The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-09-23

Ien Msw orssns without cartridge boxes, ball scryvy
Wpers or even picker and brush. Their hsversscks
were useless in keeping the water and the it he an
muniticn that remained them was that which thew toor
nom the Spanish troops after the battle Las bosss
In this deplorAbls condition they found themseiye
within hall mile Of tbs Of San Chrstovsi which
upon careful inspection Of their ammunition il was
iound that only about thirty forty muskes ser
taking that town but sscssd GOOD nss
to IL and snc:mpsd thes for the night They con.inu
ha they ne az the but dis
base manner in which they now found that thew
had been deceived by the wretched Cubans, who BY
false representations aud By offering all sorts of in
dueements to them they would but come and
assist them to obtain their independence from the
| dominion of Spain, this handful OF brave men who
had ventured their lives, their all in the cause Of
freedom found themselves most cowardly abandoned bv
They had surely found that the Cubsns know not
how to conquer their Independence, and consequent
| ly be free by their own efforts
Many of the men now became H. and left to die
in the mountains and the roadsdes and II death had
not already Kindly KIN put an end 70 .ns TO b
On the 2st they had been fortunate enough
some thing to eat for breakfast and all busiy
gagged cooking when the royalist troops came upon
Lopezs sentinel before he had time TO give the
alarm, and they were again surprised. The number
of the Lberators had become reduced to about one
hundred ami fifty men, and they had amongst them
some eighty muskets portion only of which We're fit for
nevertheless they instantly formed into position
upon hearing the pickets the alarm. they no
longer had any confidence In themselves indeed it is
most extraordinary how they had held out long under
r
fore 1t is surprising that after defending themselves
noby as long as they able against the immense
BILE to Withstand the effect the heavy artillery brought
into action by the royal troops and the ,Liberstors
man taking his own course through the mountains,
seeking his safety in flight Now began the real hard,
said the uhtrators dispersed the men Wandered
about the mountains for days together in small bandsof
three and four living roots, and undergoing the
greatest privatons they hunted by the soldiers
and peassntry with bloodhounds, If they were wild
beasts and such OF the poor elowsa unfortunately T
under the tender mercies of these blood thirsty
tors were either shot or their brains dashed with
clubs for the purpose Of robbDg them Of the little
money trinkets which they had about their persons
Others driven to desperation upon finding their pur-
close upon Them threw the precpces
fact repeatedly announced by the royalis officers in
their dispatches to the Captain General.
Without clothes what little they had left. to
rags in their endeavors to push their way through
almost impenerable brushw God, and barefoot indeed,
with scarcely covering upon them at ALL these poor
rbly laceated by the sharp rocks and suffered the
excruciaDg pains from the poisonous matter which Pc
netrated the h from various kinds of shrubs and trees
with which they came in contact in their hopeless at
tempt to escape more frghtful fate These unfortu-
nate men were without hope They had heard the fate
cold blood ut Havana they had the brutal manner
in which twenty-five of their poor wounded companions
Posas, and whom Lopez forced behind when
he evacuated that place thinking that the attention
would for humantys sake alone have produced pity and
consideration for his own They had fallen with
mountains and the way side who had fallen into the
bands Of their ruthless prosecutors and with faint
CTS 10 bs Sorrors ths ie onse hs s1sy
role fortitude till finally, overcome with hunger and
fatigue many of them lay down to die gave themselves
up to their revepgeful hunters caring not what
become of them. Some few of the hardy Si.h Lo-
PEE at their head had taken southwes: course from
San Christoval These compelled to their way
over almost impossible mountains sometimes only making
one mile in six eight hours 1t had entirely ceased
raining since the 18TH but after the battle OF the 10TH
experienced q complete nd
which did not cease during two days and nights They
where they suffered intensely cold the rain pour
ing down upon them in torrents; having nothing eat
bic indeed On the evening of the seconI Jav sfter
their arrival at Coscu they at length succeeded max
ing hre and LoDez and his companions in misfortune
devoted friend Lieut. Thomson whom he was already
indebted for his lfe had to kill the Generals horse to
hearty meal than did those poor fellows; they eat his
flesh with all the relish eicure would have picked
They again their march on the of the
odd and wandered about in the mountains dis
abouts until the Oath, when one Of the party who had
climbed tree dfcovereda road close by which they
recognized to be the which led into the
Chrsoval and only few yards from the spot whence
they had taken thu departure the 10th They
learned, however, the danger Of the vicinity which
they found themselves their arms. such they we're,
that remained to them, useless, from the heavy
rains the men, weary and worn out little in
clined for fight indeed, time given FOR delibe-
alton for they Immediately attacked by u
rye force Of the royalsts, infantry well aucers
Who poured tremendous fire into Lopezs little land,
which completely dispersed them; and from tina. mo-
ment the few but brave men which had composed the
dered annihilsted The dispersion was general-each
man for himself Capt. Ellis, Lieut. Thomson, Lieut.
mountains USre thew remained Ise sss , ,ns
days They had subssted nearly week upon the cab
bage palm and at last reduced to despair by hunger.
emhciered and Ill, with barely strength sufficient TO hide
themselves from their pursuers OF them severely
wounded and Capt. Els fast sinking from his
valley, with the faint hope Of obtaining a sis
lance They according ely conducted the gallant Ills
cor which most kindly extended to them by An old
lady and her two fair daughters proprietor Of the farm
wounds and set before them an abundant meal. It
afforded the greatest satisfaction to the ladies' Wit
nes the rapid Of the enormous quantity Of
doubtless they thought would have been sufficient
whole regiment. But when II explained them that
days the tears came into the Old lady, eyes: and
II seemed II she could do enough for them May
fold thou good old lady and thy two far Daughters
for thy Kind COMPASSION towards these unfortunate
died 81 hunger Here, they were informed TIA. Ills
Excslsney the Captain General had issued proclama-
onerng quarter 10 al tnat remained OF the sxpedi-
within four days from it, date aud luckily for Ellis and
BIZ comrades they had fortunately determined in time
grace. Their arrival at the rancho soon became
known to the troops, who speedily surrounded the
lady and her daughters, the prisoners wees kindly
treated BY the commanding officer who conveyed
them forthwith TO the head uarters at the town of
81 Crftobal where they found many Of their compa-
bcns, who. like themselves sf,er suffering every de-
gree Of misery and priyation In the ountsins had
either allowed Themselves TO be captured delivered
themselves up They remained In that town till the
9TH and in justice to the people, ss well 70 the
spsnifh Cheers under whose immediate charge the
captivss were placed, they treated with every
consideration and kindness, their wounds Looked TO,
and plenty d wholesome food supplied to them; and
the uniform commits seraton for their misforncs
wss shown towards them ~ all the town and pisces
through which they passed on their march, under a
heavy escort to Havana. They arrived a. the latter
city the 3ist ultimo. and Immediately trans
fsrred TO the common jail. swelling the number of
raptvss TO about leo. who all that remained
alive Of the 40S who, under the command Of
General Lopez, landed at Morio (s) Playits from the
stssmer Pempero. on the 1ith August, 1851.