American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-06

The Surrender Of General Walker.

The New York papers are flooded
with statements relating to the final
expulsion of General Walker from Nj
caragua. From the accounts publish
ed in the Herald and Ne,os, the follow
ing interesting particulars have been
gathered:
Since the sanguinary defeat of the
allies in their attempt to storm Rivas
on the 18th of April last, no military
operation excepting slight skirmishes
had taken place on either side. Deser-
ton was decimating both camps. AS
regards Walker, it was four months and
half since he had occupied Rivas, du-
ring which time he had received no sue
cors from the Atlantic States, and only
l3O men from California. It was over
three months since the allies had occu-
pied San Jorge with the intention of
attacking Rivas, which they invested
by forming round it four strongly in
trenched camps, from which they open
Ell fire on the town with two twenty
four Founders on the 22d March. Du-
ring this period the allies brought into
the field between 5000 and 7, 900 men.
Nine actions of more or less import
ance had been fought, in which Gen.
Walker lost little over three hundred
killed and wounded; but the assertions,
which had increased to twenty day,
exceeded four hundred. About one
month previously, he had commenced
slaughtering his horses and mules, and
continued to hold Rivas in anticipation
of one of four probable events, viz -
The arrival of Lockridge, the arrival of
reinforcements from California, the
breaking up of the cnemy's camp, and
the rising of his friends in the North
of the State of Nicaragua, who were
waiting till the allies were sufficiently
weakened, and till an American force
appeared to back them. Lockridgc
was neither heard from nor heard
Of till the 30th of April. The Transit
Company did not start their steamer as
promised, on the 9Th of April, from
San Francisco, and probably intended
to repudiate their engagement. The
allies, though very near on several oc.
casions breaking up, were encouraged
by these circumstances, and by the de-
sertions, induced by paid agents in Ri
vas, to renew their efforts and to per-
severe. '..
The allies on their part, had lost, &C
cording to their own avowal, between
1000 and $500 men, besides 10
prisoners, in these operations. In ev.
cry one of these nine fights, except that
of Jocote, they had either been driven
into their entrencements or repulsed
with loss of prisoners and cannon -
Desertion was so great, and discourage
ment so frequently prevailing, that
though aware of the disadvantage of
attacking the Americans behind barri-
cadcs, they made desperate attempt
on Rivas on the ,23d of March, and
were on the point of dispensing, when
the descrtion Of forty Californians in
body, and the arrival of reinforccments,
restored their confidence. The next
attempt, the 18th of April, was deter
mined by like considerations, and re-
suited still more disastrously. Since
the 18th they had persevered, because
(Walker's force being so far reduced
that he could not risk it till the last
moment) they were not attacked, and
expecting every day that want Of pro-
visions would force him to evacuate the
place, and because the increase of de-
sertion, the success Of corrupting agents
in Nvas, and the ignominious backsli-
ding of half a score of officers, encour-
aged the hope that with little further
patience, chance and craft would achieve
what force had failed to accomplish
Money, amongst which English sover-
eigns were conspicuous, and promises
were lavished on deserters; letters and
proclamations were daily scattered
through Rivas, tempting by offers of
security and abundance, the pusillan.
unity of some and the impotence of
privation felt by others.
Since the 18th of April, however,
the allied army had received no rein.
forcemeRt. Its last resources in men
were clearly exhausted. All the best
officers of the allies had been lost in
the contest. Death and desertion had
SO far thinned their ranks that on the
morning of the first Of May their total
force did not number 1,700 men. OF
$500 Costa Ricans, Guatemalians, and
Hondurans, (who had borne the chief
5runt of the fghting,) less than 900
remained. The stupendous barbados