ericans being persistently pressed on all sides, the Mexicans gave
way and made a precipitous retreat, pursued by the victorious
Americans.

There remained yet to be captured the convent of San Pablo. This
building, having very thick walls, was impervious to the attack of
field pieces. It was defended by a well-constructed bastion, with
flooded ditches, and guns placed in the embrasure. The attack was made
by the First Artillery, followed by the Third Infantry. During the
attack the enemy made several sallies from the convent, which were
repulsed. The troops in the convent consisted of the Independencia and
Bravo battalions, about six hundred and fifty each, with the necessary
cannoneers for six guns, and in the _tete-de-pont_ cannoneers for five
guns, the San Patricio companies, and the battalion of Tlapa. Along
the Rio Churubusco, on the north side, was the brigade of General
Perez, some twenty-five hundred strong. The Mexicans made a brave and
gallant defense, but were compelled to succumb. The battles of
Contreras and Churubusco were fought on the same day, and were really
one battle. In both actions the American loss was one hundred and
thirty-nine killed and nine hundred and twenty-six wounded. The
Mexican loss was near four thousand killed and wounded, with the loss
of three hundred prisoners, thirty-seven cannon, and a large number of
small arms with ammunition.

General Scott could easily have occupied the Mexican capital on the
same day, but meanwhile Mr. Nicholas P. Trist had arrived from
Washington with instructions from the President to endeavor to make a
treaty of peace, and both he and General Scott thought it best to
await the turn of events looking to that end. On the next morning,
August 27, 1847, General Scott set out on the San Antonio road, and
was met near Churubusco by a deputation bearing a white flag from the
Mexican Government, proposing an armistice of thirty hours for burying
the dead and collecting the wounded, which he at once rejected. The
deputation accompanying the flag consisted of Senores Basadre, Mora y
Villamil and Aranjos, who had been sent by Pacheco, Minister of
Foreign Affairs. General Santa Anna expressed great dissatisfaction at
the action of the Minister, on which he resigned. General Scott
addressed a communication to the head of the Mexican Government and
general in chief, in which he said that too much blood had already
been spilled, and suggested that it was time the dif