American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-01-03
THE WAR IN NICARAGUA.
statcmcnt OF DE-. DerrsclssOn, Sur
scOn in Walkers Army.

| g. ~. .DefIlcNSon,a surgeon III walkers
army, arrived in New York boy tho Ten.
nessee. We condense his interesting
narrative ofrecent events.
/ was a volunteer satgeon in Wal
ker's army, for FIVE weeks previous to
leaving far home. The frs, battle fought
after was in the army. was between
innr hundred Of Walkers troops, under
General Hornsby. and seven hundred
Costa Ricans. on the Transit Route.
between Virgin Bay and San Juan del
Lux. il ended in the partial defeat
of the Costa Ricansy they were driven
from the first barrcade, but succeeded
in holding the second Walkers loss
was two killed aud seven or eirh, woun
ded; that Of the enemy must hove been
very much greater. Hornsby then re-
treated to Virgin Bay; leaving his force
there, he proceeded with haste 10 Gran
ada by steamboat Virgin for reinforce
ments- Walker himself came down
| with two hundred rihemen, who cops,i-
tuted the most efficient part of his ar.
my. With these he marched out and
met the Costa Ricars, and after a short
and spirited battle succeeded in driving
them from the second barricade. The
Costa Ricans retreatcd, one-half of
them to Costa Rica, the other to Rivas.
where they fortified themselves. Wal.
ker marched to San Juau, and the next
day after The BAN o, from thence To Vir
gin Bay; during the succeeding night
he left for Granada, with his riHemen,
leaving battalion of infantry. under
Colonel Jaques To hold Virgin Bay
and protect the transit route. A few
hours after arriving at Virgin Bay, Wal.
ker marched from Granada to Massaya,
with seven hundred men, where he at
tackled The thousand Guaiemalans and
Costa Ricans. and succeeded after two
days lighting, in taking all the town ex-
cept the main plaza. He made SOW.
eral unsuccessful attempts to take that,
but finding himself unable to, he retreat
ed To Granada, having lost about twenty
killed and forty wounded. This was, I
think, on the 2O'h of November. Soon
atter his arrival he gave orders, know
not from what cause, to burn the to wn
/ OF Granada. Two.thrds of the town
was destroyed next day. fN7t ta
On the second day, or tho 22d. the
rest of the town was DESTROYED excent
the main plaza and Church situated
on the road 10 the Lake Of Nicaragua.
On the third day he embarked his sick
and wounded mon, amounting to about
two hundred and fifty; also tho women
and children, aud sent them to Ometene
Island, which is sitaated short dis,ance
from Virgin Bay. On tho fourth day,
Nov. 81 the remainder of the armv.
which consisted Of healthy men. and
numbered about three hundred and ff.
ty, with about one hundred citizens,
we're attacked and surrounded bv two
thousand five hundred Of tho combined
central Americans. Consisting of Costa
hicans. Guatemalans, San Salyadorians
and some twenty Americans who oes
er'ed from General Walker. The
American forces thus besieged are the
elite OF Walkers army. They are un-
der the command Of Brig. Gen. Hen
nlngsen, the commander of artiIIory.-
Nothing has been heard from them since
they were su:roundod;rhey ere entirely
cut Oil from Walker and his remaining
forces. They are hemmed in every d.
rcction. by superior and coustantIy in.
creasng forces. Seven eannons. being
all Walkers artillery except one how.
! ,tzer' Is with them, and at least half of
MS ammunition, none of which does he
at present appear To be able to save
a straight road leads from Granada To
Lake Nicaragua, from which it is not
lar distant, and wharf and an old fut
were situated on the shore of the lake
at the end of said road. At the tims
The Central Americans attacked Gran.
ada, Walker was in steamboat on the
laHe, and twenty-nino men, called pol
lcemen, were on the wharf having been
lett To guard some Wings placed there
Tor shipment. The Central Americans
attacked Granada BY advancing between
the lake and said city. thereby cutting
OIL the retreat Of the besiegsd, and pre-.
vented Walker from succoring or com
muncating with them from the lake..
Inc twenty. nine policemen on the whatf
were mus, OF course, cut off and suffer.
ed the first attack. Five hundred men
advanced upon them and were driven
oack, time after time, with terrible loss.
was on the steamboat with Walker
at The time; aud cound soc it,all, though
| wo could not commuuica to with or aid
them. For two days did these tworty-
niue men hold their own against such
desperate odds, and would not have
yielded then ifthere had not been a
traitor among them. On the second
day, o Cuban, think, deserted and
went over to tho enemy, Informing them
the number and condition of the twen.
,yeight, and showing how an cnerget.
ic and continued assault would at once
take the place.
The plan proved but too successfoI;
the bold fellows were taken and every
one of,hem tnassacred, except five, who