The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-02-01
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ToTKE
Portland Daily Press.
FROM TEXAS AND MEXICO.
Expected Attacks on Port Hudson and
Baton Rogue.
Rebel Mutiny at Forts Morgan
and Gaines.


dispatches from Gen. Banks.
Adyices from Matamoras report another
| revolution, and Cortina is again in power
Cortina was placed second in command OF the
troops to march against Tampico, and used
his power to again make himself Governor.
A Mobile Bay letter of the 9th inst, in CIV
ing an account of the attempt to destroy
rebel steamer aground on the bar, reports
| quite fight between Fort Morgan and our
| fleet. We received no damage, but were I'M
| able to get the steamer out.
There was considerable fighting among the
Mexicans in Matamoras on the 18th inst, DUR
| ing which Gen. Heron. commanding our
| forces, dispatched the 10th Wisconsin, Oath
| Illinois and five pieces of the LIST Wisconsin
| Battery across the river. All but the 10Th
| Wisconsin bvouacked Oh the bank, but this
regiment went almost up to the Plaza, and
spent the night in front of the residence of
| the American Consul, who next morning.
was escorted to Brownsville, together with
| S2,000,000 belonging to Americans and the u.
| S. Government
| When Gen. Ruiz felt compelled to return to
| the Texas side of the river, he was accom-
| panied by large number of followers. Some
POO OF them retained their arms, which they
delivered up to the U. S. Provost Marshal of
the post, as the commanding general could
not permit armed foreign soldiers to remain
on American soil. They were most hospita-
bly, received by our troops, who sympathized
with them in their defeat, which was owing
to other causes than lack of courage.
The fight on the night of the 18th was not
very sanguinary. About thirty were killed
| and ninety wounded ON both sides. Cortina
had good artillery and good rifles, while Ruiz
had poor firearms. OF course the result was
| in Certina's favor.
Cotton at New Orleans was firm, and stock
| light and prices is Lac higher. Molasses
dull and neglected, the supply being Of the
| poorer grades.
Advices from Havana report Juarez at
Monterey, and would retire to Texas il hard
| pushed.
News from San Domingo reports no lighting
The steamer Havana, from New York, ar
rived on the 10Th.
Admiral Farragut was given reception at
the House of Gen. Banks.
Private letters from Texas state that the
rebels are In strong force at Brazoria, about
fifteen miles inland, on the Brazos river. 1t
is stated that 10000 have been concentrated
| there, at the mouth of the river and on the
coast Immediately around the mouth. Forti-
| ilcations mounting twenty-four guns have
been erected, but with the assistance of the
| Navy it is thought that not much difficulty
| will be experienced in capturing the place.
Major Gen. Reynolds has relieved Col
| Beckwith in command of the defences of New
| Orleans.
A free State convention for the nomination
| of candidates for State officers will he held in
| New Orleans on the LIST of February. The
names now mentioned as most prominently in
connection with the Gubernatorial chair are
Judge Whitaker and Hon. Michael Hahn.
| Hon. Mr.. Durant can have the nomination if
| he will take it.
A New Orleans letter says Capt. Maine,
/ commanding a Federal gunboat, was captured
at st. Francisvlle by rebel cavalry scouts, and
| being recognized as an ex-eDgineer on the
| rebel gunboat McRea, was sentenced TO be
| shot. Repeated demands were made for his
release by the fleet, which the rebels would
not comply with, and the village was destroyed.
News from Baton Rouge reports the capture
| of scouting party under Capt. Earl.
| The same correspondent says an attack is
expected at Port Hudson and Baton Rogue,
and large reinforcements have been sent there.
Gen. Banks has pledged himself to the Free
State committee to so modify the Louisiana
constitution as to exclude negroes from the
| representative basis.
The secession pastor of the McGekee Meth
odst Church of this city, the Rev. Mr.. Davis,
| preached last Sunday to large congregation
| of Unionists, who bad assembled to listen to
| Bisop Ames. Bishop Ames was present, but
was not invited to seat In the pulpit. The
affair has created much feeling in the city,
The Bishop comes empowered by the War
| Department to take charge of the Methodist
| Church, and is now proceeding in that direc-
ton. An army chaplain has been assigned by
him TO each of the Methodist Episcopal
| churches in the city, and he will himself
preach to day in the McGekee church.
A private letter from Texas gives an ac-
count of the destruction of a rebel cotton
gunboat near Port Cavalla on the Slst ult. by
the Sciota.
New YORK, Jan. 81.
The Herald's New Orleans letter says
was reported that he had arrived off Mobile
| with the intention of commencing an attack
4 against that stronghold.
further report was also circulated that
the garrison OF one of the forts at the en-
trance of Mobile harbor had broken out in
open mutiny, that force was sent by the au-
thorities to quell the disturbance, and that the
mutineers opened upon it with the guns of the
forts, driving it back with great slaughter
This rumor probably arose from the fact that
there is considerable disatiection among the
troops garrisoning Forts Morgan aud Gaines,
and that many of the soldiers had deserted
and joined our fleet at the entrance of the
harbor. These deserters also reported that a
regiment of cavalry, 600 strong, stationed a
short distance in the rear of Mobile, absolute
ly refused to serve any longer and the ai-
| WcIc W pcTSudue them Win
kind words TO return to their duty, but up to
the latest accounts were unable to do SO.
also learn that many of the citizens OF
Florida, at Pensacola, and on the penins ula,
are enlsting in the Union army, and that two
regiments are already forming of white refu-
gees.
considerable force under an efficient CON-
mander has been sent across Lake Pontchar-
train for purpose not yet made public Gov
eminent vessels are also maneuvering about
the mouth of the Pascagoua.
On Tuesday night the track on the Opelou-
sas & New Orleans Railroad was torn up by
the rebels near Bayou Beouf A train which
came down the road short time after was
thrown from the track, but no one was in
lured. Scouts were Immediately dispatched
IN search OF the parties, who succeeded in
capturing three men, one a citizen and the
other two wearing the dress Of rebel soldiers
The former confessed to having assisted nine
others in tearing up the track This man
also stated that force of the enemy had come
down the Bayous, and that four regiment.
were concealed in the woods. The programme
he said, was first TO attack Tigeryiile. where 2
body of our troops was known to be- and
then move on to the main body at BAYOU
Beouf'
A Matagorda Texas, letter in the Herald
dated Jan. 18th, says:-"On the 18th force
of rebel cavalry of between 500 and 1000 mer
was seen approaching across the prairie. Oul
troops were under arms in minute and in
remarkably short time had formed in line O
battle just beyond the town of Indianola, ant
awaited the enemy. As soon as the rebel.
were within range OF our artillery we opened