Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-11-19
Texan Invasion of New Mexico.

correspondent of the Alta Californian
who accompanied the California Volun
teers sent to New Mexico, gives Il good
many interesting particulars of the inva
sion of New Mexico by the Texans under
Sibley. He says, speaking of their adj,
vance
The Texans went through the country,
u portion of their own State, like IA swarm
! OF locusts or ravaging wolves; consuming,
destroying, WASTING everything; commit.
ting the most revolving excuses, murder,
ing and plundering wherever they ap-
pearod. At their presence peace and hap
piness, the possession of property, and In
some cases, even of life, vanished like a
dream; but. unlike the airy vision, leaving
the most indisputable wrecks behind. 1t
is sickening TO 10 through the towns
along the Rio Grande and listen to the
recital of their revenges. Not a fAmily
but has some story of robbery to relate;
some history of horror to tell. From
driving cattle, mules, and horses off by
the hundred. down to robbing hen-roosts,
and even pulling birds and doves out OF
cages, wringing their necks before the
eyes OF their female owners and cram
ming them in their pockets; from turning
their stock loose in fields of grain, to
stealing water and muskmelons; from
shooting a man because he refused to
take Confederate paper money for his
goods TO cutting the throat of a pig, they
proved themselves experts and adopts.
TEXANS on THEIR RETREAT.
On reaching the towns of Isleta, Socorro
and San Elisario, which were the last be-
fore entering upon the seven hundred
mile desert. which laid between them
and San Antonio, the Texans commenc-
ed a second and more perfect series of
.robberles; this time sweeping off every
animal of every kind on this side of the
river. Finding that their little all was
about to be lost to them forever, and alb
solute starvation staring them in the face,
the timid inhabitants plucked up courage,
got together whatever arms the could,
and mastering their forces, gave the enc
battle from behind every hedge, bush
and bank which offered a cover. Their
efforts were attended with success, and
peace was restored by the restoration of
cattle and herd. In this manner, some
two thousand or two thousand five hun
dred of them were compelled to retrace
their weary and hazardous steps to Texas.
Language would fail to depict the hor-
rors of that march. No discipline what
ever existed among them; their officers
were so only in name; their organization
was entirely broken up; men detached
themselves from any company or COM
mand at pleasure; selected their own
companions, and marched when, where,
and how they pleased. Some were
mounted on stolen oxen, some on asses.
some on mules. a few ON horses, and by
far the greater number were on foot
Having no longer a defenseless people to
plumber, they Kept their hands inIby steal
ing from each other. The whole route
from San Elisario to San Antonio, some
seven hundred miles, is one graveyard.
1t is estimated that not less han eight
hundred persisted on the way, either
thirst. hunger, fatigue. disease, old
wounds or fresh ones, given by their own
comrades in order to obtain
possession of the little food they might
still have.