Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-05-09

center. being dcployed on eacn side
! Of the road to support the advance.
Lieutenant Ridgley. who had sue
coded 10 the command of Major
Rinrgold, wounded at Palo Alto, was
I ordered 10 advance with his battery
Ions the road. Scouts and Skin
usher had previously located Aris-
/ ta'S masked battery at the punt
where the road curved to cross the
resace.
The American artillery moved
with its usual CELEBRITY. Ridgely re-
eeived his command to advance
about 4 o'clock and a few minutes
later the heavy detonations Of the
American cannon joined the crack
ling rifle fire of the skirmishers.
The Mexicans had advanced two
pieces Of artillery about 100 yards
up the road from their original po-
sition. Coming down the road at a
gallop, Ridgley's artillerymen swung
their pieces into position almost IN
the smoke of the enemy guns, and
al the first discharge drove several
Of Arista's gunners from their
pieces. Serving their guns with
great rapidity the American artil-
lerymen swept the road to the front
and the chaparal on each side with
grapeshot.
Fighting in the Chaparral
In the thick brush and under
heavy fire il was impossible to form
lines or maintain the usual organi-
zation. The artillery could not be
used with such effectiveness as at
Palo Alto. According to the gallant
Captain May the battle order was:
Find the enemy and give him hell"
and this was the order the American
troops proceeded TO execute.
Smiths skirmishers, pushed to the
right to make contact with the enc
my's left flank and Captain Barbour
with q company of the third infantry,
crossed the resaca at a point near the
/ western part of the Putegnat farm
several hundred yards west Of the
present Paroles Line highway, Their
progress was announced by the crac.
kle Of rifle fire, the third infantry
endeavoring TO follow the sounds OF
the skirmishing.
On the left McCall's skirmisher,
were pushing through the tangle OF
brush TO strike at the Mexican right
flank, and in the center Ridgley's ar.
tillerymen were spraying the road
and brush with grapeshot. The fourth
and fifth infantry and McCall's com
pany we're soon holly engaged on the
left. The enemy fought with great
bravery, charging repeatedly WITT
the bayonet, but were slowly pressed
back.
On the right Captain Barbour OF
the third infantry struck the Mexican
left flank on the south bank OF the
resaca, and slowly rolled it backward
The charge OF this company was So
impetous that the Tampica Guarda
Costa. and the Mexican fourth infan-
try. placed on the extreme left
thought they we're attacked BY the
main American army. Captain Bar.
bour's men carried their charge along
the south bank Of the resaca through
TO the main road almost 10 the real
of where the Mexican batteries had
been stationed, capturing scores OF
prisoners, who believed themselves
surrounded by the American army.
The charge carried them TO the head
quarters tent of General Arista, who
fled, and Captain Barbour-s men we're
found near the headquarters camp OF
the enemy when tho rest Of the Amer
lean force finally pushed over the
~resaca.
The Battle in the Center
While the troops Of Captain Bar
bour were driving in the enemy's
left flank. and the fourth and fifth
infantry were concentrating upon the
right flank and center, Ridgely's ar
tillery on the road in the center OF
the American line was blasting the
way for the final charge. Ridgely
advanced his guns as rapidly as pos
sible. In one Of his most daring 40
~vances. when only one gun was un-
limbered. the enemy lancerS charged
down the road. A load of canister
on top of the she'll scattered them
at a moment when il appeared that
capture of the battery was inev-
table.
At this juncturc Captain May Of the
dragons asked permission Of Cen
eral Taylor TO charge the battery on
the south bank Of the resaca. "Charge
il, captain" was the order. Across
the ravine the gallant squadron
charged. reinforced by Captain Ora
hams squadron. and were met by a
hail Of musket balls and grapeshot.
! In a moment they were sabering the