Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-09-22

ting his advance, cutting him off from the main
body OF the army, and perhaps bringing on gene
raj action. Gen. Twiggs promptly ordered some
OF his heavier guns To be unlimbered, and after a
few discharges the enemy was dispersed. with the
loss OF five or six killed, but the demonstration
made by the MeXicans, as have before said. caus-
ed halt of Gen. Worth's division before half a
days march was made.
AT O'Clock on the morning of the 18th, Gen
Worth resumed his march, his route running thro'
corn-6eds and and rocky lanes, along
which carriages had never passed before The
filling up of the bitches caused some little delay
but by O'Clock the advance was in sight of Santa
Cruz, and the spires and domcs of the noted capt.
tai of Mexico could be discerned in the distance
The Instructions i'll the road of which | have spo-
ken, were obviously of recent consruction-evi-
dence that the enemy had but just got wind of our
approach, and that Gen. Scott had completely sto-
len a march upon Santa Anna.
Other than the bitches and rocks which had
been rolled down from the precipitous hillside, no
| opposition was made to the advance of Gen. Worth
until he had reached point in the road not far
from Santa Cruz-but Il scattering fire was
opened upon the head OF his column by Il force sta
toned at advantageous positions above the road TO
the left. The enemy was quickly dispersed, how
ever, by Col. e.. +. Smiths light battalion and I'd
Artillery under Maj. Gait. As the division near
| ed the hacienda OF La Noqui the advance was a
gain fired upon, but again the enemy's pickets
were driven in, without loss. A turn of the road
beyond La Nova brought the pleasant village of
San Augustin in sight, and after two or three light
skirmishes, in which the MeXicans had two or
three lancers killed and wounded, our troops had
quiet possession OF San Augustin. Our only loss
during the day was one man, soldier of Smiths
light battalion, who wounded from Il corn
field near Xochimilco.
AT I O'Clock the morning of the 18TH Gen
Sn,t
Gen. Worth was in full march for the city OF Mex
leo by the main road.-Najors Smith and Turn
bull Capt. Mason and other engineer officers, were
sent In advance, supported by Capt Blake's squa-
dron OF Dragons, To reconnoitre, as it known
the enemy was In force AT near San Antonio
The party, when within thousand yards, was
fired upon from battery, which masked by
trees, and the first ball from 2-pounder instantly
killed Capt. Thornton OF the ID Dragons, besides
severely wounding guide, Jonathan FiIzwal,ers
Col. Garland's brigade was now ordered to occu-
Ply the hacienda OF Carera, within plain sight and
range of the enemys batteries al San Antonio.
while Col. Clarke's brigade and the battery under
Coi. Duncan took station in the rear close by
The engineer officers Were at once sent out to re-
connoitre by Gen. Worth, to ascertain the practi-
cably of turning the strong works OF the enemy,
and In the mean time Gen. Scott had despatched
Capt. Lee with supporting party, composed of
Gen. kearney's squadron and body of the Il 18th
Infantry under Col. Graham to ascertain the prac-
ticabity of finding road by which the village of
San Angel could be reached, and thus turn the
strong hold of San Antonio. This latter party
had sharp encounter with the advance of the enc
N.Y. the main body being found posted at a strong
point not far from the factory of Coutreras In the
sklrmish some six or eight MeXicans were killed,
and as many more taken prisoners-on our side not
a man was touched. The result of the reconnoi-
sance proved favorable. l. was ascertained that
road could be made which would enable the army
to reach San Angel and thus turn the strong bat
teres at San Antonio, and perhaps others the enc
my might have upon the road between that and the
city OF Mexico. The MeXicans We're plainly seen
IN force at commanding position near Coureras,
and 1t was evident that they had number of can
non III position; but at council held at night it
was determined upon 10 attack them the following
day.
In the meantime, while the reconnaissance was
III progress, Gen. Worth had established his head
quarters at the hacienda of Curera while from the
windows countless numbers OF the enemy could be
seen at work upon the batteries of San Antonio
About noon they opened upon the hacienda with
both round shot and shell, nearly every one Of
which took effect, but without doing other injury
than to the building. Late in the evening the bat
teres again opened, but with no other result than
showing the positions of the different guns. For
marvel the batteries silent during the night.
Had the fire been kept up, the hacienda might
have been torn In pieces, and the entire command
compelled to retire. Before going further ii may
be well to state that the city of Mexico lies about
nine miles near y north OF San Augustin, that San
Antonio is about 3 miles in the same direction,
while the point occupied by Gen. Valencia near
Coutreras, for he had command at that place. is at
least three miles in straight line and in a drec-
ton nearly west. 1t was ten miles the way many
OF our troops had to march, for you cannot imagine
more rough, uneven and Jagged surface.
At o'clock on the morning of the 10Th the bate
rlcs again opened on Cen Worh's position the ha-
cienda San Antonio, the balls crushing through
the walls and filling the with fragments of p!as-
ter and broken furniture Shells also burst the air
over the binding and the pieces dropped among the
men stationed IN The rear So hot the fire that
the troops obliged TO gain shelter behind the
building, but still did not give up the position About
O'Clock the divisions OF Gems Pillow and Twiggs
were ordered to advance in the direction Of Coutrcrs
and by one in the afternoon in plain sight of the
encmy's batteries and within range of his heavier
guns. The brigade OF Gen. p. F. Smith was ordered
10 advance directly towards the cnemy's works while
that OF Col. Riley moved towards a small village TO
the right, with orders to gain the main road and thus
be enabled to cut off any rciniorccmcnts which might
be sent to Valencia from the city An inccssant firing
OF cannon was opened upon the advance of Cen Smith
anu soon tue TITLES were engaged in skirmishng with
the pickets OF the enemy and driving them in The
i2-poundcr battery of Capt Magrudcr was pressed
forward with all speed as was also the rocl - ADD
mountain howitzcr battery, commanded By Iicut
Calender, of the Ordnance Department. As soon as
they could gam position they opened upon the enc
guns that tney were soon sIlcnced. Ut. Johnson Of
the LIST Artillery, but attached to Magrudcrs battery
was mOrtaly wounded while IT. Calender was sever
~ wounded in both legs. At o'clock the brigade of
Cen Cadwalader was ordered TO support Col. Riley
heavy rciniorccmcnts being their way oct from
the city, while Gen. Pcrcc's brigade was sent To s
tain Gen Smith. The firing FROM the batteries of the
enemy continued nccssant, while from bill Just out
side OF the range OF their guns the spectacle was most
grand and imposing. At about o'clock Cen Scott ar
rived, and seeing the immense strength of the Mexi-
cans, at once ordered Cen Shields brigade from San
Augusin-a part Of Gen. Quitman's comInand-to tbc
right to support Riley and Csdwaladcr and prevent if
nnsal 81 IL.