Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-27
THE GUAF NAVAL BATTLE!


Accorvr OF THE ENGAGfvHSI-A Boar PROM THF SAR-
,roG, FIRED Ar-THg BEoADsIpE-CaPrrEE OF TIN
PRsoNIEs-THE SIGE or VERA CEv1, &c.
The L. ; ,loor-oivar PEBBLE arrived az New Orleans,
Saturday with tAe remainder of tie prisoners taken on
he prize steamers az Vera Cruz. The New Orleans pa
peers Of Tuesday LAST bring further accounts OF the recent
naval engagement the Gulf The Picayune furnishes
the following,
The two steamers captured by the United States sloop-
ofwar Slatocl on the Mexican cOas and brought h'l-
r. AIS lrizes sailed from Havana the 2ith uit The
Marques de la IIabana reported By the Dnro DE Ia NJ
ruJ TO have cleared Spanish vessel; the ten MIRA
mou as O Mexican. They both cleared as merchantmen,
nor does IL appear that the time OF their clearance
they bad materials Of on board And tins stated
70 rs on good authority, from Havana, 70 have been the
fact The guns ammunition, stores, &c, were taken on
board afterwards OF the former, each steamer had SIX
twelve and four Founders or twelve IN a stored
below. As 10 the amount Of stores and ammunIton we
have only general statement THAI both vessels were deep
ly laden
Both the Marques lie Ia Habana and General Mramon
were old Spanish mail steamers, plying on the Cuban
coast The latter formerly known as Correo No >
They were both built We believe, somewhere at the
North and one Of them is said to have Piled on the
Sound before her purchase by the Spanish Government
but under what name If not stated.
of the actual nationality OF the steamers we have d.
vers reports That generally received Is that, be-
fore fitting ont for this last expedition, they had been
transferred TO some agent of the MramOn Government
The purchase money 500 OO0 said even 10 have been
transmitted through the French Consulate at Vera Cruz
IL is somewhat singular however if the transfer was &C
ay made reported that one of them at least should
be reported cleared as Spaniard. The Havana custom
house reports are very formal and proverblay accurate
Its also somewhat singular if true, reported, that
both vessels carried the Spanish flag as they sailed from
the port Of Havana.
After they had gotten out TO sea- all accounts agree
that the Mexican flag was hosed and the guns mounted
This is reported By the steamship Mexico which left them
NJ Sisa on the ID Com. Thos. Marin was then in COM
mand Of the expedition boarded the Mexico in that ca
pacitv and sent back dispatches to Havana by her.
| Both vessels we're Their armed as war steamers.
CAPTURE OF THE srEANERs-PARTlcULARs or THE
ENGAGEMENT.
/ IN the meantime he Constitutional Government al
/ Vera Cruz had issued proclamation declaring Marin
pirate and authorizing whoever should encounter him or
his vessels in the waters OF Mexico, to capture them as
sailing practically in violation OF the law OF nations Inc
steamers made their appearance oil Vera Cruz about noon
Of the 9th They we're Immediately sgnaled, from the
castle as suspicious vessels and the circulated rap
idly through the town. where 1t produced great excite
mcnt In the meantime the steamers continued uuder
uI steam rapidly to advance. They passed Oehlud the
castle, of San Juan de Uoa In the direction Of Hacrih
clos and finally ran into Anton LizTdo, where d'g
previously raised bv Miramon, indicated the place Of
rendezvous. MirAmou was at this time before vera
Cruz.
The steamers bore no flags whatever when they passed
the castle nor did they hoist them either then or at Sac
rfcios though they ordered so TO do first by shot
from the fortress aud afterwards by the United States
sloop Savannah On the contrary, they steamed boldly
forward. The French, Spanish and English vessels at
Slrrhcos did not notice the suspicious steamers, or al
least did not order them to show their coors Captain
Jarvis Of the sloopc-w4r Savannah is the senior United
states officer az Vcrl Cruz lie saw with his own eyes
this coutemptuous violation Of, the law Of natons-two
vessels of war armed TO the teeth passing cooy 10y with
out giving signal hosting her colors when ordered
so TO do-and took his course decidedly. lie immedI-
acy ordered the soop-ofwar Saratoga Capt Turner TO
20 in pursuit Of the steamers The Saratoga only carry
ing sail towcd down by the steamers lndanoli, OF
this port aud the Wave plying GU the Mexican coast
The Marin steamers had just cast anchor at Anton L.
zardo wheu the Saratoga up with them. They stu
had up however, and seemed TO have taken po-
stiOn as If 10 put az once 10 in OF being over
hlulded The Saratoga, however seems to have taken
them uuAwares, though the moon stunning oriShly
and took position 10 cut of all retreat. Marin
then prepared il TO give fight In the meantime Capt
Turner despatched a small boat TO the steamers with
dag to demand their nationality Marin fired upon it.
{ The boat however, continued its course; Marin fired
upon it the second time. The Saratoga then launched
broaisiie upon the steamer, commanded in person by
Marin. This was the Gen. Airamon and seemed best
armed She piloted by man named Flores, well
known at Vera Cruz. The other steamer was command
ed bv one Capt Sanchez, formerly OF the Mexican war
steamer Democratic, which he betrayed.
Ii was two or three O'Clock IN the morning before Ma
rim surrendered He was taken board the Saratoga.
Nearly all the officers aud crews of both steamers were
also captured, either 10y the lhuahoh or wave anu Va
ken M TO Vera Cruz, where they distributed be
tween the Savannah Saratoga and Prebe. The number
of the wounded on board the two steamers were about
thirty. They were taken board the Saratoga and
their wounds promptly dressed. Among the wounded
Capt Flores Nho has since had ms arm ampntated
at Vera Cruz. Tie number of Americans wounded was
three one MORALLY. We have not learned his name
He belonged to the Preble.
A few Of Marius men made good their escape to the
Shore but number OF Airamens men, who had already
gone on board the steamers we're captured. Among
these last captures Nramons principle agent who is
said TO have hid himself obscure corner when the
firing begun but lad the misfortune after all to be badly
wounded.
The Gen. Miramon was very badly injured by the Sara
tosas broadsiie, and only gotten adoat with diff
Guilty Tae IndiaaoA als> received 'eVeral Shots but
thew did Der serious injury SO soon as the Aotlon
commenced the two steamers hOisted the Spanish nag
After their arrival at Vera Cruz several OF he prisoners
made public statement ia which they detailed The his