The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-15
An Incident OF the Mexican War.

N Incident
Mr. William Gilmore Simms, the
son and namesake of the great South
Carolina novelist, who responded to
the toast to his native State at. the
Knights Of Pythias banquet recently
at the Hibernian Hall, related IN the
course of his remarks, says the Char
lesion News and Courier, 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 obstinacy for hours, and al
though the Mexicans had fought for
every inch of ground with that des-
perate valor which is characteristic of
all races reared under tropic sun,
thev had matched against them foe
of equal courage, and the victory,
though dearly bought was just within
the grasp Of the American Army.
There was one point, however, which
was still in the hands Of the enemy,
and their commander realizing that it
was a forlorn hope, had massed the
remnant of the flower Of the Mexican
cavalry at his post, and determined to
hold it all hazards.
General Shields saw that to win the
day that point must be reduced, and
he resolved that it should be taken.
But it was a desperate resolve. The
Mexieans had been pressed back
from their original position only
by repeated charges, which in every
instance had left hundreds of dead
and wounded on the field. They
had not surrendered an inch of ground
until they had covered 1t 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 practised eye told
him would he hard to break, and
which he knew conld not be broken
without a tremendous onslaught. He
determined to call for volunteers to do
the desperate work, and. applying to
the commander of a Pennsylvania reg
iment, he met with a declination. Not
discouraged, however, he asked New
York regiment to undertake the
charge; but he was again mortified to
find another portion of his army un-
willing to risk so desperate game.
Wheeling his horse the General gal
loped to the front of the Palmetto reg
iment and demanded of Colonel Pierce
NJ. Butler if his men would be willing
to clineh the victory by this charge.
Eyes, sir" was the gallant Colonel's
response, "every one of them and to
the very death ~ In less than min
ute the regiment, with Colonel Butler
riding foremost in the ranks, swept
like tornado upon the. Mexican front.
The struggle, as General Shields had
anticipated, was a terrible one. The
Mexicans met the onslaught with an
unbroken line, and for a few minutes
sustained their position with magnitl-
cent valor. But ther hot Southern
blood was no match for the superior
prowess and cool, untiinching temper
of their more Northern foes, and the
struggle was brief. Slowly they were
driven back, contending desperately,
but their front was broken, and unable
to rally his men to the breach, their
leader ordered retreat, and the day
was won.
But Just here comes one Of the pref
tiest parts of the story. Commanding
a company in the New York regiment
that had declined the charge was
Mayne Reid, that delightful writer OF
adventure by field and flood, over
whose pages every boy has dwelt with
so much interest. Reid was not only a
novelist, but he was as brave soldier
as ever faced death, and his whole
temper was aroused by the cowardly
refusal of his Colonel to undertake the
charge. When he saw the South Caro-
linians preparing for the advance he
appealed to his men 10 follow them,
but out of his entire company only
eleven could be found who were will
ing to run so desperate risk. With
these eleven Captain Reid left bis COM
mand and joined the Palmetto regi-
ment, and in the bloody hand to hand
contest that followed these twelve
brave New Workers did much to secure
the fortunes of the day. Their names
are now forgotten, but their gallantry
will live always in the memory OF
those who admire brave deeds and
love bravemen.
A Tiny Railroad.