The Daily Dispatch: may 30, 1861., [Electronic resource]

Affairs in New Granada.
Bogota not yet taken — expected descent on the Isthmus — great excitement among the people.

‘ All regular mail communication with Bogota being still suspended, the only intelligence received from there and the seat of war is through private sources. The latest advices from the Capital are to the 15th of April, brought by Mr. James E. Chambers, bearer of dispatches from General Jones, resident Minister of the United States near the Government of the Grenadian Confederation. The general aspect of affairs is about the same as at last reports Gen. Mosquera had not marched on Bogota on the 17th of April. On that day Mr. Chambers, accompanied by Gen. Jones, visited his headquarters, which were established at Villeta within two days march of the Capital, for the purpose of getting his passport vised. He represents Mosquera's force to be quite large and enthusiastic, while the Government force at Bogota, he says, is composed principally of persons who were pressed into the service against their wishes, from which he infers that Mosquera will achieve an easy victory. Other accounts, however, state that the citizens of Bogota are united in their opposition to the revolutionists, and have resolved to defend the city. Mosquera had declared his intention to take up his line of march towards the capital on the 19th of April, having become satisfied that the city would not surrender, as he had vainly hoped. The Government troops are commanded by brave and skilful generals, and Mosquera, before he captures it, will meet with a desperate and determined resistance. All the towns on the Magdalena river are still in possession of the revolutionists. Several engagements are reported to have taken place in the States of Antioquia and Santander lately between the Government troops and the revolutionists, in which the latter are said to have triumphed. These accounts, however, have been received through a revolutionary source, and should be taken with many grains of allowance.--Until the decisive battle is fought at or near Bogota, it is impossible to say which party will succeed. It is pretty generally conceded, however, that the revolutionists have at present decidedly the advantage.

The English steamer Talisman, from Carthagena, which port she left on the 9th inst., arrived at Aspinwall on the 11th. She reports five vessels-of-war being fitted out at the former port, with a force of one thousand men. It was rumored that their destination was Chagres or Aspinwall, and their object the seizure and subjugation of this Isthmus. This intelligence produced a profound sensation here, which was greatly increased on the 12th by the receipt of a telegraphic dispatch from Aspinwall, communicating the news of the departure from that port, without orders, of the Granadian schooners-of-war Presdient, Ospina and Legitimized. Various are the conjectures as to the destination of these vessels. It is the opinion of many that they have gone to Carthagena to be turned over to Nieto, the revolutionary Governor of the State of Bolivar. Other again think that they have gone to Santa Marta, as most of the persons on board belong to that place, whence they were brought to this Isthmus and detained as soldiers, against their will.

Captain Iglesias, the commander of the naval forces of the Confederation, who has charge of these vessels, was in Panama at the time of their escape, where he is detained by order of the Intendente General, on suspicion of having connived at their desertion. A small steamer, in a disabled condition, is the only Granadian war vessel at present at Aspinwall, which leaves that place in a defenceless condition; and should the expedition now being fitted out in Carthagena actually sail for Aspinwall, it will probably effect a landing, unless the American and English naval forces prevent it. The only American vessel-of-war now there is the storeship Falmouth. A British ship-of-war is daily expected to arrive.

The native citizens of Panama, including the heads of families, are to have a meeting to-day, in pursuance of a call from the Governor of the State, to decide the best plan of defence, in case the revolutionists from Carthagena should make a descent on the Isthmus; and the Intendente General has asked for the interposition of the United States naval forces, through the American Consul at this port, which, no doubt, will be complied with; for the citizens of the United States have too much at stake on this Isthmus to allow the transit to be disturbed by a set of lawless and irresponsible adventurers, such as the Carthagena rebels are supposed to be. If they were once permitted to land, they would, no doubt, commit all sorts of excesses and the lives and property of American citizens would not be respected by them. The Isthmus must be kept neutral, and the transit protected against the incursions of all freebooters.

The Star and Herald states that it is reported the British Admiral has declared his intention not to respect the paper blockades of the ports of the Grenadian Confederation, but to open them to British commerce. This information. It is understood, was brought to Aspinwall by the Talisman. English commerce has greatly suffered by the closing of the Atlantic ports of the Grenadian Confederation; and the subject was some time since represented to the British Government by the agents of the West India lines of steamers, which has probably induced her Majesty's Government to give orders to the Admiral of the character indicated.

The United States steamship-of-war Saranac, Captain Robert Ritchie, and the British steam corvette Mutine are still in port. The United States steamer Wyoming, now on her way from San Francisco to Acapulco, has been directed by Capt. Ritchie, senior officer in command, to cruise between the latter and Panama, in order to protect the American California mail and passenger steamers against any privateers that may have been sent in these waters under orders from the revolted States of the United States. The United States sloop Cyane will probably cruise between San Francisco and Acapulco for the same purpose.

’ On the 19th of April General Mosquera started for Chipaquira, to reinforce Colonel Santos Gutierres, who was fearing an attack from General Paris, as he had been sent from Bogota to meet him, soon after the defeat of Canas in Tunja. Lino Pena, who at the same time made an attack on the division at Mesa, was totally beaten, five of his men were killed, seven wounded, and thirty were made prisoners. Obando had joined Mosquera with eight hundred men. Caqueza had pronounced itself in favor of Mosquera. Gen. Jones, who, it seems, came down to Honda with the bearer of dispatches, says that he saw himself, from Villeta, Mosquera's army advancing on the plains. On the 2d there arrived at Carthagena a bearer of dispatches for all the foreign ministers in Bogota. Those for the United States are important. He supposes that Bogota must be taken by this (so the story always goes) as the plan of attack had already been decided upon.