Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-10-15

sheet Of paper o. my knee, for want Of desk.
But have no time for extra rernarks--as
chance offers to send you the news, and must
hurry TO give you glance at what has been
done here before the express goes of. On the
morning Of the 2ist, Col. CHrLps, of the artil-
lery battalion, with three Of his companies
one commanded by Capt VlsToN, another by
Capt. j. b. ScoTT, and the third by Lieut.
AREs,--and three companies OF the 9Th lnfan
try--company A commanded BY Lieut. LONG
STREET and Lieut.. WAIswRIGHT b company,
Lieut. HOLLOWAY, commanding, and Lieut.
MERCHANT; E company, Capt ScRvNER
and Lieut. MoNTGoMERv--was ordered to take
the summit of Palace Hill
The Colonel left the camp at o'clock, A..
NJ, and climbed up the mountain through the
chapparral and up the steep rocks, with such
secrecy that at day-break he was within one
hundred yards Of the breast work Of sand bags
before he was discovered. The Mexicans pour
ed their musketry into them, but they rushed
s,p the precipice and soon had the place
Three Of the artilierey men, having rushed
ahead too fast, found themselves in the hands
Of the Mexicans. They surrendered /: the
Mexicans took their muskets and shot them
down with the very pieces they had given up.
saw the poor fellows lying there.
have but few moments left to write in,
and must therefore defer the particulars of
the storming Of the palace until have more
time. Col. STAMFORD went up at daylight
with the balance OF the 9Th, and Maj. ScoTr
led up the 9Th. The Louisiana boys were on
the hill with the 9Th. al 8 O'Clock, A. NJ
One of DuNcAN's howitzers, in charge Of Lit.
RowL.Sp, was dragged up, rather lifted up.
and opened on the palace, which was filed
Hhn cbar 81
howitzers, but were driven back A constant
firing was kept up for several hours particu-
larlv by BLANcHARp's men, who left dozen
Mexicans on the hill side. At length charge
was ordered, and our men rushed down upon
the palace, entered hole in the door that had
been blocked up but opened by the howitzer,
and soon cleared the work Of the few Mexi-
cans who remained.
Lieut.. AYREs was the lucky one who first
reached the halyards and lowered the flag
One l8 pound brass piece, beautiful article,
manufactured in Liverpool in 1912, and short
brass IL pound howitzer, were captured, with
A large quantity of ammunition, and some
muskets and lances. The fort adjoining the
palace walls is not completed, but is very neat
" built The killed on our side, in taking the
palace, was seven-wounded, twelve. Lieut..
WAINwRIGHT was wounded in the arm and
side by musket ball, but will soon recover it is
hoped. MIR. JOHN FRANCIS, o. New Orleans,
belonging To BLANcAaRD's company. was Kill
led. will give full account OF this affair at
another time.
Col. CHLDs. Capt vINroN, Capt. BLAS-
cHARp, Lieut.. LoNGsTREET, Lieut.. CLARK,
adj of the Sth) Lieut. AYREs, Lieut. Nc
Gown, and the two NICHOLS seem to have
been the heroes of the day. The two latter
did the thing up brown" and not only Judge
NICHOLS, but old Louisiana may well be
proud of such sons The Mexicans lost at
least so kiled-2l had been buried this morn
ing, and have seen number lying on the
hill side, that were not discovered by our men
when they brought in the dead.
Yesterday morning the whole Division I'M
der Gen. WORTH entered the town on this
side, and have been fighting there ever since.
The heart Of the city is nothing but one fortf-
cation, the thick walls being pierced for mus
kets, and cannon being placed so as TO rake
the principal streets. The roofs being fiat, and
the front walls rising three or four feet above
the roof, of course every street has line OF
breasi-works on each side. A ten inch NOR
tar came around from Gen. TAYLOR last eve
ming, and it is now placed in the largest pla-
"a, to which our troops have fought step by
step, and from house to house. DUNcAN's
batteries are in town, and the present impress
sion is that the place will soon be taken.
Gen. WORTH has gained all the strongholds
that command the city, and has pushed the
enemy as far as they can go without falling
into Gen. TAYLoR's hands on the other side of
the city All this has been done with the loss
Of only about 70 killed and wounded! The
achievement, is glorious one-sufhciently so
10 satisfy the ambition of any man on earth. |
was expecting to see Gen. WORTH rushing his
men into unnecessary danger in order to win
for them and himself great military fame, but
his conduct has been very different from this.
His great study has been to gain these COM
handing points with the least possible sacrifice
Of life. At first it seemed totally impossible TO
storm these heights--it looked like charging
upon the clouds-but il has been done. The
Bishops palace, whirh is as strong as it has
been represented to be, has been stormed and
taken by our brave soldiers. | should have
stated that Col HAYS. with body ofhis troops,
and Captains GILLESPIE and McCULLocH
were at the taking Of the palace. Capt. GIL
LEsPTE was mortality wounded, and died yes
,erday morning regretted by the whole army.
cannot keep up, at all, with the Rangers.
Their services have been invaluable to Gen.
TAYLOR, from the commencement of the cam
palgn. They fight with all the steadlness OF
old soldlers-and are constantly on the move.
The country owes them much for their noble
conduct ! say nothing. as yet, about Gen.
TMLoR's proceedings on the other side OF the
town, because the information have received
not well authenticated. Mr.. KENDALL and
have come out with this division, neither
knowing that the other was coming with il,
until ii was too late TO return, and there IS no
communication between the divisions except
/ by armed bodies of men. The general has,
however. taken three batteries near the town
on the other side, in doing which he has lost
about 800 killed and wounded! do notkno
the exact number killed, but will be able to as
certain before this letter goes-and will try TO
give other particulars.
Gen. TAYLOR has arrived at Gen. WoRTH's
headquarters to-day, and is now engaged IN
@wn with AMpUDIA's messengers considering
The enemy's proposals for surrenderng the
town and the large fort on the north east side
Oh IL. That fort is very strong, and is believed
70 contain at least twenty guns. Hostlllies
nave ceased until the conference shall be con-
Guided. There must be an immense quantity
Of property in town, particularly arms and
ammunition
should have mentioned that the I'd divi-
son marched from camp with only two days
l4Nglons, and no tents. A large majority OF the
II trl.I a