The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-18

Rio GRAEDE CITY, Feb. % 1854
| Eds. Pic-On the 2Oth inst. Carvaj Al crossed
the Rio Grande with 244 men and "a pound
gun, and landed at Estradena, rancho about
two leagues from Camargo, which latter was
occupied by Canaes and Col Cruz, with 500
men, two howitzers, 12-pound, and two pound
The revolutionists were detained until the morn
ing of the 2lst, on account of the failure in
having the necessary transportation fur the guns
and ammunition. On tho 2lst they marched upon
Camargn, crossing the road between that and
this place, and striking the San joan river, and
then proceeding up the river towards towr.
About half a mile from the town they came
upon the government troops strongly posted,
with their left on the river and their right rest
ing on the chaparral, between the river and the
road from this place. This was about o'clock
in the evening. The notion commenced imme.
diately The forces of the government being
concealed in the chaparral, the hostile bodies
were within 400 yards Of each other before Car
jal discovered the position of Cruz The rev
olutionists were marching through some open
| fields on the river, and were in full view Of the
| enemy, which gave them immense advantages,
in addition to their superiority in force and artil.
| lery. Besides, Cruz had two hundred cavalry TO
about thirty under Carvajal. At the first dis
charge, Major McLean's Mexican battalion,
amounting to some 100 men, fled ingloriously
from the field leaving the small force Of Carva.
! jail much weakened. The Gringoes, however,
stood FAST ard the battle ragged for three hours
with the utmost fury. Cruz charged again and
again with his cavalry and infantry, and adj
vanced his artillery, in hopes Of capturing Col.
Wheat's IL FOUNDER but it was of no avail
After three hours hard fighting and repulsing
the enemy at all points, Carvsjal drove them in
| .,,tr -:
ton on the ground occupied by the government
troops, having left from sixty to seventy-fv
dead on the field. Carvajal's loss was eight
killed and some twenty wounded.
/ Night put an end to the contest. And then
one of the strangest and most extraordinary
scenes occurred ever recorded in the annals Of
warfare. When the troops were paraded on
the fieldrof victory, not over 100 effective men
could be mustered, and the smallness of their
numbers caused an unaccountable panic, and
about 10 o'clock at night'the officers ere CON-
PEELED to leave the field, desert their cannon,
their victory and everything. All crossed to
this side of the river At daylight an express
arrived, bringing the information that Cruz had
pursued exactly the same course. Victors and
vanqushed had taken different ends of the road
and had fled from the battle ground The
revolutionists Immediately recognized, crossed
back, arrived on the battle. aground, and were
again compelled to fall back on Uucle Sans
soil.
Expresses had also been sent to Cruz, who
stopped his flight and got back to Camargo
about half an hour before Carvaal, and had pos
sessed himself of the u FOUNDER Carvsjars
men are on this side dispensing and disorganized.
| Thus ends the revolution, for the present, at
least. Sic transit gloria mundi
w. T. Cake, clerk of Star county, was with
Carvajal, but had not been seen since the bat.
tie. There is report, which think too true,
that he was taken and hanged. He has friends
and relations in Kentucky H.