Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-07-04

from the main road. directly towards Huamantla. /
On the morning Of the gth of October the people |
Of Huamantla were startled and disnayed to behold |
the formidable and gittering array spread out over
the neghhoring hills. White flags were Immediately
hung out, IN token Of submission. and the place
seemed to have surrendered without blow from its
panic-stricken inhabitants, But suddenly the ad-
vanced guard, under Capt. Walker, having entered
the town. was assailed every side by volleys OF
He Immediately ordered charge upon
body of 500 lancers, stationed with two pieces OF
artillery in the Plaza. furious aud dlyc0mbat
ensued. Gen. Lane, advancing at the head Of his
column, encountered the heavy re;nforce1ant order
ed IN BY Santa Anna who now arrived with his
whole force. Soon the roar Of battle sounded
through every street, and street and Plaza were
reddened with blood and covered with heaps of the
slain The Mezicans for short time eombatted
their assaants with the energy and fury of despair
But the steady and well directed yslor Of the sol
diers of the q Republic of the North broke down
all opposition The Mexican ranks were broken
and thrown into disorder the order to retreat was
given and the American flag waved in triumph
over the treacherous city Of Huamantla
This was the last field on which Santa Anna APP
peared in arms against the United States This re-
markabIe man, universally acknowledged to be an
able and active, never a successful commander
Whether this want of success is to be aserlbed to
the superior Generalship of the leaders, and Prov
of the troops opposed to him, or to his own IN
stability of purpose in the very crisis of battle.
not stop to inquire Having, during the progress OF
the war, collected several large armies and led them
to defeat, ne had determined with that which re-
manned to him, to make last effort to retrieve his
fortunes, and Huamanta was selected as the Water
loo where his waning SHOULD shine out in cloud
less eugenee or sink to rise no more If he did not
encounter Wellington on that field, he encountered
one, who with Wellingtons courage, united many of
the higher qualities OF military commander. Per-
haps he relied upon General Lanes want of expert
ence but the courage and conduct of the latter
at Buena Vista should have admonished HIM of the
hopelessness of a contest in open and equal field
with such an officer, at the head of troops compar-
atively fresh in high spirits, with fuh confidence in
the skill and courage of their leader and burning TO
rival the heroic deeds of their countrymeu at Che
pultepec and CerrO GOrdo Although Santa Anna,
from this time withdrew from an active partlcIpa-
ton in the contest between the belgerent nations
the bloody drama in which he had played so CON
spicuOus part was not yet closed. Much remained
to be done to complete the contest anspicously
begun on the banks of the Rio Grande, and prose
cuted with such vgOr by Scott in the valley OF Mex
leo. Many bloody fields were yet to be won many
desperate bands of guerlas yet TO be defeated and
dispersed to render the subJugation OF the country
complete.
Defeated at Huamantla. the remnant Of the Mexi
can fierce fell back Atlixo, where, the 18th Of
October large body, with munitions and supplies,
and pieces of artillery were collected under the
orders of Gen Rea Cen Lane hearing Of the eoncen-
with the small force at his disposal to attack them.
After long and fstigung march on hot and sultry
day, he encountered the enemy strongly posted on
a hill side, within mile and half from Atxo. The
Mexicans made show of desperate resistance, but
being vigorously assaulted by the eaFalPy, closely
followed by the entire column, they gave way and
fled in confusion towards the town. 1t was not UNI
til after nghtfall that the whole command of Gen,
Lane reached Atlix0, having marched ten Spanish
leagues since eleven o'clock in the forenoon Dis
A.
approaches by the main roads, he opened vigOr-
Gus cannonade from a height which commanded the
town The guerillas. however, had fed. and the
authorities having after surrendered the place
into his hands, his wesFied troops entered the town
and sought the repose they SO much needed.
1t IS impossible, within the limited space allotted
to this sketch. to present detailed account of all
Gen. Lanes military operations at this period. In
authentic histories of the war and official documents
filed in the archives of government, the reader will
find the record of his achievements his long and
toilsome marches by night and by day over wild
ard rugged country, full of narrow deles and dan
gerOus passes his frequent surprises of the enemy
his sudden incursions far away into remote valley
and plain his fierce cOmbats and glorious victories
A; Tiascaila, MatamOras Galaxa Tulaucingo, Iii
GaglhplGn, IS at Hauamantla, and Atlixo, Mexican
vaoP yielded to the force of his impetuous and well
directed assaults. On every field the ranks of the
enemy went down before the laundering charge of
his cavalry the fierce onset CT bis resistess infan-
".
through Mexico, and the terror with which the enc
my was inspired by his death-dealing blows and
almost ubiquitous presence, was equaled only by
the qnbOE9ded confidence and enthusiasm infused
into his followers by his gallant bearing and the
prestige of PelIsd on bv them as the sure
guarantee Of victory, For one quality as much as
any other perhaps even his dauhtess courage, Gen.
Lane was distinguished throughout the War-bq-
mainly to the UdnqliShed. His bright fame was I'M
sulied, his escutcheon untarnished by single act
of wanton outrage cruelty during the whole time
he bore commission in the American army.
When the fight was over, and the victory won,
the field of carnage, where short time before foe
man had met foemSn in deadly conflict presented
the spectacle of stern and swarthy warriors. I'M
bued with the humane spirit of their leader bend
ing the heaps Of the dying and Dead selecting
now friend, and now foe, from whom the vital
spark had not yet fed, staunching his wounds and if
the sufferer had not yet passed beyond the power of
human aid to save restoring him by their kind min
situations to life and health, family, home and
friends. An officer thus distinguished for courage
and humanity unyielding fortitude under the Sc
verest privatiOns an originality and pPomptness
in the formation of his plans surpassed only by the
bOdneSs and rapidity of their execution; celebrity
of movement which annihilated time and distance
with power of endurance that defied hunger and
thirst, heat and cOld-such an officer never for a
moment relaxing his exertiOns, and adding some
new to the list to the last of his conquests
could not fail to attract the attention and excite the
and applause Of his country in all parts of the United
States There was a tnge Of romance in his ex-
PLOTS, which possessed irresistible attraction and
eapdvated the imagination of all classes Of admirers
But imagination has but little to do with the final
judgment which his cOurtrymen have pronounced
upon his conduct. The parallel traced at the time
between his deeds and character, and those of an
1ustriOus hero of the Revolution, suggested to his
countrymen suitable way of testifying their APP
probation of his services and admiration of charac
boo
that the parallel is not altogether imaginary be-
slowed upon him title, prOuder than any con-
ferred by patent of nobility from prince or
p0tentate-the title of "T The Marion of the Next
can War"
Before the closs OF the war the Government of
the United States approaching the vaue bic services
rendered by Gen. Lane, conferred on him the rank
of Major General. This was so expressed N the
order of the department. special mark Of ap-
probation for his gallantry and skill displayed in
numerous engagements with the enemy.r
On the 10th of March, lS4s, the treaty of peace
between the United States and Mexico was ratified
by the Senate. Gen. Lane remained some months
ip Mexico after peace was concluded directing the
movements and experimenting the embarkation Of
troops returning home.
Returning to the United States in July few days
after he reached home, he was appointed by Presi-
dent Polk, Governor Of the Territory of Oregon.
This appointment, entirely unsolicited General Lane,
against the wishes of many of his friends, concluded
tons started across the plains in September. with
an escort of twenty men. After a journey across
the plains and mountains full of peril and hardship,
he arrived in Oregon in March, 1S49, and immedi-
ately organized the Territorial Government.
OF the ability with which he performed the duties
of Governor, no better testimony could be given
than furnished by he feet, that when superseded
by Governor Gaines, the accession of General
Taylor to the Presidency, he was elected by the peg
pie of Oregon delegate in Congress- position in
which he has remained to the present time, (lS58)
The military career of Gen. Lane did not close
With The termination of hostilities between the
United States and Mexico. In Oregon he was des-
tined to add other laIrels t9 those already won
The Indians Of that Territory gave the whites much
trouble destroying lives and property, and thereby
greatly impeding the progress and retarding the sgt
Element of the country. In 1853 occurred formid-
able outbreak on Rogue River, in the Southern part
of Oregon. Gen. Lane Immediately collected
force, composed of settlers, miners, and few Off
GERS ard soldiers of the regular army. attacked the
Indiana near Table Rock and after desperate con.
flict in which he severely wounded, drove them
from their position. Following up this success
with great vigor he administered such chastisement
that they gave up the contest, and glad to
accede to any terms of peace
An extended biography Of Cen Lane, if ever
written, will present many interesting incidents in
his career, necessarily excluded from this brief
sketch. But enough is here narrated to serve the
l.