Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-03-26
San Juan d'UllOa.

AS it is pretty generally understood that
on this far-famed castle, the following des-
cription Of it by a correspondent Of The n. y.
Tribune who writes from the U. s. Ship
.qi6any will be read with interest.
'.As from the deck with my glass | swept
over the city of Vera Cruz. its rnvifous, and
the strong-nold which covers i'--sald to BE-
i%mprpgmable TO The combined fleets Of ilp
parll--it was with rather "A serious feeling
that my eyes rested upon this grim, grisly
pile, bIrbpd and b~rislIing with its hundreds
of cannon. The question at unce arises,--
Can it be taken? Shall we ever see cur
fleet moving up over lie eXpansr before me
t. attack it, | dnubI it very much. Ger
tainIy not with any force we have or have
had here. Let people at home prhie as much
as they please about it, if it is ever done, il
will H. ry a tremendous array Of cannon, and
a most awful loss of life. The castle Of We.
~ Cruz is no more what it was when France
carried it than you are n0w 10 what YOU were "a
! nursing in your mothers arms. There w re-
no guns above the calibre Of 81 pounds--and
but few Of ihem-inost misernbly served
The magazines unarclIed We're not bomb
proof; the powder Was of so inferior a oh r.
acler, that not a shot penetrated the side Of a
French ship, but at the clo.e of the engage
mpnt we're stuck about the sides of the French
ships. like so many balls Of mud and in ad-
diIion 10 all this, the commanding officer
having been instructed not TO fire the first
gun, permitted the French squadron TO come
up and take its position as quietly as though
moOring 10 pass the winter season.
Now let us see what time and a severe
lesson has effected with this same CASTLE
There are at present mounted within its per-
iphery nearly three hundred cannon, and
these are all 32S, 42S, and 8 and 10 inch
PdiXhan, there being a very large number Of
the latter, and wherever il has been possible
Ia train a gun upon the channel Of approach,
they are planted sen barbette," so that a fleet
moving up 10 the attack must be exposed TO
the concentrated fire Of 20 cannon, over a
distance of Two miles before it can get into a
position TO return a single shot. The castle
Of San Juan fronts the city al the distance OF
about lhrpe-piglrls ofa mile, and is supported
ny a water hate. y al the northwest angle OF
the city. Of fifty 80 and AZ Id guns. all OF
which. with those Of the castle commanding
the channel would enflade The squadron pas
sing up, DOwS on, from the moment it arrived
within range of the shot, until its anchors
were down, with springs upon the cables,
wilhin reach of muskrt shot. Judge, then,
what a force would be required for any PROM
isp of success, aud at wi Il an immense sac
rifce it would b. accomplished, it at ALL
The garrison Al this moment is composed of
1000 men. 10 the event of an attack, they
would with the most perft CT safety retire
within the easements, which are as imperyl-
Gus to shot as the sides of Mount OrizbI, I'M
Ill the ammunition of the assaultlng force
WAS expended, when they would return TO
, their guns aud sw eep the waters before Them
= with The most terrific and destructive effect.
The officer commanding lately sent official
word "tha, il the Commodore would bring
II his feet up, he might fire until there was moi
5 a shot left in the locker. and he would prom
Use not to return d gun until the Commodore
9 was done firing.
! 1t is very easy to batter down the castle
u Of Vera Cruz by a few mathematical lines
upon a piece of hite paper, and II is sill
J, easier To harangue a curious giddy crowd a
a corner OF the street 10 such a tune old VIC
men may p%rattle over their quiet hre-sides
about our glorious fleet razing San Juan d
/, Uiloa to the ground by a single broddsidt
j and young bucks and heroes, pressing thrr
a fierce mustiche and imperial, may heap in
D veciivrs upon what is called the '.mastrrl
inactivity" of Commodore Conner--but sen
these gentry down here and il they have no
less brains Than beard, they will soon see ih'
: folly of such fhnfaronade, and perhaps in lhI
: ordinary hard service attending the blockade
| only, he the first 10 cry ont,-'Give me some
drink. Trtinies, or | die !'-for there is MOI
a single officer on this station who would mol
much prefer service with The army with some
|, remote probability of a fight, to the annoyan.
ces and privations Of a vigorous blockade oil
Vera Cruz, during the winter months, on an
allowance Of water, with salt provisions In
} ereaslng the thirst for Il, 9 ohanso Of lime as