walls and forts of Vera Cruz in 1847 were in good condition.  Subsequent to its capture by the French, under Admiral Baudin and the Prince de Joinville, in 1838, the castle had been greatly extended, almost rebuilt, and its armament about doubled.  Besides, the French were allowed to reconnoiter the city and castle and choose their positions of attack without the least resistance, the Mexicans deprecating the war with that nation, and hence ordered not to fire the first gun.  Of that injunction the French were aware.  When we approached, in 1847, the castle had the capacity to sink the entire American navy.”  Soon after the landing was effected, General Scott, accompanied by Colonel Joseph G. Totten and other officers of his staff, reconnoitered the land side of the city, the reconnoissance of the water front having been previously made.

The city was now completely invested, and all communication with the interior cut off.  A complete blockade had been established by Commodore Conner.  Several officers applied to General Scott for the privilege of leading storming parties.  They were thanked, but no orders were given.  In a meeting with his staff—­Colonel Totten, chief engineer; Lieutenant-Colonel Ethan A. Hitchcock, acting inspector general; Captain Robert E. Lee, engineer; and Lieutenant Henry L. Scott, acting adjutant general—­General Scott spoke as follows:  “We, of course, gentlemen, must take the city and castle before the return of the vomito—­if not by head-work, by the slow scientific process of storming, and then escape by pushing the conquest into the healthy interior.  I am strongly inclined to attempt the former, unless you can convince me that the other is preferable.  Since our thorough reconnaissance, I think the suggestion practicable with a very moderate loss on our part.  The second method would no doubt be equally successful, but with the cost of an immense slaughter to both sides, including noncombatants, Mexican men, women, and children, because assaults must be made in the dark, and the assailants dare not lose time in taking and guarding prisoners without incurring the certainty of becoming captives themselves, till all the strongholds of the place are occupied.  The horrors of such slaughter as that, with the usual terrible accompaniment, are most revolting.  Besides these objections, it is necessary to take into account the probable loss of some two thousand, perhaps three thousand, of our best men in an assault, and I have received but half the number promised me.  How, then, could we hope to penetrate in the interior?...  For these reasons,” I added, quoting literally, “although I know our countrymen will hardly acknowledge a victory unaccompanied by a long butcher’s bill (report of dead and wounded), I am strongly inclined—­policy concurring with humanity—­to forego their loud applause and ’aves vehement’ and take the city with the least possible loss of life....”