The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-03-10

within I2 hours march, and iflhe Texans gained the
battle. they would be engaged with more tOrml-
dabs foe. The Commissioners yet not satisfied, Capt
Lewis padsed his honor the truth ofall these state
mens, swearing upon his IIOSonO faith (solh being
Msion] to every word oft.
Such being the circumstances f,he dVisisn, without
food adsd and out by tguiOg marches, III 'front.'
ofa force of some six hunred men and expecting tho
arrival Of 5000 more and being especially ordered BY
the Iexan government TO avoid hoslihes II tie Peo-
pls were opposed 10 em and not aPprsed of the cap
ure of the gentlemen despatched 10 Santa Fs and not
suspecGng Lewis 10 be hsitor, the te&ans laid down
their arms upon the OfsuTEeHaer proposed Food
was then furnished the troops rad they were treated
wild, soe lenisucy uuti the nest day, when the GoT%
efYcrjssrRd with about 1860 men, a force sufficient
10 nahs hirnAecure in his baTbarity; we were seized
and bound six and Gght together with hait4opes and
thongs of raw hide and put in filthy sheer"old, sur
rounded by large armed guard. The Mexican officers
then excited the Poems to the highest degrssp phren'
zy by Inc accounts they gave Of the TsAans, and we
were prevented from being slaughtered by being hud-
died together IN a small yard enclosed by mud wall,
and defended by the regular troops. In this place we
were Eept all night lying in heaps one upon another,
and suffering the most intense agony from The closeness
of the confinement and and the pressure OF the ropes
with which we were bound and in full hearing Of the
disputes in the council called by the Governor 10 deb"
crate upon our destiny, which decided about daybreak
by ',snge vote that wo should not be shot but
ched off for Mexico. ..-..
At sunrise we had to take up march fer the city
ofMexico, about 5000 miles dsant-the soldiers telling
us that we going to tbs mines, Bound 'lI and
together we were forced 10 travel the three FIRST days a.
bout 80 miles each, without food and even cened the
privilege Of drinking when we were wadins the small
streams, through which we were marched. We were
stripped oeha shoes, blankets and coats The Cover
nor himself took from my blanket and buffalo robe,
cursng and striking the prisoners and ravng like mad
mani because Gas we heard his wish to have us shot
had been over ru led in council was obliged to give
my Shirt in the extremity Of my Distress for loaf OF
bread and swapped loeraby good pair Of panaloons
for ragged pair upon receiving mouttful or two to
eat in exchange When we arrived at the Rio del
Norte had parted with every thing bat my tattered
trousers vest and suspenders every thing else having
been disposed of for bread robbed from me by the
soldiers. Nor were the other prisoners ina better cons
dton. Tie weather was then cold and we weIe nigh
pershng iItour nakedness,
After few days march, i. was found imprHcticable
for us TO get on with any speed bound together in such
numbers. We were then tied two together and to
each pair there rope tied abNn the waist neck or
arms and fastened to the pumme tfihe saddle Of the
horses on which the guard M. anted. The soldiers
would occasionally put their horses in gaop to tor
ture those fastened to them, aud whenever any OF uE
fell down or Jagged behind were dragged upon the
ground and beaten with thongs, sticks or whatever else
was at hand.
The PRINCIPAL indeed almost all the food we reseiv-
ed during the route was furnished by the women, who
would follow us IN large numbers for miles, weeping
at tile cruelles to which we were subjected They
would not be allowed sometimes the discharge Of he
offices of charty-the soldiers beating them off and re-
wiling them with obscene and abusive language: We
were marched at times all night and all day, blinded
by sand and parched with thirst, till tongues were
SO swollen as almost to he incapable ofsDeaking.
After we were taken prisoners, we learned tina
Rowland, Rosenbury and Baker, the guides we tool
with us from Texas, and who had been seat before
the division left the Palo Duro, had been taken ant
shot-as well ms an American merchant, named Row
land, who had gone their security when they were ia
ken up, upon the information of the Brignoe, dese
ter from The expedition Ofthese transactions how
ever, can only speak from hsarsay. A number o
other ourages reported to have been perperaiet
upon American citizens-no doubt correctly reported
When we arrived al Mexico, we were covered will
filth and vermn. We there met an order from SAINT
Ana, to be chained with heavy iron. We were lodge
in the Convent San ntiago about two miles from til
palace confined in room over the cemetry, am
the efIluvia from the dead bodies beneath was ofensv
in the extreme.
Upon my arrival, | wrote to our Minister, Mr.. Ellis
informing him of my situation, and ofbeing citizen 0
the United States and stated the fact of my having gon
with the expedition only as guest of the commission
ers, which circumstance was conoboraud in writing
by NIessrs Cooke and Brenham, two Of the commits
sioners then prisoners with US.
The prisoners were upon The order of Santa Ana, w
kod up and chained two and two together and marches
10 the palace, at midnight. When they arrived there
the Dictator was aseopi the prisoners kept in tn
public square for the qualification Of the abble and he
marched back, no one daring to disturb the slumbers
the Tyrant. was not then put iii chains in conse
qqence Ofmy illness. Those prisoners who were abl
to do so were subsequently made to work upon tn
streets of the capital. .,
About three weeks after we reached Mexico, two Q
the prisoners made their escape. This incensed SAINT
Ana to such degree that he ordered tho whole Of us