The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-04
News from Texas-Galveston Burned.


CAIRO, July 80, lS65.oThe Magenta
has arrived with New Orleans dates to
the 25th, the Seventh Minnesota and a
norton of the Sixth Minnesota infan-
try, and the Second Massachusetts Bat
terry. The major portion OF the 6th
Minnesota previously arrived on another
steamer.
The story that General Kirby Smith
was taken prisoner with his forty COM
panions, by the Mexican Government,
turns out to be untrue.
The New Orleans Times Brownsville
correspondent. who received the infor-
nation from one of Cortinas' staff, says {:
now. learn that young man, who was
formerly aid-de-camp on Magfudel s
staff, has lust arrived at Matamoras from
Monterey, and that he pronounces the
whole story q canard He said that the
party had no artillery, rifles or train;
that they were unmolested by Federal
or Mexican authority, and that they
arrived at Monterey in safety. He also
says Kirby Smith was hard up for
money, and was compelled to borrow
$500 from a gentleman named Preston,
at Monterey. After few days rest,
General Smith and his party pushed on
for the City of Mexico.
The SAME correspondent, writing on
the 10th, saws: A merchant train of one
hutidred and fifty wagons, accompanied
by ali escort of eighty Mexican troops,
left Matamoras yesterday for Monterey.
1t will hardly get through safely, as
Cortinas has gone inpers0n to feel for it,
and Mexican guard will not prove very
reliable when menaced by danger, par
cularly when menaccd by COrtinas, who
is dreaded by troops of whatever nation.
The famous Foreign Legion, COM
manded by Baron Barney O'Brien, a
Frepch-Irish soldier of fortune, left Mat
amoras few days since for Tampico
The legion was composed OF scOundrels
and convicts from almost every nation
of Europe, and said they were with
drawn from MatamOras to prevent de-
sertion, as fully One-half the number
originally stationed over the river ran
away. There are now no foreign troops
at Matamoras. The garrison consists of
about 5000 inefficient Mexicans.
New Orleans papers inform us that
General Slaughter is in Havana. A gen.
tleman told me yesterday that he saw
that speculative warrior in Matamoras
two weeks ago. Col. Ford is running a
livery stable in Matamoras.
The Galveston Bulletin of the 18th
says the N. P. Banks arrived on Satur-
day with several passengers, refugees
from Matamoras. She brings intelli-
gence that the French troops at Mata-
moras have been removed to Monterey
on account of the great mortality which
existed among them at the former place,
the deaths amounting to sixteen orseven-
teen per day.
Cortinas had skirmished with the
French pickets and wounded several,
and succeeded in taking their post.
The Times learns from private let.
ter of the 2lst inst, that the fremont
House and large portion of the city O.
Galveston had been burned. So great
was the conflagration it became necessa-
ry to call upon the military for assist
ance. BY their efforts it was finally ex.
tinguished.
Late intelligence from Texas states
that Col. w. b. Lowery, late of the Con-
federate States, charged with assisting
in pulling down the United States flag
at Millican recently, was undergoing O
trial at Houston. The telegraph hopes
the court will show clemency to the ac.
cused.