The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-09-18

ted that they would do. In one of the oc-
tions between the Americans and the Spaniards
the commander in-chief certainly distinguished
himself in rather an extraordinary manner.
Lieut.. Van Vechten says:-
"Lopez rode entirely unarmed over the field =.
through the hottest of the fire, occasionally ap-
plying a red ra,o hide, With a great deal of
uigOr, to the shoulders of such men as he
thought could be hurried into firing little
faster"
In regard to the question as to whether the
volunteers in that expedition were deceived
he says: -
"At the time received my appointment from
Mr.. Sigur, one of the editors of the New Or
leans Delta, was told by him that revolt
was regularly organized among the CreOles
throughout the Island of Cuba that they had
elected Gen. Lopez as their leader, and their
object was to free Cuba from the tyranny of
Spain, and either form 3 republic of their own,
or annex the Island to the United States. He
told me that Lopez was about to leave New Or
leans for Cuba, with about five hundred Ameri-
cans; and that his landing was signal for a
general rising, and that within ten days after
landing he would be at the head of an army Of
ten thousand men that there were also two
whole regiments of Spanish troops to come over
to him with their equipments The same story
was told to all Instead of finding the Creoles our
friends we found them our most bitter enemies,
far more so than the troops--keeping the troops
constantly informed of our movements, and
hanging on our skirts, putting to death without
mercy, all those who struggled on the march,
OF the troops cannot but speak in praise, with
out single exception. They treated the pris-
oners with the utmost kindness, giving them
wine, segars, bread, tobacco, and aguadente,
freely, and from their own small means. i'm
agine no one will say that we had any right to
such treatment
He exonorates the Spanish authorities from
any act of excess or unwarrantable sc verify.
and even admits that they spared life when
justice would have demanded it Here are his
own words -
"I consider that every man connected with
that expedition deserved death. At the time
was made prisoner, | fully expected it, and al
though the reflection was anything but pleas
ant my own conscience told me that it was
just. Crittenden with his force not only COM
mitted a crime in landing on the Island but ac-
tualy committed an act of open piracy in taking
those vessels in which he was caught, the pun.
ishment for which is, by the laws of all nations,
DEATH"
He entirely repudates the story about the
mutilation of the bodies of those who were ex-
ecuted. In regard to that he says
"Much has been said relative to the mutia-
ton of their bodies. Certainly was not pres
ent at the time, and cannot speak positively
L cannot learn from a reliable source that such
was the case. l have conversed with officers:
ofthe United States ship Albany on the subject.
They are men Of high standing in society, and
they assure me that such was not the case-that
they were shot in accordance with military
usages on such occasions
We have occupied more space than we inten-
ded when we commenced these remarks; but
Lieut.. Van Vechten's account of the transac-
tion is evidently such q fair expose of the
whole affair that we could not well avoid ma
king these few extracts.