“Taylor told General Ricardo that General Ampudia had written to him, stating that the war should be conducted in accordance with the usages of civilised nations, but that after the last battle they had barbarously stripped and mutilated our dead. To this charge General Ricardo replied, that ‘this was done by the rancheros, who could not be controlled.’ ‘I am coming over, and will control them for you,’ said Taylor. “The general had assembled his council of officers the night previous to the conflict of Buena Vista, for the purpose of hearing their suggestions in relation to the approaching battle. A good deal of uneasiness was exhibited—objections were raised—the disadvantages of the immense ‘odds’ were presented—propositions to retire and wait for reinforcements were urged—some were for giving the enemy battle—and one proposed that the American army should ‘fall back’—when the old hero’s opinion was asked. ‘Are you all done, gentlemen?’ Every one had finished. ‘Then, gentlemen, I will adjourn this meeting,’ coolly added Taylor, ‘_till after the fight to-morrow_.’ ‘Good!’ was the unanimous response. The battle was fought and—won.” But we must return to our narrative. Whilst Taylor was holding his position in the interior, General Scott was approaching the sea coast, and a naval force being there ready to co-operate with him, the news that reached Santa Anna not long after he had been beaten by Taylor was, that the Americans had bombarded and captured Vera Cruz. The Mexicans were deeply dispirited; intestine quarrels and partisan disputes, added to the presence of a foreign enemy, rendered them more than ordinarily indisposed to make any really great and national exertions for their defence. Santa Anna had by his personal crimes gained many enemies, and there were not wanting Mexicans who secretly hailed the advent of the Americans rather as an advantage than a calamity. Hence, when Scott advanced from his newly acquired stronghold upon the city of Mexico itself, Santa Anna could at first bring only six thousand men to oppose his march, and these were met and beaten at Jalapa by the Americans. Three desperately contested battles soon followed, in which the invaders, though suffering most severely, came off victorious. In one of these, three thousand one hundred Americans met and defeated fourteen thousand Mexicans, leaving, however, seven hundred of their comrades dead upon the field. The final attack was upon the city itself, and by the 14th of September, Santa Anna had fled; the city of the Montezumas was in the hands of Brother Jonathan, and the stars and stripes waved on the national palace of Mexico.