, 1862-03-25

.E'-.
&0M sRAxt1eu1afa-1he VIVA Charge
01eAeTexAAD@~8AFo death fQaPts

1p to assume line of battle. At that time !!
he Texans opened heavy cannonade' upon
lnteers were attempted>to be placed in order
4 BATTLE but which oecasioned confusion In |
Col. Pino's regiment and rendered 1t impossi- |
Die to restore them to order, although Major |
Donaldson, Col Pino, and other officers did |
Ill it Was In the power Of men to do to quiet |
good order during the cannonade. The whole
force was so well protected BY the elevations
which intervened between it and the enemy,
Ehat the firing Was harmless, no loss Of life
having been occasioned by it, and but one
wounded slightly, BY splinter from a ball
which struck rock and broke.
In con sequence Of the unma1ageab1e coudi-
tion Of Col. Pfno's regiment. Col Canby or
dered c0untermarch TO the fort, aud all safe
" returned before night.
bad now been from water a
wh MIX animals were suffering
q Il 10 e1aaasted zsaaste 9ad 9ao tney
Il tla( IN IN oTdss1t' oTdsT te dsax La FEE the
wagofl b; finally they broke down
and towards night the wagons
conld not be removed During the night and
next morning our scouts captured orer two
hundred Of the animals which had broken
away from the inefficient guard which had
in search of water. One wagon-master was
taken prisoner duriHt morning Of the 21st,
who gave the eboY ss.Feference
to ahent the bad die1R eSRditiG&e 6'df& ~ =, ~.
s15t Col. Candy ordeFSfN{ ~ ! = With lii lis
cavalry, Col Valdez si zHi4. Carson's
volunteers, and the 5th, 7th sR16th Infantry,
apt. McRae's and Lieut.. Halls batteries,
(occed up the west bank Of the Rio Grande
ah0 prevent the Texans from reaching the We
by the s1oping banks. This position was
about seven miles north OF the fort, and when
Col. Roberts's command reached it he found
that the enemy had anticipated his march aud
had gained the water first. Col Roberts i'm
mediately opened the batteries upon them, at
which they retreated with q loss Of twenty
five OF thirty killed, and one cannon The
gun was dismounted BY Capt. McRae, and was
spiked and rendered useless before it was
abandoned. When the enemy retired Colonel
Roberts's force crossed the river and took
posltlan on the east bank, where the fighting
vas Kept up with varied SUCCESS until Capt.
McRae's battery was charged and taken.
After o'clock, Col Canby came on to the
field with his guard and staff, followed by
Col Pino's regiment Of volunteers, and as
sumed command in person. Up to this hour
the fighting had been done principally with
the batteries; Capt. McRae, with his battery
Lent HalI % WITH two o. po9ndeIs' Ie 1e tow toR'ards I
the right Of the line. On the left Hank there
vas . thick wood which gkirted to within
about one hundred and fifty Yards Of the
position held by Capt. McRae's battery. In
this woods numerous bodies of the enemy had
been seen collecting, for the space ot an hour
and half, rather outside the range Of the guns.
The object Of this not being known, and it
being impossible to discover it from scouts,
Colonel Candy resolved to dis1odge them
from the shelter, and ordered the battery to
be brought up to the edge Of the wood for
that purpose. Capt McRae TINS stationed,
Erfvnrfa1 h1yf turn >F
regulars and two companies Of volunteers,
which were arranged in horizontal position,
to the left and behind the battery. Lieut.
Halrs guns were to be supported by the
cavalry and Col. Carson's regiment.
These arrangements having been completed
it was designed by Col Candy to make an I'D
vance movement towards the enemy. Sud-
denly an exceedingly brisk rattle Of musketry
and other small arms WAS heard towards the
right Of the field; go loud and so unexpected
was it, that it attracted the general attention
to that quarter, no one being able to compre
Should take place there and at that time. The
object, however, was soon discovered to be a
rnse on the part Of the Texans to divert at
tcnlon from the movements they were put
ting on foot for the batteries. About that
time they began the charges, and such charges
as they made are without i parallel in the his
tory ofancient or modern warfare. The one
against Lieut. Halls battery was made by
cavalry, and was successfully reprlscd in the
midst OF grEat carnage. But the one upon
Capt. McRae'6' cannot be described with Ian,
guage- The enemy advanced steadily on foot
armed principally with Colt six shooters. The
iron bull through which theypasscd cut through
their ranks, making in them frighttu1 yacan
cics, but it had no other effect VolleY afte1
vo1ley did the faithful and brave McRae dis
charge upon the advancing column, until il
seemed that demons themselves could MOI
md nffa a1+a a,T4 Il
they sent forth. On, on, rolled the enemy il
DEATHS face as it was belched from the can
mons mouth, until they had sent to their las
long homes every one that manned the guns
except one or two. They gone, the battery
fell easily into the hands Of the Texans, whi
the gunners were gone, the battery fell iatt
the hands Of the enemy because the supper
| which was intended for it entirely filled. Til
regulars and volunteers. to which ne have re
ferred as having been detailed for that duty
| could not be made to comply with It. In thei
| fiat position they remained until it was 1t
longer safe, and then made a precipitatc rul
| for the river. into which they plunged, in spit
Of the urgent rcmonstrance and order Of Col
Canby aud others, like as many scared cattl
would have done. Capt Lords dragons
too, failed to charge the enemy when com
obstinate against command or entreaty frou
Major Donaldson, and no effort to rescue til
battery from the peril into which they saw
falling was made.
| Bravery and cowardice are seldom placed i
such striking contrast as they were during Til
| charge. With their dead companions in arm
around them, and over which they had t
climb TO serve their pieces, the gallaut McRa
and his men stspd At the post of duty and pei
| formed acts OF heroism worthy Sparta's bes
days, until none Of them we're left to do more
while those who should have come to rtei
Srrr1
dead, pierced with balls Of the enemy, receive
! in the back.
| When the battery was lost, the fate OF th
day was sealed in favor Of the enemy, and ou
| forces retired to Fort Craig, in good orde1
always excepting the companies above refe
| rcd to.
Col. Candy had in the engagement about Il
teen hundrgd men, consisting Of regulars an
volunteers. The force Of tue enemy Under Co
Steele was from fifteen hundred to two thol
sand Our loss was. according to tue best ii
formation, fifty or sixty killed, and about on
hundred and forty wounded. The loss Of til
enemy Is variousIy cstiusted at from one hui
dred to five hundred killed and wounded. Tt
1a!ter Is OF course based entirely upon eu
mise, and the correct number will never b
known to us. We have+ heard nothing in I,
Rosse1 Of the regulars was taken by the T.,
ans. Lis horse 6wamped while crossing Ii
river, and be thus fell into their hands.
Capt McRae, having passed from this STAG
of action, his name having been recordi
among those Of the worlds heroes, and
memory enshri1cd in the hearts Of his cou
, trJmer, We will not here attempt to add evt
spafk to the lustre OF fame early won al
to be worn throughout time. His lieutenant
Micbler and Bell, stood By tue brave CAPITA
until all was lost beyond redemption. II
former was killed. the latter escaped with
very slight wound.