New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-17

4 TWO mlrslng hlen-ErOn OF Eiu~n Ot
Colville or Caldwell, residence unknown his, Is,
naming abont two weeks at Ps'acka, when mao ~.
named Fort Anderson after Col. Prank Andensoni
went up the river short distance by ,tumer VIZ
We dis. Hibarked, and commenced weary HeI'i'
by land. We we're compelled 20 cut our way
through tangled forest and swamp until soou,
three o'clock in the afternoon, when we reacnea
the San Juan River again opposite SaraPNuii'
al Codys Point An attack was commenced imII,e d.
htely upon the enemy at Fort Sarapqui Some OF our
men ruthed madly into the attack and acted very un
advsedly and without orders The first baftanoh ~aS
commanded by Col Anderson and the second py NVi.
Tus The latter all dressed in blue shirts oy
which they readily distinguished, but Andersons
battalion dressed in every conceivable Irregular
ty of costume. COdys Point is a high hh, and whs
Andersons followed around it, keeping the course OF
the men, Tituss battalion marched over the hill; as
they the top they discovered us; rom me
dsiaLce they did not recognize Us, and supposlng ~ "
b. Costa Ricans they fired. All the Americans VINO were
killed wounded in that attack with one exception,
shot by 1tuss battalion. The only one wound
ed by the Costa Rican- was Major Robert Ellis, VINO
imprudenty got from behind his shelter to observe the
manner IN which cannon was moved out. lie was
struck in the forehead by ball. Before the retreat
was ordered, Company b, Captain Harris had become
separated from our main body, and passing round 70
the river side they fell into ambuscade Of the en-
emy, who were hid behind chappsral. Capt. Harms
ordered hi. men to charge upon the picket, to whose
fire they were exposed, though his men were armed
with rifles without bayonets. Lieutenant John r. no
man, Texas Ranger, and one OF the ornvest men 10
Nicaragua drew his sword and endeavored 10 rally
the men to charge but before he had rucceeded ne wa
struck in the head by bullet and fell dead; as he fen
the lost their courage and retreated IN dlsordeiy
manner. Capt. Harris is sad TO have scted cowardIy
in the affair. In retreating took the same path
by which we came, and il was not until two hours
after dark that We found Titus and his battalion.
then commenced 10 rain heavily and continued during
the whole night. We wrapped ourselves in our blan
kcts and without shelter denched to the skin enoyed
good nights rest after the severe labor of the day. The
next day embarked aboard the steamer Rescue and
went up river within mile Of Sarapiqui where
we difembarked and fortified point which We called
Fort Titus. Here, by mutual arrangement Colonies
Titus and Anderson had command on alternate days.
Such was the haste with which We left Codys
Point that we had not time TO bury the dead,
and we were refused permission to do this. OF
those killed at Codys Point, i only recolect the
names of Ross, Williamson, Smith and Homan.
At Fort Titus We remained week, during
which time we suffered much from sickness.
On the last afternoon each company was called before
the oflicers and every man furnished with a mimic
musket and balls were told that we must prepare
for n hot engagement the next day, and each COM
pany was informed that with them It Was confidently
believed would rest the honor OF the victory. About
three O'Clock the next morning we were called up
emily and sent across the rlyer in the Rescue.
We cut our way up to the mouth OF the
mean time Gen. Wheat had dragged up the cannons
with the aid Of two three companies on the other
side Of the river, 30 that we had the Costa kicahs
between two fires. The undertaking was one oi an
almost hercuean nature but it was successfully ac-
cc,plished. Gen. Wheat commenced the attack
sbout sunrise, at the reveie OF the Costa Ricans-
they being mustered in line in the ftrt at the town
Tie fire was Immediately returned by the Costa
Kcans with cannon and muskets, end was kept
up On 10th rides until about II o'clock, when we
reached our position On the opposite side, shcltenng
ourselves behind log-; four companies, under Mayor
doubleday, fred volley after vclley and succeeded
in di.Iodcing the Costa Rcans from their position
They retated 10 the woods and among tho first was
Gem Maeo Mora, said to be brother of President
Mora who left elegant sword IN the fort, on which
hi, name wa. Inscribed. We took one prisoner, who
was wounded and from hin We learned that the Costa
Rcan General left the place at noon about lJO men
left in the afternoon and the rest during the night,
after destroying their ammunition and whatever
else they could in their hurry. They threw overheard
two cannon and some cannon balls. Our loss was
Two Killed Sylom We buried and several wounded.
,bousnmd pairs of pants 100 coo rounds Of cartridge
seven cnnnons piovi-ionr. &c TIE officers left their
tuIk- and nusketo barr the luxury of which we ap-
pl,cat,G. The succeeding day We sent out scouting
ia,tics to ascertain whether the Costa Rcans were
sii ucarus. They found that In their rctrent they
had thrown away mGskct~ articles of clothing,
u,hcv and bijouiciie. In thai attack wa wounded
by buck shot in NY knee aud bullet IN
nv tl.h. Capt. Schlei!H one Of the bravest men in
tn, AMY had Il ball through the shoulder, which the
doctor extracted from behind. He was aiterward.
Killed. il, the steamboat explosion All the wounded
wcIc vcll cared ior. Costs Rican who was woaldcd
lav in he glasS, and when were Pincing our picket
oun,d~ ralscd himself up when one at our nen lev
rlrd h,s ni,kct and llcw his head off lost that
rnan IL would have been much better 10 have saved
him a. then We should have had two prisoners. each
to corroborate the others statement He would not
have b, en- killed had not our men at that time feared
an auhuscade and the guardhouse being full of Co~ta
Eicnss The other prisoner was slightly wounded, bu.
hN afterwards died of kver or cholcra.
We had been al SnrGriqu but few days before We
i,nnd the locality to b. very sickly-the chllls and
fever prevailing 20 alarming extcnt-iour or five
pcl,cns lying day fom fever and scncial debility
After he had taken Saiapiqui. Col. Titus marched
aoaiu,l Cesiillo and might have taken il but for
LIpnd.r in allowing them tweny-our hours 10 wait for
rc.lncrcencn,Y, Nhcp thc le-epie!eemen. came thty
ir.d ,ton ritus's Command and ht shouted. lie:
treat bow retcat; you might as well retreat. and
,au away himself first. His men remained and fired
NV r,iiuds aud finding that they had no commander
"f course retrraed. They did not shoot him for
aIdice because he was colonel and nobody was above
him in rank. lie ief' Brcntleys command in the lurch
and everybody else and ran away 10 save himself
On IN, 9TH OF March. Col. Lockridge finding that
Sarapoui was too unhealthy for hi- men, many OF
whom s.ckcned and were thrown as mere burdens
rpou his hands conceived the ldea 'unhapply too
itr of advancing up the river and attacking Castillo
Ni,,o This il large tort built upon high hill
cni m,pdin- the entire fyer tor some two miles on
c;thtr s'dc. Ii vel manned and well defended il is
nln,o,, npregnable. We reached hellys store
;r oc ;,ht miles below Castillo late in the even
i+ of.h. day Of our departure from Sarapiqu On
,b, 9th orders wtve gwen Tor al The abie-bodied
mon Saving two companies N!hch were left
at Kelly store TO guard .nT p,, Tt'H ana Wounded
=, E,,n' IN line and prepare for march. The Rescue
rarried the surgeon. and few men as guard until
i,,' nassrd the Machuca Rapids where it took on
"ard the men who had left Ke1ys store by land and
,t'. With the full force il proceeded on it, way to
1as,;,In Vic The men were landed some distance
brow the Sl great care having been taken that the
steamer should run no risk from the guns Of the Costa
R;csn.. Having cut their way Through the woods
- No.. a.ton,hed upon arriving in sight Of the
,;nd i fortified - strongly that II was madness
10" 10 riiemp ~ ' an assault with the weak material they
.n.'n5 N,,.ons Hill, most important post, hith.