Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-08-04
AnecdOte of CcTrO GOrdo...COlO-
mel Harvey.

AnecOOte OIL CCTrO GOrilO...COlO.
mel Harvey.
The following y,.se de guerre gives us L
understand that Col. Harvey is quite a.
fertile in expedient, when need be, as Dol.
in action. g
With the Rifles portion Of the LIST Ar,
tillery, and one company of the 7th in
fantry, this dashing officer had in thu
morning driven the Mexicans from two
hills which were overlooked by thei,
strong work on Cerro Gordo, but which
were still! important. This had been eff.
fected with great loss, and SO many had
been detailed to carry off the wounded
and take cara cf The dead, that in the al.
ternoon the Colonel found himself with
but a mere handful Of men, to protect and
sustain the position he had won with Sc
much difficulty. About two o'clock in
the afternoon the Mexicans made de-
monstration, as il TO retake the heights.
Happening to be in velley directly be-
tween Col. Harvey and Cerro Gordo,
whittier few Of us had gone, under COW
er Of the trees and brushwood, to obtain
good view of the Mexicans on the latter
hill, we had a most excellent opportunity
of seeing the whole movement. A furi-
Gus clang of;ITaaz@rets first announced thai
the enemy was in motion, and soon we
could see long line Of infantry marching
down the steep side, and making direct
ly for the height occupied by Col. Har-
ney and his small and gallant band. With
such tremendous fury did the trumpeters
blow their instruments, that one unused
to them would have thought that they
alone were sufficient TO drive every Yam
kee completely from the heroic and sacred
soil of Mexico. Onward still they came,
and onward; louder came the blasts from
the trumpets, doubtless to give themselves
courage, as they neared the spot where
they knew they would meet war to the
death. The position was all-important to
them, and host was on the way to attack
it. Soon they reached spot almost with
in musket range, and while they had halt
ed moment to form, recover their wind,
and collect and strengthen their nerves
for the coming struggle, Col Harvey In :
proved the occasion TO play off regular
trick upon them. His men were partial
ly concealed behind the brow of the hill,
yet be himself WIS in plain view of the
hostile host; and now he commenced a
harangue which would have served for an
army of 10000 men, appointed every way
with cannon, with cavalry, with mortars,
and with all the appliances Of war
Don't shoot ye,!'' shouted he to his lit.
tie hand, and his lungs are none of the
weakest; "wait till they come closer, and
then give them h-ll! Don't draw trig-
ger, tell you-double charge those can.
ons, there, with grape and canister, and
wait till give the word. don't wan,
one OF them ever 10 get back alive!' In
this strain he went on interlading his bat
tie speech, with few more ofthe strong
est adiectives than l care about repeating
The effect was glorious. Not word Of
the hsrangue, which might have been
heard mile, was lost upon the Mexicans
not quarter of that distance Off; and as
some of them understood English, and a,
once interpreted the speech, especially
about double loading the canon with grape
and canister, to the commanding officer
he very prudently wheeled his men and
marched back the way he came without
firing a gun! 1t is needles to say tina,
Col. Harvey had nothing in the shape q
cannon with hint was the strongest
kind of "b!utF game" he was playing
and the sequel shows tina, he won it.