The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-04-09

stall Of bedizzened, gided and moustach.
ed officers. Santa Anna apologized TO
the Lieutenant for the act OF his officers.
in having him blindlolded, saying that.
So lar from having any desire to conceal
. hl, situation. lie was DESTROYS of cXhibil-
ing 10 Gen. Taylor the inter folly of re.
Slstlng 50 powerful AN army us he had
under bis command-to which the Lieu
tenant replied, that his simple message
was 10 demand his Santa Anna's1 i'm.
mediate surrender To Gen. Taylor.
When this extraordinary demand was
translated To the Mexican, he raised his
hands and eyebrows in utter astonish-
menl al the temcriry and presumption Of
such a message, and replied that he would
expect Gen. Tay Ior to surrender in an
hour or he would destroy all his forces.
Lieut.. Crittenden'> reply, which we have
already g'ven-"Gea. Tcy'or ncrer sur
re"defS terminated the interview.
and the batlle recommended, and was
continued until night.
Santa Anna took three small pieces of
our artillery, which, under Lieut.. O..
Bren, had been posted too far in advance
To be covered 10y our infantry. All the
gunners were Shot down, and when the
guns were captured there was not q sol.
der left 30 man them. One Of these
pieces was an old Texan 6.pounder,
which, during The Texan Revelations had
done good execution among the Mexican
ranks. As to the flags lie boasts of hav.
ing uken, they are very probably mere
company markers, which were dropped
on the field and picked up by the vaian,
NcXlcans. Ills Exceleucy of the War
Department, to whom Ssnta Anna has
sent these trophies, will no doubt be sore.
~ disappointed in the size. texture, and
beauty ct these standards. Mexican pride
l. easily satisfied when such feeble me-
menioes of their proves and yaIor as
these console them for so ingorious a
defeat.
All the officers on eur side, in this
hard fought battle distinguished them
5 Ives. The detail, of tie battle were
co1iided to Gen. WOOL, Who noby iusli-
h,d the coniil eUce Of his commander and
brother veteran, by the most active,
Jealous, efficient and gallant conduct.
Throughout tue whole action he was
constantly engaged in the disposition of
our forces, and in rally ing them 10 the I
onset. II was miracle that he escaped |
Ihe thick flying balls which thnued the (
ranks he was marshalling. Theie was
bot one complaint made against him, and
that was. that he exposed himself too
much. Brig. Geu. Lane, also. showed
himself to be brave and capable officer
Although wounded early in the action.
he kepI his horse until it closed, and new
er for moment left his post.
The old Genera-in Chief remained al
his original and much exposed position,
experimenting the battle and narrowly
watching its events. An escopetie ball
passed through his oyercoat-tha, same
old brown, 50 familiar to all the officers
and men who have ever been under his
command, and which has seen several
in Florida, in Texas, aud in
Mexico.
On tie night Of the 23d, both armies
drew of from the field oi battle. Our
men were engaged all night in bringing
IN the wounded and taking care of them
the Mexicans as well as their own
men. There were, however, but few oil
our men found on the field wounded
They were, to use Santa Annals signih-
cant words. in his despatch, "all dead"
the cowardIy mIscreants having killed ev-
cry man whom they overlook, wounded
and helpless on the field With like tur.
pltude aud treachery. they left their own
dead unbured aud their wounded uncared
far, on the field where they fell The
latter were carried TO SalllllO, in cur own
wagons, the former were buried by the
alcalde, under the orders of Gen. TAYLOR.
A number Of officers were taken prs-
oners, and an exchange was effected. by
which all our men who are now in their
halds were released. Cassius NJ. CLAWS
party are understood to be in the city OF
Mexico.
Among the killed and wounded Of the
MeSicans are three general officers and
twenty colonies and commanders Of bat
alions.
Gen. Mmon, it appears, has not as yet
realized the brilliant career OF which he
his capture of Maj. Borland
an earnest. lie was ordered by Santa
Anna TO attack and carry SslIillo during
the engagement at Buena Vista With
This object, he made a demonstration a
gainst the town with 1000 cavalry
Lieut.. Shower, with sixty men and two
smaD pieces of artillery, went out 10 meet
the valiant General, and al one discharge
IF his cannon, sent him and his large
force to tie rght-about in dOube.quick
lime.
Vessels. There is great competition