The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-15

POSITION AND PROSPECTS, OF WALKER.-By the
arrival of the steamship George Law from Aspin-
wall few days later intelligence has been re-
ceived from Nicaragua than we possessed. 1t
will be remembered that our latest dates from
General Walker were to the LIST December, at
which time he was on board of the steamer
Virgin with few men; part of his forces were
holding Virgin Bay and San Juan del Sur, a
part were besieged in the church Of Guadalupe,
and his sick and wounded had been removed to
the island of Ometepe in the centre of Lake Nj
caragua, where, it was stated, the Indians had
massacred them. At this date the partsans of
Walker were confident that General Henningsen
would be able to maintain his defence in the
Guadalupe church until relieved, for which pur
pose Walker awaited the arrival of recruits, then
on their way up from San Juan del Norte.
The advices we have now received are to the
9Th Of December from Rivas by way Of Costa
RIGA, and the Sth Of same month from
San Juan del Sur by way of San Fran
CISCO We dispose Of the latter portion
Of the news very summarily. 1t cOntradcts
itself in stating that the fighting in Nicaragua
attack Rivas and on the next day was attacked
by the the enemy on the lake shore. The only
inference we can draw from the advices to the
Stb, carried by the Orizaba from San Juan del
Sur to San Francisco, is that up to that date
Walker had met with no serious reverse.
The advices from Costa RIGA, reaching to the
9Th from Rivas are more worthy of attention,
and it is little remarkable that they are some
what more favorable to Walker than those re-
ceived direct from Nicaragua by the Tennessee.
General Belloso who was besieging Henningsen
writes from Granada on the 1st that he had no,
yet been able to bring him to surrender, but that
he had got big gun called Saint Peter to bear
upon him, and hoped that would bring him to
terms The Costa Rican accounts do not confirm
the story OF the massacre of the wounded aF
Ometepe but simply state that the indians There
had risen against Walker. If such an even; vs.
the killing of 200 or 500 of Walkers WOUND d
men had occurred it is very probable that the
Costa Ricans would have chrooicled it.
The Costa Rican account still further states
that Walker had arrived at San Jorge, which
was near Rivas, with 400 men, aud was about to
attack General Canas who held Rivas with COO
men. This was on the 9Th Of December, 70 that
we see by this account that Walker was
carrying out his plan of attacking Rivas,
and that up TO the 9Th no adyices had
been received by the Costa Ricans at that
place Of the surrender Of Henningsen. One
day would suffice to carry the news from point
10 point. We may therefore conclude that
Walkers position, however critical it may be,
was not 40 critical on the lst Of December as
some of our advices by the Tennessee painted il.
As for the report that Leon had pronounced in
favor Of Walker, 1t requires confirmation. Tue
supposition that Walker would send troops from
San Juan del Sur northward TO Realejo, the
nearest port to Leon, is only probability, and
we 20 stated it in our review of his position On
the arrival Of the Tennessee.
There is another point in the news from Aspin
wall which strikes u.s. and leads Us TO believe tina
Gen. Beloso's Saint Peter did not wholly answer
his expectations. The British steamer Thames lef'
San Juan del Norte on the 10th, and reacucn
Aspinwall ON the 22d of December. Here wa,
an interval Of twenty days, during which no
communication was received at Grey town from
the interior. itau Nalher eAperlehcCu any great
reverse in that time the news would probably
have been known at Greytown. Under all tbeso
circumstances. we think it probable that tho next
news from Walker may be, in some measure, ia
vorable to him. We may not get it for sone
days yet, as the Texas, 10 arrive at New Orleans,
would wait at San Juan Tor the James Adger,
which steamer took the passengers Of the Ten
nessee from Norfolk.