Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-05-29
DISPATCHES OF GEN. KEARNY.

HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE WEsT,)
SAN DIEGO, Upper California,
Dec. IS, 1916.
SIR-ln my communication to you OF
yesterdays date, brought the reports Of
the movements OF my guard up 10 the morn.
ing OF the 5th instant, in camp near ran.
cho of Mr.. Stokes, Santa MariaD abou. 40
miles from San Diego.
Having learned from Capt. Gillespie, Of
the volunteers, that there was an armed
party Of Californians, with number Of ex.
ira horses at San PasquaI, 8 leagues distant,
on road leading to this place, ! sent Lieut..
Hammond, Is. dragons, with a few men
to make reconnaissance Of them. He re.
turned at two in the morning Of the 9Th
instant, reporting that he had found the par
ly in the place mentioned, and that he had
been seen, though not pursued by them.
then determined that would march for and
attack them by break Of day. Arrange.
ments we're accordingly made for the pur-
pose. My aid.de.camp, Capt. Johnson,
dragons, was assigned to the command of
the advance guard OF 70 dragons, mounted
on the best horses we had; then followed
about fifty dragons under Capt. Moore,
mounted, with but lew exceptions. on the
tired mules they had ridden from Santa Fee,
New Mexico, 1850 miles;) then about 90
volunteers of Capt. Gibson's company I'M
der his command and that Of Capt. Giles
pie; then followed our mounted howitzers,
with dragons to manage them, and under
the charge Of Lieut.. Davidson of the regi-
ment. The remainder OF the dragons, vol.
unteers and citizens, employed by the Off
GERS Of the staff, &c. placed under the CON-
mand Of Major Swords, (quartermaster,)
with orders TO follow on our trail with the
baggage, and to see TO its safety.
As the day December g. dawned, we ap.
preached the enemy at San Pasqual, who
was already IN the saddle, when Captain
Johnson made furious charge upon them
with his advance guard, and was in shor,
time after supported by the dragons; soon
after which the enemy gave way, having
kept up from the beginning a continued fire
upon US. Upon the retreat Of the enemy
Capt. Moore led off rapidly in pursuit, &C.
companied by the Dragons, mounted on
horses, and was followed, though slowly
by the others on their tired mules; the enc
my we'll mounted and among the best horse
men in the world, after retreating abou,
half mile, and seeing an interval between
Capt. Moore with his advance, and the dra
goons coming to his support, rallied their
whole force, charged with their lances, and
on account of their greatly superior mum
bers, but few OF US in front remained un
touched; for minutes they held the grouno
from us, when our men coming up, we
again drove them, and they fled from the
field, not TO return TO it, which we occupied
and encamped upon.
| A most melancholy duty now remains fol-
me: it is to report the death OF my aid de
camp, Capt. johnson, who was shot dead a
the commencement of the action, Of Capt
Moore, who was lanced just previous to thu
final retreat of the enemy, and Of Lieut.
Hammond, also lanced, and who survived
but few hours. We had also killed two
sergeants, two corporals, and ten privatel
OF the LIST dragons; one private OF the vol
unteers, and one man, an engage in the to
biographical department. Among the woun
ded are myself, lin two places,) Lieut.. War
ner, Typographical engineers, lin 8 places,
Capts. Gillespie, and Gibson, of the volun
tesrs, (the former in 8 places,) one sergeant
one bugleman, and privates OF the dra
goons; many OF these receiving from two L
ten lance wounds; most OF them were un
horsed and incap bic of resistance.
Our howilzers were not brought into tn
action; but coming to the front at the clos
OF It, before they were turned, so as. TO ad