The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-06-02
CHAPTER vi.
THE BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA.

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Information having reached Gss. TAYLoR,
while lying at Aqua Nueva in Mexico abou,
the middle of February, iS47, that heavy
Mexican force was advancing snd concentrs
ting in his front, he ordered special examine
lion, far beyond the reach Of his pickeis, to az
certain lis correctness. A small party Of Tex
ian spies. under Major Mccullough. despatch
ed 10 the Hacienda Of Encarnacion thirty miles
from Aqua Nueva, on the route TO San Luis
Potosi, reported a cavalry force Of unknown
strength at that place. On the 10Th Of Febru-
airy, strong reconnaissance under Lieutenant
Colonel May was despatched to the Hacienda
Of Helionda, while Major Mccullough made
another examination Of Encarnacion. The re-
suits of these expeditions left no doubt that the
enemy was in large force at Encarnacion, un-
der the orders of General Santa Ana, and that
he meditated forward movement and attack
upon the American army.
As the camp of Aqua Nueva could be tnrned
on either flank, and as the enemy's force was
greatly superior to that of the Americans, par
ucularly in the arm Of cavalry, General Taylor
determined, after much consideration, to take
up position about II miles in rear, and there
await the attack. The army broke up its camp
and marched al noon on 2lsto Of February, en-
camped at the new position. little in front Of
The Hacienda Of Buena Vista. With small
force General Taylor proceeded to Sallllo to
make some necessary arrangements for the de-
fence Of the town, leaving General Wool in
the immediate command of the troops.
Before these arrangem ents were completed,
on the morning Of the 22d. General Taylor
was advised that the enemy was in sight adj
vancing. Upon reaching the ground, he found
that the enemy's cavalry advance was in front,
having marched from Encarnacion al l | o'clock
on the day previous, and having driven in q
mounted force left at Aqua Nueva TO cover the
removal Of public stores. The American troops
were lin position. occupying a line Of remark
able strength. The road at this point becomes
a narrow de6le. the valley on lis right being
rendered quite impracticable by a system Of
deep and and impossible gullies, while on the
left succession Of rugged ridges and precipi-
tous rayines extend far back beyond the noun
tam which bounds the valley.
The features of the ground were such as
nearly to paralyze the artillery and cavalry Of
the enemy while his infantry could not derive
all the advantage Of its numerical superiority.
In this position General Taylor prepared to
| receive him. Captain Washington's battery
| (4th artillery was posted 10 command the road
while the LIST and ed Illinois Regiment under
Colonel's Hardin and Bisssll each 8 compa
MES. (to the latter Of which was attached Cap.
tain Corners company Of Texas voln nteers)
| and the Cd Kentucky under Colonel Mckee
occupied the crest Of the ridges on the left and
in The rear. The Arkansas and Kentucky reg
iments Of cavalry, commanded by Colonels
Yell and H. Marshall, occupied the extreme
left near the base Of the mountain, while the
Indiana brigade, under Gen. Lane -composed
of the ed and Sd regiments under Coils. Bowles
and Lane-the Mississippi riaemen, under
Colonel Davis, the squadrons Of the lst and
Cd dragons under Captain Stern and Lieut..
Colonel May, and the light batteries Of Capts.
Sherman and Bragg, Sd artillery, was held in
reserve.
Att O'Clock in the morning Of the 22d, Gen.
Taylor received from Gen. Santa Ana sum
mons to surrender al discretion, to which he
immediately returned a negative reply. The
enemy forbore his attack waiting for the arri-
val Of his rear columns, which could be dis
,inctly seen by the American look-outs as they
| approached the field. A demonstration made
| on the enemy's left caused Gen. Taylor to de-
,ach the I'd Kentucky regiment and section
Of artillery to his right, in which position they
| biyouacked for the night. In the mean time the
Mexican light troops had engaged the Ameri-
can light troops on the extreme left--compos-
ed Of parts Of the Kentucky and Arkansas cav
airy dismounted, and a rife battalion from the
Indiana brigade, under Major German, the
whole commanded by Colonel Marshall land
kept up sharp fire, climbing the mountain
side and apparently endeavoring to gain Gen.
Taylor's flank. Three pieces Of Capt. Wash
ingon's battery had been detached 10 the left,
and were supported by the ed Indiana regi-
ment An occasional shell was thrown by the
enemy into this part Of the American line, but
without effect. The skirmishing Of the light
troops was kept up with rifing loss on the
side Of the Americans until dark, when Gen.
Taylor becoming convinced that no serious at
tack would be made before the next morning
Che 23d,) returned with the Mississippi regi-
ment and squadron Of Cd dragons, to Saltillo.
The troops bivouacked without FIRE, and laid
upon their arms.
! A body Of cavalry, some 1900 strong, had