Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/416

364. The contest was brief but bloody. In the short space of seventeen minutes the work was carried. Major Dimmick drove back the cavalry by a vigorous charge, and at the same moment the brigade of Colonel Riley leaped over the breastworks, sweeping the enemy before them with ﬁxed bayonets, and taking possession of their loaded guns. Captain Drum, of the 4th artillery, was the ﬁrst to discover, among the pieces in the camp, the two guns captured from another company of his regiment at the battle of Buena Vista. As the word was passed, the officers and soldiers of the 4th artillery gathered around the trophies, and rent the air with their shouts and cheers.

The road to San Angel was now blocked up with a crowd of fugitives hastening from the Scene of their disaster, and General Shields promptly interposed his command to intercept the retreat. Many were killed by the fire of the guns from the camp, which were turned upon them as they fled; General Valencia and a considerable portion of his troops escaped towards the mountains; and large numbers were taken prisoners. Twenty-two pieces of artillery, — seven hundred pack mules and many horses, and great quantities of shells, ammunition, and small arms, were captured. Seven hundred of the enemy were killed, one thousand wounded, and eight hundred, including four general officers, taken prisoners. The Americans lost but sixty, killed and wounded, in the assault.

General Scott had directed General Worth to leave one of his brigades to mask the position at San Antonio, and to join him with the other early in the morning