Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-16
LIEUT.. VAN yECHTEN,S
NARRATIVE OF THE LOPEZ EXPEDITION
On BOARD STEAMSHIP WINFIELD Scorr,
September IL, 1851. !

JAMES G BENNETT, ESD
DEAR SIR:-Having been connected with the late
unfortunate expedition against Cuba under the com
mand OF Geneial Narciso Lopez and allowed to return
10 safety to my home and friends feel it to be duty
which owe 10 the friends otmy unfortunate comrades
and TO the public at large, 10 publish through the col
INNS OF your valuable and widely circulating paper
true account OF the proceedings of that expedition
correcting, as lar possible false reports which TO
the last month, have been in circulation through The
United States, and endeavorng TO do justice to ALL
became connected with the expedition at New
Orleans, receiving, the 30!h day OF July last an ap
pontment as FIRST Lieutenant OF Company 3, Of Colo.
mel w. L.. Crittendens regiment, DIST ArlieryJ com
manded by Captain James Sanders. The expedition
as you are already aware, left New Orleans, at da,
break on the morning OF Sunday, tie Sd OF August il
the steamer Pampero. We were lowed 10 the moutI
OF the river, our engine being out Of order. We re-
manned in the river until "Wednesday, The 6th and lei
through he Northeast Pass, at O'clock P NJ, oftha
day for Key West. The intention that time was tc
go to Key West and there take on board a pilot lo
| the river st. Johns-at which pace we were 10 en-.
bark light bat cry or artillery, with cassons ammu-
milton and harness complete, together with number
| cavalafy saddes-and from thence were TO run to The
south side OF Cuba and land as near possible to Pa
| erto Principe.
! We reached Key West, and anchored some distance
from the ciy al about three p nj. of Sunday The iOth
instant. While at Key est, Qua lity OF brandy and
| champagne received on boad which was imbbed
| olerably freely by Lopez ana his staff About dusk
OF that day. no pilot appearing, Lopez called council
composed entirely Of the Cubans aud Hungurans al
dched TO his staff (bo Americans being called vino
decided to give up gong 10 The ST. Johns River and
| run Immediately Tor the coast OF Cuba, which was
done at about up M. The next morn Ing, owing TO
| the variation of the compass from muskets being
stocked it, we found ourselves in plan sight of the
Moro Castle and about twelve miles distant; the YES
sci Immediately headed 10 The norhward and westward
and run out OF sight OF land. About P. M of that
| day, Lopez took the captain and mate cut of the
! Spanish schooner, 10 act pilots, giving them 10
understand that they would be shot they showed any
disposition TO escape deceive. At P. M we again
stood in for the land aud after dusk boat IN
to recopnore, which was haedby sentry on the walls
of the fort situated near Bahia Honda the ship not be-
ing than mile from it. AS soon the boat re-
ported lights were extingulshed and press OF steam put
on, the ship running lie westward along the land
About 10 O'Clock, while running under the charge
OF pilot, under press OF steam, the ship suddenly
struck, and before The engines could be stopped had
run more han her length upon coral reef After ex-
aiming her situation, 1t was found that she lying
IN about eight feet oil water, while her draft
nine feet that necessary that the force should
be Immediately landed, which done; and about
O'Clock on the morning Of the 18th August the last of
US dsembarked upon the shore of what we had been
taught to consider would be The free Island OF Gu.
ba. The first boats which landed were fired upon by
party OF twenty men who fled on their fire being re-
turned from the boat which contained CAPT Goutj, Ia
Cuban command ng an American company Lieu
tenant Lainlngham and about thirty privaes OF his
company. One OF Goutis men wounded in the
arm and returned in the ship and the cap oil the Lieu
tenant was cut into halls on his head.
AT daylight Lopez sent pronuncaa,nento TO Lo.
Posas, small village leu mnes distant in which he
informed the inhabitants that he about to march to
that place and would give quarter any whom he
found th re, who did not join him. There being no
means OF transporting baggage at Cabanos, where we
landed, Lopez ordered Col. Crlttepden 10 remain
there and protect stores, consisting 100 600 mus
ket cartridges three thousand muskes and seven hun
bred pounds OF powder, in kegs together with the per
sonal baggage OF all the officers, saying that he wou
march on to Los PoSas with the regiment of infantry
commanded by COL bowman, and send from thence
transportation, and that he would remain there until
joined by Crttenden. Accordingly Lopez marched at
on with IraI o,,I
leaving Crittenden at Cabanos, with one hundred and
thirty men. AT II o'clock that night, Crenden re-
ceived two carts and started Immediately AFTER to join
Lopez at Los Posas.
The being heavily loaded and the roads bad
our progress was OF necessity slow not advancing more
thaA mile an our: About two hours after daylight
on the morning OF the 18th, reached house con-
tanning store and grog shop, about four miles fom
Los Posas. The advance guard and main body only
had reached the house. the rear guard with the carts
being still some quarter of mile behind) and were
engaged in eating breakfast their arms being laid aside
when they were surprised by the report Of musketry
and the histng Of bu lets, which proceeded from The
advanced guard OF body of the enemy five hundred
strong. We Immediately seized guns and killed
nine ct the enemy and made prisoner, none of our
party having been injured. Not seeing any more of
the enemy, the Colonel concluded that it was hut
foragng party that had attacked and our rear guard
having como up with the carts, ordered lis TO resume
our breakfasts, which did About ten minutes after
we were again attacked by the whole force OF the
my, they having the advantage of position; being pos.
ted on the brow OF Hill overlooking our position with
belt Of chappare some three hundred yards wide,
Intervening. over which we could not fire. Crtenden
Immediately gave the order to charge leading himself
and forced the enemy to retreat large body of
chappare seventy five eighty yards in the rear
OF their hrst position, from which they opened heavy
fire upon force appeared sight OH The
brow OF the hill
Finding that he could not maintain that position
Crttedea gave an order to retreat to The house which
was done, whle The enemy resumed his position on
the hill and again opened his fire; upon which Cten-
Den ordered second charge, at the same TIME saying
thai he wished asnal party 10 attain position al the
right hank OF the enemy, TO charge from that side the
same nomeu he charged from the front. Second Lieu
tenant II Crafts (a OF COMPANY r. and myself vol
unleered, and succeeding in a1aining the position with
twenty men, Aer remaining in II tor about hall an hour
and hearing nothing OF Crenden, iur ed 10 ,heb
house where We found Capt Kelley OF Company wit
ten men guarding the carts bur ceud hear nothing
OF Crlttenden The enemy soon ser advancing towards
the mouse we were compelled retreat, leaving our
baggage and stores and that night rather The next
morning we succeeded in forming ajunction with Lo.
pei at Las Posas halt hour before he marched from
that place. AT the same hour that Crittenden was at
tackled al The hacienda, body OF the enemy, eight
hundred strong nnder General Emma, attacked Lopez
atlas Posas.
After a hard fight of over Two hours The enemy re.
treated, leaving The Americans masters OF the FIELD
and over two hundred OF their number (among whom
were several OF their highest oficers) deud and woun-
ded-'he American loss being, in ki led, wounded and
missing, only about thirty men, among whom Colo
mel Downman and Lieut. Lab Fan were Killed and Gen
Pragay and Captains Brigham and Gouti were NOR
tally wounded. After the action, the Spanish woun-
ded were brought in, and as well taken care OF AZ
circumstances would admit. Lopez rode entirely
unarmed over the field, through The hottest OF The
fire. occasionally applying red hide, with great
deal OF vigor, TO the shoulders of such men as he
thought could be hurried into firing little faster On
the morning of the IA h at O'Clock, Lopez marched
from Las fosas INTO the mountains, leaving there sew
enteen wounded Spaniards and thirteen Of our SIDE.
all OF whom were bayoneted by the Spaniards snd
their bodies piled in heap, ways a, the foot of
a hill. 'N AVN -
Two DAYS after ion the I6th1 T opa, ,,,s .:. =.
| tackled by three hundred ancers and six hundred in
fantry while encamped at hacienda which formerv
belonged to himself but was conf:cated some thee
years SINCE Here he action lasted from IL to O'Clock
on one OF the hottest days ] ever experienced The
enemy were sgan compelled to retreat, with a loss OF
three hundred and twenty men, and at the same mo.
repor ed to Lopez he issued an order 70 hjs own
force TO ret eat in opnos.te and actnallu ,ha aa