The Lincoln County leader. [volume] (White Oaks, Lincoln County, N.M.) 1882-189?, 1883-08-04

he'd more men. Our conquest more
difficult would have been more
highly valued.
AS soon as the different com
mauds had gotten together, after a
heavy drag on roads softened by
recent rains, we moved on through
| the canon and over the hills be
yond. BY 3 O'Clock the head Of
the columns had reached a spot
overlooking the doomed city but
it's tail like that Of a comet, stretch
ed out rather Indefinitely. 1t was
a heroic march on the part of the
skeleton mules, horses and oxen.
especially those attached to the
flying artillery as Mai. Clarke's
command was grayely styled in Of
fetal papers; butthe big guns came
creeping into place at last, and the
rangers and dragons then had
the great honor Of marching in
to the city through the principal
streets, in all the pride and dust
Of deadly war. The flag was run
up on the palace, late theresidence
ofGov. Armiio, and the canon on
the hill Numbered a national sa-
lutte.
Santa Fe, the ancient city, now
growing more beautiful in her old
age than she even was in youth,
was captured. The only gunpow-
der burned in the campaign was
thatin saluting the American eagle,
now lighted in her towers. Our
victorious general occupied her
palace, built ofraw brick, as were
those OF Nineveh, and was the
ruler Of the province. Senior Ar
milo, the native governor had gone
to old Mexico, whence | believe he
never returned. Whether he or
the central government Of Mexico,
or the people Of the territory,
/ should bear the blame, know not {;
but certain it is that Il force much
greater than the army Of the west
would have been needed TO take
the province, il proper resistance
had been made.
1t was a sight to aforementioned,
that Of August, Is, 1916. Having
traversed the principal streets and
marched around the plaza to sa-
lutte the newly raised flag, having
glanced at the sinister countenance
Of some of the Mexican men, and
looked kindly at the scared faces
Of the women who thought the can
non We're bombarding the town,
having, as q novel lesson in pas
toral economy noticed the pig tied
by a lariat to Craze in one Of the
%corrals, and having in a r'neral
way deported ourselves as mag
unanimous warriors and observing
philosophers, the rangers, stated
with glory, but hungry, marched
back to the position on the hill only
TO find that our wagons with IA
tons and camp outfit had not ar
rived and were not expected.
The prospect for supper was
gloomy, and the discussion of the
situation by the rangers was getting
lively with short words
Of a Scriptural sound, used in a
somewhat profane sense, when l
was politely informed by the adiu-
tant that | was officer Of the guard
to consist of fifty ravenous men
who were to preserve order in the
captured city. 1t was no doubt an
honor, in a limited sense, to be in
command of a guard in a foreign
capital, seized without a struggle
after a daring march Of nearly a
thousand miles, possessed without
the shedding of a drop Of blood or
burning an ounce Of powder till
the star-spangled flag was hoisted
over it, and | have honestly tried
TO feel proud Of the distinction and
to enjoy the recollection Of it as a
creditable incident in a life not
burdcned with military events Of
much consequence. But, alas, for
fame and Immortality. When |
was in Santa Fe for a week in No
yembcr, 1874, the folks did not
seem to care a bawbee about the
"oficer Of the guard" in 1916, and
in fact appeared hardly to know
that the city had ever BEEN captur-
ed at all, but seemed rather to have
a notion that it had been given up
gratuitously. Alas, | say again.
They are now celebrating the 333d
anniversary of the occupation of
the town by white men, but among
the thousands gathered there, few
will know that the army ever
existed, or that Uncle Sam owes to
a few companies Of Missourians the
possession OF the ancient city.
A.. rru.n. AZ. ~ nrrrnrnn ]