Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-20

From. the Flag Of '9S.
The following letter addressed TO
citizen of our village by gallant OIL
Ger Of the Army of Occupation, which
we have been permitted to copy, may
not prove undressing to our readers:
"MArAMoRAs, 10th July. 1886.
".Mv Dear SRI should have
written you ere this in detail of the OPP
rrations of this Army, but as nothing
has transpired since | wrote TO you,
have deferred ii: Nor can ! now H.
form YOU of any thing of Importance.
Troops and supplies continue to be
transported up the river as far as Rel
nose and Camargo. The river here
has slightly overnowed its banks, but
Is now slowly subsiding. Some elev-
. EN- or twelve thousand volunteers have
arrived. The greater portion are a
bove this point. Both regulars and
volunteers continue to go up the rlver
as rapidly as transportation can be OBJ
tanned.
The people of Matamoras ale slowly
returning to their habifatlons IN the
city, and seem TO have confidence, and
TO be contented. They are culiiyaiing
their farms on the banks of the river;on
either side of which the land is fla. and
fertile. But removed from the river
it is only fit for grazing, in consequence
of the scarcity Of water and the great
drought in hot season. ! he land
bakes extraordinar lily hard and cracks.
Indeed, Texas, so far as have had
observation, is IA country where one
half of the year you desire 10 get TO The
water, and the other half to get away
from it.
We have no certain information from
the interior. Some account. state 49,
900 troops in Monterey, and terrifying
rapidly; - others, that Parades cannot
raise either men or money-that the
Church, upon which he has made
call, will not come up to the rescue
There is great difference of opinion
here in regard to the operations of the
Mexicans. Some affirm that there
will be no more fighting, While others
contend thatthe hardest hghtingis yet q
10 come. And to the latter opinion | \
am disposed 10 incline.
Two Catholic Priests have Joined
the enemy's Army, for the benefit of
the Catholic portion of it. This will
have good effect, as the Mexicans
have been imbued with the idea by
their chiefs that we are warning against
their religion.
Our regular force ON the. Rio Gran
&c is now about twenty-five hundred
affectives. There is iolerably large
sick-list in Matamoras at present.
principally dysentery.
The Government has made great
mistake in making Col David Emanu-
ell Twiggs, formerly of the I'd Dragons.
one of the Brigade! Generals, instead
of Gen. Worth, who is gallant SOL
der. IT'S true Gen. Worth was not
in this country at the time of the actions
of'he 9Th and 9th of May, yet | heard
the remark made to-day, that neither
of them was in the action of the 9th, -
although Col. T. was supposed TO be,
Chat is, out of nusket shot, and that
for previous services Gen. Worth, who
is Brigadier by brevet, was much more
entitled TO promotion than Col. Twiggs,
and so far as the action of the 9th goes
they are equal. Certain it is that Gen.
Worth was placed in command of the
Army in Florida before he was breyet-
ted Brigadier, and Col. Twiggs, his
senior, ordered out--the Government
not choosing to trust him with the
command. This question | have fire.
quently heard asked here, and in N@A
Orleans too, "Where was Cox. Twigsss
in the fight of the 9th"-bat:le of Re-
SAGA de la Palma or marshy place
Palo Alto means tall timber.
Truly yours.