ful to us, and with the enemy's troops in the plaza, must have destroyed many of the advance of our own forces.

Jefferson Davis

6th April 1885

Copied in part by Varina Anne Davis his Aunt and Godmother, and Varina Davis his Grandmother for Jefferson Addison Hayes when he was six months old.

The forgoing, down to the signature "Jefferson Davis" is a copy of a memorandum, made by me in 1846, of events connected with the 1st Mississippi Regiment which I commanded in the siege of Monterey. It was, with other papers lost when my library was pillaged from the place where it was deposited in Hinds Co. Missi for safety during the war between the States. Genl. W. T. Sherman was in command of the troops a detachment of whom were the pillagers, and he has recently claimed consideration as having had possession of the stolen papers. In the month of Jan. last, the Revd. F. M. Bristol, of Chicago, Illinois, informed me that he had possession of a paper which he described purporting to have been written by me and which he desired to have verified. Hoping to recover the report which I had made to the Gov. of Mississippi of the operations in which the Missi. Regt. I commanded had been conspicuous, and which report had been abstracted from the State Library at Jackson, Missi., I asked Mr. Bristol to send the paper to me for verification or condemnation, also requesting, if it was a true paper, that I might be permitted to copy it. With his assent, the foregoing copy has been made and the original returned to him as an innocent holder.

Jefferson Davis.

Beauvoir Miss.

6th April 1885

To write this tale, until its course was run,
It took three faithful scribes, instead of one.
The first could tell of battles, lost, and won

The next whose love through war, and pain could last
The third who spell-bound hears these stories of the past.

V. A. Davis.

RETURN OF THE KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING OF THE 1ST REGIMENT OF MISSISSIPPI RIFLEMEN COMMANDED BY COL. JEFFERSON DAVIS IN THE BATTLES OF THE 21ST, 22D AND 23D SEPTEMBER, 1846, BEFORE THE CITY OF MONTEREY, Mxo.

Jefferson Davis to W. W. S. Bliss.1

(From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.)

Saltillo, Mexico

24 March 1847

Sir:

In compliance with your note of yesterday, I have the honor to present the following report of the service of the Mississippi riflemen on the 23a ultimo.

Early in the morning of that day the regiment was drawn out from the Head-quarters encampment, which stood in advance of, and overlooked, the town of Saltillo. Conformably to instructions, two companies were detached for the protection of that encampment, and to defend the adjacent entrance to the town. The remaining eight companies were put in march to return to the position of the preceding day, now known as the battle-field of Buena Vista. We had approached to within about two miles of that position, when the report of artillery-firing, which reached us, gave assurance that a battle had commenced. Excited by the sound, the regiment pressed rapidly forward, manifesting upon this, as upon other occasions, their more than willingness to meet the enemy.

At the first convenient place the column was halted for the purpose of filling the canteens with water, and, the march being resumed, was directed towards the position which had been indicated to me, on the previous evening as the post of our regiment. As we approached the scene of action, horsemen recognised to be of our troops, were seen running, dispersed and confusedly, from the field, and our first view of the line of battle, presented the mortifying spectacle of a regiment of infantry flying disorganized from before the enemy. These sights, so well calculated to destroy confidence, and dispirit troops just coming into action, it is my pride and pleasure to believe, only nerved the resolution of the Regiment I have the honor to command.

Our order of march was in column of Companies advancing by their centres. The point which had just been abandoned by the regiment alluded to, was now taken as our direction. I rode forward to examine the ground upon which we were going to operate, and in passing through the fugitives, appealed

'Son of Capt. John Bliss, U. S. A. Was graduated from West Point 1833. Presented by the State of New York with a gold medal for gallant services in War with Mexico.

to them to return with us, and renew the fight, pointing to our regiment as a mass of men behind which they might securely form. With a few honorable exceptions, the appeal was as unheeded as were the offers which, I am informed, were made by our men, to give their canteens of water to those who complained of thirst, on condition that they would go back.

General Wool was upon the ground making great efforts to rally the men who had given way. I approached him, and asked if he would send another regiment to sustain me in an attack upon the enemy before us. He was alone, and after promising the support, went in person to send it.

Upon further examination, I found that the slope we were ascending was intersected by a deep ravine, which, uniting obliquely with a still larger one upon our right, formed between them a point of land difficult of access by us; but which, spreading into a plain towards the base of a mountain, had easy communication with the main body of the enemy. This position important from its natural strength, derived a far greater value from the relation it bore to our order of battle, and line of communication with the rear. The enemy in number many times greater than ourselves, supported by strong reserves, flanked by cavalry, and elated by recent success, was advancing upon it. The moment seemed to me critical, and the occasion to require whatever sacrifice it might cost to check the enemy.

My regiment having continued to advance was near at hand. I met and formed it rapidly into order of battle; the line then advanced in double quick time, until within the estimated range of our rifles, when it was halted, and ordered to "fire advancing."

The progress of the enemy was arrested. We crossed the difficult chasm before us under a galling fire, and in good order renewed the attack. The contest was severe, the destruction great upon both sides. We steadily advanced, and as the distance was diminished, the ratio of loss increased rapidly against the enemy; he yielded, and was driven back on his reserves.

A plain now lay behind us-the enemy's cavalry had passed around our right flank, which rested on the main ravine, and gone to our rear. The support I had expected to join us was nowhere to be seen. I therefore ordered the regiment to retire, and went in person to find the cavalry, which after passing round our right, had been concealed by the inequality of the ground.

I found them at the first point where the bank was practicable. for horsemen, in the act of descending into the ravine-no doubt