under direction of Captains Crossman and Myers, and protected by Captain Ker's squadron.

JEUTENANT BLAKE had scarcely joined the army when the enemy opened their batteries, which were immediately answered by all the American artillery. The Mexican fire was increased by one gun after another, until their whole line was in an entire blaze, and the battle ground was enveloped in clouds of smoke. Both armies had re solved on victory, and both behaved in a manner which showed that they deserved it. But, unfornately for the Mexicans, they aimed many of their pieces too high, and pointed others at their opponents' guns instead of their men. Their first fire, therefore, did little execution; while Ringgold's and Churchill's artillery soon dispersed the cavalry proceeding against them, and Captain Duncan mowed down scores of their infantry. Captain May's squadron of dragoons supported the latter.

After the artillery had led the battle for some time, about one thousand Mexican cavalry, with two field-pieces, were observed moving through the chaparral on the American right, either to attack that flank, or to make an attempt upon the train. The 5th infantry, being detached to repel this movement, threw themselves into squares, and firmly waited an attack. They were supported by Lieutenant Ridgely, with a section of Ringgold's artillery, and Captain Walker's company of volunteers. The enemy ruled on in one dense mass; but soon the artillery was ploughing through their ranks, crushing man and horse beneath its powerful track, and overwhelming the survivors in utter confusion. With terrible grandeur the battle was now raging over the entire field; companies were wheeling and mancuvering; cavalry charging; artillery galloping from point to point; while amid the confused din of cannon, and shouts, and trampling steeds, was heard occasionally the wailings of the wounded, or deep groans of the dying.

The continued discharges of artillery fired the grass of the prairie, which was, at that season, as dry as chaff. The flame, small at first, spread rapidly on every side, until sheets of fire, accompanied by thick smoke, shot along the surface, and at length, growing fiercer as it continued, the whole space between the two armies was covered by one wide ocean of fire, that went tossing and roaring up to heaven.

The sounds of strife were lost, and both armies suspended the work of death. General Taylor availed himself of the interval by forming a new line. The eighteen-pounders were ordered to the position first occupied by the Mexican cavalry, while the 1st brigade occupied a new position to the left of the battery. The 5th was advanced from its former position, and occupied a point on the extreme right of the new line. Meanwhile the enemy had made a similar change of position, and after the lapse of an hour the action recommenced. In a little time the fire from the American guns grew most destructive. But, although long openings were made in their ranks at every discharge, yet they sustained the severe cannonade with a constancy that astonished their antagonists. May's squadron was despatched to make a demonstration on their left; but, the ground being unfavourable to the movements of cavalry, the captain suffered considerably from the enemy's artillery, without effecting his object. The 4th infantry, which had been ordered to support the eighteen-pound battery, was also exposed to a galling fire, by which several men were killed, and Captain Page was severely wounded. But the enemy's principal efforts were directed against the eighteen-pounders, and the guns under Major Ringgold. Round these swept a storm of iron hail, which picked off the men one by one, and rattled fearfully along the American cannon. Here Ringgold received his death wound. He was mounted at the time, and the shot struck him at right angles, entering the right thigh, passing through the holsters and upper part

of the shoulders of his horse, and then striking the left thigh in the same line. A large mass of muscles and integuments were carried away from each thigh, but the arteries were not divided, nor the bones broken. During the whole day he had managed his artillery in a masterly manner, directing his shot not only to groups and masses of the enemy, but even to particular men. He saw them fall, their places occupied by others, and they in turn shot down, as he still pointed his guns to the same place, feeling as confident of his mark as though using a rifle.

IEUTENANT-COLONEL CHILDS'S battalion moved up to support the artillery on the right. It was followed by a strong body of cavalry, which, notwithstanding a severe fire from the eighteen-pounders, prepared to charge. The battalion was formed in square, in order to meet the attack; but when the advancing squadrons were within close range, a fire of canister was opened upon them with withering effect, and soon they were in full retreat. A brisk fire of small arms was now opened upon the square, by which Lieutenant Luther was wounded; but a well-directed fire from the front of the square silenced all further opposition in that quarter.

While these events were transpiring on the right, the Mexicans had made a serious attempt against the American left. Lieutenant Duncan met this by a masterly movement, which largely contributed to the final success. Under cover of the smoke, he moved rapidly round to the enemy's right, and then, suddenly unlimbering, poured in a galling enfilade fire upon their flank. Shells and shrapnell shot told with murderous effect, and in an instant the enemy's masses were in disorder. A charge of cavalry at this moment would have swept the whole field; but, as such a movement would have endangered the train, the American general wisely forebore. As night approached, the fire of the enemy slackened, and it ceased on both sides with the setting of the sun. The Americans lay all night upon their arms, on nearly the same position that the enemy had occupied in the morning.

The total force of the Americans in the battle of Palo Alto was two thousand two hundred and eighty-eight, including one hundred and seven officers, but a portion of this force took no part in the oattle. The loss was nine killed, forty-four wounded, and two miss