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

these unhappy people remained quiet
spectators Of all that passed, wiihou, the
slightest effort TO oppose them. Their
steamers during the day sounded round
tho harhor and their boats by night
landed officers under the very walls OF
The Castle. who reconnoltcrod very part
supposed 10 be pfcgnnblc perfectly IN
molosted Davis Gan onicer commanding
the water battery repeatedly begged the
commanding general. "GoWana," 10 al
low HIM 90 fire on them. but he always
received tho sahe answer that his OR
dcrs were not 90 fire the FIRST shot under
any chromosomes +" for which imbecile
order they most dearly paid. The fatal
Ifh arrived; the day was dne and the
first on which there had been sea
breeze for nearly a month, and every
tning consnircd to aid the French in
Their operations. Al daylight O signal
was made and their feet. twenty-five
vessels in number. sent mp top-gallant
mats and crossed the yards Upon the
return OF our market boat we learned
that the Mexican Government had de-
cilncd the terms offered ly Admiral
"Baudin.' and, ~ course. we now looked
forward 10 Meridian with very much the
same anxiety young belle does To the
hour which is TO announce the arrival
OF her beau TO conduct her - a bah. All
Erie" were Immediately sent TO town
for the embarkatlon OF American citizens
and such foreigners as were disposed to
avail themselves OF the opportunity TO
seek the protection OF our flag. At A.
NJ. the steamers began taking in tow the
two frigatcs and placing them in position
Tor the Castle as near the "Galega' a.
they could lay with springs on thei,
cables. etc The two bomb vessels were
ssNn 90 oh.
suilla,' the prince de Iomoille" I'm the
creole chose to play his part under
canvas. and accordingly ram to the
north OF the Castle. II is scarcely posi-
bic 60 credit the fact that all these ma
noeuNres were permitted without a single
shot being cred from the Castle, when
there is but little doubt that the steam
ers, the most efficient agents IN this
business, might have been destroyed
while placing the first frigate and the
frigates themselves would nave been IN
able TO have taken their positions with
out losing more men than were ultimate
ly lost by the whole squadron.
JUST DID GET OUT.
Such was the hustle and confusion that
our boats did not clear the wharf until
near o'clock, though / used every exer-
ton in person 10 dispatch them. Whe-
ther it was the courtesy Of the Adj
miral or not, / cannot say, but l had
scarcely cleared the range of his shot.
when. az precisely 2:3O o'clock =. NJ, the
signal was made and announced by the
first shot from the Admiral and almost
instantaueously answered by a most ire
mendous fire from the other two frigates,
two bomb vessels, and the Prince de
lOinyilie" I'm the cOvette Creole" nor
were they many seconds behind them i'm
the Castle although their position had
been so taken thar only eighteen guns
could be brought 20 bear upon the who'll
fleet. and they generally of the smalles
calibre. Never were guns better served
than those of the three frigates. a more
constant. better directed or more de
structive fire kept up. AT about $3.50 n
magazine exploded in the water battery;
the sight was awfully grand from that
moment the FIVE s'ackened I'm the Castle
The Prince. about this time. changed
his position and came round TO the
southeast of the Castle; during the
whole ne manoeuvred his ship and kept
up the action in fine style. He is. no
doubt a gallant fellow. At p. NJ a Sc
cond explosion took place in the Castle,
which demolished all the supcrstructure
Of the "Cavalier0 Alto" i'm which a colo
mel ands about sixty souls persisted. The
Castle from this time only fired one or
two guns at long intervals At the Ad-
miral made a signal ana the steamers
took the frigate "Gioire" out Of the line.
and at sunset the firing ceased. except
from the bomb vessels, which continued