Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-02
From the New Orleans rieAyune.
THE ALVARADO ABORTION

40 ~ not an inNibng memo Tor comment
ANY thing but pleasing 20 an en,erptise bie
came of shaboiy that los name of acton WAs,
ever our land forces have The enemy yietory ba
e vao OF our troops with the greenes laurel,
whilst every attempt OF the navy has source of NOR
nhcsuoa TO the country This Alvarado affair did no
rise to tho dignity OF fsluro-t mere abortion cal
eulaed to excite the kind Of feeling lean audience eyn
ees when the performance Is postponed account Of th
| weather Were Il not that many brave and chivalrou
hearts have been chsfed and chagtined by the
tue, II would be INT subject for laughter but
as does IN some the character OF that branch
the service to which the country looked with an over
weenng confidence aud prde it s proper that the
action should be made public in its details well rs in IN
resuitsh such term be used regard to such lac
lustre business.
We have been furnished with of the affair
WINCH IN 90 Tar rs It's authenticity concerned
regarded official The stated do not present cas-,
calculated 10 excite emotions OF the most Quality
We have been put in possession OF nunbcr of e.r. FINN
the squadron containing information oko nor but which
not forbeSring and temper a. the
annexed Its -ad that Com. Conner in bad health
which may account Tor the miscarriage OF this esPlot
PESsAcoLA NAVY YARD, August 2I.
have taken pains embody all tho Particular,
nom various authentic sources OF the recent abortye
tempt o the squsdron upon the port OF Aard The sc
count be interesting the absence OF official docu-
ncnts twill DC recoleced about the time Mr. SIT.
dell lett Mexico the whole Mexican navy consisting of
several brgs and Cunbca taken Alvarado riv
en- Here they have been moored the present ,ie
was, also, current report that tho guns had bsen sken
OF of the vcsselsif aand landed on shore
The feasibility OF cuttngout these vessels been dis
cussed to- some time. aud especially after the wee
sells Of the squadron had brought correct report OF the
uaion Of the vessels ana the apparent dyieuees Of the
place
The river Alvarado has sandy buf or either side Of
Its entrance, which appear be dcu, OF ascent from
the beach and sPacy covered with Peky pear chapar
raj. fassinc the lett bluff the town or
place where the Mexican vessels noorcd From the
crest Of the hill command the anchorage OF YES
sells.
generally but the present supposed that heavy
rains have increased fifteen.
Commanding the bar unfinished oau,ry with
three en6asure.. which only guns Sud seen
mounted situated upon point OF low land runnng
out :rOm The bluff.
The Mexican vessels were about eas mile frea the bar
ard could be distinctly from squadron Two IN
boats Of the enemy anchored the battery The
houses were hidden by the intervening b'uf.
On the evening Of the 9th inst the Soners and the Fall
mouth left the squadron Anion LRdo pioneers
OF the expedition, and arrived off the mouth OF the river
before dnght Mr.. Fauntleroy, master OF the Somers
was sent in place buoys in 1--WE fathoms lie sue
ceeded IN approaching the battery carrying the
requisite depth OF water and placing buoy within half
mile. This verified By observation the ne1 mornipg
The rest Of the squadron, consisting Of ga,es Two
steamers, and three gunboas ~ the afternoon OF the
next day Some delay ensued in bringing the into
position that they ready to FIRE until after
NJ The Princeton and Mississippi the leading YES
ses and came in fahoms-AI what proved to be
distance Capt Enge he brought
his vessel 10 anchor verified previous reports sounding
in his gig quite close into the battery and found he could
place his vessel almost IN Pont-blank range.
The gun boats finally disposed the tanks Of the
battery within musk ct sho, of the beach in Inc with
in i've sx ishoms and the Falmouth the same line
but somewhat outside OF them that by sprngng her
broadsde she swept the beach, commandIng the landn,
and CD up the bluff with long-guns
About shutdown, IN obedience to general signal. the
Princeton Immediately opened IRE, and followed by
the Mississippi aud re gunboss Iws 1bvous that the
Princeton and Mississippi lar of for effective
eaiierng. and they signased firing. The
gua continued to IRE upon the fans Of the bstierie
and had IN line Of TIRE and good range tie Mexican gun
bOas This lasted nj. sunset when signal was made 10
discontinue the action.
Up to this tiHc shot had been fired By tao enemy
Tor the simple reason as alleged, that a gun Of
their battery could be brought upon ANY CT our yes.
sells Jest after shutdown voeys OF muskery we're poured
upon the gun-bol's from the beach and chaparra and
as thought, from single field piece. The fire vas
returned b. the gunboats with mUsketry and long guns
sad swiSes, and single she; from the Princeton and
Mississippi This s!enced the enemy's fire. The gun
boats immediately wthdrawn from heir pos ton and
anchored astern Of the Commodore. TIE action here ter
minated Tor the night and not afterwards renewed
Il was not known what damage was done the enemy.
IL thai night understood have been the Intention
ot the Commodore have closed with his vessels upon
the battery in the morning there plenty OF wate:
A. daylight tie weather unsettled but Old not in the
opinion OF thoae with whom -oLyersed aUpcar 10
threaten any obstacle the prosecution OF the e.
petition. There fresh breeze from ghe northward
aud eastward The direction Of the wind favorable 10
the boats ing sailing the ryer. and th.re was no,
surf enough TO make the landing difficult Such is the
snswe! TO my inquiries this point The tide from
to knots modified by the ebD and iow. 40 one ex-
pec'ed the expedition be given up To the profound
amszemeut OF oil hands dsyoresk the whole squsJr9n
was sgnazed get under way and 60 back to Anton Ii
rardo. cannot learn that there aCy council OF the
'teers, or IN fact any consultation with s1y bod blye
heard asserted that there who was not COM
ple;ely taken by surprise.
There appears be difference IN the estimate Of
the enemy The officers who ssid have had tue best
opportunity Of observing them The armed and IN
armed men who were N sight three hundred
others have set them down high thousand. There
Vas body OF infantry and one held-p.ecc sup
oosed-nO mounted men. told that Vera Cruz %.
papers, IN Lncing the departure tie squadron for
Avsrado expressed the opinion that the place and the ye
'els mad IS matter Of course fallen into hands
cannot ind oct that any body assign the reasons
why The expedition necessarily abandoned or mas pen
etra,ed the motives Of the Commodore in abandoning IT,
h.ve given you the best relation make out from
what have and heard stated forbeur comment tor
there does not appear to be any thing pleasant remark
upon.