Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-02
NEWS FROM TAMPICO.

leans Delta) in The news from Tampico. II is
probable that considerable force may be on or
near the route which Gen. Taylor has taken for
Tampico, as all the Mexican accounts represen!
Gen. Urea TO be engaged with considerable al
my, in observing Taylor's operations. The Mex
lean papers also speak Of a force sent towards
Tula de Tamaulipas. These being united would
make large army but from the want Of arIl-
lery, and the great preponderance Of cavalry in
this force, We do not think il probable that Urea
would ever attack the American columns. As 10
Gen. Worth being close on Taylor's rear, il i, al
together improbable. Taylor would never allow
Worth 10 abandon his present important position,
10 help him (Taylor) out OF any difficulties.
Since this account reached us, we have heard
that mercantile house in This city received a
letter from Tampico, dated subsequent 10 the let
ter communicating the above news, which makes
no reference whatever 10 the facts or Iumors a
stated
Our doubts of Santa Anna bring between
Gems TAYLOR and Worth, as reported have been
further confirmed by lie rerusal OF letter ad-
dressed 10 gentleman of this city, from Col.
Kinney dated Tampico, Jan. - The writer
states that he had arrived there the day previou-,
from Victoria, with dispatches from Gen. Tay-
or To Gen. Shields lie left al Victoria Gems.
Taylor. Twiges, Patterson, Pillow and Qnilman
with their respective commands, amounting in
all 10 about 5000 men. During his route from
Victoria 10 Tampico, he passed, in some insian-
ccs, close TO the lines OF the Mexican cavalry,
but had no means OF ascertaning their number.
From appearances, Col. Kinney anticipates some
hard fighting shortly. From the best information
he could gain, Mexican force OF 5000 men was
stationed al or near Tua under Gen. Valencia
and other officers. Nothing is said in the letter
OF Col Kinney Of Santa Anna or his movements
The letter oi our attentive correspondent Cha
panal," in another column, dated The Glh inst.
al Victoria, and 10 which We refer our readers, i
The latest from Gen. Tayor's headquarters. II
viii be seen by Its perusal, that the story, 50
widely circulated Yesterday, OF Santa Anna and
his 30 900 men being between The divisions of
Gems. Taylor and Worm, was purely !abrca-
ton.
A letter in The Delta from Victoria gives a
more detailed account Of The engagement ofCol
May in desperate "pass" on the first January:
MAY got in with his dragons. he reports the
loss Of eleven men and their horses, and seven
pack mule, As far as can gather The palticu-
lars, and they come from Captain May, they ate
these Between Monte Morales and Linar.s
Captain Nav ascerained that there was pass in
a gorge of the mountains. and determined 10 as
certain the nature OF it, His command consisted
OF Two companies Of dragoons-some 10 or so
men. On approaching The foot oil the mountain,
every precaution was used 10 guard against SUI
prise. A Lieutenant with II men acted as the
reargua;d and guard OF The pack mules Of the
command, who remained some few hundred
yards in The rear, and in this way they progress
Ell slowly and carefully, until they found on, the
pass, which was SO narrow that il was with much
difficulty single horse could 90 through il. Blu,
May was determined 10 traverse il, and make
what discoveries he could on the other side. DR.
mounting himself and men, he led his horse and
the way and after experiencing much difficulty
in getting from rock 10 rock, the command ult
malely succeeded IN geuing through. On The
right hand side Of This pass there is a perpendicu
lar cliff OF some 600 feet or nigh, as some oilhe
men say, "thala man npihere looked like little
boy" On the left hand, after 10 or IL iset Of
perpendicular, there was gradual slope TO The
top, on which an enemy could run down. fire
piece and then return IL is represented as being
The most dangerous pass TO a daring enemy that
is known and one where few determined men
could stop the advance OF thousands. Alter
going as lar ON The other side as was thought ne
cessaIy, they turned 10 come back, and The main
body retraced their steps with the same caution
observed in efecing The first passage. Butihe rear
guard were not 50 lucky i'll getting through this
time; for it appears alter The Lieutenant and Sers'i
sot through, large body Of men, who stationed
themselves on the PERI endicular side, showered
down stones from The top so tasi ard 50 heavy,
that their advance was completely cut on; and
that they were either killed, taken prisoners, or
made their escape 10 The other side. II seems
that Capt May was not taken by surprise, Tor ne
was continually urging vigilance, and lei' his best
busler in The rear 10 sound the alarm in case OF
accident, as though he anticipated an attack. a
rumbling sound in the pass caused him 10 halt
for The rear-suard bu, they not coming up when
he though, il was time Tor them 10 reach him, he
wheeled abou, and went in The direction u the
pass again at full speed. He shortly met The
Lieutenant and Sergeant, and Immediately de-
manded of the former, "Where's your men ~
The answer of The Lieutenant was, close al
hand" at the same time turning his head around
as il with The expectation Of seeing them just be-
hind him. But there were none there save the
Sergeant, and the truth Immediately flashed upon
the commander, that something was wrong with
Them. As quick as thought and as The nature OF
The path would permit, they dashed off for the
pass, and when thew reached il found that large
number Of stones had b en- thrown down, and
discovered traces OF blood along The dcie. They
followed up as fast As possible, but il was OF no
avail; they could make no further discoveries, nor
learn anything OF The fate OF their comparisons =
80 they sorFowtully Telraced their steps, and ar
rived here as above noticed.
| have given the above truly, as il was related
10 me- without omission or addition and il Is The
received and acknowledged account OF The hnlor-
iunale affair II NAV seem strange and wanting
in detail; but as il involves several delicate points,
| do not lee warranted in surmising what may
1, SIN a
purrine i, down in its apparently unfinished re-
cilaI. rather than draw on the imagination for
what is behind. May has put The Lirulenan,
under arrest, and many blame him Tor being in
advance oflhe guard when his post was in he
rear Of il. As 10 his travelling on without dis
covering that his command was absent, viii be
readily credited by any enc who is familiar with
travel in a haparal country, or in any narrow
pass where Two abreast cannot proceed. In
coming through The pass, The men were necessa-
rily IS or 90 icel apar-lheir safety demanded
this-and with the noise on The stones, made by
his own horses feel and those Of the Sergeant's
horse, and this in coming down aecliyi'y il is
not strange, al least 10 me, that he did not miss
them; ard as 10 his locking back 10 see them,
that may have been oui al the question, As il is
natural 10 suppose he needed the constant use Of
his eyes To guide bis horse over the rugged path.
Military diSClpHuei Ho uuuu, ucmdHueu MS ~.
rest. bul censnre should he reserved until The
whole statement Of the mishap is made known by
some one who witnessed il. Upto this time !
do no, believe that Gen. Taylor is possessed OF
more detail than is here set down.
Ii is not thought that any regular soldiers Of
the Mexican army had hand in this business.
Rancheros and handful, actuated more BY plum
der than anything else, are believed 10 have cut
them oil, thinking probably that there was more
oil value han wha, they obtained. In The hands
OF such. men, The fate o. The prisoners is doubtful
though they would be perfectly sale in falling into
The hands Of an officer oil The army.
We have now at,his poin, very pretty liule ar
my. Gen. Taylor is here with all his staf-Gen
Twiggs, with he Isl, %, Sd and 9Th regular In.
lanlry-lhs % Dragons. Mounted Rifemen and
Brages Battery, all numbering 900 men.Gen
Paterson has The regiment Of mounted Tennes-
seeans, 2regimenls OF Illinois Infantry, com
panies of Artillery, and company of Sapper:
and Miners making in all little over i7Co men
Gen. Qullman haslhe 2regmenls of Teunes
see Infantry, Is, Mississippi do, Isl Georgia do.
and the Baltimore Battalion, and his total viii