Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-02-05

activity Of commercial city.
Your readers are already aware that
Mexico is engaged in life and death
struggle. Her very existence as separ-
ate and Independent member of the family
Of nations depends on the struggle which
her patriots are making, and the blows
they are striking, TO free her from the
grasp of the French Emperor. II they
fail, che goes down to rise no more. She
will be like Algiers, mere dependency of
the empire. Next TO the success of the |
cause Of the Union nothing ought to inter- |
est true American more profoundly than
the cause Of liberty and Union in the
neighboring republic, which once really
attained would result in the regeneration
Of Mexico. This by way of introduction.
Something less than two years ago Don
Jesus de La Serns, who was educated at
the University of Kentucky, was chosen
Governor OF the State of Tamsulipas.
About the time he took his seat as Govern
or the French forces laid seige to Tsmpi-
co and the city surrendered. The state
being thus actually invaded. President
Jusrez issued a proclamation declaring the
state to be in " "coudition cf SIEGE" and
establishing the law martial. Farther to
checkpate the purposes of the French par
ty, which, though vastly in the minority,
still does exist, as those noisy patriots the
Vslsndighsms, Woods, Seymours, Wood
wards, and Medarys did exist in the North
prior to the recent elections, They're dead
uow, albeit unburiedD President Jusrez
appointed military Governor. When
our forces arrived at Brownsville we
found that 9 revolution had occurred in
Matamoras. The occasion was that the
then military Governor was about to raise
the French flag, thus betrsying the Gov
ernment that had placed him in position
Of power and influence. Having svowed
mis- purpose to General Cortiua, who was
the commander of the forces along the
Rio Grande, the latter had him at once led
out and shot
Having thus summarily dealt with the
perfdious Governor, (Cabos,) Cortina at
once called on the civil Governor, SerDs,
to exercise his functions, the French hav-
ing evacuated Tsmpico on account Of the
yellow fever, and the state being no longer
in & state of seige" Serna was there
fore duly installed, and has exercised the
functions Of his office until within few
days. Meantime the Juarez Government
while sanctioniDg the shooting of CabOs
insisted on the maintenance Of the law
martial, appointed Don Manuel Ruiz mill
tsry GovernoE
This appointment deeply offended COrtina,
and only after long negotiation would he
/ permit Ruiz with his force to enter the
city. II was finally agreed that Cortins
should receive q round sum Of money
rumor says twenty thousand dollars ia
| gold-snd should leave the city and head
his forces against those of the French at
| rampico. No sooner had Ruiz been in
stalled than the bad blood OF Cortins be-
gan to msnifestitself; he refused to march
to Tampioo unless . certain sum Of money
we're paid him. On the 18th ultimo he
vas peremptorily ordered to leave the city
with his command; this he refused to do.
Meantime, one Of his principal officers
Colonel Cordinss - having gone to the
headquarters of Ruiz, and having grossly
insulted the governor, was apprehended,
and on making resistance, was st once shot
| by the guard. A conflict of arms at once
began. Cortina occupied the Plaza, which
is the principal market; while Ruiz held
the Cathedral Plaza.
| "A furious csnonading ensued; while rat
Ting volleys of mus sketry, the bTaying Of
bugles sounding the charge, and the shouts
Of combaitants filed the interlude. No
sooner had the battle begun than General
Heron received a note from Mr.. Pierce, the
| American Consul at MRtamoras, asking
protection for himself and the American
citizens there resident This was all the
more necessary, as the foreign citizens had
generally deposited their money with our
Consul He had in his possession over
one million in specie. General Heron was
not slow to act; in fifteen minutes he had
our brigade under arms. We at once
crossed g detachment of the Twentieth
Wisconsin, a detachment of the Ninety
/ fourth Illinois, and one section OF Welfey's
First Missouri Battery. This, at nine
o'clock in the evening, promptly formed on
he Mexican side Of the river, and advanced
into the town. We threw forward skir-
mishers, and to the merry music of Yankee
Doodle, marched to the Consulate. All
fighting ceased in cur vicinity we took
possession Of the square in which the
Consulate is situated, and though the ran
dom shots Of the enemy fell among US quite
frequently, fortunately no American was
aurt The battle ragged all night. At day
light we escorted the Consul and his family,
with the principal vsluzbles Of the AmeTi-
can citizens, to Brownsville. The fight
closed about nine on the morning Of the
| 18th. Cortins having obtained the msste-
ry, and having driven the Governor forces
from the field, the latter hsstened TO cross
The river into Texfs. Governor Ruiz came
into town yesterday with his body guard,
and nearly all his adhereuts are now in
Brownsville. C9rtins is master Of the sit
ustion. About fifty men were killed and
one hundred wounded.
A large number Of rebels who had fed
into Mexico on our taking possession Of
Brownsville, and are now in Matamoras,
had food for reflection while the fight YVES
going on; many of them had money in
considerable sums This was the strongest
reason to both parties to rob them. They
had atjured their country, and could not
| ask the protection OF its flag; while every
honest American had but to place himself
beneath our consular hsg, to insure a most
deHSESAtla4 IesPSc6 AVA hiAnsSlA anu PAOP-
erty-these fellows, in mortal fear Of as
sassinstien and robbery, not daring to go
into the streets, narrowed in cellars and
dark closets, melancholy examples Of the
fate that awaits the authors and the aiders
and abettors Of this rebellion. Never Wss
I prouder of the flag Ct my country never
did appreciate the value Of American
citizenship so highly as when saw the
Difference paid to American rights by even
the ignorant seldiery of Mexico in the
| midst Of furious combat. When marching
out of Matamoras it became necessary to
pass through street in which the fight
was raging hot. The regimental band
struck up Yankee Doodle and with firm