Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/524

504 under Pillow, who on noticing that the battle had become serious hastened to the relief before Scott sent him orders. Still intent on his project to follow up the advantage, and flushed with victory, Worth urged Pillow to aid him in carrying the hill fortress; but this officer would not infringe the distinct instructions of his superior. Perhaps he also objected to assist in plucking another laurel for a rival general. Worth had no alternative save to pick up his dead and wounded and fall back on Tacubaya in face of taunting demonstrations from the Mexicans, to whom he thus abandoned the field, and under the boom of the castle artillery which sounded like trumpet-blasts of victory. Indeed, Santa Anna assumed, and not without reason, that the objective point of the enemy was the fortress, and that his opportune arrival frustrated their plans and compelled them to retreat. At all events, he caused to be sounded a peal of triumph from the city bells, and spread throughout the country a glowing account of his achievement.

So ended a battle which takes rank as perhaps the most strongly contested of any during the war, and, proportionately, the bloodiest; for out of the American force of barely 3,500 men, the casualties numbered 787, among which were 116 killed, the officers suffering exceptionally, to the extent of nearly one third of those engaged. The Mexicans also lost