Kearny's march for New Mexico.

nalize themselves whilst the other vessels of the squadron were on the expedition to Tampico. The gallantry of the crew of the Somers was more fully exemplified, however, on the occasion of the loss by shipwreck of that vessel. While endeavouring to intercept a sail that had hove in sight, a squall from the north struck her and threw her on her beam ends, and in a few minutes she filled and sunk. Midshipmen Clemson and Hynson, with thirty-nine of the crew, lost their lives; the others were picked up by the crews of the English, French, and Spanish men-of-war lying near by

We now turn our attention to the conquest of New Mexico.

In June, 1846, a military force of three hundred United States dragoons, and three thousand Missouri volunteers, was concentrated at Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri river, under General Stephen W. Kearny, destined for the subjugation of New Mexico. General Kearny took up the line of march for Santa Fe, eight hundred and forty miles distant, on the 22d of June, and on the 18th of August took possession of the city with the principal division of his forces. He issued, on the 22d, a proclamation calling on the people who had left their houses to return, and promising to protect all who should remain quiet and peaceable. Five days afterwards he completed the organization of a free government, appointed Charles Bent governor, and fixed a code of municipal laws. On the 25th of September he set out from Santa Fe, upon the route for Upper California, with the dragoons under Major Sumner, and two mountain howitzers. Colonel Doniphan was left in

Murder of Governor Bent and others.

command at Santa Fe, Colonel Price with the second division of the forces having not yet arrived.

At Albuquerque, General Kearny received such information from California, as induced him to send back two hundred of the dragoons, leaving orders for the Mormon battalion which formed part of his forces, to follow in his trail. From La Joya, two hundred miles below Santa Fe, on the Rio Grande, he sent an order to Colonel Doniphan to make a campaign against the Narajo Indians, who inhabited the country between the Rio Grande and the Colorado of the West. Colonel Doniphan was employed on this successful expedition until the 14th of December.

Leaving Colonel Price in command at Santa Fe, Colonel Doniphan again took up the line of march, on the 17th of December, with his own regiment and a command under Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell. The departure of this force, and the Mormon battalion, left Colonel Price about fifteen hundred men. About the time of Colonel Doniphan's departure a revolution was concocted by several of the citizens of the province, which, however, was discovered and apparently suppressed. Nearly all the most influential persons in the vicinity of Santa Fe were concerned in it. On the nineteenth of January, Governor Bent, with five others, was murdered at Hernando de Taos, seven more at the Arroya Honda, and two at the Rio Colorado. It appeared to be the object of the insurrectionists to put to death every American, and every Mexican, who had taken office under the new government. The insurgents having gathered in considerable force, a battle was fought on the 24th of January, at Canada, which

Battle of Pueblo de Taos.

they commenced by an attack on Colonel Price, who repulsed them.

On the 29th, the enemy were discovered to the number of six or seven hundred, occupying a very strong position on the mountains at either side of the pass which leads to Embudo, and which was only wide enough to admit of the passage of three men marching abreast. Captain Burgwin with one hundred and eighty men, rank and file, attacked them, ascended the hills and forced them to fly with a heavy loss. They retreated over the steep and rugged sides of the mountains with a speed that defied pursuit. Embudo was then surrendered. Marching through snow, and beating it down into a road for artillery, on the 3d, the army reached the city of Pueblo de Taos, which was found to be admirably fortified. On the 4th, it was attacked by our gallant little army at nine o'clock in the morning, and the battle raged with great fierceness until night. The Americans at that time had made themselves masters of a part of the town, and at daybreak next morning the enemy sued for peace. It was granted on condition of the delivery of Tomas, one of the principal conspirators, who was shot. The other leaders met a similar fate.

Having defeated the enemy wherever they were to be found and thereby crushed the revolution, Colonel Price found himself again quietly established in the government of New Mexico. He had in the three battles, killed two hundred and six of the enemy, and wounded a much larger number, with the loss of only eight. killed, and fifty-two wounded on his own side, and had exhibited a degree of vigilance and gallantry calculated to inspire the people with awe and respect.

D

Battle of Sacramento.

Colonel Doniphan, on the march for El Paso del Norte, was attacked on Christmas day, at Brazito, by a Mexican force of eleven hundred men. The American force engaged numbered four hundred and fifty. The battle was decided in forty minutes, by the flight of the enemy, leaving sixty-three killed, one hundred and fifty wounded, and one howitzer. On the 29th, the city of El Paso was taken without opposition. Leaving El Paso on the 8th of February, the army marched on the city of Chihuahua. At the pass of the Sacramento, the enemy was discovered in great force: twelve hundred cavalry and two thousand seven hundred and twenty infantry, artillerists, and rancheros, with ten pieces of artillery. Colonel Doniphan commanded nine hundred and twenty-four effective men, who were obliged to protect a train of three hundred and fifteen traders' wagons, besides the regular army train. The enemy's infantry were securely posted behind a series of twenty-seven redoubts. While the two twelve-pound howitzers unlimbered within fifty yards of the enemy, and supported by the cavalry, poured destruction into his ranks, the infantry and riflemen charged the intrenchments with the utmost coolness and rapidity, delivering a deadly fire, and then clearing the redoubts with their sabres. The enemy fled over the mountains in great confusion, losing his entire artillery, ten wagons, masses of provisions, three hundred killed, and as many wounded. The Americans lost the incredibly small number of one man killed, and eight wounded, one of whom afterwards died. This victory was gained on the 28th of February. On the 1st of March formal possession was taken of Chihuahua. On the 23d of April, Colonel