Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-05-14

this time. he detached Brevet Lieutenant Col
onel C. F. Smith, with his light battalion, to
support the assault, but not in time. The
General, reaching the tower few minutes be-
fore me. and observing a white flag displayed
from the nearest portion of the enemy towards
the batteries below, senl out Colonels Harvey
and Chlds to hold parley. The surrender
followed in an hour or two.
Major General Patterson left sick bed to
share in the dangers and fatigues OF the day ;
and after the surrender went forward to COM
mand the advanced forces towards Xalapa.
Brig. Gen. Pillow and his brigade twice as.
saulted, with great daring, the enemy's line OF
batteries on our left; and though, without
success, they contributed much TO distract anu
dismay their immediate opponents.
| President Santa Anna, with Genls. CanallZo
and Almonte, and some SIX or eight thousand
men. escaped towards Xalapa, just before Ger
TO Gordo was carried, and before Iwlggs' OIL
vision reached the national road above.
have determined to parole the prisoners
officers and men-as have not the means OF
feeding them here, beyond to-day, and cannot
afford to detach heavy body of horse and
foot, with wagons. to accompany them TO Vera
Cruz Our baggage train, though increasing
is not vet half large enough to give an assn
red progress to this army. Besides, create
number of prisoners would. probably, escape
from the escort in the long and deep sandy
road, without subsistence-ten to one-tha
we shall find again, ont OF the same body o
men, in the ranks opposed to us. Not one o
the Vera Cruz prisoners is believed to hav'
been in the lines of Cerro Gordo. Some ST.
of the officers, highest in rank, refuse to Civ
their paroles, except to 60 to Vera Cruz, ant
thence, perhaps, to the United States.
The small arms and their accoutrements
being of no value to our army here or at home
| have ordered them to be destroyed; for w
have not the means of transporting them.
am, also, somewhat embarrassed with the -
pieces of artillery-all bronze which w
have captured. It would take brigade, an
, half the mules of this army, to transport then
fifty miles. A field battery | shall take TO
the service with the army but the heavy met
, al must be collected, and left here for the pres
ent. We have our own siege-traln and tn
: proper carriages with us.
Being much occupied with the prisoners
and all the details of forward movement, be
sides looking to the supplies which are to fol
, low from Vera Cruz, have time to add n
more-intending to be at Xalapa early to-mor
2 row. We shall not, probably, again NEE
with serious opposition this side of Perote-
certainly not, unless delayed by the want Q
the means of transportation.
have the honor to remain, sir, with hig
: respect, your most obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
5 P. S. Invite attention to the accompanyin
t letter to President Santa Anna, taken in hi
carriage yesterday also to his proclamation
issued On hearing that we had captured Yer
e Cruz, &c., in which he says 80 If the enem
J., advance one step more, the national indepen
dence will be buried in the abyss OF the past.
S We have taken that step. w. 5.
: Imake second postscript, to say that ther
Y is some hope, | am happy to learn, that Gel
Shields may survive his wounds.
One OF the principal motives for parolin
}. the prisoners of war, is to diminish the resi-:
: tances of other garrisons in our march:
. WIS.
Hon. VIM. L. MARCY, Secretary of War.