Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-05
INVASION or NEW MEXICO.
|ATexan Enterprise Of 50 Years Ago
The Great SuHerings
OF Band ii Hea WIS usnt in:s Strange taads
o. uakaosa mission.

man remarked
.tin ti.is ,ias ~ wars aga. landed at
tisiyesfaa fr,,st Vera Graz, just from an
experience vii. As1iea aaa Nesfean Pm
sons tievs- desire 10 rnsIerse again, whieh
Is fresh ia NY tnSasory nos as II WIS -
years sga.
II arfisel in Texas . yolns Hsn frssit
from Cincinnati vhers hal been employ
e.l in the Wells Type Foundry, sbont i>ae
4 was i,riIafal of Iore for adventure, and
mast esnisss that b,.fare ! gat through |
had all | waBsed aEsl good deal more.
Not ions before my arrival the Pres Il ~;
of the then Hepuhiis, of Texss had rees't''-
nss.t,.le,i measures for the assertion O. the
jurisdiction of Texas over the territory Of
New Msxiro. and bills had been introduced
into both houses of Congress TO authorize
an expedition to Santa te, and making
small appropriation, for that object; nut
bath bills were rejected, Nevertheless, In
the spring of Isl preparations we're made
under the sanction of the Pfesi lent of
Texas, Mirabeaa II. Lamar, for such an
enterprise. hut the intention was declared to
be simply to iaritc the people Of thai re-
gisn to accept the jurisdiction Of Texas,
with an offer to assist them in assist them
Government of Mexico and Ia defend them
against the ipeursiens of hostile savage
-.Ths, command Was Instructed not to at
temp; the forcible sshingation Of the c"an-
iry in ease Of resistance. AMI Col. William,
Il Cook, DR. L. T. Brcnhapi, AMI Col.
lose Antonio Navarro we're appointed com
mis.ioners 10 treat with The aathoritie. and
people of New Mexico, While Gen, Hugh
Mcleod was commissioned military COM
maDJer OF the expedition. Abon' s;spt%i
was drawn from the treasury otthc repub-
lie for the support of the expedition. Five
esmpaucs of mounted infantry were raised
and one OF artillery but tlse whole number
of soldiers and civilians dill not exceed $50
Joined, and my youthful mind was filled
with visions of glory and adventure, which
were destined To be dispellcd in the ruiest
possible manner.
Before the departure of the expedition
the project had become known all over the
niteti States and oil and New Mexico.
No breadstuffs were carried and the only
dependence for food was an insufficient
number of beeves on the boof and such
such wild game as might be killed on
the route. No known route WAS pursued
by the expedition and after setting out
from Bushy Creek, above Austin, on the
10th of June, 1871, its movements were di-
rccted by guides totally unacquainted with
the country. 4 course almost due north
was taken until the trail previously followed
by party of Mexican traders from Chi
uahua to Fulton, Ark, was passed in the
''cross timbers' of of the TRINITY. Thence
the march was continued nearly west to the
one hundred and first parallel, thence
northwest to the heal waters of the Cana
dian, thence north of west To the Pecos
river, and thence again to point supposed
to be ~ or 50 miles from San Miguel, New
Mexico, but the entire distance travelled
is much matter of conjecture.
The Brazos was crossed on the ith of
July and soon after serious troubles began.
A prairie fire threatened to enyciop the
command on the night of the 18th, and the
next day the expedition was forced to en-
camp without water both men and animals
suffering greatly for want of it.
The next day the march was continued
until late in the afternoon and much suffer
ing was endured before water was found.
Immediately thereafter came report of
hostile Indians, who continued to hang on
the march ever after, numbering stragglers
AMI stampeding the stock whenever oppor-
tunity could be found.
"RcucIing Nolani's rlyer July %, the
oxen were so fatigued that four days halt
was made to recruit and endeayor to devise
means for more rapid progress. Another
start was made, and after three days jour
ney point was reached where the grass
had been burned from the prairie. and more
I,,.I, bo IN
by this time was lost in the wilderness, but
still struggled on.
NOn Aug. IL. party of 30 of the best
mounted men was sent to search for Red
river. while the remainder moved onward
AS well as was practicable among the steep
hills aud deep gullies. After several days
toilsome march the party came to deep
assures in the plain now known as the Paio
Duro Canon. in the Panhandle of Texas,
but at that time unknown to a solitary
member of the party. On the verge of
starvation the divided bands struggled on
aud in September an old Mexican road was
discovered, and finally two Mcxicans were
found reported that San Miguel was still
50 miles away, but that the Texans would
find large iocks of sheep at the village of
Anton Chico, short distance further on.
The place was reached and after feasting on
mutton guides were sent back for the main
body of the expedition while number of
the advance guard hurried on to San Miguel.
when the latter reached the little viii
lage of Cuesta they .erc surrounded by a
body of Mexican soldiers commanded by
Damasco Salezay and made prisoners, and
u short time afterward the entire force of
Texans, which was greatly outnumbered,
was compelled to surrender to the forces
under command of Don Manuel Armijo,
the Governor of New Mexico, and two of
their number were murdered in cold blood
by the Mexicans. A few days later another
of the Texans was shot by the guard, his
ears cut off, his body stripped and left TO he
deyourcd by the wolves.
Late in October the prisoners were
started for the toilsome march of 2oo0
miles. from the Rio Grande TO the City of
Mexico. A portion of the route comprised
the .Iorncda del Muerte, or Journey to
Death, desert of 10 miles, on which there
was neither wood nor water. The weather
was bitterly cold. and as soon rs prisoner
was unable to keep up with the procession
his brains we're knocked out, hi ears cut
off and his body left TO be derourcd by the
wild beasts. Two men. named Griffin and
Golpin, were thus murdered before the des-
ert was passed. After unparalleled hard
ships the prisoners finally reached the Mex
iran capital, and were divided and quar-
tered in the prisons of Santiago, Puebia
and Perotc, where they were closely con-
fined, but no more men were executed.
The first authentic information of the
capture of the expedition reached the
| nitcd States via Santa fe in January,
1872. The good Offices of the United
States and the representatives of France
and England were invoked to obtain our
release, ami were finally successful. We
were marched TO Vera Cruz. embarked on
board an American vessel Is3 strong and
arrived in Galveston, Aug. %, 1872. We
were landed at the old fort at the east end
of the island. where we batiietl in the Gulf
and had new clothes given to us by the
citizens. the old ones being burned. After
being entertained by the people steamboat
Houston, from whence they dispersed
to their homes throughout the state.
This rough experience" said Mr.. Gro
yer in conclusion. t'did not Cow our men.
for many of them we're among Tire first to
hostile Mexicans were to be
and some of them the follow
ing winter joined the Mier expedition,
which Jared no better than the one to
Santa Fe."