Chapultepec,
BATTLE OF. The city of Mexico stands on a slight swell of
ground, near the centre of an irregular basin, and encircled by a broad
and deep navigable canal. The approaches to the city are over elevated
causeways, flanked by ditches. From these the capital is entered by
arched gateways; and these, when the victorious Americans approached the
city (August, 1847), were strongly fortified. |
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When
El Molino del Rey and Casa de Mata
had been captured (Sept. 8, 1847), the castle of Chapultepec alone
remained as a defense for the city—this and its outworks. The hill,
steep and rocky, rises 150 feet above the surrounding country. The
castle was built of heavy stone masonry. The whole fortress was 900 feet
in length, and the terreplein and main buildings 600 feet. The
castle was about 100 feet in height, and presented a splendid specimen
of military architecture. A dome, rising about 20 feet above the walls,
gave it a grand appearance. Two strongly built walls surrounded the
whole structure, 10 feet apart and 12 or 15 feet high. The works were
thoroughly armed, and the garrison, among whom were some expert French
gunners, was commanded by General Bravo. The whole hill was spotted with
forts and outworks.
CASTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC.
To carry this strong post with the least loss of men,
General Scott determined to batter it
with heavy cannon. Accordingly, on the night of Sept. 11, four batteries
of heavy cannon were erected on a hill between Tucabaya and Chapultepec,
commanded respectively by Captains Drew, Haynes, and Brooks, and
Lieutenant Stone. They were placed in position by the engineer officers
Huger and
Lee (the latter afterwards commander-in-chief of the Confederate
army). On the morning of the 12th these batteries opened fire, every
ball crashing through the castle, and every shell tearing up the
ramparts. The fire of the Mexicans was not less severe, and this duel of
great guns was kept up all day. The next morning (13th) troops moved to
assail the works, at their weakest point, in two columns, one led by
General Pillow and the other by General Quitman. Pillow marched to
assail the works on the west side, while Quitman made a demonstration on
the easterly part. Both columns were preceded by a strong party—that of
Pillow by 250 of Worth's division, commanded by Captain McKenzie; and
that of Quitman by the same number, commanded by Captain Carey. Each
storming party was furnished with scaling-ladders. While the troops were
advancing the American batteries kept up a continuous fire over their
heads upon the works to prevent reinforcements reaching the Mexicans.
Pillow's column bore the brunt of the battle. It first carried a
redoubt, and drove the Mexicans from shelter to shelter. At length the
ditch and the wall of the main work were reached; the scaling-ladders
and fascines were brought up and planted by the storming parties; and
the work was soon taken and the American flag unfurled over the ramparts
amid prolonged cheers. Meanwhile Quitman's
column had moved along a causeway, captured two batteries, and joined
Pillow's column in time to share in the work of accomplishing a final
victory. Together they took the strong castle of Chapultepec, and
scattered its defenders in every direction. It was literally torn in
pieces; and within, a crowd of prisoners of all grades were seized,
among them fifty general officers. There were also 100 cadets of the
Military College, the latter "pretty little boys," wrote an American
officer, " from ten to sixteen years of age." Several of their little
companions had been killed, "fighting like demons." The fugitives fled
to the city, along an aqueduct, pursued by General Quitman to the very
gates engaged all the way in a running fight, which was sometimes
severe. See
LEE, ROBERT EDWARD; MEXICAN WAR ; PILLOW,
GIDEON JOHNSON; QUITMAN, JOHN ANTHONY;
WORTH, WILLIAM JENKINS.
Battle Chapultepec |