The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-04-16

L.HerJrom The Z iiior.
NO. xxx.
Saw JriS BrY1A VISTA }
Nor NoifiHo. Mr. r :
Ftbruar, -, lSiI. \

the Enemy, snd lhorgh they may Mt Ice our
he day '"d the VICTORY at Int arc ours. The
poUrrd m upon us ''y ,huus n !. upon Ihou.aud
aud have be- nurs than i clnsled. --beate
and dI.ma,ed. Their great head and lcade
santa Anrs hiprlC was with them and /,
thea On; no, only the Il ,eer, hut the uhnle ,
his army from 10 10 90 coo men. snd they hs,
he'n ieaicn. whipped out ,,u by, hy mcr
asndiul OF Volunteer.
For week before they came, rumors ver
brought in every day, ih,t large forces ucrc col
icciin: at lncarnacion 80 miles from whore gu
army then lay; that Santa Anna was at ,h
| haad Of them; and that they were about to al
vance upon us. But il Vas not until Saiur,' Il,
evening, that positive information came. Then
Mexican spy, wh1 had been employed by Gen
Taylor, returned, having been in their camp
a.cerancd their ruubtrs--aEd that they inicn.
dei 10 make a Simultaneous ATTACK upon oui
camp and Saltlll5 on Monday motuiog. In con.
sequence Of this inf rma,on, sn Sunday tie
shole army l,f the cncampmcni a, the Agua
Nueva, and moved t. Burna Vista. within five
mil of town, 81 as to be able to act In ii her
direction, as occasion might require.
Col. Hardin regiment snd Col. Wa.hirgt N 5
battery wcro hG at the narrow pass two
miles south of the main body e the army.
mi # course would meet them first. The Mis-
sissipfi regiment Of foo, was dispo,ed in town,
From evening until the FLOWING morning picl g.
enemy, but a few mil from our old camp, aud
at about . oil ok, the alarm there was 80 grcal
that rec Of 800 men, and 10 or 20 Wagons,
that had been sent back t. brios Up forage aad
provisions ,ha, still remained bohind, came away,
burning up what they could not get time to load
about SEQ bushels Of corn. a large stack Of
wbea, b l,nsing to the Mexicans, some bacon,
bcans, &c.
Ga Mond,y morning, a small rcdnubi was
thrown up at the pass, and slight cmbankmcn,
around the brow Of the mound, or small noun.
tain a. tue l,ft Of the pass facing the enemy
Col. Hardin took position ia the trench and
on the hill as soon as the enemy came in sight,
to guard tho battery Immediately in the pass
The pass itself 10 not over II feet wide, the val
ley to the RICH, Oft being Gu, up hy deep rasines,
abrupt rise OF ground, what we at home would
call bluff 400 feet high, from the top Of which
to the mouu,sn the ground is level. except that
il is cut up by deep ra,ines, some of them impass.
able With artillery or cavalry, except at the f,ot
Of the mountain. In mediatcly in The rear oi
the pass, on the Saltilo side, is the mouth of
large ravine, in which. perf,c, protected from
The enemy, Col. Hardin. regiment had their en-
campment. The distance from the edge Of the
bluff 10 the foot Of the mountain 10 about three
miles
The enemy came in sight q, about ten o'clock,
and from that time until after 2 in the afternoon,
continued pouring in in an uninterrupted stream.
They halted at Encaniada, about 81 miles in
front ofus. About their first work was 10 noun,
4 heavy battery on rise Of ground in front OF
their forces, (now generally drawn up in order
Of battle) with their 81 Founders, in point blank
sho. Of Us, but on, of the reach Of our battery,
the heaviest piece Of which was l2.pound
howitzor. Meantime our forces hsd beon brought
from town, Except Maj Warren. comm.nd)
and took positions on the bluff and heights in
the rear Of the pass.
Thus "all ready" we were waiting patiently
foi them 10 open the business, when man came
riding d,wn the road, bearing a white lag. Tie
brought note from SAINT, Anna stating that
he was here with % 000 men, masnannously
offering to lrea, Tny lor and his men as prison.
FRS o' werifhc would now surrender and hoping
FOR humanity sake, he would do so to save the
shedding Of blood. Taylor merely replied
'rell him were here. let him come and take
u.s." An hour or two more Of manGrvrinc and
on the part Of the enemy,
promptly met on our side,) from which ii soon
became apparent that his whole object was to
pass US and get into town, or attack Us in the
Or four shells al US; bit as We were too well
protected by the heights around, they did no
damage. Then was seen . heavy column Of
horso and foo, advancing 10 the foot Of the noun
tain on cur left, whose cvden, object was to pass
down along the edge or side Of the mountain and
thus turn our flank. a regiment or Two Of horse
were despatched to NEE. them ard watch ,hcir
and as a purt Of them were climbing
up the side OF ridge running up the mountain,
two rife companies OF the Mississippi regiment,
clambercd up the next ridge. After they had
60, M short distance, nbou, 3o0 Of the Mc1i. |
cans rose to the top Of the ridge and commenced
firing. Our ri1emen next rose, and gave them
a voley, when the Mc1icnns re,rea,cl into the
hollow double quick. But they soon rallied.
and with heavy addition to their number, re.
the fidsc. Our boys, reinforced by lw o
Indiana rifle companies, kept with them, and tie
firing was re.opened on both sides, and kept Up
until after dark, the MeIicsns firing about TWEEN
iy shots TO our one, and both par,ie, keeping
their ground over night.
Thus ended the frs, day, with four wounded
very slightly on our side, and three killed Ger.
tsinly on the other side, and no knowing how
many were wounded.
Strong piclc,s were put gu, for tho night -
mos, Of the horse and one Indiana regiment,
were placed near the mountain, to prevent the