Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-10
FROM THE RIO GRANDE.
EDITORS ooRRESPoEDENcE.
VALLEY OF THE RIO Gusspr. Nov. %. 1875

VALLEY or THE GKsSDE, Nov. 70, 1881.
Messrs. EDITORS Having on the Sth ultimo in
formed you of the cause and progress up to that
date Of the socalled revolution in Mexico we have
thought il might not be unacceptable to receive a
true statement OF affairs they now exist and of
occurrences which happened since the Sth
On the morning of the 9th the solemn boom of
a single gun announced to the inhabitants on both
sides of the river that Gen Avalos had declared
Maamoros IN STAFF siege, or in other words, had
proclaimed martial law" A short time previous
he had found it necessary for various reasons to- re-
duce the tariff to even lower scale than that adopt
ed by Carvajal at Camargo Such measure as
this might be objected to by the civil authority but
by declaring martial law in the town Gen Ayalos
rendered the act legal and took all the responsibility
of it upon himself His Government has fully APP
proved his course.
As the gun was fired, all the consular
flags which are not allowed to be displayed except
In times of popular excitement, were raised, and
from that time up to the Goth the town was kept in
continual ferment, half business half fear Large
quantities of goods were taken into the country under
Gen. Avaoss reduced tariff, and stored in the town.
some under the consular flags, in private store
houses. Patrols paraded the streets night and day;
| barricades were thrown up, and the tops Of the
houses fortified with sand-bags Families fed to
| this side and numbers of persons of different ma
tons were engaged in carrying their property to
place 1t under the consular flags of the different
countries, not certain that it would be safe even
there from the hands of the assailants.
In the mean time the persons on this side of the
river interested in the not inactive The
passage of goods into Mexico under Gen. Avalos tariff
was denounced as smuggling the United States
officer insuted in the street and the doctrine that foreign
flags should not and ought not to protect the property
stored under them openly advocated and even the wish
expressed that the United Satsag might be sued! Such
depravity scarcely be believed till it is witnessed
Exaggerated rumors of the force and proximity of Carva
jail ndustriousy circulated He represented as
being but few miles distant with force less than
$780, sometimes high 200 men, and daily gaining
strength.
On the 10th the commanding officer of Fort Brown dis
patched steamboat up the river with troops board
ascertain whether any armed parties crossing the
river into Mexico and if they were, to stop them She
returned the evening without discovering any thing
and the position of Carvaja camp known till the
night of the l7h when Capt Phelps received information
that situated about twelve miles above Brownsville
where the force supplied with provisions land from
the town. Early the next morning the United States
steamer Corvette with troops board sent up to
anchor opposite the camp and prevent the passage of
men, arms, ammunition. These orders were carried
by the officer in charge and the boat kept either
anchored opposite the camp running up and down the
river all that night and the day till the afternoon,
when she returned TO Fort Brown and Caryaja force
reported the march for Matamoros The boat wa
again the river perform the service during
the night of the 10Th As the of her observation
necessarily very limited nothing but the open viola
ton of the law could be prevented
The position occupied by Gen. Avalos this period was
critical one and fraught with many difficulties Having
but very small force of regular soldiers under his
mand his chief dependence upon the national guard
of Maamoros This body composed of the citizens and
is similar to militia. vast majority of its members
if indeed not the whole known to be in favor of
revolution, having for its principal object the reduction
the high tariff and the removal of the prohibitions These
avowed by Carvnal in his pronunciamiento OF
the objects which he wished attain Rumors al
ready in circulation that the guard had opened communi
cation with Carvajal with view to proclaimng in bis
favor and it became delicate point how conduct
affairs so as retain the fidelity of this corps General
Avalos has shown himself equal to the emergency of the
case; but great efforts his part unnecessary.
Other and powerful elements than he could bring
bear at work and the actual compo-
ston of Carvaals force fully known them than these
in body stood FORTH declared their adherence to the
Federal cause and their willingness aid the Federal
forces in repelng the invasion and maintaining the in
tegrty of their soil And noby, most noby did they
demonstrate their ability to do
The Goth of October 1851 viii long be remembered by
the inhabitants OF Matamoros and its vicinity The day
very windy, and the air filed with heavy clouds
dust sweeping along the earth thick almost OBJ
struct the vision AT p. NJ. several guns fred in
cesson mingled with the scattering rattle of small arms,
heard and looking in the direction of Fort Pa
redcs in the suburbs Matamoros flags waving upon
the highest points in the fort and moving of
could be ndistincty through the dim dusty atmo-
sphere The people this side rushed in crowds to Free
port opposite Fort Paroles, where revealed to them
the whole truth in its hdeous form The Mexicans
witnessed their degradation the Americans their dshonor
In the fort itself disorderly crowd of Americans
whocpng yelling and firing off their pieces like many
wild savages while higher up the river and behind brush
fence stationed another party which assiduousy kept
up scattering fire Of small against The suburbs there
being enemy in sight, and that position about four
hundred yard. distant being the where force
could possibly be concealed
In the time cheer after cheer upon the slightest
pretence rang through the air unfrequeny replied
from the American side Of the river and every thing
beokened that great many Of the under the
influence % liquor. Oh Il a humiatng sight to any
who cherished Of regard for his
try respect for her institutions IN his heart To
| men whom he knew were his countrymen, and who
bat recently had grossly violated the laws of his coun
try banded together armed with the instruments of death
aud destruction for tho purpose 81 attacking the
offending inhabitants 4 neighboring republic with
which ~ we're a pesoc and, with their blind fanatca