Note 18 — XXVII NEGOTIATIONS May, 1846-September, 1847

There was probably some basis for certain of Santa Anna’s charges against the American troops. Scott allowed a day to pass, it was said, in order to enable Americans in town to get away. Ripley (op. cit., ii, 352) says this was done to allow unarmed inhabitants to do so. But it was good policy to prevent such persons from leaving, and such had been Scott’s course at Vera Cruz (chap. xxii, p. 32). Naturally Santa Anna wavered back and forth, and Trist believed that at about three o’clock, Sept. 5, he almost decided to accept the American terms (Sen. 52; 30, 1, p. 251).