Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-09-23

ncaNleT gunsj lnat tncy were eooh slcHCeu'-
Lieut.. johnson of the LIST Artillery, but attached
to Magruder's battery, was MORALLY wounded,
whilei Lieut.. Calender was severely wounded in
both legs. At 3 o'clock the brigade Of General
Cadwalader was ordered out TO support Colonel
Riley, heavy endorsements being seen on their
way out from the city, while Gen. Perce's brig
ade was sent 10 sustain Gen. Smith. The firing
from the batteries Of the enemy continued in
cossant, while from hill just outside the range
of their guns the spectacle was most grand and
imposing.
At about a o'clock, Gen. Scott arrived, and
seeing the immense strength of the Mexicans,
at once ordered Gen. Shields brigade from San
Augusin--a part Of Gen. Quitman's command
to the right, to support Riley and Cadwallader,
and prevent If possible, a inncture 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 pos
ted, owing to the dense chapparral, sharp rocks
and ravines but not a motion of the enemy but
was plainly visible. The order oil battle Of Va.
encia was certainly most imposing. Infantry
were seen drawn up to support the batteries
while long lines of the cnemy's cavalry were
stationed in the rear, as if awaiting the shock Of
battle. Two separate charges Of the latter were
distinctly seen repulsed by Col. Riley, who had
moved his brigade at one time 10 a position par
TALLY in the rear of the onemys work. Colonel
IluiHcy WIS VACcpulIgIJ uhAiOus u HluICH MS
cavalry to the scene Of action, but 1t was DEEM
ed utterly impractcable. The nature of the
ground was such, that the infantry even had
great difficulty in finding the way across the ped
egruL, as the MeSicans 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
Gen. Scott retired to San Augustin about eight
al, ,.l,0o 6 ,1 bi,h
had just commenced falling. Generals Twiggs
and Pillow came in about eleven o'clock, wet
and completely exhausted. 1t was impossible 10
use horses Oh the rough and exceedingly broken
ground on which they had beeu operating for
nearly twelve hours. Not anticipating the i'm
mense strength oflhe works of the enemy, or the
almost insurmountabe difficulties Of reaching
them, it had been at first thought that the bate
ries would be taken al dash, and that the troops
would all be comfortably quartered IN San Angel
for the night. Instead of this, n large portion Of
them were compelled to bivouac, without blank
cts in the midst of pittiless rain, and on ground
where they could not even stretch themselves
out. Add to this the prospects OF the morrow
were far from fatering-were enough to dsinay
any but the stoutest hearts-that the enemy
would doubtless reinforce and strengthen his
works during the night, having every superior-
ty In knowledge of the ground. Add again to
this, that the men were weakened by long exer-
tons, want of food, and chilled by the coninu-
Gus night rain, and it is not saying too much to
assert that the biyouac of the 10Th August was
gloomy one in the extreme
Early on the morning of the goth, Gen. Worth
was ordered 10 move with part Of his division
I-Garland's brigade - towards the scene of ac-
ton at Contreras, to aid in the attack upon Va
lcncla, for to fosce this position was deemed in
dispensable. A few discharges of cannon were
heard about seven o'clock, and heavy rafting
OF musketry, and some even said that IN the dis
lance they had Heard large masses of Mexcans
in full flight towards the city; yet few dreamed
that the batteries at Contferas had been stormed
and carried. Yet so it was General Scott him
self, accompanied by General Worth, started for
the scene of action, when they were met by
Capt. Mason with the joyful intelligence that
Valencia had been completely routed after q
short but terrible struggle. The attack upon his
works was planned by Gen. Smith, and resulted
in the capture of ifceE pieces of artillery. some
1900 prisoners among them Generals Blanco,
Garcia, Mendoza, and the notorious Salas all
the ammunition and camp equippage, while the
read along which those who escaped fled, was
strewed with y..kets.. No less than 700 of the
enemy, among ihem many officers, were left
dead on the feld--the number Of wounded was
undoubtedly far greater ] have no time now to
enlarge comment upon this well planned and
brilliant achievement, but reserving a more full
description to some other time, must pass on to
other exciting events. The works at Contreras
completely in the power of the American army,
; General Scott at once ordered General Worth to
fall back upon San Antonio, 10 turn and capture
that work and then to push on towards the CAPT.
tai, by the main road, while the main body of the
army, under Generals Twiggs. Pillow, Smith,
Pierce, and Cadwallader, moved on towards San
Angel and Cohoycan. Scarcely had the advance
Of General Twiggs got half mile beyond the
latter village, before rafting fire Of muskeiry
announced that 1t was actively engaged with the
outpostS of the enemy, and the heavy booming
of cannon now gave token that the noted second
> division had fallen upon another strong work.
But few minutes more and tremendous firing
from the right and Immediately IN the main road
from San Augustine to the capital, made it evi.
dent that General Worth's division was actively
engaged. He had completely turned the strong
works of San Antona, but while doing So the
enemy had abandoned the place, with the loss
of their heavy guns, and had fallen back upon his
second and stronger line of works.
1t was now at the commencement Of the bat
tie, about | o'clock in the afternoon, and sure
, such rafting OF fire arms has seldom or never
> been heard oil the continent of America, accom-
panied with such booming of artillery; and this
was continued over two hours, and until the ene-
my was fully routed from every point and until
those who were not killed or taken prisoners