Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-05-25
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
Battle of Gen. Scott and
Santa Anna.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army.
Plan del Rio, 80 miles from Vera Cruz.

ecuted by this gallant army, before 3 o.
clock, +. M, yesterday. We were quite
embarrassed with the result of victory
prisoners of war, heavy ordnance, field
batteries, small arms, accoutrements.-
About 5000 men laid down their arms
with the usual proportion of field and
company officers, besides five generals,
several ofthem OF great distinction. Pin
SOD, Jarrero, La Vega, Noriego, and
Obando. A sixth general, Vasquez, was
killed insdefending the battery (toweFA in
rear otthe whole Mexican army, and the
capture of which gave US those glorious
results. r7s
Our loss though comparatively small in
numbers, has been serious. Brigadier
Shields, commander ofactivity zeal, and
talent, is fear il not dead, MORALLY woun-
ded. He is some Ave miles from me at
this moment. The field of operations
covered many miles, broken by noun
falns and deep chasms, and have not
report as yet. from any division or brig
ade,-Twigg' 8 division followed by Sher-
ifs, (now Col. Baker's) brigade. are now
at or near Xa!apa, and Worth's division is
in route thither, all pursuing, with good
results as learn, that part ofthe Mexican
army--perhaps, six or seven thousand
men. who fed before our right had car.
RED the tower, aud gained the Xalapa
rood Pillows brigade alone, is near me
at the depot Of wounded, sick, and prison.
era, and have time only 10 give from
him the names of lst Lieut.. I. b. Nelson,
and 2dsC. &. Hill, both ofthe ID Fenaes
sec foot Haskiii's regiment among the
killed, and in the brigade 1876, OF al ranks.
killed or wounded. Among the latter, the
gallant brgadier general himself has a
smart wound in the arm, but not disabled,
and MajorR. Farquharson, ID Tennessee,
Capt. II. + Murray. ID Lieut.. G Il Suth-
OrlGnd, LIST Lieut.. w Halle, (adlutant)
SHofthe same regiment, severely, and lst
Lieut.. w. Yearwood, MORALLY wounded.
And know from personal observation on
the ground, that 1st Lieut.. Erwin, of the
rifles, ifnot dead, was mortaiIy wounded.
In enetring, sword in hand the entrench-
ments around the captured tower.--2!
Lieut.. Derby, topograp hical engineers,
also saw at the Same place, severely
wounded, and Capt. Patten, I'd United
States infantry, lost his right hand.
Major Sumner, I'd u. States dragons,
was slightly wounded the day before, and
Capt. Johnson, topogra 2hical engineers,
(now lieut.. colonel of infantry,) was Sc
yerely wounded some days earlier.
Captain Mason and ID Lieutenant Da.
Wis both of the rifles, were very severely
wounded in storming the same tower
Our total loss in killed and wounded, may
be about $50, and that of the enemy 500
In the pursuit towards Xalapa, (25 miles
hence)w have added much to the enemy's
loss in prisoners, killed and wounded. |
suppose his retreating army to be disor.
ganized, and hence my haste to follow, in
an hour or two, to profit by events.
Brig. Gen, Twiggs, in passing the
mountain range beyond Cerro Gordo,
crowned with the tower, detached from
his:dwision, as / suggested the day before,
a strong force to carry that height which
commanded Inc Xalapa road at the foot,
and could notiail, if carried, to cut ofi'the
whole, or any part of the enemies forces
rom aretroat in any direction. ,e
The brigade ascended the long and DIFF
ficult slope of Cerro Gordo, without shell
ter, and under the tremendous fire of ar
tillery and musketry with the utmost
steaJiness, reached the brcastworks drove
tho enemy from them, planted the colors
of the lst artillery, Sd and 7lh infantry
the enemies flag still fying-and, after
some minutes of sharp firing, finished the
conquest with the bayonet.
Il is a most pleasing duty to say that the
highest praise is due to Harvey, Childs,
Plympton, Loring, Alexander, their officers
and men, for this brilliant service, indie.
pendent of the great results which soon
followed.
Worth's division of regu!ars coming up
at this time, he detached Brevet Lieut..
Col: c. F. Smith with his light battalion,
to support the assault, but not in time
The General, reaching the tower few
minutes before me, and observinga white
flag displayed from the nearest portion oil
the 1enemy towards the batteries below,
sentout Col. Harvey ard Childs TO hold a
parley, The surrender followed in az
hour or two. la"l
MAJ. Gen. Patterson left q sick bed to
share in the dangers and fatjguss of the
day; aud after the surrender went forward
10 command the advanced forces towards
Xalapa. .-ss mics sa
Brig.Gen. Pillow and his brigade, twice
assaulted with great daring, the. enemies
line of batteries on our left /, and though
without success, they contributed much te
distract and dismay their immediate oppo.
nents9 6sf74r ne ,f4serie-, .gif} nv
President Santa Anna, with Generals
Cana1izo and Almonte. and some SIX OF
eight thousand men, escaped towards Kali
apa Just before Cerro Gordo was carried,
anA shefnra Twi0oA' division reached the