Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-03-29

city and has just returned from a visit
to the battlefield of Buena Vista, nea
Saltillo. He was a member of the Sec
ond Illinois and marched from Mon
clova under General Wool to Saltillo,
where General Taylor met this army
and assumed command during the bat
tie. After the battle and the pursuit of
Santa Anna, Captain Ramsey's regi-
ment returned to the battle ground and
camped thereon for fifteen months. He
had assisted in burying the American
dead and visiting their graves a great
number of times before returning to
this country.
In his visit the other day he walked
over the field and located every rock
and point of interest. What was most
important of all he located the graves
of the American soldiers. He says the
mounds are quite plain and that the
reason that the United States authori-
ties have heretofore been unable to
find them is because of the mistaken
idea of the guides at Saltillo as to the
location of the battlefield. This the
guides place at a point about eight
miles west of Saltillo when, in fact,
the battle occurred at a point only four
miles west and unere, on a little eleva-
ton lie the bodies of the American
soldiers.
The wal department has already re-
moved the bodies of those who died in
hospitals and were buried in the city
of Saltillo, to the United States and it
is understood that there is a, standing
order for the removal of the others so
soon as they can he located. Captain
Ramsey's knowledge will be invaluable
to the department so soon as it learns
~ HE aIt1ftw % 1Annfa fhaCn ornxraa
Captain Ramsey thus describes the
great battle in which he bore a part: =
I'VE had marched from Monclova
under command of General Wool. You
will remember that Taylor's army had
already covered itself with glory at
Palo Alto. Resaco de la Palma, the cap
ture of Matamoras, the storming of the
bishops palace at Monterey and cap
ture Of that city. Our portion of Tay-
lor's division, which had crossed the
Rio Grande far above where Taylor en-
tered the hostile territory, had missed
all the fun at the south and we were
exceedingly anxious to have a tilt with
the Mexicans. Wool's entire command
was composed of raw recruits compos-
ing the First and Second Illinois, a
regiment from Indiana. a Mississippi
regiment under command of Jefferson
Davis, a cavalry regiment from Mexico
and Bragg's artillery. In all we had
4.446 men as against Santa Annals 3d.
600 veteran soldiers.
ION the evening of February 20,
1876, General Taylor arrived from Mon
terey and assumed command. The
flower of his army had peer sem to re-
inforce General Scott, who was ad-
vancing on the capital from Vera Cruz.
Santa Anna had determined to crush
the remainder of Taylor's forces, es-
pecially those under Wool, advancing
through the mountain passes from the
north.
''We had been falling back through
the mountains for two or three days
before Santa Annals overwhelming ad-
vance when Taylor arrived. We were
Immediately checked and turned in the
direction of the enemy On the evening
of the 21st our regiment moved out to-
ward the Mexicans a long way in line
of battle, but with the exception of
light skirmishing there was little done
on the 21st.
Just as dusk came down General
Taylor rode along the lines of his little
army seated upon that white charger
which has often been mentioned in his
tory. There were no heroics about
ldyiois IIO ihoht IN oPNNNf
to his soldiers. He simply said to each
company: Boys, you must fight like
HI tomorrow. If we are captured we
will everyone be murdered
1T was just at daylight on the morn
ing of the 22d that the MeXicans adj
vanced. Colonel Bowles' regiment, the
left wing of the army, gave way at the
first onset and several regiments
swung round our flank n succeeded
in getting in our rear. Our lieutenant
colonel, Morrison, seized the flag from
the MORALLY wounded color bearer,
waved it aloft and shouted to us to
rally round the flag. We rallied and
at the same time JEFF Davis MISSISSIPPI
plans rallied and we charged through
the living wall toward the rear. We
finally cut our way through to the main
body and fell in behind a stone build
ing which | found was still standing on
the battlefield when | visited 1t last
week. Here we made a stand and the
other regiments ably assisting us
drove the enemy back.
This ended the fight until the after
noon. The ball was again opened by
. the First and Second Illinois about 2
d. m, making a charge. In this charge
Colonies Hardin and Bell were killed.
We advanced to the Mexican lines and
then were ordered to retreat. Falling
back, the Mexicans greedily snapped
up the bait, the charge had only been
made TO draw them on and as we fell
in behind Bragg's artillery, 1t opened
with a furious fire. The MeXicans
scarcely finched. but advanced to the
very mouths of the cannon which were
belching forth like a volcano. We
poured in a destructive musketry hre
at the same time, but the Mexicans
manifested the most heroic courage.
We finally had to club our muskets and
then. what with the losses sustained in
the advance and our stubborn resist
ance, they began wayering.
IA little more grape, Captain
Bragg yelled Taylor, n they got the
grape. They broke and fed. The
slaughter had been something awful.
=. The moment the rout commenced we
leaped forward in pursuit. We follow
ed Santa Annals army for forty miles,
buf met with no further resistance. IL