The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-09-18

| The Washington hepuOUc, OF lues-
day, states thai dispatch was received
at tho Navy Departmenton on Monday from
ICommodure Plat, of the United States
sloop Of war Albany. dated Havana, Sep
tember 1st. 1851, stating that, in reply to
request from him that he might be per
mitted to visit the Americans who ac.
companied Lopez'S expedition, and who
had surrendered or been captured and
brought to Havana, he received the fol
lowing reply from the Captain General ;
TRANSLATION, fE a1.
Ha0aaa, August 81, 1851.
Sir: Ihaye received the letter which
you addressed to me this day soliciting
my permission to hold an interview with
the prisoners who have been brought to
this port, and who formed part of the in,
vading expedition which attacked this is
land. .r1 -b'v'
Inform you. in reply, thatI orderthe
commander Of her majeSty's frigale "Es.
peranza," on boald. of which the priso
ners are, to admit you, at any hour at
which you may present yourself, To hold
the desired interview, with permission 10
remain with the prisoners so long as you
may find it conVenieut; aud | avail my
self OF this occasion to assure you of the
esteem which your noble conduct and
frank and honorable character entitle you
TO from me. sf l-H.=t tsE4.
Lam therefore. with all respect, your
obedient servant &c,
JOSE DE LA CONCHA.
Chas, j, Plat, Esq, Commanding Uni
ted States sloop nf-war Albany, aud
Senior Officer of the Navy Forces of
the United States in this port.
And that, ayailing himself Of this per.
mission, Captain Plat, accompanied by
Lieutenant William Rogers Taylor, vis-
tied the prison in which these unfortu.
nate men were confined, and received
from them narrative ofthe fatal expedi-
ton, as follows: .@ st
Ertract from Dispatch to the Nary De-
partmeat from Commander Charles I,
Plat, commanding U, States slip Al.
6any, dated Ha0ana, Sept. l.
y sd
The followers of Lopez having been
entirely dispersed, and a number ofpris-
oners reported as brought to this place
lonthe 2Sth ultimo. | addressed a letter
TO the Captain General, requesting per
mission to hold an interview with any
American who might be among them
This permission was readily accorded IL
a reply, which is enclosed. The inter
view was postponed until the morning oI
the 30lb, the prisoners having in themear
lime beentransferred to the castle Of the
l"Punta," and come accession having beel
made to their number. The commandan'
.of the castle informed me that the wholt
number ofprisoners was fifty. seven, b
whom about thirty or thirty five were
, Americans, as we learn from themselves
This officer was present throughoutthe
interview. Another gentleman, who was
introduced as Inspector of Prisons, came
in during its coutinuanee, aud remained
until its close. The prisoners were heav
lily ironed; were clad in prison unifpm
and had their hair closely cut. The,
8 we're confined in an arched gallery, t.
which access was had through two graf
ed doors, the inuer one being entirely o
iron. In the little Groom betweenth,
two doors lay the garments worn by tn
r prisoners at the time Of their cohhpe
ment. .fs -....t.... ',a us
On our entrance the Americans wer
ordered To advance to the 'front.' aud a
Foreigners were sent to the other end G
the cell. Inquiry being made for the ol
fcers.lhe fullowingpresented themselves
+. viz:-James A. Kelley. of New Orleans
; formerly of Bayou Sara, who. held til
rank Of captain in the expedition; Rob
ert M. Grider, OF New Orleans, a ualiv
of kentucky. lieutenant in the same; J
: ID. Baker, of -, also lieutenant. r.
5 Noother officer of the expedition pre-
j. scented himself. They were infnrme
that had obtained permission to Wis
=. them, and that my object was to ootal
from them any information they migt
I choose to give. which would be forward
. ed to the Government of the Unite
If States, and perhaps might be the NEAR
= of deterring others of our cnnntryme
from placing themselves in the same do
. plorable situation. They we're told di
6 tinctly that they we're in the power"fth
g Spanish government. and that nothiO
It could be done for them as Americans, il
. asmuch as lhe Presidents procllmatic
: had declared that any persons joining q
:" invading force would thereby forfeit u
@ protection oflhe Government OF the Un
ted States. This was saidto prevent the
e forming any false hopes from my visit,
q The information obtained was given
1.-The presence Of the eptire party by Il
. aforesaid officers, and being un conlradi
D ted by any Of them, may be regarded
IN the testimony Of the whole. ,.:
n They stated that the expedition sale
from New Orleans in the steamer Par
>, pero. They we're not sure of the exa
n number composing it, but thought that
!, was four hundred and eighty seven; tn
: it certainly did not amount to five hu
= dred. Before landing in Cuba they a
chored at Key West. where they renal
) ed several hours. and we're visited 4
" some citizens Of that place. They Ian
20 ed in Cuba about two o'clock ofthe NOR
- - ing of the l2th Of August. Their Fl
i fight took place on the 18th. From til
- =, period they had los; all recollection