NORTH AMERICA—UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. [From the Globe.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 187, 15 May 1847, Page 4

NORTH AMERICA— UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. [From the Globe.]

Liverpool, Sunday. — By the arrival of the steam-ship Great Western, Captain Matthews, from New York, we are in possession of Washington and New York papers to the 24th and 26th November respectively, both inclusive. The principal movement in the war department, since our advices of the 14th per Caledonia, appears to be the taking or bombardment of Tobasco by a part of the gulf squadron, under Commodore Perry, on the 24th and 25th October. We give a plain straightforward narrative of the affair, taken from the Courier and Enquirer of the 25th.

Fromt Mexico. Tobasco Bombarded — City nearly Destroyed — Many Lives Lost. — New Orleans papers of the 16th and 17th instant bring intelligence from the United States squadron in the Gulf and from Vera Cruz to the 31st ult., received via Havana. Most of the domestic news from Mexico has been anticipated by arrivals at New York. It is conjectured that Santa Anna will withdraw the troops garrisoned at Tampico, unite them to his force at San Luis Potosi, with those from Saltillo, and then commence offensive operations against the American posts. Although the new members of the cabinet are old enemies of his, yet it is alleged they are quite acceptable to him. Ampudia arrived at San Luis Fotosi on the 21st ult. Next day the first brigade of his division reached there, so that the rumour of his having marched against General Wool was unfounded. Much enthusiasm prevails in the ranks of the enemy's forces at San Luis, based upon confident anticipations of a victory over the Americans as the great decisive battle for which Santa Anna is avowedly preparing the magnanimous Mexican army, with the energy which is peculiar to him. A conducta of specie, having three hundred and eighty thousand dollars for the British steamer, arrived at Vera Cruz 31st October. Information has been received at New Orleans that the British steamer Toy, on her last trip from Vera Cruz to Havana, took out 300 letters of marque, with naturalization papers conferring the privileges of Mexican citizens upon all who would sail under them. The information comes in an authentic form. The letters of marque were expressed from Mexico on the evening of the 30th ult., and reached Vera Cruz in time for the Toy to take them to Havana. Letters from Havana were also received announcing the arrival of the letters of marque. One writer is of opinion that the Spanish government will not permit them to be used in the port of Havana ; yet as the naturalization papers offer extraordinary privileges, it is probable some of them may slip out upon commerce despite the vigilance of the authorities. The Picayune of the 1 7th reports the arrival of the schooner Portia, Captain Powers, six days from Point Lizardo, bringing an officer who was engaged in the attack on Tobasco. He reports that the enterprise was entirely successful. Its object was to cut out certain prizes 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 soldiery opposed it. Time 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 feared 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 ; Boneta, Lieut. Com. Benham ; Reefer, Lieut. Sterrett ; Nonita, Lieut. Hazard ; the revenue steamer M • Lane, Capt. Howard ; the revenue cutter Forward, Capt. Nones, (all small craft) ; 200 seamen and marines from the Raritan and the Cumberland, under the command of Captain Forrest, Lieuts. Cest, Winslow, Walsh, Hunt, Capt. Edson, and Lieut. Adams of Marines. They left Anton Lizardo October 16th, and arrived at Frontera the 23rd, and captured two steamers and several small schooners ; on the 24th and 25th they ascended the river seventy-two miles to Tobasco, towed by the Petrel and the Vixen. They passed the Devil's Turn at 2 p. m., landed and spiked four 24-pounders They arrived off Tobasco at 6 p. m., and an '

chored in the line a-head, distant one hundred and fifty yards from 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 would 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 Monday, the 26th, at daylight, there began a sharp fire of musketry from the shore, which was returned by our guns, 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. The prizes were got under way, and ready for returning. The enemy's white flag was flying all the while. W. A. Parker, the Lieutenant, got ashore with his prize vessel, and was attacked by eighty soldiers, whom he beat off with eighteen men only ; losing one, and getting two wounded. This action lasted thirty minutes, when Lieut. C. W. Morris was despatched to him with orders, and he, passing the heavy fire of the enemy, was wounded in the neck by a musket ball. He stood up in his boat and cheered the men on gallantly till he fell in the arms of midshipman Cheever. The Commodore then commenced cannonading in good earnest from the Vixen, the Boneta, the Nonita, and the Forward; and in three quarters of an hour he almost destroyed the city, 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, uhich was grounded and burned by the Commodore's orders, to prevent her falling info 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 Patriato, on her return, captured the American brig Plymouth, Captain Packerson, .discharging cotton at Alvarado bar. Lieut. Morris died on board the Cumberland, on the Ist Nov., and was buried with military honours. There is a Mexican force of from five to six thousand men at Alvarado, and they have placed across the mouth of 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 force. Accounts from Campeachy to the 30th Oct. say the citizens are determined not to acquiesce in the re-annexation of Yucatan, j A certificate from the U. S. Consul at Campeachy states that all the United States vessels which have appeared at that port are permitted to load and unload without molestation. Similar certificates have been received at New Orleans from the consuls at Sisal and Merida. General Scott, 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 Rio Grande says :—: — " The strength of the forces of the United States at Monterey does not exceed five thousand men, and the whole number of troops, from the Rio Grande to Monterey, does not exceed thirteen thousand. It will require five thousand men to garrison the towns already taken, and General Taylor thinks it would beinjudicious to leave Monterey for San Luis' Potosi with less than fifteen thousand men. " Lieutenant Armstead, bearer of despatches from Washington to General Taylor, had arrived. It was understood at Monterey that they directed General Taylor to proceed to Tampico if he thought proper. The next movement of the army will be towards Linanas, a town about one hundred and twenty miles from Monterey, on the route to Tampico. General Worth is of the opinion that there will be a severe fight there. Saltillo was entirely deserted by the enemy, their forces being concentrated at San Luis Potosi. General Taylor will leave a small force at Saltillo. An express from General Wool reached General Taylor on the 25th ult., informing him he had fifty days subsistence, and was within six days march of Monclovia. He was hastening his marches to unite with General Taylor at Monterey. It has 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 understand that despatches have been communicated to the War Department from Gen. Wool. He was within three or four days' march of Monclovia, and was about 135 miles from Monterey. The report which the last evening's southern mail brought us from Monterey, viz., that Gen. Ampudia was attempting to intercept General Wool, seems to be entirely without foundation. It would also appear that the latter had detached 1,000 men from his command to take possession-of Monclovia, and with the other

two thousand continued his march to Chihuahua. The whole of California appears now to be in quiet possession of the Americans. Commodore Stockton has five ships of war on the station. In the Gulf of Mexico the American squadron was exercising a rigid surveillance along the coast, ordering oh? all Yucatanese vessels that attempted to enter any of the ports between Tobasco and the Rio Grande, the entire line having been declared undei" blockade. Cstmpeachy and Laguna are earnest in their efforts to maintain the independence of Yucatan. Madeira, on the other hand, is particularly interested in her re-annexation to Mexico The troops in Tampico were to evacuate that place, and take up the line of march for San Luis de Potosi, at which place Santa Anna was daily concentrating a large force, announced as being about 20,000 men. In his private letters, Santa Anna speaks confidently of success in the approaching engage* ment with General Taylor. San Luis Fotosi had declared against Gen. Salas, Acting President of Mexico, in favour of Santa Anna. General S. fled the capital but afterwards returned, and the Ministers of Foreign affairs and of Justice, Pacheon, and Rejon, had resigned, Jose Maria Lafragua and Eazuin Ladron being appointed in their places. On the 21st of October Gen. Ampudfa arrived at San Luis Potosi, and on the following day, the first brigade of his division. This puts a quietus, if any were needed, to the report of his movement against Gen. Wocl. A Vera Cruz paper says that in San Luis the enthusiasm for the war prevails, " and whether the Americans, advance or not, there will soon be a decisive battle, which we are persuaded will be favourable for us." Vera -Cruz was being strongly fortified, and a ditch around the city had been commenced. A report was current at Vera Cruz that Mr. Bankhead had offered the mediation of England, and that Ministers in the capital (Mexico) had Leen two days in 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.