The Ottawa free trader., 1847-04-02

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those articles got there, but no salts
factory answer being given, and
some of the Mexicans beginning to
take to their heels, an indiscrimi-
nate slaughter was commenced, and
in less than an hour some 20 were
killed. BY this time, the firing hav-
ing been heard at the camp, Capt.
Coirey, of the I'd Illinois Regiment,
was Immediately despatched with
his company to the scene Of action,
arrived on the ground, and put a
stop to the slaughter by taking the
few Mexicans left into crmp as 2ris-
oners. One Of the prisoners had on
the pantaloons worn by Hurd, a
private in Capt. Smiths company, OF
our regiment, who strayed away
from wood party several weeks
ago, and has not since been heard
of. The prisoners, however, were
yesterday discharged, without trial,
the General probably concluding
that they had suffered enough.
The affair has created considera-
bic feeling in camp, and is generally
condemned. The MexicanS it seems,
were totally unarmed, and offered no
resistance, so that it would have
been an easy matter to have bro''
all into camp as prisoners, where
they could have had regular trial
No arms were found about the house.
except a few old unserviceable mus
kets and about leo cartridges. A
letter was read on parade last eve
ming, from General Taylor, in which
he denounces the act as QtyOCiOus
and c0wdrdiy, and the perpetrators
as mNrdererS. 1t is even said he
intends to send the company TO
which these men belong, to the Rio
Grandc, and let them serve out the
balance of their year on lis eastern
bank.
But amidst this denunciation, il
should not be forgotten that there
are mitigating circumstances in ia.
vor of the accused. Their Captain.
! Ga bravcr man never lived) it is
known, is a prisoner in the hands oI
the Mexicans, and there are rumors
aAoat that he has been treacherously
murdered. In addition, three men
Of the same compcny, besides this
last one, have, within the last foul
weeks, been kQria'ed by Mexicans,
and two of them murdered, all rob-
bed of their horses and arms. Be-
sides which, others Of their SesN
horses have been stolen; and as Of.
ten as they have brought in the per,
petrators, SO often have they beer
sent away scot free for want ofproof
if not proper investigation. That
they should be tempted, under sucI
circumstances, to take the law into
their own hands, is not astonishing
especially when accompanied by nt
officer, and highly exasperated by Sc
recent an and atrocious an outrage
The Arkansas regiment, it is use.
less to conceal, has been greatly a.
bused. 1t is made up of the hardi.
est kind of backwoodsmen, who love
the largest liberty by nature, anc
can little brook the absolute submis
sion demanded by so punctillious {
disoiplinariNn as Gen. Wool. S,
that the General has more than one,
had his Indignation excited by find
ing they had pailno attention to hal
the thousand and one little orders h,
has issued, in consequence orwhic,
he has conceived great dislike fo
them, and he carries it so far that g.,
has never been known to recogniz,
, them as soidisrS, but speaks Of then
as "ihose ArhdasaS people." Bu
: they are soldiers. nevertheless, am,
bravcr, and more servicabIr sol RS
.IiNcnture tosay, are not in the world
= They are exactly the sort of men dc
, 'scribed by Gen, Worth in his ac
, count Of the battle of Montcrc,
} when speaking of the Texas rangers
4 There is hardly man among thcl
I that will not hit the size of man q
l50 yards with a carbine or rifle o
Ii,,..oI. al - :, c,1l ,,, A. =, I.