Indiana State Sentinel

Gen. Lane's Official Report to General
Wool.

Headquarters 3d Brig. 1st Div'n,
Buena Vista, Mexico, Feb. 25, 1847.

Brig. Gen. Wool, U. S. A.:

Sir—I have the honor of laying before you the follow-
ing report of that part of the 22d and 23d inst., in which the forces under my immediate command took part.

In obedience to your orders, on the 22d I took position on the left of the field upon which the battle was fought, near the foot of the mountain, with the eight battalion companies of the 2d regiment of my brigade, supported by three pieces of light artillery commanded by Lt. O'Brien.

The four rifle companies of this brigade (two from the 2d and two from the 3d regiments) having been sent under your orders, together with two companies of Kentucky mounted riflemen to occupy an eminence and ridge on the side of the mountain to check the advance of the enemy (two regiments) who were attempting to turn the left flank of my position by climbing the sides of the mountain. Those rifle companies took their position in the afternoon of the 22d, the four Indiana companies commanded by Major Gorman, of the 3d regiment, the whole under command of Col. Marshall of Kentucky, and soon afterward the enemy opened a brisk fire upon our forces but with little effect, which they continued without intermission for three hours, the meantime my men being secured from the enemy's balls and watching their chances, and taking good aim, succeeded in killing and wounding some thirty or forty of the enemy.

In this engagement my loss was four men slightly wounded. During the night of the 22d, the enemy sent a reinforcement of about one thousand five hundred men up the mountain, and succeeded in occupying heights which commanded the position of the rifiemen. My whole command slept upon the field on their arms that night. As soon as it was light on the morning of the 23d, the enemy opened a severe fire from their whole force on the mountain, now amounting in all to about 2,500 or 3,000 men, commanded (it is believed) by the Mexican Colonel Ampudia. Notwithstanding the great superiority of the enemy in numbers, our gallant riflemen held them in check for several hours, killing and wounding some 50 or 60 of their number.

About 8 o'clock, A. M., of the 23d, I sent a part of the Kentucky mounted riflemen and cavalry (dismounted for that purpose) up the mountain side to support the forces already there, at which time the fire of the enemy became tremendous, but which was returned by our gallant force for more than one hour longer.

My instructions from yourself were to hold my position on the left of the field against any force which the enemy might bring against me in that quarter. The enemy had been in great force all the morning of the 23d directly in my front, and in sight, but too far distant to be reached by Lt. O'Brien's battery. About 9 o'clock I was informed by Col. Churchill that the enemy were advancing towards my position, in great force, sheltering themselves in a deep ravine, which runs up toward the mountain directly in my front. I immediately put my column in motion, consisting of those eight battalion companies, and Lt. O'Brien's battery, amounting in all to about 400 to meet them. The enemy, when they deployed from the ravine, and appeared on the ridge, displayed a force of about 4,000 infantry, supported by a large body of lancers.

The infantry immediately opened a most destructive fire, which was returned by my small command, both infantry and artillery, in a most gallant manner for some time. I soon perceived that I was too far from the enemy for my muskets to take that deadly effect which I desired, and immediately sent my Aid de Camp to Lt. O'Brien, directing him to place his battery in a more advanced position with the determination of advancing the whole line.

By this movement I should not only be nearer to the enemy, but should also bring the company on my extreme left more completely into action, as the brow of the hill impeded their fire. By this time the enemy's fire of musketry and the raking fire of ball and grape shot of their battery posted on my left flank had become terrible, and my infantry instead of advancing as was ordered, I regret to say, retired in some disorder from their position, notwithstanding my own and the severe efforts of my officers to prevent them. About the same time the riflemen and cavalry on the mountain retired to the plain below. The Arkansas cavalry (who had been posted by your orders in my rear at the foot of the mountain, to act as circumstances might require,) also left their position. the whole taking a retrograde movement along the plain towards the rear ; at the same time one of the Illinois regiments, not under my command, but stationed at some distance in rear, and the right of my position also retired to the rear. These troops, the most of them, were immediately rallied and fought during the whole day like veterans, a few, I regret to say, did not return to the field at all. By this apparent success the enemy were much elated, and poured down the side of the mountain on the extreme left of the field their thousands of infantry and lancers, and formed themselves in good order along the mountain, fronting perpendicularly to where our lines had been posted. At this critical juncture the Mississippi regiment, under command of Colonel Davis, arrived on the field and being joined by a part of the 2d Indiana met the enemy in most gallant style, and after a severe and bloody struggle, repulsed them with great loss. In the meantime a large body of lancers, 600 or 800 in number, who had passed down along the left towards our rear, made a most desperate charge upon the Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry, with a view of carrying off and plundering the baggage train of the army, which was at a rancho near the battle field. This charge was met and resisted most gallantly by those cavalry, aided by about 200 infantry, who had taken refuge there after they had retired from the field. This repulse discouraged the enemy, and the Mississippi regiment, and a part of the 2d Indiana being joined by the 3d Indiana regiment, under command of Col. Jas. H. Lane, now advanced up towards the foot of the mountain for the purpose of dislodging the enemy's force stationed there.

In this enterprise I was aided by Capt. —'s battery of light artillery, and it was crowned with complete success, the enemy retreating in great disorder, and with immense loss, back alongside of the mountain to the position which they had occupied in the morning, some flying in terror up the sides of the mountain and into the ravines, while a few were taken prisoners.

Amongst the last desperate attempts of the enemy to regain and hold the left of the field, was a charge made by a large body of lancers upon my command. This charge for gallantry and determined bravery on both sides has seldom been equalled. The forces on either side were nearly equal in numbers. Instead of throwing my command into squares to resist the charge, the enemy were received in line of two ranks, my force reserving its fire until the enemy were within about 70 yards, which was delivered with deadly aim, and which proved most destructive in its effects, the enemy flying in every direction in disorder, and making a precipitate retreat toward their own lines.

About sunset the enemy withdrew from the field and the battle ceased. In a brief report it is impossible to enter into the details of a day like the 23d.

The fighting throughout consisted of different engagements, in different parts of the field, the whole of them warm and well contested, many of them bloody and terrible. The men under my command actually discharged eighty and some of them ninety rounds of cartridge at the enemy during the day. The 2d regiment under my command, which opened the battle on the plain in such gallant style, deserves a passing remark. I shall attempt to make no apology for their retreat, for it was their duty to stand and die to the last man, until they received orders to retire. But I desire to call your attention to one fact connected with this affair; they remained in their position, in lines, receiving the fire of 3,000 or 4000 infantry in front, exposed at the same time on their left flank to a most desperate raking fire from enemy's battery, posted within point blank shot until they had deliberately discharged twenty rounds of cartridges at the enemy. Some excuse may be framed for those who retired for a few moments, and then immediately rallied and fought during the day, but unless they hasten to retrieve their reputation, disgrace must forever hang around the names of those who refused to return, and I regret to say there were a few of those from nearly every volunteer corps engaged. In a battle so fierce and protracted as this, where there were so many exhibitions of coolness and bravery, it is a difficult and delicate task to particularize. But justice compels me to mention Col. Davis and his regiment of Mississippians, who so nobly and so bravely came to the rescue at the proper time to save the fortunes of the day. Col. Jas. H. Lane and the 3d regiment of my command were ordered into the action soon after Col. Davis, and the coolness and bravery displayed by both the officers and men of that regiment has rarely been equalled, never surpassed by any troops at any time. They have done infinite honor to the State and nation that gave them birth.

Lt. Col. Hadden of the 2d regiment of my command aided me in rallying his regiment after they had retired, and he in person marched a party of them back towards the enemy, with whom he immediately became engaged, and fortunately repulsed them with considerable loss; in another part of the field he succeeded in killing an officer of the enemy with his own hand, by sending a rifle ball through him at a great distance. I was also much indebted to Major Mooney, Quartermaster, Major Dix, Paymaster, the gallant and lamented Capt. Lincoln, of General Wool's staff, and to Lieut. Robinson, for their assistance in rallying the forces after they had retired from their position. They all behaved nobly, and deserve the thanks of their country for the coolness and intrepidity which they displayed on that trying occasion. The latter acting as my aid de camp during the entire day, is entitled to particular attention for the gallant manner in which he executed my orders. Lt. O'Brien who commanded the battery of light artillery posted on my right, is deserving of particular praise for his courage and self possession throughout the day, moving and discharging his battery with all the coolness and precision of a day of ordinary parade.

Majors Mooney and Morrison, Commissaries, attached to my brigade, although not belonging to the line of the army, nor expected to take an active part in battle, are entitled to great honor for their bravery and coolness in promptly rallying the scattered forces at the Rancho, who assisted under the command of Major Morrison in resisting the desperate charge of the lancers, made upon the Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry, as by this repulse the whole baggage train of the army was saved from destruction. This important duty they discharged, in addition to those which strictly appertain to their respective departments.

A statement of the killed and wounded has already been submitted which need not be recapitulated here.

Although censure does justly attach to a few, who proved recreant to their duty on that day, yet I am of the opinion that veteran troops of this or any other country, could not have fought and won the battle better than those engaged. It is a victory without a parallel in this or any other war, on this continent, and the men and officers who did their duty at the battle of Buena Vista, deserve to have their names inscribed on the brightest pages of their country's history.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH LANE, Brig. General.

To Gen. Wool, U. S. A.