The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-05-21
By Magnetic Telegraph and
THE MAILS.
ARRIVAL OF THE
STEAM SCHOONER FLORIDA
AT NEW ORLEANS.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE
BATTLE.
SEMI OFFICIAL ACCOUNT.
The Second Cannonading.
HEALTH OF THE TROOPS.
THE FATE Of CAPTAIN THORNTON.
Naval and Military Preparations.
ACTIVITY AMONG THE VOLUNTEERS.
THEIR GREAT INCREASE,
Sc. &c.
TELEGRAPHrC DEsPATCH--NO. 1.


The steam schooner Florida, from Brasos. st.
the 18th instant. Although she sailed previous
to the departure Of the New York, she brings
a more full report of the battle. COL Whistler,
U. S. Army, bearer Of dispatches, arrived in her.
Messrs. Thomas H. Jenkins, A. Baldwin, B. VOL
Ter, Sir Woolsley, also ten passenger. We are in
debted to passenger for the following semi-offi-
cial report.
On the LIST inst, the main body Of the army Of
occupation marched from the camp on the Rio
Grande, leaving in the garrison for field opera
tons the 7th regiment Of infantry and the COM
pany Of artillery commanded by 1t. Lowd and
Lieutenant Briggs-the whole commanded by
Major Brown of the infantry. On the I'd instant,
the army encaiapea at Point Isabel early in the
morning. On the 3ds, heavy cannonading
was heard in the direction of Matamoras, which
continued during the day at intervals, through
the night, and during the day of the 4th Owing
to the difficulty Of communicating with the fort,
no intelligence was received at head quarters
respecting the result Of the cannonadng, until
the morning of the 9Th, when party was sent
forward to ascertain the particulars, a brief
statement Of which is as follows:-
AT five o'clock on the morning of the 81,
fire was opened on the fort, from one of the
Mexican batteries, and was continued with
seven guns. The fire was Immediately re-
turned, and the battery was sileuced by our
guns in thirty minutes. Two Of the enemy's
guns were supposed to be dismounted. The en-
envy then ceased firing. From the lower fort and
mortar battery brisk fire of shot and shell was
kept up, but without damage to the fort or garri-
son. A deliberate fire was kept up by our Is
Founders upon the enelny's guns in the city of
Matamoras, the consulate flag being respected
The fire Of the enemy was kept up without sus-
pension till half past seven o'clock. At ten it
was temporarily suspended. 1t recommended
and continued at intervals till IL o'clock at night
although it is believed that from IL to 1900 shot
were fired by the enemy during the period
A casualty occurred to sergeant of COM
pany d, 7th infantry, who was killed. Not
one of our guns was dismounted, though
the enemy's fire was, for sometime, concentrated
on the Is FOUNDER batteries, and the shot fire.
quently struck the embmsures.
AT o'clock on the morning Of the 4th, the firing
was commenced by the enemy, which was con-
tinued for II Is shots, and kept up at long in
tervals during the day, but without effect. The
amount Of damage done to the enemy beyond their
battery, cannot be correctly known.
Capt. Walker, and six other of the Texas vol
unteers, brought the dispatches to Point Isabel
Our boys dismounted one of their 10 Founders,
and threw it fifty feet in the air.
Gen. Taylsr's troops are in fine spirits, and
good health