Soldiers of Conquest

by F. M. Parker

  *

  Grant knew action was imminent when General Quitman showed up at Perote Castle with a half company of Dragoons out front as scouts, and four regiments of infantry, and a wagon train behind him. Quitman went at once into consultation with General Worth and his two brigade commanders, Garland and Clarke. This was the sixty-fifth day after the Americans had landed upon the coast of Mexico.

  Officers from Quitman’s command and Worth’s quickly gathered and the word spread through the group that Scott had ordered an immediate march and occupation of Puebla. The most surprising news was that, just possibly, Puebla would be handed to them without a fight for the reason that Scott and the officials of the Catholic Church had made a pact, though nobody had yet seen a written copy of it.

  Garland and Clarke came out of the conference, called their officers before them and gave instructions to prepare to march. Grant hastened to round up his quartermaster and teamsters. It was a stimulating feeling to be moving upon the enemy again. The distance to Puebla was about eighty miles and four days could see the army at the gates of the city.

  Worth’s army, leaving a garrison of five hundred men to hold the Castle, loaded the wagons and set out on the march in the early afternoon. The soldiers carried their weapons, full cartridge boxes, and knapsacks. Grant, with his pistols and saber buckled to his side and his men armed, rolled his wagons in behind those of Clarke’s brigade. Quitman would march a half day behind.

  The cannoneers rode the gun carriages or the horses pulling them. The safer riding places on the tops of the ammunition boxes of the limbers were reserved for the powder boys, where they held onto the jostling vehicles, and with their young blood racing through their veins, shouted out excitedly to each other. The cannons were loaded and the long slow matches burning, all ready to blast exploding canisters or grapeshot into any Mexican force daring to attack the moving column.

  Worth drove his men, as was his habit, and the army passed over the plain around Tepeyahuatl with its vineyards and orchards and cultivated fields of vegetables and grains. A few big haciendas, walled like small fortresses, made colorful splashes on the land. The highway struck a flat, sandy region that slowed everything. This gave way to forested hills where the danger was real for guerrillas on horseback could be seen stealing among the trees on the hillsides both sides of the highway. Rain fell for two hours in the late afternoon but no stop was made to find shelter.

  The army camped the first night at the small village of Oriental. The thirsty soldiers flocked into the village to fill their canteens. In short order they had drained one of the two wells. Women with empty water pails gathered and finding the well dry shouted abuse at the Americans. A pair of exceptionally angry young women hurled the vilest of curses at the Americans. Grant understood the cuss words, and the other soldiers knew their meaning from the tones. Had the abusers been men, the soldiers would have given them a bloody thrashing, but they stalwartly ignored the women and hastily left.

  In the morning of the third day of the American’s march, the white tip of Popocatepatl rose above the hills. A few miles farther and the “Sleeping Woman,” Ixacihuatal rose up beside Popocatepatl. With these two mountains in front and giant Orizaba behind, Grant rode on in awed silence.

  Worth halted his army three miles from Puebla in the evening of the fourth day to let his men rest while Quitman and his regiments caught up. As they were about to settle down for the night, a mounted picket dashed in to report Mexican cavalry approaching from the hills not far off. Worth swiftly formed his men up to meet the attack.

  Grant hastily joined Garland’s brigade. As they waited for the Mexicans, a heavy, cold rain began to fall on them. The wait was short for the Mexicans were soon seen in the distance, two thousand of them in formation on running horses and sweeping down on the Americans. Duncan and his cannoneers ran their wheeled field artillery out front, took aim, and let go with exploding canisters. The rounds fell true and blasted several score Lancers from their saddles, and knocked down an even greater number of horses. With Duncan’s third barrage, the charge of the Lancers broke. In confusion they veered off, and ran their horses back toward the hills.

  Grant expected Worth to claim a victory and get his men under shelter. Instead the nervous general kept Garland’s men in line in the night of drenching rain and ankle deep mud. Worth sat his horse in the rain with the men, still that didn’t lessen the foolishness of being out in it. Grant was disgusted with the general.

  Believing the Mexicans wouldn’t make an assault in the darkness and rain, Grant went to his men and told them to get out of the rain by crawling under the canvas of the wagons. He did the same and lay on top of sacks of horse feed and listened to the pounding drumbeat of the heavy rain on the canvas but inches from his face. This was one of the rare instances when he saw a benefit from being a quartermaster rather than an officer of the line standing in formation in blackness and soaked to the skin.

  *

  Lee had pushed his horse hard and now felt it weakening beneath him. He rode slumped with weariness and head pulled down into the collar of his rain slicker to shield himself as best he could against the drenching rain.

  Lee and an escort of a sergeant and five troopers had departed Jalapa two days before on orders from Scott to carry an advance copy of the Puebla Proclamation to General Worth to assist him in the negotiation for the surrender of the city and its occupation. The priest Campomanes had left the day before with a copy for the bishop at Puebla. Lee must catch up with Worth and Quitman and their force of men and weapons before they reached the city and began an assault.

  His group had change horses at the American garrison at Perote Castle and hurried on. Since then they had stopped twice for a two-hour rest for their horses and themselves. Two hours past as night fell, thick clouds came in and a torrential rain began to fall. In the blackness of the rainstorm, he could see nothing, not even the ears of his mount. He made no effort to guide his steed. It had been set on its course along the National Highway and now kept to it with its night seeing animal eyes.

  The rain ceased as the land began to take form in a dreary, damp dawn. In the distance he could make out a gathering of hundreds of wagons, and cannon and horses and men. He felt an easing in his chest for he had succeeded in overtaking Worth and Quitman before they attacked the city.

  He led his escort in among the wet and muddy soldiers as they began to mill about preparing to fall into ranks for the march. From the depth of the mud and the amount of it on the soldiers it was obvious that rain had fallen hard and yet he saw no tents and wondered what had prevented them from being erected. He saw the flag that marked Worth’s headquarters and worked his way through the horses and men to it.

  Worth was seated in the open at a small fold-up table and writing. Standing nearby were General Quitman, the three brigade commanders, and two of Worth’s aids. A third aid sat a horse close by the general. He held a white flag on a staff, obviously ready to ride and deliver whatever the general was preparing.

  Worth looked up, and seeing Lee riding in, motioned for him to approach.

  Lee dismounted and came up and saluted. “Good morning, General Worth.”

  “What’s your purpose in being here, Major Lee?” Worth said brusquely.

  “I have a package for you from General Scott.”

  “Then let’s have it.”

  Lee took an oilskin wrapped parcel from his saddlebag and handed it to Worth. ”It’s a copy of General Scott’s proclamation to the Church and the citizens of Puebla. Representatives of the Church met with him and said they wanted to prevent a fight for the city, and that if he’d state his intentions, they’d try and get the soldiers to leave. General Scott wanted you to have it before you began negotiations.”

  “I’ve heard about it. I was just writing a demand to the army garrison, or if there was no garrison, to the city fathers to surrender the city to me. The proclamation will be useful. I’m glad the general saw fit to send me a copy.” Worth’
s tone was sour. He ripped open the oilskin covering off the parcel and began to read.

  Lee knew the cause of Worth’s bad disposition. “He was mad as hell”, those were his aids words, about Scott’s official report to Secretary Of War Marcy and President Polk of the battle at Cerro Gordo. Worth had denounced it as a lie from beginning to end because it glossed over Pillow’s poor performance during the battle. Further Worth claimed he had been wronged by being held in reserve while Twiggs fought the battle. He had sent what he called a correct report of the battle to the Secretary of War Marcy and President Polk.

  Lee believed as Worth did, that Pillow should have been severely reprimanded for his poor leadership and cowardly actions when faced with actual bloody battle at Cerro Gordo. Scott in his jubilant mood after his triumph over Santa-Anna, and not wanting to antagonize Pillow and have him complain to Polk, had used the bland statement that Pillow had performed a service on the enemy’s right during the battle. Scott’s lack of candor about Pillow’s actions had come back to haunt him with Worth’s action. That could weaken the morale of the other officers and Lee deeply regretted that. Regrettable also was that Scott and Worth who had been staunch friends were now bitter with each other.

  ”What are your orders, major?” Worth asked and folding the proclamation.

  “To return promptly to Jalapa, general.”

  “Why not stay a day and observe the occupation of the city? That way you can report first hand how it went.”

  Before Lee could answer Worth, there was a sudden movement among the soldiers as a Dragoon came riding fast and making the men jump out of the way. The rider pulled rein on his mount near Worth and saluted.

  “General sir, Lieutenant Wyckoff has directed me to report that there’s a delegation of nearly half a dozen Mexicans and a priest outside the gates of the city and that they want to talk to you about terms for surrendering the city. They say they’ve forced the Mexican garrison out.”

  Worth spoke to Lee. “It seem that the priest have succeeded in getting the army to vacate the city.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Are you staying until we occupy the city?”

  “Yes, sir.” Lee replied.

  Worth turned to his brigade commanders. “Form up your men and let’s march. We have a city ready to surrender to us.”

  CHAPTER 26

  With one of the regimental bands leading and playing “The Star Spangled Banner”, General Worth, with his staff officers behind him, led his mud splattered, raggedy army into Puebla and down the wide, tree-lined main street where townsfolk by the thousands thronged the sidewalks, filled the windows, and looked down from the rooftops. Small boys caught up by excitement dashed about. Here and there, young women laughed and pointed at a soldier who possessed blond or red hair. Older men and women showed dismay at the invasion of their city.

  Led was surprised at the number of people, and even more so when they arrived at the town’s great central plaza where thousands of additional citizens came pouring out of the side streets and jostling each other for standing room. Regardless of their emotion about the occupation of their town, they seemed anxious to see the ferocious warriors from the North who had captured Veracruz and defeated Santa-Anna at Cerro Gordo and now had marched into their city without having to fight for it.

  Lee watched as the muddy, dog-tired soldiers stacked their arms and cartridge boxes. Many went immediately to the fountain in the center of the plaza and drank. A few men wandered off to find something to drink or look for girls. Most men lay down wearily on the cobblestone pavement and went to sleep, totally ignoring the thousands of curious eyes looking down on them. Lee saw officers going off into the streets radiating off the plaza to find quarters for themselves and their men. He led his own weary and hungry squad of men away along a street to find them food and a place to sleep for the night. In the morning he would strike out on the return journey to Jalapa to report to Scott.

  *

  Grant awoke to the bugler sounding “Call To Arms”. He leapt up from his blanket. He collided with Hazlitt in the center of the tiny room they shared. They moved apart and rushed to buckle pistols and sabers around their waists.

  “I hope to God that this isn’t another false alarm of our Nervous Nellie General,” Hazlitt said.

  Grant merely grunted. He sprinted out the door of the cubicle, along the hallway to the outside door, and into the courtyard where the soldiers were snatching up their muskets and cartridge boxes from the stacks. In a flood they poured into the plaza. Hurriedly spotting their company commanders, they formed up in ranks. Hazlitt went immediately to his company. Grant’s men gathered before him. Early rising civilians, frightened by the Americans soldiers forming up for battle with their weapons, scattered like quail into doorways and off along the streets.

  Troops of Dragoons began to arrive and Worth dispatched squads of them off in several directions to find and obtain information from the roving pickets, and to scout for enemies themselves. The army stood waiting for the reports to come in, as Worth galloped from regiment to regiment checking the men’s readiness for battle.

  “Lieutenant Grant, what’s going on?” O’Doyle asked.

  “General Worth must know something.”

  “I hope so, sir. I was having a fine dream about one of these pretty girls.”

  A snicker ran through the formation.

  Minutes later the squads of Dragoons began to return and report. Worth questioned them. Grant saw the squad leaders shake their heads. The last group arrived also with a negative finding. Worth shouted out to his brigade commander to have the men fall out.

  Grant called out. “Sergeant O’Doyle, take the men to the commissary and feed them. Then check all wagons and harnesses and repair anything needing it.”

  Hazlitt came up and intercepted Grant as he moved away. “This drill,” he said with a disgusted expression on his face and waving his hand to indicate the grumbling, dispersing soldiers, “was all based on a rumor that Santa-Anna was approaching with a large army. I think our general is too easily spooked.”

  Grant smiled ruefully. He didn’t respond to Hazlitt for there was nothing to be gained by complaining. During the past two days Worth had made himself appear ridiculous by assembling his regiments on just such a flimsy excuse. This was the kind of dumb action that a young and inexperienced lieutenant might pull. Worth’s only saving characteristic was his bravery on the battlefield.

  *

  The courier’s horse was dripping sweat lather as it sped past Lee and Hitchcock walking along the evening street in the direction of their quarters. They looked after the horseman and saw him rein his mount to a stop in front of army headquarters. The courier dismounted, untied a mail pouch from behind his saddle, and hastened to the headquarters’ entrance where he handed it to the sergeant of the guard.

  Both Lee and Hitchcock recognized the man as one of Dominguez’s men. The Mexican Spy Company, Scott had officially christened it, had grown to nearly a hundred men and Dominguez was still recruiting. Using a relay of riders, Scott now had mail delivered from Veracruz to Jalapa every two days.

  “I’d better go and see if there’s something in the mail that needs taken care of,” Hitchcock said.

  Lee continued on his way and glad he wasn’t Scott’s chief of staff who was tied to headquarters and at the general’s beck and call every minute of the day. As chief of the engineers Lee had much freedom. Especially now for most of his engineers were off performing tasks for the divisions.

  *

  ”The general is fit to be tied,” Hitchcock said to Lee. “In this situation I don’t blame him.” Hitchcock had just arrived with a bottle of wine to Lee’s quarters. He sat down and reached out to fill Lee’s offered glass. Then slowly filled his own.

  Lee took a drink and waited for Hitchcock to continue. Hitchcock sipped his wine and savored its taste for a moment before he swallowed.

  “Well, Ethan, out with it,” Lee said. “Or did you come here to ju
st make one statement about the general and then drink wine with me?”

  “Okay. A man named Nicholas Trist is at Veracruz. He has written the general that he’s a special envoy from President Polk and is here to work toward ending the war.”

  Lee raised an eyebrow. “Who is this Trist fellow?”

  “He’s assistant to the Secretary of State. Speaks fluent Spanish, I’ve heard. The general wasn’t notified of his coming, and to make matters worse, Trist has sent instructions for him to deliver a sealed proposal for peace to the Mexican Government.”

  “I bet the general really like being ordered to do that. But why a sealed proposal? The general is the commander and chief here and it’s his right to know what’s being offered because it could jeopardize the army.”

  “Right. He’s convinced President Polk has deliberately sent a civilian to supersede his authority as military commander.”

  “Polk is too shrew to do that in the middle of a war, especially in such a crude way. Do you think there’s a misunderstanding on Trist’s part of what his role should be?”

  “God! I hope it’s that simple.”

  “What’s the general going to do about all this?” Lee’s sympathies were with Scott.

  “I’m worried about that very thing. Usually he’s very thoughtful of other peoples feeling, but now his blood is hot. When I left he was writing a harsh letter to Polk and Marcy complaining of Trist acting like he had senior authority of both military and diplomatic actions. He said he would write Trist returning the proposal and telling him that he wouldn’t deliver it, and that he was the commanding officer in the field.”

  “This is bad,” Lee said and deeply concerned for the general. “He should be certain of the facts before he does anything.”

  ”There’s more. He’s had enough of General Worth’s shenanigans and is moving headquarters to Puebla. He said to tell you to get ready to go with us in the morning.”