Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-03-29
SAMUEL DAVIS, PUB. AND PROPRIETOR.

| AS'li'oii SSs WINCH was pfOHlpuy COLI
piled with. A gallant body Of infan-
try and dragons marched from this
city, a few only of whom now survive.
Gen Wilkinson concluded his order
to Col. Gushing with these burning
words, which we extract from the man
uscript now before us.
Learn, with all possible precision,
the force, composition, and station of
the troops opposed to you; be your
selves prepared for combat; and, if a
conflict must ensue, having previous
| ly animated your officers in their pres
enceto fall or conquer, make your on
set with the bayonet; and your own
glory, the honor of our arms, land the
integrity of the nation will be insur-
ed"
In the mean time, the Spaniards
tell back to the Bayou Pierre. where
they fortified themselves. AT this juno
ture, the Major General reached Nat
chitoches, and the troops from The
Mississippi Territory and about four
hundred louisiana militia were eag-
erly pressing on, expecting to attack
the Spaniards and then plant the
American Eagle on the banks of the
Rio Grande. On the 9th Septem-
Der, the Spaniards for reason never
yet satisfactorily explained, abandoned
their entertainments on the Bayou
Pierre, and on the 3Oth, took up
strong position on the west bank Of the
Sabine, near what is now known as
Gaines ferry. Gen Wilkinson's
movements appear dilatoy, but it must
be remembered, that his antagonist
had vast superiority of force, and the
ancient lustre of their arms had never
been dinmed by the anglo--Saxon
sword. Ga the 2Sth October, Gen.
Wilkinson issued from the Camp La
Piedra, twenty six miles west of Nat
chitoches ,anorder which seems to indi-
cate the expectation of a general and
immediate attack. But no battle was
; ever fought; the Mississippi troops
were ordered back, chagrined and dis
al pointed; flags of truce were exchan-
ged, and negotiations took place which
resulted on the one hand, in the with
drawal of the Spanish army, and OIL
the other, in imputations on the honor
of the American General. We will
] at future day, be able to produce
new testimony on this point, in en-.
: deavoring TO place before the countr,
full development of the designs anc
> connections of Aaron Burr. 1t was a
Natchitoches, while collecting force,
for his march TO the Sabine, tina. Gen
Wilkinson received, on the Sth Octo-
: Der, the celebrated letter from Col
{ Burr, in cipher, by the hands of Sir
q Swartout, since become so notorious il
II New York.
+ The old town remained compare.
lively quiet after this until 18IO-1I
u when sthe revolutionary spirit, which
= finally eventuated so gIoriously in The
10 establishment of the Texan republic
70 first began to agitate its streets anC
~ Cofe-houses. The expedition Of Gen
y Toledo, its first success and disastri
Gus termination, is well remember
) ed, but belongs rather to Texas. Ii
: 1SIl-12, large parties of adventurer
- assembled between the Arroyo Hon
:" do and the Sabine, (then called tn
- neutral ground,) many of them wer
= from this vicinity, but they were dis
&c persed by the United States militar
authorities at Natchitoches, and thei
huts burned down. From similar ma
terials, and animated by similar spil
Us it, was formed the army that triumpbe
le on the ever memorable field Of San j
~ cinto.
d Thus it will be seen, that in poir
- of age, this venerable town Outrank
y New Orleans. In historic interest,
nc is scarcely Inferior. Far buried in Ii
~ depths of the richest huvial region c
"a q the continent,it was visited by the DO
0u dest and earliest adventures Of ii
" new world, and fixed upon by riv
t; nations, as point not sonly of traffi
= but of empire. Numerous and powe
IN luI tribes, of a mysterious and meIal
80 choly race, once surrounded it, who!
It" hostility was soothed and whose su
We tlety baffled for term ofyears, by Il
~ inimitable address Of of few Frenc
ny men--habituaIIy as courteous in
forest lodge as in the saloons Of PAR
That these traditions and reminisce
airs ces have not all been lost, we shall OF
day show. That many things co
ap- nected with the history Of the pla
bu, and with the aborigines of Red Rive
whole nations of which are now e.
ars tipct, have been preserved, we ha
arr reason to believe.
A WARLIKE PARAGRAPH !;
VI number of the London Observer, has the
are lowing:
SIN THE BOUNDARY QUESTION.|t
md limited by some influential parties in the city
h. :