268 HARD FIGHTING AND REVERSES. 



were taken prisoners, and, in a few days subsequent, found themselves in 

 irons and snugly stowed away in the calaboose at Santa Fe ; while there, 

 one of them died from bad treatment, and the others would have been shot 

 had not the dread of Texan vengeance prevented the deed. Succeeding 

 events, however, effected their liberation. 



The party accompanying Col. W. fell in with the expected reinforcements 

 from Texas, near the Crossing of the Arkansas, and again submitted itself 

 to the fortune of war. This force consisted of one hundred and eighty vol- 

 unteers, under the command of Col. Snively, an old veteran of the Texas 

 revo'ution. 



Soon after, a detachment of forty Texan s, headed by Col. Warfield, en- 

 countered the advance guard of the enemy, numbering one hundred picked 

 men. The approach of the latter had been observed from an eminence, 

 when the Texans were drawn up under cover of a small sand-bank, near a 

 creek, (arroyo,) awaiting to intercept him. Ignorant of the presence of 

 danger, the Mexicans were pressing on at a rapid rate, till brought to a 

 sudden halt by an opposing force within half rifle-shot. 



" Quienes ?" demanded the Texan officer. 



" Mexicanas. Quienes sons uste V replied the commandante. 



" Tajanos," returned the Texan, through his interpreter. " We have 

 come to fight, and shall fight unless you surrender. But, that you may 

 know with whom you have to deal, we give you thirty minutes to decide 

 whether to fight or surrender. If you choose the former, a signal from 

 your sword will announce the answer." 



A brief discussion ensued among them upon this summons. The Mexi- 

 cans were disposed to surrender, but the Pueblo Indians, of whom fifty 

 or more were included in the party, scornfully refused to accede to any 

 such proposition, declaring that they had come to Jight, and not to surrender 

 like women upon the first appearance of an inferior enemy. At length, 

 a chief ended the dispute by advancing to the front line and giving the pre- 

 scribed signal. 



The onset of the Texans was terrific beyond description. The enemy's 

 line was instantly broken, and the cry of " misericordia !" (mercy) sounded 

 upon all sides. The conflict lasted scarcely five minutes ; but, though 

 short, it was decisive and bloody. 



Twenty-two of the enemy were killed, thirty wounded, and the remain- 

 der taken prisoners, with the exception of one who succeeded in affect- 

 ing his escape. Not a Texan was hurt. 



General Amijo, who at this time lay encamped at the Cimarone, forty 

 or fifty miles distant, with an army of seven hundred INIexicans, on 

 receiving intelligence of the defeat of the flower of his invinciblesy 

 like other examples equally illustrious, felt his courage "ooze out at 

 his fingers' ends," and, not being disposed to encounter such dangerous 

 enemies, ordered an immediate retreat and fell back on Santa Fe. 



Col. Snively was on the point of marching in pursuit, when an incident 

 occurred which altered the whole aspect of affairs, and finally frustrated 

 all the purposes of the expedition. This was effected by a war-party of 

 eighty Kuyawa and Cumanche Indians, who succeeded in stampeding a 

 large band of the army horses. 



