The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-17

~ Istch she passes oi the hhls u Ouxoo, ana cn
desTatchsd IN front section ri cavalry war0ed sne
pirates Of the imminent danger in which they were
placed, obliging them IL leave their mess immedi-
atsfy, and place themselves in march towards me
mountain Such was the moment, that the intrepid
General advancing with oneh half Of the light man
try on the enemy's flank " intercept him IN hts re-
treat, he received mortal wound which compelled
him to command his column TO halt an unfortunate
event, which interrupted the operations that day,
ard which saved the pirates, though they were
exhausted and fatieued that they had " stop "a
rest at league and half from the coffee plantation
Cf FTias
Not having under my orders any one Of the
! generals whom | could employ in the com
mand Of the operations, took their direc-
| ton myself. It was necessary to reorsan-
| ize the different columns, to place then in
| disposition to oppose any new expedition ina.
might present itself "a was announced, and at the
same time to rDder It impossible that single one
of LOpez's men should ESCAPE, by emharkng ut any
Of the coasts, and by taking refuge in any OF the
infinite shoals around to take advantage OF The pas
sage of any vessel crossing. And such was the OBJ
jcct which proposed to myself in sending pr-cipi-
lately from Havana the 18th, Lieutenant Colonel
Sanchez, with four hundred men of the regiment OF
La Corona, whose arrival at San Christobal opp0..
timely prevented the occurrence OF that winch hau
calcu atsd to avoid.
IL is enough to examine the map and consider the
short extent which il occupied from north to south
by the bulls OF Cuzco, aad the few roads and open-
ings which they comprise, to under tand that both
objects attained by the order which /, to that
eff had given the column Of Brigader Rosaes on
whom, by the death Of General EnDa. the command
had deyolved, was TO occupy San Diego de
Nuhez, Tor the purpose Of covering the northern
coast being rea0y 10 rpel and destroy any neW ex
petition which might disembark; to which end he
could reunte to his the forces stationed in Cayaa
under the orders Of Lieut. COL ToroD and which
was to cover the pass from these hills in the direc-
ton of Havana Col. EZalde was to be stationed
in San Crstobal to the southern coast and to
guard the jurisdiction Of Pinas del Rio, and in the
~. 4
meantime the columns OF Col: Morales and Lien.
Col. Sanchez were charged to harass the enemy in
cessaDtly
1t " az impossible that, 10 soon rs the troops had
taken this station the complete ext<rminaton Of the
they would necessarily be pursued closely by some Of
the columns, and at distance OF one or two leagues
from those which they had designated as the centre
Of operations. These orders having been given on
the 18th, had only 10 overcome some difficulties to
realize them on the two following days, on account
OF the alterations which the different columns had
suffered in their strength and situation. Neverthe
less, with the information which had on the 20th
Of the position occupied by the enemy, directed Col
Elzalde that in marching to San Cristoba he should
take the direction Of San Diego de Tapia whereby
he should encounter the pirates &c. indeed it Oc-
CURED, and that gallant chief met them with his
column in the Candelaria de Agurcata. The enemy,
although occupying most advantageous position,
had to yield before the ntrepdty of our troops and
their valiant commander, who even after being
wounded continued prosecuting the foe until fear
full storm put forced end toit.
This encounter took place on the 22d, and ON the
23d directed Lieut. Colonel Sanchez, by a courier,
that, having information that the dispersed pirates
were uniting in San Diego de Tapa and Quihons,
he should depart tbther without loss OF time--un-
Outstanding, told him, "that the column of Gene.
raj Eiizalde, commanded by Captain Ramos, will
msrch tomorrow. (24th,) in the same direction; aud
it will he possible he will first meet the enemy,
you will hasten with all possible rapidity to the
place where you hear the firing. bearing with you
for this purpose good and skilful guides of the
ground" Lieut.. Colonel Sanchez executed my
orders. and overlook the pirates in the Rosario.
His troops rushed on them with the bayonet
and harrassed them so tenacionsly among those i'm
penetrable thckets, which only permitted our SOL
ders to march one by one that they could have been
completely exterminated that day had Capt. Ramos
column, instead OF returning to Bahia Honde by or
der of the Commandaut General, made the move
ment which | bad directed, taking the same and
only direction which the pirates could pursue in
their retre8t.
Colonel Morales afterwards took command of the
troops; and from the moment of his being separated
from the coptiguity of the enemy, in consequence Of
the order which General Emma gave to march TO
Cayajabos, he had to make very forced march to
Las POzas, on account OF having received from the
Lieutenant Governor of Bahia Honda information OF
the Decentralization of a new expedition. That OF
Lopez ALREADY found itself entirely destroyed, and
the combined persecution of its dispersed members
by the troops and peasants, was SO active and ELI "a
cious that not single one-the chief included
| failed TO be made prisoner.
Such were, in resume the military operations which
took place up to the complete determination of the
Lopez expedition, in the relation Of which might
not have occupied myself had not wished to estab
lish certain facts importing to the honor of our va
| liant troops For to what military glory could
pretend for having destroyed five hundred with the
forces which had then at my disposal? None GER
tainly; such expedition might have been by itse
alone very contemplate. Nevertheless, to what at
tribute the importance given to it by all parties In
what find cause for the iDquietude and alarm which
its simple announcement had produced within and
without the country? Contemplate OF itself as that
expedition was it was known, nevertheless, that il
reckoned with security inspired into those who
directed it, on cans;ng general rising in the isl and
and though such an event did not take place, still it,
results could not fail to have been grievous. Revots
or partial risngs, might have been sufficient to ex
cite the passions Of the good Spaniards, and Il
deepen the mortified division Of the white popula
ton. and the information Of those risngs might have
attracted new expeditions Of pirates, so that in f
teen days the island might have been converted intt
theatre of desolation-a picture which will b.
presented whenever the sons Of common country
are armed against one another, who united had no
thing to fear except from foreign enemies.
For myself have not the slightest doubt that the
immense majority of the country would continue
faithful and loyal to Spain; but at the same time
that ought to endeavor at all cost to avoid, i'm
mediaely epress any sedtion, however insignificant
il might be. | considered it right that no ar
bitrary or violent means should be taken to
exhibit the situation OF the island as dan
geIous, exciting the fears OF all good Span.
iards. In those moments there was nothing
more easy or nothing which might have so much
satisfied those interested in the conservation Of the
Island as manifesto declaring it in state Of siege
and imposing from the first to the last article, the
capital penalty on whomever might be apprehended
with arms in their hands, or their aiders and har
bOrers. That Is thing which, unfortunately Ia tor
generally held among us as proof of energy, and
which Is commonly sought from On authority
charged to defend the interests which they consider
| their Owl.
| But I never have had any confidence in that sys
TEN to escape from the difficult circumstances il
which government are situated by anterior errors
or in which the course Of inevitable events places
them. In the situation in which the island tber
was with the clements Of order which, as said, il
contained, and With the troops. at my disposal,
might have been able, perhaps, by means OF those
PRESENTATIONS and Of the shedding of blood, to ar
rive at the result of exterminatng the expeJi
ton; but preferred arriving at it in such manner
rs that the country might appear addicted TO the
government, and not subjected ty the force of bayo
lets and the rgor Of military procllmatons. There
EIp. .l<t .lazV