MONTEREY. Our banners on those turrets wave, We are not many, we who press'd Beside the brave who fell that day, - Than not have been at Monterey? Charles Fenno Hoffman. FROM Buena Vista. ROM the Rio Grande's waters to the icy lakes of Let all exult! for we have met the enemy again; in their pride, And rolled from Buena Vista back the battle's bloody tide; Where the enemy came surging swift, like the Mississippi's flood, And the reaper, Death, with strong arms swung his sickle red with blood. Santana boasted loudly that, before two hours were past, His Lancers through Saltillo should pursue us fierce and fast: On comes his solid infantry, line marching after line; Lo! their great standards in the sun like sheets of silver shine: With thousands upon thousands, than three to one, — Their forests of bright bayonets fierce-flashing in the sun. BUENA VISTA. Lo! Guanajuato's regiment; Morelos's boasted corps, And Guadalajara's chosen troops!· all veterans tried before. Lo! galloping upon the right four thousand lances gleam, Where, floating in the morning wind, their blood-red pennons stream; And here his stern artillery climbs up the broad pla teau: To-day he means to strike at us an overwhelming blow. Now, Wool, hold strongly to the heights! for lo! the mighty tide Comes, thundering like an avalanche, deep, terrible, and wide. Now, Illinois, stand steady! Now, Kentucky, to their aid! For a portion of our line, alas! is broken and dis mayed: Great bands of shameless fugitives are fleeing from the field, And the day is lost, if Illinois and brave Kentucky yield. One of O'Brien's guns is gone! On, on their masses drift, Till their cavalry and infantry outflank us on the left; |