240

ATTACK ON A WAGON TRAIN.

town,* promptly dispatched Major Shepherd with three . companies and two pieces of artillery, to the relief of Lieutenant Colonel Irvin. The advance guard of Major Shepherd encountered the enemy on the road, and a slight skirmish took place. The pieces were discharged upon the right and left, and a volley of musketry fired into the chaparral, when the detachment moved forward without interruption, and reached Marin in the morning of the 25th. Several skirmishes had already taken place, but the enemy retired on the arrival of the reinforcement.

Meanwhile Colonel Morgan, of the 2nd Ohio volunteers, was advancing with eight companies of his regiment, about two hundred men, from Seralvo. He had received instructions from General Taylor on the 23rd, to concentrate his regiment at that point, and march to Monterey forthwith. He left Seralvo in the morning of the 24th, and in the evening was met by a courier, who informed him that a most atrocious act of barbarity had just been committed by a portion of the force commanded by General Urrea; that a wagontrain under the escort of Lieutenant Barbour, with forty men, had been surrounded near Ramos; and that the soldiers had been killed or taken prisoners, and the wagoners butchered. He proceeded on his march during the night, and at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th reached the scene of the disaster, where he found the bodies of between forty and fifty of the wagoners horribly mutilated, some of them hav

i

General Butler had returned to the United States, under the advice of his physicians, on account of his wound received at the stormterey, from which he did not recover for a long time. Most of the balls used by the Mexicans were of copper, and very poisonous in their effect, especially in that warm climate

SKIRMISH NEAR AGUA FRIO.

24]

ing been staked to the ground and cut to pieces, the wagons burning, and several of the dead bodies consuming in the flames. The march was continued to Marin, which was found nearly deserted, Lieutenant Colonel Irvin having proceeded towards Monterey upon the arrival of Major Shepherd. At eleven o'clock at night on the 25th the camp-fires of the enemy were seen in the distance, and in an hour Colonel Morgan was again upon the road. On the morning of the 26th, when within a mile and a half of Agua Frio, his flankers reported the enemy to be in force in the chaparral on either side of the road. Forming his men in a square he resumed his march, after driving back a small body of Mexicans who made their appearance on his flanks. A short distance beyond Agua Frio the enemy again appeared, full eight hundred strong; and a constant firing was kept up until the detachment approached San Francisco. Clouds of lancers hovered around, threatening to sweep down upon the small force and overthrow them in an instant. Lieutenant Stevens was now dispatched to overtake Lieutenant Colonel Irvin. Dashing through the enemy who occupied the chaparral flanking both sides of the road, he came up with him at Walnut Springs. The latter at once returned, with one hundred and fifty men and two field-pieces, and joined his regiment in a few hours, dislodging a body of the enemy from their ambush as he advanced in front. In the meantime Colonel Morgan had repulsed a vigorous charge made upon his front and flanks, and on being joined by the reinforcement he ordered an attack. An animated action took place, which continued for a few minutes, when the enemy retreated in confusion, having lost upwards of fifty men in killed and wounded. The American loss

242

TRAIN UNDER MAJOR GIDDINGS.

was five killed, among whom was Captain Graham, assistant quartermaster, and one wounded. The detachment was not molested again on the route to Monterey.

On the 5th of March, Major Giddings, of the 1st Ohio regiment, with a mixed command of two hundred and sixty men, and two pieces of artillery, escorting a large wagon-train, and Major Coffee and Lieutenant Crittenden, bearers of dispatches, left Monterey for Camargo. On the 7th, he was attacked by the Mexican lancers and rancheros under Generals Urrea and Romero, who completely surrounded his command. The wagon-train was ordered to be parked in the centre, as well as it could be done considering its extent. One company was posted in the rear with a single piece of artillery, and the remainder of the force, with the other gun, were in front. The enemy succeeded in breaking through the train; a number of the drivers deserted their teams; and the frightened mules sprang from the road into the chaparral. Forty wagons were captured by the Mexicans and burned.* A warm fire was kept up from the front; but the rear-guard was in extreme danger. A parley was sounded, and a surrender demanded. This was not to be entertained a single moment. Captain Bradley cut his way through to the rear with eighty men, and the whole train was soon re-united. The enemy could make no further impression, and withdrew towards Seralvo. Early on the 8th, Major Giddings entered the town, and found that the Mexicans had

One of the wagons burned contained a large quantity of ammunition which exploded, and killed or wounded ten of the enemy. After that time they were more careful how they attempted to make a bonfire of such combustible materials.

INDEMNITY REQUIRED.

243

evacuated it in the night. Here he awaited the arri val of Colonel Curtis, who had left Camargo several days previous with 1,200 men, in order to obtain a new supply of ammunition. Colonel Curtis reached Seralvo on the 12th, and Major Giddings resumed his march, arriving at Camargo on the 15th.

Colonel Curtis continued on his way to Monterey, attempting in vain to come up with the enemy, until the 18th instant, when he was met near Marin by General Taylor, with Lieutenant Colonel May's dragoons and Bragg's artillery, also in pursuit of Urrea. The general had left Agua Nueva, General Wool remaining in command of the forces in that quarter, as soon as he heard of the outrages which had been committed. The pursuit was continued by the united force, but Urrea eluded them by retiring beyond the mountains. General Taylor returned to Monterey, and on the 31st of March issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of Tamaulipas, New Leon and Coahuila, reminding them of the manner in which the war had so far been conducted on his part, and of the respect paid to their persons and property so long as they remained neutral; but, inasmuch as many of them had been concerned in the destruction of the wagon-trains, and the pillage of their contents, he demanded an indemnification to be forthwith made each district, or juzgado, being required to pay its due proportion. The assessments were made, and payment enforced. No further outrages of this character were committed, and General Taylor again established his head-quarters at Walnut Springs, leaving General Wool still in command at Saltillo and its vicinity.

CHAPTER VIII.

SAN JUAN DE ULUA.

The Island of Lobos-Rendezvous of American Forces-Offer to negotiate-Vera Cruz-Castle of San Juan de Ulua-Landing of the Troops under General Scott-Skirmishing-Line of InvestmentBombardment-Effect of the Fire-Affair at the Puente del MidoisDragoon fight at Madellin-Capitulation of the City and CastleCapture of Alvarado-Advance of the Army into the Interior-Opening of the Mexican Ports.

THE island of Lobos is one of the gems of the "Blue Gulf." It is a sweet little spot, barely two miles in circumference, and formed entirely of coral. The Mexican coast is about twelve miles from its western shore; Tampico sixty-five miles to the north-west, and Vera Cruz twice that distance in the opposite direction. It is covered with choice tropical fruits and plants, with trees and shrubs of every variety. There are lemons and figs, banyan and palm-trees-the latter rarely exceeding twenty-five feet in height. Many of the banyans are completely thatched over with evergreen vines, and form most agreeable arbors, through which the sunlight falls, softly and silently, like flakes of snow, and the cool sea breeze finds its way, bearing health, and life, and strength upon its wings.

During the month of February, 1847, the various detachments of troops arrived, which had been ordered to rendezvous at Lobos, preparatory to making the descent upon the main land; General Patterson having