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Capture Of C. M. Clay

Capture Of C. M. Clay image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
April
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

San Jim.v Dr. JU'k.va W r . (Fice iiALsfruiu SáUtlít Kecico.J Jan.This evening Capt. Daniel Kaalte Henrie, a Tcxan, fonnerly a Mier prisoner, who escapee! f rom the Mexieans, renched the camp, hnving male his escape from the Mexican guard. I heard him nárrate all the circumstances oi' thesurrender and of his escape to Gen. Wool. Mnj. Gaines and Cnpt. Clay went out as a reconnoissance lVom Palomos. On the 18th Maj. Borland started with fortv oííicerá and men, who were selecled f'rom the wholo regiment. On the lOth he reached Encarnncion and found no armed force thcre. Mnj. Gaines and Capt. Clay joined himvyilJh lhirty-cvcn ofl'icers and men, selected from Cul. Marsliall's regiment of Kentucky cnvalry. On the '21st they ma relied thirly miles towards San Luis--, but founcd no Mexican troops.The next day, the 22d, they reiurñed 10 Encarnación, intending to continue thoir march into camp. In the meanliine inionnation had been coinmunicuted to Gen. Minion, uho cominanded 3Ü0U Mexican eavalry, s'alioncd one hundred miles below on the San Luis Road oí' tlie arrival of Majs. Borland and Gaines at Ewarnaoion. Ho is represented to bo a bwkl, enlerpriöing ofliccr, and bfi tietcrniinod lo niako a Ibrcod niarcli and cut ll.eni oil'. Talung all his cavalry he pursucd. thetn and on the nighl of the 22d hc canie tip wilh lliom ai l'liicarnaoion. lic had minute inl'orination of:heir nurnbers and posit.ioji froni the Mexicans residing at tiiat place. Ho i[uielly stationed hi: wliolo foreo arouiid tiiu house wliere ourtroops wora cncainped and waiicd the uw a of day. The night of the 22d was iiuist disa. Mo it raincd considérably, a y+% unusual oecurrcncc at thia i.euson uï tbc year in this part of Mexico - the winJb!cv furiously, making it difiicult to hen any sound at a distance - the r.ight wa darkand every way disogreeable. Abou 12 o'clock ono of the sentinels in the American camp gave nolice that he thoughthe heard the sound of arms jing ling. The party was roused and mei sent out to examine. They found noth ing and concluded it was ihe noise of tho mules at work at the well in the machine ry, pumping water. Most of the party lay down to sleep ngain, but many kept nwake. Cupt. Henrie says he did not go to sleep after that event, but continued up drring the remainder of the night. When day dawned, to their surprise they found themselves cntirelyedbyalargo Mexican forcé, tlic vcry numbers of which they could nut estímate. The Mexican troops were stationed nearly a half-mile ofij in every direction, where it was possible to move with horses. Our liltlo band immediately took measureto put Üiemselves in a posture of defence, delermined to sell tbeir lives as dearly as possible. Awhiteflng was sent from the Mexicons io the Americans requiring them to surrender. Tbcy were wholly averoe to it and wanted to iight it out. Some considerable conversatien cnsued, in whicb the Mexican piliccr slated that their force was 3000 strong, and ilmt resistunce was useless. - Doubts of the trutli of this statenient wereexpressed. Tho Mexican General said that Major Gaines coyld satisfy himself of the trutli of the statement, and might go out and count the Mexican :roops. A Mexican oflicer of equal rank was .ent n as a hosiage, whereupun Major Gaines did go out and sathfy himself of tlieoverwheliMitij number of' the Mcxican nrniy. Gen. iiinon prornised thal f they surrendered they should. be trealedand respectcd as pn&oners of war. There was a Mexiean guide witli Major Gaines wlio had boen fu reed to guidc tlie partv. Capt. HéDrie, wliu was a Mier prisoner, a!so was known to many of the iWexioais, all of whum entertain the geatest hostility against the Texans, and the Mier prisoners especially. Gen. Miuon was informed of these facts and pledgcd his honor that Captain Henrie should be trealed as a prisoner of wnr and should notbe huft, and thnt the Mexiean guide sIiou!J have a fair trial. When re.juo:,ted to put these guaraniies in wrütng, he said that was unnecessary. that the word of a Mexiean General was wojtij a ihousandsignatures. Gen. Mino, iiaving rcpeatedly 'hinde tiie.se assurancc.-;, and t-eemed disposed to act liberally witli them,ii!ivl our üttin b;.nd of eightv men seeing themselvcs surroundedandoutriumbered more tiian diirty to one, and that there was no chance of escape, capitulated on these tenns, and surrendered as prisoners of war. In five minutes after the party surrendered nnd gave up their anns, thecan guide was shot down aniong them - thusgiving amarked evjgjence of the confiiience to be placed in the püghted word uf a Mexicnn genera]. This poor fellow's late was a hard otie. He had been cotnpelled to go out as a guide with Major Gaines' party, asone couid not be procurcd otherwise at the time of their departure. The wliole party reitiuined at Encarnación lliat day. The net jnorning, the 25tli, iheprisoners were startcd, undcn guard of lvo hundred men, for San Luis utosi. Majors Gaines and Borlaiid were ïermitted to retain'lheir horsesand iirmsj he rest ofthe prisoners were strippcd of iblni Captains Clay and Dnnly, and the other cOmm'issioried ofíicerí!, were furnished with mustang ponies ; the remainder marched on foot.L'ú'b ih New Orleans must be vèry piquant. A writer n tlie Atlas thus describes one pliase of t : - " Passing down a cërtain streel in lliis cíty a few dayssince.we observe d a group of persons standing bcfure the door of v ilïlc rostnurat, and u iimnbor of botli se.v s going in, caeh with a small loaf o! bread anJ básin u'n'der the arms. VVt ad thé cmiosity to look in. An imïneose ■anlúron, ahnosl a.s lárge as a ketllc, was in the fire filled to tho brim, anda ïargte fork, fixed on a handlc, lay Inrd by on the table. We soon nscertained tiiat ii was nn eating house on a n.w principie. Each per-jon brings his loaf, pays dowi. bis iive cents, and is cntitled (o plung the fork in íive limes - a cent a throw. I; he draws up tho meat, he sils down kicky dog, and enjoys it, or takes it liomiin his basin. {f he draws no meat, Ik receives a bowl of ihö brolh in wliich ii is boiling. The opcralion is nol so easy as ono wou ld supposo. The fork is se well worn, that its points aru a little (u.-ncd up ; t!io kcttlo iá very deep, aud ebulición kcopa the meat constanily in niotion. VVc saw fiye partios tiy it, and ttirec dincd on üoli[).:'

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News