"What is it, captain? One of my aides-de-camp tells me you have asked
for an interview. Be brief with your business; I'm full of affairs just
now." I was not a favourite at head-quarters. I had no flattery for
the conceited septuagenarian who at this crisis commanded the American
army.
Still his consent was necessary for my purpose. Without it I could do
nought to avenge the death of my friend. That granted, I had conceived
a scheme.
"What is it?" asked the general, with an air of impatience that augured
ill for my success. "What is it you want?"
"Leave of absence, general."
"Why, you've been off duty for six months. How much more do you
require?"
"Only six days."
"Six days! And for what purpose?"
"To punish these brigands who infest the road between here and Puebla.
I presume, general, you've been informed of their atrocities?"
"Of course I have. But what can I do? If I send a troop, they see the
soldiers miles off, and won't stand to be attacked. It's like chasing a
wild goose."
"I think I have a plan by which they can be brought to close quarters,
and some of them chastised. With your permission, I should like to make
trial of it."
"But I have no cavalry just now to spare--not a single sabre. The
Government is so stingy, they won't give me men enough to fill up the
regular regiments. They think I can hold a great country like Mexico
without horses--where the enemy are nearly all mounted too! No, Sir, I
can't spare a single dragoon--much less your own company; and I suppose
you would want to take that with you."
"On the contrary, general, I don't desire a single soldier from the
ranks; at least only three or four of my own, whom I know to be men of
courage. There are some dare-devils among our camp-followers--just the
sort for such a purpose as mine. With a dozen of them, I fancy we can
hold our own with the biggest band of brigands to be found among the
mountains of Mexico."
"You are a brave man, captain; but I fear not much of a strategist."
Strategy was the god of this poor military simpleton, as it was of his
favourite pupil, McClellan. It was the same sort of strategy that
caused the rout at Bull's Run, and the consequent prolongation of the
American civil war. But for it the army of the North might have stacked
arms in the streets of Richmond in three weeks after leaving Washington,
and the long sanguinary strife have been shunned.
Well do I remember both preceptor and pupil. There was bad management
in Virginia; exactly what I should have expected from my experience of
their tactics in Mexico. In our campaign through the country of the
Aztecs the latter was scarcely known, or only as a smart drill master.
Nor would he ever after have been heard of, but for the patronage of his
superannuated Chief--the "Grand Strategist," as he was desirous of being
deemed.
The last remark of the general gave me the cue to flatter him.
In hopes of obtaining my end, I availed myself of the opportunity.
"General!" I said, with a look of real reverence, "I am aware there
will not appear much strategy in what I propose--at least to you, who
are capable of grand combinations. My idea is of the simplest."
"Well, let us hear it, captain. Perhaps it may show better in detail.
A great deal depends upon that. An army brought into the field _en
masse_--as Napoleon would say--with its infantry here and its artillery
there, and the cavalry scattered over the ground, is like a machine
without screws. It must soon fall to pieces. I never move my
battalions in that way. If I had--"
"If you had, general," I meekly interposed, seeing that he had made a
pause, "you wouldn't have been here now, as you are--conqueror of the
capital of Mexico."
"You are right, captain; quite right!" rejoined he, evidently beginning
to like me, "Quite right, sir. And don't you think that Cortez's
campaign was inferior to that which _I_--_I_--have had the honour of
planning; and of conducting, Sir--conducting?"
"A mere skirmish to it."
"A skirmish, sir--a skirmish! His enemies a crowd of naked savages--
that's what they were--nothing but slings and bows with which to defend
themselves. Not a gun among them; while _I_--_I_, sir, have defeated a
grand disciplined army, under the greatest general these Mexicans have
ever produced; for, say what you like of Santa Anna, the rascal is a
thorough soldier--a regular, sir, a regular--not a volunteer. I detest
volunteers; and it's a great shame for the Government to have sent me so
many of them. They've fought well, I admit; but they couldn't help it.
They were properly handled, sir; and they had my old regulars alongside
of them. How could they hang back, when they saw who was at their head?
My presence inspired them; and the consequence is, that they fought and
conquered this great country in less than half the time it took Cortez
to do it. Therefore I say, sir, that the conquest of Winfield Scott
will shine upon the page of history far brighter than that of Fernando
Cortez."
"No doubt of it," was my insincere response, scarce able to conceal my
contempt for the huge military _bavard_.
"Well, sir," said he, after he had paced once or twice across the floor
in swelling grandeur, "you haven't stated your plans? Let's hear the
detail. My giving you permission may depend upon that."
"What I had intended, general, was to charter the _diligencia_; and use
it, as if it were going on its regular trip between here and Puebla.
The robbers are also troublesome upon the Toluca route; so I don't care
which we try first. I should dress my twelve men in Mexican costumes;
have a monk or two along with them, and at least a couple of ladies.
The _reboso_ would disguise them sufficiently for our purpose. A
Mexican uniform or two might aid the decoy: since just before our coming
into the country no less than thirteen officers of their army,
travelling in the stage-coach, were stopped by a band of only six
robbers, and stripped even of their uniforms! I should have liked two
or three Mexican _militarios_ among my men; but just now it would scarce
look natural, and the bandits might suspect a _ruse_."
"Well, sir," said the general, evidently amused by my ideas, "What would
you do with these twelve masqueraders?"
"Arm each of them with a small battery of revolvers; give him a good
bowie knife to fall back upon; and, when the robbers make halt around
the stage-coach, let all spring out at once, and go at them with a will.
I know of twelve men I can muster, who are just the sort for such an
enterprise. All of them, one time or another, have done a little bit of
street fighting; and I'm much mistaken if there's one of their number
who would shy from an encounter with Mexican brigands anything under ten
to one. Our only fear would be that too many of the bandits should be
able to get off before we had time to give them a good thrashing.
They're wonderfully quick on their little horses."
"By the word of Winfield Scott, sir, there's something in what you
propose. For my part, I shouldn't care to trouble about these robber
gentry--who are perhaps only a little less honest than the rest of their
countrymen--but it don't look just the thing that we haven't put a stop
to their depredations--especially as they've committed some outrages on
our own people. Well, sir!" he added, after a pause, "I'll consider
your proposal, and give you an answer by to-morrow morning. Meanwhile
you may hold yourself in readiness--in case I should think proper to
approve of it."
"Shall I retain the _diligencia_, general?"
"No, no; not this trip--not for to-morrow. There will be time enough.
I must think the matter over. It won't do to be charged with silly
things; and, as you ought to know, sir, I have enemies at Washington--
foes in the rear, sir, as well as in the front. Besides, you wouldn't
have time to get your fellows ready before to-morrow morning?"
"In an hour, general; if your permission be given. I have sounded them
already. They would all be _en masque_ before midnight."
"I'll think of it; I'll think of it, as soon as I'm disengaged. But
there's somebody waiting outside. A Mexican gentleman, my
_aide-de-camp_ tells me. I wonder what _he_ wants. Safeguard, I
suppose, or some other favour. These people pester the life out of me.
They think I've nothing to do but to look after every little affair that
troubles them. If one of our scamps only steals a chicken, they must
see _me_ about it. God knows I've given them protection enough--more
than they've been accustomed to at the hands of their own officers!"
And God did know it: for the statement was strictly true. However
contemptible I might esteem General Scott's military talents, I can bear
testimony to the fact, that his enemies had no cause to complain of his
inhumanity. Never was conquered foe treated with such leniency as were
the Mexicans during that memorable campaign; which I do not hesitate to
pronounce the most _civilised_ that has found place upon the page of
history.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had made my salute, and was about stepping out of the "presence," when
I heard the command, "Stay, sir!"
In obedience to it, I once more faced towards the commander-in-chief.
"By the way," he said, "I may want you for a minute. I'm told you speak
Spanish perfectly?"
"Not perfectly, general. I speak it, as the Spaniards say, _un
pocito_."
"Never mind how--so long as you can hold a conversation in it. Now that
I think of it, my interpreter is out of the way; and there's none of my
_aides_ knows anything of their lingo. The Mexican who's coming in is
not likely to understand a syllable I might say to him. So stay, and
translate for us."
"At your command, general, I'll do the best I can."
"You may prepare yourself, I suppose, to hear of a hen roost having been
robbed; and a claim for compensation. Ah! the claimant is there."
The door at that moment was opened from the outside; and one of the
_aides_ entered, ushering a stranger, who stepped briskly in after him.