all things in preparation and movement. The reports brought from the shore were, that the early fort, seen when the squadron was first off the river, had been washed away; but another had been built, and was now well manned; and that from two to three thousand troops were at the point and near the fortification, at the mouth of the river. These statements were believed by some-doubted by others. But there was no alternative, whatever force might be there. The expedition now must carry through the purpose, for which it was set on foot. A failure, as before hinted, none could think of—and a DEFEAT was only to be attended by the fall of every officer and man of the force. Never could a number of officers and men seem more firm and fixed, in their unfaltering but no way blustering purpose. The cost had been counted-the die had been cast-and all were ready to execute the object of the expedition.

On the evening of the 13th, the wind was too heavy to admit of transporting the men from the different ships to the small vessels which were to go on the expedition. On the afternoon of the 14th, however, a favorable moment presented, and seamen and marines, from the larger vessels to the small steamers and schooners, were transferred, for the occasion. The officers, however, delayed until near sundown, at which time, the Commander-in-chief left the Cumberland for the small steamer Vixen. The Fleet Surgeon, Dr. Walters Smith, and myself were detailed to the steamer Mississippi. It was intended that the wounded should be brought off to the Mississippi from the smaller vessels to be engaged in the action; and from the shore engagement, should it take place. We therefore left the Cumberland, soon after dark, most of the other officers, who had been detailed, having already gone to their different commands or vessels, to which they were designated. Dr. Minor, and the ward-room mess of the Mississippi, received

us courteously, and treated us kindly; and before 10 o'clock, the usual hour of "dousing the lights," we were all as snugly in our beds, as if we had no intention of moving, at midnight, from the anchorage.

At 12 o'clock, the Mississippi commenced firing up. The other two steamers did the same; and at about two o'clock, the Mississippi was off, by herself, while the Vixen took two schooners in tow, and the McLean three. The little fleet moved down the coast, under the shades of the night, intending to arrive off the bar of the river Alvarado, at daybreak. As the morning light came through the air ports of the state-rooms, and the stir aboard ship increased the next morning, I turned out and ere long was on deck, joining Drs. S. and M. The Mississippi had anticipated the Vixen and the McLean with their tow some distance on her arrival, while these two smaller steamers and the schooners in their line were in full view and rapidly coming up to the bar. The Mississippi now took up her position, near in to the shore, with the flag-staff of the fort in view. She immediately opened her fire, from her long guns. The Vixen, bearing the Commander-in-chief, and the McLean, each with a separate tow, now stood handsomely in towards the mouth of the river; but, at a near point, instead of passing directly over the bar, it now being about 7 o'clock in the morning, the Vixen veered off to the eastward, and standing along the line of the bar, directed, by signal, the different vessels to open their starboard battery upon the enemy, as they followed her motions. The evolution was a pretty movement, as seen from the Mississippi, as the steamers and gunboats, as they veered off and stood across the mouth of the river, outside the bar, opened their fire, and threw their shot in towards the fort. But they were too far off, to do any execution against the enemy. The Vixen stood some distance out again seaward, followed by

the McLean; and soon the Commander-in-chief came down towards the Mississippi, and when near, shoved off from the Vixen in his barge, and came along side of the Mississippi. A short conversation ensued between Commodore Conner and Commodore Perry, when the Commander-in-chief again joined the Vixen, which bore his Broad Pennant; and the two small steamers now standing across the mouth of the river with their schooners in tow, again opened their fire upon the fort, which occasionally discharged a piece against the little fleet, but the shot struck far inside of them. The Mississippi soon after changed her position, and took a nearer and more favorable anchorage, by bringing the fort full in view and within reach of her guns. Having got a spring upon the cable, the ship brought her broadside to bear upon the fort, though the distance, while it was within range of her guns, was still so far off as to render her fire less certain and destructive than otherwise it would had been; while, however, her shells and round shot frequently told with ef fect on the fort, and apparently, at different times, silenced their long gun, which was mounted by itself above their principal fortification. The long guns of the Mississippi made some very handsome shots, under the direction of Lieutenant Smith; and her battery of forty-two pounders, under the direction of Lieutenants Carter and Parker, continued to play with more or less effect upon the enemy. Commodore Perry occupied the hurricane-deck of the Mississippi, and gave his orders through Commander Adams.* The fire from the Mississippi was kept up for some hours, while the purpose of

* As Captain Forrest, at a later moment, came alongside the Mississippi, Commodore Perry exclaimed to him, in view of the expected landing, “I wish I had your place, Forrest ;" and under usual circumstances, Commodore P. would have had the command of the whole force. But the Commander-in-chief assumed in person, the leading of the expedition.

the Commander-in-chief seemed as yet unfixed. A signal, ere long, was made, for all Captains to repair on board the Vixen. A consultation was held. The Commander-inchief, after stating that a new fortification had been built since he was last here, and seemed stronger than he had expected to find it, put the question first to Lieutenant Hazzard, he being the youngest officer in command, what was his opinion as to the crossing of the bar with the present force? " My opinion is, that we should cross the bar, sir," was the reply. The same advice was given by all the officers present. The officers again repaired to their different vessels. The Mississippi now renewed her fire with additional interest, as the Commander-in-chief, in the Vixen, was soon seen standing from a point in front of the bar, where, for a short time, he lay at rest, with the McLean and her tow astern, affording an opportunity for the men to enter their several boats.

There was, now, no mistaking the purpose of the Commander-in-chief. He soon led gallantly in with the Vixen with her tow of two schooners, while the fire of the Mississippi increased its rapidity, and the fort on shore opened its guns in rapid succession upon the advancing forces. But the little Vixen held nobly on her way, and soon bronght her guns to bear on the fort; and with the two schooners briskly discharged her pieces while they were entering; and soon they had advanced opposite or beyond the fort. Thus far had the Broad Pennant been nobly borne, with the guns of the fort still playing upon it. The McLean followed on, with her tow of three schooners, in imitation of this gallant beginning of the Commander-in-chief; and every eye and every heart on board the Mississippi was wishing her good speed, as she was following the noble example that had been set her by the leader of the force in the Vixen; and while the Mississippi herself continued to discharge her long guns and fortytwo pounders in yet quicker succession; when (the beast

that she was!) the McLean, midway of the bar, drifting to the leeward of the channel, grounded among the breakers and threw all things into confusion! The launches and cutters, filled with men, and standing in by themselves over the bar, continued to advance on their course; and were, now, inside the bar; when the Commander-in-chief was seen, though he had reached well in or beyond the fort, to be putting about, and was soon again standing out; and the boats which were urging in to his assistance and support, of course also changed their direction and followed his movements. The whole force was soon again outside the bar, seaward-the boats lying on their oars-the three schooners which had cast loose from the McLean after her grounding, were standing off from the bar, and all, awaiting the orders of the Commander-in-chief, who, in the Vixen, with her two schooners in tow, was now making a circuit off the bar. Ere long he passed under the beam of the Mississippi, but spoke not, as the Vixen, with her tow, glided slowly and gracefully along, showing that she had been wounded by a round shot, which had marked her on her starboard beam, just forward the wheel-house.

What, now, will be the movement of the Commander-inchief, was a question which each one, doubtless, of the little squadron, was anxious to solve in his own mind. Such was the inquiry in my own case, which caused me to look, with deep interest, at every movement of the Vixen. It had already been an interesting sight presented to the view, as the steamers, with their schooners in tow, were enteringand even the McLean, in the breakers, rolling like a cradle, as the gun-boats were cast adrift from her to shift for themselves, served but to heighten the interest of the scene— -while the boats, intending to preserve the lee of the Vixen and the schooners dropped astern, but gave way with greater earnestness when the McLean had become foul. The Commo