Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-24

| from the Admiral and the boats OF the
| feet with upwards Of 200 men were dis
patched for the town and made good
| their landing about 430 They evidently
surprised the MeXicans for they carried
! the forts without the slightest OPPOSITION
| but the troops under some OF the Mexican
| officers rallied to the barracks and
from thence poured out a brisk fire On
the French and checked their progress.
From this momell the aring becdme
desultory in the town, but regular from
| the barracks. and it was thus kept up till
IL a. M.-upWards Of six hours
when the Admiral again demanded a sur
render OF the town. which. being re-
fused. he determined 10 embark and
lombard it, which was Immediately done
by the Castle. Creole" "Curraissuir,"
and Eclipse" They continued to throw
shells and shot into the town till about
T. NJ, when IL ceased, and all has re-
NAMED quite sim till the present mo-
ment Of my writing. What will be the
next move / know not, but l think, and
the common apprehension is, the destruc-
ton of the city. But ! do not think
they will attempt another landing TIL
they get troops from France. In the eN-
cursion which they made. they say their
object was 10 destroy the guns OF the
forts TO prevent their annoying them IN
n northcr. They had eighty or one hum
dred Killed and wounded. one OF the
French officers said they made q prisoner
Of General "ArTisJa,' and COOK many
small arms. etc. ana destroyed the sun
carriages and threw the guns over the
walls On the morning or me ith L went
ON board the brig "Curraissuir' 20 see
the commander. who vas tie senior oil-
cor present. aud asked permission 70
communicate with the town. Found the
prince" and his aid. j then Went on
shore and found deserted city. Scarcely
any one to be seen in the streets,
except here and there forcisaer pack
ING mules with his furniture, and occa-
sionollv "Harancho" riding along 20 see
what was going o.. on arriving az the
consulate / learned that santa Anna
bod lost his leg by the last shot fred
from the field piece on the No.e. which
the French, iu their retreat, MAJ io-ueu
10 the muZzle and dis charged mo tN1
crowd of MeNican5 VINO pun them
tn t,a Mole The citizens. and even me
French. give th1m credit '-ior 'n. 80 oe-
fence of the barracks. and Cue former
saw they fought well at the Mole. No
donbf tbsv were 80 much crted at the
ra.roat of the French that tIay became
e,,toidrncd ANA sailed forth in pursuit.
Witl ths exception OF the last gun, there
,..,. fe,c NaSicans killed or wounded.
THE TOWN EVACUATED.
The town is evacuated by the troops and
ortborities and AL foreigners nouled
tnat an supplies win he cut of by 4
Gordon of troops outside. But, poor vera
Cruz is an abandoned city, l'ii 70 the
mercy Of the elements. On the molh.n7
of the 5th santa Anna had tcld Ms
officers to be ready for hclon by I
Il Ynf
O'Clock the next morning =, as me Au,ii.-
raj had given him I'LL O'Clock lpr MS
answer. but that he kne" tIe al'a. =
vonld soon follow the messenger VINO
hora the dispatch. IN consequence OF
which the troops we're not allowed 10
enter the city till o'clock, and when
tbev were e-tacked at 4 they had only
l0O soldiers within the walls, WHO were
scattered all over the town and gave
wav before the French and FED 70 me
barracks Santa Anna" and "Arrlsta
were in bed but the guard at the door
made such a gallant defence the former
escaped BY the top Of the next house
and gained the barracks, when they
made as the Prince says (who headed
the attack in person., a most gallant de-
fence and compelled the French 20 re-
treat and then followed them down 10
the Mole. firing from the tops or houses.
ont OF WlnuONSf tl'.f iii Ntt'1 HiAAfNN
al the sauare i'm front Of the Mole, where
the French We're embarking, but santa
Anna" at the head of about two or three
hundred men. made a desperate effort 10
take the Admiral. who was ut the end
Of The Mole, but the French had small
field piece loaded TO the muzzle and dis
charged it with great effect, for it took
off Santa Annals" left leg and killed
and wounded about twelve others. The
Admiral narrowly escaped he had two
men killed beside him, and had not
santa Anna" been wounded, no one can
tell what would have been tho result,
for all the foreigners who were present
gave him credit for the most gallant con-
duct, and certain it IS no man could nave
sacrificed a limb in n Better strife or
more sacred cause. There Is natural
sympathy In the breast Of every man
for one who CALAMITY defends his native
soil from foreign invasion, daiies them to
the last, and gives good assurance by
conduct that every print OF his foot upon
our Mother Earth shall be consecrated
with his blood. | did not suspect santa
Anna" possessed so much chiyairy as ne
has shown on this occasion. but hohor
to whom honor Is due"
santa Anna q Hero.
II would be extremely interesting 10