No. 228.
Mr. Baxter to Mr. Fish.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, October 2, 1871. (Received Nov. 18.)
Sir: In my dispatch numbered 39, dated September 1st, I stated that the armed force of desperadoes that were banded together, and had been committing serious depredations in the vicinity of the Pacific coast, had been dispersed by the military, and this would probably put an end to this trouble. In this, however, I misjudged; for these desperadoes very soon reunited, and are now reported stronger than ever, the reported number varying from four to seven hundred; that prominent desperadoes from Nicaragua have joined them, and that the matter is assuming a semi-political character. About the middle of last month a detachment of soldiers sent against them was thoroughly and entirely defeated, and the survivors so scattered that they did not reunite, and the entire country seems thoroughly alarmed.
Active measures are being taken to get a sufficient force together to overpower and put them down. In the mean time the citizens of the cities are organizing to defend themselves and property if necessary.
I have, &c,