The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-16
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
TAE BRILLIANT BATTLES
CONTRERAS AND CHURUSUSCO.
THE REPORT OF MAJOR GENERAL SCOTT.
HrApQuArTrRs OF rHr ARNY,

THE REPORT OF MAJOR GENERAL SCOTT.
HrApqUApTsRs OF rHr ARNY,
SAy AUGUSTINE. AcsPuLco ROAD. ,
Nine miles from Mexico, August 10. ls47 }
Sra Leaving competent garrison In Purbla this
army advanced upon tae capital follows -Twiggs'
division preceded by Harnsys brigade Of cavalry the
tachmsnt Of U marines. the eth worths division.
| tbs 9th. and Pillows division the lOth-all In thi.
month On the sth overlook. and then continued
WITH thu leading division The corps no time
beyond five hours supporting distance apart and
descending into the basin Of the capital as miles from
Puebla they became closely appropriated about
The head OF Lake Chaco with Lake Tesruoo little in
front and to the right On the l9h and 18th pushed
(sh miles Mexico) Of great height strongly forti
aed to the top hrss tiers Of works. and flooded round
the bEse by the OF rains. aud sucss from the
lakes This mound, close to the national road. cam
msnds the principal approach to the city from the east
disproportonsts loss; and xious to spare the
lives of this gallant sImy foi sen.ra battle which
tanning the great object of the osnpsisn-a just and
honorable peace.
Another reconnsis.anes wss directsa he lsth) upon
Mexcslongo to the left Of the Penon village at for
tded bridge the outlet canal ssdng from Lake
Joohimoo to the capital Ave miles fron the latter 1t
might have been easy (moskng the PenvY force the
psssage; but the other side Of the bridge should
have found ourselves four mills from this road,
causewsy nanksd 70 the right and left by
0: boggy grounds Those difficulties ororss, viewed
threw me bach upon the project long entertained OF
turning the strong eastern ds.sno. 81 ;as city BY pa;.
foot Of tho hills and mountains TO reach this point
and hence to manouvrs on hard ground, though much
has bsen more less under view since the 10th In
slant.
SION, with Harney's cavalry brigade, leadng-we
marched the 18th instant. Pillows and Quitman's
wa @ M tho dv at orssr To-
threaten the Psnon and Mexcacingo and to deceive
the enemy as long a. practie able.
Twiggs, on the 10TH marching from Ayotla towards
Chalco (sx mias) met corps Of more than double his
Enthusiastically and infsntry under General Vslen-
cha Twggs halted. depoyed into line. and by few
rounds from Captain Tsyors asid battery, dispersed
the enemy, killing or wounding many and horses
No other moestation hss b.sn experienced except
random shots from gusrill.ros the heights and the
march OF twenty seven miles, route doomed i'm.
practicable by the enemy, is accomplished by all
the corpsthanks to their indomtablc zeal physical
proves
neys cavalry pushed forward league to reconnoi
TIRE and to to mssk San Antonio the direct
road to the capital. This village found strongly dc.
rson. could only be turned by infantry, the left
neid Of volcanic rocks and lava for to right
the daring ensusss csp Mason and Lisuts sseveEss
and Tower that the point could only ba approached
.chss a. over narrow m.nasd VIII wet
! tack but to threaten and to mask the pl.oe
The first shot fred from San Antonio hs ish) killed
Captain Thornton I'd dragons, gallant oflcer, who
was covering the operations with his company
tThs same day, reconnaissance spd the
left OF San Augustin, first difficult mounds and far
Their the field OF volcanic aud lava
which extends to the mountains, Ave miles from
sAu Antonio towards Mazdalene This Reconnaissance
continued to-day by Captain Lee assisted by Lieu
tenants Beauregard and Tower all Of the engineers:
s wsas Joined 70 the BY Major smith Of
advanced to make prseeao'e road for heavy artillery
and r~sss thrcvn farshsr in front to that ops
rstion for by the partial reconnaissance Of yesterday
Capt Lee discovered large corps Of observation In
direction with detachment OF which his supports of
cavalry and foot under Captain Kearney aud Lieut. Col
Graham, respectively had a successful skirmish
By three o'clock this afternoon, the advanced div
soDs came to point where the road could OILY be
continued under the - pieces the W
artillery most Of thcm large oaibre placed strong
rounded by every advantage ground besides immense
bodies OF cavalry and nfsntry hourly reinforced from
the city excellent road beyond the volcanic
and consequently entirely beyond the reach IF cava
ry snd artillery.
Arriving on the ground an hour later, found that
Pillows end Twggs divisions had vanced to dislodge
the enemy, picking their way TALL officers FOOT along
his 'front.' and extendiog themselves towards the road
from the city ard the ensmys left Captain Magruder
eld battery GO ~ and pounders and Lieut. Cssnder
battery Of mounted howEers and rockets bad also ih
great -ulty, been advanced WITHIN range Of the en-
trenchrd camp Tbssa batteries most gall,ntly served
suffered much IN ths course Of the afternoon from the
,peUy '5sup ricr metal
rage, with great viei'Dce, until nRhtfa Brv.t Brig
Den r. f. Smiths and Brevet Col Rley's brigad-s
and Csdwaladers brigsdss pillows dvis.on) wsr, more
'han three hours under heavy fire OF artillery and
musketry along the almost mpassabls rnvne in frort
aud TO the left Of the entrench-d camp Besides The %
pieces artillery, the camp and ravne were defended
casey by Of infantry and these sgsn supported
by clouds OF cavalry at hand and lowering in view Con-
ssquently decided I'm preston could be made hy dsy.
light on the epemys moet formidable position because
Independent OF the difficulty Of the ravine our infantv
onaccompsni-d by cavalry and artillery. could not ad
in column without being down by the grape
spd canister OF batteries nor advance In line vith
out Nn9 ridden over by the eneny's cavalry
Al cur corps however, including Magruders and Cal-
leuders list batteries not only mautaed tho exposed
po ons carly gained but all attempted charges upon
them, re'pactvey- particularly on rsy twice closely
engaged with cavalry In greatly superior numbers
From eminenct, after arriving near the scene
observed the church and hamlet Of Contrsrss Tor An
the entrenched camp to Msgdalens seeing at the
came time the stream Of advancing by
that road from the city ordered Through Major Gen
finor) Coi Morgan, with his regiment, the 10th, till
then held In by Pillow to NOV, forward and to
occupy Contrerss tor Ansnlda)-beins persuaded oc
cupied, 1t would arrest the enemys renerceeuts and
ultimately decide the battle.
Riley was already the enemy left In advance Of
the hamlet. few minutes later, Brig Gen. shields
with bis volunteer brigade (Nsw and South Caro-
lima regiments Qutmans divisiou) coming up under
my orders from Aususn directed Shield, 10 fol-
low and to sustan Morgan These corps over the sx
IRENE difficulties OF ground-partially covered with
low forest-before described reached Contreras and
found Cadcaladsrs brigade In position, observing the
formidable moveme mt from the capital and much need
ing the timely reinforcement
II was already dark and the cold rain had begun to
fall in torrents upon uoshetered troop, for the
hamlet, though a strong defensive position hold
only the wounded men, and, unfortunately, the
regiments have little nothing to eat in Their haver
sucks Wet, hungry and without the possibility Of
sleep all our gallant corps learn are Of
and only wait for the last hour Of darkness gain the
positions whsnoe to storm and carry the eneys works
Of the seven toers despatched since about suudown
from my position opposite to the enemys and
this side OF the hed Of rocks aud communicate
Instructions to the beWlet-pot has succeeded In
getting tn ough those by sarspsss
They have all returned But the gallant aud indefati
gable Captain Leo OF the engineers who has been
stsDty with the operating forces In lust in from Shields
Smith Cadwa'eder &c to report a. above and to ass
that powerful diversion be made sgsnst the Of
the entrenched camp towards morning
Brigadier General Twiggs, cut OF rs above from the
part Of his division beyond the imprscticsbe ground
and Captain Lee are Sne under my orders to collect
the forces remaining on this SIDE with which 70 make
that diversion about o'clock in the morning
And here will end this report at Ia date
events which then impended.
have the honor to be, sir, with high respect your
most obsdieit servant WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon. wM L. Nancy, Secretary Of War
No 81. HEApqusRrrRs OF THE ARsy
Tacubeya, ut the Gates Of Mexico, !
August IS. lsi1
FIH-hiy report, NO 81, commenced In the ni1ht If