Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/318

312 To-night there was some sharp shooting at one another; the Mexicans seemed to have me singled out, no doubt for wounding one of their gods the other day. The way the bullets flew was a caution; they flew around my head and bouncing on the pavement like so many hailstones, only a little more noisily; and one bullet went through the top of my cap, cutting away a part of my beautiful and well-adorned top-knot hair. Thus, the enemy succeeded in cutting a lock and one-half of my top-knot off; for this compliment I am indebted to the Mexicans, as it will save me the trouble of carrying out the celebrated hair order of Gov. Childs; fortunately I was not wounded.

Thursday, September 30, 1847.—This morning, before daylight, it was rumored that Gen. Santa Anna was busy in building breastworks and planting a battery, for the purpose of playing on our quarters, San Jose. Sure enough, when the day began to break, we could plainly see the Mexicans building a breastwork and battery near the church, right opposite our quarters; their guns are bearing towards our Quartel, San Jose; these guns looking us in the face caused a little excitement among our men, fearing that Gen. Santa Anna, in place of charging upon our quarters, has assumed the plan of Gen. Scott at Vera Cruz—will bombard or shell us out of Puebla.

About 10 o'clock,, the Mexicans opened with a rolling fire in quick succession, with great activity and bravery, throwing grape, canister, and round-shot.

As soon as the enemy commenced firing into our quarters, a battery of several guns were immediately put into a position at the east end of Quartel, San Jose, and with the aid of a brass twelve-pounder, recently brought from Fort Loretto, we replied to their brisk firing. The big sergeant, Orwill, Corp. Francis Casey, and their gunners, leveled and handled their pieces so well that it played havoc among the gallant Mexican battery, making the dust and splinters fly in the air.

The Mexicans had good gunners, for they hit our quarters almost every time they fired, making the boys jump about, the dust and fragments of the falling wall fly in every direction,