The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-03-19

LeiierCrom The Editor.
NO. NXNi.
San JuAs'pE BurNA V,srA,)
Ierr Sfii'ilo, Mrrico,) I
January 30 lS1T. \

January 80 lSl7. }
The past week has been one Of diSa,.
tiers in lhiS quarter, AID We are in gloom.
have the melancholy Intelligence to
commnnica'e that Mai BourlNnd. Capt
. D'nIey, and lieutenant Of Col. Yen,
/ Arkansas 'gimcn,; Major Games, Capt
Cassius NJ. Clay, and Capt. ilrddv. ol
The kentucky mounted volunteers. and
about 90 Privaies, have been taken prs.
ones by the Mexcans, and marched oil
to the city Of Mexico. The circumsun-
cos are about as follows: For the last 4
or . weeks. Gen. W DOL has lecn cou-
unuo'ly receiving information from MeNi-
cans around us and from Mexican spir,
that lie had sent out. that l(c nemv was
] lowering about us u LARGE numbers
sometimes advancing, then rerreating. Cre.
quenlly less than days march of. and
as yon have seen by former letters, our
encampment has several times been chan.
ged IN consequence of these rumors. and
our forces suddenly concentrated. But
while this Information was broueh, in ev.
| cry Cav by Mexicans. none of these LARGE
forces had ever been seen hy our scouts.
and lallerIy the opinion began to be gen
eral that the Mexicans were AMUSING
themselves by imposing upon our credu.
Iiy. So. 10 settle the matter definitely.
Gen. Wool sent ont scou, of about IS
men under command of Major Bourland,
To range the country at distance of so
or 100 miles, or until they should find
the Mexican army. Forty of the men
were taken from the Arkansas regiment.
and the balance from the Kentucky re-
glment' under Capt, Clay. Maj. Gaines
went along rs a volunteer. The party
IeIt Col. Wells encampmcnt at TIE .4guo
N"era ON Thursday morning of las,
week. They had been gone rull week
and not word had been heard of them,
considerable uneasiness began TO be rel,
about them. until about Thursday. when
rumors began 10 reach u tina, they had
been taken prisoners. Bat nothing def.
mite could be asceriained. until finally. on
Friday morning, Capt. Henry. Of Texas,
who had gone along as Interpreter, arriv.
ed al Cot. Wells camp completely ex.
nau''e"' win his clothes torn in rags,
barr footed and afoot. lie brought GER
tain information that they were prison
etS' ana iuIl particulars Of their capture.
! ne account he gives is substantially as
io!lo"s -
ney went ont The first day on the
San LUIS road about Al miles, withou,
seeing OF hearing OF any Mexican troops
Whatever hnd'ng the people on the way
apparently disposed to be friendly. The
'''A' o'y '"'y coh''nuen IN me same d.
'ec''o'' meeting "''h no different sue
'''s' '"u H"a"! az h'ghi matted at car
''''''''' " '''se "a'',h"a' ao"n' on miles
nun 'e'e' ne h'Sh' was coId and s'or'
"'' ""N "'."s 'h'l'e" 10 90 So uey
. ~ W '"''' '''s'heS III 'he hacIehuA'
""'' 'o"'''', ''o pftcaun"h y"
''' '"' 7""'o' anu ft''feu al an carry
'''"' :" '','' az "oou' : o CLOCK III 'ile
'''p'"'"s' u''H were aroused oy ''e e"aru'
Nv S'',',o ''''' '''y ia" near" suspicious
, 'D's,2 ~ u" s'e"' Instance suc' as 'ne
'' .'"b W A"S'S' "'o we fa'o'"S "'
","' =, 'c"''4ue"re o. "h'ch scare"
,,: 49, W. "''' 'i'''e an arou''" we
''e''"'' 0"' n"'lIhg was oiseoVereu'
10y "s1'' ',..'eu L" resi- ana sieP' UNI
!" u'y's"'' ''o"' ID '"ey were ge'''"g
'ea"y 10 i"''e' S"""Gh'y'" DIS II ny magic
"Ppea'eo lth''''''"'''y upon '"e"n' '"fee
NUMBERS OF mouh'en HAtA'c'ns' III ever!
ulrectlon 'Hey cnaiu ioo"' "ey were
co"'P'e"'y surrouhdeH ~ 'o,ue "PPa'
rehup % 'mes 'heIr nuin1ff' !" 'm'n mum,
'sl hgt'ng 'heir way through was niue
else than madness nut whI'e ue''OH'"'
'lng whal course 10 axe Inc MeN'ce'
commander zen. NtHon' sent IN nag
81 truce, ana summoned 'nem 10 surreh-
der lie told them he had three thons-
and men there and 10 convince 'hem' he
sent IN MAJOR TO be retained as hostage
WINE mayor u ines went out ana count
ed men, lie 'ound 'helr iorce was not
ovrr'sla'eu' ana alter an hour deI'oera'
lion they agreed 10 capltuI2le upon the