Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-10-30

~ worthy Ot fecoru. y u became necessary on
one occasion hr him to ga very close to the
ene,ny's bressi WORK n order 70 ascertain its true
position. As he approached. a'Nexican officer
rode out with two Of HE cscoft. snd came up
within very shor, distance. when Capt. Mason
drew his revolver. The Mexicsn then in Spa
nish sulnted Good morning. The Captain re.
sprndrd. The Mexican then said. You seem
10 be very curious, suppose yoa come little
closer No, thank yon. sir: | can zee very
well where I am Walk inside. sir: we will
endcavor to treat you as well a. the accommo-
da,ions Of the camp will ensbIeu..' Il am much
obliged to yos. sir, for your Kindness, but prefer
partsking Of ynr hosptaliiics Dn some future &C.
csson And, ho.hing his spy-class to his eye.
he eoa'inued. u only want at the present 10 see
embrasuse. one in bar,r,t, enI' think you have
one in embrasure q little further to the LETT
That gun sce your msi, load,ng, do nos think
you will be able TO hrmg tn bear on me, %
will keep you between il and myself and. mo.
wing round q li,,s TO the right, he continued his
observations. One OF the escort then sprke in
English. and said. you d. a rascal. you Know
better than 10 come in here. IF ! was to get
hold Of you. Id cut your d--dthroat' Capt.
Mason then said to the officer, s1rbat fellow of
yours speaks very good Engllsh. bu, he makes
very bad use of it, and his scurriliy is in stri.
king contrast with your own respectful Ian
,,u,1o bsJ hir, in ann xronld
teach him to be more respectful The Mex,
can officer then rode of to one eide. Capt. Ma.
son, who had been making his observations du
ring the whole time OF the conversation, said to
the officer, Il have no desire at present to be
brought within the range Of your. guns, and ha-
wing lesrnpd oil want To know aboot yonr po.
sition, ! will bid you good morning, sir;' and
then returned to where he had left his escort,
which until then had been uneeen by the Mexi.
eau. who rode hsek to the fcrt. apparently ,pueh
mortified and Disappointed that he had not seen
able TO cecoy the captain into the trap ihs, had
5ern set for him.
On the llth, column of cavalry salhet ou,
from the fort on the San Antonio road, either
for the purpose Of threatening our position OF
taking Capt. Magruder's battery. which wus
stationed with the picket Within about 500 yards
Of their fort, though in great measure covered
trom the range Of their guns. As soon rs they
got their column moved out into place free
from all Instructions, Capt. M,gruder opened
two pieces upon them will, shot and shell. which
passed through them with great destruction, uod
they took to their heels, and go, back 10 the fort
as quick as possible. The fort opened two guns
on the battery, but without further effect than
killing one man Of the 18th infantry. An off
Ger shortly after rnie up and inquired Of Capt
Msgruder il the Tort had fired on him. Hold
ing IL pound shot, he replied that he had .he
gentlemen's card, and he expected his csnuo,
would carry back his compliments to the fort.
About sundown Gen. TSges, with the ba
lance of his division, arrived At Piedsd and Gen
Pillow moved with his division TO the eou,h o
Tacubsys, and took position o,, the west sid'
OF Chapultepec. and Gen. Qu,inan, withhis di
vision. occupied the road from Tacubsya 10 ,h'
city of Mexico. Gen. Wor,h's division Renal
ming in racubsys. ~.
In the course Of the night three heavy batter
les were planted in front of the Castle Of Chap
ultepec; No l commanded by Capt Drum
No. ? by Lieut.. Ilagner; No. 3 by Lie,I Ston'
all under The general command and super,n
tendance Of Captain ilueer, Chief Of the Ordi
nance. Also, during the night Genera
Twipgs' Division planted Capt Step,oe's il
front of the notifications on the San An,oni
road, it being Intended that Gen Twicgs shoul'
make fein, tor the purpose Of drawing out III,
enemy in that direction.
Al daylight on the morning of the 10Th, al
the batteries opened-,he first made by Gen
Twiggs division succeeded admirably. A
soon as Capt Step,oe opened his guns the enc
my marched out several heavy columns, and il
reaching the fort ssed within range OF Step
toes guns, when he turned heavy and de-
strnc,ive fire upon them. As snnn rs they rea
chcd the work he turned his attenton to tn
fort and in the course of an hours csnnonadin,
drove them out of H., and silenced all the gan.
Capt. S,eptoe's fire throughout was one of III
most effective and well-drected that has bee
witnessed during the war, while his postio
was such that the enemy's shot had little or n
: effect upon him.
! The siege batteries continued an unuterruy
; ted fire upon the Castle Of Chapultepec ,hroug
on, the day, which was answered by eleve
guns in the work. Our guns proved to be W
I ~ destructive, as we found after the work VS.
! bitches. Tue building was also completed