Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/171

ZACHARY TAYLOR 133 by columns until the enemy s batteries opened, when line of battle was formed and Taylor s artil lery, inferior in number but otherwise superior, was brought fully into action and soon dispersed the mass of the enemy s cavalry. The chaparral, dense copses of thorn-bushes, served both to conceal the position of the enemy and to impede the move ments of the attacking force. The action closed at night, when the enemy retired, and Gen. Taylor bivouacked on the field. Early in the morning of May 9 he resumed his march, and in the afternoon encountered Gen. Arista in a strong position with artillery advantageously posted. Taylor s infantry pushed through the chaparral lining both sides of the road, and drove the enemy s infantry before them; but the batteries held their position, and were so fatally used that it was an absolute neces sity to capture them. For this purpose the gen eral ordered a squadron of dragoons to charge them. The enemy s gunners were cut down at their pieces, the commanding officer was captured, and the infantry soon made the victory complete. The Mexican loss in the two battles was estimated at a thousand; the American, killed, forty-nine. The enemy precipitately recrossed the Rio Grande, leaving the usual evidence of a routed army. Gen. Taylor then proceeded to Fort Brown. During his absence it had been heavily bombarded, and the commander, Maj. Brown, had been killed. The