place, severely wounded; and Captain Patten, 2d United States' infantry, lost his right hand.

66

• Major Sumner, 2d United States' dragoons, was slightly wounded the day before, and Captain Johnston, topographical engineersnow lieutenant-colonel of infantry-was very severely wounded some days earlier, while reconnoitring.

"I must not omit to add that Captain Mason and 2d Lieutenant Davis, both of the rifles, were among the very severely wounded in storming the same tower. I estimate our total loss, in killed and wounded, may be about two hundred and fifty, and that of the enemy three hundred and fifty. In the pursuit towards Jalapa, (twentyfive miles hence,) I learn we have added much to the enemy's loss in prisoners, killed, and wounded. In fact, I suppose his retreating army to be nearly disorganized, and hence my haste to follow, in an hour or two, to profit by events.

"In this hurried and imperfect report, I must not omit to say that Brigadier-General Twiggs, in passing the mountain range beyond Cerro Gordo, crowned with the tower, detached from his division, as I suggested before, a strong force to carry that height, which commanded the Jalapa road at the foot, and could not fail, if carried, to cut off the whole, or any part of the enemy's forces from a retreat in any direction. A portion of the 1st artillery, under the often-distinguished Brevet Colonel Childs, the 3d infantry, under Captain Alexander, the 7th infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Plymton, and the rifles, under Major Loring, all under the temporary command of Colonel Harney, 2d dragoons, during the confinement to his bed of Brevet Brigadier-General P. F. Smith, composed that detachment. The style of execution, which I had the pleasure to witness, was most brilliant and decisive. The brigade ascended the long and difficult slope of Sierra Gordo, without shelter, and under the tremendous fire of artillery and musketry, with the utmost steadiness, reached the breastworks, drove the enemy from them, planted the colours of the 1st artillery, 3d and 7th infantry the enemy's flag still flying-and, after some minutes of sharp firing, finished the conquest with the bayonet.

"It is a most pleasing duty to say that the highest praise is due to Harney, Childs, Plymton, Loring, Alexander, their gallant officers and men, for this brilliant service, independent of the great results which soon followed.

"Worth's division of regulars coming up at this time, he detached Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Smith, with his light battalion, to support the assault, but not in time. The general, reaching the tower a few minutes before me, and observing a white flag displayed from the nearest portion of the enemy towards the batteries below, sent out Colonels Harney and Childs to hold a parley. The sur render followed in an hour or two.

"Major-General Patterson left a sick bed to share in the dangers. and fatigues of the day; and after the surrender, went forward to command the advanced forces towards Jalapa.

"Brigadier-General Pillow and his brigade twice assaulted with great daring the enemy's line of batteries on our left; and though without success, they contributed much to distract and dismay their immediate opponents.

"President Santa Anna, with Generals Canalizo and Almonte, and some six or eight thousand men, escaped towards Jalapa just before Sierra Gordo was carried, and before Twiggs' division reached the National Road above.

"I have determined to parole the prisoners-officers and menas I have not the means of feeding them here, beyond to-day, and cannot afford to detach a heavy body of horse and foot, with wagons, to accompany them to Vera Cruz. Our baggage train, though increasing, is not yet half large enough to give an assured progress to this army. Besides, a greater number of prisoners would, probably, escape from the escort in the long and deep sandy road, without subsistence-ten to one that we shall find again, out of the same body of men, in the ranks opposed to us. Not one of the Vera Cruz prisoners is believed to have been in the lines of Sierra Gordo. Some six of the officers, highest in rank, refuse to give their paroles, except to go to Vera Cruz, and thence, perhaps, to the United States.

"The small arms and their accoutrements, being of no value to our army here or at home, I have ordered them to be destroyed, for we have not the means of transporting them. I am also somewhat embarrassed with the pieces of artillery-all bronze-which we have captured. It will take a brigade, and half the mules of this army to transport them fifty miles. A field battery I shall take for service with the army; but the heavy metal must be collected, and

left here for the present.

proper carriages with us.

We have our own siege-train and the

"Being much occupied with the prisoners, and all the details of a forward movement, besides looking to the supplies which are to follow from Vera Cruz, I have time to add no more intending to be at Jalapa early to-morrow. We shall not, probably, again meet with serious opposition this side of Perote- certainly not, unless delayed by the want of means of transportation.

"I invite attention to the accompanying letter to President Sauta Anna, taken in his carriage yesterday; also to his proclamation, issued on hearing that we had captured Vera Cruz, &c., in which he says: If the enemy advance one step more, the national independence will be buried in the abyss of the past.' We have taken that step.

"One of the principal motives for paroling the prisoners of war is, to diminish the resistances of other garrisons in our march."

After the capture of Puebla by General Worth, [May 15th,] the army remained there until the 7th of August, when it commenced its march for the Mexican capital. An excellent description of this march, and of the great battles consequent upon it, is given by a participator.

"We left Puebla on the morning of the 7th, and entered upon a beautiful rolling country of great fertility, supplying with its gardens the inhabitants of Puebla with food, and surrounded by lofty mountains, some of which were covered with snow. Our road was gradually ascending, and so good that on looking back from the head of the column our train could be seen for miles in rear, dotting with its snow-white tops the maguey-covered plain. On our left was Popocatapetl and Iscatafetl, the snow on their not distant tops rendering the air quite chilly. General Scott did not leave with us, but came on the next day with Captain Kearny's dragoons.

"The second day's march was like the first, gradually ascending, passing through defiles, narrow passes, and over deep chasms, where a more determined enemy might have seriously annoyed us by merely making use of the obstacles Nature everywhere presented. Thick woods of the finest forest-trees were abundant, and the rugged nature of the country would readily carry one back to the northern parts of New England, or the passes of the Notch.' Here and