Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-05-13

ind again. o., q he SANE boiy Of neo. in The
prisoners L believed 10 have bs:n il - ines oil
ceuo Gordo- S0,re sin q IL clEc1n kighest,
n rank, reInse % give her plt1'1s cx1t-f 70 gol
2 Vera Cruz. and thence, srt>rs o ~ ltiled |
The tmall arms and thcir accorifemcr,1 beingi
q ~ v1lne 10 our army here cr n home, / have
ordered them % b destroyed; Cor We have not Tie
means Of transporting them. I an. also, some-l
what embarrassed with the - pieces Of artille-
Ey-au bsonzs-whieh Ne have captured. II
would take brigade. and half The m1les Of this
arm, % Transport Diem flty miles A field bat
..eu shall teke fos the service with the army 4
PM ne heavy metal Hnzt b collected, and len 1
here Tor The present. We have our own siege
train and1he proper carriaces with rs
BEING much occupied With DE prisoners, and
a. me details Of forward movement, besides
looking 10 the supplies which are to follow fromi
vera Cruz, have time 10 add no more intend
ing 70 oe a Aalapa early tomorrow. We shall L
nces probably, again meet with serious opposition
.nis sloe q ferote-certainly net, unless delayed
10y the want Of the means 81 Transportation.
have the honor 10 remain, sir, with HIGH rel
sPect, your most cbelent servant
WIFuLD Scprr.
4. y I ingite affection % the accompanying
letter TO President Santa Anna, taken II his car
rage yesterdays also 70 bis proclamation. issued
ION hearing thst We had eapturei Vera Gr6z, &C.
IN which ne says:-'ff the enemy advance one i
sep more, the national Independence vii be bupi-
led N the abyss the past We have takenthatl
step. w. IS.
make second postscript, to say that there is
some hope. am haPpZ 2 learn, that Cen Shields
One Of the principal motives for paroling the
prisoners Of war. Is 70 diminish the resstances Of
| other garrisons in our march. w. s..
] Hon. Wsl. l. MARCY, Secretary Of War.
| The Vera Cruz Eagle contains some highly in
,eresting particulars. After stating that Santa
Anna escaped with al his cavalry, numbering
NEARLY 5000, il says
The positions occupisd.by the enemy were as
istrong as nature, combined with ART, could make
them, aud could you but see them whilst reading
fthese lines, you would wonder At their surrender
The CeEro Gerdo, the most prominent Of the de-
fences, commands the Jalapa road for two or three
miles, and heavy battery here, in the hands Of
IskIful men would keep an army in cheek for
many day, If not eStirely prevent its passage
Il The importance Of this point was soon made APP
parent 10 all, and last night about twelve CLOCK,
Il piece of cannon was hauled upon neightcr-
ing eminence, which, alter sending sandry shot
upon the enemy, was found Of little avail; and
\ in the.norning the Cerro Gordo was storned and
lcarried-not, however, before the commander-ia-
ichiei of the MexicaRs had secured himself a
safe retreat by falling back, with his bodygHard,
several miles ppo6 the .Jalapa road
In the meantime, the other deieness were be-
ling stormed by onr troops. Three forts, situated
near to our camp, and upca three heights adjacent
to each oiher-each Commanding the others
J were the Objects Of attack and the carrying Of
them was the task Of the volunteers. The
tire one of these forts runs furt er in than the 9th.
ers, and this being the object Of the Storm the adj
vance Of the stormers had to undergo the FIRE Of
1.-THE right and left, and the centre-the latter oil
4. which prudently withheld its FIRE until our men
had advanced within forty yards of the guns, and
then the dogs Of warwere let loose with such III.
Try, that our men were driven from their position
with great slaughter-the Cd Tennesseans, who
: were in advance, having large numberof killed
and wounded. Before the volunteers had time Il
renew the attack, the enemy had surrendered
driven, as they had been, from their fayorite posi-
ton on Cerro Gordo.
Taking all things into consideration, this has
beena great fight, and great victory, one calcu-
lated to shine brilliantly in the chapter Of those
achieved in Mexico by our arms.
do were the 81 and 4ih Light Infantry, the Sd and
9Th Regiments. of the line, and pieces Of artiIle.
ry, with the requisite number Of cavalry. Col.
Obando, chiefofthe artillery, was killed, and Gen
Vasques, general Of division. Many Of our off,
Ter than Gov. Morales
Our force consisted Of the I'd, Sd and TIN Infan.
TRY and Mounted Riflemen. and Stepioe' battery.
Capt Mason. Of the Rifles, was severely wound
ed, having lost his left leg. Lieut. Ewell, Of the
"A 18th Infantry, was severely wounded Capt. Pat
! ten, of the I'd, left hand shot off,
i On the 18th, Lieut.. Jarvis, of the I'd Infantry,
was wounded in ascending the 6rst HID.
On the top Of the Cerro Gcpdo, tie scene was
truly horrible. Fromthe Jalapa road, dead bodies
of theenemy could be seen on every spot where
the eye was directed, prsll they literally covered
the ascent 81 the height. There Is about half an
acre Qf level ground on the top Of the mountain,
and here was collected together tAe-weunded Of
both armies, aud the dead Of our own. Side by
side were lying the disabled American and ,Aiexi-
can, aRd our ,surgeens were busy auiputating and
/ dressing the wounds of cach--settipg them in
turns, unless the acnte pain Of some sufferer fur
Their along caused him TO crytout, when he would
be Immediately attended to-
1 The pioneer parties Of our men were picking
up the wounded and bringing them in from every
part the ascent to the height. From the side
towards the river, where the storrning party Of
Gen. Twggs' division made the charge most Of
our men suiiered, and many Of the eneesy, also,
flor they Eade desperate stand; but when they
gave way, and started in confusion down the hill
was the time they most suffered uiaRyof them re-
ceiying.ihe balls ofour men iRtheir backs.
The charge on Cerro Gordo was one Z Of those
cool yet deterEiped ones 90 characteristic Of the
american soldier From the time that our troops
LEFT the hill nearestthe prominent height the FIRE
was incessant, and they had to 6ghti6eir way foot
BY foot, till they gained the summit, from which
place the enemy gave way aiter a very short re-
sistanee.
Our Eictesyjs complete Those Of the enemy
who escaped were driven in all directions BY
their PurSpers, and many ofthem cut down on The
road.
Gen. Twiggs, who followed them sster .ishingl
Ccrros Gordo, approached within three miles oil
jalapa. and finding no force OF tiie enemy, en-
camped for the night. TIe Is in The town before
this tine.
Captain Merrill, cfthe ID Dragons, returned
rom Twiggs' camp last night, and is Of opinion
that nothing bat small body gaafd is with San
IA Anna. 81
Santa Annas private carriage was captured, and
amongst his effects was found the sum Of $4,000,
which IS now ip tbs hands Of the ouariermaster,l
and on additional leg Of cork for his Excellencys
use 70 case OF yaergency. Nfstss n
noticed one officer Of the enemy shot drought
the head on Cerro Gcsdo, who was conspicuous
man at Vera Cruz