Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-03-20
Great Battle near Fort Craig.

We have adviccs of bloody battle
near Fort Craig, on the Rio Grande
River in New Mexico. 1t appears
that ON the sth February the Texan
rebels advanced column of infantry
1000 strong in line Of battle in front
of the Fort, and also moved a column
umn Of 500 cavalry to the west of the
other defences. They advanced with
in a mile and a half of the works and
halted with the secession flag floating
in the breeze. They remained some
time and then commenced a retrogade
movement During the time of the
advance Colonel Candy prudently
concealed the greater part of his
forces in the fort When the cne-
my commenced rctreating, and the
infantry was separated from the cav.
airy, Col. Candy ordered Major Dun
can to charge the cavalry of the ene-
my with a squadron Of dragons and
mounted men, which they did in gal.
liant style-the enemy rctrcating be-
fore them until they arrived at deep
ravine. The Texan infantry, in the
meantime, advanced to the relief of
cavalry, and skirmish took place in
the ravine Major Duncan, late in the
evening, was recalled, and the Tex
ans continued to fall back. 1t is re-
ported that the Texans had eight
pieces of artillery placed in a battery
masked, in a ravinc but a short dis
lance below where the skirmish took
place. This was on the 9Th.
On the 10th and goth the Texans
crossed to the east bank of the Rio
Grande, in order. it is supposed, to
take possession of the nights opposite
Fort Craig. Col. Candy crossed and
pursued them in force, when the Tex
ans on the nights fired some fifty can
non shots, without damage to our
force Col Candy fired but two shots,
deeming it imprudent to waste ammu-
milton. boz. ..
On the morning of the 2lst, 200
Texans mules were captured with
their wagon master. Fighting COM
menced in the morning between por-
tion of our troops under Col. Roberts,
and the enemy across the Rio Grande
with varied success until or 2 o'clock
that day. Col. Candy then crossed
the river in force, with battery Of
six pieces, under Capt. McRae of the
cavalry, but detailed in comman of
the battery also small battery of
two howitzers. The enemy was sup
posed to have seven or eight pieces.
The battle commenced 10y artillery
and skirmishing, and soon became
general. Towards evening most of
the enemy's guns were silenced They
however, made n desperate charge on
the howitzcr battery, but were rcpuls-
ed with great loss. Capt. McRae's
battery was defended Ivy Capt Plimp-
toms company of u. S. Infantry, and
a portion of Col. Pino's regiment Of
New Mexican volunteers.
The Texans charged desperately
and furiously with picked men about
60 strong. They were armed with
carbines, rcvolvers, and long seven
pound Bowie knives. After discharg-
ing their carbincs at close distance
they drew their rcvolvcrs and rushed
on the battery, in storm of grape
and canister. The New Mexicans
of Col. Pino's regiment were panic
stricken, and ingioli,usly fled. Capt
Plimpton and the infantry stood their
ground, and fought nobly till more
than onc-half were numbered with the
dead. With his artillcrymen cut
down, his support either killed, wound
ed, or flying from the field, Capt
McRae sat down calmly and quietly on
one of his guns, and with revolver
in his hand, refusing to fly or desert
his post, he fought to the last, and
gloriously died the death of hero
the last man by his gun. Owing to
the cowardice Of the New Mcxicans
the battery was lost. The Texans
suffered terribly in this charge, and
the whole affair appears to have been
a drawn battle.
Kit Carson, in command Of O rcgi-
ment of volunteers, who were dcploy-
ed as skirmishers, did good service
during the action and behaved we'll
We have, however, to name the loss
Of Licntcnants Michler and Stone,
who, like Captain McRac, nobly and
bravely maintained the honor of our
flag to the last, and gloriously died
the death of patriots. Our loss was
about 200 killed and wounded that
of the enemy is believed to be much
more. The greatest confidence is re-
posed in Col. Candy, aud if the volun-
teers will do their duty, the Texans
will be ANONYMOUSLY driven from the