Page:Complete history of the late Mexican war.djvu/78

74 and the others nearly ready. At two, P. M., General Scott addressed a summons to the Governor of Vera Cruz, and received an answer in two hours. The Governor supposed that Scott ordered him to surrender the town and castle (though that was not the case, as Scott was not prepared to make such a demand).

Scott now determined to open his seven mortars upon the town. The small vessels of Commodore Perry's squadron, two steamers and five schooners, came within a mile and an eighth of the city and opened a brisk fire, which continued till 9, A. M. (March 23), when the Commodore called the vessels away from so dangerous a position. By noon we had ten mortars battering the walls of the city. The ten inch mortars planted about eight hundred yards from the city, were very effective. Our men, thus far, from the time of their landing had only four or five men wounded, and one officer and one private killed. The officer was Capt. J. R. Vinton, of the U. S. 3d artillery. He was killed in the trenches, March 24th, at ten, A. M. The naval battery. No. 5, consisting of three thirty-two pounders and three eight inch Paixhans, opened a terrific fire, under Capt. Aulick. The battery was active till two, P. M. We lost four sailors killed, and Lieut. Baldwin was slightly wounded.

March 25th, battery No. 4, consisting of four twenty four pounders, and two eight inch Paixhans, opened.

Now, batteries 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, were shaking the whole foundation of the city, by their tremendous fire.

On the evening of the 24th, the foreign consuls signed a memorial, requesting General Scott to grant a truce, so that the neutrals and women and children might retire from the city. Our heavy guns made dreadful havoc,