The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-04-17
From the Gulf Squadron.
u. s. SHip RARITAN,


Off Sacrificois, March 10, 1847.
Sin: In my last despatch, dated on
the 9th inst, informed the Depart
ment of the arrival Of Major General
Scott at Anton Lizardo. Most of the
transports, with troops and materiels
for the army, having arrived about the
same time, speedy Decentralization
was resolved upon, it being quite i'm
portant that we should effect a landing
before a norther should come on, as
this would delay US two or three days.
After joint reconnaissance, made by
the General and myself in the steamer
Petrita, the beach due west from Sacri-
ficios, one of the points spoken of in
my previous letters, was selected as
the most suitable for the purpose. The
anchorage near this place being ex-
tremely contracted, 1t became necessa.
ry, in order to avoid crowdng it with
an undue number of vessels, to transfer
most of the troops to the vessels OF
war for transportation to Sacrifcios.-
Accordingly, on the morning of the
9th, at daylight, all necessary prepara-
tions-suchas launching and numbering
the boats, detailing officers, &c.,-hav-
ing previously made, this transfer was
commenced. The frigates received Oil
board between twenty-five and twenty
eight hundred men each, with their
arms and accoutrements, and the sloops
and smaller vessels numbers in proper
tion. This part Of the movement was
completed very successfully about II
o'clock, a. M, and few minutes there
after the squadron under my command,
accompanied by the commanding Cen
eral, in the steamship Massachusetts,
and such Of the transports as had been
selected for the purpose, got under
way. The weather was very fine
indeed we could not have been more
favored in this particular than we were.
We had fresh, and yet gentle breeze
from the southeast, and a perfectly
smooth sea. The passage to Sacrif-
clos occupied US between two and three
hours. Each ship came in and anchor
ed without the slightest disorder or con-
fusion, in the small space allotted to
her-the harbor being still very much
crowded, notwithstanding the number
of transports we bad left behind. The
Decentralization commenced on the in
slant. Whilst we were transferring
the troops from the ships to the serl.
boats, (sixty-fve in number0 | derected
the steamers Spitfre and Vixen, and
the five gun-boats, to form in line
parallel with and close to the beach, to
cover the landing. This order was
promptly executed, and these small
from the lightness of their
1raught, were enabled to take positions
within good grope-range of the shore.
AS The boats severally received their
of troops, they assembled
in line abreast, between the fleet and
the gun-boats; and when all were
ready, they pulled in, together, under
the guidance of a number of the officers
Of the squadron, who had been detailed |
or this purpose. Gen. Worth COM
this, the first line of the army, |
md had the satisfaction of forming his
on the beach and neighbor-
ng heights just before sunset. Four
thousand five hundred men were thus
hro wn on shore, almost simultaneous
y. No enemy appeared to offer us
he slightest opposition. The first line
,eing landed, the boats, in successive
rips, relieved the men-of. war and trans
'orts of their remaining troops, by 10
'clock, p.m. The whole army (save
few struggling companies) consisting
# upwards Of ten thousand men, were
hus safely deposited on shore, without
he slightestaccident ofany kind. The
flicers and seamen under my COM
land We'd with each other on this oc-
aston, in Jealous and energetic per-
,rmance of their duty. | cannot but
xpress to the Department the great
abstraction Ihave derived from witness
lg their efforts to contribute all in their
over to the success of their more for
mate brathern Of the army. The
weather. still continues fine; to-day we
re engaged in landing the artillery,
orses, provisions, and other materiel.
he steamer New Orleans, with the
'cuisiana regiment Of volunteers, 500
Irong. arrived most opnorfunslY. all,