nder the command of General Santa Anna,
who had no doubt of a speedy victory over us. On Washington's birthday,
Santa Anna sent a message to General Taylor to surrender, saying that he
did not wish to inflict useless slaughter. General Taylor declined, and
we fought.

I shall never forget my feelings, but how shall I describe them? My
nerves were tense; they rang taut with unexpended energy. I felt death
near me. I thought of Dorothy constantly, but I was living with fate.

The line of battle was formed where the valley was narrow. The lofty
mountains were on either side of us. Torrents had gullied the plain. The
Kentucky volunteers were posted at the left; the Indiana volunteers were
stationed near. Our regiment, together with a Texas company, formed the
remainder of the line which ran from the plain to the plateau. Extending
from these towards the mountains were placed other troops from Illinois,
from Indiana, and from Arkansas. Up the valley came Santa Anna, with his
20,000 Mexicans.

He had sent General Ampudia to climb the mountain and fall upon our
troops at the left. The battle began in the afternoon and lasted till
night.

At dawn Santa Anna advanced his troops in three columns in front of us.
And the battle began to rage. The Indiana troops retreated in disorder.
But the Illinoisians stood their ground, pouring forth sheets of flame
upon the Mexicans. We had to retreat. We were pressed back to the
narrows. Then General Taylor, hastening up, took command. Batteries were
opened. Grapeshot and canister were poured into the advancing Mexicans.
The cannon belched deadly fire. Colonel Davis had routed Ampudia at the
left. The Mexicans began to waver in front. We from Illinois and
Kentucky started in pursuit. We drove them into a deep ravine.

Here suddenly they were reenforced by 12,000 men. They shot us down like
sheep. It was a slaughterhouse. But we fought like madmen. Our riflemen,
the squirrel hunters of Kentucky and Illinois, picked off the Mexicans
unerringly. Our batteries began to thunder again. Again the Mexicans
broke order. They started to run. We pursued them through the valley,
under the shadows of the great mountain. Night came.... The silence of
night and of our victory.

We had won the battle! The Mexicans fled southward. Then we started to
bury our dead. Our losses were terrible. So many boys from Illinois were
hearsed in this bloody soil. Colonel Hardin was killed; but we were
commissioned t