Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-05-06

ton might operate periodically against the just
claims Of others.
have the honor to be- very respectfully your ODE
dent servant, STERLING PRICE
Col. commanding the army in New Mexico.
The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army, Washing
ton, D. G.
Ertract from sletter, dated
SANTA FE, New Mexico, February II, 1s47.
M dear Colonel As the events of the last lew
months in this territory calculated to create some
interest in the States, have thought 1t might be
interesting to you to have detailed account of the
same from one personally acquainted with many Of
the facts The entrance Of our troops into the coun-
try without being in the least resisted, led almost
every TO believe that the change of government
would be hailed with delight by the peoples; and
think General Kearney left for California in the full
belief that effort would be made to wrest the gov
eminent from US. 1t became apparent to almost
every that the clergy and ricos, wealthy men,
nmica to the change from motives OF interest,
and that the lower class, Comprising indeed, nearly
the whole population,) wholly under the influence OF
the two higher classes were too degraded and gno-
rant TO appreciate or understand the advantages to be
derived from the change. Early in December we
received certain intelligence that plot was on foot
the country from us, and that had extended
far and wide. A number of the principals were
arrested aud confined Donphan's victory over the
of December, together with the discovery of the plot
would, 1T was thought, be sufficient to nip the plot in
the bud. Again in Governor Bent
learned soon afterwards, through the priest of Don
Fernando de Taos, that spirit Of dlsafection pre-
vailed throughout the whole valley and particularly
among the Pueblos, "a warlike tribe of lndians,)
whose town In the Taos valley is the strongest in
New Mexico, and had always been regarded by the
Mexicans as impregnable. On the 18th of last
month, the Governor mprudently left here for Taos,
where he had formerly resided. On the 10Th we had
rumor that he was dead. A few hours later it was
stated that he had been murdered This was so sud-
den and unexpected. that we could neither believe
nor realize It, On the morning OF the both the whole
truth was before us, and we knew that he and num-
Der of Americans had been murdered in Taos, and
that the insurgents, numbering not less than fifteen
hundred, were marching towards this place. The
troops from Albuquerque, comprising Major Edmond
sons command of three companies of volunteers and
the squadron of dragons under the command of Capt
Burgwin Immediately ordered to this place, and
the latter officer directed to follow Colonel Price,
who left here on the 9th with $50 men TO meet the
insurgents | applied to accompany the expedition
in some capacity, and fortunate enough TO be
assigned to the command of the artillery which
sisted Of four mountain howitzers served by twenty men
of Capt. FIschers company of artillery. On the 25th
we met the enemy at Can ida, and Immediately at
tackled them. They were all the hills or in strong
houses the bases. My battery occupied position
by the enemy, and for hour and half exposed
to warm FIRE. during which time had men wound
ed, and almost every shot through the clothes.
The position of the battery unfavorabe one,
the guns could only be brought to bear the most
distant hill occupied by the enemy, and the shells
when thrown into the houses, in almost every in
stance, had the fuse extinguished Still warm fire
was kept up, and with decided effect. So our
ammunition and provision wagons could be brought
up, general charge made, and the enemy were
dispersed in every direction. From Can ida sent
TO this place for 6poundcr and an additional supply
of ammunition, which was brought up by Captain
Burgwin, who Joined us with his company. On the
18th, and on the following day, he, with $50 men,
defeated the enemy at FL Embudo, very strong
mountain pass | was not in the fight, the road
mpracticabe for artillery, and the conformation
of the pass such to forbid the of it. On the
LIST and I'd of February crossed the Taos mountain
road having from two to three feet of unbroken
snow. On the Sd we entered tie town of Don Fer
nando, where Governor Bent was murdered and there
learned that the enemy had fortified themselves in the
Pueblo town. We Immediately marched upon it, and
found the enemy strongly posted in aud about the
church, or behind the surrounding wall. The d
FOUNDER and l howi.Zer was opened on them. The
wall was soon broken in several places by both
shot and shells, and several of the latter bursted
handsomely in the town. Our ammunition wagons,
which had not been able to cross the mountain on
the previous day, not having come up, we were COM
PEELED 10 return to Don Fernando to take up quarters
for the night. Early on the morning OF the 9TH, we
again appeared before the town. determined to take
it; and, satisfied that we would have hard and
bloody fight, established the 6 FOUNDER and how
itzers the north side of the town and about $50
yards distant, to sweep the side of the church
which faced nwards the other two to the south
west to sweep the front and give fire on the
town. A charge was soon ordered, and was made by
/ Captain Burgwin with his Dragons and company
of volunteers in one line, and Captain Angney. with
2 companies OF infantry and one of Prices regiment
on another. Judgment was made at the church.
but nothing further could be done at that time, and
our troops were exposed TO deadly firc-Captain
Burgwin and lieutenant of volunteers were soon
carried off MORALLY wounded-four dragons
dead, and a number of tie troops wounded. The
church walls were so thick as to forbid all hope Of
preaching them with the ammunition we had with u.s.
and so part Of the wall was cut away with axes,
and finally small hole cut through, but our
men being shot through it whenever they commenced
cutting, the work was stopped, and was directed to
breach IT. The FOUNDER was run up within sixty
yards, and had, in that part of the wall
which bad been thinned, breach large enough to
admit four abreast. Several shells, which had
recovered at Cah ida, prepared and thrown in.
The roof was fired, and the FOUNDER run up within
thirty feet Of the BREACH and fred with grape. The
storming party Immediately followed and in twenty
minutes had possession of that part of the town
around the church, and the white flag was raised on
both Pueblos they were shot down, and night now
coming on, lay down in the full expectation Of
renewing the fight at early dawn The enemy
pied two large and very strong buildings about $50
feet long and seven stories nigh, OF pvramlda form,
all the being through the roofs, which were
gained by ladders. The walls were too thick for
solid shot to pass through them, and we had but
few left. Early the next morning, the aged men,
md hrln lnfan o,I