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From the War: Letter from Maj. Lally

From the War: Letter from Maj. Lally image From the War: Letter from Maj. Lally image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
October
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Headquarters, Jalapa, Aug. 26ih, '47. To (ov. Wihon, Vera Cruz : My command renched this place on the morning of the 20th instant. We have fought our way triumphantly every inch of the route, but have had severe contests, nay, bnttles - witli the gueril)as; on the lOtli, at Paso Ovejas, (as before reponed) on the 12th August at lhe Nalional bridge, on the 15th August, nt Cerro Cordo, and on the 19th, nt Lag Animas, only one mile and n half from this cily. Not a wagon has fallen hito the hands of the enemy. We have been opposed by al least 1200 or 1500 guerrillns on these occasions - perhaps less ot the Iti t-t, for they were badly whippedat Cerro Gordo, where their loss was so largo that they could not reorganiza. - Father Jaralua commanded hem. Our loss is great. During the entire march - 7 officers wounded; 12 of rank and lile killed ; five mortally wounded ; 66 wounded. Ofthis number, 4 killed and 1 wounded were at places elsewliere thau the four actions named above. I regret to say, tliat at tlie National Bridge, Mr. George D. Twiggs ('expected a commission and to be A. D. C. to Gen. T.) was killed wliile gallan'.ly serving in my slafF; Capt. J. [-1. Culwell, of volligenrs, and Captain A. C. Cuimnings, llth infanlry, were wounded on the lOih (as before reporled) hut are doing well noiv, At N-ttional B., Lieut. James A. Winder.of voltigeurs, and Lt. Geo. A. Adam', of marine corps; were dangeronsly wounded ; nlso on the same day, Capt. W. J. Clark. 12lh ofantry, in the thigh ; 2] Chnrfs M. Crearer, 12th infanlry, not sevei-ply, in the !eg. At Las Animas, on the 19ti), Major F. T. Lnlly. 9th infantry, commanding ofticer, ".voundfid in iho nef:k, nol teverly, but has for a few days been disabled froin commanH. A lnrge number ofsick have accuinulaied, beside our wnundrd; and we shall be compelíO;! to remain here meny days to rfcrui'. In ihe bndle of Kings Mili TOO of tl:o 8th, Gen. Wortli's división, were lost and nbout 600 in ihe battle of the 13th in st. inning Chapullepec and nttack on ihe Cit'ulel. Quiimsi's división lost 200- Twigg's, 203- Pillow's, 142 - Worth's, 143, rrmking 84S in all. - Woith had scarcely l;000 men in thij aclion. Our entire loss since lenving Puebla, in killed, ounded and missing, Kendall eM i mates at full 3000. Another authority makes it 4000. Ainong the killed are Cols. Macintnsli nnd Cranston, Li. Cul. Martín Scoit, Lt. Col. Grabam. Lt. Col. Baxter, N. Y. regiment, and Lt. Col. Dickin-ion, S. ('. regiment, Maj. Tiggs, Cipt. Van Olnida, nnd Captain Mernll. Amongthe woundd are Major Corvaine, Brevet Maj. J. Wrighl, A Monïgomery, Captains R. Anderson, A. Carey, W. II. S. Walker. Lieuis. Thomas Glenns, W. H. Cownns, P. V. GuiAre, S. VVilliam?, J.imes Miller, Jarvis Caldwell, Major II. Glnddom, Assisnnt Ajntant Gjn. W.VV. Markell, Volun'.eer Aid de Camp George Wilkins Kendnll. Lieut. Col. Garl.-.nd, Mnjor W. V. Loring, Brevet Col. J. E. Johnson, Capt. J.H. Williams, James Barclay, C. H. Pierson, J. Hungerford, Miriclielle,Mangerouplv, ü. R..M'Phial. J.S. Simmon. J. P. Backinstos, S. S. Tucker George Newman, Silas Cnrey, J.B. Macgurder, J.M. Scantland, R. G. Gale, Mores J. Barnard, S. S. Truesdale. Kendall sums upthe loss of the different divisions in the great battle of Mol ino del Rey, or Kings Mili, tluis : Gen. Worth's División. The grand total, rece i ved anH not recited above, is killed, wounded and missing, 16a3 WEM! Kendall gives a list of the wounded ofilcers. and adds, "The above list is complete and perfect. There has been much difiïcully in oblaining it, as nearly all the orderly sergeant and executiveoflicers have been wounded or killed. Tl.e conduct of all the non-commissioned qfficers has been gallnnt and most conspicuous, while several of lliem behaved so nobly that they have been recommended for immediata promotion to Gen. Scott. More than half the ofïïeers of Gen. Worth's división have been slruck down eilher killed or wounded, in the nctions of Chubusco and El Meline del Rey, and many of tlie companies have absolutely no one to command them. "Ofour wounded officers, 1 cannot learn tha'. one of them lias received mortal injiirVjBlthougli three or four nre in a dangeious siluaiion. Tlie wound uf Maj.
Wai'.e, although severe, will not keep him long from dutv. The same may be said ofC&ptain Mason and Lieut. Foster, of the Engineers. Major Wriglit was struck in the stomach by a parlially speul ball, while gallantly lending the storming I part of 500 picked men. but is now i covering from the effect." "The 5th infantry suffer-erf the most. This regiment, a long with the 6th and 8th, was engage ! in the attnek upon a strong work on the oiremy's right, and was opposcd to such superior number that it was compelled to retire, alone with the others. Tlie celebrated Col. I Martin Scott was killed in the attack, alongwith Ltf. Burwelland Strong, while Col. Mclntosh, and many others were badly wounded. The worse than savage miscreants in ihe fort, after our men had I retired, set up a yeïl. and carne out and I massacied sucli of our wounded as were unable to get off. Fully -ere they avenged, however,fbr within halfan hour, I Duncan's battery, a:ided by the fall of j another of their woiks, drove the das-I tardly wretches in full flight across the I fields. "General Scott intended, on the trrorning of llie 14ihtomake a lodgment on the liew passes entering by the San Cosmegade, and thence to bom bard the ciiv. - For this purpose the remainder of Gen. Twiggs' división was ordered from El Peidul to the support of General! VVorth. "The report that Gen. R(a was at Puebla is eonnVmed, and the Genius of Liberty, of Ihe27th uit., snys our troops, under Col. Childs, were bombarding the city from the surrounding heights. The same paper of the 2d instant lias the following: "den. Santa Anna, never so badly discomfitted, was by the very latest accounts at Puebla. Mis forcé, after its junction with that of Gen. Rea amounted in cavalry nnd ir.fantry to 3,000 men, and it was quntcred in the convent of St. ' Carmen." Ciiy of Mexico, Sept. 20. Assassinations continue to occur. No less than ten murdered sotdiera were found this mom ing, in the vicinity of the juarter of San Pedle, and eight in lhe jirevious day. Col. Mackintosh tlied last nig'it, and is to be buned to-morrow with military ors. He feil pierced with two balls while gallantly leading hij ftien to] nttack the Casscmanta on tlie 8ih, and! his system was not iible to overeóme the shock. Gen. Parades, acoording to severa' letters, remaincd at the cnpitol incog., j and boa witnes eJ all recent ope rat orre] without taking a part - having been deterred by threats of Santa Anna. Gen. Parades ia in ntimiie connection wilh the principal officers of Mexico, nnd Ikis gne to J.ilisco to place liiuiielf at the head of 20,000 men j 1 cted logather b_v six sta'es of the coal ilion. Gun. Quitman Ins eau -e J all cliurches' ti be reop -n?d. A denutation of merchin!s requnsied Gen. Scott to use all p isáibla mein-i t o,i3n coininunicaions ith the co;ist. He replied that l.e would : npply liimself jo that object, and hoped to succed. Santa Anna and Lrrei were , ing to prevent the entrance of Gen. Lane into Puebla. The latter has 2,500, and the forinrr 3,000 under their respective commands. It is said ihnt if Santa Anna does not succeed in this last enterprise, lie will reUre to Oajica, and rest himself, and augment his force in that suite, wliich ia! in the immediate vicinily of mala. On the night of the 13th, Santa Anna evacuated all his positions and retreated from the city, having liad more than half his army killed and wounded or taken prisoners. Early in the tmirping Genera's Qiitmin and Smitli's command entered the graiid national Piaza. The column was formed. The Na:ional Standard of the Cerro Gordo división was displayed, while lhe comnnnd carne to a present. About 6 o'clock Gen. Scott and StafT, in full feather, escorled by the cavalr(v, entered the city amidst the huzzas of the sokliery on all si des. As he entered, the band of the 2nd (ir agoons mounted, interestcd the staring crowd with Hai! Columbia. Throughout lhe I4th and lüth the Mexicanscontinued firing from the terps of the houses, killing and wounding many. - TheRiflle Regiment and infantry were then sent in pursuit nnd silenced them wherever lhey went. The Mexicans were much mistaken when they carne to engage the Rifles from house taps. The deadly aim of rifles picked Ihem from their hiding place when they least expected it, and lhey were very willing to ccase so unequala conlest.

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News