cepted that of generalissimo of the republic, an
office better suited to maintain his position. His rapid success brought
him not only the support of the liberal faction, but attracted recruits
from the United States, who made their way into the country from the east
and the west alike until he had a force of twelve hundred Americans under
his command.

General Corral, who had treated with him for peace, was soon to pay the
penalty for his readiness to make terms with an invader. He was arrested
for treason, on some charge brought by Walker, tried before a
court-martial at which the new generalissimo presided, sentenced to death,
and executed without delay.

The next event in this fantastic drama of filibusterism was a war with the
neighboring republic of Costa Rica. Both sides mustered armies, and a
hostile meeting took place at Guanacaste, on March 20, 1856, in which
Walker was worsted. He kept the field, however, and met the foe again at
Rivas, on April 11. This time he was victorious, and the two republics now
made peace.

His military success seemed to have made the invader securely the lord and
master of Nicaragua, and he now threw aside his earlier show of modesty
and had himself elected president on June 25. He had so fully established
himself that he was recognized as head of the republic by President
Pierce, on behalf of the United States. But he immediately began to act
the master and tyrant in a way that was likely to bring his government to
a speedy end.

Money being scarce, he issued currency on a liberal scale, and by a decree
he restored the system of slavery which had been abolished thirty-two
years before. Not content with these radical measures within the republic
itself, he was unwise enough to create for himself a powerful enemy in the
United States by meddling with the privileges of the Vanderbilt Steamship
Company, then engaged in transporting the stream of gold-hunters to
California over a Nicaraguan route. Walker revoked their charter and
confiscated their property, thus bringing against his new government a
fire in the rear.

His aggressive policy, in fact, made him enemies on all sides, the Central
American states bordering on Nicaragua being in sore dread of their
ambitious neighbor, while the agents of the Vanderbilt Company worked
industriously to stir up a revolt against this soaring eagle of
filibusterism.

The result was a strong revolt against his rule, and he soon found himself