Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-28

tneu 'Hc tWo eish'co" Po"""S'' Wv"
the Artillery Battalion. The left was
composed Of the 4th and 9th Infantry,
and Duncan's Battery. "A daring re-
connoisance by Capt. J. T.. Blake,
showed the enemy's line to be Of nearly
twice the strength Of ours, with heavy
reserves in the Chapparul. The Mexi-
cans opened the action with their Ar
iillery, the range Of which was hardly
great enough to reach our line, which
was moving slowly forward, aud some
got into the ihickest Of their shot and
halted. Their fire was returned from all
Of our batteries, and ] venture to say
that no field of battle ever displayed such
skill, or rapidly Of fire and evolution.
The first and only important move
ment attempted by The enemy was de-
iachment Of their cavalry to make u
detour around clump Of chapparel on
our right, and attack the train. Capt.
Walker, of the Texas rangers, promptly
reported this, and the 9th Infantry was
detached To meet il, which it did hand
somely, receiving the lancers in square,
and driving them by well directed
volley. The cavalry then pushed on a.
gain for the train, and found the Sd In
iantry advancing in column Of divisions
upon them. They then retired, and as
they repassed the 9th, they received a
fire from Lieut. Ridgely's two pieces,
which had arrived at the nick Of time.
Two field pieces which were following
the enemy's cavalry were also driven
back with them.
Meanwhile the enemy's left was rid
died by the 3 Founders, which slowly
advanced up the road. DuncaR's bat
terry on the left neglectlng the enemy's
guns, threw their iiie into the Mexican
infantry, and swept whole ranks. The
9th infantry on the left suffered severely
from the enemy's fire. The grass was
set on fire at the end Of an hours can
nonading, and obscured the enemy's
position completely, and an interval Of
three quarters Of an hour occurred
During this period our ght, now resting
on the 10 Founders, advanced along the
road, to the point orig ginally occupied by
the Mexicans, left, and when the smoke
had cleared away sufficiently TO see the
enemy, the fire was resumed with in
creased rapidi.y and exertion.
Duncan divided his battery on the
left, giving a section to Lieut.. Ronald,
to operate in front, and with the other
he advanced beyond the burning pass
(which was three feet high and tho
flames rolled 10 feet in the strong breezo,)
and seized the prolongalion of the enc
my's right, enfilading that flank com
pletely. Night found the two armies in
this position.
On the 9th, the General packed the
heavy train, collected the enemy's wound
ed, in hospital, buried their dead, ar-
ranged our own wounded, (among whom
we have to regret tho sudden death Of
Major RinggoId, and probably Capt.
Page and moved on in pursuit OF the
enemy on the MatamOros road. They
had taken post in the chapparel the
second time occupying the bed of a
stream called Resaca dc la palma, with
their artillery on the road at the cross
ing. l have no time for details Of this
affair. The General brought up his
troops by ba'taIions and posted them,
with brief orders TO find the enemy with
the bayonet, and placed the artillery
where they could act on the road.
The Dragons were held in reserve,
and as soon as the advance of our lino
had uncovered the Mexican batteries,
Gen. Taylor told Capt. May that his
time had come, Here's the enemy's
battery, sir--take it, nolens roiens =
May dashed upon il with his squadron,
and lost one third Of it,, but he cleared
the battery and captured its commander,
General Vega, in the act Of raising
port-fire to fire a piece himself May
took his sword, and broug ht the Gencr-
al off. The enemy re- manned the guns,
and lost them a second time to the 9th
Infantry. Capt. Barbour, of the 80 In
lantry, with his single company aud a
few men from the 9th, who joined him in
the chapparel, threw his back against
clump Of bushes and received aud gall
lanily repelled charge of cavalry.
Capt. Duncan, with his battery, did
terrible execution-he is a most prom
ising officer. Lieut.. Ridgelcy was also
among the foremost. ln truth, il was
a series of br illiani skirmishes and heavy
shocks in which 1900 fighting men, met
5000 hand to hand--overwhelmed them
with the precision of their voIlies, and
the steady cooIness Of the bayonet-and
drove them from the field, with the loss
of their artillery, baggage, pack mules,
fixed ammunition, and near 1000 stands
Of muskets.
The fort meanwhile had been sum-
moned, with true Mexican duplicity, and
told that Taylor was fying. The Nata-
moros newspapers and official bulletins
called him cownrdly tailor. In an
swer to the summons, the officers plunged
their swords into the parapct, and re-
piled, to the hilt' Upto the evening of
the 9th, 1900 shells, and 5000 shot had
been thrown, and the only loss was that
of the brave commander, Major Brown,
and scjeant aud private killed and
10 wounded.
The General returns IN tho nrmy ia