Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-09-24

ed Captain Gouti, Ga Cuban commanding
an American company Lieutenant ain
ingham, and about thirty privates cf his
company. One of Gouti's men was wound
ed in the arm, and returned in the ship,
and the cap of the Lieutenant was cut in
halves on his head
At daylight Lopez sent pronunciamen-
to to Los Posas, small village ten miles
distant, in which he informed the inhabi-
tants that he was about to march to that
place, and would give no quarter to any
whom he found there who did not join
him. There being no means of transport
ing baggage at Cabanos, where we landed,
LOPEZ ordered Col. Crittcnden to remain
there and protect our stores, consisting of
100000 musket cartridges, three thousand
muskets and seven hundred pounds of
powder, in kegs, together with the person
al baggage of ali the officers, saying that
he would march on to Los Poaas with the
regiment Of infantry commanded by Col.
bowman, and send from thence transpor-
tations; and that he would remain there
until joined by Crittenden. Accordingly
Lopez marched at s o'clock, with three
hundred and twenty-three men, leaving
Crittenden at Cabanos, with one hundred
and thirty men. At IL o'clock that night
Crittenden received two carts, aud started
Immediately after, to join Lopez at Los
Posas.
The carts being heavily loaded and the
roads bad, our progress was of necessity
slow, not advapCng more than mile an
hour About two hours after daylight on
the morning of the 18th, we reached a
house containing a store and grog shop,
about four miles from Los Posas. The ad-
vance guard and main body only had reach
ed the house, (the rear guard with the
carts being still some quarter of mile be-
hind) and were engaged in eating break
fast, their arms being laid aside; when
they were surprised by the report Of mus
kerry and the whistling of bullets, which
proceeded from the advanced guard of a
body of the enemy, five hundred strong
We Immediately seized our guns and Kill
led nine of the enemy, and made one pris
oner, none of our party having been injur-
ed Not Of bn
the Colonel concluded it was but fora
ging party that had attacked US, and our
rear guard having come up with the carts,
ordered us to resume our breakfasts, which
we did. About ten minutes after we were
again attacked by the whole force of the
enemy, they having the advantage of po-
sitlon, being posted on the brow of hill
overlooking our position, with belt of
chapparal, some three hundred yards wide,
intervening, over which we could not fire.
Crittcnden Immediately gave the order to
charge, leading himself, and forced the
enemy to retreat to large body Of chap
paral some seventyGve or eighty yards in
the rear of their first position, from which
they opened heavy fire upon our force as
soon as it appeared in sight on the brow
of the hill
Finding that he could not maintain that
position, Crittenden gave an order to re-
treat to the house, which was done, while
the enemy resumed his position on the hill
and again opened his fire; upon which
Crittenden ordered Il second charge at the
same time saying that he wished Il small
party to attain position at the right flank
of the enemy, to charge from that side the
same moment he charged from the front.
Second Lieutenant W. II. Crafts, (also of
Company Il, } and myself volunteered, and
succeeded in attaining the position with
twenty men. After remaining in it for
about half an hour, and hearing nothing of
Crittenden,w we returned to the house, where
we found Capt. Kelly, of Company A, with
ten men, guarding the carts, but could
hear or see nothing of Crittenden. The
enemy soon after advancing towards the
house, we were compelled to retreat, leav.
ing our baggage and stores; and that night,
or rather the next morning, we succeeded
in forming junction with Lopez at Las
Posas, half an hour before his march from
that place. At the same hour that Crit
tenden was attacked at the hacienda, a bo-
dy of the enemy, eight hundred strong un-
der General Emma, attacked Lopez at Los
Posas.
After hard fight of over two hours, the
enemy retreated, leaving the Americans
masters of the field, and over two hundred
of their number (among whom were sever
al of their highest officers) dead and wound
ed-the American loss being, in killed,
wounded and missing, only about thirty
men, among whom Colonel Downman and
Lieut.. Labizen were killed, and General
Pragay and Captains Brigham and Gouti
were mortally wounded. After the action.