The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-10-17

An order was issued by the Spanish au-
thorities on the Island, tomntandine their
citizens 10 leave their homes at our approach,
and In no way to give Us either counlenance
or support This order was strictly observ-
ed as faF as could be enforced. And woe
woe woe !! Indeed, was 1t to that fami-.I
y who thought proper to disobey it ;--lheir
home was laid desolate the family altar lev.
elled with the gfound--the head Of the fam
lily shot as beast Of the forest, and the wife
and the offspring of her bosom thrown upon
the cold charities OF the world, houseless,
homeless, penniless, and friendless. Sad,
sad, indeed, was their fate.
Gen. Lopez never issued such an order as
is stated in the 9TH interrogatory, with the
attendant circumstances, either on the 10th
Of August or any other date. We kept pos
session of each field Of battle, where battle
or skirmish there was, and on every occa-
sion where we were, made sure OF deter
mined resistance. We never retreated al
all, by order of Gen. Lopez or any other
person save on the two last skirmishes, -
when our guns were all or nearly all useless,
and our ammunition destroyed with the rains.
On every battle field the most determined
bravery was evinced by not only General
Lopez-thdn sUhom more gallant soldier
and braper man aeuer erieted-but by mos
officers and all OF the privates. They know
no fear-feltno apprehension Of danger. no
1 did they refuse to carry out promptly ane
efficiently any order. All, all, with th'
Exception Of Lieutenant Van Vechten him
lself were ever at their post, and in th
discharge Of their duty. He, (Lieut. Val
| Vechten,) unfortunately for the laurel
which he would otherwise have won, wa
4 SO badly affected by the oppressive heat o
the sun as TO he compelled to retire from hi
command at the battles OF Morillos and Cal
etal Frias, and to seek the inwgorating in
fiuences Of the shade sufficiently distant iron
The field of strife to be out Of all harms way
The sun would blaze down upon us holly
Eand it did, Of course, affect the gallan: Lieu
Itenant most seriously, not only sending hin
! from the field of honor and duty when tn
battle ragged fiefcest and balls flew thickest
but it universally sent him, in double quic
g time, 10 the head Of the column where til
; Eenemy were hanging on our rear, and revers
,, ed the position of the enemy, The sun al
ways shon hotteste and affected the Lieut.
: most on the end Of the line nearest the ap
: proach of the Spanish troops. These are th
facts just as they were; and in the estima
ton OF Lieut.. Van Vechten's men, edmitte
so broadly Of the construction of either Fol
; LY OR CowARDIcE on the part of their Office
and Lieutenant, that they, beaded by Lieu,
Crafts, came in body before me and de
manded that the sword OF Lieut.. Van Vech
ten be taken from his side, swearing the
never more would shoulder musket or fir
gun, with an officer over them who wa
such dastardly coward as to disgrace th
name OF an American soldier and citizen
These, mark me, are not my assertions, bu
the assertions OF Lieut.. Crafts, and the me
under Lieut.. Van Vechten, made 10 me i
his presence, and all face to face. He pei
lnitted them 10 be mad without replsio
D and without successful refutation. His com
mand was taken from him his men assigne
to Capt. Kelly, and Gpn. Lopez notified {
what had been determined upon. Noble
kind and generous hearted as Gen. Lope
ever was, the proceeding being right an
: proper, met his sanction but to assuage tn
wounded bonorand crushed feelings of Lieu
i Van Vecbten, he imme diately informed biz
: he should afterwards receive an appointmer
3 in the ordinance department, with>a lib
grade with the one from which he had ju
: been elected. Still he is now The dciam
of his then friend in need. What blat
baseDess of ingratitude