Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-11-28

1
vered its fire. The second brigade held in reserve the
ground not adning Of its depoyment The enemy retired
III disorder, (eavng the ground hundred killed and
wounded among the former Don Juan y. Naia colonel
Of the permanent regiment Of ancers upon the alo road
and closely pursued until got possession Of the GORGE
where all the debouches from Monterey unite, whereby the
force just defeated, also renorcemenis and supplies from
that direction, excluded from entering the CITY, AT this
important point the division was halted attention direct
ed toward the mountain forts which enveop the city its
western and southwestern faces Soon discovering however,
that position brought within effective range Of the bat
teries, the troops aanced eight hundred yards
further the Saltlo road.
The examination thus far had manifested besides the i'm
poFance OF the positions the mpraccaby of any effective
operations against the city, until possessed of the exterior forts
and batteries Independent however of uerior Objects the
occupation Of these heights became indispensable the
ration of our line of communication with headquarters
sary abandoned for the in order gorges
Of the Sallo road. At l2 M. force detached under
Captain g. f. Smith, with orders the batteries
the Of the nearest HILL called Federacion aud after TAX
ing that carry the fort called Soda the ridge The
height, retired about GOO yards. The eectuay
guarded the sieprs and roads in either valley aud
y ih" approaches To the city This command cosisied or
four companies l "a, 30, ana e. and H. 4h artery Of
The artillery battalion, aud Green's McCowane II A Giles
pies Chanders BaIiowes. and McCulochs conpanies Of
Texan rlfemen, under Major Chevar, acting ii CO opera
on-n all about three hunGred cectves Il was imross-
ble to mask the movement Of the stormne party On ap-
preaching the base OF the mounan the guns batte-
res opeped punging fire, and light troops
descending and arranging themselves at favorable points
the slopes Perceiving these indications of determined
ssanoe, Capt Miles detached with the 18th support
and cooperate with the first party In short time the fire
became general The enemy gradually yielding and retiring up
the rugged ACTIVITY, and steadily pursuing The
appearance of heavy renorccmenls the "nd the
cardinal importance of the operation aa'hs further sup
port the 5, under Me9 scott and blanchard company OF
volunteers Immediately detached accompanied by Brga
der General Smith, who instructed 70 take direction
that quarter On reaching the advance pAes, Gen. Smith
discovered that under favor of the ground, he could by d
vertng portion of the force the right and moving OBJ
Lg1n with
Fcderacon lie accordingly very judiciously pointed, and
accompanied the 5h 7th and Blanchards company that
direction Capt Smiths command having most gallanty
cd the first object of attack promptly turned the captured
guna ninc- -pounder-upon the second and moved with
his main body to participate in the assault upon Sodada
which carried in gallant style by the forces under Scott,
Miles, Blanchard, and Hays (who had been detached pe
cial service, but who returned time share with fifty of his
the first assault, and TO take prominent pa the
second the whole directed by Gen. Smith.
AT this point secured another 9-pounder and mmedi-
atey both pieces brought TO bear upon the Bishops Pa
lace, situated upon and midway the southern slope of the
hill L1dpendicia valley of only six hundred yards inter-
venng We had now secured important advantage, and
yet but half the work done. The possession of these
heights only made the apparent the controlling mpor-
ance of those opposite and the necessity of occupying the
palace violent storm ensued, and, night closing in,
operations for the day ceased. The troops had been
hiy-x hours without food, and constantly taxed to the
most physical cxeons Such could be permitted slept
with in hand subjected pelting Storm and without
covering, till "A. NJ, when they aroused carry the
hill Iadpendenca.
Lieut. Col Chds assigned lead this storming party
consisting Of three companies and & ith and Sd, Car
ery battalion three companies 9Th infantry ca, b, and
Do under Capt Scriven, with two hundred Texan emen
under Col Hays and Lieut. Col Walker Captain Of rifles
acting IN cooperation Ihe command moved three
Quoted its point Of by Captain Sanders military
and Lieut. Meade Typographical engineers. Favored by the
weather. reached by dawn OF day within about hundred
yards of the crest in which position, among the cles of
rocks body of the enemy had been stationed the previous
evening in apparent anticipation Of attack The enemys re-
not unit
Chldss and Hayss command had reached within few yards
OF the summit, when well directed and destructive fire. fol-
lowed by the bayonet of the regulars and rush the Texans
placed Us IN possession OF the work The having
been previously WITHDRAWN impression could be made up
on the massive walls OF the palace It's outwoks without
tlery, except enormous sacrifice.
Lieut. Roland of Dmcans battery was ordered from the
main camp with pound howzer and in two hours (aid
ed by fifty from the line, under Captain Sanders military
engineers for the purpose Of selecting the least difficulty
that cnelslng and gallant officer had his gun in position
having asccnded ACTIVITY rugged Steep between
and eight hundred feet in two hours fire was i'm
medncy opened from the howzcr, covered by the epaue.
men Of the captured battery, upon the palace and its out
works-our hundred yards dstan-and soon produced vi
sbe sensation.
Meanwhile, reinforce the position the 9Th Mai Scott
and BIanchads volunteers had been passed from the first
heights and reached the second in time participate in the
operations against the palace
After many affairs Of light troops and several feins heavy
sorte made, sustained by strong corps cavalry with
desperate resolution TO repossess the heights Such move
L
had advanced under cover companies Of light troops
under command Of Capt Ninon acting major and Judi
ciouy drawn up the main body Of his command anked on
the right by Hays and left by Walkers Texans The enemy
advanced boldly, repused by discharge from
all arms fled in confusion, closely pressed by Chls and
HAYS, preceded by the light troops under Vnton and while
they icd past troops, entered the palace and In
few the unpretenng flag of the Union had replaced
the gauy standard of Mexico The captured guns-one six
inch howizer twelve, and FOUNDER brass guns
together with Duncans and Mackas field batteries which
up galop in full and effective play upon the
retiring and confused that filed the (of which
had the polngaon) leading the plaza, la
pfd also crowded with troops At this the enemys
loss heavy The investment complete. Except
the force necessary to hold the positions L3dpspd ncia
and the guns (hed points whence the shot could
be made reach the plaza, the division
ccnrated around the palace, and preparation made to assault
the city the following day. sooner should the General in
the assault from the opposite quarter In the time aen
ton directed TO every provision permit
ted to alleviate the condition Of wounded soldiers and Of
hccrs, TO the decent nerment Of the dead omng in
either respect all that due those Of tho enemy
About 10 a. NJ on the 23d heavy fire heard in the
opposite quarter. Its magnitude and continuance as well as
other circumstances did permit doubt that the General
conducting main attack, and that his orders for nv
cooperation (havng 10 travel circuit of mles) had
miscaed, failed 10 reach by Of the numerous
cavalry Of the enemy Under these convictions the troops
instantly ordered to an operation which, If
otherwise directed had designed execute in part un-
der favor Of the night Two columns Of attack wers organ
zSd to along the two principal Streets leading
position, in direction Of the great plaza, composed light
troops slightly extended with orders mask the when