Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-10-23

cesSary danger in order to win for them and him
self great military fame, but his conduct has been
very different from this.
His great study has been to gain these COM
manding points with the least possible sacrifice of
life. At firstit eemedtotally impossible to storm
these hghts--it looked like charging upon the
clouds--but it has been done. The Bishops Pa
lace, which is as strong as it has been represent
ed to be, has been stomed and taken by our brave
soldiers. should have stated that Col. Hays,
with u body of his troops, and Captains Gillespie
and Mccullough were atthe taking of the palace.
Capt. Gillespie was morally wounded, and died
yesterday morning, regretted by the whole ar
my. IL.
MONTEREY, September 25.
Gentlemen: Gen. Ampudia kept Gen. Taylor
until nearly midnight last night preparing the
terms, etc. Many persons, particularly the Tex
an volunteers who fought so bravely, are dspleas-
ed at these terms. The town was all but in our
hands, and they believed could have been taken
in three hours. | believe that it would have re-
qured much more hard fighting to have taken it,
but this was not the question with Gen. Taylor.
He and all his officers knew perfectly well, of
course, that the town could soon be taken, but he
wanted no prisoners to take up his time and eat
substance, but he did have an object in view which
will be reached by the terms of this capitulation,
and that object will lead to a result most beneficial
to our Government, under whose advice and or
ders Gen. TayoraCtcd in agreeingtO these terms.
As have a few moments to spare before the cX-
press goes out this morning (he was detained last
night by The slow progress of business with Am
Pudia) ! will speak of the operations of Gen.
Taylor on this side of the town.
Major Mansfield Of the Engineers, rcconnoit-
cred the cncmy's works on the night of the 10Th
but could obtain no very accurate information,
although he approached very near to some Of
them on the heights. On the 20h Lieut.. Scar
riu and Lieut.. Pope were sent out to reconnoitro
the works: Scarritt on the right and Pope on the
left of the town. The latter approached and dis
covered the position of battery on the extreme
left, and was exposed to Il fire of cannon and
muskelry from Lanccrs, from which, after fin
shing his observations, he retired in safety. On
the night of the 20lh the mortar and howitzer
batteries were placed in position to play on the
strong holds around the citadel. The action
commenced on the morning of the 2lst, by the
opening of these two batteries. Col. Garland's
Brigade was ordered to move to the left for the
purpose of storming the battery discovered by
Lieut.. Pope the day before, and to occupy if pos
sible, the lower part oftho city. Maj. Mansfield,
Capt. Williams and Lieut.. Pope were ordered in
advance 10 select the most available point of at
tack, and to direct the movements of the col
umn upon it.
Three companies were thrown forward as
skrmishers and advanced rapidly towards the
works, followed by the brigade in line of battle
under a cross fire of artillery from the citadel
and fort, and heavy fire of musketry. The
column charged into a street about 200 yards to
the right of the battery, passed the works entire
ly, and effected an entrance TO the town. After
advancing rapidly about 400 yards beyond the
battery, they came Immediately in front of a
masked battery of artillery and musketry, which
swept the street completely by its range. The
barrlcados of the streets at sixty yards distance
from The head of the column, were lined with
Mexican troops, wholcntircly covered themselves,
opened a murdorous discharge of grape and
musketry upon the advancing column. Every
house in the street was pierced for muskelry and
enhladed the street in every direction.
Under this fire the following officers were kill
cd or morally wounded:-Major Barbour, Sd In
iantry, by grape SHOT in the abdomen; Captain
Williams, Typographical Engineer, shot thro'
the body by musket ball, fell in the street and
dragged into the doorway of house by Lieut.
Pope, amidst shower of balls that covered him
with dust. The gallanry of this young officer,
now in his first battle, is spoken of in admiration
by the army. Capt. Williams died the next day
and was buried with honors of war by the Mex-
can troops, into whose hands he had fallen.
Lieut. Terrett, lst infantry, shot through the bo-
dy died the next day.
ltbeing impossible, in the opinion Of the En-
gineer Officers to effect any thing in attacking
the baricades in front, the column moved rapid
y up a street to the right, with the intention OF
turning them. Being reinforced by the Ohio re-
Iglment, second charge was made, under the
direction of Gen. Butler, which, owing to the
tremendous fire of musketry and grape from tho
barricades and stone houses, likewise proved in
efecnal. The troops were then ordered by
Gen. Taylor TO retire in good order and get un-
der cover from the enemy's fire, which order
was handsomely executed.
During the engagement in town of Garland's
Brigade, the forts that were passed on the left il
entering the town, were gallanlly carried by the
} Tennessee and Mississippi regiments-the frs
commanded by Col. Campbell, and second by
Col. Davis. Lieut.. McClung, of the Mississip
pi Regiment, was dangerously wounded. These
Regiments, sustained great loss, of killed anC
wounded, but | cannot, in the short time left me
ascertain the names and number of those whC
fell. Capt Bragg's battery of Light Infantry
was brought into action, but as it was impossible
to use it effectively, it was withdrawn. Severa
: pieces of Artillery were captured. The fort
ina! We're taken were occupied by Ridgely's Ligh
: Arnllery Company, who turned the captured pie
ces against the Mexican works, and the cannon
a ado was kept up the rest of the day.
!. On the night of the q9d the enemy abandone
" the Two works which had proved so destruc,iv
l. to the 3rd and fourth Infantry, and they were oc