The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-15
Interesting from the Army.

. .
ria giving account of the first DAYS proceedings of the
court martial convened for the trial of Lieut. Stuges
who was IN command OF the rear-guard of Col MAYS
command when IT was captured by the Mexicans
The first charge that of neglect of duty with an at
tendant specification that the accused had by his neglect
lost men, horses and pack mules-to all of which he
pleaded mot guilty. Charge the second set forth that
he had dsobeyed orders and the specification said that he
had separated himself from his command during an attack
by the enemyo this he also set up the plea Of "not
ecuton was Lieut. Col May, and the following is the evil
dence OF that gentleman, from which You will probably
gather more succmct account of the affair than can be
otherwise obtained. Col NAV said
.'On the Goth day of December, 1916, in obedience TO
orders from headquarters, ! marched from Monte Mo-
rales IN command OF squadron OF Dragons for the pur
pose of protecting Capt Menard typographical engineers
in RECONNAISSANCE. Before leaving Morales was i'm
pressed by the commander nchie both in writing and
verbally, with the dangers of the expedition. and the
great probability OF an encounter with the enemy before
my RETURN The command reached Sabador, after hav-
ing passed through many dangerous and difficult defles
on the evening OF the 27th and remained there during the
night II was necessary to remain there the next morn
ing IN order 10 shoe some OF the horses From sudden
became satisfied that before could again
reoln headquarters should meet with the enemy. OF
tins informed the officers of the command. Finding
that every obstacle thrown in the way by the Mex
leans to prevent the shoeng of the horses, left without
being able to DO So After we had proceeded four miles
from there in the direction of San Pedro we discovered
large number of fresh horse tracks in the road and
short while after observed mounted the mountain
side, watching our movements, whom we took to be a
arrived at San Pedro at sunset, and remained
there TILL morning is proper to state here that at the
time we discovered the horse tracks and the person we
took to be spy directed the adutant Qieut Wood
to order Lieut. Sges to take command of the rearguard,
with instructions to be vglant and keep constant look
out to the rear Lieut. Campbell ordered to remain with
vance guard We marched from San Pedro on the goth,
and soon after entered the pass Of Santa Rosa AT this
me sergeant and ten men composed the rear-guard.
we marched eight niles, and found that the pass in
constant SUCCESSION
iehles. Still believing that would meet the enemy
before we could get out Of the pass ordered the adu
ant to stop and get high rock and wait for the
Q come up as he could not get to it, and order Lieut.
Stuges when ne came up to take command Of the rear
guard, and to be constantly the alert also directed
am to detail particular bugler whom named to re-
nam with the rearguad, to sound the assembly in case
II attack or alarm. In case Lieut. Strges was not in
ront OF the squadron he was to order the bugler to halt
he adlutant to reioin me, In short space OF time the
,dutan returned and informed that he had delivered
lis orders, In person, to Lieut.; Sturges.
"Ihe command had marched four or five miles from
ne time gave the ORDER when it became necessary to
lsmount the men, as the rocks bad that it was
impossible to ride horse over them AS we were pass
ng the most difficult dfile had yet encountered, and
'ver twothrds OF the command had gotten through it,
when the attack made. The first heard Of it was
ID from the squadron, and followed by the one from
he rear guard, which answered bymy buger sound
ng the advance as found impossible to engage the
nemy in this difficult defle suppose was one hun.
red and fifty yards from the mouth Of the dee, and inn
nedatey hurried back to it and urged the men through
During this time the kept Up the attack BY hS
had returned to the defle only few minutes, when
Lieut. Sturges, followed by the bnger and sergeant OF
pab e %e Of eed to e
him. and asked him were his guard was He said,
here sir ordered him to mount and get them out of
nent sounded horse rode up to him. and not seeing
his guard, which would have been impossible to do
ess one looked directly into the de6Ie then asked Lieut.
ng to the defle said, is it possible, sir, you have
bandoned your packs-and finding that the body of his
,uard was not with him, said further, Reon your guard
hem until can to you with assistance. and if
possible, force them through the defe.'
:" / should here mention, that at the moment lieut.
Wood out of the defile and before gave Lieut..
Srges his last ORDERS directed him join the squadron
which had halted-to get twenty men foot, and re-
,or to me at the defe. After had given Lieut. Sturges
on to hurry Lieut. Woods party. On my return with
he party again met Lieut.. Sturges distance from
he defile going in the direction O. the squadron AS
her back than where | left my guard and cannot find
hem; shall get some men from the squadron and re-
pmr replied, No, sir; join the squadron and remain
impossible to pass without great loss to the command
he enemy constantly throwing rocks from the right and
occasionally dschaging small arms from the left was
hen necessary to turn the defe, which we did by climb
ng over rocks, and after remaining the defe for
en- fifteen minutes, and returning the fire of the
nemy, sent an order to Lieut. Campbell to bring TWEEN
men to the dehle foot, and to hold until return
ID. then proceeded mile and half to the rear, in
hopes OF recovering the packs and reaguard but could
lo find them and reluctantly returned to the command
md resumed my march, not deeming prudent to remain
onger In the pass IT hour and half before the
attack commenced, that ordered Lieut. Wood to tell
lieut. Sturges TO take command of the rear-guart Had
he rear guard defended the packs should have known
i, as was near enough to hear them"
This is not the substance only, but word for word as
came from Col MAYS mouth and more than one officer
has atesed to its being taken down correctly. As my
object is more to give information than to report the pro-
,eedings OF the court shall conlne myself to such OF
he questions calculated to throw light the sub
ect, and at the time interest the general reader.
Question Where is the pass of Santa Rosa
Answer. Between San Pedro and Lnares,
G. Did you hear no firing in the rear at the time you
heard the explosion
A. A few minutes after, did
G. From the violent nature OF the attack, do YOU be-
eve it would have been possible for the accused have
brought his guard and packs safely through the dele
A. do not-at least, without sustaining great loss.
e. Will you state the length of the dele from the
trance to the outlet
A. The whole length of the defe was not more than
wentyf or thirty yards through the attack nearly
The whole length of it, though most violent in the centre
The whole pass through the mountain about sixteen
miles, beng a succession of defes.
c. Do you know that the packs and rear guard had
rived at the deflle at the time of the attack
A. cannot say positively, though beliere they did.
There was blood on the other side, and somebody must
have been there.
There considerable other evidence given to sustain
the charges all of which fully conoboraes the statement
OF Colonel May The correspondent of the Delta con-
cludes as follows
"Wth the exception of that part of the testimony or
narrative OF Lieutenant Colonel May, which says that
guard, said, Colonel have been further than where
left the guard nothing has been vet elected to show that