His conduct on this adventurous march received the high encomiums of
military men, and was honored with the commendation of the great soldier
who is now his rival in the presidential contest. He reached the main
army at Puebla on the 7th of August, with twenty-four hundred men, in
fine order, and without the loss of a single wagon.
CHAPTER V.
HIS SERVICES IN THE VALLEY OF MEXICO.
General Scott, who was at Puebla with the main army awaiting this
reenforcement, began his march towards the city of Mexico on the day
after General Pierce's arrival. The battle of Contreras was fought on
the 19th of August.
The enemy's force consisted of about seven thousand men, posted in a
strongly-intrenched camp, under General Valencia, one of the bravest and
ablest of the Mexican commanders. The object of the commanding general
appears to have been to cut off the communications of these detached
troops with Santa Anna's main army, and thus to have them entirely at his
mercy. For this purpose a portion of the American forces were ordered to
move against Valencia's left flank, and, by occupying strong positions in
the villages and on the roads towards the city, to prevent reenforcements
from reaching him.
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