The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-11-30

Ing his men over the earthworks.
While General HinOjosa's men were
under fire of the gunbOat Paisano seVerai
solid shot came in the nelghbornoou oi
party of Americans who were coiiecteu
on the bank of the river below the city,
watching the fighting and cheering the
liberals every now and then. 1t is sup
posed these shots fell upon the American
side owing tot the crookedness ofthe river
at that point: but both the officers and
men i'm the party referred to declare that
the punbeat designedly fired upon them
several times. The imperialist version
is that the shot came from liberal gun
aimed at the Paisano. Whatever may
have been the cause, whether the rivers
aduncity or deliberate intention, General
Weitzel, commanding the United States
forces in Texas, has ordered the facts to
be Investigated by II commission. The
liberal loss in this affair was estimated
by Escobedo at fifty killed and wounded.
While the attack was being made be-
Ow the city strong force assaulted the
forts on the northern side; but CALLING
fire from the gunboat Antonio forced
them to fall back out of range.
In the afternoon of the same day TWEEN
ty-five of the liberal wounded soldiers
were transferred to Brownsville, where
they were cared for by the United States
surgeon at that point In compliance
with request from General Escobedo,
General Weitzel supplied the wounded
republicans, for which attention General
EscobedO called upon the American
commander and thanked him in person
During their brief interview Escobedo
stated that he was determined to take
Matamoros ut any cost The losses OF
theimperialsts are reported to have been
very heavy considering the short space
of time that the fight lasted. According
to one account no less than twenty-five
cart loads of theirwornded were brought
into MatamOros after the fight 81
1t is evident that the city cannot be
taken without q desperate struggle.
The leading streets, and especially the
Plaza, Orcentral square, are barricaded
with bales of pressed hay, cotton, &c.
This work has been done by home
guard organization numbering seven
hundred or eight hundred citizens, and
consisting mainly of French residents.
They have no Americans on their roll.
Under cover of night the liberal forces
advanced their lines on the 9th to
within two hundred yards of the impe-
rial outer works and rifle pits, where
they entrenched themselves so efiectu-
ally that an attempt made to drive them
out of their works on the following
morning failed completely, the imperi-
alists being obliged to retire in haste.
On the odd of October, three days be-
fore the attack on Matamoros. a plot
was discovered to betray the city and
garrison to the liberals, and the same
day the leading traitor, o Captain Ghol-
son, being in the imperial .contra-guer-
rilla corps and late of the rebel army,
was arrested, tried, convicted and exc
cuted. His principal accomplish, named
Burch, also an American, was arrested
at the same time. but he managed to
escape. The plot included the assassin
alton of General Mejia Fifty-fve
thousand dollars was the price for which
the traitors had covenanted to betray
the place and murder their command
ing officer. ,o# st.lt af=-.=.
Early on the 2Sth the republicans
commenced to shell the city with II
rihed field battery which they had
posted facing the forts on tile north side
and masked by belt of underground
Several shells struck in the leading
streets of the city, but without doing
any great damage. The battery was
eventually silenced by a heavy fire from
the forts. The same day demonstra-
ton on the south side of the city was
repulsed by body vi imperial cavalry
after Il sharp skirmish.
The Matam0ras Rdachero Imperial
Organ) of November 10 states that there
need exist no apprehension of another
liberal attack upon the city, as not a
single republican soldier has been seen
for three days within five miles distance.
The only force neard OF was small
band under Cortina.
Under the same date the RancherO
says: The imperial gunboat Antonio,
having on board detachmentOf French
marines and two~ field pieces, while
forcing her way up the river under a
heavy fire from the combined forces OF
the liberals, grounded seven miles be-
low the city, and while engaged with
the enemy, on the Mexican side of the
river, q furious fire at long range was
opened on the steamer from the Ameri
can bank, which was effective in wound
ing two of the marines.
The liberals on the north bank of the
river were dressed in the United States
uniform.
The French commander RETAINED
from returning the fire received from
the Texas bank of the river.
The Ranchero adds 1t appears to be
Tue helIleu purpose Oh tie same men I'd
bring or war between the United States
and Mexico. These outlaws have been
on the American side of the river il,
force, where their officers were busy in
enlisting recruits.
The Antonio was fired upon from the
Texas shore, near where Cortina had
been encamped.
The particulars of the correspondence
between General Weitzel and General
Mejia relating to the firing from the
American side of the Rio Grande upon
the imperial gunboat Antonio, and to
the sympathy shown by the Americans
for the liberals, have not yet transpired.
The participation of American sol.
diers in the assault upon Matamoros is
reported to have created considerable
alarm at Mexico city among the men,
bers of Maximilian's cabinet and his
French military nurses. NotYithstand-
ing that the reason assigned for the
abandonment of his long projected jour-
ney to Yucatan is the necessity of his
presence at the capital, in order to carry
out the various suggestions" conveyed
to him by Mr.. Langlais--the lately
arrived financial and confidential ennis
sary of Louis Napoleon-a little logical
reflection will suffice to show that appre-
tensions of American intervention really
determined his REIMBURSEMENT of the
iOurnev Letters from Mexico CITY relate