The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-05-26
ABBEVlLLE G. H., S. c., MAY 26 1S47,

LunH ". H., ~. w., MAI i
large quantity, Of fixed ammunition of very
superior quality, was also taken. The pri
vate baggage and money chest of Santa
Anna,con,alning $4,000, was also cap
tured. The latter was delivered over to
the Pay Department. The volunteers who
were employed in carrying the specie into
camp cracked many a joke over the pros
pect OF being soon paid off in Mexican coin
and free Of expense to Uncle Sam.
When our forces had carried the various
positions of the enemy and the road was
cleared, Gen. Twiggs started in hot pursuit
of the fugitive Santa Anna, and pressed
close upon his heels. A strong position, five
miles west Of Cerro Gordo, fortified and de-
Tended by fine battery of long brass guns
was abandoned by the enemy and occupied
by our troops, General Twiggs bivouacked
within three miles of the lovely town OF
Jalapa.
Approach 10 the City of Mexico.
VERA CRUz.-The city of Vera Cruz is
walled round, with fort at each extremity
of the Water front; the walls on the land
side are loop-holcd for musketry. Parapet
guns have been recently mounted on the
walls. The city walls are very thick, of
coral rock; the walls of the houses are
usually two and a half feet thick, and the
roofs are flat. Each house has cistern or
cisterns Of rain water. The city is well
paved.
FROM VERA CRUZ TO bout
ten miles from Vera Cruz is stream two
hundred yards wide, crossed at ferry in
scows, or by swimming horses over. The
next stream about thirty miles from Vera
Cruz, is fordable, and is also spanncd by a
wooden bridge called Pucnte del Reg (the
Kings's Bridge, )and also the national bridge
Near it on the right, is IN eminehcc of about
fifty feet, on which is a fort, completely
commanding the approach and bridge.
Between these bridges and Jalapa, the
road passes near several heights, from which
CRY OF JALArA.-This city stands on
very elevated ground, yet for many miles
the ascent is quiet gradual From this city
Vera Cruz is visible, as is also, the sea,
ninety miles distant. The city itself isnpon
ii high hill-highest in the centre, so that
the streets incline considerably, so much So,
that no wheeled vehicle can pass along any
of them except the main street or road,
which has considerable rise and descent,
The city is surrounded by wall, and has
a strongly built church near the western
gate, which could be converted into a cta-
del. The streets are paved. The houses,
as in other Mexican towns, are of stone,
with fiat roofs and iron barred windows
Opposite the city. on the left Of the road,
is hill from which the road might be an
noyed and shells thrown into the town.
For the distance of six or seven miles before
reaching the town, the road is handsome
and substantial structure of checqucred
pavement. and must have been very costly.
PER oTE.-At the base of high mount
bearing the same name, some distance from
the road on the left is a cluster of houses,
with church, called Pcrote.
CASTLE OF PERoTE--Opposite, on the
right Of the road, and commanding it in
every direction, stands the castle. 1t isupon
a fiat sandy plain, strongly built of stone
and encircled by deep dry fosse or ditch
The main entrance is by going over a
Chez ou1 de frize by stile, descending some
twenty-five or thirty stone steps to the bot
tom Of the fosse and crossing j. to the gates,
which are on a level with the bottom.
Cry OF PuEBLA.-This city is walled
and fortified. 1t is built of stone and the
streets are we'll paved. Contains about
one hundred thousand inha bitants. Here
water is abundant, but from the national
bridge to this city no water can be obtained,
the natives substituting on pulque as q
beverage.
From Jalapa to Puebla there are occa-
sional heights near the road, which, if forti-
fed, might annoy invaders. In fact, from
Vera Cruz 10 Puebla this is the case-the
travel being alternately over broad, unob
structed roads and narrow passes, command
ed by heights. The road passes through
Puebla. The Pueblamos have peculiar
character; they are cunning and courage,
Gus, and the most expert robbers and assas-
sins throughout Mexico: where there is no
lack of such. II an offender is brought be-
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