--A correspondent of the St. Louis
Republican, who is decidedly of Yankee proclivities, writing under date of Fort Union, New Mexico, April 18th, says:
‘
Colonel Slough, after the battle of Apache Canon, fell back and took a position at Bernal Springs, forty-five miles south of Fort Union.
This was deemed a strategical point, being within supporting distance of Fort Union, in a position to harass the enemy and form a conation with
Colonel Canby when be should leave
Fort Craig, three hundred miles south.
He had been there one day when
Col. Canby sent from
Fort Craig his
Assistant Adjutant General with peremptory orders to
Col. Stough to fall back with his column to Fort Union, which were immediately obeyed.
It would seem that we crippled the enemy in the fight at Apache Canon more than was believed at first.
We have reliable information that we killed over a hundred men, including six officers, and wounded over two hundred.
We have now as prisoners at Fort Union 21 officers and 82 privates.
The enemy immediately fall back to
Santa Fe, and is again, it to believed, concentrating in his old position at
Albuquerque.
Yesterday an express arrived from
Colonel Canby, stating that he would leave
Fort Craig on the 31st of March. The enemy is in the vicinity of
Albuquerque.
With ordinary travelling
Colonel Canby is in their immediate vicinity, and for our column, one hundred and eighty miles from
Albuquerque, will only leave this morning, he will be unsupported by this column, and, with nine hundred Regulars, will have to encounter their forces unless he can slip by and join the column which leaves here this morning.
It is understood that
Kit Carson, with a regiment of New Mexican volunteers, seven hundred strong.
Will remain and garrison
Fort Craig.
It is removed that
Colonels Steel and
Bailer, of the rebel army, are advancing into
New Mexico with 300 additional men.
Important events will probably occur before the next Express leaves for the States.
A well authenticated report has just reached here that the
Texan forces, 2,000 strong, are entrenching themselves at
Santa Fe, and that
Colonel Canby, having strengthened his command up to 1,200, is fifty miles south of Santa Fe. This may enable our two columns to set together, and make us 2,400 strong.
If this is the case we will have one of the bloodies battles on record.
The enemy's artillery numbers about eighteen pieces, while ours is twelve pieces.
’
