Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-01-03
STATEMENT OF GENERAL WALKER.

| We lett Mobile on the l4th Of September, and had
| quite a long trip on the Fashion-over ten days
! We made Punta Arenas about midday on the 24lh.
and put for the mouth Of Colorado river. We land
/ Ell there Col Frank Anderson and forty or forty
five in small boats, with orders to proceed up
he river SO far as Leefe's Island and station out
| posts PitaCa ID order TO prevent communication
between San Juan and the points above on the rivt
We lay off and On there ai night, and ran into he
harbor of San Juan. Ga the morning of the 18th,
aaout Z o'clock, we landed on the hulks at PInta
Arenas, tie men being ashore about i've minutes
after the ropes we're tied TO the hul6s. The captain
Of he Saratoga sent an officer to examine tie pa
pags Of the Fashion and finding that she vas pro-
pgrly cleared, slated that he did not see any
40 interfere with her or her passengers. Soon af-
tsrWari Mr. Scott went off TO the Saratoga, aad
asked pUGection for the vessels and the property
The point, formerly belonging to the Accessory
Transit Company, which lie had under purchase
from for Morgan, Garrison & Co. He also asked
or protection f,r property belonging TO him, aud
transferred TO bin by me before the United Sta es
Commissioner o. Greytown. We left the properly
with him and Jared quarters above for the remanler
| Of The command The military and other stores
we're landed on the point. The commander of he
saratoga sent me message showing desire TO in
eriere with me The first message was a letter IN
der the seal Of the British Consul TO the effect hat
he understood aat l contemplated Selling the Costa
Rican mail which was then expected on a British
steamer at San Juan, and that If l did he wluld
treat me as a hostile force and fire at me with hot
and shell. Nohnswer vas sent.
The next DAT several officers came off the ara
toga, and REGARDLESS Of the ball of the sen mel
landed within my camp. I sent word to hem
through he officer of the day, that if they undertook
90 land wlhinmy camp again without answering
the hail OF thesentry, he would have orders u FIRE
on them. The next morning got letter iron the
commander gf the Saratoga, to the effect that had
msulted an ii Ger Of the United States navy threat
euiug sho5thIm; that they considered that a ua-
tIOual insult had been given. No answer was sent.
The same day, little aftor this, a letter was sent
A party OF men were sent with small boats trm the
Saratoga 10 practice with hoWitzers on The point
where one OF NY companies stationed The
atHcer of mv company, when he saw the bouts ap-
rroaching drew out the men to any entrOach-
meuts on the company. The ats proceeded
without notice to the ueighbOrnOOd of the company.
A. soon as l this, supp Ostd that 1t dis
psition TO bring about collision between tie com
luodore's forces and mine. l therefore moved my
Company the point up into tie immediate vicinity
OF the camp, IN order TO prevent any probability Of
collision from any accident The morning alter,
Captain CnaIard seat another nute to me saying
thp' The men on the int we're ia his way, (he men,
by the why, had beeu removed al this Ime,) he
wanted 20 practice here aud TO fire over the point
50 as 10 bring vessels TO, aud required me to bring
my men iron that point. ~ answer was sent.
After that, however, there was no further interfer
euce from Cap Chaard. Soon after landing at
Nicaragua, and Of he probable force a. Castillo and
becoming aware 0ft4e fact that the naive Nc Iragu
were in possession of Fort San Carlos and mat
actual hoslii existed between them and the Costa
Ric3u forces, sent up commend TO Col. ..ndersOn
at Leefe's Island, that his whole force amounted
10 fifty men, with orders TO proceed TO Castillo and
If possible 10 cut out the steamers at that poi &
that if no resistance, slight resistance was made
TO take possession of Fort Castillo. On the 4th OF
December, early in the morning Colonel Anderson
arrived Castillo, cut out AMI took possession Of
me BulWer, Morgan and Ogden, (the river boats,
and IN the afternoon Of the same day took posts
sion of the fort, the enemy having only fired one
volley. single gun, six FOUNDER, struck the Og-
den He ured six guns, one eghteen-pounder,
one siI-pluudor, iron; sI-pounteT, brass; one
0u--pounder brass; one twelve pOunderabout 100 /
muskels with corresponding ammunition, small arms,
aud considerable quantity Of quartermasters and 1
COmmissarIat stores.
On the morning Of the.5th, Colonel Anderson |
sent party Of fifteen up with the Ogden TO take
possession Of the Virgin, lake steamer. Among !
the persons found board the boats at Castillo and
on the Virgin we're about forty Costa Ricans, who
we're taken prisoners. Among the number was an
had been formerly taken from the wreck Of
The Ouce de Ayeril, and released parole When
he retunedt 10 Costa Rca and refused fight against
the Americans, they gave him eighty lashes and put
him into the ranks, forcing him to fight He was
very ANXIOUS, Of course to march against them
There was also DIR. Tilden an American, who had
been IN the service the river, and who had been
pressed into the Costa Rica service. Among the
prisoners we're few who we're delighted TO be pris-
1ners, and released from military duty. On the
the 6ththe United States steamer Wabash
arrived of San Juan. The same day her Britannia
1sjeSty's steamship and propeller BrunsWiek and