Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/556

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498
EVACUATION OF THE COUNTRY.

the latter part of March a large merchant train left Vera Cruz for the city of Mexico, escorted by a mixed command under Lieutenant Colonel Loomis, of the 6th infantry; but they were not molested by the guerilleros.[1]

The treaty concluded at Guadaloupe Hidalgo was received at Washington, while the American Congress was in session, and in the midst of a discussion on various propositions for a still greater increase of the army. Although the powers of Mr. Trist had been revoked, and he had been recalled, prior to the conclusion of the treaty, President Polk very properly decided to regard his disobedience of orders as a matter resting solely between himself and his government, and therefore communicated the document to the Senate. That body approved the treaty, after making some amendments affecting but slightly the provisions before referred to, on the 10th of March; and on the 30th of May following, the necessary ratifications were exchanged, at Queretaro, by Ambrose H. Sevier, and Nathan Clifford, the Commissioners appointed for that purpose by the American government, and Señor Rosa, Minister of Internal and Foreign Relations of Mexico, — the Mexican Congress having previously ratified the treaty, as amended.

The American troops immediately commenced the evacuation of the Mexican territory. The division of General Worth was the last to leave the capital. On the morning of the 12th of June, it took up the line of march. for Vera Cruz. The American flag, after being

  1. Captain Shover accompanied this train with his battery. On leaving Vera Cruz, he attached a viameter to one of his gun-carriages, by which it appeared that the distance to Mexico was only 2521/2 miles, — about forty miles less than it has generally been considered.