The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-12-23

ports were commanded bv inen who scarce.
ly knew the rudiments oi scientific navi
CATION. The Gulf OF Mexico, swept as it
is frequently, indeed almost periodically,
by the terrible northers which pour them.
selvs down from the frozen peaks or the
T., rdilleras, is considered u ore stormy
and dangerous than the dreaded Ba, ot
Bi>c,v. Mennry calls to mind more than
one fearful night, when amnls, roaring Of
the storm The matches we're nailed down
upon the sutfncaiiny sea sick soldiers, who
.uindled together III a cnmUon piie with
barrels OF mess phk and pilot bread, were
rolled from side 10 side in 'untusiu,,. dark
neAs aud appalling Uncertainty. On deck
the horses-bruk"tsed from their stalls,
and frantic ~ith fright, were only saved
from uampi'ng each other to death. by
being swept together into the deep. Can.
tam Nil>on and his motley crew stood
aghast. aud the AIhamLra, cracking and
creaking III all her joints threaleuvd viii.
every lee lurch to 20 down to the bot
ioni."
lhe AIhambra narrowly escaped ship
wreck. She was blown upon the Mexican
coast, near enough to see it distinctly.
The steamer Ondiaka, having on board
ab"n 800 men Of the Louisiana Regiment
under Col. De Russev was wrecked, during
thls n"rlhsr. on the MEXICAN coast. They
were suon discovered bv larpe body of
Mexi"ans under Gen. Cos, and summoned
to surrender immediately. They had lost
their guns in the wreck, and were At the
mercy Of the Mrxirans, yet the brave and
why Col De Ru>>ey ehrcled by strata
gem what under other crrcu u,nstances he
would have effected by force
lie drew up his men in order OF battle
Ms II awaiting All attack, and declined
the Summons TO surrender, bv replying
that lie would think OF it, and answer
that evening. Having thus gained time.
until late i'll the evening. he had camp
h'es lighted. aud other apparen, prepara.
TONS Tor passing the night. The Mexi
cans have no fancy for uight attacks, and
postponed the attact until morning.
Awaiting himself of the darkness Of the
Night, Col. De Rh>ssy leaving hi. csmp
hies burning brightly, formed his men
"nd drew oft silently and s,ea,hily. By
IL rapid march, lie reached Tampico in
safety without The lDss a.: man.
lLlS VAS the coolest. and mos, brilliant
ana mastery act performed during the
war. Who but De Rnssev. wheG assaiIed
hy i"rcs three o- tour times AS large AS
his own, without muske: iu his balall
'"n, unar'ned, and dciencees<, and far
from help, on an unknown coast, would
Tor moment have hesltated 10 surrender
or thought ofsuch an apparent mposibil
ny as escape ? i-, he did sell the Mexi.
can Gen"ral most elegantly. Who vii
not throw up his cap, AMI say l'.raa cheers
i"' Col. De Russey. AS We the PaImettoes
dlG when We heard the particulars uf his
gallant action presume that few of
the Iaine:toeS have forgotten Col. But
lrrs sree:h on that moon lieh, night, on
Lr""s, when the news reached us o. Col.
De hnSsey's escape. delight to perpet
""te The name OF such n man as u. Rus
>ey. II deserves TO be immortal.
ihs point Of rendezous for the army
was the little iset OF LnboS, lying he
tween Vera Cruz and Tamp ca, about 1870
miles from The former: about half that
distance from the latter, and about twelve
mics from the coast Of Mexico.