Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-01-15
FROM NEW MEXICO.
Correspondence of the Mo. Republican

ent month.
Among the troops. there have been
some few changes of The northern posts.
The troops heretofore al Abiquiu have
been removed 10 Taos; and headluar-
ters at the Hole in the Prairie For.
! Union have been abandoned Of at leas!
three quarters of the force that was
there six weeks ago. Two Of the dra.
Coon companies are now stationed at
Galisteo--a rancho With some twenty or
thirty houses. about twenty-five miles
sou,herly from Santa Fe. This was
done on account, Of the cheaper access to
forage. ' . "a
The idea of establishing farm near
Fort Union has been relnquished. The
site has some ponds and several circular
and very singularly formed holes Of wa
ter (hence the name OF the place. y
hese holes are Of very great depth, and
resemble rather wells Of immense area,
ihan ponds. Blu, the coil is Indifferent,
and the means of irrigation no, q, hand.
There hns been some waggish talk a.
boutthe intention Of the military COM
! nander To draw water from these holes
with engines, 10 irrigate the land. There
is no other dependence for a supply
! RI al
The site Of the for. being given up as
hopeless, for farming purposes, selec-
ton has been made of Tract Of land on
the creek known as the Oca,e, about Is
miles above the crossing Of the road to
the Staies. This is reported to bea good
piece of farming land.
! All the sheep attempted to be driven
across the plains to stock the Govern
men, farm, persisted by the way. How
the rest OF the animals got in, | have not
/ learned. OF course, you will Sc. down
/ this Government farm among the, as yet,
un;risd experiments.
The Navajos have been perfectly
peacesble, the presen, month. They go
in and OIL. of Camp Boni.o Fort Def
ance) on the most friendly terms. and
have committed ITO depredasions on the
settlements.
The Apaches. near Dona Ana and So
zorro, are troublesome, although they
j profess 10 be at peace, AMI haun, the
towns and villages in that section; gangs
of them will occasionally run off stock
and kill the herders. This month, stock
has been run off by them go head) near
Dona Ana, and a quantity from near So
zorro and Los Lunas. One rascal of
these Apaches, came mounted on fleet
horse. aad about 400 yards from the
plaza of one Of the villages, drove of five
head of horses, at noon day. Near Dona
Ana, three Mexicans have been killed by
the Apaches, since the first, one Of the
murdered men had first his hands tied be-.
hind him, and was then shot full Of ar
rows. Midst such murders and robber-
les as these, The Apaches mix up business
and pleasure. These Apaches range a.
long from the neighborhood of the Mes
caleros. with whom they have close affini.
| ties toward the ella. As | remarked.
there are more or less of them In, almos,
dailv, among some of the towns in the
lower settlements on the Rio Grande,
always Of course, when so coming in,
very peaceable. The Mexicans, many
of them, are, At such times, s.hand and
glove" with them; and mol unfrequently
you sec the Apache and "Greaser' oc-
copying the same blanket-spread GU.
on The ground, and playing with dirty
pack of cards. A few weeks ago, at one
OF these tefe q fefes, an Apache seized a
"bit" Che entire stakes, believe) and
made off with il, pursued by The Next
can, however, who, when he overlook
him, stabbed the Indian dead. This was
near Socorro, near which there were
some 900 of,hese Apaches, who demand
ed The punishment Of The Mexican. The
District Court was setting at the time;
but the Disiric, Attorney, as am told,
on application being made to him. refus-
ed any assistance. This coming to the
ear OF The Judge, (Mower) was rectifed
Immediately. BY warrant for the appre.
hension of the fellow. |. was quite as
well. indeed. since The Apaches threaten
ed to March in and sack Socorro, which
perhaps they might have done.
Captain Skilman is now here, hav-
i6s come in with his mail from the States,
| BY the lower route.
On his roa'e, Capt. Skilnan met for
ity Camanclles, not far from the Rio
Grande. These fellows iia.d jus, come
froma nia,auding expedition into Duran.