Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-11-02

MISCELLANEOUS.

lish the following admirable letter from an officer
in Mexico addressed 10 member of his family
in this city, II will be read, we cannot doubt
with universal inlerest.-lN y. Courier.
CRY OF Mexico, Sept 23i, lSf.
IL is only a fortnight since wrote you detail
cs account Of the battles Of Conirs,as and CHHrm-
busco. and now I have TO inform you OF TWO more
severely contested actions, which resulted IN Inc
entire roul OF the Mexican army and The fall Of
The capital! In my letter OF The Sd inst, gave
YOU The prevailing opinions OF the day, with ie-
eard 10 Inc probabilities Of peace, which al mat
lime were very great The negotiations cont.
nued TO be carried On with great appearance OF
success until the Eth when Mr.. TRlsT returned
with the news that the Mexican government, had
rejected with scorn The propositions OF the Amefl-
can commissioners, and al the same time General
Scorr discovered that the city was being fortified
in violation of the armistice. He gave Santa An
ma TIL I2 M, the 7lb, 10 recommence the negoIla-
lions and to atone Tor his breach OF faith. But no
apology came, aud the lime for action was at
hand.
The key point Of the enemy's line was strong
and apparently impregnable work on the top OF
steep and rocky hill, about miles from The city,
aud was called Ch1puitepcs. lis cannon CON-
manded entirely the little village Of Iacu1aya,
where General SCOTS and General WORMS head
quarters were, as we'll as the road leading 10 The
civ and the aqueduct which supplies il with wa
ter The hill was strongly fortified on all sides,
and on the Top was covered by massive stone
buildings OF the Mexican Military College. The
sides 81 the hill were ruined, and thick and high
stone We A run round great par, OF il. On the side
Of the hill iarIhest from The main road from Ia
cubaya 10 the city. was foundry which was re-
presented as being unprotected, but ull OF ammu-
milton. II was therefore determined 10 carry ii
with the intention OF storming Chapnltepec on
that side. The attack commenced early on the
morning of The S.a, by storming party OF
WORMS division, which was attacked so furious
ly, and received such tremendous and uneXpect-
Ell FIRE OF artillery, that they were obliged to tail
back, leaving their dead and wounded lying upon
the field. The Mexcans after the retreat, came
out and killed nearly all the wounded, among them
3 officers The whole of WORMS division was
then ordered up, as we'll as Cadwalladers brigade,
and after a furious and bloody fight Of an hour,
they finally drove The enemy out OF their
works with a loss OF thousand killed and wound.
ed. besides, las We afterwards lcarned,) an hun
dted and two officers. The enemy IS works were
found 10 be much stronger than was expected,
consisting of a regular field work surrounding
strong stone mill, which was filled with men, and
which mounted ten pieces OF artillery, principal
ly four and eight FOUNDERS. The enemy, who
seemed TO consider this the main attack on Cha
pultepec Tough, With the most logged obslinaG
and courage, and returned no less than Three
times after they had been driven out. Our own
loss, from The nature OF The ground, was very
great Iisenty-one officers were killed and
wounded out Of tJrty-three present, and nearly
eichl hundred men. There were in The action
only about $500 OF our troops, while The Next
can force is stated by themselves 10 have been
abou; 10 900. The 9Th infantry suffered greatly,
and came out with only three officers. Lien.. Z,
hah ouaJ uatlantlv bnt W. mil
fortunate as 10 be shot through the leg just allows
the ANGLE. TwiSss' division was not engaged in
The battle of Noi.no del Rcy, or Kings MILL as
j, is called The mill was full OF powder, and
after the fight was over blew up by accident and
killed Lieut.. Armstrong, OF the artillery.
II all this action los, US the lives OF nine OFF,
GERS. Our division had been wing al the village
Of SAL l!nSei ill the afternoon Of The IL b. when
we'd came 10 move M 10 Pisdcd, a little village
:,buu; ,@o miles lrcn ChaTul'epec, as well as
from the city. The Doctor tod me 10 go 10 the
hospital; The breusl said no! So went on in
wagon, as was TO sick 10 walk. That night
we arrived a, Piedad. where We bivouacked.-
The next day the batteries, having been got INTO
position al Tacubaya, TOR bombarding Chapulle-
pee, commenced firing at daylight. We could
see the whole OF il from where we were, and
most splendid sight it was. Every ball went
crashing through The building and every shell tore
up the ramparts, while their IRE was scarcely less
hot Il lasted all day, and only ceased with day
LIGHT. In the afternoon a call was made for $50
picked men Tor The toriorH hope, 10 storm the next
morning al daylight.
Atdaylishl on me 18th, all were in expectation.
Ats A NJ ,as o:...er cams for Smiths brigade
10 march Tor rAcnbaya. In Ten minutes We were
on the road, oil IN hurry for fear we might be
too late. Ge gJi into The village and marched
down 10 support Gen. Quilman on The road. The
r. ~. uoru hna va 0r
column passed in the rear OF chr own batteries,
but luckily i, fell few yards short. One BY
one. we crept through ditch, which partially
sheltered us until the Two leading companies were
ordered 10 deploy as skirmishers, when OF We
started across the open field and drove The enemy
from behind row OF maguey plants ard look
their place We we're then formed nearly as
foilows:-Thc siormers were in the road al The
foot of the hill on The right looking toward the CT.
rs; on the right Of the DAD in ditch, partially
sheltered ffoa The enemy's fire, was Gen. Smiths
brigade, while Two of our companies were de-
Moved in ditch perpendicular 10 the road, AMI
about one hundred and fifty yards from The enc
my's batteries. Gen. Pillows division attacked
on the left OF The HILL opposite 10 Us. After about
an hours hard firing, The enemys began TO
slacken, and the word was given 10 charge
We rushed forward, and in three minutes we
carried the first battery The Rifles entered the
OlWeIy WIN tHc SUI uliiiS pdlJ, NilCn was loH-
manded by one OF its Captains Wefollowed The
fusiiivcs close up to The aqueduct, and turning to
The lett, clambercd up The sleep path to the castle.
TIE enemy we're running down in crowds, and
rae slaughter was Tremendous in the road and or
chard Our men were Infatuated by the conduct
OF The Mexicans at Moleno del Rey, and took but
few prisoners. The castle was completely torn 10
pieces. Nearly every part was rldded by our
SHOT, while the pavements and Notifications were
completely torn up by The shells. am afraid
the prosperity of the Mexican Military Acadc-
my has been seriously checked. In il were crowds
OF prisoners OF every rank and color, among
whom were fifty general officers, and about an
hundred cadets. The later were pretty little lei
lows, from ten 10 sixteen years OF age. Several
of them were killed fighting like demons, and in
deed they showed an example OF courage worthy
OF imitation by some Of their superiors in rank.
Leaving this captured fortress with the stars
aud stripes waving over il in hundred places,
we prepared for the pursuit. The road leading
from Chapullepec TO the capital is perfectly
alraigh, and broad carriage way, in The centre OF
which runs the aqueduct that supplies the city
with water. II is supported upon stone arches OF
about eight feet span and height; The bottom OF
which are about fuot higher than the road
Smiths brigade was intended as a support TO
Qniim ms division, but it formed so quickly that
il became the attacking party, instead Of the re-
serve, and dasneu up tue ROAD 10 luii pursuit.
The enemy soon commenced heavy fire upon
US from a strong battery across The road, and
dealh again found us, after i! seemed to have LEI,
us tor The day. At las, we crawled up close TO The
battery and our deahdealing rifles told with fear.
full effect. Closer and closer, from arch 10 arch,
We crep,, Until "for,card Riffs" brought ont eve.
~ man with YELL and the battery was onrs.-
Again commenced our slow and deadly march
as we gradually approached the garr,ta or gate OF
the city, the enemy relrea,ing slowly before us
As soon as they crossed The gates tremendous fire
OF artillery opened upon us on both sides OF the
aoueduct as we'll as from two thanking batteries on
both sides OF the road. Here our loss was very
great: slowly creeping from arch 10 arch We los,
many men By the batteries in front, while the nre
from Ranking batteries coming through The arch.
es killed many who we're safe from that in front.