Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-04-23
ed ,ha, town wi,hou, opposition several persons

about twenty killed and sixty woundeo.
Thus ended the battle OF the pass OF Emouuo'
On The 30lh, Capt. Burgwin marchedto ram,
pas, where he was directed 10 await Inc arrivai
OF The main body, which, on account oil the anu
lery and wagons, was forced TO pursue more
southern route. On the 3lsl reached Irampas;
and being Joined by Capt. Burgwin, mafcned
on to Chamisal with The whole command. On
The LIST OF February we reached The summit OF Inc
Taos mountain, which was covered with snow 70
the depth OF two feet and on The ID, quaftered at
small village called Rio ChiciIo in the entrance
OF the valley of Taos. The marches OF The Isl
and Cd were through deep snow. Many Oh 'he
men were trost-biten, and all were very nuch
faded with The eIerions necessary TO travel over
unbeaten roads, being marched IN 'front.' VI 'ns
artillery and wagons in order 10 break ROAD
through the snow. The consancy and patience
with which the troops bore these hardships, ae,
serve all commentator, and cannot be exceiled
by the most veteran soldiers. On the I'd, march
ed through the Don Fernando de Taos, and md
ing that The enemy had fortified themselves in the
Pueblo de Taos, proceeded 10 lhatpace found
il place OF great strength, being surrounded BY
adobe walls and strong pickles. within Inc en-
closure and the northern and southern wals,
arose TWO large building OF irregular pyramidal
form 10 The height OF seven or eight stories. Each
OF these buildings was capable Of sheltering five
or six hundred men. Besides these, there were
many smaller buildings, and the large church OF
the 10 wn was situated in The northwestern angle,
a small passage being left between II and the out.
err wall The exterior wall and all The enclosed
buildings were pierced for rides. The town was
admirably calculated lor defence, every polu. cl
The exterior walls and pickets being hanked by
some projecting building, as will be seen from
the enclosed drawing.
After having reconnoitred the town, | selected
the Western flank Of The Church as the point Of
attack; and about 2 o'clock, P. NJ, Lieutenant
Dyer was ordered TO open his battery al The dis
lance OF about $50 yards. A fire was kept up
by the 6.pounder and the howizers for about
| two hours and half when, rs the ammunilion
wagon had moi yet come up, and the troops were
suffering from cold and fatigue, l returned to
Don Fernando Early on The morning oil the
4th, | again advanced upon Pueblo Posting
the: Dragons under Captain Burgwin, about 26O
Yards from the Western flank oil The Church, ]
ordered the mounted men under Captains 81.
Vrain and Slack TO position on The opposite side
of The town. whence they could discover and in
,ercept any fuglives who might attempt 10 escape
towards the mountains, or in The direction OF Don
Fernando. The residue OF The troops took
ground about 300 yards from the Northern wall.
Here, TOO Lieutenant Dyer established himself
with The 6.pounder and two howzefs, while
Lieuenan, Hassendaube, Of Major Clafk's bat
| talon light artillery, remained with Burgwin, in
command of TWO howilzers. By lhi, arrange
| mcpt 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 al o'clock, A. Nj
Al il o'clock, finding il impossible 10 breach The
walls o! the church with the 6.pounder and how
| ilzers, determined 10 storm thai building Al a
signal Capl. Burswin, Isl regiment u S. dla-
| ooons. al The head OF his own company and
| that Of Capt. Mcmillan, (ot The volunteers
| charged the western flank OF The church, while
| Can't. Angney, infantry battalion, and Capt. Bar
| Der. and Lieu. Boon, I'd regiment Missouri
mounted volunteers, charged the northern wall
As soon as The troops above mentioned had es'
tablshed themselves under The western wall Of
the church, axes were used in The attempt Il
breach il and, temporary ladder having been
made, The roof was fred. About this time Capt
| Burewin, al the head Of small party, letl The CO
YER afforded by the TANKS oil the church, and pc
netratins into the corral in front OF that building
endeavored 10 force The door, In this exposed 81
tuation, Captain Burgwin received severe
wound which deprived me Of his valuable ser
| vices and OF which he died on The seventh inst
Lieuls McIlvaine, Isl U. s. dragons, and Roy
| all and Lakeland, ID regiment mounted volun
teerS accompanied Capt. Burgwin into The cor
raj; but the attempt on the church door PROVED
ftu,,iess, and they were compelled TO retire be
| hind the wall In the mea mime small holes ha(
beef: cut into the western wall, aud shells were
t,own in By hand, doing good execution. The
l. FOUNDER was now brought around by Lieut.
Wilson, who, al the disi;nc OF TWO hundret
yards, poured heavy fire Of grape into the town
The enemy during all this time kept up de
srruclivc fire upon our irnnPo. Ahnni hnif
nae, ,hree o'clock the 6-pounder was rul
I'm within sixty yards of The church, and allie
aaocsa tbsr halees WHICH had FL
breach. The gun was now Jun up within lei
wards Of the wa!l-a shell was thrown in-lhre
rounds oil grape were poured into the breach
The stormine parly-among whom were Lieu
Over Of the ordnance, and Lieuls. Wilson an
TAYLOR, lst dragons, entered and took posses
sion OF The church without opposition. The in
| terror was filled with dense smoke, but Tor whic
circumstance our sIorming party would hav
suffered great loss. A few OF The enemy wer
seen seen in the gallery where an open doc
admitted the air but they retired withou
firing a gun. The troops lett 10 supper
the battery on The north were nov ordered to lh
charge on that side. The enemy abandoned tn,
| western part ofthe town. Many took refuge il
the large houses OH The east, while others endea
| yored 10 escape toward The mountain. These LAT
Ter we're pursued hy the mounted men under Cap
tans Slack and 81. Vrain, who killed fitly-one o
| them, only TWO or three men escaping. Ii wa
| now night and our troops were quietly quarleret
| in the houses which the enemy had abandoned
On The next morning the enemy sued for peace
and thinking The severe loss they had susaine,
would prove salulaIy lesson, | granted lhei
specification, on the condition that they shoul,
deliver up to me Tombstone oil their principa
pen-who had instigated and been actively en-
gagged in the murder Of Governor Bent and others
The number Of the enemy al The battle OF Pueblo
de Taos was be ween six ana seven hundred -
Of,hese about one hundred and fifty were kil!e
-wounded not known. Our own loss was sew
killed and fony-hre wounded. Many Of Iii
wounded have since died.
The principal lesde.. in this instruction wer
Tatoya, Pablo Chavis, Pablo Monloya, CoIlez
and Tomas, Puebla Indians. OF these, Tafoyi
was killed at Canada; Chavis was killed a
Pueblo; Montoya was hanged al Don Fernando
on the seventh insan spd Tomas was shot BY
private while IL The gnard-room al The late
town. Cor,ez is IL. ~ large. This person wa
al The head Of Ii. 'eh"ls in the valley OF III
| Mora For the npel atoms in that quars-, reie
YOU 10 The subloined letters from Captains Hen
lev. separate battalion Missouri mounted yolun
lecrs, and Murphy, Of The infantry, and Lieu
| tenant Mckinney, second regiment Missouri
mounted volunteers
In the battles CT Canada, Embudo, and Pueblo
de Taos, the officers and men behaved admira
| bly. Where all conducted themselves CALAMITY
consider il improper 10 distinguish individuals
as such discrimination might opeTate'prejudicial
" against the jn>' claims Of others.
have The honor 10 be, very respectfully, you
obedient servant STERLING PRICE,
| Culonel commanding the Army in New Mexico
The Apyur.NT GENERAL of the Army,
Washington, D. C.
Extraet Of Letter, dated
SANTA FE, New Mexico, Feb. II, ls47.
NV Dear Colonel AS The events Of the las
few months in this territory are calculated TO ere
ale some interes. in the States have thought
might be interesting 10 you 10 have detailed &C
count of the same IRON one personally acquain,
ed with many OF The taels. The entrance OF on
troops into The country without being in the leas
resisted, led almost every one 10 believe that III,
change OF government, would be hailed with de
light by the people; and think Gen. hearny lef