202

APPEAL OF THE MERCHANTS.

alarm, or causing serious injury. Soon after the attack was renewed on the following morning, Commodore Perry learned that the foreign merchants, who had been the greatest sufferers from his fire, and the citizens generally, were in favor of an immediate capitulation, but were overruled by the governor, who appeared entirely unconcerned for the safety of them or their property. An earnest appeal was made to the American commander, by the merchants, not to destroy the town. It was not designed to occupy the place, in any event, on account of its insalubrity, and as the main object of the expedition, the capture of the Mexican vessels, had been accomplished, the commodore decided to drop down the river with his prizes, The latter were soon got under way, in advance of the flotilla, and a white flag was hoisted, as a notice to the citizens of the town, that they would not be again molested. At this moment it was discovered that one of the prizes in command of Lieutenant Parker, had drifted ashore, and that a large body of the enemy had collected behind the houses in the vicinity, and were pouring volley after volley of musketry into her. The movement down the river was forthwith suspended, and a general fire from the flotilla opened upon the A number of houses were demolished, and the smoking ruins attested the severity of the chastisement which had been so cowardly provoked. The enemy's fire was speedily silenced. Lieutenant Parker bravely defended his vessel, and succeeded in getting her afloat, with the loss of one man killed, and two wounded. Lieutenant Morris was also killed while bearing an order from the commodore to Lieutenant Parker.

town.

No further attempt was made to molest the Amer ican vessels or their prizes, and they continued down

BURNING OF THE CREOLE.

203

the river. On his return to Fronteira, Commodore Perry dispatched his prizes that were of sufficient value to be manned, to Vera Cruz, and destroyed all the smaller craft. The McLane and Forward were left to blockade the river; and on the 31st, the remainder of the fleet proceeded to rejoin Commodore Conner.

Orders were issued from the Navy Department, in October, to capture and occupy Tampico, with a view of masking an attack on Vera Cruz and the Castle of San Juan de Ulua, then in contemplation. In accordance therewith, Commodore Conner sailed for that port on the 13th of November, with a considerable portion of his squadron, and on the 14th took possession of the city, without opposition,-the armed forces of the enemy having been previously withdrawn.*

During the absence of the squadron, the brig Somers, Lieutenant Semmes, remained off Vera Cruz, to continue the blockade. On the evening of the 20th of November, a most daring exploit was performed by Lieutenant Parker, and Passed Midshipmen Rodgers and Hynson, belonging to the vessel, in a small boat manned by six men. Protected by the darkness of the night, they surprised the bark Creole, which had been engaged in conveying munitions of war into the country, in defiance of the blockade, as she lay at anchor, beneath the walls of the castle. The men left to guard

• A number of small vessels were also captured in the harbor of Tampico; the prize money for those taken at this place and at Tobasco amounting to about $220,000. Previous to the capture of Tampico, Commodore Conner received full information in regard to its defences, with a plan of the town, the forts, and the harbor, from Mrs. Ann Chase, the wife of the American Consul. She manifested an extraordinary degree of intrepidity and determination on the approach of the squadron. In spite of the opposition of the ayuntamiento, (city counc), she persisted in hoisting the flag of her country, and was neither mod by solicitations, nor intimidated by menace. 15

204

WRECK OF THE SOMERS.

the vessel were put on shore, and the craft set on fire. On the 5th of December, Midshipman Rodgers, in company with Assistant Surgeon Wright, and one of the crew, went ashore to reconnoitre the enemy's magazines. They had proceeded but a short distance from the beach when they were surrounded by a party of Mexicans. Dr. Wright fortunately made his escape, but his two companions were taken prisoners.* This event was followed by a still more serious disaster, on the 8th instant. Indications of a northerly gale were observed in the evening of the 7th, and the Somers took shelter under Green Island. A sail was reported from aloft the next morning, and she stood out for several miles, when the approaching vessel was ascertained to be the John Adams, on her way back from Tampico, to relieve the Somers in the blockade. As the latter was returning to her anchorage, a suspiciouslooking craft was discovered standing in for Vera Cruz. The canvas was crowded upon the Somers, her officers being determined not to be found remiss in their duty, and all haste was made to intercept the strange vessel. In the effort to avoid the reef de Pajordas, on her lee, she was overtaken by the norther. At the first gust she was thrown upon her beam-ends. She careened over rapidly, and in half an hour was ingulfed beneath the angry billows, now howling and hissing with the fury of a Phlegethon. Acting Mas

After being transferred from one place of confinement to another, and encountering the severest hardships, Midshipman Rodgers succeeded in making his escape in the fall of 1847, from the city of Mexico, where he was then detained, and took part with the beleaguering army under Gener Scott in its capture, serving as a volunteer in the staff of General P low. While a prisoner he obtained much important information, which was communicated, at different times, to the American office s.

CAPTURE OF LAGUNA.

205

ter Clemson and Passed Midshipman Hynson, with nearly one half of the crew, which consisted of eighty persons, were carried down with the vessel, and found a watery grave on that stranger shore, "uncoffined and unaneled." The remaining officers and men were picked up by the John Adams, and the small boats gallantly sent out from the British, French, and Spanish ships of war anchored in view of the wreck, or succeeded in reaching the shore, where they were taken prisoners by the Mexicans.

On the 20th of December, Commodore Perry, with the Mississippi, Vixen, Bonita, and Petrel, took possession of Laguna, in Yucatan, and destroyed the guns and munitions of war found in the fort and town. Commander Sands was left in charge with the Vixen and Petrel. Soon after this occurrence, the vessels belonging to the squadron, which could be spared from enforcing the blockade, were ordered to rendezvous at Vela Cruz, to assist the army in its reduction.

CHAPTER VII.

BUENA VISTA.

General Scott ordered to Mexico-Expedition to Vera Cruz-Withdrawal of Troops from the Army under General Taylor-Surprise of Arkansas and Kentucky Cavalry at Encarnacion-Advance of Santa Anna from San Luis Potosi-The Pass of Angostura-Buena Vista -Position of the American Troops-Approach of the Enemy-The Battle-Bravery of the Volunteers-Skirmish near Saltillo-Disastrous retreat of the Mexican Army-Attack on the Wagon TrainsPursuit of Urrea.

On the 1st day of January, 1847, and within the short space of eight months from the commencement of hostilities, the provinces of New Mexico, California, Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila, New Leon, and Tamaulipas, embracing more than one half of the geographical area of the Mexican Republic, were either virtually conquered, or in the actual possession of the American forces. The different military operations thus far conducted, had been executed with unexampled skill and ability, and attended with the most satisfactory results. The territory occupied by the army under General Taylor, could not, indeed, have been regarded of much value as a permanent acquisition, if conquest had been the object of the war; but in a military point of view, the campaign on the Rio Grande was as important as it was successful. Every thing had been achieved which was to be desired. On three separate occasions the armies of Mexico had been de