The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-05-27

they would extend 10 tnlS point, L ordered Capains
Milan and Pennington to dismount their companies,
pass the gorge in the mountain, and by scaling tie
mountain from the to command the right flank OF
the enemy Darkness prevented them from succeeding,
though their object nearly attained that they came
within the fire of the enemy who had reached the sum
nit and these would have been overcome, but Tor your
order recalling all the troops to the PLAN Tor the night
When night closed the enemy had succeeded in out
ankng u.s. though yet our position was not turned,
and, from the abrupness OF the face OF the mountain, II
hoped that his apparent success would yield no ma
Throughout the evening, Captains Shawhan and Beard
and Lieut. Field acted with prompness and bravery, and
Their companies, with GOODNESS and skill Inc same re.
mark is applicable to the Indiana company which went
TO their assistance led by sergeant subaen, well
as recollect Major German with me during the
evening" and his obedience to orders and general conduct
deserved and receives approbaory mention. His men
were not exposed except on the knoll and there by the
conformation OF the ground were TO great degree shell
tered They seemed, however, to be willing to engage
the enemy whenever required
During the night OF the 22d the Kentucky cavalry and
the I'd Indiana regiment maintained the position at the
base OF the knoll uadisurbed by the enemy At daylight
on the 23d was relieved of the command of the brigade
BY Brgader General Lane who will report its further
operations
AS soon as it was light enough see the enemy on the
23d the rifle battalion reinforced by the companies OF
Milan and Pennington, were ordered forward to renew
the fight They were ordered to dismount in the gorge,
and to ascend that slope OF the mountain which descends
TO the broad ravine in of the knoll This gave to
the enemy the position which the rifle battalion occupied
the preceding evening This step rendered
ry by the vast superiority of the enemy in numbers, The
enemy prompt to take whatever ground yielded,
and commenced to his regiments along the face OF
the mountain until he had displayed at least twenty five
hundred infantry in our front The fire became hot and
ncessant The companies had sent forward were as
sisted by Gomans battalion of Indiana remen and four
companies of illinois rAemen under the command Of
MAJOR Trail Our stood as firm the rocks of the
mountain. They were but handful as compared with
the enemy but they yielded not inch OF ground for at
least two burs, during which was grated to observe
that they kept their front clear within rifle shot, though
enabled AM "a
regiment or more pressed down the mountain TO their
right, with the view of cutting the whole off from our
main body | cannot too highly compliment this gallant
band. They were under my eye the whole time, and
their valor could not have been surpassed Lieut. Col
Field there and everywhere during the battle equal
entirely to his station and rendered me the
al assistance He has mentioned In flaterlng terms
the galantry OF several as conspicuous on this occa
sion, and it affords infinite pleasure to add my
testimony to the general good conduct of the troops
The execution done in the mountain by our troops is
admitted TO have been tremendous. Persons who have
since visited the scene represent the dead OF the enemy
left this mountain side, from two hundred and fifty
to three hundred-the number of wounded not known
Their loss immense. We did not lose man from
the commands engaged, because the enemy shot too
high. l was closely observing the movements on the
mountain, perceiving that matters were reaching
tremes with my riflemen, when | observed that regi
nen OF Americans were retreatIng ON my right instantly
had the signal sounded to call my from the
tain, and stood with Prices squadron and the four Ar
kansas cavalry companies until they issued from the
vne and mounted, commenced to ascend the hill on the
reeang in apparent disorder, proposed to Col Yell 70
charge the Mexican line and he readily assented but
before the enemy had taken position to enable us to
ecue desire, the right of the Arkansas corps COM
menced retiring in order Our whole force was then
Withdrawn to the other side of the ravne and we found
that we stood detached from the rest of the army The
rfemen OF the Kentucky cavalry had not yet joined the
regiment but retiring before the enemy in order,
occasionally presenting front to cover the retreat of the
mi ht IN this way they twice delivered fire upon
along the mountain side After crossing three ravines
in this way the remen succeeded in joining the rest of
the regiment, and at once ordered the cavalry to form
for charge upon the lancers OF the enemy, who
moved forward along the base of the mountain, if to
engage the companies under my command. The ancers
protected by the infantry the mountn-sde and
whenever checked would at once reform under cover of
their fire; while the infantry, because of the conforma
ton of the ground could not be approached by horses
The regiment of Kentucky cavalry and the four Arkansas
companies met the lancers firmly and the head OF their
column was pressed back. We lost several valuable
lives in this chagenot by the lancers but by the mus
were utterly unsustaned by infantry and powerless OF
course, against force we could not reacha force
exceeding mine by at least six to one and constantly
ntorced by other infantry and cavaryand, wthal, in
position to us inaccessible AT this point OF time could
see infantry belonging to your army and the progress
of the enemy seemed unressted, if not resstess If
had line, twas papable that it had swung away from
the mountains, and therefore it deemed best to take
a position which would draw the enemy into the PLAN
Accordingly the cavalry moved off directly at right
giles to our former course and approached the Sato
road, the rancho, al Buena Vista The infantry of
the enemy at once descended the plaIn and formed
line OF battle parallel to the mountains base; their
airy formed column of squadrons, TO charge upon my
regiment We formed at TO receive them, Col.
Yells companies being on my left. The enemy came
down in most gallant style and beautiful order. They
numbered from 200 to 500, and constituted the brig
ade of Gen. Torreion Our force did not exceed 400
Our men were armed with rifles, with carbine,
pistol, and sabre; theirs with sabre and pistol or
with lances. waited their approach until they
had arrived within sixty yards Of my line, when
our men delivered their fire. Under its effect the
head OF their column wavered, and for moment check
ed its march, when the order given my command
to charge upon them. Their column parted-sone went
right, and some left. The men side pressed
through them pursued one part and the melee became
general. The whole crowd was enveoped in cloud OF
dust and all order both sides for few minutes
lost Mexicans and Kentuckans, and some of the Ar
kansas soldiers together and continued until we
had reached the valley in rear of the rancho. A large
body OF the Mexlcans broke through the anche where
they fired upon they passed; and thence pursued
by my men, they fled across the mountains opposite AS
they assembled the mountains, artillery began TO fire
them Among others who fell in this affair were Col
Yell, OF Arkansas, and my adjutant, Edward M.
Vaughan. Your army contains no Drawer spirits than
these Nor did the field of Buena Vista hold two more
determined soldiers Their bodies exhibit the erceness
OF the shock and the noble daring with which it was
met Mr.. Vaughan received twenty four wounds, many
of which mortal. | draw distinction between
Colonel YelPs companies and my They stood
shoulder to shoulder up to the moment of collision with
the enemy, and behaved handsomely as | could have
desired The fall of Colonel YELL who passed to the left
some of the soldiers from Arkansas who remained
with me, and who formed with my command shortly
afterwards to sustain Bragg's battery, which going
then into action Ii is sufficient commentary this
transaction to observe that with the charge of their cav
airy the progress of the enemy ceased can scarcely
biefinU off and