The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-01 00:00:00

JUNE 1, 1847.

THE BATTLE OF CERRO GORDO.

(From the New Orleans Delta.)

We are indebted to Captain Hughes, of the Topo-
graphical Corps, for much valuable and interesting
information relating to the late glorious victory t.t
Cerra Gordo.

On the arrival of the other divisions of the army
at the encampment of General Twiggs, on the 16 ai
of A pril, General Scutt, after taking a reconnoissance
of the enemy's wo: its, determined to storm them.
The position occupied by the enemy was regarded lit
them as impregnable, and, truly, to any other thaii
Ameticm soldiers it must have appeared an insur-
mountable and imp.racticab'e undertaking to carry it
ley storm, or turn it by strategy.
The road from Vera Cruz, as it passes the Plan del
Rio, which is a wide rocky bed of a once large stream,
is commanded by a series of high cliffs, rising one
above the other, and extending several miles, all well
ortified. The road then debauches to the right, and
curving around the ridge passes over a high cliff,
which is completely cuffed by forts and batteries.
This ridge is the commencement of the Terra Tem-
plada, the upper or mountainous country—the right
flank of the position—and a series of most abrupt
and apparently impassable mountains and ridget
covered their left. Between these points, runs
ning a distance of two or three tidies, a suc
cession of strongly fortified forts bristled at every
turn, and seemed to defy all bravery and skill. The
Cerro Gordo commanded the road on a gentle decli-
nation like a glacis for nearly a mile. An approach
in that direction would have been the most entire an-
nihilatiOn of our army. But the enemy expected
such an attack, calculating upon the desperate valour
of our men, and believing that it was impossible to
turn their position to the right or left. General
Scott, however, with the eye of a skilful general, per-
ceived the trap set for him, and determined to avoid
it. He therefore had a road cut to the right, so as to
escape the front fire from the Cerro, and to turn his
position to the left flank. This movement was made
known to the enemy by a deserter from our camp,
and consequently a large increase of force under
General Vega was sent to the forts on their left.
General Scott, to cover his flank movements, on the
17th of April ordered forward General Twiggs
against the steep ascent in front and a little to the left
of the Cerro. Colonel Harney commanded this ex-
aedition, and at the head of the rifles and some de-
tachments of infantry and artillery carried this posi -
tion in front and near the enemy's strongest fortifica-
tions; and having, by incredible labour, elevated one
of our large guns to the top of the fort, General
Scott prepared to follow up his advantages. A de-
inonstration was made from this position against
another strong fort in the rear and near the Cerro, but
the enemy were considered too strong, and the un-
dertaking was abandoned. A like demonstration was
made by the enemy.
On the next day, the 18th, General Twiggs was
ordered forward from the position he had already
captured against the fort which commanded the Cerro.
Simultaneously an attack on the fortifications on the
enemy's left was to be made by General Shield's and
Worth's division, who moved in separate columns,
whilst General Pillow advanced against the strong
forts and difficult ascents on the right of the enemy's
position. The enemy, fully acquainted with General
Scott's intended movement, had thrown large bodies
of men into the various positions to be attacked. The
most serious enterprise was that of Twiggs, who ad-
vanced against the main fort that commanded the
Cerro. Nothing can be conceived more difficult than
this undertaking. The steep and rough character of
the ground, the constant fire of the enemy in front,
and the cross fire of the forts and batteries, which en-
filated our lines, made the duty assigned to General
Tvviggs one of surpassing difficulty. Nothing pre-
vented our men from being utterly destroyed but the
steepness of the ascent under which they could shel-
ter. But they sought no shelter, and onward rushed
against a hailstorm of balls and musket shot, led
by the gallant Harney, whose noble bearing eli-
cited the applause of the whole army. His
conspicuous and stalwart frame at the head of
the brigade, his long arm waving his men on to
the charge, his sturdy voice ringing above the clash
of arms and din of conflict, attracted the attention and
admiration alike of the enemy and the army. on,
on he led the columns, whose front lines melted before
the enemy's fire like snow flakes in a torrent, and
stayed not their course until, leaping over the rocky
barriers and bayoneting.their gunners, they drove the
enemy pell-mell from the front, delivering a deadly
fire into their ranks from their own guns as they
hastily retired. This was truly a gallant deed, worthy
0f the Chevalier Bayard of our army, as the intrepid
llarney is well styled. General Scott, between ..hone
and Colonel Harney there had existed some coolness,
rode up to the Colonel after this achievement and
remarked to him, " Colonel Harney, I cannot now
adequately express my admiration of your gallant
achievement; but at the proper time I shall take great
pleasure in thanking you in proper terms." Harney,
with the modesty of true valour, claimed the praise as
due to his officers and men. Thus did the division of
the gallant veteran Twiggs carry the main position
of the enemy, and occupy the fort which com-
manded the road. It was here the enemy received
their heaviest loss, and their general, Vasquez,
was killed. A little after, General Worth, having
by great exertions passed the steep and craggy
heights on the enemy's left, summoned a strong fort
on the rear of the Cerro to surrender. This fort was
manned by a large force under General Pinzon, a
mulatto officer of considerable ability and courage,
who, seeing the Cerro carried, thought prudent to
surrender, which he did with all his force. General
Shields was not so fortunate in the battery which he
attacked, and which was commanded by General La
Vega. A heavy fire was opened on him, under which
the fort was carried with some loss by the gallant
Illinoisians, under Baker and Bennett, supported by
the New Yorkers, under Burnett. Among those
who fell under this fire was the gallant general, who
received a grape shot through his lungs, by which he
was completely paralysed, and at the last accounts
was in a lingering state. On the enemy's right Ge-
neral Pillow commenced the attack against the strong
forts near the river. The Tennesseans, under Has-
kill, led the column, and the other volunteer regiments
followed. The column unexpectedly encountered a
heavy fire from a masked battery, by which Haskill's
regiment was nearly cut to pieces, and the other vo-
lunteer regiments were severely handled. General
Pillow withdrew his men and was preparing for ano-
ther attack when, the oparations at the other points
having proved successful, the enemy concluded to sur-
render.
Thus the victory was complete, and four generals
and about 6,000 men were taken prisoners by our
army, and one of their principal generals and a large
number of other officers killed. The Mexican force
on this occasion certainly exceeded our own. The
Mexicati officers admitted that Santa Anna had
had 8,000 men in the lines, and 6,000, including
2,000 lancers, outside of the entrenchments. General
Scott's force was about 8,000, General Quitman's
brigade not having arrived in time to take part in the
engagement. General Ampudia was second in com-
mand of the Mexicans and superintended the opera-
ions of the enemy. When the Cerro was carried he

was seen retreating on a fine white charger, his hat
falling off as he galloped away. Many of the Mexi-
cans escaped by a bye path which funs off from the

- --- ------
main road roaa between the Cerro and the fort carried by
General Worth. As to Santa Anna and Canalizo,
they retreated in time to escape by the main road.
Their conduct is regarded as most cowardly.
Some
of the Mexican officers who were taken p risonersdo
not hesitate to attribute their defeat to the cowardice of
Santa Anna. The force of the enemy was composed
of their best soldiers. The infantry that fought so well
at Buena Vista, all the regular artillerists of the Re-
public, including several able naval officers, were present.
Some of the officers whom General Scott rsleased at
the capitulation of Vera Cruz, without extorting the
parole on account of their gallantry, were found among
the killed and wounded. A gallant young officer,
named Halzinger, a German by birth, who extorted
the admiration of our army in the bombardment of
Vera Cruz by seizing a flag which was cut down by
our balls and holding it up in his hands until a staff
could be prepared, had been released by General
Scott without a parole. He was found among the
desperately wounded at Cerro Gordo. The enemy's
loss (in killed and wounded) was about as large as our
own; but in addition to this the loss of some 6,000
prisoners and some of their best officers. Our army
captured about 30 pieces of beautiful brass cannon of
large calibre and mostly manufactured at the Royal
Foundry of Seville. A large quantity of fixed am-
munition of very superior quality was also taken.
The private baggage and money chest of Santa Anna,
containing 20,000 dollars, was also captured. The
latter was delivered over to the Pay department. The
volunteers who were employed in carrying the specie
into camp cracked many a joke over the prospect of
being so soon paid off in Mexican coin and free of ex
pence to Uncle Sam.
When our forces had carried the various positions
of the enemy and the road was cleared, General
Ti,viggs started in hot pursuit of the fugitive Santa
pressed close upon his heels. A strong
Anna, and
position, five miles west of Cerro Gordo, fortified
and defended by a battery of long brass guns, was
abandoned by the enemy and occupied by our troops.

PRICE; 5-Ti?.

' General Twiggs bivouacked within three miles of the
lovely town of Jala: a.
In c,includiog our imperfect sketch of this brilliant
achievement, we cannot sufficiently express our ad-
miration of the extraordinary deeds of our gallant,
army and ably General. Scarcely a month ha;
elapsed since our troops under Scott landed on the
enemy's shores. In that time a strong walled city
has been captured, together with an irr,pregtiabl,'
fortress ; a pitched battle has been fought under
most unfavourable circumstances and azait 111.,
most formidable natural defences ; 12,000 prison ert
have been taken, including so:11,, half a d.,z,,n
officers; 500 splendid cannon and an immense amount
of munitions of war have been added to the nation:-!
trophies. Truly, such results are glorious 'testi-
monials of the valour of our so'diers, and the pers—
verance of the as onoli•=h,-d GPiieral wly) I,ql them.

LOSS OE THE SPLEADiII SIEAMER, AM-
BASSADOR BY FIRE ON THE .61ISSIt,-
SIPPL

The St. Louis Republican furnishes thq followinz
particulars of the burning of the steamer Ambas.
sador

" The boat, on her passage to New Orleans, vet:lnd.-if
at Carroll's Island, just below Jefferson Barracks.
lay in that position until April 26, four o'clock, when,
with the assistance of the Tobacco Plant, and Edo,
taking out a great portion of lit r cargo, she was re-
lieved, and proceeded to take in her cargo.
" Her freight consisted of corn, wheat, some 300
or 400 bales of hemp, and a quantity of flour. Th-i
continued to take in cargo at night, and abut ten o'clock
a candle fell from its place and immediately commale
cated to a bale of hemp in the held. Great efforts w,v,
made to stop the progress of the fire, but the wer- ui
availing.
"Meanwhile the officers of the Tobacco Plant, winch
waS alongside, rendered all the assistance possible in
removing the furniture -of the burning boat, while the
flames were confined below.- _
" Finding all efforts fruitless, the magnificent steamer
was cut adrift, and soon was a mass of flame: Sbe
again grounded near the place of the first disaster, are
there burned to near the water's edge.
" It is estimated that about 5,000 sacks of grain wer,
still on shore, and the Tobacco Plant had some 200 bsh
of hemp on her deck. The cattle on the guards of the
boat all escaped, and made their way to the shore.
" Still as the boat was very heavily freighted—pro
bably to the extent of 700 or 800 tons—the loss of cargo
must be very great. The loss of the boat is equally
severe. She was a splendid vessel, finished as &passenger
boat, and intended for the cotton trade.
" She was worth, it is supposed, 20,000 dollars, ar,?
there was insurance only to the amount of 8,000 dollars
Captain Brenham was the principal, if not the sole owner.
" We cannot hear of the loss of any lives, but the deck
passengers, of whom there were a- great many, lost
everything which they possessed. They were taken on
board the Tobacco Plant, and brought to this city, and
yet remain on her."