The Arkansas banner., 1847-03-31

letter of Cept. Pike, to an intimate trend st this place, publiehsa h ske Iaa Gaze,ie:
 LAs PAaoasAs, Msuco,l
 Feb. l4, l04z.
 On the 30sh my squadron wss detached from the Regiment. suasioaed close to Sai- lilIo, and ordered to report to Head Qaarsers. We he'd besa sAers 0nly day oT two, be- fore an alarm, and ws were hastiIy marched, in the night, over to Head Quhners, on re- poEt that llse Kentucky cavalry were attack eA ss shis place. On the a os 4sh Feb, Gen. Tayl0g came up with lhs Mississippi Rsgimens of Infantry, Mey's SQaadFon of Dneoone, and 2 batteries 0f Artillery, oG 6 pieces each, commanded hy Capss. Sherman and Bsssg. lspsnt several pleasAa. houss converting with the General, who with great kisdnsss inquired particular aSaer yoas and ,reased ne with marked favor aad friendship. la day os two, he went out to Agaa Nueva, with the troops that came with him. Gen. Wool followed with the two Indiana Regi- aseuss, of Cola. Lane and BowIes, two Illinois Gals. Hardin aad Bissell. (excsp, con- panies under Major Warren. left in Salullo,l Col. McKee's Regiment from kentaek, Capt ssesn's squsdsoa ef Dsaseoas> and Capt WssAinston's eonpany of Artillery. There gre now ai Aeua Nueva 6 voluasees Infantry Regiments, except { Companies, 2 squadroas ef Dragooas, Col. Msrshalps Regiment of keatncky CsEalry. and 3 ha..esies Of Assll- lery, consisting in all of 20 pieces of cannon. h Ssllillo. Maj. Wsrren wiah 4 companies of Illinois Infantry, and Ben Mccullough wilh 70 or 50 men. who is going soon tO Agua Nueva. On the 8lh was ordered to this place. which is ,he mouth of narrow pass through the mountains, through which . road goes south to Guachichil and Hedronda or Handad. and SO towards San Luis Pososi. so relieve the Kentucky Regiment of Caval. ", which had been for some tune posted here. The residue of Col. Yell's command is noy ei,her al Enesatasa or Agua Nueva.
 Gen Taylor told me that he should remain here until he lssrned from Gen. Scott what other troops would hs sent to him that fl, by the Is. of April, he had here 5000 troops, he would march on San Luis Potosi.
 Our force this morning. fSandsy Feb. Al, is as follows: For duty, 3 Captains, 2 lst Lieuts-, 2d do., 6 Sergeants, 2 Corporals, } Buglers, 3 Farriers, 6S Privates, 99 horses; sick in camp II; extra duty Sergeant and Privates. There are l3 more com'g off, cers and privates absent on detached service -l Lieut. absent with leave, and { men absent sick. Our sick are all getting well.
 Having so small a force an putting up small forti6cation-a redoubt 24 yards square, with a small luneste covering the entrance, which will be done in few days, and then if Gen. Minon comes here shall stay and fight him.
 We do not know whether Santa Anna is at San Luis, or marching this way as repor- ted: but we are instructed to use all possible vigilance and make daily and nightly recon noissanee of the roads. So, with picket and camp guard, inspection at Reveille, dress parade al Sunset, and brick k-hauling and port building all day beside, our men are pretty busy: but they have all hardened into good soldiers and stand it admirably.
 
 Iregrei 10 have to give the account which follows: but as i. will be soon known every where, sm anxious the information should so go to the world. that those only who deserve the shame may bear it.
 Some five or six days ago, SIX companies from Col. Tells command. were sent under Col. Roane, to Rancho called San Antoaio, about 60 miles from Sal,ilio, 10 escort eom wagons. Col. Yell, with two companies. Hunser's (of Sevier eouasy), and Danley's (of Pulaski), remained at La Encantada. 4 day or two since . man belonging to the latter company, named MeAiisier, xas found murdered: upon which, portions Of the two companies sallid out. went some distance into the mountains, and Gnding number ef poor laboring Mexicaas at . cave in the mountains. unarmed, massacred them, to the nomber of 27, and brought ia several as prisoners. The following is Gen. Tayior's