Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-05-20
CAMP wAsHINerON NEAR VERA CRUz. :
Hon. JAMES MORRISON
D. 7. JONLs, Co.~o,,r;o,
n. Bolton. OeSiS'"i IT,

Hon. JAMES MORRISON:
Dear F,iead:-I wrote you fem New Orleans. but
have received reply, which impute 10 fe upcersintv
Of our mails and my frequent moves
10 trace me, you must take map Of Mexico. End the
mouth oil the Rio Grande and then BzOs SANTIAGO look
down the coast TO Lobus Island, and thence to Anton Liar
do and the bay of Vera Cruz SACRIFICES and sto hT.
or four miles south Of Vera Cruz CITY Won he op l,nan
place board the soop OF war Abauv-ti eigb1
O'CLOCK al nSh The surf boats along % orr dis
emoaIkaon odeed about hundred ysIds from shore are
our boat grounds and we jump and ade to the beach
meet no opposition and give tire es.s We have only
the clothes backs greaicoais baresac, and
iour days provisions, aud bvOusc in our wet
buds. "
About ~ O'Clock our gaad is attacked, W. arm
and depoy over the sand hills amid the whisng balls The
darkes soon retreats and two alarms hforr day CON-
piete ouT inst night near the city.
This the 9Th Of March o. the 10Th we bvouack-
ed IN hollow behind sand pile front the town The
volunteers diminishing aud driving the enemy in the
chappaTal On the lth we are ordete In adyanrer.s.
the volunteers and skimish parties nearly the whole
day. diving them before One Of Captain Lo,ngs men
was Killed by cannon shot, and Of Captain Sandefsan
were wounded by muske balls The Mexicans lost some
fifteen men and officers killed the hottest and
hardest march ever experienced. Many gave out On The
2h we blvouacked in the chsTparal tie head
qnaeis Of Gen. rwigg. On we advanced 10 the
coast near our esent camp supported by the 7h infantry
and completed The investment Of the city We are on the
northwest side Of the city castle compose the ex
tIeme left Of the line besiegers The aon fom the
Mexican batteries pour forth fnrous roar A. .rs
night Our guards doubled ard cot saws ths,. a..
5000 troops in the cry and 5OC H. castle and in our
rear ooOo under Gen Vega Several days elapsed before
paued but when they dd6pen such spectacle was
wnessed shell fell in that devoted city every minute
whilst round shot filled The with screaming noise
was on pquet guard near he city the last day and night
OF the bmbaicmeni We screened ourselves behind Ssnd
mn 10 ne ana had ouf sidettes on the hills night
several SHOT and shells were fired from the castle-a
harmless That night the highest hin and wit
messed scene thai cannot be equalled calm quiet
heavens, the brilliant the deep seemed
oDisbed at the disturbance below Even the su,f seemed
hushed and the hundeis that ever in
saDt burst from cannOn's mouth and the shells Thar sem,
he he'll c.fr
hear distinctly the crash Of failing roofs aud tmbeTs the
screams and wsiiiogs Of the citizens. The of the SOL
deTs and TIE chants OF the religious through the streets
The livelong night their rang Il was aw(ui Two
large buildings FIRE and flames lighted the
hills Tor miles arounds On the 2Sth The capiuaOn was
signed and on The 1yh at 10 O'clock A. NJ their trooDs
marched out and stacked ams and we've permitted 10
depart 10 the interior under pledge fight moe during
the war unless regularly exchanged in the civ ye.
teday and viewed the des ucon Scarce buuSe eScnes
perio alton, and IN portion DOORS windows roofs and
buildings Of ruins Thee are man. 6ne bn;IS
ngs aud numerous dOmes and towers all torn to atter In
the great hoel on the plaza holes Of u Inch shells
from iooi TO cellars but the destruction Of life is stiII
more oresdIu SOO IS the lowest estimate generally hought
TO be lOOO IL mposi lie ascertain The exact number
ana what IS more to be regretted third Of the killed and
WOUNDED are women aud children Their defenees were
wen constructed every street baricadOcd and piles Of
sand bags hed the breaches and formed covering on The
tops Of the houses and parsPet The city surrounded by
stone wall IRON ten 10 eleven high ditch and pckes
outside and batteries Of short distances aonnd the
entire wall Embasues for musketry and niuetv nice. ~
cannon of heavy calbre mostly brass from % m So
eI oIsted through the port holes We been conne
led 10 storm II, loss have been immers Thsv
exhibited great bravery and much skill ID the aasement
oil their guns but starvation, and DEATH blood aud m
ins must depress the most courageous G D. Scott E en
tied to great credit for his Of the SIEGE and our
engineers and deserve have gained inmorta
soy ol tnei sk' ana the certainty with which they
Tected The shot and shells Walls and stone and mortar ran
not resist bombs and heavy dnance. DO not kno-~
what pend this city begun il mus be
SINCE for a the buildings an angler syi, - nc
wall made OF the cUrsl rock cemen, leshes 10 its age
is said that Cortez made his landing miles
the present city but this may be conjecture only. Near
where our batteries eleced cemetery and part Of
Worths divisi occupied during the nights Their shots
consequently objected point destruc
ton 10 the tOmbsODes and monuments Vaults were torn
up, and the skulls dry bones ond dead bodies cxhumed and
scattered above ground The sepulcres were pouphed
and opened with the shot and shells descendants
of those fathers who lie buried beneath Our loss is rfng
have not the exact NUMBER but think 30 killed and wound
ed WIN cover she total Their troops marched out in column
IN good order, followed by and children dogs and
carts and donkeys They raised their hznds establishment
they, however, divisions we expect 10 march
for Jsapa in few days La Vega is on the road al has
fortified bridge 10 or Is miles from our present nos
this last place has castle for defence Rcpor saws SAN
ia Annals army has been broken up his defeat BY Gen.
iaispa is in healthy region t,osS,sooss .ud s hop.
to get there before the wet season sets in.
Your o.; ls. sssIs ltI,osson
~ b forgot to mention the<es<fN Of Duan de W.
oa, that is said be inpfcg kable (ss IL was
surrendered slsO and the stars and sp, ssssare over
its walls Did you the statement a British officer
taken frOm the London Times and published many Of our
papers, about which be asserted that this castle
the strongest fortress the world not excepting Gil
brasr well its strength did it. sImamest
oil 20 guns, together with large quantity OF ammunition is
now IN our possession Has il been glorious victory
have not been in The castles it is situated some distance
get bat to take me 10 IT, intend Seeing il tomorrow
We in fine spirits to-day; camp equpage
landed yesterday, and pitched have
changed our clothes, for they came also. - -
You have doubt heard Of the loss Of Or hores or 81
belonging to my company, only SAVED. AN rest
were lost ia the storm Of the 9Th Of Jsuussy twes the
Balize aud Brazos Santiago. 1t is imputed 6s&e nsnner
they shipped YouIs, IsSs