El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-28

: army moved forward in the fonowing
/ manner, TO storm the enemy's breast
/ works:
The artillery battalion. Mai. Clark
in the center. firing occasionally OF
I the advance. the first battalion, com
manded by Lieut.. Coils. Jackson anC
Z Mitchell composing the right wing
the two select companies OF cavalr1
under Capts. Reid and Parsons. and
, Capt. Hudson's mounted company
! Immediately on the left Of the artil-
! lerys and the second battalion on the
extreme left commanded by Maj. Gil
pin. The caravan and baggage trains
under command OF Maj. owens, fol-
lowed close in the rear. Col Doni-
phan and his aids, Capt. Thompson,
Z. s. a, Adj De Courcy, and Sgt
Maj. Crenshaw acted between the bat
talions.
At this crisis a body OF 500 Ian
GERS. and lasadors. were discovered
advancing upon our rear. These were
exclusive Of Heredia's main force,
and were said to be criminals.
turned loose from the Chihuahua
prisons. that by some gallant exploit
they might expurgate themselves Of
crime. To this end they were posted
in the rear 10 cut off stragglers. pre-
vent retreat. and capture and plumber
the merchant " aEOns. The battalion
OF teamsters Ike Dt these at bay Be
sides this force there were 1000 spec
tators. women, citizens and rancheros,
perchec on the SUBMITS OF the ada
cent mountains and hills. watching
the event OF the day.
As we neared the enemy's redoubts,
still inclining TO the right, A heavy
fire was opened upon US from his
different batteries. consisting in all
Of 16 pieces Of cannon But owing
TO the facility with which our move
ments we're performed. and to the fact
that the Mexicans were compelled TO
fire plungingly upon our lines,
their position being considerably ele-
waited above the plateau. and partic-
ularIy the battery placed on the brow
OF the Sacramento mountain with the
design Of enfilading our column, We
sustained but little damage
When our column had approached
within about 400 yards OF the en-
emy's line OF field works. the three
cavalry companies. under Capts- Reid.
Parsons and Hudson, and Weight
mans section OF hoWitzers. were or
dered to carry the main central bat
terry. which had considerably annoyed
our lines, and which was protected by
a strong bastion- The charge was
not made simultaneously as intended
by the colonel. for this troop. having
spurred forward a little way. was
halted for a moment under a heavy
cross fire from the enemy, by the ad-
jutants misapprehending the order
However. Capt Reid. either not hear
ing or disregarding the adjUtant's or
der TO halt. leading the way, waved
his sword, and rising in his stirrups,
exclaimed, will ny men follow me2''
Hereupon Lieuts Barnett, Hinton and
Moss, with about % men, bravely
sprang forward. rose the hill with
the captain carried the battery and
for a moment silenced the guns. But
we were too weak to hold possession
Of il BY the overwhelming force Of
the enemy we were beaten back. and
many Of US wounded Here Maj. Sam
uel c. Owens, who had voluntarily
charged upon the redoubt, received
a cannon or musket shot which in
stantly killed both him and his horse
Capt Reds horse was shot under
him, and a gallant young man OF the
same name Immediately dismounted
and generously offered the captain
his.
BY this time the remainder OF Capt.
Reds company under Lieut.. Hicklin.
and the section OF hOwitzers under
Capt Weightman, and Lieuts- Cho-
teau and Evans, rose the hill, and
supported Capt. Reid A deadly vol
ley of grape and canister shot min