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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST,
JAMES JR-
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f From the N- O. Tropic.]
THE BATTLE OF BUEVA VISTA.
On the morning of she 22d, intelligence
reached General Taylor at his camp on
tbe hill overlooking Saltillo from the south,
that Santa Aim, whose presence in our
Vicihitv had been reported for several
davs, was advancing upon our main hodv,
stationed near the Rancho San Juan de
H • na Vista, alv*ut seven mil°s fiom
Sahiil *. The General immediately moved
forward with May’s squadron ot Dragoons.
Sherman’s and B agg’s batteries of
A r til!erv, and the Mississippi regiment of
Riflemen, under Col. Davis and anived |
at the position which he hud selected for
a waiting tlie attack ol the enemv about
11 o'clock. The time and the place, the
hour and the man, seemed to promise a
glorious celebration of thedav! It was
the 22 I ol February, the anniversary' of
that dav on which the God of battles
gave to freedom its nob est champion, to
patriotism its purest model, to America a
preserver, and to the world the nearest
realization of human perfection— for
panegyric sinks before the name ot Wash
ington.
'Bite morning was bright and beautiful.
Not a cloud floated athwart the firmament
or dimmed tlie azure of the skv, and the
flood of golden radiance, which gilded the
mountain lops, and poured over the val
levs, wrought light and shade into a
thousand fantastic forms. A soft breeze
swept down from the mountains, rolling
into graceful undulations, the banner of
the Republic, "inch was proudly stream
ing from the flagstaff of the Fort, and
from the towers and battlements of Sal
tillo. The omens were all in nnr favor.
In the choiced of his position, Gen.
Tavlorhad exhibited tlie same conjure-
hensivo sagacity an ! masterly coup d ce/J
winch ebaracterized his dispositions at
Resaca de la Palma and w hich crowned
iurnphantly all his operations amid the
blazing lines of Monterey. The moun
tains rise on ei her side of an irregular
and broken valley, about three miles in
width, dotted over with hills and ridges,
and scarred with broad and vvinding ra
vines. The main road lies along-the
Course of an Arrovo, the bed of which is
now so deep as to form an almost impos.
sable barrier, while tlie other side is
bounded hv precipitous elevations, stretch
ing per; endicularly towards the main
tains, and separated by broad gullies, j
until they mingle intonne at the base of j
the principal range. On the right of tlie
narrowest point of the mad way, a bat
talion of tlie Ist Illinois Regiment, under
Rf. Col. Weatherford, was stationed in a
small trench, extending to ihe natural
ravine, while, on the opposite height, the
main body of the regiment under Col.
Hardin, was posted, with a singio piece
ofartillery from Capt. Washington’s bat
tery. The post of honor on the extreme
right, was assigned to Bragg’s A'tillerv.
bis left supported by the 2d Regiment of
Kentucky foot, under Col. McKee, the left
flank of which rested upon the Arroyo.
Washington’s battery occupied a position
immedia ely in front of the narrow point
of the road way, in rear of which and
jomewhat to the left, on another height,the
2d Illinois Regiment, under Col. Bissell,
was posted. Next on the left, the Indiana
Brigade under Gen. Lane was deployed,
while on the extreme left tlie Kentucky
Cavalry, under Col. Marshall, occupied a
position directly under the frowning sum
mits of the mountains. The two squad
rons of the Ist and 2d Dragoon®, and the
Arkansas Cavalry under Col. Yell, were
posted in rear, ready for anv serv'ce
which the exigencies of ilie day mhdjt
require.
These dispositions had been made for
sometime, when the enemv was seen
advancing in the distance, and the cloud
of dust which rolled up before him. gave
satisfactory evidence that his numbers
was not unworthy ti e trial of strength
upon which we were about tnenter.— He
a rived upon Ids position in immense mass
e-. and with force sufficiently numerous
to have commenced his attack at once,
had he been as confident of success, as it
subsequently apnea red be was solicitous
for our safety. The first evidence directly
offmled us of the presence of San’a Anna.
Was a w hite flag, which was dimly seen
fluttering in the breeze, and anon Surgeon
General Lindenberg, of the Mexican
Army, arrived, bearing a beautiful
emblem of benevolent bravado and Chris,
tian charity. It was a missive Aom Santa
Anna, suggested by considerations for our
personal comfort, which has placed u® 1
under lasting obligations, proposin'? to 1
Gen. Taylor terms of unconditional sur
render, promising good treatment; assur. 1
ing us that his force amounted to upwards 1
of 20.000 men, that our defeat was in 1
evitable, and that to spare the effusion of
blood, his proposition should he comnlied 1
with. Strange to say, the American Gen
eral showed the greatest ingratitude: 1
evinced no appreciation whatever nfSanta
Anna’s kindness, and informed him that
whether his force amounted to 20.000 m
50,000, it was equally a matter of indif M
Terence: the terms of adjustment must be p
arranged by gunpowder. I i
The messenger returned to his employ
er, and we waited in silence to hear the
war of his artillery. Hours rolled hv
without any movement on his part, and it
appeared that the Mexican commander,
grieved at our stubbornness, was almost
disposed to retrace his steps, as if deter
mined to have no further intercourse with i
such ungrateful audacity. At length, he
mustered resolution to open a fire from a
mortar, throwing several shells into onr
camp without execution. While this was
■ going on, Captain Sieene, of the Ist
dragoons, w ith a single man. started tow.
ards a hill, on which the Mex'can Gen
era! seemed to be stationed with his staff. ■
hut before he completed the ascent, the
party vani-Ved, and when he reached the
top, he di-covered that two regiments had
thrown thems’lves into squares to resist
hischarge. The Captain’s gravity was
oveicome by this opposition, and he re
turned.
Just before dark, a number ofSanta
Anna’s Infantry had succeeded in get
ting a position. high , up tie mountains on
our left, from which they could make a
noise without exposing themselves to
much danger, and at a distance of three
hundred yards, opened a most tremen
dous fire upon C-d. Marshall’s regiment.
This was returned by two of his compa
| rites, which were dismounted and detach
I ed for the purpose, as soon as they could
arrive wn'ihin a neighborly range. The
skirmishing continued until alter dark,
w ith no result to us. save the wounding of
three men very slightly.
During the night, a Mexican prisoner i
was taken, who reported Santa Anna’s i
force consisting of fifteen pieces of ar j
tillery, including some 2t■ pounders, six j
thousand cavalry, and fift'-en thousand !
; infantry, thus confirming the statement
of his superior.
The fie on onr extreme left, which
ceased soon after sun set, on the 22 I. was
renewed on the morning of tlie 2fl 1, at
an early hour. This was also accom
panied f>v quick di-charges of artillery
from the same quarter, the Mexicans hav
ing estahli-hed during (he night, a 12
pounder, on a point at the base of tlie
mountain, which commanded any posi
tion which could ho taken hv ns. To
counteract the eflvct of this piece. Lieut. '
O’Brien, 4th artillery, was detached with
three pieces of Washington’s battery hav. j
ing with him Lieut. Bryan, of the Topo- i
graphical Engineers, who, having plant
ed a few shells m the midst of the enemy’s ;
gunners, for the lime, effectually silenced ;
his fire.
From the movements soon perceptible |
along the left of onr line, it became evi- 1
dent that the enemy was attempting to
turn that flank, and for tin's purpose ha'l
concentrated a large body of cavalry and
infantry on his right. The base of the
mountain around which these troops were
winding their wav, seemed girdled w ith
a belt of steel, as their glittering sabres
and polished lance* flashed hack the
beams of the morning sun. Sherman’s
and Bragg’s batteries were immediately
ordered to the left; Col. Bissell’s regi
ment occupied a position between them,
■ wdiile Col. McKee’s Kentuckians were
I transferred from the right of onr line, so
as to hold a portion near the centra—
The second Indiana regiment, tinder Col.
Bowles, was placed on our extreme left,
nearly perpendicular to the direction of
our line, sous to oppose, by a direct
fire the flank movement of the enemy.—
These dispositions having been promply
effected, the artillery of both armies
opened its fires, and simultaneously the
Mexican infantry commenced a rapid
and extended discharge upon onr line,
from the left, to McKee’s regiment. Our
artillery belched forth its thunders with
tremendous eflect, while the Kentuckians
returned the fire of the Mexican infantry, !
with groat steadiness and success; their I
field officers, McKee,Clav and Fry, pass
ing along their line, animating and en j
couraging them by precept and example.
The second Illinois regiment also received
the enemy’s fire with great firmness, and
returned an ample equivalent. While
this fierce conflict was going on, the main
body of Col. Hardin’s regiment moved to i
the right of the Kentuckians, and repre
sentatives of each State, seemed to vie I
with each other in the honorable ambi
tion of doing the best service for their
country. Both regiments gallantly sus
tained their positions, and won unfading
laurels. The veterans of Austerlitz,
could not have exhibited more courage,
coolness and devotion.
In the meantime, the enemy’s cavalry :
bad been sfealthilypursning its way along
the mountain, and though onr artillery
had wrought great havoc among its num
bers, the leading squadrons had passed
the extreme points of danger, and were
almost in position to attack us in rear.
At this critical moment, the Indiana re
giment turned upon its ptoper front, and
commenced an inglorious flight. The
efforts of Col. uowles to bring it info po- 1
Mtion were vain, and over hills and ra
vines they pursued their shameful career
to the great delight of the enemy, who i
rent the air with shouts of triumph. Seve
ral officers of Gen. Taylor’s staff im
mediately dashed off to at rest,if possible, i
the retreating regiment, and restore it !
again to reputation and to duty. Major i
Dix, of the Pay Department, formely of
the 7th infantry, was the first to reach the
deserters, and seizing the colors of the |
regiment, appealed to the men, to know (
whether they had determined to desert
them. He was answered by three cheers, «
Miow ing that though the men had little
disposition to become heroes themselves, <
they were not unmindful of an act of dis- (
tinguished gallantry on the part of «
another. A |»oriion of the regiment im- t
ppediately rallied around him, and was (
Tefortned by the officers. Dix, in person, £
then led them toward-* the enemy, until f
I ... I - I ..I I—■
Battle Ground at Buena Vista.
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DRSCRIPTION OF T5!52
A—marks the locality of the Ram-ho of Buena
I Vista, which is three miles from Saltillo, and the
< Battle ground is located four miles south of Buena
| Vista, and seven miles from Saltillo,
i R—is the location <>f Agua Nueva. IS miles from
j Saltillo, an 1 12 miles from the Battle ground of
i Buena Vi-ta, to w hich Santa Anna retreated alter
j the battle.
C—istheroal fromJSan Luis Po’nsi to Saltillo,
i as it enters the f.unu is maantain pass of Agua
1 v
| Aueva.
D—is the rood and mountain pass of Z icatecas-
E—is the famonsjhaltle ground,? miles wide,and
10 in length, which is distinguished in Mexican
history fir one of the bloodiest battles that was
j fought during the revolution of 182-5 and 1821,
I whilst Mexico was at war with old Spain. It is
j in front of the Pass of Augna Nueva; the stream
i of fresh wafer which gives it its name is the first
i for forty-five miles, after leaving the hist tank
| coining from San Louis. It commands the only
I pass in the mountains through which the enemy
can bring their artillery to bear.
F—San Juan La Vacarea, the camp ground of
Gen. Wool, from the 21»l to the 28th of Decem
ber, en route to Saltillo.
G G—Tbe route of Gen. Wool from Paras.
I—ls the Rancho of Eucantada and the encamp*
| menl of Sar.ta Anna on the morning of the battle,
I three miles and a half from Gen. 'Baylor's en-
I campment.and ten miles from Saltillo.
■Bi«c111.1 in, <1 - tr- juac-■
one ot the men volunteered to take the
flag. The party returned to the field,
and though not in time to repair the dis
aster which their flight had created, to re
trieve in a slight degree, the charac
ter of the Slate. While the dav, however,
hv lids disgraceful panic, was fast going
against us, the artillery was advanced,
its front extended, and different sections
and pieces under Sherman, Bragg, O’-
B' irn.Thomas, Rev Molds.Kilhn rn,French,
and Bryan were wo king such carnage
, in the tanks of the enemy, as to make his
columns roll to and fro, like ships upon
the btliows. 11 is triumph at the Indiana
rehca', was hut for a moment, and ids
shouts of joy were soon followed by
groans of anguish and the shriek of ex.
piling hundreds.
Washington’s battery on the right, had
ntw opened its fire, and driven back a
large party of lancers, advancing in that
d i reel iron. Along the entire line, the bat
tle raged with fury. Twenty.one thou
san I of the \ ictims of Mexican oppression
and the myrmidons of Mexican despotism,
we ear aye Ijagainst five thousand Ame
ricans, sent forth to conquer a peace.—
The discharges of the infantry followed I
each other more rapidly than the sounds
of the swissßell lingers in the fierce fer
vor of a fumfe. and the volleys ofartillery
reverberated through the mountains like
the thunders of an Alpine storm.
The myriads of Mexican cavalry still
pressed forward on our left, and threat- ;
ed a charge upon the Mississippi rifles
under Col. Davis, who had been ordered :
to support the Indiana regiment, and had
succeeded in preserving a fragment of it i
in position. C«>l. Davis immediate! v threw !
his command into the form of a V, the
opening towards the enemy, and awaited
his advance. On he came, dashing with
all the speed of Mexican Kor>es, hut w hen
he arrived at that point fiom which could
be seen the whites of his eves, both lines
poured forth a sheet of led that scattered ]
him like chuff, felling many a gallant I
s’eed to the earth, and sending scores of
riders to the sleep that knows no waking.
While the dispersed Mexican cavalry
were rally ing, the 31 Indiana regiment,
under C"l. Lane, was ordered to join
Cd. Davis, supported by a considerable
body of horse. About this time, from
some unknown reason, our wagon train
displayed iis length along the Saltillo
road, and offered a conspicuous prize for
the Mexican lancers, which they seemed
not unwilling to appropriate. Fortunate
ly. Lieut. Rucker, with a squadron of
the Ist dragoons. (Captain Sieene having
been previously wounded, and Captain
Eustis confined to his bed hv illness ) was
present, and by order of G°n. Tavlor,
dashed among them in a mist brilliant
six le, dispersing them by his charge, as
effectually as the previous fire of the
Mississippi riflemen. May’s dragoons,
with a squadron of A i kansas cava 1 rv, un
der Capt. Pike, and supported by a sin
gle piece of aitilfery, under Lieut. Rey
nolds, now claimed their sharp in the
discussion, and when the Mexicans had
again assembled, they had to encounter
another shock from the two squadrons,
9
besides a fierce fire ofgrape from Rey
nolds’ 5- pounder. The lancers once
more rallied, and directing their course
towards the Saltillo road, were met by
the remainder ofCol. \ ell’s regiment and
Marshall’s Kentuckians, who drove them
towards the mountains on the opposite side
of the valley, where from their appear
ance when last visible, it may be pre
sumed, they are still running. In this
precipitate movement, they were com
polled to pass through a rancho, in which
many of our valiant comrades had pre
viously taken refuge, who, from this se
cure retreat, opened quite an effective
fire upon them.
It is reported, moreover, that hundreds
of the Arkansas Cavalry were so well
satisfied with the result of tin's single ef
fort, that they deemed it necessary to
make another, and accordingly kept on
their wav to town, and there repotted
General 'Baylor in full retreat.
At this time the Mexican force was much
divided, and the fortunes of the day were
with us. Santa Anna saw the crisis,
and by craft and cunning sought it. lie
sent a white flag to General Baylor, do
siring to know “what he wanted.” This
was at once believed to be a mere ruse, to
gain time and re collect his men, hut tne
American General thought fit to notice it.
aed Gen. Wool was deputed to rne- t the
representative of Santa Anna, and savto
him tliat we “wanted” peace. Before the
interview could he had, the Mexicans
1 themselves re opened their fires, thus add-
I ing treachery of the (tightest order to the
other barbarian practices which distin
guish their mode of v\ at fare. The flag,
j however, had accomplished the ends
j which its wily originator designed, for
! though our troops Could have effectually
I prevented the remainder of his cavalry
| from joining the main body, it could have
j been done by a fir.», which, while the par
: lev lasted, woul 1 have been an undoiib'-
led breach ot faith. Although a portion
of the lancers during this interim had re
gained their -O' iginal position, a formida
ble number still remained behind. Upon
these the infantry opened a brisk fire,
while Reynold’s Artillery, beautifully
served, hailed the grape and canister
i upon them w ilh ten ible effect.
'Bite craft of Santa Anna had restored
his courage, and with his reinforcement
of cavalry, he determined to charge onr
line. Under cover of their artillery,
horse and foot advanced upon our batte
ries. These, from the smallness of our
infantry force, we to but feebly supported,
J vet by the most brilliant and daring ef
j forts nobly maintained their positions.—
; Such was the rapidity of their
lions, that officers and pieces seemed
empowered with übiquity, and upon cav
alry and infantry alike, wherever thev
; appeared, they poured so destructive a
fire, as to silence tfie enemy’s artillery,
| compel his whole line to fall back, and
j soon to assume a sort of saute qui peat
movement, indicating anything hut vie.
tory. Again, our spirits arose. The
Mexicans appeared thoroughly routed,
and while their regiments and. divisions
were flying before us, nearly all our light
troops were ordered forward, and follow
I ed them with a most deadly fire, mingled
! with shouts which rose above the roar of
artillery. In this charge the Ist Illinois
Regiment and McKee’s Kentuckians were
foremost. The pursuit was too hot, and
as it evinced too clearly our deficiency in
numbers, (lie Mexicans, with a sudden
ness which was almost magical, rallied
and turned upon us. They came in
myriads, and for a while thecarnage w-as
dreadful on both sides. We were but a
handful to oppose the frightful masses
which were hurled upon us, and could as
easily have resisted an avalanche of
thunder. We were driven back, and the
7 I
day seemed lost beyond redemption. Vic
tory, which a moment before appeared
within onr grasp, w as suddenly torn from
our standard. There was hut one hope,
hut that proved an anchor sure and stead
fast.
While onr men were driven through
tlie ravines, at the extremities of which a
hodv of Mexican Lancers was stationed
to pounce upon them like tigers—Brent
and Whitting, of Washington’s battery,
I gave them such a torrent of grape as to
pul them to (light, and thus saved the rem
; nants of those brave regiments, vvh ch
i had long borne the hottest portion of the
i fight. On the other flank, while the Mexi
! cans came rushing on like legions of
| fiends, the artillery was left unsupported,
ami capture (>v the enemy seemed inevi
table. But Bragg and Thomas rose with
the crisis, and eclipsed even the fame
thev won at Monterey, while Sherman,
I O’Brien and Bryan, proved themselves
! worthy of the alliance. Every horse with
! O’Brien’s battery was killed, and the
enemy had advanced to within range of
grape sweeping all before him. But here
his pi ogress was arrested, and before the
showers of iron hall which assailed him,
squadrons and battalions fell like leaves
in the blasts of autumn. The Mexicans
were once more driven hack with great
loss, though taking w-illi them the three
pieces of artillery which w’erc without
horses.
Thus three during the dav, when all seem- i
ed lo>t hut honor, did the artillery, by the
ability with which it was manoeuvred, roll
bark Die tide of success from the enemy,
and give such overwhelming destructiveness
to its effect that the* armv was saved and the
glory of the American arms maintained. At
this moment, however. let it never be forgot
ten that while every effective man was want
ed on the field, hundreds.some sav thousands
of volunteers had collected in the rancho
with the wagon train, whom no efforts or en
treaties could induce to join their brethren,
neighbors and friends, then in the laal strug
gle for death or victory.
The battle had now raged with variable
success for nearly ten hours, an#by a sort of
mutual consent, after the lasi carnage
wrought among the Mexicans by the artille- J
ry, both parties seemed willing to pause upon I
the result. Night fell, and the American
general with his troops, slept upon the battle
around, prepared, if necessary, to resume
operations on the morrow. But ere the sun
rose a men upon the scene, the Mexicans had
disappeared, leaving beh nd them only the
hundreds of their dead and dying whose
bones are to whiten their native hills, and
whose moans of anguish were to excite m
their enemies that compassion, which can
have no existence in tiie bosoms ol their
friends.
Throughout the action, Gen. laylor was
where the shots fell hottest and thickest, two
of which passed through his clothes, lie
constantly evinced the greatest quickness of
conception, fertility of resource, and a cool
unerring judgment not to be baffled. Gene
ral Wool was wherever his presence was re
| qn red, stimulating the troops to activity and
exertion. The operations of Gen Lane were
confined to his own brigade, and his efl -rts
were worthy of better material for their ap
plication. Major Bliss bore himself with ins
usual gallantry, having his horse, as at Palo
Alto, shot in tlie head. Mr. Crittenden, a
son of the Senator from Kentucky, was con
spicuous in the field, as volunteer Aid to
Gen. Taylor, and ihe Medical Director’s as
sistant Surgeon, Hitchcock, could he some
times seen, where the balls fell fastest, bind
ing up a wound or dressing a broken leg,
with true professional zea';and anon, gallop
jfjir with the trdor of an amateur knight, cun
veying orders to different commanders.
In this, as in every case of arbitrament by
the sward, the laurel is closely entwined with
the cypress, and the lustre of a brilliant vic
tory, is darkened by the blood at which it has
been nnrch »sed. 1 am unable to state our
loss, luit it lias been very severe, and proves
tlie battle of Buena Vista to have been, by
far, the most terrible conflict in which our
troops have been engaged. Captain Lincoln,
Assistant Adjutant General, to Gen. Wool,
fell early in the action, while proudly distin
guished by h's efforts to bring the flying reg
iment back to their position, and with his last
breath bore testimony aga list Indiana cow
ardice. Col. Veil was pierced by a lance,
while gallantly leading his regiment again?
the Mexican cavalry. The noble Hardin
met his death glono-uly, while conducting
the last terrible charge. Colonel .McKee, al
ter having gallantly sustained the honor of
Kentucky, throughout the action, tell in the
foremost rank, and Lieutenant Colonel Clav
was cnt down at almo-t the same moment
with Hardin and McKee, while giving his
men the most brilliant example of noble dar
ing and lofty chivalry, (.fibers have fallen,
hut llieir names are not known tome; nor, is
if for me to pronounce the eulogy of those
whose names I have recorded. Oilier and
abler pens will do justice to the character and
memory of the illustrious dead, whose devo
tion to the republic, they have written with
their blood and sealed with tfpir lives. Lin
co!u was a gallant officer and accomplished
gentleman, of pure heart and generous im
pulses and worthy of his revolutionary line
age. Yell was a warm friend and gal
lant man, quick to see the right and ready to
pursue it. Htrdin was one of nature’s no
blest spirits, a soldier fried and true, a rare
union of the best qualities of the head and
heart. McKee was wise in council and
brave in the field, with a heart, moved by the
tenderest sympathies and most noble im
pulses. And what shall I say of (’lay—the
young, the brave, ti e chivalrous—foremost
in Ihe fight—the sou! of every lofty senti
ment ? —devoted to bis friends and generous
to his enemies, he fell in the flower of bis
age and usefulness, and has left no worthier
j name behind him. If be was not the ‘‘noblest
Roman of them all,” few will deny that in
him—
“ Were the elements
So mixed, that Nature might stand up and say
Tu all the world—this was a man.”
Buena Vista.
[ From the N. O. Picayune, 2 d iust .]
The Volunteers at Buena Tinta<
The most connected account ofthe bat
tle of Buena Vista that we have seen was
that published in the Tropic, from a cor
respondent who assumed the name of that
bloody field as his soubriquet. The wri
ter notices with commendable minuteness
the numerous acts of daring performed by
the artillery, the great execution done
upon the enemy hv this arm of the ser
vice and accounts for the capture of Lieut.
O’Brien’s battery in a manner satisfacto
ry to that officer's friends and the country.
This is all right. We are second to no
one in admiration ofthe artillery and be
hind no one in awarding the highest
praise to the gallant officers who have so
nobly and so successfully sustained the
prestige of the regular aitnv.
‘•Buena Vista” also relates many feats
of chivalry enacted by the volunteers,
dwells with apparent delight upon the
achievements of the Kentucky, MLsissip
pi and Illinois regiments, and relates wiih
due precision the falling off of certain 1
companies of Arkansas cavalry and a
nortion of the Indiana levies. We would
think this all right too; hut that it so hap
pened, according to the writer, that the
cowardice of one portion of the volunteers
and the too ardent chivalry of another
had the same effect in endangering the
battle, which was retrieved from the con
sequences of the pusilanimity of the one
or the bravery of the oil er bv the artil
lery. Whether the Indiana and Arkan
sas troops retired, or the Kentucky and
Illinois regiments pressed too hard upon
the enemy, they equally perilled the issue
of the day and the artillery saved the
army three times from the results of too
little or too much courage. As thus; in
sneaking of the desperate charge in which
Col. McKee and Lieut. Clay, ot the Ken
tucky regiment, a id Col. Hardin, of the
Illinois regiment, fell at the head of their
columns—a charge by which the Mexi
cans were driven from the field so far that
the small force w ho made it wa-- compell
ed to full back within the American lines,
“Bnena Vista’’ says :
•‘Thus thrice during the day, when all seem
ed lost, but honor, did the artillery, by the
ability with which it was tnaro;uvred,roli b ick
the tide of success from the enemy, and give
such overwhelming destructiveness to its ef
fect that the army was saved and thd glory of
the American arms maintained.
No doubt the artillery dal terrible execu
tion upon that day of slaughter. But were
not the guns protected by the infantry and
cavalry? If the artillery retrieved the day
thrice, the infantry and cavalry retrieved if
as often. They all saved the day—or rather,
they won it together, and they all deserve
—
the gratitude of the country and will receive
it. That one arm of the service should bo in
advance of another and that other in advance
of it during the process of a hotly contested
battle is a common and expected occurrence.
It so happened at Palo Alto, at Rosaca
and at Bnena Vista, and the artillery no
more won one battle than it did the others.
The glory of the action was common to all
arms.
But it was for another purpose that we
thought fit to abode to the letter of “Buena
Vista.” Being the first elaborate and detail
ed account received of the baffle, it will be
most generally copied throughout the coun
try and manv will read it who will see no
other description. Yet it contains a para
graph which disfigures the whole paper and
detracts from its value as an impartial docu
ment . List his:
“At this moment, however, let it never be
forgotten tLat while every effective man was
wan ed on the field, hundreds, some say thou
sands, of volunteers bad collected in the ran
cho with rhe wagon tram, whom no efforts
or entreaties could induce to join their breth
ren, neighbors and friends, then in the last
struggle lor death or victory.”
It there ever was a battle in which the
volunteers enacted wonders, it was that of
Buena Vista. If there ever was a time when
the defection of company or the giving way
of a regiment should have been forgotten, it
was when contemplating rbat glorious field.
Seven-eights of Gen. 'Taylor's army were
volunteers. It was a volunteer battle. Os
four thousand five hundred men engaged in
ibaf action, about four thousand were volun
teers. How many “thousands” of these did
Some say” skulked from the field? What
regiments did these “thousands” belong tn?
And how many thousands remained upon the
field when so many “thousands” deserted it?
It would not have been disgraceful to the
American character had the whole army re
tired before such overwhelming odd*—even
if it had been composed entirely of regulars.
Indeed it was hoped, before it was known
that a battle bad been fought, that Gen. Tay
lor had retreated upon Monterey. Such was
the expectation at Washington City, as we
learn from the Union of tfie 22d nit., which,
in commenting upon the startling rumors
from the seat of war just received at Wash
ington, says:
“Further intelligence must be waited for
before any certahi conclusion upon the mat
ter can b ‘ arrived a’, but we are now inclined
to believe that Gen. Tavlor, when next heard
from, will be found safely posted with his
command at Monterey.
Few generals of this or any ether age
j would have given battle with such inequali
ty of troops of either description. Yet Gen.
Tavlor did this and with an army in which
there was not a single company of regular
infantry, overwhelmed Santa Anna and bis
locust host of well trained and heavy armed
followers. Nevertheless v.e are told “never
to forget” that “some say thousands of vol
nnfeets” ignominioiislv fled the field, when
rejoicing over a victory which was won hy
volunteers in an action without parallel in
the annals of war. W >at army of regu
lars ever encountered and conquered a force
so superior ? What army of regulars on
this continent ever met such an array of
arms? what field so strown with dead!
what ranks so thinned with slaughter. Still
we may forget all this, but must, “never for
get that some say thousands of the volun
teers,” who won this glorious and desperate
baffle, skulked from (lie conflict panic-smit
ten and palsied with fear.
That an occasional volunteer, naturally timid
and not yet drilled into an automaton, eluded the
flight, may lie conceded ; that ccr'ain Comp r nirs
were thrown into confusion and driven from the,
field, and that they could not he rallied with
promptitude, is what has happened with regulats
contending against equal numbers erenow; hut
that thousands inotoriously deserted their com
rades in the crisis of that dav. rnav not he credit
ed upon any “some say ” The catalogue of kill
ed and wounded will show what corps was in the
thickest danger. Ofthe sixty seven officers kill
ed and wounded but five were attached to the
regular service, and Iwoofthpse were in i he staff,
Capt. Lincoln, the on'y regular officer slain, and
Lieut. larvan, ol the Engineers slightly wound
ed. And ot the seven hundred privates killed
and wounded the Volunteers suffered in like pro
portion. These are facts which appeal to the un
derstandings of men.
It would he just as reasonable for the xmltin
teers to retort upon the regu rs. that whilst they
lost their lives the regulars only lost their guns,
as to say that of four thousand volunteers in the
battle, “thousands” disgracc'uMv run. Seven
hundred and more of those who withstood the
brunt of the field were killed and wounded,and if
there be added the “thousands” said to have de
serted, we fear there will he more killed and
missing titan men upon the muster-rolls at the
commencement of the onslaught; a residium less
satisfactory than the relics of the Kilkenny cat
affair.
What good can ro ne of this wholesale denun
ciation, upon hearsay, of the volunteers?—for
‘ thousands” inclnd • more than the Arkansas
horse spoken of am! the Indiana regiment which
was overrun by numbers. The mere avoirdu
poise. the momentum of theaffacking columns of
Mexican horse, in some instances broke through
the ranksofthc resisting regiments. This could
( not be helped any more than the capture of a
detachment of Washington’s batterv; why then
an invidious narrati e of events impossible to be
avoided, but nrnduefive of no permanent disad
vantage? Whv include the whole volunteer
force under the aggregate stigma of “thousands”
said to have fled, when from the known facts the
volunteers as a mass behaved most valoreusly?
The victory of Buena V'sta abounds in glory
enough for all who participated in it. All con
tribut'd to the proud issue, all helped to swell
the fide of battle, and victory has swallowed up
the delinqnences. which were so few as to attach
to individuals only, and not to classes of soldiers.
We are the fast friends of the regular arm —we
glory in its achievements, which arc brilbant to
dazzling—but it is neither wise in policy nor iust
in fa>*t to disparage the volunteers at Buena Vista
whilst applaudir g the achievement ol the artil-
I tv. History will record this battle to the glory
of the and it will go down to posterity
as -uch, however “some say th-msa ds” oftboso
who composed that small army deserted the stan
dard of thpir country, whilst yet if fluttered in
doubtful ascendancy over the bloody gorges of
Buena Vista.
Important from Santa Fr.
Confirmation of the American Victoria at
Santa T'e—Mexicans driven to the Mann
hi >s—Prospect of Starvation — Dangerous
pidtion of Capt. Doniphan , cfc.
The following exciting information is
contained in a slip from the Independence
Expositor, of the 25th instant.
Thomas Caldwell. E>q., has just got
in from the plains, and confirms the sad
intelligence of the massacre at I aos.
Gov. ChaHes Bent and twenty.five Am
ericans are the victims of a cold-blooded
assassination.
Among the dead is L. I. Waldo, a
citizen of our county, and brother to
Capt. David Waldo, of Col. Doniphan s
rejr’ment.
1 Mr. Caldwell left El Passo on the 12-th