# Complete history of the late Mexican war/Naval battles

Layout 4
Table of Contents
NAVAL BATTLES.
During this time, the navy was engaged in blockading Mexican ports. The brig Truxton, commanded by Commander Carpenter, was run aground on the 15th of August on the bar off Tuspan, and deserted. Lieut. Hunter, with a boat's crew, reached a vessel of the squadron, and the other officers and men surrendered to the enemy. They were afterwards exchanged for General La Vega and other Mexican officers. It was impossible to save the vessel and she was burned. An attempt had been made to capture Alvarado, and failed as the vessels could not cross the bar. Oct. 15th, another attempt was made by the steamers Vixen and Mc'Lane, three gun-boats. Schooners Nonata and Forward, and steamer Mississippi, Commander, Perry. The whole commanded b Commodore Connor. There was a battery ​at the mouth of the river, mounting seven guns. The first division consisting of the Reefer and Bonita, towed by the Vixen, crossed the bar and engaged with the battery. The second division consisted of the Nonata Forward and Petrel, towed by the Mc'Lane. The steamer run aground, and the others could not be towed over. Commodore Connor thought it would be useless to go forward with one division and retired. Oct. 16th. Commodore Perry sailed to attack: Tobasco with the Vixen, Capt. Sands, schooners Bonita, Berham. Reefer, Sterret, Nonata, and Hazard, schooner Forward, Capt. Nones, and steamer Mc'Lane, Capt. Howard. Capt. Forest had a command of about 200 marines and sailors. He crossed the bar Oct. 23rd, and took, withuot resistance, Frontera, capturing two steamers, and all the vessels in port. Tobasco is seventy-four miles up the river from Frontera. Our forces reached Fort Aceachappa, commanding a difficult pass in the river, Oct. 25th, and spiked the cannon, the enemy having left the fort. The vessels were all before Tobasco on the same day, about noon. The town was summoned to surrender, but it refused. The boats soon captured five merchant vessels. The vessels fired upon the town, and Capt. Forest, with his command was ordered to advance into the city. There was a sharp engagement, and the command were ordered back at night. At the desire of the foreign merchants the town was spared. On the 26th they left with their prizes. One, under Lieut. Parker, grounded and was fired upon, but Parker defended it and got the vessel off, with one man killed and two wounded. Lieutenant Morris was wounded in carrying a message to Lieut. Parker, and died November 1st.
This expedition captured two steamers and seven vessels. Nov. 12th, Commodore Connor sailed for Tampico, with a considerable part of the squadron, and on the 14fh the city ​surrendered unconditionally, without opposition. Nov. 20th Lieutenant Parker with Midshipman Rodgers, and Hynson at night with a small boat, and crew of six men, rowed in under the guns of San Juan d'Ullao, and burned the bark Creole, anchored there. This was very daring and brave. Midshipman Rodgers, Doct. J, W. Wright, and J. G. Fox, went ashore to reconnoitre one of the enemies magazines, in order to destroy it. After they had gone a little distance from the boat they were surrounded by seven Mexicans. Dr. Wright escaped, but the other two were taken prisoners.
The last of August 1846, by order of the President, Brigadier General J. E. Wool concentrated an army (called the "Central Division Army of Mexico") in Texas, for the purpose of moving against Chihuahua, the capital of the state of the same name. The command was composed of the 1st Illinois, Colonel Hardin, 2nd Illinois, Col. Bissell; six companies of Arkansas mounnted men, Col. Yell, a company of Kentucky volunteers under Capt. Williams; two companies of 1st dragoons, Capt. Steen; two companies 2d dragoons, Major Beall; three companies of 6th Infantry, Major Bonneville, and Capt. Washington's company of horse artillery, in all 2,829. The first column moved from San Antonio Sept. 26th, commanded by Colonel Harney, and the second column marched Oct. 14th, under Col. Churchill.
Oct. 29th, the command arrived at Monclora, and took possession without resistance. Here General Wool decided to go no farther towards Chihuahua.
The command from Monterey moved on towards San Luis Potosi. It was reported that Santa Anna was advancing upon Saltillo and a part of our forces returned, Dec. 18th. to Monterey and found that the alarm was false.
At this time Salas Was president of the Mexican Congress ​and had, in his message, recommended a vigorous prosecution of the war.
Dec. 31st, the rear guard of Colonel May, in passing from Labadores to Linares, was attacked by the enemy and cut off together with the baggage train.
General Quitman took possession of Victoria on the 30th without resistance.
Just beyond San Pedro, on the way to San Luis Potosi, when our men were passing through a defile with high mountains each side, a mine was sprung and showers of stones thrown down among us while we were fired upon from the other side. The arrieros deserted their mules and the rear guard, consisting of eleven men, fled. Colonel May dismounted twenty men and went through the pass. Only an occasional shot was fired at them. Eleven men, twelve horses and all the baggage were lost. At Tula, one hundred and fifty miles from Victoria, towards San Luis Potosi, Generals Valencia and Urea, had concentrated, as was reported, Jan. 6th, a large force.
The order was issued January 12th, 1847, to proceed to Tampico. We set out on the 13th. As General Taylor was about starting, he received orders from General Scott to send his whole command, excepting two batteries of light artillery, and squadron of dragoons, to Tampico, where Scott would meet them about the first of February. General Taylor was ordered to return to Monterey and remain on the defensive. He left immediately, taking, in addition to the above named forces, the 1st Mississippi regiment. Thus Taylor was deprived of almost all of his regulars, which blasted all of his hopes in reference to advancing upon San Luis Potosi.
Upon parting with his old veteran soldiers. General Taylor said: ​"It is with deep sensibility that the commanding general finds himself separated from the troops he so long commanded. To those corps, regular and volunteer, who have shared with him the active services of the field, he feels the attachment due such associations; while to those making their first campaign, he must express his regret that he can not participate with them in its eventful scenes. To all, both officers and men, he extends his heartfelt wishes for their continued success and happiness, confident that their achievements on another theatre will redound to the credit of their country and its arms."
General Scott reached the Brasos, Dec. 28th, 1846 and took the command of the army. Gen. Worth was ordered to move, with all the regulars, excepting Washington's, Wehster's, Sherman's and Bragg's batteries, to Point Isabel.
The force that set out for Tampico, Jan. 13, arrived on the 23rd. General Taylor and his command, arrived at Monterey on his return from Victoria, the last of Jan. 1847. General Wool had established a camp at the rancho. Taylor kept possession of Saltillo and the strong passes in advance of it, and stationed his forces, at these points.
Jan. 22, a scouting party, under Major Borland and Gaines, the former of the Arkansas and the latter of the Kentucky cavalry, were surrounded by General Minon with three thousand men, and captured, sixty miles from Saltillo. Our men numbered sixty-four privates and six officers and they were immediately marched off to Mexico. This capture exhibited great carelessness in the officers. Capt Henrie, a Texan Volunteer, escaped and reached Saltillo in safety.
Jan. 27th Capt Heady with seventeen Kentucky volunteers was captured by the enemy, while on a scouting party, without any resistance.