354 MURDER OF RICHIE SELECTION OF BATTLE GROUND. 



From this moment the tenure of our possessions in New Mexico 

 was no longer considered secure. The troops in that district were 

 not the best disciplined or most docile in the army, and, to the 

 dangers of another sudden outbreak among the treacherous Mexi- 

 cans, was added the fear of a sudden rising among the Indian 

 tribes who were naturally anxious to find any pretext or chance for 

 ridding the country of a foe whom they feared far more, as a per- 

 manent neighbor, than the comparatively feeble half-breeds and 

 Mexicans. 



In December of 1846, Lieutenant Richie, who bore despatches 

 to Taylor apprising him of the meditated attack upon Vera Cruz, 

 was seized and slain by the Mexicans whilst on his way to the 

 headquarters, and, thus, Santa Anna became possessed of the plan 

 of the proposed campaign. The Army of Occupation had been 

 sadly impaired by the abstraction of its best material for future ac- 

 tion on the southern line under the commander-in-chief. But 

 General Taylor resolved at once to face the danger stoutly, and to 

 manifest no symptom of unsoldierlike querulousness under the in- 

 justice he experienced from the government. Nevertheless, — 

 prudent in all things, and foreseeing the danger of his command, of 

 the lower country, and of the morale of the whole army, in the 

 event of his defeat, — he exposed the error of the war department 

 in his despatches to the adjutant general and secretary, so that 

 history, if not arms, might eventually do justice to his discretion 

 and fortitude. 



The note of preparation preceded, for some time, the actual ad- 

 vent of Santa Anna from San Luis Potosi, and all was bustle in 

 thje American encampments which were spread from Monterey to 

 Agua Nueva beyond Saltillo, in order to give him the best possible 

 reception under the circumstances. Wool was encamped with a 

 force at Agua Nueva, in advance on the road from Saltillo to San 

 Luis, about thirteen miles from the pass of Angostura, where the 

 road lies through a mountain gorge, defended, on one side, by a 

 small table land near the acclivities of the steep sierra and cut with 

 the channels of rough barrancas or ravines worn by the waters as 

 they descend from the summits, and, on the other by an exten- 

 sive net work of deep and impassable gullies which drained the 

 slopes of the western spurs. 



This spot was decided upon, as the battle ground in the event 

 of an attack, and the encampment at Agua Nueva, in front of it 

 was kept up as an extreme outpost, whence the scouts might be 

 sent forth to watch the approach of Santa Anna. 



