exactly this courage and soldiership, which we made sure would be
wanting.

Nevertheless we, the officers, could not repress a feeling of anxiety
and self-reproach, when we reflected that we had brought our comrades
into such a hazardous predicament. But on looking around us, our
apprehensions vanished. Nothing could exceed the perfect coolness and
confidence with which the men were cleaning and preparing their rifles
for the approaching conflict; no bravado--no boasting, talking, or
laughing, but a calm decision of manner, which at once told us, that
if it were possible to overcome such odds as were brought against us,
those were the men to do it.

Our arrangements for the approaching struggle were soon completed.
Fanning and Wharton were to make head against the infantry and
cavalry. I was to capture the field-piece--an eight-pounder.

This gun was placed by the Mexicans upon their extreme left, close to
the river, the shores of which it commanded for a considerable
distance. The bank on which we were posted was, as before mentioned,
indented by caves and hollows, and covered with a thick tapestry of
vines and other plants, which was now very useful in concealing us
from the artillerymen. The latter made a pretty good guess at our
position however, and at the first discharge, the canister whizzed
past us at a very short distance. There was not a moment to lose, for
one well-directed shot might exterminate half of us. Followed by a
dozen men, I worked my way as well as I could through the labyrinth of
vines and bushes, and was not more than fifty yards from the gun, when
it was again fired. No one was hurt, although the shot was evidently
intended for my party. The enemy could not see us; but the notion of