Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-11-05

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canitulated this city on the 24fh inst. Oui
i. loss in killed and wounded. has been extreme
" severe, not less than 500, amongst whom
arc some Of the most valuable officers Of the
regular army as well as volunteers.
The lst Regiment of Tennessee volunteers,
! commanded by Col. CAMPBELL, suffered more
, severely. perhaps. than any other winch was
engaged during the siege, having had twenty
seven killed on the field, and seventy seven
wounded, some OF them MORALLY, and many
of them seriously, and this out ola force OF on
w 37S men. Notwithstanding this tremen-
dous loss, the regiment charged under the lead
Iof its gallant colonel and other officers, and
was the first regiment which stormed The fort,
around the breastworks. and unfurled the stars
and stripes upon its walls, amidst a perfect
hail storm OF balls which was pouring upon il
These Mexican towns and iortresses are IN
lcredibly strong, and few men fight better from
house tops, and behind stone walls, or are
more adroit in the use of stationary artillery
than the Mexicans. In these actions Gen.
TAYLOR had, all told, about 5000 men, while
Gen AMpunIA's force consisted Of $500 in
lanuy and cavalry, besides militia, rancheros,
SC. Gen. TAYLOR had eighteen pieces of ar
tlllery, of which seventeen were field pieces,
while Gen. AMPUpA had forty -four pieces,
thirty eight Of which, with two standards of
colors, are now IN our possession.
Our Army arrived before Monterey the
morning of Saturday, the 10Th inst. and about
half past O'Clock, while accommodating the
ont works of the city, ball discharged from a
IL FOUNDER struck Gen. TAYLOR and staff, and
bounded with terrible velocity over his head,
at which the old hero did not change a muscle
or even bat his eye. This day. the 18th. was
spent in making reconnoisances OF the place
and its various outposs, amidst good deal of
firing on the part Of the Mexicans, from can
non and short gun called an escopeiie, which
carries a large bail to the distance Of 500 or COO
yards.
On Sunday, the Goth, Gen. WORTH was
detached by Gen. TAYLOR, IN command of the
I'd division of the regular army {about 1900
srong) and Col. HAYS regiment Of Texas
Rangers, Consisting of 400men,) with view
of turning the city and occupying the Saltillo
road, for the purpose of cutting off'the enemy's
supplies and relnioreements, which were dai-
ly expected under Gen. SANTA ANNA. The
division performed the matchmaking a road,
filling bitches, &c.--a distance of about six or
seven miles, and reached the vicinity Of the
enemy In the evening, about 5 O'clock when
the General, with an escort from Col. HAYs's
Rangers, was fired on by the batteries placed
on the heights, and also by a corps OF the enc
my's light troops, who were sent through
corn field 10 cut off his party.
From this time until the appearance Of the
white flag, on the evening of the 24lh, the d.
vision of the Army commanded by Gen.
WORTH was necessarily engaged, and was ev-
err successful-never for one momsnt hesita-
ting or falering-puuing TO rout the enemy's
cavalry on the plains, driving his infantry
through the chaparral and from the house
tops, scaling immense heights, capturing guns,
and storming forresses which were not only
deemed Impregnable but which seemed 10 be
almost inaccessible. And, best of ALL these
brilliant exploits were performed with the loss
of fourteen killed and fifty six wounded and
during the four days. contest there occurred
not the slightest error or mistake On the part of
the commanding General, nor was there at
any time the least fatering or hesitancy ON the
part of the officers and men-regulars and vol
unteers-in executing his orders. Indeed. il
is difficult 10 determine which is most worthy
of admiration, the wisdom and energy display
ed by the able and accomplished commander
or the gallantry and ardor with which he was
sustained by those under his command
When the difficulties and apparently insu-
perable obstacles are considered, venture the
assertion that the series of successes obtained
by the division under Gen. WORRIES com
mand, in the recent operations against Mon
terey, will bear a favorable comparison with
the proudest achievements OK the American
arms. He was opposed by greatly superior
force, which was well served with artillery
and posted upon the highest peaks Of the Ser
IA Madre. He stormed heights, took three
pieces of artillery, turned them on the enemy,
and with these and the aid of one OF his own
pieces-whieh he contrived to place upon the
summit which commands the famous Bishops
Palace eight hundred feet above the base of the
mountain-united with the inestimable servi-
ces rendered by the dauntless and invincible
spirits who stormed these heights, he reduced
the strong hold of the enemy and drove him
into the city, upon which he turned the guns
he had captured. He biyouacked his force
for the night on the bleak mountain, and the
next day, after bombarding the town, he con
Quoted his forces into the streets amidst
shower Of balls discharged at hIs person. He
was seen everywhere. directing everything,
driving the enemy from his batteries, forcing
him from street to street and house TO house. I'M
I'll night ended the conflict. He maintained his
position in the city, placed en-inch mortar in
one Of the strongly fortified squares, to direct
which he placed that gallantand skillful officer,
Maj. MUNRoE, with instructions TO fire shell
(weighing ninety pounds) every half hour
during the night. This duty was performed
with terrible effect, almost every shell falling
in the plaza, where the enemies forces were
collected to the number of 1000 or 5000 men.
He had made every necessary preparation for
pursuing his advantages the next day, even TO
placing some OF his artillery on the tops of high
buildings, which would command and sweep
the house tops from which the enemy fought.
Such was the state ofpreparation when Gen.
AMpuDIA capituated the city, rejecting equal
honor upon the military skill Of the head which
conceived, and the indomitable energy ofthe gal
liant spirits whoexecuted the plan of operations.
Our most serious loss occurred on the 2lst,
when Gen. TAYLOR only intended to make a
diversion in favor of Gen. WORTH, who was
engaged in the attack on the other side of the
town, but owing to the ardor and impetuosity
Iof the troops, they very soon became involved
in general engagement, which Gen. TAY-
LoR felt bound TO sustain. This excess fcour-
age involved melancholy consequences, but it
is surely most excusable weakness, if it be
weakness, to display an excess of ardor in the
field of battle.
The volunteers from the different States be-
haved in the most handsome manner They
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