George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Major-General United States Army
George Gordon Meade, Ed.

[76] vigorous and continuous fire during the whole day. He commenced deliberately with the four eighteen-pounders of Lowd's Battery (see my sketch) and regularly dismounted every gun of the Mexicans, that was visible, by the evening, completely silencing their fire, with the exception of one mortar placed in the circular battery of the Mexicans, which was sunk so low beneath the parapet that they could not reach it. With this mortar the Mexicans continued their attack up to the time Walker left (yesterday afternoon) but had effected no damage to our work or people, except killing one Sergeant by the bursting of a shell. Major Brown had expended but a small proportion of his ammunition, and was in high spirits, expressing himself prepared to hold out as long as they had provisions. Walker says in addition, that about one-half hour after he left he heard platoonfiring, or rather small arms, and thinks the works have been assaulted. But from this we entertain no fears; the works cannot be carried by a mere assault, and they cannot erect their batteries, owing to our superior artillery and artillerists, so as to make a breach. Therefore we now feel no concern about the fate of the works, and the good news has so inspirited all of us that we may consider ourselves equal to double the number we were before.

I am sorry I cannot report I had a share in the affair, for every officer who is there will without doubt be promoted for the gallant defence. By-the-by, the engineer of the work, Captain Mansfield, is from Hartford, Connecticut, and has often spoken to me of the Alsops and Dr. Muller. If they recollect him, say he has gained for himself great credit for the design and execution of the work, and still more for his energy and bravery in its defence.

Yesterday a steamer arrived from New Orleans, bringing dates to the 28th ultimo. An officer who came in here states the only intelligence they had received was the assassination of Colonel Cross, and that this had created a tremendous excitement, and when the news of actual war having commenced reaches there he has no doubt five thousand men will be over here in ten days. With this force we shall drive all the Mexicans to the mountains, but in the meantime we are all anxious to give them a sound thrashing before the volunteers arrive, for the reputation of the army; for should we be unable to meet them before they come, and then gain a victory, it would be said the volunteers had done it, and without them we were useless. For our own existence, therefore, we desire to encounter them. The steamer also brings intelligence of the expected departure, soon after