Democratic banner., 1848-07-31

easy and made no false impression. a.
iss -- so-i-z3a&Fe
FROM CALIFORNIA.
Arrival gf Lieut.. kft Carson-sIurder Of
Gen. Elliott Lee. ME-. Charles, Town.
\ we others, in the Ration Noun.
Lieut.. Kit Carson, arrived Tuesday morn.
ing, on board the s.. Joseph, from For,
~LeavenwoTth, having made the entire trip
from Californis. cia Santa Fe and Taos, in
IeaghH days. He brings the melancholy in
|telligenCs of the murder of Gen. Elliott
Lee, and Mr. Charles Town, { the two sur
vivors ofthe massacre Of Taos, in the Rat
ton Mountains, by the Apache Indians.
. Lieut.. Carson left CsEfornis on the 9Th
Of May. GovernorM Mason was in commend
of the military, and all was quiet. He ar.
rived at Santa Fe on the 18th June, and
left for Taos on the 26th. There was noth-
ing new at Santa Fe. He met with no per.
|sonsl adventures Of moment on his whole
Journey.
At Taos, he heard of the murders above
referred to. 1t seems that when Messrs;
Lee and. Town reached the lower crossing
of the Arkansas, they left their company,
who sent BY the lower route 10 Santa Fe.
They took the route by the. way of Bent.
Fort and Taos. Some distance above Bent,
Fort, their party was swelled to fourteen,
by falling in with some men going to Taos
The united party proceeded on their way,
until they had got into the Ration Noun
tsins, where, on the 18th, June, while pass
ing througha deep ~ravine, they were at.
tackled BY over one hundred Apache Indi-
ans. The ground was poorly adopted TO de-
Tense, and the Indians possessed great ad
vantage. They not only fired on the small
party, but hurled heavy stones down the &C.
clIvity-by which means several of the men
end animals were crippled.
The party were compelled to abandon
their property and animals, end attempted
TO save themselves by retreating. Early in
the engagement, Mr.. Charles Town receiy-
cd a confusion which fractured his ankle.
His companions for some time endeavored
to bear him with them, but becoming very
faint, he requested that they would leave
him. sTske care of yourselves, boys" he
said, 81 cannot proceed farther" They
left him, and a short time after, Jaw many
Indians approaching him. Town still pos.
sessed his rife and pistol, and with them
killed 2 Of the enemy, ere he was inundated.
Shortly after this Gen. Lee received a
ball in one Of his thighs, which shattered It.
He was carried about a mile by his COM
panions, where, at his W request, he was
left. He said he could not proceed further,
and that il he should not be overtaken by
the Indians. who were in pursuit, he would
either bleed himself tn death, or shoot him
SELF. There was butlittle life remaining in
him when he was left, g. he had bled very
|profnsely. Is saa. D..
In the course Of the action, 10 which the
small party killed a number Of the Indians,
q Mexican by the name Of Jose Carman,
and q Frenchmsn by the name Of Pasear
Riviere, companions of Lee and Town,
were killed, end FIVE others were wounded.
When about fifteen miles from Taos, the
survivors met a party Of forty men, who,
instead Of going in search Of Gen. Lee, re-
to Tsos. t
Lieut.. Carson appears in excellent health,
and proceeds az n to Washington, the
bearer of dispatches. ,
A younger brother Of Charles town, was
Of the party who went BY the lower route
TO Santa Fe. Both Lee and Town have
many friends in this community who mourn
their untimely fate.-[St. Louis ckioh,
|JuM 26N1 $50 hasa 4t - g