Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-09-18

About niEe O'Clock, the DIVISION OF Twiggs |
and Pillow were ordered TO march In the diree. !
tion Of Cronteras, and BY ten o'clock in the after.
noon were Ia plain sight Of the enemys batter. |
lee and within range Of the heavier guns. The
brigade Of Col P. T. Smith was ordered to se.
vance directly towards the enemy's works,
whilst that Of Col Riley moved towards a small
village at the right, and thus cut off reinforce.
ments which might be sent to Valencia from the
city. An incessant hrc was opened on Colonel
Smiths command, and soon the Rifles were en-.
gagged with the piekets Of the enemy, driving
them on.
The twelve pounder batteries OF Capt. Masru.
der, and the Mountain Howitzer batteries now
commanded by Lieut. Calender. Of the ordnance
depar .ment. was pressed forward and opened on
the enemy. but were so much exposed TO fire
from heavier guns that they were soon sileneed
Lieuts johnson and Calender were seriously
! wounded It p .IsH
d AT o'clock Gen. Cadwalader was ordered out
to support Col Riley, heavy teinforcements ha.
wing been sent on their way out from the city,
| whilst Gen. Pierce was sent to sustain Gen.
Smith. The firing from the enemy's batteries
was incessant H
About 4 O'Clock Gen. Scott arrived, and seeing
the immense strength Of the Mexicans, ut once
ordered Gen. Shields brigade 20 support Riley
and Csdwalader, and prevent, If possible. juno.
tion Of the forces coming out Of the city with
those of Valencia. But few Of the movements
of our own troops could be seen. though every
motion of the enemy was visible. The order Of
battle Of Valencia was most imposing His in
tantry was seen drawn up TO support the bate
ries, whilst long lines Of the enemy's cavalry
were stationed in the rear az if awaiting the
shock OF the battle. Two separate charges of
the latter were distinctly seen TO be repulsed by
Col Riley, until night had fairly closed in. The
firing from the enemy's batteries had not slack
ened il had been continuous roar for nearly
six honrs ...- -..l l... t..t u....
r Gen, Scott retired to San Augustine about s
o'clock, in the midst of hard rain, and Generals
Twggs and Pillow came in abou, IL O'Clock
completely exhausted, not anticipating the great
strength Of the works Of the enemy. II was
thought that tine batteries could be taken at a
dash, and that the troops would be comfortably
quartered at San Angel for the night Instead OF
this, large portion Of them were compelled tc
bivouac without blankets in the midst of q pitt
less storm. "
On the morning of the Goth, Gen Worth wa,
ordered TO move part of his division, Garland
brigade, TO aid in the attack on Valencia for I,
force this position was deemed indispensable
At s O'Clock few discharges Of cannon wer,
heard, and the rattling Of musketry--and SOM
even said that in the distance horses OF the enc
my could be seen flying towards the city, ye
few deemed that the batteries had been storme,
and carried. Yet II was So
Gen. Scott, accompanied by Gen. Worth. star
ted for the scene Of action, when they were me
by Capt. Mason with the joyful intelligence tha
d Valencia had been completely routed after ter
l. ribe struggle. The attack upon his works wa
o planned by Gen. Smith, and resulted in the cap
e ture OF fifteen pieces OF artillery, and some fl
L teen hundred prisoners, among them Gems. Blan
b co, Garcia, Mendoza, and the notorious. Sala.
e He also captured all the ammunition and cam
$ eqnipage. willis, the road over those who Aed
4 was strewed with muskets. No less than 700 O
d the enemy, among them many officers, were LEI
Z dead on the field, whilst the number woun6e
Z wus far greater.
J. The work, Of Cronteras was completely in tn
l. power Of the American army.
. Gen. Scott at once ordered Gen. Worth to IA
y back on San Antonio. 20 turn and capture tha
:, work. and then push on towards the capital h
n the main road, whilst the main body Of the arm
moved on towards San Angel and Cohoyeau
d Gen Twiggs had scarcely moved half mile b.
h yond the latter village when q rsttling FIRE 4
e musketry announced that it was actively enes
l. eed with the outpo,ts of the enemy, and the he.
IA Wy booming Of cannon now gave token that III
,f noted second division had fallen on sn,,hs
y strong work.
N A few minutes more and a Tremendous 6rin
,e from the right made il evident that Gen Worth
E division was also actively engaged. He had con
q pleteiy turned the strong works Of San Antoni,
70 hut while doing so, the enemy had abandoned III
ie place, with loss Of three heavy guns, and hs
,e fallen back on a second stronger line Of work
II was now | o'clock in the afternoon, and abe,
10 the commencement Of the battle, such rattlr
" Of FIRE arms had seldom never been heard G
d the continent of America, accompanied with sue
d. booming Of artillery. and this was continued ov,
il. two hours, when the enemy was completely ro
.. ted from every point, and until those who wei
not killed or taken prisoners were in fall fgl
a. for the city.
be The strength Of the enemy at this battle
ce known TO have been at least fifteen, and ma
ht say twenty thousand, all fresh troops. and in