The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1850-05-18
TIE CUBAN EXPEDITION.
GEN. QUITMAN IN COMMAND

There appears to be some probability in
Oh. rumor that an expedition has sailed
against Cuba. The Washington CORES
pendent OF the Philadelphia Inquirer lays:
From reliable authority, | learn that
four vessels full of armed men have actu-
ally cleared from New Orleans-'heir des-
tinaiion being Cuba; and that General
Qui'man is the Commander in Chief of
the forc.s-Gencral Lopez being second
in command.
OF course this force is wholly made
ouatp To make, by itself, any serious dem.
nns.ra,,on upon Cuba, but Gen. Lopez,
when 10 this city, some weeks ago, ex-
pressed the utmost confidence that not
"rly all the creole population would i'm
medil'cly rise, and join the "Patrlots,"
but that four ftths of the army would de-
clare in favor OF the movement
m7acqua,nted with several gentlemen
from this city, who, it is said, have sailed
with the expedition. Whether they have
or have not, one thing is certain, that
they were connected with the Round Is
land affair, and have left here for the
Soath within few weeks.
The expedition has been conducted
wit, the greatest secresv. Nearly all the
leading men Of the South are more or less
rrivv to it, and have aided it pecunia,ily.
The great object of the South is to try and
have Cuba ready to enter the Union at the
same time California does, and thus keep
up the balance of power"
Efforts were made, when the expedition
was FIST thought Of, to try and procure
the services OF Senator Jefferson Davis, of
Mississippi, as commander-in-chiet Mr..
DAVIS is graduate of West Point, and IS
highly scientific military man. He,
howevt,, positively refused. Gen. Worth
was then applied to, and the agreement
cpncui"d-not broken off for want Of
funds, as has been stated. Gen. Worth's
death, OF course, upset this arrangement.
WHEN Gen. Worth died, Gen Qutman
was solicited TO take the command, and
Understand, he has done 50, aud sailed
with the expedition. He is brave man,
but has no knowledge of military science.
The expedition is fraught with danger,
and unless Gen. Lopez is correct as to the
.Iisah'Hction of the troops, and in which
place but little faith, must be regarded as
Qulxotic IN the extreme. The handful OF
men who have engaged IN the enterprise
vii! ] am afraid, fall an easy prey to the
frroci'y of the cruel Spaniards.
The New York Courier also says. We
have letters from New Orleans, from
sources entitled to full confidence, which
We such information on the subject as
leaves little room to doubt, that the at
tempt is about to be-it indeed it has not
already been-renewed.-A letter Of the
3rd May. after remarking on the lncrcdu-
lily which prevails upon the subject at
thu North, states the arrangements for
carrying it INTO effect were progressing
with great rapidly, and upon large scale
On the end, two ships, fi:lIy loaded with
passengers, ostensibly emigrants for Cali
lorna, lett New Orleans for Chagres, and
within the ten days previous more than
thonand men had embarked from that city,
nI! of whom, there was good reason 10 be-
li"yr, were enlisted in the same undertake
ing.
The number OF men engaged in this ex-
prdi'on is said to be larger than that of
those engaged in the previous attempt 1t
has been stated as high as 10000 or 49,
GEO, but this was evidently an exaggera-
ton. Judicious persons, however, who
have good opportunities Of forming an
opinion, state in letters that 1000 or 5000
are undoubtedly engaged. They appear
to have plenty of money, though'it is stat
cd that the men engage for no stipulated
pay, but mainly on assurances OF rich re-
wards from plunder and confiscation if the
expedition prove successful. They are
assured, in the strongest terms, by their
leaders, that the Island is utterly unpre-
pared for resis.ance-that the forts are de-
tenccless, the troops disal1ected, officers as
we'll az men, and that the great mass of
the inhabitants will rise and Join the IN.
vadrrs, as soon as landing shall have
been effected.
W. received last night, slip from the
Charleston Courier, from which we learn
that on the 9Th inst, there were at Havana
one Spanish seventy four gun ship, two
first class trigates, and two war steamers.
They are, no doubt, on the look out for
"he enemy" Bait. Clipper.
Photographed ior the Baltimore SUM-
WASHINGTON. Nav Ia. 1850.