The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-25
THE CUBAN EXPEDITION.

in the Cuban Expedition under Lopez, ha
published a statement of facts and circum
stances connected with it. On the 3Oth July
he was appointed first lieutenant of company
B, in Colonel w. L. Crittenden's regiment and
left New Orleans on the Sd of August in the
steamer Pampero. They remained in the river
until the 9th, and left through the northeast
pass for Key West They reached Key West
on the 10th. On sailing for the coast of Cuba
the steamer run aground on a coral reef near
Bahia Honda. On landing at Cabanos, there
being no means of transporting baggage, Lopez
lett CrltteHaen 20 project the stores ana AIMING
milton, whilst he proceeded with Colonel Down
mans regiment of infantry to Los Posas, in
tending to send transportation from thence, and
would remain there until joined by Crittenden.
At IL o'clock at night, Crittenden started with
two carts to join Lopez, but was attacked on
the route the next morning, and compelled to
retreat Some of his command succeeded in
reaching Lopez at Los Posas.
At the same hour that Crittenden was at
tackled at the hacienda n body of the enemy
about 800 strong, under General Emma attack
ed Lopez ut Los Posas After hard fight of
over two hours, the enemy retreated leaving
the Americans masters of the field, and over
two hundred of their number (among whom
were several of their highest offcers) dead and
wounded-the American loss being in killed
wounded, and missing. only about thirty men,
among whom Colonel Downman and Lieu
tenant Labizan Were killed and General Pra-
gay and Captains Brigham and Goutt were
mortally wounded
Several other battles were fought, but finally
the invaders were dispersed, and Lopez was
compelled to fly Lieutenant V. says;
"On the evening of the 2lst, having been
weight hours without eating we killed
horse, which was divided among one hundred
and twenty-five men, who were all that now
remained with Lopez.
1--WE remained in the mountains until the
morning of Tuesday, the 28th, when, having
but one meal in six days and feeling that we
could bear it no longer, We determined to go
into the plains considering that it would be
better to be killed outright than die lnger
ing death from starvation, which we certainly
would in the mountains. We accordingly ad-
yanced to house where we We're treated with
great deal of kindness, and received a most
excellent breakfast
An arrangement was made to procure
guide to the south shore with provisions &c.
and we We're about to leave and conceal our
selves until night, when, in the twinkling of al
eye We were surrounded by two hundred armed
countrymen who Immediately bound us secure
", and inverted our pockets, considering thu
property lawful plumber. That day we reach
ed San Christobal Until we reached Sa,
Christobal, we were under the impression tina
we were to be Immediately shot our consola
ton being that we were to die with full
stOmachs.
On our arrival there, we were informe,
that proclamation had been issued ten hour
before our arrest sparing the lives of all file
buSieros who were made prisoners or CAV,
themselves up in four days except the traitor
Lopez after which an order dated, ! think, tn,
oath of April, 1850, (by which all foreigner
found in the island were ordered to be put t.
DEATH was to continue in full force"
At the time of my release from prison, which
was at ten o'clock on the night of the 4th inst
there were 100 of our force prisoners They
were all chained, and confined in one large room
hardly large enough, however, for oil to liz
down at once, They were treated very kindly
and allowed all the privileges that could be OK
pected AS a matter of course, where so man,
men are confined in a limited space, and no
allowed to leave under any circumstances, il
naturally follows that it must be very unpleas
ant. Their sentence is ten years hard labor II
Spain, probably in the construction of canal
They all appeared to be in good spirits at tn,
time | left being under the impression that they
would soon be released on their arrival il
Spain,
Lopez was brought from the Pizarro, and pub
licly garroted in the square adjoining the prison
at seven o'clock in the morning of Monday, tn
LIST of September With him ended not onl,
this expedition, but sincerely trust all expedi
tons for Cuba
"Up to the time left the Spaniards coul'
account for two hundred and seventy-on
MISUNDERSTANDING Crittenden' command
whom they had killed that is. in action
wounded men who were left ON the field, an,
sick and fatigued men who gave out on tn
march, and were left behind and men whom
they hunted down in the mountains with dogs
Those, with the one hundred and sixty takel
prisoners make total of four hundred an
thirty-one men accounted for-leaving balanc
of twenty-five men whose fate is yet unknown
the total force landed being four hundred an
fifty-three men,
"Of these twenty-five, probably the create
portion are yet alive and in the mountains an
rs the troops have all been recalled to Havana
1t rs probable some of them may yet succeed il
getting home. Out of the whole number mad
prisoners but two others besides myself hay
been pardoned. Those are Col HAYNES an,
Capt Kelly, whom the Captain General par
doned, and sent home, unsolicited They wer,
to leave Havana for this port in the packet shil
Norma, on Friday. My own release was grant
ed ~ n special favor to Capt Charles I. Plat
of the United States ship Albany ON board O
which was conveyed by an aid of the Captai,
General, at 4 o'clock on "Wednesday night. tn
ship proceeding to sea Immediately, His Ex
cellency sent n Government tow boat and n milo
to take her out
Lopez was caught with bloodhounds in TIN
mountains ON the morning Of Friday, the 29t
inst The dogs being some distance in adyanc
OF the men, bit him badly in the left leg. Their
were seventeen countrymen in the party VIII
captured him, each of whom was publicly pre-
scented with $1,000 and n cross Of honor, imme
dately after his execution.
LET us now review the causes and results G
this expedition At the time | received my a,
pontment from MIR. Sigur, one Of the editors {
the New Orleans Delta, | was told by him tina
u revolt was regularly organized among the ere
oles throughout the island Of Cuba that the
had elected General Lopez as their leader, an,
their object was to free Cuba from the tyrann
OF Spain, and either form republic of thei
own. or annex the island to the United States
He told me that Lopez was about to leav
| New Orleans for Cuba with about five bundre,