Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-06-20

THE BRILLIANT RETREAT or CAPTAIN ORREY' s
CoMMAND-Thc San francisco n raIa has been
favored by Major Wood with details of the re-
treat Of Captain Orrey's command over the Mex-
lean line to the Gadsdcn Purchase which for
determinfd bravery and successful heroism. is
hardly surpassed in the history of modern war
fare. We quote from the article as follows
THE little party penetrated, as we have al
ready stated. as far as the outskirts Of Cavorca
for The purpose Of forming junction with Gen
Crabb, but finding the town surrounded with Il
large army of MeXicans and Indians and pressed
in the rear, they were obliged TO give up the OBJ
jcct Of their expedition, and then commenced the
retreat in which the gallant little band achieved
for themselves so much renown. Pressed on all
sides by an overwhelmin body of the enemy,
they fought their way, almost inch by inch. to
our own territory. 1t is true that the nature Of
the country through which they passed was great
ly in their favor 1t was covered with n thick
chapparal, and most of Captain Orrey command
being rontiermcn, well vcrsed in Indian warfare,
they fought to great advantage, firing from their
cover upon the enemy with that deadly precision
which long use of the rifle can only give. But
before reaching the frontier. they had to pass
through an open plain. Here the Mexican pur-
suers had the advantage. They threw out lines
on each side of the route. which the little band
of Americans had TO follow. and if the MeXicans
had had the courage to charge them, they would,
in consequence of exhaustion and the smallness
of their numbers, have fallen easy victims to
Mexican barbarity but they could not muster
IN sufficient courage to make the charge, and as
the consequence of their want of pluck, many Of
their number were picked of by the long rifles Of
the Americans We have not space to give a
minute narrative of all the incidents OF the re-
treat and must content ourselves with relating
a. ell fO he'd
light upon the dangers bravcd by this little band
and the courage exhibited by them
While retrCating slowly across the plain above
alluded to. both parties made for spring at
some distance from them. There was no other
water except at distance of thirty miles, and it
was matter of considerable Importance, in con
sequence Of the exhausted condition Of men and
animals, to either party to gain possession of It,
The Americans had no animals days before they
were obliged 10 abandon them, but the men were
ready TO drop from thirst To reach the wells
first was matter of life or death to them. If
the Mexicans succeeded in gaining them first
their fate was sealed, for it would be impossible
for them to hold out any longer. They put for
ward the most extraordinary excrtions--the hope
Of relief ncrved them-and they finally succeeded
in gaining a little hillock, from which the wells
were commanded. Here they made their stand
like the wolf at bay, and bravely did they main
tain it. They kept the MeXicans all day from the
water, and occasionally, as one of them, driven
to desperation through the want of water in
a burning desert, showed his person incautlousy,
the crack of the unerriDg rifles Of the Americans
told his doom and in one instance the horse OF
one of the Mexicuns who had been made to bite
the dust as soon as the hold on the reins was re-
laxed guided by animal instinct rushed to the
water, and was made prize of by the Americans,
and to them he proved II valuable booty.
In the saddle bags they found little tobacco
and some articles Of food, which, when divided
among the exhausted little band, aroused their
vigor again, and the horse was killed and bis flesh
when broed, furnished them with nourishment
for the three following days Of their retreat, Be
fore gaining the frontier, news Of their desperate
situation reached the Inhabitants of the Purchase,
some Of whom cent out animals and prOvsions 10
them, and they we're saved. Most OF the retreat
ing was made in the night-tlmc-upder cover Of
darkness the enemy was reduced to something
like an equality, The days were too hot for
marching Such 10 brief sketch of the retreat
Of twenty five Americans through lG0 or III miles
of hostile country, pressed on all sides by q
large force Of an enemy flushed with recent veto-
ries, We believe shat Astory furnishes no more
triliiavt ayemnIe Jf brqvary and determination