The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-13
DESPATCH OF GEN- ARIsTA

DESPATCH OF GEN. AllSIA
Yesterday we gave the soldierly, the laconic de-
spatch Of General Taylor to the War Department al
Washington, telling Of the battle Of Pao AltO-ths
battle Of the 9Th Of May. To-day we give the de-
spatch of Gen Arista to the Mexican Minister Of
War, giving his account Of the same acuon. They
are really worth readng-worth preserving, ~ con
nexion with one another. The one Is Characteristic
Of the man, Gen TaylOr,)-boId, unaffected, SEN
tenIlous; the other - as thoroughly Mexican as
rampant bravado and inflated bombast can make II
lie claims the victory Of the day but the result Of
the battle of the 9Th has shown that other such
victory was enough for him! 1t will be observed
that General Arsta races his own force down TO
three thousand, and magnlfes ours up TO the same
number or "a trae less " But We refer our read
ers TO the despatch; II will be that the general
was about to do something which would have COW
cred hu with glory, when the fall Of night put an
end 10 hOstIlItleS'
From the Bolsiin de Ia 6cisiOn del .NoTls, publish
ed at Matamoras on the llth Of May, we translate
the following official document relative 10 the battle
OF PalO Alto, on the 9Th ult.:
NoRrHERN DwsIOS
GsSERAL.E-CmET Constant IN my purpose OF
preventing General Taylor from cGecung a junction
botween the forces he was taking from Santa Isabel
and those which he efl a. the fortIhcatOns opposite
Matamoras, | set Off to-day from the Tanques de-
Ramireho, from which place | addressed to your
C1cellsncy my last despatch, and marched towards
Palo Alto as soon my spies Informed me that the
enemy had lef Santa lsebs determined To introduce
into their fortlfcauons ndmUcr Of wagons loaded
with provisions and aulllery.
| arrived opposite Palo Alto about one o'clock,
p m, and saw that the enemy was entering the
place With all the forces ! had, proceeded TO
form my line Of battle on large PLAIN a woody
elevation supporting my right flank, with quag'
mire on the eh difficult Of penetration. Scarcely
mad we fred our first gun when the second CON
mander-in-eh,ef, General Don Pedro Ampudla, ar.
rived as had warned him 10 JON me as soon as he
had we reinforced the several points which were
necessary to besege the enemy's troops that were
leh IN the furufcatIons opposite MatamOrss.
The forces under my command were 3,UOO men
and ~ pieces Of artillery; those Of the invaders
were 5000 men, or a trIhe less, and superior force
of artillery, as they numbered ~ pieces OF 10 and
Is FOUNDERS.
The battle commenced with such ardOr that the
firing of cannon did not fora moment, during
which the enemy endeayOred to follow their course
towards MalamOTaS, IN order to suspend the siege
Of their troops At the foruhcauon; and with such
object they set FIRE 10 shrubbery and grass, to
form opposite their line thick smoke, by which
they succeeded in hiding themselves from cur view,
but l., through necessary operations, defeated their
object on two different occasions.
Gen Taylor maintained his attack more az de-
tensIve than offensive one, using chiefly the best
part of his foroes-the artillery, protected by one
half Of his infantry and all his cavalry, preserving
the fortfy the turf distance Of about two
thousand yards from the battlefield
| vas ANXIOUS to make a charge on the enemy,
because the cannon balls raused great loss on our
files and ordered Gen. Don AnastasIo Torreion to
execute II with the greater part Of the cavalry, on
eft flank, in order to give The charge at the same
time with the infantry and the rest OF the cavalry,
on the right flank.
was waiting the moment in which Gen. Tore
Jon should commence the charge, and that the enc
my should begin to feel effect in order give the
impulse on the right; but the effort was checked by
couater-moyement OF portion Of the enemy s
force that defended marsh which prevented the at
tack.
Some OF our companies were impatient on account
Of the loss we had suffered, and they commenced 20
get out of ORDER asking that should give the com
mand TO advance at once, or retreat. AT such mo-
ment ordered a column Of cavalry under com
mand Of Col. Don Cayetano Montero to charge,
with the view that the parties thrown out of order
should resume their position, and IN all possible
manner march on the enemy, who, owing to the
great distance at which they stood. had time to fall
back on the reserve and night approaching fast the
battle ended, and we remained masters Of the field
After this result, every measure necessary to the
circumstances was taken, and our division encamped
on a more concentrated ground in the same battle.
field.
The combat was a long and bloody one, which
may be better explained by the calculation of the
ommander-in-chief of artillery, Genera Don Tomas
Requena, who assures me that the enemy fired over
1900 cannon shot from 2 to O'Clock, p. m Cat
which hour the battle terminated and our artillery
only fred about $50 shot.
Our arms supported with honor to the ma
ton, as we did not yield an inch of ground. Not
withstanding the superiority of the enemys artile
nv thew suffered great loss.
Our troops had the misfortune of losing 252 men
in this battle, among dead, wounded, and dispersed
Those that lost their lives in defence of the most
just and holy of causes, are worthy of a national
remembrance Of gratitude for their bravery and
valor
Your excellency will obge me by giving notice
with the foregoing account, to his excellency the
President, stating that will take to give full
and detailed despatch of this battle. and at the same
time recommend the valiant conduct of all the gen.
erals, chiefs, officers, and men that are under my
charge; for they sustained the bloody combat in a
manner which honors our nation and shows the
discipline and fine order Of our troops.
Please admit the assurances ofmy consideration
&c.
God and Liberty General quarters at Palo Alto
opposite the enemys camp, May 9Th, 1876, at II
o'clock, p. m.
MARIANA ARISTA.
To his Excelency
the MINISTER OF WAR AND MARINE.