Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/456

404 be necessary to make a wide and hazardous circuit, unless the fortress on the steep and rocky bluff of Chapultepec should be first carried. General Scott, however, decided to storm the castle, and to approach the city by the Chapultepec and San Cosmé causeways, — designing to make the main attack by the latter road. But to accomplish this without too great loss, it was requisite that the enemy should be kept in ignorance of the movement up to the latest hour, and that, when discovered, they should mistake it for a feint, and be led to suppose that the Americans intended to return and assault the formidable batteries of San Antonio.

In pursuance of this plan, the details of which were settled at the council held on the 11th instant, General Quitman was immediately ordered to join General Pillow, by daylight, before the southern gates, with his division, previously stationed at Coyoacan. After dark, on the night of the 11th, both generals, with their divisions, proceeded to Tacubaya, where General Scott was quartered with the division of General Worth. General Twiggs remained at Piedad, — two miles east of Tacubaya, and, within a few hundred yards, as far north as the garita of San Antonio, — with the brigade of Colonel Riley, and the batteries of Captains Taylor and Steptoe, to make false attacks, or threaten the works on the southern side of the city, and thus deceive the enemy. General P. F. Smith was left at San Angel with his brigade, but received orders to join General Quitman early in the morning of the 13th. Major Sumner was directed to march to Tacubaya at daybreak on the 12th, with six companies of the 2nd dragoons, one of the 1st dragoons, and one company of mounted rifles. The remainder of the cavalry,