General Scott himself might be seen, sitting his horse, upon a little rise of the valley bottom, gazing steadily at the smoke through his glass. Very calm and collected he appeared. His aides galloped forward as if to get the news.
All that afternoon the booming of cannon and the drumming of musketry continued. No bad news came back. At sunset the firing died away. An aide from General Twiggs raced in and reported to General Scott. Speedily there were cheers.
Captain Gore of the company hastened forward to learn what he might. He returned.
“The movement by General Twiggs has been entirely successful, men. The American flag is now established upon a hill directly opposite Telegraph Hill, within easy range of the rear of the enemy’s defenses. Colonel Harney’s Mounted Rifles and the First Artillery, supported by the Seventh Infantry, carried it in gallant style, and General Shields’ brigade is reinforcing with men and guns. The first stage of the battle has been won.”
“An’ will we get into the foight, cap’n, plaze, sorr?” old Sergeant Mulligan asked.
“We’ll do our level best, sergeant. All we want is the chance.”
This was an uneasy night. The men persisted in talking among themselves until late. The veterans who had fought in other battles cracked jokes and told stories, and the few new men were nervous. The sergeants and corporals in vain cautioned: “Silence! Go to sleep.”
Lieutenant Grant lay under his blanket in the open, for the tents were far behind. The night was sultry; showers of rain fell, wetting the blankets. Pompey himself chattered less than usual and Jerry felt serious. To-morrow there was going to be a great battle of eight thousand American soldiers against twelve thousand Mexican soldiers, strongly fortified on the hills.
“Cerro Gordo hill is the key to the field,” Lieutenant Grant had said “That of course must be taken, and all the operations will concentrate upon it.”
The First Division did not know till later, but all this night the Illinois and New York Volunteers were working like Trojans, dragging the three twenty-four-pounders, under direction of Captain Lee and Lieutenant Hagner of the Ordnance, through the brush and over the rocks and tree trunks, and up the hill. The men were divided into two detachments. One detachment rested while the other detachment hauled and shoved; then the working detachment blocked the wheels and lay panting while the first detachment buckled to. It was not until three o’clock in the morning, that amidst the darkness and the rain the three guns were placed in position to open fire upon Telegraph Hill.