diminished, without prospects of filling the gaps. The citadel would soon be battered down, and perhaps the entire city, to bury in its ruins thousands of innocent victims.[1] It was accordingly resolved to evacuate the capital. The cavalry, numbering 4,000, was at once despatched, and 5,000 infantry followed after midnight, the militia and irregulars being dissolved.[2]
About one o'clock in the morning of the 14th a deputation from the city council[3] presented itself at Worth's headquarters, and being directed to Scott at Tacubaya, demanded of him guarantees for life and property.[4] Scott refused to bind himself to any terms, except such as were imposed by honor and customary usages,[5] and Worth hastened to affirm possession by advancing at dawn to the alameda, while Quitman, after receiving a white flag from the citadel and occupying it, marched to the central square and hoisted over the palace the stars and stripes, the first foreign colors to flaunt within Aná-
- ↑ He as usual charges loudly cowardice and insubordination, and adds that the men had no food. 'En aquel dia, que no habian probado alimento; que en cuatro anteriores se les debian los socorros.' Detall, 119-20. Gamboa denies the lack of food and ammunition, and shows that Governor Olaguíbel suggested that the views of ministers and citizens should be consulted before so grave a step as evacuation should be resolved upon, in face of an enemy inferior in number. Impug., 57-9. Carrera, commanding the artillery, believed a defence to be useless, and so did generals Alcorta, Perez, and Lombardini, although the latter objected at first. Further discussion was stopped by Santa Anna declaring for evacuation. Apunt. Hist. Guerra, 323-4. The scholar Ramirez mentions a curious incident. While making historical extracts a bomb fell upon his house and interrupted him at p. 80 of the MS., bound by me in the collection Dur., Doc. Hist.; on pp. 62-79 are marginal notes bearing on these war operations.
- ↑ And a portion of the garrison at the remote gates was forgotten. Some of the militia objected to such passive yielding. Gamboa points out that Santa Anna had still 13,000 or 14,000 men at his command, including probably the militia. Roa Bárcena condemns the abandonment before guarantees had been sought for the city. Recuerdos, 503-4.
- ↑ Names, etc., in Monitor, Sept. 28, 1847.
- ↑ With the safety of their institutions, and the privilege for the ayuntamiento to control the revenue, maintain armed patrols, and float the national flag.
- ↑ 'And the spirit of the age,' on the ground 'that the city had been virtually in our possession from the time of the lodgments effected by Worth and Quitman.' Scotť's Report, 383, loc. cit.
