NARRATIVE OF LIEUT.-COL. W. R. HADDON DESCRIPTIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. Western Sun and Advertiser. ORKNEY, NEAR CARLISLE, SULLIVAN Co., INDIANA, August 17, 1848. John R. Jones, Esq.: The urgent call upon me in your paper and the State Sentinel, together with many and frequent calls made upon me by the citizens of my own and other counties, induce me to present to the public, through the columns of your paper, what I deem to be a faithful narrative of the part taken by the Second Regiment in the battle of Buena Vista on the 22d and 23d of February, 1847, in the Republic of Mexico. I suppose it is probable that some in our country, from what I can learn from the public news and rumors of the day, are inclined to come to the conclusion that I should have made an official report of the doings of the Second Regiment on those eventful days. I was only the lieutenant-colonel of the regiment, consequently it would have been assuming a province that did not belong to me to have made a report unless I had been called upon by my superior officers, and hence if the public mind has received a wrong bias from any of the official reports of that day or of any statement that has since been made to the public, it is no fault of mine. As to the part I took or acted in the transactions of those two days, for myself I am perfectly satisfied that my reputation be left with those Who know me and the candid everywhere. A decent respect for truth requires at my hand the following narrative in vindication of the Second Indiana Regiment from the unjust aspersions cast upon them as to the part acted on the 23d. Permit me to add that the Second Indiana Regiment, for bravery and patriotism, was not excelled by any other on that occasion, notwithstanding they, for a short period of time, retreated from the fierceness of the action, but that even was not done only in obedience to the repeated order of their colonel. On the morning of the 22d of February we were informed that the enemy were in sight, advancing, and at the same time received orders to form our regiment for immediate action. Our regiment was quickly formed and marched forward to a position about one mile and a half in front of our camp, occupying the extreme left of our line of infantry, though nearly a half-mile in the rear of the line. The Kentucky and Arkansas regiments of cavalry, under Colonels Marshall and Yell, took position on the extreme left, near the base of the mountain and a little in our rear; Colonel Bissell, Second Illinois, the next on our right, though nearly a half-mile in our front. The Second Indiana Regiment and the Kentucky and Arkansas regiments of cavalry, placed thus far in the rear I supposed to be in reserve. Colonel Lane's Third Indiana Regiment was placed in position on a height immediately in the rear of Washington's battery. About 1 o'clock, in obedience to orders, the two rifle companies of the Second Indiana Regiment, Captains Osborn and Walker, were detached, together with the two rifle companies of the Third Indiana Regiment, under the command of Major Gorman, and moved to the left to join a portion of the Kentucky Mounted Riflemen, under the command of Colonel Marshall, for the purpose of meeting and checking a considerable force of the enemy's light troops, which were thrown onto the side of the mountain for the evident purpose of flanking our left. Our riflemen soon met them, when a brisk fire took place and was kept up at intervals until sundown with little effect on either side. The Second Indiana Regiment occupied its position until late in the evening. At this time I was about a half mile in front of our regiment viewing the position of the enemy, when I received an order from Captain Lincoln, one of General Wool's staff, for the Second Indiana Regiment to move forward and take the position of Colonel Bissell's regiment, as that regiment was ordered to Saltillo. I directly communicated the order to Colonel Bowles, who moved our regiment forward to that position, which was on a ridge, a little in front and on the extreme left of our whole line and near the base of the mountain, and a deep and broad ravine immediately in our rear. Here we had a fair view of a considerable portion of the enemy's force in our front, one of their batteries immediately in our front throwing an occasional bomb at us before they attacked. Between sundown and dark, while occupying this position and the regiment being in column of company, it was reported to us (by whom I never knew) that the enemy's light troops were rushing down from the mountain to attack us (the Second Indiana Regiment). Colonel Bowles for the moment seemed to be confused. The head of the column being faced from the supposed enemy, he faced the regiment to the rear. At this moment two pieces of our light artillery dashed forward and wheeled into line of battle to fire on the enemy. Colonel Bowles immediately moved the regiment forward and brought it into line on the left of the battery faced by the rear rank and its flanks changed. I instantly rode to him and told him the condition he had the regiment in and that it was in a bad position to fight. He replied it was right, when Captain Davis stepped forward and told him it was not right and he would have to countermarch to get it right. At this moment I discovered the supposed enemy to be our own riflemen returning from the mountain. Colonel Bowles, however, continued to countermarch and marched the regiment back to its position, after which a considerable murmur took place among some of both officers and men about the awkward movement spoken of. Thus having stopped and night closing in, we lay down upon our arms. At the break of day the next morning I called the regiment to its feet, dressed the lines and informed Colonel Bowles it was ready for orders. Again some murmuring was heard from the regiment, some of both officers and men calling out that they wanted to fight under my command. I told them it was not in my power to assume the command and that I would be with them and to cease their murmurs. General Lane was absent at this time, but shortly rode up and was informed of the movement of the regiment the previous evening and the murmurs in the regiment. He replied that he would take command himself. General Lane again left the regiment for a few minutes and when he returned he informed me he was going to move the regiment forward to meet the enemy and ordered me to throw the regiment into column of company. This being done, he moved it forward (the eight infantry companies amounting to about 410 men), supported by three pieces of light artillery under the command of Lieutenant O'Brien. The enemy were coming up slowly in strong force under cover of the large and deep ravine in front. On arriving on a tongue of land between the ravine on our right and the one spoken of in our front, to about 600 yards in front of our position previous to this move, the enemy deployed some 400 or 500 infantry in our front and opened a brisk fire upon us before our regiment had time to get into line of battle. Our regiment was brought quickly into line and returned the fire with spirit and effect. At this time a Mexican battery of four pieces of heavy artillery, posted about 300 yards on our left, commenced a discharge of grape and cannister on our line. The enemy's infantry continued to appear out of the ravine in our front to the number of about 4,000, supported by a large force of lancers under cover of the ravine on our left and in our front. By this time the enemy's fire became destructive. Our small force of infantry and Lieutenant O'Brien's artillery continued to fire on the enemy, making frequent breaches in their lines, causing them to falter. In one or two instances I could distinctly see the enemy's rear ranks replacing its faltering front at the point of the bayonet. The right of our regiment rested on the ridge, the declivity being from right to left and an intervening ridge prevented the left company from taking any effect. Our line continued their effective fire without a falter or waver for some twenty-five minutes, discharging some twenty rounds of cartridges at the enemy, when Colonel Bowles gave the order to cease firing and retreat, which was, to my best recollection, given three times before the regiment began to retreat. The regiment commenced a disorderly retreat. They fell back on the brow of the ravine from which we moved to meet the enemy, where I succeeded, with the assistance of company officers, in reforming the greater portion of the regiment, when General Taylor came up and ordered us to form on the other side of the ravine. The companies commenced moving to the point indicated when a strong force of the enemy's infantry and cavalry with whom he had previously been engaged, opening a tremendous fire, with a savage yell, made a rush upon us. Our men were again thrown into confusion and commenced a most disorderly retreat. General Lane and myself dashed among them, endeavoring to check them, but to no effect. We continued our exertions some distance above the ravine without effect, when General Lane ordered me to continue to rally the men and ordered Major Cravens, who at this time came to us, to go toward the ranch and bring back the men, which he moved off promptly to perform. General Lang moved off at the same time, saying he must go and see the condition if the Third Indiana Regiment, but would send me all the scattered men he could. I again renewed my efforts among our scattered and confused regiment. Passing the Mississippi regiment, which at this time had arrived upon the field, I discovered some of our men had fallen into their ranks. I ordered them out and to follow me, that we must form as Indianians and when we fight we get credit as Indianians. They followed me quickly. At this moment Private Moberly of Company F called to me that our flag was thrown down. I ordered him to pick it up and follow me with it, which he quickly did. I stationed it upon the first ground upon which we could form and commenced the reformation of our regiment. Here we rallied and formed about 200 of our force and marched back to the contest, taking the winding of a ravine bearing a little to our left to cover my command from a Mexican battery placed at the foot of the mountain, when we came in contact with a portion of the enemy's infantry who had flanked our left and with whom we became instantly engaged and repulsed them with considerable loss. Throwing my force farther to the right for the purpose of gaining a nearer position to the point from which we had fallen back, I found Colonel Davis's Mississippi regiment formed across the bottom of a large ravine, down which our regiment had previously retreated. Here I found General Lane and Colonel Bowles. I was informed these troops had just had a severe engagement and had been compelled to fall back on account of the enemy's overwhelming number. General Lane ordered me to form my command on the Mississippians, whose number appeared about equal to ours, and that I must command them, the Second Indiana. I here found a few of our men among the Mississippi regiment and I ordered them to form with our own regiment. Colonel Lane's Third Indiana Regiment was here ordered to join us and also two pieces of Captain Sherman's battery. These three regiments, under the command of General Lane, moved to the left to engage a large force of the enemy's infantry and cavalry that had taken position in a gorge of the mountain. On arriving in musket range a severe fire was opened on both sides and kept up until orders to cease firing reached us from General Taylor in consequence of a flag having been sent him from the enemy. The enemy continued his firing and we resumed ours, the enemy falling back along the base of the mountain. We perceived at this time a large force of the enemy's cavalry and infantry organizing on our right and in our front with the evident intention of charging us. The cavalry commenced a rapid move toward us. We threw our force some 300 yards back on a tongue of land with our right (the Third Indiana Regiment) resting on a deep ravine and the Second Indiana and Mississippi regiments forming an angle on the left and occupying the whole space between the two ravines. The enemy were still coming forward rapidly and in beautiful order. Our force stood firmly and silently awaiting orders to fire and we had frequently to call to them not to fire. I perceived the enemy's gait beginning to slacken and he seemed almost ready to halt, and when within about eighty yards our whole line opened a simultaneous fire, which was so destructive the survivors fled precipitately toward the mountain. A piece of artillery coming up at the moment, followed them with a galling fire until they had fled beyond reach. Shortly after this we were ordered to co-operate with a detachment of our artillery and cavalry in an attack upon the enemy at the base of the mountain. After advancing some distance parallel to this detachment we were ordered to halt. While awaiting the movement of the detachment we heard a heavy firing on our right and received orders to march to that part of the field. We moved rapidly to the point indicated and to which we were guided by the heavy firing in that direction. After advancing nearly half a mile and climbing the rocky slope before us we came suddenly on a large force of the enemy's infantry advancing toward Captain Bragg's battery, which was near on our right, and pursuing a portion of troops who were retreating toward Washington's battery. Our line, still consisting of the Second and Third Indiana regiments and the Mississippi regiment, opened a sudden and destructive fire in their right flank, raking the lines, which caused them to give way in confusion. This was the last contest of the 23d, and the Second Indiana, I confess, surpassed my expectations. In every contest in which they were engaged they would not only engage with the firmness and steadiness of brave men, but with an eagerness and determination that, by their conduct, they would wipe from their name the stain of the disorderly retreat and the conduct of those who fled and did not return at all, and these men, the most of them, would have returned had their officers who fled with them used the proper exertions to have brought them back. Colonel Bowles, after our junction with the Third Indiana and the Mississippi regiments, continued with us throughout the day, but took no part in the command of his regiment. Major Cravens at this time rejoined his regiment and continued with it, efficiently performing his duty throughout the day. Captain Kimball and Adjutant Shanks also joined us here. Captains McRae and Davis were active in rallying their companies, and fur their steady and uniform conduct in battle deserve the respect of their country. Captain Briggs joined his company in the rally and, although quite unwell, continued with it throughout the day. Captain Sanderson was wounded in the early part of the day and was compelled to leave the field. Lieutenants Spicely, Hoggatt, Kunkle, Burwell, Zenor and Lewis are deserving of the highest praise for their gallantry, energy and activity in rallying their comrades and for their good conduct on the field. On Lieutenant Spicely devolved the command of his company after the fall of the gallant Captain Kinder. Lieutenants Benefiel, Lowdermilk, Rice, Foster, Irwin, Roach and Gullet are deserving of high consideration for their unwavering conduct throughout the action. Lieutenant Peck of Captain Walker's rifle company joined us with a part of his company after the fall of his meritorious captain on the mountain and did good service. Lieutenant Parr fell nobly performing his duty early in the action. Lieutenant Hogan was wounded so as to be unable to remain on the field. Lieutenant Schoonover, after the first engagement of our regiment, was detached with an escort to a portion of the wagons from Buena Vista to Saltillo. Sergeant Dozier of Company E fell early in the action. Sergeants Dooly, Company H, and Haynes, Company G, also deserve notice for good conduct. In a communication like this it will not be expected that I should detail the merits of all the non-commissioned officers and men. I cannot close this communication without stating in general terms that the Mississippi regiment and the Third Indiana Regiment, with whom we acted, both officers and men, deserve the highest praise of their country for gallantry and good conduct. Major Dix of the pay department deserves creditable notice for services rendered in assisting to rally our regiment, and also Lieutenant Robison, General Lane's aide-de-camp, for good conduct throughout the day. It will not be expected that I should make a detailed statement of the action of the two rifle companies, as they were detached under command of Major Gorman on the mountain. The list of casualties, as taken by myself the day after the battle, shows the number killed in the Second Regiment of Indiana Volunteers to be 36; wounded, 68; killed and wounded, 104. Respectfully, your obedient servant. W. R. HADDON