Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/464

412 and Churubusco, — victors, too, at Casa de Mata and El Molino, — a sadly diminished band of less than 8,000 effective men, — their communications with the seacoast obstructed or cut off, — they now stood before a hostile city, every house, with its flat roofs and parapets, and every convent, church, and public edifice of which, could be converted into a fortification, containing 200,000 inhabitants, and defended by a frowning castle, by powerful batteries, and an army 25,000 strong. It was, indeed, a last stroke, — but life, death, every thing, depended on the issue!

General Pillow had placed one section of Captain Magruder's battery, inside the extensive range of buildings of which El Molino formed a part, to clear a sandbag breastwork constructed by the enemy, outside the southern wall of the inclosure around Chapultepec, to command the breach made by the siege guns. The mountain howitzers of the voltigeurs, under Lieutenant Reno, were also planted in battery, in rear of the mill, to aid in driving the Mexican light troops from the grove, and from a strong intrenchment extending nearly across its front. These batteries were admirably served, and effected good execution. When the order was given to advance, Lieutenant Colonel Johnstone rushed forward, with one battalion of voltigeurs, on the south side of the main wall, under a brisk ﬁre from the lunette, and sprang through the breach. Deploying at a run, they drove the enemy from the parapet before the rear companies were in line. Meanwhile Colonel Andrews and Major Caldwell had passed through a narrow gateway, opening from the rear of the mill, with the remaining battalion of the voltigeurs, and advanced on the left of Lieutenant Colonel Johnstone's command. Darling from tree to tree, covered by the bolls of the