The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-17
The Battle Field Of Buen, vista.

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The Battle Field OF Buena Vista.
So many persons have claimed the Gre
di. Of saving the day at Buena Vista, and
some in most extraordinary manner, and
so many claimants have appeared for praise
for the honor Of selecting the ground upon
which the glorious battle Of Buena Vista
was fought. that it may not be improper,
even at this late period, to 'render unto
Caesar the things that are Cesar's." As
Gen. Wool, is entitled to the credit of hav-
ing selected the spot, the following letter,
which incontestbly establishes that fact,
may not be unintere-ting. 1t is from the pen
of Captain Carleton, of the U. S. Dragons, a
very gallant officer, and one whose pen has
often enriched the columns Of the New
York Spirit of the Times in times past, and
is addressed to Gen. Wool
BuESA VISTA, Mexico, July 81, 1s47
Generally reference to my journal of
the marches, &C., Of Gen. Wool's column
| find that OH the 2lst of December, l846,
you arrived in the valley of Ed
cantada with your whole force, con-
sisting Of cavalry, artillery and infantry
with their complete trains, and encamped
at Aqua Nueva, situated at its southern ter
mination. That point is twenty miles in
advance Of Saltillo, which city was then
occupied by Gen. Worth, to whose assis-
lance you had marched from Parras, a dis
lance Of one hundred and fifteen miles, in
less than four days. At that time the COM
mand of Gen. Worth was only brigade,
and be had sent by express request to you
at Parrass to join him with your column
as soon as possible, TO assist in repelling
an attack then daily expected from the enc
envy, in force under General Santa An
ma. 0M -i. ~ .....
About the same time Gen. Butler arri-
we'd al Saltillo from Monterey. On the eve
ming of the 22d Of December youleft you
camp at Aqua Nueva to visit both him
self and Gen. Worth;it being reported tina
they were confined TO their beds in conse-
quence OF the wounds they had previously
received. You were accompanied by Capts
Lee, Hughes and Chapman, U. S. A., by
your aid Lieut.. Mcdowell, and by myself
then on duty as one Of our aids-de-camp. |,
was quite dark when you left Aqua Nueva
and when you arrived at tina, part of the pass
Of Buena Vista known as La Ansostura, a
heavy fog, accompanied by rain, had set in,
rendering it SO much more SO that it was
with the utmost difficulty the road could be
kept Indeed the officers who were with
you were frequently obliged to dismoun,
ana seek for j! on either hand. 1t was past
ii o'clock at night when you and your par
y reached Saltillo. The next day, when
your interview with Gems. Butler and
Worth was concluded, you started on your
relurnrto your camp at Aqua Nueva, ac-
companied only by myself, all the other
officers who had gone to Satilo with you
being still detained there by official bust,
ness. When you had proceeded as far as
Angostula, one mile in advance of the haci-
enda Of San Juan de la Buena Vista, YOU
ha.ted, and after having glanced over the
ground on each side you said to me: "Mr.
Carleton, this is the veryspot Of all others !
have yet seen in Mexico which should Sc
Iect for battle, were |. obliged with a small
army to fight large one"
You then pointed out to me what you
Conceived were the great military advanta-
ges 1t possessed; and said that the network
ol ceePly worn channels on the right would
completely protect that flank; that the
heights on your left would command the
ROAD, while the ravines in front of them,
ana which extend oack 10 the mountain on
that slde' would cripple the movements Of
the enemy should he attempt 10 turn tina,
Hank You continued conversing with me
on this subject until as you may recollect
we met Lieut.. McCown 4th artillery, a
mile or more further on. So forcibly was
J impressed with your choice, and ali you
had said III favor of it, that Immediately al
ter my arrival at Aqua Nueva described
the place to some Of the officers Of your
staff--l think TO lns. Gen Churchill, and
his assistant, Capt Drum, U S. A. at the
time, saying that you had selected it for a
battle-ground and repeating all you had sta
ted in relation to it.
1t may not be improper likewise 10 add;
that on the 26th Of December Gen. Butler
visited you at Aqua Nueva, and that on the
9th, before he retnrued to Sal,illo, he gave
you an order to move with your troops and
select in the neighborhood of La Encapat.
da, or further down the stream towards Sal.
tllo, suitable place and there encamp.-
AS this order was entirely discretionary a.
10 the precise locality for your proposed
camp, you chose the plain between La An.
gostura and the hacienda before alluded te
as the best, because it was not only les,
exposed 10 the bleak winds which continual
y swept through the pass at La Eucantada
ana which at tina, season Of the year woul,
cause ,he troops much suffering, as W,
were all IN tents and fuel very scarce, bu
offered the additional advantage of an abun
dah' supply ofPure water, and besides wa
Just IN rear OF what you had selected as tn,
strong point Of defence.
That evening (the 2sth) Gen. Butler sen
you an order 10 return 10 La Encantada AN,
encamp there. You wrote note 70 him
requesting, for reasons which YOU assigned