Major Dix at the Battle of Buena Vista
About the same time the 2d Illinois regiment, under Colonel Bissell, having been completely outflanked, was compelled to fall back. Colonel Marshall's light troops, on the extreme left, came down from their mountainous position and joined the American main army. Masses of cavalry and infantry were now pouring through the defiles on the American left, in order to gain the rear north of the large plateau. At this moment General Taylor arrived upon the field from Saltillo. As the Mexican infantry turned the American flank, they came in contact with Colonel Davis's Mississippi riflemen, posted on a plateau north of the principal one. The 2d Kentucky regiment, and a section of artillery, under Captain Bragg, had previously been ordered to this position from the right, and arrived at a most important crisis. As the masses of the enemy emerged from the defiles to the table-land above, they opened upon the riflemen, and the battle soon became deeply interesting. The lancers meanwhile were drawing up for a charge. The artillery on each side was in an incessant blaze, and one sheet of sparkling fire flashed from the small-arms of both lines. Then the cavalry came dashing down, in dense columns, their dress and arms glittering in the sun, seemingly in strange contrast with their work of death. All around was clamor and hurry, drowning the shouts of command and groans of the dying. Davis gave the order to fire; a report from hundreds of rifles rang along his line, and mangled heaps of the enemy sunk to the ground. Struck with dismay, the lacerated host heaved back, while in mad confusion horse trod down horse, crushing wounded and dying beneath their hoofs in the reckless rushings of retreat. The day was once more saved.
At the same time the Kentucky regiment, supported by Bragg's artillery, had driven back the enemy's infantry and recovered a portion of the lost ground. The latter officer then moved his pieces to the main plateau, where, in company with Captain Sherman, he did much execution, particularly upon the masses that were in the rear. General Taylor placed all the regular cavalry and Captain Pike's squadron of horse under the orders of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel May, with directions to hold in check the enemy's column, still advancing to the rear along the base of the mountain. May posted himself north of the ravine through which the enemy were moving towards Buena Vista, in order to charge them as they approached that place. The enemy, however, still continued to advance, until almost the whole American artillery were playing upon them. At length, unable to stand the fearful slaughter, their ranks fell into confusion, some of the corps attempting to effect a retreat upon their main line of battle. To prevent this, the general ordered the Ist dragoons, under Lieutenant Rucker, to ascend the deep ravine which these corps were endeavoring to cross, and disperse them. The squadron, however, were unable to accomplish their object, in consequence of a heavy fire from a battery covering the enemy's retreat.
Meanwhile a large body of lancers assembled on the extreme left of the Americans, for the purpose of charging upon Buena Vista. To support that point, General Taylor ordered forward May, with two pieces of Sherman's battery. At the same time, the scattered forces at that hacienda were collected by Majors Munroe and Morrison, and, uniting with some of the troops of the Indiana regiment, they were posted to defend the position. Before May could reach the village the enemy had begun the attack. They were gallantly opposed by the Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry, under Colonels Marshall and Yell. The shock was a heavy one. Colonel Yell fell at the head of his column, a lance entering his mouth, wrenching off his lower jaw, and shattering the side of his face. The Kentuckians lost Adjutant Vaughan, a young officer of much promise. The enemy's column was separated into two portions, one sweeping by the American depot under a destructive fire from the Indiana troops, until they gained the mountain opposite, the other portion regaining the base of the mountain to the west. Lieutenant-Colonel May now reached Buena Vista, and, approaching the base of the mountain, held in check the enemy's right flank, upon whose masses, crowded in the narrow gorges and ravines, the artillery was doing fearful execution.
The position of that portion of the Mexican army which had gained the American rear was now so critical as to induce the belief that it would be forced to surrender. At the moment, however, when the artillery was thinning its ranks, and May, after much maneuvering, was about charging their flank, a white flag was observed approaching the American quarters, and General Taylor ordered the firing to cease. The message was simply a demand from General Santa Anna, requesting to know what the American general wanted. General Wool was sent to have a personal interview with the Mexican general. On reaching the Mexican lines, Wool was unable to stop the enemy's farther advance, and returned to head-quarters. The object of the Mexicans had, however, been accomplished,-their extreme right moving along the base of the mountain and joining the main army.
The roar of artillery, which had lasted from before sunrise, now partially ceased on the principal field, the enemy apparently confining his efforts to the protection of his artillery. General Taylor had just left the main depot, when he was unexpectedly recalled by a heavy fire of musketry. On regaining his position a stirring scene was presented. The Illinois and 2d Kentucky cavalry had been attacked in a rugged defile by an overwhelming force of both cavalry and infantry, and were now struggling against fearful odds. Could the enemy succeed in defeating these troops, they might renew the main attack with great advantage, and perhaps gain the day. To prevent the catastrophe, Captain Bragg, who had just arrived from the left, was immediately ordered into battery. Feeling how important was every moment, that brave officer abandoned some of his heaviest carriages, and pushed forward with those that could move most rapidly. Gaining a point from which they could be used, he placed them in battery and loaded with canister. His position was one of imminent peril. The supporting infantry had been routed, the advance artillery captured, and the enemy, flushed with victory, were throwing their masses towards him. He appealed to the commanding general for help. None was to be had; and, nerving himself for his terrible duties, he returned to the battery, and spoke a few low, hurried words to his men. Silently but firmly they gathered round their pieces, and awaited orders. The commanding general sat on horseback, gazing with thrilling intensity upon that handful of troops. After all the losses and triumphs of the day, victory had eluded their grasp, to hang upon the approaching struggle.
"The Gallant Charge Of The Kentucky Cavalry Under Col. Marshall,
At The Battle Of Buena Vista Febr. 23d. 1847."
The cavalry were almost near enough to spring upon his guns, when Bragg gave the order to fire. Suddenly they halted, staggered a few paces, and then closed for the charge. The shouts of their supporting infantry followed the roar of artillery, and they again advanced. The cannoneers had marked the effect, with feelings too intense to admit of outward expression, and, rapidly reloading, they again poured forth a shower of grape. The effect was fearful; and General Taylor, as he beheld the bleeding columns, felt that the day was his own. A third discharge completed the rout. Discipline gave way among the enemy to the confused flight of terrified hosts, as, pouring through the rugged passes, they trod each other down in their hurried course. One wild shout went up from the American army, broken at short intervals by the thunder of Bragg's artillery.
In the retreat of the enemy, a portion of the American infantry pursued them through a ravine so far that they got out of supporting distance. On seeing this, the Mexicans suddenly wheeled round and attacked them. The infantry were in their turn driven back, taking the course of another ravine, at the end of which a body of the enemy were waiting to intercept them. Fortunately, while the cavalry were pursuing, they came within range of Washington's battery, which, opening upon them with grape, drove back the column in confusion and saved the exhausted fugitives.
This was the last struggle on the well-fought field of Buena Vista. For ten hours the battle had raged with unmitigated fury, and yet, strange to say, each army occupied the ground that it had early in the morning. As night crept among the rocky gorges, the wearied soldiers sank down on their arms upon the field. Although the air was excessively cold, the Americans slept without fires, expecting a renewal of the attack early on the following morning. The night was one of horror. On every rock, and in every defile, piles of dead and wounded lay, the latter writhing in torture, their wounds stiff and clotted with the chill air, while their piercing cries for aid, and supplications for water, made the night hideous.
The expected renewal of the assault by the Mexicans the next day was not made. Santa Anna found his men worn out with fatigue, burning with thirst, and starving for want of food. And they had suffered too severely in the battle to be in a condition to endure another conflict. Before daylight he was in full retreat, leaving the well-won field to the victorious Americans. After their failure to carry the American position, desertion became so extreme in the Mexican host as to threaten to disorganize the army, and another battle would have been ruinous. The loses in this conflict on the American side were two hundred and sixty-seven killed, four hundred and fifty-six wounded, and twenty-three missing. Santa Anna stated his loss at fifteen hundred, but it was probably greater.
It may be remarked here that the task of Santa Anna in this battle was one that fully overcame the disparity in numbers. The pass of Angostura, occupied by Washington's battery, is one of the strongest in Mexico, and capable of being defended by a small party against great odds. The American right wing was posted with one flank against the precipitous mountains and the other resting on impassable ravines, while it could only be approached over broken and exposed ground. The plateau which formed the key of the American position was high and commanding, and could be reached only through intricate windings among the rock ledges.
There was no other victory of the war received with such enthusiasm in the United States, and Buena Vista carried General Taylor to the Presidency. It ended the war in that region of Mexico, Santa Anna being now called southward, to defend the capital from the projected invasion of General Scot by way of Vera Cruz.
