Page:The War with Mexico, Vol 2.djvu/56

38 perhaps, the three miscreants in every hundred," urging them to coöperate actively in preventing even trivial outrages, was issued; and the people of the region were addressed 2 in a proclamation.

"Mexicans," said Scott, I am advancing at the head of a powerful army, which is soon to be doubled, and another army of ours is advancing in the north. "Americans are not your enemies" however, but only the enemies of those who misgoverned you, and brought about this unnatural war. To the peaceable inhabitants and to your church, which is respected by the government, laws and people in all parts of our country, we are friends. Everything possible will be done to prevent or punish outrages against you; and on the other hand any citizen, not belonging to the regular forces, who undertakes to injure us will be severely chastised. "Let, then, all good Mexicans remain at home, or at their peaceful occupations."

Let them also furnish supplies, for all who do so will be paid in cash and protected. If such a course be followed, the war may soon end honorably for both sides; and the Americans, "having converted enemies into friends," will return home.

The problem of transportation, however, caused the General a great deal of trouble. As early as the beginning of February notice of his probable needs had been given by him to the quartermaster's department, and presumably steps had been taken to meet them; but the loss of animals on board the ships during storms or by the wrecking of transports had upset all calculations. 3 For wagons especially he was dependent upon the United States. At least eight hundred were needed, and up to April 5 only one hundred and eighty had arrived, though three hundred more were known to be on the way. Four or five thousand mules were required for wagons, two or three thousand for pack-saddles, and about four hundred mules or horses for the siege train; and by the same date less than 1100 had been obtained. An expedition to the village of La Antigua on the north shore met with little success in this regard, and a more important one, to the rich country on the upper Alvarado River, which was supposed to abound in horses and mules, produced but very disappointing results.

In the opinion of Scott, however, the district near Jalapa, a beautiful city about seventy-four miles inland, was likely to