Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-09-23

ravmes, but not notion If the enemy
butasas plainly visible.
The order Of battle 81. Y asncia; was
certainly mos, imposing iniasry we're
seen drawn up TO support the bittelips,
while long lines Of The enemy's cavalry
were stationed in the rear, as if await:
ing The shock Of the battle. Two sep
araie charges Of the latter were dis
tihctIy seen repulsed by Col. Riley.
who had moved his brigade a. one
time to position partially in the rear
Of the, enetny's works. Col. Harvey
was exceedingly anxious 10 march his
cavalry 10 the scene Of action, but il
was deemed utterly impracticable.-
The NATURE Of the ground was such tina,
the infantry even had great difficulty
in finding the way across the pedregal,
as thes Mexicansterm it-groupd COW
esed with sharp jagged rocks.
Until night had fairly closed the fire
from the enemy's batteries did moi
slacken-- it had been continuous roar
for nearly six hours. Gen. Scott re-
tired TO San Augustin about 8'o'clock,
and in the midst of a hard rain which
had.jnst commenced falling. Gener-
ais 'rwiggs and Pillow came in about,
IL o'clock, wet and completely ex-
Eausted. 1t was impossible to use
horses on the rough and exceedingly
broken ground on which they had been
operating for nearlyJwelve hours.
Not anticipating the immense
strength ofthe works ofthe enemy, OF
the almost insusmountable difficulties
of reaching Them, it had been at first
thought that the batteries would be Ia
ken at a dash, and The troops would
BE all comfortably euartered in San
the pight; instead Of this, a
MrgspQrtion Of them were compelled
10 bivouac without blankets, in the
midst of . pitiless rain, and on ground
where they could not even stretch
themselves out. Add to this thespros-
poets Of the morrow were far spn fat
tering were enough to dism any but
the stouiest hearts-that IL. enemy
would doubtless reinforce and strength
en- his works duringihe night, having
every superiority in knowledge Of the
ground-add again to this that the
men were weakened by long eserlions,
want Of food, and chilled By the cons
tinuous night rain, and it isnot saying
too much to assert that the bivouac of
the 18th of August was gloomy in the
extreme.
Early on the, morning of the 20ih,
Gen. Worth was ordered 10 move with
part Of his division-Garland's brig
ade---towards the scene of action at
Coutreras, to aid in the attack upon
Valencia, for to force this position was
deemed indispensable. a few dlschar-
ges of cannon were heard abou. I o.
clock, and a heavy rafting of musket-
nv, and some even said that in the dis
tance they had seen large masses of
Mexicans in full flight towards the city;
vet few dreamed that the batteries at
Coutreras haG been stormed and car
RED. Yet so. it was, Cen. Scott
himself, accompanied by Gen. Worth,
started for the scene of action, when
they were met by Capt. Mason, with
the joyful intelligence that Valencia had
been completely routed after a short
but terrible struggle.
The attack upon his works was
planned by Gen. Smith, and resnked
in the capture Of 15spieces Of artillery,
some 1900 prisoners-among them
Gems. Blanco, Garcia, Mendoza, and
the notorious Salas; all the aminnnition
and camp equipages while, the road
along which those who escaped fled
was strewed with muskets. No less
,han 700 Of the enemy, among them
many officers, were left dead on the
field --ihe number Of wounded was I'M
doubleday far greater. ] have nostime
now 10 enlarge and Comment upoH this
we'll planned and brilliant achievement,
but reserving more full description
for some other time, must pass on 10
other exciting evepss:
The works al Cou'reras completely
in The pnwer. Of the American army,
Gen. Sent at once ordered Cen
eral Worth 10 fall back upon San
Antonio, 10 turn&and and capture
III work, and then 70 push on To-
|wAtd6the capital by the main road,
while The main body o. the army
nader Gems. Twiggs, Pillow, Smith,
Pierce and Cadwalader. moved on to-
wards San Angel and Coboycan.
Scarcelyshad the advance Of General
'1sviggs got half q mile beyond the lat-I
ItefsviIlage, before rafting FIRE Of mus
kerry announced that it. was actively