(From the Mississippi
Department of Archives and History.)
Govr. A. G. Brown,
Sir,
From the preceding report much was omitted which would have
been supplied had it been originally written for one who was not himself an
actor in the events described. Some portion of the facts thus omitted I deem it
proper here to append.
Having as stated in my report of the transactions of the
21st been marched at the close of that day to our encampment at the Walnut
Springs, the regiment was dismissed to its quarters for the night. In the
morning of the 22d I was warned that our regiment was required for field
service. The Companies were formed and marched to the regimental parade. The severe
service of the previous day had reduced the number, but had in no degree
impaired the ardor or energy of our men. I announced the duty for which the
regiment was drawn out and marched it from the encampment. The report that we
were off for another fight brought out all who were able to march, and I
have often recurred with pride to the recollection, that when I subsequently
counted the files for the issue of ammunition, we had forty seven men more,
than when we formed on our Regimental parade.
By directing our march through some fields which concealed
us from the view of "the Citadel," we reached the plain above
"fort Teneria", the work which we had taken on the previous day,
before we came under the enemy's fire. Here his artillery in the fort "el
Diablo" opened upon us, and before we reached fort "Teneria,"
one shot took effect, killing Private Dubois and wounding Private Gregg of
Company "H."
In conjunction with the Tennessee Regiment, under the
command of Lt. Col. Anderson, we relieved the guard found in "Fort
Teneria," and under the assignment of Brigadier Genl. Quitman took post
for further orders. This work, "La Teneria", was composed of two
field entrenchments and a stone house; the salient, was a circular redoubt, mounting
four guns, one at an open embrasure, and three in barbet; the next, was an
irregular redan resting on the stone building; on the top of the stone building
was a breast work of sand bags, from behind which the defenders had an upper
tier of fire against their assailants, and at the last moment a plunging fire
into the interior of the works below.
The Tennessee Regt. was placed in the round work, the
Mississippi Riflemen with Major Ridgely's battery in the redan and stone
building. From the top of this house I made frequent observations during the
day upon the positions and movements of the enemy at the east end of the town,
without acquiring any other valuable information, than that he had a large
force at the north east angle of his defences.
Working parties were detailed throughout the day, and under
the direction of Maj. Mansfield and Lieut. Scarrett of the Engineers, threw up
a traverse to connect the round work with the redan, and made some additions to
the more defective part of the breast work. From the fort "el Diablo"
and "the Citadel", the enemy continued throughout the day to throw
shot and shells at us; by constant vigilance we avoided injury from them,
though the walls of the intrenchment were much too low to defile the interior
of the work. At the approach of night Capt. Taylor's company was posted in the
north-west part of the stone building, the same in which we had taken the
prisoners on the preceding day, with instructions to defend the gates in the
event of a night attack, and by sentinels on the roof and at other suitable
places to keep vigilant watch upon
the enemy. The other companies were distributed along the
breast work of the redan.
We had left camp without preparation, were in light clothing
and entirely without food. Our Quarter Master had been directed to bring out
the blankets and the day's rations for the companies, he informed me
subsequently that he made several ineffectual attempts to do so, and failed
from being unable to get an escort for his wagon, across the plain, where it
would have been exposed to attack. Thus unprovided, rain and a norther came
together upon us. The work which we occupied was rudely constructed and
unfinished, earth had been taken from the inside of the parapet, the rain
collected in holes and men already shivering with cold had to stand in the
water when called to the breast work. We were so near the enemy as to hear his
guard calls, and the turning out of his cavalry patrols. His signals indicated
that some concerted movement was to be made during the night; as he ought to
have attacked us it was therefore to be expected, and we remained at the breast
work, though the exposure was extremely severe.
Thus passed the night of the 22d. At dawn of the 23d our
sentinels on the house top reported that very few persons were visible in the
fort "el Diablo," my own observations connected with the events of
the night induced me to believe that the greater part of the garrison had been
withdrawn. I communicated these things to Genl. Quitman, Commanding the post,
who authorized me to make a sortie with four companies, two of Missi. riflemen
and two of Tenn: Infantry. We entered the suburbs of the city, and saw the
enemy retreating rapidly before us. Having passed on sufficiently far to secure
an approach on the gorge of the fort, and thus to avoid the fire of artillery if
that arm had not been removed, the column was headed to the left and marched
rapidly upon the fort. We found it's garrison and armament had been withdrawn,
the traverse at its gorge had been dug down so as to render it more untenable
by us, and the men who had been seen in it claimed to be noncombatants. With a
small party of Riflemen commanded by Lieut. Hampton, I then proceeded with the
assistance of Lieut. Scarrett of the Engineers to examine the ground and a
redoubt upon our right. It had been also evacuated, and the houses in it's
vicinity, which had been pierced with loop holes, were generally abandoned. In
this reconnoissance we took some fifteen prisoners who informed us that the
enemy had retired to the main Plaza. Lieut: Scarret proposed to report these
events to Genl. Taylor and to apply for sapping tools to advance into the city.
For this purpose he soon after left us, and circumstances prevented his
returning, as was desired. With the prisoners taken we returned to the fort
"el Diablo."
I next proceeded with a few riflemen commanded by Lieut.
Moore to reconnoitre the positions to our left. The first was a tenail
connected by a line of abattis with a stone wall, in it's rear, thence the
defences were continued along the bluff of the city, by houses, the stone walls
of yards, and the barricades constructed at the ends of the streets, to the
South-eastern angle of the Town, where an old Hospital, standing out in a
salient position to the rest of the line, had been fortified and garnished with
guns, to command one of the principal entrances to the Town, that by the
Cadareita road. All the works along this line had been abandoned except the
last mentioned, and from the obstinacy with which it was maintained, it is
probable that the enemy then had in contemplation a retreat by that route, the
only one then open to him on which he could have carried artillery.
When returning from this reconnoissance to the fort "el
Diablo" I saw Lieut: Greaves with his Company, on the plain below the
City, the facts connected with the duty he was performing will be found stated
in Lieut. Greaves' report.
After our return to the fort "el Diablo" one of
the Missi. Companies "G." was relieved by Company "B." and
returned to the "Teneria." Company "D." was then ordered
up, and my original command was changed, as noticed in my report to Genl.
Quitman of the operations of the 23d. With Companies "B." Capt.
Cooper & "D." Lieut. Russell & "H." Lieut. Moore,
and one company of the 1st Tenn. Volunteers, I advanced under Genl. Quitman's
orders. As the line, upon this side of the enemys defences, was a system of
detached field works they were each of course untenable by us as long as the
enemy could hold those in their rear, we therefore proceeded, over the ground I
had reconnoitred, to the block of the city, where the enemy first contested our
progress, and the action commenced, as described in my report of the 23d.
The chief preparations of the enemy had been made against an
attack upon the northern and eastern side of the Town. We were expected to
approach by the Marin or Cadareita road, and from the enceinte of outworks to
the main plaza, nothing had been omitted to increase the resistance upon these
approaches. Barricade, succeeded barricade, along the streets; the dwellings
were supplied with ammunition, and prepared for its use. Infantry posted on the
tops of the houses were securely sheltered by the stone parapet which surrounds
their flat, roofs, and though forced from these positions it must be conceded
that they firmly resisted. The Mississippi and Texas Riflemen were vastly their
superiors at sharp shooting and drove them back but they slowly retired from
house to house and from square to square, obstinately defending the crossing of
every street. We continued to advance until abreast of the Cathedral of the
main plaza, here we seized a two story house, and maintained a contest, under
the converging fire of the enemy, which lasted several hours, he was finally
driven from every exposed position within the range of our rifles. The command
at this position consisted of the advance of Col. Woods Texan Rangers, under
Genl. Henderson; and the advance of the Missi. Riflemen.
The prisoners taken in our reconnoissance of the morning,
and a Mexican found in our second reconnoissance, to the left, concurred in
stating that the Main plaza was a square to the right of the Cathedral, but we
now found that the Cathedral was upon one side of the plaza, and that our
direction had been too far to the right. On the next square, immediately before
us, was an unusually high house, from which it seemed a plunging fire could be
thrown into the Plaza.
To this house, after consultation with Genl. Henderson, it
was decided to advance, and secure it as a position to be held through the
night. The task was more difficult than any we yet had performed. Throughout
the day we had been under the fire of the enemy's artillery, generally throwing
shells, but now we were close upon his field guns, which covered by a
permanently constructed barricade swept the narrow pebble paved street over
which we had to pass. The deadly efficiency of artillery in such a situation
rendered it necessary to construct a shelter for our men whilst crossing the
street. For this purpose we had to rely on such material as the neighboring
yards and houses contained, of which we were fortunate in getting enough and in
form as convenient as would probably be found among articles not designed for
such use.
Whilst engaged in this construction, I dispatched Sergeant
Major Harlan to the rear, to inquire of Genl. Quitman what had become of the
field piece which he had said would cooperate with us; and to direct Major
Bradford, with the portion of the Regiment under him, to join me. Sergt. Maj.
Harlan returned and informed me that all the troops in our rear had retired,
and that he was told the order to withdraw had been three times sent to me. He
also informed Genl. Henderson that a like order had been sent by the commanding
Genl. to him.
This intelligence was received with regret by all. As the resistance
of the enemy became more obstinate, as the danger and difficulty of advancing
increased, the energy and resources of our men rose with the demand, and all
their views were onward. To none is this remark more applicable than to those
who had encountered the greatest hardship, the men of Company "H."
This company after the exposure and fasting of the previous day and night had
marched out with me early in the morning, before the supplies had been received
from our encampment, and had been actively engaged ever since. I regret that,
their gallant leader, Lieut. Moore had not made a report of this day (23d Sept.
1846) when he fell in the Battle of Buena Vista.
As we retired the enemy who had passed to our rear, kept up
a constant fire upon us, especially at the crossings of the streets. We found
no support in our rear until we reached the suburbs of the city, the first was
Capt. Bainbridge with a company of the 3d U. S. Infantry and a piece of light
artillery.
About five o.Clock having been actively engaged the whole
day, we rejoined the other part of our Regiment, at the Fort we had left in the
morning, and the whole were soon afterwards ordered to the encampment at the
"Walnut Springs."
Early in the morning of the next day, a flag was sent out by
the enemy, asking for a truce, and a conference, from which followed without
further hostile operations the "Capitulation of Monterey."
Very Respectfully,
yr. obt. svt.
Jeffn. Davis.
Brierfield
20th Sept. 1847.
SOURCE: Dunbar Rowland, Editor, Jefferson Davis,
Constitutionalist: His Letters, Papers and Speeches, Volume 1, pp. 109-14
