Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-12

lore MIN, winch IHe Il TSHCn SutSrSu WITHOUT q
struggle, while the Americans were obliged
to invest 1t.
Vera Cruz surrendered to Scott March 10Th !;
on the 9th of April the American army began
to move forward toward Puebla. Gen. Worth
entered that city on the 10th of May. On the
way our troops met with constant opposition
from the Mexicans, and fought the severe
battle Of Cerro-Gordo. The French advance
landed at Vera Cruz on the 9th OF Dec 1861.
The city and fortress had been evacuated by
the Mexicans, and the Spanish forces already
occupied both. The French advanced to the
interior under cover of an armistice, and thus
gained all the advantage without blow, for
which Gen. Scott had to fight at Cerro Gordo.
The French, in fact, marched as though in
friendly country till they got to Orizaba,
which is within striking distance of Puebla.
This place they attacked in April of last year
and met with severe repulse. They have
lain before Puebla just thirteen months.
1t appears, then, that Gen. Scott fought his
way to point, Puebla in thirty-nine days,
which the French, avoiding skillfully the two
strong places of Puenta Nacional and Cerro
GordO, and throwing their army into the inte-
rior under the cover of an armistice, did
not gain till after a struggle of thirteen
months.
The American army began to march out of
Puebla, toward Mexico, on the 18th OF August;
the capital surrendered to Scott September
IA. In that time our forces fought the bat
ties of Contreras, Cherubusce, Moline del
Rey and Chepultepec. That is to say, Gen.
Scott got to Puebla by fighting one battle;
but he had to fight four between Puebla and
Mexico. According to this, Forey may now
be said to have overcome one fifth of the diff
ticulties which interposed between him at
Vera Cruz and the Mexican capital.
The nature of the country between Puebla
and Mexico is described in the history of the
Mexican war, written by Col Ripley now
rebel officer i'll charge of works about Charles
ton.
"But one great road, the great thorough
fare from the gulf through Puebla and Jalapa
enters the city from the east. From Puebla
it leads through a cultivated and slightly I'M
dulating country as far as San Martin Tesma-
luca. Beyond that place 1t rises in gradual
ascent, for the most part, to the pass of Rio
Frio, and few miles further rapidly descends
into the valley of Mexico. The country over
which 1t passes after leaving the base of the
mountain range is level, but interspersed with
scattered volcanic hills of considerable height
and exceedingly rugged.
'Along the road, after entering the valley,
are several villages and much cultivated coun-
try, but after approaching within twelve miles
of tho city barren, desolate plain is present.
ed to the eye, destitute of vegetation; and to
great extent of habitations. But one height is
in the vicinity of the causeway for the remain
der of the distance; this, the hill of Ell PEN
on, is Immediately south of the road, at IL dis
lance OF eight and half niles from the city.
Defended by good troops, Ell Penon would
have been impregnablc to an assault by storm;
nd II, l. III; - Al
of the engineer was one of great difficulty.
Indeed, it blocked the main causeway from
the east completely" which he proceeds to
show by the confguraton OF the surrounding
country.
At the time of our war tie immediate de-
fences of the capitol were of least strength in
the south and west, and it was from the west.
ern side that Scott forced his way into the city
after having marched his army past the south.
ern detences. But the roads on the south
were '-Darrow, wet, marshy and DOGGY
ground cut up with irrgatiug bitches, and
the whole partially covered with inunda-
tons" On the south, on the other hand,
several deep canals extended from the city
to the hills, obstructing passage in that di-
reclion out OF range of the works" These
are natural features which probably remain to
the present day.
The advance of the American army entered
the valley of Mexico on the 10th Of August,
and Gen. Scott found no troops opposing his
progress. The MeXicans depended entirely
upon the defence they meant to make within
their works. Gen. Scott avoided the strong
est of these, as we have said, and attacked the
city from the west-frOm which direction Fo-
rey, indeed, also attacked PuebIa. But in
doing this Scott exposed, or, as Ripley says,
abandoned all communications, and left
long and narrow, and in some places, as was
afterwards apparent, dangerous deie in the
rear of the American army" Defeat in such
a place was destruction; yet this was for
Scott, and perhaps will be for Forey,- the
least difficult road into the Mexican capital.
That the MeXicans will make more active
and stubborn defence against the French than
they did against the Americans, is almost
certain. There was always party in the
state in favor of the Americans, and the peo-
pie had not before them the same fear in case
OF an American conquest that they have in
case of Forey's success. The Americans
would not change their form of government,
that they were sure of; the French, on the
other hand it is believed, intend to set up
monarchy and to crush out the constitutional
liberty Of the people. This fear will cause
the Mexicans to unite and struggle more des-
perately than ever. Thus, it would seem
that Forey has yet some troubles before him
ere he enters Mexico.-NeW York Eyening
Post.