페이지 이미지
PDF
ePub

on the distant heights; but on the first intimation of a disposition to renew the intercourse of the preceding afternoon, they most unceremoniously decamped. The American loss in this affair of Cañada was two killed and seven wounded. Of the latter was Lieutenant Irvine. The Mexicans acknowledged a loss of thirtysix killed and forty-five wounded.

On the 27th, Colonel Price resumed his march towards Taos, whitherward the enemy had retreated, as to their stronghold. Next morning he was joined by Captain Burgwin with his own company of the 1st U. S., and Lieutenant Boone's company of the 2d Missouri, dragoons, all dismounted, and by Lieutenant Wilson, with a 6-pounder brought up from Cañada. His whole force was now four hundred and seventy-nine rank and file, with whom he proceeded to La Joya, and there learned, on the 29th, that the gorge leading to Embudo was held in command by the enemy. The road by Embudo being impracticable for artillery or wagons, Captain Burgwin pushed forward with his own company, St. Vrain's, and White's, accompanied too by Adjutant Walker of the 2d Missouri, and Lieutenant Wilson-their conjoined force numbering one hundred and eighty men.

The enemy, some six or seven hundred strong, was discovered occupying a formidable position on the mountain slopes, overhanging each side of the road, just where the gorge was so narrow, as scarcely to admit of the passage of three men abreast, and still further protected by dense brushwood and large fragments of detached rock. From the gallant force so numerically inferior, flanking parties were thrown out on either side, while St. Vrain, dismounting his men, advanced up the rugged and precipitous hill-face, whose trees lent aid to the climbing men. The brisk contest was still going on, when Captain Slack, with twenty-five mounted men, came up from La Joya, to lend aid. Another half hour, and the battle was decided-the pursuit of the foe occupied two hours. One killed and one severely wounded, bought

[blocks in formation]

this victory; defeat cost the Mexicans and their Indian allies full twenty killed and sixty wounded. A white flag greeted Captain Burgwin's entry into the town of Embudo.

The march resumed led over the Taos Mountain, covered to a depth of two feet with snow, through which the troops, with admirable constancy and patience, trampled down a road for the artillery and wagons. On the 3d of February Colonel Price marched, without meeting any show of resistance, through San Fernando de Taos, and there ascertained that the enemy had posted himself advantageously in the Indian village, Pueblo de Taos, a strongly protected place a short distance in advance. Walls of adobé, or sun-dried bricks, with strong pickets, and flanked by projecting buildings, supplied whatever was wanting to the means of defence afforded by the large church, two other large structures rising in an irregular pyramid to the height of seven or eight stories, and a number of smaller edifices. These were now occupied by Mexicans and Indians, numbering between six and seven hundred. On the evening of the 3d, a warm fire was opened on the western flank of the church, from Lieutenant Dyer's battery of two howitzers and one six-pounder, and kept up for about two hours and a half; when, as the ammunition wagons had not yet come up, and the men were suffering severely from cold and fatigue, the colonel commanding withdrew them for the night to San Fernando.

Early on the morning of the 4th, the troops were in station for attacking the town. From the north and the west, a cross-fire was briskly opened from the artillery under Lieutenants Dyer and Hassendaubel, the former supported by Captain Angney's battalion and two companies of the 2d Missouri; the latter by Captains Burgwin and McMillen; while Captains St. Vrain and Slack, with the mounted men, moved round to the east of the town, to intercept any attempt at flight. Two hours' cannonading having proved it impossible to breach the strong walls of the

church with the 6-pounder and howitzers, the troops were ordered forward to storm. Most gallantly was the service performed, and most manfully was the building defended by its occupants, who poured out a continual and destructive fire. Establishing themselves close under the western wall, the troops now endeavoured to breach it with axes; and by means of a temporary ladder the roof was fired. Meanwhile Captain Burgwin with a small party, leaving the cover of the wall, entered the coral in front of the church, and essayed to effect an entrance at the great door. This attempt was found fruitless, and in making it, the daring Burgwin received his death-wound. About 4 P. M. the 6-pounder, brought within sixty yards, enlarged into a practicable breach one of the holes made by the axes. The gun was then run up within ten yards, a shell and three rounds of grape were poured through the breach, and now the storming-party burst in. On the north the charge was equally successful; the long and hotly contested fight resulted in the utter discomfiture and disordered flight of the foe. It was now night, and the troops were quietly quartered in the houses on the west side of the town, abandoned by the enemy. Early next morning, the old men, the matrons, and the priest, bringing with them the children and the altar images, humbly implored mercy and peace. Their supplication was granted, on the condition that Tomas should be given up, that chief having been an instigator and actor in the cruel murder of Governor Bent and his party. In this battle the enemy's ascertained loss was about one hundred and fifty killed-his wounded unknown. The American loss was seven killed and forty-five wounded. Of these many afterwards died.

In the earlier days of the revolt, Captain Hendley, than whom Missouri counted among her bravest none more brave, fell, while endeavouring to suppress the insurrection in the valley of the Moro. He was in command of the grazing detachment on the Pecos, but hearing of the insurrection, on the 20th of January, promptly

cans.

INSURRECTION SUPPRESSED.

289

ordered the different grazing parties to assemble, and took possession of Las Bagas, where a concentration of the forces of the insurgents had commenced. These were readily dispersed by the captain and his command, which was soon increased to the number of two hundred and twenty-five men, by the arrival of different parties. Leaving the main body of his force to preserve tranquillity at Las Bagas, he set out on the 22d to the Moro, where the insurgents had embodied two hundred men. Upon arriving before the place, on the 24th, he found the Mexicans under arms. While preparing for an attack, he perceived a small party of insurgents running from the hills. A detachment which he sent out to cut them off, encountered the main body of the enemy, and soon brought on a general engagement. After a few volleys the enemy gave way, and sought their houses, from the windows and loopholes of which they fired upon the AmeriThe latter hotly pursued them in their flight, rushing into the houses with them, shooting, and running through many with the bayonet. A part of the insurgents gained an old fort and commenced a fire on the American troops. Captain Hendley, with a small party, forced his way into one of the apartments, and, while preparing to fire the fort, received a ball, from which he died in a few minutes. Being without artillery, the Americans considered the fort impregnable under present circumstances, and abandoned the place, having killed twenty-five of the enemy, and taken seventeen prisoners. The American loss was Captain Hendley killed, and three wounded. His body was taken to Santa Fé, and buried with military honours. Subsequently his remains were conveyed to Fort Leavenworth, and thence to Richmond, where they were interred on the 23d of September, 1847. On the 1st of February, his death, and the fall, too, of other gallant men, was avenged by the complete demolition of the Moro village, by the troops under Captain Morin.

By those prompt exertions the insurrection was effectually sup

pressed. Of the leaders in the revolt, Tafoya fell at Cañada, Chavez at Pueblo; Montoya was hanged as a traitor, at San Fernando; and Tomas was, in a quarrel, shot by a private, while a prisoner in the guard-room of the latter town. Sanction of General Kearny's assumed power to transfer the allegiance of the New Mexicans from their own government to the United States, was refused by the latter. Consequently the charge of treason alleged against the revolters was not to be sustained, and the military executions under this supposed right were very promptly stopped.

In May, marauding bands of Mexicans and Indians made desultory attacks on supply-trains and grazing-parties. On the 26th of this month, at the Red River Cañon, after a sharp conflict, Major Edmondson, with a detachment of about two hundred men, severely punished the largest of these bands, killing forty-one of their number, and wounding a still greater proportion. In June, Lieutenant Brown, with two of his men, in an effort to recover horses stolen from his command, was cruelly murdered. Major Edmondson hastily marched from Las Vegas in pursuit of the murderers, shot down a few, and took forty prisoners. In July, rumours of an intended renewal of the insurrection were rife. But the increased vigilance of the troops, and the presence of an additional force from the States, checked the contemplated outbreak.

On the 20th of July, all now seeming more permanently tranquil, Colonel Price was raised to the rank of brigadier-general, and appointed still to command at Santa Fé.

Here we take leave of the Army of the West-an army whose sufferings and whose deeds alike entitle it to the admiration and boundless gratitude of its country.

« 이전계속 »