Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/449

Rh Mexicans are strongly fortifying Queretaro City and that they have an army of from twenty to twenty-five thousand men; but this is nothing, for we have met them ten to our one, and we are ready to meet them again. The next movement that is to be made upon the enemy will be by our division; it is to take the advance. So of course we, the advance, expect nothing more or less than some hard fighting, although you can easily anticipate the result. Who is to command the Mexican army in the next battle we do not know, nor do we care, but surely Gen. Santa Anna cannot face us without a blush of shame. I have seen the elephant, but if there is any more to be seen of him and work done, we will put our shoulders to the wheel and push until the work is thoroughly completed. Although many of our soldiers have left dependent and anxious wives and children and friends far behind, and if there is another battle to be fought we will go man to man, breast to breast, rather than yield one inch of ground. We have faced them at every stronghold they saw fit to make a stand and every time drove them out of their strong positions with enormous losses, and captured artillery and ammunition enough to equip a whole army.

The city of Mexico is beyond dispute the finest and best built city that I have yet seen in this country, and it was one time considered the largest city of America, but Fernando Cortez's swords and torches and the number of revolutions, has caused it to be surpassed by either New York, Philadelphia, and even Rio Janiero. The city is surrounded by lakes Chalco and Tezueco, and also by the loftiest volcanic peaks, among these are the twin volcanos Popocatepetl, seventeen thousand three hundred feet high, and Iscotafelt, or the White Lady, fifteen thousand seven hundred feet high; these mountains are covered with perpetual snow, and when the wind comes from that direction, it makes the air quite chilly at night.

The police and highway departments in this city are better than any city north. The streets are well paved and cleaned, well lighted with some kind of oil.