Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-08-17

enemy to regain and hold the left Of the field
was a charge made by large body Of iancers
upon my command This charge for gal
lanlry and determined bravery on both sides
has seldom been equaIed. The forces on
either side were nearly equal IN numbers
Instead ofihrowing my command iniosquares
10 resist The charge, The enemy were Teceiv
ed in line oftwo ranks, my fotce reserving
its fire until the euemy were within about
! 70 yards, which was delivered with deadly
aim, and wIiichp.ored fnasl destructive in its
! if&cts, the enemy Fl 'ng n every direction
J ia d 81 RIDER, and making PR Clip tate retreat
owaid their own Iines. Abort sunset the
enemy Withdrew from Ihe field aud the battle
ceased. III brief report il is impossible TO
enter into the details OF dry Ike the 23fd
The fighting throughout consisted Of diff
feren engag -rnenis. in d. ifereni parts Of the
field. the whole Of Them warm and well con-
tested ,nany OF them bloody aud terrible. The
men under my con mand, actually discharg
ed eighty and some ninety rounds OF
Cartridge at The enemy during the day. The
Bud Regiment of my command, which
opened the battle on The plain, in such gal
liant style, deserves passing remlik. shall
attempt 10 make no apology for their retreat.
| ior il was their duty 10 stand or die 10 the
last man until they received ders TO
retire. Bat desire 10 call your attention 10
one fact connected With This affair; they re-
inained IN their position. in liues. receiving
the ii e OF 1900 OF 1900 t,finny in from, ox
posed al The sane lime oniheiI LETT Il NIX to Il
deSperaie Eakiiig fi'e from The eneny's bat
iefy, posted within point blank sho, untlihey
had deliberately discharged 20 rounds Of
cartridges at the enemy. Some excuse may
be framed Tor those who reIiJed for few
inmates aud then Immediately rallied and
fought. duing the day, but unless they has
len to retrieve their repuiation disgrace mus
forever hang around lie names OF hose who
refused to retnrn, and regret 10 say there
we're .ew OF those fom nearly every volun-
teer corpse engaged. In batle sofierce and
proIacied as TINS, where there were So many
exhibitions OF cnoIuess and bravery, il is diff
icIl and delicate task to plrtlcn arIZe. Blu
Justice cotHpels me 10 mention Col Davis
aud his regiment oil Missssippians, whn SD no.
bly aud SO brAyely came TO The rescue al the
tproper time Ia save the fortunes of the
day. Col. ] Ii Lane and the 81 regiment OF
my command were ordered into action soon
aitet Col DAVIS, andlht coolness and bravery
displayed by both the officers aud men OF that
regimen, have rarely been eqiaIlcd, never
supposedly any troops arany time. They have
done infinite honor to the State aud nation
that gave them birth.
| L. Col. Hadden of The I'd Reg't Of my
brigade aided me in rallying his regimen
IafieT they had retired, aad he III peIson march
ed parry of them back towards the enemy
, with whom he immediate became engaged
, and fortunately repnlsed them with consd
; cradle l,ss, in another part of the field he
succeeded in killing an officer OF the enemy
with his own hand, by sending rifle bal
: Through him at great distance. was alsC
b much indebted 10 Maj. Mooney, Quartz
y Master, nj j. ID x, Paymasier, the galian; am
\ lamen,ed Capt. Lincoln fGen. Woo's stat
n and 10 L. Rabinson, Tor their assistance il
rallying The forces after they bad reiiret
{ from their position They all behaved no
}, bly,, and deserve the thanks Of tie conntr
Z for The GOODNESS and intrepidiy which the.
c displayed on that trying occasion. The lat
, Ter acting as my Abide Camp during th'
J. entire d.y is entitled to paiiicular attention
d for The gallant manner in which he execut
e ed NY orders. L.. OBJ len who command
!, ed The battery Of iigh artillery on m
Il right, is deserving particular praise for hi
i courage aud srlfpossession throughout tn
}, day, moving an1 dischlrging bis batter.
e with all The GOODNESS aud precision OF a da,
,i ofoi binary parade.
: Maj. Moony.o M.and Maj. Morrison. Com
Y, mlssale, attached lnmy brig de, although no
y belonging TO The line OF he army, nor expec
IS ted 10 take an active parl in The battle, ar
: en,illedio great honor Tor their bravery an
e GOODNESS in promptly rallying The scaltere
y forces at The Rinche, who assisted under ih
:, command 81 ii j. Morrison in resisting I'll
IS desperate charge of The lancers made upo
5 The Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry, as b
g this repulse tie whole bagg ge train of In
Is army was saved from Instruction. This in
e porlanl duty they discharged in addition I
ID those which smelly appertain 10 their re
y pective departments.
y A statement of the killed and wounded h
rs already been submitted which need not be r
II capulated here.
lie Although censure does justly attach TO FEY
Z; who proved recreant TO their duty on that da
is yet, am of the opinion that veteran troops eth
at ofthis or any other country conldnot have foug
OF and won the battle better than those engage
50 1t is victory without parallel in this or al
= other war on this continent and the men al
- officers who did their duty at the battle
Ne Buena Vista, deserve TO have their names
I'd srribed on the brightest pages oftheir countr.
AZ history.
nd Respectfully your ob't serv't.
On, JOSEPH LANE, Brig. Gen.
ds Commanding Sd Brigade.
~ To GEN. Wool, U. S. A.
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