New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-23

This is the production OF an officer IN the UNI
ted States Navy, who was attached TO the Home
Squadron at the breaking out OF the late war De-
tween this country and Mexico. After the sur
rendry Of Vera Cruz, he was dispatched as
special agent TO the seat Of the Mexican Govern
ment 10 negotiate concerning the exchange OF
prisoners. During this mission, he joined the
army of Gen Scott at Jalapa soon after the bar
lie Of Cerro Gordo, and at Puebla became at
tached 10 the staff Of Gen. Worth, as volunteer
aid He marched with Gen. Worth to the valley
Of Mexico, and remained member OF MS mill
tary family until the entrance OF the American
army INTO the capital OF the enemy With
strong partiality for Gen. Worth, the writer de-
scribes the events OF the campaign which result
ed in the enlargement OF that officer from the
connander-in-chief, cnticising the military
operations in a decided partisan spirit, but with
evident ability The volume is introduced with
geographical and historical sketches OF Mexico,
which furnish no novel information to the general
reader, and which are prepared with but slight
e1penditure of talent and research. In his OIL
gina descriptions, Lieut.. Semmes IS more sue
cessful Many Of these are drawn with great
felicity. He Is lively and spirited narrator
HIS battle sketches are extremely VIVID, and pro
duce deep impression on the Imagination. His
p,ctures OF social and domestic life in Mexico
are apparently true to nature, and present the
attractions of romance We take the follow
ing extract from the account OF
THE sroRvING or VERA CRUZ.
Abou, midnight, wandered to a small emlnence,
IN the nelghborhood OF our battery 10 io9H oTth up,
On The scene II was perfectly calm. The feet at
SACRIFICES was Just visible through the gloom, and
was sleeping quietly "a It's anchors, without other
sign of life than solitary light burning at the gan
end OF the commodore. The castle of san Juan de
Ulloa nagn6ed out OF all proportion by the uncer-
tam starlight, and looking ten times more Somber
and defiant than ever, appeared to ENJOY equa! re-
pose. Even the sea seemed to have gone 10 sleep,
after the turmoil of the recent nOTher As the only
sound that reached the ear from that direction, was
faint, very faint murmur hoarSe and plalntlve, as
the lazy swell with scarcely energy enough 10 Oreak,
stranded itself on the beach. The cricket and the
catydid, and myrlads of other lnsects-the south Is
the land OF msects-chlrruped IN a sort of lnharmo-
NOUS melody, reminding one OF ms far-oh nome ana
of Preside scenes. But If nature was thus inclined
10 repOse man nOt for Death still held ms car
niya within the walls OF the beeaguered city Those
horrd mortars of ours were IN " awful activity
The demons Incarnate, all Degrmed with powder
and smoke, Who served them at tins midnight hour
having received fresh supply OF shells and ammu-
milton since the hull of the norther, seemed to re
double their energies, to make up for their lazy days
work of Yesterday. They gave the doomed city no
respte not even for single moment, as the ar was
never without its tenant wingng ITS way on us err
rand OF death sat and watched these missiles Tor
an hour and more, and shall never forget the aw-
full scream, apparently proceeding from several ie-
male voices, which came ringing on the hghl ari as
one of those terrible engines OF destruction exploited
carving death and dlsmay, no doubt, to some IAN
ily circle No sight could have been more solemn
and lmpressive-the Imagination dWelln9 All inc
while on the awful tragedy which was beng enact
ed--than the fig ht of those missiles through the AR.
The night was just dark enough TO admit oil thelr
burning fuses being seen, as they traced those oeau-
tiful parahoas peculiar 10 this kind OF proJecte.
And then the awful precision with which they would
explode called forth my constant admiration. they
seemed To be held but single second or less, behind
the dark curtain of the city walls, before the terrible
Observation-Disclosures and magnitied, as II passed
through the streets by the walls of the houses
would almost stun the earl was only seven hun
dIed yards of, and the humidity oil the atmosphere
was highly favorable 10 the passage of sound. Occa-
sionally several would be IN the air at the same time
i counted AS hugh as Ave on one occasion-chaslng
each other hike playful meteors, and exploding IN
quick succession like feU de io,e. We were astlr'
the next morning, AT early dayhgh-our botswain's
mate having aroused all hands. IN man-o war fash
ION, with shrll note from his "calF-SllNer wills
,le--and a voice resembling the grow OF grizzly
bear BY sunrise, We were at our work the Seamen
handling their long 22S and 6sS like toys, andt oi-
GERS delivering their fire In quick succession, amt IN
the rghi place. The enemy was not long IN reply
ing 10 The same three batteries that had hand,
led Capt. Aulick roughly yesterday concentrated
upon us again to-day, apparently Win renewed en-
time had discovered the true point of attack. began
TO throw monster shell at us, al intervals. We had
constant occasion to admre the spirit ana accuracy
with which the Mexican artilleriStS handled their
pieces Their shot, which were much lighter than
ours, came whiStlne Just over our heads. or buried
themselves in the sand bags. a, the muzzleS OF our
guns with splteul and sullen sound rs II IN rage
of disappointment al not being able 10 reach us
Now and then, one would come whining through
the embraSures, taking of some poor fellows head,
or having spent itself on The parapet outside, come
lightly platform, where
working rhc guns. We collected several OF these,
and sent them back agaln-two al umC-io the en-
emy, with our compliments. Al heavy artillery ex-
ercise, the MeNcanS are perhaps our eQual>-thelr
practice rs very consiani-bui they fall far short OF
us IN the management OF light pieces IN the field IL
80 happened that the two Naves were opposed to
each other on this occasion the little battery mn
mediately IN front OF US, aud the hottest and most ei
hcient OF the three, beng commanded by Lieutenant
Holsinger, an intelligent young German who had
been several years IN the Mexican service. We, of
the Raritan-Captam Forces, beng represented by
thirty two-pad oar particular respectsto tins gen
tleman. Our piece hred with the accuracy of rife,
did all the solidshot guns, and we were constant
y enabled TO pitch our heavy metal "righ, INTO hum
We shot away ms Colors twice, which the gallant
fellow often replaced, though We must have been
Kidding hs slight redoubt and Staying his Seamen al
every discharge About seven O'Clock IN the dav.
the army battery, No. i-twentV- four FOUNDERS
opened lis fire, and rendered friendly assistance,
ty divertng the attention of Fort Sanuago-thoUgh
Tins fort htng more distant than the other two had
done Us but little damage. The mortarS continuing,
too. 10 throw Their Shells with sprt, the whole con
situated that AWFUL activity" described by the gene
ral.in-chlei, IN his dispatch
About tins time. an accident occurred, winch had
well nigh put end Ia our preaching operations, IN
the navy battery The castle, which, as have re
marked had been shellme us al intervals, threw one
OF its thirteen inch bombs. with such precision that
n hghted on the sand not more than 1--WE PAGES m the
rear of one of the guns. At about this distance IN
the rear OF each piece We had Stationed quarter
gunner with small copper tank, capable o holding
eIsh; or ten charges of po~der-esch charge weigh
lng abou, ten pounds The shell falling near one Of
these petty officers he turned, upon hearing NOISE
behind him-he had not seen the she Il iall-and md
me a monstrous cannon ball there. as ne thought,
mechanically put his hand upon II Finding II hot
II at once occurred To HIM what 1t Was IL Was too
late 10 run and IN the CONSERVATION OF the moment
L.. -. - I'm