Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-12-03

.o's returned 10 the CITY, AT the approach of even
i'S an the troops That had been engaged We're OIL
derod back to camp, except Capt. Ridgely's bate
ry, and the regular infantry Of the LIST division VIII
: We're detailed as guard for the works during tn
night, under command Of Lieut. Col. Garland On
battalion of the LIST kentucky regiment was orderc,
; 10 reinforce this command. Inirenchng tools wer
procured and additional strength was given to tn,
WORKS, and protection To- the men. by working mar
ties during the night, under the direction OF icut
, Scarritt, engineers.
me man object proposed i'm the morninr had
been effected. powerful diversion had been mad,
to favor the operations of the I'd division one of tbt
enemy's advanced works had been carried and We
now had strong oothold in the town But this
had not been accomplished without very heavy
loss, embracing some of our most gallant and pro-
missing officers. Capt. Williams, Typographical en-
gineers, Leuts Terrett and Dilworth. LIST infantry
Lieut. Woods. I'd infantry. Caps. Morris and Field
Brevet Maj. Barbour I.ieuts Irwin and U,yI;,,
81 infantry, Lieut.. lloskins 18th infantry Lit. Col
Watson, Baltimore battalion, Capt Allen and lieut..
Putnam, Tennessee regiment, and Lieut. Hett.
ONO regiment, were killed, or have since died Of
wounds received in this engagement, while the
number and rank of the officers wounded giyes
additional proof of the Obstinacy of the contest.
and the good conduct of our troops-'The number
OF killed and wounded incident to the operation in
the lower part of the city, ON the 2lst. is 394
Early IN the morning of this day, DIST the ad-
vance OF the I'd division had encountered the enc
my In force, and after brief but sharp conflict re-
pulsed him with heavy loss. General Worth then
succeeded In gaining position on the Salto road
thus cutting the enemy's line of communication.
FROM this position the two heights south of the
oaltillo road were carried in succession. and the
gun taken IN one of :nem lrned upon the Bisbop,s
palace These important successes were fortunate
ly obtained with comparative small loss Captain
ed.
The I'D day of September passed without onv
acuVc operations In the lower part of the city
The citadel and other works continued to FIRE Of
parties exposed to their range and at the work now
occupied by our troops. The guard left in i, the
preceding night, except Capt. Ridgely's company.
was relieved at mid day by Gen. Quitman's briT
ade Capt. Bragg's battery was thrown under GOV
er In 'front.' OF the town. to repel any demonstration
Oh cavalry In that quarter. At dawn of Cay the
height above tho Bishops palace was carried. and
soon alter meridian the palace itself was taken and
l, us guns turned upon the fugitive garrison. The
object for which the ID division was detached had
thus been completely accomplished, and felt con-
ildent That with strong force occupying the road
ana heights In his rear, and good position below
inc city IN our possession, the enemy could not DOS
slbly maintain the town.
During the night of the 22tl the enemy cvacna
led nearly all his deences in the lower part of the
chy.-Ih his was reported 10 me early i'm the morn
ing OF the 25d by Gen. Qutman, who had already
meaitated an assault upon those works immedi-
aeiy sent instructions to that officer eavino il to
MS discre'ion to enter the city covering his men bv
'ie houses ana walls, and advance carefully as far
as he might deem prudent. After Ordrrinu the re-
inainder Of the troops reserve under the orders
oil Brig Gen. Iwiggs, repaired to the abandoned
"oTks, ana discovered that portion of Gen Quit
mans brigade had entered the town, and Were suc
riss.uily i3rc'ng Their way towards the principal
men ordered up the I'd regiment Of Texas
ed. and, under the immediate orders Of Con Hon
dersNn, co-operated with Gen. Quitman' S brigade.
capt braggs battery was also ordered up. support
ed by the Sd infantry; and, after firing for some
time at the cathedral, portion of it was likewise
thrown into the city. Our troops advanced from
mousse To housc and from square to square, until
they reached street but square in rear of the
principal plaza, and near which the enemys force
was mainly conct ntrated. This advance was con-
Quoted vigorously, but with due caution, and al.
though destructive to the enemy, was attended
with but small loss on our part Can't Ridpelv i'm
the mean time, had served captured piece in bat
terry NO. against the city, until the advance of
our men rendered it mprudent TO fire in the direc-
ton OF the cathedral. was now satisfied that we
could operate successfully in the city, and that the
enemy had retired from the lower portion of it. to
make stand behind his barricades-As Gen. Omit
mans brigade had been on duty the previous nrht.
determined to withdraw the troops TO the cyacu-
ated works, and concert with Gen. Worth a com
blned attack upon the town. The troops according
ly fell back deliberately, i'll good order and rcsum
ed their original position Gen Quitman's BRIGADE
! being relieved after nightfa by that of Gen liza
mer. On my return 10 camp met an officer with
! the intelligence that Gen. Worth induced by the
firing in the lower part of the city. was about max
/ ing an attack at the upper extremity, which had
also been evacuated by the enemy to a considerable
distance | regretted that this information had not
reached me before leaving the city, but still deemed
1t lneXpedont TO change my orders, and according
/ ly returned 10 camp. A note from Gen Worth
written at O'Clock p. NJ. informed me that he
/ had advanced to within a short distance of the
! principal plaza, and that the mortar (Which had
been sent 20 his division in the morning. } was do
! Ing good execution within effective range of the
encmy's position.
Desiring to make no further attempt upon the
city without complete concert as to the lines and
mode OF approach, instructed that officer TO sus-
pend his advance until | could have an interview
with HIM on the following morning, at his head
quarters.
Early on the morning of the Oath, received
through Col. Moreno. a communication from Gen.
Ampudla, proposing to eyacuatc the town: which.
with the answer. were forwarded with nv first de
spaich. ! arranged with Col. Moreno cessation
OF lire until IL O'Clock, at which hour | would re-
ceive the answer Of the Mexican General at Gen.
North's headquarters. to which 7 soon rcpaifcd
IN the mean time Gen. Ampudia had signiicd to
Gen Worth his desire for personal interview
WIN me, to which acceded, and which finally re
suited IN population, placing the town and the
rnatericl Of war, with certain exceptions. in our
possession. copy of tina; capjtulation was trans
} mitted with my first despatch.
Upon occupying the city. il was discovered to be
of great strength in itself. and to have It's APP
( Proachcs carefully and strongly fortified. The
; town and works were armed with forty-two pieces
= Of cannon. well supplied with ammunition, and
manned with force of at least 600 troops of the
!, line, and from 1000 70 5000 irfegulats. The
i,rf.r ,slr.r, L..