the squadron, appointing Don Bartolomè Grima, merchant of this place, the attorney of the national squadron in this cause, and in others in which they may have interest, to represent the rights of the officers, crew, and soldiers: Having seen also the other documents accompanying these communications, from the vessel itself, which are seen from page 5 to 9, and prove distinctly that the Champion was sailing for a port that was closed and blockaded, as is the abovementioned Matagorda, according to the decree of the Supreme Government, dated the 9th of January, 1836, and that this vessel had on board, for the enemies of the Mexican republic, prohibited articles: Having also seen the other facts and proofs, that were necessary to be presented, and to bear on the cause; and the prosecution of the promotor fiscal being also heard, I definitively decree : That the aforesaid schooner Champion should be declared, as I now do declare, to be good prize, together with all her equipments and cargo. I also declare to be pirates, the captain, crew, and passengers, of the said schooner. These last are not to be included in this declaration, if they shall fully establish that they have not, directly or indirectly, contributed to piracy, and that they are not enemies of the Mexican republic, in conformity with the supreme decree of October 30, 1835, which was communicated the 4th of January, 1836; and with the 28th and 34th articles of 4th law, book 6, title 8, of the Novis Recop. I consequently order: That, with the necessary securities and protection, the whole of the cargo be transported to the warehouses of the maritime custom-house, for valuation and sale at public auction, as provided by law; that the vessel be secured, and stripped of her sails and rigging, until the Supreme Government shall decide whether she shall be sold, or reserved for the use of the nation, as has been ordered; that the captain and other persons who were on board of the schooner be conducted with equal security, and placed at the disposition of his excellency the General-in-chief of the army, Don Nicolas Bravo, that they may be sent for trial, conformably with the decree of the 29th October, 1835. For this object, this sentence shall be transmitted to the General-inchief, to the maritime custom-house'; and it will be submitted to the Supreme Government, for its decision respecting the sale of the schooner, which will be made known to the promotor fiscal and to the agent of the squadron. I thus decree, order, and sign, using witnesses of assistance in the place of the escribano required by law. I give faith. R. DELGADO. JOSE GUZMAN, Assistant. ANTONIO CORDOVA, Assistant. The preceding evidence agrees with the original acts and proceedings in this cause, which are deposited in the archives of this tribunal. I certify it, in Matamoras, this 27th of April, 1837; witnesses of assistance being used, in the absence of an escribano, according to law. I give faith. JOSE GUEZMAN, Assistant. ANTONIO CORDOVA, Assistant. R. DELGADO. [EXTRACT.] United States Consul at Mexico to Mr. Forsyth. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Mexico, May 5, 1837. SIR: The capture of the American vessels Louisiana and Champion, by the Mexican brig of war General Urrea, was announced to this Government, by express, on the 24th ultimo, which produced much exultation. The next day the news of the taking of the Louisiana and General Urrea out of the harbor of the Brasos de Santiago, by the United States sloop of war Natchez, was announced by another express, which produced great excitement in the capital, and hostile measures were immediately spoken of, and the expulsion of the American citizens from the country; the subject was submitted to Congress, and discussed with great warmth, in secret session. [EXTRACT.] Consul of the United States at Matamoras to Mr. Forsyth. CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Matamoras, July 1, 1837. The United States ship Vandalia arrived off this port on the 27th ultimo, accompanied by the revenue cutters Jefferson and Dexter, and the Mexican brig General Urrea; the last of which, I understand, has been delivered to the Mexican authorities, in obedience to an order of our Government. NAVY DEPARTMENT, To the PRESIDENT of the United States. January 8, 1838. SIR: Agreeably to your directions, I have the honor to transmit the proceedings of a court of inquiry, convened at Pensacola in August last, to examine into all the facts and circumstances connected with the capture of the Mexican brigantine General Urrea, by the United States sloop of war Natchez; also, an extract of a letter from Commodore Dallas, dated the 15th of July last; and the official report made by Commander Thomas Crabb, of the United States sloop of war Vandalia, the officer charged with the delivery of the brigantine Urrea to the Mexican authorities. These papers contain the information required by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 5th instant, so far as relates to this Department, respecting the capture, "by the United States sloop of war Natchez, of the Mexican vessel of war the General Urrea, and its subsequent restoration by the United States to the Mexican Government." I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, MAHLON DICKERSON. Minutes of the proceedings of the court of inquiry "into all the facts and circumstances connected with the capture of the Mexican brigantine General Urrea, by-Commander William Mervine, of the United States navy, commanding the United States sloop of war Natchez," convened on the 25th day of August, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, in pursuance and by virtue of the following precept of the honorable Mahlon Dickerson, Secretary of the Navy of the United States, viz: To Captain ALEXANDER JAMES DALLAS, of the navy of the United States. By virtue of the authority contained in the act of Congress approved the 23d April, A. D. 1800, for the better government of the navy of the United States, a naval court of inquiry is hereby ordered to convene as soon hereafter as practicable, and at such place, or on board such vessel of the United States squadron on the West India station as the presiding officer of the court may designate, for the purpose of inquiring and examining into all the facts and circumstances connected with the capture of the Mexican brigantine General Urrea, by Commander William Mervine, of the United States navy, commanding the United States sloop of war Natchez, and to report the result of said inquiry and examination to the Secretary of the Navy. The court to be composed of the following-named officers, viz: Captain ALEXANDER J. DALLAS, The court is hereby authorized to appoint a suitable person to act as idge advocate. NAVY DEPARTMENT, July 8, 1837. MAHLON DICKERSON. THOMAS M. BLOUNT was appointed judge advocate, as appears by the following warrant, viz: By virtue of authority in me vested by the honorable the Secretary of the Navy, you are hereby appointed judge advocate of a naval court of inquiry which will convene on board of the United States frigate Constellation on Friday next, 25th instant, at 11 o'clock A. M., for the purpose of inquiring and examining into all the facts and circumstances connected with the capture of the Mexican brigantine General Urrea, by Commander William Mervine, of the United States navy, commanding the United States sloop of war Natchez. Given under my hand, on board the United States frigate Constellation, lying in the harbor of Pensacola, this 24th day of August, 1837. A. J. DALLAS, Appointed presiding officer of the court. THOMAS M. BLOUNT, Esquire, Pensacola. The aforesaid members of the court and the judge advocate having assembled on board the United States frigate Constellation, lying in the harbor of Pensacola, on the 25th day of August, 1837 aforesaid, at 11 o'clock A. M., when and where the foregoing orders were read: where upon, the oath prescribed by the act of Congress, for members of courts of inquiry, was administered by the judge advocate to the members of the court; and then the president of the court administered the oath prescribed by the statute for persons officiating as judge, advocate in courts of inquiry to the said Thomas M. Blount; and the court was organized as follows, viz: Captain ALEXANDER J. DALLAS, President. THOMAS M. BLOUNT, Judge Advocate. Lieutenant ELISHA PECK, of the United States navy, called and sworn. Witness is the first lieutenant of the United States sloop of war Natchez, and testifies as follows: On the 9th April, 1837, the United States sloop of war Natchez, under the command of Commander William Mervine, arrived off the Brasos de Santiago; on approaching the anchorage, discovered two merchant schooners and a brig of war at anchor outside the bar; a boat was despatched from the Natchez to the Mexican brig of war, with letters to be conveyed on shore-to whom I do not know. At this time the quartermaster reported to Captain Mervine that one of the schooners, which proved to be the schooner Louisiana, of New Orleans, had displayed a withe in her main rigging. Captain Mervine despatched a boat alongside the schooner Louisiana, to ascertain the cause of displaying the withe; on the return of the boat, the officer in charge reported that the schooner was a prize to the Mexican brig of war, and was then under her guns. Captain Mervine then directed me to board the schooner and the brig of war, and ascertain the cause of her capture. The captain of the schooner Louisiana informed me that he had been captured by the Mexican squadron, off Matagorda. I then boarded the brig of war, and was informed, first, by her commander, that the Louisiana had been captured for having contraband articles on board; afterwards he told me that she had been captured for violating the blockade of Texas. I inquired of him if the vessel had been warned off previous to her capture; he replied: "No." I then inquired of him if he could show me a copy of the declaration of the blockade of the ports of Texas. He said he did not have a copy on board. I then inquired if he had the schooner's papers. He informed me that they had been conveyed to the captain of the port. Captain Mervine directed me to say to the commander of the brig of war, that he should recapture the Louisiana, unless he could be satisfied that she had been captured according to the laws of nations. I then returned to the Natchez, and made my report to Captain Mervine. Captain Mervine then directed me to arm one of our boats, and prepare for the recapture of the Louisiana. Lieutenant Moor was directed to take charge of the armed boat, and take possession of the Louisiana, whilst I was directed to take charge of an unarmed boat and board the Mexican brig of war, and say to her commander that Captain Mervine intended to take possession of the Louisiana, requesting him, at the same time, to remove his prize-crew; which he refused to do. I then left the brig of war, and repaired on board the Louisiana, and found her in possession of Lieutenant Moor. On the 10th April I was directed by Captain Mervine to board the Louisiana, examine her log-book, papers, and the nature of her cargo. I did so, and found, by her log-book, that she had been regularly cleared from the port of New Orleans, and that her roll of equipage corresponded with her number of men on board, (having mustered them to ascertain.) I then examined her cargo, and found it to agree with her log-book. It consisted of flour, tobacco, segars, snuff, whiskey, and iron hollow-ware, consisting of pots and kettles. After performing this duty, I returned and reported the facts to Captain Mervine. On the evening of the 10th we removed our prize crew from the Louisiana, got under way in company with her, and stood to the northward and eastward; during the night we parted company with the Louisiana, and returned to our anchorage off the Brasos. A boat was then despatched on shore by orders of Captain Mervine, with a communication to the authorities; the nature of the communication I do not know. On the 16th April, in the morning, the Mexican brig of war General Urrea loosed her sails, as was supposed, with the intention of proceeding to sea. Captain Mervine despatched an officer on board the General Urrea to say to her commander, if he attempted to get under way until he, Captain Mervine, heard from the authorities on shore, he would fire into him. The officer returned, with a reply from the commander of the brig General Urrea, "that if he was disposed to go to sea, he would go;" or words to that amount. At 2 o'clock P. M. Captain Mervine said to me that he intended to take possession of the General Urrea, and directed me to make the necessary preparations; which we did, by going to quarters, casting loose our guns, tripping our anchor, and backing astern abreast of the General Urrea. Captain Mervine then directed Passed Midshipman McDougal to board the General Urrea, and demand her surrender to the United States sloop of war Natchez. On the return of the boat, the officer reported to Captain Mervine that the commander of the General Urrea said that he would haul down his flag so soon as he (Captain Mervine) would fire a shot near him. Captain Mervine directed me to fire a shot ahead and across the brig General Urrea, which was done; the shot passing one-third at least of the length of the brig ahead of her. At this moment the flag of the General Urrea was struck, and there was no other gun fired. We then despatched our boats and brought the officers on board the Natchez, hoisting, at the same time, the American flag on board the General Urrea. In attempting to land the crew of the General Urrea on the beach, our boats were fired upon by the Mexican Government schooner Bravo, which was lying outside of the bar, having been warped out in the morning: the fort also commenced firing on our boats. The boats were then recalled, and they returned to the ship. The fort and the schooner Bravo then fired on the Natchez without effect, the shot falling short. The boats brought the crew of the General Urrea on board the Natchez. One of the shot from the schooner Bravo or the fort fell aboard the American schooner Climax, aud she would have sunk but for the timely assistance of the Natchez. We hen got under weigh, in company with the prize and schooner Climax, and stood off shore. Before the capture of the brig General Urrea, on the same morning, a Mexican brig of war, which afterwards proved to be the General Teran, having in company two schooners, appeared off the Rio del Norte, and continued manoeuvring throughout the day. One of the schooners proved to be an American, from New Orleans, bound into the |