two hundred and sixty troops and one hundred and fifty wagons, under Major Geddings. When near Seralvo they encountered General Urrea with fifteen hundred Mexicans, and a battle took place, of which we extract the amount, in substance, from the major's report.

On Sunday afternoon, the 7th instant, the enemy's lancers commenced the attack, sweeping by the flanks and rear of the Americans, in order to throw them into confusion. They were driven back with some loss, by the park of artillery, and some companies of infantry. Many of the drivers now deserted the teams, of which about forty were captured and burned by the enemy. One of them contained the ammunition, which exploded, killing and wounding ten Mexicans, and inspiring a number with panic and disorder. Having thus broken the train of wagons, the enemy placed themselves between the rear guard and main body, in order the more securely to capture Captain Keneally's company, and a piece of artillery which formed the rear. Captain Bradley was immediately ordered to attempt communication, but at that moment Keneally himself arrived, stating that his company was surrounded, and that he had received under cover of a flag, the following note :

"The Colonel Langberg offers to all the soldiers life and security, if you will surrender yourself.

EMELIO LANGBerg,

Foreign Officer."

He also stated that he had been favored with an interview with Langberg, who, after stating that his force amounted to sixteen hundred men, gave him an hour to decide upon a surrender. Upon receiving this intelligence, Major Giddings immediately requested that the truce might terminate, and soon after Captain Bradley cut his way through the Mexican host and gained the rear. This saved the wagons; and toward night the enemy drew off toward Seralvo. During the night, as the troops were suffering much for want of water, a party of Mexican cavalry were driven from some neighboring streams; and before morning the whole body of the enemy evacuated the town.

In this affair, two privates of Captain Bradley's company, and fifteen teamsters were killed; while the Mexicans lost in killed and wounded forty-five.

The Americans entered Seralvo on the next morning, where Crittenden was detained for some days in consequence of the teamsters refusing to proceed without a stronger escort. At the end of this time Colonel Curtis arrived from Camargo with a large body of troops, being on his route to Monterey in pursuit of General Urrea. The colonel continued his pursuit until the 18th, when he met General Taylor near Marin. The General had left Agua Nueva, with May's dragoons and two companies of Bragg's artillery, also for the purpose of capturing Urrea, whom he had understood to be rapidly gaining the mountains with five thousand lancers and rancheros. He was now informed that on the night previous, the Mexican general having heard of his approach, had retreated from Marin, where he had been stationed, with the design of attacking Curtis. The colonel's force amounted to twelve hundred infantry, one company of dragoons and two field pieces; and the combined army moved next morning from Marin. The pursuit continued until the army had reached Caidereta, where it was ascertained that Urrea was beyond the mountains. General Taylor then returned towards Monterey, and pitched his camp at the Walnut Springs, four miles from that city.

On the 31st, the General issued the following proclamation :The General-in-chief of the American forces to the inhabitants of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and Coahuila.

When the American troops first crossed the frontier and entered the above states, it was with the intention, publicly declared to you, of making war, not upon the peaceful citizens of the soil, but upon the central government of the republic, with a view to obtain an early and an honorable peace.

The undersigned was authorized by his government to levy contributions upon the people for the support of his army, but unwilling to throw the heavy burden of the war upon those, who with few exceptions, manifested a neutral disposition, he has continued from the first to pay punctually and liberally for all supplies drawn from the country for the support of his troops.

He has used every effort to cause the war to bear lightly upon the people of these states, and he had hoped by these means, to retain their confidence and to insure their neutrality, in the strife

between his government and that of Mexico; but he regrets to say that his kindness has not been appreciated, but has been met by acts of hostility and plunder. The citizens of the country, instead of pursuing their avocations quietly at home, have, in armed bands, waylaid the roads, and under the direction, and with the support of government troops, have destroyed trains and murdered drivers under circumstances of atrocity which disgrace humanity.

The lives of those who were thus wantonly put to death cannot be restored; but the undersigned requires from the people of the country, an indemnification for the loss sustained by the destruction of the trains, and the pillage of their contents. To that end an estimate will be made by the proper officers of the entire loss, and this loss must be made good either in money, or in the products of the country, by the community at large of the states of Tamaulipas, New Leon, and Coahuila, each district or juzgado paying its just proportion.

It is expected that the rich will bear their full share. And the undersigned calls upon all good citizens to remain absolutely neutral, and to give no countenance to the bands which infest the country for the purpose of murder and pillage. It is his anxious desire to continue the same policy as heretofore; and he trusts that the course of the citizens will enable him to do so.

Siege of Vera Cruz.

HE course of events now takes us to southern Mexico. While General Taylor and the army of occupation were thus sustaining the glory of their flag, on the Rio Grande, most important operations were going forward under General Winfield Scott, who, as we have stated, had been appointed by government to supersede Taylor. Of these operations, it may not be improper to give a concise account.

*

General Taylor had been placed in command at Texas, through the recom

WINFIELD SCOTT was educated for the profession of the law. He was born on the 13th of June, 1786, in the neighborhood of Petersburg, Va. He

mendation of General Scott.

After the battles on the Rio Bravo, the latter officer was given the supreme command in that region, and reached the seat of war on January 1st, 1847.

has enjoyed the benefits of a liberal education, being placed early in life at the high school of Richmond, and subsequently passed through William and Mary College. He entered the army while the difficulties concerning impressment were pending, and on the 3d of May, 1808, received his first appointment as captain of light artillery. His characteristic precision soon brought him into the favorable notice of his superiors, and led to his promotion as lieutenant-colonel, in July, 1812. In October of that year he assisted Lieutenant Elliot in cutting out the Adams and Caledonia from under Fort Erie, and afterwards defended both vessels with success against a party of British. At Queenstown Heights, he so distinguished himself by personal bravery, as to be intrusted with the company of Colonel Van Rensellaer, when that officer had been wounded. Here his duties were arduous. The British who were on the point of retreating, received large reinforcements of Indians and regulars from Fort George, and renewed the fight with desperate energy. The American militia, about three hundred, had crossed the river to the Canada side, and were now attacked by thirteen hundred of the enemy, of whom nine hundred were fresh troops. They fought heroically for several hours, but were obliged to surrender, and were marched to Quebec. Scott was among them, but was afterwards exchanged and returned to Boston.

In 1813, the attention of the American government was directed to the importance of strengthening the defences in the north. The fortifications were repaired, and additional troops ordered to the frontier; and in May, Colonel Scott joined the army near Niagara, as adjutant-general. Here they were joined by the troops which had been engaged at the capture of York, and General Dearborn, the commander-in-chief, carried on active preparations for an attack on Fort George. Toward the end of May these were deemed sufficiently advanced to warrant the embarkation of the army, which took place before daylight of the next morning. Colonel Scott commanded the advance, which consisted of a detachment of the twenty-second regiment, Forsythe's corps of riflemen, two companies of his own regiment, the second artillery, one company of the third artillery, and a company of dismounted dragoons, numbering in all about six hundred men. The whole army crossed the river without accident, and marched up the rocky shore of the Canada side, with Colonel Scott in advance, unappalled by a heavy fire which a party of British incessantly poured upon them. The advance rushed up towards the enemy, but were several times repulsed, until the arrival of the first brigade, when a spirited action of ten minutes ensued, at the end of which, the enemy retreated, and were pursued toward the village of Fort George. The whole command then landed and formed, silencing a somewhat annoying fire of shells from the village. The enemy evacuated the fort, and were pursued to some distance, but with little effect. Colonel Scott took down the flag of the fort with his own hands, and afterwards rejoined his column, and continued the pursuit toward Queenstown. When within a few miles of that place, they received an order from the commander-in-chief, directing them to return, and encamp at Newark. The exhausted army obeyed, and retired to Fort George, where it passed the night.

In July 1813, Colonel Scott received the command of a regiment, and was concerned in the affair of Burlington heights, the burning of York, and the