Twenty other guns and more than a thousand prisoners,
including eighty-eight officers and four generals, were likewise
captured, and about fifteen hundred Mexicans killed and wounded. The
American loss in killed, wounded, and missing was about one hundred men.
Barely taking time to breathe his troops, Smith followed in pursuit
toward the city. By ten o'clock in the morning he reached San Angel,
which Santa Anna evacuated as he approached. The General-in-Chief and
the generals of division had by this time relieved Smith of his command.
Scott rode to the front, and in a few brief words told the men there was
more work to be done that day. A loud cheer from the ranks was the
reply. The whole force then advanced to Coyacan, within a mile of
Churubusco, and prepared to assault the place.
Santa Anna considered it the key to the city, and awaited the attack in
perfect confidence with thirty thousand men. The defences were simple.
On the west, in the direction of Coyacan, stood the large stone convent
of San Pablo, which, as well as the wall and breastworks in front, was
filled with infantry, and which contained seven heavy guns. A breastwork
connected San Pablo with the _tête de pont_ over the Churubusco River,
four hundred yards distant. This was the easternmost point of defence,
and formed part of the San Antonio causeway leading to the city. It was
a work constructed with the greatest skill--bastions, curtain, and wet
ditch, everything was complete and perfect--four guns were mounted in
embrasure and barbette, and as many men as the place would hold were
stationed there. The reserves occupied the causeway behind Churubusco.
Independently of his defences, Santa Anna's numbers--nearly five to
one--should have insured the repulse of the assailants.
By eleven--hardly seven hours having elapsed since the Contreras camp
had been stormed, five miles away--Twiggs and Pillow were in motion
toward the San Antonio causeway. Nothing had been heard of Worth, who
had been directed to move along the east side of the Pedregal on San
Antonio, but it was taken for granted he had carried the point, and
Scott wished to cut off the retreat of the garrison. Twiggs was
advancing cautiously toward the convent when a heavy firing was heard in
advance. Supposing that a reconnoitring party had been attacked, he
hastily sent forward the First Artillery, under Dimmick, through a field
of tall corn, to support them. No sooner had they separated from the
main body than a terrific discharge of grape, canister, and musketry
assailed them from the convent. In the teeth of the storm they advanced
to within one hundred yards of that building, and a light battery under
Taylor was brought up on their right, and opened on the convent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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