The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-11

Accounts
The deep and painful interest with which the exped
ton of Lopez and its ragica catastrophe regarded
throughout the country induces us TO surrender consid
cradle space in columns TO the official accountsboth
American and Spanishof these transactions. We learn
from the Republic that Monday last despatch
received at the Navy Department, from Commodore
Plat. Of the United States soop of-war Albany, dated
Havana September l, 1851, stating that in reply to a
request from him that he might be permitted to visit the
Americans who accompanied Lopezs expedition, and
who had surrendered been captured and brough, into
Havana he received the following repyrom the captain
general:
[Transation.]
.a6 HAVANA, August 81, 1851.
SIR: have received the letter which you addressed
to this day. soliciting my permission to hold an inter-
view with the prisoners who have been brought to this
port and who formed par, of The invading expedition
| inform you in reply that order the commander Of
her Majestys riga,e Espeansa, on board OF which the
prisoners are to admit you at any hour at which you
may present yourself hold the desired interview, with
permission 10 remain with the prisoners long you
may ind i conveniently and avail myself OF this occa
sion TO assure you of the esteem which your noble con-
duct and frank and honorable character en;tle you to
from me.
am. therefore. with all re;Pss y9v pbedsp, servant
&C., JOSE DE LA GONCHA.
CHAs ]. PLATT, esq, commanding United States sloop
ofwar Albany and senior officer OF the naval forces of
Inc U0tteQ CtdleS III tus port
Awaiting himself Of this permission, Captain Plat,
companied BY Lieutenant William Rogers Taylor visited
the prison In which these unfortunate confined
and received from them narrative of the fatal exped
ton a. follows
EItrGa from despatch 70 The Nary Department from
States ship Al5any, dated Hauana. September /.
The followers OF Lopez having been entirely dispersed,
and number OF prisoners reported as brought to tins
place on the 27th uItmo addressed letter TO the cap
aing general, requesting permission TO hold an interview
with any Americans who might be among them. This
permission readily accorded in reply which is en-
closed The interview was postponed until the morning
transferred to the castle OF the Punta and some acces
sions having been made to their number. The command
ant OF the castle informed me that the whole number OF
prisoners fifty of whom about thirty thirty
kve were Americans, we learned from themselves.
This ofhcer was present throughout The interview
Another gentleman, who introduced as inspector OF
prlsonS in during its continuance and remained I'M
I'll its close The prisoners were heavily ironed, were
clad in prison uniform, and had their hair closely cut
They confined in arched gallery, TO which access
washsd through two grated DOORS the inner one being
entirely Of iron In the little ante between the two
doors Lay the garments worn by the prisoners at the time
On our entrance the Americans orderedt to advance
TO the 'front.' and all foreigners were sent TO the other end
Of the cell Inquiry being made for the ohcers the fol-
lowing presented themselves, viz
James A. Kelly, OF New Orleans formerly OF Bayou
s.n who held the rank 81 captain IN the eskedSn
N00ert M Grldef, oil new Ofiedns, nduNe Vi heh
lucky. lieutenant in the same.
j. d. Baker. OF =, also a lieutenant
No other officer of the expedition presented himself
They were informed that had obtained permission TO
visit them, and that my object to obtain from them
any information they might choose TO glye which would
be Forwarded TO the government OF the United States and
perhaps might be the OF lettering others OF our
counTymen from placing themselves in the same depora
Bile situation They told distinctly that they were
70 %. the
the Presidents proclamation had declared that any per-
joining invading force would thereby forfeit the
protection Of the government OF the United States THIS
said 10 prevent their forming any false hopes from
my visit -
the entire party by the aforesaid officers, and, being I'M
eon,radcted BY any OF Them may be regarded as the ies
imony OF the whole.
They stated that the expedition sailed from New Or
leans in the steamer Pampero" They were not sure
OF the number composing IL, but thought IT was
four hundred and eighty that i certainly did not
amount TO FIVE hundred. Before landing in Cuba they
anchored near Key West where they remained several
hours, and were visited by citizens OF that place.
They landed in Cuba about two O'Clock of the morning
Of the 18th August Their first fight took place on the
18th From that period they had lost all recollection OF
dates They had five engagements but could not tell how
many Of their number had been killed They were armed
with condemned muske,s had rihes but many ind.
viduals had revovers and knives They brought with
them eighty thousand cartridges, and captured many more
after landing They had no artillery. Soon after land.
ing they found they had been deceived and became
ous to return home. They had been informed before
sailing that fourteen towns in possession OF the
"PaIieta' Ito their language,) and that the
whole island was state OF revolution. They suppose
that the Nifty captured with Colonel Crittenden
we're endeavoung TO make their escape They infer
from tho fact that they all dsped by the reception
they met WITH and Disguised they said, with the es
and deception practsed towards them The country
people generally fed al their approach and none Joined
them Worn out with hunger and fatigue, the men com
posing this body threw away their a week or ten
days previously-they could not distinctly remember
when They had not at that time heard Of the offer Of
life to such rs would give themselves up but their in.
ienon was TO throw themselves upon the mercy OF the
Spanish government They did not in all together,
but in small parties, and AT different times They bad
subssed chiefly upon frult and the las meat mat some
OF them had eaten portion OF their generals horse
There no lack oil ammunition when they threw away
their arms though much of what they brought had been
damaged BY the rain Lieut. Order stated that he carried
muske though officer, and that he had twenty %,
rounds OF cartridges in his box when he threw away.
Capt Kelly stated that the editor OF the New Orleans
Delta Mr. Sigur was instrumental in persuadng him 10
ION the expedition having addressed him personally sPon
he subject He has to believe that he persuaded
many others also The whole party manifested much
Indignation towards General Lopez and Mr. Sigur and
many OF them asserted that would be for the
latter il they should live to return home On being told
NAT General Lopez taken prisoner, cry OF Joy and
stullation ran through the crowd
They stated that Lopez chief Of the expedition.
Colonel Dowseman second in command, and was
Killed on the 18th
Colonel WIN. Scott Haynes, Of Tennessee, was another