Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-14

I lorceilenls ~ that direction small particS can
! cross tom Corpus Christi To Padres Island -
4 llArraIkemeno are made for crossing from the
H lowerpoinl OF the island TO Point label.
y Il Two hundred men could he raiscd' even
+ tcmpSrarily al Galveston. l nm decidedly OF
4 Opinisn It would be better 10 send them torlh-
4 with py the NJ, nrouth-ihe security OF Point
/ lsabd is OF The last importance.
! From the best information we could Obtain,
! The force Of the Mexicans Is set down al seven
thousand certain, and reports 60 as hlsh as
twelve thousand.
| All communication is now cut OF between
the camp aud point Isabel except by running
! the gauntlet. ! came out IN the night OF the
! 10Th. with q guide. aud was proving all
! night through chapurral. swamps and lakes.
II Cant. Baker will be able To give you all the
| particulars OF wha, has happened, the situa.
ton Of Point Isabel, &c. Sc.
\ The old general is as cool as o cucumber,
I and has 80 strengthened his position that
an of opinion nothing can move him but star
walton.
i In huste, your obedient servant,
\ W. q. CATLErT.
!. Messrs. WILLIAMS and others.
Il N.B-A propeller has left for New Or.
leans with . requisIilon upon the Governor OF
| Louisiana Tor troops also. have thought II
| steamer roigh be leaving Galveston imne
! dlaiciy Tor New OIlran-, aud for fear the
/ prupeller should be detained. would ii not be
well to state the facts TO the Governor, that
! the troops might be in readiness by the or.
| rival of The propeller: There Is no mistake
ms TO the order; the captain will explain.
Il Youls &c., II. q. G.
II RrP0Rr Of the steam schooner Augusta,
al tntt IA, aaI IN Naky h.lu
! by the u. S. guarter-mas,er at Point Isabel,
/ with important dispatches. Crossed the bar
a, Bruzos Santiago on Tuesday the 2sih uli.,
ut q O'clock. A. ". On Friday, lst instant,
when 66 miles West Of the S. w. Pass, at I2
o'clock, NJ, was hailed by steamer Galveston.
lay to and put Col. T.. Donnc, bearer OF
dispatches, on board the Galveston.
\ Left in port steamer Cincinnati, Smith. jus,
arrived with baggage and arms for u. S.
army, from Arausas; u. S. steamers Col.
Long and Neva, tightening vessels in the
hurbor; schr Ellen & Clara. Griffin, for N.
o.; steam schr Florida, Cliff, do. steam
schr Jas. Cage, Sherman. do; Mex. schr.
Juani,a. lately arrived from New Orleans
with stores for The Mexican array, was taken
possession Of by order OF Gen. Taylor, and
ordered to return To New Orleans without
discharglng her cargo; U. s brig Of war
Lawrence. Commander Mercer and U. s.
schr. F!irt. Lieut.. Sinclair, commanding.
were blockadIng The mouth OF the Rio
Grande: schr Bella del Mar, stranded on the
bar of Binssos Santiago. was condemned and
sold on the 25lh ul,. u. 5. steamer Mon.
mouth was despatched, on The evening Of the
27th ult, for Port Lavacca and Galveston.
with requsltion from Gen. Taylor on the
Governor OF Texas for two regiments Of
cavalry and two regiments Of foot militia.
II At galveston, within an hour utter the re-
ccipt OF Captain Cailetrs letter, there was a
public meeting, aud 1t was determined TO de-
spnich 700 men that evening in the Mon
mouth.
Gen. Taylor has fortified his position so
strongly iha, he can stand a siege, but his
communication with Point Isabel being cut
of he Is in danger OF being compelled to take
the held with an inadequate force, on account
oi the shonncss of his provisions.
Mn,amoras rs almost deserted. The Amer
lean army conld take the town at once, but
under the circumstances Of his position Gen.
l Taylor cnnnut divide hs command or weaken
his camp by sending off any considerable
number OF men from It.
II From the Union Of Friday night.
\ The following details. extracted from
/ letter received by an otHcer of the army sta
toned IN this city, from brother officer on
duty in Gen. Tnylor's army, have been placed
at Our disposal The letter is dated, Camp
opposite Matamoras, April 22d;
| "The body OF Col. Cross has been found,
stripped Of all clothing, and was yesterday
noon brought into this place. Ii will be IN.
tered this day with military honors.
! "I.lcu'. Dobbins. 3d infantry, and Lieut..
Porter, Of the 4th infantry, son of the late
Commodore Porter, left this camp on the I7th
4 instant, each with n detachment Of = non.
commissioned officers and 10 priva,cs, to re.
connoi,rc the surrounding country from ten
To twenty miles, IN search Of band Of rob
bers known 10 have been in that vicinity,
who were supposed 10 have murdered Col.
Cross, and nso TO learn, If possible, some.
thing OF his fate.
"The Two parties took different directions,
i, raining hard during the night. The sec
ond day after, IL. Porter met a party Of
Mcxicans, one Of whom snapped his piece at
him. IN return lie discharged both barrels Of
his gun ai the Mexican. who disappeared in
the thickci Lit. Porter took from the marau-
drrs' camp ten horses, saddles, SC.
This was about noon of the 10Th, about
eighteen miles above Gen. Taylors camp.
and about six miles from the Del Nor,e. he
continued his search. aud about 4 +. NJ. of
the same day he fell in with another party Of
Mrxicans, which had been probably Joined
by those whom he Ind met before. The rain
continued. LIT. Porler's party was fred on
by these mon. and one private of the party
was killed. They made al attempt to return
IL; the heavy rams caused the guns to miss
I fire. The Mesloans continued their fire.
1T. Porter, as - reported by his sergeaf, made
u sign with his hand for the men to extend TO
the right. The pnriy was ilns separated in
The ,hicke,s. The sergeant and four privatcs
returned TO This camp on The 20lh, and gave
the above account.
a detachment of 30 Dragons was de-
spa'chcd enry ,Lc next morning to recon.
norrc the position and TO search for Lieut..
Porter and those Of his party who were mis-.
sing. They returned the same night without
having learned anything Of them, the ,hickct,
II being so dense that 1t was impossible for
horses to move through them. They however
i fell in with Lieut.. DobbIns, who said he