New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-05-06
Battle OF sacramento-Defeat OF the Enemy
CAPTURE of chihuahua.
HEADQUARTERS or THE ARMY N CHIHUAHUA,
90.

HEADQUARTERS or THE ARMY N CHIHUAHUA,
City Of Chihuahus, March 4, ls47. )
have the honor 70 report 10 you the movements
Of the army under my command since my last official
On the evening Of the 9Th OF February 1917 We left
the town Of RI Paso del Eore. escortng the merchant
train or caravan Of about 35 wagons tor the City OF Chi
huahua Our force consisted OF 92i effective men III
officers and prgstes Of the Artillery 20 OF Lieut. Col
Mtchelrs escort and the remainder the First Regiment
Missouri Mounted Ridemen. We progressed In the di-
reeton OF this place until the 18th, when we were in
formed by our spies that the enemy % the number OF
900 men were al Inseneas the country seat Of Gov.
Trss about . miles 10 advance
When W. arrived on the evening Of the 10th, near
that point found that the force had retresed IN the
direction OF this city On the evening Of the 9TH we
arrived sans. and learned from our SPIES mat the
enemy. in great force had fortned the Pass oil the
Sacramento river about fifteen miles IN advance, and
about the ssme distance from this city. We were also
informed that there no water between the point
We were Al and that occupied by the enemy We there
fore determined 10 hal. until morning. Az sunrise on
the 18th the sst day Of February took up the line
OF march and formed the whole train consisting u
Jl5 heavy traders wagons and our commissary and
company wagons into four columns. thus shorten
ins our line 50 az o. make i easily protected
We placed the artillery and al the command, except
200 cavalry proper in the intervals between the columns
of wagons We thus fully concealed our force and III
position by masking force with the cavalry When
We arrived within three miles Of the enemy, we made
reconnaissance Of bis position and the arrangement Of
ais forces This could easily dO-the road leading
through open prairie valley between the sterile noun
tsins The Pass Of the Sacramento Is formed By
point OF the mountains right their left extending
into the valley or plain 10 narrow the valley e
about II miles On our left was deep dry sandy chan
mel Of creek and between these points the plain rise.
10 sixty feet abruptly This rise Is In the form Of
crescent the part being to the north Of oui
forces.
On the rignt from the point OF mountains, narrow
part Of the plain extends north miles farther than
The left The main road passes down the centre OF the
valley and the crescent near the left dry
branch. The Sacramento rises 10 the mountains on
TIE ght and the road falls 20 Il about mile below
the bar,le field entertainment OF the enemy We as
. ccrtsined that the enemy had / battery Of guns
nine and sx Founders on the pon, Of the mountain
right (heir LEM 81 good elevation 10 sweep the
plain and AZ the point where the mountains extended
iarthest into the plain.
On left their nghD they had another battery on az
/ elevation commanding the road and three entrench
cent the centre another OF two and two foul
rages aud the eres, Of the hill ssce7, weeu the
batteries and the right and eft they L, Y redoub
tug and thrown up extending al short intervals scros
md were entirely protected Their cavalry wa. draw
go rout IT redoubts in the intervals deem AND
cont - the refoubts deep. a 10 mask them a.
: "a - Bctcsbe
w W ise rived within Il miles Of the entrench
nenis q q. % IN road We advanced the cavalry
sui tr'naf eae ieniy diverged with the columns &C
ths rsLt . a. - san the part Of the
oar nsht Which toe enemy discovering eldssTored x