of a small oblong lake.

The grounds, sloping on all sides towards the centre, are naturally beautified by numberless springs, fountains, and cascades.

The grove of San Domingo, or Walnut Springs, the pride and constant resort of the citizens of Monterey, is preserved with the most scrupulous care. It is three miles long, and about threequarters of a mile in width. Within its sylvan recesses many a gay group had listened to the music of guitar and mandolin, and bounded through the intricate mazes of the dance with light hearts and laughing lips. Among its cool shadows, and where the silence was only broken by the lulling sounds of rivulet and waterfall, many a loving couple had given utterance, in the stately music of the Spanish tongue, to the beautiful fancies with which young passionate hearts build up the romance of the unknown future.

The scene was now changed. Guitar and mandolin had given place to the spirit-stirring sounds of trumpet-blast and drum-the neighing of war-steeds, and the clash of arms. Where the light feet of joyous dancers once bounded merrily, the heavy tramp of martial men now fell in measured stroke upon the ear; and where delighted lovers once breathed their ardent vows, the watchful sentinel now paced his solitary round. Led by a sturdy grayhaired man, quiet and unostentatious in manner, but bold in resolve, and energetic in action, the hardy warriors of the North. had pitched their tents among the cool and grateful shadows of the sequestered grove, and now waited with high hopes and a quicker pulse the fierce events of that morrow which was to bring to many a hero's grave-to all, a soldier's glory.

CHAPTER XI.

Monterey Defences of the City-Mexican Forces-Reconnoissances-Worth's Column of Attack-Occupation of the Pass in the west-Defences in that direction -Operations of the First Division-Colonel Garland's command-Severe fire from the Enemy's Batteries-Fall of Major Barbour and Colonel Watson-Captain Backus-4th Infantry-General Quitman's Attack on Redoubt No. 1Redoubt taken and guns turned on the Enemy-General Butler's commandCavalry repulsed by Bragg's battery-Worth's Operations-Engagement with the Lancers-Storming-party under Captain Smith-7th Infantry under Captain Miles-Reinforcement under General Smith-Attack on Federacion Hill and Fort Soldada-Taken and occupied-Storming-party under Lieutenant ChildsIndependence Hill-Sortie from the Bishop's Palace-Palace taken-Operations under General Taylor-Approach to the Grand Plaza-Capitulation-Terms of the Convention.

MONTEREY, the capital of New Leon, is situated on the northern bank of the Arroyo Topa, in the valley of San Juan. The Sierra Madre girdles, and in some places closely approaches it on three sides, but receding on the North, leaves the whole extent of the valley and its tributaries open in the direction of Marin.

The city is approached in front by the roads from Marin and Guadalupe, and on the West through a stupendous rift of the Sierra Madre, by the road from Saltillo.

Northward from Monterey run the roads to Monclova and Presqueria Grande. While on the South, across the Topa, a road extends in the direction of Guaxuco.

West of the city, the approaches were defended by Fort Independencia, a strong work on the crest of a steep hill, and by the Bishop's Palace, a castellated structure on the slope of the same hill, below. South of these, on the other side of the river, was Federacion Hill and an adjoining height, both of which were fortified by redoubts and batteries. In front, and to the north of the city, was the citadel, also regularly fortified.

In advance of the city, to the east, the works consisted of a succession of strong redoubts, mounting fourteen guns; and behind these, and within the city, were infantry breastworks supporting the redoubts. In rear of these, again, was a line of barricades, commanding all the avenues, and the terrible tête-dupont of the Purisima bridge. Nor were these all; the houses being strongly built of stone, their flat roofs and low parapets afforded shelter to numbers of armed men, whose commanding position enabled them to direct a plunging fire upon the assailants; while the batteries, breastworks, and barricades below, were raking the streets.

The correct force of the enemy, as subsequently verified, was ten thousand men, of whom seven thousand were regular troops. Notwithstanding this large force, General Taylor felt confident of being able to carry the place by storm, by the bayonet, and by artillery.

Such were the difficulties against which the American army were preparing to contend. The reconnoissances, begun on the afternoon of the 19th, and extending to the morning of the 20th, though executed with great skill and coolness, under the repeated fire of the enemy, could obtain no information beyond what could be gathered of the works not masked by the buildings of the city. Within the city, the character of the defences remained unknown, until gradually ascertained, with great loss of life, after the assault had actually commenced.

On the morning of the 20th the troops were ordered under arms. At ten o'clock A. M., the reconnoitring parties, one of which, under Major Mansfield, had observed the western approaches, the other, under Captain Williams, the eastern, returned and reported to the General-in-Chief the result of their observations.

The possibility of reaching the western approaches of the city being ascertained by Major Mansfield, the Second Division,