Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-16


10 lose their relative position, well the column About
the battery got in position under most muderous ire Of grape
canister and roundshot Here the superiority OF the enemy
pieces rendered fire nugatoy. We could get but three
pieces in battery while they had toetseuea, all OF them
three the caber Of For two hours our troops
stood the Of iron and lead they hailed upon them I'M
moved At every discharge they laid fiat down to avoid the
storm and then sprung up to serve The guns Al inc emu OF
that time two the guns were dismounted and badly hurt
thirteen of the killed and disabled, and fifteen of
the cannoners killed and wounded The regiment was then
recalled The ancers had been epeed IN three successive
charges The Sd infantry and LIST artillery had also engaged
successfully repealed the enemys skmshers without loss
of either officers The greatest loss had been at the
batteries Officers looked gloomy for the first days hght but
the brigade formed and Gen smith IN person took COM
mand All felt revived and followed him with yell. as,
creeping low avoid the grape (Which coming very last
we made circuit of the battees and passing oil to
right lost view in the chapaa and cactus
Passing the path that scrambled through, behold
US almost o'clock in the evening" tired, hungry, and
rowu emerging from the chapaal and crossing the road
between and Valencia Here we found Cadwalader and
his brigade already formed, and discovered Reys brigade
skrmshing in Of the enemy's works Valencia was g
approach, and yet SAFE In front of
us Valencia strongly enenched hill side and
rounded by regular field work, concealed from by
chard in Mendoza with column Of {, 900,
the road but thinking to be friends On right
large range of hills whose continued crest parallel to the
road and in which formed in Do battle 900 OF the
best Mexican cavalry. On left separated from
our forces by almost impossible wilderness and it
twilight Even Smith looked round for help. Sud-
denly thousand ripas the hill side like the yes
prairie wolves the dead of night and the squadrons
right formed for charging. Smith is himself again
Face to the rear ~ :" w ait till you their red caps, and
then give it them =" Fuousy they few yards,
then changed their minds and, disguised at cool reception
retired to their couches.
On the edge of the road between US and Valencia Mexi-
hamlet spread out with its mud huts large orchards deep
roads, and strong church and through the of this
hamlet path parallel to the main road but concealed from
it is nearly mile long In this road Smiths and Rey's
brigade spent the night Shields who up in the night
in the orchard while Cadwaader the enemys
works As we were within range OF their batteries which
could enade the road which lay built stone breast
work either end conceal ourselves from their view and
grape There completely surrounded by the
my cut of from communications ignorant of the ground,
without artillery, weary, dspiried, and detected We
disheaened set With Santa Anna and Saass promise of
quarter, force of four to against and half
defeated already, from Pueba, and from
Gen. Scott all seemed dark Suddenly the words whis
pered along, 9 ICE STERN at midnight. Now
selves again But what horrible night! There we lay,
tired eat, sleep, the middle Of that muddy
road officers and side by side with aheavy rain pouring
down upon US the officers wi hout blankets oyercoat
(hey had lost them coming acro) and the
with fatigue About midnight the rain heavy that the
in the road flooded us apd there stood crowded
gether drenched and benumbed waiting till daylight
At half past three the welcome word " fall IN passed
down. and commenced our march. The enemys works
hill SIDE behind which other and slightly
higher hills, separated by deep avnes and gues and inter
seced by streams. The whole face of the country of
stiff clay which rendered almost impossible advance We
formed line about quarter OF mile from the enemy
works, Reys brigade right At about four start
ed winding through thick orchard which efectuay
ceaIed had been dark, debouching into deep
ravne which within about five hundred yards of the work.
and which carried directly and out of sight of their
batteries. At dawn Of day reached place after in
credible exerton and got ready for charge The
off blankets and looked TO their pieces while
the officers got ready for rush, and the first smile that lit up
our faces for twelve hours BODIED but little good for the Next
On the right and opposite the right of their work.
lev brIpaa M the st
the rifles then the ls artillery and Sd infantry In
of left Cadwaaders brigade, support with
Shieldss brigade in reserve-he whole division UNI
der command OF Gen. Smith, IN the absence oil Gen ggs
They had smooth place rush down the enemy swork,
with the brow Of the hill keep under until the wosd
4 gwen.
At last, Just at daylight Gen. Smith slowly walking up
asked if all ready. A look answered him. " Ma for
cardt" And we did forward" Sprngng up once
Reys brigade opened when the crack of hundred rifles
startled the Mexcans from their astonshmenL and they opened
their fire. Useless fire for close that they
shot Us, and before they could turn their pieces
them. Then such cheers you heard The
rushed forward like demons yelling and firing the while
The ghnu, and though they fired sharply, it
Of The earhern parapet cleared in
ant and the blows of the stocks could be plainly heard min
d with the yes and around Just before the charge
made, large body of lances winding up the road
looking splendidy in their brilliant uniforms They
got the work, but turned and fed In instant all
of confusion, each trying be foremost in the
flight The road literally blocked up, and, while many
persisted by their guns, almost impossible fire
the from the danger Of killing Some fed
up the ravine the left the right and many of these
slain by turning their guns them Towards the
city the rifles and I'd infantry led of the pursuit Seeing that
large of the fugves ammed up a pass in the
road of through the coned and by thus
heading them off and firing down upon them, about thirty
took 500 prisoners nearly hundred of them Off
After disarmng the prisoners the pursuit had ceased
back the fort, where found troops in full
possession, and the rout complete.
We found that the enemys position much stronger
than had supposed and their artillery much larger aud
more abundant Our loss small, which may be
counted for by their perfect surprise charge them
appeared if rising of the earth, unperceved
approach Our loss officer killed, Capt Hanson
Of the 9TH infantry and Lieut. Van Buren, Of the rifles shot
through the leg, and about fifty killed and wounded.
Their force consisted OF 5000 men, under Valencia with
reserve which had yet arrived under Santa Anna Their
loss since ascertaned, follows Killed and buried
since the fight $50 wounded, l000 and 800 prisoners,
exclusive Of officers including four GeneralsSalas Mendo-
"a, Garcia and Guadaupe-in addition dozens of Colo
nes, Majors Captains, &c. We captured in all the bill
% pieces cannon, including five s,nch howitzes
long Is three long is, and several Of II and inches, and
also the identical 6pounders captured by the Mexcans
Buena Vista taken from Capt Washngons battery of the
18th artillery The first officer who them happened he
the officer Of the 4h selected by Gen Scott to command the
new battery o that regiment, Capt Drum In addition
taken immense quantities Of ammunition and muskes fact
the way rewed with muskets, escopes, ances and flags
for miles. Large quantities Of horses and mules also