The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-18
consequence of sickness, and when at Turkey Creek
wrote the following letter to his friend Col c.:

our fires have been out by Storm is sill,
raging ercely First, the 18th last month Gov Bent
with all the Americans residing in Taos, cruelty
sacred by the New Mexcans; for time outbreak
mas been threatening and when | in Santa Fe the
troops was IN state OF stretest vigilance and every
down to rest with drawn sabre pistols by their side
Elsht hexicans had been rarresed and imprsonedthe
most eminent Thos. Ortiz second in command under
Armo, Diego Arehllette formerly member of the Next
can Congress, Nicholas Pine, Santiago Armo Manual
Cearez and others These persons had arranged plan OF
order 70 extend u, 50 as to produce complete revolution
throughout the department of New Mexico which
have taken place Christmas night but the of the
conspiraiors frustrated this plan left Santa Fe on the
18th Of December but received letters from that place up
e l2th oil January. battle fought Brazito the
18th December between Col Doniphans command and the
troops from Chihuahua Our men gained the field after
The Americans canped Brazto O'clock and were
scattered about some TO get wood and some get
the Mexcans coming. Colonel Donphan succeeded
in forming about 600 of his line of bate, with
lieutenant rode out from the Mexican ranks summon
ing troops to surrender and ordered Colonel Donphan
told the messenger that if they wanted the colonel
they had better come and take him
The Mexican lieutenant Immediately displayed a black
flag which sgnfed that they determined neither
about 1000 consisting ances and infantry oflhe reguars
and militia Immediately charged but weldrected fire
Mexcans ingoriously fed" leaving about thirty killed
| and wounded, and howitzer The Americans had none
killed. and but eight slightly wounded. This victory dec
ded the fate of FL Paso of which place Colonel Donpha
took possession the 18th In letter from Colonel Don
seizng the post Office III Paso, he got of let
from General Tras. of chihuahua, the commanding
officers at FL Paso announcing the advance Of General
Wool against the city of chihuahua with 200 men hav-
ing sent 5000 against Durango
We shall soon hear them OF the conquest of those places
as Colonel Donphan will cooperate with General
Wool. Colonel Price has ordered Major Clarke, with six
pieces and 100 men, to report Colonel Donphan Cap
tain Burgwn, now at Albuquerque, has sent Santa Fe
This late success will doubtless quiet the penrbed spirits
of New Mexico, but our little band of men, in danger
GUS situation From the official returns that fell into my
partmen OF New Mexico estimated at l0O00O-ths in
cludes the Puebos or Indian villages
As to the character of these people, the horrible murder of
Gov Bent, together with the Americans in Taos on the
ia am e @ Of all the
Der a't-he battle charge Of the government troops and
idea They entitled only to be dealt with outlaws
bandits, and pirates
they stolen by the Pawnees We had seen no In
dams for week Previous nor did any for four
fourth day, while all the in the traces labong to
drag the wagon to Pawnee Fork band of Pawnees
officer Of the United States and that the govern
been killing orr people, and stealing our animals.
They excused their robbers by saying that some othe
the theft. The morning of them came into the
camp all night the men IN WsTe talking So could
let them make smooth work othe whole Indians
but would not consent and this morning Ieond scarce
''wiping them all out" Many fmy men had owned the
mules that lost, and they Were exasperated the
highest degree this mforunc and rritacd by the idea
of dragging wagon of provisions and a sick man to
dams had taken four the ice and let their
animals drink this had not been returned called my
men together and ordering two of them sta, with the
wagon and Sick commanded the eleven number)
to follow The Indians the opposite side of the
river and as they perceived our movements hastily
gathered their animals together and fled the Sand Hills
Seeing it useless to continue pursuit. they could even
ou,trai WORKOUT foot besides hav ing plenty of
horses we therefore returned to the wagon and took
On the night OF February the ls, we lost four mules.
which were frozen to death in Feb 10th,
Worth and who kindly let me have some oxen to carrv the
baggage OF the men, lost two mules, oze death, and the
of the snow that lay above the depth OF five feet
one of them was dead, the other half frozen but still
Turkey creek the time OF the Storm entirely exposed to
its fury for hirtysi hours my obliged to leave
@ ss WE a ons %
,wenty-seven miles when we reached Cotton Wood Fork
with plenty of provisions and again all comfort
While in Santa Fc Col Price kindly furnished me with
the testimony of some of the insurreconsts, whom he
had in confinement They were not allowed converse
together and yet all give testimony the effect in
fact their evidence similar that shall only send yon
copy OF one translated na si from the Spanish
On Tuesday last the 18th December called, in the
Of in s sse o SSs a R~e the h0" Of the
When entered found the following persons assembled
Pno Don Miguel Pine, Don Santiago Arniio Don Manuel
Charyey, Don Domingo Boca Don Pablo Dominguez, and
The consultation to form a conspiracy against the
actual government Don Diego Archilette commenced the
DISCOURSE and sad make the motion that there he an
act to nominate governor and commander general and
would nominate Don Tomas Ortiz for the first office, and
Don Diego Archlee, for the second. This unan-
nousy carried, and the act signed by each individual
present.
After this concluded, they commenced discourse
relative the method of surprising the guardsmen Santa
Fe and taking possession othe place They dec ed upon
the following plans On Saturday evening" the 18th of De-
cember, all were assemble with their in the Parish
church Having divided themselves into several parties,
they sally forth, seize the pieces OF artillery
others the quarters of the colonel and others to the
palace of the governor if he should be here and If to
send order to Taos seize him. because he the
who wond give the trouble This act also agreed
by all The sound of the church bell was 10 be the sig
nal for the assault from the forces concealed in the church,
and those which Don Diego Archete should have brought
near the city, Midnight the time agreed all were
the Plaza the moment seize the pieces oil
artillery and point them into the streets The meeting
now dissolved.
On 2lst went to the house Of Don Tomas Ortiz and
he and Don Diego Achette told that the evening
before, they had concluded suspend the assault and
agreed to fix Saturday, the 18th of December for which
reason called and they told me before Don Bias Or
go and Jose Sanchez until they could gain the people
of the whole department Tomas Ortiz going to Ell
Bado Don Diego Archette, the valley of Taos To-
mas Baco to the Rio Abaxo. When entered Bias Orcgo
delivered letter Tomas Ortiz from the priest Leyba, OF
San Miguel Ii in from Ortiz,
and Tomas Ortiz commenced conversation, and told Don
Diego Archiette, Leyba was man well calculated to
to the capital Archleuc said the priest all talk Ortiz
got offended, said he would wait there longer but
once put the first plan into effect.
Tomas Boca then came in to take leave, lac going
oil to sound the peope-Ortiz said that Pablo Dominguez
and Miguel Pine would go and sound the 'Vacarro"
Rio Tesuca. Tomas Ortiz kept the minutes of the meet
ing .-
ranged my materials for wrng-so you must my
letter if the periods appear "A little rudey turned
Believe me, yours truly,