Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1851-11-26
The IsevoIution at sIatamoras.

ly within his fortified position. in the CEN
tire Of the city, which is defended by nine
cannon. Gen. Caravajal has removed his
head quarters from Fort Paroles into the
market-place and vicinity, IN the rear
of the town. He has only one six poun-
der. Daily skirmishes have taken place,
and on some days and nights three or
four happened, of fierce and determined
character. The exact number of the kill
ed and wounded on the Mexican side is
not known, but there were 1o4 wounded
men in their hospital; a number have
been wounded and killed since. Caraya-
jail has had three or four killed, and about
dozen wounded. Lieut.. Culver and
Sergeant Finley are two of the killed,
and Col. Ford, Capt. Norton, and F. r.
Gracesqui, the latter by the accidental
discharge of a gun, wounded. The fight
ing has often been hand to hand, both
sides firing through the same hole in brick
walls, at each other. The seige had las
ted for six or seven days of constant hos
tile action. Maj, Gonzales, of Gen. Car
avajal's staff, while entering Matamoras
with a flag of truce, was fired on and
shot through the hat by one of Avalos'
Natlonal GuardS.
The Rio Bravo also contains a cores
pondence between Capt. Phelps, com
manding the U, s, troops at Fort Brown,
opposite Matamoras, and General Cara
vajal. 1t originated in aprotest, address
to Capt. Phelps by Gen. Caravajal, dated
the 23th ult., against the use of United
States Governmental Steamers for the
purpose of transporting re-inforcements
from Brazos Santiago, in Texas, to Mata-
moras for Gen. Avalos. These troops
came from Vera Cruz and Tampico, un-
der command of Gen. Garay, to aid Ava
los in defending the city of Matamoras.-
1t was understood that permission had
been granted them to land within the ter
ritory of the United States, and that they
were to be taken up to Matamoras on the
government Steamer the Mentoria. AT
Ter proceeding part of the way, the order
was countermanded, and they were re-
turned on board their own steamer the
Neptune. Capt. Phelps, in his note to
Caravajal, says it is necessary for him to
define the position which the revolutiona-
ry chief now occupies before the civilized
world, as the forces acting under his
command are not only attacking and de-
stroying by fire the property of peaceful
American citizens, but that they have
desecrated the flag, and fred upon and
wounded the Consul of the United States,
against the fatal consequences of which
he solemnly warns Caravajal in the name
of the U. S. Government.
Caravajal replies that the cause in
which he is engaged is the cause of free
dom, and that the Americans who are
acting with him ere fighting il cause
as just and as righteous as that which has
inscribed on the same roll with that of
Washington, those other names, noble as
his allies, Lafayette, Kosciusko and Pu-
laski He enumerates the exactions of
the Central Mexican Government, says
his troops have scrupulously respected the
flag and official residence of the American
Consul, but that if the latter was woun-
ded while assisting the government troops,
it was his own fault. The practice of ma
tions in regard to the personal immunity
of Consuls is we'll known-they have no
higher or better rightto protection, when
a city is besieged and assaulted, than 9TH
er private persons.
When General Scott, during the late
war, battered DOWN the houses OF sumo of
the Consuls in the city of Vera Cruz,
and wounded and injured the inmates and
their families, neither they, their govern
ments, or the world, censured that dis
tinguished chieftain. He adds further,
that he has not violated the neutrality
laws of the United States. Ifthese laws
have been violated by any persons, the
government of the United States has the
power of redress in it's hands; its civil
and criminal courts are open for the main
tainance Gifts authority and dignity and
he is not aware that the military depart
ment of that government has any partic-
ular right to interfere in the punishment
of crime, whatever power it may as
sumo to prevent its commission.