The New York herald., 1863-05-14
IMPORTANT FROM MEXICO.
>~~~~<
9 SIEGE Of PUEBLA CONTINUED.
|>>~>~~~~~~S~~Y>~~~.
z FRENCH MAKING SLOW PROGRESS.
~~r~~~>~>~~~~~>>.>~~~--
sEreneh Loss Four Thousand Killed
and Wounded.
Attn OF THE MARQUIS De oAIllEFER.
i
sRIVAL OF FRENCH RElNFORCEMENTS.
e Yucatan Pronunciamiento
q Hoax,
TO-, DO. h.

70 uO0sWR 1AVsAsAAAOAssAAsAOM
II q Hoax,
III TO-, DO. h.
Our Havana CorrespendenSe.
HAVANA, Nay 0, 1858.
Cbacfcs Nesps from ne 1r~eA side-6saHal ortepa's
eyaschs-Orrdsoms a. Novrascd by Him-S1ow Pro
res of Me Bsscg~s-Orsoa's D4Aminotiom to Hold
W to tie Ldrs-Co~thctsm0 Accounts of tie Batqs Of
IQigco- Yucstdn not Pronowuced fer tie French, dc.
40 English mail steamer from Vera Cruz, which left
thecd inst, arrived here day before yesterday,
from Pueba 10 the z3d ult.; but after allour
ectatioEs there is really nothing more important to
municate than that the forts In possession Of the Mex
; still hold out.
the great OF dctas Of the operations at Pueba
shed by the papers here and taken from French and
fean sources, we hnd nothing Of ofcia character
the French army, and IL is said that General Forey
given orders that nothing shall be commun cated 10
press But such q proceeding naturally gives ground
the suspicion thstmatters do not progress favoraby
therefore there is disposition 10 keep the world In
orance. In addition 10 this have tho strong, up
werable fact before rs that tho French are
1 yet in undisputed possession Of Puebla, after
ese Of thirty seven days, twenty-tw Of which have
% spent ID attempts to drive the Mexcans from the
nch excuse this by saying that Gen. Forey does not
artillery, md is anxious to spare hts men; but to be
70 the rstpart Of this statement Is to discredt ut
~ the daily dispatches Of Gen. Ortega, who mover
ts to mention that "the enemy continues tho bonn
dment with shot and she'll" In fact in one of these
patches to the Minister Of War, he relates that shell
m the French had killed one man and wounded seven
ers In regard to the French generals desire to
men nothing can be more natural and reasonable,
nothing be said against II; but am disposed TO
Ieve that the real truth fs Forey has met with
utter resistance than he expected.
30 got at the details Of this remarkable siege wo must
70 recourse to the only Official dispatches we can md
wing optional 70 beevoor not as one pleases These
;patches all Mexican-from Generals Orteea Conon
land number Of others serving under them. Gen.
egs, In despatch dated March 3o eight O'Clock In the
bnng, frankly admits the loss OF the Penitentnry and
abandonment OF the fort Of San Xavier after having
moved all the artillery from the latter with the loss OF
hundred men and two small pieces Of cannon
twenty hours later he writes that the enemy has
yeedislodged his from the blocks of houses In
rear Of St. Xavier notwithstanding they had kept up
vigorous fre Of artillery" without attempting as
alt. He adds that he has made arrangements have
blocks evacuated during the night The loes on his
4 on that day he puts down at one Thousand killed
4 wounded. He then says-"The enemy has continued
owing shells the city" mot into), and mcntions
return from the French camp OF the Vice Consuls Of
United States and Prussia, who had gone to ask that
and children be permitted 10 leave the city
omission which General Forey refused. He remarks:
he French General believes that the terror OF these
miles will oblige the garrison TO surrender but
is mistaken; for the army command. and l. very
pecaIly determined 10 defend the place block by
ock, and house by house, although all should become
ap OF ruins"
rhe next day. April l. he writes that he has abandoned
q above mentioned blocks, part Of which the enemy
ready occupied. On the day he rcoccupsd those
ich the French had chosen To- hold and puts his
down at about forty killed and wounded, with the
Ark that "today the firing has been weaker and less
quent." He adds that nine OF his officers have fallen
-isoners.
On the Cd he relates that the French assaulted the lit
square Of San AugusAn after having preached with
anery Of the neighboring blocks. They rushed
rough the breach occupied one OF the houses where
fight lasted three hours, the French finally being
tlsed leaving their killed and wounded and arms
mind them. That similar attack with similar result
Cured at he barracks OF San Marcos.
BY looking at the map OF Puebla you will find those
little to the north Of the Pententiary, which rs
luaied the southwest side Of the town. near the hill
st John.
The next despatch from the General Is dated April g.
70 P. NJ, which he commences by saying "The enemy
u not been able TO advance step for days he has
'encd breaches In the blocks occupied by our
rces, assaultng them subsequently, but every such
casion he has been repulsed." He says that the
the enemy commenced throwing shells and grenadcs
the church and convent Of 81. Augustin which they
cceeded In setting fire, rs well as private house In
Of the city, and again attempted 70 get posses
of f..t.
10 church question destroyed but the convent
saved on the same day they cannonaded for short
me the Fort OF 81. Anna, and deployed three small
luns on the eastern side OF the city for the purpose OF
connoiterine the ort OF Zaragoza but this as well as
10 forts o, Guadalupe and OF the engineers, having
ened Ore upon them, they were obliged 70 retire 10
eir camps.
ON the ih he writes enclosing the despatch OF General
ave, VINO comminded In the attack Can Marcos, In
hich be was wounded THIS oifcer says;-iThe enemy
cupy six blocks, including the Almshouse. The front
ID tanks this building occupied by u.s. The outlets
Morees are held by the enemy and cnnaced by
According 10 this admission the French had gained
ound The despatch continues 10 the effect on the
ght OF the 9th there was street night, In which the
ench were worsted, leaving one officer aud hrty-six
on prisoners, some killed and two wounded. Among
e Mexican losses was one captain killed.
must be uOted here that General Ortegas dispatches
ere all sent the OF General Comoniort who for
arded them the capital and they now reach us Ia he
lumns Of the Hraldo OF that ciiy.
General Com0niort, writing to the Minister on tha
Oh, mentions that on the preceding night the French
ropulsed attack on his nce, leaving fifteen of
eir dead the field.
Gen. o'lioran wrnes.on the 14th from ocotlan that
our Troops absolute certainty that Puebla will
4 be taken by the French army. Ia this conviction
10Y rest with their custanty aimed NJ the enemy
French prisoners and our spies asseEt that
10 French armys Convinced they cannot take Puebl for
'ery house ~ barricade and every block fortressD
calcu ates the number of proectles thrown into tho
AZ over thirty thousand and says the people 20 about
eir daily susness usual havog become accustomed
shot aud ahel. He says also that there lleLty VI
eat 10 bc had anduother edibcs, which find their way
rough tho be- icgers lines.
Gen. Echeagaray Gen. 0rtega that he had an
counter with The French the l3th beyond Cholna
or Ahxco, 40 which the hexcans remained masters Of
sed, capturing five hundred head OF cattle including
cyts horses and mules, three hundred sheep about
irty Arab horscs aud arms.
On the I0lh eeaera ortega writes that nothing Of i'm
rtance had occurred In Pueba that the French r"ro
Vagod n constructing work n Morces h. ,be
lth part AZ the city from which to attack the
blocks.