Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1852-04-01

"y VIII Is Always best! Hear me
not, Lord, hear me noti''
And her head dropped down upcn her breast.
And Death departed, and bore away her child
to the Unknown Land Writings of Hurs
Christian anderson.
--A-------
FROM THE RIO GRANDE. So
Battle between Carvayal's Force ana
skae MREkEnmee
The American Flag or Feb. %, published e
Bfo~nssiile, says: Our town has been the thea
tire OF intense excitement, in reference 70 a re-
cent battle near COmargo, between the forces Of
Gen. CaFvajal aud the Mexican troops, under
Gen. Canalcs and Col. Cruz. BY the arrival Of
the STEINER Tom Mckinney, ON the 25th in
slant, we are put in possession Of the result,
and we are truly rejOiced TO receive the assu-
rance that the loss Of life was not so appalling
and disastrous the Mexican official report,
received at Matamoras on Monday and Tuesday
led us to aprehend. The report of Canales is
TO the effect that the forces under Carvsial were
entirely routed and driven across the rivers San
Juan and Rio Bravo in such confusion that an
immense number were drowned; that forty
eight were found dead on the field, and twenty
four wounded. The account brought down by
those who were engaged in the battle with Car
vajal differs very widely as TO many important
details, but from what we can gather, the fol-
On Friday, 10th, Carvajal crossed the river
a few miles below Rio Grande City, and march,
ep slowly on toward Camargo. On Saturday
they were met by the forces under the Mexi-
can leaders-at this time the forces under Car
lvajal amounted TO an indefinite number, ranging
between two hundred and five hundred-reports
differ widey-sixteen Of whom were iIdi-
ans: also having twelve pound gun, and good
supply Of ammunition. The Mexican force
charged on Carvajal with uncommon impetuosi-
ty, with two hundred and fifty cavalry On re-
ceiving this first charge large body of Carva-
Ijars men broke and fed in great disorder. The
force which first commenced the stampede are
said 10 have composed the command Of Capt.
Nunez, and were mostly, if not all Mexicans;
but in their progress they took with them many
Americans. These fed the field and never dad
return. Those few, moi over eighty men, who
stood the onset, repulsed the charging party, by
the discharge of their gun, double loaded with
cannister, making great slaughter through their
; ranks. Tie charge was repeated three differ
lent times with like result. After this, the
Mexican force retired and cross ed the San Juan
river; also, about this time the remaining forces
of Carvajal left in small parties, il being now'
eleven or twelve o'clock at night, and quite
dark. In a few hours from that time the battle
field was deserted by both contending parties.-
Carvalal had left, they returned and took pos
session Of the ground without opposition, their
opponents having left their only gun, arnmuni-
4 tion, wagons, sc. The Mexican General re.
ports also one hundred and twenty stand Of arms
/; taken at the same time.
/ Col. Ovid F. Johnson, in making his report
4 to the Adjutsnt General of Carvsjal's forces
y says:
> ave have to deplore the loss Of ten Of Oul
men killed, and twenty three wounded including
> myself. We had, as have already stated al
: told, only two hundred and forty -four men o.
l. these, the Mexican squadron was acting - vim
: dettes, and was not in the action at all. The
: lCariso spies were in the commencement OF th'
: fight, but speedily ran away or skulked. About
seventy of the second battalion, and four OF thu
: first ran away early in the action; thirty -w'
were killed or wounded, and considerable
!. number were sccreted in the chapparul unde
u the river bank. The number Of men actuall,
engaged in the fight, and by whom the victor.
! was gained, very little exceeded fifty. Tn
number Of the enemy, from the most autheuti
~ information / could obtain, and upon which
fully rely, was about 700 men, 300 Of whol
lwere cavalry and lancers, and the remainder be
y, ing infantry, rifemen, and artilleTymen, wit
~ four pieces of cannon. The average number {
= shots fired by the enemy was six to our one
- 1t is believed that about three hundred and hft
y cannon shots were fired on the field by bot
u = Sides The battle lasted from two in the aftel
- noon. till half past four. whenthe enemy brok
and fed, after spiking two OF his guns. II
81 did not halt an Instant in the city Of Camarg
1u but rushed through the town, and IN such tIep
:, daiion, that am assured some twenty or thirl
1u I of his cavalry were drowned in the San Jual
as they plunged in TO escape us. The enemy
loss in killed and wounded was considerab
-. over hundred, and among the number wei
q, eight or ten officers Of rank in the army.
he SS,.-.-....a.1 - A ,.,,;t