The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-05-29

Gen. /. left Point Isabel with lit
tie over four hundred men to defend
it. Major Monroe, commanding
here, sent in a rcquisition to Com.
Conner, for as many men as be could
spare, as we heard firing about , p.
m, of the Sth, which continued with
but little intcrm!sSion until dark
. Com. c. sent ashore 2J0 men, and
on the 9th, 4 or 800 more, which
makes this place strong enough to
withstand an attack against 10000
men.
Believe me when | say there was
the greatest excitement here all the
afternoon of the Sth, as we could
! plainly hear the cannonading from
the field of battle.
/ On the evening of the Sth, Mr.
Murray and Mr.. Bacon volunteered
to go and find out the result.
On the morning Of the 9th, black
bay came into camp, gave a history
Of the fight, which was about the
time, but as he had run away and
left his team he was not believed.
At s a. IN. on the 9th, MesSrs.
Murray and Bacon returned from
the battle field, and stated as fol-
laws:
They got to Gen. Taylor's camp,
6 miles from here, At 8 a. m, there
learned that the army marched until
about Is miles from here, when they
saw the McXicans draw up in battle
array across his road; he immedia-
tely gave his orders for them to halt
until the I'd Brigade had passed.
The Mexicans were on the prairie,
near the edge Of the Chapparel,
when Gen. Taylor got within three
quarters of a mile, they opened upon
him with their flying artillery. Gen.
Taylor arrived with Capt. Duncan
and Maj. Ringold's companies, and
at it they went until about sunset,
when the Mexicans retrcatcd to the
edge of the chapparel, and ceased
firing.
After, Gen, Taylor fred 10 or Is
guns at them, and set to work throw
ing up two breastworkS. At day
light the Mexicans were in the edge
Of the chapparel. A council of war
was held by Gen. Taylor, and it was
agreed that one brigade should adj
vance up to the chapparcl, in hopes
to draw the Mexicans into a renew
al of the fight, but the more the
troops advanced upon them, "thc
more the warn't thore''-thc McXi-
cans having retrcated, leaving three
pieces Of artillery, any quantity Of
amunition-from -FOUR to SIX
HUNDRED DEAD upon the field,
and God only knows how many
wounded that they took away. We
took 80 or 40 prisoners, mostly
wounded. One Mexican who was
stationed at one of their batteries,
says every body but himself at the
battery was kilied-says our guns
beat anything they ever dreamed of,
they were so quick. One of the
Mexican officers in trying to rally
his men, found lie could not, and
commenced to cut them with his
sword, when his troops shot him
dead. We had II killed and about
10 mortally wounded.
Capt. Page of the Sd, had all tic
lower part of his face shot off with
cannon ball--it is thought he will F.
recover, though horribly mutilated. f.
Maj. Rnggold had the ncshy part of
his legs shot through, and horse kill
cd--nonc oil his bones brokcn, which F.
is wonderful. 1t. Sutter slightly .
wounded. Oar informant says thc .
field Of battle was strcwcd with the .
dead, and they could hear the gIoans .
of the Mexican wounded all night at .
Gen. Taylor's camp. McNicans .
were commanded by Gen. Mcjia. +
There is no doubt they have rctrca-
ted across the river. When the vo-
lunteers arrive YOU may depend you
will hear Of them revealing in the
halls Of tho Montazumas," or, peace
and good will be whipped into those
bombastic McXicans. tits matter
OF surprise that SO few were lost on
our side.
The monotony Of this place has
been relieved the last two days by
the drilling of" Uncle .SamHefS "tcej
fee" or "bdrnacle-bachs" that came
here from the Squadron. You would .
be surprised to see with what dcx-
terity and precision they 90 through
their cvolutions with muskets, and
no one could resist laugh at some
of their sayings. One old salt said
this morning, "Damn and blast my
eyes. here is ship ashore, and poor
Jack on his beam ends" This speech
was addressed to himself when look
ing on the tent that had been pitch
cd, and was of sufficient dimensions
to hold flty-two.
One-third Of the whole number of.
tbo ,,,n fso,,, A.