The War with Mexico, Volume 2 (of 2)Smith, Justin Harvey
History
The War with Mexico, Volume 2 (of 2)
Smith, Justin Harvey
Mexican War, 1846-1848
This entrance to the city had been included in the general scheme of
defence, but on account of its remoteness from pressing danger few
workmen had been employed here; and when Chapultepec fell, it lay
entirely open except for a small parapet without a ditch extending
partly across the highway some 250 yards to the west. General Peña,
however, coming this way from Chapultepec, stopped at the parapet, and
Rangel placed at the garita such troops as he could assemble. Santa
Anna, who displayed on this occasion reckless valor and an almost
fiendish activity, sent three available cannon and brought additional
troops. The roofs of buildings in the vicinity were occupied. A redoubt
with embrasures was hastily erected at the garita, the near arches of
the aqueduct were stopped up with sand-bags, and some guns in the Paseo
were prepared to coöperate.[28.20]
On attempting to advance, therefore, Worth found the highway swept
with bullets, canister, grape and shells. Garland, however, was ordered
to creep forward under the protection of the arches, and endeavor to
reach the south flank of the garita, and Clarke to burrow through the
continuous line of buildings on the other side, and strike the northern
flank. Lieutenant U. S. Grant, who was reported as acquitting himself
at this time "most nobly," waded some ditches with a party of men and a
mountain howitzer, and planted the gun on the roof of a church at the
right; and Lieutenant Raphael Semmes of the navy performed a similar
exploit on the left. Artillery fire compelled Peña, who--reinforced by
Santa Anna with two companies of the Eleventh Infantry--was fighting
gallantly, to leave the parapet; and Hunt, of Duncan's battery, though
he lost more than half his men in dashing 150 yards at full speed,
landed a gun at that point, where he could load in safety and then fire
from the one embrasure.[28.20]
By five o'clock these preparations were complete. On the other
hand Rangel had been severely wounded, and his principal gun, a
24-pound howitzer, had become unserviceable. Suddenly, to his utter
astonishment, Americans appeared on the top of a three-story house
that commanded the interior of his redoubt, and with a single volley
disposed of almost every gunner and artillery mule. Then some of them
hurried down to the front door of the house, burst it open, and rushed
into the redoubt, where they met Americans just arrived by a flanking
movement from the other side of the highway. In a panic the Mexicans
fled, literally sweeping away Santa Anna and a body of troops, who had
come at all speed from Belén to support the position. Many of them
scattered, but with no little difficulty others were conducted to the
citadel. By six o'clock Worth entered Mexico. Near the garita his
forces were safely housed, and by way of "good-night" and good advice,
Huger dropped a few shells in the vicinity of the palace.[28.20]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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