The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-11-25
Official Dispatches from General Taylor.
HEAD QuARrrns On DIVISION, ARMY OF OccuPArIou,
MONTEREY, Mexico Sept %, lS46.

Mosrrsrr, Mexico, Sept 49, 1896.
s IL have the honor to report that in obedience
under my command composed Of Lieut. Col Duncan'
battery Of horse artillery, artillery battalion, Lieut. Col
hs ,: 'Dd ss
Msckalps battery horse artillery nth infantry (MaoI
scott seventh, Captain MiesD and one company Louis
under Brigader General Persifer +. Smith, Colonel
rinesJ and Colonel Hsyss regiment of Texan mounted
nsmen, moved from the main camp at FL Bosque de S.
Domingo at . P. NJ. on the goth.
My Instructions were. by detour to the right, to
endeaver to find and reach the Saltlls road effect
city from that direction. to cut of supplies and
Endorsements and, i practicable, carry the heights
Owing to the difficulties Of the ground after leaving
the MARIN. and before striking the Presquna Grands
road the division had reached only six milesn
qusnce Of the delay in making the route practicable fol-
artillery, which service executed by Captain San
dersat p NJ and was halted just without the range
of a gun battery upon the summit Of an isolated hill
called Iona de Independsncia," midway the cent
Of which was the bishops palace. Thence areconnois
made, under cover Of attachments Of Hayss
Texans to the intersection Of the Prssguina Grande
examination resulted in the conviction that the grounds
in our front and our left in advance constituted at
the time the weak and the strong points of the
my position and entered mainly into the defences Of the
city-the weak point, because commanding the only
and controlling that in direction Of Presauna Grande
the strong point because OF the peculiarly defensive cha
racter Of the hills and gorges and Of the very careful
and skilful in which they had been fortified and
guarded II also clearly indicated that frther
advance would be strenuously resisted.
On the morning of the 2lst, the division was put in
motion and with such formation present the
order of battle any point Of assault At the advance
consisting of Hayss Texans, supported by the light
companies brigade under Capt. q. +. Smith, Goth
extended the valley widcned contracted) closely
followed by Duncsns light artillery and battalion heads
of columns turning angle OF the mountain at q ha-
cienda called San Jsronmo came upon strong force Of
cavalry and infantry, mostly the former conflict i'm
msdiately snsued The Texan: received the heavy
antry the light companies opened rapid and we'll direct
ed Are; Duncan's battery was in action in minute
promptly supported by section OfMackaIs) delivering
it's re over the heads Of Ere the close Of the
combat which lasted but fifteen minutes the first br
gade had formed to the 'front.' on the right and Left and
delivered its fire. The second brigade held in re-
the ground not admitting Of its deployment The
enemy retIs in disorder, Qeaving on the ground one
hundred killed and wounded among the former, Don
Juan N Naira, colonel Of the permanent regiment Of
lancers upon the Ssllo road and closely pursued
until we got possession Of , the gorge where all the de-
defeated also reinforcements and supplies from that
direction, were excluded from entering the city. At
this important point the division was halted and atten
ton directed toward the mountain forts which envelop
the city its western and southwestern faces Soon
%hS ssvs snss Of the the oops
advanced some eight hundred yards farther on the sa
10 road
Importance of the positions the mpraccabiity Of any
effective operations against the city, until possessed Of
she exterior forts and batteries Independent however
of Interior objecs the occupation Of these heights be.
indispensable to the restoration OF our line Of
muncsten with head quarters, necessarily abandoned
for the moment in order to secure the gorges OF the Sal
tilla road At IL NJ. force detached under Capt
c. + Smith, with orders to storm the batteries the
crest Of the nearest h called Federation and after
taking that to carry the fort cae sodada the ridge
cf small height retired about 600 yards The two eff
fecually guarded the slopes and roads in either valley,
and conseq the approaches to the city This
maud consisted Of four companies TX Id 3D. and and
H. 4th artillery of the artillery battalion and Green's
and Mcculiochs companies Of Texas riaeRsn, sn
der Major Chevalier. acting in co-operationIn all
about three hundred electives twas Impossible to mask
the movement Of the storming party. On spp oachng
the base Of the mountain the guns of both batteries
opened plunGing fro, and numerous light troops
Ss p hsss
determined resistance, Captain Miles was detached
with the 7th 70 support and cooperate with the first
party. In short time the fire became general, the
enemy gradually yielding and retiring up rugged
clivy and our men steadily pursuing. The appear.
dina the operation demanding further sup
port-the 9Th under Major Scott, and Blanchards
psny Of volunteers We're Immediately detached, accom-
panied by Brigadjer General Smith, who was in
sructed take direction in that quarter On reaching
the advance parties Gen. Smith discovered that under
the force to the right and moving it obqueiy up the
HILL carry the Sodada simultaneously with the Fedora
sOn H sh pointed and
direction Capt Smiths command having most xallantIy
carried the first object Of attack promptly turned the
captured gvn-a nine pounder-upon the second and
moved on with his main body to participate in the as
sault upon soldadawhch was carried in gallant sly
by the forces under Scott Miles, Blanchard and Hay g.
(bo had been despatched on special service but who
returned in time share with fifty of his men in the
assault and to take prominent part in the second
the whole directed by Gen. Smith,
At this point we secured another nine FOUNDER and i'm
both pieces were brought 10 bear upon The
bishops Palace situated upon and midway the southern
slope Of the hill Indepencia valley of enly six hun
bred ards nterve We had now secured an impor
tant advantage and but half the work was done The
possesson Of these heights only made the more anna
rent the Controlling important &c of those opnoste and
the necessity of occupying the palace violent storm
ensued and night closing in operations for the day
ceased The troops had now been thirty sx hours With
ont food and constantly taxed 10 the utfost oh
ertions Such % could be permitted slept with arms in
hand subected to a peltipr storm and without cover
ing I'LL s. A. NJ whom they were aroused to carry the
hill Indepencia
Lieut. Col Chids was assigned to lead this stormns
party consisting Of three companies and g 4th and
3D. isrtillery battalion three companies 9Th infantry
CA b. and D. under Capt scriven, with two hundred
Texan rihcmen under Col Hays and Lieut. Col Walker
captain of riaes) acting in cooperation The command
moved at three conducted to its point of ascent by Capt
Sanders military and Lieut. Meade Typographical eng
neen Favored by the weather, II reached by dawn OF
dav within about hundred wards of the crest