Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-04-10

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"March |, lS47.
"DEAE CArrAiN We are Just recovering from the ia
ugues oi tremendous battle. fought by this little army on
the 22d and 23i February Buena VISTA place abou,
eleven miles IA rear, and miles side Of Sal
tio.
1--WE had previously been this very ground from the
9th to the 2Oh OF February, recommending the position
roads &C. and asccrtanng where the enemy was and his
numbers. We found santa Anna Encarnacon thir
miles m our advance with twenty thousand troops OF
infantry and artillery, aud that on left General Mi.
non al EdoTda, twenty five miles OIL with three thou
sand cavalry aud ancers.
'On tie 2lst, At noon broke up our camp and fell
back 10 good position at Buena Vista. await the enc
my. On the 22i lac came in sight-hs advance heavy
body OF !aneers aud cavalry, followed by large bodies OF
nian'Fy and about eighteen pieces OF artillery. skrmish
commenced "a the aiteruoJn and the enemy gained tho
mountain side left On right OF the road were
impossible guies deep perpendicular extending across
TO tie mountains, say one miles. On left ct the road
commenced steep accents 10 the top OF the spurs of the
mountain which united, and formed abeluiu tableland
Tor battle-ground, say mile and west by hall
mile north and south There her spurs on the same
de stretching along the road north and south us with
deep gues between, many OF them impossible but none
forming table and like this
"A ditch and PsIapet Immediately thrown across
The road, and WashnSions artillery placed there suppor
ted by Two Companies OF volunteers behind another para
pet
"on the morning the 23d the enemy made rush with
MS infantry and lanCCf the tabe-and the key IN
the whole sition aud the same time a column of in
isniy and cavalry advanced the road towards Washing
tons battery. terrible fight ensuod. Our left was for
7 IN
our centre charged with Tremendous fire OF horse artillery
esh; pieces and volunteers, and hurled them back against
inc mountain and broke their centre that large bodies
OF infantry saved themselves by moving the aynes and
on the spurs Of the mountains 10 the our left where
we sent clments and artillery fight them and drive them
back across the same ground extreme left over
which they had been forced. II had had but one sin
gle toll regiment OF regulars in reserve could have char
ged their battery extreme ei and taken four or five
thousand prisoners. As It was could only hold our
own against such odds.
m de nofbe oh
rush. IN great force, 10 possess the table land and were
gain repused with great slaughter and with much loss on
our part Night put an end 10 the scene, aud under the
cover OF darkness heenemy reireateG this place. Agua
Nueya where our light troops followed them the next morn
ing.
81 was beautiful batle-no, a mistake made the whole
day but every perfectly exhausted night Our loss
about 264 killed and $50 wounded. The enemy's los,
bout $500 IN killed and wounded, and 1000 missing.
at Is said that Santa Anna in full retreat to Maiahuia
and San Luis with his army, dispred disorganzsd
lie s said TO have lost many officers OF high rank You
Will, IN due time, get correct accounts.
Nothing could exceed the gallant bearing of our horse
artillery and dnEoons, nor the bravery and good conduct
OF the Volunteers body Not regular infantry soldier
IN this fight.
I'VE have lost valuable officers Capt Lincoln was
killed IN the first churge Col Mckee and 1t Col Clay of
The Kentucky regiment, and Col Hardin were killed be-
sides Others, IN the second charge VI the enemy We lost
three pieces Of cannon, which had the men to re-
cover. Our men actually sunk the ground from exces
siye exhaustion.
Il has been the misfortune Of our brave old gen
eral TO be obliged 10 fight the enemy with inferior num-
bers. But there is no backing with him. This his
last battle has done him credit Than any Of his pre-
vous ones HIS case was not near desperate Palo
Alto for there ne had the best Of regular infantry
" had almost forgotten to speak Of our CORDS We en-
delyored to do daty. Lieut.. Benham behaved we'll
and was slightly wounded. As Tor myself more for.
tunao than az Monterey, and escaped unhuu. The old
General however was made ragged by the balls passing
through ms e!oihes. Yours, &c,
Jos. K f. NANSFTEI.Dn