The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-11-17
NEWS FROM THE GULF SQUADRON.

From the New Orleans Picayune, Nov 81
We were so fortunate as to receive yesterday, by
pilot touched at the Baizs advces from The
squadron 10 the Gulf down the 27th of October The
accounts are very interesting but we regret to say
October u second attempt was made by Com Connor
upon Avaraio In consequence OF the grounding Of
Of the vessels which had three others in the Com
modore found himself most reluctantly compelled to
abandon the enterprise We cannot give adequate
engaged in the affair They suffered no loss-but from
unavoidable accidents from the force of circumstances
action with their enemy at close quarters they desired
The gallant old Commodore was the most chagrined of
ALL He took the command Of the expedition in psrson
upon the steamer Vixen His vessel succeeded in get
ting across the bar and reaching the desired position
where she stood the brsnt of the fire of the Mexican bat
terry OF twelve guns, till the McLane got aground and
would have been fsolhardinsss persist IN the enter
prise Com. Conner stood all the while upon the wheel
house Of the Vixen calm and unruiled while the shot
few around him. One ball. striking short Of the schoo
dashed the water over his person, filling his face
and eyes Unmovsi, he wiped the water from his face
and, solictous only for others, inquired any
hurt His bearing i. described TO everything that
could have wished. Perfectly unrufied, he would
not expose to useless hazard his command after il be-
came evident that from accident the enterprise fail
His officers and men, however were rendered half fran
and desperate that they would not have performed it,
rather ,hsn have obey ed the summons to desst
We have some trihing incidents connected with the
subjects touched upon in the above letters which were
written for publication but may not be without this
interest. Don Thomas Marin one of the most accom-.
pished officers in the Mexican Navy, anded the
iortcstions Of Aivaraao The paper containing his
port OF the attack has been accidentally misaid we
would give the whole Of it; but in the usual sty
Mexican reports He declares that he is ready for
agaiu ut any moment and this probably is true. The
Commodore, from his position in advance on the Vixen
discovered another Mexican half mile further up
the Ilver, or lag Don as II may properly be called
where three guns mounted in battery and support
ed by gun brig and two gun-boats, serving as water
batteries Perhaps IT was the discovery of these add
dore not to persist in his attack without the support of
more Of his force In the report of Senior the loss
OF the Mexcans Is not mentioned but he speaks of the
loss of Mexican officer who was not on duty but in
the streets Of the TOW half mile back of the fort He
a captain in the army and was struck by q shell
from the Mississippi and we need not say was almost
annihiated Another she'll from the Mississippi set the
Mexican colors on IRE in the fort but they speedily
replaced.
In this attack the pilot who was on board the
Truxton when she got ashore pioied the McLane His
name is Jim Mcneil and ne is q Scotchmsn. He dis.
charged his duty under the impressive belief that upon
tho first accident he would be shot We believe not
Pretendei that he played US false The pilot warn
ing Of the danger In season. and the vessel went ashore
In going about.
That we should have escaped from this enterprise
without any loss appears almost miraculous thckly
flew the shot II struck all around the boats il
over them and one shot struck blade Had grape
lamentable loss Of lie to record
The attack was subject OF remark among the officers
OF the foreign vessels that station. SO far as is
known they look upon the issue Is unfortunate but as
in no way dsgraceful to They fully appreci
aed the dincul,ies which we had to encounter, and
however that the result will dsapport the country and
might be ready to join in menations over it, were
we not assured that the Commodore by means de-
sps Of succeeding in his purpose, multfarious
the difficulties he will have encounter of these
difficulties will have suggested themselves to the reader
already and others this have obviated
But il is idle TO conceal the fact that the natural
dsences Of Avarado of character the most formi
dable and in every attempt which may be made,
vessels must incur great hazards quite Independent of
the artificial deences Of the river We have design
OF interpreting q defence for Commodore Conner The
of will be his
queinted with the difficulties Of his position but
wish to call attention very seriously to these facts de-
tailed in our correspondents letters that may form
rash conclusion in the premises We have reason to
presume that Commodore Conner would at
have proceeded to organize the plan OF another at.
spatch the expedition against Tobasco the day after
his rspuse by which he has given another op
porunity to his officers, chafed and mortified to wipe
out tue remembrance OF their recent misfortune at tho
same tune being generous enough to allow his second in
command, Com PerryJ to achieve something upon
take the command in Upon the Tobasco expedi
ton, Com Perry has taken with him about 400 officer
and men from the Cumberland and Rartan as
With this expedition have gone too almost all the ma
rnes in the squadron The Commodore has done every.
thing to insure its success
We are sorry for friend Howard, of the MLape
His vessel Is quite too slow for him, and worth the
powder IT would take to blow her to pieces In going
down to Tobasco the Mississippi with three schooners
in tow, had TO lay 10 to enable the MLane come up
tow. But despite his slow boat, Capt Howard had Oh.
portunity to show his stomach fer fight and retired
with upspeakable reluctance, agreeable 10 orders
We have some notices OF the state Of the deences of
San Juan de Ulua- There is nothing very new about
them but they confirm all that We have before said Of