The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-27
BY this Evenings Southern Mail.

fIOm tue view orleans Tlcay MAY
FURTHER DETAILS FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
The news received by the James L. Day yester
day Is interesting, and more important than at frs
glance we had supposed
Ihe arrival establishes the important fact that the
report brought by the Galveston that immense rein
forcements had been received by the Mexicans was
uhiounded, or at least exaggerated. General Tay.
or arrived at his camp the evening Of the 18th in
stant, without molestation. By the way we find
Ihat the camp opposite Matamoras has been chris
Iened Fort Brown" in honor Of the gallant Major
brown, OF The 7th infantry, who fell in its defence
Inc forhcanon at Point Isabel is now STYLED "Fort
POLK y IN compliment to the President of the limited
States. we trust we may now safely say that
communications between Fort Polk and for, R,ou,n
nave been permanently re-estabshed.
All eyes are now turned towards Matamoras All
our eieIs Indicate that the next step TO be taken bv
General Iaylor Is To- reduce that city, and thai he
was making active preparations TO cross the Rio
Irahae we learn from an intelligent correspon-
deht that the Mexicans anticipated that an attack
would be made upon the town on the 10Th immedi.
atey upon the victory achieved on the 9th In con.
sequence all their posts were strengthened and ey
cry individual who entered the city Uas detained
and pressed into the service.
During the action Of the 9Th the house-tops in
Matamoras were covered with the people and the
bank OF the river was lined with spectators; but,
writes brave though facetious Correspondent "a
hUzza from the fort, brought forth by despatch
messenger who rode into announce our victory.
made them all slope"
From an officer who was not in the fort from the
LIST hll the 10Th inst, learn that while il was in
vested, during General Taylor's absence with the
greater part OF the army Gen Arista sent In 10 il a
summons to surrender upon The score Of humanity
This was aher the action Of the 6Ih and before the
issue OF II was known by those in the fort. The
greatest anxiety was OF course felt by them as 10
the result, because their fate to depend mainly
upon the success Of the array. Ignorant Of what
had happened, and assured that large army await
ed Gen. Taylor, and that II would be impossible
for him to reach the fort-thus swayed by anxiety,
hope, confidence, and fear-no! not fear-that brave
band refused 10 surrender.
What their fate would have been had General
Taylor been defeated, and the whole Mexican horde
beeaguered the fort, the history of all Mexican
warfare too fesrfully presages. While on this
theme, we feel constrained to ssy that the Mexicans
dealt barbarously upon those Americans who fell in
action. No officers were taken prisoners and
those killed were hldeously muJlated All the let.
,ers we have read state the fact that the persons Of
the dying and the dead were not respected.
We append hereto extracts from letters before us.
II they contain little that is new they are neverthe
less extremely interesting. We have others we
should be glad to publish had we room. One is
from the gallant band Of printers which responded
with such promputude TO the call Of their country
Captain Heads company went over on the Day,
and individuals Of them speak warmly Of Captain
Griffn's attention, and Of his excellent boat The
company was in fine health and spirits, "eager for
the fray" and expected "a chance for fight in two
or three days-sure."
Correspondence OF the Pisayunel
FoRr Polk, PoIST ISABEL, May 10, 1876.
GENTLEMEN; arrived here last evening with the
return train, bringing the wounded, captured, and
booty
Our general came down day before Yesterday to
further his plans, and had started back this morn
ing, when an express met him from above, and
brought him back. Report said the Mexcans were
again moving down on the other side Of the river TO
cross at Baritas Ferry, eight ten miles from
this place. The fact that some of our army, Just
arrived, have been ordered TO that point, and that
large expedition from our squadron, consisting OF
sailors and marines, are also about ascending the
river, would seem to confirm this rumor.
This morning part of the LIST artillery, LIST infantry
and some volunteers from your city and Mobile, ar
rived, others being hourly expected. A company
Of mounted Texan rangers also arrived, large
number being daily expected TO join the army OPP
posite Matamoras. A large quantity Of subsistence
arrns, ordnance, and ammunition is being taken to
the army above and soon the general will be able
to open upon Matamoras.
The volunteers who have arrived appear to be of
the "Clear grit"
There was an exchange of prisoners with the
Mexicans-both officers and men-on the llth.
We have yet as many left as we sent back TO
them.
Some of our naval surgeons are here kindly as.
sisting in attending wounded All tLs surgeons
are kept very busy at this time One hundred will
nearly cover our killed and wounded in both bat
ues-l 500 not that Of the enemy; with the missing
some say 1000 Whenever one Of our officers or
men got into their hands, they would commence
butchering and stripping him at once-mutating
dead and wounded bodies. There appeared to be
women with their army, whose business in part was
TO strip the dead. There is no mistake, those fell
lows fought well. We astonished them, however,
according to their own confessions, by the many
marked instances Of daring valor displayed by
several officers and many men, and the fighting of
the whole Of our army.
AT the second fight not over | 500 Of us were en-
gagged at once. At the first ght they had over
6 1000, about 1000. At the second they had
reinforcement Of 1000 more, and we, as ! said
above, had only l,500.
They lost their all-everything was captured-all
their mules, about 500 or more, and pack saddles,
a very large quantity Of ammunition, their camp
equipage, artillery, 1000 stands of arms, linus
kets, together with lances, drums, accoutrements
clothing, supplies, colors, &c, &c. AS we rushed
after them in pursuit, all this encouraging.
Their dinners were on the fire cooking and an
swered for our supper. We ate their bread, SOUP
meal, &c; smoked their cigars, Ia good
many fine ones being captured,) and drunk their
liquors. Their ready slaughtered beef did not
come amiss, that on the hoof.
Our battalion followed at a run in pursuit six
miles to the ferry, where they crossed. The last
few miles their retreat perfect confuson-"eve-
ry one for himself and the devil for them ALL"
Most of their shot, cannon balls grape and CAMS
ter, was copper, brass, and some composition
which is against, if not the law of nations, their
usage, &c.
In the first action the generals adjutant's horse
was struck twice by cannon balls, the second time
being killed
The general behaved most calamity. In the sec
ond battle he was more exposed than any one else
and there he sat part of the time giving his orders
with his leg Cooked over'' the pumme of the sad
die, unheedng the solicitations of his staff to re-
tire.
Such a uictarr r1,ch sla.,n a.