In March, 1847, an American army of 12,000 under the command of General Winfied Scott landed on the eastern coast of Mexico and laid siege to the city of Veracruz. After the city’s surrender, Scott marched his army westward toward Mexico City while Santa Anna used whatever troops he could find to try and stop the Americans. By September, Scott had reached the outskirts of the Mexican capital, where he and Santa Anna faced off at the bloody battle of Churubusco. If the Mexicans failed to halt the American advance there, the fall of the capital was sure to follow.