Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/96

90 fire from Gen. Worth's batteries to us. The Mexicans opened on us with determined bravery, and fired in quick succession. The sailors, with the assistance of the volunteers. now opened with a daring and tremendous fire upon Fort Santiago. Every discharge the battery made the earth fairy trembled. The Mexicans took better aim at our battery than they did at Gen. Worth's batteries. Their big guns did a great deal of damage to our battery in bursting open the sand bags, of which it was composed. In our battery No. 5, four sailors were killed outright, and also Midlshipman Shubrick, a young, brave and daring officer. He was killed while mounting upon the breastworks to see what effect his last shot had on the Mexican Fort Santiago. At this moment an eighteen pounder from Fort Santiago took his head off close to his shoulders, and he almost fell upon the very gun that he had just fired off. He was soon picked up and carried to our rear and laid under a tree for the present. We of course did not cease firing, but kept blazing away with more vigor and determination, and made every ball fired tell, until a big breach was made in their forts, and we could plainly see some of their guns dismounted. This has been the hottest day in the art of firing of the present war, and as the boys say, "By golly it was closely contested by both parties." The Mexicans, we must confess, did handle their pieces well, for almost every shot they fired took effect on our sand-bag battery.

This evening the sailors and the officer, who were killed, were buried close by our battery.

To-night the Mexicans ceased firing, and we were not sorry for it. We all feel much fatigued and worn out from constant duty in building batteries and carrying cannon balls to the battery.

Thursday, March 25, 1847.—This morning all of our batteries were in full operation, they opened with terrible effect upon the city, and in fact we could sometimes hear our shells fall in the city and make a tremendous crash. Some of the fine buildings as well as the domes and steeples of churches