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The firing from the castle was very severe. Colonel Ransom,
of the Ninth, was killed, and Pillow himself was wounded. Still the
troops pressed on till the crest of the hill was gained. There some
moments were lost owing to the delay in the arrival of scaling-ladders,
during which two of Quitman's regiments and Clarke's brigade reenforced
the storming party. When the ladders came, numbers of men rushed forward
with them, leaped into the ditch, and planted them for the assault.
Lieutenant Selden was the first man to mount. But the Mexicans collected
all their energies for this last moment. A tremendous fire dashed the
foremost of the stormers into the ditch, killing Lieutenants Rogers and
Smith and clearing the ladders. Fresh men instantly manned them, and,
after a brief struggle, Captain Howard, of the _voltigeurs_, gained a
foothold on the parapet. M'Kenzie, of the forlorn hope, followed; and a
crowd of _voltigeurs_ and infantry, shouting and cheering, pressed after
him, and swept down upon the garrison with the bayonet.


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