Democratic banner., 1847-09-27

Editorial correspondence Of the ~Picayune.
TAcuBAYA, August 81, 1917.

who is now a prisoner, has been published
in Mexico. He admits that his defeat was
total, but as usual lays the blame on some
of his brother officers. He says that on
the afternoon of the 19th-(Mis was aVhils
no one ,Oas returning their fre)-the
Mexicans fought with uncommon valor and
enthusiasm, but that early on the morning
of the Goth August they were suddenly sur
rounded and at once thrown into confusion,
and in the end utterly routed. Salas says
that at the outset of the disorder he shout
ed "Victory for Mexico" ordered the trum-
pets to sound, and directed Gen. Torrejon
to charge with his %lancers; but according to
the same account that officer fled in the
most cowardly manner, the infantry got
mixed up with the cavalry and also fed,
and the rout of all was complete and most
disastrous. Salas says that Gen. Valencia
ran off at the commencement Of the fight,
that he does not know what has become Of
him, and for this reason has felthimself call
ed upon to make a report. Such is the ac-
court given by his Excellency Gen. Sr.
Don l. Mariana de Salas of the defeat at
Contreras-one of the most brilliant victo-
ries achieved by our aims since the COM
mencement of the war-brilliant and most
important for the great results produced
with so little loss on our side, and for which
Gen. Smith, as we'll as Col. Riley and the
other officers engaged in it, are receiving
the unqualified appreciation of the entire
army.
Gen. Salas himself acknowledges that in
this battle Gen. Frontera was killed, that
besides himself Generals Mendoza, Blaco
and Garcia were wounded and taken pris-
oners, in addition to a list of over 100 9TH
er .oficers-colonels, captains, &c.-who
were either killed, wounded or are now in
our hands. And here let me mention one
fact in relation to the battle of Churubus-
CO, which will show how near Gen. Scots
was capturing the entire Mexican army
At the time Gen. Worth was pressing upon
the tete de pont, Gen. Twiggs upon the
church, and Generals Shields and Pierce
upon the hacienda farther on, the command.
er-in-chief ordered Major Sumner 10 take
command of the Rifles, and by a circuitou:
march to reach the road between the enc.
my and the city. Nothing but the daring
impetuosity of our own men in front pre-.
vented this plan from succeeding-had the
Mexicans held out or our own soldiers held
off ten minutes longer, the enemy would
have been in a bag as it were, and killed OF
captured to a man. Santa Anna might per.
haps have escaped, as he has a peculiar
way of his own; but he would not have tax.
en- even the remnant of a army with him
A Mexican mail was captured by a party
Of our dragons on the 22d inst, on its way
from the city to Morelia. 1t contained
multitude of letters dated on the 21st, the
day after the great battles, and they give
vivid and at the same time most doleful &C.
counts of their terrible and utter defeat
Some of the writer's lay the blame on SAINT;
alone, some on Valencia, some on SAINT;
Anna and Valencia, some on Santa Anna
Valencia, and all the officers, while other!
say that Santa Anna, Valencia, and all tn,
officers and soldiers are utterly worthless
The latter writer's are more comprehensive
and probably nearer the mark. Many o.
the letters are exceedingly rich. One Low
ing husband writes to his wife, whom h
calls "angel,'' and "idol," and his "adore'
ChuEit1," and tells her MOTTO occasion her
self any uneasiness about his safety. as h
does not intend to expose himself! Anoth
er officer comes out even palmer: he tell
his beloved Rosa that he thought of he
when the balls were flying, and ran! Tn
capture of these letters is valuable in NOR
ways than one-they give much informa
ton as regards the strength and plans o
the enemy, and freely and frankly acknowl
edge that they have been defeated and ut
terry disorganized. The number of SAINT
Annals grand army is put down at from 8