he mean time I shall leave this report open for journalizing
events that may occur up to the departure of the steam
ship-of-war, the Princeton, with Commodore Conner, who, I learn,
expects to leave the anchorage off Sacrificios, for the United
States, the 25th instant.

_March 24th._ The storm having subsided in the night, we
commenced this forenoon, as soon as the sea became a little
smooth, to land shot, shells, and mortars.

The naval battery, No. 5, was opened with great activity, under
Captain Aulick, the second in rank of the squadron, at about 10
A.M. His fire was continued to 2 o'clock P.M., a little before
he was relieved by Captain Mayo, who landed with a fresh supply
of ammunition, Captain Aulick having exhausted the supply he had
brought with him. He lost four sailors, killed, and had one
officer, Lieutenant Baldwin, slightly hurt.

The mortar batteries Nos. 1, 2, and 3, have fired but languidly
during the day for want of shells, which are now going out from
the beach.

The two reports of Colonel Bankhead, chief of artillery, both of
this date, copies of which I enclose, give the incidents of those
three batteries.

Battery No. 4, which will mount four 24-pounders and two 8-inch
Paixhan guns, has been much delayed in the hands of the
indefatigable engineers by the norther that filled up the work
with sand nearly as fast as it could be opened by the
half-blinded laborers. It will, however, doubtless be in full
activity early to-morrow morning.

_March 25th._ The Princeton being about to start for
Philadelphia, I have but a moment to continue this report.

All the batteries, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are in awful activity
this morning. The effect is, no doubt, very great, and I think
the city cannot hold out beyond to-day. To-morrow morning many of
the new mortars will be in a position to add their fire, when, or
after the delay of some twelve hours, if no proposition to
surrender should be received, I shall organize parties for
carrying the city by assault. So far the defence has been
spirited and obstinate.

I enclose a copy of a memorial received last night, signed by the
consuls of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Prussia, within Vera
Cruz, asking me to grant a truce to enable the neutrals, together