Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-13

OF the ample reports which have reached in
the New Orleans papers The reader will have less
regret this because Of what omitted relates the
mere details Of the military operations the city Of Mexico
and much Of consists Of repetition and confederation, by
different witnesses, Of what has is made known
to the public.
SEVENTEENTH DAY.--APRIL A, lS4S.
The Court met pursuant adjournment and the proceed
ings were read over by the Judge Advocate.
Captain II. L. Scott called.
e. Does the witness recoect who gave the order Twggs,
August 10Th last advance from Coyoaca and attack the
church or convent at Churubusco who ordered Riley bril-
gade to follow and support Smiths brigade and order
ed Shields brigade follow that Of Pierce to left and
the enemy's rear
A. gave the order by direction Of Gen. Scott Twiggss
brigade the 10Th of August last and Gen. Scott gave the
ders 10 Riley's brigade and to Shields brigade.
q, What recent information, if any, had been received at
general headquarters about the h September last respecting
the approach Of reinforcements from the United Sates
from the Rio Grandc frontier
A. There had been no information received but recol
ect that there camp of the advance Of
thousand men about far Jaapa This rumor, sup
pose, must have come from this city i during the ar
istice and probably referred to Lalys detachment We
had, however, information, official or otherwise.
Question the Prosecution. About what time did the first
reinorcements reach this basn after arrival in il
A. II after the LIST of November should prefer
look at my papers, and ascertain the exact date, which
can do.
Brig. Gen. p. r. Smith duly sworn.
Question by The Prosecuhon-By whose orders did the
witness pass the pedrega the enemy in the afternoon
of 18th August last About what hour did be reach the
hamlet called San Geronimo that afternoon What does the
witness know OF any plan order OF battle, respecting
attack by the American forces the left flank,
enched camp, coming from Major Gen Pillow other off
senior to the witness and by whom the plan actually
executed upon that camp conceived laid down. and executed
the morning Of August Goth
A. My brigade is in Gen. Twiggss division That divi-
son by Gen. SCOTS order, communicated through General
Twggs to passed through San Augusn, in front Of Gen.
Pillows division, to that division in making road by
which the army might reach the San Angel road to turn the
position Of San Antonio That the explanation which
accompanied the order for movement.
After passing hill mound the right got under the
fire Of the enemys position at Con'reras Gen. Twiggs there
ordered the advance composed Of companies of femen
drive the enenys skrmshers that in the front
and the engineers in their reconnaissance bile that
doing Magruiers battery to the 'front.' On the re-
port OF the engineers the battery ordered to advance and
was ordered with my brigade to it. Gen. Twggs at
the time turned Rleys brigade, with Tayors battery off
to the right and they disappeared off the corned into
the pedregaL
One Of the pieces Of Maguders battery got fast in the stone
wall through which passing which delayed few
Just they started again. Gen. Pillow rode up
He asked where Gen. Twiggs was and pointing in the
direction, told him he had gone off that why. At that very
moment he turned of, entered the corned and could
Of him. The next saw Of either of these general
officers after the action the morning Gen. Twggs
joined the division just the head Of marching out of
the village of San Geronimo Gen. Pillow up to the
head of the column where Just before entering San
Angel ruined arches with aqueduct the left
hand.
The only orders received, up the time that mentioned
when General Pillow turned off the right to follow General
Twggs the first order of Gen. Scott relative to the
towards the San Angel road the order of Gen. Twggs
to to the front to support Magrudes battery and sumo
order of detail from Gen. Twiggs. Gen. Pillow gave me no
order at all
NJ D -.
brigade, took up position support it. There very
heavy fire from the artillery in the enemys position, and an
attack directly in front would have occssoned very great
loss To their position by left would not cut their
line of retreat and seeing the church of the village between
their position and the city determined to move round by
right into that village and take possession of it, called
the officers Of the regiments together and explained to them
the object and said that would execute it in few minutes
no orders came TO the contrary After waiting, perhaps
fifteen minutes longer, to If any orders would come
from the rear, directed Captain Magruder TO open his
FIRE again. which had been senced pretty much by the
my, in order to my movement to the right then
moved off by the right flank filing round and thence towards
the village happened to out from the pedregal along
with regiment which reported 10 Gen. Cadwaader, and
suppose from other circumstances that it was Morgans regi
ment Il than hour before sunset before we got
over TO the field the right OF the village AS we started
from the position of Maguders battery reinforce
ments coming from the city to the Mexicans When we
from the pcdega they formed in consider
able force between the village and San Angel their left on
wood and line perpendicular to the San Angel road AS my
brigade was forming after getting the village these REIN
forcements filed round by their right flank in two lines pa
ale 10 the road At this movement Gen. Cadwalade came
up and reported to inquired, first, If Col Rileys
brigade there but could get information about IT,
then, in order make face to the enemy 'front.' direct
ed Gen. Cadwaader file his brigade round TO the le, 10
line parallel to the enemy. Iput Major Dmmcks regiment
Of artillery in the orchard the main road leading from Con-
San Angel and formed the Sd infantry and remen
on the right flank of the village in column. directed
company Of Lieut.. COL Grahams regiment 1.-THE llth) and
Lieut. Smiths engineer company to take possession of the
churchihe Of the village Just after this an officer
reported Lieuensnt Porter) that he had met an officer
belonging Reys brigade, who said that the brigade was
further up the village the right Col Riley after
ported that his brigade there The enemy in front
commanded by Gen. Santa Anna those in the worksby
Gen Valencia although did not know this at the time.
After examining Santa Annas position. ordered attack
upon Riley to attack towards left Cadwalader about
hundred and fifty yards the right Of Riley, and retire m
ccelon both columns by division, left in 'front.' Riley
pierce the right Of the enemy line about hundred yards
from the enemys right flank Cadwaader to form to the front
This Just about when this order given Gen.
Cadwaader had examined the ravnc in his 'front.' and report
ed that could be passed, but with difficulty Riley soon re-
turned and reported that bis brigade ready to march out
few minutes after Gen Cadwaladcr up for some ex
PLANTATION Of The Order and reported that the ground occupied
by bis brigade SO difficult that 1t would be time be
fore his brigade could be formed BY this time got so dark
that you could scarcely perceive the enemy they
under the brow Of The hill and would evidently be quite dark
before we could the avne the order to attack was coun
COL Riley then mentioned that while he had
been up to the upper end Of the village and outside OF
wards the enemy Can't Canby and Lieut. Tower, Of the