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Show sp col ec AS Samoan ec : ig eal tt i apa within. - PZ t sic a i egtetatneraainencncreceelian scale ~~ » eis THE WAR WITH MEXICO 205 bition, the American ‘‘ambassador’’ succeeded in securing an open road to Santa Fé.1*4 On the 13th of August the army had arrived at the Sapello river, where Kearny was advised that the Mexican forces were assembling at Apache canyon, about fifteen miles from the city of Santa Fé; that the pass was strongly fortified and that Kearny had best go around it by way of Ojo de Vaca and Galisteo. The day following the American general received word from Armijo that he would meet him on the plains near Las Vegas, the message being delivered by an officer of lancers, accompanied by a sergeant and two privates. At this point the army was joined by Major Swords, Lieuten ant Gilmer, and Captain Weightman, who brought with him and presented to Kearny his commission as brigadier-general. These officers had heard that a battle was to be fought the following day near Las Vegas and had ridden sixty miles in order to participate in the engagement. On the morning of the 15th of August, 0’clock, General Kearny and staff 1846, precisely at eight galloped into the plaza of Las GENERAL KEARNY ENTERS LAS VEGAS AND DELIVERS PROCLAMATION Vegas, where he was met by the alcalde, Don Juan de Dios Maes, and a concourse of people. Pointing to the top of an adobe building, one story in height, and located on the north side of the suggested plaza, General Kearny to the alealde that if he would go to the top of the building, he and his staff would follow, 144 Bancroft, H. H., History fortunately we have no definite Specting Armijo’s preparations, mentary rumors that found their tradictory and of no value. The of Arizona and New Mexico, p. 414: ‘*Un- information from New Mexican sources rereal or pretended, for defense; and the fragway into current narratives are meagre, congovernor understood perfectly his inability to Make any effective resistance; and all that he did in that direction was with & View merely to ‘save his responsibility’ as a Mexican officer, even if he = not, as is probable, definitely resolve and promise not to fight. hated peop e Were called upon, as usual in such cases, to rise and repel the invader; and a Considerable force of the militia was organized and joined the two or three hundred soldiers of the army. These auxiliaries were, however, but half in rarnest and most inadequately armed. If any considerable portion of them o1 their officers zeal rapidly Came clearly ever thought disappeared known from seriously of fighting as the numbers returning Captured and released by Kearny. and scouts, the Americans, armament who, in their patriotic of the invaders bemany instances, With perhaps two thousand men — tn thoug merican reports double the number — Armijo seems to have marched out to Apache canyon with the avowed purpose of meeting the enemy; but on the last ay, in Consequence of differences of opinion between the general and his |