The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-01-24
Interesting from Nicaragua.

! From the Philadelphia Inquirer OF January 2 w a
We yesterday conversed with a young
Philadelphia, Mr.. Naulty, who was pas
senger on the Tennessee, from California,
and who came by the Nicaragua route. He
gives deplorable picture Of Gen. Walker
and his troops. The prospect for them was
most discouraging. They were fighting for
their lives, and many of the men when our
informant was at Virgin Bay, ha l nothing to
eat for four days, and not few were nearly
naked, their clothes having been worn out.
The transit road was in sad condition.
One of the bridges was broken down, and
two others were tottering, while the road in
many places was scarcely passable.
Two young men from the United States,
who had enlisted for year, and had served
sixteen months, desired to return, and OBJ
tanned passports from Gen. Walker. These
were revoked, and when they attempted to
escape they were caught, taken out and shot
as deserters.
The sickness was fearful and fatal, and the
deaths by fever and cholera were Of daily oc-
currence. Our informant is of the opinion
that by this time Walker has been defeated,
and that Rivas is in possession of the coun-
try. The forces of the opposition were
much larger than those of the adventures,
and the men were better paid. Indeed,
Walkers men were compelled to put up with
scrip instead of cash-bad food and clothing,
while their lodgings at night were often shell
terless. They complained bitterly, and
were anxious to escape; but this was impos-
sible, as the discipline was very rigorous.
Even officers cut very sorry appearance.
Before the lake boat sailed for Virgin
Bay, she was examined twice, in order to de-
tect deserters The weather was very warm
and rainy. Indeed, the universal opinion of
the passengers was, that Walker could not
hold out, except by miracle. He was
awaiting reinfOrcements with determination
OIL their arrival to make another desperate
effort. His whole force did not amount to
more than thousand men, and generally
speaking, these were quite young, ranging
from sixteen to twenty-six years.
The report of the massacre of the wound
ed and sick, Of Walkers army, at the island
OF Ometepa, was very generally circulated.
but not credited. 1t produced great excite
ment and even the women threatened retail
alton, should it prove true.
Of the passengers who left San Francisco
by the Hrizaba, intending to return to New
York by the Tennessee, about ten were in
duced to volunteer. The Orizaba also had
on board IT'S recruits who were enlisted in
California. They were promised fifty dollars
a month and huge tracts of land. Other re-
Inducements from New Orleans were met on
the River San Juan, and supposed to be
about 500. Still another force amounting to
l67, from New York, was also met at Castil-
10 Rapids. These various bodies amounting
in all to upwards of 500, would swell the
available force Of adventures to something
like l 900. The country near Virgin Bay is
swampy, and therefore pestiential. The
probability is that Immediately after the ar
rival of the renforcements above mentioned
another battle took place, and with decisive
results.