interior slope of the parapet.
Our first fire upon the Mexicans, who were unconscious of the impending
peril, was very deadly. Those who were not killed or disabled by that
fire seemed dazed for an instant; but in a few moments, they
precipitately retreated, leaving the San Cosme Garita without a single
defender in the works. One of their pieces of artillery was withdrawn a
few hundred yards, but was then abandoned.

Immediately after that first fire, a portion of the force with me on the
roof became engaged with the enemy who appeared on house tops in rear
of their battery. We soon drove them from their position. The other
portion of our men fell back to the stairs, made their way to the lower
story, broke open the thick, heavily barred, strong door, passed into
the street, entered the abandoned works, and pursued the enemy. In the
meantime, some of our troops from the right of the causeway had come
forward and, a very small number of them, were slightly in advance of us
in reaching the abandoned battery.

Colonel Garland, commander of the first brigade of Worth's division, on
the right of the causeway, says, in his official report: "The enemy then
took position at the Garita San Cosme, where they were supported by two
pieces of artillery which raked the streets with grape and canister.
Finding a secure position to the right of the second defence, [about 350
yards in front of the Garita], I reorganized the command as it came up;
mounted a howitzer on the top of a convent, which, under the direction
of Lieutenant [U. S.] Grant, Quartermaster, 4th Infantry, and Lieutenant
Lendrum, 3rd Artillery, annoyed the enemy considerably. About this time,
report was made to me that considerable progress had been made by the
troops on the other side of the street by means of crowbars and
pickaxes, working through houses and yards. This caused me to watch
closely for the first movement of the enemy indicative of retreat. The
moment this was discovered, the 4th Infantry, followed by detachments of
the 2nd and 3rd Artillery, under Colonel Belton, rushed up the road,
when they entered the work simultaneously with the forces operating to
the right and left, Captain McKenzie's storming party slightly in
advance". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, Appendix, p. 170.)

Referring to this operation, General Worth, in his official report,
says; "the moment had now arrived for the final and combined attack upon
the last stronghold of the enemy in my quarter; it