. The lives and campaigns of Grant and Lee. A comparison and contrast of the deeds and characters of the two great leaders in the civil war . n the collection of provisions and often went outwith large parties. At length five thousand reinforcementscame and the advance upon Mexico was resumed. Thecapital city contained at least one hundred thousand inhabi-tants, besides an army of thirty thousand men. It seemeda rash enterprise to lead ten thousand men against suchmultitudes; but the Mexicans were more enervated andundisciplined than the Persians of old whom the tenthousand Greeks met and conq
. The lives and campaigns of Grant and Lee. A comparison and contrast of the deeds and characters of the two great leaders in the civil war . n the collection of provisions and often went outwith large parties. At length five thousand reinforcementscame and the advance upon Mexico was resumed. Thecapital city contained at least one hundred thousand inhabi-tants, besides an army of thirty thousand men. It seemeda rash enterprise to lead ten thousand men against suchmultitudes; but the Mexicans were more enervated andundisciplined than the Persians of old whom the tenthousand Greeks met and conquered. The Americansmarched in four divisions, with reconnoitreing parties inadvance and on either side to prevent surprises. The RioFrio mountains were found unguarded. Emerging fromthe pass through them, the army uttered a shout of surpriseand delight at the beautiful scene which burst upon its Mexican valley, with its white city and glassy lakes inthe midst and its mountain boundaries on every side, wasas fair as the fabled garden of the gods. It seemed sacri- MAP or MEXICO CITYAHD VIClhlTY — ROUTE or u f» BATTLES. 1 62 THE LIVES AND CAMPAIGNS OF GRANT AND LEE. legious to carry war into the peaceful scene. So felt Grantand other young and impressible soldiers; but General Scottcould only turn his lip in contempt for the people who hadnot spirit to defend such a home with their lives, andcontest every step that invaders took toward it. Hav-ing reached Ayotla, on the direct road to the city, Scotthalted to study the approaches. Mexico, the ancient cityand the once proud capital of the Montezumas, was not sowell defended as of old by its lake, the waters of which hadreceded and left it surrounded only by marshes. In thoseancient days it could only be approached by causeways, butat this time, being on the western shore of Lake Texcoco,it could be approached by land from the south and on thatside Scott determined to attack. The Mexican General,supposing the inv
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