The Americans, therefore, had no obstacles of this kind to overcome on three of their lines of operation; and, when Scott had reduced Vera Cruz, his line of march was open to the capital.

Moreover, nearly every seaport on the Gulf and Pacific coast fell into our hands without a blow.

Had the landing of Scott been properly opposed, and Vera Cruz been strongly fortified and well defended, it would have been taken only after a long and difficult siege.

Moreover, had the invading army encountered strong and well-defended fortifications on the line of march to Mexico, the war would, necessarily, have been prolonged, and possibly with a different result.
The Russian fortifications in the Baltic prevented the allies from attempting any serious operations in that quarter, and those in the Black Sea confined the war to a single point of the Heracleidan Chersonese.

Had Russia relied exclusively upon her fleet to prevent a maritime descent, and left Sebastopol entirely undefended by fortifications, how different had been the result of the Crimean war.
This subject will be alluded to again in the Notes on Sea-coast Defences, and Permanent Fortifications.
NOTE TO CHAPTER IV .-- LOGISTICS.
The war in Mexico exhibited, in a striking manner, our superiority over the enemy in this branch of the military art.