The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1860-02-18

I naSe JUST Expressed 70 any ore VINO may de
sire 10 know them. r..
Accept Il my best wishes.
Yours sruly, Mn.Fs FAVOR
STARTLING NENs!!
The Steamer Rarchero a
THE RIO GRaspEs1 {,
! Battle Fo.,er M~h so1A
III the steamship Arizona, Captain Smitl
Which arrived here yesterday, we haveiate p
important intelligence from the Riy
She brings aiilstgs Of another eng
tween the Texas Rangers aud the Mes
ssuerrilas, under Gortifsa. in which The !
were defeated, The engagement took pIae
the Iili. on the Mexican side af the river
iae steamer Ranrhero, with q val
cargo Of merchandise, was attacked oil
wavstiown from Rio tifahde City, but she
corded il reaching brownsville without sus
faliling any material damage.
An extra from the Office Of The Brownsville
Faag. dated the 5th iasi!, contains the sub
tjaiaed Iaftictllars ii ttic fiebt and Of lie ont
rage upon the steamer Rallchero
t AAAhI 49, iIiStfAs5 tAu G0AllGFS, ! IN. s9IfAF
horn and Nat. White, arrived from the s,eatne,
Rancllero with dispatches for Major Tieitzel
man, q. S. A.. from Col. Ford, conimatJiua
the Hangers, and 1t. I.angden, u. S. a., ant
. letter TO Capt. Kennedy iron Edward Dow.
hey. Fsq., written at the instance ef Cart
Martin, Of the Rancliefo, which contain ils
startling information that the steamer was at
tackled al a place called the Balsa, thirty-siS
mites a1ese this city, at . o'clock Yesterday
by Mexieans from The Mexican side Of thu
Rio Gr:inae over which none have been sur
prlsetl, since it was known that the Rancherc
had q valuable freight and was unprerarea to
withstand an attack from any considerable
force.
Cttl, F'ura and Capt. Littleton, who left This
place with their companies on Thursday last,
arrived opposite the steamer almost at the in
slant OF the atfack, where they met Major
T0bin and Capt. Tonilinsur, with their forces,
who had been the means, says Mr.. Downey In
bis letter, tt protecting the boat OIL her trip
down from Rio Gramle City. Shots were ex-
changed between the Rangsrs and the Mcxi-
eatls, during which, Col. Ford SAYS, sone 81
MY men was MORALLY wounded z and finding
that the steamer could not be protected other
wise, he says,S.,I have determined to cross the
river. z
From Mr.. Strayhorn, Of Ford's command,
we have obtained the, following condensed
statement, which We regard as altogether re-
liable
UPON The landing Of the Rangers on the left
bank of lie river, who had been compelled to
cross under d fire from The enemy, a severe
conflict snsaed tl,e Rangers slowly advancing,
until the enemy made u stand about three
fourths Of a mile above the boat, on tile bank
OF The river, at which place an active engage
tnent took place, and lasted without intermis-
SION Tor three quarters of an hour, during
which time a messenger arrived and called to
the guard on this SIDE for an immediate supply
ef sharpe's rifle cartridges, which were at
once crossed over To- him in the steamers
smallsbaat ; he also brought d dispatch from
Goi, Ford directing the Steamer to ascend the
river for The purpose Of bringing her cannon
TO bear upon the enemy, who, the courier said,
were strongly 4 forted up " near the river
ballk. A lew minutes before the courier left,
the firing had ceased from what caase is nm
known. bat we suspect Col. Ford had fallen
back TO await the arrival of the steamer with
the cannon. sS
Since the receipt Of this information The
most intense excitement has prevailed on both
sides Of the river. and the war feeling has been
raised to q higher pitch than ever. We are
INSURED that the authorities Of MataInoras
have sent ont, since eleven o'clock last uigi,t,
y o. three armed parties whilst Cal. Lock.
ridge who was upon the eve If departure for
NeWOrleans, feeling that his services might De
needed, starred IN company with some twenty
i've more volunteers, At 2 o'clock r. M, to-day,
up the river 50 that, from oil appearances,
bait IS open and a war has really COM
menced.
Robbery has followed robbery, murder has
murder, invasion has followed i1kva.
sion. perfidity has followed peridiry, Id snch
quick succession during the past four months,
that oagsaA nlerican population is hi q state Of
[reltzied hewilderlneut !; not knowing and little
caring ssat ctarse is to fall upon the Rio
Gralsse Valley. Gar Government. fnkt be-
the most impotent an earth, moves
not Black Relublicaliism has rendered Con-
ggress deaf 70 every American feeling, aId the
yyrave OF Washington palsates With more pa,
l%rlotls1, Than the powers who rule this lind Of
boosted Liberty.