General Pierce was soon in the saddle at the head of his brigade, which
retained its position in front, thus serving to attract the enemy's
attention, and divert him from the true point of attack. The camp was
stormed in the rear by the American troops, led on by Riley, Cadwallader,
and Dimmick; and in the short space of seventeen minutes it had fallen
into the hands of the assailants, together with a multitude of prisoners.
The remnant of the routed enemy fled towards Churubusco. As Pierce led
his brigade in pursuit, crossing the battle-field, and passing through
the works that had just been stormed, he found the road and adjacent
fields everywhere strewn with the dead and dying. The pursuit was
continued until one o'clock, when the foremost of the Americans arrived
in front of the strong Mexican positions at Churubusco and San Antonio,
where Santa Alma's army had been compelled to make a stand, and where the
great conflict of the day commenced.
General Santa Anna entertained the design of withdrawing his forces
towards the city. In order to intercept this movement, Pierce's brigade,
with other troops, was ordered to pursue a route by which the enemy could
be attacked in the rear.
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