Churubusco

“ Following the retreat of our troops, we came to the bridge, where Santa Anna was found fortifying himself with activity, and where we were united with the brigade of Perez, and we heard the firing at Churubusco, which point was defended by the battalions of Independence and Bravo, who gave up very soon, and probably are prisoners. The enemy advanced against the bridge, where the firing was maintained about an hour, but in the end we lost, with a great sacrifice of men and an immense quantity of ammunition there and at Churubusco. ”

“ By the capture of Contreras, the Mexicans were forced to concentrate at Churubusco, which was still more strongly fortified than Contreras. General Scott brought his whole army to the attack upon Churubusco, and never did men behave with more valor and heroism. The fire of the Mexicans was tremendous, and the Americans suffered much from it. But post after post was carried, and the enemy found that their superior numbers could not withstand the onset. ”

“ Fighting their way through rivulets of blood, — through the intrenchments of Contreras, San Antonio, and Churubusco, — victors, too, at Casa de Mata and El Molino, — a sadly diminished band of less than 8,000 effective men, — their communications with the seacoast obstructed or cut off, — they now stood before a hostile city, every house, with its flat roofs and parapets, and every convent, church, and public edifice of which, could be converted into a fortification, containing 200,000 inhabitants, and defended by a frowning castle, by powerful batteries, and an army 25,000 strong. ”

“ The army which Santa Anna had led 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. ”

“ The general recovered and joined the army in time to share in the glory of the battles of Contreras, Churubusco, and the Garitas of Mexico.
General Shields is something more than a mere warrior. After the conclusion of the war, we find him assisting in the deliberation of the highest legislative body in the country, the senate of the United States. He is not a native of our country, but like the brave General Montgomery, who fell at the storming of Quebec, he is one of our adopted citizens. ”

“ Clarke's brigade of Worth's division now moved west over the point of the Pedregal, and after having passed to the north sufficiently to clear San Antonio, turned east and got on the causeway leading to Churubusco and the City of Mexico. When he approached Churubusco his left, under Colonel Hoffman, attacked a tete-de-pont at that place and brought on an engagement. About an hour after, Garland was ordered to advance directly along the causeway, and got up in time to take part in the engagement. ”

“ It seems impossible that in the space of six hours, eight thousand men should have been destroyed, of which not the eighth part were killed. But our troops scarcely saw a movement of the enemy before they fled, and that without the possibility of stopping them. The battalions of Bravo and Independence were attacked in the convent of Churubusco, and taken prisoners, and it is thought that Gorostiza is of the number. ”

“ Angel road, which left the San Antonio causeway near the tête du pont, and continued up the valley of the Churubusco river, in a south-westerly course, by way of Cojohuacan, or Coyoacan, as it is now usually written, and San Angel, to the factory of Magdalena, about nine miles from Churubusco. ”

“ Guided by Captain Mason, of the engineers, Colonel Clarke performed his weary march, of more than two miles, in a very short time; but, on approaching the causeway, twelve hundred yards in rear of San Antonio, the enemy were discovered in full retreat towards Churubusco. Preceded by two companies of the 5th infantry, under Lieutenant Colonel Scott, the brigade advanced upon the road and cut the Mexican column in two — one portion continuing their retreat upon Churubusco, and the other filing off to the hamlet of Dolores, between the causeway and Lake Xochimilco. ”

“ He was engaged in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey, the siege of Vera Cruz, the battle of Cerro Gordo, the capture of San Antonio, and the battle of Churubusco, receiving the brevet of major, 20 Aug., 1847, for gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco. ”

“ An armistice followed, and gathering our wounded from the fields around Churubusco, the army retired into the villages. The four divisions occupied respectively the pueblos of Tacubaya, San Angel, Mixcoac, and San Augustin de les Cuevas. San Angel was our destination; and the day after the battle my brigade marched back, and established itself in the village.
I was not long in repairing to the house where I had left my friend. I found him suffering from fever, burning fever. In another day he was delirious; and in a week he had lost his arm; but the fever left him, and he began to recover. ”

“ The southern approaches were defended by strong works at Churubusco and Mexicalcingo, nearly five miles from the city, and at San Antonio, still farther south; while the eastern were enfiladed by the impregnable rock known as El Peñon, now surrounded by the overflowing waters. The route between the lakes of Chalco and Tezcuco was regarded as the only one practicable for the enemy, and although nature had assisted in protecting the eastern semicircle, the southern and south-eastern outworks received special attention. ”

“ The enemy are now at the gates of the city, possessed of Churubusco. Some of our troops are at El Nino Perdido La Piedad, and the rest are in barracks, and since 3 o'clock yesterday there has been a profound silence. I cannot tell why the enemy has not entered the capital, nor why, if it is still to be defended, that our troops have retired to their barracks, from which they have not moved all day. The firing has entirely ceased. The enemy are at the gates and our troops are in their barracks; the one advances no further, the other makes no movement for defence. ”

“ The people, always inclined to sympathize with the unfortunate, ere long pitied the duke on account of the new viceroy's harsh proceeding, explaining his alleged malefeasance as the calumniations of his enemies, and his mistakes in the government as originated by the bad counsel of his advisers. Later events seemed to justify this opinion, and having remained in the convent of Churubusco till the end of 1642 Escalona removed to the small town of San Martin, about sixteen leagues from Mexico, and three months later returned to Spain. ”

“ He was entirely surrounded and on all sides; they fought like lions. Santa Anna cooly observed this, and did not send to our general any assistance, fearing the laurels which, against his orders, Valencia was gathering; but Valencia was overpowered and succombed, yet like a brave man. At about 7 o'clock this morning, afterwards, we were defeated at San Antonio and Churubusco. From these points the regiments of Hidalgo and Victoria were ordered to retire. ”

“ We stood on the defence, and they, certainly through pity, took the other road, all the time accompanying us on the left. Hardly had we reached the bridge at Churubusco, when the artillery fire was commenced at that place. General Santa Anna arrived there at the moment we passed, and he ordered such of the artillery as was convenient, should be turned upon the enemy, and that we should continue (to retreat!) On the way we met the division of General Perez, which afterwards engaged the enemy, and while the action continued we reached the city. ”

“ General Valencia had been placed by him with his troops at San Angel, on the western edge of the valley, and at the village of Coyoacan, a little further east in the lap of the valley, on roads communicating easily with his position at San Antonio, while they commanded the approaches to the city by the circuitous path of the Pedregal around the edge of the valley from San Agustin de las Cuevas, through Contreras or Padierna. Valencia and Santa Anna were consequently within supporting distance of each other; and in their rear, in front of the city, were the fortifications of Churubusco. ”

“ In the Mexican War he was breveted first lieutenant, and captain for gallantry at Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo and at Contreras-Churubusco. He was assistant professor of mathematics at West Point from 1849 to 1852 and was later engaged in Indian warfare on the Texas frontier. In 1861 he attained the rank of major. When Florida seceded he resigned his army commission and entered the Confederate service as a lieutenant-colonel. He was made a brigadier-general on the 17th of June 1861, and was wounded at the battle of Bull Run (q.v.) ”

“ To the right, Tacubuya, with its monument to the honor of the brave men who fell in the defense of Mexico against the American Army under General Scott, and the scene of many a fearful deed of blood and outrage. Behind the castle, the red-walled and flat-roofed "Molino del Rey," where so many gallant American soldiers laid down their lives; and further south, the battle-fields of Contreras and Churubusco.
The valley of Mexico, with its surrounding mountains, forms a perfect amphitheater, of which Chapultepec is the "dress-circle." ”

“ The distance to the further side of the pedregal was nearly a mile, and, on emerging from the rocks, Colonel Riley crossed a ravine, at the bottom of which was a small stream. On ascending the opposite slope, he came upon the San Angel road, at the hacienda of Ensaldo, about fourteen hundred yards north of the Hill of Contreras. Passing another ravine, also the bed of one of the tributaries of the Churubusco, he gained a second slope or elevation, upon which was the hamlet of San Geronimo, or Contreras, four hundred yards west of the main road, and connected with it by a narrow lane. ”

“ Winfield Scott from his army in Mexico, which report is causing a little excitement amongst the officers and soldiers. In the evening it rained very hard. This is the first rain since we are at San Angel, nearly two months, yet the Churubusco River did not show any signs of getting lower; but of course it mostly all comes from the mountains, which are covered with snow the whole year around,
My Most Worthy Friend, Samuel Horning:—I feel extremely happy in stating that I received your long-looked for letter a few days ago, stating that you and your family were all well. ”

“ Monday evening I was sent on a reconnoitering expedition to the old castellated Spanish fort of the Casa de Mata, that occupied the whole night. On Tuesday morning I was selected to attend the messenger who went with the flag of truce into the city to carry our General's letter of expostulation to Santa Anna, which employed the whole day. On Tuesday night, without having had an hour's rest in the interval, I was put on guard. Wednesday morning I was sent with a party to escort an emigrant caravan across the marsh to the village of Churubusco. ”

“ Scott's Mem., 496. In Apunt. Hist. Guerra, 247. an officer is allowed to penetrate on horseback through an opening in the wall; and Santa Anna, Detall, 101, relates that an officer was captured and treated with great consideration by him because of his valiant resolution to take Santa Anna's life or die. A monument was subsequently erected at Churubusco over the remains of Peñúñuri and Martinez de Castro, who had distinguished themselves at the convent, and pensions and honors were bestowed on Rincon's valiant band. ”

“ Hist. Guerra, 252. ↑ Americans say that reënforcements came from the city, while Santa Anna end others intimate rather that troops wcre sent into it. Scott estimates the Mexican forces round Churubusco at 27,000. U. S. Govt Doc., ubi sup., p. 310. Roa Bárcena, holding to his first basis of 20,000, and deducting the losses by Valencia and Bravo, estimates that the force could not have exceeded 9,000. Recuerdos, 375-6. But we have seen that a large number of irregular troops at least can be added. ”

“ I could not get the image of Churruca out of my mind as I had seen him, handsome and strong, at Doña Flora’s house. On that occasion, even, I had been startled by the expression of intense sadness on the hero’s features, as if he had a sure presentiment of his near and painful death. His noble life had come to an untimely end when he was only forty-four years old, after twenty-nine years of honorable service as a soldier, a navigator, and a man of science—for Churruca was all of these, besides being a noble and cultivated gentlemen. ”

“ How the messengers arrived at the camp of Vaca de Castro, how it was learnt that Don Diego had left Vilcas, how Pedro Anzures went to reconnoitre; and how the opposing forces approached to give battle, each leader animating his men and exhorting them to fight.
THE time was now approaching when the hills of Chupas would be sprinkled with the blood of men who were born in Spain, to bear witness in future times that the herbs and stunted bushes growing on them are seedlings sprung from Spanish elements. ”

“ Before midday his column was flying for Cuzco, defeated, demoralized, and in utter rout, with the Inca in hot pursuit.
Once more Cristoval's band of horsemen and Mocho's Antis were scouring the valley of Cuzco, lurking in the hills and passes, striking now here, now there; and intercepting, scattering, or destroying, the parties which need of food or greed of plunder led from the city. Informed by vigilant scouts of every move of the enemy, and guided by men familiar with every ravine and mountain trail, he struck often and with terrible unexpectedness. ”