TAYLOR FALLS BACK TO BUENA VISTA.

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becomes a narrow defile, the valley on its right being rendered quite impracticable for artillery by a system of deep and impassable gullies, while on the left a succession of rugged ridges and precipitous ravines extends far back toward the mountain which bounds the valley. The features of the ground were such as nearly to paralyze the artillery and cavalry of the enemy, while his infantry could not derive all the advantage of its numerical superiority."

This place had been selected some time before by General Wool, and approved by General Taylor. Besides, the commanding-general believed that by his falling back a day's march, Santa Anna would mistake the movement for a precipitate flight, and urge on his forces, already exhausted by a march of thirty-five miles from Encarnacion to Agua Nueva, over a barren desert that afforded neither water nor food of any kind; and the Americans would thus be able to engage their enemy under all the disadvantages of a forced march, want of food, and general disarray.

On the 21st, at noon, General Taylor broke up his encampment and fell back to Buena Vista, leaving Colonel Yell, with a part of the Arkansas mounted volunteers, to superintend the removal of the stores. The 1st Illinois regiment, under Colonel Hardin, was halted at Angostura, where General Taylor intended to give battle; the main body, under General Wool, encamped a mile and a half in the rear; so that, instead of passively awaiting the enemy, the troops might feel the moral effect of marching forward to meet him. General Taylor, with May's dragoons, two batteries of the 3d artillery, under Captains Sherman and Bragg, and the Mississippi rifles, under Colonel Davis, proceeded to Saltillo, to put it in a better state of defence, and prepare for the expected battle.

Santa Anna left Encarnacion at noon on the 21st of February, after mass had been said in front of the several divisions. General Ampudia commanded the advance-guard of four battalions of

light infantry. A brigade of artillery of 16-pounders followed, with a regiment of engineers and their train, and after them a park of the regiment of hussars. Next came the first division of heavy infantry, with five 12-pounders and their park, under General Lombardini. The second division, with eight 8-pounders and their park, followed under General Pachecho; then the divisions of cavalry under General Juvera. Lastly came the remainder of the cannon, the general park and baggage, with a rearguard consisting of a brigade of lancers, under General Andrade, making in the aggregate a force of upwards of twenty thousand

men.

About midnight on the 21st, Colonel Yell was reinforced by two companies of the 1st dragoons, and a part of the Kentucky mounted volunteers; and immediately after their arrival, the Mexican light infantry, under Ampudia, attacked Colonel Yell's advance piquet, stationed in the pass of Cornero, about five miles south of Agua Nueva. The whole train of wagons was now moved off with speed towards Buena Vista, while the troops remained to destroy the stores that had not yet been removed. In pursuance of an order, the buildings and some stacks of wheat were fired, and the flames filled the whole valley of the Encantada, and illumining the rugged mountain peaks, and flashing back from the glittering appointments of armed men and steeds, produced a picture wonderfully sublime, whose impression was heightened by the rumbling of the wagons in retreat, the random shots of the advanced parties, and the sounds of signal trumpets startling the midnight air.

After destroying the stores that remained, the Americans returned to Buena Vista, which they reached about day-break. In the mean time, Santa Anna had put his heavy forces in motion, and emerging at length from the mountain gorge, above Agua Nueva, was surprised to find the forces gone, which he had expected to surprise and cut up. Supposing the American

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army in full retreat, and intercepted in the rear by Minon's brigade, he hurried forward his exhausted and nearly famished troops, after a meagre repast, and a single draught of water, cheering them with the assurance that they would soon enjoy abundance from the American supplies at Saltillo.

In the morning of the 22d of February, a day hallowed to every American as the birthday of Washington, General Wool, in the absence of the commanding-general, who had not yet returned from Saltillo, ordered the troops under arms. The banners were unfurled to the breeze amid the inspiring strains of " Hail Columbia" from the bands, and the talismanic words "The memory of Washington," passed from corps to corps.

The following was the disposition of the troops. Captain Washington, with his battery, was posted so as to command the road at Angostura, supported by the 1st regiment of Illinois volunteers, under Colonel Hardin, which partly occupied a ridge of land extending from Angostura to the plateau or high table-land, running back to the mountains. The 2d Illinois volunteers, and a company of Texans, commanded by Colonel Bissell, were on its left, and the 2d regiment of Kentucky volunteers occupied the crest of a ridge by the roadside. On the extreme left, and near the base of the mountains, was the Arkansas regiment of mounted volunteers, under Colonel Yell, and the Kentucky regiment, under Colonel Marshall. The Indiana volunteer brigade, under General Lane, composed of the 2d and 3d regiments, under Colonels Bowles and Lane, the 1st regiment of Mississippi riflemen, under Colonel Davis, Colonel May's squadron of the 2d dragoons, Captain Steen's squadron of 1st dragoons, and the batteries of Sherman and Bragg, constituted the reserve, and were stationed on the ridges in the rear of the right of the plateau. Shortly after the troops were placed in position, General Taylor returned from Saltillo, and riding along the lines, was received with enthusiastic cheers. General Wool also rode along, and

inspirited the troops, especially his own column, by brief, yet stirring remarks.

In the mean time, a cloud of dust was seen rising over the distant hills, and soon after the enemy's cavalry advance came thundering down the valley of Encantada, and, coming in sight of Washington's battery, sounded a halt with their bugles just out of cannon-range. The advanced squadrons now filed off towards the mountains on the American left, while others came up and formed, till nearly the whole space from the road to the mountains was covered by the serried legions, with all their blazonry of banners and panoply of armour gleaming in the sun.

While the engineers of both armies were busily employed in learning the disposition of the forces of their antagonist, and providing for their own, a white flag advanced from the Mexican front, and its bearer presented the following letter:

"CAMP AT ENCANTADA,
February 22, 1847.

"God and Liberty!

"You are surrounded by twenty thousand men, and cannot, in any human probability, avoid suffering a rout, and being cut to pieces with your troops; but as you deserve consideration and particular esteem, I wish to save you from a catastrophe, and for that purpose give you this notice, in order that you may surrender at discretion, under the assurance that you will be treated with the consideration belonging to the Mexican character, to which end you will be granted an hour's time to make up your mind, to commence from the moment when my flag of truce arrives in your camp.

"With this view, I assure you of my particular consideration. ANTONIO LOPEZ DE SANTA ANNA.

To General Z. TAYLOR,

Commanding the forces of the U. S."

To this summons General Taylor immediately despatched the following answer:—