The first re-enforcements to arrive were eight hundred men, under
Lieutenant-Colonel James Simmons McIntosh, escorting a train. They
were delayed by an attack of the enemy near Jalapa, but, being joined
by Brigadier-General George Cadwallader with a portion of his brigade
and a field battery, the enemy was soon driven. Major-General Gideon
J. Pillow arrived next with a thousand men, and on August 6th
Brigadier-General Franklin Pierce joined with two thousand five
hundred men.
General Scott felt compelled, on account of his reduced numbers, to
order the garrison, under Colonel Childs at Jalapa, to join him. His
force now was (including late re-enforcements) about fourteen thousand
men, including two thousand five hundred sick in hospitals, and six
hundred convalescents too feeble for duty. These convalescents and the
same number of effective troops were left as a garrison under Colonel
Childs, who was appointed commandant of the city of Puebla. This
necessitated the almost total abandonment of the protection of his
lines to his base at Vera Cruz, and communications to his Government.
As Scott expressed it, "we had to throw away the scabbard and to
advance with the naked blade in hand."
CHAPTER X.
Movement toward the City of Mexico--The Duke of Wellington's
comments--Movements of Santa Anna--A commission meets General Worth to
treat for terms--Worth enters Puebla--Civil administration of the city
not interfered with--Scott arrives at Puebla--Scott's address to the
Mexicans after the battle of Cerro Gordo--Contreras--Reconnoissance of
the _pedregal_--Defeat of the Mexicans at Contreras--Battle of
Churubusco--Arrival of Nicholas P. Trist, commissioner--General Scott
meets a deputation proposing an armistice--He addresses a
communication to the head of the Mexican Government--Appointment of a
commission to meet Mr. Trist--Major Lally--Meeting of Mr. Trist with
the Mexican commissioners--Failure to agree--Armistice violated by the
Mexicans and notice from General Scott--Santa Anna's insolent
note--The latter calls a meeting of his principal officers--Molino del
Rey--Chapultepecec--Losses on both sides.
The army began its movement from Puebla toward the City of Mexico on
August 6, 1847. Twiggs's division was in the advance, General William
Selby Harney's cavalry leading and the siege train bringing up the
rear. The other three divisions followed successively on the 8th, 9th,
and 10th. No division was at any time more than seven or eight miles
from support. It was expected that the army of Santa Anna would be met
at Rio Frio, and hence General Scott's great caution in his movement
to keep his divisions in supporting distance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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