LATER PROM MEXICO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1908, 15 August 1863, Page 3

LATER PROM MEXICO.

CAPTURE OF PUEBLA BY THE

FRENCH.

(From the Alta California.)

The Echo dv Pacifique says it has letters from Mexico, by the Constitution, to the 19th May. The capture ot Puebla, with Ortega, and his army, is a fixed fact, and has been officially announced by Juarez. Comon fort's army has been dispersed. The road to Mexico is open, and Juarez has made a supreme appeal (o the nation to save the Capital.

The following were received per Constitution: — .'"'"•■" -•■"*.

On the 12th May, Puebla capitulated to the French— surrendering 16,000 men, with. 82; Generals and 484 guns. General Forey offered an honorable parole to the Garrison, but General Ortega refused it, and so the whole garrison were taken to Vera Cruz. On the 14th May, a French division appeared in front of the City of Mexico, and the Government was already moving to St. Louis de Poson. FUBTHEB ABOUT POEBLA. The Moses Taylor reports that information was received at Acapulco, by the Peruvian Con* sul, on the night of the 28th, at ten o'clock, that General Ortega, with 23,000 men, bad attacked the French on the 23rd of May, at Puebla, and had been defeated with the loss of his entire army. Ail the Mexican Generals had been captured by the French. It is stated that the Mexicans had spiked all the canon and destroyed the balance of their arms, to keep then from falling into the hands of the French. Intelligent Mexicans at Acapulco suppose that the above reports may be somewhat exaggerated and that further information, daily expected, may relieve their anxiety in the matter. ' THE BATTLE OF SAH LORENZO AND THE CAPTURE Or PUEBLA. The battle of San Lorenzo, in which Comoofort s army of 25,000 was defeated and completely broken up, took place on the Bth May. President Juarez, indignant at the inaction of Comonfort, went to him with the Minister of War, and insisted on an effort to raise the seig« or supply the suffering garrison with provisions. Comonfort commenced to move on the 6th ; on the 7th he was within a league of Puebla, and on the morning of the next day at 5 o'clock. General Bezame attacked them with 12,000 men. la an hour and a half the Mexican army was completely overthrown, with a loss of all its guns, provisions, ammunition, wagons, and 900 mules packed with provisions for the garrison. The Mexican reserve was ordered to use their cannon on the pursuing French, bat the latter were so mixed up with the retreating forces that friend and foe would have suffered alike. Comonfort estimates his loss at 1800; that of the French at 300. President Juarez has appointed General Garza to command the fragments of the army, Ortega made no sally during the battle. On tne Bth May, Juarez signed a law repealing that on the 13th March, 1861, in which certain privileges were granted to foreigners. On the same day a bill was introduced in Congress to expel all the Frenchmen from the Republic, and it was expected that the bill would pass. On the 17th Puebla surrendered, after aseige of twelve days, during which no provisions, and munitions of war could enter the place from without- The garrison was reduced to the greatest straits, They bad in vain attempted to break through the besieging lines, or to open roads for obtaining provisions. On the 18th inst the soldiers had nothing to eat save a quarter of a biscuit and five beans each. That evening Ortega held a council, and, in accordance with its advice sent a flag of truce to Ferea to know what conditions he would grant on a surrender of the town. He replied that they might go out with their arms, colors flying and drums beating, under parol* not to bear arms against the French during the war. This generous proposition must have been misunderstood, for it was rejected. On the next day General Ortega spiked his cannon, burned his colors and muskets, and destroyed all bis caissons and military material. He then released his French prisoners and told them to tell Forey that the garrison of Puebla would make no further resistance.

Forey sent Bazaine with his division, with tbe Zouaves without arms, at the hsad, into the city. On the grand plaza, Ortega, his General and officers, received Bazaine, and offered him their swords. He requested them to keep them, and he allowed them to go at large within the city on parole. The fragments of Comonfort's army have entered the City of Mexico, which is to be de* fended to tbe last. With the reinforcements expected, tbe garrison will probably number 18,000 men with 156 guns. Ever} thing is prepared for an inundation of the valley of Mexico. Until within a few days before tbe capture of Puebla, Forey had no guns larger than 12 pounders. ,We compile these facts from official reports and from the correspondence of the Echo dv Pactfique