The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-11-17
Correspondence of the Picayunc.l
OFF ANTON LIZARpo. f.,

octoheI ION, lS4O.S
Gentlemen-We are on the eve of another At.
tack on Alvarado. At S O'clock this afternoon
Com. Conner issued orders for the sailing of the
squadron Criga.e Cumberland and Raritan ex.
cepted) for the mouth Of the Alvarado river
The takes command of the expedi.
ton in person, making use of the steamer VIXEN
as his flag ship for The occasion. One O'Clock to-
morrow morning is the hour fixed for getting under
weigh, and already the steamers Mississinni.
vixen and McLane are firing up. Besides these
vessels the fnrce consists of the revenue cu,ter
Forward, schooners Refer, Petrol, and Boni,o.
anu prize schooner N0nata. This latter vessel
was recently captured from the Mexicans, and was
formerly the American schooner Belle, out of your
port. She now mounts four az pound corranades.
For the past month we have been drilling our
men as infantry upon a small island here. and
JACK Is So anxious for a fight that he marks time
win a good grace. and every one appears pleased.
that at last we are TO have a chance at the enemv
AT the mouth of the riyer the Mexicans have a
ten gun battery, and we know of a brig of war
and two g%unboats being anchored inside. A mum.
Der OF their small merchantmen have taken refuoe
IN the harbor, and there mus, be a smart sprink-
ling of prize money in store for us.
October l6.-Our sailing orders for the morn-
ing OF the 18th were counrermanded in couse-
qnence OF its blowing too fresh for operations-oc-
caSi"nIng a delay OF The expedition for twenty four
hours. We sailed, however, at I O'Clock. A. M.
yesterday, but | regret to say that we are all at
anchor again to-day, and .9tuarado is yet in nos.
session Of The Mericans.
You were pleased to call the former attack on
Alvarado an abortion, and | suppose you will not
be sparing of hard names for The present failure
but | trust that when you examine the facts of the
case. you will understand that it is owing la the
Ineficiency of the means at the disposal of Com.
Conner, and To the natural defences of the Mace
itself, that we have not been successful rather
than 10 any want If skill or courage ON his patt.
or lack Of spirit and support by the officers and
men under his nina
We were within ten miles of the mouth Of the
river at daylight and stood slowly in to shore. it
being dead calm-ihe Vixen aud McLano towing
me schooners-Ihe Mississippi anchored at long
shoi distance and commenced her FIRE.
Up TO this time everything appeared highly
favorable ior the success of The expedition. There
being a heavy swell on the bar the pilots decIin
ed taking the vessels over. The Commodore
leading IN the Vixen, with The rest Of the force
following, passed by the fort, each vessel fling
her broadSldn as she ranged ahead, with but little
effect, however. owing to the distance. A long
eighteen in the Forward sent a shot directly into
The iort-thls movement was repeated with better
success, The distance being lessened and again the
Forward made a most beautiful shot. In The
meanwhile The Mississippi had closed up and was
exploding her Paixhans about the heads Of the
m6N''duS w d way tndt must nave made some
of them see more stars than the Lurd ever made.
One shot from her disnOuntpd a heavy gun of
theirs from a s~tockade, this they soon remedied,
but thus far all their shot had fallen short. Du-
ring the morning several of our boats sounded
within a half a mile nf the fort, receiving the fire
Of The enemy with as much IMMUNITY as fndifer.
ence. The swell on the bar having somewhat
subsidized at ! p. M, the line was formed as fol.
lows: steamer Vixen, flag ship. towing gun boats
Refer and Bonito steamer McLane, towing The
NOnata cutter Forward and punboat Petrol the
two launches, three cutters and a barge, contain
ing a force destined for boarding the vessel Of
war, brought mp the rear. The Vixen, with her
tow passed the bar and took position within point
blank range, but the McLane stuck fast, and the
Commodore finding himself deprived Of The sup
port of two thirds Of his force, and being unable 10
sustain The fire Of IL gun battery with but four
light pieces of his own was obliged To retreat
The force in the boats vas nOw exposed to a
heavy FIRE, the shot flying thick and fast around
rs and had the Mexicaus fired grape it would
have knOcked some Of Us into fits. We ESCAPED
however, with a good ducking from The spray Of
the balls.
1t being now too late in the day for any further