Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-04-29

redoubt occupied by his company, and then
moved III toward the eastern eide al the val
lsy, end oblieuely toward Buens V'sts. A.
/ THE time, Capt. Shower moved rapidly fos-
ward with his piece supported BY . miscella.
II ueous command Of mounted volunteers, end
cred several shots 1t the csvslsy with great
effect. They were driven from the rsvines
II which lead 10 the lover valley, closely pur.
sued By Capt. Shower. who wss farther sup
Il ported by . piece of Capt. Wsbstsr's battery.
H under Lieut. Donaldsess, which had advanced
from the redoub,, supported by Capt. Wheel.
er's company illinois voloateers. The enc.
( my made one or two efforts 70 charge the sr-
iiIlery. but was finally driven bsck in con
fused mass, ssd did not sgain appear upon
The plain.
| In ihe mesn,ime the firing had partially
ceased upon the principal field. The enemy
seemed 10 con6ns his forts 10 the protection
of his artillery. and had left the plateau Tor
momens, when I was recalled ,hither BY
a very heavy mosketry 6rc. On regsining
hat position, ] discovered that our infantry
4 illinois and I'd Kentucky had engaged q
greatly superior force Of the enemy-evi
IDENTITY his resstves--an that they had been
overwhelmed BY numbers. The moment
was mos, critical. Capt O'Brien, with two
pieces, had sustained this heavy charge 10
the last, end wss finally obliged to leave his
guns on the field, his infantry support being
entirely routed. Capt. Brngg, who had just
arrived from the left, was ordered at once in
to bstiefy. Without any infantry TO support
Il him. end st the imminent risk oi losing his
guns, this officer came rapidly into action the
II Mexican line being but q few yards from :he
,nuxzle Of HE piece. The first die hargc oI
canister caused the enemy 10 hesitate, the
second and third drove him back in disorder
and saved the day.
II The I'd Kentucky regiment, which hac sd.
vsnced beyond supporting distance in this
affair. was driven back and closely pressed
by the enemy's cavalry. Taking a ravine
which led in The direction Of Capt. Washing.
toms battery, their pursuers became exposed
Ito his fire, which soon checked and drove
them back with loss. In the meantime the
rest Of our sri,llery had taken position on the
plateau, covered by the Mississippi and Sd
Indiana regiments, the former Of which had
reached the ground in time TO pour FIRE IN
to the righ, faux Of the enemy, aud thus
contribute TO his repulse. In this last conflict
we had the misfortune TO sustain heavy loss.
Il Colonel Hardin, lat Illinois. and Colonel
Mckee. and Lieut.. Colonel Clay, I'd Ken
lucky regiments, fell at this time while gal
an,ly heading their command.
II No farther ottempt was made by the enc.
my to force our position, and the approach
OF night gave an opportunity TO pay proper
attention 10 the wounded, and also To refresh
the soldiers, who had been exhausted by in
cessant watchfulness and combat Though
the night wss severely cold, troops were
compelled for the most to blvouack without
free, expecting that morning would renew
the conflict. During the nigh, the wounded
were removed TO Ssltillo, and every prepara
ton made to receive the enemy should he
again attack our position.
II Seven fresh companies were drawn from
the town, and Brigadier General Marshall,
who had made forced Tarch from the Rim
conada, with a reinforcement of Kentu cky
cavalry and four heavy guns, under Captain
Prcntiss, LIST artillery. was near at hand.
when II was discovered that the enemy had
abandoned his position during the night -
Our Scouts soon ascertained that he had fall
e.. mack upon Aqua Nueva. The grest dis.
n parity Of numbers, and the exhaustion Of our
II troops, re ndered il inexpedient and hazard
/ ous to attempt pursuit. A stuff officer was
II despatched to Gen. Santa Anna to negotiate
an exchange Of prisoners, which was salts
II fsctnr,iy se."Plstsd %" tire h'iuw'"s day
II Our own dead were collected and buried,and
the Mexican wounded, Of which large nUm-
Der had been left upon the field, were re.
moved to Saliillo, and rendered rs comfoI,a.
BILE ss circumstances would permit.
Il On the evening Of the 26,h close recon-
noissapce was made Of the enemy's position,
which was found to be occupied only by a
small body OF cavalry, the infantry and artil-
lery having retrcated in the direction Of San
Luis Potosi. On the 9th our troops re.
sumed their former camp at Aqua Nueva,
the enemy's rear guard evscuating tho place
as we approached, leaving q considerable
number Of wounded. II was my purpose to
beat up his quarters a, Encarnacion early the
next morning, but upon examination, the
weak condition Of the cavalry horses render
ed il una sdoIsable to attempt so long a march
without water. A command was finally de-
spatched to Encarnac ion, on the lst Of March
under Col. Beiknsp. Some two hundred
wounded and about sixty Mexican soldiers
were found there, the army having passed
on in the direction Of Ma,ehuala, with great
lily reduced numbers, and suffering much
from hunger. The dead and dying were
sire we'd upon the road and crowded the build.
ings OF the hacienda.
The American force engaged in the action
Of Bnens Vista is shown. by the accompany
ing field report, to have been 334 officers and
,425 men. exclusive of the small command
left in and near Sslto. OF this number,
two squndrons Of cavalry and three batteries
Of light artillery, making not more than 453
men, composed the only force OF regular
troops. The strength Of the Mexican army
is stated by Gen SANTA Anna, in his sum
mons, to be 10000, and that est'nstion is
confirmed by oil the information since obtain
I'd. Our loss is 267 killed, 456 wounded.nnd
% missing. or the numerous wounded,
mnny did not require removal to the hospital,
and It is hoped that a comparatively small
number will be permanently disabled. The
Mexican loss in killed and wounded may be
fairly estimated q, 500, and probably reach
1000 Al less, 500 of their killed were lcfi
upon the field Of battle. We have no means
Of sscers,uing the number of deserlers and
dispersed men from their ranks, but 1t ls
known To he very great.
Our loss has been especially severe. IN
officers, twenty eight having been killed
upon the field. We have TO lament the death
al Cant G,orUe i, coin. assistant adlutnOt