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of battle, before the artillery of the enemy opened a heavy and rapid fire on the advancing ranks. The road was swept at every discharge with grape-shot and ball There was a fierce conflict on each side of the road be tween the American infantry and the enemy. From the outset, the Americans steadily advanced on every side except along the road, where the central Mexican battery kept up a destructive fire. General Taylor now ordered Captain May to charge this battery, "and to take it." Captain May replied, "I will do it:" and turning to his men, he said, "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." The bugles sounded, and the attention of the whole army was directed to the desperate charge. The commanding form of May was seen in the advance, with his long hair streaming in the wind; one discharge from the enemy's battery stretched nearly one third of his men and half his horses on the ground; but he pressed onward, leaped the breastwork, and rode down the artillery at their guns; the American infantry followed, and the rout of the Mexicans became complete.

The Mexicans lost their whole artillery-2,000 stand of arms, and 600 mules. General Vega was taken prisoner by Captain May in his desperate charge on and over the battery. The American loss, in killed and wounded, was about 170; that of the Mexicans is unknown, but is supposed to have been about 1,000 men.

139. Capture of Monterey.

On the 19th of September, 1846, General Taylor with a force of 6,645 men, and 19 pieces of cannon, arrived before Monterey, and after reconnoitring the city, encamped at the Walnut Springs, three miles distant On the 20th, General Worth was ordered with his division to move by circuitous route to gain the Saltillo road, beyond the west of the town, and to storm the heights above the Bishop's Palace, which vital point to the Mexicans appears to have been strangely neglected

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On the morning of the 21st, after an encounter with a large body of the Mexican cavalry and infantry, sup ported by artillery from the heights, he repulsed them, and finally encamped, covering the passage of the Saltillo road. It was here discovered, that besides the fort at the Bishop's Palace, and the occupation of the heights above it, two forts on commanding eminences, on the opposite side of the San Juan river, were fortified. These also were then stormed and carried; and the guns of the last fort that was carried were immediately turned upon the Bishop's Palace.

General Taylor ordered the first division of regular troops and a division of volunteers under General Butler, to make a diversion to the left of the. town, in order to favor the movements of General Worth. Lieut. Colonel Garland was ordered forward, and, if possible, to carry the advanced battery on the extreme left of the city. A heavy and destructive fire opened upon the advance of the Americans, but they soon turned it by entering and engaging with the enemy in the streets of the city, having passed through an incessant crossfire from the citadel, two batteries, and the thousand musketeers on the housetops, and from behind barricades. The rear of the first battery was soon turned, and the reverse fire of the troops, through the gorge of the works, killed or dislodged the artillery immediately in its rear. The first division was followed and supported by the Mississippi, Tennessee, and first Ohio regiments. The two former regiments were the first to scale and occupy the fort. The American loss in killed and wounded, during the operations of this day, was 394. Among the killed of the regular troops were Major Barbour, and Captains Morris, M Kavett, and Field; of the volunteers, Colonel Watson, of the Baltimore battalion, and Captain Allen, of Tennessee. A large proportion of those who were wounded died.

On the 22d of May, at the dawn of day, the 2d division under General Worth, carried the height above the Bish op's Palace; and soon after meridian, the palace itself was taken and its guns turned upon the fugitive garrison

In the lower part of the city, during the day, the Mexicans continued their fire from the citadel and other works upon the American troops who came within the range of their guns. On the night of the 22d they evacuated nearly all their defences in the lower part of the city. On the morning of the 23d, General Taylor ordered General Quitman to advance into the city, he being assisted by Captain Bragg's battery, and the dismounted Texan volunteers under General Henderson. The troops advanced from house to house, and from square to square, until they reached a street, but one square in the rear of the principal plaza, in and near which the enemy's force was mainly concentrated. This advance was conducted vigorously, but with due caution; and although destructive to the enemy, was attended with but small loss on the part of the Americans.

On the morning of the 24th, General Ampudia, the Mexican commander, made an offer of capitulation. The terms finally accepted were, that the Mexican troops should march out of the city with their arms and accoutrements, and should be allowed seven days to evacuate the city. The American troops were not to occupy it till evacuated. The cathedral fort or citadel, however, was to be evacuated the next day (the 25th), and an American garrison to be marched in. It was also agreed that there should be an armistice of eight weeks.

The American loss in capturing the city was 12 officers and 108 men killed; 31 officers and 337 men wounded. The loss of the enemy is supposed to have been greater. The town and works of Monterey were armed with 42 pieces of cannon, well supplied with ammunition, and manned with a force of at least 7,000 troops of the line, and from 2,000 to 3,000 irregulars.

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