The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-03-24

be commenced on the 10th inst.
From, the North AMERICAN
From New Mexico.
Merican Iusurrection at Ioas-HorriMe
Massacre.-Gouermor OF Nep Mcxico
Murdcrel-Assass,mati of Americans
Probable Capture Of Santa Fe-T*op set
to Lurc Col. Doniphan-His Imminent
Danger.
PrTrsBURGH, March l6, lS47.
By the river, we have St. Lewis papers
four days in advance of mail, with dates
from Santa F'e covering important news.
There has been an extensive Mexican in
surrections at Toas All the Spanards who
evinced any sympathy with the American
cause had been compelled to escape.
Gov. Bent, Stephen Lee, Acting Sheriff,
Gen. Elliot Lee, Henry Seal, and twenty
Americans were killed, and their families
despoiled. The Chief Alcalde was also
killed. This all occurred on the 18th jan
uary The insurrection made formidable
Roadway and the disafection was rapidly
spreading. The insurrectionists were send
ing expresses out all over the country to
raise assistance. The number engaged in
the outbreak at Taos was about 6OO They
were using every argument to incite the
Indians to hostilities, and were making pre-
parations TO take possession of Santa Fe.
The Americans at Santa Fe, had only
about 500 effective men there, the rest were
on the sick list or had left to join COL Do
niphan. Such being their situation they
cannot send suc:or out, as they are hardly
able to defend themselves. 1t is thought
Santa F'c must be captured, as neither the
Fort nor Block Houses are completed.
1t is announced as the intention of the
insurrec,ionists who captured Toas, to take
possession the government wagon trains,
which are carrying forward our supplies,
and thus cut off all communication.
The representations made 10 Col. Doni-
phan, that Chihuahua would be an easy
conquest, were evidently intended as lure
to entrap him, beget spirit of security, and
lead him far off into the interior, where he
might be easily cut off:
1t is the universal opinion in Santa Fe
that if General Wool had gone direct to
chihuahua there would have been no trou.
BILE in New Mexico. Col. Doniphan had
possession of Ell Passo Del Norte on the
2sth Of December. Letters. had been re-
ceived from the Governor of Chihuahua,
stating that Gen. Wool was within three
days march of the capital This, too, was
another rusc to lure Col. Doniphan on in
confidence, and cut him off from all chan.
ces OF escape, or of falling back upon Santa
Fe, to relieve it in its emergency.
The Mexicans are bold in their tone and
confident of capturing Col. Doniphan and
his command, which consists of about GOO
men, 500 of them being of his own troops
the first regiment of mounted Missouri
volunteers, and detachment of 100 men
from Santa Fe. under command ol Lieut.
Col. Mitchell, of the End regiment-con
sisting of 80 men from Clark's battalion o
light artillery, under command of Captain
Hudson and Lieut.. Kribben, and 70 from
COL Prices regiment and Col. Willock's
battalion. They assert that they will mas
sacre every American in New Mexico and
confscate all their goods.
A letter from Lieut.. Albert, U. S. Topo
graphical Engineer, of later date, confirms
all the above intelligence. The details OF
the battle of Bracito are also confirmed
The massacre, beyond doubt, has been 6
horrible one, Of which we have as yet heard
but the beginning and the insurrectior
has been kept so quiet until all was read y
for the outbreak, that our handful of troop:
must be demolished, before any efor
can be made to relieve them from the mos
advanced of our Western military posts.
From the New Orleans Pieayuase.
Letter from Major Gaines.
We take great pleasure in publishing the
following letter from Major John p. Gaines