Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-06-11
ARMY INTELLIGENCE.
COMMANDMENT OF FORT BROWN.
CORRESPONDENTS OF THE NEW ORLEANS prcAyvsr
CAMP OPPosITE MArAMoRAs,}
MAY Ii. lS46 {

\
May l3, 1876.
Since the evening of the 9th, nothing has trans
pred here You may know ere this, that we gave
the MeXlcans Jesse" on the 9Th and 9th. Gen.
Taylor, after establishing his little sand fort here.
right opposite to the town, left the 9TH Infantry and
TWO Artiiiery Companies in it, with instructions to
defend it to the death he then left with the remain
der of his force for Brazos Santiago for supplies.
and with the hope that the two mortars (Which he
had ordered SIN months ago) had arrived from
Washington, and also to bring up ammunition
enough for our four rs Founders to batter down
Matamoras. General II. and command left on the
LIST of this month. On the morning of the Sd. Mt
daylight, the Mexicans opened their batteries ON
our fort, or rather our ground entertainments :;
from that moment 1t was right hot work until IL
O'Clock, when both parties had to cease until their
guns would cool. Were you ever shot at. in front
with II FOUNDER, in the flank by FOUNDER. and
shell directed to burst your head? if not try
t' Just to properly enjoy brandy toddy after the
| gun-coong begins. Well after the refreshments
the ball continued, varied only but by little more
'vlndlctate loosenoss" and wild colt comet-lke
Tying OF shells. 1t was only 90 minutes after we
commenced fire before one of our lS poupd
shot struck their IL pound cannon directly in the
muzzle, and knocked it, head back and stomach
into the air about 20 feet, and it was ACCOMPANIED
| by legs, heads and arms. Seven Mexican officers
were wounded, and eight privates who were around
their piece killed We have not heard from their
X FOUNDER since, and hot was the little fort i'm
which it had been placed, that they were compelled
to abandon it. When the first fire came, rushed
INTO my tent and jerkedup my rifle. and as step
ca OUT, pound shot struck my tent at the head
OF my bed. ranged the whole length of nv bed. cut
OIL the back upright pole, passed out the back part
through two other tents, and then buried itself in
the parapet. Pm glad was not Caught nappinp''
In the first half hour Sergeant OF Capt Lees
company was killed he was carried over to the
hospital tent (ull of sick and directly after he was
laid on bed, bomb shell was thrown through the
top of the tent, lit near the bed burst and blew the
dead mans head off without injuring any one else
On Wednesday, the 9th May, and Sd day of the
bolnbardment, Major Brown was struck on the leo
with bomb shell, and his leg had to be amputated:
ne died on the 9th. These are the only two we
have lost during the whole of the commandment.
which commenced on Sunday, the Sd, and lasted,
with little ntermission, day and night. until the
next Saturday at dark During this time the enc
my had thrown about $500 shots-solid and she'll
amongst us 1t is incredible that the damage should
have been 50 slight. Finding we conld not dis
mount their mortars-they being sunk in the
ground, with thick embankments in front-and
having only about 400 rounds of ammunition to
our cannon, we went to work to throw up kind
oil temporary bomb-proof shelter, by taking our
barrels OF pork, laying sticks of wood across them
and throwing up SIX feet Of earth upon that These
we built at points in the fort where they would be
convenient nr the men and when saw the
smoke from their guns, every one would fall from
the parapet and ''hole." When we would see a
shell coming we would fall upon the ground as the
explosion generally takes place upwards. The Mex
leans thought they had killed nearly all of u.s.. as
they Were under the impression tina, all who fell
Were shot.
1t was very disgusting to stand and be fred at
all round ard not be able to return it sin full force
and virtue; - but, knowing our ammunition was
scarce, we reserved it till the death struggle should
come on. We were in hopes that after a reason
able time of bombarding, the enemy would ATTEMPT
to storm us. Two or three feints were made, but
they could not be brought to the scratch Five
inortars were playing on us at once, from every
point of their works. Gen. Taylor's orders to us
were to maintain this post and not pretend to make
any sally or risk in the least his position here but
In case we were surrounded after he left that sig
nal guns should be fired at certain intervals which
would notify him of the fact. This notice was
given to the General, they heard all cur guns at
Point Isabel. On the Sth, the General commenced
his march with the train of provisions, and when
about twelve miles from here he saw the enemy in
position. He Immediately E'walked into their az
tections." We heard the firing of cannon ON both
sides, and distinctly the volleys Of musketrv We
knew well that it was the General poking it into
their short ribs We had then stopped to 'slicker,'
Dut AT the ilrst gun we sprung TO our parapets,
opened our batteries, and for one hour we had the
prettiest little cannon fight that ever man beheld
They gave us gun for gun, while we slung at them
''the best the shop contained"
But watt forgot one thing On the first We'd
nesday after the bombardment had lasted three DAYS
the enemy .'Sounded Il parley." Major Seawell
and Lieut. Britton We're ordered TO ro ont and 600
what they wanted. They did so, and the Mexi-
cans demanded the surrender of the fort s.for h.-
'nanity's sake" They gave us one hour to sur
render, or they would put us all to the sword -
They brought us letter from Gen Arista TO our
commanding officer, Captain Hawkins-Brown
had been shot Just beforehand council of war
called, and said he presumed we were unanimous
on such points but that he would put the matter to
vote as TO their feelings. The vote of the Young
est member was taken first, and so on throughout
lhs was the unanimous vote: "Deend the place
TO the death" General Arista was in thirty min
utes replied to as follows: That we had received
his humane communication, but not understanding
perfectly the Spanish language, we were doubtful
il we had understood exactly his meaninr b,t
from all we could understand, he had proposed that
we give him possession OF this place or we would all
be put TO the sword iii one hour il this was the
proper understanding. would respectfully decline
the proposition, and ''took this opportunity to as
sure his Excclency of distinguished considera-
ton" After the reception of this bv his excel
lency" it Just rained balls. The different moriars
kept two pair OF Saddle bags" in the sir all the
time, varied only by their 6 and Founders But
in the midst OF all the storm the Star Spanpled
Banner still floated on our breast-works at fl,c
point where they directed their strongest efforts
and we took out two regmenta colors and
planted them on different parts OF the wall The
fire was kept up all night, while their muskctrv
played on us from the rear. at the disatce of fire
hundred prrds. We ordered our men not to fire
shot until they came within eighty yatds--but they
did not approach. Their object was to exhaust us
in ammunition: They knew from desericrs that it
was scarce and Gen. Taylor had gone for supply.
They are fond of fighting at long distances, but