Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-04-02
BY THE SOUTHERE MAIL.
From hen. O. Commercial Times, March % ]
VIC II Q r Y !!

Al length, assurance has been made doubly
sure, and the fond anlicipaiions INDUCED in by
our citizens, for the last eight ten days, have
been fully realized. General Taylor has met Inc
self.syled "Napoleon of the West" in all the
pride and confidence of the lauers immensely
superior numerical force, and sisnally defeated
him This grand baule look place on the 22nd
umo, al Buena Vista, spot six miles West OF
Sa,:llo Our men must have fought like lions,
under the eye of their veneraed chief for the
slaughter oi the Toe amounts in the aggregate 10
nearly the whole American force engaged. The
loss sustained by our army is, also, extreme
" heavy, considering the proportion it bears 10
the number OF our troops who were present on
the well-fought field; and proves that the conflict
must have been severe indeed. We know moi
what influence the coincidence Of The Battle Of
Buena VISTA and, the anniversary of WasaingtonS
Birth, had on our men but their happening on
the same day persuades us that this Circumstance
in itself was sufficient 10 nerve the arm OF The
American soldier to inviRcibilily.
The schooner John Bell, Capt. Noyes, arrived
Yesterday al the South West Pass, from Brasos
the 10th inst, bringing positive and reliable in
tellisence from Gen. Taylors army, 10 late
date A great battle was fought al Buena VISTA
between lhe Mexican forces under Santa Anna
and our troops under Gen. Taylor, which result
ed in most glorious victory !ol our arms. The
cOnEict idStcu TWO uNyS, VIZ. Tue <Su anu SoG
February. Our neighbors Of the Picayune and
Mercury published Extras last evening. The
news quickly spread through the city, ditfusing
10y and exuation among all ranks of our people.
The following memorandum by Lieut. J. G..
Bib, U. S. Army, contains ample details:
BATTLE OF BUENA VlSTA.-Dr. Tur-
ner, U. s. a., who arrived al Matamoras on the
9th instant, from Monterey, brought the glorious
,r,oll;oonca nf anoihar hrilIia ovar IN.
Mexican army. The scene OF action was al
Buena Vista, a hacienda about six miles West
Of Saltillo. The fighting commenced on The 22d
of February and ended ON the 23i. Santa Anna
retired TO Aqua Nueva, distance u zen miles
leaving four thousand killed and wounded upon
the field. Santa Annals Adju.ant General, and
many other officers and men, are prisoners. The
loss on our part was seven hundred killed and
wounded. Santa Annals force amounted to al
last fifteen thousand men: that OF Gen. Taylor
tbout five thousand, almost entirely volunteers.
,army is composed of Washington's, Bragg's
Thomas's batteries one squadron OF the lst
one Of the ID Dragons the Arkansas and
ltucky cavalry, brigade OF Illinois and one
indiana volunteers, line LIST Mississippi and Cd
ltucky Regiments, and one company OF Texas
-lnlcers. DR.. T. brought list OF is officers
ID and wounded. lett in such haste that
unable TO obtain copy, bat recollect among
AliiSu Sdpl AiuIOisi, 11oStSluut f1uJLtdus
III u. S. A., Col. Yell, OF the Arkansas ca
valry, Capt. Moore, Adjutant Vaughan and three
others (not namcd) Of the Kentucky cavalry,
Col. Mckee, Lieut. Col. Clay, Capt. Willis, End
Kentucky Infantry, Col Hardin and Major Cor
man, Illinois brigade, many Of The Indiana bri-
gade, several OF the Mississippi regiment, and
two lientenants of Texas volunteers. Among
the wounded remember Gen. Lane, Col. Jeffer.
son Davis, LIST Mississippi Regiment Captain
Stein, Isl U. S. Dragons Captain Conner, Tex
asvolunleers, Lieut.. S. G. French and O'Brien, U.
Try, Lieut.. Corwin, Isl Mississippi Regiment, and
Lieut. Whiieside, OF the Indiana brigade.
The official dispatches OF General Taylor
have been cnt off. Colonel Morgan's regiment
Ohio volunteers, having been reinforced by a
command from Monterey, had reached that place
in safety.
Colonel Curt, of Ohio, with one company
Captain Hunlersl oil the second United States
Dragons, his own regiment, one of Indiana vo-
unteers, the Virginia regiment, and think some
Texan rangers, in all about Two thousand men
was about to leave Camarso to attack General
Urea, who is said 10 be about thirty miles Soulh
of that place, with an army Of from four thou
sand to five thousand men, principally rancho
ros. He is believed 10 have with him only one
thousand five hundred regular troops. A great
many if not all of these rancheros, as soon as
they hear of The discontinue OF Santa Anna S
army, will disperse, and the gallant Colonel will
no doubt obtain the victory. This news from
above, proves that The various reports which had
before been received of General Taylor's re-
treat upon Monterey, aud the advance OF a large
force TO attack our depo.s al BraZos, and at the
mouth OF the Rio Grande, to be untrue. OF the
defences al the mouth OF the river, know no.
thing, bat have been told that they are sufficient
to make strong resistance. The notifications
al the BraZos with the force OF artillery and per-
sons in the quarlermasers employ, which can
be raised as a garrison, IS sufficient 10 drive
back command Of at least two thousand or
three thousand Mexicans, The work, which may
be technically termed a continued line, encloses
all the ouartermasers and commissarys stores in
depot The parapet is formed OF barrels of dam
aged commssary stores, with sand bags Tor the
superior slope; the sand from a ditch in front,
thrown up against the barrels, forms the exterior
slope The armament oil the for, consists ofiour
pieces Of artillery-two twelve and two six
Founders, in barbeile, which sweep the foot Of and
cross their fires upon the level plain over which
the enemy would be compelled 10 advance, and
about 300 muskels 10 line The parape,. This
was thrown up when en- attack was daily ex-
pec,ed. Nothing having reached US from
Gen. Taylor for many days VIC believed him
surrounded, as was reported, and gave some de-
gree of credit 10 the rumor Of the advance Of a
large force upon our depots Alter waiting three
or four days. anxiously expecting the approach
OF the enemy, we received the glorious news
northumberland, of course that the battle oil
Brazos Santiago was mo go;" and when sailed,
the artillery of fort Harvey, instead OF moving
down the Mexicans, was pealing forth a salute
10 honor OF old .Rough and Ready" and his gal
liant little army at Buena Vista.
gRAZOS,-Major Thomas, commanding al
Rrazos on the arrival OF The news from Monte
rev OF The battle Of Buena Vista, dispatched the
cutter Alert forthwith to Tampico, TO convey the
glorious intelligence, with directions to repair al
forwards to that part Of the coast where Genera
Scott is, to inform him OF the same.
SANTA ANNA's OFFICIAL DESPATCH
The Mexican General, according to his well
known habit, in the midst OF his terrible discom
fture, cannot avoid the old rhodomon,ace. III
seems to lay claim TO the victory, although &C
knoNledging that his army was cut 10 pieces, ane
obliged 10 retreat to Aqua Nueva, leaving zen
TAYLOR ia possession of the field. The following
is translation of his official despatch to the Mi
mister Of War, prepared for The Tampico Se1lt,
,sl:
.CAnp NEAR BuESA VIsrA, Feb. %, lS47.
Excellent Sir-A,er two DAYS of baltle,' in
which the enemy, with force of 5000 10 5000
men, and ,wenty-six pieces of artillery, lost five
Of his positions, three pieces OF artillery and Two
flags, l have determined to go back to Aqua
Nueva 10 provide myself with provisions, no,
having single biscui. or grain OF rice left
Thank. to The position occupied by the enemy.
he has not been completely beaten but ne lett on
the field abou. 5000 dead. Both armies have
been cut 10 pieces, bat the trophies of war will
give YOU an idea on which side has been the ad-
Vantage. We have struggled with hunger and
thirst during forty hours. and if we can provide