The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-06-05
BY ANDREW ]. RHBY.
NISGEL | A \ [ D ] 5.
rae surprise and Capture Oh Gen.
Valen ella.

,Is > periodical of high standing, published
IN Boston and devoted to the publication Of
that is considered the ''cream' OF American
and foreign literature.
The surprise and capture of General Vaieh-
cio the second officer in rank IN the Mexican
army. has been most entirely lost slght Oh,
among the brilliant feats of arms which marAeu
the late war with Mexico. To say the Ieas''
there was d considerable daring IN the enter
prise; and the gallant officer who pianhed anu
carried il out. together with the men who form
"a his little command, are entitled 10 some
prsise.-Here. less than fifty men rode thlrty
i've miles into the enemy's country-captureo
3 general officer from his own guard, four tunes
their number, and carried him in triumph to
head quarters, without sustaining any loss.
For some time previous TO the coming IN OF
the new year, the celebrated Guerilla chief,
Padre Jarouta, and General Reah, had been IN
testing the neighborhood of the city of Mexico,
and the day before had been seen at village a
few miles out of town, with a force OF near lve
hundred men. Colonel WynkoOp, of the lst
PENNSYLVANIA volunteers, who had gained a
high reputation as partisan officer, had them
closely watched by a trusty spy, and determln-
ed to attack them. For this purpose he asked
and obtained permission from the commander
in-chief, 10 head an expedition to go in pursuit
of them, and had everything in readiness to
leave the city on the evening OF the lst OF jan
uary, l64S, and, under cover Of the darkness,
10 surprise them while they were asleep The
force he selected was one company OF lays
Texan Rangers, thirty-seven strong, and FIVE
officers accompanied him as volunteers for the
occasion, making the number all told forty-four,
officers and men. / had ridden into the city
from San Angel, where my regiment was quar-
tered, in the morning, and, meeting Col Wyn-
koop in the street, was invited TO accompany
him in the expedition, which invitation Iaccept-
ed andprepared myself accordingly. The hour
appointed for meeting was seven o'clock IN the
evening; and, on going to the place OF rendez-
vous at that time, found the whole party as
sembled, and waiting the arrival of the Colonel.
The whole were mounted and well armed-oth-
GERS and men wearing watch-coats, and twenty
four hours rations in the haversacks.-Each
enc had his blanket strapped to the hind part
Of his saddle, and, in every pointfully equipped
for night march. In addition to being armed
with a sabre and rife, each ranger carried one
of Colts six-shooters, and most Of them hGo
knives in their belts.
The clock on the Cathedral had just sounded
the hour of eight, and the patrols were begin
ming to take their rounds, when We left th'
rendezvous; and, passing out of the city at th'
garita of Guadalupe, struck upon the causewa.
which leads to the town of the same name. W.
urged our horses into a brisk trot and IN hal
an hour reached Guadalupe, where TO shorter
eur route, we turned of from the main road
and followed the course of one of the aqueduct
which supplies the city with water, and whicl
runs through the low, swampy land, bordering
on Lake Tezoco. Our guide, never having
travelled across these swamps before, became
bewildered in the darkness, and following hi.
directions, we soon found ourselves founderine
about in the mud and water of the marshes
Being uncertain which course TO take; it wa:
some time before we could extricate ourselves
and were able TO reach the high road leading
towards Queretero, which here runs in a north.
west direction. Being once more on firm ground
We urged our horses forward TO reach Tlalns-
psntla, where We expected to find the enemy,
and hoped to surprise them before they could
hear Of our approach. The night was dark,
there being no moon, and the stars were partly
obscured by heavy clouds, which chased each
other across the heavens; the air was cold and
chilly, being loaded with vapor from Lake
1ezcoeo, and we shivered, even with our heavy
watch coats buttoned tight around US. The
colonel rode few yards in advance of his com
mand' which followed by twos, and upon every
enc the strlctest silence was enjoined-no sound:
"ere heard but the tread of the horses feet OF
'ne nard road an occasional jingle of a sabre
~ low whispered command from an officer
Inc night was too dark to allow us to see dis
uncdy the nature of the country we were pass
ing through, but as far as we could discover
appeared like narrow valley, which widenet
d We advanced, and bounded on either side b,
mountains We followed the course of tn,
"4ueanet for at least ten miles, until we hac
"enea the fountain-head from which it recei
'ne supply of water. We saw now AM
4isn low thatched hut on the side of the road
put no inhabitants.
a rue OF three hours brought us within
Hiiie Of the village of Tlalnepantla, where hal
made for few moments, to rest the horse
anu give instructions TO the men. Having mad
sne necessary arrangements, ne again set cut