and the castle of San Juan de Ulloa, General Scott advanced toward
the City of Mexico with about 10,000 men. At Cerro Gordo, a difficult
pass in the mountains, the American army encountered 12,000 Mexicans
under command of Santa Anna, who had, by extraordinary efforts, collected
this force after his defeat at Buena Vista. The battle was fought on
April 18, every movement of the American troops being directed, according
to a carefully prepared plan, by General Scott. Colonel Harvey led the
storming party into the pass, with a deep river on one side, and
batteries belching death from lofty rocks on the other side. The
Americans rushed forward with irresistible courage. They knew their
enemy. The Alamo had not been forgotten. Cerro Gordo fell, and the flight
of the Mexicans may best be described in the language of one of their own
historians: "General Santa Anna, accompanied by some of his adjutants,
was passing along the road to the left of the battery, when the enemy's
column, now out of the woods, appeared on his line of retreat and fired
upon him, forcing him back. The carriage in which he had left Jalapa was
riddled with shot, the mules killed and taken by the enemy, as well as a
wagon containing $16,000 received the day before for the pay of the
soldiers. Every tie of command and obedience now being broken among our
troops, safety alone being the object, and all being involved in a
frightful confusion, they rushed desperately to the narrow pass of the
defile that descended to the Plan del Rio, where the general-in-chief had
proceeded, with the chiefs and officers accompanying him. Horrid indeed
was the descent by that narrow and rocky path where thousands rushed,
disputing the passage with desperation, and leaving a track of blood upon
the road. All classes being confounded military distinction and respect
were lost; and badges of rank became marks of sarcasm. The enemy, now
masters of our camp, turned their guns upon the fugitives, thus
augmenting the terror of the multitude that crowded through the defile
and pressed forward every instant by a new impulse, which increased the
confusion and disgrace of that ill-fated day." Of the 12,000 Mexicans
engaged in this battle about 1200 were killed and wounded, and 3000 were
made prisoners. The captives were all paroled, and the sick and wounded
sent to Jalapa, where they were well cared for. The Castle of Perote, the
strongest fortress in Mexico, surrendered without resistanc