Battle of Buena Vista

Battle of Buena Vista
Part of Mexican-American War
Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War, painting by Carl Nebel.
Date February 22-23, 1847 Location Buena Vista, Coahuila Result Both sides claimed victory
Belligerents
Mexico	United States
Commanders and leaders
Antonio López de Santa Anna	Zachary Taylor John E. Wool
Strength
20,000 Lombardini, Pacheco & Ortega Infantry Divisions, Juvera Cavalry Division	Army of Occupation 4,500
Casualties and losses
594 dead, 1,039 wounded, 1,800 missing, 294 captured	267 dead, 456 wounded, 23 missing

The Battle of Buena Vista (23 February 1847), also known as the Battle of Angostura, in February 1847 saw the U.S. Army use heavy artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican-American War. Buena Vista, Coahuila is seven miles (12 km) south of Saltillo, in northern Mexico.

Background

After the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846, most of Major General Zachary Taylor's Army of Occupation was sent to the gulf coast to become the bulk of Winfield Scott's expedition against Mexico City. Taylor felt that President James K. Polk was attempting to deprive him of any further military success which would aid in his campaign for the presidency. Taylor decided to ignore orders to stay in Monterrey; he marched deeper into Mexico and seized Saltillo. Taylor also diverted the Center Division, under John E. Wool, from its expedition in Chihuahua to join him in Saltillo. With Wool's division, the U.S. force totaled about 4,500 soldiers, most of them volunteer units fighting for the first time.

In the summer of 1846, Antonio López de Santa Anna returned from exile and quickly seized power. When Monterrey had fallen, Santa Anna raised an army in SAn Luis Potosi numbering almost 25,000. When a letter from General Scott to Taylor telling of the transfer of the bulk of Taylor's army to the Gulf fell into Mexican hands, Santa Anna quickly marched north to try and knock Taylor out of Mexico while U.S. forces were being withdrawn.

Taylor learned that Santa Anna was marching north and so he moved about nineteen miles south of Saltillo to Agua Nueva. Taylor sent out Major Ben McCulloch, of the Texas Rangers, to scout out the Mexican Army. McCulloch found Santa Anna 60 miles (100 km) to the south, informing Taylor on February 21. Taylor withdrew to a mountain pass at Buena Vista twelve miles north of Agua Nueva. General Wool was charged with laying out the defenses. Later that day Santa Anna arrived at Agua Nueva with 12,000 men, his force diminished because of desertion and exhaustion during the long trek from San Luis Potosi. Santa Anna perceived the U.S. withdrawal to Buena Vista as a retreat and demanded a surrender. Taylor's aide, William Wallace Smith Bliss, eloquently replied that the U.S forces declined the surrender. Taylor, worried about the safety of his supplies, rode to Saltillo that night to ensure the protection of his rear.

Battle

On the morning of February 23, General Pedro de Ampudia attacked the U.S. left flank guarded by the 2nd Indiana from Joseph Lane's Indiana Brigade. The volunteers were supported by a battery of artillery but were steadily driven back along with a second line of Illinois volunteers. Wool sent a messenger to General Lane to hold the line at all costs. The Illinois volunteers managed to conduct a fighting withdrawal under the pressure of the Mexican attack.

General Taylor returned to the field and made his presence known to his men; he was escorted by the Mississippi Rifles under Colonel Jefferson Davis. The Mississippians hit the flank of Ampudia's attacking column and Davis was wounded in the foot. Meanwhile Wool rallied the broken regiments using the walls of the hacienda at Buena Vista as a defensive position supported by a battery under Thomas W. Sherman and two regiments of dragoons. The 3rd Indiana was brought to the support of Davis, and the two regiments formed an inverted V. The Mexicans attacked this new line. The Hoosiers and Mississippians held their fire so long that the confused attackers paused briefly and were then hit by a wave of gunfire. About 2,000 Mexicans were pinned down. A young Mexican lieutenant attempted to trick the U.S. into a cease fire by saying that Santa Anna wished to meet with the U.S. commander. Taylor and Wool saw through the ploy, but it did buy the trapped Mexicans enough time to escape.

Amercan depiction of the fighting.

Map of the Battle of Buena Vista

Santa Anna renewed an attack on the main U.S. position led by General Francisco Pérez with artillery support. An artillery battery under Braxton Bragg unlimbered with orders to maintain his position at all costs. Taylor rode over to Captain Bragg, and after a brief conversation in which Bragg replied he was using single shot, Taylor ordered "double-shot your guns and give them hell, Bragg". Later this order, although misquoted as "give them a little more grape Captain Bragg", would be used as a campaign slogan which carried Taylor into the White House. Pérez's attack was repulsed as heavy rain fell over the field. During the night Santa Anna declared victory and withdrew to Agua Nueva, after receiving a letter from Mexico City declaring that Santa Anna was needed to quell a Political Coup.

Results

The battle was the last major battle in northern Mexico. It was Taylor's greatest battle of the war and also his last; he returned to the U.S. to pursue his political career. His success at Buena Vista and his legendary command to Captain Bragg helped him win election as President of the United States in 1848. Santa Anna suffered great losses and withdrew to the south when on the verge of victory. His withdrawal was spurred on by Political Dissent in Mexico City. He was later forced to defend Mexico City against an army under Winfield Scott.

Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 1859, was named in honor of the battle, as was Buena Vista Township, in Michigan's Saginaw County, as was the city of Buena Vista, Virginia.

See also

• Battles of the Mexican-American War
• Battle of Monterrey

Sources

• Bauer, K. Jack, "The Mexican War, 1846-1848"
• Nevin, David; editor, "The Mexican War" (1978)
• Americas Library
• American casualties list

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