The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-19


This force was afterwards brought across the stream
10 aid in the pinch Of the fight. On the left OF the
stream where the rayines were fewer, and the plains
between them wider, were two regiments of infantry
suitably furnished with artillery, and extending from
The central battery, the road TO the base Of the left
hand mountains. Cavalry and rifemen were posted
On the skirt of the mountains. 1t would complicate
our narrative TO go into detail in regard 10 the
description of force in each spot, and the names OF
commanders, without aiding the argument. Our
readers win obtain better the general idea Of the bat
tie which we desire TO give, without this minute in
formation. @
We have thus shown the position Of the Americans
across the valley.
To break this array Santa Anna divided his army
into three columns each Of which nearly doubled the
whole Of Taylors force One Of these was destined
10 open passage along the road, and was opposed
therefore TO the eight gun battery Another was IN
tended TO break its way between the mountain ana
the regiment nearest to II, which would have been
what military men call oufanking the Americans
and the third column was directed TO attack the
bodies OF troops which stationed on the left OF
the stream and between the battery In the road and
the mountains. The Americans were, In fact, in the
position of man opposed to three Others, in mar
row passage the centre one trying TO knock him
down by a fair blow in 'front.' and the Others trying
These being the positions Of the armies, the battle
began, on the afternoon Of the 22d February, by an
attempt of the Mexicans to get round the left of the
American line, by climbing up the mountains, ad-
yancing, and then turning down but as fast and as
high as the Mexcans climbed SO fast and high
climbed we--until, the top of the mountain being
reached, no more climbing could be done; and with
an occasional shot by way of keeping themselves
warm, the climbers watched one another on the
mountain until morning. This skrmishing was all
the fighting of the first day. When il was seen that
nothing more would be done until the morrow Gen
Taylor, who besides fighting Buena Vista, had to be
prepared to protect Saltilo against the cavalry al
ready spoken Of being in his rear, left the field,
with regiment Of foot and some Dragons, 10 make
the proper defensive arrangements at The city, Gen
Wool then assumed the command at Buena Vista;
and when the morning of the 23d dawned the fight
recommended under his direction exclusively and
upon his responsibility and so continued, until, as
our narrative viii show, he was n beaten General,
with an army under him, that having failed in the
object for which II was fighting, was, 30 far, de
feated one-ihOugh not routed One.
! The battle of the 23d, commenced by Santa Anna
attempting TO force the American left that Is trying
TO pass between The left of the Americans and The
mountain overihrowiHE the regiment, nearest TO its
base. This regiment was The second Indiana. On lis
left were the mountains; on its right were the Iii.
noians. These troops might be likened to folding
door-lhe Indiana regiment forming side or valve
whose hinge was on the mountains, and whose lock
was with the llinoians, whose hinge In turn, was
the eight gun battery in the road. This door the
Mexicans wanted 10 open, and they intended TO at
tack the Indiana side, or valve, oft But Gen. Lane,
who was In command here, thought II better TO an
dcipate this attack, which he did by advancing
against the approaching Mexcans, taking with the
regiment three pieces Of artillery.
There are those who think It might have been
wiser had the Indianans awaited the attack support
cd as they were by the ritemen and cavalry on the
one side, and the Iinoians on the other--like the
hinges and bolt of one side Of fodinsdo Be this,
however, us II may, the Indanians advanced and
checked for while the approaching Mexcans; but
afterthey had fired twenty rounds Of cartridges they
mlstook an order to retreat for order TO run and
they ncontinently turned tail and ran;--not In fear
for their dead contradict that iay--bnt In panic
The gallan fellow who commanded the artillery then
stood alone And stand he continued to do until an
hundred foes 10 one living man. were the nluzzles
of his guns. He then turned, too, and slowly re-
treated before the Mexicans. Once in notion the
lndianians stopped not and the place where ther
regiment had stood wns now n wide and ,lndefcnded
gap, open 10 the free passage Of the Mexicans up the
valley One side of the foding-door, TO pursue our
illustration, was not only Open but was from its
hinges and bolt and It's every material destroyed and
not only this, but the other side the Illinoans was
forced round on its hinges, 10 allow freer room for
horse and foot TO pour through the opening by thou
sands. The morning had found the American line
between the battery on the road and the mountains
standing across and facing down the valley. Now
third of this part of II was gone and the remain
ing two-thirds swung round parallel to the noun
nj Ertn tha fill L., Ii.
wards Saltillo.
How, then, stood the battle at this tme1 Was il
lost or wont Lost, certainly for the momcn,:--for
Santa Anna had forced his way-which was his
motive for fighting, and the Americans had failed to
stop him, which the object Of the battle on their
part. And at this time, General JoHs L. Wool ,ras
IN command, In ercliiSire command Of The Ameri.
cans.
| 1T Is at this moment that Taylor returns from
Saltilo-rerieves the losses Of Wool and wins the
day:--tirns the defeat into a victory, and becomes
the hero OF the fight How he did this, we will pre-
senty shows but, this part of the narrative is the
key Of the whole case, will pause so as 10 obyate
all doubts as to our correctness by quoting from the
documents.
We will go TO Carleton first. His testimony is
that Of friend of Wool:
"Our whole left had now been forced, and the enc
"emy was in possession Of every advantage arising
from the peculiar nature of the ground the alter
mate ridges and rayines being as much in his favor
"as ours. ~ ras al this critical juncture that Gen
Taylor arrived on the field from Salo, having
completed his dispositions for the defence Of the
city, Battle Of Buena Vista, PIP. II, ~
We quote next from Taylor's official dispatches
Ex. Doc No. !, p l34:-"The enemy was now
pouring masses of infantry and cavalry along the
base of the mountain our left, and was gaining
'our rear in great force At this moment arrived
upon the field"
Wewill not multiply extracts, but refer generally
TO the reports of the officers in command In the
above document as showing the character and force
OF the enemy, who had gained the rear Of the Amer
leans on the return Of Taylor from Saltillo.
Let ns see, now, what was the position Of the ar.
my on Taylors return Dit. The battery In the road
mad repulsed the Mexican column sent aganst il,
ana mad spared three Of Its guns for the plain above
u. The regiment on the right of the stream, with
The guns attached 10 IT, had been brought over 10 the
left bank, and was now, with the two Illinois reei.
ments, In position, facing toward the mountains;
and between these regiments md The n,on,,nin.