Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1852-10-01
To the Voters of the Fifteenth
Congressional District.

La
Gen. Irwin having been nominated for |
Congress, in this district, the following
Sketch of his Services in Mexico may
prove interesting to our readers
WnIIAM II. IRWIN was appointed
captain in the lth regiment u. 5 Infantry |
in February, lS47, by james K. Polk, |
then President of the United States. In !
the short space of six weeks he recruited !
splendid company, 50 strong, and left !
for the seal of war in March, I847. Whilst
the troops were assembling at New Orleans, |
Captain Irwin lin the absence of any
field officer commanded the large body !
Of men $500 on board the transport ship |
America and rapidly introduced order |
and discipline among this confused mass !
of recruits. He sailed from Brazos Island |
for Vera Cruz with the troops under Gen
Cadwalader, and marched with that gene
al 10 relieve Col. Mcintosh, who was sur
rounded by Guerrllas. Captain Irwin
commanded the leading company of the
rear guard at the engagement Al the Nation
al Bridge, and brought into camp, under
The ire OF the enemy, several valuable
lran-Wagons which had been abandoned by
The drivers. Such was the steadSness Qfthe
men that they crossed the long and danger.
Gus bridge exposed TO a flank fire. al the
parade step, The word ic1, right 'lelt,
right, being given by tie officers as if on
drill When The train was about to descend
the deep, narrow deii!e that leads to Plan
del Rio, Gen. CadWalader asked for
company that c0uFd be depended Oa.to hold
the heights against threatened attack of
the enemy. Col. Ramsey selected compa-
ny d, Qrwin's, and this single company
guarded these heights until the last of the
train had reached the camp.
On The 18th August, l847, the llth
regiment and two companies of dragons
supported reconnoitering party under
! captain Lee, and advanced into the rocks
towards Contreras, where it was attacked
by the enemy. A general charge was made,
and the leading company of the regiment
( lied by Captain Irwin and Lieuts. Mccoy
and Scou) was directed 10 charge separate
! body OF the enemy, which it did in
most gallant style, killing and capturing
several of the Aiexicaas.
The following is an extract from the
otlicia! report Of 1t. Col. Graham; Capt.
irwin's Company, (D). by request OF
Major Hunter, was detached and placed
under bis command. who pushed it forward
most gaianlly 10 attack the extreme right,
which attack was led by captain Irwin with
great gaIianry, and produced the most bene-
fetal effect In another part Of The same
report, speaking of the battle Of Contreras,
Go!. Gralam says: Brevet Gen. Smith
, directed me to recOnnotre the enemy's
works, with the assistance of ADJ. Daniel
). Ice and Lieut.. Harley of my regiment,
and also by the advice of Lieuts. Town
and Beaugard Of the Engineer Corps,
did so. and reported it practicable To attack
on the left of Col. Riley's Brigade, (which
was the attaching column.( This advice
was not acted ppon by the commanding
officer, and ! was directed to follow and
support Col. Riley's Brigade during the
attan< upon the battery. Two companies
under command of Major Hunter were
detached 10 disperse body OF lancers and
infantry, numbering from 3 to 400, who
were pouring a calling fire upon the right
flank Of the stormiRg column. This small
force ol 80 men. companies ID and II, llta
infantry, under command Of Captains lR-
YIN and Guthrie, and Lieuts. Mccoy,
Harley, Mcclellan and Scott, gallantly
performed this duty, killing number Of
both lancers and infantry
And further on in this report. speaking of
the battle of ChurubUsco. Colonel Graham
says: My command pressed gallantly
forward-at the main road we met With
Gen. Worth's forces We moved on this
battery in conjunction with Gen, Worth s
command, carried the work, and then join
ed in the general pursuit of the enemy
under Gen. Pillows direction, until we
were ordered to halt almost within reach
of the enemy'S fire from the city,
In the fierce and terrible battle Of Molino
del Rey, one OF the bloodiest on record,
where 1900 Americans defeated 10000
Mexicans strongly entrenohed, the llih
infantry, led by Graham, charged the enemy
through a tempest of musketry, and the
leading company (D) was commanded in
person by Captain Irwin. Early in the
fight, while the regiment was coming into
fire, but distant from the entertainments
$50 or 800 yards, Captain Irwin was struck
in the hand by spent shot, which infict-
ed severe wound and has disabled the
hand for life. He would not leave his
company but continued TO command it until
the battle was won and the enemy driven
from the field.
For his gallant and meritorious services,
Captain Irwin was nominated TO be Bre
vet Major by James X. Polk, President of
the United States, and was confirmed in
this honorary title by the Senate of the