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324 to graze their horses; but Colonel Price immediately dispatched orders to Major Edmonson, at Albuquerque, to return to head-quarters with the detachment of the 2nd Missouri under his command, and to Captain Burgwin, commanding a squadron of the 1st regular dragoons, stationed at the same place, to join him with one troop, and to leave the other at Santa Fé. Having made these preparations for securing the post, and leaving Lieutenant Colonel Willock,of the separate battalion of Missouri mounted volunteers, in charge, Colonel Price marched to the north to suppress the revolt, on the morning of the 23rd of January, at the head of five companies of the 2nd Missouri, Captain Angney's battalion of infantry, and a company of Santa Fé volunteers commanded by Captain St. Vrain, in all 353 men, together with four twelve-pounder mountain howitzers, under Lieutenant Dyer of the ordnance.

The company under Captain St. Vrain, who were alone mounted, moved in the advance. and early in the afternoon of the 24th instant the enemy were discovered, about 1,500 strong, occupying an advantageous position upon the heights east of the town of Cañada, situated on a small branch of the Rio Grande, which commanded the road to that place. They were also in possession of three houses at the bases of the hills, from which a warm fire was kept up. The howitzers were at once pushed forward on the left flank beyond the creek, and opened on the houses, while the dismounted men endeavored to gain a position where they would be sheltered by the high bluff bank of the stream from the fire of the Mexican force. The troops had advanced with so much rapidity, when the word was passed that the enemy were in front, that the wagon-train was left nearly a mile in the rear. Upon discovering this, the