The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-29
WALKERS LAST EXPEDITION.
THE ADVENTURES OF the GREAT
FILIBUsTER AND HIS FOLLOWERS
IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
The Capture of TruxiIlO-Walker's Re-
treat-His Final Capture by
English Marines.
cincinnati Commercially

L
sailed from the port of New Orleans loaded
with flour and pork consigned to McNab &
Co., Balize She also carried forty-five pas
sengers, among them Col. Rudler, in COM
mand. and in her hold were slowed several
cases OF rifles and military stores not On her
manifest. From Balize she would sail to
Ruatan. Gen. Walker sailed with the re-
mainder of the expedition in the schooner J..
E. Taylor.
| At Balize the schooner Clifton was seized by
the British authorities, the British comman-
der having information or suspecting from
| the number Of passengers on board that they
belonged to Gen. Walkers command. After
the seizure Of the schooner Clifton, Col. Rud-
Ter chartered a small sloop, and with his men
joined Gen. Walkers forces in the schooner j..
E. Taylor in sight OF Ruatan, one Of the Bay
Islands. council of war was called after
the union OF the forces from the schooner
Clifton, and it was decided to attack and cap
ture Truxillo. an old and important city on
the Hondurian coast. The attack on the city
of Truxillo was made the morning Of the sixth
| OF August, 1860. Gen. Walker, with fifty-four
men, making landing six miles from the
city at o'clock in the morning. Gen. Walker
expected to surprise the city and capture it
without much fighting, but In that was mis-
TAKEN as the commander OF the Hondurian
forces was already prepared for the landing.
The Hondurian forces met Gen. Walker
forces four miles from the city, and from
thence on to the city was continual fight,
| the native troops having several killed, that
| they left behind them in their flight, Cen
Walkers men charging and the Hondu-
rian forces running. AS soon as Gen.
Walkers forces came within range
of the guns Of the fort the
gunners opened on Walkers forces. 1t
all dressed In dark clothing, with a wide
white band around the arm above the elbow,
| to know each other from the natives. With
Walker In the attack on TruxilIo, and In the
attack on the fort the morning Of the sixth Of
August, were the following officers: Rudler,
Henry, Huff and Dolan. Ryan was in charge
| of the men In the boats, but did not arrive in
| time to take part in the attack on the city and
| ish fort and earthwork or water battery. In
the fort, after its capture, was found forty
pieces Of artillery, 800 stand OF arms (old flint
lock guns, with plenty OF powder and all
kinds OF ammunition. Ihere were put sixteen
guns tout of the forty mounted and serviceable.
| The fort was defended by about 1000 native
/ troops. The native infantry were armed with
| the old flint-lock musket, and dressed in light
| clothing, so that in night lighting Walkers
men had decided advantage over them, as
the night was clear and starlight. Daybreak
found Gen. Walker in possession OF part Of
the city, and he at once charged On the fort
from the side he had advanced on, and was
repuIsed. He then advanced into the city as
far as the old cathedral, and again attacked
from that quarter, capturing the fort Dur
ing the fighting In the city the native troops
occupied the houses and cathedral, firing
from the windows The native troops also oc-
cupied the towers of the old Cathedral, and
annoyed Walkers troops considerably. The
old towers to this day carry the marks OF
Walkers mems musketry in answer to the
natives who occupied that position. The ma
tive gunners used their guns with poor sue
cess, and in the final charge OF Walkers men
deserted these guns, leaving some OF them
loaded with grape and canister Tor musket
balls), not stopping to fire them off.
Gen Walker occupied the fort and city OF
Truxillo from August 6, 1860, to the twentieth
or twenty-second OF August, 1850, when the
British war steamer Icarus ran up the bay
and demanded it's surrender. Walker asked
twenty-four hours, which was granted, and at
midnight marched away with his little army,
leaving his wounded behind him in the hos
pital, in the fort. The morning after Walkers
evacuation Of the fort the British took posses
sion OF it, caring for the wounded left behind.
Before evacuating the fort each man was sup
piled with $50 rounds of ammunition; also, Ia
the shape of rations two hard crackers or sea
biscuits.
At the time of the evacuation of Truxillo a
native army OF several Thousand 4na was as en- /
evade them. At daybreak the morning after
the evacuation Gen. Walker was but eight
miles from Truxillo.
AS soon as 1t was found that Walker with
his forces had evacuated the fort, the British
war steamer Icarus started down the coast to
keep Walker and his forces from making their
escape from the country by some vessel to be
found on the coast The native troops fol-
lowed Walkers retreating forces by land, and
by the following evening had come up with
Walkers forces, and from that time on until
the surrender to the English captain OF the
war steamer 1t was continual fight. During
the retreat was fought the battles or Lima
and Roman river.
At Lima, where Walkers forces halted,
they had scarcely broke ranks when the enc
my opened fire ON them. Hastily reforming
Walkers forces drove the enemy into the
ehapparal and resumed the march along the
sea-shore, carrying their wounded along with
them.
From Lima the march was terrible one
most of the command barefooted, wounded
and sick, and their march lay along the
coast on the burning hot sands, for it was the
! month of August, and our feet were sunburnt
and blistered; for days the command was
without water to drink, and at one time was
five days without anything to eat, all OF which
time the command had to continually fightite
way, and carry their arms, and ammunition
and wounded. Most OF the time the command
did not possess single horse or mule. The
sufferings OF Walkers forces were terrible
!,
one
At the crossing Of the Roman river Walkers
forces captured some beef cattle, also few
horses. After crossing the river, Walkers
forces encamped to rest. During the follow
. ing night the Hondurian forces crossed thu
. river higher up, and at s o'clock the follow
, ing morning opened fire on Walkers com
mand Walkers forces were encamped OF
the bank of the river, occupying some ole
huts made out of mud and cane, but afforded
! no protection in case of a fight The native
troops did not open the engagement unit
they occupied the banks Of the river abov
, and below. They also placed sharp-shooter
along the other bank-the side Walker
, forces had crossed from. The engagement
became general all along the line, and Their
was no escape for Walkers command excep
, to Jump into the river and be drowned, or t
. win the battle Gen. Walker charged thei
center, cutting them in two parts, completei.
; routing them, the Hondurian forces leavins
; over 40 killed on the field. Gen. Wake
headed the charge in person, his men usint
the bayonet, and nothing else. Thirty of tn
email force of Cen Walker were killed o.