Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-20

the fall Of the neshbong lakes and the consequent danag
Of the grounds at the edge of the c-the lowest in tn
whole BASIN
After close personal survey of the southern gates
by Pillows division and Rey's brigade of Twiggs-wtl
four times numbers concentrated our immediate 'front.'
determined the llh, to avoid that network of obsta
cs and SEEK by sudden inversion to the southwest ant
west, less unfavorable approaches.
To economic the lives of gallant officers and men, al
well 10 success became indispensable that this
solution should be long masked from the enemy and again.
that the movement when discovered should be mistaken
for tein and the old indicating our true and ultimate
point of attack.
Accordingly, the spot (the llth,) ordered Qutmans
division from Coyoacan, to join Pillow daylight before the
southern gates, and then that the two major generals with
their divisions, should, By night proceed 1.-TWO mles join
me at Tacubaya, where quarered with Wonhs divi-
sion. Twggs with Rileys brigade and Captains Taylor
and Sepioes field baerieshe latter of l2-pounders-wa
left in front OF those gates to manoeuvre threaten,
make so attacks order to occupy and deceive the enemy
Twggss other brigade (Smhs) was left at supporting
tancc the rear San Angel till the morning Of the 18th,
and also support general depot Mscoac The strata
gem against the south admirably executed the
18th and down the afternoon of the l3,h when too
late for the enemy from the effects Of his deuson
/ The first step in the carry Chapul-
epec natural and isolated mound Of great elevation strong
" fortified its base, its activities and heights Besides
numerous garrison here the military college Of the Re-
public with large number of subleutenants and other stu
DENTS Those works were within direct gunshot Of The vii
ge of Tacubaya, and, until carried could not approach
the city the without mixing circuit wide and
too hazardous.
In the course Of the same night Chat of the lh) heavy
hat within established. No, /.
right under the command of Captain Drum 4h artillery,
eeved late day for hours by Lieut. Andrews ofhe
3d. and No. 2 commanded by Lieut. Hagner, ordnance
both supported by Qutnans divisions Nos and 4, the
opposite side supported by Pillows dvison command
ed the former by Captain Brooks and Lieut. s. s. Anderson
I'd artillery alternately, and the latter by Lieut. Stone ord
nance The batteries traced by Capt Huger and Capt
Lee engineer and constructed BY them with the abe assist
Of the young officers OF those corps ana 'e arery
To prepare for an assault oreseen that the play OF
the batteries mig the second day but recent cap
lures had not only rebed siege pieces but also
munition and knew that should greatly augment both
by carrying the place. was therefore, in no haste in
derng assault before the works well crippled by
missiles.
The bombardment and cannonade under the direction Of
Capt Huge commenced early in the morning of the
18th. Before nightfa which necessarily stopped bat
teres we had perceived that good impression had been
made the castle and its outwoks and that large body Of
the enemy had remained outside towards the city, from
early hour to avoid fire. and to be at hand its
The outside force discovered the next morning,
after batteries had reopened upon the CASTLE by which
again reduced its garrison to the minimum needed for the
guns
Pillow and Quitman had been in position since early in the
night Of the tn. Major General Worth orderd
hold bis division in reserve, the foundry support Pill
low and Bngadie General Smith, OF Twiggss division, had
Just Arrived with his brigade from Pedad, 1.-TWO miles, to
suppoa Quitman Twggs guns before the southern gates,
again ieminded u.s. the day BEFORE that he with Reys
brigade and Tayor and stepoes batteries was in activity
threatening the southern gates and there holding part
of the Mexican army the defensive.
Woh's division furnished Pillows attack with assault
ing party of $50 volunteer officers and men, under
Capt Mckenzie, of the I'd artillery and Twggs division
supplied similar one, commanded by Capt Casey I'd in
antry, Qutman Each of those little columns fur
nished with scaling laddars
The signal had appointed for the attack the mome-
y CESSATION .. part of heavy batteries About
o'clock in the morning of the 18th, judging that the time
had arrived by the effect of the missiles we had thrown,
sent an camp to Pillow and another Quman with
notice that the concerted Signal about to be given Both
columns advanced with aacy that gave
of prompt success The batteries, Selling opportunities, threw
shots and shells upon the enemy the heads
witt good effect particularly at every attempt to reinforce the
works from without to meet our assault.
Major General Pillows approach, the west side, lay
through open grove filled with sharp-shooters who
speedily dsodged when being up with the front the
tack and emerging into open space, at the foot Of rocky
activity that gallant leader struck down by agonz
ing wound The immediate command devolved on Bgader
(Perc of the dvisionan invalid since the of
August 49, On previous call Of Pillow, Worth had just
sent him reinorcement--Co Clark's brigade.
The broken ACTIVITY still to be assembled and strong
redoub midway be carried before reaching the castle the
heights. The advance Of brave men, led by brave Off
GERS, though necessarily slow, unwavering rocks
chas and mnes and under the hottest fire of and
muketry. The edoubt Welded 10 resstess uor, and
the shouts that followed announced the castle the that
impended The enemy steadily driven from shelter to
shelter The retreat allowed not time to fire single mine,
without the certainty of blowing up friend and foe Those
who distance attempted apply matches to the long trains
shot down by There death below well
above ground At length the ditch and wall Of the main
wuk reached the scaling ladders brought up and
planted by the sorming parties. Some of the daring spirits
fnt in the assault down. killed WOUNDED but
lotgment made streams of heroes followed all
opposition overcome and several of rcgma colors
flung out from the upper walls, amidst loud-con,inud shouts
AMI cheers which dismay into The capital No scene
could have been more animating and glorious
Major General Qutman nobly supported by Brigadier
Generals Shields and Smith, p F., his other officers and
men, up with the part assigned him. Simultaneously
with the the he had calamity approached
tie south asst Of the works causeway, with cuts
and batteries, and defended by army strongly posted out
sle the of the works. Those formidable obstacles
Qutman had face, with but little shelter for his troops or
space for manGuvng Deep bitches thanking the causeway
made difficult either side into the adjoining mea-
dows and these again ntcrsec,ed by other ditches
Smith and his brigade had been early thrown to make
sweep the right, in order present front against
mys line (uutsje, and to turn two intervening batteries
the foot of the Chapulepcc This was