North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-20

expedition, which contains of interest statements an
Importance. We copy below the material portion
: of this narrative, as follows: .e$a sH.s -.
81 became connected with the expedition at New
orieans receiving, on the Both day of July last, al
7 appointment as First Lieutenant of COMPANY B. O
Col. w. l.. Crttenden's regiment list artillery
commanded by Capt. James Sanders. The expedi
hon. as you are already aware, left New Orleans
at day-break on the morning of Sunday. the 3rd o
i August, in the steamer Pampero. We were towed
to the mouth of the river, engine being of
| der We remained in the river until Wednesday
the 9th, and left through the Northeast Pass, at
O'Clock, +. M, of that day, for Key West. The in
tention at that time was to go to Kew West ano
there take on board pilot 70. the river St. Johns-a
when place we were TO embark light battery, of ar
uiieIy, with calssons, ammunition and harness COM
pIete, together with number of cavalry saddles
and from thence were to to the south side oil
Cuba and land as near possible 10 Puerto Principe
We reached Key West, and anchored some dis
lance from the city, at three, P. NJ, of Sunday the
10Th instant. While at Key West, a quantity of
brandy and champagne received on board, which
was im6bed, toerably freely by Lopez and his staff.
ABOUT dusk OF that day, no pilot appearing, Lopez
called council, composed entirely of Cubans and
Hungarlans attached to his staff, Ono Americans be-
ing called) who decided give up going to the St.
Johns River, and run Immediately for the coast of
CUBA, which was done at about 10, p. M. The
next morning, owing to the variation of the compass,
from muskets being stacked near it, we found our
selves in plain sight of the Moro Castle and about
twelve miles distant the vessel Immediately headed
to the northward and westward and run of sight
OF land. About 3, P. M, of that day, Lopez took
the captain and mate out of Spanish schooner, to
act as pilots, giving them understand that they
would be shot if they showed any disposition to es-
cape or deceive. At l, P. M, again stood in for
the land, and after dusk sent boat in
noitre, which was hailed by sentry on the walls of
the fort. situated Bahia Honda, the ship be-
ing more than a mile from it. AS the boat
reported, lights were extinguished and press of
steam put on the ship running to the westward along
the land.
About 10 o'clock, while running under the charge
of pilot under press of steam, the ship suddenly
struck, and before the engines could be stopped had
run more than her length upon a coral reef After
examining her situation, it was found that she was
lying in about eight feet of water, while her draft
was over nine feet; and that it necessary that
the force should be Immediately landed, which was
done; and about o'clock the morning of the 18th
of August the last of disembarked upon the shore
of what We had been taught to consider would soon
be the free Island of Cuba. The first boats which
landed were fired upon by party of twenty men,
who fled on their fire being returned from the boat
which contained Captain Gouti, Ga Cuban command
ingan American company Lieutenant birmingham,
and about thirty privates of his company. One of
Gouti's men was wounded in the arm, and returned
in the ship, and the cap of the Lieutenant was cut
into halves on his head
AT daylight Lopez sent pronunciamento to Los
Posas, small village ten miles distant, in which he
informed the Inhabitants that he about march
to that place, and would give quarter to any whom
he found there who did join him. There being
no means of transporting baggage at Cabanos, where
there and protect stores, consisting of 100 900
musket cartdgss. three thousand nuskets and seven
hundred pounds of powder. in kegs, together with
the personal baggage of all the officers, saving that
he would march to Los Pesos with the regiment
of infantry commanded by Col. bowman, and send
from thence transportation; and that he would re-
main there until joined by Crittenden. Accordingly
Lopez marched at o'clock, with three hundred and
twenty-three men, leaving Crittenden at Cabanos,
with one hundred and thirty AT IL o'clock that
night Crttenden received two carts, and started i'm
mediatey after to join Lopez at Los Posas.
The carts being heavily loaded and the roads bad,
our progress was of necessity slow, not advancing
more than mile hour. About two hours after
daylight on the morning the 18th, reached house
containing store and grog shop, about four miles
from Los Posas The advance guard and main body
only had reached the house, (the guard with the
carts being still some quarter of mile behind) and
were engaged in eating breakfast, their arms being
laid aside, when they surprised by the report
of musketry and the whstling of bullets, which pro-
ceeded from the advanced guard of body of the
enemy, five hundred strong. We Immediately seiz-
ed our guns and killed nine of the enemy, and made
one prisoner none of party having been injured.
Not seeing any more of the enemy, the Colonel
cluded it but foraging party that had attacked
u.s. and our guard having up with the CARTS
ordered US to resume breakfast, which we did.
About ten minutes afte: again attacked by
the whole force of the enemy, they having the ad-
vantage OF position, being posted the brow OF a
hill overlooking our position, with belt of chappa-
raj, three hundred yards wide, intervening,
which we could not fire. Critienden Immediately
the enemy retreat a large body of chappare
some seventy.ive eighty yards in the of their
first position, from which they opened a heavy fire
upon force II appeared IN sight on The
row of the hill
Finding that he could not maintain that position,
CriItenden gave order to retreat to the house,
which. was done, while the enemy resumed his Po-
sition on the hill and again opened his fire; upon
which Crttenden ordered second charge, at the
time saying that he wished small party to at
tain position at the right flank of the enemy, to
charge from that side the moment he charged
from the front. Second Lieutenant w. H. Crafts,
(also of Company r. and myself volunteered,
and succeeded in attaining the position with twenty
After remaining in it for about half hour and
hearing nothing of Crittenden, returned to the
house, where found Capt. Kelly, of Company
A. with ten men, guarding the carts, but could hear
or see nothing of Crttenden. The enemy soon af
advancing towards the house. We were compelled
to retreat, leaving baggage and stores; and that
night, rather the next morning, we succeeded In
forming junction with Lopez at Las Posas, half an
hour that Criitenden attacked at the hacienda,
body of the enemy, eight hundred strong, under Gen.
Emma, attacked Lopez at Los Posas.
After hard fight of over two hours, the enemy
leaving the Americans master of the field,
and over two hundred of their number (among whom
were several of their highest oficers) dead and
wounded-the American loss being, in killed, wound
ed and missing, only about thirty men, among whom
Colonel Bowman and Lieut.. Labzan were killed,
and General Pragay and Captains Brigham and
Gyuti were mortally wounded. After the action,
taken care of as circumstances would admit. Lopez
rode entirely unarmed the field, through the
hottest of the fire, occasionally applying red raw
hide with great deal of vigor, to the shoulders of