not unknown to him by reputation, and that he was very glad to make my acquaintance. I learned from them that it was to them that the question had been referred, and that they were busy with his examination.

I took the opportunity to have several conferences with them,and when the report was terminated, they allowed me the perusal of it, and it was so favorable that I could not suggest one single change. It was framed in such a way (although not expressed positively, it was implied in it) that General Woll himself wold like to take command of the expedition,so much, in their opinion,did they find it easy and advantageous; and,in fact, it was so, since he had expressed personally his wishes to me.

After a reasonable delay, I called on Mr. De Saligny to inquire about the resolution taken. He answered me that there could be nothing done with that man (alluding to General Forey); that for nothing in the world would he taken from his army even a corporal's guard for any other expedition; that, having no good reason to oppose to the conclusions of the report, General Forey had entered into a great passion, pretending that they meant to laugh at him by asking him to send a naval expedition, and landing troops at Matamoras, when, a few days before, he had detached 2,000 men who had been within 2 leagues of Matamoras, which was situated 150 leagues in the interior, he mistaking a small place called Matamoras, about 14 leagues of Pueblo, for the sea-port of Matamoras on the Rio Grande; that he (Saligny) had been obliged to explain to him mistake, but for all that he had not been able to change the mind of General Forey. He authorized me to repeat the above fact, without citing him as authority, in reason of the magnitude of the blunder.

He added that as long as the siege of Pueblo lasted there was no hope of changing the mind of General Forey; that, well aware himself of the importance of taking Matamoras, he would not lose any opportunity of urging the matter with General Forey.

I saw that nothing else remained for me to do, and answered to Mr. De Saligny that I would leave by the courier of the 18th, in order to reach the English steamer at Vera Cruz.

Mr. De Saligny at that time had been compelled to abandon the neighborhood of Pueblo, where we were deprived of all the necessaries of life, and go to Cholula, about 2 leagues distant. Nothing then denoted that Pueblo was about surrendering,as the progress of the siege was very slow,and, on the contrary, public opinion was that the place could stand a long time, and certainly until the coming of heavy artillery, of which the French were deprived, and for which General Forey had sent to Vera Cruz. I thought it my duty before leaving to pay my last visit to Mr. De Saligny and urge him not to forget my mission, and was about riding out to Cholula early in the morning of the 17th, when, to my great surprise, it was announced that the city of Pueblo had ceased all resistance, as, in fact, the city had not been taken or surrendered, but a fell by her own weight and the refusal of the troops to fight any more.

I reflected at this news,and as Mr. De Saligny had told me that General Forey's opposition at my proposals would last as long as the siege of Pueblo, I thought that new prospects opened to me,and that it would be wrong for me not try them.

Two days after, Mr. De Saligny was in Pueblo,and also Generals Almonte and Woll. They all approved of my new resolution to wait, and commenced again to renew their efforts near General Forey, who,