Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-23
From the N. O. Picayune March 81
One Week Later From Mexico.
ARRIVAL OF THE NEW ORLEANS.
Colonel Biscoe's Conflict with the Guer-
rilIaS.

:
rillas.
The steamship New Orleans, Capt, Edward
Aud, arrived at an early hour yesterday morn.
ing from Vera Cruz, having sailed thence OF
the I'd inst,
That we may do no injustice to Col. Biscoe
or his command in regard to his skirmish with
the guerrillas-which is represented by some
private accounts as discreditable to our arms
we copy the following account OF it from the
Free American of the LIST inst, it was written
after the return of Col Biscoe and his com.
mand TO Vera Cruz
Lieut.. Col, Biscoe left this city on the morn
ing of the 18th of February, with detachments
of Louisiana and Georgia Dragons, on that
evening, at about clock, some forty or fifty
guerriIleras were observed at place called
Matamoras. A charge was Immediately made
on them, and the Mexicans retreated to the
edge of a chapperal, when our troops number
ing about twenty-five men, at that time, COM
manded by Capt. WaffoFd, of the Georgia ORA
60 Jns, came close upon them, some four hun,
dred guerrilleras rushed out of the chapperal
and deadly conflict ensued. Our troops. how
eyer, succeeded in passing through their lines,
and then calamity returned and again opened
the ranks Of the Mexicans. At this moment
the main body of the Americans, consisting in
all of about seventy-fve men, came up TO the
rescue of this gallant little band, and a general
fight took place, hand to hand, in which we
have to regret the loss of friend, Lieut.. Hen
derson, of the Louisiana volunteers, who was
lanced, shot, and deeply cut in the face by the
Mexicans. He died like hero, and his name
deserves to be recorded in the pages of the his
tory his country. We have also to mourn
the death of four of the gallant Georgians, who
SO aobly charged the enemy. Two other men
of the same corps, were severely wounded, and
three Louisiana volunteers slightly.
The mules have given out from fatigue, it
was thought absolutely necessary by Col. Bis
coe TO abandon them, although We understand
that he made all possible exertions to save
them,
The guenilleros having retired from the field
they were at different times pursued, but they
were not anxious 10 come TO close quarters with
our troops.
The command then proceeded on to Cordova;
and then TO Orizaba.
A train of l60 wagons arrived at Vera Cruz
on the 26th ult., escorted By portion of Lieut..
Col. Bscoes Mounted Volunteers, consisting
of the companies of Capts. Fairchild, Connolly
and Kerr, Capt. Howe's company of the I'd
Dragons, and two companies Of Michigan In
fantry-290 in all. According to the Free
American of the lst inst, Mexican, who ar
rived with the train. reported that on or about
the 23d ult., Gen. Santa Anna with 1000 men
had an engagement with about 400 Americans
at Tehuacan, and that eight men had been kill
ed on the American side.
By this train the dates from Orizaba are to
the 25th, and from Cordova to the 9TH. Colo
mel Bankhead is Governor of the former city,
with command of 1900 men, consisting oil
18th infantry, the alabama Battalion, a COM
pany of Dragons under Lieut.. Dorm, and va
rious detachments of infantry.
Col Stockton, of the Michigan Volunteers,
is Governor of Cordova, and his regiment forms
the garrison at that point. A company of Ala
bama Volunteers is also stationed there, but
would come down TO Vera Cruz with the first
train. Another garrison is to be stationed at
Paso del Macho, under the command of Major
! Julie, of the Michigan regiment who will have
two companies of the same regiment with him.
and such other force as will be thought neces-
sary to command that place.
The following is from the Free American Of
| the oath ult
A company of Louisiana volunteers who
fancied themselves enlisted as cavalry only
and who hesitated to do infantry duty when
ordered were yesterday morning sent to the
castle by order Of Brig. Gen. Twiggs. Previous
to embarking the general gave them ''wal
talk the severity of which will certainly de-
ter them from any attempt to repeat the of
fence, and we fear the ringleaders will suffer a
heavy penalty.