Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-22
E0SuEGN,
OFFICIAL ACCOUNT or TIE DEFEAT OF,
,rUE MIGUEI.ITES -E,r YERCEiRA.
..ASGEA. {Fpcrccira,l aug. Is, 1872

winch informed Won that the greatest part OF the
tIoclading squadron lad withdrawn, and had only
lt two hrIcs on observation, things remained in this
slate without alteration until the Goth of June, the
trrninT Of which day there Appeared the eastva rd
a. Great number of ships approaching the land and ON
me following morning 1t was recognized to be the
erenys squadron, consisting of twenty two sail,
ndnleiy-oue man of war, three frigatcs, two cor
Votes, four briggs, four government transports, and
several others 81 different sizes Of them being
urn1cdahereupon made my dispositions 10 give the
cucMr proper reception, and having garrisoncd all
'hs accessible points of the Island. nnd stationed
yidcts those Of difficult access, appointed the
Ttrrisons of the castles of st. John Baptist and st
Sebastian; formed flying column to occupy the
overlooking heights OH the wessouthwrst and north
west parts of the island and support innlcdia ely
nny point which the enemy might shev dispoytou
to attack that part Of the coast, and united into
central column the principal part OF the forces, wlic
Kept Win me to march upon the first point seriously
attacked, and 10 decide the victGry.
'''i!ilo b;ocka;ng squadron, either bec9usc tho
oa'ma, aud the winds from the S. and s H., which
prevailed the :!rs days OF their appearance enibar
r;iSsel their operations, perhaps cUnfdScg il; hU
1'se 4ni $rndeToas iepors chich had been ~
city spread, 10 Tie good ri. and disposition Of This
}Dpai popUjuti0n were waiting ior internal dsturoan
Ccs to facilitate their cnterpslsr finally, in ordcr
10 conibuc different means Of attack, which thcy yet
wanted; continued tac;ino he S. and s. Z coast
of the island until the 10th OF August, having the
preceding days received from twenty thirt- open
boats OF different sizes, which were ordered from the
island OF St. George, and which were distributed a.
nong the different ships
Con the 10Th of August. the wind having vrcroed
20 S. W. the whole squadron s:essd 70 the 5, u. aud
ippirg close to the wind perceived in tho ocelino
that the position they in With respect to the
WIND enabled them TO altacl, with fair wind Villa da
Pray, aud with LIGHT wind the bays to the west Of
this city aud castle. then formed Column,
Which with few guns, directed o occupy St Sebus
IAN, to be able promptly to succour Villa da Praya,
tc garrison OF which Colidtd to the brave BAT
Talon OF the Queens Volunteers under the com,
mand of Maior Of Cacadores No ., STanocl Joaquin
DE- Menezrs and | ordered the Conlrnandant Of the
district 20 the left of Villa da Prsya, Licuenant--
OF Infantry, No. Is, Pedro Tozc FREDERICK extend
his force OIL to tie heights commanding that bay
inc left side.
AT day-brcak the following morning. the squadron
the bet er conceal tlsr eicrs and deceive me an
pe.red close under land in front OF the bays to tic
lSest Of Anera aud the castle bnt at fill day tie wind
blew ffesher and showers ohscurpg the horizon thev
suddenly changed their course, ind gliding rapidly
along the COAST they suddenly appeared in the Bay Of
villa Praya, where the happy and glorious action took
place, description of which submit your Excel
lecy, that you may be plcascd to convey it TO the
knowledge OF her ,i-aiestY.
''The proximity to the land, in which the squadron
fayorcn by the wind enabiei TO double ta, iaoe
6fPraya, and the nsts and showers whicI, at that
time obscured the horizon, concealed ON the dcr-
defs OF the Bay Of Villa Pray3, every movement of
the hostile squadron and only al eleven in the morn
ing. when the fog cleared off and the wind Gained
was the man-ofwar discovered which formed the van
Gnard of the squadron and this at the time she WIS
oiitcring the bav followed by all the ships Of the
squadron, with hc%eNreption of The corvette let of
TIC port Of Angra
'ih tort OF tho port betrn The fire, and
Diadiately answered by the man Of war, and other
ships ofthc squadron which continuing seir notion
pcnetrhted Us far "a the water allowed thcr cast an
ror took in their sails, snd kept up without inter-
rlption most vigorous caunonudc.
'I;Ie fort Of the port cnuinandel by r}nsinrn 81
mon Albuquerque ofthc infantry No. 9, foowinp nm
his fire with the greatest Judgment, whilst the enemy
thunterd upon batteries and rrnchrncrts with
but little effect did considerable damage to the
line of battle ship destroyed part of her mast and
quarter deck, and wounding many persons on board.
fhSrHf prl t1ntt a.
cCssant fire of hundred cannons, tried intiuldae
the volunteers ofthe Queen Donna Maria H., who
hitherto alone in this arduous crisis, were attackc
with SO much Impetuoslty and violence; their atten
ton fixed upon the whole line of defence conf
drd to thcn. and they waited wt that sang Eroid and
APPROXIMATION which characterize true soldiers and do
honor to veterans, the Development Of the operation
Of binding
''By four o'clock in the afternoon the enemy, with
0t c"asing their fire from board for single mo
pcnt, sent column of troops in the launches at
tqckcti with rapldity and courage, the point where
The fort Of Esprto Santo stands, and where an ac-
CumuiRtion OF large stones of buza and great heaps
OF lava rolled form straight, ut the base ola sGarp
or stone, NEARLY vertical
''NIajor Menezes immediately sent rja yt of his w.
ntcers 10 support this point, uniting witt the force
P9sted in the adjoining district close to the base of the
Tort and these brave soldiers under the fire of the
batteries on board, and from two gun-boas that pro-
ttcted the landing, commenced such sharp and we'll
directed ire of nluskcrv. that thew succeeded in dri
gI1g back of the barges very roughly treated
however the greater part of the encmy's force cast
ing themselves boldly and at all risks upon fhe rocks
and climbing the Tort of E5pirito Santo which was
now eVacunted, succeeded III throwing some men into
the interior Oft that fort, whilst few others further off
got mp the scarp slope The design of the enemy
was 10 gain pscs5on of thc fort, and The crest Of the
rock. to occupy with his force the heights our left
N order to protect his Interior operations; but tire va
oar of the volunteers frustrated this plan because by
climbing rapidly tie height which commands the fort
Liley jumped into it, bayonct in hand md disodrnp
tier enemies prcciptatcd them upon the rocks on
which they landed, and themselves garrisoned the |
Crest of tic Scarp
Ihc enemy nj this iiFnc partly occupied by the de-
sFrrctiVe fire which poured upon their lunches and
partly iii launching second column against the riplt
tank of our line, Withdrew their launches on board
which left Ihnir 1l.,Rt.r