The Nevada journal., 1856-12-05
Gbe Neba0a gonrnal.
From the San Francisco Bulletin.
Life of the Common Adventurer in
Nicaragua.
Saeindliag ont Of Pay-Horri5ze Life at
tie Graaadan Hospital.

|
in Nicaragua, and in Nicaragua hos
pital, was taken down by us last eve
ming, from the lips of a young man who
arrived from that hapless country by the
Sierra Nevada. The narrator is not
much more than skeleton; pale, weak
and broken down. His arms and legs
are worn to mere skin and bones, and
his whole appearance is that of man
who has been wasted by famine or sick
ness to mere shadow. From his man.
ners and frankness, and the evident care
which he took in stating the truth and
no more than the truth, we are disposed
to place much confidence in his state
ments. He has undoubtedly suffered
all that he relates. He hopes by this
method, if the truth will be of any avail,
to let persons who feel disposed to go
to Nicaragua, know something of what
they may expect to suffer. He acknow-
lodges frankly that he deserted, and is
glad only that he escaped alive, and
may be the means of keeping others far
from the dreadful experiences which he
has undergone. A near friend, who is
now lying fevered and very sick at the
hospital, the narrator wishes to have re-
leased; and not wishing to have his
name made public before he succeeds,
as that might prevent the accomplish
ment of his good intentions, we do not
now publish it.
He says l left San Francisco on
June goth, 1886, on the Sierra Nevada,
and arrived at San Juan del Sur on the
morning of the 4th of July. There were
thirty-five of us, all told, underthe COM
mand of r. f. Williams as Captain
There was no one at San Juan del Sur
to receive us. We accordingly marched
on foot to Virgin Bay; part Of us got
there before dark and part not till after
night We went to the Commissarys
department, got some beef and tortillas,
and then camped out, without tents or
anything else in the way of accommo-
dation. We roasted our meat the best
way we could in fire; but there was
no attention paid us, until next day,
when we took the boat for Granada
We met on the boat company from
New York and one from Texas. The
latter was under the command of Capt.
Turley, the same man who deserted
few days after his arrival in Granada,
and was since reported by the Nicaragua
paper as "killed by the Indians"
Here | may as well take occasion to
add, that the Nicaragua paper called
the Nicardguensc, is generally one huge
lo1 f,o,,, 70 o,,J NIo,o
is no dependence whatever to be placed
in its statements. Whenever the editor
of that paper says anything whatever
about Government affairs, or makes any
remarks the subjects of which can have
any influence with persons who have
the remotest idea of going to that coun-
try, it speaks nothing but faleshood and
lies. The two battles of San Jacinto,
which it spoke of as GLORIOUS victories
for the American arms were defeats.
Some of the picked men of Walkers
troops were killed there, and no advan-
tages were gained. In the first battle,
Walkers troops retreated, carrying off
their dead and wounded, and leaving
the Chamorrista party masters of the
field and in the last, Walkers troops
retreated i'll disorder; every man had to
look out for himself and many of them
were cut off and killed by the enemy
And yet this paper, this Nicaragutnse,
called them GLORIOUS victories y 1t
never ceases to notice the distinguished
arrivals; but never breathes word of
the horrible miseries which the soldiers
suffered. while l was there, and which
they are now suffering; and few people
know any thing about the real condition
of things there. | was induced by the
false reports about Nicaragua, and the
success of Walker, to 90 to the country
but the misery suffered, and the mise
ry which every man who goes there
must experience, have induced me to
give this plain, unvarnished and true
account of things, just as l saw them
and just as they are.
When we got to Granada, we were
marched up to Walkers quarters in that
city. We were formed in line and
kept standing in the sun for an hour and
a half, or two hours, and then sent to
our quarters in the old San Francisco
Church, a place which was not fit for
hogs to live in. 1t was not only damp,
but the flthiest place certainly that
ever human creature lived in. We had
no beds, and had to lie on the ground in
the dirtiest litter We had no blanke cts,
having taken none with us, and not be-
ing provided with any there. Those
that had money might buy hammocks;
but very few had money, and the rest
were compelled to shift the best way
they could. We arrived at Granada in
the forenoon, and got nothing to eat till
the next day near noon, when we pro-
cured some raw beef, rice and tortillas.
And here it may not be impertinent to
state, that when soldiers come to Gran
ada, they are invariably drawn up in a
line, left to stand several hours in a
roasting sun, and then sent to their quar-
ters to get along as they can; some
times some old pans and kettles are sent
to them. Walker never looks at them,
or after their comfort, and never speaks