Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-06-24

SCeleS LII MadMUfdH sss N
Any incidents connected with the army,
are nowadays read with interest From
the New York SPIRIT ofths Times, which
has very clever correspondent among the
officers Of our gallant army 've extract Y
few paragraphs, giving his first impression
:of Matam oras: 8 q Z ,Ssl ;g:' !.
within half d mile 81 the ciily q Mataino-
ras. We had indulged in the hope of boz
ing quortered in it, but our worthy Gene
raj saw fit to direct otherwise. Women,
they say, are all curiosity, but if they eSef
felt more than we had to see that city, sny
God help tuem. We-hnd encamped but q
short time, before a party of us rode up, to
crafty the consuming passion. Never
have | been more disappointed-never did
distance more thoroughly lend eachant,s
nent to the VIEW The Matamoras as seen
from Fort Brown is not the Matamoras we
hold. AS it may be interesting TO you, |
will try to give you some idea Of the city.
| first rode up to the Plaza, which is
quite square surrounded with china trees.
The houses surrounding. the square are
brick or stone, the lower parts used as
stores, or Offices and the second story as
dwellings,. They have the appearance Of
defensive works, The cathedral occupies
large space Of one side of the square, and
is an unfinished mass Of masonry. Directly
opposite the cathedral is the Prison. Prop
erly situated sthe poison and the antidote.'
There are great many stores and quite q
large market house, which am told is vel!
supplied.
i | went to visit the different hospitals
They are fllen with the wounded and dy-
ing. The stencil that arose from them,
from the want of police, was disgusting;
You could tell at a. glance the wounded Of
Palo Alto or lie Resaca de ia Palma. The
latter were mostly bullet wounds, whereas
the amputated limbs told of the cannon's
fearful execution in the former. Beside
one poor fellow, u beautiful girl of II was
seated, keeping off the flies. She was his
wife. In another corner, a family group,
= the mother and her children, were seated
Il by their wounded father. One bright-eyed
little girl quite took my fancy, and my
!, !, heart bled to think that thus early she
should be introduced to SO much wretched.
, ness. On one bed was corpse; on anoth-
!, was one dying, holding in his hand the
grape shot that had passed through his
breast. He showed it to us with sad
countenance. l left the hospital shocked
with the horrors of war;, The army have
left their wounded comrades with very lit
tie attention to their wants.
| then rode all around the city. As you
leave the Plaza, the houses become more
detached, with yards around them; some
white flowers and other pretty shrubs to or
nament them. AS whole, it is certainly
the meanest looking and filthiest city l.
have ever seen. The greater part Of the
genteel population have left, and in about
one house in three, among the more hum
Bile class. one Of the family was diligently
searching the heads of the others. They
do say that they are some for lice, and the
very sight set my head itching to such q
deg,ee that was not satisfied until | reacE-
ed camp.
4 Col. Twiggs has had the especial charge
of the city, as far as the discovery and the
collection of the public property is con.
cerned. The General has declined inter-
; fering with the municipal authorities, The
worthy Colonel has way of his own in
throwing his mantle of protection and find
outatiueness over all, and Nh. Prefect has
often felt the effect Of it. He has discoy-
cred several pieces Of small ordnance, all
kinds of munitions of war, in the greatest
abundance, an immense number of mus
kets, the greatest qua antity of tobacco and
cigars, large quantity Of corn and lum-
Der. A great deal Of the powder and DIFF
ferent kinds of ammunition had been thrown
into the wells. The Perfect testified no
great willingness to make discoveries or
+ disclosures, but the Colonel was too much
for him. The quantity Of munitions Of
: war, collected here is, immense; our seiz-
ure cannot amount in value to less than
i $I75,OOO. put that down as the least.
0 The greatest quantity Of cigars, tobacco
q and cigarretts were seized. The Govern
ment enjoys the monopolyso sof the sales of
tobacco; an immense revenue \. is derived
from it. You may imagine how great il is,
|. when they. sell the plain leaf at SIR cents
|. per ounce! s,,s n i
These munitions Of war have been col
!, lecting here since Santa Ana's Invasion ol
s Texas. Large quantities Of anchors were
discovered, intended to be used in anchor.
ing boats and bridges, upon which to cross
their armies, upon their advance into Tex
as. They have brought them to rather .
+ bad market. This Northern Army mus
f be completely broken up, ! do not thinl
It they can supply themselves short cS Ver'