390 



THE AMERICAN ARMY AT SAN AGUSTIN. 



mountains. These obstacles necessarily consumed time, but the 

 simple-minded Indians of the neighborhood, who had just been com- 

 pelled by the Mexicans to throw the impediments in the Americans' 

 way, were perhaps more easily induced to aid in clearing the path 

 for the invaders, than their ancestors had been in the days of Cortez. 

 On the afternoon of the 17th, Worth, with the advance, reached 

 San Agustin, at the foot of the mountains, and at the intersection 

 of the southern road from Mexico to Cuernavaca and Acapulco — 

 a point whose topography we have already described ; — and, on the 

 18th, the rear division entered the town. 



As soon as Santa Anna discovered Scott's advance by the Chalco 

 route, and that the attack on Mexico would be made from the south 

 instead of the east, he at once perceived that it was useless to attack 

 the American rear, whilst passing the defiles between the lake and 

 the mountains even if he could possibly come up with it, and con- 

 sequently, that it was best for him to quit his head quarters at El 

 Penon, while he also recalled General Valencia with the most of the 

 troops at Tezcoco and at Mexicalzingo, which were no longer men- 

 aced by the foe. Santa Anna himself, established his quarters 

 at the fortified hacienda of San Antonio, and ordered Valencia to 

 march his whole division, cavalry, infantry and artillery, to the town 

 of San Angel and Ooyoacan, so as to cover the whole west and cen- 

 tre of the valley in front of Mexico. 



