Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-10-28

I having ascertaIned the bearings and distance
of the grand plaza and palace, at once open
ed upon those points. The heavy shells were
: heard to explode in the very heart Of the city
AT little after midnight Major Palacios, ac-
companied by two or three members OF the mu-
nicipal council Of the city, arrived at General
Worth's headquarters, and in great trepidailon
Informed him that Santa Anna and his grand
army had fed, and that they wished at once
to surrender the capital They were referred
to the commander in-chief and Immediately
started for Tacnbaya; but in the mean time
the firing upon the town ceased.
All O'Clock this morning Gen Scott, with
his staff, rode in and took quarters at the ma
tional palace, on the top Of which the regiment
al flag of the gallant rifles and the stars and
stripes were already flying. An immense
crowd of blanketed leperos the scum OF the
capital, were congregated in the plaza as the
commandment chief entered it. They pressed
upon our soldiers, and eyed them as though
they were beings Of another world. So much
were they in the way, and with such eager
ness did they press around, that Gen. Scott
was compelled to order our Dragons TO clear
the plaza. They were told however, not to in
jure a man in the mob-they were all our
friends!
About five minutes after this, and while
Gen. Worth was returning to his DIVISION
near the Alameda, he was fred upon from a
house near rhe convent Of San Francisco
Some of the cowardly Polkas, who bad fled
the day previous without dscharging their
guns, now commenced the assassin game OF
shooting at every one Of our men they saw,
from windows, as well as from behind the par
apets on the azoteas or tops Of the houses
10 hall an hours time our good friends, the
leperos, in the neighborhood Oft hospital oil
San Andres and the church Of Santa Clara,
also commenced discharging muskets and
throwing bottles and rocks from the azoteas.
| have neglected 10 mention that just pre-
vious TO this Col Garland had been severely
wou nded by musket, fred by some mlscre-
ant from window.
|, was in this species Of fighting that Lieut..
Sidney Smith received his death wound. The
division OF Gen. Twiggs in one part OF the CT
", and Gen. Worth in another, were soon ac-
lively engaged in putting down the lnsurrec-
ton. Orders were given to shoot down every
man in all the houses from which the firing
came; while the guns from the different hight
batteries swept the streets in all directions
As the assassins were driven from one house
they would take refuge on another; but by the
middle of the afternoon they were all forced
back to the barriers and suburbs. Many inno-
cent persons have doubtless been killed during
the day, but could not be avoided. Had or
ders been given at the outset to blow up and
demolish every house or church from which
one man was fred upon, the disturbances
would have been al once quelled. As it is, |
trust that this lesson the rabble and leaders
have received to day may deter them from fu-
ture outrages.
On entering the palace Gen. Scott at once
named Gen. Quitman governor of Mexico-a
most excellent appointment. Some wag i'm
mediately proclaimed aloud in the plaza as
follows "Gen. John A. Qutman, OF Missis-
sippi, has been appointed governor of Next
co. vice Gen. Jose Maria Tornel, resigned
rery Suddenly" 1t seems that the valiant
Tornel ran off at an early hour. and his mag
nifcent house has been converted into hos
pi,al for our wounded officers.
Yours, &c., G. w. K.