In the afternoon General Scott examined in person the San Antonio front, and at his quarters that evening, after hearing the reports of the engineers, he decided to mask San Antonio, and force the intrenched camp at Contreras. Captain Mason alone of the engineers advocated the forcing of San Antonio.
On the 19th Twiggs’s division, on coming up from Xochimilco, was pushed forward to the support of General Pillow, already on his way to furnish parties to work the road. The engineer company, with its tools on the backs of mules, was ordered back from Worth early that morning and assigned to Captain Lee, who, assisted by Lieutenants Beauregard and Tower, located the road and superintended the working parties.
Major Smith, assisted by Lieutenant Stevens, designated the positions to be occupied by the trains and the division of Quitman at San Augustin, now become the general depot and key of operations. Captain Mason continued on duty with Worth in front of San Antonio.
General Twiggs passed the division of Pillow just as the tools of his working parties were being packed away, they being no longer able to work the way in consequence of having come within range of the enemy’s batteries; and the engineers, now joined by Major Smith and Lieutenant Stevens from San Augustin, advanced to and entered the pedregal to examine the enemy’s position. As observed yesterday by Captain Lee, he was found to be in a strong intrenched camp on the opposite side of a deep ravine, which, with the almost impracticable bed of pedregal that intervened, completely separated the two armies. All the efforts of the engineers, who advanced close to the enemy’s pickets, Lieutenant McClellan having his horse shot under him, could discover no other route than the mule-path, completely commanded by the long guns of the intrenched camp. This path wound through the rocks, and afforded at points some little cover for men and guns. The pickets of the enemy were in large force and well pushed forward. In the mean time a heavy cannonade, shells and round-shot, opened from the camp. At this juncture, with the rifles thrown forward as skirmishers, the howitzer battery of Callender and the field battery of Magruder were brought forward to a position indicated by Captain Lee to drive in the pickets and make a bold demonstration, to cover the true and very different movement, indicated by Lieutenant Stevens on returning from the advanced position gained by the engineers under cover of the rifles to communicate Captain Lee’s request for the batteries, and before the order to move forward the batteries had been given. This officer (Lieutenant Stevens) observed to Twiggs, the senior officer in front, “The true point of attack is the enemy’s left. Attack his left, you cut him off from his reserves and hurl him into the gorges of the mountains.” Major Smith expressed similar opinions. Riley was now sent against the enemy’s left, and the whole brigade of Smith to cover the demonstration in front. Callender brought his battery into action with extraordinary promptness and efficiency, and pushed it rapidly forward. The heavier guns of Magruder could not be so easily handled, and great delay occurred in getting them into battery; a position was found partially sheltering them, and they were brought into action. Callender was soon severely, and T. Preston Johnston of Magruder’s battery mortally wounded. Lieutenant McClellan, who assisted to carry Callender to the rear, now took command of his battery, Lieutenant Reno being at the time detached with the rockets. Lieutenant Foster also, at Captain Magruder’s request, took charge of one of his pieces, and when Johnston fell, carried him to the rear. Both these officers distinguished themselves by their exertions in pushing forward the two batteries as well as in serving them.
BATTLEFIELDS IN THE VALLEY OF MEXICO
Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey, Chapultepec, Capture of City
Riley was still struggling through the pedregal, Lieutenant Tower guiding his brigade, and Cadwallader was sent in the same direction. Smith’s brigade, closely followed by Pierce, now came to the front, and entered a cornfield to the left, three companies of the 3d infantry, Captain Craig, being detailed as a guard to the batteries, and Lieutenant Haskin with twenty men to make good Magruder’s losses. The fire from the camp—shot, shells, and small-arms—on the front was terrible, and the enemy’s pickets advanced in force, threatening the batteries. The leading regiment of Pierce, the 9th infantry, Colonel Ransom, conducted by Lieutenant Stevens, now gallantly dashed forward through the fire that swept the path, crossed a cleared cornfield in direct view of the enemy’s battery, pressed from cover to cover, driving clouds of the enemy’s skirmishers before them, crossed the rapid stream that ran in the ravine, and gained the opposite bank, within three or four hundred yards of the camp. This important position it maintained till dark, forming with the 12th infantry, the detachments of Craig and Haskin, and scattered bodies of the rifles, the sole force in front; the 15th infantry, Colonel Morgan, having been sent in the trail of Cadwallader immediately on the arrival of the general-in-chief on the ground, and Smith with his brigade following at a later period.
Riley on emerging from the pedregal came upon the village of San Geronimo, through which he swept, and continued to advance in the direction of a ravine that was found to extend to the rear of the camp. In this isolated position he had two successful encounters with the enemy’s lancers, killing their general, Frontera, and awaited only the coming up of reinforcements to order the assault. But Cadwallader, not put in motion till Riley was well on his way, had barely time to reach the village and hold it against the reserves of the enemy, estimated at ten thousand men, foot and horse, which now came up from the city under Santa Anna in person. The village, the key to the position, was to be maintained at all hazards. Cadwallader presented a bold front and kept the enemy in check. The arrival of Morgan an hour later, and of Smith towards night, made the position impregnable against an infantry attack.
About sunset Riley returned to the village, and Smith, now senior in command, resolved to attack the reserves, but, dark coming on before his dispositions were made, an attack upon the intrenched camp was resorted to as an alternative.