Page:The War with Mexico, Vol 2.djvu/460

442 that the Mexican gunboats intended to sail out and raid American commerce, he determined to capture them by surprise in the night of June 14-15. He had no good pilot. The boats had much difficulty in finding the channel, which had recently shifted, and were even compelled to row more than half a mile against a swift current within pistol shot of the shore. One of them grounded twice. The moon came out. The Americans were discovered and fired upon. They replied; and then, as a surprise was no longer possible, they retired according to orders. May 28 Conner, on the Cumberland, was at Pensacola; the St. Mary's off Tampico; the Mississippi and Falmouth off V. Cruz; the Raritan there or on her way to that port; the Lawrence (which seems to have been a brig but was not mentioned in the department's list of vessels under Conner on May 13) assisting the army; and the Somers on the Yucatan service (Ho. 1; 30, 2, p. 1163). Aug. 10 the Cumberland (still the flag-ship), Potomac, Falmouth, Mississippi, Princeton, Flirt and the three gunboats (Bonita, Reefer, Petrel) lay at Antón Lizardo; the St. Mary's and Porpoise were off V. Cruz; the John Adams off Tampico; the brig Truxtun had gone to Chagres, and the brig Perry had gone to look for privateers near Cape S. Antonio (Picayune, Aug. 26). These data give one an idea of the usual distribution of the vessels.

16. The affair of Aug. 7. 165Conner to Bancroft, May 31. 47Id. to Id., Aug. 10. Ho. 4; 29, 2, p. 630 (Conner). Picayune, Aug. 22, 26. N. Y. Sun, Dec.7. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 381. Semmes, Service,88. Parker, Recolls., 66-7. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 287. 76Landero, Aug. 10. 76Comte gen. V. Cruz, July 15. Esperanza, Aug. 27. Locomotor, Aug. 10. For Alvarado, vol. ii, p. 844. For Antón Lizardo, vol. ii, p. 17. The Americans felt the more chagrined because British naval men witnessed their failure.

17. The Affair of Oct. 15. 162Morris to Conner, Sept. 21. 47Conner, Oct. 17. 162Id., Oct. 16. United Service, July, 1895, p. 33. Ho. 4; 29, 2, pp. 630-1. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 290, 293, 298-306. Picayune, Nov. 8. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 381. Griffis, Perry, 199. Semmes, Service, 88. Conner, Home Squadron, 17. 76Marín to comte. gen., Oct. 17. 76Landero, Sept. 5, 14; Oct. 12. 76Soto, Oct. 18. 76Marín to Soto, Oct. 15. Diario, Oct. 29, 30. 76Guerra, circular, Oct. 21. Wash. Union, Nov. 30. London Times, Dec. 10.

According to Conner's son (Home Squadron, 17), the secretary of the navy on Sept. 22 instructed Conner to attack Alvarado, supposing he had been reinforced, and it has been said that the attack should not have been made without more strength; but the difficulty was that the American forces could not be made available. It is not easy to see how Conner was at fault unless, as perhaps on Aug. 7, he might have landed in boats under such protection as his cannon could give, stormed the fort that stood near the beach, and then landed more men. Conner does not seem to have thought that sailors could do much ashore. He had a landing-force (Conner, Home Squadron, 15), but whether at this time and place is not clear. Probably a bold, though unsuccessful, attack would have been better than to back out. He is said to have argued, after the failure of Aug. 7, that even success would not have been worth what it would have cost (Picayune, Aug. 26); but this left moral effects out of the account. It was said by a naval man that he should have added the McLane's tow to his own and gone ahead; but it seems extremely doubtful whether he could have advanced against the current. Conner's report (Oct. 17) says the Mississippi could not get near enough to make any impression