No. 236.
Mr. Baxter to Mr. Fish,
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Aug. 10, 1872. (Received Sept. 16.)
Sir: Since my last dispatch (No. 60, of July 13) there has been no communication between Tegucigalpa and the port of Amapala, as the country between this and the southern coast has been occupied by an armed force of Indians, estimated from four to six hundred, commanded by one Barona, professedly acting in the interest of President Medina, but appearing to act entirely upon their own responsibility. On the 15th I shall have three mails awaiting in Amapala, and now start a courier with the hope that he may succeed in making the trip. On the 30th of July Tegucigalpa was attacked by a force of about three hundred of these Indians, commanded by Barona himself, but the citizens arming themselves, with about fifty soldiers, made a successful resistance, and, after a battle which lasted about one hour and a half, the Indians made a precipitate retreat. Tegucigalpa, however, is in a continual state of fear and excitement, as this force continue in the vicinity. Honduras now has a revolution within a revolution. On the 15th of July the castle at Omoa was surrendered to General Don Juan Antonio Medina, a Salvadorean general, acting under the provisional President? Arias, and the provisional government; and, on the 16th, this same General Don Juan Antonio Medina declared himself provisional president, appointing his ministers, &c. This is supposed by many to be an arrangement between President Medina and himself. Nothing reliable is known here of this second provisional government. On the 25th of July President Medina, with a force of six hundred, is reported to have been routed at Santa Barbara by the provisional government troops, under command of General Espinoza. On Wednesday last, the 7th, the news was received by the authorities here that President Medina had been captured at Porto Cabello, and was being brought to Comayagua in irons. This news was celebrated by a general ringing of bells and firing of cannon. Nothing confirmatory, however, has as yet been received,
I have, &c.,