Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/121

Rh works, under the superintendence of the efficient engineer ofﬁcer, Captain Mansﬁeld. But one man was killed in the fort, and none were wounded.

The cannonade in the direction of Matamoras on the 3rd instant was heard at Point Isabel, and General Taylor dispatched Captain Walker, with ten of his rangers, protected by a squadron of cavalry under Captain [May, to communicate with Major Brown. The party set out at two o'clock in the afternoon, and at nine came in sight of the watch ﬁres of the enemy, who were encamped near Palo Alto. Taking a wide circuit, Captain May gained a position in the rear, where he concealed his men in a thicket of Chaparral, while Captain Walker proceeded to the fort. The latter accomplished his errand, and communicated the orders of General Taylor, not to hazard the safety of the fort by a sally, under any circumstances, but to defend it to the last. Having obtained fresh horses, he returned to the place where he had parted with the cavalry escort, but found it deserted. He was then compelled to seek safety in the fort during the day. At night he ventured forth again, and reached the Point unharmed, notwithstanding there were numerous parties on the alert to capture him. His bold and daring feats as a partisan were known to the Mexicans, and they were anxious to get him in their power, but he eluded all their efforts.

Meanwhile Captain May had waited until daylight, and ﬁnding that Captain Walker did not return, he supposed he had been taken by the enemy, and as his own position would soon be an unsafe one, he decided to return. In order to reconnoitre the enemy's position, he passed within half a mile of their camp at a full gallop. When about twelve miles from Point Isabel he