position a little in front of the
hacienda of Buena Vista. With a small force I proceeded to (p. 338)
Saltillo, to make some necessary arrangements for the defence
of the town, leaving Brigadier-General Wool in the immediate
command of the troops.

Before those arrangements were completed, on the morning of the
22d, I was advised that the enemy was in sight, advancing. Upon
reaching the ground, it was found that his cavalry advance was in
our front, having marched from Encarnacion, as we have since
learned, at eleven o'clock on the day previous, and driving in a
mounted force, left Agua Nueva to cover the removal of public
stores. Our troops were in position, occupying a line of
remarkable strength. The road at this point becomes a narrow
defile, the valley on its right being rendered quite
impracticable for artillery by a system of deep and impassable
gullies, while on the left a succession of rugged ridges and
precipitous ravines extends far back toward the mountain which
bounds the valley. The features of the ground were such as nearly
to paralyze the artillery and cavalry of the enemy, while his
infantry could not derive all the advantages of its numerical
superiority. In this position we prepared to receive him. Captain
Washington's battery (4th Artillery) was posted to command the
road, while the 1st and 2d Illinois regiments, under Colonels
Hardin and Bissell, each eight companies (to the latter of which
was attached Captain Conner's company of Texas Volunteers), and
the 2d Kentucky, under Colonel McKee, occupied the crests of the
ridges on the left and in rear. The Arkansas and Kentucky
regiments of cavalry, commanded by Colonels Yell and H. Marshall,
occupied the extreme left near the base of the mountain, while
the Indiana brigade, under Brigadier-General Lane (composed of
the 2d and 3d regiments, under Colonels Bowles and Lane), the
Mississippi riflemen, under Colonel Davis, the squadrons of the
1st and 2d Dragoons, under Captain Steen and Lieutenant-Colonel
May, and the light batteries of Captains Sherman and Bragg, 3d
Artillery, were held in reserve.

At eleven o'clock I received from General Santa Anna the
following summons to surrender at discretion:

"Camp at Encantada, February 22d, 1847.