Page:A series of intercepted letters in Mexico.djvu/39

 Between this and San Angel, and another called La Magdalena, began a well disputed action, and if our army did not acquire a complete triumph, it could not at any rate be said, that they fought with a bad result. The pass was fiercely disputed by each of the forces, which retained their position at night, Valencia for the time checking the advance of the enemy. But, as the Americans are sharp and industrious, they took advantage of the darkness of the night, made more dark by heavy rains, and placed their troops, without being suspected, so as to open a fire on the 20th, on both Valencia and San Antonio. At 5 his batteries commenced an active and terrible fire on the points referred to, and Gen. Valencia (it is said, disobeying the orders of Santa Anna,) marched with his force against them, but was entirely routed. (The writer gives the rumors as they reached the city—Gen. V. was attacked in his camp, and did not advance.) Gen Santa Anna went to assist him, with all those that were at his command (at hand). But the enemy had placed itself so advantageously, that the camp was surrounded by a circle of fire, so constant that our troops lost spirit, and accustomed by bad luck to run, they broke up in such disorder that by 12 o'clock the camp was in the hands of the enemy, and the few troops we had left entered the capital at 3 o'clock with Gen. Santa Anna, followed by the enemy, within gun shot of the fortifications, at the gate of San Antonio Abad—from whence they returned, when some shots were fired from the fortifications. Trains of Artillery, cannon, ammunition—all that belong to our army fell into the hands of the enemy, for the dispersion was horrid. Our loss in dead, wounded and dispersed, is reckoned at six thousand men. The loss of the enemy is said to be greater, but you know that this way of expression among us is the fashion. The account I have given you I received from Olacta, who was among the dispersed and as an eye witness can be relied on.

The enemy are now at the gates of the city, possessed of Churubusco. Some of our troops are at El Nino Perdido La Piedad, and the rest are in barracks, and since 3 o'clock yesterday there has been a profound silence. I cannot tell why the enemy has not entered the capital, nor why, if it is still to be defended, that our troops have retired to their barracks, from which they have not moved all day. The firing has entirely ceased. The enemy are at the gates and our troops are in their barracks; the one advances no further, the other makes no movement for defence. It is not known that a cessation of hostilities has been agreed upon. In this state of things we are all stupefied. You hear nothing in the streets but the