country was visited, and with incredible toil about three-fourths of the adult males of their tribe, including all the head chiefs, were collected to a conference at the Ojo Oso, the Bear Spring, situate in the Navajo country. And here, after two days' deliberations, was made a permanent treaty of peace and amity between the American people—in which term were specially included the New Mexicans and the Pueblo Indians-and this hitherto irreconcileable and tameless race. To the memorandum of this treaty, signed on the 22d of November, by Colonel Doniphan, Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson, and Major Gilpin, fourteen Indian chiefs appended their marks.

Returning through the large and singularly built town of Zuni, situate about two hundred miles west of the Del Norte, and containing an interesting, intelligent, and honest population of about six thousand persons, who look upon the New Mexicans as an inferior race, and are said to have preserved to this day the ancient Aztec character, arts, and habits, Colonel Doniphan was enabled by skilful diplomacy to effect a reconciliation and treaty of peace between them and the Navajoes, hitherto mutual foess Thus, in despite of physical privations, in the face of the obstacle. of nature, and the incessant hostility of the elements, the important object of the expedition was accomplished. By different routes, each rivalling each in dreariness, difficulty, and danger, and all by the Mexicans declared to be impracticable, the several detachments of the force arrived, between the 8th and 12th of December, at Valverde, on the Del Norte, the appointed rendezvous.

The advance, consisting of three hundred men under command of Major Gilpin, took up the line of march southward from Valverde, on the 14th of December. Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson followed, with two hundred men, on the 16th. While yet Colonel Doniphan was in the Navajo country, LieutenantColonel Mitchell, accompanied by Captain Thompson, of the United States 1st dragoons, had been despatched by Colonel

BATTLE OF THE BRAZITO.

269

Price from Santa Fé with an escort of between ninety and one hundred men, volunteers from the 2d mounted regiment, and the light artillery of Missouri, with the view of opening a communication with General Wool. This force having passed down the valley of the Del Norte, joined the column of Colonel Doniphan, who, thus strengthened, left Valverde, with the remainder of his command, on Dec. 18th. The whole force was eight hundred and fifty-six effective men, armed with rifles—no artillery. Before leaving Valverde, information of the advance of the enemy to the defence of El Paso, on the Chihuahua road, induced Colonel Doniphan to send orders to Santa Fé for Major Clarke, of the Missouri artillery, to join him at the earliest possible moment, with one hundred men, and a battery of howitzers. That union could not be effected until the 1st of February following.

The march lay along the Rio Grande to Fra Christobal, and thence across the dreary and dreaded desert, known by the appropriately ominous name El Jornada del Muerto," the journey of the dead." On the 22d, at Doña Anna, the whole force was consolidated, and a number of traders, with over three hundred wagons, fell in with the baggage and provision trains in the rear. Certain intelligence now came that seven hundred men and six pieces of cannon had reached the pass of the river, sixty miles below. The column moved forward in gay anticipation on the 23d.

About three o'clock in the afternoon of Christmas-day, after a merry march of eighteen miles, the advance of five hundred men was called to a halt, at the Brazito, or little arm of the river, for the purpose of encamping. The horses were unsaddled and let loose to graze, and the men, scattered in all directions, were busy in quest of wood and water. Suddenly a thick cloud of dust arose and moved towards them from the direction of El Paso, and soon one of the advanced guard in full speed announced that the enemy was at hand. To the call of the bugle the men hastily

collected; time to horse there was not; in open order, and on foot, the troops formed as skirmishers, the extremes of the wings thrown towards the river to protect the flanks, the baggage, and the traders' wagons. The enemy, under General Poncé de Leon, numbered twelve hundred and twenty men, of whom five hundred and thirty-seven were well-mounted and splendidly equipped lancers and dragoons, from Vera Cruz and Chihuahua ; the remainder, infantry from Chihuahua and El Paso, with one 2-pound howitzer. To the east, within half a mile of the American troops, they drew up their line in gallant and imposing array, the Vera Cruz dragoons on the right, the Chihuahua Activo battalion on the left, the infantry and militia, with the howitzer, in the

centre.

From their marshalled ranks rode forward briskly a lieutenant bearing a black flag: he halted at a distance of about one hundred paces, and through the American interpreter delivered his presumptuous message, and received an approriate response. He came to demand that the commander of the column should go over to confer with his general, menacing, at the same time, that, unless the demand was complied with, they would charge and take him, adding that they gave no quarter and asked none. Receiving in reply a scornful defiance, he gracefully waved his black flag, and galloped back to the Mexican lines.

Instantly and boldly their charge commenced, the Vera Cruz dragoons riding in firm array down on the left of the American line. The charge was coolly met, and when within a few rods. a deadly volley, again repeated and again, rained in among them dreadful execution. The remainder of their force pressed forward simultaneously, and under cover of the intervening chaparral three rounds were fired by their whole line, seconded by the howitzer, before a single rifle was discharged in return. Colonel Doniphan had directed his men to lie down on their faces, and reserve their fire until the foe came within sixty paces. The

BATTLE OF THE BRAZITO.

271

manœuvre fully succeeded. The Mexicans, supposing they had caused great destruction in the quickly dropping ranks, pushed forward exultingly, when, suddenly rising, the whole centre and right wing sent forth a volley so terribly unerring, that the foe reeled, turned, and fled in irredeemable confusion, while the Howard county company, dashing into the melée, captured and bore away the cannon. Meantime, the ever vigilant and intrepid Captain Reid gallantly led up against the Vera Cruz dragoons, rallying on the left, twenty of his regiment who had succeeded in regaining the saddle. Furiously this little squad charged on, and into the force more than threefold their number, broke their ranks, and with their sabres hewed destructively around. Here, for full twenty minutes, the desperate fight continued. Another division of the enemy's horse, having outflanked the left of the line, and attacked the commissary and baggage train, were met by a well directed fire from the steady soldier-wagoners—and soon over every part of the field the foe was in disorderly flight. In the contiguous mountains they found refuge.

:

The volunteer force in this engagement was under five hundred, the rear, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson, not having arrived until the battle was entirely ended; their loss, none killed -seven wounded, all of whom recovered to participate in future struggles and renown. The strength of the enemy has been already given their loss, so far as could be ascertained, exceeded seventy killed, and a hundred and fifty wounded, including their commanding officer, General Poncé de Leon. Besides the howitzer, a number of carbines, several stands of colours, a large quantity of ammunition and baggage, with ample store of provisions and delicious wines, were among the spoils. The latter supplied the victors no unwelcome feast for their merry Christmas night.

Such was the battle of Brazito, the first in which the volunteers of the West crossed weapons with the foe. With troops fresh

and vigorous, and outnumbering them in the proportion of five to two, their struggle was brief, their victory brilliant. Brighter laurels were none, than Missouri won that day.

Proceeding with military precaution, in anticipation of another attack, the army entered without opposition the populous town of El Paso, on the 27th. Here it was ascertained that General Wool had not as yet advanced on Chihuahua. A forward movement under these circumstances was judged extremely hazardous, and therefore Colonel Doniphan resolved to await at this point the arrival of the artillery ordered from Santa Fé.

The beautiful and fertile valley of El Paso extends along the Rio Grande about two-and-twenty miles, by an average breadth of ten, and is occupied by a peaceable population, whose settlements present the appearance of a continuous farm, thickly intervalled by orchards and vineyards. The fruits and wines of the valley are of unsurpassed excellence, the produce in grain abundant. By the capture of the town, Colonel Doniphan was placed in possession of more than twenty thousand pounds of powder, lead, musket and great-gun cartridge, grape and canister shot, and of five hundred stands of small arms, four hundred lances, four pieces of cannon, and several stands of colours.

Finding that, contrary to representatious industriously circulated among them, and unblushingly put forward even by their chief officers and clergy, the Americans behaved themselves in the captured city with the greatest forbearance, order, respect, and humanity, the inhabitants soon abandoned their doubts and hostility, and gratefully repaid such unexpected conduct by friendly and generous hospitality. The men now fared sumptuously every day, purchasing in the well supplied markets the more substantial food they desired, and having kindly pressed upon them the rich fruits, luscious wines, and other luxuries of the place. Hours of reasonable relaxation, and the intercourse of amity with the citizens, alternated with company and regi