Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-05-22
COL. DONIPHAN'S REPORT.


HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, CHIHUAHUA, !
City of Chihuahua, March 4th, lS47.
have the honor TO report 10 you the move
ment Of the army under my command since my
last official report.
On the evening OF the 9th OF February, lS47,
we left the town Of Ell Paso del Norle, escorting
the merchant train or caravan of 315 wagons for
the city Of chihuahua. Our force consisted Of 924
effective men, III officers and privaes Of the ar.
lillery; 90 OF Lieut.. Col. Mtchell's escort. and
the remainder the LIST esiment Missouri mounted
volunteers. We progressed in the direction OF
this place until the 25th, when we were inform
ed by our spies that the enemy, to the number OF
1,5OO men, were at lnseneas, the country seat OF
Gov. Tras. about 25 miles in advance.
When we arrived, on the evening Of the Goth,
near that point, we found that the force had re
treated in The direction Of this city. On the
evening Of the 9th we arrived at Sans, and learn.
ed from our spies that the enemy, in great force
had fortified the pass OF the Sacramento river.
about ID miles in advance. and about the same
distance from this city. We were also informed
that there was no water between the point we
were at and that occupied by the enemy; we
therefore determined to halt until morning. At
sunrise on the 2Slh, the last day OF February. we
took up the line Of march and formed the whole
train, consisting Of 315 heavy traders wagons
and our commissary and company wagons, into
four columns, thus shortening our line so as TO
make it more easily protected. We placed the
artillery and all the command, except 200 caval.
ry proper, in the intervals between The columns
Of wagons. We thus fully concealed our force
and its position by masking our force with the
cavalry. When we arrived within three miles
OF the enemy, we made a reconnaissance of his
position and the arrangement of his forces This
we could easily do, the road leading through an
open prairie valley between the Sleril mountains
The pass of The Sacramento is formed by a
point OF the mountains on our right, their left
extending into the valley or plain so as TO narrow
the valley TO about II miles. On our left was a
deep dry channel OF a creek, and between these
points the plain rises TO sixty feet abruptly. This
rise is in the form Of a crescent the convex part
being 10 the north Of our forces. On the right,
from the point Of mountains, narrow part OF the
plain extends north l ] miles further than on the
left. The main road passes down the centre OF
the valley and across tho crescent, near the left
or dry branch.
The Sacramento rises in the mountains on the
right and the road falls on it about one mile
below the battle field or entrenchment OF the enc.
my. We ascertained that the enemy bad one
battery Of four guns, two nine and six Founders,
on the point Of the mountain on our right (lheir
left, at good elevation TO sweep the plain and
at the point where the mountains extended fur.
thest into the plain. On our left (her right
they had another battery on an elevation com,
manding the road and three entertainments OF
two six Founders, and on the brow Of the ores.
cent near the CENTRE another OF two six and four
and six culverins, or rampant pieces, mounted on
carriages; and on the crest Of the hill or ascent
between the batteries, and the right and left they
had 27 redoubts dug and thrown up, extending al
short intervals across the whole ground. In these
their infantry were placed and were entirely pro
tecled. Their cavalry was drawn up in front OF
the redoubts ia the intervals four deep, and in
front OF the redoubts two deep, SO as to mask
them as far as practicable. When we had arri
we'd within one and half miles OF the entrench.
ments along the main road, we advanced the cav.
airy still further. and suddenly dverged with the
columns to the right SO as 10 gain the narrow part
OF the ascent on our right, which the enemy dis
covering, endeavored to prevent by moving for.
ward with 1000 cavalry and four pieces OF can.
non in their rear masked by them. Our move.
menls were so rapid that we gained the elevation
with our forces and the advance Of our wagons in
time to form before they arrived within reach OF
our guns. The enemy halted and we advanced
the head Of our column within 1900 yards OF
them, SO as 10 let our wagons attain the high
lands and form as before.
We now commenced the action by brisk FIRE
| from our battery, and the enemy unmasked and