DARING SERVICE OF LIEUTENANT BLAKE.

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Taylor rode along the line and encouraged the men, who seemed eager for the contest. As yet he did not know whether the enemy had artillery or not; and anxious to learn that particular, he detached Captain May with his dragoons, to reconnoitre his lines, and, if possible, draw the fire of his artillery; but it was completely masked by the long prairie-grass and the men in front of the pieces, and the captain returned again, after an ineffectual effort.

Lieutenant Blake now volunteered a daring service. He proposed to go forward alone, and make a reconnoissance of the enemy's position and forces. With great gallantry he dashed forwards to within eighty yards of the enemy's line, while both armies looked on with admiration; and dismounting, took his glass, and deliberately surveyed the whole of their forces. After this, he mounted his horse and galloped down the line to the other end, and, after a second examination with his glass, returned and reported to the general the presence and position of at least two batteries of artillery in the enemy's line. Scarcely had he finished his report to General Taylor, when the enemy's battery on the right, with ball and grape, opened upon the American forces, and the work of destruction began.

As soon as the cannonade commenced, General Taylor halted his columns, and ordered them to deploy into line, which was performed with steadiness and precision. The light artillery on the wings and the 18-pounders in the centre, were advanced about one hundred yards, and the order passed to answer the enemy's fire. Duncan's battery on the left got into position a little in advance of the others, and first returned the challenge of the enemy. Ringgold's artillery was soon engaged in the conflict; and the terrible 18-pounders from the centre, under the direction of the general, were brought to bear upon the enemy's left.

The battle now raged with fury from right to left, and the cannon on both sides dealt destruction. The fire of the enemy

was incessant, but inaccurate; Ringgold's artillery on the contrary mowed down whole platoons of cavalry on the Mexican left; the discharges of the 18-pounders in the same direction were murderous, while the Mexican right suffered terribly from the artillery of Duncan, which was served with deadly effect. Captain May, who had been ordered to support this battery, while contemplating a charge, received a severe fire from the Mexican artillery, by which he lost four horses killed and two wounded.

At this time the Mexican cavalry, which, unable to withstand the rapid discharges and precision of Ringgold's artillery, and the fire of the heavy pieces under Churchhill, had faltered and given way, advanced through the chaparral with two pieces of artillery, for the purpose of attacking the right flank of the Americans, or of making a demonstration upon the train which had been parked in the rear. To check this flank movement, troops were promptly detached. The 5th infantry was advanced to meet the enemy in that quarter, supported by a section of Major Ringgold's battery under Lieutenant Randolph Ridgely, Captain Walker's company of volunteers, and, shortly after, the 3d infantry. Thrown into cavalry square, the 5th sustained with great bravery the charge of the lancers under General Torrejon, and galled them with a severe fire, while Lieutenant Ridgely served his pieces with rapidity, and poured shot and shells upon their ranks with decisive effect. The lieutenant had his horse shot under him, at which time the horses at one of his caissons, affrighted, sprang madly forward in range of the gun. Regardless of danger, the lieutenant threw himself between the contending fires, and seizing the leader by the head, brought the horses to their places, and saved both them and the ammunition of his battery. Though severely wasted, a portion of the enemy's cavalry on the flank continued to press on, until they perceived the 3d infantry advancing in column by division to receive them, when they

turned and retired with precipitation, lessened by the iron hail that pursued them.

In the mean time Churchhill's 18-pounders and the artillery under Ringgold, supported by the 4th infantry from the left, continued to assail the enemy with a steady fire, and with murderous effect. To check this fire, the enemy poured from his batteries a storm of grape and canister, which killed and wounded many of the 4th, and among them Captain Page, who was shockingly disfigured by a shot which tore away his lower jaw. Soon after, the gallant Ringgold, while directing the fire of his pieces, was mortally wounded by a 6-pound shot, which at the same time mangled and dashed to the earth the charger on which he was mounted. Colonel Payne, inspector-general of the army and one of General Taylor's aids, chanced to be near him at the time. By permission, he had just directed with effect one of the guns, and, summoned by the call of one of the men, ran with others to the wounded major, to afford such aid as was in their power; but with the true gallantry of a soldier, more concerned for the cause of his country than his own life, he wished to decline their services, and said: "Don't stay with me; you have work to do. Go ahead!"

After Major Ringgold was carried to the rear, Lieutenant Shover assumed the command of his pieces, and continued to serve them with precision and good effect until the close of the action.

While this flank movement was attempted by the enemy, the artillery battalion, under Lieutenant-Colonel Childs, had been brought up, for the purpose of supporting the batteries of Churchhill and Ringgold. As the enemy's cavalry came dashing on, a deadly fire from the 18-pounders gave them a severe check, while the artillery battalion, thrown into cavalry-square, were prepared to receive them. Again pressing on, the enemy opened a fire of small arms upon the square, by which Lieutenant Luther, of the

2d artillery, and others were wounded; but a volley from the front of the square, delivered with good effect, stopped their advance, and closed the action upon the American right. Evening was now setting in; and the enemy, foiled in all his attempts against the American line, fell back from his position, and retired through the chaparral out of sight.

While these things took place, Captain May had been ordered to drive in the cavalry of the enemy on the Mexican left, but while advancing for that purpose, received a heavy fire from their artillery, which disabled a considerable portion of his command. Having gained a position with the view of charging, he was restrained by the consideration of the great disparity of forces, which were as one to ten, and returned to his former position.

During the engagement, the prairie-grass on the left, parched by the continued blaze of the cannon, had been fired by the discharge of Duncan's battery; and dense wreaths of smoke rolling up, entirely enveloped the two armies from each other, and hung like the pall of death over the battle-field. In consequence of this, the fight was suspended; but during its pause, while Duncan was advancing to gain a position somewhat to the right of the one which he had occupied, the Mexicans were marching across the prairie with the view of attacking the train; which, during the engagement, in consequence of the advance of our line, had also been advanced and parked in the rear.

The temporary clearing away of the smoke, which the seabreeze lifted up like a curtain, and let fall again, disclosed to each army the manœuvre of the other. Penetrating the enemy's intention, Colonel Belknap ordered Duncan to alter his direction, and wheel his horses to the left, which was promptly obeyed. Rushing in the direction of the enemy's advancing troops, Duncan halted within musket-range of the lancers; and, as the clearing of the air revealed his position to the astonished enemy, poured a volley of shot and shells upon the lancers from one section,