Dimmick against the convent.

Worth came up almost immediately; and directing the Sixth to advance as
best they could along the causeway in the teeth of the _tete de pont_,
despatched Garland's and Clarke's brigades through the fields on the
right to attack it in flank. Every gun was instantly directed against
the assailants; and though the day was bright and clear, the clouds of
smoke actually darkened the air. Hoffman, waving his sword, cheered on
the Sixth; but the shot tore and ripped up their ranks to such a degree
that in a few minutes they had lost ninety-seven men. The brigades on
the right suffered as severely. One hundred men fell within the space of
an acre. Still they pressed on, till the Eighth (of Clarke's brigade)
reached the ditch. In they plunged, Lieutenant Longstreet bearing the
colors in advance; he scrambled out on the other side, dashed at the
walls without ladders or scaling implements, and bayoneted the defenders
as they took aim. At last, officers and men mixed pell-mell, some
through the embrasures, some over the walls, rushed or leaped in and
drove the garrison helter-skelter upon their reserves.

The _tete de pont_ gained, its guns were turned on the convent, whence
the Mexicans were still slaughtering our gallant Second and Third.
Duncan's battery, too, hitherto in reserve, was brought up and opened
with such rapidity that a bystander estimated the intervals between the
reports at three seconds! Stunned by this novel attack, the garrison of
San Pablo slackened fire. In an instant the Third, followed by Dimmick's
artillery, dashed forward with the bayonet to storm the nearest bastion.
With a run they carried it, the artillery bursting over the curtain; but
at that moment a dozen white flags waved in their faces. The whole
fortified position of Churubusco was taken.

Meantime, however, a conflict as deadly as either of these was raging
behind the Mexican fortifications. Soon after the battle commenced,
Scott sent Pierce's and Shields's brigades by the left, through the
fields, to attack the enemy in the rear. On the causeway, opposed to
them, were planted Santa Anna's reserves--four thousand foot and three
thousand horse--in a measure protected by a dense growth of maguey.
Shields advanced intrepidly with his force of sixteen hundred. The
ground was marshy, and for a long distance--having vainly endeavored to
outflank the enemy--his advance was exposed to their whole fire. Morgan,
of the Fi