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...."

General Scott's views were fully concurred in by Colonel Totten and
others of his staff, and orders were issued for digging the trenches
and the establishment of batteries. Very soon all outposts and
sentries of the enemy were driven in. General Scott had warned the
foreign consuls in the city of his proposed attack and had furnished
them safe conducts out of the city, but they had not taken advantage
of it. The marines of Commodore Conner's squadron, at his request,
were now allowed to join the army, and, under command of Captain Alvin
Edson, they were attached to the Third Artillery.

On the morning of the 10th the guns from the castle opened fire, but
did very li