Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/326

320 said the reason of their repulse was in not having ladders to climb up, and get into the windows of the barricaded house; and seeing that there was no earthly hope of taking this barricaded house, fell back in good order one square for protection, and to save themselves from being shot down like dogs. He spoke highly of his detachment.

Word now comes from Capt. Small's party of fifty picked men, saying that they are at work piercing their way through the deserted stone houses, so as to get in the rear of the enemy's battery, and then charge upon the enemy by surprise; that is, provided the enemy don't stop them before they get through, but there is no fear on our side of the house, for the Captain is a fighting man, and all his men are fighting soldiers, and have expressed a determination to capture the breastworks, if possible.

At 6 o'clock,, Col. Black went to the headquarters and told the balance of the soldiers off duty, that he wanted them all to build a breastwork across some street. After a little murmuring, they went to work. During all this time the enemy opened a fearful fire on those working on the breastwork; but, as far as I hear, they have done very little damage, except wounding one man.

We now see a large body of lancers near our picket posts, forming, and moving some of their bales of cotton, so as to give them a chance to fire upon our men without injuring themselves; but we on the picket guard opened a volley of musketry, and also the twelve pounder gave them a few solid pills, which had the effect of soon scattering them in all confusion, and fell back out of the reach of our artillery.

Up to this time there is no later news from Capt. Small and his party, but Gov. Childs thinks he is all right.

Fort Loretto and some of our howitzers are keeping up a constant firing on the doomed city, so that the enemy cannot hear our men digging through the walls. The rockets swept through the street, leaving it in one mass of fire. The firing of musketry and cannons, intermingled with the terrific peals