Description:

THE CAPTURE OF VERA CRUZ
Superb and detailed war-date A.L.S. by army engineer B. Louis Brown, 3pp. 4to., Vera Cruz, Mar. 29, [1847], to his mother regarding the fall of Vera Cruz to forces under Gen. Winfield Scott during the Mexican War. Vera Cruz, a vital and heavily fortified Mexican port defended by Gen. Juan Morales, surrendered to Scott and David E. Conner's naval battery after an intense two-week siege. Brown vividly recaptures the surrender, in part: "...At 10 o'clock this morning the stars and stripes were raised on the city and [Perote] castle amid the roar of hundreds of cannon and the music of a dozen bands... the whole Mexican force under General Morales marched out in a corresponding line, stacked their arms in number about 5,000 and marched toward the interior...". As part of his strategy for victory, Scott relied heavily on his engineers to build approach trenches, a mission Bowen participated in and describes in detail. In part: "...We landed on the 10th and made no hostile demonstration on the city but merely cleared a high ridge of sand hills about 10 miles from the city which took 2 days and cost us 8 men...after we went within 200 yards of the city crawling on our knees and cutting the paths with our knives for fear we would be heard, which was sure to bring a shower of grape and 18 Pounders...directing the construction of the Magazines and trenches...[we] heard the Elephant...they had thrown 600 shells into the City in a day...on the 26th a white flag appeared and we stopped firing...a council was held and the conditions of surrender agreed...". With integral address leaf bearing a New Orleans cancel dated Apr. 11, and a black "10" postmark. Small tear with paper loss where wax seal has been removed, usual folds, else very good.

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October 10, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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