New Hampshire Statesman And State Journal

FROM MONTEREY.

Gen. Taylor—Assassination of Twenty-Four Mexicans—Endeavors to Ascertain the Guilty—Gen. Taylor's Determination to Have Them Hung.

Correspondence of the New Orleans Delta.

Monterey, Mexico, April 4, 1847.

Since the arrival of Gen. Taylor here, all has remained quiet. For four weeks prior we had at least one stampede in every twenty-four hours. All the troops and every thing of value were removed into the Citadel Fort, strong picket guards constantly posted, and the Fort put in a complete state of defence. There seems to be something in the presence of the old hero that inspires every one with the belief that no harm can come where he is about. The citizens are returning to their dwellings, and the market, which has been a long time deserted, affords quite a variety of Mexican edibles.

Three days ago the Alcalde and Priest of a small town some 20 miles distant, on the road to China, came in and reported to Gen. Taylor the murder of 24 Mexicans, at Gualopa, a small ranch about six miles from Ramos. The murder was committed, they say, by a party of Americans numbering about 20, and was done in the night. The murdered men were first made prisoners, tied, and afterwards all shot through their heads. The murder is said to have been committed on the 28th ult. On that night a train of loaded wagons, escorted by 200 infantry and about the same number of horse, under the command of Col. Mitchell, of the 1st Ohio Regiment, encamped at Marin, which is about five miles from the scene of murder.

The mounted men were composed of U. S. Dragoons and Texas Rangers, under the command of Capt. Graham, of the 2d Dragoons. Suspicion rests upon some part of this corps, though no clue has yet been found to discover the guilty. The officers in command—gentlemen, and rigid disciplinarians—are using every means in their power to investigate the matter. Gen. Taylor is determined to have every one hung who it can be proved has taken part in the murder. The town where these men were killed is but a few miles from the place where the large train was captured and so many wagoners massacred on the 22d of February. Some 15 or 20 of the wagoners who escaped from that massacre came up in the last train; yet there is no evidence that they were engaged in the Gualopa murder.