Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-07
OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
California. --Gen. kearny's Letters.
i;sApouARreRs, Army OF TIE WEST,

San Diego, Upper California, Dec. IL, 1876, {
Sm:-As have previously reported 10 you,
lei. santa Fc New Mexico) for this country on
The 18th september, with 300 OF the Isl dragons
under Major Sumner. We crossed 10 The bank
Of me Del More AT Albuquerque, (65 miles be-
low santa Fe) continued down on thai bank iii
The 6 h October when we met MIR. Kit Carson,
with party OF III nen, on his way 10 Washing
ton city, with mail and papers-an express
from Coai. Stockton and Lieut.. Col. Fremont,
reporting that the Calitornans were already in
. session Of The Americans under their COM
Inand; that the American flag was flying from
every important position i'll The Territory, and
that the country was forever Tree IRON Mexican
conlro the war ended, and peace and harmony
established among the people. In consequence
of this information, directed that 200 Dragons,
under Major Sumner, should remain in New
Mexico, and that the other 100, with two noun
tain howtzers, under Captain Moore, should &C.
company me as a guard 10 Upper California
With this guard, We continued our marcn 10 Inc
South, on the right bank OF the Del Norte, 10 the
distance of about $50 miles below Santa te,
when, leaving that river on the 18th October, in
about the 33d deg Of latitude, we marched West
ward for the Copper Mines which we reached on
The 18th, and on The Doth reached The river ella,
proceeded down The Gila, crossing and recross'ns
it as often as distractions in our front rendered
necessary; on the llth November reached Inc FL
mos village. about 80 miles from the settlements
in Sonora These Indians we found honest, ana
living comfortably, having made good crop
this year; and we remained win tnem TWO udys,
10 rest our men, recruit our animals, and OBTAIN
provisions. On the 22d November, reached the
mouth OF the Gila, in latitude about 80 degrees
our whole march on this river having been near
" 500 miles, and, with but little exception, be-
tween 32d and 33d parallels Of latitude.
This river, Qhe Gila,l more particularly the
Northern side, is bounded nearly the whole DIS
lance by range Of lofty mountains; and u
lolerable wagon road 10 lis mouth from me Del
Norle is ever discovered it mast be on The South
side. The country is destitute OF timber, pro
ducing but few cottonwood aud mesquite tees;
and though The soil on The bottom lands is gene
rally good, yet we found but very lillle grass or
vegetation, in consequence Of The dTyness oi lhe
climate and the little rain which tails here. Inc
Pmos Indians, who make good crops OF wnea',
corn, vegetables &C., irreale The lano oy wafer
from The ella, as did the Aztecs Qhe lormer IN
habtans OF the coun;ry,) The remains oil whose
seonias or little canals were seen by us, as we'll
as the position of many Of their dwellings, and
large quantity OF broken pottery and earhenware
used by them
We crossed the Colorado, about 10 miles be-
low The mouth OF the GiIa, Sand, marching near
II about 80 miles further turned of and crossed
lha desert-a distance Of about TO miles-wilh-
out water or grass.
On lheM December reached Warmers rancho,
jAgua Calienle,) the frontier settlement IN CAN
lorna, on the route leading 10 Sonora. On The
4th, marched 10 Mr Slokes's rancho, (San lsa-
bella, and on The 5th were met by small parry
of volunteers, under Captain Gillespie, sent oul
from San Diego, by Commodore Stockton 10
give Us what information they possessed Of the
enemy, 600 or 700 OF whom are now said 10 be
in arms and in The field throughout the territory,
determined upon opposing the Americans and
resisting their authority in the country. EDcamp-
ed that night near another rancho (San Matia)ni
Mr.. Stokes, abou, 40 miles from San Diego
The journals aud maps kept and prepared by
Captain Johnston (my aid-de-camp) and those
By Lieutenant Emory, typographical engineers,
which will accompany or follow This report, VIII
render anything further from me On this subject
unnecessary
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
j. w kEARNY, Brig Gen. U. S. A.
Brig. Gen K. JONES. AdJulant General U. ). A.
HEADouARTeRs, Army OF THE WEsr, !
San Diego, Upper California, Dec. l3 1916.
S--In my communication TO you OF yesic:-
davis date, | brought The reports oil the move
mems Of my guard up 10 The morning Of the ''h
instant in camp near a rancho Of Mr. Stokes,
(San,a Maria about 40 mics from Saa Diego.
Having learned from Capt. Gillespie, ~ the w.
iunleers, mat there was an armed 'eiiy OF Cali.
iornians, with a number OF exits no-se> ~ San
Pasqual, three leagues distant, n a t0a' leaiia.
to this place, sent Lieut.. Hammond, 1t Ora
soons. with lew men 10 make reconnaissance
OF Them He returned al TWO in The morning Of
the 9Th instant, reporting that he had found the
party in the place mentioned, and that he had been
seen, though moi pursued BY Them. then deter
mined thai would march Tor and attack them
by break day. Arrangements we're according
IL made for the purpose. My Aid-de-camr, Cap
lain johnson, dragons, was assigned TO the con-
mand Of the advanced guard OF Twelve Dragons,
mounted on the best horses We had then followed
ABOUT fifty dragons, under Capt Moore mount
ed, with but few exceptions on Inc tired mules
they had ridden from Santa Fe. New Mexico
1850 miles;l then about 20 volunteers OF Capt
Gibson's company under his command, and that
of Capt Gillespie; then followed our two noun
tain howi,zers with Dragons 10 manage them
and under the charge OF Lieut.. Davidson Of the
regiment The remainder Of dragons, yoiun-
teeIs, and ciliZens, employed By The officers of
The staff, &c, were placed under The command OF
Mai. Swords, (QuartermaslerJ with orders 10 fol-
low on our Trail with The baggage and see TO us
safety.
Aslhe day Oecember6 g. dawned, we approach
ed The enemy al San Pasqua who was already
10 the saddle, when Captain Johnson made
furious charge upon lhecl with ms advance
guard, and was in a short time afler supported
BY the dragcons soon after which the enemy
gave way, having kept up from the beginning
continued fire unon Us. Upon The retreat oil The
enemy, Captain Moore led off rapidly in pursuit,
accompanied by the dragons mounted on horses
and was followed though slowly, Ivy the others
ON their tired mules; the enemy well mounted,
and among the best horsemen IN Inc woFl', AFTER
relrea,ing about hall mile, and seeing an .nter-
val between Captain Moore win his advance,
h. rail- cd
their whole force charged with their iances, and,
ON account OF their greatly superior numbers, Dul
few of us in front remained untouched; TO. hge
minutes they held The ground from US, when our
men coming up, we again drove them, ana they
fed from the field, not 10 return 10 II, which we
occupied and encamped upon
A most melancholy duty now remains for me;
il is 10 report the death Q! my ald-6e-campA Gap
lain Johnson, who was shot dead 4, mel POM
mencemen, of the action, OF Capt Moortv VIZ
was .anced Just previous 10 the final rel, al "
the enemy, aud of Lieut. Hammond, also pce1,
and who survived but :. few hours. We had
also killed Two sefscanls Two corForals and len
priyaes OF The Isl dragons; one private Of the
volunteers and one man. an engage in Inc lopo.
graphical department. Among The wounded are
myself (in Two places,) Lieut.. Warner, Iop"-
graphical engineers, (in three places Capsa'nS
Gillespie and Gibson OF the volunteers, (iH io.-
ner in three places,) one sergeant, enc oeah.
man and nine priva,cs Of the dragons; many OF
these Surviving from two to ten lance wannds,
most of them when endorsed and incapable Of
resistance.
Oar howitzers were not broush. into The ac-
ton; bu, coming 10 The iront al The close Of IT, be-
fore they were turned, SO as 10 admit OF being
fred upon the relreaing enemy, The Two mules
before one Of them 60, alarmed, and freeing hem
selves from their drivers, ran off and among the
enemy and was thus lost 10 us.
The enemy proved TO be parry OF about lou
Calinrnians under Andreas Pico, brother OF the
late governor; The numbec oftheir dead and wound
ed must have been considerable, though have
no means OF ascerlaining how many, as Just pre-
vious to their fual IeIeal they carried Oh allie
ceptins six.
The great number Of our killed and wounded
nroyes that our officers and men have fully sus