The Arkansas banner., 1847-05-12


 aseomians yoa. hare tlsoughs proper so hes,ow ea lhem- for this ycahase ay siaesrv tAanks
 fTh- esneraI then alluses to sIs u.ssr.ar.e.n... ! lions which had hgen made inrsxasa to Ksi. Gen. l batler si Menierey. Those misfapsnssn,atlnns hni aeen the subject ef conversation htRseu them ana leh 10 feeling ike distyust or RnkiDdaess towards each otAeE In Vbeir brrasis The kster then goes cR;J
 vas aware of the reposs as well ss s,atsmensin few of the public journals. thst t was intended by certain individuals 10 bring GeneFal ButeF for ward as the successor 10 Mir Polk. Nkish gave me DO eoacern, ahd would Rot even ksd t been the ease which had been fergotten. doahs if the sub- lert weaiA have again eSOssed lay niAd had Ros been brought 10 ny notice by yoa er some oae else have never heard him or any of his frsnds aiiuds tc this matter he, Ehe general, ia eonsequencs of his wound not Aealing. which gave hia so mach pain as to render him unGt foF duty, leta short iine since hy advice of hs medical allrndant Inr New orleans- where hops he has arrived in safe. ~, and wAegc tsNly hapS he wiilwasy sla6 srccs~ CT, se ns to bs able to take tss Hsid once mere
 may esseyre tAaf Asse berm aise nnrsea ss q csndidais fv ASzs kigA ef0s 6v esU neespspsr sd- tors and stssTs, eassk Aas beea doas trsthost az kncsriedes, WisAes, oy eoaseat.
 This have assured al who have written me oa the subject; assuring them bed 10 aspirations for that or any ettcs efscs; that my wtels energies mental and physical. were and had been absorbed in such way as thought best calculated to hssag this var 10 speedy and Honorable close believing i was for the interest of both countries the sooner t was done tc hsstes'-st say s.as sas as oaEs wss concerned; and that president -maKing should be lost sight of until this was accomplished.
 ffere follows brief statement of events from the time of General Seotts arrival at the Brazos till General Taylor returned from vietcra to Monterey The ietter then proceesis:1
 a.. Il. A towards the latter part of the monih anuaryl and where expected 10 remain some time 10 recruit myself and ksrses: but few days afies my arrival 1 received information from the command in my front at SaItiIo sixty five miles m the direction of San Luis Potcsi from Moaterey) that the command between 4,000 and 5.0oo strong--andeF General Wool. had become very much alarmed in conse- fuenee of about 100 picked men and horses belong ing io the Kentucky and Arkansas regiments of mounted men, who were sent out towards San Luis 10 gaia intelligence respecting the enemy, aad to watch their movements, having been taken after being surrounded in the night and all made prison- CTS 6y large force of cavalry about fifty miles in advance of SaItilIo. So said one of the party who succeeded in making his escape the nex, night and getting back ia Saltlo also tbAf the Mexican ar. my was advancing in great numbers towards Sal. tiIlo. These reports induced to join my advance immediately.
 Leaving Monterey on the 3lst January, reached Saltilio on the morning of the And February with small reinforcement, witch increased my force to 5000. when lost no time in moving foftyssd and establishing camp at shs place. about 20 miles in advance of Saitiio on the San Luis road, for the purpose of carrying on system of instruction. as well as to watch the movements Of the enemy, and where expected to fight him, should he attempt, 10 move on to SaltillO. Here remained unii! the 2lst, examining the several passes through the Inountains-at which time l asceFtaiued that Gen. Santa Anna was advancing and near at hand with an overwhelming force. Not exactly liking my position. having asceftained that he could gain my rear by two roads on my right and one on my Jeff and not deeming it prudent to divide my forces and having apprehensions about my supplies which ih Saitilio, determined al once to falI back towards that place about twelve miles, and occupy strong position between two spurs of motnfain. with narrow valley between them, where at one point the road is 50 narrow 10 permit the passage Of only cue wagon al time. with deep gullies run ming up to the mountains, washed by the rains so as to prevent horses or carriages from passing tem without great difficulty. Said position had been closely examined by the typographical engineer under the eye Of General Wool before my arrival, who deemed it admirably adapted to resist a large with srnai force, as well as adapted to the de scriptioh os force which composed our army. We therefore fell back and occupied is on the evening of the Fist, and al once made the necessary pFepa rations for giving battle.
 The next day the enemy made bis appearance early ,a the day, and after accommodating our posi- ton for some time, at o'clock, D. m, received. by staf officer with flag, commanics alton from Gen. Santa Anna. requiring me 10 surrender al dis eretion, stating that in the event Of my doing so. we should be well treated; that he had surrounded me with more than 20 900 men; that resistance was out Of inc question; and, if attempted it. u.y con- mand would be put to roat and must be destroyed In reply, staied could not comply with his de- mand, and he was at liberty tn commence opera. tons whenever he was inclined to do so Soon si- ter this the action was commenced with his skrm. sbers on our left which was promptly met by ours and continued without nteriaission on the side of the mountain until dark.
 In the morning al sunrise be renewed tts con test wiih an overwhelming lorce--wIth artillery. infantry, and drsgooals-- hieh lasted with very slight IRtermissicus until dark A portioG of tue time the contest was much t!a serFerest 1 have ever witnessed, particularly towards the latter nart of the day. when. be (Sania Anna) brought up his serve and i spite ci every effort our part after the greatest exertioHs l have ever witnessed on both sides. drove us by an immense superierfy of numbers ier some distance He had al feast five to one al that point against us. Fortunately al the most critical moment, two pieces of artilIey which had ordered up 10 support that part of line, fnet oar exhausted men retreaiIBg, when they were ugUHgnt into battery ARa oelae1 op lfte eNefs$y, then within 6iy yards in bo, pursuit. with canister and grape, which brought him 10 a halt, and soon cesapeled him to fall back. In this temendous contest lost three pieces of artillery nearly all the men and herses having beea killed or crippled which put il out of ouT power to bring them oii Ros did 1 deem it advisable 10 attempt to regain them.
 The enemy made hls principal eiEor,x against our Hanks. He was handsomely repalsed ia every at- tempt our right, bat succeeded early in the 6ay in gaming our left, ih consequence of the giving way of one Of the regiments which eould hot be rallied with but few exceptions the greater portion retiring sboat a miIe to large rancho or farm hosise, where our wagons and portion of our stefes were left. These were soon after attacked by the enemy's cavalry, who were repulsed wi,t some loss.
 For several hours inc fate of the day was ex. tsemely doabtlal, so much so that was urged b, some of the most experienced officers to faIi bael and take up new position. This knew 1t weale never dn to attempt with volunteers. and at one. dechnedit. The scene now had become Of the deep. est interest Between the several deep rayines thers were portions cf level land from one to four hun dred yards in sxtsnt. which became aiiernztel, points of attack and defrDce after os le was turn
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