Battle of Buena Vista

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Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War, painting by Carl Nebel.

Date	February 22-23, 1847
Location	Buena Vista, Coahuila
Result	U.S. victory

Combatants

Mexico

United States

Commanders

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

594 dead,
1,039 wounded,
1,800 missing,
294 captured

267 dead,
456 wounded,
23 missing

Mexican–American War
Fort Texas – Palo Alto – Resaca de la Palma – Cañoncito – Santa Fe – Monterrey – 1st Tabasco – San Pasqual – El Brazito – Rio San Gabriel – La Mesa – Cañada – Mora – Embudo Pass – Pueblo de Taos – Buena Vista – Sacramento – Veracruz – Cerro Gordo – Tuxpan – 2nd Tabasco – Contreras – Churubusco – Molino del Rey – Chapultepec – Mexico City – Huamantla – Puebla

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.

1 Background
2 Battle
3 Results
4 See also
5 Sources

[edit] 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 Mexico City numbering 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into Mexican hands, Santa Anna quickly marched north to try and knock Taylor out of Mexico while U.S. forces were being withdrawn.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 seven miles (12 km) 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 half way between Agua Nueva and Saltillo. General Wool was charged with laying out the defenses. Later that day Santa Anna arrived at Agua Nueva with 20,000 men, his force diminished because of desertion and exhaustion during the long trek from Mexico City. 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.

[edit] 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.

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 withdrew to Agua Nueva.

[edit] 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. 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.