The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-06
Seizure ofU. =. Property il. Texas Collision


Bt5FPus
An expedition of 2D1 Texas trooDs under
General Nichols, went to Bra2os Santiago
Island, on the Rio Grande on the 21st ult. -.
on the steamer Arizona. to seize the Govern
ment works there. They We're held by Lieut..
Thompson. with Is men, who surrendered -
The News says:
The volunteers immediately landed march
ed mp and drew up III line. Lieut.. Thompson
received the new corners courteously. The
/ nlted states ilag was saiutPd by the latter
with the battery found in position. A. the
last gun was fired the United States flag was
hauled down, amid deep silence. Lieutenant
Thompson being evidently much NOV ed. He
simply hade the officers reweli and at once
left the island with his men. The Lone Star
ilag arose rs rapidly TO the ha2 stali~s sum-
init, and was greeted with cheer upon cheer
by the battalion until the close of the Texas
NATIONAL salute Of y guns The troops took
possession Of the T0omy barracks, and then
went to work dischargng their stores bag
gIng, equipaSe, &c., from the Rusk.
On Friday, the battalion went to work with
VIII TO place the park of artillery, carriages
shot, &c. on the steamer and the sloop. A
battery OF field artillery had been removed, by
Capt Hills orders, few days before. The
battalion arrived just in time to prevent other
orders he had given being carried out TO de-
stroy the gun carriages, munitions, and other
artillery stores and equipage, which abouuded
at I}razos Santiago. A party of fifty men
were on heir way from Fort Brown to carry
ont this project, when met by Lieut. Thonn-
son and his party on their way 10 Fort Brown
Gen. Nichols then went up the river, 25
miles, with one or two of his officers, to sum
mon the Rinreoid Barracks to surrender
They We're held by Capt. Hill with 30 L. :;
troops, who refused to surrender. The News
says:
Capt. Hill received Gen. Nichols, as Com
missioner on the part of the State, most un-
courteous iV-fleUollDripp him nd MN nc
"traitors:' threatening to have him arreS ted
rs one: further avoWiEg his in ntention to have
the General arrested by civil officer saying
he would send for the 200 men at Ringgold
Barracks (at Rio Grande City, and march
down and take back the island and the Fpde-
raj property. Gen. Nichols was calm but firm
throughout the interview.
Cne of the officers OF the Texas expedition
writes
We know nothing yet of what has occurred
at San Antonio between Gen Twiggs and the
State forces; but the officers at Fort Brown
those who are Chatty-sav that Capt. ii i'll
Will not obey any order Gen. TWiggs might
send him 10 turn the fort over TO Us, and eva
cuate the country. We will await reinforce
ments here. Ii we are attacked, the fight
viii be desperate. Our men are ready for it,,
and their minds are made up to resist TO the
last The commNd is IN excellent condition
is 10 health md discipline. The MeXicanS on
the other side look on eagerly. Their men of
property are with US.
Gen. Nichols returned TO Galveston on the
steamer on the 9th ult., for reinforcements.
The Civilian says:
1t is expected that the Rusk will leave Gal
weston tonight, with Il company from this
city, one from Houston. one from Liberty. and
one from Fort Bend county. With these re-
Inducements, it is thought the demands of
Texas may be enforced even without the ar
rival of yoiun teers from other counties, should
the order of the United States Commander of
this military department be disregarded by
Capt. Hill. 1t is sincerely hoped that the
first blOodshed will not occur il Texas