The Portland daily press., 1892-06-04

noitering party unfair Capt KooeIt f.
Lee. and upon Information gathered by
Lee fixed his plan OF battle. After passing
along the mountain north of the Mexican
line, the scouts penetrated TO the crest Of
AtaETa ridge. From that height all eas
ground between tbs variqus Mexican bal
teries sud eacaInpnsentS could be seen. A
ravine Was discovered around the TELEGRAPH
hill on the north and west and Leading
up to the national road near Cerro Gordo
ranch. A still more extensive ravine was
found running parallel with the Mexican
line north OF the Atalaya and It's companion
ridges, and along this read passable for
artillery was constructed by Scott's err
gineers, under Capts. Bcauregard and Mc-
Ciellan. Along the principal rayine Gen.
Twiggs di"ision of regular troops adj
vanced on the 18th, guided by Capt lee
The column met with no opposition and
penetratetlto the west of Atalaya within
striking distance of Teegrafo Atalaya
ridge was still unoccupied by either army.
1t was to the whole field what Little
Round Top was to Gettysburg, and as at
Gettysburg both sides took a sudden no.
tion TO seize it. Twiggs sent Company G
of the Seventh infantry to it's summit for
OISeI dGtyil, ii1tl Il iTfGG OF
Mexican lanceYs started from the TELEGRAPH
hent On the SANE purpose. A regiment OF
rifles under Maj f. v. Sumner and a
battalion Of artillery went up Z the sup
port of COMPANY q, ard sitter. lTely fight
the ucssfs q driven dow. * Atalaya
slopes and half way up the ,eiegrafo. The
Americans lost 81 killed and wounded.
Among the latter were Mai Sumner and
l M0Tff of sa1.1 far
as deep sea explorer. To crown this
success a battery of 24-pounders was
placed upon the crest of Atalaya by Capt.
Lee, the whole of the Seventh infantry
was ordered mp. and Col. W. S. Harvey
assumed command. Once established on
that height it was plain that the TELEGRAPH
and the national road west of it could be
carried by assault.
Santa Anna meantime failed to take
warning from the American demonstra-
tion on his left and chung to the idea that
Scott would assail his batteries on the
right near the river. This assault he be-
ieved would miscarry and Scott's army
would lie idle in camp and speedily sue
cumb to the fevers that prevailed in the
low grounds along the Rio del Plan. But
the hero of Lundy's Lane had no notion of
wasting his gallant army under the formi-
dable Mexican guns or of awaiting the
deadly fever. On the night of the 18th his
troops were all in hand and he ordered
TWiggs to advance his division at daylight
on the 18th to some point on the road west
of TELEGRAPH and cut off Santa Annals re-
treat. Worth's division was to follow
Twiggs', and Gen. Shields volunteer
brigade, the Third and Fourth Illinois and
Second New York, to REINFORCE the regu-
lars in advance. Gen. Pillows volun-
teer brigade, comprising two Tennessee
regiments under Coils. Haskell and Camp
bell and two from Pennsylvania under
Coils. Wynkoop and Roberts, was formed in
column to attack the heavy Mexican bait
teries near the river and divert the enemy's
attention.
Promptly at daylight Twiggs' leading
brigade; under Col. Bennett Riley, guided
by Capt. Lee. moved along the ravine be-
tween TELEGRAPH and Cerro Gordo, Shields
brigade following. The guns on the Tele-
grafo opened in all directions, and Riley
soon encountered force of infantry NOV
ing down the slopes to head him off, In a
few moments his march turned into
battle. At the same time force of Mexi-
cans was seen moving still farther to their
left. toward Cerro Gordo. Capt. Lee again
took up the roll of guide, and piloted
Shields northward across the grand ra-
vine, then west and south to the road be-
yond Cerro Gordo and the extreme Mexican
left. While Riley and Shields were forg-
ing their way squarely to the Mexican
rear, Atalaya and TELEGRAPH were to settle
the issue, which for all was between them.
Col. Harneys column upon the Atalaya
comprised battalion of the First artillery
h. III
Gen. Scott had decided to storm TELEGRAPH,
and the task fell to Harvey, who was Sc
curely lodged upon Atalaya. The general
in chief witnessed the assault, one of the
gallant episodes of the war At signal
Harney's men sprang from their cover,
dashed down into the ravine between the
mountains, then up the steep and rocky
sides of the TELEGRAPH to within sixty or
seventy PAGES of the summit.
At that point the column reformed, and
with another dash, Harvey at the head, it
struggled forward to the palisades and
breastworks. The battle was short and
sharp-swords, bayonets and dubbed rifles
hacking and battering a way through
every obstacle Quick as flash flags were
exchanged on the lofty tower and the Mex
lean guns were turned against the bat
teries on the road below. Meanwhile Riley
had engaged the force west of TELEGRAPH
and driven it back. Shields had penetrated
to the road at Cerro Gordo, united with
Riley and with him captured the battery
there. Shields was severely wounded.
On Pillows front the Mexicans held their
fire until his brigade was close up to the
guns. Then volley of grape from % guns
swept the dense chaparral and the assault
was abandoned. Pillow was wounded and
lost 106 in his brigade. When the Mexi-
cans on his front saw the American colors
floating on the TELEGRAPH they felt that the
game was up and they threw down their
arms.
1t was ell over and was combination
flank movement without one mishap. Scott
wrote home that he was embarrassed with
the results of his victory. He secured about
1900 prisoners and was obliged to parole
them for want of guards OF cannon he
took 43 and of muskets $500. The Mexican
killed and wounded numbered about LOCO;
the American, AL. The Mexicans were
badly hsrassed in their retreat and lost
more in that way than in defending their
forts. Santa Anna escaped alone, and his
followers fled across the country without