The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-08-02


Knowing that this document would he highly
{ Interesting To the people Of South Carolina. W"
have induced Cot Gladden. I" allow tn copy
! it from his Order B"k. 1t was not amongst
ihr Reports relating To th"se engagements "fti.
cialIy published by tn" War Drpasmrnt. and
az simp'p nc, IF Justice % the gallant Palm"t.
to<, it affords It's great pleasure to give il TO the
pebble.
Cry OF MExrco. SrpteWhrr 22nd, lS47.
General 1t NAV seem unnecessary t"r me
to make any rrprr, Of the part borne by tn"
Palmetto Regiment. in the victories of the 18Th
instant, a< they wer" during The whole day "n.
gagr:I under Your immediate command. Yet.
in obedience 10 yn,ir request. pr'~"rd briefly
To detail such events nS are worthy nf mote.
The Regiment arrived at Tarul'aya, under
my command on the morning nf the 18th inSt..
ab"lr daylight. and qlmr,rred in house near.
est the under the guns of Chapurepec. with or
drrs to remain under arms. I" move ut mo
menl's warning. Capt. Drums battery few
hundred yards in advance upon the road to the
Capital. soon alter opened its fire upon the Gas
tie. The Regiment was engaged during The
lav anI the following night in supporting this
ba,lery--in accommodating the enemies position
and watching the movemcns Of the parties ~
ing around the foot ofhr hill.
On the morning of The l3h, the Regiment.
was ordered E,rwari upon the main r"ad To
inin the main Battalion, beyond Drums battery;
here it came under severe fire ut round sh"t,
canister, grape and csc"pette from the hill and
castle. After proceeding som" distance, the
order was given to file 10 the left. and take
stone wall which run around The font ot ihr
height. The ground to he crossed in reachInS
il was a meadow of considerable extent, and cut
up by numerous large and deep dIlrhrs ili!fd
with water, and the charge vas made under
cnnce entra,ed fire from the whole force of The
hill and castle. From the nature ofthe ground,
omr men suffered mpre than they otherwise
would have done.
TIL" charge. however was in gallant style,
and without firing gun, upon arriving at the
wall. set t" work. and after some d'fhr''tv,
s,,rceedri in making hreech in il. tn" R"g.
mrnt advanced ihr"ugh it, mp 10 the Castle,
which fund the V"!tigners of Gen. Pillows
division, had succe"drd in gaining. The Pal.
m-ttn hammer planted upon the Casle-ite
second To wave from its l,ait!"m"nt.
was now ordered tn Join Gen. Qntman, al.
ready advancing on the city "f Mexico. Upon
coming up with him. was ordered TO close up.
on the Rifles in front nf the division, and keep
under cover ofthe aqueduct. In he intervals,
between the discharge Of the enemies COMMON
from a strong brpas: work across the road. we
advanced arch hy arch. By the aid of two
piecies of artillery, tn" enemy were driven from
this strong hold, and forced To take shelter
behind the hrea,twork at the "Gari,a." There
a despe rate and stubborn stand was made, but
the discharges grape and canister from our
guns, which had been brought ui,. and the ad-
vanre "f the division. f'rc.'l them I" r"1Ir" I"
the citadel whirh il situated I" the lett, an" with.
in the .HGa,iia."
The Rifles an ! the Pamct Regiment claim
the distinguished honor orhaving been ihr first
troops {" an'rr III" city, which they dill simnl.
ianeomsly. The P,!n"it" banner heing III" fist
to wave over the "tiarila." Upio this time "ur
loss have been small. The 'Gariia" having
been carried. was nrt.r"dhy G"a QnInan B."
continue To advance ,h.. Regiment with Rifles,
some fifteen arrhrs further int" the city, with in.
functions not ln FIRE a gun unless absolutely n".
crs ary. In this criIiral position We rrm1In"l an
half hour or Innr", bf'rr dav discharge of ar.
,ill"ry fnm our sile. Capt. Drum nav 90
sualI M.xicari piec.' into position anv opened
upon the enemy AT the upper rn OF Il" aq'".
duct, who had kept mp Il severe fir" from their
"sroprttrs, and had advanced >or," distance To.
ward. u*. By Capt. DrIni's fire they w'r"
snnn dispersed; f"r Il Time, however, they gni
piece of artillery int" the road. commenced ra.
king it with every species "f shot.
BY this fire. aud hy the cross fir" ofihr ariil.
Irry AMI infantry from the citadel, without I'll"
power oi successfully returning il, our l"sili"n
hacamp a painful "nr. Capt. Drum han whom
I have never seen II rnn!"r. bravrr, ar nI"rr
galIan, off i.rr) continued with heroic rrs"''i"n
to di.chars. his gun. anil after every fire TO ad
vance it upon The enemy, though hr had hut four
or FIVE nf his m"n around him. Observing. tmn
my position al thu head "ft:r Reg inert The diff.
fcrlty h" haL in nr'ving his gun, owing /" The
want of force. moved rn The left. opp"s''r to him
and ordered detail of FIVE men rnm .l" arrh"s
TO assist him; the order was promptly nl"yrd,
and one nf the m"n who marched ont tell at The
first discharge from the enemy. another detail
was sent out. and another man fell. was IN
the act of making Il third detail, when Capt.
Drum il formed me tlla, his fuses we're exhaust.
ed, and hr could no longer fire. 1h" enemy,
emboldenrd ly nir silence. advanced their pie.
ces down the road, and threw forward! n large
hodv of ofinfanirv. un.l"r cover of the archrS.-
Two other bodies of infantry also moved i"rAard
one on the right, under cover oi the rml'ank.
mpnt, The other on the road to the left of the
t,ln'ains.
Tho firing on the part Of the enemy, con'in.
ned with re- ewrd energy, and rakins III" road
and arches directly and ,ransv.r|rly WAS terrific;
n,lr men and officers now fill. either killed or
wounded. in numbers. had received IA severe
wound snon after taking position h", ond the
..Gari!a" Some hour and ,lf now elapsed.