Columbia gazette., 1853-12-31
FROM THE SOUTH.

BY the arrival Of the Southerner, at
San Francisco. on the Goth, the San
Diego Herald Extra, of Dec. 2od, is
received, from which we make the fol-
lowing extracts, which contain the latest
news from the Nep Republic:
We give below the stirring account of
tho operations of the Independent Bat
talon in Lower California, received by
private and special express, from the
Seat Of Government at Enoenada We
do not hear that any outside assistance
has yet been received by President
Walkers Battalion, and their achieve
ments have been conducted by the o.
riginal force without help from. any quar-
ter. The house in which the party have
fortified themselves, is one story adobe
with thick walls, containing large
store-house and two smaller rooms,-
This is good defence against the small
arms of the attacking party, bat less
unable to withstand the FIRE of cannon
shot.
The letter is from an officer of the
expedition, and gentleman of known
integrity and vcracity. Here it is:
EsssNApA De ronos SANTOS,
FORT McKIBBEN. L. c., }
December 10th, 1858.
l have only time to give you brief
statement Of the operations Of the com
mand Of Col Walker, since the landing
of our forces at this place.
After taking the town Of La Paz, to-
gcther with two Governors, Espinosa
and Revolleda, in the early part of Nov.,
we laaiad at this place on TIE I'd inst. >,
AMI rem,inod here in pes,o until the
m,rnias Of the 4th, when the command
Of Colonel Milendrez and Nigreta sur
rounded our position, and attempted by
rather well gotten up r,sse, to destroy
our party by an ambascade.
We fought them in every way they
desired, but being without horses always
filled to orertahc them when they made
tlair several desperate charges, until, at
length, on the morning Of the l4th, at q
very early hour, when Miilendrez party
were nearly frozen with cold rain which
had fallen very heavy, detachment of
twenty of our men, under command of
Lieut.. Croker attacked them in their
strong position, and routed them COM
pletaly, compelling them to ramosc the
ranch in such double Gu;ck style as to
forget their clothing, firearms, Indian
arrows, horses, blanckets, &C., to say
nothing of one very prettily mounted
brass 6eld-piece, and many other articles
peculiar to the tented field.
| have not time to give you full de-
tails of this affair and several interesting
ski-misfes which have occurred in this
vicinity, between onr forces and those Of
Millendrez and Nigrcta, but will be
more particular in ray next We had
only one man wounded in the ARRAY Of
the 18th, and know that we killed sew
.ral Of the enemy, and wounded many
Of them.
Millendrez, during the several days
ekirmishing, sent three flags Of truce to
Col. Walker, and tried to violate the
last two, by sending scouts around po-
sition which he could not have obtained
in any other way; but in this, as we'll as
in a black guard note, he failed most
sigraliy. His scouts were headed of,
and his insolent, illiterate note sent back,
and unanswered until Col. Walker sent
Lieut.. Crocker, with twenty men, as a.
bove related, to whip about one hundred
Of them.
Our Colonel had asked for these twen-
ty men (as voIuntecrs) with the inten-
tion of commanding them in person, but
was dissuaded from so doing by the men,
who considered his services necessary to
the defence of our temporary fort.
The writer of this was not one of the
"fghting detail'' on the night of the
18th inst, but was in an excellent posi-
tion to see the whole fight, and can say
that it was beautifully carried out affair,
and one which reflected great credit on
the command.
Yours, respectfully,
SAMUEL rutland,
I'd 1t. Walkers Ind. Battalion.