The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-10-02


standards. fell ba-k in A >rmicirrlr toward the
vessel. that were e. cover thsm. Wu'I" itr a
va, .lrlcrc,l ,n tn ray, 4 the -olun- ,In
il,.. ,luui,, AMI tower. 81 ' cra Cruz --urm"GH-
tel D., thc stern bliilcmcnt- 1T tn castle ui
>.m Juan I'lln N,u.s Ia. >trct ho' -
va, the lu~ >anI hill II III rn,,t a.a'n-.
Win. n the >uri WA batting vith n.cHoto-
nnu, rr.r The spir> aud rl.iu. ot the tog-
ci.n ships IN ,lr h,rh,r were covered with
spectators. .llin. "n tn INV. un""H'rd
,c.Ir. \ IL ,hi t,,.c<c Tuiilcd the >urlO.c
of the water. while the biuc >ky amd an un-
,,luuir,l sun >Iukim. tu hiS evening r"no>r.
she'd their li.ht AMI beauty on SEA and LAM
SOFT stood on the deck of his vessel. with hi>
-la>> Ia his hand. now scanning the >nrt-hoai'
a> thrv >weIicl away in graceful curve from
the ships and now turning an amNiof> eye t"
the distant sh ,rc For moment perfect II
lcncc rcigned throughout the fleet. and th'n
the loud report .. a single cannon rang over
the water The thunlrr of that signal gun
: hal scarce died away, before the blnd, >'r'ck
I up a lively air: the sweeps sunk IN the water
/. and like a single wave. those siNty-scVen
o boats swept steadily and swiftly toward the
; shore. SOFT watrhe,! their progress with TN"
V .l,rpe>t >oiciulr: but at length, when he
Il saw the soldiers leap into the water and rush
. ashore. and plant the Stars and Stripes on
n huh sand hill without firing gun. be felt
e that the CITY was hi>. At the exciting spec
d tarlc the shouts OF >iN Thousand men rolled
r from ship to ship til tlrir blended echoes
Y reached the shore. ani were answered tN
:. still louder hur.,l> The sun went down on
l. that "ailant army. scarcely visible annd the
sand hills. which every moment crew DINNER
ut and lmmcr in the departing light second
d. and third division followed, and ly ten at
al ni.,ht the entire army OF twelve Thousand
IN men stool mp in battle array on the harTen
- vast. that surrounds Vera Cruz AmIi the
he thunder oi cannon AMI explosion Of shells that
~ Were. hurled f,om the city and castle, ea'h
NJ division moved to it> assigned post with Tie
his Sam. r,..,r,laritv and acrura Y thry had "stl
on accustomed To move on parade
cl. N.rhcuch the investment OF the place Wa
lan snn,,l,.cd lr the 18th, the operations were
hes suspended on account Of fierce 'n"rth"r'
"a which prevented the Ian linz Of TIA" heavy
or ,r1-qncc. ani II wa> not unti the 2ed th'i1
Al : ~ sen. = summons 10 the Governor of th''
~ .awr "a surrender He at th saUle time $50
of safeguards TO tcrein ron>ul> and "'''rS ana
nr- with hi> usual humanity cave tree irni~~'''''
,ed ,o remove. the women and ohillrcn- b.
red both ami all being rejected, hr on thr 2il-'
lsh nnrnrd li< FIRE The line a. the >rler "N-
rA- tended five milr> and on the 10Th. from ilnn'
~. tn limit the batteries were in a hlaze. H.:
lad rannona,ie was terrific anl awful. The halls
he of the twenty -four pounlcrs and heavy fa'N-
nn- han guns dropped with the weight oi fa!i'n5
ro,.k. amid the dwellings of Vera Cruz. wai.v
!. III, ,lome> of the churches rnng with the Goa
.nn ru>>inn Of shot and shells. At night the >oe'-
he, rrv wis tcartully grand The walls OF iht
,;,y and castle were in a blaze OF fire, 'Ae
M. .hips in the harhor stood revealed IN tic
Nil Erht ot their own hroad>i>. while tor h'r
r,at miles all through those sand hills 1t Thunder
..,- ed and E-htencd along the American line n
resi- inrcs>ant explosions Shells 'ros>in" IN rf'-
t,,3 ry direction wovc their fiery net work o'tF
tb, the heavens. and dropped blazing among Ia
III, ,rrriiirr! inhabitants wihn,tniowed by ''1'>
cx- and >hrickS that were horne even 10 the ears
,t of ,h, hr>,i~cr> Death in it, most irIchii'i'
fri form travrr,cd the streets. for tn" victims
ross whether men. women. or children were 1'''
cree and manged ly the heavy shot and eNl'"'
hcer ing shells Huge gaH> appeared IN the Wall
saw through which >torming parties might pas
limo and the morning of the 2Ghe dawncd on :
ittl, battered. mourntul and doomed city.
.re" From the commencement ofthe serge near
his " one hundred and thirty tons OF metal ha'
OBJ been hurled against the town, spreading I''ii
o far devastation and death on every side A'
dis ,on>uls OF foreign power>,whc had not dream
Tree, ed of such a terrific seige, sent request L
ureJ Srott for safeguard for themselves, the "a
nv, men. and children. The latter replied ths
.ron. he had fully considered the sutierinss of ih
At women and children before he had fired
Nc shot. and that the responsibility must n"'
-;te rest on those who had refused his "frr-
II We The town and fortress surrendered. AMI wli
the them five thousand prisoners, and fi'e hun
o,,yg ,lred pieces of artillery The tiag of the Ia
public aoatcd from the top of San Juan d
Inns lna, and the first great blow to the AeA'e--
, bat power had fallen.
that >coTr AFTER THE BATTLE OF CoNTEERN
d eN- That little army stretched in the mud h'
MS meath the pitile>s storm, and cnt oil from a
'ri a communication with their leader at mldni9h
$ - and that same army sending up shout q
lllant triumph at sunrise from the top of C"ntrera
m the present wide contrast. The rifles had carnC
Illeys impcrishable fame Scott shared IN the a.
tered ,huSia>m of the victory, he had in the am
form irtv of the night before. Divided from Ii
luey- troops and no longer able, with his PrcNenc
IN re- to remedy faults or check revcrscS, he knc
that failure might easily occur and ieit ho
disrnurauinr to his own troops and lnsi'r'
rould inc TO the enrmy it would he bst iltt
lr, sl,..n visited his ewes that night: and as /