The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-09 00:00:00

LONDON,

THE SPA,VISH ACCOUNT OF THE

INVASION OF CUBA.
(From the Times.)

We have been favoured by the Spaniih Minieer
with the following description of the late events in

Cuba :

" The Spanish Minister has read the leading
article published in the Times of Saturday, neon the
events that hsve taken piece in the island of Cuba;
and being convinced that the errors which it contains
can only proceed from the avant of a correct and
' authentic information and from the exaggerated ac-
counts of the American newspaper, he takes the
liberty of sending to the Editor of the Times an exact
report of what has happened in Cuba during the last
invasion.
" The following facts are taken from the official
' documents, and the Spanish Minister in becoming
himself responsible for their veracity, sincerely hopes
that they may give the Editor of the limes a true
idea of the events to which they refer.
" M. de Isturitz trusts also in the justice of this
highly respected journal, in order to enlighten the
public opinion of this country on questions of such
magnitude and importance ; as nothing can so effi-
ciently serve this desirable end as to present the history
of the facts, such as they took place, M. de Isturitz
thinks it his duty to communicate them to the editor
of a journal that, like the Times, has such powerful
means of forming and correcting the opinion of one of
the greatest nations of the world.
" Before proceeding any further it is important to
record some facts. The attempt at Round Island,
and the expedition of Cardenas, had clearly and
frankly established the respective positions of the
Spanish and American Governments. While the
former announced in the most public and solemn
manner its determination to apply with the utmost
rigour the law of the rights of nations to the invaders
of Cuba, the latter, through the proclamation of
General Taylor, declared them outlaws, and excluded
from all protection. Both Governments did re-
peatedly warn them that death as pirates should be
the consequence of their crime; but this advice, per-
fectly unnecessary in any other country, was not, un-
fortunately, listened to in America.
" The expedition of Cardenas took place, Spanish
blood was spilt in that most unjustifiable aggression,
and at last the criminals fled. The Spanish Gover-
nor, who had in his power the prisoners taken at
Contoy, carried his generosity to the extent of im-
prudence; some of them were acquitted, the others
forgiven, not a single victim fell ; in fact, it was im-
possible to carry further the effects of clemency.
" Soon, however, were felt the results of such a
generous conduct. The sedition of Puerto Principe,
the rising in arms of Aguero and his few adherents,
stimulated by the expectation of a new expedition
from the United States, and the final landing of Lopez
-and his partisans on the northern coast, soon con-
vinced the Captain-General of Cuba of the fatal effects
of former lenity, and of the necessity of the pre-
scriptions of the law being applied with the utmost
severity.
"Being therefore decided to act with energy, be
received at 3 o'clock in the morning of the 12th a
dispatch from the captain of her Majesty's frigate
Esperanza, addressed to the Governor of Mariel, ad-
vising the approach of a steamer. The Captain-Ge-
neral, calculating the direction of the suspected vessel,
did not hesitate one instant, and at 7 o'clock that
same morning the war-steamer Pizarro, under the
command of General Brutillos, sailed from Havannah,
with seven companies of troops (about 700 men),
having in tow a schooner with the horses belonging
to the staff offioers, and a few soldiers of the Regi-
ment el Rey, all of them commanded by General
Enna.
•"rhe Pizarro anchored the same day in Bahia
Londe, four leagues distant from Playitas, where the
pirates had landed in the morning. Lopez had divided
his forces. About 400 men were possessed of a
village called Las Poses, and 100 more were placed
in El t'slorillo, a small hill with a few houses that look
upon the coast, with the probable intent of assisting
the landing of new expeditions, or to secure a retreat
in case of a defeat.
" Geeteral Enna, impatient for fighting, and no
doubt deceived by the many and contradictory reports
consequent upon the hour and haste, divided also his
small forces. Two companies attacked the hill El
Morillo ; two more remained out of the seat of action ;
and himself, with only three companies, attacked the
main body of the invaders, consisting of at least 350
men, protected by the houses of the village. by some
defensive works rapidly made, and by the 'difficulties
of the ground. General Enna bad, therefore, to fight
against an enemy not only superior in force, but who
had besides the advantage of being defended by strong
parapets.
" The Spanish troops attacked with the bayonet,
receiving the fire of the enemy, and they met with
the most desperate resistance. The loss on both sides
was very considerable, and both parties fought, man
against tnan, in the streets of the villages. The
Queen's forces had 120 men wounded, and a consi-
derable, but yet unknown, number of dead, among
whom was the second major of the Leon regiment.
General Enna, who had his horse killed under him,
found himself obliged, in consequence of the position
occupied by the enemy, to wait for the artillery and
to retreat with his small force. The pirates left the
village to attack him, but the general charged them
with his few men and compelled them to re-enter
their sheltered positions. He then halted at a short
distance with his little force, which he had yet to di-
vide by the necessity of transporting and escorting
the wounded to Bahia Loads.
" There he remained, without being at all mo-
lested, till the 15th, in the morning, when he was re-
inforced by four companies of infantry and 150
horses, that the Captain-General Of Cuba had sent
under the command of the colonel chief of the general
staff, and on that same day he WAS also joined by'
another column of five companies and two mountain
pieces under the orders of Brigadier-General Don
Martin Rosales.
" The invaders, who had remained inactive since
the encounter on the 13th, contrived to leave the vil-
lage of Las Poses; and by the latest news from the
Havannah, dated the 17th, at eight o'clock in the
morning, it is known that Lopez had only with him
200 men out of the 500 he bad at the time he landed.
All the others had been killed in the affray of Las
Posits, or had been dispersed and shot by the troops
and by the country people, who had spontaneously set
on their pursuit.
"In this number are included the 50 adventurers

made prisoners by the crew of the steamer Habanero.
The following are the circumstances and particulars
of the executions :—They had been taken in four
beats on the coast of Cuba in Spanish waters. They
formed part of the expecliion of Lopez, and they were
all found armed, with a chief and five officers at their
heed. They arrived at Havannah early in the
morning of the 16,1, and having been found guilty
by their own evidence and declarations, they were
shot at half-past eleven, near the Castle of A tares.
More than 20,000 spectators were present at that
melancholy scene, and raised their vivas for the Queen
and for Spain. The troops had formed a square, the
cavalry and the civil guard being on the sides. The
colonel was shot alone, the five officers together, and
the other individuals 10 by 10. All of them were
itnmed:ately withdrawn from the place of execution to
nieke room for their unfortunate fellow-sufferers.
Their mortal remains were, also, immediately placed
in 10 hearses, furnished by the funeral undertakers,
who, dressed all in black, carried them to be decently?
buried. The troops marched round after the execu-
tion, and then withdrew; not one single corpse
remained in the square; then, and only then, were
the people allowed to enter the place where such a
painful act of justice had been performed.
" Tnis is the exact and true narrative of what has
occurred to the prisoners. All the disgusting details
which erroneously have been published in the English
newspapers are calumnious fabrications of the Ame-
rican press. It may be matter of opinion whether the
application of the law is convenient or not; but cer-
tainly no act of accessory cruelty can be imputed in
this case to the Spanish authorities in Cuba. They
have fulfilled it with the dignity and decorum that
becomes honourable and gallant men.
" In judging of their conduct in this affair, it is
indispensable not to forget for one instant the peculiar
nature of the aggression and the precedents of this
question. The rights of nations consider the invaders
as pirates; the most summary principles of justice,
end the duty which all Governments have of protect-
ing and defending the society intrusted to their care,
demanded a prompt and exemplary punishment that
might deter others from embarking in similar under-
takings. The American Government, through the
channels of General Taylor and Mr. Fillmore, had
most publicly declared them outlaws; the Spanish
Governor had on his side announced more than a year
ago his firm determination to apply the law to the
utmost extent, after having tried without success a
useless system of clemency, for which he was accused,
both in England and America, of weakness and want
oo l
of energy. Not only was the right of Spain placed
h
and invoked
thebupt
reitsserevnaftoiornceoufi enforcement was
yconsiderednd zllsociety,
threatened
ltio its foundationte Americanadventurers. by thewild and
vigorous and remarkable articles published by the
English press, and the forcible reasoning
Tunhe-
cvis
of some of
the most distinguished statesmee of this country would
have taught Spain, had she not already been aware of
it, how convenient and how necessary it Was to put in
practice the common law of the rights of nations
against the modern hordes of pirates and flibustiers.
" Spain has fulfilled the primary and the most
simple of her duties; had she tried again a system of
lenity and indulgence, whicte former experience had