Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-06-24
From the Washington Union.
DISPATCHES FROM
THE ARMY OF MEXICO.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF OCCUPATION,
Camp near Matamoros. May l6, 1916
Sir:-I have now The honor TO submal
more detailed repor, of the action Of rha
Sth inst.
The main body Of The army of occupa'
lion marched under my immediate orders.
from Point Isabel, on The evening of the
7h of May, aud bivoucked seven miles
from that place
Our march was resumed the following
morning, About noon. when our advance
n cavalry had reached the waller hole OF
"Pao AIlo," The Mexican troops were re-
ported in oar front. and were soon discov.
cred occupying the road in force. | or
dered halt upon reaching the water,
with view to resi- and refresh the men,
and firm deliberately our line of bali'e.
The Mexican line was now plainly visible
across the prairie, and abont three quar-
,ers of mile distuu,. Their left. which
was composed of heavy force OF caval'
ry, occupied the road, resting upon thick
Ell OF chapparaI. while masses of infantry
were discovered in ouccession on the right,
greatly cutunmbering DOR own force.
Our line of balele was now formed in
the following order, commencing on the
extreme right: 5Ih infantry, commanded
by Lieut.. Col. McIu,osh Major Ring.
COLDS artillery; 3l infantry. commanded
hy Captain N. 7. Morris; two Is pound.
ers, Commanded By Lieut.. Churchill, 3d
artillery; 4lh infantry. commanded by
Major q w. Allen; the 3d and 4Ih resi'
menrs. composed lhe 81 brigade under
command OF Lieut.. Col. Garland; and
all the abnve corps, ,ngebcr with two
squadrons Of dragons under Caps. ker
aud May, composed the right wing. under
The orders of Col. TwIsss. The left was
formed by the battalion Of artillery com
manicd by Lieut.. Col. ChiIds. Captain
Dnncaa's ight artillery, and The 9th inIan-
;ry. under Captain Montgomery, all form
ins the lst brigade. under command of
Lien'. Col. BrInap. The train was pack
ell near The water. under direction of cap
:aina Crpsma and Myers, and projected
by captain Ker's squadron.
"a, 2 e'eIock ;eMe took up ihsss march by
headi Of: cOsGa7fis. IN The directions of The
enemy-the l6'pounder battery following
the Ioaj. While the columns were al
yancing. Lieut. Blake. typographical ell:
ginee,. volunteered Il reconnaissance Of
the enemy's line. which was handsomely
performed and resulted in the discovery
of ut least Two batteries Of artillery in the
intervals of their cavalry and infantry
rhrsc bameries were soon opened rpon
US; when ordered Ihe columns hailed
aud depIoyed into line. and the fire to be
returned by all our artillery. The 9Th in
fanlry, on our extreme left, was thrown
hack To secure Thar funk. The first fires
of The enemy did Iitle execution while
our IS nnIuders and Major Ringsold's
artillery snnn dispersed the cavalry, which
formed his left Captain Duucan's bate
ry, thrown forward IN advance ofrhe line,
wos doing good execution at This time
Can. Mays squadron was now detached
10 suppun that battery, and the left OF our
posiion. The M"xrcau cavalry, with 'wo
piece, Of arilIrry. were now reported 10
be moving through the chapparal to our
r,ghr, TO threaten thai flank, or make de-
Eionsiration against the tram. The 5th
infantry was inn ediately detached TO
check tIl,s movement, and, supported by
1t Ridgely, with a sectinn of Mnjor
EiusgoId's baIery and Capt. Walkers
company voIuu GERS ellec,ual y repulsed
the rnemy-the 5Ih infantry repelIins a
charge of lanrers, and The artillery doing
great execurinn in their ranks. The 3 |
infantry was now ctached to The right as
a still further security To thai flank. yet
threatened by the enemy. Maj. RiuggoId.
with ,he remaining section. kept up his
fire from an advanced position and was
supported by the 4th infantry.
The grass Of. the prairie had been acc!-
Genlally fired .by Our artillery, and The vo,
Iunes VI s,nukc now partially concealed
The armies from each nther.. AS the ene'
my's left had evidently been driven back
and left the road free as the cannonade
had been suspended. ordered forward
lhe S-poundrrs 90 the road nearly TO the
position first occupied by The Mexican ca:
valry. and caused The Isl brigade to take
ND a new pusition still on The left of the
Is pounder battery. The 5,h was advan.
ceJ from its former position and occupied
point on the extreme right of the new
line. The enemy made change of po'
silon corresponding to our own, and aitel
suspension of nearly au hour the actor
was resumed.
The fire of artillery was now most de
slruclive-openInss were constantly made
through the enemy's ranks by our FIRE, ant
the constaucy with which the Mexican 10
fantry sustained this severe cannonad
was a theme Of universal remark and ad
uiration. Capr. Mays squadron was dc
,sched 10 make demonstration on TIT
left Of the enemy's positinn. and suffered
severely from The FIRE of artillery TO whicl
it was for some time exposed. The Al
infantry which had been ordered to sup
port rile Is FOUNDER battery. was expose'
ie most CALLING fire of artillery, by whic
several men were killed and Capt. Pag
J,noarouslr wounded. The enemy's fir