The National tribune., 1882-03-11


Spaniard centuries before. The enemy,
after his defeat at Cerro Gordo, fell back to
make his last stand under the frowning
battlements Of Charultepec.
The strongly fortified castle of Pir0ti and
the great city of Pueblo had been surGend-
cred without a struggle. They made their
first stand in the valley at ContTeras and
Cherubusco. Here, if defeated, they could
fall back behind their Qualifications 1T No
limo and Chapultepec. Our victories at Cha
pul:epec and Cherubusco, for heroic valor
and lortitude, Will compare fav0rabiy with
any of modern times. The enemy, number
ing more than three 10 one, fought behind
has tortiicatIOns and entrenchmcntS- with
the frenzy of despair. Every approach was
guarded and masked batteries and the
heavy guns of San Antonio were charged
aud shotted to sweep with terrible effect the
causeways over lakes and lagoonS. To
charge this wall Of cannon and death required
the most exalted courage. II was the
bridge at Lodi" " in the New World, and,
like Lodi" was carried by our army at the
bayonets point, amid a shower of grape and
canister
The charge o: Mcdonald and his fifteen
thousand at Wagram comes down in history
to us as the grandest display of exalted
courage to be found IN the annals of war.
The spirit that animated this devoted band
animated the hearts of every hero who
fought in our ranks on these bloody fields.
These splendid victories produced Conster-
nation III the ranks Of the foe. Still they
rejected the overtures Of peace then made to
them by Gen. Scott, and prepared for last
effort at M0lino and ChapultepeC.
On the Sth of September, 1917, q day
memorable in this war, the attack was
made upon Molino del Rey by about 1000
Americans. The place was strongly fortified
and defended by Santa Anna with 11,OO0
men. The ground over which our troops
were ordered to the attack was a level, open
plain. There was not q stone, or tree, or
anything behind which they could shelter.
The shots from 1f000 musllets, and grape
and canister from 100 pieces of artillery,
pl0wed their ranks. In less than ten min
utes SEQ men had fallen upon the field.
Nothing daurted by this terrible slaughter,
they fell back, reformed, and carried the
position, sword in hand, killing more than
1000 Of the enemy. The last strong position
now standing between our victorious army
and the doomed city was Chapultepcc. This
was 4 strong fortified castle standing upon
an elevated height made By nature almost
inaccessible Of approach, From its moss
covered sides an hundred cannon mouths
sent forth in every direction missiles Of
death, but the men who had carried the
heights of Cerro G0rdo and the works at
Cont1eras, Cherubusco, and M0lino, were
equal to every duty. They climbed the diff
cult heights, scaled the walls Of the castle
with 4 courage so reckless aud daring that
its defenders, as if paralyzed by the sudden
ness of the attack, abandoned their guns
and fed to the city. Thus ended this glori-
Gus war.
The few survivors Of the war of 1912 are
now tottering upon the staff Of age" Let
US honor and cherish them rs they approach
the clark river" They viii be greeted
upon the other shore by the GOOD and brave
of every age and country as companions
who left this world better for their having
lived in it. Many Of Our brave comrades
too, are passing away; many are helpless
and pinched by poverty, while their wives
and little ones exc out miserable existence
in toll and want. No pension laws have
been passed for their benefit. Our National
Congress is too much engaged in the patriot
ic duty of donating to great railroad cOrpO-
rations millions OF acres of the public lands,
which were purchased by your toll and
blood, to now regard your petitions You
must be content with the grandeur Of your
country, and many Of you make your last
march in helplessness and want under the
very shadow OF the flag you gave the best
years ofyour manhood to uphold and defend
Let us pause here, and, looking back over
the great events OF tho last thirty-fve years,
estimate, if we can, the results of this heroic
struggle upon the developments and future
destiny Of our country. 1t has added to
our national domain more than one and a
half millions of square miles Of territory
containing more of natural wealth and
treasure than can be found anywhere else
upon the habitable globe. Its acquisition
impaired new life into our people, and the
hardy pioneers from every land under the
sun are pouring into its borders, and carry
ing upward and onward the march Of civil
ization and the Blessings Of peace and in
dustry. The church and school-house now
stand where, but a few years since, stood
the wigwam. The great strides we have
made in national development have no
parallel in the progress of nations. The
commerce Of the Indies I'd longer makes
the circuit of the globe to enter our pOrts.
Our great transc0ntinental highways have
brought China and Japan TO our doors. The
gold and precious metals of California, New
Mexico, Nevada and Colorado have added to
our national wealth untold millions. Skill,
science and energy have climbed the Rocky
mountains and subdued their lofty SUBMITS
TO the use of man, and the whistle of the
locomotive may be heard to-day az it goes
laundering through the deep gorges and
valleys with the commerce of the IA
tions. A new world has been opened
up in this wilderness OF the West, and
strong arms and brave hearts are preparing
it as homes for the millions yet unborn