Mobile Register

July 2, 1861

Page 1

 

Letter from the Rio Grande

            The Fort Brown (Brownsville) Flag, of the 18^th ult., furnishes the following intelligence:

            Col. Ford has received instructions to muster the forces under his command at this place into the service of the Confederate States.

            Col. Van Dorn has recommended to Col. Ford that he make his headquarters at some point more centrally situated to his military district than Brownsville.

            It is said that a very strong influence is at work to effect the removal of the customhouse from this place to point Isabel or Brazos Santiago.

            We understand that the authorities in Matamoros have interposed to suppress speculation in provisions during the prevailing emergency.

            Capt. A. A. Moore, the first regularly commissioned Confederate States army officer, arrived in this city on Saturday last from Galveston.  Capt. Moore is engaged in the inspection of the frontier fortification.

            We learn from Col. Nickels, of Edinburg, that Mr. Wm. Sheriff, of that place, was shot, on or about the 7^th of the present month, while riding horseback about three miles above Edinburg.  The murder was committed, it is generally believed, by Mexican assassins who were hid in the bushes.

            We learn from the same gentleman that three Americans who had started from Ringgold barracks, about the 5^th of the present month, were fired upon from the bush by a body of concealed Mexicans, at or near the Las Cuevas ranche, and two of the party killed.  The other gentleman escaped and made his way beck to Ringgold barracks.  The Las Cuevas ranche is a strong political precinct to import fraudulent voters from Mexico, and it is generally conceded to be a most detestable place in regard to thieves, assassins and robbers. 

            The steamer Mustang, Capt. Brown, came down the river yesterday and reports matters in confusion in the country.  The killing of Sheriff and the shooting of two other Americans, is confirmed to be a Mexican, suspected of complicity in the man’s killing, was hung, and others are likely to die the same way.