The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-16
LETTER OF GENERAL ALvonD.


WASHINGTON, u. c., April 0, 1877.
WILLIAM G. ToDD, Esq, Ncwb uryport, Mass:--
DEAR SIR-You have requested mo to put In writing
my verbal narration to you OF the battle Of Ccrro
Gordo, Mexico, fought on the 10Th August. 1S47 ny
Laly's command. on the march from Vera Cruz TO
Jalapa I was Acting Assistant Adjutant General OF
that command. Your reason Tor wishing me 10 wrto
It out was the emphasis l gave to the value Of my
possession Of good map OF the ground published In
the New York HERALD the OCCASION OF the more i'm
por,ant battle OF Ccrro Gordo, fought previously Oh
the 18th April. under General Scott.
must premise that II there advantages in this
particular from newspaper accounts aud maps OF
tina. war; IL must DO remembered that the enemy, in
that war; could not benefit by them from their remote
ness and the difference Of language AS general rule
there DO doubt that much Inconvenience IL felt
by military commanders from publications In news
papers In the midst OF active operations
FIGHT cgRRo GoRDo.
l had boon stationed at Boston for few months In
the winter and spring OF lS46 and l847 and had read
carefully and remembered well tho official reports OF
Scott's battle OF Cerro Gordo II remarkable that
his General Order No ILL., OF nth Ap lS4 issued the
day before the BATTLE could stand tho best magnu-
bio official report OF the battle, precise were the du-
assigned to the various corps and prophetic
u of the result He had ordered General Twiggs to
road 10 tho right around In rear VI the principal
hill OF Cerro Gordo. ana that officer on the 18th
ried that hill 6y storming party capturing the heavy
artillery which crowned u. As the artillery had thus
been captured ict certain that the Rueras whom we
were lighting had no cannon wutch could command
tho from that hill, and Therefore that they would
not make principal stand that tho northern)
side the road, but would occupy the various bat
teres to the south 81 the road aud theuce 10 the river
Of Plan del Lilo, all which could comuand the road
with musketry.
Tno command OF Major Lally was the nrst behind
General scotIs and lett Vera Cruz tho 9Th Aug
the latter lett Puebla Tor us memo
rable Campaign against the city or Mexico. We had a
pieoad communal OF about one thousand men, CON-
posed Of regulars and volunteers recently recruited
most detached companies en- route to Join their various
regiments IN the held the enemy nad me. US a.
Bridge on the l2h giving US ssi lights, especially on
the latter day. :.
programme. Instead OF their undertaking. as on the
18th April, TO holu Ccrro Gordo hill against as and
making their principal attack nom their lett, be-
lieved they would hold the various ntrenchmcnts on
their right OF the road, commanding II by nusketry
fire. (See those Entertainments we'll represented In y
map on page 189 u Mansheld's Mexican War;
sure enough they commenced ire upon us from .
position their lett little beyond tho corner OF
Twiggs road; but II was feint intended 10 draw US
main command wc should have been completely en-
trapped Tor heavy barricadc had been Uuilt across
the main road In rear or the musketry work.
A small command was sent 10 engage the enemy 10
the right, but with The authority Of the commanding
officer, MAJOR Laly) organized storning party, un-
der command OF Lieutenant Henderson Ridgeley,
Fourth infantry, composed Of Companies H and K,
Fourth infantry, aud Lieutenant Clinton Lear c0i-
pany 10y Fifth infantry TO storm and carry the breast
works the south road
THE HERALD MAP.
showed him tho map OF the ground In tho NEW
York HERALD which had III my pocket and had pro-
served Tor four months, 10 fui expectation that Il
might come play. II was mere surmise that those
old Mexican batteries occupied, but IN about q
half hour heard the rattle OF musketrv IRE, and
the enemy were seen rereating along tho road,
whom vigorously pursued, but were stopped by the
road barricade, which was that night removed Liou-
tenant Rdgcey was entirely successful with aloss
mis- side OF nine men killed aud wounded and the cap
ture Of Two p0uuders 1900 rounds Of musketry
connoilercd before advancing, choosing make his
assault upon Battery No. 2 as the largest and mos.
commanding whicn, carried, would involve tho tall
OF the rest
OCCUPATION OF JALAPA.
The consequence was the advance Of our troops TO
day OF battles Contreras Cherubusco 10 the
valley OF Mexico. On tue day previous 1.-THE l9h) at
Los Animas, within milo and u hall OF Jaapa, q
skrmish with the enemy, Major Lally had been
slightly won nded, and l. us next rank, lett In
command. With did place tho .urcc IN that
city 10 hold lis commanding POSITIONS well know
ing that II any reverse happened TO the main army.
under Scott, We should have great trials hands
have thus complied with your request, but would
for more complete "details to the Official report
Major f. /. lallY, page 49,, OF executive documents
No. Of Secretary OF Wars report December, lS47.
this affair, but, having assenicd TO your request,
could not AVOID the risk oil the charge oil egoism IN
furnishing these items oil the story.
On reaching Mexico / told General Scott that we
had reversed his operations mt Ccrr0 Gordo But
OF tho Official reports alluded to the possession
cal moment proved quite Invaluable Very truly yours
BENJAMIN ALNORU.