might easily strangle the filibuster force by seizing the ill-guarded
Rio San Juan. Led by Spencer, they secretly cut a road through the
forest on the Costa Rican side, found the forts scarcely watched by a
few spiritless sick men, and overwhelmed and scattered them without
difficulty. At the same time they surprised and seized all the Transit
steamers on the river and lake, so that thenceforward communication
with the Atlantic was closed to General Walker, and a large body of New
Orleans recruits under Lockridge, who had just arrived at the mouth of
the river, found themselves headed off, and began a long and skilless
fight to recover the steamers and make the junction with the isthmus
force. So, after all, Walker owes his defeat, not to the natives of
Central America, but to his own countrymen; and, had it not been for
the malice or revenge of Vanderbilt, he might have reigned in Nicaragua
at this day,--unless he had blundered himself out of it unassisted, as
many who lived with him thought he could hardly fail to do, were time
but granted him.--After capture of the lake steamers, the Costa Ricans,
impressing their American crews into service, took them up to Granada
to embark the old force of Costa Ricans and Chamorristas still
remaining there. They were on this errand when the steamer San Carlos
was first seen to pass Virgin Bay. But what other reinforcement they
expected, whilst they lay so long against the island after their return
from Granada, I do not know,--unless it was the Guatemalans, who we
knew soon afterward had joined them in large force.

The next day after we had returned to Rivas, our company, now united
again, had orders to ride to San Juan, on the Pacific, and convoy back
some cart-loads of lead. As we were bringing our charge on the return,
we were overtaken in the forest by an order to hasten to Virgin Bay, to
the assistance of the infantry about to be attacked by the enemy.
Leaving three or four of the company to follow the carts, we started