The Man Who Won The West Mexican War 1846 – 1848

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Fandangos are all the go in this country they made one that night in Vages I had permission to go & take 8 from our company along with me.  I can assure you we were highly pleased at the exhibitors that night.  They are the greatest dancers in the world their favorite is what they call Coone it is a kind of Waltzing we left after remaining there about 2 hours highly gratified at the performance Vages population is between 5 & 6 hundred we passed through some other towns of some Note for Instance Tecolote, San Miguel, Gusana, San Miguel is a place of considerable great trade is carried on between that place and Santa Fe.  We were grumbling all the time because we had no wood now we have to much we are among the mountains the hills & mountains are entirely dotted over with ceder and pine trees the road seems impassable all around us but by following the serpentine course of the road we got along much better then we expected.

Dear Sir, I will now inform you that we have marching orders to El Paso which is 320 miles from here South we will leave for there in a short time just as soon as the quartermaster can furnish Team & Rations.  I think he will have no difficulty in that there is abundance here of everything train after train has arrived here with a great quantity of Provisions.  R. S. has no idea that the war will last for sometime yet.  It will continue yet for some time no doubt.

I will now inform you that Santa Fe is considerable of place the town is about 8 miles in circumference houses built of mud the main Plaza is in the center of the city and about 300 feet square there is 3 Catholick Churches & relics of 3 or 4 more old dilapidated churches that were once venerable edifices but now the cankering worm of time has diminished their beauty very much.

Col. Boyakin of Marion County who is now at Taos 75 miles North of this place in command of 3 Company’s of Mounted Mo. Vols.  Has been recalled back he will take command of this post in the absence of Col Newby he is the last of our Regt.  This highness Col E. W. B. Newby is very unpopular with his Regt. five company’s will go our Regt will go with Newby and Lient. Col. Easton with his Battalion from Mo. Will go along as part of Col. Ralls Regt has already gone to El Paso.

I will have to conclude fore want of room I hope that a kind Providence will Bless you in all your efforts

Your Obt. Svt.  Thos. McDowell

Lieut. Colonel Cooke and the Pimo Chief  ~  October 1846

 John T. Hughes  Doniphan’s Expedition and Conquest of New Mexico   1848

Upon arriving at the Pimo (Pima)villages or settlements, the chief of this honest and simple race of people delivered to Lieut. Colonel Cooke a letter and a bale of Indian goods, which Gen. Kearny had left in his charge for that purpose.  He also delivered to him twenty-two mules, which having failed, General Kearny had abandoned at different places.  The Pimo Indians had collected these together, knowing that Cooke’s forces were to pass that way.  This is a remarkable instance of the honesty and good faith of the Pimos, a very peculiar and interesting race of people.

The honest chief said the “Sonorans” had tried several times to force him both by promises and threats, to deliver this property up to them, but I would let nobody have it except my friend General Kearny or some of his people.

Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke commended him for his strict honesty and integrity, and told him that in acting thus he would always enjoy the friendship and good opinion of the Americans.  They separated finally arriving in San Diego at the close of January 1847.

LETTER NUMBER 39

by 1st LIEUT. WILLIAM F. SNYDER on NOVEMBER 6, 1847

Santa Fe October 22, 1847

Letter from 1st Lieut. William F. Snyder in Captains Hook’s Company “E” of the 1st Regiment, Illinois Volunteers.  Datelined at “Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 22nd 1847” to his brother John at Belleville, Illinois, carried by military express to Independence Missouri on Nov. 16, 1847.

This is the earliest recorded marking of its kind applied at Santa Fe to mail carried by military express.  During the time of military occupation of New Mexico all mail was carried by military courier both east and west to assure secure delivery from the army in the occupied New Mexico Territory.

Figure No. 39  November 6, 1847  Santa Fee New Mexico  To  John F. Snyder  Belleville, Illinois

From  Lieut. John F. Snyder  with 10 cent  arriving November 16 at Independence, Missouri

After General Stephen W. Kearny occupied Santa Fe on August 18, 1846, a military express was established over the Santa Fe Trail.  Mail was carried over this route via Bent’s Fort or the Cimarron Cutoff which was a shorter route east.  All eastbound letters entered the mails at Fort Leavenworth or Independence, Missouri.  On May 11, 1850, the contract for monthly mail service on the same route was awarded to Waldo, Hall and Company beginning on July 1st.

Examples of military express mail typically do not have any markings applied at Santa Fe.  This is the earliest known of five recorded manuscript Santa Fee examples.  The date marking was applied the day the express departed east, and two weeks after the letter was written.

Courtesy Kramer Collection

Santa Fe  New Mexico

October 22, 1847

My Dear Brother

                                     Another opportunity is offered to me to send a letter to you and I will write again.  I have received and read with greatest of possible gratifications this letter and papers that you sent me.  I do not know when anything ever afforded me more pleasure, not hving heard from you since I left Alton.

I wrote to you recently and have in consequences little if anything in addition to communicate, this place and vicinty being the same thing over from one years end to the other.  Expeditions have been sent out in different directions since we arrived here.  Four companies of Mo. mounted men have been sent to Taos under Lt. Col. Boykin.  A great deal of talk has been made about a threatened insurrection and Indians but the whole affair dwindled down to about thirty or forty lodges of Araphoes which the Lt. Col. got up an expedition against.  The expeditions turned out to be rather an unimportant affair for after much labor they succeeded in finding five Indians and through some mismangement let them go again.

The Company is enjoying first rate health generally.  Capt. Hook fattens every day, Lucky has head as large as half bushel in hair as of never combing it.  To hear him talk one would this that he was the only man in the territory.

Bill Fleming is very well and has a situation in the printing office at this post, of course he is perfectly at home.  Jonathan was a little homesick and dissatisfied when he first arrived here, but is now pretty well reconciled.  He does not drink or  xxx  but I understand he is rather addicted to gambling at which he has but poor sucess losing all of his money.  This however I have only from others.  Pillon Drew and John Maxwell alias “Bull Frog” are the very best kind of soldiers, in fact the whole companyis doing very well in every respect.

Give my particular regards to any friends who have returned from Southern Mexico.  Paul Bigard, Caps Ruth & Lennon, Lients Hinkley, Stark & Jim West etc etc.  Tell Jake Hinckley particularly that I remember him with the same feelings as ever, in spite of all the slanderous talk of enemies.

We intend before long starting for the south in an Expedition against Chihuahua and Durango.  In case we do and my life is spared I will meet with Frederick before the war is ended.

Such and expedition give us an opportunity of doing something for out daily xxxx news that the Mexican at this place have for some time been anticipating an invasion from this quartrer and are proposing to give us a warm reception.  My health is as good as ever.  I have meet with nothing yet to dissatisfy me with the service and, I will be very well contented to remain a considerable time longer.

Repects to aunts, Sue, Louise and Lucy and all the friends

Your affectionate brother  Wm. H. Snyder

P. S. Lient. Roper of Capt. Bonds Company start out in a few days for Illinois.

I shall endeavor to send you something.  Narcissi must not bother you about my

debts tell her that I will account to her myself.      W. H. S.

LETTER NUMBER 40

by CAPTAIN NAPOLEON KOSCIALOWSKI on DECEMBER 6, 1847

Fort Mann, Upper Arkansas  ~  December 6^th 1847

Figure 40  December 24, 1847   Fort Leavenworth, Missouri

To His Excellency James K. Polk   President of The United States, Washington, D. C.

Carried by Santa Fe Express to Fort Leavenworth

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