Didn't Count The Enemy

Feb. 23 is the anniversary of General Taylor's great viotory at Buena Vista (1847). With j an r.rmy of 5,400 uien, chiefly volunteers, deployed on the mountain spnrs md crests of the ravines on both sides of the pass of Angostura, he awaited the attack of Santa Anna. His second in command declarad that the grouud conld not be held. "Maybe so, general. We'll see, " responded oíd Rongh and Ready. Though aware that Santa Anna had a largo forcé - ;0,000 - he "didn't stop to connt the Áiexicans. " Early in the day Santa Anna lannched his columns npon the Americans. His cavalry and infantry made repeated charges, but he had no camión. The fighting was terrific. Mounted on a white horse, which he rode for the first time that day in battle, Taylor appeared everywhere to inspire his men. Au aid suggested to him that his white horse made a shining mark for the Mexican bullets. "Well," said the general . coolly, "the old fellow missed the . fun afc Mouterey, ' and I want to give him his sharothis time." The crisis came when Santa Anua led a desperate charge agaiust the American center, where Taylor stood with his little band, for a time carryiug everything bef ore him. The volnnteers of the iront line were overwhelmed and indangerof annihilation by the Mexicans, who gave no quarter. Taylor turned all his guiis upon tho charging column. The Mexican lancerswerehurled down the steeps in their recoil from the American canuon, and ou the plain where they had fearlessly rode in they were overtaken by a storm of irou hail which tore their ranks unmercifully. At that the Mexican infantiy began to waver. "Now, " said Taylor to Bragg, whose battery was at hand, "a leetle more grape, captain." A little more grape all along the line decided the day. Twilight found the Mexicans back in their tracks of the morning, and Taylor held the battlefield.