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 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by 
 
 WM. H. GRAHAM, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. 
 
 R. Craighb;ad, Printer, 
 112 Fulton street. 
 
 
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THE LIFE OF 
 
 EN. ZACHARY TAYLOR, 
 
 AND A HISTORY OF 
 
 THE WAR IN MEXICO. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE WAR — - 
 
 EARLY LIFE OF GENERAL TAYLOR HIS 
 
 APPOINTMENT TO THE ARMY PROMOTED 
 
 TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN DEFENCE OF 
 
 FORT HARRISON PROMOTED TO THE 
 
 RANK OF MAJOR. 
 
 The war of the United States with Mex- 
 ico is an event which will mark an epoch 
 in the history of America. Stealing upon 
 us with a silent tread — appearing, at first, 
 as but a sudden outbreak of border-arms, 
 that after a few transient skirmishes might 
 subside into order — it has called into action 
 the chief military resources of the two most 
 powerful nations of the New World — has 
 developed the skill and vigor of American 
 character in a series of the most successful 
 military achievements of modern times — 
 has shed a halo of undying glory on 
 American arms, and has given to the world 
 new assurances of the advancing greatness 
 of the American Anglo-Saxon race. This 
 war forms an era which will become 
 memorable as the first great movement of 
 this people towards the fulfilment of that 
 destiny which has assigned to them the 
 future possession and occupation of the 
 entire North American continent. Re- 
 sulting, as it must, in the acquisition of new 
 territory, and the infusion of an American 
 population into Mexican society, it will be 
 marked as the starting point of that terri- 
 torial development which is destined to 
 
 overgrow the whole continent, and form the 
 basis of a future American nation — its 
 blood improved by the inter-commingling 
 of the various races of earth — and itselt 
 the most populous, powerful, learned, ac- 
 tive, free, and happy, the sun shall ever 
 have beheld in its course. 
 
 This war, which has cast such a brilliant 
 lustre on our arms, and rendered more con- 
 spicuous to the eyes of nations the growing 
 power of our countiy, has also been dis- 
 tinguished in a peculiar manner by its in- 
 strumentality in bringing before the world 
 one of the remarkable men and successful 
 military heroes of the age. Revolutions, 
 wars, and all eventful periods, have ever 
 been fruitful in the production of great and 
 eminent men. Such, in a prominent de- 
 gree, has been the result of our war with 
 Mexico. The successful prowess of our 
 armies, contending against forces so im- 
 measurably superior in point of numbers, 
 has excited gratified surprise at home, 
 and general alarm among the nations of 
 Europe ; while the gallant conduct, the 
 cool bravery, the wisdom, the clemency, 
 modesty, and moderation of him who has 
 led our hosts to victory on the fields of 
 Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Mon- 
 terey, and Buena Vista, have commanded 
 the admiration of the whole world, and 
 have rendered illustrious the name of 
 
 GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR. 
 
 General Taylor was born in Orange 
 county, Virginia, in the year 1790, and is 
 
LIFE OF GEiN. TAYLOR. 
 
 consequently now fifty-seven years of age. 
 The American branch of the family from 
 which he sprang orginated with James 
 Taylor, who emigrated to this country 
 from England in the year 1692, and settled 
 in the eastern part of Virginia. It is a 
 singular fact that the eldest sons in a lineal 
 descent have uniformly borne the name of 
 James from this ancestor to the present 
 day. General James Taylor, of Newport, 
 Kentucky, who was Quartermaster Gene- 
 ral in the army at the time of FIuU's sur- 
 render, and now eighty years of age, is the 
 oldest living of this direct line of eldest 
 sons, not one of whom has died before the 
 father; and his oldest son being named 
 James, who has also a son of the same 
 name, all in good health, the prospect is 
 still fair for the perpetuation of this pecu- 
 liarity in the descent of the family name. 
 
 The collateral branches, springing of 
 course from the younger sons and daugh- 
 ters, have extended to many parts of 
 Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, 
 and in fact all over the Southern States, 
 even into Texas. Many of our most dis- 
 tinguished men have sprung from this 
 family; among others, James Madison, 
 John Taylor of Carolina, author of 
 several well known political works. Judge 
 Pendleton of Virginia, and Gen. Memu- 
 can Hunt. 
 
 Gen. James Taylor of Newport, who 
 as before stated is now living, and Hub- 
 bard and Richard Taylor, younger bro- 
 thers, emigrated to Kentucky soon after 
 its admission to the Union in 1792. 
 
 Col. Richard Taylor, the youngest of 
 these brothers, and the father of Zachary, 
 settled near Louisville, and was distin- 
 guished for his bravery and military 
 talents. Many instances are preserved in 
 the traditions of that State of his desperate 
 encounters with the savages, and Gover- 
 nor Scott, who was sometimes a little pro- 
 fane, is reported to have said that " if he 
 had to storm the gates of Hell, he should 
 want Dick Taylor to lead the column !" 
 He was not only noted for his courage, but 
 was a man of some eminence in the poli- 
 tical world, having been a presidential 
 elector in Kentucky for many years, voting 
 for Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Clay. 
 He died near Lexington, on the 19th Feb., 
 1826. The mother of Gen. Taylor was 
 u woman of lofty spirits and educated 
 mind, and distinguished for her many 
 virtues. 
 
 At the age of six years Zachary was 
 placed under a private tutor, Mr. Elisha 
 Ayres, who is still living at Preston, Con- 
 necticut, and says that he remembers 
 his distinguished pupil as being a very 
 active and sensible boy. 
 
 But little is known of the General's 
 youth, but all accounts agree in describing 
 it as one of rare promise for a military 
 man. He showed a predilection for the 
 exercises and accomplishments of the sol- 
 dier, and as an instance of his bravery 
 and hardihood it is related that when about 
 seventeen years of age he swam from the 
 Kentucky shore across the Ohio river to the 
 Indiana side and back again without rest- 
 ing, in company with an elder brother, long 
 since dead. The feat was performed in the 
 month of March, when the river was 
 swollen and chill, and far surpasses the 
 famous one of swimming the Hellespont, 
 which is about a mile across, and of de- 
 lightful temperature. 
 
 Soon after the afiair of the Chesapeake 
 and the Leopard, the excitement against 
 Great Britain had risen to the highest 
 pitch, and everything portending a war 
 with the most powerful kingdom of Europe, 
 in 1808, young Taylor applied for a com- 
 mission in the Army, and through the in- 
 fluence of his father obtained a Lieutenant- 
 cy in the seventh Regiment of Infantry 
 of the United States Army. 
 
 Before the war broke out in 1812 he 
 had risen to the rank of Captain, and be- 
 ing ordered for service in the western 
 country, he was engaged in repelling the 
 border warfare of the liidians, which im- 
 mediately succeeded the fall of Detroit 
 and the surrender of Gen. Hull's Army. 
 
 Captain Taylor was intrusted with the 
 j command of 
 
 ! FORT HARRISON, 
 
 on the Wabash, having a garrison of 
 about fifty men, and his defence of that 
 post against the Indians was a bril- 
 liant afiair. Having received informa- 
 tion of the approach of the hostile Indi- 
 ans a short time before they made their 
 appearance Captain Taylor used every 
 precaution that the smallness of his garri- 
 son would admit of. The first hostile 
 symptoms appeared on the evening of the 
 3d of September, when two young men, 
 who had been employed a short distance 
 I'rom the fort, were shot and scalped, and 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 were found in that condition the next morn- | hour before day, and running up towards 
 ing by a small party that had been sent ' the gate, begged for God's sake that it 
 out to seek them. This circumstance might be opened. On suspicion that it 
 caused them to redouble their vigilance ; | was an Indian stratagem, he was fired at. 
 and the officers of the guard were directed i He then ran to the other bastion, where, 
 to walk the round all night, in order if [his voice being known, he was directed to 
 possible to prevent any surprise. lie down till daylight behind an empty 
 
 About 11 o'clock on the evening of the ] barrel that happened to be outside of the 
 4th, the garrison being alarmed by the i pickets. This poor fellow was shockingly 
 firing of one of the sentinels, every man wounded, and his companion cut to pieces 
 
 instantly flew to his post. In a few mi- 
 nutes the cry of fire added to the alarm ; 
 when it was discovered that the lower 
 
 by the Indians. 
 
 After keeping up a constant fire till six 
 in the morning, which after daylight was 
 
 block-house, in which had been deposited returned with considerable effect by the 
 the property of the contractor, had been j garrison, the Indians retreated out of 
 fired by the Indians. Such was the dark- ' reach of the guns. They then drove to- 
 ness of the night, that although the upper ' gether all the horses and hogs in the 
 part of the building was occupied by a j neighborhood, and shot them in sight of 
 corporal's guard as an alarm post, yet the i their owners. The whole of the horned 
 Indians succeeded in firing it undiscovered, [ cattle they succeeded in carrying off", 
 and unfoi'tunately, a few minutes after the ! In this attack the Americans had but 
 discovery of the fire, it communicated to i three killed and three wounded, including 
 a quantity of whiskey that had been de- ' the two that jumped the pickets. The In- 
 posited there, and immediately ascended [ dian loss was supposed to be considerable, 
 to the roof, baffling every effort that was . but as they always carry off both their 
 
 made to extinguish it. As the block-house 
 adjoined the barracks, which constituted 
 part of the fortifications, most of the men 
 
 dead and wounded, the amount could not 
 be ascertained. At the moment of the 
 attack there were only fifteen effective men 
 
 gave themselves up for lost ; and indeed I in the garrison, the others being either 
 the raging of the fire, the yells of the In- sick or convalescent. 
 
 dians, and the cries of the women and 
 children (who had taken refuge in the 
 fort), were sufficient to appal the stoutest 
 heart. Happily the presence of mind of 
 the commander never forsook him. He 
 instantly stationed a part of his men on 
 the roof of the barracks, with orders to 
 tear off that part adjoining the block- 
 house, while the remainder kept up a 
 constant fire on the Indians from another 
 block-house and two bastions. The roof 
 was torn off under a shower of bullets 
 from without, by which, however, only one 
 man was killed and two wounded. 
 
 By this success the soldiers were in- 
 spired with firmness, and now used such 
 exertions, that before day they had not 
 only extinguished the fire, but raised a 
 breast- work five or six feet high in the gap 
 occasioned by the burning of the block- 
 house, although the Indians continued to 
 pour in a heavy fire of ball and showers 
 of arrows during the whole time the at- 
 tack lasted (which was seven hours), in 
 every part of the parade. 
 
 On the first appearance of the fire, two 
 of the soldiers had, in despair, jumped the 
 pickets. One of them returned about an 
 
 The Indians, disheartened by this fail- 
 ure, made no further attempt on the fort, 
 but the garrison still remained in a peril- 
 ous situation, as the greater part of their 
 provisions had been destroyed by the fire, 
 and the loss of their stock prevented fur- 
 ther supplies, until it was soon after re- 
 lieved by General Hopkins with a force 
 of nearly 4000 men. 
 
 The gallant defence of Fort Harrison 
 by Captain Taylor was duly appreciated 
 by President Madison, who immediately 
 promoted the intrepid commander to the 
 rank of Major. During the remainder of 
 the war of 1812 he was actively em- 
 ployed in the western country, but as he 
 had no opportunity of again distinguish- 
 ing himself in a separate command, we 
 are not able to trace his movements. 
 
 After the close of the war of 1812, 
 Major Taylor was employed in the west- 
 ern country at the various posts where 
 the demands of the service required his 
 presence. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 Taylor's studies — promotion to the 
 
 rank of colonel ordered to the 
 
 florida war battle of okee cho- 
 
 bee promotion to the rank of bre- 
 vet-brigadier general, and to the 
 chief command in florida appoint- 
 ment to the command of the south- 
 ern department of the army. 
 
 A PERIOD of nearly twenty years of peace 
 succeeded the war of 1812, during which 
 the life of Taylor was passed without any 
 events of a military character to attract 
 the attention of the public, or give interest 
 to the biography of a soldier ; but afford- 
 ed the best opportunity to complete many 
 important parts of his military education. 
 Taylor's great eminence in every branch 
 of the military art affords sufficient proof 
 that this period was employed in the most 
 diligent study, as far as the requisitions of 
 the service would permit. And it is equal- 
 ly certain that his reading could not have 
 been confined exclusively to works on the 
 art of war. He read the finest models of 
 English composition ; and we see the re- 
 sult in his published despatches, which 
 are all models of style, at!; acting the un- 
 bounded admiration of the first scholars of 
 the age both in Europe and America. 
 
 The next event of interest in the career 
 of Taylor occurred during the Black 
 Hawk war of 1832, on which occasion he 
 again distinguished himself, particularly 
 at the battle of the Bad-Axe, when he led 
 the First Infantry. For his important ser- 
 vices in this war he was promoted to the 
 rank of colonel in 1832, and was after- 
 wards attached to the Sixth Infantry, which 
 regiment he commanded when he was or- 
 dered to the scene of the Florida war in 
 1836. In this harassing contest no one 
 shone more conspicuously than the gallant 
 Taylor. The science and military skill 
 of superior officers had been foiled by the 
 unseen but deadly shafts of disease, and 
 many a valuable life had fallen a victim 
 to the fatal tomahawk and the death-deal- 
 ing rifle of the savage. The management 
 of this war required qualities which no 
 science and training can impart. It de- 
 manded great sagacity, activity and fer- 
 tility of resources, as well as the highest 
 
 military skill and experience. Taylor 
 was deemed admirably qualified for an im- 
 portant command, and for his well known 
 skill in Indian warfare, acquired during 
 his brilliant career in the North-West ter- 
 ritory during the war of 18i2, was ap- 
 pointed to the command of the First Bri- 
 gade of the Army of the South, and it was 
 at the head of this corps that he won the 
 
 BLOODY BATTLE OF OKEE-CHOBEE. 
 
 The difficulty experienced by other of- 
 ficers in being unable to bring on a gene- 
 ral engagement with the Indians, was 
 overcome by Colonel Taylor, who succeed- 
 ed in bringing on a general action in De- 
 cember, 1837, at Okee Chobee, which re- 
 sulted in one of the most brilliant victories 
 of that prolonged contest. This action 
 has nowhere been so well described as in 
 Taylor's own dispatch, which, with the 
 exception of the concluding portion rela- 
 tive to the conduct of the troops under his 
 command, is as follows : — 
 
 Head-Quarters, First Brigade, ^ 
 
 Army South of the Withlacoochee. > 
 
 Fort Gardner, Jan. 4, 1S3S. j 
 
 Sir : — On the 19th ultimo I received at 
 this place a comnmnication from Major- 
 General Jessup, informing me that all 
 hopes of bringing the war to a close by 
 negotiation, through the interference or 
 mediation of the Cherokee delegation, 
 were at an end, Sam Jones, with the Micka- 
 sukies, having determined to fight it out to 
 the last ; and directing me to proceed with 
 the least possible delay against any por- 
 tion of the enemy I might hear of within 
 striking distance, and to destroy or capture 
 them. 
 
 After leaving two officers and an ade- 
 quate force for the protection of my depot, 
 I marched the next morning with twelve 
 days' rations (my means of transportation 
 not enabling me to carry more), with the 
 balance of my command, consisting of 
 Captain Munroe's company of the 4th ar- 
 tillery — total, thirty-five men ; the 1st in- 
 fantry, under the command of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Davenport, one hundred and 
 ninety-seven strong ; the 4th infantry, un- 
 der the command of Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Foster, two hundred and seventy-four ; the 
 6th infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Thompson, two hundred and twenty-one ; 
 the Missouri volunteers, one hundred and 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 eighty ; Morgan's spies, forty-seven ; pio- 
 neers, thirty ; pontoneers, thirteen ; and 
 seventy Delaware Indians ; making a 
 force, exclusive of officers, of 1032 men ; 
 the greater part of the Shawnees having 
 been detached, and the balance refusing to 
 accompany me, under the pretext that a 
 number of them were sick, and the re- 
 mainder were without moccasins. 
 
 I moved down the west side of the Kis- 
 simmee, in a south-easterly course, to- 
 wards Lake Istopoga, for the following 
 reasons : First, because I knew that a por- 
 tion of the hostiles were to be found in that 
 direction ; second, if General Jessup 
 should fall in with the Mickasukies and 
 drive them, they might attempt to elude 
 him by crossing the Kissimmee from the 
 east to the west side of the peninsula, be- 
 tween this and its entrance into Okee Cho- 
 bee, in which case I might be near at hand 
 to intercept them : third, to overawe and 
 induce such of the enemy who had been 
 making propositions to give themselves up, 
 and who appeared very slow, if not to 
 hesitate, in complying with their promises 
 on that head, to surrender at once ; and 
 lastly, I deemed it advisable to erect block- 
 houses, and a small picket-work on the 
 Kissimmee, for a third depot, some forty 
 or fifty miles below this, and obtain a 
 knowledge of the intervening country, as 
 I had no guide who could be relied on, and 
 by this means open a communication with 
 Colonel Smith, who was operating up the 
 Caloosehatchee, or Sanybel River, under 
 my orders. 
 
 Late in the evening of the first day's 
 march, I met the Indian chief. Jumper, 
 with his family, and a part of his band, 
 consisting of fifteen men, a part of them 
 with families, and a few negroes — in all, 
 sixty-three souls — on his way to give him- 
 self up, in conformity to a previous ar- 
 rangement I had entered into with him. 
 They were conducted by Captain Parks 
 and a few Shawnees. He (Parks) is an 
 active and intelligent half-breed, who is at 
 the head of the friendly Indians, both 
 Shawnees and Uelawares, and whom I 
 had employed to arrange and brine- in 
 Jumper, and as many of his people as he 
 could prevail on to come in. We encamped 
 that night near the same spot ; and the next 
 morning, having ordered Captain Parks to 
 join me, and take command of the Dela- 
 wares, and having despatched Jumper in 
 
 charge of some Shawnees to this place, 
 and so on to Fort Frazer, I continued my 
 march, after having sent forward three 
 friendly Seminoles to gain intelligence as 
 to the position- of the enemy. 
 
 About noon on the same day, I sent for- 
 ward one battalion of Gentry's regiment 
 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Price, to pick up any stragglers that might 
 fall in his way ; to encamp two or three 
 miles in advance of the main force ; to act 
 with great circumspection, and to commu- 
 nicate promptly any occurrence that might 
 take place in his vicinity important for me 
 to know. About 10 P. M., I received 
 a note from Lieutenant-Colonel Price, 
 stating that the three Seminoles sent 
 forward in the morning had returned ; that 
 they had been at or where Alligator had 
 encamped, twelve or fifteen miles in his 
 advance ; that he (Alligator) had left there 
 with a part of his family four days before, 
 under the pretext of separating his rela- 
 tions, &c., from the Mickasukies, prepa- 
 ratory to his surrendering with them ; that 
 there were several families remaining at 
 the camp referred to, who wished to give 
 themselves up, and would remain there 
 until we took possession of them, unless 
 they were forcibly carried off that night 
 by the Mickasukies, who were encamped 
 at no great distance from them. 
 
 In consequence of this intelligence, after 
 directing Lieutenant-Colonel Davenport to 
 follow me early in the morning with the 
 infantry, a little after midnight I put my- 
 self at the head of the residue of the mount- 
 ed men, joined Lieutenant-Colonel Price, 
 proceeded on, crossing Istopoga outlet, and 
 soon after daylight took possession of the 
 encampment referred to, where I found the 
 inmates, who had not been disturbed. 
 They consisted of an old man and two 
 young ones, and several women and chil- 
 dren, amounting in all to twenty -two indi- 
 viduals. The old man informed me that 
 Alligator was very anxious to separate his 
 people from the Mickasukies, who were 
 encamped on the opposite side of the Kis- 
 simee, distant about twenty miles, where 
 they would fight us. I sent him to Alli- 
 gator, to say to him, if he was sincere in 
 his professions, to meet me the next day 
 at the Kissimmee, where the trail I was 
 marching on crossed, and where I should 
 halt. 
 
 As soon as the infantry came up, I 
 
10 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 moved on to the place designated, which I 
 reached late that evening, and where I en- 
 camped. About 11 P. M. the old Indian 
 returned, bringing a very equivocal mes- 
 sage from Alligator, whom, he stated, he 
 had met accidentally. Also, that the 
 Mickasukies were still encamped where 
 they had been for some days, and where 
 they were determined to fight us. 
 
 I determined at once on indulging them 
 as soon as practicable. Accordingly, the 
 next morning, after laying out a small 
 stockade work for the protection of a future 
 depot, in order to enable me to move with 
 the greatest celerity, I deposited the whole 
 of my heavy baggage, including artillery, 
 &c., and having provisioned the command, 
 to include the 26th, after leaving Captain 
 Munroe with his company, the pioneers, 
 pontoneers, with eighty-five sick and dis- 
 abled infantry, and a portion of the friendly 
 Indians, who alleged that they were un- 
 able to march further, crossed the Kissim- 
 mee, taking the old Indian as a guide who 
 had been captured the day before, and who 
 accompanied us with great apparent re- 
 luctance in pursuit of the enemy, and early 
 the next day reached Alligator's encamp- 
 ment, situated on the edge of Cabbage-tree 
 hammock, in the midst of a large prairie ; 
 from the appearance of which, and other 
 encampments in the vicinity, and the many 
 evidences of slaughtered cattle, there must 
 have been several hundred individuals. 
 
 At another small hammock at no great 
 distance from Alligator's encampment and 
 surrounded by a swamp, impassable for 
 mounted men, the spies surprised an en- 
 campment containing one old man, four 
 young men, and some women and children. 
 One of the party immediately raised a 
 white flag, when the men were taken pos- 
 session of and brought across the swamp 
 to the main body. I proceeded with an 
 interpreter to meet them. They proved 
 to be Seminoles, and professed to be friends. 
 They stated tliat they were preparing to 
 come in ; they had just slaughtered a num- 
 ber of cattle, and were employed in dry- 
 ing and jerking the same. They also in- 
 formed me that the Mickasukies, headed 
 by A-vi-a-ka (Sam Jones), were some ten 
 or twelve miles distant, encamped in a 
 swamp, and were prepared to fight. 
 
 Although I placed but little confidence 
 in their professions of friendship, or their 
 intention of coming in, yet I had no time 
 to look up their women and cliildren, who 
 
 had fled and concealed themselves in the 
 swamp, or to have encumbered myself 
 with them in the situation I then was. 
 
 Accordingly, 1 released the old man, 
 who promised that he would collect all the 
 women and children, and take them in to 
 Captain Munroe, at the Kissimmee, the next 
 day. I also dismissed the old man who 
 had acted as guide thus far, supplying his 
 place with the four able warriors who had 
 been captured that morning. 
 
 These arrangements being made, I 
 moved under their guidance for the camp 
 of the Mickasukies. Between two and 
 three P. M., we reached a very dense cy- 
 press swamp, through which we were com- 
 pelled to pass, and in which our guides 
 informed us we might be attacked. After 
 making the necessary dispositions for bat- 
 tle, it was ascertained that there was no 
 enemy to oppose us. The army crossed 
 over and encamped for the night, it being 
 late. During the passage of the rear. 
 Captain Parks, who was in advance with 
 a few friendly Indians, fell in with two of 
 the enemy's spies, within two or three 
 miles of our camp — one on horseback, the 
 other on foot — and succeeded in capturing 
 the latter. He was an active young war- 
 rior, armed with an excellent rifle, fifty 
 balls in his pouch, and an adequate pro- 
 portion of powder. This Indian confirmed 
 the information which had previously been 
 received from the other Indians, and in ad- 
 dition, stated that a large body of the Se- 
 minoles, headed by John Cahua, Co-a coo- 
 chee, and, no doubt. Alligator, with other 
 chiefs, were encamped five or six miles 
 from us, near the Mickasukies, with a 
 cypress swamp and dense hammock be- 
 tween them and the latter. 
 
 The army moved forward at daylight 
 the ne.xt morning, and, after marching 
 five or six miles, reached the camp of the 
 Seminoles on the borders of another 
 cypress swamp, which must have con- 
 tained several hundred, and bore evident 
 traces of having been abandoned in a 
 great hurry, as the fires were still burning, 
 and quantities of beef lying on the ground 
 unconsumed. 
 
 Here the troops were again disposed of 
 in order of battle, but we found no enemy 
 to oppose us, and the command' was cross- 
 ed over about 11, A. M., when we en- 
 tered a large prairie in our front, on which 
 two or three hundred head of cattle were 
 grazing, and a number of Indian ponies. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 11 
 
 Here another young Indian warrior was 
 captured, armed and equipped as the 
 former. He pointed out a dense hammock 
 on our right, about a mile distant, in 
 which he said the hostiles were situated 
 and waitina: to give us battle. 
 
 At this place the final disposition was 
 made to attack them, which was in two 
 lines ; the volunteers under Gentry, and 
 Morgan's spies, to form the first line in 
 extended order, who were instructed to 
 enter the hammock, and, in the event of 
 being attacked and hard pressed, were to 
 fall back in rear of the regular troops, out of 
 reach of the enemy's fire; the second line 
 was composed of the 4th and 6th infantry, 
 who were instructed to sustain the volun- 
 teers, the 1st infantry being held in re- 
 serve. 
 
 Moving on in the direction of the ham- 
 mock, after proceeding about a quarter of 
 a mile, we reached the swamp which 
 separated us from the enemy, three quar- 
 ters of a mile in breadth, being totally im- 
 passable for horse, and nearly so for foot, 
 covered with a thick growth of saw-grass 
 five feet high, about knee-deep in mud 
 and water, which extended to the left as 
 far as the eye could reach, and to the 
 right to a part of the swamp and hammock 
 we had just crossed, through which I'an a 
 deep creek. At the edge of the swamp 
 all the men were dismounted, and the 
 horses and baggage left under a suitable 
 guard. Captain Allen was detached with 
 the two companies of mounted infantry to 
 examine the swamp and hammock to the 
 right ; and, in case he should not find the 
 enemy in that direction, was to return to 
 the baggage, and, in the event of his hear- 
 i:ig a heavy fire, was immediately to join 
 me. 
 
 After making these arrangements, I 
 crossed the swamp in the order stated. 
 On reaching the borders of the hammock, 
 the volunteers and spies received a heavy 
 fire from the enemy, which was returned 
 by them for a short time, when their gal- 
 lant commander. Colonel Gentry, fell, mor- 
 tally wounded. They mostly broke, and 
 instead of forming in the rear of the regu- 
 lars, as had been directed, they retired 
 across the swamp to their baggage and 
 horses, nor could they be again brought 
 into action as a body, although efforts 
 were made repeatedly by my staff' to in- 
 duce them to do so. 
 
 The enemy, however, were promptly 
 
 checked and driven back by the 4th and 
 6th infantry, which in truth might be said 
 to be a moving battery. The weight of 
 the enemy's fire was principally concen- 
 trated on five companies of the 6th in- 
 fantry, which not only stood firm, but con- 
 tinned to advance until their gallant com- 
 mander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson, 
 and his adjutant, Lieutenant Center, were 
 killed ; and every officer, with one ex- 
 ception, as well as most of the non-com- 
 missioned officers, including the sergeant- 
 major and four of the orderly sergeants, 
 killed and wounded of those compa- 
 nies, when that portion of the regiment 
 retired to a short distance and were again 
 formed, one of these companies haying 
 but four members left untouched. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Foster, with six com- 
 panies, amounting in all to one hundred 
 and sixty men, gained the hammock in 
 good order, where he was joined by Cap- 
 tain Noel, with the two remaining com- 
 panies of the 6th infantry, and Captain 
 Gillam, of Gentry's volunteers, with a few 
 additional men, and continued to drive 
 the enemy for a considerable time, and 
 by a change of front separated his Ime, 
 and continued to drive him until he reach- 
 ed the great lake Okee Chobee, which 
 was in the rear of the enemy's position, 
 and on which their encampment extended 
 for more than a mile. As soon as I was 
 informed that Captain Allen was ad- 
 vancing, I ordered the first infantry to 
 move to the left, gain the enemy's right 
 flank and turn it, which order was exe- 
 cuted in the promptest manner possible ; 
 and as soon as that regiment got in po- 
 sition, the enemy gave one fire and re- 
 treated, being pursued by the 1st, 4th, 
 and 6th, and some of the volunteers who 
 had joined them, until near night, and un- 
 til these troops were nearly exhausted and 
 the enemy driven in all directions. 
 
 The action was a severe one, and con- 
 tinued from half-past twelve until after 
 three, P. M., a part of the time very close 
 and severe. We suffered much, having 
 twenty-six killed and one hundred and 
 twelve wounded, among whom are some 
 of our most valuable officers. The hos- 
 tiles probably suffered, all things con- 
 sidered, equally with ourselves, they hav- 
 ing left ten dead on the ground, besides, 
 doubtless, carrying off" many more, as is 
 customary with them when practicable. 
 
 As soon as the enemy were completely 
 
12 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 broken, I turned my attention to taking 
 care of the wounded, to facilitate tlieir re- 
 moval to my baggage, where I ordered an 
 encampment to be formed ; I directed Cap- 
 tain Taylor to cross over to the spot, and 
 employ every individual whom he might 
 find there in constructing a small footway 
 across the swamp ; this, with great ex- 
 ertions, was completed in a short time 
 after dark, when all the dead and wounded 
 were carried over in litters made for that 
 purpose, with one exception, a private of 
 the 4th infantry, who was killed and 
 could not be found. 
 
 And here, I trust, I may be permitted to 
 say that 1 experienced one of the most trying 
 scenes of my life, and he who could have 
 looked on it with indifference, his nerves 
 must have been very differently organi- 
 zed from my own ; besides the killed, 
 there lay one hundred and twelve wounded 
 officers and soldiers, who had accom- 
 panied me one hundred and forty-five 
 miles, most of the way through an unex- 
 plored wilderness, without guides, who 
 had so gallantly beaten the enemy, under 
 my orders, in his strongest position, and 
 who had to be conveyed back through 
 swamps and hammocks, from whence we 
 set out, without any apparent means of 
 doing so. This service, however, was en- 
 countered and overcome, and they have 
 been conveyed thus far, and proceeded on 
 to Tampa Bay, on rude litters, constructed 
 with the axe and knife alone, with poles 
 and dry hides — the latter being found in 
 great abundance at the encampment of the 
 hostiles. The litters were conveyed on the 
 backs of our weak and tottering horses, 
 aided by the residue of the command, 
 with more ease and comfort to the suf- 
 ferers than I could have supposed, and 
 with as much as they could have been in 
 ambulances of the most improved and 
 modern construction. 
 
 The day after the battle we remained 
 at our encampment, occupied in taking 
 care of the wounded, and in the sad office 
 of interring the dead ; also, in preparing 
 litters for the removal of the wounded, and 
 collecting with a portion of the mounted 
 men the horses and cattle in the vicinity 
 belonging to the enemy, of which we found 
 about one hundred of the former, many 
 of them saddled, and nearly three hundred 
 of the latter. 
 
 We left our encampment on the morn- 
 ing of the 27th for the Kissimmee, where 
 
 I had left my heavy baggage, which place 
 we reached about noon on the 28th, after 
 leaving two companies and a few Indians 
 to garrison the stockade, which I found 
 nearly completed on my return, by that 
 active and vigilant officer. Captain Munroe, 
 4th artillery. I left there the next morn- 
 ing for this place, where I arrived on the 
 31st, and sent forward the wounded next 
 day to Tampa Bay, with the 4th and 6th 
 infantry, the former to halt at Fort Frazer, 
 remaining here myself with the 1st, in 
 order to make preparations to take the 
 field again as soon as my horses can be 
 recruited, most of which have been sent 
 to Tampa, and my supplies in a sufficient 
 state of forwardness to justify the mea- 
 suie. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 
 With great respect, 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir, 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 Z. TAYLOR, Col. Com'g. 
 To Brig. Gen. R. Jones, Adj. Gen., U.S.A., ) 
 Washington, D. C. S 
 
 Col. Taylor evinced the same determin- 
 ed bravery and resolution to conquer in 
 this battle, that has since distinguished 
 him in the more important contests with 
 Mexico, and he won the day at an expense 
 of 120 killed and wounded ; almost one- 
 fourth of his whole force. Colonel 
 Thompson of the Sixth Infantry, and Colo- 
 nel Gentry of Missouri volunteers, fell 
 fighting bravely at the head of their troops. 
 Captain Van Sweasingen, and Lieutenants 
 Broke and Carter, also fell. 
 
 During the whole engagement General 
 Taylor remained on horseback, passing 
 from point to point, cheering his men, and 
 exposed to the Indian rifle every moment. 
 Colonel Taylor's conduct in this battle 
 was highly appreciated by the govern- 
 ment, and was warmly commended by 
 Mr. Poinsett, the Secretary of War, in 
 his Report to Congress, and he was imme- 
 diately promoted to the brevet rank of 
 Brigadier General, which he held at the 
 battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la 
 Palma. At the same time he was given 
 the chief dbmmand in Florida, the duties 
 of which arduous post he performed with 
 honor until 1840, when he resigned, and 
 was ordered to the command of the First 
 Department of the Southern Division of 
 the army, including the States of Louisi- 
 ana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, 
 with his head quarters at Fort Jessup, in 
 Louisiana. His appointment to this com- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 13 
 
 mand led to his being subsequently placed 
 at the head of the " Army of Occupation," 
 in which position he has achieved the 
 highest military glory, and has displayed 
 those high qualities of wisdom and virtue, 
 which have commanded the admiration of 
 the world, and have taken so strong a hold 
 on the affections of his countrymen that 
 they are already, without distinction of 
 party, hailing him as the future President 
 of the United States. 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 ANTECEDENTS OF THE MEXICAN WAE GEN. 
 
 TAYLOR ORDERED TO TEXAS THE ARMY 
 
 OF OCCUPATION HIS ARRIVAL ON THE 
 
 RIO GRANDE CORRESPONDENCE WITH AM- 
 
 PUDIA WARLIKE PREPARATIONS. 
 
 A DISCUSSION of the causes that led to the 
 war with Mexico would be foreign to the 
 purposes of this work, yet a brief relation 
 of the more important events that were 
 antecedents to the commencement of hos- 
 tilities is demanded in a record of the his- 
 tory of this war. 
 
 Congress passed a joint resolution in 
 March, 1845, for the admission of Texas 
 as a State of this Republic, and Texas, 
 through her State Convention, accepted the 
 terms of annexation, proffered in the res- 
 olution of Congress, on the 4th of July, in 
 the same year, Texas was, at this time, 
 regarded by our Government as an inde- 
 pendent nation, being no more subject to 
 the authority of Mexico than to that of 
 England or of Russia. Each party deemed 
 itself competent to negotiate with the other, 
 and to fulfil terms of annexation ; and 
 held itself under no obligations either of 
 national law or of diplomatic etiquette to 
 consult the wishes of Mexico or any other 
 foreign power. Texas had for ten years 
 maintained an independent government, 
 which had been acknowledged by the 
 United States and the principal European 
 Powers, and since the battle of San Jacinto 
 in April, 1836, had been, as far as she her- 
 self was concerned, in a state of actual 
 peace with Mexico. 
 
 On the other hand, Mexico claimed 
 Texas as a department of her Government 
 and as much subject to her authority as 
 the departments of Tamaulipas or Vera 
 
 Cruz. What Texas, with the claim of 
 right, had for ten years maintained, and 
 other Powers had acknowledged as Inde- 
 pendence, Mexico regarded as unauthor- 
 ized rebellion. Accordingly the Mexican 
 government had, since the disastrous bat- 
 tle of San Jacinto, continually been on the 
 eve of fitting out a military expedition to 
 reduce her rebellious province to obedi- 
 ence. The project of annexation, which 
 had been much talked of previous to its 
 consummation, had naturally aroused the 
 pride of the Mexican people, and en- 
 kindled anew the zeal for the Texan cru- 
 sade. Santa Anna, who did not second 
 this zeal to the satisfaction of his country- 
 men, and who was accused of supineness or 
 treachery in the matter of Texas, was de- 
 posed from the office of President by the 
 army, and apparently by the people of 
 Mexico, and General Herrerawho was in- 
 stalled in his place immediately set about 
 preparations for the re-conquest of Texas. 
 This was in December 1844. The Mex- 
 ican Minister at Washington, General Al- 
 monte, on the 6th of March, 1845, imme- 
 diately after the resolution of Congress 
 proposing terms for the annexation of Tex- 
 as had been signed by the President, pro- 
 tested against this measure as " an act of 
 aggression, the most unjust that can be 
 found recorded in the annals of modern 
 history ; namely, that of despoiling a 
 friendly nation, like Mexico, of a consid- 
 erable portion of her territory ;" and pro- 
 testing against the resolution of annexation, 
 as being an act " whereby the province of 
 Texas, an integral portion of the Mexican 
 territory, is agreed and admitted into the 
 American Union ;" and he announced 
 that, as a consequence, his mission to the 
 United States had terminated, and deman- 
 ded his pasports, which were granted. 
 
 Previously to this, our Minister at Mexi- 
 co, Mr. Shannon, having failed in the at- 
 tempt to settle our difficulties with Mexico 
 in regard to our claims for indemnity for 
 commercial losses, and to obtain a treaty 
 which should secure the continuance of 
 peace and the settlement of boundaries in 
 the event of the annexation of Texas, had 
 returned home. 
 
 The preparations for a warlike demon- 
 stration on Texas continuing in Mexico, 
 the President deemed the threatened nation 
 as virtually placed under the protection of 
 the United States while the terms of an- 
 nexation were under consideration. 
 
14 
 
 LIFE- OF GEN, TAYLOR. 
 
 In consequence of these views, and this 
 state of things, General Taylor, who had 
 been stationed at Fort Jessup, Louisiana — 
 since his departure from Florida, was, on 
 the 27th of May, 1845, ordered to place 
 the forces, under his command, in such 
 place and position as might enable him to 
 act most promptly and efficiently in de- 
 fence of Texas, but not to enter the terri- 
 tory of that republic. On the 1.5th of June 
 following, he received another order, in- 
 forming him that on the 4th of July the 
 Convention of Texas would probably ac- 
 cept the proposition of annexation, and in 
 anticipation of that event instructing him 
 to move to the mouth of the Sabine, or 
 such other point on the Gulf of Mexico as 
 he might deem most convenient for the 
 future embarkation for the western frontier 
 of Texas. In this dispatch Mr. Bancroft, 
 then acting Secretary of War, uses the fol- 
 lowing language : " The point of your ulti- 
 mate destination is the westei'n frontier of 
 Texas, where you will select and occupy, 
 on or near the Rio Grande del Norte, such 
 a site as will consist with the health of the 
 troops, and will be best adapted to repel 
 invasion, and to protect what, in the event 
 of annexation, will be our western border. 
 You will limit yourself to the defence of 
 the territory of Texas, unless Mexico shall 
 declare war against the United States." 
 
 The threats of the Mexican Government 
 becoming more imposing as the project of 
 annexation advanced, the Convention of 
 Texas on the 4th of July accepted 
 the terms of annexation, and the Congress 
 requested that a military force should be 
 sent by the United States into her territory 
 for the purpose of protecting and defending 
 her against the threatened invasion. Ge- 
 neral Taylor was accordingly ordered im- 
 mediately into Texas, by our Texan Min- 
 ister, Mr. Donaldson, who had previously 
 received instructions to this effect. He 
 immediately left New Orleans, where he 
 then was, with a portion of his troops, 
 arrived at St. Joseph's Island (Aransas 
 Inlet) July 25th, and in August established 
 his quarters at Corpus Christi, on the west 
 side of the river Nueces, near its mouth, 
 where he organized that force, which has 
 since rendered itself illustrious under the 
 name of 
 
 THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION. 
 
 General Taylor and his army remained 
 
 in this unpleasant position for about six 
 months awaiting the movements of the 
 Mexicans, and the result of an attempt to 
 renew negotiations between the two coun- 
 tries. Herrera not having been so active 
 as was anticipated, in the fulfilment of his 
 avowed purpose to regain Texas, the Pre- 
 sident of the United States, in the hope 
 that an opportunity for negotiation had ar- 
 rived, on the 15th of September, caused a 
 dispatch to be sent to our Consul, instruct- 
 ing him to make the inquiry of the Mexi- 
 can Government, and an answer was 
 received on the 15th of October favorable 
 to the reception of a Minister from the 
 United States if the naval forces off Vera - 
 Cruz should be withdrawn. The forces 
 were withdrawn, and Mr. Slidell dispatch- 
 ed to Mexico, who arrived at Vera Cruz 
 on the 30th of November. But at this 
 time the government of Herrera having 
 become unpopular on account of its inac- 
 tivity in prosecuting the invasion of Texas, 
 and Paredes breathing the fiercest spirit of 
 war against both Texas and the United 
 States, being in open revolt at the head of 
 a large portion of the army, the reception 
 of Mr. Slidell was declined in any other 
 capacity than of that as a commissioner 
 to treat of the Texas question alone, to 
 which terms Mr. Slidell would not accede ; 
 having been commissioned to plenipoten- 
 tiary powers to adjust all existing difficul- 
 ties. 
 
 On the 80th of December Herrera re- 
 signed the presidency, and yielded up the 
 government without a struggle to General 
 Paredes. Mr. Slidell opened communica- 
 tions with the new government, but his re- 
 quest to be accredited in the diplomatic 
 character in which he had been commis- 
 sioned, was flatly refused on the 12th oi" 
 March, 1840, and he returned immediately 
 to the United States. The President of the 
 United States receiving intelligence on the 
 17th and 18th of December from Mr. 
 Slidell and our consul, that the government 
 of Herrera had refused to receive the for- 
 mer as minister plenipotentiary, and deem- 
 ing it probable that the negotiation would 
 not be renewed, issued an order to General 
 Taylor on the 13th of January, 1846, in- 
 structing him to move forward to the east 
 bank of the Rio Grande, opposite Mata- 
 moras. General Taylor prepared to put 
 this order into execution, and on the 11th 
 of March took up his march westward ; on 
 the 20th he reached the Colorado, where 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 15 
 
 he was met by a small parly of Mexican 
 troops, to whom General Taylor gave no- 
 tice that he should cross the river and fire 
 upon any one who appeared in arms to op- 
 pose his march. General Mejia, aide to the 
 Mexican commander, now arrived with a 
 letter to General Taylor, apprising him 
 that if the American army should cross the 
 Colorado, it would be considered a decla- 
 ration of war, and would immediately be 
 followed by actual hostilities. 
 
 The crossing took place nevertheless ; 
 and that too at a point where an excellent 
 opportunity was presented of successfully 
 resisting the advance of the Americans. 
 On the 22d the army advanced across the 
 prairie in the direction of Matamoras ; but 
 General Taylor, hearing that the Mexicans 
 held Point Isabel, halted on the 24th, and 
 leaving the army under command of Gene- 
 ral Worth, advanced to that place with the 
 dragoons. He was here met by a depu- 
 tation of fifty armed citizens, with the 
 Prefect of the state of Tamaulipas at their 
 head, who presented him a papei", protest- 
 ing against his occupying the country. 
 The General told them very concisely, 
 " He would give them an answer when he 
 reached Matamoras." He had the Point 
 surveyed, and a work was thrown up under 
 the superintendence of Captain Saunders 
 of the Engineers, and left in command of 
 Major Munroe. 
 
 General Taylor reached the Rio Grande 
 off Matamoras, at noon, on the 28th of 
 March, where, on the opposite side, hun- 
 dreds were gathered together to witness the 
 movements of the approaching army. Two 
 of the advanced guard of dragoons were 
 pounced upon and carried off as prisoners, 
 but subsequently released. 
 
 General Worth and his staff were now 
 ordered to cross the river to Matamoras, 
 bearing despatches from General Taylor 
 to the commanding ofl^icer of the Mexicans 
 and the civil authorities. They were met 
 by a Mexican party, who landed on the 
 eastern bank; and an interview with the 
 authorities was requested by General 
 Worth. After some delay he was invited 
 to cross the river. On reaching the right 
 bank, he was met by General Vega and 
 some other officers. General Worth could 
 not effect an interview with General Mejia, 
 then commanding the Mexican forces, and 
 returned without an answer to his dis- 
 patches. An interview with the American 
 consul, at Matamoras, was demanded and 
 
 refused. Subsequently, on the demand of 
 General Taylor, the captured dragooas 
 were returned. 
 
 The American General now commenced ( 
 fortifying his position, and by the 8th of 
 April a small field work, mounting four 
 eighteen-pounders, had been completed; 
 and, at the same time, a field-work of six 
 bastion fronts, sufficient to hold five regi- 
 ments, was in a rapid state of progress, 
 under the direction of Captain Mansfield 
 of the Engineers. 
 
 Soon after the arrival of the American 
 troops several deserters escaped to the 
 Mexican camp, which seems to have in- 
 duced General Ampudia, while on his way 
 to Matamoras to assume the command of 
 the Mexican army, to issue a proclamation 
 on the 2d of April, addressed to "the Eng- 
 lish and Irish under the orders of General 
 Taylor," calling on them and the " Ger- 
 mans, French, Poles, and individuals of 
 other nations, to separate from the Yan- 
 kees," and to "come with all confidence 
 to the Mexican ranks;" promising the pay- 
 ment of their expenses until their "arrival 
 in the beautiful city of Mexico." This 
 attempt to seduce that part of our army 
 composed of naturalized citizens did not 
 succeed, and subsequently desertions were 
 less frequent. 
 
 On the 10th of April, Colonel Cross, the 
 deputy quarter-master-general, was mur- 
 dered by the Mexicans while taking a ride 
 near the American camp. His body was 
 discovered on the 21st stripped of his watch 
 and clothing, and it is still somewhat doubt- 
 ful by what particular party of the enemy 
 he met his fate. 
 
 On the 11th of April General Ampudia 
 arrived at Matamoras ; and on the 12th 
 he sent a flag with the following commu- 
 nication to General Taylor : 
 
 ■I 
 
 Fourth Military Division 
 Gencral-in- Chief. 
 
 To explain to you the many grounds 
 for the just grievances felt by the Mexican 
 nation, caused by the United States go- 
 vernment, would be a loss of time and an 
 insult to your good sense ; I therefore pass 
 at once to such explanations as I consider 
 of absolute necessity. 
 
 Your government, in an incredible man- 
 ner — you will even permit me to say an 
 extravagant one, if the usage and general 
 rules established and received among all 
 
16 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 civilized nations are regarded — has not 
 only insulted, but has exasperated the 
 Mexican nation, bearing its conquering 
 banner to the left bank of the Rio Bravo 
 del Norte ; and in this case, by explicit 
 and definite orders of my government, 
 which neither can, will, nor should receive 
 new outrages, I require you in all form, 
 and at latest in the peremptory term of 
 twenty-four hours, to break up your camp 
 and retire to the other bank of the Nueces 
 river, while our governments are regula- 
 ting the pending question in relation to 
 Texas. If you insist in remaining upon 
 the soil of the department of Tamaulipas, 
 it will clearly result that arms, and arms 
 alone, must decide the question ; and in 
 that case I advise you that we accept the 
 war to which, with so much injustice on 
 your part, you provoke us, and that, on 
 our part, this war shall be conducted con- 
 formably to the principles established by 
 the most civilized nations ; that is to say, 
 that the law of nations and of war shall be 
 the guide of my operations ; trusting that 
 on your part the same will be observed. 
 
 With this view, I tender you the con- 
 siderations due to your person and respec- 
 table office. 
 
 God and Liberty ! 
 
 Head-Quarters at Mamamoras, 2 
 o'clock, P. M. April, 12, 1846. 
 
 PEDRO DE AMPUDIA. 
 
 Sr. General-in-Chief of the U. S. Army, ) 
 Don Z. Taylor. 3 
 
 General Taylor immediately replied to 
 this communication as follows : 
 
 Head-Quarters Army of Occupation, ^ 
 Camp near Matamoras, Texas, April > 
 12, 1846. ) 
 
 Senor : I have had the honor to re- 
 ceive your note of tliis date, in which you 
 summon me to witlidraw the forces under 
 my command from their present position, 
 and beyond the river Nueces, until the 
 pending question between our govern- 
 ments, relative to the limits of Texas, 
 shall be settled. 
 
 I need hardly advise you that, charged 
 as I am, in only a military capacity, with 
 the performance of specific duties, I can- 
 not enter into a discussion of the interna- 
 tional question involved in the advance of 
 the American army. You will, however, 
 permit me to say that the government of 
 the United States has constantly sought a 
 
 settlement, by negotiation, of the question 
 of boundary ; that an envoy was de- 
 spatched to Mexico for that purpose, and 
 that up to the most recent dates said envoy 
 had not been received by the actual Mex- 
 ican government, if indeed he has not re- 
 ceived his passports and left the republic. 
 In the meantime, I have been ordered to 
 occupy the country up to the left bank of 
 the Rio Grande, until the boundary shall 
 be definitely settled. In carrying out 
 these instructions I have carefully ab- 
 stained from all acts of hostility, obeying, 
 in this regard, not only the letter of my 
 instructions, but the plain dictates of jus- 
 tice and humanity. 
 
 The instructions under which I am 
 acting will not permit me to retrograde 
 from the position I now occupy. In view 
 of the relations between our respective 
 governments, and the individual suffering 
 which may result, I regret the alternative 
 which you offer ; but at the same time, 
 wish it understood that I shall by no means 
 avoid such alternative, leaving the respon- 
 sibility with those who rashly commence 
 hostilities. In conclusion, you will permit 
 me to give you the assurance that on my 
 part the laws and customs of war among 
 civilized nations shall be carefully ob- 
 served. 
 
 I have the honor to be, very respect- 
 fully, your obedient servant. 
 
 Z. TAYLOR. 
 Brevet. Brig. Gen. 
 U. S. A. Commanding. 
 
 Sr. Gen. D. Pedro de Ampudia. 
 
 Lieutenants Porter and Dobbins, with a 
 party of ten men, were despatched on the 
 17th, in pursuit of the murderers of CoL 
 Cross. On the afternoon of thelSth they fell 
 in with a party of 1.50 Mexicans, fired upon 
 them, put them to flight, and took posses- 
 sion of their camp and horses. On their 
 return to camp they were attacked by a 
 party of Mexicans in the night, and Lieu- 
 tenant Porter M'as killed. 
 
 Gen. Taylor, on the 17th, intercepted 
 two vessels bound into Matamoras with 
 supplies for the Mexican army, by sending 
 the U. S. brig Lawrence and the revenue 
 cutter Santa Anna in pursuit of them. 
 Ampudia remonstrated against these acts 
 of General Taylor, whose reply, not only 
 for its masterly style of composition, but 
 for the able and lucid manner in which it 
 sets forth the relative disposition of the 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 17 
 
 belligereats, is copied entire with the ex- 
 ception of two passages relative to a couple 
 of Mexicans taken prisoners by us and 
 immediately released. 
 
 Head-Quauters Army of Occupation, ^ 
 
 Camp near Matamoras, Texas, > 
 
 April 22, 1840. ) 
 
 Sir : I have had the honor to receive 
 your communication of this date, in which 
 you complain of certain measures adopted 
 by my orders to close the mouth of the 
 Rio Bravo against vessels bound to Mata- 
 moras. . 
 
 After all that has passed since the 
 American army first approached the Rio 
 Bravo, I am certainly surprised that you 
 should complain of a measure which is 
 no other than a natural result of the state 
 of war so much insisted upon by the Mexi- 
 can authorities as actually existing at this 
 time. You will excuse me for recalling 
 a few circumstances to show that this 
 state of war has not been sought by the 
 American army, but has been forced upon 
 it, and that the exercise of the rights inci- 
 dent to such a state cannot be made a 
 subject of complaint. 
 
 On breaking up my camp at Corpus 
 Christi, and moving forward witli the army 
 under my orders 'to occupy the left bank 
 of the Rio Bravo, it was my earnest desire 
 to execute tnj instructions in a pacific 
 manner; to observe tiie utmost regard for 
 the personal rights of all citizens residing 
 on the left bank of the river, and to take 
 care that the religion and customs of the 
 people should suffer no violation. With 
 this view, and to quiet the minds of the 
 inhabitants, I issued orders to the army, 
 enjoining a strict observance of the rights 
 and interests of all Mexicans residing on 
 the river, and caused said orders to be 
 translated into Spanish, and circulated in 
 the several towns on the Bravo. These 
 orders announced the spirit in which we 
 proposed to occupy the country, and I am 
 proud to say that up to this moment the 
 same spirit has controlled the operations 
 of the army. On reaciiing the Arroyo 
 Colorado I was informed by a Mexican 
 officer that the order in question had been 
 received in Matamoras ; but was told at 
 the same lime that if I attempted to cross 
 the river it would be regarded as a decla- 
 ration of war. Again, on my march to 
 Frontone I was met by a deputation of the 
 civil authorhies of Matamoras, protesting 
 against my occupation of a; portion of the 
 2 
 
 department of Tamaulipas, and declaring 
 that if the army was not at once withdrawn, 
 war would result. While this communi- 
 cation was in my hands, it was discovered 
 that the village of Frontone had been set 
 on fire and abandoned. I viewed this as 
 a direct act of war, and informed the 
 deputation that their communication would 
 be answered by me when opposite Mata- 
 moras, which was done in respectful terms. 
 On reaciiing the river I despatched an 
 officer, high in rank, to convey to the 
 commanding general in Matamoras the 
 expression of my desire for amicable re- 
 lations, and my willifigness to leave open 
 to the use of the citizens of Matamoras 
 the port of Brazos Santiago until the 
 question of boundary should be definitively 
 settled. This officer received for reply, 
 from the officer selected to confer with 
 him, that my advance to the Rio Bravo 
 was considered as a veritable act of war, 
 and he was absolutely refused an inter- 
 vievv with the American consul, in itself 
 an act incompatible with a state of peace. 
 Notwithstanding these repeated assur- 
 ances on the part of the Mexican authori- 
 ties, and notwithstanding the most obvi- 
 ously hostile preparations on the right 
 bank of the river, accompanied by a rigid 
 non-intercourse, I carefully abstained from 
 any act of hostility — determined that the 
 onus of producing an actual state of hos- 
 tilities should not rest with me. Our re- 
 lations remained in this state until I had 
 the honor to receive your note of the 12th 
 instant, in which you denounce war as the 
 alternative of my remaining in this posi- 
 tion. As I could not, under my instruc- 
 tions, recede from my position, 1 accepted 
 the alternative you offered mc, and made 
 all my dispositions to meet it suitably. 
 But, still willing to adopt milder measures 
 before proceeding to others, I contented 
 myself in the first instance with ordering 
 a blockade of the mouth of the Rio Bravo 
 by the naval forces under my orders — a 
 proceeding perfectly consonant with the 
 state of war so often declared to exist, 
 and which you acknowledge in your note 
 of the 16th instant, relative to the late 
 Col. Cross. If this measure seem oppres- 
 sive, 1 wish it borne in mind that it has 
 been forced upon me by the course you 
 have seen fit to adopt. I have reported 
 this blockade to my government, and shall 
 not remove it until I receive instructions to 
 that effect, unless indeed you desire an ar- 
 
18 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 mistice pending the final settlement of tlie 
 question between the governments, or until 
 Avar sliall be formally declared by either, 
 in which case I shall cheerfully open the 
 river. In regard to the consequences you 
 mention as resulting from a refusal to re- 
 move the blockade, I beg you to under- 
 stand that I am prepared for them, be they 
 what they may. 
 
 In regard to the particular vessels re- 
 ferred to in your communication, I have 
 the honor to advise you that, in pursuance 
 of my orders, two American scliooners, 
 bound for Matamoras, were warned off on 
 the 17th instant, when near the mouth of 
 the river, and put to sea, returning proba- 
 bly to New Orleans. They were not 
 seized, or their cargoes disturbed in any 
 way, nor have they been in the harbor of 
 Brazos Santiago to my knowledge. A 
 Mexican schooner, understood to be the 
 " Juniata," was in or off that harbor when 
 my instructions to block the river were 
 issued, but was driven to sea in a gale, 
 since which time I have had no report 
 concerning her. ... 
 
 In conclusion, I take leave to state that 
 I consider the tone of your communication 
 highly exceptionable, where you stigma- 
 tize the movement of the army under my 
 orders as " marked with the seal of uni- 
 versal reprobation." You must be aware 
 that such language is not respectful in 
 itself, either to me or my government ; 
 and while I observe in my own corres- 
 pondence the courtesy due to your high 
 position, and to the magnitude of the in- 
 terests with which we are respectively 
 charged, I shall expect the same in return. 
 
 I have the honor to be, very respectful- 
 ly, vour obedient servant, 
 
 Z. TAYLOR, 
 Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. A., Commanding. 
 
 Sr. Gen. D. Pedro de Ampudia, ) 
 Commanding in Matamoras. \ 
 
 ' On the 20th of April, General Arista 
 havinnf arrived at Matamoras, assumed 
 the command of the Mexican forces, when 
 hie first public act was to issue a procla- 
 mation after the .manner of Ampudia, ad- 
 dressed to the soldiers of our army, and 
 particularly to those of them who were of 
 foreign birth, to induce them to leave the 
 -' ambitious and overbearing North-Ame- 
 ricans," and promising lands to officers, 
 sergeants and corporals, according to rank, 
 privates to receive three hundred acres ; 
 
 and preferment, if any should render im- 
 portant service to Mexico. This mani- 
 festo, however, met with no better success 
 than that of its predecessor. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 SURRENDER OF CAPTAIN HUNTEr's COM- 
 MAND — DEPARTURE OF GENERAL TAY- 
 LOR FOR POINT ISABEL BOMBARDMENT 
 
 OF FORT BROWN CRITICAL POSITION 
 
 OF GENERAL TAYLOR THE WAR ACT OF 
 
 CONGRESS. 
 
 Point Isabel on the gulf of Mexico, 
 and about twenty-seven miles North and 
 East of Matamoras, had been made the 
 depot of military stores for the Army of 
 Occupation. On the evening of the 23d, 
 intelligence was brought into General 
 Taylor's camp, that about 2.500 Mexicans 
 had crossed the Rio Grande above, and 
 about 1500 below the American fort. 
 Two squadrons of dragoons were imme- 
 diately dispatched, one in each direction, 
 for the purpose of reconnoitering the Mexi- 
 can advance. . The one ordered below re- 
 ported that no Mexicans had crossed in 
 that direction. The squadron ordered 
 above was in command of Captain Thorn- 
 ton, and composed of Captain Hardee, 
 Lieutenants Kane and Mason, with sixty- 
 one privates and non-commissioned officers, 
 who found that the Mexicans had crossed 
 over the river in large numbers. The 
 following are the circumstances connected 
 with the first overt act of hostility in this 
 war. 
 
 the surprise and surrender of captain 
 Thornton's command. 
 
 After Capt. Thornton had proceeded up 
 the Rio Grande about twenty-four miles, 
 and as was supposed, to within about three 
 miles of the Mexican camp, the guide re- 
 fused to go any further, and stated for his 
 reason that the whole country was infested 
 with Mexicans. 
 
 Capt. Thornton however, proceeded on 
 with his command about two miles when 
 he came to a farm-house, which was en- 
 closed entirely by a chapparal fence, with 
 the exception of that portion of it which 
 bordered on the river, and this was so 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 19 
 
 boggy as to be impassable. He entered 
 this enclosure through a pair of bars, and 
 approached the house for the purpose of 
 making some inquiry, his command foUovv- 
 inrr him. When they had all entered the 
 enclosure, the enemy having been con- 
 cealed in the chapparal, about two thou- 
 sand five hundred in number, completely 
 surrounded him and commenced firing 
 upon his command. He then wheeled his 
 command, thinking that he could charge 
 through the enemy and pass out where he 
 had entered, not however without a consi- 
 derable loss. This he attempted, but did 
 not succeed, the enemy being too strong. 
 
 At this instant, Capt. Hardee approached 
 him for the purpose of advising him how 
 to extricate themselves. The fire of the 
 enemy still continuing, Capt. Thornton's 
 horse, having received a shot, ran away 
 with him and leaped the chapparal fence 
 and plunged into a preci'pice, where he 
 fell, with Capt. Thornton under him, where 
 the latter remained insensible for five or 
 six hours. 
 
 This casualty placed Capt. Hardee in 
 command, who attempted with the residue 
 to make his escape by the river, intending 
 on arriving at its margin to swim it. 
 In this he failed, finding it so boggy 
 that he could not get to it. He then 
 returned, taking the precaution to get 
 out of distance of musketry, dismounted 
 and examined the arms of his men, deter- 
 mining to sell their lives as dearly as pos- 
 sible. 
 
 Before he had succeeded, however, in 
 the inspection of his arms, a Mexican of- 
 ficer rode up and asked him to surrender. 
 Capt. Hardee replied that he would sur- 
 render on one condition, which was, that 
 if the Mexican General would receive 
 them as prisoners of war, and treat them 
 as the most civilized nations do, he would 
 surrender, but on no other conditions. 
 
 The Mexican officer bore this messsge 
 to the General commanding, and returned 
 with the assurance that he would. Capt. 
 Hardee then surrendered. 
 
 In this engagement Lieutenant Mason 
 and nine men were killed and two wound- 
 ed, who were sent by the Mexicans into 
 the American camp. Captain Thornton 
 was subsequently taken prisoner. 
 
 General Taylor was apprehensive that 
 his communication with Point Isabel 
 would be cut ofT by the advanced party of 
 the Mexicans. Though his field-works 
 were so strongly and skilfully constructed 
 
 that there was not any apprehension that 
 they could be carried by storm, still he 
 deemed affairs in a very critical position. 
 The army was surrounded by numerous 
 bodies of troops ; the enemy was being 
 reinforced by daily acquisitions ; seve- 
 ral companies of Americans, sent out 
 upon scouting service, had been cut to 
 pieces or captured ; in every encounter 
 the United States had suffered ; it was 
 feared that Point Isabel had been carried 
 by overwhelming numbers, and serious 
 apprehensions were fast gaining upon the 
 public mind for the safety of the entire 
 army. While engaged in making prepa- 
 rations for re-opening communications be- 
 tween the two posts. Captain Walker of 
 the Texan Rangers, having left Point Isa- 
 bel on the 29th, arrived with intelligence 
 that teams dispatched to the command of 
 Gen. Taylor had been driven back to 
 Point Isabel, and that he himself, on a re- 
 connoitering expedition, had on the 28th 
 encountered a force which he estimated at 
 1500 men, and was driven back with a loss 
 of several men. 
 
 On receiving this intelligence. General 
 Taylor (May 1st, 1846) took up his line 
 of march for Point Isabel, with the main 
 body of the army, leaving a regiment of 
 infantry and two companies of artillery, 
 consisting of 300 men, under the com- 
 mand of Major Brown, of the Seventh In- 
 fanty, from whom the post has been called 
 Fort Brown. He expected to be obliged 
 to cut his way through the Mexican 
 troops, but he reached Point Isabel with- 
 out having met one of the enemy on his 
 v/hole march. 
 
 The departure of General Taylor was 
 the signal for the Mexicans to commence 
 
 THE BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN. 
 
 When Gen. Taylor left Fort Brown, 
 his orders were to defend it to the death ; 
 and if the enemy should surround it, to 
 fire signal guns at certain intervals to let 
 him know it. As was anticipated, the 
 Mexicans took advantage of the departure 
 of the great bulk of the army, and at day- 
 light on Sunday morning. May 3d, opened 
 their batteries upon the fort. " The holy 
 quiet of that day," says a writer, in de- 
 scribing the attack, " was broken by the 
 thunder of cannon, and before the sun had 
 risen on the scene, that little fort was in 
 a blaze, as gun answered gun; and in 
 twenty minutes' time, one of the Mexic'ati 
 
20 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 twelve-pounders was seen leaping twenty 
 feet into the air, accompanied by arms, 
 legs and mangled bodies." This cannon- 
 ading on the part of the enemy was kept 
 up with slight intermission until near mid- 
 night, and returned with effect. Major 
 Brown lost one sergeant, and one artillery 
 soldier wounded. The next morning the 
 Mexicans opened their batteries again, 
 sending both shot and shells, but without 
 much effect. The cannonading had not 
 lasted move than half an hour, when Ma- 
 jor Brown's artillery silenced the enemy's 
 guns, having greatly damaged three of the 
 embrasures, dismounted several guns, and 
 killed a number of men. The Mexican 
 batteries opened a fire early the next morn- 
 ing, which lasted an hour, and w^as 
 promptly answered from an eightcen- 
 pounder battery, and a six-pounder how- 
 itzer. Both batteries ceased at the same 
 time. The Mexicans now surrounded the 
 fort, and established a battery in its rear. 
 At 5 o'clock the next morning the enemy 
 opened from their several batteries and 
 continued, with slight intervals, to pour a 
 perfect shower of shot and shells among 
 our brave and devoted little band in the 
 fort until 2 o'clock p. m. In the mean 
 time the signal guns had been fired as di- 
 rected by Gen. Taylor, and the gallant 
 Brown had received a mortal wound from 
 a falling shell. At half past 4 o'clock a 
 parley was sounded, and the Mexican Ge- 
 neral sent a summons to the commander 
 of the fort to surrender " for the sake of 
 humanity," offering him one hour to re- 
 turn an answer, and threatening to put the 
 whole garrison to the sword in case his 
 demand should not be complied with. 
 This was a most trying emergency. The 
 garrison numbered scarcely 250 men ; 
 their enemy several thousands. Capt. 
 Havv'kins, who succeeded Maj. Brown af- 
 ter his wound of the 6th, called a council 
 of war, composed of the several company 
 commanders, in the fort, and laid the sub- 
 ject before them. They had neither time 
 nor disposition to deliberate. " Defend 
 the Fort to the Death .'" broke fortli almost 
 simultaneously from the lips of that devo- 
 ted band. The firing was then renewed 
 and continued for the rest of the day, and 
 at daylight on the 7th was again renewed, 
 but soon after suddenly ceased. It was 
 again renewed and continued for six hours. 
 The firing at Palo Alto, where General 
 Taylor was engaged with the Mexicans, 
 
 was then heard at Fort Brown, with what 
 mixed emotions the reader may conceive. 
 The Americans welcomed the sound with 
 a tremendous shout. They knew that 
 for Taylor to fight was to conquer. The 
 enemy recommenced their bombardment 
 with redoubled energy ; but the continu- 
 ous and exulting shouts of the Americans 
 finally silenced the bombardment. At sun- 
 set a Mexican deserter brought the news of 
 the victory of Palo Alto ; and the wearied 
 garrison felt that their labors and dangers 
 were nearly closed. The engagement 
 continued for seven days, during most of 
 which time a number of men under the 
 direction of Capt. Mansfield were engaged 
 night and day in completing the works ; 
 the fire of the enemy not for a moment 
 arresting the progress of their operations, 
 and notwithstanding the large number of 
 shot and shells thrown by the enemy, the 
 American loss was but two killed (Major 
 Brown, and Sergeant Weigart), and thir- 
 teen wounded. 
 
 Intelligence of the capture of Captain 
 Thornton's command, together with a re- 
 port that the Mexicans, seven or eight 
 thousand strong, had cut off the commu- 
 nication with Point Isabel, and shut up 
 General Taylor with only about 2000 
 men and ten days' provisions within his 
 entrenchments of Fort Brown ; that Point 
 Isabel had been attacked, and must, with 
 all our stores, soon fall into the hands of 
 the enemy, and that there was every pro- 
 bability Fort Brown and Gen. Taylor's 
 army must inevitably experience the same 
 fate, reaching our country produced the 
 utmost excitement and alarm in every bo- 
 som. The administration was denounced 
 for thus exposing our little army to the 
 overwhelming force of the Mexicans, and 
 the public generally unacquainted with 
 the American commander, began to in- 
 quire, Avas this Taylor that had thus im- 
 prudently allowed himself to be out- 
 manoeuvred and overwhelmed by the 
 enemy ? 
 
 The excitement at New Orleans knew 
 no bounds. General Gaines then in com- 
 mand of the Southern Division, having his 
 head quarters in that city, immediately 
 called on the Governor of Louisana, and 
 ihose of some of the neighbouring states, 
 for 10,000 troops to go to the rescue of 
 Taylor, notwithstanding he had no au- 
 thority from the government to make any 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 21 
 
 such requisition ; this authority had been 
 confided with General Taylor, v*ho had 
 previously called on Texas and Louisiana, 
 for four regiments, but not in season for 
 any of them to reach him, and aid him at 
 this critical moment. When this intelli- 
 gence arrived at Washington, the Presi- 
 dent immediately dispatched a message to 
 Congress, recommending a recognition of 
 the war ; and Congress, after an anxious 
 deliberation of two days, passed the War 
 Act of the 13th of May, 1846, with a pre- 
 amble, asserting that " war exists by the 
 act of Mexico," and appropriating $10,- 
 000,000 to carry on the war, and authori- 
 zing the President to accept the services of 
 50,000 volunteers. Public meetings were 
 held throughout the country to sustain the 
 administration, and within a few weeks 
 the services of not less than 200,000 vol- 
 unteers were offered to the President of 
 the United States. We must now return 
 to General Taylor. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF PALO-ALTO RESACA DE LA 
 
 PALMA— CAPTAIX JIAy's CHARGE— ROUTE 
 OF THE MEXICANS. 
 
 General Taylor having reached Point 
 Isabel without interruption prepared to re- 
 turn with a train of provisions, ammuni- 
 tion, and cannon for Fort Brojvn. On 
 the afternoon of the 7th of May he took 
 his departure, and encamped for the night 
 about seven miles from Point Isabel. The 
 next mornincr he again commfenced his 
 march, and on the afternoon of this day 
 fought 
 
 THE battle of PALO ALTO. 
 
 About noon when our army had reached 
 the water-hole of Palo Alto, the Mexican 
 troops were reported in front, and were 
 soon discovered drawn up in order of bat- 
 tle, stretching a mile and a half across the 
 plain, along the edge of a chapparal ; and 
 a little in advance of it, on the left, were 
 their splendid Lancers, a thousand strong, 
 while throughout the rest of the line were 
 masses of Infantry and a battery alter- 
 nately ; the whole greatly outnumbering 
 our force. 
 
 Our line of battle was now formed in 
 the following order, commencing on the 
 the extreme right : — 5th infantry, com- 
 manded by Lieut. Col. Mcintosh; Major 
 Ringgold's artillery ; 3d infantry, com- 
 manded by Capt. L. N. Morris, two 18- 
 pounders, commanded by Lieut. Churchill, 
 3d artillery ; 4th infantry, commanded by 
 Major G. W. Allen ; the 3d and 4th regi- 
 ments composed the third brigade, under 
 command of Lieut. Col. Garland ; and all 
 the above corps, together with two squad- 
 rons of dragoons under Captains Ker and 
 May, composed the right wing, under the 
 orders of Col. Twiggs. The left was 
 formed by the battalion of artillery com- 
 manded by Lieut. Col. Childs, Capt. Dun- 
 can's light artillery, and the 8th infantry, 
 under Capt. Montgomor}* — all forming the 
 first brigade, under command of Lieut. 
 Col. Belknap. The Train was packed 
 near the water, under direction of Captains 
 Grossman and Myers, and protected by 
 Capt. Ker's squadron. 
 
 At 2 o'clock we took up the march by 
 heads of columns, in the direction of the 
 enemy — the 18-pounder battery follovving 
 the road. While the columns were ad- 
 vancing, Liebt. Blake, topographical en- 
 gineer, volunteered a reconnoisance of the 
 enemy's line, which was daringly per- 
 formed and resulted in the discovery of the 
 enemy's line to be of nearly twice the 
 strength of ours, with heavy reserves in 
 the chapparal. 
 
 Our columns moved steadily forward, 
 and before they had arrived scarcely with- 
 in cannon range, one of the enemy's bat- 
 teries opened upon us, and commenced 
 the battle of Palo Alto. General Taylor 
 then ordered the columns to halt and de- 
 ploy into line, when the fire was returned 
 from all our batteries, which at once told 
 on the enemy with deadly effect. The 
 first fires of the enemy did little execu- 
 tion, while our eighteen-pounders, and the 
 battery of the gallant Pvinggold on the 
 right, poured forth a terrible discharge, 
 which soon dispersed the cavalry on his 
 left that were waiting to 'bear down on 
 our infantry. In the words of an eloquent 
 writer who graphically describes this bat- 
 tle, " Platoons went down at every dis- 
 charge, and wherever his practised eye 
 directed a cannon, a line opened amid the 
 riders. At length, unable to stand the 
 rapid fire, they wheeled off, and moved 
 away in a trot, when a ball from one of 
 
22 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 the eighteen-pounders in the centre fall- 
 ing into their midst, hurried them into a 
 gallop. But making a circular sweep, 
 they suddenly threatened our flank and 
 the train in the rear. Down came the 
 thundering squadrons, making the plain 
 tremble under their horses' feet, when the 
 5th infantry was thrown into square, and 
 with fixed bayonets waited the shock. 
 A sudden fire from one of the angles of 
 the formation sent twenty horses, emptied 
 of their riders, galloping over the plain ; 
 but those behind pressed steadily on, \vhen 
 they, seeing the 3d advancing in column 
 to the attack, wheeled and fled. 
 
 While Ringgold was thus making fear- 
 ful havoc with his light artillery on the 
 right, Duncan, on the left, poured in his 
 destructive volleys in such fierce and 
 rapid succession on the enemy, that their 
 ranks melted away before them like frost- 
 work, and a shout of triumph rolled along 
 our lines that was heard over the roar of 
 battle. Duncan and Ringgold, occupying 
 the two extremes of the lines, sent hope 
 and confidence through the army, as it 
 saw with what superiority and address 
 our artillery was managed. To the fierce 
 music that thus rolled over the field from 
 either wing, the two eighteen-pounders in 
 the centre kept up a steady accompani- 
 ment, shaking the field with their steady 
 fire as, slowly advancing, they sent death 
 through the Mexican ranks. But the 
 enemy's batteries were worked with great 
 vigor, and their shot told on our left se- 
 verely ; yet still the regiments destined to 
 support the artillery stood firm, while the 
 balls tore through their ranks. At one 
 time, they lay for three-quarters of an 
 hour in the tall grass, while the shot of 
 the enemy kept tearing up the ground 
 amid them, bounding and leaping by, car- 
 rying away, here a head and there an 
 arm, and yet not a soldier quailed, but 
 cool and resolute as old veterans, kept 
 their position without a murmur or a look 
 of complaint. In the mean time, Lieut. 
 Duncan set the prairie on fire with some 
 smoke-balls, and tlie thick smoke rolling 
 along the lines, shut out the two armies 
 from each other, and stayed for a while 
 the work of carnage. It was now four 
 o'clock, and the bloodshot feun was stoop- 
 ing to the western horizon, and silence 
 rested on the field of death, save when 
 the groans of the dying and wounded 
 arose from the plain. Duncan, taking 
 
 advantage of the smoke, carried his artil- 
 lery through the lane of fire, with the 
 flames rolling ten feet around him. Sud- 
 denly the enemy saw his horses' heads 
 moving in a trot on their flank, and the next 
 moment the pieces were unlimbered, and 
 pouring in a scouring, galling fire on their 
 ranks, rolling them back on each other in 
 inextricable confusion. The Mexicans had 
 changed their line of battle, to escape the 
 murderous effect of the close and well-di- 
 rected volleys of Ringgold's battery and 
 the eighteen-pounders that had been push- 
 ed forward during the cessation of the can- 
 nonading. The gallant Ringgold, while 
 seated on his horse, directing the move- 
 ment of the guns, received a shot which 
 passed through his horse, cutting in 
 two the pistols in his holsters, tore awa}^ 
 the flesh from both his legs, from his knees 
 upward. As he fell on the field some of- 
 ficers gathered around him, but he waved 
 them away, saying, " Leave me alone ; 
 you are needed forward." The sun went 
 down on the field of blood, and as his de- 
 parting rays struggled for a moment to 
 pierce the war-cloud that curtained-in the 
 two armies, the firing, by mutual consent, 
 ceased, and the battle of Palo Alto was 
 over. Our little army encamped on the 
 field where they fought amid their dead 
 and dying companions." 
 
 when night closed over the scene the 
 Mexican Commanders saw that they could 
 do nothing in the open field, and so retreat- 
 ed to a still more formidable position. 
 
 The action lasted about five hours, and 
 there were engaged in it on the side of the 
 Americans 2288, of whom 177 were offi- 
 cers. The strength of the enemy, ac- 
 cording to the report of their own officers, 
 taken prisoners next day, was at least 
 6000 regulars, and an unknown number 
 of irregular troops, with 10 pieces of ar- 
 tillery. Their loss was nearly 400 killed 
 and wounded, while only 9 Americans 
 were killed, 44 wounded, and 2 jnissing. 
 The death of Major Ringgold caused great 
 mourning throughout the Union, as he was 
 one of our bravest and most valuable offi- 
 cers, and one of the most distinguished 
 light artillery commanders in the world. 
 The wound received by Captain Page was 
 dreadful. His whole lower jaw was shot 
 away, together with part of his tongue 
 and palate, yet he survived until the 12th 
 of July. 
 
 It was during this battle that the Mexi- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 23 
 
 ican artillery, perceiving Gen. Taylor and 
 staff, poured in upon them a shower of 
 cannister and grape. " Upon my word," 
 says Gen. Taylor, " I do believe the ras- 
 cals want to hit me." Very soon one of 
 the officers rode up and suggested to the 
 General that it would be better for him to 
 retire to a position less exposed. " Well," 
 said the General, who had been sitting at 
 his ease, with his leg over the pommel of his 
 saddle, watching the movements of the 
 contending armies, " let us ride up near- 
 er, and their balls will go over us." And 
 he rode to a still more exposed point, but 
 where he could have a better view of the 
 battle. 
 
 The weary night passed away, our 
 men resting on the field of battle, I'eady 
 to renew the conflict with the dawn of 
 day. The next morning it was discovered 
 that the enemy had fallen back, leaving 
 his dead unburied. The number of bo- 
 dies lying around the spots where the ar- 
 tillery was posted, showed how terrible the 
 fire of our guns had been, and with what 
 steadiness and bravery the Mexicans had 
 stood to their pieces. In one place, fifty- 
 seven bodies were found in a heap, or 
 about the entire number of killed and 
 wounded together on our side. 
 
 Gen. Taylor called a council of war, 
 and asked them what he should do. Four 
 only out of the whole number were in fa- 
 vor of advancing — the remainder advised 
 either to intrench, or retreat to Point Isa- 
 bel, and wait for reinforcements. When 
 all had spoken, the brave old veteran ex- 
 claimed — " / will be at Fort Broimi before 
 mght if I live f" 'Ihis noble resolution 
 was nobly executed on that very day at 
 
 THE BATTLE OF RESACA DE LA 
 PALMA. 
 
 The army re-commenced its march on 
 the 9th, at about two o'clock, and after 
 about two hours came up with the enemy, 
 within about three miles of Fort Brown, 
 occupying a strong position on tlie further 
 side of a ravine, and resting his left on a 
 pond so as to prevent the possibility of be- 
 ing outflanked on that side. Eight pieces 
 of artillery defended this position, divided 
 into three portions — one on the left side of 
 the road, one on the right, and one in the 
 centre. It was evident from the outset, 
 that the great struggle was to be along the 
 road where the batteries were placed, pro- 
 
 tected by a ditch and breastwork in front. 
 Reinforcements of 2,000 men had arrived 
 during the night, at the camp of the Mex- 
 icans. In an account of this battle we 
 quote again from the same eloquent and 
 graphic pen : " Scarcely were our troops 
 in order of battle, before the artillery of 
 the enemy opened and rained a perfect 
 shower of balls on our ranks. The road 
 was swept at every discharge with grape- 
 shot and ball, that threatened to carry en- 
 tirely away the daring squadron which 
 should presume to advance along it. To 
 the left of the road, the conflict at once be- 
 came fierce and bloody. The 4th, 5th, 
 and 8th Infantry, and a part of the 3d, 
 were there, mowing down the enemy with 
 their steady volleys, strewing the road-side 
 with the dead, and sternly forcing back 
 the serried ranks, while the artillery kept 
 thundering on with such rapid and cease- 
 less explosions, that, as the Mexican pri- 
 soners afterwards said, they thought we 
 had fifty instead of eight cannon. Shells 
 and shot drove so like a storm of sleet in 
 their faces, that the officers vainly endea- 
 vored to throw the entire army forward in 
 a desperate charge on our guns, but so 
 certain and biting was the fire that they 
 could not be induced to move a step and 
 fell in their tracks. On the right, our 
 men, advancing through the chapparal, 
 outflanked the enemy, and were pouring 
 in their well-directed volleys, while on 
 the left, the incessant flash of musketry, 
 drowned now and then by the roar of can- 
 non and the shouts of the men, told how 
 fierce was the conflict. Our troops were 
 steadily gaining ground, but the murder- 
 ous battery in the centre of the road con- 
 tinued to vomit forth death, and was work- 
 ed with coolness and held with a tenacity 
 that perfectly maddened our men. Gen. 
 Taylor was within its range, and when 
 expostulated with for exposing himself so 
 openly, refused to move out of danger ex- 
 cept by moving forward. The regiments 
 got confused in the chapparal somewhat, 
 but fought just as well ; and though the 
 Infantry held their firm array, they seem- 
 ed to fight in groups, each one directing its. 
 energies on a single point. The battery 
 of the gallant Ridgely kept steadily ad- 
 vancing like a moving volcano, and hurl- 
 ed such a storm of iron on the guns that 
 swept the road, that the Infantry which 
 protected them fell at every discharge like 
 grass before the scythe. At length a body 
 
24 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 of lancers came charging furiously alonj? 
 the road, and rode up to the very muzzle 
 of his guns. Scattering them like a 
 whirlwind with a discharge from one of 
 his pieces, he dashed in person among four 
 that still kept hurrying on, and drove them 
 before him. 
 
 " The Infantry fought with unparallelecl 
 bravery, led on by as brave officers as 
 ever trod a battle-field. Indeed, every 
 officer seemed to think it necessary he 
 should show an example of daring to his 
 men, while every soldier fought as if he 
 would outdo his leader in heroic acts. 
 Sometimes a few men, headed by an offi- 
 ces, would charge a gun and fight like 
 desperadoes around it. In one instance, a 
 soldier leaped astride of a piece he had 
 captured, and boldly defended himself 
 while his companions dragged him away 
 with the prize. From the outset our army 
 steadily advanced on every side, except 
 along the road where the central battery 
 kept playing. At length, goaded to mad- 
 ness by the galling fire kept up from these 
 iew pieces, and seeing that the whole bat- 
 tle rested there. General Taylor ordered 
 Captain May to charge the battery Milh his 
 dragoons. His v/ords were, ' You must 
 Lake il.' The gallant May wheeled on his 
 steed and said to his followers — ' Men, we 
 must take that hatlery P In a moment those 
 eighty-two stern riders were moving in a 
 dark mass along the road, headed by their 
 fearless commander. Two rods in ad- 
 vance was seen the commanding form of 
 May, as, mounted on hispov/erful charger, 
 he rode fiercely on, with his long hair 
 streaming in the wind, while behind shook 
 the glittering sabres of his followers. One 
 discharge tore through them, stretching 
 nearly a third of his company and half of 
 his horses on the ground, but when the 
 smoke lifted, there was still seen the war- 
 horse of May leaping the ditch, breastwork 
 and all, pressed closely after by his re- 
 maining followers, riding down the ar- 
 tillery-men at their pieces, and passing 
 straight through the Mexican lines. 'A 
 wild hurrah went up from our entire army 
 as they saw those fierce dragoons clear the 
 breast-work. The ."jth and 8th Infantry 
 followed close after, charging at a run 
 along the road, and swept over the breast- 
 work just after the dragoons were com- 
 pelled to leave it, and took possession of the 
 guns. Lieut. Duncan then took com- 
 mand of the advance, and soon cleared the 
 
 road with his deadly artillery, while the 
 Infantry, packed now in the narrow road, 
 with chapparal on each side, went pouring 
 onward with furious shouts, driving the 
 enemy before them. The battle then be- 
 came a rout, and rolled furiously towards 
 the river, whither the aflVighted Mexicans 
 were flying to escape to Matamoras. The 
 cavalry first vvent galloping like a crowd 
 of fugitives to the ferry, Avhile the Infantry, 
 forced from the chapparal at the point of 
 the bayonet, followed after." 
 
 One of the most distinguished incidents 
 of this battle was the Charge of Capt. May, 
 which is thus described by Sergeant Milton 
 one of his corps : " All at once Captain 
 May rode to the front of his troop — every 
 rein and sabre was tightly grasped. Rais- 
 ing himself and pointing at the battery, he 
 shouted, ' Men, follow V There was now 
 a clattering of hoofs and a rattlinp- of sabre 
 sheaths — the fire of the enemy's guns was 
 partly drawn by Lieutenant Ridgeh^, and 
 the next moment we were sweeping like 
 the wind up the ravine. I was in a squad 
 of about nine men, who were separated by 
 a shower of grape from the battery, and 
 we were in advance. May leading. He 
 turned his horse opposite the breast-work, 
 in front of the guns, and with another 
 shout ' to follow,' leaped over them. .Se- 
 veral of the horses did follow, but mine, 
 being new and not well trained, refused; 
 tvvo others balked, and their riders started 
 down the ravine to turn the breast-work 
 where the rest of the troop had entered. 
 I made another attempt to clear the guns 
 with my horse, turning him around — feel- 
 ing all the time secure at thinking the 
 guns discharged — I put his head towards 
 them and gave him spur, but he again 
 balked ; so, turning his head down the 
 ravine, I too started to ride round the 
 breast- work." 
 
 In this gallant charge Captain May took 
 General Vega prisoner, who remained 
 at his post in the act of firing a cannon. 
 
 All the morning of the 9th the Mexicans 
 had been playing in the entrenchments of 
 Fort Brown. It was there, with inexpres- 
 sible joy, that they heard the cannonading 
 in the afternoon — and soon after beheld 
 the retreat of the enemy, followed by our 
 troops sliouting loud hurras of victory. 
 
 The number of Mexicans in this enage- 
 ment was not less than 7000, of whom 
 upwards of 1000 had been in twenty bat- 
 tles and never before defeated. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 CHARGE OF CAPTAIN .MAY. 
 
 The enemy's loss was very great. 
 Nearly 200 of his dead were buried by us 
 on the day succeeding the battle. His 
 loss in killed, wounded, and missing, in the 
 tv/o affairs of the 8tli and 9th, is moder- 
 ately estimated at 1200 men. One hun- 
 dred prisoners were taken — among whom 
 were several officers besides General 
 Vega — eight pieces of artillery — three 
 standards, and 600 mules together with 
 General Arista's private papers and tent- 
 equipage which he had left in the hurry 
 of his rout. 
 
 The actual number of the American 
 forces engaged with the enemy did not 
 •exceed 1700 men. Our loss was three 
 officers killed and twelve wounded ; thirty- 
 six men killed and seventy-one wounded. 
 The officers killed, were Lieutenant Inge, 
 2d dragoons, who fell at the head of his 
 
 platoon, while gallantly charging the ene- 
 my's battery ; Lieutenant Cochrane, of 
 the 5th, and Lieutenant Chadbourne, of 
 the 8th infantry, who likewise met their 
 death in the thickest of the fight. General 
 Taylor's victory was complete. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 j^IAJOR RINGGOLD MAJOR BROWN COLO- 
 NEL PAYNE — CAPTAIN PAGE — CAPTAIN 
 HAWKINS — CAPT. MAY — CAPT. WALKER. 
 
 The news of the battles of Palo Alto and 
 Resaca de la Palma caused the greatest 
 rejoicings throughout the Union, mingled 
 
26 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 with lamentations for the loss of those gal- 
 lant spirits who fell on the field of fame. 
 These victories awakened a degree of en- 
 thusiasm seldom witnessed, and called 
 forth universal admiration of the gallant 
 conduct of Gen. Taylor and the officers and 
 men under his command. The public 
 mind seems to have been taken with utter 
 astonishment to find at the head of our ar- 
 my, a general whose military qualifica- 
 tions have received the highest encomiums 
 both at liome and abroad — a leader capa- 
 ble of inspiring his troops with a spirit of 
 the highest confidence and enthusiasm — a 
 scholar whose dispatches are written in 
 a style of rare elegance, clearness, and 
 ^orce, and a man endowed with the high- 
 est traits of nobleness, wisdom, and liu- 
 manity. Previous to these battles it had 
 been customary in Congress and else- 
 where, to speak sneeringly of the Military 
 Academy at West Point, and of the effi- 
 ciency of the officers educated in that in- 
 stitution. But the high attainments and 
 military skill of Ringgold, as well as of the 
 other officers of the army, most of whom 
 were educated at West Point, were thor- 
 oughly tested at these battles, and their 
 activity, efficiency, and bravery on the 
 field, which were the theme of universal 
 commendation, vindicated the claims of 
 their education to the highest respect. 
 
 Congress, on the 13th of July, tendered 
 their thanks to General Taylor and the 
 officers and men under his command, and 
 authorized the President to procure a gold 
 medal, with appropriate devices, to be pre- 
 sented to him. General Worth having 
 had a dispute with Col. Twiggs, relative to 
 their comparative rank, had offered a re- 
 signation of his commission and returned 
 to Washington, thus losing the opportunity 
 of distinguishing himself at the fields of 
 Palo Alto, and Resacade la Palma. With 
 the exception of Colonel (now General) 
 Twiggs, it will be the purpose of this chap- 
 ter to present brief, biographical sketches 
 of some of the officers who were eminent 
 for their gallant conduct on this occasion. 
 
 MAJOR RINGGOLD. 
 
 This distinguished officer was the son 
 of the late Samuel Ringgold, of Washing- 
 ton County, Md., and his mother was a 
 daughter of a man distinguished in the 
 days of the revolution — General John 
 Cadwallader, of Philadelphia. Major Ring- 
 
 gold entered the army as Lieutenant of 
 Artillery, in July, 1818, having graduated 
 at West Point with much honor — being 
 one of the five whose names were recorded 
 as the most distinguished of a class. Pie 
 was at once elevated by General Scott as 
 one of his aids, and served in that capacity 
 for several years, and ever enjoyed in a 
 very eminent degree, the confinence and 
 friendship of that distinguished soldier. 
 During the disturbances in South Carolina, 
 the deceased was there on duty, and he 
 has frequently expressed his heartfelt grati- 
 fication at the peaceful termination of the 
 unhappy difficulties between a portion of 
 the gallant people of that State and the 
 General Government. When the Indian 
 war occurred in Florida, the deceased, 
 then a Captain of Artillery, was there on 
 duty, actively employed in various servi- 
 ces, until the wasting effects of the climate 
 had so impaired his health that he was 
 prostrated by disease. For " meritorious 
 services" in that campaign, he was reward- 
 ed by the rank of Brevet Major. He was 
 afterwards selected by the Major General 
 Commanding in Chief, to organize a corps 
 of flying artillery, and he paid every pos- 
 sible attention lo the instruction and disci- 
 pline of this arm of the service. How 
 faithfully he executed his duty in this re- 
 spect, the performances of his admirable 
 corps at Fort McPIenry and other places — 
 and on the Jield of Palo Alto — fully attest. 
 
 He never recovered from the effects of 
 his exposures during the Florida cam- 
 paign J and when ordered from Fort Mc- 
 Henry to join the army in Texas, the 
 experienced surgeon at this post strongly 
 insisted upon his physical inability to go 
 through with the campaign. But he 
 strengthened himself for duty ; and as far 
 as known here, he was never, for an hour, 
 unfit for service, since he left the Fort. 
 He fell in the fierce battle of the 8th of 
 May ; the same ball killing his horse 
 under him and wounding him mortally. 
 
 The deceased was an accomplished 
 gentleman, beloved by his friends, and 
 greatly respected by all who knew him. 
 
 The deceased in a letter to his imme- 
 diate friends, written just as the army was 
 about to march from Camp Isabel, spoke 
 of the extreme probability of a serious 
 rencontre with the enemy, and expressed 
 sure confidence in the triumph of our gal- 
 lant little army. But with characteristic 
 coolness, he also adverted to the great 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 27 
 
 probability of his own fall in battle, and 
 in anticipation of that event, he made a 
 brief will, which w-as enclosed in that let- 
 ter. His patriotic words to the friendly 
 officer who came to his assistance ought 
 not to be forgotten — " Don't slay with me, 
 you have work fo do — go ahead." 
 
 Lieutenant Cadwallader Ringgold of 
 the Navy, who was in the exploring expe- 
 dition, is a brother of Major Ringgold. 
 
 MAJOR BROWN. 
 
 Major Jacob Brown is a native of Clarks- 
 burg, Berkshire Co., Mass., and was fifty- 
 eight years of age at the time he received 
 his fatal wound in the defence of the fort 
 which bears his name. At the beginning 
 of the war in 1812, he enlisted in the 
 army as a common soldier. He was an 
 orderly sergeant at the battle of Christler's 
 field, on the bank of the St. Lawrence, 
 during the last war with Great Britain, 
 and for his gallant conduct in that action 
 he received a commission. On account 
 oi' his merit, he was promoted from the 
 ranks to the office of ensign, and served 
 with great bravery and good conduct 
 during the whole of the war. He was 
 in nearly all the hard fought battles on the 
 Niagara in the years 1813 and '14. Be- 
 fore the close of the war, he was promoted 
 to the office of 1st lieutenant, and after- 
 wards rose by regular gradations to the 
 rank of major, in which capacity he has 
 served for many years. He has been 
 thirty-four years in the army, and has 
 been much in active service in various 
 parts of the frontier. He at an early day 
 acted as commissary of subsistence at 
 Council Bluffs, and was afterwards sta- 
 tioned at St. Louis as quarter-master com- 
 missary. He was at one time engaged in 
 conducting the tribes of emigrating Indians 
 to the West, and was in active service 
 during nearly the whole period of the 
 Florida war. A number of years ago, he 
 was stationed at Little Rock, and, although 
 still in the army, was elected first presi- 
 dent of the Bank of Arkansas, which post 
 he held for a year and resigned. He at 
 various times disbursed very large sums 
 of public money, and was remarkable for 
 accuracy, fidelity, system and punctuality. 
 At the time of his death, he was attached 
 to the 7th infantry. He has left two 
 daughters ; one of them married to a sur- 
 geon in the army. 
 
 COLONEL PAYNE 
 
 Is a native of Goochland county, Virginia. 
 He was inspector* general of the army of 
 occupation, and held a conspicuous position 
 on the battle of the 8tli of May. During 
 that critical struggle he rendered important 
 assistance at the battery of the two eighteen- 
 pounders. 
 
 On the morning of the 9th he gave the 
 general orders to the different regiments, 
 as they came up, with coolness and pre- 
 cision. He was most conspicuous during 
 the heaviest fire, and by his gallantry and 
 enthusiasm contributed greatly to the glo- 
 rious result of the battle of Resaca de la 
 Palma. He was severely wounded in the 
 hip about the middle of the action, and al- 
 though he suffered great pain, refused to 
 leave the saddle until the victory was won. 
 
 Colonel Payne was honored as the bearer 
 to the Pi'esident of the trophies of victory 
 won at the battles of May. 
 
 CAPTAIN PAGE. 
 
 Captain John Page was born at Frye- 
 burg, in the state of Maine. He was ap- 
 pointed to the army from Massachusetts on 
 tiie 13th of February, 1818, as a second 
 Lieutenant in the 8lh Infantry. Upon the 
 reduction of the army in 1821, he was 
 among those retained in service, and was 
 then transferred to the 4th Infantry, in 
 which he served until his death from 
 wounds received at Palo Alto. At the 
 time he was wounded he was in the actual 
 performance of duty, commanding a di- 
 vision of the 4th Infantry. Cool, collected 
 and brave, he on that memorable day per- 
 formed every duty assigned to him. The 
 regiment being very much exposed to a 
 heavy fire from the Mexican batteries, 
 General Taylor ordered it to move off and 
 take up another position, as it could render 
 no service against the enemy, the action 
 being principally confined to the artillery 
 on both sides. Captain Page at the mo- 
 ment he was wounded had faced towards 
 his division, and was in the act of giving 
 the word of command. 
 
 Strong hopes were entertained of his re- 
 covery for many weeks, but he finally ex- 
 pired on the 7th July, while on his passage 
 to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis. His wife 
 and family were with him in his last 
 hours. 
 
 Captain Page was married toMissBla- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 ncy of Newcastle, Delaware, and had by 
 her three children. 
 
 CAPTAIN HAWKINS. 
 
 Capt. E. S. Hawkins is a native of the 
 State of New York, and is the eldest son 
 of the late Col. Samuel Hawkins, formerly 
 of the city of New York, who raised a 
 volunteer regiment, and had command at 
 the Narrows at the close of the last war. 
 He was subsequently agent of the govern- 
 ment under the Ghent Treaty, in settling 
 the Canada boundary. 
 
 The family of Col, Hawkins is a brave 
 one ; Charles, his second son, was Com- 
 modore of the Texan Navy, and died at 
 New Orleans, Captain H,, the defender 
 of Fort Brown, graduated at West Point, 
 and has been in the service since 1820. 
 His reply to the pompous demand of Aris- 
 ta to surrender, tiiat he "respectfully de- 
 clined," was peculiarly characteristic, 
 
 CAPTAIN MAY, 
 
 A Baltimore correspondent of the Bos- 
 ton Atlas, in describing some incidents 
 connected with the officers of Gen. Tay- 
 lor's Army, and the great battles on the 
 Rio Grande, thus spoke of the personal ap- 
 pearance and intrepid character of Capt. 
 May, the bold Dragoon : 
 
 ''You have seen the personal descrip- 
 tion of Capt. May, given in a Nev/ Orleans 
 paper. It scarcely comes up to the man. 
 He is over six feet high, wears his hair 
 long, so that it nearly reaches his hips; 
 his beard falls below his sword belt, and 
 his moustache is unshorn. He is a splen- 
 did rider. It was this that first attracted 
 the attention of Gen. Jackson, who seeing 
 him galloping along the streets in Wash- 
 ington, standing in his stirrups, present- 
 ing the personification of a Knight of the 
 ancient days of chivalry, sent for him, and 
 gave him a commission of cornet. He 
 was in the Florida war, and many are 
 the deeds of daring done there told of him. 
 He rose rapidly to distinction, and he owes 
 to his service in that war his present com- 
 mission of Captain. It will interest some 
 of your fair readers to hear that he was 
 crossed in love some years ago. Since 
 that time he has never allowed his hair or 
 beard to be touched by the barber. Such 
 is the story told of him. 
 
 Captain May is a native of Washington, 
 
 D. C, and is one of six brothers, all of 
 wliorn it is said are over six feet two inch- 
 es high." 
 
 For his gallant services in these battles 
 he has been promoted to the rank of Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel. 
 
 CAPTAIN SAMUEL H. WALKER. 
 
 This officer is one of those rare spirits 
 which a state of war will bring out from 
 our citizen soldiers. His late unequal 
 conflict with the Mexicans, in which he 
 lost nearly every man under his command, 
 and his daring heroism in cutting his way 
 to General Taylor's camp, have excited 
 in the public mind a strong desire to know 
 more of him. He is the same gentleman 
 so frequently and honorably spoken of in 
 General Green's journal of the Mier ex- 
 pedition. He is a native of Washington 
 City, from whence he went into the Florida 
 war, where in several camp\\igns he dis- 
 tinguished himself by his intrepid bravery. 
 In 1842 he went to Texas, and during the 
 invasion of that republic by General Wool, 
 he was marked for his bold and daring 
 conduct. After the Mexican General had 
 retreated from San Antonio, and when he 
 lay upon the Rio Hondo, Walker and 
 Captain McCullough crawled through his 
 camp one night, and spied out his position, 
 and the next day, with his gallant com- 
 panion. Hays, led the attack upon his rear 
 guard. He then joined the celebrated ex- 
 pedition against Mier ; and on the morn- 
 ing of that sanguinary battle, he with three 
 others — being the advance scout of the 
 Texans — was taken prisoner, and carried, 
 with his hands tied behind, to the head 
 quarters of General Ampudia. The Mex- 
 ican General questioned him as to the 
 Texan forces, and when Walker informed 
 him that the Texans had only 300 men, 
 Am[)udia pompously replied, " Does that 
 audacious handful of men presume to fol- 
 low me into this strong place and attack 
 me?" "Yes," says Walker, "make 
 yourself content on that subject, General, 
 they will follow you into Hades and at- 
 tack you there." He was, with his com- 
 rades, then marched to the city of Mexico. 
 
 At Salado, with the lamented Captain 
 Cameron, and Dr. Brenen, he led the at- 
 tack upon the guard, overpowered them, 
 and marched for Texas, when, after eating 
 up their horses and mules, he surrendered 
 to the Mexican Generals Mercier and Or- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 29 
 
 tago. He was again marched to Sal ado, 
 where, with his comrades, he was made 
 to draw in the celebrated black bean lot- 
 tery, and every tenth man was shot. 
 Those that remained of the Texans were 
 marched to the Castle of Pcrote and the 
 city of Mexico. Mere, while working on 
 the' streets in that city, he was struck by 
 a Mexican corporal for not working faster, 
 when, with his spade, he knocked down 
 the corporal, which caused the guards to 
 beat him nearly to death. His life was a 
 long time despaired of, and upon his reco- 
 very, he. with two companions, scaled the 
 walls of his prison after nightfall, and 
 made his way to Texas, over a distance 
 of more than a thousand miles. Before, 
 however, they got out of the country, they 
 were twice more imprisoned, and each 
 time effected their escape. When he 
 reached Texas again, he joined Captain 
 Hays, who, with fifteen others, armed with 
 Colt's revolving pistols, fought against 
 ninety-six Cumanches, and defeated them, 
 leaving thirty-six killed upon the ground. 
 Here Walker was run through the body 
 with a Cumanche spear, and his life again 
 despaired of. Captain Walker has re- 
 ceived a commission as Captain in the new 
 regiment of mounted riflemen. 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 EXCHANGE OF PRISONEKS HUMANITY OF 
 
 GEiS'ERAL TAYLOR INTERVIEW WITH 
 
 COMMODORE CONNER — CAPTURE OF MON- 
 TEREY — ADVANCE TO MONTEREY. 
 
 After the battle of Resaca de la Palma, 
 the right wing of our army remained on 
 the ground two days, occupied in burying 
 the dead and securing the trophies of the 
 engagement. Among Gen. Arista's pa- 
 pers were found his official correspondence 
 with his Government, full plans of the 
 campaign, and instructions authorizing 
 him to send Gen. Taylor and his Army, 
 when taken prisoners, to tlie city of Mexico ; 
 to treat the American Commander and his 
 officers with such attention as became the 
 magnanimity of the great Mexican na- . 
 lion. 
 
 On the morning of the first day, Gen, 
 Taylor, with his usual humanity, not only 
 visited the wounded, and offered ever as- 
 sistance in his power to the wounded of 
 our own troops, but sent to Matamoras for 
 Mexican surgeons to attend their own 
 wounded, and for men to bury their owa 
 dead. 
 
 GEN. TAYLOR VISITING THE WOUNDED. 
 
^^ 
 
 30 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 On the 11th of May an exchange of 
 prisoners took place ; and General Taylor 
 started for Point Isabel for the purpose of 
 communicating with Commodore Conner, 
 commanding the American squadron in 
 the Gulf of Mexico, who had sailed to 
 Brazos Santiago, in order to render aid to 
 the general. The interview is thus hu- 
 morously described by Mr. Thorpe, in 
 his book entitled '• Our Army on the Rio 
 Grande." 
 
 " The singular simplicity that marks 
 General Taylor's personal appearance and 
 habits, has become a subject of universal 
 fame. It is curious that a soldier, so emi- 
 nent in all the qualities of discipline, 
 should be so citizen-looking in his own ap- 
 pearance. Commodore Conner, on the 
 contrary, is an officer that is not only strict 
 in his dress, but has an extra nicety about 
 it. He appears in full and splendid uni- 
 form on all public occasions, beino- the 
 exact contrast, in this particular, of Gen- 
 eral Taylor. 
 
 " At the proper time, Commodore Con- 
 ner sent word to General Taylor, that he 
 would come on shore to pay him a visit of 
 ceremony. This put old ' Rough and 
 Ready' into a tremendous excitement. If 
 Commodore Conner had quietly come up 
 to his tent, and given him a sailor's grip, 
 and sat down on a camp-chest, and talked 
 over matters in an old-fashioned way. Gen- 
 eral Taylor would have been prepared ; 
 but, to have the most carefully-dressed 
 officer in our navy, commanding the finest 
 fleet, come' in full uniform, surrounded by 
 all the glittering pomp of splendid equip- 
 ments — to pay a visit of ceremony, was 
 more than General Taylor had, without 
 some effort, nerve enough to go through 
 with ; but, ever equal to emergencies, he 
 determined to compliment Commodore 
 Conner, and through him the navy, hy ap- 
 pearing in fulluniform, a thing his officers, 
 associated with him for years, had never 
 witnessed. 
 
 " In the meanwhile, Commodore Con- 
 ner was cogitating over the most proper 
 way to Compliment General Taylor. 
 Having heard of his peculiar disregard of 
 military dress, he concluded he would 
 make the visit in a manner comporting to 
 General Taylor's habits, and consequently 
 equipped himself in plain white drilling, 
 and, unattended, came ashore. 
 
 " The moment General Taylor heard 
 that Commodore Conner had landed, he 
 
 abandoned some heavy work he was per- 
 sonally attending to about the camp, and 
 precipitately rushed into his tent, delved 
 at the bottom of an old chest, and pulled 
 out a uniform coat, that had peacefully 
 slumbered for years in undisturbed quie- 
 tude, slipped himself into it, in his haste 
 fastening it so that one side of the standing 
 collar was three button-holes above the 
 other, and sat himself down as uncomfor- 
 table as can well be imagined. With 
 quiet step, and unattended, Commodore 
 Conner presented himself at GeneralTay- 
 lor's tent. The noble representatives c\{' 
 the army and navy shook hands, both in 
 exceeding astonishment at each other's 
 personal appearance. 
 
 " The wags of the army say, that the 
 above contains the only authentic account 
 of General Taylor's ever being ' headed,' 
 and since that time, he has taken to linen 
 roundabouts, of the largest dimensions, 
 with more pertinacity than ever." 
 
 The following despatch contains Gen- 
 eral Taylor's own account of his move- 
 ments on the r2th. 
 
 Head-Qua.rters, Army of Occupation, > 
 Point Isabel, Texas, May 12, 1SJ6. > 
 
 Sir : — I am making a hasty visit to 
 this place, for the purpose having an in- 
 terview with Commodore Conner, whose 
 squadron is now at anchor off the harbor, 
 and arranging with him a combined move- 
 ment up the river. I avail myself of the 
 brief time at my command to report that 
 the main body of the army is now occu- 
 pying its former position opposite Matamo- 
 ras. The Mexican forces are almost dis- 
 organized, and I shall lose no time in in- 
 vesting Matamoras, and opening the navi- 
 gation of the river. 
 
 In my report of the second engagement. 
 I accidentally omitted the name of Lieut. 
 Dobbins, 3d infantry, among the officers 
 slightly wounded, and desire that the 
 omission may be be supplied in the de- 
 spatch itself I am under the painful ne- 
 cessity of reporting that Lieutenant Blake, 
 Topographical Engineer, after rendering 
 distinguished service in my staff during 
 the affair of the 8th instant, accidentally 
 shot himself with a pistol on the following 
 day, and expired before night. 
 
 I have exchanged a sufficient number of 
 prisoners to recover the command of Cap- 
 tain Thornton. The wounded prisoners 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 31 
 
 have been sent to Matamoras — the wound- 
 ed officers en their parole. General Vega 
 and a few other officers have been sent to 
 New Orleans, having declined a parole, 
 and will be reported to Major-General 
 Gaines. I am not conversant with the 
 usages of war in such cases, and beg that 
 such provision may be made for these 
 prisoners as may be authorized by law. 
 Our own prisoners have been treated with 
 great kindness by the Mexican officers. 
 
 I am, sir, very respectfully, your obe- 
 dient servant, 
 
 Z. TAYLOR, 
 Brevet Brig. Gen. 
 U. S. A., Commanding. 
 The Adjut.a^nt-Geiverai. of the Armv 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 
 Gen. Taylor was now occupied in 
 sfnoving forward the volunteers who had 
 now begun to arrive at Brasos Santiago 
 and at Fort Brown, and in organizing a 
 force for the capture of Barita, a town on 
 the soutliern bank, near the mouth of the 
 Rio Grande, where it was apprehended 
 the enemy was about to collect the re- 
 mains of his vanquished army. Barita 
 was taken on the 15th of May by a party 
 of marines and sailors from Com. Con- 
 ner's squadron. It was subsequently oc- 
 cupied by Col. Wilson with a force of re- 
 gulars and volunteers. Taylor having 
 been reinforced with about 4000 volun- 
 teers had everything in readiness for an 
 attack on Matamoras on the evening of 
 the 16th. 
 
 The next morning about sunrise. Gen. 
 Arista gave the signal that he wished a 
 parley with Gen. Taylor. He sent over 
 to the camp a person, and requested of 
 Gen. Taylor the granting of an armistice, 
 expressing the opinion that the boundary 
 could be settled. To this Gen. Taylor 
 replied, " Sir, the time for asking an ar- 
 mistice is past ; you should have thought 
 of this before ; it is now too late to think 
 of such a thing." Gen. Arista then de- 
 sired a suspension of hostilities. This, 
 also. Gen. Taylor positively refused. He 
 had brought out all his cannon to the 
 front, and was determined they should ren- 
 der some service, at the same time point- 
 ing to the cannon and its position, said he 
 should dictate his own terms. The Mexi- 
 cans then proposed to surrender all the 
 public property, ammunition, &c., provi- 
 ded Gen. Taylor would not cross the river; 
 he replied, he should cross the next morning 
 
 at 8 o'clock, that " the city must capitulate, 
 all public property, ammunition, provi- 
 sions, &c., must be given up, and then the 
 Army might march out and retire." The 
 ^'Mexican Commander returned no reply to 
 Gen. Taylor's last proposition ; but during 
 the night evacuated tlie city with his Ar- 
 my, and retired toward Monterey, taking 
 whatever of munitions and public property 
 he could find means of transporting. 
 
 At daylight on the next day, being the 
 18th, General Taylor commenced cross- 
 ing the river. No resistance was offered 
 by the Mexicans on the bank of the river, 
 and it is said many of them assisted in 
 landing the boats. One officer, lieutenant 
 Stevens, was drowned in crossing the 
 river. After reaching the opposite bank, 
 they were met by a number of Mexican 
 officers, who desired to know of General 
 Taylor if they could retain the govern- 
 ment property. General Taylor replied 
 "that he wanted all the town." The 
 American forces then marched into the 
 place, and Adjutant Bliss rode up to the 
 fort, and sounding the parley, demanded 
 the surrender of the town. He was asked 
 if the government property would be ex- 
 cepted. He replied " that nothing could 
 be retained, all must be surrendered. '^ 
 The Mexican flag was immediately haul- 
 ed down, and the American flag run up 
 in its stead. 
 
 The citizens joined loudly in the cheer- 
 ing of the army. A sufficient force was 
 then placed in the fort, and the army, af- 
 ter moving through the town, drew otfand 
 encamped in the vicinity. Not a gun was 
 fired. 
 
 On arriving at the city, it was dis- 
 covered that Arista had departed with his 
 forces, leaving only the mounted battery ; 
 all the mortars, and such of the military 
 apparatus as could not be removed in 
 their haste to escape, were thrown into 
 the wells. A party from our army went 
 out to reconnoitre immediately after the 
 entrance into Matamoras, and overtook a 
 portion of the Mexicans, who were retreat- 
 ing, twenty-two of whom were made 
 prisoners. 
 
 Arista retreated to Reynosa, Avhere he 
 encamped, waiting a reinforcement from 
 Paredes. 
 
 General Taylor gav^ orders to his army 
 not to take the slightest article withoHt 
 paying its actual value. The citizens 
 of Matamoras were ' permitted to go on 
 
:K 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 with their business as usual, with the ex- 
 ception of selling liquors. 
 
 The events of the war, immediately 
 subsequent to the capture of Matamoras, 
 are of little interest. Colonel Twiggs 
 was made governor of Matamoras. The*' 
 local government of the neighboring towns 
 and villages sent to General Taylor offers 
 of submission. The condition of affairs 
 is graphically described in the following 
 letter: — 
 
 " I arrived here yesterday morning, on 
 the steamer Florida, after a passage of 
 eight days, and find that the news of the 
 taking of Matamoras was carried from 
 here a week ago. There is nothing oc- 
 curring here now of stirring interest, the 
 fighting having ceased, for some weeks to 
 come at least, and I am inclined to think 
 that there will be no more of it on the Rio 
 Grande. Our army must seek the enemy 
 in their own country if they desire to 
 meet them in any considerable bodies. 
 Arista's defeat on the 8th and 9th, has 
 ruined the Mexican army now in the 
 north. They have lost everything, mules, 
 pack-saddles, ammunition, arms, and men 
 enough to strike terror to their hearts. 
 Port Polk, as this point is now called, is a 
 complete museum at the present moment, 
 with its Mexican booty — Mexican prison- 
 ers, mules, lances, saddles curiously 
 wrought, leather pack-saddles, huge sad- 
 dle-bags, muskets, drums, ordnance, cop- 
 per cannon-balls, grape shot, letters and 
 all kinds of documents picked up on the 
 ground where Arista was enQamped. 
 One of the officers, who was in the two 
 engagements, says that the supper which 
 the Mexicans had in their confidence pre- 
 pared for tliemselves, and which they were 
 obliged so suddenly to abandon, afforded 
 a rich repast to our tired and hungry of- 
 ficers and men. He pronounces their 
 liquors, chocolate, soups, roast beef, &c., 
 to have been first rate. Arista's plate, 
 which was valuable, was promptly re- 
 turned to him. Most of the wounded have 
 been sent to Corpus Christi, but there are 
 still enough here to represent most pain- 
 fully the sad results of war. Captain 
 Page, whose under jaw was completely 
 shot away, is in a fair way of recovering. 
 Cantain Hooe is walking about with the 
 stump of his right arm dangling by his 
 side, and appears lo be in excellent hu- 
 rfior. Colonel Mcintosh, who was badly 
 waundedj was stretched out yesterday in 
 
 a Mexican wagon, trying to read. He 
 was stabbed in the throat, or rather down 
 the throat, in the neck, and in other parts 
 of the body, and was repeatedly knocked 
 down in the fight. Lieutenant Maclay, 
 who was wounded in the action of the 9th, 
 is here, with an av/fuUy sore shin, across 
 which a Mexican'grape-shot passed, shav- 
 ing a Iceth closer than w'as safe, as it car- 
 ried with it a slice of bone and sinew. 
 Instances of individual heroism occurred 
 at those two engagements which would 
 have immortalized a Spartan. 
 
 " Volunteers are gathering here in 
 crowds. Yesterday the Ondiaka, Mary 
 Kingsland, Florida, and Orleans, arrived 
 with troops from New Orleans. . A com- 
 pany of Texan rangers came down to 
 Padre Island, and were crossing over last 
 evening. Some are encamped near the 
 fort, on the prairie, and six companies of 
 Louisiana volunteers are encamped on the 
 Point, 3w miles distant, at the bar. I had 
 the pleasure, yesterday, of meeting Gene- 
 ral Memucan Hunt, of the Texan volun- 
 teers. The general looks well, and is 
 anxious to be on the field. His men are 
 hardy-looking fellows. All tliey pray for 
 is to be permitted to go out through the 
 interior, as our army marches on towards 
 Mexico, and to take such towns as they 
 can reach. Their knowledge of the 
 country, their hardihood, and experience 
 in fighting Mexicans, fit them peculiarly 
 for such service. 
 
 " There are more than twenty vessels 
 lying here, inside and outside of the bar — 
 one frigate of war, and the balance trans- 
 ports and trading-vessels. The Florida 
 drew less than seven feet, and bumped 
 heavily on the bar, as she came over yes- 
 terday morning. The sutlers put the 
 screws to the poor soldiers here at a cruel 
 rate, in the way of charges. It is really 
 outrageous, and should be looked to by 
 those in power."' 
 
 General Taylor, although now m pos- 
 session of Matamoras, found himself in no 
 condition to advance further into the ene- 
 my's country. He was deficient not only 
 in troops, but in supplies and the means 
 of transportation. It became necessary, 
 therefore, for him to remain at this post 
 through the greater part of the summer, 
 waiting for the necessary means of prose- 
 cuting the invasion. 
 
 In the beginning of June General Tay- 
 lor's force did not exceed 9000 men, in- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 33 
 
 eluding 750 stationed at Barita, and .500 
 at Point Isabel. Reinforcements were 
 coming in slowly from the difFerent States 
 of the Union, and, although he was anti- 
 cipating the arrival of a sufficient force to 
 warrant his advance towards Monterey, 
 where the enemy was concentrating his 
 forces, neither men nor steamboats had 
 yet arrived sufficient to enable him even 
 to fix the time of his departure. 
 
 In the meantime the Mexicans were not 
 only discouraged by defeat, but distracted 
 by internal dissensions. Paredes, the 
 president of the republic, was reported to 
 have superseded his defeated generals and 
 assumed the command ; but his authority 
 was defied by Arista, who was organizing 
 one of those insurrections which are so 
 frequent in the political history of Mexico. 
 The election of the 16th of June, however, 
 resulted in choice of Paredes as President, 
 and General Bravo, the governor of Vera 
 Cruz, as Vice President. 
 
 By the military arrangements which 
 followed this re-organization of tiie govern- 
 ment, General Arevalo was sent to iVIonte- 
 rey, and Bravo to Mexico, while Mejia 
 was placed in command of the northern 
 army, and Ampudia was ordered to San 
 Luis Potosi. Monterey, being considered 
 the most probable scene of General Tay- 
 lor's next operations, was strongly fortified 
 and furnished with provisions and muni- 
 tions of war. 
 
 The Secretary of War, in his annual 
 report, apologizes for the apparent neglect 
 of the government to follow up the bril- 
 liant successes of General Taylor by 
 prompt and adequate support: 
 
 " Owing to the great difficulty in pro- 
 viding the means of transporting supplies 
 for so large a force as that concentrated 
 on the Rio Grande ; to the necessity of 
 drawing all those supplies from the United 
 States — the enemy's country being desti- 
 tute of them ; to the unusual freshets 
 which retarded the progress of boats on 
 the river, and to the impracticability of the 
 land route for wagons at that time, arrage- 
 ments for the movement upon Monterey 
 from Matamoras, by the way of Camargo, 
 the route selected by the commandino- 
 general, were not completed until the lat- 
 ter part of August, when a column, con- 
 sisting of about 6000 regular and volunteer 
 troops, commenced a forward movement 
 by brigade upon Seralvo, and thence upon 
 
 3 
 
 Monterey, before which place it arrived 
 on the 19th of September." 
 
 In the meantime a considerable number 
 of volunteers had arrived under Major 
 Generals Butler and Patterson, and 
 Brigadier Generals Quitman and Ha- 
 mer. General Worth had also rejoined 
 General Taylor's command. 
 
 It was not until the 5th of August, nearly 
 three months after the battle of Resaca d"e 
 la Palma, that General Taylor was able 
 to take up his line of march from Mata- 
 moras for Camargo. On arriving at that 
 place, General Worth was detached to 
 San Juan, while Captain Wall occupied 
 Reynosa, and General Twiggs had been 
 left in command of Matamoras. Towards 
 the end of August, General Worth was 
 ordered to advance to Seralvo and there to 
 await further orders. From this post, on 
 the 5th of September, he sent back advices 
 to General Taylor that Monterey had been 
 fortified and reinforced by 3000 men under 
 Ampudia ; thus increasing the garrison to 
 5000 men. This information determined 
 General Taylor to advance at once on 
 Monterey, without waiting for further re- 
 inforcements. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 APPROACH TO MONTEREY BATTLE OF MON- 
 TEREY. 
 
 The information received on the route 
 from Seralvo, and particularly the contin- 
 ual appearance in our front of the Mexi- 
 can cavalry, which had a slight skirmish 
 with our advance at the village of Ramas, 
 induced the belief, as we approached Mon- 
 terey, that tlie enemy would defend that 
 place. Upon reaching the neighborhood 
 of the city on the morning of the 19th of 
 September, this belief was fully confirmed. 
 It was ascertained that he occupied the 
 town in force. The city was fortified 
 with thick stone walls in the old Spanish 
 fashion of another century, with all the 
 apparatus of ditches and bastions. The 
 flat-roofed stone houses had been converted 
 into fortifications — every street was barri- 
 caded, and every housetop was bristling 
 with musketry. On one side was the 
 
34 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 Bishop's Palace, a strong fort, well forti- 
 fied — on the other, redoubts well manned 
 and in the rear of all, a river. Such was 
 the scene that presented itself to our army 
 on the eve of 
 
 THE BATTLE OF MONTEREY. 
 
 The configuration of the heights and 
 gorges in the direction of the Saltillo road, 
 as visible from the point attained by our 
 advance on the morning of the 19th, led 
 General Taylor to suspect that it was prac- 
 ticable to turn all the works in that direc- 
 tion, and thus cut off the enemy's line of 
 communication. Deeming this to be an ope- 
 ration of essential importance, orders were 
 given to Brevet Brigadier General Worth, 
 commanding the second division, to march 
 witli liis command on the 20th, to turn the 
 hill of the Bishop's palace, to occupy a 
 position on the Saltillo road, and to carry ■ 
 the enemy's detached works in that quar- 
 ter, where practicable'. The first regiment 
 of Texas mounted volunteers, under com- 
 mand of Colonel Hays, was associated 
 with the second division on this service. 
 Captain Sanders, engineers, and Lieuten- 
 ant Meade, topographical engineers, were 
 also ordered to report to General Worth 
 for duty with his command. At 2 o'clock 
 P. M. on the 20th, the second division 
 took up its march. It was soon discovered 
 by officers who were reconnoitering the 
 town, and communicated to Gen. Worth, 
 that its movement had been perceived, and 
 that the enemy was throwing reinforce- 
 ments towards the Bishop's palace and the 
 heights which command it. To divert his 
 attention as far as practicable, the first 
 division under Brigadier General Twiggs, 
 and field division of volunteers under Ma- 
 jor General Butler, were displayed in front 
 of the town until dark. Arrangements 
 were made at the same time, to place in 
 battery during the night, at a suitable dis- 
 tance from the enemy's main work, the 
 citadel, two twenty-four pounder howit- 
 zers and a 10 inch mortar, with a view to 
 open a fire on the following day, when it 
 was proposed to make a diversion in favor 
 of General Worth's movement. General 
 Worth had in the meantime reached, and 
 occupied for the night, a defensive position 
 just without range of a battery above the 
 Bishop's palace, having made a reconnoi- 
 sance as far as the Saltillo road. 
 
 Early on the morning of the 21st, Ge- 
 
 neral Taylor received a note from General 
 Worth, written at half-past 9 o'clock the 
 night before, suggesting what he had al- 
 ready intended, a strong diversion against 
 the centre and left of the town, to favor 
 his enterprise against the heights in rear. 
 The infantry and artillery of the first 
 division, and the field division of volun- 
 teers, were ordered under arms and took 
 the direction of the city, leaving a com- 
 pany of each regiment as a camp guard. 
 The second dragoons, under Lieutenant 
 Colonel May, and Colonel Wood's regi- 
 ment of Texas mounted volunteers, under 
 the immediate direction of General Hen- 
 derson, were directed to the right to sup- 
 port General Worth, if necessary, and to 
 make an impression, upon the upper part 
 of the city. Upon approaching the mortar 
 battery ; the first and third regiments of 
 infantry and battalion of Baltimore and 
 Washington volunteers, with Captain 
 Bragg's field battery, the whole under the 
 command of Lieutenant Colonel Garland, 
 were directed towards the lov/er part of 
 the town, with orders to make a strong 
 demonstrcition, and carry one of the ene- 
 my's advanced works, if it could be done 
 without too heavy loss. In the meantime 
 the mortar served by Captain Ramsey, of 
 the ordnance, and the howitzer under 
 Captain Webster, first artillery, had open- 
 ed their fire upon the citadel, which wa? 
 deliberately sustained, and answered from 
 the work. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Garland's command 
 had approached the town in a direction to 
 the right of the advanced work at the 
 northeastern angle of the city, and the en- 
 gineer ofiicer, covered by skirmishers, had 
 succeeded in entering the suburbs and 
 gaining cover. • The remainder of this 
 command now advanced, and entered the 
 town under a heavy fire of artillery from 
 the citadel and the works on the left, and 
 of musketry from the houses and small 
 works in front. 
 
 A movement to the right was attempted 
 with a view to gain the rear of the North- 
 east fort and carry that work, but the 
 troops were so much exposed to a fire 
 which they could not effectually return, 
 and had already sustained such severe 
 loss, particularly in officers, that it was 
 deemed best to withdraw them to a more 
 secure position. Captain Backus, first 
 infantr}', however, with a portion of his 
 own and other companies, had gained the 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 m 
 
 roof of a tannery, which looked directly 
 into the gorge of the fort, and from which 
 he poured a most destructive fire into that 
 work and the strong building in its rear. 
 1 his fire happily coincided in point of time 
 with the advance of a portion of the volun- 
 teer division upon that strong and import- 
 ant work, and contributed largely to its 
 fall. 
 
 The three regiments of the volunteer 
 division under the immediate command of 
 Major General Butler had, in the mean 
 time, advanced in the direction of' the 
 north-eastern defence. The leading bri- 
 gade, under Brigadier General Quitman, 
 continued its advance upon that work, 
 preceded by three companies of tlie 4th 
 infantry, while General Butler, with the 1st 
 Ohio regiment, entered the town to the 
 right. The companies of the 4th infantry 
 had advanced within short range of the 
 work, when they were received by a fire 
 that almost in one moment struck down 
 one-third of the officers and men, and 
 rendered it necessary to retire, and effect 
 a junction with the two other companies 
 then advancing. General Quitman's bri- 
 gade, though suffering most severely, par- 
 ticularly in the Tennessee regiment, conti- 
 nued its advance, and finally carried the 
 work in handsome style, as well as the 
 strong building in its rear. Five pieces 
 of ardllery, a considerable supply of am- 
 munition, and thirty prisoners, including 
 three officers, were taken. Major General 
 Butler, with the 1st Ohio regiment, after 
 entering the edge of the town, discovered 
 that nothing was to be accomplished in his 
 front ; and at this point, yielding to the 
 suggestions of several officers, General 
 Taylor ordered a retrograde movement ; 
 but learning almost immediately from one 
 of his staff that the 1st battery at the 
 north-eastern angle of the city, was in 
 possession of our troops, the order v/as 
 countermanded, and he determined to hold 
 the battery and defences already gained. 
 General Butler, with the 1st Ohio regi- 
 ment, then entered the town at a point fur. 
 ther to the left, and marched in the direc- 
 tion of the 2d battery. While making 
 an examination with a view to ascertain 
 the possibility of carrying this second 
 work by storm, the general was wounded, 
 and soon after compelled to quit the field. 
 As its strength, and the heavy musketry 
 fire flanking the approach, rendered it 
 impossible to carry it without great loss, 
 
 the 1st Ohio regiment was withdrawn from 
 the town. 
 
 Fragments of the various regiments en- 
 gaged were now under cover of the cap- 
 tured battery and some buildings in its 
 front and on the right. The field batte- 
 ries of Captains Bragg and Ridgely were 
 also partially covered by the battery. An 
 incessant fire was kept up on this position 
 from the second fort and other works on 
 its right, and from the citadel, on all our 
 approaches, General Twiggs, though quite 
 unwell, joined General Taylor at this 
 point, and was instrumental in causing 
 the artillery captured from the enemy to 
 be placed in battery, and served by Cap- 
 tain Ridgely against this work, until the 
 arrival of Captain Webster's howitzer 
 battery, which took its place. In the 
 meantime such men as could be collected 
 of the 1st, 3d, and 4th regiments, and Bal- 
 timore battalion, were directed to enter 
 the town, penetrating to the right, and 
 carry the '2d battery, if possible. This 
 command, under Lieutenant Colonel Gar- 
 land, advanced beyond the bridge Pu- 
 risima, when, finding it impracticable to 
 gain the rear of the 2d battery, a portion 
 of it sustained themselves for some time 
 in that advanced position ; but as no per- 
 manent impression could be made at that 
 point, and the main object of the general 
 operation had been effected, the command, 
 including a section of Captain Ridgely's 
 battery, which had joined it, was with- 
 drawn to the 1st fort at the north-eastern 
 angle of the city, which it will be remem- 
 bered had already fallen into the hands of 
 the American forces. During the absence 
 of this column, a demonstration of cavalry 
 was reported in the direction of the cita- 
 del. Captain Bragg, who was at hand, 
 immediately galloped with his battery to a 
 suitable position, from which a few dis- 
 charges effectually dispersed the enemy. 
 Captain Miller, 1st infantry, was de- 
 spatched with a mixed command to sup- 
 port the battery on this service. The 
 enemy's lancers had previously charged 
 upon the Ohio and a part of the Missis- 
 sippi regiment, near some fields at a dis- 
 tance from the edge of the town, and had 
 been repulsed with considerable loss. A 
 demonstration of cavalry on the oppo- 
 site side of the river was also ihspersed 
 in the course of the afternoon by Cap- 
 tain Ridgely's battery, and the squad- 
 rons returned to the city. At the ap- 
 
36 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 proach of evening all the troops that 
 had been engaged were ordered back to 
 camp, except Captain Ridgely's battery 
 and the regular infantry of the 1st di- 
 vision, who were detailed as a guard for 
 the works during the night under the 
 command of Lieutenant Colonel Garland : 
 one battalion of the 1st Kentucky regi- 
 ment was ordered to reinforce this com- 
 mand. Intrenching tools were procured, 
 and additional strena-th was given to the 
 works and protection to the men, by work- 
 ing parties during the night, under the di- 
 rection of Lieutenant Skarrett, engineer. 
 
 The main object proposed in the morn- 
 ing had been eflected. A powerful diver- 
 .sion had been made to favor the opera- 
 tions of the second division, one of the 
 enemy's advanced works had been carried, 
 and our troops now had a strong foothold 
 in the town. But this had not been ac- 
 complished without a very heavy loss, em- 
 bracing some of our most gallant and 
 promising officers. 
 
 Early in the morning of the 21st, the ad- 
 vance of the second division had encoun- 
 tered the enemy in force, and, after a brief 
 but sharp conflict, repulsed him with heavy 
 loss. General Worth then succeeded in 
 gaining a position on the Saltillo road, thus 
 cutting the enemy's line of communica- 
 tion. From this position the two heights 
 south of the Saltillo road were carried in 
 succession, and the gun taken on one of 
 them turned upon the Bishop's palace. 
 
 The 22d day of September passed with- 
 out any active operations in the lower part 
 of the city. The citadel and other works 
 continued to fire at parties exposed to their 
 range, and at the work now occupied by 
 our troops. The guard left in it the pre- 
 ceding night, except Captain Ridgely's 
 company, was relieved at midday by Ge- 
 neral Quitman's brigade. Capt. Bragg's 
 battery was thrown under cover in front 
 of the town, to repel any demonstration of 
 cavalry in that quarter. At dawn of day 
 the height above the Bishop's Palace was 
 carried, and soon after meridian the palace 
 itself was taken, and its guns turned upon 
 the fugitive garrison. The object for 
 which the second division was detached 
 had thus been completely accomplished; 
 and General Taylor felt confident that, 
 with a strong force occupying the road 
 and heights in his rear, and a good position 
 below the city in our possession, the enemy 
 could not possibly maintain the town. 
 
 During the night of the 22d the enemy 
 evacuated nearly all his defences in the 
 lower part of the city. This was report- 
 ed to Gen. Taylor early on the morning 
 of the 2ad by Gen. Quitman, who had al- 
 ready meditated an assault upon those 
 works. He immediately sent instructions 
 to that ofiicer, leaving it to his discretion 
 to enter the city, covering his men by the 
 houses and walls, and advance carefully 
 as far as he might deem prudent. After 
 ordering out the remainder of the troops 
 as a reserve, under the orders of Brigadier 
 Gen. Twiggs, the commanding General 
 repaired to the abandoned works and dis- 
 covered that a portion of Gen. Quitman's 
 brigade liad entered the town, and were 
 successfully forcing their way towards 
 the principal Plaza. He then ordered up 
 the second regiment of Texas mounted 
 volunteers, who entered the city dismount- 
 ed, and, under the immediate orders ol 
 Gen. Henderson, co-operated with Gen. 
 Quitman's brigade. Capt. Bragg's bat- 
 tery was also ordered up, supported by the 
 3d Infantry, and, after firing ibr some time 
 at the Cathedral, a portion of it was like- 
 wise thrown into the city. Our troops ad- 
 vanced from house to house, and from 
 square to square, until they reached a 
 street but one square in rear of the prin- 
 cipal Plaza, in and near which the ene- 
 my's force was mainly concentrated. 
 This advance was conducted vigorously 
 but with due caution, and, although des- 
 tructive to the enemy, was attended with 
 but small loss on our part. Capt. Ridge- 
 ly in the meantime had served a captured 
 piece in the 1st battery against the city ; 
 until the advance of our men rendered it 
 imprudent to fire in the direction of the 
 Cathedral. Gen. Taylor was now satis- 
 fied that he could operate successful- 
 ly in the city, and that the enemy had re- 
 tired from the lower portion of it, to make 
 a stand behind his barricades. As Gen. 
 Quitman's brigade liad been on duty the 
 previous night, he determined to withdraw 
 the troops to the evacuated works, and con- 
 cert with Gen. Worth a combined attack 
 upon the town. The troops accordingly 
 fell back deliberately, in good order, and 
 resumed their original positions, Gen. 
 Quitman's brigade being relieved after 
 nightfall by that of Gen. Hamer. On his 
 return to camp, he met an ofl^icer with the 
 intelligence that Gen. Worth, induced by 
 the firing in the lower part of the city was 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 37 
 
 about making an attack at the upper ex- 
 tremity, which had also been evacuated 
 by the enemy to a considerable distance. 
 But Gen. Taylor deemed it inexpedient to 
 change his orders, and accordingly return- 
 ed to camp. 
 
 A note from General Worth written at 
 11 o'clock, P. M., on the 23d, informed 
 General Taylor that General Worth had 
 advanced to within a short distance of the 
 principal plaza, and that the mortar (which 
 had been sent to his division in the morn- 
 ing) was doing good execution within the 
 enemy's position. General Taylor, desir- 
 ing to make no further attempt upon the 
 city without complete concert as to the 
 lines and modes of approach, instructed 
 that officer to suspend his advance until he 
 could have an interview with him, on the 
 following morning at his head quarters. 
 
 Brigadier General Worth was intrusted 
 with an important detachment, which ren- 
 dered his operations entirely independent 
 of those under the more immediate direc- 
 tion of General Taylor. Those operations 
 w^ere conducted with ability and gallantry 
 characteristic of General Worth, and were 
 crowned with complete success. That 
 officer in obedience to the verbal orders of 
 the General-in-chief with the 2d division, 
 under his command — composed of Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Duncan's battery of horse 
 artillery, artillery battalion (Lieutenant 
 Colonel Childs), and 8th regiment (Cap- 
 tain Serevin), constituting the 1st brigade, 
 under Lieutenant Colonel Staniford ; Lieu- 
 tenant Mackall's battery horse artillery, 
 5th infantry (Major Scott), 7th, Captain 
 Niles, and one company Louisiana volun- 
 teers (Captain Blanchard), 2d brigade, 
 under Brigadier General Persifer F. 
 Smith (Colonel of rifles), and Colonel 
 Hays's regiment of Texas mounted rifle- 
 men — moved from the main camp, at El 
 Bosque de Sta. Domingo, at 2 P. M. on 
 the 20th. 
 
 His instructions were, by a detour to the 
 right, to endeavor to find and reach the 
 Saltillo road, eff'ect a thorough reconnois- 
 sance of the approaches to the city from 
 that direction, to cut off supplies and rein- 
 forcements ; and, if practicable, carry the 
 heights, as before stated. 
 
 Owing to the difficulties of the ground, 
 after leaving the Marin, and before strik- 
 ing the Presquina Grande road, the division 
 bad reached only six miles (in consequence 
 of the delay in making the route practica- 
 
 ble for artillery, which service was execu- 
 ted by Captain Sanders) at 6 p. M., and 
 was halted just without the range of a gun 
 battery upon the summit of an isolated 
 hijl called Loma de hidependencia, midway 
 on the ascent of which was the Bishop's 
 Palace ; thence a reconnoissance was 
 made under cover of detachments of Hay's 
 Texans, to the intersection of the Presquina 
 Grande route, then in possession of the di- 
 vision, with the Saltillo road. This ex- 
 amination resulted in the conviction that 
 the grounds in front and on the left, in ad- 
 vance, constituted at the same time the 
 weak and the strong points of the enemy's 
 position, and entered mainly into the de- 
 fences of the city — the weak point, be- 
 cause commanding the onh' lines of retreat 
 and of supply in the direction of Saltilh, 
 and controlling that in direction of Pres- 
 quina Grande ; the strong point, because 
 of the peculiarly defensive character of the 
 hills and gorges, and of the very careful 
 and skilful manner with which they had 
 been fortified and guarded. On the mor- 
 ning of the 21st the division was put in 
 motion, and with such formation as to pre- 
 sent the readiest order of battle on any 
 point of assault. At six, the advance, 
 consisting of Hays's Texans, supported by 
 the light companies 1st brigade, under 
 Captain C. F. Smith (both extended as 
 the valley widened or contracted), closely 
 followed by Duncan's light artillery, and 
 battalion heads of columns, on turning an 
 angle of the mountain, at a hacienda cal- 
 led SanJeromino, came upon a strong force 
 of cavalry and infantry, mostly the former. 
 A conflict immediately ensued. 
 
 The Texans received the heavy charge 
 of cavalry with their unerring rifles and 
 usual gallantry ; the light companies 
 opened a rapid and well directed fire ; — 
 Duncan's battery was in action in one 
 minute, promptly supported by a section 
 of Mackall's, delivering its fire over the 
 heads of our men. Ere the close of the 
 combat, which lasted but fifteen minutes, 
 the first brigade had formed to the front on 
 the right and left, and delivered its fire. 
 The second brigade was held in reserve, 
 the ground not admitting of its deploy- 
 ment. The enemy retired in disorder, 
 leaving on the ground one hundred killed 
 and wounded (among the former Don 
 Juan N. Najera, colonel of the permanent 
 regiment of lancers), upon the Saltillo road, 
 and was closely pursued until our troops.. 
 
38 
 
 LIFE OF GEN, TAYLOR. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 3d 
 
 <Tot possession of the gorge, where all de- 
 bouches from Monterey unite ; the force 
 just defeated, also reinforcements and sup- 
 plies, were cut off. At this important point 
 the division was halted, and attention di- 
 rected towards the mountain forts which 
 envelope the city on its western and south- 
 ern faces. Soon discovering, however, 
 that their position brought them within ef- 
 fective range of the batteries, the troops 
 were advanced some hundred yards further 
 on the Saltillo road. 
 
 The examination thus far had manifest- 
 ed, besides the importance of the positions, 
 the impracticability of any eflective ope- 
 rations against the city, unless possessed 
 of the exterior forts and batteries. Inde- 
 pendent, however, of ulterior objects, the 
 occupation of these heights became indis- 
 pensable to the restoration of the line of 
 communication with headquarters, neces- 
 sarily abandoned for the moment in order 
 to secure the gorges of the Saltillo road; 
 At 12, M., a force was detached under 
 Capt. C. F. Smith, with orders to storm 
 the batteries on the crest of the nearest 
 hill, called Fcderacion ; and, after taking 
 that, to carry the fort called Soldada, on 
 the ridge of the same height, retired about 
 COO yards. The two effectually guarded 
 the slopes and roads in either valley, and 
 consequently the approaches to the city. 
 This command consisted of four compa- 
 nies of the Artillery battalion, and 
 Green's, McGowan's, R. A. Gillespie's, 
 Chandlis's, Ballowes's and McCullough's 
 companies of Texan Riflemen, under Ma- 
 jor Chevalier, acting in co-operation — in 
 all about three hundred efiectives. It was 
 impossible to mark the movement of the 
 storming party. On approaching the base 
 of the mountain, the guns of both batteries 
 opened a plunging fire, and numerous 
 light troops were seen descending and ar- 
 ranging themselves at favorable points 
 on the slopes. Perceiving these indica- 
 tions of determined resistance. Captain 
 Miles was detached with the 7th to support 
 and co-operate with the first party. In a 
 short time the fire became general, the 
 enemy yielding and retiring up the rug- 
 ged declivity, and our men as steadily 
 pursuing. The appearance of heavy re- 
 inforcements on the summit, and the car- 
 dinal importance of the operation demand- 
 ing further support, the 5th under Major 
 Scott, and Blanchard's company of volun- 
 teers, were immediately detached, accom- 
 
 panied by Brigadier General Smitii, who 
 was instructed to take command in that 
 quarter. On reaching the advance par- 
 ties. General Smith discovered that, under 
 favor of the ground, he could, by direct- 
 ing a portion of the force to the right, 
 and moving it obliquely up the hill, carry 
 the Soldada simultaneously with the Fcd- 
 eracion. He accordingly very judicious- 
 ly pointed and accompanied the 5th, 7th, 
 and Blanchard's company in that direc- 
 tion. Captain Smith's command having 
 most gallantly carried the first object of 
 attack, promptly turned the captured gun 
 — a 9-pounder, upon the second, and 
 moved on, with his main body, to partici- 
 pate in the assault upon Soldada, which 
 was carried in gallant style by the forces 
 under Scott, Miles, Blanchurd, and Hays 
 (who had been detached on special service, 
 but who returned in time to share with 
 fifty of his men in the first assault, and to 
 take a prominent part in the second), — 
 the whole directed by General Smith. 
 
 At this point our men secured another 
 nine-pounder, and immediately both pieces 
 were brought to bear upon the Bishop's 
 palace, situated upon and midway the 
 slope of the Hill Independencia, a valley 
 of only six hundred yards intervening. 
 They had now secured an important ad- 
 vantage, and yet but half the work was 
 done. The possession of these heights 
 only made the more apparent the control- 
 ling importance of those opposite, and the 
 necessity of occupying the palace. A 
 violent storm ensued ; and night closing 
 in, operations for the day ceased. The 
 troops had now been thirty-six hours with- 
 out food, and constantly taxed to the utmost 
 physical exertions. Such as could be 
 permitted slept with arms in hand, sub- 
 jected to a pelting storm, and without 
 covering, till 3, A. M., when they were 
 aroused to carry the Hill Independencia. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Childs was assigned 
 to lead this storming party, consisting of 
 three companies (artillery battalion), three 
 companies 8th infantry, under Captain 
 Screvin, with two hundred Texan rifle- 
 men under Colonel Hayes and Lieutenant 
 Colonel Walker, captain of rifles, acting 
 in co-operation. The command moved at 
 3, conducted to its point of ascent by Cap- 
 tain Sanders, military, and Lieutenant 
 Meade, topographical engineers. Favor- 
 ed by the weather, it reached by dawn of 
 day within about one hundred yards of the 
 
40 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 crest, in which position, among the clefts 
 of rocks, a body of the enemy had been 
 stationed the previous evening, in ap- 
 parent anticipation of attack. The ene- 
 my's retreating fire was ineffectual, and 
 not returned until Colonels Child.s and 
 Hays' commands had reached within a 
 few yards of the summit, when a well di- 
 rected and destructive fire, followed by 
 the bayonet of the regulars and rush of 
 the Texans, placed them in possession of 
 the Avork. The cannon having been pre- 
 viously withdrawn, no impression could 
 be made upon the massive walls of the 
 palace or its outworks without artillery, 
 except at enormous sacrifice. 
 
 Lieutenant Roland, of Duncan's bat- 
 tery, was ordered from the main camp 
 with a twelve-pounder howitzer, and in 
 two hours (aided by fifty men from the 
 line under Captain Saunders, military en- 
 gineers, for the purpose of selecting the 
 route least difficult) that enterprising and 
 gallant officer had his gun in position, hav- 
 ing ascended an acclivity as rugged as 
 steep, between seven and eight hundred 
 feet, in two hours. A fire was immedi- 
 ately opened from the howitzer, covered 
 by the epaulement of the captured bat- 
 tery, upon the palace and its outworks, 
 four hundred yards distant, and soon pro- 
 duced a visible sensation. 
 
 Meanwhile, to reinforce the position, the 
 5th, Major Scott, and Blanchard's vol- 
 unteers, had been passed from the first 
 heights, and reached the second in time 
 to participate in the operations against the 
 palace. 
 
 After many affairs of light troops and 
 several feints, a heavy sortie was made, 
 sustained by a strong corps of cavalry, 
 with desperate resolution to repossess the 
 heights : such a move had been anticipated 
 and prepared for. Lieutenant Colonel 
 Childs had advanced under covertwo com- 
 ])anies of light troops, under command of 
 Captain Vinton, acting major, and judi- 
 ciously drawn up, the main body of his 
 command, flanked on the right by Hays's, 
 and left by Walker's Texans. Tlie ene- 
 my advanced boldly ; was repulsed by one 
 general discharge from all arms ; fled in 
 confusion, closely pressed by Childs and 
 Hays, preceded by the light troops under 
 Vinton ; and, while they fled past, our 
 troops entered the palace and fort. ■ In a 
 few moments the unpretending flag of the 
 Union had replaced the gaudy standard of 
 
 Mexico. The captured guns, one 6 inch 
 howitzer, one 12 and two 9 pounder brass 
 guns, together with Duncan's and Ma- 
 ckall's field batteries, which came up at 
 a gallop, were in full and effective play 
 upon the retiring and confused masses that 
 filled the street leading to the nearest 
 Plaza la Capilla, also crowded with troops. 
 At this moment the enemy's loss was 
 heavy. The investment was now com- 
 plete. Except the force necessary to hold 
 the position on Independencia, and serve 
 the guns (shifted to points whence the shot 
 could be made to reach the great Plaza), 
 the division was now concentrated around 
 the palace, and preparation made to as- 
 sault the city on the following day, or 
 sooner, should the general-in-chief ei- 
 ther so direct, or; before communication 
 be had, renew the assault from the opposite 
 quarter. 
 
 About 10 A. M. on the 2i}d, a heavy fire 
 was heard in the opposite quarter. Its 
 magnitude and continuance, as well as 
 other circumstances, did not permit a doubt 
 that the General was conducting a main 
 attack, and that his orders for General 
 Worth's co-operation (having to travel a 
 circuit of some six miles), had miscarried 
 or failed to reach him by means of the 
 numerous cavalry of the enemy. Under 
 tiiese convictions, the troops were instantly 
 ordered to commence an operation which, 
 if not otherwise directed, he had designed 
 to execute in part, under favor of the 
 night. Two columns of attack were or- 
 ganized to move along the two principal 
 streets leading from one position in direc- 
 tion of the great Plaza, composed of light 
 troops slightly extended, with orders to 
 mask the men whenever practicable; avoid 
 those points swept by the enemy's artil- 
 lery ; to press on to the first Plaza Capilla ; 
 to get hold of the end of streets beyond ; 
 then enter the buildings, and, by means of 
 picks and bars, break through the longi- 
 tudinal sections of the walls ; work from 
 Iiouse to house, and ascending to the roofs,, 
 to place themselves upon the same breast- 
 height with the enemy. Light artillery, 
 by sections, and pieces under Duncan, 
 Rowland, Mackall, Martin, Hays, Irons, 
 Clarke, and Curd, followed at suitable in- 
 tervals, covered by reserves to guard the 
 pieces, and the whole operation against the 
 probable enterprises of cavalry upon our 
 left. This was effectually done by seiz- 
 ing and commanding the head of every 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 41 
 
 cross street. The streets were at different 
 and well ,chosen points, barricaded by 
 heavy masonry walls, with embrasures for 
 one or more guns, and in every instance 
 well supported by cross batteries. These 
 arrangements of defence gave to opera- 
 tions at this moment a complicated char- 
 acter, demanding much care and precau- 
 tion ; but the work went on steadily, sim- 
 ultaneously, and successfully. About the 
 time the assault by the 2d division was 
 commenced the fire ceased from our forces 
 in the opposite quarter. Disengaged on 
 the one side, the enemy was enabled to 
 shift men and guns to that quarter occu- 
 pied by General Worth's command, as 
 was soon manifested by accumulation of 
 fire. At dark they had worked through 
 the walls and squares, and reached to 
 within one block of the great Plaza, leav- 
 ing a covered way in their rear ; carried 
 a large building which towered over the 
 principal defences, and during the night 
 and ensuing morning crowned the roof 
 with two howitzers and a six pounder. 
 All things were now prepared to renew 
 the assault at dawn of day, when a flag 
 was sent in, asking a momentary suspen- 
 sion of fire, which led to the capitulation, 
 upon terms so honorable to our arms. 
 
 x\s the columns of attack were moving 
 from the palace hill. Major Munroe, chief 
 of artillery, came up to General Worth 
 with a ten inch mortar which was imme- 
 diately advanced to the Plaza Chapel, put 
 in position, masked by the church wall, its 
 bed adjusted as rapidly as possible, and by 
 sunset opened upon the great square. At 
 this period our troops had worked to within 
 one block of the Plaza. The exact posi- 
 tion of their comrades on the opposite side 
 was not known, and the distance of the po- 
 sition to be assailed from the bomb- battery 
 but conjectural : eight hundred j'ards was 
 assumed, and fuse and charge regulated 
 accordingly. The first shell fell a little 
 short of the point on which it was directed, 
 and beside our own troops. A slight in- 
 crease of the projecting charge gave exact 
 results. The whole service was managed 
 by Major Munroe most admirably ; and, 
 combined with other operations, exercised 
 a decided influence upon the final results. 
 Early on the morning of the 23d, Major 
 Brown, Artillery battalion, was despatched 
 with a select command, and one section of 
 Mackall's battery, under Lieutenant Irons, 
 to occupy the stone mill, and adjacent 
 
 grounds, constituting, one league in ad- 
 vance, the narrow gorge, near Sta. Cata- 
 rina. The Major took possession, repulsed 
 the enemy's picquets, and was preparing 
 his command to resist any attack, when he 
 received orders from General Worth to re- 
 trace his steps, enter the city, and form the 
 main reserve to the assaulting columns. 
 He came up in good time, and good order, 
 and was at once under fire. 
 
 On the morning of the 24th, General 
 Taylor received a flag from the town, 
 through Colonel Moreno, bearing a com- 
 munication from General Ampudia, pro- 
 posing to evacuate the town. He arranged 
 with Colonel Moreno a cessation of hostili- 
 ties until 12 o'clock, at which hour he 
 agreed to receive the answer of the Mexi- 
 can General at General Worth's head- 
 quarters, to which he soon repaired. 
 Meantime Ampudia had signified to Gene- 
 ral Worth his desire for a personal inter- 
 view with General Taylor ; to which he 
 acceded, and which finally resulted in a 
 capitulation, placing the town and the ma- 
 terial of war, with certain exceptions, in 
 possession of our army. A commission 
 was named to draw up articles of agree- 
 ment, regulating the withdrawal of the 
 Mexican forces and a temporary cessation 
 of hostilities. The following is a copy of 
 the capitulation : 
 
 Terms of capitulation of the City of Mon- 
 terey, the capital of Neuvo Leon, agreed 
 upon by the undersigned Commissioners, 
 to wit : General Worth, of tlie United 
 States Army, General Henderson, of 
 the Texan Volunteers, and Colonel Da- 
 vis, of the Mississippi Riflemen, on the 
 part of Major General Taylor, Com- 
 manding-in-Chief the United States 
 forces ; and General Roquena and Gen- 
 eral Ortega, of the Army of Mexico, 
 and Senor Manuel M. Llano, Governor 
 of Nuevo Leon, on the part of Senor 
 Don Pedro Ampudia, Commanding-in- 
 chief of the Army of the North of Mex- 
 ico. 
 
 Art. I. As the legitimate result of the 
 operations before this place, and the pres- 
 ent position of the contending armies, it is 
 agreed that the city, the fortifications, can- 
 non, the munitions of war, and all other 
 public property, with the undermentioned 
 exceptions, be surrendered to the com- 
 manding general of the United States, 
 forces now at Monterey. 
 
42 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 Art. n. That the Mexican forces be 
 allowed to retain the following arms, to 
 wit : the commissioned officers their side 
 arms, the infantry their arms and accou- 
 trements, the cavalry their arms and ac- 
 coutrements, the artillery one field battery 
 not to exceed six pieces, and twenty-one 
 round of ammunition. 
 
 Art. in. That the Mexican armed 
 forces retire, within seven days from this 
 date, beyond the line formed by the pass 
 of the Rinconada, the city of Linares, and 
 San Fernando de Presas. 
 
 Art. IV. That the citidal of Monterey 
 be evacuated by the Mexican and occu- 
 pied by the American forces to-morrow 
 morning at ten o'clock. 
 
 Art. V. To avoid collisions, and for 
 mutual convenience, that the troops of the 
 United States will not accupy the city un- 
 til the Mexican forces have withdrawn, ex- 
 cept for hospital and storage purposes. 
 
 Art. VI. That the forces of the United 
 States will not advance beyond the line 
 specified in the 2d (3d) article before the 
 expiration of eight weeks, or until the or- 
 ders or instructions of the respective gov- 
 ernments can be received. 
 
 Art. VII. That the public property to 
 be delivered shall be turned over and re- 
 ceived by officers appointed by the com- 
 manding generals of the two armies. 
 
 Art.' VIII. That all doubts as to the 
 meaning of any of the preceding articles 
 shall be solved by an equitable construc- 
 tion, and on principles of liberality to the 
 retiring army. 
 
 Art. IX. That the Mexican flag, when 
 struck at the citadel, may be saluted by 
 its own battery. 
 '■• Done at Monterey, Sept. 24, 1846. 
 
 W. J. Worth, Brig. Gen. U. S. A. 
 J. PiNKNEY Henderson, 
 Maj. General Comd'g the Texan Vol's. 
 Jeff. Davis, 
 
 Colonel Mississippi Riflemen. 
 
 T. Raquena. 
 Ortega. 
 
 Manuel M. Llano. 
 Pedro Ampudia. 
 Approved : 
 
 Z. TAYLOR, 
 Major. Gen. U. S. A. commanding. 
 
 On the 24th, in conformity with the 
 articles of capitulation, the citadel was 
 taken possession of by a command consist- 
 
 ing of two companies of each regiment, 
 and one section of each battery, second 
 division. General Smith was directed to 
 take command of this corps, and conduct 
 the ceremony, which duty he executed 
 with delicacy to the unhappy and humi- 
 liated foe. Upon occupying the city it 
 was discovered to be of great strength in 
 itself, and to have all its approaches care- 
 fully and strongly fortified. The town 
 and works were armed with forty-two 
 pieces of carlnon, and manned with a 
 force of at least 7000 troops of the line 
 and about 3000 irregulars, together with 
 the inhabitants of the city. 
 
 The force under General Taylor's 
 orders, before Monterey, as exhibited by 
 returns, was 425 officers and 6220 men. 
 Our artillery consisted of one 10-inch 
 mortar, two 24-pounder howitzers, and 
 four light field batteries, of 9 guns each — 
 the mortar being the only piece suited to 
 the operations ot the siege. Such was 
 the ever-memorable siege of Monterey. 
 The attack was commenced on the 21st, 
 and continued through the two succeeding 
 days. The enemy was assailed in his 
 fortified positions, his batteries captured, 
 his fortresses, one after another, carried ; 
 and at length dispossessed of most of his 
 defensive works and more than half of the 
 city, he solicited terms of capitulation, and 
 liberal terms were granted. 
 
 No better justice can be done to the 
 merits of the officers and soldiers, who 
 participated in the achievements of the 
 three glorious days before Monterey, than 
 is presented in the perspicuous despatch 
 of Major General Taylor, and in the re- 
 ports of the officers in subordinate com- 
 mand on the occasion. From these cele- 
 brated despatches and reports severally, 
 we have compiled the above account, and 
 endeavored to weave them into an his- 
 torical connexion. It is gratifying to 
 learn that in the scenes at Monterey, as 
 afterwards, when the bravery and conduct 
 of our armies were subjected to the 
 severest tests, the volunteers, who were 
 with the advancing column, bore a promi- 
 nent part, and entitled themselves to an 
 equal share in the honor and glory of the 
 achievement. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 U 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 PREPARATIONS FOR THE ADVANCE ON SAN 
 
 LUIS POTOSI ARRIVAL OF GENERAL 
 
 TAYLOR AT VICTORIA RETURN TO MON- 
 TEREY — BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 
 
 General Taylor, who, on the STth of 
 June, had been raised to the rank of Major 
 General, now made Monterey his head- 
 quarters, and remained during the armis- 
 tice in perfecting the discipline and effi- 
 ciency of his troops. He was also occupied 
 in regulating his plan of operations on the 
 Rio Grande and his line of communications 
 thence to Monterey, and in moving forward 
 from Camargo reinforcements and the new 
 levies. On the 13th November, 1846, 
 General Taylor accompanied the command 
 under General Worth, which then left 
 Monterey for Saltillo ; they marched into 
 the cit}' and took possession without re- 
 sistance. General Worth with his division 
 (800 men) was left in command of the city, ' 
 and General Taylor returned to Monterey, i 
 Brigadier General Wool and the column 
 under his command, 2400 strong, with six 
 pieces of artillery, having left San Antonio j 
 de Bexar on the 29th of September, had 
 arrived at Monclova on the 31st of Octo- 1 
 her without resistance, and had been re- | 
 ceived by the inhabitants in a friendly I 
 manner. He was now ordered by Gene- ! 
 ral Taylor to occupy the town of Parras, \ 
 a small place seventy miles north-east of! 
 Saltillo. Saltillo, to which Worth was or- I 
 dered, is about seventy miles from Mon- i 
 terey, and at an elevation of about 2000 | 
 feet above the latter place. General Pat- 
 terson having been withdrawn on an ex- 
 pedition to act in conjunction with the fleet 
 in the Gulf, General Butler was ordered 
 to take the command of the reserve. Sal- 
 tillo and Parras were occupied by the 
 Americans without any opposition, the 
 enemy having fallen back as far as San 
 Luis Potosi. 
 
 Santa Anna, who was, at the beginning 
 of the war, an exile in Havana, returned 
 to Mexico in August, 1846, and Paredes 
 having been deposed, was placed at the 
 head of affairs. Gomez Farras, the Vice 
 President, administered the affairs of the 
 government at the capital M'hile Santa 
 Anna, as commander-in-chief, conducted 
 the operations of the army, and set about 
 raising a formidable force to resist the fur- 
 ther advance of General Taylor. Before 
 
 December, he had succeeded in raising 
 20,000 men, and concentrating them at 
 San Luis Potosi, which he strongly forti- 
 fied, and filled with military stores. 
 
 After awaiting the advance of this for- 
 midable force for some time. General Tay- 
 lor determined to meet them on their own 
 ground. He began to prepare for a move- 
 ment towards Victoria. General Butler 
 was to command the reserve at Monterey, 
 and Major General Patterson was in- 
 structed to advance on Victoria from 
 Matamoras, with three regiments of volun- 
 teers. On the I2th of December, General 
 Twiggs, with the main division of regulars, 
 was ordered to move from Monterey to 
 form a junction with General Patterson at 
 V^ictoria, and General Taylor, on the 15th, 
 followed with two regiments of volunteers. 
 On arriving at Montemorelos, he received 
 intelligence from General Worth, com- 
 manding at Saltillo, that he was hourly 
 expecting an attack on that place by Santa 
 Anna. Sending forward General Quitman 
 with a field battery to meet General Pat- 
 terson at Victoria, General Taylor now fell 
 back on Monterey, and on the 20th ad- 
 vanced towards Saltillo with General 
 Twigg's division. But on his way he re- 
 ceived fresh advices, informing him of the 
 arrival of General Wool with a reinforce- 
 ment at Saltillo, and that the enemy were 
 withdrawing towards San Luis Potosi. 
 
 In con.sequence of this change of cir- 
 cumstances General Taylor set out for 
 Victoria, where he arrived on the 30th of 
 December. 
 
 General Taylor was now superseded in 
 the command of the Army of Occupation, 
 by Major General Winfield Scott, who was 
 appointed commander-in-chief of all the 
 land forces in Mexico, and at the various 
 posts on the Rio Grande. 
 
 The theatre of Scott's operations was 
 different from that of Taylor's. His 
 main object was the reduction of the city 
 of Vera Cruz, and the fort of St. Juan de 
 Ulloa, by a combined land and sea force. 
 Vera Cruz being the key of the main 
 road to the capital, General Scott thought 
 that its reduction would compel the Mexi- 
 cans to sue for peace. To effect this ob- 
 ject, it became necessary for him to draw 
 from General Taylor the main body of 
 his regular forces. 
 
 In January, troops were moved forward 
 from Matamoras for Victoria, under Gene- 
 rals Patterson and Pillow. Also, the 
 
44 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 brigades of Generals Quitman and Twiggs 
 from Monterey — all destined for Tampico, 
 thence to Vera Cruz. 
 
 Not only were nearly all the regular 
 troops now withdrawn from General 
 Taylor ; but his noble coadjutor General 
 Worth was detached, and ordered to 
 march at the head of them from his post 
 at Saltillo towards Vera Cruz, while 
 Taylor was ordered to fall back on Mon- 
 terey, and await the arrival of fresh re- 
 cruits, volunteers who were destined to 
 take the place of the veteran warriors of 
 Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and 
 Monterey. 
 
 The Ibllowing is his manly and charac- 
 teristic address on parting with his troops: 
 ' " It is with deep sensibility that the 
 commanding general finds himself sepa- 
 rated from the troops he so long command- 
 ed. To those corps, regular and volun- 
 teer, who have shared with him the active 
 services of the field, he feels the attach- 
 ment due to such associations, while to 
 those who are making their first cam- 
 paign, he must express his regret that he 
 cannot participate with them in its event- 
 ful scenes. To all, both officers and men, 
 he extends his heartfelt wishes for their 
 continued success and happiness, confident 
 that their achievements on another theatre 
 will redound to the credit of their country 
 and its arms." 
 
 General Taylor arrived at Monterey 
 towards the latter part of January, 1847. 
 His regular force, including May's dra- 
 goons, was now only 600, and in February 
 he had received reinforcements, raising 
 his army to nearly 6000 men. 
 
 A few days after his arrival, he received 
 information from Saltillo, that the com- 
 mand under Gen. Wool had become 
 alarmed in consequence of about 100 
 picked men and horses, who were sent 
 out towards San Luis to gain intelligence 
 respecting the enemy, and to watch their 
 movements, having been surrounded in 
 the night, at a place called Encarnacion, 
 about 50 miles in advance of Saltillo, and 
 all made prisoners, by a large force of 
 Mexican cavalry. It afterwards proved 
 that Majors Borland and Gaines, Captain 
 Cassius M. Clay, and about seventy dra- 
 goons, had been captured by a party of 
 about 1500 cavalry under General Minon. 
 This intelligence, as also an apprehen- 
 sion that Santa Anna would make an 
 attempt to possess himself of the line of 
 
 posts between Monterey and Matamoras, 
 determined General Taylor to advance and' 
 fight a pitched battle with him. 
 
 Leaving Monterey on the 31st January, 
 he reached Saltillo on the morning of the 
 2d February, with a small reinforce- 
 ment, which increased his force to 5000, 
 when he lost no time in moving forward 
 and establishing a camp at Agua Nueva, 
 about 20 miles in advance of Saltillo, on 
 the San Luis road, for the purpose of car- 
 rying on a course of instruction, as well 
 as to watch the movements of the enemy.. 
 Here General Taylor remained until the 
 21st, examining the several passes through 
 the mountains — at which time he ascer- 
 tained that Gen. Santa Anna was ad- 
 vancing, and near at hand, with an over- 
 whelming force. Not exactly liking his 
 position, and having apprehensions about 
 his supplies in Saltillo, he determined to 
 fall back towards that place about twelve 
 miles, and occupy a strong position which 
 had been closely examined by the topo- 
 graphical engineers, under the eye of 
 General Wool, before his arrival, who 
 defined it admirably adapted to the des- 
 cription of force which composed our 
 army. General Taylor, therefore, fell 
 back, and occupied it on the evening of 
 the 21st, and at once made the necessary 
 preparations for 
 
 THE BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 
 
 General Taylor had fallen in love, at 
 first sight, with the position at which he 
 finally made his stand — at Buena Vista, 
 This position was admirably chosen. It 
 was at the foot of a mountain, or rather 
 two mountains, between which ran the 
 road through a narrow valley. On his 
 right there was a deep ravine, which pro- 
 tected that flank more efliBCtually than 
 half a dozen regiments could have done. 
 The left of General Taylor's line rested 
 on the base of a mountain. The road in 
 the centre was entrenched and defended 
 by a strong battery. In front, the ground 
 was uneven — broken into hills and deep 
 ravines. 
 
 On the 21st the enemy were descried, 
 approaching over the distant hills. At 
 their appearance the volunteers raised a 
 great shout, and gave three tremendous 
 cheers. Their engineers and officers 
 were seen flying over the field and drag- 
 ging their cannon about to get them into 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 45 
 
 position, but the nature of the ground did 
 not favor the undertaking, and it was 
 late in the day before the big guns began 
 to open. 
 
 The enemy had with them thirty-two 
 cannon, mostly of large calibre. Their 
 fire, though kept up very briskly, and ap- 
 parently well manned, did so little execu- 
 tion in our ranks that it was not consider- 
 ed necessary to return their fire. Our 
 cannon were therefore silent the whole 
 of the 21st. Eight or ten killed and 
 wounded were the extent of the casualties 
 sustained by our army on the 21st. 
 During the day, an officer approached 
 our lines with a flag of truce, and request- 
 ed to be shown to General Taylor. The 
 brave old man was sitting quietly on his 
 old white charger, with his leg over the i 
 pommel of the saddle, watching the 
 movements of the enemy, when a Mexi- 
 can officer was presented, who inquired i 
 what he [General Taylor] " was waiting j 
 for." From the silence of General! 
 Taylor's batteries, and the quiet manner 
 in which he received Santa Anna's terrific I 
 cannonading, the Mexican supposed he 
 was asking a very pertinent question, to 
 which, however, old Rough and Ready 
 gave the very pertinent reply that " he 
 was only waiting for General Santa Anna 
 to surrender." The Mexican returned 
 hastily to his lines. This message proved 
 to be a ruse to ascertain where General 
 Taylor's position was, for after the return 
 of the Mexican officer to his ov/n ranks, 
 the whole Mexican battery seemed to open 
 upon General Taylor's position, and the 
 balls flew over and about him like hail. 
 Utterly indifferent to the perils of his 
 situation, there sat the old chief, on his 
 conspicuous white horse, peering through 
 his spyglass at the long line of Mexican 
 troops that could be seen at a great dis- 
 tance on the march. To the suggestion 
 of his staff" that old whitey was rather too 
 conspicuous a charger for the commander, 
 he replied " that the old fellow had missed 
 the fun at Monterey, on account of a sore 
 foot, and he was determined he should 
 have his share this time." 
 
 At sunrise on the 22d February, the 
 battle began in earnest, the Mexicans 
 were drawn out in immense numbers. 
 The dark columns of infantry extended as 
 far as the eye could reach, and the 
 cavalry seemed to cover the whole view 
 with their interminable lines. At inter- 
 
 vals between the infantry and cavalry, 
 their big guns, strongly protected by a 
 large artillery force, kept up an incessant 
 cannonade against our lines. Their forces 
 were soon in motion. Our artillery was 
 thrown forward to meet them, protected by 
 the volunteers. General Wool led the 
 main body in person, and was seen every- 
 where, rallying and encouraging the 
 volunteers. Tiie two armies were .soon 
 engaged in hot conflict. The broken na- 
 ture of the ground divided the forces, so 
 that instead of one general engagement, 
 the regiments were compelled in a great 
 measure to fight as they could. 
 
 As an instance of this it ma}- be men- 
 tioned that at a very critical point of the 
 battle in the early part of the day, when 
 it became necessary to sustain one of our 
 columns which was staggering under a 
 charge made by the Mexicans 'in over- 
 whelming numbers. General Taylor des- 
 patched Mr. Crittenden to order Col. Mc- 
 Kee, of the 2d Kentucky regiment, to 
 bring his men into immediate action. 
 Mr. Crittenden found the regiment, men 
 and officers, eager for the fray, delivered 
 the order and rode back to the general, by 
 whose side it was his duty to keep. The 
 Kentuckians moved forward in gallant 
 style, led by McKee and Clay, both of 
 whom, alas! fell in a subsequent part of 
 the day. It so happened that before reach- 
 ing a position from which they could de- 
 liver an effective fire, the regiment had to 
 cross a valley which was broken up by 
 ravines and masses of stone. Whilst cros- 
 sing this valley the heads only of the 
 men could be seen from the point which 
 General Taylor and Mr. Crittenden occu- 
 pied — and these were bobbing up and 
 down and crosswise in such confusion as 
 to impress both with the idea that the regi- 
 ment had fallen into disorder. The Mexi- 
 cans were annoying them at the same mo- 
 ment by a fire, \vhich helped to confirnn 
 the opinion of the general that the Ken- 
 tuckians were thrown into dismay. 
 
 It was one of those decisive crises which 
 occur in every contested field, when the 
 issue of the day depended, for the time 
 being, upon the gallantry of a particular 
 corps. 
 
 General Taylor, who, as before said, 
 could only see the heads of the troops, and 
 misled by their motions in getting across 
 gullies and going around rocks and other 
 obstructions into the belief that they were 
 
46 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 about to falter, turned to Mr. Crittenden, | 
 who is a Kentuckian, and with a counte- j 
 nance indicatiniz; deep mortification — for 
 the general is a Kentucldan too — and an 
 eye fierce with emotion, exclaimed, " Mr. 
 Crittenden, this will not do — this is not 
 die way for Kentuckians to behave them- 
 selves when called upon to make a good 
 battle — it will not answer, sir:" and with 
 this he clenched his hands, and knit his 
 brow, and set his teeth hard together. Mr. 
 Crittenden, who was mistaken by the 
 same indications that deceived the general, 
 could scarcely make a reply from very 
 chagrin and shame. In a few moments, 
 however, the Kentuckians had crossed the 
 uneven places, and were seen ascending 
 the slope of the valley, shoulder to shoul- 
 der, and with the firm and regular step of 
 veterans of a hundred fields. On they 
 moved until they reached the crest of the 
 hill, where they met the enemy before the 
 flush of a temporary advantage had sub- 
 sided. Here they delivered their fires 
 with such regularity and deadly aim that 
 the decimated phalanx of Mexico gave 
 way and retreated precipitously. As the 
 Kentuckians emerged from the valley the 
 countenance of the old general, who was 
 reo-arding them with the intensest interest, 
 gradually relaxed the bitterness of its ex- 
 pression. A glow of pride supplanted the 
 deep mortification which fixed its muscles, 
 and enthusiasm qualified the fierce glance 
 of his eye. Forward they moved under 
 his riveted gaze, whose feelings became 
 more and more wrought up as they ap- 
 proached the scene of carnage. When 
 they opened their fire the old general could 
 no longer restrain his admiration, but 
 broke forth with a loud huzza— " Hurrah 
 for old Kentucky," he exclaimed, talking 
 as it were to himself and rising in his sad- 
 dle — " that's the way to do it ; give it to 
 them," and the tears of exultation rolled 
 down his cheeks as he said it. 
 
 Our officers were always in the advance, 
 leading their troops — hence the great mor- 
 tality among them. In this general OTfZt;e, 
 one of our small regiments, of 400 rtien, 
 would be attacked by a whole Mexican 
 brifrade of several thousands. Thus the 
 Kentucky Infantry was attacked at the foot 
 of a hill,"in a deep ravine, by an immense 
 force of the enemy. A large number of 
 the officers were killed here — among them 
 was Colonel McKce, who fell badly 
 wounded, and was immediately despatched 
 
 by the enemy, Avho pierced him with their 
 bayonets as he lay on the ground. Lieut. 
 Colonel Clay w-as shot through the thigh, 
 and being unable to walk, was taken up 
 and carried some distance by some of his 
 men, but owing to the steepnessof the hill, 
 the men finding it very difficult to carry 
 him, and the enemy in great numbers 
 pressing upon them, the gallant Lieutenant 
 Colonel begged them to leave him and take 
 care of themselves. Forced to4eave him 
 on the field, the last that was seen of this 
 noble young officer he was lying on his 
 back, fighting with his sword the enemy 
 who were stabbing him with their bayo- 
 nets. The veteran Captain William S. 
 Willis, of the same regiment, at the head 
 of his company, with three stalwart sons 
 who fought at his side, was badly wounded, 
 but stiircontinued the fight, until he was 
 overcome by the loss of blood. 
 
 In the meantime, the Indiana brigade, 
 who were drawn out and ordered to charge 
 the enemy, were seized with a panic, and 
 displaying some hesitation. Assistant Ad- 
 jutant General Lincoln rushed to their 
 front, and whilst upbraiding them for their 
 cowardice, was shot, several balls passing 
 through his body. In justice to this 
 brigade it should be stated, that they sub- 
 sequently rallied, and fully redeemed 
 their reputation by the most gallant and 
 effective fighting. 
 
 Colonel Hardin led the Illinoisians in 
 very handsome style, and the sturdy back- 
 woodsmen fought like lions. Their in- 
 trepid Colonel fell wounded, and expe- 
 rienced the fate of Colonel McKee and 
 Clay, and was killed by the enemy — not, 
 however, before he had killed one of the 
 cowardly miscreants with a pistol, which 
 he fired whilst lying on the ground. 
 
 Colonel Yell led, the foremost man, a 
 charge of his mounted volunteers against 
 a large body of lancers, and was killed by 
 a lance, which entered Ins mouth and tore 
 off one side of his face. 
 
 The myriads of Mexican cavalry still 
 pressed forward on our left, and threatened 
 a charge upon the Mississippi rifles, under 
 Colonel Davis, who had been ordered to 
 support the Indiana regiment. 'Colonel 
 Davis immediately threw his command into 
 the form of a V, the opening towards the 
 enemy, and awaited his advance. Their 
 squadrons came dashing down with all the 
 speed of Mexican horses. But when they 
 arrived at that point from which could be- 
 
LFFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 47 
 
 ATTACK ON THE KENTIJCKY REGIMENT. 
 
48 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 seen the whites of their eyes, the Mississip- 
 pian lines poured forth a sheet of lead that 
 scattered them liiie chaff, felling many a 
 gallant steed to the earth, and sending 
 scores of riders to the sleep that knows no 
 waking. The enemy were completely re- 
 pulsed. The distinguished commander of 
 this gallant regiment. Colonel Jefferson 
 
 which he thought the safest place he had 
 been in during the whole day. As he ap- 
 proached Santa Anna's tent he was greeted 
 with a most tremendous flourish of trum- 
 pets, which might have been heard a mile 
 off, but produced no vqry great terror in 
 the mind of the Kentuckian. His blind 
 was taken off, and he found himself in the 
 
 Davis, was badly wounded, an escopette j presence of the famous Mexican Chief, sur- 
 ball having entered ins foot and passed out j rounded by a brilliant staff of bedizened, 
 of his leo-. 1 gdded, and moustached officers. Santa 
 
 Colonel Humphrey Marshall's splendid j Anna apologized to the Lieutenant for the 
 regiment of Kentucky Cavalry were im- j act of his officers, in having him blind- 
 patient for an opportunity of showing their folded, saying, that so ftir from having any 
 mettle, and avenging the capture of their | desire to conceal his situation, he was de- 
 brethren, then in the hands of the enemy. | sirous of exhibiting to General Taylor the 
 
 They were soon favored with the desired 
 opportunity, by the approach of a force of 
 more than 2,000 Lancers and Flussars, 
 who gallantly charged them. The Ken- 
 tuckians stood their ground with immova- 
 ble steadiness, and receiving the enemy 
 with a fire from their carbines, charged in 
 the most gallant style through the column 
 on the right, and wheeling, fell on their 
 left, dispersing and killing a great many of 
 them. A like charge was made by Colone' 
 May, at the head of a squadron of Dra- 
 goons, and one of Arkansas Cavalry, 
 against a large body of the enemy's Cav- 
 alry, with like results. 
 
 During the engagement on the right, 
 Santa Anna seeing that General Taylor's 
 force was not well protected on the left 
 flank, sent a large force of Cavalry around 
 that point, and outflanking Taylor, suc- 
 ceeded in throwing 2,000 men into his 
 rear. But General Taylor immediately 
 sent Captain Bragg, with his artillery, 
 against this force, who succeeded in cut- 
 tinor them off from the main body. Lieut. 
 Crittenden was despatched, with a flag of 
 truce, to demand the immediate surrender 
 of this force. The Mexican officer, pre- 
 tending not to understand the character of 
 his mission, insisted that he should be blind- 
 folded, according to the rules of war, and 
 thus had the Lieutenant carried into the 
 camp of Santa Anna himself. This was a 
 ruse to get time to extricate the Mexican 
 Cavalry from their dangerous position, and 
 pending this truce they were all drawn off 
 by a different road from that by which 
 tliey had gained this position. 
 
 Lieutenant Crittenden was conducted 
 blindfolded to the tent of the Mexican 
 General-in-chief, which he found a long 
 distance from the scene of action, and 
 
 utter foil}' of resisting so powerful an army 
 as he had under his command. To which 
 the Lieutenant replied, that his simple 
 message was to demand his (Santa Anna's) 
 immediate surrender to General Taylor. 
 When this extraordinary demand was 
 translated to the Mexican, he raised his 
 hands and eyebrows in utter astonishment 
 at the temerity and presumption of such a 
 message, and replied, that he would ex- 
 pect General Taylor to surrender in an 
 hour, or he would destroy all his forces. 
 Lieutenant Crittenden's reply, which we 
 have already given — " General Taylor 
 never surrenders .'" — terminated the inter- 
 view, and the battle recommenced, and 
 was continued until night. 
 
 Santa Anna took three small pieces of 
 our artillery, which, under Lieut. O'Brien, 
 had been posted too far in advance to be 
 covered by our infantry. 
 
 The details of the battle were confided 
 to General Wool, who nobly justified the 
 confidence of his commander and brother 
 veteran. Throughout the whole action he 
 was constantly engaged in the disposition 
 of our forces, and in rallying them to 
 the onset. Brigadier General Lane, also, 
 showed himself to be a brave and capable 
 officer. Although wounded early in the 
 action, he kept his horse until it closed, and 
 never for a moment left his post. 
 
 The old General-in-chief remained at 
 his original and much exposed position, 
 superintending the battle and narrowly 
 watching its events. An escopette ball 
 passed through his overcoat. 
 
 On the night of the 22d, both armies 
 drew off from"^ the field of battle. Our men 
 were engaged all night in bringing in the 
 wounded and taking care of them — the 
 Mexicans as well as their own men. 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 49 
 
 There were, however, but i'ew of our men 
 found on the field wounded. They were, 
 to use Santa Anna's significant words, in 
 his despatch, "all dead," the cowardly 
 miscreants having killed every man whom 
 they overtook, wounded and helpless on 
 ihe field. 
 
 A number of officers were taken pris- 
 oners, and an exchange was effected, by 
 which all our men then in their hands 
 are now released. 
 
 Among the killed and wounded of the 
 Mexicans were three general officers and 
 twenty colonels and commanders of bat- 
 talions. General Minon was ordered by 
 Santa Anna <o attack and carry Saltillo 
 during tlie engagement at Buena Vista. 
 With this object, he made a demonstration 
 against the town with 2,000 cavalry. 
 Lieutenant Shover, with sixty men and two 
 small pieces of artillery, went out to meet 
 the valiant general, and at one discharge 
 of his cannon sent him and his force to the 
 right about in double quick time. 
 
 Santa Anna abandoned his position du- 
 ring the night, and fell back upon Agua 
 Nueva. On the 27th our troops resumed 
 their position at Agua Nueva, the enemy 
 retreating as they approached. The Mexi- 
 can army fled through Encarnacion in the 
 direction of Malehuala, strev/ing their dead 
 and dying along the road. The American 
 force engaged at Buena Vista amounted to 
 ■4,759, exclusive of the small command at 
 Saltillo, and with only 453 regular troops; 
 that of the Mexicans to 20,000. Our loss 
 was 746 killed, wounded and missing ; the 
 Mexican loss near 2,000. 
 
 An account of this battle will be con- 
 cluded with the following extract from 
 Santa Anna's dispatch, which bears tes- 
 timony to the valor and skill with which 
 our little band of 5000 men withstood and 
 repulsed the great army of Mexico, four 
 times their superior in numbers, and led 
 by their ablest general. 
 
 " The army moved from San Luis by 
 brigades, so as to render available the 
 scanty resources afforded by the country 
 we were to cross. The force consisted of 
 13,432 infantry, divided into twenty-eight 
 battalions; 4338 cavalry, in thirty-nine 
 squadrons ; and a train of artillery of 
 three twenty-four pounders, three sixteen- 
 pounders, five twelve-pounders, five eight- 
 pounders, and a seven-inch howitzer, all 
 served by 413 artillerymen — the total be- 
 ing 18,133 men. Of this force there re- 
 
 mained behind, the garrison of the works 
 at San Luis, and others which I allotted 
 to the towns on the route ; as also two 
 squadrons to escort our small and only re- 
 serve of ammunition ; a brigade of in- 
 fantry, of two battalions, under General 
 Don Ciriaco Vasquez, which remained as 
 a corps of reserve in Matehuala, and of 
 observation upon Tula; as also a brigade 
 of cavalry, under General Don Jose Ur- 
 rea. The latter was intended to pass Tula» 
 and move through Tamaulipas to the 
 neighborhood of Monterey, so as to call 
 the enemy's attention to that quarter. 
 The point of concentration for the brig- 
 ades ought necessarily to be near this 
 place, so that in the region through which 
 they had to move, many troops might not 
 be at once thrown together. I there- 
 fore fixed on the hacienda of Encarnacion 
 for that point, it being, as I calculated, the 
 last stage but one of my march. I there 
 held a review of the army, which had al- 
 ready lost a thousand men b}'' sickness and 
 desertion. The former was caused by the 
 scantiness and bad quality of food, and 
 still more of water, which was brackish 
 as well as scarce, as also by snow-storms 
 and the exposure of the troops, who had al- 
 ways to be in bivouac and without fuel. 
 These snow-storms obliged me to suspend 
 the march two days, till the weather be- 
 came more settled : for the cold had al- 
 ready caused the death of several men 
 and horses, and I felt bound by every 
 means to diminish the losses we were in- 
 curring. These hardships will account 
 for the number of desertions which occur- 
 red up to our arrival at Encarnacion, and 
 which afterwards even increased. It must 
 also be remembered, that almost the whole 
 army had been recently formed, and, as is 
 well known, of men taken by violence 
 from their homes. 
 
 " We had advices that the enemy were 
 fortified in the hacienda of Agua Nueva, 
 with 6000 men and thirty pieces, resolved 
 to defend the defiles known by the names 
 of the passes of Carnero and Agua Nueva. 
 The Americans did not know the precise 
 point on which our march was directed ; 
 for, though they exchanged some shots 
 with our advance in Encarnacion, and had 
 frequent small skirmishes with us in the 
 above passes, they supposed our troops to 
 be scouting parties of the first brigade of 
 cavalry, under Don Jose V. Minon, whom 
 I had advanced as far as the hacienda of 
 
&0 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 Potosi. These were tlie impressions when 
 I made my dispositions. 
 
 " It was my intention to place my forces 
 between the enemy and Saltillo, so as to 
 oblige him to fight under the disadvantage 
 of having Ids communication cut oiF, or, if 
 lie would not leave jjis works, to enable 
 me to besiege him in Agua Nueva. This 
 plan might be carried out in three difTerent 
 ways. One was by marching twenty 
 leagues by the direct road, another by 
 moving to the right by La Hedionda, so as 
 to occupy Buena Vista ; and the third, by 
 moving to the left by La Punta de Santa 
 Elena, so as to occupy the hacienda of La 
 Banqueria, and thereafter the road to Sal- 
 tillo. The two last movements were at 
 this time impracticable, for they would 
 either of them require three or four days' 
 march, while we were without provisions, 
 forage, or water. I tiierefore resolved to 
 operate by the direct road, force the posi- 
 tions, and, after passing the last defile, 
 make a diversion by the left, and occupy 
 the rancho of Encantada, with the view 
 of obtaining water, none of which was to 
 be had for more than eighteen leagues. 
 All this was favored by the enemy's ig- 
 norance of our march ; but misfortune 
 still followed us. A deserter from .the 
 regiment of Coraceros, a native of Saltillo, 
 named Francisco Valdes, passed over from 
 Encarnacion to the enemy, and gave him 
 information of the movement. The exe- 
 crable treason of this infomous wretch 
 frustrated the best combinations. 
 
 '• On the 21st at noon, I ordered the march 
 to commence, tiie four liglit battalions, un- 
 der General Don Pedro Ampudia, forming 
 the vanguard. I had not hesitated to al- 
 low ihat general, and other officers who 
 had been court-martialled for the affair of 
 Monterey, to participate in these operations, 
 not only because I did not consider them 
 ^ culpable, but also on account of the zeal 
 they manifested. This brigade was fol- 
 lowed by one of artillery, of sixteen-pound- 
 ers, with the regiments of engineers and 
 their train, and th(?se by the park of the 
 regiment of Hussars. Then came the 
 first division, commanded by general Don 
 Manuel Lombardini, with four twelve- 
 pounders and the park. The second di- 
 vision, under General Don Francisco Pa- 
 checo, followed next, with four eight-pound- 
 ers and their park ; after thesethe whole 
 of the cavalry, under Don Julian Juvera ; 
 and then the remainder of the jjeneral 
 
 pai'k and baggage, the rear beiig covered 
 by a brigade of cavalry, under General 
 Don Manuel Andrade. 
 
 " In this order of marcli tb.e troops were 
 ordered to make the first fourteen leagues, 
 between Encenada and a plain called De 
 la Guerra, which is in front of the first 
 defile, called the Pass of the Pinones ; and 
 to pass tlie night on that plain in the same 
 order of column. The troops having eaten 
 their rations, order was given for carrying 
 water as none could be met with till the 
 day following, after having overcome the 
 enemy at Agua Nueva, three leagues be- 
 yond the aforesaid pass. I, with my staff 
 and the regiment of engineers, occupied 
 the front, a little behind the light troops. 
 On arriving at the plain, De la Guerra, I 
 continued the march in order to pass the 
 defile of Pinones, wliich was accomplished ; 
 and I ordered the light brigade to take a 
 position in the pass of Carnero, v/here it 
 had a skirmish with an advance of t!ie ene- 
 my. Under these dispositions wc passed 
 the night. 
 
 " At dawn on the 22d, the army contin- 
 ued its march, with tlie idea of carrying 
 by force of arms the pass of Agua Nueva, 
 which I supposed would be defended by 
 the enemy ; but I found to my surprise 
 that it was abandoned. I then concluded 
 that the American forces had retired to 
 their fortifications in the hacienda, to con- 
 centrate their defence under cover of the 
 i itrenchments, which I had heard they 
 had there tlirown up. Under this idea I 
 continued the march, in order to turn by 
 the right to the rancho of Encantada, 
 which, as I have before mentioned, is on 
 the Saltillo road, being between that city 
 and Agua Nueva, and four or five leaguea 
 from each. Till that time no one had ap- 
 peared to give me information, nor did 
 any one after, except a servant from Agua 
 Nueva, who told me that the enemy had 
 been evacuating his position since the day 
 previous, and falling back towards Saltil- 
 lo ; and that on that same morning, the 
 hacienda had been wholly abandoned, by 
 the retreat of a small detachment which 
 escorted a large quantity of munitions. 
 By this movement my first plans and dis- 
 positions, founded on an expected resis- 
 tance, were rendered abortive ; but I still 
 did not despair of a successful result, for 
 I had in anticipation directed General 
 Minon, with his cavalry brigade, 1200 
 stong, to occupy, on the morning of the 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 51 
 
 22cl, the hacienda of Buena Vista, distant 
 three short leagues from Saltillo. This 
 force might arrest the enemy's march, or 
 at least make a diversion that would give 
 time ibr the army to come up. I there- 
 fore continued my march, without losing 
 more time than would allow the soldiers 
 to drink water on the road. The light 
 bri<j-ade came within sight of the enemy's 
 rear-guard, and I ordered them to charge 
 in conjunction with the hussar regiment. 
 I had reason to believe the enemy were 
 making a precipitate retreat, as they left 
 several articles on the road, such as carts, 
 forge implements, extra wheels, and other 
 things, which we gathered while marching. 
 la consequence of the different reports 1 
 received, I ordered the cavalry to advance ; 
 I thought we would be able to reach their 
 rear-guard, and placed myself at the head 
 o^ those troops. 
 
 " On arriving at a place called Angos- 
 tura, I found the main body of the enemy 
 awaiting me in position. The road from 
 the pass of Pinones to Saltillo runs between 
 two chains of mountains, which form that 
 pass and those of Carnero and Agua 
 Nueva. The ridges open beyond that ha- 
 cienda and approach each other again at 
 Angostura, where the road turns to the 
 right. At this place there is a succession 
 of ridges, which run out towards the line 
 of our route, and at right angles with it, 
 and between them are ravines which form 
 the drains of the mountains on the right. 
 They are more or less passable, but all 
 very difficult. The enemy's position was 
 in front and in rear of the road, his right 
 and front being covered by ravines that 
 were impassable, even for infantry, and a 
 battery of four pieces being planted on the 
 highest point. His battalions were form- 
 ed on the heights with two other batteries, 
 one of which was in a low part of the 
 road, between two hills : and, to my view, 
 their forces appeared to be about 8000 
 men, with twenty pieces ; but the prison- 
 ers taken from them report twenty-six 
 pieces, and upwards of 8000 combatants. 
 
 " I reconnoitered the position and situation 
 of the enemy, and ordered the director of 
 engineers, General Don Ignacio de Mora 
 y Villamil, to do the same. After ascer- 
 taining the force of the invader, it was 
 necessary either to await the infantry, to 
 take position, or to fight, as might seem 
 most advisable. At this interval, I ob- 
 served that the enemy had neglected to 
 
 occupy a height on his left flank ; and, 
 without losing a moment, I ordered Gene- 
 ral Ampudia's light brigade to take pos- 
 session of, and hold it at every cost. As 
 the brigade came up, 1 formed them in 
 two lines on a rising ground that fronted 
 the enemy, there being another eminence 
 between our two positions ; the first divi- 
 sion of infantry was under the command 
 of General Lombardini, and the second 
 under the command of General Pacheco. 
 I directed that General Mora y Villamil, 
 in conjunction with the commanding 
 general of artillery, Don Antonio Corona, 
 should find a position for a battery of six- 
 teen-pounders, to be sustained by the 
 regiment of engineers. Two other bat- 
 teries, of twelve and eight-pounders, were 
 located by me. The cavalry, command- 
 ed by General Juvera, were placed on 
 the right of our rear, and on our lefl 
 flank. The regiment of hussars was 
 also posted in the rear, and on the flank 
 aforesaid was a height which I ordered 
 the battalion of Leon to occupy. The 
 general park was in the rear, covered by 
 the brigade of General Andrade, and be- 
 tween this park and the lines of battle I 
 took my own position. 
 
 " The making of these dispositions, as 
 may be supposed, occupied some time, for 
 the troops arrived at their positions after a 
 march of more than twenty leagues. It 
 was, therefore, not an hour for combat, 
 and the army lay on its arms. The 
 enemy, however, so soon as he perceived 
 that we had occupied the height that 
 flanked his left and our right, despatched 
 two battalions to dislodge us, which led to 
 a warm engagement, that lasted all the 
 afternoon and till after dark, when he was 
 repulsed with a loss of 400 men, accord- 
 ing to the report of the prisoners. Ours 
 was much less, as we had the advantage 
 ofthe ground. 
 
 " At dawn on the 23d, I mounted my 
 horse ; the enemy had not changed his 
 previous dispositions, and was ready to 
 receive us. I observed but one differ- 
 ence, which was, that on his right, and at 
 some distance from his position, he had 
 formed two bodies of infantry, with a bat- 
 tery of four pieces, as if with the intent of 
 threatening our left flank, but I at once 
 believed this to be a mere demonstration, 
 for he would never have left in his rear 
 the difficult ground which gave strength 
 to that position, being the web of im- 
 
52 
 
 LIFE Of gen. TAYLOR. 
 
 passable ravines before referred to. I, 
 therefore, gave no attention to this disposi- 
 tion of his forces, and resolved to move 
 mine by the right. With this intention, I 
 advanced the divisions of General Lom- 
 bardini and General Pacheco in that 
 direction. I ordered General Don Manuel 
 Micheltorena to plant the battery of 
 eight-pounders on our right flank, so as to 
 rake obliquely the enemy's line, and to 
 remain with the staff, of which he was 
 chief, and await my orders. I directed 
 that General Ampudia, with the light 
 brigade, should charge by our left flank 
 on the enemy's right, and that General 
 Mora y Villamil should form a column of 
 attack composed of the regiment of engi- 
 neers, the r2th battalion, ihe fjo de Mexico, 
 and the companies of Puebla and Tam- 
 pico, commanded by Colonel Don Santiago 
 Blanco. At the same time, I directed 
 General Corona, commanding the artil- 
 lery, to place the battery of twelve-pound- 
 ers in a more commanding position, while 
 the 3d division remained in reserve, under 
 Brevet-General Don Jose Maria Ortega. 
 
 " So soon as the enemy perceived our 
 movements, he commenced the action at 
 all points, attacked our troops with intre- 
 pidity, and maintained the conflict with 
 great vigor. Our men received them 
 with proper energy, driving back and 
 following up the assailants. At this time 
 my horse was disabled by a grape-shot, j 
 and it was some time before I could j 
 mount another. As the enemy had 
 yielded ground, I ordered the cavalry to 
 advance and charge, which was done with | 
 vigor. Suitable orders had been sent to j 
 the generals of division and brigade, 
 among the rest to General Don Angel j 
 Guzman ; but, though the officers and 
 troops acted with great resolution, it was 
 impossible to overcome the difficulties of 
 the ground ; and, after a struggle which 
 did them honor, they were obliged to fall 
 back to their positions. After various 
 alternations, the same occurred with the 
 infantry. 
 
 " The battle, which commenced at seven 
 in the morning, was prolonged for many 
 hours, our loss every moment accumulat- 
 ing. Many officers and soldiers had 
 already been killed, and a number of 
 commanders and distinguished officers 
 wounded, among whom were General 
 Lombardini, Lieutenant-Colonels Brito, 
 Galloso, and others. Among the slain 
 
 were Lieutenant-Colonels Asonos, Berra, 
 and other meritorious officers, whose loss 
 the country will ever lament. The 
 enemy maintained his ground with the 
 utmost obstinacy, insomuch that some of 
 our troops faltered in their attacks, and 
 many of the raw recruits dispersed. 
 This, however, ought to exalt the merit of 
 those whose intrepidity was never para- 
 lysed, and may also be cited to show how 
 hotly contested was the action. 
 
 " Things were in this situation when I 
 concluded to make the final effort. With 
 this view I ordered that a battery of 
 twenty-four pounders should be mounted ; 
 that the column of attack then posted on 
 our left flank, where it had no object of 
 operation, should be transferred to our 
 right, and there be joined by the remains 
 of the 11th regiment, the battalion of 
 Leon, and the reserves, all under the com- 
 mand of Brevet-General Don Francisco 
 Perez. I executed this in person, and 
 afterwards sent for General Mora y Villa- 
 mil, and made him acquainted with my 
 final dispositions. I had already directed 
 Generals Perez and Pacheco, each with 
 his command, to be prepared for an ex- 
 treme struggle, and had ordered the 
 battery of eight-pounders to advance and 
 take the enemy's line in flank. The 
 charge was made with daring valor, and 
 was resisted with animated vigor, with a 
 fire so heavy and rapid as to cause admi- 
 ration ; but the Americans could not sus- 
 tain themselves — they were driven back 
 and overcome, with the loss of three pieces 
 of cannon and as many stands of colors. 
 I sent two of the latter to the government 
 with my last despatch ; the other, which 
 I then omitted to notice, will be presented 
 to the honorable congress of the state of 
 San Luis Potosi, as a testimonial of the 
 army's gratitude for the patriotic services 
 they had rendered, and the generous 
 sacrifices they had made for its benefit. 
 We moreover captured a travelling forgCy 
 and some smaller articles, which I will 
 not enumerate. Our cavalry, which so 
 bravely executed the order to charge, 
 reached the enemy's rearmost positions ; 
 but, owing to the nature of the ground 
 and the fatigue of the men and horses, I 
 did not think it prudent to attempt to dis- 
 lodge them from those. The battle closed 
 at six in the evening, our troops being 
 then formed on the ground which the 
 Americans had occupied. Our last effort 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 53 
 
 would have been decisive, if General 
 Minon had done his part by attacking the 
 enemy in the rear : but he omitted to do 
 it, and 1 am under the painful necessity of 
 subjecting his conduct to a court martial, 
 that he naay explain it. An action thus 
 contested necessarily involved considera- 
 ble loss. Ours in killed and wounded 
 amounted to more than 1500 men, and 
 that of the enemy was much greater, for 
 we had time to take a view of the great 
 aumber of their dead." 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 GENERAL TAYLOR GENERAL WOOL GEN- 
 ERAL TW^IGGS GENERAL WORTH — COL. 
 
 YELL COLONEL HARDIN COLONEL Mc'- 
 
 KEE COLONEL CLAY — MAJOR BLISS. 
 
 The battle of Buena Vista resulted in the 
 complete disorganization of the army of 
 Santa Anna. With the remnant of his 
 troops in total disorder he returned to San 
 Luis Potosi, there took leave of his soldiers, 
 returned to the capital, assumed the reins 
 of government, in place of Gomes Parias 
 who retired, and, raising anether army, 
 marched forward on the road to Vera 
 Cruz to meet General Scott. 
 
 Gen. Taylor after the battle of Buena 
 Vista re-occupied his former place of en- 
 campment at Agua Nueva, which he soon 
 quitted taking with him two companies 
 of Bragg's artillery, and Colonel May's 
 squadron of dragoons in pursuit of Urrea 
 who, with some 4000 cavalry and ranche- 
 ros, had been for some time hanging on 
 our Hue of communications between Mon- 
 terey and Camargo, cutting off our trains 
 of provisions, and who was then said to 
 be in retreat towards the mountains. Gen. 
 Urrea getting information of this move- 
 ment escaped to Linores, and Gen, Taylor 
 returned to Monterey. Gen. Taylor has 
 since taken up his march to San Luis Po- 
 tosi, on his way to join Gen. Scott at the 
 city of Mexico. 
 
 The record of the events of this war 
 gives the highest eulogium of the military 
 character of Gen. Taylor, and places him 
 in the highest rank of military heroes. 
 But to his eminent qualities as a comman- 
 der he adds the noblest virtues of the man. 
 As a conqueror he has ever been magnan- 
 
 imous and humane to the wounded and 
 the captive. His troops have always re- 
 ceived his kindest care and attention, and 
 his warmest sympathies have been exten- 
 ded to those of his friends who have fallen 
 by his side. This excellent trait of his 
 character appears in his letter to the Hon. 
 Henry Clay on the occasion of tlie fall of 
 his gallant son at the battle of Buena 
 Vista. 
 
 Of the family of Gen. Taylor it may 
 be said, he has now one son and two 
 daughters living. The son has recently 
 graduated at Yale College, and was made 
 the bearer of his father's commission of 
 brevet major-general. Colonel Jefferson 
 Davis, who was distinguished in the bat- 
 tle of Buena Vista, married one of Gen. 
 Taylor's daughters, who is now dead. 
 
 Lieut. Col. Joseph Taylor, Commissary 
 of Subsistence to the army of occupation, 
 is a brother of Gen. Taylor, and has been 
 attached to the army since 1812. 
 
 General Taylor possesses a large prop- 
 erty, having received a considerable es- 
 tate from his father in Kentucky. He 
 has also a large plantation in East 
 Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, on which he 
 has made his residence. 
 
 GENERAL WOOL. 
 
 John E. Wool, Brigadier-General, is a 
 native of Troy, in this State, where he 
 holds his residence. He entered the army 
 a Captain of the 13th infantry, on the 14th 
 of April, 1812, and was soon after promo- 
 ted to the rank of Major. He was actively 
 engaged in the campaigns during the war 
 of that period. In the battle of Platts- 
 burg, Major Wool had an opportunity of 
 signalizing himself in a separate command 
 of high importance, and was highly com- 
 plimented for his gallantry in the dis- 
 patch of General Macomb giving an ao- 
 count of that battle. 
 
 Major Wool's services on this important 
 occasion were rewarded by promotion to 
 the rank of lieutrtiant-colonel by brevet, 
 the department of war taking care to spe- 
 cify that it was for his gallant conduct at 
 the battle of Plattsburg. 
 
 During the long peace which followed, 
 Colonel Wool was employed at the differ- 
 ent posts of the regular army, where his 
 presence was required by the exigencies 
 of the service. On the 27th of April, 
 1816, he was created inspector-general, 
 
54 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 with the full rank of colonel ; and ten 
 years after, April 29th, 1826, he received 
 the appointment of brigadier-general, his 
 brevet. His commission as brigadier- 
 general, dates June 29th, 1841. 
 
 An account of his advance with the cen- 
 tral column of 4,000 from Texas till form- 
 ing a junction with General Taylor, and 
 of his services at the battle of Buena Vista, 
 has been given in a former chapter. An 
 anecdoteofthe meeting of Generals Taylor 
 and Wool, after the battle, is worth re- 
 cording. 
 
 " Blucher and Wellington-like," says an 
 eye-witness, " Generals Taylor and Wool 
 met after the retreat commenced. General 
 Wool rushed between the arms of his 
 brother veteran, and congratulated himself 
 upon the favorable result of the day's trial. 
 General Taylor playfully retorted : ' Oh ! 
 it's impossible to whip us when we all pull 
 .together.' " 
 
 In his official despatch General Taylor 
 did not omit to notice the excellent conduct 
 of his tried and gallant friend. He says, 
 " I may be permitted here, however, to ac- 
 knowledge my great obligations to General 
 Wool, the second in command, to whom I 
 feel particularly indebted for his valuable 
 services on this occasion." 
 
 In his detailed report we find the follow- 
 ing warm commendation : 
 
 " To Brigadier-General Wool my obli- 
 gations are especially due. The high state 
 of discipline and instructions of several of 
 the volunteer regiments was attained under 
 his command, and to his vigilance and ar- 
 duous service before the action, and his 
 gallantry and activity on the field, a large 
 share of our success may justly be at- 
 tributed. During most of the engagement 
 he was in immediate command of the troops 
 thrown back on our left flank. I beg leave 
 to recommend him to the favorable notice 
 of the government." 
 
 GENERAL TWIGGS. 
 
 Brigadier- General David E. Twiggs is 
 a native of Georgia. He entered the army 
 as captain of the 8th infantry, on the 12th 
 of March, 1812, served with distinction in 
 the war of 1812, was promoted to the office 
 of major on the 14th of May, 1825, and 
 was made colonel of the 2d dragoons on the 
 8ih of June, 1836. 
 
 At the commencement of the present 
 war with Mexico, Col. Twiggs's regiment 
 formed a part of the Army of Occupation ; 
 
 I and through the whole course of operations 
 j he has figured among the most active and 
 useful officers in the field. 
 I On the 25th of March, 1846, Colonel 
 Twiggs was detached by General Taylor 
 ibr the service of capturing Point Isabel, 
 which was held by General Garcia with 
 a force of 250 men, composed of infantry 
 and artillery. The public buildings were 
 set on fire by the Mexican authorities at 
 the approach of the Americans, and the 
 soldiers and inhabitants, with Gen. Garcia 
 at their head, took to flight, escaping Col. 
 Twiggs's dragoons, who arrived in the 
 town in season to save a few of the burning 
 houses. 
 
 At the battle of Palo Alto, Col. Twiggs 
 commanded the whole of the right wing, 
 comprising Mcintosh's infantry, Ringgold's 
 artillery, Morris and Allen's infantry, 
 Churchill's artillery, part of the fourth 
 brigade under Garland, and the dragoons 
 of Kerr and May. 
 
 At the battle of Resaca de la Palma, 
 Col. Twiggs's services were also recog- 
 nised as of great importance; and to him 
 were intrusted the arrangements respecting 
 the e.xcliange of prisoners after the battle. 
 He also led the van at the capture oi' 
 Matamoras, and on its falling into the 
 hands of the Americans, he was appointed 
 governor of the town. 
 
 Colonel Twiggs's services on tlie 8th 
 and 9th of May were very properly noticed 
 by the government ; who, on the 30th of 
 June, 1846, promoted him to the rank of 
 Brigadier- General. 
 
 His important services at Monterey have 
 been noticed in the account of that battle ; 
 after which he was detached from the com- 
 mand of General Taylor and united to that 
 of General Scott, in the grand movement 
 on Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico. His 
 services in this quarter will be noticed in 
 a subsequent chapter. It will be here only 
 mentioned, that he performed an important 
 part at the siege of Vera Cruz, and subse- 
 quently led the division against the grand 
 army of Santa Anna, composed of 15,000 
 men, at Cerro Gordo, and achieved one 
 of the most distinguished victories of this 
 war ; routing and dispersing the entire 
 forces of the enemy. 
 
 GENERAL WORTH. 
 
 Brevet Major General J. Worth, who 
 so conspicuously signalized himself at 
 Monterey and Vera Cruz, is a descendant 
 
,/': 
 
 .III'' 
 
 V. 
 
 eXV'- i„ 
 
 
56 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 of one of the oldest families of New Eng- 
 land. When quite young lie was engaged 
 as clerk in a mercantile house in Allnmy, 
 but at the opening of the war of 1812 en- 
 listed as a private in the regular army A 
 friend of his being placed in arrest, he 
 addressed a memorial to General (then 
 colonel) Scott, praying to be excused. 
 This was written with sucli ability that 
 Scott inquired who wrote it, and on being 
 informed that it was private Worth, sent 
 for the author and made him his secretary. 
 Promotion from the government, ob- 
 tained through the influence of Scott, soon 
 followed, and on the 19th of March, 1812, 
 he was commissioned as first lieutenant of 
 the 2.3d regiment of infantry. 
 
 His first opportunity for signalizing him- 
 self, was at the battle of Chippewa, on the 
 ."5th of July, 1814, where he acted as one 
 of the aids of Colonel Scott, and was 
 highly complimented by General Brown. 
 He was also distinguished in the same ca- 
 pacity at Lundey's Lane on the 25th of 
 the same month, where he received a j 
 severe wound. For his services on these i 
 occasions he was promoted to the rank of { 
 Captain on the 19th of August, 1814. 
 After peace Captain Worth was for a con- 
 siderable time superintendent of the Mil- 
 itary Academy at West Point, an oHice 
 that would only be confided lo one in 
 whose discretion, judgment, ability, and 
 liigh gentlemanly deportment the govern- 
 ment reposed unlimited confidence. 
 
 W^ortii was promoted to the rank of 
 lieutenant-colonel by brevet, on the 25th 
 of July, 1824, and was appointed major 
 of ordnance in 1832. On the 7th of[ 
 July, 1838, he was appointed colonel in j 
 the bth regiment of infantry. 
 
 The war in Florida, wliich furnished ! 
 occasion for a display of General Taylor's 
 military skill and intrepidity, also presen- 
 ted a tiieatre on which Colonel Worth was 
 ilcstincd to figure. The service was one 
 of the most tedious and unpleasant which | 
 could possibly be imposed upon an ardent | 
 soldier, desirous of winning distinction ; j 
 for it consisted in hunting up the lurking i 
 places of an insidious and savage enemy, 
 and driving liim into action. The Semin- j 
 oles liad eluded pursuit for a long time 
 previous to May, 1841, when the conduct I 
 of the war was entrusted to Colonel Worth. ! 
 Sickness among the men if-npeded his op- 
 erationS, but he was soon able to compel 
 
 the surrender of several considerable de- 
 tachments of hostile Indians ; and on the 
 19th of April, 1842, he succeeded in com- 
 pelling a large body of Indians to fight at 
 a place called Palaldaklaha. Tlie result, 
 as might have been anticipated, was a com- 
 plete defeat of the enemy, which was soon 
 after followed by the surrender of one of 
 the leading chiefs of the Indians with his 
 band. 
 
 Colonel Worth had already received 
 (Marcii 1st, 1842) the appointment of brig- 
 adier-general by brevet. j 
 
 After the battle of Palaklaklaha, the 
 Florida war was speedily brought to a 
 close, for the time ; and General Worth 
 was ordered to another post ; but hostili- 
 ties again breaking out, he was again 
 ordered to Florida ; but his subsequent 
 service there aflbrded him no opportunity 
 for distinction. 
 
 For his services at Monterey which 
 have been recorded in another chapter, 
 Worth has received the appointment of 
 brevet Major-General. He was detached 
 from the command of General Tajior to 
 join that of Scott at Vera Cruz, where he 
 was made governor of the city and castle 
 after their capture, and is now on his 
 march to the city of Mexico. 
 
 COLONEL YELL. 
 
 Colonel AnciiiBALD Yell resigned his 
 scat as a representative in Congress from 
 i Arkansas, and was elected colonel of the 
 I Arkansas regiment of mounted volunteers. 
 ; At the battle of Buena Vista it is said his 
 [ regiment refused to advance against the 
 j enemy as ordered by General Wool, wlien 
 Colonel Yell prevailing on one hundred of 
 his honest men to follow him, plunged into 
 the thickest of the fight, and there fell, in 
 a charge against the Mexican lancers. 
 He was pierced in the moutli by a lance; 
 cutting open the side of his face. Colonel 
 Yell was a lawyer, formerly of Tennessee, 
 where he contracted an intimacy and 
 friendship with the President, who was 
 much grieved at his loss. Colonel Yell 
 lias left a family who were dependent on 
 his exertions for support, and the last letter 
 he wrote was to the President, requesting 
 his pay that might be due, to be paid to 
 his family in case he should fall on the 
 field. Colonel Yell has a son in the Col- 
 lege at Georgetown, and the President 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 57 
 
 with a cenerosify which does honor to his l Head-Ql-arters .^rmy of Occupation 
 
 character, has adopted this son, and pro- 
 vided for his education. 
 
 COLONEL HARDIN. 
 
 Colonel John J. Hardin, of the 1st 
 regiment of Illinois volunteers, fell nobly 
 at the head of his command on the field of 
 Buena Vista. Of the particulars of his 
 biography we have been able to gain but 
 few particulars. He was born in Ken- 
 tucky, and was a nephew of the Hon. 
 Henry Clay. His honorable death attests 
 the nobleness and bravery of his character. 
 
 COLONEL MC'KEE. 
 
 I I had but a casual acquaintance with 
 Of Colonel R. U. Mc'Kee, of the 2d j your son, until he became for a time a 
 Kentucky regiment of foot, we are unable i member of my military family, and 1 can 
 to record as much as we should desire. ' truly say that no one ever won more 
 He graduated at West Point in 1829, and ' rapidly upon my regard, or established a 
 was a brave and skilful officer. An ac- j more lasting claim to my respect and es- 
 count of the gallant charge of his regi- teem. Manly and honorable in every im- 
 ment, and of his fall, is recorded in the j pulse, with no i'eeling but for the honor of 
 chapter containing a description of the i the service and of the country, he gave 
 battle of Buena Vista. | every assurance that in the hour of need I 
 
 ! could lean with confidence upon his sup- 
 
 jigua J\'euva, Mexico, March 1, 1S47. 
 
 My Dear Sir : You will no doubt have 
 received, before this can reach you, the 
 deeply distressing intelligence of the death 
 of your son in the battle of Buena Vista. 
 It is with no wish of intruding upon the 
 sanctuary of parental sorrow, and with no 
 hope of administering any consolation to 
 your wounded heart, that I have taken the 
 liberty of addressing you these ^ew lines; 
 but I have felt it a duty which I owe to the 
 memory of the distinguished dead, to pay a 
 willing tribute to his many excellent qual- 
 ities, and while my feelings are still fresh, 
 to express the desolation which his un- 
 timely loss and that of other kindred spirits 
 has occasioned. 
 
 COLONEL CLAY. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Clay, son of 
 the distinguished statesman, Henry Clay, 
 was born in Kentucky, and graduated in 
 1831 at West Point, with distinguished 
 honor — being the second in his class. 
 The " piping times of peace," afforded 
 .not sufficient opportunity of action to one 
 of his ardent temperament, while attached 
 to the army. He therefore resigned his 
 com.mission, and adopted the profession of 
 the law, in which he was rapidly rising to 
 eminence at the time of the breaking out 
 of the Mexican war, when the obeyed the 
 call of his country, and rushed to the 
 standard of General Taylor. His resi- 
 dence was at Lexington, in his native 
 State, and he was lieutenant-colonel of 
 Colonel ^fcKee's2d regiment of Kentucky 
 volunteer infiintry. No fitter eulogium 
 on his character can be pronounced than 
 is to be found in the following tender, yet 
 manly letter of General Taylor, address- 
 ed to the Hon. Henry Clay, on the occa- 
 sion of the fall of his gallant son at Buena 
 Vista, of which an account has been civen 
 in the relation of that battle. 
 
 port. Nor was I disappointed. Under the 
 guidance of himself and the lamented 
 McKee, gallantly did the sons of Kentucky, 
 in the thickest of the strife, uphold the 
 honor of the State and the country. 
 
 A grateful people will do justice to the 
 memory of those who fell on that eventful 
 day. But 1 may be permitted to express 
 the bereavement which I feel in the loss of 
 valued friends. To your son I felt bound 
 by the strongest ties of private regard ; and 
 when I miss his familiar face, and those of 
 McKee and Hardin, I can say with truth, 
 that I feel no exultation in our success. 
 
 With the expression of my deepest and 
 most heartfelt sympathies for your ir- 
 reparable loss, I remain, 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 Z. TAYLOR. 
 
 Hon. Henry Clay, New Orleans, La. 
 
 MAJOR BLISS. 
 
 Major William Wallace Smith Bliss, 
 Assistant Adjutant-General of the Army of 
 Occupation, who has gained important dis- 
 tinction in all the battles of that army, and 
 to whom has also been attributed a share 
 
58 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 of the literary merit that lias distinguislied 
 the dispatches of General Taylor, was born 
 at Whitehall, in the state of New York, in 
 1815. His father was a captain in the 
 late war witli Great Britain. Major Bliss 
 received a great part of his early education 
 at Salem, New Hampsiiire, where his 
 mother resided, and graduated with honor 
 at West Point, in 18:33. Having served 
 about a j-ear in tlie field in Georgia and 
 Alabama, he was, in 18^4, made assistant 
 Professor of Mathematics at W^est Point. 
 
 While occupying this position, he em- 
 braced the opportunity which the facilities 
 around him afforded, to gratify his taste 
 for the modern languages, and the study of 
 military history. Besides perfecting his 
 knowledge of the French language, so as 
 to enable him to speak it fluently, he made 
 himself thoroughly acquainted with the 
 German language, and German literature. 
 At the same time he obtained a fair know- 
 ledge of tiie Spanish and Italian languages, 
 and studied most critically the campaigns 
 of Napoleon and WoJlington. His ac- 
 quaintance with Spanish has been highly 
 useful in the present war, as he has been 
 able to translate all the despatches re- 
 ceived from the enemy. His appointment 
 to the officeof Assistant Adjutant General, 
 with the brevet rank of Captain, in 1839, 
 caused him to be relieved from duty at the 
 Academy early in the year 1840, and or- 
 dered to Washington. He remained but 
 a short time on duty there, and was thence 
 ordered to report to General Armistead, 
 then commanding in Florida, as the As- 
 sistant Adjutant-General of the forces 
 prosecuting the Seminole war. The effi- 
 cient and valuable services which he ren- 
 dered in tiiis war, as chief of General 
 Armistead's staff, caused him to be noticed 
 and mentioned by the head of the War 
 Department, as a man possessing military 
 genius, and high professional attainments. 
 
 In the beginning of 1841, he joined 
 General Taylor, on the frontier of Ar- 
 kansas, and has remained with him ever 
 since as the chief of his staff. He has 
 been in every battle fought by General 
 Taylor in the Mexican war; and for his 
 good conduct at Palo Alto and Resaca de 
 la Pal ma, he was promoted to his present 
 rank of Major. At Palo Alto his horse 
 was killed under him ; and in each of the 
 succeeding battles his horse was either 
 killed or wounded. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Fremont's Expedition — the squadron in 
 
 THE PACIFIC — capture OF MONTEREY AND 
 
 CUIDAD DE LAS ANGELOS GENERAL KEAK- 
 
 NEy's DIVISION — CAPTURE OF SANTA FE 
 
 CONQUEST OF CALIFORNIA THE INSUR- 
 RECTION IN NEW MEXICO THE BATTLE OF 
 
 SACRAMENTO — HOME SQUADRON — CAP- 
 TURE OF VERA CRUZ — BATTLE OF CERRO 
 GORDO — CONCLUSION. 
 
 Measures for wresting California and New 
 Mexico from the sway of the Mexican 
 government may be said to have been in- 
 stituted or at least encouraged by the 
 United States government antecedent to 
 the commencement of open war with Mexi- 
 co. 
 
 In May, 1845, John C. Fremont, then a 
 brevet Captain in the corps of Topograph- 
 ical Engineers, but since appointed a Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel, left Washington under or- 
 ders from the Department of War. to pur- 
 sue his explorations in the regions beyond 
 the Rocky Mountains. The objects of this 
 service were, as those of his previous ex- 
 plorations had been, ostensibly of a scien- 
 tific character, and one of the objects he 
 had in view was to discover a new and 
 sliorter route from the western base of the 
 Rocky Mountains to the mouth of the Co- 
 lumbia River. 
 
 Early in the Spiing of 1846, after he 
 had reached Jvlonterey, and explained to 
 Gen. Castro, the commandant-general, the 
 object of his mission, he was threatened 
 with an attack by Castro near that cify. 
 Captain Fremont raised the flag of the 
 United States and with his force of sixty- 
 two men prepared for resistance. He 
 subsequently retired toward Oregon, pur- 
 sued by Castro and hostile Indians, losing 
 four men ; but soon changed his deter- 
 mination, turned upon his pursuers and 
 resolved, not merely in the defeat of Cas- 
 tro, but in the total overthrow of the Mexi- 
 can authority in California, and the estab- 
 lishment of an independent government in 
 that department. On the 6th of June, and 
 before the war between the United States 
 and Mexico could have been known, this 
 resolution was taken. 
 
 Captain Fremont armed the American 
 settlers and collected about him a band of 
 nearly 200 riflemen, with whom he cleared 
 the country north of the Bay of San Fran- 
 cisco, by a succession of attacks on the Mex- 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 59 
 
 icans, taking a convoy of 200 horses from 
 Castro, a military post, a considerable 
 quantity of arms and several prisoners. 
 On the 5th of July he called the people 
 together, explained to them the condition 
 of things in the province, and recommen- 
 ded an immediate declaration of indepen- 
 dence. The declaration was made, and 
 himself put at the head of affairs. On 
 the Cth, with 160 rifleinen, he set out in 
 pursuit of Castro, who had retreated to 
 Ciudad de los Angelos (the city of the 
 Angels), and after several days spent in 
 this pursuit, he heard of the war between 
 the United Sates and Mexico, and that 
 Monterey had, on the 7th of July, been 
 taken by the naval force under Commo- 
 dore Sloat. The flag of independence 
 was hauled down, and that of the U. S. 
 hoisted, amid the hearty greetings and to 
 the great joy of the American settlers and 
 the forces under Col, Fremont, who then 
 hastened to co-operate in the pursuit of 
 CastiX) 
 
 THE SQUADRON IN THK PACIFIC. 
 
 In the Pacific Ocean, the naval forces 
 under the command of Commodore John 
 D. Sloat, consisted, on the 1st of July last, 
 of the frigate Savannah ; sloops Ports- 
 mouth, Levant, Warren, and Cyane ; 
 schooner Shark, and store-ship Erie. 
 They were reinforced by the frigate 
 Congress, the sloops Saratoga, Dale, and 
 Preble, and the razee Independence. The 
 sloop Levant returned home, as also the 
 Savannah and Warren, the time for 
 which their crews enlisted having expired. 
 Commodore W. Branford Shubrick went 
 out in the Independence to relieve Com- 
 modore Sloat, under orders issued in 
 August. 
 
 In confidential instructions dated June 
 24th, 1845, the Secretary of the Navy 
 called Commodore Sloat's attention to the 
 aspect of relations between this country 
 and Mexico. He was told should Mexico 
 make any demonstration of hostilities, to 
 be mindful to protect the persons and in- 
 terests of citizens of the United States 
 near his station ; and, in case he should 
 learn of a declaration of war, to employ 
 the forces under his command to the best 
 advantage. The great distance of his 
 squadron and the difficulty of commuicat- 
 ing with him, was the cause of issuing this 
 order. On the 7th June, 1846, Commo- 
 
 dore Sloat received information through 
 Mexico, that the Mexican troops, six or 
 seven thousand strong, had, by the order 
 of the Mexican government, invaded the 
 territory of the United States, noith of the 
 Rio Grande, and had attacked the forces 
 of General Taylor, and that the squadron 
 of the United States was blockading the 
 ports of Mexico on the Gulf. " He con- 
 sidered these hostilities as justifying his 
 commencing offensive operations on the 
 west coast," and on the 8th June sailed in 
 the frigate Savannah, " for the coast of 
 California, to carry out the orders of the 
 department of the 24th June, 1845.'"' He 
 arrived at Monterey on the 2d July, and 
 on the 7th demanded a surrender of the 
 place. This was evaded ; an adequate 
 force landed from the squadron, took pos- 
 session of the town, and raised the flag of 
 the iTnited States, without opposition or 
 bloodshed. On the 8th, Commandant 
 Montgomery, of the sloop Portsmouth, 
 under the Commodore's orders, with like 
 success, took possession of San Francisco, 
 and that part of the country, in the name 
 of the United States. On the 17tb, he 
 sent Purser Fauntleroy as far as the mis- 
 sion of St. John's, to hoist the flag of the 
 United States, and to recover cannon and 
 munitions which had been buried by the 
 enemy. On his arrival, he found that 
 the place had been captured an hour or 
 two previously, by Colonel Fremont, of 
 the United States army, with whom he 
 returned on the ISth, to Monterey. On 
 the 15th July, the frigate Congress arrived 
 at Monterey, and Commodore Stockton 
 reported to Commodore Sloat for duty as a 
 part of his squadron. On the 23d, he was 
 ordered to the command on shore ; and on 
 the 29th, Commodore Sloat found his in- 
 firm health so enfeebled, that he determin- 
 ed to assign the command to Commodore 
 Stockton, and sailed for home. 
 
 On the 25th July, the Cyane, Captain 
 Mervine, sailed from Monterey, with Col. 
 Fremont, and a small volunteer force on 
 board, for San Diego, to intercept the re- 
 treat of the Mexican general, Castro. A 
 kvf days after, Commodore Stockton sail- 
 ed in the Congress frigate for San Pedro, 
 and with a detachment from his squadron 
 of 360 men, marched to the enemy's 
 camp. It was found that the camp was 
 broken up, and the Mexicans under Gov- 
 ernor Pico and General Castro, had re- 
 treated so precipitately, that Colonel Fre- 
 
60 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 mont was disappointed in intercepting 
 them. On the 13th of August, Commo- 
 dore Stockton was joined by this gallant 
 officer, and marched a distance of thirty 
 miles from the sea, and entered without 
 opposition, Cuidad de los Angelos, capital 
 of the Californias. 
 
 Commodore Stockton issued his procla- 
 mation declaring California a territory of 
 the United States government, announcing 
 the fundamental laws for the future gov- 
 ernment of the country, and appointing 
 Col. Fremont, Governor of California. 
 
 On the 22d of August, our flag was 
 flying from every commanding position, 
 and California was in the undisputed pos- 
 session of the United States. 
 
 GENERAL KEAKNEy's DIVISION. 
 
 Col. Kearney (since promoted to the 
 rank of brigadier general), on the 30th of 
 June, with the force under his command, 
 amounting in all to about 1000 men, regu- 
 lars and volunteers, moved from Fort 
 Leavenworth upon Santa Fe, where he 
 arrived after a march of 873 miles, on the 
 18th of August, and took military posses- 
 sion of New Mexico, without resistance. 
 The Mexican forces, about 4000 in num- 
 ber, which had been collected near that 
 city under the late Governor Armijo, to 
 oppose his progress, dispersed on the ap- 
 pearance of our troops, and the Governor 
 himself fled, with a small command of 
 dragoons, in the direction of Chihuahua. 
 
 Under the apprehension that the force 
 which left Fort Leavenworth in June might 
 not be sufficient fully to eifectthe purpose 
 of the expedition, which was, if found prac- 
 ticaljle to pass on to California, after con- 
 quering and securinfj New Mexico, Gen. 
 Kearney was authorised to organize and 
 muster into service a battalion out of the 
 ^lormon emigrants who were on their 
 way to California or Oregon. This was 
 done. One thousand additional volunteers 
 under Col. Price from Missouri were sent 
 on as reinforcements and to augment his 
 disposable force for California. These, 
 however, did not join Gen. Kearney at the 
 time he departed for that country. After 
 making the necessary arrangements at 
 Santa Fe, consequent upon the military 
 occupation of New Mexico, Gen. Kearney 
 moved with a part of his force to the village 
 of Tome, about one hundred miles down 
 the Rio Grande, on his route to California. 
 
 With a regular force of about 300 dra- 
 goons, leaving orders for a part of the vol- 
 unteers to follow, he commenced his march 
 from Santa Fe for California, intending to 
 proceed down the Rio Grande about 200 
 miles, thence to strike across the Gila, anc^ 
 to move down that river to near its njouth;, 
 then across the Colorado to the Pacifie. 
 After proceeding about 180 miles on his 
 route, he was met by an express from 
 California sent^by Lieut. Col. Fremont. 
 On learning the condition of things in that 
 quarter, and deeming that an additional 
 force would not be required in California,, 
 he directed most of that with him to retarn 
 to Santa Fe. Selecting about 100 men to 
 accompany him, he continued on his route. 
 Upon arriving at the river Gila, he inter- 
 cepted a party of Californians, and learned 
 that a counter revolution had taken place 
 in California ; that General Flores, with 
 700 men, had driven out the Americans 
 from the Pueblo de los Angelos, and were 
 in possession of that place ; and that San 
 Diego had been taken by Commodore 
 Stockton ; though the roads leading from 
 it were strongly guarded by the enemy, so 
 that it would be impossible to get in with- 
 out collision. When within eight leagues 
 of St. Diego, to the surprise of all, they 
 were surrounded by the enemy from 300 
 to 400 strong. A battle took place, in 
 which the Americans lost in killed. Cap- 
 tains Johnson and Moore, and Lieutenant 
 Hamilton of Dragoons, and fourteen men. 
 The General entrenched himself, and sent 
 an express to Commodore Stockton for as- 
 sistance, who was at St. Diego with about 
 500 sailors and marines. Another mes- 
 senger was despatched by the General, on 
 the third day, who informed the Commo- 
 dore that the General was surrounded by 
 the enemy, that his little army was in great 
 distress, and subsisting on their mules, and 
 if he did not receive immediate relief, the 
 General would cut his way through the 
 enemy if it cost the lives of his whole 
 party. The Commodore then sent out a 
 force of 250 to 300 men, and so soon as 
 they made their appearance, the cowardly 
 Californians fled. General Kearney was 
 wounded in the first attack, the command 
 then devolved on Capt. Turner. He then 
 marched to St. Diego, and united his forces 
 with those under Commodore Stockton. 
 The latter proceeded from St. Diego on the 
 29th December, at the head of 600 men, 
 determined to reconquer the capital. They 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 61 
 
 marched 140 miles through a mountainous 
 country, and on the 8th of January, 1847, 
 arrived in sight of the enemy's fortifica- 
 tions, on the riyer San Gabriel, which 
 were promptly stormed and captured. The 
 Mexicans numbered 500 men, with four 
 pieces of artillery. General Flores com- 
 manded them. On the 9th of January, 
 they opposed Commodore Stockton's march, 
 on the plains of Mesa, near the cit}-, where 
 they were again defeated, and on the morn- 
 ing of the 10th, our troops entered the city 
 of Angels. Our loss was twenty killed 
 and wounded. On the 15th of January, a 
 i treaty was entered into between Col. Fre- 
 I mont and Don Andres, which put an end 
 to the war. The Mexicans dispersed. The 
 I Americans in the city numbered about one 
 thousand men on the 17th of January. 
 The conquest of the country was made 
 complete. Gen. Kearney soon after took 
 passage in the Cyane for Monterey, where 
 he met with Commodore Shubrick, who 
 supersedes Commodore Stockton as Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of the naval forces. Com.- 
 modore Shubrick arrived at Monterey on 
 the 22d of January, in the United States 
 ship Independence, from Boston. He as- 
 sumed the command of the naval and land 
 forces, and would establish a civil govern- 
 ment immediately. 
 
 THE INSURRECTION OF NEW MEXICO. 
 
 Some time after the departure of General 
 Kearney for California, about the 15th of 
 December last, Col. Price, upon whom had 
 devolved the command of the army in New 
 Mexico, received information of an attempt 
 to excite the people of that territory to in- 
 surrection against the American govern- 
 ment. An officer and many others were 
 arrested. All endeavours to arrest Ortiz 
 and Archeluta, the chief conspirators, 
 were unsuccessful. After the flight of 
 Ortiz and Archeluta, and the arrests above 
 mentioned, the insurrection appeared sup- 
 pressed. But this appearance was decep- 
 tive. On the 14th January, Gov. Bent 
 left Santa Fe for Taos. On the 19th, he, 
 with five other persons, were murdered. 
 On the same day, seven Americans were 
 murdered at the Arroya Honda and two 
 others on the Rio Colorado. It appeared 
 to be the object of the insurrectionists to 
 put to death every American and every 
 Mexican who had accepted office under 
 the American government. News reach- 
 
 ed Col. Price at Santa Fe, that the the ene- 
 my was approaching that city, and that 
 t'.ieir force was being increased by the in- 
 habitants of the towns along their line of 
 march. In order to prevent the enemy 
 from receiving further reinforcements ia 
 that manner. Col. Price determined to 
 meet tliem as soon as possible. Leaving 
 a command at Sante Fe, Col. Price with 
 about .350 men marched up the Rio 
 Grande to meet the enemy ; and on the 
 24th of January came up with him at a 
 place called Canada, where he put to rout 
 1500 men, killing 36 of them ; with but 
 a loss of two of his men. A few days af- 
 terward he dislodged sixty or seventy men 
 from the steep mountain pass of Embudo, 
 losing but one man and slaying about 20 
 of the enemy. Col. Price having receiv- 
 ed a small reinforcement again attacked 
 some seven hundred of the enemy at Pue- 
 bla dc Paos driving them completely from 
 the town and pursuing them to the moun- 
 tains. The enemy lost about 150 in kil- 
 led, while the loss of our troops was but 7 
 killed and 45 wounded. 
 
 On the departure of General Kearney 
 from New Mexico for California, Colonel 
 Doniphan was detached from his command, 
 and proceeded south for Chihuahua. On 
 this march he met the whole Mexican ar- 
 my at Sacramento, supposed to be four 
 thousand strong, the enemy having had a 
 year to collect forces and arm the peas- 
 antry in that neighborhood. Col. Doni- 
 phan having with him in regulars and vol- 
 unteers but 924 effective men, and a train of 
 31.5 wagons. The pass of the Sacramento 
 had been fortified, and the advance guard 
 of the Mexicans, 1000 cavalry, and four 
 pieces of cannon commenced the attack 
 fiercely, but were repulsed by the Ameri- 
 cans. The whole Mexican force was 
 soon engaged, 1200 cavalry from Durango 
 and Chihuahua, with the Vera Cruz Dra- 
 goons, 1200 Infantry from Chiimahua, 300 
 artillery and 1400 Rancheros, armed with 
 lances, lassos and knives, and commanded 
 by Major General Plendea, Brig. General 
 Jastemani, Brig. General Garcia Conde, 
 General Uquate and Gov. Tria. Surely 
 as far as officers and men were concerned 
 this was a formidable farce, and yet Col. 
 Doniphan routed the whole army, killing 
 300 and wounding the same number, cap- 
 turing all the artillery, baggage train and 
 provisions, and taking formal possession of 
 Chihuahua in the name of the United 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 yi^tCLtes. T'nis great battle, together with 
 X General Kearney's fight at San Gabriel, 
 settles the conquest of" Santa Fe and Cali- 
 fornia. Such a march, under the same 
 disadvantages, over 2000 miles of Prairie 
 country, encountering heavy snows and 
 with no shelter but their wagons, poorly 
 clothed and fed, and meeting and defeat- 
 ing a well appointed army at Sacramento, 
 may well be considered the brightest page 
 in the history of our war with Mexico. 
 
 A company of U. S. artillery in Aug., 
 1346, and a regiment of New York vol- 
 unteer infuitry in September, under Col. 
 Stephenson, were embarked to California ; 
 but before these forces had readied their 
 destination, and even before their depar- 
 ture from the United States, the Mexican 
 authorities in the whole province of the 
 Californias had been subverted. 
 
 THE HOME SQUADRON. 
 
 The Home Squadron in the Gulf of 
 Mexico, under the command of Commo- 
 dore Conner, was, at the breaking out of 
 the war, ordered to blockade the Mexican 
 ports in the gulf, and in the performance 
 of this inactive and irksome duty few 
 events of historical interest could transpire. 
 Commodore Conner, however, made two 
 unsuccessful attempts to capture the port 
 of Alvarado and the vessels of the enemy 
 lying in that harbor ; the former on the 
 7th of August and the latter on the 15th 
 of October, 1846. The failure on both 
 occasions was owing to the want of ves- 
 sels of light draught, and to the stormy 
 weather. 
 
 On the 14th, Commodore Conner ap- 
 peared off Tampico, and the town capitu- 
 lated unconditionally without resistance. 
 Three fine gun-boats, and other public 
 property, fell into the hands of the captors. 
 The enemy anticipating an attack, had 
 withdrawn the garrison, removed the guns, 
 and destroyed his munitions of war. The 
 success of the enterprise has proved to be 
 of great importance, and Mexico lost one 
 of her most considerable ports on the Gulf. 
 During the season of these operations the 
 brig Truxton was wrecked on the Tuspan 
 Bar, between Tampico and Vera Cruz. 
 Her officers and crew became prisoners 
 to the Mexicans. No general cartel had 
 at that time been established between the 
 two governments to regulate the exchange 
 of prisoners during the existing war. A 
 
 proposition of the Mexican government to 
 exchange Gen. Vega and the officers who 
 accompanied him prisoners of war in the 
 United States, was acceded to, and the ex- 
 change carried into elfcct. 
 
 On the 16th October, Commodore M. 
 C. Perry, with the steamer Mississippi 
 and the small vessels, left the squadron at 
 Lizardo, and sailed for Tobasco. On the 
 2 )d he arrived off the bar. The Commo- 
 dore placing himself on the " Vixen," 
 leaving the " Mississippi" in command of 
 Commodore Adams, at anchor outside, and 
 taking in tow the "Berita" and "For- 
 ward," with the barges containing a de- 
 tachment under command of Capt. For- 
 rest, he crossed the bar, the " Nonata" 
 following under sail. The Vixen with 
 this heavy drag, steadily ascended the 
 stream against a tour knot current, and, ar- 
 riving near to Frontiera, the Commodore 
 discovered two steamers firing up, doubt- 
 less in hopes of escape ; but our vessels 
 were too close upon them. Casting off 
 her tow, the Vixen proceeded ahead, fol- 
 lowed by the other vessels and barges, and 
 at once the town, the steamers, and all the 
 vessels in port, were in possession of our 
 fleet, excepting the schooner " Amada," 
 which vessel, attempting to escape up the 
 river, was pursued by Lieut. Commandant 
 Benham, in the "Berita," and captured. 
 
 In order to reach Tobasco, a city 74 
 miles up the river in the interior of a set- 
 tled country, before they would have time 
 for increasing their defences, the detach- 
 ment under Captain Forest was placed on 
 board the largest of the captured steamers, 
 the "Petrita," and she, with the "Nonata," 
 the " Forward," and the barges in tow, 
 and the " Vixen," with " Berita," left 
 Frontera at half past nine the next morn- 
 ing. Lieutenant Walsh being left in com- 
 mand of the place. 
 
 They arrived at nine the next morning 
 in sight of Fort Accachappa, intended to 
 command a most difficult pass of the river. 
 On approach, the men employed in pre- 
 paring the guns for service fled, and the 
 fleet passed it unmolested : but Com. Per- 
 ry was careful to cause the guns to be 
 spiked. 
 
 Anticipating serious resistance at this 
 place, arrangements had been made for 
 landing Captain Forrest with a detachment 
 a mile below the fort, to march up and carry 
 it by storm. 
 
 At noon all the vessels anchored in line 
 
LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 63 
 
 of" battle in front of tlie city at half mus 
 ket range, when the Commodore immedi- 
 ately summoned it to surrender; the boats 
 meanwhile being employed securing five 
 merchant vessels found at anchor in the 
 port. 
 
 To his summons, sent by a flag with 
 Captain Forrest, a refusal to capitulate was 
 returned, with an invitation to fire as soon 
 as he pleased. Suspecting that tliis an- 
 swer was given more in biavado than in 
 earnest, and being extremely reluctant to 
 destroy the place, he entertained the hope 
 that a few shots fired over the buildings 
 would cause a surrender. Accordingly 
 he directed the guns of the '• Vixen" alone 
 to be fired, and at the flag-staff, sending an 
 order to all the vessels to avoid, so far as 
 jTOSsible, in case of a general fire, injury 
 to the houses, distinguished by consular 
 flags. 
 
 At the third discharge from the "Vix- 
 en" the flag disappeared from the staff. 
 On seeing it down, Commodore Perry or- 
 dered the firing to cease, and sent Captain 
 Forrest again ashore, to learn whether it 
 had been cut down by his shot or pur- 
 posely struck. The reply was that it 
 had been shot away, and the city would 
 not be surrendered. 
 
 He now directed Captain Forrest, with 
 the force under his command, to land and 
 take a position in the city, commanded by 
 our guns. This movetnent brought on a 
 scattering fire of musketry from various 
 parts of the city, which was returned by 
 the flotilla. 
 
 Perceiving towards evening that the 
 enemy did his fleet but little injury, 
 though openly exposed on the decks of the 
 small vessels, and their balls passing 
 through our slight bulwarks, and appre- 
 hending, from the proverbial heedlessness 
 of sailors, that should they and tb,e marines 
 be attacked in the narrow streets after 
 dark, they would be cut off by sharp 
 shooters from the houses, Commodore 
 Perry ordered the detachment to be re- 
 embarked. 
 
 In this position the vessels remained all 
 night, the crew lying at their quarters 
 ready to return the Cire of the artillery of 
 the enemy, which it was supposed they 
 would have had the courage to have 
 brought down, under cover of the night, 
 to the openings of the streets opposite to 
 our vessels ; but they left them undis- 
 turbed. <i.| 
 ■ ■ // 
 
 Learning that the merchants and other 
 citizens of the city were desirous that a 
 capitulation should be made, but were 
 overruled by the governor (who, regard- 
 less of consequences, and secure himself 
 against attack, was content that the city 
 should be destroyed rather than sur- 
 render), he determined, from motives of 
 humanity, not to fire again, but to pass 
 down to Frontera with his prizes. 
 
 In the morning the fire was re-com- 
 menced from the shore, and was neces- 
 sarily returned, but with renewed orders 
 to regard the consular houses, so far as 
 they could be distinguished. In the midst 
 of the fire a flag of truce was displayed on 
 shore ; on perceiving which, the commo- 
 dore caused the firing again to cea.^e, and 
 Captain Forrest was sent to meet its 
 bearer, who submitted a written commu- 
 nication, bearing the earnest request of the 
 foreign merchants not to involve them in 
 ruin by destroying the town.' He hu- 
 manely determined to hoist a white flag, 
 and directed the prizes to drop down the 
 stream, intending to follow with the flotilla ; 
 but, in violation of the understanding im- 
 plied in the before mentioned correspond- 
 ence, the enemy, discovering that one of 
 the prizes had drifted ashore in front of 
 the city, collected a large force within 
 and behind the houses in the vicinity, and 
 commenced a furious fire upon her. 
 Lieutenant Parker, in command of the 
 prize, defended her in the most gallant 
 manner, and ultimately succeeded hi get- 
 ting her again afloat, having one of her 
 men killed and two wounded. 
 
 On perceiving the attack upon the 
 prizes. Commodore Perry re-opened upon 
 the city, which again silenced their fire. 
 He then proceeded with the flotilla and 
 prizes down the river. 
 
 The flat arrived safely at Frontera on 
 the evening of the 23th, the " Vixen" hav- 
 ing towed down the river five vessels and 
 several barges. 
 
 From Frontera he despatched his prizes 
 to Vera Cruz, and after destroying all the 
 vessels and craft found in the river, of too 
 little value to be manned, he proceeded on 
 the 31st to rejoin Commodore Conner, 
 leaving the " JVlcLane" and " Forward" 
 at anchor opposite Frontera, to continue 
 the blockade of the river, and to afford 
 protection and shelter to the neutral mer- 
 chants, residents of the place, wiio pro- 
 fessed themselves in apprehension of vio- 
 
64 
 
 LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR. 
 
 lence from the Mexican soldiery should 
 they be left unprotected. 
 
 The objects of the expedition were fully 
 accomplished, and by the capture or de- 
 struction of every vessel and steamer of 
 the enemy in tliat important river (To- 
 basco), a check was given to commerce, 
 by which munitions of war were intro- 
 duced into Mexico from Yuctan. 
 
 In November, General Scott received 
 orders to repair to Vera Cruz to capture 
 that city and march for the Halls of the 
 Montezumas. In obedience to this order 
 General Scott arrived at the Rio Grande 
 on the 1st of January, on the 9th of March 
 landed off the island of Sacrificios about 
 four miles soutli of Vera Cruz with 11,- 
 000 men, and on the 13th completed 
 an investment of the City of Vera Cruz. 
 On the 22d the city refusing to surren- 
 der — his batteries opened a destructive 
 fire, causing a breach in the walls. On 
 the 26th the city proposed a surrender, 
 and on the following day the city and cas- 
 tle surrendered, and on the 29th the Ame- 
 rican flag floated triumphantly over from 
 their walls. Thus within twenty days 
 the American army of about 11,000, com- 
 manded by Major General Scott, in co- 
 operation with the squadron commanded 
 by Commodore Conner and Perry, com- 
 pleted the subjugation of one of the strong- 
 est fortifications in America, with the 
 trifling loss of 15 killed and 50 wounded. 
 The loss of the Mexicans in killed and 
 wounded supposed to be 1,000 and 4,000 
 prisoners, including several generals and 
 oLher officers of rank. 
 
 After the surrender. General Worth 
 was appointed governor of Vera Cruz, and 
 occupied it with a part of his brigade. 
 He forthwith entered upon the duties of 
 his office, and commenced establishing a 
 strict police, and repressing every tendency 
 to disorder. The port was soon opened to 
 the commerce of the whole world, and a 
 tariff of duties published. 
 
 Simultaneous expeditions by sea and by 
 land set out on the 30tli for the capture of 
 Alvarado; the latter under General Quit- 
 man: the former under Commodore Perry 
 — who dispatched Lieutenant Hunter in 
 advance with the Scourge a small steamer 
 to blockade the port. He arrived off the 
 bar on the afternoon of that day, and im- 
 mediately opened a fire on the forts with 
 round shot and shell, but stood off for the 
 
 night. The next morning, he again opened 
 a fire, v.iien tiie fort surrendered: after 
 having fired the government vessels, spiked 
 a portion of the guns and buried others iu 
 the sand. 
 
 Lieutenant Hunter garrisoned the fort, 
 which had just been evacuated by nearly 
 400 troops, witli five midshipmen, and 
 proceeded up the river and succeeded in 
 capturing four schooners. At 2 o'clock 
 the next morning he anchored off Fla-eo- 
 Palpam a city of 7000 inhabitants, and 
 obtained an immediate surrender of the 
 town. The next day, April 2d, Commo- 
 dore Perry with thirteen vessels stood ofi' 
 Alvarado for the purpose of capturing 
 Alvarado, when to his surprise he was 
 met by the dispatch of Lieutenant Hunter 
 announcing the surrender of the place. 
 Lieutenant Hunter for his disobedience of 
 orders, was placed under arrest, tried by 
 a Court Martial, and sentenced to be repri- 
 manded and dismissed from the squadron. 
 
 Scott lost no time in moving forward 
 toward the City of Mexico, and the ad- 
 vance of General Twiggs, fifteen miles 
 this side of Jalapa, met the enemy com- 
 posed of 12,000 men under Santa Anna, 
 and on the 17th and 18th of April fought 
 the battle of Cerro Gordo, in which the 
 entire Mexican army was routed ; 3000 
 of them having been taken prisoners, with 
 4000 stand of arms and 43 pieces of artil- 
 lery. The American force engaged in 
 this battle was 8,500 : loss commisioned 
 olRcers killed 3, wounded 30 ; rank and 
 file killed 00, wounded 337. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 It has been the design of this work to 
 illustrate the Life of General Taylor, and 
 give a history of that portion of the Mexi- 
 can war more immediately connected 
 with the operations of his command. We 
 have thus embraced a faitiiful record of 
 the important events of the war in North- 
 ern Mexico, with but a bare mention of 
 subsequent events, which have been re- 
 served for a separate work, illustrating the 
 Life of General Scott, the operations of 
 the army under his command, the taking 
 of the city and castle of Vera Cruz, the 
 battle of Cerro Gordo, the future capture 
 of " the Halls of the Montezumas," and 
 probably the conclusion of the Mexican 
 war. 
 
 W46 
 
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