Litchfield enquirer., 1847-06-10
Letter from Capt. Wessels.

The IolloWbuR te au e1tracI 0t Letsst Usm Capt. H. w. WEssELs, U. s. A., to his friends in this town, Sated,
 JALAPA, May 2d, ls47.
 Here we found ourselves in the face 0f the enemy, strongly entrenched at ;hs pass of Cerro Gordo, with something like 30 pieces of Artillery, and about l5,- 900 men. We were some 2,5O0 strong. Halted that night, reconnoitred. and next morning marched to attack the works; but an examination showed the Engineer Officers that the ground must be better understood, so we went back 10 our camp. The road by which we were to pass was enfiladed by artillery in such way that it was almost impossible to force it. The whole time until the 17th was spent in examining the ground, and cutting road to the right, in order 10 get our artillery in their rear.
 Pillows and Shields brigades of volun> teers had now arrived. as also Worth's division of Regulars. Every thing was arranged for an attack on the 18th. Our division was to get in their rear by the new road, and there make the assaul: on Cerro Gordo itself the key to their im- pregnable position. Pillow was to at, tack their breastworks in front or on the right. creating diversion in our favor.- Worth's division was held in reserve, as also ;he Dragoons.
 Our division accordingly marched on tot the l7th in order to g. its position, but in passing the wood was discovered and a severe action brought on.
 The Rifles and lst Artillery being in advance, suffered considerably, but bill near Cerro Gerdo was carried and retain ed. Our Regiment was brought up. and went through terrible fire of musketry, but from some mistake was not ordered to charge the hill, and the action finally ceased for the day. We passed along a kind of .ravine at the foot of Cerro Gordo, and and it seems miraculous that so few were killed. They fred directly down the hill, and the bullets fell alnaos. like hail among the bushes and stones in the dry bed of a little stream in which we were lying. Next day we started early, and our Regiment was sent into the same ravine as soon as the enemy saw us, Ohe hill above was lined with troops, and a a piece of artillery brought to bear) they opened fire of grape and muskel> ry, aad, as if they erred very little who they hit. A great many ofeu: men were strack down, and Capt. Patten [the poe,1 had the ,hreo last fins gers of his lcft hand taken off by grape shot. Here we lay again whiting for the word to charge. The Sd 6 7th were ct. lacking them from another point as also the Rifles, and three of our companies, were extended to cover the flank of our Regiment as we moved farther along th 0 ravine. At last we were all ordered up he hill, and at this time our division bs- gan to cheer real Yankee cheers from hill and dell, and never before heard such 0 din. Ctnnon balls hissing and crashing through the trees, grape and canister. whistiing by ; and that disagreable hum- ming sound of musket balls filling the air, to say nothing of the noise caused by tho cannon and muskets themselves. The hill was almost perpendicular in some places and covered with thick bushes ex- cept on the top, where they had been cleared away by the enemy. They were thus charged on all sides except towards valley. where their reserve of Lancers lay, as also large body of infantry wi:h d battery of artillery. The Sd and 1h drove them out of the breastv ork, and our Reg't. drove in their skirmishers, SO they all went pell mclt down the hill, and at this t'mc Gen. Shields appeared emer- ging from the bushes on the opposite side of the rayins, the head of his column entering the valley. We could see a body of Iancers drawn up beautifully on the plain, and expected every moment to see them charge the volunteers, bu, in~ stead the whole 0rske and ran, horse and foot, on the high road to Jalapa. Our division then went down the hill and hal- ted for few moments on the plain 1; here was Santa Anna's Head Quarters. Be- fore they retreated, however, and as soon as they saw our troops ia possession of ths hill, they turned some artillery upon us, ranging them directly up the hill, but as it happened. killing no one. Gen. Pills low was attacking them on the right but was repused with loss, and while prs. pairing to renew the attack, they surren- dered, having seen Cerro Gordo in our own hands. We marched on after them that day to Hacienda of Santa Anna's, called En Cerro, abou, five or six miles ] from the battlefield, Here wa enca nn-