The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-11-17

- lSl,I-, ih0aSa nave D0ls fss3 dht
of5cial retarns-
Under ail ne circumstances the terms
OF he rapitaiation are favorable TO US
There were s,iil several strong forts IL
the bands Sf the epemy, which we wouid
hare been compelled 10 take 10y regular
approaches or with heavy losses. The
plaza Is Of itsell sn enormous tortIlcatlon
OF continuous Houses. with thiek sSne
walls, and all the streets leading into il
strongly fortified and filled with guns.
They admit that they will have at least
s.oa0 fitting men. whilst en- oHf pam we
cannot muster {, 900 for duty, and have
only few heavy guns, and them we took
from them.
Never | beliere did troops, both volun-
leers end regulars, behave with more
calmness and iutrepidily, and | do not be-
lieve that for downright straightforward
hlrd Ching the battle Of Monterey has
ever been surpassed.
An officer of tie Louisville Legion,
writing 10 the Editor of the Louisville
Courier, explains the absence Of the Le-
gion from a participation in the general
assault on the enemy's forti6cations. The
following are extracts from his letter:
The situation Of the Louisville Le-
gion was a very silent, but at the same
time a chaiiag one. We were obliged
20 sisnd the fire from well-directed bat
fery OF tweive-pounders from the Castle.
which were directed at the howtzer and
mortar, aforementioned as being imme-
diaioly in front. Their pieces were very
troublesome. Their cavalry formed in
front Of the Castle frequently, for the
purpose, il is supposed, OF making an al
tack upon Us, but bomb thrown in their
midst soon dispersed them. The Legion
was formed in squares every hour or so
for the purpose OF receiving their expect
ed attack on the battery. This is the
reason why we were not actively engaged.
Gen. Butler ordered us into the city at
one time, but Major Munroe, who had
charge Of the pieces demonstrated in the
strongest terms, and said that the mortar
b. t3rv would be taken by the Mexicans
in half anhouraftcr we left, ,&that thepleces
we were protecting were then doing more
damage to the enemy than we could pos
sibly do in the city. Upon this, Gen.
Butler then countermanded the order.
I'VE laid for nine long hours fiat upon
the ground, the balls whlzzing few feet
over us. Ii is no fun, assure you, TO
be shot at as target without the power of
sending back. Il commenced raining a.
bout 4 o'clock, and did not cease during
1hs whole night. Il was quite cold, and
many Of Us had no blankets. We were
kept on the watch ground until l2 O.
clock al night, when the pieces were
moved 10 calnp-a distance Of about two
and half miles-in very heavy rain and
deep mud. We had nothing to eat all
day. nothing to cook when we got to
camp, and no fire to cook it by. Our
comp guard, because of an anticipated at
tack on the camp by the Mexican lancers,
had Struck all the tents and packed the
wagons with every thing, blankets and
ali, making il impossible for us to get our
blankets. Il was an exceedingly dsa-
greeable night, but it was rather better
1han dodgiug twelve Founders.
. Rumor says that the enemy will be
allowed 10 leave by giving up their arms,
ammunition, and public stores. If this is
not aceeded 10, the fights will be recon-
meneed tomorrow morning. The Gen
eral does not wish to capture them, as he
viii have to support them, and is very /
short Of supplies for his own troops.
The fight on the first day was obsti-
nate to the last, and many feared the day |
would end disasirously. Our loss in !
killed and wounded during the three days
cannot be less than 500.
There are various accounts as to the
manner in which the action was first
6r0ugh; on, some saving 1t was against
Gen. FAYioR's orders by the rashness of
lhc volunteers N'Imporfe; it has ended
IN a glorious triumph over twice our num-
Der, who were well fortified in a
place naturally q second Gibraltar. The
prisoners state Ampudia's force at H.
900"