Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/477

Rh begin the assault as soon as he heard firing on his right. Wall's field-battery and the cavalry were to be held in reserve on the national road, out of view and range of the enemy's guns.

At daybreak on the 18th the guns on the Atalaya opened fire on the higher height of Cerro Gordo. Harney, who occupied the summit with the rifle regiment, the 1st artillery, and 7th infantry, immediately organized an attack. Sending the rifles to the left, down the ravine, he drew up the 3d and 7th regiments for a direct assault in front. This force was supported by the artillery regiment. The fortification on Cerro Gordo was surrounded by an abatis of thorny brushwood, extremely embarrassing to a storming party. Harney, observing that a large force was moving on his left to the support of Cerro Gordo, immediately gave the order for the storming column to advance. The first obstacle encountered was a breastwork of stone, at which the Mexicans made so obstinate a stand that bayonets were crossed. Driven from this position, the defenders again attempted to repel the enemy at a line of defences immediately below the main fortification. But their efforts were vain. The plunging fire of the artillery and the heavy volleys of musketry — delivered by inexperienced hands — passed over the heads of the assailants, who, though breathless, with a wild rush upward, burst through the abatis and forced their way into the fort.

Meanwhile Twiggs had been moving forward the other portion of his division under a heavy fire from Cerro Gordo, till Riley's brigade, which consisted of the 2d and 3d infantry, the 4th artillery, and a portion of the 1st artillery, following the guidance of the engineers, arrived in rear of Cerro Gordo. Orders were now issued to assault that height in reverse, and with similar success the assailants gained the