The republic., 1851-09-09

IDANrEL WEBsrER's Letter TO the Union Meeting
r at Westchester.
Expedition OF Lopez as Narrated by his Fol-
lowers
despatch was received at the Navy De
partment on yesterday from Commodore PLATT,
of the United States sloop -of-war Albany, dated
Havana, September lst, 1851, stating that, in
reply to request from him that he might
be permitted to visit the Americans who
accompanied LoPEz's expedition, and who had
surrendered or been captured and brought into
Havana, he received the following reply from
the Captain General
[TRANsLArIoN.l
HAVANA, August 81, 1851.
6IR: have received the letter which ycu ad-
dressed to this day soliciting my permission to
hold interview with the prisoners who have been
brought to this port, and who formed part of the
invading expedition which attacked this island.
II inform you, in reply, that order the COM
rnander of her majesty's frigate "Esperanza," on
board of which the prisoners are, to admit you, at
any hour at which you may present yourself to
hold the desired interview, with permission re-
main with the prisoners SO long you may find it
convenient; and avail myself of this occasion to
assure you of the esteem which your noble conduct
and frank and honorable character entitle you TO
from me.
am, therefore, with all respect, your obedient
servant, &C., JOSE DE LA CONCHA.
CHAs. J. PLArT, ESQ, Commanding United States
sloop- war Albany, and Senior Officer of the
Naval Forces of the United States in this port
And that, availing himself this permission,
Captain PLATr, accompanied by Lieutenant
WILLIAM ROGERS TAYLOR, visited the prison
In which these unfortunate men were confined,
and received from them a narrative of the fatal
expedition as follows:
Ertract from despatch TO the Navy Department from
Commander CHARLES t. PLATr, Commanding
United States ship albany, dated Hauana, Sept /.
The followers of Lopez having been entirely dis
persed, and a number of prisoners reported as
brought to this place the 9th ultimo addressed
a letter to the Captain General requesting permis
sion to hold an interview with any Americans who
might be among them. This permission was
readily accorded in reply, which is enclosed. The
interview was postponed until the morning of the
30th, the prisoners having in the mean time been
transferred to the castle of the "Puna, )" and some
accessions having been made TO their number
The commandant of the castle informed me that
the whole number OF prisoners was fifty seven, of
whom about thirty or thirty five were Americans
learned from themselves This officer was
present throughout the interview. Another gen
tleman, who was introduced inspector of prisons
came in during it's continuance, and remained un.
stil its close The sprisoners were heavily ironed
were clad in prison uniform, and had their hair
closely cut. They confined in an arched
gallery, to which access was had through two
grated doors, the inner being entirely of iron
In the little ante room between the two doors lay
the garments worn by the prisoners at the time of
their confncm ent.
On our entrance the Americans were ordered to
advance to the front, and all foreigners were sent
to the other end of the cell. Inquiry being made
for the officers, the following presented Themselves
viz:
James A. Kelly, of New Orleans, formerly of
Bayou Sara. who held the rank of captain in the |
expedition.
Robert M. Grider, of New Orleans, a native of
Kentucky, a lieutenant in the
). ID. Baker, Of --, also a lieutenant.
No other officer of the expedition presented him
self They informed that had obtained per. |
mission to visit them, and that my object was to
obtain from them any information they might
choose to give, which would be forwarded to the
Government of the United States, and perhaps
might be the means of deterring others of our
countrymen from placing themselves in the same
that they were in the power of the Spanish govern.
ment, and that nothing could be done for them as
Americans, inasmuch as the Presidents proclama-
ton had declared that any persons joining an in
vading force would thereby forfeit the protection
Of the Government Of the United States This
was said to prevent their forming any false hopes
from my visit.
The information obtained was given in the pre-
sence Of the entire party by the aforesaid officers,
and being uncontradicted by any of them, may be
regarded as the testimony of the whole
They stated that the expedition sailed from New
Orleans in the steamer "Pampero." They were
not sure of the exact number composing it, but
thought ii was four hundred and eighty seven;
that 1t certainly did not amount to five hundred. |
Before landing in Cuba they anchored near Key |
West, where they remained several hours, and |
were visited by some citizens of that place They
landed In CUBA about two o'clock of the morning |
OF the 18th August Their fret fight took place on |
the 18TH From that period they had lost all recol-
lection Of dates. They had five engagements but !
could not tell bow many of their number had been |
killed. They were armed with condemned mus
kets-had no rifles; but many individuals had re- |
volyers and knives. They brought with them
eighty thousand cartridges, and captured many
more after landing. They had artillery Soon
after landing they found they had been deceived,
and became anxious to return home. They had
been informed, before sailing, that fourteen towns
were in possession Of the "patriots," TO their
own languagr) and that the whole island was in /
astate Of revolution. They suppose that the fifty /
men captured with Colonel Crittenden were en-.
deayoring to make their escape. They 80 infer