Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/124

106 followed by a terrible cannonade, much more severe than any which had preceded it. At night the garrison slept on their arms, in readiness for the anticipated attack. During the whole of the following day they were on the alert. A severe cannonading was constantly kept up by the enemy, and assaulting parties were several times formed, though as often dispersed by a few rounds of canister and grape ﬁred from the fort. In the evening Captain Mansﬁeld sallied out with a party, and levelled the traverse and some clumps of chaparral, which had sheltered the sharp-shooters, whose ﬁre had been quite annoying to the Americans. At midnight the garrison was aroused by volleys of musketry and bugle calls, which continued until near daylight. An assault was conﬁdently anticipated, but the brave defenders of the fort were happily disappointed.

At dawn of day on the 8th, the ﬁring was renewed, and continued with very little intermission, until two o'clock in the afternoon. The forces of the enemy did not appear to be as numerous as they had been, and when this was discovered, the hopes of the garrison began to revive. Wearied and worn outwith the constant watching, the labor and fatigue of the last six days, they lay down to rest themselves upon the ramparts which had witnessed their long and anxious vigils. Their ammunition was reduced so low, that they had been ordered to refrain from ﬁring, unless the enemy approached within eighty yards of the fort. This, of itself, would have discouraged men who were not