The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-23
18th. We hasten to lay the nows by her before

express a few miles from Point Isabel, informing
him that 5000 fresh troops had arrived in Mata-
moras, 1900 Of which had crossed over, and |, 100
more had crossed the Rio Grande at Barrta, near
the Bocaehca, not more than eight miles from
| Point Isabel. General Taylor returned to Point
Isabel at once, and made preparations TO leave the
| next day with such forces were arriving. The
steamship Galveston landed $50 infantry,
| (regulars and volunteers0 the Augusta landed
| about $50; Capt. Price arrived via Padre island
| from Corpus Christi, with his company Of seventy
mounted rangers. They all reached the point on
the 18th. The Telegraph and James l.. Day will
doubtless land their troops, amounting TO upwards
of 800 at Point Isabel on the 18th. Great credit is
due to Capt. jeremiah smith, OF the steamship
| Cincinnati and Capt. X. McBaker, Of the Mon.
month, for the skill, energy, and promptness,
shown in management Of their boats in sporting
troops and supplies across the bay at Brazos Santi-
| ago.
Gen Paroles is at the head Of $4,000 troops, ON
his way to Matamoras. IL may possibly be that
the fresh troops arrived al Matamoras, is the sd-
vance division Of his army. No doubt tbs enemy
fully advised that General Taylor had left for
Point Isabel, and their plan is to try and capture
| him on HE return, whilst strong force crossing
| above 10 TO come down upon mis- army. General
Taylor appeared highly pleased with the intelli-
gencs; for since the war has opened and no mis-.
lake. the excitement and activity attending opera
TONS opens new era to his vigorous achievements
and all have marked how much better he looks than
when confined to the mastery inactivity" Of the
Corpus Christi campaign.
THE FORT
The Mexicans have continued their firing into
the fort opposite Matamorns, nearly ever since
! General Taylor left the works
The brave and gallant Major Brown died on -,
from wound received in his thigh by the explo.
sion of one of the enemy's shells His wound was
not considered dangerous, but as he was placed in
one OF the bomb-proof burrows, modification en-
sued from the want Of fresh air His death is deeply
deplored by the army his intrepid conduct in foil
ing every attempt OF the enemy TO reduce the fort
prepared them in measure to anticipate the result
Of these conflicts with our brave army. The
strength Of the fort and skill with which il is
defended, is incomprehensible to the Mexcans;
and indeed we'll II might be, for they have thrown
| upwards Of 400 shot and shell into the works
| and every morning they present the same APP
pearance our loss has only been two three in the
fort. The constant practice the enemy have had in
hring at It, has taught them the proper bearing to
give TO their guns, and almost every shot falls with.
in the works. The fort Is never idle and the ram
parts and dwellings Of Matamoras exhibit ruins az
plainly as those Of hundred centuries when gaping
forth their amentatlon Of To- and behold what des-
ola ton is heTei
The sloop-of-war St. Marys arrived from Pensa-
cola on the 10TH the steamer Mississippi on the
18th, from Vera Cruz. The Banbridge is of the
Rio Grande, enforclngthe blockade. Tn, schooner
FlIrt sailed for New Orleans on the 7th
IL is stated that expedition is TO be sent by
boats of the squadron TO take the town of Barita,
10 miles from the mouth Of the river, where there
is a military force.
Gen. Vega is the Col. Vega that was captured by
the Texan forces at the slaughter OF San Jacincto
He was also at the fall Of the Alamo, and is bra We
and accomplished officer
In postscript Of the Picayune, we find the fol-
lowing:
The Mexican army was 50 confident Of victory
that every preparation had been made to celebrate
~. hnt all thair E.I, ri
the Americans. In their fight, many Of the Mex-
cans took to the river, and were drowned in their
attempts to swim 1t.
General Taylor reached his camp the afternoon
of the action. Leaving there his whole force, he
started the next morning for Point Isabel and ar.
rived there the evening Of the 10Th whou, moesta-
ton. The morning Of the llth he started back for
his camp opposite Matamoras. We need not say
that he and his army are in the highest spirits.
Correspondence New Orleans TropicJ
BRAzos SANTIAGO, May Is.
AT the receipt Of the news of the first battle,
wrote you shor; account; the result of the second
is now on hand, and it is most decisive Ii now an
pears that the Mexicans had only five Thousand
men IN the hd at the first battle, and four thousand
slowed away in the chapparel the battle ground
1t was their intention to have made but slight at.
tack the first day, but being closely pressed they
were obliged to fight in order to make good their re
treat to where the four thousand in the chappa
rel. In the first light general officer had his head
shot OIL II Is not yet ascerained who he was as his
body was recognised by his dress as he lay upon
the field
Gen. Taylor advanced the morning of the frs,
battle into the chapparel, then 800 picked men
under the charge of Capt. Mccall, to reconnoitre;
he advanced unmoested until near D. m. 0he
army following at Distance when Capt. Mccall
sent word to Gen. Taylor that he had received n
charge OF grape from the enemy, and lost two men,
The army was then deployed, and Capt Nav.
I'd Dragons ordered to charge the battery that had
thrown the grape, and to take it if he lost every
man; he obeyed ORDERS took the battery of four
guns, aud lost but one man. The battery was
commanded by Gen. De la Vega, who was taken
prisoner.
Our little army then rent the air with their buz-
zas, and rushing shouting upon the enemy COM
mitted the most dreadful havoc among them, taking
eight pieces of artillery, l55 900 rounds of cart.
ridge, and 500 packed mules. Gen. Aristas camp
bedstead contained all his private and public BAG
gage papers, which latter will be of great value, as
we now not only have the key to the whole cam
paign which will enable Gen. +. to form his pIans
so as to entirely defeat their designs.
We took all and every thing they had, four hun
dred prisoners, and the army baggage The enemy
had between 5000 and 5000 troops in the two bal.
ties, but we with 1900 troops completely routed
them.
We exchanged prisoners got Captains Thornton,
Hardee, and his little band. Our officers while pris-
oners were well treated, having lived with Ampudia
exchange for Lieut. Deas as prisoner of war, as it
would be sanctoning his crossing the river, which
he did not, having reprobaed his crossing in the Sc
verest manner.
In this second and glorious battle we lost abou, the
same number of men in the first but had more Off
GERS wounded. Capt. Walker with his heroic band
Of rangers, was the last that fred at the Mexicans
The army left him and his comrades on the bank of
the river, shooting them they attempted to cross
Tomorrow General Taylor leaves here to make
an attack on Matamoras in connection with Com.
Conner, who has sent a boat expedition up the rv-
or.
forgot to mention that General Taylor arrived
here yesterday, with all our wounded, between so
and 90, with General Romulus de la Vega, one
Mexican captain, and two leutenants, who 20 with
this letter in the Colonel Harvey.
Inc Augusta, from New Orleans, arrived last
evening. The mules from Matamoras, some 500
were sent in to-day, we'll as the Mexican
wounded.
! should not forget to mention that all the shell
lI