Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-03-12
VERY LATE IND IDNPOR FAINT FROM
SANTA FE :

Battle near Ell Paso THE Ame,lcc-,r4ss III yic-
torio,es Full accounts. Stf,ouis IN
ion has received advices from Santa Fe to the
LIST of January, giving the PARTICULARS Of the
battle of Ell Paso, in which, Col Doniphan,
with 600 men, met and ROUTED 100 Mexi-
cans. The followiKSis the substance Of a
letter from Col. DSfiphan:
ana coh9hered, and is going on to take the Ell
1 faSso/ He further states that the enemy at
tac1d him when his men were in great con-
1S9S&on, but they were called together imme-
| diately and drawn up as Infantry, and received
three fires from the enemy, when the whole
line opened a broadside, telling with g~eat eff
feet and breaking the entire line of the enemy.
Capt Reid made gallant charge after the
third fire, with Is mounted men, and in his at
tack killed several of the enemy. One mule
load of powder, and several horses and mules
were captured. Most of the Mexicans who
were killed were shot in the head, an evidence
that our men shoot too high The battle last
ed about half an hour There was only about
20 minutes to prepare from the time the enc.
my were discovered.
Thos Forsyth, who brought the Express
says that the Americans had a glorious Christ
mas frolic on the liquor, bread and wine which
they captured.
The Union also publishes a letter from 1t
Kribben, giving full account of the engage
ment His letter, which is dated Decembe
26th, says:
Yesterday, christmas day. when we ha(
Just arrived in camp here, with about 6O(
men, had unsaddled our animals, and most o
the men were engaged in carrying wood ant
water, the news was brought into camp o
the enemy's being in sight and advancing
1t was about o'clock, P. NJ, and the day
was very pleasant. Our horses were grains
some distance from camp at the time we form
ed single line and determined to meet tn
; enemy as infantry. Their attack being evi
IDENTIFY designed on the left flank, near whicl
was our wagon train, our detachment was or
dered from the extreme right to the left, wher
we soon took up our position. One piece O
artillery, 400 regular lances and cavalry, an
!, 100 regular infantry, besides some five hun
dred militia troops from Ell Passo, compose
the enemy's force, according to the best infor
nation can obtain from reports of prisoner
and from papers found amongst the baggag
on the field of battle. The enemy range
themselves on the east, within half mile c
our line, the mountains in their rear. In GU
3 rear was the river, with little bush-wood O
| its banks.
Previous to the encounter, Lieut. froI
:, their ranks cpme forward waving black fla
It tn his hand, but t.alted when within 100 ster
e of our line. Thos Caldwell, our interprete
n rode out to meet him. The messenger wit
e the black flag of defiance demanded that til
: commander should come into their camp an
:, speak to their General The reply was, g
: your General wants to see our Commander /
him come here" 'sWe shall break yo,
e ranks, then, aud take him there,' was the r
s tort OF the Mexican ssCome and take him
Q said our interpreter, unwittingly using Il
d phrase OF the Spartan at Thermopyle. g