Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-08-30
From the Picayune of the 22d ult.l

From the Picayune of the 22d ult.
The U. S. Mail Steamship Company's steam
er Empire City, John Tanner commander, ar
rived last Thursday from New York, ria Ha-
vana She brings late and important news
from Cuba. Gen. Lopez has landed with his
forces, and is about fifty miles to the west
ward of Havana. A severe battle has been
fought at Bahia Honda, fifteen leagues from
Havana, which proved equally fatal for the in
vaders as the troops. At the first advance of
the Spanish troops one whole company was
almost entirely destroyed, save twenty men,
who made their escape severely wounded. The
second attack was quite as disastrous to them
as the first. The loss on the Spanish side, as
near as ascertained, was about two hundred !;
seventy were brought to Havana wounded.
ssThe peculiar kind of ammunition" (says
wounded soldier) "used by the invaders, pro-
duces the most deadly effect"
The small steamboats, formerly plying be-
tween Havana, Matanzas, and Cardenas, have
been taken by the Government, and are now
used for the transportation Of troops and pro-
visions.
Three steamers of war arrived off Havana
on the 18th. One entered the harbor, the 9th.
ers are cruising off the coast.
The Empire City arrived off the Moro in the
night ofthe 18th. Her signal lights not be-
ing readily recognized from the castle, "a
strange steamer" was reported "being outside" :"
and a Spanish steamer was sent out to watch
her movements, which remained by her until
morning
The steamer Falcon on her passage from
chased by Spanish steamer, and shot fired
Fo bn, <1 %o l,,kT
thinking proper to obey the signal, kept his
course. He was, however, again intercepted
before reaching the port, and boarded by off,
GERS OF another steamer.
The question being asked "What steamer is
that!'' Capt. Rogers Indignantly replied, "the
ship had been there often enough for them to
know her by this time, that it was the Falcon,
bound for Havana" They apologized for hav-
ing detained him, and stated that they had on
ly acted according to orders.
The Executions.
The most painful news to record is the ex-
ecution of ffty.o men (thirty.ive Americans)
who were taken near aBahia Honda" They
were out in small boats at the time-were ia
ken prisoners, put on board a steamer, carried
to Havana on the 10th, and there shot the same
day. They were not permitted to 90 on
shore in the city, but were Immediately taken
to one of the Notifications opposite, and there
most brutally murdered After the first dis
charge of the infantry those who were not in
stantly killed were beat upon the head until
life was extinct. The corpses were then most
horribly mutated by blood. thirsty mob. One
poor fellow received three balls in the neck,
and raising himself in the agonies of death,
was struck by soldier with the butt Of mus
ket and his brains dashed out All this occur
red within sight of the vessels in the harbor.
Among those shot was young lad Of fifteen
years, who beseeched them upon his knees to
send some one to him who could speak En-
glish, but his request was unheeded and he
shared the fate of the others. The names Of
those shot will be found below.
The most intense excitement prevails at Ha-
vana. Gen. Concha has issued an order for
the arrest of all persons who may be heard
expressing an opinion ID public.
Little or no reliance can be placed upon Go
vernment reports of affairs in the island, ,ss they
suppress everything that is not for their ad-
vantage to have known ip public.
An extra of the Faro of the 18th inst. con-
tains the following, by which it will be per-
ceived that the Spanish authorities have exc