Battle of Monterey
An Officer of Washington and Baltimore Battalion

22 September 1846

Our battalion was immediately formed in line of battle under this fire, and we were ordered to charge.... Judge of my astonishment, when I beheld the four companies of regulars marching by a flank to the right. I saw Col. Watson shouting, but as to hearing a command, that was an impossibility, owing to the deafening roar of the cannon and musketry. I saw the head of our line changing its direction, and I knew at once that the point of attack was changed, and ran to the head of my company to intercept the head of the column. I reached it just as Col. Watson was dismounting from his horse, which the next moment fell from a shot. The colonel cried out to the men, 'Shelter yourselves, men, the best way you can.' At this time, the battalion was scattered over a space of about an acre, and the men were lying down, the shot in most instances flying over our heads; but the guns were soon depressed, and the shot began to take effect.

I was lying close to Col. Watson, alongside of a hedge, when he jumped up and cried out, 'Now's the time, boys, follow me.' We were now in a street or lane, with a few houses on either side, and within a hundred yards of three batteries which completely raked it, in addition to which, two twelve-pound guns were planted in the castle on the right, and completely enfiladed the whole distance we had to make. Add to this, the thousand musketeers on the house-tops, and in the barricades at the head of the street up which we advanced, and at every cross street, and you may form some idea of the deluge of balls poured upon us. (Bear in mind that the four companies of regulars were now with us, the one intermingled with the other.) Onward we went, men and horses falling at every step. Cheers, shrieks, groans and words of command added to the din, whilst the roar of the guns was absolutely deafening.

We had advanced up the street under this awful and fatal fire, nearly two hundred yards, when we reached a cross street, at the corner of which all who had succeeded in getting this far alive, halted, as if by mutual consent. I was shaking Col. Watson by the hand, while he was complimenting me, when a shower of grape, round and canister shot came from the corner above, and five officers fell, and I do not know how many privates. Each man sought some place of apparent shelter.

I sat down on the ground, with my back to the wall of a house. On my left were two men torn nearly to pieces. One of them was lying flat on his back, with his legs extending farther in the street than mine. Crash came another shower of grape, which tore one of his wounded legs off. He reared up, shrieked, and fell back a corpse. I never moved, for I was satisfied that one place was as safe as another. Directly opposite to me was my Brevet 2d Lieut. Aisquith; on the right hand corner was Lieut. Bowie, also of my company; and close to me sat Col. Watson, and Adjt. Schaeler. In a few minutes, I saw our colour-serjeant, old Hart, come past with his right arm shattered, (it has since been amputated,) and in a few minutes, there came our battalion flag, borne by one of the colour-guards, our glorious stars and stripes; and, note this, that it was the first American flag in the city of Monterey-an honour which we know belongs to our battalion.... No man there ever thought for a moment that he would get out alive, and most of them did not. The firing still continued without the slightest intermission, whilst we remained at this memorable corner, which was perhaps for fifteen minutes. When we were ordered to charge up the street, a slight hesitation was manifested by both regulars and volunteers, but the officers sprang to the front in double file.

We advanced, I suppose, about fifty yards, when Col. Garland, of the army, ordered us to retire. We still advanced, and he again ordered us to retire, adding this time, in good order. I now became separated from Col. Watson, and never saw him again. He took the left-hand side of the street, and I the right hand, and when I reached the open field where he had first ordered us to lie down, I was joined by Lieut. Aisquith, who, to my inquiry, answered that he had just left the colonel, and supposed that he would soon be with us. Seeing no other officer around me, I rallied the battalion, and led them down to make another attack upon the fort....

As well as I can learn, the colonel, in retiring from the city, inclined a good deal to the left, and became separated from the main body of the battalion; that, in company with Lieut. Bowie, who remained with him, he met another column advancing to the attack, joined them with the few men he had with him, and fell a few moments afterwards. He met with a gallant soldier's death, his face to the foe. His loss is deplored by all who knew his generosity of heart, and chivalry of character.

Samuel C. Reid, Jr. The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico-1846; Including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an Accurate Detail of the Storming of Monterey; also, the Daring Scouts of Buena Vista Together with Anecdotes, Incidents, Descriptions of Country, and Sketches of the Lives of the Celebrated Partisan Chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker. (1847).