The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-22

night and all made prisoners by large force Of cavalry
about miles in advance of Salo So said one OF the
party who succeeded in making his escape the next night
and getting back to Saltllo; also that the Mexican Amy
was advancing in great numbers towards Sauiio Inese
reports induced me to join my advance lmmeua'eiy
Leaving Monterey on the 3lst OF January, reached
Satlo the morning of the I'd February WIN slaii
reinforcement, which increased my force 70 oVo wien
| lost no time in moving forward ana es'aplshnis q
camp al this place about twenty miles in advance OF
Sato on the San Luis road, Tor the purpose Oh cary
ing on system of instruction, as wen as 10 Maeh
| the movements of the enemy, and where expected
| to fight him, should he attempt to move on oainiio.
! Here | remained until the 2lst, examining the seve,
raj passes through the mountans-at which timc
asceriained that General Santa Anna was advancing
and near at hand with an overwhelming 1orce MOI
exactly liking my position, having ascertalned that he
could gain my by two roads my night ana one on
my left and not deemng prudent TO divide my forces,
and having apprehensons about my supplies when were
in Salto, determined at once TO fall back towards mar
place about twelve miles, and occupy strong position
between two spurs OF mountain with narrow valley
between Them where at point the road is so narrow
as to permit the passage OF only one wagon at tme;
with deep gullies running up to the mountains washed
by the rains to prevent horses or carriages from
passing them without great difficulty SAID position mad
been closely examined by the typographical engineers I'M
der the eve of Gen Wool before my arrival, VINO DEEM
ed it admirably adapted to resist large with small
force, well adapted to the description OF force which
composed our army We therefore fell back and occupied
it on the evening OF the 2lst, and at made the ne
cessary preparations for giving battle.
The day the enemy made his appearance early IN
the day. and, after recommending position Tor some
time at o'clock, p m, received, by staff officer with
flag, a communication from Gen Santa Anna requiring
surrender at discretion stating that IN the event OF
rounded with than 20 900 men that resistance
was out Of the questions and, II ATTEMPTED IT, my com
mand would be put to rout and must be destroyed In
reply, stated could not comply with his demand and
he at liberty TO commence operations whenever he
was inclined to do So Soon after this the action
commenced with his skrmishers on our left which was
promptly met by ours, and continued without ntermls
sion on the side OF the mountain until dark
In the morning at sunrise he renewed the contest with
an overwhelming force-with artillery, infantry, and
dragoons-which lasted with very slight intermssions
until dark portion of the time the contest was much
the severest have ever Witnessed particularly towards
the latter part of the day. when he anta Anna) brought
up his reserve and in spite of every effort part
after the greatest exertons have witnessed on both
SIDES drove us by an immense superiority OF numbers Tor
distance He had at least five to at that point
against us. Fortunately, at the most critical moment
two pieces of artillery which had ordered up to support
that part of line met exhausted men retreatng
when they brought into battery and opened on the
enemy, then within fifty yards in hot pursuit. with CAMS
ter and grape, which brought him to halt, and soon
compelled him to fall back In this tremendous contest
lost three pieces of artillery, nearly all the men and
horses having been killed crippled which put on! of
our power to bring them off; did deem it advisable
to attempt to regain them.
The enemy made his principal efforts against our TANKS
He was handsomely rePulsed in every attempt on our
right but succeeded early in the day in gaining left
consequence of the giving way of of the volunteer
regiments which could not be rallied with but few
cepons the greater portion retiring about mile to large
rancho or farm house. where wagons and portion
by the enemy's cavalry, who were repulsed with some
loss.
For several hours the fate of the day was extremely
doubtful so much so that was urged by some OF the
most experienced officers to fall back and take up
position This knew it would never do to attemptwth
volunteers, and at declined it. The scene now had
become OF the deepest interest Between the several
deep ravines there portions of level land from
to four hundred yards in extent, which became alternate
" points Of attack and defence after left turned
by both Sides These extended along and the base
OF the mountain for about two miles, and the struggle for
then may be very appropriately compared to game OF
chess. Night put stop to the contest, and. strange to
say both armies occupied the positions they did in
the morning before the batled commenced Our artillery
did more than wonders. We lay our arme all night,
being no wood to be had and the mercury below the
freezing point, ready and expecting the
the morning. but we found at daylight the enemy had
of his wounded for to bury and take of-cary-
ing off everything else, and taking up position at this
place. We did not think it advisable TO pursue, not
knowing whether he would renew the attack continue
his retreat wished to draw from strong posi-
tion but contened ourselves with watching his
ments closely Finding, on the 26th he had re-
newed his retreat early in the morning OF the 27th the
army put in motion for this place, where arrived
about O'clock P. m--ther rear guard, consisting OF
cavalry, leaving advance got in sight. at
determined harassing his rear but on examining the
state OF the and horses, found that five days and
nights marching ncessant watching, and sixteen hours
hard fighting, had exhausted the first and broken
down the latter ii was next to impossible to accomplish
anything without rest We remained quiet here until the
"a instant, when pushed command on the San LUIS
road to large plantation called Incarnation, where
found between two and three hundred wounded in the
most wreched condition, besides those they carried with
them and left here and the field Here took about
ten prisoners the main part Of their army having pro-
ceeded on in the direction OF San Luis very disor-
gained condition.
On the 22d the enemy threw in our rear through the
passes of the mountains, 1900 cavalry, and early the
morRng of the day, the 23d made demonstrations
against Salhllo and throughout the day They succeed
at time cutting of the communication between
the city and battle ground and making several prisoners
city, with two pieces OF artillery covered by about sixty
men, They, however, while in possession of the road
prevented good many from running off TO the city,
which place about 200 of had succeeded in getting
previously to the the cavalry occupying the road-hey
the runaways reporting that army beaten and in
full retreat
The loss both sides very great, you may sup
pOse-enOugh ours to the whole country with
mourning, for among the noblest and purest OF the land
have fallen. We had 24O killed and 500 wounded The
dead and wounded scattered all the country,
difficult TO ascertain their number The prisoners who
have fallen into our hands, (between 200 and 300
enough to exchange for all who have been taken from us)
well medical officers left behind TO take
of the wounded say their killed and wounded is not less
than 800, and they say perhaps more.
hope the greater portion Of the good people of the
country will be satisfied with what have done this
occasion. latter myself that compelling Mexican
army OF more than 10000 men, completely organized and
led by their chief magistrate, to retreat with less than
500 regulars and about four thousand volunteers, will
meet their approval had not single company of reg
ular infantry; the whole was taken from me-
was truly gratfed TO observe that the chief magis-
trae of your State had conferred you the rank of brig
adler general in the militia, and had hoped the President
as such with the regiments, and hope he may yet
do so, as | need hardly repeat the pleasure would