TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
two months time four thousand hostile troops were on the road to Nicaragua. Walker remained in Granada his forces occupying the de- partment of that name and that of Rivas and although the fraudulent character of his election was well known, he was still supported by a number of the leading natives of this part of the State, who thought the 40 would ultimately be able to maintain himself and bring pros- perity to Nicaragua. One of the first acts of Walkers Administration was a decree confiscating the property of all persons who held opinions contrary to the Government. This together with the decree re-estab- lishing slavery very naturally increased the storm that was rising against him. . At this period many americans visited Nicaragua, some throug[h] motives of curiosity and others with the idea of becoming settlers. These oftentimes were forced into his service either directly or by being detained in the country (passports being refused them) until their means were exhausted and they were compelled to seek employment to gain a subsistance. Complaints by such parties were often made to our resident Minister Honourable John H. Wheeler but he invariably gave them a deaf ear. It was similar with soldiers in the army whose time had expired and who sought, not their wages long withheld, lands, or ought else than the boon to be allowed to return to their native country. Full many a poor fellow whose bones gnawed by Vultures and nicked by dogs lie bleaching upon the soil of Nica- ragua. would have returned to his country to live out an honored life had it not been for the culpable conduct of our minister in neglecting to afford them that protection which a[s] citizens of the american Union they were entitled to. In the month of August, Mariano Salizar the legaly elected President of the Republic was taken prisoner on the Pacific Coast, convayed to Granada and there shot as a rebel, without even the for- mality of a Court Martial. ' In the month of September the allied armies of Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador and Leon, three thousand strong, advanced on Managua, the garrison retreating to Massaya - thence they advanced ·on Massaya which though admirably fortified and defended by four hundred men was abandoned without the firing of a gun. The folly of such unheard of military policy as abandon - fortified places and then returning to take them was afterwards abundantly demonstrated. Managua with a garrison of three hundred resolute men might have been successfully defended and checked the further advance of the enemy, and Massaya with a still smaller number. Soon after the occu- pation of l\fassaya Gen Walker saw that it would be necessary to take this place or abandon Granada, for being as it is the granary of all this region the supply of provisions for the last mentioned place was stopped and a great scarcity of food for his army was experienced. Accordingly on the 11th. of October l\fassaya was attacked by eleven hundred men, Walker in command, but while the conflict was raging in that city, Granada which had been left by Walker de- fended by but a small garrison was attacked by an overwhelming force
••The meaning woul,l he clearer if "he" were read for "the."
Powered by FlippingBook