General Kearney with his small, and almost worn-out force, reached San Diego just in time to join Commodore Stockton in carrying out a plan for reducing the Californians to submission. On the 29th of December, the little army, consisting of about six hundred men—the greater part of them being seamen, started from San Diego, to march toward Puebla de los Angelos, the capital and chief city of California. They had proceeded about one hundred and ten miles toward the Rio San Gabriel, when they found about six hundred mounted men, with four pieces of artillery, drawn up to dispute the passage of the river. On the 8th of January, 1847, the necessary arrangements having been made, the Americans waded across the river, reserved their fire until they reached the opposite bank, repelled a charge of the enemy, and then charged them in gallant style. After an action of an hour and a half, the enemy were driven from the field, on which the conquerors encamped for the night. The loss of the Californians was severe.
This battle, fought by the seamen and marines of Commodore Stockton, is justly regarded as one of the most extraordinary exploits of the whole Mexican war, which, as we have seen, abounded in all sorts of romantic and heroic achievements.
GENERAL SHIELDS AT CERRO GORDO.
GENERAL SHIELDS AT CERRO GORDO.
General James Shields distinguished himself in several battles during the Mexican war, and was severely wounded upon two occasions. In the great battle of Cerro Gordo, General Shields, with his brigade of volunteers, was directed to storm the height west of the principal battery of the Mexicans, which commanded the Jalapa road. The order was promptly and bravely executed. The volunteers advanced up the height with all the steadiness and courage of veterans, and carrying the height drove the enemy along the Jalapa road. As General Shields was advancing with his men, he was shot through the lungs. This paralyzed him, and he was carried off the field. The wound was at first thought to be mortal, but it happily proved to be otherwise. The general recovered and joined the army in time to share in the glory of the battles of Contreras, Churubusco, and the Garitas of Mexico.
General Shields is something more than a mere warrior. After the conclusion of the war, we find him assisting in the deliberation of the highest legislative body in the country, the senate of the United States. He is not a native of our country, but like the brave General Montgomery, who fell at the storming of Quebec, he is one of our adopted citizens. He was born in Ireland.
