The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-30
Later from oar .4r-
n neg Victory i!

w. neg VaCEOFy +!
The news of the skirmish by Walker given
ia previous accounts is confirmed. After
Walkers defeat he went from Point Isabel 10
Taylor's camp, and from him Taylor learned
the critical situation ofPoimt Isabel, when he
scLout for that place with most Of the army
and rcnched it without encountering n single
enemy. The following seems to be the most
authentic account of the attack upon Taylor's
batteries and the destruction of Matamoras
On the LIST inst, the main body of the ar
my of occupation marched from the camp on
the Rio Grunde, leaving in the garrison for
field operations, the 7th regiment Of infantry,
aud the company of artillery commanded 10y
4. Lowd and Lieut.. Briggs-the whole com
mnuded by Major Brown of the infantry
On the I'd instant, the army encamped at
Point Isabel early in the morning. On the Sd,
II heavy cannonading was heard in the direc-
lion Of Matamoras, which continued during
the day ut intervals, through the night and
during the day ofthe 18th. Owing to the diff
ficulty Of communicating with the fort, no i'll
tclligence was received at head quarters re-
speeding the result of the cannonading, until
The morning of the 9Th when a party was
sent forward TO ascertain the particulars, a
brief statement of which is as follows
At five o'clock OF the morning olthc I'd. a
fire was opened OIL the fort, from ono of the
Mexican batteries, aud was continued with
seven guns. The fire was Immediately re-
turned, and the buttery was silenced by our
runs i'm thirty minutes. Two oitne enemy
guns were supposed TO be dsmounted. The
enemy then ceased firing. From the lower
fort and mortar battery brisk fire of shot
and shell was kept up, hut without damage To
the fort or garrison.
A deliberate fire was kept up by our 1S
Founders upon the enemy's guns in the city
of Matamoras the consulate flag being re-
spectcd. The fire Of the enemy was kept
up without internission till hat-past seven
O'clock. At ten it was temporarily suspend
ed. Ii recommended and continued nj inter
walls till twelve o'clock ut night, although it is
believed that from IL TO 1900 shot were fired
bv the enemy during the period \ casualty
occurred to a sergeant ofcoinpany ID. 9Th in
fantry, who was killed.
Not one of our guns was dismomted tho
the eneiny's fire was for some time concen-
trated on the Ia FOUNDER batteries, and the
shot Frequently struck the cmbrasures.
At 5 O'clock on the morning ofthe 4th, the
firing was commenced 10y the enemy, which
was continued for l2or fifteen shots,and kept
up at long intervals during the day, but with
ont effect Tile amount of damage done TO
the enemy beyond their battery, cannot hc
correctly known.
The following is another version of tine
battle:
On the morning of the Sd, Gen. Taylor
despatched Capt Walker back 10 the camp,
for intelligence The gallant Ranger eXecut-
ed his commission with success-returnug
10 Point Isabel on the afternoon ofthe 9Th
He reported that the Mexicans, taking advan-
tage of the supposed weakness of the camp,
commenced an attack upon il, in front, the
morning of Sunday, the Sd, with all their bat
teries from the opposite side oithe rver-and
simultaneously, with detachment of their
forces on this side of the Rio Grande, in the
rear The Americans holly returned the fire
The attack in the rear was Immediately re-
pulsed, and i'll less than thirty minutes, the
Mexican batteries were silenced, and the city
OfMatamoras battered down. The loss to
the Mexicans in the action, is variously sci
down. While no account makes it less than
200, the latest report in regard to it, which is
given in the Galveston News, carries il as high
as 700. The Americans lost but n single man
il is said, who was killed by shell. None
were wounded-so admirable was the state
of the works before Gen. Taylor left them.
Gen. Taylor, it is stated, was preparing to
set forth, on the afternoon of'the 9Th, on his
return. II was opposed that lac would take
with him the regulars sent down by the New
York all Of whom were landed in safety on
the morning of the 9th.
The Galveston News states that there was
not the slightest doubt entertained that Gen
Taylor would have to cut his way TO his en-
trenchments through vastly superior num-
beers ofthe enemy, who We're known to he
posted in large force among the almost i'm
pnssable thickets of chaparral on the road
with determination to cut him off, if posi-.
bic, in his attempt 20 rejoin his other forces