CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.
During the armistice, which was entered into just after the battle of
Churubusco, and terminated on the 6th of September, the engineer company
was quartered in the village of San Angel. On the 7th of September I
received orders to move the company, its train, and the general engineer
train of the army to Tacubaya.
MOLINO DEL REY. That night I was ordered to detail an officer
and ten men of the engineer company to report to General Worth.
Lieutenant Foster was placed in charge of this detail. He and his men
were on the right of the storming party of five hundred picked men, of
Worth's division, which led the attack against Molino Del Rey on the
morning of the 8th. In that attack Lieutenant Foster was very severely
wounded and disabled.
CHAPULTEPEC. On the 11th of September, I received orders to
furnish details of men from the company to assist engineer officers in
supervising the construction of batteries against Chapultepec. I was
placed in charge of Battery No. 1, on the Tacubaya road, against the
southern face of the Castle; and Lieutenant McClellan in charge of
Battery No. 2, against the southwestern angle. On the night of the 12th,
the details were all called in, and I was directed to furnish implements
to the different storming parties which were to assault the castle of
Chapultepec on the morning of the 13th.
SAN COSME GARITA. At 3 P. M., that day, I received orders to
join the siege train, and report to General Worth whose column was to
attack the city by the San Cosme route.
At 4 P. M., I reported to General Worth, who was then with his forces,
in the suburbs of the city, on the San Cosme causeway, at the point
where it changes direction, at an angle of nearly ninety degrees, and is
then nearly straight for about six hundred yards to the fortified Garita
in our front. He informed me that Lieutenant Stevens had just been
severely wounded and this made me the senior engineer with Worth's
division. He directed me to go forward in person, closely examine the
condition of affairs at the front, endeavor to determine the best method
of operating against the fortified Garita, and report to him the result
of my observations as soon as possible. He directed me, particularly, to
have in view the question whether it would be advisable to bring the
siege guns forward against the embrasured battery at the Garita. Just as
I was leaving him, he said: "If you find there are two different methods
by which the Garita can be carried, one in a shorter time at a sacrifice
of men, the other in longer time, but a saving of men, choose the
latter". And he added: "There have been too many valuable lives, of
officers and men, lost recently in my division, for nothing".
Though he did not specify the action referred to, he meant the battle of
Molino Del Rey. Under these instructions, I proceeded to the extreme
front, made the requisite examination of our position and that of the
enemy, and soon came back. I reported that the houses on the left of the
causeway were built up continuously to the battery at the Garita, we
could easily break through the walls from house to house; and, under
perfect cover, reach the top of a three-story building, with flat roof
and stone parapet, within 40 yards of the battery. A fire of musketry
from that roof would make the works untenable; and we could thus in a
short time drive the enemy from the fortified Garita, and secure a good
lodgement within the city, without material loss and without using the
siege guns.
General Worth directed me to bring forward the engineer company, which
was with the siege train a short distance to the rear, and commence
operations on the proposed plan; and at the same time ordered that
Clarke's brigade should render any assistance I might call for.
An hour or more before sunset we reached the top of the house above
referred to. From that position the inside of the enemy's works could be
plainly seen almost to the foot of the interior slope of the parapet.
Our first fire upon the Mexicans, who were unconscious of the impending
peril, was very deadly. Those who were not killed or disabled by that
fire seemed dazed for an instant; but in a few moments, they
precipitately retreated, leaving the San Cosme Garita without a single
defender in the works. One of their pieces of artillery was withdrawn a
few hundred yards, but was then abandoned.
Immediately after that first fire, a portion of the force with me on the
roof became engaged with the enemy who appeared on house tops in rear
of their battery. We soon drove them from their position. The other
portion of our men fell back to the stairs, made their way to the lower
story, broke open the thick, heavily barred, strong door, passed into
the street, entered the abandoned works, and pursued the enemy. In the
meantime, some of our troops from the right of the causeway had come
forward and, a very small number of them, were slightly in advance of us
in reaching the abandoned battery.
Colonel Garland, commander of the first brigade of Worth's division, on
the right of the causeway, says, in his official report: "The enemy then
took position at the Garita San Cosme, where they were supported by two
pieces of artillery which raked the streets with grape and canister.
Finding a secure position to the right of the second defence, [about 350
yards in front of the Garita], I reorganized the command as it came up;
mounted a howitzer on the top of a convent, which, under the direction
of Lieutenant [U. S.] Grant, Quartermaster, 4th Infantry, and Lieutenant
Lendrum, 3rd Artillery, annoyed the enemy considerably. About this time,
report was made to me that considerable progress had been made by the
troops on the other side of the street by means of crowbars and
pickaxes, working through houses and yards. This caused me to watch
closely for the first movement of the enemy indicative of retreat. The
moment this was discovered, the 4th Infantry, followed by detachments of
the 2nd and 3rd Artillery, under Colonel Belton, rushed up the road,
when they entered the work simultaneously with the forces operating to
the right and left, Captain McKenzie's storming party slightly in
advance". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, Appendix, p. 170.)
Referring to this operation, General Worth, in his official report,
says; "the moment had now arrived for the final and combined attack upon
the last stronghold of the enemy in my quarter; it was made, by our men
springing, as if by magic, to the tops of the houses into which they had
patiently and quietly made their way with the bar and pick, and to the
utter surprise and consternation of the enemy, opening upon him, within
easy range, a destructive fire of musketry. A single discharge, in which
many of his gunners were killed at their pieces, was sufficient to drive
him in confusion from the breastworks; when a prolonged shout from our
brave fellows announced that we were in possession of the Garita of San
Cosme and already in the city of Mexico". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, p. 392.)
The American army having thus captured the fortifications of the capital
of the enemy's country, a magnificent city of nearly 200,000
inhabitants, a secure lodgement was immediately effected in large
houses, on the left of the street, a few hundred yards from the Garita.
I then proceeded, with the engineer company and an infantry detachment,
several hundred yards farther; and found a strong position, on the right
of the street where the troops could rest protected from fire. Going
farther to the front, I discovered that, 150 yards in advance there was
a large convent, on the left of the street, occupied by a strong force.
The next cross street, the Paseo, had batteries upon it. These facts
were reported to General Worth, who ordered forward two brigades--one to
occupy each of the positions selected--and, directed me to place those
troops, station the picket-guards, and then, with Lieutenant McClellan,
report at his headquarters which was several hundred yards within the
Garita.
The aqueduct, in the middle of the street along which we advanced, was
an open stone trough, supported at a height of ten feet, or more, by
pillars and arches. There was a good deal of firing down the street from
Mexican detachments; but, by taking shelter under the arches, between
the pillars, our men, in small groups, were quite well protected. A
little before dark, whilst I was under one of the arches at the extreme
front, endeavoring to get a closer view of the enemy at the convent and
on the Paseo, I was joined by Lieutenant Sydney Smith, of the Fourth
Infantry, who had borne several messages from me to General Worth during
the afternoon. In a few moments after he joined me we heard horses feet
rapidly approaching us from the direction of the citadel. These horsemen
were captured, and proved to be three Mexican officers, one of whom was
Adjutant-General on the staff of Santa Anna.
Accompanied by Lieutenant McClellan, I reported to General Worth at 10
P. M., and was ordered by him to suspend operations for the night and
resume them at daylight. He received us both very kindly, expressed
satisfaction with the manner in which the works at the Garita had been
carried, and approved of all the dispositions that had been subsequently
made of the troops at the front. I called his attention again to the
convent, told him that the large Mexican force in that position might
give us a great deal of trouble next morning, and asked him to permit
me, with the engineer company supported by a detachment of about five
hundred men, to pass the convent that night, get into a strong position
beyond it, and thus induce the enemy to abandon that position before
morning; and said I thought it probable a detachment of five hundred men
could reach the main plaza of the city, that night, without material
difficulty; and that, in case this force encountered serious opposition,
they could take possession of some one of the many large, strong
buildings on the way, and hold their own against the whole Mexican army
until relief could reach them.
General Worth not only refused to comply with my request; but, ordered
both myself and Lieutenant McClellan to remain at his headquarters until
3 A. M., at which hour he said he would have us called, and we could
then go to the front and resume our duties.
That arrangement left the engineer company, for the night, at the
extreme front, without an officer. In spite of my earnest remonstrances
General Worth insisted that we should remain. On the latter point he was
inexorable. I finally asked him if I was under arrest. He said "No" and
added: "You soon will be if you show further hesitation in obeying my
order for you to remain here".
Being awakened by one of General Worth's aides, I asked if it was
already 3 o'clock. It seemed to me that I had not been asleep five
minutes. The aide said: "It is about 1 o'clock. A deputation from the
civil authorities has just informed General Worth that Santa Anna's army
evacuated the city before midnight, and they offered to surrender the
city. They have been passed on to General Scott, at Tacubaya; and
General Worth wishes to see you at once".
The latter told me more fully about the deputation and their proposal to
surrender; expressed some doubt in reference to the evacuation of the
city by the Mexican army; directed me to return to the front; take the
engineer company and a detachment of infantry; proceed carefully
forward, using every precaution; and report to him the slightest
indication that the city had not been evacuated. I was directed to
examine closely every large building and strong position along our
route; and not pass them until thoroughly satisfied that they were not
occupied by Mexican soldiers.
This forward movement commenced about 2 A. M. There was some delay in
determining whether the strong convent, mentioned above, had been
evacuated. Accounts on that subject were conflicting; but a thorough
examination of the whole position showed that it was abandoned. I
reported that fact to General Worth, and informed him that we would move
on with great care, in strict compliance with his instructions.
All buildings of importance were broken open. None of them were occupied
by the enemy. From time to time, I reported these facts to General
Worth; and, at daylight, I informed him that, from a church steeple near
the Alameda, I could see that the Citadel, which had stopped the advance
of General Quitman's troops early in the afternoon of the 13th, was
deserted. At that time, Lieutenant McClellan reported to me there were
no signs of the enemy in any portion of the Alameda; and I suggested to
General Worth that his whole division be moved forward.
In the meantime, with the engineer company and the infantry detachment,
I passed beyond the Alameda, breaking open, as before, and examining all
strong buildings on our route. We had gone more than two blocks in
advance of the Alameda, and were closely approaching the Main Plaza and
the National Palace, when I received a positive order to countermarch my
command, and report to General Worth at the Alameda. I demurred, and
told the aide, who bore the order, that I had obeyed all of General
Worth's cautionary instructions; that there was no enemy in our front,
and no reason for calling us back. The aide replied: "The order is
positive. You must go back." I then gave the order to countermarch. On
our way, the aide, who was a classmate and intimate friend of mine, said
to me; "General Worth is very cross, he is angry. My opinion is that he
has received orders from the headquarters of the army which have riled
him up badly".
A few days later I learned from General Worth that he received a
peremptory order from General Scott not to permit any one under his
command to pass beyond the Alameda, until further instructions were
received from the General-in-Chief.
For several hours after the engineer company took its place on the right
of Worth's division, at the Alameda, all seemed to be quiet in the city.
General Quitman's troops, from the Belen Gate, had passed the abandoned
citadel, reached the Main Plaza, and took possession of the National
Palace. Later, General Scott, with his staff officers and mounted
escort, entered the city.
About that time a shot was fired, evidently aimed at General Worth, from
a narrow street or lane, opposite the head of the division. The shot
missed Worth, but very severely wounded Colonel Garland. General Worth,
immediately ordered me to take the engineer company, go into the lane,
find the man who fired the shot, and hang him.
Within fifty yards we found the man who I believed fired the shot, a
rope was placed around his neck, but I did not order my men to hang him.
I had no _positive_ proof against him. I took the man to General Worth,
reported the circumstances of the case, in full; stated the reasons for
my belief that the prisoner fired the shot which severely wounded
Colonel Garland; and added: "In the absence of specific proof against
this man I have brought him to you, and await your further
instructions".
To which General Worth replied, in a cold and haughty manner: "This is
not the way in which my orders are obeyed by officers of _my division_".
Colonel Duncan, who was close beside General Worth, both mounted, whilst
I was on foot, said, at once, before I could make any reply to the
foregoing censure: "General Worth, you are wrong; Lieutenant Smith is
right. Under the circumstances he ought not to have hanged this man. It
is for you, the Major-General commanding these forces, to decide that
matter. Give the order. You see he and his men are ready to obey you.
Give the order".
In the meantime, the men of the engineer company, without instructions
from me, had passed the rope over an adjacent large lantern iron; and
stood ready to string the man up. General Worth did not give the order.
The man was not hanged.
In less than an hour after Colonel Garland was wounded, lawless bands of
armed Mexicans commenced firing from the parapet roofs of houses, from
church steeples and windows, in various parts of the city, upon our
troops in the open streets. An order was then given, by General Scott,
for Worth's forces to move beyond the Alameda and join with the rest of
the army, in putting down the rising of armed outlaws who made this
murderous attack upon us eight or ten hours after the city surrendered.
In these operations the engineer company was with Worth's division until
the recall was sounded late that afternoon.
General Scott, in his official report, says: "I communicated, about
daylight [on the 14th], orders to Worth and Quitman to advance slowly
and cautiously [to guard against treachery] towards the heart of the
city, and to occupy its stronger and more commanding points. Quitman
proceeded to the great plaza or square, planted guards and hoisted the
colors of the United States on the national palace, containing the halls
of Congress and executive apartments of Federal Mexico. In this grateful
service, Quitman might have been anticipated by Worth, but for my
express orders halting the latter at the head of the _Alameda_, [a green
park] within three squares of that goal of general ambition". (Ex. Doc.
No. 1, p. 383.)
General Worth, in his official report, says: "At 5 A. M., on the 14th,
my troops and heavy guns advanced into the city, and occupied the
Alameda to the point where it fronts the palace, and there halted at 6
o'clock, the general-in-chief having instructed me to take a position
and await his further orders. Shortly afterwards a straggling
assassin-like fire commenced from the house-tops, which continued, in
various parts of the city through the day, causing us some loss. The
first shot, fired at a group of officers at the head of my column,
struck down Colonel Garland, badly wounded. About the time of our
entrance into the city, the convicts in the different prisons, to the
number of some thirty thousand men, were liberated by order of the
flying government, armed and distributed in the most advantageous
houses, including the churches, convents, and even the hospitals, for
the purpose of exciting, if possible, the city to revolt".
In speaking of the general operations of his forces in the capture of
the city, General Worth adds:
"Officers and men of every corps carried themselves with wonted
gallantry and conduct. Of the staff; Lieutenants Stevens, Smith, and
McClellan, engineers, displayed the gallantry, skill and conduct, which
so eminently distinguished their corps". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, pp. 393-4.)
General Scott adds: "Captain Lee, engineer, so constantly distinguished,
also bore important orders from me [September 13] until he fainted from
a wound and the loss of two nights' sleep at the batteries. Lieutenants
Beauregard, Stevens, and Tower, all wounded, were employed with the
divisions, and Lieutenants G. W. Smith and G. B. McClellan with the
company of sappers and miners. Those five lieutenants of engineers, like
their captain, won the admiration of all about them". (Ex. Doc. No. 1,
p. 385.)
Major John L. Smith, senior engineer, says: "Lieutenant Smith reports
all the sappers who were engaged on the 13th and 14th, to have conducted
themselves with intelligence and intrepidity altogether satisfactory;
but, he mentions the orderly sergeant, Hastings, who was wounded, as
being eminently distinguished, and he mentions also artificer Gerber, as
having been particularly distinguished". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, p. 430.)
Without dwelling upon details of the fighting in the streets and houses
on the 14th, it may be stated that, a short time before the recall was
sounded, when Orderly Sergeant Hastings fell, Lieutenant McClellan
seized the Sergeant's musket, fired at, and killed the man who shot
Hastings. In a few moments thereafter the company passed the dead body
of that "liberated", _convict_ Mexican.
The unoccupied private house in which we were quartered that night was
near the place at which the man, who shot Colonel Garland, had been left
tied to a lantern iron with a rope around his neck. When we returned the
man was gone. Nothing further was said or done upon our side, in his
_case_.
An hour or more after we were comfortably "settled in our new home", I
noticed that McClellan was very quiet for a considerable time,
evidently thinking of matters which deeply interested him. An occasional
marked change seemed to come over the spirit of his dream. Finally I
awakened him from his reverie, saying: "A penny for your thoughts. I
have been watching you for half an hour or more, and would like much to
know, honor bright, what you have been thinking about".
To which he replied: "I have been making a 'general review' of what we
have gone through since we left West Point, one year ago this month,
bound for the 'Halls of the Montezumas'; have been again on the Rio
Grande, that grave-yard of our forces; have gone over the road from
Matamoros to Victoria and Tampico, where we had so much hard work; went
through the siege of Vera Cruz, where we were left out in the cold
during the ceremonies of surrender, and later, had to make our way as
best we could, with the engineer train through the horrid sand; glanced
at Cerro Gordo, where it was my misfortune to be with General Pillow's
'whipped community'; stopped again with our friends, the Monks, in the
convent at Puebla; crossed over the mountains; came by way of San
Antonio, Contreras, Churubusco, Chapultepec and the San Cosme Garita,
into this city. Here we are--the deed is done--I am glad no one can say
'poor Mac' over me".
The capture of the city, and its occupation by General Scott's army,
virtually ended the war made by the United States against Mexico.