Daily American organ., 1856-03-15
CAPTAIN 5. :. Do rosr, .. 5, \.
speech Of Hon. John NJ. clayton,
OF DELAWARE

Il
speech Of Hon. John M. Clayton,
or DELAWARE, tpa tgaF
IN Ereciive Session Of the Senats, Mdr. IL 1856,
| THE injunction of secresy having been removed
! Mr.. CLAYTON. After several weeks of absence
from the Senate, owing to severe indieposition, !
ask leave to make an explanation, which would
have been promptly given at a period when it
woald have been more fitting had been able to
occupy my seat when the necessity for 1t first oc-
| Cured aE Uat aa,Tta f&t tats9
gallant oficercf the Navy, citizen Of the
State of which am representative in this body ;
a man who is, believe may truly say, universal
! ly honored and esteemed by the citizens Of that
State--has been personally assailed indirectly, If
not directly, as one OF the Naval Board. / refer,
sir, to Captain 8 +. Dupont. 1t is not my purpose
to follow infinitely the tracks of those contempti-
BILE caumniators who have attempted to spread a
dragnet over every incident of his life, from his
| boyhood, when he first entered the Navy, to the
present hour, In the vain hope that some fault
might be discovered--some blot might be fixed
| upon the stainless name of this brave and chiva
rous gentleman, to avenge themselves for the acts
| of that Naval Board but i owe II to the people
represent owe it to common Justice to bear nv
| sincere testimony in his behalf aud to repci the
efforts made to iDjure him, no matter when or by
whom made 4g A Ia
| Sir, this officer, who has been known to his fell
spent about twenty years of his life aloat upon the
ocean wave, fearlessly encountering the perils of
battle and tempest with all the other dangers in.
| cident to nautical life. sailor more accom-
plised, by the universal testimony Of his brother
officers, never trod the deck of American ship
| of war. For his admirable qualities as a seaman
and an officer, he selected az captain of the
Congress frgate, when that noble vessel sailed to
California during the Mexican war under the broad
! pendant of the gallant Commodore Stockton, not
| long since distinguished member of this body
Arrived on the coast Of California, he was there
selected as man eminently qualified for the COM
mand OF the AmericAO man-ofwar Cyane, and for
the discharge of those active services the exercise
of that seepless vigilance required in blockading
ports on the coast of Mexico, capturing the yes
sells, breaking up the trade, and taking conspcu-
ons part in the conquest of Lower California Four
different Commodores, commanding on that sta
ton, bestowed upon him, for the gallant and faith
fnl discharge of his duties, through all the trials
and hazards to which he was there subjected their
warm and hearty approval; and the Secretary of
| the Navy himself added one of the most gratifying
rewards which an American sailor can receive, in
the unqualified approval and highest commenda-
| ton OF the Navy Department. The Cyanc was the
ship OF war which, under his command, first hoist
| ed the American flag at San Diego, and was most
OF all instrumental in the conquest Of Lower Cali
ifornia, IL the annals of your Navy Department
10th day Of February, lS4S, performed deed
which, for desperate courage and skilful manage
ment, was never surpassed in the annals Of war
That eminently brave and much -lamented officer
Lieutenant Haywood, had been stationed BY the
commodore commanding the Pacific squadron,
with four passed mdshipmen and twenty marines,
in the mission house at San Jose, to prevent the
execution of threat Of Colonel Pineda, that he
would come to that place and put to death all
friendly to the flag Of the United States" Being
suddenly apprized that Haywood was besieged at
San Jose, with the whole Mexican force upon him,
the commander Of the Cyane, with the most sue
cesstul Dispatch, sailed from In Paz, and arrived
before San Jose on the 18th Of February, at suns
down. He heard tho report of the besieging ar
tery, and beheld the Mexican forces, which in
cluded among their infantry, Peneda's ceteranos,
with the Mexican cavalry, all finely mounted and
armed with lances, carbines, and rifles, and all
swarming to the attack upon the fortress in which
Haywood with his little band had taken refuge.
Haywood was reduced to the utmost extremity for
want of provisions and water, having been en-
gagged in constant fighting with the overwhelming
force of Mexicans for more than three weeks.
Avoiding the danger of an ambuscade by night
Du Pont landed his whole available force, for the
rescue of Haywood, from the Cyane, at day-break
on the morning Of tae 10Th, that force being but
one hpndr6 and two men and officers all told,
and rushed forward TO the rescue of Haywood,
through distance Of two miles, wading the water
and climbing the hills, while driving before him n
Mexican force OF more than three times his num-
ber Flanked On both sides by Mexican rifemen
in ambush--sti forcing his way onward amid
showers Of bullets he reached the castle of San
Jose, defeated and dispersed the Mexicans and
rescued the brave Haywood with his band 1t
was this battle of San Vinesnse, which materially
helped TO lay the sure foundation for the conquest
Of Lower California.
ILL L. A.. r oor
the -beleaguered knight rescued from besieging
s4uadrons by the gallantry of his brothers in-arms
but there is not an incident in history which more
thoroughly stirs the blood than tho official report
which / hold in my hand, which represents Hey
wood, with his distressed, but unconquerable little
company, as he looked out amid the blaze of mus
kerry and rifles from the top of his fortress at sun
down on the 18th Of February, 184S, upon the
Gulf Of California, and saw the Cyane, with the
American flag streaming from the rigging in the
oing, giving proof that his eountrymen had at last
appeared to save himself and his little garrison
from those savage enemies who bad publicly de-
clsred their fixed determination to exterminate
them. The anxiety of Haywood that Du Pont
should not land until day. lest he should be cut to
pieces by the Mexicans in ambush during the dark
ness of the night, was relieved as day broke upon
the scene of conflict, when he found that the
mander of the Cyane, whose Judgment fully ap-
priced him Of the danger Of bis position, had then
landed his little force soon az he could see his
way, and, though pressed on all sides by the Mexi-
cans, who fought desperately, was driving them
before him. Painful, indeed, must have been his
solicitude when he bcheld the small force of his
countrymen surrounded by superior numbers of
the enemy but still, ms the flashes Of the musket
ry enabled him to look through the smoke of the
conflict his heart leaped for JOY as he beheld the
American standard still pressing onward to save
him. The greeting between these two officers and
their men, when Haywood sailed out to drive the
enemy from the town and support Du Pont, may