The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-04
Political CONFUSION of Mexico
REEVES Memory of Cerro Gordo

The political CONFUSION of Mexico
revives the memory of our war with
that country. April eighteenth mark
important action of that war-the bat
tie of Cerro Gordo.
The annals of American valor re-
cord no more splendid achievement
than the forcing of the approaches to,
and the winning of, the heights of
Cerro Gordo. History, engrossed with
the records of the Civil War, is ap-
parently neglectful of our struggle
with Mexico.
Scott's Famous March.
In the early part of April, 1847, Gen.
Scott began his famous march to the
interior. Upon April II, the Ameri-
cans at Plan del Rio learned that
Santa Anna, with a force of $4,000
men, was in the neighborhood of Ger
70 Gordo. The topography of the
country, as determined by recon
naissance, disclosed a series of
heights, one arising above another,
each furrowed with trenches and
strongly fortified. The road was also
FOUND TO be barrlcaded.
Nothing daunted, on the morning of
the 14th, the Americans began to adj
vance. A reconnaissance discovered
the fact that frontal attack would
inevitably result in great slaughter.
Commanding the only road they
might follow was a series of frown-
ingly fortified cliffs rising ledge upon
~.
road with it's debouches and curves
left several points open to an enfil-
aiding fire from the sullen batteries
that bristled on the heights above it.
Scott, with his humane considera-
ton, resolved upon another plan of
advance. He conceived and executed
the idea of opening another road lead
ing at a tangent from the one estab-
lished. Abruptly leaving the old
road, the new one entered and ira
versed deep ravine skirting the base
of the mountains, thus enabling them
to advance hidden from the enemy's
view. For three days the Americans
worked uninterruptedly. On the 18th,
as they drew near the Mexican lines,
their discovery was announced by the
enemy's fire. When discovered, the
distance to the Jalapa road (from
which they had diverged) was so
slight that Twiggs division was or
dered to advance on the new road,
and with Shields brigade, engage the
enemy's left, with the object of turn
ing it.
Capture of Heights.
In order to accomplish this, it was
necessary to capture the heights be-
low Cerro Gordo. AS a preliminary
movement, a company of the Seventh
Infantry under Lieutenant Gardner
was detailed to reconnoitre a height
to the left. simultaneously with their
forward movement, the Mexican Skin
mish line, supported by a heavy re-
serve, advanced to meet them. Gard
ner held his position until reinforced
by General Harvey with Summers
Rifles and Child's Artillery. Rapidly
forming his line, Harvey led his
men to the summit and charged the
Mexicans, forcing them down the
steep hillside and driving them up and
over another and yet another of the
neighboring heights.
From the height in front of the
Tower, and supported by its guns, the
battered Mexican forces were thrice
driven to finally seek the shelter of
the citadel. When the enemy had
reached the enclosure, it was discov-
cred by Colonel Childs, who led the
final charge, that the Mexicans had