The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-09-22
TzEE S0MRARDIEENT
OF
FORT BRO W N.
BY AN OFFICER OF THE ARMY.

i AN Of L iAJEh vi. ! Ii - i A-ii
The various letters which have been
written on the subject of the bombardmcnt
Of Fort Brown seem TO have been gotten
up on the spur of the momeRt-written
during the high excitement which pre-
vailed amongst US, without regard to JUS
lice 10 officers, non-commissioned officers,
anl soldiers, and to the importance of
such an event in our military history.
Having occupied position to jndge of
the combined action OF The garrison, and
Of observing all the various incidents Of
the bombardment, | take pleasure in fur
nishing corrpcf account Of it, as | am
not only anxious to do Justice TO all con-
ccrned, but am anxious that events which
must bear an important place in our mill
tlrv history should be fully and correctly
detailed to the public. And if | succeed
IN rescuing from Oblivion any Of those
events which rebound so much 10 the cred
itanI honor of our regular army, / shall
feel that have at least contributed my
mite towards re-eslabhshing its worth in
the estimation of those OF orr people who,
from longconnnaed peace, had aliuUss iov
goueni it.
On the 25;h Of April, the day after the
attack and capture Of Thornton's squad
ron Of 81 dragoons, we were first pos
sesseI Of certain information that the enc
nv had crossed the RIO Granie in con
siderable force. and it was evident that
he had in view one oftwo objects. either
10 advance on Point isabel to cut off our
suonlies. or to attack Gen. Taylor IN
1osition;either of which rendered the com
nlatioa of Fort Brown of immediate ne
ressiiv. in order that it might be held by
2 small force. whilst the remainder OF the
army was free TO move against the enemy
leaving the United STATES flag still planted
and protected on the left bank OF the Rio
Grande. The importance Of this was
well conceived bytle commanding Ge-
neral. and It's execution was but portion
Of plan or operations not less boldly
conceived than successfully accomplished,
AM to which history shows no parallel.
Fran ihis time 70 the Isl of May the for
cas were kept more constantly engaged
on the work. l-boring hard by day, whist
atuight they were kept constantly on the
alert in expectation OF an attack.
On the Isl of May the Commanding
General ordered the movement Of his
army. design3;iag rs the garrison Of Fort
Brown the seventh regiment OF infantry,
Captain L7wl's company Of the second
artillery, and Lieut.. Bragg's battery OF
light artillery. composed oftwo six-PoHnd-
ers and Two twelve-pounder howiiZcTs.-
the army movedat O'Clock 2. VI. on the
Ist. and the garrison Of Fort Brown
marched in--two companies ot the sew
enih infantry being assigned to every has-
ton except the one occupied by Capt.
Iowd's company, which manned the
eirhrccn-pounder battery Of four guns,
hearing on the town Of Matamoras and
the Mexican batteries. When the army
u4Tched It was confidently expected that
t,o fort would not be attacked, bat that
Gen. Tavlor would certainly have fight
either in going or refining from Point
ISABEL. The fort was now far from be-
ING Gnished, orin a proper state oi de-
fence-one curtain entirely unfinished,
the drawbrige and interior deienees not
yet commenced. Oar commander
saw before him an immense deal Of labor
"a be expended on the work before il
could he regarded in a proper state Of de-
fence. and that not a moment ought to be
los, in lis cOmnletlon.
immediately after the reveille on the 2d
OF May. the seventh infantry was turned
Oh. to work. and continued 20 labor hard
during the whola day. and uaiil long after
dark. on the unfinished chr.ain and gate
way. whist tie artillery companies were
no less usefully cmpIo, ed in plaeing then
batteries in condition for offensive anC
defensive operations. st tattoo at high
or raliani commander was on the alert
and fal'y impressed with theimpor'anceo
his trust. si.ordcred his commend under arms
and saw every man al the post he was (
occupy in case Of an attack, directing
TIE; every man should be instructed 10 b.