The Arkansas banner., 1847-04-28
DATTLB Tk MNw Mrxrco

e"s. AHS eaiuRA3u Whteh etOSea WNk' that battle, lasted about nineteen days, end we are extremely sorry that we cannot siv. . more connected account of our saccsss,.. in that division of she Army. Our troops n these actions were commanded by Col. Pries. The s. Louis Republican, furnishes the aa. nexed correspoudence; dated
 SAN FERNANDO pE TAos. N. M,l
 February B.
 In consequence of the massacre that had taken place at Taos, we received order. Ia repair to Santa Fe iGmcdiateiy, ard ner morning, the 9Sd January, we commenced our march on foot, every member in shs company being in the best spirits, We ar. rived in Sante Fe the 26th; next day V, pushed on and overlook Col. Prices com mand, he having marched out of Santa Fe some time before our arrival On the 20lh our company, with our once iavori,s captaia at its head, and two companies of Col. Price,, volunteers, had skirmish with the enemy near Fl Emboda, killed eigh, and wounded upwards of twenty of them. Rut one on our side ia volunteer) was killed--noae wounded. On the 3d of February we sr. rived at this place, and after resting less thsa an hour, resumed our march to El Pueblo,s larEe Indian vilIage, in which the enemy were fortified. About ? P. M. the command was drawn up in iron. of the village; Cap. Burgwin aud his dragoons on tho right, CT. tended as skirmishcs; the battalion of Mis4 souri volunteer infantry in the centre, and the mounted company ef volunteers from Santa Fe-store-keepers, traders, &c., and dismounied companies of Col. Prce's rei- ment on the lsft---in all about four hundred men. The village consists Of two lrve edifces, or piles Of houses. built one over the other, and SO formed as to make each an almost imprsgnable for,rcss in i,seIf Each occupied an area of al least one scrs of groand, and in tho centre was nearly sixty feet in height. Almost immediately In iroal of these stood the church and few scaiies- ine houses and fodder stacks. In front of the church ran wall six feet high and fifty or sixty yards Ions; this was their breast work. All the buildings were pierced with loopholes. fer the convenience ol ;heis marksmen. Our artillery, consisting Of four l2-pound howitzers and one 6-pounder Reid- piece, was placed ., the distance of six hun dred yards from the church, and commenced q fire in the direction of an opening between the church and the building to the right and rear of 1t. In this direction the Indians showed themselves in great numbers, yelling defiance at us. The ammunition was sooa expended, as the wagons containing supplies for the guns had been leis in the mountains, having broken down.
 At1P. NJ we formed in close order and matched back to this place, where VIC got quarters. On shs following morning, our ammunition wagons having arrived, ws marched, fully determined 10 take the villags On our arrival there the command was placed as follows: Capt. Burgwin's dragoons exien- ded to the right and front ol the church, the remaindes opposite the lefa of the village, two of the howiszers nn the right and front 500 wards distant, and the other two ssd the Eela piece on the lelt and front. 600 yards from the church. The fire of the artillery com meneed about 8 and continued until II A. NJ. doing but little damage besides knocking of the corners of the houses. Col. Price then saw that the only way to obsain posses sion of the place would De by despanis charge upon the breastwork and church, and to endeavor to take the hitter. He gave orders to Capt Burgwin to that effect, who was to lead the charge with his dragons S soon as a company of infantry would jon us. The other dismounted troops were to charge at the same time from the lett. The company joined us, and Capt Burswia moved forward at the signal he had sounded on the trumpet Atthe command Charge" every one ran for the breastwork. l iwss inc first to reach it, and saw the indians run round into the church. shot one between the shoulders and killed him. The enemy in the meantime kept up ar incessant fir from the houses and loopholes near the rooi of the church. The breas,work gained, l, shout of success rose from every man; bu. | was soon slightly dampened by the news oI the death of our first sergeant, George B Ross, and three psivates of dragooHs pnder hlm. The check. however, was only mo ueniarily felt by the others; the axes wers used to cut holes in the wall of the church the body of which was supposed to coasaiu st or i0G of the enemy, who kept np | continued fire of rifles and arrows from the holes near the roof. At this time Capt Burgwin took part of his dragocfs and rsa round the left wall of the church and gained the door. which they intended to break open but it was soon found to be dangeroas Pe- sition, as they were still more exposed to lse fire of the enemy from the houses. Cap Burgwin and four men were dangerously wounded, and but two or three of the parry escaped unharmed The wounded mes were taken to the surgeons as qulck as poe sibls, as those who carried them were fully expessd to deadly tire from the larger o the two houses. The 6ss ea our side wsa kept up wilh spirit. As soon as an spdai' or Mexican was seen 10 cross the street, TWO dozen carbiaes were fired, and always with effect The enemy were continually on the watch: as soon as one of our men showed hunself he was fired at by dozen r'sies' oe'