Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-06-10
History of Walkers Enterprise in Nicara.
qua.

For the information of those who have not
watched the Ncaraguan career of Gen. Walker.
the hero of the New Orleans demonstration, We
extract the following historical narrative from
the columns of cotemporary:
"Abont two years ago Walker sailed from San
Francisco with some sixty men, engaged TO
serve as mercenary soldiers 10 the civil war then
pending in Nicaragua. He arrived at ReaIeo
IN June, 1855, where he was jnined by about $50
men from Leon. in the service of the party to
which he had hired himself ont After some
unsuccessful operations he was driven to take
refuge at SanJnan del Snr, where be was joined
by some additional recruits from California, By
this time the Transit Company seems to have
made made up its mind to engage in the war,
and by the help of t,eir steamers, Walker suc-
ceeded in surprising Granada. which led in the
then exhausted state ot the country, to the sub
mission of the opposite faction, and tie ac-
acknowledgement of tile party with which Walker
acted as the legitimate and undisputed Govern
ment. Under this new Arrangement, completed
about the end of October 1853. Walker, WHO
was recognized Us Comman1er-in-C Chief of the
forces of the new Government, was at once
raised to position of great Influence and impor.
tance; and had he possessed TALENT or even
common sense, he might easily have maintain
ed himself in the substantial control OF Nicara-
raguan affairs, especially as by the aid of the
Transit company, and the advance Of money
arms and outfits by capitalists in this city. New
Orleans and San Francisco, he was soon placed
at the head Of an army Of adventures more
than thousand strong.
"Walker, however, was in hurry to enrich
himself, and not waiting for the slow progress
of the sales of confiscated estates, and not CON-
tent with what could be got in the way of con-
tributions levied upon the wcalther natives and
the foreign merchants resident in Nicaragua, un-
der pretence Of certain sums of money due by
the Transit company to the Nicaraguan Govern.
ment, he pounced at once upon all the lake and
river boats of his old contederates the Tram
sit Company, which, through his agent Ran.
dolph he attemptempted to sell TO capital
talists here for his own private benefit. This
coup against the Transit Company was followed
up by another against the native party in whose
service Walker had originally entered The COLIN
try-the native President being uncerenoni-
ously displaced, and Walker proclaiming him
self President.
"From the time of this occurrence which took
place the 18th of July last, the whole career Of
Walker, who was already involved in q war
with Costa Rica and the other central American
States has been nothing but one series of roLbe-
ries, murders, disasters and niseries. in tho
course OF which some five thousand recruits, for
warded to him by his dupes and c0-Operators
in the United States, were reduced 10 The mis-
cradle band of two hundred desperadoes, with
whom, thanks to the refuge afforded Linn by an
American ship of.war-sent thther. il would
seem, for that express purpose he has been eG-
abled to escape out Of the country. lie began
fI,a A oil
route, and every military post in the country,
and the whole government organization being
in his hand But in spite of The men and non-
ey profusely supplied to him from the United
States, in the course of six or seven months he
lost everything First lie abanduns Leon, then
he is driven from Managua, then from Ma>nyu,
then from Granada, which city, before leaving
it. he first plundered, and then set to work de-
liberately to destroy. Soon the river and lake
steamers and all the military paste of the Can
Juan fall into the hands of the Costa Ricans.-
Disease and deserion rapidly thin his ranks;
supplies from abroad wholly cease. He is coop
ed up in one single town. and finally he ESCAPES
a merited death upon The gallows only by SEEK
ing as fugitive, and under the name of II capt..
ulatiun, the protection of tie flag of the United
States.
"In this whole career We look in vain for
single act of wisdom or foresight. All the sue
cess he had he owed to the total exhaustion of
the Nicaraguan population by civil war end
their desire for peace at any price. His cruelty,
hisrapacity his utter sef>liness, ,di>gused hs t..
low-tillbusters not less than his Nicaragnan sub
ects and has ended by his being thrust ont of The
country by troops and leaders whom lie has him
self always described as totally destitute both Of
courage and skill.