Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-04-30
Gen. TnyIor'S Official Report of the
Battle of BUena Vista.

OtA' AHgApi OHAClAA AkepOEN Oh the
Battle of BUena Vista.
HEADQvARTERs, ARMY OF OCCUPATION.
Aqua Neuva, March 2, 1847.
Sra: have the honor to submit detailed re.
port Of the operations of the forces under my
command which resulted in the engagement Of
Buena Vista, the repulso OF the Mexican army
and the re.occupaIion Of this position.
The information which reached me Of the ad.
vance and concentration Of a heavy Mexican
force in my front, had assumed such a probable
form, as to induce special examination far
beyond the reach Of our pickets to ascertain its
correctness. A small party Of Texan spies, un.
der Major McCulloch, despatched 10 the Hacien.
du Of Encarnacion, 80 miles from this, on the
route to San Luis Potosi, had reported a cavalry
force ofuuknown strength at that place. On the
2Oth OF February strong reconnaissance under
Lieut.. Col. May was despatched to the Hacien.
da of llocIionda, while Major McCulloch made
another examination Of Encarnacion. The re.
suits of those expeditions left no doubt that the
enemy was in large force at Encarnacion under
the orders Of General Santa Anna, and that he
mcditated forward movement and attack upon
our position.
As the camp at Augua Nueva could be turned
on either flank, and as the enemy's force was
greatly superior to our own, particularly in the
arm Of cavalry, determined after much consd
eralIon, to take up position about eleven miles in
rear Und there await the attack. The army
broke up its camp aud marched at noon on the
2lSt, oncumplng at the new position a little in
front Of the Hacienda of Buena Vista. With
q small force ! proceeded to SaluIIo to make
some necessary arrangements for the defence of
the town, leaving Brig. Gen. Wool in the imme.
dIatc command Of the troops.
Before those arrangements were completed on
the morning Of the 22d, was advised that the
enemy was in sight, advancing. Upon reaching
the ground il was found that his cavalry advance
was in our front; having marched from Encarna.
cion, as we have since learned, at II O'Clock on
the day previous, and driving in a mounted force
left al Aqua Nucya To cover the removal orpubc
stores. Our troops were in position occupying
line Of remarkable strength. The road at this
point becomes n narrow defle, the valley on its
right being rendered quite impraclcablc for ar.
tillery by system of deep impossible gullios,
while on the left Il succession Of rugged ridges
and preciPilous raynes extends far back towards
the mountain which bounds the valley. The
features oltho ground were such as nearly to pa.
ralyzo the artillery and cavalry Of the enemy,
while his infantry could not derive all the advan.
tagc3 Of its numerical superiority. In this posi-.
tiOn we prepared to receive them. Capt. Wash
ingon's battery (4th artillery was posted 10
command the road, while the lst and Cd Illinois
regiments under Coils. Hardin and BissoI, each
eight companies, TO the latter Of which was at.
tachcd Capt. Conncrs company Of Texas volun.
tecrs, and the Cd kentucky under Col. Mckee,
=
occupied tue crcSts OF the ridges on the left and
in rear The Arkansas and Kentucky regimcnts
of cavalry, commanded by Coils. Yell and Il,
Marshall. occupied the extreme left near the base
OF the mountain, while the Indiana brigade. nm.
der Brig. Gon. Lane, Composed of the 2d and
3 regiments undcr Coils. Bowes aud Ianel the
Mississippi rhemcn under Col. Davis, the SQUAD
rons OF the lst and 2d dragoons under Captain
Steen, and Lieut.. Col. May. and the light bate.
ries Of Capls. Sherman and Bragg, Sd artillery,
were held in reserve. At IL O'Clock received
from Cen. Santa Anna summons TO surrender
al discretion, which, with copy of my rcplv,
have already transmitted. The enemy sill, for.
bore his attack, evidently waiting for the arrival
Of his rare columns which could be distinctly
seen by our look outs as they approached the
held. \ demonstration made on his left caused
me to doach tie 81 Kcnrucky regiment and
section OF aruDlery to our right, in which position
they bivouacked for the night. In the mem ,ime
the Mexican light troops had engaged ours ON
The extreme left, composed of parts of the Ken.
lucky and Arkansas cavalry dismoun,ed, and
rifle battalion from the Indiana brigade under
Major German, the whole commanded by Col.
Marshall and kept up n sharp fire, climbing
the mountain side, and apparently endcavoring
TO gain our flank. Three pieces of Capt. Wash.
ington's battery had been detached to the left.
and were supported by the ed Indiana regiment.
An occasional shell was thrown by the enemy
into this part Of our line, but without effect. The
sklrmlshng Of the light troops were kept up with
tFlhing loss on our part unu dark, when became
convinced that no serious attack would be made
before morning, and returned with the Mississipp
regiment and squadron of % Dragons to Sal.
ifIo. The troops byouckod without fires. end
laid upon their arns. A body Of cavalry. Some
800 strong, had been,yisibls all dav in Inc ranI
Of the town, having entered the valley ,hrongh
narrow pass easI Of the city. This coynlrv
,cpmmaaded by Gen. Mnon had evidently been
thrown in our rear 10 break up and harass our
retreal, and perhaps make some attempt agans,
ihe lawn il practicable. The cry was occupied
by four excellent companies of Illinois voiun.