Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-08-13
From the N. o. rcayune.
SANTA ANNA AND CERRO GORDO.

We promised the other day to pay our res
poets to Santa Annals detailed report of the
| battle of CerrO Gordo. It is in the nature of
an autobiography, extending from the moment
! when theArmy of the North was retiring to
its former quarters, covered with glory on the
| field of Angontura,'' down to the 18th of pril.
! The difficulties he had to encounter occupy
much Of the long narrative and do not require
| to be told. His minute description of the
works at Cerro Gordo would hardly be intelli-
gible without the plan accompanying the re-
| port. The most rapid and condensed portion
of the narrative describes the fighting, but the
events are not new, as he confines himself
principally to the storming of the height known
as the Telegraph. The death of Gen. Vas
duez and the fatering of the Puebla brigade
are the most notable of the events of the day
in his story. Despatching the details of the
defeat, he concludes his report with kind
summary of excuses and of his professed of
designs, which we have hastily and rudelv
translated. We hardly need say that the origi-
nal report is spirited, artful and we'll written
"Such is the exact and genuine account of
my operations at Cerro Gordo during the few
| days which elapsed from my arrival till the
morning of the 18th. BY this it will be seen
| by the Supreme Government, that surrounded
by thousand difficulties I spared no means
or efforts to assure a triumph for the ma
ton in the position selected; that there were
no grave errors or faults committed, as male
violence or cowardice has whispered and that
as my interests and my glory were indenti-
| fed with those of the nation, so it is but JUS
tce to me to confess that it was not nv fault
that the result did not correspond to my efforts
and my most ardent desires. Grant, if you
please, that there should have been somewhat
more frmness and intrepidity shown by our
soldiers; but they should be excused in con-
sideration of the little experience of war which
they had during the few months that they had
been enlisted This Notifications, too, upon
the hill known as the Telegraph, were def
cient but it should not be forgotten that the
enemy did rot allow time for the completion
of the works designed and commenced, nol
was it possible to complete them without suf-
fcent laborers, without tools, and even with
out materials The people did not afford the
aid which was required of them, and some Of
! them contiguous to the seat of war deserve the
denunciatiOns which the Governor OF that State
did not spare them, Notwithstanding his wei
known moderation"
sBesides the deficiencies above indicated
more infantry of the line were wanting, which
it was impossible to procure. You will have
noticed that among the few bodies of perma,
nent infantry which enumerate, there were
only few more than 5000 men, and even o
these some had Just been recruited. The re
mainder, enough to bring up the number to ;
little over 5000 men, belonging to the Nation
al Guard, recently enlisted, and yet to burr
their first cartridge in presence of the enemy
1t is not true, therefore, that there were assem-
bled there force of from 10000 to 1905
men, as has been hastily or maliciously circu
lated But there is nothing strange IN tn
victory won by the enemy, it is considers
} that their number was almost double ours, thai
they possessed all those elements which w
were in want Of, and that their courage in tn
action was as desperate, as would have bee
their situation if they had lost the battle. A
some future day, when political passions an
personal rivalries have passed away, entr
Justice will be done those Mexicans who, not
} withstanding their disadvantages, oppose
their generous breasts to the arrogant invade
t on the 18th and 18th of April, and sold dearl,
the victory which was won on the second da
of combat
CA favorable moment gained the triumph
: which was in measure brought about by tn
want of time to fortify our position properly, D
t the scarcity of good troops, by the blameles
inexperieAce of others newly enlisted, by tn
want of laborers and of the tools indispensable
for Notifications erecting in haste, and the war
7 of other materials and elements which are req
a sonably required to assure successful result
'sNothing of all this was concealed from M