William Walker--Amazing President of Nicaragua

 

William Walker-Amazing President of Nicaragua

Washington DC Evening Star 

Sunday November 21, 1909

As queer a genius as America ever has produced was editor of the San Francisco Commercial in 1854, His name was William Walker, He was small and slender, beardless and light haired, a runt of a human among the tens of thousands of big framed, powerful adventurous spirits drawn to California from all parts of the world by the lure of gold, He was born in Nashville, Tennessee, was a graduate of the University of Nashville, and had practiced law and medicine before becoming a journalist. He was well versed in international law and had travelled widely. He spoke French, German, Italian and Spanish almost as fluently as he spoke English. He was only thirty years old, and considered himself a man of destiny. A year before, at the head of a party of 47 men, he had captured the Mexican town of La Paz and elected himself president of Lower California, and gravely parceled out the portfolios of navy, army, state and treasury among his companions. Then he had invaded the neighboring province of Sonora, and creating a paper Republic of his own, and consolidating Sonora and lower California under the name of the Republic of Sonora, proclaimed himself president. He planned a conquest of Mexico. It was the wildest and most fantastic of crazy projects, and the invaders had not marched far into the rugged, inhospitable country before they were ragged comma barefoot comma and half starved. They had no supplies, and had to live on the country. For a while they were able to overcome such opposition as the Indians and the Mexican troops under Colonel Melendres offered, but disease and desertion thinned the ranks of the filibusters. And they were forced to retreat. They were harried all along the line, but finally 34 of the invaders, gaunt and almost naked, reached American territory and surrendered to Major McKinstry of the United States Army in charge of San Diego.

 

 Such rashness and daring appealed to the 49ers, and when Walker reached San Francisco, he received a joyous reception. As for the leader himself, he looked upon the Sonora expedition merely as an incident, an introduction, or a preparation for the great scheme he had in mind Dash, the conquest of Mexico and Central America, and the extension of slavery throughout those lands. He considered himself a 19th century Cortez, and although he may have shaped because he had to return to the editorial desk, he made no sign. He took himself very seriously and was taken seriously by everyone else. No wonder he received recognition. There was no question as to his courage. He never weighed more than 130 pounds, but big men cowered before him when he was in anger. He never was known to raise his voice, But what terrified those who aroused his passion was the fact that his eyes turned green. He was punctilious in matters of etiquette and form, but was simple and unostentatious in dress. Although he lived in a community of lavish spending, hard drinking, high playing, and among riotous minded people, he never drank, never gambled, and never was known to utter a profane word. Surely an odd character for California. In the early 1850s.

While the “President of Sonora” gave his attention to the news of the mining camps and occasionally fought a duel with an offended Argonaut, the owner of the paper, Byron Cole, was on his way back from New York to San Francisco. The principal route at that time was by sea from New York to San Juan del Norte--called Graytown-- in Nicaragua, then by the San Juan River to Lake Nicaragua and by land from Virgin Bay to San Juan del Sur, where the steamers from San Francisco discharged and took on cargo and passengers. The Atlantic side of this traffic was controlled by a corporation called the Transit Company, of which Commodore Vanderbilt was the chief spirit. The Pacific end was controlled by a San Francisco firm. The Transit Company was under contract to pay to the Nicaraguan government $10,000 a year and a certain percentage of the net profits for the privileges it obtained in the country. Occasionally the business of the company was interrupted, or the journeying of passengers made lively by the outbreak of a revolution. A gentleman could not be elected President of Nicaragua in those days without having the chair pulled out from under him before he got well settled. A revolution every four months—three a year—was the average. Some of the presidents could not read or write, but that made no difference in a country in which only 1 percent of the population had been educated. What did education amount to anyhow, where Nature had provided everything necessary for man’s well-being? Nicaragua was known as Mahomet’s paradise. The climate in a eat part pf the republic was ideal. Work was unnecessary—or almost so. Fruit grew in riotous profusion and clothing was not a need. Man reaped without sowing and the harvest never failed. It would be paradise indeed but for the vileness of man.

 

In October, 1854, Nicaragua was more disturbed than usual. After the election of a year before Chamerro, leader of the Legitimist Party, and exiled Castellon, The leader of the Democratic Party, whereupon Castellon had returned, started a revolution with the aid of Honduras, driven Chamerro out of Leon, the Democratic stronghold, and then laid siege to Granada, the Legitimist headquarters. The siege had lasted nine months, a remarkable thing in Central America. Revolutions, when Castellon’s allies were called home by war in Honduras, and Castellon was in a sad plight. Just then Byron Cole appeared upon the scene. Castellon knew something of the ability of Americans as fighters and gladly made a contract on the part of his government to take into his army 300 American “colonists liable to military duty.” The settler should receive a grant of 52,000 acres of land and each man should get $100 a month for service in war. Cole took this contract to the Man of Destiny, who was editing the San Francisco Chronicle, for no one had greater faith in the destiny of Walker than did the man who owned the paper. It was in May, 1855, that Walker, after a multitude of petty annoyances and legal obstacles, left San Francisco with 56 companions in the brig Vesta for new Realjo. From there he went to Leon, the democratic capital. Castellon welcomed him heartily. Walker was commissioned as colonel, Achilles Kewen as lieutenant colonel and Timothy Crocker as major. The Americans were organized as a separate corps under the name American Phalanx, and with a supporting body of several hundred veteranos of the Nicaraguan Army , were sent to attack Rivas, a city of 11,000, in the most thickly populated part of Nicaragua, and defended by 600 legitimist troops. Before he started Walker’s supporting force of veteranos had dwindled to 100, and when he was met by the legitimists outside the city the veteranos fled at the first fire. The 56 Americans advanced steadily and fought their way into the city through the narrow streets down to the plaza. It was not until he had reached the plaza, where the legitimists put up a stubborn resistance, that Walker discovered the defection of the veteranos. Six of Walker’s 56 were dead; twelve were wounded. The enemy had lost 150. It was useless for Walker, reduced to such numbers, to continue the contest further, so he withdrew from the city. The enemy killed the American wounded who fell into their hands, and then burned the bodies. Walker retreated to San Juan del Sur, where he seized a Costa Rican schooner, put his men in it and sailed away until he met the Vesta.

To illustrate how rigid was the discipline Walker maintained over his volunteer band, even in defeat, two instances are given. Two of bis men, either for loot or revenge, set fire to some warehouses in San Juan. He at once sentenced them to death. A few weeks later, in a drunken spree, killed a native boy. Walker had the man executed and had the order carried out, although the mother of the boy pleaded for the man’s life. When Walker returned to Leon with what was left of his phalanx, he had an interview with Castellon that made that gentleman shed tears, and it was only by exercising his authority to the utmost that Walker could prevent his men from clashing with Castellon’s active troops. Castellon promised various things to compensate the Americans, but did nothing, and, at last, Walker left in disgust, threatening to go to Honduras and enter the service of President Cabanas. Nothing was further from Walker’s purpose than what he led Castellon to believe he intended to do. In fact, he had received an offer of 160 recruits from Don Jose Valle if Walker would return to the meridional department (the Rivas territory through which the Transit Company operated). Valle wanted to set up an independent republic for that part of the republic but would not consider that part of his proposition.  Walker did, however, want military control of the meridional section, for without it he would be cut off from reinforcements from the states and with it he would command what really was the key to Nicaragua. Accordingly, he put his men aboard the Vest again, arriving at San Juan del Sur August 29. With Valle’s 160 active recruits joined to the phalanx he marched to Virgin Bay, where he was attacked by Gen. Guardiola and 60 legitimists. Walker made such skillful use of his men that Guardiola’s little army was routed, leaving 0 dead and 100 wounded on the field.

 

Guardiola was succeeded by Corral, who took up a strong position at Rivas, commanding the road to Granada, the largest city in Central America. While Corral strengthened his position and prepared to give a hot reception to the Americans,  Walker quietly laid his plans for a move that astounded Nicaragua. Granada is on Lake Nicaragua and is well guarded. Getting possession of a lake steamer, Walker got his whole force aboard hurriedly and approaching Granada stealthily at night with his lights shrouded and his furnaces screened, he had his men inside the city before the sentries could spread the alarm. The surprised garrison, panic stricken at first, tried to rally in the plaza, but it was no use. Walker’s men drove them away in disorder. Possibly the fact that the day had been one of festival and the inhabitants in the Garrison had celebrated it with fervor and heartiness accounted for the completeness of the surprise. At any rate, Walker, with a force of 110, captured the chief city of the Republic and did not lose a man.

It has been the custom in Central American warfare to subject a conquered city to plunder, but that was not to walkers liking. he established a provisional government at once comma put the city under guard and punish the first case of looting so severely that there was no more of it. Then he sent envoys to treat with coral. Coral not only rejected Walker's proposals, but put the United States Minister, who accompanied the invoice, into jail. Walker, meanwhile, had received reinforcements from California, and his native force had been increased until he had quite a respectable army. He might have given battle to corral, but it was not necessary. Some of Corral's men killed six or seven American travelers who were crossing by the transit company Road, and Walker at once retaliated by court martialing, the Legitimist Secretary of State, Don Matteo Mayorga, who had been captured in Grenada. Why Mayorga should be slain for the murderous deeds of the soldiers is not clear, but he was executed. This seemed to strike terror into the soul of Corral, for he agreed at once to treat for peace. Corral entered Grenada and side by side he and Walker marched to the cathedral, where a high mass and Te Deum's were sung.

 

Corral and Walker signed a peace agreement by which Don Patricio Rivas was appointed President pro tempore. Parker H. French, one of Walker's lieutenants, minister of Hacienda and Corral Minister of war. Walker was made Generalissimo of the Army.

Corral was the pride of Nicaragua. He was remarkably handsome and one of the most generous, kindly and lovable men. But he was not honorable, and hardly had he signed the treaty than he sent letters broadcast to his friends, begging them to foment trouble, arouse the legitimists everywhere and drive the Americans out of the land. “Nicaragua is lost; lost are Honduras, San Salvador, and Guatemala If they let this thing prevail. Let them come quickly. If they would meet auxiliaries, he wrote. All good and patriotic had it not been for the treaty he had signed and the pledges he had entered into. Walker got wind of Corral's duplicity and laid proof of the general's guilt before the president and cabinet. A court martial was convened. Corral threw himself upon the mercy of the judges, but it was useless. He was condemned to die by the fusillade. The leading citizens pleaded for clemency, but Walker, who was the government, refused. Correll died and Nicaragua wept.

In the four months following the formation of the new government, Walker’s force of Americans and other foreigners increased to 1200. They came from all parts of the Union, but principally from California and the southern states. Among the adventurers were many idle and desperate characters, who looked for booty and the utmost license in living. They had a shocking surprise. Instead of debauchery and free living, they found the most rigid of military discipline. Anyone caught selling liquor to a soldier was subject to a $250 fine. A soldier caught intoxicated was put in jail for 10 days. Never before were filibusters held so strongly in leash as by this little man. Crimes against the natives he punished with a severity that was appalling. There was no forgiveness for an offender. When the class of men he had to deal with is considered, there can be no doubt of his ability to control men.

But while Walker was master of affairs in Nicaragua, and the whole Republic was enjoying peace and contentment such as it had not known for several years, troubles were developing on the outside for the filibuster leader. England was alarmed. If the United States got control of Nicaragua and built a Nicaragua canal, Great Britain's commercial supremacy was endangered. England had held possession of various places on. The Gulf Coast of Nicaragua, for a century or more, and saw or pretended to see their safety threatened by the Walker influence in Nicaragua. If Walker ruled Nicaragua, it was inevitable that his power would extend farther. It might embrace all Central America. Neither England, France nor Spain wanted any extension of American influence in the Central American countries.

Walker might have handled the European opposition without much trouble, but he had more serious antagonists in the United States. He was avowedly an advocate of slavery, and he had the support of people in the slave states. William L Marcy, Secretary of State, had no sympathy with Walker or his project. He looked upon him as a little less than an outlaw, and his plans as criminal. He saw too that if Walkers undertaking succeeded,  there would be a stimulus to freebooting, such as would stir the world. there were some men in wall street comma too comma connected with the transit company, who so for their interest in Nicaragua if a martinet such as Walker controlled the government. They preferred to deal with Nicaragua. The Minister Walker's provisional Government sent to the United States was not received, and Spanish America gave evidence of its feelings toward the filibusters by two acts. Costa Rica declared war against Nicaragua, and Peru subscribed $150,000 to aid Costa Rica. Honduras, too, was on the eve of taking up arms. Both Honduras and Costa Rica got war supplies, if not financial support, from the British.

Walker was down with fever when the Costa Ricans crossed the border, and Colonel Schlesinger had command of the filibuster force. He was utterly incompetent, and his little force was routed, being surprised through gross carelessness. The Costa Rican army was commanded by the Prussian general von Bulow.

The unexpected defeat of the filibusters stirred the opposition in the north into revolt, Guardiola raising a mixed force of Leonese and Hondurans. What was more serious, the Transit Company suspended business. This cut off Walker’s supplies and reinforcements from the east. Walker retaliated by appointing a committee to audit the Transit Company's books. The commission report that the government had been defrauded for years and that $250,000 was due to it. Commodore Vanderbilt refused to acknowledge or liquidate the debt, period. Walker thereupon seized the transit companies property as security, revoked Vanderbilt's charter and granted a new one to a rival company.

On April 9th, 1856, Walker rode out of Grenada with 500 men, 4/5 of them Americans, to give battle to the Costa Ricans, who had captured Rivas. The Costa Rican Army was 3200 strong and had some English, German and French mercenaries in it. In a general assault, Walker practically was defeated, but he inflicted such loss on the Costa Ricans that they were glad to see him withdraw. The collar will breaking out among the Costa Ricans, only a remnant of the army survived. This rid Walker of 1 trouble, but the invasion from the north still menaced him. By quick work, he overcame this, and then he turned to a new field of activity. He became a candidate for the presidency, and in the June election he received twice as many votes as all his rivals. On July 12th, 1856, he was inaugurated president. It is noteworthy that Walker received the largest vote ever cast for a candidate in the Republic up to that time, and that his administration lasted longer than any other president, with but two exceptions. But although Walker was elected legally, the nations of the Earth refused to recognize him.

Walker was at the top of his fame. the filibuster, the mining camp editor had become the lawful ruler of a nation as big as all New England and as rich in resources as almost any in the western world.

Walker selected natives for most of his cabinet positions and made excellent progress toward reforming the affairs of the country, but he was not to go far undisturbed. On the north the Hondurans were massing, and on the South, the Costa Ricans. Both had aid, financial and otherwise, from Europe. The Hondurans and the disaffected Leonese overran Leon and finally took our pick position on the heights of Messiah, 15 miles from Grenada. In October 1856, Walker, with 800 men, attacked them and had victory insight when he learned from a Courier that another force was marching on Grenada. He had to postpone the crushing of the Messiah force. To return and protect Grenada. He was just in time to save the city and route the Allies. This put an end to hostilities for a time.

Nicaragua was not to have peace for long, however. Soon the Costa Ricans were over the border again and new. levies were coming from the north. The Costa Ricans were menacing the Transit Rd. between Virgin Bay and San Juan del Sur. Above all things comma Walker had to keep open his communication with San Francisco comma for this was his only source of supplies from the outside world, the Atlantic side of the route being closed. The menace on the Transit Rd. from the Costa Rican army became so serious that Walker, whose force was not sufficient to defend Grenada and the road, had to give up one or the other. He decided to give up Grenada, but in doing so he also decided  on an act for which he never can be excused. He determined to destroy the city, the largest and most imposing in all Central America, so that it would not fall into his enemies hands.

 The work of destruction was assigned to Colonel Henningson, his chief of artillery. While Henningson went destroying Grenada by flames and shot, Walker set out for Rivas, where he set up a new capital. The destruction of Grenada was not accomplished without desperate fighting for the Hondurans and the Leonese to the number of 5000, battled valiantly to get into the city and save it. For three weeks the struggle lasted, and at last Henningson withdrew and the city was a ruin. When the Allies entered the capital, it was a wilderness of destruction. In the Plaza, Henningson left a sign reading. “Aqui fue Granada”-- Here was Grenada.

Meanwhile, Eight British men-of-war were at San Juan del Norte, Graytown, on the Atlantic side of the Nicaragua route. Walker made several efforts to open communication between the lake and San Juan del Norte, but failed, all the points along the San Juan River being held by his enemies. He got recruits and supplies by every steamer from San Francisco, but every day his position became more desperate. Through the winter of 1856, he was besieged in Rivas by the Allied armies of Costa Rica, Honduras and northern Nicaragua. His ammunition began to run short. Early in February 1857, the United States man-of-war St. Mary’s arrived at San Juan del Sur. The British warship HMS Esk was in her wake. Events were nearing a crisis.

There were numerous engagements between Walker's army and the Allies, and hundreds and hundreds of lives were sacrificed. Then a new danger confronted Walker. It was famine. When this came, his men deserted in droves. Soon there was not an ounce of bread in the city. The men lived on horse or mule meat for a few weeks, but there had to be an end to it. On the 10th of April the Allies made a general assault and were repulsed, but April 23rd, when Commander Davis offered safe convoy to Walker and all his force to San Juan del Sur if he would have. Revas, Walker accepted. Previously, Davis had demanded that Walker surrender to him.

The filibusters walked out of the city with Walker at their head. At San Juan del Sur. Walker and 16 of his officers boarded the St. Mary's and were taken to Panama. The others of the force were taken to San Francisco period. From Panama, Walker made his way to New York, where he was received as a hero, Broadway being decked with banners and there being many public meetings. To bid him welcome. He went to Washington to complain, as lawful president of Nicaragua, of the treatment accorded him, but he got no satisfaction. In the South, he was received with the wildest enthusiasm. Immediately Walker began making plans to return to Nicaragua and renew hostilities. He was arrested on a charge of organizing an unlawful expedition. But was acquitted. 13 days after his acquittal, he arrived at San Juan del Norte on the steamer fashion with 150 men. He landed a cargo of war material and established a camp. in a few days he had captured Castille Viejo and was in possession of several lake steamers, But December 6, Commodore Paulding arrived in the United States frigate Wabash and landed 350 men, and, training the guns of the frigate on the camp, demanded Walker surrender.

 

Walker went to Washington as a prisoner of war. He preferred charges against the Commodore, and that officer was suspended from active service. As for Walker, he was turned loose.

 For two years, Walker made various efforts to lead expeditions to Nicaragua, but it was no use, the United States authorities watching him too closely. Meanwhile, the British and American governments kept a fleet of warships in Nicaraguan waters ready to pounce on him anytime he appeared.

Unable to get to Nicaragua direct, he determined to try to get there by way of Honduras. In August 1860, he sailed from Mobile in the schooner Clifton with 100 men, bound for the island of Ruatan. He landed at Ruatan August 15^th, and a few days later captured Trujillo, on the mainland. Scarcely had he captured the town when the British warship Icarus appeared, and the Captain Salmon demanded that he surrender. A force of Hondurans 700 strong, led by General Alvarez, meanwhile, assembled to hem him in. Walker evacuated the town and with 70 men retreated down the coast. The Icarus, with Alvare and some of his force on board, followed, and at Rio Negro, Captain Salmon and General Alvarez cornered Walker. The filibuster surrendered to the British captain, but when the Icarus returned to Trujillo, Captain Salmon turned him over to the Hondurans for trial. Captain Salmon offered to plead for Walker if the president would ask, as an American citizen, for intercession. Walker declined. September 11^th he was arraigned before a court martial and condemned to die the next morning by fusillade. At 7:30 AM. September 12th, 1860 he walked calmly and with firm tread to the place of execution. If he had any fear of death, he did not show the slightest sign. He was unfettered. He folded his arms and looked without emotion at the three soldiers who were assigned to the grim work of carrying out the sentence of the court. They approached within 20 feet, took deliberate aim and at the signal fired. All three shots took effect, but Walker stood like a statue. A fourth soldier approached, put his rifle close to Walker's head, pulled the trigger, and the last and the greatest of all the filibusters was dead at the age of 37.