Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-11

Superintendent OF Repairs, second eeItioh' E"'
ward Lorraine, Inspector OF boats, hiclinonu.
No change in regard 10 Mr.. Reins. lie occu-
pics The station he has heretofore occupied.
OFFICIAL.
The following very interesting despatch from
Major General Scott was received al the war
Office. Washington, on Saturday evening last
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Plan del Rio, 50 miles from Vera Cruz,
April 10, lS47.
Sil-The plan OF attack, skelched IN General
O,ders. No. III, published in last evenings
Union herewith, was finely executed by this
gallant army, before Two o'clock, p. m, yesterday.
I've are quite embarrassed with The results OF VIC
tory-prisonels Of war, heavy ordnance, held
batteries. small arms and accoulrements. About
| 1900 men laid down their arms, with the usual
| proportion Of field and company officers, besides
i've generals, several Of them OF great distinction
Prison, JaIrero La Vega Noriega and Oban-
do. A sixth general Vasquez was killed IN de-
lending The ballery QoweD in the rear OF The
whole Mexican army The capture OF which gave
us those glorious results.
| Our loss though comparatively small, in num-
beers, has been serious. Brig. Gen. Shields,
commander OF activity zeal and talent, is, lear,
il rot dead multay wounded lie is some five
miles Iron: me al the moment. The field OF ope-
ralions covered many miles, broken ny noun
tains and deep chasms, and have mol report, as
vel, from any division or bIi gade. Twiags d.
vision, followed b. Shields (now Col. Bakers)
brigade are now al or near, Xalapa, and WORMS
division is in route lhher, all pursuing, with
good results as learn, that part OF The Mexican
army-perhaps six or seven thousand men, who
He'd before our right had carried the tower, and
gained the Xalapa road. Pillows brigade alone
IS near me AT Ibis depot ot wounded, sick and
prisoners, and have time only 10 give from him
The names OF Isl Lieutenant +. B. Nelson, and
ID T.. q. Gill, both oi the ID Tennessee ooD
(Haskell's rcgimenD among The killed, and in The
| brigade l0G OF all ranks, killed or wounded
Among The latter, the gallant Brigader General
himself has smart wound in The arm, but not
disabled, and Major h. Farqueson, III Tennessee;
CAPTAIN II. F. Murray, ID Lieutenant C. T..
Sutherland, Isl Lieutenant w. p. Hale (ad)u-
lanl) all Of The same regiment, severely, and Isl
Lieutenant w. iearwood MORALLY wounded.
| And | know from personal observation on The
ground, that Isl Lieutenant EWell, OF the rifles
| il not now dead, was morally wounded in enter.
ing, sword 10 hand, the entertainments around the
captured tower. Second Lieutenant Derby, topo-
graphical eng ineers, also saw al the same place
severely wounded, and Captain Pallen, ID United
States Infantry, lost his right hand. Major Sum-
ner. 81 United States dragons, was slightly
wounded the day before, and Captain Johnston
topoera phcal engineers (now Lieutenant Colonel
! OF Infantry was very severely wounded some
DAYS earlier while recommending. | must NIL
omit TO add, that Captain Mason and I'd Lieu
tenant Davis, both OF The Rifles, were among the
yery severely wounded in sorming The same
tower. estimate our total loss, in killed and
wounded may be about $50, and that OF The enc
my $50. In the pursuit towards Aalapa (o3
| miles hence) learn We have added much 10 The
cnemy's loss in prisoners, killed and wounded.
In iacl suppose his retrealing army 10 be near
~ disorganized, and hence my haste 10 follow, 10
| an hour or two TO profit By events.
| In this hurried and imperfect report must mol
omit 10 say that BTigadier General TwlSss, IN
passing The mountain range beyond Cerro Gord1,
! crowned with the lower detached from his diyls-
ion, as suggested The day before, strong force
10 carry thai height, which commanded The hala
| pa road al The FOOT and could not TAIL il carried.
10 cut Of The whole, or any part Of The enemy
| forces from retreat in any direction. portion
of The Isl artillery, under The oen-disinenished
Brewer Colonel Childs, the Sd infantry, under Cap
| Tain Alexander, the Tth infantry, under Lieutfn'
AMI Colonel Pymtcn, and the rifles, under MAJOR
| Lorng, all under the temporary command oil Co
| lionel Harvey, Cd dragons, during The conflna-
menl 10 his bed of Breyet Brigader General p.
| F. Smith, composed that detachment. The style
| oil execution which had the pleasure 10 witness.
was most brilliant and decisive The brigade as
ccned the long and difficult slope of Cerro Cor
do, without shelter, and under the tremendous nre
| OF artillery and muskeliy with the utmost steadl'
| ness, reached The breaslworks drove The enemy
from lher planted the cclors OF The Isl artillery
| Sd and 1l infantry the enemy's nag still Tying
and, alter some minutes 81 sharp firing, finish
ed the conquest with The hayonet
IL is most pleasing duty 10 say that the h'ghest
praise is due 10 Hainey, Childs Plymton, Lofins.
Alexander, their gallant officers and men, Tor lhis
brilliant service, independent Of The great results
which soon followed.
| Worlhs division of regulars coming up a
this time, he detached Brevel Lieut. Col. Z. F.
Smith, with his light battalion, 10 support The as
sault, but not in time The General, reaching
| the tower lew minutes before me, and otserv-
| ing white dag displayed from the nearest por-
ton OF the enemy towards The batteries below, sent
out Colonies Harvey and Chihis 10 hold par
| lev The surrender followed in an hour or Two
Mai. Gen. Paterson left sick bed TO share IN
The dangers and fali2ues OF The day; and alter The
surrender went forward TO command The advanced
| forces towards xalapa
Brig. Gen. Pillow and his brigade twice as
sauIled with great daring The enemy's line oil BAT
eries on our left !; and, though without success,
they contributed much 10 distract and dsmay their
immediate opponents.
| President Santa Anna, with Gems. Canal'zo
| and Almonle, and some six or eight thousand
men. escaped towards Xalapa Just before Cerro
Gordo was carried, and before Twisgss DIVISION
reached the national road above.
have determined To parole the pflsoners-ofl
GERS and men as | have not The means Of feed
ing them here, beyond to-day and cannot afford
10 delach a heavy body Of horse and loot, WIN
wagons, 10 accompany them 10 Vera Cruz. Our
baggage rain, though inc easing, IS not YET hall
large enough 10 give an assured progress 10 Tins
army. Besides, greater number oil prisoners
would, probably, escape from the escort in The
long and deep sandy road, without subsistence
ten 10 one-lhal we shall find again, out oil the
same body ut men, in The ranks opposed 10 US
Not one OF the Vera Cruz prisoners is believed 10
have been in The lines OF Cerro GoIdo. Some
six OF the officers, highest in rank refuse TO give
their paroles except 10 go 10 Vera Cruz, anu
thence, perhaps, 10 the United States.
The small arms ana their accoutrement>, being
of no value To our army here or al home, have
ordered them 10 be destroyed; or we have not
the means OF transporting them. am, also,
somewhat embarrassed with The - pieces OF al
liIIery-al bronze which we have captured. Ii
would take brigade and halt the mules OF this
army, 10 transport them fifty miles. field bal
terry 1 shall take Tor service with The army; but
The heavy metal must be collected, and LEFT here
for the present. We have our own sIeSe-fain
and The proper carriages with us.
Being much occupied with the prisoners, and
all The details Of forward movement, besides
looking 10 The supplies which are 10 follow from
Vera Cruz, have time 10 add no more inehd,
ing 10 be at xalapa early tomorrow. "eshaii
mol, probably, again meet with serious opposition
This side OF PeIole- ny not unless delayed
by the want Of the means OF transportation.
have the honor 10 remain, sir, with high re-
sDect ynur rnosi obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
P. S. invite attention 10 The accompanying
letter TO President SANTA Anna, taken in his car
rage Yesterday; also 10 his proclamation, issued
on hearing lha, We had captured Vera Cruz, &C.,
in which he says: III The enemy advance one
buried in The abyss Of The past. We have taken
that step. w. ,.
maze second postscript 10 say that there IS
some hope am happy 10 learn, that Gen. ohieius