HISTORY OP CALIFORNIA. 



463 



down. It was of course a joyful sight to us to see 

 friends so near; but I was apprehensive that they 

 could render us but little assistance, the enemy being 

 so vastly superior in numbers. The enemy continued 

 their firing upon us during the night. On the 15th at 

 day-light, we became aware that the Cyane was landing 

 men. They soon commenced their advance, which for 

 a few moments was opposed only by a scattering fire ; 

 then the enemy opened upon them in earnest. They 

 had concentrated nearly their entire force near San 

 Vincente. We saw the flash of musketry through all 

 the hills above the village. There was the odds of 

 three to one against our friends. Steadily they came 

 on, giving back the enemy's fire as they advanced. 

 There was still a party of the enemy occupying the 

 town, firing upon us. I took thirty men, and sallied 

 out upon them, drove them from cover, killed one 

 and wounded several of them, and marched out to 

 join the Cyane's men, who, with Captain Dupont at 

 their head, had now drawn quite near to us. There 

 were small detached parties of the enemy still hover 

 ing about them, and firing at them, but the main body 

 of the enemy had been broken, and retired to " Las 

 Animas," distant two miles. The march of the 

 Cyane's men to our relief, through an enemy so vastly 

 their superior in numbers, well mounted and possess 

 ing every advantage in knowledge of the ground, was 

 certainly an intrepid exploit, as creditably performed 

 as it was skilfully and boldly planned, and reflects 

 the greatest honor on all concerned. It resulted most 

 fortunately for us in our harassed situation. They 

 had but four wounded; this cannot be termed any 

 thing but the most remarkably good luck, considering 

 the severe fire that this heroic little band were ex- 



