Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-03-31
The Battles ofNitafagua.

The advices from Nicaragua, by
the Empire City at New York leave
no room to doubt the fact that Walk
err is again in the ascendency: Car.
tillos, Carlos, and Serapiqui have fall
len in the hands of his troops, and. j..
W. Scott has been recaptured from
the Costa Rieans. The loss Of the
A mericans IN these engagements was
7:killed and - wounded; and of the
Costa Ricans 100 killed and. $50
wounded. The San Juan river is
open as far as Castillo Rapids, thus
ensuking the establishment ofcommu-
nicaticn between Walkers forces and
those If Titus and Lockridge. A let
ter FROM E.. II. Mcdonald, 1t. Col.
I'd Riffs, dated Greytown, February
10Th, gives an account Of the opera.
tions Of the '.tillibusters." IN.
Febrnary~4, the steamer Texas ar
rived withg50 men, who proceeded
up the river. and joined Colonel An.
derscn's force Of 200 men,; the 9Th
was spent infleaning arms; on the
9th we adva3ced with the steamer
Rescue to- Cods's Point and took it,
loosing two meg killed. According
to the enemy's account, they lost sew
en- killed and a very large number
wounded; the same day we fell back
on our former position, because
it was useless to attempt anything OH
the opposite side of the river without
artillery; the next morning we ran@up
to point of 500 yards below Scra--
piqm, and landed all the forces and
artillery, except one company. which
we left at Fort Anderson: then we
erected barbados and brush houses,
for the men, provisions and artillcry%
next day we began cutting road and
bridging the creeks up to Cody's
Point, on Wednesday evening we start
ed UP this road to,mount our artillery
on Dodk's Point which work was
completed on Thursday night; the
force thus posted was under the com
mand of Colonel Titus, the, artillery
being under the command ofGeneral
Bob Wheat, thcleft resting On the ar
tillery, the right ranging up the river,
both being protected by the shubbery
along the banks of the river. =,
On Friday morning at the break of
day, General Wheat opened his fire
on the fort occupied by the Costa Ri
cans forces. At the same time Col.
Frank Anderson crossed the river
with 130men and took the position on
the point called "Alvarado's Point"
his right rested near the mouth of
the Serapiqui, his line extending up
the same about two hundred yards
They arrived there. at II O'clock at
noon, and took their position without
being preceived by the enemy,
Meanwhilea the action had been
going on warmly between General
Wheat's artillery and G. I.Titus' rifle
men on one side, and the Costa Ri
cans in the Serapiqui fort. One of
their pieces was dismounted, and an
other, their heaviest was not fired
during thesday-Captain Brantley's
company ofrifemen keeping up such
a distinctive fire that they did not dare
to approach and load it.
Capt. Andeeson's men having been
posted, opened vigorous fire OF the
right flank of the enemy, driving
them from their barricades to the
main building mp the San Juan river.
from that time until dark constant
and severe fire was kept up from
Cody's Point, and Alvarado Point,
which wds responded to by scattering
shots from the Costa Ricans and we
saw the enemy running away into the
away into the woods leaving their
blankets and throwing their guns
away. The commander of the fort at
Serapiqui, Col. Blanco, was among
the first to left, at24 P. NJ.
During the day Col. Anderson
force LOST two killed and two wounded
the latter being now able te(do duty,
Col. Titus command two wounded
and none killed, and the artillery
none. +s' s5 I
The next morning Com de Brissot
and a volunteer called "Kentuckn
went over in a canoe, pulled down
the Costa Rican flag, and hoisted the
fsLone Star of Nicaragua" all the
enemy having abandoned the point in
the night. Upwards Of 400 Stand Of
English Minnie muskets were left
scattered On the ground. Col. Frank
\Anderson's command crossed in the
Steamer and took possession Of the en-
@my's works, chattles, &c., finding
thirteen bodies in the principal fort,
jprobably all killed by the artillery
of Gen. Wheat. Fifty men of his
command were detached to&bury the
dead of the enemy, which amounted
to thirty-three. Prisoners taken said
they had been badly treated and worse
fed, living on beans and plantains
alone. Five pieces ofartillery-four