Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-03-26

consequence of instructions Just received by
express, which passed us on the road, directed
to the ouartermaster at Camargo from the quar-
termasfer at Monterey, which were received
from Col. Whiting, assistant quartermaster
general at the headquarters OF Gen. Taylor,
directing, for the future, that all trains be
stopped, as certain information had been re-
ceived that large force of the enemy's caval
nv, say four or FIVE thousand, was IN or near
China, and that Caidereyta was already occu-
pied by them. These last particulars are con-
tanned in hasty note from the quartermaster
at Monterey, dated February 23d, and termi-
mating it with the remark look out" With
| Col. Writings instructions also came the or
der of Gen. Taylor dated Aqua Nueva, Feb'y
| 81, the last one received up to the time of my
leaving Camargo, March I'd. This order is
doubtless the despatch of Gen. Taylor calling
for renforcements, alluded to by Capt. Mont
gomerv in his note, as mentioned to him by
Col Whiting
On the morning of the 27th another express
arrived from Camargo from the quartermsster
at Monterey, stating, in note, that ne had
sent one off the day before, but apprehended
that he may have been cut of, and, as ne un-
derstood from Col Whiting, that there were
important dispatches from Gen. lay Tor calling
for reinforcements, he had sent another to ad-
wise of this fact.
About O'Clock the same day another ex-
press arrived with note from the same OH
Ger, dated Monterey, IL o'clock, A. M, Feb'y
23d, saying an express had just arrived from
Sa!tllo bringing information that Santa Anna
sent summons to Gen. Taylor demanding
his surrender. The General told him to come
and take him. Santa Anna stated that ne had
twenty thousand men and that II Taylor DID
not surrender he would cut him to pieces. The
note concludes "The express which left
after dark last night says that Taylor was
giving the Mexicans he'll"
This may be considered the last official
communication received, all the subsequent
information being derived from the Mexicans.
| might here remark that note was received
from the Postmaster at Monterey, at the same
time with the last communication OF Capt.
Montgomery, which gives the additional par
ticulars that Gen. Taylor had fallen back from
Aqua Nueva to Saltillo, which l should infer
also from the notes of Capt. NJ, although he
does not distinctly state So The Mexlcans
say he lost six pieces of cannon at the former
place. He moreover states that Gen. Marshall
had gone 70 the pass of Los Muertos with a
view of fortifying it, and large quantities of
ammunition had been despatched from Mon
terey to Saltillo.
The detachments OF the Sd Ohio Regiment
under Col. Morgan and 1t. Col Irving-the
former having seven companies at Ceralvo, &
the latter three at Marin-it was greatly fear
E ed at Camargo, had been cut off by large
/ force of 5000 men, who are said to have &C.
cupied the latter place on the afternoon of the
23d Lieut.. Col. Irving, in obedience to gen.
eral order No. II, is said to have left Marin
/ the morning of the same day it was occupied
. by the enemy, marching towards Ceralvo
. with a view of forming junction with Col
: Morgan and then proceeding TO Monterey
Col. Morgan left Ceralvo on the oath, having
r destroyed, in obedience to the endorsement or
= the same general order, all such provisions
and supplies as he could not carry with him
He must of consequence have encountered the
0 enemy in his route, as they had already, as
: we have seen above, occupiedin force Marin
S lying between him and Monterey.
Moreover, a train of 1876 wagons, which
left Camargo about the 18th or 18th, la1er
e with provisions, clothing, &c is said to have
!, been attacked on the oath at or near Ramos
$ lying between Ceralvo and Marin, and, with
}, the escort, captured The intelligence wa
. brought in by an American or Mexican mul,
: driver, who was with the train and escaped Il
o the time of the capture. He says the Mex
d cans charged at the same time both the from
n and the rear of the tain. After the firing
2 which was of short duration, ceased, he eau
tiously ventured from out of the chaparraI
n with a view of finding some of his comra1 les
l. He discovered the Mexicans busily engaget
" in embarrassing the mules from the wagons
and seeing none of his own party, made hi
way back, carefully avoiding the road to Ca
g margo.
= A hundred Mexican stories were in circula
n ton at Camargo when left in reference Il
~ the battle going on between Gen. Taylor ant
i Santa Anna. They say i, had already con
1t tinued three days with considerable loss OIL
# our side, but much greater on that the Mex
d leans. Subsequent accounts represent Gen
. T. as having fallen back on Monterey. TIL
~ day left Camargo a letter was received from
. the alca|de Of Meir saying that the Mexican
ID troops had entered that town wenty -four mile
Is distant from the former place, and had mad
;, him prisoner in consequence of his endeavor
ing to secrete stores left behind in his charg
when It. COL McCook evacuated the place
+ COL Curtis intended to march with his regi
ment for Monterey the moment Col. Drake
. with the 81 Indiana Regiment, arrived fror
&c Matamoros to relieve him. The latter office
= was awaiting the arrival of the Mississippi
H. Regiment, which met on the river a shor
distance below Matamoros on its way up
= This regiment and six companies of the Vii
~ ginia regiment, under Lieut.. Col. Randolph
J" which arrived at Camargo the day | left tia
place are the only volunteer regiments arrive
l. on the RIO Grande, all the other regiments tia
'e had arrived having been sent below to Lobos
.e From what source Gen. Taylor is to expet
~ !. relief it is impossible to say. Every soldier
q and in fact double or thrice the number thu
~ now constitute the garrisons at the differer
l." depots, are actually necessary for their defenc
and not one can be spared. Information ca
III hardly reach Gen. Scott in time for him t
20 march division to his relief
- In addition to the above, which reduce I
y some order and certainty our information froI
a al the Rio Grande, we learn further from d
u Jarvis that bearer of dispatches had left c.
,e MARCO for Tampico, and sailed from the mout
of the Rio Granle on the 9Th inst on the Nj
h he KIM. If the information we give in anoth'
u Ie column from Tampico be entirely authenti
/" the messenger would not reach his destinatio
till the departure of ali the troops which ca
be.spared from that point 1t would seen
81 however, that from Tampico, by the way
no 10 Victoria, Gen. Taylor must look for his reil
I'll forcements.
IL The Mexican citizens in the valley of Il
rf Rio Grande are abandoning their homes
.. crowds. Matamoros and Camargo are STIR
NJ ped of their native inhabitants. They dres
ot the approach of their own army more tha