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Why did Santa Anna’s larger army retreat after the Battle of Buena Vista?

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How the Mexican-American War changed the U.S. forever — Mexican-American War Learn how the Mexican-American War ultimately pushed the United States closer to civil war.

At the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, General Antonio López de Santa Anna commanded a force of approximately 14,000 troops against General Zachary Taylor’s smaller U.S. army. Despite their numerical advantage, the Mexican forces were poorly trained and badly armed.1

During the engagement, heavy U.S. artillery fire successfully repelled the Mexican attacks. By the end of the day on February 23, the Mexican army had suffered significant casualties—estimated at around 1,500 compared to 700 for the Americans. Under the cover of night, Santa Anna ordered a retreat, leaving campfires burning as a ruse to mask the movement. The withdrawal was further exacerbated by the desertion of large numbers of sick, wounded, and dispirited soldiers, rendering the army ineffective for continued combat at that location.1