Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-05-01
LATE rnoM cALiroRx,a.

kean, lett Monterey on the 2sth Of January, for
p,nsms, TO land her Commander, whose health
r"auites his return. Dispatches for our Govern.
r'cnt from Com stockton came by her, ine barge
OF Lieut.. A. +. Gray. .., .
General Kcarney deserves the greatest praise
for bravery and his perseverance in prosecuting
his duty under great difficulties. After success.
fully conquering New Mexico, he started for.
ward, with about 1000 troops, for California.
An officer from Com. Stockton met and inform.
ed him that the country was in a quiet state,
which induced the General TO send back part
Of his force, and to proceed with only 100 men
IN advance Of the rest Of his troops, (Which a.
mounted to 1000 or ,2OO,) accompanied by the
officer and party. An officer, describing this
movement, says: j4.~ Gt- af H-
upon arriving at the mouth Of the Rio Gila
we intercepted a party Of Calffnians who
were on their way to Sonora, and got from them
the first intelligence that counter revolution
had taken place in California; that Gen. Flores,
with seven hundred men. had driven ont the A.
mericans from the Pueblo de los Angels and
wrre in possession Of that place and that San
Diego had been taken by Com. Stockton, though
the roads leading from il were strongly guarded
BY the enemy, SO that we would find il impos
sble to get in without collision.
We arrived at Warmers rancho, the first set.
,'ement, on the I'd Of December, and here our
little command presented most pitiable condi.
iion. Tho men, most Of whom had TO walk the
last five hundred miles, were nearly broken
down with fatigue and exhausted from nsuffi.
cheney o. TODD. We learned that Andros Pico
an active leader in the revolution, had one hun
dred and twenty we'll mounted men in the
neighborhood, stationed in the vicinity Of the
'ads leading into San Diego so that. an en-.
counter with this force seeming inevitable. it
was determined by Gen. Kearney 10 attack him.
On the morning of the 9th, the enemy. ha
wing heard of our approach, were drawn up at
San Pascual and rs our party advanced and
charged on them, they fired and retrcated abou,
half mile, then ralying suddenly. they fought
with their lances, surrounding the foremost o.
our men, who were pursuing them and did mos
deadly work. Aher q desperate and hand to
hand fight. they were fairly driven from the
field Our loss in this action was very severe
Three officers, Captains Johnson and Moore an,
Lieut. Hammond, and sixteen men were killed
and fourteen wounded, including Gen. Kearney
and seven officers.
The loss on their side is not known with an,
certainty, though have no doubt i, was les
thnn our own. Our men fought at great dis
advantage. being poorly mounted on broker
down mules. while the enemy, having super
hnrses, and being the most skiilful horsemcn i,
the world, made deadly charges with the lance
1t was with this weapon that all Of our sid
were wounded, with one exception; Capt
John son was sho, through the head.
Gen. Kearncy exposed himself very much i
this action. lie was wounded severely with
lance, aud would no doubt have been killed bu
for the timely aid Of Lieut. Emory, of the topc
graphical party, who gallantly rode up to tn
rescue, and had the satisfaction of shooting wit
his pistol the man who was about 10 make anc
ther deadly thrust at him.
The nourn:ul duty of burying the dead an
the attention required TO the wounded cause
such delay that our march was not resume
from the battle ground until the next day.
we were then much encumbereG with the pack
aud the wounded men. who were carried slon
with much difficulty, our progress was yer
slow; and as the enemy were evidently watcl
ing our movements closely from the hills aroun
us. where we wou u occasionally see a few
them, and were no doubt waiting for good o.
portunity to take advantage Of our crippled COZ
diilon, we had TO advance with extreme Cal
ton.
While moving slowly along, after havin
made but zine miles. the enemy suddenly o
pesred, charging towards US at furious Pc,
from the rear. We immediately Grew up 10 .
ceiye them, when they as suddenly wheel,
od and made TOR rocky hill near by, with Il
intention of firing down into Us. Gener
Kearney, seeing this movement, determined
take the hill, and. although some forty or fl
oi the enemy had go, up among the rocks al
commenced fire upon us, they fled before
dozen Of our foremost men. We took the he
second time, and, as it was getting late IN q
day, encamped on the spot This was an ext
ting skrmlsh, in which none Of our party We
wounded, though the bullets flew thick and IA
The enemy had one or two wounded and J,
several horses.
II was now evident thai Pico intended to
rass US, by making al attack in every pass II