P,u>ERS OF l\URABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR. 275 Vessel. from a former conversation with T. F :McKenney Esqr. I was induced to believe that a draft on his house would· be accepted on behalf of the Public; and in accordance with that belief I gave my Excban"'e as Chairman of the Committee; in virtue of a resolution of. the B"ody, to Captain Watlington for the amount'' On thursday 19th ulto. at night information was received in ·this Town, that a vessel supposed to be an American had been driven on shore at "Paso Cavallo" pursued by a Mexican armed vessel; and early the next morning a number of our fellow citizens embarked on board the William Robbins a small schooner commanded by Capt W. A. Hurd, armed, and equipped to repel the enemy or afford such assistance as the case might require. On the evening of the 21st. we crune to anchor off the Pilot House at the pass, and having sent "a boat on shore ascertained that the 1exican ves el had been driven "hy the 1 orth winds to sea, but that the American vessel was in "po.ssession of a prize crew; the volunteers to a nmber of about 20, "were immediately landed under my command." When we aug- " mented our force to 25, besides Captain Hurd and his crew, l think "3 in number· on presenting ourselves the prize master, a lieutent "of the Bravo, as he states, and not the l\Iontezuma, delivered his "sword, and surrendered himself and men as prisoners of War, the "total number was 12, one of whom from exposure consequent on "drunkenness has since died" I cannot refrain from observing that it appears to me, the Capture of the Hannah Elizabeth by the boat of the Bravo, was the result of the most shameful Cowardice, and here furnish you a statement Given me by Don l\Iatteos•-he says the Hannah Elizabeth had on board 15 Americans and 5 Mexicans, besides a woman, 3 cannon upon deck mounted vz: 2 Sixes and a four, 18 Kegs of powder, 2 Boxes of l\Iuskets, rifles and other arms; and that about 7 p. m. he boarded her in the breakers with one boat and 12 men himself in- cluded-not a 'Gun was fired nor the least resistance made, indeed they had thrown the Cannon, powder and arms overboard, A number of the Americans and two of the Mexicans were taken on board the Bravo-the :Mexicans were J l\I. J. Carbajal & Fernando DeLeon. Sigd. S. .Rhoads Fisher a true copy of extracts taken :from the report made by the Honble. S Rhoads Fisher to the Provisional Government.
Navy Department Columbia Deer. 10th, 1836- John Buchanan ch£ elk [Endorsed]
[Addressed] To
Gerieral Mirabeau B. Lamar
S. Rhoads Fisher- Capture Schooner Hannah &
Elizabeth-
•The Lieutenant captured-[Note in document.]
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