Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-11-24
FROM MEXICO.
The Siege and Assault pn MatamOras-
Conspiracy 30 Surrender tie Defences
TO the Liberals Discovered and Frus-
trated-TriaI and Execution of the Chief


The Brownsville correspondent Of the New York
Herald gives an interesting. clear and connected
statement of the condition of affairs i'll and around
MatamUras. and Of the positions and movements Of
the opposing Republican and Imperial forces. during
the siege Of that town by the former in the latter
part of last month and the beginning of the present.
The attack and rCpulSe Of the republicans on the
25th utimo represented by the imperial organs as
such magnificent success for their cause. is now
plainly shown to have been very small affair. Gen
eral EScobedo, commanding the republican army,
consisting OF three to four thousand men. had given
directions for complete reconnaissance of the enc
myS position that day, but order iOr attack.
One Of his officers, however, commanding small
body Of Americans not fully understanding the or
ders, directed his men to make an assault at par
ticular point which they did with the greatest sue
cess, capturing the impera works and guns; but not
being supported, they had to withdraw. This was
the sum and substance Of the affair which the impe-
rallSts paraded as a great victory. The besiegerS
maintained their position around the city for several
days afterwards
Concerning the plot to betray the city, the Mata-
moraS RdHcherO, of October 2Sth, Imperial organ }
says: Captain W. v. Gholson and Lieutenant Burch
were to turn over Fort Matanzas at ten O'Clock last
Sundny night to a hundred OF the outlaws, dressed
i'll contra guerilla costume, which costume GholSon
and Burch had purchased and sInuggled out to them
while performing scouting service.
Following the surrender Of Fort Matanzas. large
portion of the outlaw force was to march into and
near IL but, while this going on, the outlaws in
contra guerilla costume were to take the fort next
adjoining from the rear, under friendly guise and
this fort soon as taken, would likewise be taken
possession of by large force of outlaws In this way
the Gordon of forts surrounding the city, so many
ofthem as possibel, were to be captured.
During the progress of the SIEGE Brownsville which
is the Texas side of the Rio Grande, directly OPP
pOsite MatamOros. was filled with people from the
latter place, who fed to escape the expected attack
American soldiers stood on the river bank and
cheered the republicans opposite and for this i'm
perial gunboat fired on the American side. General
Wetzei has ordered investigation Of this affair.
General Weitze at the request of General EscObedO,
and in the interest of humanity sent over the river
tents for the latter'S wounded, and many of them
were transported to Brownsville and received The
attention Of the United States army surgeons there.
The mperialists professed to have discovered a
heinous plot to surrender the city and asSassinae
General Meiia among the officers of party of about
four hundred Americans at MatamOras in the impe-
rial service known as contra guerillas Two of these
officers formerly Of the rebel army in this country,
court martialed and sentenced to be shOt. Une
of them was executed, but the other escaped. The
MatamoraS papers charge that this plot was purely
American. that ifty-ye thousand dollars was to have
been paid to the conspraors for its execution. and
that portion the money had been paid and that
the remainder in Brownsville.
But more than this, and to render assurance dOubly
sure General Meja to be assasSnated at
early stage Of the proceedings by GhoSon and Burch,
who to be relieved from the surrendered fort in
tmo to accomplish their hcillsh work. BY thus throw
ing the imperial troops into disorder by the loss of
their distinguished head the outlaws hoped to achieve
easy Vi tory.
The sum of money stipulated to be paid for the sale
of Fort MatanzaS thirty-llve thousand dollars,
and for the assassination of General Meiia twenty
thousand more; portion of which sums had been
Vile.
Several parties in Brownsville are implicated deep
ly i'll the conspiracy including federal officer, whose
name We do not now mention.
On sunday morning, twelve hours before Fort Ma
tazaS was to be surrendered, GhOlsOn arrested,
and the same day was tried, found guilty and execu
ted. His accomplicc, Lieutenant Burch (by which
name he is known here, made his escape and has
not yet been arrested. The evidence against the
cOnSpiraturs is conclusive.
None but Americans wero implicated in the plot.
None of the contra guerilla force party to the
conspiracy save and EXCEPT the captain and eutcn-
ant: and it is in evidence that the whole company at
Fort Matanzas were to have been surrendered to- and
bexput to death by, the outlaws.