Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-09-25
THE BATTLE FIELD OF BUENA VISTA.



CAMp BuESA VISTA, AUGUST 7, Is47.
So many persons have claimed the credit of saving the day
at Buena VISTA and in extraordinary manner,
and claimants have appeared for praise for the honor
of selecting the ground upon which the glorious battle of Buena
Vista fought that may not be improper, this
late PERIOD render Cesar the things that are C@-
sars." As Gen. WooL in my opinion, is entitled the
credit of having selected the spot the following letter. which
nconestaby establishes that fact may prove unnerest-
ing 1t is from the pen of Capt CARLEToS of the United
States Dragons, very gallant officer and one whose pen
has often enriched the columns of the New York Spirit the
Times in times past, and is addressed to Gen. WooL.
J. E. d.
BUESA VIsTA Mexico, JULr 81, lS47.
GENERAL BY reference my journal of the marches &c.
of Gen. WooLs column, find that the 2st Of December
ls46 you arrived in the valley Of Encanada with your whole
force, consisting Of cavalry, artillery and infantry with their
complete trains, and encamped Aqua Nueva situated
its southern termination. That point is twenty miles ad
vance OF Saltiuo which city then occupied by General
WORTH to whose assistance you had marched from Parras
distance of hundred and fifteen miles, in less than four
days. At that time the command Of Gen. Worth only
brigade and he had sent by express request Paras
Join him with your column possible assist
repeng attack then daily expected from the enemy,
force under Gen. Santa Anna.
About the time Gen. Butler arrived at saItio from
Monterey. On the evening Of the 22d of December you left
your camp Aqua Nueva visit both himself and General
Worth; being reported that they confined their beds
consequence of the wounds they had previously
You accompanied by Captains Lee Hughes and Chap
man, United States Army, by your aid, Lieut. Mcdowell
and by myself then duty of your ads-decamp 1t
quite dark when you left Aqua Nueva and when you
rived at that part OF the pass of Buena Vista known La
Angostura, heavy fog, accompanied by rain had set in
rendering it SO much more that with the utmost diff
hcuy the road could be kept Indeed the officers who
with you frequently obliged dismoun and seek for it
either hand 1t past IL o'clock night when you
and your party reached salo The next day, when
D.Iu !
started your return 10 camp Aqua Nueva,
panied only by myself all the other officers who had gone
Sao with you being still detained there by official business
When you had proceeded far Angostua, mile in
advance of the hacienda of San Juan de la Buena VISTA you
halted, and, after having glanced the ground each
side you said to Mr. Carleton, this is the pery spot
Of all others Ihaue get rico achich should Sc
Rct tor battle, Dere obliged Dh a small army to fight
large one"
You then pointed out what you conceived the
great military advantages possessed and said that the
work of deeply channels the right would completely
protect that flank that the heights your left would COM
mand the road, while the ravnes front of them and which
extend back to the mountain that side, would cripple the
movements of the enemy should he attempt that flank
You continued conversing with this subject until, as
you may recoect met Lieut.. McCown, 4th Artillery,
mile further So forcbly | impressed with
your choice, and all you had said in favor of it, that
datey after my arrival Aqua Nueva, described the place
10 some of the officers of your staff think Inspector Gen.
Churchill and his assistant, Capt Drum United States Army
at the time saying that you had selected for battle ground
and repeating all you had stated in relation to it.
may not be improper likewise add that the 26th of
December Gen. Butler visited you at Aqua Nueva and that
on the 27h before he returned TO Salo he you
der to move with your troops and select in the neghbohood
of La Encantada further down the towards Sao
suitable place. and there encamp. As this order
trey discretionary to the precise locality for your proposed
you chose the plain between La Angosua and the ha
cienda before alluded to the best because not only
less exposed to the bleak winds which continually swept
through the pass at La Encanaa and which at that
fha
all in tents and fuel very scarce offered the additional ad
Of abundant supply of pure water and besides
just in of what you had selected the strong point of
defence.
That evening he 2sh) Gen. Butler sent YOU an order TO
return La Encantada and encamp there You
him requesting, for which you assigned that he
would permit you to remain where you wee and sent by
Col Hardin Captain Drum and myself accompanied Col
H. and present al the interview between Gen. Butler
and himself During the conversation that ensued after your
had been delivered Col Hardin among other reasons
which he gave why he hoped your request might be complied
with urged the fact that point which be-
eved you could maintain the enemy advanced upon
you from the direction Of San Luis Potos Gen. Butler said
he would not revoke his order and remarked that the Mex
army he had already chosen ground for battle
and far to fix the points be occupied by the
several corps That ground the broad plain Immediately
in font of Salo, and think he also said he had already
prepared roads for the artillery leading from the city up
it, have mentioned all these circumstances show with
what anxiety and exeron you endeavored be permitted to
occupy point within striking distance of the you had
leced the best for battle On the 30h Of December your
whole command obliged TO steps La Encan
tada, which did with evident reluctance all the officers
agreed entirely with you in opinion the disadvantages
arising from such change of position.
Previous the time when you first went to Satlo (he
22d your officers had gone through the pass
Of Buena Vista. All those who with you that
sion prevented, have shown, by the dark
from seeing the great road which they sought
travel and could not therefore have had that time favor
able opportunity for making military reconnossances You
returned from the city and had pointed out the position
have stated before they repassed it. The choice
and paraes OF the officers in Salo, it is fair presume,
for many conciden with those expressed by
Gen Butler. When Gen. TAYLOR up from Monterey,
he at glance that your views correct and al
though he moved the whole army forward Aqua Nueva as
there he could have extensive plain for the drill and dsc
sde by doing So could take the natory step one the
most beautiful pieces Of strategy Of modern tines STILL when
by the advance of Santa Anna the had rpened to
gain the grand results by fegning precpate retreat that
but rapid movement back to the identical Spot you
had chosen and which the Mexican army was hurrey
Drawn with all his fatigue and disaray consequent upon
forced march of upwards Of forty miles and where the
22d and 23d of February, lS47 fought the battle Of Bue
VISTA The result Of that conflict afforded conclusive ev
lence Of the of your first remark for there four
thousand hundred and ten Americans conended
fully against upwards Of twenty thousand Mexicans This
ecr General is but dry detail Of facts but hope they are
forth with sufficient ccaess prevent their being mis-
understood.
have the honor be- very respectfully, your obedent
gant, JAMES HENRY CARLETON,
Capt U. s. lst Dragons.
A Srprous is nm ACCOMPLISHMENTS