Washington telegraph., 1851-10-01
Correspondence of the Picays1's'
THE LOPEZ EXPEDITION.
Nayyatire of Capt. Kelly. one Of the
american Prisoners NJ Hd0G'a0'


Cant A Kelly, one of the prisoners
recently released 10y the Captain 1eherai
has given me the following statement o
the events that followed the landing o.
the forces under the command OF Lopez
from the period of their Decentralization
to that of lis being made prisoner
Knowing how interesting it will be te
you and your readers, | give it as tull as
| can recollect.
On the morning of the 18th of August
between 4 aud o'clock, the invaders
landed at the little town OF Morr'los. -
Shortly after Gen. Lopez started for Las
Pozas, at the head of the Cubans and
Hungarians, ordering Col. bowman to
take command of the American infantry
and follow him. Col. Crttenden was or
dered to remain at Morrilos until the
stores were landed, and then 20 follow al
all speed and loinrhe main body at Las
! PcZas Gen Lopez was TO send back
/ transportation TO Col. C.. from the first
rancho OIL the road lie accordingly sent
two carts, with single yoke of oxen to
each. These were entirely insufficient
| 10 draw the heavily ladon carte, eaild Col.
T.. sent one Of the negro drivers for more
| oxen, who returned with TWO more yoke.
aud the party started. The carts were
still too heavily laden. however, and the
progress was slow. They left Morrii!os
about ll-o'clock, and only made tive
miles that night the advance stopping at
tenda or store on the main road, and
being soon after joined by The rest of the
| troops aud the wagons. Col Critienden
had previously sent messenger to Gen.
! Lopez, who returned and met them here.
| Lopez ordered Col Crittenden to aban-
don his baggage, ammunition, &c., and
join him at once, as he expected battle
every moment, and wanted Crlttenden to
attack the enemy i'll the rear and Hank.
The latter, however, was 10th to abandon
the ammunition aud while deliberaling 9
he was suddenly attacked by a party OF
Spanish soldiers, who were repulsed.-
Col. Crittenden now determined TO leave
everything aud join Gen. Lopez at once,
but before they were ready to march they
were again attacked by about $50 SnHn
ish troops, as they learned from wound.
ed prisoner, who was brought 10 have
his wounds dressed 1t is proper to state
here that after the fight all the wounded
Spanish soldiers who could be found were
brought in and their wounds dressed by
DR.. F'onrniquet, who was afterwards
shot in this city. Col. CrittendeE had
about l2O men under his command, of al.
ranks,
After beating off the soldiers, Col.
Crittenden took eighty men and started
off to charge the enemy. leaving Capt.
nelIy with orders to maintain his posi-
ton until his return. the men who Col.
G.. took with him, Capt. K. states, were
the elite of the whole command, and
from that time forth Capt. K. saw no
more of either Crittenden or his men,
The Spanish troops kept up continual
slow fire on Capt. Kely's men, but the
distance from which they fred was so
great that their balls were mostly spent
before they reached the tienda.
After waiting about three hours for
Col. Crttenden's return, and seeing or
hearing nothing of Aim, the men under
Capt. Kel.y's command declared their de-
termination not to wait for him any long
er, and some of them started of with
the intention of making their way to the
coast and returning to the United States.
After much persuasion, Capt. Kelly in
duced them to remain little longer
Some time after, the men again started
off with the same intention, headed by
| two officers, Lieuls. Van Vechten and
Crafts. Capt. Kelly now gave up all
hope of Crittendens return, and deter
mined TO join Gen. Lopez at Las Pozas
at once. He induced the men to go with
him by threatening to abandon them
| with him as guide, and started through
| the woods, to conceal his march and pre-
vent being cut off, The tienda was by
| this time nearly surrounded by Spanish
troops, and Capt. K. was obliged to COM
mence his march in a retrogade direc-
ton, going towards the coast until he
was ont of sight of the soldiers. and then
making circuit through the woods.
Just before dark they arrived at large
sugar estate. and stopped at the house
Here they learned that company oi
Spanish soldiers had passed a short time
before, and were also informed tha; bat
tie had been fought at Las Pozas but the
| people on the estate did not know which
side were victors They hired another
negro as guide and again started for Las
Pozas. When within short distance O.
the town they came across the main ROAD
and saw several companies of Spanish
troops. They concealed themselves il
the thicket and sent the negro into the
town to ascertain who we've the victors
He returned and stated that all was quie
in the town, and that the sen;ines wore
blue shilts. Capt. X. then sent Gonzales
who spoke Spanish, into the town TO
further information. and about 10 o clock
at night he returned with the Adlutan