After the battle the victorious army moved on to Jalapa, where it was in a beautiful, productive and healthy country, far above the fevers of the coast.  Jalapa, however, is still in the mountains, and between there and the great plain the whole line of the road is easy of defence.  It was important, therefore, to get possession of the great highway between the sea-coast and the capital up to the point where it leaves the mountains, before the enemy could have time to re-organize and fortify in our front.  Worth’s division was selected to go forward to secure this result.  The division marched to Perote on the great plain, not far from where the road debouches from the mountains.  There is a low, strong fort on the plain in front of the town, known as the Castle of Perote.  This, however, offered no resistance and fell into our hands, with its armament.

General Scott having now only nine or ten thousand men west of Vera Cruz, and the time of some four thousand of them being about to expire, a long delay was the consequence.  The troops were in a healthy climate, and where they could subsist for an indefinite period even if their line back to Vera Cruz should be cut off.  It being ascertained that the men whose time would expire before the City of Mexico could possibly fall into the hands of the American army, would not remain beyond the term for which they had volunteered, the commanding-general determined to discharge them at once, for a delay until the expiration of their time would have compelled them to pass through Vera Cruz during the season of the vomito.  This reduced Scott’s force in the field to about five thousand men.

Early in May, Worth, with his division, left Perote and marched on to Puebla.  The roads were wide and the country open except through one pass in a spur of mountains coming up from the south, through which the road runs.  Notwithstanding this the small column was divided into two bodies, moving a day apart.  Nothing occurred on the march of special note, except that while lying at the town of Amozoque—­an easy day’s march east of Puebla—­a body of the enemy’s cavalry, two or three thousand strong, was seen to our right, not more than a mile away.  A battery or two, with two or three infantry regiments, was sent against them and they soon disappeared.  On the 15th of May we entered the city of Puebla.

General Worth was in command at Puebla until the latter end of May, when General Scott arrived.  Here, as well as on the march up, his restlessness, particularly under responsibilities, showed itself.  During his brief command he had the enemy hovering around near the city, in vastly superior numbers to his own.  The brigade to which I was attached changed quarters three different times in about a week, occupying at first quarters near the plaza, in the heart of the city; then at the western entrance; then at the extreme east.  On one occasion General Worth had the troops in line, under arms, all day, with three days’