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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST.
JAMES GARDNER. JR.
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! From the Chronicle 4" Sentinel Extra, 22dins> 1
LATER FROM MEXICO
AND THE ARMY ! ! I
R Y RIDDLE’S EX T LESS!!
21 Hours in advance of the Mail ! !
AOV \\(E OF (• LX • SCO'I i OX aIIL
CAPITAL!!!
THE GUERILLA WARFARE!
DISBANDING OF VOLUNTEER'S.
LATEST FROM THE CITY OF MEXICO,
<ic. &c. &c.
[From the N. O. Della, 1 Clh in si.]
Bv Ihe arrival at an early hour this
morning ot ihe fine si earner i ash ion, Cupl.
1 vv, H days from Vera Cruz via Tampi
co, we are in receipt of late and interest
ing intelligence tiom Mexico. We have
no time for comment.
[Correspondence of the Daily Della.]
Veka Cruz, May bill, 0 A. M 1847.
Eds. Delta. — I have just come in from
Jalapa, (which place I left at 1 I*. M.on
the7lh)and find the Fashion with steam up
ready to leave for New Orleans, so I must
be brief in what 1 have to say.
Yesterday morning Gen. Quitman left
Jalapa with all the volunteers, excepting
the Ist Pennsylvanians, tor Puebla. Gen.
Scott will leave on Tuesday for the same
place, and after his arrival, if not other
wise ordered, he will march into Mexico.
This “marching into Mexico” you may
think strange language, lint one of our
own men came from that place on the 2d
inst., and he says “we won’t do anything
else.” There are but 2000 troops in
Mexico, and hut one company oi lancers
in Puebla: and they are only remaining
to keep the barracks clean our sol
diers.
Gen. Anaya is now the Acting Presi
dent of Mexico.
One of the followers of the Army, Gal
lagher, started from Jalapa, tor this place,
ahe ut seven days ago. and when ho reach
ed Paso de Avaja, was surrounded by a
company of lancers and taken prisoner.
He was escorted to Orizaba, where Santa
Anna was. Gallagher speaks Spaui.-h
well, and by some means got otF. lie
says that Santa Anna has about 4000
men with him, and that tiie number was
daily increasing.
Santa Anna says publicly that lie in
tends to oppose the advance of our troops
upon Puebla, hut it is well known that his
object is le prey upon onr rear, lie is
aware that a train will leave here to-day,
taking nearly a million dollars to Jalapa,
and he is determined to make an effort to
capture it. For this purpose, he lias men
stationed upon every height overlooking
the road to give notice ot its approach.—
lint he will have warm work it he gets
this train. In addition lo the strong guard
CM O
that accompanied it down, I passed yes
terday, on the road near Fncerro, the ffi
7th and 2d Infantry, with mountain how it
zers, all under tlie command of Col. Pi
ley. They will reach Puente Nacion&l
lo night, and to-morrow night will lie at
San Juan del Rio, where they will like
ly meet the train. Besides this, Gen.
Scott has so arranged the marching of the
discharged volunteers, that one regiment
will encamp at the same place with the
train every night.
- O
Gen. Patterson will be here in the
course of two hours, on his wav home, and
all the 12-months volunteers will he in
dnringthe next four days.
An Tllinoisian was shot from the road
side yesterday, and his leg broken.
CHAPARRAL.
Vera Cruz, May 8, 1817.
Eds Delta —The citizens at Tampico
are very apprehensive of an attack on that
place from a roving banditti, umb r the
command ot Cant, Paulino, who has ren
dered himself as notorious-, from his many
acts of daring and atrocity, as the great
Col. Canales, However, the troops gar
risoning the place appear to look very
light upon his threats and demonstrations,
and are really anxious he should attempt
lo carry out his designs. The yare con
fident he will not make a second attempt.
[From Slips of the Mobile Papers ]
S.alcr from General Scoff.
Ry the arrival of the steamship Fashion at
New Orleans we have later advices from
Vera Cruz. The accounts are from Jalapa
the 11th instant.
'Fhc Fashion brought over Gen. Patterson,
and several officers who were wounded at
Ferro Gordo; also Captains Moore, Pickens,
Junes and Coleman ut the Alabama volun
teers. sShe also brought over many of the
trophies of Cerro Gordo and Vera Cruz, such
as cannons, stands of arms, standards, &c.
Several Regiments of volunteers whose
time ot service had expired were al Vera
Cruz on their way home.
We copy below from the Picayune:
Gen. Worth was expected lo enter Puebla
on the 17th inst. No resistance was antici
pated at that place. There was some expec
tation that the army would march upon :He
Capital, but with diminished numbers. The
losses sustained in the army by ihe return of
volunteers, and ike necessary detachments
lo guard (he cities of Jalapa, Porole and Pue
bla would leave Gen. ocull a force amount
ing to scarce six thousand to advance upon
the city of Mexico.
Santa Anna’s whereabout was yet veiled
in mystery. The camp was full of rumors,
as is always the case,of the purposes of the
Mexicans and the movements of political and
military parlies. •
The guerillas do not give onr troops as
much trouble as was anticipated. 1 hey are
probably doing their office of robbery and
massacre upon the Mexicans tJiemseives.
We ni.tice with sincere pleasure that Gen.
Shields is improving apace, and that h.s re
covery is almost certain.
We subjoin a letter from Mr. Kendall of
the latest date:
\ Editorial Correspondence of the Picajpive.]
Jalapa, Mexico, May 11, i 847.
Intelligent Spaniards here, men who have
ample means of information, tell me that
matters al lire city of Mexico are daily get
ting worse and worse—ail its anarchy and
confusion. It cannot well be otherwise.—
Confidence is all gone, money is all gone,
hope has vanished, and in their place poverty
and despair reign supreme. The only chance
left of opposing the Americans is to raise a
frenzy or enthusiasm —call it which y«ar will
—similar to that planted in the early revolu
tionists by Hidalgo, and it is to he doubted
whether there is even virtue enough left in
the country to bring about such a consumma
te u. At the celebrated battle of LasCruces,
fought near the city of Mexico, it may be re
collected that .Morelos and Hidalgo had an
immense rabble lo contend against the few
royalists under Truxillo, and that such was
the frenzy of the former that in many in
stances, during the hottest of the fight, th%y
ran up and stuffed their hats into the very
mouths of the Spanish cannon. They can
not. get no Mich a feeling now.
Den. Worth will probably enter the rich
and populous city of Puebla on Friday next,
Gen Quitman accompanying him. No one
anticipates opposition, but on the contrary it
is said that the larger and better portion of
the inhabitants are growing more and more
anxious for the entrance of the Americans
for the protection they will afford them a
gainst the hordes of fad rones and leperofe
which have always infested that ci‘y- VVe
hear nothing of the guerillas of late—they
are probably confining themselves lo rubbing
their own countrymen.
The reports in relation to Santa Anna arc
still contradictory, but all agree that he is at
oi near Orizaba. He has‘certainly threaten
ed an attack upon Vera Cruz, and also upon
this place, and there are those who think,
judging from his threats and actions, that he
lias become mad since his recent reverses.—
The probability is, that be keeps his force
about him partly for his own protection, and
partly to be ready to strike a blow should a
favorable opportunity offer.
Gen. Scott, will probably leave with Gene
ral Tw iggs, in the course of a few' days, for
Puebla. Ilis next movements will depend
upon circumstances.
Gen. Quitman’s appointment as Major-
General meets with the full approval of the
army. The wound of Gen. Shields, which
was at first thought would prove mortal be
yond doubt, continues to improve, and the
hopes of his recovery are stronger than ever.
1 forward this by the diligencia. It, is con
sidered a very unsafe conveyance, and for
fear my letters may be overhauled by the
Mexicans 1 cannot say halflothcnvise should.
Yours, Ac. G. W. K.
[From the Mobile Herald <(- Tribune .]
From the < ity of Mexico.
The Picayune has pa pets, (brought hv
the way of'Tampico) from the city of
Mexico to the 28th of April, five days
later than the papers previously received.
We copy below 7 from it;
We look first tor news from Santa
Anna, and we find him engaged, with the
utmost diligerc ,at O izaba,raising troops,
lie shows, as the letters will say, incredi
ble energy in repairing the losses lie has
sustained, and ere this is no doubt at the
head of an army very considerable in
numbers, however inferior in discipline.
He is, moreover, according to the papers,
granting permits to guerilla bands. Being
straitened for funds, he is said to have
imposed upon Orizaba a loan of SIO,OOO.
We give a translation of the first let’er
we have seen of Santa Anna since his de
feat at Cerro Gordo, it was written on
the 22d of April from Orizaba. Below
we copy a portion of this letter;
“It appears that the enemy, inproving
his t riumph, and the astonishment in which
he finds the people, designs to march upon
the capital; but I am taking measures to
organize here a respectable force, in ad
dition to that at present under the com
mand of Gen. I). Antonio Leon, and I can
assure the President Substitute, that with
some aid Irom the neighboring Slates or
the Supreme Government i’self, 1 shall
be able to harass the rear guard of the
enemy with effect until ids destruction is
achieved. I have already 7 despatched
orders to Gen. Canalizo that he protect
with his cavalry the fortress of Perote, and
to Gen. (Fiona that he places it in the best
state of defence until I can relieve I dm.
‘•I cannot omit to express to your Excel
lency my astonishment at the apathy and
selfishness of our citizens in the present criti
cal circumstance.-; and I now deem it neces
sary, to save the country, that the Supreme
Powers of the nation should dictate severe
and effective measures lo enforce compliance
on the part of every one with those duties
which society oiui the laws impose upon him.
If this is not done—if the nation docs not
rise en masse to defend its most sacred rights,
unjustly and barbarously trampled upon, in
famy and scorn, w ith the Io?s of our nation
ality, will bo the results. For my part I
shall spare no sacrifice in behalf of the coun
try; my life and my blood, my repose and my
fortune are entirely consecrated to if.
“For the present I have established my
headquarters here, where I shall receive the
orders which the Supreme Government may
have occasion to transmit. Accept assur
ances, &c. God and Liberty!
“Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.”
A “Yankee” was arrested on the 26th,
having presented himself to the President to
confer with him upon the propriety of peact,
but in no authorized capacity. No cine is
given as to who the man is. He is negotiat
ing “uii his own hook.”
A general and absolute decree of amnesty
for all political offences is announced in the
papers of the 271 h.
In ToUica ike casting of cannon was im
mediately to be commenced, the prelates of
Bau Francisco and La Mercede having offer
ed the boils necessary tor the construction ot
cannon.
The Mexicans speak of the conspiracy
which was entered into among their country
men in Tampico to obtain possession of that
‘town, as having failed principally for want
of funds; but they indulge the hope that
another attempt will be more successful.
D. Miguel Orbe, the curate of llnancift
nango, is raising a company of guerrillas and
upon the following terms: #.
Uuauchixago, April 23, 1847.
He who subscribes this, pledges himself to
the five following articles :
Ist. —To die defending and avenging Our
Lady of Guadalupe, and the Catholic Apos
tolical Roman religion which he professes.
2d.—To defend the integrity and indepen
dence of his nation.
3d.—To pursue with death the Anglo-
Americans, their followers, defenders or al
lies, whoever it may be.
4Ui,—To abjure and detest the personal
party or whoever have destroyed their coun
try.
sth.—To respect all legi'imate authority,
whatever it may be, in every tiling not re
pugnant to the preceding articles.
These five articles shall be the iundamental
rule of their guerrilla, and shall he denomi
nated : ha Insurgents (xuadalapana.
(Signed) Miguel Orbe.
The owners of the mine La Luz have pre
) sented or loaned the government of Mexico
S>SS,UUU for the expenses of the war.
Letters had been received in the capital
I from JSau Luis Putosi, announcing that the
! governor of the state had promulgated a de
cree that every citizen should 'akc up arms,
I and that the enthusiasm to defend themselves
j was very great. There wore about four
; thousand troops of the army of the north then
i in the city. Gen. Taylor, they supposed was
i to move upon them from tSalullo about the l=t
! of May.
[From the Jalapa A liter icon Star, of May G.j
Lieut. Suiniiies, U. S. Navy, lias arrived in
this city, en route to the city of Mexico, to
demand the release of Midshipman Rogers.
The Ticdve Months olunteers. —Four re
giments of the above troops will leave here
to-day lor \ era Cruz, and although we could
wish the boys would stay and see the affair
1 threegh, we cannot blame them for wishing
to see those dear friends at home, who for 12
long months have been estranged from them
i Many of those who now leave us, have been
prominent actors in every fight since May
last, and they will take from here the thanks
of the army for the services they have ren
dered.
Three Tennessee, two Illinois, -one Geor
gia, one Alabama regiment, and Captain
I William’s Kentucky company, are the ones
to be disbanded.
[From the N. O. Delta, 17 th hist.]
From Texas.
Bv «h'e vteamstiip Yacht, Capt. Crane, forty
four hours from Galveston, we had Texas pa
pers yesterday. Those troai Galveston were to
the isth inst.
j The Vi toria Advocate mentions that the guns
for Col- Hay’s regiment ot 12 months volunteers,
have passed through that town. The regiment
to rendezvous at BeJ;ar. They are not to go to
i Mexico, it is thought unless under a special call
I from Gen. Taylor.
j Speaking of guns, reminds of the following
j marriage notice, which we bad in the Galveston
Co iiia n of the Bth inst.
Married, in Seguin, on Thursday evrntnglast,
by the . .ew Mr. McCulloch, iViaj. John C. Hays,
, to Mi-s Calvert, daughter ut Maj. J. S.
j Calvert; of Seguin.
It the brave deserve the fair, who is better en
-1 tilled toa fair and arcomphshed wit' than the gal
! lant “Jack Hays.”
! Th > recent anniversary of the battL of San Ja
cinto was celebrated in line spirit and taste, at
i Hunts die. Gen. Houston himself was present,
j and addressed the people in a very handsome and
! appropriate manner, eschvnving all political And
j kindred topics, as unsuited to the occasion.
Some apprehension seems to be entertained of
Indian disturbances at the German Colony in
| Western Texas.
A xountsofthe prospects ofthc crops in Texas,
1 thus fir, are promising. Some sections have suf
| sered slightly from the want of rain, but in most,
this want has not been seriously felt. Accounts
from the Last are not very definite, but there are
as ye t no complaints.
A member of the Huntsville t oiuntecr company
j which was on its way to San Antonio, writes, on
the Isth inst.. that the company had received
some additions,aml numbered as high as G 5 men.
All were -veil, and in fine spirits. The writer
states that he had just learned that there were
700 Texm volunteers at San Antonio, ready for
tle campaign. No doubt was entertained of their
being received and mustered into service.
Regular steam communication is about to be
established between this city and Matagorda and
Port Lavaca.
AUGUSTA. GEO..
SIN HAY MORNING, MAY 23, 1847.
TTOur Subscribers in the first and second
Ward who do not receive their papers, will
oblige ns by sending for them; the regular
carrier on that mule being sick.
There arc now cither at Point Isabel, or
en route for Vera Cruz and Point Isabel, six
ty-tun companies of the ten now regiments
: of volunteers, comprising 5,315 men.
A New York letter says —“If the mails were
ready, the Boston steamer could return at once,
for she has not a berth untaken; all arc full. But,
Washington has fifty engaged--among them the
Hon. Richard Rush and the Hon. W. AV.
| Campbell, late member of Congress from this
city.”
Early in 1848 there will be sixteen steamships
! regularly plying between New York and Europe,
by which means a weekly communication will he
kept up with England, France, and other coun-
I tries in the Old World, independently of the Bos
ton line of Cunard steamers.
The U. S. sloops-of-war Jamestown, Capt.
Forbes, arrived at Boston on ■Saturday evening
from Ireland.—She left Cork on the22d ot April,
and thus made the passage in twenty-three days.
Resignation of a Judge.
Judge Williams, who has long presided as Chief
Justice upon the Bench of the Supreme Court of
Errors, Connecticut, has resigned.
Defalcation.
The Boston Traveller of Friday, says that there
are various rumors abroad in that city in respect
to the defalcation of a late President ofone of the
banks. The amount is stated at GO,OOO, and it is
also stated that the guilty party is not at present
in this country.
Sudden Ifcatb.
E. J. Roberts, Esq .. Clerk of the IT. S, District
Court at Pittsburgh, fell down recently in a fit
and died in about two hum a.
Wheat Crops at the North.
The accounts vary materially as to tfie injury
to the Wheat crops throughout the North. The
Philadelphia U. S. Gazette ot Monday says;—
“A recent ride through several ‘wheat raising
counties in Pi nnsylvania has satisfied us that
one great staple of our State is nearly destroyed
for the present year. Certainly, the fields which
we saw will nut produce more than a third, or
half the usual crop on such an amount of land.
The winter has been very severe upon autumn
sown grain, and we learn from gentlemen who
have been through most of the counties, that the
indications therein are not more favorable than
ftiihosc through which we travelled.
In several counties in Maryland the yield of
Wheat will, it is said, be above an average.—
Plentiful showers have greatly improved the ap- I
pearance of the fields.
Wheat Crops at the West.
The Cincinnati Gazette of the 13th inst. says :
—“Some ot our cotemporaries have already ex
pressed the opinion that so large a portion of j
wheat in the ground has been winter killed, that 1
there is danger of a short crop in Ohio. We
have lately passed through the State from this to
Cleveland, and theneeto Beaver, Penn., and al
though we noticed many fields where a large por
tion had been winter killed, we arc confident,
taking into consideration the quantity in the
round, that the present promise is ot a a yield
above an average crop.
This statement is confirmed by the Cleveland
Herald, a paper said to be well informed.
“So far as we have seen ~-’te can hear truly,
there "is re reason to sujipose the coming crop
will be any less than the appearance lastycar at
this tune promised. We do not know the fact,
but we think that we hazard .Tile in saying that
that there is now probably one-eighth more acres
of land in wheat than there was last year, and
except in very low wet places, it is not materially
injured.”
'Flic CassviJle Pioneer of the 21st instant,
says—“We have but a very poor stand of
wheat, immediately in this vicinity, but in
other parts of the county, and in Floyd and
Chattooga, vve learn the wheat looks verv
. ' !
well. From the other counties, we have j
hoard no complaint. Corn and Oats look ;
quite promising, and it is supposed that the :
oat crop will far exceed that of last year,— j
the corn crop will probably not be so good, j
as the weather is immoderately cool for the
season, which ruins corn. Cotton, it is
thought, will lake the 'sore-shin, ’ if it is not
already afibeted with that disease. The cut
worms seem to Ire very troublesome, and we
learn are playing sad havoc with the vegeta
ble creation. Upon lire whole, and from
every report we have heard, vve set the cron
down for this, about one-third less than that
of last year.
“The weather for the past week has been
extremely cool.and nothing but fires through
out the day, will render us comfortable.—
Spring in tins section, lias been nearly if
not quite as cool as the past winter. We
are fearful that I lie coolness of the spring, is
materially to injure the crops.”
[From the Washington Union, I Qth inst.]
O FFICTAI..
We lay before our readers the des
patches which were received by last
evening’s mail, by the War Department.
Headquarters of the Army,
Jalapa, April 23, 1847.
Sir: In forwarding tlie reports of com
manders which detail the operations of
their several corps against ihe Mexican
lines at Cerro Gordo, I shall present, in
continuation of my former report, but an
outline of the affair; and while adopting
kea rtil v their commendations of the ardor
and efficiency of individuals, I shall men
tion by name only those who figure promi
nently, or, from position, could nut be in
cluded in those sub reports.
The field sketch herewith, indicates the
positions of the two armies. The tierra
calicntc., of low level, terminates at 77 an
del Rio, the site of the Ameiican camp,
from which the road ascends immediately
in a long circuit among lofty hills, whose
commanding points had all been fortified
and garrisoned by I lie enemy. His right,
entrenched, rested on a precipice over
hanging an impassable ravine that forms
the bed of the stream; and his entrench
ments extended continuously to the road,
on which was placed a formidable battery.
On the other side, the lofty and difficult
height of Cerro Gordo commanded the ap
proaches in all directions. The main
bodv of the Mexican army was encamp
ed on the level ground, with a battery of
five pieces, half a mile in rear of that
height towards Jalapa.
Resolving if possible, to turn (lie ene
my’s left, and attack in roar, while rnena
cing or engaging his front, I caused daily
iTconnoissances to be pushed, \vi h the
view of finding a route for a force to de
bouch on the Jalapa road and cut off re
treat.
The reconnoissance begun by Lieut.
Beauregard, was confirmed by Cant. Lee,
engineers, and a road made along difficult
slopes and over chasms—out of the ene
my’s view, though reached by his fire
when discovered —until, arriving at the
Mexican lines, further reconnoissance be
came impossible without an action. The
desired point ol debouchure, the Jalapa
road, was not therefore reached, though
believed to he within easy distance; and
to gain that point, it now became neces
sary to carry the height of Cerro Gordo.
Tire dispositions in my plan of battle—
general orders No. 11l heretofore cnclos-
C*
ed. were accordingly made.
Twiggs’s division, reinforced by Shield’s
brigade of volunteers, was thrown into
position on the 17lh, and was of necessity,
drawn into action in taking up the ground
for its bivouac and the opposing height for
our heavy battery. It will be seen that
manv of our officers and men were killed
or wounded in ibis sharp combat—hand
somely commenced by a company of lire
Till infantry, under Brevet First Lieut.
Gardner, who is highly praised by all Ids
commanders for signal services. Col.
Harney corning up with the rifle regiment
and first artillei v (also parts ot his brig
ade) brushed auly the enemy and occu
pied the height—on which, in the night,
was placed a battery of one 24 pounder
and two 24 pound howitzers, under the |
superintendence of Capt. Lee, engineers, j
and Lieut, Ilagner, ordnance. These
guns opened next morning, and were set' •
ed with eff'Ct hv Capt. Sieptoe and Lieut.
Brown, 3d artillery,Lieut. Ilagner, (ord
nance.) and Lieut. Seymour, Ist. artil
lery.
The same night, with Soil and difficult}',
under the superintendence of Lieut, i ow.
er, engineers, and Lieut. Laidlcy, ord
nance, an 8 inch howitzer was put in po
sition across the river and opposite to the
enemy’s right battery. A detachment of
four companies, under Major Burnham,
New York volunteers, performed this
creditable service, which enabled Lieut.
Ripley, 2d artillery, in charge of the piece,
to open a timely fire in that quarter.
Early on the 18th, the columns moved
to the general attack, and our sucqess
was speedy and decisive. Pillow’s brig
ade, assaulting the right of the entrench
incuts, although compelled to retiie, had ,
the effect 1 have heretofore slated.—
Twiggs’s division, storming tlie strong
and vital point of Ccrro Gordo, pierced
the centre, gained command of all the
entrenchments, and cut them ofl from sup
port. As our infantry (Colonel Riley's
brigafe) pitted on against the main body
of the enemy, the guns of their own fort
were rapidly turned to play on that force,
(under tire immediate command of Gen
eral Santa Anna,) who fled in confusion.
Shields’s brigade, bravely assaulting the
left, carried the battery (five gun*) on lire
J.rlapa road, and aided materially in com
pleting the rout of the enemy.
The part taken by the remainder of our
forces, held in reserve to support and pur
sue, has already been noticed.
The moment the fate of the day was de
cided, the cavalry, and Taylor’s, and
Wall’s field batteries were pushed on to
wards Jalapa in advance of the pursuing
columns of infantry —Twiggs’s division
and the brigade of Shields’ (now under
Colonel Baker) —and .Major General Pat
terson, was sent to lake command of them.
In the hot pursuit many Mexicans were |
captured or slain before our men and j
horses were exhausted by the heat and
distance.
The rout proves to have been complete—
the retreating army, except a small body !
ol cavalry, being dispersed and utterly dis- 1
organized. The immediate consequences
have been our possession of this import
ant city, the abandonment of the woiks
and artillery at La Moya, the next formid
able pass between Vera Ceuz and the !
cipital, and the prompt occupation by
Worth’s division ol the fortress of Perote, ;
(second only to San Juan de Llloap) with ;
its extensive armament of sixty-six guns
and mortars, and its large supplies of met-
Uriel. To Gen. Worth’s report, annex- ,
; ed, I refer lor details.
I have heretofore endeavored todo jus
i tice to the skill and courage with which i
the attack on the height of Ceno Gordo
j was directed and executed, naming the
j regiments most distinguished, and their
I commanders, under the lead of Colonel
, Harney. Lieutenant O. W. Smith led
1 the engineer company as part of the
I storming force, and is noticed with dis
j tinction.
The report of this assault make favor
i able mention of many in which 1 c an well
Concur, having witnessed the daring ad
| vance and perfect steadiness of the w hole.
: Beside those already named, Lieut.
! Brooks, 3d infantry. Lieut, Macdonald,
! 2d dragoons, Lieut. Vandorn, TlSs infantry
; —all acting staff officers-Capt. Magrnder,
■ Ist artillery, and Lieut. Gardner, 7th in
-1 fantrv, seem to have won especial praise.
: Colonel Riley’s brigade and 'Falcon’s
locket and howitzer battery, were en
i gaged on and about the heights, and bore
, an active part.
! The brigade so gallantly led by Gen.
Shields, and, after his fall, by Colonel
| Baker, deserves high commendation for
its fine behavior and success. Colonels
Foreman and Burnett, and Major Harris,
commanded the regiments; Lieut. Ham
ond, 3d artillery,and Lieut. Davis, Illinois
volunteers, constituted the brigade staff.
These operations, hid from my view by
intervening hills, were not fully known
when my first report was hastily whiten.
Brigadier General Tw iggs, who was in
the immediate command of all the advanc
-1 ed forces, ha#earned high credit by his
judgment, spirit, and energy.
The conduct of Colonels Campbell,
Haskell, and Wynkcop, commanding the
regiments of Pillow’s brigade, is reported
in terms of strong approbation by Ma jor
General Patterson. 1 recommend for a
i commission, Quartermaster Sergeant
Henry, of the Till infantry, (alieady
| known to the army for intrepidity on for-
I rner occasions,) who hauled down the
i national standaid of the Mexican fort.
In expressing my indebtedness for able
I assistance to Lieuj. Col. Hitchcock, acting
inspector general, to Majors Smith and
| Turnbull, the respective chiefs of engi-
I neers and topographical engineers—to
j their assistants, Lieutenants Mason,
i Beauregard, Stevens, Tower, G. W,
i Smith, McClellan, engineers, and Lieut
enants Derby and Hardcastle, topographi
i cal engineers—to Capt. Allen, chief
| quartermaster, and Lieut. Blair, chief
commissary—and to Lieutenants Ilagner
I and Laidlcy, ordnance—all actively ern
| ployed—l am impelled to make special
mention of ihe services of Capt. R. E.Lce,
engineers. T ins officer, greatly distin
guished at the siege of Veia Cruz, was
again indefatigable, during these opera
lion.--, in rtconnoissances as daiin:: as
O
laborious, and of the utmost value. Not
was he loss conspicuous in planting bat
teries, and in conducting columns to their
stations under the havy fire of the enemy.
Mv personal stats, Lieutenants Scott,
Williams, and Lay, and Major \an
Buren, who volunteered for tiie occasion,
gave me zealous and efficient assistance.
Our whole force present, in action and
in reserve, was 8,500; the enemy is cs
timated at 12 000 or more. About 3,000
prisoners, 4 or 5,000 stands of arms, and
43 pieces of artillery were taken. By the
accompanying return, I regret to find our
loss more seveie than at first supposed,
amounting in ’he two days to 33 officers
and 303 men —in all 431, of whom 63
were killed. The enemy’s loss is compu
ted to be from 1,000 to 1,200.
I am happy in communicating strong
hopes for the recovery of the gallant (ien.
Shields, who is so much improved as to
have been brought to this place.
Appended to this report are the follow',
ing papers:
A. —General return by name of killed
and wounded.
B. —Copies of report of Lieut. Col.
Hitchcock, acting inspector general (of
prisoners taken) and accompaning papers.
(j.—Report ot Brig. Gen. Twiggs, and
sub-reports.
D.—Report of Major Gen. Patterson,
and reports of brigade commanders.
iv— Copy of report by Brig.*Gen Worth,
announcing the occuplaion by hisdivision
of the castle and town ol Perote, with an
inventory of ordnance there found.
I have honor to remain, sir, with high
resnec-, your most obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon. Wji. L. Makcv, Secretary of War.
Headquarters 2d Division of K’eouearsQ
April lU, 1«47. }
Sin : I have the honor to report, for ihe
information of the general in-chief, the -
operations of my division of regulars
against the enemy on the 17th instant.
Prefacing this report, I will state that I
arrived at Plan del Rio on the 11th in
stant. The advanced guard of drago ms,
under Col. Harney, having driven from
the place a body of the enemy’s lancers,
1 then encamped my division for the night,
intending the following day (12th) to cov.
cr a thorough reconnoissance of his po -
tion, and, if practicable, to make an es.
fective attack on all his works. Deem,
irijr it impracticable to advance, With ad
vantage. beyond the position which I had
•rained during the reconnoissance on tiie
12th (being some three and a half mil£3
from water) I withdrew my main force to
my old camp, keeping up a strong picket
to retain the ground 1 had passed over,
intending on the following morning, (the
13ih) at 4 o’clock, io make the attack
with effect.
Two brigades of voldnfebf.*, under tho
command of Brig’r Gen’s Pillow and
Shields, respectively arrived ot my camp
on the 12ih instant; Major General Pat
terson, United States volunteers, having
repot ted sick, 1 assumed command of md
whole. The volunteers wfs’Ti'rg W
licipate in the fight, and bemg so much
broken down from the recent march from
Vera Ciuz, 1 thought proper,’at the sug
gestion of Genl’s Pillow and Shields, to
defer the attack one day. Having don**
and having matured my plan of at
tack, and assigned to each division its
duty, I was overtaken by an order of Ma
jor Gen. Patterson, after night on the
14th, to suspend all further offensive ope
rations until the arrival of the general in
chief, or until ordered by himself, (Gen.
Patterson.) Agreeably to this arrange
ment i received, on the evening of tho
I6th, verba! orders from the general in
chief to proceed on rny line of operations
on the right of the national toad. At 11
o’clock, a. in., 1 got in position, the right
of my column being about 70!) yards fn in
the enemy’s main woik. Lieut. Gard
iner’s company, 7th infantry, was thru
detached to observe Ihe enemy from the
first commanding height on my left. In
a short time a strong reconnoitet ing or
i skirmishing party was observed a;-
| preaching towards him, having in reserve
a large force, in all nnAibeiing about
! two thousand. Lieut. Gardner held his
position under a heavy fire until relieved
hv Col. Harney with the rifle regiment
and Ist artillery. With this force Col.
Harney cleared the two hills in fionl ot
the enemy’s main work, and held secure
i the position intended for our heavy bat
| tery, which was established during the
night under the direction of Captain Lee,
! of the engineer corps. During tin’s cv -
ning, Brig. Gen. Shields joined me with
his brigade of volunteers, composed of
two Illinois regiments, under Col’s Baker
and Foreman, and one New Yoik regi
men), commanded by Cob Burnett.
On the morning of the ISth, when our
c* *
heavy guns opened, Col. Harney, having
been reinforced by the 3d and 7th infan
try, pushed forward his skirmishing par
ties. Overcoming all obstacles presented
I by the nature of the ground, and under a
’ most galling and destructive fire, this
! command advanced with steadiness and
regularity, and finally succeeded in driv
ing from the strong position of the enemy
all his farces, and in putting them in com
plete rout.
In speaking of tho individual efforts of
| the officers in command of regiments and
! companies, 1 am unable to do ample jus
tice. Each and every one seemed to he
endeavoring to excel in ail that is required
of gallant officers. They all responded
to tiie encouraging voice of their gallant
leader, and conducted their men to victo
ry and glory.
The 2d brigade, under Col. ad
vanced under a heavy fire to gain a posi
tion on the Jalapa road in rear of the ene
my, with a view of cutting ofl his retreat.
After crossing the valley at the foot ol tiie
Ccno Got do,"the lite of the enemy be-