Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-07-09

uIthOugh tile cnemys infantry gave WAY
before tho steady hre aud res,slless pro-
grrss at our uwn, yet his artillery MAS
still h, position 10 check our ndvance-
several p'~crs occupying the pass across
the ravine which he had chosen for b.,
pos',hrn. Perceiving thu, no decisive ml.
vaItage con'd he gained until ihis nr,ilDrry
wAs s,ieucc'', ! ordered Cnpllin Ma,
Ia charge the bn,larics with his squadron
Of dragoons. This was gallanily hnd tf-
Ectaa'iy executed, III. enemy wns driven
FROM his guns, and Gen. La Vega, whn
wmained alone at Que of the batteries,
was taken prisoner. The slnadrmu,
which suffered murl, in this charge, un,
bring Immediately supported by infantry,
Gould not retain possession of the artillery
taken, but It was completely silrnced.-
Ia the mean time The Sill, infantry had
been ordered mp anl had become warmly
engaged on the ,iaht of the roah. Th,s
regiment aud par, of The OH were now
ordered Ia charge the batteries, which
was handsomely dnnr aud 'he enemy en-
,'rr>y driven icr;n his artillery aud hi,
p">iii"n "n ,te left rf the road.
The light companies "fihe =, brigade
mud ,i,e 3d aud i'h regiments OF Infantry
had brru employed on the right uflhr
road, where, nj various points, they be-
caiHe brIskly engaged with Ibe enemy
4 small parry under Captain buchanan
and Lirulenanrs Wood & Hays, 4h in
anrry, composed chiefly Of men of that
regiment drove the enemy from breast
work which he occupied, aud captured
piece %! artillery. An attempt To re-
cover this piece was reprled by Captain
B ,rbour, 81 infantry. The enemy was
NJ last complr,ely driven from his posi-
iion on the right of the road, and re-
treated pr~ciI''aIely, leaving baggage of
every descripiion. The 4lh infantry
rook possession Of camp where the
heal quarters of ,he Mexican gcnernl-iu
chief were established. All his official
correspondence Was captured at this
place.
The artillery battalion (eycepling the
flank coInpanie.) hni been ordered To
guard the baggage train, which wns
packed some distance in rear. That
bn,talion was now ordered up to pursue
the enemy, md with the 3I infantry,
Captain Krr's hrngoous, aud Captain
Duncan's battery, followed him rapidly
Ia The river, making n number Of prso-
nrrs. Great numbers of The enemy were
drowned in attempting To cross the river
near TINT town. The corps last men,
toned rncamped near the riv-r--,he re-
mnind-r oi The army on The field uf bot
IT,.
The strength of our marching force on
this day, as exhibited in The annexed
field report, was I73 officers, and 900
mrn-asg gregnte Z, ,222. The actual num-
b"r engaged with the enemy did moi ex-
rrrd 200. Our loss vas three officers
killed Il Twelve wounded; lhir,y-six mrn
Killed, aud sevenly-ore wounded. A.
'n"ng tie officers killed, | have to- regret
The loss "i Lieutenant lngs, 2d dragons,
who I'll II, the head oi bIs platoon, while
gall lln,ly charging the euetny's battery
I L,-uien,ni Cochranr, of the 4lh, aud
Lieutenant Chndhourne, Of The S,h in
fnnIrv, who likewise met their death iu
the lhickest Of the fight. The officers
wounded were LiruieDant ColonelPayne,
In.prctor General Lieutenant D"bbins
81 infantry, serving with the ligh, infantry
advance. slightly Lieutenant Colonel
Mclniosl, 9th infantry, twice severely ;;
Captain Hove, 5lh infantry, severely,
fright arm since ampula,ed. Li-utennDi
Fowler, 5lh infantry, slightly Captain
Montgomery, Slh infantry, slightly ;I
I.ruirnonIs Gates and jordan, Sih in
fanIry, severely, leach twice y Lieuien-
ants Scidcn, Maclay, Burbank mud Nor
ris, SIh infantry slightly. 4 Tabular
statement of The killed and wounded is |
annexed herewith.
] have no accurate data from W hich To |
estimate the ene,ny's force ON this day.
lie is known To have been reinforced al- /
ter the action of the SlI, both 10y cavnl,y |
aud infantry, and no donlt TO an extent
nj least equal to his loss on that day. II II
i probnhlc that 5000 men were opposed
." us, and ~ n posIlion chosen by them.
selves. aud strongly defended with ar,iI-
lrry. The cnemy's loss was very great.
Nearly 300 Of his dend were buried by us
"n The day succeeding the battle. His
loss IL killed, wounded, and missing, in
the two affairs of the Sth and 9lh j., | \
think, moderately estimated al I 900 men.
Our vctory has been decisive. A small |
f"rce has overcome immense odds of the
best troops that MeNico eau furush-vet-
rran regiments, perfectly equipped aud
appointed. Eight pieces of arl,lrrv, sew
rral colors aud standards, II grca, mum.
her of prisoners, including I4otiiccrs, and
n large amount of bnggnge and public
property have fhlIen into our hands. /
The cnnsrs of yicoiy are doubtless to
i~ hund int the superior qualify ofour of.
ticers aud men. ! have already, ia for.
mrr reports. paid a general tribute to the
conduct ot the troops on both
days. II now becomes my dury-and ! \
feel IL In he one Of great deicacy-to mo-
iicc individuals. Ia ~ extensive field
as that Of the Sh, and in the dense cover
where most Of the action of the Oh was
fought, could not possibly be witness to
more than a small portion of the opera
,f ft,a 4 V II