Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-09-16

| Honda to San Cristobal, along which we advanced
until nearly night, when two Spanish ancers dis
covered advancing, but fed on seeing us. halt
| Immediately ordered and an examination made of the
state OF our forces, which showed total of ham
dr. and twenty five men, eighty muskes about TWEEN
~ oil winch were sevceable and about forty dry
tridge' Under this state OF affairs it was deemed adj
Vlsable TO retreat, which ordered, and pursuit
commenced by the enemy, who lay in ambush some
few hundred yards in advance with force of nine
hundred men, On the approach of the enemy the
Whole orce OF Lopez separated into small bCdes and
dispersed through the mountains throwing away their
guns and everything which could cucumber them in
their hight, seven men only remaining with the Cen
eraL large member were overtaken and immedate-
ly killed. l,myself, ola party Of eight who
had previously determined leaving Lopez and at
tempting to escape from the island
We remained in the noun tans until the morning of
Tuesday the 10th, when having had but one meal in
six days, and feeling that could bear it no longer
we determined TO go INTO the plains considering mat
it would be better be killed outright thnn die lin
Serng death rom Starvation, which we certainly would
up in the mountains.
We accordingly advanced to house. W here we
were treated with a great deal olkindness and re-
ceived a most ex.elleoi breakfast An srrapaement
was made to procure guide the south shore, with
provisions, &C, and We were about 10 cave and conceal
ourselves unlll nght whes IN The twnklng OF an eye
We were surrounded by 200 armed countrvmen who
Immediately bound US securely and inverted our pock-
cts, considering the contents lawful punder Tim,
day we reached San Crslobal. Until we cached San
Chrstobal, we were under the impression that we
were to he Immediately shot, only consolation be.
ing that We were 10 die with full stomuchs
On our arrival there. we were informed that procla-
nation had been Issued ten houls before our arrest
epanng the lives OF all "hlbusteros who WE re made
prisoners, or gave hemSe Ives up, within four DAYS. ex-
cept he traitor, Lopez, after which an order dated.
think The 24h OF AprD by which all loreanei rs ound 10
The Island were ordered TO be put DEATH was TO con-
tnue in full force. On he 18th, there being then a.
prisoners, We left San CrsoDa tor Havana; and on
Friday night reached Guayamas, the terminus of a
railroad from Havana There an order was raceyed
NJ tn Marie
embark, he being fearful that The prisoners would be
torn 10 pieces by The rasble at Havana. We reached
Marcel on the evening o. the 3Oth, and were embarked
upon the steamer Almendares. to proceed to Havana
When an express arrived, bringing information of the
capture OF Lopez, and he steamer was DELAYED 10
await ms arrival which took place at clock P. NJ
on sunday the 5ist, when we mmed left Tor Ha-
vana. Lopez YVES entirely at liberty, anu smoked his
cigarette with apparently much uncoucern as he ever
oo ID MS lie Outslde OF the harbor OF Mare Lopez
was transferred TO the figate Pzarro Which
conveyed him TO Havana, and which he did not leave
until ne II, next morning Tor the place of execution
ne remainder OF ds were confined that night in the
city Frlon In the OF The fort called the Ponta The
PRISONERS pas ed through regular process their hair
oeng hrsl cut close their heads They then passed
to inc hands OF another barber, who deprived Them
OF lhelr Whlskers; then another provided them with
prison uniform and The exet cses were terminated bv
oig negro, who securely fastened them in PAIRS by a
cchan' similar III SIZE and weight to log chain, and
hrmiy secured 10 the ANGLE.
At the time of my release from prison which az n,
~ O'Clock on the night OF the 4th Instant there were
lou OF our force prl.o They all chained and
confined ~ one large room hardly large enough, how
ever Tor all to lie down once. They were treated
very land allowed all the privileges that could be
expected. AS matte OF course, where SO many men
are confined IN mite space and allowed to leave
under any circumstances, it naturally follows that
must be very unpleasant. Their sentence is ten Years
hard labor In Spaln probably in the construction of
canal They all appeared to be in good spirits at the
time lett being the impression that they would
soon be released after their arrival in SPAIN
Lopez VS. brought from the Pizarro and publicly |
garroed IN the square adjoining the prison. att o'clock
IN the morning OF Monoay, the LIST of September -
With him ended not only this expedition but sincerely
trust all expeditions to Cuba.
Up to the time left, the Spanards could account
tor two hundred and sevenlyohe Observation-Disclosures
Crttenden's communication they had killed. that IS,
IN acion; wounded men Who left the field ano
SICK ana fatigued men who gave the march and
Were leit behind and whom they hunted down in
the mountains with dogs Those with the one hundred
ana sixty taken prisoners make total OF four hundred
and thlrty'ohe men accounted for, leaving balance OF
twenty-five men whose fate is yet unknowI-the total |
force ianded being tour hundred and fihy-hree men -
vi these twenty-five probably the greater potion are
yet alive and in the mountains; and as The troops have
all been recalled TO Havana it is probable some of them
may Yet succeed'ln getting home. Out of the whole |
nunber made prisoners, but two others besides mysef
have been pardoned. Those Col Haynes and Capt
Kelly, whom the Captain General pardoned, and sent
home, unsolicited. They to leave Havana tor this
port IN the packet ship Norma Friday. My own re-
lease was granted as special favor Capt. Char T.
Fiat, OF the United States ship Albany board of
Ill,
at IL o'clock, on Wednesday night the chip proceeding
10 sea Immediately. His Excelency sent government
low boat and pilot 10 take her out.
Lopez caught with blood hounds in the noun |
tans, on the morning Of Friday the 80 h inst. The
dogs beng some distance in advance of the men, Bit
nm badly in The lett leg There were coun-
rymen IN the party who uted him, each OF whom
was publicly presented with $1,000 and cross of honor
immt datey after his execution.
Letus now review the cause and results Of this ex.
pedhion. AT the time received my apponne nj from
Mr. Sgur, one OF the editors OF the New Orleans Dell
ta was Told by him that revolt WIS lesuar, orqa.
nzed among me Cieoles hloug bout the Island of Gu
ba; that they had elected Gen Lopez as their leader
ana ther object was 10 lice Cuba from The yrapnv al
spain, and either torn republic their own or an
mex the island 10 the United States. He told me that
Lopez was ABOUT to leave New Orleans Tor Cuha with
about 900 Americans; and that his landing was
line sigma fnr genera rising and that within ten DAYS
alter landing he would be the head of an army Of
tell thousand men; that there also whole reyi-
mems OF Spanish troops to come over 10 him with
inelr eq ilrnlents The same story told to ALL
Was II so?
AS have already stated our first sautation wa.
voliey oil musk ey, instead Of, the Delta asserts
large body of friends, with horses stores &c for our
use Instead OF finding the Ceoes our friends, we
found them cur most bitter enemies, tar more so than
the troops-keeping the roops constantly informed Of
our movements, ard hanging skirts, putting to
death, WITHOUT mercy, all those who struggled on the
march. OF The troops cannot but speak IN nrsss
withouta single exception. They treated the prison
ers vii the utmost Kindness giving them VINE. Sc.
gas, bread tobacco, and aguadenle, freely and from
the!f own sihal means imagine no will say
that we had a right to expect such treatment Orr
conduct forced and dem nded their respec but CERTAIN
ly we had no claim either on their sympathy or gene
rosity
Much has been said relative to the execution of Crit
tenden and his men. Among all the prisoners now in
Havana, much as they admired Crittenden there is but
one opinion, and that Is that the execution was justi
aoie--was merlled. That they deceived all know
cut tna Was nv buslne- OF the Spanish authorizes -
Surely the provocation received sufficient to Justify
not only the execute OF those men, but OF every man
conn cted with the expedition. Why, look at this az
fair in Its proper light Where even "a history in Ike
annals OF the world, do you find similar occurrence
tere tour hundred and fifty men, without having re-
ceVed ihe least provocauon, leave their homes and
invade the shores OF perfectly p-acetu land express
ing determination to take that Island from its awfu
owners, by otce Selfpreservaton is one of the first
laws OF nature and if the law will uphold and protect
mat American citizen, who, without hesitation shoots
duyxn The minninat ,ohhsr 10 1.af..aas e -