Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-11-24
From the y. 0. Picayuue.

second obo,,ioe attack on Aoarado-Erpedon Against
Orr Asros Lrz.RDo, October 10, 1916
conference.-the arc on tho eve Of another at
tnck on AIva RADIO. At > o'clock this afternoon
Com. Common issued orders for the smiling Of the
squadron, fr gates Cumberland md Rartan, cx-
copied, for the mouth Of the AlvaraGo river.
The Commodore takes the command Of tho OK
petition in person, making use Of tho steamer
Vixen his flag ship for the occasion. One
o'clock tomorrow morning il tho hour fixed, and
already the Steamers Mississippi, Vixen ana
Mclean firing up. Besides these vessels, tho
force consists Of the cutter Forward. scEooncrs
Rector, Petrol, and Bonito, and Prlza schooner
Monata This latter vessel recently captur-
cd from tho Mexicnns and was formerly the A
morican schooner Belle, out OF your port. sac
now mounts four fortytwo cannonatc..
For tho last month We havo b en- drilling our
men rs infantry upon small island, and Jack is
so anxious for fight that he marks time with n
good grace and overy ono appears pleased at last
we re to havo n chance at the enemy. Al the
mouth of the river :ho Moxicnns haTe n ten gun
battery and we know of brig of war and t"o
gun boats being anchored inside. y number Of
their small merchantmen have taken refuge in
tho harbor and there mus. be q sFn1r: sprmkling
Of prize money in store for us.
Oct. l2tn.-Our sailing orders fur tho morn
ing Of tho li,h wcro countormnnded in coneo-
Gucnce Of lis blowing too fresh for oper',ion~.
occas ioning delay of tho expedition Of "A hours
We sailed however at A. VI. yesterday, hut |
rcgrot state that nre al al anchor ngn1n to-
day, and Alvarado yc. in possession Of tho McAl-
cans.
You were pleased to call tho former nttach IN
Alvarndo m nborton and suppose yOn "'Il
no, be sparins Of hard names for the present fail
ure; but trust when you examine the fncis OF
tho cnse, YOU viii understand that 1t IS owing 10
ineficiency OF tho means ut tho disposal of Com
modora Conner, and to the natural dct'ncca OF
the place itself, that VIC havo not been successful,
rather than 10 any want of skill or cournge on his
part or lack Of spirit and support Of the oiicorS
and men undor his command. No were within
ten miles Of tho mouth Of tho river at daylight,
md stood slowly into shore, ii being dead calm,
tho Vixen and McLono towing tho schoDncrs.
The Mississippi anchored at long shot distance,
md commenced hcr fir. Up 10 thIs tEo, every
thing appeared highly favorable for tho SUCCESS
Of the expedition.
Therc bong n heavy swell on The hnr. tic
Pilots declined taking the vcsse's over. Tn Com.
modoro leading in the Vixen with the rest OF INC
force following. passed b tho Fort. each vessel
firing her broadsidc she ranged ahead. witt
but little effect, however,, owing to tho distance
A long Is in tho Forward sent 4 shot directly
into tho Fort.
This movement, was repeated with better sue
cess. the a,is,unco BONG lessoned. l nc
made most beautiful shot, In the meantime
Tho Mississippi had closed up and exploded hoi
Paixhan about the heads Of the aeNlcans, IN the
way that must hnvo mado some OF thch sec more
stn rs than the Lord ever r,ado.
One shot from her d.sIrountcd 4 h2aNy gun Of
theirs from s,ockadc. This they soon remcdied
but thus far thoir shot had fallen short.
n,,rin. .i". rrntriii.,ss, eovorat of our boat
sounded within half mile Of the fort. receiving
the fire Of the enemy with much IMMUNITY as
indifference. The swell outside Tho bar having
somewhat subsidized, at +. NJ, the line was form
cd, as follows; steamer Vixen. flagship towing
gun boats Refer and Bonita; steamer McL1nc
tho Monata, cutter Forward and gun-boat Pctrai;
then two launches. throo cutters and barge con
tanning considerable forcc destined fer boarding
tho vessels Of war, brought up the rear Tho Vixen
with her tow passed tho BAR and took position
within point blank range; but tho IcL0nc stuck
fast and the Commol lore. tinding himself dcpriNcl
Of the support Of ono third of his force, and BE-
ing unable to sustain tho fire of tho II gun bat
tory with but four light pieces OF his own, was
obliged to retire. The force in the boats WAS
now exposed TO a heavy fire, the sho: Il ying thic,;
and fast around us and had the Moxicans fired
grape it would have knocked somo Of rs into fits.
We escaped. however, with cool duckIng from
the spray Of the balls. It being now too late in
tho day for any further operations signals were
made for return TO anchorage, and thus ended
this bloodless contlict-no. because cnch md
cvery man of us would not have shed our heart
best blood 10 have gained tho day-not because
our plan Of attack was 10. good, tina: VIC were
not properly icd-bul because Providence has
provided tho enemy with such natural detcnccs
as cannot be overcome By q naval attack with
such means as Com. Connor has u, his disposal.
The McIanc is Al abon1inable abortion--tc
make use of your Notwithstanding too muct
water 10 be serviccablc, and not sufiicicn. power
TO drive her over TWO and half knots per hour.
Ru, il il duo TO Captain Howard TO say thai as
soon US he got his vessel a6oa sain. he proceeded
10 make another attcmpt 10 PISS tho bAr. hnt iht
Commodore declared i. now too late IN tie
afternoon. There remains one way 70 tako tins
Alvarado. and mark my worG, it viii be done