Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-09-17

OF the WdI-oiuHoht anu HlOSt I'M
portant for the great results produced with so
little loss on our side, and for which General
Smith, as well as Col. Riley and the other Of
fcers engaged in it, are receiving the unquail-
fled appreciation of the entire army.
Gen. Salas himself acknowledges that in
this battle Gen. Frontera was killed, that be-
sides himself, Generals Mendoza. Blanco, and
Garcia, were wounded and taken prisoners, IN
addition to a list of over 100 other Officers
colonies, captains, &c--who were either kill
ed, wounded, or are now in our hands. And
here let me mention one fact in relation to the
afte- battle of Churubusco, which will show
how near Gen. Scott was capturing the entire
Mexican army. At the time Gen Worth was
pressing upon the tete de pont, Gen. Twiggs
upon the church, and Gems. Shields and Pierce
upon the hacienda farther on, the commander
in-chief ordered Major Sumner to take COM
mand of the Rifles, and by circuitous march
to reach the road between the enemy and the
CITY Nothing but the daring impetuosity of
our own men in front prevented this plan from
succeeding-had the MeXicans held out or oul
own soldiers held off ten minutes longer, the
enemy would have been in bag as it were,
and killed or captured to man. Santa Anna
might perhaps have escaped, as he has pc
culiar way of his own but he would not have
taken even the remnant OF an army with him
A Mexican mail was captured by party
of dragons on the 22d inst, on its way from
the city to Morelia 1t contained multitude
of letters dated on the 2lst, the day after the
great battles, and they give vivid, and at the
same time most doleful, accounts of their ter
rible and utter defeat Some of the writers
Law the blame on Santa Anna alone, some on
Valencia, some on Santa Anna and Valencia.
some on Santa Anna, Valencia, and all the of
fcers. while others say that Santa Anna, Va.
lencia, and all the officers and soldaers are ut
terly worthless. The latter writers are more
comprehensive and probably nearer the mark.
Many of the letters are exceedingly rich. One
loving husband writes to his wife, whom he
calls angel" and {" idol" and his " adored
Chul,ta,' and tells her not TO occasion herself
any uneasiness about his safety, as he does
not intend to expose himself Another officer
comes out even palmer: he tells his beloved
Rosa that he thought of her when the balls
were flying, and ran! The capture of these
letters is valuable in more ways than one
they give much information as regards the
strength and plans Of the enemy, and freely
and frankly acknowledge that they have been
defeated and utterly disorganized. The num-
at from 80 to IS, 1000, and nearly all of them
took part in the battles of the Goth.
Santa Anna has come out in a long mani
festo to the Mexican nation. He begins by
saying that he shall speak openly and candid
ly to his fellow citizens, as frankness has al
ways been characteristic Of his administra-
lion! He next speaks of what he has lately
done in the way of collecting an army and
munitions for the defence of the capital, and
then goes on to lay all the blame of his re-
verse upon Valencia, who would not obey his
orders on the 10Th, evacuate Coutreras and
fall back upon the second line of defence at
ChurubUsco. He intmates that he continued
with his soldiers until the last moment, and
after they were routed and driven from Chu-
rutusco, he was enabled to rally his troops at
the Garita-the third line-dnd thus SAGE the
capital! On the following day, he says
while occupied in re organizing his forces
strengthening his batteries, and placing him.
self once more at the head of column to de.
fend the capital until the last extreme. he re-
ceved a letter from Gen. Scott proposing ar
armistice, &c. (Santa Anna says nothing a
bout his talking this matter over the previou:
evening with Macintosh and Thornton, anC
their immediate departure for the American
lines, but absolutely harangues his country
men as though the first propositions came from
Gen. Scott.) In the concluding paragraphs o
his manifesto, Santa Anna says that he ha.
granted an armistice to the Americans to lister
to what their peace commissioner has to say
He gives it as his opinion that suspension
of l.oslilites is always beneficial, that war il
always an evil-in fact that perpetual wa
is an absurdty! He intimates that he ha
competent authority to listen to oyertures O
; peace, and then goes on to tell his people tina
he has sufficient number of troops to sustain
the rights and vindicate the honor of the ma
ton. He considers himself as free as though
he had obtained 81 gnal victory, and that hi;
fellow citizens need have no fear of his bein,
deceived or imposed upon by the negotiator'
of the enemy, nasmuch as he does not dreae
their men or cannon II peace can be bro
about without losing the honor of the nation
well and good; if not, Santa Anna intimate
that he will return to the sword as an arbitra
tor. Such is a mere outline of documen
which makes nearly three columns in the Dia
rio del Gobernio
The commissioners on the part of the Mex
lean Government to listen to our overtures o
, peace are, Gems. Mora Villamil and Jos
Joachim de Herrera, the latter formerly Presi
/ dent, and now military commandant of Mexi
CO. His character, as all our readers know
is that of an honest but weak man. Don An
tonic Garay. we'll known capitalist, and for
merly Minister OF Finance, was also appointe
on the commission, but refused to serve H
f IS known to be warmly in favor of peace, pre-
baby from interest. The commissioners O
: the part of Mexico, with Mr.. Trst, it is sal
Y are to hold their first meeting this afternoon
Y at some place near this.
e may be mistaken, but my humble opinio
is that there are three influences now at wor
in the city of Mexico to bring about peace
e The first and foremost is Santa Anna himsel
n sick and tired of the war, and seeing nothin
: in It's continuance but his own utter and ire
!, trievable ruin. The second is Mackintosl
: Thornton Co., the latter gentleman secrets
e ry of legation or attache to the English minis
). ter, and both representing English interest
r The third, and an all powerful interest it i
: is American gold, of which Santa Anna ar
s some of his friends are known to be exceet
l. ingly fond, and to handle which they will sic
n at nothing. Thornton, during the illness
If Mr.. Bankhead, does the talking on the En-!
: lish side-Mackintosh acts as banker and gel
/ eral agent Not one of these men care ar
e more for the honor or credit of the Governme
h of Mexico than they do for that of the Tons
n lslands-self is al the bottom of all, and San
l. Anna is the most selfish man of the lot. {
1t our own side we have two influences at wor
7. the first is Gen. Scott, hampered and han
], bound by his own Government, and anxio
n to bring about a DeaCe hecausp he heIieyes