The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-06
CruHUAHrA--CoL.D oNIpHAN's LETTERS.
HEApeUAnrrns OF THE AnMY IN CHIHUAHUA,

HEApaUARrERs OF THE ARMY IN CHIHuAuuAl
CRY or CHIHuAHUA, March 10, ls47.
SIR:-The forces under my command portion of
the Missouri volunteers called into service for the pur
pose of invading New Mexico, under the command of
Brigadier General then colone Kearny After the
quest of New Mexico, and before Gen Kearnys depar
ture for California information received that anoth-
er regiment and extra battalion Of Missouri voun-
teers would follow us to Santa Fe The service of SO
large force being wholly unnecessary in that State
prevailed on Gen Kearny to order my regiment report
to you at this city. The order given on the 23d
September, 1876 but after the general arrived at La
Joya in the southern part of tho State he sued
der requiring my regiment to make campaign into the
country inhabited by the Navajo Indians living between
the waters of the Rio del Nore the Rio Colorado of
the west This campaign detained me until the 18th OF
December, before return to the Del Norte We i'm
mediately commenced march for FL Paso del Norte
with about 800 rihemen. All communications between
Chihuahua and New Mexico was entirely prevented On
the 25th Of December 1916, my guard was attacked
at Brazito by the Mexican forces from this State
our force about 45O and the force of the enemy
LOO; the engagement lasted about forty minutes when
the enemy fled leaving 63 killed and since dead 1 so
wounded and one howitzer the only piece Of artillery in
the engagement either side On the goth entered
FL Iaso without further oppositon from the prisoners
and others learned that had not marched upon this
State then determined to order battery and 100 ar
tierists from New Mexico. They arrived in FL Paso
about the 9th February when took up the line of
march for this place copy ofmy official report of the
battle Of Sacramento, enclosed to you will show you all
our subsequent movements up to taking military
possession of this capital The day of my arrival had
determined to send an express to forthwith but the
whole intermediate country in the of the
my and we were cut off, and had been for many months
rum ihorm"tioh respecting tne American army.
Mexican reports are never to be fully credited yet
all could learn did not doubt that YOU would be
forced by overwhelming numbers to abandon Saltillo
and of course could send express under such cir
cumstances. On yesterday received the first even
tolerably reliable information that battle had been
fought near Saltllo between the American and Mexican
forces and that Santa Anna had probably fallen back
on San Luis de Potosi.
My position here is exceedingly embarrassing In the
hrst place most OF the men under my command have
been in service since the LIST of June and have re-
ceived one cent of pay Their marches have been hard
especially in the Navajo country and forage so that
they are literally without horses clothes or money
nothing but arms and disposition to use them Tbcv
are all volunteers, Officers and men, and although readv
for any hardhps or danger wholly unfit to garrison
town or CITY, III Is confusion worse COMPOUNDED -
Having performed march Of more than 900 miles and
their term Of service rapidly expiring they are restless
to join the army under your command Still we cannot
leave this point safely for daysthe American mer
chants here oppose violently and have several hun
dred thousand dollars ut stake. They have sent me
memorial, and my determination has been made known
to them, copy OF both they will send YOU OF one
tnng nis necessary TO inform you the merchants adj
M that tne goods could not be sold here in five years
" they go south they will be near TO the Of
Durango and Zacatecas as they now are am xious
and wiling TO protect the as Us
but protest against remaining here as n wagon
guard garrsona city with troops wholly untitled for IT,
ana VINO WIN soon be wholly ruined by improper indu
gences Having been originally ordered TO this point,
you know the wishes OF the government in relation to IT,
ly obeyed fear. there 10 ample use for with you
ana we wosd greatly prefer joining you before our term
OF service expires
All information relative to my previous operations
present condition. SC. will be given you by MIR. j. Col
Inns, the bearer OF these dispatches lie ahghy hon