The morning call., 1891-05-24

right, the Fifth Infantry the left; the artil-
lery companies and Texas Rangers occu-
pied the center, while the Louisiana COM
pany brought III the reaI as a reserve. We
moved in column of companies, very
slowly and carefully. The distance was
short, the ground SOFT marching could not
be heard, and perfect silence was main
tanned. We had bid our comrades farewell,
and had undertaken a desperate venture
General Worth stood at the head of the col
umn uncovered, and SO remained until the
last man lad passed A dead silence pre-
vailed.
THE SLEEPING SENTINEL.
Reaching the base of the hill the scouts in
advance saw the sentinel sitting on rock,
fast asleep. To seize him by the throat,
throw him on the ground and point bowie
knife at his heart was the work of an in
slant. He could not have given an alarm,
even if he had been so inclined. Then rap
idly, and so silently that we could hear our
hearts beat, we swept ND the hill. The Mex
lean troops, not expecting an attack, were
fast asleep, the sentinelS alone being on
watch. We were within 100 feet OF the sum-
nit before we were discovered. Then the
alarm was sounded, the hOarse commands
of the Mexican officers, and the bugle blasts
rang out in the night air, until one would
have imagined that the Angel Gabriel had
arrived. This was Immediately followed by
indiScriminate firing. Some fired in one
direction and some in another. They were
bewildered, panic-Stricken. Our command
now poured into them round after round of
ball and buckShOt, and above the din rang
the sharp crack of the Rangers rifles. Then
came the rush to close quarters with fixed
bayOnetS, with yell a la COmanche that
could be heard miles away. The Mexican
troops were wild with terror. and dropping
arms and equipments they fled down the hill
and took refuge IN the fortified palace below.
THE HILL WON.
We had won the hill, and as our men rent
the air with cheer on cheer they were
promptly answered by the comrades we had
left in camp, who knew we'll enough what
those cheers meant. And oh, who can tell
how welcome their voices sounded to us in
the darkness. The roll was called and it
was ascertained that about twenty of our
comrades had said their last goOd-by, and
among the number was our favorite captain
of the rangers Gillespie. Having moved
portion of the Mexican sand-bag breast
work down the slope toward the castle to
make a shelter for our 12-pound howitZer
we stopped to rest. 1t was now near day
break. Since that memorable occasion how
often have | reiterated the sentiment of
Sancho Panza, God bless the man who in
vented Sleep" for had not that Mexican
sentinel at the foot of the hill
alarm which would have brought on
us the fire of a thousand muSkets, and how
many of us in that event would now be oc-
cupyiDg nameess graves at Monterey. After
short time for rest, and just before day.
light broke, we were deplOyed in a double
skirmish line down the hill toward the
palace, with the instructions whenever
you see a head hit it," Colonel Jack Hayes
and his trusted Orderly Sergeant. Thomas
j. Knipe, were dispatched to General Worth
with particulars of our operations and
movements, and Immediately after Lieu
fOnant Roland 6nfanhnNnnf
scended the hill. As we arrived at the foot
the glad sight met our eyes of our celebrated
howitZer, flying toward us across the Mills.
drawn by six horses under full gallop and
in charge of Sergeant Tom j. Knipe. l
never saw piece of artillery move as rap
two Wheels careened over like a ship in
Squall, and again it would be flying through
the air. But Tom Knipe brought it in safely
and in good condition.
COPPER FOR LEAD.
We unlimbered il in a flash, and attaching
a rope to 1t a company of Major Smiths
artillery placed 1t in position on the hill.
Everything being in readiness, we sent
them our compliments in the shape of a
12-pound shell, loaded with seventy-two
LOUNGE musket balls. That shot, we after
ward learned, killed six OF the enemy.
The Mexicans had three 9-pounders in the
rear Of their works, and with these they
kept our infantry at bay, firing copper grape
shot The first round we fired was as
much surprise to our sklrmishers as it was
to the enemy. The Mexicans, from behind
breastworks of bags of beans and -four,
turned their attention to an attempt to dis
lodge our howitZer. But we had their range
to nicely, and the next shot struck their
bags Of flour, tearing them away and de-
stroying their shelter, and causing them to
abandon that gun. We now directed our
fire to the bean and sandbags, and they
replied with copper grape-sh0t. which when
it strikes, makes u wound that never heals.
DANGEROUS GUN.
We were reinforced by the Seventh Regi-