CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. 709 tops, where they did not hesitate to meet the invaders of CHAP. their hearthstones hand to hand. The following morning Ampudia surrendered the town and garrison. The Mexican soldiers were permitted to march out with the honors of war. General Taylor was assured that those in authority at the city of Mexico were desirous of peace. In consequence of these representations, and also of his want of provisions, he agreed to a cessation of hostilities for eight weeks, if his government should sanction the measure. He now left General Worth in command of the city, and retired with the main force of the army to Walnut Springs, about three miles distant, and there encamped. LI. 1846. Sept. 24. LII. CHAPTER LII. POLK'S ADMINISTRATION-CONTINUED. The President hopes for Peace.-Santa Anna.-Hostilities to be renewed.— CHAP. THOSE in power at Washington had hoped, indeed, it was confidently predicted, that the war would be ended within 1846. ninety" or one hundred and twenty days" from its commencement, and a peace concluded, that "should give indemnity for the past and security for the future." These desirable ends were to be attained by treaty, through the means of that incomparable patriot, Santa Anna, then an exile in Havana, who promised, for a certain consideration, if restored to authority in Mexico, to exert his influence in favor of peace. A secret messenger from Washington had made to the "illustrious exile" overtures to this effect, about the time that General Taylor was ordered to the Rio Grande; the special act which led to hostilities.' In his next annual message the President gives some Dec. information on this subject. "Santa Anna," said that document, "had expressed his regret that he had subverted the Federal Constitution of his country," and "that he 'Benton's "Thirty Years' View," Vol. ii. pp. 561 and 681-2. SANTA ANNA AND HIS PROFESSIONS. 711 LII. was now in favor of its restoration." He was also opposed CHAP. to a monarchy, or "European interference in the affairs of his country." The President cherished the hope that 1846. the exiled chief would "see the ruinous consequences to Mexico of a war with the United States, and that it would be his interest to favor peace;" and further the Message said, that Paredes, then President of Mexico, was “a soldier by profession, and a monarchist in principle; " the sworn enemy of the United States, and urgent to prosecute the war. Santa Anna, on the contrary, was in favor of peace, and only wanted a few millions of dollars to bring about that object so dear to his patriotism; hence the hopes that the war would be brought to a close in three or four months. It was with this expectation that the President, in a special message, asked of Congress an appropria- Aug. tion of two millions of dollars "in order to restore peace, and to advance a portion of the consideration money, for any cession of territory" which Mexico might make. It was also in accordance with this arrangement, that, on the very day Congress, at his suggestion, recognized the "existence of the war," he issued an order to Commodore Connor, who was in command of the fleet in the Gulf, to permit Santa Anna and his suite to return to Mexico. The latter availed himself of this passport to land at Aug. Vera Cruz, ex President Polk had been duped. Santa Anna never intended to fulfil his promise, except so far as to forward his own selfish ends. Instead of endeavoring to conciliate the hostile countries and obtain peace, he devoted all his energies to arouse the war spirit of his countrymen ; called upon them to rally under his banner and save their nationality; issued flaming manifestos expressing the most intense hatred of the people of the United States, and his righteous indignation at the wrongs imposed on his country by the "perfidious Yankees." 4. May 13. 8. CHAP. LII. His extravagant professions of patriotism were not without effect; his countrymen deposed Paredes, and 1816. elected him President. Though they had been unfortunate in the field, their spirits revived, and in a few months he had an army of twenty thousand men concentrated at San Luis Potosi. Dec. Meanwhile General Wool had marched from San Sept. Antonio. His indefatigable labors had converted the volunteers under his care into well-drilled soldiers. Part of their way was through a region but thinly inhabited and without roads, and across a desert in which they suffered much for water. A laborious march of six weeks brought him to Monclova, seventy miles from Monterey-here he learned of the capture of the latter place. It was now arranged that he should take position in a fertile district in the province of Durango, that would enable him to obtain supplies for his own men, and the army under General Taylor. The inhabitants cheerfully furnished provisions, for which they were paid promptly, and in truth received more favor than they had recently experienced at the hands of their own rulers, as General Wool kept his men under strict discipline and scrupulously protected the persons and property of the Mexicans. 15. The cessation of hostilities, by orders from Washington, ceased on the 13th of November. Two days later Nov. General Worth took possession of Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila, and General Taylor himself, leaving a garrison in Monterey under General Butler, marched toward the coast in order to attack Tampico, but as that place had Dec. already surrendered to Commodore Connor, he took possession of Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas. 29. The United States government now prepared to invade Mexico by way of Vera Cruz. Just as General Taylor was ready to commence active operations, General Scott was about to sail for that place with the TROOPS WITHDRAWN FROM TAYLOR'S ARMY. 713 LII. intention of capturing it, and then, if peace could not be CHAP. obtained, to march upon the city of Mexico itself. To carry out the plan of operations, it was necessary 1846. to increase the force under General Scott's immediate control. Troops in sufficient numbers could not be drawn from the United States, and a portion of Taylor's army was ordered to join him before Vera Cruz. He thus in a private letter expresses his generous sympathies with the latter: "My dear General," says he, "I shall be obliged to take from you most of the gallant officers and men whom you have so long and so nobly commanded. I am afraid that I shall, by imperious necessity-the approach of the yellow fever on the Gulf coast-reduce you, for a time, to remain on the defensive. This will be infinitely painful to you, and, for that reason, distressing to me. But I rely upon your patriotism to submit to the temporary sacrifice with cheerfulness. No man can better afford to do so. Recent victories place you on that high eminence." General Taylor, though deeply disappointed, at once complied with the orders of the government, and detached Generals Worth and Quitman with their divisions and the greater part of the volunteers brought by General Wool: in truth, the flower of his army. These troops were speedily on their march from Saltillo toward the Gulf coast. Thus Taylor was left with a very small force. During the month of January, and a part of February, reinforcements of 1847 volunteers arrived from the United States, increasing his army to about six thousand; but after garrisoning Monterey and Saltillo, he had only four thousand seven hundred effective men, of whom only six hundred were regulars. General Scott sent Lieutenant Richey and a guard of men with a despatch to General Taylor. The Lieutenant imprudently left his men, went near a Mexican village, was lassoed, dragged from his horse and murdered, |