The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-11-27

at It's oate, ahd III another, continue the narrative
| of the greet events which then impended.
Ihave the honor TO be. with high respect, YOU,
| most obedient servant, -Es
WINFIELD SCOTT.
Hon. VIM. L. MARCY, Secretary of War.
No. 49,
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY
Tacubaya, at the Gates of Mexico,
August %, 1s47.
Sin: My report, No. 81, commenced in the
| night Of the 10Th inst, closed the operations Of
the army with that day.
| The morning of the Goth opened with one of a
series Of unsurpassed achievements, all in view oil
the capital, and to which shall give the general
name Battle of .Nerico.
In The night of the 10Th, Brig. Gen. Shields
P. F. Smith, and Cadwalader, and Col. Riley,
| with their brigades, and tbe 18th regiment under
Cpl. Morgan, detached from Brig Gen. Pierce
| found themselves in, and about, the important
posltion-the village, hamlet or hacienda, called,
indifforently, Contreras, Ansada, San Geronimo,
half mile nearer to the city than the enemy 5
| entrenched camp, on the same road, towards The
| factory Of Magdaena.
That camp had been, unexpectedly, our formi-
dabe point Of attack the afternoon before, and
we had now to take it, without the aid of cavalry
or artillery, or to throw back our advanced corps
upon the road from San Augustin to the city, and
thence force passage through San Antonio.
Accordingly, to meet contingencies. Major
General Worth was ordered to leave, early in the
morning of the Goth, one Of his brigades to mask
San Antonio, and to march, with the other six
miles, via San Augustln, upon Contreras. A like
destination was given to Major Gen. Quitman
and his remaining brigade, in San Augustin-re
placing, for the moment, the garrison Of that i'm
portant depot with Harney's brigade OF cavalry,
as horse could not pass the intervening rocks,
&c., to reach the field Of battle.
A diversion for an earlier hour (dayligh) had
been arranged the night before, according to the
suggestion of Brig Gen. Smith, received through
the engineer, Capt. Lee, who conveyed my Or
ders to our troops remaining on the ground oppo-
site to the enemy's centre-the point for the d.
version or real attack, as circumstances might
allow
Guided by Capt Lee, IT proved the latter, un.
der the command of Col. Ransom, of the 9th, ha-
wing with him that regiment and some companies
of three others, the Sd, 18th, and rifles
Shields, the senior officer at the hamlet, having
arrived in the night, after Smith had arranged
with Cadwalader and Riley the plan of attack for
the morning, delicately waived interference; but
reserved to himself the double task of holding the
hamlet with his two regiments (South Carolina
and New York volunteers) against ten times his
numbers on the side of the city, including the
slopes to his left, and, IN the camp to his rear
should be carried, to face about and cut off the
flying enemy.
At 3 o'clock, A. M. the great movement com.
menced on the rear of the enemy's camp, Riley
leading, followed successfully by Cadwaladers
and Smiths brigades, the latter temporarily under
the orders of Major Dimick, OF the LIST artillery;
the whole force being commanded by Smith, the
senior in the general attack, and whose arrange
ments, skill, and gallantry, always challenge the
highest admiration.
The march was rendered tedious by the dark.
ness, rain, and mud; but about sunrise, Riley,
conducted by Lieut.. Tower, engineer, had reach
ed an elevation behind the enemy, whence he pre-
cipitated his columns; sturmed the entrench-
ments, planted his several colors upon them, and
carried the work--all in seventeen minutes
Conducted by Lieut.. Beauregard, engineer, and
Lieut.. Brooks ofTwiggs' staff, both Of whom, like
Lieut.. Tower, had, in the night, twice reconnoit-
cred the ground; Cadwalader brought up to the
general assault two of his regiments, the volti-
geurs and the llh, and, at the appointed time,
Col. Ransom with his temporary brigade, con.
Quoted by Capt Lee, engineer, not only made the
movement to divert and 10 distract the enemy,
but after crossing the deep ravlne in his 'front.' ad-
vanced, and poured into the works and upon the
fugtiyes many volleys from his destructive musk
etry
In the meantime, Smiths own brigade. under
the temporary command Of Major Dlmick, follow
ing the movements OF Riley and Cadwalader, dis
covered opposite to, and outside OF the works, a
long line of Mexican cavalry, drawn up as sup
port Dimick, having at the head of the brigade
the company of sappers and miners, under Lieut..
Smith, engineer, who had conducted the march,
was ordered by Brig. Gen. Smith to form line
faced 10 the enemy, and in charge, against
flank, routed the cavalry.
Shields, too, by the wise disposition of his bri-
gade. and gallant activity, contributed much to
the general results He held masses of cavalry
ard infantry, supported by artillery, in check be-
low him, and captured hundreds, with one gene
raj (Menduza) of those who fled from above.
doubt whether more brilliant or decisive VIC
tory, taking into view ground, artificial defences,
batteries, and the extreme disparity of numbers,
without cavalry or artillery on our side, is to be
found on record. Including all our corps directed
against the entrenched camp, with Shields bri-
gade at the hamlet, we positively did not number
over 800 rank and file and we knew, by sight,
and since, more certainly, by many captured do
cuments and letters, that the enemy had actually
engaged on the spot 1000 men, with at least 49,
900 more lowering within sight and striking dis
tance, both on the 10Th and goth. All, not killed
or captured, now fled with precipitation.
Thus was the great victory of Contreras achiev-
ed one road to the capital opened 700 of the en-
emy killed, Sl3 prisoners, including, among SO Of
fcers, generals, besides many colors and stand
ards 22 pieces OF brass ordnance, halt of large
bre; thousands of small arms and accoutrements.
an immense quantity of shot, shells, powder and
cartridges, 700 packed mules, manyhorses, &c.&c.
all in our hands.
It is highly gratifying to find that, by skful ar
rangement, and rapldity Of execution, our luss in
killed and wounded, did not exceed, on the spot,