Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-07-01

OrrrcE.
Printing done in colours shcn desired.
Thrpatronagc ofour town and country friend,i- ~
sPcc,fuly solicited.
they able and wiling nrn. .all bring tn your cum
mnnd ahou, twenty. four hundred Of u arms. To.mnr.
row morning at four o'clock shall leave here for Pue
bla. and shall make the march in FIVE days.
have the honor to be- 18th the
your obcdent servant, FRANKLIN PIERCE,
Brig. Ges. 4. q. Avmy
Major GESERAL WINFIELD Scorr
Commanding z. s. forces Ia Mezico.
CAMr 90 pE AcuA. Asgas 9. 1s47.
CArrAiS: Iwrote yesterday evening by Mexican.
reporting my progress and position. A. the messenger
may not have arrived safe repeat tlst having
To suppose That General Pierce the Orisnba
road and having Ell Pinal learned o the cucrra CO
tablisl,nrnt Mt San Junn de los Limos determined,
while waiting ir Of General Pierce 10 break il ur
sent Captain huff with h- squadron the de-
sign. which he did in the handsome and gallant
style, killing forty and woundnc fifty. There were.
learn to-day 600 gucrilcros md 100 infantry in this
town, then him To perotc. bring on authentic
Information of General Pierce. and the mail Cor the
my sending Col. Burnet. to Vrcgcs, and Col. Chids
and the rifles e II Pinal to the rond. Receiving
notice last night of tho train San Juan Bspt-a.
have placed Col. Childs with directions visit Hua-
antn Tomorrow morning nt daylight. ond take any Of
the refugees irom Los Lanos that be fund there.
! will march to Ell Pnn morrow daylight. Col
Burnett having returned frcm Vregcs Gen. Pierce
cncnmp- to-day Tcquaqualco. took tlr liberty OF
asking him 10 send forward with Capt. Ruff mn officer
furnished with accurate information Of his force and hs
convey, He has accordingly sent hi. aid. Lieut.. Thorn,
who will enable the genera tn make his calculations
nn'hcn'ic data. will convey the train out if DO
ready 'o-norrow; viii prcccdc il. II 70 with
the train. will take dnys from FL Pia; IL not,
will goin one.
Your obedient servnnt.
PERSIFOR =. SMITH
Breea Brig. Gen.
Cant. III. L. ScoJr A A Zen
IL will be. seen that General Pierce says. hc
encountered no serious resistance on his march
from Vera Cruz; he hsd been attcked FIVE times
by gucrrlas. but their attacks were only cal
culnted I" anoy. and afforded no opportunity
for The display OF that Goodness and courage"
Which fits one for command If he Ind had any
affair worthy the name Of M acticn it was his
duty 10 have reported it; but be has not done
so. The above is the only despatch from him in
regard to his march from Vera Cruz. which is
i'und among the reports published of the vari.
Gus battles and skirmishes in Mexico. where an
arcount is given OF every thing having the sem.
h'ance Of battle. IN that despatch he does
ho deem 1t necessary TO commend the conduct
OF h's officers men in the sevrral attacks,
which had been made on him; because they
had Lccn so insignificant is The fair presumr-
lion, else he did NOT do justice to his officers or
mcn.
General Scott commenced The movement on
the City Of Mexico Tie 7th Of August, hy send
ing iorv ard Twigss from Pucbla aud Pill
lows division, TO which Pisrce's Brigade be-
hinged, moved on the 10Th The army arrived
at San Augustine The 18th, ~ here Scouts Head
Quarters were established. The direct road
To the Capiral lend through San Antonio. a
place strongly fortified, and approached only
ty a narrow causeway. thanked with deep ditch.
cs. To the right. the country was too boggy
10 admit Of operations in that direction. Gen.
Scott therefore determined to turn San Anto.
MO to- the left. over rugged and extensive field
Of lava. called the Pedrgal-and TINS gain an
other road to the Capital. and take San Anto
MO in the front and rear. Worth vas ordered
to threaten and mask that place. Pillow with
bis division 10 which Pierce's brigade belong
ed) was sent 10 the left 10 make rood Ar
tillcry over the fields Of Lawn, nn the 10Th.
and Twigg's division was thrown in front to
cover Pillows operations. About 2 o'clock
Of the same day, Pillow and Twisgs arrived
near Conrreras about six miles to the left Of
San Antonio. and found the enemy strong
ly entrenched. in great force. about half mile
from Contreras. They could advance only un.
der the FIRE of the enemys guns. From this en-
irenchment, It was necessary therefore to dis
lodge him. The position was strong one md
could only be approached over rough ground
and win great difficulty. Magrudcrs md
Callender's batteries were placed in position
in front Of the enemy's batteries, and dstan,
about 900 yards. The cnnnonading was com.
mcrced and continued with little interruption
until 10 or II o'clock ot night. When the
attack commcnc d. Riley's brigade of Twige =
IL, 81, sl IL
near to the village of Conircras, on The rond 10
to the City. Smiths brigade also of Twigg's
division was advanced in front to support tho
batteries subsequently, it moved alro to the
right. Cadwnlader's brigade Of Pillows d.
vision, was advanced to support Riley, and
subsequently Msgruder's Regimen, (,be i5,h)
Of Pierccs brigade which had hccn held in re-
serve was sent forward to support Cadwalla.
der, All Of these commands united nnd wcrc
concentrated under General Smith ahou, night.
fall at Conrreras-sub.equently they wcro
| joined at that place by Shields volunteer brig.
ade, OF Quiiman's division, which had been
ordered up from San Augustine None Of
lhcsc commands cxccp, RiIey's, and some pick.
cts thrown out by Shields. were engaged in
| 6gl,t with the enemy on the 18Th. though all
| ni thcm were at some time under the fire Of
the cncmy's batteries. Picrcc's brigade was
composed Of the 9th Infantry under Ransom,
the 18th Infantry under Bonham and the 18th
Infantry under Morgan--ihc latter was hold il
reserve. but subsequently, advanced to support
Cadwa entirely ihdepcndcn, Of Pierce
the rest Of the brigade was not engaged in &C.
ton on the 10Th, but late in the evening il was
ordered under the command Of Colonel Ran
som TO support the batteries Of Magruder and
Calender. Gen. Pierce himself was injured
by fall Of his horse some time on the 10Th,
a, what time does not appear, bnt it is suppos-
cd early in the day. as al Of the Generals were
compelled to dismount on their passage over
the Pedrigal, he was thereby thrown out Of
activity on the evening Of the 10Th. md the
morning Of the Goth, though il appears 'hc
did send some orders to Ransom on the even.
ing ofthe l9rh. Early on the morning Of tho
Goth. an attack was mado on the cncmy's en-.
irenchmen, in the rear by RiIey,s brigade.
Shields brigade, CadwslIadcr's brigade and
the 18th. ell under the direction Of General
Smith. and in front by the remainder Of Pierce's
brigade, under the command Of Col. Ransom,
and the position was carried in brilliant mar
ncr-ShieIds maintaining his position the wlilc
at the village Of Contrerss, and keeping the re
Inducements Of the enemy in check. AIter thu