THE CITY GATES OF SAN COSME AND BELEN. 



417 



the meadows. Still as they retreated they fought courageously, and 

 as our men approached the walls, the fresh troops in the neighbor- 

 hood poured their volleys from behind parapets, windows and stee- 

 ples. Nevertheless, Santa Anna dared not withdraw all his forces 

 in the presence of Twigg's threatening division on the south. 



Meanwhile Worth had seized the causeway and aqueduct of San 

 Cosme, while Quitman advanced by the other towards the garita of 

 Belen. The double roads on each side of these aqueducts which 

 rested on open arches spanning massive pillars, afforded fine points 

 for attack and defence. Both the American Generals were prompt 

 in pursuing the retreating foe, while Scott, who had ascended the 

 battlements of Chapultepec and beheld the field spread out beneath 

 him like a map, hastened onward all the stragglers and detach- 

 ments to join the flushed victors in the final assault. 



Worth speedily reached the street of San Cosme and became 

 engaged in desperate conflict with the enemy from the houses and 

 defences. Ordering forward Cadwallader's brigade with mountain 

 howitzers, preceded by skirmishers and pioneers with pick-axes 

 and crow bars to force windows and doors and to burrow through 

 the walls, he rapidly attained an equality of position with the 

 enemy ; and by 8 o'clock in the evening, after carrying two bat- 

 teries in this suburb, he planted a heavy mortar and piece of artil- 

 lery from which he might throw shot and shells into the city during 

 the night. Having posted guards and sentinels and sheltered his 

 weary -men, he at length found himself with no obstacle but the 

 gate of San Cosme between his gallant band and the great square 

 of Mexico. 



The pursuit by Quitman on the road to the gate of Belen had 

 been equally hot and successful. Scott originally designed that 

 this General should only manoeuvre and threaten the point so as to 

 favor Worth's more dangerous enterprise by San Cosme. But the 

 brave and impetuous Quitman, seconded by the eager spirits of his 

 division, longing for the distinction of which they had been hitherto 

 deprived, heeded neither the external defences nor the more dan- 

 gerous power of the neighboring citadel. Onward he pressed his 

 men under flank and direct fires; — seized an intermediate battery 

 of two guns; — carried the gate of Belen, — and thus, before two 

 o'clock, was the first to enter the city and maintain his position 

 with a loss proportionate to the steady firmness of his desperate 

 assault. After nightfall, he added several new defences to the point 

 he had won so gloriously, and sheltering his men as well as he was 



