Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-02-16
OF THE MlSsls-
SIpPI RiFLEMEN.

mined effort to force their way TO the road
at point nearer the plateau. they brought
down from near the mountains opposite
the hacienda. fresh brigade Of cavalry.
covered by infantry in al! i.s passages OF
ra.ines. With this they advanced TO en-
gage the Mississippi rifiemen. the frag-
ment of the ID Indiana volunteers, and the
Sd regiment Of the same. who were still
acting together. and who had near them
one howitzer under Captain Sherman
The p"si'on "f these troops was some
five hundred yards nearer the road than
The point where Col. Dav;s's regiment
was frs. engaged in the morning, but far
iher down the same ravine. AS soon as
this new brigade indicated. by the manner
of its approach, its determination to charge
our riflemen aud infantry, they were RAJ
pidIy formed to receive it. The Missis-
sippi regiment, in line Of battle. extending
across the little plain upon which they
now were their right being near the ra.
vine. their front toward the mountains: the
Indiana t,oops were formed so that their
left rested on the right Of Col. Davis's re-
gimen., their RICH, upon the ravine higher
up, their front being also towards the
mountains but more to the north. In this
way. an ohtuse re-entering angle was pre-.
scented towards the approaching cavalry.
Sherman's howirzer being on the left. The
enemy was formed in close column Of
squadrons. and came down the slope at All
easy-hand gaIlop. His ranks were well
closed, his troopers riding knee to knee,
and dressing handsomely on their guides.
All the flags and pennons were Aging
some fifteen hundred Of them-tl.e men
were in full uniform, and the horses ele-
gantly caparisoned. Every lancer sa,
erect and kept his charger we'll in hand I,
and the whole brigade, preserving exactly
its intervals. and direction OF Its march.
moved forward with the ease and reguari-
ty Of the best drilled troops on field day.
Had the commander of this beautiful bril-
gade desired to win the applause Of both
armies. he could not have put it in better
order. or led his men on with more Of pro-
fessonal style. The tout ensemble Of his
column was most admirable. II had sor,
Of air about tan easy nonchalent manner
Of going into the work-which could MOI
but recall to ones mind his ideal pictures
of the cavalry of the olden days. Those
fine fellows were the chivalry of Mexico.
and, with the exception Of the President's
personal guard-the regiment Of Hussars
they were the most dashing troops the
Republic ever sent to the field. Opposed
to them. were our men on foot-a mere
handful in comparison. and having about
them none of the 'pomp and circumstance,
the glitter. and gold, and feathers. and tas.
sells, Of their antagonists. They stood
calmly and fearlessly still, with their pie.
ces at a carry. But they. too. had an air
one that had mischief IN it. Their ranks
had been thinned out; some of their bes.
men had fallen. There was even fathers
standing there. whose sons had gone down
by their sides-their pet boys, whom they
had reared and brought forth to fight for
their country. And there were sons. too.
whose clnthes had been baptised by their
fathers blood. not vet dry. Brothers.
who had stood shoulder 10 shoulder in the
morning, stood SO no more but while one
lay stark and moionless upon the earth.
the other was near by to avenge him -
There were nei ghbors, too. and friends.
who had grown up together in school boy
days. They were not yet separa,ed.-
The survivors stood there. while those
who had borne all these tender relations ,o
Them were strown. dead or dying, on eve.
ry hand. Yet all in sight they lay-the
familiar forms and faces to whom they hat
been deeply attached, and whom they
called by their first names from their ir,'
fancy. 1t cannot be wondered, tina, these
men stood firm.
1t was sublime, terrible sight. The
troops "n both sides were SO cool and de-
'eTm'ned. that all knew the struggle mus
hesang"inary and desperate in the extreme
Not word was spoken: the din Of tn,
surrounding battle seemed for momen
hushed; The rumbling sound of the earth
as the brigade swept onward like a living
!hnnderbnI,, appeared to be the only audi
BILE manifestation of the approaching car
mage As The Mexicans came nearer, the,
evidently INDUCED the belief that the,
could draw the fire of our men before i
could he very destructive; and that Their
while the pieces were empty, they couI.
overwhelm the slight barrier before them
and finish their work with the lance. Blu
finding. on the contrary. tina, not piec.
was discharged. nor man moving. thu
whole brigade began instinctively to di
minlsh its gait. This was fatal mistake
and on their side it seemed very grea
pity it should have been made, it was 81
out of keeping with the skill indicated b,
their soIdierly appearance aud gallant bear
ing. Finally. instead of dashing iorw ar
in most splendid charge, as they coul
have done. having the ground upon whic
to execute it, they had The madness to pu
up to walk. and at length to halt, in III
very network of the two lines of FIRE. Th