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

ATTACK ON FEDERACION AND SOLDADA. 191
Mexicans from these exterior positions before assaulting the
west side of the town.
General Worth accordingly ordered three columns, under
Captain C. F. Smith, Captain Miles, and Major Scott, successively, all under the immediate direction of Brigadier
General P. F. Smith,` to storm the two batteries, Federacion and Soldada, crowning the hights south of the road and
river. The attack was made at 12 AM., in full view of the
foe, who opened a plunging fire from both works upon our
men as they waded the stream, and commenced to toil slowly
up the steep, rugged, and bare acclivity. The light troops
of the enemy, descending to favorable points on the slope,
offered a vigorous resistance. Our troops steadily advanced,
firing, and the Mexicans, gradually yielding, retired slowly
up the hill. In the meantime, General Smith, discovering
that the ground favored the movement, with his characteristic sagacity and promptness, rapidly marched the forces
under Scott and Miles obliquely up and around the hill, with
the view of taking the Soldada simultaneously with the Federacion. The last named fort was gallantly carried by the
a Those who carefully noted the progress of events in Mexico, can not have
failed to observe the genius and military talent uniformly displayed by General
Persifor F. Smith. The commencement of the war found him, I believe, a practitioner in the courts of New Orleans. At the suggestion of General Taylor, he
was selected to command the six-month volunteers of' Louisiana, sent to the Rio
Grande. President Polk soon afterward appointed him to the Colonelcy of the
new regiment of mounted rifl2men, with which corps, however, he never served,
having earned promotion before its arrival in the field. At the battle of Monterey,
he commanded with distinguished ability a brigade in Worth's division. He subsequently gained an enviable fame in Scott's army, especially for the splendid
victory of Contreras. By his recent judicious dispositions on the Indian frontier of
Texas, he has effectually secured peace and confidence to that border. 1 hope the
President-makers will ere long discover his worth and talents.