Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-11-05
Whole No. SIS.
Correspondent of The London .Ne,Os ]
San Jnau de UIIOn.


L On the termination of the war with
Old Spain, after the miserable remains Of
then garrison had been sent off to Ha-
vana, | went with two companions over
the Castle OF San Juan de Ulloa. Ii 10
tremendous place, if at all we'll manned.
No wonder j, had held out 50 long. Had
It not been for the raging Of the yellow
lever within its walls, and the want Of
provisions, the Mexicans never would
have taken IL without IA naval lorce very
superior TO the one they had possessed,
though they have never seen force
comparable to that one.
4 The outer walls OF this fortress are oS
immense thiekness--upwa ards OF twelve
feet and in the positions most exposed
the walls are seventeen feet in depth, Of
solid white stone. Ii Is II very porous
aud rather soft stone, SO that balls do
not split OF crack II SD much as quietly
embed themselves. The outer walls
have batteries all around the guns were
well planted, with hele and there neat
corner for mortar. The inner walls
! are So constructed that If the outer wells
are gained, II would still be u slaughter
Gus expense TO the beslegers, If the gar-
rlson were al all competent to avail them
selves of their position.
i We entered the fortress from below,
at the principal gate, which was Of greus
strength, aud very sklliully contrlved,
and then went along "A stone passage,
! which had several gateways and 'cutp-
ninely devised narrow passes. with
! high stone walls on each side. This was
Terminated by a canal or Toat, wnb
| a draw bridge over ii. Nenext arrived
at flights OF stairs, and passing up sever
al vault-hke ascents, we gained the top
of the grand batteries.
/ Their general characteristic is that Of
great strength, and plenty Of room To
work in. They mounted 100 long tweD-
>. .lty-lour FOUNDERS, all OF brass they were
for the most eart IN excellent copdiiioD.
4 The mortars wtre all OF large caIrbrc,
though not IN such order as the guns
The powder magazines were each liter
ally dry stone well plugged at the top
with blankets, and having a round metal
lid over The mouth that opened on the
batteries
We next descended to the inner works,
and gained the secondary walls by u
clrcullous route. Besides the necessity
to the beslegers OF having guides who
well know every turn OF the works, the
excitement and smoke are almost GER
tain TO produce a confusion, IN which the
voice or presence of the guides would be
lost, and the party dashing onward might
ouly arrive at a dead wall, sgap iook-
ing out upon the sea, or The mouth of
Twenty four FOUNDER. The circuitoss
route OF our descent from the upper to
the lower range Of walls, was entirely
exposed to the batteries, the guns grin
mug at US all the way like so many black
tusks, as we traversed stone courseways
end narrow passes. hole regiments
might here be raked down, after they
bad conquered the outer walls. Butthe
chances of war; are numerous and
one imperiection IN the greatest power
(il otherwise perlect) may render 1t in
applicable, and perhaps ridiculous. On
arriving at these inner batteries, we
lound the guns ~ n wreiched condition.
They were no better than a Chinese
.'fItCl, w ell'ht ltlIo'
the mind But ooe may imagine how
very angry the subtle architect Of this
formidable castle would have been,
could he have seen his excellent al range
ments Tor The safe and nearly certain
destruction OF the assalanis, thus render
ed aborlIve.
4 We now descended very wide and
/ uto n,uhi nj ota nbIch lpH na
dawn into the grand castle square, or
little town as one might almost call IT.
We entered at the botom through
stone gate-wBvs, (tbe architect had
never missed an opportunity Tor giving
the besleged protection ~ re,rea,ing, and
time TO rally, aud then found ourselves
IN large open square, enclosed on ALL
sides bb very lofty walls, the lower part
of " hirh displayed doors and entrances
into barracks, guard-houses and shops of
/ various kinds for the sale of such arti-
clcs as n garrison would need The
Governors house rs at the further end -
1t was genuine soldiers lodgmeut
and very bare OF all ornament, sx-
cept those Of war, for II was riddlrd all
over with the marks of shot and SHE'LL
/ II is strong covered balcony, intended
! to serve as protection from the bro'ing
sun, and for the fall OF miss'ls, and was
in many places torn in long gaps Az
The towers and buildings OF any eleva-
ton had also been knocked about aud
delaced by the shot and shells from Vera
Cruz, previous To surrender oi The castle.
But the mutllaiions and destruction did
not materially affect the strength Of the
place. Very lew Of the guns had been
dlslodged; even the outer batteries were
not injured so as TO render them inrfiec-
tive, with the exception OF n gap oi RUNS
in one or two places. There is about
a miles breadth of sen running between
San Juan der lloa and tho town ot Vera
Cruz.
II How strong and skilfully this fortress