The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-10-05

the best way to defend il, 10 ADVANCE
Gen. Scott has taken hundred, / snail
save thousand. Gen. Taylor kept well
informed Of the approach Of the enemy by
Gen. Wool's scouts, moved on to Saltillo,
then on TO Agun Nueva. II was proposed
at ono time to meet the enemv in advance
OF Aqua Nucvn, but asceriaining by his
engineers that their position could be turn.
ed, no resolved 10 fall back 10 Buena Vista,
as the enemy approached him. Bucna
Vista is military position that any SOL
dlcr's eve would select for defence. To
no particular person 10 the credit Of it's SO.
lection duc--for Il has been said. that even
n woman picked il out IS place to rcpulse
mn enemv. Various officers have had the
credit Of the selection, but whatever par.
ticulnr credit is due, 10 certainly due to the
COMMANDMENTS Chief who fought tho bat
tie. The Mexicnns themselves had Tough,
battle there. Santa Anna knew the
ground so well, that he ordered his General
(Minon) 10 take md keep possession Of H.
in order TO attack our rear Gen. Minou
got into our rear ms ordered; but when he
reached Buenn Vista he found MS in posses.
sion Of il. The I'D Of February $500
men, mostly raw troops. opposed to 10000
OF the enemy, wns certainly not very en-.
couraging day. We did not feel quite SO
happy or SO well. rs over this bountiiul Ia
BILE tonight We though. Of home, and Of
families and friends; and ctr chance Of
death was much better, VIC thought, than
Of ever seeing them ngain. For several
Days previous General Taylor was con
sian,ly engaged in making his arrange
meD,s, aud in writing home. Il is said, al.
SO, that he made his uU. But he never
shrank from his duty. Il may PERISH =
was his thought, 'but | will perish in main
timing the honor Of nv country! have
to run terrible risk in assuming the res.
possibility Of making this onward march
but il is the only course that will save my
army. To stay in Monterey was to be sac
rificed by the overwhelming force Of the
enemy. To save all, must here risk
alw
The battle was fought, you know tire re
sult-but you never can know the ioilu
ence that the presence Of General Taylo,
had upon the army. lie alone, no i. seem
ed to me, could have inspired, BY his pres
encc, every soldier in the army. ss the Vol
nnteers were inspired. The confidence in
him was complete. lie had comma ndcd
Volunteers before, and had been successful
with them. lie had never surrendered
lie had never been whipped, aud the idcu
got abroad, that he never could I've. Whcr
manTnvcring my pieces a,hwar, tho gul
lies, ! cite this as al example Of that conf
dence, saw clouds Of dust about two mile,
from me. ! was painfully anxious.
thought General Minon had fallen upon oul
renr. and attacked our dcpo,s snd 10 snee
him was my first thought. A man came
enlloping up through tho dust into sigh,
screaming "Oid Zack is comiagn' Ever,
soldier gave involuntary ut,crancc TO hi.
feelings. Old Zack camc-and in fifteen
minutes the tide Of battle turned. Fou,
thousand five hundred men repulsed TWEEN
" thousand--and TO tho inlunce Of tina,
presence, under God, | think | am alive
here 10 dine with you this day.
A Gcnticman.--IIow often did sou dis
charge your pieces TINT day?
Col. Bragg.--About $50 rounds to each
gun.
Another Gentleman. near was the
enemy to your pieces, at any orc time?
Col Bragg.-Wi,hin fifty yards at one
time, when we moved them down.
Another.-Whcre was Gen. Taylor?
Col. Bragg.-within forty yards.
Col. Bragg closed his remarks by say.
ing: understand me, gentlemen, am q
soldier, aud no politician. ! know Gen
Taylor only as a soldier and a man.
speak Of him only rs the Commander
Chief Of our army in Mexico. lhaye moth
ing TO do with his politics, or yours. Il i.
the duty Of soldier chcerfully 10 obey
whomsocver you put into power. ! could
not help speaking Of my commander when
thus toasted, as ! have been by you, 70.
services under him. have nothing 10 Dc
with politics."
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