Washington Sentinel

From the New York Daily News.

The Central American War.

As we expected, the first news from Nicaragua, since the commencement of hostilities, is twisted into a shape the most unfavorable to Gen. Walker. The intelligence placarded, yesterday, on all the newspaper bulletin boards comes through a channel more than suspicious, and in such formidable dimensions that, if it were but half true, the renowned "filibuster" must have been hung, drawn and quartered by this time.

At some of our city offices the exciting news was headed "Rout of General Walker's Army." at another "Total defeat of Walker by the Costa Ricans," and at still another, "Rout of 400 Americans by 500 Costa Ricans," according to the different degrees of hostile feeling felt at each to the American colonization cause or the special desire for the sale of extras.

All this made the afternoon pass off in a state of healthful excitement, which was productive of some good, and, we hope, did nobody any harm.

As for the facts in the case, which may be read in the cool of this morning, we refer to the true report of Capt. Bushnell, in another column, and the telegraphic despatch from the Nicaraguan agent in New Orleans. Moreover a little recollection of the dates and forces stated by the last accounts will show that at the period when the battle, or rather surprise is said to have occurred, it was a moral impossibility that there could have been at the utmost over three hundred men with Col. Schlessinger, unless his recruits sprang up like the teeth of Cadmus, into armed men, from the logs and stones he left behind him. When we heard of the Costa Rican, General Mora, several days ago, the whole country he was traversing swarmed with enthusiastic volunteers, among whom were very many French and English officers. His force was then said to be thousands; it now suddenly dwindles to five hundred, while that of Schlessinger as suddenly swells to four hundred!

This Falstaffian operation may be very interesting to parties here who gloat over the defeat of the American and democratic progress, and it may be accepted for gospel by several respectable old ladies on the money market; but it will hardly go down with any who remember what the history of Freedom's fight has ever been, or who have carefully read and appreciated Shakspeare.

The sum total of this grand defeat is, that an affair of advanced guard has taken place—Col. Schlessinger having marched to meet the enemy, and consequently coming upon when they were in force.

Too rash and impetuous he has suffered a surprise, has been repulsed, and has fallen back toward Walker's main body, into a position where he will be able to hold his ground until the full regiments coming up to his support can reach him. Under such circumstances, it is very probable that prisoners from his detachment were taken, and that some of his men may have deserted or lost their way in the woods. The prisoners of course, were at once, in violation of every usage known to civilization, butchered in cold blood, and with the greater alacrity perhaps that they were Irishmen and Germans, kindred in blood, religion and feeling to the millions who vote upon our soil, and have wielded arms in its defence.

But their gore mingling with that of Americans on the same field of sacrifice has consecrated a common struggle—the brotherhood thus cemented will not be easily dissolved—taking new root upon the teeming Southern isthmus it will fructify afresh at home, and early tidings we doubt not will tell us that a bright page in the history of the young confederation has been stamped with the seal of Santa Rosa!