." It was about three o'clock; their men formed in ranks; horses
were led out, and the troopers mounted; officers began drilling their
companies, encouraging them to stand firm, and the Yankees would
certainly be cut to pieces. Nothing was heard or seen, for an hour, but
the heavy thud! thud! of the ramrods in loading, and glancing of sabres
and small arms. During all their proceedings we remained motionless.
By-and-bye the first grey streaks of dawn came slowly over the eastern
hills--still we did not stir--the men, however, were becoming a little
nervous, from resting so long in one position; and occasionally, the
clink of a bayonet or noise of accoutrements striking together were
audible; and just as the day was bursting forth, like a flash, as it
does only in the tropics, a Mexican soldier, on duty nearly at our
elbows--and who, by the way, disturbed our repose during the night by a
bad cough, and talking to himself--discovered us, and sung out, _Aqui
esta hombres!_--these were the last words he spoke--the signal was given
along our ranks, "rise!--take aim--fire low." As the smoke rolled
upward, we saw a number of saddles emptied, and the _marisma_ strewn
with dead and wounded; although taken completely by surprise, the
Mexicans were not as yet intimidated, and, shouting _viva Mexico!_ they
immediately gave us a heavy fire from carbines and escopetas; but our
sailors had kneeled to load, and the leaden shower passed over. The
firing lasted for some minutes, when the word was given to charge! Away
we splashed over the _marisma_--their horsemen broke and fled, dragging
off dead and wounded--the infantry did not make up their minds until the
bayonets were nearly upon them, when they, too, dropped their muskets
and plunged into the chapparal. Meanwhile the shore party was
approaching, and had commenced a fusilade upon the advance post of the
Mexicans, and very much to our relief, after putting them to flight, the
cheers of our friends greeted us, for the field-piece was pitching shot
far beyond the enemy, and a few stand of grape had already fallen about
our heels. Sending small bodies into the thickets, we drove the
discomfited troops to the hills, and then finding their cavalry had
rallied up the road, pursued them a mile, exchanged a few shots, when,
the field-piece coming up, they finally made good their retreat.

Returning to the hamlet, we collected a few articles of camp
equipage--mules, horses, and arms; then dig