Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-09-01

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ter exertons. Each moment our fire SCENE,
to grow more and more destructive. AT length
the head of the Mexican column began to fal
back not by retreating, but by being shot away
Others pressed on to supply the places Of thu
I fallen !. but they, too. went down. Finding i
utterly impossible, notwithstanding all were ad
vancing. to gain even rod of ground agains
such tempest, the whole column finally falterc.
a moment then gave way. ant.p in confusion re-
treated to the cover of the deep ravine. No
till then did our fire slacken. The smoke
which had enveloped the two armies IKE thick
veil, then lifted slowly rp and there was the
field, blue with the uniforms of the dead
HOW THE MIssIsSlPPIANS FOUGHT.
The aspect Of affairs was gow most gloom,
| and our condition, most critical the scale for a
short time appeared to be prepondcratng agains
us. and Victory to be DESERVING our banners ant
wnging her way toward those of the enemy
But the idea Of yielding the day so long as there
was man left to fight, never, Tor a moment
came into the mind of our determined leader
and, in his indomitable resolution TO compel for.
tune to favor our side he was seconded by men
true as the steel they wore, and firm and un.
yielding as the mountains around-thcm.
y
Colonel Davis, as he passed by Gen. Wool
who had now arrived at this part of the ground
was promised support :. an! the General immc'
diately went in person to hasten the third In.
diana Regiment, from the rear of La Angostu.
RAJ to his aid. But still the Mssissippians NOV.
ed onward. A large and deep ravine passed by
their right, while another entered this after com.
ing dagonally across their front from the left
the two embracing between them an inclined
plane, which terminated at point near their
junction Cat this moment but a short distance in
advance o. the regiment. hut. WHICH %as quite
broad, and easy to be gained, at its upper and
farther extremity of the mountains. On this
plane, most of Ampudia's light division was now
moving down, ilanked by cavalry, and supported
ty deserves Of the heavy infantry. The Sd
Indiana Volunteers had not yet had time tc
come up, and it was all important that the enc
my should be checked belo.e he could effect a
passage OF the only ravine which would serious
| ~ retard his course onward to the road. Flush
ed with success, and apparently irresistible in
numbers, he came down like an avalanche. -
Then it was that Davis and his followers sur
passed all thei. former brilliant efforts. They
counted not the odds, they waited for no sup
port; but, thrown rapidly into order Of battle
they pressed forward like Spartans and atho
the air was filed with the sharp kissing of 4
shower of lead, which came hurting on, and cut
tiLI Though their ranks with dreadful effect
stiIl they did not pause unit. they had. brought
the enemy within close range Of their own I'M
erring weapons. Then their little line blazec
forth sheet o., fire. The shock given by it tt
!hs head Of t l4l Sygsm Ntl6re Was ripe giant ran.
before the reaper. Sill the enemy came on
ward over his dead, and still forward pressed
the rfemen, the latter handful, the former {
host At length they paused; the Mississippi
ans on the brink OF the ravine, the Mexican llgh
infantry on the plane beyond, the cavalry havin:
been driven to cover on their left. But Their
was no cessation in the struggle, and Death cor
tnucd to gather in his bloody harvest. 1t wa
not enough for the Mssissippians simply to holt
such Masses at bay; their blood was up, and an
flight of the enemy altn, could satisfy them
Giving one loud yell of defiance which rang OF
The car more like the roar Of angry lions ina
the shout of men, they again rushed iorWard.-
, \ moment, and they were lost to the view G
their antagonists 1t was only moment; bu
in i thy had d., she'd into tie ravine, cI4rrbere
up the opposing wall, and now stood before tn
, Mcx,cans upon their own side. For lew mil
, utcs more the carnage was terrible. AT lengti
, bloody and torn the column Of Ampudia lost II
! seadincss its fire slacl :ened; then all organ
, Aation was gone; its ranks were resolved I'M
, Il confused multitude, which in moment crniI
5 blcd away, the whole fleeing precipita'ely bac
. to the reserves.
s The Mssissippians then turned to the RICH
e to beat up the cover Of what had hecn The fan
; ing cavalry ot this column. They found in a
:, tempting TO cross the ravine on that hand,
>, order to attack them in reverse, few only hi
IS crossed, their comm ,nder among them, bnt In
/, never went back; and those who were pressiI
e down to succeed them, received fire It "
impossible for them TO Withstand. They to
= rave way, and fed back to the point whittier I