ag'in the south. But we were ordered to trapse hyar in front o' Chapultepec by night, leaving only Old Davy and his Riley brigade for a feint. And to-*morrow we-all are going to see the elephant on top o' yonder hill."
"B'gorry, you could fetch no better news, lads," spoke the corporal. "There be fourteen hundred o' the First Division lift, to turn their backs on the rist o' the army an' their faces on the enemy."
"Nary, corporal," they answered. "The Palmettos have something to say to that. It's been powerful slow, pardner, sitting in the south whilst you fellows in the north have been burning powder. The Fourth Division will be first up that hill or bust."
An aide from Captain Huger, who directed the general bombardment, rode along the line of batteries waving the spectators back.
"You can't stay here, men. By orders of Captain Huger the field must be cleared. You're furnishing the enemy with too large a mark."
So they all had to leave.
The bombardment, increased by the batteries on the mill side, continued all day and closed only with darkness. The citadel of Chapultepec appeared to have been pretty well "shaken."
"'Tis cruel hard on thim young cadets," said old Sergeant Mulligan at supper mess. "I hear tell that some of 'em are mere lads scarce able to showlder a musket. Now I wonder if they aren't bein' sint down to the city to their mothers, where they belong. I'm hopin' so. We don't want to be after killin' boys."
