The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-10-14
From, tie " O. Picoyume, 4th anst.
FROM THE ARMY.
CAPITULATYUN OF MONTE
REY, AFTER THREE DAYS
HARD FIGHTING

GOOO men, and after reconnOltering the
city at about 1900 or 1000 yards from
the Cathedral fort, during which he
was fired upon from its batteries, his
force was -ncamped at the Walnut
Springs, three miles short of the city
This was the nearest position at which
the army could obtain supply of water,
and be beyond the reach of the enemy's
batteries. The remainder of the 18th
was occupied by the engineers in ma
king rcconnoisances Of the city, batteries
and commanding heights. On the Goth
Gen. Worth was ordered with his divi-
sion to move by circuitous route to the
right, to gain the Saltillo road beyond
the west of the town and to storm the
heights above the Bishops's Palace,
which vital point the enemy appear TO
have strangely neglected. Circum.
stances caused his halt on the night Of
the goth, short of the intended position.
On the morning of the 2lst he continu-
cd his route, and after an encounter with
large body of the enemy's cavalry and
infantry, supported by artillery from the
heights, he repulsed them with loss, and
finally encamped, covering the passage
Of the SaItillo road. 1t was here disco
vered, shat besides the fort at the Bishops
Palace and the occupation Of the heights
above it, two forts, on commanding emf
nences, on the opposite side of the San
Juan, had been fortified and occupied.
These two latter heights were then stor-
med and carried-the guns of the last
fort carried being Immediately turned
with plunging fire upon the Bishops
Palace On this same morning (the
2lst) the lst Division of regular troops,
under Gen. Twiggs, and the Volunteer
Division under Gen. Butler, were orde-
red under arms to make a diversion to
the left Of the town, in favor of the inn
portant operations Of Gen. Worth. The
10 inch mortar and two "a FOUNDER
howitzers, had been put in battery the
night Of the goth, in rdvine l4O0 yards
distant from the Cathedral fort or Cita-
del, and were supported by the 4th Re-
giment of Infantry. At 8 A. M. on the
2lst the order was given for this battery
to open upon the citadel and town, and
Immediately after the lst Division, with
the Sd and 4th Infantry in advance, un-
der Col. Garland, were ordered to re-
connoitre and skirmish with the enemy
on the extreme left of the city, and
should prospect of success offer, to carry
the most advanced battery. This at
tack was directed by Mai. Mansfield,
Engineer, Capt. Williams, Topographic
cal Engineer, and Maj. Kinney, @. M.
to the Texas division. A heavy fire
from the first battery was Immediately
opened upon the advance, but the
troops soon turned it, engaging with
the enemy in the streets of the CITY,
having passed through an incessant
cross fire from the Citadel and the first
and second batteries, and from the In
tantry who lined the parapets, streets
and housetops of the city The rear of
the first battery was soon turned, and
the reverse fire of the troops through
the gorge of the works, killed or dis.
lodged the artillerists and infantry from
1t. and the building occupied by infan-
try Immediately y in its rear. The first
division was followed and supported bv
the Mississippi and Tennessee and first
Ohio Regiments, the two former regi-
ments being the first to scale and occu.
ny the fort. The success of the day
here stopped. The Mississippi, Ten
nessee and Ohio regiments, though
warmly engaged in the streets of the city
tor some time after the capture of the
lst battery and its adjoining defences.
We're unable, from exhaustion and the
loss they had suffered, to gain more ad-
vantage. A heavy shower of rain also
came up to cause suspension of hostili
ties before the close of the day. The
Sd, 4th and lst Infantry and the Balti.
more Battalion, of the captured position.
under Col. Garland, assisted by Captain
hldgely's battery. Two l2 Founders,
one FOUNDER, and one howitzer, were
captured in this fort, three officers and
some 20 or 80 men taken nr;sonors