The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-07-16

( E'Ac'bA' III AIlltiiI9 IL uuNl ItSOIitU II
the same tactics going out as going
III. | was not challenged The can
teen was found where | left it. anC
you can imagine with what zest | en-
joyed that morning dram Of the excel
lent brandy i coutained II was Just
breaking day when | got back to nv
men, and prtting spurs to our stpeds
We were in the American lines soon
after their dispositions at Beuua Vista
and Gen TAYLOR In full possession OF
all / learned during that night"
OF the battle that followed the story
has often been told. Gen. Santa Anna
arrived in front Of Gen. Taylor just
before sunset on the Dist and made
| preparations for the morrow. Mum
bering four times the Americans, be
could not maueouver or bring into ac-
ton much over one half his army on
account Of the formation Of the ground.
which neutralized his superio ity.
Opening at dawn on Feb. -, it ragged
with fury until ; in the afternoon
without either side gaining any advan-
tage. 1t was about that hour that
Gen. Mignon organized and led fur
lOus charge of Mexican cavalry. which
struck an Indiana regiment which
broke and fled from the field Had it
not been checked Washington's bat
terry would have been captured, Gen.
Iaylor's left wing turned. his retreat
to Saltillo cut off and his army made
prisoners Of war
In this crisis Of the battle be order
ed the First Mississippi rifles, Col Jef
ferson Davis into the breach Magni
ticently the dark blue line of 1000
men came up, with every man know
inc the day depended upon him, and
every man knowing he was led by a
hero of the truest steel. But what is
this in their front An ugly little
ravine in the shape OF the letter Y,
with its sharp angle toward the enc
my. 1t was Just possible the Colonel
remembered that Napoleon found such
gronnd at Qnartre Bras and turned
it to great advantage. At any rate,
the MlSsissippians, instead of being
formed in the usual straight line of
battle, were formed along its ang' es,
the right and left wings obliqued in
ward, IN position for an intilading
fire
in the meantime Gen Mignon had
formed his cavalry for the second
charge After his line had been dres
sed, and just before the bugle sound
ed, Gen. Santa Anna, mounted upon
his beautiful charger seen the night
before and dressed in full uniform,
galloped from right to left, i'll front
and in full view of both armies. So
soon as he disappeared around and
| behind the right wing, the Mexican
bugle sounded. Each man and APP
parently each steed knew what it
meant. First at walk, then at gal
| lOp, then the rOwel went into the flank,
and on, on, in seemingly irresistible
fury, the 1000 horseman came at the
solid, immoyeable line Of ritlemen in
front The month of the ' is reached.
| the charging line begins TO double
upon itself more and more as it ap
proaches the apex, and when midway
of the sides Of the triangle a clear
musical voice rang out rs it gave the
COlllllldllOl
First Mississippi! Ready, Aim!
Fire.
The peaIs of thousand rifles were
heard and over 500 saddles were emp
ty. The line was restored, the army
saved from defeat This did not end
the bloody contest 1t ragged through
ont the 23d, and on that day Col. Nc
Kee and Lieut. Col Henry Clay fell
while gallantly leading "a charge of
Kentucky cavalry.
That night Santa Anna left the field
and retreated to fight Gen. Scott from
San Juan d'UllOa to the Belden Gate.
Brave native of an unfortunate
country. You defended it with as agac
ity, a courage, and genius worthy of a
better success. With armies formed
of race enervated by the intense
heat of a tropical sun YOU met and al
most crushed northern armies com
posed of the finest physical men on
earth. Your Buena Vista campaign
was as brilliant III conception as that
of the Glm Of Napoleon, and like this
the Waterloo was a base criticism.
And as the cowboy of the Alps told
Blucher to take this road and leave
that one alone" and thus turned the
tide Of battle in favor of Wellington. sc
did Ben McCulloch prevent You from
surprising and capturing Taylor and
his armY."