The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-09-26

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hour before his march from that placer A
4 the same hour that Cfittenden was attacks
al the hacienda, a BODY Of the enemy, eigh
hundred dsrong9unaer General Enna, attaclI
LED Lopezat Los Posas After ahard fighto
over two bopIs, the, enemy retTeated, leasin
the Americans masters Of the field, and oye
1.-TWO hundred ofiheir number. (anong WHOM
were several of their highest officers,J deal
land wounded --the American loss being,gil
killed and, wounded and missingY only abou
thirty men, among whom Colonel Down
man and lieutenant Labizan were killed
and General Pragay and Captains Brigham
and Gouti were lnortaliy wounded. Afte
Inc action, the Spanish wounded wer
Drought in, and as well taken care of as cir
cumstances would admit. Lopez rode entire
| ~ unarmed over tlfs fetd, through the hotties
Of the fire, occasionally applying red raw
hide, with a great aoal Of yigor, to the shppl
ders OF such men as he thought could s
hurried into firing little faster. On tn
morning of the Ath, at 3 o'clock, LOPEZ
4 marched from Los Posas into the mountains
leaving there seventeen wounded Spaniardi
and thirteen of our side, all of whom were
bayonetted by the Spaniards, and their bod
les piledin heap, cross-ways, at the foot O
hill. a.~i tr 7
Two days after, (on the l6th,) Lopez was
again attacked by three hundred lancers and
six hundred infantry while encamped at a
hacienda which formerly belonged TO him.
sell, but was confiscated some three years
since. Here the-sction lasted from III 10 Z
o'c Jock, on one Of the hottest days ever
experienced, The enemywere again CON-
pelled TO retreat, with loss of three hun
dsed and twenty men; and al the same mo-
ment thatthe retreat of The Spaniards in onp
direction was reported to Lopez he issued
an order to his own force to retreat in the
opposite, and actually, that day, made a
forced march Of eighteen miles in Eve hours
over a mountain road. On the 18th, being
STILL on the mountains, we were overtaken
BY "a severe rain storm. which destroyed the
greater portion of our ammunition, and rem
dered our guns entirely useless. ii
We tncamped, on the evening Of that
day, lat a ranchs at the foot of the noun
taius, about two leagues from Bahia Honda.
We remained undislurhed that night; but
were attacked just at breakfast time on th-
morning OF The 10th, being taken by surprise,
the sentry on the outpost having left his post
to wash himself in creek, where he was
killed. Owing TO the unseryicesble condi-
tlon OF their arms, the force under Lopez
was completely ly routed, flying to The noun
tains in all directions-Lopez himself bare
ly escaping on horse back, with the loss of
his saddle, pistols, spy-glass-of everything,
in fact. but what he wore. That night he
encamped ON the top ol one of the highest
mountains on the island of Cuba, exposed
to all the violence of terrific norther,
without either shelter, fire, or food. is
7 II is impossible to describe the sufferings
of that night. Heaven forbid that ever
pass such another. The rain fell in torrents
while ever and anon terrific crash would
announce that some massive tree had fallen
before. the force Of the wind, or the still
mightier lightning. That night equalled an
ordinary lifetime, On the evening of the
Dist, having been forty-eight hours without
eating, we killed horse, which wss divided
among one hundred and twenty five men,
who were all that now remained with Lo.
PEI. We wandered through mountains, un-
such leaves and roots as we could find until
midday on Sunday, the 2ith, when we sue
ceeded in reaching road running from Ba-
hia Honda to San Cristobal, along which we
advanced until nearly night. when two
Spanish lancers were discovered advancing,
but fed on seeing US. A halt was immedi
ately ordered, and an examination made Of
the state Of our forces, which showed to-
tai of one hundred and twenty-five men,
eighty muskets, about twenty oil which were
serviceable, and about forty dry cartridges.
Under this state OF affairs, it was deemed
advisable to retreat, which was ordered, and
pursuit commenced by the enemy, who
lay in ambush sumo few hundred yards in
advance. with force OF nine hundred men.
On the approach Of the enemy, The whole
force of Lopez separated into small bodies,
and dispersed through the mountains, throw
ing away their guns and everything that
could cucumber them in their fight--seyen
men only remaining with the general. A
large number Were overtaken and immedi-
ately killed. l, myself, was one Of party
of eight who had previously determined on
leaving Lnpez, and attempting to- escape
from the island.
We remoined 10 the mountains until the
morning Of Tuesday, the 26tb, when having
had but one meal in six days. and feeling
that we could bear it no longer, we deter
mined to go into the plains, conside ring that
it would be better 10 be killed outright than
die lingering death from starvation, which
we certainly would do 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,s guide to the south shore, with pro-
visions, &c, and we were about to leave and
conceal ourselves until night, when, in the
twinkling OF en- eye, we were surrounded by
two hundred armed co ntrymen, who innnle-
diately bound us securely, and inverted our
pockets, considering, the contents as lawful
plunder. That day we reached San Cristo-
bal. Until we reached San Cristobal, we
were under ihe impression that we were to
be Immediately shot, our only consolation
being that we We're TO die with full slom-
.achs.
On our arrival there, we were informed
that a proclamation had been issued ten
hours beforeour arrest, sparing the lives Of
all ftlcbusteros who were made prisoners, or
gave themselves up within four days, except
the trpitorbopez, after which, an order, da-
ted, ] think. the 24,h Of April, 1850, (by
which all foreigners found IN the island,