The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-10
Spanish Official Publications.

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Spanish Onicial Publications.
Sketch Of ihs Lopez Expedition, By one Of il
Members.
His excelency the captain general has pei
mitted the insertion, in the official gazette, Q
the following account of ID. Francisco Aexan
der Lame, one of those who comprised the p
ratcal expedition:
In the Plaza of Havana, August 30th, 1851
the Ser Fiscal, accompanied by my secretary
proceeded to the Castle of the Preside, wher
was confred D. Francisco A. Lame, who, ben
sworn, offered to testify to the truth AS follows
! Being asked his name religion, &c, he sail
! Il am named f. A. Lame, aged rs years, ma
tive of Alquizac, C. A. r., executor of m,
mothers property.
Being asked when he went from the island
if his passports had been verified and to wha
port; he said that he had sailed on the 4th 0
February, ls49, with passports for San Fran
cisco, going first to New Orleans
Being asked if he went to California, or re
NAMED in the United States he said that no
having received in New Orleans the letters
which he expc' ted, and feeling short of money
he had given lessons in Spanish and mathemat
les for livelihood
Being asked if subsequent to this time he had
returned to Cuba, he said he had not.
Being asked if he knew Narciso Lopez, and
what was the nature of his relations with him
he said that when Lopez returned from Carde.
mas, in 1850, he had some conversation with him
respecting some Cubans whose names he did
not remember, but whom he believes are all
dead, excepting one, Sr. Leno, and that he had
no employment with Lopez, or relations with
him, except in the course of friendly cores
pondence, which was lost with his letter book,
at Las Posas and which was afterwards found
by one of the Galecian officers.
Being asked to tell what he knew of the de-
signs of Lopez in this expedition, what was his
force, who were his officers, and what happened
after leaving New Orleans, until he landing on
this island, he said, the expedition which started
in the steamer Pampero numbered 600 men,
exclusive Of some who joined the steamer in the
Mississippi river; but the captain having made
known that it was impossible to carry all, por-
ton returned, leaving on board 4SO men, who
were all who dsemkarked at orlllo; that the
object was to go first to the river st John,
there to effect u junction with force OF artil-
lery which was waiting there, and then to land
at some point in the central department; but,
having touched at Key West for stores, Lopez
received information that Pinar del Rey and
almost all of the Vuelta de Abajo had revoted
that it was then resolved to land somewhere in
Vuelta de Abajo u at by mistake of the pilot,
they were taken before Matanzas, and were
obliged to return by Havana, in search of the
port of Ortigosa, WI ere they proposed to land,
but were prevented by the frigate Esperanza
that the officers were Narciso Lopez, Hunga-
rian, Mr.. Praqay, Colonel Crittenden and two
| I'll a tnNo opA Clinton. that tha
rain of the Cuba company, to which deponent
belonged, was Idefenso Oberto, who was
killed at Las posas that the design of Lopez
was to establish Cuban republic, counting on
an instruction in the country, and the good
will of the troops
Being asked what occurred after his landing
until brought here, he said that they disf M
barked on the shore of Morllo at / O'Clock at
night on the It'll instant, without any opposi-
ton beyond four or five discharges which dis
persed some countrymen Of Morllo; that they
found the shores deserted, the store open and
forsaken, and having left something less than
two hundred men under Colonel Crittenden in
charge of the unnecessary arms and provisions,
the remainder of the expedition under Lopez,
advanced to Las Posas, without meeting any,
thing except few countrymen, who fled when
they saw the advance; and that upon arriving at
Las Posas they found the town abandoned, nor
were they able to make the inhabitants return,
notwithstanding the offers made to them that
the day following they were attacked by the
troops Of the Queen, who, in the end, were
forced TO retire, leaving them in possession of
the place, with the loss Of Col Pragay, colonel
whose name he had forgotten, Captain Oberto,
ard some fifty killed and wounded that finding
they did not encounter the expected sympathy
amongst the people. and we're attacked by the
very troops whom they expected to Join them,
they resolved to resort to the mountains, and
with this object started for Pinar del Rio, but
by the error or treachery Of the guide were con-
Quoted to the coffee estate of Frias, where they
had another encounter with the troops, which
resulted in the loss of four or five men, which
with what were before lot, reduced the forces
at Frias to $40 men, including IL to Ia wound,
ed that with these they passed to Brujo, and
spending the night in union, went to Martitore
nea or Candelaria, where, on the 2lst, IN mum
Der not exceeding 900 men, when breakfasting
they were surprised, attacked, and dispersed by
the troops Of the Queen. A hundred or more
hid themselves in the forest oue-third without
, arms, where they remained for four days with
out any food except horse, some corn, ant
wild plantains; that then arriving at road th'
deponent left the rest, in order to write to hi
mother, and that for this purpose he went TO
! hacienda, where were some officers of Galica
! who told him that it was not necessary to writ
: at the moment, as they were ordered to Civ
quarter; that he was delivered TO Brig Gen. Ro
zales sent to Bahia Honda, ard then to this city
Being asked what resources the expedition re
: lied upon, both in the United States and in thi
island, who were their principal agents and cor
respondents there and here, he said that almos
all the resources were from Mr. Segur, who nc
cording TO Lopez, bad given $4,000 to pur
chase the Pampero that sundry csnnons an
arms were purchased at sale Of government
remnants that the cartouches, sc, &c, wer
purchased through merchants in New Orleans
whose names he had forgotten, under a receIp
from Lopez TINT he had heard morcy had beei
sent from the island, and many valuable jewels