Southern pioneer, and Carroll, Choctaw and Tallahatchie Counties advertiser. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-02

if MOTTO proceed. His tate, II ne returned,
might ultimately have been that of the party
with Cooke, but the possibility, that man
who bears a flag of truce, may subsequently
be shot in battle, is no justification for killing
him when having the flag in his hand--Among
Indians such an emblem of peace is respected.
But at all events it is criminal act first to pro-
fess a respect for it, and then to violate the
protection which it was recognised to af-
ford.
The secret instructions of the Commission
ers who accompanied the expedition, and who,
it is stated, were to treat with the inhabitants
of New Mexico, upon matters of trade, were
not seen by Mr.. Kendall or known to him.
Their character could not have been anticipa-
ted from the presence of the military. The
military force was not larger than was neces-
Sary for the protection of the goods of the
merchants from the attack of Indians; nor
larger, believe, than the military force which
accompanied the early Missouri expeditions TO
Santa Fe.
The party with whom Mr.. Kendall travel
led as prisoner, left San Miguel upon Octo-
Der 18th. He had been detained in San Mi
guel for nearly month previously. On the
evening of the 23d he reached Valera. The
next morning a man of the name Of Earnest,
from the long marches of the previous days.
His ears were cut off to be presented by our
captain to his Superior officer as evidence that
the man had not escaped, and this barbarous
proceeding occurred in every instance, on the
road, either of natural death or murder.
About mile from Valencia, Texan, volun-
teer of the name of McAlster was shot. 1t
is said, that his sister married son of the
late Chief Justice Marshal. He was lame,
and unable from fatigue and exhaustion to
walk at the same pace as most of the other
men. Capt. Demassio Salazar, who had the
charge of the party, called Mr.. G. Van Ness
to him and directed him to go to the rear and
to inform all who were behind, that if they
did not Immediately overtake the other pris-
oners, he would order them to be shot, and
that sergeant and four men had been order
ed to the rear, for this purpose. When Mr..
G.. Van Ness was in the act of complying and
had not repeated the whole order, the sergeant
and his men came up. The sergeant asked
McAlister "why he did not 60 faster!" He
replied "that he was not able, for his feet were
very sore" He was almost instantly shot,
His ears were cut off, his blanket and his
pantleoons taken from him and his body left
on the road.
Upon the 3Oth of October, we reached Hay
Cristoval. At night there was severe snow
storm. None of us had more than one blan-
ket, and in the morning there were more than
two inches of snow upon us. Here COM
menced the march of the Grand tornado. II
is SO called, from there being no water the
whole distance and the difficulty with which it
is performed. We moved off at noon of the
3lst, and our march continued the whole
night. There was a halt for about an hour
and half in the morning, when the march
again commenced and was continued through.
out the day, and with the exception of about
three hours, throughout the whole night, and
until 10 O'Clock the next morning. During the
whole time no provisions or water were giver
to the men. 1t was about 7 o'clock of the
last night, that Gophin, merchant, was shot
He had long been sick, and had been car
ried on the sick wagon, as it was called, near
Ily the whole distance from the River Quintifut
to San Miguel, that is, from Sept. Is to Oct
IL. He continued sick and infirm until tn,
time of his death. He obtained permission O
one of the Mexican soldiers to ride. and wa
in the act Of pulling off his shirt to pay for th
favor, when some soldiers came up. One @
them fired and wounded him. He ran SOM
yards, crying out to have his life spared, wheI
another soldier shot him dead.
UrilIlth was Aiieu Ihe Same hISnt VIII
Dolphin. He had been permitted to ride in
t wagon during the day, upon account of sick
| ness. His brains were knocked out by sol
} der, but we do not know what occurred pre-
vious to his being killed.
r Gates was another sick soldier. He caugh
cold soon after leaving San Miguel, which wa
followed by very severe inflammation of tn
S lungs. A few minutes before his death,
soldier presented at him musket, and snappe'
, it in his face, laughing at the painful effect
produced. His body was thrown into tn
= bushes. There was another man of the nam
of Gates with us, Cornishman, who is alive
t These were the horrible scenes that wer
;. accompanied with loss of life; but Their
: were other scenes connected with this march
7 of longer duration, and of the most painful
1 kind. For many days no food was distributed