New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-11-12
ment of this attack will be appreciated when we state
that not one man was lost in gaining this strong


that not one man was lost in gaining this strong
| point.
During the morning several prisoners were taken
but they could not tell accurately the strength Of the
| force that had been fighting with them. But col
lating all they said came to the conclusion that
there were somewhat over two thousand five hundred
men defending Massoya. The American forces were
| between nine and ten hundred
In order to make our position clear, it may be
well to state that there three pazas in Massaya
two small ones, and one very large In the centre of
each plaza stands church, and, may be supposed,
the edice in the largest plaza is much the largest of
the three.
The three plazas and three churches are 50 nearly
IN straight line, that street running past the ends
IL Ger churches would go through the middle
VI Oh rchnrch. cannon ball fired out of the
Sor of either side Of the central church, would
hit one end of either Of the smaller ones. 1t will oe
apparent from this5-alse;stha guns planted at the
small CHURCHES would strike the center Of the large
church. The distance from the large church to the
lower small one is about four hundred and seventy
yards; to the upper small one--the which Gen.
Walker now held in possession--s about eight hun
dred yards There are eight blocks of buildings be-
tween itand the large prffza The blocks about
one hundred yards square, and surrounded, for
the most part, by thick adobe walls.
All the streets, so far as could be ascertaned at
their uncture with the large plaza strongly bar
ricaded. The principal one-that leading from the
church we so brayely won in the morning-was de-
Tended by at least one cannon. In the afternoon,
when our men got so that they could see behind it,
had only, in the shape of heavy ordnance two noun
tain hOwitzers.
After the had eaten breakfast, the sappers and
miners set at work in cutting through the walls
so as to allow an approach Of our how,Zers towards
the central plaza. Thus by cutting through the mid
die Of block, the cannon Of the enemy were rem
dcred entirely useless whereas we were enabled to
throw our shells into their midst in perfect security.
While one portion Of the sappers and miners were
cutting road through the block-which was in q
straight line with and between the two churches
for the howitZers, and the First Rifle Battalion which
accompanied it, another detachment OF them were
engaged in opening way through the buildings and
yards the opposite side Of the street, for the ad
vance Of the Infantry. When all things were ready
the Rifles advanced in the way assigned them, and the
Second Light Infantry assumed the offensive
the street. Both worked their way steadily forward
driving the enemy from house to house, from block to
block, neither at any time losing an inch of ground
they had gained. Col. E. j. Sanders, and Lieut. Col.
Samuel Ashton, led or and directed their with
the utmost GOODNESS and Judgment.
The voice Of Sanders could be heard sharper than
the whistle Of Minnie, and louder than the report of
its discharge. The Second Light Infantry, under the
direction Of Lieut.. Col Mcintosh and Major Dese1-
bury showed unexcelled bravery. They did not per-
nit the Rifles to progress faster than they did and in
one instance the company commanded by Capt Dreux
was one whole block in advance. This Captain aud
his company fought 50 tearessly, and so bravely,
that he more than surrounded by the enemy
and would not abandon his advanced position until
the General had issued positive orders for him to with
draw.
The First Rifles having the charge of the howitzers
andtraveng i'll the most direct route, were watched
by the lockers with great interest. AS the howit-
ger, commanded by Captain SWartz, threw shell into
the encmys ranks they rushed in and took possession
j., They thus fought all day. The enemy were lying
dead in all directions, but, wonderful to relate we
lost only two men, and one of these were killed by
being 50 close to the enemy that the bursting OF one
c of our own bombs took effect upon him.
Capts. A1cChesney and Stith, with their companies
got at one time SO lar in advance that they were in
danger Of being hit by shots from their men of their
G own battalion, while shooting at the enemy.
= There were only about 450 men advancing, as al
ready described. toward the enemy the remainder of
our force formed under Brig. Gen Hornsby
and remained for the most part during the day,
the position first gained in the morning to protect the
t rear Gen. Hornsby, from his coulness and prompt
Il ness on the field, seems to us model officer.
8 The enemy had roads cut through the woods anG
fields around Massaya, and tried several times during
s the day to surround us, but they were invariably
II driven back with loss.
l. Once during the afternoon large body Of Lancer,
y attacked detachment oiour Rangers They defend
ed themselves bravcly until portion of the Second
Rifles, under Major Caycee, came to their aid, and
n rcpulsed the assaiants with considerable loss This
same Major Caycee, who POSSESSES as much bravery
as there is any occasion for has from his long &C
quaintance with the habits Of those people, as good
an idea of their mode Of warfare any field officer in
II Central America.
About four o'clock in the afternoon the First Rifles
had reached the houses on the Plaza Both them an(
the Infantry were anxious to charge the enemy in the
large plaza, but this would not be permitted by Gen
$ era Walker They could do it i'll the morning witt
much less loss.
l. Before night Cen Walker had taken up quarters
i about midway between the churches His staff were
armed with Sharpes carbncs and did good execution
during the day in picking off some of the enemy
;, Among those who distinguished themselves gooG
Il shots were Col. Kcwen and Lieut.. Col. Frank Ander
d son.
u Nearly all We fought against, except the Allies
were men who bad been forced into the fight. The
H. Rangers say their officers several times during thu
4 day beat them from behind cactus fences with the
Il swords, and thus compelled them to fire upon the
n Americans
d About four o'clock in the afternoon the enemy rans
bells and rave other demonstrations of having becl
lc reinforced Night came. The Americans were OF
the edge of the large plaza The firing gradually les
y sened, and at about ten o'clock it had almost entirely
ceased At this time, in addition to our killed, W,
had fifteen men diSabledby wounds The enemy ia,
re killed their side to our knowledge about hun
Y dred men.
H. AS soon as night came they began to desert il
to large numbers. About midnight Gen. Walker re
lc ccived intelligence that a large body of the enem.
* were moving out Of MaSsaya toward Granada. At
Of o'clock the morning OF the 18th, the American sol
ers started in pursuit. Bat they not ovcrtakc,
d, until they had reached the Jateba Church i'll Ora
il nl'ta.
Of 1t appears that as soon as Gen. Beoso, San Sal
y. vllolan, who is conmanderin-clllc OF the Allies
heard Of Gen. Walkers approach, he dispatched by
different road about siX hundred men to attack Ora
lie NADIA. He must have been under the impression tina
I'd the capitol had been left wholly unprotected and ha
til it would fall easily into his hands.
er They arrived about o'clock, on the afternoon 0
re the 18th, and entered the city hy two parts. The
u attempted to get into the plaza, but were rcpulse
Sc with considerable loss. They then got into house
and began to cut their way into the centre OF the city
d. There only about one hundred and fit
lc Americans in Gralada, including the sick in tn
~ hospital and these, under Brig General Fry. held til
~ city and fought against this great odds for twenty
I'd one hours.