The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-15 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE OF PUEBLA.

The New York Herald's correspondent at Havana
gives the following particulars of the capture of
Puebla :

" The heavy artillery, which had all arrived and
been placed in position, opened fire on Puebla. on
the morning of the 16th. A breach having been
opened in the fort of Totimehuacan, an assault was
ordered for that night, and in the midst of the
attack a Mexican officer, one Colonel Mendoza,
presented himself to General Forey with a message
from General Ortega, to the effect that if he would
cause the attack to be suspended, and permit the
garrison to retire with their small arms and some
field artillery, the town would be surrendered.
This proposition was rejected by General Forey,
and shortly afterwards a flag of truce was sent by
Ortega announcing his unconditional surrender.
" At 11 a.m., on the 17th, the French were in
possession of the town, and continued to arrive
during the 18th and 19th, on which last mentioned
day General Forey took up his quarters in Puebla,
making his entry amid a salute of 101 guns.
Among the garrison which surrendered were the
commander-in-chief, 23 generals, 900 officers of all
grades, and from 15,000 to 17,000 men of all arms.
"The French lost in the attack not more than
between.so and 60.inikilled and- wounded. On the
20th General Bazaine marched on Mexico, at the
head of a division, and the whole army was to
follow, with the exception of a sufficient garrison
in Puebla to keep the guerillas in check.
" The above is in fact not only the substance but
almost the language of the principal despatch. I
omit the details of artillery and provisions captured,
because the figures have escaped my memory ; but
if -I remember aright there were but eight rifled
cannon among the many taken.
" We have also an account of an attack made on
the French by General Comonfort on the Bth inst.,
in which he was repulsed with a loss of 2,500 in
killed and wounded and prisoners. The attack was
made to cover a large convoy of provisions for
Puebla.

"I expect to hear of very little resistance at the
capital of Mexico, for the garrison there is not made
of the stuff that can be relied on to hold out long.
Probably the next English mail will bring the news
of its surrender."

The New York _Herald of the 3d says :
" By the French war steamer Finisterre, Captain
Cardin Esterie, which had arrived at New York
from Vera Cruz, we have news direct to the 19th
inst. Captain Esterie doubts the news of the cap-
ture of Puebla. The latest news from the seat of the
fighting received et Vera Cruz was to the 16th of
May, and the captain sailed on the 19th, when the
French troops held one-half of the city, and the
Mexicans the other. The part held by the latter
was so strongly fortified, that he thought a long
time would be required to take it. Accounts from
other sources, however, confirm the report of the
capture of Puebla, and of the advance of General
Bazaine on the city of Mexico. According to these
confirmatory accounts, it appears that on the 16th
6th
May, the French having established a parallel
at about 200 yards from Totimehuacan, opened a
brisk fire upon that position, and dibmounted all
its guns.
The Mexicans fought bravely, but thet nest
day the parallel having been extended
foot of the fortress, the Mexican officer, up the
presented himself at the camp, asking ene.lliFo7ea
to let the garrison leave with its arms, luggage,