The New York herald., 1846-06-11
THE WAR ON THE RIO oRANDE.



The head quarters Of the army of occupation" have
crossed the Rio Grande and in this city Having
secured the fruits Of his late victories, Gen. Taylor was
preparing for further umphs and his next step was to
occupy Matamoras Aware of this intention, Arsta, on
Saturday the 18th instant sounded parey and proposed
to tho American General to withdraw from this city
with the Mexican army, and remove his artillery,
like supplies and munitions, and every thing Of Of
fensive character provided Gen. Taylor would consent
to armstce and remain the left bank Of the river
To this modest request returned that the
town to be occupied by troopsthst he had
to this by the orders Of his government disposed
for peace that he had himself than one occa-
sion. invited suspension Of all hostile operations until
war should be declared peace established by the 60
vernmenss that the Mexicsns had made and forced
him into his present attitude. They consequently
required to evacuae the city abandoning all public aud
warlike stores An answer was dsmanled by certain
hour In the meantime preparations In progress
for crossing the river about three miles above the
Arsta returped no answer to the Geaeras demand and
part Of our army this side yesterday morning by
10 O'Clock when tho Alcalds, with other respecta
BILE citizens came to Cen Taylor with surrender Of the
town was then that the valiant and cour
teous Don Arsta, scrupulous to the strict obc
vance Of all tho usages Of civilized nations, after having
invited conerencc, stole away without replying, like
an honorable. high minded adversary, to the communca
ton Of our General By low. Mexican trick, he sue
ceeded in Withdrawing much of his and supplies
which would otherwise have fallen into hands.
Our entire force crossed yesterday with the excep-
Of their defensive works shows they are worthless
Il not ccnemptble The rules Of science to have
few days AMI almost without means, except what our
able engineer created stands in proud contrast The
town is American built laid out with some regularity
and having several highly respectable eddces. The
port, that under the old Spanish rule, it far
more populous Is fully confirmed by the great
Der of ruined walls about tho suburbs OF the city, Houses
have decay ed, and the town. which, under the Viceroys
Of the old monarchy Of the conspicuous in
Spanish America has dwinded TO Comparative insgni6
he Une
scueancc OF government called the republic Of Mex
ico have only time at present to spprso you Of the
6hould we lie here few DAYS may attempt besides
record Of important military operations few sketche:
in this frontier town Most of the inhabitants of the city
remain they Of unmolested in their usual
and daily avocations Nearly all the foreign residents
still here the Americans vino were forced to leave
sbout the l2th April are returning from day to day
Oar consul Mr. schatzei was forced away with their
army suppose it Is feared he may give valua
BILE information about Mexico and Mexicans We find
olso large numbers Of their wounded left here. Tho
destructive effect Of our artillery In the battle Of Palo
Alto 10 almost inconcsvablc more than four hundred
wounded having bson brought here the night Of the 9Th
Nxw OsLrAss. June >, ls4s.
srs The News from Merieo-The Markets.
The papers this morning filed with from the
Rio GnAde. but not OF much importance By the arr-
val Of the bark Louisiana have four days later from
Vera Cruz and dates from the city Of Mexico to the sst
Tie news Of the battles of the 9Th and 9th had reached
tnat City hnu WcIe Ieiatoo PcUy acCuIdoiy LOT oxf
cans and without the usual gasconade. They confess to
ront the 9TH The press however. urge upon their
country the necessity of still further and renewed
exertions No doubt every will be strained to
carry the war with vgsr. We shall hear Of a
terrble battle The blockade At Ven Cruz was to be
worry strict The two American vessels in port spoken
o. the yesterdays accounts succeeded in getting
business has assumed brighter aspect since my last
and the cotton MARKET yesterday, extremely active;
i0n0c bales having changed hands advance ofom
eighth to one quarter cent per pound Arrivals not
large
A6xars Mt Mntamoras-Its Size and its People.
Al of citizens have in prospect visit to this
city and the surrounding country. says the Savannah
RrpmbEcon, have taken trouble to gather few
shsn as well as to the general reader Our informant
= gentleman Of intelligence. who resided In the
place four year. from 1884 to 1888 and who from hi.
connection with the public press had ample means Of
acquiring Information as well strong inducements to
familssize himself with men, manners, and places.
Our informant recognizes the general correctness Of
the maps which have recently been published The po-
sitions Of the city, Of the American army &c. all
correctly represented. The bluff upon which General
Taylor. camp is located, is some ten or twenty feet
higher than the ground which the city is built The
current Of the river at this point is exceedingly sluggish
gulf that il has been found impossible to ascend with
sailing vessels When our informant was there, goods
not landed at Point Isabel but at the mouth Of the
n, Grsnde, and thence carried to Matamoras in
cart, drawn by He is under the impression that
the en- house at Point Isabel has been recently
shsbe perhsps since the loss of the steamboat which
which wa engaged in the trade during his residence at
Mstsm1rs. re not Village but only few indifferent
houses at the fevy, which is half way between the gulf
% ss s a. aemoras ID very similar to tha, Of savan
nah The streets pro not wide but at right angles and
there are several public squares which give an airy a
10 the plncc The houses of Maamoras built
az lav ana tw being in 1888 not more than 20
30 brick buildings in the place. These latter mostly in
tbs vicinity Of tho squares and have been erected by
foregners Tho ground in the Of the city is sub
ject to nundstion during the wet season, to the
ept of feet and the subsistence of the waters
lok. Al tha ma in nj
derabc depth and extent and Its waters are used by the
ssherwomen Of the place, who congregae there Is con-
siderable numbers to ply their vocation II is also the
general of the citizens male and female who
pair thher in great numbers for the purpose Of bathing
nrisy with the Mexican, and strange may secm
sope these ablutions Of the Sexes are not
ed as in the sghte.t degree improper or ndeiicaie
that thC beaux and bellies make their pleasure excursions
in and srder the water instead Of in sail boats and steam
ers and e is regarded and spoken Of with the
delcacy o oanguage and purity cfpurpose, the other
What ty rsnt Is custom !.
was in 1894 about thousand Prior to that time
trade in dry goods had been carried with
the interior towns. Durango, Monterey, &c and with
the Indians In this business, several Americans had
smasscd rsble fortunes Since 1884, the trade Of
the place has fallen or and the population diminished
Of cattle hides allow, mules wool specie &C. &C. The
people are ndoen and the classes OF society very dis
srds very limited and exclusive They toerably
we'll educated-the men being generally in the public
the army ana the Ieualen engaged light and
psasurabie pu, suits and amusemens such az dancing,
ws!,zng play ing the guitar nc Sc They but lini
fedly and many cannot write their own Ian.
gusgc though they speak 1t with nuency and elegance
fhey fond Of dress, generally astefuy srraye
and are graceful and easy in their manners Though
chairs are their parors informant II
Is not in the best circles TO the beautiful
dark - sFncra .eated upon the carpet and surround
ed by-a bcvy ofssrk-haireo, mustachi0d admirers
Tho women OF tic lower classes arc more homely,
though scarcely less 1ctve in their appearance he
Iomestcs are in state OF mole abjcct slavery inf.
ely. than negroes. They are hssellsted unmerci
a., snd the uftimofssm OF disgrace, Aoneincs
iu ted to submit have their hair shorn close
the head. As the flowing hair Of tho Mexican woman
egarded her srsss' % aas,v % . the
ment -.-...- ..,,,.-. - .~e.--.u.
exceedingly homely in thsG appesnncc-poor soldiers
bnt hold ana fearless riders They are not constant in
their attachments fight for pay, and Will follow the
leauer Who feeds and pays them best They have dis
psy ed sons courage in their local lights particularly
hen knives and stileos used, but have great
aversion to firearms especially in close quarters Act