of the national honor, on other shores, and in foreign lands; and it is something of which they may well be proud, that they have never proved faithless to their trust.
On the day of the passage of the act declaring that war existed with Mexico, Commodore Conner was officially notified of the event, and instructed to blockade the Mexican ports on the Gulf; his attention being more particularly directed to that part of the coast between the Goatzacoalcos and the Rio Grande.[1] Several vessels of war were also dispatched, as soon as they could be got in readiness, to reinforce the squadron under his command.[2] Anterior to this he had rendered important services to the army of occupation, commanded by General Taylor, in their operations on the Rio Grande; and upon the reception of his instructions, he prepared at once to carry them into effect. Most of the time, during the summer months, was spent in discharging the inactive, and sometimes irksome duties of the blockade, varied but rarely by any incident of more than ordinary moment. Commodore Conner made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the port of Alvarado, on the 7th of August, 1846; none of his vessels being of sufficiently light draught to cross the bar.[3] Commander Carpenter,
- ↑ This direction was given, in order to exempt Yucatan from the blockade.
- ↑ After the arrival of the vessels ordered to the Gulf, the Home Squadron consisted of the frigates Cumberland and Raritan, 44 guns each; sloops of war, Falmouth, John Adams, and St. Mary's, 20 guns each; steamer Mississippi, 10 guns, (Paixhan); steamer Princeton, 9 guns; brigs Porpoise, Somers, Lawrence, Perry, and Truxton, 10 guns each; and the schooner Flirt. Total number of guns, 217.
- ↑ One effect produced by the Gulf stream is, to cause the accumulation of numerous sand-bars along the eastern coast of Mexico, and especially across the mouths of the rivers. But very few of the ports can be
