The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1890-11-21


they gave ground slowly, by the pressure
Of the cold steel The MexicanS bad one
section of battery in advance Of the ravine
sweeping the road, and here there was des-
pe"ate fighting between the American in
factry and the Mexican supports. Rim
golds American battery, now lei by
Lieut. Kidgely was opposite these Mex
ican guns. and, repeating the tactics OF
his fallen leader, Ridgely worked his way
forward piece by piece, limberlng up and
advancing one, while another il position
fired as a cover for the movement.
In an interval when l.iIgely had but
one gun in action Il body of Mexican Ian
GERS swooped down the road, threatening
to destroy the battery. The single gun had a
shell in il intended for the Mexican artillery
far up the road, but load Of canister was
quickly rammed in on top oil it. and the ven
turesome Mexican horsemen We're annihi-
lated At this time Capt May was we'll up
to the front supporting Ridsleyis guns
| Taylor was near, also, as was his custom
To be where the need was greatest. 1t WAS
| here that be remarked TO a friend who
warned him that he was exposing his per
i son too much IL the heavy fire then raging,
Let us ride a little nearer ard the
/ balls will fall behind u.s." 1t was evident,
! Notwithstanding the hard fighting of the
/ Americans that the battle WIS going
against them The Mexicans had eight can.
non we'll posted while Taylor bad only those
under Riagely that could reply 70 them and
these were much exposed. IaYtors III
| fautry pressed. M to the ravine 1T points
| on the right and left Of the road hat could
make no AeadWay at the p!aee where the
road crossed. for here tie AeaEean guns
literally comhed the surface OF tire ground
with grape ahd canister. RIlgelN splen-
did tir.ng had at last driven back tie ad
vance Mexican guns, and their artillery
was maSsed ia and behind tile pass over
the ravine. aylordeterminedto to have those
batteries carried at any cost, and ordered
May to charge with his Dragons.
1t was a most desperate piece of work,
and such as is usually assigned to volun
teers. Some accounts Of the affair have i
that the daring cavalryman sought the
honor. riding from his position neir Ridge
ly's pieces to the general and asking II is
should charge the guns on the opposite
side Of the rayine. The reply quoted from
old "Rough and Ready" is, charge, cap
tain, nolcns volens." But in his report
Taylor states as follows "perceiYing that
no decisive advantage could be gained unit
the artillery was silenced ordered Capt
May to charge the batteries With his squad
ron Of Dragons"
1t is highly probable that on receipt o
this order by hands of an aide-de=eamp May
rode back for definite instructions, wishlaA
to know if Taylor really meant to send /
pitiful squadron along narrow roadway
lined with the enemy's infantry and swept
with artillery fire to charge several cannon
in position, in fact, to attack the Mexi
can stronghold The Mexican general who
directed the artillery, Gen. La VEGA. IS re
ported to have said that If had had any
sum of money III camp ! would have con
sidered il as safeas if AT the City Of Mexico
would have bet any amount that no l0,oos
men could have driven lis. =
Such was the confidence Of the Nexicans
in their position and their superiority ~
| numbers, aud up TO the decisive moment
when May charged, the belief WAS well
founded Mays unexcelled daring and
tie forethanght and courage Of Lieut..
Eiagely ia this criai, made up for all the
inequalities of the situation. When
May returned to Ridgely's position and
reported Taylor's ultimatum the hitter
had his guns shifted and masked. and he
exclaimed to his comratte, who came on at
the head of his devoted baud, Hold on,