Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-01-27
LasfAcfion i'm The Army
We are indebted to the War Department for the
following despatch, Just received Union
HEA

Puebla, Dec l, lS47.
SIR: Having been credibly informed that the enc
my were IN force at Matamoras with some artillery
and that mils8ry depot there established at
which large quantity OF munitions of war and other
public property had been collected and also that sew
eral American soldiers were confined there in close
prison, moved from PuebIa towards that place at 7
O'Clock on the evening of the I'D instant, with one
piece OF artillery and twenty-five men, under the COM
maDd OF Lieut.. B. Field, Of the Sd artillery, and one
hundred and thirtyfve men, consisting Of Col. Hays
Texas mounted rlfemen, and Of the Louisiana dra-
goons, under Capt. Lewis Although RETARDED by the
raln which fell necessarily from 10 o'clock until B.
we arrived at Matamoras al z O'Clock the morning
OF the 22d-accOmplishng march of ffty-four miles
IN twelve hours. Coming upon the advance guard of
the enemy as we approached the town, they were
charged, and driven upon the main body, when the
whole fled along the streets towards forest lying in
rear of the place. The force of the CHARGE the sud-
denneSs Of their flight, and the various avenues by
which they retired, render difficult form salts
factory estimate OF their numbers, which Is varously
computed at from four to six hundred.
In this short and sanguinary action from sixty to
eighty OF the enemy were killed and wounded, with
out the loss part Of a single man. Among the
killed Col. Piedras, commanding at Matamoras,
two captains OF artillery, and other officers of various
grades Twenty-one American soldiers were set free
and restored to the service armed with muskets and
mounted upon horses taken from the enemy. Three
pieces of artillery-a small one long six and long
twelve-pounder-al of bronze and in good firing
dion, twelve tons Of shot of all cabres, twelve box
fixed ammunition, twenty-seven bales escopet and
musket balls, bales slow and quick matches,
five hundred muskets, five hundred sabres, one hun
dred horses, large quantity of medical Stores and
other public property, fell INTO hands; and, with
the exception of the artillery, the fixed ammunition,
the muskets and sabres. all destroyed in
quence Of my inability procure additional of
transportation. The remainder of the day
poyed In refreshing tine troops, and In destroying mil
itary stores; in which last three artllery-men-pri
Yates German, Foss, and Friedman--were considera.
bly, injured, but it is hoped, not disabled, by acci
dental explosion.
In this engagement, Col. Hays displayed great
GOODNESS and bravery as did Capts. Lewis and Rob-
erIs, of the Texas rangers. Leuts Waters and Lilly,
of the Louisiana volunteers, aud the leutenants of
the Texas corps, behaved most CALAMITY. Lieutenant
Rdgey, of the 4th infantry, acting assistant aduant
general, and Lieut.. Whipple, of the 9th infantry,
Volunteer add behaved, BEFORE with dlsn-
guslled gallantry, rendering me prompt and efficient
assistance during the engagement. They were with
the foremost IN the charge, and pursuit of the
my; and not until all public property was captured
did they think of rest. Lieut.. Mcdonald of the Sd
artillery, acting assistant quarermaster, with me
In the charge, and behaved CALAMITY as he ever
has done upon all former occasions. Lieus. Doug
lass and Blake also in the charge-the former
my aid-de-camp-and both behaved CALAMITY 1t af-
fords me much pleasure TO bear testimony the good
conduct both Of officers and men. Never could they
behave better than on this occasion.
Early on the morning of the oath, we moved to-
ward Puebla. Capt. Roberts's company Of Texas
mounted rlfemen, numbering between twenty-five and
thirty men, composed the advanced guard. The re-
mainder of the mounted rifemen were in the Of
the artillery. The Louisiana Dragons, under Capt
Lewis, constituted the rear guard While moving
with difficulty through long mountainous pass, call
ed the pass OF Galaxara, five miles from Mata-
mOras, the train became considerably extended. Re-
tarded by the distractions of the way, the artillery
and small train of four wagons, containing captured
property drawn by Mexican mules and driven by Mex
leans, had fallen far in the rear, and slowly pro-
crossing under my immediate superintendent, when
ii was reported that the enemy was in front. Col.
Hays was Immediately ordered repair to the head
of the columns and to engage the enemy with the ad-
vance guard. He found small party of observation
running In under the pursuit of two hundred Mexican
lancers. He promptly repulsed them, and with Capt.
Roberts and company, and Leuts. Ridgely, WbIpple,
Waters, Mcdonald, Blake, and my private secretary,
Mr.. Phelps numbering in all about thirty five men,
CALAMITY charged broke, and pursued the enemy
an extended plain, and up long preclpous ascent
toward the mountains, from which they had made the
attack. Midway of the hill the enemy halted and at
tempted to rally They wheeled TO the 'front.' but fall
ing rapidly before the continued charge, they again
broke, and fled over the summit of the mountain, close
y followed by COL Hays, with his small force. Here
the enemy reinforced by reserve of five hundred
lancers, under the command of Gen. Rea. Tie mount
ed rilemen not being armed with sabres. and their
revovers and rifles having all been discharged
dered his small force retire their original position.
This order coolly obeyed, and the men retired in
good order, under the full charge Of four or FIVE hun
dred lancers. Having returned to their position, the
enemy were Immediately repulsed and the post main
tanned until the arrival Of the artillery, under Lieut.
Fields and of the dragons, under Capt. Lewis whom
had ordered to the front Immediately perceiving
the strength of the enemy. 1t is due these excel
lent officers to remark that they moved forward to the
engagement with that promptude and aacrity for
which they have ever been distinguished The artil-
lery Immediately unlimbered, when the enemy
retired to the mountains, and receiving few rounds
Of grape and canister, they disappeared For several
hours they continued to hover about our march, in
scattered attachments, remote for the assault
our already jaded horses. And though the riflemen
dsmOunted and attempted to reach them on foot and
the artillery several times unimbered and brought
to bear upon them, it was impossible to bring then
to another engagement. Our loss in this engagement
was two killed and two slightly wounded.
The loss of Lieut. Ridgely. my acting assistant ad
jutant general, who mortally wounded while gal
lanty charging with his comrades by the side Of Col
Hays deeply saddens the feeling of satisfaction viii
which report the brilliant conduct of this small par
ty at the pass Of Galaxra. Private Wm.,Wal pas
one Of the rangers also fell brayely fighting among
the foremost In the charge Lieut.. Waters, and one
other, slightly wounded The loss of the enem,
in this affair is not accurately ascertained but cout
not have been less than fifty killed and wounded.
the killed, were two captains, LIEUTENANT, ant
also three non-commlssioned officers of artillery
During the engagement, the Mexican drivers, afte
cutting the mules from the teams, made their esca pc
This rendered it necessary to destroy all the captured