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

THE CHARGE REPULSED. 181
that part of the field.~- The surgeons and their assistants,
flying from the fate of their patients, were hotly pursued by
the enemy, from whom they made so narrow an escape, that
we freely forgave their attempts to play upon our nerves by
the rather unnecessary display of their tools in the morning.
The main body of the Lancers pressed on toward us in
gallant style, but their speed instead of being increased was
slackened as they approached. In vain did we caution our
men not to fire until commanded. So excited and exasperated were they at the cruel butchery of their helpless
friends, that most of them discharged their guns as they
obtained a good aim, but when the enemy were too distant
to secure the most satisfactory results. IIad they waited but
a few minutes, their vengeance would have been ample.
The first volley, however, emptied several saddles, and put
them to flight. A few of the Mexican officers still galloped
forward in the hope of encouraging their followers to renew
the charge. One of these fell mortally wounded within
twenty paces of our line, and in dying threw his baleful eyes
upon us, still flashing "' with obdurate pride and steadfast
hate." The breath had scarcely departed from his body,
before Lieutenant HI., of Company A, (who had lost his
shoes in the ditch,) limping from the ranks, proceeded to
appropriate the boots of the unfortunate Lancer. Drawing
them over his own sore feet he returned to his place, remarking that "' there never was a better fit." Many other little
* Such atrocities have often stained the annals of proud and magnanimous
Mexico. Yet the cruelty of the Texan troops, who were perfect saints as compared with theirs, is a favorite subject of complaint and censure with the Mexican
historians.
9~