No. 232.
Mr. Baxter to Mr. Fish.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, May 15, 1872. (Received July 3.)
Sir: I would respectfully state that the war which has been so long imminent between Honduras and Salvador has resulted in the declaration of war by Salvador,* * and it is reported (upon what authority I do not know) that Guatemala joins with Salvador in the war.* * * President Medina has deposited the executive power of the republic in the hands of Hon. Cresencio Gomez, and has taken command-in-chief of the army. On the 3d or 4th instant, a division of the Salvadorian army, commanded by General Juan Antonio Medina, invaded Honduras, and at Sabana Grande (about twelve leagues distant from Tegucigalpa) surprised a division of the Honduras army on the 6th instant, entirely routing and dispersing them, and capturing the entire train, and about four hundred stand of arms, only the general commanding (Velez) and his staff escaping, thus leaving the entire southern portion of Honduras in the hands of the invading army. On the 7th or 8th the port of Ama-pala was surrendered to a detachment of Salvadorian forces. On the 9th, Tegucigalpa was occupied by the Salvadorian general, Medina, and his forces, and on the 12th the capital, Oomayagua, by the same forces, all without opposition, the President pro tern., (Gomez,) cabinet, and government officials retiring, to what locality I am not yet informed. President Medina is supposed to be in the department of Gracias with the main force, and it is reported that President Gonzalez with the Salvadorian forces is marching to attack him. Of the numbers of either army I have no reliable information. The war from the beginning in Honduras has assumed a revolutionary character, and the departments as they are occupied pronounce against the present government and in favor of the provisional government, which is reported to have been formed with one Celeo Arias as provisional president, and all the friends of this change are very confident of the success of the revolution, which would seem very probable if Salvador and Guatemala are acting in concert, and can keep their own republics quiet for a sufficient time.
I have, &c,