The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-11-17
BY TELEGRAPH


s..... NEW YORK, Nov. 16.
The Herald's advices from Gen. Banks ex-
pedtlon are up to the afternoon OF the lth
inst. The expedition landed safely on the
Texas shore of the Rio Grande, after losing
one or two vessels in norther, but no lives.
A boats crew and seven soldiers were, how
ever, drowned while disseminating.
The rebels evacuated Fort Brown setting
fire to the works there. Brownsville was also
set fire TO by few rebel cavalry, but the
Union men turned out aud extinguishcd it.
when the rebel cavalry were joined by seces-
sionists in the town, and terrible street fight
was going on the houses burning around them.
The 10Th Maine regiment was Immediately
ordered to march on the place, A Maine reg
iment was the first to land on the Texas shore.
and an Iowa regiment almost Immediately
after them. Their regimental flags were
raised almost simultaneously
The following details o. the Texas expedi-
ton are compiled from the Herald's cores
pondence, dated at Gen. Banks headquarters:
For three days after leaving the Southwest
Pass the expedition had pleasant weather. On
the morning of the Both heavy norther was
experienced, raging twelve hours, during
which the steamer Union and two schooners
went down. The steamer Zephyr had her
machinery broken, and was taken in tow by
the gunboat Owasco. The whole fleet, with
the exception of the Union and the two
schooners, all arrived at the rendezvous on
the Sd. The landing was first made on Bra
EOS Island, and the 18th Me-, Col. Dwyer, ac-
compauied by Major Won Hermann, of Gen.
Banks staff, started for Boza Chica, took pos
session of the pass and encamped there, throw
ing out pickets. On the 3D., after a reconnois-
sance of the mouth OF the Rio Grande, land
ing was effected on the Texas shore. A high
surf was running, four boats were capszed,
and snl1iprs and w. cailpra
drowned One of the boats after returning
from landing the men, succeeded in picking
up large number of those in the water, and
the Mexican shore being much nearer than
the other, the bow of the boat was turned to
it, but the Mexicans would not allow it to
Land, and the boat was compelled to recross
the river to the Texas shore, where all were
landed safely. The landing of the troops in
the other boats was effected without difficulty,
and during the whole time not an armed YES
sci was seen.
Wednesday,, Nor. 4.-The troops ae all
safely disembarked The men are in excel
lent health and spirits. The horses are being
slowly transferred from one steamer to anoth-
er, the motion of the sea outside the bar rem
dering it both difficult and dangerous.
Fire O'Clock, Z. M.-We have Just received
official news of the greatest Importance. The
government buildings at Fort Brown were
III.
preparatory to their evacuating the fort
From the same source we learn that about
this time squad OF sixty cavalry, which had
witnessed the landing at the mouth of the
Rio Grande, dashed into Brownsville and COM
menced setting fire to the buildings, with the
intention of burning the town.
Property holders and Union men resisted
them, when the secessionists Joined the caval-
ry, when bloody street fight took place which
lasted all the afternoon, the buildings burning
In every direction around them. The fight
was still going on when the messenger left for
the purpose OF communicating the news to
the General commanding.
The 18th Maine regiment, which was in the
advance at the time, at once received orders
to march without delay, and by daylight to-
morrow morning this regiment, with Others in
supporting distance, will be in Brownsville.
The same correspondent states that he
counted thirty-seven blockade runners in the
Mexican waters of the Rio Grande. On the
appearance of the fleet off the Texas shore. a
series of fires was soon lighted all along the
coast by the rebels.
On the I'd boat was picked up containing
two deserters from the Texas cavalry, who
stated that three rebel regiments had lately
been sent from the Rio Grande to Galveston
and Sabine Pass, and a regiment of cavalry
had been sent to Houston, where Magruder is
said to be. Most of the rebel army is scatter
ed at different points.
small rebel gunboat is said to be in Salu-
RE Bayou on Matagorda Island. Near Salurie
is large fort mounting nine guns.