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About Daily chronicle & sentinel. (Augusta, Ga.) 1837-1876 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 1847)
CIIROMCI.K ANj>_SE\TINET- | by J W A w. S. JONES. DAILV. A WEEKLY. "77 KAH- ROAD BASK BUILDING. OFFICK in TERMS —Daily Paper, per annum, m advanced 10 Tri-Weekly Paper, „ o Weekly, (a mammoth sheet) •• i , (’ASH SYSTEM. —In no case will an order for the o-ner be attended to, unless accompanied with the money, and in every instancewhen thet.rae for which anv subscription may be paid, expires before the re ceipt of funds to renew the same, the paper will ~ discontinued. Depreciated funds received at value in this city. .. from the N. O. Picayune . 16th inst. the NEWS FROM VERA CRUZ. In our postscript yesterday morning we had but room to allude to our correspondence re ceived by th' ship Arkansas. We now g.te Mr. Kendall’s letters: Editorial Correspondence of the Picayune. Vera Cruz, April 1, 1847. Although the result is not yet known, it is generally conceded that the expedition to Al varado will not meet with an enemy. Agents have arrived here from that place, that is most certain; and they say that the armed force there all fled on the capture of Vera Cruz being known. I started for Alvarado, intending to gee the show there whatever it might be; but the vessel on which I was to go got off belore I could reach her. . From the direction of the city of Mexico we have a variety of rumors. All agree that Santa \nna has reached the capital, but the accounts conflict as to his present position and prospects. One report has it, that with a miserable remnant of his army he has joined the clergy, and is making headway against the stubborn Gomez Farias. Another and later report is to the ef fect that Santa Anna, finding the clergy deter mined upon holding on to their rich property entire and of making overtures of peace to the United States, at once joined I arias, and was now bent upon seizing every penny belonging 1 to the priesthood to carry on the war against • tiie “ usurping barbarians of the North.’ One thing is certain—all was anarchy and confusion ' at the city of Mexico five dayssince, and guns and bloodshed were the order of both day and night. Party was arrayed against party, faction ' against faction—all were by the ears, and there was neither head, tail, nor body to the Govern nient. The entire population, like the Ishmael ites, those ‘"greasers” of old, were fightingand quarrelling—each man’s hand was turned a- * gainst his neighbor. It is impossible to divine what all this will end in, unless it be in a state \ of affairs worse confounded than the present, 1 if such a state can he. There is of course a strong party —at its head the commissioned officers of the country —op- posed to peace ; for with that would go all their c hopes of preferment, and, what is of more cou- 1 sequence to them now, bread. So long as the 1 war continues, they are sure of a place in the | army, and with it a chance to rob out of every dollar raised and extorted to carry it on. More 1 unprincipled men have never existed; for, too cowardly to fight and win booty of their ene mies, they content themselves with plundering their own people. Not one in ten of them has a spark of that patriotism which seeketh its country's good, all their vaunting to the con trary, and this extensive faction the friends of a peace have to contend with. The latter party s is composed of the clergy,anxious to preserve t the immense wealth and influence they have f accumulated by fraud and humbug; the pro- I perty holders, who fret at seeeing their estates 1 despoiled, and who are anxious to collect their rents; to these must he added a few honest, t well informed men, conscious of their utter t inability to contend with the American arms, and desirous of seeing an end put to a war * which brings nothing to their country but addi- ' tional debt and disgrace. Which of these par- i ties is to succeed in the end remains to he seen, i We hear dreadful tales of the atrocities com- s mitted by the prisoners who laid down their < arms out side the city on the 29th ult., and who f were then turned loose upon the country on t their parole. It is said they scattered in everv I direction, and are plundering the poor and de- t fenceless inhabitants of the interior without t hindrance and without remorse. The officers > lay hands upon every horse and everv mule, t without money and without price, and the un- t fortunate devil thus despoiled is kicked if he 1 utters the most feeble demurrer. The house as well as the garden of the poor laborer is en- < tered by gangs of disorganized soldiers, his 1 family insulted and his substance carried off. < It he utters one word of complaint his treat- I nient is still worse, and he is fain to call upon ' his God for that protection his country and its i laws are unable to afford him. Such is the present state of affairs throughout the country between Vera Cruz and the cities of Jalapaand Orizaba, for the former garrison has taken the different roads to those places, and words but feebly express and picture forth the desolation which is everywhere seen. VV e have reliable intelligence from Puente Nacionalup to yesterday afternoon At that time Gen. La Vega was there in command of 1000 men. They were deserting daily in squads, and he was shooting all he caught to prevent those who remained from running away. Many of the Mexican prisoners who left here had passed the bridge, and what tales they told of the strength and prowess of the American army! They will have it that our shells are filled with some horrible combustible instead of powder, and cite the dreadful de struction they occasioned in the city in proof. Canaiizo, but without any force,' had come down as far as the bridge, but immediately re turned to Mexico. Gens. Morales and Landero had passed through La Vega’s quarters, along with many other officers. They would prefer going to the L nited States as prisoners to ac cepting their parole, yet I believe they have given up the idea altogether. Col. Gutierrez even went so far as to ask a passage on the steamer Alabama, and every arrangement was made for his departure; but a letter from his wife at Puebla, who was in great distress, in duced him to change hiscourse. In the mean time, so straitened are many of the Mexican of ficers. that they are fairly begging money of the Americans to get out of the city. General W orth, the new Governor of Vera Cruz, has adopted most stringent and at the same time most appropriate police regulations. A large number of Mexicans are already at work tearing down the barricades and opening the wails of the city—the latter for the purpose of letting fresh air into the streets. They say that several cases of the comito, or yellow fever of the country, have already appeared; but I shall inquire farther before I give credit to the story. Yours, &c. c. w.k. V era Cruz, April 2, 1847. We have not as yet heard from Alvarado, al though there is no doubt the place is by this time in quiet possession of the American arms. This morning a detachment,composed in part of the 2d Dragoons, under Col. Harney, start ed for Antigua, an old town north of this, to take possession, and from this point recouuois sances will probably be made towards Puente Nacional and Jalapa. 1 rom appearances, Ido not think that Gen. Scott will march with the main army into the interior fbr some days to come. He is strait ened to a degree for want of transportation, and it would he hut bad policy to move until every thing is in readiness. The lateral movements —those byway of Antigua and Alvarado— will have the effect of bringing all the horses, mules and subsistence in on both sides the main road to Mexico into the American camp. In a letter I wrote yesterday I gave the ru- i mors from the city of Mexico, brought by gen- { tlemen direct from that place. I have also re- , ceived a copy of the Dinrio del Gobierno, of the ! 24th ult.. which has been sent to you. The news from the city is various aud contradictory, and i doubt whether the inhabitants themselves . ' know what they are about, what they are con tending and fighting for, or how all is to end. ; Heretofore the game has been more easily un derstood—therfi has been only one pronuncia mento at a time; now’ there appears to be some i four or five under full headway, and each new arrival gives a new phase to affairs in Mexico. The old man’s explanation to his little son, of j the power which set the steamboat in motion, applies to all attempts to give a true picture of the present political state of Mexico. “ Pa,” ! said the juvenile, “Pa, what is it makes the steamboat go along ” The old man straight- j ened himself: “My sou,” said he, pointing to i the piston rod, “do you see that thing there ! going so ?” and with his arm he worked an im- '■ aginary piston rod. “ Yes, Pa, I see it.” “ Well,” continued the old man, pointing to the shaft, “do you see that thing there a going round ?” and with his arm he again made revo lutions and worked an imaginary shaft. “ Yes, Pa, I see that, too.” “ Then, again,” resumed the anxious parent, “don’t you see all them things going criss-cross, and around, and whirl ing about ?” “ Yes,” resumed the boy, “I see them too ” “Well,” continued the old man, drawing a long breath and attempting to look very sagacious, “my son, those things all get mixed up aud cranky, aud the boat shoots a head!” So it is with the political affairs of Mexico—things have got “mixed up and cranky,” and the revolutions go ahead. That is about all that can be said at present, from the lights before us, of the condition of this dis tracted country. Among others who have arrived here within the week are two or three gentlemen from Mazatian. They say that both Upper and Lower California are in peaceable possession of the Americans. They say nothing of the arrival of Gen. Kearny in California; but he might have reached Menterey, on the Pacific, without their knowing it. They speak of a boat belonging to one of our men of war hav ing been upset, and that all on board perished. I shall endeavor to obtain further particulars. The weather is excessively hot here in Vera Cruz, especially in the early morning, but about 10 o’clock a fresh sea breeze springs up, partially tempering the fierce rays of the sun. At night come myriads of rausquitoes, to say nothing of fleas, and except during the north- I ers, I believe we were as comfortable w’hile j out among the sand hills. Rations continue to be served out by our i commissaries, to the suffering poor. They j would else starve, and what the unfortunates i would have done, had it not been for our time ly arrival and succor, it is hard to tell. In the i mean time, hundreds of Mexicans have been employed at $1 50 per day ; yet few of them I cared about going to work until they had re-; ceived papers showing that they were forced j into the service. They are fearful that when ! the Mexican authorities are reinstated they will be punished for aiding the enemy I doubt whether Vera Cruz w r as ever as quiet and peaceable as at present —it certainly was i never as well governed. Gen. Worth has adopted a series of municipal laws and regula- I tions, where are enforced to the letter, and 1 believe all are satisfied. Goods are coming in under the new tariff, the mole is a scene of great activity, and all is bustle. c. w\ k. From the AT. O. Picayune, lOtA inst. From tlie Brazos. The U. S. transport schooner Harry Long, arrived yesterday from the Brazos, whence she f sailed on the 2d inst. We are deeply indebted ’ to Mr. McFarland, who came passenger on the I schooner, for a late number of the Matamoros Flag, and for accounts of the rumors in circu lation on the Rio Grande. There are again rumors of an action between the advanced guard of Gen. Taylor and a por tion of Urrea’s forces. The story is that Gen. Taylor, with May’s dragoons, Bragg’s battery and a portion of the Kentucky cavalry—about 700 in all—was on his return towards Monte rey’, when he heard that he was within two days’ march of Urrea. He immediately gave pur- j suit 4 and finally with his advanced guard en countered the rear guard of Gen. Urrea. An action ensued, and the rumor goes on to say that it had lasted seven hours, when a courier left whom Gen. Taylor sent back to hasten up the main body of his little command, and then to push on to Col. Curtis and order up his regi ment. The courier is said to have reported that a couple of hours more fighting would set tle the business, as Taylor was making great havoc amongst the Mexicans. We give these rumors because they were cir. dilating freely on the Rio Grande and among the Mexicans, who believed them. On this ac count, many discreet Americans think an action i has taken place, and of course, if it be so, Gen. Taylor has whipped the Mexicans. There is no reasonable doubt of that we presume. But I we like to have belter authority than flying Mexican rumors on which to base statements of the success of our arms. We make the following extracts from the Flag of the 3lst ult.: Aid and Comfort. —To the politeness pf an 1 officer of the army here we are indebted for the perusal of a letter from an officer in camp at Buena Vista, dated 12th inst. The letter assures , us that all was quiet—that the wounded were i mending fast, and gives the soul-inspiring in- j formation that, according to instructions from Gen. Taylor before leading, upwards of forty mule loads of provisions had been sent from our camp to Incarnacion, for the use of the wounded Mexicans who were in hospital there, | and starving from hunger. The humanity of j such an act is beyond all praise. Great as is the glory which Gen. Taylor has acquired by a suc cession of splendid victories over the Mexicans, all he has gained in this way sinks into insig nificance compared with the humanity which he his always shown to a fallen enemy. Next { to Washington, his deeds will shine the bright est on the page of his country’s history. Arrival. —Eight companies of volunteers ar rived here yesterday about noon, having march ed from the Brazos. Four of the companies are the balance of the North Carolina regi ment, who proceed, we understand, to-day, for Camargo, where they will join the rest of their regiment. They are under the command of their colonel, and generally in good health and spirits. The other four companies are of the Massachusetts regiment; they came out in the ship Remittance, to the Brazos, which vessel made the passage in twenty-seven days. They are under the command of Lieut. Col. Wright, who will remain here in command of this post, until the arrival of Col. Cushing, who is daily | expected. This makes six companies of the > Massachusetts regiment that have arrived here, | all in good health, and the other four are hourly ' looked for. The following order, which we find in the Monterey Pioneer, ol March Bth, shows the disposition of the Kentucky and Ohio troops, and the new Volunteer Regiments about to ar rive : Headquarters, Army of Occupation, ? Agua Nueva. March, 3, 1847 5 L On his arrival at Monterey, Col. Curtis, with his Regiment, (3d Ohio,) will relieve the Louisville Legion, which will then join the Headquarters of General Marshall’s Brigade at Agua Nueva. The Island 3d Ohio Regiments will compose the garrison of Monterey, under the order of Col. Curtis. 2. Iwo companies of the 2d Ohio Regiment, under the Major, will be posted at the Rincon ada; the remainder of the Regiment, under the immediate orders of Col. Morgan, will he re ported to Birig. Gen Wool. 3. The Kentucky’ Cavalry will be held ready to march as soon as its horses shall be rested. The Colonel will establish his headquarters, with four companies, at Cerralvo; two com panies will he posted at Marin, and two at Pnnta Aquada. The disposition of the remaining com panies will be hereafter determined. This , Regiment will be charged with the duty of pro j feeling the communications below Monterev— it> Colonel receiving special instructions from headquarters, i Ihe new \ olunteer Regiments that may ar- 1 1 rive at Camargo, under the orders of Major ! Gen. Scott, will not move beyond that point without further orders. By order of Major General TAYLOR. W. W. BLISS, A. A. General. j -■1 mother Steamboat Snaged “T’he steamer Brownsville, on her upward trip, laden with ar my stores, struck a snag, about thirty miles be low Reynosa and sank to her guards. She has j since been raised and proceeded back to the ' mouth of the river to undergo repairs. €l)«n«le ani> Sentinel. AUGUSTA, GA: ! FRIDAY morning", APRIL. 16, 1847. j ' i Z&T As every body wishes to see every thing in reference to the progress of events in Mex ico, we have for several days devoted our paper almost exclusively to that object, believing it would be more acceptable to our readers than j other matter. We hope in a day or two to get i through with the press upon our columns, when 1 we shall be able to afford some editorial com menu upon matters and things at home and abroad* Santa Anna’s Despatch. Much of our paper to-day is occupied with \ the official despatch of Santa Anna, to which | the reader s attention is invited. It is a labored i apology, and will be found quite extraordinary ! as a romance, of which it partakes to a consid- i erable degree. The Fair. On account of the inclemency of the wea- i ther last night, the Fair of the Presbyterian ! Sabbath School was postponed, and will take place to-night, in the Masonic Hall. New Books. “Washington and his Generals, by J. T. Headley, and “The Sacred Mountains,” by the same author, are the titles of two very neat volumes from the press of the Messrs. Harper, which have been laid on our table by Mr. Gren ville. The late hour at which those volumes were received, prevents a more extended notice at this time. The fame however of Mr. Headley renders such a labor the less necessary, as he has already established a reputation which will secure the immediate sale of his works. M empuis Branch Railroad. —At the an nual meeting of the Stockholders of this com pany at Rome, on Wednesday the 7th inst., the following gen lemen were elected directors for j the ensuing year, viz: W. R. Smith, Jno. P. King, Daniel Tyler, J. W. M. Berrien, Al fred Shorter. Joseph 1. Printup, Jno. P. Eve. The directors met and unanimously re-elect ed Wm. R. Smith President, and Sterling T. Combes Secretary and Treasurer; vice J. E. ' Parke, resigned. Lieut. Col. Clay. The Lexington (Ky.) Observer, in publish ing the subjoined letter from Gen. Taylor to Hon. H. Clay, .accompanies it with a short biography of the deceased, in which the editor pays a brief but eloquent tribute, to the many and manly virtues of the deceased. The letter is worthy of the Hero of Buena Vista : Iln. Qr. Army ok Occupation, ) Agua Nueva, Mexico, March 1, 1847. J My Dear Sir —You will no doubt have per ceived, before this can reach you, the deeply distressing intelligence of the death of your son in the battle of Buena Vista. It is with no wish of intruding upon the sanctuary ofparental sor row, and with no hope of administering any consolation in your w unded heart, that I have taken the liberty of addressing you these few lines; but I have felt it a duty which I owe to the memory of the distinguished dead, to pay a willing tribute to his many excellent qualities, and while my feelings are still fresh, to express the desolation which his untimely loss and that of other kindred spirits has occasioned. I had but a casual acquaintance with your son, until he became, for a time, a member of my military family, and I can truly say, that no one ever won more rapidly upon my regard, or es tablished a more lasting claim to my respect and esteem. Manly and honorable in every im pulse, with no feeling but for the honor of the service and of the country, he gave every as surance that in the hour of need I could lean with confidence upon his support. Nor was I disappointed. Under the guidance ofhimself and the lamented McKee, gallantly did the sons of Kentucky, in the thickest of the strife, uphold thejhonor of the State and of the country. A grateful people will do Justice to the memo ; ry of those who fell on that eventful day. But I may be permitted to express the bereavement i which I feel in the loss of valued friends. To j your son I felt boqnd by the strongest ties of private regard, and when I miss his familiar lace and those of McKee and Hardin, I can say with truth, that I feel no exultation in our success. With the expressions of my deepest and most heartfelt sympathies for your irreparable loss, I remain, my dear sir, most faithfully and sincerely your friend, Z. TAYLOR. Hon. Henry Clay, New Orleans, La. i From the Nets Orleans Picayune of the 10 th inst. Mexican Affairs. The terms indicated by Senor Atocha in his letter to Rejon as the propositions of the United States to Mexico to obtain a peace, we find in the Diario del Gobierno, of Mexico, copied from a paper of Guadalajara, without a word of dis sent. They are as follows; A commission shall be named to arrange the conditions. This commission shall be com posed of Messrs. Benton and Buchanan and j one member of congress of the opposition, ! and two Mexican commissioners. The com- ' mission shall assemble wherever the govern- j ment of Mexico may appoint. The United States demand the parallel of 26 j degrees of latitude from the Gulf of Mexico to j the Pacific, as the dividing line. The United States will pay fifteen millions of dollars in cash for the territory occupied, solemnly engaging not to exact or claim any expenses of the war. These expenses are estimated as about thirteen millions; conse quently, the United States consider that they ! would pay twenty-eight millions of dollars for ! the territory described. The United States guarante that it will never consent that any territory or state of Mexico shall be annexed to the American I union ; it equally guarantees the sovereignty of Mexico, especially her territorv sou’j of the j ' paralled of26°. i The United States will place ten thousand j | men, infantry and cavalry, upon the boundary I line, to prevent smuggling and the incursions of ! the Indians. The United States engage to adjust all dis putes about old claims—we give the remain der of the sentence in Spanish —[ porel territo rio cedido por tierras, deudas extr anger as, (Sfc.] I An alliance offensive and defensive shall be I signed between the United States and Mexico to repel all European intervention in the affairs of America. Atocha is authorised by the Government of the United States to adjust the terms of the j treaty of peace. Os the ministers whom we named yesterday, 1 Gutierrez and Ronderos entered at once upon the discharge of their duties in the War and | Finance Departments. Seiiores Otero and Iriarte, being members of Congress, had to ob tain the consent of that body before taking office. This had not been done up to the last accounts we have seen, but the consent was no • j doubt granted. f That our readers may judge what course o -1 policy the new Administration is likely to pur sue we give below the reply of Senor Otero, as , Chairman of the committee of Congress to re ceive Santa Anna’s oath to the inaugural of the i t President. We may add that Senor Otero is a I distinguished moderado, and formely was un derstood to be the editor of or regular contri butor to the Si.lo XIX in its palmiest days.— I ' The successor of that paper is El Republic a no. It is quite the leading paper in Mexico, and ac cordingly we give place below to an important article from its columns, translated to our j hands as mentioned yesterday. It touches the policy of the new Administration, and repre : sents the opinions of the moderados. It will j be borne in mind that this party has steadily op- I posed the Administration of Gomez Farias, but 1 equally rebuked thelate revolutionary violence 1 which disgraced the city of Mexico with almost 1 daily bloodshed for several weeks. We must refer particularly to Mr. Kendall’s letters in i another column for the latest impressions en- I tertained at Vera Cruz of the state of affairs at j the capital. I n the city of Mexico no hope had been in i dulgedofthe salvation of Vera Cruz. It was I evidently looked upon as lost as soon as Gen. ' Scott landed, though it is not so expressly avowed. i We suppose we may be allowed to mention I that we have read, among other documents j touching the siege of Vera Cruz, that two men | deserted from our army at Medelin about the i 10th ult., and gave the enemy minute inforrna i tion as to Gen. Scott’s army and artillery. They i gave their names as Wm. M. Lonhlin and John ' Darby, and said they were Irishmen. They | belonged to the artillery. They were to be sent to the Government for protection, as they w ere j fearful of being retaken and shot. The des -1 patch giving these particulars is dated the 11 th ! March. The following is the reply of Senor Otero, the President of the Committee of Congress I before whom Santa Anna took the oath of office, to Santa Anna’s inaugural address: Senor President —The scandal of civildiscord, i which was shedding Mexican blood in face of a foreign enemy, threatened the country with a death as certain as opprobrious. Inthissitua i tion the first of all duties, the salvation of the national independence, inspired the represen tatives of the people with the idea of calling on your Excellency to take charge of the Admin istration, and to establish a Government which, strong in its legality, and the union of the Mexicans, would be able to save us in this ter rible crisis. The blood which ceased to flow, the happy termination which has been given to this civil war, are the best eulogies on this revolution, which also shows its patriotic sentiments to- I wards your Excellency. The defence of our territory, the vindication ofthe honor of our country, the future of our 1 race, are to-day the sacred interests for the sal vation of which all Mexicans should exert them- I selves. The Congress, faithful interpreter of the nation’s will, bad only one thought on this grand question. The war which vve sus ! tain with the invaders from the North is the most just and necessary which can be conceived. To carry it on, all sacrifices are proper du ties. The nationality of Mexico conquered by our fathers with so much glory and indomita ble valor, shall not disappear in our hands for want of energy and constancy. In order to save it, the Government ought to count upon the most decided co-operation of the legislative body. Happily in such a struggle. Mexico shall arid to its decision and justice the immense resources which will be furnished by its rein vigorated institutions. The republican prin ciple—the establishment of a democracy, the federal system, all these precious gifts which the revolution of August has reestablished, leave nothing in doubt, in spite ofthe constant machinations of our enemies. The Congress called to secure these things worthily dis charged its task in a manner that our country follows in the pacific path of modern civiliza tion, without difficulty; without wickedness and without crime. Liberty is inseparable from order and justice, and under the protecting shade of democracy and federation, we shall find favor for all our rights, breath for all our virtues, and strength for all generous institutions. The people will not forget the part which I your Excellency has taken in restoring the na tional liberties. The oath which your Excel lency has just taken, before the whole nation, under the most favorable auspices, and the solemn promises with which it has been given to us, will be heard with applause throughout the Republic, which with admirable instinct, comprehends that without liberty and laws there is no salvation for it. However great may be the dangers and diffi culties of the moment, patriotism will be able to overcome all. Providence will not deny to us its assistance, and then when at such a time as the crisis which we are in. may have passed, when, as it is sweet to hope, our nation free and respected, filling the important duties to which it is called, the bold deeds done for its inde pendence, those services lent to liberty will be appreciated in their value, and will draw upon your Excellency the sole imperishable glory, the gratitude due to the benefactor of nations. From El Republicano of March 24. Policy of the Neic Government. —Universal expectation is now fixed upon the policy which the new Government ought to follow. Deeds will tell very soon what it is. The Ministry alone can explain it. But we can assert that the sentiments mani fested by the President are in perfect accord ance with public opinion. Gen. Santa Anna has shown that he seeks to establish a National Government, and not that of a mere party. His reprobation of the policy of Senores Farias and Rejon has been full and frank. His Excel lency deplores the neglect which they exhibited towards the army, and recognises the absolute incapacity of this clique to administer the Go vernment, condemns its passion for destroying everything, its anarchical tendencies, its hatred for all distinguished classes of society, which it prescribes with the name of “ minorities. ” We learn that the statement is untrue which | is published by some of the papers of this city i as a rumor, that two commissioners from each { one of the factions into which the Chamber is j divided have gone to Guadalupe to fix upon i some other point for Congress to meet. The “ Moderado ”” party has given a commis sion to no one. Its policy of to-day ought to be that of yesterday. It is a party of princi ples, and not of interests. It cannot be for car rying out a programme entirely different from its own. Above all, we can assure our readers that one of the propositions upon which the President is the most determined, is to take the Ministry from that side of the house which has ( the majority, and that he will even ask them to ! indicate the persons to him. The Deputies | who were in commission to receive his oath ex. cused themselves from giving an opinion on persons, advising the President to select a Min istry in his ow'n confidence, and not to confine himself to the Chambers —and assuring him that the majority of this Chamber would support any d inistry, whether taken from within or without its body, which would preserve a na- j tional policy and repair the errors of the last i Government. It is not the first time that the disinterested ness of the “ Moderado ” party has contrasted 1 itself with the unbridled aspirations of the “ Puros .” There has not die least thing happened on account of which the actual Congress should decare itself convened, norcan it conveniently i take such a step. DETAILS OP THE ACTIONS. Which occurred on tlie 38d and 33d of Feb’y last, on the Held of Angostura. Translated bv R. M. Potter. Esq., of Gen. Jesup’s Staff. Liberating Army of the Republic. ) General-in-Chief: Campaign Secretary’s Office. ) Most Excellent Sir: In my despatch from ! the battle-field of Angostura, dated the 23d, I promised to give you details ofthe action of the ; 22d and the battle of the23d,so soon as I should effect the movement wiiich our entire lack of 1 water and of all supplies made indispensable, i In those engagements the army and the nation have restored the lustre of their arms by over | coming obstacles inconceivable to all save those who witnessed them. These arose, not I only from the difficulties of this contest, and of our own situation, but also from the rigor of the season, and the exhaustion of the country along an almost desert route of over 50 leagues, that was destitute ofgood water, and of all save the most limited supplies. The Supreme Government was informed by communications made before my leaving San Luis, that the army under my command would not commence its operations till the end of win ter, as I knew’ by experience the severe climate of the region, which was also scant of habita tions, provisions, shelter, and even of fuel. I therefore resolved to go on organizing, o’rill ing, arming and clothing the army; and, in a word, to put into a military shape the forces which had justbeen assembled. My intentions, however, could not be maturely realized. The want of pecuniary resources embarrassed all my dispositions. The soldiers, though well disposed to combat with the enemy, had been badly supplied for a month, and would soon have been in want even of food, but that the exertions ofthe commanders of corps prevent ed that destitution from driving them from their ranks. While those meritorious men were suffering all kinds of privation, certain writers, from ignorance, want of reflection, party spirit, or perhaps from mistaken patriot ism, were zealously engaged in thwarting the plans which might otherwise have proved suc cessful. This they did by unjust charges against the army and particular individuals, w hom they abused for not inarching to the con flict, accusing them of want of decision, and as serting that the position of the army at San Luis was more threatening to our liberties than to the enemy. In the clubs of that capital they labored with assiduity to make the army the instrument of revolt; but I frustrated their in trigues by timely steps, There was one writer who had the audacity to intimate that I was in collusion with the enemy. Yes, I to whom they may attribute errors, but whose whole previous course has shown the most elevated patriotism! Traitors are they who seek not only to traduce me, but by their detraction of the army to unnerve its vigor for the service of the country. It seems as if a fatality directs the destinies of this nation, and interdicts a unanimity of the public will for its defence; and from this fatal blindness, the moment when ever)-heart and every aspiration should be di rected to one object, is the very juncture when division and distrust are disseminated. Behold me, then, compelled by every circumstance to change my plans. Desertion had already com menced to a shameful extent; and I was fully persuaded that if the scarcity should continue, the army would be dishonorably frittered away. I therefore resolved, that if annihilated, it should be with glory. Having no supplies, I. to ob tain them, compromitted my private fortune and the credit of myself and friends. All this procured me the sum of one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, with which I was able to furnish the needful to the army for twelve days. I knew well the country we had to pass and the necessity there would be for carrying provisions: and I sympathized in anticipation with the soldier for what be would endure from the rigor ofthe season; but to render good ser vice to the country, and save its honor, I had to overlook all this. The army moved from San Luis by brigades, so as to render available the scanty resources afforded by the country we had to cross. The force consisted of 13,432 infantry, divided into 28 battalions; 4,33Bcavalry, in 39 squadrons; and a train of artillery, of three 24-pouuders, three 16-pounders, five 12-pounders, five 8- pounders, and a 7-inch howitzer, all served by 413 artillerymen—the total being 18,183 men. Os this force there remained behind, the garri son of the works at San Luis, and others which I allotted to towns on the route, as also two squadrons to escort our small and only reserve of ammunition; a brigade of infantry of two battalions, under Gen. Don Ciriaco Vasquez, which remained as a corps »f reserve in Ma- J tehuala, and of observation upon Tula; asalso \ a brigade of cavalry, under Gen. Don Jose Ur- i rea. The latter was intended to pass Tula, i ami move through Tamaulipas to the neighbor- ! hood of Monterey, so as to call the enemy’s at tention to that quarter. The point of concen tration for the brigades ought necessarily to be ! this place, so that the region through which they J had to move many troops might not be at once i thrown together. I therefore fixed on the ha- j cieuda of Encarnacion for that point, it being, j as! calculated, the last stage but one of my march. 1 there held a review ofthe army, j which had already lost a thousand men by sick- j ness and desertion. The former was caused 1 by the scantiness and had quality of the food, j and still more of water, which was brackish as j well as scarce, and also ofsnow storms and the | exposure ofthe troops, who had always to be in bivouac and without fuel. These snow storms obliged me to suspend the march two days, till the weather became more settled; for j the cold had already caused the death of several j men and horses, and I felt bound by every means to diminish the losses we were incurring, j These hardships will account for the number of | desertions which occurred up to our arrival at i Encarnacion, and which afterwards even in- I creased. It must also be remembered, that j almost the whole army had been recently form- j ed, and, as is well known, of men taken by vio- i leuce from their homes. We had advices that the enemy were forti- | fied in the hacienda of Agua Nueva, with 6000 ireu and 30 pieces, resolved to defend the de files known by the names of the passes of Car nero and Agua Nueva. The Americans did ! not know the precise point on which our inarch was directed; for although they exchanged some shots with our advance in Encarnacion, and had frequent small skirmishes with us in the above passes, they supposed our troops to be scouting parties of the first brigade of cavalry, under Don Jose V. Minon, whom I had ad vanced as far as the hacienda of Potosi. These were the impressions when I made my disposi tions. It was my intention to place my forces be tween the enemy and Saltillo, so as to oblige him to fight under the disadvantage of having his communication cut off, or, if he would not leave his works, to enable me to besiege him in Agua Nueva. This plan might be carried out in three different ways. One was by march ing twenty leagues by the direct road—another by moving to the right by la Hedionda, so as to occupy Buena Vista—and the third by moving to the left bv la Punta de Santa Elena, so as to occupy the hacienda of la Banqueria, and there after the road to Saltillo. The two last move ments were at this time impracticable, for they would either of them require three or four days march, while we were without provisions, forage or water. I therefore resolved to ope rate by the direct road, force the positions, and, after passing the last defile, make a diversion by the left and occupy the rancho of Encautada, with the view of obtaining water, none of which was to be had for more than eighteen leagues. All this was favored by the enemy’s ignorance of our march ; but misfortune still followed us. A deserter from the regiment of Coraceros, a native of Saltillo, named Francisco Valdes, passed over from Encarnacion to the enemy, and gave him information of the movement.— The execrable treason of this infamous wretch ! frustrated the best combinations. On the 21st, at noon, I ordered the march to commence—the four light battalions, under Geu. Don Pedro Ampudia, forming the vanguard. I had not hesitated to allow that general, and other officers who had been court-martialed for the affair of Monterey, to participate in these operations, not only because I did not consider them culpable, butalso on account of the zeal they manifested. This brigade was followed by one ofartillery, of 14-pounders, with the regi ment of engineers and their train, and those by the park of the regiment of hussars. Then came the first division, commanded by Gen. Don Manuel Lombardini, with four 12-pound ers and the park. The second division, under Gen. Don Francisco Pacheco followed next, with four 8-pounders and their park; after those the whole of the cavalry, under Gen. Don Julian Juvera ; and then the remainder of the general park and baggage, the rear being covered by a brigade of cavalry under Gen. Don Manuel Andrade. In this order of the march the troops were ordeted to make the first fourteen leagues, be tween Encantadaand a plain called De la Guer ra, which is in the front of the first defile, call ed the Pass ofPinones ; and to pass the night on that plain in the same order of column.— The trrops having eaten their rations, order was given for carrying water, as none could be met with till the day following, after having over come the enemy ofAguaNueva, three leagues beyond the aforesaid pass. I, witn my staff and the regiment ofengineers, occupied the front, a little behind the light troops. On arriving at theplain De ia Guerra, I continued the march in order to pass the defile of Pmones. which was accomplished: and I ordered the light brig ade to take a position in the Pass of Carnero, where it had a skirmish with an advance of the enemy. Under these dispositions we passed the night. At dawn on the 23d, the army continued its march, with the idea of carrying by force of arms the pass ofAguaNueva, which I suppos ed would be defended by the enemy ; but I found, to my surprise, that it was abandoned.— I then concluded that the American forces had retired to their fortifications in the hacienda, to concentrate their defence under cover of the entrenchments, which I had heard they had there thrown up. Under this idea I continued the march, in order to turn to the right to the rancho of Eucantada, which as I have before mentioned, is on theSaltillo road, being between that city and Agua Nueva, and four or five • leagues from each. Till that time no one had appeared to give me information, nor .lid any one after, except a servant from Agua Nueva, who told me that the enemy had been evacua ting his position since the day previous, and falling back towards Saltillo : and that on that same .morning the hacienda had been wholly abandoned, by the retreat of a small detach ment which escorted a large quantity of muni tions. By this movement my first plans and dispositions, founded on an expected resistance, were rendered abortive ; but I still did not de spair of a successful result, for I had, in antici pation, directed Gen. Minon. with his cavalry brigade, J2OO strong, to occupy on the morning of the 22d the hacienda of Buena Vista, distant three short leagues from Saltillo. This force might arrest the enemy’s march, or at least make a diversion that would give time for the army to come up. I therelbie continued my march without loosing more time than would allow the soldiers to bring water on the road.— The light brigade came within sight of the ene my’s rear guard, and I ordered them to charge in conjunction with the hussar regiment. I had reason to believe the enemy were making a precipitate retreat, as they left several arti cles on the road, such as carts, forge imple ments, extra wheels and other things, which we gathered while marching. In consequence of the different reports I received, I ordered the cavalry to advance; I thought we would be able to reach their rear guard, and placed my self at the head of those troops. On arriving at the place called Angostura I found the main body of the enemy awaiting me in position. The road from the pass of Pinones to Saltillo runs between two chains of moun tains, which form that pass and those of Car nero and Agua Nueva. The ridges open be yond that hacienda and approach each other again at Angostura, where the road turns to the right. At this place there is a succession of ridges, which run out toward the line of our route, and at right angles with it, and between them are ravines which form the drains of the mountains on the right. They are more or less passable, but all difficult. The enemy’s position was in front and in rear of the road, his right and front being covered by ravines that were impassable even for infantry, and a bat tery of four pieces being planted on the high est point. His battalions were formed on the heights with two other batteries, one of which i was in a low part ofthe road, between two hills; | and to my view, their forces appeared to be I about 8,000 men, with twenty pieces ; but the ■ prisoners taken report twenty-six pieces, and | upwards ofß,ooo combatants. i reconnoitred the position and situation of the enemy, and ordered the Director of Engi i neers, Gen. Don Ignacio de Moray Villamil, to do the same. After ascertaining the force of i the invader, it was necessary either to await the infantry, to take position, or to fight, as might seem most advisable. At this interval, 1 i observed that the enemy had neglected to oc i cupy a height on his left flank : and without l losing a moment, I ordered Gen. Ampudia’s light brigade to take possession of, and hold it jat every cost. As the brigades came up, I I formed them in two lines on a rising ground that I fronted the enemy, there being another enii j nence between our two positions ; the first di- I vision ofinfantry was under the comand of i General Lombardini, and the second underthat j of Gen. Pacheco, 1 directed that Gen. Mora y Villamil, in con- I junction with the Commanding General of I Artillery, Don Antonio Corona, should find a position for a battery of Iti-pounders, to be sustained by the regiment of engineers. Two other batteries of 12 and 8-pounders were loca ted by me. The cavalry, commanded by Gen. Juvera, were placed ou the right of our rear, and ou our left flank. The regiment of hus i sars was also posted in the rear, and on the flank aforesaid was a height which I ordered | the battalion of Leon to occupy. The general park was in the rear, covered by the brigade of ■ Gen. Andrade, and between this park and the | lines of bait c I took my own position. The making of these dispositions, as may be supposed, occupied some time, for the troops arrived at their positions after a inarch of more than twenty leagues. It was therefore not an hour for combat, and the army lay on its arras. The enemy, however, so soon as he perceived that we had occupied the height thatflanked his left and our right, detached two battalions to dislodge us, which led to a warm engagement, that lasted all the afternoon and till after dark, when he was repulsed with a loss of four hun dred men, according to the report of the pri soners. Ours was much less, as we had the advantage of the ground. At dawn on the 23d I mounted my horse: the enemy had not changed his previous dis positions and was ready to receive us. I ob served but one difference, which was that on his right, and at some distance from his posi tion, he had formed two bodies of infantry with a battery of four pieces, as if with the in tent of threatening our left flank ; but I at once believed this to be a mere demonstration, for he would never have left in his rear the difficult ground which gave strength to that position, beingthe web of impassable ravines before re ferred to. I, therefore, gave no attention to th is disposition of his forces, and resolved to move mine by the right. With this intention. I advanced the divisions of Gen. Lombardini and Gen. Pacheco in that direction. I ordered Gen. Don Manuel Micheltorena |to plant the battery of 8-pounders ouour right flank, so as to rake obliquely the enemy’s line, and to re main with the stats, of which he was chief, and await my orders. 1 directed that Gen. Ampn dia, with the light brigade, should charge by our left flank ou the enemy’s right, and that Gen. Mora y Villamil should form a column ol attack, composed of the regiment of engineers, the 12th Battalion, the Jijo de Mexico, and the companies of Puebla and Tampico, command-
