The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-25

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have been careful TO state facts in their order 10 the let
ter they ansped avoiding any and every expression
that give offence to any other regiment or CORPS prl
yae or officer in that bloody conflict.
Very respectfully, your friend and obedient servant
AMOS LANE
the Union
To E. H. Butler q CO..
GENTLEMEN book by the title of Taylor and his
Generals . published in Your names was a few days
since placed in our hands, in which you undertake to give
the particulars of the battle OF Buena Vista, the part the
volunteers of each State bore IN that most extraordinary
battle and victory. This portion we read with mingled
feelings of surprise and indignationsurprse, that m
the haste OF the moment you should have selected all
the idle and wild gossip of the day land placed IN your
book, stamping it with the sacred name OF histofy-n-
dignaon, because you placed the ID and Sd regiments
of Indiana volunteers in false position before the coun
try pejudcia TO the gallany OF those brave men who
February, and TO the honor OF the State they represented
On page 1913 Of your book, in speaking OF tins battle
you say SIN the meantime the Indiana BRIGADE VINO
were drawn out and ordered 10 charge the enemy were
seized with panic; and displaying some hesliion AS
sstant Adjutant General Lincoln rushed to their 'front.'
and whilst upbradng them for their cowardlGe was shot
several balls passing through his body Every letter
and word OF this sentence lar as 1t involves te so
regiment of Indiana volunteers under Colonel J.. H.
Lane, IN this supposed panic hesitation or retreat al
any time, in connexon with the I'd Indiana regiment by
itself, with any other regiment is without The shadow
OF truth to sustain it, and is perverson OF the conduct
of the 3D. and equally to the lime and place OF the
death of The brave and lanented Lincoln who fell when
in the act of delivering order in front OF the "a regl
ment of Illinois volunteers at time when no lndianian
was near. Having placed the 2d regiment OF Indiana
volunteers in their true position before the public, in
letter published in the daily Union OF the I'm instant
we will dismiss it, with single remark; and is not
only own, but the opinion OF military men VINO saw
and witnessed the whole transaction, that the lfeguards
lof Napoleon, similarly situated would not have stood
longer, firm, or retreated more reluctantly when or
dered than did this much-abused regiment. ana 70
prove their gaantry during the balance OF the day we
need only refer to the closing sentence OF THIS Gaiumha
tor on the page where he says, 'they subsequent
y rallied, and fully redeemed their reputation by the oS
gallant and effective fighting"
To notice all the errors into which you have been led
by the swarm OF letter writers and oaers mat follow
around carcass, would lead us beyond the compass OF
single communication We will therefore content our
selves with attempting in all the brevity OF the language
TO place the 3D. Indiana regiment OF volunteers IN that po
son before the American people to which their brave and
unwaverng conduct so emlnenty entitle them; SUI
flee il, then say that this regiment under Col j. H.
Lane though three times during the day closely engaged
with (nore than five times their own number) the enemy
never taered, hesiated, rereaed Tor moment and
was the only regiment on the field OF Buena vista that
had that good fortune, and was not compelled from ne
cesy retreat before the enemy at period or other
OF the day; and 10 this fact may be attributed the great
disproportlon of the number OF the Killed IN ts reS
ment compared with other regments-the slaughter
being greatest when rereatng, the ancers killing all the
wounded left IN the rear
To sustain these POSITIONS and place Colonel Lane his
regiment and the State they calamity represented, IN
the light their bravery merits is only necessary to make
extract from BTgaler General Joseph Lanes Olhcla
report of the battle of Buena Vista, and from letter
more recently written TO the Secretary of War; enclosing
Colonel Lanes report-all to be found in the War
Department In the first, the General says: "Colo.
mel Lane and the I'd regiment OF my command
were ordered into the action soon after Colonel
Davis; and the GOODNESS and bravery displayed by The
equalled-never surpassed-by any troops at any time
they have done infinite honor to the State and nation that
gave them birth" In the second "ln transmitting this
report OF the part the Sd regiment took in that battle It
affords ne the greatest pleasure to bear witness to the
bravery and efficiency OF Colonel Lane, and to the
regiment or Corps on that field exhibited more GOODNESS
and courage than did that body OF men, and none did
more to gain the great battle of Buena Vista" ih's
would seem relieve the Sd Indiana regiment OF voun-
under Colonel Lane from the false and most unjust
charge made upon it in your book of panic. hesitation,
cocardt But there are two other errors OF equal con
sequence far the character and honor OF this regl
ment concerned, in The history OF this battle,
because more consequence has been attached TO them.
The one is an error growing out OF your Buena
take in General Taylor's report. On page ITO OF
your book You say, 1.-The myriads of Mexican cav
airy still pressing forward left, aud threatened
charge on the Mississippi rifles under Colonel Davis,
who had been ordered to support the Indiana regiment
***t Col. Davis Immediately threw his command in
the form OF V, the opening towards the enemy, and
awaited his advance On he came dashIng with all the
speed of Mexican horses; but when he arrived at that
point from which could be The whites OF his eyes,
both lines poured forth sheet of lead that scattered
him like chai" This entire paragraph is sheer tabrl-
cation and the very reverse of truth The Mississippi
regiment at no time was ordered or went in aid sup
port of the Indiana regiments the contrary, the Mis-
sssppi regiment under Colonel Davis having been order
ed to the left engaged superior numbers OF the enemy,
and compelled TO pause give backs the 30 Indiana
under Colonel Lane ordered by General Taylor to
march the support of the Mississippi regiment, rs ap
pears from General rs report the 18th page OF your
book where he says discovering that the enemy was
heavily pressing upon the Mississippi regiment the 3D.
Indiana regiment, under Colonel Lane, was despatched to
strengthen that part of our line which formed cotchet
perpendicular to the first line of battle
Upon the subject Gen. Lane in his report says
Col Lane and the Sd regiment were ordered into the
action soon after Col Davis" This order promptly
obeyed. Coming the ground, the Mississippi regi,
ment found, in conjunction with portion OF the %
Indiana, bnvey contending against $500 Mexican IN
| fantry and 900 cavalry This regiment took position
on the right of the other two and they all stood firm until
they had exchanged twentyo rounds with great effect
upon the ranks OF the enemy. In this positions seeing
the enemy's cavalry filing from the left of their nfanry
evidently charge upon the extreme right OF the "a In
diana regiment which formed the right, and the MsSls
sippl regiment the left OF the ID lndiana so obllque
the charging column approaching the right OF the
Sd Indiana that Col Lane found il necessary to have the
two companies (Conovers and Gbsons) to form back SO
as TO present square front to the enemy. The fire
of the entire line reserved until the front OF the
charging column came within twenty or twenty 1--WE
steps oil the right of the 3D. Indiana regiment, which
placed them 10 or 100 yards from the Mississippi reg-
ment when the whole line fired at the word, cutting
down the entire front rank of the enemy the balance OF
the cavalry rereaed in great disorder, and the infantry
approaching in their rear fell back to their first position
and both cavalry and infantry left that part OF the
field So far, them from this charge OF lancers having
been made upon, and repeled by, the Mississippi reg
men Alone it made directly upon the right OF the 80