The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-09-30
Late from Lasuna.

| AN ACT OF TREACHERY AND BARBARITY.-
A letter from Laguna, dated the LIST inst, to gen.
tleman in Philadelphia, which has been furnished
the Ledger, gives an account of an act Of coward
ice and barbarty perpetrated by some Mexican
soldiers, belonging to the garrison at that place,
upon four officers of the u. S. steamer Water
Witch, and Capt Clary, Of the American schooner
John Wainwright, on the night of 9th ult, on
their way from ball. The coWardy character Of
the attack may be inferred from the fact that the
Americans were but five in number, unanned,
and the Yucatecos thirty armed men. Capt e.
received severe wound on the back of the skull
from cavalry sword His life was considered in
danger several DAYS but he was walking about at
the date of the letter Two of the other officers
were wounded, but not dangerously. Three OF the
cut-throats were also wounded. On the day OF
tn 9th ult Capt Totem, commanding the Water
Witch and all the officers attached to the steamer
were, among many other persons, invited to ball
got up in hurry in honor of the incorporation Of
Yucatan with Mexico. The ball was to take
place the same evening at the former quarters of
Capt Bigelow. Capt. Totten and some of his Off
GERS assisted, as did also Capt. Clary The former
left about halfpast ten. Some of the officers, who
had but scarcely arrived there, remained longer
and were every now and then invited by some Of
the Mexican military and civil authorities to take
something to drink. Mexican Lieutenant who
to them, in the way of offering them champagne
and other liquors. Towards half-past one in the
morning the ladies commenced 10 give out, and
towards two the officers and Capt. Clary left the
ballroom They afterwards divided into two par
ties each taking different street in the direction
of the sea-shore when they were first separately,
then collectively attacked and reattacked by about
thirty armed men, (Yucatan sOldeTs,) most OF
whom had cavalry swords. These barbarians
then drove them from one part of the town to the
Ill IL
them. Capt. Clary was the only one who had any
arms about him, in the shape of a small Bowie
knife. As soon as the soldiers had commenced the
butchery by cutting right and left with their heavy
swords, Clary took hold of his knife and parted
several cuts that were aimed not only at him, but
at some of his companions. He soon, however,
found that the defensive he had begun with could
be of no avail against such odds, he, therefore, made
desperate rush with his little knife upon the body
of his assailants, and these, though ten-fold in
numbers and well-armed, opened and gave little
way: but this CLEAN of hope soon vanished. The
next moment Clary's hoarse and exhausted voice
was heard crying out to the officers, " Save your
selves if YOU can have lost finger and my knife
is gone" He was then lying on the ground ex
hausted. Other scenes followed, which have no
time to relate. Capt Clary was taken on board OF
the Water Witch and left under the charge of A.
J. White, who has shown him all the attention in
his power, and skilfully dressed his wounds, of
which he has not less than fourteen. Capt. Nichol
son, commanding U. S. schooner Saratoga, was
Immediately informed of the occurrence, and ar
rived here from outside the bar about O'Clock in
the afternoon. He first sent Capt Totten to the
military commander of the place to see what he
had to say of the affair. He thought it was very
dsagreeable one. 70 calm Mexicana Capt.
Totem saw he could not get anything more out of
him, and reported the conversation to Capt. n,
who was extremely vexed at the occurrence, and
seemed to have taken it to heart. He then went to
see the commander himself, and told him in strong
but dignfed language that such massacre required
an immediate satisfaction; that it must be given,
and that he would not leave before it was given.
The military chief tried TO get clear by talking, but
Capt MS arguments were so short and clear that
after a little while the former offered to infict
severe punishment on all those men that might
prove guilty, and furthermore, to send the whole
body of soldiers now here back TO the interior
within eight days. Two days were granted to the
military commander for a mock trial, which ended
yesterday, and this morning two soldiers received
fifty lashes EACH and two nOn-cOmmissioned off
GERS were suspended 1t is necessary to remark, that
three Of the most respectable persons here declared
on OATH that on the same night they had heard an
order given to the guard on the market-pace, that
they should not allow any American to pass with
out falling upon him and treating him like dog