Page:History of the War between the United States and Mexico.djvu/253

Rh delay, even of a few weeks, could not be permitted. About six hundred regulars, including two squadrons of dragoons, and four of the finest artillery companies in the army, with the best disciplined regiments of volunteers, which had been drilled by General Wool, or under the eye of General Taylor himself, were left upon the line of the Sierra Madre. In view of the loss of life which afterwards occurred, it may be regretted that the army under General Taylor was necessarily so much reduced; but he knew of what materials it was composed, and did not rashly expose himself to peril. His force was small, but it proved sufficient; and had it not been for the defection of one of his regiments, the repulse at Buena Vista would have been the complete rout of the Mexican army.

After giving the necessary instructions to the troops ordered to join General Scott, General Taylor returned to Monterey. During his absence General Wool had remained encamped with his division at Agua Nueva, until General Worth left Saltillo, when he took position on the heights above and to the south of the city, with a portion of his command, and distributed the remainder through the valley. General Miñon was known to be in the vicinity with his lancers, and scouting parties were constantly kept out to obtain information. On the 22nd of January a party of over seventy men, consisting of Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry, commanded by Majors Borland and Gaines, were surprised at the hacienda of Encarnacion, forty-eight miles beyond Saltillo, by General Miñon. Resistance against so formidable a force would have been