Page:Complete history of the late Mexican war.djvu/72

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new army was designated to attack the city of Vera Cruz and the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa. The naval squadron, under Commodore Conner, was to assist the land forces. The squadron landed at Anton Lizardo, March 7th. The troops, sent from General Taylor, arrived in February, and increased his army to 12,000 men.

"Vera Cruz is situated in 19 11′ 52″ north latitude. One portion of its walls is washed by the Atlantic, and the shore on the opposite side is a dry and sandy plain.

"The city is small, but from the regularity which marks its laying out, it is beautiful. The streets are wide, straight, and well paved. The houses, of which there are one thousand and sixty-three, are mostly two stories high, and built of the Muscara stone, taken from the sea-beach.

"The fortifications of the city consist of nine towers connected together by means of a stone and mortar wall, which, however, is not very thick. The two towers named Santiago and Conception are the most important. They are situated at that portion of the walls looking toward the castle of San Juan, and are distant from each other one thousand two hundred and seventy varas. The other towers, including the one called San Fernando, are almost equal in shape, size, and strength. All of them can mount one hundred pieces of artillery of various sizes; and save those of the middle ones, their fires all cross in front of the