The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-04-16
HIGHLY Important from Vera Cru,
Surrender Of the city ana OF thu
CASTLE OK SAN gIAN dc VlIOli

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Evening Mercury, Of the I'd, has been ia
vored with the following highly important
intelligence:
General Scott having completed his en-
lrenchments on The I'D ult., his line nine
miles IN length, completely surrounding
the city, opened his batteries, consisting of
nine moItars, Tour 2i-pounders and two 10
inch howilzers, at about O'Clock on ia.
afternoon Of tina, day. The city and castle
commenced firing shot and shell from the
moment our troops were discovered taking
position. and the firing between both par
ties, from the time our batteries opened,
until the night OF the &5,h, was heavy and
uninterrupted. On the 25lh, in particular,
the damage done 10 the civ was immense
A battery of two 32.pounders, and fonr GS
Founders, from the squadron, manned bv
seamcn and commanded by officers from
the squadron, was placed directly in the
rear Of the city on the evening of the 22d,
and opened lis fire on the morning Of 23d.
This battery told with such powerful effect
| that Of the twelve batteries Of the enemy
surrounding the city. five were directed 20
II without having the least effect in damien.
ing the ardor of those who worked il. Ii
was mounted by 80 seamen, and COM
manded by > or officers, the party being
relieved every - hours, from the squadron.
and it is admitted tina, no guns IN our whole
line were worked with better effect. This.
however, Is not the only participants" Of
our gollan, Navy in the siege. On the eve
ming of the 2!d, wha, is termed the Mos
quito fleet, consisting Of the steamers Spit
fire, Capt, Ta,nall, and Vixen. Captain
Sands, and schooucrs Petrol, Lieut.. Shaw,
Bonita, Lieut.. Bcnham, Refer, 1t. Sicr-
reu; TampIco, Lieut.. W. p. Griffin; and
Falcon, Lieut.. GlassOn, each vessel having
one heavy gun ana commanded by Captain
Tamall moved up from the anchorage a,
SACRIFICES, on the afternoon of the 22nd,
and took position on the extreme right of
our line, close IN shore, and commenced
firing shot and shell into the city. They
retained tins position until the morning Of
the 23d, when they got under way and
stood within about one quarter Of a mile Of
the castle, al a point 10 the north Of the
Washcrwoman shol, so that both the castle
and city were within reach Of tLelr guns.
They remained in this position during two
or three hours, firing alternately into the
city and castle. and notwithstanding its
close proximity 10 the castle, and the con-
tinued fire of shell and shot from tina, poin,
Of The cnemy's deiences, and from For,
Santiago, AZ the southern extremity Of the
city, not life was lost, wound received,
or one Of the vessels injured.
At the expiration of two or three hours,
the feet was recalled bu, during the peri
cd it was engaged, it did much destruction
to the city, and annoyed the castle con.id-
erably by throwing shell into il.
During the 2GIh, an extremely violen,
nor;her blew, and the fire on both sides
was suspended during the whole day, and
from our batteries GA the 2jlh, being SO de-
s'rnclive to the city, the people clamorcd
for a surrender. Morales the Governor,
having declared his intention never 10 sur
render while 1t was possible 10 fire a gun,
WAS deposed, and Landero elected in his
stead; and On the morning Of the 9th,
tiag Of truce was sent with an offer to sur
render the city hy Itself, 10 which General
Scou replied that he could take both city
and castle, and that lie would accept only
the surrender Of both. The flag Of truce
returned hut during the DAY negotiations
were again opened by The enemy. which
ultima'cd in the surrender Of BOTH THE
CITY AND THE CASTLE!!
Without entering into the details of the
terms, it will for the presen, be sufficient
to state that the garrlsons, numbering in all
about 1000 men, surrendered prisoners Of
war, and the city and castle were delivered
10 us on condition tina, they should be pro-
tec,ed in their present condition until the
difficulties between the two nations are
settled by treaty of peace. The troops
delivered up their arms and were permitted
to retire into the interior on condition Of
not serving against us again during the war.
The 20th was fixed upon as the day upon
which our army should take possession,
and on the morning of tina. day Gen. Scott,
with Gen. Worth and his division, accom-
panied by the chief officers of the army and
a large representation from the squadron,
entered and took possession, the enemy a,
the same time marched out As the Amer
lean flag was hoi.,cd at the Plaza, and over
San Juan de Ulloa, sautts were fred sim
ultaneously from the castle, the batteries of
the city and the squadron. Gen. Scott I'M
media,ely took up his headquarters in the
palace. and invested Gen. Worth with the
command of the city, as he gave a, the
same time the command of the castle TO
Colonel Bolton. that of Fort Jago, at the
southern extremely Of the city, 10 Major
Wright, and tina, Of For, Conception, at
the northern extremity, to Major Scott.
The smallness of our loss during the
siege is wonderful; including Captain Al
buriis, and Vin,on Of the army, and Mid
shipman Shubrck Of the Mississippi, the
latter of whom was killed while employed
in the naval battery. in the rear Of the city,
our whole force in killed is only II, and in
wounded %. That Of the enemy's garri-
son our informant, did not learn, but under
stood tina, Gen. Valdez was among the
killed. The loss among the non-combai-
ants has unfortunately been very great
The number of women and children killed,
is yariously stated at from 500 TO 1000.