The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-02
THE ATTACK ON THE DILIGENCE IN MEX

lCO.
The Extraordinary publishes the particulars of
the attack on a diligence near Vera Cruz, and
wounding of Capt. Aldham. Capt. Aldham's par
ty consisted of Mr.. Brett Mr.. Heslop and hardy
sailor named Harris, all well armed. They were
accompanied by Mr.. Glennie, English Consul of
Mexico, his family, his sister-in-law, Mrs. Kauff-
man, and Mime Malson, the companion in msfor-
tune OF Capt. Aldham. The whole company had
two diligences, which were escorted for part
of the way, and they reached Orizava in safety
Here it was supposed all danger ended, and on
leaving Orizava all the travellers appear to have
been quietly snoozing away in their seats, when a
short distance beyond Cordova they were alarmed
by the diligence stopping, and the cry of robbers.
The Extraordinary says:
Capt Aldham and his officers being in the first
diligence with Mrs. Kaufman and the unfortunate
French lady, they at seized their arms and
prepared for defence. Capt. Adham fired his pis-
o upon of the assassins at the side of the dill
gence, and then made dash to gain position
outside. AS he was alighting he was fred upon
and fell, the ball having passed through his thigh
The same discharge wounded Madam Maison. A
ball passed through the diligence and hit that un-
fortunate lady in the knee, breaking the bone in
such manner that her leg it is feared must be
amputated.
In the meantime Harris, the sailor, on top of the
stage, and Messrs. Brett and Heslop, the latter
having safely alighted the ground, were sus-
tanning a warm contest with the assassns who had
retreated short distance. The fight lasted until
three full rounds had been fired by the officers of
the Valorous, when the assailants availed them
selves of the still prevailing darkness, (for it was
about o'clock A. NJ, y to make off, taking with
them such of their companions as were killed and
| wounded. The original number of the assaiants
is believed to have been nine
Capt. Aldham and Madame Maison were taken
to Cordova and quartered in the house of Mr.. Le-
| grand where thew ivad tha atta Of Nv
GARLIC, OF Orizava, and the good offices of Messrs
| Grandson and Gennie. letter from Puebla,
the 18th, also records the following:
| The diligence that left this place for Perote on
the llth, was attacked two posts this side of that
| place by twenty seven robbers There were seven
passengers in all in the diligence, among them two
Americans, named McDye and Haley, and a
Frenchman, whose name have not learned. The
two Americans well armed, each having a
! rifle and a pair of revolvers.
On the appearance of the robbers the stage was
at once stopped, and the two Americans got out
! and commenced a sharp resistance The battle
waged for about an hour, when the robbers-those
who remained-retired, leaving three dead in sight,
two of whom were killed by Mr.. McDye, and the
other by the Frenchman. Two dead robbers were
afterwards found in the woods, and it is believed
that several more of them must have been severely,
| if not mortally, wounded.
On the part of the passengers, the Frenchman
received the worst wound. He was shot through
| the body, and is considered to be in a dangerous
situation. Mr.. McDye received ball in his side,
after it had passed through his left arm. Mr. Hal
| ley was not harmed. The coachman is said to have
received ball in his hat. To the of the pas
sengers nothing happened.
Another account says both of the Americans
were wounded, and when the Tennessee sailed
! were at Vera Cruz: The files are filled with ac-
counts of similar attacks upon travellers in all
parts of the country. Some charge them upon the
reactionary party alone, but others, with more
justice, probably, find sufficient cause for them in
the distracted state of the country and utter de-
moralization of the people,