write:27Scott’s ocial report of the victory was on its wayback to the United States that same day carried on thesteamship Princeton. 28 Abel Upshur would have beenproud. Before he met

over a quarter of the Cherokee died on theTrail of Tears while under Scott’s supervision. WhenSanta Anna heard news of Veracruz
he concluded thatthe people of Mexico had brought “this disastrousmisfortune upon ourselves
” the result of “interminablediscords.” He called on his fellow citizens to “dieghting” and promised to do the same himself.Stationed in Veracruz in the week after the siege
EthanAllen Hitchcock found the “stench” of the dead“intolerable.” He moved his tent out to the “suburbs” inorder to get away from the smell.27Scott’s ocial report of the victory was on its wayback to the United States that same day
carried on thesteamship Princeton.28 Abel Upshur would have beenproud. Before he met his death aboard the vessel
in anexplosion not unlike those that destroyed Veracruz
hehad dreamed that the Princeton would prove America’smight to the world.But also winding their way back to the United Stateswere reports of a dierent sort: accounts by embeddedjournalists from half a dozen American papers of thecarnage in Veracruz. The correspondent for the NewOrleans Picayune decried the “deplorable” eects of the