Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/88

68 of the French expedition, Puebla surrendered with 150 pieces of artillery. The number of prisoners is set down at 26 generals, 303 superior officers, 1,179 subalterns, and 11,000 rank and file. Over 2,500 dragoons had escaped from Puebla during the operations. The French casualties, as given by Niox, were: killed, 18 officers, 167 rank and file; wounded, 79 officers and 1,039 rank and file, many of whom afterward died from the effects of their wounds. The same authority adds that 5,000 of the Mexican rank and file were made to serve in Marquez' army, 2,000 were employed in destroying barricades and intrenchments, and the rest were put to work on the railroad.

The siege of Puebla, though it ended in a success for the French, must be admitted to have shed no glory on their arms. No great military skill was displayed; and, indeed, it seems as if Forey's purpose had been to go on the Fabian plan, rather than to conquer the enemy by repeated hard blows. The siege was certainly prolonged beyond necessity, when we consider that the place was defended by a garrison of militiamen, whose officers, from the general-in-chief down, had not, with some exceptions, been educated for the profession of arms, and that it had been hastily, and in a measure imperfectly, fortified to withstand the assaults of a powerful foreign army directed by scientific commanders.