The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-05-30

found the enemy in position, in front OF
chapparel, which lies opposite 10 the timber
Of a stream called PalO AIlo.
The train was closed up, The troops, hIl-
ed their canleens, and General Taylor
promptly formed his line Of battle as follows
on The right was RinggoId's battery, 5Ih and
Sd infantry. then two. eighteen FOUNDERS;
then the artillery battalion. The left was
composed of the 4Ih and slh infantry, and
DunCan's battery. A daring reconnaissance
BY Capt. J, e. Blake, showed The enemy's
line TO be Of nearly twice the strength Of
ours, wiSh heavy reserves in The chapparel.
The Mexicans opened The action with their
artillery, the range of which was hardly
great enough to reach our line which was
moving slowly forward and some got into
The Ihicksst of their shot and halted Their
FIRE was returned from all of our batteries,
and | venture to say that no field of battle
ever displayed such skill, or rapidly Of fire
and evolution.
The frat and only important movement
attempted by the enemy, was detachment
Of their cavalry TO make detour around q
cIump Of chapparel on our right ard attack
the train. Captain Walker, Of The Texas
rangers, promptly reported this, and The
9Th infantry was detached to meet it, which
it did handsomely receiving the lancers in
square, and driving them by we'll delver-
ed vOlley The cavalry then pushed on a.
gain for the train, and found the Sd infantry
advancing in column ofGiyisions upon them.
They then retired, and as they repassed The
5lh, they received fire from Lieut..
RidgeIy's two pieces, which had arrived al
The nick Of time. Two field pieces, which
were following The eOemy's cavalry, were
also driven back with Them.
Meanwhile the enemy's left was riGdled
by the eighteen FOUNDERS, which slowly ad
vanced up the road-Ouncan's battery on
he left, negecllng the enemy's guns, threw
he'll fire into The Mexican infantry and
swept whole ranks. The 9Th infantry on
The left suffered severely from The ,eNemy's
fire. The grass was SET on fire, at the end
IF an hours cannonading and obscured The
enemy's position completely, and an inter
val of three quarters Of an hOuf occurred.
During This period our right, now resting
on the eighteen'pounders, advanced along
the wood, 10 The point originally occupied
fby the MEXICAN left, and when the smoke
bad cleared away sufficiently to show the
enemy, the fire was resumed with mcreas~
ed rapidly and execution. Duncan divi-
ded his battery on the left, giving a section
10 Lieut. Roland, TO operate in front, aud
with the other he advanced beyond the burn
ing grass, (Which was three feet high, and
the fame rolled ten feet in the strong breeze)I
and seized the proiOngalion Of The enemys
right, onGlading that flank completely, |
N ight found the two armies in this posi-"
lon
On The OH, the General packed the heavy |
uain collected the enemy's wounded in hos
pIaI. buried their dead, arrange our own
wounded, (among whom we have to regret
The sudden death of Major Rjnggod, and
probably Capt Page,) and moved on 10
pursuit of The enemy on The Malamoras
road They had taken pos in the chapa-
rel the second lime occupying The bed of
stream called ResaCa de la Palma, with their
artillery on the road at The crossing. have
no time for details Of this affair, The gem
'ral brought up his troops by baIIaIions and
posted them, with brief orders to fnd the
,nemy with the bayOne, and placed The ar.
IIery where they could act in The road.
The dragons were held in reserve, and o
IS soon as the Mexican batteries, Gen Iay 10
or told Capt. May that his time bad come. $
Here's the enemy's battery, sir, take it,
lolens UoIsns.' iay dashed upon it with
lis squadron, and lost one third Of it, but e
re cleared the battery and captured its COM .
nander, Gen. Vega, in The acI Of raising a b
,orI fire to fire piece himself May took c
lis sword and brought the general off, The 8,
nemy renamed the guns, and lost them a ii
pcond time to the 9th infantry. C2pL ct
Barbour, Of rhe Sd infantry, with his single II
ompany and few men from the 5Ih, who y,
Dined him in the chaporel threw his back Il
gainsl clumP Of bushes and received and
r,r.lI.l a. aIorrn nc