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THE DALE AT WAR IN MEXICAN WATERS

Partly with a view to choosing a favorable season for his major operations against the west coast of Mexico, Commodore Shubrick did not begin them until the autumn. The general plan was to capture and hold the larger seaports with permanent garrisons and to blockade the minor places. Early in September the Congress (Captain E. A. F. Lavalette), Portsmouth and Dale left Monterey for the Gulf of California. The three vessels met off the brown and desolate Cape San Locos, at the southern extremity of Lower California, on September her 19th. While his two consorts sailed up the Gulf, Captain Selfridge in the Dale proceeded to La Paz on the east coast of Lower California. Gunner Meyers' sketch (Plate XV) gives an interesting view of this primitive little port at that time.

It was learned that two hundred Mexican troops bent on attacking La Paz were assembling at Muleje, nearly halfway up the arid peninsula and almost opposite to Guaymas across the Gulf. The Dale consequently went up to Muleje, at first showing English colors, and on September 30th Lieutenant Craven was sent ashore under a flag of truce. Negotiations coming to naught the Captain decided to cut out a small schooner near the beach. Four boats were accordingly lowered and companies of white jacketed seamen and blue coated marines were crowded into them, with Craven in general command. Rhythmic strokes of splashing oars harried them to the beach where a strong detachment waded ashore to guard the raising and repairing of the scuttled schooner. The leaky prize was then triumphantly towed off without opposition.

On the next morning Selfridge sent a demand that the Mexican troops deliver up their arms, and give a pledge of neutrality. The reply was bombastic and defiant and he determined upon an attack, with a landing party under Craven supported by fire from the Dale's main battery. The following account of this spirited expedition is taken from Craven's own journal.

"So to arms was the order. Our boats were soon manned, and at 2 p. m., leaving the ship, I landed within the creek with eighty officers and men. My associates were Lieutenant Wm. T. Smith, Lieutenant Tansill of the Marines, Passed-Midshipman James M. Duncan, and Midshipman Thomas T. Houston, J. R. Hamilton, and W. B. Hayes. I sent the launch up towards the town to join me there; about the same time the ship opened her batteries on the town, but it was too distant for her shot to make any impression. Having my men on the beach, we marched toward a hill on which a body of Mexicans had posted themselves and where we expected to have a fight. We had not proceeded far, however, when we were fired upon from a home and thickets on one left. I immediately detached a party to burn the house and drive the enemy out, while I with the rest of my force charged upon the thickets, which we passed through without encountering the unseen foe. The house was soon in a blaze, and on we marched for the hill. When we reached a height which commanded the hill, I passed an order to the following effect: 'Men, we are to go to the top of that hill. If we are fired on in ascending it will break our order, as the hill is so steep. As soon as the fire of the enemy commences, let the word be, "Every man for the top of the hill; be who reaches it first is the best man."'

The heat was excessive, and the pathway, through thorny acacia and prickly cacti, so steep that we could scarce keep our foothold; but up we went and gained the summrit -- the bird had flown without awaiting our approach. I commanded a halt to rest the men, and while drawn up, with arms at rest, the enemy, in earnest, opened a fire upon us from several places of ambush; the balls whistled about us merrily, and in return we sent among them, in the bushes and behind the rocks, a shower of lead which soon started them out up the banks of the creek. Down the hill we went to march through the town, and thus drew upon ourselves a hot fire again. The launch had now come up, and I ordered her to riddle some homes on the bank of the stream from which the enemy was firing. Our balls drove them from the bushes, and away they sped to the hilltops. Further pursuit was useless, and I commanded a homeward march for the ship. We drew off without the loss of a man and returned to the ship; two were wounded slightly, and it is supposed we killed many of the enemy, as our fire upon them was in heavy volleys."

An idea of this brilliant little enterprise is given by the two sketches of Gunner Meyers (Plate XVI) and (Plate XVII).

Lieutenant T. A. M. Craven had shown the characteristic boldness; and courage that was later to make him so famous. At the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864, he was to lead Farragut's column of monitors in the Tecumseh. While standing toward Fort Morgan under fire the Tecumseh struck a sub- marine mine and sank in a few seconds, with screws racing high in the air. In the effort to abandon the ship Captain Craven and the pilot met at a very narrow exit hatch through which but one man could pass at a time. Gallantly Craven drew back saying "After you, Pilot." The latter was saved while the brave Captain was drowned in the sinking vessel together with 112 others of his crew.

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