Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-05-14
L. s. sLooP CT WAR Albany.
Akron IdZARpo.A April !. lS17.

ANTON LzARDo,Aprl 4. lo47.
Or the Goth day of March, 1917, the cere.
mony of the capitulaton OF Vera CRUZ and the
castle of San tu,n d Uon took place and by
special good fortune | obtained az opportunity
OF seeing the glorious pageant.
1t was bright, beautiful morning, and tho
white domcs. towers end iortres Of the city
were basking in the yellow sun beams, when
the boat containing our party put off from the
ship We had delightful passage to the shore
where. after running through the breakers, we
landed and found ourselves among as motley an
a>Semblage ever were collected. Officers
soldiers, suffers. reporters for the press, camp
followers, hangers on. loaerS. 50 gentlemen OF
LEISURE" dogs, pigs ard cats, ell mingled pro-
mScuousy together OF the long level sand
beach, and all striving to be heard-gabbling
like so many geese. or the multitude at the tow
cr of Babel.
We had not been long on shore before had
an opportunity Of seeing the gallant Worth, OF
Monterey notorety. BE came galiopng down
on his fine sccd, accompanied by his static Off
cer., and when he had arrived opposite the spot
where our party were standing, lie halted 10
give some orders, and | had fine opportunity
Of scru'inizine his appearance, lie was dress
ed in full uniform, an! was one If the noblest
looking men had ever behed There was Il
look oi decision of lrmness and bravery about
him. that ut once proclaimed him no common
man Seeing us ill attentively and rather cnri-
ously regarding him, he politely raised his
cbapeau, and with kind toned : good morning,
gentlemen raIloped off oward the city.
\ large party of us, consisting of number
cf clerks in the pavnaster'- and guarterm ,-ter's
departments. several naval officers and citizens,
started over the sand hills tor the spot where III,
capituation WAS TO take Mace This was A
fine level plain. extending from the southern
cate of the CITY nearly two miles. and wa.
smooth and even as a hov,linr alley. As we
advanced toward, tie CITY. we found the ground
almost covered with round shot, of every size,
that had been thrown from tn, encnv's bitteriea
at our army. and ever and anon we came to
= GREAT holes eiaht or ten feet in lrptl. where
the terrible shells from the C. site had struck and
. after cxnlo,lin,r scattered about the Main Now
! andthen horses and mules that had been de,.
= troyad BIZ the shot roult h. deserted lvinr upor
the oro,ip4 with ny~,.j. V, .irle of orey Shrek
I inr around them. and tearing the Ae,h from.
, their white bone.
/ Having arrived upor the plaiu. we took a
: position where we ina uinpd We should have :.
= inc view, of the vh,li srone b,lt W., had not
e been tErre more than tucttY minutes ere one OF
J Gen. SCOTS aids came ,si!iopinr over the
, pnn, his horse covered witt ilam, and hi, s;l-
bre dingmu in lis sheath. with,
j. :. Gentlemen. the GENERAL directs that his
9 srot shall be kent 4 mr.. The Mexican troops
are to march ont here. ana yDu will be obdgcd
: to take M another POSITION
r Away he galIoprd back again 10 his post and
t orr party separated. dnl each looked out for
= himself One @. the army officers who was not
, on duty at the time. and myself, proceeded To n
I hill covered with thick growth of chapparal,
which overlooked the Whole field and where
j. the intense heat HdS modified lN Il cool. fresh.
> breeze that cane sweeping over the waters OF
) the Gnit OF MeNco' ant passed wit'l ruStllng
sound through the tanal"d bongInS OF the aImos,
lmpervious chappHraI, beneath whose shade we
recllned and gazed npon the magnificent psno-
rama beneath us.
There spread the 'Xp'ns've plain on wdc,
p the Mexcals "ere To- lay down their arms the
city OF Very Crus, vita is old time worn walls
rampars, steeples and !ortresSeH, battered down
broken Into fragment, and dclIced by shot 2u'