Daily American organ., 1856-03-15

'Cyano - She anchored after sundown We saw her
getting her boats out and were extremely appreher-
sive that shs would attempt to land men, when, in
night snbuscsae, with such odds against them dis
astrous consequences might II was Of course
joyful sight 10 friends 50 near; bat / enter
taned great doubt that they would be able 10 render
superior Ia numbers. liasAss -
The enemy continued their fire us during the
night go
"On the 15th al daylight we became awsre that the
'Cyane was landing men. They soon commenced
their advance, which, for a few minutes was con-
tinued with the opposition Of only scattering FIRE
then the enemy opened upon them in earnest Trey
had concentrated nearly their entire forcs near the
hamlet Of San Vicente. We saw the assh Of mus.
kerry through all the hills above the ranches. There
were the odds Of more than three against our
friends Steadily they came ON, giving beck the re
OF the enemy as they advanced. 7f tsa
There was still party of the enemy occupying
the town firing upon took thirty men and sal
lied out upon them, drove them from cover killing
one and wounding several Of them, and marched on
to join the 'Cysne men. who, with Captain Du Pont
At their head, had now drawn quite MS. There
were small detached parties OF the enemy still hover
ing about them and firing at them bur the main body
OF the enemy had been broken. and retired to San
Anmas, distant two miles. a
"The march Of the 'Cyane' men to our relic Z
through an enemy so vastly their superior In num-
bers, well mounted, and possessing every advantage
in knowledge Of the ground certainly intrepid
exploit as creditaby performed it was skilfully
and boldly planned, rejecting the greatest honor on
all concerned, and resulting most fortunately for rs
in our harassed situation"
The Commodore commanding the Pacific squad
ron ut the time, in his letter to the Secretary Of
the Navy, ten days after the battle, expresses his
commendation in these terms (I read from the
public document transmitted to Congress from the
Navy Department shortly afterwards y p
UNITED STATES SHIP INDEpEsDRScE,
Mazatlan, February rs, ls4s
SIR; have the honor to forward herewith reports
from Commander S. +. Du Pont and Lieutenant
Charles Haywood, dated 18th and 22d February, and
2lst and Ed same month.
want words to express my sense of the gallant
conduct of these officers and Of the officers and men
under their command, rs detailed in their reports
but feel that am perfectly safe in saying that the
annals OF no war can furnish. instances Of greater
coolness OF more indomitable perseverance, OF more
conspicuous bravery, and of sounder Judgment than
are to be found in these details. They will be read
with pride and pleasure by the Department, and by
every American, and will secure to all concerned a
most enviabe place in the estimation of their coun-
trymen. gf5
have the best reason 10 believe that these reports
so far from overratng the acts of those concerned
are strongly mbued with the modesty of true courage
which adheres to truth, but shrnks from exaggera-
tion, and rather diminishes than magnifes its own
deeds. sa
The satisfaction arising from this brilliant victory
the enemy s couded by the fall Of Passed Mid
shipman Tenant McIanahan, young officer Of great
promise He received the fatal wound standing by
the flag Of his country and died in the honr Of vico
ry--an early but enviable death-placing his name
their country and giving to his afflicted friends the
satisfaction arising from the reflection that
he has sealed life of honor with death of glory
The presence Of the Cyane, and the excellent judg
ment Of Commander Du Pont and Lieutenant Hey-
wood, will hope, secure the garrison ut San Jose
from further molestation until the measures which
Governor Mason informs me he is taking to send
Inducements into the territory, can be efooted.
hora hrn f,h ho fxl1v ~,
WIN. BRANFoRn sHUBRIcK,
& Commanding Pacific Squadron. :
Hon. JOHN Y. MASON, I-iaxaF
Secretary Of the Navy Washington, D. c.
forbear, cir, to comment upon other incidents
in the life of Captain Du Pont referred to in the
naval documents, which reflect honor upon his
both as a man and an officer; but must
be permitted to revert to those matters which have
been made the subject Of fanmadverson against him.
To find ground upon which to rest censure, some
Of those who fancy their friends were injured by
his action as member of the Naval Board, have
been compelled to 60 back and ransack the annals
of the Navy Department nearly twenty years ago.
It will be seen that this gentlemans life has been
passed without hlemish upon his reputation.
What noble commentary il is upon any mans
character that his enemies cannot find one single
point for reprcach, even in this instance imaginary
without going back beyond history Of most ex-
emplary public service Of nearly twenty years On
the memorable cruise of the Ohio lineofbattle chip
to the Mediterranean, under Commodore Hull, in
i lS3s-'39-i0-4l, some of the elite Of onr naval
officers we're ordered to that ship and Du Pont
was among the number. As young lieutenant on
the deck of that noble ship, 1t is acknowledged by
all That no officer more efficient No one could
have more faithfully discharged all his duties. But
It was the misfortune Of Lieutenant Du Pont, to-
gether with nearly all the wardroom officers of that
ship, to incur the displeasnre of the commodore.
Though perfectly prepared to do so, shall not
enter into an account of the difficulties which In
terrupted the social relations between the Com-
modore and his officers. These difficulties had
their origin in question Of apartments, and de-
rived their chief Importance from peculiar com
bnation of circumstances. He wrote strong let
tiers to the Secretary Of the Navy against these
officers, charging them with disrespect to him.
Among the incidents which furnished the grounds
of complaint was fight between some OF his o6i-
GERS and the people OF Port Mahon, while the Ohio
was lying in that harbor. The officers attended
carnival ball, during which the people Of the place,
without apparent provocation, commenced an at
tack upon the American officers, who were only
eight in number, including several young midshir-
men. Du Pont of course, took part in the light,
in defence Of himself and the other officers and
without arms these eight gentlemen beat, in hir
fight, about FIVE times their number, and were
about to restore order in the ballroom, when sud
denly. by command of the Governor, the armed
soldiery OF the garrison, twenty-five in number,
with loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, led on by
their officers, charged upon the Americans in the
theatre, where this occurred, and beat these young
officers cruelty and brutally. Du Pont made re-
port Of the whole affair to the captain, and asked
that his statement Of the outrage committed by the
Governor at Port Mahon might be transmitted TO
the Senators and Representative from his native
State in Congress. In this affair Du Pont was to
blame for nothing.
He bravely defended his own life snd the lives
Of his iends, who escaped with their lives indeed,
though covered with blood and wounds and sub