The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-13 00:00:00

name of Citadelle, hindered the Americans from
marching into the town. Towards evening the firing
ceased, and already the inhabitants were hoping to
pass a quiet night, when suchienly the dull roar of a
largo mortar resounded close by the town, and shells
with fiery tails came on whistling over the azoteas.
Fortunately, only 10 or 12 shells and grenades were
thrown, probably to measure distances, and give the
inhabitants a foretaste of what awaited them in case
of any further resistance.
Happily these projectiles did not occasion great
damage, but they attained their purpose of hindering
any further resistance and striking terror into the in-
habitants, while they induced Santa Anna to break
up in the middle of the night and retreat with all his
force, leaving the city to the mercy of the victors.
He turned northward to the villa of Gaudaloupe, and
after a short rest retreated on to San Juan de Teoti-
huacan.

On Tuesday, the 14th of September, in the morn-
ing at six o'clock, the first American column made its
appearance in the streets of Mexico, and came on in
dense masses throdgh the principal streets of Mexico,
Calle San Francisco, del Correo, dela Profesa, and
the two Plateros, in a straight line from the Alameida
up to the palace and Plaza Mayor.
At half-past six the Mexican colours disappeared
from the palace, a regimental flag took their place,
and directly afterwards the stars and stripes arose and
waved over the palace of Montezuma, as the Ameri-
cans call it.

A loud hurrah welcomed their appearance. In
the meantime several shot began to resound from
several houses around, and in a short time the fire
became general all over the town, and the whole
American brigade dispersed itself in order to conquer
this last resistance.

At nine o'clock, A.M., the cannon began to roar in
all the streets, and before noon the Americans were
in possession of all the chief points, churches, and
convents, which commanded the surrounding houses
and streets.

The firing receded towards the suburbs, but lasted
nevertheless the whole day with intermitting violence,
until seven o'clock at night. On the 15th it con-
tinued again, particularly in the northern suburbs,
towards Guadeloupe, where the troops of Santa Anna,
recalled by the firing, tried to force an entrance.
However, they did not succeed, and were driven
back with severe loss. On the 16th only partial
shots kept falling, and gradually everything returned
to order.

From the 14th to the 16th, during the resistance in
the streets, much blood was spilt to no purpose on
both sides, and the property and life of the peaceable
citizens were exposed to the spoliations, depredations,
and arbitrariness of a victorious and rude soldiery ;
for the small number of the patriots made any effective
resistance hopeless. Happily the Americana behaved,
on the whole, exemplarily, and very few citizens had
to deplore the loss of their property.
Little by little the Americans drew their whole
army into the town, leaving only small garrisons in
Tacubaya and Chapultepec. They also transported
all their wounded into the town, and established their
hospitals in all the public buildings. General Scott
took up his quarters at a private house, and General
Quitman was named governor of the city. The Ayun-
tamiento was charged with the administration of the
civil affairs, and empowered to raise a force of 600
men, in order to enforce its orders and preserve public
order and security.
All matters of dispute concerning the American
army were ordered to be submitted to martial law.
On the 21st of September the shops were re-
opened, and ordinary business began again to take
its regular course. On the 20th the first number of
the new American newspaper, called the American
Star, made its appearance, half English and half
Spanish.

In the mean time the rest of the Mexican army
had taken its way northward to Queretaro, where
Congress was to assemble in order to deliberate on
the fate of the nation.

Santa Anna tendered his demission of the Presi-
dency, accepted himself, and left General Herrera,
with General Alcorta as coadjutor, to be his succes-
sors. He himself retired towards the coast, as it is
said, in order to embark.

The siege of the town lasted from the 13th of
August to the 14th of September, just a month;
three great battles were fought, at Contreras, at
Cherubusco, and at Molino del Rey ; a cavalry en-
gagement took place on the lomas of Tacubaya ;
Chapultepec was bombarded and taken by storm, and
all the entrenchments on the west side of the town
likewise; about 80 cannon captured, and 6,000 pri-
soners taken.
Mexico, Sept. 23, 1847.