Zunaed ebooks

One by one the defenders escaped by the rear toward
Chapultepec, and those who remained hung out a white flag. Under
Duncan's fire the Casa Mata had been evacuated, and the enemy was
everywhere in full retreat. Twice he rallied and charged the Molino; but
each time the artillery drove him back toward Chapultepec, and parties
of the light infantry pursued him down the road. Before ten in the
morning the whole field was won; and, having blown up the Casa Mata,
Worth, by Scott's order, fell back to Tacubaya.
With gloomy face and averted eye the gallant soldier received the thanks
of his chief for the exploits of the morning. His heart was with the
brave men he had lost--nearly eight hundred out of less than thirty-five
hundred and among them fifty-eight officers, many of whom were his
dearest friends. All had fallen in advance of their men, with sword in
hand and noble words on their lips. 'Twas a poor price for these to have
stormed Molino del Rey, and cut down nearly a fifth of Santa Anna's
fourteen thousand men.


Pages:
176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200