The banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, May 27, 1846, Image 2
toe and fight with short knives, until one
or the other would full, without either
having moved in his tracks; and in thu
revolution between Santa Ana and
BusTAMiiME, they charged up to the
...! 'I i t .1 _ r ...1 -i. a .. .
ciujiiwMb wuiisi ueicmng form meir nery
deaths, anil throwing lariats over the
muzzles, ran oil' with them whilst being
discharged ; this, not only once, but
many times, though often parties of only
thirty-five would charge, and only one
or two escape with life. And what is
more courageous than the manner in
which the Rancheros broke the line ol
the Spanish army? Tying two lariats
together and fastening the ends to the
pommels of their saddles, thus having
ioity foot of hide rope between every two
men, thev would start, fiftv or a hundred
t ? # ^ > B
together,and drive into the Spanish lines,
tripping and disordering their columns,
though themselves devoted to certain
death, and this voluntarily.
The physical difficulties of the country
must also be taken into consideration
; tiie great scarcity of water in many
places; the difficulty of procuring
provisions for an army ; the fact that
roads are few, and that you by necessity,
are compelled to travel them, and
they in many places pass through defiles
most easily defended.
But L have already spun out this
prosy article too long, and will only add
my sincere hope, that the United States
may conquer Mexico, and that right
speedily ; lor settled bv Americans, ii
woulJ be the richest and most pro J tielive
and delightful country the sun ever
shone on. Aldea.no.
From the Army I
The Mexicans Twice Routed ! ! !
From the Montgomery Journal
By the Daily Picayune, and an extra
from the Mobile Advertiser of tinIS'li,
we have news, the substance of
which is contained in the following:?
There has been two engagements between
Gen. Tavlor ami tlir? Muxicnn
troops, the first occurring the 8th inst.,
when Gen. Taylor was returning from
Point Isabel to his camp, opposite Malamoros.
In this the Mexicans, from
5,000 to 7,000 wpre repulsed, our army
sleeping on the field of battle, on which
next day were found 200 Mexicans
dead, several pieces of artillery, stores,
&c. Maj. Ringgold died subsequently
from wound in this action.
Of the second battle we can only
give the following particulars from the
Picayune.
The U. S. steamer Col. Harney arrived
this morning, just as our paper
was going 10 press, irom tsrazos Santiago,
having left on*the 13th inst. Her
news is glorious to our arms
She brings official accounts of a second
battle between the Mexican and
American forces, which took place on
the 9th, commencing at half past 3
o'clock, P. M., within three miles of
camp Taylor. The action was upon
the edge o' the ravine, and one mile
from the chapparal which was here
about twelve miles in width.
The Mexicans commenced the action
with the artillery, which was posted so
as to sweep the narrow pass by which
Gen. Taylor was advancing , there being
a swamp on either hand, Gen. Taylor
immediately ordered a charge in the
icuui u i me enemy's destructive
fire, and the itoops promptly responded,
and carried the enemies guns at the
point ol the bayonet.
So sudden and impetuous was the at
tack, and so successlul, that Arista had
not time to save his papers, which with
all his correspondence fell into the hands
of Gen. Taylor.
The action lasted one hour and a half,
in which time 600 Mexicans were either
killed or wounded, and the Americans
took three hundred prisoners and
three hundred pieces of artillery. The
American loss in action was but sixtytwo,
killed and woundedA
mnnor ih? r*_i ?
mv ib>iivu wCIC V_yUl, lVlClll*
tosh, Lieut. Cochran, Col. Brown (by
the bursting of a shell,) Lieui Eng, and
one or t>vo others, whose names are not
given. Col. Payne, Lieuts. Gates, Burbank,
Hooe, Luther, and others were
wounded.
We regiet to say that Maj. Ringgold,
who was so severely wounded in the ae
tion of the 8th died on the 10th instant
and was burned next day with the honors
of war
The total loss of the Mexicans tn the
two uctions ot the 8th and 9th was at
least 1200. The Mexican force amoun
ted to bJ JO men, whii that ol the Americans
on the 0rn11.ul ili'l niiw?
V?.,V. MV* VAWVU * \J\JKJ
men
An exchange of pr's^ner* took place between
the two armies subs* qumt to the
action, by whirh^npts. Thornton ?n;l
Hardee and Lieut. Kme have r?nMed
to the army. Lieut Deas was not demanded,
and still remains a prisoner.
Among the prisoners taken by General
Taylor, was Gen. Veja. For him two ii
American officers were ottered in ex- r,
change, but it was declined to give him u
uu.u 111 laliuui^c iui uu j\ mexican
officer of equal rank, whenever one
should be taken.
Gen. Veja anil two Mexican Lieu- I
tenant's were sent over by Gen. Taylor
ou the Col. Harney as prisoners of war,
Gen. Veja was allowed to be accompanied
by one of his aids, a Lieut. Colonel,
as a friend.
The Mexican army was so confident
of victory that ev-?ry preparation had
been made to celebrate it; but all their
preparations fell into the hands ol the
Americans. In their flight, many ol
the Mexicans took the river, and were
drowned in their attempts to swim it.
Gen. Taylor reached his camp the afternoon
of the action. Leaving there
his whole force, he started next morning
for Point Isabel, and arrived there
the evening of the 10th without molesta
rm
nun. i no morning 01 me litti tie siar r
led back for his camp opposite Matamo- i
ros. We need not say thai lie and his i
army are in the highest spirits. i
Tlie steamer Dallas loolc ofl* from this I
place (Montgomery) last night, the i
" Pintl il l Vanguards," numbering 70
hardy fellows; the Selma will take the s
" Blues" to-day, about 80; and to-mor t
row the''Rifles." about the same nam- ^
ber will leave lor Mobile. Montgome- t
ry will have sent a battalion when all i
these h i ve got off. \
We have every confidence in the au i
theritieity of the above account, as it is I
too much in detail to be deemed an in- I
vent.an. 1
IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO.
Tim Monitor ol the 25th April receiv- t
ed at the office ol the N. O Bulle'in, t
mn ttilis :l in inif.-s.ln rif P'.?riiHnc m tin.
nation, amounting to n declaration ol j
War- against the United States, though t
it is not !?sued in thut form. I
1 le declares that the war he has made t
is only a deleijsive one, and to prevent .
the Mexican territories from invasion i
ai.d attack. t
Paredes exhorts the Mexicans to ral j
ly to the aid of ihe country, and espe i
cially invokes voluntary assistance to i
carry on the war, calling to remem I
brance, as a stimulous to action, the I
names of hidalgo and iturbide.
MANIFESTO ;
OJ the President ad interim of th* Mexi- t
can Republic, dated 14 National Palxce (
oj Mexico, Apiil 23, 1846." (
When at the commencement of the c
present year 1 took upon myself the <
grave responsibility of directing, for a t
short time, the destinies of our nation, I i
determined with resolute mind to sus- t
tain and defend its rights and preroga- i
tives, changing the weak and pernicious I
policy of temporization, which had been ^
observed towards the government of the i
United States of America?notwith* t
standing the perfidious means by which <
it prepared the way for the occupation <
of Texas?the baseness with which it 1
violated the existing treaties that guar t
anteed to us inviolate the limit of this
Republic, and notwithstanding the im j
proper act by which it incorporated one {
of our Departments into the States of its t
Confederation.
1
The Mexican nation did not achieve t
her independence by the most bloody t
and heroieai sacrifices, nor did she take *
her place among the civilized nations of 4
the world, in order to be the mockery of 1
a neighboring power, which, fomenting
our quarrels, our painful disturbances, i
and exasperating the weakness which x
they produced, clothed herself with the c
apparel ol conquest, and commenced in- b
vading our territory, consoling herself in jthe
dream that she might one day extin- !'
guish the manly race to which we be- 'g
long, and by branding our foreheads, t
with the marking iron of her slavery of i
the ^euth, extinguish our nationality, ti
atid abandon us to the humiliating inis- <
fortune ol being no longer remembered '
among the nations. 1
This magnanimous people, that, in a t
an u^gir. ui eieven years ot blood and ex-1 n
termination, showed its strength and va- b
lor as well as its constancy, burned with 11
impatience to undertake anew war, to 1
which the most scandalous aggressions !'
on the part of a government which cal- t
leJ its* if friendly, were constantly pro- v
voking them ; and in order to degrade 8
us, that government relied on its power v
and forgot to stengthen itself on the ti- '
tlesol justice and equity, which are. re J
spt'cted by all nations, that strengthen
tne hopes of peace, and which maintain j1
the harmony of the whole universe. H
This was the reason why the Mexican
nation l:inelinnt<H ?l?u> w
... ,.w.. j *
which | comnu need at S in Luis Potosi,;
noi w th the view of set-king the trou- ^
bl to ne vx? i cite of powi'r, but that ?ny 0
country* ouid shine with the triumph p
ol' a cause which is the conservative i a
principle of human society. I<
#
The ancient grievances, the constant
nsults which, since I83G, the governnerit
of the United States had heaned
ipon the Mexican people, were crowned
>y the result of sending us a minister,
n order that he should be accredit d by
is, as if the relations between the two
Republics had suffered no alteration in
onsumuting the. definitive act of ihe. in:orporation
of Texas into the United
States.
At the very time Mr. Slidel prese^te ?
limself among us, the troops of the Unied
States occupied our territory; its
quadron menaced our ports, and they
vere preparing to take possession of the
'eninsula of the Califormas, the Oregon
juestion with England being nothing
jut a prelude to such a consumation. I
lid not admit Mr. Slidell, because the
lignity of the nation repelled this new
nsuh
Meanwhile the United States Army
mcamped at Corp:is> Christi, and oocu
)ied the Island of Padre Vayin; it
nareheded next toward Point St. Is ib I
ind waved the Banner of the Stars and
stripes on ilie right bank of the Rio Bra
m of the North, opposite the City o!
llatarnoras, arrogating to itself the navi
ration of the river with its vessels of war.
rhe village of Laredo was attacked m I
;urprised by a party ol the United States
roop^, and some of our soldiers whe
vere there unprepared, were dis r?*?.-.;
?v the enemy. Hostilities, therefore,
verc commenced by the United States,
vho have un lert.iken new conquests
ipon the territory of demarcation of tilt
Departments- of Tamaulipas and New
Leon, at the time that troops* of those
United States are Menacing Monterey,
>1 u.trw..- r?..i:r.
>a "ppi l VXUIIVl rikl.
It c innot be doubted upon which ol
he two Republics rests the ivsponsib.li
y of a war which a feeling ol equity
mil justice, and the respect which civili
Mlion accords to the rights and property
>f all nations, might have prevented
If Mexico had suffered with lndoh ucc
he repeated advances of ? power which
ilready considered itself master and lord
)f the American Continent, she won I I
lot only lose the importance which hei
copulation, her resources, and her posi
ion have given her, since, she has been
in independent nation,but she would alsc
inve f.tllen into a despcable contempt
or having, when callud to the combat,
iMowed tiie integral parts of her territo
y to be taken. Such numerous and
iggravaled insults could no longer be
f)|pre:?t?>fl nnil f linitu ?l>.
w. M.?V< m. MM w V\/IIII11U11U? u 111%'
jreneral-in-Chief of the frontier division
>f the North, that he act hostilely against
)ur enemy?that he make war upon the
inemy that is waring against us. and
hat by invoking the God of Battles, he
nay stimulate the valor of our sol
liers, and maintain our unquestionable
ight to our territory. Our General taring
as a model the established usages,
ind regulating himself to the precise
ules of our government, intimated to
he Commander-in-Chief of the Ameri:an
forces that he must retire to the oth
ir side of the river Nueces, the previous
joundary line of Texas: which intimaion
has been disregarded.
The nations whoso interest it is that the
>eace of so many years should not bp <liw.
urbed, and which might be prejudiced in
heir commercial relations with the Mexi
ran Republic, have discover d ihe cruel
ilternutive in which the usurping policy
>f the United States lias placed it, and
vhich would immediately have to suerumb,
if she were not to def-nd energeti:ully
the critical position of her exigences.
I solemnly announce that I do not de->
:lare war against the United States of
\merica, because the august Congress ol
In- Nation, and not the Executive, must
lecide definitely upon that repnration which
o many insults calls for. Besides this,
lie d?"fenceofih'- Mexican territory, which
9 invaded by troops o- the United States,
s of paramount necessity, and my responsibility
would'become great if I did not r?
oinmend that the en< my's forces should
r- p<d!ed. ] have don?' so From this
lay has a defensive war cornnipnci d, and
vfrv point of our territory sliiill be sirongy
?W:f?-nded, whi never it id invaded or at.
i. eked.
Th<* event which the Mexican Governnent
I Kid end'-avond to avoid, hue arrived ;
nd findinir that its titles to justice have
ieen trodden under loot, we enter inio an
inavoidatil * contest, which will vain lor iih
he ?ynipnthy of nations, and of governiii
nts which cendt inn the usurpiitions ot
lie mighty. W?; shall a|so*be mighty hy
lie sanction ot th?- purpos- , and because,
trlieu wry thing d?-ar to a nation is at
take, efforts will b?* made cor espoitding
/ill) ili?' interests at issu". M anwhil--,
he Mexicnn tuition, resolvd to risk ?*vrry
I.in.# ... --I -- ?-??
... 111 if in mi, wiuyivea sill)
m?.? example c?f patriotic d? votion, which
/ ll t?erv?- to re-proin?c?' thai ylory to which
' o?e nation* nmeh'd who tsu-tain d, in all
^e?,thfir uidt?p??nili>nci- and fr?>> do:n.
1 fni'l proud that tin' willoi Duinc Proid'
ttRU hag <ieptin> d in - to i?e ill* or^an
liroiii;li which ill" I'nt rp'iic will of the
/I- xu an It*>pnolic Khonld b<* made known.
Ve will ?l|Dw in the coiifat th?J th-< t?ong
t th" horoo* and the manyr* of ih?* Ind?*iiiwtnn^u
???ll *
ir* HUPii?m<'Q wim tft?? ri'.
V inbrance of its pure glory?ithat the va.
)r which they inherited has notdegenera.
ted in their noble breasts, and that they
are determined, if needs be, to immolate
themselves on the altar of their country.
Mexicans ! I unfurl, this memoablo day,
the standard of Independence, on which
you see inscribed the names of " Hidalgo"
and " Ituibide." Unite under this sacred
emblem of our freedom, leaving for time
of less danger, questions of local disagreement.
1 have promis"d you that the jrlory
which I B'-ek as a reward of my perilous career
is not that ot the ambitious man who
considers powr ns an instrument ot rapine.
I have.sworn to maintain the rights of the
Republic during the short epoch ot my
government ; and now that I urge you to
the contest, I tell you that great sacrifices
are necessary, and I promise you that I
will shed my own blood in the cause, if
necessary.
Mexicans! Your valiant army is going
to fight, and will light with the valor of heroes?give
them your blessings in anticipation,
and prepare to crown their noble
heads Willi laurels should they conquer, or
to deck their tombs with cypress should
they titII; in whieh event, your country
will call upon you to fill th?ir ranks.
Mexico must ei'.lier conquer or exidt no
Iniurcr '
1 [Signed,] M. Paredes y Arrii.laoa.
r * We pappose the allusion ia to Captain
Fremont's Company.?N. O D? lla.
GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR
? COMMANDER OF THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION.
Recent events have thrown this ?en
tleman so prominently before the public,
1 we feel disposed to gratify tin* sirong de'
sire expressed by many, by giving some
oi the incidents ul his life.
CJen. Tji) lor entered the army in IS08,
immediately after the attack on the
Chesapeake, and has been in the service
1 of his country, from that time to the prep
sent. Having enter d the army as a
lieutenant of infantry, he had risen to
the command o{ a company, at the beginning
ol the last tear.
For his gallant defence of Fort Harrison
on the 5th September, 1812, Pre
M..-I r i i
ciui-m itiiiuifuu cumerreu on nun tUi'
biovet rank ol Major, and he is now the
I ollrst brevet in ihe army
In 1832. lie became the Colonel of
the 6tli Infantry ; with this regiment he
went to Florida in 183G, where he was
always foremost in danger.
On the 25th December, 1836, Col.
Taylor, at the head of a detachment of
' about 500 men, composed of parts of the
' 1st,4th and 6th regiments of U. S InI
fan try and some Missouri volunteers,
met about 700 Indians, under Alligator,
' Sam Jones and Coa-coo che, on the
banks of Oke-cho-bee. This battle was
sought by the Indians, for the day before
' the engagement, Col. Taylor received
a challenge from Alligator, Celling
him where to find him, and bantering
him to come on. Col Taylor desiri??nr
nntVllnrr Koltni* i ?r?r* ' 1
Kg iiukuiug ututi , iiiiuiuuiaiciy JJUSIICU
on, at a rapid march 10 the expected battle
ground, fearful that the wily Indian
; might change his purpose. The Indians
had a strong position in a thick
swamp, covered in front by a small
stream, whose quick sands rendered it
" almost impassible,but Col.Taylor pushed
' through the quicksands and swamps in
the face of a deadly fire from a concealed
foe, driving the Indians before him.
! The action was long and severe. The
Indians yielding the ground inch by
i inch, and then only at the point of the
bayonet. After three hours of bloody
' contest, the Indians were routed and
pursued with great slaughter, until
night. This is the last stand the In
dians ever made in a large body, and the
only instance in which they voluntary
, gave battle. Though Col. Taylor won
the day, it was at the expense of 139
' killed and wounded?more than onelourth
of his whole force Two Colonels
1 (Col. Thompson of the 5th Infantry and
Col. Gentry of the Missouri Volunteersr)
fell Li'-uts. Brooks and Carter, also fell
, in the engagement.
During the whole of the engagement,
Col. Taylor remained on horse-back,
passing from point to point, cheering his
men to the conflict, and exposed to tho
Indian rifle at every moment. .
For this battle, Mr. Poinsett, Secretary
of War, rendered merited praise to all
en_aged, in his communication to Con
gress. i ne orenel oj ISrigartier General
was conferred on Col. Taylor, and he
was given the chief command in Florida,
which he resigned in 1840, after four or
five years arduous and indefatigable service
in the swamps and hammocks of
Florida.
After, his retirement from Florida,
he w?s*asi-igned to the command of the
1st Department ol the Army, including
the States of Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, &c, with his head quarters at
Fort Jesnp Louisiana.
His position gave him command of ,
the "Army of ? ccupation," but the (
u^age of the service woul I have justified )
ihft trnvt>rnmpill in u??i?rr?innr lA ihsit
comm.tn:!, either of six genera] officers '
of ih?' Regui.tr Army, whose rank is
higher than his; . ;
But. it may ba fairlv presumed that ''
the high character, gallsnt services and I
great experience of Gen. T., aside from,
his geographical position, pointed him.
out as the appropriate commander of an
arm V whirl* was In nlnnf " ?
- j , nag upun
the banks of the Rio del Norte.
Gen. Taylor is about 56 years of age:
is a man of much general information
and an excellent and tried soldier: a
prudent and skilful commander whose
traits of character are, a wise precau*
tion in providing for the hour of trial,
and a fearless, reckless courage in battle.
He is a Kentuckian by birth, and all
that that word implies He is an Ame*
rican at heart, and stamped with all the
elements of a hero, by nature.
Under his command the flag of the
Union will receive no dishonor on the
banks of the Ric Grande.
Nashville Orihopolitdn.
Mkxican Preparation.?We are
in formed, from a reliable source,
that within the last year and a
hall, or two years, the Mexican
Government has been receiving,
from time to time, schooners, powder,
cannon and ball, from the city
ofi\ew York. Within this period
there have been bull t y our ship**
masters, twelve strong schooners,
of sufficient strength and ca acity
to act as privateers or vessels of
war. These vessels were built
with an eye to strengih combined
with swillness of sailing. These
vessels were despatched to Mexico
under American colors and unVr
the captainship of Americans,
from lime to time, as they were
built, and were paid for bv an ex
tensive Mexican house in I his city.
Each of these vessels carried,
likewise., from eijrht 10 ten tons of
gunpowder as cargo, and likewise
a number of gutis, amounting-to
one hundred and eighty in all,
which were cast in a 1'oundary in
this c'.ty, and proved by an American
of skill in such matters.
At. one time, it is said, the Mexican
Government were, indebted to
this Mexican house in half a million
of dollars, for these supplies.
A shipmaster lately from Vera
Cruz, reports that, when he was
there he inspected the castle of St.
Juan de Ulloa, and saw a cannon
of 182 pounds calibre, which, with
forty or filly Paixhan guns, are
now mounted on fliat fortress.
Th? beach where the Freneh landed
is likewise completely fortified.
We have the name and dates
for all these facts, which we suppress
for the present.
N. Y. Herald.
0
Volunteers?no more wanted.?
We learn from an authentic source
that the requisition made by Gen.
Taylor on Louisiana has been
fulUf complied with, without a
iv 1 *1 ?
uian, aim luai mere are even
more volunteers than can be received.
Several companies have
been already refused, and offers
are beginning to pour in Irom the
interior which will all be rejected
until further requisition from the
proper authorities is made. This
intelligence was brought here yesterday
by Major Chase ot the U,
S* Army, who declined accepting
the services of the gallant volunteers
from Montgomery under
Capt. Elmore, now quartered in
his city, to the very great mortification
of Capt E. and his brave
associates. We understand that
so eager are tney lor their countrys
service, that a messenger has been
despatched to the proper officer in
l\ew Orleans with a proposition
to volunteer without pay, and a
request to be received on those
terms. Never was there a set of
men more eager tor ihe battle-field
than ihese Montgomery volunteers,
and it will be a sore disap .'oini
men to them should ihey not
>e permitted to minscle in the
struggle now raging on the banks
ol the. KioGrande.
To all those who ire desirous of
engaging i'? the service of their
country in the present crisis, we
would recommend the exercise of
a little patience. We have little
doubt but a requisition will He
ma le as soon an the war intelli*
gence reaches Washington, which
will furnish an opportunity for the ,
gnu ilicai ion of all who may desire *
o volunteer. . But for the present i
Lhey miist hold on. j