Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-07-10

| power over them, and resumed habits and man.
ners OF sHeir own; their Great Chief or Cover.
nor, being the civil and religious head. The
conntry round the city of Sumai ia cultivated
with great deal Of care, and affords food no,
cnly fur .fre inhabitants, bu, sor large iocks of
cattle and sheep.
Col. Donirban arrives at the Del Norte-Jor.
Dada del Muerto--Camp AT Brszi,o--evi.
dences nf hos,litiy--Back Flsr-Bat,le of
Observation-Disclosures ofthe battle-Col. Dooi
phan takes possession of Ell Paeso.
Col Ooniphan arrived at The Del Nor,e ON
the 18th of Decembcs On the l4th he started
Maj. Gilpin in the direction Of El ps.so. with
two hundred and xty men; On the 10Th, Lieut..
Cox jackson. with two hundred men ; on the
18th, he started IN person win the remainder
Of his regiment, This division was made for
the purpose Of passing the Jornada Gel Muer,o
which rs drser. ninety miles wide, wishou,
wood or water.
On the :2d Col. Don phan overlook Msi. Gil.
pin, at the little Mexican town Of Dona Anna.
On the morning Of the 2Sd the whole regimen,
commenced il. uurc., for Ell Passo,
On the 25,h the regiment was divided, hav.
ing very strong rear grsrd behind the e,g.
gage train. The advance OF the column, nun
berng about Eve hundred, halted TO camp abou,
three o'clock In the afternoon, on the banks of
the Rio del Norte. at the point called Brss,o
or the Little Arm. Just as the horses hsd been
turned loose and the men were waiting for the
wagons to come up with their cooking utensils,
two Of the advanced guard came IN and repor.
ted that there was cloud of dust IN tire road in
front. An observation was made az soon as
practicable, and large body of Mexicans were
seen approaching. Our troops were then drawn
out, end formed ss rkirmshcrs The enemy
approached within lees than halfs mile before
our men were formed. A iieutenant from, the
enemy's rsnks then approached oar line, de-.
e,andmg that,he American commander stu,ld
60 to their camp, snc that cniers he did 80, they
would charge his line, and thai ,hey would nei.
saer gipe nor ask quarter. Oar interpreter.
in reply. ordered the Mexican to charge and be
-----. The Mexican then waved blsrk fl,g
he held in his hand. and retired to tis own col.
umn now formed in battle array. .
The Mexicars eleven hundred strong. then
charged with theft cavalry. supported by their
infantry and one piece OF ndnance---a brass
howi'zer. Col. Doniphan ordered that no one
should fire until tho enemy was within one hun.
drpd yards.
The Mexicans commenced firing al the dis.
tsnce Of three hundred yards their fre was
no, returned until ,hcy had given three full
rounds while constantly advancing. When
within less than one hundred yards. Col Don.
phan ordered his troop. to hre, which was SIN.
ultaneuusly done from right to left. AT the fire
Of the "odd numbers" the Mexican line halted
and al the FIRE of the "even numbers" they be-.
gan to fall back. except the Vera Cruz dragons
attempted 10 pass our line on the len, when
Capt. Reed, having succeeded in mounting q.
bout twenty men, charged the Dragons. sixty
strong. and aided by the firing from our line.
iorced il to retreat in few moments. which it
did slowly. continuing 10 fight for more than q
mile. The battle OF Braxiio then terminated,
having beet fonght in tweniy-seuen minufes !
The !oss Of the enemy wns sixty three killed,
and sbou, husdred wounded of this loss. the
heaviest was with the Vera Cruz dIagoons--
this brave company only being able to muster
twenty .one at the subsequent defence Of Chi.
auahua injury TO the Americans, seven wouu.
! ded.
On the 9th, Colonel Donphun took formal
possession of the town of FL Pssso, where he
learned that Gen. Wool would not be at Chi.
hushua to form junction with him; he had
consequently. to establish himself at FL Passo
and send back TO Santa Fe for artillery, having
none with him, excep, the piece captured q,
| the battle Of Brszto.
Major Clark arrivesst Chihua ahus--l,s Location
Splendid Foun,ain--Slver Mines Of Chi.
| hushus--Characier OF the country Of New
On the 5,h Of February. Major Clark, Of the
Missouri light artillery. arrived at Fl Pssso,
bringing with him one hundred men, command.
ed by Captain Weish,man, with FIVE 8 POM.
ders and two IL pounder howitrer., and on the
9Th, took up his line Of march for the city of
Chihushus.
The events that followed are familiar thro'
the official reports Of the battle Of Sacramento.
Chihuahus, the capital o: The State of Chihus-
hus. is city of about fourteen thousand inhabi.
tsn,s, ard Of remarkable beauty. II 10 situated