Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-01-29
From the Memphis Bulletin.l
LATE AND RELIABLE NEWS FROM
NICARAGUA.

GIPPIhS UT OtE-doW Ills ENEMIES Took
POssIssIsN OF TIE LAKE AND RIvIR STEAMERS, /
BIC -BRITIsH IETERFERNoE AT GRETTowN.
From 3 conversation we have had with gentle.
mao WHO has Just returned from Nicaragua we |
have more reliable information ss to Walkers Do.
stion than that gwen in yesterdays Ballstin |
Walker has with him at Rvas about 900 men,
with fine park Of artillery, and plenty Of provis-
ions and munitions Of war yet be is in very crit
ical position, from the fact that the Costa Ricsns
are IA possession OF al the important points on the
San Juan river and Lake, together with all the
Lake and river steamers, aud therefore eectuAly
cut of from all communication with, or receiving
supplies and men from the Gulf and Atlantic ports
The allied forces OF Central America learning that
his communications with the Transit Route we're
cut of, were making preparations to concentrate
their forces around Walker and his army, and en-
deaVOr to sarVe them out as they will not dare to
give him bttte in his present position.
Spencer, the commander of the Costa Rican
force that took possession of the forts and steamers
on the lake and river is said to be q nephew of ex-
Secretary Spencer. He had been employed as a
mate on q San Juan river steamer, while Wander
bllt owned th9 Transit Route. and is said to have
been paid byVaaderbilt So 900 in money and $780,.
900 in stOck Of the Company, to take or destroy
the boats belonging to and in Walkers possession.
In this he was assisted by Gen. Mora, commander
of the Costa Ricsns, several French officers, and
1000 Costa Rlcan troops, at different points on the
San Juan riVer-FOrt San Carlos, fora Rapids,
Castillo Rapids, mouth Of Seraqulp,-sll fortified
points
Spencer chartered 3 schooner at Panama and
went with it to Costa Rica. At San Jose he was
| furnished one thousand mep, marched them one
| hundred miles by land to Colorado river, then
| built RATS and hOsted them down to the San Juan
/ river. From there be took sixty men and surpris-
ed the garrison at Sernqup, consisting OF forty
/ two men under command of Capt. Thompson.
| These all jumped In the river, and 10 attempting
/ to swim it thrty-One were drowned Capt. ThOmp.
son was saved by Spencer himself, who not only
pulled him out OF the water, but also cut down one
| of his own men for attempting to bsyonet him.
Spencer then proceeded to the mouth of the
river and took possession of the Transit steamers,
which were ungusrded by Walkers men. In at.
tempting to get them under way, they broke loose
| and hOAted over to GreytoWn. The Commander
Of the British feet lying there furnished him with
| anchors, and rendered him assistance in starting
| up the river with the three steamers he had cap
tured. Spencer then proceeded up the river and
fortified Castillo Rapids, and took the steamers
| lying there. Through a messenger, be induced the
steamer plying above there TO be sent down to
meet the passengers, and upon her arrival he
jumped on board with his men and took possession
| of her also
With this steamer be proceeded to Tera Rapids
and took possession Of that point, and also the
steamer Virgin which had been sent BY Walker
for arms, munitions and printing press, including
four hundred Minnie riff 5 and q large ousutiry
of ball cartridges. Capt Rodgers, who was in
command of the Virgin, disObeyei Walkers posi-
tive orders in delaying his boat, and by which
Spencer got possess on of ell his boats From
thence Spencer proceeded to Fort Ssn Carlos at
the junction of Lake Nicaragua and the river
which he surprised and took without firing gun.
This was done by landing some sixty men short
distance below the Fort, while the steamer pro.
ceeded on to the Fort under American colors
where she was met by the officers and soldiers
supposing her to have passengers from the States
and who went on board to receive news from
home. During this time the Costa Rcans had
come up in TIE rear and taken possession of the
Fort, and the FIRST intimAtion that the officers had
was the announcement that they we're prisoners
in the hands of their enemy. They were after
wards taken to Greytown and liberated.
Two days after the capture Of the Virgin, the
other lake steamer, the San Carlos, with the PISS
sengers from California entered the river, contrary
to Gen. Walkers orders, (Which were that sas
should not enter the river until the Virgin had
passed out into the lake) being deceived by the
NicsTsguan flag still flying from the fort and also
by two men who came to her 10 a bungo. Alter
she had passed the fort some two mi es she met
the river steamer, with the United States flag fly
ing, and suOpOsing that she had passengers on
board, her officers run up near to the other boat
and stopped She WAS then hailed by Spencer,
who informed them that he had taken possession
of all the river steamers in Vsndsrbits name, and
that the fort which they had just passed was ia
| his possession and fortified with seven hundred
| and fifty Costa R.Csu troops. He then came Cd
! board tue San Carlos and demanded her surrender
| from one OF her owners, Mr.. Harris, a son iu-aw
| of Charles Morgan. Rather than eudangsr the
lies of the passengers, Mr.. Harris surrendered
| the beat under protest. Spencer pledged his he
that he would carry them through to Greytowa
safely, and read a proclamation from President
| Mora, Of Costa Rica denOuBCing Con Wslkr
and eff ring free passage out OF tie country to
any and sll Of Walkers followers.
| The steamer then proceeded down the river, stop
ping all night at the Rapids, and on the following
| morning Spencer and sixty Costa Ricsu soldiers
came on board, when she came down the river to
| Greytown Before landing, the steamer was
boarded by al officer from one of the E1gl Oh
| vessels who held consultation with Spencer, g. d
! the passengers were permitted to land Shorlly
| thereafter the Texas, from New Orleans, have IN
sight and the passengers and baggage were speedi-
ly got ashore and the steamer crossed over to POr;
| Arenas. The Texas with $50 men for Walker,
| war also boarded by the commander Of an English
vessel who informed Gen. Mancosas that be and
bis men would not be permitted to land, "a he
| the bFlIlal OnCeT-Wlsneu 10 prevent all QlstuF-
| Dances. This order was enforced until the steamer
with Spencer and his troops had left Port Arenas.
| MsnCOsRs, men were set at work to raise an old
| sunkeu steamer, aud Captain Scott, agent of the
| Transit stemers, agreed to put an engine in her,
| which be would have ready II a few days The
| James Adger, from New York, arrived three days
/ after, bring Gen. Wheat and about thirty men for
| Walker, making some two hundred and eighty men
in all, to operate against Spencer and his forces
! The news published in the New Orleans papers,
| that Walker had taken San Carlos and was coming
| down the river, sweeping all before him, was
| manufactured out of whole cloth, as there was no
means of communicating with him, except by way
| of Panama.
! The taking of the steamer with California pas
sengers on board, and the interference of British
officers ct GreytoWn, are corroborsted by the FL
lowing statement from officer Of the Nlcsraguan
! a rmy, published IN the " o. Crescent:
The San Carlos left Virgin Bay on the night Of thu
I'd inst, and arrived at Fort San Carlos the next
morning ct O'Clock; made the usual signals, which
were returned by the fort; boat came of With
two men, said the steamer Ogden had been up the
coast for cattle, and was below waiting to the extra
passengers to Costello. After passing the fort a
mile or 80, found the Ogden lying alongside the
bank, with the American flag flying As we went
by saw a large number OF Costa Rican soldiers on
her lower deck, and several pieces Of artillery
Spencer hailed from her deck and said that the
Costa Rcans had possession of all the steamers,
and the river with 1000 man; that the passengers