Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-14

ena Vista, seven miles south of Sallillo On the
22d OF February the enemy approached his ca mp,
mathematical an unconditional surrender, which
was promptly declined. A conflict Immediately
ensued. II continued for nearly two days, and
was obstinate and sansuinary, almost beyond ex.
ample. Owing 10 the vast superiority Of numbers
on The part OF The enemy, the incidents OF this
pro,rac,ed conflict occasionally presased disas-
trous result; but The bravery, frmness, and skill
Of our troops supplied the want OF numbers, and
ultimately secured glorious triumph. The enc
my were repulsed with immense loss. Atthe da wn
Of The succeeding day, nothing was TO be seen on
the field OF action Of The immense hosts which as
sailed our small force, in the confidence Of easy
victory, but The dead and the wounded left by the
enemy IN his precipitale retreat during the night
For full narrative Of The events OF this mem.
orable engagement, respectfully refer you TO the
dispatches OF the Commanding General and the
reports OF the officers in subordinate command
To Maj. Gen. Taylor, and TO the gallant OIL
GERS and brave men under his command, is Justly
due The eminent glory OF this victory. Consider
ing the disparity OF numbers in favor Of the enc.
my, the steady valor and firmness with which our
troops often 10 small de,achmen,s, whstood and
repelled The repeated assaults OF superior forces,
and the many deeds Of noble daring displayed
amid the changing scenes OF this perlous conflict,
the battle OF Buena Vista will well sustain a
comparison with any OF The brilliant achieve
menls 10 this war; which have given such wide
spread renown To our arms.
Our forces engaged 10 this battle did not exceed
five thousand TOUR hundred men, and these were
mainly volunteers, while that OF the enemy was
not less than twenty ihousand-his best troops,
under the immediate command OF Gen. Santa
Anna victory SO glorious and SO important
in its consequences, was mol achieved without a
serious loss. Among those who ended their career
OF honor and glory on The battlefield OF Bneaa
Vista, The nation mourns the loss Of some OF her
bravest and noblesl sons. The killed, wounded,
and missing, were About seven hundred. The
loss OF the enemy, from the best estimate that
could be made was more than double that num-
Der OIL lhe field, besides the thousands who per-
ished in his hurried and disastrous retreat
Ia the confidence of victory, and for the pur.
pose of securing The full fruits OF it considera-
bic body OF the cnemy's cavalry was sent into
the rear of our advanced positions, and for short
time interrupted our lines of communication, ha.
raised our trains. and killed n number Of escorts
and eams,ers; but The line was soon rcopened, and
The usual facilities oil communication restored.
The expedition from The island OF Lobos under
the command OF Maj Gen. Scott, appeared df
Vera Cruz, and effected landing in admirable
order near that city on The 9th of March, For
operation, the army is much indebted TO the va
luable assistance rendered by our squadron, and
its services are acknowledged in Just terms Of
commentator by the Commanding General
The city was al once invested, and arrangements,
exhibiting great skill, science and judgment,
were made for an attack. Though continually
under the fire OF heavy batteries from the castle
and city, these arrangements were completed on
the 22 when The enemy was summoned &c sur.
render. On receiving refusal, bombardment
commenced, in which our naval forces honorab,y
and efficiently participated. and was continued
with destructive effect until the morning OF the
26th, when oveItnres were received which result
ed in the surrender 10 our arms, on The 29Ih OF
March, of both the city OF Vera Cruz and the
Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, with their arma.
ments, munitions, and sarrisons, consisting OF
Eve thousand prisoners, and as many stands oil
arms, four hundred pieces OF ordnance, and a
large quantity Of ordnance Stores
Distinguished credit is alike due 10 The officers
and men Of the army and navy tor this signal
triumph. In The series of successful events
which have attended the progress Of the war, the
capture OF Vera Cruz, accompanied rs it was by
he reduction OF the castle Of San Juan de Ulloa,
may well be regarded as one OF the creates, i'm
porlance. Aside from its moral efec, upon The
enemy, its advantages in other respects were OF
The greatest magnitude. A fortress long renown-
ed for It's strength, with the large quantity of mu-
niiions Of war there accumulated, passed into our
possession, and with il was acquired The more e-
iecIua means OF controlling the commercial in.
tercourse with the enemy, and OF excluding for
eign aid and supplies along the Gull OF Mexico;
and a new and preferable base for military opera
tons against the interior and the capital Of the
enemys country was al the same time establish
ed.
After some delay, cecssioned by unavoidable
difficulties in procuring sufficient means for trans.
portation, our army commenced its movement on
the 9Th OF April, in the direction OF The city OF
Mexico. Perhaps no country inlerposes so many
and such formidable obstacles 10 The progress OF
an invading army as Mexico; and nowhere in
that country did they present themselves in more
appalling aspect than on The route which lay be-
fore our advancing column. The difficult passes
near the Plan del Rio, about fifty miles from Vera
Cruz, were occupied by numerous Mexican
force. and tie commanding heights Of Cerru
Gordo were strongly fortified. To disloage The
enemy from these positions, and 10 storm his for
lificalions, held by superior force, required the
best efforts of skill, military science. and daring
adventure; and these high attributes were moi
wanting in this time OF greatest need. The Com
handing General merits high commentator fol
the mastery arrangements oil the attack on Cerro
Gordota and not less credit is due 10 the officers
and men by whom they we're carried into com
plee effect Without knowledge Of the detail.
Of the operations, so well presented in The annex
ed reports OF the General.in chief and those in
command under him, the glory IT nected on ouI
arms by The ballle OF Cerro Gordo cannot he full.
ly appreciated, nor the numerous instances Of
conspicuous merit among The Officers and men
be fully presented 10 The admiration and gratitude
OF the nation. To all, in all grades, The highest
praise is but an inadequate reward ior their noble
conduct.
The fed of these brilliant operations was Sc
vera miles in extent and at different points all
the variety OF talents and qualities which shed
lustre upon accomplished officers and disciplined
soldiers was called into reqnisiiicn. The enemy
was completely routed and pursued many miles
from The principal scene of notion. Our entire
force, in this series OF brilliant engagements, did
not exceed eight thousand five hundred men; thai
OF The enemy amounted 10 Twelve thousand, and
his loss was from ten 10 twelve hundred in killed
and wounded, besides three thousand prisoners,
including many general officers, together with a
large amount of ordnance, arms, and munitions
of war. Our entire number OF killed wounded
aud missing, was Jour hundred and thirty one; and
the nation has again 10 deplore the loss here, as
in other fields, Of some OF the brightest and brav-
es, of our heroic army.
The important victory of Cerro Gordo cleared
the way 10 the advance of our army into the heart
of the enemy's country. Jalapa was al once
occupied by our troops, and, in quick succession,
Perole, with its s:rong castle and large armament,
and The populous and wealthy city OF PuebIa.
In The space OF about thirty days after leaving
Vera Cruz our victorious army had advanced
through several of the most densey peopled and
loyal departments of Mexico in the direction of
its capital, nearly TWO hundred miles,
Before leaving Jalapa, about three thousand
seven hundred volunteers, whose period OF ser.
vice approached towards its termination, we're
discharged by The Commanding General. The
army, thus reduced in strength, remained at Pue-
ba until early in August. Having been rein.
forced with about five thousand men, it then com.
menced its movement upon the city Of Mexico
The undertaking to be achieved, compared with
the means employed, was one of unexampled
difficulty and daring, and, TO insure success, re-
quired wonderful combination OF military SCI
ence, consummate skill, and disciplined valor; il
was no less than The subiugaion of the well cho-
sen place of refuge to which the defeated generals
and routed armies of the enemy had retired for
safely-the ancient seat Of the Azlee empire-af-
forwards the splendid metropolis OF the Spanish