Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-03-26
Detailed Account OF the Capture Of the Mexi.
can Steamer.

A-.s' 'AS ~is' iHstdHt we gamer the suDlOlned In
terestng particulars Of the recent capture Of two
steamers on the Mexican coast by the American
figate Saratoga. The captured steamers had six
oomo-mortars, six 2+pounder cannons, 600 stand
OF small arms, 500 shells, and other munitions
Of war. The value Of the prizes is estimated at
$50, 600, though the steamer Gen. Miramon Is said
to be very badly injured the first broadside Of the
Saratoga having completely riddled her, and in
her attempt to escape she afterwards ran aground.
1t was two days before she could be got off, and
In her passage to New Orleans she again broke
down and had to be lowed.
The account given by the Picayune, as related
by four Of the prisoners, all Frenchmen, is as
follows:
Ihey testify that they shipped on the Goth Of
reofuafy az havana, on the steamer Gen. Mira
m then known as Correo, No. 1. They were
to have months pay in advance another months
pay on their arrival on the Mexican coast and
free passage back to Havana. They sailed from
Havana on the 10Th February under the Spanish
nag. After they got outside, however the Nexi-
can flag was raised. The crew now demanded
their pay in advance, but did not get it. The
next two days nothing Of importance occurred
The third day the Marquee de la Habana broke
Here they fell in with the Spanish mail steamer
Mexico, from Vera Cruz and bound to Havana.
Signals Were exchanged, and when the vessels
approached nearer they all shouted "hurrah for
Miramon." This, say the prisoners was the first
lntimatlon they had Of the character of the expe-
dition. They did not even know that they carried
materials Of war. The cannons, small ms, an
munition, &c, were stored away below, out of
sight. The next day, however the guns were
mounted, and both steamers perfectly fitted I'D as
men-of-war. New clothing was also distributed
mon in gold leaf Some Of the crew at first re-
fused to change, but finally yielded per force The
expedition then continued its voyage. On their
approach to Vera Cruz they fell in with a vessel
from HOY loapp MT o,t, H..
sieged. Cannonading had been heard the morn
ing before. The guns were now charged and
manned and orders issued to lower the Mexican
flag. At first, the prisoners say. they though the
English colors We're to be raised instead. as thew
had been several times during the late fete in the
harbor Of Havana. This, of course was not done
Both steamers made their appearance before Vera
Cruz as before stated without any colors what
ever The captain said it was not necessary
The steamers came in sight Of Vera Cruz a little
before noon the morning of the 9th AtI2 m
they were signaled from the Castle as suspicious
steamers. They approached the town from the
sea- and as if from the north, and passed directly
under the Castle A shot from the fortress ordered
them to come to and show their colors They
gave it no heed. The L. S. sloop-of-war Savan-
nah was then anchored near the Castle She also
signaled the steamers to show their colors They
gave no more heed to her, however, than they did
TO the Castle but pursued their course past acri-
icios direct to Anton Lizardo At the former
place the French, Spanish and English men of.
war were all anchored; but there seems to have
been no communication with them, nor indeed
did they appear to notice the suspicious vessels
Capt. Jarvis Immediately ordered Capt Turner
of the Saratoga, to go in pursuit. The Saratoga
got under way at half past : in the evening She
was lowed down by General Goicuria's steamship
Indianola, Capt. Flanders, from New Orleans
and the steamer Wave, also an American vessel
but for some time past III the service of the Juarez
Government as coast steamer. Each Of them had
two guns and some 50 men on board portion
of these were United States marines ordered
thereon, from the Savannah and Preble, for the
occasion.
The three vessels arrived at Anton I,iz,rdo q
some fifteen miles below Vera Cruz and we'll pro
tected by reefs on every side. Here Miramon had
previously holsted flag to indicate the place of
rendezvous. Both steamers still had steam nm
and seemed to have taken position as if to mai
good their escape If pursued On the arrival
however, of the Saratoga they were busily en-
gagged communicating with the shore, and though
the moon was shining clear as day did not see
her approach until too tate. They were dread
fully frightened, and did not seem to be dec i'd ed
at first What course to pursue.
In the meantime the Saratoga sent ont a small
boat to demand their nationality They fired
upon 1t twice The Saratoga then opened a
broodsdc upon the Gen. Miramon, on board of
winch was Com Marin and came near sinking
her at the first shot. The steamer returned the
suot, but in the meantime got under way natu-
Iany anxious To get out of so hot place. The
The Miramon showed fight but the Indianol,
returned her fire, and finally boarded at the point
Of the bayonet. 1t was in this engagement that
the lndianoia had her pilot-house carried away
by cannon shot. She also received other sill o. ut
damage, but nothing TO in any way disable
her. Nor does any one Oh board appear To have
been wounded, except Gen Goicouria, who re.
ce!veo slight wound on one Of his hands
w lille all this was gong on the Saratoga was
paying her respects to the MARQUEE de la Habana
This was the vessel which cleared from Hav,na
as SPaniard: She did not offer much resistance
single shot from the Saratoga brouoht her 70
10 hpiS TOD
flag.
This affair finished, the Wave, until now in
attendance on the Saratoga went to the aid Of the
lndianola, from which the Gen Miramon was
making desperate effort to escape after once
being boarded In her flight. however she ran
aground and after few shots finally surrendered
wthout resistance She was not gotten off, how
ever, I'LL two days afterwards, and then only by
the aid OF her coGsort, the Marquis de la Habana
She was finally lowed into Vera Cruz by the In
dlanoia, while the Marquiz de Ia Habana had the
towing back the Saratoga.
The French prisoners above mentioned declare
that the resistance OH board both the CAPTURED
steamers was done princi pally by the officers in
cannon with their own hands, and did most of
the fighting. In this, however they had the as
slstince OF Six or eight ether officers, who came
made the harbor. These last as indeed ali the
officers, are said to have clustered considerably
at first, parading themselves on the deck with
uIdWh s"ofus, OUT Hndliy 10 have fought brdvely
Marin, in particular. fought like a tiger
The number of prisoners ca ptured is not stated
and but few Of their names are given The two
steamers are said to have had two hundred and
fifty men On board, and but few escaped Be-
sides, all Of those who came on board at Anton
l.iZardo Were taken. TIE number of killed and
wounded was about forty. The former are said
TO have been thrown overheard at once The
latter were first taken on board the Saratopa and
afterwards to Vera Cruz. OF the $50 men, three
fourths at least believed to be Spaniards
The rest were French Portuguese Americans.
and Coolies from Manila. They were most of
them, doubtless, ignorant Of the real nature of the
expedition. The first engineer of the Marquee de
Ia Habana was an American. He was killed by
a shot from the Saratoga. The first eng ineer Of
the General Miramon was Frenchman. He was
also killed. The second engineer. also a French
man, was at last accounts still at his post but
under the command Of all American engineer
Among the prisoners more particularly mentioned
are Sr. Rafael Rafael and the Able Chandron,
well known in Vera Cruz. The all-important
captive however, Is Commodore Marin himself
When Marin came on board the Saratoga, Capt
Turner asked him why he had thus fired upon
vessels without any provocation what
ever, and in violation of every rule Of honorable
warfare. Marin replied that his men were CON-
posed Of all sorts of people, had been but recently
shipped, were badly disciplined, and could not
be controlled. He confessed that he knew the
Saratoga to be an American vessel, and that be