Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-12
cApr, DAVIS oN WALKERs SURRENDER

CAPT. DAVIS ON WALKERS SURRENDER.
We copy below the official report of Commander
Davis of the sloopofwar ST. Marys, relating to the
incidents Of the surrender OF Gen. Walker in Nlcara
qua:
UNITED STATES SHIP ST. MARYs'
At Sea, May l6, 1857.
IR:-At the latest date of my last despatch hau
the honor TO cay that was then waiting for favnra
BILE moment when, By timely and eff-ciual lnferPo
rilion Of my good Offices might hope TO engage Tue
contending parties to bring their afars to peaceful
issue. The information brought by Lieut.. McCorkle
who returned on the 29.h uIiTDo, determined me 10
90 to Rivas the next day.
reached Gen. Moras camp on the afternoon OF the
3Olh. accompanied by Dr. j. Winthrop Taylor. the
surgeon OF hs ship, and by my coxswain and another
Of my gigsmen.
After half an hours conference with General Mora
exchanged several notes with General Walker,
which are transmitted herewith numbered from one
10 riI.
Three interviews took place between Gen. Hen
ningsen and Col. Waters, representing Gen. Walker
and myself. assisted by DR.. Taylor. At the last OF
Them on the morning Of the lst inst the agreement
Ia copy Of which, accompanying this is numbered q
received my own signature and the signatures OF the
other gentlemen preseat, and, having been returned
to Rvas, was brought back by Col. Waters, signed
by Gen. Walker.
Gen. Mora then addressed to me the conmunica
ton marked No. 8.
At 4 O'clock entered Rivas in company with Gen
Zsvala and his staff, who attended Gen. Walksr and
his staff TO San Juan del Sur, where the latter en-
barked on board tn ST. Mary's.
In Rivas, the American troops, about two hundred
and forty in number, were drawn up in the plaza and
tho agreement was read to them in general ORDERS
and they were transferred by Gen. Henniugsen to
my charge. Having no lieutenant with me, request
ed DR.. Taylor to direct their movements aud accom-
pany them to Virgin Bay in tbs morning. which ser
vice. though entirely extra professional, he did me
the favor to accept most chsefully He executed it
with perfect success.
Gen Cams having entered to take possession,
turned over TO him the plaza Of Rivas, by Of
the note 1.-THE original Of which ia in Spansh) NUN
bered nine. After which Gen. Henuingseu and my
self went to San Juan.
On the I'd Instant. having exerted myself in vain
to persuade Gen. Walker TO place the schr. Granada
in my keeping, gave Lieut.. Maury the order mum
bered ~. Finally, however, when the preparation,
for the forcible sezure Of the schooner compile.
ted, she was delivered up TO the United States by
the accompanying order of Gen. Walker No IL.
The duty Of conducting the Americans from Vlr.
gin Bay through the province of Guanacasle TO Pun.
ia Arenas, and thence by steamer TO Panama, WIS
assigned to Lieut.. McCorkle by the accompanying
order No. H.
o. the evening of the I'd instant went to Virgin
Bay, where found most Of the officers and men in
good spirits and behaving exceedingly well. Lieut..
McCorkle had already began TO regulate the supplies
and divide the people into mssses, The company
ganizaon being lost. In this he was ably assisted
by several officers, whose amiabe conduct under
Theses difficult circumstances Commanded my respect
and grateful Acknowledgements. The troops embark.
ed for Tortagas on the morning OF the 4th inst.
On the morning of the third instant crossed over
to Rivas, where l visited the hospital aud the rick
and wounded Americans in town. Your special at.
tenrion will BIZ invited TO this subject in separate
communication.
Tie accompanying letter from Genera! Mora, mum.
bered Is, vas handed to me here.
The schooner Granada, or San Jose was transfer.
red to the authorities at Scaragus by the accompa.
nying letters, numbered IA and Is; the former OF
which explains coucisely my reason for ths manner
of proceeding.
As soon AS certain information was received Of the
departure Of COL Lockrdge from the river San Juan
it became apparent that Gen. Walker, now deprived
of all possibility of receiving rentorcenens, and RI.
pidly consuming his mules and horses must either
succumb to the superior force Of the eneny try his
fortune in changs of place. 1t was hu opinion Of
those who had better means OF judging than myself
that one month ago he could have passed the enemy
lines and maintained himself in the open country
Since that time dssertions had become 20 numerous
aud frequest not only diminishing his army in mum
bers, but demoraziDg il in character. that toward
the end of April the only resort left 10 Gen. Walker
was to cut his way down TO the coast and take refuge,
if possible, on board the schooner Granada. Here,
again. am citing the opinion OF his friends. Accord.
ing to the best intelligence such an attempt would
have been the as effort OF despair and would have
terminal ed fatally in less than five miles from Rivas
The time had therefore arrived for determining on
the course to BIZ pursued in the case anticipated 10
your first letter of instructions Of January 9 that
.n the event of the expulsion Of Walker and his
forces from Nicaragua by the allied armies, and Of his
departure to adjacent territory in Central America
for the purpose OF hostile and aggressive opera.
tions."
When considered that, under these circum.
stance, the Granada would he destitute of legal
commission from any recognised Government, or
from any party then actually existing; that she
no longer acting under the authority of sovereign
State or Of distinct and separate Government
in such State, the party which had hitherto been
deemed a bellgerent nation having lost its footing
in the country; and that as | we'll knew she would
be- under tho necessity Of procuring by violence the
Indispensable means of subsistence, could not bring
myself to consent that the Granada thus character
lied should pass from under my guns out upon The
high seas Accordingly, on leaving the ship for Ri.
vas on the Both Of April handed Lieut.. Maury the
| memorandum of Instructions numbered l6; and in
conference with Gen. HenniDgsen and Col Waters
| made known to these gentlemen my decision.
During all the transactions related in the report my
intercourse with Gen. Mura the oomm,ndsr.in.c chief
OF the allied armies was intmatad
am very conscious that in these novel and uDu
eua occurrences may have often 10 ask tor my con
duct the kind and candid construction OF the Depart
ment. Feeling secure in the enjoyment OF s favora
bls DISPOSITION while engaged in the performance OIL
my duty, should not sllude to it here but that Gen
Walker has engaged in imputations against mysel
and the three senior Lieuenants of .hi, ahP, OF con
duct, not only improper, but even base unoeconlnp
our honor.
Knowing, Whatever unwilling mistakes OF judg
ment We may have committed, that We nave meyer
wsyered in our integrity, or relaxed in our Zeal tt
serve our countrymen, we reflect with Satisfaction
upon the defence afforded us by the friendship anc
protection OF the Department at all tlmns. but never
more than when we are absent on the pubic SERVICE
| rasnaotfully 0bpdiant Bervhnt,
CHARLES HENRY DAVIS, Commander.
Commodore VIM. Mervins, Commander In Chiet o
the United States Naval Forces in the Pacific
Ocean, Panama, New Granada.