Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-04-08
The Great Battle.

The New Orleans Delta of the 23d, speaking of
the great and terrible battle Of Buena Vista, says:
The Mexicans advanced upon Taylor with great
holiness, bravey led by their best officers but were
met by gallant volunteers with the cool frmness
of veteran soldiers. fierce and long battle ensued
the Mexicans charging with their bayonets to the
very muzzes of our artillery and receiving the dead
ly and destructive FIRE Of guns with unflnchlng
courage. Our men gave not an inch, but maintained
their position the bloody field the whole day Of
the 22d and on the day until the evening, when
the Mexicans retired to Aqua Nueva, leaving their
killed unburied and all their wounded on the field
where they fell The killed and wounded the
Mexican side are estimated at 1900. Some Of the
Mexican officers taken prisoners admit that their loss
was at least 2, ZOO.
The New Orleans Commercial Times, of the same
date, has the following:
Our men must have fought like lions, under the
eye of their venerated chief for the slaughter Of the
foe amounts in the aggregate 10 nearly the whole
American force engaged. The loss sustained by our
army is extremely heavy, considering the proportion
it bears to the number of troops who present
the well fought field and proves that the conflict
must have been severe indeed. We know not what
influence the coincidence of the battle Of Buena Vista
and the anniversary Of Washngton's birth had on
our men, but their happening on the same day per-
suades us that this circumstance In itself was sut
cient nerve the of the American soldier to
vincbility.
The following is a postscript in the Delta of the
23d:
The editors Of the Patra state that they have seen
several letters written the 10th instant, few MI
nutes before the departure of the w. G. Preston,
from the Rio Grande, which announces positive
the defeat of Santa Anna by Gen. Taylor. First, in
an action which took place near Aqua Nueva, on the
Odd ut., secondly, Gen. Taylor having retreated to
Saltllo, Santa Anna there attacked him again, but
repulsed with considerable loss but the most
sangunary fight the 23d, at point called
Buena Vista The loss of the Mexcans is stated at
from 1000 to 5000 men, and that of the Americans
at less than 1000. These letters that three
Mexican generals taken prisoners on the Occa-
sion, two of whom Lombardini and Pacheco.
Gen. Tayors artillery is said to be much superior to
that of the Mexicans and that the principal ad
vantage he possessed over them.
The following extract of letter written by a
Mexican officer to San Luis Potosi shows the condi-
tion of the Mexican army:
81 am much afraid lest this cause (want of food)
should dsperse US tonight since the soldiers al
ready scattering, and We have seen bodies of them
fighting and charging upon the enemy wherever they
thought there was water, caring for nothing; and
we have seen them disputng among themselves, to-
tally Indifferent 10 the fire of the enemy, for piece
of ham found upon the dead Yankees. This night is
fearful one for the republic, since dread lest we
should become dsbanded In conclusion, dear FRIEND
there now remains but little to be done because we
have been pursuing the enemy all day long with
bayonet, and tomorrow they will be finished. They
killed the horse of the general with grape shot,"