Order of Canales. immediately declare martial law, with the understanding that eight days after the publication of the same every individual who has not taken up arms (being capable of so doing) shall be considered a traitor and instantly shot. Martial law being in force, you are bound to give no quarters to any American whom you may meet, or who may present himself to you, even though he be without arms. You are also directed to publish this to all the towns in this state, forcibly impressing them with the severe punishment that shall be inflicted for the least omission of this order. We have arrived at that state in which our country requires the greatest sacrifices; her sons should glory in nothing but to become soldiers, and as brave Mexicans to meet the crisis. Therefore, if the army of invasion continues, and our people remain in the towns which they have molested, they deserve not one ray of sympathy; nor should any one ever cease to make war upon them. You will send a copy of this to each of your subordinates, and they are authorized to proceed against the chiefs of their squadrons, or against their colonels or any other, even against me, for any infraction of this order-the only mode of salvation left. The enemy wages war against us, and even against those peaceable citizens who, actuated by improper impulses, desire to remain quiet in their houses. Even these they kill, without quarter; and this is the greatest favour they may expect from them. The only alternative left us, under these circumstances, is retaliation, which is the strong right of the offended against the offending. To carry this into effect, attach yourself to the authorities. Your failing to do this will be considered a crime of the Operations of General Scott. greatest magnitude. All the officers of the troops are directed to assist you in carrying out this order, and it is distinctly understood there shall be no exceptions. Neither the clergy, military, citizens, nor other persons, shall enjoy the privilege of remaining peaceably at their homes. The whole of the corporation shall turn out with the citizens, leaving solely as authority of the town one of the members who is over the age of sixty years; at the same time, if all of the members are capable of bearing arms, then none shall be excepted; leaving to act some one who is incapable of military service. You yourself must be an example to others, by conforming to this requisition. And I send this to you for publication, and charge you to see it executed in every particular, and communicate it also to the commanders of the squadrons in your city, who will aid you in carrying into effect these instructions; and in fact you are directed to do all and every thing which your patriotism may prompt. God and liberty!" We turn next to the sphere of operations of General Winfield Scott, the commander-in-chief of the armies of the United States. That officer sailed from New York on the 30th of November, and reached the Rio Grande on the 1st of January. His object was to capture the city of Vera Cruz and the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, the naval forces under Commodore Conner being intended to co-operate in the attack. As we have seen, all the regular force was detached from General Taylor's command, and ordered to the general rendezvous at the island of Lobos, not very distant from Vera Cruz, and the anchorage of the Gulf Squadron at Anton Lizardo. The transports slowly gathered together at Landing at Vera Cruz. that place the troops from the Brazos, from New Orleans, and the north, cavalry, infantry, artillery, mortars, bombketches, shells and shot-in short, all the materiel necessary for the successful execution of the brilliant designs of General Scott. At length the army, amounting to about twelve thousand men, thoroughly equipped, reembarked on board of the transports numbering nearly a hundred sail, and proceeded to effect a landing at Vera Cruz. It became the duty of the navy to co-operate in the landing, and the particulars of the disembarkation are given in the despatch of Commodore Conner, which we subjoin. "After a joint reconnoissance, made by the general and myself in the steamer Petrita, the beach due west from Sacrificios, one of the points spoken of in my previous letters, was selected as the most suitable for the purpose. The anchorage near this place being extremely contracted, it became necessary, in order to avoid crowding it with an undue number of vessels, to transfer most of the troops to the vessels of war for transportation to Sacrificios. Accordingly, on the morning of the 9th, at daylight, all necessary preparations-such as launching and numbering the boats, detailing officers, &c.—having been previously made, this transfer was commenced. The frigates received on board between twenty-five and twenty-eight hundred men each, with their arms and accoutrements, and the sloops and smaller vessels number in proportion. This part of the movement was completed very successfully about eleven o'clock, a. M., and a few minutes thereafter the squadron under my command, accompanied by the commanding general, in the steamship Landing at Vera Cruz. Massachusetts, and such of the transports as had been selected for the purpose, got under way. The weather was very fine-indeed we could not have been more favoured in this particular than we were. We had a fresh, and yet gentle breeze from the south-east, and a perfectly smooth sea. The passage to Sacrificios occupied us between two and three hours. Each ship came in and anchored without the slightest disorder or confusion, in the small space allotted to her-the harbour being still very much crowded, notwithstanding the number of transports we had left behind. The disembarkation commenced on the instant. Whilst we were transferring the troops from the ships to the serf-boats, (sixty-five in number,) I directed the steamers Spitfire and Vixen, and the five gun-boats, to form in a line parallel with and close in to the beach, to cover the landing. This order was promptly executed, and these small vessels, from the lightness of their draught, were enabled to take positions within good grape-range of the shore. As the boats severally received their complements of troops, they assembled, in a line abreast, between the fleet and the gun-boats; and when all were ready, they pulled in, together, under the guidance of a number of the officers of the squadron, who had been detailed for this purpose. General Worth commanded this, the first line of the army, and had the satisfaction of forming his command on the beach and neighbouring heights just before sunset. Four thousand five hundred men were thus thrown on shore, almost simultaneously. No enemy appeared to offer us the slightest opposition. The first line being landed, the boats, in successive trips, relieved the men of war and transports of |