The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-17

BAHIA Honda, where he would have dfsen oArked
had he not in bis course been warned of the frgate
Esperanza, which compelled him 10 steer more 70
the east, and come alongside the Morrillo Oh mani
mani fsur leagues 70 the east Of that point at DAY
break on the 18th.
At the very moment that the Pxarro was pre-,
pared TO leave, and when that vessel bad weigned
anchor the master OF the schooner detained Dy
Lopez, and with whom he had spoken arrived and
gave information Of the course steered ana o, the
force which he brought. Nevertheless, ! u'u nor ~
wish In detain the departure of GeDerai Emma and OF
His seven hundred and fifty grenadlers and skirmSh-
ers which constituted OF the best and most bril-
liant picked columns which had ever seen even In
the period If our civil var and "cn coId not leave
me any doubt of its ability to completely subdue the
eremvs force; so much the more, as in case OF their
meeting as they expected, with Colonel Eizaldes
column, they woald work in continuation with it
Tie most natural direction. however which the
enemy might take was towards the hills Of CuZco,
point well known to their chief, and which offered
the Inest facilities 10 avoid the encounter Of Our
troops. On this account caused Col Morales, who
accompanied Gen. Emma, to disembark alone and to
proceed at noon on The same day by the railroad To
Guarajsy-st which point he met a column OF 400
Den and 800 horses-to command a passage from
those hills in the direction Of the capitol.
The Pizarro, commanded by the worthy General
Bustillns. commandant general OF the stttlon elt
port at half past seven It communicated first with
hariel whose Lieutenant Governor had not had
any notice before; but, ON arriving at the mead
Of Bahia Honda and seeing the castle dag at nall
barked in the M0rrillo. The steamer on account of
its great draught had to anchor at two miles from
the wharf Of Bahia Honda, so that the dlsembarka-
ton could not be completed before eleven O'Clock Al
night At that hour however, General Euna under
took HE march to San Miguel. which has only one
ruined house of palm tree, and there he encamped
with his column.
Few men have faced crisis more laudably than
General Emma An honorable cavalier, loyal
Spaniard, soldier of cool and well proved valor,
endowed with nature Of bronze, he suffered with
the same indifference thirst and hunger. heat and
cold. ht occupied him-that OF meeting
and conque ring the enemy, believing it impossible
that it could resist his valOr and that OF the soldiers
However with the singularity OF his privileged ma
ture, capable OF sustaining alone his ard0r and Lore
Of glory, he made NO calculation, and to this only
il was due, that even having had sufficient time and
sober rsasonings the part not only OF those whom
he led but of all the determined and enthusiastic
population of Bahia Honda who would have sup
piled him with abundance OF food and wine, nus
soldiers did not in the latter point, nor III the en-
campment of San Miguel. after having been In
motion from the early part of the previous day,
take no more provision than some biscuit winch mad
been distributed to them on board the Pzarro.
Lopez imagined that he might reckon on the sup
port Of the country and believed it impossible that
our troops should arrive in sight in less than three
or four days. as he manifested in his declarations;
but from the moment that the expedition disem-
barked he might have observed that general and
uniform sentiment was pronounced against the expe-
dition. OF the few inhabitants of the MOrrilo some
sho had arms, opposed him in his decentralization,
and the rest, without distinction OF white or black,
retreated as much resolved to fight him. Every
thing announced that the population, in mass, was
determined to oppose him. OF which he might have
been still more persuaded, wben proceeding to the
town Of las Pozas he found it abandoned by its in
habitaDts.
The authorities of the jurisdiction had continuous
and repeated notices Of all the movements OF Lo-
peg, and therefore Emma supposed that, having left
some l40 men with the baggage and munitions IN
Morrio the rest of the expedition, to the number OF
$50 men, had occupied Las Pozis.
San Miguel, where our troops encamped, is stu
ated at two hours from this point, and four from
that of Morrillo The division Of the eDemys forces
presented to ours very considerable advantage be.
canse If the latter by themselves sufficient to
conquer them united they might have easily annihil-
ated them in detail. It was lanentable error to
deprive themselves of this unnecessary advantage,
only to be explained by the same confidence which
General Emma had in his vs0r and that OF h s SOL
ders, particularly since he should have recolIected
that the enemy, whose certain death he watched
over, might have opposed desperate resistance II
proper nevertheless, to record that the event OF
Cardenas and the charge there made by oar valiant
lancers might have contributed much to his having
formed cOntemptuous idea Of the pirAtes to which
circumstances joined to that Of his excessive intre
pidity, should be in part attributed the resolution
which General En0a adopted O. dividing his forces.
He did 80. indeed, and ordering the Commandant
VILLAGE tomsrch Morrlo with three companies aud
cavalry, be pro ,eeded ut seven O'Clock III the
morning to Las PoZas, with the four remaining COM
panies, from which he still detached rear guard to
reach the reserve munitions.
The enemy saw themselves surprised with the I'M
expected attack OF our troops They did not reckon,
according TO their own confession, as l have said,
upon being attacked within four days, and they had
not passed even twenty.fOu hours yet since their
Decentralization when General Emma, with his little
column, presented himself in front Of Las Pozas.
Without doubt that town does not occupy strong
position nor did its houses, composed of plank and
remarkable
tenders. Nevertheless, / should mention that the
accidents Of the ground made in reality the situation
Of the enemy advantageous than 1t appeared at
first sight from the road by which our troops arrived
This road is narrow, and hardly permitted the march
OF the column in more than four men deep because
on the right it is bounded by thick wood, from
which rise rods of high land, terminating in a
house, whilst on the left it runs along a palisade OF
live fence, which separated the road from lands
sufficiently uDdulating, and which terminated In
little eminence, which extending in its descent
on the same side, serves as site Tor other houses
On this solitary house, situated at the head OF the
road the company Of grenadiers which was in front
moved in the order directed and received with
quick fire; but our vaants rushed with the bayo-
net at the time that the General made the two
remaining companies to stretch out to the left in que
rilla fashion, to attack the eminence. The grena-
diers being charged in their tarn by the enemy Is
forces had to retire on the first attack; bat the
pany in the rear having arrived they returned to the
charge, ard supported themselves again on the
houses III the dITlSlHb tNcn Wi1uil VIC
town. which extends in slant towards little river
hard by. Bravery had, nevertheless, to yield to
numbers and the two companies after very con-
siderable loss vacated the town. The valiant Gene
raj ut that moment thought to re unite the compa-
pies which had deployed to the left 80 "a to make
final attack, because the enemy, surprised by the in
trepidity Of our soldiers fell back at the lower part
of the town, and there remained only group OF the
most bold and desperate defending the eminence
ferred to- but unfortunately the Palisadng rendered
imposs ible the union Of our troops, who, already
wearied and fatigued were suffering considerable loss
by the certain airn OF the enemy and the General
who had a thousand times faced death cav himself
forced TO give the order to retreat.
Our soldiers, nevertheless, were not conquered or
routed The enemy, taking advantage Of the mo-
nent Of retreat, took the offensive, and issued from
the town to charge them bat, our skrmtshers and
grenadieIs hating at the voice Of their General,
and giving the war cry Of ezra Ia reno, in charge
with the bayonet, repulsed the pirates in such a
manner that they were obliged TO retire into the
town leaving the Hungarian, General Pragay, dead.
This was Sufficient that cur troops Should not be
any more molested in their retreat, and that they
baft 4ahl ~ a 1a.o