The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-12-18
runulrrln OF aALIrliO.


TaE tElTglE or sALTEIIO.
/ The oath Of October last, was the
sixth anniversary Of the battle OF
Saltillo, a battle which took place
during the struggles Of Texas lor
liberty. The New Orleans Bulletin
has been furnished with the follow
ing description of the battle, by Lam
celot AbJotS, Of New Orleans, who
participated in the fight:
THAT division Of the Federal ar
my which was under the immediate
command Of Don Juan Nepumoceno
/ Molano, was COMPOSED Of about ITO
. MeXcans and III Texans and was
tic first to cross the Rio Grandc.
Col. Jordan commanded the TeXaa
portion Of the diyision.-From Ca
mar-o they marched, to China, TO
. P,ion, to Liaares, and other pieces
in the route, to Victoria, the capital
Of the State Of Tamauiipas.-Thcrc
they remained one week, during
which time the citizens pronounced
in favor Of the Federal cause. The
officers ofthe State government were
elected and new ones installed. From
Victoria they marched TO SaltiIlo.
On the evening Of the 22d Of Octo-
bcr. they cncampcd within six miles
Of that city, and on the following
morning tool; up the line Of march
for Wien within two miles of
the city, tie enemy was discovered
about one mile distant, formed in or
der Of battle. A.halt was comman-
ded. 4 party took place between
Gen. Montoya and Molano. They
entered into stipulations, and Mola-
no returned, and informed us that
the stipuldtions were to the effect
that we should have possession Of
the city, be supplied with six days
rations, and have sixty thousand do
lars raised TO pay our men. Monto-
va observed that it was necessary to
obtain the assent of the Governor,
then in town, and after waiting some
time for this, Molano and he again
held a parley, midway between the
two armies.-Moiano expressed Il
desire to advance alone to hold the
| parley; but two officers insisted up
on accompanying him. While the
I parley was going on party of the
cnemy'S advanced and took Molano
as it was by suIprise--a prisoner,
but subsequently it became known
that he had been in correspondence
for several months with AriSta, and
all along designed betraying US into
the hands Of the enemy. The two
officers who accompanied Molano
escaped, and as the advance Of the
cavalry was perceived, the Texans
marched TO the entrance of the Pass
| (Paso CaTeta) which leads to Mon
tcrey. Here they dismountcd, put
ting their horses in on enclosure,
and now the battle commenced,
The Federal McXicans were to
fight as cavalry, for which purpose
they separated from the Texans /;
and went about two hundred yards
from them. Col, Lopez, who sue
ceedcd Molano in command harran-
gued his men,-reprcSented to them
, the folly of resistance, and invited
them to Join the Centralists, and as
sist in killing the Texans. Lopez
and two other officers were all that
went over to the ranks of the enemy
they were fired upon by their own
men, which was returned by a vol
| ley of musk try from the enemy.
Thus betrayed and deserted by their
own officers, they instantly wheeled
and fed in disorder, leaving the one
hundred and ten Texans TO maintain
the unequal combat against one thou
sand and FIVE hundred Of the enemy,
which they did until night put an
end to the conflict. The enemy had
| two pieces of ordnance-thc Texans
none! Twice did the McXicans
1 charge, and twice were they rcpul-
scd,
CAT night the Texans commenced
a retreat. After crossing q noun
tain, a halt was ordered for those in
the rear to come mp. At this mo-
ment the cavalry orthc enemy, which
had been sent round the mountain
TO cut off our retreat, blew a charge.
Col. Jordan cried aloud, Halt ! and
return their fire. Fire at the fash
Of their guns. Shoot low In ten
minutes they were routed. Not less
than four hundred and ten of the en-
envy were left dead on the field, in
which number was included their
commander, Senior Nasquez, and
nearly one hundred mortally wound