Other than perhaps a blockade, the siege seems like the most
boring of all military maneuvers. It’s very effective, of
course, and it means a low number of casualties for the siege-
er. But it’s slow and dull – unless you happen to be the one
being sieged, I guess. Needing to establish a base in order to
more easily move inland, Major General Winfield Scott, commander
of southern forces in the War with Mexico, decided that a siege
on the city of Veracruz wouold be the most effective route. His
men, especially his main subordinate, General William J. Worth,
were not happy. They wanted action – a full assault of the city
– not standing around. But the city had three forts manned by
more than 4,500 men, and Scott knew that wearing out the city
and forts through artillery was the best way to proceed. In the
country’s first large-scale amphibious assault, Scott led 12,000
men ashore in one day. They established a trench line about 8
miles long to surround the city, and after a delay of several
days (partly due to f