Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-02-17

raj delicate points, do not feel warranted in
surmising what may have made out good sto-
ry. Captain May has put the Lieutenant under
arrest, and many blame him for being in advance
of his guard when his post was in the rea- of it,
AS to his travelling onwithout discovering that
his command was absent, win readily be credit
ed by any one who is familiar with travel in Z
chaparral country, or in any narrow pass where
two abreast cannot proceed. In coming thro'
the pass, the men were necessarily fifteen or
twenty feet apart; their safety demanded this;
and, with the noise on the stones made by his
horses feet, and those of the Sergeanfs horse,
and this in coming down declivlty, it is not
strange lat least to me) that he did not miss
them; and as to his looking back to see them,
that may have been out of the question, as tits
natural to suppose that he needed the constant
use OF his eyes TO guide his horse over the fuG-
ged path. Military discipline, no doubt, de-
nanded his arrest, but censure should be reser-
we'd until the whole statement of the mishap Is
made known by some one who witnessed it.
at is not thought any regular soldiers of the
Mexican Army had hand in this BUSINESS
Rancheros and banditti, actuated more by plum
der than any thing else, are believed to have
cut them of, thinking probably that there was
more of value than what they obtained. In the
hands of such hien the fate o. the prisoners is
doubtful, though they would be perfectly safe
IN falling into the hands of an officer Of the
army.
january 4th.-About ten o'clock this morn
ing We reached Victoria, which, according to
my account, is 202 miles from Monterey, and
this was performed In the short space oftwelve
days. Taking every thing into consideration
the march to and from Monte Morales, ION re-
turn march,) the long train ofwagons, the pack
mules, and the Mexican ox-carts, and l do not
believe better time was ever made by an army.
was agreeably disappointed in victoria--it be-
ing larger and prettier. town than looked
for. The houses generally sre not as good a.
they are in Monterey, but those about the prin-
cipal square are neat and comfortable.
"Gen. Quitman arrived here on the goth, and
the Mexican cavalry-about l,2o0-all TO their
rear guard, left on the 18th for Tulaj and they
move off at A. M. on the 18th. II is said
that Santa Anna sent in orders to his troops To
fall back whenever an American force should
come up. After Gen. @, got into town seve-
raj bodies of Lancers showed themselves on
different points of the mountains, but they
were well aware he had no cavalry to pursue
them or they would found better use fer their
time. BY getting together all the horses Of
The officers and their servants number of rney
mounted to pursue them, but they pitt Of AID
nave not showed themselves since.
Snow that we are all here, what is to bs
done! We cannot 20 from this poin. to San
Luis Potos-at least we cannot take our artille-
~ there, and the only thing can imagine to
be done with advantage to our arms il to take
Vera Cruz. The proposition to that effect Gen.
Taylor made the big folks at home may have
been fayorably received, and we may start for
that place in very short time. Wa cannot
remain here without serious inconveniehcc,tbat
is certain: and, if we do not go there immedi-
ately, it will be necessary to go to the seaboard
to Soto la Marina or Tampico.
ave have now at this point very pretfv
little army. Gen. Taylor is here with all his
staff: Gen. Twiggs, with the LIST. I'd. Sd. and
18th, regular Infantry, the ID. Dragod1s; mount
ed Rifemen, and Bragg's battery, all number
ing 1900 men; General Patterson has the re-
giment of Mounted Tennesseans, two regiments
of Illinois Infantry, two companies of artillery,
and a company of sappers and miners. making
in all little over ] 200 men; Gen. Gilman has
the two regiments of Tennessee Infantry, 1st.
do. LIST Georgia do. and the BaIti-
more battalion, and his total will not fall short
of 2,l0O men: SO that altogether we can pre-
sent to an enemy $500 men, being about the
same number that are with Butler at the other
mass.