The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-07-16
IMPORTANT FROM TANIPICO.
Battle between U. S. Sloop of War
St. Mary'sand Mexican Gun Boats.
THE MEXICAN FORT SILENCED.
U. S. SHIP Sr. MARy's,
Of Tampico, June l3, lS46. (

The war grows apace. On the 9Th inst,
We discovered the enemy erecting another
fort on the north side of the entrance TO tho
river, and at one O'Clock, P. NJ, we got the
ship under weigh under topsail, stood in,
aud when within mile of the fort and gun
boats, (the latter three in number, and ton
ming about one hundred,) opened fire on
the boat. Being OH lee shore, and in
shoal water, we were not able TO fire more
han eight shot, before it became necessary
to claw off, which we did, but at three
o'clock, returned and continued the firing
until we had fred 70 shells and 90 solid
shot. In the last recen,re, the enemy re-
turned our fire, with about ten shots from
Is pound guns, four of which passed near
us, two fell directly under our g fore foot"
one passing between the fore and main top
mast, and one over the fore foot, the othor
fell at distance.
The first shell which burst over tho fort
elected every soldier from The neighborbood,
the whole of them taking Immediately to the
wood. One of our shells passed between
one of the schooners' lnasts, and ex-
ploded beyond her, fragment having struck
the bowsprit and bulwarks, tearing both con-
siderably, as we have learned since the
fight. Ono corner of the custom house was
knocked down, house on the north side Of
the river was fred by the explosion of
she'll; and soldier at the fort on guard, by
the bursting of another shell, exchanged his
musket for pacdncy, il having been shattered
without, | believe, injuring his valuable pei
Iriu fha tbpIr
embryo fort, we returned to our anchorage
at a1fpast three.
| We were not satisfied, however, with this
engagement, for yesterday we projected a
plan for cutting out the gun boats and ac-
cordagly at dusk, hoisted out all boats, ar
rived there, the launch bearing ninc
FOUNDER in the bows, and at 10. O'Clock, P.
NJ, got under weigh and brought the ship
nearer the shore, about one and half miles
of. 1t takes longer time 10 describe the
minutia of this affair than can devote to it
now. We had desired to make the attack
before the moon rose, but could not. At
eleven O'Clock she was lifting her head above
the horizen when our Ave boats left the ship,
every thing having been previously arranged
by our gallant Captain. Mind you, we not
only had the difficulty of capturing threo
heavy gunboats with thirty or more men in
each, and to quolI Fort, of which we have
to pass within fifty yards, but there was
dangerous bar to be crossed, bm first TO be
found. We pulled into the shore. with
mu filed ours, literally feeling our way, 5br at
one time we would be quite in the breakers,
and then too far seaward, with strong tide
beneath and bright moon above us, every
thing seeming TO conspire against Cur daring
expedition.
In seeking our way to the mouth of the
river, we were obliged TO pass near the shore
for distance of 200 yards, and the noise
consequent upon the difficulty Of finding our
way through passage of which we knew
nothing, betrayed US to the sentinels along
the shore, who rapidly communicated with
the encampment, and it conveyed intelli-
gcnce to the gun boats, so that unknown TO
US, our foe was watching our every move
ment However, at about | A. NJ, we had
discovered the narrow entrance TO the mouth
| OF the river, and we're pulling in, when,
within two hundred yards of .he Fort, near
where we had TO pass, much to our surprise,
as you may imagine. bang went dozen
muskets, and the balls whzzeI about our
ears. We laid on our oars, and in FIVE
minutes after the firing of muskcts com
menced, the guns in the launch were trained
and let drive" A gun rather heavier from
one Of tho gun boats succeeded to this; .the
shot passed clear of US, and the gun in the
launch was loaded and fred again, when the
firing ashore ceased. There was also fired
from the launch few carbines
At this time we had not passed the point,
and after getting inside we should have been
obliged 10 pull at least 300 yards before
reaching the object of the expedition. The
enemy being already on the alert, and with
superior force, it would have been amos.