The
Battle of Buena Vista (23 February 1847), also known as the
Battle of Angostura, saw the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(U.S.)
ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
use artillery to repulse the much larger
MexicanThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
army in the Mexican-American War. Buena Vista, a village of the state of
CoahuilaCoahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, is seven miles (12 km) south of
SaltilloSaltillo is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. The city is located about 400 km south of the U.S. state of Texas, and 90 km west of Monterrey, Nuevo León....
, in northern Mexico.
Background
After the
Battle of MonterreyIn the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
in September 1846, most of
Major GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Zachary TaylorZachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
's
Army of OccupationArmy of Occupation is a term for an army occupying conquered territory, and has been used for many armies in many eras including:*The Army of Occupation of the U.S...
was sent to the
gulf coastThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
to become the bulk of
Winfield ScottWinfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
's expedition against
Mexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. Taylor felt that President
James K. PolkJames Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
was attempting to deprive him of any further military success which would aid in his campaign for the
presidencyThe word presidency is often used to describe the administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation...
. Taylor decided to ignore orders to stay in
MonterreyMonterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
; he marched deeper into Mexico and seized
SaltilloSaltillo is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. The city is located about 400 km south of the U.S. state of Texas, and 90 km west of Monterrey, Nuevo León....
. Taylor also diverted the Center Division, under
John E. WoolJohn Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
, 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 AnnaAntonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
returned from exile and quickly seized power. When Monterrey had fallen, Santa Anna raised an army in
San Luis PotosíSan Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
numbering almost 20,000. When a letter from Gen. 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 to 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 19 miles south of Saltillo to Agua Nueva. Taylor sent out Maj. Ben McCulloch, of the
Texas RangersThe Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
, 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 12 miles north of Agua Nueva. Gen.
WoolJohn Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...
was charged with laying out the defenses. Later that day Santa Anna arrived at Agua Nueva with 10,000 men, his force diminished because of desertion and exhaustion during the long trek from San Luis Potosí. 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, Gen.
Pedro de AmpudiaPedro de Ampudia was born in Havana, Cuba and served Mexico as a Northern army officer for most of his life. He was also governor of the state of Nuevo León in 1846 and from 1853 to 1854....
attacked the U.S. left
flankIn military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
guarded by the 2nd
IndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
from
Joseph LaneJoseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
's Indiana Brigade. The volunteers were supported by a battery of artillery but were steadily driven back along with a second line of
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
volunteers under future governor Col.
William Henry BissellWilliam Henry Bissell was the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1857 until his death. He was one of the first successful Republican Party candidates, winning the election of 1856 just two years after the founding of his party.Bissell was born in Hartwick, Otsego County, New York...
. Wool sent a messenger to Gen. Lane to hold the line at all costs. The Illinois volunteers managed to conduct a fighting withdrawal under the pressure of the Mexican attack.
Gen. Taylor returned to the field and made his presence known to his men; he was escorted by the
MississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Rifles under Col.
Jefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane 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 VistaBuena Vista, meaning "good view" in Spanish, may refer to:*Buena Vista , a Walt Disney trademark*Buena Vista Social Club , a Cuban music club plus an album and film inspired by the club...
as a defensive position supported by a battery under
Thomas W. ShermanThomas West Sherman was a United States Army officer with service during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War....
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
HoosierHoosier is the official demonym for a resident of the U.S. state of Indiana. Although residents of most U.S. states typically adopt a derivative of the state name, e.g., "Indianan" or "Indianian", natives of Indiana rarely use these. Indiana adopted the nickname "Hoosier State" more than 150...
s 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 ceasefire 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 Gen.
Francisco PérezFrancisco Pérez Sanchez is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .Pérez is a strong climber...
with artillery support. An artillery battery under
Braxton BraggBraxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
unlimbered with orders to maintain his position at all costs. Taylor rode over to Cap. 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
grapeIn artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
, Captain Bragg", would be used as a campaign slogan which carried Taylor into the
White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. 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 Cap. Bragg helped him win election as
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1848. Santa Anna suffered great losses and withdrew to the south. His withdrawal was spurred on by political dissent in Mexico City. He was later forced to
defend Mexico CityThe Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War...
against an army under
Winfield ScottWinfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
.
Buena Vista County, Iowa-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,260 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,237 housing units, of which 7,522 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, in 1859, was named in honor of the battle, as was
Buena Vista TownshipBuena Vista Charter Township is a charter township of Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 10,318...
, in
MichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Saginaw County, and the cities of
Buena Vista, VirginiaBuena Vista is an independent city located within the confines of Rockbridge County, Virginia. The population was 6,650 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Buena Vista with Rockbridge county for statistical purposes.-Geography:Buena Vista is located at...
, Buena Vista
OregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Buena Vista,
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and Buena Vista, Alabama, in northern Monroe County.
Among notable deaths at the battle is
Henry Clay, Jr.Henry Clay, Jr. was an American politician and soldier from Kentucky, the third son of US Senator and Congressman Henry Clay and Lucretia Hart Clay. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1835 and served one term...
, second son of American statesman
Henry ClayHenry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
, a vociferous opponent of the Mexican War. His death was the subject of prints by Currier & Ives, and Neale & Pate.
Archibald YellArchibald Yell was a member of the United States House of Representatives, second Governor of the State of Arkansas, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army serving in the Mexican-American War.-Early life:...
, former governor of Arkansas, was also killed while commanding the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Cavalry.
Orders of Battles
A. Mexican Army Undated Returns acs
18,530-of Liberating Army of the North Gen. Div. A. Lopez de Santa Anna
- 39- Staff-Acting Gen. Manuel Micheltorena
- 10- Engrs.-Gen. Ignacio de Mora y Villamil
- 61- Medical Corps- Insp. Pedro Vander Linden
- 584- Artillery-Gen. Antonio Corona (Total 16 Guns & 1 Howitzer)
- Commissary and Baggage Train-P. Rangel
- 324- Regiment of Engrs.-Col. Santiago Blanco
- 466- Regiment of Hussars-Lt. Col. Manuel Andrade
- Infantry: Gen.Br. Manuel M. Lombardini ( 28 Infantry Battalions )
- Light Brigade-Gen.Br. Pedro Ampudia (1st,2d,3d & 4th Light(Ligero) Regiments)
- 4,839- 2d Vanguard Division-Gen.Br. Francisco Pacheco (8 Bns and 4-8 lb Guns)
- 1st Brigade-Gen. J. Garcia-Conde (2d Light, San Luis Potosi & Morelia Bns)
- 2d Brigade-Gen. Fransco Perez (Celaya & Leon Activos Bns,1st & 2d Guanajuato Aux Bns
- 4,300-1st Centre Division-Gen.Br. Manuel Maria Lombardini (and 4-12 lb Guns)
- 3d Brigade-Gen. Francisco Mejia } 1st,3d,4th,5th,10th and 11th Line(Linea) Regts)
- 5th Brigade-Gen. Rafael Vasquez? } " )
- 3d Rear Guard Division-Acting Gen. J. Maria Ortega (8 Bns and 3 Guns)
- 4th Brigade-Gen.Br. Luis Guzman } 1st & 2d Mexico,Queretaro,& Aguascalientes Activos Bns,
- 6th Brigade-Gen. Andres Terres } " Guadalajara Aux Bn
- Joined later:
- 1,000- 7th Brigade-Gen. Anastasio Parrodi( 12th Line, Pueblo Activos Tampico Coast Grds & etc.) and 3 Guns (8 lbs.)
Cavalry: Gen. Julian Juvera ( 39 Cavalry Squadrons )
- Horse Artillery
- 1,418-1st Brigade-Gen.Jose V. Minon
- 4th Cavalry,Jalisco Lancers,Cazadores,Oaxaca & Puebla Activos Regts
- 1,094-2d Brigade-Gen. Julian Juvera
- 5th & 9th Cavalry,Tulancingo Coraceros,Morelia Activos Regts.
- 808-3d Brigade-Acting Gen. Anastasio Torrejon
- 3d,7th & 8th Cavalry,Mexico Light, Guanajuato Activos Regts.
- 390-4th Brigade-Gen. Manuel Andrade
- Michoacan Activos, Presidiales
Detached :
- Cavalry Brigade-Gen. Jose Urrea
- Infantry Brigade-Gen.Br. Ciriaco Vasquez
B. United States Army
4,759 -United States Army of Occupation-Mj. Gen. Z. Taylor
- Washington Battery-Cpt.J.M. Washington
- 1st Illinois Volunteers Regiment-Col.J.J. Hardin (D)
- 2d Illinois Volunteers Regiment-Col.W. Bissell
William Henry Bissell was the 11th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1857 until his death. He was one of the first successful Republican Party candidates, winning the election of 1856 just two years after the founding of his party.Bissell was born in Hartwick, Otsego County, New York...
(plus Texas Company)
- 2d Kentucky Volunteer Regiment- Col. W. McKee (D)
- Arkansas Volunteer Regiment (Mounted)-Col. Yell
Archibald Yell was a member of the United States House of Representatives, second Governor of the State of Arkansas, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army serving in the Mexican-American War.-Early life:...
- Kentucky Regiment-Col.H. Marshall
Humphrey Marshall was a four-term antebellum United States Congressman and a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and a Confederate Congressman during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
- Indiana Brigade-Br.Gen. J. Lane
Joseph Lane was an American general during the Mexican-American War and a United States Senator from Oregon.-Early life:...
- 2d Indiana Volunteer Regiment-Col. Bowles
- 3d Indiana Volunteer Regiment-Col.J.H. Lane
- 1st Mississippi Riflemen Regiment-Col. J. Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
- May Squadron, 2d Dragoons-Col. C.A. May
Charles Augustus May was an American officer of the United States Army who served in the Mexican War and other campaigns over a 25-year career...
- Steen's Squadron, 1st Dragoons-Capt Steen
Reserves:
- Battery- Cpt. Sherman
Thomas West Sherman was a United States Army officer with service during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War....
- Battery -Cpt. B.Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
See also
- Battles of the Mexican-American War
The battles of the Mexican–American War include all major engagements and most reported skirmishes, including Thornton's Defeat, the Battle of Palo Alto, and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, which took place prior to the official start of hostilities....
- Battle of Monterrey
In the Battle of Monterrey during the Mexican-American War, General Pedro de Ampudia and the Mexican Army of the North was defeated by U.S...
- List of conflicts in the United States
- Saint Patrick's Battalion
The Saint Patrick's Battalion , formed and led by Jon Riley, was a unit of 175 to several hundred immigrants and expatriates of European descent who fought as part of the Mexican Army against the United States in the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. Most of the battalion's members had...
- Buena Vista, NJ is named for this battle according to The Origin of New Jersey Place Names
Sources
- Alcaraz, Ramon, et al. "apuntes para la historia de la guerra entre Mexico y los Estados Unidos" (1848)
- Balbontin, Manuel, "La Invasion Americana 1846 a 1848..." (1890)
- Bauer, K. Jack, "The Mexican War, 1846–1848"
- Nevin, David; editor, "The Mexican War" (1978)
- Roa Barcena, Jose Maria, "Recuerdos de la invasion norteamericana,1846–1848" (1947)
- Katcher, Phillip R., "The Mexican American War 1846–1848" (1976)
- Americas Library
- American casualties list