il 
75 [ 26 ]. 
On the east side of the pass a steep and rough chain of limestone rises, 
that may be about 1,000 feet higher than the pass, while towards the west 
a chain of hills, connected with more distant mountains, forms a barrier. 
A wagon road leads through the narrow valley, and between this road and 
the western chain of hills runs at first a small creek that comes from En- 
cantada, and nearer the battle-field a deep, dry ravine, formed probably by 
torrents of rain. Towards the battle-field the high mountains on the east 
form at their foot a small table-land, ending in many gullies towards the 
road, or west. On_ this small table-land, from half a mile to a’mile wide, 
the battle was fought; but in the narrow gullies and precipitous ravines the 
bloodiest mélées took place. ‘This locality was certainly the most suitable 
for a small army against a far superior force, and the selection of the battle- 
field bestows as. much credit upon General Wool, as does the battle itself, 
which has been sufficiently commented upon .by eye-withesses, upon 
General Taylor and the whole army. The Mexicans call the place, very 
appropriately, Angostura. Buena Vista is a rancho about one mile north- 
east of Angostura, on the road to Saltillo. General Wool had fixed his 
camp there since the battle. 
May 22.—The General, with his staff, rode to-day to our camp to review 
our regiment. A salute was fired, and he expressed himself highly satis- 
fied with the martial appearance of the great marching and fighting regi- 
ment of Missouri, though he seemed not to admire our uniform. We re- 
ceived orders to march from here to Saltillo, Monterey; and Matamoros. _ 
Before leaving Encantada I will remark, that the elevation of this 
camping place is 6,104 feet, which is the highest point on our road from 
Chihuahua. From here we shall descend very abruptly. to Monterey, 
which is but 1,626 feet above the sea, and may be considered as the eastern 
limit of the high plains-and mountains of this part of Mexico. 
May 23,in the morning, we left. Encautada, pass he battle-_ 
field and General. Wool’s camp, and marched through Saltillo and six miles 
beyond it before we encamped. In Wool’s camp the old American cannon 
belonging to our regiment were left, while the conquered Mexican pieces 
were taken along as trophies, to Missouri. : 
Saltillo, or Leona Victoria, the capital of Coahuila, lies at the commence- 
ment of a wide plain, covering the sloping side of a hill which hides the 
view of the city in approaching it from the southwest. The city is very 
compact, shows half a dozen steeples, has clean streets, 2 beautiful church, 
&c.; but at the same time it has something narrow an gloomy, and the 
wide plain around it does not improve its rather awkward position. The 
Population of the city was in 1831 about 20,000, but it seems to have dimin- 
ished since that, and at present a considerable portion of the inhabitants 
had absented themselves. I stopped for some hours in the hotel of the 
- “ Great Western,’”? kept by the celebrated vivanditre, honored with that 
nom de guerre, and whose fearless behaviour during the battle of Buena 
Vista was highly praised; she dressed many wounded soldiers on that 
day, and even carried them out of the thickest fight. 
_ Through a Jong, sloping, ill-paved street we proceeded on our way to 
camp, which was near some ranchos,onadam. In going there, I per- 
ceived for the first time a plantation of maguey, (agave am ,) the 
same plant which we had seen, from Chihuahua down, often enough used 
or garden fences, or growing wild on dry and sunny places; but here it 
as raised and planted for the especial. purpose of preparing pulgue, a 
