Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-04-30

flank Of the church, ] ordered the mounted
men under Captains st. Vrain and Slack to a
position on the opposite side of the town,
whence they could discover and intercept any
fugitives who might attempt to escape towards
the mountains, or in the direction OF Don Fer
nando. The residue of the troops took ground
about 800 yards from the northern wall. Here.
too. Lieut. Dyer established himself with the
6-pounder and two howitzers, while Lieut.
Hassandaubel, of Maj. Clark's battalion light
artillery, remained with Capt. Burgwin, in
command of two howitzers By this arrange
rnent cross fire was obtained, sweeping the
front and eastern flank of the church.
All these arrangements having been made,
the batteries opened upon the town at nine
o'clock, a. m. At eleven o'clock, hndlng 1t
impossible to breach the walls OF the church
with the 6-pounder and howitzers, deteTmIn-
ed to storm that building. At signal Capt
Burgwin, (st regiment Z. S. Dragoons,) at
the head of his own company, and that OF
Capt. McMillin, (of the volunteers,) charged
the western flank of the church, while Capt.
Angney, infantry battalion, and Capt. Barber,
and Lieut. Boon, I'd regiment Missouri noun
ted volunteers, charged the northern wall. AS
soon as the troops above mentioned had es-
tablished themselves under the western wall
OF the church, axes were used in the attempt
to breach it; and, temporary ladder having
been made, the roof was fired. About this time
Capt Burgwin, at the head of a small party left
the cover afforded by the flank of the church,
and penetrated into the corral in front of that
building, endeavored to force the door. In
this exposed situation, Capt. Burgwin receiv-
ed a severe wound which deprived me of his
valuable services, and of which he died on
the 7th inst Lieutenants McIlvaine, Is: U.
S. dragons, and Royal and Lakeland, I'd re-
giment mounted volunteers, accompanied Capt.
Burgwin into the corral but the attempt on
the church door proved fruitless, and they
were compelled to retire behind the wall. In
the meantime small holes had been cut into
the western wall, and shells were thrown in
by hand doing good execution. The 6-poun-
der was now brought around by 1t. Wilson,
who at the distance of two hundred yards,
poured a heavy fire of grape into the town.
The enemy during all this time kept up de-
structive fire upon our troops. About half
past three o'clock the 6-pounder was run up
| ten rounds-one of the holes which had been
cut with the axes was widened into practi-
cable beach. The gun was now run up with
in ten yards of the wall-a shell was thrown
in-three rounds of grape were poured into
the breach. The storming party-among
whom were 1t. Dyer of the ordnance, and Its
Wilson and Taylor, lst Dragons, entered and
took possession of the church without oppo-
sition. The interior was filled with dense
smoke, but for which circumstance our storm
ing party would have suffered great loss. A
few of the enemy were seen in the gallery
where an open door admitted the air, but they
retired without firing gun. The troops left
10 support the battery on the north were now
ordered to charge On that side. The enemy
abandoned the western part of the town. Ma
ny took refuge in the large houses on the east,
while others endeavered to escape toward the
mountains. These latter were pursued by the
mounted men under Capts Slack and ST. Vrain,
who killed ifty-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 abandoned. On the
next morning the enemy sued for peace, and
thinking the severe loss they had sustained
would prove salutary lesson, granted their
supplication, on the condition that they should
deliver up to me Tombstone of their princi-
pal men, who had instgated and been active
" engaged in the murder of governor Bent and
others The number of the enemy at the bat.
tie of Puenlo de Taos was between six and
seven hundred. OF these about one hundred
and fifty were killed-wounded not know
Our own loss was seven kill ed and forty five
wounded. Many of the wounded have since
died
The principal leaders in this instruction
were Tafoya, Pablo Chavis, Pablo Montoya,
Cortez, and Tomas, Pueblo Indian OF these,
Tafoya was killed al Canada; Chavis was
killed at Pueblo; Montoya was hanged at
Don Fernando on the seventh instant, and To-
mas was shot by private while in the guard
room at the latter town. Cortez is still a
large. This person was at the head of the re-
bells in the valley of the Mora. For the op.
erations in that quarter, refer you to the sub.
Joined letters from Capts. Henley, separate
battalion Missouri mounted volunteers, anC
Murphy, of the infantry, and 1t. Mckinney
I'd regiment Missouri mounted volunteers.
In the battles of Canada, Embudo, and Pue
bio de Taos, the officers and men behaved ad
mirably. Where all conducted themselve:
CALAMITY, consider it improper to distinguish
individuals, as such discrimination might op
crate preiudicially against the just cIriws O
t others.
, have the honor to be, very respectfully
, your ob't serv',, STERLING PRICE,
Col. commanding the army in New Mexico.
The ADJUTANr GENERAL of the Army, Wash
ington, D. D.