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l'u dollars per annani in advance 1et { .".,,;,:, inserted at 1 persq tare for the first . .- iqaent insertion court or ■" . ; __ percent higher v,,„!h battle m b._ui>'s heights idcrstand the general plan of lhe .....;.. j imagine the american camp 1 branch of the hudson and a luck about half a mile from the . i — lmost directly in front and with ,•, is the british camp simi ited a little to the north and _:.• 1 "» of the british encampment was a redoubt occupied by lhe hessians ae which arnold entered be he two armies were two creeks _■nearlv parallel to each other a - which the american pickets were '. . ,,,..,]. these presented serious ob to the advance of an army wliile their sources and to the left of approach was easier it was count burgoyne resolved to make ;. in that direction accordingly • 7th of october moving his troops jltf columns he advanced to the ame :>. and taking up his position in an heat field displayed his line the id rapid roll of drums in the a advance guard heating to arms ii i their approach and gates im v sent out morgan with his rifle men to open lhe battle groyne sustained by his best ofii upied a rising ground and mor n took a wide circuit to fall on his right ue general poor was to match straight up tie hill against the left and if possible separate it from the main army bur . ,,. had with him twenty cannon ; and se al half past two in the after noon lie opened on the advancing column '■of poor but this gallant officer led his steadily forward up the hill and muthe oi i not to lire till the summit iras reached pressed rapidly on through i of grape-shot wi'.h the same i lie entered the deadly volleys of basketry ihen as he gained lhe brow of '. opened to the right and left snd poured in a close and rapid fire with terrible effect moving resolutely forward toon the dense masses of the grenadiers li americans mowed ihem down with *,...■, after volley and stood within close hoi of the artillery and let it i their ranks but nothing could long withstand ihose murderous batteries americans excited lo madness by s devouring fire rushed with louts up to the very mouths of the pns,and swept them like a storm uut resistless grenadiers ihey nre rolled sternly back to their position y rallied and charged with such sity that everything went down passage ; but thai same steady ttlor reclaimed the victory and burled fallback to their lirst position on one gun tbey rushed five successive times and stored it in each onset and as often mforced to relinquish their prize until th \ earned it off in triumph wjor akland who commanded the gre nadiers held them to the shock with a wtt-ss that baffled every effort ga lopiag fiercely amid the disorderly ranks ■tallied them again and again by his we and example until at last he him f was struck to the ground by a ball tien they broke and lied morgan in mean time with his deadly riflemen m poured down wiih resistless strength el.l wing carrying everything be ** aim rallying bravely behind a kwe the shattered troops attempted to rogress ; but reinforcements com j»»up under dearborn and rushing with nd such headlong fury to the at h they again broke and fled lhe whole english line now began to ike and burgoyne was just forming a midline with his right wing when ar "*•■maddened with excitement and i rage burst in a headlong gal fi id and plunged into the thick lhe light his practised eye soon that general frazer was llie chief jntof that tumultuous battle as on plendid gray horse he moved amid e chaos bringing order out of contusion j courage out of despondency where v loidlpas$l d t)asw,*s up to m°rgan he h'm not to let him see that officer long of*e saddle the latter selecting a few p^'s best marksmen said pointing to ' that gallant officer is gen fra '» admire him but it is necessary he j1 die do your duty the first shot crupper of his horse the second mane the third the gallant ri be fell back mortally v c arnold had no sooner given than he placed himself at the l three regiments of larned's bri nee'.and wi!h a shout those who heard r'orgot_o their latest day led them n the hessian roops threw kehvcs id hls palh anu for a momen *%___ cimrse the next moment with |£ handful of men he burst like a wn tur°ogh iheir midst and scat sdtfl'°mhispallk nothing could su onsets the firmest troops in the carina watchman brunei & james > "'■r*,7 en ■. ' i " keep a check tpon all your bailors 4 proprietors i j3 sa „ yorr rclers d0thi_,a--_ll*_,e*_ty series gent harrison number 7 of volume iv mlis^^__j^y c fmdaoun_rici847 tut wuihi must snik lie shook lerriulv the \\ hole british line and burgoyne now thoroughly alaimed put forth a desperate effort to maintain his ground but in vain did he expose himself to the hottest of the fire to animate his men — in vain did his bravest officers again lead his devoted troops to the attack nothing could stop that astonishing infantry their rapid tread shook the field — their dreadful vol leys swept away the head of every for mation as pressing hard after their intre pid leader they closed steadily on the shrinking line xo charge of bayonets could break their firm array no blaze of the clo.se and deadly batteries check their lofty enthusiasm as moving amid the hor rid carnage they gathered with brows of wrath closer and closer on their foes — those shattered veterans labored a mo ment as if about to bear up in the storm then swung and rent asunder and rolled heavily to their camp morgan and dear bon and ten brock following up their ad vantage wiih the same impetuosity the whole army took refuge behind the in trenchments nothing could now arrest the victorious americans as with shouts that were heard above the din of battle they rushed forward and stormed the camp itself but behind their intrenchments and under cover of their heavy guns which bristled in fearful rows along lhe ramparts the british fought with the en ergy of desperation itself on the unco vered ranks of the impetuous americans hey opened all their batteries and hailed rt leaden tempest from the small arms while bombs hissing through the atmos phere darkened wiih dust and smoke ad jed ten-fold horror to the fight they were no longer struggling for victory but for life and therefore summoned all their energies to check the progress ofthe vic tors but neither formidable intrench ments with ihe abatis in front nor the hotly worked batteries exploding in their faces nor lhe close and destructive vollev of musketry could slay the excited patri iits through lhe tremendous fire and over the ensanguined field now covered ivith a sulphurous cloud amid which in cessant lightnings played and continuous himder-peal rolled they charge up to the tery muzzles of the guns the camp it elf was shaken throughout its entire ex ent and trembled like a reed in the blast while arnold enraged at the abatis which rallied all his efforts in front called a ound him a lew brave fellows and tak i ng a short circuit made that desperate ■sharge into the sallyport where he fell jne hour more of day-light and that amp would have been swept as with a ! hurricane nay one hour more of safety to arnold on his steed and that darkness would have been filled with the flying en emy and a routed camp ended the day the british army abandoned their camp during ihe night and took post on tin hills and in the morning the ameri can troops marched into it with colors liv ing and drums beating and a long shout went up from the abandoned intrench ments during the day a scattered fire of artillery was kept up and ever and anon was borne back to the camp the rapid dis charge of musketry and small detach ments from either army came in collision frazer who had died early in the morn ing after the battle had requested to be buried at sunset in the chief redoubt the procession was formed and at six o'clock was seen moving slowly up the hill to the place of interment general wins low observed it and knowing its object or character ordered it to be cannonaded ; and while they were laving the chieftain in his grave a solitary cannon kept boom ing at inlervals on the evening air and the heavy shot tore up the earth in their midst throughout the solemn burial service the voice of lhe chaplain was ev er and anon interrupted by ihat solitary peal of thunder and his priestly robes covered with dust which the ball as it smoked past threw upon him the sun had now gone down and twilight drew irs mantle over lhe scene the american officers discovering at length ihat it was a funeral procession ceased playing upon it and in sympathy with the brave who had fallen fired minute guns till the so lemn ceremony was over it was a bu rial worthy of the chieftain who had thus fallen on hi.s last battle field amid ihe thunder of artillery he was borne from tiie disastrous fight — ih.e enemy's guns pealed over his grave and when the mute procession turned away in the gathering shades of evening iheir cannon gave his last salute and the sullen echo as it roll ed over the hills was his only requiem burgoyne now convinced that he could not cut his way through the american ar my took the only alternative left him and began his retreat hoping to retrace his steps to lake george and irom thence to canada this ho should have done soon er — now it was too late — fur the ameri can army extending itself on every side dallied all his efforts and soon well nigh completed a circle about him in every direciion the roar of cannon told that the avenues of safely were cut off even the last desperate effort to abandon all his ar tillery and baggage and by a rapid night march reach lake george was seen to be useless still burgoyne lingered — his proud heart refused to yield to the stern necessity which bound him what ! that splendid army on whose success be had staked his reputation to be surrendered and all his bright visions sink at once ! — the thought was too bitter and he still clung to hope and dreamed of escaping by some accident from the perils that only thickened as he advanced for six days he turned like a scorpion girt with fire as every moment the devouring element rages nearer his camp was uncovered and cannon balls were continually falling into it while from every height the arlif tilleiy played upon him and the sharp crack of the rifle was heard along his line he could not enter a house without its be coming in a moment a target for the bat teries through the hall of council and ihrough the apartment in whicli they sat at tlieir scanty dinner the cannon balls would crash and it was a constant and steadily increasing storm of iron around him at length ail hope was abandoned and a council of war was called to delib erate on the terms ol capitulation their consultations were interrupted bv the whis tleing of bullets and roar of artillery and the very tent in which they sat was pierc ed by the american marksmen pride and ambition at length yielded to inevita ble fate and that splendid army the relics of ten thousand men laid down its arms forty two brass cannon live thousaud of arms and all the camp equippage fell into the hands of the americans gates received the vanquished com mander with courtesy dressed in a plain blue frock while the soldiers on march ing out to pile their arms found not an american in the field the brave fellows were spared the mortification of grounding their arms in the presence of their ene mies vide burgoyne from the national intelligencer battle scenes a friend has handed to us the graphic account which we publish below of the battle of cerro gordo by a young lieu tenant of the mounted rifles a graduate nf west point written to a relative ir is just such bright and brave fellows e the writer ofthis letter who set the world agog at fighting '• i proceed to tell you of the part i play ed in the battle of cerro gordo god de liver me from ever being in such another fight ! jn my last letter from vera cruz i stated tbat i had been left behind iny di vision 2d of gen twiggs sick but that 1 was about to rejoin it at jalapa who can calculate on the future the next news from the army was that santa anna with an army of sixteen thousand men was strongly entrenched in a mountain pass between us and jalapa at cerro gordo the name of the principal height and key-point of his position — a perfect mexican gibralter a mountain height of eight hundred feet or more surmounted by eight pieces of cannon eighteen and six-pnunders which completely com manded the neighboring ground and ap proaches ; and furthermore strengthened by two breastworks of stone wood and brush which completely girt about the summit upon which stood a small town from which waved proudly the flag of mexico by hastening on and travelling by night as well as day i arrived just a lhe bail opened the peak of orizaba in the distance looked upon the battle like some huge presiding and avenging indian deity tin mexicans drawn up in columns to the amount of six thousand on the summit with colors displayed wild and martial music sounding and santa ' una upon a milk-white steed and sum ruled by a brilliant staff riding along tho lines en couraging h;s men presented a sight at once imposing and beautiful it was destined shortly to be grand and terrific 0:i t he right oi our position 2d division of regulars to whom the whole honor of this great and glorious victory is due was a second height commanded almost en tirely by that of cerro gordo and occu pied by a large force of mexicans it was necessary that this height should be taken preparatory to the grand assault this work was gallantly executed by the ri fles 1st artillery and one company ofthe 7th infantry many of our men carried away by natural impetuosity and many others misunderstanding orders after hav ing driven tiie enemy from the first hill advanced even tothe base of cerro gordo that night when we rested upon the first hill under comparative cover of its crest surrounded by dead and wounded mexi cans many a brave comrade was missed who was expiating the sin of having been brave even to rashness •• 1 was too late to join my regiment on the lirst day but attached myself to a company ofthe 7th infantry which held an exposed situation and had the extreme felicity of being fired at all day without the pleasure of returning it that ni<_;ht i rejoined my companv under capt ma son and next morning the ball re-opened wiih great eclat the enemy having wa kened us during the night only twice by pleasant messengers in the shape of can non balls in the morning we the rifles were obliged for two mortal hours to stand an artillery fire of ball grape and canis ter under very imperfect shelter before the command to storm the height wa given it was here that poor mason as fine a.fellow as ever lived and who by the by is doing well lost bis leg lieut davis was killed in the very spot where i had been lying a few moments before ; and afterwards when i arose to obey the order forward a soldier was discovered a bout six feet above me on the side ofthe hill who was killed so dead by a grape shop that had passed through his stom ach that he had not apparently move from his recumbent posture and had died so suddenly that those around were igno rant ofthe fact of his having been struck the rifles were ordered to take up a po sition in the ravine and to hold in check a body of mexicans advancing to rein force cerro gordo and the other three re giments of the brigade to storm the heij.hr myself heard only the other forward consequently went ahead with the nam column an.l was fortunate enoujrh to be among the first over the ureastworks 1 lhe enemy whom i revenged mvself upon by turning upon him a six poufu\..r ne of his own guns and paying him back vith intetest in his own leaden and iron oin " the storming of cerro gordo was a nagnificent spectacle as well as one of he most brilliant if not most brilliant feats very accomplished by american arms the mountain was so steep and the men to exhausted by previous ellbrts that it ecame a cool deliberate thing — there vas no rush ; our gallant soldiers advan ed calmly and slowly amidst leaden hur icanes which unceasingly swept over hem ; batteries in the rear played upon hem but there was no pause no hesi ation — on they went their minds were nade up to conquer or die on they went gradually converging to the summit which dazed forth like a volcano till finally our leadly fire opened upon lhe foe hi.s breast vorks became ours also and almost sim iltaneously the different regiments enga ged in the storm entered and their stan lards triumphantly waved in place of la bandera de mexico what a glo ious feeling took possession of my soul hat moment 1 cannot describe it of he wounded and dying we will not peak j have seen death robed in all iis ghastly terrors and feel that i am be soming indifferent to the sufferings of my ellow.s ; my profession demands it the iry grass upon the hill took fire at one ime and many dead and some wounded vere burnt up or rather roasted our egiment suffered terribly ; the proportion f killed and wounded among the officers ivas more than one out of three eight of ficers being killed and wounded where ourteeo were unharmed ; among the men lie proportion was one out of five i'ret y hot work ; such as i do not care about 3ngaging in again in a hurry at one time [ assure you such was the noise of balls passing over my head that i was uncon scious of any other sound though regi ments at the time were rolling forth their fire what a magnificent and terrible tune was played in those mountains which acted like some huge soundingboard and prolonged and rolled away into tho dis tance the noise ofthe battle ! " 1 have only pretended to give you an account of that portion of the battle in which i was engaged we however won the clay " i go with our division so soon as it moves to see puebla mexico and other sights if these cursed mexicans did not shoot at one so hard mexico would be a delightful country to be in what am i who two weeks ago was sleeping upon llie hard rock without shelter doing now 1 why luxuriating in a real bed with clean sheets and pillows with fringed cases ! — at present i board with a very pleasant family with whom i am on the very best of terms lately when i had a slight return of fever they almost killed me with kindness and attention from my win dow i regard a perfect wilderness of beau ty woods mountains meadows and flow ers numbers of singing birds of beautiful plumage delight the ear and sight oza la'ozala i exclaim with admiration you should see our family party at night a jolly spaniard plays the harp for us — the girls three of them don santiago another boarder and don diego ihat is to say myself dance every thing — polkas spanish dances mexican waltzes and the old padre a franciscan monk with shaven crown looks on and says : ' oung people enjoy yourselves now when you are old confess your sins how pleasant this ! one ofthe girls solidad by name sings well and is now writing oil for me a spanish song for c ." iiox henry vv hflxiaed — we learn from lhe alabama journal lhal at lhe whig county convention in montgomery a resolution to the amount that henry w lliiliaid he unan imously the whig candidate for congress in the second district was passed by acclamation only one or two voices dissenting great mortality — the picayune pub lishes a list of 156 volunteers in the 2nd mississippi regiment who have died in mexico the american mail line to europe the departure from this city on thurs day week of our townsman selah r hobbie esq first assistant postmaster genera gives us occasion to speak ofthe great public enterprise with which his vi sit to southampton bremen and other places in europe is connected he goes out as the agent ol the postmaster gen eral to make the needful arrangements for the foreign mail service of this coun try to be performed by the new york and bremen line of steamships this line goes into operation on the 1st of june with the sailing of the steamer washing ton ~ the success of our countrvmen in river steamboat navigation is wefl established and recognized but their enterprise now seeks a broader and more arduous thea tre 1 hey have become impatient to dis play that skill upon the ocean where their well established and powerful com petitor has hitherto wielded ihe trident of superiority in steam navigation the spi rit of the people has manifested itself through the action of congress three great lines of ocean steamers have been luthonzed by law and the noble ship washington now leads oil in this high ca l3**t t american enterprise it fs the eitlzsti'v.0 ur cirizens our citizens their skill ami capital that cre ate these lines — the n - . u government gvn countenance and aid hy inspect the instruction of the ships throuu = nf ts naval oflicers and bestowm i*s ,,-, t'f bypm',ans f the mail c°^act vhich the postmaster genera has made with the starting of this line the effort vill be made by our post ollice depart nent to relieve our foreign mail jnter ourse of certain perplexities and embar rassments with which it is now trammel ed each country through which the jet er has to pass has its separate post ollice system its separate charge of postage md that has to be paid before the letter an go to its destination this amounts mless agents are resorted to to a total destruction a reciprocal arrangement hat will reduce these afferent charges nto one postage rate through for the en ire distance with liberty to pay either vhere mailed or delivered and with a system of accountability that will give to ach government its share of the postage s one of the leading objects for which mr hobbie is dispatched in the washinjr on this is so just lo a||f so manirestj iromotive of universal convenience anil ulvantage that we trust our first assist int postmaster general will succeed in btaining the hearty co-operation of the iroper authorities in england germanv tnd france in its adoption — nat int from california lieuts talbot beal and oilier gentlemen ar ived at sl louis on the 16th from california iy way of santa fe having leii san diego un he 2 ith february last at the lime of their leparture lieut col fremont was ra ciudad le los angelos acling as governor of the ler ilory under an appointment from commodore m ckfon tho commodore had returned on nard his ship and had left that part of tbe coast col win ii kussell of calloway counly in his stale was acting as secretary ofthe terri tory gen kearney was joined about the 9th of january at san diego hv lieut cooke with ine haltalion of mormons under his command greal praise is bestowed on col cooke li the condition ii which he brought bis command in lt is said that all his m-ii were in l.ne health with iheir arms as bright as when ihey set out on lhe march — in excellent discipline and without anv serious oss soon after being joined by col cooke gen kearney with ihe mormons and dragoons pro ceeded to monterey where he wis when our informant left there he had been joined by the two artillery companies fn m baltimore — ue cannot learn from our informants that any portion of col stevenson's command from x or had arrived commodore shubrick had joined gen kearnpy at monterey hut weare unable to learn what their operations would he i'he question of lhe right loactas governor of the territory was sii.i in dispute between gen kearney and commodore stockton it was undttsiood that jen k intended setting oul on his return about tin 1st of july but the slate of affairs it was supposed might delay his de parture some of lhe eti;!.*men named we under stand are hearers of the despatches to wash ington a correspondent of the st louis rrpum ican writing from saula fe under date ofthe tih of april says — '" all is apparently quiet 7ie;v but every ob serving man knows that we are walking t.tilv over a volcano whi.-h is ready to burst upon us | if an opportunity offers as i sni.l in a former letter in peace or war ihis country cannot be retained hut by military force we hear that colonel doniphan intend lo return to missouri through texas if he doe so before other troops arrive to relieve him chihuahua will fall again into the hai.ds of li.i mexicans for mv part i cannot think he will do so unwise a thing b ink of cape feeir.-r-ovr wednesday last rh.nry r savage was appointed by the board of directors cashier of the bank of cape fear vice dr thomas ii i wright elected president ii '/. jour < — ♦ army intelligence *°~ *< new orleans be7.j,ijua - later from mexico the j s steamer fashion capt hv arnved here yesterday having left vera cruz on sunday the 30th ult she bro't me following passengers lieut gregg h.h regiment v s r sjlhma voioieers lfe k,np d fellnagleofthe,_tdo;mrjamcsjohn son quartermaster second regiment mr and 40 discharged volunteers w t • 8 si,'p new orleans captain morning wlllpr0bab,-varrivebi on the 31st ult saw the steamshin ma ry kingsland hence for vera c roz tider a press of canvass and steam a lefi states bng name unknown sailed fro wra cruz bound to this port on £/££ ult for repairs on the 2nd instant 0 lnt wc learn verbally that santa anna a he last accounts xvas believed to be at rio _ no fortifying that pass and aim ing to delend it with a force dirteremlv est mated at from two to ten thousand men in his usual braggart vein he boasts atr.o orth american shall cross hat narner save over hisdead bodv it i not ccrtam uhen gen scott reached puebla or whether the army had advanced be ond that town as the destruction of the diligence had interrupted communication between jalapa and vera cruz and con sequently pm a stop to the transmission ol authentic intelligence lhe fashion brought two vera cruz papers ; one of tbe 26th and the other of lhe 29th ult we have been kindly per mitted to examine them the rainy reason was ushered in at era t ruz by copious showers during the mornings of the 27th and 28th which had lowered ihe temp rature and greatly re freshed the inhabitants we were informed yesterdav says the eagle ol the 2_th that six mexicans com mon from santa fe were attacked and robbed by their own countrvmen this sjbe natural result ofthe atrocious gue r ' vva_-hare ovv attempting to be wag-d ihe late ol the diligence between ve ra cruz and jalapa is now positively as certain h left the iir>t n..med city on he 22nd ult and carried no passengers when bad proceeded about two miles the other s.de of puente nacional was slopped robbed and destroyed by being broken up and burned the driver and postillion were both released and permit ted o go on to jalapa the vehicle that ought to have arrived at vera cruz on the 24th s opped when the driver reached the spot where the other was robbed and re turned to jalapa another massacre from information received at vera c ruz there is little doubt that col sow ers and jive soldiers have fallen victims to mexican cruelty that officer left ye ra cruz on sunday the 231 ult with an escort consisting of live men and lieu tenant mcdonnell of captain wheat's company they arrived in saiety at san ta fe and lodged there during the night 1 mding that capt v had left and learn in tint he could not be more than thirty miles in advance they determined to push on ior jalapa with an addition of two more men nothing had been beard of them lor several days and their fate «■,.. involved in the deeped mystery on the 28th a gentleman arrived at vera cruz from whom the editor of the eagle learn ed that lie bad seen at a point two miles beyond puente nacional ihe ruins of a diligence and underneath a human body stripped of its clothing and hornhly mu tilated near him jay another body like wise naked and mangled in tbe same shocking manner the gentleman added that live more bodies bad been thrown among the chapparal the number kill ed with the supposition ihat one escaped corresponds so entirely with the force that accompanied co sowers as to leave ,.„ douht that he and bis companions x»-re massacred by guerilleros some of the mexicans who were cap tured in vera cii_z with arms and am munition have been hied five were ac quitted and four convicted and sentenced to work in chains during four months and a half on ihe streets and thoroughfares of the town the remainder were to be tried on the jist instant com perry arrived at vera cruz on the 24th ult from his expedition along the mexican coast he reached laguna on the itith and the next day ran up the national flag in the town captain g a m i_tuder was appointed governor of laguna as tiie possession of lagona cuts oil water communication with ide interior of tobasco it i deemed impor tant to keep it securely the eagle says that suspicions are a float of a design on the pari of some of the mexicans at vera cruz to foment insub ordination and create a revolt againsl the american authority ir warns them ihat they are known and watched and ihe iirst overt act will lie severely punished lieut col fagg and he buncombe companv of n c volunteers for w safety some apprehension has been felt landed at key west florida on the i ult after a stormy voyage ot is da s — all well they expected to saii again and to arrive at the brasos in 10 days ay a iout the 27;h ult wfcenerer you buy or sell lei or hin make i c'.'-.'.o bargaiu and nerei lw-1 to •• we han't lisagree about trifle
Object Description
Title | Carolina Watchman |
Masthead | The Carolina Watchman |
Date | 1847-06-18 |
Month | 06 |
Day | 18 |
Year | 1847 |
Volume | 4 |
Issue | 7 |
Technical Metadata | Image was scanned by OCLC at the Preservation Service Center in Bethlehem, PA. Archivial image is an 8-bit greyscale tiff that was scanned from microfilm at 400 dpi. The original file size was |
Creator | Bruner and James "Editors and Proprietors" |
Date Digital | 2008-10-30 |
Publisher | Bruner and James |
Place | United States, North Carolina, Rowan County, Salisbury |
Type | Text |
Source | Microfilm |
Digital Format | JP2 |
Project Subject | State Archives of North Carolina Historic Newspaper Archive |
Description | The Friday, June 18, 1847 issue of the Carolina Watchman a weekly and semi weekly newspaper from Salisbury, North Carolina |
Rights | Public |
Language | eng |
OCLC number | 601468815 |
Description
Title | Carolina Watchman |
Masthead | The Carolina Watchman |
Date | 1847-06-18 |
Month | 06 |
Day | 18 |
Year | 1847 |
Volume | 4 |
Issue | 7 |
Sequence | 1 |
Page | 1 |
Technical Metadata | Image was scanned by OCLC at the Preservation Service Center in Bethlehem, PA. Archivial image is an 8-bit greyscale tiff that was scanned from microfilm at 400 dpi. The original file size was 4732776 Bytes |
FileName | sacw04_007_18470618-img00001.jp2 |
Creator | Bruner and James "Editors and Proprietors" |
Date Digital | 2008-10-30 |
Publisher | Bruner and James |
Place | United States, North Carolina, Rowan County, Salisbury |
Type | Text |
Source | Microfilm |
Digital Format | JP2 |
Project Subject | State Archives of North Carolina Historic Newspaper Archive |
Description | The Friday, June 18, 1847 issue of the Carolina Watchman a weekly and semi weekly newspaper from Salisbury, North Carolina |
Rights | Public |
Language | eng |
FullText | l'u dollars per annani in advance 1et { .".,,;,:, inserted at 1 persq tare for the first . .- iqaent insertion court or ■" . ; __ percent higher v,,„!h battle m b._ui>'s heights idcrstand the general plan of lhe .....;.. j imagine the american camp 1 branch of the hudson and a luck about half a mile from the . i — lmost directly in front and with ,•, is the british camp simi ited a little to the north and _:.• 1 "» of the british encampment was a redoubt occupied by lhe hessians ae which arnold entered be he two armies were two creeks _■nearlv parallel to each other a - which the american pickets were '. . ,,,..,]. these presented serious ob to the advance of an army wliile their sources and to the left of approach was easier it was count burgoyne resolved to make ;. in that direction accordingly • 7th of october moving his troops jltf columns he advanced to the ame :>. and taking up his position in an heat field displayed his line the id rapid roll of drums in the a advance guard heating to arms ii i their approach and gates im v sent out morgan with his rifle men to open lhe battle groyne sustained by his best ofii upied a rising ground and mor n took a wide circuit to fall on his right ue general poor was to match straight up tie hill against the left and if possible separate it from the main army bur . ,,. had with him twenty cannon ; and se al half past two in the after noon lie opened on the advancing column '■of poor but this gallant officer led his steadily forward up the hill and muthe oi i not to lire till the summit iras reached pressed rapidly on through i of grape-shot wi'.h the same i lie entered the deadly volleys of basketry ihen as he gained lhe brow of '. opened to the right and left snd poured in a close and rapid fire with terrible effect moving resolutely forward toon the dense masses of the grenadiers li americans mowed ihem down with *,...■, after volley and stood within close hoi of the artillery and let it i their ranks but nothing could long withstand ihose murderous batteries americans excited lo madness by s devouring fire rushed with louts up to the very mouths of the pns,and swept them like a storm uut resistless grenadiers ihey nre rolled sternly back to their position y rallied and charged with such sity that everything went down passage ; but thai same steady ttlor reclaimed the victory and burled fallback to their lirst position on one gun tbey rushed five successive times and stored it in each onset and as often mforced to relinquish their prize until th \ earned it off in triumph wjor akland who commanded the gre nadiers held them to the shock with a wtt-ss that baffled every effort ga lopiag fiercely amid the disorderly ranks ■tallied them again and again by his we and example until at last he him f was struck to the ground by a ball tien they broke and lied morgan in mean time with his deadly riflemen m poured down wiih resistless strength el.l wing carrying everything be ** aim rallying bravely behind a kwe the shattered troops attempted to rogress ; but reinforcements com j»»up under dearborn and rushing with nd such headlong fury to the at h they again broke and fled lhe whole english line now began to ike and burgoyne was just forming a midline with his right wing when ar "*•■maddened with excitement and i rage burst in a headlong gal fi id and plunged into the thick lhe light his practised eye soon that general frazer was llie chief jntof that tumultuous battle as on plendid gray horse he moved amid e chaos bringing order out of contusion j courage out of despondency where v loidlpas$l d t)asw,*s up to m°rgan he h'm not to let him see that officer long of*e saddle the latter selecting a few p^'s best marksmen said pointing to ' that gallant officer is gen fra '» admire him but it is necessary he j1 die do your duty the first shot crupper of his horse the second mane the third the gallant ri be fell back mortally v c arnold had no sooner given than he placed himself at the l three regiments of larned's bri nee'.and wi!h a shout those who heard r'orgot_o their latest day led them n the hessian roops threw kehvcs id hls palh anu for a momen *%___ cimrse the next moment with |£ handful of men he burst like a wn tur°ogh iheir midst and scat sdtfl'°mhispallk nothing could su onsets the firmest troops in the carina watchman brunei & james > "'■r*,7 en ■. ' i " keep a check tpon all your bailors 4 proprietors i j3 sa „ yorr rclers d0thi_,a--_ll*_,e*_ty series gent harrison number 7 of volume iv mlis^^__j^y c fmdaoun_rici847 tut wuihi must snik lie shook lerriulv the \\ hole british line and burgoyne now thoroughly alaimed put forth a desperate effort to maintain his ground but in vain did he expose himself to the hottest of the fire to animate his men — in vain did his bravest officers again lead his devoted troops to the attack nothing could stop that astonishing infantry their rapid tread shook the field — their dreadful vol leys swept away the head of every for mation as pressing hard after their intre pid leader they closed steadily on the shrinking line xo charge of bayonets could break their firm array no blaze of the clo.se and deadly batteries check their lofty enthusiasm as moving amid the hor rid carnage they gathered with brows of wrath closer and closer on their foes — those shattered veterans labored a mo ment as if about to bear up in the storm then swung and rent asunder and rolled heavily to their camp morgan and dear bon and ten brock following up their ad vantage wiih the same impetuosity the whole army took refuge behind the in trenchments nothing could now arrest the victorious americans as with shouts that were heard above the din of battle they rushed forward and stormed the camp itself but behind their intrenchments and under cover of their heavy guns which bristled in fearful rows along lhe ramparts the british fought with the en ergy of desperation itself on the unco vered ranks of the impetuous americans hey opened all their batteries and hailed rt leaden tempest from the small arms while bombs hissing through the atmos phere darkened wiih dust and smoke ad jed ten-fold horror to the fight they were no longer struggling for victory but for life and therefore summoned all their energies to check the progress ofthe vic tors but neither formidable intrench ments with ihe abatis in front nor the hotly worked batteries exploding in their faces nor lhe close and destructive vollev of musketry could slay the excited patri iits through lhe tremendous fire and over the ensanguined field now covered ivith a sulphurous cloud amid which in cessant lightnings played and continuous himder-peal rolled they charge up to the tery muzzles of the guns the camp it elf was shaken throughout its entire ex ent and trembled like a reed in the blast while arnold enraged at the abatis which rallied all his efforts in front called a ound him a lew brave fellows and tak i ng a short circuit made that desperate ■sharge into the sallyport where he fell jne hour more of day-light and that amp would have been swept as with a ! hurricane nay one hour more of safety to arnold on his steed and that darkness would have been filled with the flying en emy and a routed camp ended the day the british army abandoned their camp during ihe night and took post on tin hills and in the morning the ameri can troops marched into it with colors liv ing and drums beating and a long shout went up from the abandoned intrench ments during the day a scattered fire of artillery was kept up and ever and anon was borne back to the camp the rapid dis charge of musketry and small detach ments from either army came in collision frazer who had died early in the morn ing after the battle had requested to be buried at sunset in the chief redoubt the procession was formed and at six o'clock was seen moving slowly up the hill to the place of interment general wins low observed it and knowing its object or character ordered it to be cannonaded ; and while they were laving the chieftain in his grave a solitary cannon kept boom ing at inlervals on the evening air and the heavy shot tore up the earth in their midst throughout the solemn burial service the voice of lhe chaplain was ev er and anon interrupted by ihat solitary peal of thunder and his priestly robes covered with dust which the ball as it smoked past threw upon him the sun had now gone down and twilight drew irs mantle over lhe scene the american officers discovering at length ihat it was a funeral procession ceased playing upon it and in sympathy with the brave who had fallen fired minute guns till the so lemn ceremony was over it was a bu rial worthy of the chieftain who had thus fallen on hi.s last battle field amid ihe thunder of artillery he was borne from tiie disastrous fight — ih.e enemy's guns pealed over his grave and when the mute procession turned away in the gathering shades of evening iheir cannon gave his last salute and the sullen echo as it roll ed over the hills was his only requiem burgoyne now convinced that he could not cut his way through the american ar my took the only alternative left him and began his retreat hoping to retrace his steps to lake george and irom thence to canada this ho should have done soon er — now it was too late — fur the ameri can army extending itself on every side dallied all his efforts and soon well nigh completed a circle about him in every direciion the roar of cannon told that the avenues of safely were cut off even the last desperate effort to abandon all his ar tillery and baggage and by a rapid night march reach lake george was seen to be useless still burgoyne lingered — his proud heart refused to yield to the stern necessity which bound him what ! that splendid army on whose success be had staked his reputation to be surrendered and all his bright visions sink at once ! — the thought was too bitter and he still clung to hope and dreamed of escaping by some accident from the perils that only thickened as he advanced for six days he turned like a scorpion girt with fire as every moment the devouring element rages nearer his camp was uncovered and cannon balls were continually falling into it while from every height the arlif tilleiy played upon him and the sharp crack of the rifle was heard along his line he could not enter a house without its be coming in a moment a target for the bat teries through the hall of council and ihrough the apartment in whicli they sat at tlieir scanty dinner the cannon balls would crash and it was a constant and steadily increasing storm of iron around him at length ail hope was abandoned and a council of war was called to delib erate on the terms ol capitulation their consultations were interrupted bv the whis tleing of bullets and roar of artillery and the very tent in which they sat was pierc ed by the american marksmen pride and ambition at length yielded to inevita ble fate and that splendid army the relics of ten thousand men laid down its arms forty two brass cannon live thousaud of arms and all the camp equippage fell into the hands of the americans gates received the vanquished com mander with courtesy dressed in a plain blue frock while the soldiers on march ing out to pile their arms found not an american in the field the brave fellows were spared the mortification of grounding their arms in the presence of their ene mies vide burgoyne from the national intelligencer battle scenes a friend has handed to us the graphic account which we publish below of the battle of cerro gordo by a young lieu tenant of the mounted rifles a graduate nf west point written to a relative ir is just such bright and brave fellows e the writer ofthis letter who set the world agog at fighting '• i proceed to tell you of the part i play ed in the battle of cerro gordo god de liver me from ever being in such another fight ! jn my last letter from vera cruz i stated tbat i had been left behind iny di vision 2d of gen twiggs sick but that 1 was about to rejoin it at jalapa who can calculate on the future the next news from the army was that santa anna with an army of sixteen thousand men was strongly entrenched in a mountain pass between us and jalapa at cerro gordo the name of the principal height and key-point of his position — a perfect mexican gibralter a mountain height of eight hundred feet or more surmounted by eight pieces of cannon eighteen and six-pnunders which completely com manded the neighboring ground and ap proaches ; and furthermore strengthened by two breastworks of stone wood and brush which completely girt about the summit upon which stood a small town from which waved proudly the flag of mexico by hastening on and travelling by night as well as day i arrived just a lhe bail opened the peak of orizaba in the distance looked upon the battle like some huge presiding and avenging indian deity tin mexicans drawn up in columns to the amount of six thousand on the summit with colors displayed wild and martial music sounding and santa ' una upon a milk-white steed and sum ruled by a brilliant staff riding along tho lines en couraging h;s men presented a sight at once imposing and beautiful it was destined shortly to be grand and terrific 0:i t he right oi our position 2d division of regulars to whom the whole honor of this great and glorious victory is due was a second height commanded almost en tirely by that of cerro gordo and occu pied by a large force of mexicans it was necessary that this height should be taken preparatory to the grand assault this work was gallantly executed by the ri fles 1st artillery and one company ofthe 7th infantry many of our men carried away by natural impetuosity and many others misunderstanding orders after hav ing driven tiie enemy from the first hill advanced even tothe base of cerro gordo that night when we rested upon the first hill under comparative cover of its crest surrounded by dead and wounded mexi cans many a brave comrade was missed who was expiating the sin of having been brave even to rashness •• 1 was too late to join my regiment on the lirst day but attached myself to a company ofthe 7th infantry which held an exposed situation and had the extreme felicity of being fired at all day without the pleasure of returning it that ni<_;ht i rejoined my companv under capt ma son and next morning the ball re-opened wiih great eclat the enemy having wa kened us during the night only twice by pleasant messengers in the shape of can non balls in the morning we the rifles were obliged for two mortal hours to stand an artillery fire of ball grape and canis ter under very imperfect shelter before the command to storm the height wa given it was here that poor mason as fine a.fellow as ever lived and who by the by is doing well lost bis leg lieut davis was killed in the very spot where i had been lying a few moments before ; and afterwards when i arose to obey the order forward a soldier was discovered a bout six feet above me on the side ofthe hill who was killed so dead by a grape shop that had passed through his stom ach that he had not apparently move from his recumbent posture and had died so suddenly that those around were igno rant ofthe fact of his having been struck the rifles were ordered to take up a po sition in the ravine and to hold in check a body of mexicans advancing to rein force cerro gordo and the other three re giments of the brigade to storm the heij.hr myself heard only the other forward consequently went ahead with the nam column an.l was fortunate enoujrh to be among the first over the ureastworks 1 lhe enemy whom i revenged mvself upon by turning upon him a six poufu\..r ne of his own guns and paying him back vith intetest in his own leaden and iron oin " the storming of cerro gordo was a nagnificent spectacle as well as one of he most brilliant if not most brilliant feats very accomplished by american arms the mountain was so steep and the men to exhausted by previous ellbrts that it ecame a cool deliberate thing — there vas no rush ; our gallant soldiers advan ed calmly and slowly amidst leaden hur icanes which unceasingly swept over hem ; batteries in the rear played upon hem but there was no pause no hesi ation — on they went their minds were nade up to conquer or die on they went gradually converging to the summit which dazed forth like a volcano till finally our leadly fire opened upon lhe foe hi.s breast vorks became ours also and almost sim iltaneously the different regiments enga ged in the storm entered and their stan lards triumphantly waved in place of la bandera de mexico what a glo ious feeling took possession of my soul hat moment 1 cannot describe it of he wounded and dying we will not peak j have seen death robed in all iis ghastly terrors and feel that i am be soming indifferent to the sufferings of my ellow.s ; my profession demands it the iry grass upon the hill took fire at one ime and many dead and some wounded vere burnt up or rather roasted our egiment suffered terribly ; the proportion f killed and wounded among the officers ivas more than one out of three eight of ficers being killed and wounded where ourteeo were unharmed ; among the men lie proportion was one out of five i'ret y hot work ; such as i do not care about 3ngaging in again in a hurry at one time [ assure you such was the noise of balls passing over my head that i was uncon scious of any other sound though regi ments at the time were rolling forth their fire what a magnificent and terrible tune was played in those mountains which acted like some huge soundingboard and prolonged and rolled away into tho dis tance the noise ofthe battle ! " 1 have only pretended to give you an account of that portion of the battle in which i was engaged we however won the clay " i go with our division so soon as it moves to see puebla mexico and other sights if these cursed mexicans did not shoot at one so hard mexico would be a delightful country to be in what am i who two weeks ago was sleeping upon llie hard rock without shelter doing now 1 why luxuriating in a real bed with clean sheets and pillows with fringed cases ! — at present i board with a very pleasant family with whom i am on the very best of terms lately when i had a slight return of fever they almost killed me with kindness and attention from my win dow i regard a perfect wilderness of beau ty woods mountains meadows and flow ers numbers of singing birds of beautiful plumage delight the ear and sight oza la'ozala i exclaim with admiration you should see our family party at night a jolly spaniard plays the harp for us — the girls three of them don santiago another boarder and don diego ihat is to say myself dance every thing — polkas spanish dances mexican waltzes and the old padre a franciscan monk with shaven crown looks on and says : ' oung people enjoy yourselves now when you are old confess your sins how pleasant this ! one ofthe girls solidad by name sings well and is now writing oil for me a spanish song for c ." iiox henry vv hflxiaed — we learn from lhe alabama journal lhal at lhe whig county convention in montgomery a resolution to the amount that henry w lliiliaid he unan imously the whig candidate for congress in the second district was passed by acclamation only one or two voices dissenting great mortality — the picayune pub lishes a list of 156 volunteers in the 2nd mississippi regiment who have died in mexico the american mail line to europe the departure from this city on thurs day week of our townsman selah r hobbie esq first assistant postmaster genera gives us occasion to speak ofthe great public enterprise with which his vi sit to southampton bremen and other places in europe is connected he goes out as the agent ol the postmaster gen eral to make the needful arrangements for the foreign mail service of this coun try to be performed by the new york and bremen line of steamships this line goes into operation on the 1st of june with the sailing of the steamer washing ton ~ the success of our countrvmen in river steamboat navigation is wefl established and recognized but their enterprise now seeks a broader and more arduous thea tre 1 hey have become impatient to dis play that skill upon the ocean where their well established and powerful com petitor has hitherto wielded ihe trident of superiority in steam navigation the spi rit of the people has manifested itself through the action of congress three great lines of ocean steamers have been luthonzed by law and the noble ship washington now leads oil in this high ca l3**t t american enterprise it fs the eitlzsti'v.0 ur cirizens our citizens their skill ami capital that cre ate these lines — the n - . u government gvn countenance and aid hy inspect the instruction of the ships throuu = nf ts naval oflicers and bestowm i*s ,,-, t'f bypm',ans f the mail c°^act vhich the postmaster genera has made with the starting of this line the effort vill be made by our post ollice depart nent to relieve our foreign mail jnter ourse of certain perplexities and embar rassments with which it is now trammel ed each country through which the jet er has to pass has its separate post ollice system its separate charge of postage md that has to be paid before the letter an go to its destination this amounts mless agents are resorted to to a total destruction a reciprocal arrangement hat will reduce these afferent charges nto one postage rate through for the en ire distance with liberty to pay either vhere mailed or delivered and with a system of accountability that will give to ach government its share of the postage s one of the leading objects for which mr hobbie is dispatched in the washinjr on this is so just lo a||f so manirestj iromotive of universal convenience anil ulvantage that we trust our first assist int postmaster general will succeed in btaining the hearty co-operation of the iroper authorities in england germanv tnd france in its adoption — nat int from california lieuts talbot beal and oilier gentlemen ar ived at sl louis on the 16th from california iy way of santa fe having leii san diego un he 2 ith february last at the lime of their leparture lieut col fremont was ra ciudad le los angelos acling as governor of the ler ilory under an appointment from commodore m ckfon tho commodore had returned on nard his ship and had left that part of tbe coast col win ii kussell of calloway counly in his stale was acting as secretary ofthe terri tory gen kearney was joined about the 9th of january at san diego hv lieut cooke with ine haltalion of mormons under his command greal praise is bestowed on col cooke li the condition ii which he brought bis command in lt is said that all his m-ii were in l.ne health with iheir arms as bright as when ihey set out on lhe march — in excellent discipline and without anv serious oss soon after being joined by col cooke gen kearney with ihe mormons and dragoons pro ceeded to monterey where he wis when our informant left there he had been joined by the two artillery companies fn m baltimore — ue cannot learn from our informants that any portion of col stevenson's command from x or had arrived commodore shubrick had joined gen kearnpy at monterey hut weare unable to learn what their operations would he i'he question of lhe right loactas governor of the territory was sii.i in dispute between gen kearney and commodore stockton it was undttsiood that jen k intended setting oul on his return about tin 1st of july but the slate of affairs it was supposed might delay his de parture some of lhe eti;!.*men named we under stand are hearers of the despatches to wash ington a correspondent of the st louis rrpum ican writing from saula fe under date ofthe tih of april says — '" all is apparently quiet 7ie;v but every ob serving man knows that we are walking t.tilv over a volcano whi.-h is ready to burst upon us | if an opportunity offers as i sni.l in a former letter in peace or war ihis country cannot be retained hut by military force we hear that colonel doniphan intend lo return to missouri through texas if he doe so before other troops arrive to relieve him chihuahua will fall again into the hai.ds of li.i mexicans for mv part i cannot think he will do so unwise a thing b ink of cape feeir.-r-ovr wednesday last rh.nry r savage was appointed by the board of directors cashier of the bank of cape fear vice dr thomas ii i wright elected president ii '/. jour < — ♦ army intelligence *°~ *< new orleans be7.j,ijua - later from mexico the j s steamer fashion capt hv arnved here yesterday having left vera cruz on sunday the 30th ult she bro't me following passengers lieut gregg h.h regiment v s r sjlhma voioieers lfe k,np d fellnagleofthe,_tdo;mrjamcsjohn son quartermaster second regiment mr and 40 discharged volunteers w t • 8 si,'p new orleans captain morning wlllpr0bab,-varrivebi on the 31st ult saw the steamshin ma ry kingsland hence for vera c roz tider a press of canvass and steam a lefi states bng name unknown sailed fro wra cruz bound to this port on £/££ ult for repairs on the 2nd instant 0 lnt wc learn verbally that santa anna a he last accounts xvas believed to be at rio _ no fortifying that pass and aim ing to delend it with a force dirteremlv est mated at from two to ten thousand men in his usual braggart vein he boasts atr.o orth american shall cross hat narner save over hisdead bodv it i not ccrtam uhen gen scott reached puebla or whether the army had advanced be ond that town as the destruction of the diligence had interrupted communication between jalapa and vera cruz and con sequently pm a stop to the transmission ol authentic intelligence lhe fashion brought two vera cruz papers ; one of tbe 26th and the other of lhe 29th ult we have been kindly per mitted to examine them the rainy reason was ushered in at era t ruz by copious showers during the mornings of the 27th and 28th which had lowered ihe temp rature and greatly re freshed the inhabitants we were informed yesterdav says the eagle ol the 2_th that six mexicans com mon from santa fe were attacked and robbed by their own countrvmen this sjbe natural result ofthe atrocious gue r ' vva_-hare ovv attempting to be wag-d ihe late ol the diligence between ve ra cruz and jalapa is now positively as certain h left the iir>t n..med city on he 22nd ult and carried no passengers when bad proceeded about two miles the other s.de of puente nacional was slopped robbed and destroyed by being broken up and burned the driver and postillion were both released and permit ted o go on to jalapa the vehicle that ought to have arrived at vera cruz on the 24th s opped when the driver reached the spot where the other was robbed and re turned to jalapa another massacre from information received at vera c ruz there is little doubt that col sow ers and jive soldiers have fallen victims to mexican cruelty that officer left ye ra cruz on sunday the 231 ult with an escort consisting of live men and lieu tenant mcdonnell of captain wheat's company they arrived in saiety at san ta fe and lodged there during the night 1 mding that capt v had left and learn in tint he could not be more than thirty miles in advance they determined to push on ior jalapa with an addition of two more men nothing had been beard of them lor several days and their fate «■,.. involved in the deeped mystery on the 28th a gentleman arrived at vera cruz from whom the editor of the eagle learn ed that lie bad seen at a point two miles beyond puente nacional ihe ruins of a diligence and underneath a human body stripped of its clothing and hornhly mu tilated near him jay another body like wise naked and mangled in tbe same shocking manner the gentleman added that live more bodies bad been thrown among the chapparal the number kill ed with the supposition ihat one escaped corresponds so entirely with the force that accompanied co sowers as to leave ,.„ douht that he and bis companions x»-re massacred by guerilleros some of the mexicans who were cap tured in vera cii_z with arms and am munition have been hied five were ac quitted and four convicted and sentenced to work in chains during four months and a half on ihe streets and thoroughfares of the town the remainder were to be tried on the jist instant com perry arrived at vera cruz on the 24th ult from his expedition along the mexican coast he reached laguna on the itith and the next day ran up the national flag in the town captain g a m i_tuder was appointed governor of laguna as tiie possession of lagona cuts oil water communication with ide interior of tobasco it i deemed impor tant to keep it securely the eagle says that suspicions are a float of a design on the pari of some of the mexicans at vera cruz to foment insub ordination and create a revolt againsl the american authority ir warns them ihat they are known and watched and ihe iirst overt act will lie severely punished lieut col fagg and he buncombe companv of n c volunteers for w safety some apprehension has been felt landed at key west florida on the i ult after a stormy voyage ot is da s — all well they expected to saii again and to arrive at the brasos in 10 days ay a iout the 27;h ult wfcenerer you buy or sell lei or hin make i c'.'-.'.o bargaiu and nerei lw-1 to •• we han't lisagree about trifle |