Washington telegraph., 1847-05-12

Capt Bragg, WHO had Just arrived from
the left, was ordered al once into battery,
Nltaoli any infantry 10 support hin, and
Al Tho eminent risk oflas,us his guns, this
olllaer cama apily iull action, the Me2i.
eau Inc helng within lew yards Of the
mu2zIa ll b.s pieeas. lln dHsl discharge
oi canister caused them 10 hesitate. tho
SECOND aud lhird drove bim.bacls in disof.
der, aud saved tla iay. Tho ID kenlueI,g
regiment which bad Advanced beyond sun
p1ullag distance IN lhIs aAaif. W driven
back IN and closely pressed by the enemY's
cavalry. Taking ratinc which lei in lie
direction oI ClRl, Nashinglan's battery,
thelf pursaefs became exposed to his life,
which slon checked ani draye them back
with l1ss. In tae meadJims tn, rnsl nfanr
artillery aai 'akea position an tie plateau,
covered hl tho Mississippi an ] 8 Indiana
ffglHsn,s. Tie iafnrfa a whIab h4l lfsaeIad
TIE ground IN lne lu pauf life INTO tie
rIshl flank ollhe enemy anl thus eonlflb
uic la his fepulse. In the las. eaalliel we
had tie misfortune 10 sustain very heavy
los, CO.. llttlIn, 81 Illinois. anl Col.
Mckna, aad Lieut.. Col. Clay. . / Kentucky
regiments. ihll allhjs Tine while gl'anlly
hraang their eommluls.
~ iuaher attempt was mlis by the
enemy 10 lafce our position. aud the mp.
Praaeb at night gave IN opportunity 10 pay
proper attention IA The wounded, aud a.so
10 faIie The sall.rrs. who Ind been eK.
blazlei ~ iuess.aal walehu.ues aud
eumbs', Though the night was severely
coli, llr troops were compelled ior the
musl 10 blFouaea without aias expecting
laat morning would fenaH To conflict
hHiBg be u.gbI ial wounded were moved
TO saIHl.a. and every preparation made 10
f.eslFa ihe cnemy saau.d IL lylIa aitaga
fHl.i,iaa, Seven ifes ID companies were
drawn from iAe luHu, aud Bsig Gen. Mr..
SHAH whu bad made a forced march from
RIne9nlIa. with reinforcement Of Ken.
lucky caTa.Iy aal I1af heavy guns. under
Capt Ffsalis., 1t artillery was near at
hand, when il We Uncovered ,hai ibr enc
my had abandoned his position during tn
night o8f scouts au5n azstdaiuga Tat
b. had fallen back 10 Aqua Nurta, Tas
gvaldspaf.iy, anl tha exhaustion OF our
trouRs, rendered it Ine1pedianl and hazard
ols 10 attempt pursuit.. 4 sI4.foIiicor vas
desfaicheIlO Gsa. santa Anna Ia negotiate
an exchange u prisoners, which was sal
i'.aciorially completed on the following
day. oar own dead were collected aud
buried, anl lhe Mexican wounded, ofwhich
large number had been l,f upon the
dail wcr- f"m1gcd 10 l'tilIo, and render.
ed as comfortable Us eircunEauces would
permit.
Ga the evening orthc 25lh, close re.
conBai.s1ngc w4s made OF the en.my's
position, which was illnd to be occupied
only BIZ a small body Of cavalry, the infant.
~ anil artillery having retrclicd in the
direction ol san Luis poiosi. On the 27,h
Our troops resumed their former camp a,
Aqua Nuea. the cnemy's rear gnlri eyac.
ualing the place as NC approached, leay.
Ing considerable number Of wounjed.-
1t was my purpose 10 beat up his quarters
at EnglrnacIon early the next morning.
but upon examination, tho weak condition
o'ihe cavalry horses rendered il unadv.sl.
bic TO a'iemp, SO long march without
water. command was Gnll'y despatch.
cd 10 EuclmleiIn, On lhe lsl, Of March,
under Col. Ba.knap. some two hundred
wounded. aud about sixty Mexican soldiers
were lJuni there, the army having passed
on in the direction Of NalthIlIa, with
greatly reduced numbers, and si.loring
much from hunger. The dead and dying
were arewi upon the road and crowded
The building, OF the hacienda.
The American force engaged IN the &c
ton OF Buena Vista Is shown by the accom-
pa1yilg field report, to have been 33l Off.
Gers, and l2j men, exclusive Of the small
command lrIi in AMI near Sallilo. OF
this number, two .quaIrpns OF cavalry. and
three batteries Of lghl artillery. making not
more than ij3 men, composed the only
lorcc Of regular troops. The strength Of
Ia, Mryirun IoFce is stated by Gen. Santa
Anna in bis summons, To be 10000; and
that estimate is confirmed by all tho inlor.
m1liun siuce Obtained. Oar loss is 2G7
killed, ljj wounded, anl % missing
Or the numerous wounded many did
not require removal to the hospital, and il
is hoped that comparatively small number
will be Prominently disabled. The Mex
icln loss in killed and wounded may be
fily cslimalcdat 500 and will probably
reach 2,OOO At least 800 of their killed
were left on the battle field. We have no
means Of asccrainiog the number OF de.
scrcrs and dispersed men from their ranks,
bat it is known N be very great.
OJr loss has been especially severe in
officers % having been killed upon the
field. We have to lament the death Of
Capt. Geo. Lincoln, assistant adjnlant gen.
eral, serving in the staff of Gen. WooI-a
young officer Of high bearing and approved
gaIIaniry who fell early in the action
No loss falls more heavily upon the army
in the field than that Of Coils. Hardin and
Mckee, and Lt. Col. Clay. Possessing