{"product_id":"2940013580480","title":"The Guerilla Chief","description":"Story 1, Chapter I.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCERRO GORDO.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"_Agua! por amor Dios, agua--aguita_!\"  (Water! for the love of God, a\u003cbr\u003elittle water!)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI heard these words, as I lay in my tent, on the field of Cerro Gordo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was the night after the battle bearing this name--fought between the\u003cbr\u003eAmerican and Mexican armies in the month of April, 1847.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe routed regiments of Santa Anna--saving some four thousand men\u003cbr\u003ecaptured upon the ground--had sought safety in flight, the greater body\u003cbr\u003etaking the main road to Jalapa, pursued by our victorious troops; while\u003cbr\u003ea large number, having sprawled down the almost perpendicular cliff that\u003cbr\u003eoverhangs the \"Rio del Plan\" escaped, unperceived and unpursued, into\u003cbr\u003ethe wild chapparals that cover the _piedmont_ of Perote.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmong these last was the _lame_ tyrant himself, or rather should I say,\u003cbr\u003e_at their head leading the retreat_.  This has always been his favourite\u003cbr\u003eposition at the close of a battle that has gone against him; and a score\u003cbr\u003eof such defeats can be recorded.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI could have captured him on that day but for the cowardice of a colonel\u003cbr\u003ewho had command over me and mine.  I alone, of all the American army,\u003cbr\u003esaw Santa Anna making his escape from the field, and in such a direction\u003cbr\u003ethat I could without difficulty have intercepted his retreat.  With the\u003cbr\u003estrength of a corporal's guard, I could have taken both him and his\u003cbr\u003eglittering staff; but even this number of men was denied me, and _nolens\u003cbr\u003evolens_ was I constrained to forego the pleasure of taking prisoner this\u003cbr\u003etruculent tyrant, and hanging him to the nearest tree, which, as God is\u003cbr\u003emy judge, I should most certainly have done.  Through the imbecility of\u003cbr\u003emy superior officer, I lost the chance of a triumph calculated to have\u003cbr\u003egiven me considerable fame; while Mexico missed finding an avenger.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47177295036656,"sku":"2940013580480","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013580480_p0.jpg?v=1763583081","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013580480","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}