Newspaper Page Text
Political.
From u* Nseon Journal & Mewcncrr.
WHO !• OUCAAN L. CLINCH t
As tlie Editor of the Federal Union,
who asks this question, was a school
boy in New Jersey about ibe lime that
some of the most interesting incidents
in Gen. Clinch's life were transpiring
in Georgia, it is’moie than probable that
he i* ignorant of them—otherwise *he
would not have ventured to deride the
strong claims of the General to the
suffrages of the people whom he had
served.so long; aud as many other
new conun have settled among us of late
years, who would really be glad to re
ceive information on this subject, a
friend of the weather-beaten soldier
takes it up, and proposes, briefly to an
swer the question. _
Duncan L. Clinch was bom about
sixty years ago, of pious Methodist pa
rents, in the good old State of North
Carolina.' And although be has never
connected himself with any church, bis
whole life has testified to the strength
of bis early Christian principles, and
given the most substantial evidences of
his pious veneration for the general
church, as well as the church of his fa
thers.
In very early life lie entered the ar
my, and, as the result of his high qua!i-
ficaticfos for command, be was rapidly
advanced in rank. It was the good for
tune of the writer, a few weeks since,
to witness an interview between the
General and an old soldier of bis com-
. in and in 1807. .All who were present
at the time, will carry with them to
their graves the impression, that (what
ever may be said of him now, by pnrtv
hacks, and youths who were in swad
dling-clothes when their fathers qnd
mothers were protected from the toma
hawk and scalping knife -by his power
ful arm, yet, nevertheless,) this same
Dnncnn L. Clinch most have l>een
something of n hero forty years ago ! fn
the war of 1812, he so far distinguished
himself by a succession of brilliant feats,
that be came out, nt the close of the
war, a Lieutenant Colonel of the same
regiment in which Zachary Tuylor wits
a Captain,
Pence having been restored witb Eng
land, be was assigned the command of
I lie forces of the Georgiu frontier. The
Creeks and Seminoles were very trou
blesome about this period, nnd* contin
ued so for several years—when Gliding
tliat he could not effectually check tlieir
depredations from Fort Hawkins, where
lie was then stationed, he advanced into
the heart of the nation nnd took a belter
pnsiikw on the Chaltahoocbed River,
where he built Fort Gnincs.
About this time we begin to find some
traces of him, which look very much
like he wns both n citizen nnd a soldier
in those days—whatever boys and ad
venturers may affect to think of him in
these. •
.In an old file of the Georgia Journal,
published os far back at 1818, by
Messrs. 8. & F. Grnnilnnd, (two of os
pure and honest patriots as ever drew
the breath of life,) I find-a record of the
following facts:
The number of the Journnt, issued
May 16,1816, contains an "lUVOttAnr'
letter, received the day before by Gov.
Mitchell, per express from Col. Haw
kins, the Indian Agent, dated at the
•• Creek Agency, 10th May, 1816,” and
embodying the substance of two letters
received from Lieut. Col. Clinch, who
was " in command at Fort Gaiues, on
tlie chat to-ho-chc, about sixty-five miles
below Fort -Mitchell.” These letters
conveyed an account of certain hostile
demonstrations of the Indians, such ns
their capturing “ two soldiers nenr the
Fort, nnd 30 head of cattle”—-their
“ drinking their wur physic, nnd dan- taineil on either side,
cing for several days” and “ the prepa
ration of all the towns who wished to
remain friendly, to remove above the
line.” The last letter of Col- Clinch,
referred to in this despatch, closes os
followsThat the Seminoles and
Lower Creeks are determined on a war,
1 have not the smallest doubt.
I feel it to be my duty to communi'•
f cate to you, and through you to-my
.FELLOW CITIZENS (this was
thirty-one years ago!) on the fron-
BT ricr* <f Georgia, the rumor* that are
iy m circulation, as a little vigilance on
iy tkeir part, may SAVE THE LIVES
C3T OF MANY HELPLESS WOMEN
GTAND CHILDREN!”
This looks very much like Col.Clinch
was a man of some consequence in
those days, and, withal a brave and
magnanimous soldier. Lei every patri
otic citizen within the limits of the
State, here mark hi3 vigilance in sound
ing the first note of warning to his
••FELLOW CITIZENS in Georgia:'
The humane nnd chivalrous may also
find ample scope for admiration, in his
uaxietv for the safety of** helpless women
and children.'* Those old families who
resided near the frontiers in those trpu-
blous times, and still survive, can »p?
predate his motives, ami readily under
stand the causes for excitement and
alarm. Others, who have since come
among us, cannot so fully enter into
these things. They should learn the
nature of those Indian atrocities prac
tised on our frontier inhabitants, from
some of the old settlers, or if possible,
draw upon fancy for the horrid picture.
Turning again to the record, I fiml in
the Journal of May 22d, 1816, the fol
lowing Editorial:
ty We have learned from private
sources, since out last, that 600 Semi-
noles were embodied ten miles below
Fort Gaines, who had made to Col.
Clinch, through the friendly Indians,
proposals lor re-establishing peace, but
the^commander of our troops was sus
picious of treachery, am! on his guard.”
Pursuing the subject, the same paper,
on the ldtb June, 1816, adds—
1^ M The Creek Indians are again,
for the moment, tranquil. The chiefs
are represented to be pacific, but dissnt-
tise immediately every aggression they
commit.”
Here, it seems, the eyes of the coun
try turned to Ge.i. Cliucb, with his
handful of men, for protection against
the whole force of thasCrcek and Semi
nole Indians. He must have been a
good man—a brave and skilful soldier.
We now come to the account of bis
DESTRUCTION OF A FORT IN
FLORIDA.
Every body lias heard of this exploit
of Gen. Clinch, and but few know any
thing of the particulars. We are now
able to present them with a complete
history of that affair.
It appeared that a sort of land-pirate,
named Nicnlls, who commanded a rootly
force of British, Indians and Negroes,
during the war with England, and was
either commissioned or patronized by
that Government, erected a Fort on
Apalacliacola Bay, io East Florida,
near the mouth of the Cbaltaboocbee
river, which, after the war, he left in
possession of the Indians and Negroes.
.In this Fort a number of runaway
•lave* from Georgia, (some front Mil-
Icdgeville,) and others from Tennessee
nnd Mississippi Territory, found a ref
uge.. These, with a party of disorderly
Choctaws and the hostile Seminoles, cut
off all communication with New Orleans
by the. river, from the posts above, apd
frequently sallied forth, to tbe great dis
turbance And injury of ibe white settlers.
When pursued, they always found safe
protection iu (bis Fort—until, at length,
it became so obnoxious, that the public
voice demanded its destruction. The
Editor* of the Georgia Journal, in the
number of that paper for the 26tb June,
1816, in an eloquent article, urged the
necessity of its destruction, by our
troops, and called on the Government
to order them to the work without de
lay-taking the grouod, that although
it was within the territorial - limits of
Spain,, yet, as the Spanish authorities
thought proper to tolerate its depreda
tions upon us, and probably connived
ot them, they could have no right to
complain if we took redress into our
own hands.
Simultaneously with the appearance
of this article in the Journal, Col. Clinch
was engaged in building “ flats” with
his men at Fort Gaines, for the purpose
of descending the river against this
obnoxious Fort, and of this the Editors
were doubtless apprised, as their arti
cle seems evidently designed to prepare
the public foi* what was soon to follow.
In tlie latter part of July following, the
celebrated Chief McIntosh with a party
of warriors was despatched against the
Fort by land, and Colonel Clincb pro
ceeded with a detachment of bis own
force down the river on his flats. How
the expedition terminated, let the record
of the times tell.
From Um Georgia Journal, A"gu* 14, ISIS.
NEWS!
ry It will be seen by the follow
ing letter from Col. Clinch to the Exec
utive of the Stale, that the Fort oft Ap-
nlachncola Bay, in East Florida, where
the ruffian Nicnlls commanded a mon
grel force of British, Indians and Ne
groes, during the late war, and which
has since been occupied by runaway
negroes nnd hostile Indians, was com
pletely destroyed by our troops on the
29th ultimo. Mr. James Hughes, the
bearer of Col. Clinch's letter to Gov.
Mitchell, and who accompanied the de
tachment of our troops on the expedi
tion, states that the celebrated chief
McIntosh with a considerable number
of Indians had reached the Fort and
commenced the attack upon it, (which
had continued for several days) before
the arrival of Col. Clinch** detachment.
The fire wns returned with great spirit
by those in-the Fort, but ho injury sus
tained on either side. While Colonel
Clinch was erecting a battery to play
on the Fort, three of the Gun-boats from
New Orlenns arrived beloxv it. In as
cending the Bay, seven men, who had
landed from one of those boats, were
attacked by the negroes and sixof them
killed; the seventh made bis escape by
swimming.
Col. Clinch having ordered up the
Gun-boats, immediately opened on the
Fort with heavy ordnance. After the
proper*elevation of the gun bard been
ascertained by three or four dischar
ges, a hot shot was fired, which penetra
ting one of the three magazines, con
taining 100 barrels of powder created
a dreadful cxjdosion, which our inform
ant thinks must have killed an hundred!
The others were taken prisoners with
out further resistance.”
Copy of a letter from Lieut. Duncan
.a l:. r -li n xr:.„u
One of his men .discovered that he was
•landing on a Magazine, towards which
the fire was rapidly commnmealing, and
called his attention to the fact just in
time for the Colonels escape and for the
safely of the Magazine. They found in
the Fort, an immense quanty of British
arms and munitions of war, including
several pieces of heavy calibre.
Camp Crawfoid, whence Col. Clincb
dated his despatch, was situated on Flint
River, a few miles above the junction', lelligent European, himself a gentleman,
This, he considered ir more advantage- lately remarked in tlie presence of the
ous post than fort Gainse, on account of
its proximity to the line dividing between
the Creeks and Seminoles both of whom,
and especially the latter, were now very
troublesome. He theiefore threw up a
fortification before leaving, and called
it Fort Crawford, in honor of William
H. Crawford, of Georgia, but was after
wards directed by Gen.Gainse to change
the name to Fort Scott, by which it has
ever since been known.
Having thus quieted the Indians nnd
demolished tlteir stronghold, he was or
dered by Gen. Jackson to withdraw from
fco'/atcyer, and caht*t speak.” Having
a natural impediment in hi* utterance, it
wn's impossible that he could ever be
come an orator (and who that lias a de
fective utterance can?)—but he lias much
Higherqualificalions— gifted with a clear
liegd*-a strong and ready baud—great
decision and firmness of character, he is
pre-eminently qualified to govern in the
midst of a crisis.
Of his manner and appearance, anin-
W
writer of this article* that “ he consider
ed the General one of the finest speeb
mens of the old time gentleman, he bad
ever met.”
The question so significantly asked—
Who is Duncan Lv Clincb ? is now an
swered. A brave old warrior born of the
best : Whig blood of the revolution, he is
still a Whig.
People of Georgia? Shall he not be
your next Governor ?
A-GEORGIAN.
Nate.—Gen. C. has a son who is one
of those **vile Mexican Whig*” sobitter-
4he Nation it#iinstTiis own advice, and i ly denounced by the Washington Union.
retired to Fort Hawkins. The death o/“| Asly yonngdog, ho la lily slipped off
Col. Hawkins, the Indian Agent, occurringj with a commission in his pocket, to give
about this time, a deputation of Chiefs head-1 more “ aid and comfort” to Santa Anna.
ed by McIntosh, repaired to Washington j It is hoped Mr. Polk will not have him
City, and urged the appointment <f Col.; hung fir theason*.
Clinch in his place. It was finally con-'
tOat News.
Vein nicer*.
New York Regiment.—Col. Burnet,
severely ; Capt. Fairchild, slightly ;
Capt. Dyckman, severely; Lieutenant
Sweeney, severely; Lt. Jennis, slight-,
ly ; Lieut. ; Cooper, severely ; Lieut,
McCabe* slightly; Lt. Potter, severely;
t*jU Griffin, slightly; Lieut. Malhowsky,
slightly.
South . Carolina Regiment.—Lieut. Col.
enemy, and in the mean lime Gen. Scott
had despatched Capt. Lee with a sup
porting party, composed of Capt Kear
ney's squadron and a body of the. 11th
Infantry under Col, Graham, to ascertain
the practicability* of finding a road by
which the village of San Angel could be
reached, and thus turn the strong hold
at San Antonio. TJtis latterparty had
a sharp encounter with the advance of
.t 1 _ knJn kotiirr found
Dickenson, severely ; Capt. James D. (^ c enetnv, the main body being found
Blanding, slightly: Adj. Cantcy. se- posted aia strong point not far from the
ferred on Gov. Mitchell.
The quiet of the Indians was of short I
duration. As Col. Cliuch predicted when j
the troops were withdrawn, the Lower!
Creeks and Seminoles soon renewed j
their hostilities, nnd thus commenced
the second Seminole war. During the
whole of this war, Col. Clincb was ac
tively engaged with Gen. Jackson, as he
bad been during the first, and with him,
penetrated in their fastnesses and finally
crushed and subdued the spirit of the
Indians. In this war he greatly distin
guished himself, arid soon after its close,
ns a reward for his zeal and courage, he j rnm „„ orkm E»t„. su, i»„.m.
crely J Lt. Sumter, slightly ; Cent, K.
S. Mofiatt, slightly; Lt. K. S. Billings,
severely; Lt. J. R. Clark, dangerous
ly; Lt* J. W. Steen, slightly; Lt. J.
R. Davis, slightly ; Capt. W. D. De-
Saussure, slightly; Lt. Jos. Abney, se
verely. .
Our entire loss in killed nnd wound
ed is short of eleven hundred; that of
the enemy fs not well known. His
loss in killed alone is believed to be ful
ly equal to our entire loss, and it is es
timated that at least 3000 prisoners
were taken. The number of bis wduud-
ed was not ascertained, but it is sup
posed to be very large. Gen. Scott
himself received a wound in the leg be
low the knee, but from the manner in
which Mr. Kendall speaks of it, We are
led to hope the injury a slight one.
Ed toria! Correspondence of ibe Picayune.
Tacdhayo, (Near Mexico,) Aug-22, '47.
The celebrated Archbishop's Palace
of Tacubavo is now occupied by Gen.
Scott; ancl a portion of the army, after
twice defeating the enemy in two of the
hardest fought battles of the war.
BRILLIANT VICTORIES 1
Important from Scott’s Army.
Battles of Coutreras and Churubusco— , . , ... *
American Loss Klctm Hundred KSlcd \ unmed.ately around bun. I
and H-oueJed-Merican Lou no,l-nourn j h , :lve . ,?.“ l ? . l,u " ,e u d
-3000 Prisoners— Total Defeat of the ske , lch of ? e S'onous events of the 20th,
Mexico. Force,-Ann!,,ice beluxen the I a "'' cve " lae P^ent letter mast be but
Ttco Armies—Negotiation, with Mr. j j 1 llurn etl synopsis of the battles, which batteries were silent duriog the night.—
Trist for a Peace Commenced—Gen. h '*V h “ addiuonal glory upon Had the fire been kept up, the hactenda
Scntt /• 7T,lie the American arms. ] mio-lit Kova hppn torn in nieces and the
On the 14th inst.,
factory of Coutreras^ _ In the j skirmish
some six or eight Mexicans Were killed
and as many more taken prisoners-—on
our side not a man was touched. Tue
result of the reconnaissance proved fa
vorable. It was ascertained that a road
could be made which would enable the
array to reach San Angel,and thus turn
the strong batteries at, San Antonjo, and
perhaps 'others the enemy might nave
upon the road between that and the city
of Mexico. The Mexicans were plain
ly seen in force at a commanding posi
tion near Coutreara*, and it was evident
that they had a number ofcannpn in po
sition ; but at a council held at night it
was determined upon to attack them the
following day.
In the mean time while this reconuois-
sance was in progress,Gen. Worth hades-
tablished his headquarters at the hacienda
of Curera, while from the windows count
less numbers of the enemy could be seen
at work upon .the batteries of San Anto
nio. About noon they opened upon the
hacienda with both round shot and shell,
nearly every one of which took effect,
but without doing other injury than to
the building. Late in the everting the
batteries again opened, but with tto oth
er result than showing the position of
the different guns. For a marvel the
batteries were silent during the night.—
Scott Encamjted within Two and a Hilfi l “R Amencan arms. | might have been torn in pieces and the
Miles of the Capital. I °, n } hc * 4 , lh ’ nst *’ a reconnoissance enlire command compelled to retire. Be-
i made by Col. Duncan having proved j forc going f url her, it may be well to state
The U. S. steamship MnrykingZad, ‘ TronTchaTco m SaT aT ! *52TZ
- ~~ o- ".»wm .v. „ -am j 0 i m Havi* arrived at a£ enrlJl oe cuttrom Chaleo to ban Au- 'j e8 nort h of San Augustin, that San
time succeeded the suppression of Indi- j hour tbis mornin^ Bv her we have fiust . ,ne ’ P 1 ’”* 8 1 d J V |! S, -° n ?° V j^ I Antonio fsaboutthree miles in the same
xn hostilities in 1818, afforded no further reC eived our lette?i from Mr. Kendall! 7t on af l^rPmow^ollited the^nexi' ^ ^ ^, int ,. occu P ie A ^
from the 22,1 to ,he2Sll. of Aug., all da-' ^rui' • auhe«^ehourGen6uh F C j 1 ' Va,enC '?- ne f Cootterus, 6>r be
ted from Taeubuyo. A courier des-! "bfa at Bu command at that place, ■U at least
patched by him ou the 20,1. with the'^Vistu? 7small hacT„da beuvee„ T'T* h Zs^ntel
duv wuTeut off 1 " 5 baU ° r ° U8 lt ° n th “ I Vie l'. ,a I 6 F? rd< ‘m “ nd Ay01 '?- and the way munyof our troops bad to march,
uav was cut on. mediately Gen. Twiggs was in motion • for Vo J can no t imagine a. more rough, un-
From a map aud plan oMbe battle- from ,he latter place. By this move a evei and surface '
........... fields belore os, we note that they are nC w line of ouerations was taken ud on even antl ) a 8S c <t surtace.
o"fem a ,Sf± 0 „dT.efio’„ h,! rep>,re al aa ' led ; l * ie battles of Coutrera/ and 6f
A lnre wrher Whifomllinr will. ! Cjiurubusco—so called from fieM works j thc city of Mexico, and the strong works
A late writer, who seems familiar with . 0 r ,i. c e nrmv of those names. The vie- 1 !>«««« Mo.:—u:—
the facts, thus refers to the
of the enemy of those names. The
lories were decisive, but so far as we IM * IJttU IJOOluwcu
BATTI.F. OF WITHLACOOCHlF. | can judge from a hasty perusal of a por- J CV c and labor, were completely turned.
• It is well known that this was the . non or oor letters, the proposition fin- On the 16th of August Gen. Worth
best fought or any during that protracted j an armistice was made by Gen. Scott—; marc h e d as far as the hacienda of San
and unfortunate contest. The tsotnino es. probably at the suggestion of the Brit- Gregorio, beyond which it was'found
emboldened by success, were desada-,,sh embassy. The report we have tl , a t th e enemy had cut up and ditched
ting thc Tcrritory wuh blo.Kl and fire 11 hitherto given that the C:ty of Mexico the m i 3era b le trail along which the ar-
Gen. Clinch was the first to check their was at our mercy appears to have been 1 ,ni er y an( l wagons were obliged to pass,
audacilv. Hemet them on the banks I unfounded. Should peace not follow He would have gone to Santa Cruz, an-
of the \V itblacnocbie, and by a display J from the negotiations now pending, an- ■ • - ° • - • • • ■
of heroism seldom equalled, turned the other battle roust ensue, the enemy hav*
tide of war. He crossed the river in the ing a force of from fifteen to twenty
face of a murderous fire from the enemy, | thousand men yet left. But the road
and before his tgfrible energy, they broke : appears to be completely open to us,
and fled into ific everglades, like chaff j and the city is only two and a half miles
before the whirlwind! leaving him vie-. from otir encampment,
torious on the field, but with heavy loss Our victories have been purchased at
of men,—himself unscarred, although! a vast loss of valuable life, as will be
bit clotheswere pierced andcut to pieces *•' * ” * ....
with their bullets /”
This statement thobgh animated, is
literally true. Gcrt. Clinch was shot
through the cap, nnd in several places
through bis coat. It was a great misfor
tune to the country, that he was not in
sufficient force to follow up his victory.
Annoyed and restrained by captious
orders from the Secretary of War, (as
Gen. Taylor has lately- been in Mexico)
be afterwards quarrelled with tho Dc-
seen by the following list—we will give
a fuller one to-morrow. We see names
of men at the loss of whom we weep;
but all have Their friends and we make
no distinctions.
Officer* Killed^, neffiilar*.
Major Mills, 15th Infantry; Capt.
Burke, 1st Artillery; Capt. Hanson, 7th
Infantry; Capt. Thornton, 2d Dragoons;
Capt. Capron, 1st Artillery; Capt.
Quarles, 16th Infantry; Capt. Ander
son, 2d Infantry; Lieut. Irons, 1st Ar
tillery, but attached to Gen. Cad walla*
of the Penon nnd Mexicalsingo, upon
“ hich Santa Anna had bestowed such
other haciaenda a league farther on, had
not an order come from Gen. Scott for
a halt. It seemed that Gen. Twiggs
had met a large force of the enemy
drawn up in front of him near Chaleo,
as if with thc intention of disputing his
advance, cutting him off from the main
body of the army, and perhaps bring
ing on A general action. Gen. Twiggs
promptly ordered some of his heavier
guns to be unlimbered, and after a few
discharges the enemy was dispersed,
with the loss of five or six killed, but
the demonstration made by the Mexi
cans, as I have before said, caused A
halt of Gen. Worth's division before
half a day's march was made.
L. Clinch to bis Excellency Got. Mitch
ell, dated
•• 'Camp Crawford, 4th Ang., 1816.
Sir,—/ have the honor to injorm you,
that on the 2Stk ultimo, the Fort on the
Apolachacola in East Florida, defended
by one bonded Negroes and Choctaws, con
taining about two hundred women and chil
dren, teas completely destroyed. J hare the
honor to enclose you the names tf the ne
groes taken, and at present in confinement
at this post, who say they belong to citizens
of Georgia, . -
I hare gtren the Chiefs directions, to
hare every negro that comes into the Nation
hereafter, taken* and delivered up to the com
manding officer at this place, or at Fort
Very Respectfully. Your obtTt scri't.
DUNCAN L. CLINCH,
Lieut. CoL Corn’d’ng.
His Excellency D. B. Mitchell,
• Governor, $tr.”
A gentleman who accompanied this
expedition in person, assures the writer
they had no knowledge of the force en
gaged in the defence of the Fort. They
supposed however, it could not be very
strong, as Col. Clinch was induced to
march against it at this time, in conse-
quece of private information from spies,*
partment, and was compelled, from self
respect, to- resign his commission.—
Gr In reply to his resignation, he re^-
ceived no answer for several months.
•—when, to bis surprise, a despatch
l-#~ reached him at his seat in Camdcmcoun-
13?* Uj.from the war office^ returning
BP HIS COMMISSION, AND URGING HIM IN
BEHALF OF PRESIDENT JACKSON,
|3?* AND IN TERMS OF THE HIGHEST
|3?" COMPLIMENT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE
|3?* control of the WAR !_>Ff This
of course, he declined, purely out of re
gard for Gen. Scott and others then en
gaged in the service.
The conduct of Gen. Clinch in the
Florida war, his kindpess to sick sol
diers, and his hospitality to the * Georgia
boys,’’ are well remembered and attest
ed by all’who served with him. On their
return every body recollects how his Infantry, severely'; Capt.’ Ross, 7th
praise sat on every tongue, and resound- ** ’ " “
ed through the land!—How they organ
ized “Clinch Rifles,” “Clinch Fire
Companies,” and “Clinch Hotels.’’—
How his 44 namesakes’'' multiplied oyer the
dcr's staff; Lieut. Preston Johnson, 1st
Artillery, but attached to Magruder’s
battery ; Lieut. F.asly, 2d Iufantry;
Lieut. Goodman, 15ih Infantry; Lieut.
Hoffman, 1st Artillery.
Volunteers*
Lieut. Chandler, New York Regi
ment ; Col. P; M. Butler, and Lients.
David Adams, of the South Carolina
Regiment.
Officer* W-jundea—Hejrulitr*.
Col. Claik, 6th Infantry, slightly
the almost insurmountable difficulties of
reaching them, it had been at first thought
that the batteries would be taken at at*
dash, and that the troops would be
all comfortably .quartered in San An
gel for the night; instead of this, a large
portion of them were compelled to bivo
uac without blankets in the midst of a
pitiless tain, and 90 ground where they
could not eveu stretch themselves out.
Add to this, the prospects of the morrow
were fur from flattering—were enough
to dismay any but tlie stoutest hearts— '
that the enemy would doubtless rein
force and strengthen bis works during the
night,having eveiy superiority^ knowl
edge of the ground—add again to this,
that the men were weakened by long
exertions, want of food, and chilled by
the continuous night rain, and it is not
suying too much to assert that the bivou
ac ofthe 19th of August was gloomy in
the extreme.
Early on the morning of the 20th Gen
eral Worth was ordered to roovejwith a
partofbisdivision—Garland's brigade—
towards the scene ofpetion nt Contreras,
to aid iu the attack upon Valencia,, for
to force this positron was deemed indis
pensable. A few discharges of cannon
were heard about 7 o'clock, and a heavy
rattling of musketry, and some even said
thut iri .the distance they had seen large
masses of Mexicans in full flight towards.,
the city ; yet’few dreamed that the bat7
terics at Coutreras had been stormed and
carried. Yet so it was, Gen. Scott him
self, accompanied by Gen. Worth, start
ed for tho scene of action, when they
were met by Capt. Mason with joyful
intelligence that Valencia had been com
pletely routed after a short but terrible
struggle* The attack upon his works
was planned by Gen. Smith, and result
ed in the capture of 16 pieces of artillery,
some 1,600 prisoners—among them Gen
erals Blanco, Garcia, Mendoza, and the
notorious Salas; all amanition and camp
equipage, while the road along which
those who escaped fled, was strewed with
muskets.' No less than 700 of the ene
my, among them many officers, were
left dead on the field—-thc number of
wounded was undoubtedly far greater.
I have no time now to enlarge or com
ment upon this well-planned nnd brill
iant achievement, but reserving a more
full description for some other time, must
pass on to other exciting events. The
works at Coutrerax completely In the
power of the American army. General
Scott at once.ordered Gen. Worth to fall
back upon San Antonio, to torn and cap*
ture that work and then to push cm to*
wards the capital by the main road,
while the main body of the army trader
Gens. Twiggs, Pillow, Smith, Pierce
and Cadwallader, moved on towards San
Angel and Cobovcan.
Scarcely had the advance of Cett*
Twiggs got half a mile beyond the lat
ter’ village, before a rattling fire of mus<*
ketry announced that it was actively
engaged with tlie outposts of the edemy,
and the heavy booming of cannon no\V
gave token that the noted 2d division
bad fallen upon another strong work.—=>
But a few minutes more and a tremen
dous firing from the right, and immedi' (
ately in the main read from San Au-*
gust in to the capital, made it evident
jagged ......
At 8 o'clock on the morning of the
19th the batteries again opened on Gen*
Worth's position at the hacienda near
San Antonia, the balls crushing through
the walls and filling the rooms with frag
ments of plaster and broken furniture*
Shells also burst in the ail* over the build
ing and the pieces dropped among the
men stationed in the tear. So hot was
the fire that the troops were obliged to
gain shelter behind the building, out still
did not give up the position. About 9
o’clock the divisions of Gens. Pillow and
Twiggs were ordered to advance in the
direction of Coutreras, and by one in
the aflernoon Were in plain sight of the
enemy's batteries, ana within range of
his' heavier guns. The brigade of Gen.
P. F. Smith was ordered to advance di
rectly towards the enemy’s \frorks, while
that of Col. Riley moved towards a small
village to the right, with orders to gain q—■3 ~ "7 -7;—7/ .*7 —.
the main road and thus be enabled to thal Ge »* Worth s division was actively
cut off any reinforcements which might
be sent to Valencia from the city. An
incessant firing of cannon was opened
upon the advance of Gen. Smith, and
soon the Rifles were engaged in skir
mishes with the pickets of the enemy and
driving them in. The 12-pounder bat-
At 6 o'clock on the morning of the, tery of Capt. Magruderwas pressed for-
17th Gen. Worth resumed his mUrch.. ward with all speed, as was also the
his route running through cornfields and rocket and mountain howitzer battery,
narrow and rocky lanes, along which now commanded by Lt. Callender, oft be
..... ~.j 1 r I ■ rv - - . .
country!—How the people of Augusta
and else where treated and toasted him
when he went among them !—How thc
whole country rose up to do him honor,
when lie was called as a witness to a
Court of Enquiry in Maryland!—How
even they«ir crowded into the courtroom
jo sec the old hero, and with their hands
and smiles, and wreaths of flowers, they
honored the gallant soldier's triumph !!
How, on his visit to Washington, Mem
bers of Congress, and even foreign Am
bassadors, crowded around him and of
fered him their profoundest respects!!
and finally, how the people of Georgia,
in whose service he had been engaged
for more than thirty years, bore him tri
umphantly into Congress over Gen. San
ford, one of her most worthy sons!
All these things are fresh in the mem
ory ofthe people, and the hireling scrib
blers ofa party press may exhaust them
selves in efforts to stigmatize him, as an
“imported candidate”-a“ swelled head”
a “ cats-paw”—-nay, they may even go
so far, as to make it appear that he is
no patriot, and a very indifferent hero af
ter all, but the people of Georgia will
put the seal of ^probation on all such
, efforts, and in a becoming manner, repel
that the Seminole warriors, then openly j ’be base slanders that have been heap-
hostile, had gone on a visit to Pensacola,!upon him.
where a large body of Spanish troops I have thus given a brief sketch of
had lately arrived. When the Fort was! General Clinch’s history, which iscrowd-
blown up. Col. Clinch rushed into the j ed with thrilling incidents. I have used
ruins and ascended the highest point he but few of them,and these merely to en-
cnuld find, in order that the friendly In- : liven this narrative,
diaus might recognise him and desist! In regard to his personal qualifications,
ilifted with the cession of their territory.
The hostility of the great body of the
Nation can only he restrained by thc
presence of a respcctnble military force, ni ^ o ...
(that was Gen. Clinch.) ready to chas- from thc work of pillage and slaughter, his friends frankly concede, that “he is
Col. Morgan, 15th Infantry, severely; . manineuucnesanarocKswn.cn
Major Wade, 3d Artillery severely i ^ ad b f?" r ?' ,l>d ‘lown from the pree.m-
V, u mi t ,> „i- L,if' tous hill-side no opposition was made
Major Bonneville, 6th Infantry, slrgh. y; ; lo (he advance f Wor[h nntil he
Cap . Wes«Us, 2d Infantry, severely, haJ reached in the road not far
Mf Hi»m Santa Cruz-—but now a scattering
Infantry, severely^ Capt. 1 Hofs, 7?h in-1 colamn b ? a for “ slati ,°" ed
fantry, severely; Capt. J. R. Smith, 2d ! g eaus P® 8111003 above tho road to the
infantry, Miverely ; Capt. Chapman, 1 !^' The enemy was qu.ckly dispersed,
5th infantry, slightly; 6apt. JoLson jhowever.^y Col C.F.Sm'tfi’e light bat-
9th infantry, sirghify; cipt. Holden * be ^ Art.llery, under Moj.
12th infantry, slightly; Capt. Hatha- Gah - As the d.v.smn neared the ha-
way, 1st artillery, slightly; Capt.Hoff
man, 6tb infantry, slightly; Lieut.
Schuyler Hamilton, 1st infantry, but at
tached to Geh. Scott's staffi severely ;
Lieut. Halloway, Sth infantry, but at
tached to Smith's Light Battalion, se
verely; Lfeut, Bacon, Gth infantry, se-
verely ; Lieut. Callender, of the Ord
nance, but:commanding howitzer batte
ry, severely; Lieut. Arnold, 2d artille
ry, severely;. Lieut. Herman Thorn, 3d
dragoons, attached to CoL Garland’s
staff, slightly; Lieut. Hendrickson, Cth
infantry, severely; Lieut. Humber, 7th
infantry, severely; Lieut. Boynton, 1st
artillery, but attached to Taylor's bat
tery, slightly; Lt. Lorimer Graham,
acting with 1st Dragoons, severely; Lt.
Van Boren, of the rifles, slightly; Lt.
Martin, 1st artillery,^ right arm shot off;
Lt; Good Toe, 16 th' infantry, mortally;
Lt. Farrelly, 6th infantry, but attached
to Smith's light Battalion, severely;
Lt. Lugenbell, adjutant 6th infantry,
slightly; Lt. Bee, 3d infantry, slightly;
Lt. Lovell, 2d infantry, slightly; Lieut.
Chandler, 3d infantry, slightly; Lieut.
Collins, 4th Artillery, slightly J Lieut.
Tilden, 2d Infantry, severely ;• Lieut.
Newman, 9tb infantry, severely; Lieut.
Gardner, fid infantry, severely} Lient.
Hayden, 2d infantry, slightly; Lieut.
Sprague, adj. 9thinfant.slightly; Lieut.
Palmer, 9th infantry, severely, Lieut.
Buckner, Gib infantry, slightly; Li^ut.
Cram, 9th infantry, slightly ;. Lieut.,
Simpkins, 12th infantry,slightly; Lieut.
Peternell, 16thinfantry, slightly ; Lieut,
tiennet, 15ib infantry.
, — enemy but were so exposed
advance was in sight of Santa Cruz, from heavier guns that they were
and the spires and domes of the noted j silenced. Lt. johtisbri, ofthe 1st Arlil-'
capitol of Mexico could be discerned in |lery, but attached to Margruder^ batte*
the distance. The obstructions in the | ry, was mortally wounded, while Lieut,
road, of which I have spokeo, were ob- Callender was severely Wounded in both
viously of recent construction—evidence legs. At 3 oVilock the brigade of Gen.
that the enemy had just got wind of our • Cadwallader was ordered out to support
approach, and that Gen. Scott had com- j Col. Riley, heavy reinforcements being
pletely stolen a march upon Santa Anna, [seen on their way out from the city,
Other than the ditches and rocks which [ while Gen. Pierce's brigade was sent to
,.t ii~» — r -— sustain Gen; Smith. The firing from
Galt. As the division neared the ha
cienda of La Novia the advance was
again fired upon, but again the enemy's
picket were driven in, without loss. A
turn ofthe road beyond La Novia brought
the pleasant village of San Augustin in
sight, and alter two or three light skir
mishes. in which the Mexicans had two or
three lancers killed and wounded, our
trqops had quiet possession of San Augus
tin. Our only loss during the day was
one man, a soldier of Smith's light battal
ion, who was wounded from a corn-field
nearXochimilc.
At 7 o'clock on the morningof the 18th,
Gen. Scott arrived at San Augastin, and
at 10 o'clock Gen. Worth was in full
march for the city of Mexico by the main,
road. Majors 6mith and Turnbulh Gapt.
Mason and other engineer officers. were
sent in advance, supported by Capt*
Blake's squadron of dragoons, to recon
noitre, as it was known the enemy was
in force at or near San Antonia. The
party, when within a thousand yards,
was fired upon from a battery, which
was masked by trees, and the first ball
from a 12-pounder instantly killed Capt.
Thornton, of the 2d Dragoons, besides se
verely wounding a guide, Jonathan Fitz-
walters. Col. Garland's brigade was now
ordered to occupy the hacienda of Get-
rera, witliia plain sight and rari»e of the
enemy's batteries at San Antonio, while
Col. Clarke’s brigade and the battery
under Col. Duncan took a station in the
rear dose by. The engineer officers
were at once sent out to reconnoitre by
Gen. Worth, to ascertain the practica
bility of turning the strong works of the
engaged. He bad completely fumed
the strong works of Sitn Antonio, but
while doing so, the enemy had abandon
ed the place With thc loss of their hea
vy guns, and had fallen back upon bis
stronger line of Works. It was now at
the commencement of the battle, about
1 o’clock in the afternoon, and sure such
a rattling of fire-arms has seldom of
never been heard on the continent of
America, accompanied with sneb boom
ing of artillery; and this was continued
over two hours and until the enemy
was fully routed from every point, and
Until, those who^were not killed or taken
E risoners were th full flight for the city*
iCt me endeavor in words to give the
readers an idea of the position and
works of the enemy* As, yon come
along the road leading from Satt Augus
tin to the capital, and immediately this
side the Puente del Rosana, the Mexi
cans had thrown np a strong and' ex
ceedingly well built battery, command
ing the road completely. On the right
as you faced the City, stretching for a
l OI J8 distance, was a continuous ditch,
behind the bank of which an immense
number of Mexican infantry were post
ed. On the left of the tete depont, of
work at the bridge, and about three
hundred yards distant, was the Oburth
of Churubusco, or San Pablo, strongly
fortified With Works for infantry, ami al
so having a well Constructed battery
containing a number of gUrts of Henry
calibre. This work Was a little advance
ed frotn the ttte de poM, ahd neatly in a.
line between it and the village of Co=
hoycan* Further on, on the other side
of the work at the bridge, and about
. . ^ — , .j three hundred yards IVotn the road, was
visible. The order of battle of Valencia alargebuildir.g. Well ildapted for tbd
was certaipjy most imposing—infarttry protection of infantry, and in which the
the batteries of the enemy continued in
cessant, while from a hill just outside
the range of their guns, the spectacle was
grand and imposing. At about 4 o'clock
Gen. Scott arrived and seeing the im
mense strength of the Mexicans, at once
ordered Gfen; Shield's brigade from San
Augustin—a part of Gen. Quitman’s
command—to the right, to support Riley
and Cadwallader and prevent, itpossi-
ble, a juncture of the forces coming out
from the city with those of Velencia.—
But few ofthe 5 movements bf our own
troops could be seen from the bill where
we were posted owing to the dense chap-
parral, sharp rocks and ravines, but not a
motion pf the enemy but was plainly
Were sfeefl'ilrawn up \p support the bat
teries, while long lines of the enemy's
cavalry were stationed in the rear, as if
awaiting the shock of battle-. Two sCb-
erate charges of the latter wete disiinc-
ly seen repulsed by CoL Riley, who had
moved his brigade at one time to a posi
tion partially in the rear ofthe enemy’s
works. Col. Harney was exceedingly
anxious to march his cavalry to the scene
of action, but it was deemed Utter
ly impracticable. The nature of the
ground was such that the infantry even
had great difficulty in finding the Way
across the vedtegal, as the Mexicans term
it—-ground covered. with sharp, jagged
rocks. _ *
UrUil higbl had fairly Closed in, the fire
from the enemy’s bdtteries did liotslack-
etl-^u had BeCrt a continuous roar for
six kuors, Gen. Scott retired'to San
Augustin about eight o'clock, and in the
tSidstof a bard rain which had just com
menced falling. Gens. Twiggs and Pil
low came in about 11 o’clock, wet and
completely exhausted. It wasitnpossi-
b!e Id use .horses on the rough nnd ex
ceedingly broken ground on which they
had been operating for nearly twelve
,°r;,k^^ anU<;i ¥ ,in " tl,e intense
strength of tho works ol the enemy, or
enemy had also posted air immense
b ° d y. The grbund in the vicinity’of
nil these poils was completely coveted
With corn, and other fields cut urr in
every direction by wide nnd deep ditch- •
es, presented obstacles innumerable to
the advaitce of our troops. No recon-
noisancd ofthe position of the enemy had
been made,dndconsequently its strength.
*d k n k 556 ascorta ‘ ae ^ ky hard blows
jfite divisions of Gens. Twiggs and
Worth were at once engaged, the form
er with the church and stronghold of
Churubusco, and the latter , with the
battenes at the bridge ; and in the'mean-
time Gen. Shields’ brigades—the New
Vork and South Carolina volunteers—
together with the. 9th, . 12th nod, 15th
Regiments of Infantry under Gen.
Pierce, were hurrying onward from Co-
hoycan to attack the hacienda. Soon
they too were engaged, and now the bat
tle became general. Tho enemy had
over twenty pieces of cannon, all in ad-
mirable position, and served with more
than ordinary skill, while but few of
our guns could be brought to bear. Th© ’
battery of Capt. Frank Taylor, it is
true, opened, a well directed * fire upon
* '-'hqrubusco, but so exposed wk$ its siv*