The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-01-01
FROM sssh Army.
Correspondence of the Alton Telegraph.
CANP, ncQr lfoycIOrc. )

CANr, ntar NOIci0rc. }
| Co0huiIG, Mricc, Nov. 10, 1916.
DEAR SiR-As YOU Witnessed the com.
mencemen' Of this expedition, and saw
the measures adopted towards the volun.
'ecrH, it may he only proper that | should
detail 10 Won some Of the operations since
you left San Antonio. Promising that
what | may say, though it should not
prove very interesting or amusing, yet.
coming from dislan; land, and attempt,
ing To describe scenes no. unusual in civ.
il life, 1t may at 'eas, I've read without,
causing an attack If caHW, At anv.rare.
all that i, will cost you will be the post.
agP-an item which trust my friends
will no, regret paying. to see ny hand.
writing. i nothing else is worthy their
attention in what shall write. After
this long preamble, YOU viii say that it il
high time to proceed; and, coinciding in
sha, opinion. "fdrrorF' is the word.
/ Tie second regiment of Illinois volun-
teers, with three other companies, some
Dragons, &C.. and very large train,
leG San Antonio October l4th. all com.
landed by Col. Churchill, as senior OF.
fccr. After marching eleven days, (snd
hard and Iyrc marches they were.) we
encamped on tn Rio Grande, October
2ilh, Gen. Wool, r.''h the regulars,
Dragons, and artillery, also 'taldln $ re-
glment, had preceded US two wee ,'s, and
left Mowers company here to conslr,tc
the works ola foriiticalion. ftrry-boa,
had been put on the river, on which we
crossed, though most Of the train forded |
the stream, which is near 400 verbs wide. |
with n rock bottom, and the water muddy. /
ike that Of the Missouri. On the 2Glh. /
we passed through Preside de Grande. /
six miles from The river, which is a place .
resembling San Antonio, though larger .
Thence we passed Navarro, and S n Fer
nando. which last is large city. J he
people were friendly aud hospi,able, fur.
nishing us with provisions Of all sorts,
and the yellow and brunette scnoras quite
fascinating. Leaving the San Rosa road,
we crossed two mountain torrents, swift.
and Difficult, 10 get over. Ridges of noun
tdps appeared on either hand, while the
high'table lands produced not much save
chapparsl ihickels. prckely pears. aud
cabbage plants. AT lengh, we came into
the open prairie; saw some ranches and
hariendas on the route, aud large hot
medicinal spring in which the ,hermom.
etcr stood at 10 degrees. This spring
affords immense volumes Of water, and is
ir,quenled by patients for long distance
around. Continued on, and passed more
hacienda, with large fields of corn. cot.
ton. DC, and almost innumerabe nncks
of sheep and goats; while the doors Of
the rude liule thaiched colleges were
swarmlng like bces, with an indefinite,
though numberless mu,itue OF small chll.
drcn. mostly dressed in the primcval cos
tune Of Adam and Eve, before they APP
propria,ed fg leaves fr haliIinenis. We
arrived here the 9Th instant. having been
ont but toenly-lour days from San Anro.
MO, distance Of 450 mlics-a uarcn
performed with unsurpassed relefilv, aud
unequaled in the military ANAL, Of the
U. States. When known in the Union.
this march mus, become celebrated; and
the State al Illinois may well boast of her
indnml,able sons, who performed this
feat without ilinching, save from some
sore and bll,tered feet. We bea. General
Woods time, with the boosted first regi-
ment OF Illinois volunteers, several days; =
and as we ouslripped their marching,
so, if the occasion offers, will we outstrip
them in fighting.
Gen. Shit Ids we found here. lie is to
command our two regiments. A grea,
many restrictions and duties are forced 4,
upon us, by the regular officers, who ,
seem to take all possible pains to disgust :
the volunteers. and show that they are
unfit TO fgh, for their country; hoping To
prove thereby the necessity of large
standing army, when, in such an eve IT, :
these Yves, Point gentry might obtain a.
high commands. At n hacienda, back a ,
few miles, Gen, Wool ordered COL liar.
din TO post guard, to prevent, as he said, =,
the volunteers from plundering the Mex
leans. Col. Hardin sen, a guard of
drummer, bugler and ffer; which a
Gen. Wool seeing. sent for the Colonel /
and demanded the reason Of so singular c
guard being posted. The Colonel said I
General, you have accused the volun. 4
leers Of the intention of stealing, and | $
could no, order out any other guard, after S
tina, impua'ion on my men, than the one G
detailed" &c. Gen. Wool replied C
I'll did not mean your men. and you can O
tell your men so; IL was The Arkansas +
troops that | meant" Hardin said, ~ I,