Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-09-22
Our Mexican Allies.

The telegraph brings US some singular
news from Texas. 1t is reported that while
Cortinas, a Republican Mexican General,
was engaged in battle with and was defeat
ing the French and Imperialist Mexicans
upon the southern bank Of the Rio Grande,
the rebel commandant at Brownsville, Col.
Ford, from the Texas side, attacked Cortinas
in the rear. While Ford was helping the
French, an Illinois regiment, from Brazos
Santiago, appeared and defeated Ford.
Cortinas, after driving the French under
the protection Of the guns Of their own fleet,
returned to look after the rebels under Ford.
He sent force of FIVE hundred of his men
across the river TO sustain the Illinois regi
ment, whilst he sent an order for the Liberal
army at Matamoras to join him. Thirty-eight
hundred men-(other reports say that his
whole force amounted to but two thousand,
and that the French defeated were but a
few)-came to his relief, and he marched
to the old battlefield Of Resaca de la Palma
to give Ford battle, but the rebels took re-
fuge and fed into Brownsville. The next
day Cortinas, indignant at the cowardice
Of the rebels, and grateful to the Federals.
crossed his men over the Rio Grande, besieged
Brownsville, drove the rebels in confusion
therefrom, and hoisted the Stars and Stripes.
We must presume that he was accompanied
in the attacks on Brownsville by the Illinois
soldiers, and that the regiment remained
in possession of the town. 1t is not pro-
bable that Cortinas had the numerical
strength reported, although he is a very brave
and chiralric soldier. 1t is not the first
time that he has whipped the Texan rebels,
being an ardent sympathiZer with our Union.
Cortinas was Sheriff of Cameron county,
Texas, in 1859, and was outlawed by the
Texans in consequence of some difficulties
with them, in which he claimed they robbed
him of all his real estate. With a mere
handful of men he besieged Brownsville in
1860, and came near reducing the place, and
even put the citizens of San Antonio, the
largest town in Texas, in constant fear of at
tack. A force Of several hundred Texan
rangers were sent against him, which he
ambuscaded with less than one-ffth Of
their number. He killed about twenty,
captured their artillery and arms, and sent
the remainder flying in great disorder to
San Antonio for shelter. For some months
he was the terror Of all Southeastern Texas.
A reward of 5000 was offered BY the Tex
ans, and General Sam Houston sent Angel
Navarro as special commissioner, to en-
deayor to settle the difficulty after the defeat
of the Rangers. Government troops were
nnally sent against SoIlludS, 0uu nc EetIeaLeu
across the Rio Grande in Mexico. A large
force of Rangers at one time pursued him
into Reynosa, but were surrounded in the
Plaza Of that town by the troops Of Cortinas,
and compelled to ask permission to retreat
across the river, without firing shot. From
that time to the outbreak of the rebellion, he
kept crossing and recrossing the Rio Grande,
to the terror of the whole State, and pursued
his retaliatory measures with the utmost
daring and bravery. Since the commence
ment Of the rebellion, he has been constant
and answering friend of the Union, and
terror to the rebels, whom he has annoyed
on every opportunity, and harrassed to such
an extent that it may be said with truth that
he has accomplished more for the Union
cause than any Of our Generals in Texas:
He is Of highly respectable family, and will
yet make his mark as great General.
According to Colton's Atlas, Brazos, San
tiago, Is on the Gluf of Mexico, about ten
miles north Of the Rio Grande. Bocadel, or
boca del Rio, is at the mouth Of the river.
brownsville Is on the north bank of the river,
about forty miles from its mouth. Matamoras
Is about ten miles further UP, on the southern
bank OF the river. Resaca de la Palma is ten
miles north Of Brownsville.-Aka.