The Washington critic., 1890-03-28
4 MBxtcAN WAR ANncDorr.
How the Gallant Palmetto Regimen
gIinchpu Xictorp

How the Gallant Palmetto Regiment
Clinched a Victory.
Mr.. William Gilmore Simms. the son
and namesake Of the great South Caro-.
lima novelist, who responded to the
toast TO his native State at the KNIGHTS
of pythias banquet recently, at the
HibeTnian Hall, related in the course
of his remarks, says the Charleston
NoTS and C0UISor, an anecdote of the
Mexican war, which was new to the
great majority Of his audience. It was
on one of the bloodiest fields of Mexico.
he said.
The battle had ragged with great oh.
stinacy for hours, and although the
NleXicans had fought for every inch of
ground with that desperate valor that is
so characters of all races reared under
tropic sun, they had matched against
them n foe of equal courage, aud the
victory though dearly bought, was
just within the grasp of the American
army. There was one point. however,
that was still in the hands Of the
enemy and their commander, realizing
that il was a forlorn hope, had massed
the remnant of the flower of the Mexi
Can tuNuliI tt lllls punt dlltl uGltTillutI
to hold 1t at all hazards.
General Shields saw that to win the
| day this point must be reduced, and he
resolved that 1t must be taken. But
it was desperate resolve. The
| MeXicans had been pressed back from
their original position only by repeated
and terrific charges, which in every in
stance had left hundreds of dead and
wounded on the field. They had not
surrendered an inch of ground until
they had covered IL with the bodies of
their bravest men, and now as they
took last stand, nerved to desperation
by the misfortunes of the day, they
presented a compact front, bristling
with pixies and lances, which General
Shields practiced eye told him would
be hard to break, and which he knew
could not be broken withouta a tremen
dous onslaught. He determined to call
for volunteers to do the desperate work
and applying 10 the commander of q
Pennsylvania regiment, he met with q
declination Not discouraged, how
ever he asked New York regiment to
undertake the charge, but he was agair
mortified TO find another portion of hi:
army unwilling to risk so desperate {
game.
Wheeling his horse the general gal
loped TO the front of the Palmetto regi
ment and demanded of Colonel Pierce
NJ. Butler if his men would be willing
TO clinch the victory by the charge
Yes, SIR was the gallant colonel
response, every one of them, and t
the verv DEATH" In less than minut
the regiment, with Colonel Butle
riding foremost in the ranks, swept lik,
tornado upon the Mexican front
The struggle, as General Shields ha(
anticipated, was terrible one. TIL,
Mexicans met the onslaught with al
unbroken line, and for a few moment
sustained their position with magniti
cent valsr But their hot Southern
blood was no match for the superio
prowess and cool. unflinching tempe
of theil more Northern foes, and tn
struggle was brief. Slowly they wer
driven back, contending desperately
but their front was broken, and unabl
to rally his men to the breach, th
leader ordered a retreat, and the da
was won.
But just here comes one of the pref
tiest parts of the story. Commandin
company in the New York regimen
that had declined the charge was Mayn
Reid, that delightful writer of adver
ture by field and flood, over who's
pages every boy has dwet with so muc
interest. Reid was not only novelist
but he was as brave soldier as eve
faced death, and his whole temper wa
aroused by the cowardly refusal of hi
colonel to undertake the charge.
When he saw the South Caroinian
preparing for the advance he appeale
to his men to follow them, but out c
his entire company,but eleven could b
found who were willing to run SO de-
perate risk With these eleven Cal
tain Reed left his command and ~joine
the Palmetto regiment, and in til
bloody hand to. hand contest that TO
lowed these twelve brave New Yorker
t did much to secure the fortunes of tt
day. Their names are now forgotten
but their gallantry will live always !
[ the memory of those who admire bray
| deeds and love brave men.