The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-23
THE BATTLE OF BuENA VISTA.
How Mississippians and South Carolinians
Fight-TtrribIe Slaughter or a Thousand
Mexican Iaucers.

journals about the easy conquest OF the entire |
South the article below will be read with in
terest. The enemy forget, probably, that men |
Of the same heroic daring and firm resolve are |
still alive men who will prove 10 the world |
that they can neither be intimidated by |
threa Is nor oyerawed by numbers. In re- |
viewing Clalborne's Life and Times Of Quit |
man, i'll DeBow's Review, the writer says
An episode may be here tolerated ia regard |
to the conduct OF the celebrated Mississippi |
Rifles. under charge of Colonel, now Presl- |
dent jefferson Davis on the field OF Buena |
Vista. The great mo vement then made by |
Davis Is said 10 have been without previous
parallel ia The art of war, and was reGardsst
by The Duke OF Wellington as new an. MASTER
". II was subseq uently made, We learn on
the authority Oi Gen. Cushing, on the heios
0t the CrImed.
The battle had been raging some time with
fiuctuating fortunes, aud was setting agdiLst
ne when Gen. Taylor, with Col. DAVIS ana
Others, arrived on the neid Several req.
ments (which were subsequently, rallied, anu
fought brayely, y We're in full retreat; y BFien.
after ha wing his men aud horses com teiy
cut up, had been compelled 10 draw OFT ms
guns, and Bragg, with almost superhunan
energy, was rue tanning tha brnnt OF the light.
Many officers OF distinctlo had fallen. Col.
Davis rode forward to examine the position OF
the enemy, ana concluding that the best way
to unrest our fngltlFes would be TO maze Il
bold demons traton, he resolved at once 10 at
70 OK the enemy, there posted III force, imme-
diately in front, supported by cavalry, and
tyso divisions III reserve IN iIis rear. IL was "A
resolution bold almost 10 rashness, but inc
! emergency was pressing. With handful oil In
diana volunteers. " no stll stood by their brave
| old Colonel (Bowlrs,) and his own regiment,
| he advanced At double quick time. Hiring rs he
al dyaIced. HIS own brave fellows ieii fast
| under the rolling musketry OF the enemy.
| but their rapid and fatal Nolle5s carried
| di>mdy unu d"a n into The adverse ranks
| 4 deep raNiue separated the com ubatan.s
ing int ne. 1881 lIlt,
1 peaIed Ou the other side, and with Il shout
| that heard over the battle field they
| poured III well directed ire. and rushed
1 upon the enemy. Their deadly aim and Wild
| en- nusiasn was irresistible. The MeXicans
! fed in confusion to their reserves, aud Davis
| ssIZed the commanding position they had oc
| cupied. lie next fell upon II party Of cavalry
ana compelled IL To lty, with the loss OF their
| leader and other officers. Immediately alter
| wards r brigade OF lancers, coo strong, we're
| seen approaching at n SatIop, IA beau Iii ui
/ array, with sounding buSles AMI hutterlpg
| pennons. i was an appalling spectacle, but
| not Il mJn finched from his position. The
| time between our devoted band and eternity
| seemed oriet indeed But conscious that the
| eye OF the army vas upon them, that ne
| honor OF Mississippi was at stake, and know
| ing that, il they gave way, Or were rldden
down, our unprotected batteries in the rear,
| npon which the fortunes OF the day depended;
| would be captured, each man resolved 10 die
| ia hls place sooner than retreat.
| Not the spartan martyrs st Thefnlopyin
not the sacred battalion OF Epamin0Gaas-
not The ten Tia legion of i JuhUs Cae sar--not the
Old Guard OF NapOleou-eSer eyluCed uOre
tortitude than these young volunteers in Il
crisis when death seemed inevitable. They
| stood like statues, as trigid and motionless As
| the marble itself. impressed with TINS extra
ordinary firlnuess, when they had anticipate ted
| panic and flight, the l4ncers advanced more
| deliberately, as though tney saw for the first
| time the dark shadow of the IA Ia THAI was
| Impending ever them. Col. Davis mad thrown
| bis men into the form OF a re-enterIIE angle,
| tfamiliarly known as his famous ' move
ment,) both Hanks resting on ravines, the Ian
| Gers coming down on the III teTyenlng ridge.
| This exposed theln 10 a covering fire, ana the
| moment they came within rifle range each
man singled out his object, and the whole
| head OF the column fell. a more deadly fire
never WAS delivered. and the brilliant array
reeolied aud retrestsd. ptraiyzesl and dis1nas.-
| ed -
shortly af;erwari, the Mexicans having
| concentrated Il large fOrCe on the right Tor
| their final attack. Col. Davis WaS ordered IN
that direction. His regiment had been Ia ae-
| tion ali day exhausted by THIRST ana fatigue,
| much reduced by the carnage of the morning
| engagement, ana many III the ranks Suffering
| from WOuDds, YET the noble fellows moved 81
double quick time. D1Wles' lille band oi
| Indiana volunteers stIii acted with tuem.
| After marching several hundred yards, they
| perceived the sieXIcan infantry advancing IN
| three lines upon Braggs battery, which
| though entirely unpro tected, held his position
with resolution worthy OF HIS fame. The
| pressure upon Ai!n -lImulated III. IHisslp
| plans. They Increased their speed, and WheI
the enemy was within one hundred yards O
the battery, and confident of its capture, they
| took him in flank and reverse, and poured II
| a rakiug and dies trGctiye fire. This broke hi
, right line, ana the rest soon gave way ana iet
, back Eecpitttely. Here Col. Davis WAS sc
yeIeiy Wouudtd.'
, After this lengthy extract in regard 70 th
heroic conduct of Davis, We Shall soon pass u
, the acts OF Quitman at the gates ot Mexico
> but before doing SO, we VIII be permitted
| momentary notice OF the behavior OF tn
| South Carolina regiment under Tie lire ui III
| Mexican enemy. Those " ho sneer at CaTolu
| couToge and virtues are, Ia general, TOO lguUr
4 | ant OF history to be affected by the record
| Butler left his sick bed, against medical al
: vice, TO LEAD the Paimettos. His horse wa
. | shot under him. He took another, and Wa
! severely wounded. Dickinson now command
| ed, nnd taking the Aag from BegSs, MAS nlui
| SELF shot down, was also BeGSs. ButieT
n | resuuiDg the command, was killed bF the sid
Of Dickinson, under the dag. Dickinson iel
r | again, hut now mortaily wounded aud Glau
4 den placing the flag III the hands OF Leonaro
. | led the charge. There was no waVerIng 4
: | death swept through the ranks. Shot an
: she'll hailed upon them. The STORM ragged
\ In the whole history says Claiborne
! | - there has never been u more striking exam
' pie OF indi ference to death, the resui: oi ster
resolve. Each man fought for the honor {
-. Carolina. Several companies were 2iaos
anElhlIated. Sone hat not men enough LET
10 bury theiI dead, or bear their ApdlidEd
the amDulances. The uniforms OF soIar OF til
: officers Were literally tern fro,a theft persons
n the color bearers We're shot down, but III
flag, bathed III their blood, Was always seize
As they tell, and borne TO the front. Proudl
IL ;loa ted through the tempest OF death, unit
} the victory had been won; and then, all tor
e and blood tained. il dropped over it's o."
u | glorious dead The regiment en- tered IL
d battle with 2i3, rank and file, and when
IL was over il mustered lGg! ii had no missing
l. | its dead and wounded made up the detcien ne,
Cadets of A noble State, sons OF il sunny elm
: | branded by their country traitors Tor c'
70 | tending the Cone tltut tion and rights fro
. usurpation and outrage, yet dying cheerful
y for mat country in foEeign land, the wori
Ii may learn that such Il race, in defence OF the
: own homes te;tds and institutions. can nsv,
: be subdued -