Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-23
From the New Orleans Picayune.
TIRE LOPEZ EXpRDJy'FON
Narrative Of Major j. A, Kelly, one ofthe Ameri-
can prisoners al Harana.

Capt. J. A Kelly, one CT tie prisoners recently re-
leased by the Captain General, has given the fol-
lowing statement of heevents that followed the lead
ing OF the forces under the command of Lopez,
from the period OF their embarkation that of hi !
being made prisoner. knowing how interesting il
VIII be to your readers, give 1t as full can re-
collect.
On the morning of the 18th of August between 4
and clock the invaders landed the little town
OF Morlos Shortly alter. General Lopez started for
Las Pozas, at the head of the Cubans and Huuoari.
ans, ordering Col bowman to take command Of Inc
American infantry and follow him. Col. Crlttenden
was ordered to remain al MCTliios until the stores
We're landed, and then 20 follow at all speed and oin
the main body atlas Pozas. Cen Lopez was to send
back transportation to Col O. from the first rancho on
the road He accordingly sent two carts with a sim
gle yoke OF oxen TO each These were pntirelv IN
sufficient to draw the heavily laden carts and cni
Z. sent one OF the negro drivers for more oxen who
| returned with two more, and the party started The
carts were still too heavily laden however and tbe
progress was slow They left MoriJIos abont eavnn
O'Clock, and only made five miles that night. The adj.
vance stopping at tlenda or on the main road
ana eelng soon alter joined by the rest of the
and the wagons. Col. Crttenden had previously semi
a messenger to Gen, Lopez, who returned and mel
mem mere Lopez ordered Col. G, to abandon his
baggage, ammunition, Nc, and Join him at once as
ne expected a battle every moment, and wanted trit-
tenden to attack he enemy In the rear and TAX -
Inc latter, however was 10th 10 abandon the ammu-
| milton, and while delberatIng he was suddenly ~
tackled by party of Spanish soldiers who were ennl
SEQ. Col Crlttenden now determined to leave every
thlng and Join Gen. Lopez at once, but before thew
We're ready to march they were again attack cd h;
| about $50 Spanish troops as they learned fro, -,
wounded prisoner, VINO was brought IN to have his
wounds dressed 1t Is proper to state here that after
the hight all the wounded Spanish soldiers who could
be found were brought In and their wounds dressed
I by DIR. Fournquet who was afterwards shot in this
city. Col Crlttenden had about I2O men under his
| command of alranks
After beating off the soldiers, Col Critenden look
eighty men and started off to charge the enemU a
ing Capt Kelly with orders maintain his POSITION
until his return. The men whom Col c. took with
nm, capt states, We're the lite of the whole COM
mand, and from that time forth Capt K saw no more
OF either CrIttenden or his men. The Spanish tioops
kept up continual slow fire Capt K - men. bp1
the distance from which they fired was so erea thai
their balls were mostly spent before they reached the
tienda. ~
After waiting about three hours for Col. Crlt,en-
dens return, and seeing or hearing nothing of him.
the men under Capt Kelly's command declared heir
determination not to wait for him any longer and
some OF them started off with the intention Of ma.
ENG their way to the coast and returning to the u
States. After much persuasion, Capt Kely induced
them to remain a little longer Some time after The
men again started off with the same Intention head
Cd by two officers, Leuts. Van Vechten and Gratis
Capt Kelly now gave up Hope of Crittenden,s re-
turn, and determined 10 join Lopez at Las Pozas at
once. He induced the men to 30 with him bv threa'
lenng to abandon them and start off alone. He took
| negro with him as guide and started throuoh the
woods, to conceal his march and prevent hei9a crt
Oft The uenda was by this time nearly surround bv
Spanish troops, and Capt. K. was obliged to commencs
his march in retrograde direction going towards tb.
coast until he was out of sight of the Soldiers and
then making a circuit through the woods
tate and stopped at the house. Here thew Earned
that company of Spanish soldiers had passed shorI
time before, and were also Informed that battle had
beer fought at Las Pozas, but the people ON The
tate did not know which side vctors They
hired another negro as guide and again stared for
Las Pozas When within short distance of The
town they came across the main road and saw sew
eral companies OF Spanish troops They concealed
themselves In the thlce and the negro nio tho
town TO ascertain who Were the victors He return
ed and stated thai all was quiet in the town. and the
sentlnes wore blue shirts. Capt. K. then sent Cor
tales, who spoke Spanish, into the town for further
information, and about 10 o'clock at MONT he retnr
ed with the Adjutant General of Lopez,s Fares
Schwartzer, who had succeeded Gen. Praeay who
had been severely weunaed in the battle of the mora
and stated they had beat off the enemy with coDsd
cradle loss. Capt. Kely's men We're mostly aseen.
and on beng woke up and ordered to march, three 81
them. named Frank Breedlove, John Irlnble ami
- Yard. were, as is supposed, left behind asieen
as they were not again seen. Capt. K had given
particular directions to his see that all were
woke up, but 1t is thought that in the excitement nf
the moment these men were oyerooke ed and prohabIv
killed In trying to find their comrades the next dav
On their march a to to, the town Capt KS command
passed over the battle field, which was literally COW
cred with the dead bod les OF the Spanish soldiers
Their loss must have been very great Thev were
challenged by the sentinel, who in his eagerness. for
got his duty so lar as to ask If they were Crttenden
men. This was the first nlmation Capt Kelly had
received + that Crittenden was not with Lopez.
Capt. X. mmedl atelv reported himself to Cen
Lopez who approved OF his course and appeared ex-
tremeIy glad to see him. Capi. Kelly wished to 90
back aad ascertain what had become of Crittenden.
who had eighty OF the best in the command with
him. Gen. Lopez replied that he had sent two com
panies that afternoon TO Crittenden's relief and that
they had returned and stated that twas impossible to
get through !; that his troops already under
marching orders, and that 1t absolutely lIecessa
ry he should leave there that night, as he would be
again attacked by the Spanish troops iii the morning
with artillery. He intended TO make tor the noun
tans, where he calculated TO some Creoies who
were said TO be IN there Capt Kelly saws that
Gen. Lopez appeared be very anxious to ION with
soha alx
he should leave his present situation before the
Spanish commander could receive his artillery as
their position would soon be rendered untenable-
Gen Lopez had no artillery, nor did the Pamoero
bring over any as reported He expected to find
Creole force IN the mountains with artillery as he
had been informed. Las Pozas is situated about
twelve miles from the shore and at The foot ~
| the mountain forming the region called the Vneta
Abala., About twenty minutes after Capt hey's ar
wal, the whole command We're on the march and
shortly after commenced ascending the mountains
About daylight they reached house used as sort
OF general post Office tor the district, and about
mile farther on they came another house where
the men got breakfast, which they ate with riqht
| good will. They rested here until the afternoon
when was as much needed, as Capt g men had now
| Deen ON the march Tor two tights and one dav
In the cool of the afternoon they again took m the
line OF march and arrived at hacienda formerv be-
morning OF the 18th. While taking breakfast nar~
ty of about 200 sncers charged do wn upon them bn,
were soon driven back. Almost imnlediareIv After
news was received that large lorce o Spanish troops
were IN feid about mile of, and Lopez mmediare
ly marched thher, where about FIVE hundred of The
enemy formed to fecsive him. He Immediately al !
tackled them with his diminished force, and aier a
short but sharp conflict, completely routed Them, thew
flying IN all directions to the woods In this fight Gen
Emma killed. ~
After this, Lopez resumed his march and crossed the
mountains, passing through thcky settled county, |
until they reached coffee estate where they got some
thing to eat. They continued marching abuu until the
2lsl, when their guide brought them 10 within few
miles OF San Chrisioba, wh5 re, Gen. Lo ez learned
from counryman, lheIe upwards OF 300
Spanish troops. They pr ceedtd the top of small
bill. whence they saw the tro ops pauollng he valev
below, They remained here all night, expo. ed TO
heavy rain, ard IN the morning STATED back about fit
teen miles, over road rendered very baa and slpuery
by the rain OF the night before. They again tuned
south, on their way to the house of a friend where
they intended to rest and put their arms which had
Oeen nluCH udLla3eQ 0Y the rdln N order. w he