The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-05-23
respondent, under date Of May ., he writes us +
"NEw OuLEAss, NAV D.


"NEw OHLEANs, May D.
Since closing my letter of this date, We
have an arrival from Brazos Santiago. One
ofour small vessels ofwar had landed her of
ficers and crew at Point Isabel, where they
were momentarily expecting nm attack. AL
letter in the city from Gen. Taylor, in which
he says he would have his camp finished in
six or eight days,when he intended to leave n
harrison of five hundred men, who would he
able 10 defend it against any assault; and,
with the rest of his force, march for Point Is
abel, load his three hundred wagons with
supplies, and return TO his camp with all the
Ireintorcements he expects 10 find at Point
Isabel We may, therefore, expect every
hour to hear offightng, ms Gen. Taylor says
he feels confident OF being able to give good
account, not only ofhimself andarmy but al
so of the enemy"
Without venturing TO set UP any confident
| opinion on such n subject, II strikes us thar
the decided slept proposed 10y General lay
Tor was the most judicious that could hive
been adopted by that intrepid aud able offic-'
er. We presume that the Mexican forces on
the cast of the river consist exclusively of
cavalry, and, without meaning TO nnderrate
their bravery, we should have no fears of an
American infantry and artillery force of half
their number. Besides his infantry, howev-
err and the two admirable companies ofhorse
artillery under Major Ringgold, Gen. Tay-
| lor's force will comprise also nearly an en-
tire regiment Of veteran Dragons, under Col.
Twiggs. Should Gen. Taylor, therefore,
have marched for Point Isabel, with two thou
sand troops, (which would be about his force
after leaving five hundred in his own entrench
cd camp,) we should entertain no fenrs for the
success of his enterprise, although he may
suffer some damage ifthe enemy attack him
! in force.
The REPORTED SKIRMIsH The New Or
leans correspondent of the New York Com-
Ter and Enquirer writes, in relation TO the at
fair of Capt. Walker ..... e
| "Thcre is now some reason to believe that
il is not correct--as, on inquiry ut head quar-
ters here, learn that there have been no
letters received from any of the officers at
that station, that make any allusion to the e.
vent. The city was much excited by the
newsstand if il has been an infamous hoax,
i to tifle, on such subject, with the feelings
ofthe public, the author of it had better en-
bark on board the first departing steamboat"
GREAT FIRE AT THE SAGUENAY-
THE VILLAGE AT GRAND BAY CON
SUMED-TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE
DESTITUTE.
Correspondent of the Montreal Times.
When writing YOU on the 9th instant stu
ted that Tuesday resenlbled much the 2Sth
of May last was not aware that the reseni-
blance was to be so striking, but there has been
u fearful, painful likeness-2,000 have been
rendered houseless and peuuiless, land des-
ttute, by the visitation Of that most dreadful
: of all scourges, fire. ..-.
The following is an authentic account of
whHv~Ias happened
"a serious misfortune Inns beiallen the new
settlements of Grand Bay, IN the Saguenay
= The settlers OH the River Chez Mars Were
clearing their lands and burning; the drOutl
: was great, and on Tuesday, the 4th instant
: the wind coming on to blow iiIriously, the
fameswere carried along the settlement, de-
stroying houses, barns, cattle, the seed grain
and implements of husbandry, aud reaching
the village at the mouth ofthe River, destroy
ed the whole there--the church and the two
mills at the rnouth of the stream--and con-
tinuing "a mile farther, round the Bay to the
Bay to the Grand Bay village, destroyed all
there except the Church, Presbytere and
VIM. Price s. Co.'s stores and houses, and a
few houses south ofthem, leaving about 1000
souls, men, women and children without hou-
ses ofthe means ofsowing their lands"
1t is really painful to contemplate the state
Of misery into which these poor people have
: been plunged. The mills being destroyed,
/, their mems oflivelihood have even been taken
away. In concluding this painful paragraph,
would only hope that those sufferers may
not be permitted to eXcaim," "There is no
balm in Gilead there is no physician there
The fire in the woods, you perceive, has
been extensive. 1t has been all around us
There are some painful rumors from Stone
ham; the houses there are said TO have been
destroyed. would hope not, but unless we
have some rain, it is difficult to conceive what
may not happen,