The State guard., 1847-09-14

l ," '"e leaT, us awaiting ne shock of battle. Two separai. charges oi inc latter were distinctly seen repus- ed by Col Riley, who had moved his brigade at one iime % a position partial in the rear of the enemy's works Co: Harney was exceedingly anxious 10 march his cavalry to the scene of ac ton, but it was deemed utterly imprac. ticable. The nature of the giound was such that the infantry even had great difficulty in finding the way across the betrayal, as the Mexicans term il- ground covered with sharp, jagged rocks
 Unlil night had fairly closed in the fl e from the enemy's batteries did not slacken-it had been a continuous roar for nearly six hours. Gen Scot, retired 10 San Augustin about 8 o'clock, and in Ihe midst of a hard rain which had just commenced falling. Gen Twiggs and Pillow came in about II o'clock, wei and completely exhausted. It was i'm possible to use horses on the rough and exceedingly broken ground on winch they had been operating for nearly i2 hours. Not anticipating the imme nse strength of the works of the enemy, or the almost insurmountable difficulties of reaching them, it had been at first lho't that the batteries would be taken at a dash and that the troops would be all comfortably quartered in San Angel for the night; irstead of this, large DOT, tion of them were compelled 10 bivouac without blankets in the mids. of pitt less rain, and on ground here they could not even stretch thems elves out.
 Add to this, the prospects of the mor- TOW were far from faue,ing-were en ough to csmay any but the stoutest hearts-that the enemy would doubtless reinforce and strengthen his works du- ring the night, having every superiority in knowledge of the ground-add again 10 this that the men were we eakoned by long exertioDs, want of food, and chilled by ihe continuous night rain, and it is not sayIng foo much to assert that the bivouac of the 18th August was gloomy in the extreme.
 Early on the morning of the 20lh, Gen Worth was ordered lo move with a part of his divlsion-GarIand's br,- gade-lowards the scene of action at Cou'reras, to aid in ,he attack upon Va
 le,cis, for to force this position was deemed indispensable. few dischar. ges of cannon were heard about o'> clock, aud heavy rallling of musketry, and some even said that in the distance they had seen large masses oi Mexicans in full flight towards the city: yet few dreamed that he batteries at Cuutreras 5 had been stormed and carried Yet SO it was. Gen Scott himself, accompa> nied by Gen Worth, started for the scene of action, when they were met by Capt Mason with the joyful intelligence that Valencia had heen completely routed after shcrt but terrible struggle. The attack upon his works was planned by Gen Sm th, and resulted in ihe capture of l5 pieces of artillery, some 1900 prisoners among them Gems Blanco, Garcia, Mendozl, and the notorious Salas: all the ammunition and camp equipage, while the road along which those who escaped fled was sirewed with muskels. No less than 700 of the enemy, among them many officers, were left dead on the field-the number of wounded was undoubtedly far greater l have no time now to enlarge or com. ment upon this wel-planned and bril- iant achievement, but reserving a more full description for some other time, must pass on 10 other ex italing events. The works at Coutreras completely in the power of ihe American army, Gen Scott al once ordered Gen Worth to fall back upon San Antonio, to turn and capture that work and then to push on towards the capital by the main road. while the main body of the army under Generals Twiggs, Pillow, Smith, Pierce and Cad> walder, moved on towards San Angel and Cohoycan. Scarcely had the ad- vance of Gen Twiggs got half mile beyond the latter village. before rats Hing fire of musketry announced that it vas actively engaged with the ouposis of the enemy, and the heavy booming of cannon now gave token that the nos ted 2d division had fallen upon another strong work, Bat few minutes more and tremendous firing from the right. and immediately in the main road from San Augus'in to the capital, made il evident that Gen Worth's division was actively engaged. He had completely turned the stioug works of San Anto- nio, but while doing so the enemy had abandoned the place with the loss D. their heavy guns, and had fallen back upon the second and stronger line oi works. It was now at the commence. ment of the battle, about o'clock in the afternoon, and sure such ratIlng of firearms has seldom or never been heard on the continent of America, accompa- nied with such booming of artillery; and this was conticued over two hours and until the enemy was fully routed from every point, and until those who were not killed or taken prisoners were in full flight for the city. Let me en deavor in words to give the r'ader an idea of the position of the works of the enemy. As you come along the road leading from San Augustin 10 the capital, and immediately this side the Puen.e del |