The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-02

Nalle's men set out to sack the town. Even
Vale lost his head when he saw n couple
OF his bitter enemies, who were high in the
Legitimist councils, walking about under
the safeguard of the phalanx.
The result of the taking of Granada was
Il treaty between the Lcgitmists and Dem
ocrats. All of the Lcgitimst forces marched
TO Granada and grounded arms in the pres
encc OF the Americans. Anew government
was formed under President Rivas n Leon
csc, with Walker as commander in chief
The star of the Americans went up to zen
it'll; thanksgivings and jubilees were cele
brated; the conservative church party
hailed the new order of things, and the
Americans were everywhere treated rs the
liberators of the people.
Every steamer from San Francisco car
r1ed out adventures to swell the phalanx,
and tho end of 1855 found 1000 of the hest
fighting men in the world under arms in
Nicaragua And they were soon put to the
test. The Legitimist commander, Gen.
Corral. broke the solemn oath he had made
with Walker in the old cathedral of Gran
ada when the treaty was signed and in
vited foreign soldiers into the country to
GUST the Americans. He was promptly
tried and put to death. The charter of the
Nicnraguan Canal company, which was
owned in New York city, was annullcd by
United States refused to recognize the new
regime. Costa Rica puckcd up courage to
follow suit, snubbed the Nicaraguan en-
bassador and put 1000 men under arms ito
drive the foreign invader from the soil of
Nicaragua.
The Costa Rcans entered the department
so recently subjugatcd by American arms,
sacked the towns of San Juan and Virgin
Bay, robbed and murdered many helpless
aliens and seized the town of Rivas Walk
er was ut Granada with 400 Americans
and 100 natives. Under preteXt of invad-
ing Costa RIGA he sailed to the port off
Rivas in tho night surrounded the town,
and Mt daylight the phalanx with whoop
and n yell rushed into grand plaza Four
hours of desperate street fighting resulted
in II draw, and Walker called off his men,
The Costa Ricans lost nearly GOO killed and
wounded and Walkers force no.
Although boasting of victory, the Costa
Ricans left the country, and the United
States recognized the young republic The
next step was revolution by natives
against the Americans Walker was elected
president of the government party, and the
seceders, combining with tho soldiers of
Guatemala, Costa Rica and San Salvador,
made war upon the dominant aliens The
Americans mustered 600 men at Granada
After four desperate battles in October and
November, 1856, Walker gave orders to de-
stroy the place and retreat. In the midst
OF the confusion the allies sprung an attack
and rushed into the burning streets from
three directions
AT one point body of 500 burst into
view of the Americans at the head of n
street occupied by Maj Calvin O'Neal's
rifles. O'Neal called around him thirty
two OF his best men, leaped on his horse
sans coat, sans shoes, and rode at the host
in front of him. His followers, us mad as
himself, closed in and in few minutes lit
orally blocked the street with the dead,
who fell by scores in front of the American
rifles. The next day and the next, equally
daring fcats were many times repeated, but
the odds were enormous, and the Americans,
who at the start numbered only 40, were
hemmed in.
A siege of twenty days followed Cholera
broke out and carried off 120 of the aliens.
ITO fell in battle and 42 were captured. So
nerce were the Americans in pushing an
at.ack mat Inc allies gave up position after
er's men carried the fort, cut road through
the lake shore and reached Rivas Skin
mishes, actions and battles then took place
almost weekly on sea and land. The Amer
ing for dear life. The slaughter of the allies
was appalling. Their soldiers were made
drunk and urged upon the American barri-
cadcs with the lash
One dead American meant co or 20 dead
enemies. 1t soon became only n question
OF determination for both parties, and
about the middle of April, 1857, the seventh
month of steady fighting, the United States
and British naval officers prevailed upon
the Americans TO leave Nicaragua under a
safe conduct to Panama. The garrison of
Rivas then mustered 337 Americans, of
whom one-half were wounded, and 40 ma
tiVes GEORGE l.. kILMER