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

192 BOTH AR:E CAPTURIED.
column attacking in front, under Captain C. F. Smith, composed of four companies of the artillery battalion, and six of
Texan riflemen. Captain Smith immediately moved with
his main body to participate in the assault of the second fort,
Soldada, about five hundred yards distant, which was stormed
at nearly the same moment by the troops of Scott and Mliiles,
5th and 7th Infantry, and Blancharcl's company of Louisiana
volunteers. Lieutenant Pitcher and the color-bearer of the
5th, were the first to enter the Soldada.
The guns captured in these two works were immediately
brought to bear upon the opposite hill, a valley six hundred
yards wide intervening, and which was guarded by the
Bishop's Castle, about midway up the slope, and the Independencia, on its crest. The possession of these works was
of controlling importance; especially of the latter, which
overlooked and commanded the Castle. Night, however,
attended by rain, closed in soon after the capture of Forts
Federacion and Soldada and operations on the west ceased
for the day, the 21st. Successes had been obtained by General Worth's division almost as important as the capture of
the Teneria, and, owing to the comparative weakness of the
enemy in that quarter, especially in artillery, at the loss of a
very small number of men. Captain VIMcKavett, of the 8th
Infantry, was the only officer killed. The troops had been
thirty-six hours without food, and constantly tasked to the
utmost physical exertions. They spent the night under arms
in a pelting storm, and at 3 A. M., on the 22d, prepared to
attack the remaining works of the Obispado.
The redoubt, the capture of which is next to be mentioned,