Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-08-03


manner The battle now ragged with great tury
| on beth sides Tor en- hour, when the Mexicans
sounded retreat, al leas; that portion OF them in
front.
The Colonel now discovered large body Of
,ahcefs approaching him in the rear, but before
NC sue ceeced in getting within reach OF lhem they
captured a Portion Of The pack mules and then
took 10 their heels
During the engagement, Lieut.. Tannehil was
morally wounded, ball passing through his
thigh and breaking The bone. The sir men NJ
| Inc cannon were all severely wounded; three bull
lets passed through Col. DeRussy's coat. and as
many through Capt. Wyse's. Capt. Mace was
struck twice with srent balls, bur not hurt
Alter The engagement, 10 the astonishment Of
all, only one round shot and one charge of CAMS
,er was lell for The qua, when our troops having
hied away lie greater par, of their ammunition,
II was deemed prudent 10 tall back on Tantayoca,
which was accordingly done.
The road from the river 10 Tan,ayoca Law
! through a narrow defile, the summits OF The
mountains nearly hanging over the heads OF the
men as they passed through ii. The deep and
| precpous sides were covered with dense cha.
parTal from base 10 Top. uerc he enemy rallied,
and concealins themselves from view, poured q
destructive IRE down upon our gallant lille band,
which, from The nature Of the ground, they were
unable 10 return.
encamped the previous night, and from which
they had started peacesbly that morning, our
men found 10 their surprise, that the plaza church
and streets were crowded with lanceis and other
troops. They marched up boldly 10 The enemy,
| until Ihcy got within few hundred yards OF the
| plaza, when they opened 10 the right and eit
and gave Capt. Wyse an opportunity TO discharge
his last round shot. II did some execution, kill
ing and woundng some three OF four, and also
! hDla IN al all of ~
church Col. DeRussy, with Capt. Seguine, 4,
The same time made charge up The street, when
| The MexcanS, Ter the second lime, took 10 their
heels, returning only few scattering Shots
| The lowest estimate | have heard made of the
! number of Meyicahs engaged in this affair was
| 1000. Some say as many as 1000 and 3000.--
| Our troops now took possession OF The town, and
cncamped Oil the same ground they had occu
| pied The previous night, Sunday, the llth inst.l
n detachment was now sent through The town
10 search for ammusion, and they succeeded in
finding enough 10 make five rounds OF canister
which IL this time was an inya liable prize
number @! The men, contrary 10 orders, broke
open both stores and houses, and helped them
selves to every Thing valuable they could lay
their hands on, ard foremost among them were
The Mexican mueteers who accompanied The
Colonel. They appeared 10 be old hands al The
| business.
AIci oui iCuPS cut lHty COuu see large
| bodies of the enemy moving 10 the rear Of them
Tor The purpose 81 cu,ling OIL their farther retreat
| buboh men and horses were so exhausted, haiti
| was determined 10 remain IN their present posi-.
| ton for a short Time To rest
| Near dark, Gen. Gaiay's aidde.camp and 4
Major oi The STAFF came near Col. De Russy's
camp with flag Of iiuce. Tie Colonel did not
allow them 10 enler his camp, bn mel them al a
short distance outside Of il. The Colonel was
mi Iv n
the Colonel letter. The Colonel told him, in
substance, "lha it was 100 dark 10 read it, and
that he had no candles or light, probably lie, the
aid, could Tell HIM the purpor Of it," The aid
(who spoke English fuently) replied, "that il was
summons for an unconditional surrender, a.
Gen. Garsy had sufficient men and means 10
conquer him, and he wished TO spare an efusion
Of blooi." Col. De Russy Immediately returned
The Letter, unopened 10 the aid, and he told the
aid, 10 "lc Gen. Garay that the idea OF surren-
der had never entered his mind, and he therefore
declined any correspondence on that subjecl"--
when The aid and Major, after the usual compli.
| mcnis, retired.
Col. De Russy now ordered camp fires TO lie
made and all The horses 10 be unsaddled, and eve
~ thing had The appea rance, 10 the Mexicans, OF
his remaining there all nigh. In this however.
they were decci2ed for The Colonel took up his
line Of march 81 o'clock A. NJ, during one OF
the heaviest rain sorms ever experienced ami
passed silently through The city. They took The
| road Tor Penuca, passing in contrary direction
| to The one he came by and on which Garay was
encamped, and was len miles from Tanayoca
when daylight overlook him.
AT 10 o'clock A. NJ, The lancers and guerrillaS
again came in sight, and hung in the rear oil the
detachment all day, spearing and shooting down,
without mercy such unfortunate pc sons as slra2-
gled of from The main body. On one occasion
large body OF lancers collected in group when
Captain Wyse gave Them salute with charge
81 canister, aud made great havoc among both
horses and riders, killing and wounding about 80
men, and from that time they kept At respectful
distance
The Mexicans followed our little deiachmen,
for two days, occasionally exchanging a few
shots. Lieut. Heimbefgcr was shot in The arm
during the retreat the first day. When COL De
Russy got within Is miles OF Penuca, he dis.
patched Mr.. Geo. Letter, an old citizen of this
place, to Col. Gates, giving him an account of his
position, and informing him Of their being entirely
out OF ammunition, and large body Of the ene-
my in his rear.
Col. Gates Immediately despatched Lieut.. Col.
Marks 10 his relief with leo men, Two pieces Of
cannon, and plenty OF ammunition. Lieut. Col.
Marks went 10 Penuca with his command per
sleamoaf, where he met Col. De Russy and his
command, completely tired our, and almost with
out a cartridge. As there was an attack anlicipa-
ted the following night, on this place. both parties
returned.
Thus ended one OF the most brilliant affairs,
for the numbers engaged in it, terminating with
mastery Ietrca,,) which has taken place du.
ling this war. Col. DeRussy was every where
in The hottest Of The fight, and pointed his soli,ory
gun several times, while bullets were falling
around him as thick as hail.
Capt. Wyse behaved in most gallant man
ner, and fully proved himself TO be cool AMI
skillul officer Capt. Mace, after Lieut.. Tame
hill was MORALLY wounded, placed The latter or
the gun carriage amidst q shower OF bulles.-
Capt Seguine has shown himself 10 be brave
and efficient officer.
should 10 great injustice 10 two humble but
brave men, did pass them unnoliced- Michae
Fury, of Co. A., and Forrell, Of Co. B., Louis-
ana Volunteers. They were in every charge,
and behaved in the most gallant manner.
Our loss on The occasion was about thirty kill
ed, wounded and missing, while that Of the Mex
leans is sci down al $50 killed and wounded.
The following are The names Of The killed.
wounded and missing:
Capr BoYD's DRAGONS Killed. Captain
Boyd, Serg,. Barker, Private Cuyiere, Corp. Bru-
ner. Hounded.-Lieut. Tannehill, Private Lax
ton, Private Wilson. Missing Private II.
Brown, Private 2. Burke, Private Marshall, Pr~
vale Mugan.
THIRD ARTILLERY, Co. D.-Woundcd Private
Chas. S. Allen, Private Peter Russell, Private
James Russell, Private John Ball. IMissmg-
Thomas Mason.
LOUISIANA REGIMENT. -Kulcd.-Pfivate John
Brown, Company A; Private Gustayus Colson,
Company c.; Private Gullub Schmidt Compa-
ny c.; Private Henry Fl. Scott, Company G;
Private Rose, Company X; Private G. Teuer,
Company E; Private L. Lanbino, Company +.
ITauadel.-Lieui Heimberger, Company E.
John Durneng, Company {. Mssing.-John
Davis, Company G.
The above are all the names, as lar as have
been able TO ascertain; there may be few more
missing, not yel reported. Il is generally believ-
ed ha, all the missing have been murdered. The
expedition returned on the 18th inst.
P. 81 have this moment learned that official
reports have been received in town. that The num-
Der OF Mexicans engaged in the late battle was
1850. So you may judge for yourselves, o. The