Friday, March 26, 1847.—This morning I was released from guard-duty before daylight, so that the Mexicans could not see a Yankee soldier so close to their walls.
The forts and Castle are still constantly firing on our line of operation with awful activity. We have partly ceased firing, and all the necessary arrangements to carry the city by assault is now completed. Gen. Worth's division is to attack the city from the beach on the right of our division. Gen. Patterson's (our) division is to attack right in the centre, where the breach in the wall is made. Orderlies are now being despatched to different quarters to see that everything is ready to make the assault. The Mexicans have now partly ceased firing, which gave me and others a chance to write letters before the assault is made. After I had written my letter and delivered it in the United States mail-bag, I noticed a flag of truce accompanied by several officers coming out of the city toward Gen. Scott's headquarters. Our batteries immediately ceased firing until further notice from the commanding officer. Soon afterwards I learned their errand (fortunately for themselves as well as ourselves) was to make a final arrangement to surrender the city of Vera Cruz, but not the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa. This proposition Gen. Scott most emphatically rejected, saying that he must have both or nothing. So, after consulting over it a little while, Gov. Morales and Gen. Landora yielded to all of Gen. Scott's demands and returned to the city to make the final arrangements for surrender.
Everything is now quiet. All the soldiers and sailors are in a high glee; and all of the officers, soldiers and sailors are making preparations for the surrender of the Mexican Army.
To-night a heavy northern wind sprang up, and blew a perfect hurricane, blowing a number of small vessels on shore. To-night, for the first time since we are on shore, we can sleep without being annoyed by the roaring of cannon balls, &c.
