The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-13


Pueba, Dec. /, ls47.
| SIR: Having been credibly informed that the enemy
were IN force at Metamoras with artillery, and that
military depot was there established, at which large
quantity OF munitions of war and other public property
had been collected and also that several American SOL
dles were confined there in close prison, moved from
Pueba towards that place at O'Clock on the evening OF
the 22d instant with piece OF artillery and twenty
ye men, under the command OF Lieut. b. Field, OF the
80 artillery, and hundred and hirtyfve men,
sisting of Col. Hayss Texas mounted nfemen, and of
the LOUISIANA Dragons, under Capt Lewis Although
retarded by the rain, which fell necessarily from 10
o'clock until 5, arrived at Meamoras at O'Clock on
the morning OF the 23d-accompishlng march OF fifty
four miles in twelve hours. Coming upon the advance
guard OF the enemy approached the town, they
were charged, and driven in upon the main body, when
the whole fled along the towards forest lying in
OF the place The force of the charge, the sudden
ness OF their flight and the various avenues by which
they retired render it difficult to form satisfactory est
mate OF their numbers which is varlously computed al
from four to SIX hundred.
In this short and sangunary action from sixty to eighty
of the enemy killed and wounded, without the loss
on our part OF single man Among the Killed was
Col Pedras, commanding at Metamoras two captains of
artillery and other officers OF various grades Twenty
American soldiers set free and restored to the
service, armed with muskets and mounted upon horses
taken from the enemy Three pieces OF arlerya small
long six, and long twelve poundera of bronze,
and in good firing condition. twelve tons of shot OF all cal
ibres, twelve boxes fixed ammunon twenty bales
escope and musket balls, seven bales slow and quick
matches five hundred muskets, five hundred sabres
hundred horses, large quantity of medical stores, and
exception OF the artillery, the fixed ammunition the mus
kets and sabes all destroyed in consequence of
my inability TO procure additional means of ranspora-
ton. The remainder of the day was employed
freshns the troops, and in DESTROY military stores; in
which last three German Foss,
and Friedmanwee considerably injured, but, il is hoped,
not disabled by an accidental explosion.
In this engagement COL Hays displayed great GOODNESS
and bravery did also Capts Lewis and Roberts, of the
Texas rangers Leuts Waters and Lilly Of the Lousi
volunteers, and the eutenants OF the Texas corps,
behaved most gallanty Lieut. Ridgey, Of the 4th in
fantry, acting assistant aduan general and Lieut. Whip
pie of the 9th infantry, (vounteer add behaved
and efficient assistance during the engagement They
with the foremost in the charge and in pursuit of
the enemy; and not until all public property was cap,
tured did they think OF rest Lieut. Mcdonald of the Sd
artillery, acting assistant quartenlaser, with in
the charge, and behaved most galanty, he has
done upon all former occasions. Lieuts Douglass and
Blake also in the charge-the former ad my aid
-camp-and both behaved CALAMITY. 1t afordsme much
pleasure to bear testimony to the good conduct both of
officers and men, Never could they behave better than
on this occasion.
Early on the morning of the 24th we moved toward
Puebla Capt Robertss company of Texas mounted rifle
men, numbering between twenty five and thirty men,
composed the advanced guard The remainder of the
mounted rifemen in rear of the artillery. The
Louisiana Dragons, under Capt Lewis constituted the
rear guard While moving with difficulty through long
mountainous pass, called the pass of Gaaxra five
miles from Meamoras, the train became considerably
tended Retarded by the distractions of the way, the
ery and small train OF four wagons, containing cap
Mexicans, had fallen far in the rear and slowly
progressing under my immediate superntendence, when
i was reported that the enemy had appeared in front
Col Hays Immediately ordered repair the head
OF the column and to engage the enemy with the advance
guard. He found small party of observation running
in under the pursuit of two hundred Mexican ancers
He promptly repulsed them, and with Capt Roberts and
company and Lieuts. Ridgely Whippe, Waters, McDo-
nad Blake and my private secretary, Mr.. Phelps, num-
berng in all about thirty five men, gallanty charged,
broke pursued the enemy extended plain and
up long precptous ascent toward the mountains from
which they had made the attack Midway Of the hill the
enemy halted and attempted to rally They wheeled to
the front, but falling rapidly before the continued charge,
they again broke and fled over the summit OF the
tain, closely followed by Col Hays, with his small force.
Here the enemy reinforced by of five hun
dred lancers, under the command of Gen. Rea. The
mounted remen not being armed with sabres and their
his small force to retire to their original position. This
order cooy obeyed and the retired in good
der under the full charge of four five hundred ancers
Having returned to their position, the enemy i'm
medlaey repulsed and the post maintained until the
rival OF the artillery under Lieut. Fields, and of the dra
goons under Capt. Lewis, whom | had ordered to the
front Immediately perceving the strength of the
my 1t due to these excellent officers TO remark, that
they moved forward TO the engagement with that pomp
tude and alacriy for which they have been disn
guished. The artillery was Immediately unlimbered,
when the enemy retired to the mountains and receiving
few rounds OF grape and canister, they disappeared.
march, scattered attachments, too remote for the as
saut of already aded horses And though the rifle
men dsmouned and attempted to reach them foot and
bear upon them, it impossible to bring them to
other engagement Our loss in this affair two killed
and two slightly wounded
The loss of Lieut. Rdgey my acting assistant adutant
general who MORALLY wounded while galIany
charging with his comrades by the side of Col Hays,
deeply saddens the feeling of satisfaction with which
report the brilliant conduct of this small party at the pass
of Galaxra. Private VIM Walpas, of the rangers, also
fell bravey fighting among the foremost in the charge.
Lieut. Waters and one other, slightly wounded.
The loss of the enemy in this affair accurately as
certaned but could not have been less than fifty Killed
and wounded OF the killed. were two captains, lieu
tenant, and also three commissioned officers of ar
lery During the engagement, the Mexican drivers, af
ter cutting the mules from the teams made their escape
This rendered it necessary to destroy all the captured
sabres, most of which distributed the mounted
men, and the remainder destroyed Never did any officer
act with more galantry than did Col Hays this affair
of the 24th When he found necessary to retire for the
purpose of reloading-his men having sabreshe halt
ed in their rear, and the enemy advanced deliberately
shot of them dead and covered his retreat until the
arrival of renorcements. Lieut. Rdgely fell avctim to
gallantry which was never surpassed. Lieut. Whip
ple my present abide camp and acting assistant duant
general, distinguished for his GOODNESS and bravery
He among the first in the charge, and, excepting
Roberts charged bravey at the head OF his company his
horse shot under him, and he exhibited great pres
ence of mind in making his escape Lieut. Waters and
Lieut. Mcdonald distinguished themselves in this action
advancing with the first, and retiring only with the last
Lieut. Blake and Mr.. Phelps also at the head of the
charge, and divide with their comrades the palm for
bravery and good conduct Assistant Surgeons Brewer
and Newton. of the medical staff merit my thanks for
their promptitude and efficiency in attending to their pro-