The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-11-13


to keep the saddle) with his brigade pillows DIVISION
conducted by Capt Lee, engineer, by third road little
farther to our left to attack the enemys right and rear
IN order to favor the movement upon the convent and
OH the retreat towards the capital And, finally Shields
senior brsailer to Pierce with the New York and South
Carolina volunteers, (Qultmans dvison) ordered
to follow Pierce closely and 10 take the command of
lett wing All these movements were made with the ut
most alacrty By our gallant troops and commanders.
Finding myself at Coyoacan. from which so many
roads conveniently branched without or reserve,
had to advance for safety, close upon Twiggs rear.
The battle now ragged from the right to the left of
whole line.
Learning on the return of Captain Lee that Shields,
IN the rear OF Churubusco, was hard pressed and in
danger OF being ouulanked, ii not overwhelmed, by
greatly superior numbers, Immediately sent, under Ma
ior Sumner, Cd Dragons, the rifles Crwggs' reserve)
and captain Slbeys troop, I'd dragons. then at hand
support our left, guided by the same engineer.
About an hour earlier, Worth had by sklul and dar
forced San Anono-ts garrison no doubt much shaken
by our decisive victory at Contreras.
His second brigade Col Clarkes) conducted by Capt
Mason, engineer assisted by Lieut. Hardcastle. topo-
graphical engineer turned the right and by wide sweep
came out upon the high road to the capital AT this point
the heavy garrison 8o)o mem in retreat by Clarke
ores, off TO the right and the other upon Chuubusco
IN the direct line OF our operations The first brigade,
Colonel Garland's) same division, consisting Of the I'd
artillery under Major Gait the 80 artillery under Lieut.
Col Bolton, and the 18th infantry commanded by Maj F.
Lee with Lieut. Col Duncans field battery Temporarily
followed in pursuit through the town, taking one general
nitlon and other public property.
The forcing OF San Antonio was the second brilliant
event of the day
Worhs division being soon reunited in hot pursuit, he
was joined by Major General Pillow, who, marching
from Coyoacan and discovering that San Antonio had
been carried Immediately turned TO the left, according TO
my instructions, and, though much impeded by bitches
and swamps, FASTENED TO the attack of Churubusco.
The hamlet or scattered houses, bearing this name
presented, besides the fortified convent, strong field
work tee de ponD with regular basons and curtains, at
the head OF bridge which the road passes from
San Antonio TO the capital
The whole remaining forces Of Mexico-some $1,000
men-cavary, artillery, and infantry, collected from
every quarter-were now in, on the TANKS within
supporting distance Of those works, and seemed resolved
70 make last and desperate stand; for if beaten here
the feeber defences at the gates of the city miles off,
could not as was well known to both parties delay the
vicors an hour; The capital of ancient empire now
OF great republic or an early peace the assallants
less than third of the enemy's numbers-had doubt
as 10 the result
The fortified church Or convent holly. pressed by
Twiggs, had already held out about an hour. when
Worth and Pilow-the latter having with him only Cad
waalers brigadebegan to maneuvre closely upon the
ete with the convent at half gun-shot, to their
left. Garands brigade (Worths divisioh,) to which
had been added the light battalion under Lieutenant Colo
mel Smith, continued to advance in front, and under the
fire. Of s long line Of infantry off on the left Of h, The
brigade along the road or close by its side Two OF Pill
lows and CadwaIader's regiments. the 18th and nth,
supported and participated in this direct movement: the
''''SA
corps-partculary Clark's brgade-advancing perpen-
dculary, made to suffer much by the fire of the
ate dc pont and they would have suffered greatly more
by flank attacks from the convent but for the pressure OF
Twiggs on the other side OF that work.
Thus well-combned and daring movement at length
reached the principal point of attack and the formidable
ee de p0nt was at once assaulted and carried by the
bayonet Its deep wet ditch first calamity crossed
by the sh and 9Th infantry, commanded respectively by
Major Waite and Lieutenant Colonel Scott-folowed
closely by the 9th infantry (same brgade) which had
been much exposed in the road--the nth regiment
under Lieutenant Colonel Graham and the 14th, com
manded BY, Colonel Trousdale, both Of Cadwaader's
brigade, Pillows division. About the time, the
enemy, in front of Garland after hat conflict of an
hour and half gave way, in a retreat towards the
capital
The immediate results of this third signal triumph of
the day d-peces, 1872 prisoners, much ammu-
milton and two colors taken in the tete de pont.
Lieut. }. +. Irons, LIST artillery aid decamp to Briga
dier General Cadwaader young officer of great merit
and conspicuous in battle several previous occasions
received, in front of the work, mortal wound (Since
dead.)
AS the concurrent attack upon the convent favored
physically and morally the assault upon the tec de pon
So recprocaly no doubt the fall of the latter contribu
ted to the capture of the former The two works
only some $50 yards apart; and were in
possession OF the ete de poat captured Ipounder
turned and fredfrs by Captain Larkin Smith and next
times upon the convent. In the same brief interval
Lieut. Colonel Duncan (also of Worths divson) gal
any brought two of his guns bear at short range
from the San Antonio road upon the principal face of the
work. and the tower OF the church, which, in the OBJ
snate contest had been often relled with some of the
best sharp-shooters of the enemy
Finally twenty minutes after the tee de pont had been
carried by Worth and Pillow and the end of despe-
rate conflict of two hours and half the church
citadel of the strong line of defence along the
rivulet of Churubusco-yieded to TwiGgs division and
threw out all sides, signals OF surrender The white
flags, however, were not exhibited until the moment
when the 81 infantry, under Captain Alexander, had
cleared the way by fire and bayonet and had entered the
work. Captain j. M. Smith and Lieut.. o. L. Shepherd,
both of that regiment with their companies, had the
glory of leading the assault The former received the
surrender, and Capt Alexander instantly hung out from
balcony the colors of the gallant 3D. Major Dimck,
with part OF the st artillery, serving infantry,
tered nearly abreast with the leading troops.
division, opened its effective fire. at early moment upon
the outworks of the convent and the tower of its CHI rch
Exposed to the severes fire Of the enemy, the captain,
his officers and men, won universal admiration but at
length much disabled in and horses the battery was,
by superior orders, withdrawn from the action thirty
minutes before the surrender of the convent.
Those corps, excepting Taylor's battery belonged to
the brigade of Bngadier General Smith, who closely dl-
rected the whole attack in 'front.' with his habtua cool
and ability; while Reys brigade-he I'd and 7th
infantry, under Capt T. Morris and Lieut. Col Plympton,
respectvey vigorously engaged the right Of the work
ing 10 Smiths detached in support Of Brig. Gen.
Shields extreme left and the 18th artillery acting
infantry, under Major Gardner, belonging TO RIleys
brigade had been left in charge OF the camp, trophies
&c, at Contreras. Twiggs division, at Churubusco,
had thus been deprived of the services oil two OF its most
gallant and effective regiments.
The immediate results of this victory were the cap
ture of field. pieces some ammunition, one color three
generals and 1861 prisoners, including other officers
Captains +. A. Capron and NJ J. Burke, and Lieut. s.
Hoffman, all of the list artillery, and Captain j. w. An
derson and Lieut. Thomas Easey both of the "a infan
oEco IF hof,