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THE CONSTITUTIONALIST, JAMES JR- T E U 31 S • T , S 3 00 Daily, per annum, , Tri-VVeekly, per annum, u If pniJ in advance, o n^i Weekly, per annum, *• * " If paid in advance, * 30 F TO CLUBS. Wc call particular attention to the following terms rs our paper: To riuhs, remiilinar SlO in advance. FIVE ] COPIES are scut. This will put our weekly pa per in the reac h of new subscribers at TWO DOLLARS A YEAR. fc*rAll new subscriptions must be paid in advance. <£rP- he paid on all Cuiaimuiicaiu ns 1 and LettersoWmainess. 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. '' i ; •s))}/, 1 V>u. \v //-- \ * , ~, • X \\ -- - . •> ■ -•■ j. i 'll .V G» ■ - | j y .v yB-^> N v\' s',’.'- 'V/.Nf'jj'V <<v;Wv: -rrSTss-' iblW^sV 1 ! !]_ 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