Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-11-24
From thc ructLl Fiug d Freedom. 0et: %.
BATTL,E OF IUhMANTEh,.


Full Particulars ofthis brilliant engage
ment, vilh q descriptirn q The Post'tpn
and morcments ofJOh armies, ETC ctc'
We have conversed with several officers
engaged in the brilliant action at liua,
manila, OIL the 9Th inst, and have obtained
from them such Information as enables us
to give a full. and wo think, accurate ac-
count of the battle, with the previous move
mcnls and positions Of the TWO armies.
The extra which wo issued on the 2ltli
gave vivid aud faithful account of the
gallant and rcsislcss exploits Of our caval-
ry, but the report which VIC now publish
not only embraces those memorable events
but presents more general picture oil the
field Of battle aud Of the designs Of the
conlcuding forces.
The American forces under Brig. Gen.
Lane, composed Of Col. Gormau's rcSl-
mcnl Of Indiana volunteers, Maj. Lnllys
battalion of infantry, one battalion under
command of Capt, Simmons, Que batal-
ion under command Of Capt. ilenklzc-
mon, and four pieces Of artillery under
Lieuls, Pratt and Fields, left Jalapa on the
lst of October, on their march 10 Pucbla.
When they arrived al Pcrote, at tho
request uf the Officers and men of that
post, of the Ist Penn. Regiment, who
were in garrison at that pacc-who III
anticipation of an action on the way, aud
anxiousIy desirous 10 assist III relieving
their Jelcagurcd brethren in pucbla, begged
to he temporarily attached 10 his command
Gen, Lane added battalion of four
companies Of Isl Pa. volunteers, one COM
pauy of convalesccn, Of various corps ant
park of artillery, Is guns, Capt, Taylor,
/ arI.) the whole under command ni Col.
Wynkuop, lst. Penn, at tho same time
appointing Surgeon J. e. Reynolds, Of
Pennsylvania. the Medical Director Of the
whole forces and attached him to the Scn-
cral staff.
The army now numbering some 3OOO
men, advanced towards Pueba, and OH
the evening Of the 6lh Of Oct. arrived al
the Hacienda San Antonio Famlrls, distant
some 30 miles from that city. Information
had been daily received that Gencral Santa
Auna was s,alioucd al The pass OF Final
Vita del PinaD with 1909 men and scVe-
raj pieces of artillery TO oppose our pro-
grcSs. THIS pass was twelve Eiilcs Ill ad-
vance of The hacienda. According ly, on
the morning Of the 9ilI, the whulc army
prepared TO march aud attack The pass.
AT this moment information was received
that Gen. Santa Anna was in the town Of
uuamanlla, distant III miles from the
hacienda, Z miles from The main road, AMI
from The pass, or 4 miles nearer the pass
than our encamPmcnt.
Gen, Lane, leaving considerable por-
ton of his forces at The hacienda with the
baggage wagons and part oflhe artillery,
determined to advance upon lluamantia,
taking with him tic Indiana and Ohio
Regiments and Col. Wynkoop's, Major
Lally's and Capt. Simmons batlalons,
and sending in advance The mounted men,
about 300, under command oil Captain
Walker, with instructions To act as cir
cumslanccs might require. Capt, Wal,
ker advanced rapidly towards the town,
and when within snort distance, ascer-
lained liiattllc enemy were there i'll cun-
LsilsEahle force with seycra! pieces o! ar!!l:
for The advance OF The Infantry. might GU
able the enemyto escape with their can
non, gallanlly ordered a charge with his
handful of men, and after brisk fight,
succeeded in capturing four pieces of artil-
lcry aud driving of the enemy.
Now. the state of the case, as subsc.
qucn'ly ascertaincd, appeared 10 bc this /:
Gen. Santa Anna having remained iurins
the night of the Slli in the town Of llua-
manila, some four or five miles nearer the
| pass than The cncainpmcnt OF Gen. Lane,
had confidently left curly in the morning,
with 1000 men, for the pass. leaving be-
hind 5UO mcu and arlille:isls to follow with
the cannon. The unexpected advance Of
Walker was soon perceived by The ad-
vanccd forces of Gen. Santa Anna, who,
being cavalry, aud in large numbers, im-
mediatcly started back 10 the town at a
rapid pace, to save or recover their arlI!!c-
ry, without which, they could Of course
make no stand Ill the pass of pinal. Being
well mounted, they were enabled 10 reach
the town sooner than The infantry under
Gen. Lane, who, however, made most
strenuous cXcrtlons TO reach II with or
before them. This movement Of tho
enemy was unknown TO Capt. Walker,
aud supposing, alier The capture Of The
guns anI rout Of the 500 men with them,
the affair To DC over, suffered his .ncn 10
dispcrse through tic town, to cut oil the
encmy's retreat, and capture any more
guns and ammunition that might be dis
covered. Capt. Walker, with some 81 or
60 men, remained in the plaza Or centre
square Of the town. AT this time, to the
eulrc surprise of all, Il sudden rush was
made into The plaza by the cncmy, who
made fierce allacl with lances aud es-
copclas upon the small band. Captain
Walker soon rallied his few men, aud took
positioa in front Of u church, aud deter
micd to fight until the last. lie had main
tanned this position some fifteen or twenty
minutes, when he fell morlaIly wounded.
Capt. Lewis, Of The Louisiana Mounted
Volunteers, SalIamlly rallied the few re-
manning men, aud with the aid of cannon,
captured from the enemy, maintained tho
position until The arrival of the infantry,
who suon terminated the whole engage