Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-11-22
The war on the Rio oGranae---Excl,ement

1
The Despatch published Saturday stated that it
was almost certain that Brownsville Texas. had
been captured by the Mexican bandits under Corti-
mas and that the Mexican population on both sides
of the Rio Grande were in arms against the Amer
leans. These statements 1t is 10 be hoped are con-
acknowledgements but the previous accounts
were exceedingly threatening. The Brownsville
Flag (extra) contains the following details of occur
rences anterior to the reported capture of the town
1t appears that force had been organized in
Brownsville for the purpose Of attacking Cortinas'
band 1t was composed of about 60 rancherOs and
20 Americans on our side and 80 of the Matamoras
infantry under 1t Col. LHrunea the force from our
| side being under the command of Capt. Thompson
| They carried with them four FOUNDER belonging
to the Mexican forces, and a fOur-pound howitzer
belonging to Captain Kennedy. They arrived at
| the rancho of COrtinass mother, which they found
in possession of about twenty men, who retreat d
after firing one or two vOlleys During the firing
the cannon of the Americans rebounded and fell off
its carriage. Six OP seven mounted Americans went
and retook the gun, but being unable to remOunt it.
and failing get any assistance from the infantry
they finally abandoned it.
About this time the route of the attacking party
became general. Most all Of the mounted men had
left the majority Of the infantry followed, and at
last the few that had remained with the little how
itzer at the carra finding themselves unaided and
so few in number that they unable TO put the
gun into the river or destroy the ammunition as
they desired left also Antonio Espinasa and others
got il into the river afterward, but COrtinas has
since got it out. The preparations for the eXpedi
ton were miserable; few had percussion caps for
more than four or five charges; many of the car
tridges were found to be large for the muskeJs
and at the close of the attack, when an attempt
made to rally it was found that there not suff
'ant ammunition for a single round. As it is, COrt-
mas won q victory, and Is in possession Of two very
efficient uieces of artillery, all the ammunition be-
Ionging 10 hem, q large keg Of rifle powder and
some 1rovisiouS which were were on the route when
the flight took place. FROM TIE reports OF OoL Lu-
runca and Mr. Thomas Cartinas has some 25Oor 300
man hut others estimate IS forces as far leS. But
few of the bandits We're Al any one tllne Cor
tinas will now be able greatly to lnC"Sase MS Dahu
having artillery and the prestige OF victory 10 a41
him. On the oath ult, he again stopped the u. >
mail coming from Laredo, egt 1t open. examined
each letter in it. opening all but two, kept the mail
rider until to-day and then sent hm 4oWn with such
of the open letters and way bills As he did not care
to retain This mail rider left him examining the
contents of the mau Whlch hau arrived that iIotI
ing from BrowHSFille.
Some seventy felOas under sentence IN the prls-
ons of Victoria had b9eB released by the pOpu-
lace and had levied their contributions on the
rich of that place. they nave since recruited
others until it is reported that they have large
band who are visiting and rObbng the RANCHES
and they expect finally to make their way cut to
MatamOras and Brownsville. The daily and night
cry citizen capable OF carrying arms IN quarters,
and the twenty-fouF pound hOWitZers aud nine
pound carrOnnade are posted at three pFoll-
nent points, which defended By barricades,
while the entrance to the city is Obstrqcted by
others 1t has been ascertameQ that COrtnaS has
been sending out his scouts in strong bodies, gath
ering up horses and driving off cattle 1t was re
ported at MatamOras that from thirty to forty of
the desperadoes, who escaped from the Victoria
prison. had succeeded in joining Cortinas band, also
that he had obtained some S6OOOi built not known
how he got it
The mails left for Corpus Christi and Luredo in
the morning and a return mail should have come
in from the former place on Thursday, and from
the latter on Friday, but neither mail or riders
have come in. No doubt Cortinas has taken them.
1t will be idle to send the mails hereafter, unless
well guarded
At daylight, on Friday, one of the picket guard
on the outskirts of the town saw two armed men
skulking in the bushes, but they took fright and
fed About dark the same day, Mr.. Campbell
printer by trade, and deputy sheriff, who has
family living in the suburb Of RamlrenO, about
a mile and half above town, went up to see them
he rode a good horse and armed with
Sharp's rifle and a six-shoOter a Mexican went up
with him. also mounted 4 good horse. They
had hardly got into the house when ten heavily
armed bandits surrounded them, took Mr.. Campbell
prisoner took his horse and arms, also robbed the
Mexican of his horse, saddle and bridle made
prisoners of four well-disposed Mexicans living at
Ralnireno and took them all of, except the who
accompanied Mr.. Campbell, towards the camp of
Cortnas. The families Of the prisoners are in the
greatest distress
| ting from brownsville on the I'd inst, says:
Since wrote you this morning have heard that
Co-tinas is making his arrangements to march on
Brazos and Point sabel This may be tt Ue not.
n is the very move a man ought to make under the
circu ms tances in which he fnls himself placed. He
knows he cannot take the town, except by fire. with
ont qreat loss of men. If he burns us out, he de-
stroTs all that is valuable to him. There olde"
| heads than his now in h camp. He knows O.
| + venty-four pound howItzers Outreach his guns,
therefore his artillery is of little use except for
| uy,ance His plan is now, think, to take posses
sion of BraZos and Point Isabel, which he can do
without firing shot. The goods in the custOm-hOuse
! are valuable. There are stored at Brazos some Of
tie best guns, from sixpounders to sxty-eights, in
| the United States service The brass batteries Of
SKIES and twelve-pOunder guns all stored there
with all kinds of ammunition, and plenty of it. The
batteries complete, and the guns all mounted on
their carriages, besides all the various munitions of
| war He can take all the lighters and transport
| what he wants to Point Isabel. He has the whole
motive transportation power on the Rio Grande at
his disposal He can transport by land or water, as
he chooses
He can plant battery at the graveyard, or some
commanding position, and bring us to terms if he Is
| the man take him to be. He has in his camp re
tired officers of the Mexican army, and some other
despe~adOes, who broke prison at Victoria Mexico,
and who now control him in measure Cortinas
cannot now stop in his career and disband his men,
if he were so inclined TO do. His men live on meat
alone; some have expended all their means, and
they clamorous for vengeance and plumber, and
they will make one desperate effort before they VIII
| disperse.
This Is not idle speculation is natural he should
take this means, it is the only way left open TO
him. There are plenty of sympathizers with him.
both this side and the other and he Is not open
ly applauded IN Mexico lie is secretly, and has the
advice of men on the right side OF the Rio Grande
superior in military matters to any We have here at
the present time The whole Mexican population
with but few exceptions, are with him in feeling;
there is no doubt of this and the only exceptions are
| men who have large stock interests here, and can