The North-Carolina standard., 1847-09-29
The Late Battles i'm Mexico.
THE BATTLE OF CoNTRERAS.
TAoTpAvA AuC

THE BATTLE OF CONTRERAS.
TAcUBAYA, Aug. 26.
EDS DELTA: The late brilliant achievement
n The arms of the United States over the superior
numbers of the enemy, and in front Of the capital
4 ,f The country, cannot but excite the admiration
nd pride of our people, from one end of the land
4 ,thc other: but 10 those who were not here to
snncss and participate in the desperation Of the
:onflict-the great and apparently insuFmountable
,bstaclcs-lhe privations and hardships endured
ever can properly appreciate the brlliancy OF the
dctorv. the oaIlan.ry and good conduct, and the
SEMITIC attanments of our noble little army Our
umparatiVe loss, Of those engaged, exceeds that
l sqny battle of which we have any recollection ;
ing about one out of six. To attempt to emu
nerate in proper manner, the individual instan.
rs Of hcroism-of determined and deliberate
Ourage-of the perseverance and intrepidiIy with
which great and powerful obstacles were sur.
nuunled-would be but commencing an endless
i ask | trust when the details of these brilliant
A aflirs are given by the respective commanders,
hat our country will testify its admiration and
rect by some substantial reward-a reward that
will live in the memory and in history when the
plOs in these stirring scenes shall have moulder-
/ d in the dust.
About the 18th instant it was determined that
We should not attack Ell Penon, where the enemy
I'D made every preparation 10 receive us, and
ghere, no doubt, we would have been compelled
sacrifice many more lives than we have already
lone. Accordingly, the engineers having dis
oyered road by which we could turn il we took
ID our march around Lake ChaIco. At this
aovement the enemy were seriously nonplusscd,
thew were not aware themselves of any pIac-
i:a route we could take that would go effectually
urn their position, and in order 70 delay our move
ntn,, sent out Gen. Alvarez, the great champion
( the South with his Piutos, "a tribe of Indians
! eottrd BY nature) together with portion of the
i r1Iar army, amounting in all to about 10000
An, to attack the rear column under, the command
Il Gen. TwiQgs. but it turned out TO be feeble
aempt Gen Twiggs had scarcely formed his
Inc of battle and opened his artillery, under the
Command Of Capt Taylor, before they fled with
rreat precipitancy. A few well-directed shots
iom the battery made forcible impression upon
heir columns, and they retreated, leaving por-
ion of their dead and wounded to take care Of
themselves The whole affiir did not detain Grn.
Twiggs more than hour, and he was again
his march. By this time the enemy had discov-
rrcd the route by which we were moving. and en-
Favored 10 obstruct the road but the sappers
md miners, aided by the head of Gen. Worlhs
,olumn soon cleared the road at different places,
md by the 18th the head Of Gen. Worth's col
gnn arrived at San Augustin-the encmy's Skin
ashers firing from every hilltop and point which
! Eored them on the route, and their cavalry pre-
be dav, but never daring TO attack
On the 18th, General Worth's column moved
iown the road in the direction Of San Antonio,
rom which place the enemy fired upon squad
ION of Dragons (kiling Captain Thornton and
woundins the guide, Jonathan Filzwaler.) advan.
crd 10 protect the engineers in a reconnaissance of
The forlifcations of San Antonio. Capt Thorn
ton had been very unwell for some time, and went
ou. r command of his squadron against the ad-
L A,,S
bis energy and galaniry would not allow him to
remain inactive when there was the least posi-
biIly of meeting the foe. AS soon as the d:a-
goons were Withdrawn, Col Duncan's battery and
The sappers and miners moved down the road, and
took a position that would enable them to operate
in any direction, in case OF emergency. Colonel
Smiths light battalion was thrown out on the left
'front.' 10 watch the movements OF the enemy, and
10 hold him in check in case ofshis advancing his
funk. Immediately after, Cob Garlands brigade
uade diversion 10 the right, and took position
line, resting his right at the hacienda OF San Ju-
an de Dios, about 400 yards to the right of the
road. AS soon as this movement was completed,
The I'd brigade under the command of Col. Clark,
moved down the road until the head Of his col
umn rested on the left wing of Col. Garland. One
section of the mountain howtzers was brought for
ward, and thus they remained until sundown.
when the brigade of cavalry withdrew, leaving
the infantry and artillery on the ground. About
o'clock heavy rain came on, which complete
y drenched the troops, and they were all exposed
during the night to a slow drizzIing rain without
tents or blankets. Gen. Worth, with a part Of the
la brigade, occupied the hacienda Of San Juan
dc DOs during the night, and the enemy amused
themselves by firing few random shot at it about
sundown, from San Antonio, but without any 9TH
er effect than to riddle the house completely with
balls and to besprinkle the officers with the NOR
lar and dust Of the old hacienda During the day
Major Graham was sent out from San Augustn
(Gcn SCOTS headquarters) towards Contreras TO
protect the engineers 10 a reconnaissance OF the
rOrte n that direction, where, during the fore
hoon, he engaged force of the enemy's cavalry
and Infantry, which he drove back, with loss of
Skilled, 2 wounded, and S prisoneEs-Maj Gra-
hams command sustaining no loss.
On the 18th, the enemy fired from the works
Of San Antonio on the hacienda of San Juan de
dos, supposing part Of our forces were. still