The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-28
The Importance ef Defends n Br.wn.y,I,,
TeYaN.


General II p Bee, who isteiv retnrnsd
from the Mo drande, whittier ne had b. en-
sent BY the Government, has furnished the
foiiad MssseHser with a statement of the sir
uation of affairs On the Rio Csrande, and some
OF the reasons why Brownsville should ne
defended. The statement 10 the substance OF
General Bees report 10 the Government
From 1t we take ths following extract;
Fort Brown has been repaired, and in s
short time could he made as strong aa sueh
works usually are. There are tventy-fiy
pieces OF cannon there; included in these Q
Hght battery, com piete, and ready Tor serv ics
In twenty minutes The horses are poor and
nnserylceabls, but mproving-about 30t
rounds OF ammunition for each piece, of tht
best description, and a good supply OF powder
and ball cartridges. There is one 10 inch
mortar; no piece over a 2e- FOUNDER. There
are at this time four companies Of Texss
men.
brownsville Is the depot Of the Mexican
sIaue. Last year Sl2, 900, 600 III bullion pass
ed throIgh The custom houss en- roase for the
united states. The imports OF eoods priu
cii,aiiy ory goods, is proportionaoly heavy.
All that traae Is now suspended--no dire ct
SUI Ipihehts nave arrived at Matamoras from
toreiSn ports-tWo VI ssels arriy wing from New
ofk under the British flag while / was
there one was wrecked; both were loadeo
with provisions and necessary supplies The
u al. tlaI
and German, and are friendly 10 our cause
ihey nave not made any eXtef sive arrap ge-
| mems lor llnporati0ns, OWN. 10 the uas
tied stare OF opinion concerning the raiSin o,
the oIocRade-it IT should not be done they
WIN airport directly to Matamoras. The
MeXlcans are neutral, the officers, civil and
military, profess and exhibit every desire to
cooperate with us In making peace and good
order on ! ne line, and We have aided in stop
ping Cortinas nom his forays in Texas TIE
MEXICAN population on this side of the river
are quiet, but not 10 be relied on in case o.
invasion.
By virtue OF commissions from the Lincoln
authofttes, TWO or three hundred Mexican
guerrilias could be mustered into the service
OF the United States, and depredate on and
destroy the stock Interests of Western Texas
once IL possession of Brownsville, we .coulc
not reaiIly di dispossess them 1t is go mile,
lrom the dense settlements OF Texas and g
dreary of sand OF fifty miles in terror.
My conclusions are, thatlt is of the utmost
linpor tance to the Confeder acy, that that 1,or
shGn!d be heid by 1t. Shut up and encom-
passed around, rs We men are it Is the only
point through which we can correspond OF
communicate with the nations of Europe-b,
the expenditure OF capital and energy, every
supposabie supply for our port or people ca 1
be brought to Matamoras from abroad. l,
Will keep quiet and neutral a large and IN
some things efficient force of 4 race EN- mbittar
Oh against US by real Or imaginary wrongs
dating Dack twenty years. by means of tn,
steam boats now At Brownsville the enem,
could transport force 10 Ringgold Barracks
and thence by forced marches over a goo,
road, be al San Antonio III u DAYS, l,agisr n,
Enemy iB the rear, but on tha contrary a wilIips
ana usetEi ally to keep up their Counectiou
| 1t is The most feasible way To invade Texas
| brownsville should either be defended al
| gwen up at once and the cannon Withdrawn
1t Will be too late when the enemy lands A
| lew men--h thousand mer-WIIl ONLY n,
| caught IN the trap, for thtSe ia no retreat TIL,
gloomy desert of sand will prevent the can
non being saved The enemy will not Ian,
| with less than 10000 men. The material o
| war there ia worth its weight in gold 10 ou
cause II will be lost within tW months. /,
my opinion, and irreparable damage TO Texa
ensue. Not less than 5000 men ought to b.
| permanently there, extending up to For
| Mcintosh. An officer should com mand VIII,
! speaks the Mexican language and unders and
| the people, and If he is wise and firm he viii
keep he p peace with Mexico. and make then
useful friends.