taylor); 1210 (Jones). (Costume) Delta, Aug. 3, 1847. [69]Wool, gen. orders, Dec. 22, 1847.
The distance from Camargo to Mexico City seems to have been about 820 miles by the direct road. As early as May 11, 1847, Polk remarked to the Cabinet that it was more important to reinforce Scott than Taylor (Diary). In March, 1847, Taylor had: (regulars) 2 cos. of First Dragoons; ditto, Second Dragoons; four artillery cos. (C of 1st; C and E of 3d; B of 4th) with batteries; five artillery cos. as infantry; (volunteers) Arkansas horse regt.; ditto, Kentucky; two cos. Texas horse; two regts. Kentucky foot; three Ohio foot; three Ind. foot; two Ill. foot; two Miss. foot; one each Va., No. Car., So. Car. and Mass. foot ([62]adj. gen. to ordnance dept., March 24, 1847). June 16 Taylor wrote that Wool would soon have at Buena Vista six regular companies (Second Dragoons, Fourth Artillery), four cos. of volunteer horse (First Arkansas, Third Texas), and Marshall’s brigade (in all about 2500); that there would be a small garrison at Monterey, and that the troops on or coming to the Rio Grande would go to a camp of instruction at Mier. He reckoned that by August 15 he would have about 8000 effectives (Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 1177, 1180). The New Orleans Delta of Aug. 3 said Wool had at Buena Vista about 2900, Taylor at Monterey 800, and the posts at Cerralvo, Mier and Matamoros about 3300. In May and June the time of practically all Taylor’s 12-months men (thirteen regts.) was out. Only enough for one company would reënlist. The government intended Taylor should have after losing these men fully 10,000, to wit (Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 924–6): (regulars) Hopping’s brigade consisting of Tenth Infantry (N. Y., N. J.) under Col. Temple; Thirteenth Infantry (Va., Ga., Ala., Fla.) under Col. Echols; Sixteenth Infantry (Ky., Ind., Ill.) under Col. Tibbatts; and also the Third Dragoons; (volunteers) Marshall’s brigade (one regt. each from *Miss., *Va. and *No. Car., five Va. companies—*three of them already in Mexico); Lane’s brigade (Ill. regt., Ill. horse co., Ind. regt., five N. J. cos., one Fla. co., one Ark. horse co., five Texas horse cos.); Cushing’s brigade (*Mass. regt., Ohio regt., Ohio horse co., five D. C. and Md. cos., five Ala. cos., one Ala. horse co.). (The star means “already in Mexico.”) In spite of this it was charged that the government was leaving Taylor with only a corporal’s guard. Troops began to leave Taylor’s for Scott’s field during the latter part of August. Taylor retained the Tenth and Sixteenth regular regts. and the battery of Deas (Co. B, Fourth Artillery) and sent to Scott, besides Hays’s men and a body under Cushing, three regts. of volunteers (Mass., Ohio, Ind.): an aggregate of 2957 ([62]adj. gen., Oct. 6). He estimated that Hays had about 400. Wool, who had been commanding at Saltillo and Buena Vista, moved to Monterey after Taylor left that place, and Col. John Hamtramck succeeded him. A letter from Buena Vista dated Jan. 17, 1848, said that Hamtramck then had 2600 and Wool at Monterey 1400; and that the total force in that field amounted to five light batteries, four infantry regiments, ten companies of dragoons and four companies of horse (Spirit of the Age, Feb. 17, 1848).
About 200 American prisoners (privates), who were supposed by themselves and other Americans to have been exchanged for Mexicans captured at Cerro Gordo, were sent by the Mexican government in May, 1847, to Huejutla, about 120 miles from Tampico on the road to Mexico, in order to prevent them from escaping or being recaptured, and suffered terrible privations in the mountains. July 7, 1847, Gates, commanding at Tampico, sent Col. De Russey of the Louisiana volunteers, with 126 men (including 35 mounted men) and a 6-pdr. under Capt. F. O. Wyse to endeavor peaceably to obtain the release of these prisoners, or, if that could not be done, to rescue them. De Russey sent word to Gen. F. de Garay, the Mexican commander in that district, regarding his mission, but was ambushed near Huejutla. With some loss he beat off his assailants, and after fighting more or less three days on his retreat, succeeded, after receiving aid from Tampico, in reaching that place. His loss was 12 killed and 7 wounded. Later the prisoners were released on parole. The garrison of Tampico at this time was only about 650 effectives; but July 31 five companies of Ill. vols. were ordered to go there from N. Orleans. In April, 1848, Gen. Shields was ordered to take command at Tampico. (For this paragraph: Encarnacion Prisoners, 70; [65]Gates, special orders 41, July 7; [61]Id.., July 21, Aug. 24; [365]Wyse, May 15, 1876; [61]adj. gen. to Gates, July 31; Ho. 24; 31, 1; Tampico Sentinel, extra, July 18; [76]Garay, July 19, 28; [76]V. de Mora, Sept. 10; Apuntes, 380–4; Niles, Aug. 7, p. 357; [61]adj. gen. to Shields, Mar. 30, 1848.)
In the summer of 1847 discipline at Buena Vista was in a bad state ([76]Filisola, Aug. 10; [76]report of a trustworthy spy). In August a mutiny occurred (Sen. 62; 30, 1), and Wool discharged dishonorably two lieuts. and two privates (Ho. 78; 30, 1). Polk countermanded this discharge on the ground that Wool had exceeded his authority ([256]Marcy to Wool, Jan. 17, 1848). A court of inquiry was ordered (Ho. 60; 30, 1, 1207–8). This fully vindicated Wool (Sen. 62; 30, 1).