Page:Complete history of the late Mexican war.djvu/98

94 necessarily slow, was unwavering, over rocks, chasms and mines, and under the hottest fire of cannon and musketry.

The enemy were steadily driven from shelter to shelter.—The retreat allowed not time to fire a single mine, without the certainty of blowing up friend and foe. Those, who, at a distance, attempted to apply matches to the long trains were shot down by our men.

There was death below as well as above ground. At length the ditch and wall of the main work were reached; the scaling ladders were brought up and planted by the storming parties; some of the daring spirits first in the assault were cast down—killed or wounded; but a lodgment was soon made; streams of heroes followed; all opposition was overcome, and several of our regimental colors flung out from the upper walls, amidst long-continued shouts and cheers, which sent dismay into the capital. No scene could have been more animating.

General Quitman, supported by Generals Shields and Smith, [P. F.] his other officers and men, was up with the part assigned him. Simultaneously with the movement on the west, he approached the southeast of the same works over a causeway with cuts and batteries, and defended by an army strongly posted outside, to the east of the works. Those formidable obstacles Quitman had to face, with but little shelter for his troops or space for manœuvring. Deep ditches, flanking the causeway, made it difficult to cross on either side into the adjoining meadows, and these again were intersected by other ditches. Smith and his brigade made a sweep to the right, in order to present a front against the enemy's line (outside), and to turn into intervening batteries, near the foot of Chapultepec. This movement was also intended to support