Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-04-29
ARMY lNTElLlGENt l..
Rattle OF Hucnu Vista.
GENERAL TAyLoR's DETAILED REPORT



suited the engagement u iuena VISTA the reruise oil
the Mexican amy, aud the re occupation o TINS position
The information which reached me oi the advance hnd
concentration u heavy Mexican torce IN my tant had
assumed such probable form nv to induce especial tx
animation lar beyond the reach Of our p'hes To ascertain
its correctness small party OF Texan spts. under
Mayor McCuoch, despatched To the Hacienda OF f.nra'
uacnn, hlrv miles from this. on the route To San i'als
Pot s. had reported cavalry iorco OF unknown strength
nj that place On the Doth ufFelrusry strong recon
neisanee under Lieut. Cu May despatched 10 the
llacier,, Of lleellnnda while Nanr MeCulloch made
another examination of Encnnncon. The results of
thase expeditions ei douhi that the enemy WAY III
large force Encnrnaclon under the orders at General
Santa Anna aud that he mediatcd forward movement
and attack uron our position
A the camp oi Aqua Nueya could be turned on either
flank. aud rs the enemy Is force greatly superior 10
own particularly the Of cavalry, determined,
after much consideration 10 take mp position ali NJ ees-
miles rear. and there await the attack. The army
broke mp It's camp aud marched at noon on the 2ls en-
camping nj the new position little IN front ~ the la
ccnla oi Buena Vista. With a small force proceeded
to Salute 10 make necessary arrangements of the
defence OF the town. leaving Brig Gen Wool in the IN.
mediate command oi the troops.
before those arrangements Were com eedon the morn
Ing oi tho 22nd, Was advised that the enemy WA IN
sGhl, advancing lpon reaching the 9round II WAS
found That his havary advance WAS 'front.' having
marched ifum Eneanaclon we have since learned nj
II clock uu the day previous. aud driving mounted
force le AT Aqua Nurya To the removal of public
stores Oar troops were IN position, occupying lho OF
remarkable strength The road nj this point becomes
narrow dec tho valley lis night bung fendered quite
mpraellcobe Ion artillery hy s,stem ii deep and I'M
passahe Gullcs while the oi succession If rugged
ridges aud plcclpons avnos extends far back towards
the mountnln which bounds the valley The features Of
the ground were such nearly to panA2e the artillery
and clNalr, OF the enrmN While has infantry could mol
derive all the advantage ot lis numerical superiority In
this position We prepared 10 receive hun. Capt.. Nash
mgion = battery tih arlllry) was posted to conlnand
the road. while the lat and I'd Illinois regiments under
Coonels Hardin and Hlssl. each eight companies tto
the latter Of Which attached Capt. Conner company
OF Texas volunteers aud the Cd kentucky under col
Mckee, OCCUPIED the crCss IT the ridges the left and
III rear. Tho Arkansas aud Kentucky regiments of
airy. commanded by Cols Yell aud H. Marshall.
licd the rNlrrn e left near the base o the mountain.
while the Indiana brigade under Brpadrr General anc
composed of the 2nd and Sd regiments under Co4
}oNles aud Lame. the Mississippi ullemen under tul.
DAVIS, the squadron of the Isl aud 2nd Dragons unlo
Capt Sccn aud Lieut. Col May. and the light batteries
Of apis Sherman aud bragg, Sd artillery. held IN
reserve. At | O'Clock received from General Santa
Anna summons 10 surrender nj discretion, which with
copy ofmy reply. have already transmitted
HE enemy sill iorrhofe his attack, evidently waiting
for the arrival o is columns. which could be dIs.
uurlly by look they approached the field
demonstration made on his lett caused to de ach
the ID Kentucky regment and section OF artillery To
rghi In which position they bvouaehrd for the night
In the m,an time the Mexican light troops had engaged
the extreme left, (camposcd Of part of the ken
lucky and Arkansas cavalry dsInouned and rifle bat
all,pn from the Indiana brigade under MAJOR & rnan The
whole commanded by Col Marshall and kept up a sharp
h", climbing the mountain SIDE aud apparently cnden,
orlua pain flank. Three pieces OF apt Washing
tons battery had been detached the left aud sup
,r'ed by the ID Indiana regiment. An occasional shell
was thrown by the enemy INTO this part oi our line, but
without cfcc, The diminishing Of the light troops
was kept up with i"nmg loss on our part MI dark when
became cor WINGED that serious attack would be made
a.. In 4lsAIn
regiment and squadron Of ID Dragons ID Saln'Io, The
troops blvouackod without fires and laid upon theif
arms. body Of cavalry. some 800 strong, haG been
visible all day IN of the town. having entered thu
valley through narrow pass eas Of the city. This cav
airy, comlnabded by Gen, Niuon, had evidently been
thrown IN 10 break up and harrass retreat,
and perhaps make some attempt against the town If
practicable. The city was occupied by four excellent
companies Of Illinois volunteers under MAJOR Warren OF
the LIST regiment field work, which command
most OF the approaches, garrsuned by Capt. Web
stcI company, st artillery anl armed with 2l
pound howzes. while the train and headquarlcr camp
was guarded bytwo companies Mississippi rlemen IN
der Capt Rogers, aud field piece commanded by Capt
Shower jd artillery. Having made these dispositions
for The protection Of the rear. proceeded the nom
ing oflhe 23d to uena Vista ordering forward all the
ether available troops. The action had commenced be
fro my arrival on the field.
bnrup the evening and night Of the 22nd the enemy
had thrown bodyo fight troops ON the mountain side, !
th the purpose Of nulanklng lcf and II here
that the acton II the 23d commenced at early hour
Oar filemen under Colonel Marshall who had been !
mlyrced by three companies under Major Trail I'd Hi
mons volunteers, maintained their or lnnd hands lney
against greatly superior force, holding themselves
der cover, and using their weapons with deadly elect
Abuui O'Clock strong demonstration made against
the centfo OF our position, heavy column moving along
the road. This force dispersed by fw rapid
aud well directed shos from Captain Nashngton's bat
terry In the mean time the enemy concentrating
large orce Of infantry and cavalry under OF The