After a short pause this morning; the Mexicans again opened their batteries on Gen. Worth's division and his battery, and of course Gen. Worth answered them bravely with his mortars.
To-day we were detailed to assist the sailors in pulling cannons and mortars to battery No. 5, and I assure you it was a hard day's work, but we are all anxious to have the battery thoroughly completed, so that we may be ready to open on the Mexicans to-morrow.
At noon while we were dragging up the cannons a sailor and one of the Tennessee Volunteers had a falling out, and it resulted in the sailor getting killed. He was shot dead by the Tennesseean; rum was the whole cause of this sad affair, but it raised a great deal of ill-feeling between the tars and the Tennesseeans. There was also one man killed to-day by the bursting of one of the Mexican shells.
To-night there were bomb-shells thrown right into our camp and near the volunteer battery, but fortunately no harm was done, and we will return the compliment tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 24, 1847.—This morning Capt. Breese, of the United States Navy, with a party of sailors and volunteers brought with them three sixty-eight and three twenty three pounders and some Paixhan shells over to our Naval and Volunteer battery No. 5. The captain is a jolly-looking officer, and says that this is the best position of any of our batteries. It commands the whole city of Vera Cruz. This battery the Mexicans have not yet seen. It being in the rear of a thicket of chaparrals, and sand hills all around.
About noon our battery No. 5 was completed and ready for destruction of life and property.
Gen. Scott was notified of its completion, and he ordered the battery to open for the first on the city of Vera Cruz. So after the chaparrals in front of our battery was cleared away, and, in fact, before it was all cut away, the Mexicans discovered us, and was astonished to see another battery still closer, as it is reasonable to suppose, for they instantly changed their
