The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-02-27

lound II lfTposslOle 10 engage the enc
my in this difficult defle. | suppose |
was one hundred and fifty yards from
the mouth of the defile, and Immediately
hurried back to it and urged the men
through. During this time the enemy
kept up the attack by hurling large
stones from height Immediately over
the defle. had returned to the defIe
only few minutes, when Lieut.. Stur-
ges, followed by the bugler and SER
geant Of the guard, came out of it,
Lieut.. Wood (adjutant came out at the
same time. called to Lieut.. S., when
got near him, and asked him where
his guard was? He said, 'here sir.'-
ordered him TO mount and get them
out Of the defile as quick as possible
His bugler at that moment sounded to
horse. rode up to him, and not see
ing his guard, which it would have been
impossible to do unless one looked d.
rectly into the defle, then asked Lieut..
S. where the packs were! He replied,
sin there pointing to the defie. said,
lis it possible, sir, you have abandoned
your packs'-and finding that the body
of his guard was not with him, said
further, 'Rejoln your guard immediate
lv, sir; recover the packs, defend and
protect them until / can come to you
with assistance, and if possible, force
them through the defle.'
81 should here mention, that at the
moment Lieut.. Wood came out of the
dehIe and before gave Lieut.. Sturges
his last orders. | directed him TO join
the squadron, which | had halted-to
get twenty men on foot and report to
me at the dshlc. After | had given
Lieut.. Sturges the last order, ! turned
my horse and rode TO the squadron to
hurry Lieut.. Woods party. On my
return with the party again met Lieut..
Sturges some distance from the defle
going in the direction of the squadron.
As soon as he met me, he said, Colonel
| have been further back than where
left my guard, and cannot find them;
shall | get some men from the squadron
and returnr lreplied, mo, sir, Join
the squadron and remamthere.' When
we arrived again at the defile, we found
it impossible to pass it without great
loss to the command the enemy con.
stantly throwing rocks from the right,
and occasionally discharging small
arms from the left. 1t was then ne
cessary to turn the defIe which we did
by climbing over rocks, and after re-
mining near the defile for ten or fif.
teen minutes and returning the fire of
the enemy sent an order to Lieut..
Campbell to bring twenty men to the
defle on foot and to hold it until re-
turned. | then proceeded mile and
half to the rear, in hopes of recover
ing the packs and rear-guard, but could
not find them and reluctantly returned
to the command and resumed my
march not deeming it prudent to re-
main longer in the pass. 1t was an
hour and half before the attack CON-
menced, that ordered Lieut.. Wood to
tell Lieut.. Sturges to take command of
the rear-guard. Had the rear-guard de-
Tended the packs, should have known
it, as was near enough to hear them"
This is not the substance only, but
word for word as it came from Col.
Mays mouth; and more than one Off
Ger has attes,ed to its being taken down
correctly. As my object is more to
give information than to report the pro-
ceedings OF the court, shall confne |
myself to such of the questions as are
calculated to throw light on the sub
iecl and at the same time interest the
general reader. ... ......a
Question. Where is the pass OF
Santa Rosa?
Answer. Between San Pedro and
Linares. a
@. Did you hear no firing in the
rear at the time you heard the explo-
sion?
A. A few minutes after ] did.
@. From the violent nature Of the
attack do you believe it would have been
possible for the accused to have brought
his guard and packs safely through the
defe!
A. do not-at least without sus-
tanning great loss.
@. VIII you state the length Of the
de6le from the entrance to the outlet.
A. The whole length Of the defile
was not more than twenty-five or thir-
ty yards through; the attack was near
ly the whole length of it, though most
violent IN the centre. The whole pass
through the emountain was about sixteen
miles, being succession of dehles.
@. DO you know that the packs and
rear-guard had arrived at the defle al
the time OF the attack? 9
A. | cannot say positively, though