manifest destiny's inept diplomat - prologue, winter 2010
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8/7/2019 Manifest Destiny's Inept Diplomat - Prologue, Winter 2010
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manifestdestiny’s inept diplomat
How William Carey Jones
“Lost” Central America
B Y L O R R A I N E M C C O N A G H Y
y 1854, the United States’ Pacifc coast as we know it
had been secured.
Middle-aged Americans had experienced a dynamic
nation that expanded aggressively in their lietimes as
the United States purchased the huge Louisiana erritory
in 1803 and moved northward and westward to the
Pacifc Northwest. Oregon erritory was organized in
1848, and Caliornia was admitted to the union as a
state in 1850; three years later, Washington erritory was
separated rom Oregon. Expansion moved southward and
westward through exas, New Mexico, and Caliornia in
the Mexican War.
In the expansion o America’s maniest destiny during the mid-1800s, Nicaragua was an appealing
target with its pathway rom ocean to ocean across Central America
B
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Top left:The navigable San Juan River was a vital 120-mile link in the
Nicaragua route between New York and Caliornia in the 1850s.
Bottom left: Walker’s troops rest ater the successul battle to take
Granada. Bottom right: Gen. William Walker landing troops at Fort
Castillo, Nicaragua.
Abllm w bdai md
fid may, ad h ai’ diy
md mai i i impiali
mmm, pig a daid mii.
T U.S. Navy, h Pai Sqad,
William Walk—h “gy-yd ma
diy”—ad h xpially ip
diplma William Cay J all had i
ha dakig ad i lima ail.
T Mxia Wa had aid a gai
ghig m lll h Amia mii
by gaiig w iy ad bdig i
ihabia d am. Ty md
a pl i a “lib”: a piva
miliay xpdii q iy
id U.S. bd, m Cba h
Sadwih Ilad.
Mai diy’ lh hi wa
aily bwd lh h big
xpdii a adig a “gai”
“liba” m Epa li,
digiig q a dmpi. Aggiv
xpaii i h Yg Amia wig
h Dmai Pay lkd w ad h
a vaiy ag, ildig Niaaga
ad i ai, h pahway m a
a a Cal Amia.
T Paama ai i amilia day,
b i h 1850, a alaiv a
Niaaga wa qally appalig. Cli
Vadbil’ Ay ai Cmpay
dvlpd a gmd paag m Gyw
h Alai id Sa Ja dl S h
Pai, by am ad agah.
Opd i 1851, h Niaaga
700 mil h Paama ad wa
advid a l ad halhi. Dig
h ya h Niaaga ai’
pai, a avag 2,000 Amia
mad h ig ah mh, mly
hadig wwad gld Caliia.
Adig a mpay jali i
Putnam’s Magazine, avl had “ampl im
admi h pldid y hgh whih
hy pad, lk wih mp
h aiv, ad pla wha a y
i wld b i i w ly d h a ad
ip.” xpaii Amia, Niaaga
w lk hmlv. Abv
all, hy ld maag h ai vial
Amia i i h w.
“Conquering” Nicaragua
I May 1855, William Walk aild m
Sa Fai Ralj, Niaaga,
ladig 60 lib ldi. Ivid by
h paiv a Niaaga pliial
ai, h bam h “gal” a
amy m ha 2,000 gh i a piva
wa q Niaaga.
Ud h Naliy Law, U.S. iiz
w bidd m h piva miliay
xpdii. Hwv, Walk’ l
ivai iiially had aial pp m
Amia i ad gvm.
Pid Fakli Pi mally gizd
h Walk admiiai a Niaaga’
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William Walker, the “grey-eyed man o destiny,” was
celebrated as Young America’s national agent o
maniest destiny.
Walk ad hi i a aild
Paama bad h St. Mary’s May 2
1857, h hadd a h ihm ad
Nw Ola, wh h wa m wih
“alm ai hiam.” H w
wk plaig h d lib.
Mawhil, J 5, 1857, Cmmd
Mvi did Cmmad Hy
Kx Tah ppa h lp--wa
Decatur iv U.S. Sa Dpam
“pial ag” William Cay J.
Say Sa Lwi Ca had dlgad
J “gia[] bw h hil pai
[i Niaaga], ad ai d h .”
J agd hi dil ad dag
aigm, xpig “ h amp .
. bllig ” ad ay “wap
d.” A $8 a day pl xp, J
wa “vii h a Cal Amia
h pp bvig ad pig p
h dii aai i ha qa, ad
pvig, a a a pibl, h
h m aig ijily
h i hi y.” A h im J
ivd h d m Ca, Walk had
y dd.
Enter Mr. Jones
William Cay J wa a ay i hi
mid-40, h -i-law Mii Sa
Tma Ha B ad h bh-i-law
Caliia l ad pliiia Jh C
Fém. Mayig B’ dagh Eliza
J mhly d h wld pliia
paag, ad hi appim dpdd
T, i Spmb 1856, William Walk
iid lavy i Niaaga, a agi
bid ap h h Amia
Sh lib h Pai W. Wiig
i hi 1860 abigaphy, Walk alld
h plamai h lavy d a
“allad bid h Sh Sa
Niaaga, a i h w hmlv.”
Walk laimd ha hi gal had alway
b pvid lavy wih a g—a
pial mpi “byd h limi h
Ui”—ad ha Niaaga wa j h
bgiig. DeBow’s Review paid h
“gli aqiii” Niaaga a “a
w Sa b addd h Sh, i
h Ui” whih Walk had ak
“pi i h am h whi a.”
B h lib ad a i
dia bak.
A Hasty Exit
By Jaay 1857, Walk’ mp wa v.
Biih wahip blkadd h Alai id
pv ppli ad im m
ahig Walk. Sppd by a vgl
Vadbil, Ca Ria G. Jaqi Ma
allid p m Ca Ria, Hda,
El Salvad, ad Gamala i a allid
amy, dmid div h ivad.
Ridd wih di, ill, hg, ad
aig, Walk’ amy wa “div bak p
by p i a ,” adig h New
York imes, ad U.S. paiv ppad
gia a lm, Amia
iiz amg h lib, ad p h
Niaaga ai, hld by h Ca Ria
allia, iiiaiv ha ivlvd h U.S. Navy.
Pai Sqad Cmmd William
Mvi dd Cmmad Chal Hy
Davi ail h lp--waSt. Mary’s h
m wih i h Walk
amp ad h Ca Ria high mmad.
Davi d ha h wa iqly plad
gia a a ad Walk’ d.
T Navy mmad ad h lib
gal igd a agm i whih
Walk dd h U.S. Navy ah
ha h Ca Ria allia.
lgiima gvm. May xpaii
aw h lib a h p “pav h way
lag al Amia lm ad val
axai h aa h Uid Sa.”
Te United States Democratic Review pid
ha “vy ibl ma . . . ha xpd
a g di h Amiaizai
Cal Amia [ad i] pi . . . i
l diabl ha wa h aqiii xa
Kaa, v Caliia.”
F a im, William Walk wa lbad
a Yg Amia’ aial ag
mai diy, a pi h “Ihmia
ad Caibba i.”
Fllwig a li dbi lgaliy,
Walk bam pid Niaaga
ad ahizd a “ah pgam”
Amiaizai. H dly vkd
h vial ai ha ad awadd i
Vadbil’ ival m a w allia
wih hm.
Ad Walk’ mag im
alld a gai Yg Amia
ag wap hi pal ambii i h
fag, b bh l ad hi, b
bh a ppi ad a kigh.
Said wpap bahlly pd
Walk’ , hi lavih aim,
hi “gaig” abl ad “lga” ladi. O
bv d ha h Gaada
w “hgig wih h paiv
‘Yg Amia’,” hpig a ad,
gd pay, ad a 250-a ah.
William Walker was sworn in as president o
Nicaragua at the Church o our Lady o Mercy in
Granada.
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An American hotel was used as way station at the halway point o the Nicaragua transit road between Lake
Nicaragua and San Juan del Sur.
h pp Pid Jam Bhaa ad
h Say Sa Ca.
Tgh f i Spaih, J wa
a likly diplma d Cal
Amia. I May 1856, a mb
aid wpap pblihd hi p
l allig ai h pligh
“ bav ym i Niaaga” wh
m b pd “ h x wa i
ay.” Walk had bk law,
agd J, ad had iad hw a
“pai, amalik ad mmdabl
haa” i h bm Niaaga.
I a, J id, ha y had
i 20 ya b “ qi, d wll
maiaid, h law wll admiid,
ppy ad bi aly
dd.”
J agd ha Ca Ria had ivadd
Niaaga aak Amia iiz ad,
i dig , had i dlad wa agai
h Uid Sa. I li, J
idid himl ad Walk a W
m: h dpld h digad ha h
dal gvm hwd h i
“ l h Pai,” ad alld
wa wih Ca Ria p h lib
“l” h Niaaga i.
T bllig diplma badd h mail
am a Nw Yk May 20, 1857, aild
Paama, ad d h ihm by ai.
Wiig J pi Walk’ d,
Say Sa Ca wid, “Mh
m b l y dii, ba i i
impibl wha pi dii
aai may xi” i Niaaga.
T la availabl illig idiad
Ca ha may Amia iiz w add
i Cal Amia “wh ha[d] paiipad i
i lal vi ad [w] l by h
v wa wih h ma ig
hm.” Ca did J bai h la
“Walk ad hi id” i hy had b
apd, ad g hm a p, h b
ak hm a Navy hip.
B Ca ally id J ha
h vaai Walk ad hi m—
aily pivd a a —wa a
mpaia a i way idd
“xp a pii ig h
Niaaga vy.” Idd, h ial
pii h Sa Dpam wa ha
Walk ad hi amy w i Niaaga a
h “iviai h aiv pai.”
J wa a h Cal
Amia h d ha h Uid
Sa had dig liz, ax,
py Niaaga b iad hpd hlp
ha pbli maiai i idpd.
I a, Ca id, h allia wa a
yial Ca Ria hm iz h
Niaaga ai—h ga piz—ad
agd ha h ai m “b pd
h avl h wld.”
Fially, Ca dd J avl a
a piva iiz, aig ha h wld
hav a imai ha wld b
availabl a “pbli iay,” ad
pvidd a pial pap:
all whm h p hall
m, Gig.
Kw y ha h ba h,
William Cay J, a diigihd
iiz h Uid Sa, i pdig
Cal Amia a a Spial Ag
hi gvm.
T a h q all
whm i may pmi him
ad hi i pa ly wih l
mlai, ad xd him h
idly aid ad pi a wld i
lik a b xdd imila
ig gvm i hi y. . . .
Aboard the Decatur
By h im J ahd Paama, h wa
wa v, ad h didd a hi mii
i Sa Jé, h apial Ca Ria, ma
h ai. J w Ca ha h
wa d h wld h
“h ladig mid all Cal Amia,”
may hm ag h gi’
Amiaizai. J al qd ha
“ay piva hil xpdii” b dlayd
il h had gaid a hld i Ca
Ria. Hi la impliai i ha Ca wa
awa pdig lib v ad abl
adva hid hm a will.
A J himl, h vy iad
hi ympahy wih h lib mii
“Gal Walk ad hi bav mmad,”
a h md hm. J g h
wg a h vy a, agig “a
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The Decatur’s assistant surgeon, John Y. Taylor
sketched the ship during its cruises. In one (top
let), he anciully gave the main ground to a fying
sh. In two others, he recorded the Decatur in ou
weather: beating against contrary wind in the Straits
o Magellan, heading or the Pacic (top right), andin a erce storm o Patagonia’s Cape Fairweather
(bottom).
had ad m ila” ab
hi mii by bhig vy iqiy
wih h ai laim ha h had b
iviga h hadwa h
Am Riv, lad i Mahia. J
hivd haial y, h l
h “myi ag,” a h am b
alld diivly.
O J 3, 1857, J ad hi baggag
w ladd bad h Decatur. H h
w dily Pid Bhaa, gig
hi pa ak “ impa p” wih
gad Cal Amia wih ivig
“a am” m J. O J 5,
awaiig “h avabl wid, h
Decatur ail,” J iad h d
wi mmiai.
T piva mail mpay am mad
mhly ii h Cal Amia
p h Pai, b J idd
ha qy by ma adqa. H
alld—lly— a am wahip
b plad a hi dipal.
O J 9, h Decatur ally p a,
baig h agai ay wid ad
hgh xdd alm. Naly h wk
la, h hip ahd i h pd
hab Pa Aa, Ca Ria’
piipal ap.
A pay—ildig Cmmad Tah
ad J—l h Decatur avl
ilad Sa Jé. Ty d h ml-
daw ailway i mi, pad
lh, ad h md ml. T x
mig, hy limbd phill—“p, p ad
p,” a Tah mmbd. A havy ai
bga “a al” i h mid-a, ad
hy dd hi d day avl a a
“ah” aig bak ad “ill”
di. T “m h mpay,”
ildig J, ll ik ad w l
bhid.
A viiig Sa Jé, Cmmad
Tah d h Decatur awai
J’ . T, h ivd a m
a m miliay g i Walk’ amy
dibig a lag gp “whd ad
hlpl” lib viv wh w
h i dpa dii. T g
bggd Tah d a way d hm
h Uid Sa.
“A pdy mval a m baig
lima,” hi id, “gh wih
h m hm ad id a av
h liv a lag pi hm.” Tah
viid h lib h ad w
Pai Sqad Cmmd Mvi ha
“m mpl dii ad miy, I
hav v wid ivd.”
Tah had bgh J Pa
Aa, ad h diplma wa blivd
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b gailly pid a Sa Jé. T
Tah had b dd “d
aia Amia iiz wh hav b
d wih h xpdii d Gal
Walk i Niaaga”—hy w b
d ad bgh Paama. Ov h x
10 day, h Decatur wa ppad h
h ivalid, ad Jly 27, 25 lib
ldi w bgh bad. F
hm d m diablig wd, a
la wa a amp, h had vly
id bll wd, ad d m
dyy. Sm had walkd ba m
Riva Pa Aa, ad hi w
laad ad id. May w yphilii
ad all had malaia—hy w “maiad,
bldl ad piil,” adig Decatur
Sg Lvi Cp La.
A h Decatur aild h Paama,
h wahip’ g w vwhlmd
by aig h ivalid, ad “hi mall
vl” wa vwdd wih ik m
wh “ga ad i” ld b had
hgh h hip ad wh wd
ad “iv h bad . . .
xmly . . . pjdiial h halh
h w.” Wh Tah ahd
Paama, h Decatur had bm a hpial
hip.
Off to Costa Rica
T ay h Navy ad h U.S.
Sa Dpam had dd h Pai
Sqad hlp h Amia iiz,
b had alizd hw may ivalid
lib h w ad hw wak ad ill
hy had bm.
Cmmd Mvi bkd ail
paag a h Paama ihm
h lib avl. O h
Alai id, hy w had amg
Navy wahip ad apd Nw
Yk. Wh h lib aivd, h
wpap pblihd hkig al
hi dii. I wa had bliv ha
m v m dbiliad ayd bhid
i Cal Amia, ik avl. B
a w Walk’ ppi maid
halhy, ad hy id gambl
h mai ha i Cal Amia.
J d hm—m
Edwad, a va Walk’ amy ad
a likabl w g. Chamd by h
lib’ i, J h Edwad a
a avlig mpai m Pa Aa
Sa Jé, ad h a a mma i h
iy. T, J laimd ha Edwad
had l $700 ad may valabl.
Caily, Edwad had ay a Ca’
ii i J’ k ba h wa
“blabbig hm all v h y.”
B i a, lg b hi aival i
h iy, Sa Jé wpap had alady
pblihd h w ha “a ag h
gvm h Uid Sa” wa hi
way. I had ak h Decatur h wk
ail m Paama Pa Aa; h
mail am l Paama 12 day a h
Decatur aild ad aivd v day b
h lp--wa. Ud h ima,
J mplaid Ca ha i wa
impibl “hld h h haa a
impl avl.” H didd vii Ca
Ria Pid Ja Raal Ma ad
adidly xplai hi mii, iiiaig
dii h Niaaga ai.
Ma dlid m wih J
aly w wk, ig vai x
ha iiad h hy diplma. Wh
Ma ally ivd J, h New York
imes pd i Sa Jé pd
ha J dly h a mmay U.S.
bjiv i Ma’ had a h bgiig
hi mig.
J h id Ma ly ad
h paagaph ha d Ca Ria,
piig i h pag. B “[]h
Pid plid ha i h ad ay, h m
ad h whl” ba bh h ad J
w d wih all v a Cal
Amia. J h impaily “ahd
h pap, llig Pid Ma ha h
hld ad hig.”
B J pd Ca ha h wa
“ivd wih appa wamh” i a
plaa b iliv mig, “a m
idly haa.” T dipay bw
h pbli wpap a ad piva
diplmai p ld b ga. Ca
m hav b d by J’ lak
An ocer inspects a squad o libuster soldiers at Virgin Bay in Nicaragua.
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l-diipli ad a, by hi dihy, ad
by hi highly pbli miadv.
Eablihd i a Sa Jé hl, J hid
a k a ma h dibd a a “di
llw yma wh had b h
bak” Walk’ amy. T J k
p a aqaia wih ah m
lib, a aalizd Gma Amia
iiz amd Sbl, wh had b
Walk’ pgaphial gi. J
hid h gi mak m kh
ampay hi p Ca.
O Ag 18, 1857, whil Sbl a
i Sa Jé’ al plaza, khig “h
Cahdal ad h mai,” h wa
ad ad hagd wih “pakig i
av William Walk, la pid
Niaaga, ad agai h gvm
Ca Ria, ad havig b a
i h amy Gal Walk.” J
ld a p, laimig ha Sbl wa
a mmb hi diplmai “i” ad
hld b lad a . Ma wa aid
b abl ad h , wi i
Eglih, ba h wa ala
p. J w h i Spaih,
ad h pid wa aid b abl
ad i ba h wa ik i bd.
Sbbd, J hd i h lbby
h id ad vally d
hi hl a vlly ia
Ca Ria ial. T ay
ig lai pdd by dipaagig
hi dial a “a impl pap” whih
J wa impply yig
Sbl. J plid wih 13 pag lg-
widd idigai whih h ay
d a , aig pi ha
J md xp “ai ad
immiy” ha hi pap did mi.
J d h ay’ ilig
ha h w Ca h ld hadly ba
ala i.
Adig h New York imes
pd, Sbl wa a “iabl”
haa wh “d g ixiad, ad
g lig ad waggig hgh h
Sa Jé . . . plaimig hi a
di ha Walk migh , ak h
y, a h ppy, ad hp
i ihabia i ih pi.” Sbl
had b lgiimaly ad dibig
h pa, h p id, ad J
wa imp, al, ad iga
h lagag ad m Ca Ria.
Caily J wa idi hi h
m lib, baihd by d Ag
9, 1857, i ai pad m a
lib ladig. A hi “b-p” wih
Pid Ma ad h Sbl aai,
J md Sa Jé, “i high
ddg.” Fa m ig a agm
wih h Ca Ria gvm p
h Niaaga ai, J had bm
pa gaa.
Seeking More Power
A h a, J d ha h Decatur
had aild Paama wih h lib
ivalid. I Pa Aa, h d a
may a 40 m viv Walk’ amy.
Evywh d i Cal Amia,
h md b m aggd, avig
vih aw.
T viv w, J w, “ik
may; wdd, m; aly akd
wih hl day igh. Ty wd
h igh whv d i Pa
Aa. Ty a . . . wih ay pibl
ma gig away [ad] hy a mly
Amia by bih.” w dz Amia
pad a pii J Pid
Bhaa, bggig g hm, ha hy
w “i h m happy dii ha
m ld b plad p h ah.”
Piid by h whd Amia
lib ad igig wih hi Sa Jé
bk, J mad mal appliai
h Sa Dpam b appid
mii Niaaga Ca Ria, wih
“pw mmii” h h
Cal Amia a. O mh la
J did h am q Pid
Bhaa. T appa hav b
p. Iad, Ca id h pia
ag ak a m ad agai Ca
Ria’ appa “wa q” ba
h Uid Sa wld la h
Niaaga ai’ id l.
Ca wa wid ha Ca Ria wld
pdia h “ai ga” mad
Amia iv ad gd J
mid h Ca Ria ha hi pid
had dlad, “O i a gh a pi
lad, phmal pw,
ahiv whd q” b ah
div “h b w ampig
p h iy, ad h idpd
ad libi” Niaaga. Ta gal had
b amplihd, Ca w, ad i wa
im Ca Ria wihdaw.
I h all, J avld h
Niaaga h mail am. ma
Maiz ad Maxim Jz had j b
ld -pid Niaaga, b h
ai maid ld by h Ca Ria
amy pv a by h “highway
libim.”
J w Ca ha h’d g
Pid Maiz Amia
Secretary o State Lewis Cass warned Jones that
“Much must be let to your discretion, because it
is impossible to oresee what precise condition o
aairs may exist” in Nicaragua.
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To learn more about
•Howtheborderbetweenthe
Uid Sa ad Mxi wa
ablihd, ad -ablihd,
g www.archives.gov/publications/
prologue ad lik “Pvi I,” h
Smm 2005.
•African Americans and the building of the
Paama Caal, g www.archives.gov-/
publications/prologue, lik “Pvi
I,” h Smm 1997.
•FindingancestorsinthePanamaCanalZone,go
www.archives.gov/publications/prologue, h
lik “Pvi I,” h Fall 2007.
aa pv ay lib ad
ha h wa m wih idil ad “dibli
i h gd aih h Uid Sa.”
Rmd ighig William Walk hi
i w alm daily
bh a.
Walk d h Amia Sh h
ai “Yak Ddl Dady,” pakig
m wd ai i
ad my hi d xpdii
Niaaga. H laimd ha h had
b d m Niaaga by Nh
abliii ba hi iam
lavy.
Walk’ “b ay a” w
a Kky ympahiz, agig
“glm m h a . . .
miga hi y [Niaaga] wih
hi lav.” T New Orleans Delta ad
lavw ha hy ld aly had
Niaaga “ liva ga, , i,
idig hla plaai.” All ha
maid b d, h Delta ldd,
wa gai Niaaga ad h
h Aia lav ad h Alai a.
Amia lavhld vly mbad
Walk’ d lib, ag bild a
Cal Amia g.
Return to Nicaragua
T am Fashion l Nw Ola
Nvmb 14, 1857, wih aly 300
lib i. O a bahhad wa
ablihd, “may had yg
h” plad llw Walk
Niaaga. T am a dw h a
pa Gyw dimbak a mpay
adva vlad, ad h Fashion il
hadd i Gyw hab. w hdd
lib haily mad amp Niaaga
il, ladig mld igh d h
U.S. Navy Cmmad Fdik
Chaad i h Saratoga.
Hwv, Hm Sqad Cmmd
Hiam Paldig d h Wabash
badid agai h ampm ad
dd 300 mai ad ail wd
h a Walk ad hi m.
Ofakd ad gd, h lib
amy dd, ad dd Walk’
d lib.
Cal Amia w livd ha
Paldig had ipd h ivad b
ia ha h had ladd a amd
h Gyw bah d . I a, hy
w idiga ha h lib had ak
pla a all. I h U.S. gvm ily
wihd p a d h illgal
xpdii, ly i wld b pd
a, y, ad impi hi mamid.
F hi pa, Walk yld himl
a a agd iiz Niaaga, “a
lgiimaly Pid Niaaga a
Bhaa h Uid Sa.” Pid
Bhaa a mag Cg ha
dmd libig b al hagd
Paldig wih a gav i ladig
amd ail ad mai Niaaga
il a Walk. Ca pdly ld h
lib i a a--a mig ha h
diavwd Cmmd Paldig’ ai
a “illgal, ixabl ad ahizd,”
ad Walk wa aid hav g “ hi
way jiig,” a h Independent p i.
T d lib gad
idabl vy ig h
Navy’ p, ad pbli pii ab
Chaad ad Paldig’ ai ad iai
dividd lagly alg ial li. I
i ambig p Walk, U.S.
ladhip xpd h ai’ gwig
iabiliy p a ig pliy i
Cal Amia ha wa m ial
if. A w ad mai
diy had bm a Sh ad
lavy. A hiia David P makd,
by la 1857, Amia aiali w
lg xpaii, ad xpaii
w lg aiali. I Cal
Amia, U.S. paiv llwd hi
vii whil pig hi dy.
T d lib pd a h
hallg J’ diplmay. Niaaga
Pid Maiz ad J w i
wh h g mag aivd
pig Walk’ ladig i h Fashion
ad Paldig’ ap h lib.
T Niaaga pid qid
J “py lly” a whh Paldig
had ally “apd” Walk’ ad why
h U.S. gvm blivd i had h
“igh” iz pi h h a
ig a. Ayd, J d ha
i Pid Maiz wihd appal h
lib a, dbl h U.S. Navy
ld h pi h “pla m
whih hy had b ak,” amd ad
ady g, ad ha h wld b happy
b Maiz’ mg i h ma.
J’ hily digid advay ih
Walk’ lib Amia axai
Niaaga aliad h pid bh
Ca Ria ad Niaaga; h New York
imes pd ha J had “dd
i gig p aly a bad m wih
Pid Maiz a h did wih Ma i
Ca Ria.”
J had ahd h d hi p by
Jaay 1858. “Fi,” h New York Herald
mmd diivly, “h l hi baggag,
w i m h ha l himl.” H had
d a mihap: i had bm
pbli kwldg ha h igaiaig hi
m Edwad had bwd J’ l
wddig ig a ppiv bid a Sa
Ja dl S.
J had b mbaad by h
Decatur’s pailly lw pg p h
a; hi v wa blw, h wa bbd,
h “qald wih vybdy,” hi avl
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San José, the capital o Costa Rica, was a modern thriving city when Decatur captain Henry Knox Thatcher and agent William Carey Jones visited in the summer o 1857
pla w ad by “ii llig
if,” ad h wa ild, alm
mkd. H wa dply dd by
haial diplay il, h ld’
kp hi mp, ad h dak a mh.
H wa vid ha hi pd
wa big pd ad ad. H wa iiad
wih Ca ad wih hi aigm: h
mplaid ha h had “all h di ad
m ha h pibilii a diplmai
mii, wih hi pw, pivilg
pii.” Hi bid b appid
ambaad had m wih y il;
h wa Navy wahip pp him.
Ad h hgh i wa high im ha Ca
Ria ad Niaaga w pihd hi
“ag iiz.”
Absorbing the Failures
T m lih lm J’ bmblig
diplmay wa hi id laihip
wih lib va.
O h hl akig p wih Edwad
ad hiig w m lib i Sa
Jé, J hid a hid i Niaaga—a
M. Fild— v a hi piva ay,
“wh ld m vy akly ha h had b
i h amy Walk . . . h a [whih]
wa a im ad hav id il
h apilai ah a vi.” Pid
Maiz makd ha h pd Fild
wld ji ay lib, ad phap
J agd.
I hi al p Ca, J
ggd ha 500 amd m ld aily
iz h Niaaga ai, i h ld
“ap h vigila h ahii
h Uid Sa.” I, a J wa
vid, hi mail wa big ipd
hi ifammay ggi wa d
libaly wi b ad by Maiz
Ma, ad hi a. J had abadd
hi mii.
Mawhil, i h a, Walk wa
aiig j h a , a h gaizd
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h hid lib ad wkd h
maip Te War in Nicaragua. H had
b div agai hi will m Niaaga,
Walk w, ad wa mplld
by “h ad dy.” Famig h lib
a a bl q h Sh’ bhal, Walk
paid ib h may wh l hi
hm “i d lavy [ad] yildd
p hi liv h i h Sh.”
A Walk aid my ad i,
Sh wpap mpd “W a
Walk, Niaaga, P-Slavy M” abv
h ld, ad Sh id
“gad Gal Walk a h ga ag
h Amiaizai ha gi ad
h iii lavy.”
A Sh -a mbad
Walk’ bi, ia aiipad
lib ad m mig dal
mpliiy lidid pa–Cal Amia
aialim. J did hig alm lal
a ad ag. Adig h New York
Herald, J ldly makd whil dk
i h Riva pbli qa ha h wa all
Amia i i Cal Amia,
ha h advad “ milk ad hy
pliy,” ad i Walk’ lib ld’
hld Niaaga, h wld i ha
“Ul Jaha” did.
“Dam all diplmai mii!,” J
wa pd hav id, “Niaaga
v! By, l’ hav a dik!” J wa
pblily idild i h imes ad Herald
lm, aiizd a “M. Bhaa’
ag,” hi-kid, aga, ad
qalm, a agimi ambaad
mai diy.
William Walk’ ay ad amiabl
laihip wih h Pid ad h
ay a, h appa pp
m U.S. Navy (hgh all),
ad h bllig diplmay J
ippld Amia i i Niaaga.
Ha Gly diializd ha h
gvm had aliad Cal Amia
by i “p ympahy wih ad aid
William Walk’ bhi i Niaaga,”
ad Decatur Sg Lvi Cp La—
wh wa h i p—maiaid
ha Walk’ “big xpdii . . .
had h ai Pid Bhaa’
admiiai, ad h aid h Navy, a
a a i wa pibl g wih aig
iaial pii.”
Whil U.S. pliy dmd h
lib’ “illgal xpdii,” U.S.
pai hd hi ad
d hi da. Pid Maiz
ad Ma jily igd a May 1, 1858,
plamai, dmig all h “ial
ag h Uid Sa a Niaaga
[ da]” a “ampli ad axiliai
h ivad . . . ply ma[ig]
Cal Amia wih iviabl axai,”
laly ig William Cay J. I
1858, h Niaaga ai—h lib
highway ad h ga ihmia agi
lik—maid ld.
© 2010 by Lai MCaghy
P
Lorraine McConaghy i pbli
hiia a Sal’ Mm
Hiy & Idy. Ti ail
i daw m h bk Warship
Under Sail: USS Decatur in the
Pacifc West (Uiviy Wahig P, 2009),
ad h ad will d h a ipiv hiy
h lp--wa’ mmii i h Pai
Sqad, 1854–1859, ildig map, d,
ad bibligaphy.
Author
T piipal pimay h Decatur’s
abllm Pai Sqad i a d i h
Old Navy ad U.S. Sa Dpam d i h
Naial Ahiv i Wahig, D.C., ad i Cllg
Pak, Maylad. Ti maial ild a walh
baai papwk: lgbk, mdial lg, ad
d -maial ha dm daily aval
li, a wll a pd amg h ay
h Navy, qad mmd, ad m a
ad i mmada, ad amg Say
Sa Lwi Ca, Spial Ag William Cay J,
ad h U.S. mii ad l. I am dply
idbd h kid ad mp hlp ahivii Wahig ad i Cllg Pak a wll a a h
Naial Ahiv i Sal.
Addiially, hi ail ivlv mpay
ppiv ad vii daw m wpap,
ildig h New York imes ad h New York
Herald, ad pidial, ildig Te United States
Democratic Review ad DeBow’s Review, ad E. G.
Sqi’ pli b lia ppii
h Cal Amia abllm i. William
Walk’ Te War in Nicaragua i a aiaig—ad
ally ag-maagd—vlai wha Rihad
Slki, i Te Fatal Environment: Te Myth o the
Frontier in the Age o Industrialization, 1800–1890 (1985), alld h lib’ “ap
hi w myh, vidia hi w him.” T
b way la ab li mha hip ad
wahip d ail i i h wd ail: Rihad
Hy Daa, wo Years Beore the Mast; Hma
Mlvill, White-Jacket or, Te World in a Man-o-
War; ad Ald Tay Maha, From Sail to Steam:
Recollections o Naval Lie.
Shlahip h ld Navy, Pai W
impialim, ad h lib hmlv i
xiv—h a a w aig pi. F h
pliial ladap adial xpaii,
Yaa Eyal, Te Young America Movement and the
ransormation o the Democratic Party (Nw Yk:
Cambidg Uiviy P, 2007). F abllm
impialim, ad hld bgi wih Nma A.
Gab, Empire on the Pacifc: A Study in American
Continental Expansion (Nw Yk: Rald P
C., 1955) ad All Mga Gib, Yankees in
Paradise: Te Pacifc Basin Frontier (Albqq:
Uiviy Nw Mxi P, 1993); al Ma K. Mada, “T Pai,” American Historical
Review 111 (2006): 758–780. F h lai dy
abllm Amia, David M. P, Te
Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 (Nw Yk: Hap &
Rw, 1976). F h ld Navy ad h abllm
Pai Sqad, ad will jy Rb E.
Jh, Tence Round Cape Horn (Aapli,
MD: Uid Sa Naval Ii, 1963); Hald
D. Lagly, Social Reorm in the United States Navy,
1798–1862 (Ubaa: Uiviy Illii P,
1967); ad Jh H. Shd, Shaping a Maritime
Empire: Te Commercial and Diplomatic Role o
the American Navy, 1829–1861 (Wp, C:Gwd P, 1985). F h lib ad h
m whm hy appald, ad will d hlpl
ad appalig Rb E. May, Maniest Destiny’s
Underworld: Filibustering in Antebellum America
(Chapl Hill: Uiviy Nh Calia P,
2002) ad Amy S. Gbg, Maniest Manhood
and the Antebellum American Empire (Cambidg:
Cambidg Uiviy P, 2005).
Note on Sources
40 Prologue Winter 2010