APPENDia;. 
535 
form considerably elevated, upon which were mounted several cannon, 
protected by a thick wall), which being forced, it was discovered, to the 
disappointment of the officers and men there engaged, that the ladder 
leading to the platform had been drawn up ; and, in an ineffectual attempt 
to climb the parapet, I regret to say, that WiUiam P. Smith, seaman, was 
killed; Henry Dutcher, ordinary seaman, and Levi M'Cabe, quarter- 
gunner, of the third division, were wounded ; and Midshipman J . W. 
Taylor, and Peter Walsh, ordinary seaman, of the first division, were also 
wounded. I then gave the order to fire the buildings within the area, 
which was promptly done ; but it being calm, and these buildings de- 
tached from the main fort, the fire did not communicate with it as I had 
hoped. A short time after the fire commenced, two magazines of powder 
blew up; but lam happy to state that the explosion injured none of us, 
although in their immediate neighbourhood. Lieutenants Hoff and Edson, 
after storming the forts against which they had been sent, hoisted the 
American flag,, and leaving a detachment in each, they formed between 
the fort and water; a brisk fire was thus poured in from two sides. 
Passed-midshipman Godon, in the launch, took a position immediately in 
front of the fort, and kept up a spirited and well-directed fire ; but so 
tenaciously did the enemy cling to their position, that not until nearly all 
of them had been destroyed could we carry the fort. This was, how- 
ever, gallantly done by Lieutenant Ingersoll, Passed-midshipman Sylvanus 
Godon, and Midshipmen Joseph C. Walsh, J. W. Taylor, and Henry C. 
Hart, who spiked, and threw the guns from the platform. The American 
colours were then hoisted, with three hearty cheers. Apprehending that 
the enemy had laid a train to his magazine, and the fort- being mostly de- 
stroyed, and completely dismantled, I deemed it proper to call off the offi- 
cers and men, as it would have been an act of inhumanity to expose them 
to an explosion. 
For some time previous to the surrender of this last fort, another, situ- 
ated about one hundred and fifty yards from the east bank of the river, 
and upon the opposite side of it, had been firing upon us with a twelve- 
pounder. It being impracticable to enter the river with our hoats, and 
not possible to ford it without wetting our fire-arms, I did not deem it ex- 
pedient to attack, this, but made preparations for the reduction of another 
in the neighbourhood of the one left in charge of Lieutenant Terrett of 
the marines, which would have remained undiscovered (the town and forts 
being situated in so thick a jungle), had the enemy not opened his fire 
upon Lieutenant Terrett. I immediately despatched Lieutenants Pinkham 
and Edson, with portions of their divisions, to reduce it ; when, being 
invested upori two sides, the enemy, after a short but ferocious resist- 
ance, fied to the jungle with much loss. It pains me, sir, ,to state, that 
in this attack private Benjamin T. Brown was killed, and private Daniel 
H. Cole wounded, supposed mortally. I omitted to mention, in its proper 
place, that John L. Dubois, seaman, belonging to Lieutenant Hoff's 
division, was severely wounded by a sabre-cut on the head and hand, and 
several others shghtly, from darts and javelins. The action having lasted 
nearly two hours and a half, and the town being almost reduced to ashes, 
the surf at the same time rising very fast, I deemed it prudent to com- 
