The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1858-01-19
Gen, Walker-His ssIndiscretion
and Lack of Capacity"
Editor D41 Book -

l UNA tle Hhueked extract, which was |
appended to extracts from two Southern
journals that have waged all unfair and
unman)! opposition TO General Walker
and the Gauss in y 1ich he Is engaged, Ia
king special pleasure in giving publicity
to every thing unfavorable to either par
tlcularly false statements set ahoat by
disappointed aspirants to military dis
! tinction, and the craven-hearted wretch
es who deserted a cause they had sworn
to support and defend
at is fact that the sympathy felt for
! this adyenturer is greatly over-rated. Even
! if the success of his object by means he pro-
/ poses We're desirable, he is not the man for
the occa ion, as the experience of his indis-
! erection and lack of capacity have amply
I shown. While Rivas was at the head of the
| Government, and the General in Chief of the
| army, things went on prosperously enough:
| but paltry ambition to be hailed as Presi-
, dent of Nicaragua, soon threw every thing
| into disorder In comprising that object he
produced a civil war in which Rivas became
his rival and sought the alliance of the Costa
Ricans, who finally elected him from the ter
ritCry. Then again, instead of making
friendly terms with the Transit Company, as
was his obvious interest, nothing would serve
but he must pick quarrel with them, the
result ofwhich was to hasten his downfall"
Being one of General Walkers humble
followers, who knows him well as an Off
,cr and as a man, | ask the privilege of
your columns for the purpose of disa-
busing the public mind Of the erroneous
impositions that such unfair and unwar-
ranted statements are calculated to Gre
ate.
In regard to the sympathy for General
Walker being over-rated, I have only to
say, that have yet to find a true South
erner who did not sympathize with the
General, or who did not condemn the
course of Commodore Paulding in ares
ting him and his followers upon the soil
of their adoption. Still, | do not doubt.
but that there are those even in the South
who do not sympathize with General
| Walker or his cause, but all such, am
forced to conclude, are actuated by preju-
dice or intent.
But the editor Of the Herald may not
belong to either class, for he seems to
b. So his objections to General Walker
upon different grounds. He says-"Ev-
en- if the success Of his object by the
means he proposes We're desirable, he is
not the man for the occasion, as the eXpe-
rieuce of his iudsoretion and lack of capa-
city have amply shown" As the Herald
leaves the world in doubt as to whether
the success Of General Walkers "obiect
is d sirabIe by the means he propo-
'es.'' shall pass over that equvocal
pasit;oI, and examine as to whether
the facts sustain the charge that Eek
perience of his indiscretion aud lack Of
capacity have amply shown" that Cen
eral Walker is not the man for that &C.
cstsion.
The editor of the Herald will doubtless
be able to recall to his mind the difficult
les with which General Walker had to
contend in the outset of his enterplize.
That in consequence of these, he was on
y able to leave California with fity-slx
men, and that with this little band he
+ ached Nicaragua on the l1lh of April.
| 1866. 1t Is unnecessary to say thai
zen raj Walker did not 60 to that couu-
Try with that small force without an in
vitation. Having been invited there, he
was neither an invader nor tilibuster-
hit should be born in mind Upon
landing III the country, he found the
bead of the Provincial Government Gas
tillon,) who had invited him, shut up in
| Leon, the Democratic stronghold. On
reaching Leon he was made Colonel AID
with native reinforcement of one nun
lfed and twenty, he was sent to attack
the Legltinists i'll Rlvas, who were eight
hundred strong He went by sea to Bri-
ia. where be disembarked and marched
10 Rivas, having one little skirmisn on
the route. Munos, the Commanders
Chief of the Democratic forces, being lea
lous of Col. Walker had determined up
o. sacriti, ing him, and for this purpose
ne not only instructed the Commander of
the native troops sent to Rivas, to desert
as soon as the attack was made upon
that place, but apprized the Legitimlsts
OF the intended attack. Notwithstand-
ing this desertion and treachery, Col.
Walker made the attack, fought for sew
eral hours, killing between seventy and
eighty of the enemy, and then Withdrew
with only a loss Of ten killed and woun-
ded; the bodies of whom were afterwards
burned by the Legitimists, whose lives
and property are now the special objects
OF the care and protection Of the Ameri-
Can Government. Leaving Rivas, Col.
Walker marched to San Juan del Sur,
where he recruited a sufficient number to
increase his force to fifty six, with which
he embarked on little schooner, which
carried him TO where he had left his own
vessel He did this to avoid any ambus-
cade that might have been prepared for
him, had he returned by land. He sail
ed back to Rialejo, and marched back To
Leon. In this there may have been dis
played "indiscretion and lack of capa.
city," in the estimation of the Herald: bun
others look upon it as a rare display OF
cool couraoe and noble darinU al,noet mn