The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-10

covered and the batteries strongly supported by
large force Of Santa Annals best infantry On the other
side of the pass Santa Anna himself stationed with
5000 cavary-a position assumed either to cut off the
retreat OF his men, or to facilitate his The battle
opened with attack upon advanced post strongly
fortified of the enemy. This handsomely done
BY the vanguard Of General Twigss under the CON-
fortunately ILL., The and splendid regiment
Of Mounted Rihemen took the lead, and under
from their position Our loss in this affair was heavy
Major Sumner was wounded in the head. and several
had occupied this position, the enemy made feint of
attacking them but after great parade retired to their
strong defences After this the enemy kept up an in
cessant fire lines, but without effect The next
day Q9th) the battle opened in earnest and by
succession of brilliant charges under Generals Twiggs
Shields Pillow and Worth all the various forts and de-
fences were severay carried at the point of the bayo
net the enemy totally routed and 5000 of them taken
prisoners together with most Of their Generals and all
their baggage and muntions General Santa Anna
rowly escaped on mule, taking by path through
the ehaparra Hewas closely followed by his Secretary
of War Gen. Canaizo who for his great reputsd brave
ry has been for long time called the Lion Of Mexico
General Vasquss, who commanded the corps de
reputation for gallantry and military He
was spaniard, who somewhat distinguished in the
Spanish service. Other Mexican officers killed,
but most Of them were taken prisoners Among these
are General Herrera the exrresident; General
and De la Vega-the former accepted his parole the
latter preferred to enjoy tho hosptates Of the good
citizens Of New Orleans and will como hther with
large force Of subordinate ocsrs who have perhaps
heard OF the pleasures and quetude Of life in New
This signal achievement has not been gained without
heavy loss on our part Several valuable officers have
been lost many have been badly wounded, and large
body Of the rank and file srewed the field and
along the cliffs and defles Of this difficult pass The
total of killed and wounded will not perhaps
400. Among the former fear shall have to include
the name Of the gallant and popular Gen. Shields He
fell mortay wounded shot through the lungs, whilst
leading his brigade against Of the enemy forts
Gen. Pillow, too, was wounded in the advance of his
9obe but succeeded in glorousy carrying
We point attacked by him The following is ast of the
Killed wounded =
Wounded. Generals Shields and Pillow; Major Sum-
n p Of the rifles; cspt Mason Le1ss Maury Gibbs
7th infantry; Capt. Pattsn, "a infantry
follows . "'' GO
Kiied.-Lieuts Nelson and Gill; of COL Haskells Ten
Wounded-Lieut. Col. Cumming slightly Major Far.
quharson, of Texas severely Lieut. Halle severely
Lieut.. VIM. Yearwood mortaly; Lieut. Forest slightly
Capt. Murray Severely George Sutherland, Ky volun
PLAN RIO, Mexico April is, ls47.
Gen. Twggs' division Of tho army reached this place
Sunday last, and Gen Pattersons on Monday even
ing Both are now encamped here in delightful val
ley on the banks Of the Parma del Rio River of the
Plain awaiting the arrival of Gen Worth's division and
General Qutmans brigade of the Alabama Georgia and
South Carolina volunteers General Scott arrived last
evening, and anticipate in few days hard battle
The Mexicans, to the number Of from 900 to 900
men, with Gen Vega fnot Santa Anna himself at their
head, strongly fortified about three miles In ad
vance, and appear to be constantly engaged in making
their position, If possible still stronger They have
veral batteries planted and If they do not make des
perate stand when attacked they be greater set
of towards than have yet supposed them.
On Sunday portion Of sTwiggs division, who had
been sent out were fred upon by the enc
my Captain Johnson Of the engineer corps receiving
veral dangerous wounds with grape shot Several
Mexicans are known to have been killed.
they treated more like friends than deadly foes
Col Harvey, Of the Dragons is the boy to deal with
these cowardly scoundrels
Our present force here is not over 5000 men. in
S ssptos and the howissr batteries
them particular ats ~ Sssss phrase, -
h ws s srsn jsisSs ,sR
only needs labor to make it oSe the mt ioSsyy spots
upon the globe Everything is going to decay and the
people are the most ndolent ever
Several volunteers have been wounded or killed In
our march from Vera Cruz, having Jagged too far be-
hind the main body lit was, assure you, hard work
dropped upon the road from complete exhaustion
We had quite dash Of rain last evening" accompanied
with some sharp lightning and loud thunder Most of
the men compelled to lie out exposed to all We are
hourly expecting the arrival of Gen. Worth's division
with Duncsn's battery and some ten-inch mortars
Orders were given on Monday night for attack up
the enemy at at O'Clock the evening" but for
tunately for little army they afterwards coun
fernandez. | understand them to have emanated
through Generals Twigrs and Pillow the latter ntsnd
ing to rely entirely upon the bayonet as his brig
ade concerned! Gen. Patterson nterposed and pre-
of life
The Mexcans have said before arc cowardy set of
raScals They attack our men when they have three
times their number, and after having killed one or two
invariably run This morning three Of the Tennessee
Rife Guard attached to tho ID regiment Thomas
Stanbach, - Stevens and Thomas Patrick were out
at q small rancho few miles from camp when they were
attacked by some thirty Mexicans Stanbach was rid
died in some twelve q twenty places and died after
being brought to camp. He WAS a young man, belonged
to Memphis and Is represented having been brave
and generous fellow Stevens and Patrick It is feared
have shared still more sad end as they have not yet
been heard from.
Samuel McKee, Of Lick Creek Illinois, attached to the
4th regiment was killed yesterday by the accidental
charge Of his gum while drawing load and John VIII
liams was dangerously wounded at the same time
John Robinson, Of Capt Cass' Tennessee Cavalry had
his left thigh broken this afternoon BY muskct ball
fred by Mexican, while the former was engaged in
guarding wagon train, some six miles from camp
April i7:-Gen Worth's division arrived last night
Duncans battery Ii with him, also two long 24s
two 32s and one l6-pound howitzer portion OF our
troops move at o'clock this morning The ball will
soon open. Ten regiments move together All have
call.
ArRm II, ~ P: M.-Twiggs has engaged with the
enemy, and brisk cannonading and musketry fire has
been kept for near two hours Already one OF their
batteries has been silenced by Col Harvey who is in
command Of the mounted (now dsmounted) rifles and
7th infantry. number Of Mexican prisoners have been
taken, and many Of the enemy killed regret to state
that Lieut. Julian May was slightly wounded At the
time he was in command Of n company Of the Rifles
Several Of our men are reported killed, and many
wounded Old DAN" as the boys call Twiggs is giving
1t to Santa Anna in fine style. The enemy are well sup
piled with ammunition and provisions
PLAN RIO. April ls.
The American army. under Gen. Scott has just
achieved another great victory the Mexican
under Gen. Santa Anna. The fight was fairly COM
menced yesterday by Gen. Twggs aud Col Harvey and
concluded about noon to-day by Gen. Worth and Gen
Pattersons divisions The enemy could not have had
less than 10000 fighting men, while force
10000 The position Of the Mexcans was one Of
the strongest imaginable and brave troops had
hard task to perform in routing them. They
trenohed upon several large heights upon which less
than sevcn batteries were planted mounting "a guns In
all One by ono they fell into our hands
At about 10 O'clock charge made at several
points by the regulars, the two Tennessee and two
pennsylvania regiments which, for time was strongly
opposed by the MeIcans who fought desperately but
hnaly their trumpet sounded retreat and away went
santa Anna and the larger portion of his army as If
oid Nick himself was after them Not 30, however,
with Gen. La Vega and 600Oo his command including
four other Generals all Of which surrendered and are
milton, &C., &c.
General Santa Anna in his retreat was 80 holly pur-
sued by Col Harvey who had command of the 7th In.
fantry and Mounted Rifles that he was forced to leave
his splendid carriage trunks $40 900 In silver and
Of his cork legs They also In camp and attract
much attention, and cause no little merriment
Our loss in killed and wounded 10 severe while that
of the enemy must be great. Among those