scott's advance ey chalco. 



389 



assault or siege had been gathered carefully, and transported slowly 

 into the interior, through the country intervening between Vera 

 Cruz and Puebla, every train being usually attacked by guerillas, 

 and fighting its way boldly through the most dangerous passes. 



The equipments of the Mexicans, except the weapons saved from 

 the wreck of former battles, had been chiefly prepared at the can- 

 non foundries and powder factories of the country, and it is quite 

 amazing to notice how completely a great exigency brought forth 

 the latent energies of the people, teaching them what they might 

 ordinarily effect, if guided by a spirit of industry and progress. 

 Under the most disheartening depression, but fired by the stimulus of 

 despair, by an overpowering sense of patriotic duty, and by religious 

 enthusiasm which had been excited by the crusading address of the 

 clergy of San Luis Potosi, issued in the month of April, they mani- 

 fested in their last moments, a degree of zeal, calmness, and fore- 

 sight that w r ill forever redound to their credit on the page of history. 



The Mexican preparations for defence were not, of course, as 

 completely known to the Americans, as we now describe them. 

 Through spies, scouts and reconnoisances of our engineers, some of 

 the exterior, and even of the interior lines were ascertained with 

 tolerable accuracy ; but sufficient was known to satisfy General 

 Scott that, of all the approaching routes to the capital, that which 

 led along the southern shores of lake Chalco was the only one he 

 ought to adopt. 1 



Accordingly, on the 15th of August, the movement was com- 

 menced in the reverse order from that in which the army had entered 

 the valley from Puebla. Worth's division passing Pillow's, led the 

 advance, Pillow and Quitman followed, while Twiggs' brought up 

 the rear. Scott took his position with Pillow, so as to communi- 

 cate easily with all parts of the army. Water transportation, to 

 some extent, had been obtained by General Worth at Chalco, by 

 the siezure of market boats which plied betw r een that place and the 

 capital. When Twiggs moved he was assailed by Alvarez and his 

 Pintos, but soon drove them off, while the advance columns, after 

 passing San Gregorio, were constantly assailed by the enemy's light 

 troops in their front, and harassed and impeded by ditches that had 

 been hastily cut across the road, or by rocks rolled down from the 



l General Scott had set his heart, even at Puebla, on the Chalco route, but he re- 

 solved not to be obstinate, if, on a closer examination of the ground, a better route 

 was presented. The last information of his spies and officers, in the valley, satisfied 

 him as to the propriety of advancing by Chalco. 



50 



