Washington sentinel., 1854-06-03
From the st. Louis Rep. OF Saturday
i Month Later from New Mexico.

The mail from Santa Fe arrived last night,
bringing us very important news from New
Mexico. The following letter from our we'll
informed correspondent at Independence IS
very interesting;
INDEPENDENCE, May 20, 1854.
The Santa Fe mail arrived here to-day-as
telegraphed to you-bringing little additional
news from the former month, other than some
details Of the Indian battles. From the official
reports, as you will see in the Santa Fe papers,
there were killed of Lieutenant Davidson's
command, twenty-five men, and twenty seven
/ wounded. For this, as well as the other deeds
of theirs, General Garland, aided by the civil
authorities, is determined to destroy, or in the
language Of Kit Carson, ripe out this band Of
Jicarilla Apaches. Acting Gov. Masservy has
issued his proclamation, threatening those who
aid or assist these Indians with all the punish
i ment he is authorized to iHhict. Col. Cooke
has recovered some of the property lost by the
i United States troops in their former battles,
and at last accounts was in close pursuit of the
retreating sayages. A failure here will prove
/ disastrous to the Americans and Mexicans
/ throughout New Mexico as well as those who
cross the plains to Oregon or California. In
/ fact, the emigrants have been threatened al
ready, and before the season is over we may
l
The Santa Fe Gazette Of April 18th, contains
full details of the battle at Cieneguilla, between
the Apaches and the U. S. Dragons, on the
3Oth Of March. That paper remarks
i This is one of the severest battles that ever
took place between the American troops and
the Indians, and our loss much greater in pro-
/ portion to the numbers engaged. TheApaches
! fought with bravery almost unprecedented, and
we are well convinced that nothing but the
stubborn valor of Lieutenant Davidson and his
men, saved the command from entire destruc-
ton. The troops had greatly the disadvantage.
The Indians selected their own position, on a
rugged mountain ridge, and the dragons had
to charge up steep slope to reach them. The
latter were encumbered with their horses, which
it required nearly a fourth part ofthe command
to take care of; and the valley in which the
troops were, at the time they commenced the
attack, is filed with large boulders as to render
the movement of horses almost impossible.
i We are sorry to learn that Lieutenant David
son and DR.. Magruder were both slightly
i wounded.
Since the fight at Cieneguilla, the Indians
have retreated to the west side Of the Rio del
Norte, and are now hotly pursued by Colonel
/ Cooke with nearly two hundred Dragons and
Il
/ Pueblo Indians, under the command of Mr..
James I'll. Quinn. of Taos. The troops are on
i their trail, which leads among the mountains
to the north and as the Indians are encum-
bered with their women and children, and are
reported in low spirits, we think there is some
chance Of their being overtaken.
II LIST OF KILLED AND WOUNDED.
! F TRoop--P Privates TILED -Brieswood, Schmontz,
Broditch, Awant, Kimble. Mitchell, Higgins Nc
Doud. Total ol troop killed, s.
| TRoor-RiAed-Firs Sergeant Holbrook Ser
geant Kent, Farrier Smell. Pripates-Bradley,
1 Brenker. Dale, Driscole Gibbns, Humbert, Null
Pease, Rennie, Rnttger, Ryan Total troop
i killed in action, Ia. :.
TRooP- Woundek-Corpora Davis, slightly
wounded; privaies Fell, Flood, Mahony, severely;
| Winter slightly: Buck severely bruised; Bowles
| slightly Total Of troop wounded, z.
l TROOP acknowledgements John w. Da.
wilson, lst Dragons, slightly wounded; Corporals
Dempsey and Byrncs, severely Bugler McGralh
slightly; privates Baitse, Bronson, severely
Crout, severely bruised; Curtis, J. Dowd Jun
kins slightly; F.. Miller, J. Miller, severely; S.
Somerville, Weldon, slightly Sullivan, severely.
Total Of troop wounded, Is.
Assistant Surgeon y. L. Magruder, U. S. A..
slightly.
REcApIruLarloN.-To Total killed in action %; total
wounded, 20; total killed and wounded, 45.
The Gazette goes on to describe the second
encounter with the Apaches at Aqua, Calliente
creek, which took place Aprils. Itresulted as
follows:
"All the lodges and camp equipages, a large
quantity Of provisions, and many of the horses
of the enemy, fell into the hands of the troops:
and they also left behind number of the arms
and equipments lately captured at Cienguilla,
which were recovered by Colonel Cooke Six
dead Indians were found on the field, but it is
not known whether they sustained any further
loss. VI the troops one man was killed-pri-
vate Casey, company G, first dragons, and
one man Of the second dragons severely
wounded The day of the fight the troops
marched through snow two feet deep, and it
was also showing some Of the time.
Major Carleton, with reinforcement, Joined
Colonel Cooke, about an hour after the battle,
and will unite with him in the further pursuit
of the enemy.
The result ofthe expedition of Colonel Cooke,
thus far makes it fixed fact, that the Indians
in New Mexico can be caught by the troops,
which circumstance alone will have bene-
fetal influence on the other tribes, who, here
tofore have considered themselves quite secure
from attack from the soldiers.
FURTHER PARTICULARs.-We learn few
further particulars Of the battle of Cieneguia,
by private letter from Toas. 1t appears that
eight or nine dead Indians were left on the
field; and on passing certain point on the
OoJo Calliente they admitted loss of twenty
three, and were in great tribulation. The In.
dians are said, by the Mexicans to De tired Of
Of the war, and are ready to surrender all the
plunder they have taken, and make peace.
Lieutenant Davidson was wounded in the
shoulder by an arrow; and DR.. Magruder was
wounded in the hand, and heel; their wounds
are not considered dangerous. The Indians
did not scalp any Of the dead who were left on
the field.
LATER INTELLIGENCE FROM THE SEAT OF
WAR.-An express from the seat of war ar,
rived at headquarters Thursday evening" with
news to the 18th instant. Since the action on
the Sth instant, Colonel Cooke and his com
mand had been in active pursuit of the enemy,
whom they pressed so hard they were obliged
to separate into small parties to save them
selves. They led the troops over the most in
accessible country in New Mexico, with snow
in some places three feet deep; and Kit Kar-
son, who is their guide, says It is the toughest
country he has ever seen. The Indians have
suffered very much, and their bare footprints
were seen in the snow.