Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-09-12
From the Republican.
LATE FROM SANTA FEE.

LA IL fhOM SAM FE.
A letter from Mr.. N. Colburn, our cor.
respondent at Santa Fe, announces his
arrival at Independence, in this State, on
Thursday last, in twenty four and half
days from Santa Fe. This journey eclipses
in speed any other ever performed between
the two points, and shows that very soon
it will be stripped of even the character of
novelty. From the letter of Mr.. Coburn,
we gather many facts of interest TO our
readers, which are here arranged.
Mr.. Colburn left Santa Fe on the Sd Of
August. There were then only $50 Mexi.
can soldiers stationed in Santa Fe, but the
authorities stated that they had 1000 men
ready TO march at moments warning to
meet Gen. Kearney, and 1000 were ex-
pectcd from the lower country. How far
this expectation may be realized, may be
judged of from the fact, that Mr. Kennedy,
who had Just arrived from Sonora, re-
ported that they had there only 300 sol.
ders, 200 at chihuahua, and 40 at Ell
Passo.
When Mr. c. left Santa Fe, nothing had
been heard of Gen. Kearney's movements
for fifteen days previous. 1t was not then
known that Gen. Wool was moving against
chihuahua. About 200 miles on his route
home, he met with eight Mexican Dragons
who had been watching the movements of
the American forces under Gen. kearney.
They said they had not seen the troops,
although they had been in sight of Bent's
Fort and to the Simarone. Mr.. Colburn
reached the crossing of the Arkansas in
ten days, being the quickest trip ever made
to that point in wagons. He found grass
l. al
Worcester, of the U. States Artillery, T.
Caldwell and Chas. Bent, only ten days
from Independence, and sent by them to
Gen. Kearney all the news of which he
was in possession. From this party, he
heard of the murder, on the evening be-
fore, of Mr.. w. z. Swan, of Northamp.
ton, Mass. He was returning, it is stated,
from Fort Bent, in company with Ma or
G.. Clark and was shot from his horse,
when within seventy-fve yards Of their
camp, by Indians.
On the 18th, he met Mr. Turly's COM
pany of three wagons, for Taos and also
forty-thrce Government wagons and "a
men. They We're lying by for repairs.
They had lost fifteen yoke of oxen: many
of the men were sick, and they had only
two rounds Of ammunition. No guard
could be placed at night, and they had
nothing with which to protect themselves
when hunting their oxen. The Indians were
attacking some Of the companies almost
every night. This detachment of wagons
was then sixteen days behind the Army,
| which Mr.. G. learned was subsisling on
half ration of bread and meat, with
neither sugar nor coffee! He expresses the
opinion, that one hundred Mexican soldiers
could capture all the supplies of Govern.
Bent's Fort, if they only knew their ex-
posed situation. 1t was also stated that the
Dragons had only fifteen rounds of ammu-
milton with them. Mr.. C. says that the
Indians were in Santa Fe, offering their
services to Gen. Armijo, on condition that
he should let them have the spoils which
they might take from the Americans, but
that he had refused to accept the PROPOSE
lion. If he had acceded to it, the army
might, possibly, have been defeated, or
their supplies cut off, which would have
caused great distress. Major Clark and
himself gave the men all the powder which
they could spare, and left them.
On the 18th, he met twenty-five Govern
ment wagons, in charge of Mr.. Campbell
and Mr.. Coons Of ST. Louis. He learned
from them that their camp had been at.
tackled on the night previous, and that they
had killed one Indian and wounded another.
That night his camp was attacked at Coon
Creek, and an attempt made to run off his
stock.
On the 18th, he met sixty wagons, loaded
with merchandise, at Pawnee Fork, be-
longing to Armijo, Magofin and others.
AT this point, he overlook ten wagons on
their return from Bent's Fort.
On the 18th, at Cow Greek, met Messrs.
Barnes and Allen, with thirty-one Gov.
crnment wagons and forty.three men. His
camp was again attacked, and an attempt
made TO drive off the animals-the guard
fired on the Indians, but they contrived TO
steal three of Major Clark's mules, which
caused some delay. About three O'Clock
in the morning, they heard firing Of mus
kerry, which they afterwards learned was
from Mr.. Iorner's company of eighteen
wagons at Owl Creek. Their camp had
been attacked by large body of Indians,
and they were almost without powder.
Major Clark gave them all he could spare.
At little Arkansas river, he met forty.six
wagons belonging to Algueir and Paris, the
latter in charge of Messrs. Stiman, Waldo,
and holland. Two of their wagons had
been struck by lightning, and one man
was slightly injured.
On the 10Th, met Doyle and Garvey's
six wagons, with goods for the Indian trade
n NJ Al, r Al