Daily constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 1846-1851, September 14, 1847, Image 2

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE CONSTITUTIONALIST. JAMES GARDNER, JR. TERMS Daily, per annum $8 00 Tri-Weekly, per annum 6 (X) If paid in advance 5 (X) Weekly, per annum *1 00 If paid in advance 2 ;50 To Clubs, remitting $lO in advance, FIVE COPIES are sent. This will put our Weekly pa per in the reach of new subscribers at TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. (FpSubscribers who will pay op arrearages, and send four new subscribers, with the money, can get the paper at $2 00. fITPAII new subscriptions must be paid in ad vance. (df*Postage must be paid on all communications and letters of business. [ From the New Orleans Picayune of the Bth inst.] BRILLIANT VICTORIES! IMPORTANT FROM GEN. STOTTS ARMY. Battles of Coutreras and Churubusco. Total Defeat, of the Mexicans — Gen. Scott en camped within two and a half miles of the City of Mexico —Armistice between ike tiro Armies Negotiations with Mr. Trist fora Peace Com menced. The U. S. steamship Mary Kingslaud, Capt. John Davis, arrived at an early hour this morn ing* By her we have received our letters from Mr. Kendall from the 22d to the 28th of Au gust, all dated from TacUbaya. A courier des patched by him on the 20th with the first ac count of the battle fought on that day was cut off. From a map and plan of the battle-fields be fore us, we note that they are called the bat tles of Coutrcris and ChUrUbusco—so called from the field works of the enemy of those names. The victories were decisive, but so far as we can judge from a hasty perusual of a portion of our letters, the proposition for an ar mistice was made by Gon. Scott —probably at the suggestion of the British embassy. The report we have hitherto given, that the city of Mexico was at our mercy,appears to have been unfounded. Should peace not follow from the negotiations now pending, another battle must ensue, the enemy having a force of from fifteen to twenty thousand men yet left. But the road appears to be completely open to us, and the city is only two and a half miles from our encampment. Our victories have been purchased at a vast loss of valuable life, as will be seen by the fol lowing list—we will give a fuller one to-mor row. We see names of men at the loss of whom wc weep; but all have their friends and we make no distinction. Officers Killed—Rcsrulars. Major Mills, oth Infantry; Cant. Burke, Ist Artillery; Capt. Hanson, 7th Infantry; Captain Thornton, 2d Dragoons; Capt’.' Crapon, Ist Ar tillery; Capt. Quarles, loth Infantry; Capt. An derson, 2d Infantry; Lieut. Irons, Ist Artillery; but attached to Gen. Cadwalader’s staff; Lieut. Preston Johnson, Ist Artillery, but attached to Magruder’g battery; Lieut. Easly, 2d Infantry; Lfout. Goodman, loth Infantry; Lieut. Hoff man, Ist Artillery. Volunteers.—Lieut. Chandler, New York Regiment; Col. P. M. Butler, and Lieuts. Da vid Adams and W. K. Williams, of the South Carolina Regiment. Officers Wounded—Hcffulars. Col. Clark, 6th Infantry, slightly; Col. Mor gan, loth Infantry, severely; Map Wade, 3d Artillery, severely; Map Bonneville, 6th In fantry, slightly; Capt. Wessells, 2d Infantry, severely; Capt. Phil. Kearney, Ist Dragoons, left arm shot off; Capt. Mcßeynolds, 3d Dra goons, severely; Capt, Craig, 3d Infantry, se verely; Capt. Ross, 7.th Infantry, severely; Capt. J. R. Smith, 2d Infantry, severely; Capt. Chapman, oth Infantry, slightly; Capt. John son, 9th Infantry, slightly: Capt. Holden, 12th Infantry, slightly, Capt. Hathaway, Ist Artil lery, slightly; Capt. Hoffman, 6th Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Schuyler Hamilton, Ist Infan try, but attached to Gen. Scott’s staff, severe ly; Lieut. Halloway, Bth Infantry, but attach ed to Smith’s Light Battalion, severely; Lieut. Bacon, 6th Infantry, severely; Lieut. Callen der, of the Ordnance,"but commanding how itzer battery, severely; Lieut. Arnold, 2d Ar tillery, severely; Lieut. Herman Thorn, 3d 'Dragoons, attached to Col. Garland’s staff, slightly; Lieut. Hendrickson, 6th Infantry, se verely; Lieut. Humber, 7th Infantry, severely; Lieut. Boynton, Ist Artillery, but attached to Taylor’s battery, slightly; Lieut. Lorimer Gra ham, acting with Ist Dragoons, severely;Lieut Van Buren, of the Rifles, slightly; Lieut. Ma rtin, Ist Artillery, right arm shot off; Lieut. Goodloe, loth Infantry, mortally; Lieut. Far relly, sth Infantry, but attached to Smith’s Light Battalion, severely; Lieut. Lugenbell, adjutant sth Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Bee, 3d Infantry, slightly; Lietrt, Lovell, 2d Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Chandler, 3d Infantry, slight ly; Lieut. Collins, 4th Artillery, slightly: Lieut Tilden, 2d Infantry, severely;Lieut. Newman, 9th Infantry, severely; Lieut, Gardner, 2d In fantry, severely; Lieut. Hayden, 2d Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Sprague, adjutant 9th Infan try, slightly; Lieut. Palmer, 9th Infantry, se verely; Lieut. Buckner, 6th Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Cram, Oth Infantry, slightly; Lieuten ant Simpkins, 12th Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Peternell, loth Infantry, slightly; Lieut. Ben net, 15th Infantry'. Volunteers.— New York Regiment. —Col. Burnet, severely; Capt. Fairchild, slightly; Capt. Dyckman, severely; Lieut. Sweeney, severely; Lieut. Jenniss, slightly; Lieut. Coop er, severly; Lieut. McCabe, slightly; Lieut. Pot ter, severly; Lieut. Griffin, slightly; Lieut. Malhowsky, slightly. South Carolina Regiment. —Lieut, Col. Dick eon, severly; Capt. James D. Blanding, slight ly; Adj. Cantcy, severely; Lieut. Sun: ter, slightly; Capt. K. S. Moffatt, slightly; Lieut. H. S. Billings, severely; Lieut. J. R. Clarke, dangerously; Lieut. J. W. Steen, slightly; Lieut. J. H. Davis, slightly; Capt. W. D. De- Saussure, slightly; Lieut. Jos. Abney, slightly. Our entire loss in killed and wounded is short of eleven hundred; that of the enemy is not well known. His loss in killed alone is believed to be fully equal to our en tire loss, and it is estimated that at least 3000 prisoners were taken. The number of his wounded was not ascertained, but is supposed to be very large. Gen. Scott himself received a wound in the leg below the knee, but from the manner in which Mr. Kendall speaks of jt, wc are lead to hope the injury a slight one. [Editorial Correspondence of the Picayune.] Ta.cub.vyo, (near Mexico,) ) August 22, 1847. j The celebrated Archbishop’s Palace of Ta cubayo is now occupied by Gen. Scott; and a portion of the army, after twice defeating the enemy in two of toe hardest fought buttles of the war, are quartered immediately around him. I have already sent you off a hurried sketch of the glourious events of the 20th, and even the present letter must be but a hurried synopsis of the battles, which have shed such additional glory upon the American arms.. On the 14th inst. a reconnoissance made by Col. Duncan having proved that a road for artillery and •wagons could be cut from Chal co to. San Augustine, Gen. Worth’s division moved on the afternoon of the 15th in that ... ■ ■■ i— » an am direction. Gen. Pillow followed the. next morning; at the sanic hour Geh Quitman broke up his encampment at Bdena Vista, a small hacienda between 'Vientd. de Cordova and Ayolia, and immediately fGen: Twiggs was in motion from the latter place. By this move a new line of operations was taken up on the southern and northwestern side of the city of Mexico, and the strong works of the Penon and Mexicalsingo, upon which Santa Anna had bestowed such immense care and labor, were completely turned. On the 15th of August, Gen. Worth march ed as far as the hacienda of San Gregorio, be yond which it was found that the enemy had cut up and ditched the miserable trail along which the artillery and wagons were obliged to pass. He would have gone to Santa Cruz, another hacienda a league farther on, had not an order come up from Gen. Scott to 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 the intention of dis puting his advance, cutting him off from the main body of the army, and perhaps bringing on a general action. Gen. Twiggs promptly ordered some of his heavier guns to be unlim bered, and after a few discharges the enemy was dispersed, with the loss of five or six kill ed, 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. At 6 o’clock on the morning of the 17th Gen. Worth resumed his march, his route running through corn fields and narrow and rockly lanes,falong which a carriage had never passed before. The filling up of the ditches caused some little delay, but by 8 o’clock the advance was in sight of Santa Cruz, and spires and domes of the noted capital of Mexico could be discerned in the distance. The ob structions in the road, of which I have spoken, and obviously of recent construction —evidence that the enemy had but just got wind of our approach and that Gen. Scott had completely stolen a march upon Santa Anna. Other than the ditches and rocks which had been rolled down from the precipitous hill side, no opposition was made to the advance of Gen. Worth Until he had reached a point in the road not far from Santa Cruz—but now a scattering fire was opened upon the head of his column by a force stationed at advantage ous positions above the road to the left. The enemy was quickly dispersed, however, by Col. P. F. Smith’s light battalion and the 2d Artillery, under Maj. Galtc. As the division neared the hacienda of La Novia the advance was again fired upon, but again the enemy’s pickets were driven in, without loss. A turn of the road beyond La Novia brought the pleasant village of San Augustin insight, and after two or three light skirmishes, in which the Mexicans had two or three lancers killed and wounded. Our troops had quiet possession of San Augustin, wor only loss during the day was one man, a soldier of Smith’s light battalion, who was wounded from a corn-field near Xochimilco. At 7 o’clock on the morning of the 18th, Gen Scott arrived at San Augustin, and at 10 o’clock Gen. Worth was in full march for the city of Mexico by the main road. Majors Smith and Turnbull, Capt. 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 Sun Antonio. 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 DragOofls, besides severely woUndiUg a guide, Jonathan Fitz waltcrs. Col. Garland’s brigade was now or dered to occupy the hacienda Os Carrera, within plain sight and range 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 close by. The engineer officers were at once sent out so reconnoitre by Gen. Worth, to asertoin the practicability of turning the strong works of the enemy, and in the mean time Gen. Scott had despatched Capt. Lee with a supporting party, composed of Capt. Kearny’s squadron and a body of the 11th Infantry un der 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. This latter par ty had a sharp encounter with the advance of the enemy, the main body being found posted at a strong point not far from the factory of Cou treras. In the skirmish some six or eight Mexi cans were killed and as many more taken pris oners—on our side not a man was touched. The result of the rcconnoissance proved favor able. It was ascertained that a road could bo made which would enable the army to reach San Angel, and thus tttrn the strong batteries at San Antonio, and perhaps others the enemy might have upon the road between that and the city of co. The Mexicans were piainby seen in force at a commanding position near Coutreras, and it was evident that they had a number of cannon in position; but at a council held at night, it was determined Upon to attack them the following day. In the mean time, while this reconnoissance was in progress, Gen. Worth had established his headquarters at the hacienda of Curera, while from the windows countless numbers of the enemy could be seen at work upon the batteiies of San Antonio. 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 evening the batteries again opened, but with no other result than showing the position of the different guns. For a marvel the batteries were silent during the night. Had the fire been kept up, the hacienda might have been torn in pieces and the entire command compelled to retire. Be fore going further, it may be well to state that the city of Mexico lies about nine miles nearly north of San Augustin, that San Antonio is about three miles in the same direction, while the point occupied by Gen. Valencia, near Coutreras, for he had command at that place, is at least three miles in a straight line and in a direction nearly west. It was ten miles the way many of our troops had to march, for you can not imagine a more rough, uneven and jagged i surface. At 8 o’clock on the morning of the 19th, the batteries again opened on Gen. Worth’s position at the hacienda near San Antonio, the balls crushing through the walls and filling the rooms with fragments of plaster and broken furniture. Shells also burst in the air over the building and the pieces dropped among the men stationed in the rear. So hot was the fire that the troops were obliged to gain shelter behind the building, but still did not give up the position. About 9 o'clock the divisions of Gen. Pillow and Twiggs were ordered to ad vance in the direction of Coutreras, and by 1 in the afternoon were in plain sight of the enemy’s batteries, and within range of his heavier guns. The brigade of Gen. P. F. Smith was ordered to advance directly towards the enemy’s works, while that of Col. Riley moved towards a smal village to the right, -with orders to gain the main road and thus be enabled to cut off any reinforcements which might be sent to Valencia from the city. An incessant firing of cannon Avas opened upon the advance of Gen. Smith, and soon the Rifles were eiigaged in skirmish ing with the pickets of the enemy and driving them in. The 12-pounder battery of Capt. Magruder was pressed forward with all spreed, as was also the rocket and mountain howitzer battery, now commanded by Lieut. Callender of the Ordnance Department. As soon as they could gain a position they opened upon the enemy, but were so much exposed to afire from heavier guns that they were soon silenced. Lt. Johnson, of the Ist Artillery, but attached to Magruder’s battery, was mortally wounded, while Lieut. Callender was severely wounded in both legs. At 3 o’clock the brigade of Gen.’ Cudwaldder Was ordered oiit to support Col: Riley, heavy reinforcements' being seen on their way out from the city, while Gen. Pierce’s brigade was setit to sustain Gen. 1 Smith.’ The fi’ririg from the batteries of the enemy contin ued incessant, while from a hill just otftside the radge of their gun's, the spectacle vtas most gr and and imposing. At about 4 o’clock Gen. Scott arrived, eti’d seeln'g the immeris’c strength of the Mexicans, at once ordered Geri. Shields’s brigade fr om San Augustin—a part of Gen. Quitman’s command —to the right, 1 to sriipport Riley and Cadwalader, and prevent, it possible a juncture of the forces coming out from the city with those of Valencia. But few of the movements of our owri troops cotfld be seen from the hill where we were posted, owing to the dense chaparal, sharp rocks and ravines, but not a motion of the enemy but was plainly visible. The order of battle of Valencia was certainly most imposing—infantry Avere seen drawn up to support the batteries, while long lines of the enemy's cavalry were stationed in the rear, as if awaiting the shock of batttle. Two separate charges of the latter were dis tinctly seen repulsed by Col. Riley, who had moved his brigade at one time to a position partially in the rear of the enemy’s work. Col. Harney was exceedingly anxious to march his cavalry to the scene of action, but it was deem ed utterly impracticable. The nature of the ground was such that the infantry even had great difficulty jn finding the way across the pcdregal, as the Mexicans terra it—ground covered with sharp, jagged rocks. Until night had fairly closed in, the fire from the enemy's batteries did not slacken—it had been a continuous roar for nearly six hours. Gen. Scott retired to San Augustin about 3 o’clock, and in the midst of a hard rain which had just commenced falling. Gens. Twiggs and Pillow came in about 11 o’clock, wet and completely exhausted. It was impossible to use horses on the rough and exceedingly brok en ground on which - they had been operating for nearly tw r elve hours. Not anticipating the immense strength of the works of the enemy, ■ or the almost insurmountable difficulties of reaching them, it had been at first thought that the batteries would be taken at a dash, and that the troops would be all comfortably quar tered in San Angel for the night; instead of this, a large portion of them were compelled to bivouac without blankets in the midst of a , pitiless fain, and on ground where they could not even stretch themselves out. Add to this the prospects of the morrow were far from flat tering—were enough to dismay any but the stoutest hearts—that the enemy would doubt less reinforce and strengthen Ids works dur ing the night, having every superiorly in . knowledge 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 saying too much to I assert that the bivouac of the 19 th August was j gloomy in the extreme. . j Early on the morning rtf tlid 20th, General I Worth was ordered to move with a part of his • j division Garland’s brigade towards the ! scene of action at Contreras, to aid in the at tack upon Valencia, for to force this position . was deemed indispensable. A few discharges of cannon were heard about 7 o’clock, and a ! heavy rattling of musketry, arid , srtnie even . said that in the distance they had seen large masses of Mexicans in full flight towards the ; city; yet few dreamed that the batteries, at Contreras had beeii stormed arid carried. Yet so it was. Geri. Scott himself, accompanied t by Gen. Worth, started for the scene of action, i when they were met by Capt. Mason with the joyful intelligence that Valencia had horn com- Ictely routed after a short but terrible struggle. The-attack upon his works was planned by Gon. Smith, and resulted iri the capture of L 5 . pieces of artillery, Some 1,500 .prisoners— among theiri Ooris. Blanco 1 , Garcia, ‘Meiv'oza ! and the notorious Salas; all the ammunition i ! and camp equipage, while the road along' j which those who esc ripe fled was strewed with ■ muskets. No less than 700 of the enemy, L : among thrim many officers, were left dead on the field—fhe niintbet of wounded was un doubtedly far greater, f have no time now to . enlarge or comment upon this well planned L and brilliant achievement, but reserving a more full description for some other time, must pass on to other exciting events.- ; Ihc . j works at Contreras completely iri the power of the American* rirmy, Gen. Scott at once order . I ed Gen. Worth to fall back upon San Antonio, I to turn and capture that work and then to | push on towards the capital by the main road, while the main body of the army Under Gens. Twiggs, Pillow, Sinith, Pierce and Cadwala i der, moved on towards San Angel and Cohoy l can. Scarcely had the advance of General . T wiggs got half a mile beyond the latter vil- L lage, before a rattling fire of musketry an nounced to us that it was actively engaged with the oritposts of the enemy, anc( the heavy booming of cannon now gave token that the noted 2ct division had fallen upon another strong work. But a few minutes more and a tremendous firing from the right, and imme diately in the main road from San Augustin to the capital made it evident that Gcn« Worth’s division was actively engaged. He had com pletely turned the strong works of San Anto nio, bttt while doirig so the enemy had aban doned the place with the loss of their heavj* guns, and had fallen back upon his second and stronger line of works. It was now at the commencement of the battle, about one , o’clock in the afternoon, and stire such a rat tling of firearms has seldom or never been heard on the continent of America, accompa nied with such booming 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 pris oners were in full flight for the city. Let me endeavor in words to give the reader an idea of the position and works of the enemy. As you come along the road leading from San Au ’ gustin to the capital, and immediately this side the Puente del Rosana, the Mexicans had thrown up a strong and exceedingly well-built battery, commanding the road completely.— On the right, as you faced the city, stretching for a long distance was a continuous ditch, behind the bank of which an immense num ber of Mexican infantry were posted. On the left of the tete de pont , or work at the bridge, and about three hundred yards distant, was the church of Churubusco, or San Pablo, strongly fortified with works for infantry and also having a well constructed battery contain ing a number of guns of heavy calibre.— This work was a little advanced from the tete de pont, and nearly in a line between it and the village Cohoycan. Further on, on the other side of the work at the bridge, and about three hundred yards from the road, was a large building, well adapted for the protection of in fantry, and in which the enemy had also post ed an immense body. The ground in the vi cinity of all these points was completely cov ered with corn, and other fields, cut up in every direction by wide and deep ditches, pre sented obstacles innumerable to the advance of our troops. No recoimoisance of the posi tion of the enemy had been made, and con sequently its strength could only be ascertain ed by hard blows and knocks. The divisions of Gens. Twiggs and Worth were at once engaged, the former with the church ami stronghold of Churubusco, and the latter with the batteries at the bridge; and in the meantime Gen. Shields’s brigade—the New York and South Carolina volunteers — —hmbwi together with the 9th, 12th and 15th Regi ments of Infantry under Gen. Pierce, were hurrying onward from Cohoysan to attack the hacienda. Soori they, too, were engaged, and now the battle became general. The enemy had over twenty pieces of cannon, all in admi rable position, ami served with more than or dinary skill, while but few of our guns could be brought to bear; The battery of Capt. Frank TayloY.it is true, opened a well-direct ed fire upon’ Chrirribusco, but so exposed was its situation that it suffered most terribly, both in officers and men. To describe the fierce conflict, even now that i two days have elapsed, or to give an account of the part taken .by the different regiments, were : impossible. From the opening of strife up 1 to the time the Mexicans were entirely routed and ill full flight for the city, was one con tinuous roar of cannon and mriskefry, accbm panieef by the loud shouts of the victors as some hew vantage ground was gained; and high above the din rose a .dense column of smoke, at times completely shrouding the com batants. The strength of {he enemy at this battle is known to have been 15,000 at least, ; many say 20,000, all fresh troops and in a po sition of uncommon strength. Opposed to them were about 6000 Americans, jaded and broken down by marches and countermarches, and by incessant toil before the strongholds of i Contreras and San Antonio. At Churubusco, ■ the Mexicans themselves 1 riaV, Santa Anna • commanded iri person, but that he left early. The noted battalions of Hidalgo and Victoria, ! and of Independicia—the Polkas, or young men of the capital, from whom so much was • expected—nearly all fled without firing a gun. In the different works (but mostly in the church) taken by General Twiggs, near 2000 troops were captured. Among them were Gen. Rincon, who commanded in person, Gen. An aya, lately President Sustituto, and Gen. Are vallon, ns also Col. Gorosteza, formerly Minis ter at Washington. Gen. Garay was captured 1 near San Antonio by Gen. Worth, and several influential officers, among them Col. Miraraou, by Gen. Shields at the hacienda; but the most important capture of all was the entire For eign Battalion, mostlj' made up from the de serters of our own army, with their command er, the notorious Riley himself. They are all ■ under close guard, and I trust, will be strictly dealt with. The loss on our side has fallen most heavily I upon the South Carolina and New York volvn ’ j teers, the 6th Infantry and Smith’s light battal i ion, attached to Worth’s division, and the bat > j terics of Capts. Magruder and Taylor. The South Carolina regiment was nearly cut to pieces, losing 137 out of 272 men, Avith Avhich it Avent into action. The Ist Artillery has suf ■ i ered seA r erely in officers. The Mexican accounts acknowledge the loss, in killed, Avoundod and prisoners, of no less than thirteen generals (among them three ex i Presidents) and forty-five pieces of cannon. — One of our officers says that avc ha\'e captured more ammunition than Gen. Scott has used 1 since he has been in the country. Yours, &c. G. AV. K. The Armistice. The undersigned appointed respectively, the three first by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, com mander-in-chief of the armies of the United States, and the lavo last by his Excellency D. Antonio Lopez dc Santa Anna, President of the Mexican Republic and commanpcr-in-chief 1 of its armies, met with full powers, Avhich Avere duly verified iri the village of Tacubaya on the 22d day rtf August, 1847, to enter into an armistice for the purpose of giving the Mexican Goverrtriieiit an opportunity of re ceiving proposition for peace from the com missioner appointed by the President of the i United States, and now witV the American ! army when the follcrvving articles Were agreed j upon: __ ~ . Art. 1. Hostilities shall iristariily arid abso lutely cease between the armies of the United | States Os America and the United Mexican States within thirty leagues of the capital of the latter State, to allow time to the commis sioner appointed by the United States and the commissioner to be appointed by the Mcxicrin Republic to negotiate. 2. This armistice shall continue so lorig as | the commissioners of the two Governments may be engaged on negotiations, or Until the commander of either of the said armies shall give the formal notice to the other of the ces- Sit loti of the armistice, and forty-eight hours after such notice. 3. lu the mean time neither army shall, Avithin thirty leagues of the city of Mexico, commence any iicav fortification or military Avork of offence or defence, or any thing to en large or strengthen any existing Avork or for tification of that character Within the said limits. 4. Neither army shall be reinforced within the same. Any reinforcements in trortps or mu riitions of war othet than subsistence nOAv ap proaching either army, shall be stopped at the distance of twenty-eight leagues from the city of Mexico. 5. Neither array, nor any detachmerit from it,- shall advance beyond the line it at present occupies. 6. Neither army, nor ririy detachrne'rit or in dividual of either, shall pass the neutral lim its established by the last article, except under flag of truce bearirtg the Correspondence be tAveen the two armies, or on the business au thorized by the next article; and individuals of either army who may chance to straggle within the neutral limits shall, by the opposite party, be kindly warned off, or sent back to their own armies under flags of truce. 7. The American army shall not, by vio lence, obstruct the passage, from the open country into the city of Mexico, of the ordi nary supplies of food necessary to the con sumption of its inhabitants or the Mexican ar my Avithin the city; nor shall the Mexican au thorities, civil or military, do any act to ob struct the passage of supplies from the city or the country needed by the American army. 8. All American prisoners of war remaining in the hands of the Mexican army, and not heretofore exchanged, shall immediately, or as soon as practicable, be restored to the Ameri can army, against a like number, having regard to rank, of Mexican prisoners captured by the American army. 9. All American citizens who were estab lished in the city of Mexico prior to the Avar, and who have been expelled from that city, shall be allowed to return to their respective business or families therein, without delay or molestation. 10. The better to enable the belligerent ar mies to execute these articles and to favor the great object of peace, it is further agreed be tAveen the parties, that any courier with des patches that either army shall desire to send along the line from the city of Mexico or its ! vicinity, to and from Vera Cruz, shall receive a safe conduct from the commander of the op posing army. 11. The administration of justice between Mexicans according to the general and State constitutions and Laws, by the local authori ties of the toAvns and places occupied by the American forces, shall not be obstructed in any manner. 12. Persons and property shall be respected in the toAvns and places occupied by the A merican forces. No person shall be molested in the exercise of his profession; nor shall the services of any one be required without his consent. In all cases Avhere services are vol untarily rendered, a j ust price shall be paid, and trade remain unmolested. 13. Those wounded prisoners who may de sire to remove to some more convenient place ! for the purpose of being cured of their wounds, shall be allowed to do so without molestation, they still remaining prisoners. 14. Those Mexican medical officers who may wish to attend the wounded, shall have the privilege of doing so if their services be re quired. 15. For the more perfect execution of this agreement, tAvo commissioners shall be ap pointed, one by each party, who in case of dis agreement shall appoint a third. j 16. This convention shall haA r e no force or j effect unless approved by their Excellencies, the commanders respectively of the tAvo ar mies, Avithin twenty-four hours, reckoning j from the 6th hour of the 23d dav of August, I 1847. * A. QUITMAN, Maj. Gen. U. S. A. PERSIFOR F. SMITH, Bvt. Brig. Gen. FRANKLIN PIERCE, Brig. Gen. U. S. A. IGNACIO DE MORA Y VILLAMIL. BENITO QUIJANO. A trite of the original; G. W. LAY, U. S. A., Military Secretary to the Gen.-in-Chief. [Uro,7i the Avmj Orleans Delta of the Bth inst.'] LATE AND IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO. Arrival of the Mary Kings!and, CorffHHa {{jn of Gen. Scott’s Victory —- Total De feat and Root of the Mexicans: The steamship Mary Kingsland arrived at an early hour this morning from Vera Cruz,bring ing the particulars of the glorious victory of Gen. Scott before the capital of Mexico —a con densed .Statement of Which Will bo found be lOAAV „ . ; On the 17th, the head of Gon. Worth's col umn arrived at San Augustin, the enemy shoAving himself in great numbers, b\it diking the attack on the ISththe column moved in the direction of Sari Antonio. Capt. Thorn ton, of the Dragoons, in protecting the En gineers in their reconnoisancc of. the’ fortifica tions of San Antorrior, Wris killed on the 18th. About 2 o'clock a heavy rain came on Avhich completely drenched the troops and stayed for the day the action of both armies. During the night of the 18th, Gen. Worth’s division, with a part of the Ist Brigade, occupied the hacienda of San Juan de Dios. On the 19th. Gen. Twiggs came up Avith the advancc,Oen. Smith’s light brigade advancing on the left, and Col. Riley’s to the right, sup ported by Capt. McGruder’s battery and Lieut. Cadwallader’s howitzers, which belong ed to the division of Gen. Pillow. The ene my opened his heavy batteries from Contre res, and the advancing troops of Gon. Smith’s brigade engaged the enemy’s infantry. These two brigades for more than one hour sustain ed the fire of 22 pieces of artillery, mostly of heavy calibre. They were finally compelled to retire, after sustaining a scA'ere loss in kill ed and Avounded. Gen. PilloAv had ordered Gen. Pierce’s brigade to the support of Col. Riley. At this stage of the proceedings, Avhile the battle Avas raging, the enemy ap peared on the left of the fort of Contrcres. and in rear of the village of Ensaldo, with a force of 12,000 men, under the immediate command of Santa Anna. The 15th infantry, under Col. Morgan, av.ts then ordered by Gen. Pilloav to the support of Smith’s and Riley's Brigades. About this time Gen. Scott came upon the ground, bring ing with himGen.Shields’brigade of volunteers. Avhich AA’as immediately ordered to the support of the force under Gen. CadAvalader. Gen. ; Twiggs, as night approached, finding it impos- j sible, from the nature of the ground, to reach his command, fell back to the position occu pied by Gen. Scott, and passed the night ex posed to the inclemency of the weather. Mc- Gruder’s and the hoAvitzcr battery being disa- | bled, and our left advancing on a road previ ously prepared by the enemy, thereby exposing our infantry to a distinctive fire as they ap proached. McGruder’s and the howitzer bat- ! terics Averi? ordered by Gen. Smith to open, to | attract the attention of the enemy, while he j made a rrtoAmment to the right, to try one of the efiemy’s flanks. After passing OA-er the broken arid irregular surface of ground, and crossing the deep ravines, he succeeded in reaching the village of Eilsaldo. Gen. Smith being tile ranking officer,Gen. Cadwalader re ported . to' ? hirit with four regiments of Gen. division. Col. llileyS brigade had crossed the ravine, and passed trtlvards Con freres, sifter a strong body.rtf the enemy, Avhich he ciro\ ; e off.* The eiiemy Avas moat drawn no into liile, above the village# dii the right of the fori. This wds d sfrorig positiori of tile eiiemy. Geri. Smith now ordered Gen. CadAfaladcr’s force to be draAvri up on the outer edge of the village facing the enemy’s heavy force on the left of the fort. After making the pfdpcr dis position of his forces, Gen. Smith flow deter mined to attack the enemy’s right, Avith Coh Riley on the left. Gen. Cadwalader, oil the right of the former, returned in echelon # but before the movement could be completed night approached—the enemy’s line could not be seen—therefore the order was countermanded, Gen. Cadwalader resuming his position on the outer side of the village. Col. Riley’s Brigade was formed in a long lane inside and parallel to the village, the Rifles on his left, and the 3d Infantry on the churchyard. “But now,” says our correspondent, “imagine the position of this portion of our army, numbering 3500, at the outside, Avithout artillery' or cavalry,- while the enemy in front and on the left had 18,000 (those in the fort said to be the best in Mexi co,) with 22 pieces of artillery, and among his trrops about 7000 cavalry. It was evident that some decisive action had to be taken; that some great effort had to be made; and Gen. Smith and Col. Riley, seconded as they were, were just the men competent to the task, and an at tack on the main work was determined upon, and the movement to take place at 3 o’clock of I the folioAving morning.” The force of General Smith was not strong enough to carry the enemy’s works, and at the same time to hold possession of the village: but fortune favors the brave; for while he was preparing for the attack, Gen. Shields report ed his near approach with the South Carolina ! and New York Volunteers. Gen. Shields, though outranking Gen. Smith, had too much magnanimity to assume the command, or to pluck the bright laurels about to be gathered by a brother soldier in carrying one of the en emy’s strongholds, and accordingly he moved -subject to the command of Gen. Smith. Gen. Shields’ brigade was then placed in the village of Ensaldo, to cut off the enemy's retreat from Contreres, or to take the reserve of the enemy j in flank, if he should change his front. At 3 o’clock on the morning of the 20th, the movement commenced, Avhich was so slow that daybreak appeared before the head of CadAvalader’s brigade commenced ascending the ravine at the rillage. As soon as Colonel ) ' Riley ascended the hill and came in full view of the enemy, they opened a severe fire on Riley's forces. ’ Our correspondent then continues —“Col. Riley threAV out his lavo advance divisions as skirmishers and said, ‘Now boys give them liell —close in Avith them, and let the bayonet do its work,’ and his command rushed down the slope with a yell and enthusiasm enough j to strike error to the heart of the boldest, I Avhile the rest of his command moved steadily forward as if they Avere all made of one piece. I The Sappers and Miners and Rifle regiment, Avhich had been thrown across a ravine inter- i vening betAveen the one they passed up, and under the brow of the slope Avhich Col. Riley | came down, from that position poured in a fire j which swept in front of Col. Riley's column, ! then inclining towards their left joined in the j attack of the troops outside of the left flank of the fort. Gen. Oadwalader followed the route taken by Col. Riley and as soon as his troops were forwarded moved on to his support. The first brigade, which was bringing up the rear, had been ordered to follow' the same route, but while it was on its march by the right flank up the ravine and nearly opposite the fort, Gen.' Smith ordered the brigade to face to the left and adr ance in line to attack the enemy’s force? in flank—this movement was executed in less time than it takes me to wTite It—they met tl « enemy outside of the fort just as Col. Rilev's brigade rushed into it—the enemy was com pie tel rerouted and commenced a precipitate retreat —their cavalry and infantry had been formed to receive the charge but were compell ed to give way to the bayonet—the rout wa» most complete, and the victory most decided: but while Riley’s brigade took possession of the work, and planted their colors upon it, the other force continued the pursuit down the road. The retreating force had to pass near where Gen Shields’ brigade was placed to in tercept them. They, however, were not aware ot it until they received the well-directed fire ot the South Carolina regiment, which mowed them down like grass before the scvthc.’ Ihe route and dispersion were now com plete. In the fort, were captured 22 pieces of artillery, an immense amount of munitions of war, and upwards of 1500 prisoners, among whom were several officers of high rank. The enemy left dead upon the field upwards of 700, which was buried; but his loss, says our cor respondent. Wi» much larger, as the Mexican# Avcre still burying theirdead two days after bat tle. Tire troops in> tile fort were commanded by Valencia, and those' outside by Santa Anna, j The two 6-pounders of Washington’s battery i taken on the field of K-acm Vista by the Mexi cans, were recaptured in this fort. The enemy were pursued to- Angel, he endeavored to make a stand at every point— they were finally compelled* to’ take refuge in Chumbasco. At Sap Angel, Gen. Pilknv as sumed the command, and when the troops ar rived at Calican, shortly after, Gen. Scott as sumed the command of the whole. The posi-* tion now occupied by th'c’crieiny (Chu'mbasco) i was a very strong one, ants it being the last stand the enemy could make in defence of the ; capital, he fought Avith desperation for more than tAvo hours, before the works were carried; Our loss at this point waif oVef 1000' men. Seven pieces of artillery and two stand of colors Avere captured; Gen. Rincon, Avith fOt officers, aWd tip wards of 1100 Uon-com missioned officers and privates, surrendered as prisoners of Avar. The Mexican loss in this engagement is si\fd to be 5000 in killed amt 1 wounded, and out of a force at 3Q,00'0 men. I there Avere but 6000 men left, the balance being killed, wounded, prisoners or totally j dispersed. 21 ugn 0 1 a, (Georgia. TUESDAY MORNING, SEPT. 14 FOR GOVERNOR HON. G. W. TOWNS. j OF TA 1.80 r. The Recent American Victories. We fill several columns of our paper with accounts of the recent brilliant operation* of our array near the city of Mexico. Two splcn-. did victories were achieved, Avhicli will vie in i lustre Avith the most brilliant of that unbroken ! series of triumphs which have crowned the American arms during the whole progress of | the war. Considering the immense odds against which our troop* oontoudochlhe rough ness of the ground on Avhich theA- had to ad i n i vancc, in the face of a finely appointed force, strongly entrenched with, a great quantity of artillery judiciously planted and skillfully served, it is astonishing that their valor anti impetuosity should have been able to triumph over such appalling obstacle*. But the cheer ! less bivouac of the night before, exposed %ts torrents of chilling rain seemed not to have’ weakened their energies or damped their ar dor. Ravines were passed, rough and jacked rocks Avere clambered over, and fortresses stormed in the most gallant style, in defiance of the sweeping fire of artillery and musketry and the American flag Avas planted upon thb enemy’s ramparts, within sight of the famous City of Mexico. The New Orleans Delta , from wlilch we take a condensed statement, gives an interesting detail of operations not found irt Che Picayune, This conveys a distinct idea of the greatness of the obstacles contended against, the disparity of the forces and the bril liancy of the triumph. The exploits of the brig ades of Gen. Smith and Col. Riley will vie with the most brilliant of the Avar. Wc had hoped to be enabled to announce the presence of our victorious troops, avithin the city of Mexico. The possession of the. Capital would have been a sure guarantee to us of peace —a peace con quered. But it does seem that the Mexicans should by this time be convinced that it is in the power of our arms to take their city and dictate our own terms. They may yet be warned in time, though at the eleventh hour, and accede to the propositions of peace that Mr. Trist is prepared to offer them. If they do not do so promptly, we hope that there will be no unnecessary delay in taking the city, declaring the country conquered and subject to the American arms, and ing a government de facto under the protec tion of the United States. Under such a gov ernment, a peace party might grow* up strong enough and stable enough to make a treaty and to maintain it. There is apparently no such party in Mexico now, and we have, wc confess, not very strong confidence in the per manence of any peace which may now be made with the political factions at present ruling in Mexico. Our Fallen Heroes. With the paeans of victory which will resound throughout our land for the late achievements near Mexico, must mingle the voices of lamentation. Many gallant spirits have gone to join the martyred heroes whose blood has stained the fields of Palo Alto, Re saca, Monterey, Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo. “They have fonght their last fight, they have won their last battle, . ts No sound shall awake them to glory again.’ But their names are hoav Avritteu in unfad ing colours upon one of the' brightest pages of their country’s history✓ Their memories wiu be sacredly cherished by every patriot heart, and the rising youth of our republic Avill be taught to speak their praises and emulate their deeds. Even the eyes of affection now daroAvn ed in tears at the untimely bereavement, will hereafter grow brighter, and beam with pride at reading the glowing narrative of the me morablo 20th of August, 1847. The heart