settled by the treaty ratified on June 18, 1846, two months after Taylor's first battle on the Rio Grande, and Polk's hopes of obtaining peace from Mexico on terms which would secure New Mexico and California failing, it was determined to prosecute the war on a larger scale, and Scott was sent to invade Mexico from a base at Vera Cruz. Drawing off a part of Taylor's force, Scott made a rendezvous at Lobos Island, near Vera Cruz, and landed an army of 12,000 men on March 9, 1847. Under the immediate direction of Col. J. G. Totten, a celebrated engineer of that day, Vera Cruz was invested, and on the refusal of the Mexican general, Landaro, in command of the city, to capitulate, Scott opened fire on March 22, and after a four days' terrific bombardment the city was surrendered with 5,000 prisoners and 400 pieces of artillery. The Americans had sixty nine killed and wounded during the siege, while the Mexican loss was estimated at about 1,000.

The campaign from the Vera Cruz base was conducted with as much vigor as was that under Taylor from the Rio Grande, which closed with the battle of Buena Vista, a month before the investment of Vera Cruz. On April 8, 1847, Gen. Twiggs being in the advance the Twiggs who, as commander in Texas at the opening of the secession war in 1861, surrendered his force to the confederates-Scott began his memorable march to the City of Mexico. At a position of great natural strength in the mountain pass of Cerro Gordo, Scott, with 8,500 men, encountered Santa Anna with 12,000 on April 17, stormed Santa Anna's position on the 18th, and captured 3,000 prisoners, 4,500 stand of arms and 43 cannon, the American killed and wounded in the battle being 500, and the Mexican loss 1,000. Scott paroled his prisoners, captured Jalape without resistance on the 19th, occupied Perote, on the summit of the Cordilleras, on the 22d, and entered Puebla on May 15. Here Scott awaited re-enforcements and supplies from the United States. The American army of 12,000 men, counting those left to garrison Vera Cruz and other points, had in two months taken several strongly fortified positions and captured 10,000 prisoners, 10,000 stand of arms and 700 pieces of artillery.

The arrival of Gen. Franklin Pierce with re-enforcements of about 2,500 men in August set Scott's army again in motion,

Vol. 9-4

On the 6th of that month the march on the City of Mexico was resumed, Gen. Worth commanding the 1st Division, Gen. Twiggs the 2d, Gen. Pillow the 3d, and Gen. Quitman the 4th, with Col. Harney commanding the cavalry, which was in the advance. On the 20th, Contreras and Cherubusco were captured after fierce fighting, 3,000 prisoners being taken, including eight generals, two being ex-presidents, and thirty seven pieces of artillery. The Americans had 1,053 killed and wounded and the Mexicans 2,000. An armistice was granted to Santa Anna on August 23, and Nicholas P. Trist, a special commissioner from Polk, opened negotiations with the Mexicans for peace. No agreement being reached and Santa Anna utilizing the cessation of operations by strengthening his fortifications, Scott resumed hostilities. On September 8 Molino del Rey was stormed by Worth, and on the 12th, after a two days' battle, Chapultepec, by Scott, was also carried by storm.

This was the end. The Americans entered the City of Mexico on the 14th, the Mexican government having abandoned it on the previous day. There were some disturbances in the city on that day, and guerrilla fighting under Santa Anna's direction afterward, but the general result could not be changed. The American loss in killed and wounded from the time of the renewal of the march on August 6 was 2,700 and the Mexican was estimated at 7,000. In addition the Mexicans lost 3,700 prisoners. On February 2, 1848, at Guadalupe Hidalgo, a small town near the City of Mexico, a treaty of peace was signed by Trist, on the part of the United States, and three commissioners representing Mexico, whereby the southwest boundary of Texas was fixed at the Rio Grande, the line claimed by Texas and the United States, and New Mexico and California were added to the United States, for which this country paid $15,000,000 to Mexico, and assumed the payment of claims amounting to $3,250,000 of American citizens against Mexico. The American flag was lowered in the City of Mexico on June 12, 1848, and the Mexican flag was run up. It was saluted by the American troops, who at once marched out of the city, and the evacuation of Mexico began. An addition of 545,783 square miles to the country's domain was made and the boundary of the United States was advanced to the Pacific.