Later from Nicaragua

We have had no Nicaragua news from here, from the Pacific side, since the Orizaba arrived at Panama; and all the information I could obtain from the passengers when they arrived here, and all I have since learned from Panama, was that WALKER was in a very bad fix, the Allies having surrounded him at all sides at Rivas. Nothing positive has been heard from him since the 5th of March, as the Costa Ricans had entire possession of the road between Rivas and San Juan del Sur.

All WALKER’S friends here think that his raco is run. With respect to the rumor of a battle in which he had defeated the Allies with great slaughter, some of my friends have made diligent inquiry among the officers of the Orizaba, before her return to San Francisco, and ascertained that they had heard no such accounts when in San Juan del Sur.

The British Mail Steamer Clyde has just arrived from Greytown with dates to the 3d. I went on board personally and spent an hour in order to gain correct information. I have just left her. All I could ascertain is the following:- LOCKBRIDGE and his forces on the river San Juan del Norte, had, down to the sailing of the Clyde, done nothing. It is rumored that the Texas is to bring out 500 men with several gun boats with which they can, or believe they can force the river. Until then, LOCKBRIDGE intends to remain quiet, and will not commence the offensive. Some of my informants stated also, that just as the Clyde was leaving Greytown, a report was current that LOCKRIDGE had taken Castillo, or that some battle had occurred in the neighborhood of Blachuca or Castillo. Perhaps the Costa Ricans had attacked LOCKRIDGE’S position- but all was uncertainty.

The news of the brilliant successes of the fillibusters has reached this quarter by every steamer, but has always proven false. During my residence here of three months, I have heard of some tight vitories, won by LOCKRIDGE on the San Juan, and neither I nor any of the citizens here give the least credence to anything the fillibusters may say or write.

Several deserters from LOCKRIDGE, who came by the Clyde, give dismal accounts of their past sufferings and privations. With their present force, they saw no chance of opening communication with WALKER. At the very lease, one-half of his men are down with the fever. They have not been able to get any news from WALKER down the river. The boys think he is completely used up, has escaped from Nicaragua, and will endeavor to get to the San Juan River to take command of the small force there. Gen. HORNSBY is in a state of high dudgeon because LOCKRIDGE will not hand over his command. In fact, all the superior officers are at loggerheads.

If the river cannot be forced, LOCKRIDGE says an attempt will be made on Costa Rica, as he is certain 500 to 1,000 men will be dispatched from the States by the Texas and the Tennessee for this purpose.

Several scouts who were sent out to reconnoiter Castillo, between the 20th and the 25th, have not returned.



Agreeably to promise, I endeavor to forward you the latest news. There is, however, little or no news of importance. Col. LOCKRIDGE has been down here several times with the steamer Scott for provisions- the last time was on the 31st ult. The sickness amongst his men is alarming; and from one or two of the men to whom I spoke, I learned that his whole force had refused to remain any longer at Serapiqui, or the Island of Providence, at the mouth of the river San Carlos, on account of the malady prevailing there. In consequence, LOCKRIDGE has abandoned these places and moved out his entire force a few miles higher up the river,- to the Machuca rapids- five miles above the Island of Providence.

Several deserters who have recently arrived here say that the movement to Machuca was not made altogether on account of the malady revailing amongst his troops, but to mislead and deceive the Costa Ricans; for that LOCKRIDGE intended to remain at Machuca till the Texas should bring more reinforcements, and then move up the Serapiqui towards Costa Rica. [The Texas, as our readers are aware, has been withdrawn, and consequently no recruits can go out in her,- Ed. TIMES.] As the prevailing opinion amongst the officers and men was, that in the event of the capture of Fort Castillo, which could only be accomplished by an immense sacrifice of life, they could not proceed further, as the upper river and lake steamers were held by the Costa Ricans near San Carlos. They also say that he had sent out scouts to find the Costa Rican road leading from the interior towards Castillo, but these scouts had not returned. There was a rumor just before the closing of my letter, that LOCKRIDGE had made a demonstration against Castillo. But the result appears uncertain, and unless heavy reinforcements arrive soon, the forces here may be considered as disbanded. R. L.




We shall not have any news from WALKER’S camp at Rivas until about the 15th instant by the Panama Railroad Company’s Steamer Panama, from Central American ports. I have you as a rumor in my last letter that CAYCRE, who was cut off from Rivas, and was at San Juan del Sure, with 40 men, had undertaken to convoy the 80 men arrived by the Sierra Nevada from California to Rivas, and had lost half of them in the attempt. I now learn, from undoubted authority, that in substance, the statement was correct. CAYCRE, with the 40 men immediately under his charge, took a by-road and arrived safely at Rivas. But the 80 recruits, who had started earlier in the morning, met the Costa Ricans about five miles on the road, and left 40 of their number on the field of battle.

The friends of WALKER still contend that he has from 1,300 to 1,500 men under his command at Rivas. A “gentleman” informs the Aspinwall Courier that, on the 16th of March WALKER had 1,100 good fighting men, besides several hundred more fit for defence, in case he was attacked. Let us see: When I was at Rivas the last of January, WALKER’S whole force, to my certain knowledge, consisted of not more than 800 men fit for duty, and 150 men in the two hospitals, who would never do any more fighting. Since then, he received, Feb. 2, by the Orizaba, 50 men from San Francisco; March 1, he got 75, or, say 80 by the Sierra Nevada; March 16, the Orizaba landed 21 men at San Juan del Sur, making, in all, 151 men, which, added to 800, gives a total of 951 men. Since then he lost, in the two first fights at Obraje and St. George, 50 men; in subsequent fights at the latter place, at least 50 more. SANDERS lost 50 in trying to relieve CAYCRE. The latter lost 40 in getting back to Rivas. One hundred and twenty-six deserters have arrived, by way of Costa Rica, at Panama, leaving 44 more to come by next steamer- in all, lost since Feb. 1, 360 men; add to this at least 100 additional men who have died, sickened or deserted, and we have 491 men- 100 more than he can probably count up to-day.

No confidence is placed in the story of the assassination of President RIVAS at Leon. It is true that one of his Ministers, CASTILLO, a native of Granada, was fired at while standing in his own door, and that next day both he and another of the Cabinet resigned. Probably the story of RIVAS’S assassination grew out of these circumstances.

I wrote you in my last, by the Texas, that I could see no reason for doubt that a battle did really take place in the suburbs of the Rivas between WALKER and a portion of the Costa Rican force. In the face of the fact that I have been unable to find a single person or letter here giving any definite account of such a fight, but that all appears to be founded on hearsay, I am now inclined to set it down as a Roorback- similar to the story brought by the prior steamer, the Sierra Nevada.



Preparations are making to send 1,000 men from Charleston to the relief of Gen. WALKER, and Charleston and New Orleans will contribute $5,000 to aid his cause.