The southern press., 1852-02-10
Ss,o York Comnisrcial adesrtist,
From Liberia.
LATE AND IMPORTANT.

Herald to the 18th OF December inclusive, our
own files having not yet come to hand. From
these papers we are able to compile full ac-
count Of the proceedings of Grando, of whom
mention has been already made in our columns,
and OF the authorities of the republic of Liberia,
in suppression of his murderous attack upon
! their territories.
Grando, of the tribe called Fishmen, it APP
pears, was professedly on terms. of friendship
with the republic when he commenced his de-
predatons, having previously incorporated him
self with the government and people of Liberia,
and subjected himself to their laws. He was
joined by Prince Boyer, of Trade-town, who
also is amenab to the laws of the republic 1T
is also pretty evident that some foreign traders
on the coast were abettors of that attack.
| Accounts of the outbreak first reached Presi-
dent Roberts on the afternoon of Sunday, No
yember 23d, by vessel despatched from Grand
Bassa with the.intelligence. The cabinet was
Immediately summoned. The dispatches set
forth that Grando and his allies had made a
fierce attack on the town of Bassa Cove, and
had been repulsed with considerable loss; but
that the beseged were in need of assistance in
men and ammunition. 1t was resolved to send
these without loss of time.
President Roberts, however, fearing that
another attack would be made before reinforce
Pearson, Of U. s. ship Dale, asking that he
might be taken at once to the scene of war in
the Dale, the presencesof which vessel in the
harbor of Grand Bassa would probably act as
check Hpon Grando and his company. Capt.
! Pearson promptly complied with the request.
1 On Monday at noon seventy-fve men well
armed and equipped were sent on board the
government schooner Lark, having with them
also an ample supply of the munitions of war
| On the morning of Monday, November oath,
President Roberts issued proclamation previ-
Gus to going on board the Dale, in which he de-
tailed the attack of Grando upon Fishtown,
which was sacked and burned, aud the attempt
upon Basso Cove, which was repulsed an
nounced that Grando and the chiefs of Tabac-
conee, New Cess and Trade town were still in
arms; that said chief was receiving supplies and
munitions of war from vessels trading upon that
coast and concluded by interdicting trade on
the coast between Grand Bassa point on the
Northw est and Trade-town point on the South
east.
| / Commander Pearson ard President Roberts,
and the government schooner Lark, arrived at
| Grand Bassa in time to prevent second attack
upon the town Of Bassa Cove. Grando andhis
band fled, as already mentioned in our columns.
| The President went in the Lark to some other
stations and removed the people, for safety's
sake.
! The details of the Instruction, including the
attack on Fshtown AZ well as on Bassa Cove,
are given with much minuteness in the official
communications of the Hon Stephen A. Benson
to the President. Mr.. Benson resides at Bassa
Cove. The attack upon the former place was
sudden, aud was made on the morning of
Wednesday, November A, at about 8 o'clock,
Graudo being at the head of three hundred men
They quickly took possession of the garrison,
which was entirely unprepared for the attack.
There were but FIVE inen in the garrison, the
others beinI engaged in working upon houses
erecting for recently arrived immigrants Three
OF the men escaped. Two were shot, and a
| bow, two women and four young children were
-athlessly massacred. The enemy then fred the
garrison, lumIer yard and ten houses; the
Who'll, place was burned to the ground, and all
| portable property was carried off. The nine
persons killed We're 'horribly cut and mangled
| Capt Preston, in charge Of Bassa Cove, had
heard during the morning that the. Fishmen
were moving their property, and that there were
9th suspicious circumstances about their move.
ments. He went up among them, and rcceiv.
ing unsatisfactory answers to his inquiries, b..
came aware of impending danger, aud hurried
back 10 send double guard 10 the garrison.
The enemy however, had forestalled his move.
msnts.
Mr.. Benson adds that he has lost by this af.
fair, in oil and goods, exclusive OF lumber, about
! Sl500-adding, But / am inu,ed 10 losses
and though lam but i'll prepared to sustain them,
it appears | must, as have frequently had to do
| before"
The people of Bassa Cove made nightly ex.
cursious among the Fishermen of The neighbor
hood, which Mr. Benson commends, and indeed
urges pretty severe repFisals upon the tribe. He
/ displays also considerable feeling about two men
who We suppose are English traders, Messrs
! Lawrence and Murray, who he thinks prompted
Grando and Boyer 20 the attack lie complains
much also OF the inluel ce which foreign traders
have over the natives generally, upon whom their
goods, he says, have great effect.
Further communications from Dir. Benson
persist in attrbuling the attfck to the instgaton
Of Lawrence, the purpose being so 10 weaken
the power Of Liberia that she may be compelled
to relax her revenue and navigation laws. Mr..
Benson therefore urges the President TO have
every foreign factory removed to within certain
defined distances from Bassa Cove.
On Monday Nov. IL, an attack WIS made on
| Bassa Cove, which, however, was speedily re-
pulsed. On the morning of Wednesday, the
! 18th Of November, much more serious assault
was made on the town, fighting having been 90.
ing on in all parts Of the a~sa country since the
attack on Fishtown. The assault, which Mr.
Benson says was the fercest he ever knew The
natives to make. commenced at seven o'clock.
The assailants were very numerous. The
Cove had been fortified TO the best of the means
at hand, and among their armament were two
pieces Of cannon. These, however, for awhile,
produced little effect, the natives rushing mp nj
| most to the mouth Of the cannon and firing
| AZ 18th C,a,dois ny;nciuaI t.arrfor T.,nIo,
was killed. "When he fell and bis war horn
ceased there was n general panic. and a few
more rounds put them TO fight" Mr. Benson
says he has the fellows head at his farm" and
intends 10 preserve The skull for examination,
4" for there must have been something extraor.
binary about the man."
There were about sixty men only in Bassa
Cove during the engagement, occupying three
stations--one at the teach, one at Fort Hill and
the other at Mr.. Densou's farm. The enemy
were very umerous-supposed nearly sthous