No. 98.
Mr. Williamson to Mr. Fish.
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, November 3, 1874.
(Received November 24.)
Sir: I have the honor to report that another attempt has been made to overthrow the government of President Guardia, of Costa Rica.
Rumors of the attempt were current on the coast as I came down. It being also rumored the government of Nicaragua had sent troops, through this place, to aid the revolutionists, it seemed to me advisable to land here instead of at Corinto.
It appears, on the night of the 19th of October, a body of thirteen men, composed of Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans, attacked the barracks in Liberia in the department of Guanacaste, which is claimed by Costa Rica, and drove out the soldiers without the loss of a man on either side.
On the same night a body of twenty-two, said to be almost entirely Costa Ricans, lately returned from exile under the decree of general amnesty heretofore reported to you, attacked the barracks at Punta Arenas and captured it, after a sharp little engagement, in which two were killed and ten or twelve wounded. The last-named party, I am told, was under the command of Don Joaquin Fernandez, whom I have heretofore mentioned. My information is that the barracks at Huedia, San José, and Cartago were to have been attacked on the same night, but that for some reason, not yet known, no attack was made. The parties that captured the barracks at Liberia and Punta Arenas immediately took possession of those towns, without any further resistance, and proceeded to organize forces. At Liberia, I am informed, [Page 140] about two hundred men were organized and armed. At Punta Arenas, I learn, a force of between eighty and one hundred men was raised. These organizations were so quickly made that it may be fair to suppose the men were volunteers, and, perhaps, secret confederates of the revolutionists. However this might have been, it seems to be a fact that the successful parties, in less than twenty-four hours after their successes, heard of the failure of their confederates in the interior, and, at the same time, that President Guardia, at the head of a force of about three hundred men, was making forced marches upon Liberia, while one of his fiercest generals was leading a similar force rapidly in the direction of Punta Arenas. This news of the failure of their friends, and the vigorous action of the government, is said to have so disheartened the victorious parties of revolutionists, that they disbanded and escaped from Costa Rica as best they could, bringing with them their wounded. The leader of the attacking party at Liberia (a Mr. Ubina) is reputed to have made no effort to escape, and grave suspicions of his fidelity are freely expressed.
The rumor that the government of Nicaragua had sent troops to aid the revolutionists proves to be wholly untrue. The governor of this department says some troops were sent to the frontier from this place several days after the revolutionists had taken to flight, because President Guardia had pressed his pursuit into this state. He says the troops have been withdrawn.
It seems proper to mentin in connection with this subject, that the Pacific mail steamer, the Mohongo, is said to have taken on board at Punta Arenas all the fugitive revolutionists at that place. If this be so, doubtless President Guardia will attempt to make it a ground of serious complaint against that company. Heretofore President Guardia has limited his punishment upon revolutionists to banishment. Quite recently he published a decree of general amnesty. It would be difficult to form an opinion of what will be the probable course hereafter of one so peculiarly organized and educated as President Guardia. My opinion is that he is likely to go to extremes in the punishments that may be inflicted.
I have, &c.,