The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-10-24
TIIT0GTII5 5HFoI ID, No l4..3 Whole No, ASP +


remained in this position about two hours.
directly under the fire of the enemy's guns
| tnow twol The balls fell directly in their
midst all this time without woundng n man!
To begin with, the Mexicans manage their
artillery in battery as well ms the Americans
do-this believe is now conceded by every
officer. At halfpast ten, tile column moved
towards the Generals position At this time,
Capt Nc Kavett, ofthe 9th Infantry, was shot
through the heart by nine pound ball, md
private ofthe 9Th Infantry was so severely
wounded i'm the thigh,that he died the next
morning. About fifty Mexieaus now appear
ed upon the hill side, over the moving column,
and fred ar our troops some hundred musket
shot, without doing any harm. The Division
deployed into the positions pointed out, and
remained an horror two, when Capt. u. L.
Smith, of the Artillery Battalion, with two
compaIes, his own aud Capt SCOTS and four
companies of Texan Rangers on foot, were
ordered TO storm the second height. This
fhe gallant officer cheerlully undertook, and
was followed with enthusiasm by the officers
and men ofhis command. Ii was considered
on all sides 10 be n most dangerous underta-
king and this party was considered most em-
phatically forlorn hope. That the height
would be taken, no one doubted, but thar
many brave fellows would fall in tile attempt,
seemed inevitable. The distance TO be climb
ed after reaching the foot ofthe hill,was about
a quarter ola mile; part ofthe way almost
perpendicular and through thorn bushes and
over sharp pointed rocks ard loose sliding
stones. ' i. ..I raH
The 9TH Infantry, commanded by Capt.
Miles, was ordered 10 support Capt. Smiths
party, and nv ma rchmg directly TO tie foot
of the height, arrived before Capt. Smith,
who had been ordered 10 take circuitous
route. Capt Miles sent up Lieut. CAN'T with
a detachment of men, upon the hill side. 10
divert the attic ntioh ofihe enemy from Capt.
Smiths command, which could not yer lie
seen. TIE 9TH hadalready sustained heav-
V fire of grape and round shot, az they forded
the San Juan, which winds around the fUot of
the height, which fell like n shower OF hail in
their ranks, without killing man. Lieut..
Gantt's party were greeted with grape and
round shot, which cht the shrubs aud tore up
the loose stones in the ranks, without killing
any one; hut the gallant young officer came
within an inch Of being killed by cannon
ball, which rnSed down the steep mud filled
his face with fragments of rock, dust and
gravel. This fire was accompanied by n con-
slant discharge of musketry, the enemy COW
cring the upper part of the hill side, hut the
continued to move up,drving the
MeXicans bnrk, until they We're recalled
Capt. Smiths parry now arrived aud moved
up the hill the Rangers in advance, ard, did
not halt for an instant until the MeNcnns
were driven from the summit. Whilst this
was going on, Col. Persiier f. Smith, who
commanded the 9TH and 9Th infaniry--ihe 9Th
with BIancIIards Louisiana boys, under Maj.
Martin Scott. had been ordered Ia support tho
orders for these commands 10
pass around on each side and storm the fort
which was situated about haIfa mile back of
lie summit on the same ridge,and command
I'd Bishops Palace. Such foot race asnow
.nsued has seldom If ever heen seen; the
Louisiana hoys making the tallest Kind of
strides 10 he in with the foremost Capt
Smith hnd the gun which he took upon the
height, run down toward the hrenstwork ard
ircd into it. Then came Col. p. +. Smiths
men, with perfect rush, firing and cheering
the 9th and III, and Lousianians reaching
he ridge above nearly at the same time
The Mexicans fredatthem with grape; but
! did not save them, or cause an instanrs
in our ranks Our men run and
red, and cheered, until they reached the
work, the foremost entering at one end,whilSt
he MeXioans, about 1000 in number, left the
Their in retreat. The colors OF The 5lh In
intry were Instantly raised. and scarcely
we're they up before those of The 7thwerc
,ng side. " Theihree commands entered tho
Drt together. so close was the race---the 9th
owever getting an advance in first. ]. W.
Iller, of Blanchnris company, was among
ne first four or five who entered The three
oinmands may he said TO have come out G.
EN- in the race, for the 7th was not five Sec
nds behind. In less than five minutes, the
nm found in the fort was Numbering away at
lc Bishops Palace! More ammunition was
,und than opr troops will use with The three
uns thatwcre captured. H... ~ a-ur.I
Yesterday morning the whole.Division IN
er Gen. Worth entered the town on this
de, and lave been fighting there ever since.
he heart ofthe city is nothing but one forth
cation, the thick walls being pierced for Illus
cts, and cannon being placed SO as 10 rake
he principal Streets The roofs being fiat,
nd the front walls rising three or four feet a.
oVe the roof Ofconrse every street has line
breastlvorlts3 on each side. A ten inch
ortar came around from Gen. Taylor last
'ening, and il is now placed in the largest
aza, 10 which our troops have fought, step
Y step, and from house 10 house. Duncan's
ltteries are in town, 6ndthe presentinIpres-
on is that the place will soon he taken. Gen.
1orth has gained allthe strong holds thar
,nimand the city, and has pushed the enc
" as far as they can go, without falling into
en-. Taylor's hands on the other side of Tho
ty. An this has been done with the loss
only about seventy killed and wounded
he achievements a glorious one, sufficient
so to satisfy the ambition amy nnn on
rth,l Twas expecting to see Gen. Worth
shing his men into unnecessary danger, III
der 70 win for them ard himself grent mill
~ fame, but Misconduct has been very diff
rent from this. His great study has been to
i'm tliese commanding points with The least
'ssible sacrifice Of life. AT first it seemed
tally impossible to Storm these fieigh;s---it
oked like ch1rging upon the clouhs--but il