NORTH AMERICA.-UNITED STATES, AND MEXICO.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 106, 5 June 1847, Page 4

NORTH AMERICA .-UNITED STATES, AND MEXICO.

(From the Globe. ) LivFnroor., Sunday.-— By the nrrivnl of tlic steam «liip Great Western, Captain Matthews, from New York, we mo in possession of Washington niul New York payers to the 24th and 26'tli November tc-poclively, both inrliisi\c. The principal movement in (lie war depnitinenl, since our ndviccs oi the Mth per Caledonia ap])cars to he the taking or bombardment ol'Tobasco by u part of the gnli squadron, under Commodore Perry, on the s<uh and 25tli Oct. Wo give a plain straightforward narrative of the affair, taken fiom the Courier and Enquirer of the 25th.

FROM MEXICO.

Toiuseo UoMiiAiiDKD. — City Nr.Aur.Y Di:sTnovi:n —Many Liu's Losr. — New Oilcans papers of the With and 17111 instant hi ing intelligence from the United Slates hijuadion in flio Ihul and hoiii Vora Cruz to the .'Hst ult., lercived >un ll.ivan.i. Most of the domestic news Imm J\!e\ico has Ijccu anticipated by arrivals at New oik. It is coHjcetnied that Santa Anna will withdraw the troops garrisoned at Tiunpico, unite them to his force at San Luis I'otosi, with those from Saltillo, and then commence offensive operations agaiusUhe American posts. Although the new 1110111beis of tho cabinet arc old enemies of liis, yet it is nlleged they are quite acceptable to him. Ainpudia ariive.l,at San Luis I'otosi on 21st ult. Next day the first brigade of bis division reached there, so ibat tlic rumour of his having marclicdiigaitislGeiier.il Wool was unfounded. Much enthusiasm ptcsaik in the ranks ol Hie enemy's fortes at San Luis, based upon confident anticipations of a vicloiy over the Auicucaus as the gieat decisive battle for which Santa Anna is avowedly preparing the magnanimous Mexican army, with the energy which is peculiar to him. A conducta ol specie, having thiTchunthed and eighty thousand dollars for the British steamer, arrived at Veni Crust .list ()ctol)cr. Information lias been ro«eivcd at New Oilcans that the Hiitish steamer Tay, on l'cr last trip fiom Veia Cruz to Havana, took out 300 lillus of marque, with naturalization psipcrs conferring the privekyes of Mexican citizens upon all who would .sail under them. The information comes in an authentic lorni. The letters ol marque were expressed irom Mexico on the evening of the 13tli ult., and reached Vora Cm/ in time for the Tay to take them to Havana. Lcttei s from Havana were also received announcing the an ival of letters of marque. One writer is of opinion that ihe Spanish government Avill not permit them to be used in the port of Havana ; yet as the naturalization papers oiler extraordinary priveleges, it is piobable .some of them may slip out upon commerce despite the vigilance of the authorities. The P iciti/unr ol' l\\c 17th reports the arrivnl of the schooner Purlvt, Capt. Poweis, six days from Point Lizardo, bringing an ollincr who was engaged in the attack on Tobasco. He reports that the enterprise was entirely successful. Its object was to cut out certain piizes anchored in the river, and they were all taken. When the city was .summoned to surrender, the people were for yielding, but the Governor and boldiciy opposed it. /lime was then given for all peaceable people, men, women, and children, to get out of harm's way; but the Governor would not allow any one to leave, so it is feaied most of those killed in the bombardment were others than soldiery. Some of the enemy's regulars, however, were killed. Our squadron consisted of the Mississippi, Commodore Perry ; the Vixen, Commodore Sands ; lionila, Lieut. Ucnhain ; Reefer, Lieut. Sterret ; Nonitn, Lieut. Hazard ; the revenue steamer APLanc, Cnpt. Howard ; the revenue cutter forward, Cnpt. Nones, (all small ciaft) ; 200 seamen and marines Irom the liaritan, and the Cumberland. under the command of Capt. Forest, Licuts. Cost, Winslow, Walsh, Hunt, Capt. Edson, and Lieut. Adams of Marines. They left Anton Lizardo October 16th, and arrived at Fronterathc 23rd, and captured two steamers and several small schooifers ; on the 24 th mid 2bth they ascended the river seventy-two miles to Tobasco, towed by the Pclrclmul the Vixen. They passed the Devil's Turn at 2 p. 111., landed and spiked four 24 pounders— I hey arrived olf Tobasco at 6§6 § p. m., and anchored in line ahead, distant 150 yards fioai the shore. The city was summoned to surrender. The Governor refused when three shots were fired from the Vixen. An officer came off with a request that we should spare the Hospitals, which was granted. Skirmishing immediately ensued. On Sunday no damage was done. We captured one brig, three schooners, and a large sloop in all. At the town, and below, there were nine vessels, and many boats captured. On Mouday, the efith, at daylight, there begun a sharp fire of musketry from the shore, which was leturned by our guvs, and continued for some time, at intervals. A flag of truce came off, beseeching us to spare the town. The Commodore assented, because, as he said, he only wished to frighten the soldiery. 'Ihe prizes were got under way, and ready for returning. The enemy's white Hag was Hying all the while. W. A. Parker, the lieutenant, got ashore with his prize vessel, and was attacked by 80 soldiers, whom he beat off with 18 men only ; losimr one, and getting two wounded. This action lasted 30 minutes, when Lieut. C. W. Morris was despatched to him with oiders, and he passing the heavy fire of the enemy, was wounded in the neck by a musket bull. — lie stootl up in his boat and cheered the men on gallantly till he fell into the- arms of midshipman Cheever. The Commodore then commenced cannonading in good earnest from the Vixen, the Bonela, the Nmtita, and the Forward; and in three quarters of an hour, he almost destroyed the cily, sparing the houses of the foreign consuls. At mid-day the fleet left, firing up the streets as they passed them. All the prizes were saved except one, which was grounded and burned by the Commodore's orders to prevent her falling into the hands of the enemy. The Maclane struck on the bar at the mouth of the river, and did not get over to participate in the engagement until it was ended. The Patrinto, on her return, captured the American brig Plymouth, Captain Packerson, dischaigiug cotton at Alvarado bar. Lieut. Morris died on board the Cumberland, on the Ist Nov., aud was buried with military honors. There is a Mexican force of from live to six thousand men at Alvarado, aud they have placed across the mouth ol the river three strong cables, and sunk vessels on the bar. it is thought to be entirely useless to attempt to take the place again by a naval foice. Accounts from Cainpeachy to the 30th Oct., say the citizens are determined not to acquiesce in the re-an-nexalion of Yucatan. A certificate from the U. S. Consul at Cimpcaehy states that all the U. S. vessels which have appeared at that port are permitted to load and unload without molestation. Similar certificates have bepn received at New Orleans from the consuls at Sisal aud Merida. Gen. Stott, it is stated has received permission to proceed to Mexico to take command of the army that is to attack Tampico. He left Washington to day. The latest news from the army on the llio Grande says :— " The strength of the forces of the United States at Monterey does not exceed 5000 men and the whole number of troops, from the Rio Grande to Monterey, does not exceed 18,000. It will require 5000 men to garrison the towns already taken, and Gen. laylor thinks it would be injudicious to leave Monterey for Saus Luis Potosi with less than 15,000 men. " Lieut. Armstead, bearer of despatches from Washington to Gen. Taylor, had arrived, It was understood at Monterey that they directed Gen. Taylor to pioceed to Tampico if he thought proper. '1 he next movement of the army will be towards Linares, a town about 120 miles Jroui Monterey, on the route to Tampico. Gen. AVorth is of opinion that there will be a severe fight there. Saltillo was entirely deseited by the enemy, their forces being concentrated at Sans Luis Potosi. — Gen. Taylor will leave a small force at Saltillo. An esprcss fi out (1 en. Wool reached Gen. Taylor on the 251h ult , informing him he hadh'ity days' subsistence, and within six days march of Moncloviu. He was has-

toning his marches to unite with General Taylor at Monterey. Tt lias been ascertained that Ampudia retired from Monterey with 9,000 men, of all arms, and including his sick and such wounded as he took with him. The Washington Union of Saturday evening says— " We undct stand that despatches have been communicated to the War Department from Gen. Wool, lie was within three or four day's march of Monclovia, and was about 135 miles from Monterey. The report which the last evening's southern mail brought us fiom Monterey, viz fthat Gen. Ampudia was attempting to intercept Gen. Wool, seems to be entirely without foundation. It would also appear that the latter had detached l ,000 men from bis command to take possession of Monclovo, and with the other two thousand continue his mutch, to Chihuahua. The whole of Californa appears now to be in quiet possession of the Americans. _ Commodore Stockton lias five shins of war on the .station. In the gulf of Mexico the American squadron was exercising a rigid surveillance along the coast, ordering off all Yucntancse vessels that attempted to enter any of the ports between Tohasco and the Rio Grande, the entire line having been declared under blockade. Campcachy and Lagun.i are enrnest in their efforts to maintain the independence of Yucatan. Madeira on the other hand, is particularly interested in her re-an-nexation to Mexico. The troops in Tampico were to evacuate that place, and tuUe up the line of march for Kniis Luis de I'otosi, at which place simtu Anna was daily concentrating a large force, announced as being 3(r,tit)o men. In his private letters, Santa Anna sneaks confidently ol success in the approaching engagement with General Taylor. • San Luis I'otosi had declared against Gcn.Salas, Acting Presidentof Mexico, in favour of Santa Anna, Gen. Sulas fled the capital but afterwards returned, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Justice, Pacheco, and Rejon, had resigned, Jose Maria Lafragiia and Eazuin Ladron being appointed in their places. On the 21st October Gen. Ampudia arrived at San Luis Potosi, and on the following day, the first biigade of his division. This puts a quietus, if any were needed to the report of his movement against Gen. Wool. A Vera Cruz paper says that in San Luis the enthusiasm for the war prevails, "and whether Americans advance oi not, there will hoon be a decisive battle, which we arc persuaded will be favorable for us." Vera Cruz was beiny strongly fortiiied, and a ditch around the city had been commenced. A report was current at Vera Cruz that Mr. Bankhead had otfered the mediation of England, and that Ministers in the capital (Mexico) had been two days deliberating on the subject, without coming to any decision. The 26th was observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer throughout the state of New York, all banks and public offices were closed.