The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-10-10
Correspondence of the St. Louis Republican.
Army of the West.
SANTA FE, New Mexico.
Aug. Oath. 1916.

mug ~fuls Io1os
From the heading of my letter you
will perceive that Santa Fe, and with
it the province OF New Mexico, is Ia
ken. Even now, the star-spangled
banner waves over the former palace
of General Armiio; American sentinels
guard the town; American soldiers par
ade on the public plaza. On the high
lands, south OF the town, tent upon tent
may be seen, and their inmates buslly
engaged in cleaning their armor, drill
ling, and attending to their various
military duties; the cannon of Major
Clark's battalion pointing significantly
with their muzzles towards the town;
all denoting that, unless symptoms be-
lie me, the war east of the Rio Del
Norte is ended.
In one word, the expedition Of Gen.
eral S. w. Kearney, with the army ol
the west, has, thus far, resulted in the
most successful triumph which even
the mostsanguine could have imagined.
/ If l remember right, my last com.
munication to you was addressed from
Fort Bent. At that place our army
remained but three days, camping nine
+ miles east of the fort, near the mouth
of Piquetway. Some prisoners whom
h we made there, and who, It was sup
e posed, were spies Of General Armijo
J. spread various contradictory rumor
amongst us, but Gen. Kearney, with
j. out paying the least regard to their hos
j. tile intentions, treated them remarka
II bly, friendly, sent them about the camp
= showed them our entire forces, and es
S peclally our cannon, and then sent ther
home, with the request to tell Ger
i, Armijo what they had seen, and tha
v lnless thanItwenty days we should NEE
him--not on by-paths; not stealthily
j. but boldly, openly, on the highways
t New Mexico, ready to remove any OF
,. stacIe which might present itself IN ou
!. way, but ready, also, 10 treat all thos
is who made no hostile demonstration
IS towards us, as fellow-citzens Of our II
d public. On the Cd ofAugust, our force
left the camp, and at the fort, crosse
n the Arkansas, the inmates of the fol
II saluting US by hosting the America
E. flag. --------------- -
D. Our marches were extremely fatig'
$. ing after we left the fort; and the sal
% dy soil, the bad quality ofthe grass, an
the want of good water, joined to a
rs almost insupportable heat and the h'
st winds, blowing from the west, had ii
effect OF dampening the spirits of Il
III men considerably. To most of II
Le ammunition wagons of our artillery "
,r had already been forced to put oxel
IS they also gave out soon, and it Wi
with great difliculty--such as is nj
n easily imagined-that the artillery pr
n- ceeded onward. Mr.. Glasgow, M
ID Leitensdorfer, and other traders, joi
10 ed our army at the fort, and procee
ct ed along with US in the rear. Cap
Cook, with several men, was sent ahea
Id on mission fpeace to Gen. Armij
,r and Messrs. Bent and Leitensdorf'
W followed him, exploring the country.
On the 9th, we reached the Rattoc
is mountains, and on the 10th we encam
il ed on the Canadian fork Of the Color
e. do. having in two days gotten success
fully through the most dangerous pa
y, ses which can be imagined. Alter v
er had passed these mountains, gave |
ms all hopes of meeting an enemy, ina
n. much as determined band of FIVE hu
IT. dred men might have at least delay
its our passage Though them for month
ill perhaps destroyed our entire foict
I'M without any other arms and ammui
he ton than the rocks on these impassat
mountains.