p 



• ♦ 



556 . Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



miles, which was the estimated distance to Tueson. Leroux had 

 just returned; he had found water at a ''still-house," 20 miles from' 

 the river; and had encountered there a sergeant's party of dragoons. 

 He had made up a story to get off ; but, to give it color, Dr. Foster 

 fancied it necessary to go on to the town.. Leroux was told, by 

 Indians, that 200 soldiers, with artillery, had been there concen- 

 trated. I reached the water next day, and probably surprised the ser- 

 geant's party. I found them cutting grass; but the sergeant, as if 

 the bearer of a flag, delivered me a singular message from the com- 

 mander, which amounted to a request that I should not pass his 

 post. Next morning, I made prisoners of four others, who had 

 come, probably, with provisions; and as Dr. Foster's long stay had 

 made me .uneasy for him, I dismissed one of them with a note, sta- 

 ting that I should hold the others as hostages for his safety; and 

 prom-ised to release the prisoners if he was sent to me that evening. 

 Deceived as to the distance, but expecting to encamp without water, 

 I marched late; and, having made twelve miles on a road very diffi- 

 cult in places, I encamped at sundown, on the bigh prairie. At 

 midnight, Foster reached me; with him came two officers; one as a 

 ^'commissioner," with written instructions to offer a kind of truce^ 

 by the terms of which I was to pass the town by a certain point, 

 and to hold no communication with the people. I rejected them, 

 and demanded a capitulation; which the commissioner, with great 

 form, wrote, after his own fashion, in Spanish, and I signed it. The 

 terms bound the garrison not to serve against the Unifed States du- 

 ring the present war; and, as the only further tokens of surrender, 

 to deliver to me two carbines and threp lances; my. men to enter 



WHth 



After a tedious 



conterence of two hours, m which we had been very friendly, but 

 very cold, the officers departed, assuring me my terms could not be 

 accepted. Believing I was eight or nine miles from town, I took 

 measures to march at daylight; but unfortunately the mules being 

 herded in mezquite bushes, and without water, the half of them, in 

 the darkness of night, escaped the guard; and I could not possibly 

 march, with any prudence, before 8 o'clock. , 



The distance proved to be sixteen miles. Ab^ut five miles from 

 town I was met by a dragoon, or lancer, who delivered me a letter, 

 simply refusing my terms. I told him there was no answer, and he 

 rode ofl. I then ordered the arms to be loaded. Immediately after- 

 'ward, two citizens rode up, and reported that the place had been 

 evacuated. I arrived at 1 o'clock, and, having passed through the 

 fort, encamped in the edge of the town. Two small field pieces had 



orwheaT'' ' ^''^^''' ^'""^^'^y °f ^'^1^^^ except a large store 



cZTJr''fV^ T""^''' ^"^^ ^"^^ ^".^ Fronteras had been co.'- 

 23S m n 'k . ^ I understood Dr. Foster, ttere were altogether about 

 230 men; but I have lately learned that he only estimated them at 



ver; .•,,r°''^"^^ ^" ffP tb^ next day, December 16. There was 

 UZ b i:^.^^'i"iL^l!"7 -^^-' -^^^^ -<J.^^-ep, on the wheat, 



desert.) 

 made a 



1 



