Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-04-17

HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM VERA 1
- f''s's CRUZ.
Surrender of the City and Of the Castle of
+ N San Juan FUlloaf By y. i
! From the Nex Orleans Evening Mercury--2d
The United States steamer Princeton,
Capt. Frederic Engle touched at the South
West Pass on the morning of the I'd. in
80 hours from Vera Cruz. By passengers
we have the following highly important in.
telgence.
Gen. Scott having completed his en-.
trenchmehts on the god ultimo, his line
nine miles in length, completely surround
ing the city, opened his batteries, consisting
of nine mortars, four 24-pounders and two
10 inch howitzers, at about O'Clock on the
afternoon of that day. The city and cas-.
tie commenced firing shot and shell from
the moment our troops were discovered
taking position, and the firing between
both parties, from the time our batteries
opened, until the night of the 25th, was
heavy and uninterrupted. On the 25th in
particular, the damage done to the city was
immense. A battery of two thirty.two
Founders, from the Squadron, manned by
seamen, and commanded by officers from
the Squadron, was placed directly in the
rear Of the city on the morning of 22d.
This battery told with such powerful effect
that of the twelve batteries Of the enemy
surrounding the city, five were directed to
it, without having the least effect in
dampening the ardor of those who worked
it.
1t was mounted by one hundred and fifty sea-
men, and commanded by five or six officers
the party being relieved every twenty. four hours
from the squadron, and it is admitted that no
guns in our whole line were worked with better
effect This, however, is not the only partici.
patton of our gallant Navy in the siege. On
the evening Of the 22d, what is termed the
Mosquito feet consisting of the steamers Spit.
fire, Capt Tatnall; and Vixen, Capt. Sands,
and schooners Petrol, Lieut.. Shaw; Bonita,
Lieut. Benham; Refer, Lieut.. Sterrelt; Tam.
, pco, Lieut.. w. P. Griffin; and Falcon, Lieut..
GLEASON, each vessel having one heavy gun and
I commanded by Capt. Tatnall, moved up from
, the anchorage at SACRIFICES, on the afternoon
Of the 22d, and took position on the extreme
:, right Of line, close in shore, and commenced
firing shot and she'll into the city. They re-
;, tanned this position until the morning of the
;. 23d, when they got under way and stood within
:. about one quarter Of mile Of the Castle, at
q point to the north Of the Washerwoman shoa
/ so that both Castle and City were within reach
y Of their guns. They remained in this position
during two or three hours, firing alternately into
= the City and Castle, and notwithstanding it:
" close proximity TO the Castle, and the continued
fire Of shell and shot from that point OF The
enemy's deieGces, and from Fort Santiago, a
:, The southern extremity OF the city, not lift
u was lost, wound received, or one Of the yes
> sells injured.
|. At the expiration OF two or three hours, thu
g fleet was recalled, but during the period it was
Q engaged, it did much destruction to the city
r. and annoyed the castle considerably by throwing
:, :. shell into it.
- During the 26th, an extremely violent northe
= blew, and the fire on both sides was suspendcc
- during the whole day, and from our batteries or
the 25th, being so destructive to the city, the peo
!" nor camoured for surrender. Morales the Cover
nor having declared his intention never to surren
~ der while it was possible to fire gun, was de
- posed, and Landero elected in his stead; and or
g the morning OF the eth, flag of truce wa
" sent with an offer to surrender the city by itself
= to which Gen. Scott replied that he could tax
- both city and castle, and that he would accep
" only the surrender Of BOTH The flag OF true
:, returned, but during the day negotiations wer
:, again opened by the enemy. which ultimate
10 in the surrender OF BOTH THE CITY AM
u u THE CASTLE!
u, ~ Without entering into the details OF III
~ terms, it will for the present be sufficient t.
a state that the garrisons, numbering in a
IN about one thousand men, surrendered prise
II ners of war. and the city and the castl
rs were delivered to us on condition that the
- should be protected in their present cond
T ton until the difficulties between the tw
nations are settled by treaty OF peace
ur The troops delivered up their arms, an
of were permitted to retire into the interior o
ar condition Of not serving against US agai
during the war. The 29th was fixed upo
OF as the day upon which our army should TAX
le possession, and on the morning OF that da
ng Gen. Scott, with Gen. Worth and his dvi
P ion, accompanied by the chief officers OF tn
l.. army and large representation from tn
- squadron, entered and took possession, tn
a. enemy at the same time marching out.
the American flag was hoisted at the plaz
bv and over San Juan de Ulloa, salu,es wei
= fired simultaneously from the castle, tn
batteries OF the city and the squadron. Gel
Scott Immediately took up his headquar,el
in the palace, and invested Gen. Wort
with the command OF the city, as he gave
ag the same time the command Of the castle ,
- Colonel Bolton, that OF Fort Jago, at Ii
in southern extremity Of the city, TO Majc
'p- Wright, and that Of Fort Conception, at Ii
al; northern extremity, to Maj. Scott.
ed The smallness of our loss during the sieg
~ is wonderful; including Captains Alburt
e a. IL.