The Abbeville banner. [volume], April 28, 1847, Image 1

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" LIBERTY AND MY NATIVE SOIL."
VOL. 4. ABBEVILLE C. H., S. C., APRIL 28, 1841 NO. 9.
Published every WcduesdaV) B>v
CHARLES H. ALLEN,
Editor and Proprietor.
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Communications to secure attention.
From the New Orleans Delia.
Battle of Bucna Vista.
Description of General Taylor's position?
Cannonading on the 21 si?Gen. Ta t/lor1 s
exposed situation?His while horse?Battle
o/ the 22nd of February?Death of Cot.
McKeCj Col. Clay, Col. llardin, Ad ft.
Gen. Lincoln, Col. Yell, Capt. Willis?
Colonel Marshall's chargc?'Ihe gallant
Mississippians?Uc/i. Taylor's left flank
turned Demand to surrender Killed
and wounded?Minon-s discomfiture.
We had the pleasure of an interview yesterday
with Major Cofilie, of the Army,
who brought over Gen. Taylor's despatches.
This gallant officer?a son of the distinguished
General who fought so bravely on
the Plains of Chalmctte, and in various other
battles, by the side of the illustrious
JacUsoti?acted as the Aid of Gen. Taylor
in the bloody fight at LJuena Ari-ta. We
are greatly indebted to him (or many particulars
of this hard fought buttle.
General Taylor had fallen in love, at first
sight with the position at whicl^Jfetfinully
made liis stand?at Bucna v-i?Fa. His
movements towards Agua Nneva was merely
a rase to decoy the enemy into the field
which he had selected for his battle ground.
As soon as MeCulloch's men. who were invaluable
as scouts, informed him of Santa
Anna's approach to^Agua Nueva, General
Taylor quietly broke up his camp, and fell
back to his first love?Bucna Vista. This
position was admirably chosen. It was at
the foot of a mountain, or rather of two
mountains, between which ran the road
through a narrow valley. On his light
there was a deep ravine, which protected
lhatflank more effectually than hail a dozen
regiments could have done. The left of
General Taylor's line rested on the base of
_ ti.?
U uiuuiiiaiii. J. uu l'Jiiu ill irnj ccuiru WilS
entrenched and defended by a strong battery.
In front the ground was uneven?
broken into hills and deep ravines?well
adapted to the mode of fighting suited to
our volunteers, and by its peculiararities
supplying the disadvantage of a great inferiority
of numbers.
On the 2ist the enemy were described,
approaching over the distant hills. At their
appearance the volunteers raised a great
shout, and gave three tremendous cheers.
Their engineers and officers were seen flyinnr
nvpr iIip nn/1 ilmrn-innf ......
v *1 '6 luLU L,uu"
non about to get them in position ; but the
nature of the ground did not favor the undertaking,
and it was late in the day before
the big guns began to open,
The enemy had with them thirty-two
connon,mostly of large calibre. Their fire,
though kept up very briskly, and apparently
well manned, did so little execution in
our ranks that it was not considered ncees
sary to raturn their lire. Our cannon wcY'e
therefore silent the whole of the 21st.?
jEight or ten killed and wounded were the
extent of the casualties sustained by our
army on the 21st. During the day an officer
approached our lines with a flag of truce,
and requested to bo shown to Gen. Taylor.
The brave old man was sitting quietly on
his old white charger, with his leg over the
pommel o! the saddle, watching the movements
of the enemy, when the Mexican officer
was g)*esented. In a very courteous
and graceful manner the officer stated that
he had been sent by his Excellency Gen.
' f3anta Anna,*o his Excellency Gen. Taylor,
jto inquire in the most respectful manner,
wfyai he (Gen. Tayjor) was waiting for."
^Prom the silence of Gen. Taylor's batteries,
I and the quiet manner in which he received
\ Santa. Anfla's terrific connC.nading, the
1 Mexican supposed he was asking" a very
J pertinent-question4 to which however, old
J Bough and Ready gaye the very pertinent
I feply.that " he was only waiting for Gen.
| .San.ta Anria to surrender.^. The Mexican
I ; ^turned hastily to his lines. This pnessage
x.fiise to ascertain whord Cren.
tvon wasj for after the return
sat the old chief, on Irs conspicuous white
horse, peering through his spy glass at the
long lines of Mexican troops that could be
seen at a great distance on the march.?
The persuasion of his aids could not inducc
him to abandon his fovorable point for observation,
nor to givo up his old white horse.
To the suggestion of his stafTthat old whitcy
was rather too cospicuous a charger for the
I f*nmmil nrlnr lio i<?/l (?II
vv......?..UVI, U\, IV I'iKAl Ul'U lU.U UILl 11' 11 U \ V
had missed the fun at Monterey, on account
of a sore foot, and he was determined he
should have his share this time."
At sunrise on the 22d February, the battle
began in earnest. The Mexicans were
drawn out in immense numbers. The
dark columns of infantry extended as far
as the eye could reach, and the cavalry
seemed to cover the whole view with their
interminable lines. At intervals between
the infantry and cavalry, their big guns,
strongly protected by a large aitillery fulcr,
kept up an incessant cannonade against
our lines. Their forces were soon in ino
non. uur artillery was thrown lor ward to
meet them, protected by the volunteers.?
Gen. Wool led the main bod)' in person,
and was seen everywhere, rallying- and encouragcing
the volunteers. The two armies
were soon engaged in hot conflict.?
The broken nature of the ground divided
the forces, so that instead of one general
engagement, the ivgiments were compelled
in a great measure to fight on their own
hook. Our officers were always in the
advance, lending their troops?hence the
great mortality among them. In this general
melfc, one o( our small regiments, of <100
men, would be attacked by a whole Mexican
brigade of several thousand. Thus
the Kentucky infantry was attacked at the
? _r.. t.:n*r ? _ ?
iuui ui u iiui, in ?i uecp ravine, uy Jin immense
force of the enemy. A large number
of llic officers were killed here?among
them was Col. jVleKee, who fell badly
wounded, and was immediately despatched
by the enemy, who pierced him with their
bayonets as lie lay on the ground. Lieut.
Col. Clay was shot through the thig*, and
being unable to walk, was taken up and
carried some distance by some of his men,
but owing to the steepness of the hill, the
men finding it very difficult to carry him,
and the enemy in great numbers pressing
upon them, the gallant Lieut. Colonel begged
them to leave him and take care of
themselves. Forced to leave him on the
field, the last that was seen of this noble
young officer lie was lying on his back,
v:._i.i: :?!. i -i 1
uyuiuiy wiiu nib sivuiu iuu uuemy wno wire
slabbing him with their bayonets. The
veteran Capt. Wn?. S. AVillis, of the same
regiment, at the head of his company, with
three stalwart sons who fought at his side,
was badly wounded, but still continued the
fight, until he was overcome with the loss
of' blood.
In the meantime, the Indiana brigade,
who were, drawn out and ordered to charge
the enemy, were seized with a panic, and
displayed some hesitation^ Assistant Ad'jt.
Gen. Lincoln rushed to their front and whilst
upbraiding them for their cowardice, was
sho?, several balls passing through his body.
In justice to this brigade it should be stated, i
that they subsequently rallied, and fully re- j
deemed their reputation by the most gallant
and td'tfc^e fighting.
Co!. Hardin led the lllinoisians in very
handsome style, and the sturdy "suckers"
fought like lions. Their intrepid Colonel
fell wounded, and experienced the fate of
Cols. McKee and Clay, and was killed by
the enemy?not however before he had
killed one of the cowardly miscreants with
a pistol, which he fired whilst lying on the
ground.
Col. Yell led, the foremost man, a charge'
"of his mounted volunteers against a large
body of lancers, and was 'kill by a lance,
which entered his mouth and lore c(F one
side of his face.
The Mississippian?, the heroes of Monterey,
after doin^ hard duty as skirmishers.
-were ordered into line to receive a. charge
of cavairy, which they did with their rifles,
delivering at the some time a most destructive
fire among the crowded columns of
cavalry. The enemy were completely repulsed;
The distinguished comnVgndcr of
this gallant regiment, Col. Jefferson Davis,
was badly wounded, an escopette ball having
entered his loot and passed out of his
leg. He was,-however, doing well when
last heard from. The .chivalrous Lieut.
Col. M.cClung was prevented from doing
his share of the brave deeds of this brilliant
fight, by the grievous wound received at the
battle of Monterey, which still confines tyim
tf? his hod and fmm vvhioVi it rrmr>h fvnraA
by his best friends he will never recover
. Col. Aurnphry Marshall's splendid.regiment
of Kentucky Cavalry were impatient
for an opportunity of showing their mettle,
"and avenging the capture of their brethren,
then in- the Ijands of the-enerpy. They
were soon f^voredwith the .desired opportu
nity, by the approach of a force of more
than 2,0$) Lancers and flussars," wtiogallantly
charged them. The Kentuckians
stood their flrrdand with immovable steadi
receiving' the enemy witf-a fire
i,&' '/*tt'/lbS'y?' > ; * ?tr~- *' ' r : ^
";.-:?r''
1* ' >' . w&mm
froin their carbines, charged in the most
gallant style through ihe column on the
light and wheeling, fell on their left, dispersing
and killing a great number of them.
A like charge was made by Col. Myy, at
the head of a squadron of Dragoon, and one
of Arkansas Cavalry, against, a large body
of the enemy's Cavalry, with like results.
During the enaggement on the right,
Simla Annn. scfiinif tlmi 'l':iTlnr'<
_ 1 - ^ - V.... ^
forco was not well protected on the left
flunk, sent a large force of cavalry around
that point, and out-flunking Taylor, succeeded
in throwing 2,000 men into his rear.
But Gen. Taylor immediately sent Gapt.
Bragg, with his artillery against this force,
who succeeded in cutting thorn off from the j
main body. Lieut. Crittenden was despatched,
with a flag of truce, to demand the
immediate surrender of this force. The
Mexican ofiiccr, pretending not to understand
the character of his mission, insisted
that lie should be blind-folded, according
to the rules of war, and thus had the Lieu
tenant carried into the camp of Santa Anna
himself. This was a ruse to get time to
extricate the Mexican Cavalry from their
, . . *
dangerous position, and pending; this truce
they were all drawn off by a different road
from that by which they had gained this
posdon.
Lieut. Crittenden was conducted blindfolded
to the tent of the Mexican Generalin
Chief, which he found a long distance
from the scene of action, and which he
thought the safest place he had been in during
the whole day. As he approached
Santa Anna's tent he was greeted with a
most tremendous flurish of trumpets, which
might have been hoard a mile ofF, but produced
no very great terror in tne mind of
the Iventuckian. Ilis blind was taken oif.
and he found himself iu the presence of the
famous Mexican Chief, surrounded by a
brilliant staff of bedizzened. gilded, and
moustached officers. Santa Anna apologized
to the lieutenant for the act of his
officers, in having him blind folded,saying,
that so far from having any desire to conceal
his situation, lie was rather desirous o(
exhibiting to General Taylor the utter ioiiy
of resisting so powerful an army as he had
under his command. To which the Lieutenant
replied, that his simpie message was
to demand his [Santa Anna's] immediate
surrender to General Taylor. When this
extraordinary demand was translated to the
iVlf? vii':l n lm Ilia 1mnrl? rirw!
in utter astonishment at the temerity and
presumption of such a message,and replied,
that lie 'vould expect Gen. Taylor to sursender
in an hour, or he would destroy all
his forces. Lieut. Crittenden's reply, which
we have already given?'''General Taylor
never surrenders I''1?terminated the interview,
and the battle re-commcnced, and was
continued until night.
Santa Anna took three small pieces of
our artillery, which, under Lieut. O'lirien,
nao noon posted too iar in advance lo he
covered 11y our infantry. All the gunners
were shot down, iuid when the guns were
captured tire re wa\ not a soldier left to man
them'. One of Mese pieces was an old
Texinn G-pouuder, which, during the Texan
Revolution, had done good execution among
the Mexican ranks. As to the flags he
hoasts of having taken, they are verv probably
more company markers, which were
dropped on the field and picked lip by the
valliant Mexicans. His Excellency of the
War Department, to whom Santa Anna lias
sont these trophies, will no doubt be sorely
disappointed in the size, texture, and beauty
of these standards. Mexican pride is easy
satisfied when such feeble mementoes of
their prowess and valor as these console
them for so inglorious a defeat.
All the officers on our side, in this hard
iuugui name, uisunguisned tnemseives. Uie
details of the battle were confided to Gen.
Wool, who nobly justified tho confidence of
his commander and brother-veteran, by the
most active, zealous, efficient and gallant
conduct. Throughout the whole action he
was constantly engaged in the disposition of
our forces, and in rallying them to the onset.
It was a miracle that lie escaped the thick
Hying balls which thinned the ranks he was
marshalling. There was but one complaint
made against him, and that was, he exposed
himself too much. Briadier General Lane,
ftlsojshowed himself to be a brave and capable
officer. Although wounded early in the act!/m
!?<? Ifnnt lud liiii'BO lintil it flnooil o nrl I
never for a moment left his post.
The old General-in-Chief remained at
his original and much oxposed ])osition, superintending
the battle and narrowly watching
itss events. An oscopette ball passed
through his overcoat?that same old brown,
so familiar to all the officers and men who
h*tVc ever been under his command, and
has seen several ^campaigns in Florida, in
Texas, and in Mexico.
On the night of the 22d, both armies
drew off from the field of battle, Our men
nrni*n nnnrnrer\t\ nil rtIr#V.f * " ? a1
vrviv yii^u^W<u uii mguw lift ' U1|I}^1I1^ 10 1116
wounded and taking cjire of them?the
Mexicans as well as their own men. There'
werHi However, but few of our men found
,01V the field wounded. They were, to use
?v*; ?.. ,v- ?:a -
Santa Anna's significant woivls, in his
despatch, " al! (load," the cowardly miscreants
having killed every man whom they
overlook, wounded and helpless on the field.
With like turpitude and treachery, they led
their own dead unhurried and their wounded
unearod lor, on the field where they loll.
The latter were carried to Saltillo, in our
own wagons, the former were hurried by
the alcalde, under the orders of General
Taylor.
A number of officers wore taken prisoners,
ami an exchange was elleetad, by
which all our men who are now in their
hands wore released. Cassius M. Clay's
party are understood now to be in the city ol
Mexico.
Among the killed and wounded of the Mexicans
arc three general oHicers and twenty
colonels and commandoes of battalions.
General Minon, it appears, lias not as yet
realized tins brilliant career of which he
i i.: "? " 1
ii .i m- v.ii|unn: (>i :?i;ijor ixircvitd an
earnest. lie was ordered by Santa Anna
to attack and carry Saltillo during the engagement
at Buena Vista. With this ohject,
ho made a demonstration against the
town with *2000 cavalry. Limit. Shover,
with sixty men and two small pieces of artillery*
went to meet the valliant General,
and at one discharge of his cannon, sent
him and his large force to the right about in
double quick time.
In concluding our necessarily imperfect
sketch of the lew details of the brilliant
deeds of American valor performed at 1>uena
Vista?details gathered from a hasty
conversation, we must be allowed to express
our sausiacuon to lm<l that the anticipation
wo !iave so confidently and so frequently
expressed of the bravery and efficiency of
our volunteers, have been more than realized.
Lef those who have heretofore made
citizen soldiers their theme of their ribaldry
and ridicule, be forever hushed into silence
bv (he unparallelled gallantry and jilory
whirh have consecrated in American history
the bloody field of Buena Vista.
Later from Vera Cruz.
New Orleans. April 14.
U. S. steamship Edith, Capt. Couillard,
from Vera Cruz, evening of the Gth inst.
arrived at the Balize on the morning of the
1 1th?renorts that Alvarado was t:il*nn lur
the army, without a battle, on the 4th inst.
On the 5th inst Col. Harney,in command of
the 2d Dragoons and a detachment from
General Twiggs' division, took possession
of Antigua capturing one officer and eight
Mexican lancers.
The army was to move on the 7th inst.
in the direction of Jalapa by divisions,
General Twiggs leading the advance, followed
by General Patterson with volunteer.-,
and General Worth, with the first division
of regulars, bringing up the rear.
The health of the army so far was good.
The U. S. steamships Virginia, McKin,
and Eudora, left at anchor near the castle
San Juan de TTlua,the Eudora soon to leave
for the United States.
The two ports reported to have been taken
by our forces arc Flacotalpan and Cosamoloapan,
above Alvarado. Thev have
fallen without resistance. They are important
points, situated upon the fine inland
waters which have their outlet to the Gulf
at A1 vara do. Mr. Kendall infoTins us in a
postscript to one of his letters, that Com.
Perry is about starting with all his vessels,
with the intention of capturing' every city,
town and port on the entire Mexican coast.
The very latest report at Vera Cruz was
that Santa Anna would dispute the passage
of our troops to Mexico with an army of
20,000 men, but it was an indefinite rumor
to which Mr. Kendall attached little importance.
"Editorial Correspondence of the Picayune.
Vfm f!?TW. A nril R 1R/f7
~. ~j
Alvarado, as every one anticipated, was
taken without firing a gun, and the squadron
has returned lo this place: Captain
Mayo has been left as Governor of the
town with a small force, while Capt. Tatnall,
in the Spitfire, has gone farther up the
I river to look in at the different towns. I
learn that General Quitman's brigade returns
to-morrow,-and I further hear that
Lieut. Hunter, of the Scourge?the first in
at Alvorado?has been arrested by Com.
Perry for going ahead of his instructions,'
or on some charge of the kind. Better be
accused of going too fast than tooSToW, and
I hope that irr the present instance,- Lieut;
H. can explain'every thing satisfactory. A
great number of cannon and other military
stores were captured at Alvarado, for there
were no less than seven forts and batteries
on the water side. It is said' that Commodore
Perry has brought off every thing of
value, and trust the report may be true.
To my thinking all the more, valuable
spoils 1^1 ken frqm the Mexicans should Bb'
carried to Washington City, or sornb other
place in the United States where every'
ooay can see tjiern.~ Tnere tney can always j
rfemam as trophies of ttte American orms,
and one.of,jhe mpsl pleasanvhott^
_.^vcr epcQt wa?: iti jading, the .iii8ci;ptior.s [
on the old Spanish guns we have captured
from Mexicans, and which the latter have
treasured as among the most brilliant results
of their wars with the mother coun-s
try. They are covered with figures and
devices of moj' finished and elaborate
workmanship, although none of them are
more than two hundred years old.
We are constantly in receipts of rumors
from the city of Mexico?every man wh6
arrives has come new tale to relate. The
general imnrnssinn ic tlmt r? ?? A
o _ I JW L11U v uuiilU X11H1U UU3
succeeded in pulling down Gomez Farias,"
after a great (leal of fighting but little bloodshed.
What his next movement is to
be one can riot tell, yet there are many who
think that he is disposed to carry on the
war with the United States to the last.
That Santa Anna and the leading minds
of the country, especially among the higher
classes of the clergy, know full well the
niter fol:y of the contest, is certain ; but
that they can make headway against the
swarms of hungry officers arid mal contents^'
who only live by war and convulsions, is
problematical.
It is now thought that the army will
move forward in the course of a week at.
farthest, although without a sufficiency of
transportation' to take along many of what,
may almost be deemed the indispensables of
a march. The great gales of the winter,
the immense number of wrecks, and the
losses of mules and horses attendant, have
crippled the resources of the Quarter Master's
Deportment to a most annoying ex^
tent. Yours, &c. G. W. K.
Vicra Cn.tz, Mexico, April 6 1847. .
I have just seen a man from the city of
Mexico ten days since, coming by the way
of Orizaba. He gives a rnosi ludicrous description
of the fighting at the capital.
The Polka or the Priest party have been
in possession of the Alameida and other
portions of the outskirts of the city, while
the adherents of th? Dnvprnmont
?W- v. - wikitiiviib X1U V o
been quartered at the Palace. At 10
o'clock each morning the firing- would com?
# . O
mence, either party going up to their sandbag
barricades and banging and blazing
away, promiscuously, and miscellaneously
at any thing, and nothing ] more especially
nothing. The result of one ftionthW
hard fighting has been that one poor German
wntch-maker and a few innocent women
and children have been killed or
crippled-?the beligercn'ts have deemed it
cither imprudent or expedient to come in!
sight of each other. A more perfect fares
has never been enacted.
My informant says that there are some;,
twenty American deserters at the city of
Mexico. They rendezvous at the teri-pin alley
of a man named Hawkins and are in a
most pitiful condition. There are also
rmn r nno lm iwl A ^ ? ?- ?
miuuitu ^vuiciluiiu prisoners in
and about the city?-perhaps! Major Borland's
party.
A body of 1,000 men horse and foot, left
Puebla a week ago to-day; in' the direction
of Jalapa. They all talked right valiently
of driving the perfidious Yankees from their
soil, but will think better of it when they
meet with a few samples.
My informant met with many of thedis?
armed garrison of this place between here ;
and Orizaba, they were telling wonderful
stories of the size of our horses; and the terrible
cfleet of our shells, Litue confidence
will mey inspire, wherever they go.
It is thought the Mexicans intended making
one of their bold stands this side of Jalapa.
A few days will tell the story. V-.
lit haste. '
Vera Cruz, April JJ, 1847/ *
Cols. Kinney and Banks,' with' Captairf ) _
Merrill's company of 2d dragoon#/ fetufQed1;
last evening from a scout in' the neighborhood
cf Mango de Clabo. The country is
full of cattle, but they are. described as ex-' ;
tremefy wild; and difficult either to ratnW
or drive. Some plan will be contrived V v
bring them over; , f ' ;'
J. have another report in relation'to*Sfarita
Anna. I heard it staged confidently ;
this!morning that he had advanced afe far aaf i
Puebla this way: that he Was" positively
coming oil to Jalapa; and Chat he . could'
raise as! mtmy volunt?ersas(he pfeased.'
What: hie intended to do at Jalapa~whetb^:^,^
er to fight or <o'attempt to negotiate a<pea<&^: or
?is not stafei I give this as the fast*
mor up to this momerit-^8o^jocky 'A-. iVl/ ->rv
Before 1 close this letter another ifray V^a'ch.'
f o'd xir ffon Ar A>rrt M /VrtiU - *k Alk AciiiiitcJ'
a. uiiit uunv/i xiimuguiin mff 'IWIUBI WOXl*
can consul at New Orleans, a night ortwo
since. He had just arrivcd frtftn Havana,
and had rfccei Ve<f a jiermlt proceed towards
Mexico. Hte fVarikly told me he did'
not tiling his cobntrymen in the least
cHned to rriakte peace with the TTnited- ,
States: .
Yoii' ma v iwssibl v jreceire runtbi^h?-for