The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-02
THE SEAT OF WAR.
Extract Of letter from hs Nsw Orleans Pieayuns Of
2ld Nav
"CAMP orr MArAMoRAs, May 10, 1876.


"CAMP orr MArAMoRAs, May 10, 1886
''Sinee the evening of the 9Th nothing has trans
pred here. You may know ere this that we gave
the Mexicans Jesse on the 9Th and 9Th General
Taylor, after establishing his little fort here, right
opposite Matamoras, left the 7h infantry and two
artillery companies in il with instructions to defend
Il 10 the death He then left with the remainder Of
his forces for Brazos Santiago for supplies and with
the hope that the mortars (which he had ordered
six months ago) had arrived from Washmgton and
also to bring up ammunition enough for our Is
FOUNDERS 20 batter down Matamoras. Gen. Tay-
or left his camp on the LIST, and on the morning Of
the Sd, at daylight, the Mexicans opened their bat
teries on our fort from that moment, I! was right
hot work until II O'Clock, when both parties had To
cease until their guns could cool Were you ever
shot at in front with l2-pounder, m the hank by
6pounder, and shell TO burst over your mead
IL not try it, just to enjoy brandy tOddy aiieI the
gun-cooling begins. Well, AFTER the refreshments
the ball continued, varied only by little more win
dictve looseness' and-wild colt cOmel-llke dying of
shells Il only 90 minutes after we commenced
our fire before one Of our lS-pounders struck their
l2-pound cannon directly IN the muZzle and knock
ed il head back and stomach into the air about 20
feet and il was accompanied by legs, arms, and
heads We have not heard from their ~ FOUNDER
since When the first hre came, rushed into my
tent and jerked up my rifle and as stepped out a
9-pound shot struck my teri at the head OF my bed,
ranged its whole length cut off the back pole through
TWO other tents and buried itself in the parapeJs
am glad | was not caught mapping On the first
Wednesday after the bombardment had lasted three
days, the enemy sounded a parley Major Scawell
and Lieut. Brtton were ordered TO go and see what
they wanted. They did so; and the Mexicans de-
handed the surrender Of our fort for humGntiys
sake They gave US one hour TO surrender or they
would put US all to the sword. They brought let
ter from Gen Arista to our commanding officer
Capt. Hawkns-Brown having been shot A cOuH-
ell Of war was called, and votes taken The vote
Of the youngest man was taken first, and on I'LL
the last This was the unanimous vote Defend The
place 10 the death. After the reception of our reply
by Gen. Arsta, it just raintd balls. Their mortaTS
kept two pairs Of saddle bags in the air all the Tune
varied only by 4 and 6-pound shot But amid all
this storm the Star-spanged Banner sull iloated on
our breast-works at the point where they directed
their strongest efforts.
"At | o'clock, Gen. Taylor was marching to-
wards US from Point Isabel, We heard him driving
the enemy before him AT the point Of the bnyonet.
About half mile in rear We saw the Mexican
cavalry retreating to the ferry TO recros5 the nver to
Matamoras. They were in utter confusion. We
turned one Of our lS-pounders on the mass to bear
them along, and gave them blizzard to help them.
Then you should have heard the loud huzzas that
went up from this little spot | sPrang upon the
walls and requested silence. All was stiIl as death
Says 1, Three cheers for the StarSpangd Banner
1t was given in full blast Matamoras heard it, and
then, and not till then, every gun was silenced."