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498

FALL OF THE CAPITAL.

on attacking the southern front of the city; hence he objected.^[1]

Molino del Rey consisted of a range of massive stone buildings, with crenellated walls and parapeted roofs, commanded by the plunging fire of Chapultepec at a distance of some 3,000 feet. A smaller but equally solid building, the casa mata, stood 1,500 feet to the west, surrounded by a quadrangular bastioned field-work.^[2] Between these two points rose a battery of three small guns, and in front extended a line of embankment with ditches and patches of maguey, screening the Mexican force, which numbered somewhat over 4,000 effective men^[3] under Leon, the next highest officer, General F. Perez occupying the casa mata. To these must be added the cavalry corps of Álvarez, nearly 4,000 strong, which occupied the hacienda de los Morales, a mile westward, with orders to support Leon by flank operations.^[4] The force at Molino was much larger on the 7th; for Santa Anna believed Chapultepec to be the next objective point, and proposed to personally defend it, but deceived by the well-directed demonstrations of Scott along the southern line of the city, he retired with a large proportion of his forces to strengthen this line, and left the mill without recognized head or distinct plans.

↑ This assertion by Ripley, Semmes, and other less friendly writers is partly confirmed by Scott's own despatch, with his ideas modified by experience, wherein he still thinks that the capture of the hill castle may not be necessary. 'We were not entirely ready' to take it on the 8th, he adds. U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 30, Ses. 1, Sen. Ex. 1, p. 355. Yet his biographer, Mansfield's Mex. War, 281, writes that he determined on this occasion to attack 'the defences of Chapultepec.'
↑ The southern part of the molino was a wheat-mill, the northern the foundery, formerly a powder-mill. Their total length was about 1,400 feet. Two main entrances existed on the south and west.
↑ Including the garrison of the buildings. Roa Bárcena estimates them at exactly 4,000, including 40 artillerists. Recuerdos, 426-8. About the same in Apuntes Hist. Guerra, 392. Worth swells the number to 14,000, including the reënforcements that arrived after the battle was practically over. U. S. Govt Doc., as above, p. 365. Mansfield has 'at least ten thousand;' and 4 guns are assigned to the battery.
↑ Santa Anna, Detall, 108-9, places his force at 4,000, other Mexicans incline to 3,000. While luring Scott into a dangerous movement against the mil, Santa Anna was in his turn deceived by the feint against the south line of the city.

[1] This assertion by Ripley, Semmes, and other less friendly writers is partly confirmed by Scott's own despatch, with his ideas modified by experience, wherein he still thinks that the capture of the hill castle may not be necessary. 'We were not entirely ready' to take it on the 8th, he adds. U. S. Govt Doc., Cong. 30, Ses. 1, Sen. Ex. 1, p. 355. Yet his biographer, Mansfield's Mex. War, 281, writes that he determined on this occasion to attack 'the defences of Chapultepec.'

[2] The southern part of the molino was a wheat-mill, the northern the foundery, formerly a powder-mill. Their total length was about 1,400 feet. Two main entrances existed on the south and west.

[3] Including the garrison of the buildings. Roa Bárcena estimates them at exactly 4,000, including 40 artillerists. Recuerdos, 426-8. About the same in Apuntes Hist. Guerra, 392. Worth swells the number to 14,000, including the reënforcements that arrived after the battle was practically over. U. S. Govt Doc., as above, p. 365. Mansfield has 'at least ten thousand;' and 4 guns are assigned to the battery.

[4] Santa Anna, Detall, 108-9, places his force at 4,000, other Mexicans incline to 3,000. While luring Scott into a dangerous movement against the mil, Santa Anna was in his turn deceived by the feint against the south line of the city.

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