Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-12-25

Shields. senior brigadier to Pierce, with
the New York and South Carolina volun.
,eers, (Quitman's bat,alion) was ordered
to follow Pierce closely, and to take the
command Of our left wing. All these
movements were made with the uimos,
alacri'y by our gallant troops and com.
manders. Finding myself at Coyacan.
from which so many roads conveniently
branched, without escort or reserve. had
to advance for safety, close upon Twiggs'
rear. The battle now ragged from the
right TO the left Of our whole line.
Learning. on the return of Captain Lee,
that Shields, in the rear Of Churubusco,
was hard pressed, and in danger of being
ou,hanked, if not overwhelmed, by greatly
superior numbers. | i'm Immediately sent, un-
der Major Sumner. I'd dragons, the rifles,
(Twiggs' reserve.) and Captain Sibley's
troop, Cd Dragons. then at hand, to sup.
port our left, guided by the same engineer.
About an hour earlier, Worth had, by
sklful and daring movements upon the
front and right. turned and forced San
Antonio-its garrison, no doubt. much
shaken by our decisive victory at Contre.
ras.
The forcing of San Antonio was the
ScCONH UIIlldut cFeHt Vi Tue
! Worth's division being reunited in
hot pursuit, he was ioined by Major Gene
raj Pillow, who, marching from Coyoacan
and discovering that San Antonio had
been carried, Immediately turned to the
left. according to my instructions, and.
though much impeded by bitches and
swamps, FASTENED 10 the attack Of Churu-
buscO.
The hamlet or scattered houses bearing
; this name, presented, besides the fortified
convent. strong field work Qete de ponO
. with regular baslions and curtains, at the
5 head of bridge over which the road
passes from San Antonio to the capital.
: The whole remaining forces of Mexico
Z, -sume twenty seven thousand men,
. cavalry, artillery and infantry, collected
e from every quarter--were now in, on the
= TANKS or within supporting distance of
s these works, and seemed resolved 10 make
e last and desperate stand; for if beaten
here. the feebler defences q, the gates of
!. the city -four miles off) could not, as was
=. well known TO both parties, delay the VIC
e tors an hour. The capital of an ancient
r empire, now of great republic; or an
!. early peace, the assalan,s were resolved to
d win. Not an American--and we were
) less than a third of the enemy's numbers
had doubt of the result.
d The fortified church or convent, holly
l. pressed by Twiggs. had already held ou'
/. about an hour, when Worth and Pillow
d The latter having with him only Cadwala
. der's rigade--began TO manoeuvre closely
g upon the the tete de pont. with the convent
L. al half gun shot, to their left. Garland.
}. brigade, (Worlh's divisinn) TO which hac
been added the light battalion under Lieut.
IS Col. Smith, confined to advance in front
j; and under The fire, of long line of in
l. iantry, off On the left Of the bridge; ant
;. Clarke of The same division. directed hi
IS brigade along the road, or close by its side
!. Two of Pillows and CadwaIader's regi
n menls. the ll,h and l4'h, supported an
S. participated in this direct movement: th'
s, other (he volligeurs) was left in reserve
Most Of these corps--Pariicularly Clark
u Notwithstanding perPendicularly, wer
s. made TO suffer much by the fire of the tell
" de pont, and they would have suffered
RS greatly more by flank attacks from III
'e convent. but for the pressure of Twigg
.. on the other side of that work.
:, This well.combined and daring move
nent al IenHtn TSdCIicu INC pIIuCiPal pun
D. Of attack, and the formidable tete de poh
!" was a, once assaulted aud carried by tn
u hayonet. It's deep wet ditch was first ga
~ anlly crossed by the 9Th and 9Th infantry
le commanded. respectively, by Major Wait
and Lieut.. Col. Scott--followed closel
=, D. by the 9Th infantry (same brgade) whic
u, had been SO much exposed in the road
Iu the 18th regiment, under Lieut.. Col. Gr'
H. ham, and the l4ih, commanded by Co
nc Tlou,dale, both of CadwaIadeI's brigad
y Pillows division. About The same tim
0g The enemy. in front of Garland, after h,
pu conflict of an hour and half, gave wa,
NC in a retreat towards the capital.
20 The immediate results of this third 81!
q nal triumph ON the day were: ie
. pieces, 1872 prisoners, much ammuni,o
10 and two colors, taken in the tete de pont
,,h Finally. twenty minutes after the tete {
40 pont had been carried by Worth and p
10 low, and al The end of desperate conf1
~. of two hours and half. the church {
~, convent-ihe citadel of this strong line
81 defence along The rivulel of Churubusco-
;,b yielded TO Twiggs' division, and threw OF
10 upon all signals Of surrender. The viii
-, flags, however, were not exhibited until Il
~ moment when the Sd infantry, under Car
~ Alexander, had cleared the way by Fl
-. and bayone,, and had entered The wor
p; Capt. j. NJ. Smith and Lieut.. o. J.. She
ha herd. both of that regiment, with the
,n companies, had The glory of leading Il
-, assault. The former received The sure