New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-05
THE SIEGE OF PUEBLA.

Our last dates FROM the City Of Puebla were
to April 9. French accounts assured US that
between April and April.9 the French troops
had taken possession of the Plaza dc Armas
and the Cathedral, and that they had at that
time under their control onebalf the city.
Mexican Dispatch, on the other band, which a
German paper in San Francisco had received
from a place 60 miles southeast of Acapulco,
asserted that during that period-from April q
to April 9-the French troops had suffered q
heavy defeat, and had been compelled to re-
treat 10 Cholula. In our issue OF Saturday
we showed that this last news was highly im-
probable, if not altogether impossible, and from
the absence Of later French accounts from Pu-
etls, we inferred that up to the llth OF 18th
OF April the siege had been progressing without
any new successes on the part of the French.
The last arrival from Havana confirms our
opinion in every particular. French steamer
had arrived at Havana from Vera Cruz, with
dispatches from Gen. Forey to the French
Government The Havana papers contain no
official accounts of subsequent movements upon
Puebla, yet the DieriO gives summary of the
reports which it had received. According to
these, the French dispatches from Puebla were
Il April II, or three days later than our pre-
vSsous information, Gen. Forey was said to be
entirely satisfied with the result OF operations,
wf,ch were progressing slowly and cautiously,
-bu. about the final issue OF which he had no
doubt. II was believed in Vera Cruz that the
English packet which was to leave on May 2
would take out the news Of the fall OF Pueba
Although all these reports rest only on hear
say. We have no doubt that SO much as con-
Germs the siege OF Puebla will be found TO DO
substantially correct. II the French had either
gained great success or suffered a serious de-
feat, we should have some more definite intel.
lgence about it. In the case Of great French
success in particular, Gen. Forey would hasten
to give it in Mexico the widest possible pub
lcity, as q means to increase the sympathy of
the Mexcans with the French invasion.
The DiariO mentions some other news. A
considerable cavalry force il said TO have made
"A sorte from Puebla IN order to Join Comon-
fort, but to have been compelled to return to
the city, and after suffering heavy loss. Gen.
Comoniort is reported to have been fanked
aud to find himself in a critical situation. This
report, however, even the Diario doubts
while, on the 9TH" hand, it regards as official
report that the fort Of Guadalupe is closely
surrounded, its communications cut OIL, and
the garrison likely to be compelled by starva-
ton to surrender. 1t further regards Us trust
worthy an account that the city OF Merida,
the capital of the State OF Yucatan, has pro.
nounced in favor of the Intervention, that the
whole neghboring country had followed this
example, aud that the (Liberal Governor Of
Yucatap had fed. IL is, Of course, impossible
tor rs to determine what part OF the reports,
ii any, is true, but the siege Of Puebla still
remains the most important question. Not.
withstanding our warmest sympathy with the
sacred cause for which the Mexicans ere tight
ing, we admit our fear, that the Mexican
SevastOpol will fall before the superior artil-
lery of the French. Its fall, We believe,
would prove turning point in the history OF
the INVASION.
Tha Interior designs Of the French Emperor
ars, without doubt contingent upon circuni-
stances. If ever . sovereign could be justly
compared to . chess-payer, it is Louis Nspo-
leon. Every new event in the affairs of other
countries modiies his plans. and suggests to
him pew moves " ths political che'a'board.