On February 2, 1848, General Scott acknowledged receipt of the Secretary’s letters of November 8th and 17th and December 14th.  The system of finance—­prohibiting the export duties on coins and the prohibition of export in bars, inaugurated by the general—­differed materially from the instructions in the Secretary’s letter of November 17th, and the general hoped, for the reasons suggested in his letter of December 17th, that the President would consent to adopt his views in respect to the precious metals.  He informed the Secretary that the ayuntamiento of the capital had charged itself with the payment on account of the Federal district of four hundred thousand dollars of the six hundred and sixty-eight thousand three hundred and thirty-two dollars imposed per year on the State of Mexico; that General Cadwallader would soon begin to collect through the ayuntamiento of Toluca a large part of the remainder.  Colonel Clarke, of the Sixth Infantry, had been ordered into the Cuernavaca Valley, forty-three miles south, with a force amply sufficient to enforce a thorough collection.

General Scott says:  “The war of masses ended with the capture of the enemy’s capital; the war of detail, including the occupation of the country and the collection of revenue, requires a large additional force, as before suggested.”  Referring to the fact that he had learned it was thought in Washington that “he had thirty thousand men under his command, while in truth, including the forces at Tampico, Vera Cruz, on the line from that port, and in the valley and vicinity, he had a total of twenty-four thousand eight hundred and sixteen; the sick, necessary, and indispensable garrisons deducted would leave an available force for distant service of only four thousand five hundred, and he did not know of the approach of any considerable re-enforcements.  Seven thousand he deemed a minimum number with which the important line from Durango through Zacatecas and San Luis to Tampico could be opened and maintained.  Many of the volunteers were sick with measles, mumps, and erysipelas, common among all classes of soldiers.”

A treaty of peace had been agreed upon and signed and was to be forwarded at once.  Referring to the fact, he says:  “In about forty days I may receive an acknowledgment of this report, and by that time, if the treaty of peace be not accepted, I hope to be sufficiently re-enforced to open the commercial line between Zacatecas and Tampico.  The occupation of Queretaro, Guanajuato, and Guadalajara would be the next in importance, and some of the ports of the Pacific third.  Meanwhile the collection of internal revenue dues on the precious metals and direct assessments shall be continued.”

* * * * *

The following is the organization of the army in its march from Puebla to the City of Mexico: 

GENERAL STAFF.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ethan Allen Hitchcock, Assistant Inspector General. 
Captain Henry Lee Scott, Acting Adjutant General. 
First-Lieutenant T. Williams, Aid-de-camp. 
Brevet First-Lieutenant George William Lay, Aid-de-camp. 
Second-Lieutenant Schuyler Hamilton, Aid-de-camp. 
Major J.P.  Gaines, Volunteer Aid-de-camp.