The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-11-05
Mems from the Amp.
ME CAPTTRE OF MEXICO.


from an officer in Mexico, addressed to
member of his family in this city. 1t
will be read, We cannot doubt. with uni
versalinierest:- NelO York Courter
CRY OF Mexico. Sept. esd. 1S47.
Iii nnly fortnight since | wrote you
detailed account Of the battles Of Con-
tresas aud Chwu6xscO, and now have to
Inform you Of two mors severely contes-
ted actions, which resulted in the entire
route Of tho Mexican army and the fall
of the capital. In my letter OF the 3d
inst, | gave you the prevailing epinions
of the day, with regard 10 the probabil-
tiles of peace, which at that time was
very great. The Negotiations continued
10 be carried on with great appearance of
success until the 5th, when Mr. Trist re-
turned with the news that tho Mexican
government had rejected with scorn the
proposition Of the American commission
er, and at the same time Gen. Scott dis
covered that tho city was being fortified
in violation Of the armistice. He gave
Santa Anna till l2 NJ, the 7lh to recon-
mence the negotiations aud To atone for
his breach of faith. But no apology
came aud the time for action was at hand
The key point Of the enemys line was
strong and apparently imPregnable
work on tho top of steep and rocky hill
about two miles from the city, aud was
called Chapaltepec. Its cannon com
mnnded entirely the little village of T'a-
cu5aya, where General SCOTS and Gen.
Worlh's headquarters were, as we'll as
the ruud leading to the city and the a
qucduct which supplies it with water
The hill was strongly fortified ON all sides,
and on the top was covered by massive
stone buildings of the Mexican Military
College. Tho sides of the hill were ru-
ined, and thick and high stone wal
ran round great part Of it. On the side
uf the hill farlhest from the main road
from Tacubaya to the city. was a foundry
which was represented as unprotected
but full Of ammunition. 1t was there
fore determined to carry it with the in
tention of Storming Chapultepec on tha
side. The attack commenced early OF
the morning of the 9Th, by a stormint
party Of Worth's division, which was at
tackled so furiously. and received such
tremendous and unexpected fire Of ar;il
lcry, that they were obligedto fall back
leaving their dead and wounded lying up
on the field. The Mexicans, after the re
treat. came out, aud killed nearly all III
wounded, among them three officers
The whole of Worth's division was the
ordered up, as well as Cadwalader
brigade, and after furious and blood
fight Of an hour, they finally drove III
enemy out of their works with loss {
thousand killed and wounded, beside
(as we afterwards learned,) hundre
and two officers. The enemy's worl
were found to be much stronger than WI
expected. consisting Of regular fel
work surrounding strong stone mil
which was filled with men, and whiC
mounted ten pieces of artillery. priuci
ally four aud eight Founders. The en-
my, who seemed to consider this the ma
attack on Chapultepec, fought with Ii
most dogged obstinacy and courage, ar
returned no less than three times aft
they had been driven out.
Our own loss from tho nature of Il
ground was very great. Ttoeaty,one Of
GERS were killed and wounded out Of 70
ty.threc present, aud nearly eight ha
dred men. There were in the actit
only about $500 Of our troops while d
Mexican force is stated by themselves
have been about 10000. The Slh
faulry suffered greatly. and came of wi
only three officers. It. G. Morris b
haved very gallantly, but was so unfort
nate as to bc shot through the leg just
bove the ancle. Twigg's division W,
not engaged in the battle of 0IOtiao d
Rcy, or Kings Mill, as it is called. Tt
mill was full OF powder, and after the fgI
was over blew up by accident and kille
1t. Armstrong, of the Artillery, In a
this action lost us the livos of nine office
Our division had been lying at tho vi
lage Of San Angel till tho afternoon
the l2th. when a word came to move u
TO Piedad, little village about two mil,
from Chapultepec, as we'll as fromthe cit
The Doctor told me to go to the hospita
the breUet said no. So went OH in
wagon, as was too sick to walk. Th
night we arrived at Piedad, where we
vouacked. The next day the batterie
having been got into position at Tue
baya, for bombarding Chapultepec, cor
meuced at daylight, We could SEQ Il
whole of it from where we we're, and
splendid sight it was. Every ball we
crashing through the building aud eve
she'll tore up the ramparts, while tn,
fire was scarcely less hot 1t lasted
day and ouly ceased with daylight.
the afternoon call was made for 9
picked men for the torlora hope, to stol
the next morning at daylight
At daylight IN iho 18th, all was in q
pectation. At s A. NJ. tho order cal
for Smith's brigade 10 march to Tacul
va. In ten minutes we were on the re-
all in a hurry for fear we might be
late. We got into the village and mar
ed down to support Gen Qui,mun
lheroad. The firing from tho Castle
very heavy as our column passed in
rear Of our own batteries, but luckil
fell few yards short One by ono
crept through ditch, which par,i
sheltered us until the two leading C
panies were ordered to deploy as ski