Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-04-20

our whole line were worked with better
effect. This, however, is not the only
participation of oar gallant navy in the
siege.
On the evening of the ODD what is term
ed the Mosquito fleet, consisting Of the
steamer Spitfire, Capt. TatnaIl, and Viz
en-, Capt. Sands, and sch9oners Petrol,
Lieut.. Shaw; Boniba, Lieut.. Benham
Refer, Lieut.. Sterrett; Tampico, Lieut..
W.T. Griffin; and Falcon. Lieutenent
GLEASON, each vessel having one heavy
gun, and commanded by Capt. Tatnall,
moved up from the anchorage at Sacrif-
clos, on the afternoon ofthe 22d, and took
position on the extreme RICH, of our line,
close in shore, and commenced firing shot
and shell into the city. They retained
this position until the morning the 23d,
when they got under way and stood with
in about quarter of mile Of the Cas-.
tie, at point to the north OF the Washer.
woman shnal, 80 that both castle and city
were within reach of their guns. They
remained IN this position during two OF
three hours firing alternately into the
city and castle, and Notwithstanding the
continued fire Of shell and shot from that
point Of the enemy's defences. and from
Fort Santiago, AT the southern extremity
of the city. not a life was lost, a wound
received. or one of the vessels injured.
At the expiration of two or three hours
the feet was recalled, but during the peri
cd it was engaged it did much destruction
to the city, and annoyed TIE castle coasid.
erably by throwing shell into it..
During the 26th an extremely violent
norther blew, and the FIRE on both sides
was suspended during tho whole day. and
from our batteries on the 25th being,se
destructive to the city the people clamored
for a surrender. Morales, the Governor,
having declared his intention never to
surrender while it was possible to fire
gun, was deposed, and Landero elected IN
bis stead; and on the morning of the 9th
flag of truce was sent with an effeF to
surrender the city by itself. to which Gen.
Scott replied that he could take both city
and castle, end that he would accept only
the surrender of both. The flag of truce
.eturned, but during the day negotiations
were again opened by the enemy, which
uiimated in the surrender of BOTH THE
CITY AND CASTLE!!
Without entering into the details of the
terms, it will for the present be sufficient
to state that the garrison surrendered,
numbering in all about one thousand men;
prisoners of war, and the city and castle
were delivered to as on condition that
they should be prisoners in their present
condition until he difficulties between
the two governments are settled by ira.
of peace. The troops delivered up their
arms and were permitted to retire into the
interior on condition of not serving a.
gainst US again during the war. The
18th was fixed upon as the day upon
which our army should take possession
and on the morning of that day Gen.
Scott, with Worth and his division, &C
companied be the officers ofthe army and
large representation from the squadron,
entered and took possession, the enemy
at the same time marched out. AS the
American flag YVES hoisted at the plaza,
and over San Juan de Ulloa, saluses were
fired simultaneously from the castle, the
batteries of the city and squadron. Gen.
Scott Immediately took up his quarters ia
the palace, and invested Gen. Worth With
the command Of the city, as Governor, at
the same time the command ofthe castle
to Col. Bolton, that of Fort Jago. at the
southern extremity Of the city, TO Maj.
Wright, and that of Fort Conception, at
northern extremity, to Major Scott.
The smallness Of our loss during the
siege, is wonderful; and including Capts.
Alburtis, and Vinton, of the army, and
Midshipman Shubrlck ofthe Mississippi;
the latter of whom was killed while en-.
pie yed in the naval battery, in the rear Of
the city, our whole loss in killed is only
II, and in wounded %. That of tho
enemy's garrison our informant did not
learn, but understood that Gen, Valdez
was among the killed. The loss among
non combatants has unfortunately been
very great. The number Of woman and
children killed is varicusly stated at from
500 to 1000.
The enemy assigns as reason for the
early capitulation, a desire to spare tbs
blood of non combatants, and because
they wore out of provisions, both in tho
city and The castle. Several Of the in:
habItants of the city stated, after its
surrender, tat Tiers was months provis.
ions there, but however this may be, after
the terms of capitulation had been agreed
upon, Gen. Scott, on being Informed of
the scarcity ofproyisions in the city, cent
in four day supplies for their relief
Commodore Perry, during the siege,
was extremely strict in preventing aay
intercourse between the foreign vessels Of
war and the enemy, and General Scott
refused to afford the British and Frshch
consuls an opportunity ofleaviug the