Tri-weekly journal., 1847-09-18

SHUT VI eleVeH nunOreu; I1dt OF the enemy IS
not well known. His loss in killed alone is
believed TO be fully equal to our entire loss,
and it is estimated that at least 5000 prisoners
were taken. The number of his wounded was
not ascertained, but it is supposed to be very
large. Gen. Scott himself received a wound in
the leg below the knee, bat from the manner
in which Mr.. Kendall speaks of it, we are led
to hope the injury a slight one.
Editorial Correspondence of the Picayune.
TAcUBAYo, (near Mexico,) Aug. %, 1917.
The celebrated Archbishop's Palace of Tacu-
bayo is now occupied by Gen. Scott; and a por-
ton of the army, after twice defeating the en-
envy in two of the hardest fought battles of the
war, are guartered around him. | have al
ready sent you off a hurried sketch of the glo-
rious events of the Goth, and even the present
letter must be but a hurried synopsis of the
battles, which have shed such additional glory
upon the American arms.
On the 18th inst, a reconnaissance made by
Col. Duncan having proved that a road for ar
tlllery and wagons could be cut from Chalco
to San Augustine, Gen. Worth's division NOV
ed on the afternoon of the 18th in that direc-
ton. Gen. Pillow followed the next morn
ing; at the same hour General Quitman broke
up his encampment at Buena Vista, a small
hacienda between Vienta de Cardova and Ay-
otla, and imm ediately Gen. Twiggs was in mo-
ton from that place. By this mode a new line
OF operations was taken up on the southern
and northwestern side Of the city of Mexico, and
the stronger works of the Penon and Mexical-
sinho, upon which Santa Anna had bestowed
such immense care and labor, were complete
ly turned.
IN the 10Th August, Gen. Worth marched
as far as the hacienda of San Gregorio, beyond
which 1t was found that the enemy had cut up
and ditched the miserable trail along which the
artillery and wagons were obliged to pass. He
would have gone to Santa Cruz, another hacien-
da a league further on, had not an order came
up from Gen. Scott for a halt. 1t seemed that
Gen. Twiggs had met a large force of the enc
my drawn up in front of him near Chalco, as if
with the intention of disputing his advance,
cutting him off from the main body of the ar
my, and perhaps bringing on a general action.
Gen. Twlggs promptly ordered some of his
heavier guns to be unlimbered, and after a few
discharges the enemy was dispersed, with the
loss Of five or six killed, but the demonstration
made BY the Mexicans, as | have before said,
caused a halt of Gen. Worth's division before
half a days march was made.
AT 8 o'clock on the morning Of the 18th Gen.
Worth resumed his march, his route running
through corn-felds and narrow and rocky lanes,
alone which carriages had never passed before.
II lliilliS up Vi Tie QilCucS caused some HJtle
delay, but by s O'Clock the advance was in sight
Of Santa Cruz, and the spires and domes of the
noted capital of Mexico could be discerned in
the distance. The distractions in the road, of
which have spoken, were obviously of recent
construction-evidence that the enemy had
just got wind of our approach, and that Gen.
Scott had completely stolen a march upon San
ia Anna.
Other than the bitches and rocks which had
been rolled down from the precipitous hill
side, no opposition was made to the advance
of Gen. Worth until he had reached a point in
the road not far from Santa Cruz-but now a
scattering fire was opened upon the head of his
column by a force stationed at advantageous
positions above the load to the left. The enc
my was quickly dispersed, however, By Col. G.
F. Smiths light battalionand the I'd Artillery,
under Maj. Gait. As the division neared the
hacienda of La Novia the advance was again
fired upon, but again the enemy's pickets were
driven in, without loss. A turn Of the road
beyond La Novia brought the pleasant village
Of San Augustin in sight, and after two or three
light skirmishes, in which the Mexicans had
two or three lancers killed and wounded, cur
troops had quiet possession of San Augustin.
Our only loss during the day was one man, a
soldier of Smiths light battalion, who was
wounded from a coln-feld near Xochimilco.
AT & O'CLOCK on Tie morning OF lle ION,
Cen. Scott arrived at San Augustin, and at 10
O'Clock Gen. Worth was in full march for the
city of Mexico by the main road. Majs. Smith
and Turnbull, Capt. Mason and other engineer
officers, were sent in advance, supported by
Capt. Blake's squadroons, to reconnoitre, as it
was known the enemy was in force at or near
San Antonio. The party, within a thousand
yards, was fired upon from a battery, which
) was masked by trees, and the first ball from a
~ FOUNDER instantly killed Capt. Thornton of
the 81 Dragons, besides severely wounding a
guide, Jonathan Ftzwalters. Col. Garland's
brigade was now ordered TO occupy the hacien-
da Of Cerrera, within a plain sight and range
of the enemy's batteries al San Antonio, while
Col: Clark's brigade and battery under Colonel
;. Duncan took a station in the rear close by
The engineer officers were at once sent out 10
reconnQitre by Gen. Worth, to ascertain the
practibslity Of turning the strong works Of the
enemy, and in the meantime Gen Scott had des-
; patched Capt. Lee with a supporting party
I composed of Capt Kearney's squadron and a
body Of the llth Infantry under Col. Graham,
to ascertain the practicability of finding a
road by which the village Of San Angel could
be reached, and thus turn the strong hold al
San Antonio. This latter party had a sharp
+; encounter with the advance of the enemy, the
main body being found postedata strong point
not far from the factory of Coutreras. In the
: skirmish some six or eight Mexicans were kill
cd and as many more taken prisoners-on GU