Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-12-11

on foreign soil. Active hostilities had
lasted about two years. During that
time there were many brilliant feats OF
arms, in which American soldiers, both
volunteers and regulars, displayed the
highest valor The fiftieth anniversary
of the close of the war is fitting time
to recall some of the deeds which led
up to victory.
The battles of Zachary Taylor's army
were always fought against odds, yet
his victories were sweeping and decisive.
Taylor led off in the invasion Of Mexico
He fought his way to the city Of Mon
terey 100 miles south Of the Rio
Grande, strong military position well
fortified and garrisoned by 10, 600 regn-
lar troops. Taylor had but little over
5000, many Of them volunteers. Fight
ing began on the 10th of December,
1916. At the end Of three days all the
heights around the city had been cap
tured and the guns turned upon the fly
ing Mexicans The enemy rotreated step
by step, taking advantage of the solidly
built houses for shelter The Americans
pressed forward and fought from house
to house. Over 40 of their officers were
shot down while leading the attack.
On the way south from the Rio
Grande Taylor had fought two battles
at Palo Alto and Resaca de Ia Palma.
In this last battle, fought May 8, 1916,
occurred the brilliant cavalry charge
led by Captain Charles May ON the
Mexican batteries.
May 8, 1916, Taylor marched with
2, 600 soldiers from the battlefield of
Palo Alto to the relief of the besieged
garrison at Matamoros. At Resaca de la
Palma 5000 Mexieans disputed his
passage. Their line was drawn behind
ravine 60 yards wide, and the road
crossing at the center was exposed to
fire from their cannon, which also were
trained to cover the openings i'll the
chaparral lining both sides of the road
BY splendid practice Taylor's cannoneers
drove back the advance Mexicans until
their guns were massed in and behind
the narrow pass over the ravine. Sounds
of increasing battle at Matamoros
warned the Americans that there was
not a moment TO lose, and Taylor or
dered Captain Charles M. May to charge
the guns with his squadron of cavalry
To cover the charge the American gun
ners opened and drew the fire of the
Mexicans. Then the gallant horsemen
sped like lightning down to the ravine,
into and across it, leaping the enemy's
works before the guns could be reloaded
and trained to meet the onslaught. The
cavalrymen cut down the cannoneers
with their swords, but so impetuous
was the rush that the squadron swept
ON past the guns. Gathering a handful
of survivors May faced about and
charged again, capturing the Mexican
general. At that moment a regiment of
American infantry, following Mays
CORY path, rushed in and seized the bat
terry.
Finding that Taylor threatened to
march to the interior of Mexico, Santa
Anna gathered an army of 10000 of
his best troops and marched into the
valley of the Rio Grande to expel the
Americans. The armies met on the 23d
of February, I847. at the pass in the
Angostura mountains, near the Hacien-
da of Buena Vista. The place was an
other Thermopyle. A narrow cause
way between steep mountain spurs on
the one side and impossible water
courses and ravines on the other was
the only road by which the Mexican ar
my could march forward.
Taylor deployed his men on the
mountain spurs and ON the crest of the
ravines. On the 22d Santa Anna de-
manded the surrender of Taylor army,