Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-01-10
FOREIGN NEWS.
THE sANTE FE EXPEDITION.

the following le;ter from North Mexico, winch
dspels the last lingering hope of the safety of the
Texan Sante Fe Expedition. Every man has
been captured or killed by the Mexicans and it is
believed that many of the cnptives have been shot
by their barbarian enemies. Laborng under the
strong infauation (which tried hard to diss
pate early in the Summer) that the people OF San
Fe either favorable or at least indifferent
TO The success of the adventure, the Expedition
appears to have advanced into the heart OF the
country in a struggling and uncircumspect man
ner and to have fallen victims to their imprudence
and the treachery Of the MeScans. Their defeat
WINS inevitable from the FIRST as we have all along
maintained; but the terrible fate which has over
taken them more than juslifes our lorebodings.--
We greatly fear that ut this moment few or none
of them survive, and TINT among them friend
KENDALL has met bloody fate Heaven grant
it may be otherwise II he is alive he will he
cued, of his rnltne instantly left for Vera
Cruz and the whole South w est will he aroused
for his restoration and That of his associates II
they are killed in cold blood the conquest of Mex
leo is precpitated several years. We shall wait
farther tidiugs with painful anxiety. Tribune.
CHIHUAHUA, North of Mexico, Nov. 9TH ls4l
To John @. Chalmers W. d. .4ustin, Terds
R:-lle who now addresses you does with
personal risk, and therefore must use tho precau-
lions which prudence suggests. Ills agents in
New Orleans will be able, from The autograph, TO
inform you OF the writer's name. lie has new
er been in Texas, and is not aware that he has II
single acquaintance in that country. But there
I are sympnthies which extend beyond the circle OF
perronal friends. BY particular request of Col
VIM. Cook and DR.. Richard G. BRENNAN, | cit
down to give you ma rave Of their disasters, ms
| deined 10 me in some briefinterviews with Them,
during their short soourn in this city ns prisoners
ot war. Exaclpess OF dates cannot pretend TO
! observe. The confusion md s!rangeness OF the
events preclude the possibility ; but the general
chain will be faithfully narrated.
| The nd vance party, of abont one hundred men,
| had reached the neighhorhood of Santa Fe, leav-
| ing the rear guard with The wagons md artillery,
some two hundred miles behind. Four or five
men were sent forward to announce the purposes
| OF their mission TO the authorites and TO say that
they had come more friends than Toes; 81 that
they wished to cultivate the acquaintance of their
! neigbors, and open Commercial relations with
them, and not TO provoke hostilities. OfIhese a.
uant couriers, Que was Capt. Lewis, and another
was Mr.. Kendall editor of the New Orleans Pic
=. ayune. They seized and two or three, some
| say four of them, were, by order of Gov. Armilo,
Immediately shot. The Governor then, with
large body of New Mexicans in nrms, went ont TO
| salute their vsiters. The latter had h owever ia
ken up srong position, and prepared to act on
the defensive, should it he necessary-hithero
ignorant of the fate oftheir emissarics as of the
reception they were likely to meet,
In ravine formed by the ireshes, having a
stream of some magnitude in their rear, stood Col
Cook and his men, confident that from their posi-
ton they could not be dslod sed. Here they wal
ted the approach of their adversares, doubtful
yet whether to regard them Us friends or foes
impatient for the order 10 fire, yet restrained by
their pacific instructions from the Texan Govern
ment, they watched for some act of aggression 10
Justify them in testing the temper of their guns.
AT this critical moment comes forward Capt. Lew
is, accompanied by nephew of the Governor,
(who speaks and understands English weli)
and hegs Col. Cook not to fire, nor be concerned.
lie assures him there ia no need Of engage.
Tho Gov 10 u IN thor
kindly, and that articles OF agreement had already
been entered into for armislice which might
lead TO a friendly alliance On the other hand he
represented the Mexican force numerous and
strong that in an hour they would be surrounded
by five Thousand men, all armed and obedient to
thier Chief; that it was in vain to resist and the
Governor was anxious to avoid conflict, and
'ro"iu uosi ...-- .-i'h then, tina" tl'oy had any
right TO expect.
These representations and assurances, coming
from their own interpreter, and supported by the
, Governors nephew, exercised fatal influence.
They inclined to listen to terms of capitulaton,
which were agreed upon follows they were
TO lay down their arms and return forth with to
I exas their persons to be safe and invloate;
the Governor was TO protect them ngains the pop.
ultce--to escort them TO the borders Of Texas,
aid there having restored to them their guns de-
. spatch them for their homes.
These articles were ratified in the usual manner
in such cases. and the Texan party in good faith,
seized, tied and plundcred of every thing Even
their uniform WIS stripped off. Hats boots and
shoes shared the same fate, and in this condition
they were ordered to march undor II strong escort
to the city of Mexico distance of near two thou
sand miles and answer TO the authorities there as
prisoners of war. They arrived here about ten
days ago, having suffered greatly from fatigue,
hunger and thirst. In this place they received as
: good treatment could be expected in their cir
: cumstances. Though restrained of ali liberty
their personal wants were attended TO, and by
voluntary subscriptions OF both foreigners and
natives they were clad (nsar 1000 men) in a light
but comfortable suit, and then sent forward on
their dreary march. They are expected 10 rencl
the Capitol some time in December next. Among
the prisoners is a lad of the name Of Coonls
whose father in Kentucky WINS named Minister to
Mexico. The boy heard OF this in Galveston and
presuming his father would accept the appoint
meni, he resolved TO accompany thG expedition
10 SAINT Fee, and thence go TO Mexico to join his
parent.
Il The names Of some of the officers are Capt,
Sutton, Engineer Hunt, Lubbock. isnoi known
whether Capt. Lewis acted from fear or treacbe-
I ny, or whether he was deceived. The most
charitable supposon is the latter although the
result has not mgated the sufferings nor cssened
the perils of his companions. He alone unless
Kendall has been saved remains with Armo in
Santa Fe He is, doubtless, detained TO aid Ar
milo's operations upon the party and wagons in
the rear. The instructions of the Texian Presi-
dent, together with the Proclamation TO the in.
hahian,s private letters and other documents,
were laken and sent 10 this place for translu.
ton. During this process some suspicion fell
upon the foreign residents, two of whom, Mr..
Thurslon and Capt. Dryden, were thrown into
prson--the former was detained in duresse about
fifteen days, end the later is still in close conine.
rnent uncertain Of what will be his ssnleuce. Ii
is thought it will be death.
| Much speculation has been had upon the prob
able destiny that awaits the prisoners Santa Ana
is now the Chief Executive having laey made
h lmself absolute Dictator, and when power
sonce securely grasped examples OF it's volun-