Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-05-20


on the Fashion was u L. Collins, Esq.
sbearer OF dispatches from Gen. Price and Gen.
: Wool. 10 headquarters at Washington. Our read
RS are already familiar with lhs name of Squire
sCollins, honorable mention having been repeatedly
! zmade of him. He was takel prisoner some
months since near chihuahua and confined I'LL
! aabout the first of February, when lie succeeded
Fin making his escepe and ioinins the American
atroops Ell Paso. He participated in the battle
Sof Santa Cruz de r oles. with Gen. Prices com
2 Smand and has kindly furnshedhs with a succinct
gstatement of the affair and evtnis which were
connected with it. As we have had no accounts
Sof the engagement, save from Mexitan sources,
Gan American version of the afair will be read
with interest.
9 Mr. Collins informs us that atput the first week
gin February he succeeded in bfaling prison at
AChihuahua, then in possession of tho Mcxican
5troops under command Of Gov. Prias, and after
fan arduous journey of six days, succeeded I'M
1reachng FL Paso, 300 miles di 4ant, then nnder
command of Lieut.. Col. Rails, of the Missouri
4 Mounted Volunteers. PreviouslF 20 his arrivaliu-
Atelligence had been received froh various sources
that Urea, with strong lorce of ancers, was
Supon the road ID attack them, having made a de.
4tour to the westward, and these oporis were con-
5hrmed by the capture of small party of Mexi-
5cans, under command Of Leutnant, who were
lsurprlSed and taken at a small town called Cara
3zal, half way between chihuahua and Ell Paso.
aLetlers announcing the INTENDED march of Urea
awere found in the possession of the commanding Q
Fofhcer. Intelligence thereupon despatched
sto Santa Fe TO Gen. Price, who Immediately start
d with two companies Of the lst Regiment u. S.
aDragoons, commanded by Major Bell one compa-
Nny of the same regiment, acting as artillery, com
9manded by Lieut.. Love. and The battalion of ST.
dLouis Infantry, comm nded by Lieut.. Col. Easton,
sand The Santa Fe battalion under Major Walker,
.and arrived about the Goth Of February az El
gPaso, increasing the command TO about 1000 men.
1t was ascertained that the report of u rea's I'd
3yance was entirely false, and Squire Collins Fur
finishing Gen. Price with all information, of Gov.
q Irias position and means Of resistance. Gen. p.
aat once determined TO march down and attack
ihim. Accordingly on the lst Of March. he start
Sed with about 400 men and arrived at Chihuahua
9on the evening of the 7th, performing the entire
distance in the extraordinary short space of seven
adays. A deputation Of the civic authorities came
lout and held an interview with General Price, IN
Iforming him of the reported conclusion of trea-
Sty Of peace between Mexico and the U. States,
3and entreaiing him not 10 enter the city. Gen.
aPrice very properly dIsregarded this request,
jGoubed the information and marched into the city.
81 dAscertanng that Tras was but one DAYS march
dremoved from him, he determined TO follow him
3the next morning, and accordingly raised all the
ahorses he could to supply the place of those bro
J ken down on the march from El Paso. and the
dnext morning, at s O'clock, his command were on
5lthe march after Tras. Notwithstanding the pre-
sivious long marches, this gallant command accom-
aplished the distance OF sixty miles that dav and
ahaIted before the town Of Santa Cruz-a place of
.5about 1000 inhabitants, where Trias' command
awere in possession. About or s O'Clock the
5next morning, Gen. Price sen! into town a flag Of
4truce and demanded the unconditional surrender
sof Tros. This Gov. Z. refused but subsequent
3iy consented to hold Il personal interview with
9Gen Price, at which he informed him that he had
sreceved information of the conclusion of a treaty
Got peace, and was in daily expectation of inteli-
8gence announcing the establishment of an arms
3uce. Various propositions were made Oh both
SsIdes, both parties under existing circumstances.
Soeng reluctant to resort 10 4 contest at arms
sGen. Price would not consent to Governor Trias
1marching away with all his arms and munitions,
5buI agreed TO permit him to remove them where
he chose. Cow Trias rejected this, as well as the
5ProPosition TO surrender but begged Gen. Price TO
s'"ait four day, 'aieb taaa haconGdenty expect
9ed the return OF an extraordinary courier whom
<.he had despatched 10 Durango for information with
Hregard to the treaty and armistice.
= To this General Price consented, and not only
Swated the four days, but four days longer at the
respiration Of which Time, portion of his force
siidNl5 come up increasing MS Strength 10 09Out
41OO, he determined TO attack the town. The
Il allexicans had not been idle all this time. having
srongy fortified the plaza and the streets leading
Hto it, loop-hoed their houses and made overv pre-.
slparalion for a firm resis nee On the morning
sof the 10th, about O'clock after another demand
Stor an unconditional sur ender had been made and
8reIected, the attack was commenced by brisk
5cannonade. The American forces were subse-
Squenty divided into three parties, to attack the
1works from three different positions-the first un-
ader Col. Rails, the second under Lit. COL Lane,
3and third under Major Walker of the Santa Fe
battalion. The contest maintained with
great vgor until about IL o'clock, when n report
4was brought in that force of about 90G Mexican
!ancers had arrived near by. and were about max
Aing an attack upon the rear. The troops were
athen withdrawn, and cessation Of hostilities
8sued, Lieut.. Col. LGne being sent to recopnoitre.
HThe report Of the arrival of the lancers proved tc
Ebe false and about 3 o'clock the action was re-
Nsumed and continued until about dusk, when the
3 Americans had succeeded in working their way
athrough the houses into the plaza, and the Mex
Ecans surrendered at discretion after having fought
with unusual bravery all day. The loss on the
Nslde of the Mexicans was about $50 killed and as
Hnany wounded while on our side there were bu
Ehve killed and twenty wounded-two of whom
subsequently died. The Mexican force was from
4 800 to 1000. The officer, some forty in mum