Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-10-15

Lobos.
Not the least difficult and dangerous part
Of the long transit to the field of operations
was this voyage. Most of the men were from
the rural districts of the State, and unused
to the water. They were all huddled to.
gather-two or three hundred in number, in
small merchant ships, which had been en-
gagged in great haste for the occasion, and
were unsuited, both in structure and pre-
paration, for the transport of troops. Many
Of the vessels employd by the Government
as transports were utterly unsafe and others
were commanded by men who scarcely knew
the rudiments of scientific navigation. The
Gulf of Mexico, swept as it is frequently,
indeed almost periodically, by the terrible
northers, which pour themselves down from
the frozen peaks of the Cordille'as is con-
sidered more stormy and dangerous than the
dreaded Bay of Biscay. Memory calls to
mind moro than one fearful night, when
amidst the roaring of the storm the hatches
were nailed down upon suffocating, sca-sick
soldiers, who tumbled together in common
pile with barrels of mess pork and pilot
bread, were rolled from side to side in con.
fusion, darkness and appalling uncertainty.
On deck, the horses - broken from their
stalls, and frantic with fright, were only
saved from trampling each other to death,
by being swept together into the deep
Captain Wilson and his motley crew stood
aghast, and the old Alhambra, cracking in
all her joints, threatened with every leelurch
to 60 down to the bottom"
The Alhambra narrowly escaped ship
wreck She was blown upon the Mexican
coast, near enough to see it distinctly.
The steamer Ondiaka, having on board a.
bout 300 mcn of the Louisiana Regiment
under Col. De Russey was wrecked, during
this northrr, on the Mexican coast They
were soon discovered by large body Of
Mexicans under Gen. Cos, aud summoned to
surrender Immediately. They had lost their
guns in the wreck, and were at the mercy
of the Mexicans, yet the brave and witty
Col. De Russcy effected by stratagem what,
under other circumstances, he would have
effected by force
He drew up his men in the order of battle,
as if awaiting an attack, and declined the
summons to surrender, by replying that be
would think of it, and answer that evening.
Having thus gained time, until late in the
evening, he had camp fires lighted, and other
apparent preparation for passing the night.
The Mexicans have no fancy for night at
tacks, and postponed the attack until morn
ing. Awaiting himself of the darkness of
the night, Col. De Russey leaving his camp
fires burning brightly, formed his men and
drew off silently and steathly. By rapid
march he reached Tampico in safety, with
out the loss of man.
This was the coolest, and most brilliant
and mastery act performed during the war.
Who but De Russey, when assailed by
force three times as large as his own, w'thom
q muskt in his battalion, unarmed, and
defenccess, and far from help, on an un-
known coast, would for a moment have
hesitated to surrender, or thought of such
an apparent impossibility as escape? Yet
he did eN the Mexican General most ele.
gantly. Who will not throw up his cap, and
say three cheers for COL De Russey, as We
the Palmettoes did, when We heard the par.
ticulars of his gallant action? I presume
that few of the Palmettoes have forgotten
Col. Buffers speech on the moonlight
night, on Lobos, when the news reached US
of COL De Russey's escape. 1 delight to
perpetuate the name of such man as De
Russey 1t deserves to beimmortal.
The point of rendezvous for the army was
the little Islet of Lobos, lying between Vera
Cruz and Tampico, about 1S0 miles from
the former about half that distance from
tina latter, and about twelve miles from the
cost of Mexico.