State journal & flag., 1846-06-19

main body was then organized, and body of artillery under Duncan, the sth Infan. try, under Belknap, and the Artillery Br
 gade, Coi. Childs, were thrown forward to the chaparal. Gen. Taylor then ordered lhe company wagons forwards, and ordered It. Churchill to throw up entrenchments where the main pack of wagons was then established, and place his Is pounders, and some long twelves, that were in the wagons. in tie works; and defend the train, should it be attacked.
 At this moment it was that the gallant Blake received the shot from the accidental discharge o. his pistol-ot which wound he died on lhe same day. In the death of Capt. Blake, the urmy sustained great loss. A more gallant and accomplished officer could not be found in our ranks.
 The wounded were carefully placed in wagons, and sent to Point Isabel.
 Nothing of consequence transpired for several hours, when a message arrived from Capt, Mccall, then four miles ahead of the main b dy, that he had been fired on from 6.pouader, on debouching from the chapar. al on to Jackass Prairie. This had no ef- feet on Gen. Taylor, other than to quicken his go ahead character; and he pushed on. On arriving at the edge of the prairie, no en. emy was 10 be seen. Capt. Mccall had en- tered the second chaparaI, and was about one mile ahead.
 But now the eventful moment was draw. ing nigh. and scarcely had we entered the second chaparal, when word came from the advance that the enemy were in force at Resaca de la Palma, and within five huns dred yards of the advance guard. Orders were immediately given to pack the wag. ons, and form the order of battle. The wag. ons were placed as designated in the ma and the Artillery Brigade, with Duncan's Battery, left to protect ihem.-Capt. Ker's squadron covering the extreme rear. The Sd, 4lh, 9th, and 9th Infantry, with Mays squadron. were posted along lhe road, with. in the chapara. Gen. Taylor then order- ed RidgeIy, with his battery, to forward and clear the way-Capt. Mccall and Smith to deploy on the right and left, as sklrmishers, until reinforced by the 5th and Sth. Ridge. ly waited not moment, but sta acled his bat tery ut full speed, determined 10 have no more iohS' SuooatuRs Dut tCSt tilC NCAtCdti HULL al al close quarters. As he charged, with one loud shout from his men, the Mexicans opened their artillery and muskelry (from B) upon him. On he went, until he halted pieces within one hundred yards of the mug. gle of the enemy's pieces, (at A.) and com. menced the action. Smith and Mccall soon deployed, and engaged the infantry. The fire from the Mexican guns was awful. The infantry were engaged within twenty paces of Ridgely's Battery, and the whole fire of their nine pieces concentrated on his battery. The first shot from the Mexican Battery knocked over one man and three horses at our first piece. The enemy fired too high, as on the day before. The 9th and sth In. fantry soon came up, deployed as skirmish> CTS, and look hand in the game-he space separating lhe two lines of infantry not ex. ceeding twenty paces. Our men and off cers seemed particularly determined to have close hug of the enemy, and so cool and collected were all hands, that not shot was thrown away. The command from one end of the line to the other was, not 10 fire until you could see the whites of their eyes.
 At this time no adequate idea can be had of the showers of grape. canister, and round shot that flew from lhe enemy's batteries il was perfect hail storm. Their battery, composed of nine pieces, kept up an inces. ant roar, whilst RiJgley gave it to them at the rate offour guns per minute from each piece. The cannoners threw off their coats tied their suspenders round their waists; rolled their sleeves to the shoulder, and piled the match increasingly. For twen- iy minutes this battery, supported by the 5.h and Sth, bore the concentrated fire of the enemy. As yet the enemy Judged not one inch, but soon the entering wedge was placed the 5lh and sth, under cover of our battery. tried the effect of cold steel, and whenever soldier missed the Mexican with his shot, he adsanced-as did the brave Mexican-and' whoever got the first stab at the other was the lucky man.
 A moment before this the enemy pressed Ridgely's battery very hard, the infantry covering his battery, in depIoyipg. got loo far al times from his pieces, and left them exposed. was requested by Ridgley to ride back and say 10 the General that they were pressing his pieces very hard, to send up some infantry. at once did so, and met the General riding along as though no. thing was going on. He replied to the mes- sage-"Oh, never mind He is doing very