While Advancing In This Order, Sandoval Perceived The Mexican Forces Drawn Up In Three Large Columns Or Dense Battalions, And Thought Proper To Change His Original Plan, And To Endeavour To Break Through Them By A Cavalry Charge.

Placing himself, therefore, at the head of the cavalry, he immediately proceeded to the charge, exclaiming, "St Jago!

Fall on, comrades!" The main body of the enemy was partly broken by this charge, but immediately closed again and stood firm; and the nature of the ground was so much in favour of the Mexicans, that Sandoval found it necessary to endeavour to drive them from their post in the manner first proposed, into the open ground in the rear. For this purpose he made the musketeers and crossbow-men attack the enemy in front, and those armed with swords and targets to turn their flanks, ordering also the allies to come forward to the attack, and directed the cavalry to be ready to charge at an appointed signal. Our troops at length forced them to retreat, but they immediately occupied another strong position in their rear, so that Sandoval and the cavalry were unable to make any considerable impression upon them. In one of the charges in this difficult broken ground, the horse of Gonzalo Dominguez fell with him, and he was so much injured that he died in a few days afterwards: His loss was much regretted by the army, as he was esteemed as brave as either Sandoval or De Oli.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 228 of 796
Words from 62643 to 62893 of 221091