Weekly miners' express. (DuBuque, Iowa) 184?-1849, 1847-12-08
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
ATTLE or MULINO DEL RAY.
Report Of Maj. GEN. Scott.

No. 80. Headquarters OF THE ARMY,
Racubaya, near Mexico, Sept. II, IS47.
SIR: | have heretofore reported that /
had, August "a, concluded an armstice
will. President Santa Anna, which was
promptly followed by meetings betw cen Mr..
Trist and Mexican comm ssioners appoint
ed of peace.
Negotiations were actively continued
with as was understood, some prospect of
a successful result up to the I'd inst, when
our commissioner handed in his ulimatun.
Ton boundarirs,) and The negotiators ad-
journed to meet again on the 9th.
Some infractions of the truce, in respect
to our supplies from the city, were earlier
committed, followed by apologies, on the
part ofthe enemy. Those vexations was
willing to put down to the imbecility Of the
government, and waived pointed demands
of reparation while any hope remained Of q
satisfactory termination Of the war. But on
the 5th, and more fully on the 9th, l learn
ed that as soon us the uNimatuna had been
considered in gaand council Of ministers
nnt others, President Santa Anna, on the
4,h or 5th without giving me slightest no.
tice, actively recommended strengthening the
military detenccs of the city, in gross viola
ton Oh Tue Ju dILlCi1 VI VIC III uIloLlIC.
On that information, which has since re-
ceived the fullest verifcation. l addressed to
him my note Of the 9th. His reply, dated
the vane day, received the next morning,
was absolutely and VIGOROUSLY false, both in
recrimination and explanation. enclose
comics of both papers, and have had no sub
scQuent correspondence with the enemy.
Being delayed with the terms Of the ar
mistice more than two weeks, we had now,
late on the It'll, to beg in to .reconnoitre the
ldifferent approaches to the city, within our
reach, before | could lay down any defiui-
tive plan of attack.
The same afternoon u large body of the
enemy was discovered lowering about the
.Nolinos del Ray, within a mile and third
of this village, where | am quartcred with
the general staff and Worth's division.
It might havo been supposed that an at
tack upon US was intended: but knowing the
great value to the enemy of those mills,
(.Noknos del Ray.) containing a cannon
boundary, with 4 large deposte of powder
in Casa .Mato near them; and having heard
two days before, that many church bells had
been sent out to be cast into guns-the enc
mrs movement was easily understood, and
| resolved, at once. to drive him early the
next morning, to seize the powder, and to
destroy the foundry. ...
Another motive for this lecision-leaving
the general plan of attack upon the city for
rull rcconnoissances--was, that we knew
our recent captures had left the enemy not
fourth of the guns necessary to arm, oil
at the same time, the strong works at each
of the light city gates; and we could not cut
the communication between the foundry and
the capital without first taking this formida-
bic castle on the heights of Chapultepec,
which overlooked both and stood between.
For this difficult operation we were not
entirely ready, and moreover we nigh! al
together neglect the castle, if, as we then
honed. our Reconnaissance should prove
that the distant southern approaches to the
city were more eligible than this southwes-
tern approach. ,-..,
Hence the decision promptly taken, the
execution Of which was assigned to brevet
Major General Worth, whose division was
reinforced with Cadwalader's brigade OF
pillows division, three squadrons of dra-
poons under Mai. Summer, and come heavy
guns ofthe siege train under Captain Huger
or the ordnance, and Captain Drum OF the
4th artllery--two officers Of the highest
merit. gs $50
For the decisive and brilliant results,
ber to refer to the report Of the immediate
commander--M Major General Worth---in
whose concentrations Of the gallant officers
and mcn--dead and living, ] heartily con,
cur; having witnessed but with little inter
ference, their noble devotion to fame md te
(! country.