Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-06-06
From the n Y. Herald.
HIGHLY INTERESTING NEWS FROM CEN
TRIAL AMERICA.
SAN JUAN DEL Sur, May 2, 1857.

SAN JUAN DEL SUR, May Z, 1907.
The siege of Rivas terminated on the
LIST of May by the surrender OF the town
and garrison-by agreement or capitu
lation--to the United States flag, repre-
scented by Captain Davis of the United
States sloop-of-war st. Marys. General
Walker, in fulflment of the terms of this
agreement, embarked the same evening
on board the St. Marys, with sixteen Off
GERS, for Panama, and left the remainder
OF the garrison in charge of Lieutenant
McCorkle, Of the United States navy, to
embark at Virgin Bay for Tortugas, to
be thence likewise transported via Tortu
gas and Punta Arenas to Panama.
The state of the case is about as fol-
lows: Since the sanguinary defeat of the
allies in their attempt to storm Ryas on
the 18th of April last, no military opera
ton excepting slight skirmiShes had tax
en- place on either side. Desertion was
decimating both camps. As regards
Walker, it was four months and a half
since be had occupied Rivas, during
which time he had received no succor
from the Atlantic States, and only $50
men from California. 1t was over three
months since the allies had occupied San
Jorge with the intention Of attacking Ri
vac, which they invested by forming
round it four strongly intrenched camps,
from which they opened fire ON the town
with two twenty four Founders, on the
22d March. During this period the al
lies brought into the field between 5000
and 1000 men. Nine actions of more
or less importance had been fought, in
which Gen. Walker lost a little over 800
killed and wounded but the desertions.
which had increased to 20 day, exceed
ed four hundred. About one month pre-
viously, he had commenced slaughterino
his horses and mules, and continued to
hold Rivas in anticipation of one of four
probable events viz The arrival ofLock
ridge, the arrival of reinforcements from
California, the breaking up of an enemy S
camp, and the rising of his friends in the
north of the State of Nicaragua, who
were waiting till the allies were suite lent
y weakened, and till an American force
appeared to back them. Lockridge 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 repudate theil
engagement. The allies, though very
near on several occasions breaking up
were encouraged by these circumstances
and by the desertion induced by paid
agents in Riyas 10 renew their efforts and
! TO persevere.
The allies, on their part, had lost, ac-
cording to their own ayowal, between
2,OO0and 9, 500 men, besides 10 prison
ers, in these operations. In every one OF
these nine fights, except that of Jocote,
they had either been driven into their in
trenchments or repulsed with loss OF
prisoners and cannon. Desertion was SO
great, and discouragement so frequently
prevailing, that though aware of the dis
advantage of attacking the Americans
behind barricades, they made desrel-
ate attempt Oh Ryas on the 22dof Mare i
and were on the point Of Dispensing wher
the desertion of forty Calilornahs in /;
body, and the arrival of reinforcemcnts
restored their confidence. The next at
tempt, on the 18th Of April, was deter
mined by like considerations, and result.
| ed still more disaslrously. Since the
lth they had perseyered, because oval
ker's force being so far reduced that h,
could not risk it till the last moment
they were not attacked, and expec tins
every day that want of provisions woulC
force him to eyacuate the place, and be
cause the increase of desertion. the sue
cess of corupting agents in Rivas, and
the ignominlous backsliding of half g
score of officers, encouraged the hope
that with little further patience, chance
and craft would achieve what force had
failed to accomplish Money, amongs
which English soyereigns were conspic
uous, and promises We're lavished on de-
serters; letters and proclamations were
daily scattered through Rivas, temptin 9
by offers of security and abundance, the
pusillanimity of some and the i'm patience
of priyation felt by others.
Since the ! til OF April, however, the
allied army had received no reinforce.
ment. 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 lst of May their
total force did not number Zoo men,
Of $500 Costa Ricans, Qua temalans and
Honduras who had borne the chief brunt
OF the hghting), less than 600 remained.
The stupendous barricades Of their en-
trenched camps might protect them from
Walkers weakness, and desertion was to
great extent impeled by inclosing their
men at night; but their vast lines Of
trenches could no longer be manned eff
feclually to impede him, night move
ment to follow him would have entailcd
the desertion of two thirds of the men.
On TIE 2ist April for instance, party
OF forty Americans gathering plan tains
were attacked by ninety of the allies
After a little diminishing both parties re :
tired with ipnominious haste. The