New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-11
From The Rio Gransle.
rom the Brownsville Flag Of the a4th uls. we

From the Brownsville Flag Of the 2Ath ult. we
extract the following intelligence
Captain John 8. Ford, Of the Rangers, arrived
in our city yesterday morning, having just return
hundred miles in two days that trip, and if re-
ports from the other side of the river are true
came very near catching Cortina mapping
Full particulars of the affair at Ia Mesa on the
18th, and of the subsequent movements of our
forces, have reached us.
II appears that the commander of the Mexican
forces saw our troops cross the river and acknow-
lodged that he knew they were going to the Mesa
to attack Cortina. Our troops heard his spies in
the chapparal and threw ont q party to observe
them, hut no communication was received from
the Mexicans giving Information that portion Of
the National Guards were there
Our troops advanced, heard the g sentineIa
alerta of the guard, saw the picket run In to the
camp, heard the long roll beaten, and still moved
on. No challenge was given by the Mexicans, and
everything indicated an enenly's camp. They ap-
preached to within forty or fifty yards and fired
upon the corrals occupied by the Mexicans; the
fire was returned; some of the Mexicans fed to
the chaparral, and some shut themselves up In the
jacales and were made prisoners. And it was not
till after the officer in command had surrendered
that they learned that q portion of the National
Guards were there; upon which their arms and
other property taken in the fight were Immediately
restored.
Four Mexicans we're killed, and our party lost
four horses.
From Ia Mesa our forces returned to the river,
and camped at San Lorenzo. On the 18th they
started down the river, escorting the steamer Ram
chero, and camped at the Ballitas. AIT Id Bolsa
they killed the celebrated thief and cutthroat,
Faustino, Cortina's Indian Captain. On the 10Th
they left the river, and at rancho Maguey killed
Cortina man who fired upon them. On the 10th
they reached the Cayutan0 rancho, forty miles
from the Rio Grande del Norte, and, failing to find
Cortina, returned to the San Lorenzo the same
evening. At Ratamitas they found detachment
of Mexican National Guards, some twelve miles
nearer the river than they had been. On the 21st,
in pursuance of an order from Major Heintzelman,
they returned to the American side of the river.
They purchased their supplies, and the officers
were careful to suffer no one to modest the person
or property of any peaeeable Mexican.
Although the Mexican National Guards were ont
| at the same time searching for Cortina, their
search was confined to the rear of our troops and
generally between them and Matamoras, and had
previously been made mostly in front of Captain
Ford's Camp.
From the Prisnaa of the 18th we learn that the
Governor of Tamaulipas has ordered that Gortina
and his band shall be vigorously pursued until they
! are completely exterminated.
| We have no doubt that Governor Treviho is ex-
/ tremely anxious for such contamination; but il
4 he has been incredulous on the point, we have no
doubt the affair Of the 18th inst at Ia Mesa, where
a portion of the force sent from Matamores to at
| tack Gortina were found by our troops in his camp
4 half an hour before day-break, will satisfy him
that the Mexican soldiery are Cortina men.