Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-11-28


wounded aud after compelled to quit the field Az
the strength of No. q and the heavy muskey fire hankna
The approach rendered impossible to carry without gea
loss, the st Ohio regiment Withdrawn from the town.
Fragments of the various regiments engaged were now
der of the captured battery and buildings in its
front and the right The field batteries OF Captains Bragg
and Rdge also partially covered by the battery An
ncessant fire was kept up this position from battery No.
and other works lis right and from the citadel on all our
approaches Gen. rwggs though quite uiiwe joined me
at this point and instrumental in causing he artillery
captured from the enemy be placed in battery and served
by Capt Rdgcy against No until the arrival OF Capt Web
ster's howtzer battery which took its place 10 the
directed such could he collected of he st 3d,
and 4th regiments and Baltimore battalion TO enei the town,
penetrating TO the right and carry the second battery, pos
sble. This command under Lieut. Col Garland advanced
eyond the bridge 'tPurisima when finding ppractcabc
gain tho of the second battery portion OF sustained
themselves for time III that advanced position but
permanent impression could be made that point and the
Object of the general operation had been effected, the
command, including section of Capt Rdgelys battery
which had iaincI IT, Withdrawn TO battery No. l. Dur
ing the absence Of this column, demonstration of cavalry
reported in the direction of the CITADEL CH. Bragg,
who al hand Immediately gaopped with his battery 10
suitable position, from which few discharges eecluaiy dis
persed the enemy Capt Miller, first infantry, dispatch
ed with mixed command support the battery this
vice. The cnenys ncers had previously charged upon the
Ohio and apart Of the Mississippi regiment some fields at
distance from the edge OF the town. and had been rcpused
with considerable loss. A demonstration Of cavalry the
opposite side Of tho river also dispersed in the Of
the afternoon by Capt Rdgey's battery and the squaons
returned TO the city At the approach of evening all the
troops that had been engaged ordered back camp except
Capt Rdgeiys battery and the regular infantry of the first
division, who detailed guard Tor the works during
the night, under command OF Lieut. Col Garland One bat
TALON of the s Kentucky regiment ordered TO reinforce
this command lntrcnchng tools procured and add
tiona strength given 10 the works, and protection to the
men, Ivy working parties during the night under the direction
of Lieut. Scarritt, engineers.
The main object proposed in the morning had been effect
ed powerful diversion had been made to favor the opera
tons of the I'd DIVISION of the encmys advanced works
had been carried, and had strong footod in the
town But this had been accomplished without very
heavy loss, embracing Of most gallant and proms
ing officers. Captain Williams, typographical engineers
Ieuts Terreu and Dlworth, LIST infantry, Lieut. Woods,
I'd infantry Cats Morris and Field Bcvel Major Barbour
euts Irwin and Hazl, ID infantry, Lieut. Hoskns, dth
infantry, Lieut.. Col Watson, Baltimore battalion, Captain
Allen and Lieut. Putnam, Tennessee regiment, and Lieut..
Hett Ohio regiment were killed. have since died Of wounds
received in this engagement, while the number and rank of
the officers wounded gives additional proof Of The osnacy of
the contest and the good conduct Of troops The
Der of killed and wounded incident to the operations in the
lower part Of the city the 2lst is 39i.
Early in the morning of this day, (2lst) the advance of
the I'd division had encountered the force and after
brief but sharp conflict, repused him with heavy loss
lien. Worth then succeeded IN gaining position OH the Sal
tlo road thus cutting the enemys line Of communication.
From this position the two heights south of the Sao road
carried in succession, and the gun taken of them
turned upon the Bishops Palace These important
fortunately obtained with comparatively small loss, Capt
Mckaveti, 9Th infantry, being the only officer killed.
The I'D day of September passed without any active oper
atoms in the lower part Of the city The citadel and other
works continued 10 fire parties exposed to their and
the work occupied by troops The guard left in
the preceding night except Capt Rdgeys company, was
relieved at midday by General Quimaus brigade. Captain
Braggs battery thrown under IN front OF The town
TO rcpel any demonstration of cavalry in that quarter At
dawn Of day, the height above the Bishops Palace car
red and after meridian the Palace itself taken and
its guns turned upon the fugitive garrison The object for
which the I'd division detached had thus completely
accomplished, and felt confident that with strong force
occupying the road and heights in his and good posi-
ton below the city in possession, the enemy could not
possibly maintain the town.
During the night Of the 3d. the enemy evacuated nearly
all his dclences in the lower part OF the CITY, This
ported early in the morning Of the 23d by Gen. Quit
man, who had already metacd assault upon those works
Immediately instructions 10 that officer leaving TO his
discretion hs city, covering his by the houses
and walls and advance carefully far he might deem pr
dent After ordering the remainder Of the troops reserve,
under The orders Of Brgae General fwiegs, repaired 10
the abandoned works. and discovered that portion Of Gen
Quit mans brigade had entered the town, and were
fully forcing their way towards the principal plaza then
ordered the 2 regiment Of Texas mounted volunteers who
entered tho city, smouned and under the immediate orders
Of Gen. Henderson, coopcaied with Gen. Quimans brigade
Capt Bra battery also ordered up supported by the
3d infantry aud after firing for time at the cahcdra
portion il likewise thrown into the city. Our troops
advanced from house To house, and from square 10 square,
until they reached but square Of the prin
cpa plaza in and which The epemys force mainly
concentrated. This advance conducted vigorously but
with although destructive 10 enemy,
attended with but small loss part Captain Rdgely,
in the time, had served captured piece in battery No
against the city, until the advance OF rendered i'm
prudent TO fire in the direction Of the cathedral.
satisfied that could operate successfully in The city, and
that the had retired from the lower portion OF il make
stand behind his barricadcs As Gen. Quiimans brigade
had been duty the previous night Determined TO Withdraw
the troops the evacuated works. and with General
Worth combined attack upon The troops according
y fell back deliberately in good order and resumed their org
nal positions, General Qutmans brigade being relieved after
nighta by that Of General Hamcr. On my 10 camp,
met officer with the intelligence that General Worth, in
duced by the firing in the lower part of the city, about
making attack the upper extremity, which had also been
evacuated Ivy the enemy considerable distance. regret
ted that this information had not reached before leaving the
city, but still deemed nexpcdent TO change my ORDERS and
accordingly returned o camp note from General Worth,
written eleven O'Clock T. NJ informed me that he had ad
10 within short distance o the principal plaza, and
that the mortar (Which had been his division in the
morning doing good execution within effective range Of
the enemy position Desiring 10 make further attempt
upon the city without complete concert 10 the lines and
mode Of approach instructed that officer TO suspend his nd
until could have interview with him the follow
ing morning at his headquarters.
Early the morning Of the 2ih received through Col.
Moreno communication from Gen. Ampuda, proposing 10
evacuac the which, with the answer, forwarded
with my first despatch. arranged with Col Moreno
saon of fire until IL o'clock, which hour would receive
the answer Of the Mexican General General Worth head
quarters, which repaired In the time, Gene
raj Ampuda had sgned General Worth his desire for
personal interview with me- which accclcd, and which
finally resulted in capulacn, placing the town and the ma
terrell of war, with certain exceptions, in possesson
copy OF that capituaon transmitted with first des
patch.
Upon the bC of