122 NICARAGUA. 



the Government at la Vïrgen, and about the month of October 

 of that year, he captured the city of Granada, diXvai established 

 a Government in that town. Successively he conquered all 

 Nicaragua, and was appointed Director of the Government. 

 He retained office for some time ; but at last was obliged to 

 leave the country with the remainder of his followers. 



This is the same Colonel Walker which I have men- 

 tioned in my narrative of Count Raousset Boulbon's Expe- 

 ditions to Sonora. He was the model type of the true free- 

 booter. 



If he had been successful, it is probable that Nicaragua 

 and the other Central American Republics, would have been the 

 centre of a large American and European emigration, and the 

 future of that country quite changed ; but it is impossible to 

 say if for better or worse, but certainly the change would have 

 been considerable. Walker made a third attempt to re- 

 conquer Nicaragua, which he considered as his personal 

 property. Although thrown down from the Presidential chair 

 by a revolution, he never renounced his determination of re- 

 conquering it. There was a party in Nicaragua which was in 

 his favour, and if his first intentions were to conquer that 

 country for the United States, he soon changed his mind. 

 What he wanted was to conquer it for himself by all means. 

 From Protestant he turned to Catholic, this being imperative if 

 he wanted to make himself popular with the Nicaraguans. 



Walker was very popular in the United States, principally 

 in the South, having resided a long time in New Orleans. 

 In matters of discipline he was inflexible, and for that reason, 

 liked and respected by his officers and soldiers. 



In i860, when he prepared his last expedition, recruiting 

 followers, so many offered to accompany him that he had 

 only to choose amongst them. 



This was done with much secrecy, Leagued with an 

 ex-President of Honduras, General Cabanas, they resolved 

 to put down President Guardiola, and replace him with 

 Cabanas. 



The occupation of Truxillo, a small town situated on 

 the coast of Honduras, opposite Ruatan Island, was his first 

 exploit. 



Walker presented himself before the town, at four in the 

 morning, with one hundred and ten men, well armed with 

 Minié rifles. He divided them in two columns. In the fort, 

 there were about one hundred soldiers and three hundred 

 volunteers. The two columns of Walker advanced, one bv 



