when a heavy firing was heard in advance.  Supposing that a reconnoitring party had been attacked, he hastily sent forward the First Artillery, under Dimmick, through a field of tall corn, to support them.  No sooner had they separated from the main body than a terrific discharge of grape, canister, and musketry assailed them from the convent.  In the teeth of the storm they advanced to within one hundred yards of that building, and a light battery under Taylor was brought up on their right, and opened on the convent.

More than an hour the gunners stood firm to their pieces under afire as terrible as troops ever endured; one-third of the command had fallen before they were withdrawn.  Colonel Riley meanwhile, with the stormers of Contreras, had been despatched to assail San Pablo on the west, and, like Dimmick, was met by a murderous rain of shot.  Whole heads of companies were mowed down at once.  Thus Captain Smith fell, twice wounded, with every man beside him; and a single discharge from the Mexican guns swept down Lieutenant Easley and the division he led.  It was the second time that day the gallant Second had served as targets for the Mexicans, but not a man fell back.  General Smith ordered up the Third in support, and these, protecting themselves as best they could behind a few huts, kept up a steady fire on the convent.  Sallies from the works were continually made, and as continually repelled, but not a step could the assailants make in advance.

By this time the battle was raging at three different points.  Worth had marched on San Antonio that morning, found it evacuated, and given chase to the Mexicans with the Fifth and Sixth Infantry.  The causeway leading from San Antonio to the tete de pont of Churubusco was thronged with flying horse and foot; our troops dashed headlong after them, never halting till the advance corps—­the Sixth—­were within short range of the Mexican batteries.  A tremendous volley from the tete de pont in front, and the convent on the flank, then forced them to await the arrival of the rest of the division.  This was the fire which Twiggs heard when he sent Dimmick against the convent.

Worth came up almost immediately; and directing the Sixth to advance as best they could along the causeway in the teeth of the tete de pont, despatched Garland’s and Clarke’s brigades through the fields on the right to attack it in flank.  Every gun was instantly directed against the assailants; and though the day was bright and clear, the clouds of smoke actually darkened the air.  Hoffman, waving his sword, cheered on the Sixth; but the shot tore and ripped up their ranks to such a degree that in a few minutes they had lost ninety-seven men.  The brigades on the right suffered as severely.  One hundred men fell within the space of an acre.  Still they pressed on, till the Eighth (of Clarke’s brigade) reached the ditch.  In they plunged, Lieutenant Longstreet bearing the colors in advance; he scrambled out on the other side, dashed at the walls without ladders or scaling implements, and bayoneted the defenders as they took aim.  At last, officers and men mixed pell-mell, some through the embrasures, some over the walls, rushed or leaped in and drove the garrison helter-skelter upon their reserves.