Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-10-07


dignity and integrity which all nations defend
to the last extremity. And if these considera-
tions have not the same weight in the mind Of
your Excellency, the responsibility before the
world. WHO can easily distinguish on whose
SIDE is moderation and justice, will fall upon
you.
| Aater myself that your Excellency will
be convinced, on calm reflection, of the weight
of my reasons. But. if by misfortune, You
should seek only pfeteNt to deprive the first
city OF the American continent of an oppor,u-
nifty to free the unarmed population Of the hor-
rors of war. there will be left me no other
means of salvation, but to repel force by force.
with the decision and energy which my high
obligations impose upon me.
have the honor to he your Excelency's
humble serv't, ANT. LOPEZ DE SANTA ANNA.
On the 7th Gen. Herrera, as commandant
Of the city Of Mexico, addressed the CLERGY
eNhorling them to exert all their influence to
incite the people to arm themselves and prepare
to resist the American army.
Following up events--as closely as the some
| what disconnected accounts will permit--in
The order in which they occurred, we find that
! on the 9Th, Gen. Scott attacked the Mill del
Rey, or Kings Mill. in the immediate vicini-
ty of Chapultepec, and according to the Diaro
del Gaberno and the Boletin. published at At
lisco, our army was repused after severe con-
f1ict, in which we lost about 400 in killed and
from 600 400 in wounded, and fell back up
on Tacnbaya. We give below Translation of
the Boletin's description of the engag ement;-
promising. that the reader will bear in mind it
is.in all proaabFty,a greateexaggeration, ifsot
an entire misrepresentation
At half past five thisS morning. Lhe Sth
the fire commenced on the two faukaof Cha
pultepec The left was resting on the mill of
Ell Rey. close to the forest of aputepec.-
This point was commanded by Gen. Leon, and
under his order We're the battalion of Nina.
whose colonel was the patriotic and val:ant Bal
deras. and TIE battalions of Uaon and La Pat
ria, of Oaxaca. in one of which were included
the company Of Puebla, also a body from Quer-
etaro and some others-all composing the Ma
tional Guard. The right flank rested on the
house of Mata, at distance of quarter of
league from Chapultepec, and occu pied by 500
of the regular army, commanded by Gen. Per-
ez. The enemy, in two columns, with his u.s.
nal daring attacked these polnts-frst with ar
tlllery. and at quarter to b with rapid fire
of musketry. Gen. Perez sustained the fire
very well tor abou: half an hour, when, for
causes at present unknown, he retired with his
forces, altho' he had not lost ten men. The
retreat must have been fatal for Mexico if. for
tunately, Gen. Leon and his brigade had not
shown prodgies of valor. Twice he repulsed
the column that attacked him, and in the Sc
cond he sailed from his position to recover the
artillery Gen. Parez had lost but then he re-
ceived mortal wound, and few moments
afterwards the valiant Balderas was also woun-
ded, and died on the field The enemy with
additional forces again charged and took pcs
session of the mill. Twice he was ds!odged,
but on his taking it the third time it was found
impossible to bring our troops to the charge.
In spite of the two advantages which they
had gained in their endeavors to attack Chap
ultepec, they could not effect farther advance:
which may be owing to their being intimidated
by the resistance of our forces and the consid-
cradle loss they had suffered, The result was,
that at 9 O'Clock in the morning the fire CT small
arms had nearly ceased, ard they were seen
employed in collecting their killed and wound
ed. At Ii o'clock the enemy commenced a
retrogade movement, and by 2 in the afternoon
he withdrew all his forces to Tacubaya, atan-
doning the two points he had occupied and
blowing up the house of Mata, although some
say it was set GA fire by bomb fired from
Chapultepec 1t is believed that Gems. Twggs
and Pierce directed the attack, and that they
put in motion about 5000 men.
1t is certain that the fire was more intense
and brisk than at Churubnsco. 1t is impossi
bic to ascertain the loss on either side. Ours
does not amount to 100 killed and $50 wound
ed. There are few missing-nearly all not
killed or wounded retiring to Chapultepec,-
The enemy, according to the confession Of an
! lrishr ian who came over to US in the evening,
carried off 400 dead and 600 or 700 wound
ed.
We have to lament the loss of General Lee
on, since dead; that Of Col. Baldstas, of the
valient Coils. Huerta and Gelati, and of the
determined Capt. Meteos, of Puebla. who con-
Quoted himself like hero. telling his soldiers,
on the point Of death, that they must never
forget they were Puebanos, and to fight val
iantly to the death. We will take care that
he shall be buried in the Pantheon, and that
his unfortunate widow shall receive pension
If the cavalry had taken the position assign
ed to them at o'clock in the morning. by or
der of Gen. Santa Anna, and if above all they
had made the charge which was ordered at the
, moment that the enemy attacked the mill Of
J Ell Rey, instead Of flying preeip,tately, the
| action would have terminated early. and tri-
umph would have been complete. But they
did not take tie position to which they were
ordered, much less make the charge as com
| Inanded, General Alvarez being obliged to state
officially OF through his adjutant that he did
| not make the charge, because his subordinate
officers refused on account of the ground being
too uneven and broken for cavalry, as if it were
not the same for the cavalry Of the enemy.
II is believed that the enemy will renew the
attack Tomorrow by another route-either by
that of La Pedad, or by that of San Antonio.
May God protect our cause on this occasion.
One of the eneny's guerillas. who came
with Scott, was made prisoner and shot on
the spot.
From the Diario del Gabierno.
At half past O'Clock this morning, the A
mericans attacked the position Of the mill OF
FL Rev. close to the fortress of Chapultepec.-
n "a on1nynpc MORO howev-