The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1851-09-04
Letter from an Omesr ON Board the U. 81
pc ~ Shin Albany,


fairs. from an officer on board the U. S.
ship Albany. dated Havana, Cuba. Au-
gust 16. 1851: |
The u. S. ship Albany, Of 22 guns, or.
rived of Havana seven days from Penso-
cola, on the 9th Of this month; the same !
day communicated with the United
States Consul Remained in sight Of the
Moro ill Monday following, when the
commander, Charles T Plalt, again went
into the haIbor; this time having an in
lervie~ with the Captain General of Gu
ba. Nothing was learned inducing the
belief that an immediate invasion Of the
Island was anticipated; Indeed the con
trary belief seemed To be firmly enter
tanned. Tuesday following this inter
view, the Albany remained in sight OF Gu
ba, leaving the U. s. steamer Vixen in
the harbnr Of Havana. On Monday. a
bout the lime ofthe interview named with
the Captain General of Cuba, Lopez Ian
ded at Bahia Honda, fifty miles west of
Havana, the news of which. coming TO
the latter place the same night, was oro't
oul by the Vixen to the Albany. and both
of these vessels, the only portion Of the
Gulf or Home Squadron in these seas,
Immediately returned to Havana. The
first days rumor, after the Albany's re
turn, was that the "Fillibusteros" had
marched twelve miles into the country,
to the town of "Posa," and there holding
firm at the foot the Cusco mountains,
had cut to pieces two entire companies
Of the Spanish Infantry who had been too
much in advance when the attack began.
The Spaniards, having steam at their dis
p0sal, had suddenly thrown two thousand
men upon the devoted adventures, but
a bloody repulse followed their first at
tack. A thousand more men were hur
ried from Havana on Thursday the 18th.
These also must have gone too near the
Fillibusteros' Iifes. for they were again
yesterday reinforced by three companies,
and last night another steamer went in
the same direction apparently loaded
with troops. The fact Of the large rein
forcemenls being hurried to tho scene Of
action, renders it probable that there is
some ground for the rumor that several
hundred SpaniardS, amOng whom are a
very large proportion of officers, have al
ready fallen. But fnr all this, the tate Of
the expedition is sealed-iOr the Cubanos,
however free with money and boasts OF
fight, will not handle the musket-lhey
do not Join the invaders the brave
sympathisers. deluded first, are already
I fallen sacrifice. A horrid story remains
for to-day fifty men. detached by Lo.
pez to gain some town. on or near the
coast, were captured by the Spanish Ad.
miral last night Cat 3 a N.Y. They were
brought into the harbor, placed on board
the frigate "Esperunzu."( Hope and this
morning, at 9 o'clock, they marched
down the ships gangway, one by one
stripped to the ,rowsers aud shirt, some
even without the latter covering, bare
headed. hands tightly bound behind their
backs--a pale u ain. hurried by the min
ions of desputsm towards the land ol
ghosts.
Isay these fifty men, one colonel, three
captains, four lieutenants, two surgeons
FIVE seIgeants, aud thirty-fve soldiers -
were bare.headcd and almost naked
, bound. marched down the flag ships
gangway, on the side next to, and no
, two hundred and fifty yards from the AL
y bany. into ferry boat, transported to the
head of the harbor, distance about on,
miles, and there, amidst an immense con
course Of specta'ors-perhaps one hun
: dred thousand-ShO without mercy!
: saw their pale faces and firm steps as the,
| descended from their trial to death
/, Many were very young, and some had thu
forms as they no doubt had the souls q
heroes. OF the whole party only ont
! was Cuban. which, of itself, shows e
2 nough of creole Cuba's patriotism! Foul
. were Irish, aud forty were our own peo
a pie, msled, it is true but doubtless be
leiving that they were treading in til,
steps of Lafayette and those sympalhiser
whose names are enrolled in glory. in tn
/. annals Of our revolution. But Cuba ha
IF not rerolted; there is no war here Of III
= people against the oppressors, andour owl
. people should keep aoof. or descend b.
tens oflhousands to drive tyranny to III,
d land where it is Indigenous.
). 1t is said that there are twenty .fnu
r thousand Spanish soldiers in Cuba. Th
Neuvitas ipsurrection is suppressed. Lo
. pez must perish, and all the small par,ie
i who igOoranily are approaching tn joi
s him, Heaven forbid tha: should hav
i to witness any more such executions a
! those of this day, all the preparations 70
which we're so ostenlatiously made righ
o under our flag, Ought not our ships q
Q war now tn be on preventive service
$ warning of or taking back home the de
y luded. generous men who think Cub
;, ready for their aid, instead oflying in poi
: to witness Spanish justicel
u Warn the public that the rights of wa
o will never be accorded here by the Span
n iurds to the vanquished patriots. ~
s r'ctis" is their motto, so long as they at
!, not defeated.
% 1t is healthy here at this lime No Eng
3 lish man.oE war here. The French stear
h frigate Asmodee is in port The U.
IS steamer Vixen sailed for Pensacola thi
n morning.
o PAINR's LroHT.-.Mr. Paine has an
:, nounced that he is now ready to enter il
to contracts for lighting the world wit
| nas l., m oI,lraos T., .ha Nau Eucloo