bustling preparation was making. Returning to the line, I informed Colonel Fisher of the exact position of the enemy, and obtained his permission to advance with the head of the right wing until it covered the street in which [87] the artillery was placed, when we fired suddenly into them, passed the corner in quick time to make room for their "grape and canister," and repeated the fire alternately with them. This was done several times with deadly effect upon the enemy, while twice per minute their grape and canister shot would pour down the street, from whence our fire proceeded, with no effect upon us, we after each fire passing the corner to await theirs, and then returning to reoccupy the firing position again. By this manoeuvre, while their artillery was playing upon a vacant street, our fire was sure and destructive. While the right wing was thus occupied, the left unfortunately exposed their situation by returning some random shots fired from the house-tops. This brought upon them a well-directed fire, which killed J.E. Jones, a brave and honourable man, an Englishman by birth, who had been one of the Santa Fé sufferers.

The night continued to drizzle rain, which made it more important that our troops should effect a lodgment in some strong stone houses, as well to protect their arms as to refix those already out of order, some of the men having fallen in the water while crossing the river. One of the strongest objections to the rifle is the ease with which it is put out of order, and the difficulty of refixing it; if the powder should get wet, the difficulty of unbreeching is far greater than the drawing of a musket-load.

The right wing was ordered to take possession [88] of a row of stone houses upon one side of the street, leading in the direction of the artillery, which they did by beating down the corner doors, and then, with the aid of an iron crowbar which they found inside, opened breaches through the dividing walls to within fifty yards of the artillery. A breach was ordered to be made in the upper end of this building, so as to command the artillery; and no sooner was it commenced on the inside than the artillery was directed against that point on the outside. The wall was thick and strong, and the twelve-pound shots driving against it in rapid succession tended greatly to facilitate our work by loosening the stones for us. No sooner was the opening made than it was filled with our rifles, which were unerringly destructive. Upon the left wing was Captain Reese's Brazoria company, and Captain J. G. W. Pearson's Milam company. They had been ordered to occupy a row of stone buildings upon the opposite side of the street, and had just completed their portholes, where the cross-fire from their position was equally destructive. After daylight, three times was the artillery manned and as often silenced, the last time sixteen out of seventeen falling, the commander, Captain Castro, a brave and honourable man, being the only surviver.3

Our troops had now effected a strong lodgment nearly in the centre of the