The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-10-13
From the n Y. Courier Enquirer
Raifies aG Conirerua and Gnu btase0.

march and achievements OF the American army, uiuei
Gen Scott from the day of its leaving fuea uhu ps
master of the city OF Mexico, VIII DC feau WIN
universal interest;
SAN ANGEL Mexico, Aug 81, lSi7
a Ipi pebla ON the morning OF the 18th, and entered
upon beautiful rolling country OF great fertility sup
plying with It's gardens the inhabitants OF Pueba WIN
food, and surrounded by lofty mountains some OF Wnh
were covered with snow Oar road gradually as,
cending and good that looking back from lne mead
of the column train could be seen for mics IN rear
dotiing with lis snowwhte tops the masuey covered
plain On left was Popocatape and lscataiei' me
on their not distant tops rendering uie aL qii'e
chilly Gen. Scott did not leave with us, but came on
the next day with Capt. Kearnys dragons; :,
The second DAVIS march like the first, gradually
ascending passing through denies, narrow passes ana
deep chasms where more determined enemy might
have seriously annoyed us by merely making use OF the
obstacles everywhere presented lhlck woods OF
the finest forest abundant and the rugged ma
lure Of the country would a readily carry Ky one Daek o 10 be
Notch" Here and there beautiful little lakes were m
tespersed m the deep valleys and the cearnes and eou
ness of their waters were almost incredible,
The third day were to encounter the much -vaunNa
pass OF RIO Fro" and also the passage OF the mountain
which lead to the FL Dorado OF our hopes lhe
great plain of Mexico Our march was to be long anu
difficult, and three o'clock saw us under way Mllh near
and hopes full OF the prospect before US Inc nueh.
dreaded pass is reached and passed ne @ = iT
which skirt the road the left here close upon II o
about mile, overhangng and enhlading 1t completely
and aiording with their cress most exeehens eosgis
for matksmeii The newly cut Uees anu ohs
range OF breaswors thrown up the crest, showed us
that preparations had been made, while numerous para
pets with embasures in the logs taught us what mlgh
have been done But no men were there; the musketS
and cannon were gone Valencia, with 1000 NeNlcans
was full DAYS march ahead, making Tor Mexico win
speed which betrayed home sickness. Rlo FRO was
found 10 be little stream pouring down from the Snow
mountain, OF icy GOODNESS and crystal puTliy Aiter a
slight pause for refreshments we commenced our ascent OF
the ridge which separates the plans OF Puebla and MeX
co. the former of which it had hitherto skrled, For
several long miles toled up the hill, only recon-
pensed for labor by what we hoped to attain al last
ali plsr yTnFn
the road brought view sight which none ever
forget The whole vast plain OF Mexico was before us
The GOODNESS OF the air which was most sensby fet al
this great height fatigue and danger forgotten,
and our eyes were the only that thought OF ENJOY
ment Mexico, with its lofty steepes and Its chequered
domes Its bright reality and Its former fame, us modern
spIendor and its ancient ma4nifcence, before
while around every side It's thousand lakes seemed like
silver stars on velvet mantle.
We encamped that night al the base OF the mountain,
with the enemys scouts every side OF The next
day we reached Ayoiia, only fifteen miles from Mexico
by the National road which had hitherto been iol-
lowing Here halted until Generals Qutman, Pillow,
and Worth with their divisions, should come up. We
separated from the city by the marshes which SUI
rounded Lake Tezcuco and by the lake itself The road
is a causeway running through the marsh, and is
manded by steep and lofty hill called Ell Pnol This
hill completely enfilades and commands the National
road and had been fortified and repaired with the great
est by Santa Anna. One side was inaccessible by
the rest had been made by art Batteries, In
all mounting fifty guns OF different cabre, had beer
placed lis sides, and deep ditch "a feet wide and IL
deep, filled with water had been cut connecting the parts
already surrounded by marshes On this side Santa An
had 25o 900 men against force OF little 1900
all told
On the 22d made reconnaissance OF the work
which pronounced mpractoabe, the lives of o0
would be lost before the ditch could be crossed
We continued search, and found another road whic
went round ON the left but when within five miles O
the city, halted by coming suddenly upon five stron
batteries the hill which commanded this road, at
place called Mertcalctngo. We soon counermarched
and then our danger With one regiment and tire
companies OF cavalry. in all about 400 men, we say
that Iayt fxy bafKr and,
distant full Is miles. Every eye was fixed on the hi
with expectation OF an approaching column which shout
of with the speed and endurance of 400 Capt Barclays
At about midnight arrived safely al camp, and Ger
Scott did us the honor OF calling il 'the bodest recon
noissance of the war" General Worth was encampe
about five miles of-that is, straight line-across tn
Lake Chaico, at place of the name, but about tie
miles by the road The Mexicans had foundry in tn
mountains, at which we were getting some shells made
and on returning from which Lieut. Schuyler Hamlto
was badly wounded.
round the left of Lake Chalco which led to the west
ern gate of the city, and which, up to that time had
been fortified On the 18th, the other divisions com
menced their march, while brought up the train an
the rear In the morning, the train sent in advance
while Smiths brigade acted guard. 1t was com
posed OF the rifles, ls artillery, and the Sd infantry, wit
Taylor's battery. AS the rearguard, marching sowl
along, up with the train word came to Gen Twigg
that force of about five thousand men were trying
itof. We then passing through small villag
which, by curious coincidence, called Buend VistC
On our left large fields of half-grown barley
through which was advancing in splendid order tn
enemys column. II the most splendid sight | ha
ever seen The yellow coaks, red caps and Jack
cts of the ances and the bright blue and white uniform
of the infantry, most beautifully contrasted with tn
green of the barey-feld Our line of battle was 500
formed and deployed through the grain to tur
their left and cut them off from the mountains A fey
shots, however from the battery showed them tha
they observed, and countermarchng haste, the
left their dead on the field. Thus ended fight
Buena Vista That night we staid at Chalco. The neN
daV a a hOrrIbl
road, through which, with the utmost difficulty W
dragged our wagons by the assistance of both an
mules. The next nearly the same, except that tn
road was if possible, than before, the Mexican
had blocked It up with large stones rolled down fror
the neghboring hills. This night encamped at a mos
beautiful olive grove OF immense size and accommodatin
at once both divisions. In the town, well in Cha
co. there are still standing the churches of the Indian
where the worshippers assembled before Corez ha
introduced n new religion They are large and sonbr
edices differing but little from the churches of this coun
try, and being the city, said TO have been for
merly resorted TO by the ancient kings.
The next day arrived in sight of the rest OF tn
army and heard the guns with which Worth was breach
ing the walls of San Antonio. That night the news
the death of Captain Thornton, of the I'd dragons
reached us. He brave officer and thorough gen
teman, but always unfortunate in his militar
career.
On the morning of the 10Th we left the little viag
where had heard this sad news and took the road &
San Juan about miles to the west and only abou
ten miles from the city. When arrived here, W.
heard the sound of General Worths guns who was sal,
10 have attacked San dugustin village three mile
nearer the capital, where Santa Anna said to bt
with 10000 men. When we arrived at San Juan
the men were told TO sling their blankets across the
shoulders put their knapsacks into their wagons and tC