Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-04-28
Correspondence of the Picayune.l
INCIDENTS AT VERA CRUZ.
Line opposite Vera Cruz,
IF
March 21, 9 o'clock, p. ]

March 21, 9 o'clock, P. M.
! Last night those who were fortunate enough not
to be on duty retired to their blankets in the sand
with every prospect of good sleep; but hardly
were they stretched out (peope do not undress here)
before tremendous norther opened uponus, blow
| ing down tents and buryng everything IN sand
! TO illustrate the matter, will tell you how your
| humble servant found himself this morning Aft
er considerable labor after the wind rose the
men succeeded IN pinning our tent down. so that 1t
! could not blow away--but the sand could not be
shut out / covered my head with the blanket and
went to sleep On endeavoring to kick off the COW
| ering this morning, found it was no 60 for was
completely buried in sand-at least two bushels
having accumulated like snow drift, my feet!
Our hair, ears and necks Qor the blankets would
be thrown off during sleep) were filled with sand.
Nearly 1900 shared the snme fate.
March 22-At 2 o'clock p. NJ to day, Capt.
johnson of the Typographical engineers, was sent
with white flag and aletter from Gen. Scott,
-Tonng the town TO surrender. The measures, Of
course was simply polite way Of informing our
friends in the city that we intend to return the
compliments that had been received during fifteen
days from their batteries Capt J. proceeded along
the beach, with an interpreter and bugle, unturled
the white flag before the walls, and the bugle was
sounded as in such cases made and provided, when
several Mexican officers advanced, and the ranking
officer received the letter, with the information po-
litey given, that the reply must be returned with
in two hours. During his absence, Capt j. and
two three Mexican officers seated themselves up
ON the white flag which was spread upon the sand
Tor the purpose and smoked cigGTit0s, and kept up
very agreeable conversation upon matters and
things in general. At tie end OF an hour; the bear
er returned with letter, and informed Capt john
son. in kind of afectionate, sub rosa manner that
Gen Morales would see the Yankees id before
he would think of giving up heroic ~ era Cruz"
Capt }. now rose, exchanged the most atlectlonate
assurances of respect and eternal friendship with the
officers ("paying them in their own com and rode
off, Scarcely had he passed the 'chau de limekin,
which hid him from their view, before one Of their
batteries opened upon our entertainments.
Suffering Of the troops
March 2S-Ihs is the first quiet day we have
had in the last twenty and words cannot picture the
incony eniences, the annoyances, and the suffering
Of the army both regular and volunteer. has expe
rienced during this period One half of the time
the sun has been fairly broilng the men in the val
leys and upon the sand hills-the other halt, with
scanty ratons and without tents alarge portion of
the men have been exposed to the rude cold north
ers, and to clouds of sand that fairly blind their
eyes already inlamed by the fierce rays of the
The water, TOO, has been Indifferent and in ma
ny scarce thousand OF ticks and other insects
have covered the men, and the labor has been in
cessant in the trenches, both by day and by night
yet all has been borne without murmurng. To be
sure, there has been rcpning at the fact that
the grand programme of the performance before
Vera Cruz, in far regards the non-arrival OF
all the heavy ordnance advertised in the bills the
day as intended TO open the ball with, has not been
tcarred to the full extent hoped for and anci-
pated; STILL all have gone to work cheertully with
the limited means at hand and the result OF the
siege must forever remain monument in their
praise.
Correspondence Of the Delta.
McricGR Loss
The Mexicaus verousy estimate their loss from
500 to 1000 killed and wounded, but all agree that
the loss among the soldery is comparatively small
the destruction among the women and childrel is
very great. Among their killed is gen Felix al
DEE, officer of some celebrity.
At the time of the surrender the Mexicaus had
but two days ammunition and three days subsist
ence, which accounts for their generally withhold
ing their fire during the night.
The destruction in the city is most awlul-one
half of it is destroyed. Houses are blown to pie
ces and furniture scattered in every direction, the
streets torn up and the strongest buildings serious
ly damaged.
The Charleston Mercury has the following, de-
rived from an officer of the navy
1--WE understand that Gen. Scott. delayed open
ing his guns upon that city for eight hours to give
the women and children an opportunity Of with
drawing, assuring them OF protection for themselves
and whatever property they might choose to carry
with them. Not an individual embraced this offer
and the subsequent destruction OF women and chill
dren during the bombardment a source OF the
most painful regret to the General and the army
Though no accurate return has been made, 1t was
believed that the slain in the city during the invest
ment exceeded eight hundred
The city and the castle surrendered uncondltlon-
ally. There has been captured between coo 81 700
cannon, OF various calbres about 10000 stand OF
arms and considerable amount oimil!tary stores.
There was a great abundance Of provs and wa
ter in the city, bat scarcely any III the castle
CANAL FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE
PACIFIC.
Al tulC 80, r,.~I1