Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-14

find fit place in this communication would ul-
tery iail to exhbiI in their true light these bril-
liant operations and The unsurpassed merit of
those who directed and executed Them; but, iorlu.
nalely for The memory Of those who fell, and
for The fame OF those who survive, this is most
ably done in the dispatches which accompany
this report
Wherever The enemy was met, however supe-
ior in number, he was routed his strong positions
carried, his Notifications sormed. A succession
OF severe conflicts invariably resulted in sue
cession OF signal victories; and at The close Of
these Two eventiul days, SO glorious 10 our arms,
the lriumphal progress OF our troops had brought
Them 10 The very gales OF the city.
| An ar,nisice was then concluded, for The pnr-
pose OF negotiating peace. An unbIoken cur
rent oil victory had attended The progress OF our
arms from the commencement ofthe War-detcaI
| had mel the enemy in every coGhict-army after
army had been vanqashed-many thousands OF
his best troops had fallen in balile-a still larger
number had Surrendered prisoners Of war-and
The last refuge OF hopc-his magnificent Capital
was within reach al our guns, and apparently Iii
our mercy. In This pivotidte uuniIiun, and fore
seeing, as he could scarcely fail 10 do, the tate
which hung over him, ii was reasonable 10 expect
that he would seek peace, and readily accede 10
The favorable terms which were offered; but the
season Of his infalualiOn had not passed away.
IL was SuOu QlSCOsCItu ludt WIS
treacherousy improved by The enemy 10 orsanlzr
further resis' ance and TO collect his energies and
strength, in the vain hope Of saving his Capital
| from its threatened doom. The deiuslre design OF
the armslice was Observation-Disclosures were recon-
menced on the 7th 81 September, and the san.
| culinary battle OF Ell Molino del Rcy was fought
on The succeeding day, in which three thousand
one hundfed of our invincible troops encounter.
ed fourteen thousand Of the enemy, having every
advantage OF position, and protected BY strong de-
iensve works The battle continued two hours
and hall, with destructive severity, and termna
Ted in a glorious victory but victory not cheap.
" won. All the enemy's Notifications were car
red, andhis numerous forces defeated and driven
10 The ramparls of The city for safety. His loss
in killed, wounded and prisoners, about equalled
our entire force engaged in The action. Our loss,
also severe, was seven hundred ana eighty nine in
killed and wounded. On The list of these will be
found some OF 'the brightest ornaments OF The
seryice." For an interesting narrative OF the he
roic deeds Of The battle OF El Moline del Rey, and
| the gallant conduct of The officers and men, by
whom i; was won, respectfully refer 10 the re-
ports of the General in chct command, and Ui the
distinguished General who more Immediately par.
.icipaied in the action. These who fell, ard those
who survived The glory Of this day, are appro-
prialely commended by the laer ITO the respect
iul memory OF their counrymen and The rewards
| due 10 valor and conduct" so emineh;ly conspicu.
Gus.
The battle Of Ell Molno del Rey, was the OPEN
ing scene 10 the sorrnins OF The formidable for
tress of Cbapulepec, and oil the triumpha entry
Of our army into The city Of Mexico.
In The plan for the capture Of The city, The re-
| ducion Of Chapullepec was embraced as indis.
pensabie 10 its success This was daring aud
| dangerous enterprise. II was place OF extra
ordinary natural strength and is grea! impor
lance as defence TO the city, was we'll understood
by The enemy, who had exhausted his skill and
lavished his means 10 make limpresnabIe.
| Our batteries, stationed al different and wel-se
| lected points, opened upon The fortress early in
the morning OF The 18th Of September and kept
up we-drected and destructive fire through
that day, and in The morning OF the next until the
| forces were ready 10 move on 10 the attack. Pre-
parations, evincing great military skill and judg
| ment, were made Tor The assault on the morning
OF the 18th. MOI only the strong citadel which
| crowned the hill was to be carried, but numerous
| outworks, obsiructng every approach 10 il, We're
to be taken, aud large toGics VI tic euemiY, VIM
| manned and projected these works, were 10 be
encountered and dispersed before that fortress
could be reached. All intervening Obstacles were
swept away, and the castle carried BY Storm
| To convey something like an adequate impress
| sion of This daring and heroic achievement,
avail myself of quotation from the despatch Of
the general in chief command, descriptive OF the
| closing scene:
1.-THE broken ACTIVITY was sill TO be assembled
and strong redoubl, midway, 10 be carried, be-
fore reaching the castle ON The heights. The ad
vance of our brave men, led by brave officers
! though necessarily slow, was unwavering, over
| rocks, chasms, and mines, and under the hottest
fire OF cannon and mussetry. The redoubi now
Welded 10 resis,ess valof, and the shouts that fol
| lowed announced 10 the castle The fate that i'm
pended. The enemy were steadily driven from
shelter 10 shelter The retreat allowed not time
10 fire a single mine, wiihou, the certainty oil
blowing up friend and foe. Those who al a dig.
lance attempted to apply matches 10 The long
trains, were shot down by our men. There was
death below as we'll rs above ground Al length
the ditch and wall OF The main work were reach
ed; The scaling ladders we're brought up and plant
| ed by The stormng parties; some Of The daring
spirits, fist in the assault, were cast down-kll-
ed or wounded a lodgmenl was soon made;
streams Of heroes followed; all opposition was
| overcome and several OF our regimcna cOlOrs
flung out from The upper walls amidst long con.
tinued shouts and cheers, which sent dismay into
the capital"
Though The capture of Chapullepec was a
most difficult and perious ENTERPRISE, ii was,
however but one in the series Of brilliant achieve
ments which were TO be performed before The city
Of Mexico fell into on! possession. A desperate
struggle was continued throughout The whole day.
The numerous batteries which opened deslruc-
tive fire upon our troops, one alter another, were
captured; the formidable obstacles, so well con
trivej 10 arrest our advance, were surmcunled,
and the opposing hosts Of the enemy were driven
from their we'll chosen positions When night
came and suspended the dreadful confcl, TWO OF
our columns had entered the city, Preparations
were al once made for its entire subjusaion on
the approaching morning.
Our astonishing successes on The Two preced-
ing days had filled he army and lhe government
oil Mexico with despair; they prcipiaely fled
during the night Of The l3 h. On The l4th our
| troops took possession oi The magnificent capital
Of the Mexican republic, and planted the STANDARD
| OF the Uned States on her national palace.
The preceding sketch OF The operations OF our
army, under the command of Maj Gen. Scu!r,
from It's debarcation al Vera Cruz until its triumph
al entry into The city OF Mexico, is, | am vel
aware exceedingly imperfect; il is confined 10 the
announcement Of general rest s; details and SUBJ
ordinate events developing heroic acts and iudi.
vdual merit are necessarily excluded; but these
are presented with fitness in the admirable re-
ports, herewith transmitted, OF he highly distin.
guished officers who participated, in an eminent
| degree in The mcmora bic scenes they so we'll de-
scribe.
After the main body of our army had moved
on the city of Mexico, the small garrison al Pue-
| b.a, under the command OF Col Chiids, sustai ned
close and continued siege for twenty eight days,
by vastly superior force. The number OF as
sailanls broagh, against this small garrison was
at one lime eight thousand, under The immediate
command OF Gen. Santa Anna The siege was
sgnalzed through its whole course, by success
sive attacks al various points, successfully re.
PEELED.
The report of The commander of the garrison
herewith presented 10 your consideration, is an
other testimonial of the gallanlry and the patient
endurance OF our officers and men, under the Sc
vere.t trials, which cannot fail TO exall The cha
rac,er of our army al home, and diffuse its re-
nown wherever heroic deeds are justly apprecia-
ted
After the Mexican army was so sigually de-
feated and driven from the city Of Mexico, Gen.
Santa Anna determined 10 try his fortune in ano-
Their field. With force of four thousand men
and six pieces of artillery, he prepared for an at.
tack on the train and troops which Brigadier &C.
neral Lane was conducting 10 the headquarters