Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/269

Rh immediately began to ascend the heights. Such was his impetuosity that he would not wait for his artillery, which consisted of four field-pieces, and which owing to the extreme ruggedness of the ground had to be dragged up by hand. Perceiving that it could not be brought with the infantry, he led his men at once against the first insurgent battery, consisting of four guns, and guarded by a strong body of the enemy. Rash as was the deed, he was so ably supported by his troops that he drove the insurgents from their position and captured their guns. Pursuing his advantage, as soon as his artillery arrived, he succeeded in dislodging the revolutionists from the minor batteries on the right of their main position, compelling them to fall back upon their centre.

Meanwhile Calleja advanced with the rest of the army toward the bridge, supporting Flon's movements with the fire of his advance guns, and sending him a reënforcement of pioneers of the grenadiers of la Columna. When Calleja arrived near the bridge, and could survey the whole position of the enemy, he recognized the danger of attempting an assault by that direction, and, wheeling to the right, occupied with four cannon and a considerable portion of his troops a small eminence, from which he opened fire upon the enemy's nearest left battery. At the same time he sent forward on the old road, on the righthand side of the stream, Colonel Empáran with a squadron of dragoons of Spain and the cavalry regiment of San Cárlos, with the object of assailing the enemy in the rear. Colonel Jalon, moreover, was sent to assault a battery of seven guns situated lower down the stream.

While these movements were being made by Calleja, Flon, urged by his uncontrollable desire to win the glory of the day, exceeded his instructions, and