The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-17
From The New York Herald,
The Statement OF Lieut.. Van ysehten.
On BOARD STEAMSHIP WINFIELD ScoTT,
w INFLELD SCOTT,
September IL, 1851

DEAR SIR: Having been connected with The late unor.
tunale expedition against Cuba, Under the command Of
Gen. Naclso Lopez, and allowed TO return IN safety To
my home and tIiegds, leel II 10 he duty which owe
10 The friends of my unfortunate comrades and to the
public al large 70 Pnbsh, through the columns Of your
valuable aud dey.clrcuIatng paper account OF
the proceedings OF that expedition correcting, as Tar az
possible The false reports which, for the last month have
been IN circulation throughout the United States aud en-
deayoring 10 do justice 10 all
became connected with the expedition at New VI
leans, receiving, the Both day OF July last an appoint
men as hTs lieutenant OF company D, OF o9G d L.
Critlendens regiment s artieryo commanded ~ zap
tain lanes Sanders The eXpedioN as you are Already
aware left New Orleans at day break on The morning Of
Sunday the "a OF August in the steamer Pampero. We
were lowed TO the mouth OF the nveT-ou engine being
Out of order We remained in the river until Wedhes
day The GIN and left through the Northeast Pass at
o'clock D N of that day, lo Key West The intention
at that time TO 90 10 Key West, and there take
board pilot tor the river 81 Johns at which place
were 10 embark light battery OF artillery, with caissons
ammunition, and harness complete together with a
Der OF cavalry saddesand from thence TO run TO
the south side oil Cuba, and land possible TO
We reached Key West. and anchored some distance
from the city al about 3, p M OF Sunday, the 10Th in
siant While al Key West quantity OF brandy and
tolerably freely by Lopez aud his staff About dusk OF
that day, no pilot appearing, Lopez called council
posed entirely OF the Cuhans and Hnngarians attached
70 his STALL (no Americans being caed who decided 10
give up going TO the 81. Johns river, and run immedi
atey for the coast Of Cuba which was done about TO-
m The next morning, owing to the variation OF the
compass, from nuskes being stacked near il, we found
ourselves in plain sight OF the Moro Castle, and about
twelve miles distant. The vessel Immediately head
ed to the nohward and westward aud run out OF sight
OF land. About 3, p. m, OF that day Lopez took the
captain and mate out OF Spanish schooner 10 ACT pl-
lots giving them TO understand that they would be shot
they showed any disposition 10 escape or deceive. At
p m, we again stood in for land, ana alter dusk
sent boat IN 10 reconnore, which was hailed By
try on the walls oil the ior situated near Bahia Honda,
the ship not being than mile IRON il As
the boat reported, lights extngushed aud press
OF steam put on the ship roaming TO the westward along
the land Al 10 O'Clock, while running under the charge
OF pilot, under press OF steam, the ship suddenly
struck and before the engines could De stopped had
more than her length upon coral reef Aler examining
her situation was found thar she was lying about
eight feet Of water, while her draught feet
and that necessary that the force should be imme
da,ey landed, which done and about 2 O'Clock on
the morning OF the 2ih OF August the last OF dlsem
barked upon the shore OF what we had been taught TO
consider woad soon be the free island Of Cuba The
first boats which landed Were fred upon by party OF
twenty men, who fled on their fire being returned from
the boat which contained Captain Gouti, Ia Cuban
handing an American company } Lieutenant Lsnngham
and about ulTly prlvaies OF his company. One OF Gous
was wounded in The arm, and returned In the ship
and the cap OF the Lieutenant was cut into halves his
head.
Posas, small village ten miles distant, which he in
formed the inhabitants that lie about to march to
that place, and would give quarter 10 any whom he
found there who did not Join him. There being means
Of transporting baggage at Cabanos, where landed
Lopez ordered Colonel Crtttenden to there and
protect our stores, consisting of one hundred thousand
musket cartridges, three thousand muskes and ssgen
hundred pounds OF powder in kegs. together with the
personal baggage OF all the officers, saying that he would
march on TO Los Posas with the regiment OF infantry,
commanded by Colonel bowman, and send from thence
transportation, and that he would remain there until
joined by Critlenden. Accordingly Lopez marched, al
eight o'clock, with three hundred and twenty three men,
leaving Cnlenden al Cabanos with one hundred and
thirty men, AT eleven O'Clock that night Crlenden re
ceved two carts and started Immediately after 10 Join
Lopez al Los Posas.
fine carts being heavily loaded and the roads bad our
progress was OF necessity slow, not advancing than
mile an hour. About two hours alter daylight, the
morning OF The l3h, we reached house containing
store and gog shop, about ouG miles IRON Los Posas
The advance guard and man body only had reached the
house, Che rear guard with the carts being sui
quarter OF mile behlndl aud engaged in eating
breakfast their arms being lad aside, when they
surprised by the report OF nusketfy and the ahstIng
OF bullets which proceeded from the advance guard OF
body of the enemy hye hundred strong We Immediately
seized our guns and killed nine OF The enemy, sGd made
prisoner, of party having been injured Not
seeing any more OF The enemy The colonel concluded il
was but iOraglng party that had attacked u.s. and our
rear guard having come up with The carts, ordered 10
resume our breakfasts, which we did. About ten min
utes after, we were again attacked blythe whole force oil
the enemy they having the advantage of position, being
posted on the brow OF a hall overlooking our position,
with bel; OF chappara three hundred yards wide
intervening, over which could not fire. Crittenden
Immediately gave the order TO charge, leading himself,
and forced the enemy TO retreat 10 large body OF chap
paral some seyenty-hve eighty yards 10 the OF
their first position from which they opened heavy fire
upon our force as soon as II appeared IN sight the
brow OF the hill Finding he could not maintain that
position, Crlttenden gave order 10 retreat 10 the
house, which done, while the enemy resumed his
position on the hill, and again onened his fire upon
which Crlttenden ordered a second charge, al the
time saying that he wished a small party to al
tam position at the right flank of the enemy, TO
charge from that side AT the moment he charged
from the front Second Lieutenant w. II. Crafts
(also OF company 81 and myself volunteered, and
succeeded IN attaining the position with twenty men,
After remaining in il Tor about half hour and hearing
nothing OF Crenden, returned TO the house, where
we found Captain Kelly, Of company A, with ten men,
guarding the carts, but could hear nothing OF Crit
teDden. The enemy after advancing towards the
house. we were compelled to retreat leaving baggage
and stores and that nght-or rather the morning
we succeeded IN forming junction with Lopez at Los
Posas half an hour before his march from that place At
the hour that Crttenden attacked The hac
enda. body OF the enemy eight hundred strong under
General Emma, attacked Lopez at Los Posas After
hard fight Of two hours the enemy rereaed leaving
the Americans masters OF the field, aud two bun.
dred oil Their mum 0eT-amODg whom several OF the
highest ofcers-dead and wounded the American loss
being in killed, wounded, and missing, only about thirty
men, among whom Colonel DownmAn and Lieutenant
Lsbizan killed. and General Pragsy and Captains
Brigham and Gouu were MORALLY wounded Alter the
action the Spanish wounded brougn in, and well
taken OF as circumstances would admit Lopez rode
entirely ubarmed the field through the hottest the
fire, occasionally applying red aw-hIde with great
deal OF vgor the shoulders OF such be thong
could be hurried mo firing little faster Ga The
ing OF the 14ib, al o'clock, Lopez marched from Los
Posss into the mountains, leaving there seventeen
wounded Spaniafds and thirteen OF side all oil whom
were bayoneed by the Spanlars and their bodies piled
IN heap crossways at the foot OF hill
Two days after the 16ih) Lopez was again attack ed
by three hundred lsncers and hundred infantry, while
encamped at hacienda which formerly belonged him