The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-31

I
IN the land Of the living he will be at home
again.
CHIHUAHUA, North OF Mexico,
Nov. 9TH, 1871.
] To John q. Chalners ~ D., Austin, I'eras.
/ SIR-He who addresses you, does SO with some
personal risk and therefore must the precautions
which prudence suggests. His agents in New Or
| leans will be able, from he autograph to inform you
OF the writer's name He has never been IN Texas,
and is not aware that he has single acquaintance in
that country. But there sympathes which ex
tend beyond the circle OF personal friends. BY parti
| cular req ues OF Col. VIM Cook and d., Richard Ct
Brenhaln | sit down TO give you narrative OF their
! disasters, as detailed 10 me in some brei interviews
with them, during their short sojourn In this city
| prisoners OF Exactness OF dates cannot pre-.
tend 10 observe. The confusion and stIangeness OF
the events preclude the possibility but the general
cham Will be faithfully narrated.
The advance party OF about one hundred men,
had reached the neghborhood OF Santa Fe, leaving
| the guard with the wagons and artillery, some
TWO hundred miles behind -Four i've
then sent forward TO. announce the purposes of their
mission to the authorities, and to say that thay had
come friends Than foes that they wished TO
cultivate the acquaintance OF Their neIghbors, and
open commercial relations with them, and not to pro-
woke hostltIes. OF the draRk .c0urterS one
Capt Lewis and another was Mr. Kendall, editor OF
the New Orleans Picay une. They were seized and
two three say four of them, wece iy order OF
Gov. AlmD, Immediately shot. Inc Governor then,
with a large body of New Mexcans in arms went out
To salute Their vslers The latter had, however, Ia
ken UP strong position and prepared 10 act the
defensive should 1t be necessary-htherto ignorant OF
the fate of their emssaties of the reception they
were likely 10 meet.
In a rayne formed by the freshets having stream
of some magnitude in their rear stood Colonel Cook
and his men, confident that from this position they
could not be dslodged. Here they waited the APP
proach of their adversares doubtful yet whether to
regard them as friends or foes impatient for the
der TO fire yet restrained by their pacific Instructions
| from the Texan government they watched for some
act Of aggression to Justify them III testing the tenn
per OF their guns. At tins critical moment comes
forward Captain Lewis accompanied by nephew Of
the Governor, (who speaks and understands Tie En-
glish language welD and begs Colonel 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 armistice which
might lead 10 a friendly alliance. On the other hand;
he represented the Mexican force as numerous and
strong: that in hour they would be surrounded by
five thousand men, all armed and obedlent to their
chief that il was vain to resist, and the Governor
was anxious to avoid conflict and would deal bet
ter by them than they had any right to expect.
These representations and assurances coming from
their own interpreter and supported by the Govern
or's nephew, exercised fatal influence. They in
cned to listen to terms OF capltuation, which were
agreed upon follows they were TO lay down
their arms, and return forthwith to Texas their per-
sons were to be safe and nyioate the Governor was
to protect them against the populaceto escort them
to the borders of Texas and there having restored to
them their guns, despatch them for their homes
These articles were ratified in the usual manner in
such cases and the Texan party, good faith surren-
dered their arms. They instantly seized tied
and plundcrcd of every thing. Even their uniform
was striped of. Hats, boots and shoes shared the
same fate, and in this condition they ordered to
march under strong escottto thecty OF Mexico dis
lance OF near two thousand niles and answer 10 the
aui horitits there prisoners OF war They arrived
h, re about days ago, having suffered greatly from
fatigue hunger and thirst In this place they rece we'd
as good treatment as could be expected their CIR
cumstances hough restrained OF all liberty their
personal wants Were attcndedto andb by voluntary sub
-crIpons OF both foreigners aud natives they were
clad (near 100 mem in light but comfortable 81 t.
| and then sent forward on their dreary march They
pected to ach the capital some time Deccm.
Der next Among the PRISONERS lad OF the name
OF Coombs whose father in Kentucky, was named
minister to Mexico. he boy heard Of this in Gal
weston and ptesunng his father would acctp the az
lointment lie resolved to accompany tins expedition
Santa Fe, and from thence 90 to Mexico to Jiu his
parent:
The names of some ofhe officers are Capt Sutton,
Engineer Hunt, Luback 1t is not known whether
Capt Lewis acted from fear tr.achery or whether
he'w himself deceived. The most charitable sup.
position the latter, although the result has
gated the sul,rngs lesSted the perlIs of his
lanions lie alone, unless Kendall has been saved
remains with Arunj IN Santa te. He is doubtless
wagon in the rear. he Instructions OF the Texan
President, together with his proclamation 10 the IN
habItants PRIV ate letters and other documents were
taken and sent 10 til, place for translation. During
this process ONE suspicion tell upon the foreign
dents rwoot whom, MIR. 1hruslon and Cant. DIV
den, We're thrownInto prison 4 former detained
ia duresse about fifteen days, and the letter Still
close confinement uncertain OF what viii be his
tencc. IT'S thought will be death.
Much speculation has been had upon the probable
! MAT tta tIia An, .,
now the cticf Executive, having lately made himself
absolute Dictator; aud when power once securely
gTaspod examples OF ITS voiunt,ry surrender have
been exceedingly rare Thtiriate will depend solely
upon his will and, knowing his character, there is
to fear that they will be ordered To
ton before they reach Mexico la Colonel Fanning
However, his eccentclllcs have at times been sur
prlsing aud unaccountabe, and he may dispose of
them in other way Our latest intelligence
from the capital that he has ordered force OF
l200O men to be equipped for another INVASION OF
Texas.
P.S News has arrived here that the command un-
der Gen Mcleod has surrendered in manner sim.
lar 10 Col Cook, and with similar treatment corrobo-
rating the surnse that Lewis was saved Tor tool in
this business. They have been some twenty DAYS ON
their march toward Mexico and are expected here in
! ten or tweycmote. The Governor in his dispatches
says lie has detained prisoners two commissioners
one Secretary and one other, undescrlbed- proba-
bly, Kendall. Lewis, for his fidelity and ACTIVITY has
been set liberty wcnd his way TO Texas or TO the
devil alone he prefers Here he cannot stay much
less hNe An extraordinary courier arrived with de-
sphtches to the Governor last night The purport no
one. can ascertain. Conjecture says the prisoners
have escaped,
Nov. oth, 1871 The above is plain, simple
statement of facts
Your obedent servant,