Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1848-03-29
FROM THE sA.IoSAL IxrELmorscrn.
BuENA VISTA. fMex.S Fob. % IS

BuENA VISTA, {Mex.) Feb 20, 1913
MEssRs. EDIroRs: Not having had mail here
'or seVerai weeks, or reliable information from home
or any other quarter touching the prospects Of peace
or the proceedings of our Congress on the subject
OF our relations with this country (of course the
absorbing topic amongst all here there is yerv
naturally great and general Impotence at the DELAY.
and much curiosity TO know what are to be the
movements, II any, Of the troops on this line whe-
Their to indulge hopes of speedy restoration 20 Our
homes, as tho prevailing rumors of the day incline
us almost against our Judgment to expect or whe-
Their we shall suddenly receive orders to strike deem
er into ''the bowels Of tho land !" and ioin in the
pursuit OF that jack-o'lanern phantom-like object
of "conquerng peace" Let our first destination
be forward or backward, movement from this
place Will be hailed with joy by all hands for sura
y rarely, If over, was the patience of LARGE BODY
OF troops, lar removed from home and in very IL
regular and uncertain communication with il and
uen duwH foT nearly year to bleak barren spot
amid countless mountains, with nothing to vary the
tlTesome and onerous duties Of the camp so severe
~ taxed as ours has been. But regularity and sub
ordination still continue in the respective repjments
and If one mail fail 10 convey us any thing definite
or satisfactory we look forward with hopo to the ar
rival Of the next
Four companies Of the Virginia regiment have
Just been ordered to get in readiness to march to
Parras, On duty connected with the collection Of
revenue under recent orders. Parras is consde.
Taole town, OF about five thousand Inhabitants
situated In souhwesterly direction from here. and
distant some one hundred and twenty miles. The
companies detailed ON this service are rs follow =
light Infantry company, Capt. Harper, and com
Panes T., d. and x, under the respective com
mands OF Lleutenants Bryan and Garnet, and Can
tain Rowan. Captain Adams's company ofTexan
rangers will also form part of the expedition the
Wnole TO be under the command of Captain Har-
per. from the known peaceablc and friendly dis
position OF the population of Paas and the adjacent
country no hoshles or resistance to the execution
OF Inc orders of our Government are expected.
COL Clarke, Of tho second Mssissippians. is also
ordered to report to the COMMANDING general at
Monterey TO receive orders; destination and duty
unknown, bu! supposed to be Mazapael, a town of
similar size to Parras, and to the southwark of the
direction to 1t, distant from here some ninety or y
hundred miles. The duty of this detachment will
be the same as that of the Virginia companies.
These Will be the first American troops that have
taken formal possession Of the territory of Mexico
so lar In this direction. IL is true. parties of ran
gers and regular dragons have paid hyino visits to
Parras several times, and had been well received .
but no place on this line beyond Satillo has vet
been regularly garlsoned by our forces, and the
new yoke must rest rather uneasily for a whilo on
the good people of;he towns | have mentioned.
Inc virginia regiment continues TO progress at a
steady pace In discipline the general health of the
men IS also very good. lis excellent commander
Col. Hantramck, spares no pains or precautions
which VIII tend TO the attainment of either Of these
objects AS an evidence of tho high estimation in
which he is held by those under his command. a
proposition made few weeks since to present him
with superb sword ahd SASH to be paid for bv the
individual Subscriptions of all Of ali classes in the
roenment, was received with universal reclamation.
Inc necessary amount (about two hundred dollars)
was at once subscribed, and the order for the arti
cles forwarded the following day IN Now OrIe,,-
1t IS something thus you see to unite the character
OF gentleman and man with the necessarily
sterner and more rigid attributes of military com
mander '
The weather here at present is delightful. about
the temperature of the month Of MAY at homo.