doubted whether he could so far commit the honor of his government as to take any direct agency in forwarding the sealed despatch. The remainder of the letter exhibits an ebullition of characteristic ill temper. This elicited an insolent answer, couched in ironical terms, from Trist, which led to further correspondence that displays the virulent animosity with which these two personages regarded each other. On May 14th Trist arrived at Jalapa, and without deigning to call on Scott, occupied himself with writing his reply. Neither took the least pains to conceal his rancor from the army.[1] This disgraceful quarrel drew upon both individuals rebukes from the government at Washington.
Scott, having made dispositions for the subsistence of his army, left Jalapa May 21st and entered Puebla on the 28th, Twiggs arrived with his division on the following day, and the army was again concentrated. Meantime Cadwalader arrived at Vera Cruz, and a large train, escorted by Brevet Colonel McIntosh, having been assailed by a strong force of guerrillas under Rebolledo and some loss sustained, Cadwalader, on the 8th of June, marched from Vera Cruz with 500 men and two mountain howitzers, to its assistance. At the Puente Nacional a sharp action took place, in which Rebolledo was driven from his position, and the train was brought to Jalapa, though incessantly harassed by the enemy. Cadwalader pursued his march and entered Perote June 21st, where he was joined by Major-general Pillow with 1,500 men, July 1st. The united commands, numbering 3,500 men, then proceeded to Puebla, and Scott's force, thus augmented, now numbered 10,276, of
- ↑ The correspondence on this matter was published by the government, and will be found in U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 30, Ses. 1, H. Ex. 60, p. 813-31, 958-63, 965-6, 975-6. Scott's anger was unbounded, as may be gathered from his note to Trist of May 29th, whose letters he describes as a 'farrago of insolence, conceit, and arrogance,' and adds: If you were but armed with an ambulatory guillotine, you would be the personification of Danton, Marat, and St Just, all in one. Id., p. 996.
