Our Illinois troops with those from other states, numbering in all 5000 men, proceeded to Monterey, thence to Buena Vista where we were confronted by 20,000 Mexicans under the command of General Santa Anna, who had no doubt of a speedy victory over us.  On Washington’s birthday, Santa Anna sent a message to General Taylor to surrender, saying that he did not wish to inflict useless slaughter.  General Taylor declined, and we fought.

I shall never forget my feelings, but how shall I describe them?  My nerves were tense; they rang taut with unexpended energy.  I felt death near me.  I thought of Dorothy constantly, but I was living with fate.

The line of battle was formed where the valley was narrow.  The lofty mountains were on either side of us.  Torrents had gullied the plain.  The Kentucky volunteers were posted at the left; the Indiana volunteers were stationed near.  Our regiment, together with a Texas company, formed the remainder of the line which ran from the plain to the plateau.  Extending from these towards the mountains were placed other troops from Illinois, from Indiana, and from Arkansas.  Up the valley came Santa Anna, with his 20,000 Mexicans.

He had sent General Ampudia to climb the mountain and fall upon our troops at the left.  The battle began in the afternoon and lasted till night.

At dawn Santa Anna advanced his troops in three columns in front of us.  And the battle began to rage.  The Indiana troops retreated in disorder.  But the Illinoisians stood their ground, pouring forth sheets of flame upon the Mexicans.  We had to retreat.  We were pressed back to the narrows.  Then General Taylor, hastening up, took command.  Batteries were opened.  Grapeshot and canister were poured into the advancing Mexicans.  The cannon belched deadly fire.  Colonel Davis had routed Ampudia at the left.  The Mexicans began to waver in front.  We from Illinois and Kentucky started in pursuit.  We drove them into a deep ravine.

Here suddenly they were reenforced by 12,000 men.  They shot us down like sheep.  It was a slaughterhouse.  But we fought like madmen.  Our riflemen, the squirrel hunters of Kentucky and Illinois, picked off the Mexicans unerringly.  Our batteries began to thunder again.  Again the Mexicans broke order.  They started to run.  We pursued them through the valley, under the shadows of the great mountain.  Night came....  The silence of night and of our victory.

We had won the battle!  The Mexicans fled southward.  Then we started to bury our dead.  Our losses were terrible.  So many boys from Illinois were hearsed in this bloody soil.  Colonel Hardin was killed; but we were commissioned to bring his body back to Jacksonville.

This ended the war in northern Mexico.  But meanwhile, as President Polk could not buy California, he seized it.  He ordered an American squadron to take San Francisco and other harbors on the California coast.  He sent General Kearney with a cooperating force to this end.  Kearney occupied the city of Santa Fe and organized a temporary government for New Mexico.  The President also sent General Scott against the city of Mexico and Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo.  These were taken; but they were used only as levers in the settlement.