History of the War between the United States and Mexico/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI.
THE GULF SQUADRON.
Expedition against Tuspan — Capture of the Town — The Carmelita — Recapture of Tabasco — Repeated Skirmishes with the Enemy—Affair at Timulte — Abandonment of the City — Difficulties in Yucatan.
After his return from Alvarado, Commodore Perry did not allow the vessels belonging to the Gulf Squadron to remain for a long time rolling lazily at anchor in the roadstead of Vera Cruz,—swinging slowly with the ebb and flow of the tide, or tossing uneasily when the breath of the fitful norther swept over the foaming waters. Immediate preparations were made for an expedition against Tuspan, and as soon as every thing could be got in readiness, he left Vera Cruz with the steamers Mississippi, Spitfire, Vixen, and Scourge; the frigate Raritan; sloops of war John Adams, Albany, Germantown, and Decatur; bomb-vessels Vesuvius, Ætna, and Hecla; and the schooners, or gunboats, Bonita, Petrel, and Reefer. Nearly 500 men belonging to the Ohio and Potomac, both of which remained off Vera Cruz, were distributed among the different vessels.
The steamers were obliged to wait, for some days, at the island of Lobos, for the arrival of the sailing vessels; and a brief delay afterwards took place, in consequence of the dispersion of the squadron by a norther. But all was ready for the landing, on the morning of the 18th of April, — the day on which the heights of Cerro Gordo were carried by the troops under General Scott. The Mississippi anchored off the bar of Tuspan river; the small steamers — their masts being taken out, and otherwise lightened — took the gunboats and barges in tow, carrying in all 1,200 men, armed with cutlasses, pistols, and muskets, and two pieces of field artillery; and the other vessels of the squadron remained at anchor under Tuspan shoals, from six to eight miles eastward of the bar.
The Spitfire, under Captain Tatnall, led the way over the bar, followed by the Vixen and Scourge, each having a gunboat in tow. Two of the steamers struck; but they soon ploughed their way over the sand, and dashed through the breakers. At noon the whole flotilla had entered the river. Commodore Perry then hoisted his broad pennant on board the Spitfire, and commenced the ascent of the stream. About five miles from the mouth of the river, two forts were discovered, on the right bank, the guns of which began to play briskly upon the squadron. The small boats were immediately manned with storming parties, and darted for the shore, under cover of a rapid fire from the steamers and gunboats. The Mexicans did not wait to meet the assailants, but retreated down one side of the hill, as the gallant tars from the American vessels sprang up the other, shouting and cheering at the top of their voices. The forts being captured, the flotilla again moved forward.
On approaching Tuspan, another fort erected on a high hill, commanding the town, opened on the squadron. Volleys of musketry were fired, at the same time, from the thickets of Chaparral on the bank of the river. Two parties were now landed; one of whom proceeded
against the fort, which was carried without serious resistance, and the other entered the town. Most of the inhabitants had fled into the interior, and but very few soldiers were seen, who were brave enough to stand, even for a few moments, before the American fire. Commodore Perry took possession of the town, having lost but seventeen men, killed and wounded, during the, day, and ordered the forts on the river to be destroyed.[1] Those inhabitants who were peaceably disposed, were invited to return and resume their occupations; and on the 22nd instant, the Commodore re-embarked his forces, and set sail for Vera Cruz, leaving the Albany and Reefer, under Captain Breese, to guard the river and town, and also directing one of his vessels to blockade the stream on which the town of Soto de Marina is situated.
The attempt of the Mexican government to annoy American commerce, by the issue of letters of marque, was wholly unsuccessful. Early in the spring of 1846, the Carmelita, a merchant vessel, was seized on the high seas and carried into Barcelona, by an armed vessel, called the Unico, claiming to cruise under Mexican authority. The alleged prize was at once restored by the Spanish authorities, and the captors were imprisoned for trial.[2] This was the only capture made by the enemy, and the American merchantmen pursued! their way, from shore to shore, unmolested, while our vessels of war continued the rigid blockade of the Mexican ports.
The next enterprise of any moment, undertaken by Commodore Perry, was a visit to Tabasco, whose citizens had threatened the population of Fronteira with their vengeance, for daring to hold intercourse with the American vessels. The Ӕtna and Bonita, under Commander Van Brunt, were sent to protect the place soon after the capture of Tuspan, and on the 1st of June the Spitfire left Vera Cruz, and arrived at Fronteira on the 3rd instant, where she remained until the 11th. She then ran down the coast, fringed with the rich Campeachy dye-woods, and adorned with the beautiful forests, —
"Where the palm tapers, and the orange glows,
Where the light bamboo weaves her feathery screen,
And her fur shade the matchless ceiba throws! —
to Laguna, the highest port of Yucatan[3] sixty miles distant from Fronteira. The steamer Scorpion, bombvessel Hecla, and a gunboat, under Commander Bigelow, were at Laguna; and on the 12th instant, the Spitfire returned to Fronteira, in company with the Scorpion, to take part in an expedition up the river.
Commodore Perry reached Fronteira with the Mississippi, and the other vessels of the attacking squadron, on the 13th instant; and, at sunset on the following day, the flotilla of small steamers and gunboats weighed anchor, and commenced ascending the stream. Commodore Perry, in the Scorpion, with the brig Washington and bomb-vessel Vesuvius in tow, moved in advance; followed by the Spitfire, with the bomb-vessel Stromboli, and the Bonita; the Vixen, having the Ӕtna in tow; and the Scourge, with a schooner containing the apparatus of Captain Taylor to lighten the vessels over any obstruction in the river. Each vessel towed from ten to twenty small boats, loaded down to the gunwales with armed sailors and marines, and field artillery. The whole force amounted to about 1,500 men, and the aquatic procession, which was nearly six miles in length, presented a most imposing sight, as it -wound up the crooked stream.
At sunset on the 15th, the flotilla arrived within five hundred yards of the “Devil’s Bend,” near which obstacles had been sunk to prevent the ascent of the river. Here they were suddenly hailed by volleys of musketry fired from the thick screen of mangrove-trees on the starboard bank. Streams of grape and canister were instantly poured upon the enemy, who soon deserted the bushes; and the vessels then came to anchor for the night. A straggling fire was kept up, but no attempt was made to attack the Americans, who had prepared themselves against a surprise.
The morning of the 16th dawned beautifully, and the fragrant and balmy breeze that stole through the branches of the tall palms bending so gracefully over the stream, scarcely disturbed its silvery current. Lieutenant May was now ordered forward with a boat’s crew to sound the river, and the other vessels followed to protect him. While engaged in making the soundings, the party were fired upon from a concealed breastwork, which was silenced by the guns of the squadron. Commodore Perry then determined to land a part of his force, and assault the town in rear, while the vessels should move up and attack it in front. At eleven o’clock the commodore put off for the shore, with 800 men in sixty barges, and eight six-pounder guns. An irregular militia force,[4] under General Bruno, had been organized to defend the approaches to Tabasco, but the landing was not seriously opposed. The Americans sprang up the steep banks of the river, with deafening shouts, dragging the field-pieces after them, and dashed along the road leading to the town, but four miles distant by the land route.[5]
The vessels remained at anchor for about two hours, when they again moved up the river, running over the bar in nine feet water, and turning up some of the piles which formed the chevaux-de-frise. The drums beat to quarters, and the men all took their stations, anticipating a warm reception from the enemy. On turning the bend below Fort Accachappa, its heavy twenty-four-pounders sent forth a thundering peal, which was promptly answered by the long guns of the flotilla, whose shot and shell told with singular precision. Volleys of musketry were also rained incessantly from the bushes, and the carbines of the Americans were soon actively served. In a few moments the Mexican flag was struck; three or four rounds of short-fused shell and grape Were thrown from the Spitfire; and Lieutenant Porter then pulled for the shore with about twenty men, and displayed the stripes and stars on the captured fort. The breastwork was pierced for four guns, three of them twenty-four-pounders, and the fourth a smaller piece. Three six-pounder field-pieces were also found in the fort, which were borne away as trophies, — the other guns being spiked.
In the meantime a party from the Scorpion had landed in the city, about half a mile further up, where they were met by the alcalde, who surrendered the place. A considerable force, under General Garcia, had been stationed in the city for its protection, and disregarding the action of the civil authorities, they commenced firing upon the Americans from the housetops and corners of the streets. Midshipman Briceland broke a hole through the roof of the Governor’s house, and planted the American flag amidst a shower of bullets. Commodore Perry shortly after came up with the land force, having driven the Mexican militia, from thicket to thicket, as he advanced; and the armed parties of the enemy now abandoned the town to the victors.
Leaving the Spitfire, Vixen, Scourge and Etna, as guard-ships at Tabasco, Commodore Perry returned to Fronteira with the remainder of the flotilla. The Mexicans were not disposed to rest quiet, especially when so feeble a force was left to overawe them. Including the marines, the Americans could muster but 175 men to serve ashore. These were quartered in the main plaza, with three field-pieces, and the guns of the vessels were trained so as to rake the suburbs with shell. The Mexican guerilleros prowled about the town every night, plundering the citizens, and annoying the Americans on shore. During the day they secreted themselves in the thickets and thatched huts on the outskirts of the city, or in the neighboring villages. Several skirmishes took place, in the course of which a number of the light bamboo cottages were burned by the Americans. At length the latter became nearly worn out with incessant watching and fighting, and the Vixen was dispatched to Commodore Perry for assistance. She returned on the 29th of June, with a reinforcement of 100 sailors and marines; and on the 1st of July 3 force of 200 men, consisting of ninety marines, under Lieutenants Slack, Shuttleworth and Adams, the crew of the Spitfire under Lieutenant Porter, and a number of officers and volunteers, from the Scorpion, Ӕtna, and Scourge, with two field-pieces, marched against Timulte, a small village four miles from Tabasco. About five hundred of the Tabasco militia, under Generals Chigané and Garcia, were in ambuscade near the town, and fired upon the party as they approached. The contest Was brief. The guns were fired but twice before the enemy were seen scattering through the bushes in flight. The sailors and marines pursued them till they were quite exhausted, when orders were given to return to Tabasco, where they arrived at sunset, having captured a large quantity of arms and ammunition, and killed and wounded from seventy-five to one hundred of the enemy, with the loss of only two men killed and four wounded. Commodore Perry retained possession of Tabasco until the 22nd of July, when he ordered the place to be evacuated, not caring to expose the health of his men by the permanent occupation of the city. Many of the inhabitants, through fear of the ragged and half-starved soldiery, who had previously been quartered on them, accompanied the American vessels to Fronteira, where Commander Van Brunt was directed to remain, with the Scourge, Ӕtna, and Bonita, to guard the river and protect the inhabitants. Commodore Perry, with the rest of the squadron, returned to Vera Cruz.
During the further continuance of hostilities, the Gulf Squadron was principally employed in enforcing the blockade, and in affording relief to the white inhabitants of Yucatan. The Indian population of the _ department manifested symptoms of hostility early in the winter of 1847. A disturbance tool; place at Tzimizin in February, and a second one in July following. Subsequently the Indian population rose in a mass, and commenced an indiscriminate massacre of the whites. The latter were forced to fly to the seaports, and took refuge on board the vessels lying on the coast. Commodore Perry assisted them as far as he was able, and a treaty was finally concluded between the leading men of the two races, when quiet and order were restored.
- ↑ Several guns of the Truxton, which, it will be recollected, was lost on the bar at the mouth of Tuspan river, in the summer of 1846, were found mounted in the forts. These, with a number of other articles be — longing to the same vessel, were all recovered, and taken away by the squadron.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy, December 6th, 1847.
- ↑ Yucatan signified her willingness to reunite with the other Mexican States, under the constitution adopted after the return of Santa Anna; but she took very little part in the war. Supplies had been shipped from Laguna, but this could not be continued after the blockade of the port.
- ↑ The central government of Mexico made few or no attempts to aid the departments remote from the capital, and left them to rely mainly upon their own resources. Had the inhabitants of Tabasco been more united, the Americans would probably have found greater difficulty in capturing the town, but. it has long been the theatre of incessant broils and strifes, and was poorly prepared to resist an invader.
- ↑ Commodore Perry landed upon the same spot where Cortés embarked a part of his force, under Avila, previous to his capture of Tabasco.