BATTLE OF CHURUBUSCO. 



397 



with the greatest rapidity and enthusiasm. Not a moment was lost 

 in pressing the victory after the fall of Contreras. Shouting Ameri- 

 cans and rallying Mexicans were spread over every field. Every 

 one was employed ; and, in truth, there was ample work to do, for 

 even the commander-in-chief of our forces was left without a reserve 

 or an escort, and had to advance for safety close in Twiggs's rear. 



Meanwhile, about an hour earlier, Worth, by a skilful and daring 

 movement upon the enemy's front and right at the hacienda of San 

 Antonio, had turned and forced that formidable point whose garrison 

 no doubt was panic struck by the victory of Contreras. The enter- 

 prise was nobly achieved. Colonel Clarke's brigade, conducted by 

 the engineers Mason and Hardcastle, found a practicable path 

 through the Pedregal west of the road, and, by a wide sweep, came 

 out upon the main causeway to the capital. At this point the three 

 thousand men of the Mexican garrison at San Antonio, were met in 

 retreat, and cut by Clarke in their very centre ; — one portion being 

 driven off towards Dolores on the right, and the other upon Churu- 

 busco in the direct line of the active operations of the Americans. 

 Whilst this brave feat of out-flanking was performed, Colonel Gar- 

 land, Major Gait, Colonel Belton, and Lieutenant Colonel Duncan 

 advanced to the front attack of San Antonio, and rushing rapidly 

 on the flying enemy, took one General prisoner, and seized a large 

 quantity of public property, ammunition and the five deserted guns. 



Thus fell the two main keys of the valley, and thus did all the 

 divisions of the American army at length reach the open and com- 

 paratively unobstructed plains of the valley. 



Worth soon reunited his division on the main straight road to the 

 capital, and was joined by General Pillow, who, advancing from 

 Coyoacan to attack the rear of San Antonio, as we have already re- 

 lated, soon perceived that the hacienda had fallen, and immediately 

 turned, to the left, through a broken country of swamps and ditches, 

 in order to share in the attack on Churubusco. And here, it was 

 felt on all sides, that the last stand must be made by Mexico in front 

 of her capital. 



The hamlet or scattered houses of Churubusco, formed a strong 

 military position on the borders of the stream which crosses the 

 highway, and, besides the fortified and massive convent of San 

 Pablo, it was guarded by a tete de pont with regular bastions and 

 curtains at the head of a bridge over which the road passes from 

 the hacienda of San Antonio to the city. The stream was a de- 

 fence ; — the nature of the adjacent country was a defence; — and 

 here the fragments of the Mexican army, — cavalry, artillery and 



51 



