“5.  All the rules so honorably observed by this glorious army in Puebla must be observed here.  The honor of the army and the honor of our country call for the best behavior on the part of all.  To win the approbation of their country, the valiant must be sober, orderly, and merciful.  His noble brethren in arms will not be deaf to this hearty appeal from their commander and friend.

“6.  Major-General Quitman is appointed Civil and Military Governor
of Mexico.

“By command of Major-General Scott.

“H.L.  SCOTT,

“Acting Assistant Adjutant General.”

Firing having been heard in the street, General Scott said to an officer:  “Will you have the kindness to go and say to our volunteer friends that it is unsoldierlike, bad manners, and dangerous to discharge arms in a city, and to say to their officers that it must not occur again.  None of us desire, I am sure, to hear more musketry.”  When the officer returned he informed the general that it was not the volunteers, but Mexicans, who were firing from the roofs of houses.  Orders were at once issued to place soldiers in the steeples of churches and on the roofs of houses as sharpshooters, to sweep the streets with artillery if necessary, and to break open and enter all houses from which the troops were fired upon.  The prompt execution of this order soon had the effect of putting a stop to the firing and restoring order in the city.

The retreating Mexican infantry on its arrival at Guadalupe received orders from General Santa Anna to move to Tlalnepantla.  One of the Mexican battalions having discharged its guns without orders and the sound being heard, Santa Anna, believing it to have proceeded from the American army, gave orders to countermarch.  On learning the truth, the order was countermanded and the march resumed.  General Herrera was then ordered with artillery and infantry to march to Queretaro, while Santa Anna would move on Puebla and surprise and capture the small garrison left there by General Scott.

General Santa Anna, learning of the street firing in the city, supposed that the Mexicans had rallied and were contesting the possession of the capital by the Americans.  He received this information from Prospero Terez, one of the leaders of the mob, who urged him to return.  He at once dispatched a staff officer to General Herrera, ordering his return, and took up the line of march for the capital.  Learning on his approach that the Mexicans under Alvarez in their attempt on the city were unsuccessful, he revoked his order to Herrera and ordered him to proceed to Queretaro.  Very soon he again sent orders to countermarch and move to the capital.  Again he ordered Herrera to move on Queretaro, when he marched to Guadalupe and issued a call for a junta to meet on the 16th.