Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/198

192 them to flight. The enemy are completely routed, leaving over one hundred wounded Mexicans lying on the victorious field near Las Vegas.

After this was accomplished we were ordered to march back to the National Road, where we met the Second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the command of Lieut.-Col. John W. Geary (Col. Roberts having died at Jalapa). They are now attached to Brig.-Gen. George Cadwalader's division. We heartily cheered one another. We joined and followed them to the brow of a steep hill. Here we again saw more Mexicans. The dragoons, who were with Gen. Cadwalader, dismounted, and Col. Thomas Childs, of the United States Army, took command of them, and followed the Mexicans down the hill to the opposite side of the ravine.

The firing was kept up on both sides very briskly for a while, and never did we see the Mexicans act so bravely and stubborn as they did to-day. They stood right up before you and fought like so many tigers. Our riflemen made nearly every ball tell, and laid many out treso (stiff"). Several of our men were badly wounded. The enemy has now fully retreated; and word was sent for us to fall back to the National Road and proceed on our march.

In this fight we captured several small Mexican flags; one was a guerilla's flag, on which were the words "No Quarters," with a black cross to it, and a skull and cross-bones. This is what we call a highwayman's flag of murder and robbery.

After a little rest we again marched back to Las Vegas with our booty, which consisted of turkeys, chickens, pigeons and many other articles too numerous to mention.

When we arrived in Las Vegas there wasn't a single person to be found in the whole town. No doubt they heard of the defeat of the Mexicans, which frightened them, and for fear of being harmed they fled to other parts less hot. We noticed that the Mexicans had the upper part of the town well fortified for an attack on our army, or on our trains from Vera Cruz; to rob, plunder and murder our rear guards, or those