On to Mexico-Grant's First Experience in Capturing a Capital in the Dreadful Struggle. The general of the division under whom it was Grant's good fortune to serve, was Scott's right arm during the Mexican campaign: wherever hard work was to be done, Worth was in the van. Garland and Clarke were the right and left arms of Worth. Of Col. Garland, Worth himself says, that "he was conspicuous on many fields of the Mexican War; and by his skill, conduct, and courage in the last great combats, greatly added to an already established reputation for patriotism and soldiership." In following closely Col. Garland's impeded march to the capital, we shall detect the "whereabouts" of Lieut. Grant in the smoke of the battle, and shall witness "the moving accidents by flood and field, disastrous chances, hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent deadly breach," through which Grant himself reached his "first environed. capital"-the Hall of the Montezumas. He was at this time quartermaster of the Fourth, and unless called to service upon the regimental staff, might have remained with his baggage-wagons during every engagement; but he coveted no such exemption, and was always foremost in its fighting ranks. We know, then, that on this bright forenoon in September-it is the 20th of the month, 1844--Grant was standing with his brigade-comrades in an angle of the San Antonio Causeway. They propose by this route to make an excursion to the City of Mexico, and enter it by the San Antonio Gate. They possess some exciting information which it is desirable that the reader shall also learn in order to enter into the spirit of their adventure. They know that some opposition is to be anticipated to their jaunt. They can see that, half a mile ahead, the villagers of San Antonio have thrown impediments across the cause-. way which may prematurely arrest their project. They know that Col. Clarke, with their co-brigade, who designs to accompany them, has already diverged into the meadows for the purpose of avoiding the intended civilities of this hacienda, and reaching the road at a point beyond it. They know that some three miles ahead, where this causeway crosses the Churubusco rivulet, still more formal preparations are made for their reception; that a tete de pont has been erected with bastions, connecting-curtains, wet ditch, everything in the most approved engineering style and finish, even to the four guns in embrasure and barbette, bearing directly upon their narrow path; and that, if the Mexicans having them in charge are mischievously disposed, quite serious consequences may there ensue. They know that a breastwork of some four hundred yards front connects this tete de pont with the convent church of San Pablo, in the hamlet of Churubusco; and that, strange to say, a redoubt and abatis obstructs the entrance into the sacred edifice, which, moreover, mounts seven cannon on its consecrated walls, crenelled also for musketry. They know, also, that Santa Anna, with a following of twenty-seven thousand soldiers, has come forth from his palace to this interesting locality for the purpose of greeting them upon their arrival. They know that beyond the river and the bridge some eight thousand Mexican reserves are drawn up in line, awaiting their advent. They know that yesterday morning General Twiggs, with quite a large retinue, went through the Pedregal, some five miles to the west, for the purpose of visiting the fortified camp of General Valencia, who, with a concourse of friends, has also emerged from the city with hospitable intent. They know that it is the plan of General Twiggs' party, after paying their respects to the Mexican general, to pursue a circuitous path for the purpose of avoiding the parade and ceremonies at Churubusco, and to join Garland beyond the river in his excursion to the city. Grant, with the brigade, is awaiting the signal which shall announce that Clarke has reached his point of destination. His guns at length are heard. Garland's war-dogs, unleashed, rush impetuously upon the San Antonio intrenchments, and drive out the enemy in a long straggling column, which Clarke, now charging from the meadows on its flank, cuts near the centre, hurling the rear upon the village of Dolores as unworthy of further notice, but uniting with Garland in scourging the severed head to the compatriot embrace of Churubusco. But the Sixth Infantry, which is on the lead, suddenly comes to a halt. The battle rages at three points at once. Victory wavers, and it is doubtful upon which banner she will perch. Garland's and Clarke's brigades are stunned in their onslaught upon the flank of the tete de pont. The veteran Sixth Infantry stagger back, decimated from their furious leap upon its front. Duncan's battery is obliged to mask itself before the heavier metal of its guns. Taylor's battery, operating with Twiggs upon the right, crippled in men and horses, is driven from its position by the expert gunnery of San Pablo, while the assailing infantry there are terribly galled by the sharpshooters of its tower and roof, and Shields on the meadows is outflanked by the Mexican cavalry. One daring exploit redeems the fortunes of the day— Lieut. Longstreet, bearing the colors of the Eighth Infantry, and leading the regiment which he inspirits both by exhortation and example, leaps with it into the dry-ditch of the tete de pont, escalades the curtain without ladder or scaling-implement, and, with the cold steel alone, clears its bastions of defenders, and drives them over the bridge upon their reserve. Quicker than thought, he turns its captured guns upon San Pablo, which is still slaughtering the columns of Twiggs upon the right. Relieved from the pressure of the same metal, Lieut.Col. Duncan gallops forward with his splendid battery. He opens at a distance of two hundred yards, upon the walls around the convent; and seizing the prolongation of its principal face, in the space of five minutes, by a fire of astonishing rapidity, drives the artillery-men from the guns in that quarter, and the infantry from their intrenchments; and then turns his Battery upon the convent tower. While its garrison are shocked and half demoralized by this overwhelming attack of Duncan from the left, the stormers upon the right capture the nearest salient which confronts them in that direction; the light artillery advance rapidly within effective range; San Pablo slackens fire; and a dozen white flags appear just as Capt. Alexander of the Third Infantry is entering it, sword in hand. The whole fortified position of Churubusco is taken. It was yet dark on the following morning, when Grant, in regimental battle line, confronts the last fortified position upon which depends the fate of the enemy's capital. Directly in his front the solid walls of Molino del Rey, five hundred yards in length, rise like a precipice, save that drowsy candles twinkle through its windows, intimating what is in store when from them shall stare the muzzles of the rifles. |