Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-07-03

the other squadron, under Captain
Croghan Ker guarded the trains.
The left wing, Belknap's had for It's
righ, a battalion of artillery acting
as infantry near the center Of the
line under Brcvet Northumberland
thomas Childs; next, leftward, Dun
cans light battery; opposite the en-
emy's extreme right the Eighth In
fantry commanded by Captain Will
liam r. Montgomery.
General Taylor's rcr7t. o. tic en-
ra-emcnt Is in part as follows:
The enemy's batteries between Ar
igta's cavalry and infantry, were or
ened upon US, when ! ordered the
columns halted and deployed iDf 0 line
and the fire to be returned by all
our artillery. The Eighth Infantry. on
u extreme left, vas thrown back
to secure the flank. The first fire of
the enemy did but little execution,
while our eigh. een-pounders and Ma
jor Ringeold's artillery soon disper-
sed the cavalry which formed Aris-
ta's left. Captain Duncan's battery,
thrown forward in advance Of the
line, was doing good execution at
this time. Captain Mays squadron
was now detached to support thar
battery and the left of our position.
The Mexican cavalry, with two piec-
es of artillery, were now reported to
be moving through the chaparral to
our right 20 threaten that flank, or
to make a demonstration against the
train. The Fifth Infantry vas i'm
mediately detached to check this
movement, and, supported by Lieu
tenant Ridgely, with a section of
Major Ringgold's battery and Cap
tain Walkers company OF voluE ceers,
e~ffectually repulsed the enemy, the
Fifth Infantry repelling a charge Of
lancers by promptly forming, like
Wellington's regiments at Waterloo,
the hollow square, and, not only fir
ing, but using the bayonet along
the threatened fronts, and the ar
tillery doing great execution in their
ranks. The Third Infantry was now
detached to the rigb' as a still fur
Their security to that flank
yet threatened by the enemy. Major
Ringgold with the remaining section,
kept up his fire from an advanced pos
ition and was supported by the
Fourth Infantry.
THE grass of the prairie had been
accidentally fired by our artillery,
and the volumes Of smoke now par
TALLY concealed the armies from each
other. AS the cnemy's left (near the
marshy swale) had evidently been
driven back, and left the road free.
the cannonade having been suspend
ed, I ordered forward the eighf cen
Founders on the road nearly to the
position first cccpied by the Mexi-
can cavalry, and caused the First
brigade to take up a new position
still on the left of the eighteen
FOUNDER battery. The Fifth was adj
vanced from it's former position. and
il occupied a point on the extreme
right of the new line. The enemy
made a change of position CORES
ponding to our own, and after a sus-
pension of nearly an hour the ac-
ton resumed.
Again: THE fire of artillery was
now most destructive. Openings were
com artly made through the enemy's
ranks by our fire, and the constancy
with which the Mexican infantry
sustained this severe c~annonade was
a theme of universal remark and ad-
miration. Captain My 5 squadron was
detached to make a demonstration
on the left of the enemy's position,
and suffered severely from he fire
Of artillery to which 1t was for some
time exposed.
The Fourth Infantry. which had
been ordered to support the eighteen
FOUNDER battery. was exposed to a
most CALLING fire of artillery, by
which several men were killed. and
Captain Page dangerously wounded.
The enemy's fire was directed against
our eigf, eensounder battery. and
the guns under Major Ringgold in
its vicinity. The major himself, while
cody directing the fire Of his pieces.
was struck by a cannon-ball and NOR
tally wounded.
Meanwhile the battalion of artil-
lery FUSED as Infantry. under Lieu
tenant-Colonel Childs. had been
brought up to support the artillery on
orr right. A strong demonstration
of cavalry was now made by the en-
envy against this part Of our line and