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TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
Reembarking in the Viesta, Walker landed in San Juan Del Sud in the latter part of June, and marching to Rivas & attacked the enemy, thrice his strength, but after an obstenate contl.ict of four hours was defeated with the loss of over one third of his forces. He then retreated to San Juan Del Sud, barely escaping entire mutilation, and in this place remained until the month of September recruiting from the California passengers until his American force amounted to 85 men; his native force likewise accruing to about 150. He then crossed the Transit to La Virgen when on the 12th. September he was attacked by General Santos Guardiola (the now President of Honduras) with five hundred men. General Guar- diola had come down from Honduras for the exclusive purpose of ex- tirpating the Americans. How far he succeeded in this enterprise may be judged from the fact that after a short fight, he hastily retreated leaving 150 dead on the field. The American loss was trifling During these occurrences subsequent to the arrival of Walker in the country, both Chamoro and Castillon had died, and the command of the Legitimist troops, devolved upon Gen Ponciano Coral and the Legitimist Presidency upon Don Jose Maria Estrada. After the defeat of Guardiola, General Corall marched with the main body of his army to Rivas near La Virgen where Walker was encamped, for the purpose of giving him battle. The latter, however, evaded him, by seizing the steam Boat San Carlos, and steaming in the night with all his forces to Granada, the strong hold of the Legitimists, which was defended by only a small body of Citizens unused to fight- ing. This important position was Captured on the 13th. October with- out the loss of a single man Walkers condition was still precarious in the extream, and being unwilling to meet his enemy in the open field he concluded to play a stratagem. Having liberated about a hundred political pris- oners, whom he found in chains in the San Francisco Convent, plac- ing arms in their hands, he caused their places to be filled by twenty or more of the notabilities of Granada and then sent propositions for peace to Coral, who had returned to Massaya four leagues distant, with 600 men. At the same time he intimated to the native General that if his pacific propositions were rejected the above mentioned prisoners would be shot. As there were many friends and relatives of Coral in the proscribed list he concluded to agree to a truce, and marched with his army to Granada where a treaty of peace was signed on the 27th. october; and on the same day Don Patricio Rivas was declared Pro- visional President and Colonel Walker General in Chief of the Army. The new Government issued proclamations assuring the people of an oblivion of all political sins and offering the securest guarantees to all and things went on prosperously for eleven days when Gen Coral was detected in treasonable correspondence with Gen Guar- diola and Gen Toneas Martinez (now President) who had fled to Hon- duras. Coral was tried by a court martial and shot. The death of this favorite chief caused a great sensation amongst his party who had expected that he would have been banished instead of having the hard penalty of death passed upon him. Hence it was that a large number of the leaders of the Legitimists party withdrew themselves to the remote districts of Chontales and Legoria
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