Tag: Mexico City

Fortunately, night fell and with it came a violent tropical rain-storm. Even more fortunately for the Americans, Brigadier-General Persifor P Smith, a remarkably steady man, arrived to assume Command of the American forces to the West of the Pedregal. Smith was apparently not shaken by the fact that he was surrounded and had fewer than 4,000 troops with which to face the possibility of a combined attack from something between 13,000-17,000 men the next day. He summoned Lee, who had scattered the land between San Jeronimo and General Valencia’s position, and found it unguarded, and decided to ignore the large body of Mexican troops to his North, and attack General Valencia’s left-flank at first-light. It would obviously be helpful if the American troops in front of Valencia staged a strong demonstration in the morning, but Smith had no-way of communicating this to them.