Nicaraguan Minister Orozco addresses Walker’s occupation of Granada

After Leon celebrated the seize of Granada, the Provisional Government, by means of the Minister of Relations—previously known as Canon Apolonio Orozco—addressed the rest of the city by saying:

“Mr. Minister of Relations of the Supreme Government of the State of…

“By order of the Supreme Senator-Director of the State, I have the pleasure to inform you that the 13th of this month, at five o’clock in the morning, the democratic forces of the Southern Department—acting upon the orders of Brigadier Generals William Walker and José María Valle—took the plaza in the city of Granada by surprise, having executed the operation by arriving from the lake on one of our steamships. This great success on the part of governmental forces was completed without spilling much blood and without causing the city even the smallest amount of disorder.

“As this site had acted as the political and military base of the faction against which the Nicaraguan people were fighting, there is no doubt that this conflict has ended, as only few enemy forces remain, all incapable of resisting the triumphant forces in Granada or the respectable army which marched from our city while the Western Department was in contact with the forces there. All that I have told you serves to venerate the President of this State, who does not doubt that you will share in the overflowing, righteous joy resulting from such an important milestone in the fight for freedom in Central America.

“I take this opportunity to offer to the Minister, for the first time, the highest praise and distinguished esteem by which I work as his attentive servant,

Apolonio Orozco.”