Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-03-07
zen. Valencia Made a Brave Stand.

mating with Gen. Marcus J. Wright's
life of Gen. Scott, that, at the crisis OF
the fight at Cherubusco, these two bat
talions met 'and fought each other
with great desperation" This is high
ly dramatic, but not true. They were
both actively engaged in the opera
tions from Puebla to Cherubusco, but
not directly pitted against each other,
but surely the situation was sufficient
" dramatic without that browning
touch.
The first collision between the two
armies, after SCOTS arrival in the val
| ley Of Mexico and the beginning of his
advance upon the city, was at the bat
| tie of Contreras, or Padierna. Here
Gen. Valencia made brave stand,
and in the first days fighting held his
ground. 1t was in this fight that the
San Patricio battalion, made up OF the
| American soldiers who had deserted
| first showed its mettle Having charge
| of the Mexican batteries, the Ameri-
cans hit and dismounted Gen. Ma
/ gruder's guns one after the other, as
| fast as they could be brought up, till
| all but one were out of action. The
rinemen were in the van of the attack
but were driven back with heavy loss,
chiefly by the fire of the Mexican bat.
teS1es in charge of their deserving
comrades 1t was truly q bloody score
| which was charged up to these men
that day, and one for which they soon
after paid dearly. Gen. Valencia was
surprised, outflanked. and routed the
next morning, and the tide of battle
then rolled up the highway toward
the City of Mexico and paused at the
convent Of Cherubusco
The little town of Cherubusco lies
on the west side Of the highway lead
ing south from the City of Mexico, on
an elevated spot near a stream of the
same name. Here was situated the
stone convent of San Pablo, especially
adapted to defensive Notifications, and
which had been prepared for resist
ance to the Americans. 1t was held
by the Mexican Gen Rincon with
about 400 men and seven guns. I'm
der him was Gen Anaya, who had
been acting president of Mexico. A
short distance northeast OF the con-
vent. on the south bank of the river,
was the tete-de-pont, with battery OF
five guns. Santa Ana took up his po-
sition across the highway. on the north
bank Of the river, behind the tete-de-
mont and under the shelter of its guns
and those OF the convent BY this time
either necessity or experience led him
to repose full confidence in the Amer
lean deserters, and in selecting men
for the post Of honor his choice fell
upon them. Together with the Tlapa
battalion and the First Light infantry
they were stationed in the tete-de
pont. the most exposed position on
the field.
These arrangements were scarcely
!. completed before the Americans came
up and began the attack. Il was Gen
SCOTS policy to assault and take
every stronghold in his path-some
thing a modern general would scarcely
/. do. He could easily have avoided the
. engagement at Cherubusco. but he
would not have been the obstinate ole
fighter he was had he done so. Twiggs
division having been ordered to carry
the works at the convent, he sem
Rileys brigade to attack it on the left
and Smiths straight up the road to
ward the tete-de-pont. Arriving near
" opposite the convent, they founC
the brigade of Gen. Franklin Pierre,
awaiting them, and were consolidated
with that organization under the com
!. mand of Smith, and Pierce was sen
elsewhere.
A heavy fire was Immediately open
cd on Smiths division from the for
Tins IS the season when you are thinking