Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-10-04
nj | S G L. L l. A N Y
BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA

We copy some extracts from volume issued
by the Harpers, under this title. 1t is written by
Capt. Carleton of the LIST Dragons, who was aid
TO Gen. Wool, and an active and prominent parti-
cipaor in the stirring scenes of that bloody field
Its style is clear and concise, yet every scene is
drawn as with pencil.
We have room this week for only two extracts
PERILOUS POSITION OF THE ILLINOIS
AND KENTUCKY REGIMENTS.
While the enemy's cavalry and infantry, which
our left had thus signally defeated was moving i'm
retreat along the head of the plateau, O'Brien's
and Thomass pieces were advanced well to the
front, and then came into action and opened hea-
wy fire ON them; and Colonies Hardin, Bissell, and
Mckee, with their Illinois and Kentucky troops,
dashed galantly forward in hot pursuit. The pow
erful reserve Of the Mexican army was Just then
emerging from the raviue where it had been organ
| lied, and coming forward on the plateau, opposite
the head Of the third gorge. Those who Were Civ
ing way rallied quickly upon it when the whole
force, thus increased to $4,000 men, came for
ward in perfect blaze of fire. 1t was a single Co
! lumn, composed of the best soldiers Of the Repub
lie, and having for lis advanced battaons the vete
| ran regiments The Kentucky and Illinois troops
were obliged TO give ground before it, and TO
seek the shelter of the second gorge. AS the Mex
! leans pressed on, O'Brien and Thomas opened up
them with canister, instead of round and hollow
shot. Being very close, the destruction Of life,
| caused by their three pieces, immense The
advance of this column, however, was not retarded
for they troops of the old line, and were ac-
customed to blood. Arriving opposite the head of
the second gorge, one half of this column suddenly
enveoped it., while the other half pressed on across
| the plateau, having for the moment nothing TO re-
| slst them but the three guns in their front. The
| portion, that was Immediately opposed to the Ken
lucky and Illinois troops ran down along each side
of the gorge in which they had sought shelter and
also circled around its head and then there was no
| possible way of escape for them except by its
mouth, which opened upon the road Its sides
were steeP,-at least. at an angle of forty degrees,
| were covered with loose pebbles and stones and
| went to point at the bottom. Down there were
| our poor fellows,-nearly three regiments of them
with but little opportunity to load or fire gun
being hardly able even TO keep their feet. Above
| the whole edge of the gorge, all the way around
was darkened by the serried masses of the enemy
and bristling with muskets directed upon the crowd
beneath. Ii was no time to pause; those who were
not Immediately shot down, rushed on toward the
road, their numbers growing less and less as they
went Kentuckians and Illinoans, officers and men
all mixed up in confusion, aud all pressing ove
the loose pebbles and rolling stones Of those shelly
ing, PERCEPTIONS banks, and having lines and lines
Of the enemy firing down from each side and il
rear, as they went just then, the enemy's cav
airy, which had gone to the left of the reserve, hat
come over the spur that divides the mouth of tn,
second gorge from that of the third, and were now
closing up the only door through which there wa
the least shadow of chance for their lives Ma
ny Of those ahead endeavored to force their wa,
on, but few succeeded; the lancers fully six to one
and their long weapons were already rccking will
blood. 1t was at this time that those, who wer
still back in that dreadful gorge, heard, above th
din of the musketry and the shouts Ct the enemy
round them, the of Washington's Battery
No music could have been grateful to thei
cars. A moment only, and the whole opening
where the lancers were busy, rang with the re
peated explosions Of spherical case shot. The
gave way. The gate, as it were, was clear, an
out upon the road a stream of our poor fellows is
sued. They ran painting down towards the bate
ry, and directly under the fight of iron then pas
| ing over their heads into the retreating cavalry
Hardin, Mckee, Clay, Willis. Xabriskie, Houpf
ton but why 90 on7 II would be a sad task i,
deed TO name over all who fell during this twent
minutes slaughter The whole gorge, from III
plateau to its mouth, was strewed with our dead
all dead wounded there, not man for the il
fantry had rushed down the sides, and complete
the work with the bayonet
!, GALLANT RESISTANCE OF 1T. O'BRIEN
simultaneously with all this, the other porto
Of the enemy's immense force continued TO advant
diagOnally down the plateau, toward the very poll
occupied by the commanding General. There WI
nothing 70 impede their progress but the artille1
a under Lieuts. O'Bricn and Thomas The form
d of these officers, with his two pieces, was about
J. hundred yards TO ihe right and in advance of Il
b latter and both though unsupported, fell back
faster than the recol ofthclr guns would carry hcr
They knew our troops were hurrylug up from q