Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/440

420 him as much water as he could carry, and used it with economy. During the halt no fire was to be lighted, and on resuming the march no signal by bugle or beat of drum was to be made.

But with all his care Santa Anna's plan to effect a surprise was already frustrated by Taylor's tactics. Some hours before dawn Ampudia approached the pass of Carnero, some miles to the south of Agua Nueva. Colonel Yell's advanced picket was driven in, and hastened with all speed to report the approach of the enemy. Yell at once set fire to the hacienda and the stores he had been unable to remove, and then fell back to Buena Vista, where he arrived at daybreak. When Santa Anna reached Agua Nueva early in the morning of the 22d, the smouldering ruins told him that the Americans had retreated, and he firmly believed that they had fled. So pausing no longer than to give time for his weary troops to replenish their canteens, he pushed forward in pursuit, trusting that Miñon, who had been instructed to gain the rear of the enemy, would so entertain him as to enable himself to come up with the retreating columns, and fall upon them in disorder. For twelve more miles he impetuously urged his march, to find the foe drawn up in battle array at the formidable position of Angostura.

The hacienda of Buena Vista is situated in a pass which breaks through a lofty range of mountains extending from east to west, and separating the valley of Saltillo from that of Encantada. This pass varies from a mile and a half to four miles in width. At its southern extremity is situated the hacienda of Encantada and at its northern the town of Saltillo. Through this narrow valley a small stream winds its way to Saltillo, keeping its course much nearer to the western side, the portion of the valley east of the stream being elevated sixty or seventy feet above that