back from San Angelo was forming along the river Churubusco and in the cornfields to the north, but as there was no expectation of a battle on that day, the Mexicans were practically taken by surprise. But in spite of their surprise and confusion, they made a vigorous defence; they outnumbered the Americans in the field fully five to one, and should have been invincible from their numbers and position. The incompetence of the officers and the inferior character of the Mexican weapons were the chief causes of their loss of the battle at Churubusco. Where properly handled, they showed that they were not deficient in bravery, and on several occasions during the battle they came very near defeating and repulsing their assailants.
Space is lacking to give in detail the movements at Churubusco, which resulted in victory to the American arms. According to General Santa Anna, the Mexican loss was ten thousand men, or one third of his army; one fourth of this number were prisoners, the rest killed or wounded. The American loss was over one thousand in killed and wounded, of whom seventy-nine were officers. General Scott might have marched against the city and captured it on the following morning, or even on that night, and taken possession before the Mexicans had recovered from the shock of their defeat. But he was anxious to shorten the war, and was told that Santa Anna wished to negotiate; he was furthermore assured that the occupation of the city would destroy the last chance of a peaceable settlement by rousing the national spirit throughout Mexico and causing the rush of many thousands to arms. The assurances to this effect came from neutral foreigners residing in Mexico, and Scott does not seem to have understood their interested motives for saving the city from occupation. He offered an armistice, which was eagerly accepted; it lasted more than a fortnight, and the time was vigorously utilized by the Mexi-
