The morning call., 1891-05-24
PLANTING A GUN
ON THE HEIGHTS.
The StOrming Of the Bishops Palace.
Monterey at Midnight.
Graphic Account of One Of the Most Desperate
Fights That Took Place During the
War With Our Sister Republic.


graphic description Of night attack upon
the Bishops palace, fortified CASTLE situ-
ated on an emnence In the city of Monterey,
Mexico, by portion of General Taylor's
army of occupation, commanded by General
Worth, in which was included Colonel Jack
Hayes regiment of Texas Rangers. The
paper was written by Colonel j. w. McKen-
zie, who. during the Mexican War, was First
Sergeant, Battery A, Second Artillery, u.
S. A., and was read by him at the last meet
ing OF the Mexican War Veterans held in
this city:
We were not many-we who stood
Before the iron Sleet that day.
Yet many a gallant spirit would
Give half his years If he but could
Have been with us at Monterey.
AT high noon on September 90. 1916,
nearly forty-ive years ago, the United
States Army of Invasion, under command
of Major-General Zachary Taylor, arrived at
beautiful grove known as Walnut Springs,
three miles from the city of Monterey, Mex
leo. accommodating party was sent out,
but soon returned, cannon shot from the
Black Fort-a formidable Fashioned work
of thirty pieces of heavy artillery, which
stood directly in front of Monterey-an-
nOuncing that they had been discovered.
After hurried consultation between GEN
erals Taylor and WOrth-the latter's div
sion, consisting of the Second Regiment of
Dragons, Duncan's Battery of Light Ar
tilery, four companies of the Second Regi-
ment of Artillery, the Fifth, Seventh and
Eighth Regiments of Infantry, a company
of volunteers from New Orleans and Colonel
Jack Hayes regiment Of Texas Rangers, in
all numbering about $500 experienced fight
ing men-the orders were to move rapidly
ana gain the rear Of Monterey as eXpedi-
tionSly as possible. This was an extremely
hazardous movement, as General Taylor
had but about 5000 men in front of a fort-
fed city of 10000 Inhabitants, which was
garrisoned by $4,000 of the brayest troops in
Mexico
'oLD ROUGH AND READY"
Quartermaster Myers Informed General
Taylor that the men who were detailed for
the expedition had no subsistence stores.
| know il" replied old Rough and Ready.
"But we cant wait now. They will find
something to eat over yonder." And we
did. A long in the afternoon we approached
the Bishops palace, large fortified castle,
located toward the rear OF the city of Mon
terey, perched on high hill, and this we
were to storm. AS we went forward we
could see regiment after regiment Of re-en-
fOrcementS marching up the fortified hill
overlooking the palace, and we knew the
place could not be taken without severe
struggle. Two miles further on in a beauti-
lul valley, WateT6u Dy Il me stream, our
guide, Ranger Jim" Baker, gave orders for
us to camp for the night. Rain fell in tor
rents as we arranged our pickets and set
our sentries, and this continued until 8
o'clock at night, when it cleared and we
built our fires. We were camped by large
cattle ranch, and the rangers took goats,
kids and lambs from corral near by aud
we soon had plenty to eat. Our Quarter
master gave receipts for everything taken,
and after the capture OF Monterey the
owner was paid i'll full for what had been
taken. He remarked ut the time that 1t
was an act which his own people would not
have performed,
MEETING CHARGE.
But little sleep was indulgedin in, the night
having been spent for the most part in
drying our clothing. At day break we were
ordered into line for a forward movement,
when, just at the moment, about 1900 Mexi-
can cavalry came sweeping around the spur
OF mountain on the edge Of the Saltillo