The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-09-22

at a moments warning. During the day
muskets were placed in the hands of eve
~ man capable of bearing arms, and our
force numbered FIVE hundred and sixty
men and forty officers; thirty-two officers
and three hundred and forty-one rank and
file seventh infantry; three officers and
iorty-two rank and file of Capt. Lowd's
company; four officers and iorty-one rank
and file Of Lieut.. Bragg's company, six
dragoons. and one officer and ninety-two
rank and file of a detachment Of inefficient
men left from other regiments. OF this
number, nInety-hve were on the sick re-
port, seventy-seven being of the number
of inefficient men left from other regi-
ments, and the remainder of the five hun
dred and sixty were citizens and suffers,
twenty-five in number. This was the
strength of our force during the whole of
the bombardment, and ii has been truly
said that 1--WE were surrounded by as
many thousands as we had hundreds"
Revelle on the memorable morning of
the Sd found the gallant Brown at his
post. and, whilst giving an order to his
staff officer to have the the seventh infan-
try turned out to work on the de(ences,
( his attention was attracted to the first shot
fired by the enemy. With smile OF
JOY he turned to his staff officer and said:
"Sir, we have other work to do TO-DAY;
order the batteries manned; 90 10 the
right and see that every man is at his
post, | will 90 to the left" Lowd's bat
terry needed no order; it was already
manned, and each piece directed by an
officer Capt. Mansfield, our engineer,
having volunteered to aim the fourth
piece At this time it was observed that
the flag had been overlooked and not vet
raised, when Lieut.. Van Dorm volunteer
. ed to raise it; which was done under the
( fire of the enemy, which was drawn upon
( him. The work commenced, and, not
withstanding the fear entertained that the
aXles Of the old lS-pounders would not
stand ii, it was done, and well done.
The enemy's fire was opened on US
( from the nearest fort, called BY US the
''Sand-hag Battery" By The Mexicans
ia Fortine Redonda." This was COM
posed of one -pounderand two NOR
! tars, under the command of Captain Pas
samente, q Frenchman, whc.as he asserts
1 took up arms for hts adantnd oa~a.-'., ant
and for the protection of his family, but
who braveiy declined to follow the for
| tunes Of General Arista when he inglori-
ousIy fled from Matamoras. To the
/ skill Of Captain Passamcnte as an artil-
/ lerist we can all bear witness, as con-
stall; and weli-directed FIRE was kept up
/ from his battery until his eight-pounder
was dismounied by us. The enemv's
/ fire was commenced and continued with
nine pieces OF altiIiery-iour mortars. the
/ rest six and eight-pounder guns, throwing
! copper shot and shells. Bragg's battery
was now playing upon them well; and in
thirty minutes after our first fire 'La
Fortine Redonda' was abandoned, the
eight-pounder being dismounted, and the
shells from Bragg's battery having made
| itrather warm work for them at the NOR
/ ;ars a. this time Sergeant Weigart, OF
/ p company 7lh infantry. was killed by
/ a round shot. The eneny's was now
continued from tha batteries between La
( Forlina Redonda and the lower fort, [cal-
( led by the Nexicans La Fortine de la
/ Flecha, from La Foftine de Ia FIecha,
/ and the mortar battery in its vicinity
{ After siencing La Fortine Redonda, our
batteries continued deliberate fire on the
other batteries and the town until ten o.
/ clock, when the enemy ceased firing to
repair their batteries, the emhrasures OF
which were well torn to pieces. We
! were compelled 20 cease our fire, in CON
sequence Of the necessity Of using our
ammunition as sparingly as possible, the
/ fort having heen left with only one hun
+ drcd and fifty rounds of ammunition
/ canister, grape, aud round shot for each
/ eighteen-p0undcr, and the six-ponnder
Just as badly provided. Lieut., Bragg
was now ordered TO place his guns in
barbette in the several bastians for defence
one, under his own direction, placed in
the'basiian commanded by Captain Haw-
kins: one under Lieut.. Thomas. in the
bas;ion commanded by MalorSeawell;one
uRdcr the direction of Lieut.. REYNOLDS,
[ 10 the basu0n oil captain Mics; and the
other, under the direction of Lieut.. John
son. in the bastlon commanded by Capt.
Lee. In this condition we were sur
rounded, and without the means Of pre-
venting our enemy from placing his bat
teries almost wherever he pleased. and
using against US his immense supply Of
ammunition to every advantage. The
conduct of the officers and men Of Captain
Lowd's and Lieut.. Bragg's companies
during the -cannonade with their batteries
deserve high commentator, as they at
tracted the admiration of the whole COM
nland by the skilful management of their
gnns. From seven O'Clock on the lst
4 the seventh infantry was kept constantly
at work on the defences, though the enc
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