American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-11-28
[For the Baltimore CIipper.l

LETTER FROM MONTERREY.
Dpots for Supplies Point Isabel and Camrgo
DESCRIPTION Of The Country-.Mier-V Visit TO
.MeTicm SChooL-yMarch 10 Seralpo-.4rri-
gal al Marin Departure for Monterey, &c.
The following letter, containing descrip-
ton of the land, towns, &c, along the line
taken by our army in its march fiom Matamo-
ras to Monterey, has been politely commun-
Gated bya gentleman of this city, for publica-
ton in our columns. lis from highly intelli-
gent and respectable officer in the army:
CAMP NEAR Monterey, Mexico, J
October 3lst, 1916. (
The Brazos, and the mouth of the Rio
Grande, are now the principal depots for the
reception and forwarding of all supplies for the
use ofthe army, to their dependencies. These
places ale low and liable TO inundation, from
the heavy gales that frequently occur there
Therefore, Point Isabel is still kept up in case
such an event should occur, that it may be re-
I sorted to. And it is further considered the
most suitable place of the three, for storing am
munition, clothing, &c, as we'll as for the ac-
commodation of the sick, to which it is now
appropriated.
Camargo, distance of 200 miles and upwards,
the country is fiat, resembling in that particu-
lar the great valley of the Mississippi. The
river may be said TO be the Mississippi in minia-
ture. Boats drawing from to l-2 feet can
ascend, nearly or quite the year round as high
as Camarge. At this point depot for the
supply of the army in the interior has been es-
tablished since July. Few buildings remain
standing here, some 800 having been submerg-
ed and completely destroyed by the high water
in June. The towns on the river worthy of
notice, and which are now occupied by eur
troops, are Barrata, Matamoras, Rynosa, and
Camargo. The soil is of an alluVaI character
and is capable of being made very productive,
but it strikes me, that the Mexcans are not the
people to make it so. They pay very little
attention to the cultivation of their lands,
breaking it up with their wooden ploughs only
two or three inches deep, and casting the corn
upon the earth, (Which is the staple of subss-
tence OH the Rio Grande,) as small grain is
sown in the United States.
The country through which the army passed
en- route from Camargo to Mier, like that OF
the Rio Crande, is fiat and overgrown with
sparse bIus.h-wood mostly clothed with thorns
In this chapOarel region, we were made ac-
quainted with the utility of the heavy saddle
gearing, in sue b common use in Northern Mex
leo, heretofore unnteiligible to many of us,
having the effect of the ancient gIeaves. Our
slight deviatious I tom the road, to avoid dust,
or for some other cause, proved by our torn APP
pareI the necessity of such accoutrement.-
Mer, is situated on the Alamo, 40 miles from
Camargo, population about 1000, and has for
its foundation solid rock. The buildings are
generally stone, and built for defence against
INVASION, as all the towns that have seen ap-
pear TO be. Whilst here, visited school OF
$50 boys, which is said to We conducted on the
Lancasteran principle; whe Their or no it is that
system, | am not able to say. They appeared
to be husily engaged getting their lessons, and
kept up a continual jabbering which was any
thing else than good system concluded. AS
soon as we left the neghborhood ,f Mer, the
character of the country changed, rom the ex-
IRENE fiatness of the valley ofthe Rio Grande,
to great boldness of undulation. The prospects
became extensive and beautiful-sonNetmes
sublime, as ramfcations of the Sierra 4Nadre
are almost constantly in view. But the c>pun-
try can be called nothing else than an irrecla1N-
able desert, save here and there spot contig-
uous 10 water courses. After passing several
places OF minor Importance, we reached Serial
vo, 90 miles from Comargo. This town may
have once contained 5000 inhabitants but at
this time, few were seen in it, as we'll as all
other towns on our route htherward They
having been obliged, not by their own will but
by force OF arms to retire to Monterey, or some
other place. We remained here three day VS. to
recruit. and make arrangements TO move for
ward with an additional force, the regular