Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-03-08
THE BRIDGE AT CHAPULTEPEC.
HOW SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEW YORK
CHARGED THERE TOGETHER.

THE BRIDGE AT CHAPULTEPEC.
HOW SOUTH CAROLINA AND NEW YORK
CHARGED, THERE TOGETHER.
Mayne Reid, who led the charge on the
bridge at Chapultepec, in the Mexican war,
gives the Detroit Free Press this story of it:
The bridge, which was over a small
stream, was held by the Mexicans, and it
soon became evident that unless some
think like flank movement were made
they would hold it successfully. The bridge
was we'll fortified and the army attacked
fruitlessly in front.
Gen. Shields brigade was ordered to 60
round by the hacienda Of Los POrtales, and
attack the enemy on the flank. They got
as far as the barns at Los Portales, but the
brigade would 60 no further. They were
being shot down by scores, and the men
speedily sought shelter behind walls or
wherever else it could be found. Col. Ward
B. Burnett made"a desperate attempt to
get the companies together, but it was un-
successful, and he himself fell badly wound
ed.
The situation had become very critical.
Lieutenant Reid, who commanded the gre
nader company of New York Volunteers,
saw that a squadron of Mexican lancers
were getting ready to charge, and he knew
that if they came on while the fanking
party was in such state of disorganiza-
ton, the fight would end in rout. On
the other hand, if the Americans charged
on them the chances were that the MeXi-
case, nothing could be worse than the pres
ent state of inaction and slaughter.
Mayne Reid went to see the Lieutenant
Colonel of the South Carolina Volunteers !;
the Colonel, Butler, having been already
wounded, was not on the field. The Lieu
tenant Colonel was carrying the blue Pal
metto flag of the regiment, and Lieut.. Reid
cried out to him:
Colonel, will you lead the men on a
charge?"
Before he could answer, Lieut.. Reid heard
something snap and the Colonel fell to his
knees, with leg broken at the ankle by a
shot. Mayne Reid took the flag, and as
the wounded officer was being carried from
the field he cried:
"Maj. GLADDEN., take the flag. Captain
Blanding, remember MOultrie, LOWndeS
and Old Charlestown!
Mayne Reid then hurried back to his
men, who were anXiously awaiting develop
ments. AS he came up to his grenadiers on
the extreme right he rushed on in front of
the line and called out:
"Soldiers, will you follow me to the
I'VE WILL" shouted Corporal Haup, a
Swiss, who was afterwards the second man
up to the walls Of Chapultepec, when he fell,
shot through the face, over the body Of him
who was the first, Mayne Reid himself,
covering the latter with his blood.
The order to charge being given, away
they went, with the Swiss and John Muir
ply, a brave Irishman, the first two after
their leader. The moment the MeXicans
cfo fpx1y yo,.flcf fIa,,, with
such gustO they took to their heels down
the splendid road that led to the City of
Mexico, which offered unequaled opportu-
mites for flight. A broad ditch intervened
between the highway and the field across
which the Americans were charging. Think
ing this was not very deep, as 1t was COW
cred with q green scum, Mayne Reid
plunged into it. It took him nearly up to
hisarmpits, and as he struggled out, all over
slime and mud, he was sight for gods and
men. The men avoided their leaders, mis-
hap and came to the road by dryer but
more roundabout path.
AS the grenadiers got on the road, Phil
Kearney came laundering over the bridge
with his company all mounted on dappled
grays. 1t seems that the gallant Phil had a
weakness for dappled grays, and when an
ordinary looking horse was sent to the regi-
ment Kearney would have him exchanged
for gray, paying the difference out of his
own pocket. Anyhow, the hundred grays
made fine show as they came galloping
along two abreast on the hard road and the
fiankers divided the ranks to let them pass.
AS they approached, Mayne Reid sang out:
"Boys, have you breath enough left to
give cheer for Capt. Kearney?"
Phil acknowledged the compliment with
wave of his sword, as he went swinging
by towards the works the enemy had thrown
up across the road. Just as he reached this
sppot p the recall bugle sounded, and at that
moment Kearney received the shot that
cost him his arm.
Disregarding the bugle recall the infantry
kept on, when a rider came tearing after
them and told. them to halt.
"What's it for ?" cried Lieut.. Reid.
"Gen. Scott's orders"
eve will rue this halt" was Reids re-
joinder; "the city is at our mercy. We can
take it now and should"
Lieut-Col Baxter now in command of the
New York Volunteers, cried out:
For Gods sake, Mayne Reid, obey orders
At this appeal Lieut.. Reid faced around
to his followers, and, covered with mud as
he was, shouted "Halt"
The infantry came came up pabreaSt OF him
and one big North Irishman cried:
"Do you say halt?"
Lieut.. Reid set his sword towards them
and again shouted: "Halt!' and this time
he was obeyed, the soldiers crying out:
"We'll halt for you, sir, but for nobody
else"
Many of the officers thought the halt a
great mistake, as the American troops could
easily have taken Mexico that day. The
armistice that followed gave the crafty San
| ia Anna chance to fOrtify an inner line OF
defense, and the key of this was Chapulte-
pee, which had to be taken three weeks later
with the loss of many brave men.
| A SIMPLE AND PLEASING EXPERIMENT.
Take an argand lamp chimney or other glass
tube. Tie piece Of rubber sheeting over
one end of it, stretching it moderately
tight. TO the centre and top of the rubber
sheeting affix, by means of mucilage, a
small bit of mirror about the size OF small
tack head. Darken the school room as dark
as possible and by means of a mirror placed
outside of an aperture in shutter, reflect a
ray of sunlight into the room. Hold the
end of the lamp chimney in this ray Of light
and small, bright spot will be reflected on
the wall. Put the mouth to the open end Of
the tube and utter a sound. The spot Of
light breaks into curious band utter an
| other sound and different band of light is
thrown upon the wall. Sound the notes o.
the scale, and each tone produces different
band of light, and observe that the same
band is always produced by the same tone
Have two tubes prepared, and have boy
(whose voice has changeO and a girl sound
the same tone. Observe that there is an
octave difference in their voices. The vi
brations here made visible are simply the
vibrations which have produced the tones.
SLEEPING RooMs.-O of all oul
lives is passed in our sleeping-rooms, and
yet many people think that any room is
GOOD enouph to sleep in. The sleeping.