Page:Into Mexico with General Scott (1920).djvu/127

 the two, and so of course we took 'em. General Worth, of our division, and Pillow, of the Tennessee Volunteers in the Third Division, and Colonel Totten, chief of engineers, did the talking. The surrender's to be made at ten o'clock in the morning, day after to-morrow Who did you say the Mexican general was?"

"General Morales."

"Well, he isn't. He escaped and left another general, Landero, to foot the bill. But you'll see a great sight when all those Mexicans march out and pile up their guns. We took that city easy, too. Had only two officers and nine men killed in the army and one officer and four men killed in the navy, and less than sixty wounded. That's pretty good for twenty days' skirmishing and investing."

"The Mexicans have lost a thousand, I guess," proffered Jerry.

"They ought to have surrendered sooner. The longer they held out the worse they got it. We were going to storm the walls this very day. The navy was to carry the water front and the army the sides; and there'd have been bullets and shells and solid shot and bayonet work, all mixed."

The morning for the surrender dawned clear and calm. The orders had called for every officer and man to clean up and wear his best uniform. So there were preparations as if for parade.

"Sech a polishin' an' scourin' an' slickenin' I nebber did see," Pompey complained, as he and Jerry worked on the belts and swords and uniforms of their lieutenants. Through all the regiment and division the soldiers were scouring their muskets and polish