Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

98 TROOPS EN ROUTE FOR MONTEREY.
enemy's line is broken by the rapid volleys of their rifles,
they then "pitch in promiscuously,' and finish the work
with the'" five-shooter, "-delivering their fire right and left
as they dash along at full speed. And it must be confessed
that for a chaparral skirmish, or an " up and down and cross
over fight" upon house-tops, such as that of the third day at
Monterey, the Rangers have few superiors. Centaur-like,
they seemed to live upon their horses; and, under firm and
prudent leaders, were efficient soldiers, especially for scouts
and advanced post-service, where the necessity for unintermitting vigilance left them no opportunity for indulging in
the mad-cap revels and marauding expeditions for which
they are somewhat celebrated.
Before the end of August, all the regular troops were
en roudte for the interior; and intelligence was received from
General Worth-who had taken possession of Cerralvo-that
the enemy was in force at Monterey, and would probably
stand siege. Upon this, General Taylor determined to lose
no time in inoving forward the volunteers, and bringing the
matter to an issue of arms. On the 28th, the subjoined order, decisive of the long debated question, " which of the
new regiments and brigadiers will Taylor take to Monterey a"
was published.~ We of the First Ohio regiment were much
* Orders Head- Quarters, Army of OccuLpation,
No. 108. Camargo, August 28, 1846.
1. The limited means of transportation, and the uncertainty in regard to the supplies that may be drawn from the theater of' operations, imposes upon the commanding general the necessity of taking into the field, in the first instance, only a
moderate portion of' the volunteer force now under his orders.
2. In addition to the mounted regiments from Texas, four regiments of volunteer
infantry will be held ready for the march, constituting two brigades and one division, to be commanded by Major General Butler. The 1st Kentucky, and 1st Ohio