There was special feeling about churches. The bishop of Puebla complained to Scott that our soldiers desecrated a church at Tlaxcala, and stole some priests’ robes. But the soldiers had found that the church was the base of the guerillas they were pursuing, and discovered the robes on the floor. Our officers made great efforts to prevent outrages here and to restore the stolen property (Brackett, Lane’s Brigade, 211; Zirckel, Tagebuch, 123; etc.). It seems to have been true that no church was desecrated by Americans that had not been desecrated by Mexicans, and used for hostile purposes.
[38.] The lépero dared not attack a sober American soldier. The scheme was to get the soldiers intoxicated, and, when they staggered and fell, knife them. After a time our men invented a trick to meet it. They would pretend to be intoxicated, fall to the ground, and make ready for the would-be assassin; and finally the léperos feared a drunken soldier even more than a sober one. Carrying concealed weapons was forbidden; suspected persons were searched; and any one found guilty was given twenty lashes on the bare back. This had an excellent effect.
[39.] A specimen case was that of private Gahagiun of the Seventh Infantry ([65]gen. orders 378). For breaking into a house and taking some ladies’ clothing he was sentenced to receive fifty lashes on his bare back “well laid on with a rawhide,” to be confined at hard labor during the rest of his term, to be then dishonorably discharged and drummed out—$250 of his pay to go to the person robbed and the rest to be confiscated. Mexicans as well as Americans were publicly flogged. In extreme cases hanging was the punishment.
Scott made the following daily details in order to ensure order and discipline ([65]gen. orders 298, September 24, 1847): “1. A general officer of the day to report to me; to superintend the good order and discipline of the garrison, visit the guards and outposts, organize patrols, and receive reports regarding order and discipline. 2. A field officer of the day of each division and of the cavalry brigade to superintend the troops in quarters, be present at the mounting and dismounting of the guards, have control of the in-lying pickets, etc. 3. One third of each regiment not on other duty will constitute its portion of the in-lying guard. 4. A captain or subaltern of the day of each regiment will superintend the quarters, attend the parading of regimental guards, have the roll called frequently and at unexpected times, visit company kitchens and messes, etc.” The drill of the troops was kept up, and of course it was only when off duty that they could be disorderly. Doyle reported that a gentleman from Pachuca, a place at some distance from Mexico, said: “Nothing can be better than the behavior of the American troops at Pachuca” (no. 5, 1848). On the other hand Lane’s men were guilty of excesses at Tulancingo. In [65]gen. orders 395, December 31, 1847, Scott said: “Men free at home, must maintain the honor of freeman when abroad. If they forget that, they will degrade themselves to the level of felons and slaves, and may be rightfully condemned and treated as such; for felons, according to the laws of God and man, are slaves” (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1066).
[40.] Quitman strictly forbade (Sept. 21) “any interference with or mutiliation of the books, papers, or records contained within the Palace.”
[41.] Matamoros, Monterey, Tampico, Jalapa and Puebla had an American newspaper; Vera Cruz and Mexico two.
[42.] In consequence of the incapacity of our medical men and particularly their ignorance of the effects of the climate, diseases not considered dangerous by residents often proved fatal to the American soldiers ([13]Thornton, no. 5, 1847).
[43.] The Mexico district. Davis, Autobiog., 246, 258, 261–2, 277. Henshaw narrative. Donnavan, Adventures, 93, 97. Instrucciones Otorgadas. Wise, Gringos, 260. Lawton, Artillery Officer, 314–5, 321. Jameson, Calhoun Corresp., 1163–5. Quitman, orders, Oct. 6, 1847, in Papeles Varios. Journ. Milit. Serv. Instit., xv, 627. McSherry, Puchero, 163. Vedette, ii, no. 10 (Brooks). Norton, Life, 172. [321]Smith, diary. [358]Williams to father, Dec. 27, 1847; Feb. 22, 1848. [152]Claiborne, mems. Oswandel, Notes, 431, 433, 455, 525, 583. [92]Ayuntamiento archives. 69aArchives of Federal District. [80]Archives of México state. Hitchcock, Fifty Years, 307. [80]Gracida to Butler, Feb. 25, 1848. [13]Doyle, nos. 1, 5, 27, 1848. Britannia, Sept. 28, 1847 (Daily News). Claiborne, Quitman, i, 395. Calderón, Life, i, 139–40. National, Nov. 14, 1847. [60]N. C. to J. L. Miller, May 7, 1848. [62]Jones to Bedinger, Mar. 11, 1848. Captain of Vols., Conquest, 27. [65]Scott, gen. orders, Sept. 14, 16, 17, 24; Dec. 18, 31, 1847. London Times, Nov. 12, 13, 1847. Sen. 52; 30, 1, pp. 205–12. Picayune, Oct. 15; Nov. 14; Dec. 19, 29, 1847. Delta, Nov. 6, 7, 12; Dec. 19, 24, 1847. Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 384 (Scott). Kenly, Md. Vol., 413. México á través, iv, 703–4. [65]Scott, gen. orders 190, 355. Rodriguez, Breve Reseña, 1848, 1849, p. 5. [13]Bankhead, no. 86, Sept. 28, 1847. [73]Lozano, no. 8, res., Sept. 17, 1847. Ramírez, México, 318. N. Y. Journ. Comm., Feb. 28, 1848. Monitor Repub., Dec. 7, 20, 1847. [277]Veramendi to Quitman, Oct. 8, 1847. [366]Memb. municip. council to ——, Nov. 14 and reply. (Mexican letter) Nacional, Nov. 14, 1847. Ballentine, Eng. Soldier, ii, 260–3, 270–1. Apuntes, 362–7, 369. Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1065. Sen. 34; 34, 3, p. 37. [132]Nowell to mother, Oct. 21, 1847. Sedgwick, Corresp., i, 153. Stevens, Stevens, i, 219. [121]Placards and Notices. Lancaster Co. Hist. Soc. Mag., Mar. 6, 1908. [214]Hays and Caperton, Life of Hays. London Chronicle, Nov. 12, 1847. Roa Bárcena, Recuerdos, 543. Lane (Adventures) shows that our officers were by no means all saints, but this is not a fact to occasion surprise.
Ripley (War with Mexico, ii, 571) complains that immorality was promoted at Mexico by giving licenses to gambling places; but it would not have been possible to prevent the soldiers from gambling among themselves and in “dives,” and no doubt Scott believed it would be best to have the gambling done where some control could be exercised over it, and where the men would not be in danger of the assassin’s knife. Ripley admits that gambling “flourished” before licenses were given (p. 570). Ripley suggests (p. 574) that “active operations would have been the immediate and effectual remedy” for the immorality; but, as we have seen, there were not enough troops, etc., for active operations, and perhaps shooting Mexicans needlessly would have been no better business than gambling. Ripley admits (p. 577) that most of the troops were kept outside the city. Riley’s brigade was at Tacubaya, Patterson’s division at S. Angel, and a part of Butler’s division at El Molino del Rey. The other part and Smith’s brigade remained in town.
[44.] Probably fearing American interference or influence, the Mexican government at Querétaro discountenanced such elections (México á través, iv, 704). As the records are by no means complete, it is necessary in this and other cases to assume that like causes produced like effects, unless there is some evidence to the contrary. General conclusions could not otherwise be reached.