The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-12-05

"''Ho O""H"uOu w hlO az PaIuts tApOFt
10 their range, and a, lhe work now occupi
ed by our troops. The guard left in it tn
preceding night, except Capt RdgeIy
company, was relieved al mld-day by Gen
IQni!mans brigade. Capt. Bragg's batter,
was thrown under cover in front Of til
town 10 repel any demonstration Of cavar,
IN that qualer. Al dawn Of day, Ihe hegh
-bOve tue Bishops Palace was carried, AM
soon after meridian, the Palace itself wa
aiken and It's guns turned upon the iugliv,
garrson.-Fhe object for which lie 2nC
division was detached had thus been CON,
pIe!eIy accomplished, and | ies conGden
''aI with strong force occupying the rost
and heights in his rear and good position
below the city IN our possession, the enemy
could not possibly maintain ,he town.
During the night of the 22I, The enemy
evacuated nearly all his defences in III,
lower part Of the city. This was reported
TO me early in the morning Of the 23d by
Gen, Quiiman, who had already mediatet
an assault upon those works, Immediate,
Iy sent instructions 10 that officer, leaving
ia his discretion 10 enlet he city covering
his men by lle houses and walls, and ad,
vance carefully as far as he might deem ptu'
dent. Alter ordering the remainder Of IAe
troops as reserve, under the orders OI
BriyadieT General Twiggs, | repaired lc
the Abandoned works, and discovered ha,
portion Of Gen. QuiImsn's brigade had eu'
Iered tie town, and were successfully fore,
lngthelr way towards the principal pIaz L.
| then ordered u2 the ID regiment Of Hexa:
mounted volunteers, who entered the city
dsmOunIed, and, under the immediate or,
ders Of GeO. Henderson, co operated with
Gen. QuiIman's brigade Capt, Bragg :
battery was also ordered up, supported BY
Ihc Sd infantry, and after firing some lime
al the cathedral, portion Of ii was likewise
drown into the city. Our troops advanc-
I'd from. house 10 house, and from square to
square, until they reached a street. but ont
square IN rear OF the principle pIaz and il
near Of which the enemy S force was mainly
This advance was conducted
but with due caution, and al,
hough destructive TO the enemy, WAS al
ended with but small loss on our part.
Captain RldgeIy, in The meantime, had
served d captured piece in battery No. l.,
against the city unliI ihe advance Of our mel
.eDdered i, mprudenI 10 fire in The direction
If the cathedral. | was now satisfied thai
we could operate successfully in the ci'y,
md lhat the enemy had reurcd lrOm the
over portion Of it 10 make stand behind
lis barricades. As Gen. Quiiman's bri-
,ade had been on duty the previous night,
determined 10 withdraw the troops 10 the
'vaCualed works, and concert with Gen.
VOrh a combined attack upon the town.
Ihe troops accordingly fell back deliberate
y, 10 good order, aud resumed their origI-
laI positions, Gen Qullmans bIgade be-
ng relieved after nlgbIIaIl by that Of Gen.
lamel. On my return TO camp, | met an
.AiCer with the intelligence thai Gen
W ollh, induced by The firing in The lower
,art Of The city, was about making an at
ack al the upper extremity, which had al,
80 been evacuated by the enemy 10 con-
siderable distance. egleied tnaI this in.
'orma,ior had not reached me before IeHv,
ng the city, but still deemed ii inexpedl.
,nI to change my orders, and accordingly
elurnpd TO camp. A note from Gen
" orlh, written al / o'clock, p. NJ. inform
ID me that he had advanced to within al
short distance Of he principal plaza, and
hat the mortar which had been sent to hlsI
Iivlsion in ,he morni q was doing good
,xeCuuon within effective range Of Ihe eL-
.my's position.
Desiring 10 make no further attempt up
IN the city without complete concert as IoI
he lines and mode Of approach, | nslrucI-
ID that officer 10 suspend his advance Until,
could have or interview with INN on the
GLOWING morning al his headquarters.
Early on the morning Of the 24Ih, ! re-
,eived, through Colonel Moreno, commui /
nicaion from General Ampudia, proposing
o eyacuaIe The town; which, with the an'
3wer, was forwlrded with my first despatch,
| arranged with Colonel Moreno a Ce'sa'