Manifest Destiny's Inept Diplomat - Prologue, Winter 2010

8/7/2019 Manifest Destiny's Inept Diplomat - Prologue, Winter 2010

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/manifest-destinys-inept-diplomat-prologue-winter-2010 1/11



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



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’

32 Prologue



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.

Prologue 3Maniest Destiny’s Inept Diplomat



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

34 Prologue Winter 2010



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




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.




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.




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




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




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


Documents

Manifest Destiny's Inept Diplomat - Prologue, Winter 2010