New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-04-21

MAJORS Trail and Germans commands. had been 70
some extent Organized under the advice oil nslo1
Muuroe Chief Of Artillery with the assistance OF aSo
Morrison. volunteer sts-. and we're posted 70 or,
the position Before our cavalry had reached the ma
cenda TIA; Of the enemy had made fs attsc. ns..ns
I been handsomely met BY the Kentucky and Arkansas
I cavalry under Colonies Marshall and Yell zoe heA
| lean column Immediately divided one portion s"esP
ing By the dsubt where Il received oesuuS1'e
s,s fror, the force which had collected there
and then gaining the mountain opposite unoer
Ere from Lest Reynolds section the RENAL Pgru9n
regsinng the base Of the mountain Ga o1l .s ~ S s
charge Al Buena Vista. Col lell lei ealIAnAy NC
head Of h. regiment also losi hdt NsusnAn OF me
Kentucky cAvslry-s young ofheer OF mueh Pronll'e
Lieut. Col MAy who bad been re- nea y .ne
of the lat dragons snd BY portions o tne ArsahsAs
ana Indiana ,rooos under lieut. Col Roane and Msl
I German. now approached the base OF the mountain
holding in check the right hAnk Of the enemy upon
whose masses crowded 10 me nsrIo~ ANu 10
/ vines our artillery doing fearful execution.
Tbepo.ton OF that portion OF the Mexican army which
had gained our now very eriues4 aud u
doubtful whether IL could re gain the main oooy Al nis
moment received from Gen. santa Anna a message oy
sta-F ofs.er desiring 70 know what wanted imme
distely dispatched Brig Gen WOOL 70 tne MEXICAN zen
er In chief aud orders 70 cease nrng pom reach
ns the Mexican lines Gen Wool could mol cause tne
ensrnv 10 their Ere and accordingly returned with
on, having an interview The extreme r1zht OF the enc
nv continued its retreat along the base OF the mountain
and finally in spite Of al our e1ore enee'eu JUNCTION
with the remainder Of the army.
During the day the cavalry OF Gen. Mhon has ascend
ed the elevated plain above saluiio shd oecuped sle
road from the city TO the held Of battle "nsfe they inter
cepted several of men. Approaching the town tney
were fred upon By Capt Webster IRON the redoubt oc
cuped BY his company and then moved on towards the
eastern side Of the valley and oohquey toward buens
Vista. Al this time Capt Shower moved rapidly lofwsIa
with bis piece supported by miscellaneous cofnAnd OF
mounted volunteers and shOs 81 me cavalry
with great effect. They were driven INTO me rasines
which lead 70 the lower valley closely pursued oy
Capt Shower who farther supported oy piece oil
Caut Webster battery under Lieut. Donaldson. which
had advanced from the redOuo, supported oy captain
Wheelera cOmpcny Illinois volunteers. Inc enemy
made two efforts TO charge the Arhery out vas
finally driven back in confused mass aud Old not again
appear upon the plain.
In the meantime, the firing had partially ceased upon
the principal field. The enemy seemed TO eonnne ms
efforts TO the protection Of his artillery and bad lett the
plateau for moment when was recalled thlther by
very heavy musketry IRE. On regainng that position
discovered that our infantry lnois and % hentucAy)
hsd engaged greatly superior iorce 81 the enemy
IDENTIFY his reserye-and that they had been overwhelmed
by numbers. The moment was most critical Capt
OBren with pieces had sustained this heavy charge
10 the last and was finally obliged 70 leave ms guns on
the held-hs infantry support being enureiy routed
Capt Bragg who had just arrived from the lett was or
dered at into battery. Without any infantry to
support him and at the imminent rsk OF losing MS
guns this officer rapidly into action the Mexican line
being but few yards from the muzzle OF his pieces
The rst discharge canister caused the enemy 20 hest
the second and third drove him back IN disorder
and saved the day The % kentucky reg ment which
D
driven back and closely pressed by The enemy
cavalry Taking rsvine which led 10 the direction OF
Capt Wsshingtons battery their pursuers became ez
posed 20 his ire which soon checked ana drove tnein
back with loss In the time the rest OF our artil
ery had position the plsteau covered by the
Mississippi and Sd Indiana regiments, the former OF
which had reached the ground In time 10 pour fire into
the right flank of the enemy and thus contribute to his
repuse In this last conflict we had the msiortune 10
sustain very heavy loss C0l Hardin, lst Illinois and
Col Mckee and Lieut.. Col. Clay, I'd KENTUCKY resi'
while QallantlV heading their
commands.
No farther attempt was made BY the enemy to force
position and the approach OF night gave an oppor'
tuniiy 10 pay proper attention 20 the wounded and also
10 refresh the soldiers who had been exhausted by in
cesssnt watcbfulness and combat Though the nignt
was severely cold the troops were compelled Tor the
most 10 bivOuack without fires expecting that morning
would renew the conflict During the night the wound
ed were removed 10 Sstlo, and every preparation
made TO receive the enemy should he again attack our
position. Seven resh companies we're drawn from the
town and Brig Gen Marshall, with reinforcement oil
Kentucky cavalry and four heavy guns, under Capt
Preniiss Let artillery at hand when was OILS
covered the enemy had abandoned his position DUR
ing the night Our scouts sosn ascertaned nat ne mao
fallen back upon Aqua Nueva. The great disparity OF
numbers and the exhaustion OF our troops rendered "
inexpedent and hazardous to attempt pursuit star
officer dispatched to Gen santa Anna 70 negous'e
an exchange OF prisoners which satisfactorily com
pleted on the following day Our own dead were col
ected and buried and the Mexican wounded. OF which
large number had been left upon the held were re-
moved to Sato and rendered as comfortable as cir
cums,ances would permit.
ON the evening OF the both close reconnaissance
made OF the enemys position, which was found TO be
occupied only By sr-i body "a cavalry me infantry
and artillery having retreaed in the direction OF SAN
Luis Potosi On the 27sh, troops resumed their Tor
camp Aqua Nueva, the enemy rear guard eVscu
ang the place approached, leaving considerable
number OF wounded. Il was my purpose TO beat up bis
quarters Encsrnacion early the next morning, but
| upon examination the weak condition Of the cavalry
horses rendered IT unAdyisable to attempt so long a
! march without water. command was hnsly dis
patched 10 EncsuaciOn, the st OF March, under Col
Beknsp. Some two hundred wounded, and about sixty
Mexican soldiers were found there the army having
passed In the direction Of Ma,ehuaa, with greatly re-
| duced numbers and suffering much from hunger. The
dead and dying srewed upon the road and crowd
| ed the buildings OF the hacienda
The American force engaged in the action OF Buena
Vista is shown, by the accompanying field report TO
have been 334 officers and s25 men, exclusive OF the
small command left in and near salulo. Or this mum
Der two squsdrons Of cavalry and three batteries OF
/ light artillery, making not more than 453 men, compo-
sed the only force OF regular troops The strength OF
the Mexican army stated by Ten santa Anna In his
summons TO be 10000; and that estimate is confirmed
by all the information since obtained Our loss IL 2b7
killed 456 wounded, and % missing. OF the numerous
wounded many did not require removal TO the hospital
and il is hoped that comparatively small number Will
be permanently disabled The Mexican loss in killed
and wounded msy be fairly estimated AZ l,JO and VIII
probably reach 1900 AT least 700 OF their killed were
left upon the field Of battle We have no means oil as
pertaining the number of deserers and dispersed men
from their ranks but II Is known 10 be- very great
Our loss has been especially severe in officers TWEEN
ty-eight having been killed upon the held We have "a
lament the death Of Capt George Lincoln Assistant ADJ
Gen serving in the staff Of Gen. Woo-s young oheeI
OF high bearing and approved gasntry, who fell early
in the action No loss falls heavily upon the army
In the field than that of Coils Hardin and Mckee, and
Lieut.. Col. Clay. Possessing IN remarkable degree
the confidence Of their commands and the last TWO haV
ing enjoyed the advantage OF military education, had
looked particularly them for support in case we me-
the enemy need not cay that their zeal In engagne
the enemy. and the cool and stesdisst courage with
which they maintained their positions during the day
fully realized my hopes and caused me TO feel yet more
seDsbly their untimey loss.
perform grateful duty in bringing to the notice Of
the Government the general good conduct OF the troops
Exposed for successive nights without nres to the 81
verify OF the weather they ever prompt and cheer
fu ia the discharge OF every duty and nnay displayed
conspicuous steadiness and gslanry IN REFUSING a.
great odds. disciplined foe While the brilliant sue
achieved by thsr releases me from the pain
fu necessity OF specifying many csses Of bad conduc
before the enemy teel increased oohgauon 10 men
ton particular corps and officers whose skll GOODNESS
and galsnry 10 trying situations and under continued
and heavy hre seem 10 merit particular notice
To Brig. Gen Wool my obligations are especially due
The high state Of discipline and Instruction 81 sewers
Of the volunteer regiments attained under hi. com
nand and % bis vigilance and srduous service befor
the action, sud his gasnry and activity on the held,
large share OF our success may Justly be attributed
l nwrfr n sk. h.