ular bands of guerrillas. Nevertheless, though thus abandoned, the commandant, Juan Morales, made every possible preparation to resist, in the vague hope that a relieving army might arrive, or that he might be able to hold out till the vómito compelled the Americans to raise the siege. The ayuntamiento and citizens nobly supported him in his efforts; night and day soldier and civilian worked side by side at the defences; and rich and poor and old and young were alike animated with patriotic ardor.
Scott began to take up the line of investment immediately after having disembarked his troops. He encountered some difficulties in his operations, and it was not until the 12th that his line of investment was completed.[1] The ground about Vera Cruz, out of range of fire from the town and castle, is broken by numerous hills of loose sand, with almost impenetrable thickets of chaparral between, and the progress of the troops was slow. Heavy northers, too, set in, stifling the men with drift sand, interrupting the landing of subsistence and baggage, and delaying the arrival of the siege artillery. On the 18th Scott began his approaches to the city. He ran his trenches with considerable skill, being careful to keep the town as a shield between them and the fire from the castle, and on the 22d had sufficient guns in position to authorize his summoning the city to surrender. Hitherto hostilities had been accompanied with few casualties. A vigorous but ineffective fire at long range was kept up from the town and castle on the line of investment, but the nature of the ground protected the besiegers, and the cannonade was received by them in silence. Paltry skirmishes also took place with insignificant loss to either side, and a few Amer-
- ↑ The line of investment extended in the form of an arc about the city for over six miles. Worth's division occupied the south-eastern portion of the segment; on his left was Patterson's command encamped in the centre of the line; and still farther to the left and north was Twiggs' division extending to the beach at Vergara.
