The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-14

SANTA FEE EXPEDITION.

N
The st. Louis Republican Of the 9th inst. learns
that Mr. Clark left Bents Fork for home on the 5th
instant General Kearney left on the Sd ult for
Santa Fe, in advance, we presume OF the main body
of his forces. They remained hye days at the Fort
The troops had lost about one hundred horses alto
gether, but still in good spirits, and willing to
| go ahead. The company of infantry reached the
| Fort two days before the mounted troops they had
| not lost man the way, and were in excellent
| health The whole regiment, when he left, were on
half rations, and had but few days. provisions with
them. The wagons taking supplies for them were
met some eight days behind them.
| In addition to the above, the st, Louis Union of
the 9th instant has the following from a corespon-
dent
BANKS OF THE Arkansas,
Within 8 miles of Bents Fort, July 90, 1876.
GENTLEMEN: We reached this point about IL
O'Clock to-day, and pitched our tents, All of the
other volunteer companies were IN advance and the
colonel ordered them to return; also the three COM
panies Of Dragons. So here we are, all in sight
eight volunteer companies besides mine the two ar
tillery companies and three United States Dragons
There will be two other regular companies up to-
morrow, Captains Cooks and Sumnerss. Our
army will then consist of eight volunteer companies
five regular Dragons, and the Laclede Rangers and
| two artillery You are aware that we have been
| placed with the regular army, and assure you |
consider 1t a most fortunate circumstance. The
reason we did not go to Bent's Fort was, because
| there was grass for our horses near the place
and it considered important, as we shall remain
| here two or three days, TO encamp where we could
| have forage for our animals.
There is no intelligence upon which we can rely
as to the state of things at Santa Fe Indeed, we
| know as little here you do in 81. Louis about
matters at Santa Fe. We shall, however, in few
days, be able TO know something definite. Several
days since. three Mexcans brought letters to some
traders at Bents Fort; Captain Moore took them
into custody, and they were to-day brought
down TO our camp, and are now with US. They
state that the chief men in New Mexico, were TO
have held council on the 10Th instant, to decide
whether they would resist or surrender but that
no had been received TO the result of their
deliberations. This is but the story of Mexican
and is Of such character that but little credit can
| be given to 1t.
The opinion entertained here, is, that we shall
have but little or no fighting, and am of the same,
from all that can learn about the people and their
means Of defence.
We are now distant two hundred and twenty
miles from Santa Fe, and 1t is matter of doubt in
my mind whether one half Of the horses in the ar
tllery companies will he able to reach that place
| They are in very bad condition. We have made
the trip IN thirty days, which Is considered very rap
| id, and am certain horses were never more abused
than those Of Capt. Fishers company The captain
is good officer and does all he can, but neither he
nor his men know much about horses One half of
them must be on foot in very short time. The
accounts TO getting forage near Santa Fe are
most gloomy fear that shall lose all our horses
and be compelled to return on foot There will
not be much poetry in this; however, feel certain
that can stand IL in fact, believe could make the
| trip easy on foot as on horseback. The two in
| fantry companies have out-marched, and reached
the fort in advance Of all the mounted companies. Ii
is said that there is net grass sufficient to subsst
| horses within sixty miles Of Santa Fe, grain
enough in the country to keep the horses of our ar
/ rnu tan / made NV MINI hat
| shall all be on foot and when take the country,
| more than one half will not be disposed to walk
| home. 1t has been suggested that about twenty
mules from Santa Fe there is grass, and that Colonel
Kearney may send our horses out to be wintered; if
this should be done, we may possibly save portion
| Of them.
You have heard much said about prairie life,
mountain life, &c. &c. Now, permit me to say,
that of all the humbugs these the most high top
| ioftieal Nothing could be more monotonous and
tedious than crossing prairie ten miles without
tree bush, hill or ravine and after battling
through the hot sun this distance, to be compelled
to drink puddle water, hot enough to make tea with.
However, all this amounts to nothing after you get
used to it. stand ii well. | am getting fat and
| stout AMI can eat more pork and bread than any
man in st. Louis. Take the trip altogether, it is
hard, but rather pleasant, in fact, enjoy it much
better. than most Of our men. am we'll acquainted
with officers Of the United States army who are
very clever, and we pass our cyeaipS1 very plsas-
| antly.
am sorry that | cannot give you some news,
| but there is nothing here to communicate.
Respectfully, yours.
In addition to the above, we have the following
| from another correspondent:
BENr's FoRr, July 90, 1886.
We are now some 900 1000 strong, encamped
on both sides of the river, and WILL am informed,
| march on the LIST August for Santa Fe. Three
Mexican prisoners were brought into camp yester-
| day. charged with being spies. One acknowledged
himself captain of Mexican militia, but says he
on his way with letters to Colonel Kearney. Vari-
Gus rumors afoat to the probable result of
| the expedition.
conversed to-day with an intelligent Santa Fe
trader, who has recently come to the fort from New
Mexico. He told me that the Mexicans are strain
| ing every nerpe to fortify Santa Fe and Taos. He
said that if we would proceed without delay, as we
undoubtedly shall, Taos be taken without
blow; but that il we take Santa Fe, must fight for
it. He also said ''that requisition had been made
on the central government for aid, and that detach-
ment of troops from the interior is expected at
Santa Fe before General Kearney's command can
| arrive there"