Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
Desperate Fight Chayr.s

DesFefatcE Efis INT af ess:sgres.
A correspondent Of the y. Y Hcral1
writing from Chagres furnishes the follow
ing details Of this sanguinary affair, brie
account ofwlich has already been receiv
ed by telegraph We know not how mucl
reliance should be placed in them, for mel.
ther the statements of the Herald nor it.
correspondents deserve generally much
credit. There can, however, be no doubt
Of the fact that very severe fight occurred
between the Americans and natives, in
which many lives We're lost. 1.-THE account
OF the CORE spondentis correct, great blame
certainly attaches to the returning CaIifor
mans, who voluntarily engaged i,thc melee
without provocation.
On our arrival at Panamain tho Oregon
on the 18th Of October, we learned that d
few days ago before difficulty had oc
Cured, al Chagres, between the native an
foreign boattnen, (most of whom were A.
mcricans,) in which several were wound
cd on both sides. This had arisen out OF
an arrogant attempt on the part Of the for
eign boatmcn to prevent the natives from
carry my passengers 10 and from the stca.
mers IN the harhor. bccnuse they sometime.
transported them at less price than I'll,
tatih fixed hy the foreign boat clIb. Al
appeared 10 e quiet again however, OF
our arrival at Chagrcs, on the evening ot
the 2lst; and as.the American side Of tic
lver was greatly crowded with passcn
gers. our party, consisting Of some four
teen or fifteen gentlemen aud four ladies
took lodging nn the other side, at Il hoic
kept by native of tie country, While
waiting for the mails and treasure to ar.
rive for the Cherokee. The next dav, a
little tcrtwclve o'clock. native boaimar
was attacked and severely beaten by some
Of the others, on Tie American side, and
Immediately on learning ii, the greatest cx
element prevailed on our side of the river
The whole population Of natives, Cartha
genians and jamaica negroes, turned out
armed with guns, sabrcs. and almost every
description Of weapons, and crossed the
river it a body. Most Of the foreign boat
men fed TO tie woods; but several shots
were fred by The assaiants, and, as nearly
as we could learn, three Of the foreigner.
were wounded. No violence was offerec
to passengers, the natives and negroes con
stantly declaring that their quarrel was on
ly with the boatmcn, and that they woulc
do no harm 10 the Culiiornians, through
whom they earned their livelihood. Shot.
were fired, however, at the Office of tht
American Consul, Mr.. Gleason, agains
whom they were greatly exasperated, a,
he is the owner OF several boats himself
and it was understood that he took par
and sustained the foreign boatmen in then
unjust assumptions. No resistance being
offered them, they rccrossed the river; anc
after several speeches were made in Span
ish and English.th the general tenor of W hicl
was 10 recommend good order and car,
not to coniound the passengers with tn,
boatmen, all again became quiet on tha
side. During the night, however, it seem,
that a meeting was held by the boatmen OF
the American side. at which number o
passengers Were present and 1t was re
solved that if any native boats crossed the
river in the morning 70 take off passenger
to the Cherokee, (the mails and treasnr,
having arrived,) they should be fred into
This uncallcd for and imprudent inferler
ence by passengers IN quarrel which the,
had no business to inicrmeddlc with, Il
gainst the party which ;hus far undoubtcd
" had the iig|t on their side, aul il oppo
sirion really 10 their own interests was III,
subsequent cause Of the loss Of many lives
and Of converting the good feeling enter
tanned by the natives towards the Califor
mans into deadly animosity against al
Americans, no matter whom.
The next morning all was perfectly qui
et on the Spanish side, and at al oat cigh
o'clock large number ofnative boats hac
crossed the river, unsuspicious Of any dan
ger, to take off passengers TO the steamer
Several of these were filed with travel
lers and their baggage, when suddenly, re
gardless of the safety Of these last, mur
derous fire was opened upon them, viii
guns and revolvers, by tile American boat
men assisted by many Of the Caliornian
before mentioned. and in few minutes
several boats, cmpiied of their occupants
were seen drifting out 10 sea. How man,
We're killed or drowned here it is impossi
bic to say. Those Of the natives who es
capped the fire, which ..as continued SO Ions
as boat belonging 10 them was within
reach. padded back to their own side o
the river, where the most fearful excite
ment now prevailed. 1t WAS known tha
others than the boaimen had participated
IN the attack just made, and violent feel
ing of hostility against alliheir couniryTnet
was very naturally aronsed. The streets
were again ihronged with armed men. ii
redoubled numbers, and death to all th'
Anericaaos was shouted from every quar-
ter. A scattered firing upon the other sid.
was commenced along the beach and I'll,
most furious cries of vengeance filed tht
air The doors and shutters Of our hotel,
were closed and fastened. our irnmcdiar,
party being all fortunately within at TIN.
time. and all retired to large room on the
second floor. which having windows open
ing on street, both in front and rear, and
but a single narrow stairway, was judged
most defensiblc. The windows were bar
ricaded with our trunks and mattresses
and as in the whole party there were only
FIVE or six pistols, and 70 other arms, the
legs Of the cot beds;eads. and such Other
articles as would serve for clubs, were
mustered into service for tina, purpose