Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-09-03

lowing letter from an officer on board the IT 8
ship Albany, dated
Havana, Cuba, Aug l6, 1851.
The U. s. ship Albany % gums arrived of
Havana seven days from Pensacola, on the 9Th .
.his month; the same day communicated with IN,
limited States Consul. Remained in sight Of tn,
Moro till Monday following, when the commander
Chas L. Plat again went into the harbor; this tim,
having an interview with The Captain General o
Cuba. Nothing was learned inducing the belle
that an immediate invasion of the Island was anti
cpaied indeed the contrary belief seemed 10 b
firmly entertained. Tuesday following this inter
view the Albany remained in sight Of Cuoa, Ieav
| ing the U. 5. steamer Vixen in The harbOr of Fla
vana On Monday, about the time Of The inter
view named with The Captain General of Cuba
Lopez landed al Bahia Honda, fifty miles west O
| Havana, the news of which, coming to the latte
place The same night, was brought out by the Vjx
en- to the Albany and both of these vessels, the ON
ly portion of The Gulf or Home Squadron in thes,
seas, Immediately returned to Havana The frs
days rumor, after the Abany's return, was tina
the "FiIibusterus" had marched twelve miles int
the country, to the town Of"Posa." and there hold
! ing firm at the foot of The Cusco mountains, hat
cut to peces two entire companies of the Spanish
infantry who had been too much in advance when
the attack began. The Spanards, having seau
at their disposal, had suddenly thrown two thous
and men upon the devoted adventures hut blood,
repulse followed their first attack. A thousanC
more men were hurried from Havana on Thursday
the 18th. These also must have gone too nea
The FIlibustems rifles, for they were again yester
day reinforced by three companies, s. last night a.
mother steamer went in thesaine direction apparent
ly loaded with troops. The act of the large rein
forcemens being hurried To the scene of action rem
ders it probable that there is sumo ground for the
rumor that several hundred Spaniards, among
whom. are very large proportion Of officers, have
already fallen But for all this, the fate of The ex
petition is sealed-for the Cnbanus, however free
with money and boasts of fight, will not handle
The musket-they DO not join the invaders-and
The brave sympathsers, deIuded first, are already
falling sacrifice. A horrid story remains Tor to.
day-ffiy men, detached by Lopez 10 gain some
town, on or near the coast, were captured by the
Spanish Admiral last night G A. N.Y. They were
brought into The harbor, placed on board the frg-
ate "Esperanza," (Hope,) and this morning, at
o'clock, they marched down the ships gangway,
one by one, stripped to trowsers and shirt, some
even with out the latter covering, oear-headed
hands tightly bound behind their backs-a pale
train. hurried by the minions Of despotism towards
the land Of ghosts.
say these fifty men, colonel, captains, 4
eulenanls, surgeons, 5sergeants, aud 35 soldiers,
were bare headed and almost naked bound, march,
ed down the f1agshp's gangway, on the side next
to, and not two hundred and fifty yards from the
Albany inlo ferry boart, transported to the head
of the harbor, distance about mile, and there,
amidst an immense concuurse Of spectators-per-
haps one hundred thousand-shot without mercy !
saw their pale faces and firm steps as they de-
scended from their trial 10 death. Many were very
Young, and some had the forms as they no doubt
had the souls of heroes. Of the whole party Only
enc was Cuban, which of itself, shows enough Of
creole Cuba's patriotism -Four were Irish, and
forty were our own people, mlsled, II is true, but
doubtless believing that they were lreadIng in the
steps of Lafayette and thnse sympathlsers whose
names are enrolled 10 glory, In the annals OF our
revolution. But Cuba has moi revolted; there is no
war here of the people against their oppressors,
and our people should keep aouf or descend by tens
Of thousands TO drive tyranny to The land where II
is indigenous.
II is said that their are twenty four thousand
Spanish soldiers in Cuba. The Neuvias insur-
recion is suppressed Lopez must perish, and all
the small parties who ignoTaniy are approaching
to join him. Heaven forbid that should have TO
witness any more such executions as thuse of this
day, all the preparations H,r which were so osten-
ta.iously made right under our flag Ought not
our ships of war now to be on preventive service,
warning off OF taking back home the deluded gen.
erous men who think Cuba ready for their aid,
instead of laying in port to witness Spanish JUS
tice 2
Warn the public that the rights Of war will
never be accorded here by the Spanards to The
vanqnished patriots. "Ve viclis" is their motto,
so long as they are not defeated,
1t is healthy here at this ,ime-no English
man-of-war here-he French steam frigale Asmo
dee is in port. The U. S. steamer Vixen sailed
for Pensacola this morning.