Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-09
ftom lhe .Nissouri Rspublican.
Interesting Details Of the Great Battles.


Interesting Details Of the Great Battles.
We We're permitted, yesterday. 10 glance
at an exceedingly interesting letter from
gentleman in the army, written after the
sanguinary battles of the 10Th and Goth of
August, at Coutreras and Churibusco. Ii
is dated from San Augustin, eight miles from
the city of Mexico, on the 25th ult From
this letter, we are permitted to make such
extracts as will enable the reader more WV
idly to conceive the sanguinary character of
the engagements, and the immense sacrifice
of our best men which this war has again
brought upon us.
sour arms" the writer says, " are again
victorious. but at a fearful loss of life and
blood. We have lost one thousand in killed
and wounded, and among the killed are the
best officers of the army. Capt. Capron and
Capt. Burke are with the buried, having
been killed at the storming of Churubusco,
where we lost in three hours seven hundred
officers and men.
On the 18th, our division advanced upon
the enemy in position at Coutreras, their
first work defended 10y ten thousand men,
with twenty-five pieces of artillery, and adj
mirably entrenched.
The advanced guard was commanded by
Captain Roberts and Captain Porter, and by
them the attack was commenced. Captain
Roberts deployed in front of their battery,
about one thousand yards from their lines,
and advanced steadily under the fire of
shells, round, grape and canister shot, dri-
wing in all their pickets and skirmishers,
and took his position. under the cover of
rocks and deep ravine, about two hundred
yards from their first line of batteries and
breastworks, where he remained until the
rest of the division and Gen. Quitman's sup
porting command had come up to join the
attack. 1t was found impossible, in conse-
quence of the nature of the ground, con-
sidered impossible by the Mexicans, to form
the order Of battle and assault the works,
until morning, our men having made q long
march,, and having labored for hours in ma
king roads and hauling artillery and amm,l-
milton. The whole army took cover within
musket range of the enemy--who poured
upon us all the time their fire from ten thou
sand muskets--and slept on our arms during
the night.
AT two O'Clock in the morning, under COW
er of darkness and rain, our position was
taken, and at seven the assault was made.
The works were all carried by the bayonet,
in less than an hour, and the ten thousand
MeXicans put to perfect rout. The scene
cannot be described: $50 Mexicans were
dead upon the field, between three and four
hundred were wounded, aud fifteen hundred
taken prisoners; and their twenty-five pieces
of artillery, aud great quantities of ammu-
milton and other material of war, captured.
Our loss in killed and wounded here was
less than two hundred. Capt. Hanson, of
the 9TH infantry, and Lieut.. johnson, of the
a. 4
We pushed forward to this place, in pur-
suit of the retrcating enemy, where the Lam
GERS made stand, and continued to fire up
on us through the roads and fields up To
Churubusco, when the most terrible battle
ever fought on this continent took place.
| This assault by the bayonet has redeemed
the impeached valor of the Mexican army.
Gems. Twiggs', Wortl's and Pillows dvis-
ions were all concentrated here, and for two
hours and half every man was brought
under the fire of the works. The strength
of this position can hardly he conceived
We had but one approach, water surround
ing it on all sides but one. This approach
was defended by $4,000 men, behind the
most approved field works, Of great strength
and seemingly impregnable. OF course,
they were carried, but the fields aud works,
covered with between three thousand and
four Thousand killed and wounded, on both
sides, showed the terrible cost. Fifty of our
officers we've killed and wounded.
Before Gen. Worth had joined our divis-
ion in this attack, he had stormed and car
ried the works at San Antonio, with no little
loss. You may well imagine that our di-
vision was too much exhausted and cut To
pieces to push on further. We had been
fighting some eight hours, and had marched
nearly eight milcs--all were worn out with
hunger, thirst and fatigue. As for myself, ]
had eaten nothing but the half Of hard
biscuit for lorty-cigbi hours. Gen. Worth's
division, more fresh, pushed on, and storm
ed and carried another fort before dark,
within one mile of the city gates. Captain
Phil. Kearney lost an arm here, bat he Is
doing well, and is in no danger. lie was
greatly distinguished, and has covered him
self with glory.
The Goth of August, lS47, will be n day
never to be forgotten. Its history is written
in blood, and the halo of glory that IL
wreathes upon the arms of our country -
TOO deeply ensanguined with the blood Of
Americans to rejoice the army that has COW
cred itself with imperishable renown. Our
camp is filed with mourning, and the re-
Election that the greater grief is yet TO be
carried TO the hearths and homes Of those
who have fallen, - too sad for Inference
What a carnage for n single day. The sun
that rose on the 20th, shed its glad lightupon
seven thousand men, full Of life and hope,
who strewed the battle field with their scat
tered limbs and corses when night closed in !
The day was tumultuous, revengeiul and
bloody the night, gloomy, fearful and dark
the stiffness only broken by the groans Of
the wounded and dying.
OF course, all the ordnance Of the four po- |
sitions that were assaulted were captured, |
and with them ammunition and stores Of
every kind. We have three thousand pris-