Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1847-10-06

ton could be turned, and that my: artillery
was ineffective from the most commanding, !,
point where i, could be placed. lldeieer:-.,
mined, OF course, 10 cross under the 2lups;-..,
iuc fire. of the enemy's yescopetes, MY
order to advance was admirably execuIed:
AT the moment Lieut. Colonel Bonham's
battalion rushed forward with shout, the
enemy puured'down heavy fire, by which,
several of my mrn were severely wounded:
Coonel's Bnnham's horse was shot near
me. ard a ball passed through the rim of
my hat in very, disagrceable proximilY 10 )
my face. Our men leaped the barricade,..
followed BY Capt. Duperu's company Of
cavalry, aud in less than len minutes The !
enemy were in fiigh, in every direction,
and the American flag waved upon the
high bluff which they lad occupied. -.
The Mexican force. as they said eafter-,
ward, consisted of 500 men. Had they
possessed courage and skill in the use Of
arms, our loss must have been, very great.
Yuucan hardly conceive the. strength Of
-ihe natural defences of The road over
which we passed. Rumors came 10 me
almos. every night thai we would be att;
tackled by large forces the next day, but
thoy made nowhere any thing like a brave
and slern resistance. The official reports
of the great battle of Mexico will probably
reach you as soon as This letter, and ! sha I
therefore not attempt TO give the minu Q !.
details. 1t was fierce and bloody beyond
any thing that has occurred in this war.
The barie differed III many respects from
that of Buena Vista. There General
Taylor received The enemy in "A strong
position SELECTED by himself. Our force
on The 20lh> consisted of less that nine
thousand men, the Mexican force within
supporting distance aud engaged undoubt-,
eddy exceeded thirty thousand. We at
tackled him in position upon ground of
his own selection, admirably fortified. You
will distinguish, so far as numhers are con-
cerned. belween the ballle of thehnorning
and that Of the afternoon, although spoken
of in official reports as one engagement,
under the designation Of "the battle OF
Mexic"." We took, during the day.
thir,y.fve pieces Of arlillery-an immense
quantity Of ammuuilion-eight hundfed
mules aufl horses. and=more than two
thousand prisoners-amons them eigtt
generals and any number Of colonels.
The Mexican loss in killed andawourded
must have been immense. Our troops
buried 500 Mexicans upon the field OF
battle commenced in the morning at Cons
rreras, and the loss in the afternoon was
much greater. Our loss has been, heayv.
With This small army We could not afford
lo.purchase many victories at such price;
one of The regiments of my brigade (lhes
l3lh) lost in killed and Wounded one.third
ofiIs entire force. In killed and wounded
we number not less than 1000, and among
hem | lament 10 say an unusual proper,
ton oi valuable officers, The New. Eng
land regiment suffered severely, and be-.
haved throughout in the most gallant man 4
ner. My horse, at full speed, on thsa
evening Of the 18th. when leading my
brigade lhrousha perfect shower ofsround I
shot and shells. fell under me uponsa ledge
|sor rocks, by which IsusaiGed severe
|sinjury by the shock aud bruises, but espeE
cialIy BY severe sprain -inzyiny knees
which came under hlm. s.931 8. ..sa;5;s.
-.-.-A lfiSst-l ,3aa -,Iot-cansciaux E-aaS sc
rinus injury. bdl snpn became exceedingly
faint, IS hen Dr.. Richie, sufseopsoflhe
18TH Ia portion nfmy tommani,) who.
was following the advancing columns,
closely, administered to me as well as he
could under the circumstances. In a few
moments was able to walk with Difficult:
ty, and pressed forward 10 Capt. McGru.s
der's battery. were found the horsesof
poor gallant Lieut.. Johnson, who hadjnst
received mortal 6unj, of which he died
that evening. was permitted TO; take
him (n,y own having been totally disa-
hsd,) was helped lnIo The saddle, and
continued in it. until II o'clock that
night:
II Was exceedingly dark, the rain poured
in torrents, aud seperated from my SER
wants and baggage, ! was without tent or
covering; aud 10 this. and during the afIer-
noon OF the 10Th we had gained no advan-
Iases over the enemy, who remained FIRM :
ly enuenched with 1000 men opposedto
about 1000 on our side. without the posi-!
bii,y Of BRINGING our artillery to bear, and
you will|rea'ly conceive that our situation
was not the mos agreeable. The, morn.
ing of the 20th was, however, as brilliant
as The night of the 18th was dark and
gloomy. Soon after daylight The enemys
works were carried with the bayonet, aud
Of their 1000 men, regular troops, under !:
csmnand of Valencia, probably 1000 can.
nor be found to-day, As we passed Tbs
field IN pursuit Of the fugitises, The scene
was awful, the road and adjacent fe!ds
everywhere strewed mangled bodiesof the !
dead and dying: We continued the pursuit
until o'clock. when our trout came uP
with the enemy's strong works at Churn-
cusco and San Antonio, where the great
conflict Of The afternoon commenced.
Al San Angel, the dispositions having
been maze To attack in reverse the euemy's
works on the San Augustine road. Gen..
Scott ordered me to march my brigade
in copcert with that oflbe Intrepid Gen.
Shields across The open country between
Santa Calari,a and the abnvenamedroad
in order to cut off the enemy's retreat.
a., hf IL