The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-09-26
By CLEVELAND q PEARCEI.
The Statement Of Lieut.. ans v Yechten.
On Board STEAMSHIP WIRfgsip EeoTr, I
N -. .l...lh SehtemhArsl1 4 18hI.A - { I

l-Tfte caS f- 1oPtSHtp0A lt1tt tryAs niti
Y Ibscame connected with ihl Expedition o
New. Orleans, receiving on lie 3oth day Z
July last, an appointments as Fist Lieuien
ant Of Company B, of Colonel w. Ii Crit
1tendens regiment, fist ArtiiIefY cornman
dedby Captain james Sanders The ezpedi
4 tion as youare already awaie, ieft.New o.
tleans at daybreak. on the morning of Sunday
1.-The 3D. 'of August, in the steaEaer Panipert
We were towed TO, the mouth pf the fiyel
! our engines being oat oforlsl We remain
ed in the river until WednesdaY The 6tll, an
left through the Northeast Pass, at five o
clock, P. M. Of that day, .ot Key West
The intention at that time was to goto Ke
West, and there take on boafa a pilot for tn
river st. Johns-at which place we were I
Eembarka light battery olartillery, wit
caissons, ammunition and harness complete
together with d number Of Gasalfy saddles
land from thence were y fun % the soutl
tside d Cuba and land as near as possible I,
Puerto Principe. ~
We reachedlKey West, and anchored som
distance from the city, at about three P. M
Of Sunday, the 10th inst While at Ke,
West a quantity of brandy and champaign,
was received on board, which was imbibec
tolerably freely by Lopez and his staff. Abou
dusk of that day, no pilot appearing, Lope;
called a council, composed entirely of thC
Cubans and Hungarians attached to his staff
| (no Americans being called who decided tc
give up going to the st. Johns River, ant
run Immediately for the coast Of Cuba, which
was done, about ten P. M. The next morn
ing, owing to the variation of the compass
from nuskets being stacked nearit, we found
ourselves in plain sight Of the Moro Castle
and about twelve miles distant: the vessel
was Immediately headed to the norhward
and westward and run out of sight of land.
About three P. M. of that day, Lopez took
the captain and mate out of a Spanish
schooner, to act as pilots, giving them 70
understand that they would be shot if they
showed any disposition TO escape or deceive.
At 1,P. M. we again stood in for the land,
and soon after dusk sent a boat to reconnoi-
tire, which was hailed by sentry on the
walls Of the fort, situated near Bahia Honda,
the ship not being more than mile from it.
AS soon as the boat reported, lights were ex-
tinguished and press of steam put on, the
ship running to the westward along the land.
About ten o'clock, while running under the
charge Of pilot, under press of steam,
the ship suddenly struck, and before the en-
gines could be stopped had run more than
her length upon coral reef. After exami-
ming her situation, it was found chat she was
Lying in about eight feet of water, while her
draft was over nine feet; and that it was
necessary that.the force should be immedi-
ately landed, which, was done: and about
two o'clock on the morning of the 18th Of
August, the last Of us disembarked, upon the
shore of what we had been taught to consid,
er would soon be the free Island of Cuba.-
The first boats which landed were fired upon
BY party of twenty men, who fed on their
fire being returned from the boat which con-
tained Capt. Gouti, IA Cuban commanding
an American company. Lieutenant Lam
ingham, and about thirty privates of bis
company. One Of Gouti's men was woun.
ded in the arm, and returned in the ship, and
the cap of the Lieutenant was cut into
halves on his head. -..s.yiy,
Atdaylight Lopez senta pronuaciantento
to Los Posas, a small village ten miles dis
tant, in which he informed the inhabitants
that he was about tomarch to that place, and
would give no quarter to any whom he found
there who did not join him. There being no
means of transporting baggage at Cabanos,
where we landed, Lopez ordered Colonel
Crittenden to remain there and protect our
stores, consisting Of 100000 musket cart
ridges, three thousand muskets and seven
hundred pounds Of powder, in kegs, together
with the personal baggage of all the officers,
saying that he would march on to Los Posas,
with the regiment of infantry, commanded
BY Colonel Downman. and send from thence
transportation, and that he would remain
there until joined by Crittenden. Accor-
dinghy Lopez marched at 8 o'clock, with three
hundred and twenty three men, leaving Crit
tenden at Gabanos, with one hundred and
thirty men. Atfl o'clock that night, Crit
tenden received two carts, and started imme-
diately after, to join Lopez at Los Posas.
The carts being heavily loaded and the
roads bad, our progress was of necessity slow,
not advancing more than mile an hour
About two hours after daylight, on the
con,ainins s,ora and and or"e, "" sbon' | about % Sonr
miles from Los Posas 7rbs aavance onard
and main body only had reached the house,
1.-THE rear guard with the carts being still
some quarter Of mile behind,) and were
engaged in eating breakfast, their arms being
laid aside, when they were surprised by the
ballats rbscb nrocseJaS J from, @ ,he aass n'.a 20
"nNh @ iioiii .. .iiS au' !,