The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-05-08


from the northern wall. Here, too
Lieut.. Dyer established himself witt
the six.pounder and two howitzers
while Lieut.. Hassandaubel, oil Majol
Clark's battalion Of light artillery re,
mained with Capt. Rurgwin, in com.
mand Of two howitzers. by this ar
rangement a cross fire was obtained
sweeping the front and eastern flank o
the church.
All these arrangements having been
made, the batteries opened upon The
town at nine O'clock, a. m. At eleven
O'Clock, finding it impossible to breach
the walls Of the church with the six
FOUNDER and howitzers, determined
to storm that building. At a signal,
Capt. Burgwin, (lst regiment United
States dragoonsD at the head Of his
own company, and that Of Captain
McMillin. (of the vounteers,) charged
the western flank Of the church, while
Capt. Angney, Qnfantry battalion) and
Capt. Barber and Lieut.. Boon, I'D re.
giment Missouri mounted volunteers
charged the north wall. As soon Us
the troops above mentioned had estab.
lished themselves under the western
wall Of the church, axes were used in
the attempt TO breach it; and, tempo.
rary ladder having been made, the roof
was fired. About this time Captain
Burgwin, at the head of a small party,
left the cover afforded by the flank of
the church, and penetrating into the
corral in front of the building, endeav.
ored to force the door. In this exposed
situation. Capt. Burgwin received a
severe wound, which deprived me of
his valuable services, and of which he
died on the 9TH instant. Lieu,enants
Mcllvaine, 1st United States dragoons,
and Royal and ackland, I'd regiment
mounted volunteers. accompanied Capt.
Burgwin into the corral; but the at
tempt on the church door proved fruit
less, and they were compelled to retire
behind the WALL. In The meantime
small holes had been cut in the western
wall, and shells were thrown in by
hand. doing good execution. The six
FOUNDER was now brought around by
Lieut.. Wilson, who, at the distance OF
two hundred yards, poured heavy
fire of grape into the town. The ene-
my during all this time kept up de-
structive fire upon our troops. About
half.past 8 o'clock the six-pounder was
run up within sixty yards of the church,
and after ten rounds of the holes
which had been cut with the axes was
widened into Il practicable breach. The
gun was now run up within ten yards
of the waIl--a she'll was thrown in :
three rounds Of grape were poured into
the breach. The storming party, a.
nong whom were Lieut.. Dyer, Of the
ordnance, and Lieuis. Wilson and Tay-
lor, lst dragons, entered and took
possession of the church without oppo-
silion. The interior was filled with
dense smoke, but for which circum.
stance our storming party would have
suffered grea, loss. A few Of the enc
ny were seen in the gallery where an
open door admitted the air. but they
retired without firing gun. The
troops left TO support the battery on the
north were now ordered to charge on
hat side. The enemy abandoned the
western part of the town. Many took
refuge in the large houses in the east.
while others endeavored to escape to-
ward the mountains. These latter
were pursued by the mounted men On
der ca plains Slack and St. Vrain, who
killed fity.one Of them, only two or
three men escaping. 1t was now night,
and our troops were quietly quartered
in the houses which the enemy had a.
On the next morning the
enemy sued for peace, and thinking the
severe loss they had sustained would
prove a salutary lesson, ! granted their
on the condition that they
,ho uld deliver up to me Tomas one
Of their principal men, who had instiga.
led and been actively engaged in the
murder of Governor Bent and others.
The number of the enemy at the battle
VI Pueb bio de Taos was between six and
seven hundred. Of these about one
hundred and fifty were kilIed-wound-
ID not known. Our own loss was
seven killed and forty-fve wcunded.-
Many Of the wounded have since died.
The principal leaders in this insurrec-
ion were Tafoya, Pablo Chavis, Pablo
Montoya, Cortez, and Tomas, a Pueblo
ndlan. Of these, Tafoya was killed at
;anada; Chavis was killed at Pueblo;
Montoya was hanged a, Don Fernando
IN the 7lh instant. and Tomas was shot
~ a private while in the guard room
4 the latter town. Cortez is still at