Mariposa Democrat., 1858-01-07
History of walkers East Campaign.

/ n iNttNA W lut Dul FIdHtlHtO IlcTUtA, utltN
Aspinwall, December 14th, 1867, gives the
following interesting history of the last cam
paign of Gen. Walker in Nicaragua:
General William Walker arrived in this place
to-day, on the U. s. steam -frigate Wabash
Commodore Paulding, Flagship General
Walker is prisoner, but has been released
upon his parole Of honor to deliver himself to
the Marshal of the Southern District of New
York. How all this happened, I shall now
proceed to relate. After his return from Mic
aragua last June, through the interference Of
Capt. Davis, Of the soop-of-war ST. Mary's,
Gen. Walker proceeded to make his arrange
ments for a counter-inarch on Central America
Owing to financial difficulties he did not sue.
ceed in leaving the United States until the 14th
of November, when he sailed from Mobile Bay
in the steamer Fashion, with 200 men.
The Fashion was not considered a very sea
worthy boat; nevertheless she made the trip
in eleven days, and landed the Nicaraguan
President in Greytown on the 23d Of Novem-
Der. During the passage, the men were armed
and the expedition thoroughly organized as a
military expedition. Furnaces were put up,
and bullets moulded in large numbers car
penters' benches erected and ammunition boxes
made; and in fact, all manner of military mat
ters promptly attended to.
Arriving off Greytown, the Fashion ran
down the coast and landed party of men
under Col. Anderson at the mouth of the Col.
orado river, with orders to ascend the river to
where it divided from the San Juan. At this
point they were to fortify and guard the river
San Juan, taking care to prevent any commu-
nication from being had with the interior
Col. Anderson fulfilled his orders to the letter,
and in two dayshe was in possession of Leaf 5
Island, at the dividing point in the two rivers
In the meantime, the General steamed up to
Greytown, with the intention of landing the
balance of his men at night, on the 23d but
the sea rolled too high, and he was prevented
from landing until next morning, when he
steamed boldly into the harbor and came to
landing alongside the Transit Co. s wharf. The
soop-of-war Saratoga, Capt. Chilard was lying
in the harbor at the time, but made no resist
ance to the landing.
The General, as | said, landed at the wharf
of the Transit Company, now in possession of
Scott once agent of the Company. He OBJ
jected to Walkers landing and Capt Chilard
ordered General Walker to leave the premises
of the Transit Company. The command was
obeyed, but the General ordered his stores to
be landed on schooner lying in the harbor,
belonging to the Nicaraguan Government
Scott set up claim to the schooner also, and
Walker was further commanded to leave her
alone. She was the property of the Nicara-
guam Government, bought and paid for by the
General, and is now without name or register.
Walker acquiesced, however, and moved his
camp into some houses above the Companys
buildings, where very soon he erected sheds
for the soldiers, and stores for the munitions
of war
On the 25th acourier was dispatched to Col
Anderson, to proceed up the river, and capture
steamboat at Castillo, ifpossible. In obedi-
ence, the river detachment commenced its per-
ilous march, by water, in open yawl boats, up
the stream. In three days the command
reached point two miles below Castillo, where
camp was struck at 10P.M At 3 o'clock
next morning, the division started again, and
after cutting their way through the thickest
underground, swimming creeks, ETC., they sue
ceedcd in reaching plateau four hundred
yards below the Fort, at 4 O'Clock. Running
up to a steamer moored to the wharf, under
the guns of the Fort, they cut her loose, and
let her drift down the river, with four men on
board Thus the small force was diminished
to thirty-six men, five others having been left
in charge of the boats
After the steamer, which was the Morgan,
had been cut loose, Col Anderson landed his
command, sending Capt. McMchael with nine
men, around the Fort, to occupy Nelson's hill,
summit above the Fort and commanding
the river above.
Thus again reduced to twenty-seven men,
Col Anderson advanced stealthily in the gray
dawn, around the base of the hill on which the
Fort is built, and captured another steamer,
the Ogden, above the rapids Raising steam,
he attempted to run her across the Falls, but
as it was now nearly daylight, the Costa Ricans
in the Fort saw the steamer heading off, and
Immediately opened fire with a FOUNDER,
the first and only shot striking ahead of her
but few feet. The war-cry of "Walker !"
was now raised, and the little party under Col
Anderson, on one side, in all twenty men, Give
men having been detailed for the Ogden,) COM
menced the attack, which was seconded by
the detachment under Capt McMichae from
Nelson's Hill. The Ogden in the meanwhile,
steamed up the river and anchored When
the enemy heard the name of General Walker,
they ceased firing, and commenced an indis-
criminate retreat, leaving the Fort undefended.
Next morning, Col. Anderson took possession,
having driven out cighty-fve men, and cap
tured large amount of stores, munitions,