Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-05-19
WHOLE NUMBER l0,


Il n OFFIcI NJ ACcoUlN s
Despatch from General scott.
The Washington Union ofthe 9Th inst.
contains the following very interesting des-
patch from Maj. Gen. Scott, which was re-
ceived at the War Department on that eve
1ning:
HEAD QUARTERs OF THE ARMY,
Plan del Rio, SO miles form Vera Cruz,
a. April 10, l847.
SIR: The plan of attack, sketched in
General Orders, No. 14l, published in
last evenings Union, ] herewith, was fine
ly executed by this gallant army, before
two o'clock, P. NJ, yesterday. We are
quite embarrassed with the results Of victo-
ry-prisoners Of war, heavy ordnance, field
batteries, small arms, and accoutrements.
About 5000 men laid down their arms
with the usual proportion Of field and COM
pany officers, besides five generals, several
Of them of great distinction. Pinson, Jar
zero, La Vega, Noriega, and Obando. A
sixth general, Vasquez, was killed in de-
tending tine battery (tower) in the rear of
the whole Mexican army, the capture of
which gave US those glorious results.
Our loss, though comparatively small in
numbers, has been serious Brigade Gene.
raj Shields, commander of activity, zeal,
and talent, is, fear, if not dead, mortally
wounded. He is some five miles from. me
at the moment the field Of operation cover
ed many miles, broken by mountains and
deep chasms, and have not report, as
yet from any division or brigade. Twigg's
division, followed by Shields's (now Col.
Baker's) brigade, are now at, or near Xa-
lapa, and Worth's division is in route thith-
er, all pursuing, with good results, as I
learns that part Of the Mexican army-per-
haps, six or seven thousand men, who fled
4 before our right had carried the tower, and
gained the Xalapa road. Pillows brigade
alone, is near me at this depot Of wounded,
i sick, and prisoners and l have time only
to give him the names of LIST Lieu
tenant F. B. Nelson, and Cd c. G. Gill,
both of the I'd Tennessee foot (Haskell's
regiment) among the killed, and in the
brigade 106, off all ranks, killed or wound
ed. Among the latter, the gallant briga-
dier general himself has smart wound in
The arm, but not disabled, and Major R.
Farqueson, I'd Tennessee; Captain H. F.
Murray, I'd Lieutenant G. T. Switzerland.
lst Lieutenant W P. Hale (adjutant) all
of the same regiment, severely, and lst
Lieutenant w. Yearwood, ,mortaliy wound
ed. And know from personal observa.
| tion on the ground, that 1st Lieutenant
| Ewell, of the rifles, if not now dead, was
mortally wounded, in entering, sword in
hand, the entertainments around the cap.
tured tower. Second Lieutenant Derby,
Typographical engineer, | also saw, at the
same place, severely wounded, and Captain
Patten, I'd United States infantry, lost his
right hand. Major Sumner, Cd United
States dragons, was slightly wounded the
day before, and Capain Johnston, topo-
graphical engineers (now lieutenant colo.
mel of infantry was severely wounded
some days earlier while accommodating. I
must not omit to add that Captain Mason
and I'd Lieutenant Davis, both of the rifles,
were among the very severely wounded in
storming the same tower. | estimate our
total loss in killed and wounded, may be a.
bout $50, and that of the enemy $50. In
the pursuit towards Xalapa(25 miles hence)
learn that we have added much to the enc
emy's loss in prisoners, KILLED, and wonnd-
ed. In fact, suppose his retreatiDg army
to be nearly disorganized and hence my
haste to follow, in an hour or two, to profit
by events.
| In this hurried and imperfect report /
must not omit to say that Brigadier Gene
raj Twiggs, in passing the mountain range
r beyond Cerro Gordo, crowned with the
) tower, detached from his division, as sug-
, gested the day before, strong force to
carry that height, which commanded the
| Xalapa road at the foot, and could not fail.
if carried, to cut off the whole or any part
of the enemy's forces from retreat in any
$ direction. A portion of the lst artillery,
, under the often-distinguished Brevet Colo
; mel Childs, the Sd infantry, under Captain
Alexander, the 7th infantry, under Lieu.
$ tenant Colonel Plymton, and the rifles, un-
$ der Major Loring, all under the temporary
command of Colonel Harney, I'd dragons,
8 during the confinement to his bed Of Breyet
] Brigadier General P. F. Smith, composed
that detachment. The style Of execution,
j which had the pleasure to witness, was
most brilliant and decisive. The brigade
ascended the long and difficult slope Of Ger
4 ro Gordo, without shelter, and under the
tremendous fire Of artillery and musketry
with the utmost steadiness, reached the
breastworks, drove the enemy from them,
4 planted the colors Of the lst artillery, Sd
and 7th infantry--the eneniy's flag still
j hying-and, after some minutes Of sharp
firing, finished the conquest with the bayc.
net ,' !.
tits a most pleasing duty TO say that the