The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-07-16
GEN. LOPEZ AND THE EXPEDITION.

IN possession OF letter, addressed by
French officer to friend in this city, in
which the whole subject of the late Cuban
Expedition is discussed. The writer has
occupied high rank in the French Army,
and is besides well acquainted with the to-
biography and people of the island. His
opinion is, therefore, entitled to great weight
Speaking of the plan, of operations of
Gen. Lopez, he says: His very boldness in
selecting for his landing point so near Ha-
vana as Cardenas, saved him and his party
from total destruction. If he had made for
the western end of the island, he would
have met both the Pizarro and the Hahaue-
70 in his way. You may well imagine the
result.
"'The most skilful and promising combi-
nations are often defeated by the most tri-
fling accidents and the loss of few hours
sometimes of few minutes. The delay in
Cured at Cardenas prevented the taking of
Matanzas, which lay open and ready to re-
ceive Lopez. This position once secured,
the Revolution would have commenced un-
der the most favorable circumstances, and
with advantages that could not have been
obtained from any other basis, save Havana
itself. One-half of the work would have
been achieved by the first blow
."Gen. Lopezs sole motive for landing at
Cardenas was to surprise the important and
friendly city of Matanzas, with which it is
connected by four or five hours travel
The bay of MatanZas itself is not only COM
manded by fortifcations but from the shall
Of hn loo
sells to approach the mole, all having to an
chor at considerable distance from it, and
communicate with the shore by boats Car
denas has no batteries, and steamers may
go right straight to the mole aud make fast.
His plan was to. surprise Cardenas by night,
master at once the authorities and the sin
gle company of the Regiment of Leon, of
which he knew its garrison to consist, place
patrols around the town. so as to prevent any
departure OF expresses and then pounce up
on Matanzas by the regular daily train re-
:. turning thither from Cardenas. He also in.
tended, at the same time, to send toward a
tacLment, by an express train, to a point
near Havana, to blow up a railway bridge
there, and to return Immediately to Matan-
zas, after scattering proclamations by the
way, and forwarding to the west of the
island notices of his arrival, which he knew
would be the signal of general rising in
that country.
"Such was the bold and beautiful plan Of
Gen. Lopez, about which the correspondent,
whom we have already quoted, says
'There is no difference of opinion here
among military men, as to the immediate re-
suits which would have been obtained
With the means secured in Matanzas-large
resources in money, horses, and arms-he
would have spread the fire of insurrection
far and wide, avoiding rather than seeking
fighting till he should be at the head of such
a force as would have enabled him to meet
any army which the Government of Ha
vana could have sent against him.
''This entire plan was frustrated by the
trifing but fatal casualty OF the Creole stick
ing aground, for nearly two hours, in he
approach to the mole, within not more thai
ten yards from it! This gave the alarm
the Governor of the town prepared for de
fence, and dispatched expresses to Matan
zas, and orders to the neighboring Capita,
de Pa1ttdo to break up the railroad, so a
to prevent the General from penetrating b
it into the interior"
10 Having, Of course, now to chang
; his plan of operations, he desired to go t
, the Central Department on the Reatwart
or the Vuelta Abasso on the eastward-t
go to either of which, the Creole aforde
the quickest and safest passage He re
embarked, and we know the SEQUEL.
This is a clear and simple statement
e the affair, and we think it shows Gen. Lc
: PEI in much better light, than when see
y through the medium of portion of the pull
lie press indeed, it shows him to be an abl
Z General.
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