Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-01-02
been posted to wait for us, and, in csse
of ar,ar,a,oy 10 aid onr retreat


to be Suspended was determined on by the
length of time necessary to refer TO and re-
ceive answers from the two Governments.
A few days before the expiration OF the
time so fixed, the Government OF the
United States disapproved OF the capitula-
ton, and ordered the truce to be i'm
medistely terminated. By this decision
We lost whatever credit had been given to
us for generous terms in the cspitulation,
and hostilities were to be resumed with
out any preparations having been made to
enable Gen. Taylor, even with the small
force he had, to advance further into the
enemy's country. Gen. Tsylor's letter to
Mr.. Marcy, Secretary of War, was very
good response TO an unjust criticism; and
in the Washington Union of that time
also published very fall explanation OF
the acts of the Commissioners, and of the
military questions involved in the natter
of capitulation in preference to continuing
the siege and attack.
General Tsy ylor, assuming that it was in.
tnded for him to advance into the inte-
rior Of Mexico, thea CONNER cad to pre-
pare himself for such a campaign. To
this end, be msderequisitions for the need
ful transportation, as well as munitions,
including, among other supplies, large In
dia rubber bags in which to carry provi-
sions for days, and which, being emptied
before we rssched the desert of sixty
miles, would, by being filled with water,
enable his troops aud horses to croes those
desert plains. These and other details had
been entered into under the expectation
that the censure OF the treaty Of Monterey
meant march into the interior Of Mexico.
Another thing required was new battery
OF fisld pieces to take the place Of the old
Ringsold battery, which by long service
had become honeycombed. When all these
arrangements were nearly completed it was
decided 10 send Gen. Scott, with discre-
tionsry powers, which enabled him to take
nearly all the tried troops Gen. Taylor
had, including even the engineer then en-
ployed in the construction of fort, and
the battery of new guns 10 replace the old
ones, which were deemed no longer safe,
but which, under the intrepid Capt Bragg,
stterwsrd did good service in the battle Of
Buena Vista.
Gen. Taylor, with the main body Of his
army, went to Victoria, and there made
arrangements to eend them all to report TO
Gen. Scott at Vera Cruz, excep. the small
force he considered himself entitled 10 as
an escort on his route back to Monterey
through an unfriendly people. That eecort
consisted Of battery Of light artillery, q
squadron of dragons, and the regiment Of
Mississippi riflemen. With these he pro-
ceeded through Monterey and SIltillo TO
Aqua Nueva, where he was joined by the
division Of Gen. Wool, who had made the
campaign of Chihuahua.
Gen. Santa Anna, commanding the army
of Mexico, was informed of the action
which had been taken in stripping Gen.
Taylor Of his forces, and WAS also informed
that he had at S3ltillo only handful Of
volunteers, which could be easily dis
persed on the approach of an army. Thus
assured, and with the prospect of recover
ing all the country down to the Rio
GIaude, Sints Anna advanced upon Aqua
Nueva.
Gen. Taylor retired to the Angosturs
Pass, in front of the hacienda Of Buena
Vista, and there made his dispositions 10
receive the anticipated attack. As sage as
he Was brave, bis dispositions were made
az we'll as TIE small force at his command
made il possible. After two days of bloody
fighting, Gen. Santa Anna retired before
this little force. the greater part Of which
had never before been under fire.
The encounter with the enemy was very
bloody. The Mississippians lost many Of
their best men, for each of whom, how
ever, the slew several of the enemy. For,
Il tnronad tho
trigger without having an object through
both sights; and they seldom fred without
drawing blood. The infantry against
whom the advance was made was driven
back, bat the cavalry then moved to get in
the rear OF the Mississippians, and this in
volved the necessity of falling back TO
where the plain was narrow, SO as TO have
ravine on e, ch flank.
In this posilion the second demOnstra-
tion of the enemy's cavalry Was received.
They were repulsed, and it wac quiet in
front of the Nississippisns until AN aide
came and called from the other side of
the ra,ine, which he could not pass, that
Gen. Taylor wanted support to come as
soon as possible f,r the protection of the
artillery on the right flank. The order
was promptly obeyed at double quick, al
though the distance must have been near
ly q mile. They found the enemy moving
in three lines, upon the batteries of Capt.
Brsxton Bragg ard the section OF artillery
commanded by George II Thomas The
Mississippians came up in, their right
flank opposite the fret line Of the ad
vancipg enemy, and at very short range
opened fire. All being sharpshooters,
those toward the left Of the line obliqued
to the right, and at close quarters and
against three long lines very few sho IS
could have missed. At the same time the
guns of Bragg and Thomas were firing
grape. The effect was decisive; the in
fsntry and artillery Of the enemy imme-
distely retired.
At the close CT the day Santa Anna
bugled the retreat, as was supposed, to 20
into quarters; but when the next sun rose
there was no enemy in our front.
The news of this victory was received in
the United States with degree Of entbu-
sissm proportionste to the small means
with which il was achieved; andgenerosity
was excited by the feeling that Gen. Taylor
had been treated with Djustice. Thence.
forward the march Of "Old Rough and
Ready" to the White Houss was a foTegone
conclusion.
In this battle, while advancing to meet
the enemy, then pressing come of the dis
comfttd volunteers on the left OF the field of
battle, / received painful wound, which
was rendered more severe in consequences OF
remaining in the saddle all day, although
wounded early in toe Ia0ining. A ball
bad passed through the foot, leaving in the
wound broken bones aud foreign matter,
which the delay had made it impossible
then to extract. In consequences had to
return home on crutches.
Iu the meantime Senator Of Mississippi
had died, and the Governor had appointed
me his successor. Before my return home
President Polk hsd also appointed me
Brigsder General Of Volunteers, an ap-
pointment which / declined on the ground
that volunteers are militia, and that the
Constitution reserved to the State the sp-
pointment of all militia officers. This WAS
in 1647. In January, 1S48. the Mississippi
Legislature unanimously elected me
United States Senator for the rect Of the
uneI pired term; and in 1850 / was re-
elected for the full term as my own sue
cessor. In the United States Senate was
chairman OF the Military Committee; and
also took an active part in the debates on the
Compromise measures of 1850, frequently
opposing Senator Douglas, of Illinois, in his
theory OF squstter sovereignty, and adyo-
eating &c a means of paciflcation, the ex-
tension Of the Missouri Compromise line
to the Pacific. When the question was
presented TO Mississippi ss 10 whether the