The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-05-27
On the Road to Mexico City
BY A VETERAN

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
More than seven thousand Amer
lean lives were lost in the first Mexi-
can war. How many will be lying on
the field of battle before United
States forces again trumphantly en-
ter the Vale of Anahuac, and seize
Chapultepec and the Ualacio Nacion-
al?
It is not pleasant topic to dis
cuss. Mexican methods of warfare
are not pleasant in themselves. Then
the climate, the mountains and other
peculiarities of the country will wa.
on the side of the defenders.
"But Scott did not have much
trouble one hears. No, unless you
call long weary months of waiting
and fighting, thousands dead of bull.
lets and illness, and other thousands
in miserable field hospitals trouble"
Then, in counting the cost this
time it must be remembered that
Huerta is in no such desperate posi-
ton as was Santa Ana. The latter
had already been soundly whipped at
Palo Alto, and in several other bat
ties in the north. He had had to
hurry south to oppose Scott in the
days when railroads were mostly
known by books and pictures to
Mexico. He had no such means for
raising volunteers and rousing the
populace as has the Indian dictator
now in the seat of power.
To be exact, the government ar
chives have records of the deaths Of
$500 Americans in the first Mexican
war. The larger part died by dis
ease. The Mexican losses have been
estimated at $4,000. The total cost
to both sides was about s250,000,-
900. The Mexicans put 100000 men
in the field. There were 1920
American soldiers engaged, Of whom
1910 we're volunteers.
Gen. Leonard Wood has superin-
tendence here of the preparations OF
plans to invade Mexico. This is not
necessarily war measure, however.
General stats of every army are al
ways at work figuring out exactly
how they could seize upon some per-
fectly friendly nations chief cities.
But the plans for Mexico have recent
ly been revised and enlarged minute
ly. Experts on Mexican roads and
camping conditions have been con-
suited. Nothing has been left un-
done
There are to be three lines Of at
tack. The first, already initiated, is
the movement from Vera Cruz to
Mexico City. The second is the seiz-
ure OF, Tampico and perhaps a move
ment from there to the capital. The
third is a march from the north,
probably through El Paso and Juarez
down the route taken by Villa, Ma
dero, and numerous other conquer
erS.
The invasion from Vera Cruz will
be the most important, as in Scott's
time. There are two lines Of railroad
from Vera Cruz to Mexico City, the
Interoceanic Of the National Railways
system and the Mexican railway.
These branch away from the coast,
the Interoceanic to the north and the
Mexican further south, but in the
mountains they converge and finally
cross at San Marcos to come together
again at the capital.
The Interoceanic follows Scott's old
line. For rocks, mountains, difficult
passes and easily defended spots
there is little choice between the two
lines. The Interoceanic takes much
the same route as the ancient high
ways. Perhaps for this reason it will
appeal to the army tacticians. This
railroad is narrow gauge, ancient,
and with not enough rolling stock to
furnish transportation for more than
a few regiments.
It's stations recall the Scott cam
paign-Antigua, Rinconada, Jalapa,
Las Vigas, Puebla and Conorado. To
the eastward of Jalapa is the great
National Bridge, for both railroad
and foot traffic. The United States
troops had fight for that bridge in
lS47 and it would be an important
strategic point now.
The climate varies all the way
from semi-tropical Jalapa to the cold
Puebla and San Lorenzo. The rivers
to be crossed are many.
The Mexican railway is sometimes
called by it's advertising men 'the
scenic route of Mexico. This may
appeal to travellers but soldiers
would just as soon fight over more
level country. The road is standard
guage and modern. Where it is not
crossing rivers 500 feet down in a
canyon it is clinging to the side Of a
mountain or burrowing through it.
Beginning in a tropical country it
crawls dangerously near the snow
line then up and down and through
narrow passes until it reaches the
Mexican central plateau. From Vera
Cruz, which lies four feet above sea
level it rises to heights more than a
mile and half above the towers OF
the seaport. 1t is 263 miles long.
Just beyond Vera Cruz, where sand
dunes alternate with marsh lands and
wild fowl rend the air with wierd
cries and shriekings, has the Laguna
de Cocos (Cocoanut lagoon( where
the Mexican army that defended Vera
Cruz in the former Mexican war sur
rendered to Gen. Scott. Across the
jungle top ranges high blue hills
and the Pico de OriZaba against the
northern sky. A little further on the
NI j