New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-01
DISPATCHES FOX TIE TRIBUNE
BY ELECTRIC TELE u RAPh.
Important from the Army.

Victoria taken by Col klnney-Rumors Of Bat
tie at saliillO-cOl May attacked and MS Rear
Guard taken Pris0ners-Ihe Mexican Force e.
fimaied at 50 .000-Rumored Acceptance by
Mexico Of the Offer Of Negotiation, &c. 81.
wAsHrSGrox Jan 3l--5 N.
The brig Georgiana, from Tampico lith INST ar
rived al New.Orlesn ed inst Col Kinney ar
rived q, Taupico on the 18th direct from Victoria
with dispatches from Gen. Taylor 70 Gen.
Shields. 70 suspend operations tor the present
He entered Victoria with Gen. Quitman on the
9th. Gen. Quitman drove the Mexicans before
hun the last thirty or forty miles before entering
Victoria. The Mexicans were very reluctant 70
give up the place. but went out on one side as
Quitnan entered on the other. Gen Quitman
having no cavalry, could not pursue them Col
Kinney parted with Gen. Taylor at Montemorales
and pushed on with Gen. Quitmau TO Victoris. and
thence alone TO Tampico.
There was no reason to suppose that Gen Full
Ter and Gen Worth bad moved from Saltillo. though
twas so reported. The Mexican army, it was be
Ieved. was not far of The Mexican soldiers seen
in the neighborhood Of Saltlo are now supposed 70
have been advanced parties Of some fifteen hun
bred or two thousand men kept in possession on
this side Of the desert between Saliilo aud San
Luis. 70 destroy the water tanks in case the Ameri
can Army should move in force in the direction Of
San Luis which precludes the idea OF any serious
attack being contemplated upon General Worth OF
General Wool the object Of the Mexicans being
only 20 keep watch upon the American forces 10
retreat before any advance-and cut Of supplies Of
water
Col Kinney brought a rumor to Tampico that
fifteen thousand Mexicans were 70 attack Saltlllo
on the 9th ult and verbal news was brought by
tue Georgiana to New Orleans 20 the effect that
Santa Anna had placed himself between Taylor
and Worth with tbirty-hve thousand men, and
general action was Immediately expected. This IS
probably o mere repetition On rumors before re-
ceived BY the way of MatamOras. Private letters
express very little doubt OF large Mexican forces,
mostly cavalry, being at Iua, at the last dates.
under Gen. NaleDta. Gems. Urea, Romero and
Fernandez were also reported in that vicinity.
On the LIST January. Gen. Taylor sent iorwa I'd
Col Nav % examine the mountain passes be-
tween MontemOrales and Labradores. On his re-
turn be took another pass leading to Linares and
was attacked by large body Of the enemy and
his rear guard cut of, by rolling stones INTO the
pass which was scarcely wide enough Tor a single
horsenan. Colonel May managed 10 get through
with the main body Of bis force, and reached
spot where he was enabled 10 dsmount and re-
turn 70 succOr the rear guard. But It was too
late as the enemy had retreated with their pri-
soners At one time Mays dragons were almost
at the mercy of the enemy. had the latter dis
charged their pieces with accuracy for the posi-.
ton they occupied directly over the heads OF
our troops Col. Mays loss had not been ascer-
tanned, nor whether lie bad any men killed. There
can be no doubt however that some OF our men
have fallen.
Generals Taylor, Twiggs Patterson and Pillow
were at Victoria with a large force. Gen. Shields
with SIX hundred and fifty men marchedrom Tam
pico on the 10th toward Altamra with the sup
posed intention Of opening communications with
General Taylor at Victoria. From two to three
thousand Mexican troops were between Tamplco
and Victoria with which II was supposed Gen.
Shields might have engagement The force re-
naming at Tampico numbered $50 men. The Tam
pco market was amply supplied with American
merchandise.
Col Kinney states that the Mexican force az
san LUIS. amounts 10 thirty thousand men, and
he estimates their entire force in the field at fifty
thousand men. The capture OF Tampico, he says,
had Greeted the greatest excitement throughout
the country Generals Butler, Worth and Wool
had at Satillo eight thousand men, considered the
flower OF the Army. Col Kinney speaks conf
IDENTIFY Of our success in case Of an engagement at
Saltilo. Generals Taylor and Patterson. with SIX
thousand men, are at Victoria waiting orders from