ourth,
succeeded in bursting open the southern gate; and almost at the same
moment Anderson and Ayres, of the artillery, forced their way into the
buildings at the northwestern angle. Ayres leaped down alone into a
crowd of Mexicans--he had done the same at Monterey--and fell covered
with wounds. Our men rushed in on both sides, stabbing, firing, and
felling the Mexicans with their muskets. From room to room and house to
house a hand-to-hand encounter was kept up. Here a stalwart Mexican
hurled down man after man as they advanced; there Buchanan and the
Fourth levelled all before them. But the Mexicans never withstood the
cold steel. One by one the defenders escaped by the rear toward
Chapultepec, and those who remained hung out a white flag. Under
Duncan's fire the Casa Mata had been evacuated, and the enemy was
everywhere in full retreat. Twice he rallied and charged the Molino; but
each time the artillery drove him back toward Chapultepec, and parties
of the light infantry pursued him down the road. Before ten in the
morning the whole field was won; and, having blown up the Casa Mata,
Worth, by Scott's order, fell back to Tacubaya.

With gloomy face and averted eye the gallant soldier received the thanks
of his chief for the exploits of the morning. His heart was with the
brave men he had lost--nearly eight hundred out of less than thirty-five
hundred and among them fifty-eight officers, many of whom were his
dearest friends. All had fallen in advance of their men, with sword in
hand and noble words on their lips. 'Twas a poor price for these to have
stormed Molino del Rey, and cut down nearly a fifth of Santa Anna's
fourteen thousand men. Sadly the General returned to his quarters.

The end was now close at hand. Reconnoissances were carefully made, and,
the enemy's strength being gathered on the southern front of the city,
General Scott determined to assail Chapultepec on the west. By the
morning of the 12th the batteries were completed, and opened a brisk
fire on the castle, without, however, doing any more serious damage than
annoying the garrison and killing a few men. The fire was kept up all
day; and at night preparations were made for the assault, which was
ordered to be made next morning.

At daybreak on the 13th the cannonade began again, as well from the
batteries planted against Chapultepec as from Steptoe's guns, which were
served against the southern defences of the city in order to divert the
attent