Just after the blockade began at Vera Cruz Gen. Bravo, commanding there, permitted several American vessels to leave the port, and in acknowledgment of his liberality two Mexican merchant vessels were sent in to him with their cargoes, crews and passengers. Courteous notes were exchanged ([76]Gacyores to Bravo, May 27; reply, May 28; Bravo, May 26). At Tampico Capt. Saunders and the city authorities were mutually considerate ([313]S. to Bancroft, June 6, 1846).
[10.] (Designed) London Times, Dec. 10, 1846. Comte. gen. V. Cruz. July 9, 1846. Sen. 1; 30, 1, 945, 950–1. [13]Pakenham, no. 98, 1846. [162]Conner, Dec. 18, 1846. Foltz, Report. Niles, Oct. 10, 1846, pp. 84–5. [47]Conner, July 22, 1846. Semmes, Service, 100. Parker, Recolls., 58, 62, etc. McClay, Navy, ii, 177–8. Bennett, Steam Navy, 98. Ho. 1; 30, 2, p. 1233 (Perry).
[11.] [73]Bermúdez de Castro, no. 441, 1847. Lerdo de Tejada, Apuntes, ii, 540. Henshaw narrative, Mar. 17, 1847. Smith, To Mexico, 117–8. Ho. 1; 30, 2, p. 1233 (Perry). [13]Giffard, Jan. 31, 1847. Picayune, Mar. 11, 1847. Contributory tariff: pp. 261–3.
[12.] Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 775 (Bancroft). (Mex. navy) Balbontín, Estado, 19; Diario, Apr. 4, 5, 1846; [70]“Guerra,” no. 1120; [13]Giffard, Dec. 20, 1846. [76]Acta of naval offs., Mar. 12, 1846. Memoria de ... Guerra, Dec, 1846. [76]Mora y Villamil, Mar. 12, 1846. [76]Orders to Marín, Mar. 9, 1846. [76]Marín, Apr. 26, 1847. N. Y. Sun, June 8, 1846. Niles, May 1, 1847, p. 131 (Hunter).
[13.] [375]Perry to Mason, Nov. 16, 1846. Conner, Home Squadron, 9, 11, 14. Parker, Recolls., 67, 71. [162]Morris to Conner, June 24; Oct. 24, 1846. Ho. 1; 30, 2, pp. 1172 (Conner), 1191–2 (Perry). [46]Perry, Nov. 16, 1846. Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 252–3. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 287, 293. [166]Perry to Conner, Dec. 27, 1846. [166]Reports on condition of engines, boilers, etc. Bennett, Steam Navy, 93. [47]Conner, Sept. 22, 1846. Soley, Porter, 64. [165]Conner, Nov. 24, 1846.
[14.] [162]Conner’s letters to his wife. Curtis, Buchanan, i, 603 (Slidell). Soley, Porter, 53–4. Semmes, Service, 114, 128. Conner, Home Squadron, 6, 23. [162]Bancroft to Conner, Dec. 10, 1845. [162]Matson to Id.., Feb. 27, 1847.
[15.] [48]Bancroft to Conner, Aug. 30, 1845, secret. Polk, Diary, Jan. 17, 1846. Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 774–5 (Bancroft). [69]Conner to Taylor, Feb. 4. [47]Id.to Bancroft, May 14. [162]Id.., May 20. [61]Bancroft to Conner, Jan. 17. London Times, June 29; Dec. 10. Semmes, Service, 100. [76]Bravo, May 4. Tampico Eco, June 9, 16. [76]Parrodi, June 8, 17. [76]Vilar to Parrodi, June 8. [162]Saunders to Conner, June 20. [313]Id.to Id.., June 17. [313]Id.to Wash. Union, Oct. 10. Niles, May 23, 1846, p. 178. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 377 (Mason, report). Conner, Home Squadron, 9. Bennett, Steam Navy, 34–5, 43, 62–3, 67–8, 71. Ho. 1; 30, 2, p. 1163 (Conner). Picayune, Aug. 26. For Conner’s coöperation with Taylor see vol. i, pp. 466, 469.
The Princeton was the earliest naval steam propeller. She was rigged as a ship. Saunders opened fire, June 8, because he feared new fortifications (near the mouth of the Pánuco) would make it hard to capture Tampico. He did little damage. The enemy replied feebly. Suspecting that the Mexican gunboats intended to sail out and raid American commerce, he determined to capture them by surprise in the night of June 14–15. He had no good pilot. The boats had much difficulty in finding the channel, which had recently shifted, and were even compelled to row more than half a mile against a swift current within pistol shot of the shore. One of them grounded twice. The moon came out. The Americans were discovered and fired upon. They replied; and then, as a surprise was no longer possible, they retired according to orders. May 28 Conner, on the Cumberland, was at Pensacola; the St. Mary’s off Tampico; the Mississippi and Falmouth off V. Cruz; the Raritan there or on her way to that port; the Lawrence (which seems to have been a brig but was not mentioned in the department’s list of vessels under Conner on May 13) assisting the army; and the Somers on the Yucatan service (Ho. 1; 30, 2, p. 1163). Aug. 10 the Cumberland (still the flag-ship), Potomac, Falmouth, Mississippi, Princeton, Flirt and the three gunboats (Bonita, Reefer, Petrel) lay at Antón Lizardo; the St. Mary’s and Porpoise were off V. Cruz; the John Adams off Tampico; the brig Truxtun had gone to Chagres, and the brig Perry had gone to look for privateers near Cape S. Antonio (Picayune, Aug. 26). These data give one an idea of the usual distribution of the vessels.
[16.] The affair of Aug. 7. [165]Conner to Bancroft, May 31. [47]Id.to Id.., Aug. 10. Ho. 4; 29, 2, p. 630 (Conner). Picayune, Aug. 22, 26. N. Y. Sun, Dec 7. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 381. Semmes, Service, 88. Parker, Recolls., 66–7. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 287. [76]Landero, Aug. 10. [76]Comte gen. V. Cruz, July 15. Esperanza, Aug. 27. Locomotor, Aug. 10. For Alvarado, vol. ii, p. 344. For Antón Lizardo, vol. ii, p. 17. The Americans felt the more chagrined because British naval men witnessed their failure.
[17.] The Affair of Oct. 15. [162]Morris to Conner, Sept. 21. [47]Conner, Oct. 17. [162]Id.., Oct. 16. United Service, July, 1895, p. 33. Ho. 4; 29, 2, pp. 630–1. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 290, 293, 298–306. Picayune, Nov. 8. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 381. Griffis, Perry, 199. Semmes, Service, 88. Conner, Home Squadron, 17. [76]Marin to comte. gen., Oct. 17. [76]Landero, Sept. 5, 14; Oct. 12. [76]Soto, Oct. 18. [76]Marin to Soto, Oct. 15. Diario, Oct. 29, 30. [76]Guerra, circular, Oct. 21. Wash. Union, Nov. 30. London Times, Dec. 10.