The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-11-13

SAN JUAN p'sI.IOa.

with Spain, after the miserable re-
mains oftheir garrison had been sent
off to Havana, went with two com
panions over the castle of San Juan
D'Ulloa. 1t IS tremendous place
if at all well manned. No wonder il
held out so long. Had it not been
for the raging of the yellow fever
within its walls and the want Of pro-
visions, the Mexicans would never
have taken it without a naval force
very superior TO the one they pos
sesscd, though they have never since
had any force comparable to that
one.
The outer walls of this fortrcs are
of immense thickness-upwardS of
twelve feet; and in the positions
most exposed, the walls are seven
teen or eighteen feet in depth, Of
solid white stone. 1t is a very po-
rous and rather soft stone, so that
balls DO not split or crack it so much,
as they quietly embed themselves.
These outer walls have batteries all
round the guns were well planted,
with here and there a neat corner
for mortar. The inner walls are
so constructed that irthe outer wells
are gained it would still be at a
slaughterous expense to the beSeig-
crs, if the garrison were at all com
pctcnt to avail themselves Of their
position.
We entered the fortress from be-
low at the principal gate, which was
of great strength, and very skilfully
contrived and then went along a
stone passage, which had several
gateways, and "cunningly devised"
narrow passes, with high stone walls
on each side. This was terminated
by a canal or moat, with z draw
bridge over it. We then arrived at
a flight Of stairs, and passing up sew
eral vault-like aSccnts, we gained
the top Of the grand batteries. Their
general characteristic is that Of great
strength, and plenty ofroom to work
in. They mounted 100 long twenty
four Founders, all of brass. They
were, for the most part, in excellent
condition. The mortars were of
large calibre, though not in such
good order as the guns. The pow
der magazines were each literally
a dry stone well, plugged at the top
with blankets, and having a round
metal lid over the mouth that open
ed upon the batteries. We next de-
Sccndcd to the inner works, and
gained the secondary walls by a cir
cuitous route. Besides the necessi-
ty to the bcseigers of having guides
who well know every turn of the
works, the excitement and smoke
are almost certain to produce a con-
fusion, in which the voice or pre-
sence Of the guides would be lost,
and the party dashing onward might
only arrive at dead wall, a gap
looking ont upon the sea, or the
mouth Of 81 FOUNDER.
The circuitous route Of our de-
scent from the upper to the lower
range of walls was entirely exposed
to their batteries, the guns grinninC
at lis all the way, like so many black
tuskS, as we traverse stone cause
ways and narrow passes. Whole reg.
iments might here be raked down,
after they had conquered the outer
walls. But, the "chances of war"
are numerous; and one impcrfe elton
in the greatest power (if otherwise
perfect may render it inapplicable
and perhaps ridiculous. On arriv-
ing at their inner batteries, we found
the guns in a wretched condition.
They were no better than a Chinese
effect, "calculated" to strike terror
into the mind. But one may imagine
how very angry the subtle architect
of this formidable castle would have
been, could he have seen his excel
lent arrangements for its safety, and
for the nearly certain destruction of
the assailants, thus rendered abor.
tive.
We now descended very wide
and steep fight of stairs, which led
into the grand castle square, or lit
tie town, as one might almost call it.
We entered the town at the bottom,
through stone gatcways, the archi-
tcct had never missed an opportuni-
ty of giving the besciged protection
in retreatiug, and time to rally, and
then found ourselves in large open
enclosed on all sides by We
ry lofty walls, the low part of which
doors and entrances into
barracks, guard-houses, and shops
of various kinds for the sale of
such articles as garrison might
need. The Governors house is at
the end. 1t was genuine soldiers
Judgment, and very bare of all orna-
ment, except those of war, for it was
riddled all over with the marks of
shot and shell. Its strong covered