The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-05-08

doubt such stipulation would have added
moral obligation to comply with contract but dat
say IL would have produced compliance; always hat
want Of confidence in Mexicans but never knew them
except in to fail entirely wing out
tracts To make either the people local authori's
strict to their contract there was need of the ar
ance II not actual coercion. This was nsoossary
excuse them to the higher u,horities.
Cvurt-Can you state what reports were made by
General Quitman or the stan officers the or ,cs of
| the premature movement Alvarado in prsy-ntin,
| the procurement of supplies, A-Cannot say vast
specific reasons were assigned but pretty conadsnt
they did not obtain supplies least tn very sm al
amounts know they sent down for provisions soon al
General Scott about proceeding with some re-
marks. when Commodore Perry desired ~ make a
statement In courtesy to the army for me part tue
navy had acted but the court did not consider 1t OF
any special Importance.
| General scott-very good was only about making
| Commodore Perry-I stated my views to General
Quitman. and expected he would report them to you
| Gen Size did.
| The testimony was resumed
| Court-Did the premature occupation OF Alvarado
affect any subsequent movement Of the army, and if
| Gen 81 can give direct answer the movement
of the army deaye from the time OF entering Vera
Cruz the Goth March to the 18th Sth If April
| whom two corps were pushed forward, under MJor
General Patterson and Brigader General Twiggs for
want of animals the 7th additional number OF
| mules and wagons arrived from the Brazos and Tam
pico by sea- when the two corps were put in IN oton
the Sth and 9th some more wagons and mules from
the north arrived by which enabled me to
forward with the body of the cavalry General Worth
division had about onehalf its needed road
he followed me. leaving Vera Cruz the 15th April
General Quitman's brigade remained for some days
after my departure for Of draft power No portion
| of the army had half its road power
Court (verbaly)-Can you state whether this delay
and lack of draft power attributable to the
render Of Alvarado A-Cannot say (; mean to say /
derived material aid from the taking of Avarado
not halfthe draft power weexpeced from that quarter
Captain Hunter-Did not the army advance towards
the interior from Vera Cruz to fight the battle of Cerro
Gordo before the return of General Quitman to Vera
Cruz from Aivarado! "A portion of the army had
moved; but General Quitman returned on the 18th,
the day before 1 left General Quitman detained
at Vera Cruz for want Of draft power and
sequenty. at the battle of Cerro Gordo the 18th
April he did not join me till had been 1--we days or
more at Jaapa
There being no further questions to ask General
Scott. he permitted to retire, and ally discharged
Lieutenant Lockwood was called and sworn, to
testify to the log book of the Scourge which he did
and the court adjourned
The Court presented chart of the Avarado river,
received from the Navy Department.
Lie utenant Sbuttleworth sworn
Court-Were you engaged in the Gulf OF Mexico.
| sc! Ayes. on board of the Mississippi captain
| OF the marine guard.
Court-Are you acquainted with any circums tances
connected with the surrender of Alvarado, SC! A
April; saw American flag floating on fort on high
bill or bluff, ON the right hand side OF the river;
dered the marine guard to be transferred to the stea
Spit6re; her into the river to abreast of
| Alvarado about an hour afterwards was ordered ON
shore in the afternoon about two o'clock the marines
Of the squadron marched up and occupied the deserted
barracks from general appearanc should judge that
from three to five hundred troops had occupied the
barracks their camp fires &C were in great disorder
| as they had left in much trepidation; about ave
o'clock In the afternoon, about three hundred Amer.
can troops Dragons entered the town under Gene.
raj 0uman; officer of the guard that night Ut the
barracks; the next morning the 81 OF April,
lioved by infantry and returned with my guards to
| the spittre; went up to Tlacotalpan; deputation
sont ashore to visit the authorities. and as un-
derstood it, to demand surrender Of the place.
Court. QDtorposing)-State only what you know OF
your personal knowledge
Witness know adeputation sent ashore; can't
say positive for what purpose further than told
after the deputation returned went back to Avara;
next morning the Sd of April. out and got on
board The Mississippi again, with my guards; about
two days after was again sent ashore, to guard the
quarters Of Captain Mayo who had been made goycr-
nor; All that afterwards occurred is mere hearsay
The witness dismissed, and Captain Aulck was
released from further attendance upon the Court
Lieutenant Lee (now Of the naval SCHOOL,. called
and sworn and in answer to the usual question: said
he at the time referred to- senior lieutenant of
Mississippi and that he knew nothing further than
appeared upon the records of the court martial OF
| which he was member. lie was discharged
| Lieutenant Marine. sworn.
oour,-were you employed in the Gull of Mexico,
| &c! A-fes and second Lieutenant of the Scourge
| Court--Are you acquainted With any circumstances
connected with the surrender of Aiyaraao. &e A.
Reached vicinity OF Alvarado river on the afternoon
of tn. Both March approached near the bar; need
shot in the direction Of fort don't rccolleci num-
ssr a oa and ssh s11Sd G Weather getting bad
directed me to prepare boats to with him to
blowing too fresh told Captain Hunter he said he
going in told him II impossible for boats to
| then gave up the undertaking 1 was to take the
watch and he ordered me to keep good look to-
town at daylight informed Captain Hunter Of ST.
tuation he then ordered to my quarters to the
| gun where l was stationed we commenced firing
ut what thought fort, at the mouth of the river
| soon learned that boat coming OF towards
| US; we were then standing in for the bar the boat
| coming out had white flag flying ut her head We
| stopped. In order to receive her when she came
| alongside. was Informed, In spanish. by u perssn
in the boat he was sent by the authorities OF the
1 Il 4 rata A
| the Spanish language; informed Captain Hunter of
this acted AS interpreter; Captain Hunter ordered
to stand in; did he ordered ashore to meet
the authorities and demand believe
surrender the authorities complied with the demand
the fact; eolors hoisted in the mean time;
salute hred by the scourge 60; under weigh; Pass
ed Midshipman Temple and some left In
charge stood up the river on the way captured
raj vessels reached Tacoalpan the morning OF the
let April ordered to 20 ashore aud demand absolute
surrender " the place the slcalde said he could not
do 80 without assent Of the town council. ordered him
to summon them; he did soi received the surrender
| and returning so reported to Captain Hunter. to
whom delivered the surrender; returned to Aivs-
| RADIO the latter part Of the same day
Court-Did the persons who came out to the scourye
represent themselves rs Official personages, A-YoS;
one said he was captain OF the fort
court-Dd Of these say anything Of the presence
or absence OF troops in or near Alyarado ASad that
the river
cour. t'.rbaIlyl.Did they assign any reasons tor
CourtDid either Of the persons alluded to pIlo, the
scourge In the river and II IL compui.ve or
sulunsryl A-Oue of them said piiJt us ia:
sure whether or not he had been spoken 10 about
one Of them did pilot us in recollect Captain Hunter
said. Order him to pilot me i'm
Court-Did the scourge show . white flag afler the
boat coming from the shore, aud ~hat tune
wss hoisted and ~hen hauled down. A-rhe Scourxe
did show white Tag. when the One seea on Tue
en,mys boat, hut csnno, say when 1t taken down
Court-Wcre your communications made orally or
In ~rting' A.-They were reduced to writing
Court-whst disposition did you make of the com.
municstions thus made and received! A-Delivercd
them over to Captain Hunter
Commodore Perry Look at this log book Of the
scourge from 3Oth March to 10th of April (which ga.
pryfcbtcd ~itnessl aud see " u l. correct
Nuntss-My name T. here: cannot certify TO its cor
rccnsss ~ the book 10 not kept in my hand wrting
dont know that ever before the book
Captain Hunter-Did you ever tell me you could
pilot me In the Alvarado river and " when snd
what my reply Al did tell you so 10 was be-
fore crossed the bar; you ordered to do so
Captain Hunisr-whsn going up the river what was
my course to-ards the Mexican who plotting the
ScOurgc. and what my reason for III A.-rwo armed
men were stationed near the pilot, by your orders