New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-07-26
THE PRISONERS or ENCARNACIoN.
Deeply Interesting Narrative of the capture
Adventures, -Enering-, etc.e OF MAJOR "hlhes
and BOTisnd'- parry in Mexico.

sc'tt w U1Isfo.n of captain Mlsm's Company oi
Kentucky Cavalry 2. Tuns. % Cspt frnl.l 90 -
". +. Den0W ~. Of Capt heady 'p'n-fLy =. -
belonged % ta- command ~ Nl'f JAM 49,
captured last Frbr-ry resr Lncarnaci.A ~ '-'s
Mexican force under q q. MAN
T--.s Gallant f-.I8xs who IRE very y1urz men r--
c.t4d r. 1n their guard AZ tne t1Tn % hut4ir a''-
flrtv Ira-lrs from Irmpco. and rr1-4-A- -- .--.-'
place 10 safety after moot pefols a ijl nlA4en'
embarked for this port ia IRE schooner hone
luAvsry crafty ing Interview with air r"istt p'o
,f 49,. v.upr men W. hsve learned mary lt+rrtlns
usrfcu arr of the capture su-erngs trials Ell alFeh
ture. Of NJ joy Gs'ues- party To relate ai ilr l-.'
esfing md romantic iucIteIv 81 mo-f-ty ahl '..'y
dtt-i I'd D. ID. BIZ This brave young hrit'-.l'h --
swell our narrative g4ite teJ1l1 ne compass ti .-i
paper. We trust hat the tax % slacntus In I'm
oblivion and HANGING down 20 -irfiy al-.l.. 80
oftba ti-y incidents c1uLect-d with ne capture 7h1
march of hi. tsrtv " b. assumed and olsclaf-- y
some o. the very capable ot1-ers or s''isis wa, -
I ticiDstc1 iu these sfeltil scenes A- t'L.-'
sine n Clay would 10l1t cn iui .usiiee % t'7 ~
ir, ard We srdeufy bop bee nay soon De- 10 sl--a
uon 20 FUN the hopes oi nis cDultfj men N il7'
Tbe principal events Of the capture o 'i-'f y ilnes
ana Hfrisuo's parties are vel known to our rea8rrt
'rbe.a Fcers with three companies OF henilcs} and
Arksnsss Cavalry were out on fcouuns parry Is vas
thought that there small bodies o ir enemy ,s'
airy yrovsng about the country, but no one ba1 me
81 -hirst spprchrnslon l1at al7l-' i0iD0 ~''' 81 ~ ~
Gen Woods camp.
Major Gaines having 7ined Major Rorisnd ~ Rsnen'
near Incarnation The Two commands went ln.o guar
,ers for the night after posting stItres some ols7ice
In advance and tae top Of the house m wien taey
were encsmped That nign. The Cheers VINO ufro Oy
very long march had laid down - sleep we're several
times aroused by the alarms OF the sentinel WHO De-
r. sred that be saw an armed Mexican approaching the
rancho Pat the seDtn-ls on the tnp 90 me house oe
csred they could nothing. and the mfu WAC gave
the alarm was iresred rather nervous and dreaming
individual The officers 'hereupOn retired again 10 hrf
bsnkets but aad scarcely fallen sflcep when tney were
aroused by another alarm from the feluitL VINO -f
cared that he had sgsn s-en su armed Mexican sn nal
pulled trigger on him. but his gun 0elus vet me cap
I'D not explode Other alarms were also gwen py oLtr
senrres picketed some distance from me ranch" me
night waning last 10 was very IaiA ehl ms
~ The oceus bcstrfed themselves and arousiug the
men peparedNo meet attack blinking that the enc
nv consisted of a force Of four or I'VE hundred when
Major Gaines had srcsdy been IN pursuit ol anu "hch
he considered 4 force about equal 10 bis own
Cur men were all collected the top of hat rancho
with their guns ready for action iuil of courage and
zeal and warmly dcsrOus OF handsome Diush WIN
the enemy The morn broke slowly me mst nuns
heavily Auuud them. and although tncy coul1 near We
rs plainly the approach Of hOrrmcn, they could see no.
thing Al last the light began 20 break through the
MET Immediately in heirir0nt and the hini QUINN on
a strong body of armed hursentn was =. require in
the distance And as the mist rolled "o1 sainef,o up
into huge clouds. aud gently assembled TOWARD tno
nrg hbonng nights u revealed, with most Nhiu ps
tnctufss whole regiment OF splendidy efuipFu 'i'H-
lean Iancers drawn Up ine of battle snd occupying
A commanding position within three hundred yafds oI
the rancho occupied by Major Gsiness party
Undauutedly surveying aud counting ms suoh- loI'o
before them our men prepared i"r aeuoH or! ns o-i
on there are only xix hundred of ihrm-lls air hsnt
and We % zee 10 out But slopl L1os % thersnt ~
the .'s leave that side Of the rancho lefe h auuhrr
regiment just strong ~ that In front
Well" cried a sta wart kentuckan VINO Kept pit the
while bright eye bis long rifle. ibis u coming u
rather strong the thing looks serious most dfcdeay
but recko lick thousand Hrehsers sna ihi""
in two hundred for good measure. Cant We . was
the unanimous cry of the party
more of the vsrmni and there sure enough on their
LETT was another regiment about sE hundred strong
whose bright helmets flaming pennons and sho"y uhi-
forms doomed out cunspcuousy ~ the CARA hpIiA'n.
And there too Just lew hundred yar1s h 'nt" i,al,
was stil another regiment Thus was THIS small parry
of one hundred and twenty Americans entirely sur.
rounded by a Mexican force Of about three thousand
cavalry the in the country and commanded by one
Of their beet officers.
Undismayed our men prepared for action determined
TO cell their lives dearly as possible Never od men
20 more calmly and cOOy to work than ms Little spar
tan band with many careless -st ana the most iin
perrurbabls sang froid they reloaded and recsPped
heir rifles looked 10 their curouch boXe' et the edge
OF their bowie knives and glanced proud defiance az
their legion foe.
In the mean time the enemy preserved the most per.
feet military order end presented display Of martial
magnihcence such cur men mad never before witness
ed Their officers covered with gold and splendi1lY
mounted and csparisoned, rode IN front whr th'r bu
g.rs blew the Mexican charge and made the hills around
resoupd with their loud and eXutng blasts.
Mai Gaines ordered mis- bueler 10 respond 70 their
threatening flourish by blowing win al his mint INC
American charge, aud directed the men 10 iolo" up
the blast with three loud cheers The order was cheer
fully and heartily obeyed The MeNicsns VINO were
advancing upon the rancho were 80 awed 10y me ,ou1
wells end terrific huzzss Of boys that they halted
and looked At little band in mute terror and aston
ishmeut that small party could make such ire
M ndous noise. " Give them tnree tunes thrcei cii'd
out Capt Csssius NJ. Clay. and the hutLts were pro
lopged 10 the fall complement until they made the well
kin ring for miles around, and 80 inghted the Mex
cans that their General 10 prevent he men from running
away had 10 order his tine brass band 10 strike up the
Polks asd to wheel his into column aud Pot them
ON the march In open order and with military pre-
csion the MtNicBns marched around me ranch 20 he
tune of the Cracovenne and seemed Ike 'he cat Win
m little victim 10 be- sporting with their captive before
they destroyed him.
An officer with an Interpreter and white flag sent
to Mai Gaines To demand his unconditional surrender.
Never" replied the gallant American. Then no quar-
tiers will be given" remarked the Mexican. Very well
/ exclaimed Capt Clay remember the Alamo before
weturrender on such terms than i've hundred Of
your yellow belly scoundres snail be left 10 bleach on
wonder plains" This remark the interpreter did not
think he could 90 full justice 70 in the translation aud
he left the officer 10 guess At It's meaning, which. ho"
ever. NO diEcu tack, IS the Captain accompanied
his declaration with very emphatic and expressive
gesucuisuOn.
II was finally agreed hs, Mai Gaines should have an
interview with Gen. Minon. From him the Major re-
ceiyed very courteous treatment and was assured that
h. surrendrliug himself and his party they would b.
treated with all the consideration OF prisoners Of war
Msi Gaines. on communicating the result OF his inter
view with Gen Mnon % his officers took vote whc tneT
they should sht or surrender Capt Cisy snd Dainty
aud Lieut. Davidson were for r-huug, ana Mss Nalue'
ami Burlsnd We're for suucucrrlng. While they were
parlcyllg with the heXlcaus. MuIr Gaines observed
that t1eir men approaching ntAr the rancho lie
Immediately ordered his men . IRE upon the MeMcHns
IL they approached foot nearer and tod their ocer'
he should not continue the pArey until their men Tell
back % their original position which they did in very
quick order when lew niles were eyclsd in their d.
I rection. They finally. Capt Clay giving ia 20 Mas
Gaines Fnd BOrAld, agreed ~ surrender on the noel
honorable terms prisoners OF war me officers 10 r.
tain their private property and side arms Ihey delayed
the surrender however long possible Win ihe cN
pcctaiou of being reiai1rced from Gen WooIs camp -
IL was an express coadon ia The capitulst'l thst uc
Mexican guide who had been forced oy Nj Gaines %
n that capacity should have air trial and % be- wa'
acquitted should be- released The MeNicans AZ ara 90
y-d TO hs bat Capt Clay said be uld DE before Id
would surrender the uniouunse guide without asslr
OF his safety Ass00n IS be was surrendered iht
faithlrss McNicsus Immediately murdered the poor it
low. The prisoners then marched without iood ~
Tor thirty or forty miles The road 90 "a Luis
under an escort of eighty succEs. hs Gaines hsslul
been allowed 70 ride selected IA preference o. ois o~i
charger b!ooted mare belonging Co Sergeant la}ue
Col lcuTi-. whose meme is familiar o. al who hay'
read the stirring history ot Texan warfare and tdfrn
ture and who accompanied Nai Gaines sn iuterprr
Ter had rendered himself c2tr uy slul GOA the occa
sion oi their capture, by bis c..uess. sagieiiy aa'
knowledge OF the MrNcsu language md character
Can't u-nr.s Vas very anxious Or t-lt and slfuu-
dissusded MAJ Gaines from s-rrcudcuus. he told ia
count their bullets and laey had onr Cog ever