of our loss in killed and wounded is not yet ascertained, and is reserved for a more

detailed report.

The affair of to-day may be regarded as a proper supplement to the cannonade of yesterday; and the two taken together, exhibit the coolness and gallantry of our officers and men in the most favourable light. All have done their duty, and done it nobly. It will be my pride in a more circumstantial report of both actions, to dwell upon particular instances of individual distinction.

It affords me peculiar pleasure to report that the field-work opposite Matamoras has sustained itself handsomely during a cannonade and bombardment of 168 hours. But the pleasure is alloyed with profound regret at the loss of its heroic and indomitable commander, Major Brown, who died to-day from the effect of a shell. His loss would be a severe one to the service at any time, but to the army under my orders, it is, indeed, irreparable. One officer and one non-commissioned officer killed, and ten men wounded, comprise all the casualties incident to this severe bombardment.

I inadvertently omitted to mention the capture of a large number of pack mul... left in the Mexican camp.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Z. TAYLOR,
Brevet Brigadier-general U. S. A. Commanding.

Headquarters Army of Occupation,

Point Isabel, Texas, May 12, 1846.

SIR,-1 am making a hasty visit to this place, for the purpose of having an inter view with Commodore Connor, whose squadron is now at anchor off the harbour, and arranging with him a combined movement up the river. I avail myself of the brief time at my command to report that the main body of the army is now occu pying its former position opposite Matamoras. The Mexican forces are almost dis organized, and I shall lose no time in investing Matamoras, and opening the naviga tion of the river.

I regret to report that Major Ringgold died the morning of the 11th inst., of the severe wounds received in the action of Palo Alto. With the exception of Captain Paige, whose wound is dangerous, the other wounded officers are doing well. In my report of the second engagement, I accidentally omitted the name of Lieut Dobbins, 3d infantry, among the officers slightly wounded, and desire that the omission may be supplied in the despatch itself. I am under the painful necessity of reporting that Lieut. Blake, topographical engineers, after rendering distinguished services in my staff during the affair of the 8th inst., accidentally shot himself with a pistol on the following day, and expired during the night.

It has been quite impossible as yet to furnish detailed reports of our engagements with the enemy, or even accurate returns of the killed and wounded. Our loss is not far from 3 officers and 40 men killed, and 13 officers and 100 men wounded; while that of the enemy has in all probability exceeded 300 kilied; more than 200 have been buried by us on the two fields of battle.

I have exchanged a sufficient number of prisoners to recover the command of Captain Thornton. The wounded prisoners have been sent to Matamoras-the wounded officers on their parole. General La Vega and a few other officers have been sent to New Orleans, having declined a parole, and will be reported to Majorgen. Gaines. I am not conversant with the usages of war in such cases, and beg that such provision may be made for these prisoners as may be authorized by law. Our own prisoners have been treated with great kindness by the Mexican officers. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Z. TAYLOR,

Brevet Brigadier-general U. S. A. Commanding.

The first news that arrived in this country of actual hostilities having been commenced on the Rio Grande, was received with apparent (although unreasonable) astonishment, and created the most intense excitement. Congress was then in session, and the president immediately sent in a message, announcing that the Mexican government had "at last invaded our territory, and shed the blood of our citizens upon our own soil." Af ter a brief discussion, congress admitted the correctness of the president's assertion, and declared that "by the act of the republic of Mexico, a state

of war exists between that government and the United States." At the same time an appropriation of ten millions of dollars was placed at the disposal of the president, and he was authorized to accept the services of fifty thousand volunteers.

If the government at Washington had been heretofore remiss in providing for the exigencies of war which itself had been greatly instrumental in hurrying on, it now seemed disposed to compensate for past inactivity In two days from the declaration of congress that war existed on the Rio Grande, the plan of the campaign of 1846 was completed-the requisitions on the governors of states determined on-and General Scott issued to the chief of the general staff at Washington his memoranda relative to transportation, &c. These memoranda were issued on the 15th of May; and so thoroughly educated in their profession-so capable and so energetic were the officers of the general staff, that, on the 1st of August, all the foot regiments of the volunteer army had been mustered into service, marched several thousand miles, and assembled on the Rio Grande.

After the battle of Resaca de la Palma, the little American army, under General Taylor, took possession of Matamoras, and commenced vigorous preparations for penetrating into the interior of Mexico. His entire force now consisted of about nine thousand men, twenty-four hundred of whom were assigned to different garrisons in the vicinity, while the main body, consisting of six thousand six hundred men, was destined to march on Monterey. This force was divided into three divisions, commanded re spectively by Brigadier-general Twiggs, Brigadier-general Worth, and Major-general Butler. General Worth commenced his march for Monterey, the capital of New Leon, on the 20th of August; on the 5th of September the general-in-chief left Camargo, the principal depot of supplies, leaving that town garrisoned by about two thousand men. At the end of the month, the whole marching force found itself concentrated at the village of Morin, on the road to Monterey, under command of General Taylor. After halting a few days to obtain information, the whole body pushed on, and on the 19th of September arrived at Walnut Springs, three miles from Monterey, having met no serious resistance on the way.

Monterey was by nature made apparently impregnable, and had been partially fortified by art. It was commanded by General Pedro Ampudia, with a garrison of about seven thousand regular, and two or three thousand irregular troops. General Taylor, however, having decided to carry the place by storm, with the bayonet and the artillery, made a reconnaissance of the works on the evening of his arrival at Walnut Springs. The next day General Worth was ordered to make a detour to the right, turn the hill of the Bishop's Palace, and take a position on the Saltillo road, for the purpose of carrying the enemy's works in that quarter. General Butler was posted with his division behind a battery of two twenty-four pounders and a ten inch mortar. On the morning of the 21st, the battle began in earnest. Twiggs's and Butler's divisions, supported by the light artillery, were both ordered forward. May, with his dragoons, was detached to the right, to support General Worth, while a column of six hundred and fifty men, with Bragg's artillery, was ordered to attack the lower part of the town, at a point designated by Major Mansfield. They found themselves opposed by entrenched streets and barricaded houses; and, after sustaining a deadly fire, Garland's force was compelled to retire. At this juncture General Taylor ordered up the 4th infantry, and the volunteer regiments from Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi, commanded by Colonels Mitchell, Campbell, and Davis. The last two regiments, with three companies of the 4th regiment, advanced against the redoubt. The last companies, being in front, were received with a deadly fire, which killed or disabled one third of the men, and they were compelled to retire. The brigade of General Quitman (Tennessee and Mississippi) pushed on, and, with the aid

of Captain Backus's company (on the roof of a house) captured the fort with its cannon and ammunition.

In the mean while the Ohio regiment, with General Butler and Colonel Mitchell, entered the town to the right, and advanced against the second battery, but the fire was so severe that the regiment was withdrawnGeneral Butler, who had advanced with it, being wounded. The guns of the first battery were turned upon the second, and Colonel Garland was again ordered forward with another column. They were compelled to pass several streets trenched and barricaded, and after another severe contest retired in good order. Up to this time, it is obvious, no important success had been obtained against the lower town. Repeated assaults had been made, and one battery carried; but it is evident the enemy had preserved the main part of his defences untouched. The Mexican cavalry had also made several charges, but always unsuccessfully. On the same day (the 21st) Worth's division had advanced to the right, defeated the enemy, and carried several fortified heights. At night General Taylor ordered a large part of Twiggs's and Butler's divisions back to Walnut Springs a portion remaining to guard the battery in the ravine.

At dawn of the 22d, Worth and his division, which had bivouacked on the Saltillo road, recommenced the advance. The height above the Bishop's Palace was stormed and taken, when the palace and the guns of both were turned upon the enemy below.

The guns of the citadel continued, during this day, to fire upon the American positions; but General Taylor made no important movement in front. The turning of the enemy's position by Worth, and the capture of the Bishop's Palace, gave a new face to affairs. This was the key to Monterey, and General Ampudia concentrated his troops in the heart of the city. General Taylor, on the morning of the 23d, found nearly all the works in the lower part of the city abandoned. He immediately ordered General Quitman to enter the place, but here a new resistance was made The houses were fortified, and our troops actually dug through from house to house! On the upper side of the city, Worth's division had also gained a lodgment. The firing continued during the 23d-the Americans having possession of the greater part of the city, and the Mexicans confined, in their defence, chiefly to the citadel and plaza. That evening (at 9 P.M.) General Ampudia sent in propositions to General Taylor, which, after some negotiation, resulted in the surrender and evacuation of Monterey. The main part of the capitulation was, that the Mexican troops should retire beyond a line formed by the pass of Rinconada, the city of Linares, and San Fernando de Presas; and that the forces of the United States would not advance beyond that line before the expiration of eight weeks, or until the orders or instructions of the respective governments should be received.

The following are the articles of capitulation

ARTICLE I. As the legitimate result of the operations before this place, and the present position of the contending armies, it is agreed that the city, the fortifications, cannon, the munitions of war, and all other public property, with the under-mentioned exceptions, be surrendered to the commanding general of the United States forces now at Monterey.

ART. II. That the Mexican forces be allowed to retain the following arms, to wit: the commissioned officers their side-arms, the infantry their arms and accoutrements, the cavalry their arms and accoutrements, the artillery one field battery, not to exceed six pieces, with twenty-one rounds of ammunition.

ART. III. That the Mexican armed forces retire, within seven days from this date, beyond the line formed by the pass of the Rinconada, the city of Linares, and San Fernando de Presas.