THE SECOND CONQUEST OF THE CAPITAL OF MEXICO.
The ancient city of Mexico, the capital of the Aztecs and their Spanish
successors, has been the scene of two great military events, its siege and
capture by Cortez the conqueror in 1521, and its capture by the American
army under General Scott in 1847, three and a quarter centuries later. Of
the remarkable career of Cortez we have given the most striking incident,
the story of the thrilling _Noche triste_ and the victory of Otumba. A
series of interesting tales might have been told of the siege that
followed, but we prefer to leave that period of mediaeval cruelty and
injustice and come down to the events of a more civilized age.
One of the most striking scenes in the campaign of 1847 was the taking of
the fortified hill of Chapultepec, but before describing this we may
briefly outline the events of which it formed the dramatic culmination.
Vera Cruz, "the city of the True Cross," founded by Cortez in 1520, was
the scene of the American landing, and was captured by the army under
General Scott in March, 1847.
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