Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-05-22
.;,b. almost painful anxiety to hear the

i
wal onlt by the next arrival.
%bo Steamship New York left here about
,oo'cIock last Monday mofnlng, after stop
I;,a about wo hours. She reached Brassos
c,ni,aoo Tuesday evening-anchored outside
10 bar in d heavy s+a--sent the troops. 1872
=: nnmber, to Poiut Isabel, where they arriv.
-, ~ inst in time to join Gen. Taylor in his re-
,r,n 10 his encampment opposite Matamoras.
The New York left Brassos Santiago on
Wednesday, at half past p. NJ, and reached
Mckinney and Williams wharf about
o'clock Yesterday evening, being out about %
hours on her return. Capt Phillips estimates
the distance about two hundred and seventy
miles, or about thirty miles less than to the
BaIize.
We learn froa good authority that General
Taylor had ordered the 'hooner Alert to re-
pair TO Vera Cruz with dispatches. as Is sup
posed, to the Gulf squadron, to blockade tne
Mpxican ports. There is indeed but iIi'ie
doubt that all the Mexican ports in the Gull
are NOW under strict blockade. and The Amer
lean feet in the Pacific is amply sufficient 10
shw4 us every port of Mexico on that shore. as
SOON as orders can he sent TO that effect CAL
weston News, 9th inst.
We understand that Major Ringgold of the
artillery, commanded in the American camp
opposite Matamoros during the engagement
with the MexIcans.
From the N. o. Times
Surprise and Surrender Of Captain 1hornto't's
Command On the evening of the 23d ulllmo
Gen Taylor's spies brought in intelligence to the
effect that about two thousand five hundred Mex
,cans had crossed the Rio Grande to the exas
side, above the American Fort, and that about fiji
teen hundred Of same had crossed below. Gen. i.
Immediately despatched squadron Of dragons TO
each place uf crossing. for the purpose of reconnol
tcrIne them aud ascrrtaining their position The
squadron ordered below was in command of Capt
Ker the one above was commanded Ivy Captain
Thornton and composed of Capt. Hardee. Licuts
Kane and Ma on with sxty-one privates aud nom
COMM .Sioned officers. The former commander
Capt Ker, on arriving at the point where it was
suppose they had crossed, found that the report
was false thai they had not crossed there but had
all crossed above which was afterwards proved by
Can't Thotutons command being surprised, in
which Lieut. George Mason with nine men were
killed AMI two wOUndrd. The wounded were
sent 10 Gen. Favors camp; the army having no
hospital in the field. CaptS. Thornton, Hartee
ard Lieut. Kane mracuIousIy escaped, together
with the bali nee of the 0-cOm niss0ncd officers
and men, hut captured, and are now prisoners
Of war in Mexico.
The circumstances which led to the surprise are
these: After Captain rs command had proceeded
up the Ia Grande about twent y-f0ur miles, and
as supposed, to within three miles of the Mex
ican camp. the guide refused to go any further.
and stated fer his reason shat the whole country
was infested with Mexicaus. CAPT r.. however
proceeded on with his co'nm1ud about two miles
when he came to a farm house, which was encIn,
SD entirely by chapparraI fence with tie excrp
ton of that p .FtiOn of it which h"rdPred on the
river, and this bnggv To I've impossible
Capt. T. entered this enclosure through pair o
bars. and approached Il e house for the purpose O
making some enquiry, his command following him
So snon as his command had all entered the enclO
sure, tic enemy. having been concealed in the chap
para about two thousand five hundred in number
completely surrounded him, and commenced firing
upon his command. He then wheeled his com.
mand, thinking that he could charge through the
enemy. and pass out where he had entered. moi
however without a considerable loss. This he at
tempted, but did not succeed, the enemy being toe
strong
At this instant. Capt. Hardee approached him
for the purpose of advising him how to extrcate
themselves. The firing of the enemy still cOntin.
ung, apt Thornton's horse, having doubtless re.
ceved shot, ran away with him, and lcaped the
chapGTd! fence, and plunged into d precipice
where he fell with Capt i. under him, where the
latter remlined insenshIe for five or six hours
This casualty placed apiain HardPe in command
who attempted with the residue to make his es
cape by the river, intending on arriving at its mar
gin to swim it. In this he failed finding it so bog
gy that he could not get to it. He then returned
taking the prccautnn to get out of dst;f1lce of thu
mu$ketry, dismountrd and examined the arms 0
his men, determining to sell their lives as dearly
as possible. Before lie had "uccerCcd. however
IN the inspection of his arms, a Mexican office
rode up and asked him to surrender Captain H
replied that he would surrender on one condition
which was. that if the Mexiran General would re
CeVe them as prisoners of war. AID treat them a
the m 'st civilized nations do, he would surrender
but OIL no other conditions. The Mexican office
bore this message to the General commandin an
returned with the assurance that he would. Cap
II. then surrendered. Capts. Thornton and Ha
dee with Lieut.. Kane and the residue of the nor
commissioned officers and privaes of Capt. T.
commapd, are now prisoners of war in Mexico
&Ftlahcmy treat them remarkably we'll.
hleut George Mason Was fine young Office
Md his death is much regretted. His sabre be
was recognized among some articles that we
subsequently captured from the enemy.
THE WAR BILL.