The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-03-19
Correspondence or,he "E,ec Trader
Letter from The Editor.
NO. XIV.
CANT SAX IuAH NJ Brrva VrsrA,)
(,ear Sahiho, Merico,) :
January l6 lS47. }

camp, and like all Mexican, or /
should rather say, Spanish names,
isn't it musical? 1t is the name of
the hacienda at which we are loca-
ted, and means, in English, about
St. John Of Belleview; and the name
so far as the uicu is concerned, at
least, is most appropriate. The
uicW in every direction from here is
beautiful-grand. On our left, APP
parently impending over us, though
four miles off, we have mountain
whose peak is half the time lost in
the clouds. In front of us extends
the beautiful valley of Saltillo, at the
extreme of which is another cloud
capt mountain. On our right, be-
ginning at 5 miles distance, and con-
tinuing for probably fifty miles, rises
in regular graduation, one mountain
above another, until the last is lost
in the deep blue; and in our rear,
far as the eye can reach, on one side
extends regular range of lofty
mountains, and on the other, an APP
parent succession of abutments Of
mountains. The grandeur of these
mountains is heightened by the pyra-
midal form which many Of them as
sumo, and they are beautiful at night
frem the shepherds fires that are
scattered over them.
We have had no battle yet, though
an animated observer of the move
mentS hercabouts for the last four or
five days, would suppose we intend
ed 10 have one very soon. Last Mon
day morning expresses were sent in
hot haste in three or four different
dire ctions, calling in and concentra-
ting all the different detachmcnts
belonging to Buffers and Wool's
command. Oar own enca .,ment
was moved on a sudden from the
San Luis TO the Saltillo side Of the
Encantada Pass, the men were sup
piled with 90 rounds of cartridges
each, and our wagons, baggage,
storage, and everything else got
ready for an exit at a moments
warning. This certainly looked
like something, and the cause of all
Of it was, that a Mexican, who pre-
tended, at least, to be a spy, bro't
in by the picket guard, stated that
Santa Anna was within three or four
day'smarch Of this place with a force
of $4,000 men ; and then two days
afterwards another, who pretended
to be deSerter from Santa's camp,
came with the further information,
that the Mexican army, $4,000
strong, was just beyond the noun
tain, but l3 miles off, and that spies
had been overlooking our encamp-
ment from the mountain above us all
the day previous and what added
confirmation to this statement, was,
that three of the men of our reoi-
lnent, who had gone to the noun
tains with a party after wood, but
who had strayed away from their
party, were missing at night, nor re-
turned all the next day. Now all
the American force in this region,
when collected, which would take
at least two days would not have
amounted to 5000 men, and YOU NAV
wellimagine that under the circum-
stances, we calculated on having
very shortly, some of the iuNcSt hna
OF fighting to do; and we intended
to do it, for overwhelmed as we
were threatened to be by superior
numbers, there was not q man but
was misunderstanding for the fray
to commence, and no one thought o.
backing. Indeed, so anxious are
these volunteers to get into a fight
that | believe they would engag,
the Mexican, no matter what mich
e be the disparity of numbers. Ye
! two days and three nights have nov
i, passed since this grand Mexican ar
= my was hut ID miles off, and W,
l. have heard nothing of them since
> The men that were lost, were foun,
d By n party that was sent in scare
of them, and had heard of no enemy
They had strayed away from thei
party in search Of water, they sa,