Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-08-23

of the forty Americans
The Government states that Lopez on landing
letter to the inhabitants of Posas threatening them
with determination unless they aided him. Subsequently
fight occurred between the spaniards and the Patriots
which the former suffered severe loss
On the 18th the Patriots attempted to re-embark at Ca
banss but prevented by the Spanish and an engsge
ensued in which the former were utterly routed and
dispersed into the mountains back of Bahia Honda por
ton attempted escape in boats and this was party that
captured and executed.
The other account is widely different It states that
gagements took place the l3b which the Spanisrds
thrice defeated with great loss and that the 18th the
Patriots moved towards Diego de Nunez and Csbanas with
the view Of taking the fort at the latter place. Some fifty
deavoed to there by sea- and these captured by
Hsbanero.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
We now have the New York papers of yester-
day evening. All the accounts leave US in doubt
as to the whereabouts of Lopez and the main body
of his followers. II is supposed that they have
all been dispersed. Fifty-two was the number
captured and executed. The most horrible part of
the story connected with their execution, that their
utterly without foundation, the bodies having been
deposited by the authorities in wel-made hearses,
and carried away from the place of execution for
interment.
We copy from the New York Commercial Ad-
vertiser as follows:
The Cuban tragedy has commenced; Heaven
grant that it is also ended. Fifty of the invaders
have fallen into the hands Of the Government they
sought to overthrow, and have paid the penalty of
their rashness by the horrors of public execution.
This is fierce but anticipated retribut0n on the
part of the Spanish Government, and one that the
Captain General Of Cuba has again and again de-
clared would be the consequence of any second
attempt to revolutionize that island by foreign
agents. The men who have thus fallen--not, alas,
in horrible warfare, but amid the gnominy that has
followed an unlawful and dsreputable attack upon
the possessions of friendly naon--had ample
warning from Spain that they would be treated as
pirates. and that no mercy would be shown them |;
and from their own Government that they viola
ting the law of the land and placing themselves be-
yond the protection of their own flag. These are
facts that must not be lost sight Of in reviewing the
painful events that the intelligence by the Cherokee
brings before us, clear and impartial narrative of
which we shall endeavor to give.
| The United States mail steamship Falcon was
boarded off Bahia Honda by an officer of the Span
ish steamer Habanero. Capt Rogers, who had
previously hoisted his colors, allowed the Habane
70 to fire three guns two to leeward and one
the Falcons bows, before he hove to. The officer
who boarded the Falcon asked her name and des-
tination and particularly inquired whether she had
any Spanish passengers on board. Receiving his
replies, he returned to the Habanero without loss
Of time, reported to his commanding officer, and
the Falcon was Immediately signaled to proceed
on her voyage.
| Tho roodo will 81 ~
erful must have existed for this forcible in
terrupton of United States steamer, for the off,
Ger commanding the Habanero would be well as
sured that Capt. Rogers would report the matter to
his Government. That reason involves the nara
tive Of the tragedy to which we have already re-
ferred. On the previous evening-August 18th
the Habanero had captured, in four launches, of the
Bahia Honda, fifty men of the expedition under
Lopez, which went out in the Pampero had taken
them into Havana, and had returned to cruise in
the neighborhood. Actual invasion of the island
having commenced. we suppose that the officer Of
the Habanero was justified in interceptng the
Falcon, seeing that she was in Spanish waters, and
no detention attempted after her character and
mission satisfactorily ascertaned. In the account
prepared for the morning papers by {" a gentleman
on board the Cherokee" mention is made Of some
cheering by the officers of the Habanero which
was regarded by the writer of the narrative as an
insult Whether it was designed as such is quite
doubtful, and still more unmportant.
Those fifty men were publicly shot on the morn
ing OF the 18th instant, at Havana.
The Spanish account of the capture and execu-
ton of these misguided men is as follows, trans
lated from the Havana Diaro of the 1 9th instant:
At quarter past this morning the Commandant General
of the Apostsdero arrived here in the Habaneo,
bringing fifty pirates who captured in four launches
The ateness of the hour does permit to into
detail
At daylight yesterday morning his eIcelency the Com
mandan General left Bahia Honda in the Habaneo,
for the purpose Of securing the coast and having learned
about o'clock that the night previous band Of pirates
had embarked in four launches steering in nor.hwestey
direction, going New Orleans his Excelency thought
that by putting high steam he could gain the ten hurs
which they had the of him, and accordingly put imme
diatey. to but after going eighteen miles without
cess he returned to the coast, with view examine the
Keys happy thought, which crowned with the best
results for having gone the Pasa de Aacranes in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of which the Habanero 10 o'clock A.
M, four vessels were deserted.
With the greatest enthusiasm, both of officers and men,
the boats manned and went in pursuit of the pirates
Their complete Having captured the FIRST launch
they bounced upon the second and third which aken
with the armed pirates which they contained The
then for Key Levsa within which the fourth launch
The pirates who in her. being also armed, took to the
land, in order hide defend themselves the key but
the Of the Hataneo having jumped ashore twenty
pirates Immediately appehended, making with those in
the first mentioned launches fifty among whom chief
and five officers
From them information obtained that the pirates COM
manded by the traitor Lopez, being appalled, by the intrepid
troops completely discouraged and
as we mentioned yesterday, and only seeking