The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-05-26

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Special Dispatches from the Scat Of War I
the New York Herald 0Mae.s : -
- PofSr IxAnE1. BxAsos BIZ sSASr1Auo,1
n.,,, Texas, May 10, 1886.
Il take the liberty OF enclosing you sketch of
the country from this Point 10 Fort Cross font
of Matamnras, (whsre lies the remainsof,our la
trnented Quarter Mister Gen: r. Cross. WHO was
[bsssly murdered by the Mexicans,) also, the bat
lie fields Of Gen. zs::".Tayior, on the sh and sth
lnStan1uo 4l4sa ~ ..,gi 'slS9G'stesi ~ i,w
I" Gen. with 2,eOo men, and 800 wagons, u
pieces artillery, Ieh this on tho 7th, with supplies
for Fort Cross, and to relieve Major Brown, who
was in command. hsmmed in by Msxicans in the
rear, antbombarded In 'front.' On the sth he met
the enemy about ten miles. from the fort, inme-
dately across his road--7 900 horse, foot, and IA
pieces Of artillery drawn up in battle array, their
front on the prairie. He Immediately formed for
attack, and marched on until near them; then
parked his train, and the attack began the part
Of the Msxisans et O'Clock, 2. NJ, and was .aon-
tinued- pnuLdaEk, when hoth armies rested On the
field. During tho babe, which was with artlle-
ny, the enemy made one chargewith 1900 cnva-
ry; and were rnanfdlly met by tho 9Th Infantry led
by Lieut.. Col. Mcintosh, which turned them and
then charged in return by It Duncan, COMPANY A,
Light Artillery, which moved them down. Our
loss IS II killed, 80 wounded--po officers amongst
the former-Capt. ]. Page, 4th infantry and Ma
jor Ringgod, severely, if not MORALLY, wounded !;
Lieut., j. f.. Blake, Typographical Engineer,
killed by accidental discharge Of his own pistol.
The enemey's loss wasverysevere--from5 500 to6OO
killed and wounded. Nextmorning at day break,
the two armies auere drawn out in battle array,
the chaparral (woods, without any further at
tempt. General Taylor after throwing up SOME
small protection for hswagon train, leftit in charge
ofCapeain G. H. Crossman, A. @, M, protected by
the armed teamsters, and Lieut.. Churchill, 81 ar
tilery, with two pieces Of artillery, and pursued
the road for the fort. Within three miles of the
fort he found tho enemy in position with the re-
mains Of his force. 5000. men, on the opposite
bank of deep gulley, or former bed of the Rio
Grande, all around dense chaparral; our force
now consisting of 1900 to 1900 commenced without
hesitation and after three hours. hard fight, scat
tered them with the Bosom of destruction-fying
in all directions to the wood and to the river.
Tho little army behaved like heroes. The enc
meys loss, in KILLED and wounded, on the field, is
1000 great many prisoners, among whom are
many officers, and the express says Generals
Arista and Ampudia amongst them-captured
ten pieces of artillery, great many pack mules,
horses and paunder of various descriptions. Our
loss 10 ssvero-70 Killed and wounded; amongst the
former are Lieut.. Col. Mcintosh, 9th infantry;
Lieut.. 1nge, 2drdragoons, and Lieut. Cochrane 9TH
infantry, are the only officers yet known as Kill
led, and Lieut. Col. M. M. Payne, 4th artillery, Sc
verely wounded. Major Brown, 7th infantry,
who was in command Of the fort, died the same
day, from wounds received from shell thrown
from Matamoras two days previous. The Mexi-
can army, which was formed of their veteran
troops-many of the old Federal army-has been
scattered and destroyed by handful of "the de-
generafe sons Of Washington" as General Mexi-
calls them in his proclamation. sr -,-e,r
Commodore Conner is off here with his fleet, and
has landed 500 men-marines and sailors--under
Captains Gregory and McClung, with the offer
Of 6O0 more, if necessary for protection Of This
point, or any other service. The officers and men,
are anxious 70 be led TO an enemy. ese,3
!. Who viii now stand forth and SANDER the army
and navy Factr gre far better than theories; only
show them an enemy, and we need not feel
afraid but what they will sustain the honor Of
their country. 80, r.r, Il ii s,r,ap -t.iH
/ Z. po1sr ISABEL, CTcxas,) May 18th, 1876.
wrote you on the 10Th, giving plan and has
" statement of the battles Of 9th and 9th. Last
evening Gen. Taylor returned othis post, and thus
we have full particulars Of the unheard OF bloody
battles fought between our handfal of men and
the Elite of the. Mexican forces The statements
forwarded you OF the first battle, are correct in
point, except the exact position Of the Mexican
forces, which were not 50 far advanced across the
prairie by one mile, as represented, the prairie be-
ing three miles wide. Our army, formed at the
point marked Wofth's Camp, from which they
advanced as the firing commenced. The num-
her ofmen in tho first battle is correct-n the Sc
cond, the enemy wcre reinforced by two regi-
ments of infantry and one of cavalry, making their
whole force, as near rs can be ascertaincd, 1000
men--our force 1900 70 l6oo-the battalion Of ar
tillery, and force detached for protection OF wa
gops, reducing the original number, 1000; to that
above stated. - 5gu
Credulity can hardly be stretched 10 the belief
that 1900 men Of that underrdlucd army should so
utterly discotnit and destroy sit times their num-
Der Of choice and veteran troops Of Mexico, who
stood up rnaifniy TO the point Of the Uayonet-a
thing. totally unexpected.,r The enemy behaved
calamity, and fought well. Their loss, as far as Dan
be discovered, their own men say,iss 200 Killed
All we know u.s. that the chapAfralis literally
strewed with dead, bodiesr-lS00 muskets were
picked up in the field, 500 pack mules captured,
also pieces Of artillery, with large quantity Of
munitions Of war, and great many prisoners,
amongst whom is one Of the seven generals that
were in the field--Gcn. Vega; the others fed and
swan the river. The COL -, Of the Tainpico
regiment, gallant fellow, with the flower Of the
army, were killed--in fact their whole army be-
hayed galantly, but yet could not withstand the
chars, Of our arms, borne by men who went into
it with rush, accompanied by shouts that struck
terror into their hearts. 1t would be invidious to
particularize regiments Of. officers, rs all have
done honor to themselves and their country >
Our loss in the last battle was 12o killed and
wounded, and only 45 OF the former, OF whom
Licuts. Inges, Gochfune and Jordan, 4th Infantry;