BY THE UNITED STATES. 341 



brick ordered the " Dale" to Guaymas. This emboldened the 

 enemy, who collected all their disposable force and marched 

 against the little garrison. The battle was begun on the 

 morning of the 16th, at two o'clock ; a loud roll of musketry, 

 followed by shouts, gave the sleeping soldiers the first notice 

 of the enemy's presence. The Americans stood to their posts 

 amid a shower of bullets, although the night was so dark that 

 they were unable to see the foe, except by the flashing of the 

 musketry. They brought their artillery to bear in the direc- 

 tion of the enemy's position, and a few discharges was followed 

 by a complete silence. At day-light the enemy was seen to be 

 posted on a hill near by, waiting until the women and children 

 had been removed from the town to renew the attack. The 

 garrison availed themselves of the pause to fortify the roofs of 

 their quarters with bales of cotton. The enemy gained pos- 

 session of the bushes surrounding the camp, and kept up a 

 heavy fire from eight o'clock until night. All the stratagems 

 of the garrison failed to induce them to come nearer, yet 

 Colonel Burton lost only one man. 



In the afternoon the enemy entered the town, and destroyed 

 the houses of all who had been favorable to the Americans. 

 On the 20th they dragged a piece of artillery on the most 

 commanding site in the town. A hot fire then commenced on 

 both sides, which resulted in the defeat of the Mexicans. 

 They had six of their number killed and forty-four wounded, 

 while the loss of Colonel Burton was only three men. After 

 this repulse the enemy distributed themselves in the neighbor- 

 hood, to cut off supplies from the Americans. 



Meanwhile a force of nearly four hundred of the insurgents 

 marched upon San Jose, where Lieutenant Heywood of the 

 navy was stationed with twenty men and one nine-pounder. 

 He was besieged for thirty days, but lie refused to surrender, 



