Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-21
Corps, sc.

A. Hitchcock, "A. InspeGtoi oeneio' 49, ~
III Al he has received The paroles Of honor OF three
Mexican general officers, and similar paroles
from one hundred and eighty-five other ofhcers Q
all grades; also, paroles of honor given by Mex
can officers in behalf OF the several corps Pr
soners CT war, not 10 serve during The war, un
less duly exchanged. These rolls embrace S,e3
names rank and file. Two OF The general OH
GERS. (Gen. La Vega one Of lhem,) and IA o'hel
officers refused 10 give their paroles OF honor no
10 serve during the war unless exchanged, ou
pledged themselves 10 repor, as prisoners oil wal
70 The American commander at Vera Cruz. We
Give The conclusion OF Col. H.'s report together
with the reports OF Generals Twiggs and Paller'
son. They are long, buI, in justice 10 our brave
soldiers, we deem it our duty TO lay The brgh'
catalogue before the country;
think proper 10 remark, with regard to Inc
operations al Cerro Gordo, that by turning Inc
len flank OF the enemy and storming the prlnci,
nal hill occupied By him, which was executed
under your personal observation on inc morn,
ing of The 18th inst, his force was d'vioeo-aii
Of The batteries cas-, OF the hill being separated
from The main body OF The army encamPeu on
the Jalapa road west OF the hill
All the positions oflhe enemy were command
ed by the hin itself, which was believed by the
Mexicans 10 be inaccessible TO our troops. The
hill being stormed and taken, the main body Of
The enemy fed in the utmost confnsion and bull
very few were ken prisoners. Many oil The troops
in The batteries, al The same time, MADE their es'
"a ne in the hills, throwing away their arms
A Mexican officer assured me that no less than
500 thus escaped from one single battery. OF
those in The batteries who laid down their arms,
more Than a thousand contrived 10 escape on
their march from the field OF battle 10 Plan del
Rio some FIVE miles or more, along circuilous
road bounded by woods and Iavines-and hence
The number Of prisoners on parole is diminished
10 about 1000 men, exclusive OF officers. And
although this may no, be The place for The ex-
preston OF an opinion, feel warranted in say
ing lha, the defeat was as complete as II was un-
expected by The enemy-lhat he was utterly de.
s,royed, captured or routed, spreading terror and
CONSERVATION throughout The country.
| have the honor 10 be, very respectfully, your
obedienl servant, L. A. HITCHCOCK,
Lieut.. Col. A. Inspector General.
Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, General-in-
Chief, Jalapa, Mexico.
HEADQUARTERS ID DIVISION or REGULARS,
April l9, lS47.
Sra: | have The honor 10 report, for the intor.
nation of The general-in chief, The operations OF
my division OF regulars against the enemy on the
l7lh instant
Prefacing this report, will stale that | arrived
a, Plan del Rio on the llth instant. The ad-
yanced guard Of Dragons under Col. Harvey,
having driven from the place body OF the enc
my's lancers, then encamped my division for the
night, intending the following day Q2h) 10 cover
a thorough reconnaissance Of his position, and. II
practicable. 10 make an effective attack on all his
works. Deemiug il impraclicabe To advance
with advantage, beyond The position which had
gained during The Reconnaissance on The l2lh
(beins some three and a hall miles from waler)
Withdrew my main force TO my old camp, Keep
ing up a strong picket 10 retain The ground had
passed over, intending on The following morning,
The l3lh) al 4 o'clock 10 make the attack with ef-
Itc'
Two MiQades oil VOLUNTEERS, under The COM
.a4na ., Brig'r Gems Pillow and Shields,
.spe,t.yelv, arrived al my camp, on the
/. Ii ms ami. Major General Patterson, United
states volunteers, having reported sick, assumed
Of the whole The volunteers wishing
10 participate in the fight, and being so much bro
ken down from The recent march from Vera Cruz,
thought proper, al the suggestion oil Genls Pil-
ow and Shields, 10 defer The attack one day. Hav-
ing done SO, and having malured my plan Of at.
ack, and assigned ~ each division lis duty, was
,veriaken by an order of Major Gen. Patterson,
a!,er night on The 18Th, 10 suspend all further OIL
ensive operations until the arrival OF The general
in chief or until ordered by himself, Gen. Pa',er-
,on.) Agreeably 10 this arrangement received,
IN the evening Of The 10TH verbal orders from: The
,eneral-n- chief 10 proceed on my line OF opera
ions, the right ot The national road. Al | O'clock,
!, ,n., got in position the right oi my column
being about 700 yards from The enemy's main
work Lieut.. Gardner's company, TN infantry,
was then detached 10 observe The enemy from the
first commanding height on my ieil. ln shorl
lime strong recommending ar skirmishDg parry
was observed approaching towards him, having IN
reserve large force. in all numbering about TWO
thousand Lieut.. Gardner held his position IN
der heavy fire until relieved by Col. Harvey
with the rife regiment and lst artillery. With
his force Col Harvey cleared The TWO hills in front
81 the enemy's main work, and held secure the
position intended for our heavy battery, which was
established during The night under The direction
of Captain Lee, OF The engineer corps During
This evening Brig Gen. Shields joined me with
his brigade Of volunteers, composed OF TWO llli-
nois regiments, under Coils Baker and Foreman,
and one New York regiment commanded by Col.
Burnett.
On the morning OF the 18Th, when our heavy
guns opened, COL Harvey, having been rem
forced by The Sd and 7lh infantry, pushed TOR.
ward his skirmiShing parties. Overcoming all
obstacles presented by The nature oil the ground,
and under most CALLING and destructive nre, TINS
command advanced with sleadiness and reg ular-
ity. and finally succeeded in driving from the
strong position oil the enemy all MS lorces anu III
putting them in complete rou'.
In Lino of tho individual efforts oil The Offl-
GERS in command OF regiments and companies, !
am unable TO do ample justice. Each anu every
one seemed 10 be endeavorng 10 excel III all lna'
is required OF gallant officers. They a respond
ed to the encouraging voice OF their gallant lead
er, and conducted their men 10 viclory ana glory
The ID brigade under Col. Riley, advanced un-
der heavy fire TO gain position on the Jalapa
road in rear OF the enemy, with view OF cutting
of his retreat. After crossing The valley al 'he
foot OF Cerro Gordo, the fire oil The enemy oeca
so annoying that TWO companies OF The "a lnlan'
try were ordered out as skirmisbers 10 occupy
them The remainder Of The "a, conducted by
Capt. Lee, engineers, proceeded on this course
PeTceiving that the enemy were extending &c
their lett, ordered General Shields 10 cross
the ravine on our right, and keep up The lei
hank ON the part previously reconnoitred by
Capt. Lee In the further progress oil this por'
ton of Col. Riley's brigade, he was Obliged te
turn his whole column 10 The left TO oppose the
enemy. direct movemen, down the spur. Capt
Lee continued his course, supported by Lieut.
Benjamin's company, 4h artillery. On coming
out in the plain west OF the CeTro Gordo, and II
full view Of the Jalapa road, battery Of five
guns, supported by body Of lancers, was disco
yered Gen. Shields brigade was discovered BY
this portion of the enemy. The battery opene'
with grape on him and on Lieut. B; BENJAMIN mi
company. The gallant general, with shon
from his men, pushed boldly Tor the road on tht
enemys lett, who, seeing their position complete
" turned, as we'll as driven from the Hill, aban
doned themselves TO flight. Gen. Shields wa
here severely wounded, The command OF The brI
gade devolvng upon Col. Baker, who conducted
il with ability. The pursuit was continued a
far as Encerro, when was oveflaken by MAJ
Gen. Patterson, u S. volunteers, who then as
sumed command OF the advance and ordered
halt.
cannon speak in loo high terms OF The con
duct OF Colonel Harvey, who, united with hi
indomitabe courage, possessed the cool ludg
ment which enabled HIM 10 know just how far L