Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-11-04
FROM MEXICO
DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF THE MOVE
MENTS OF THE ARMY
IN THE BATTLES OF THE 9Th AND 10Th
SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER.
Editorial correspondence of the Picayune.l

mercan arms was complete, and on which our troops
contended against enemy immensely superior in
number and strongly posted, Gen. Worth commenced
the attack at early daylight and in less than two hours
every point carried, all the cannon of the enemy
were in our possession an immense quantity Of anu
milton captured and nearly 1000 men, among them SO
officers taken prisoners.
For more than an hour the battle ragged with VIC
lence not surpassed since the Mexican war commence
ed and great the odds opposed, that for some
time the result was doubtful The force Of the enc
my has been estimated at from 10000 to $1,000 very
strongly posted behind breastworks; and to attack
them our small force Of scarcely 5000 was obliged to
approach on an open plain and without the least shell
ter or cover but their dauness courage carried them
over every obstacle, and Notwithstanding the MeXicans
fought with a valor rare for them they were finally
routed from one point or another, until all were driven
and dispersed. The defeat was total
But to gain this victory, our own loss has been I'M
commonly severe--t has been purchased with the
blood Of some Of the most gallant spirits of the army.
The 9th infantry has suffered the most. This regl-
ment, along with the 9th and 9Th, was engaged in the
attack upon strong work on the encmy's right, and
opposed to such superior numbers that it was com
PEELED to retire along with the others. The celebrated
Col. Martin Scott was killed IN this attack along with
Lieuts. Burwell and Strong while Col. Mcintosh and
many other officers were badly wounded The worse
than savage mscreants in the fort after our men ror
ed, set up YELL and came out and massacred such Of
our wounded as were unable to get of, In this way
poor Burwell lost his life. Fully they avenged,
however; for in half an hour DHnCan's battery aid
ed by the fall G another Of their works. drove the das
tardy wreches in full flight across the fields, No one
knew or even suspected the strength Of the place. Il
was old fort, constructed long since and was one
of the main defences o! the line Of works.
On the onemy's left and near ChapuItepcc, our loss
was also great, although not as severe. 1t was here
that COL WA M Graham-a brave spirit as ever lV-
cd l., Mprrill nd ais fall
in this part Of the field The wonder now is, how any
one could come out safe under snCh Il terrible fire
the enemy poured from his entire line of works. Moth
ing but the daring impeuosty Of Our men, who rush
ed onward while their comrades falling thick a.
round them, gained the victory; had they tater
ed all would have hGen lost
The broken ground on the right of the enemy cut
up by deep ravnes saved many of Santa Annals troops
in their flight yet as 1t was, our dlagoons killed and
captured many of the fugitveS, Large bodies of the
Mexican cavalry approached the scene of strife saw
eral times; but they were driven like sheep by Dun
cans battery.
The Mexican loss has been even more severe than
our own, General BAlderas General Leon, and many
other officers, are numbered among the dead while
the interior of their works, the tops OF the houses from
which they fought and the ground over which they
fed, are strewn with lteess bodies. Such was the
panic that many of our officers say that few fresh
troops might have taken Chapuepec itself almost with
point from some of the captured cannon, no demon
stratlon made.
After the battle was over, General Scott came ont
accompanied by his staff, and also Mr., Tri3t. The
McXIcans, at the time throwing shells at some Of
the wagons General Worth had out to pick up the
dead and wounded. They had placed howitzer in
position on Chlputepec ut the close OF the action
and now, seeing the enemy within reach, the cowardly
wretches opened upon the ambulanCeS and those who
were gathering the bodies OF their wounded and life
less comrades On seeing this worse than savage out
rage, of officers, with a sarcastic expression
of countenance asked if Mr.. TrS had any new peace
propositions in his pocket. Macintosh did not come
out after the battle to gain more time for his friend San
ia Anna, nor warn our fresh intelligence Of the
mentS and strength Of army in order that he might
be Of service to the MeXCans by communicating 1t to
them.
The Mexican prisoners say that Santa Anna him
self the ground in the OF their works, but
left at the commencement OF the rout They admit
that their entire force $4,000; it is certain that in
GLIDING killed. wounded prisoners and dispersed their
loss has been near 5000. Many of them were regu-
lars, the 18th and 10Th infantry regiments suffering
most The commander Of the latter, Col. Tenoro, is
prisoner in hands; some IA officers belonging to
the former are also prisoners, buthe connlnder Gen.
Perez, escaped.
The foundry, in which several mould5 for casting
cannon and other apparatus were found, entirely
demolished and, after ascertanlng this, Cen Scott,
not wishing to hold the position, ordered the forces to
retire. The whole affair, a military movement is
severely criticised by many of of our officers. They
contend that no result has heen gained commensurate
with the immense loss we have sustained in the battle.
his is a matter do not feel myself qualified to dis
cuss but it must be certain that the morale upon the
MeXCans Of q defeat so dsgraceul and disastrous
must be important They have now lit is o'clock in
the aernoon returned to their positions and if San
Ia Anna on the ground, is stated, and can find
no one to lay the blame upon ne may twist the whole
affair into vlCtory-On paper. 1t will not be the trst
time he has done this thing.
Since commenced this letter have been ont en-
dcavoring to obtain full list of the killed and wound
cd officers, but so far have been unable Knowing the
deep anxiety felt in the United States, by the families
of ALL this shall be my first care The entire loss IT
General Worh'S DIVISION ont OF some 1900 or 1000
that went into action will not fall much short of 600
The dragons and General Cadwaadars brigade did
not suffer SO severely in comparison. What the next
movement will be- no one knows; but it is thought the
city will be attacked Immediately.
Yours &c. G. w. f.
Under date Of the 10Th September Mr.. Kendall re
marks:-
Santa Anna, it is said would have laid all the blame
of the defeat upon General Leon but that officer, un
fortunately for him. died. He has since torn the ep
auetts from off the shoulders of Col. Miguel Andrade
commander Of the celebrated regiment of hussars &C
CuSCS nun O CFGIyluluS Has uIlo"H nun itO PioO"
and denied him all communication He must have
some one to break out upon.
Everything looks quiet to day. but the Mexicans arc
busy fortfying at every point AT ChePnltepec the!
can be seen at work, while they are also repairing thu
damages done at Fl Molino and other points on thu
line On the Pledad road they have strong works
while at the Nina Pordldo and San Antonio Abad, en-
frances to the city, they also fortlIyng with the
greatest vigor General Pillows DIVISION as also Col
RiIcy's brigade, attached to that Of General Twgg.
occupy the village of In Piedad and neighborhood il
plain sght, and in fact under the guns Of the enemy
General Worth relnlins here in Tacubaya, but h
is sending all his sick and wounded to Mxcoax, out
the range of the guns of Chaputepec. No one know
what point will be first attacked, but this question vii
soon be determined. The next blow struck will
hard, and all hope decisive. 1t must read strange, tn
story that some 1000 or 5000 men have set homsclvo
down before strongly fortified city Of over 10000
inhabitants, with an army Of $4,000 men to defend it
but the tale is a true one, and the proud capital {