The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-05-16
From the .Ms,c ORLEANS 7fopie.


weston papers Of the 9th, and dates
from :he army to the 29d. The fol
lowing persons came passengers:
UNITED STATES sARMY.--Gen. Worth,
Col. Coffin, Col. Fisher, Col. Waite,
Col. Watts, Major Van Ness, Major
March, Capt. Duncan, Capt. McLel-
lard, Capt. Whitehead, and Capt. Co.
BUN, Lieut.. Root, DIR. Robinson, DR..
Kain, and seventeen discharged United
States soldiers.
TIE iron propeller Hunter, which
sailed from Brasos st. Jago, in compa-
ny with the steamer, Col. Harvey for
this port, arrived off Galveston bar on
the 9th, eleven days out, with loss of
smoke-pipe and short of fuel. She had
encountered very heavy weather, hay
ing once been within seventy miles of
the Pass, and obliged to put back on ac-
count of head winds.
We take the subioined article from
the Galveston News, of the Gath:
LATER FROM THE ARMY OF occUpA-
TloN.--The schooner l.. M. Hitchcock.
Capt. Wright arrived yesterday morn
ing, having lett Brasos St. Jago last
Sunday. We are indebted for the fol-
lowing information to Col. March, who
came on board the Hitchcock, having
left the camp Of Gen. Taylor on the
18th instant.
Our former intelligence by the Hitch
cock, in regard TO the movement of the
army to position three or four miles
below Matamoras, was materially in
correct. On the morning of the 10th
ultimo, when Gen. Taylor found him
self exposed to the enemy's fire, with
his right and left unprotected in conse-
auence Of the peculiar bends of the riv-
er, he ordered one division of his army
to take position in the bend above and
the bend below the town, while with
the main army he maintained his first
position, where he still remains. Gen.
Taylor has used all diligence to
strengthen his position by throwing up
breastworks, by intrenchments, fortif-
cations, &c.; and the Mexican General
Ampudia, has been equally industrious
in fortifying the own defensively, keep
ing his soldiers employed night and day.
Gen. Taylor's heavy ordance of eigh-
teen-pounders, are said to be situated
within point blank shot of Gen. Ampu-
dia's house in the middle Of the city, at
adistance of 800 yards. Thus the two
armies have been situated for upwards
of two weeks up to our present dates,
neither having committed any positive
actof hostility upon the other. On the
10th instant Col. Cross, commissary
general Of the army, rode out by himself
about ten o'clock in the morning, to
the house of a German, about two miles
from the army, where (as was after.
wards ascertained) he was taken pris-
oner by q party Of Mexican rancheros.
AS soon as he was missing, Gen. Tay.
lor sent a detachment OF men, who
secured the country in search of him
but to no purpose.
Two or three days after Capt. May
Of the 9nd dragons, took runaway
negro in the neighborhood of the same
place where Col. Cross was captured
and from this negro the above nfor
nation of the taking of Col. Cross was
obtained. Immediately after Genera
Taylor sent messenger TO the Mexi
can general, requesting information
whether Gross was pris soner witt
him or not. The next day Gen. Am
puda sent several officers to the Amer
lean camp with the answer that they
knew nothing of Col. Cross, but they
had made Lieut.. Deas prisoner
This officer, it appears, had previously
crossed the river (but without orders
in search Of Col. Cross, (who was his
particular friend,) and had fallen into
the hands Of the Mexicans. Much un
certainty and many surmises prevail in
regard to the fate Of Col. Cross. BuI
the more probable opinion appears to
be that his capture was unauthorized
by, and unknown to Ampudia; and il
is to be feared that he has been murder
ed by the party by whom he was taken
and his horse, money, and clothing di
vided among them.
On the l4th, Gen. Ampudia sent {
formal notice to Gen. Taylor, ordering
him to leave his present position with
in "a hours, and to evacuate the whole
territory west of the Nueces, or thai
his refusal would be considered dec
laration Of war. Gen. Il. immediate
ly returned Tor answer, that his order:
were TO maintain his position on the
east bank of the river; and that he
should do so, especially as the roads
were muddy, and it was unpleasant re-
treating at this season. Shortly after
the reception Of this answer, the Mex
ican army partially withdraw from the
.o,rn and n nnrtinn &C IL a 4ronrn Lie