Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-05-21
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American Prisoners I'm Mexico.

American prisoners I'm Mexico.
L<s'er 0s- s.i~ Gss.ss-rAs E.~r-sss. r,..s.~sxs.-
Graf,f.is-sssts Jss- SsahTs @ -ssr.ss. &C.
When Gen. La Vega left New Orleans where he had
been treated rather Of the city than the captive
OF our srms he the hope that some future me
he might be able 20 reqaite the Hospitality literally la
WISHED upon him. lie b'oagh with him from the field OF
battle letter OF credit from Gen Taylor whose sympathes
Tor fallen foe impeed him him az anst the add
nonal calamity OF want IN strange land Whilst hoe he
was Toasted with prodigsy that has shown any
oi officers returning these wars lie scarce
allowed to feel the duance military parole but wac free
to go where he listed throughout the land. When about
10 return TO Mexico he public thanks Tor consde
ration that shown him. and all OF believed that he
would remember their kind offices the good of such
Americans n might fall into the hands OF the enemy
These expectations have been fulfilled lilo has for
gotten what Il behooved soldier remember and has
been unmndul OF his obligation when offered for
It's redemption. We have before letter from Major
Gaines dated the Sd Of April in the dopion keen of h.
castle OF Santiago, where he aud his comrades had been
immured since the 27h Of February without being
TO breathe the tree air OF heaven Daring portion of this
time. Gen La Vega military commandment Of the city
OF Mexico and he only did extend them the ptiy.
leges OF parole which Is seldom deuied prisoner Vi war;
but he took heed OF their dsresses nor gave thought
TO their comfort This Is Mexican gratitude Our generals
have permitted armies. officers aud 40 their WAYS
upon PAROLE whilst such OF soldiers has fallen INTO
their hanes are kept IN iron pman Rodgers
has been hurried from prison prison IN advance
army-ths Is what Is reported OF him but shall be
glad To know that no has been hurried To prison house
from which there Is no release whilst time lasts. When
Gen la Vega last heard from though again prisoner
he was dsporing himself Vera Cruz like any other IN
Cen Taylor arranged tor the exchange OF Gaines Boand
Clay and Others. Why they given up And why
are not hostages taken for their safe delivery.
CAsTLE OF SANTIAGO. CITY OF Mexico, April 3.
Dear brother-l have written you frequently since be.
came pnsonsr OF war My former letter related to be-
siness almost exclusively. | snail now sneak
a little OF Mexico and Mexicans
From Sslno To Aqua Nueva is eight leagues and here
mere Is hne water Thence 10 San Juan do Venago $50
miles, there no water, except in tanks and wells The
are oot OF earth and cement and hlled in the
season. but be easily emped by opening the bottoms
Inc wells can be readily ruined by throwing dead AMI
mails Hence the almost mpossbility OF an invading army
marching through the county. This part of the country
Is also very unProductve the scarcity OF wa
ter being mposs BILE rgae To any extent from, ,nk.
aud wells and agriculture cannot be prosecuted without
copous irrigation In conscq OF the length Of the
droughts.
From San Juan dc veLagss to Maehuaa is
mics Inns town is situated IN mining district and con-
tans sixteen thousand inhabitants. From this place TO San
LUIS fotos there Is oleraby good supply of water The
country presents beautiful level pan bounded by rugged
barren mountains. The people poor Bile stupid
The county going TO decay evidences which arc seen
al every step This has been the the time of the
reNoIuon-some, indeed say from far back as the in
vasion OF Cortez
San LUIS Potos is beautiful town with some sixty
thossind people We arrived there the h of February
ard left the 18th. We passed a number OF small towns
containing from three 10 eight thousand people, and
az ouareiaro on the 2lst The city had heard Of
before IL II the handsomes have and Its reported
Population varied from thirty seventy thousand
The buildings are truly superb. and the aqueduci which
supplies the CITY win water, indeed magnificent
we reached the vicinity OF this place (Mexico) on the
<'th when our conductors learning that the civil had
broken out, detained point three leagues off, for
day and ha-io preserve mob as thew said
but as we found out themselves as not KNOWING
Which party was uppermost, they did know TO which
they belonged We reached the castle after mdnsh, and
were susged into II with great privacy nome ns
after entered alarm raised by the discharge nj
Tour guns IN rapid succession We heard some one saw
four men were killed and had escaped We now as
cerianed that odg I'd prison containing two
rha IL
10 change their cells and they brought out and passed
through the yard where we were chained two and two
and placed IN saier dungeons The fight was vet rasin
IN the city and shall forget my entree into the city
of the Azecs
The civil war lasted till about the Goth ult when the ar
nVal OF Sani Anna put end Whether there wer.
many killed during the twenty days fight do not know;
out said that great many old women and dogs
were slsln The nsurrecuon gOd-send TO Santa
Anna, as II furnished him small lob after his dreadful de-
eat at buena Vista. He left here yesterday with the shat
tered fragments OF his army pretending that he woui i'm
moiaie himself, need be, between this and Vera Cruz
should Gen Scott attempt TO march upon the capital
ms naton so Tar Government is concerned NAV be
said 10 be annhilsted They without an army money
or men capable OF ruling. Santa Anna himself is said TO
be his counrymen only in knowledge of the
Mexican character and his ability in humbuggng them-
Whether would follow the capture of this city is
extremely uncertain; amongst friends here the opinion
Is II will not.
Gen Scott having taken many prisoners at Vera Cruz
we are IN daily expectation OF being exchanged in which
case will reoin the army and probably return 10 the Uni
ted States would had we never been captu-
red.
have written you several letters since my captyity
. Although IN the city of Mexico | have seen but
little of itand that httle through the iron grafaes u
the castle Of Santiago Whether shall be indulged
with OF after release know not TRUST we
shall. Your stiectonate bro her, JNO GAINES