on the fort, but a Mexican account printed in La Esperanza, Aug. 27, stated that some shot from our vessels struck more than 200 yards behind the fort, and one sees no reason to suppose that the statement was an invention. Conner seems to have thought of coming to Alvarado again, for in Jan., 1847, the Mexicans reported that the bar was being sounded (76Landero, Jan. 28). For the capture of the place at the beginning of April, 1847, see vol. ii, p. 344. Apr. 2 a naval expedition went up the river, returning on Apr. 4 (66J. L. Mason to J. L. Smith, Apr. 9).
18. The first Tabasco expedition. (Perry) 46Perry, Aug. 15,17; 165Conner to P., Oct. 6; Conner, Home Squadron, 12-3. 162Conner, Oct. 30. Ho. 1; 30, 2, pp. 1165-70 (Perry's report, etc.). Ho. 4; 29, 2, pp. 632-9. Diario, Nov. 7, 1846 (Traconis' reports, etc.). 47Perry to Mason, Nov. 16. Taylor, Broad Pennant, 316. 76Gov. of Chiapas, Oct. 27. 60Champlen to Polk, Dec. 4. Semmes, Service, 89. Conner, Home Squadron, 9. Information given to the author by a Mexican civil engineer residing in Tabasco. Apuntes, 389-90. 73Bermúdez de Castro, no. 445, 1847. Aldrich, Marine Corps, 97. Ho. 4; 29, 2, p. 639. Sen. 1; 29, 2, p. 381. Parker, Recolls., 73-4. 76Traconis, Nov. 16. Tesmístocles, Dec. 31. 76Santalo's testimony, Nov. 2. 76Comte. gen. Tab, Apr. 6. Sen. 1; 30,1, p. 950. 166List of vessels captured. 166Perry to Conner, Nov. 11. 166Merchants to Perry, Oct. 26. 76Traconis, proclam., Aug. 12. 13Giffard, Jan. 31, 1847. Meade, Letters, i, 169.
As Perry was assigned to the Mississippi on Oct. 6, and commanded this important expedition so soon afterward, it has been supposed incorrectly that virtually, if not formally, the squadron was divided. The hope of the United States at the beginning of the war had been that Tabasco would be neutral. The orders were not to disturb it in that case (49Bancroft to Conner, May 19). Perry's expedition was followed in Nov. by a revolution in Tabasco based ostensibly on the failure of the Mexican government to protect the state; but really the outbreak was due to local rivalries, and probably it caused the national government no material annoyance (76Alcorta, Jan. 4, 1848; México á través, iv, 599; 13Bankhead, no. 186, 1846; 76Acta of garrison, Nov. 19, 1846; Wash. Union, Jan. 18, 1847). Frontera was a valuable point, for the Americans could obtain water and cattle there and hinder illicit commerce. The Tabasco River is now called usually the Grijalva.
19. For the Tampico and Pánuco expeditions: vol. i, pp. 279, 281. 162Mason to Conner, Nov. 29, 1846, priv. and confid. Ho. 1; 30, 2, pp. 1175 (Conner), 1176 (Perry). Semmes, Service, 90. Bennett, Steam Navy, 93. 47Conner, Doc. 17. 166Perry to C., Dec. 27; to Benham, Dec. 23; to Sands and Parker, Dec. 21. 166Benham to Perry, Dec. 22. 166Parker to Perry, Dec. 22. 166Conner to Hunt, Feb. 8, 1847. 166Sands to Conner, Feb. 20. 13Giffard, Jan. 31, 1847. The expedition set out on Dec. 17.
Many of the people of Tabasco supposed, when Perry arrived off Frontera in Dec., that he was going to S. Juan Bautista to avenge his "defeat"; and as he did not, they presumably felt more haughty than ever (Temístocles, Dec. 31).
29. Niles, Oct. 31, 1846, p. 132. Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 775. (Bancroft) Mason to Conner, Oct. 26. Soley, Porter, 59. Farragut, Farragut, 158, 197. United Service, Feb., 1897 (Conner). México á través, iv, 419. Scott, Mems., ii, 422. N. Y. Eve. Post, June 10. 165Conner to Bancroft, June 11 (impregnable if properly equipped and manned). Me-
