Tri-weekly journal., 1847-09-18

III llS tlC pOSllIOu VI llC Q1lCltnl SuuS.-
For a marvel the batteries were silent during
the night. Had the fire been kept up, the ha-
cienda might have been torn in pieces and the
entire command compelled to retire. Before
going further, it may be well 10 state that the
city of Mexico lies about nine miles nearly
north of San Augustin, that San Antonio is
about three miles in the same direction, while
the point occupied by Gen. Valencia, near
Coutreras, for he had command at that place,
is at least three miles in a straight line and in
a direction nearly west. 1t was ten miles the
way many of our troops had to march, for you
cannot imagine a more rough, uneven andj Jag
ged surface.
At s o'clock on the morning of the 10Th the
Batteries again opened on Gen. Worth's posi-
ton at the hacienda near San Antonio, the balls
crushing through the walls and filling the room
with fragments of plaster and broken furniture.
Shells also burst in the air over the building
and the pieces dropped among the men station
ed in the rear. So hot was the fire that the
troops were obliged to gain shelter behind the
building, but still did not give up the position.
About 9 o'clock the divisions of Gems. Pillow
and Twiggs were ordered to advance in the d.
rection of Coutreras, and by l in the afternoon
were in plain sight of the enemy's batteries,
and within range of his heavier guns. The
brigade of Gen. p. F. Smith was ordered to adj
vance directly towards the enemy's works,
while that of Col. Riley. moved towards a
small village to the right, with orders to gain
the main road and thus be enabled to cut off
any reinlorcements which might be sent to Va
lencia from the city. An ncessant firing of
cannon was opened upon the advance of Gen.
Smith, and soon the rifles were engaged in
skirmishing with the pickets of the enemy and
driving them in. The %l2-pounder battery of
E..k Mo~,,I,, -o- --.-.-1 f.--. -
speed, as was also the rocket and mountain
howltzer battery, now commanded by Lieut.,
Calender, of the Ordinance Department. As
soon as they could gain a position they opened
upon theenemy, but were 50 much exposed to
a fire from heavier guns that they were soon
silenced. 1t. Johnson, of the first Artillery,
but attached to Magruders battery, was NOR
tally wounded, while 1t. Calender was sever
ely wounded in both legs. At 3 o'clock the
brigade ofGen. Cadwalader was ordered out to
support Col. Riley. heavy reinforcements being
seen on their way from the city, while General
Piercels brigade was sent to sustain Gen. p. f.
Smith.
The firing from the batteries continued in
~cessant, while from a hill just out side the
range of their guns, the spectacle was most
grand and imposing. At about a o'clock Gen. S.
arrived, and seeing the immense strength of
Tic NltAlCdllS, dl OlCt OTueTcU Gen. DDlejU :
brigade from San Augustin-a part Of General
Quitman's commando the right to support
Riley and Cadwalader, and prevent, if possible,
"a junction of the forces coming out from the
city with those of Valencia. But few of the
movements of our own troops could be seen
from the hill where we were posted, owing to
the dense chapparal, sharp rocks and r~avines.
but not a motion of the enemy but was plainly
visible. The order of battle of Valencia was
certainly most imposing-infantry were seen
drawn up to support batteries, while long lines
of the enemy's cavalry were stationed in the
rear, as if awaiting the shock of battle. The
two seperate charges of the latter Were distinct
ly seen repulsed by Col. Riley, who had NOV
ed his brigade at one time toa position partial
ly in the rear of the enemy's work. Col. Har-
ney was exceedingly anxions to march his cav
airy to the scene of action, but it was deemed
utterly impracticable. The nature of the ground
was such that the infantry even had great diff
ficulty in finding the way across the pedregdl,
as the Mexicans term it-ground covered with
sharp, jagged rocks.
Until night had fairly closed in the fire from
the enemy's batteries did not slacken-it had
been a continuous roar for nearly six hours.
Scott retired to San Atgustin about s O'clock.
and in the midst of hard rain which had Just
commenced falling. Gems. Twiggs and Pill
low came in about ii o'clock, wet and COM
plctely exhausted. 1t was impossible to use
horses on the rough and exceedingly broken
ground on which they had been operating for
nearly twelve hours. Not anticipating the
immense strength of the works of The enemy,
or the almost insurmountable difficulties of
reaching them it had been at first thought that
the troops would be all comfortably quartered
in San Angel for the night; instead Of this, a
large portion of them were compelled TO bi-
vOuac without blankets in the midst Of a pill
less rain, and on ground where they could not
stretch themselves out. Add to this, the pros
poets of the morrow were far from flattering-
were enough to dismay any but the stoutest
bearts-that the enemy would doubtless rein
force andstrengthen his works during the night
having every superiority in knowledge of the
ground-add again this that the men were
weakened by long exertions, wantof food, and
chilled by the continuous night rain, and 1t IS
not saving too much to assert that the bivouac
of the 18Th of August was gloomy in the ex-
IRENE.
Early on the morning Of the Goth, Gen.
Worth was ordered 10 move with a part of his
division-Garland STRAIGHTFORWARD the scene
faction at Coutreras, TO aid in he attack up
on Valencia, for TO force this position was
deemed indispensable: A few discharges Of
cannon were heard about z O'Clock, and a heavy
rafting ofmusketry, and some even said that
in the distance they had seen large masses of
Mexicans in full flight towards the city yet
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