The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-16

With 1Orca Of nine hundred men. On the ap-
proach Of tine enemy. the whole force Of Lopez
separated into small bodies, aud dispersed
through the mountSins, throwing away theil
guns and everything which could cucumber them
in their flight, seven men only remaining with
the General. A largo number were overtaken
and immediately killed. !, myself, was one Of a
party of eight who had previously determined
on leaving Lopez, and attempting to escape from
the island
We remained in the mountains until the morn.
ing of Tuesday, the 26th. when, having had but
one meal in six days. and feeling that we could
bear it no longer we determined TO 90 into the
plains, considering that it would be better to be
killed outright than die lingering death from
starvation, which we certainly would up in the
mountains.
We accordingly advanced to house where
we were treated with great deal Of Kindness,
and received most excellent breakfast An
arrangement was made to procure guide TO
the South shore, with provisions, &c, and we
were about to leave and conceal ourselves until
night, when. in the twinkng Of an eye, we
were surrounded by 300 armed countrymen,
who immedia ely bound us securely, and nver-
ted our pockets, considering the contents law
ful plumber. That dav we reached San Christie.
bal. Until we reached San Christobal we were
un Ter the impression that we were to be imme-
a'ely shot, our only consolation being that we
were to die with full stomachs
On 0ur arrival there, We were informed that
proclamation had been issued ten hours before
our arrest soaring the lives of all fiIlibusteros
who were made prisoners, or gave themselves
up, within four days, except the traitor Lopez.
after which an order, dated. | think the oath of
April. (by which all foreigners found in the
island We're ordered to be put to death, was to
continue in full force On the 28th, there being
AZ prisoners, we left San Cristobal for Havana,
and on Friday night reached Guayam~s, the
terminus of a railroad from Havana There IN
order was received from the captain general to
proceed to Mariel and embark he being fearful
that the prisoners would be torn to pieces by
the rabble at Havana. We reached Mariel on
the evening of the 30th, and were embarked
upon the steamer Almendares, to proceed to
Havana, when an express arrived, bringing in
formation of the capture Of Lopnz, and the
steamer was delayed to await his arrival, which
took place at 2 o'clock, r. NJ on Sunday the
alst, when we immed 'tely left for Havana.
Lopez was entirely at liberty, and smoked his
cigarette with apparently as much unconcern as
ever he did in his life. Outside the harbor of
Mariel, Lopez was, transferred to the steam
frigate Pzarro, which conveyed him to Havana,
and which he did not leave until he loft next
morning for the place of execution.
The remainder OF US were confined that night
in the city prison in the rear of the fort called
the Ponta. The prisoners passed through
regular process, their hair being first cut close
to their heads They then pissed into the hands
of another barber, who deprived them of their
viii -kers; then another provided them with
prison uniform, and the exercises were terminated
by big negro, who securely fastened them in
pairs by chain, similar in size and weight to a
log chain, firmly secured TO the ANGLE.
At the time of my release from prison. which
was at 10 O'clock on the night Of the 4th instant,
there were l60 of our force prisoners They
were all chained, and confined in one large
room, hardly large enough, however, for all to
lie down at once They we're treated very kindly |
and allowed all the privileges that could be ex-
pected. Az a matter Of course, WHEREBY % many |
men are confined in limited space and not al |
lowed to leave it under sny circumstances, IL (,
D 'tosally follows that 1t must be very unpleas
snt Their sentence Ia ten years hard labor in |
Spain, probably in the construction of a canal.
They all appeared to be IN good spirits at the
lime left, being under the impression that they
would soon be released after their arrival in |
Spain.
- 'PNhs was uIuuIIb iItui litt ltaX1gFO, ana 4
publicly garrotted in the square adjoining the |
prison, at o'clock in the morning of Monday, |
he lst of Sc ,tember. With him ended not |
only this expedition, but | sincerely trust all
expeditions to Cuba
Up to the time left, the Spanards could ac-
count for two hundred and seventy one Ameri. I
sans ncluding Crttenden's nd-whom
hey had killed. that ia, In action wounded men
who we're left on the field, and sick and fatigued
men who gave out on the march, and were left
behind, and men whom they hunted down In
he mountains with dogs. Those, with the one
hundred and sixty taken prisoners, make a total
If four hundred and thirty one men accounted
or-lsaving balance of twenty men
whose fate is yet unknown-the total force
anded being four hundred and Fl ty three men.
III these twenty-five, probably the greater por-
ion are yet alive and in the mountains and as
he troops have all been recalled to Havana. it
3 probable some of them may vet succeed n
,ettng home. Out of the whole number
made prisoners, but two others besides myself
lave been pardoned, Those are Col Haynes
md Captain Kelly, whom the Captain. General
'ardoncd and sent homo unsolicited They
we're to leave Havana for this port in the
'acket ship Norma, on Friday. My own re-
ease was granted a special frvor to Capt
Ihares l.. Piatt, OF the United States ship Al
a1y, on board of which | was conveyed by an
I'd Of the Captain q ,npral, at / o'clock, on
Wednesday night, the ship proceeding TO sea
His Excellei cy sent government
ow boat and pilot TO take her out
Lopes was caught with bloodhounds, in the
FOUNTAINS, on the morning of Friday the goth
nst The dogs being some distance in advance
{ the men, bit him badly in the left leg.
There were seventeen countrymen in the party
Who captured him, each Of whom was publicly
resented with s 900 and cross of honor.
mined ately after his execution.
Let us now review the cause and results of
hls expedition. At the time received my APP
ointment from Mr.. Sgur, one of the editors of
be New Orleans Delta, | was told by him that
revolt was regularly organized among the Gre
les throughout the island of Cuba TINT they
ad elected Gen. Lopez their leader, and their
blect was TO free Cuba from The tyranny of
pain, and either form republic OF their own,
r annex the island to the United States. He
DID me that Lopez was about to leave New Or !
sans for Cuba, with about five hundred Ameri- 8
ans, and that his landing was the signal for :
eneral rising, and that within ten days after :
'nding he would be Mt the head of an army of
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