The true Democrat., 1856-06-24

| The following interesting extract, IS from a long letter in the New York Times. It will be read with interest:
 "rhe war with Costa Rica has, since the battle of Rivas, ceased On the day the battle was fought Walkers army retreated to Granada The battle lasted seventeen hours, and although the Americans claim to have won it, they were obliged to leave the town in the possession of the enemy, as they were entirely out of ammu- nition When General Walker reached Rivas he did not expect that the battle would last more than couple of hours, but his men had been marching between two aud three days having eaten but little during the time-so that when the engagement began, it was found that scarcely fourth party of them were available. Some of them sat down, obstinately refusing to fight, and, such was their state of exhaustation that they declared it would be a satisfaction to be killed by the enemy. But the officers who returned from the battle, and upon whom the brunt of the fighting fell, say that their men re- fused to fight through cowardice. When Walker entered Rvas he supposed he had about 600 fighting men, but not more than two hundred of the entire number could be induced to take part in the battle. Some .f the men, as soon as they entered the town, broke into houses and began to plumber; others, obtaining liquor by force, got drunk, and dropping down in the corners, remained there all day; but the greater part refused to fight through absolute l fear
 On one occasion, during the day. Gen. Walk CT seeing a good opportunity to make a decided charge, ordered an officer to take a certain number of men to perform 1t. The officer step- ped forward and commanded all who had bay onets to take number of paces to the front; but when the word was given, 1t was discover ed that those who had bayOnets were throwing them away. After considerable delay, suf- fecient number of bayonets were mustered but when the officer placed himself at the head of the column, and gave the words Forward. l March, the men refused to stir. Fearing the men might have some personal pique against the officer at their head, another--COl. keWen "a brave Otflcer-sprang ln front, and crying out, "boys, will you follow me, gave the word to march, but instead of obeying the men began lelSurey to untiX their bavonets. In this crisis, Gen. Walker himself came forward, and con- manded the men to follow him to the charge; but paying no attention to what he said, they turned about and ran behind the houses for protection. Notwithstanding the cowardice of so many, there were some soldiers who fought with the ierceness of fiends. The officers, to man, proved themselves brave. The fact of their killing over 600 Costa Rcans, and main taninS their position against 2OOO men, under a continual fire, from o'clock in the morning, proves the desperate bravery of the few who did fight. Those who would not fight had never been in a battle before, and the Costa Ricans would keep on shooting so carelessly that they seemed indifferent whom they might hit
 In the battle Gen. Walker lost comparatively few men; but the fatigue of the marching. and sutterings from the effects of the battle began to make sadwork among them after they re- turned to Granada. From what have been able to gather, feel assured that the number he lost in the battle of Rivas, added to the list of those that have since died of wounds and other diseases, would make not less than four hundred men. It would exceed rather than fall short of this number
 The Costa Ricans occupied Rivas about three weeks. With unparalleled stupidity they threw nearly all the dead bodies into the wells, the waters of which are necessary for their own use. The stench of so many dead bodies pro- duced the cholera, or some nearly similar dis ease, which carried them off at fearful rate. It is supposed that Gen. Mora intended to make Rivas his headquarters during the rainy season, which Is now setting in; but the mortality in his camp was so great that he was compelled to return to his own territory. It is rumored here that before he returned he was heard to say he would never again leave Costa Rca to fight. He did not take back with him one half the men with which he started from home. While the Costa Ricans were in Nicaragua they de- stroyed much valuable property. A wharf, running into the lake at Virgin Bay, which must have cost at least $5OOOO was burned by them. It will cost $25, 900 to repair it. A pier, too, at San Juan del Sur, which cost the transit company $125OOO for its construction, was burned to the waters edge. It is said that these atrocities were committed against the will of Gen. Mora, and that the officer in command of the men who fired these structures was pac- ed immediately under arrest"