Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/554

496 rushed upon them, when they fell back to a hedge of Chaparral, which, in an instant, swarmed with the enemy, estimated to have been from three to four hundred strong. Captain Wafford charged through their line, and then cut his way back. Still, his men were rapidly falling, and must have been completely cut off, had not Lieutenant Colonel Biscoe arrived in time to rescue the party. After he came up with the remainder of his force, the guerilleros were easily driven from the road. In this affair, Lieutenant Henderson, of the Louisiana cavalry, was killed, with four men of the command, and there were twenty wounded.

General Lane, — not inappropriately styled, by his brother officers and soldiers, "the Marion of the army," — set out from the city of Mexico, on the 17th of February, on another secret expedition, with the same command that accompanied him to Tehuacan and Orizaba, in January. Advancing, with the utmost speed, over rough and difficult roads, and along miserable trails, and making frequent rapid night marches, he arrived at Tulancingo, the residence of Paredes, early in the morning of the 21st instant. Paredes was fortunate enough to make his escape a few moments before his house was surrounded. Having rested his men at Tulancingo during the day, General Lane resumed his march on the 22nd, and reached Tehualtaplan, where, as he learned, there were about 1,000 Mexican lancers and guerilleros, under Colonel Montano and Padre Jarauta, at sunrise on the 23rd.

As the Americans entered the town the escopeta balls came whistling about their heads from nearly every house. Headed by General Lane, Colonel Hays and Major Polk, the rangers and dragoons dashed upon the enemy, fighting their way, hand-to-hand, into