The morning times., 1897-01-31

century, participating in several wars
But the proudest day in all my army life
was the l 4th of September, 1647. Why?
Because, you see, that was when received
my first promotion as noLrcomIniSsiOned
officer in the regulars 1t was in the City
OF Mexico, which Major General Winfield
Scott had just entered at the head OF our
victorious army; the climax OF a remarka-
Bile five months campaign, beginning with
the capture OF Vera Cruz, and followed by
the brilliant victories at CeTrO GordO, ia
lapa, PerOte, Puebla, ContFeras, VaIenca,
CherubGsco, MoiinO del Rey, Chapultepec
and Mexico. All accomplished, too, de-
spite the enemy's great advantages OF be
ing on his own ground, and Of vastly sd
periOr mum bers.''
The speaker was "A veteran of over sew
enty years, Lieut. Col. Edward Collins. OF
Milton, Mas, L. s. A. on the retired list,
whom the writer recently Interviewed A
typical soldier Of the old school IS Col Col
Install, straight, erect and ~ military
carriage. with face bronzed by his many
Campaigns, yet @ coed face, expressive OF
a kind heart. allied % an iron VIII; In man
neFs frank, agreeabie.
Cll. uilius gave iiis- ara Interesting detaiIeIi
account % Tire siege 0f vera Crgz. .the iaui-
iug on the beach ~ the American forces ia
seycHty heavy surf tfaIs c1ufa.n.uznearI
4.GCO regulars -the erection % tbe r1tter.es
aIliIthe cons arg discharge ~ f1.Jie rol..bs
ami balls, the long 1Hi terrific bemhari-
Iuent u the CRY .thf pluck y defense br Gen. .
| Morales, who, through the CIau1r ~ tne
affriehtei, disc0rd1ut populIrr. was d.
posed. and his suocessdr. Gen. Landero.
/ capiiullted the city. the strong fortress %
san Juan de tina aud the EaTrisaa.
| Then, after a f7rtairht's Frst. the army
reinforced hy = ,0oe men. chiefly from Gen.
4 Taylor sCaFuuani. scotf ul5vesi t1vva RI the
| Interior. aud foughs the opening AMI Ia
/ NOUS battle - Cerr3 Gorio.
1 The CeTro IS strong pass" said the
/ c1ionci. situated among lofty rocks AMI
| entirely Controlling the road toward the
/ interior. Here Gen Santa Anna had sta
/ toned himself with II 600 men. The
/ Mexican general hai fortified 10 so care
| fully that u was deemed Iupr egna except
| IN front. Further along the road was an-
other hill similarly fortified end defended
| by Gen. La Vega with 3.OoO men. Besides
| these principal works batteries We're placed
/ at different points on the road, 50 as 20
] sweep directly across it. In front OF these
| stations was the Rio de Ia Plan, a small
stream between deep. rugged banks. The
! road Itself was broken up by gorges, hills
! and rayines.
such was the position which. although
| defended by II Goo men, Scott was about
| 10 storm with GOO. Do you wonder that
| we felt a little nervous at the outlook
| Col Collins described the various features
| of the battle, which account may De
| eptomized by stating that Scott wisely
| opened by an attack in the eneny's rear.
/ the troops, after eight hours work the
night before. having lifted the cannon up
| the steep rocks and otherwise pFepa red for
| the daybreak assault ma de by Gen Twiggs.
/ while Pillow, with his volunteers, engaged
| the enemy in front and charged the reduubt
| on that side, under most CALLING fire. All
| OF which proved successful. Gen. La
| Vega, four other generals, 5000 troops,
| fOTty-three pieces of brass artillery, and
| an Immense amount OF small arms and
| military stores were captured: the bulk
| of the seemingly invincibIe army routed.
| and Gems. Santa Anna, Canalizo, and
| others escaping through a narrow pass to
| Pueblo. The total loss OF the Americans
| was about $50; that OF the Mexicans. ex-
| elusive OF prisoners and deserters, about
| 100 more.
| 1T was at Cerro Gordo," continued the
/
| glimpse OF the doughty warrior, sam
| Houston, who licked lat San Jacinto, santa
| Anna, the Mexican president and com
mander OF the army A quickly dissaIv-
| ing view, but embodyins scene destined
| 20 wide and lasting fame
We had driven the enemy. and We're
! double-quicking down the slope OF Tele-
| graph Hin (CerFo Teiegraphol in hot pur-
suit, when / saw, "a little way in front of
| US, a man cut loose team OF six mules
| from a heavy covered carriage, from which
| the occupant was taken and hustled on 20
one Of the animals; then the driver mounted
| another Of the mules, and, applying the
| whip 20 them all sallnpcd away with the
| passenger, whom naturally supposed was
! a persona, e Of distinction. As We soon
| learned. this was none other than oId
| Santa Anna himself, who had felt 50
sure Of driving, ii not destroying, our
| force, that he had ventured too near the
front, and narrowly escaped capture.
''As our line passed the deserted carriage
saw it was an elegant one. But we did
not stop 10 examine il. Some OF the troops
behind US did stop long enough, however,
| TO confisCate a considerable amount OF
gold coin and santa Annals wooden leg
the substitute for the limb he had lost in
one OF his early battles. That wooden
trophy is now Ia some museum in this cOun-
try. Its capture, and under such ignobIe
circumstances, was noised throughout the
land, and created deal of humorous com
ment
| But in oil yeXpeTiences in that memoir
able campaign the most appalling one was
that at Molino del Rey, Il strongly fortified
station in front of Chapultepec-the latter
defended by 1000 Mexicans-when, at d
critical moment, a bugle charge was sound
ed, and 1000 Mexican lancers, taking adj
vantage OF our temporary confusion, came
glistening helmets, and with cleaning pen
| nants.
We stood firm, though we expected ex-
termination. But Col. Duncan promptly
opened two pieces of artillery upon them
| followed Immediately after by Col Drum,
while Major Sumner, withtwO squadrons OF
dragons, and Capt Ruff-s company OF
mounted rifles, passing rapidly down under
fire of the enemy IS works, charged the head
OF their column. The mighty force there
upon brought their horses from 4 run 10 u
trot-to n walk-to halt-th turned tail
and isnommiously fed.
Had the y been Uncle Sans cavalry they
would have done Just the oppOsite-would
have started at u walk, broken into trot
| and climaxed with run.
"A few days after, with flying coIOrs,
: drums abeat, and in all the panoply of eIo-
rious war, we marched proudly into the