Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-07-04
Hattie ofPaio Alto and Resacs De La Pat
GEN TAYLoR's OFFICIAL REPORTS.

D.
H.Q. Army OF OCCUPATION,
Camp near Matamoras, May l6, ls48.
Sir: have now the honor to submit q more
detailed report of the action ofthe 9Th instant.
The main body Of the army Of occupation
marched, under my immediate orders. from
Point Isabel, on the evening Of the 7th Of May,
and bivouacked seven miles from that place.
Our march was resumed the follow ing morn.
ing. About noon, when our Advance Of caval.
ry had reached the water.hole Of .Palo Alto
the Mexican trsops were reported in our front,
end were soon discovered occupying the road in
force. ordered halt upon reaching the wa.
ter, with view to rest and refresh the men, and
form deliberately our line Of battle. The Mex.
icsn line was now plainly visible across the
prairie. and about three quarters ofa mile dis.
tsnt. Their leh, which was composed Of a
heavy force Of cavalry, occupied the road, rest.
ing upon thcket Of chappsrel. while masses Of
infantry were discovered in succession on the
right, greatly outnumbcrng our own force,
Our line Of battle was now formed in the FOL.
lowing order commencing on the extreme right:
9Th infantry, commanded BY Lieut.. Col. Mcln.
'osh; Major Ringgold's artillery; Sd infsn,ry.
commanded BY Capt. L. N. Morris; two ls.
penders, commanded by Lieut.. Churchill, Sd
artillery; 4th infantry, commanded BY Major
G. w. Allen; the Sd and 4th regiments, com.
posed the Sd brigade, under commsn nd Of Lieut..
COL Garlsnd and all the above corps, togeth.
er with two sqnadrons Of dragons under Cap.
tnins Ker and May. composed the right wing,
under the orders of Colonel Twigge. The left
was formed by the battalion of artillery com.
manded BY Li.ut Col. Chids, Capt. Duncan's
light artillery, and the 9Th infantry. under Capt.
Montgomery.-ali forming the LIST brigade, un.
der command Of Lieut.. Col. Belknsp. The
train was packed near the water. under direc.
ton Of Captains Crossman and Myers, and pro.
tected by Capt Kers squadron.
At2 o'clock we took up the march by heads
of columns in the direction Of the enemy-the
ls-pounder battery following the road. While
the columns were advancing, Lieut. Blake,
typographical engineer, volunteered 4 recon.
noisancs VI the enemy's line. which wss hand.
somely performed, end resulted in the discovery
Of at least two batteries Of artillery 10 the in.
tervals Of their cavalry and infantry. These
batteries were soon opened upon ~; when
ordered the columns halted and deployed into
line, and the fire to be returned by oil our artl.
lery. The 9Th infantry, on our extreme left,
was thrown back to secure that flank. The
first fires of the enemy did but little execution,
while our lS-pounders and Major Ringcold's .
artillery soon dispersed the cavalry, which
formed his left. Captain Duncan's battery.
thrown forward in advance of the line. WIS do.
ing good execution at this time. Capt. Mays
'qusdron was now detached TO support that bat.
terry. and the et of our position. The Mexi.
can cavalry, with two pieces of artillery. were
now reported to be moving through the chap.
parei to our right, 10 threaten that flank. OF
make demonstration against the train The
9Th infantry vac Immediately detached to check
this movement. end, supported BY Lieut.. Ridge.
". with section Of Major Ringgold's battery
and Capt Walkers volunteers, effec,uslly re-
pulsed the enemy-the 5th infantry repeiing Z
charge sf flsncers, and the artillery dsing gresl
execution in their ranks. The Sd infantry va,
now detached to the right a. still further se
curity 10 that flank yet threatened by the enc
my. Major Ringgold. with the remaining sec
tion, kept up his FIRE from an advanced position
and was supported by the 4th infantry.
The grass Of the prairie had been sccidently
fired by our artillery, and volumes Of smok,
now partially concealed the armies from escl
other. AZ the enemy's left had evidently beef
driven back and left the road tree a. the can
nonade had been suspended, ordered forwar,
the lS' FOUNDERS on the road nearly 10 the po
stion first occupied by the Mexican cavalry
and csused the LIST brigade to take ups new po
sition still on the left Of the ls FOUNDER ba,
terry. The 5th was advanced from its for,ne
position end occupied q point on the extrem
right Of the new line. The enemy made
change of position corresponding to our own
and after suspension Of nearly IN hour the &C
} ton was resumed.
The fire Of artillery was now most destrue
tive openings were constantly made throag
the snemy's ranks BY our fire, end the constat
+. cy With which the Mexican infantry sus,sine
. this severe cannonade YVES Q theme of remar
o and admiration. Capt. Nays squadron was d,
Q tschsd to make demonstration on the let ,
!. the enemy's position, and suffered severely froi
d the FIRE OF artillery TO which it wss for som
\ time exposed. The 4,h infantry, which hs
y been ordered to support the ls-pounder batter
= was exOosed In n most 0a liin0 e.. of sriilier,