“HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

“TACUBAYA, September 6, 1847.

  “To his Excellency the President and General in Chief of the
  Mexican Republic.

“SIR:  The seventh article, as also the twelfth, that stipulates that trade shall remain unmolested—­of the armistice or military convention which I had the honor to ratify and to exchange with your Excellency the 24th ultimo—­has been repeatedly violated, beginning soon after date, on the part of Mexico; and I now have good reasons to believe that within the last forty-eight hours, if not earlier, the third article of that convention has been equally violated by the same party.  These direct breaches of faith give to this army the most perfect right to resume hostilities against Mexico, without any notice whatever; but, to allow time for possible apology or reparation, I now give formal notice that, unless full satisfaction on these allegations should be received by me by 12 o’clock meridian to-morrow, I shall consider the said armistice at an end from and after that hour.

“I have the honor to be your Excellency’s most obedient servant,

“WINFIELD SCOTT.”

General Santa Anna replied in an insolent note, denying General Scott’s charges and making counter charges.

Many newspapers throughout the United States criticised General Scott in the severest terms for being duped by General Santa Anna into an armistice which the latter only desired to recruit his army.  There is the strongest evidence—­that of Mr. Trist and the Mexican commissioners—­that Santa Anna was really desirous to make peace.  The manifesto which he issued to the nation is itself sufficient proof on this score; and certainly it reflects the highest credit on General Scott, that when he was at the very gates of the capital, which he could have entered in a few hours, he was willing to spare not only the lives of his own gallant army, but those of the enemy.  Santa Anna now called a meeting of the principal officers and governmental civilians to meet him in the palace, and it was agreed to continue resistance.

A force was at once sent out under cover of the guns of Chapultepec to strengthen the position and resist the advance of the Americans.  At this point was a number of very large buildings known as Molino del Rey, which had formerly been used for the manufacture of ordnance stores.  Chapultepec was a strong, well-fortified and well-armed fort.  Molino del Rey was occupied by a brigade of the National Guards, under General Leon.  These were re-enforced on the morning of the 7th by a brigade under General Rangel.  The Casta Mata, a large storehouse surrounded by a wide ditch and inclosed by a bastioned fort, was occupied by the brigade of General Perez, and between these two positions was posted General Ramirez’s brigade with six pieces of artillery.  In the rear occupying some woods were the reserves.