shouting, attacked the enemy in his very stronghold. The latter now fled panic-stricken, but still he was pursued; and it was not until the affrighted fugitives had reached a point without the extreme range of their own cannon, which had been turned upon them at the onset, that they ceased in their flight. The national colors of our country now supplanted the banner of the enemy; the different regimental flags were also planted on the crest and shouts louder than ever from the victors

rose upon the air, struck terror into the very hearts of the enemy in the works still untaken, for they knew that their strong position had been turned, and that they were at the mercy of the men they had scoffed at in the morning. Never was victory more complete, although purchased with the blood of some of our best men. Lieutenant Ewell, of the rifles, was among the first within the enemy's breastworks, and it was here that he received his death-wound. The interior of the work was covered with the dead of the enemy, among them General Vasquez, Colonel Palacio, and many of their officers, while the hill-side down which they fled was strewn as well. Nearly two hundred men were left dead, while the wounded would swell the number to at least five hundred-some even put it down as high as seven hundred.

The regiments composing Colonel Harney's command, and which successfully stormed the noted Cerro Gordo, were the 1st artillery, under Colonel Childs; the 3d infantry, under Captain E. B. Alexander; the 7th infantry, under Colonel Plympton; and a portion of the rifles, under Major Loring. Many cases of individual bravery, performed by subaltern officers, have been mentioned; but as I cannot particularly notice such as I have heard of without perhaps doing injustice to others equally me

ritorious, I shall forbear writing until I have more full information. I had almost forgotten to state that four companies of the 2d infantry, under Colonel Riley, took an active part in the assault."

The affair in front of Vera Cruz won from the European press unqualified praise, and was there spoken of as one of the most brilliant feats of the war.

Colonel Harney is yet with the army, and is everywhere seen conspicuous in the advance. He has much more to do; and it is certain, if courage find its reward in the next list of brevets, he will be promoted to a brigade. Colonel Harney is a man of eccentric character, and is one of the most athletic men in the army, in spite of his age, which is about fifty. He has some little vagaries, curious and unaccountable; among which, it is said, is a deep-seated impression that he is to die in front of the Moro or citadel of the Havana. He has, however, done service enough to entitle him to die anywhere he pleases.

Colonel P. F. SMITH, of the rifles, is a young officer in the service, though an old soldier; having commanded on more than one occasion in the Florida war, troops from the state of Louisiana. For his gallantry at Monterey he received the brevet of brigadier-general, after less than six months' service as a colonel. Colonel Smith is a native of Philadelphia. Though a brave man and a good soldier, it may reasonably be doubted, if any reason existed why he should have been appointed to the command of the new regiment, over the heads of the many distinguished field-officers of the army certainly not less competent, and who have consecrated to the service of the nation long years, appropriated by General Smith to his private affairs. The appointment of the lieutenant-colonel and majors, and of the officers

of this corps in general, with the exception of a few ci-devant subalterns restored to the service, was a flagrant outrage of power, by the fact, that when the colonel was assigned to a higher command it became necessary to take a major (Sumner) from another regiment where it was needed to command this regiment.

One of the extra ten regiments, authorized at the last session of congress, was equipped as dragoons. The officers appointed to it were, without exception, taken from civil life. As the law requires it shall be disbanded at the end of the war, it scarcely comes within the province of this book, devoted to the line and staff of the permanent army.

The cavalry force of the United States, it will be perceived, is small, and is calculated rather according to the rules defined by the custom of other services, to regulate the proportion of horse and foot, than the exigencies of our peculiar situation. The habit of collecting on the frontier the Indians who had become surrounded in their new home, had brought about collisions, which made light cavalry as certainly the great necessity of our western army, as in the French service in Algiers, or in the Russian army of the east, each of which are called on to act against a mounted enemy. The evidence of this necessity was the only thing which induced the government to authorize the existing force. Any one who will look at an Osage or Comanche warrior on horseback, will see at once, that though they may be overtaken by a dragoon mounted on the admirable American cavalry horse, it is absurd to expect a foot soldier, with a heavy musket and knapsack on his shoulders, to dream of doing so.

During the years previous to the organization of the American dragoons, a party of infantry were ordered to

remove from Missouri a band of Osages, who trespassed on the frontier settlers. By a judicious march, the troops surprised them and removed them. After a march of some miles homeward, an officer looked back and saw the Indians already on the return. They were again pursued, but on this occasion on the alert, aroused the speed of their active ponies and were soon lost amid the ravines, whither it was impossible to follow them.

There is little doubt that the efficiency of the army would be much increased, if a much larger portion of it were horse; and it may be a meet matter for discussion, if the lance, so formidable a weapon in the hands of the Mexican rancheros and regular cavalry, might not be introduced with propriety into our service. This formidable arm a great military critic has called the queen of weapons, and in the hands of the cavalry of the United States (believed to be equal to any in the world) might resume its ancient predominance. The Mexican lance, from the small average of the size of their men and cattle, is much shorter than a similar weapon might with propriety be made for our own use. In fact, there is little doubt that it might be used with advantage, even if sixteen or eighteen feet long, and stripped of the useless pennon and cross-piece at its head. For real service, it should be made of stout ash or hickory, with a sharp point like that of a heavy cavalry sword, or the prolongation of a steel ferule. Objection might be made, with some propriety, to such a weapon, that surgeons would be of little use where men armed with it had passed.

CHAPTER II.

Mounted officers-Light artillery-Its origin in our armyPeter's corps-Its services, peculiarities, and disbandment— Ringgold-Ridgely-Bragg-Washington.

ALL mounted officers have a rank assimilated with cavalry, except that they receive forage for fewer horses, from the fact, that accompanying the army, which generally of course is foot, their servants and the non-commissioned officers of their corps are not mounted. The dragoons and mounted riflemen are the only mounted portion of the service, except the light artillery, which, though having rank and promotion with the artillery, have a more intimate connexion with the dragoons than with that arm.

The drill of the light artillery is a combination of the cavalry and artillery tactics, as the heavy artillery is of the infantry drill and the manipulation of the gun. The organization of the company is different, from the fact that the men are arranged not by troops, platoons, or sections, but according to batteries, sections, and guns. A light battery consists of a captain, two first lieutenants, a second lieutenant, and a brevet lieutenant, and four sergeants, four corporals, two buglers, and privates, which never equal the number prescribed by law, about seventy. The horses are not, as a general rule, of such good quality as those of the dragoons, bone and agility being esteemed of more importance than blood and speed. The necessity of this will be obvious to all,