The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-05-07
From Tie New Orleans peitsl
The Central American News.

slof Colonel Schlefinger, furnished us b
esone OF the officers Nho, In noble contras
with the p~oltroon commander. took al
!. active part in the engagement. 1t is
! lucid aud candid expose OF the facts, sucl
! as they fell under his observation, an
.as such We commend it to the careful at
teEtion of our readers.
The following is the account above al
luded to:
aOn the 9th day of February last,
one hundred and seventy emigrants left
New Orleans under the supervision OF
Captain Thorpe, with a view of trying
their fortunes in Central America. "
They arrived in Granada without death
or accident After being in that city
about three days the war between Nicar-
aqua and Costa Rica was declared, and
an expedition ordered against Costa Ri
ca under command of Colonel Schles-
singer This expedition was composed
of the one hundred and seventy from
New Orleans, one company from New
York and an escort of one of the old
companies, making in all about two hun
bred and eighty troops.
aThe expedition proceeded on their
AudIGA IL kOO0 AOpS vi buCCtcS, Out 10
was generally conceded in a few days
that the Colonel in command was not
skilled In his undertaking. The marches
were badly conducted-our movements
being most frequently in the heat of the
day, and our eneampments sometimes
made at a distance from water. Gross
carelessness was observable at almost
every halt, as we'll as upon the march,
apparently inviting an attack from the
enemy and a massacre of the Americans,
before sufficient alarm could be given.
In proof of tie fact, when but a few
DAYS march from where the enemy was
met, upon the occasion of one of the few
night marches, it was found that the ord
nance train, consisting of fifteen to TWEEN
ty animals, was lost from the main body
of the troops. Again, upon another oe:
casion of an evening march, when we had
laid by as we supposed within three
miles of tue enemy, with a view of sur
prisiug them by night attack, when we
had arrived at our'destiDation-an alarm
was given By the pickets, and the enemy
was said to be in strong numbers within
a few yards of us, in ambush. Our bat
TALON was drawn up IN regular line of
battle, but soon we learned the alarm
was false, at about which tiHBeit was re-
collected that the ordnance train had
been left behind a mile or more, entirely
unprotected.
tThis condition of things continued
throughout the march, until our arrival
at the rancho Of Santa Rosa, where
everything wore the appearance of care
lessDess, too inviting 20 an army to be
passed by unlmproved; for, about three
the day after our battalion ar
rived at this point, our camp was SUR
prised by an attack, in open day, of the
enemy, who had so well improved their
chances, from our want of proper pickets,
as to approach on one side to within fifty
yards of the Colonel's headquarters and
the ordnance department. On this side
the enemy was protected byan ambush.
When the alarm was given Captain
TheFpes and Creighton's companies were
ordered into the yard of the house where
the ordnance was stationed, and the wor-
thy Colonel had his quarters. Upon
theif arrival in the yard, and while form
ing their e~ompcnics, The enemy opened
their FIRE from the ambush. In the midst
ofthe confusion the two companies above
formed; and for some time
nobly contehded with the enemy. The
fight had not progressed, however, longer
than from seven to ten minutes, when
the afrighted Colonel ordered his favor
lie company by his side, and in another
moment was seen with him, the French
and German companies beating a hasty
retreat. Every effort was made upon
the part of Major O'Neil, Capt. Thorpe,
Adjutant johnson and others, to arrest
the eoxardly and shameful retreat, but
all was in vain. Terror had got hold of
the panic-stricken Colonel, and, with an
sheathed sword, he bore onward, when
the retreat became general.
"The New Orleans company, under
command of Captain Thorpe, did their
duty we'll and bravely, as the number of
the killed, wounded aud missing will
prove. The New York company COM
mapded by Captain Creighton, aud the
Nicaraguans, commanded by Captain
Ruddfer, also acquitted themselves well.
But the French and Dutch were the first
to follow the Col. who began the retreat.
among those who fell during the &C
ton was one of the New Orleans noblest
sons, Peter Grayson, who was ever found
in the performance of his duty, and
loss excited an immense sorrow,
will continue with his brothers in
arms, who have survived.
aThe march IN retreat was for upward
seven days through the trackless
over rugged mountains, across
and with but a single meal for six
days. The return of the troops to Vir-
gin Bay presented a sight seldom SEEN
Of men with bleeding feet, half-naked
forms and half.starved stomachs. None
could view them without their utmost
being aroused.
@Schlessinger was on trial before a
,ourtmartiai, under charge of coward
negligence, &C., and SO far as the
evidence had progressed it was sufficient
% convict him. Up to last accounts the
rial was still. progressing, and it was
believed by many that he would be shot
or coBardice.
General Walker afterward assumed
Command in person, and had started to
he department. of Guiana Casta, in Costa
Sica, with seven hundred men, with the
discrimination to attack the enemy on
light.
l.General Walker was not discouraged
nd the health of the army remained re-
iarkably good. Granada and Leon
ERE still garrisoped by troops, and the
assaee mp aud down the river and lake
uninterrupted"