The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1857-07-11
De Alvn-4A 4als Of Mexican Rcyo-
Iution. ss
BYacHAs. u. BAscoM.

Insion. ss
By4cHAs. u. BAscoM.
It.was. early In the month Of July, in the
year 1921, tbut ] sailed from the city Of Balti-
more, III the schooner Patriot, bound on a
cruise III the Gulf Of MeSicop iid The Caribbean
sea.
The reader will doubtless remember; shat at
this time Mexico and several other spanish
American provinces mad declared themselves
Free and elderendcnt, and were engngtdSn war
with SPAIN. who was eudeayoring 70 reduce
her refractory children to obedience. Neither
81 the revolving colonies having any naval
force whatever, letters of rnarqre and reprisaI
against the Spanish commerce was, readily
granted, by the commanders Of insurgcnt
forces, to .crasers from all parts Of the world.
The Patriot was IN American vessel that
mad been purchased by q Spanish refugee and
transformed into q pflyateer and sailed with
letters OF marque granted by the Mexican
patriots. The captain, who, by the way was
the owner. was q young Spaniard Of about
thirty years Of age, who had in consequence Of
having been engaged in some political conspi-
racy, been obliged to flee from his native land
10 save his life. Shortly after his arrival in
the United States, the wal between Spain and
her American colonies broke out, and partly
from a desire to assist the colonies iii their
struggle for liberty, and partly that he might
CRAFTY his desire for revenge upon the govern
mett that had made him an outlaw and exile,
he had purchased and fitted out the Patriot to
cruise against Spanish mmer The first
mate, Or drathe9 in mal-of-war p~arlence, the first
Lieutenant | had know for several years. He
was a perfect model of honest manhood q tall
good.looking, generous, soble-hearted sailor.
Having betn lett an orphan at an early aye,
he had been adopted by d sea captain, add lad
followed the sea from boyhood and now, al
thoughgoung in years, (not being over thirtyl
be had learned by practice and experience rs Is
well Us srom books, sufficient to qualify him for
any station in his profession.
The crew numbered thirty-fve young men,
most OF them Americans, that love Of advent
ule, and the prospect of large dividendso Of prize
money had Induced to join lh&illstarred expe-
idition. ., s@ #
Yielding to the solicitations of Dick Harvey.
the first Lieutenant, | Joined the expedition as
the third officer, more / would admit, from a
love for the excitement that the cruise would
be likely to furnish, aud a desire to handle
some Of tue prospective prize money, than any
love for MeSicans, who, to my MUD, were en-
deavoriDg to throw of Spanish tryany, merely
that they might establish one Of their "
we cru1sed Tor nearly o month; in the gulf,
IN hopes OF capturing some homeward bound
mcrchantIaan ; but without success *The only
Spanish vessel we had seen being a man-of.war
that had given chase TO US three or four times,
but had met with signal defeat in every ATTEMPT
TO overhaul our fast sailing clipper.
YIN the morning Of the second day Of August
Il remember il as though bnl a few DAYS. IN.
stead of long years had passed since then. /
stood leaning over the bulwurks vainly endeav-
oringg TO ~conjure up some rich prize, is i stood
gazing down into the calm, Blue waters. II
had been dead calm for the night previous, and
q dence heavy fog had settled around us, which
rendered 1t impossible, at thai carly hour of the
morning, 10 distinguish any object more than
three or four hundred yards distant.
l had stood there but a few moments when
! was Joined by the captain ; but he appeared
sullen and morose. He did not salute ne win
his pleasant g good morning" but came Mar
leaned over the side, and for u lono tinie
busy with his " reflections.
This is to bud" said he, finally, turning
lowaras me, VIC have met nothing yetand our
49, 49, ~ lHS tut tAG Ntit Oh some excitement f
II we could only meet that man-ofswar ag,ain
would have a brush with her Just to let her
what we are made off,
And that We shall.lave to do, Tin think.
l,ng'" ! answered for, on looking up through
ne rapidly disappearing fog, I discovered III
TAU nasts and rigging ola large ship not more
nan one fourth Of a mile distant.
"ils our Old enemy" said the captain, after
sazing at the stranger for a few seconds { We
must NeHif he attacks us and for nv own
part, die sooner than surrender.
me crew were soon mustered, and eyerytbing
made ready for immediate action. We had
been perceived. bat the rising sun. which
.Ial'id'y dispersed the fog, sous5 Revealed us 10.
ne ene'ny' No sooner were .s& discovered
nan a oroadsibe was poured upon US. c~arsein@
'af i!ltlc Dark to tremhle and culver from keel
. tofmast, several of our men were kiIld
ma among the 9nmber was captain Alvaroes
nus leaviag the command to Lieuienant EIar,
The lire was rettlrned, but our few enns
nough RAPIDLY worked and well directed eyi,
entry made little Or no impression anon Tho
lfse nun Of our enemy, while her bp adsides
rapidly Shivrring our light vessel "a atoms ?,
na causing many Il brave heart to cease IL
'eatlPg forever. Never did men fight more
eoly Than the crew of the Patriot. Victorv !
I death seemed TO be the watel, word Of eari, F,
~ ever! enc and vel! might it BE- for to I,