Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-10-25
,.,. Could easily distinguish the

Ce" attack. AS VIC P@a aauu6, sus
yss % . a in the town fired several
yraod paw s wishous effect. we kept our
sa0' ~ - =, owe arrived off Coche, between
coarse s.s,s r aud the Maiae, whete we came
sials shor mat day at 8, P. M. and remala-
sgsus ,s uo,.I the next day; We then pur-
C Va. -, yoyage unsil the lss OF August,
'asu -. ", We arrived in the bay OF La Vsla dc
s r.s TIE Royal city OF La vela de Co
.0'., the Spanlards call it, is situated in
~ ~ -, oart of the bay of that name.
s w. =. cane 20 anchor on the west side OF
!. nav. owing to the mistake OF she p,lot,
!: :, n nighs, or miles 10 leeward OF the
w. We attempted TO debark at day -lght
~ ~, aorniug without success, owing 10
. s head wind and a heavy sea. Our
Ian, ,,.,noo,n,.nent gave the inhabitants an OPP
o a,,i,si,y Of carrying of the public aud
r.s;.,,e treasure, winch was sitectuaiiy
~. The msrning after, We landed 10
=, ~ number Of $50, including msrlnes aud
'.lors aui although the town was defend
. .aby IS pieces of artillery, 400 infantry,
!. ~ some cavalry, we drove tina enemy
from 60 oost 10 posi-, and IN half an hour the
=, was ours and the Columbian dag hois..
i ,,,hs principal battery; We mad only
80 man wounded, ,hs Spanish troops were
ssn; IS; struck, aud fred at random. The
a,dor and briskness of the attack quite as
,oo;,hsd,he Oens; We took go OF the IN
dian, prisoners, armed with bews and ar
rows, Our troops had been all the day
before cooped up in The boat, trying TO
l.,J, and we're so fatigued .has they could
70. ossr'ake the enemy, the most OF whom
took their road to Coro, IL miles 5. W..
# La Vela. We spent the day in de-
barking mere troops aud recommending The
different roads AMI cnvirons OF the city,
aaa il pos.isg cen;inels. About mid
might've marched for Coro Sithtwo pieces
Of Hght artillery ard about two hundred
nd dfty troops, including sailors and ma
fnss. General Miranda hopsd to surprize
ihe enemy al break of day, before the
kings ueuaure could be removed, bur he
vas disappointed, for VS. found an empty
civ the Inhabitants fed to the mountains
With their vaiuables, few cid men and
women, some negroes and children, aud
few tables and chairs only remained. Co.
70 is one of the earliest built cities of Spa.
nish AG.erica; it is regularly laid out and
vrii bult, every house is simoss cannon
proof; they are generally built OF sioue,
which they cover with white plaster, and
ss wois are generally of strong heavy
MIS-; tie city is about four miles in sir
Conference. There ia large Cathedral
'ane centre square of the city, superbly
apamentsd with gold, il has number of
a'ars aroond it, wirhin and over every al
'r'sa niche containing, 10 colorrd wax,
s,hsr Jesus Christ, the Virgin, or some
d,he Saints.
nsie are several other public buildings
@'he Religious, among them is an ele
sn' aad extensive Convent of franciscan
Ihars; IL was buils by one of the Queens
y spaln aud presented to those Fr;ars;
u IS called the Convent Of ST.. Francis !;
aas fifteen affairs magai6cen,Iy inlaid
~aa gold, and the vaul,cd roofs over the
:. a".ls seem to be paved with golden shells;
Cue frlars, excep, two, abandoned ehe;r
sonvsns'..cne of them seemed to be de
p'sed otrsason, for be took the liberty
aogging himself aeYerely every morn
vs. Whas | am abous 20 mention would
a''e been related more regularly in for.
r met part OF this letter. bur I have too
Aue time TO think of order. aud so I will
ny What occurs as it comes in and out of
ny memory.
We entered Coso so early in the morn.
s'aas we could not distinguish friead
aom enemy. and here melancholy scene
9ss place: Whea the advanced guard,
~ .aen followed closely with the leading
rsss Of artillery, arrived in the cen,re
su4fs they advanced 20 she prison. which
NSy supposed was a fortified ri,.del or