Ministerio de Guerra y Marina. El Exmo. Sr. Presidente Sustituto, Se Ha Servido Dirigirme el Siguiente Decreto. "Pedro Maria Anaya, Presidente Sustituto de la Republica Mexicana, a Todos Sus Habitantes, Sabed..." [caption title and first line of text]

Mexico City: May 1, 1847. Near fine.. [1]pp. plus integral blank. Minor wear. An exceedingly rare decree from acting President of Mexico, Pedro María de Anaya, ordering that Mexico City be closed and declared besieged. “That it is in the interest of the defense of this capital and of the Nation as a whole, to take the necessary measures to contain the enemy's advances.” (Que conviniendo á la defensa de esta capital y á la comun de la Nacion, tomar las providencias necesarias para contener los pregresos del enemigo). This decree was issued on the same day that Puebla, Mexico’s second-largest city, fell to the the American forces under Winfield Scott advancing from Veracruz. Secretary of State and Officer of War and Navy of Mexico, José Ignacio Gutierrez, issued this decree for circulation. General Winfield Scott paused in Puebla in order to gather supplies and reinforcements and then attacked Mexico City in August of 1847. He eventually broke through the city’s defenses and was declared governor of Mexico City in September of that year. Signed in print by José Ignacio Gutierrez. One copy in OCLC, at Yale.