under cover of the gloom, a party of zouaves made a dash for the nearest breach leading into the first court, which they gained, driving the defenders into the inner court; but they were not permitted long to hold so important a position. Diaz rushed to the spot, and reanimating his men,[1] they charged upon the assailants and drove them from the place. By 10 o'clock the meson had been recovered, and the breaches were soon after repaired. This success was followed by another after the reveille along Cabecitas street, where a conflict had raged, the line here being wider, and the number of contestants larger. The gaps were soon filled, and the damages duly attended to. Rest was needed, but the French were roused, and allowed no time to be lost. Assaults were made at different points during the day, specially in Cholula street, where Colonel Manuel Gonzalez, who in after years became president of the republic, though wounded, made a stout resistance, and thus aided Diaz in repelling the assailants.[2] San Márcos was also attacked, but without other result than adding to the heap of dead and wounded. On this line, as well as at the advanced points, the besieged several times repulsed the invading army, several columns of which were taken prisoners. One breach was defended forty days The eastern army never lost a foot of the position, holding it till the 17th of May.[3]
After several checks, notably one in the position of Santa Inés, April 25th, Forey entertained the idea of suspending operations till heavier siege-guns could be procured, or till he had taken the city of Mexico; but
- ↑ Loading with stones, there being no other projectiles at hand, a gun that covered the entrance, he fired it at the zouaves, causing much havoc among them.
- ↑ Diaz himself speaks in glowing terms of Gonzalez' gallantry. In the general orders of that day the deeds above related received special mention. Diaz, Datos Biog., MS., 183-90; Diaz, Porfirio, Biog., 46-8.
- ↑ Berriozábal, La Llave, and others tried more than once to induce Ortega to evacuate the place to save the army. Gen. Paz also spoke to him on the subject, but merely in compliance with the request of others. His own opinion, like Ortega's, was to hold the city until necessity demanded its abandonment. Ortega, Parte Ofic., 72-4, 102-10.
