Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/540

482 of relieving the apprehensions of the Mexican authorities, than of triumphing over a fallen enemy. It was also designed to scour the country in the neighborhood of Orizaba, in search of property taken from the American trains. Proceeding rapidly along the National road, through Puebla and Amasoque, General Lane turned to the left at the latter place, and, passing through rough and unfrequented paths, known only to him and his guide, arrived at a hacienda near Santa Clara, at five o'clock in the morning of the 21$t instant, having marched a distance of forty miles, from Puebla, during the previous night. All the Mexicans found on the road, and about the hacienda, were secured, in order to prevent the alarm being communicated, and at sunset the troops were again in the saddle. Tehuacan was still near forty miles distant, and they pressed forward with all speed.

But the precautions of General Lane were rendered useless. Shortly after leaving the hacienda, the party came upon a Mexican gentleman travelling in his coach with a number of servants, under a passport from General Smith, as governor of Mexico. He was allowed to continue his journey unmolested, but through his instrumentality, a message being probably conveyed through some secret though more direct path, Santa Anna was apprised of his danger; and when the Americans entered the town with their jaded horses, at daylight on the 22nd, they found that he had made his escape. The main object of the expedition was thus