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446 José Juan Landero. On the morning of the 26th that commander, aware that the ammunition was well nigh exhausted, and that the poor were already starving, sent in a communication to Scott, inviting him to appoint three commissioners to treat with an equal number on the Mexican side regarding terms of surrendef. Whereupon Scott ordered a cessation of the fire, and appointed as his commissioners generals Worth and Pillow and Colonel Totten, who during the afternoon held a meeting with colonels Gutierrez de Villanueva and Miguel Herrera and Lientenant-colonel Robles, as the representatives of Landero.

Some time was lost by disagreement as to terms and in discussions. The Mexican commissioners demanded that the garrison should be allowed to march out with the honors of war, retaining all the arms and stores belonging to the different corps, and an allowance of artillery corresponding to its force. Scott's commissioners were instructed to demand the absolute surrender of Vera Cruz and San Juan de Ulúa, the rank and file of the garrisons of which places it was designed to send as prisoners of war to the United States, while the officers would be allowed to retire to their homes on the usual parole.

Nevertheless, on the following day all difficulties were overcome, and a convention was signed late that night, by which Vera Cruz and the castle of San Juan de Ulúa, with their armaments, munitions of war, garrisons, and arms, were surrendered. The Mexican officers were allowed to retain their arms and effects, and the troops were permitted to retire to their homes, their officers giving parole that they should not serve again until duly exchanged. The garrison was permitted to march out with the honors of war, and the civil and religious rights of the inhabitants of the city were solemnly guaranteed.

The surrender took place at ten o'clock in the morning of the 29th, and the American troops immediately