Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-11-24
Fate Of Mnj. Willis.

US. The first account, it will be recol.
lected, after his being reported missing,
was, that his horse becoming unmanagea'
bic during the action at Charubusco, car
ried him into the enemy's line, where, or
surreneering himself prisoner Of war,
he was inhumanly murdered.
Lieut.. Bowie states that after the legiti-
mate action Of the day was principally
over, Col. Harvey, with his dragons, be-
ordered to charge upon the retreating Mex.
leans, Maj. Mills left his own regiment
and Joined in the charge, pursuing the en-
e,ny to the gate Of the city, where he was
shot. "Of his remains the letter says,
uno,hirg is known with certainty; but it
is supposed that they were buried within
the city,"
! From the tone OF the letter, it is very
: evident that nothing was known 'wi'h GER
tainty' respecting his fate. Although it
states positively that he was killed, yet,
had this fact been known-had any one
seen him fall, or recognized his body among
| the slsin-he; would have been reported as
killed in the official report Of the action.
But in Gen. Pierce's report, which makes
honorable mention Of Maj. Mills, we find
the following vague allusion to his fate:
"Major F. D. Mills of the 18th infant
ry, after having behaved in the most gal
liant manner throughout the action, near
its close followed in pursuit OF the foe,
since which time he has not been heard
from, and erea, fears are entertained for
his safety"
From the vague uncertainty Of all the
accounts, his friends in Connecticut have
been encouraged to hope for his safety !;
and their hopes have been much strength
ened by an 'anecdote' related in the Diario,
the official paper of Mexico, the main OBJ
ject of which is evidently to glorify Santa
Anna on account Of the great generosity
and magnanini,y imputed to him.
The substance of this anecdose we sum
| up briefly as follows, quoting principally
the language ofihe Diario: During the
action Of tie Goth Sept, as the Mexicans
were re,realing under Col. Harvey
charge, "four draggoons and captain
threw themselves forward into our The
Mexican] column with sucl rapidi'y that
they were not observed till they arrived
a. the works of Candelaria:" They were
then fired upon, and the four dragSoons
and the captains horse killed: The cap
tain was Immediately surrounded by the
Presidents aids and others, who were
about 10 kill him, when Santa Anna him.
self came up and interposed, ordering them
merely to disarm him.
The arecdote goes on to say, that Santa
Anna, afer short absence, returning
again to the spot, one OF his aids said to
him: Gen, this man ought to be shot; he
has himself confessed that he came with
the express purpose Of killing your Elk
cellency." To which Santa Anna replied:
Now, less than before, will | permit any
harm to be done to lin. He is prisoner
of war, and let him who lays hands on him
!, beware. Alas! if had many such off
GERS, Scott would not now be so near us >
He then, says the Dlario, "placed the Off.
, Ger in charge Of young Don Augustin Tor.
mel, with whom he was seen entering the
; palace last evening
: II this anecdote is TO be REGARDED as any
thing more than Mexican gossip, we Car
scarcely divest ourself of the idea that the
captain here alluded to is no other thar
) our friend Maj. Mills, and that he still
, lives, prisoner in Mexico. The fact of nc
other officer being reported as lost OF
missing in that charge, together with tht
!. well known character of Mills for daring
bravery, goes very tar to favor this sup
positions; though, we confess it is difficult
to conjecture how he could have remained
in the city during the armistice, withou
some intelligence Of his situation reaching
the headquarters Of our army. We fine
that all his friends al Burlington, includ
ing Mr.. Hall, his former partner, hav.
hopelessly consigned him TO the tomb; We
we can not but think that the chances ar,
in favor Of his resurrection
j. Equiyocal Compliment.
u The Bloomington Herald bestows hig'
and well merited encomium upon Col
Doniphan's grand march, composed by A
WALDosER, leader Of the orchestra Of III,