Page:The War with Mexico, Vol 2.djvu/467

Rh

latter under J. M. Moreno, all commanded by Manuel Pineda, marched south with no little devotion. Pineda moved against La Paz (held by Burton); the other two leaders against S. José (held by Lieut. Heywood of the navy). The latter were repulsed without much difficulty, but only the arrival of the Cyane, Dec. 8, ended a series of small skirmishes at La Paz. In Jan. S. José had to undergo a more serious attack. By the twelfth our garrison (27 marines, 15 seamen, some 20 volunteers) found itself, after a desultory siege of about three weeks, in a critical situation; but on the fourteenth Du Pont arrived in the Cyane, and this ensured the defeat of the Mexicans on the following day. March 22 about 150 American troops, who had left Monterey Mar. 5, arrived at La Paz. Burton, having now about 270 men, assumed the offensive, and the skirmish of Mar. 30 at Todos Santos (without loss on the American side) ended the hostilities. The American casultiescasualties [sic] in all the skirmishing were insignificant. For the principal documents see Ho. 1; 30, 2, pp. 103-12, 1055-64, 1086-8, 1095-1102, 1110-2, 1117-8, 1122-7, 1129-31, 1137-55; Ho. 17; 31, 1; Sen. 18; 31, 1, pp. 293, 299, 488-504; Du Pont, Official Despatches, 23, 31, 35; 76Pineda to comte. gen. Sonora, Oct. 3, 1847; 47Shubrick, Dec. 4, 21; 76Princ. comte. of Mulejé to V. Mejía, Oct. 3; 76Pineda and Mejía, Oct. 3; 76Relaciones to Guerra, Feb. 26, 1848. U.S. Naval Instit. Proceeds., xiv, pp. 304 — 25.

29. 13Bankhead, no. 168, 1846. London Times, Jan. 30, 1847. 73Bermúdez de Castro, nos. 441, 445, 1847. 163Semmes to Conner, Sept. 29, 1850. Conner, Home Squadron, 3-4, 21. Bennett, Monitor, 40-1. 162Matson to Conner, Mar. 28, 1847. 162Mason to Id., Nov. 29, 1846, priv. and confid. Richardson, Messages, iv, 570-2. 13Giffard to Bankhead, May 27, 1846. 166Shubrick to Conner, Aug. 19, 1845, priv. Buchanan, Works, vii, 240-1, 290-2. 47Conner, June 30, 1846.

Spain complained of us, but unjustly. Some thought inefficiency was shown by the number of American vessels lost (besides the Somers and the Truxtun, the Boston, the Hecla and the Neptune were wrecked, the Perry and the Cumberland were damaged, and some minor losses were suffered), but considering the character of the coast this opinion seems unfair. An important feature of the war was the demonstration of the superiority of steam vessels.

30. 76Lavallette, proclam., Oct. 26, 1847. Apuntes, 375-9. Conner, Home Squadron, 14. Negrete, Invasión, ili, 139-46; app., 399. Ho. 1; 30, 2, pp. 1092 (articles), 1109, 1129-33 (Shubrick). 47Letter to Shubrick, Dec. 23, 1847. 47Lavallette, orders, 5, 6, 1847; 3, 5, 1848. Semmes, Service, 85-7. Gaxiola, Invasión, 166-81, 217, 223. Duties to the amount of $150,000 were collected. Conner reported, June 30, 1846, that the blockade had deprived Mexico of $500,000 in duties. This paragraph belongs logically in chap. xxxi, but is placed here to complete the subject.

 

1. For the conduct of naval men see pp. 208-9 and note 30 of that chapter.

2. The American policy. Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 155-8, 165-6, 284. Matamoros Flag, July 14, 1846. 60Marcy to McElroy, May 19, 1846. Polk, Diary, May 19-20. Our proclamations had some effect upon the people, but probably not much. They were accustomed to meaningless promises.