Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-04-02
LATEST FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.

*fN@ts atttRS~ ~ pott NSetetaay AFTERNOON irOfn
ths mouth Of the Rio Grande, having sailed
thence on The 9Th insi. DR.. Jarvis Of tho Uni
isd States Army, came passenger 10 her. He is
Ihs bearer Of dispatches from Colonel Curtis IN
eommand Al Canargo, to the Government at
Wslhingioa.
D. Jarvis ieh Carnage on the 81 inst. There
bad been nolhing received there from General
Taylor for several days. The rumors which
prevailed were brought through BY Msxieaus,
and we're Of the most contradictory character.
To enable Us to Distinguish what is known 70 be
uue from whai is merely rumored, and thus 20
eorrect ss far rs possible the exaggeraied reports
ID circulation, DE-. Jarvis has at our request urn.
ishsd Us with the following memoranda ofevents
during the month OF February, Of which be was
personally cognizant.
!. MEMORANDA OF DIR. JARVIS.
Lsft Monterey on the morning Of tho Sd Of
February for Malamoras. At that time no ap-
prehsnsion or expectation Ct the approach Of
Santa ANA towards Saltillo was entertained, ei-
thsr by Us or the Mexicans, so far as we could
learn from the latter. A large force Of cavalry
was known, however, TO be in front Of General
Taylor. which Of course wns made known by
thsif capture Of the detachment Of the Arkansas
and Kentucky cavalry advanced beyond San In.
earnacion. The force OF cavalry on this side
Of the Sierra Madrc under command Of Gen.
Urea. estimated at from six to eight thousand.
was said to bs at Victoria, and part as far toward
MoniVSy as Mont Morales, when left the form.
srplace. They were, in fact, in Victoria at the
time our troopsmarched 10 that place in January
last and returned to Tula as an advanced brigade
under Gen. Quitman entered the town. They
,,,I h, ,f
tionand belief was entertained that they would
seize the frsi favorable opportunity to strike on
our line Of communication. between Camargo g.
Monterey and capture such trains as should hap
pen to be on the road al the time. Gen. Taylor
must have appiohcnded some intentions of this
kind, for on my arrival at Matamorns found
them lortifying the plaza Of that place in conse-
quence Of orders just received from Gen. Taylor
TO guard against the sudden attack Of the whole
or par ofihis force.
| left Camargo on tho morning Of the Goth Of
February 10 return to Monterey in company with
train of 20 wagons laden with supplies and es.
corted by company of Kentucky cavalry, un-
der command Of Captain T. F. Marshall, and
detachment of 20 men belonging to the Cd Dra-
goon,. We had not proceeded five miles " hen
an order arrived for our return in consequence
Of instructions just received by express, which
passed us on the road, directed tn the quarter
master at Camnrgo from the quartcrmastcr at
Monterey, which were received from Col. Whit
ing, assistant 'quaricrmaster general AT the head
quarters Of Gen. Taylor, directing for the future
that all trains be stopped, as certain information
had been received that large force of tho enc.
my's cavalry, say four or five thousand, was in
or near China and that Caidereyta was already
occupied by them. These last particulars are
contained in hasty note from the quarcrmas-
ger at Monterey, dated February 23d, and termi-
mating viii the remark, "look out" With Col
onel Winnings instructions also came the order
Of Gen. Taylor, dated Aqua Nucva, February
II, the last one received up 10 the time Of my
leaving Camargo, March 81. This order is
doubtless The despatch Of General Taylor calling
for reinforcements, alluded to by Captain Mont
gomery in his notn, as mentioned TO him by Col.
Whiting.
On the morning Of the 9Th another express
arrived ri Camargo from the quarIermaser of
Monterey, stating in n note, that he had sent one
of the day before but apprehended that he may
have been cut OF, and, as he understood from
Colonel Whiting, that there were important des-
patches from General Taylor calling for re-
inforcemonIs, he had sent another to advise him
Of this fact.
About o'clock the same day another express
arrived with n note from the same officer, dated
Monterey, l o'clock A. NJ. February 23d, say.
ing an express had just arrived AT Saltilo bring
ing Information iha, SANTA Anna sent n summons
10 Gen. Taylor demanding his surrender. The
General told him TO "come and take him." San.
ia Anna stated that he had twenty thousand
men, and that If Taylor did not surrender he
would cut him to pieces. The note concludes:
"The express which left after dark last night saws
that General Taylor was giving tho Noxcans
HI"
This may bo considered tho lnst official com.
muncalion 70 eiyod, all tho subsequent inlorma.
ton being derived from the Mexicans. nigh,
here rcInark that note was received from The
postmaster at Monterey, at tho same time with
she last communication of Capt. Montgomery
which gives the additional particulars that Gen.
Taylor had fallen back from Aqua Nueya TO
Salto, which should infer also from the notes
of Capt. NJ. although he dses not distinctly state
so. The Mexicans say he has lost six pieces orI
cannon al the former place. lie moreover stntes
that Gen. Marshall had gone TO tho pass of Los
Muenos with view to iori(ying it, and large
quantities of ammunition had been duspatched
from Monterey TO Saltillo.
The detachment ofthe 9d Ohio Regiment IN.
der Col. Morgan and Lieut.. Col. Irving-the for.
mef having seven companies at CerraIyo, and
the latter three a, MariniI was greatly feared nj
Camargo, had been cut off by large force of
5000 men who are said TO have occupied the la,.
ter place on the afternoon of the Esd, Liem. |
Col. Irving, IN obedience to general order No. |
u is said 10 have left Marin the morning of the
same day twas occupied by tho enemy; march. |
ing towards Cerralvo, with view of forming n
junction with Col. Morgan and then procecdirC
10 Monterey. Colonel Morgan left Cerrolyo os
fhe cath, having destroyed in obedience 10 ,ba
endorsement on the same general order, all