Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1847-05-05

.si{ sh3p HiluLL 6NsUulGEh tU1. ~.
were dsrnsited. Lieut.. Col. May was 81.
, dered 70 The support of that point, with tws,
pieces of Chpf. Sherman's battery under
! Lieut.. Reynolds. III the ,neontino tlib
scattered forces near tie hacienda, coipod
| sod inpartUf hiSjjots Tfail ana f;dYinahss
command, had been to some extent organ.
ized under the advice Of Minor Miinros
chief Of artillery, with the assis,arce of'
Major Morrison, volunteer staff, and were
posted TO defend the position. Before our
cavalry had reached the hacienda, thct of
the enemy had made lis attack, having beer,
handsomely met BY the Kentucky and Ar
kansas cavalry under Coils. Marshall and
Yell. The Mexican column Immediately
divided, one portion sweeping by the depot,
where it received destructive fire from tbo
force which had collected there, and thar
gaining the mountain opposite, under fire.
from Lieut.. Reynolds section. the remain
ing portion regaining the base of the noun
tain on our left. In'the charge at Buena
Vista, Col. Yell fell gallan,ly Mt the head
Of his regiment; we also lost Adjt. Vaughe
an Of the Kentucky cavalry--a young Of.
ficer ofmuch promise. Lieut.. Col. NAV,
who had been rejoined by the squadron oc
the LIST dragons and by portions Of the
Arkansas and Indiana troops under Lieut.
Col. Ronne Of Maj. German, now up
preached thu base OF the mountain, holding
in check the right flank Of the enemy, upon
whose masses, crowded in the narrow
gorges and ravines, our artillery was doing
fearful execution. n e>~
The position Of that portion of the Mex.
lean army which had gained our rear wasf
now very critical, and it seemed doubtful
whether it could regain the main body.s
At this moment / received message from
Gen. Santa Anna, by staff officer, desir.
ing TO know what wanted? Iimnediate.a
ly despatched Brig. Gen. Wool to the Mex.
ican generaLin-chief, and sent orders to-
cease firing. Upon reaching the Mexican
lines, Gen. Wool could not cause the er,e.s
my TO cease their fire, and accordingly re-.
turned without having an interview. The
extreme right ofthe enemy continued it's
retreat along the base of tho mountain, and
finally, inspite Of all our efforts, effected a
junction with the remainder of the army.
During the day. the cavalry Of Gen.
Mnon had ascended the elevated plain
above Saltillo, and occupied the road from
the city to the Fl id Of battle where they in.
tercepsed several of our mon. Approach.
ing the town, they were fired upon by Can't.
Webster, from the redoubt occupied by Ills
company, and then moved off towards tho
eastern si1e Of the valley, and obliquely
towards Buena Vista. At this time. Cant.
Shower moved rapidly forward with his
piece, supported by n miscellaneous con-.
mand of mounted volunteers, and fired sew.
eral shots at the cavalry with great effect.
They were driven into the ravines which
lead to the lower valley, closely pursued by
Capt. Shover,who was further supported by
apiece Of Capt. Webster's battery, under
Lieut.. Donaldson, which had advanced
from the redoubt, supported by Captain
Wheeler's company Illinois volunteers.
The enemy made one or two efforts 10
charge the artillery, but was finally driven
back in q confused mass, and did not again
appear upon the plain. ga3
In the meantime tho firing had partially
ceased upon the principal field. The enc.
my seemed to confine his efforts TO the pro.
traction ofhis artillery, and | had left the
) plateau for amoment, whenI was recalled
t thither bya very heavy musketry fire. On
$ reganing that position, i discovered that
our infantry illinois and ID Kentrcky)
had engaged u greatly superior iorco OF
, the enemy evidently his reserves and that
s they had been overwhelmed by numbers
The moment was most critical. Captain
{ O'Brien, with two pieces, had sustained
Q this heavy charge to the las, and was f.
b nally obliged toleave his guns on the fold
Y his infantry support being entirely rout
: ed. Capt. Bragg, who had just arrived
!, from the left, was ordered at once into bas.
n terry. Without any infantry to suppor.
y him, and at the imminent risk Of losing his
q guns this officer came rapidly into action.
n the Mexican line being but o few yards
/. from the muzzle of his pieces. The frs,
Y discharge Of canister caused the enemy to
Q hesitate, the second and third droya him
0 back in disorder and saved the day. The
Cd Kentucky regiment, which had ndvafi-
3 ced beyond supporting distance in this af.
q fair, was driven back and closely pressed
a by enemy's cavalry. Taking ravinu
!, which ledinthe direction Of Captain Wash
b ington's battery, their pursuers becama ex.
0 posedsto his fire, which soon checked and
i. drovethem back with loss.a In the mean
/ time the rest Of our artillery had taken po
!, sition on the plateau, covered by tho Mis-,
! sissippi and Sd Indiana regiments, the for
q mef Of which had reached the ground il
d time tcpour q fire into the right fink d
Y the enemy, and thus coatribute q biz 10
\ pulse. In this last conflict we had The
t misfortune to sustain very heasy loss
'fT Col. Hardin, LIST Illinois, Col. Mixes and
sl Lieutenant Col Clay. I'd Kentucky rsgi