MEXICO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1869, 16 May 1863, Page 5

MEXICO.

By way of New York, we (Herald) have dates from Haranuah to the 251h of December. The news is of a highly interesting and exciting character. French communication between Vera Cruz and Orizaba is completely cut off by Mexican guerillas, aud can only be reestablished and kept up by the French posting a strong guard all along the route. The guerillas are said to be in strong force all along the route, and worry the French unceasingly. It is reported the French have been repulsed and driven back from before Puebla with great loss. General Berthier's vanguard, 4000 strong, was completely surprised by BQOO Mexican cavalry, and 2000 French troops were killed and wounded. Several of the officers were caught with lassoes and dragged off. The French prospects look excedingly bad. They cau get no supplies from tbe country ; are surrounded by a most determined enemy, who watch every opportunity to take advantage of them. Their soldiers | straggling from camp, are lassoed daily. The | small-pox, of a most malignant form, lias broken out in Vera Crnz. Subsequent advices confirm the reported defeat of 4000 French under General Berthieiyby 800 Mexicans —not 8000 T as heretofore reported. The affair occurred in a fog, at two o'clock in the morning of December 18th, The French were completely routed. The Mexican General Presida captured a convoy from Jalapa to Perote. Negrete, with 10,000 men made a sortie from Puebla and attacked a French division 14,000 strong, at Acogota, eight leagues from Puebla, completely routing the latter. The French had to retreat to Orizaba^ French communication is almost cut off. Jalapa and Tampico were abandoned by them. The small»pox was raging at Vera Cruz. Bombardment of Acapulco by the French Squadron. — Four French men -Df- war, with the commandant of the French squadron in the Pacific, bombarded Acapulco for three days. We are without full particulars, save that the squadron entered Acapulco, ou the 16th inst., and fired shells into the town (which was almost wholly deserted) for three days, killing some twelve or thirteen xVlexicans. Their fire was returned from one of the forts by a German, assisted by a few men, who took the affair very coolly. Some of bis shells did considerable damage to the # flett, one of ihena passing through one of the vessels. After three days' bombardment, one hundred sailors landed and spiked some of the guns, throwing a number into the bay. The fleet then left.