The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-04

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Il. y:::ss.. y s. t.sss: We y 90 I:i:sss:
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.sois movement and could not spare :scisnt fore:
before Gen Shields arrived to occupy properly For
village whsa moved out, he would have put US in
worse position than We had put Valsncis and at any
rate secure his own retreat and that Of TO the
city ana would have become master OF the main ROAD
which We then held
Questions by Offence. the witness know to
whose division the howitssrs and Magruder's battery
belong, and BY whose orders they were thrown for
ward?
A. They belonged, believe, to Gen; Pillows divi,
sion; and do not know by whose orders they were
thrown forward from the rear They were moving for
ward under Gen. Twiggss orders at the ims referred
not know from who's he received his orders
Q Previous to the arrival of General Scott on the
aeld on the 10th Of August who the senior ofoer
then the ded and responsible for this disposition of
the forces?
A. The senior officer that saw on tho field was Gen.
rwiggs to move to support Magruder's battery Who
made the dispositions responsible for them
The er tia senior o:l Directs tn. dspo
sitions and Is responsible for them,
@ Wien you arrived ut the villages Of Enseldo and
Geronimo, on the 18th August did you find Col Riley
and Gen. Cadwslader in posses sion of those villages
and had the former ares ~ repulssd large cavalry
force and the latter checked largo Mexican force
A. fssnd General Csdwelader in possession Of the
village could not frd d. Col Riley; It appears h.
vasncia;s position learned In regard to the cavalry
from Col Riley that he had repussd large body Of the
upper end Of thu village towards Valenos and finding
che enemy too strong was as he reported to his
20 spa Of
village important movement 1t did not inter.
pose any obstacle, ~ the road was open yeti though
aid not prevent his Joining Valencia 1t had sueh pfu
upon Santa Anna to prevent his throwing him
self into Vslencias camp, lest our army should be IN
village ought to have 20 inausnosd Santa Anna az to
prevent HIM from throwing himself outside Of the village
in respect to the capital found Gen CadwAsdsr al.
ready in possession OF the right faux Of the village,
fronting what Santa Annals then front
@ Had the force under Santa Anna been brought to
. stand before you got to the village
Yes sir formed psrpendic usrly to tho road before
reached it, and then moved round parallel to it. after
@ Suppose Santa Anna, with his forces had taken
possession Of this village before occupied by
troops could you have taken possession considering
A. 1t 10 impossible to say what you could do It could
not have boon done without very great loss 1t had
been well defended it could not have been done.
G. AZ you regard the possession of the village as o
key ths operations Of the 20th, will the witness say
whether he does not regard it's the 10th
snsrrns the success Of the operations on tho morning
A The whole operation n the Goth was basad upon
the possesson Of the village The whole plan Of attack
the 2Osh formed tho possession of the vii
sge and founded upon that but the pro-
per attack in my opinion, was on SantsAnna as was 10
tended the evening before that the proper attack
one being in the situation was in Tho attack on Va
encia determined upon merely az an alternative,
me night me I'M inc q
as taking the first
q Did you consider the position OF Col. Riley and
whose orders did you suppose they were acting
A. suppose Col. Riley went over there by General
tho TINE Mssruaer battery moved to the 'front.'
knew who sent Gen Cadwslader; presumed, Of course,
he was ordered there.
G. Did not the witness hear the orders of Msj. Gen
Pillow alluded to, In conversation, by Col Riley and
Gen. Csdwaeder, or other officers, who oecupisd the
witness state whether the position of these troops did
not him to suppose that tho was to attack
the rear or flank Of Vaencia's postion2
A. thought that the whole movement Of these troops
was In conformity with Gen. SCOTS order In the morn.
Ing to push across and get possession Of tho San An
With that order When got over, and Col Riley join
ed me, found had about 5000 men, In tho face OF
goo or 20 ooo and occupied myself With the msan'
there except the general OF getting possession
Of the road to the cty and cannot say object
rear but to get good position on the road from which
to choose points Of attack
Q. Witness will state wh.thcr he did not understand
hat battle being fought on the 10th Of August
and that tho object to dsodgs the enemy and get
possession of the road across the psdregal?
A. knew nothing of road across the pedregal.
know that the enemy opposing cur passage
The pedrega and that Il was our object to disodge
".
nothing Of a road across the psdregal.
Q. Being in that position, could you have attacked
me So as% ,San u h usu1 OF
flank reor It was done would not have attempt
ID to do it cannot say the thing YVES impossible;
might have done 1t but should not have thought it
prudent. l may have made q great in attacking
i in the aud if had had hour of day
light should have attacked Santa Anua and having
i,feated him, Valencias position would have fallen
course
@ Were not all the movements of the 10th of Angus,
Nlxau min 81 A.
conformity with Gen. Scots general order to gain the
San Angel road?
A. As far 90 was concerned, they wsre as fer as
knew IN conformity with verbal order Of of Gen
,cott's staff to gain the San Angel road The verbal
order more In detail tnan the written order, direct
ing baggage to be left be hind and in reference to
the movements OF tho wagons, Sc and that We to
turn tie position Of San Antonio by soiz;ng the
San Angel Road, 60 The written order WAS merely 40
extract less in detail don't think ever this
order-[the general order having been handed to him.
@. II y battle was to b there and was then being
fought did the witnesses suppose that the troops had
gone without the orders Of tho senior officer
charged with putting those troops on the San Angel
road!
A. never knew who was ohsrged with any sue
movement. I knew that had gone over there In con-
formity with Gen. scots orders Of the morning can
Only say that thought the other troops moving
conformity with Gen Ssotts order Of that morning
also through what intermediate or rather immediate
officer received bis orders did not know. TWAS
impossible from the nature Of the ground to who
was the commanding officer.
@ Did the reconuoiterins officers, Capt Candy and
Lieut.. Tower, accompany Col. Riley's command, and
make their reoonnoissances before you had crossed
the pedrega and their made ire
spective oil your orders 7
A. In company with Col Riley they crossed the Pc
dregs and believe they reconnoitered the position
and they brought me the intelligence after Col Riley
had reported to me. believe the Reconnaissance
made before got over.
Questions by Prosecution The witness has said that
Msj Con Pillow overlook tbs witness while ths latter
and Gen Twiggs were 10 pursuit Of the enemy about
San Angel How far is that place from the sntrenchcd
csmpY
A. Between two and half and three miles, think, 10
thu distance to the nearest end Of ssn Angel.
O. The witness to question put to him has said that
thu presumption Is that the principal orders the field
are ven by the senior oi:er May not such presump
tion be by facts and far any plans
views or orders OF Maj Gen Pillow concerned, IL
not such presumption contradcted in the Of these
operations on the 10Th and goth of August last?
The presumption may Of course BIZ contradicted by
facts In every With regard to all my
after taking position along side OF Masruders battery
all those movements were directed by myself being