Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/217

Rh against himself by appointing the resolute General Paredes minister of war. The regular army was ordered to be increased to 33,000 men, with an enrolment of volunteers for repelling invasion, and reënforcements were hurried down to the coast, Santa Anna being at the same time charged to replace the disgraced Rincon on the strength of the favorable impression created by his prompt appearance on the scene. This general communicated the declaration of war, and summoning Arista to his aid, they began to prepare for a defence of the plaza of Vera Cruz. Baudin expressed his regrets at the act, and intimated with brusqueness that he could raze the city to the ground in a moment, but he would not retaliate upon an innocent population for the deeds of its government. At the same time he quietly took the resolution to render ineffective the preparations at the port.

Early the following morning, on December 5th, he sent three divisions to the city, with orders for two of them to carry the two forts Santiago and Concepcion, which flanked it on the east and west respectively, spike the guns and otherwise disarm them, while the third division marched to the residence of Santa Anna with the view to capture him. An unusually heavy fog came to assist the movement, and the first divisions were readily enabled to surprise the forts. More difficult was the task of the third, led by Prince de Joinville, a son of the king. He landed on the quay before the central gate and broke it open with a petard, capturing the cannon defending the entrance. The noise warned the sleeping Santa