Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-04-27
VOLUME XLIII.-NUMBER 1914.

lie fought on the Sth inst, on the banks Of the
no San Gabriel" and on the 9Th inst, on The
plains Of the "Mesa."
Inc steady courage Of the troops in forcing
.Eeif passage across the "Rio San Gabriel"
wnefe oihcers and men were alike EMPLOYED in
dragging the guns through the water against the
gaming hre OF the enemy without exchanging a
sho', ana their gallant charge up The banks
against The enemY's cavalry, has perhaps never
been surpassed-and The cool determination with
which, in the battle of the 9th, they repulsed the
charge OF cavalry made by The enemy a, the
same Time on their front and rear, has exioried
me admiration OF The enemy, and deserves the
best thanks of their counrymen.
R. F. STOCKTON,
Governor and Comma nder.in. Chief
Of the territory OF California.
Head.Quarters, Ciudad de los Angeles, January
ll,1847
The following letter is from an Officer attach.
ed 10 the command OF Commodore Stockton. ano
describes, with graphic force, the engagement
which took place On The march to the Pueblo
CiuDAD LIE Los ANGELES, January IA, l647.
In my lastycu were informed oil the outbreak
OF Inc insurgents OF California, and the trouble
we should have for our Commodore TO quell
lnem: The plan OF Commodore Stockton, OF
/ "'S" JOu d lev WeckS since, mas
been 1ully carried OUT. At The head Of the forces
al his command, amounting 10 about six hun.
bred, including the detachment of the LIST Regi-
ment oil United States Dragons under General
hearney, he LEFT San Diego on The morning of the
S9In december, determined again 10 enter the Ca
pllal lake possession, and put down the insurrec-
ZION. Our line OF march was through a rough
and mountainous country Of nearly $50 miles,
WIN impediments on every side, to say nothing Of
The constant apprehensions OF attack both day and
night by our enemy on The way. Our march
was notwithstanding rapid and although per-
| formed mostly by sailor troops, wonld have done
credit 10 The best trained army in The world. On
the morning of the 9Th January, we found our.
selves, aiicr several days hard marching and IA
tigue, in the vicinity OF the river OF San Gabriel
on the north bank OF which the enemy had forr.
| fed themselves, 10 the number Of fire hundred
we'll mounted men, with four pieces Of artillery,
and in position so commanding, that it seemed
impossible TO gain any point by which our troops
could be protected from the most CALLING FIRE OF
their artillery. They had formed, as i before
said. on The north bank, within three hundred
yards OF the river, and presented front con-
sisling OF their whole force in three divisions.
one on our right, and The other on our left, aud
The third IN front with The artillery. Our whole
line advanced, while skirmish was kept up by
part OF the enemy and detachment OF our rne-
men.
On reaching the south side OF The river, the Com
modore dismounted, torded the stream, command
ed the troops TO pass over which they did prompt
ly, under the brisk FIRE Of the enemy's artillery Oh
he opposite bank The Commodore ordered lha,
the artillery should not unlmber until the oppo-
| site side OF The river was gained. As soon as
that was effected, he ordered charge TO take the
hill directly in The teeth of the enemy's guns,
which soon resulted in The entire possession Of
The prominent poiat they had just occupied. An
attempt was made by the Calilornians to cut of
our pack horses and cattle in the rear, all Of
which, however, with the exception Of few
horses were projected BY our rear in the most
cfeditable manner. The first gun fired, aimed
by The Commodore. before the charge was made
up the hill, (his superior skill in cunnery and
fondness OF exercising "big guns" never appeared
10 greater advantage Than On this occasion, (over-
threw The enemy's gun, which had just poured
forth its thunder in our midst finding The
hill in our possession, and our artillery has-
ing gained the desired point a cannonading
modore continuing 10 aim The enns .onJerino
his men 10 lay down until The moment he
was ready to fire, by which means many valuable
and brave fellows lives were saved, as the Cali
fornians continued for some lime TO FIRE their ar
tiery with much effect. Having driven our enc
my before Us, we how made our camp Tor the
night on the very hill they had tried so hard TO
defend and where they intended Gas they said) 40
eat us up" The number OF their killed and wound
ed il not possible for US TO ascertain, as they
carried Immediately on their horses all who iell
Our loss did not exceed 20 killed and wounded in
both fights.
January 9th-The enemy met us again oday
on the plains of the Mosa," near The city, and
with bold and determined effort tried our lines on
every side in brisk cannonading, with severa:
attempts 10 charge in upon US. The ha,le was
kept up spriledy for two hours and half, when
General Flores said TO his men, 81 have bu: an
other discharge OF artillery 10 make, and my last
request is, that you will make bold and deter
mined charge as our last resort" This they at
tempted, but the firm and steady course in which
our troops continued TO defend themselves repell-
ed The attempt at charge, and we found ourselves
again victorious In the second days fight. The
hrst days fight lasted one hour and a halt. At
! night we encamped near the baule ground, and
| OF The morning Of Inc 10Th, marched in,o The city.
and took possession. while The adjacent hills were
s,is!ening with The lances OF our enemies, whom
we forced TO disperse. When il is recollec,ed
that all our work, 10 defend ourselves, our bag
gage wagons, calle, horses and pack mules, had
TO be done on foot, while our enemies were noun
Ted on first rate horses, is il not remarkable ihae
we should have been SO successful But il was
done on the glorious 9Th January, together with
The following day. OF the result OF both days
we are proud TO boast, but The 9Th was indeed a
brilliant affair." our war cry was New Orleans"
The success attending the Californians in their
fight with Capt. Mervine al San Pedro, and AFTER
wards with Gen. Kearney at San Pas Cual, made
them very bold and arrogant, and every man Of
US was determined 10 retrieve il possible the ere
dit OF the American arms in this country.
The following is taken from The letter Of ar
American, who was captured near here by the
Cafornians, and detained as hostage:
CRY OF THE ANGELS, Jan. II, l647
Two days back Col. Fremont and Don Andres
entered into treaty which put an end TO The war.
Three days back, the Mexican officers qnit the
camp, and Don Andres Pico is now in command.
Flores Garsias, NJ. Casteo, Juan and Tomas So
berandes, with 10 10 20 Others had started fof So
nora, in Mexico. Should they hear OF The treaty,
they may return The CaitorniaIs appeared
completely tired of the affair. il is BOW inpos-
sible to say who or how many they have lcs..--
The American forces here now are over one
,housandl While ! was in confinement the ma
tive troops used 10 desert every night; some were
re-caught, and again went of. Under Floses there
was continued robbiDg, and murder every two
or three days.
The Malek Abdel has arrived al San Diego
from Mazallan. Tellas is second in command
at Mazallan with few troops. Gen. Kearney
now here, expects 600 troops by land This month;
500 20 days after; his instructions for Califor-
MIA are very full. de is a man of about SIS; We
ry polite, gentecl, and mild in his manner; with
no pomp or show, listening with all patience to
every one. He has but 100 men with him. He
was at San Pas Cual, near San Diego attacked
by A. Pico. He had 40 men on horse, who had
left the parties, and run directly in among The
Caliiorn;ans. The mules with one gun did The
same and were taken. Gen. Kearney lost II
men, including two captains. The loss Of the
natives is not known.
Commodore Stockton had 600 fighting men all
on foot, who were surrounded 10 two or three
days march by the natives with four cannons.-
They never broke their solid square, or left the
road. was taken on the field the I'd day OF the
action, and saw the American forces close 10 in
their squares, near enough indeed to see the gis-
Ter OF their muske.s.
BALTIMORE Market, April 81.
FtoUa-Small sales OF Howard Street a,
dollars an6 IS cents; supply light, and market