Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), Monday 27 July 1863, page 3


MEXICO.

TELEOBAPHIO despatches from San F/anoisoo report from Puebla on the 9th of April that General Forey had cap-tares mott of the fortifications around the city, and sur-rounded those remaining;, so that their capture, with the whole Mexican army, appeared imminent. Thé losses of the Frenoh were stated to be very heavy. M. Vernèt de Lanmiere, General ot Artillery, was among the killed.

VERA CRUZ, April 16.-News reoeived here from Puebla to the 9th,' instant, gives details of tho operations of the French troops subsequent to the investment of the ci y on the 23rJ March. On the 27th Moroh a bombardment was

opened upon Fort Jarvier and the penitentiary, which was

well fortified, and oontinued until the 31st, when a breach ' was made, and the . Frenoh troops advanced and carried the positions by storming. From there the storming parties pushed on, taking successively at the point of the bayonet two other fort Ced positions, and p-eaently entered the oity.

Tney fought their way through the streets, whioh werebarricaded, and captured the liaza de ArmaB and the cathedral, whioh were strongly ' fortified. These po itions being carried, the Zouaves a d soldiers of the 99th regi-ment of the line, assisted by the sappers, made, their way through tho houses and dislodged the Mexicans, who de-fended them with great bravery, fighting desperately from houso to house. The Frenoh loss is reported to have been. 158 killed, and 500 wounded General Vernet db Liumie o is among the killed. The only fortified positions the Mexioins now retain are Forts Guadaloupe and Lorretto. The atlnoking foroeof the French numbered 18,003 men, while

tbs Mexican foroe was calculated at 25 OOO men Gen.

Forey holds the bridgo over the Bio Pietro, thus prevent-ing Oomonfort, wbols on the other side with 12,000 men, from advanoing to Puebla.

Vrnu. CRUZ, April 17 (via St. Naziire).-The intelllfsnoe recently reoeived from Puebla is confirmed. The

renoh are masters of a portion of tho city, and have taken,

two forts.

Tba official reports received in Paris by the Ministers of War an! Marine confirm the accounts previously given of

the storming of Puebla, but are not of later date. The ca- ? thedral, the highest groand in the city, was' still in the hands of the Mexicans, but preparations were "making for taking it by storm.' The Frenoh expeditionary . foroe was well supplied with provisions and war material for the whole time tho operati ns wera likely to last, whioh was not expeoted to be long. The health of the troops was ex-

cellent.

VERA Oncz, April 20.-Nows has been received from Puebla to tho 11th ins'., stating that the siege operations were progressing favourably.

CADIZ, May 18.-Intelligence received here from Puebla to tbs 12th alt. Btates that the Frenoh had ejected tho Mexicans from the subnrbs of San Josef, Quadafoupe, and

Loretto.

Privato advices state that the struggle at Puebla is en-rmoua. Everything bas te be oarried by the bayonet It is thought probable that after the oarnage witnessed at Puebla General Forey will remain there to repair the strength bf his army and supply his lesses previous to marohing on the capital.

VERA CRUZ, April 22.- Admiral Jurien do la Graviere bas relinquished tho oommand of the French n'est' ta Ad-miral Bosse, and has left for Brest. He is the boaror of news from Puebla to the 17tb, at whioh date, it was assorted the Frenoh had captured the redoubt situated at the oornor of the Place d'A.'mes. The siege of tho remainder of the town continued with excellent prospeota.

The Moniteur publishes tho following report of General Forey to the-Minister of War.

"SBRRO SAR JUAN, April 2,18G3.

"Monsieur le Mareohal,-My general report of the 2nd ioBt. will havo informed your Exoellenoy of the progress of tho works of the siege of Puobla np to the 23th March.

" I had fixed upon that day for the attack upon Fort San Zavier, and havo now the honour to send to your Exoellenoy " the details of that operate n.

" Fort Pan Xavier is defended on its western Bide by a bastion, on the north by a curtain, on the east by a half-moon aoyering the entrance on the town side, and on the south by an irregular bastion. Those works, forming a oontinuons enceinte, surrounded a vast oonstrnotion whioh comprise a Penitentiary connected with the Convent of San Xavier. The whole of this solid structure has a length of 180 metres and a width of 80 metres. It contains three inner oodrts

an! varions out-honres. The approaches were oovorod by accessory defensive works and fl.ntrod by numerous works still intaot. Tb o defence, therefore was e>sy, and the in-ternal arrangements allowed it to be made to the lost ex-tremity. It was indispensable to got possession of this great oktaole. Onr engineering works had brought ns np quito close to it. The fire of our artillery had de-stroyed its batteries. It romninod for the infantry to do

the reBt.

"Confident in tho vigour and energy of my IroopB, I did not hesitate to order tho assault. The 1st battalion of foot Chasseurs and a battalion of the 2nd Zouaves formed the at-

tacking columns, independently of two battalions from the trenches. I . entrusted the exeoution of thia Important operation to General Bazaine, who, accompanied by his staff

.. ook tbecpmmand of tba ireacbeast ono p.m. Atfour p.m all our batterira opened a heavy fire on 'the Penitentiary whioli destroyed its outworks. At fire p m., at a give; order, our fire ceased, General Bara ne, placed in tbe fourtl

parallel, gave tbe signal. Hep ia teil shouts of Vivi pEmpcrtu responded to it, »ni tbs first colnmo. issuing forth from the trenches, advanced at a charge against Pori Xavier, scaled the parapet, and forced an entrance. Th« èaaoy was for a moment disconcerted, bnt ina few minute; a hail of bullets was seat from the crenella ted walls, terraces and windows upon onr mee. The Mexican! ot the same time opened some masked cuni from behind the barricades ; a field battery placed in front of Fort Carmen also opened fire against ns, as did also all the other forts, bat this delnge of grape did not stop the advance of onr troops. The second column soon followed the first, and forcrd an entrance into tbe Penitentiary. The garrison, which consisted of about 700 men, made a show of resistance. For the first time the Mexicana felt the points of our bayonets ; they gave way before the impetuosity of our attack. Driven from Btory to story, from room to room, some suocecded in escaping, many fell, the rest were captured. Trains had been laid m varions parts of the building, bnt, owing to the energy of Captain Durillon, of the Engineers, they wera not fired, ana no damage was done. ,

''Tbe enemy, finding that wo had got the possession of the Penitentiary; attempted to retake it. A reserve of 2000 Mexicans advanced on the east front, bu. the Obassenrs and Zouaves, who had taken possession of the first story of the building, received them with so well sustained a fire that they were oom, oiled to fall back behind the barricades in tbe town. The enemy still kept tip a heavy fusillade, which lasted till half-past seven o'c.ook. '

. " Tha loss o' the enemy waa te.'ious, as the interior of the building wai full of dead bodies. We captured three mortars, one field piece, and a quantity of .ammunition, with 200 prisoners including two colonels and eight other

officers. '

"Our officers andmen deserve the highest praise for.their ooursga and discipline daring, the fight.

. 'TOBEY, Commander-in-Chief."

Tho Paris correspondent of the limes saya: - Accounts from Cherbourg ktate that considerable reinforcements are being despatched to the Frenoh army in Mexico. The transport frigate Entreprenante is nuder orders to sail for Ve a Crus on the 23rd instant, with 15 officers and 405 rank and file, together with several naval officers and a large quantity of ammunition., General Ceurtois-Bsssel d'Hurbol, of the artillery, ia about to prooeed to Mexico to replace the late Goner il Vernet de Lanmiere, killed in tbe ttvaobea before' Puebla. The 2nd battery of the' 3rd regi-ment of artillery, forming' part of the gan ison of Vincen-nes, .left Paris,:on Sunday morning last, by railway for Cherbourg, to be embarked there on the first opportun'ty for

Mexico.