The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-09

LATE AND IMPORTANT.

LATE AND lMPUhIAhI.
BY the courtesy Of G. p. Disosway, esq, we
are in early possession of a file of the Liberia
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 terrtories
Grando, of the tribe called Fishmen, it ap-
pears, was professedly on terms of friendship
with the republic when he commenced his de-
predations, having previously Incorporated him
self with the government and people Of liberia,
and subjected himself to their laws. lie was
joined by Prince Boyer, of Trsde-town, who
also is amenab!e to the laws Of the republic. Ii
is also pretty evident that some foreign traders
on the coast were abettors of that attack.
Accounts of the outbreak first reached Pres-
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 besieged 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
ments could reach Bassa Cove, applied to Capt.
Pearson, of U. S. ship Dale, asking that he
might be taken at once to tho scene of war in
the Dale the presence Of which vessel in the
barbor of Grand Bassa would probably act as a
check upon Grando and his company Capt.
Pearson promptly complied with the request.
On Monday at noon seyenty-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 a proclamation, preyi-
GUS to going on board the Dale, in which he de-
tailed the attack of Grando upon Fishtown,
which was sacked and burned, and the attempt
upon Basso Cove, which was repulsed; an
nounced that Grando and the chiefs of Tabac-
conee, New Cess and Trade.town were stl in
arms; that said chief was receiving supplies and
munitions ofwar from vessels trading upon that
coast; and concluded by interdctng trade on
the coast between Grand Bassa point on the
Northw est and Tradetown point on the South
east.
Commander Pearson az d President Roberts,
and the government schooner Lark, arrived at
upon the town of Bassa Cove. Grando and his
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 Fishtown as well as on Bassa Cove,
are given with much minuteness in the official
of the Hon. Stephen A. Benson
to the President. Mr.. Benson resides at Bassa
Cove. The attack upon the former place was
sudden, and was made on the morning of
Wednesday, November 4, at about o'clock,
Grando 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 men in the garrison, the
others being engaged in working upon houses
erecting for recently arrived immigrants. Three
of the men escaped. Two were shot, and
boy, two women and four young children were
ruthessly massacred. The enemy then fred the
garrison, lumber yard and ten houses the
whole place was burned to the ground, and all
portable property was carried Off The nine
persons killed were 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
other suspicious circumstances about their move
ments He went up among them, and receiv.
ing no satisfactory answers to his inquiries, BE-.
came aware Of impending danger, and hurried
back TO send double guard to the garrison
The enemy, however, had forestalled his move.
ments.
Mr.. Benson adds that he has lost By this af-
fair, in oil and goods, exclusive of lumber, about
Sl500-addng, "But | am Injured to Losses,
and though am but i'll prepared to sustain them,
it appears must, as have frequently had to do
before"
The people of Bas1a Cove made nightly ex-
cursons among the Fishermen of the neighbor.
hood, which Mr.. Benson commends, and indeed
urges pretty severe reprisals upon the tribe He
displays also considerable feeling about two men,
who we suppose are English traders, Messrs
Lawrence ard Murray, who he thinks prompted
Grando and Boyer to the attack He complains
much also Of the intiuer ce which foreign traders
have over the natives generally, upon whom their
goods, he says, have great effect.
Further communications from Mr. Benson
persist in atributing the attack to the instigaton
Of Lawrence, the purpose being so to 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. II, an attack was 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 go.
ing on in all parts of the Bassa country since the
attack on Fishtown. The assault, which Mr.
Benson says was the fiercest he ever knew the
natives to make, commenced at seven o'clock.
The ASSISTANTS were very numerous. The
Cove had been fortified to the best of the means
1t hand, and among their armament were two
pieces Of cannon. These, however, for awhile,
produced little effect, the natives rushing UP al
most to the mouth of the cannon and firing.
AT lenetb Grando's principal warrior, Tarplan,
was killed. "When he fell and his war horn
eased there was general panic, and few
more rounds put them to ght." Mr.. Benson
'ays he g has the fellows head at his farm" and
intends to preserve the skull for examination,
: 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 beach, one at Fort Hill and
he other at Mr. Benson's farm. The enemy
we're very nnmerOus-suppOsed nearly thOus-