The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-11-19
From The Marion imspican.
THE PALMETToEs IN MEXICO.
ny ONE OF Til. TWO HUNDRED.


fire which we could not return. Now three
batteries were finished, and to them were
added the Mus1uitto fleet Of four or Ave
little vessels. The batteries opened the ball.
The position Of the paImettoes va. about
five miles to the north, near Ycrgars, but
that evening had the good fortune to
have gone to the Sacriicos beach for pro.
Visions, and [ was near the batteries and
the fleet. The bombardmcrt that evening"
WAS the gr,nlest, suhlimcst, and most terri
bic scene that | ever witnessed. The in
ccssant roar of more than hundred cannon
shook the very hills TO their fourda
ton.
Every gun in the city and castle that
could be brought to lear, was worked with
activity. The soft haze of twilight was
failing over the scene. Thousands Of idle
soldiers, and sailors, and spectators had
collected on all the hills around to behold
the swelling scene. AS the shadows of
night closed over the scene, it seemed but
signal for Il hotter, and heavier fire.
Then shook the hills with thunder rivcn
End louder than the bolts of heaven,
Far flashed the red artillery"
| stood upon hill near the Mosquito
fleet, and between it and our batteries. |
was not further than three or four hundred
yards from this little fleet, and l could see
the movements Of the men, and hear the
words Of command saw large quanti-
tics of balls fall around tho little vessels
but very few of them struck. But it WAS
upon our batteries that the heaviest fire was
concentrated. 1t seemed impossible that
they could stand the shock, and we tren,-
blcd for them. l stood upon the hills until
midnight, Il spectator Of this awful struggle.
The night was d;uk, and the darkness was
only relieved by the brief and lurid flashes
OF the artillery, us it winged OH their GRAND
its messengers Of destruction. But like the
cleaning thundcrbolt from the opakc cloud,
they only made the succeeding darkness
more appalling. a iuril Aash for a mo-
mcnt lit up the arena Of the strife, but
Ere man could say behold
The jaws Of darkness had dcvourcd 1t up
We could see the bombs and mark their
entire course, us they described their fiery
circles through the air, and finally, having
reached their destination, exploded amid
falling houses, crumbling walls, and the
sllricks Of the dying.
Our men stood gallan,ly by their guns,
and never Stacked their fire for a moment.
The star spanglcd banner tloated over their
batteries, and its honor was in their keeping.
They felt the inspiration, and devoted them
selves to death.
"-ind the rockets red glare the bombs bursting
Grave proof through the night. that our aas was
still there"
About midnight, I left the scene and
slept in the tent Of the Lospitablc Captain
McGowan: Il South Carolinian, who was
Ouartermastcr Of the army. lie never neg
lected an opportunity to do an act of kind
ness, hospitality or generosity. And slept
that night, as souudIy as if at home. The
roar of artillery WAS but lullaby to charm
lis to sleep.
That night the brave and accomplished
Mayor Vinton was killed. A heavy shell
which penetrated the parapet struck him
dead. But tllougl, it killed him instantly,
there was no bruise on his person to show
what part of his body WAS struck. heard
oi another case almost similar. A pAlmct-
to was knocked over, turning a somerset,
by large ball, and it left no mark or bruise
upon him. Ma j"r Vinton was an eminent
scholar, and a christian. He had determin-
ed to quit the army, and become a preacher.
lie had sent in his resignation, 1 believe,
to take effect after the siege Of Vera
Cruz
on the next morning, the 23l, the fire
was renewed. The little fleet took still
nearer position to the city and castle, and
maintained it under IL heavy fire, until at
nine o'clock Gen. Scott ordered it to be re-
called. But the officers and men of the
navy were determined to participate in the
hight. They had been long chatting at the
lnaction Of the navy, and were eager for
part in the fray. At the earnest request
OF Commodore Perry, Gen. Scott assigned
part OF the batteries to the navy 10 be
commanded by naval officers, and served
by seamen. They also erected naval bat
terry behind a thicket of chaparral which
covered it from view. Another land bate
~ was begun near the railroad, called the
"Malbran battery"
A guard Of about a hundred men of the
Palmetto regiment was sent on the 23d to
guard the hills west Of the city. Twas one
OF this guard. We approached within
about 1900 yards Of the city, and took po-
silion behind the sand-l,ils. We could dis.