Page:The War with Mexico, Vol 2.djvu/421

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Infantry. C. F. Smith being ill, his battalion was commanded by Captain E. K. Smith, who was mortally wounded. Semmes (Service, 445) says that Cadwalader's brigade and Drum's guns had been added at Worth's request, but Hitchcock (Fifty Years, 296) and Scott's general orders of Sept. 7 show that Scott originally intended to give Worth one of Pillow's brigades. Worth could no doubt have had more light guns, but it was said that projectiles for the heavy guns were so few that it was necessary-to husband them closely. Scott, however, stated (Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 377) that he had plenty of such ammunition. Ripley (op. cit., ii, 461) says that "the nature of the orders [given to Worth] forbade an attack by artillery"; but (1) there is no evidence to prove this; (2) artillery was used on Casa Mata, only not long enough; (8) it was used again later with success (Sen. 65; 30, 1, p. 527; Sen. 1; 30, 1, app., 136). See Stevens, Stevens, 206. Indeed, it seems to have been unnecessary to attack Casa Mata. It could not have held out long after the fall of El Molino. Ripley admits (p. 462) that the battle "was confused," but adds, "storming is always a work of confusion." Here he confounds occurrences with management. The former must involve noise and confusion in such an affair, but the latter should not.

Sumner had one troop of the First Dragoons, six troops of the Second, part of a troop of the Third, and a company of Mounted Rifles. Foster had ten pioneers. Drum had three guns, but one of them was sent out on the road to Mexico, and during the battle one of the others became disabled by the breaking of a priming wire. Semmes — determined, as usual, to defend Worth at all hazards — says that during McIntosh's charge Duncan's battery was called away to repel the Mexican cavalry; but Duncan's report (Sen. 1; 30, 1, app., 186) shows that his guns did not turn against the cavalry until masked by McIntosh's troops. The part of Cadwalader's brigade that moved to the left was the Voltigeurs. After the repulse of Clarke's brigade some of the Voltigeurs went into the ravine and moved toward the rear of Casa Mata. This perhaps helped to force the Mexicans out, and certainly resulted in the capture of many prisoners. Vigorous pursuit of the Mexicans was in general impracticable on account of the character of the ground and the fire from Chapultepec. Finding the engagement far more serious than he had expected, Scott summoned forces from the southern front of the city and from Mixcoac, but these could not arrive soon enough to give material assistance. Jackson's section of Magruder's battery came from Mixcoac in time to contribute a little to the final repulse of the Mexican cavalry. Worth blamed Scott for saying in his report that Pierce's brigade interposed between Garland and the Mexicans, and asserted that it did not arrive until] a considerable time after the battle ended (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1079); and it was felt by others, too, that Scott erred here. But from the 178diary of a man in the Ninth Infantry it seems clear that that regiment — a part of Pierce's brigade — did as Scott stated.

The number of Americans actually engaged was 3251 (Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 369). Our loss was 116 (including nine officers) killed, 665 (including forty-nine officers) wounded, and eighteen privates missing (ibid., 384). We captured 685, including 53 officers. One third of Clarke's brigade, including one half of the officers, were killed or wounded (Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 145). The Fifth Infantry seemed little more than a company after the battle (Hitchcock, Fifty Years, 297).

Santa Anna stated later (Mi Historia, 75) that Iturbe, a wealthy