The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-31
THE CUBA EXPEDITION.
The Taking of Cardenas,
DESPERA TF FIGHT.

-000--
We have received by express this morning. says
the Evening Picayune Of yesterday, the full ac-
| counts of the operations of the Cuba Expedition
the shores Of that island. As the details are Of
deep interest we devote to them considerable
| space. We first give the remarks of the Savannah
Republican, following them with deeply interest
ing letter from Key West:
The Republican Extra of the 18th inst states
that the steamship Isabel arrived on the Savannah
bar at o'clock Saturday morning, and placed hen
mails and passengers on board the J. Stone. She
left Havana on the 22d inst. Among the passen-
gers are Gen. Lopez, commander ofthe expedition,
one OF his ades-de-camp. Senior J. Sanchez Yznaga,
and Messrs j. q. Hunton and @. H. Horton.
1t appears that in looking after the Creole the
Pizarro encountered the bark Georgiana, which had
returned from the group OF islands near the coast
of Yucatan, whence the expedition sailed. The
Georgiana had board some thirty or forty men,
who preferred not to accompany the expedition.
These men were taken prisoners.
The landing was made on the night of the
18th instant. The first attack, the following morn.
ing, was directed against the jail, on the supposi
tion that it was the barracks The Kentucky regi-
ment led this attack, which was warmly met by the
sentines on duty there, and some troops who were
with them.
In their progress through the town the invaders
met with hot reception from all quarters, being
fred upon from walls, housetops, windows, etc.
A body of Spanish troops, moving towards the
Governors house, being hailed, returned an answer
by firing. The Governors house wasearly attack
ed, but not until after Cen Lopez had sent three
or four distinct summonses TO surrender. The
house was thenset FIRE TO, when the Governor some
officers and forty soldiers retreated to the next house,
which was fired in its turn They then made their
way to third house, on which were several ladies
and others collected. The roof of this house, which
was low one, gave way, and fell in, but no one
was seriously hurt In this condition the inmates,
with the fire at their heels, andahe soldiers in dan
ger Of being blown up by their own cartridges, bad
no choice but to surrender. A white flag was,
therefore, soon hung out at the window, the point
.ot bayonet. In the absence of any thing else to
serve the purpose of flag, one of the young ladies
present calamity offered an article of her under
| garments, which was used for the purpose.
| The place being taken, General Lopez, who had
thus far been unable TO get speech of the inlab-
tants which he was anxious to do in order to save
| bloodshed, exclaimed that The expedition came 10
the island to offer liberty the Inhabitants not with
the purpose Of plumber He issued at the same thue
strict orders that property should be taken with
being paid for, and gave other necessary orders.
The effect of these measures was that the Spanish
soldiers put on red shirts and cockades like the in
| vaders, and distributed themselves through the
town, with at least the ostensible object OF con.
ciliating the people in favor of their visitors.
IL does not appear, however, that much impression
was made this way, and il is certain thatthe Span
sh officers all remained faithful to their flag ex.
iIpuus tWnuSuoutd COuTds6 worthy OI lne days
of old CASTLE.
The loss on the side of the invaders was some
four killed, aud perhaps ten wounded, while it is
presumed that the defendants of the place met
loss Of some twenty. Gen. Lopez is Of opinion
that there were not probably more than 100 regu.
lar soldiers of the line in Cardenas at the time o
the attack; but during all these transactions news
| had been sent to Coliseo, post ten miesdistant
and to Matanzas for reinforcements and large rein
forcements were approaching the city, near SOC
men having arrived before nightfall. During the
| day, too, some of the invading force had become
| little disorganized by drinking and a portion 0
them had been detailed to place the wounded and
| quantity OF coal on board the Creole, in order t,
| enable her to return at once for reinforcements
Influenced by thesea other streug considerations
| Gen. Lopez determined to re-embaIk his command
on boardthe Creole, which was done after night
fall of the same day on which they landed tl9tt
lnst9 On their way to the boat they were attacked
/ by force of twenty-five lancers and forty hy,
infantry. These troops fought the invaders witt
desperate courage, charging up to the bayonets
The laneers were killed almost to man. One o
them, common soldier returned twice alone
searching, like the French officer at Waterloo, 70
some point where he might pierce the line.
On leaving the harbor of Cardenas, the course Z
the vessel was laid in a N. w. direction, in orde
\ to avoid the risk of meeting Spanish men,of- wal
As soon as the land faded from view, Gen. Lope
gave orders to stand westward. his intention bein
to make another landing al the town-of Mantu'
in VHsltad De Abaio.n The district 80 called is a
4 that part Of the lsland Of Cuba westward fror