tion of the enemy's lines toward the batteries
below, sent out Colonels Harvey and Childs to hold a parley. The
surrender followed in an hour or two.

"Major-General Patterson left a sick-bed to share in the dangers and
fatigues of the day, and after the surrender went forward to command
the advanced forces toward Jalapa. Brigadier-General Pillow and his
brigade twice assaulted with great daring the enemy's lines of
batteries on our left; and, though without success, they contributed
much to distract and dismay their immediate opponents.

"President Santa Anna, with Generals Canalizo and Ampudia, and some
six or eight thousand men, escaped toward Jalapa just before Cerro
Gordo was carried and before Twiggs's division could reach the
national road above. I have determined to parole the
prisoners--officers and men--as I have not the means of feeding them
here beyond to-day, and can not afford to detach a heavy body of
horse and foot, with wagons, to accompany them to Vera Cruz. Our
baggage train, though increasing, is not yet half large enough to
give an assured progress to this army. Besides, a greater number of
prisoners would probably escape from the escort in the long and deep
sandy road, with subsistence, ten to one, than we shall find again
out of the same body of men in ranks opposed to us. Not one of the
Vera Cruz prisoners is believed to have been in the lines at Cerro
Gordo. Some six of the officers highest in rank refused to give
their paroles, except to go to Vera Cruz, and hence, perhaps, to the
United States.

"The small arms and their accouterments being of no value to our
army here or at home, I have ordered them to be destroyed, for we
have not the means of transporting them. I am also somewhat
embarrassed with the many pieces of artillery--all bronze--which we
have captured. It would take a brigade and half the mules of this
army to transport them fifty miles. A field battery I shall take for
service for the army, but the heavy metal must be collected and left
here for the present. We have our own siege train and the proper
carriages with us.

"Being occupied with the prisoners and all the details of a forward
movement, besides looking to the supplies which are to follow from
Vera Cruz, I have time to add no more, intending to be at Jalapa
early to-morrow. We shall not probably meet with serious opposition
this side of Perot