The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-04

and serious consultation partly by the authority OF his
position aud partly by persuasion, he induced them to
abandon their lealouses and differences unite under
him for attack upon the city Before separating these
men embraced each other and pledged themselves TO
united effort against the common foe. Having concen-
trated his forces at Camargo on The lath he reaches
Matamoros the Goth, and forthwith commenced tho
investment OF tho place General Hnojesa given e
command Of the right wing Canaies tho CENTRE and the
renowned Cortna the left ! may remark in this con-
nection that up TO this time these officers had worked
admirably together and the utmost harNony and good
feeling prevail
As we entered the General and forward 10
meet us extending his hand and greeting With the
imprsssmcnt peculiar TO the Spanish At his sug-
geston party seated themselves about rosgh table,
each side OF which benches were placed These with
three camp beds In many cerners comprised all the
furniture IN the ROOM As tho General does not speak
English the conversation carried in Spanish and
was mostly of a personal character
He is about i've feet ton inches IN height with small,
keen black eyes, spare IN habit and somewhat STOPPING
This latter defect is moro observable when upon horse
back His forehes Is high and narrow his mouth large
well formed and indicative Of groat energy. In manner
he is quiet unassumng, recent This latter quality he
is said to possess 70 eminent degree He keeps his
own counsel remarkably WE'LL the most prominent mem
poses gather from his remarks that he was confident
OF Success though nothing was said directly upon the
subject He inmated that he could have been in pos
session this by great sacrifice Of life and de-
strucon Of portion Of the city, which he anxious
70 avoid thought that he ancied he had everything
ms own way" and that ne could ahord 70 war;
for the most part spoke English nuently, and seemed
gentlemen Of education HIS engineer oiicer' Colonel
great abilities In his branch Of the service While
We seated at the table he presented the General
with sketch of the works about the city, which saw
alta glance was correct
Colonel Charles Chief Of staG accomplished and
rous duties Of his position admirably These duties VIII
be the better appreciated when 1t is considered that the
liberal army has no quartermaster or commssary de
parment and that the providing Tor the troops neces
sarily under tho immediate eye OF the General
After remaining in conversation for time We clam
bered to the top OF the most elevated buildings whore
We obtained excellent view OF the city and that por
tion Of the Notifications nearest As before stated
the dense chaparra concealed the troops from view In
the occasional open spaces visible animals
quietly grazing and not the slightest evidence was OBJ
servable that grim visaged war; was here holding his
prepared In the Mexican style II WAS thought desirable
toreturn and as our horses were brought up the Gene
raj announced his intention Of accompanying US for
distance, and Of showing US
THE LINES.
Mounting started of, followed by as motley crowd
as ever the imagination OF the great conceived
moving toward the city We soon came upon an encamp-
ment OF reserves, or rather should say oivouac as
there sign of tent or other covering visible
While the General was in conservation with the COM
mandng officer OF the troops had an opportunity Of OBJ
serving both officers and men, The only Distinguishing
mark between the sash about the waist,
its color denotng rank among the subaerns Theoreti
caly the Mexicans the shoulder strap with Of
various sizes leaves, &C., designating marks but in &C.
tive service they seldom SEEM While every variety
Of dress was Observable the predomnatng enc was COM
posed of jackets pantao0ns Of dark grey the cap
similar to forage cap As will be naturally supposed,
these were extremely shabby, although the whole
ber Of rebsis saw during the latter part of our
war. ! thought the men looked young, though, upon
a the sSr 1r Ss M
The expression Of their faces they scented in most excel
lent Spirits not enthusiastic. but quiet good Aumored
shsir Conversation os 6 look At sSe General WINNERS
waved their hats, and and then suppressed vioa
was heard but nothing more much life, energy
expectation, but rather what seemed to chdlike
Riding forward, we soon came upon tho third line of
yvhi If pitO The drf
from which constitutes breaswork The other lines
similar, informed, though did not visit them.
ton in he chaparal they were mostly small though
occasional rded gun Of considerable cabre
that direction eyes for the most turned towards
the fortacations from which an occasional gun was
heard falling however far short Of u.s. Observing group
turned his horse that direction On observing the
party advanced TO meet us and an officer by my side in
low tone said, "Cortina"
JUAN ~ c0RTNA.
Although had been for months in this vicinity,
/ had never seen this redoubtable chief before His
name household word upon this frontier and has
been for many years, and numberess are the tales Of
blood and outrage told Of him. He about my years OF
age but evidently retains his physical strength and vgor
TO their fullest extent In height he Is about i've feet
eight thick set though not corpuent dark like his race
gray. His features are regular, and in youth must
have been very nne but the expression Is bad Ny first
a. sSs time and he Ia auro was horrible With QUIET
and positively blas he guided his mustang In among
the group of ooer shaking hands with each he was
After few casual remarks We moved on, Cortina &C
companying u.s. He left US At cross road after another
"Do you know what he was doing in tAechapanalfr
asked Colonel Charles, as We rode away.
Hewas pointing out the residences Of bis particular
friends 70 his artillery occr. intending 70 sand his com
plimsnts TO Thorn in the shape Of shell osso when night
"But the women and childrensn asked
The reply was IN Spanish and meant 'Cortina has
doubtless not heard that thor refining influence has pre-
vented the hhands and fathers from doing him An In
ihe ssply WAS characteristic. From the Moorishand
even among thsmon intelligent and enghtAnsd rssaia
remnants Of the Odd baRbsrsm which, q I'll times, de
s %ssSs :. an =: :.e s for '0
- TIM n1runu.
We sooA assor hid adIeu 10 che General who Insisted
shoud ssot ss tethe river and So NJ safely over We
crosssd without material dincnty, and, Femonntsng,
:hUnsS ,Ss D moon ~.s shining hsy AZ. a. " pSsssd
rancho not Gar from the ferry ali, athletic man,
dimnutive white mustang joined M and was greeted ~
"BurchD
rm CONSPIRACY.
Correctly - d proved eurmisng this 70 be the hero Of
the great conspiracy deliver Natamoros ihc lib
erals referred 30 In ono OF my late Dispatches imme
se rode 2 MS sds - s n% snd ssSs wss
great pleasure N meeting me, - statements had been
made In the MatAmoros Journals filled with the
IAl0cM0008,
.contradcted A he informed me- Burch was originally
n major in Mississppi cavalry regiment In the rebel
service He with Morgan In Kentucky, and served
for time the STAFF OF Forrest IL 10 asserted that he
formerly In the federal SERVICE but this Is false
He still wears his rebel uniform and in his manner and
conversation has the air Of Souherner Az the break
ing up which followed the surrender Of Johnston
Bnrch found himself at the head OF two three
hundred rowing cavalrymen mostly desperate adven-
turers like himself without relatives friends
home Actuated BY that hatred OF the which
had retained them In the field Cor four years. they readily
IN flo M THAR iaoda
through Texas and offer their 10 the liberal
thorues, who, IL was said, paid with liberay which
justified the use Of the term applied 70 them Some two
hundred started with him; but assertion and other
rapidly thinned their ranks during their march acsoss
the STATE and upon their arrival upon the Rio Grande but
seventy remained whh these Burch crossed the nyer
aud gladly welcomed by the liberal chief After the
appointment OF Escobcdo 10 the command OF the forces
on the Rio Grande Il determined TO make attack
on Mslamoros; and and strong dcfcnccs At
the process OF erection IL deemed important
that thorough knowledge OF these should be obtained