The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-10-30
SCOTS staff officer z5ye dl>csz
terry No. 8 pourfg ssg l9ssslaS
Of heavy grape sges
.rha order for Il grove

y snd light, ceased at once, and the attack
/. commenced. az
bieu.cnant-colo Johnstone led the
voitigeurs rapidly down from Molino Del
Rey to the level ground about the redan
which he was to assault, keeping close un-
| der tho southern wall Of The incnsurc, to
protect his men from tine artillery fire of
The castle. The stcrmers under Captain
M'Kenzie, second artillery, followed close
l after, When the advance Of TIC vnlt'gucrs
came within musket range Of the redan,
the Mexican infantry behind its parapet,
arose and commenced a lively fire. John
stone immediately ordered his companies
to dcploy and reply advancing, which they
did With SO mach effect, that the enemy
were driven from the work beforE he rear
most company was in line The Whole bat
talon, rushing through two di,chcs across
the path, and over the parapet, entered the
rcdan, and through the cut into the grove,
joining with the main force which had ad-
vanccd through the gateway OF Molino Del
Rey. .
| 1hetAIexican batteries on tho west Of
the castle had obtained the range OF the
gateway during the morning, and kept up
a heavy fire OF shells 70, half an hour be-
fore the advance The effect was but To
them somewhat restless, for they were
protected from the sp,inters by tho walls Of
the buildings. Under the circumstances,
Cadwaladcr, who was the senior officer i'm
mediate'Y at the point, WAS nnx'ous To
commence the assault, and sent 10 advise
Pillow of the existing state o. things. The
mountain hpwltzcrs. meanwhile were ser'-
cd through the gateway, under the lire
from the castle and from the cnrrnch-
ments: for, Notwithstanding the distance.
the enemy kept up heavy discharges OF
mnskctry. They had somewhat shaken
his linc along the point oi the grove, When,
as tho heavy guns cc-sed firing, Pillow ar
rived, and ordered Colonel Andrews To adj
vance the first battalion q! Vol,igeurs. The
corps, issuing through the ga;rways, de-
ploycd forward al run, and with shout,
which told tho determination for victory.
rushed straight at the een;renchmeuts. The
Mexicnns delivered scattering fire, and
gave way, for Johns,oncs soldiers were at
that moment breaking into the grove
through; 'hc redan. BoIh hattaiions OF vol.
gsy sf tue trees and,
r t-thc woods in the direction OF the caste.
Seeing the first point gained, pillo" or
dcrad the howtzcr battery. and the ninth
and fifteenth regiments to move forward IN
support. These troops passed the gateway
and ,leployed in the field, and Pillow mount
, ed aud took the advance.
Meanwhile, the attention oi the garrison
in tho western portions nt the castle was
; givan to the assault i'll this direction The
guns in the priest cap, and on the tanks
were depressed. and sent heavy discharges
ui grape over the heads OF the re,reat,ng
Mcx,cans. The four pounler III the round
bas,ion at the angle of the roadway kept up
> rakng fire OH the road Ivy the southern
wall, which was sustained by continued
: stream o! musketry from tho in,rcncli-
mcn,s in lis front.
The American advance was continued
though slowly. under heavy fire, as vel
. as tha, OF the rclrcaling Mexican infantry.
1t was difficult, for the ground was wet and
boggy, and tho moral and physical effect
of the Mexican shot, tearing ns It did
through the foliage, was such as in some
cases TO render the men avcrsc 10 leave
the shelter OF the trees. Pillow placed
himself in the front, and by his wclt-second-
cd efforts, a continued movement was cs.
tablishcd, although the nature OF the ground
caused the corps 10 be thrown nto some
diSarrav. Advancing IN this manner, the
troops drove back the enemy, AND reached
the short open space nj the loo; OF the hill
There they were halted 10 allow the storm,
crs To take the front, and to lorrn in support
But Mkcnzic, having his party in close
formation. had been able TO keep u? with
the advance over the boggy ground. fic
had no, arrived ut the base o. the hall be-
fore the enemy rallied in the rcdan hall
way up tho accIsvi,y, and opened fire
thence, AS vel! as from the round bas,on
and the intrcnchrnenls in It's front. The
calling fire rendered immediate movement
, necessary, and Pillow, who hai just prcvi.
olIsly been wounded, ordered the assault
. The mountain howIlzcrs scnt y lew can.
istcrs, and the vot:geur regiment threw u
, vollcy up the hill from the base south o
the rcdan. That regiment immediately ioi-
lowed. led by Lieut.. Colonc! .ohns,onc
, and Major Caldwell. At the SINE time
Captain Hooper, who was on The LETT, re-
pca,ed the order, and brought ~ the near.
est body Of Infantry, for tho yoi,inenrs were
without bayone,s. Captain Chase, OF the
fifteenth infantry, led his company upto the
redan from the north. The American,
pressed SO rapidly, that the enemy made
, short resistance, and fell back Ia the mali
work. The voItgcurs, nine and fifteenth
followed close alter, passed the re.fan, AN,
. gained the crest OF The hill A Mexican
engineer officer was, al the lime iii the ac
r OF firing the saucisson ol the mincs, bu, III,
fire o! the American advance d.sablcd him
The sauc,ssons we're Immediately cut, an,
, that elcmen, of danger was c.iaIina!ly dc
s;roycd.
, AS the Americans rose over the crest, III,
: Mexican artillery in the prics,-cap openc,
heavily with canister, and the troops ON III,
azoteas and at the windows commenced ;
I rapid rolling disc harge OF mlsketry, an,
: many oil the assaiIants fell killed or woun
: ded. OF the former was Colonel Ransom
n Of The ninth who died gallantly al the hca
i. of his regiment. As The troops were q
d that time without ladders with which |,
o scale the walls, further Immediate adyanc,
J, was impractcable. They therefore KEEP
: in the rocks and opened fire upon The Mex
/, lcan artillery men, WIN were not moro ihaI
i fifty yards distant.