Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-28
Tidings from the War.
TWO DECISIVE BATTLES-THE
MEXICANS COMPLETELY
ROUTED-THE AMERl-
CAN ARMY TRlUM-
PHANT.

From the N. Y. Commercial Adv. May 25lb.
An extra from the Mobile Advertiser of the
18th, received at Baltimore and there repeated
III an extra from the sun, brings accounts Of a
| fight between General Taylor and a Mexican
force, on the road from Point Isabel to the camp
We reproduce these accounts, with the single
remark that they probably contain exaggera-
lions, but that they appear 10 be substantially
credible
As preliminary, however, we give the sub
stance Of lidings received at New Orleans on
the 18th, brought by the u. s. schooner Flirt
which left Point Isabel on the 9TH. Through
the whole afternoon of that day cannonading
was heard by those on board the Flirt, and was
audible until the vessel had got beyond hearing
distance. In the evening the schooner fell in
with the Gulf Squadron, Commodore Conner
having made sail for the Brazos from Vera
Cruz, on hearing that General Taylor was in
difficulty. BY order of Commodore Conner the
Flirt put back and remained at the BraZos with
the squadron until one o'clock of the 9Th, when
she again sailed for y. Orleans with dispatches
Cannonading was again heard all the morn
ing of the Sih, apparently receding toward the
camp. Toward evening the officers saw smoke
of light color rising about midway between
the camp and Point Isabel and late at night n
large volume of black smoke was seen in the
direction Of Matamoros.
The first smoke was conjectured to proceed
from the burning of Barrla, or Borila, small
hamlet on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande,
which, il was said, Gen. Tay lor designed to fire;
but more probably it arose from The cannonad.
Ing.
| Commodore Conner Immediately on arriving
at the BrazoS, communicated with General
Taylor, and informed him of his readiness TO
lend sixteen hundred or two thousand men,
sailors and marines, should they be required.
! The 81. MaryS was expected soon to join the
squadron at the BRACES.
A steamer was seen by the Flirt going into
the Brazos with troops as she left, which in all
probability was the Augusta. The Flirt also
saw on the I2th the Jas. l.. Day and the Tele-
graph, about 200 miles West of the BaiZe
The officers and crew of the Flirl are all well
The following is list of the officers "A. Sm-
clair, Lieutenant commanding; J. J. Guthrie,
acting quareImaster; q. -. Cooper passed
midshipman VIM. II. Fitzgerald passed mid
shipman; Geo. ii. Hare, midshipman John
Hastings, assistant surgeon; John d. Ghiselin,
captains clerk
From the Baltimore Sun, Extra.
There have been two engagements between
Gen. Taylor and the Mexican troops, the first
occurring on the 7h inst, when Gen. Taylor
was returning from Point Isabel 10 his camp OPP
posite Matamoras. In this the Mexicans, num-
bering from 5000 to 1000 were repulsed Our
army slept that night on the field OF battle on
which, next day. 200 Mexicans were found dead,
and several pieces of artillery, stores &c, wee
captured by the American army. Major Ring
gold died from a wound received in this action.
OF the two days battle we can only give the fol
lowing particulars from the Picayune;
The u. :. steomer, Col. Ilaney arrived this
morning just as our paper was going 10 press,
from BrazoS Santiago She left on the 23d inst
She brings official accounts of a second battle
between the Mexican and the American forces,
which took place on the ninth of May com
mcncing at half past +. NJ within 3 miles OF
Camp Taylor. The action was on the edge of
n ravine, and one mile from the chapporal, which
was near ~ miles in width The MeXicanS
commenced the action with their artillery, which
was posted SO as to sweep narrow passage
through which Gen. Taylor was advancing,
there being swamp on the other hand.
Gen. Taylor Immediately ordered a charge in
the teeth of the enemys destructive fire, and the
troops promptly responding carried the enemy'S
guns at the point ofthe bayonet. SO sudden and
mpetuous was the attack that General Arista
had no time to save his papers, which with all
his correspondence, fell into the hands of Gen
Taylor.
The action lasted one hour and half, in
which time six hundred Mexcans were killed
or wounded, and the Americans took three hun
dred prisoners, and eight pieces of artillery.
The Americans lost in the action about sixty.
were Col. Mcintosh, Lieut.. Cochran, by the
bursting of a shell; Lieut.. Inge, and one or two
others, whose names are not given.
Col. Kane, LieuiS. Gates, Verbank Hooe,
Luther and others, were among the wounded
We regret TO say that Major Ringgold, who
was wounded on the 9Th inst, died on the 10Th
and was buried with military honors.
The total loss of the MexicanS III both actions
was at least twelve hundred.
The Mexican forces Amounted to oi Ipa 81
5000 men, while that of the Americans did not
exceed 1000 men
An exchange of prisoners took place subse-
quent to the battle, by which Captain Thornton
and Lieutenant ilardec and Kane were released
Lieut. DcaS was no, demanded
Among the prisoners taken by Gen. Taylor
was Gen Veja, the one that had the interview
with Gen. Worth ON the West bank of the Rio
Grande. For him two American officers were
offered in exchange, but was declined to give
him up save in exchange for an officer of equal
rank, whenever one should be taken.
Gen Vcla was allowed to be accompanied by
one Of his aids, a lieut. colonel, as friend
The Mexican army was 50 confident of victory
that every preparation had been made to cele-
brale it, but all their preparations fell into the
hands of the Americans.
In their flight many of the MexicanS took tol
the river, and were drowned in their attempts
to swim it.
Oen. Taylor reached his camp the afternoon
OF the action leaving there his whole force, he
started the next morning for Point Isabel, and
arrived there on the evening of the 10Th, with
out molcstaton
Gin the morning Of the llih lie started back TO
his camp opposite Matamoros. We need not
say that he and his army are all in fine spirits
Farther information has been received that
the American consul and all the American resi-
dents at Matamoros had been arrested and sent
to Salllllo, small town about 80 miles from
Matamoros.
THE BEST AND CLEAREST ACCOUNT.