89
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
But all these facts will be brought to your Excellencies attention in due time. To resume my narrative of the proceedings of Walker. Early in the month of November he again attacked Massaya, but with a greatly diminished force. The Costa Ricans had entered the Transit and he was obliged to send the half of his troops to meet them. With the remaining portion, amounting to about five hundred, he attacked Massaya, strongly fortified and defended by over three thousand Cen- tral Americans. Here for three days a desperate but most unequal conflict was maintained. But nor valor nor fortitude could conquer such obstacles as the americans had. to contend with. They were at length compelled to retreat to Granada having left half their numbers dead in the blood stained streets of l\fassaya. Walkers position then became truly dangerous. The Costa Recans were in the Transit. It was necessary to keep this great avenue op~n and this he could not do without evacuating Granada and concentrating his troops in Rivas. This he resolved to do. He had returned from Massaya moody and desperate over his recent terrible defeat, and burning with vengeance against the defected Nicaraguans he resolved to consign Granada to flames. Accordingly, on the 18th. of November he sent the most of his sick and wounded to the island of Ometepec and himself embarked for La Virgen two days following leaving Gen. Henningson with four hundred men to embark the military stores and burn the city. These orders were kept entirely secret. On the afternoon of the 21st. Hen- ningson published a banda notifying all neu~rals to leave the city within twenty four hours but still keeping secret his instructions for burning the city. The next morning the soldiers c0mmenced firing the houses and then for three days followed scenes which would beggar discription. It was a hell's holiday, of drunkenness and rapine such as I hope for the honor of the american name I may never again witness committed by my countrymen. In two days time an ancient city with its palatial residences and venerable temples was turned into a wretched waste. The torch of Walker in two nights destroyed that which the early Spaniards were half a century in creating. Such was the rapidity of the conflagration that few of the inhabitants succeeded in rescuing any of their property from the burning houses and they were thus ren- dered by this barbarous act houseless and penniless wanderers. During the plunder of the city the churches were entered and robbed of their jewels and ornaments. These amounting $72,250 were afterwards sent to N. Orleans and sold for the benefit of Walker. On the afternoon of the 24th. November while Henningsons men were abandoning themselvs to every species of excesses, they were surprised by about 2,500 Central Americans, and their retreat to the lake cut off. Then followed a seige which for its deeds of bravery and almost supernatural endurance has rendered it memorable in the his- tory of warfare. The Americans retreated to a suburban church, com- manding a very strong position mid way to the lake, anil here for seventeen days successfully defended themselves against the overwhelm- ing numbers of the enemy. They were short of ammunition without covering, exposed to the sun and rain and so destitute of provisions that the meat of mules was their only food. At length Walker came
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