The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-16

cutting on h1ley IRON omlkuB bnRkus. NOyWituose.s
Ing ths very disparity 10 Numbers In favor OF tns
enemy this hns brigade KEEP. its ground occasionally
s;,'; "a ssss ss1s, e rs enemy
During this state AFFAIRS, Smiths brigade Was order
ed to form junction with Riley's whilst Gen Perce's
brigade occupied tho left Of the trail, and remained
support TO the batteries Much credit Is due 60 Colonel
Ransom BY whose uutriog exertions aud zeal the och
aud l2th infantry placed in position the bat
triss late in the night OF the 10th Late the evening
the two brIgsdes Joined the roaa-Rilsy having
in the face Of the enemy as to rejou
Smiths sti later, shislds's a,d Cadwaader's bri-
gsdes formed junction with my division then under the
from lame foot follow the taken by my troops
returned to the vicinity Of Taylors battery. where
passed the night General smith made his
to attack the enemy's work the next morning.
For the particulars of this affair, would respectfully
refer the Genera chief the ports of Gen smith
aud Col Riley. to whom and to the other oficers en-
gagged, Is due all the credit that attaches was una
Bile for che given above to up to nv dvi-
sion till the sar was over and the road opened for my
gimenta commanders fully concur; and, 10 addition
for gallant the 10Th, would present the names
Rssnrsgsra 10 s, Sus'1seTs Mieu.s
lam Stevens and Foster OF the engineers proper the
last named ofcsr was particularly a.tive in the
ment OF OF Captain Msgruders pieces after the la
mented Johnstone Lost his Logo Capt Magruder Lieut.
Jackson Lsutepants Cailen Ter aud Reno serving W tn
their respective batteries Lieut. McCIellsn after
Lieut. Calender wounded took charge of aud ma
nag.d the howitzsr battery (Lieu Reno
with the rockets with Judgment and success until it
McClelans efficiency and galantry In this affair pre-
sent his for the favorable consider alton the e
neral in chief The medical officers of the division al
ready to administer to the comfort OF the sick and
wounded, were particularly active on this occasion
With conveniences for themselves and but little
shelter for the wounded this admirable corps of officers
spent the entire night exposed the pitiess storm
dressing the wounded and In alternating their suering
cannot do less than give their names place In this
port Surgeons s. Tripler B. Randall. and w
Cuyer; Assistant Surgeons A. f. Suffer- H II Steiner,
G G Keensy, and - Hammond make up the number
Mcdonald, A. d. C Captain Allen, quartsrmaster, and
Lieutensnts Grafton ordnance Officer, and Sykes c.
to the division were active aad efficient In conveying
orders and when necessary, In giving directions.
Having secured the prisoners and captured property at
Contrsras lentEenohed CAMP the 4th artillery with
ing through the villages Of San Angel and Santa
We arrived in front Of Churubusco where the enemy
in strongly fortified position with pieces Of
cannon and thousand bayonets large body of
lanoers guarding the approach to the right Of their
work, which was incomplete came to q halt by order
Of the General for the purpose Of having re-
sent forward to look at the enemys positions sup
ported by the company of sappers and miners He
left of the work. from which it practicable to drive
from the roof and walls of the church such of the enemy
from their elevated position could annoy my foot
troops destined to storm the work surrounding the
church The battery was accordingly ordered open
ed with great spirit aud remained under most CALLING
and destructive fire Of grape round shot, shell and
kerry, for hour and half; by which time. having
accomplished the desired object, it was withdrawn
much crippled In officers, men, and horses. In the
meantime, smiths brigade ordered in the d.
recion the battery took Immediately in front of the
work, and Riey's further to left, with view OF
turning and gaining entrance to the open portion Of the
entertainments the ensmys right After an unuter-
rupted and fire both sides for two hours my
troops entered the work All the regiments close
at hand and shared equally in the dangers and honors
of the day. General Rineon, the commander # the
place and two other general officers together with
others of rank In ell numbering lO4 and 1855 nom
commissioned officers and privates, prisoners Of
Seven pieces Of cannon, and large number Of small
arms, and some ammunition fell into our hands. This
closed the operations Of my division, which had been
under arms In the face Of the enemy without ntermis
sion, for thirty hours and achieved Of the most
session of the United States 30 pieces Of
artillery, large number Of small arms and great
amount of ammunition Of all kinds together with 1906
To Capt Lee of the engineers have again the plea
sure of rendering my thanks tor the exceedingly vaua
rations and to Lieut. G. W. Smith, of the engineers,
who commanded the company Of sappers and miners
under many obligations for his services this and
other occasions Whenever his timate duties with
the pick and spade performed he always solicited
permission to in the advance of the stormng party
that of his oosrs and oonspcuously displayed
at Contreras as we'll as at Cerro Gordo His also
present to The Commanding General for distictOn.
Finally, to Brevet Brigadier General Smith and Bre
vet Colonel Riley all the praise can bestow ia entitled,
for their cordial and invaluable support to me- all
occasions aud In every emergency. Their names, al
ready conspicuous in the present campaign been
rendered doubly so during the two recent battles.
My effective force the morning of the 20th one
hundred and eleven officers and twenty five hundred
and thirty noncommissoned officers and prvates; and
Of that number were killed and wounded twenty one
officers and two hundred and forty five men, killed
wounded and missing.
For minute information, will refer you to the
accompanying reports Of brigade and regimeDtal COM
manders. A list of the killed wounded and missing,
have the honor to present witn this report
have the honor to be, very respectfully your obs-
dent servant F. TWIGGS,
Brig General u. S. A., CONG I'd Division Regulars
Captain scorr, A. A q,
Headquarters OF the army In the field.
HEADQUARTERS. lst BRIG. % DIvrs OF REGULARS
San Angel, (uear Mesico) Aug % i547.
Sir On the 10Th instant, my brigade with the rest
Of the division marched from San Augustin to the
division of General iillow opening the road from Sau
Ausustin to that which runs through this place the
city In order to turn the position of San Antonio Ad
vancpg about one and q half mile, were met by the
Are Of the Mexican batteries opposite to the San
Angel road Between us about halt mile of lava
ROCKS almost passable for q sogls footman, then
slope down towards raviue on the opposite bank of
which were the road and the enemy Vsrks height
called Contrerss The front faced and the left fac
swept the road below it, turn forwards In the road
bringing the work directly in the proongstion of the
lower part Of the road The work had upwards of TWEEN
cavalry and infantry behind it and its TANKS
Magruders battery ordered forward to position In
front of the enemy and partially covered by ledge OF
rocks My brigadewas ordered to follow and support 10
and the advance of the party making the road.
We went forward under q very>heavy fire, and took
position tho LETT of Magruder's battery We found
Lieut. CsIenders howitzsr battery at this point When
took this direction Rleys brigade sent to the
right Magrsder's battery and the howitzer battery
were soon disabled, and, examining the ground IL
evident that were advancing by the only path
that crossed the broken bed of lava aud which the
enemy prepared to receive US, having cleared
away all the bushes that INSTRUCTED their view
The guns could go no further, and the infantry
would on its march down the slope, be exposed to
terrible fire without knowing whether the crossing
ravine below possible Being isolated from the div
sol determined to try of the enemys TANKS and
that right being preferable as it would cut of
date cd IN In fnk
ing Lieut.. @. W. Smiths engineer company, the LIST
artillery under Major Dimick, and Sd infantry nae
Captain Alexander, and as many Of the mounted rifle
men as could be collected the regiment having
been detached skirmishers at the first by General
Twggs and ordered by him to cover different parties Of
accommodating officers Captain Magruder directed
to open his fire we passed his rear to occupy the
enemy, aud mask movement to the right This he
did most effectuay, though suffering from great loss
especially of officers To replace This loss Lieut. Has
kins aud twenty detached from Maj. Dimck's
regiment and three companies Of the Sd infantry were
lett to support him With great difficulty we succeeded
crossing the rock for mile, aud descended to
wards the village of Encelda whose church visible