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slope of the mountain that intervened between them and the American riflemen. The precision of the firing elicited the most enthusiastic cheering from the whole American line.

By this time, the chief of Santa Anna's staff, General Micheltorena, had planted his battery of 8-pounders on the high ridge lying between the contending forces, and commenced a plunging fire on the plateau, which was more especially directed against O'Brien's pieces, but with little success, on account of the great distance intervening. For this reason O'Brien did not attempt to answer the fire of the enemy, as his guns were of lighter metal than the pieces of their battery. He remained silent, therefore, until subsequently ordered by General Lane to meet the advance of Pachecho's division.

The enemy had now arranged three columns of attack. The first, to be led by General Mora y Villamil, and destined to force the pass of La Angostura, was composed of the 2d regiment of engineers, the 12th regiment, the figo de Mexico, and the battalions of Puebla and Tampico. The second column was composed of the divisions of Lombardini and Pachecho. The former division was to move across the ridge mentioned above, to the left of their 8-pounder battery, while the division of Pachecho advanced up the ravine in front of the plateau; and thus, both uniting near the mountain, together with their supporting forces of cavalry, turn the left of the American troops stationed on the plateau. The light troops, under Ampudia, were the third column of attack, and were to turn the extreme left on the mountains, and attack the American rear in conjunction with the second column, under Generals Lombardini and Pachecho. Besides these three columns, a reserve, under General Ortega, was stationed on the ground occupied by the two lines of the enemy, when first displayed on coming in sight of the American army..

While the third column was hotly engaged with the American riflemen upon the mountains, and the rattle of musketry and the rifle was intermingled with the roar of the 8-pounders directed

against the left of the plateau, Lombardini's division was moving along the ridge to unite with Pachecho, in view of the American army; his men in full uniform, his horses in gay caparison, their burnished weapons and appointments flashing in the sunlight, and every standard, colours, and guidon unfurled to the breeze.

While this pageant was passing in review, Major Mansfield, of the engineers, about nine o'clock came with the intelligence that Pachecho's division, which had moved along screened from sight, was coming up the ravine with the evident design of gaining the plateau by way of the ridge adjoining the third principal gorge, which scalloped the plateau. At this time General Wool was at Angostura, having gone thither to give some directions about the defences in that quarter. General Lane, therefore, the next in command, ordered Lieutenant O'Brien, with his three pieces of artillery, and the 2d Indiana regiment, to take position just beyond the head of the third gorge, and repel the enemy.

By the time the guns were in battery and the regiment displayed, the Mexican infantry was ascending the ridge, and, forming in lines, opened upon it at a distance of two hundred yards. Their fire was returned immediately and effectively; and, simultaneously with it, O'Brien's guns poured their deadly discharges upon the columns of the enemy. Though struggling against a superiority of ten to one in front, and enfiladed by a cross-fire of grape and canister from the 8-pounder battery on his left, General Lane gallantly maintained the contest for twenty-five minutes; during which he swept down whole platoons at a time, and repeatedly broke the front lines of the enemy, which were as often re-formed. So murderous was the fire, that the corps of Guanajuato, which constituted the advance, was totally destroyed.

With the view of getting out of range of the enemy's guns, and driving back Pachecho's troops into the ravine, General Lane ordered O'Brien to advance about fifty yards to the front, which was immediately done, and his pieces served, as before, with

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terrible effect. And had he been promptly sustained by his supporting force, he would have defeated this division of the enemy, and driven it back into the ravine. But, instead of moving up to his support, the 2d Indiana volunteers hesitated and staggered under the severe fire of the enemy, and then, breaking off by companies from the right, fled in utter confusion, leaving the gallant O'Brien to bear the contest alone. Exertions were made to rally them, by General Lane and his staff, but without effect; and in the effort, the brave Captain Lincoln lost his life. A few of them joined the Mississippi regiment, and did good service during the day; some retired to Buena Vista, and others to Saltillo, where they assisted in defending the depot. It may at least be mentioned to their credit, that before flying, they had fired twenty rounds of cartridge at the enemy. In the flight, four companies of the Arkansas volunteers, which had been dismounted and ordered into action, participated, having delivered but a single fire after coming into action. By the giving way of the 2d Indiana regiment, the riflemen, under Colonel Marshall, were cut off from the centre, and, unable to withstand the overwhelming force of the enemy on this flank, retreated in good order, in the direction of Buena Vista. They were pursued by the Mexican cavalry and a part of the light forces under Ampudia. This force was held in check for a time by the spirited conduct of the Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry, under Colonels Yell and Marshall.

Left without support, and exposed to a continuous sheet of fire, O'Brien and his brave artillerists struggled for a time against the fearful odds; and before their pieces, charged with double canister, the enemy fell in scores, like grass before the scythe. But, overpowered by numbers, he was compelled at length to limber up and fall back, yielding the 4-pounder to the enemy, after every horse and man that belonged to it had been killed or dis

* Mexican Engineer's Report.