Rarely has England been called on to interfere in any of the quarrels
which have been so frequent among the states of South America. However,
in 1842, General Oribe, president of the Banda Oriental, having been
expelled from Monte Video, induced General Rosas, dictator of Buenos
Ayres, to support his cause. Monte Video was therefore besieged both by
sea and land by the Buenos Ayrean squadron and army; but the siege was
raised chiefly by the efforts of the foreigners residing in the country,
among whom was Garabaldi, who then first made himself known, at the head
of a regiment of 500 Italians, whom he had raised from among the crews
of the coasting vessels in the river. He and his followers appeared in
the red shirts which have since become so famous. The English and
French ministers residing in the Banda Oriental having vainly
endeavoured to induce Rosas to keep the peace, their respective
governments sent out a squadron under the commands of Admirals
Inglefield and Laine. The fleet of Buenos Ayres was captured, and the
invaders were driven out of Colonia, a town of which they had taken
possession. Though thus defeated, Rosas still held out on the banks of
the Parana, and had strongly fortified a place called Obligado, rather
more than a hundred miles from its mouth, having erected batteries of
great strength, and thrown a barrier consisting of a number of empty
vessels secured together by iron cables across the whole width of the
stream, guarded by an armed schooner and some gunboats. The admirals
accordingly sent a detachment of their squadrons to attack the fortress,
and then to proceed up the Parana to release a large fleet of
merchant-vessels which had been detained some hundred miles from its
mouth. The British squadron consisted of the steam-frigate _Gorgon_,
Captain Charles Hotham, who had under him the _Firebrand_ steam-frigate,
Captain J. Hope, the _Philomel_ surveying brig, Commander B.J. Sulivan,
and the _Comus, Dolphin_, and _Fanny_, the latter commanded by
Lieutenant A.C. Key. The French force was under Captain Terehouart,
commanding the _Saint Martin_, of 10 guns, who had with him the _Fulton_
steamer and three other vessels. After having been detained for some
time by bad weather, the squadron arrived opposite the fortress, on
which the vessels gallantly opened their fire. It was returned by a
tremendous shower of shot, shell, grape, and rockets, by which a number
of the English and French were killed. The Spaniards, letting loose
their fire-vessels, endeavoured to destroy the ships, but they were
towed clear by the boats, while Captain Hope, with a party of men
trained for the purpose, under a tremendous fire from the shore, cut
through the chains, and opened a way for the passage of the vessels up
the stream. The marines and blue-jackets were then landed, when they
attacking the batteries, the enemy took to flight, pursued by Lieutenant
Key, at the head of a light company of seamen, who carried a wood into
which they had thrown themselves. In a few minutes the remainder of the
dictator's vessels were pursued up the streams in which they had sought
refuge, and were destroyed. Commander Sulivan, of the _Philomel_, who
had carefully surveyed the river, now undertook to pilot the squadron up
to Santa Fe, the appointed rendezvous of the merchantmen. On their
passage most of the vessels were attacked by batteries thrown up on the
bank, and, unhappily, several officers and men were killed. While the
squadron and their convoy were remaining at Santa Fe, Rosas had thrown
up a line of heavy batteries on the summit of some high cliffs, at a
place called San Lorenzo. It was clear that the fleet would be exposed
to considerable danger while passing these batteries. Lieutenant
Mackinnon, of the _Alecto_, having observed that opposite the batteries
was a narrow island covered with reeds, grass, and small trees, though
otherwise completely commanded by the batteries, proposed landing during
the night preceding the day the squadron was to descend, with a number
of Congreve rockets, which he suggested should be fired into the fort so
as to distract the defenders, while the ships of war and
merchant-vessels passed under it. His proposal was adopted.
Fortunately, a bank was found parallel with the stream, which was of
sufficient height to conceal the rocket party. Having made their way
across the island to it during the hours of darkness, the rocket-stands
were planted, and all was ready for the passage of the fleet. As
Lieutenant Mackinnon was watching the battery from his place of
concealment, he observed a sentry suddenly stop, one of the men having
incautiously exposed himself, and eye the spot narrowly. "Hold fast,"
he whispered to the man; "don't move, as you value your life." The man
obeyed, and the sentry moved on. At length, the wind being fair, the
signal that the fleet were approaching was heard, the _Gorgon, Fulton_,
and _Alecto_ leading. As they approached, Lieutenant Mackinnon, jumping
on the embankment and waving his cap, while the British flag was hoisted
under the very nose of the enemy, sang out, "Pepper, lads! pepper, lads!
pepper, pepper, pepper!" and pepper away the men did with a vengeance.
In one minute forty rockets, admirably directed, were poured into the
opposite battery, compelling the dismayed enemy to desert their guns.
Terrific must have been the slaughter among them. The steamers meantime
taking up their position under the batteries, the fleet of merchantmen
passed quickly down under the showers of rockets which were fired
without cessation. The sternmost ships of the squadron being out of
range, the rocket party prepared to retreat, while the enemy, misled by
the flagstaff, which was erected at some distance from their place of
concealment, fired away at that. A better-conducted or more successful
exploit was never performed. The rocket party got back to their boat
without the loss of a single man, and, pulling rapidly down the stream,
rejoined their ship. The British and French squadron, on their return
to Monte Video, defeated an attack made on the city by some of the
allies of Rosas, a party of marines and seamen being landed to assist in
placing it in a better position for defence.