Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-05-02
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AN ACCOUNT OF THE,
Expedition to Costa Rioa.


By one Of The Officers ,eho took part in he En-
ferprise
On the 9Th day If February last. one hundred
and seventy cmgrnnts left New Orleans, under
| the supervision of Capt. Thorpe; with view OF
| trying their fortunes in Central America" They
| arrived in Granada without denth accident. 49,
After being in that city nbont three days The wnr
between Nicaragua aud Costa lsiea was declared
| and an expedition ordered against Costa Rion un
| der command of Col Schlessnger. This oxped.
| ton was composed of the 40 from New Orleans.
one company from New York, aud an escort of
one of tho old companies, making, in all. about
two hundred and eighty troops.
The expedition proceeded their march in
good hope of success, but il was generally con
oeeded in n few days, that the Colonel in com
mand was not skilled in his undertaking. Tho
marches were badly condueted--our movements
being most frequently in the heat of the day and
our encampments sometimes nude ut a distance
from water. Gross eareessness observable
at almost every halt, rs well "a upon the march,
apparently inviting iii attack from the enemy,
aud massacre of the Americans, before sufi
cent alarm could be given. In proof of the fact
when but few days march from where the
my was met. upon the occasion OF one of tho few
night marches, IL was found that the ordnance
train consisting of fifteen To twenty animals was
lost from the main body OF the troops. Again up
on another occasion Of an evening march, when we
J
the enemy, with a view of surprising them by n
night attach k, when we Ind all arrived ut our dest,
nation-an alarm was given by the piquets, and the
enemy was said to be in strong numbers within
fewyards of US in ambush Our battalionwas drawn
up in regular line of battle, but soon we learned
the alarm was false, at about which time II was
recollec,ed that the ordnance train had been left
behind mile or more entirely unprotected This
condition of things continued throughout the
marob,un our arrival ut the ranch of Santa Ro-
sa, where everything wore the appearance OF
carelessness too inviting to an army to be passed
unimproved, for ab ,ut 3 o clock the day after
battalion arrived at this point,our camp was sur
prised by nn nttack, in open day of thh enemy.
who had well improved their chances. from
our want of proper piqaets as to approach on
one side to within fifty yards of the Colonels
headquarters and the ordnance department. On
, this side the enemy was protected by an am
| bush. When tho alarm was given, Captains
, Thorpe and Creightnn's companies were ordered
| into the yard %! the house where the ordnance
was stationed and tho worthy Colonel had his
! quarters. Upon their arrival in the yard, and
while forming their companies. the enemy opened
| their fire from the ambush. In the midst of the
| confusion, the two companies above mentioned
| formed, and for some time uobly contended with
the enemy. The fight had not progressed, how
ever. longer than from seven to ten minutes,
when the affrighted Colonel ordered his iavore
company by his side. and in another moment was
with them, the French and German compa-
MES beating hasty retreat. Every effort was
made upon the part of Major O'Neii, Capt. Thorpe
! Adiuant johnson and others, tn arrest the cow
ardly and shameful retreat, but all was IN vain
! Terror had got hold of the panic stricken Colo
| nell and with unsheathed swordhe bore onward
! when the retreat became general.
| The New Orleans company, under command
| Of Capt Thorpe, did their duty we'll and bravtly
! as the number of the killed, wounded and miss
| ing will prove. The New York company. com
manded by Captain Creighton, aud the Nicara
| guans, commanded by Captain Snddler, also ac-
! quilted shemselvds well. But the French and
| Dutch were the first to follow the Colonel who
| began the retreat.
The march in retreat was for upwards of
| en- days through trackless woods, over rugged
mountains across rivers, and with but single
meal for six days. The return of the troops to
Virgin Bay presented sight seldom seen-of
men with bleeding feet, haf-naked forms and
hait starved stomachs. None could view them
! without Their utmost sympathies being aroused.
Schlessinger was on trial before the court
martial under charge of cowardice, negligence.
i &C., and so far = the evidence had nropressed
. 1t was sufficient to convict him. Up to last nc
counts the trial was still progressing and it was
believed by many that he would be Shot for cow
t ardice.
4 General Walker afterwards assumed oomman,
in person and had started t. the department @
C2uana Castle, in Costa RIGA, with 700 men
with the determination to attack the enemy o
sight
t General Walker was not discouraged, and tn