41S RETREAT OF THE MEXICAN ARMY AND GOVERNMENT. 



able, awaited the return of daylight under the guns of the formida- 

 ble and unsubdued citadel. 



So ended the battles of the 13th of September, 1847, and so, in 

 fact, ended the great contests of the war. Santa Anna had been 

 again " disconcerted" in his plan of battle, by Scott, as he had 

 previously been thwarted by Valencia's disobedience and wilfulness. 

 Scott would not attack the south of the city where he expected him, 

 and consequently the American chief conquered the point where 

 he had not expected him ! 



When darkness fell upon the city a council, of disheartened offi- 

 cers assembled in the Mexican citadel. After the customary crimi- 

 nation and recrimination had been exhausted between Santa Anna 

 and other officers, it was acknowledged that the time had eome to 

 decide upon future movements. Beaten in every battle, they now 

 saw one American General already within the city gate, while 

 another was preparing to enter on the following morning, and kept 

 the city sleepless by the loud discharges of his heavy cannon or 

 bursting bombs as they fell in the centre of the capital. General 

 Carrera believed the demoralization of his army complete. Lom- 

 bardini, Alcorta and Perez coincided in his opinion, and Santa 

 Anna at length closed the panic stricken council by declaring that 

 Mexico must be evacuated duringthe nightand bynaming Lombar- 

 dini General-in-Chief, and General Perez second in command. 

 Between eight and nine o'clock Senor Trigueros called at the cita- 

 del with his coach, and bore away the luckless military President 

 to the sacred town of Guadalupe Hidalgo, three miles north of the 

 capital. 



The retreat of the Mexican army began at midnight, and not 

 long after, a deputation from the Ayuntamiento, or City Council, 

 waited upon General Scott with the information that the federal 

 government and troops had fled from the capital. The haggard 

 visitors demanded terms of capitulation in favor of the church, the 

 r itizens and the municipal authorities. Scott refused the ill-timed 

 request, and promising no terms that were not self imposed, sent 

 word to Quitman and Worth to advance as soon as possible on the 

 following morning, and, guarding carefully against treachery, to 

 occupy the city's strongest and most commanding points. Worth 

 was halted at the Alameda, a few squares west of the Plaza, but 

 Quitman was allowed the honor of advancing to the great square, 

 and hoisting the American flag on the National Palace. At 9 

 o'clock the Commander-in-Chief, attended by his brilliant staff, rode 

 into the vast area in front of the venerable Cathedral and Palace, 



