Here Cortez rallied them, and charged the Aztecs with the little body of horse, while the artillery opened a hot fire upon them.

He then sent orders to the other two columns to fall back and, when these had rejoined him, the division retired, Cortez covering the movement with the cavalry.
As soon as they were freed from the city, Tapia was sent round on horseback to acquaint the other commanders of the failure.

They had advanced at the same time as Cortez, and had on their side nearly gained the square; when they, too, were startled by the blast of Guatimozin's horn, and by the terrible yell that followed it.

Then they heard the sound of battle, which had before been clearly audible, roll away in the distance; and knew that the division of Cortez had been driven back.
In a short time the attack upon themselves increased in fury, as the troops who had been engaged with Cortez returned and joined in the attack upon them.

Two or three bloody heads were thrown among them, with shouts of "Malinzin!" Although Sandoval and Alvarado did not credit the death of their commander, they felt that it was useless to persevere, and indeed were unable to withstand the furious assaults of the Aztecs.