The Arkansas banner., 1847-07-19
MUSTANG.
ours,
SAN IeAx BAUrisrA DE TABAsco, ,

SAN JeAy BAUrtSTA DE TABAsco, June 2l. 1917. The city of San Juan Bau,is;a, the capital of the department of Tabasco. is located on the bank ot the river. points of deience.- One of the strongest Is very acute bend, ever , miles below the city, forming three Ifour,hs of a circle quite narrow and there ! fore ihe more troublesome Tn the passage of vessel of any length through il. This fact | Is so evident. even to these benighied crea- 1 ,uFes, that they have designated Il as '.El i Turno del Demonio,n or Devils Turn-snd with breastwork constructed midway the bend, and guns judieiousiy disposed and we'll served, they might so derange the plans of any fleet of vessels ascending that their positions could not be other wise lhan extremely critical But here let Is return to the steamers, the rapid progress of wheh was much retarded by their heavy tows against strong current, but still they pufied ard sweated from every pore as they dragged the heavy lengths along ssissa of them. until within mile of the Devils Turn, and there were brought up all standing III s feet water only. IL was near sunset, and boats were sent ahead to sound, but no grea- ter depth could there be found within a hun dred wards around, and the Commodore de- . eIded lo anchor for the night. All hands were prepared for an attack. as we had reason 10 suppose that there would be scouting parties around us. Nor were we deceived; for just before the sun had disappeared, the enemy opened upon us from the shore with volleys .,T, inS9tfvar,as hidden III ihe chaparral and erushwood-yei, alslough the battles flew over our heads and whizzed past us. not man was wounded ] We returned the fire with such interest that the rivers bank were soon cleared Of Mexi- cans, and silence profound again reigned around; bal towards morning the accidental ] discharge of miisket brough, another fire upon us, from place called the PaIm-tree [ Landing. On board the Vesavius some of i tue crew were wounded, but not mortally- and when morning broke, all hands, may say, were in perfect state of salnbriIy.-
 hen t xas lhat the Commodore gave inc
 order that about 600 seamen and marines,
 with lheir respective communication land and march down upon the city, io co-ope-
 rate with the vessels if they should cross the flats. And now the scene was grand and edfying to behold: surf-boats, with brass ! feldpieees--harges, crowded with officers --cniters, lammed and cgammed with sea-
 men and marines-all lying off on their oars, just after daylight, and eagerly awaiting the
 signal ,e dash upon the shore
 i In the meantime Lts. Alden and May had
 been ordered ahead to sound, covered by the
 guns of the Bonita; but the lurking foe, sneak ing among the tall grass and brushwood
 rloasly wounded It. May in the right ann two of the boats crew were likewise hit, but
 mol badly hurt. And now the Commodore
 had debsFked in his barge, accompanied by his siail, io lead ihe shore ward bound forces
 to the landing place a, the Palm Trees. stu aied q m'le below the Devils Turn Then the steamers Scorpion, Spitiire, Vixen, and ScouFge, opsaed simultaneously with their heavy gaas aPoa these devoted trees, and kept ap an iacessan, blazing for abou, mi nu'es, which made lane through the forest!
 The order was passed to cease firing and for. ward 10 the shore; the barge, with .he com mander-in-ehiei, landed first, when shout arose thai rent the ar and through the coun- try, lar and near, panlc-like upon the ear of the flying foefnen every where.
 Boat after boat surged through the swell, and the nervous arms of ihe excited oarsmea made them spring slmosi out of water high up on the beach, while seamen and marines struggled hard 10 be foremost up the steep bank, and DO one though, of the foe other than to pray that he might be worthy of his sieel
 Ten brass feld-pieces were landed, and hundreds of seamen stood by to bend on the drag rope, for the main strength work of dragging them up the river bank, almost per pendieular.
 Al length after considerable delay, the line of march was formed under the direction of | f@af k- A Il. n