DOW, Acting Agent to George W. Keeler, October 7, 1873

Mr. Dow to Mr. Keeler.

Dear Sir: In continuation of my respects, No. 74, by previous steamer, on the political condition of affairs here, I now beg to report the following events, as having transpired since that time.

At the time of closing the letter referred to, rumors were rife that the rebel party intended attacking the city the same night, (22d,) and so convinced of this was the inside party, that the president of the state sent to the United States consul a verbal request to ask the admiral, commanding United States force in these waters, to land a force from the United States steamer Pensacola and the Benicia for the protection of foreign interests in this city, and the property of the railroad at the station.

The night of the 22d passed without any offensive movement on the part of the rebels.

Late in the afternoon of the following day, (23d,) the admiral sent on shore to this depot an effective force of one hundred and twenty men, and two howitzer guns, upon the arrival of which the Federal squad of fifteen men, mentioned in my last, were withdrawn to the city.

About 1 a.m. on the 24th, the rebel forces secretly left their camp, and approaching the city under cover of the darkness, opened fire on it from the windows, and from loopholes made in the stone walls of the houses which they had taken possession of in the suburbs.

The government, expecting an attack, had already for some days had its force disposed in houses along the line of the city walls, and from these sheltered positions the tire of the rebels was returned. All through the following day, and through all the succeeding nights and days, the fire was kept up, with occasional intermissions on both sides until last night, when the rebels vacated their positions and retired in good order to their camp at Faufau, beyond the Rio Grande, where it is said they will remain until peace is made by negotiation, or until with re-enforcements of men and materials they can renew the fight with better chances of success. Fighting as they have been on both sides from behind stone walls, the list of killed and wounded is small. For these particulars I must refer you to the newspapers which go forward by this mail.

Referring to the United States naval force on shore, I may remark that on the 23d, as already stated, there were landed one hundred and twenty officers and men and two howitzers from the flag-ship Pensacola. On the 25th this force was increased to one hundred and sixty-six officers and men and three howitzers, and on the 26th to two hundred and fifteen officers and men, this last being the maximum number at this depot at any one time.

On the 27th an additional force of twenty-five officers and men with a howitzer were disembarked from the Benicia and sent to the cabildo, or city hall, accompanied by seventy-two officers and men with one howitzer from the depot, making the total force on shore two hundred and forty men and four guns, one hundred and forty-three of which from the Pensacola were continued at the depot.

On the 4th all the Benicia’s men returned to their ship, and on the 6th instant (yesterday) the force at the dept was reduced to seventy-nine officers and men with two howitzers, which is the only force now remaining on shore.

The commanding officer on shore has suggested to the admiral, now that the rebel force has retired and communication with the city by land is again open and unrestricted, and the fighting between the belligerents is virtually over, for the present at least, that this last-named force be still further reduced to twenty-five officers and men with one howitzer, which is quite sufficient and may be necessary for moral effect, in which I agree with him. The officers and men from the Pensacola, those now here, have been on shore two weeks to-day, and, as a matter of course, they are anxious to return.

Before closing this part of my letter, referring to the political and military condition of affairs here, I may be permitted to say of our naval officers and men, who have been the guardians of the company’s valuable and exposed property, that they came promptly and cheerfully to its protection. Exposed as they have been to rain and sun, and insufficient accommodation, I have yet to hear the first murmur of dissatisfaction or discontent from either officer or man. I consider them well entitled to the special thanks of the company.

One more allusion and I am done, and that is to the serious interruption during the continuance of hostilities to the work of embarking and disembarking passengers and freight from our depot-wharf. For the first two or three days after hostilities broke out interruption was almost complete, as it was difficult to find men to do the work. Subsequently the work was carried on with some degree of regularity, but still under great disadvantages, by reason of the presence of many women and children who had abandoned their homes for the security afforded by the wharf and the buildings at the depot.

Another and greater inconvenience than all, and which was constantly attended with danger to the lives of all the officers and clerks of the company, was the cutting off of communication by land with the city, where they all of necessity reside, and which forced them from the morning of the 24th ultimo until yesterday morning, a period of thirteen days, to go backward and forward between the city and the depot-wharf in small boats, and literally under fire of the rebel guns, and hardly a day passed that there were not some to tell their experience of a hair-breadth escape from passing shots while making the passage. Another great inconvenience of this means and course of travel was the tides, which for three hours every day entirely interrupted communication. But, notwithstanding the danger from passing bullets and the-many inconveniences to which they were subject, the duties of the different departments at the depot were carried on with as much care and attention as in ordinary times, and the company’s interests were not permitted to suffer by neglect.

Yours, &c.,