every direction, and small par- ties taking possession of populous towns. We may easily imagine the innumerable and horrible insults and excesses endured by the Mexicans, from a victorious and scornful enemy, conscious alike of his power and his impunity, and far removed from the restraint, however feeble, of pubHc opinion.
Unaware of the vast superiority of their enemy in all the dread machinery of war, the Mexicans unhappily ha- zarded the bombardment of Vera Cruz. Three thousand shells, each weighing ninety pounds were, it is said, thrown into that devoted city, besides about the same number of round shot. For more than three days did this horrible tenfipest beat upon Vera Cruz. " The darkness of the night was illuminated with the blazing shells circling through the air. The roar of artillery, and the heavy fall of descending shot, were heard through the streets of the The Americans lost not a single man, and had but seven slightly wounded ; the Mexicans were utterly routed, with a loss of 193 killed and wounded.
The result of the battle of Sacramento is thus described in an of&cial report : " The first shadows cast by the moon, found the American army camped upon the battle-field, after having in a contest of four hours annihilated a force six times their number, und driven the enemy from four positions of great natural strength, fortified by thirty-six forts and redoubts, having taken four times their strength in artillery, the Whole transportation, food, and ammunition of the^Iexicans, and performed a march of- twenty miles without water." Col. Doniphan tells us, " The field was literally covered with the dead and wounded from our artillery, and the u.nerring fire of our riflemen. Night put a stop to the carnage." The Mexicans had nineteen pieces of cannon, and were sheltered by forts and redoubts, while the Americans advanced to the attack on an open plain. The victors, in a fight of four hours, had one man killed, and eight wounded. Triumphs over such enemies, afford little cause for military pride.