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

about to leave New Orleans for Cuba, with
about five hundred Americans, and that
his landing was the signal for a general ri
sing, and that within ten days after land
ing be 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 VIII their equipments
The same story was told to all Was it
so!
As l have already stated, our first salu-
tation was a volley of musketry, instead
of, as the Delta asserts, large body of
! friends, with horses, stores, &c, for our
use. Instead o. finding the Creoles friends,
we found them worst enemies-keeping the
troops constantly informed of our move
ments, and hanging on our skirts, putting
to death, without mercy, all those who
struggled on the march. Of the troops
can not but speak in praise, without SIN
Gle exception. They treated the prisoners
with the utmost kindness, giving them
wine, segars, bread, tobacco, and aguaden-
tie, freely, and from their own small means.
| imagine no one will say we had right
to expect such treatment Our conduct
forced and demanded their respect, but cer-
tainly we had no claim either on their
sympathy or generosity.
Much has been said relative to the exc
cution of Crittenden and his men. Among
all the prisoners now in Havana, much as
they admired Crittenden, there is but one
opinion, and that is, that that execution
was justifable-was merited That they
were deceived, all know but that was no
business of the Spanish authorities. Sure
ly the proyocation received was sufficient
to justify not only the execution of those
men, but of every man connected with the
expedition Why, look at this affair in
its proper Light Where even in history,
in the annals of the world, do you find 4
similar occurrence Here four hundred
and fifty mer, without having received the
least provocation, leave their homes, and
invade the shores of perfectly peaceful
island, expressing determination to take
that island from its lawful owners, by force
Self preservation is one of the first laws OF
nature and if the law will uphold and
protect that American citizen, who, without
hesitation, shoots down the midnight rob.
Der, in defence of his property, certainly
that law will uphold the officers of til,
crown of Spain in exterminatihg band oi
men who attempt to wrest its brightest
Jewel from that crown. / consider that
every man connected with that expedition
deserved death. At the time | was made
prisoner fully expected it, and, although
the reflection was anything but pleasant,
my own conscience told me that it was
Just. Crittenden with his force not only
committed crime in landing on the island,
{ but actually committed an act of open pi-
racy in taking those vessels in which he
was caught, the punishment of which is,
by he laws of all nations, death.
/ Much has been said relative to the mu-
tilation Of their bodies. Certainly | was
not present at the time and cannot speak
positively, but l cannot learn from a reli-
able source that such was the case. have
conversed with the officers of the L. S.
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 i'll accordance with militia
ry usages on such occasions, and that the
only thing that occurred that could be con-
demned was the way in which they Were
dragged to and thrown into carts by the
negroes ordered to bury them.
1t has been reported that Crittenden
wrote home that he had been abandoned
by Lopez, without arms or ammunition. l
do not believe that Crittenden ever wrote
ANYTHING OF the kind Attached to his
commaud-iu hourly contact with him
| knew him, and DO not hesitate III saying
that Drawer, nobler, more honorable man
than VIM. l.. Crittenden, never lived. In
stead of having no ammunition, he had
all, and was particularly selected to guard
it-that being most difficult and yet hon
orable service Lopez did not desert him,
but in leaving him, in dividing his COM
mand, committed one of those errors which
eventually cost him his life; but had Crit
tenden, on the morning of the 18th, gone
on and joined Lopez at Los Posas, instead
of retreating to the sea, all would have
been well-then he would have lost only
the store; as it was he lost all. Why he
did so, is inexplicable, and must ever re-
main involved in mystery.
Had Lopez carried out his original in
tention of landing near Puerto Principe,
the result might, perhaps, have been differ
ent-he might there, perhaps have found
friends, and raised force sufficient to sus-