The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-04-28
The Battle of Buena Vista.


~ Tho following |. tier which we copy
from the Yazoo Democrat, is from SAMUEL
5. CALDWELL who is native of this Dis
tric', and raised in our village. When
boy, he met with serious accident in
the loss of three of his fingers by the
bursting of a gun, which are now in the
possession Of DR.. I. BRANCH. of this place.
He is in the Mississippi Regiment that 50
distinguished itself at the battle of Buena
Vista.
SALT1LLo, MEXICO, March ls,., 1947
DEAR BROTHER II received letter
from you on yesterday, which was the only
one have received from you or anv one
else since came on this sid" of the Big
Drink" gave me great pie sure TO think
that though poor ragged soldier was no,
'orHo,trn. lfpeople at home knew the suf.
ferlng> of soldier in Mexico, or how ursa,
consolation to him it is TO receive n letter
from friend or relative, they woull cer
'ainly devote an hour or two occasionally in
writing TO him. But le, this pass
Well, | have heard the big bull DOGS
howl and the small fee bark, seen the verv
elements rain copper and lead. and have al
SO seen fifty acre plain as thickly covered
with dead and wounded men as is an old
cl'aringwi,h dead trees GU, up for a log
rolling.
On the els: Of February W. we're camn.
ed with abou: 5000 fighting men a, the
pass on the road 10 SAN Lnis 22 miles from
this place, called Agu. N,rva, resting con-
tented. WHEN the picket and our spips came
running in and informed old Z,rk that
th- Mexican army. numbering from 10000
10 $4,000, with SAINT, Anna ut it's head.
had advance within 80 miles, anl from
appearance were going TO march on agains,
us. When our old general heard this he
issued 0fssers Tor us 10 hold onrsrlvrs in
readiness to march towards SaltiIIo. No
sooner said tn IN done We knew we had
no time to lose. and in less than half an
hour wer. on our road 10 this place. Our
Regiment, Mays Squadron and Thomas
and Bragg'S batteries accompanied oI Z,,ck.
We pitched our tents, rais,.d our flags ind
and every man of lis swore he would die
before we would give up the city CrDeral
Wool took his position ut IL well known pass
called Burma Vista and stationed his com
mani IN such a position us to keep the enc.
my back il he shuul! a,,emp, to advance
that night We left one company of caval
ry at Agu' Nueva to watch the enrmy and
act as Il pickett. Next morning IL, sun up
which was the 2 ls', the picketts were h ard
to fire the alarm guns. W.. all knew, then,
tina, bloodshrd mus, follow. The picke,,s
Came into Gen. Wool's camp bringing in.
formation that the enemy were advancing
rapidly and would not stop long at Agua
Nueva us the advance guard had ;,lrealy
passed it. Gen. Wool despatched an *.
press post haste to Cen Taylor. and by
ninr o'clock we were all or the ground we
were TO occupy, altho' we had tolnarch
miles. We stood with silence al our posts
until twcnty-srven minutes past 3 O'clock
in the evening whrn one of the bulldogs
of the emmy was heard to growl II sound.
ed the death kn"l of some OF the bravo
ken,ncki ms Then the whole plain on
our side OF the lins give Il cheer, but wp did
not get fairly into action thn, day. The
Kentucky i;lflemen who were sta,ionett
on tie sides OF the mountains on the t'Irt,
flank engaged in the sport. They E.ll
their positions until dirk when all wass
hushed but few rifles thar were heard 10,
crack aud looked lik" Tightening bugs iIIrn
'minuting the tops Of the mountains 81 Our
Regiment Mas ordered TO camp, bue no.
sleep did we get that night. Express after
express arrived bringing us the news S
. Next morning at sunrise we were On our
way to- the field of nctiom When Ne ar.
rived there the ENEMY had broken through
on or leIt flank, which caused US 10 hasten
TO repel him The arkansas Regiment
had commenced retreatiug heller shcl,er.--,s
We mtt thea and tried TO inc nee them to
go back with us, bu, only 3Uerepirned. --e
They thought all was lost, bu, wecha,rged
on the yellow chaps and SOON told them we
were the Mississippi; they learned
something OF US ut Monterey. Seeing US. ;
Charge on u body ofnot less than {, 600 they
became panic strickens Our Regiment
with the assistance Of one battery sand
Regiment of Indiaaaans ssncceadsd dsinadri- I,
wing them bnck eyond iht ground
they occupied tha day Ea ma s6ag toos,
by snn:down; Ii l6el Ike big ,sos.l butt
we acconpIi pIished every ittiirti