The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-24 00:00:00

THE TEXAN SANTA FE EXPE
DITION.

The following letter, published in the New Orleans
Picayune, confirms the account previously received of
the fate of this expedition. Mr. Kendall, the senior editor
of the Picayune, accompanied the expedition, and it is stated
that the other editors of the Picayune have chartered
a vessel, in which one of them has by this time gone to
Mexico, to effect if possible the liberation of Mr. K. The
Picayune says no reasonable doubt can be entertained
that the letter given below is accurate and authentic :
Chihuahua, North of Mexico, Nov. 4th, 1841.
To John G. Chalmers, M.D., Austin, Texas.
Sin,—He who now addresses you does so with some
personal risk, and therefore must use the precautions
which prudence suggests. His agents in New Orleans
will be able, from the autograph, to inform you of the
writer's name. 13y particular request of Col. Wm. Cook,
and Dr. Richard G. Brenham, I sit down to give you a
narrative of their disasters, as detailed to me in some
brief interviews with them, during their short sojourn in
this city as prisoners of war.
The advance party, of about 100 men, had reached
the neighbourhood of Santa Fe, leaving the rear guard,
with the waggons and artillery, some 200 miles behind.
Four or five men were then sent forward to announce
the purposes of their mission to the authorities, and
to say that they had come more as friends than foes :
that they wished to cultivate the acquaintance of their
neighbours, and open commercial relations with them,
and not to provoke hostilities. Of the avant couriers,
one was a Capt. Lewis, and another was Mr. Kendall,
editor of the New Orleans Picayune. They were seized,
and two or three, some say four of them, were, by order
of Governor Armijo, immediately shot. The Governor
then, with a large body of New Mexicans in arms,
went out to salute their visitors. The latter had,
however, taken up a strong position, and prepared to act
on the defensive, should it be necessary—hitherto igno-
rant of the fate of their emissaries, as of the reception
they were likely to meet.
At this critical moment comes forward Capt. Lewis,
accompanied by a nephew of the Governor (who speaks
and understands the English language well), and begs
Col. Cook not to fire, nor be concerned. He assures him
there is no need of an engagement, as the Governor is
disposed to receive them kindly, and that articles of
agreement had been already entered into for an armis-
tice, which might lead to a friendly alliance. On the
other hand, he represented the Mexican force as nume-
rous and strong ; that in an hour they would be sur-
rounded by five thousand men, all armed and obedient to
their chief ; that it was vain to resist, and the Governor
was anxious to avoid a conflict, and would deal better by
them than they had any right to expect.
These representations and assurances exercised a fatal

influence. They inclined to -listen to terms of capitula
tion, which were agreed upon as follows :—They were
to lay down their arms, and return forthwith to Texas ;
their persons were to be safe and inviolate; the Governor
was to protect them against the populace, to escort them
to the borders of Texas, and there, having restored to
them their guns, despatch them to their homes.
These articles were ratified in the usual manner in
such cases, and the Texan party, in good faith, surren-
dered their arms. They were instantly seized, tied, and
plundered of every thing. Even their uniform was
stripped off. Hats, boots, and shoes, shared the same
fate, and in this condition they were ordered to march
under a strong escort to the city of Mexico, a distance
of near 2,000 miles, and answer to the authorities there-
as prisoners of war. They arrived here about ten days
ago, having suffered greatly from fatigue, hunger, and
thirst. In this place they received as good treatment as
could be expected in their circumstances.
Though restrained of all liberty, their-personal wan
were attended to, and by voluntary subscriptions of both
foreigners and native, they were clad (near 100 men) in
a light but comfortable suit, and then sent forward on
their dreary march. They are expected to reach .the
capital some time in December next. Among the pri-
soners is a lad of the name of Coombs, whose father in
Kentucky was named minister to Mexico. The boy
heard of this in Galveston, and presuming his father
would accept the appointment, -he resolved to accompany
this expedition to Santa Fe, and thence go to Mexico and
join his parent.
The names of some of the officers are Captain Sutton,
Engineer Hunt, and Lubock.
The instructions of the Texan President, together
with his proelamation to the inhabitants, private letters,
and other documents, were taken and sent to this place
for translation. During this process some suspicion fell
upon the foreign residents, two of whom, Mr. Thurston
and Captain Dryden, were thrown into prison—the for-
mer was detained about fifteen days, and the latter is
still in close confinement uncertain of what will be his
sentence. It is thought it will be death.
P.S.—News has arrived here that the command un-
dtoereGoLenc.
ooMk‘, Leod has surrendered in a manner similar
and
with similar treatment, corroborating
bu-
siness. They have been some 20 days on their march
towards Mexico,
and are expected here in ten or twelve
more. The Governor, in his despatches, says he has
detained as prisoners two Commissioners, one Secretary,
and one other, undescribed—probably Kendall. Lewis,
for his fidelity and act,
ivity
to t has been set at liberty, tohe
wend his way to Texas, or
Devil, as he prefers.
Here he cannot stay, much less live.An extraordinary
courier arrived with despatches to the Governor last
the surmise that Lewis was saved for a tool in this
night. The purpose no one can ascertain. Conjecture
says the prisoners have escaped. Nov. 8, 1841.
The above is a plain simple statement of facts.

......_ _......-- ,
THE COAT, TRADE. We are glad to be in-
formed that there has been _a considerable increase in
the quantity of coals shipped, during the past year, in
the
Wea andthe Tyne, depressedespecially circumstances
t the
notwithstanding 'tees,
country. The increase has been both incur home-market
Barnard Castle, who
and in over-sea shipments.—Durham Chronicle.
A FARMER IN A RAGE.—The conduct of the
that he borrowed from a
friend, because it contained an account of the
against
farmerburn burnt
ian thenew
spaier neighbourhood
meeting at Manchester the Corn-laws, is
characteristic of the blind support which his body
give to the present system. He little thought, good
man, when he was putting the paper under his oxen, lest
its contents should be disseminated, qtri
if based on equity and
Li the farmers be
done up-by it, that he was, PaWitg the severest condem-
a; but everything to
gain by full and free dismisaton•-r----Dtiritan; Chronicle,
Magistrates of
Preaatstozutubledeboarrnetwtsb,inwghictuh,
fe
On Saturday the Middlesex ap-
pointed Mr. Childe, the Inspector of Weights and Mea-
-1 • ' tec
situation awe vacant by the resignation of Mr. Tinner.
Mea-
sures, Hi eh Constable of the Borough of Finsbury, which