Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-06-16
Battle scenes.


Rifles, graduate of West Point, written to o
relative. 1t is inst such bright and brave fell
lows as the writer of this letter who set the
world agog at fighting:
I" Iproceed to tell you of the part | played in
the Battle of Cerro Gordo. God deliver me
from ever being in such another fight! In my
last letter from Vera Cruz ] stated that / had
been left behind my division I'D of General
Twiggss) SICK but that | was about to rejoin
it at Jalapa. Who can calculate on the flu
ture? The next news from the army was that
Santa Anna, with an army of sixteen thousand
men, was strongly entrenched in mountain
pass between us and Jalapa, at Cerro Gordo,
the name OF the principal height and key point
of his position-a perfect Mexican Gibraltar, a
mountain height of eight hundred feet or more,
surmounted by eight pieces Of cannon, leigh
teen and sx-pounders,) which completely COM
manded the neighboring ground aud approach
es and furthermore, strengthened by two
breastworks of stone wood, and brush, which
completely girt about the summit upon which
we stood a small town, from which whaved
proudly the flag of Mexico. BY Fastening on,
and travelling by night as well as day, arrived
just as the ball opened. The peak of Orizaba
in the distance looked down pom the battle
like some huge presiding and avenging Indian
deity. The Mexicans, drawn up in columns to
the amount of six thousand on the summit, with
colors displayed, wild and martial music sound
ing, and Santa Anna, upon a milk-white steed
and surrounded by a brilliant staff, riding along
the lines encouraging his men, presented sight
at once imposing and beautiful. twas destined
shortly to be grand and terrific. On the right
of our position I'D division of regulars, to whom
the whole honor of this great and glorious vic
tory is due) was a second height, commanded
almost entirely by that of Cerro Gordo, and oc
cupied ty a large force of Mexicans. 1t was
necessary that this height should be taken, pre-
paratory to the grand assault. This work was
gallantly executed by the rifles, lst artillery,
and one company of the 7th infantry. Many
of our men, carried away by natural lmpetuosI-
ty, and many others misunderstanding orders,
after having driven the enemy from the first
hill, advanced even to the base of Cerro Gordo.
That night, when we rested upon the first hill,
under comparative cover of IT'S crest, surrounded
by dead and wounded Mex!cans, many brave
cotnrade was missed who was expiating the sin
of having been brave even to rashness.
81 was too late to join my regiment on the
first day, but attached myself to company of.
the 9TH infantry, which held an exposed stua-.
ton, and had the extreme felicity of being fir:
ed at all day without the pleasure of returnin,
it. That night rejoined my company, under
Capt. Mason, and next morning the ball re-
opened with great eclat, the enemy having wax.
ened Us during the night Only thrice by pleas
ant messengers in the shape of cannon balls.
In the morning we 1.-THE rities) were Obliged for
two mortal hours to stand an artillery fire of
ball, grape, and canister, under very imperfect
shelter, before the command forward to storm
the height was given. 1t was here that poor
G,a fol nd y-ho
by the BY. is doing well, lost his leg. Lieut..
Davis was killed in the very spot where | had
been lying few minutes before: and afterwards
when arose to obey the order forward, Il sold
Ter was discovered about six feet above me, on
the side of the hill, who had been killed so dead
by grape shot that had passed through his
stomach that be had not apparently moved from
his recumbent posture, and had died so sudden
ly that those around were ignorant of the fact
of his having been struck. The rifles were
ordered to take up position in the ravine, and
to hold In check body of Mexicans advancing
to reinforce Ccrro Gordo, and the other three
regiments of the brigade to storm the height.
[ myself heard only the order forward, cOnse-
quently went ahead with tie main column, and
was fortunate enough to be among the first
over the breastWorks of the enemy, whom | re-
venged myself upon turning upon him a six
FOUNDER, one of his own guns, and paying HIM
back with interest in his own leaden and iron
coin.
81 The storming of Cerro Gordo was mag
nifCent spectacle, as well as one of the most
brilliant, if not most brilliant feat ever accom-
plished by American arms. The mountain was
so steep, and the men so exhausted by previous
efforts, that it became a cool deliberate thing.
There was no rush; our gallant soldiers adj
vanced calmy and slowly, amidst leaden hurri-
canes which increasingly swept over them: bat
teries in the rear played upon them: but there
was no pause, no hesitatIon--on they WENT
Their minds were made up to conquer or die.
On they went, gradually conver ing to the
summit, which blazed forth like volcano, till
finally our deadly fire opened upon the foe, his
breastwork became ours also, and utmost sim
the different regiihen,s engaged in
the storm entered, and their standards trium-
phaatiy waved in place OF La Bandera de Mex
ico.' What a glorious feeling of citation took
possession of my sou! at that moment. can
not describe it. OF the wounded, dead, and
dying we will not speak. | have seen Death
robed in all his CHASTITY terrors, and feel that |
am becoming Indifferent to the sutierings of my
fellows; my profession demands it. TIE dry
grass upon the hill took fire at one tlhc, and
many dead and some wounded were burnt up,
or rather roasted. Our regiment suffered ter
ribly; the proportion of killed and wounded a
mong the officers was more. than one out of
three. eight officers being killed and wounded
where fourteen were unframed; among the
men the proportion was one out Of five. Pref
ty hot work such as do not care about being
engaged in again in hurry. At one time, |
assure you, such was the noise of balls passing
over my head that was unconscious of any
other sound, though regiments at the time were
rolling forth their fire. What magnificent
and terrible tune was played In those noun
tains, which acted like some huge sounding
board, and prolonged and rolled away into dis
lance the noise of the battle
81 have only pretended to give you an account
Of that portion of the hattie in which was en-
gagged. We, however, won the day.
81 go with our division, 80 soon as it moves,
to see Puebla, Mexico, and other sights. If
these cursed Mexcans did not shoot at one so
hard, Mexico would be a delightful country to t
in Nhot I xrbo weeks was