Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-19

Army IN inal quditei, dnu particularly VI tue u
cent engagements between the American an
Mexican forces. JAMES X. POLK.
War DEPARTMENT, June III, tS46.
Sir: respectfully saani herewith reports
Breyet Major General Tayl and accompanies
documents giving deaiei account oil the BE-
ties Of "Palo Alto" aud III the "Rc,aca d. la II
10" in Texas, which took place on the Sta AM 3,
ui,imn; and also Of ine bonbaidmenl vi the io
opposite Malamoras.
VERY respectfully, your obedien, servant,
w. L. MARCY, Secretary Of war.
To the PRESIDENT.
REPORTS FROM GENERAL TAYLOR
HEAporARreRs Army or Occupation,
Camp near Malamoras, May 10, 1916.
Sir: | have now the honor 70 sunml nloi'
detailed report OF the action oil Inc ON inst.
The main body Of The army OF occupauor
marched under nv immediate orders from Poin
Isabel on The evening Of The 7ih May, and bi
yonscked seven miles from that place.
Oar march was resumed the following morn
ing About noon when our advance q! cavalry
had reached the Water-hole Of "Palo Alto, the
Mexican troops were reported i'll cur front, and
were soon discovered occupying the road IN
force I ordered halt upon reaching Inc wa
Ter, with a view to rest and refresh the men, ana
form deliberately orr line OF battle. The Mexi-
can line was now plainly visible across The prai-
RE and about ihree-quaIIerS O! mile dlslant.-
Their LETT which was comp SD OF heavy force
o.cavalry occupied The road, resting upon thick
q, OF chapporal while masses OF Infantry were
disco, cred in succession on The right greatly out
numbering our own iorce.
Our line ot baltic was now formed IN the fol-
lowing crter, commencing on the extreme CAT :
9Th Infantry, commanded by Lieu'. 1"i. wen
rosh. Mai. RingsuIds artillery; 81 infantry,
commanded by Capt. L. NJ. Morris; Two Is
pounders, commanded by Lieut.. Churchill, 81 ar
,;,lerv; 4ih infantry, commanded By NAL u.
w. Allen; the 81 add Attn regiments composed
The third brigade, under command o; Lieut.. Col
Garland, and ali the above corps, together with
Two souadfons OF dragons, under Captains ker
and May, composed the night wing, uuder the
orders OF Col. Twisgs. The left was formed by
the battalion Of artillery commanded by Lieut.,
Col Childs, Capt. Duncans light artillery, and
The sih infantry, under Capt. Montgomery all
forming The first brigade, under command oil
Lieut.. Col Beknap. The train was parked
nearlhe wafer, under direction OF Captains Cross
man and Myers, ard protected BIZ Captain kcr's
squadron.
Aoou, Two o'clock we took up the march by
head. Of columns IN The direction OF the enemy.
the lS.poundef battery following The road
While lhe columns were advancing, Lieutenant
Bake, Torogra pbical Engineers, volunteered a
handsomely performed, and resulted IN The disco
very of al least Two batteries oil artillery in The
intervals Of their cavalry and infantry. These
batteries were soon opened upon us, when | or
t.red the columns halted and de1loycd into line,
and The fire 10 be returned b. all our artillery
The Sih infantry, on our extreme lett, was thrown
back 10 secure that flank. The hrs, fires 81 The
enemy did iits execution while our lS-pounders
and Major R,ngsod's artillery SON dispersed he
btu lcff AM .lniS
battery, thrown f,rward in advance OF the line
was doing good execution al THIS time. Captain
MAYS SQUADRON was Eow detached 10 support
thai battery and the lett 81 our position. The
Mexican cavalry, with Two pieces OF artillery
were now reported Ia be mo.in. through The
chapooral IL our right, 10 threaten that flank, OF
make demonstration agains, the train. The
5,h infantry was Immediately detached 10 check
this movement, and, supported BY Lieutenant
Ridgely, with a section of Major Ringgo!d's bat.
terry. and Captain Walkers company of volun-
,cers eiiectually repulsed the enemv-the 9Th in
tantry rrpellins charge OF ldncerS, and the ar
lillerv doing great execution in their ranks -
The third infantry was now detached 10 The right
as still further security to that flank, vet threat.
ened by the enemy. Major Rinssoid viii The
remaining section kept up his fire from an ad-
vanc ID position, and was supported by The 4lh in.
fanny.
The grass of the prairie had been accidentally
fired by our artillery, aad the volume, Of SMOKE
now partially CoaC"s-d The armies from each
other As the enen. lei! had evidently been
4 ven back, All lett IN lad Tree, AMI lht
cannonads had been >nspeale., oTde ell forward
The Is FOUNDERS the road neatly 10 the position
first occupied bv Inc Mexican cavalry, and caused
the frs, brigade 10 TAX. up new position, still on
The left OF the lS-paun Ter battery. The 9Th was
advanced from is former position, and occupied
a point on the extreme right oi The new line
The enemy made Oh nse OF position cores
pondng 10 our own, and after suspension OF
nearly an hour The action was resumed.
The Gre Of artillery was now most destructive;
openings we're c instanliy made through the enc
niy's rank. b: oar fire, and lie con.tancy with
which The Mexican infantry sustained this severe
cannonade was theme OF universal remark
and admiration. Captain Mays squadron was
detached 10 make a demonstration on the left Of
Inc encmy's position, and suffered severely from
the fire OF artillery, 10 which was for some time
exposed.
The fourth infantry, which had been ordered
% supper, the Is ponnacr bat,erY, was exposed 10
a most CALLING fire Of artillery, by which several
men were killed and Captain Page dangerously
wounded. The enemys FIRE was directed against
oar Is FOUNDER battery and the guns under Ma
Tor Rinsgod 10 lis vicinity. The Major him.
self, while coolly directing he fire OF his pieces,
was struck by a cannon bali and moIay woun-
dsi
In the mean lime the battalion Of artillery un-
der Lieut.. Col. Cniids had been brought up to
supper, the artillery on our right. \ slroa.. de-
monstral:oG O. cavalry was now made ~ the
enemy against this pat, O; our line, and the CO.
lumn continued to advance under severe fire
from the ;S pounders. The battalion was Instant
" formed in square, and held ready TO receive the
charge OF cavalry, but when the advancing squad
rons we're within close range deadly fire Of Ca
mister from the lS-ponnders dispersed them. a
brisk fire Of small arms was now opened upon
the square, by which one officer (Lient. Luther
81 artillery was slightly wounded; bu! we'll
directed volley from the front OF The square 81.
fenced all further frin. iTcin The enc.ay in this
Quarter. Ii was nov n-ariy dark and The action
was closet on the rich, 81 our line, the enemy
having been comole'ely dr;rea hack i!om his 20
,i;;on, and loi.d in every atteinP. against on
line.
While the above was going forward on ou
right. and under my owa eve, iha enemy hae
made a serious attempt against lhe isit OF ou
line. Captain Duncan instantly perceived lht
movement, aal, by the bold and brilliant ma
npuvfing oil his battery, completely repu>ed Sc
veral successive efforts OF The enemy 10 advance
in force upon our left fink Supported in sue
cession by the 9Th infantry and by Capt Kerr
SQUADRON of dragons he sallan,ly helt the enc
my al bay, and nnally drove him, with i:ninens;
loss. from The field. The action here, and alons
the whole line continued until dark, when lh'
enemy retired into The chapporai, in rear of nj
position Our army bvoracked On The erounc
il occupied. During the afternoon, The train haC
been moved forward aoout hall mile, and wa:
parked in rear OF the new position.
Our loss this lay was nine killed, foriy-tou
woun led, and two missing. Among tn. wound
ed were Major Rinegcd, vino has since died, ant
Capt, Page dangerously wounded, Lieut.. Luihe
slightly So. | annex tabular statement OF TIT
casualties of The day.
Oar own force engaged is shown by the field re
por, herewith 10 have been III officers and 2, IN
men; aggregate 2S3. The Mexican force, &C
cording 10 the statements OF their own officers akei
prisoners in the affair O. the OH was not less that
5000 regular troops, with len .ieces of artillery
aud probably exceeded that number-the irresula
force not known. Their loss was mol less thai
:;i,aa s,sA dlA ,,,,ded -nrahah bis, creaier :