Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-14

ant Colonel Cooke, IRON Santa Fc, arrived 10
California in January, 1917. This battalion al
50 proceeded by way OF the Gia river, and, by
devlatiEg from The route taken by General Near
ny, found one more practicable, over WHEN
though no wheel carriage OF any description had
ever before passed, they were enabled 10 tase
train Of wagons.
About Two hundred recruits have been sent cut
within leS months past, 10 fill up The cumpa-
MES in the regiment U! volunteers in California
| By tie las; report, daed lSh Jane, from Col
| Mason, new Chief in The command OF The military
force in California, and exercising the functions
| OF temporary civil governor there, it appears ina
The troops in tina, cOuElry DO moi exceed sever
hundfed and fifty, exclusive Of the battalion from
| Sahia re, whose term Of service expired IN July
aud who were not expected 10 Te-ensase. Nhcr
the recruits shall have arrived, the entire force il
| that country will be abou; one thousand. These
occupy seven posts, at d long distance from eacf
oiher. n detachment has b.en seat 10 garrison
| La Paz, The capilal vi Lower California
Under almost any circumstances, this force car
! hardly be regarded suflicient It, answer tho pur
pose Tor which troops are required in that coun
try. Though aii is now quiet there, and TO Sc
rious apprehension is entertained OF disturbance
yet inc county in our occupation is extensive
embracing many positions which should be gar
risoned, anu the Indian race is there numerous
with the propensity and habit Of dePTedating IL
case o! threatened disturbance, II Is moi doubled
that a considerable augmentation OF our force
could be derived from the Inhabitants oil the coun
try; still, think ii advisable 10 Increase The nun
Ter vi troops moss there. 10 show the stale .
tniGgs in California, in regard 10 military al
| fairs, as vel! 10 other matters 10 which sinai
hereafter allule, herewith transmit The last com
muuira'ion received from Col. Mason.
| aftor, bp nj
| der Col. Doniphan, Tor Chihuahua, an insured
| lion broke ont in the northern par, OF New Mexi
CO, which appeared 10 have for It's object The mas
sacre Of all American residents, without reference
| To their being in The putiic service, anu such
| the McXicans as had taken Office uncer The gov
eminent established by orr military authority
| The first acl OF outrage was the deliberate aht
brutal murder OF The governor ot theleiIiiory aht
severa! ether A merican citizens III Taos. Sini
| lar atrocities were al the sane time, perpella,et
at the Arroyo H0n:a and The Rio Colorado
| Flushed with the success IL their illst sudden
/ movement, The insurgents nfoceedcG 10 col'ec
and organise ,iIei force iof all attack upon San'd
Ee. AS SION as The commanding officer was 10
formed Of their designs he took prompt measure:
10 iD:crcen H. ,ir march. 10 restore oder through
oct the territory, and 10 punish !he! leaders. Or
| tcring in the 4 iachmen's a the orIfosis, aht
81
! Price. with three hundred aad fifty men, includ
| ing a company of horse and battery CT noun
tain hoIiiZcrs moved on the %! OF January ii
the direction OF Taos, and en- Ire succeeding DAY
discovered The enemy about fifteen hundred
near the town OF Canada. They we're immediate
~ attacked driven ifnn their positions, and cIs
perscd with loss OF lhirty.six killed and many
wounded.
Pursuing the route up The lei. bank OF tie Rio
Grandc our force now Increased ID near ilve nun
ircd men--reached Lie JoJa IN The 29Ih o. jam
ary. a detachment was sen, forward To dlsloist
party OF the eu"my-between SIX and seven
hundred-who had possession oilhe ne'SatS "hict
commanded The dctlie leading to Enbudo The
heights were Immediately attacked and carried
and the enemy precipiialely driven in the diEcc
ton of The town. Without further resistance
tbs detachment OF our troops entered and took
possession OF Enbudo, and in few days lhereai
Ter Joined the main body at Tfampas.
ON the II h OF January sma!i Iccun"0ltr ing
party OF about eighty men, under Capt. Henley
| proceeded in The direction OF Mora, 10 ascerait
he strength # the carmy, reported to be III ina
vicinity. From three to i've hundred MeXcan'
wrir Uncovered in \ S,rOaS position behind de-
| fences within the iowa. Here eontliri took
| place in which The enemy suffered a loss III XIII
ed and wounded OF abou, thirty but The defence:
!
taken ~ escalade with so small force. TIT
PARTY, alter destroying some oil the buildings II
! the town. retired with the prisoners 10 Vegas
| Our loss IN this affair VAS three slightly wound
Ell and one iied-tne gallant commander ot Tx
pa,iy. VINO ie!l in siormins The works.
On the Sd OF February, The command under Co
| lionel Price. after difficult march through dee[
SHOWS, arrived a, Pueblo &c Taos, place of con
siderable strength, surrounded by ddo6t walls an'
strong p;ckets, with buildings well calculated Ia
defence, and capable OF holding large garrison
| Preparations fox an immediate Attack were MADE
| oar batteries opcncd ape" he own, and the liz
| continued during hat and the iohowog day, uu'
owing TO the iichtncss cl The metal Ga six pounGt
and mountain howizeIs, } il was found impossible
10 make a breach in the walls Ii vas then de
,crmined TO carry The place by assault, and ii wa
| done in a gallant manner. The next morning IN
insursen sued Tor peace, which was granted, oi
| condition OF suTreGieflrg mp sune OF their pIln
cipa leaders, who had ins,ica;c the dis,nib ance
| and were directly concerned in the murder oil III
| Governor AMI others. About one hundred AIT
| fifty, or the seven or eishI hundred Mexicans en-
| paocd in the battle. were killed; and The loss, OIL
| our side. was seven killed and lonY.hvc wounded
Some OF the leaders in this scheme, for genera
massacre, who had survived the several engage
| mcnls by which The outbreak was suppressed, wcr
| tried. convicted and executed.
Occasionally through the course OF he las
summer some Of OAR griZ'hs parties, along ~
line OF the eastern settlements, were attacked b
Struggling bands Of Mexicans and Indians elm
boGiSd for predatory purposes, and some loss wa
sustained on both sides.
Most OF the troops fist sem 10 New Mexic
were volunteers from The State OF Missouri, VIII
were engaged ior only Twelve months Tn
terms OF heir service expired in Angus; and a
early as April and May cihers engaged for In
war were accepted TO take their places, maxim
;he presen. force 10 New Mexico about three thou
sand six hundred and thirty four men, includin
a battalion for service in The Indian country, o
the routes TO Santa Fe and Oregon
On The Sisl oil March, cali was made on lh
Stale Of Missouri for a regiment of mounted vol
un,ccrs, par, of which was directed Ia be EN-
ployed in establishing military posts on The rout
10 Oregon, PURSUANT 10 the act oi The tenth {
Nav, 1916 and The remainder were ordered I
Santa Re 10 supply the place Of The twelve month
men whose term Of service would expire in To-
summer, Afterwards Ibis direction was 30 me
difcd, thai The whole regiment was pressed On L
Santa Fc, and battalion oi similar troops iron
the same Stale was ass sned 10 The duty oil G.
tablshing the Oregon posts.
Upon full consideration Of the subject il wa
determined 10 coniine the operations Of the yea
iotwo military slaiions-hoth on this side OF III
Rocky muun'airs. Instructions were given, an
the necessary arrangements made, for post nea
Grand Island, where the road 10 Oregon strike
The Platte river, and another al or near Fnn La
ranie. AS The former was in The region WHERE
Indian dep:edalions had been commit e., and a
a orce there would hold The Indians in check, lh'
earliest attention was directed 10 be given to iha
work, bot the approach of winter has necessarily
suspended it. Not much progress has been We
made in It's construction, beyond The collection @
materials ard The neediul preparations for carry
! Ing it on early in The spring.
! Our career Of success, so disastrous 10 Mexico
! our conquest OF SO many Of her States and terri
tories; the snhjugalon and occupation Vi her ca
pial; the defeat and dispersion OF her armies
the capture OF mos, OF her mdieriel OF war, ant
the annihila,ion Of her foreign commerce, have
no, yet brought peace, or tie cile' OF such Term:
as could be accepted by the U. S. without haiiona
degradation The war still continues; and il i
proper 10 present some suggestions in regard ic
! its further prosecution. IL making these sygecs
lions. pass, without remark, the proposition lha
we should abandon all our acquisitions, and with
draw our troops from The enemy's country. Sue!
! Ia, 10 rp.o o oirpi