loop holes; nor was it judged prudent to
return their salutes but rarely, inasmuch as the carronade of the
Cuartel could not, without much difficulty, be brought to bear upon the
enemies' hill, and the limited supply of ammunition rendered it
advisable to await closer quarters with the small arms.

As night closed around the valley, there was a cessation of firing; the
garrison remaining under arms momentarily anticipating a more vigorous
attack; nor were they disappointed. By ten o'clock the besiegers had
cautiously crept within close proximity to the occupied buildings, and
with a field piece in the main street, began a simultaneous assault
from all directions, front and rear. Showers of bullets flew into every
hole and aperture of the Cuartel, whilst determined efforts were made to
gain a lodgment in the opposite house: but they were severally repulsed
with loss, and not an ounce of lead was thrown away, or powder idly
burned without a definite object. Three of the garrison only, were
wounded.

A hot but ineffective fire was kept up by the assailants during the
night, but at daylight the force was withdrawn again to the camp at La
Lomita. All the following day the garrison were encircled by the
guerrillas, who maintained a brisk fire of musketry from behind the
walls and parapets of adjoining dwellings. The disparity of numbers was
too great to risk the chances of dislodging them at the point of the
bayonet.

With the night the garrison were still under arms at their posts The
plan of the guerrillas was to have stormed the front of the Cuartel with
forty picked men, under cover of three field pieces, receive the
discharge from the nine-pounder, rush in, and capture it, whilst other
bodies, provided with bars and ladders, were to scale the _azoteas_, and
then pour in a destructive fire on the occupants below. In the end,
these matured calculations were defeated: nevertheless, the positions
were well chosen, and the Mexicans in readiness for the assault. Just
before midnight the garrison sentinels challenged: the hail was
immediately answered by trumpets sounding a charge, and a heavy fire
from guns and small arms; at the same instant, Mejares, the commandant
of artillery, with four of his followers, in leading the forlorn hope,
were riddled by rifle balls from the besieged, whilst another in
striving to bear away the body of his comrade, fell mortally wounded on
the same bloody heap. Deprived of the animating exam