The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-03-13


tered with uceo (and there is none better than the Mex
lean will last very long time, resisting the heaviest
rains but when not protected, they washed away
in a few wears Nearly all the houses in Coahua are
constructed with fiat roofs, and are almost universally
one story high The roofs OF the better kind are formed
by placing the walls which are thick and high ioss
agonay covering of shingles, and all is deposited
thick coating of dirt and cement The houses have OF
ten extensive court yards, in which flowers planted
and they are provided with large reservoirs kept full Of
running water, sometimes spoutng into Jets high in the
air Fippaces and chmneys are rarely seen IN Mexico
AT Castana, the valley opens to width of nearly eight
miles and is werrlgated and culilya'ed ITS prncPal
district of country belongs to few wealthy proprietors
and nearly the whole laborng population are se called
poems, (slaves sold for debit who are transferred
With the estates like so many '.yilliens Of the
glebe" No portion OF northern Mexico can be
cultivated except when running water is at command,
for purposes of irrigation that the arbe land is very
limited in proportion to that which may be regarded as
absolutely sterile Taking Monclova a centre, the
district described by radius of 20 miles, probably pro-
duces annually about 100000 bushels of maize, good
deal of sugar and cotton, large herds OF cattle sheep
and goats; for rearing of which two latter classes OF
animals, the whole country would be admirably adaped,
but for the ravages OF the Indians, who render even the
suburbs of the towns unsafe.
From Castana, there is mue-track to Cienegas,
through the mountain passes, by the way OF Pozueos,
mentioned in another memory
On the 24th the whole army encamped on the ground
which had been previously selected for that purpose 1t
was well supplied with those essentials; to an army
abundance OF good water, grass, ana luel WHICH Ni
article wanted, as serere norther set IN soon
after the tents had been pitched The weather changed
suddenly from extreme heat to temperature below the
freezing point and the wind blew perfect gale, cover
ing the camp with cloud Of dust through which it
almost impossible to distinguish single object The
whole surface of the soil appeared to be in motion and
twas, indeed but heap OF sand there having Deen
rain for nearly four months Early in the morning
of the odd, the thermometer stood at "a degrees ran
renhet and before O'clock OF the same day, rose to
% degrees This statement will convey pretty good
idea Of he ycisstudps IF this chanpeful climate.
left the camp at Casana before 8 a. M on the 2?h
in advance of the army, which followed II consist,
ed of one squadron of LIST dragons, squadron OF I'd
dragons, one battery of guns, field artillery the Ar
kansas regiment of mounted men, battalion OF eh IN
fantry, including one company OF Kentucky volunteers
and the LIST and I'd Illinois volunteers detachment OF
LIST squadron of Arkansas and 4 companies OF Illinois
volunteers, having been left garrison at Moncloya
The command numbered about 1890 healthy and able
bodied men, Injured to the climate and familiar with prl-
vations; well appointed and anxious to meet the enemy
Ii may be proper here to remark or the purpose OF
avoiding repetiton) that in addition to my other duhes
charged with the service OF selecting and laying ou'
encampmens and of assigning the troops to their ground
1t therefore became necessary for me to ecede the adj,
vance guard Of the army in every march by several
hours.
On the evening of the 25th the army Eencamped at
reservoir, called Bajan, having marched 30 miles We
here found good water plenty of fuel and olerable
grazing. The road was good, passing over Wild and
uncultivated country, with high mountains on either
side. Our course southwesterly Aswe approach
ed Baan the ground became mary the dust from which
pearance of having been sprinkled with dirty flour AS
far Bajan the roads to Monterey and Sato are COM
mon but at this point they dlverge.
On the Goth the camp broken up before daylight
the army following the Salto road, which generally
passes over an uncultvaed and uninvng country, SIM
liar to that of yesterdays march The men still CON-
plain of the effects OF the calCareous mar which INJURIES
their feet and eyes.
We encamped at La Joya, or Aqua Nueuo, fine
large spring, where also found sufclency OF wood
and grazing. The weather oppresslvely hot, the
direction of march TODAY west southwest dis
tant fourteen miles.
On the 9th we reached the Benedo, and encamped
on of its numerous branches, (aer most tatguing
march of hiry-two miles, over dusty road, and eX-
posed to the ntoerable heat of the SUM- For the whole
of this distance there is not single drop OF water except
little in the Tanque San Felipe, which putres-
cent that even the mules refused it. The infantry su
fered greatly in this march, and up in small squads
AT the Tanque, about fifteen miles from the last camp
left the main road, and changed our course more
the west through an easy mountain pass; we were now
fairly on the road to Parras
The Bcnedito is small stream, rising Patos, (see
the map) falls into the San JUAN he drainage OF the
San Juan very extensive, and its sources being hlgi
up in the Sierra Madre, the downfall water is discharged
into it from the mountain sheds with great rapldy,
consequence of which it often overows ITS banks neal
the Rio Grande nundatng the town OF Camargo IN ths
rainy season. The country from Bajan, twenty miles
beyond Parras, from Casanuela Paos and Aqua Nueva
drains into the San Juan, which flowing past Monterey
discharges into the Rio Graade at Camargo.
There are several plantations near our camp on which
large quantities OF maize are grown Inc country aisc
Between Castana and the Beneditoa distance OF oo
miles, there is no settlement; few ruined ran
chos, which had been destroyed by the Indians
November 2Sth.--Owing to the sufierlngs yesterday
the and beasts the general determined TO remain OF
the Benedto, where comfortably encamped, with
an abundant supply of water fuel forage, and grass
1t Observed quite early in the day, that the stream
was rapidly and myseriously diminishing and by noon
there was scarcely any of it remaining The general al
rected to ascertain possible the cause OF TINS SUD
den disappearance After consulting with several Mexl
cans at the hacienda-who all protested that they knew
nothing about the matter, and suggested that the wae
had probably been drawn of, sixteen miles up ht
river for the purpose of irrgatng the wheat helds'
proceeded up the stream, about two and nall miles
when discovered that the supply branch, on winch W.
were encamped, had been damned up and sluice cut
by which the water diverted into another channel
Immediately destroyed the temporary dam, paruall
stopped the sluce, and turned the stream back INTO III
former bed and then directed gang OF poems to complete
recurrence of the mischief There can be no DOUBT
Judging from all the circumstance of the case mat Uni
| act was done with malicious design.
About four miles south of Bajan, road DIVORCES iron
the main one, and again unes with it near the hacend
of Benedi,o passing through the "Boca de los tres RIOS
and is about fifteen miles shorter than our line OF marc
| but is represented to be very rough and rocky.
November 29M.--Lef Benedto at daybreak, and march
ed to Sanceda, distance of sixteen miles Alter leaVinl
the hacienda Benedito 1.-TWO miles beyond our camp III
country poor barren, and sandy TILL we reach the c
enda of Sanceda the right bank OF the river, whic
| here takes the of "Ro los Angeles, where IN
valley is broad rich, and well cultivated, Astounding
corn cotton, and cattle We ehcamped on the lett oan
of the stream, the intersection OF the parras roa
and by-way to the hacienda the mountain OF so
Angeles" between which and our camp there is roa
from Monterey to chihuahua
Our to-day was south ana southwest, the roa
being bounded on both sides by high mountains.
November 3Oh.-Broke up our camp before sunrise In
| r g.,,Y{h do xtrpGf