Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-01-21
LATEST IRON MoNrEREY, sc.

! LATEST FROM MONTERREY, &C.
! Report Of Santa .7nna's .7drance eontradicted.
Return Of General Taylor to,rard Jictoria.
| Junction Of Forces under Generals North
and Wool, Sc. SC.
The U. s. steamer Alabama arrived at New
Orleans, on the 9th instant, from Brasos San
! ,lago. which place she left on the Sd. Among
her passengers are General JrsuP aud staff
and thirty others in the cabin. and two hun
dred and forty sick and discharged soldiers.
The most important Item OF intelligence by
this arrival is, that all IDEA of an immediate en-
gagement has passed over--the report Of the
advance OF SANTA Anna upon Saltillo being
unfounded. The New Orleans Times has the
following explanation oil the origin OF the re
port, and The movements consequent upon II !:
General Worm on the 10th uliimo recey-
ed information from two scouts that the Mex
lean General in Chief had left San Luis de
Potosi. al the head of a body Of $4,000 caval-
nv, with the intention to fall on the American
division at Saltillo, which he imagined he
could easily crush. After this, he proposed
attacking Gen. Wool. and, If similar success
attended him, to repair TO Monterey and cap
ture or destroy the magazines and public stores
which lag there. General WORTH, without
attaching more importance to the report than
it seemed to merit. iorwI,h dispatched express
ses TO General TAYLOR, Wool. and Butler,
acquaintng them with what he had heard,
leaving II entirely 10 them TO act IN the premi-
scs. The express overlook Gen. TAYLOR a
short distance from Monterey, or the route TO
Victoria He immediately returned to MS old
encamping ground, near Monterey. with the
whole of his division, and then waited further
advices. After remaining three days; during
which he received Information of the improb-
ability Of the report Of SANTA AsNA's advance
on Sal,illo, he again took up the line Of march,
and proceeded Con the 23d) onward TO Vicio-
I ria. Meanwhile. Gen. Wool, who had been
informed OF the rumor current al Saltillo, cal
led in all his detached commands and at the
head OF his division. 5000 strong, quilted Par
ras on the 18Th ultimo, and, by arrangements
previously made, was 10 enter Saltillo on the
23d at furlhest. pushing forward with all prac
ticable speed. General BUTLER had previous
viously reached Saltillo from Monterey. Dn
ring this time the intelligence OF the reported
advance of SANTA ANNA had reached other
more distant points of the hne OF occupation,
and troops. already under orders to march 10
ward Monterey, fastened their progress on
ward.
Itappears that Generals TaYLon and WoRrH,
improbabiliiy OF the repor; Of SANTA ANSA's
advance on and near proximity to Salio, from
the following facts: LIST. The distance between
San Luis de Potosi and Salnlo was too great
10 admit of the possibility of the march OF so
large body as $4,000 men, without timely
notice TO the American General to prepare for
his reception. IDLY. The ground between the
two cities is exceedingly bare OF verdure. or
other means Of sustenance for man and beast
ninety miles Of which. as is well known. be-
ing an arid DESERT divest Of fountain. running
stream, or any other source OF water, besides
afiordng not the least chance OF getting food
or fodder, being almost unInhablied through
out its wide extent. The report o. the Next
cans scouts, however is said TO have been cor
roborated by information received Al Saltilo,
in a letter from an English merchant al San
Luis de Potosi, who stated that SANTA ANNA
had positively left that city at the head Of a
numerous body OF cavalry. Even now in
those parts Of Mexico occupied by our troops
il is admitted that SANTA Anna is out with a
considerable mounted force but with objects
far different from those attributed 10 him by
the scouts.
For much of the above information we are
indebled 10 Maj BuTLER, Paymaster Y. ,.
Army, attached TO the division Of Gen. Wool.
who visits this city on business. MAJOR ID;
left Parras on the l7th ultimo, where General
WooL's division then lay. He states that me
troops were in excellent health and sprl's, no
casually Of moment having occurred lot so,iie
time The Inhabitants OF the country "u'oh
the troops had traversed from San Antonio
had manifested the greatest good feeling to.
wards the Americans; not symptom o. s''as
hostility which the population Of the valley OF
the Rio Grande had so frequently exhioi'eo'
had been observed.
we have been favored with the following
extract Of letter, received in this CITY from an
officer in the army, dated Brazos Island, jan
uary 8, ls47:
The news from Saltlllo has dispelled the
anxiety created by the reports from that vicin-
ity in reference 10 the approach cfSisra An
IA in force.
Gen T.Ytos received GNu wosrH's en-