Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-04-27
DIVISION OF THEARMY 1NNEwMEx1co. ,
March I'd, l647.

oASh ~uS 4O4t'
TO has Ercellency, the General. in. Chief
Having positive information that m.
enemy was marching on the capital oftbi.
State. which l have already communicated /,
to your Excellency, called upon the Gov.
ernor to concert with him the means for
its defence, determined to meet the enc.
my, impellsd by the dictates of honor and
duty.
Having completed my arrangements in
the midst of the greatest difficulties, / or.
dered Gen. Don Pedro Garcia Condo to
start on the 18th of February, with 800
cavalry, (net over-well mounted9 to watch
the movements ofthe enemy, and to annoy
him on his march. On the 2lst follow.
ed with 20 men OF the 7th infantry. $50
men of the battalion of chihuahua. Isa
National Guards, so men of the ID squad. !;
ron of Durango, (Which, for want ofhor.
ses. were employed as infantry and 10 :
pieces of artillery, A, and 8 Founders,
under the charge of l19 artiIlerymen, and
also lO6 men Of the 1st squadron of the.
Durango cavalry, which / succeeded in
mounting, and intended to augment the
force of Gen. Garcia Condo. On the 25th
Gen. Garcia informed me that the enemy
was approaching. upon which ordered
the cavalry to join me, in .erder to make
stand at Sacramento, which | considered
favorable position, and where estab.
lished my lines, throwing up some fortif.
cations and redoubts, and taking other
necessary precautions. 1-s.>
AT IL O'Clock, on the 2Sih, the enemy
was seen by my advanced guard, and at
2 o'clock, p. NJ, he appeared in sight of
my camp. instantly drew up three col.
umns Of infantry under the command Of
Don Vicente Sanchez, three of cavalry
under the orders Of Gen. Garcia Conde.
and posted my artillery in the most suita.
bic manner; but as the enemy changed
his route, and marched TO the right in or.
der to turn my position, was obliged to
change my whole plan. and ordered Gen.
Garcia Condo with the cavalry to oppose
the passage of the enemy, while support.
ed him with the remainder of my forces.
The enemy halted when the cavalry came
in front of him, and l, with the creates,
despatch and all possible order, was ar.
ranging to form the Infantry and artillery
into battle on the right of the cavalry, and
was already placing the pieces of artillery,
when the enemy opened with his cannon
on the cavalry, and at the third fire had
the modification to see it completely dis
Persed. My artillery returned the enemy's
fire, and kept firing with activity while
was trying to form the infantry, which had
been thrown into confusion by the caval-
ry, and owing to nay great exertions, and
to those of Capt Don Angel Trias, Don
Francisco Padillo and Don Cayetano Jus.
tiniani, we succeeded in again forming
the infantry, and collecting nearly all the
cavalry, which was stationed in my former
encampment. it being necessary TO estab.
lish line with the new position, which
was accomplished in the midst of'the firing,
all the infantry and artillery falling back
without leaving in the ether camp even a
cannon that had been dismounted, and
bringing away all the dead and wounded.
Being by this time established at Sac.
ramento with all my forces, the enemy
attacked US with heavy fire of artillery,
and charge which his cavalry made on
a redoubt was most chivalrousy breaten
oil by about fifty men of the 7th infan.
try and thirty men of the Durango squad.
ron, under The command of the valiant
Captain of CaZadores, D. Rafael Coma.
les. who fell victim to his bravery-he
received wound of which he died in q
few moments. At the same lime fell Ii.
ID. Augustus Quintana and several men
of both companies. While they were thus
defending the redoubt, the cavalry which
l sent to his assistance fled and dispersed
completely, carrying confusion into the
ranks OF the infantry. In this critical sit.
uation | withdrew the artillery to an ele.
vation in the vicinity, and succeeded in
collecting 200 infantry, and there main..
tanned myself until without having the
power to prevent it, was completely
abandoned. The rest fed to the noun
tains, terrified, following the example of
the cavalry. Having lost all hope of
the day,I was obliged to retreat.
with bitter grief, as all in the camp re-
manned in the possession of the enemy,
nothing being saved except eight rounds
of ammunition, which a servant OF Col.
Padiila hid in the mountains,
On account Of the complete dispersion
it is impossible to give an exact detail of
the number of killed and wounded, but /
can assure your excellency that they can
not be less than 80 to 100, nearly all of
the 7th Infantry, and the two sqadrons of
Durango. ''
l understand that the enemy is going to
march into the Slate of Durango, which
will also be lost, unless at least 1000 in.
fantry, soc cavalry, and 10 pieces Of AZ.
tillery of the regular army be sent for its
defence, as experience has shown in many
instances that regular troops are indispen.