The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-03-15
THE SANTA FEE EXPEDITION.

Franklin Combs, sen Of Gen. Leslie Combs
Of Kentucky, who accompanied the Texan
ExpedltiCn 10 Santa Fe, and was captEr I'd with
the advanced guard, but was released by San
la Ana at Mexico, has passed through New
Orleans on his return 10 kentucky. The Bee
received from him a narrative of the fortunes
of the expedition, which in great part agrees
with what we have already published. Ii
seems that the division of the Texan Force
was constrained by want, the Expedition hav-
ing been ten weeks on lis march when it ar
rived at the PaIo Duro, constantly harrassed
by the Indians, who killed five of its men the
morning the advanced party set out. The
provisions had run short and 80 men under
Col. Cock, DR.. Brenham and Capt. Sutton
were pushed on, to procure n fresh supply, and
to omen communication with the Santa Feans
As thew supposed they were but ninety miles
from Gallinas, and provisions were so scarce,
only three davs' rationS were taken. But
time showed them that they were 800 miles
from Gallinasl with not habitation on the
wav. and they were tive weeks accomplishing
the distance, subsisting on their broken-down
horses, wild berries, horned frogs, snakes, &c.
&c.-anv thing to escape starvation. But at
last thev reached Gallinas; and from this point
Mr.. Combs account of the treachery of Capt
Lewis. Gov. Armijo and the Mexicans gener-
allv. and their solemn oaths to supply them
with provisions and give them a safe passage
out of the country, agrees with the accounts
we have already given. Mr.. Combs pro-
ceeds
"Food was then furnished the troops, and
thew were treated with some leniency until
the next day, when the Gov. arrived with a.
bout 800 men, a force sufficient to make him
secure in his barbarity; we were seized and
bound six and eight together, with hair ropes
and thongs of raw hide, and put in filthy
sheep fold, surrounded by large armed guard.
The Mexican officers then excited the Poems
to the highest degree of phrenZy, by the &c
counts they gave of the Texans, and we were
prevented from being slaughtered by being
huddIed together in small yasd enclosed by
4 mud wall, and defended by the regular
troops. In this place we were kept all night,
LAYING in heaps, one upon another, and suffer-
ing the most intense agony from the closeness
of the confinement and pressure OF the ropes
with which e were bound and in full hearing
of the disputes in the council called by the
Governor to deliberate upon our destlny,whch
decided about day-break. by single cote,
that we should not be shot but marched ott
for Mexico.
"At sunrise we had to take up our march tor
the city of Mexico, about 1000 miles distant
- the soldiers telling US that we were going to
the mines. Bound six and eight together, we
were forced to travel, the three first days a.
bout 80 miles each, without food and even de-
MED the privilege of drinking when we were
wadng the small streams, through which we
were marched. We were stripped of mats,
shoes, blankets and coats. THE Gov. himself
took from me my blanket and bufalo-robe,
cursing and striking the prisoners and raving
like mailman, because (as we heard) his wish
TO have us shot had been everrued in council.