Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-10-17


and the gallant soldier forgetting all his cares, appeared
before us the personfcaon OF accomplished military chief
tain His handsome face lighted up with proud but
aabe smile he motoned gracefully his officers pointing
to them the direction they take with their respec
tive commands and not a who him but what would
that have followed him to the lannon's mouth
Such the feeling manifested by the whole army, which
ders this body of men nvncibe.
BrsHor's PALACE, (MoSTEnEy,) SEPT "a
This is the fourth day since the battle Of Monterey
menced On the Goth, at noon Gen. Worth marched from
the camp Of the town in the direction of the heights
Of the town, McCuoughs and Gillespes companies Of
rangers forming the recommending party At night the dvi-
sion bvouacked almost within range OF the guns stationed up
the highest point Of the hill which the Bishops Palace
situated AT daylight the 2lst the column again in
motion, and in few moments turning the point of "A
ridge which prouded towards the enemys guns, bringing
them their gunners could desire They mme
dately opened upon the column with howltzer and 2
FOUNDER firing shell and round shot fast they could dis
charge their pieces The road wound in towards gorge,
but far enough to be out of range of their guns which
still played upon Another ridge lay about threcourhs
of mile beyond the FIRST around determination of which
the road wound, bringing under the lofty summit OF
height which between Palace Hill and the mountains
which arise on the west
When the head of the column approached this ridge a
body of Mexican cavalry dashug around the point TO
charge upon our advance Capt Gillespie tnnedaeiy or
dered his dsmount and place themselves In anbnsh
The enemy evdey did not perceive this manruvr but the
moment they up the Texans opened on them most Ell
fecve fire. unsaddng number of them. McCulloch's
dashed into them Iapt W. II oliltn camp
Capt SCOTS camp artillery (actng infantry, and Lieut..
Longstreets company of the eighth infantry, with another
company the regiment likewise charged upon the enc
my. The Texan horsemen engaged with them IN
a of hand hand skrmsh, in which number of the
enemy FELL and one Texan killed and two wounded Col
Duncan opened upon them with bis battery OF light
lery pouring few discharges of grape among them, and
scattering them like cha Several men and horses fell under
this destructive fire, The foot companies above named then
rushed up the steep and fired the ridge the eteans
enemy, considerable body of whom concealed from
vew around the point of the hill About thirty of the
my were killed Ill this skrnish
The light batteries, of which is commanded by Lieut.
Macka, drawn up the slope Of the ridge, and
the howitzers opened upon the height of Palace Hill few
shells only thrown before the enemy commenced firing
with ninepounder from the height Immediately over the
right of the column aiming Duncans batteries. The Sc
veral regiments took positions, and few shells
thrown towards Palace Hill, but did execution The
FOUNDER continued to throw its shot, with great precision
batteries ball falling directly in the midst OF the
pieces but fortunately hitting neither guns Find
his batteries thus exposed and unable to effect any thing
Col Duncan removed his command to rancho about half
mile further up the Salo road where Gen Worth took up
his position after ordering the foot regiments TO form along
the fence the point the ridge The artillery battalion
9Th, h and 9Th infantry, and the Louisiana volunteers re-
manned in this position about hours directly under the fire
Of the enemy guns (now The balls fell directly in their
midst all this time without woundng man The Mexicans
manage their artillery in battery well the Americans do
This believe is conceded by every officer
At half-past 10 the column moved towards the Generals
Posltlon Al TINS MChhNe, VI olu
shot through the heart by pound ball. and private
the 9Th infantry severely wounded in the thigh that
he died the morning About fifty Mexcans appear
ed upon the hill side, the moving column, and fired at
our troops hundred muske shot, without doing any
harm The division depoyed into the positions pointed out
and remained hour when Capt Z. F. Smith, Of
the artillery battalion, with companies This and
Capt Scos and four companies of Texan rangers foot
ordered the second height This the gallant officer
cheerfuy undertook and followed with enthusiasm by
the officers and men Of bis command considered on
all sides be dangerous undertaking. and this party
considered most emphatcaly loron hope. That thu
height would be taken doubted but that many brave
fellows would fall in the attempt seemed inevitable. The
distance be climbed after reaching The foot Of the hill
about quarter Of mile part OF the way almost per
pendcuar and through thorn bushes and sharpponted
rocks and loose sliding stones.
The 9TH infantry, commanded by Capt Miles, was order
ed to support Capt Smiths party and by marching directly
the foot of the height, arrived before Capt Smith, who
had been ordered TO take circuous route Capt Miles Sent
up Lieut. CAN'T with detachment of men, upon the bill
side divert the attention of the enemy from Capt Smith
command which could not yet be The 9Th had ALREADY
sustained heavy fire Of grape aud round shot, they ford
ed the San Juan which winds around the foot Of the height
which fell like shower of hail in their ranks, without killing
a Lieut. Gants party greeted with grape and
round shot, which cut the shrubs and tore up the loose stones
in the ranks without killing any bot the gallant young
officer within inch of being killed by cannon ball.
which rakcd down the Steep and filled his face with trag
Of rock, dust, and gravel This fire accompanied
by discharge Of musketry, the enemy covering tn
upper part Of the bill side, but the detachment continued Il
up, driving the Mexicans back until they recall
ed. Capt Smiths party arrived and moved up the hill
the Rangers advance, and did halt for instant unit
the Mexicans driven from the summit.
Willis. this going on, Col Persifer + Smith, who
commanded the 9Th and 18th Ihfantryhe 5ih with Bnnch
ards Louisiana boys under Major Martin Scott had been
dered support the whoegave orders for these commands
pass around each side and the fort which
situated about half a mile back Of the the same
RIDGE and commanded the Bishops Palace Such foot
ensued has seldom If been the Louisiana
boys making the taes kind Of strides be in with the fore
most. Captain Smith had the gun which he took upon the
height down toward the hreasworks and fired into It
Then came Col p. r. Smiths men, with perfect rush. fir
ing and cheernghe 5h and 9TH and Lousanans reaching
the ridge above nearly the time The MeXcans fired
at them with grape but did not them
SAINTS hesitation in our ranks Our and fired and
cheeed until they reached the work. the foremost entering
one end whilst the Mexcans, about 900 in number, e
the other in The coors OF the 9th Infantry in
SANITY ased and scarcely they up before those Of the
7h alongside The three commands entered the fort
together close tho racehe 9th, however getting an
advance in first In less than five minutes the gun found
the fort laundering away at the Bishops Palace Thus
this brilliant cup de made almost without boodsed
BIsHoP's PALACE, (MoSTEREr,) SEPT. "a. |
date both my letters day, because am Obliged to
up the Of the last four days. having had writing
materials along On the morning Of the 2ls, Col Chils,
Of the artillery battalion, with three Of his companesone
by Captain Vinton, another by Captain j. Is
Scott and the third by Lieut. Ayrrsad three companies
the sth nlantrycompany A, commanded b Lieut. Long
and Lieut. Wainwright company, Lieut. Holloway,
commanding, and Lieut. Merchant ID cnnpany, Captain
Scrvncr and Lieut. Montgomerywere ordered to take the
summit Of Palace Hill The Colonel left camp at O'Clock
a. NJ and climbed the mountain through the chapaal and
up the steep rocks with such secrey that break he was
within hundred yards Of the brcastwok OF sandbags be
al. glnt