As soon as we got on the road leading to the city the troops serving the gun on the parapet retreated, and those on the house-tops near by followed; our men went after them in such close pursuit--the troops we had left under the arches joining--that a second line across the road, about half-way between the first and the garita, was carried.

No reinforcements had yet come up except Brooks's company, and the position we had taken was too advanced to be held by so small a force.

It was given up, but retaken later in the day, with some loss.
Worth's command gradually advanced to the front now open to it.

Later in the day in reconnoitring I found a church off to the south of the road, which looked to me as if the belfry would command the ground back of the garita San Cosme.

I got an officer of the voltigeurs, with a mountain howitzer and men to work it, to go with me.